New Years Eve!

We like to celebrate our New Years Eve at home with our children and friends from the neighborhood. For the past few years we have hosted a party including a New Years Eve countdown and "ball dropping" at 9 PM. We try to make it festive for the kids. We give them top hats and tiaras, multitudes of necklaces and bubbly to drink (sparkling grape juice). This year we had some technical difficulties. Our bubble machine from years past broke and the new one was lame. Plus the lights flickered out once and we had to do it again. Oh well, still a good time for all. I am so thankful for my family and friends and all that we have. My hope for next New Years Eve is that my daughter will be home to ring in the new year with us.

Cory & Me

We had a party to go to but I wasn't feeling so hot so Dave and the boys headed out without me. So what did I do instead? I went to the movies all by myself! I went to see Marley & Me and even though I thought it was just a mediocre movie, I cried and cried and cried. I have my own little Marley. Her name is Cory and she is a Jack Russell Terrier. My grandmother had wanted a JRT for her birthday one year so I got her Cory. We soon found out that the elderly and JRTs don't really go together. After numerous threats by my grandmother "to sell Cory to the gypsies" (My grandmother grew up in Germany and Lithuania and the gypsies had left a big impression her) I took Cory as my own dog. She was 1 1/2 at the time and wild, wild, WILD! We have been together ever since. In fact, on mine and Dave's first date he brought gifts for her! A squeekey toy and some chewy treats. The rest is history. Cory and I have been through a lot. She has been by my side (quite literally) as I got married, as I had children and hopefully as we bring our next child home. When I came home from Marly & Me I had Cory do a photo shoot by one of our Christmas trees. She is 13 1/2 and I think she still looks great!

Decorating

lousy photos but cute reaction

OK, I know these photos are all out of focus but humor me. This is Ryan and his friend Veronica. He is sweet on her. I have seen the two them walking out of chapel together at preschool hand in hand. It is so cute! She is always so sassy in cute dresses together with cowboy boots. I can see why he likes her. And obviously,as his Mom, I can see why she would like him! Anyway, after their Christmas party I asked them to pose together in front of the tree (1st photo). This is the look he gave me when I asked him to put his arm around her :) (2nd photo) But check out her face! He later told me he was too shy to do it. But apparently he is not too shy to tackle her :) Boys!

A man in uniform

Who doesn't love a man in uniform...especially when that "man" happens to be your son in his new cub scouts uniform. Evan joined cub scouts this year and Dave stepped up to be the den leader. Good stuff! There have been den meetings, pumpkin picking, popcorn selling, carol singing at the local assisted living facility and soon the much anticipated pinewood derby! It is so exciting and I am so happy for Evan and Dave to have this special thing to share together. Plus I think Ev looks so darn cute in his uniform!

A gift from a special friend

I am not lucky in the traditional sense of winning lotteries and such but not so long ago I was lucky and WON the special prize on a special blog. We received a wonderful gift from our friend Wuxi Mommy at Our Wuxi Girl. It was filled with so many wonderful treats...hershey kisses, yummy smelling candles, beautiful Christmas music and the piece de resistance, hot coco and accompanying fun holiday mug! It was the perfect gift for a cold winter's day :) Wuxi Mommy is a wonderful and kind friend with whom I share a mutual love of adoption and hershey kisses. Thank you Wuxi Mommy. You are the best!

A look back at the holidays!

We are always start our post Thanksgiving holiday celebrating with a trip to the Jersey Shore. It is so much fun to be there off season. Everything is all decorated for the holidays and it feels so homey. Friends from our neighborhood were there at the same time so the boys had a blast playing with their friends. It is a great tradition. One I hope we will have for years to come.