Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Anna's Antics


Anna has had a pretty odd few days around here. I have caught her doing soooo many things. Things she shouldn't be doing. One was the fact that I went to "find" her and she had found an old cassette tape and took much of the tape part out and attempted to make her own spider web all over the house. It was everywhere. I wanted to take a picture of it, but that would only justify the naughty deed, right?

Lately she thinks she does not need to ride in a cart in ANY store. Well, sometimes I do let her walk, but sometimes it just isn't an option! Mommies are quite busy these days and some days we have such limited time and riding in the cart at lightening speed through Walmart is a MUST. Still, I get the "I AM TOO BIG FOR A CART" cry.

Anna also needs to come with a "I DRESSED MYSELF" button this week. I am to the point where keeping clothes on her is my only requirement. This is actually a quite difficult thing. Anna likes to be naked or in just her little undies. She really comes up with some really interesting combinations this week on what her outfits should look like. I really should have taken pictures.

With all of Anna's antics this week, I still can't help but notice how rapidly she is growing up. She really amazes us sometimes at the things that she knows or the fact that she could actually sit still and cut anything for an hour. She doesn't usually sit still long, but LOVES to cut..anything. She keeps growing taller and leaner at lightening speed and has been eating nonstop this week. This girl can put away food at supper time if she can sit still long enough. My baby is no longer a baby.

Monday, October 29, 2007

Yes, I am still here.




I know...it has been a while since I have posted. We have just been SOOOO busy lately. It has been one thing after another. Science Day, Scout Party, Trivia Nite at our parents' church, our church party.... you name it! Plus add me working a couple of days one week and bammmmm....here it is 2 weeks later.

Here are the costumes this year. I haven't gotten Logan's picture yet. Why is it that the 11 year old is hardly around these days??? He stays so busy with Scouts, Honor Choir and youth group!

In other news.....
Great baby news for 2 of my friends!
A couple at church is trying to adopt a baby that will be born in late November. They have been waiting for about one year and are very anxious to become parents to baby Noah. We pray for a healthy delivery and that the birthmom is at peace with her decision to give the baby a life that he cannot get with her.

The other news is about the Biehl Family. They went to China with us. They have a daughter they adopted from the US and she is 4, Julia is from China and is 3.5 like Anna and their SON is waiting for them in Korea. He is 5.5 months old and we hope that Jill can travel to meet Maxwell in a couple months. I would LOVE to go with Jill to Korea to get Maxwell, but the plane fare is just too much for me. So, if I win the lottery, I will go for one week! HA HA! It would be a wonderful trip and of course it would be hard for me to not come home with another sweet little one, too.
Check out Baby Maxwell on the links section on the side. He is so cute.

Oh...and last but certainly not least.....I leave with Michelle, Robin and Heidi for Marco on Novemeber 7. We all went there last Novemeber to Michelle's parents' condo. So, we decided we needed to go back. Thank you, Mackey's!!!!We will get home pretty late on the 12th. WOO HOOO...Sunshine and warm weather here we come! Can't wait! I am missing Logan's first big concert for Honor Choir, so I am going to try and go watch him before I leave. I hate missing that.

Friday, October 12, 2007

YIPPEEE! NO CAVITIES!


I am still in shock! Brandon and Anna went to the dentist for check ups this week and neither one had any cavities! Logan went a couple months ago and was not so lucky! I was mostly shocked at Brandon. He was unlucky enough to inherit poor teeth from me! I have spent too many hours and too much money on my teeth. The latest was 2 crowns and one root canal. Of course those both started out as such minor things and got worse. Brandon has had 5 crowns and 2 pulpotomies on his teeth (baby root canal). And Anna...well, I guess I just have no idea what to expect. She still sucks her fingers, so I am sure we are in for braces in our future. Plus, I would imagine that there was not a lot of prenatal care with her, little flouride, and spending 14 months in an orphanage could not have helped her teeth a whole lot. Bottles were given to the babies and often left in the crib for who knows how long, causing decay of teeth. Other little ones in our travel group have had some icky dental work, so we just have no idea what to expect. But...could it be???? GOOD TEETH??? We brush daily, of course, and both floss, too. Plus they get extra flouride in the Prevident Tooth Paste. YIPPEEEE...no cavities! Aunt Elaine, who is a hygienist, would be proud!

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Time Sure Does Fly! 2.5 years with Anna


This weeks marks our 2.5 year anniversary of having Anna home in America with us. It hardly seems possible. This once shy, scared, teeny tiny little 14 month old is now an active, thriving and sweet little girl. She is growing up so fast and gets taller every day! Still a skinny one, of course, but WOW....has it really been 2.5 years since we met Anna in China? We cannot imagine life in the Schmidt family without her.
She met her brothers on April 14, 2005 at the airport and I am not sure she knew what she was getting into! She adores them and even just on the first morning after meeting them, she was already smiling at them, as if she had always been here. Anna has touched many lives and hopefully has inspired someone else to choose adoption, too. It has been a wonderful way to complete our family.

Thursday, October 04, 2007

Back from Mexico

Barry and I recently returned from Cancun. We celebrated our 15 year Anniversary a little bit early. It was a wonderful trip! Thanks to all of you who helped out with our children while we were in paradise! We stayed at THE ROYAL and it was just beautiful! It was so nice having uninterrupted conversations! It was good to see the kids when we got back, but we sure enjoyed every minute of our trip! We left Tuesday night and stayed at Barry's sisters before flying out on Wednesday. We returned Monday afternoon.

Oh My!!



It is no secret in our town that we have our hands full with our handsome boys. However, the mom's among my 8 year old are always saying how they will keep Brandon away from their daughters when they are older. Brandon is in 3rd Grade and has never really been all goo goo eyed over a particular girl, but...TIMES ARE A CHANGIN'!

Last night I was making dinner and he announced to Barry and I that he wanted to be a KISSING BOOTH for Halloween. OH MY....only Brandon!

Of course, I googled and actually found a picture of one.

Friday, September 21, 2007

YUM!

 


Brandon requested this recipe and thought I should share it with all of you. Personally, you would probably all enjoy the Bennigan's Smothered Chicken recipe that I swiped off the internet this week. It was really yummy. In the mean time, here is Ice Cream Pie that a high school friend gave me a few years ago. It is yummy. Brandon and Anna had fun crushing up the grahm crackers.

Mini Morsel Ice Cream Pie

1 1/2 cups grahm cracker crumbs
1/2 cup butter...melted
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup mini morsels
1 quart ice cream...softened

Combine grahm cracker crumbs, butter, & sugar in medium bowl. Stir in morsels. Press 2 1/2 cups in 9 inch pie plate (bottom and sides). Free 15 min. or until firm. Spread softened ice cream evenly in pie shell. Top with remaining crumb mixture and freeze. Enjoy!
Posted by Picasa

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Our China Trip site up again!


Somehow our website that we posted in China was not working, but is finally up and running again. Barry fixed it tonight so if you are interested.... and of course, I had to add one of those first pictures of Anna in there. Hard to believe that was Anna at 13.5 months when we met her.
http://lady-bugs.home.insightbb.com/index.htm

Happy Birthday, Faith!

 

 

 

Our niece, Faith, turns 6 years old today. The first 2 pictures are some that Angi (Barry's sister) sent me after Faith and her friend went to Libby Lu's to get all made up. The last one was the most recent picture I have of Faith taken on Labor Day. Faith was just 3.5 years old when Anna came home from China. And now Anna is the 3.5 year old. Time flies. It is always heart warming to see the cousins together. Faith was adopted from Jiangxi at age 10 months.
Posted by Picasa

Pretty pics

 

 

 

 

I have been trying all week to get good pictures of the butterflies on my neighbors' butterfly bushes. Over Labor Day I took some pics of things at Barry's parents' house. He took the pink lily pad.
Posted by Picasa

Monday, September 17, 2007

Saturday, September 15, 2007

Busy Weekend!



 

 

 

 

So far we are having a busy weekend and the weather is just GORGEOUS here! Last night we went to half of the football game. Logan and his buddy, Evan, enjoyed scoping for chicks. Today was a soccer game for Brandon, so here are a few pics. Plus some neat cranes that we saw on the way home from soccer. At least I think that they are cranes. Dad??? Any idea???? We saw about 10 of them on the Lake on the way home.

Also, this afternoon was the annual Lifelink Picnic. I fell in love with BeiLee, who has just recently arrived from China and is from Guangxi. He is 2 and is absolutely gorgeous. We saw lots of new little ones. One little boy had just been home from Thailand for a few weeks. I had recognized the mom as being an occupation therapist that has come into the school where I sub. Lifelink does not have a direct program with Thailand. The family had seen the boy on a waiting child list...he was sooooo cute. Another little girl had just come home from Guatemala. So many adorable little faces with their forever families. Brandon's friend from school was there. He had been adopted from the Philipines and a family from our church was also there. They have adopted 3 children from Korea who are all teenagers now.

Tomorrow is equally busy. Brandon receives his 3rd Grade BIBLE at church and Logan will work at the local soup kitchen for Youth Group.
Posted by Picasa

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Brandon's exciting day!


Brandon was asked to go to the School Board Meeting and lead them in the Pledge of Allegiance. This was a very important honor and only a few 3rd Graders get to do this each year. He thought it was extra cool since Logan was never asked to do this. He was a little nervous, but did a great job. The board presented him with a letter and a pin as a thank you. Another girl from his class joined him. His teacher and Principal also came to see them at the meeting. We did not stay for the meeting, however, since we still had a lot of homework to complete!

Friday, September 07, 2007

First Day of Preschool


Today was the official first day of preschool. I was scheduled as the Mommy helper, so I stayed the whole time. I am sure Anna will do just fine when I leave her there on Monday the whole time. She had a great day. She marched right out of the van and put her backpack on...upside down...and she was off and ready to start her day!

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Guiping Reunion Collage

Click on picture to enlarge.

Guiping Reunion Pics


We had our 3rd Annual Reunion with our China Travel Group. All 10 families made it, as well as 3 of the 4 travelling grandparents. The only ones not there was my dad and Casey (Robin's son). We had a fabulous weekend and a wonderful time seeing how the girls are growing up. One of the girls was born in Jan 2004 and the other 9 were born in Feb 2004, so they are all the same age. We are a very close group and many of us live near each other and get together a few times a year. And we all email almost daily! We left Friday and went to Wisconsin Dells and met up with Robin and Kailee. We stayed at a waterpark hotel so the kids had a blast. Saturday we went to DeForest and met up with the other families. Sunday we all went to Devil's Lake...very beautiful there!

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

School Time

 

Today, Anna and I went to Preschool for an hour. Parents stayed, too, so that the kids could get used to things. They had calendar time and play time. She was very comfortable. Afterwards, a bunch of the kids and parents played together at Dairy Queen. Anna is going to have no problems leaving me and going to Preschool on Monday and Friday mornings from 9-11:30. Since she is so tall, she fit in just fine. The funny thing is that ALL the kids have really blond hair and then there is Anna. What are the odds in a class of 15 that they are all light headed??? I am hoping to talk Anna into taking her smaller backpack next Friday since today's backpack was bigger than her!
Posted by Picasa