.

ON TO APRIL

2011-06-26T22:15:00.000-07:00

After watching the butterflies and ladybugs change from larvae to full grown insects, it was time to release them back into nature. DD and DB enjoyed this part as much as watching them go through the stages of their lives.

This year, we tried our hand at gardening. Here's a picture of our garden. Yes, this is the ENTIRE garden-- 4'x4'. Look closely because this was about as good as it got.

We managed to get a few strawberries...

and our tomatoes are producing....

(fast forward to June)

Almost everything else is just barely hanging in there. I guess it's just too hot. It's a good thing we weren't actually depending on this garden to feed us. Our thumbs are "anything but green."

Now, it's time to move on to some things that brought us a little more success....Science

working with magnets and...

Art-working with acrylics and 3D structures.

A little Theater Arts ...playing the part of a flower in a play and

doing a little square dancing with friends

And what would a month be like without going to a friend's birthday party????

A tea-party birthday none the less--Doodlebug's favorite!!!

The girls also enjoyed spending Easter with extended family.

Check out these adorable bunny shirts made by Aunt Sherry!

The rest of the month was just spent being CUTE!

MARCH MEMORIES 2011

2011-06-25T23:01:00.000-07:00

It's been SO LONG since I've posted that I hardly know where to start. We have been super busy over the past 4 months. Below are pictures of some of things that we've been doing.
In March...

The girls enjoyed several science activities like using red cabbage to test for acids

and building water molecule models out of red and green grapes.

Raising ladybugs ...

and butterflies from the larvae stages was also fun.

Doodlebug showed off her carpentry skills by building a mini-house in one of her co-op classes while

DeSheng Darling demonstrated her musical skills by performing a solo on a stage in front of an audience...didn't miss a note!

Doodlebug joined a few of her friends for a field trip to the fire station.

I think this was her favorite part! YIKES!

Of course, the whole month wasn't filled with school. The girls still found time for birthday parties...

Playing "dress-up"

and our annual visit to the bluebonnet patch.

March was a great month. I hope to post pictures of April tomorrow.

February Fun

2011-02-14T22:55:00.000-08:00

FUN IN THE SNOW...

SNOW ICE CREAM

FUN IN THE WARM SUN -60 degrees warmer than just two days before.

Great times in dance class with Co-op friends

and Art class...

and lots of fun at the Chinese New Year/Valentine's Day party with our Chinese play group.

VALENTINES from family

and CRAZY Valentine's Day gifts and cards from

Daddy including Doodlebug's favorite...

PERFECTLY PINK PANCAKE MIX!

A Herd of Wild Girls!

2011-01-30T21:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, we celebrated Desheng Darling’s 8^th birthday with a “horse” theme.

I guess I had forgotten just how wild a group of 7 girls could be! They were so funny! We all had a great time!!!!

Here’s a picture of DD with the horse necklace that Doodlebug gave her before the party started.

After the girls arrived,

They enjoyed a couple of crafts…

Pizzas they made themselves…

Birthday cake and ice cream…

and GIFTS followed by...

LOTS of hugs...

In addition to all of this, the girls had fun OUTSIDE with temperatures in the 70’s!!! It was a great birthday party!

Happy 8th birthday DD. We love you!

Fat Cat

2011-01-15T22:06:00.000-08:00

Maybe this is why our cat is SO FAT...

and SO SMART! LOL

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T23:42:00.000-08:00

DD tried to stay awake to welcome in the new year, but just couldn't do it. Uncle Mark told her that if she fell asleep before midnight that she would turn into a FROG. She was obviously not too concerned. Doodlebug, however, made it until the final countdown. She's just not the ribbiting kind. LOL

December Days

2010-12-22T21:28:00.000-08:00

December is almost over and this is my FIRST post! I've got to do better!

Every year Desheng Darling and Doodlebug decorate a small tree in honor of the children in China who are still waiting on their "forever families" and may not get to celebrate Christmas.

They always have a great time doing it!

Doodlebug decided that it needed just a little more decorating, so she added a crown to the top----the more EXTRAVAGANT, the better!

The girls (including Sister Darling) and I had fun making these reindeer cupcakes

for our play group Christmas party.

DD and DB at the party with some of their home school play group friends...

They enjoyed a few games of musical chairs,

having snowball races, and

playing Chubby Bunny with marshmallows!

We've made a few Christmas crafts this month,

attended a few office Christmas parties and...

had a picture made with Santa who

allowed the girls to pick ANY toy they wanted out of his bag!

Last night we enjoyed Christmas at our house.Christmas Eve and Christmas Day will be spent with grandparents, so we had our family celebration a few days early.

We made Christmas cookies...

had a concert of Christmas music performed by DD and directed by DB...

opened GIFTS!!!!

and ATTEMPTED to make a family picture! LOL It's been a great month so far!

A STITCH IN TIME

2010-11-27T18:28:00.000-08:00

Desheng and Doodlebug enjoyed spending a few days at Nanny's last week.

Their FAVORITE part was helping Nanny quilt!

Check out these stitches!LOL

Makes you feel all warm and snuggly, doesn't it? LOL Sweet Dreams!

Desheng Darling and Doodlebug in Full Bloom!

2010-11-06T10:17:00.000-07:00

DD and DB were asked to be flower girls in my niece’s outdoor wedding a couple of weeks ago.

(It rained!) What fun!

They started out with a quick trim at the beauty salon.

Followed by a few hours in these infamous sponge rollers! They couldn’t believe I made them stop by the mall while wearing them. DD was SO embarrassed!LOL

This picture was made before leaving for the wedding and

standing in the rain.

A quick picture with PawPaw...

and one with the bride before the downpour.

My sweet niece...quite beautiful rain or shine!

I would have taken more pictures, but my camera batteries went down : ( The girls LOVED the reception and really put on a show on the dance floor. Too funny! That Doodlebug is quite the party girl!

Poca & Hontas

2010-10-31T19:00:00.000-07:00

Desheng Darling has been making plans since last Oct. 31st to be Pocahontas this year. I made this outfit for her last night (nothing like waiting until the last minute.) When she informed Doodlebug that Pocahontas did not have a little sister, it didn't go over too well. This is how we worked it out...

Meet Poca and Hontas

Sometimes referred to as the Pocahonti

They had a great time at the Fall Festival at our church tonight. As an added bonus...the girls will get to wear these to the homeschool co-op event celebrating Thanksgiving. We might have to refer to them as the SOS (Sisters of Squanto) for that one. Lol

GOTCHA DAY 6 YEARS!

2010-10-25T16:25:00.000-07:00

Six years ago today, the most amazing thing happened. DD became a part of her forever family—OUR FAMILY. What a blessing she has been!!!! Happy Gotcha Day to our little darling from Desheng!!! WE LOVE YOU!

October 2004

October 2010

A Long Way to the Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-17T21:51:00.000-07:00

It's been quite a while since my last post. Here's what we've been doing.

Doodlebug is learning to read and doing well, but it’s obvious that reading is not her FAVORITE thing to do, so we tried to entice her by downloading an ebook. She really liked it, but after reading through it a couple of times, she went back to her Barbies and princesses.

We downloaded a book for DD too. Of course, she loved it! But DD would be willing to read a book written on a cardboard box. She just LOVES to read. She's actually one of those people who likes the way a book feels and smells and prefers that over digital media.

In DB’s lesson themed “I LIVE AND GROW IN JESUS,” the girls studied plants and collected leaves.

This one was their favorite.

In order to get a better idea about how leaves grow, Doodlebug planted a bean plant. We tied this into DD’s study of the early pioneers, by letting her plant corn.

So, at this time we have beans and corn growing INDOORS!

Along with our gardening, DB studied transpiration

and did a little leaf artwork.

Followed by some "Yummy" cookies!

Doodlebug’s next lesson was themed "STAYING IN JESUS AND HAVING MUCH FRUIT. " Although it was actually about the fruits of the spirit, it used apples as a reference. She loved observing, comparing, and eating the different kinds of apples.

She especially enjoyed making applesauce!

Desheng Darling’s Bible lesson was on Jesus as THE BREAD OF LIFE. We still haven’t gotten around to baking bread, but we bought some Jesus bread (as DD calls it) so that we could eat it with the butter we learned to make while studying about the pilgrims from Holland.

We didn’t have a churn to make the butter, but shaking it up and down in this little plastic jar worked pretty well.

The girls loved it!

Then, we took a field trip to the Ft. Worth Zoo. It really had nothing to do with our curriculum, but it was Home School Day at the zoo, so we took advantage of the good price and took Daddy D with us.

We hurried home from the zoo for horseback riding. The girls received a certificate for completing their first round of lessons.

More fun at co-op in their Storigami class…the girls made hats and three boats representing Columbus and the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria.

Last week Doodlebug studied about NESTS…"God takes good care of me just like he takes care of all his creation."

We made chocolate & peanut butter covered chow mein noodle "nests"

with marshmallow eggs.

"YUMMY"

Finally, the Pumpkin Patch!

Last Friday we joined some friends from one of our home school play groups for a day of fun at Larken Farms!

Mega hay tractor

A hayride around the farm

A fun hay maze and

face painting

My two favorite pumpkins in the whole patch!

Just Horsing Around

2010-09-22T22:44:00.000-07:00

DD and DB taking a short recess from school before

returning to do a little science-their favorite subject.

Doodlebug's theme this week is "Jesus is the light of the world." Just as God gave us the sun to light our way, he also gave us his SON to show us the way.

Here's a little stained glass window artwork.

and a little sun painting

The girls also enjoyed making birthday cards for me...

and surprising me with a birthday breakfast at Denny's.

It just so happens that Denny's is the only restaurant in town that serves chocolate chip pancakes-their favorite!!!!!

The girls had a great time socializing with other home schooled children in the park. We've got a lot of activities scheduled with this new play group. We meet a couple of times per month.

In this picture, the children are all observing a bird’s nest found by one of the boys.

Horseback riding was a very exciting part of the girls' week. DD and DB are signed up to take four lessons.

Here's DD on Beauty

and Doodlebug with the ranch owner on Polka who she calls a "grandma horse."

The girls can’t wait to do a little more “horsing around” next week.

CO-OP Kids

2010-09-10T15:07:00.000-07:00

The girls attended the first day of the 2010 home school co-op classes today. The group meets every other Friday and provides an opportunity for DD and DB to meet new friends and enjoy fun classes.

Both girls are in the Folktales and Fables class. I think they are going to really enjoy it. The teacher always stresses good reading skills and includes a fun "hands-on" activitity. DD also participated in a Creative Arts class. Since she has her own way of being "super-creative," my hands were too busy to actually stop and take a picture. I can only imagine what might have been glued together if I had taken my eyes off of her. lol Since Doodlebug was too young to attend this class, she went to a Photo Phun class by herself and evidently did just fine :) She is making her own scrapbook with her favorite photos.

Desheng Darling LOVED the P.E. class. She played a fun running game inside, then went out in the heat for a game of kickball. Here she is with her team getting a pep talk before the game.

Doodlebug, on the other hand, decided that P.E. was just not appropriate for a princess. It was too rough and too hot, so she enjoyed spending time in the "shade" with her new friend playing tic-tac-toe on my iphone.

Doodlebug's First Day of School 2010

2010-08-30T20:40:00.000-07:00

Today was DB’s first day of Kindergarten

and DD’s first day in 2nd grade!!!! HOW CAN THAT BE???? It was a very exciting day for both of them. DB was up “bright and early” chattering about her first day of school.

We started the day off with a quick music lesson,

and then moved on to more academic areas. Everything went well, but it was definitely more of a challenge than last year. Trying to coordinate two grade levels and meet the needs of two totally different personalities was tough. Doodlebug wasn’t crazy about spending her entire day in a somewhat structured environment and Desheng Darling didn’t enjoy sharing her teacher….so….this may be a L-O-N-G year.

We ended the day however, on a positive note with a “patriotic snack” to accompany DD’s study of American History.

Guess that means we’ll try school again tomorrow…..and the next, and the next, and the…

GOTCHA DAY GIRLS! 2010

2010-08-27T09:46:00.000-07:00

In honor of DB’s 3-year Gotcha Day we made a special trip to NY to meet with our travel group.

We flew to Hartford CT, then drove the remainder of the way.

All the girls had arrived by noon on Friday. This was our first group picture. DD isn’t actually from the same province, but she’s been with the girls since we got them. These girls are very special to her too.

After lunch we loaded all the girls up and headed for the playground...precious cargo!

The playground just happened to be located right next to an indoor skating rink!

They had a blast playing in the ice left by the zamboni machine.

We ended the day at Hoffman’s Playland, an amusement park for small children.

These rides were PERFECT for the girls!

Then, on Saturday we were “off to the races.”

We actually went to the horse races, but we stopped by a beautiful place called Yaddo Gardens for these pictures.

Now, on to the horse races...

The girls were able to get a close view of some of the horses.

In between races, they had fun snacking at the picnic tables just outside the track.

We finished the day with a great cookout followed by s’mores!!!

The next morning we said "Good-bye" to 3 of our families

(Last group picture in hotel lobby)

... then headed up into the Adirondack Mountains for a little sight-seeing with our host family who are native to the area.

It was a very cool rainy day with temperatures in the low 60’s, quite different from anything we had seen in a long time.

Wading in Schroon Lake

Split Rock Waterfall..(picture just doesn't do it justice)

At Adirondack Reflections, a taxidermy shop in Keene, NY.

Two tired, but happy girls waiting to board the plane to return home where the temp. was 107 degrees.

We had a GREAT time! Our wonderful host family made sure we were well taken care of…good food, great accommodations and fun activities. Thank you SO MUCH Skip and Lynda for EVERYTHING!!!!

The Rest of the Story

2010-08-03T22:39:00.000-07:00

Doodlebug finally completed the celebration of her 5th birthday with a small party at the mall.

The girls started out with an ALL DAY pass to ride the carousel. I lost count of how many times they actually rode it, but I’ll say that we definitely got our money’s worth.

(DB and her friend, AR)

Next, we enjoyed a huge chocolate chip cookie cake. It was good, but oh SO rich!!! It was probably good that the girls rode the carousel BEFORE eating the cake.

After the cake, DB opened her gifts, all of which were very “girly.” Of course she loved everything! At this point, we sent Daddy D to the car with all the “stuff” and we headed to the ice skating rink.

Everyone is “booted up” and ready to hit the ice.

It was so nice having Sister Darling and her friend there to help.

At the end of the day, we had one HAPPY 5 year old birthday girl! We love you Doodlebug!

Doodlebug Turns Five!

2010-07-31T23:04:00.000-07:00

As usual, DB has managed to spread her birthday celebration out over several days. Her actual birthday was on Friday, July 30th.

The celebration started with a trip to the donut store.

DB picked a pink donut with sprinkles on top and the clerk added a few extra donut holes just because it was her b-day! To top off the b-day breakfast, DD gave Doodlebug the ballerina Barbie that she had been wanting for some time.

Doodlebug even got a special gift from her hibiscus plant..TWO blooms in one day. Up until this day the plant has only yielded one flower at a time. She’s convinced her birthday made the difference.

On Saturday we enjoyed b-day cake with Ms. Billie and Sandra. Since DB had asked for an ice skating party, I looked everywhere for ice skating birthday party decorations…They just don’t exist in our area in the middle of the summer. (Imagine that!) I was, however, able to find a 1998 Olympic Ice Skating Barbie on Amazon. It had never been taken out of the box. I used it on top of the cake…not exactly what I was planning, but Doodlebug was happy with it, so "mission accomplished."

DB has invited one little guest to go ice skating on Sunday afternoon. We will pick up a cookie cake from American Cookie Co. and celebrate again at the ice rink which is right next to a carousel that Doodlebug absolutely LOVES. It should be a lot of fun!

Oops! Something has happened to my blog design. I'll be working on it.

2010-07-29T22:36:00.001-07:00

Jumpin' in July

2010-07-29T22:05:00.000-07:00

Things have really been jumpin' in July! Following are pictures of some of our activities. Since the weather has been so unbearably hot, the girls have spent a lot of time playing indoors. The other day they became bored and asked if we could go ahead and start school! That's when I knew it was time to get out and do something...ANYTHING! I've still got way too many things to do before beginning school, so to get their minds off of school we went to a small local business that features inflatable obstacle courses and jump houses. They had the WHOLE PLACE to themselves!!!

Fun! Fun!

The girls have also spent a lot of time "dressing up."

Putting on make-up and

playing with little princesses!

They had fun using Daddy's refillable Race Trac cup while he was out of town

and making birthday cards for Daddy D

We met Sister and Daddy Darling for lunch on Daddy D's birthday, then

we went shopping at some really unique stores.

We finally ended up at Sister D's house where we enjoyed eating b-day cake and

relaxing (?) in her new hammock.

We ended the day with our outdoor violin concert.

I thought I had better catch up on some of July's activities because tomorrow will be the Princess's 5th birthday and it will be ALL ABOUT HER for the remainder of the month. That's just the way it is with princesses ;)

Too Bloomin' Cute

2010-07-08T20:59:00.000-07:00

These new hair clips are just too bloomin’ cute! A friend of mine is making and selling them to help fund the adoption of her second daughter, a 12 yr. old girl from China. You can order them in several colors from here .

4th of July 2010

2010-07-08T18:45:00.000-07:00

The girls had a great time over the weekend celebrating the 4th of July with family.

First, we went to Aunt Muh’s for a delicious cookout and fun playing with LH.

This “hot pink” dump truck was a hit with the girls. Of course, a bath was badly needed by the end of the night.

Saturday night was spent at Aunt Anne’s....More great food and fun with fireworks!

It’s no wonder Doodlebug and Desheng Darling LOVE seeing their cousins, M and J. The girls want for NOTHING. Thanks guys, for taking such good care of (aka spoiling) DD and DB.

OUT OF SIGHT...OUT OF MIND

2010-06-29T21:19:00.000-07:00

Or so it seemed last week when DB asked me to leave her bedroom. She stated that she just wanted to clean it up ALL BY HERSELF. This is so “out of character” for Doodlebug. Cleaning is just not her thing. She usually tells me that her “bones are too tired to clean” or some other equally believable excuse.

After closing the door, and spending some time in her room, she called me in to admire her work. It actually looked pretty good….except for the bedskirt that was pulled way too far down so that it was touching the floor. I had an idea of what she had done, but I didn’t say anything to her about it at the time. We had company coming and the room “looked” clean so I just left it alone.
Today when I confronted her about her cleaning methods, she looked quite surprised. She reluctantly admitted to putting everything under her bed, and then after a few seconds she asked "How did you know?” Hmmmm…
Here’s Doodlebug cleaning everything out from under the bed…

June 2010

2010-06-26T14:29:00.000-07:00

June has been a month filled with activities. First of all the girls participated in the

SPRING STRING FLING.

(the spring concert)

Then, they both took swimming lessons for the first time. They learned a lot and made new friends, but neither of them actually learned to swim....maybe next year.

On the last day of swimming lessons, they were allowed to go down the slide.. their favorite part.

In June we also spent a lot of money on.... new floors,

a new paint job,

and a new garage door.

Nothing fancy...It looks just like the old one, but this one actually works!

The girls enjoyed swimming with their playgroup friends and

going to the movie theater to see TOY STORY 3.

Father's Day was fun with Brother and Sister Darling.

DD and DB made a few trips to the donut shop for a suger-filled breakfast before...

sending them off to

Vacation Bible School (for DD)

and Princess Camp( for DB)

Doodlebug LOVED it! I think she felt right at home. (lol)

(Princess Doodlebug and her teacher, Ms. Ursela)

It seems as if we've had something to do EVERY Day since school's been out....obviously enough to wear anyone out.

lol!

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL 2010

2010-05-29T12:12:00.000-07:00

School was officially over for the girls yesterday, and DD is already complaining of being bored. She wants to do MORE science….so I’m sure we’ll continue…in our free time. We’ll find plenty of things to do…trips to the library, swimming lessons, violin lessons, sewing, and of course….house cleaning (yuk!)

Doodlebug is very excited about being in kindergarten next year. Some of her kindergarten curriculum arrived in the mail a few weeks ago and she couldn’t wait to get started. She LOVES the math book. I’m hoping she’ll decide to LOVE the reading book soon. Although she CAN read, she’d rather make up her own words than sound out the ones written in the book. If you know DB, that’s no surprise! After all, a princess should only have to do what she wants to do, right? She made a lot of progress in speech, but she’ll continue to attend speech classes next year. She’s scheduled for only one day per week rather than two.

We’ve had a great year and accomplished quite a bit, but I’m exhausted! I’ve always been a very energetic person…but I’ll have to admit that DD’s got me whooped! (Is that a word?) She’s given me a new appreciation for parents and teachers of ADHD children. Perhaps I should include “young” parents, too. There have been days this year that she has literally been upside down in her desk, sitting on the back of her seat, and bouncing like a rubber ball. We’ve reviewed math facts and spelling words while jumping up and down and hopping up and down stairs! I’m not sure who needs medication the most…DD or me? Lol

Next year will be quite challenging…teaching two different grade levels to two very different personalities at the SAME time. Hmmmmm…I sure hope it’s a long summer.

Lefties Just Give Me the Quills! LOL

2010-05-21T21:14:00.000-07:00

In our American Girl study, Felicity (a colonist) attends a special school where girls are taught how to sew and write properly. Felicity met several challenges as an impatient spunky little girl, but I learned this week that teaching an impatient, spunky, little lefty comes with its own set of problems.

DD attempted to make her own sampler of stitches. We used plastic canvas to make it a little easier , but there were still a lot of knots to be undone. Lol

From sewing, we moved on to writing…with a QUILL pen! That was an experience!…First of all we had to transform the feathers into a quill pens. Then, the girls attempted to write.

I now have a better understanding of why lefties write upside down. Lol

AWANA Awards

2010-05-12T19:55:00.000-07:00

The girls LOVE the AWANA program at our church. It’s been great for memorizing Bible verses and learning Bible stories. The last session for this year was an Awards Program held last week.

Desheng Darling received the top award in “Sparks” and

Doodlebug received the “Outstanding Cubbie” award.

Way to go, Girls!

Tea for Two

2010-05-05T21:32:00.000-07:00

Desheng Darling has moved on to the second character in the American Girl series, Felicity. She’s a spunky little girl growing up in the late 1700’s in Williamsburg, VA.

Here’s DD making her own mob hat like the ones worn by girls during colonial times.

Of course, Doodlebug had to have one too.

Like Felicity, the girls had a tea party today and practiced the manners that were so important to girls growing up during this time period.

DD gladly wore her Felicity style dress, fancy hat, and mob hat but Doodlebug was adamant about wearing her sparkling dress…not quite appropriate for girls in that era.

The girls had a great time practicing serving tea (fruit flavored punch) and cookies.

I think they each drank at least 4 cups of punch and ate a minimum of 6 cookies!

Tea anyone?????

Puzzling...

2010-05-03T21:06:00.000-07:00

Doodlebug loves puzzles! Just a few minutes before I took this picture she told me that she wanted to stay up until 20 o’clock (whatever that means) to finish her puzzle. She almost made it! LOL

Texas Bluebonnets Together 2010

2010-04-24T09:14:00.000-07:00

To Be A Kid Again!!!!

2010-04-20T20:59:00.000-07:00

Sprinkles make everything better…

The best part of a windy day…

$2.00 per bar…because they bought it from the Ice Cream Truck…the best!

Playing in the rain…

A SINGLE dip cone from Marble Slab Creamery…Unbelievable!

Content to go nowhere...ALL DAY!

A McDonald’s cone….Yummy!

Battery powered FUN!

Freedom to be WHATEVER you want!

And dress HOWEVER you wish…

Just sharing life with the ones you love…

Easter Fun 2010

2010-04-06T19:18:00.000-07:00

We started the day with a trip to Nanny's church. It was great having all of the kids together! Then, we had a fantastic lunch at Aunt Sherry's followed by...

AN EASTER EGG HUNT!!!

DD found the special PRIZE egg!

And Doodlebug just had a great time! Her smile says it all!!!

Spring Solo Fest

2010-04-02T22:42:00.000-07:00

Desheng Darling played in her first recital last Monday night. She did an excellent job, but my camera DID NOT. I bought a new memory card in order to record her entire solo, but for some reason it won’t play on my computer. Oh well, here are a few pictures…I didn’t take many because I was relying on the video…ugh!

Here's DD waiting for her teacher to tune her violin to the piano.

Great job DD!

Sure wish I could have shared the performance with you...maybe next time!

Kaya...Book 4 Fun

2010-03-30T19:40:00.000-07:00

This week we completed Book 4 of the Kaya American Girls series.

The girls learned a little about sewing...

fringing...

and braiding.

They used what they learned to make these dresses and transform their dolls to look like Kaya....Not bad :)

As our Native American snack this week, we made Maple Syrup Popcorn Balls...YUMMY!!!

and FUN too!

We ended the week with a trip to the Texas Indian Market Festival

DD and DB saw several musical performances and lots of Native American style artwork.

They each got a wooden flute. Doodlebug LOVES hers! She was also quite intrigued by all of the beautiful jewelry....no surprise. lol

This wooden carving behind the girls was AMAZING!

Dream Catchers...always a favorite.

The girls also saw Irene Bedard, the lady who did the voice of Pocahontas in the Disney movie and

Gil Birmingham, a Native American actor from the movies Twilight and New Moon, and lastly....

Doodlebug's favorite....Moses J. Brings Plenty who played in Pirates of the Caribbean.

She just thought he looked like a "real Indian."

I think the girls had a great time and learned a lot!

News From Our Little Tepee

2010-03-24T10:37:00.000-07:00

We’ve completed our 3rd book in the Kaya American Girl series.

Here’s Pocahontas helping Aponi with a little bead weaving.

Not exactly like the Nez Perce did it, but fun none the less.

For dinner, we decided to have something called Indian Fry Bread. HERE is the recipe. As my family knows all too well, I AM NOT A GOOD COOK and I’ll be the first to admit it. I don’t even own a rolling pin. That’s why the girls are using glasses to roll out the dough in this picture. Surprisingly, these turned out pretty well and the girls had a great time.

Even Chief Daddy Darling got in on the fun.

We used the Indian Fry Bread to make Indian tacos…perhaps a little multicultural.

We even added cinnamon and sugar to make a great dessert!

We ended the week by making moccasins for DD’s American Girl doll.

I think DD did a great job on these.

Next we'll try our hand at making Indian dresses. I sure hope the girls are learning something 'cause I’m having a great time. LOL (Most of these activities are not my own ideas, but like any successful teacher...I make good use of my resources :)

Have You Hugged Your Child Today?

2010-03-22T18:19:00.000-07:00

The back of the car doesn't look much better! These are pictures of Sister Darling's car after she hit an icy patch this weekend and collided with a concrete barrier. We are soooooo thankful that she escaped with only a few bumps and bruises. God must have really been watching over her. I remember praying for her very close to the time that this happened. Just the thought of how serious it could have been really upsets me. I guess you NEVER quit worrying about your kids. Give them a hug and tell them that you love them every chance you get! I love you Sister D!!!

American Idol Comes to Texas

2010-03-20T21:44:00.000-07:00

You just never know who you might run into at DFW. When we went to the airport to pick up PawPaw today we found ourselves standing beside Kris Allen, last year's American Idol. He was nice enough to pose for a picture with us. Too cool!

Less Than Ten!

2010-03-10T20:28:00.000-08:00

DD and I usually go to group violin lessons together on Tuesday nights. Last night, however, I was unable to go with her. I know how active DD can be, so I was a little concerned that she might not be able to handle the class alone. After she returned home, I asked how everything went. I asked, “Did Ms. Hanington have to get on to you for talking or anything?” DD said, “Well, yes she did.” I waited for her to expand, but she didn’t. I let a few minutes pass and I asked her again, “Did you only get in trouble once tonight?” She replied, “Well, not only once, but less than TEN!” Should I be concerned?????? You wonder why we home school????? LOL

Meet Pocahontas and Aponi

2010-03-06T21:22:00.000-08:00

Keeping DD supplied with good reading material is quite a challenge. When DD finds a series she likes, she reads continuously until she’s read the entire series. I recently heard about an American History curriculum using the American Girl series. It’s designed to be used with students in grades 2-5. Although DD's only in the first grade, I think she’ll learn a lot. I’ve been buying AG books at a steady pace off of E-bay and Amazon. I think we’ve finally got all that we need. We plan to cover the period of time beginning in 1764 and continuing through the 1940’s featuring 8 American Girl characters and 48 books. We plan to cover one book (together) per week …although DD has already finished reading 30 of the books. We started the Kaya series last week. Kaya is a young girl from the Nez Perce Indian tribe of northwestern U.S. We’ve completed two books and DD is loving it!

The girls enjoyed learning about some of the Native American customs and beliefs. They loved making dream catchers

and totem poles.

DD learned how to play several string games like the Native American girls played. She even showed some of these to Daddy Darling who makes a pretty mean Jacob’s ladder. LOL She also enjoyed eating salmon for dinner one night, something she probably wouldn’t have done if she hadn’t learned about Kaya’s tribe in Book 1.

DD and DB also learned about using corn husks in cooking

and making dolls.

Here are the dolls after a little paint and corn husks hair extensions.

The girls also chose Indian names for themselves...

Meet Pocahontas (she who loves to play)...DD

and

Aponi (butterfly)...Doodlebug.

A True Chinese American

2010-03-02T20:38:00.000-08:00

Eating Cocoa Krispies with CHOPSTICKS! lol

Wearing political stickers after returning from our polling place.

The best of both worlds...

Gotta LOVE the Texas Weather!

2010-02-22T18:08:00.000-08:00

I can’t believe that it’s taken me over a week to post these pictures of our BIG snow. Last Thursday when the girls got up, it was snowing!!! The girls were so excited! That’s when I made the decision to CANCEL school for the day. That’s another good thing about home schooling----I get to play superintendent!

The girls couldn’t wait to get outside and start having fun.

Building a snowman…

Making snow angels....

And having snowball fights!

Thawing out with a nice cup of hot cocoa...

Unfortunately, that’s the last warm thing the girls had. Our electricity went out Thursday night and we “roughed it” for about 48 hours.

Backyard-Thursday night

Friday afternoon

No lights, no television, no computers, and NO HEAT! We all slept in the same bed and did a lot of snuggling for two nights. By Saturday night the girls had decided that they were heading to a hotel if our power wasn’t restored by bedtime! They were tired of being cold and ready for a warm meal. I’ve never been so glad to see an electric company truck in my entire life. They fixed the problem and we were “back in business.” I remember looking at the thermostat about ½ hour after our electricity came back on. 58 degrees never felt SO warm! We still had snow on the ground in some areas YESTERDAY!

Amazingly, I made these pictures yesterday. With temperatures close to 70 degrees, Doodlebug played outside in summer clothes…that she obviously picked out herself. lol

Snow is in the forecast again for tomorrow! Gotta love this Texas weather!

When I Grow Up...

2010-02-04T08:18:00.000-08:00

Last night was Career Night at AWANAS. The girls were supposed to wear the appropriate attire for their desired future career. Desheng Darling couldn't decide whether she wanted to be a nanny who rocked babies in an orphanage or a violin teacher. Interestingly, these are both service type careers where she is helping others. We decided that she could rock babies in any attire, but that she could wear her favorite "school girl" dress and play her violin for the class if she went as a teacher, so she decided to do this.

Doodlebug had the same assignment. It should come as no surprise that she wants to be a "princess" when she grows up! So much for serving others. LOL

It's a good thing we've got several years to make all of this happen, and I'm sure they'll change their minds a million times. I've read that a child's personality is mostly developed by the age of 4, so if you see a nice prince around 5 years old who is single...let me know. We may need to start preparing him NOW for Doodlebug. LOL

Barbie Birthday Bash

2010-01-31T14:24:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we celebrated DD’s 7th birthday! We kept it really simple with just family and one little friend.

DD wanted a chocolate Barbie cake with pink frosting. It turned out really well and tasted SOOOO good!

For her party, DD had two requests:

1) She wanted to go a book store. 2) She wanted to go ice skating.

We could take care of both requests at the mall so off we went.

Sister Darling joined us and I was happy to have her help!

First, we stopped at a book store where the girls met Spot and

shopped for just the right book.

Here's DD filling up on pizza before going to the rink.

We're ready to hit the rink....literally. LOL

Sister Darling and I both spent a lot of time picking up giggling girls, while Daddy kept up with all of our “stuff” and tried to take pictures. I’m just thankful that no one had to pick me up!

We had a great time skating! Then, we headed back home for

Birthday Cake...

Fun...

And gifts!!!!!!

Doodlebug had so much fun that she’s already placed her order for an ice skating party in July!!!

Happy 7th Birthday DD!

2010-01-28T22:46:00.000-08:00

We'll be celebrating DD's birthday on Saturday, but I just wanted to post a picture taken on the morning of her actual birthday (Thurs.) We had heart-shaped donuts for her birthday breakfast. She's one sweet little girl! Happy Birthday Desheng Darling! We love you!

The Big Night

2010-01-27T20:19:00.000-08:00

The night that Desheng Darling had long awaited FINALLY arrived...Her first concert!

Can’t you just see the excitement in her eyes?

Doodlebug was also in the concert and played her little heart out. She wasn’t nervous at all and loved the attention she got!

I don’t think I’ve mentioned it on the blog, but I’m taking violin lessons TOO! I know it sounds crazy, but I’m loving it…so… I got to be in my first concert (since high school) too. It was really a lot of fun! And the best part about being “an old beginner” is that you just don’t care too much about what the others think..The younger ones sitting beside you are too polite to say anything rude to the elderly (me)when I miss a note and the other "old beginners” can’t hear very well so they don’t say anything either. LOL

The hardest part of the concert was knowing that DD was seated totally out of my reach, totally out of hearing distance, and totally out of my evil eye controlling look. She was seated right on the outside edge, about two feet from the audience. If you know DD, you will understand my concern. She is SO impulsive. You just NEVER know what she is going to do or say! Except for playing her own little tune while everyone else was quiet, there were no major problems.

Sister and Brother Darling sat with Daddy Darling. The girls were thrilled that they came.

(Doodlebug and Sister Darling)

Desheng Darling is actually doing very well on the violin. She plays so much better than I. It’s pretty humbling at times to be outplayed by a 6 year old. LOL I was practicing the other day when DD walked in. She said, “Mom, remember when you whistled that song? You whistled it REALLY well. I think maybe you should just whistle, rather than play the violin at the concert.” Hmmmm…I guess that pretty much sums up the way she feels about my late in life musical endeavor. LOL

Practice Makes Perfect

2010-01-22T12:00:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday night the girls had their one (and only) rehearsal for their first concert scheduled for next week.

This picture isn't very clear, but I think you can see DD's big smile...even through the blur.

Here's Doodlebug concentrating hard on playing the right notes. Her friend beside her is...well, just playing....Interestingly, they basically sound the same. LOL

Here's the part they ALL love...playing the jingle bells to accompany one of the songs. The rehearsal was quite revealing. I found out yesterday that the teacher has made several changes based on the trial performance. Interestingly, DD will NOT be sitting by one of her BEST friends at the concert. Imagine that! I guess the teacher must have noticed that they were both talking non-stop in between songs.LOL That could have been why they never started on time and got lost several times in the music. Oh well, the girls are both excited about their first real performance next week. Let's hope the seating arrangement change helps!

MLK Day...FUN!

2010-01-19T21:46:00.000-08:00

No school today...Just Fun!

Fun at violin lessons!

AR, one of DB’s friends, recently joined her violin class

and came over to play after violin lessons….More fun.

And even MORE fun playing with the new Barbie house that Santa brought.

Doodlebug even thought that vacuuming the play room was fun…Wouldn’t it be nice if she still felt that way in a few years? LOL

Trouble in Paradise

2010-01-14T11:55:00.000-08:00

DD and DB are usually the BEST of friends. They play for hours together, day after day, with VERY few disagreements, but every great once in awhile a problem arises. It’s usually Desheng Darling (the oldest) who cries and comes to me. DD tries to avoid conflict and she tries to keep everybody “happy.” She just can’t stand it when DB tells her that she isn’t going to play with her anymore or if DB won’t share. On the other hand, Doodlebug couldn’t care less if DD played with her or not. She’s pretty content to just play by herself and sharing isn’t really a priority for her.

After having a great time outside on their scooters for P.E.,

The girls went upstairs to play with their Barbie dolls. That’s when I heard a little scuffle and DD’s tears began to flow.

This is what happens when sisters don’t share…Poor Barbie.

And this, unfortunately, is what “Time Out” looks like….Poor Doodlebug. I guess she’s going to have to move "sharing" up on her list of priorities.

HOW 'BOUT THEM COWBOYS!!!

2010-01-10T11:23:00.000-08:00

Die-hard Cowboy Fans....well, at least that's the mood this week :)

THREE TIMES THE JOY!!!

2010-01-01T19:13:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas this year....3 times!!!

First, at our house with our immediate family and

special friends, Ms. Billie and Sandra.

Then, at Nanny's

with aunts, uncles and cousins.

And lastly, at PawPaw's with more aunts, uncles, and

even MORE cousins!

Thank you all for making our Christmas special. We are so blessed to have such a wonderful family. We love you all.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION...Be back in a few hours

2010-01-01T12:22:00.000-08:00

Feeling Close to Distant Friends

2009-12-20T21:55:00.000-08:00

When we got DD, we were told that her best friend was adopted by a family in Spain. Our girls lived together and were care for by the same couple. They were adopted on the same day in 2004. We’ve been in contact with this family for a few years. It’s so funny how we feel a special bond with them even though we’ve never actually met. There’s just a strong connection that’s hard to describe. This week we received a special package in the mail from them.

DD’s sweet friend sent t-shirts from Barcelona.

The girls LOVE them.

Here they are acting silly while modeling for me.

She also sent cute little pony-tail holders…thus the ponytails.

We received a beautiful Christmas card, ornaments and even ...

A special piece of original artwork illustrating Christmas in Spain. The girls really liked this. They want to make some special pictures to send back.

My favorite gift, however, was a DVD containing pictures of DD’s friend and her family from Gotcha Day until present. This is absolutely priceless. Thank you SO MUCH sweet friends. Maybe someday we’ll actually get to meet in person.

Signs of the Season

2009-12-17T21:40:00.000-08:00

She shopped 'til she dropped!

NEW CHRISTMAS SHIRTS!

2009-12-12T19:20:00.000-08:00

Thanks, Aunt Sherry, for the new Christmas shirts!

The girls love them! You are always so sweet to make things for them. DD read hers to several people today while we were shopping. I guess she didn’t think they could read it for themselves. lol

Hopefully, they’ll get to wear them several more times before Christmas. Thanks again. We LOVE you!

Jolly Old Saint Nicholas

2009-12-10T14:06:00.000-08:00

This is a FIRST for Doodlebug. She usually hides behind DD or hangs on to me. Guess she's beginning to figure this whole Santa thing out...if you don't ask him, you may not get it. It won't be much longer until she REALLY figures this whole thing out. lol I think DD knows, but is willing to play along.

Doodlebug Does It Too!

2009-12-02T23:03:00.000-08:00

NO CAVITIES!!!!!!!! Way to go Doodlebug!! I’ll have to admit that this isn't quite as exciting as DD’s recent cavity-free checkup since DB has always had healthy teeth. It IS surprising though, since teeth brushing isn't a high priority on DB’s "TO DO" list. Sure hope her luck continues...

Both DD and DB had appointments Monday.

DB did fine…such a big girl.

DD, on the other hand, had to be comforted after getting sealants for her molars…a seemingly painless procedure....poor thing. She really hates dental procedures, but I think she enjoys the hugs.

She's Hooked...

2009-11-18T20:15:00.000-08:00

Desheng Darling has come a long way since her first violin lesson 10 weeks ago. She’s really hooked on it. She practices almost every day and is progressing very well. She’s currently in the Beginner class, so she was really surprised when her teacher allowed her practice with the Intermediate group. She’ll actually be playing with the Intermediate group for a portion of the upcoming Christmas concert. Way to go DD!!!

Doodlebug? Well, she just likes to go to lessons. She enjoys the theory part of it….naming the notes and clapping the rhythms. She sees no need to really practice. After all, a violin as pretty and pink as hers should be able to play by itself. I think we're in trouble...lol

A First!

2009-11-12T22:50:00.000-08:00

For the first time EVER...DD got a great dental check-up! NO CAVITIES!!!!Although Desheng Darling refuses to eat gummy type candies, never chews gum or drinks sodas and brushes her teeth at least twice daily...even without being reminded....she's had a very tough time with her teeth. The dentist even took a second look at the x-rays to confirm NO CAVITIES.

DB busied herself by playing with the giant toothbrush while DD was having her teeth cleaned. It a shame that she doesn't enjoy brushing her own teeth this much.

Last Saturday, the Chopstick Chics met for lunch, then went to a park to play. We’ve really missed seeing the older girls since school started. I still can’t believe that all of the girls in our original group have started to school. It was great seeing Cheerleader and Snowbunny again.

I tried to get a group picture of ALL of the girls but…

Doodlebug refused to pose without Daddy D, and Desheng Darling was too busy playing “big sister” to the little ones to concentrate on making a good picture.

It was great seeing these three together again.

...Still as goofy as ever. Notice DD’s feet. She DOES have shoes. She just kicks them off every chance she gets….no matter where she is….at church, a restaurant, violin classes, a store…ANYWHERE!

Once last attempt for a group smile… Can you tell that Doodlebug has obviously had ENOUGH of this posing for pictures thing? lol

FELINES AT THE FALL FESTIVAL

2009-10-31T21:08:00.000-07:00

DD and DB LOVE cats, so I made them these cat costumes to wear to the Fall Festival at our church today.

They were mistaken for mice several times. Guess I should’ve chosen the black fabric…Anyway, DD and DB loved their costumes and told each other that they looked really cute. lol

It was actually a “Trunk or Treat” activity where at least 30 families from our church decorated their cars and provided candy and games for the kids. The girls enjoyed getting all the sweet candy, but again this year their favorite activities were...

the inflatable courses and...

the pony rides….totally sugar free.

Just hope all that Fun at the Fall Fest doesn’t lead to more Fillings for the Felines. lol

Gotcha Day 2009-Desheng Darling

2009-10-25T14:43:00.000-07:00

HAS IT REALLY BEEN 5 YEARS??????

On October 25, 2004 our lives were forever changed.

Desheng Darling joined our family. We had NO clue what blessings lay in store for us.

Today we happily celebrated our 5 Year Gotcha Day Anniversary!

We traditionally add a charm to her bracelet each year. This year, she wanted two…a violin and a bookworm. These are so fitting for her!

Her next request was to go to Barnes & Noble for a new book. She’s learned that we never say “no” to a new book, so she makes a point to ask for one if we are anywhere near a book store.

She just made herself at home…

Then, she requested a trip to the Disney store. We DO say “no” to toys quite often

…but today we gave in and bought a pair of Cinderella glass slippers that actually light up when she takes a step. Well, you would have thought the shoes were really made of glass by the way the girls were limping. Lol.... Oh, the pain a woman will endure for a pair of pretty shoes…

Then it was off to her favorite restaurant, Moon Wok.

It’s a small Chinese place where she gets lots of attention and great eggdrop soup. She enjoys practicing her Mandarin with the people who work there. It’s really quite humorous to hear her try to speak Chinese with her heavy accent, but the people are kind and really work with her.

We completed the day by baking a chocolate cake with a pink heart (her request) to commemorate her special day.

HAPPY GOTCHA DAY DD! You are a joy and we love you more than words can say!!!!!!

Pumpkin Patch Pictures 2009

2009-10-23T23:00:00.000-07:00

Today our play group met for our annual pumpkin patch pictures. The plans were to make a few great pictures, buy some pumpkins, and paint them at the park....Well, it didn't really happen that way. It was much colder than we expected and the kids were obviously not thrilled about having a picture made. DD actually cried and went to the car to read her books.

Since it was too cold to go to the park, we went to McD's ....Instant happiness!

No more tears!

We saved the pumpkin painting for a little later in the afternoon...

Everything's more fun after a little ice cream. lol

...Artists at work...

PUMPKIN FUN RUN

2009-10-14T19:20:00.000-07:00

Sister Darling invited us to join her at the Annual Pumpkin Fun Run on Saturday to help her school win a cash prize for the most participants. I think she also wanted her students to meet her little sisters, DD and DB.

The girls participated in the 1 mile fun run. I’m sure DD covered at least 2 miles with all of the running, jumping, skipping, hopping and back tracking that she did….just her kind of fun!

Doodlebug, on the other hand, really preferred to participate like this! Lol...Just kidding. She actually walked and ran most of the way. Sister Darling only carried her about 20 steps.

The walk was a breeze for PawPaw (almost 83) who walks over two miles every day. He’s amazing!

The girls also enjoyed a little face painting.

Cute little kittens, don't you think????

A nice fireman allowed DD and DB to explore the fire engine.

Obviously, nothing was "off limits" to DD!

There was even a booth where the girls could sign Christmas cards to send to our troops.

Of course, DB and DD had to add a few hearts and kitten drawings to theirs. Maybe some soldier's day will be brightened when s/he receives them.

Thanks Sister Darling for inviting us. The Pumpkin Fun Run was really FUN and we’re glad your school won 2nd place!

This Week in School

2009-10-10T22:10:00.000-07:00

We had an interesting study this week beginning with Abraham, Sarah and the birth of Isaac. On the day that we studied about Abraham sending the servant with camels to find a wife for Isaac, the girls enjoyed making camel cookies, reading library books about camels, and studying about how well God physically prepared these animals to live in their environments. The girls really enjoyed it.

Of course, cookies make everything nice...even camels!

DD loves to work with pattern blocks, so she used them to make this camel.

When we moved on to the study of Esau and Jacob, we made lentil soup, somewhat like the soup that Jacob made and traded Esau for his birthright. The girls loved it and enjoyed sharing a bowl with PawPaw.

In science we continued our study of plants. This week we discussed the structure and function of the different parts of a plant.

In this picture, DB is supposed to be a plant without roots. Notice how DD is able to easily sway her from her position like a strong wind. I think DD enjoyed this a little too much.

With roots (notice how DD is firmly planted) the wind (DB) is unable to move her from her position.

And finally, this activity is a demonstration of how the stem and roots soak up water and nutrients. The overall focus of the lesson was on how God has given each of us an important part in life. There are times when our part may be to act like a root…to nurture and nourish those around us. At other times we may need to be like a stem…strong and supportive. Our purpose may even be like a leaf… providing shelter and protection. ` We need to pray that God will reveal our purpose and then strive to fulfill it . Not a bad lesson.

How Big was that Boat Anyway?

2009-10-01T22:46:00.000-07:00

Our curriculum this year takes us through the Old and New Testaments. Yesterday we studied about Noah, a somewhat familiar story to the girls. To make it more interesting I took the girls outside to do a little measuring. I wanted them to have a realistic idea of just how big the boat was. It was MUCH bigger than they expected. The girls took turns using a 25 ft. tape measure and chalk to mark off the 450 ft. needed. When we were almost finished, DB suddenly stopped measuring at about 21 ft. rather than taking the tape out 25 ft. I said, “DB, why did you stop before getting to the end of the tape? You still have 4 ft. to go.” Her reply, “It’s in the shade!” lol She obviously places more importance on her comfort than her education.

The girls also did a fun graphing activity with animal crackers as we talked about all of the animals on the ark.

Later, they each made their own boat and tested its buoyancy (displacement) by filling it with pennies until it sank.

Since DD LOVES science, I finally broke down and bought an “all-inclusive” science curriculum. It came with almost everything we needed to perform the experiments making all of those last minute trips to the store for supplies unnecessary. Each lesson is accompanied by a Bible reference.

We ended our school day with a lesson about the basic needs of plants and animals. Philippians 4:19 was the reference. “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” I think this is going to be a great year for seeing science through the proper perspective.

Later that day DD and DB went to AWANAS at our church. DB was SO EXCITED! She usually stays VERY close to me in public, but this time she actually ran past me to get to the doors of the church.

She just couldn’t wait to recite her memory verse. It was supposed to go like this. “God loved us and sent His son." But for some reason…she kept reciting it like this: “God loved us and sent HER son.” No matter how many times we went over it, she kept reverting back to her way! Lol

Today we learned about the Tower of Babel. We didn’t get to do as many fun things because Doodlebug has to go to speech classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We always have to rush to get everything done before speech.

Here they are trying to build their own tower out of clay and toothpicks. They weren’t very successful, (but neither were the people in the Bible) but they had fun!
We did have time, however, to talk about "common nouns." I explained that the nouns were common because there are many of them...like sisters, brothers, dogs, etc. DD asked me if there was anything that there was just ONE of. I said, "Well, there's just one true God." She replied, "Well, God's a Holy noun, right?" lol

The best part of the day came once we returned home from speech class…FedEx delivered Doodlebug’s PINK violin! (Yes, it’s real!)

She’s obviously VERY PLEASED! I only wish the sounds coming from her violin were as pleasant as her smile! lol

A LITTLE BOUNCE IN THE MUSIC

2009-09-26T00:10:00.000-07:00

We decided to let DD begin taking violin lessons a couple of weeks ago. After her first lesson I began to question this decision greatly. The best way to describe the scene is to picture a small rubber ball being thrown into a completely empty room with great force. She was absolutely “bouncing off of the walls.” If you know DD, you know that she’s quite “active,” but this was BEYOND active!!! She couldn’t stay seated. She was constantly touching the other violins, violas and the cello. She seemed to be intrigued by everything in the room. Fortunately, her teacher has been working with children for many, many years and has several children of her own. She didn’t seem to be as concerned with DD’s behavior as I was, but I’m sure she must have been secretly thinking about buying Velcro for DD’s seat before her next lesson.

(Where are her shoes??? I know she had them on when we arrived. Oh my.)

Lesson 2 was MUCH BETTER even without the Velcro. Her teacher was very impressed with DD’s ability to recall and play everything she was taught during the first lesson. She told us that DD was already playing a song that normally takes her students approximately 2 months to learn. She also commented that it usually takes about 6 months for a lefty to master the correct hand position on the bow with her non-dominant hand, but that DD seemed to already have it. I honestly think that she was amazed that DD heard ANYTHING she said the first week. lol Maybe it just goes to show that adding a little BOUNCE to your MUSIC never hurts. Lol

The Big One!

2009-09-22T20:38:00.000-07:00

Last week I celebrated a REALLY BIG birthday…SO big that I don’t think the numbers are even on this keyboard. Lol Even if they were, I don’t think I could bring myself to actually type them. It’s taken me almost a week to actually post it. Lol So I’ll just say that it was great fun having all of the kids together to celebrate. I love to watch them interact. The older ones are like heroes to the little ones. Their b-day present to me was a new camera. YEA!!!! My old one has been dropped more times than I can count. The door that secures the batteries in the camera will not stay closed and there is no longer a ZOOM button, plus the image screen is much too small for my aging eyes.

I guess it was just falling apart…just a little too symbolic don’t you think?

Say Cheese!

2009-09-17T22:56:00.000-07:00

Just thought I'd share some recent pictures we had made of the girls. Enjoy.

Heck No-Gecko!

2009-09-08T21:33:00.000-07:00

We have been overrun with geckos this summer. They are SO creepy! They scare me to death. We’ve even found them INSIDE the house on a number of occasions. They just run in when we open the door. Yuk! Last week we even found a small snake beside Doodlebug’s bed! Oh my! Desperate for some help---we got a cat. Meet our great GECKO GETTER!

She still needs a name...

Why is it that I’m not feeling really good about this yet? Hmmmm.

Exercise?

2009-08-31T19:38:00.000-07:00

Even home school students need recess but I'm not sure this counts as exercise.

This was more of what I had in mind...lol

Favorite Photo Friday

2009-08-28T12:22:00.000-07:00

Do you think the story still ends the same when read upside down?lol

First Day-First Grade-Follies

2009-08-25T16:50:00.000-07:00

Today was DD's first day in 1st Grade. How can that possibly be? It just doesn't seem real. Oh how I'd love to keep them small for just a few more years....Oh well...enough of that. I've already been there and done that twice and I know how fast time flies so I'll just have to enjoy each day as it comes. However....If these pictures are any indication of how our year is going to go...We may be in BIG trouble! LOL They were SOOOOO silly! (Just like little girls are supposed to be.)

Actually, Desheng Darling worked very hard today. She's so eager to learn. It was Mama Darling who was ready for RECESS! lol

Celebrating Gotcha Day-2 Years!

2009-08-22T08:12:00.000-07:00

August 20, 2007

August 20, 2009

So much has changed! The fear that once filled those little eyes is gone, replaced by a sparkle of confidence and happiness. Those quiet, sad, pouty little lips, once a prominent part of DB’s appearance are seldom ever seen. Instead we see a beautiful smile, followed by a precious giggle and questions…more questions…and more questions (although most of them are “Why?”) We’re no longer strangers like we were 2 years ago on that hot day in China, but now we’re a family connected by an indescribable love. Doodlebug has been such a blessing.... especially to DD. They are constant companions and best friends. DB seems to provide DD with the tremendous amount of attention she craves and is happy to do it. What a blessing!!!

Doodlebug is our “Girly-Girl”. She loves jewelry, make-up, frilly dresses, high-heel shoes, pony tails and kittens. We bought her this

“gotcha-day” kitten charm in a store filled with girly stuff.

I think she could have stayed in there all day!

Next, it was off to the mall to buy something from the Disney store.

Doodlebug decided on a cat….just like the one she bought last year! As a matter of fact, she chose a “kitten charm” last year too. This girl loves cats!

As you can tell, DD is more into the "fairy stage" right now.
Sister Darling was able to leave her job and join us for lunch. The girls were thrilled that she came to help us celebrate. Lastly....THE CAROUSEL!

Notice Doodlebug's ride...A CAT!

DD and DB have been the best mid-life crisis decisions we’ve made thus far….

Happy Gotcha Day, Doodlebug! We love you.

Summer Reading Program Success

2009-08-13T21:24:00.000-07:00

(The last picture taken of Desheng Darling with all of her front teeth.)

After all of the tooth excitement, DD and DB went to a special carnival at the library to celebrate the end of the Summer Reading Program. The children participating in the program earned tickets based on the number of books they read during the months of June and July. DD read approximately 220 books and received 195 tickets! There were lots of games and activities at the carnival. Each one REQUIRED ONLY 1 TICKET!!! Needless to say, we ran out of energy LONG before we ran out of tickets!

Doodlebug loved the limbo!They both enjoyed "dunking" the volunteer!Time for a little lolli-pop picking!And "ringing" the octopus.And before leaving...they both had to have their fingernails painted! The good times continued when the girls got home with a visit from Sister Darling and a little fun in the sun. (We can always count on Doodlebug for the latest in swimsuit fashions!) lol

What's Missing?

2009-08-08T20:28:00.000-07:00

Notice anything different about DD? Yep, there's a tooth missing. After days of wiggling it back and forth and refusing assistance from Mama D and Daddy D, Desheng Darling's tooth finally came out while she was eating breakfast. She just looked at us and calmly asked, "Is this what a tooth looks like?" She was holding a little tooth and smiling from ear to ear as if she had accomplished something amazing! It's hard to believe how fast she is growing up.

HAPPY HULA BIRTHDAY!

2009-07-31T21:21:00.000-07:00

Doodlebug had a GREAT birthday party today! After changing her mind a hundred times, she finally decided that she wanted a HULA party for her 4th birthday. What fun!

All of the guests had little grass hula skirts and leis. They were SO cute! We are truly blessed to have such sweet friends. It was especially good to see Panda Mom and Panda Girl again. They had to travel quite a distance to get to our house.

After time in the play room...

A quick lunch...

And a little Fun in the Sun,

Doodlebug blew out her candles and

opened her gifts!

She was SO excited!
Doodlebug really had a FANTASTIC 4TH! Thanks to everyone who helped to make it so special. (We really missed you Spicy Girl and 'Lil Ms. Firecracker. We hope to see you soon.)

What Have We Been Doing?

2009-07-08T19:08:00.001-07:00

Mommy Spice's last comment reminded me of how long it's been since I've posted. We've been pretty busy just doing the normal summer "stuff," but today Desheng Darling wanted to do something that most of us don't do intentionally. It was SO funny. We had a summer thunderstorm this afternoon with strong winds, rain and large hail. The girls really enjoyed watching it out of the window. After it passed and the sun came back out, DD announced to Daddy Darling that she wanted to "Go out and catch some hail!" Too Funny! Of course we've been doing things other than "catching hail" and I'll try to post about some of them later. LOL

You Just Never Know

2009-06-12T21:17:00.000-07:00

While at the library last week we noticed a young man setting up an easel to paint. Of course DD began asking him questions as soon as she saw him. He was very nice. I asked if he would be willing to paint a portrait of the girls. He said that he had just begun painting portraits, but that he would be willing to try. He gave us a business card with his web site URL so that we could look at some of his work. We didn't stay to watch him paint because I was afraid that Desheng Darling would drive him crazy with all of her questions!

When we got home we looked at his web site http://www.jasonjenicke.com/ .You've got to look at it. His work is AMAZING!!! I mean REALLY amazing!!!!!

If I'd known that he was this good, I would have jumped at the opportunity to have the girls' portrait done!

REMEMBERING REFERRAL DAY

2009-06-07T15:14:00.000-07:00

As adoptive parents we have a lot of special dates to remember. Dates like when we started our paperwork, completed our paperwork, were logged into China's system, received our referral, travel dates, Gotcha Day and birthdays....just to mention a few. Every part of the adoption process is so special that we don't want to forget anything.

It was on June 7, 2007 that we received our referral for Doodlebug. After two VERY long years of waiting we were finally able to see a picture (via email) of our precious little girl. She was definitely worth the wait!
These two b&w photos were the first ones we received. They were taken approximately 2 months before her 2nd birthday.
These are some of our most recent pictures of Doodlebug taken approximately 2 months before her 4th birthday. She's really growing up fast.
We actually celebrated her Referral Day early this year (Saturday) with a quick trip to the library...
where the girls loaded themselves down with enough books to last them until Tuesday since the library is closed on Sunday and Monday. Desheng Darling has read 60 BOOKS in the last 6 days! Many of these were chapter books of about 100 pages each. This is no small feat! DD has a book with her EVERYWHERE she goes. I mean EVERYWHERE! We don't dare get into the car without a stack of books. She tries to read at meal time, bath time, while brushing her teeth, while grocery shopping...She even had a book in the baseball dugout reading while waiting for her turn to bat!

SHE IS SUCH A BOOKWORM!

After leaving the library we felt an uncontrollable urge to continue celebrating by stopping at Braum's where Doodlebug became acquainted with her new best friend...a BANANA SPLIT!

YUMMY!

SUMMER FUN HAS BEGUN!

2009-05-31T21:34:00.000-07:00

The girls met with their play group on Friday for a day of fun at the fountains! With temperatures already in the mid-nineties, this was the perfect activity for the day.

Taking a little time out for sunbathing and drying off before heading to McD's for lunchSaturday was also very hot. It's obvious that Doodlebug had rather be back at the fountains than
playing at this hot Blast Ball game.
Playing out in the heat like this has definitely got to be a "boy thing."You'll have to admit that she looks quite cute in her cool sunglasses. She refused to wear her baseball cap because it covered her piggytails..."always putting fashion before practicality."

Then, it was back in the water Sunday afternoon at Desheng Darling's end-of-the-season T-ball party...

This is the life!

Yum!!! Nothing says "summer" better than a nice cold strawberry snow cone!