Happy Halloween

The Boys Visit Rupp Arena

The annual Blue-White Game is a great chance for Kentucky basketball fans who can't afford to go to regular season games (like us!) to come to Rupp Arena and see the team play. So Matt, Mickey, and Amsalu went to see the team scrimmage. The boys loved it and even got on the jumbotron in the arena during a timeout.

Checking out the biggest room they have ever been in

The view from our seats

The final score: Blue 101, White 74

Getting a closer look after the game

More proof that it's a small world after all: seated directly behind us were former clients of Amy's with their little girl from Korea!

Jack-o-Lantern Fun

On Friday night, Grandpa, Grandma, and Aunt Buffy came over for pizza and pumpkin carving. The boys were very confused at first, but once they saw what the finished product was, they were really into it. Afterward we ate roasted pumpkin seeds and watched "How to Train Your Dragon." A great night of family fun.

Chloe & Essie draw their design on their pumpkins

Mickey cleans out his pumpkin

Amsalu, Chloe, & Essie

Chloe & Essie love "pulling out the brains"

Ababa carves Essie's pumpkin

Mickey carving

Our genteel ladies love to clown

Finished pumpkins

Our pumpkins light up the night

Big Blue Madness 2010

So I'm a little late getting these videos up, since Big Blue Madness was a week ago, but its just been that crazy around here. Plus its Friday so I know you are all just killing time at work so why not watch some videos of my cool kids. For those outside KY, Big Blue Madness is where they have a big party and introduce the UK basketball teams. Its a big deal around here and they televise it. The girls where thrilled to introduce their brothers to the annual tradition.

Essie is one of the funniest kids we know and she loves to dance (as you are all well aware of).

The boys finally got into the dancing too.

This video isn't the greatest, but I love the group hug at the end.

side note: Chloe's hair is crazy because I was in the process of taking her braids out

Sesame Street:Song: I Love My Hair

Oh my gosh! Love this video! I would not have fully understood though before I started spending hours doing my girls hair! Thanks, Cousin Richelle for passing it on.

Update: My mother in law passed along the back story to this video so thought I'd post info. about the author. He is a writer and puppeteer for Sesame Street who has a daughter from Ethiopia. Also, he notes that Gordon Price from Sesame Street is the husband of Carol Price who founded Carol's Daughter (we use her hair and skin products). Small world!

Michael & Amsalu Sing in Church!

Today Michael and Amsalu were the special music at church. They sang a song in Amharic that in English means "Love, Love".

Saturday at Natural Bridge

Mom had to work again this Saturday, but Ababa, the kids and Aunt Buffy took a drive down the Mountain Parkway to Natural Bridge State Park.

Picnic lunch

Amsalu LOVES chips.

Tree climbing

Chloe & Essie check out a hollow tree stump.

Amsalu and Ababa

Mickey and Ababa

Essie & Mickey under Natural Bridge

Chloe and Mickey (doing pushups)

Amsalu

Posing on the rocks under Natural Bridge

Pushing through Fat Man's Squeeze

On top of the bridge with Aunt Buffy

Chloe

Checking out the view from atop the bridge

Mickey's balancing act

Ababa and the boys do some rock climbing

Bravo, Reni!

You all have to check out our friends the Waggoner's blog. They have 2 children who were born in Albania. Reni came home in August and he is 15 months old. He was born with no legs and just had his first experience with his new legs this week. The video and pictures are priceless. Bravo, Reni for conquering the world with new legs!

This week in hair

Essie sporting cornrows; Chloe has braids

Chloe's are a bit crooked because she had already slept on them 1 night when I took these pictures. I was really please with how both heads turned out though.

Glad I took these pictures yesterday because tonight we had our adoptive family support group and Essie came home with a head full of grass. This of course did not make mommy very happy, since I spent 2 hours doing her hair yesterday, but one of the other kids did put the grass in her hair so I couldn't fuss too much.

A Day on the Lake

On Saturday, Uncle Ron and Aunt Ok (in from Colorado) rented a pontoon boat down on Herrington Lake, and everyone (except Amy who had to work) spent the beautiful October day (85 degrees are you kidding me?) on the lake.

Uncle Ron at the wheel while Aunt Ok helps set up the fishing poles.

Grandma

Amsalu

Chloe

Aunt Buffy

Mickey takes in a swim

Mickey

Amsalu

Amsalu takes a turn at the wheel (with Ababa's help)

Mickey needed direction at first, but by the end of the day he was quite the little boat captain.

Grandpa & Amsalu

Essie & Chloe

Essie & Chloe enjoyed watching the water churn.