Lovely Locks

Check out this post of the girls trying out some new lovely locks with their friend Ellie. Any mom who's adopted transracially knows the importance of hair care, but I never imagined my sweet, African princess with hair like this! =)

Bluegrass State Games

This past weekend AJ was invited to play with a rival soccer team in the Bluegrass State Games. AJ and Matt had to get up at 6am to get to the fields in Lexington in time for the first game. AJ's team won one and lost one, so they did not move on to the championship round, but it was fun nonetheless. In between games the team hung out at a local Subway (eating with a soccer team of 10-year-olds and their parents at a Subway is like eating Thanksgiving dinner in a phone booth) where AJ tried his first meatball sub, which he declared to be better than pizza. High praise indeed.

The Whip Guy

The library where Matt works had The Whip Guy performing today as part of their summer reading program. Amy and the girls came to watch. The Whip Guy is a world champion whip expert who has been on America's Got Talent and the Jay Leno Show. He pulled Matt and his boss, Ron into the act for a little whip demonstration. Here's a little video of the hilarity:

Twins

This is how I find the girls quite often...arm in arm. I'm always in awe of the twin connection and so grateful that they will have each other always!

Starting the Harvest

My first round of potatoes were ready to harvest so the girls helped me out with the manual labor.

Digging for "treasure"

Essie's happy dance when she found some potatoes.

Love Chloe's boots with the capris. Also note the tongue hanging out while she concentrates. My Grandpa Otto (Neild) always did this when he was concentrating. I love to point these family traits out to my kids. Though I never met my Grandpa Otto (he died before I was born), I hear he had a gentle way with children and I know he's in Heaven smiling down on my kids who have traveled many miles to join our family.

Thanks to the girls help with the potatoes and the boys help with our first few ears of sweet corn, we enjoyed a lovely meal with homegrown veggies and a store bought chicken. I'm not that ambitious yet (to grow and harvest our own chickens).

Lingering Vietnamese Adoptions

Breaks my heart!

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Orphans_in_Limbo_as_Vietnamese_Adoptions_Stall_New_York-125674293.html

"I'm Dancing in the Rain

just dancing in the rain, what a glorious feeling, I'm happy again!"

Ellie came to play this afternoon and we decided we had to go play in the rain. It was actually more of a mini-monsoon, but before the wind really picked up, the girls had a ball. Well, at least until it thundered. Then they all would come running back to the porch.

I couldn't stop taking videos of the girls because they were cracking me up!

Sometimes My Feet Wanna Dance

Every once in a while we just have to break out into dance. Like when we hear this fun song from Burlap to Cashmere's new album...

A Morning Surprise

I went to let the dog out this morning and found the sunlight shining through this spider web off the power lines. I know, it wasn't Charlotte's and the picture does not do it justice, but all the kids thought it was cool.

Hot Dogs

With Mom being a bit layed up still, the girls are exercising their independence. They called me out to the kitchen to show me their big surprise! I had cut up the pepper (from our garden) and the tomato, but they enhanced their meal by chopping those veggies in with their bologna (yuk, I know). They were very proud of themselves. They even added salt and pepper then realized they don't really like pepper.

I've posted it before, but I'll say it again, Essie loves to sing. Lately she's been singing about everything. Today she made up a song about hot dogs. I missed her first rendition, but caught the encore.

July 4th festivities

Matt was a trooper and took the kids to the Wilmore 4th of July parade.

Our friend Lindsey from church was in the firetruck

AJ, Essie & Chloe put their tents up in the backyard and entertained themselves for an hour or so. Apparently AJ was the bad man who kept escaping jail and Essie & Chloe were the police who were tracking him down.

We ended the evening with a cookout with Grandma & Grandpa K and Aunt Buffy. We also had some small fireworks and sparklers for the kids to play with.

Essie

AJ

Mickey chasing Chloe (don't feel bad for her, she was totaling asking for it)

notice how far away I am from all the action

Chloe celebrating as only Chloe can (dancing of course)

Our grand fireworks display

The Burn-Day 2

So I'm home from church in a quiet house and getting stir crazy. For those of you who just like to look at pictures of my cute kids, you might want to skip this post. My world has revolved around the sensation of someone poking me in the leg with a hot poker in between rounds of Vicodin. We changed the dressing on the burn last night and part of the bandage had adhered to the burn. Worst pain I've had so far was when Matt had to rip the bandage off. It actually doesn't look so bad and no major blisters yet. Praising the Lord things could have been much worse. Mickey and Chloe were both standing next to me and if the firework had hit them, well...I don't want to think about that. Please be careful as I know many of you will be setting off your own fireworks over the next few days. Don't become a statistic like me. =)

My favorite pair of shorts, ruined for good

Rockets' Red Glare

Had our church 4th of July picnic last night. It was a fun time of food, games, and fireworks (not pictured). Then things went awry. DUN-DUN-DUN! Some of the fireworks started shooting horizontally instead of vertically, and it was like our congregation was taking fire from insurgents. Fortunately, there was only one casualty. Unfortunately, it was Amy. A firework exploded on the back of her left leg, burning a hole through her shorts and leaving a nasty burn. We made a quick late-night run to the ER where they cleaned and dressed the wound. Amy is on the mend now in a Vicodin haze. Happy birthday, America.