Three Stockings

As I was getting Christmas decorations out today, I found this poem I wrote 2 years ago-when Avery was just about 7 months old. It brought back so many good memories of so many things...mostly though-family and friends together celebrating Avery being with us. We finalized Avery's adoption 3 days before Christmas in 2005, it was such a wonderful day. We were also able to visit with Avery's birthmom that month, for the first time since we took Avery home, and it was a special reunion for all of us. This season reminds me how grateful I am to have a beautiful family and for all the help,love,trust and prayers it took to get Avery to us.

THREE STOCKINGS
Three stockings now hang, where there once was just two
An addition to our family, joys any greater are few

She came six weeks early, the best day we can remember
Avery was placed in our arms,one moment so special and tender

The miracle continues as we welcome her home
To a warm safe place, she will never be alone

We take her out for walks, roll around on the floor
She's growing like a weed, who could ask for more?!

It's been seven whirlwind months, since that amazing day
Blessed be her birthmom, for we will never be the same

Hanging stocking, decorating the tree
Simple acts to most, a dream realized for me

Three stockings now hang, where there once was just two
Our miracle is here, no other gift will do

Autumn in Newport Beach

We spent a week in Newport Beach, CA with Steven, Brooke, Dylan, Sydnee and my Mom--and it was beautiful!! Can you believe it was 85 degrees and we swam and laid out by the pool?! It's great to get a real tan in mid-November. We did wear sweatshirts at night, but the weather was just perfect!! Johnny was only able to stay a couple days with us, but we had fun going out to eat and relaxing while he was there. It was our 5 year anniversary this week too!! Happy Anniversary to us!
Dylan, Sydnee and Avery had so much fun together. Avery kept calling them her friends, which they are of course, but they are also her cousins, so I was trying to explain that to her on a daily basis. Sydnee and Avery had an especially good time together. They really enjoyed their bath every night in the big tub. Avery would say, " want Syd bath with me." We are gonna miss them :( The kids got to feed these big Koi fish at the resort we stayed at, and Dylan got to spend quite a bit of time at the arcade they had there. We also had fun at Disneyland all together. It is set up for Christmas and is so neatly decorated. We did something we had never done before also, the kids got to be "junior chef's" on main street at Disneyland. They made cookies-Dylan put the eggs in, Avery put the brown sugar and Sydnee put in the flour. It was so cute to watch, and the kids really enjoyed it. They each got to take 4 fresh chocolate chip cookies! The kids had such a fun time seeing all of their favorite characters too. Avery's new favorite ride is Dumbo!! We went on it a few times...
Carrie and Bill came down to Newport Tuesday night and had dinner with us, that was fun. We had dinner out on the balcony. Something funny that happened this week, note the picture of the kids on the luggage cart, Brooke and I had the kids alone at Disneyland(Steven had to fly to SLC for just 24 hours for a meeting, Johnny was back at work and my Mom hadn't flown in yet) so, getting the kids back up to the room, when they were tired after a day at Disneyland, was going to be a problem. We also got lost on the way home and that was pretty comical too--long story...Anyway, thanks to the luggage cart, we got the kids and bags up in one trip!
This week, we are going to Salt Lake for Thanksgiving. Can't wait to see Grandpa and Grandma and everyone again. Avery says, almost on a daily basis, "I want papa hold me."

I've been tagged!!--woohoo :)

My sister Michelle "tagged" me, so I'm supposed to list 6 interesting things about myself on my blog page. So, here goes:

First, I was excited to be tagged!! I know, what a retard. It involves work, most people would say...do I have to??.... I like things like this, filling out forms, questionnaires, surveys...I know, I'm weird.

Second, hmmm...I have a better day when I shave my legs. Whether it's summer,spring,fall or the dead of winter-(when no one but me will know if they are shaved or not), it makes me feel good. I walk taller and feel thinner when my legs are shaved.

Third, I love it when Avery calls me Mom, instead of Mommy.( I like Mommy too, don't get me wrong-there is just something about the way she says Mom) I don't know why, but I think it's so cute. It's like she's growing up...sad, but fun :) She now say's, all the time,"What ya doin' Mom?" I can't get enough of it.

Fourth, my favorite holidays are my birthday and Valentine's Day...I get pampered both of those days. Love 'em!!

Fifth, No piece of chocolate I've ever tasted, has ever been too rich. Bring it on--test me :) The darker, the better. The more the merrier!! I'm not one of those people that takes a couple bites of a piece of Godiva extra dark chocolate cheesecake and says, "I can't finish this, it's too rich." I say, "can I have seconds?" How can anything be too rich?? I seriously don't get it. While we are on this subject, I do have a rule about eating good chocolate: sit down, close your eyes, and take it all in. If it's that good, worth spending the calories on--sit down and enjoy it. Oh, and I don't waste my calories or taste buds on cheap chocolate--Russell Stover, Palmers, Whitmans--gag me. Hershey's or better baby!!

Lastly, before I die, I am gonna learn how to surf. That's my dream!

So, now I'm supposed to tag a couple more people...Julie, Annie--it's your turn!Everyone else has recently been tagged!

Happy Halloween!

Well, I kind of forgot to pull the camera out during Trick-or-Treating, so, this is all you get! We did have a good time last night with some friends from the neighborhood--all the kids looked so cute. Avery was definitely the "scariest" of the bunch; in our group we had a firefighter,Dora,a chicken(she was so cute), a cat and 2 princesses, and of course, our little pirate. We carved our pumpkins the night before and Avery was very proud of the horrible Mickey Mouse I carved for her. I'm no artist...obviously. Johnny carved the big pumpkin into a pirate face and that turned out really cool. Hope you all enjoyed your candy night as much as we did!