Welcome dear friends and family

Hoping this brings us a bit closer.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Chinese Dragon Boat Festival

Eric's older brother and family came over for 24 hours. There was a Chinese Dragon Boat festival on Saturday that we all thought would be fun to do together. It was a hot, steamy day; the dragon boat race was canceled because the creek was too high and we missed the dance performances because we didn't get there when it started and then ate our food in the hot shade while the remaining two performances concluded. It was nice to be together, but the event didn't quite live up to our expectations. I was glad we got to share a meal together the night before with both Eric's brothers and families and celebrate Michaela's 12th birthday. An impromptu outing to a marble factory before the Chinese festival proved to be the highlight of our field trip. Being together and having connection is always more valuable than any event so we're grateful for that. We did get a few good pictures out of the adventure.

Elle is so proud of her cousins and loves to be around them. She tries to say their names and does pretty well calling Benjamin, Benj and Johanna, Jo. We too are very proud of our nieces and nephew and think Michaela is growing up into a fine young lady. She is of course just ever so pretty with her blond hair, blue eyes and dimples, but her inner beauty matches with a character that reflects Jesus' heart. She was so helpful this weekend in meeting the needs of the younger ones and ready to lend a hand in the kitchen with all the cooking. She was like a sous-chef, taking my orders and executing them perfectly! Happy 12th Michaela - we love you!

Thursday, July 24, 2008

A Package from GG

GG S. sent Elle a package with a couple of 24 month outfits. They'll be perfect for this Fall when GG comes for the cousin reunion. She also threw in a shoulder bag for me with the Chinese character for peace. Thanks GG - it was so kind and thoughtful of you!

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Andre Bocelli

I'm posting twice in a day - what's up with that?! I'm a new blogger and I'm all motivated and excited and all...it'll pass and then you'll wonder if I dropped off the face of the earth.

Had to write about Elle and her "love" for Andre Bocelli. She's crazy about his music! She asks me to play his CD constantly - 'asks' by raising her hand in the air above her head - dramatic and all, just like Bocelli's music. Then she waits, waits for his music to start, thrills over it and even gets move excited when he begins to sing. She even gives Bocelli standing ovations at the end of the songs.

On an empty fridge day last week, I asked Elle how peanut BUTTER & JELLY sounded for lunch and she started jumping up and down, squealing with her hand raised above her head! She heard 'Bocelli' when I said butter-jelly! Oh my!

The picture is of Elle requesting Bocelli. No, she's not waving. This is also her 'Praise Jesus' sign, so sometimes we have to guess whether it's Jesus or Bocelli that she's calling on. :)

Don't miss my second post below - we had a lot of fun yesterday!

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

A Swim with Friends

Laurie and Allison were in town for a visit with family and made time for some friends as well. We were excited to take them to our favorite kiddy pool for a swim. It was fun to see the girls together, a pleasure to visit with Laurie, and refreshing to splash around.

Elle is no longer wearing a swim diaper but going potty like a big girl, even at the pool! She's very good to tell me and will leave the water and fun to get business done. We had to make a few trips out of the water yesterday - drank too much beforehand...mental note: little water on swim mornings.

Afterward we went out for a bite to eat. It's always so easy with these two; we just pick up where we left off. Thanks for a fun morning L & A!

Posting some pics...a disclaimer: we're wet and well, 'don't hate us because we're beautiful!' Still friends, Laurie? Laurie??

Monday, July 21, 2008

Big Stuff

Some time back Eric taught Elle how to close doors by grabbing and pulling the bottom of the door. So periodically she'll go down the hallway, fall prostrate and tuck her fingers under the doors pulling them closed one by one. Today she realized she was just tall enough to grab the doorknob and close it like Dada and Mama. She believes she has arrived!

Elle also enjoys typing on my laptop. I'll open a Word doc, super-size the font, turn it purple and then she'll hunt for the letter I ask for. Once she's found it, she'll hold it down till the page fills up with 'A's,'W's or whatever. This too gives her a great sense of accomplishment.

Feeling like 'big stuff' seems to be very important right now. From doors, laptop, panties, stairs, drinking from the cereal bowl (guess who taught her that?!), to cooking with Mama - forget about the toys, it's all about doing what Dada and Mama do.

She's jabbering, squealing and still doing a lot of signing, but she's pretty careful about what words she says out loud. I think she's going to do words like she did her walking - not until she was sure she wouldn't fail. While swinging the other day, she couldn't put her hands together to sign 'more' because she was holding on to the swing. I told her to say it with her mouth, but she shook her head 'no' while grunting to be pushed more. I told her I would push more when she said it with her mouth. This went on, back and forth, until she finally sighed and said, clear as day, 'MORE'! She's so stubborn! I wonder who she gets that from?!

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Happy Birthday Dad/Papa!

Celebrating you today!
Love you!
Kate
Eric
& Elle
XOX

Monday, July 14, 2008

Sprinkler, Watermelon & Swinging

Elle and I had a blast this afternoon. We got our swimsuits on, jumped around in the sprinklers and ate watermelon off the rind. Then we headed to the tree swing for more silly fun. Elle is getting good at pumping her legs and can swing forever; I get motion sickness in about a minute! Ha! So we swung, I took some video and then we lounged on the hammock, watched our recent videos and sang some songs. Before we knew it, Eric was home and joined us on the hammock. Good summer fun!