Christmas 2009

Christmas Day

The night before Christmas, getting ready for Santa!!

We had a great Christmas, just wanted to post a few pics. I haven't really had time or energy for blogging since bringing Rachel home, but I will try to continue to put out a few pics so for the few people who check-in can see the kids growing up!! I know I have several kiddo's that I love following!!

pre-Santa pic

Getting ready to go see Santa

November happenings

Thanksgiving Day, trying to get a family photo, not so easy

One day after nap Rachel woke up with some CRAZY hair!!

We have a pony tail!!

Cutie!

2 very silly boys!!

Halloween 2009

Taylor begged for these pumpkin decorations and honestly

I didn't mind not digging out the pumpkins:))

a whole bunch of Hewgley's...

batman and a cute little leopard



Trick or Treating at Aunt Traci's

fun at the beach!

Yes...I had to make them hold hands and walk away, but I got a cute pic!!

We got a very nice invitation to the beach to meet friends and stay at their parents condo with them....uh let me think about it.....OKAY, be right there:))

It was so much fun and Taylor has only talked about going to the beach and building a sand castle for like, forever. Honestly, I didn't think he would like all the sand and salt but they both loved it!! They also travelled better than I expected!! Let the road trips begin.

Cuties

Riding horses

Below is Taylor's first haircut at the barber shop....and his bribe in then next pic. It has not been fun cutting his hair the last, almost 3 years....he has shed alot of tears. The biggest problem seemed to be the hair falling on him and we tried MANY MANY things to prevent that. At the barber shop they have a flowbie type thing that sucks the hair up....cool!

Just being honest

Last week I was not feeling 100%, probably more like 50%....and then I worked 3, 12 hour shifts in a row, Thurs, Friday and Sat. So Sunday morning I get up and am just wiped out. James gets up and was making us pancakes and since noone has mentioned church yet, Taylor asks "mommy are we going to church?" and I said, "ask your daddy", so he did to which James replied, "I don't know ask your momma", to which I said "Taylor we haven't decided yet". James then asks Taylor "do you want to go to church?" and Taylor says, "yes, and we need to thank Jesus, right..." So guess what I got up and got my behind in gear and went to church. If you give the devil any space, man he will drag you down, but then my sweet precious 5 year old just got me right back on track!! Thank you Jesus!!

August

Taylor making Rachel hold her head up for the camera!
Rachel not liking getting her picture made!!

right after a bath, look how long her hair is getting!

the card Taylor made for James for his 38th birthday (on the top left pic is a car and then on top right when he was writing his name he ran out of room for 'r' so he went to the left of his 'o' and wrote it)

He wanted to write daddy's name on the front of the card!

Rachel and ayi

No, that doesn't say 83...LOL!!

Taylor's birthday

Today was Taylor's birthday. One thing he asked for was a race car driver costume. He took a nap in it today and is asleep right now in it tonight. He ended up getting two bumble bee transformers so tonight we went to Target to swap one of them. He was so excited to get the money back and get to shop. Poor thing was kind of carsick on the way there, then we stopped at Cracker Barrell, he ate some grits and milk and seemed fine. We then went to Target and then on the way home he had to throw up. I told him I was so sorry he got sick on his birthday, he said 'I OK mommy'!! He was fine the rest of the way home. I really thought he had beaten this car sick thing...it had been probably 9-12 months since he had been sick in the car.

The race car driver got to make a couple of laps around the yard with daddy!

Happy 5th Birthday Taylor!!

I can't get blogger to let me rearrange pics and copy and paste and it's getting on my nerves...so go to http://www.journeytome.com/ and look at adoption stories and look for Rachel Lian and you can see this post.

Chattanooga Choo Choo

We went to Chattanooga for a few days last week and had a great time. I had never really been to visit and there is so much to do. James' lil sis Susan and her three girls and James' mom all went too. I really enjoyed Chattanooga...I could so live there!! Big city perks with small town feel and sooooo family friendly!

Above is a little handmade creek they have around the aquarium and below is Rachel petting the sting rays.


Above is eating at my new favorite restaurant the Big River Grille and Rachel has the bread basket on her head. Below is at Coolidge Park where we had a picnic and played in the water.

Above is picnic at Coolidge park and below is the Creative Discovery Museum.

Above and below we are at Lake Winnie Amusement Park.

Chattanooga Zoo

Rachel went to church

2 creative kiddos!

My dad and step mom got Rachel this adorable dress!! It was so much fun seeing her in a cute dress this morning!!

We have not been to church since before China....wow, I can't believe it has been that long!! We did not have daycare for Rachel until June so mommy has been working weekends so I could get in most of my hours and keep her at home. It was so great having a weekend off!! Now I am back to my every other weekend schedule. Maybe James also gained a little confidence today by seeing that she did well and he could handle both on his own on the Sundays I do work. I am sure he would have lot's of willing helpers at church if needed:))