2009 Photos: A Year in Review or An excuse to post a ton of photos
Here’s our year. It’s not even close to everything that happened this year but it was a good year.
January
Now that we had our referral and the holidays were over we started to get things ready for Milo’s arrival.
We built new shelves in the closet, put together bunk beds and put up the crib.
Lexi got a much needed hair cut.
And we got ready for her 3rd birthday - she requested a “W” cake for her party. (In case you’re wondering. This year she wants green circle cakes. Nope, no Elmo birthday cakes for us.)
February
We passed court! Milo was officially, legally, 100% ours. We also got his birth certificate and a travel date.
March
We started to get ready for our trip to Ethiopia. We borrowed the three biggest suitcases ever.
Our last photo as a family of 3. About 15 minutes after this was taken we headed off to the airport.
And we were off.
This was the first day we were able to bring Milo back to the Guest House from the Care Center.
And headed back home.
A boy from our travel group. We were all waiting for our connecting flight in DC. He held Milo for a while.
And friends we met at the airport. They went through a different agency but live in St. Paul. Our kids are about 2 months apart in age.
And we are officially a family of 4. Lexi met us at the airport.
April
Lexi decides to sleep on the floor. She did this for several weeks. And she and Kevin did a lot of work for Start Seeing Art.
Our first Easter as a family of 4. And Lexi enjoying being the big sister.
Kevin and I (and the kids but they are always barefoot – we’re lucky if they have pants on) went One Day Without Shoes.
May
I braved it and drove to Green Bay, by myself, with both kids. My sister was there and we took the kids to Bay Beach. Cheapest, greatest summer entertainment for kids under 10. I love this picture because I have the same picture of me at about 3 years old riding the same ride.
Kevin and Lexi wore their Red Wings jerseys to church on Pentecost Sunday. Milo wore his as well.
Kevin’s hair getting longer. In May he challenged people to help him raise $600 for http://www.charitywater.org/. That’s enough clean water for 30 people. If the goal was met by his 30th birthday (a month later) he promised to shave his head. People donated $2300.
He also walked about 2 miles from the Misissippi River to our house carrying the can Lexi is holding above. The can was full and weighted close to 25 lbs. On a daily basis, people without access to clean water carry these cans close to 3 miles for water. It’s mostly women and children who fetch the water.
June
We went to White Robin Farm for a family photo shoot. It was a ton of fun. Lexi helped.
Kevin’s birthday. Before:
And after:
July and August
We took care of 5 kids under 5 for a morning. Two belonged to us and three belonged to a friend. We got out of the house and walked to a park to wear everyone out.
But the best part of the year (after bringing Milo home) was flying to Connecticut and visiting our best friends for close to two weeks. We ate out a lot. We played games. Made a lot of popcorn. And just hung out.
Lexi also sat in on one of Uncle Tim’s lectures at Yale.
We saw Times Square and Tim and Nicole took the kids home and Kevin and I saw Stomp.
We met up with other college friends in Amherst and hung out for the day.
Kevin with two of his college roommates and me with one of my college roommates
August is also the State Fair. This is Lexi being “State Fair People.”
September
Happy birthday to me.
We also got to meet and hang out with Mark Horvath from InvisiblePeople.tv.
October
Happy 1st birthday, Milo. In case you were wondering, he does like cake and he does like chocolate. Even tried to swipe his sister’s cupcake.
Halloween. I cut the jack-o-lantern, per Lexi’s instructions and she decorated it. Lexi was a Green Princess and Milo was a scarecrow. This year, the costumes were made by me.
November
It was freakishly warm around here in November. This is how warm Lexi had to dress to go rake leaves with her dad.
Milo became extremely mobile, deciding the quickest path from point A to point B was a straight line, no matter what was along that line.
We went to my parents house for Thanksgiving. Every year Joanna and I buy the kids matching Christmas PJ’s and insist on a picture. This year, 3 really excited kids would not sit still so every picture is just a big ball of stripes.
December
Kevin tried to teach Lexi to ice skate. She wasn’t a fan.
We went to Kevin’s parents’ house for Christmas. Lexi insisted we take this picture after church.
And of course, present opening.
And seeing Papa’s pigeons.
And hanging out with second cousins. Emelia and Milo were the newest second cousins this year. Emelia is 9 months in this picture and Milo is 14 months.
We got back from Kansas to discover there was a lot of shoveling to do.
And on to next year. Here’s to 2010.
family, friends, things that make me happy, uncategorized | Comments (2)NaBloPoMo Post #8: Handmade for the Holidays
When you are doing all your gift buying this year, consider buying handmade.
Here are some of my favorite shops (most are etsy shops):
CopperBoom
Future Leaders of Ghana
Gub Factory
Junk Posse
Water4Christmas
LadyBird
Bean Forest
But don’t forget, the first gift you buy this year, buy it November 13.
$10 for water.
NaBloPoMo Post #6: Two Random Things
1. I just realized that we are leaving for our first Christmas in about 3 weeks. And I haven’t started on any gifts except one. I’m thinking this year everyone is either getting water for christmas or something handmade, just not made by me.
2. Yes, I know the text says it’s true but it’s not. But still, it’s funny and sad and true all at the same time.
uncategorized | Comment (0)I’m only one. But still, I’m one.
I’m only one. But still, I am one.
I cannot do everything, but still, I can do something.
And because I cannot do everything,
I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.
– Edward Everett Hale
*8Things I Know for Sure
What are the *8 Things I Know for Sure about yourself? What truths help you hold your core?
1. I’m changing. I’ve got opinions. Very strong opinions. About lots of things. But I’ve noticed that as I read more, talk to people more, listen more that my opinions are changing, evolving. All for the better.
2. I’m well loved. By my husband. By my kids. By my friends. By my family.
3. I’m can hold my own. I’m not afraid to stand up for what I believe in. And I’m not about to let someone bully me into thinking I need to change just to please them.
4. I love to teach. And I think I’m pretty good at it.
5. I will always fight for social justice. I can’t fix everything but I can fix a few things. One at a time.
6. It’s the little things that count.
7. I need people. People give me energy. People inspire me. People give me hope. Especially little people.
8. I’m happy with my life. My life is good. It makes me smile.
8 Things, uncategorized | Comment (0)Give Away
I’m not giving stuff away but there’s a great give away for sewing/knitting supplies here.
Oh, and a good fabric give away here.
Like buttons? Try your luck here.
uncategorized | Comment (0)We’re in Ethiopia
We are in Ethiopia. I won’t be updating my blog but Kevin will be twittering (as technology allows) and he’ll be updating his blog.
I promise – I’ll have updates on my blog as soon as we are back home.
But until then, I’ll just leave you with a few very cute pictures:
Lexi and Milo at about 6 weeks old.
Lexi and Milo at about 5 months.
Cute kids, huh?
uncategorized | Comment (0)True Beauty
Reality shows amuse me. I don’t like Survivor or the Amazing Race or Dancing with the Stars. No, those shows supposedly take some type of talent or skill. I like shows with names like America’s Next Top Model or Beauty and the Geek or True Beauty.
I watch True Beauty tonight and let me tell you, I’ve never seen such a group of annoying, conceded, obnoxious 20-somethings. But I couldn’t shut it off. It was like watching a train wreck. You know you should look away but you just can’t help it.
The contestants are trying to win a spot on People Magazine’s cover and a pile of cash. They have to prove they are the most beautiful person but, wait for it, there’s a twist! The show’s not just about outer beauty, it’s about inner beauty but the contestants don’t know that. So they are being video taped being huge jerks and then at elimination the videos are played back and the judges tell them they are jerks.
What amazes me is I don’t think any of the people on the show even care that they are jerks. As long as they feel they are the most beautiful person in the world it doesn’t matter how obnoxious they are.
Is anyone surprised to discover that most of them are still single? No? Me, either.
uncategorized | Comment (0)A Busy Week
This week is going to be crazy.
Tuesday I have a meeting after school and then we are going trick-or-treating at Byerly’s.
Wednesday I have another meeting after school and then house group.
Thursday Lexi is sleeping at a friend’s house (and going trick-or-treating again) so Kevin and I are going out.
Friday we are going trick-or-treating at the mall with another friend.
Saturday Lexi has gymnastics and I have dog class. After that it’s nap time and then another play date.
Sunday is starting to look like a day for sleep. Lots and lots of sleep.
uncategorized | Comment (1)The Quotable Lexi
(Lexi sitting on the toilet, humming to herself)
L: hmmm, hmmm, hm, hmmm, hmmm, hmm, hm,
(really loud fart)
L: (very matter-of-fact) Hmmm. Oh, I just farted because I was saying “hmmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmm.”
(She is so going to hate us for blogging this stuff when she is 16. I think it’s worse than the naked baby pictures.)
uncategorized | Comment (0)