A long time

A few nights ago I found myself looking at our blog for the first time in what seems like months.  I started reading some of the entries and going back all the way to when we started the blog and realized that this is serving as a family diary for us and that I don't want to give up writing in it.  I am not sure if anyone even looks at this anymore, but I figure this is a way to really capture what is going on in each of our lives.

Sooo, with that being said, here is a brief overview of the past several months ...

In September, Bella's first family (her foster family) visited us and we had a wonderful time, as always, with them.  Here is a picure of her "sister" Cassie.  They were being pirates and were so cute together.  They truly feed off of each other and enjoy getting into trouble together.  One thing they did was to go into Aidan's room and destroy (and I mean absolutely destroy) several of his Lego sets.  He is still working on putting them all back together.  He took it pretty well, actually A LOT better than I would have.  Silly girls.  I also should say that this all happened while Julie and I were out shopping and the guys were home with the kids.  Would this have happened if us moms were around???  Maybe, but I like to think that it would not have. :-)

Michael and I got to take a trip to Las Vegas in October to attend a conference.  We  had a really great time and got to do a little extra sight seeing.  Here is a picture of us at Red Rock Canyon, which was beautiful!  And it was nice to be in the warmth and able to swim in October (can't do that in Ohio!).

Halloween is always a fun time at our house.  We have some really great neighbors and we got together with several of them and had a fire pit and ate yummy food before the trick or treating began.  Once it was time, the kids took off and got around the neighborhood in record time. (They are still talking about the king size candy bars that one of our neighbors handed out to everyone.)  Bella and the neighbor girls went around with us and they were so cute.  As you can see from the picture, we had a muscular ninja warrior, a tae kwon do ape (Aidan's own creation) and a beautiful Belle.

We added to our family this past fall as well.  Lulu joined our family and has been such a joy to us all.  The kids adore her and Bella finally has someone to boss around so she is in her prime.  Lulu is a Yorkie Coton mix, so she is called a Yo-ton.  She has been the best puppy ever.  She trained quickly, hardly barks and is so good with the kids.  We really could not have asked for more.  This is a precious pic of Keenan and her just a couple of days after we got her.

Certain seasons of the year, I truly become a "soccer mom" and tote the kids to practices and games throughout the week.  We love it!  Michael has been assistant coach for Aidan's team the past couple of seasons.  Here is a pic of the team right after they won the tournament in the fall.  Such a fun group of boys!! 

Christmas was wonderful this year.  The kids really had a great time and I took the last couple of weeks off at the end of the year.  We did a lot of fun things ... decorated cookies with friends, visited with other friends and had a lot of family time; went to Niederman Farm for their Christmas Walk with our small group and just played ... a lot!  The one thing that did happen right before Christmas was that Michael was in a car accident.  Everyone involved was fine, but our car was no so fine.  So in the midst of getting ready for Christmas, we also got to add car shopping to the list. 

Here is a pic of all three of the kiddos at my mom's house for Christmas. 



Last week, Michael, the boys and I took a trip to Copper Mountain, Colorado.  Bella is not a skiier yet, so she stayed with grandparents while we were gone and had a blast!  I think she really enjoyed the one on one time and all of the spoiling.  She is already asking to go and stay with them again.

We had a wonderful trip to Colorado.  This was Keenan's first time to Colorado and he truly cracked us all up from time to time (like he always does).  As we headed over the first mountain pass outside of Denver, I said, "Keenan look!  Aren't the moutains beautiful?"  His response, "Am I skiing down that?!" (disbelief in his voice)  The boys both did amazing skiing and took on just about anything.  Their favorite thing to do was to go off of the marked run and ski through the trees.  We all went to the very top and skiied all the way down which took about 30-40 minutes.  We cannot wait to go again.  Maybe next time Bella will be ready to tackle the mountains also.    Here are some pics of us and the beautiful mountains that God created ...  

I also attended a retreat in January for adoptive moms called Created 4 Care.  Awesome!  That is best way I can describe it.  I want to blog about it and hope to do so soon.  So, until next time ...

Goodbye Summer

As it was pointed out to me recently, I have not blogged in a VERY long time.  So here is a quick re-cap of our awesome summer.  My one goal for this summer was to have fun with the kids and we did! 

My wonderful sister Janel came and lived with us and watched the kids on the days that I worked.  She did an amazing job and the kids miss her so much now that she is back in school.  They played, swam, went to the park and just had fun all summer long.  Here are some pics from our summer ...

My sister Alyssa grauated from UC in Fashion Design.  She is getting ready to move to Milwaukee to begin her careeer.



 Keenan graduated from preschool in May.  Here he is with his aunts, Alyssa and Janel.

For Mother's Day, my sisters and I took my mom to a fun new place, Paint by the Glass.

( Alyssa, Me, Tiffany, Mom, and Janel)

We took our annual trip to Hilton Head.  Michael and Jeremy showing off their dinners. 

Keenan and Bella in the ocean.

Beach beauties ... Addy and Bella

Keenan and Aidan getting ready for a dolphin cruise ... check out Keenan's face.



In July, we went on a long weekend trip to Chicago with our good friends, Kim and Tad.  We had a blast and can't wait to go again next year!

Trip to the Children's Museum in Indianapolis.

Aidan, Bella and Keenan - they are quite the warriors, aren't they?

Another trip to Indy to visit with college friends.  Nick, Michael, Brad and Chris

Alisha, Lisa, Me, Laura and baby Sawyer

 The boys had another great birthday party with friends. 

Good friends, Josie, Aidan, Shelby, Keenan and Bella

Golf outing - Benny, Aidan, Michael and Keenan

The crew getting ready to get on the bus. 

(Trent, Abby, Troy and Aidan)

Back to school for all - Aidan (3rd), Keenan (Kindergarten) and Bella (pre-K)

Michael and Aidan on the field at the Reds game.  Michael presented an award and was able to take Aidan.  He got a lot of autographs, won a signed ball - all on his birthday! 

The boys showing off their new hats (family birthday party).

Can you guess where we have been??

A couple of weeks ago we went to Orlando for several days.  This was our first trip there since Aidan was 2 and at that time we only visited Sea World.  We felt the kids were at a good age to go and they were!  We had a blast and hit all four Disney parks, spent time at Downtown Disney (especially at the Lego store ... Aidan was in heaven), ate at Rainforest Cafe and the T-Rex restaurants and came home exhausted!!!  Here are several pics from our trip ...

Aidan and Keenan near the Indiana Jones Adventure at Hollywood Studios

Our favorite day was probably at Epcot.  We spent the entire day there and enjoyed so, so many things there.  Stitch greeted the kids and this was just the beginning of the many characters we got to see. 

Keenan holding the world on his finger.

 The highlight of the entire trip for Bella was getting to meet Tinkerbell.  That is ALL we heard about for days before we got there.  She was in awe!

 The boys goofing around in Norway.

 Bella with Mulan

Aidan holding the Epcot ball in his hands.

M-I-C-K-E-Y  M-O-U-S-E

 We were at Epcot during the flower festival and it was gorgeous!  Here is Bella with Tinkerbell.

 Had to take a picture of this.  Everest Expedition, the roller coaster at Animal Kingdom is in the background.  This was Aidan's first roller coaster and he loved it!!

Bella passed out and lounging back in her stroller - check out the open mouth.  She reminds me of how my grandma used to sleep.

All three with Rafiki

 Bella posing in front of Rainforest Cafe

Aidan snapped this pic of Michael and I ... I think it is the only one of the 2 of us we got the entire trip.

 Family pic at the Magic Kingdom

With my princess

Happy Easter!!

Every time I post I swear I won't wait as long to post again, but then even more time passes by.  So, I won't make any promises of when I will post again, but here is a snapshot of what has been happening in our lives so far this Spring!!!

Easter morning - my three blessings ...

 Aidan showing off one of his Easter presents - I am not even sure if he knows who Michael Jordan is - ha!

 Bella reaching for an egg ... how did it get up there?

 Keenan is so proud of his new basketball - he says he has "moves" now.

Family pic

Everyone came to our house to celebrate Easter.  The rain held off and we had a great afternoon enjoying fellowship, good food and one of the largest Easter eggs hunts around.  Here are all of the kids (Bella, Addyson, Ashlynn, Aidan, Keenan and Hunter).

 Keenan with his best buddy, Hunter (it was also his 5th birthday!)

We have also been back into sports this spring.  Well, when it isn't raining.  Keenan is playing T-ball again and would rather just hit the ball all day and not have to field it.  Aidan is back into soccer and is learning what it is like to play on some cold and nasty days.  We are all having fun and enjoying watch them when we can.

I also just completed my first 5K a couple of weeks ago.  This is a HUGE deal for me because I have NEVER been a runner.  I started the couch to 5K training program a few months ago and when I started couldn't run a lap (seriously).  Anyway, I ran in the Race for the Cure with my wonderful family.  We did it in honor of my precious grandma Alice, who passed away from breast cancer 14 years ago.  There were 40,000 who participated.  We had a blast and now I can't wait to do another one!

Here is the group (minus me).  Janel, Thomas, Jeremy, my mom Natalie, Tom, Tiffany, Alyssa, Will and Addyson. 

Part of my grandmother's legacy ... Janel, mom, me, Alyssa, Tiffany, Addyson.