Thursday, July 31, 2008

Vacation Bible School

This week has been a fun filled week of Vacation Bible School.
Lily and Ty are loving every minute of it but they are TIRED (snack time seems to be the favorite with crafts coming in second). Our bible school is during the evening and by the time the littles get in bed it is 2 hours past their bedtime.
Thankfully they have been sleeping in each day to make up for it but they are tired all day.
Yet, each evening they are all geared up and super excited to get to bible school.
They have been practicing the songs for weeks and they want to hear them every minute we are in the car. They sing the songs in the house, on their swingset, in the pool, and pretty much every minute of the day. It is really cute.... Jeff and I seem to be singing them constantly as well.

I wish I had more pictures to share from this week...BUT......Jeff and I are helping with the 2 and 3 year olds.... which.... as you can imagine doesn't leave much opportunity for photo taking.

Last night one of the stations had a dress up theme and this is what Ty and Lily came up with....

Check out the shoes! That yellow dot under his chin is a sticker from the crowns that they made earlier. Ty decided that taking his blue crown apart and chewing on the plastic was much more fun than wearing it.

Lily is always happy to wear a crown and had hers on all night..... she wasn't too happy about taking all this princess attire off.

Saturday, July 26, 2008

More anniversary photos

As you can see I am a little behind in my posting.....

I took these pictures for Lily's 2 year Gotcha Day anniversary.
She LOVES LOVES LOVES this outfit that (my dear friend) Robin from Red Thread Stitches created.
I also love it and thank you Robin for all of your wonderful work!!!


When I look at this picture I can't believe how fast 2 years flew by. It seems like yesterday that we were in China with her.

A bit dramatic....

Proving to me she is out of jelly beans which she seems to need for any picture taking....


Carrying a Hydrangea bloom

Friday, July 18, 2008

Lunch break

Lily and Ty love having picnics....
To change things up we will eat lunch on the front porch, in the back yard, at the park, etc.
They think it is so fun!
The other day they were eating their french fries, chicken nuggets, and frosty shakes on the front porch when I thought... they look so cute... I need to get my camera.
I was so glad I did!

Just in case anyone is thinking that they shouldn't be eating such foods.... I promise they don't get this stuff too often!!!!!


These are some of my favorite pictures of "the littles" together!!!!
They were just doing their thing and I was thinking how blessed we are to be their parents.
Oh I love them SO much!










Monday, July 14, 2008

Happy 2 year Gotcha Day Anniversary

I can remember July 11, 2006 like it was yesterday.... Jeff and I woke up at some odd hour (still not on China time and nervous as all get out) in our hard Chinese beds (I actually missed those hard mattresses when we came home)..... we knew the day ahead of us was going to change everything.

We ate the delicious buffet breakfast at our White Swan Hotel (I miss that hotel and buffet so much)... although I can't remember much about breakfast that day. After breakfast we met our guide Lucy in the hotel lobby, got into a HOT taxi, and made the "are we going to die because they drive so crazy in China" drive to the government office.
As we exited the taxi we both looked at each other and didn't have to say a word... we both knew that life was going to change 100% in just minutes.

When they brought Feifei around the corner I could hardly believe this little person that we carried a picture of was right in front of us. She was so tiny, so precious, and so beautiful.
She was so wonderful and we were so in love with this little lady.

I can't believe that day was 2 years ago.

We can't imagine a second without Miss Lily Feifei. What a blessing she is! She is our spunky little angel and we thank God for allowing us to be her parents.

GOTCHA DAY July 11, 2006

2 Years Later

ON TO THE CELEBRATION....
Gotcha Day is right up there (and maybe a little more) with birthdays. So a celebration is in order.
Knowing how much Lily (and Ty) LOVE Dora we thought paying Dora a visit would be a fun way to celebrate. So off to King's Island Amusement Park we headed.
The day started off with a character breakfast.... Lily and Ty didn't eat much but they were shocked when they saw a larger than life Dora right there in the same room.
The minute they saw her the marathon to reach her began.

They both grabbed her and hugged her. Lily commented that Dora couldn't talk because she didn't have a real mouth.
Hee hee

Breakfast was followed by a few rides in the kids part of the park.... all Nickelodeon stuff.
Lily and Ty had SO much fun and so did mom and dad.

Many of you know that I (tiffany) LOVE thrill rides, roller coasters, and anything that doesn't spin. I haven't met a roller coaster or thrill ride that I won't ride. I love them! The higher, faster, and crazier the better. I must mention that I owe this to my dad who made me ride an upside down roller coaster once upon a time... the alternative was to ride the coaster or go home. That is where it all started.
Aside from going as a child this was the most fun I have ever had at an amusement park. It was SOOOO much fun to see how excited Lily and Ty were.
I felt like I was going to the amusement park for the first time.

DORA



King's Island

Dora and Boots (or as Ty says Dorla Boots)

Sportacopter ride..... Lily is still talking about riding the pink helicopter roller coaster.....
not quite moms idea of a roller coaster but it was so much fun

The Big Yellow Station.... if you don't watch Dora this is the train station in the show....
Lily and Ty both recognized it and it was all we could do to keep them in line when they saw the train Azul at the station

This is Azul ..... the train....
Lily, Ty, Mom, and Dad all fit into this small train. I am pretty sure Azul was at capacity.
Jeff couldn't move an inch and I had to buckle him in. He mentioned to the ride attendant that he could waive the seatbelt rule. Lily, Ty, and the attendant looked at him like he was from another planet. SOOOOO... I had to buckle him in. I laughed so hard I was crying.

Their little jaws just dropped from the excitement of being on Azul

Driving the Diego cars... this was the only ride that mom and dad didn't have to ride with them. They sure didn't miss us.....


Thursday, July 10, 2008

More 4th of July

***** THANK YOU all so much for your VERY kind compliments on the photos. I REALLY appreciate it. You all make my day!

To answer your camera questions...
The bugs and flowers (previous post) were taken with my old point and shoot camera...
Fuji FinePix Digital S7000.... I hang on to that camera just for taking bugs and such.

The new camera is a Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi and the new lens that Jeff bought me is a 55-250mm zoom lens with image stabilizer..... I need that because I don't have a steady hand.


Happy 4th from the 4 of us..... not the best lighting but a long overdue family of 4 photo



On the ferry


The boys....Papaw Russ(or as Ty says Palaw Luss), Ty, & Jeff
Taking a break in the hammock

The Girls (Grandma, Lily, and Tiffany)
Afternoon Tea with Grandma

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Happy 4th of July


We just returned from a Happy 4th of July weekend on Kelleys Island.

Kelleys Island is one of my favorite places to spend time and of course to take pictures. It is a great place for nature pictures. This weekend was no different.... I took A LOT of pictures and I will post more this week but for now I had to share these .....

If you click on these pictures below you can see some really cool details on the dragonfly, etc.
(That is if you are interested in the details of a bug)


This leaf opening reminded me of praying hands

Dragonfly


Milkweed Bug