Music to My Ears

This is the conversation that I overheard on our way home from school today. It was music to my ears!

Ava: Hinnah, play dress up [when we] get home?

Hannah: Yeah, and how about school too?

Ava: Sure!

Hannah: I'll be the teacher and you can be the student.

Ava: Me teacher too, Hinnah?

Hannah: Okay, I'll be the teacher first and you can be the teacher next.

Ava: Sure!

Ahhh...it's pure bliss when my two cherubs make plans together, accommodate one another, and when they actually follow through with their plans. Today was one of those days.

New Camera Cuties

Today I got to try out my new camera by taking photos of these cuties. I couldn't think of any better subjects. Well, maybe Hannah too, but she was in school. I'll catch her next time.

Ava and her cousin Ajla are great buddies. They're both 3 and full of life and laughter!

Out With the Old, and In With the New

My battered, semi-broken and much used Fuji camera has been laid to rest. So long, old friend.

Meet the newest member of our family. My sleek, new little guy is a welcome addition. He even fits in my purse. Hopefully, we'll capture many wonderful memories together.

Gadgets and Gizmos a Plenty

Can you name what song that's from? C'mon, Sue, Kris and Stacy...I know you'll know it! You'll probably even burst into song when you read the title. :-) Well, the title means something different these days in our house. I am amazed at how technological our little cherubs are becoming.

When I was a kid, we had a black and white TV with no remote until I was in middle school, and we didn't get a VCR until I was in high school. I didn't own a camera until I was 10 and it was a hand me down that had a flash you had to attach. Our avocado green telephone had a cord hooked to the wall that we would stretch as far as it could go so we could talk privately in a closet. We played video games on our Atari until my dad step on it, and I don't think we had a computer until I was in college or graduated. We were a little behind the times on some things, since our techno savy neighbors had a color TV and VCR long before we did (thanks, Mom, for not making those things a priority in our lives back then).

Times have changed. Our girls are fully immersed in the techno age. They use our computer, know how to work our TV and DVD player, they talk on cordless phones and cell phones (I'm sure they'd probably love our corded avocado phone too, though), Hannah has a MP3 player, they each own a digital camera (they're not that great, but a camera none the less), and they both love using my iPod Touch whenever they can (I think there are more apps for them than for me). As much as I love all of the technology that makes our lives "easier," I want our girls to be little girls and not grow up too fast. Doug and I will do what we can, but looking at these pictures, we may already be too late. :-)

Doesn't Ava look so old (and lovely sitting on our new couch)? :-)

Our Little Fashionista

Here are the top 10 fashion tips from our little fashionista, Ava:

#1: Try brightening your day by mixing various patterns and colors. The more colors and unique patterns, the better!

#2: Sparkly princess crowns and fancy dresses make you feel like a princes. What could be better than that?

#3: It's okay to mix looks from different seasons. My personal favorite is coordinating beach wear with winter gear.

#4: Layering is key to looking your best. When you wear a dress, add an extra layer of leggings underneath (remember to use different patterns). I also like layering with jewelry.

#5: Hats and heels are in! It looks best when they're a little oversized.

#6: When all else fails, just put your pajamas on. I always feel better in pj's.

#7: Wearing flip flops in winter with a dress helps you pretend that summer is here. I would wear flip flops every day, if my mom let me!

#8: Polka dots can really make an outfit pop. I wear polka dots with any outfit I can...remember, it's best when they don't match.

#9: Every once in awhile you have to get dressed up in clothes that match because your mom makes you. Don't worry, you can always put your pajamas back on later...that's what I like to do.

#10: In order to be a fashionista like me, there are some sacrifices you'll have to make. Having a neat room is one of those sacrifices. Hopefully, you have a mom and dad like me who can help you clean up after your many wardrobe changes.

Nothing Gold Can Stay

This time of year, I can't help but think of Robert Frost's poem Nothing Gold Can Stay and the professor who required I memorize it as a college sophomore. Since then, my dear professor passed away and I've learned the true meaning of the poem. I loved teaching this poem to my middle school students and having them write about a time in their lives when they learned that nothing gold can stay. This is for you, Professor Kuiper, and yes, I still have it memorized:

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leafs a flower;
But only so an hour.
As leaf subside to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down today,
Nothing gold can stay.

Our Chinese Dutch Girl & Lucy Green

I love how curious and creative Hannah is! You never know what she is going to think of. Here's a perfect example. :-)

Hannah: "Mom, am I mostly Chinese or am I half Dutch and half Chinese?"

Me: "Honey, biologically you are 100% Chinese, but you're also Dutch because you were adopted into our family. What made you ask that?

Hannah: "I just have an imaginary friend who brought it up."

The next day, she was rummaging around in our recycle bin. She said that she wanted to make something. Soon she came walking through the kitchen with an armful of plastic "junk" and headed to her room. The end result was beyond anything I could have imagined. See for yourself.

Presenting...

Lucy Green (made entirely from recycled products)

I love you, my creative, goofy, feisty, sweet seven year old! No, not you, Lucy, I'm talking about Hannah! :-)

Road Trip - Part 2

The second phase of our road trip brought us to the "Grand old badger state" of Wisconsin. We spent time with dear friends that we met on our journey to China for Hannah. Their youngest daughter, Hayley, is one of Hannah's travel group friends. It was so fun to see Hannah and Hayley together again. They always seem to pick up right where they left off the previous year.

After spending the night, we all headed to the Kalahari Resort in the Wisconsin Dells that afternoon. Doug had a conference there for two days, but before he had to work at the conference, we spent a day playing in the water park with our friends. Hannah had no fear and went on all of the big waterslides...even the Master Blaster rollercoaster waterslide. Ava had a little more trepidation, but she did go on some too. I think her favorite thing, though, was the wave pool and lazy river. She just loved floating down the lazy river (me too!).

We are so grateful that Doug has had several conferences there in the past, unfortunately, with some changes in his job, I don't think he'll be attending conferences there in the future - bummer! That's why we went to this conference, even though Hannah had to miss a couple days of school. We made the most of our last (free) time there and had a blast. We LOVE the Kalahari!

Singing High School Musical songs on the wii

Ava and I took a crack at it..."We're soaring, flying, there's not a star in Heaven that we can't reach!"

Ava desperately wants a bunk bed - any chance she got, she scooted up to the top bunk

Our little monkey zipping along on the monkey bars

A beautiful day for a walk and scooter rides

Hayely practicing and dreaming about being a big sister...how about it, Mike and Sue?! :-)

Kenya the elephant greeted us when we arrived. The big girls loved him!

A new lion mascot also greeted us. Ava is terrified of mascots so we were standing back and waving. All of a suddent the lion walked up to Ava and stroked her cheek with his big paw (obviously, the lion is new at this). Ava freaked out and started crying...she still talks about how the lion came up and touched her face. She speaks fondly of Kenya and how he didn't touch her face. :-)

Time for cookie decorating

Hannah, Hayley and Hannah on the Rippling Rhino

An unsure Ava...she did eventually do several water slides and sometimes even liked them

Saying goodbye

Taking a break from waterslides to do a little reading

Sister lovin' time

See...Ava did eventually enjoy the water slides

Our kids don't need toys when there's a luggage cart around. They love playing and doing gymnastics on it

Right before heading for home, the girls did a coloring craft at Camp Kalahari. Hannah colored a pillowcase and Ava decorated a bag

Then we made a stop at the Sweet Hut to load up on yummy treats for the road. What a way to start our road trip home!

Road Trip - Part 1

When we were finally all healthy, we packed up the car and headed west! Well, as far west as Chicago. :-) We were grateful that we could at least salvage a little piece of our Chicago trip since we had to cancel most of our plans. We spent one night in Downer's Grove where the highlight for our girls was the hotel swimming pool, of course. We spent the next day at Brookfield Zoo before heading to see our friends in Wisconsin. It was a beautiful, sunny day so we were delighted to walk around and see all of the animals. I think the giraffes and the petting zoo were our favorites.