An Ella funny

Overheard from Ella's room last night:
"Hank! No!!" Then Ella started crying.

"Hank!! You ate my hotdog! No!" More crying and then she fell back to sleep.

The funny thing is Hank doesn't even like hotdogs!

Happy New Year!

Our playgroup celebrated Chinese New Year today. Yes, we're a week late, but the weather and sick kids (not us!) delayed the festivities.
We made kites and decorated them with glittery pigs (it is the year of the boar afterall) and hung them from the ceiling. Then we made tamborines and chocolate-filled firecrackers for our friends.
They all ran around in a musical parade and then they made pig lanterns and dragon masks. Then the real fun....they stomped on bubble wrap for their fireworks show. Fun times! You know it was a blast because even Hank took a nap afterwards!

Click here for the rest of the photos (email me if you need the password)

Technical difficulties

blogger is giving me a hard time and I'm not going to have time today to fix it. My apologies for the messy blog! :)

Uncle Potty came to visit

The kids love when my brother Todd, aka Uncle Potty, comes to visit. He's single with no kids so he lets them do things mom usually says no to. He bought Ella a little purse containing dress up jewelry. She put the earrings on all by herself. She was quite proud (and I was a little afraid of what's to come!).

John Piper on adoption

If you've never heard John Piper speak, you're really missing out. We've had the privilege of hearing him several times over the years and come away encouraged and challenged.
He and his wife adopted their daughter a number of years ago and he recently gave a message on the similarities between God's adoption of us, and our adoption of children. Excellent, excellent.

Click HERE for the link.

Death of a Trashcan

Our trashcan went for a little ride the other day and this is what remains.
A gust of wind literally picked it up and blew it to the other side of the road. Then it blew down the road about 25 yards. It was pretty impressive if not a little scary.

Never a dull moment

Our pediatrician is going to be able to buy the Bahamas not just vacation there. We have made more visits to him this month than ever. Ear infections, unexplained really high fevers, tuberculosis sounding coughs, you name it, we've had it. We haven't been out of the house in so long, we look like little squinty-eyed moles whenever we see the sun.

Hank lost an ear tube in November and has had 3 (4?) ear infections since then. He'll go back under the knife mid-March for more tubes and have his adenoids out. Shane had his upperGI earlier this month. Yep, it's reflux. Good news is the Prevacid seems to be kicking in. I'm dreaming about a big butter-drenched grilled cheese sandwich. Oh yes, I can feel it in my mouth already. mmmmmm Ella has gotten off easy(?) with just fever and coughing. Jake's immune system must be bionic because he hasn't been sick at all. Now if I can get him to do his schoolwork...

We're hanging in there and the kids are gradually getting better. If nothing else, we'll appreciate Spring even more this year. :)