"You're one of us now."

Those are the words of a fellow "football" Mom at Sunday's game!

Dante not only came out of a shell during this game, HE BROKE IT! I was literally shaking. He played tightend, runningback, and quarterback, oh and the defense too. He ran the ball, passed the ball, and blocked. He intercepted a pass and even got knocked on his *@#. (I couldn't resist the rhyme!)




I actually got caught running (holding Lucy) down the field with him yelling GO GO GO! it was only about 5 out the 10 yards on that play.
He ran a lot...no telling exactly how many yards but close to 70-80. Quarterback came later in the game and being his first time there he did super. No passes yet, but just wait... I am sure that is next!


As a team the boys played excellent. The game was not all Dante. Just sounds like it from MY POINT OF VIEW! Football is a team blocking, running, passing, communicating sport. And the DOLPHINS ROCK at this!

Pigs and pizza

The fair...last week.
What a fun time. The kids were able to feed and pet the animals at the "kid friendly area". We saw camels, a walabee, goats, cows, donkeys, lamas, and even deer. Lucy was a little nervous, but decided throwing the food towards the animals worked well enough.
The kids shared "fair food" with all the pre-k kids. Funnel cake, cotton candy, cookies, and lemonade. After the buses left we stayed back to find the pigs. A duck squawked and scared Lucy really really bad. And then we finally found the PIGS. Stone also pet the sheep dog pups. Fun day at the fair!


Here is Dante with the BEST PIZZAS in the area. They are Pappa Murphy's take and bake. The kids love the pepperoni, and Bart and I like the Chicken, sundried tomotoes and Spinach pizza. But now the guy at the store refuses to make this pizza for me, because he said if I eat spinach I could die. Oh, e-coli go away....I want my healthy pizza back!

Water, water, water

Water damage X 3.

At Mickey D's they remodeled and added a waterfall wall thing. It is right before you walk into the playland. SMART! So sure, Stone has to stick his fingers on it, and then Lucy. A little water is okay. I am ordering...he does it again, because it tickles. I told him "DO NOT PUT YOUR FINGERS IN THE WATER". He listened....and touched his (well really Dante's) gameboy to the tickling waterfall! BUT not his finger.
Great...the almight gameboy...his security blanket....my saving grace of Stone's wrath.
DEAD!

We get home and I throw in a load of laundry, including the jeans I have on...which are too big (he he) and realize a minute later....I had a game, "birds" (he has names for all of them. It is get really tricky trying to learn them all.) in my back pocket. I pull it of my pocket of the jeans... SOKEN WET!

Next morning I wake up and get some coffee. As I look outside, I notice Stone's clear plastic bag (which holds all his games) on the back deck. And I bet you can guess what it did the night before...
STORMED!

Water X 3 and the best part of it....2 days later all is well. The gameboy needed a timeout, then a charge. The games sat out to dry and now work like a charm. God was watching over the games, giving us a good reminder of responsibility. But also a gift of forgiveness, knowing how IMPORTANT it is for sanity sake at the ONE house!

The adventures really never stop....even though it seems the computer is winning and not allowing me to post each and every one. A trip to the fair with Stone's class (Super!), football, and alert class for Dante, Lucy's trip to the carpet store, and Stone's accidents on the tricycle at school...just another day at the ONE house. I will keep trying but, I am weak and the computer is so strong.

Dolphins WIN!

Saturday was Dante's first ever football game. He did a great job, had a blast, and his team won. He impressed everyone with his 11 haircut! Grandma Sandy and Bumpa Doug came all the way from Illinois just to see him, too! Game two next Saturday!

Taken from Dawn's Blog....

Question and Answers.......Join in On The Fun!!!

*Your child's Chinese name (assuming s/he has or will have one)...are you a) using it as a middle name, b) using it as a first name or c) not using it at all? Why?

We would like to use the name and will see where when we find out what it is.

*Red threads - yes or no? Discuss.

I like to see connections, but ultimately thank God for this journey.

*What are you most looking forward to experiencing with your child/ what do you most enjoy doing with your child?

I can’t wait to have cake with all my kids, together! (On going joke. The kids call Kate, cake. We going to China to get CAKE.)

*Have you been reading a lot of adoption books? Any recommendations?

A few here and there. I really liked “A daughter from A Far”

*What will/do you miss most about your life pre-parenthood?

Did I really have a life before parenthood?

*Have you started your nursery, or are you waiting until the time gets closer?

I have the bedding and some other touches and really cool letters that spell KATE from my awesome secret pal. I will wait until we get closer to referral to set up her room or rearrange to have Lucy share.

*Lifebook - excited to start or terrified of screwing it up? Top tip?

Haven’t thought to much about it yet. I will collect and hold on to as much of her life in China and home with us…It just might be awhile before I piece it altogether in a book.

*What hobby do you secretly hope your child will take up and love?

As long as it doesn’t cost a fortune I’ll love it!


*Co-sleeping - "well of course" or "maybe but I just don't see any of us would sleep"?

Of course…they are only little for a short time.

*If you'd had sole choice of your child's name (assuming you didn't), would it have been different? Wanna tell us what?

Kate is great…….My husband liked Katherine and well, I think he is great too!

*Is your family and friends really supportive of your decision to adopt?

Yes, It was a hard thing for me at first to open up, I was afraid of the mean people….I was nuts! Everyone has been so great! Kate has a huge network of family and friends waiting to see her.

*What is your biggest fear while in China?

Bart gets sick.

*In the movie of your life, who plays you?

Child me….Jennifer Sievers (Alex's and Malorie's sister from that one 80's show....what is the name of that show?)

Young adult…Kirsten Dunst

Adult….Meg Ryan

Older me….Kathy Bates

*Sleeping. Light on, light off?

Lights are kept on for the kids.

*China - experiment with food or not?

Not sure yet. I am sure a little taste of things here and there.

*Are you planning on learning some Chinese?

I would love to learn some and will try to learn phrases and key words.

*Will this be your only adoption?

Let me get through this one!

*To bow or not to bow? that is the question.

Bow to who and when?

*What about the 100 wishes quilt? Absolutely, or no way just isn't possible.

Yes!!! I need my family and friends to get on the ball here. I will start working on this soon! I have no idea how many I have and are thankful for all the swaps and great fabric and well wishes I have!

*Favorite vacation destination?

Paris

*What TV show are you most looking forward to starting this fall?

Sesame Street really doesn’t count here!

*Patient? Not Patient?

Depends on what I am waiting for. God has helped me deal with this as I am more of a non-patient person learning about HIS timing and HIS plan! Good thing I have HIM on my side!

*Favorite sport to watch?

What ever sport Dante is playing….right now football!

*Chocolate or Vanilla?

Vanilla some does, Chocolate others!

*What's your favorite China adoption blog?

I have a list of about 7 I read….when I get a chance!

*Finally what is your guess for how far they will get with referrals this month?

I hate guessing. REALLY don’t like to think about referrals until they come. I feel better just to wait and see. Only about a week until the new referrals come….We’ll see then!

We are all okay...

Everyone at the ONE house is okay. The computer is not. I am so tired of fighting with it. Not sure if it is the cable connection, or the laptop itself. We have been fighting this for some time and it is unbearable. I get on to blog often and then I walk away to multitask as it thinks....then forget myself.

Hang on...check in. See who wins this one.

Fun over the weekend!

It all started with a homemade Mommy makeover.









Dad decided to get some leverage by climbing on the roof. It was a sight...he's afraid of heights. The kids got a kick of it. But the gutters are clean!








Shoe shopping for the girls....
She picked these off the shelves herself and put them on. She actually made it up and down the store isles, catwalk style!








Dinner at a friends ending with "warming up some mice"....no kidding that is what he said....and feeding the ball python. Stone loved carrying the snake. Bart made me sit with him while he did it. Bart was as close to the door as a man could get.
Dante enjoyed spending time with his buddy the night before for a sleep over!

The winner is....

After a lot of tears and many "NO's" ....


















THE MOM WON!














That girl is sooo stubborn!

Who is going to win, the Mom or the Lucy?

Lucy's new thing is to tear out all the puzzles pieces, and leave them. She has no interest in actually doing the puzzles, just creating chaos. I get grouchy with this kind of chaos. It is uncessary and I continually have been picking it up, only to have her come behind me and tear them out AGAIN.

So, today I stuck to my words and told her she had to pick them up. When she asked for juice....my answer. "when you put the puzzles in the red bucket" (I even used specific instructions), when she wanted to go bye, bye.....my answer, " when you put the puzzles pieces in the red bucket". I stuck to my words, I tell you. The last thing she said, no more like screamed before I took this picture was "NO, NO MOM!"

I only wonder how long these pieces of puzzle will decorate my floor?

Start from the beginning....

...Sunday Bart leaves for Cincinnati. (Not a planned trip)
Lucy is recovering from a yucky virus.
The rental house turn over produces a faucet (washing machine) left dripping and a 3 hour cleaning. (completely unexpected). We clean in a huge rainstorm...almost frightened we won't make it home because of the overflowing creek inbetween the two houses!

The following Monday consisted of checking the house, eye appt, a mail run, AtHome America cosutomer relations (an exchange in the Burger King parking lot), Closing on some land (with power of attorney), dropping bids off at to the best banker/loan officer in the world (who was out because his wife just had a baby), and a quick lighting consult, before Stone's school called with a 102 fever. My reaction......"WHAT?"

He caught Lucy's virus and ended up home for 2 days. The burn of your skin after holding your child and having contact with his/her skin is unforgettable.

I still had to figure out how to get Dante new shoes...(when you're toe sticks out the bottom that is not cool). Also the P.E. teacer complained of the black marks on her school floor to him. Stone recieved a new game for his downtime. Also allowing me to mow half the yard....

I knew it was time for Stone to go back to school when Snappy was riding the ceiling fan! This did not happen until Thursday, though!

Tuesday came the plumbers....no Mario and Luigi, but they did some work on the drain in the basement that overflows when I do laundry and then took my money and left.
Thanks to draft day...no football on Tuesday. I am able to finish mowing the other half of the yard.

I try out the laundry and dishwasher at the same time Wednesday and still have a water situation. I call the plumbers and leave a message. They show up an hour later and tell me not to run both at the same time, and that my washer is too good for the 2 inch pipe. So is this good news (great washing machine) or bad news (2 inch pipe)? They still were very nice!
Wednesday afternoon brings a call from Dante's school. Headache, low grade fever. I pick him up.

He recovers to go to school on Thursday because Football practice is BIG. He is a Dolphin and is not on our friend's team. My stomach hurt when I saw him run to this other team. I don't know much about the coaches. I find out it is the HEAD guy....so does that mean I bow, drop a knee, and kiss his hand before I speak to him?
There are other kids he knows on the team and a fellow baseball mate, who's parents are great too! Good news.

Stone finds a big drain pipe and along with 3 other kids...climbs in it!

Earlier in the day Stone, Lucy and I spent 2 1/2 hours in Walmart getting the tire fixed. Of course I have a flat the week Bart is gone! It was so flat I fired up the aircompresser (for my first time) and aired up the tire to get there. I was able to pick up the extra postcard needed for the April DTC (adoption) postcard swap, and tropical fabric for a quilt request....now I need to send them!

Our building project kicks off on Thursday... I have been waiting and waiting to have the BIG post about breaking ground....well not this week. They stake out the ground and with a little land miscalculation we are set back too far...No, we are TOO BIG for the lot. Digger coming Friday....now what?


Bart comes home. But is delayed due to the suicidal deer that ran out in front of his rental car! He had a camera and denied my site a picture of the deer! He is okay, tired shook up and still worried about the digger. After talking to all invovled (digger, land developer, foundation men....) we cease all movement foward and brainstorm a solution. Early discussions about taking out my porch, dining room, kitchen window (which I sacrificed anyhow) did not sit well, but I made it through the day with prayer and a positive attitude. The hotwings and beer helped too!



After changing locks at the rental, a final check of the leak, and picking up the swing set to bring to the ONE house! And the hot wings and beer......




......Final decision is to redo the plans (the architect loves us) for the 5th or 6th time, and make some changes to help the extra unexpected cost and smooth out some building challenges with the slope, walk out, driveways, bedroom windows.... Uf-dah!

The week ends with the neatest gift sent from my April DTC Secret pal. Kate's letters personally made to match the "Amy Coe Cirque des enfant" bedding I bought for her! They are the neatest 4 letters I have ever seen. Dante, Stone, and Lucy were spoiled with little (yea, who am I kidding, BIG) goodie bags. Cardinal bracelets for the boys, a purple big sis bracelet for Lucy. Chinese fans, note pads, chopsticks, stickers, a fun fortune telling fish. I have a great secret pal. THE BEST!












It is a good thing Bart did come home...I can do most anything...but spiders. My first attempt earlier in the week to KILL this girl (I assume from the sac of eggs) was unsuccessful!

What a week at the ONE house!

Let go of Stonie's "not so ego" WAFFLE!

We originally found these in Germany. For about 3 months this was all Stone ate. European Waffles are a little different then the average "ego" per say. They are sweet enough to eat with out syrup, and the are ready to eat...not frozen.

Bart found this brand in a store called Jungle Jim's on his trip to Cincinnati last week. A very cool store. Of course he comes home and talks hours about a store loaded with food!

I just disowned myself by even mentioning another Grocery Store.....please Dad forgive me. It is all about the waffles and the KIDS! So read on and I will not have to mention any other besides good old KROGER.

I was also thinking my Dad could come up with most anything in the Grocery world. As he did with my yummy cookies! Oh, speaking of...Jungle Jim had those too, and now I do (one of two packs already gone), thanks to my loving husband!

So again, the quest is on. Knowing Bart goes back there once/twice a month will allow for him to feed his need to buy in bulk, but if anyone else can locate my Stonie's favorite food in the world.....

Yeah, Drew!!! Go M.C.H.S. (Morris Community High School)!

My cousin Drew back home just hit celebrity status in the eyes of all in Morris (as well as us at the ONE house)!

Read the FULL story here at the Morris Daily Herlad.