Soccer Jamboree!

On Saturday Issy had her soccer jamboree. She had her soccer photos taken and then had a scrimmage game. It was a busy day and it was pretty hot, but we all had a lot of fun!

Isabelle ran hard and she never quit. She is a little nervous about getting the ball with all the kids after it, but I think she will get the hang of it. This being her first game she has ever seen let alone played in, she did great. Each girl played two quarters and had time to rest and cheer on the team the other two quarters.

Issy #3

Tia and Issy giving Coach Rob high fives as they bring it in for half time!

Cheering on the team! Go Hot Shots!

Team Banner!

A special Happy Birthday to Gramps! We love you!

Beautiful Girls!

On Friday, I was chasing Calista around with my camera, she said," Take a piture of me dreaming Mommy." I took this photo and showed it to her at her request and she said, "Yup that's it." I just love her! I love how this photo came out too. I have really been enjoying my time with her while Issy is at school and I think she has been enjoying the extra attention and the time to be an "only child".

When Issy got home from school on Friday and saw the photo of Calista on my computer, she immediatly requested I take one of her like it. So of course, I wasn't going to say no. I absolutely love these girls and I love these photos!

Open Hearts For Haiti

Someone pointed out that I have posted on our family blog a link to our Haiti blog... so here it is...

openheartsforhaiti.blogspot.com

I have also included a link to it under the "blogs we follow" tab at the top of our blog page, right under the photo/header slideshow.

I will be posting all of our adoption stuff on the Open Hearts For Haiti Blog in order to keep it all together as a journal of our process. So make sure to check it out from time to time to stay connected.

Insta Friday

I am starting a new project called Insta Friday, a weekly blog post about us... capturing everyday moments using nothing but a cell phone camera...Other blog posts can be bothered with silly things like shutter speed, aperture, and ISO…but not Fridays!

I take photos often using my camera phone to share with Freddie throughout the day or sometimes because I don't have my nice camera with me, so this is a way for me to share those photos with you....

Audrey, Calista and Issy walking into school one morning...

Calista enjoying some Mommy time while Issy is at school. I took her to the mall and we ate lunch out that day at Carl's Jr. What a treat! I think this kid enjoyes being an only child while Issy is at school.

Isabelle at soccer practice, this week she got to practice being goalie and she was pretty good!
First hot lunch! Issy begged me to get hot lunch and so I went to school to have lunch with her and check it out and it isn't as bad as you might think. They have lots of choices for hot lunch, on the day I went they had 4 choices for an entree and lots of fruit and veggie choices. She picked, Pizza, watermelon, a cookie and milk.

Calista dressing up!.

Isabelle at Danielle's bridal shower, she won a game where she was dressed up as a bride in toilet paper and she loved every second of it!

Rhyden and Calista

First Grade has started, I am still not sure what happened to summer, but I do know it was filled with lots of fun memories!! First Grade means, all day school from 8am to 2:30pm, a new schedule to get use to but also means a new playground to play on and lunch in the cafeteria. The first day of school was a reverse minimum day, whatever that really means. She started at 10am and we had plenty of time to eat a yummy breakfast, get dressed and arrive extra early to find her class and her friends. Issy best friend from Kindergarten is also in her new class this year and these two couldn't be happier!

I was surprised that the teacher greeted us and allowed us parents inside for a bit. Last year we were not allowed to go in the classroom on the first day.... Issy found her desk right away and was beside herself. She is super excited about getting her OWN desk and that it had space for her to put her things. There were a few surprises for her inside her desk from her new teacher...

One happy girl!!

Showing me there was something already inside her desk.

One last photo before I left, here she is already getting started on her first assignment. No tears were shed this year by me. I am so proud of my sweet girl and so excited for this school year! Good Luck Issy you are going to be great!!

Stockton Children's Museum

Earlier this week I took the kids to the Stockton Children's Museum. Our friends Bethany and Robbie came along and Samantha, Anthoni and Rhyden met us there too! The girls and I had never been before. The price isn't bad, just $5 a person and there are so many fun things to do!

The grocery store, was the biggest hit for our girls. They played it the store for so long and even came back to it later after exploring the rest of the museum. There is a cash register that works, a bakery, deli, meat section, produce section and aisles for them to go up and down and shop. Even the big kids enjoyed it!!

One happy girl!

We all took turns shopping so the kids could take turns being the check out clerk.

Rhyden enjoying her turn in the helicopter.

Officers Issy and Calista. The police car, firetruck and ambulance all had working lights. There were costumes for them to put on if they wanted to play the part.

Calista playing with water current.

There is even a place to the movie star in your to paint your face before the show...

Isabelle tried her hand at reporting the news in the life size news studio.

They had a bank and a post office. the bank had a working ATM and money drawers for the tellers to complete withdraws and deposits.

Calista making change for me...

There was an ambulance and a hospital, Bethany being treated by Dr. Issy for exhaustion.

Want to take a ride on the city bus, I hear the driver is sweet as sugar!

There was so much to do there! We can't wait to go back again!

Summer Fun!

One of the girls favorite summer activities is playing in the back yard in our little pool with the slide. They spend countless hours every evening in that pool. Their joy is contagious!!

Happy 3rd Birthday Calista!!

Calista woke up on her Birthday excited to find some decorations and presents waiting for her. She absolutely loved her Birthday. It was fun that her Birthday fell on a Saturday. We went out to lunch her choice Chick-fil- A of course. Did a little shopping at her choice the pet store. Then headed home for some cake, she requested a Barbie cake. Then the girls spent the rest of the evening playing Barbies and swimming in the pool. It was a fun day and our happy little Birthday girl feel asleep without a word.

She loved being sung to and requested the Birthday song many times throughout the day.

Make a wish!

She also asked if she could stick her face in her cake, why not!

One happy girl!!

Playing Barbies in the pool.

Love these two!