future tennis pro?

Hanna loves to play tennis in the driveway with her daddy. She can actually hit 3 or 4 baskets full until she's done. Southmont#1 singles in 2021?!

Extra photos

Here are some extra pictures I just found that I thought I would share. I'm still trying to get used to my new computer and trying to get all of our pictures in one place!

Princess Hanna

A couple of weeks ago, Hanna got to the be Homecoming Princess. She got dressed up in her beautiful dress (which it in itself made her feel like a princess) and walk down the track at a football game to give the queen her flowers. She wasn't sure when she got there if she really wanted to do it, but she did it very well! Jerry told Kyle (a high school boy) to hold her hand - and then she wouldn't let it go! She was thrilled when it was over and we got to get ice cream! It is hard to believe that my baby girl is getting so grown up. She is just beautiful - if you ask me!

Ladoga 8 and Under League Champs

Reese's team, coached by Jerry, are the champs this year! The boys were so excited. They were jumping and hollering. Very cute! They only lost one game all season. Congrats boys! I'll post pictures later!

2 years today

Two years today, Tara, our social worker, called during KungFu Panda to tell us that ShenMingYing was going to be our daughter and sister! I can't begin to tell you how excited we were and still are. She has definitely come a long way since then. She is absolutely amazing and shows love every day. She enjoys coloring, using my iPod, reading, and doing puzzles. I can't believe how quickly she can put together a puzzle! :) I know we are definitely biased, but she is so darn cute and smart! Like her mother (used to be about 20 pounds ago), she loves to have her picture taken. She can be quite the ham!

This weekend, we are traveling to Milwaukee to have a travel group reunion! We are excited to see how much the kids have changed. We will be going to a Brewers game (Rain stay away!) and just hanging out by pools. It should be a wonderful trip!

SUMMER

Summer is finally here. We've had one week of wonderful weather (although some rain) and no work! It is wonderful not having to get up before 9! The kids have finally begun to sleep in some. I was actually the first one up today. We would love to get a few windows replaced in the house. That is our only big remodel plan for the summer. We've enjoyed the pool, so hopefully the warm weather will stay. We have 2 vacations planned. We are going to Milwaukee to meet up with friends we met in China. We are very excited. Then we are hoping to go to Michigan and stay in a "cabin" on Lake Huron. I'll post a few pictures and perhaps more later. I'm trying to figure out my new iPod for school and finish up a class for my license renewal! Happy Summer

Hanna's hair

It has taken me about 2 weeks to finally write this post. Hanna had beautiful long black hair. I would fix it each day with pigtails or a ponytail. It was beautiful. Notice how I was using the past tense! Well a few weeks ago, she got up before the sun and I told her she could go play. Well, she didn't really play. She got out the scissors and cut off her beautiful hair. It is shorter than mine. Yes, she did get in trouble. Not really for cutting her hair, but more because she broke two rules. 1. She isn't supposed to play with scissors without permission. That is why we keep them up high. 2. She is only supposed to cut paper. I would never have dreamt that she would have done this. Anytime I would tell her that she needed a hair cut, she would cry and say, "No, girls have long hair". I was sad, but I'm getting over it. Some people even say that it is cute. I'm getting there, but not quite! :)

Surprise Reese!

In January, Reese started asking for a surprise party for his birthday. I told him that he couldn't plan his own surprise party, but had it all planned out in my head. Last weekend, we surprised him with 3 of his buddies from school. They came over right after school and I brought Brooks and Reese home at our usual time. He had no idea! :) Jerry met him at the door and told him he needed to show him a new ping pong trick. As soon as they started playing, his buddies jumped out from behind the couch! It was priceless. Then I never told him anything about his family party. He kept asking when it was going to be, but I told him that we were busy and I didn't know when it would be. Friday night, he went home with Mamaw Albaugh and got to have a boys night. Then mom brought him home on Saturday. She blindfolded him after lunch and he was clueless! He walked up the steps to everyone standing in the kitchen. Boy was he surprised again when we took off the blindfold! Too precious. Being 8 is bliss! :) Happy Birthday baby boy! :) I can't believe he is 8! PS - I'll post pictures soon!

more pictures

basketball and valentine's day

Brooks played basketball for the first time ever for Ladoga. Their season just finished and they only lost 2 games! It was so much fun watching him get better. I know I'm biased, but he could be the most improved. I doubt he'll be an NBA star, but he sure had fun playing for the Canners!

We celebrated Valentine's Day pretty low key this year. Jerry and I went to Olive Garden on Friday night. It was nice to be out without the kids! We bought Brooks and Reese the newest release of their favorite book series and Hanna got the lip gloss she found at WalMart!

Jesus Loves Me

Hanna learned a new song at school. Too cute! :)

Florida Vacation video

Here is our video from our Florida vacation. We had a wonderful time. The weather was mainly in the 70's, but we had a couple of days in the 80's. It was just paradise! Sorry - our video is a little long, but it just shows how wonderful it was. Enjoy!