6th Birthday Interview

In preparation for her birthday next week, I interviewed Erin Joy.  Here is the interview:

Last year's interview was even more entertaining.  Click here to watch it.

Fun With Grandma and Grandpa

Here are a few pictures from our fabulous weekend:

We ate dinner with Fred the Flamingo nightly. Erin Joy insists that Fred is a girl. She thinks Fred looks better as a princess than he did in his Santa hat.
We were lucky enough to have THREE trains go under us while visiting Carkeek Park.  
Erin Joy played happily at the beach while Rachel went to dance/language class.
She found a lot of treasures.

She had fun in the salmon slide.

She also had fun at the Apple Festival that was taking place at the park.
Rachel and Grandma looked great in their matching dresses from the Marshall Islands (my parents served a mission there about a year ago).
We live near the beautiful Cascade Mountains.
Rachel took this picture.  I thought she did a great job of capturing the reflection in the pond.
Thumbs up for playing by the river...

Grandma and Grandpa Visit

We are enjoying the weekend with Grandma and Grandpa. We are so glad they came to visit. Grandma loves her new apron that Rachel made for her and her lovely princess ball from Erin Joy. Grandpa had fun spending money at garage sales.  He is posing here with Fred the Flamingo, one of his many fine purchases.  Everybody should have a stuffed pink Christmas flamingo right???  Grandpa thinks so:)  He says it's even better than a leg lamp (from the Christmas Story movie...one of his favorite movies).

Lessons Learned from Sewing

Rachel wanted to make a special apron for Grandma.  Grandma and Grandpa are traveling almost 900 miles to visit us next weekend.  Now that they are retired, they do fun things like travel 600 miles to see a Beach Boys concert.  Since we are only 300 miles from the concert, they are going to pop in for a weekend visit.  We certainly don't mind.  The girls are VERY excited...hence the sewing project.

Erin Joy joined in on the fun.

Erin Joy's first project, a princess, turned into a "princess ball."

She carefully cut more fabric to make another princess.
It's hard to sew a princess when you are a princess yourself and your crown keeps falling over your eyes:)

Her finished project was another "princess ball."
She was so excited to give the princess ball to her good friend. Her good friend graciously accepted the gift.
After several hours of sewing, Erin Joy produced the following (two princess balls, a tent ball, and a tree ball.) She is giving one princess ball to Grandma, keeping one princess ball for herself, the tent ball is for Mommy, and the tree ball is for her new teacher because her new teacher loves trees. (Her new teacher had her paint a tree so she must like trees, right?)

After several hours of sewing, Rachel really did produce an apron. She even added pockets.  The apron fits me so it is sure to fit Grandma when she comes to visit.

Here is a closeup of the stitching around the pocket. I think she did really well. She is disappointed that the pocket is crooked. She is such a perfectionist. My daughters are VERY different. Erin Joy was happy with the way all her projects turned out even though none of them resembled her original plan, but Rachel was frustrated and disappointed with her project even though it turned out pretty good. Silly girls.

Life is like my girls' sewing projects. It doesn't always turn out the way you expect it to or hope it will. As Erin Joy taught me, it doesn't matter if it turns out differently. A ball is just as good as a princess. Life is still beautiful and good no matter what surprises lie ahead. Thanks for the lesson, Erin Joy.

Finally!!!

After at least 5 years...I really can't remember when I started....Erin Joy's Christmas stocking is finished!!!  Hers was harder than Rachel's.The little, teeny, tiny bow took me forever to tie.  I had to take a picture of it because it is so small it will never be seen.  Hummm....if it will never be seen, why did I spend so much time on it?  There is another bow on the wreath one of the snowmen is holding.  That one took forever too.  
Here is Rachel's stocking that was finished five years ago...

Both stocking are going to go to my talented sister who can sew much better than I can.  She is going to turn them into a stocking for my girls.  I hope by this Christmas, but if it takes her five years I certainly can't complain:)
Here is my stocking....

Sigh...another project...another five years....

Lavender Banks Memorial Cleft Fund

If you are interesting in making a donation, an account has been set up with Love without Boundaries. In your donation via mail or their secure site please note your donation is for the Lavender Banks Memorial Cleft Fund. These funds will be specifically used specifically to fund cleft surgery for their neediest children. All donations are tax deductible as permitted by law. Don't forget you may have a matching program at work. Every dollar can make a difference in the life of a child. For those who may not be aware, Lavender was a stunning little girl with a severe unrepaired CL/CP. She was adopted in 2007 and tragically killed in 2008; allegedly by the person who was supposed to love her the most. We, the adoption community don't seek to understand the circumstances leading up to this tragedy but we seek to ensure Lavender is never forgotten by the very people who fought on her mother's behalf to bring her home. Please consider making a donation, no matter how small. We thank you in advance. The Single China Moms and Friends P.S. Please feel free to copy this to your blog, Facebook page, etc.

Grapes Anyone?

I can't believe something I planted actually grew. Our fence is covered with grapes. They are just a little bit sour. I have no idea what to do with all these grapes.

Juice them?
Make jelly?
Let the birds eat them?

My girls like them. I asked them if they wanted some in their lunch for school and they both said, "yes." Oh good. They can have all the grapes they want. Maybe we'll throw them in the tub and squish them with our toes. I have always wanted to dance in grapes after watching the movie, "A Walk In the Clouds."

Kindergarten!!!!

My baby went to kindergarten today! I have always heard that it is hard when your first child and your last child leaves for school. I did get emotional when Rachel went to school, but Erin Joy going to kindergarten didn't bother me as much as I thought it would. In fact, both of us made it through the day without crying. I am actually very excited she is now in kindergarten. I can sneak visits during my breaks. I was so excited to see her in the hall lined up for PE right after my class has PE. It is so wonderful knowing that both my girls are close. I love seeing them throughout the day. She told me this morning, "I love my sparkly shirt.  I so beautiful.  Thank-you for buying it for me.  I don't deserve it.  I love you."  Then she gave me a big hug.  I asked her where heard the word "deserve."  She told me she heard it on an Eloise cartoon DVD we checked out at the library. I was amazed she used it correctly.  Her vocabulary is growing by leaps and bounds.  She has made incredible progress...especially these last six months.  She is a different child than the one I met in China.  The only special education service she still qualifies for is speech and I'm beginning to wonder if she even needs speech.  She has really blossomed.  Way to go Erin Joy!!!  Today kindergarten...tomorrow the world!!!  Watch out...here she comes!!!

Here she is getting off the big, scary bus.

And waiting in line....
I am so glad my children can join me most nights after school.  I corrected papers while they helped me.  Rachel helped me cut out a bunch of things I had laminated.  Erin Joy tried, but then I had her cut scratch paper because that was safer.  She made a big mess all over the floor.  She "accidentally" cut her name tag in several places, "accidentally" cut up her one of my student's math papers, and "accidentally" cut her finger.

I sure love my girls:)

Labor Day Report

We planned on going to Jetty Island to participate in the closing ceremonies (Jetty Island is only open during the summer and Labor Day is the last day it is opened).  This weekend has been very rainy.  I only go to Jetty Island if it is sunny.  The girls were disappointed when I told them we weren't going.  We chose bowling as an alternate activity.  

As we were leaving to go bowling, the rain stopped.  We saw patches of blue sky.  Perfect!  We decided to go to Jetty Island first and then go bowling.  We enjoyed Jetty Island Washington style...with swimming suits and sweatshirts:)

Closing ceremonies made me a little sad.  When they lowered the flag for the last time this year, I wanted to cry.  I have a hard time saying good-bye to summer.

After Jetty Island, we went bowling.  Hopefully, we didn't get too much sand in the bowling alley.  My girls really like to bowl and were very excited to go.  Rachel even beat me!!  How embarrassing to lose to a seven year old.  She wants to go bowling for her birthday.  We have gone bowling for her birthday before so I hope she changes her mind.

Zoo Day

Even though we have only gone to school for three days, I was ready for a day off.  We enjoyed a sunny day at the zoo.  It is supposed to rain all weekend...so much for Labor Day camping.  We are going to clean the house and "belax" as Erin Joy would say.  Listen carefully to the video and you will hear her talking about belaxing on the spider web:)

First Day of Second Grade