Halloween Yet?

Halloween is my favorite holiday and I look forward to the 1st of October when I can officially put out all of my Halloween holiday decorations (sometimes I sneak them in the last week of September). The past few days I have been scavenging online websites for Fall and Halloween decoration ideas and came across Emmie Cakes with adorable banners. The Halloween banner kit was too cute and I couldn't help myself and had to purchase it. My package arrived earlier this week and I was so excited to receive something in the mail with my name on it besides a bill. This afternoon, while Wes and Addy napped, Jaidyn and I crafted.


My sister Jill will be glad to know that all of the materials for the banner all came pre-cut in a kit. Anyone who has ever done scrapbooking with me knows that I can't cut a straight line. This is why I really need to upgrade to digital scrapbooking and then not being able to cut straight won't be a dilema. Thankfully, the kit came with a very detailed instruction sheet and all I had to do was glue, paper punch and tie to a string. Easy Peasy! :)


Jaidyn busily used my scrapbooking scraps to make a Gorilla...can't you tell.


Here is my finished banner and isn't it cute? Yes, I realize that it isn't centered on the mantel and that some of the ribbons need adjusted, but I will wait until the actual hanging in October to make all of the adjustments.

Congraulations to the Nalagan Family

Yea! Yesterday the Nalagan family received a referral for a baby boy from the Philippines. We have yet to meet the Nalagan family personally, but do hope to meet them in the near future. They too, are adopting through Holt International and we keep missing them at the Holt PIP meetings and functions. They are in the St. Louis area so hopefully we will be able to meet up with them sometime on a visit to see my sister Jill. Renz is a 12 month old healthy baby boy and he turns 1 year tomorrow. He is so cute and has a ton of hair for a 1 year old, or at least I am comparing how much hair he has to my daughter Addy at one year. I am sure the Nalagan family will be doing a birthday celebration in honor of Renz's first birthday. Renz will be joining their other son, Tino and I am sure they will become the best of friends. To leave them a congratulatory comment, please visit their blog.

Baby Nalagan Blog

Fat Tooth

Earlier this morning Jaidyn and Addy were playing and Jaidyn ran right into the back of Addy's head. Ouch! I was telling Jaidyn she had a fat lip while I was giving her an ice pack to put on it and she informs me that she doesn't have a fat lip, but a fat tooth. Even after she looked at herself in the mirror, she blamed the ouchie on her fat tooth. Whatever??? She also didn't keep the ice pack on very long as she said she couldn't talk if she was holding it to her mouth. Heaven forbid "Triple J" (Jabber Jaws Jaidyn) can't talk. She lives up to this nickname well. After about a 15 minute rest she was back to being her normal self. A fat tooth isn't going to set her back. She has been outside washing cars with her daddy, had a picnic lunch in the front yard, and is now outside riding her bike in her swimsuit (she wore this earlier today to help wash cars).

Isn't this a sad face? :(

Addy giving her sister a big hug. Apparently the back of her head doesn't hurt as much as Jaidyn's mouth.

I also wanted to post a few pictures of Addy in her leotard before her first official gymnastics lesson. She is so proud to wear a leotard and loves being in the same class as Jaidyn. You should see the size of this leotard. It is the smallest ones that I have seen and I would be lucky to be able to slip it over one of my legs.

Jib Jab Gold Medal Diver

Earlier this week Jaidyn received a message and a JibJab Sendables E-card video from her Mama LaLa.
"Jaidyn, You keep practicing your diving and MaMa LaLa will come watch you in the olympics. I love you."

Olympic Diver JibJab E-card

Jaidyn has loved watching it over and over and is expecting a Gold Medal and Trophy from her Mama LaLa next time she sees her. :) She aleady wants to try out the diving board at the pool. Too bad they are all closed for the season. Her jumps and dives off of the dock at the lake will have to work for now.

Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots?

My mom took these adorable pictures of the girls while they were at her house earlier this afternoon. These pictures reminded me of the book, "Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots?" that my mom gave Jaidyn when she was a year old. The author was inspired to write this book when her own daughter, sporting a tiara and coveralls, asked if princesses wear hiking boots. This is a cute little book for any little girl who has ever asked a question about themselves. Oh, and I like it because it isn't like the perfect Disney Princess stories that my girls so often absorb themselves with. It lets all little girls know that no matter what they like to do, how they look, or what they wear, they are all princesses on the inside. And I can tell you that our two little princesses definitely wear hiking boots. While they do love to play dress-up in the fufu dresses and jewelry, they spend most of their time finding ways play outside in the dirt. :)

Do We Have An Olympic Hopeful?

As of last night, Jaidyn has officially passed Kindgergym Level 1 at gymnastics class. Is she an olympic hopeful? Probably not, but she is movin' on up to the next level of Kindergym Level 2. To move to the next level she had to pass 19 different skills. Some of her successfully completed skills include a log roll, egg roll, swing on bar in tuck position, walk sideways and forward on balance beam and hanging travel down the horizontal bar. We think she has some talent and any future gymnastic olympians better watch out for this little fire cracker. Hopefully genetics play a part in this, as you should see her dad's toe touch. Wes can also do a pretty good split leap jump. I better stop talking about Wes and his secret talents...he is going to kill me. :)

It was a really small class, so Addy joined in as a trial class. She wants so badly to wear a leotard like her big sisiter. She did a very good job and followed directions fairly well (which surprised me). The gymnastic instructor said that she would be fine in class as she is fearless and not afraid to try anything. I had planned to wait until she was 3 like Jaidyn before enrolling her, but it is really tough for her to sit and watch her big sister. Plus if we are going to make the 30 minute trip one-way to get there, Addy might as well join in.

Little Tikes Riding Bikes

Jaidyn loves her new Disney Princess Bike. This was a nice little find at a garage sale yesterday. She is definitely ready for a step above the tricycle. Despite the smoltering hot heat, she can't get enough of it. Lucky for me, Wes usually volunteers to take them outside and ride for awhile. Just sitting on the front porch makes him sweat. Jaidyn and Addy came back inside wanting me to redo their sweaty wet hair as they took it out of the pony tail holders to fit under the bike helmet.