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Christmas Day

What a Christmas this year. We had a great time, it was nice to just spend time with the kids. That morning all I heard were screams coming from the family room. Then it sounded like a heard of elephants running up the steps and jumping on my bed. All 4 were talking loudly at the same time trying to tell me about what the saw. "Come on mom come on" Keagan was saying as he was pulling my arm. "Santa left me BIG presents" as he showing me how big with his arms. "I said well go wake up Ashley and we can go down". So then the excitement went crazy. They opened up everything in minutes.It all was a hit!!! We all stayed in our pj's and played all day. It was fun. I am very thankful for my kids, I can't ask for anything better!!!!!

Christmas band concert

Ashley's winter concert

Putting the tree up

Well to say the least this is a very special Christmas, as our whole family is finally together. Every one of the kids are very excited about Christmas. I have to say Kai is so excited he can't stand it at times. He knows about the true meaning of Christmas he learned that in Ethiopia. He told me about times when he went out to find a little tree, brought it home and he made paper ornaments for the tree. He never had a gift given to him until he reached the orphanage last year because she was to poor to buy them any. :( The orphanage gave out coloring books and crayons. So he has his list this year. It is so unreal how Americanized these kids get in such a short time. So he went through my whole basement and found every light I have every purchased in my adult life and put them everywhere. He decorated the outside the inside and every tree he could get his little hands on. I finally had to put my foot down with three trees up in the house.
I took them to see Santa with out them knowing we were going. His jaw dropped the minute he saw him. He was so nervous he kept saying mom what did I want again.. I couldn't believe it. He spent a good 5 minutes talking with Santa and on the way out he said mom this has been the best night. They also had reindeer there to feed. Santa gave him reindeer food with magic dust in it to leave out in the snow for the reindeer on Christmas eve to help them fly all night.. He has it by his pillow ready to leave out. Gotta love it.. The innocence of a child. Keagan on the other hand loves Santa but doesn't really understand.

Diving

My oldest Ashley dives for school. She is very good at it and enjoys it. Here is a dive she did in her competition. The other video is the other four having fun while they wait.

We went sliding yesterday. We have a ton of snow. It was the boy's first time sliding. They LOVED it. It was a very fun time had by all.

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Cub Scout

Kai was so proud to get his cub scout uniform. He already earned his first badge.

My little man

Keagan's new look. He finally allowed me to cut his hair. He is quite the ham.
Last night we were watching my oldest, Ashley dive at a meet. Keagan asked if he could dive. I said he could when he got bigger. He looked at me and said matter of factly I am big look at my foot, it is really big. What a sweety!!

Random Pictures

Our first Thanksgiving as a complete family

We had a great first Thanksgiving together. Other than being sick it was great. It was fun seeing the boys eyes wide open to all the food..Kai said he has never seen that much food at one setting before. So that was pretty cool. I let each of them pick something they wanted to have for dinner. Ashley Yams, Madison Pumpkin pie, Kai Chocolate (of course). Shaylee bean casserole, Keagan BREAD.. He loves his bread.



The kids singing a song in Amharic

First Snow fall

We had our first snow fall today. To say the least my munchkins were very excited!!
They got together with a couple of neighbor kids and built their first snowman. Kai has been waiting for this day to come for about a month now. The kids are off all week because of Thanksgiving. So when I came home tonight all I heard from him is mom this has been the best day!!! I picked Keagan up from daycare and he wanted out of the car as fast as he could when he saw the snowman..

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures

We had out first set of conferences at school. They all went very well. Ashley is a 4.0 and even taking classes at the high school. Ashley you rock!!!. Kai is doing great. He is in a regular math class now as they said he is way ahead and doesn't need any help with math anymore. His reading is coming along he is is through with the first grade sounds, vowels, Etc. and now working in his 2nd grade level. They hope to have him caught up by the end of the year. I am still amazed each day with that boy. He is a awesome son. Madison is doing great too. And Shaylee is reading almost at a 2nd grade level which is great. I have awesome kids. I can't imagine my life with out anyone of them. They each have touched my heart in a special way. Proud mom!!!
I have been trying to shoot my Christmas card picture for awhile now. I think I finally found it. Yeah!!!!! So off to the printer it went.

Over the weekend we went to an adoption celebration for the boys. My home study agency celebrated each of the kids they helped bring home this year. 45 in all that is a big number for such a small agency. I met a few other families with ET kids.
The boys loved it, it made them feel very special. We got a really nice picture frame engraved with "Forever Family". They took family pics and gave them certificates.

This is Kai and Lerato she was adopted by a single mother also, she is from South Africa and in Kai's class. She is new this year too..So it makes it nice for both of them.
The kids had a great time trick or treating. It only took Keagan a few houses to figure out what was going on. They loved it to say the least. They all are candioholics. Is'nt my little butterfly's cute? We even had a pumpkin pizza last night.