Counting down the days!

The kids have been counting down the days to christmas with the help of this magnetic cookie sheet. They love it! Each night before they go to bed, they choose a magnetic cookie and count how many sleeps are left before christmas. They are so excited!!!
We've been very busy preparing for christmas these past few weeks. The kids helped with the tree, painted some christmas decorations for their grandparents and teachers, baked some cookies and got an early visit from Santa!!! Thanks Unkie Chris...you're the best Santa ever!





Last year was our first Christmas with a gift for Mia under the tree. We also hung a christmas ornament to celebrate our LID. We chose a kimmidoll with a message of hope on it. I also attached a red thread around the doll and inscribed the year on it.





The red thread has a special meaning in Chinese folklore. The Chinese legend goes something like this: An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumtance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but will never break.

This year I also found an ornament for Mia. It's a 'Li Bien' ornament. In Chinese, the phrase Li Bien means 'inside'. The Li Bien ornament showcases the age old skill of inside painting, which originated in the Qing Dynasty. It is a respected Chinese art. Each ornament is delicately hand-painted through a tiny opening in the mouth-blown glass. This process requires great skill since the image is painted in reverse. I found this ornament to be very fitting since it is in the shape of a heart...Mia has been within or 'inside' our hearts for two christmases now.





This Christmas will be very special for our friends Chantal and Bob. They recently got the referral of their daughter (LID 29-03-2006). Isn't she the cutest!!!





They are presently waiting for their TA (Travel Approval) from China and should be travelling to be united with their daughter in January. We are so happy for them!!! Their 4 year wait is finally over.

To finish off, I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a New Year filled with joy and lots of happiness!

Starting to get in the Holiday spirit!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

One year waiting!

Halloween Fun!

The celebration started with a surprise call from Auntie from San Francisco via skype. We love you Auntie!


We then put on our disguises (Woody, Buzz Lightyear and Big Specs Girl) and dropped by Mamie and Papie's house for brunch. Mamie surprised the kids with her funky pirate disguise!





We got home and raided almost all the houses in our neighborhood. Yasmine spent her first Halloween with her cousins. She was so cute in her ladybug outfit (I wonder who will get to wear it next ;0)


We got home, emptied the loot on the floor and pigged out till we could have no more!!!! Here is a picture of Noah enjoying his chocolate.

I just couldn't resist!

When Liam was a baby, I got him this Lamaze travel toy.


He absolutely loved it, and it was for a very long time his favorite companion. He would spend lots of time making the flowers crinkle or moving the bugs on the ring, and the squeaker in its belly would always make him smile. We simply couldn't leave home without it. What I liked about it was that I could easily attach it to his stroller, car seat or high chair and it would keep him entertained for quite some time (making trips to the mall or simple car rides more pleasurable!!!!) I also liked the fact that it washed well. I have washed it in the washer at least once a week and it still looks brand new. Here's a picture of Liam with his froggy.


When I was pregnant with Noah, I wanted to find one for him that he could call his own. This is the one I chose.


I chose a puppy that had rattles in its paws, a squeaker in its belly, crinkly ears and a crinkly bone that vibrates when pulled. Noah loved his puppy and would also carry it everywhere we went. The puppy would even bark when we would pet its nose. Here's a picture of Noah and his puppy.


Ever since we got our LID for Mia, I've been looking around to find one for her. When I saw this one I simply could not resist buying it.


It has the same crinkly flowers, squeaky belly and bug ring as froggy. I hope she likes it. We plan on giving it to her on Gotcha Day.

This video always makes me smile!

Some of you might have seen it before...it's very original. I wish I had thought of this for our wedding!!!

Bored much???

Here is where I found my boys yesterday morning!!!


Now, I'm not sure what they were doing...but they seemed to be having fun :0)
The weather was very gloomy and rainy on Saturday morning, but as soon as the sun came out, we decided to go apple and pumpkin picking at St-Joseph-du-Lac. I was really hoping that Noah would nap in the car on our way there. Unfortunately, he didn't and this is what he looked like at the orchard while apple picking.



He quickly snapped out of it and had lots of fun climbing all the ladders he could spot. I was freaking out!!!


Anyway, after filling a 10lbs bag, we decided to call it quits and head to the pumpkin place. It's beautiful there! They have a huge pumkin patch, a vast selection of different types of squash, a playgroung for the kids and an amazing little café where they make the most amazing soups. The children got to choose their pumpkins for Halloween...it was a muddy experience, but lots of fun!

Back from the beach...and really wishing we were still there. We spent the week at Hollywood Beach in Florida. To make things easier, we rented a condo right on the beach. The weather was typical Florida weather for this time of year...sunny in the morning, partly cloudy and scattered showers in the afternoon and it was really HOT and humid. In short, it was GREAT!!!

The condo was awesome. It felt like home. Having a fully equipped kitchen at the condo and eating in was so helpful...and made our vacation so much more fun. Eating out with the kids always entails lots of preparation and planning (coloring books, stickers, games) in order to keep them busy while WAITING to be seated, WAITING to order, WAITING for the food, WAITING for the bill....all that WAITING is really hard on my jitterbugs of 3 and 5 years old. We did manage to eat out more than ounce though. One night, we took them to the Rain*forest Café. We were lucky to get a table beside the monkeys!!! That kept them busy for the whole meal.

At the beach, Liam spent his whole days looking for seashells and fish. Although he said he wasn't afraid of the fish...he would spend lots of time on Steve's back when hunting for them ;0)

He also made a friend.

Noah also liked searching for seashells, but unlike Liam's shells Noah's were funky looking.

(Debby, does this look familiar...he's exactly like you!!!)

He would also spend a lot of time in the water and under the umbrella in the shade with Mommy. But taking pictures with our camera was his favorite thing to do. Here are a few of his pics (keep in mind that he's only 3 years old).

This one is my favorite. You can see his reflection on my glasses.

It was my 35th birthday on our last day. Steve and the kids made me leave the condo at 7 in the morning and baked a chocolate cake for me. How cool is that!!! As I was walking back, there was a full rainbow over the condo complex!!! It was a great day.








Getting away for a week was good for my addiction to adoption blogs. However, I couldn't help but wonder how many more vacations we will take before Mia is finally with us. I can't even count the times I wished she was with us on the beach.

The leaves are turning

Today was the first day of autumn. And although I absolutely love fall, I will miss the warmth of summer and everything it entails (like wearing flip-flops ANYWHERE and EVERYWHERE).
Here is a video of our summer. Enjoy!



This is what I will miss the most about summer...


Everytime the boys would spot a flower in the grass (and let me tell you, they could spot the tiniest of flowers), they would pick it for me and say close your eyes mommy...surprise!!! (Noah would say purprise!!!!). The flower was sometimes so small, they would lose it in between their fingers. Oh I hope they still do this next summer.

La magie des lanternes

Adoption Quebec planned an outting for adoptive parents this weekend at the Botanical Gardens. Steve and I are so happy we went. We had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know two couples we had a blast with. Linda & Jeff who share the same LID as us and Chantal & Bob who have a LID of 29-03-2006 (they're NEXT!!!!). It felt good to talk to people who share the same dream. This evening gave us lots of hope.
Thanks for the group picture Linda...love it!

Wait...Hope...Dream

Breakfast in bed

A Dis*ney movie, comfy pillows and cereal in popcorn cups...mommy slept in a bit longer this morning!

Liam's first day!

Liam got up this morning really excited to go to school. After taking our traditional front door pictures, we walked him to school. As we were walking, I was getting butterflies (the kind I use to get when I started a new school year). Meanwhile, he was just skipping beside me with no worries in the world.
But...as soon as he saw all the children in the school yard, he got a bit scared. He practically climbed up Steve's body and held on for dear life. When we walked him into his classroom, he was back to his old self. He really enjoyed his first day!
I am so proud of him!

I am sooo excited

and scared...and nervous...and heartbroken. My babies are big boys now!!!
It was Noah's first day at preschool today. I had fully prepared him for this day, but I guess I forgot to prepare myself for all the emotions I would go through this morning when I dropped him off.
Isn't he cute!













Anyway, he was only there for half the day and according to his teacher he did very well...except for one small incident. Noah is a very mischievous little boy. He is also a tad defiant and stubborn. So at one point, the teacher explained to me that he refused to join circle time with the others. My guess is that he was having way too much fun exploring his new world filled with new toys. So after repeatedly asking him to join them, she stood up to try and bring him to the circle. Well....my boy...being who he is...ran under one of the preschool tables trying to hide from the teacher. He did finally give in...after a lot of convincing. I guess I'll have to have a small talk with him tonight over milk and cookies.

Tomorrow is Liam's turn...first day at kindergarten!



My Big Boys!