Some more Knitting

I finished my second scarf!  I love it and the color variation was fun!  This was another birthday gift and now I need to make one for me!

We had another game night with this family.  We just can't believe how good all the kids play and go to bed!!  So much fun to be able to get together and have the kids play for a couple hours and then put them to bed at 9 and play games for a few hours.  The noise level is loud but we don't have very many if any fights, they just all play!  Love it!

Boise State Basketball

We enjoyed an outing today to the Boise State basketball game!  The kids, as always, enjoyed themselves and we got to see a really good game!  Camden has always been terrified of Buster Bronco... this time though he walked right up and gave him five!!  He was excited to get his picture taken with him... SO cute!

Adoption

Keaton's birth Aunt sent this to us this last week. This is exactly how we explain adoption to our kids.

We recently had someone ask us which of our children was "ours"... while I knew what they meant by that... my kids with their very big childlike ears were standing there.  I want them each to always know that no matter the journey they are all OURS.  Keaton and Tiana know that they are adopted, and while I don't know that they even begin to comprehend at this point what it really means, I never want them to feel like they are any less OURS.  So please, be careful how you word things when you ask people about their children.

While adoption is always in my heart, it has come to the fore-front these past couple weeks.  A couple that we have been privileged to know has just adopted a little baby boy.  I don't think that I have been this excited about a baby since my own (no offense to close friends and family)... it is simply because I know what they are feeling.  I know their longing, I know their joy, I understand their emotional roller coaster... often I feel like they are one of the only couples that truly understands US.  While I don't wish upon ANYONE infertility, I am very glad to know someone that has walked the same path as we have... someone who after that struggle now knows the power of adoption... the wonderful miracle of adoption!

Now for some serious honesty: After we got Keaton and Tiana I didn't know if I would ever be able to adopt again.  Not because of the end result... no... I am thankful for that every minute of every day... but because we had two very emotional adoptions within 18 months and I simply had no emotional reserve left.  Then Camden came along and having 3 in 2.5 years kept us VERY busy.  Now, as I sit back and read about this couples amazing adoption journey and see photos of this precious little boy, I find that I am once again thankful for the simple truth.... it doesn't matter the journey... the end result is the very same.  I can say from the bottom of my heart that I love each of my children the VERY same, how they came to us was each different but they are all ours.

I don't know what the future holds for how we are going to complete our family... but as each month goes by, I can trust that even though everything isn't going according to MY timing, that God's timing is perfect... our little family is proof of that! 

My sweet little Valentines

Well we have had a VERY busy week with Valentine's day parties, lots of sugar, heart shaped meatloaf and biscuits!  My wonderful hubby got me an Iphone which I LOVE!  The best gift ever though is my little family itself!  

Sending kisses to Daddy!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

 Tiana recently outgrew her khaki pants, just as I was thinking that I need to go buy some, I remembered that I had this fabric in my stash!  I had it given to me a couple years ago so I whipped up a pair of ruffle pants.  I made them plenty long so that they will fit next winter too.  Once again it is the Portabellopixie Ruffle pants pattern that Tiana loves!

 This time though I added these cute pockets!  I love them and think that they will become a regular part of this pattern!!

What a cutie!

 This is my first knitting project as a gift!!  I have a scarf that is similar that I love.  It is a short scarf that as a pocket on the back.  (see photo below)  I love it because it is warm without feeling strangling!  It is a really soft yarn... and I think that the recipient likes it which is the best part!

Love this flower!  Took me a bit to figure out how to do it but once I got a little help in reading the pattern... it was easy!

The back side of the scarf tucks through the pocket on the back!

New Meadows

I have been wanting to do the masking tape road idea that was on Pinterest a lot... I finally remembered last week to buy masking tape!  We tried it out and it entertained the kids all week long.  I even vacuumed right over it!

Last weekend we went up to New Meadows with Tom and Shanna.  We went to the Ice Carnival in McCall and relaxed while the kids had tons of fun together.

Nana made Camden pj's and had just enough fabric left to make a pair for Remington too!!  The boys were SO excited with their matching pj's.  This fabric was from my grandma from when my brothers were little!!

Waking up with cartoons!

They wanted a picture with the robot fire hydrant!

Cute cousins!

Superman muscles!

Tiana wanted a muscle photo too... but not in front of superman... that was scary!

Getting eaten by the dino!

In an ice cave!

Sweet little Winston!!

All the kids loved to entertain Winston!  Camden was giving him toys when Winston threw them off the jumper.

Playing peek-a-boo to make him laugh!

Awwwww!

Going to throw a snowball at Mommy!!

Getting ready to go sledding!

Showing me their "excited" faces as Daddy gave them one last shove!!

Oh no....

CRASH!!  Camden was not very impressed!

Teaching Keaton a game that Daddy and Uncle Tom made up when they were little boys!