Dragon Boat Festival

It was raining cats and dogs at our house this morning. The girls were really upset as we were supposed to go to Kansas City to the Dragon Boat Races today. The rain finally let up and even though it was still cloudy at our house, we decided to take a chance on the races anyway. We were so glad that we did!! The sun was high in the sky by the time we arrived in KC and our timing was perfect. We watched a couple of boats on the river and then we headed over to the stage just in time to watch the dancing!

The dancers were fantastic! The costumes beautiful! Our girls were glued to the performances!





After watching the dances we wandered around looking at the booths that were set up. By this time the girls were already complaining that they were "starving!" So we walked to the Cheese Cake Factory. The food was yummy and very filling...so much so that we really did leave without having dessert! Next time we will go just for the dessert!!





Then we waddled back to our car and headed home. Okay...this is NOT our ride home, but the girls really wanted take it home.

Happy Father's Day!!

After our long road trip yesterday we all slept in late this morning! Daddy woke up to find his Father's Day presents in the living room along with all the cards and pictures that the girls had made him. He can't wait to use his new chairs the next time he goes to a car show. Ammo the bear will get to sleep with Daddy most of the time, but I am sure that he will get to spend time in the girls rooms making them feel safe too!

We wanted to take a photo of the girls standing in our field. However, our land is planted to milo and it really doesn't have a very good start at this time....so we borrowed our neighbors wheat field!! The girls claim that the wheat poked their legs "too hard!"



And then we had to have the close up and the "funny" photos of the girls!!




Maybe someday we will make farmers out of them!!

Road trip loaded with memories

Yesterday we were up before the crack of dawn, pulled out of the driveway at 5:26AM and headed to northwestern Kansas. May 13th, 1976 I graduated from Lenora High School along with 25 others. Yesterday was our reunion (you can figure out the math to know which one!) Personally, I am not sure when all the others in my class started getting older...I refuse to do so! It was also a great chance for the girls to see where Mom went to school.

After we arrived in Lenora we watched the Jubilee parade. The girls really loved this as they threw candy from the various floats, tractors and other vehicles that were in the parade. We really would have liked to go to the critter races, bounce house, kiddie tractor pull, etc. that they were having in the park later on....BUT they decided to start charging a fee to get in the park. $20/adult and $10/child is TOO steep!! Especially for a city park!!





The ambulance and fire trucks turned on their sirens which resulted in the girls plugging their ears!





We then headed up the hill to the Grade School for the reunion.



This was also reunion time for the Class of "75" so not only did we get to catch up with some of my classmates, but some of the upper class too (so to speak!) The girls were most excited by the fact that there was sandwiches, chips and POP! We visited and caught up on "old" times for a couple of hours.





Here is the Class of 1975!!



And the Class of 1976!!



We then took a nostalgic tour of our old high school. Both schools are closed now, the kids from this area are bused to the county seat 20 miles away. We are fortunate that both buildings have been purchased and kept up. There are many small towns around this area that have had their schools close and the buildings sit empty and eventually fall down. Our old gymnasium is huge compared to the schools that our girls now attend. Our mascot was the Wildcats!




I spent a lot of time in the gym under this sign!



Our girls team were very good basketball players back in the day.... NO I was not on the team!! BTW...this is not a photo of THE team of 76...but one that is still in the display case...I recognize many of these girls who are much...okay maybe several years younger.




The girls had a fun time running around, looking at our "old time" lockers, playing baskeball and checking out what the new tenants of the school have inside.





All too soon it was time to head back home. I am fortunate that my class was so small and I keep in contact with many of the others. As with most class reunions, there are some who frequently attend and then there are always the ones who don't come. This was a bitter sweet trip...a chance to look back. I remember going through these doors after school many times...this time was probably the last time I will get the chance.....

New PJ's and swimming beauties

On a shopping expedition recently, the girls all picked out new pajamas. Actually Mom was tired of them putting on their warm winter pj's and then changing them later on when they were "too hot". So we picked up some summer ones. I think they look pretty cute!




The girls are taking swimming lessons again this year. The older girls are doing great and are fairly good swimmers. Kendalan thinks that she is just as good as her older sisters, but after a minor mishap at the swimming pool this summer, we have explained to her that she needs to practice before she jumps off the diving board again!! They posed for me before lessons this morning.

Ahhh summer......

swimming and sunbathing. I remember when I was a kid. I would slather on the baby oil and head out to the backyard to work on my tan. I would give my mom instructions to holler at me in 30 minutes so I could flip over and work on my other side. My how time just crawls along as you are sitting there....baking in the sun. After about 10 minutes I was just sure that my mother had forgotten to watch the time for me. So into the house I would go and then find out that it hadn't even been 15 minutes yet! I still had 15 more minutes for that side!!



So then I would get a cold drink and the transistor radio. That had to make time go faster and make the process easier....didn't it? In another 10 minutes I would be in the house yelling for Mom....what time is it?? 20 minutes was an eternity! 30 minutes was sheer torcher!


So after 45 minutes I would give up and put everything away. Then spend the next 10 minutes in front of the mirror trying to see just how dark I had gotten. Problem was...I am this very fair complexion girl. I burn...I don't tan! I get red as a lobster and 3 days later I am peeling skin off. Then I am back to pale face again.

Our girls have been blessed. They get dark, dark, very dark after only a few hours in the sun. I put SPF UVB 50 on them...that makes me pretty much stay white....oh not the girls. It just gives them more of a golden malibu tan. They don't even lay out to tan like I use to do. They go to the pool for a few hours and while they are having a wonderful time...they get darker and darker...and this pale face Mom finds the shade to hang out in.

At least we won't have to buy any Baby Oil or Coconut Butter to use. But Mom may have to go fake bake so she looks like she fits in just a little!!

Sleeping Beauty does exist!!

And she lives at our house!! Kendalan went into our bedroom the other night to watch TV. I went to check on her a while later and this is what I found.



Oh yea, Sleeping Beauty wears flowered panties!! Shhhh!! Don't tell her that I posted her photo on our blog!!

Okay..............

I confess, I love to read blogs. Especially those of other families who have adopted. I know that my blog has some readers and honestly I didn't expect my blog to go viral...but it does hurt that I rarely get any comments. I know I am not that entertaining. But sometimes I think I am talking to myself here. Actually MOST of the time!! So I am going to throw a question out there for my loyal readers, and maybe those who just pop in and out sometimes, to leave me a comment on.

I really, really, really want to adopt one more. I know...I have said that a few times before!! But really just one more so we have an even number would be fantastic. RaeAnne would really like a sister her age...she would like to be the older one, but very close in age. There are so many older girls needing homes, I am thinking that this is a GREAT idea. However, a little part of me would like to add a little boy to our house too. We don't want to do diapers again...okay I would love to have another baby, but I know our limits....so a boy that is in the age range of Kendalan and Tessa would be neat too.

Now for the comments....am I totally crazy?? Or just partially? Of course, my husband thinks I am certifiably nuts!

Just a shout out hey would be nice. Just so I know I am really not alone here ya know!!

Thanks!