Christmas Day pictures

Opening presents Christmas morning

Dad loves his footed pjs

Anita wearing mom's new hat

stealing ornaments from grandma's tree

Kristina, gpa and gma in their new hats

Anita after Kristina gave her a bath Christmas night

Merry Christmas!!

Christmas Eve.  JoJo, Javier, Lucy and Lula

we made our own frosting for sugar cookies

on the way home from Hull, very tired

Christmas Eve

It's been a busy week filled with shopping, eating, time with family and loving Anita.  On Christmas Eve we went up to see her siblings in the morning, visited Gma Cline on the way back and then spent a quiet evening at home eating Jim's spaghetti.  On Christmas day we went to gma/gpa's in the morning to open presents and then back over for dinner in the evening.  The day after Christmas we went to the Kaufman's for lunch and Christmas celebration.  Busy days for a little girl who needs her naps on a regular basis so we attempted to work around those.  This week me and Anita are home all week and we've still been busy visiting family, doing a little shopping and attempting to keep up with housework/laundry. 

drivers education will be a must

trying to text while driving

using her foot to drive

playing with her soccer ball

action shot, blurry part is the soccer ball flying

this ride is powered by mommy so far

a little relaxation after driving through the house

Weekend before Christmas

Helping dad put together a jeep

working on it herself



trying to eat a cheeseburger after working so hard



Enjoyed a busy weekend attending Kristina's Christmas party and putting together Christmas presents.
Anita wants to be a big helper and was right in on the action.  She only fell off the back of the jeep one time
and luckily we caught her.  Kristina has eight of her friends over from school and it was a house full of girls.
Anita tried to join in on the fun but they wore her out pretty quickly.  Looking forward to working four days and
then having time off for Christmas and New Years.  I'm enjoying less rushing around this year and instead enjoying
just being home with Anita.  Tonight she is in bed early and I'm going to sit by the Christmas tree and find a Christmas movie or music to listen too.  Not sure why the writing is coming out in this format but it adds some Christmas fun so I'll leave it.



home sick yesterday

big shot in her robe, brushing her teeth

cookies always help you feel better

always reminding us that she's one now

We stayed home yesterday as Anita has not felt good for a few days and was very lethargic.  Good day just cuddling, coloring and reading books.  Anita went to the doctor and of course it's viral or growing pains.  Going to look into a different doctor as I just don't feel this doctor/office is meeting our needs.  We did make chocolate chip cookies for dad while he was at work and also for my secret santa at the office.  I love doing secret santa!!  Over the weekend, Uncle David and Aunt Linda were over and we had a great visit.  Anita tried to play shy for a little bit but then gave away some smiles.  Uncle David said she is so cute with her little button nose.  So sweet too.  The other night she was rolling on the bed between Jim and I giving kisses back and forth and laughing the whole time.  She is super sweet and cuddly especially when she is tired or not feeling well.  She continues to throw things in the vents, down the stairs and sometimes in the trash can.  She claps for herself on some of those too which is even funnier.  You want to clap and encourage her to throw away trash but sometimes it's not trash so it's a difficult choice.  Looking forward to being home with her for a week between Christmas and New Years.  We definitely received the best gift ever this year.  Also, booked the Stone Park Lodge on May 7th for some kind of adoption party.  Haven't decided all the details but want to be with family/friends to celebrate with lots of food and be able to be outside.  Luckily we've already previewed the facility while attending Jon/Melanie's wedding years ago.

New Shoes

wearing her Vikings slippers on game day

Ariel shoes that light up

so quick, making her laps

wanted to wear both pairs

tonights art work

Anita is very proud of the shoes we bought this weekend and has been strutting her stuff for days.  Doesn't matter if she has her pajamas on, she still wants to wear shoes.  When she gets tired of the shoes then she puts on her slippers.  Can't believe how fast she is moving and how she can keep it up all day long.  She has also been working hard on drawing and coloring.  Tonight a box was the target for her art work and the vents continue to be the dumping ground for everything else.  Since Anita came to us, I have been paying more attention to the negative attitude and racism within this community.  My job requires me to listen to people every day that either have extremely biased opinions about people from Mexico or a hatred for them.  It's becoming more difficult for me to have patience in challenging their ignorance versus becoming angry because now it's personal.  I want Anita to grow up in a community that is more accepting and welcoming versus one where people think that every crime committed is by a Mexican or all the jobs are taken by Mexicans.  

Great weekend

Had a fun relaxing weekend and glad to be home in a warm house.  Tonight we went and looked at Christmas lights and then sat by the tree and watched a Christmas special.  Anita enjoyed the music and was walking around clapping when the kids were on.  She had a fun evening with Kristina and Aunt Brenda last night while we went out to dinner alone for the first time in six months.  It was good but we also came home early.  Best part of the night was trying to get onto our back porch to even get in the house.  Brenda (I was raised in CA) had the screen door locked so we couldn't even get onto the back porch.  We were banging and trying to pry it open and finally had to come knock on the front door.  She asked who it was twice before letting us in and we were all laughing.  Hoping we will have more company during the holidays and make sure to keep a close eye on your belongings.  Anita has decided that the return vents are great to drop things down so we need to rescue some tupperware, her comb and a wooden spoon.    Counting the days until Christmas and a few days off to be with family.   

Thanksgiving and Grandma's birthday

finished kitchen set

helping dad put up the tree

helping mom with the lights

It's been a busy couple of weeks that started off with Thanksgiving.  So nice to have a long weekend with Anita and spend time with everyone for Thanksgiving.  We had plenty to eat and enjoyed watching the kids play.  Tanner was so sweet with Anita and gave her lots of hugs and kisses.  We were able to complete the kitchen set which is a hit with Anita and Kristina.  Jim brought up the Christmas tree Thanksgiving Day so we could start decorating.  While he was getting it out we were telling Anita that was the Christmas tree.  She disappeared to her room and came back with her Christmas book that has a tree on the front.  I think she could possibly be a genius!!  While at the same time, she is so sweet she was kissing her diaper box the other day because there was a baby on it.  :)   She has been walking those little legs off and even starts off a run at times.  Grandpa, grandpa, Kristina and Anita had Christmas pictures taken at HyVee on Friday and she strutted all through that store in her dress and shoes.  She said hi to everyone she passed and got lots of looks.  She gained some confidence that night and hasn't stopped since.  Luckily she is leaving the tree alone and only messes with grandma and grandpa's because she is trying to get at the cat underneath it.  Today was a day of sadness and gratitude as it's Grandma Kaufman's birthday but she was not here to celebrate with us.  Missing her a lot but also happy that she is free, happy and reunited with her husband and parents in Heaven.  Grateful for the legacy she has left and that we can continue to pass onto our children.

Kitchen Set

 

 














We all worked together on Anita's Christmas present this evening.  Grandpa will be very proud that Anita knows how to use a screwdriver and wasn't afraid to get to work.  We almost had it done but Anita was ready for bed. 

Family blankets



blanket from Uncle Jim/Aunt Judy



blanket from Aunt Velma (gma cline's sister)

Saturday visit

Javier, Lucy, Lula and JoJo

JoJo, Holly and Anita

Fabian

Anita and I went to visit her biological family yesterday.  We had fun making pretzel treats and playing with the kids.  All the kids had a job with the pretzels and the two little ones had the most fun with putting sprinkles on.  Anita wanted to help out but instead ate a pretzel and was happy.

Anita's Christmas present

Ordered Anita a kitchen set on Monday and it arrived today.  It's so heavy we don't want to haul it to the basement which means that I will have to put it together this weekend and celebrate Christmas early!!!  yahoo!  Anita won't know the difference and she can start enjoying her present now.  Jim already opened the box for us and we all dug in checking it out.  She has bitten the stove and door handles already to make sure they are full functioning.  I will do better next year and wait until the week before Christmas to shop for her.  Atleast the decorations are still in the basement. 

Also, went to see Grandma Cline today and Anita showed off her walking skills.  Happy Birthday to Grandma as she turns 88 tomorrow!!  She gave us a quilt that her sister Velma completed after their other sister Doris had started but passed away before finishing it.  This is a very special quilt that we will treasure.  I'll put pics up tomorrow because my camera is in next to a sleeping baby that I do not want to disturb.  She is wore out from helping to work on her present.

Baking cookies

Dora hat = hair net

uses both hands to stir

decided to try a little taste

final product, was a little uncertain

delicious!




 

Anita's been having a tough couple of days with her teeth so we stayed home today.  I'm also waiting to get my car from LeMars and finally heard the fuel pump is out.  Hoping to pick it up later this afternoon.  We've had a fun morning with baking cookies, playing and listening to music.  Aunt Sue and cousin Anna came over to play for a little bit too which helped to distract Anita.

Fashionista does housework

showing off her fashion sense

working the eyes/smile to avoid chores

didn't work, had to sweep

Anita has been busy working on walking this week.  She is making laps around our house and at gma/gpa's.  My car broke down on Thurs. and remains in LeMars.  Thanks to dad, mom and Anita for coming to pick me up and getting me back to work.  It was a great reason to enjoy some ice cream while I waited for them to pick me up.  This weekend we have mostly been home just playing and doing a little cleaning today.  Anita was happy to help out.