Minute to Win It Christmas!!

We had a few family friends over and led some friendly competition, Minute to Win It style! I had found a great link to someone's blog that had done this same type of party...so since they were sharing... kind of. I have to tell you, it was the MOST fun! Feel free to hijack the idea and spread a little laughter this weekend with your crew!
Minute to Win It Games (for those who don't know..all Minute to Win It Games are to be competed in one minute..thus the name..aha!):
Balancing Act Objective: Partners try to hang as many ornaments as they can from a yard stick that is balancing on an empty paper towel roll.
Hanging Ornaments Objective: Partners attempt to hang ornaments on a suspended string NOT using their hands at all.
Rudolph Nose Objective: One partner applies Vaseline to their nose while the other comes armed with pompoms and a good aim! Separated by 6 feet or so, the goal is to land a nose on your partner and for the nose to stay there for the remainder of your minute. Our winner won by landing the nose in 14 seconds and keeping it on the rest of the time..way to go Suzanne and Grace! (Another way to play..attach a pompom to a string, have the player put the string in their mouth and attempt to flip the string and land the pompom onto their nose)
Snowball Fun Objective: one person per team plays..toss marshmallows through a wreath, into a bucket (or large bowl)on the other side of the wreath from a distance of 4 feet. We propped a wreath against a baking bowl, set it on a chair and had the players sitting on their knees.
Cookie Face Objective: Place a cookie on the forehead, without using your hands (or any aids) inch the cookie down to your mouth and take a bite..Jenn rocked this one!
Christmas Tree Cup Stack Objective: Using 28 Solo-style cups, player uses one hand to stack cups in a pyramid with a seven cup base. Other hand must be kept behind their back.

We also played:
How well do you know Christmas Carols?
The MC calls out a line from a Christmas Carol with a missing word... the kids really liked this too!
Example: Song: Santa Baby Line: Santa honey, I wanna -----, And really that's not a lot. Answer: Yacht

Here's a fun video of some very competitive friends! Too cute!

Holiday Cheer

After MONTHS of using a stand-in computer, I think I may have all of the links to start posting again..yay! So much has been happening at our house, I am going to try to get more pictures up soon. Until then..a little holiday sweetness. This was Ty's first encounter with Santa, and he was not at all scared. Brian shot this clip right after they took pics of the kids on Santa's lap and at this point Santa started asking about their wish list. In the background you'll hear a fan of Ty's, Olivia. I'm sure Ty will get that sippy cup she is so concerned about! It was a great day spent at the Opryland Hotel with our sweet family and friends.

Post Adoption Report #2 is due!

This week we meet with our adoption counselor for our Second Post Adoption Report. These reports are required to be completed every 3 months for the first year, then once a year until he is 18 years old. The report is sent to our placing agency, then forward to the Ethiopian agencies. We understand the importance of the follow ups and are glad to comply. Any chance we can have to brag about our happy little guy!

Here are a few pics we will be sending with our report, just wish I could include the stories that go along with them:

Ty enjoying a little rest on our tour of the Chattanooga Aquarium. Obviously, he never really 'rested'!

Wish I could send a video of him swimming, he loves the water so! I'd also like to send a thank you note to the nannies...their speedy baths didn't include shielding the eyes or carefully pouring water over their heads...and Ty has NO problem with the water on his face or in his eyes. Such a gift...wonder if they know that?

We've moved from cars to trains. He saw this shirt at Target and began crying as we pulled away from it. Between tears and little gasps of "ChooChoo" I was quick to back track and buy that boy his shirt!

Now we have to hide the shirt or he'll wear it every day!

The Roy clan enjoying an afternoon together. When Brian comes home all of the kids faces light up, and Ty now says "Dada or Dad" and runs with open arms to him. I don't know who I'm happier for!

My dad helped me to realize my heart's dreams, my husband is protector of my heart and my son (and daughters) fill my heart daily. He is momma's boy right now, and that's ok with me.

This is his 'no...I didn't just put my truck in your pitcher of water' look. Yes..that is a slight grin...and yes he's about to run!

Kindergarten Round 2!

Her first day of Kindergarten couldn't come soon enough for my sweet Mallory.
She was smiling before she even opened her eyes that morning!

She was bubbling with excitement!

The classroom has a beautiful Puppet Theater...

that alone was enough to walk through the door for!

Her first full day isn't for another week, but this 'phase in' day was a success! She loved her teacher and made a new friend. She saw 2 of her neighborhood friends on the playground (yay!) and one of the older kids in our neighborhood saw her in the cafeteria and gave her a hug. That, she said, was her favorite part. Thanks Sydney! You made her first day very, very special!

On Friday we invited a few of our neighborhood friends, and Kindergarten students, over for a Painting Party! The kids painted a rocket..they are now the newest Rockets at their school. They had a blast! Thanks to Jo and Les from A Painting Party for the fun! (http://apaintingpartywithlesjo.shutterfly.com/)

So now she's off on her next adventure. It's no surprise of course, we knew we'd get here..but as usual, it's the mama's and daddy's left wishing for one more day. Love this sweet girl!

Ty-Land

I have wanted to post pics of Ty's room for a while now, 'cause I love it so! My sweet friend Angela took my giraffe ideas and put them on the wall with her talented hand! I had imagined one large giraffe, she thought maybe a pair, Kendall wanted the baby handing the mama a flower, the flower needed to come from someplace so the tree was born! It was a collabrative effort and the result is just as sweet as can be! Around his room are items other friends have gifted him and we treasure them so!

He loves his room, and when he wakes in the morning he looks around for his Choo Choo book (thanks Beth Lockamy!) and points at his giraffe buddies on the walls.

To the right of the mirror is an Orthodox Coptic Cross, used in Ethiopian traditional and religious festivals given to us by the Bingham family as a celebration of our adoption process. Love it! Also on the dresser is a hand sewn giraffe that our friends the Fischers bought in Ethiopia as a gift for his room. And the lamp was purchased in Ethiopia, Brian loved the shade Ethiopian Alphabet. The ceramic shoes were given to Brian's mom when Brian was born. And above the mirror, on the picture frame is the phrase..The moment we saw you, we fell in love. A gift from Cathey Sweeney...one of the first items I hung in his room. I love all of these items!


So many talented friends! Jo Miller created these canvases for our little guy's new room. Perfect for our giraffe theme!

The tree that came to be! See the little branch and leaves in the baby's mouth?? Kendall's contribution, and such a sweet idea. We have had this crib for all three of our babies. There are 3 different sets of teeth marks! The lanterns belonged to the sweet little Schiro boys next door, and they thought they'd look good in Ty's room..and they were right!

Kicking Off Camp

Day One of Kendall's Summer Camp Adventure!

Carolina Camper

They're off! Kendall and Brian are on their way to North Carolina where Kendall will have her first camp experience at a 4 day camp on the water. Last night she said to me "Mom, I'm a little nervous." I wanted to say "I'm terrified!" But I didn't. And like her, I know I have nothing to worry about...but worried I will be until she comes home with the same smile illuminating her face. That's just what I'm wired to do. My mother used to hide in the bathroom until my brother and I left the house, she was busy crying. I'm not that bad, though I did call for Kendall to come back to me for one last kiss...after she was half way across the sidewalk. Brian rolled his eyes. It crossed my mind to ask if she was still nervous..did she want to just stay and try this all next year?? But I calmed my inner-Donna (my mom) and blew kisses like a maniac as she walked away. She was smiling. Either happy for her adventure to begin or perhaps her "Oh my gosh, I can't believe she's doing this to me in public" apologetic/embarrassed smile? I love that girl. She is the oldest and again has taken me to a new place I had dreamed about years ago and got to share with her today. She is so independent, she is our family 'pace' car. The youngest are always getting blamed for needing so much attention. But truthfully, it's the oldest who has the show. We are gripping on tight trying to figure out this whole parenting thing, all the while she's living her life and showing us the next progression. Our family learns from her experiences and from our reactions to those experiences. She is what makes us better parents for our other two. Doesn't mean we'll get it right the next time around...but at least Mallory can rest assured it's not our first rodeo and that can either be to her advantage, or not. Who knows what the rules will look like by the time Ty turns 8. I'm guessing Kendall will be the disgruntled older sister declaring "I NEVER got to do that!".

After dropping her off at the airport I came home and laid down (it wasn't even 7:30a!). As I laid there I could remember that sweet little girl at 6 mos old laying in the crook of my arm enjoying a quiet morning in bed with me. She was so intrigued by my voice and would laugh easily and freely. Was that really 8 years ago? Be still my beating heart...I just want to stay here a little longer and remember that smile, that laugh, that sweetness. Have fun sweet girl, I'm cheering you on.