Into Mischief of One Sort of Another

Jane loves things in baskets. She loves to take the things out and then , but not always, put them back.

Dig in!

Here she is digging into the bottom drawer. I put things in there of interest and now she just goes and pulls it out to see what I have put in there today!

Now this is fun!

Everyday our little girl is discovering more, exploring more and just becoming her true self. We absolutely love what we are seeing.

Christmas at Our House

So many people have said,"Christmas is going to be exciting at your house this year."

 Well, Christmas was special at our house this year. Christmas 2005 Dave gave me a huge box to open. When I opened it I found a small Dora doll. I looked at him confused. He just smiled and told me to keep digging. That is when I found all the papers. All the paperwork necessary to start our journey to Jane. After years of talking about it, crying about it and dreaming about it, here it was, the beginning of it. The beginning of our journey to our daughter. Little did we know at the time that it would take 5 years to have Jane in our lives. There were so many obstacles to overcome, in fact there were mountains to climb. More than people will ever know. But here we are 5 Christmas's later and out treasure is here with us. Home at last.

The stocking were hung by the chimney with care

Santa came. I know it was him because there was a  bit of the white fluff from his suit stuck on the fireplace door and a big dirty ash footprint on the tiles in front of the fireplace. He ate 2 cookies, drank his milk and the reindeer ate half their carrot. Santa doesn't usually wrap the stuff he brings though??? I wonder why he did this year?

And they're up!

Dad, what else is here for me?

Nanny Brophy was with us. We are so happy!

Wow!

Mom, who is that Easy Bake oven for. Do you know I am only 1? Oh, it is Jack's. OK!

Come on, everyone look at mommy.

Jacob

NO! NO! NO! baby, not the little Legos!

Cutest Mrs. Clause ever!

Typical..playin' with the bag instead of all the toys!

Ok, I am done. I am sick. My ear is killing me. Dad check it quick and get the antibiotics into me!

Christmas Eve

The cookies and milk are out. The carrot and bowl of ice water is out ( Jack's request for the reindeer, good idea!)

Ok ok what is going on. I am tired!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

A Year Ago Today

A lot can happen in a year. Oh, how true. This time last year I was waiting by the phone. I was waiting for a call from a specialist. Waiting to hear if I had cancer or not. Thankfully, no. A year ago today, Jane's biological mother, could not care for her anymore. Jane was a precious, helpless infant who had an unknown future. We were both in limbo. We were both lost. Today, Jane is a healthy happy baby with the world at her feet. She will have all that we can give her. She is adored.
Picture from the orphanage



Today

Look at me now!

It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Well, we got the tree set up in the living room, now to trim and decorate!

Bonnie, is it straight?

What is all this stuff mom?

I like this one mom!

I'm gettin' in!

I love this stuff!

Pretty girl!

I like this!

Mom, I don't know about any of this.

I do know that I love my brother.

Alot!

Gettin' there!

Cookie Time!

 Time to decorate ginger bread and eat them!

John

Yum..yum...yum

Jack

Finger lickin' good!

Jacob

Mom, come on..stop!

Josh

All that sugar!

Party time!

So many parties, so little time!

 

Mom, when is Santa coming?

Soon baby!

The pre Christmas preparations are for me, very hectic. We had three school concerts and one concert for Josh and Jack's private lessons. I had an enormous amount of shopping and wrapping to do. This was all a bit more of a challenge this year with a toddler on my leg.

 Jane is a doll.

 All I want to do is cuddle her, let the boys chill in their pj's, light the fireplace and have a glass of wine with Dave. Why have we made Christmas so hectic? The past three Christmas's we spent at our cabin in tranquility, family movie's, playing cards and just being together.A family night with our kids watching The Grinch is in order.

Dashing through the Snow

Well, this year was going to be the year, I was going to break down and get the dreaded artificial tree.  There are lots of reasons to go artificial:

#1- the environment

#2-you can put it up earlier

#3-less mess

#4-predictable shape and size

and of course:

#5- no dashing through the snow, rain, sleet or whatever Newfoundland weather may throw your way.

 Usually, we buy a real tree locally. Many years ago I told the children about a local man named Boonie,  Santa Clauses brother. He has a long white beard and a marvelous twinkle in his peircing blue eyes. His wife always with her bowl of candy, passing them out  to the kids. It was fun going down to Boonie picking out our tree. This year, however, Jack wouldn't go for it. Is the magic starting to disappear? Maybe, maybe not? He wanted to go in the forest as a family and cut a tree. We though it would be cool to bring Jane out and experience that so here we are, searching just off the Bonavista highway.

Dashing!

Mom, what is going on?

Boys will be boys!

We found the first perfect fir tree we saw!

Poor daddy! Here he is trying to saw down the tree with what he called a "butter knife." It was funny listening to him complain.

What do you think of this beautiful winter day baby?

FA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA !

What are we gonna do dad? The saw sucks!

Let's just hug!

I just don't know what we are doing here!

What is this stuff?

I think I like it!

My babies!

My girls!

My little man

Oh! What fun!

Wait now..Are we still having fun?

Not! Look at that face!

My monkey!

Monkey see...monkey do!

Oh Christmas Tree...we got you!

Sweet John

Watch those boots Jakie!

Josh

Love this one and these two!

Jake

It was a lovely afternoon. We went in the forest, we had lots of laughs, a wee bit of complaining, a little bit of crying and memories that will last a lifetime. Create some! Time is better than things!

Bonnie