Keree's 7th Birthday Extravaganza

We surprised Keree this morning with breakfast in bed. We made Keree close her eyes as my Mom sat her plate down in front of her and then we told her to open her eyes. It was so cute when she raised her hand up to her chest and goes "this is for me".

 Banana slices, apple slices, carrot cake muffin and chocolate milk

 After alot of giggling, over getting to have such a special breakfast in bed, she finally blew out her candle.

 

After we got dressed, we decided to use all the freebie birthday coupons she got. First stop was Build-a-bear. She had gotten a $5 coupon from the company but we ended up spending a little more (it was only $3.34 more). She ended up with a Cardinals t-shirt, Cardinal button-down shirt and some girl scout underwear all for KittyKitty. Once the Store Girl heard it was Keree's birthday, she also threw in some hairbows and gave Keree a special sticker. Keree was beyond thrilled and couldn't wait to get home and dress KittyKitty.

 Our next stop was Toys R' Us, where she had a $3 gift card. Our first stop was by the front desk. Keree got to pick out which birthday crown she wanted, of course she choose the pink princess one. We were disappointed because usually they give them a birthday balloon but they were out of helium and balloons. Boo!! Then they made the announcement on the store intercom that a special birthday girl was there. She just giggled anytime someone wished her Happy Birthday.We walked and explored the store. This was the first time for Keree to see one of the dancing dolls, so she had to try it out. It was so funny watching her dance with the doll. She finally decided after alot of thinking to get Tiana's Royal Turtle ride, plus it was on clearance for $3.22. (So we only paid 52 cents with tax).

Our final stop before heading home was to Pizza Hut. Keree had her monthly Book-it certificate, so she got a free personal pan pizza. While Grandma and Mommy got chicken alfredo pasta since neither one of us are feeling that great.

After lunch, Grandma and Mommy took at nap, while Keree played with some of her birthday gifts. Once we got back up, it was time to open presents. From us, Keree got some new tennis shoes, a winter cat headband, some stickers, a Brave hair set and a Spiderman bath chemisty set. Plus she got this really cool Brave card with a poster inside.

 Keree's Godmother and family got her the Secret of the Wings, Silvermist. Can you not see the excitement! She went crazy over her new doll. 

 Her Uncle N's presents are being delayed by Amazon and will hopefully arrive soon. But he did call, sing Happy Birthday and talk to her. Then he arranged for a very special birthday call to come at 6pm. So we got ready and then we sat there and waited.......and waited......and waited for the phone to ring. Finally at 6:01pm, Keree got a very special call from Mickey Mouse. He wished her a Happy Birthday. I taped the call on video because she was amazed by the whole thing.

 Then finally it was time for cake or cookie. Keree picked out a gigantic chocolate chip cookie with lots of frosting and M&M's on top. Of course, with Keree's current Fairy obsession, Tinkerbell also graced the cookie. We ended up all being so tired and not feeling well that we ended our night without eating a single bite of cookie. But before she went to bed, she did tell me that she had a great birthday and was so happy I was home.

On to a New Year....

When 2012 started, we really thought that this would be the year when our luck had changed. That by the end of this year all our troubles and worries would have faded away. Honestly, every year we start with those hopes and dreams.....well the year turns out worse than the previous year. So this coming year, we have no expectations. We are just happy to be together and even though we know we have some major life changes happening in the next few months, we are ready for the adventure. Because as long as we are together, that's all that really matters!

Our day started off by saying good-bye to my Baby Brother. We were sad that he had to head back to Michigan but we had got to spend 11 days together over the holidays. We made amazing memories together as a family. And to tell you the truth, life is more about the memories and time spent together.

 As for the rest of our day, we had a few errands to run and had hoped to beat the incoming snowstorm. Well we got caught up in the Clearance aisles (have a great start on next year's Christmas presents), so we got caught in the snow. It started snowing around 10am and will continue into tomorrow. We probably would have more snow on the ground in these pictures, if we hadn't used most of it for our snowman the other day. Once we got home, we spent some time packing, talking to out of town family and just relaxing (which isn't something we have done in the past few weeks).

I had hoped that Keree would make it till midnight this year, but that isn't the case. It's 10:50p and she's been asleep for about a 1/2 hr. And I have to say, I'm not sure I'll make it to midnight tonight either. Happy New Year's Eve Everyone!

Prin cess To ma to

We got to the festival early, it was already close to 100 degrees at 9 am. So, everyone was taking bets on how quickly the ice sculpture would melt. It was pretty much gone by noon. Because we got there early, we got to visit with our neighbors who had entered two of their classic cars into the car show that was also being held there. Right around 10 am, we went to find our seats for the pageant, we wanted seats in the shade and in the front row. It was so nice that two sets of neighbors and then a few of their friends came to cheer Keree on. What was even more amazing is that my Aunt P actually showed up on time and was also able to cheer Keree on. Around 10:45, my Mom took Keree to get dressed and ready. 

Keree was contestant number 7 in the line-up. The other girls who came before her either forgot their fun fact or did great. Keree went up there and didn't miss a beat when repeating her fun fact. Which was "The Cat sup bott le was finished being built in Lousville, KY in 1949."

 Keree then sang acapella, I make my own sunshine. Because at first all you do is humming, I really think that a lot of people thought that was all she was going to do. But as soon as she started singing, she had the crowd captivated.

 She even had a few hand movements to it.

This was after all the contestants competed. There were eight girls and two boys. It was driving the director nuts that they didn't have the results done quickly. I guess it was a tough competition.

Even though it was 112 degrees at this point, Keree still kept a smile on her face waiting to hear...honestly she was just waiting for her bottle of cat sup that they even forgot to give out. Keree really is all about the cat -sup.

First they gave out the awards to the boys and then it was time for the girls to get their awards. I honestly wasn't sure if Keree was going to win Queen but when she wasn't called for first place. I just knew she had won. This is Prin cess To ma to 2011 crowning her.

 And here they are putting on her sash.

Another picture of them trying to put on her sash. 

So here she is, Prin cess To ma to 2012, our Keree. 

 

After the pageant, we stayed around the festival. We got a few pictures taken with our neighbors classic cars (which were happy to say that they also won a few awards). Keree meet some NFL cheerleaders, ate some of the birthday cupcakes and then.... 

 she played some class birthday party games. Her favorite was pass the cat sup bottle.

 At the end of the festival, actually we left with about an hour left. Our Neighbor treated Keree to a snow cone. Keree was excited because she was even able to add her own flavor. She went with orange sunburst and very wild cherry. When we got home, Keree spent her evening calling the Great-Grandparents and her Uncle to tell them that she won. She's so excited to be Prin cess To ma to.

Happy July 4th!

Today was the hottest 4th of July since temperatures have been recorded in our area. I have to say, I'm sick and tired of all this hot weather, today is something like day 21 of 98 degree weather and hotter. It's also like  day 7 of 104+ degree weather. It was sort of a weird 4th, this is the first 4th of July since Keree's been home that we haven't attended a festive parade. Since my Bro had to leave today, we opted to stay home so we could spend our last few minutes with him and The Girlfriend. It was a nice and very short visit. 

Keree is really going to miss her Uncle. Especially since we found out that he won't be home till Christmas this year. My Bro was trying to figure out how soon and how often we could come and visit him. If it was up to me, it would be every other month just because they have an amazing Vietnamese community there and do so many community and heritage activities. 

 Keree is pretending to be a tree in this picture.....Why you ask? Well she thinks if she stands there long enough that a bird will think she's a real tree. She's determined that one day she will have a wild bird, probably a Robin, land on her.  

 By the end of the day, we had sweated thru our clothes, so Keree put on her Americana dress that my Mom made her. Since our cell phones will not work inside the house, we have to sit outside in the front yard to talk on them. So while out there we called Keree's Great-Grandparents to check on them with all the heat. I really wish they lived closer because it would make checking on them alot easier.

Bargain Hunting

Today was my Bro's last full day in town, tomorrow he heads home. We got to spend the majority of the afternoon with him, which was nice. Since the house is so hot and miserable (we don't have a/c and the fans just aren't cutting it), we decided to take him over to the Goodwil Outlet. Now usually it is somewhat clean but this time, it was just downright nasty to dig in some bins. Actually this is the first time I've walked out of there and felt I needed to scrub down from head to toe. I always say that it's like Black Friday, people clammer when the new bins are rolled out and fight to find the best things. As they always say, ones mans trash is another treasure. 

I found a good deal of books and actually some really cool vintage Golden books, my Brother got some sports books and vintage glass ware and Keree was excited that I found her a princess carriage and also Link & Cockroach PD from Monsters vs Aliens. Now, we are only missing two from the entire set. 

 When we got home, we all scrubbed down and spent a short time visiting with my Bro outside. He was meeting The Girlfriend to have dinner with her parents. As for us, we spent the rest of the night chilling since it was 106 again today and that was without the heat index.

Splash Pad, Summer Fun & Drive-in Movie

The new splash pad opened the day after school got out, but we haven't been since it's been way to crowded. So as a way for my Brother to spend sometime with Keree, we said "Let's go to the splash pad and play." He wasn't keen on the idea until we told him "The Girlfriend" could come along. I honestly didn't want to see her but decided if it was the only way for him to spend some quality time with Keree, I guess, I can put up with her. 

We thought that being a Sunday morning that the splash pad wouldn't be that crowded but I'm guessing because of the heat - it was 104 today with out the index, that more people came out early. I have to say that Keree's favorite part of the park was the giant mushroom. The water seemed a little warmer and it really felt like it was just a nice shower.

 I have to say that even with "The Girlfriend" there, we still  had fun. She was honestly trying to make an effort, which was more than she's done in the past five years. After about 1 1/2 hours, we took a short break and let Keree play in one of the tide pools they have on each side. I have to say, I'm not that thrilled with that option, lots of babies with no diapers, eeww. So, we didn't stay that long before returning to the splash park.

 We ended up being there for almost three hours. I have to say my favorite part was the buckets, it was great because you never knew how quickly they were going to fill up and pour down on you. I really wish someone would have gotten a picture of both Keree and I underneath one.

 Once we headed home, it was around 12:30p. So, I spent some time preparing lunch. I made slow-cooker Gyros and some Corn Salad. It took a little longer than expected, so we didn't eat until almost 3p. We called my Aunt P so she could come and visit my Brother for a short time. Of course, she didn't show up until right before 3p. While we waited for the food to cook, Keree, my Mom, my Brother and The Girlfriend spent time playing baseball and washers. The Girlfriend hated being out in the heat but the rest of us were use to it. We stayed hydrated and that's really the key to being out in the heat.

 After everyone ate lunch, The Girlfriend left to visit her family. Keree and my Mom went to lay down for a nap. My Bro, my Aunt P and I sat outside and talked about random stuff. I really thought after 5 hrs she would get the hint we had stuff to do and head out but that wasn't the case. Finally, my Mom had to be rude and told her to leave because we needed to leave. My Brother got my Mom a gift certificate for Mother's Day to go to the Drive-In movies. I hadn't been since I was little and this was Keree's first time. She had no idea what to expect but she was super excited to see Brave.

 We all piled into the back of my Brother's SUV, except for my Mom, who sat in a lawn chair. The minute the movie started, Keree was mesmerized. She said she had waited forever to see Merida and wanted to memorize the movie so she could play it out at home.

 I gotta say that I enjoyed Brave. I know, I've read lots of mixed reviews and the movie is a little on the darker side but that's how the true fairytale is told. It's not all bright, sunny and cute.

 My second favorite part was watching all the vintage ads for the refreshment center. Many of them I remembered when I was little.

 What is great about this Drive-In, is that for the price of admission, you get two movies. So we also got to stay and see Madagascar 3. We all kept thinking Keree would fall asleep during it but she stayed up until the end, which was after 12:30am. When the movie ended, she was lucky enough to be the first one to wish my Brother, Happy Birthday.

Summer Library Reading

We missed the original sign-up date for the summer Library reading program. It was on Monday, so signing up on Thursday of the same week, isn't so bad. Luckily, that means we missed the rush of Mom comparing how many books there kids have already read and sizing up the competition. Unfortunately, that also meant we missed all the fun activites that you had to RSVP for. That's ok, most of them involved junk food and that's really not how we roll around here. Now if it was a veggie or fruit activity, like build the Library's largest Veggie tray instead of build the Library's largest Ice Cream Sundae, then Keree would have been bummed out. 

After signing up at the Library, we headed off to the store. Keree is almost obsessed as much with the new Brave movie, as she is with Rapunzel. So, I had saved all the money and gift cards she got from her Birthday in February for her to use this summer or for her to keep saving. Well today, she decided to use her Birthday money. She got a small Merida that lets you change her clothes, the three Brother who turn into bears and finally the larger Merida but not the Princess one, Keree wanted the Archery Merida. 

 She spent the entire day playing with Merida, here she is taking her for a piggy back ride. She also loves the fact that you can kinda shoot the bow and arrow. Keree also loves the fact that she has Irish Step dancing shoes on, so she also was making Merida practice the steps with her.

Summer Movie

 This morning, since Keree has been so good during all the chaos, we decided to take advantage of our local movie theatres free summer movies. They also have a special that if you sign up for their free movie rewards card, every Wednesday you get a free medium popcorn. I couldn't believe how much that bag of popcorn would have cost us ($7.00) and it was stuffed full. We came home with two bags that were both more than 1/2 full.  I was a little hesistant for Keree to see Kung Fu Panda 2 because I had heard many reviews from other Adoptive parents and so it made my extra cautious. But instead, I decided we would just go for it. I wasn't sure what to expect but other than a little intense section when Po finally remember how he ended up in the radish crate, it wasn't anything Keree couldn't handle. She was a little curious at the thought Po's birth father was still alive at the end. After the movie ended, we talked about  what she thought of the movie. She said her favorite part was after Po remember and he went back to fight with the Furious Five and he goes in slow motion "I love you guys."

After the movie, Keree got one more treat. We had a free $10 gift certificate to K0hls. My Mom was hoping she would pick out some clothes but instead, she saw this soccer ball with Rapunzel on it. The final total with tax was $10.49, so we paid a whooping 49 cents for Keree's new soccer ball. To top off our day before heading home to move and pack some more stuff. We had a coupon and got a free lunch from Wendy's. 

Venus journey across the Sun

We spent the day moving and packing like we have done for basically the last week. Finally we sat down for a few minutes to rest. So we watched awhile on television and the internet Venus moving across the sun but finally Keree had to take her telescope outside and see for herself. Luckily, I have a very strong filter (part of an old welding helmet) that I was able to place across the telescope so she could watch. 

I tried to take some pictures of this once in a lifetime event but couldn't get anything decent. 

 Of course, Keree also thought she needed some sunglasses because the sun was so bright.

 Keree loved using her telescope that her Uncle had gotten her two Christmases ago.

I found this pic on the web that better showed Venus moving across the sun. It was amazing to watch and to share it with my daughter.