Great for little boys who like to take things apart or make things. This toy is just 29.99 ( I used a coupon at my local toy store and saved 25%). You can make 7 different things with the circuits such as a fan (I forgot the other things and it's already wrapped it).

I have also purchased the Star Wars Science kits for this age, such fun. My favorite is the volcano.

I will try to keep more coming....

I know many who read this blog pray and today I am asking for your prayers.
John's company he works for was officially sold last week. Now the lay offs begin. We know that there is a strong possibilty of John losing his job. We are praying for God's will to be done. Losing his job will be very hard for us but if this is God's plan to lead him somewhere else we are ok with that. Will you join us in prayer. Not only for John but for the thousands of co-workers who will lose their jobs. Pray for peace about the decision and direction if he loses his job.

Sweet tea is the drink of choice for most southerners. We love it and drink a lot of it. We even have contests to see who's Sweet Tea is the best. Years ago I quit making it at home. It was consumed too fast and well no one here needs all that sugar. Enter Lily. The boys decided to entertain Lily with tea parties once home. They used cold sweet tea. They created a Sweet Tea Monster. It is the only thing she will drink. This creates a problem. I still do not make sweet tea on a regular basis but then I don't have too. My daughter does. She makes sure there is ALWAYS a picture of sweet tea in the fridge. Now all my wonderful water and milk drinkers are requesting sweet tea. And worst of all, restaurants. We have always had our boys drink water when eating out. They never complained or thought any thing about it, until now. We ordered Lily sweet tea when first home because we were trying to be sensitive to all the changes she was going through. Now it is a battle. Recently the boys asked for sweet tea while eating out. We said, "no". Well as you can imagine they pointed out to us the obvious, Lily was drinking sweet tea. That day we explained to her that no longer would she get to order sweet tea when eating out. She pouted. Fast forward to the next time: we don't order Lily tea, she pouts and will not order any food. I do not give in though it is hard. We get our food and she just sits there, every few minutes she will say, "I want tea, no like water". She refuses to eat. We made it through the meal. She never touched her water but did sneak a few chips with salsa. She was mad but thankfully didn't have a tantrum like she used to (one of the reasons I kept ordering the tea was to prevent them). I hate being this way but we do have to be fair. I was thinking of the best way to handle this in the future and I had an idea: drink packets. You know the little individual drink packets you buy and mix in water. I took her to the store and let her pick one out (it should equal about 20 cents a serving) and told her that is what she will be drinking when we eat out. She seemed excited. And of course I picked out a few for the boys just to be fair ;0)

Silly conversation overheard tonight;

W: When I grow up I am gonna marry a cricket.
M: Yeah a BIG cricket. (laughing histerically) ( lily in my ear asking, what's a cricket?)
W: I'm gonna marry a shoe. (more laughter)
W: I'm gonna marry a cat. (ok, now people at Chick Fil A are looking at us)
M: I'm gonna marry a frog. (followed by hysterical laughter and stares)

Lily didn't know what to make of this conversation but I don't have to worry about her. She's already told me she's not getting married. She is staying right here at home with Mama, forever.
Wonder how long it'll take for her to change her mind?

Recently I was at work and was going over my Christmas list during a slow day. Everyone was teasing me because I was so into it and it is only October. I have always started early and now more than ever I have to. If I waited too late we would spend way to much and I may not have time to get it all. Some of my gifts this year I have even had since mid summer because I got them so cheap. It works best to spread out the buying, it can get VERY expensive QUICK! My favorite clearance buys are always on the end caps at Target. For example this year I bought a Playmobile Castle for Wyatt for half price, I have had it since May. Over the years as we have added kids we have toned down our Christmas, less gifts and focusing more on celebrating Jesus' birth. Our goal is for each kid to get about 3 to 4 Santa gifts, a thing or two from mom and dad and of course the stockings (which are a wallet drainer-should have gotten smaller ones!-but just can't stop this tradition because I love it!).

So now onto the reason I am telling you all this anyway Stephanie at Ni Hao Ya'll it asking for some help with Christmas gifts so here are what we are getting our kids, so far, we think...and shhhhhhh, don't tell them, it's a secret!

Noah 12- Really what do you get a preteen? He wants a cat which costs NOTHING! so that really helps with the whole budget thing. Other than that I have no idea, well maybe a nice keyboard. He loves music and is always trying to play Nama's piano.

Sellers 9- Star Wars fanatic. Need I say more. Pretty much everything will be Star Wars and I buy the action figures at TJMaxx where they are half price compared to T and WM. I also got him a very cool SW framed movie poster from Ross for only $20.

Wyatt 4- Stars Wars lover. Yep, if you shop at the TJ Maxx in my hometown you won't find any SW figures, I buy them all, only $3.99. This is all he asked for but I will probably get him a Leapster and some games. I love Leapster.

Mason3- I am getting him a Leapster even though he probably cannot use it, yet. He is the youngest of many and so wants an electronic game to play with so he can be like his older siblings so this is what he is getting! I have also gotten him a wooden tool bench (Target on clearance).

Lily8- So far I have gotten her an ATM bank machine. She is a saver so she wants this very badly. We are also getting her an American Girl Doll and a few accessories ( not many- this stuff is EXPENSIVE!),

FYI- You can go online to get Leapster coupons for the system and the games.

Other gifts we have gotten in the past we loved: (that this tired ole brain can remember)

Neighborhood Sounds Bingo
Webkinz
Wii and games
Costumes ( after Halloween sales are a great time to buy them!)
See Saw for outside
Play Doh sets, I know they are a mess but some are really fun


If you are an early shopper and want to share, please do!

While Lily and I were putting up her laundry she starting singing...

Mama Loves Me, This I know...

to the tune of Jesus Loves Me.

Well of course I was flattered but really I didn't feel right stealing Jesus' song. So I smiled at her and started singing Jesus loves me, a song she is trying to learn anyway.

Weekend was nice. We went to the beach and it was COLD! Just one day in the low temps (for the south you northerners) was all it took to remind me how much I do.not.like.the.cold.
I did everything I wanted. I slept in (once til 10:30, can you imagine), I read, I dominated Boogle, ate some delicious She Crab soup and did a little shopping. It was great but I sure did miss my babies. So much that I spent Sunday night at my in laws with Wyatt and Mason just so I could see them a little longer. Sometimes a weekend away is really just a little reminder that where you really want to be is HOME!



It's 6am and I'm off to work....

in just 9 hours I am off to a weekend with my hubby and NO kiddos!

As much as I love my kids I am ready for a break, I just can't wait to sleep in, read, play games and maybe do a little shopping.

Don't you wish you were going?

Faith

makes things possible

not easy.

the saying on a recent sign I bought and placed right in my kitchen.

Check out our adotion website, our 5 month update is posted. A lot the stuff is the same you will see here but check it out anyway! Just click on Lily's picture to the left!

Kim is giving away the cutest retro dress on her blog. I would love to win one so I am entering the contest...if you would like to just HOP on over to her blog and enter too!

It has been a while since I have shared one of my cute conversations with Wyatt. This is a conversation we had at bedtime recently.

Wyatt: Mom, I was not ready to start school yet. (he goes to a church preschool 3 hrs a day)
Mom: Well it was time to start school so you can learn all the things you need to know.
Wyatt: I just wasn't ready yet, maybe in a few more weeks.
Mom: You have to go to school baby to learn.
Wyatt: I can learn everything I need to know in the city.
Mom: What??? What city?
Wyatt: You know, the place with all the tall buildings.
Mom: Yeah, I don't think you need to know what they are teaching in the city. (we'll stick to church)

7:51 and everyone is in bed....am I dreaming?

We finally reached the end of our birthday marathon, having all 5 kids birthday's in 3 and 1/2 months. Four just in the last 6 weeks (ouch!). Our littlest man celebrated his 3rd birthday Friday and we had a family celebration on Saturday. He was so excited about his birthday and anticipated his party for weeks. He wanted to have his "friends" at his party, or as we know them our family.
Anxiously waiting..... A little potato sak race...

You know those people. The ones that offer you advice, when you didn't ask. The ones who aren't like you. They don't know you or even more so don't know how God is working in your life. They think they know better for you than you do. Well, I work with one of those. I don't know why but she feels the need to give me advice about my family. It is not advice I have asked for or advice I need. You see I don't need anyone to tell me that having a BIG family can be hard, it is. I don't' need anyone to tell me having a BIG family is expensive, it is. I know it because there are many days we are reminded of that. Like when we sit for hours at the kitchen table doing homework or go to a fast food restaurant and it is $35, that used to be a nice dinner out for two. Or on the nights it takes an hour and a half to do bedtime with all our kids. Or when I look at the mounds of laundry, the shoes and toys strewn around the house. But the thing is I LOVE my BIG family, I would not have it any other way. I actually dream of it getting BIGGER someday. I know that may sound crazy but I love the thought of it! I know I cannot make someone else understand how BLESSED I feel but I sure wish I could. I just don't know how to respond to her "advice". Maybe my new Mantra can be BLESSED TO BE STRESSED, I could even get a t-shirt.

Driving home from church Wednesday night at sunset...

Lily: "Ma, where the sun go?'

Ma: "The sun went nite, nite." ( my standard little kid answer)

Lily: "Noooooo, the sun go to China."

Pause

Ma: "Actually Lily, it is in China."

She is so sharp.

Lily has developed some sense of God while home. She goes to church regularly and we have talked about God a good bit. Sometimes she will say things like "how did God make the sun?" and tonight she asked me, "does God sleep?", "does God take a bath?". When I told her God doesn't have to sleep and he probably doesn't take a bath she said, "God stink?". Once as we were driving with the sunroof in the car open she looked up and pointed and said, "hello God". I am not surprised by this, the Bible says we must accept Christ with childlike faith. This means we should not think too hard about it, just accept it. Somehow children are just able to. She has only just heard about God and is learning about Jesus yet it is obvious she thinks about them and accepts them. With our other kids having been in church since birth seeing her childlike faith, new at 8, is so refreshing to me. Her questions and comments are just so cute, and they make me think.

Today after school Lily and I were laying on the couch talking. She looked out the window and said, "tomorrow the trees fall?". I was confused and didn't understand what she meant. she clarifies, "tomorrow the tree leaves fall?" Oh, I get it. Tomorrow is the first day of Fall. I envisioned her teacher reading her a book with pictures about fall. Then I realize that she is worried about this. I reassure her that it will not all happen tomorrow, that it happens over time as the weather gets colder. She seemed less worried until bedtime when I heard her asking dad if tomorrow all the trees were going to fall. Once again we reassured her that was not going to happen. Poor thing. Hopefully soon she will learn just how beautiful Fall is.

Lily was so excited about her party today that she was dressed and ready at 10:00 and the party wasn't until 1:00. Everyone was excited and looking forward to the day...

Since Lily has been home she will pick up on a phrase and use it a lot. First it was Oh my Gah. I wanted to put an end to that one, thankfully she did. Next it was Oh, Man! That one was cute. Today she created her own. At first I though she was saying holy cow but then I realized she was saying, Oh my cow! It cracks us up and she says it a lot. I can only imagine what others will think when my daughter blurts out, Oh my cow in her little Chinese southern accent! I am not going to correct her today, the smile it gives me is too worth it! Maybe tomorrow.

He wants to touch the water so bad...A little closer....Hey, I kind of like it...My nephew DavisMy niece Ella.A little mishap, courtesy of the rip current.Do you notice anything new in this picture (hint: look at her ears)Lily's shells she found.This child is full of surprises. She picked this string off the ground and did this..
We had a great time, Thanks O'Cain Clan for inviting us! We love you.

is it possible we live so close to the beach but haven't been in 2 years?

well yes. with nursing school, two little ones in 15 months, the adoption, building a new home etc. we just never got around to it. we were invited to spend Labor Day weekend with some family at the beach and took our kiddos, finally. our older ones were so excited to be at the beach again (having lived there for 3 years) and our little guys were excited for their first trip. lily,of course, was very curious. she shared with us that she had been to the beach in china but did not get in the water. she said only the boys did.

we left on thursday after i got off of work (yep, 7pm) and headed off to the beach. we only had one little traffic issue and then we had a big tantrum issue on the way there. you see, lily decided about half way through Kung Fu Panda that she did not "lika the mo-veeee" (it is a boy movie, so she says). she then proceeded to repeat this statement through tears, sometimes screaming, sometimes kicking my seat (grrr) for 50 whole minutes. imagine all 7 of us in the car listening to this. john and i both were about to have a breakdown but somehow we made it through it. she finally calmed down about 5 minutes after the movie ended ( yes I let it finish-I was afraid of reinforcing the behavior) and was fine. we got to the condo about 11pm. the kiddos cousins were up waiting for them. we got to bed late but as usual the kiddos were up bright and early and ready to hit the beach. the big boys headed straight for the waves ( which thanks to a storm at sea were pretty decent) and the others hesitated. they did eventually end up in the water but spent an awful lot of time in the sand. we had a great time and really enjoyed being with our family. 4 days was just perfect for 4 adults and 8 kiddos (2 to 12) to hang out in the condo at the beach. we left with a little sunburn (john), 6 hermit crabs, some cute clothes from the outlets, a big plastic shark and some awesome memories. I took some decent pics and will add them Wed.

Years ago I learned of Compassion International. I have always meant to sponsor one of their children and didn't. No excuse, just didn't. As you all know by now my mind is obsessed with the children around the world. Those that are homeless, those that are hungry, those with no parents. Recently on a blog I read she talked about her "other" children. I felt convicted yet still did nothing. This week our local Christian radio station started a drive for the children on Compassion International. I felt convicted again. Today I did something about it. I felt overwhelmed when I went on their site to select a child. Too many. But as I expected I found the child I wanted to sponsor. I was first drawn to her name, Jenifer. Then her beautiful face and then to the little red heart on her picture. After realizing that meant that she has been waiting for a sponsor for over 6 months I could look no further. This child needed me and my $38 more than I need a new piece of clothing every month. Which is what I will give up. Or just taking my lunch to work would make it up. But it doesn't matter, she needs it and I have it. Hop on over to there site if you haven't yet, there are plenty more, waiting....

I am still having a very hard time finding the time and desire to post. I have the intent just not the motivation so this post will probably be all over the place just to get updated.











All our kiddos waiting to ride the Great Smoky Railroad on our vacation.







First off I missed posting on my son #2's birthday, Sellers. On Saturday he turned 9. We had a small get together at home, his choice, and it was so much fun. I cannot believe this is his last year in the single digits. Just growing too fast. Sellers is absolutely obsessed with Star Wars. All but one of his birthday gifts was something Star Wars, as well as the cake and decorations. Here is a recent picture of this sweet little man.










I always seem to catch his seriousness in pictures but actually he is quite goofy and lighthearted.






Everyone started back to school. Lily is in kindergarten. The school has been so wonderfully supportive of us and she has the sweetest teachers. She likes it but would prefer to stay home with me if she could. She definitely thinks school in America is easier than China. I think her school was very strict in China and she didn't get to do a lot of related arts. Her English is amazing. We can pretty much talk about anything now. We have even talked some about her life in China and she has shared with me some of her history she remembers before she was abandoned. She is a very happy child and is looking forward to going to the beach for the very first time this weekend, weather willing (rain, rain, go away!). She is also looking forward to her Birthday in September. After being given the choice of any birthday theme she surprisingly picked Tinkerbell. I expected her to pick Hello Kitty or Princesses.



Our daughter just weeks before we came to China to bring her home.





Our daughter today:


















Wyatt striking a pose... One of my favorite pictures from vacation. This is what I found in the backseat after a ice cream cone on the ride home from tubing. So funny. (and just so you know I don't ride around with my kids in car seats unstrapped, I unbuckled him for the picture. Just had to get the full effect)