tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16195892990002132102024-03-19T20:46:08.857-07:00JUNIOR'S JOURNEY HOMEOne small boy's journey through adoption from Liberia Africa to the United States and a glimpse at all the other anxious families!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger289125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1619589299000213210.post-8757679359679002232011-04-18T17:45:00.001-07:002011-04-18T18:07:01.316-07:00We Moved!I know some of you already know and I apologize for the long lapse in posts but we have been a bit busy. About 7 weeks ago we stumbled on a home that has everything one can imagine and then some, and it was a need to make a decision right now sort of deal. In between my business trips, which have been long and plentiful we bought a house and moved. We still have our other house which needs to sell. We are currently trying to balance both. I have attached photos for all of you who have been asking. These are a few, there are many more needed to be put on here but I just can't seem to find the time to take the pictures and get this done! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc91QWj_xQH04hBSPSu6kQUiZRotOYqAKnIOx90hxHrk_Jdcqx3v-YBbNOi07lJzrczu493rX4Kp85owpdx2dBizPYUMemZIn4feTuubUldq66zPW2je4Sd_D4r-n3mK9H-6qHTQcYiUyR/s1600/front+house.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 135px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc91QWj_xQH04hBSPSu6kQUiZRotOYqAKnIOx90hxHrk_Jdcqx3v-YBbNOi07lJzrczu493rX4Kp85owpdx2dBizPYUMemZIn4feTuubUldq66zPW2je4Sd_D4r-n3mK9H-6qHTQcYiUyR/s200/front+house.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597091180017733058" /></a><br />Front of the house<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLkfMr6AwFQk5jCMptHPevNExqFVe1CjWFbRleDAHw3mfGenEORktHK106gWirA4n3K7ywzytpzryElGyOX9piBB1CHoiZ1wUSoQwm_OT4ytrb2jQbl1wDuyIRNqCzJM8ysINsrVdMbs3/s1600/Living+room.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 135px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLkfMr6AwFQk5jCMptHPevNExqFVe1CjWFbRleDAHw3mfGenEORktHK106gWirA4n3K7ywzytpzryElGyOX9piBB1CHoiZ1wUSoQwm_OT4ytrb2jQbl1wDuyIRNqCzJM8ysINsrVdMbs3/s200/Living+room.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597090818311925282" /></a><br />Living Room <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgfLS1w-lxe9apwTTd3GwRvZQ04LisjTM6MSQS2kvZ20Op1nDJ0rM6hPF3Xl3diiVGXdm1lqmDvlw53DSfGHqeXNX172DOH6Uv6850kVm1vKscqlYBIVo5Ge25j1ytXOkAtK7oBAC_cKBA/s1600/Kitchen.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 135px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgfLS1w-lxe9apwTTd3GwRvZQ04LisjTM6MSQS2kvZ20Op1nDJ0rM6hPF3Xl3diiVGXdm1lqmDvlw53DSfGHqeXNX172DOH6Uv6850kVm1vKscqlYBIVo5Ge25j1ytXOkAtK7oBAC_cKBA/s200/Kitchen.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597090814562875810" /></a><br />Kitchen<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgABHld8k2WY-YUNEOgYwxCHQWB7AesPZZRkRdbm2mipTZNQJuM96ZesH4bQXeMqh-jQajVI9ym_cdMWIqPBQEIGHCds6hi-RLOMs4ctlTu26d-RzqzqUNQUyeIwj86XtKazhrKswoTdage/s1600/Dining+Room.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 135px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgABHld8k2WY-YUNEOgYwxCHQWB7AesPZZRkRdbm2mipTZNQJuM96ZesH4bQXeMqh-jQajVI9ym_cdMWIqPBQEIGHCds6hi-RLOMs4ctlTu26d-RzqzqUNQUyeIwj86XtKazhrKswoTdage/s200/Dining+Room.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597090806357726242" /></a><br />D-Room <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHND4z8ts0HJq9yMuOmULQgWd1knP41dvftHphlWlLlDdz_a5BqvsT1N_-3Y0PHNCl0SnBhiqgia75vDog-O9g6EtTgp74-eMv4rTkQPvV7Va1ThZLNMzKRAzRq_2dGqFWcIHDtsMULraC/s1600/Theater_IMG00126.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHND4z8ts0HJq9yMuOmULQgWd1knP41dvftHphlWlLlDdz_a5BqvsT1N_-3Y0PHNCl0SnBhiqgia75vDog-O9g6EtTgp74-eMv4rTkQPvV7Va1ThZLNMzKRAzRq_2dGqFWcIHDtsMULraC/s200/Theater_IMG00126.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597090822407157874" /></a><br />Theater / Safe Room (furniture on order) <br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2t5aJMZlOMtajpkp_DBFD66Tm0qQdlWju2uKGAFIe4foBM7ivtksyGPFOlZwRH3VTdg6vYLckJdwJAXPf7cuSNSS3Jiz4pUPp-mkQeElPfEOsVcXzKPaExbv0YhDL49iA8ui8FmBou6R5/s1600/Tanning+room.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 135px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2t5aJMZlOMtajpkp_DBFD66Tm0qQdlWju2uKGAFIe4foBM7ivtksyGPFOlZwRH3VTdg6vYLckJdwJAXPf7cuSNSS3Jiz4pUPp-mkQeElPfEOsVcXzKPaExbv0YhDL49iA8ui8FmBou6R5/s200/Tanning+room.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597091196131479874" /></a><br />Tanning room <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuaOvhQYB2_XrbrC4cJ9mb_TGNk585hF0Tpwhifx05HHdawFerluBN7acvARtRVdKCpW2E4G8b33W_78jzVoXI1voniaY5Ld6eJZ-xf4SL42MjkCsR3SyHT_QzuzToYnspToqv9t60DDxP/s1600/office.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 135px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuaOvhQYB2_XrbrC4cJ9mb_TGNk585hF0Tpwhifx05HHdawFerluBN7acvARtRVdKCpW2E4G8b33W_78jzVoXI1voniaY5Ld6eJZ-xf4SL42MjkCsR3SyHT_QzuzToYnspToqv9t60DDxP/s200/office.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597091191614964658" /></a><br />Private office with seperate entry and bath<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7b2TdmeBbjhU8AdSJ9z1nYxkYUDHfUq8UYLWWZZAs0jD1csWNMGpcnV1c74J-WidActwADWwk2L8dJFlxGb3Uglh1ttN92zEiCyFCDvSb5tBlOWI2RDJbca1iUSahe3u_wuO8FJ5hEVbw/s1600/Exterior+patio+and+pond_IMG00120.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7b2TdmeBbjhU8AdSJ9z1nYxkYUDHfUq8UYLWWZZAs0jD1csWNMGpcnV1c74J-WidActwADWwk2L8dJFlxGb3Uglh1ttN92zEiCyFCDvSb5tBlOWI2RDJbca1iUSahe3u_wuO8FJ5hEVbw/s200/Exterior+patio+and+pond_IMG00120.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597090433619014546" /></a><br />Patio area<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjERtADTuB2wm6fdWyzIosNw8DLAsoSgEr9cHrTfBfeXBfjk-e8nNh8zUfl1v2PlqTREie1q_wjZAUFwv4-fuJhyi3yEYAiUoBiviDMoD0yhNBmnBY1O2qnbW2_i9t7ZGV7I3CmxxMSS5_1/s1600/Exterior+patio_IMG00119.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjERtADTuB2wm6fdWyzIosNw8DLAsoSgEr9cHrTfBfeXBfjk-e8nNh8zUfl1v2PlqTREie1q_wjZAUFwv4-fuJhyi3yEYAiUoBiviDMoD0yhNBmnBY1O2qnbW2_i9t7ZGV7I3CmxxMSS5_1/s200/Exterior+patio_IMG00119.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597090432325926738" /></a><br />Back view ... future pool right there in the middle! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggYyICpjbca3RACGsW43cUnfrEQA1jsdqInA-P1bNTpN5YS5ZfQFGMswZm5bv3vu7rhcGZL4vMSwAAMP41uRHK6UdaZfJu5dQq8fx4jkc6Wf-cayDpoQ1zVwwI90GrYv92vEoOt6a4vHIZ/s1600/Moms+entry.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 135px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggYyICpjbca3RACGsW43cUnfrEQA1jsdqInA-P1bNTpN5YS5ZfQFGMswZm5bv3vu7rhcGZL4vMSwAAMP41uRHK6UdaZfJu5dQq8fx4jkc6Wf-cayDpoQ1zVwwI90GrYv92vEoOt6a4vHIZ/s200/Moms+entry.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597091207690867410" /></a><br />Mom's entry and recently added dogs pens off of kennel room<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqUTxftlrsdGh_OLfnQmkp_IEy2YeXe89Bnq3hOtyE8Bg_aP3h3oiaTR8ofxHkW9QRAbuap0Epf0P81pHD5570slCMS0fews78omyzsFUsAZ1LvY3k8dZXbmOHoqewawl-Ygu8bIrHfhz5/s1600/Moms_IMG00127.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqUTxftlrsdGh_OLfnQmkp_IEy2YeXe89Bnq3hOtyE8Bg_aP3h3oiaTR8ofxHkW9QRAbuap0Epf0P81pHD5570slCMS0fews78omyzsFUsAZ1LvY3k8dZXbmOHoqewawl-Ygu8bIrHfhz5/s200/Moms_IMG00127.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597091185043010322" /></a><br />Moms area is the orginal homestead they just kept building and building forever! (she will be moving too!)<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYhjgMuf_FCQJF5l3uFVXsSEUQ7_9XMGMiwkXolxODGVp5HMVtbNML17Wsmq24V6r32C_v_5SILRcat3P8xWWnbYT3CVyOx-fyaZlGeTPNoqwfnlRp_zuvaJZ3sz9UoQ6gSW3QjRqQ22Dw/s1600/Doghouse.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 135px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYhjgMuf_FCQJF5l3uFVXsSEUQ7_9XMGMiwkXolxODGVp5HMVtbNML17Wsmq24V6r32C_v_5SILRcat3P8xWWnbYT3CVyOx-fyaZlGeTPNoqwfnlRp_zuvaJZ3sz9UoQ6gSW3QjRqQ22Dw/s200/Doghouse.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597090806007617490" /></a><br />Dogs new barn with runs<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixrnuQCR97VQtDV6WMfgIWAAtkL5N8A96V6kho2qYbeG9IMMbHejn8xrIa04kU0j6tghTKat3ppm2_jk0b3vxGXvoYknCzCJyp7-SKBC_0rZcnfguJdpONMoBlPzd7O6W8x0nkVZdx_zNa/s1600/Kids+playhouses.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 135px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixrnuQCR97VQtDV6WMfgIWAAtkL5N8A96V6kho2qYbeG9IMMbHejn8xrIa04kU0j6tghTKat3ppm2_jk0b3vxGXvoYknCzCJyp7-SKBC_0rZcnfguJdpONMoBlPzd7O6W8x0nkVZdx_zNa/s200/Kids+playhouses.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597090422648422418" /></a><br />Playhouses (1) for each child Akins' comes complete with a zip line! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvQA3FAvNV9-6Fd8fI9LgIZVy-Zew2qGUHdECs3py6iEuSUqymOvrRYi1Wglf7N1MknNMR0dj3KLhWjJKz-iqnW2fSCKTAl7Q9w3Ks_iwOlbEOgKzpv_KgvtMbnCoeXiCgwPKariPNJTv/s1600/backyard+lake.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 135px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvQA3FAvNV9-6Fd8fI9LgIZVy-Zew2qGUHdECs3py6iEuSUqymOvrRYi1Wglf7N1MknNMR0dj3KLhWjJKz-iqnW2fSCKTAl7Q9w3Ks_iwOlbEOgKzpv_KgvtMbnCoeXiCgwPKariPNJTv/s200/backyard+lake.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597090416743284242" /></a><br />View of the pondUnknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1619589299000213210.post-19861749444511729802011-03-07T18:16:00.000-08:002011-03-07T18:24:27.493-08:00The BetThe new soccer season was about to begin. Once again, Lorea is the coach. So, she lays the bet, one she is certain Akins will never deliver on because generally speaking he is not able to focus on anything long enough to pull it off. $100 if you score 5 goals! What does Akins do..... score 6!!!! The whole team and all of their family supporters were cheering him on.The boys just wanted to see Coach Lorea have to pay up and of course win the game which they certainly did, 7 to 1. <br /><br />He chose the following items with his money:<br /><br />A DS game for him. One that will help him read.<br />A DS game for Maima. A baby sitting game so she can take care of him really good.<br />A box of Blueberry Cereal for him.<br />A box of Corn Chex Cereal for Maima (her choice).<br />Two coconuts, one for him and one for Maima.<br />Dinner at the "place where they do tricks with fire". Tokyo Garden serves Hibatchi style where they cook around a Habachi grill. Best part Lorea catching the shrimp tail in her mouth, oh and the rice of course! Duh!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1619589299000213210.post-89556011059388402992011-02-20T17:27:00.000-08:002011-02-20T17:35:07.905-08:00The Darndest ThingsOn Saturday I made Eggs Benedict....<br /><br />Akins: "Mommy I think if you made this on the competition you would go to Hollywood".<br /><br />On Sunday we decided to give Lorea three surprise ingredients and she had to make something from them. We choose mayonnaise, red vinaigrette sugar free dressing and cocoa. <br /><br />She made two different cupcakes. The first a chocolate mayonnaise cake with almond, cherry and vinaigrette frosting. Topped with a cherry. The second was a chocolate mayonnaise cake with pumpkin seeds, vinaigrette and Chinese Chile frosting. The kids voted that Lorea would go to Hollywood on the spicy one.<br /><br />Okay, so perhaps we watch the Food Network too much. I also think American Idol is mixed in here somewhere.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1619589299000213210.post-14402214159862209382011-02-06T16:27:00.000-08:002011-02-06T19:46:56.864-08:00Redneck OlympicsWhile some people watch the Superbowl on this glorious Sunday, others (us specifically) make best of our blizzard of 2011 conditions and engage in "Redneck Olympics". We head off to the local ski resort where we sled and snowboard! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7PRu2psyofb5kdma3u6kKq79lRmLhNdhwOcJnsB-M6m88_bv95tXdLdhuqrASCs6g9xkFMI-Ley6PrVkjB2eyduCyDP1MD5c8G9Ln33x1tMWWjbAbXAnnqCEOoDKgP2VTd4L21Dd3I3dd/s1600/PICT0311.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7PRu2psyofb5kdma3u6kKq79lRmLhNdhwOcJnsB-M6m88_bv95tXdLdhuqrASCs6g9xkFMI-Ley6PrVkjB2eyduCyDP1MD5c8G9Ln33x1tMWWjbAbXAnnqCEOoDKgP2VTd4L21Dd3I3dd/s200/PICT0311.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570741834071039426" /></a><br />The local ski resort boasts the most terrifying "Overpass Trail"<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2yKsDb_byU2f59J8TvLcO5jrHkl5U3J7Zzcx4VqI5wefWQ5rzJn8sTFs-F2Zy2eXRI-x8_-Hp6ucy67wKoShS_EMx_Hvr5qQU4rw775Vkn6_l2duWZSiRwDWBWkUOyJVnSjtg98GZSnhx/s1600/PICT0310.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2yKsDb_byU2f59J8TvLcO5jrHkl5U3J7Zzcx4VqI5wefWQ5rzJn8sTFs-F2Zy2eXRI-x8_-Hp6ucy67wKoShS_EMx_Hvr5qQU4rw775Vkn6_l2duWZSiRwDWBWkUOyJVnSjtg98GZSnhx/s200/PICT0310.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570741836611616418" /></a><br />One thing missing is the tow rope and/or ski lift <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdK6WT1imoEh5jYySc-CQD_oCqF4jzuawNWPXO_4W9MjuvsgTftQXMvK6D3FjUqmuIFJ7ba1KSohRzRT-F4Mf91_WHwgICYzOKGRnxdI8oNpj-JgKO50cP_BtMofEb85IIsScgWGzwpdHa/s1600/PICT0312.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdK6WT1imoEh5jYySc-CQD_oCqF4jzuawNWPXO_4W9MjuvsgTftQXMvK6D3FjUqmuIFJ7ba1KSohRzRT-F4Mf91_WHwgICYzOKGRnxdI8oNpj-JgKO50cP_BtMofEb85IIsScgWGzwpdHa/s200/PICT0312.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570741828757559522" /></a><br />Cars whizzing by on the highway above just add that much more spice to the event<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimeNK72f8SvOIc-KZyR5UGWI2RDvttbCc69V98CZDa9bwnWbsfF6EZ3wyNohago2-v9cbuiAhyQU43NAkFgtjgRT_imFnUAtbx2KFK-5mxnpeiR_2_eH5-G6T_HASTxhd0lXB5cLcJzaUL/s1600/PICT0315.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimeNK72f8SvOIc-KZyR5UGWI2RDvttbCc69V98CZDa9bwnWbsfF6EZ3wyNohago2-v9cbuiAhyQU43NAkFgtjgRT_imFnUAtbx2KFK-5mxnpeiR_2_eH5-G6T_HASTxhd0lXB5cLcJzaUL/s200/PICT0315.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570741822009231362" /></a><br />Our sled seems to always out run the inner tubes! First place goes to....<br /><br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/fVCIqIQkqvk?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/oO9KSZW94Zg?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjMjpXujRfWiIY_CVisuWqti8w4YkWSRiOnewt3CeNpSz6DCsp9UUzKHFZ7OquT6frwTBoiwyZjKW02kMj0F6RJSqIysfc0gzwISbnfm_lOB5J5vSxMWFvAKYejsfTcJv1BdTxgvfbrUDq/s1600/PICT0298.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjMjpXujRfWiIY_CVisuWqti8w4YkWSRiOnewt3CeNpSz6DCsp9UUzKHFZ7OquT6frwTBoiwyZjKW02kMj0F6RJSqIysfc0gzwISbnfm_lOB5J5vSxMWFvAKYejsfTcJv1BdTxgvfbrUDq/s200/PICT0298.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570740282298923938" /></a><br />Then there is the snowboard event <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW136dxmTi282-Zu1giU3oEB3M39CdNOfFNnNeL7kbYDFFINzIPWXY_84HF03jiAwpcgNLfPoLktlyRbA0GmtrVSYnHDoIRfIgMlkgQgcddgajG0wOQpRjiSM5o2QOCex2RXT7ueYnrMzn/s1600/PICT0292.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW136dxmTi282-Zu1giU3oEB3M39CdNOfFNnNeL7kbYDFFINzIPWXY_84HF03jiAwpcgNLfPoLktlyRbA0GmtrVSYnHDoIRfIgMlkgQgcddgajG0wOQpRjiSM5o2QOCex2RXT7ueYnrMzn/s200/PICT0292.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570740297729978242" /></a><br />and they are off!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig1ZhKdFZuwDI8-chBwPDju63T3Prw7sMnEX9gfEQqD_nH6os4zS-F0u1OFjqmS3M3-fDNOQqEUvBy5WFpTGaGZffWxURSh87gCwnRCWrcClC5ox9eADUEEiwKXZT8TgY1Kuoew5zi_PGw/s1600/PICT0294.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig1ZhKdFZuwDI8-chBwPDju63T3Prw7sMnEX9gfEQqD_nH6os4zS-F0u1OFjqmS3M3-fDNOQqEUvBy5WFpTGaGZffWxURSh87gCwnRCWrcClC5ox9eADUEEiwKXZT8TgY1Kuoew5zi_PGw/s200/PICT0294.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570740290803471266" /></a><br />Mush Lorea Mush! <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9dw6jute_9BHZblmqCo1MO_PE0Qr734mTb2iHRmCXCVLTBGR8NmMqh_XP0UjMoVhw_bzZaMsppBMcEGtyPrIR0oLT-EJ3U9zyMmhbbdMnXxbsttABf8KW0muL0A0XxMAYMamux_NUAYuG/s1600/PICT0295.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9dw6jute_9BHZblmqCo1MO_PE0Qr734mTb2iHRmCXCVLTBGR8NmMqh_XP0UjMoVhw_bzZaMsppBMcEGtyPrIR0oLT-EJ3U9zyMmhbbdMnXxbsttABf8KW0muL0A0XxMAYMamux_NUAYuG/s200/PICT0295.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570740287896471682" /></a><br />Wipe Out!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm0FXQhJjaPya95kJy-H65VqZKJbDKC4PZi_upBQTCuyWxevOhHJPYA6hDymRIuIuO7D_zjCRSq4XBXriEznEU5RbBTJiaYUem_qF2VUFOfU9N_YHXxTXVlU1fwRFCTrX_zvszMYvazoLf/s1600/PICT0304.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm0FXQhJjaPya95kJy-H65VqZKJbDKC4PZi_upBQTCuyWxevOhHJPYA6hDymRIuIuO7D_zjCRSq4XBXriEznEU5RbBTJiaYUem_qF2VUFOfU9N_YHXxTXVlU1fwRFCTrX_zvszMYvazoLf/s200/PICT0304.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570740904507125522" /></a><br />The tables turn and now Akins gets to be the human dog sled<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji_Ws3S0Yv2iqyfW-X2VrbhehFuaSGbRiSpAqy5eEWlIVdNvkqlZH5KTgkVMR3kJAqmKPwxJuMKOSScoPYEw1Vitm6hZqA2mNmC7OUO9A3Lj7t1p5u88o_m-CrlEBzc6TPLLSeaJNO9NLE/s1600/PICT0306.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji_Ws3S0Yv2iqyfW-X2VrbhehFuaSGbRiSpAqy5eEWlIVdNvkqlZH5KTgkVMR3kJAqmKPwxJuMKOSScoPYEw1Vitm6hZqA2mNmC7OUO9A3Lj7t1p5u88o_m-CrlEBzc6TPLLSeaJNO9NLE/s200/PICT0306.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570740901181544930" /></a><br />Mush Akins Mush<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpXHEStFLGmEWGuIxUs1lptgHNReBzbx8EFKRI3F0V4NrLgKHffI6rxaqWRiWBrOTA64SesNrfLccYXujr63amCSNPrvojtaJ7cYeZe05AtlEJoXefQgAEpmOzLpVtyh3O_5S7xyoqxwjf/s1600/PICT0286.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpXHEStFLGmEWGuIxUs1lptgHNReBzbx8EFKRI3F0V4NrLgKHffI6rxaqWRiWBrOTA64SesNrfLccYXujr63amCSNPrvojtaJ7cYeZe05AtlEJoXefQgAEpmOzLpVtyh3O_5S7xyoqxwjf/s200/PICT0286.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570740301038343938" /></a><br />and the tow rope grand prize goes to Team Ybarra<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrcwBdZHBobDf2g26DJWM0J2axb_IoaXHM1F9GQ6xHQyfAB90m8EEeRiIuB0hLlskOsGv_tJ6jd7ab12iKGF0xlKdqcgFdnBkcc43iFGtLG_J97wkAnr4HuYMKMt2TscL2e1vn3LGuVPLb/s1600/PICT0309.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrcwBdZHBobDf2g26DJWM0J2axb_IoaXHM1F9GQ6xHQyfAB90m8EEeRiIuB0hLlskOsGv_tJ6jd7ab12iKGF0xlKdqcgFdnBkcc43iFGtLG_J97wkAnr4HuYMKMt2TscL2e1vn3LGuVPLb/s200/PICT0309.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570741841206120690" /></a><br />Or maybe Team Knupp?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1619589299000213210.post-45937488164431036942010-12-27T17:18:00.000-08:002010-12-27T17:59:05.865-08:00Christmas 2010As if our family vacation was not enough (see previous post)I made the fabulous decision to take us all up to Tammy's house for Christmas this year and surprise my sister. Ten hours in the car with 2 kids, 3 adults and a 10 week old puppy (X's 2 that would be 10 hours ... each way). We survived as is apparent of this post. On Christmas day there were 8 kids to open gifts and 11 adults. Pretty full house, beds full end to end and wrapping paper everywhere. The noise level LOUD and yes Tammy was surprised. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFtdrdimDzfZChoHA91W9t3WXcGfB3rD3xqALMhoMD6cLquctOZdz_yTVivX6XZc7OE0mILrntZ3Cd-Cw5FflYi8oohL2vdh4zfrVvBaFyaWbhgAXZw_Ojea4GN-6GX8enZF7eFLayGPdc/s1600/PICT0235.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFtdrdimDzfZChoHA91W9t3WXcGfB3rD3xqALMhoMD6cLquctOZdz_yTVivX6XZc7OE0mILrntZ3Cd-Cw5FflYi8oohL2vdh4zfrVvBaFyaWbhgAXZw_Ojea4GN-6GX8enZF7eFLayGPdc/s200/PICT0235.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555539992026637042" /></a><br />Amanda stashing a few last minute gifts under the tree.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_fdv868IQ_ICXrCOlaBeer-geNA8MxYdjQjpzZB8KBPcUESAFGt_x4wDfaSUF50urDEslh5XD7lnrvv1ZwnuGYW3gWIMPgq-RdOPv8qmkbYypQ7wpOu7QLuhqnPpEittNrVXrdeEUdYJ/s1600/PICT0219.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_fdv868IQ_ICXrCOlaBeer-geNA8MxYdjQjpzZB8KBPcUESAFGt_x4wDfaSUF50urDEslh5XD7lnrvv1ZwnuGYW3gWIMPgq-RdOPv8qmkbYypQ7wpOu7QLuhqnPpEittNrVXrdeEUdYJ/s200/PICT0219.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555541365059286082" /></a><br />Tammy, Maima and Grandma all checking out some gifts.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXZFND3mDdxFaDlhB65bICzYMYKXIQ-9CZqhkPHThrb4MMWyVP6YcAHzZuI9Zah_5U3ZsnF1nyn1IP72jgTa0c4c2ejGLoonsE7m0abkzDML2YEevu3_fOe7iTJPnUdNNl4z_xayPe-CE8/s1600/PICT0208.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXZFND3mDdxFaDlhB65bICzYMYKXIQ-9CZqhkPHThrb4MMWyVP6YcAHzZuI9Zah_5U3ZsnF1nyn1IP72jgTa0c4c2ejGLoonsE7m0abkzDML2YEevu3_fOe7iTJPnUdNNl4z_xayPe-CE8/s200/PICT0208.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555541360260082162" /></a><br />Christmas morning Bubbles getting the first wrapper off. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUz1cl1STkU7XowJhwL9U6gChPoI9VU-7gGxicBr9pqht_-v2MBw4izIHL1Gr5XIQCYsQnjK0S-xXQ3cmhSSORyvEVrapHVm-zkBVJ5oizdiE7CYGqF-pzRG-sHh6V3yGavWp4IwrXRKvy/s1600/PICT0194.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUz1cl1STkU7XowJhwL9U6gChPoI9VU-7gGxicBr9pqht_-v2MBw4izIHL1Gr5XIQCYsQnjK0S-xXQ3cmhSSORyvEVrapHVm-zkBVJ5oizdiE7CYGqF-pzRG-sHh6V3yGavWp4IwrXRKvy/s200/PICT0194.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555541352233254562" /></a><br />Travis giving Grandma a hug<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSFNnBTOle6oqVXVnZvG2Ld__z8vtpQwLk3csmad-dOuCx9ooV7PLAdF9eqGodDcClojHa9yEL2Gu_ii2NCTYSv1HJzjMQoxaM2nFTdMm4qGdRFtQ9moeXuPpxqpIqMQ3axT1Wj0-JB1FM/s1600/PICT0222.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSFNnBTOle6oqVXVnZvG2Ld__z8vtpQwLk3csmad-dOuCx9ooV7PLAdF9eqGodDcClojHa9yEL2Gu_ii2NCTYSv1HJzjMQoxaM2nFTdMm4qGdRFtQ9moeXuPpxqpIqMQ3axT1Wj0-JB1FM/s200/PICT0222.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555541346369180338" /></a><br />Of course once you get a piece of wrapper off you must eat it!Duh!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB3lmbYk7OS_WlAvIShUrz2pJxB9iO7xpArrefhKpSiwC3dziah4CuI9v1yQLJGclue0ZCV6UBKkB05uSwFq-RQv5_gPv_BN2ziLktKCTPQQHOZKA80z-Z17P8P3H6TU7eL7B__FYw0a3P/s1600/PICT0228.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB3lmbYk7OS_WlAvIShUrz2pJxB9iO7xpArrefhKpSiwC3dziah4CuI9v1yQLJGclue0ZCV6UBKkB05uSwFq-RQv5_gPv_BN2ziLktKCTPQQHOZKA80z-Z17P8P3H6TU7eL7B__FYw0a3P/s200/PICT0228.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555540007795916546" /></a><br />Maddie giving Akins a helping paw.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn6L7nnB-oTFgJEglPxD-d_A_D6_Q3oa8SS0P2QvGnDHiIfL90HTpeOCf691iTE7YwDTI9HPKjXPF3OATppuYz-iBiWvUTsJ5mV7S3j0q5ixicfXVn3q6gm4-70y_2F7dC6So-l_yzmSyp/s1600/PICT0254.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn6L7nnB-oTFgJEglPxD-d_A_D6_Q3oa8SS0P2QvGnDHiIfL90HTpeOCf691iTE7YwDTI9HPKjXPF3OATppuYz-iBiWvUTsJ5mV7S3j0q5ixicfXVn3q6gm4-70y_2F7dC6So-l_yzmSyp/s200/PICT0254.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555540001400751362" /></a><br />Tyler in his football gear! He is ready now! <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMqtoRo6TMtTtYN_ysGNXW60YO43NDAP9FeFmk3J0xPq_RScN5G09GVpACeoVwdTvTUhjCHiXzoRI1QacbG__n7bF2Cd8NVP3ZRVgtmhyphenhyphenYrEBWE3p3lCVz9EvWdEP8uul3UTZOaVNZLLCB/s1600/PICT0245.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMqtoRo6TMtTtYN_ysGNXW60YO43NDAP9FeFmk3J0xPq_RScN5G09GVpACeoVwdTvTUhjCHiXzoRI1QacbG__n7bF2Cd8NVP3ZRVgtmhyphenhyphenYrEBWE3p3lCVz9EvWdEP8uul3UTZOaVNZLLCB/s200/PICT0245.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555539999594251586" /></a><br />A sample of the chaos - wall to wall bodies! <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqnwLGzBA8ZQFBTZJz3s58ZDEKrJHCSL5_EY3bfZRIGa2PJsAc1Qb4lzRqDA-lEF-NeQQx9IdKIKZJHx7nmo4MEm2XXTqsBhsUEcJSnWup6848qf6gc7u-z82ahvlLwgRlLFjCjKMgGXq/s1600/PICT0205.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqnwLGzBA8ZQFBTZJz3s58ZDEKrJHCSL5_EY3bfZRIGa2PJsAc1Qb4lzRqDA-lEF-NeQQx9IdKIKZJHx7nmo4MEm2XXTqsBhsUEcJSnWup6848qf6gc7u-z82ahvlLwgRlLFjCjKMgGXq/s200/PICT0205.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555541351569835378" /></a><br />Gotta get a little play time in too!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq2lh3VNJXvtstdrn-S1_W1FEmV_piHOZKA5c8lt1oXdUvPVEcINrAD1KLQhU9APx03_T6DDEvAghM06uWas_9S6kAkgIaCtZ5K3rvLog9EzlK01ylt39kEcpmt5TYlBKWlFFqo3oq4v5Y/s1600/PICT0277.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq2lh3VNJXvtstdrn-S1_W1FEmV_piHOZKA5c8lt1oXdUvPVEcINrAD1KLQhU9APx03_T6DDEvAghM06uWas_9S6kAkgIaCtZ5K3rvLog9EzlK01ylt39kEcpmt5TYlBKWlFFqo3oq4v5Y/s200/PICT0277.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555540007772478162" /></a><br />After all of this you just got to take a nap!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1619589299000213210.post-20060004574134454882010-12-27T16:13:00.000-08:002010-12-27T17:17:07.492-08:00Vacation Recap 2010Family vacation. Who's idea was this exactly? I would love to meet this person and try to get a really good understanding of the sadistic mindset that led to this annual tradition. Family vacation, set to the tone of relaxing, fun and exciting. Is really, stressful, tiring and for kids like mine over stimulating and therefore CRAZY! We went to the Dominican Republic. Punta Cana boasts beautiful white sand beaches and tranquil tourquoise water. This is the extent of the relaxing part of the trip. The rest was frought with a pouting temperament by one child or the other at any given time. Lorea and I vowed this to be the last family vacation for a while. We would rather reward Grandma monetarily in a large sum and go on a couple only vacation next year. Here are a few of the better moments of the trip and when I look back at these it would appear that we had a blast. I have not gone through child birth (one obvious reason to adopt) but I am guessing family vacation is much like giving birth. The pain of the moment fades with time. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7d2eiHmKvXIMnsMZD1KdgTknc0pzkKV4o9e3H3HbWqFpFjc-R66ny8ejRW6QgTQyxkJhtlsGMhie05nN5aHOGsNFld3lzKIWjqLjsY9S8RCscbtdsgUMzQmhXS0VxNdoJSwhpWBsIf_X9/s1600/PICT0033.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7d2eiHmKvXIMnsMZD1KdgTknc0pzkKV4o9e3H3HbWqFpFjc-R66ny8ejRW6QgTQyxkJhtlsGMhie05nN5aHOGsNFld3lzKIWjqLjsY9S8RCscbtdsgUMzQmhXS0VxNdoJSwhpWBsIf_X9/s200/PICT0033.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555524251789720450" /></a><br />Enjoying the pool. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs6eACM2ROPhkQxWvImBBWIayqBOsyhVMQkIogiFAEQwYBMJDzLOyutPx5hREs5P4PZNZx2klVHEwvo_yaYLWT4-dflgC-RH1agxlEjhuXUzP_pKyHin0p8eBCskrMJfU857KbO9ESk3Gf/s1600/PICT0032.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs6eACM2ROPhkQxWvImBBWIayqBOsyhVMQkIogiFAEQwYBMJDzLOyutPx5hREs5P4PZNZx2klVHEwvo_yaYLWT4-dflgC-RH1agxlEjhuXUzP_pKyHin0p8eBCskrMJfU857KbO9ESk3Gf/s200/PICT0032.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555524247470701506" /></a><br />Akins skipping off for a dip. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPakQhyphenhyphenkkC6sx3uTFhizqyHiwi6cDjM8FjsTVZr_M0Jad8KD0AGiqAf4r4JJPvYMHEOvRWgFfyrG8lY6W5MX5KfHFCis7deCfDJ8-Z4g4D-bcqHDkD3V7CGKGCr_hKy7Nej8-5anGsDlNu/s1600/PICT0002.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPakQhyphenhyphenkkC6sx3uTFhizqyHiwi6cDjM8FjsTVZr_M0Jad8KD0AGiqAf4r4JJPvYMHEOvRWgFfyrG8lY6W5MX5KfHFCis7deCfDJ8-Z4g4D-bcqHDkD3V7CGKGCr_hKy7Nej8-5anGsDlNu/s200/PICT0002.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555524244094995874" /></a><br />Akins first stop the swim up bar for a cool one. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhta8e2YnsD8d0qAl-0TnHjCYb6EV_xoC2Z6Lx5yRfjAnEeTqbnXmiyk2S3gjt5g30rFjFYbpWnOPYAw24mCPBC_dbP8qzbJxznm0AzoUat_EwHhMOM6ppz54pAbo27gHeb0pL0GyOxZzaF/s1600/PICT0164.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhta8e2YnsD8d0qAl-0TnHjCYb6EV_xoC2Z6Lx5yRfjAnEeTqbnXmiyk2S3gjt5g30rFjFYbpWnOPYAw24mCPBC_dbP8qzbJxznm0AzoUat_EwHhMOM6ppz54pAbo27gHeb0pL0GyOxZzaF/s200/PICT0164.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555530889385990210" /></a><br />Akins always makes friends and speaks the international language of PLAY<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5GB25FdvIoy6o8-bW40tSs17bTKbGx8NYJyVa9qv1LpXkcvS3qGBlIs9piLSPC6N6vwlO6FRz0I__aLjepNT0DKwcAkfu-1qQENjRExRDkLAMKr403wLtt1p8xzxyP2NO6wOJUxtNQsRe/s1600/PICT0167.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5GB25FdvIoy6o8-bW40tSs17bTKbGx8NYJyVa9qv1LpXkcvS3qGBlIs9piLSPC6N6vwlO6FRz0I__aLjepNT0DKwcAkfu-1qQENjRExRDkLAMKr403wLtt1p8xzxyP2NO6wOJUxtNQsRe/s200/PICT0167.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555530875095178066" /></a><br />Maima is a typical pre-teen and can sleep any time of the day any where<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-HIJEg7C_NPar4P44Ko0tX31ki0-hpnitLkyCL2NADk59Ob4scMBHe7GJy7RMX7UnUmvE2G5fitunxW_N5HcoP2-2FkRpMbiiT_enkmiTa_Yi_4OZzsD77w7Ks5ozB082hloHoYk1cpu/s1600/PICT0119.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-HIJEg7C_NPar4P44Ko0tX31ki0-hpnitLkyCL2NADk59Ob4scMBHe7GJy7RMX7UnUmvE2G5fitunxW_N5HcoP2-2FkRpMbiiT_enkmiTa_Yi_4OZzsD77w7Ks5ozB082hloHoYk1cpu/s200/PICT0119.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555530874335140898" /></a><br />Akins always finds coconuts and is plotting how to open it <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU4ly0lWZkwP6DcHE4NP3QlmQ_LGX0f94YCRpEozzK2GYD5ao_D-j_Mylaa8KfqpghU8Osq3mQPuwSQtOLraGVuWt7avDOoz9BhXigZkO21qeuwwb158NTXKYhQs96LEYiftBtafCAB6UH/s1600/IMG_1137.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU4ly0lWZkwP6DcHE4NP3QlmQ_LGX0f94YCRpEozzK2GYD5ao_D-j_Mylaa8KfqpghU8Osq3mQPuwSQtOLraGVuWt7avDOoz9BhXigZkO21qeuwwb158NTXKYhQs96LEYiftBtafCAB6UH/s200/IMG_1137.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555530868879320178" /></a><br />We rented buggies and spent half the day getting really dirty!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2JqLvyDlhYY9Jzd_DOR3Y3QgkhkpDLeRbeRzRDhoVWStAa9JDRSqbZAKk72-Lq1Clscut5bnF_EDwOw1JofL2G65oQie2ogowVZDrKCAMVKyoNzcTVL8IaCwH-Vo2qO5S3Df98deVGmu9/s1600/IMG_1199.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2JqLvyDlhYY9Jzd_DOR3Y3QgkhkpDLeRbeRzRDhoVWStAa9JDRSqbZAKk72-Lq1Clscut5bnF_EDwOw1JofL2G65oQie2ogowVZDrKCAMVKyoNzcTVL8IaCwH-Vo2qO5S3Df98deVGmu9/s200/IMG_1199.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555528536158120898" /></a><br />How on earth he could sleep during this is a question never to be answered <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvSvDa5fAF-IMzY6ui9oHYfQUvXHKx8X3MdMV_GdZyb90AiSKVhQS-Moy1sA4eeFFv61AiffvUb5ofJO8aAZslUcAZ64F6HDTND8J8uqALD212TkhELQQSV9IhTe2JK1CDelI9HQ03N4iE/s1600/IMG_1204.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvSvDa5fAF-IMzY6ui9oHYfQUvXHKx8X3MdMV_GdZyb90AiSKVhQS-Moy1sA4eeFFv61AiffvUb5ofJO8aAZslUcAZ64F6HDTND8J8uqALD212TkhELQQSV9IhTe2JK1CDelI9HQ03N4iE/s200/IMG_1204.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555528539776948114" /></a><br />Okay slightly awake again!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcm4rmnzoiRFQssxE60g7EeiwQfPw2PEXuoQ0zrlGQ3_cyC4IQEZgze50Uftl1Fdz1jS6bN6swHvX2CLHP2Fg-LF3Rcxy0BxrNI2nS3sfyo-2z6wOMLbJbtjeuKpCxOF6697LsFfrbs2pM/s1600/PICT0135.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcm4rmnzoiRFQssxE60g7EeiwQfPw2PEXuoQ0zrlGQ3_cyC4IQEZgze50Uftl1Fdz1jS6bN6swHvX2CLHP2Fg-LF3Rcxy0BxrNI2nS3sfyo-2z6wOMLbJbtjeuKpCxOF6697LsFfrbs2pM/s200/PICT0135.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555526111016482498" /></a><br />Cruisin' on down the road! <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiYedhyphenhyphenBLD0cL-1nwcWJyGRM2uLgrvmOEGBCiV-LNmDAHF06b8ceassmzlmCrDa-_W2USP_czWSX-yloumJdJuwEwk8RC5R2tpo67kqyJSCYS256udsJN2V66RdhFVk8eaGbDsXKPOSC2O/s1600/PICT0101.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiYedhyphenhyphenBLD0cL-1nwcWJyGRM2uLgrvmOEGBCiV-LNmDAHF06b8ceassmzlmCrDa-_W2USP_czWSX-yloumJdJuwEwk8RC5R2tpo67kqyJSCYS256udsJN2V66RdhFVk8eaGbDsXKPOSC2O/s200/PICT0101.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555526093831133794" /></a><br />We all made a friend<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg-SjoxX77Td_7mnDtJR1wCTgz0FWBfu1pmfaft8pkLsLxCzy9Ly6owd9Vzu1WLBkX6sw1DWwp3qngjNjWUbqEssjkON6VRGQjsSTrbV3rV3hW4qTEp2nOM-UrjOJBIHCPLpUX8VJglcRZ/s1600/PICT0098.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg-SjoxX77Td_7mnDtJR1wCTgz0FWBfu1pmfaft8pkLsLxCzy9Ly6owd9Vzu1WLBkX6sw1DWwp3qngjNjWUbqEssjkON6VRGQjsSTrbV3rV3hW4qTEp2nOM-UrjOJBIHCPLpUX8VJglcRZ/s200/PICT0098.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555526091941824434" /></a><br />Had to make a quick stop at Wal-Mart<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAt_lycLEvCuBCRTRbArMOhpJt0PhCgO3R-qvayPDiUDbDoWoqD3xbNHMQGNxwxnn7XKSF5Vl5cYfOxN_CgSzryyG0o_Xzpjvwomr_ZOcp0DcQvjHru5a6_Wh0t82nhOM-c1EPRWzPhVoe/s1600/IMG_1160.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAt_lycLEvCuBCRTRbArMOhpJt0PhCgO3R-qvayPDiUDbDoWoqD3xbNHMQGNxwxnn7XKSF5Vl5cYfOxN_CgSzryyG0o_Xzpjvwomr_ZOcp0DcQvjHru5a6_Wh0t82nhOM-c1EPRWzPhVoe/s200/IMG_1160.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555528524884084754" /></a><br />Everyone but Lorea took a nice cool swim in the cave<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTmC_acJJpMa6SdW80hye4CP_xBRWWeubu21x-bk1jaqjaH74m0leM6io3DvdBQfLtX8DJuDdNErJQ7-L7Y4uRhCQhUhfgfWfC4q8__WCh0La_S73N8fCEREwz4W3_G1D-nZkrTr-OxYAH/s1600/IMG_1162.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTmC_acJJpMa6SdW80hye4CP_xBRWWeubu21x-bk1jaqjaH74m0leM6io3DvdBQfLtX8DJuDdNErJQ7-L7Y4uRhCQhUhfgfWfC4q8__WCh0La_S73N8fCEREwz4W3_G1D-nZkrTr-OxYAH/s200/IMG_1162.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555528530218153858" /></a><br />The kids loved it!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh52O6lSvHV0gWdfJFjZDqggmvp8ReP9Idy3c3msmAsEA6sMj3nYUvn6hOtTLRBXDJm9uHpIhP65Xl_4ldenfk4GykLnH0jHBcO7J1Mf80WY7Ty94dVM77OYVO4Lvm3KEpdKogKhF-Uh3_v/s1600/PICT0136.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh52O6lSvHV0gWdfJFjZDqggmvp8ReP9Idy3c3msmAsEA6sMj3nYUvn6hOtTLRBXDJm9uHpIhP65Xl_4ldenfk4GykLnH0jHBcO7J1Mf80WY7Ty94dVM77OYVO4Lvm3KEpdKogKhF-Uh3_v/s200/PICT0136.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555528520195512946" /></a><br />Again he sleeps. This time at dinner. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs4R2Ym-7uwT6p8hIz1bQeN064qALARI0SGwhFMgwUbjFsOMcMcc_UfWaijnUV9qfVv6mJmkJEUv0vfW__snuiXpMSN1Sqo4lHy_hx9JLG0zievZ4IxRsXA7TSGqCqJq8Lgsd8Eq6ptEsw/s1600/PICT0112.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs4R2Ym-7uwT6p8hIz1bQeN064qALARI0SGwhFMgwUbjFsOMcMcc_UfWaijnUV9qfVv6mJmkJEUv0vfW__snuiXpMSN1Sqo4lHy_hx9JLG0zievZ4IxRsXA7TSGqCqJq8Lgsd8Eq6ptEsw/s200/PICT0112.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555526100919861682" /></a><br />He finds another coconut!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFs149n2DwqykQsKUuigCmmTDqn9Txmv6QnRp17orYoCzN2oU8s8G2BnJXnJwjQPw8WypBmgx3sskrjXE-UtmF5IFHsbADQegKaPwDYemsmdvVChLLDwCDPi1UPHvWzHTTyOkpV7mjswmg/s1600/PICT0068.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFs149n2DwqykQsKUuigCmmTDqn9Txmv6QnRp17orYoCzN2oU8s8G2BnJXnJwjQPw8WypBmgx3sskrjXE-UtmF5IFHsbADQegKaPwDYemsmdvVChLLDwCDPi1UPHvWzHTTyOkpV7mjswmg/s200/PICT0068.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555524258918961378" /></a><br />The evening shows were especially fun. Akins getting in on the action.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5hEbyNKf2xAQLu1k6HN0Dc99JshBRijv8IfQjlYEEzfCm5ajzIeBVZokouPkHoK_8wASMjunwyMwfHInHhU8YhMNae-UaQvUfWIW7Egh_TxGLIS8Ty_i_1rDSAIP3ktEBqXaum5AM4dcP/s1600/PICT0045.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5hEbyNKf2xAQLu1k6HN0Dc99JshBRijv8IfQjlYEEzfCm5ajzIeBVZokouPkHoK_8wASMjunwyMwfHInHhU8YhMNae-UaQvUfWIW7Egh_TxGLIS8Ty_i_1rDSAIP3ktEBqXaum5AM4dcP/s200/PICT0045.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555524257173498978" /></a><br />Dinner on the beach.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1619589299000213210.post-48481936996503087242010-12-03T20:09:00.000-08:002010-12-03T20:42:18.193-08:00Puppy Kisses and VacationAs I stated in the last post my heart has been damaged by the loss of my little, white, swimming friend. There is a book called "Chicken Soup for the Soul". Well I have a new one that needs to be written "Puppy Kisses are the Chicken Soup for the Soul". I've lost two dogs in the past few months Zach and Dolly. Beans is nearly 12 and Canola is almost 10. This is a big number in dog years but even more so in Bulldog years. The average life of an English Bulldog is 8. The problem is Dolly's life did not fall in order and it made it very clear to me that I need to continue to prepare for more losses. So.... here comes Bubbles! That's right a bundle of softness and the bonus points? Beans is acting like a puppy all over again. She is loving this new little kid. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg3Zm7oqZLIJS-KkBg54-dla-fn0uWsmiJplaxPXw6XbmwPEiNMYk3FiFoFctUQq9a50bh9n6wgbgVXoWQxJX-aOGocl03cloQpR12pHNlhtg6nJR3JEq4SmgNRJhh2EeBdK6uKmvcVypt/s1600/PICT0631.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg3Zm7oqZLIJS-KkBg54-dla-fn0uWsmiJplaxPXw6XbmwPEiNMYk3FiFoFctUQq9a50bh9n6wgbgVXoWQxJX-aOGocl03cloQpR12pHNlhtg6nJR3JEq4SmgNRJhh2EeBdK6uKmvcVypt/s200/PICT0631.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546682103644319794" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUd9hdEtexvG4uf1iMXMEifnGsmDuBgCzpRg2s5tKq4RACRhyphenhyphenNKsBQP8zwkIekDROD_BurvBBWVuWMzUxNw9Woy4QiOiakeHOTQXEqIX32T9_Xf9mqcylQ8xf19UbaHenvSISxzscxmet9/s1600/PICT0632.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUd9hdEtexvG4uf1iMXMEifnGsmDuBgCzpRg2s5tKq4RACRhyphenhyphenNKsBQP8zwkIekDROD_BurvBBWVuWMzUxNw9Woy4QiOiakeHOTQXEqIX32T9_Xf9mqcylQ8xf19UbaHenvSISxzscxmet9/s200/PICT0632.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546682099120900978" /></a><br /><br />Now we are off to the Dominican Republic for vacation some much needed R&R. Grandma good luck with the little one. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Maima: Grandma where are your ice cubes? (looking all around the kitchen)<br />Grandma: Where do you think they would be? <br />Maima: Oh (finally going to the refrigerator)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1619589299000213210.post-74906728801975531682010-11-26T22:26:00.000-08:002010-11-26T23:04:54.633-08:00"Our Baby" - Dolly 12/8/02 - 11/26/10Upon returning home from Calgary I noted Dolly showed significant weight loss. I made an appointment for her within a couple of days of returning home. Exam showed six pounds lost, blood work indicated liver infection or liver failure. The vet sent her home with antibiotics and some pain meds. We were hopeful. Thanksgiving day we sat at the dinner table at my Mom's house and each stated the things were were thankful for:<br /><br />Akins: For you two being loco<br />Mom: For being alive<br />Maima: For school and good grades<br />Lorea: For having a job to help take care of us<br />Valerie: For two beautiful, smart kids, for my mom being alive, for a great job that takes good care of us, for my health and for the dogs<br /><br />We came home from that meal to note that Dolly had seemingly bloated out in her abdomen. I took time to get her to take some water. Fed her hot dogs the only thing she would eat. For those that have met Dolly, you know this is not usual as she would eat anything. <br /><br />This morning it was even worse her ears drooping and she could barely lift herself. Even still her tail, that cute little crooked tail wagged any time I came near. For years I have sang "the tail on the dog goes round and round" because that is how it seemed, like it was spinning in a circle. I called the vet immediately. As soon as the vet took a look at Dolly, the words no treatment, no cure were said several times. After a few more tests to be sure it was not heartworm (this too untreatable). I needed to be 100% sure this was not due to me forgetting to give that monthly pill right on time. The final blow, 99% certain it is liver failure due to cancer. The bloating, the high liver count, we had ruled out right side heart failure. There were no good choices. Do some really invasive tests to know for sure but still there would be no pain free, reliable treatment. Our best choices, "We can try to make her comfortable or.....".<br /><br />I knew it was bad, I just did not know I was taking "our baby" in to say good-bye forever. I feel like someone punched me really hard in the chest and I can't get that feeling to leave me. Her bed lies empty, the toy box upright which she never left that for any legth of time, as she knocked it over in her quest for just the right toy, the house eerily quiet without her constant loud breathing, paws dragging on the floor, snoring somewhere off in the distance. <br /><br />To put the love for this dog in perspective for anyone that does not know me closely. I remember when we were waiting for Akins to come home from Liberia. That horrible forever wait (fellow adoptive paretns you know the wait I am referring to). I remember saying to Lorea as I watched Dolly being well... Dolly just darn cute. "If I love that little boy even half as much as I love this dog, we are in big trouble". <br /><br />Below are a few photos of Dolly taken this morning just a couple of hours before we left the house. I was playing with my new phone. I don't even know why I took those photos, I'm just so glad I did. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqoZOgRWWmdH0NdHfKnZ9x_Sfj5PJUT_AwF4IocjnDYCXyOZw-DGO7dhVcPTjy89GKTIgdKZ1xvLC9AeRyA8NYdRcYoNWOWrAJUuZfiS8MkjNIvrPoyGe8qa1At7ggXUBqrii2bGiAy6GY/s1600/2010-11-26_09.36.38.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqoZOgRWWmdH0NdHfKnZ9x_Sfj5PJUT_AwF4IocjnDYCXyOZw-DGO7dhVcPTjy89GKTIgdKZ1xvLC9AeRyA8NYdRcYoNWOWrAJUuZfiS8MkjNIvrPoyGe8qa1At7ggXUBqrii2bGiAy6GY/s200/2010-11-26_09.36.38.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544116330313921138" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUKGBShUVZw1yca0vTa5IlxtHm0kiMDmAxZu0XttLg3riNAwIKLvk8txsVzkNmwbL_GVvxXoVKlVkoMRfUsIe1paMeC0knPa4V6uxQ6TlKo6cf3EIct3vLXq0bplIB08WyHZdQelXiqq8G/s1600/2010-11-26_09.41.25.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUKGBShUVZw1yca0vTa5IlxtHm0kiMDmAxZu0XttLg3riNAwIKLvk8txsVzkNmwbL_GVvxXoVKlVkoMRfUsIe1paMeC0knPa4V6uxQ6TlKo6cf3EIct3vLXq0bplIB08WyHZdQelXiqq8G/s200/2010-11-26_09.41.25.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544116323821190770" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFLC3m58SevcSVWaB67ijPxZzVyDegT8CDEpB9XIt5nSlClpfLlxjPFFRnBROXNA8Iqo6CrHyEY576QYDH6emuCEhLy4nYzO40DHRxxbAlLfG2zF4SgsCjk6jzPoYCaEXglkLegvUlV49-/s1600/2010-11-26_09.38.01.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFLC3m58SevcSVWaB67ijPxZzVyDegT8CDEpB9XIt5nSlClpfLlxjPFFRnBROXNA8Iqo6CrHyEY576QYDH6emuCEhLy4nYzO40DHRxxbAlLfG2zF4SgsCjk6jzPoYCaEXglkLegvUlV49-/s200/2010-11-26_09.38.01.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544116322208300002" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjskl0RJiKA5_Fu9KVF1fZn7CusDWNu4_ymsghBLmBLo_YWTlt9KK8nfD1ULWCY-rauxkmWrCoVvEJH6-6ByVRDAm0wDn0YiI1bFAIRgZIwe1Wc5vpf0Fz-PAri8QQtyjuSFMrFoEBWevDz/s1600/2010-11-26_09.34.28.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjskl0RJiKA5_Fu9KVF1fZn7CusDWNu4_ymsghBLmBLo_YWTlt9KK8nfD1ULWCY-rauxkmWrCoVvEJH6-6ByVRDAm0wDn0YiI1bFAIRgZIwe1Wc5vpf0Fz-PAri8QQtyjuSFMrFoEBWevDz/s200/2010-11-26_09.34.28.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544116317584230418" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidTacfUFxpVMae4_qHIYws0uaffoDowLKMMF7wDFUcjkCcwGYWe8TScs46SVSZT_SMimYopFngjvpaBAZKGN10STUMRLfjyILEqPytzqeI3lNr8scFFQLPOp0ED-3QFmT_TEtK-Rc9jWgp/s1600/2010-11-26_09.33.59-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidTacfUFxpVMae4_qHIYws0uaffoDowLKMMF7wDFUcjkCcwGYWe8TScs46SVSZT_SMimYopFngjvpaBAZKGN10STUMRLfjyILEqPytzqeI3lNr8scFFQLPOp0ED-3QFmT_TEtK-Rc9jWgp/s200/2010-11-26_09.33.59-1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544116313496048402" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1619589299000213210.post-61172917279477633062010-11-20T07:13:00.000-08:002010-11-20T07:22:55.076-08:00Returning from CanadaI got home late last night from my trip up to Calgary. I picked up some shirts for the kids and Lorea. This morning Akins comes to the bedroom with shirt in tow. <br /><br />Akins: Thanks for the shirt Mommy.<br />Me: Your welcome honey.<br />Akins: What does it say?<br />Me: It says Canada on it.<br />Akins: What is this?<br />Me: It's the Canadian flag.<br />Akins: What is it?<br />Me: It's a maple leaf.<br />Akins: Oh, like when something is fake it is a make believe.<br />Me: Giggle, no honey, it is a "maple leaf" not "make believe".<br />Akins: Yeah, fake.<br /><br /><br />Priceless!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1619589299000213210.post-42961033587859637352010-11-13T21:59:00.000-08:002010-11-13T22:21:47.539-08:00It's official!Get up early to make the two hour drive to Okalahoma City. The destination? Department of Homeland Security. Now we love to tease the kids about nearly anything. So on the way I tell Maima this is an important day this is to get your U.S. Citizenship and maybe you can shake Obama's hand. We arrive about five minutes early to our appointment, after a couple of additonal requests to empty our pockets we get our way through security we are told to go to room #1 and put our appointment letter in the box at window #3 then take a seat and "they will call you sometime". <sigh> I'm thinking we will be here forever. <br /><br />To my surprise the man at window #2 gets up nearly immediately and calls Maima's name. We go up he hands me a certificate with Maima's name and photograph on it and ask me to review it very closely. I am pleased to note they have her new name and birth date all correct. Then he instructs me to fill in "printed, very legibly", her full name on this line, then on the edge of the photograph, then on the back. If you have ever seen my handwriting you would understand why I talk about this in detail. At one point he puts his hand on my arm and says breathe and take your time it must be perfect. Alas, done no mistakes it is unbelivably legible. I breathe another sigh. <br /><br />Then he hands me another certificate identical to the first one and says, "okay this is the real one, again take your time do not make any mistakes". GREAT! Again, I go through all the steps without error. He gives a big grin and reaches to shake Maima's hand, she had slept in the van and is acting completely disinterested and nearly disrespectful. He hands her an American flag and hands me the certificate and a protective certificate holder. We are done and Maima is officially a U.S. Citizen. <Sigh!> We stop to use the restroom and then outside I run to get the camera to take a picture. Maima is nearly refusing to take the photo, still disinterested. A man comes out, obviously Hispanic he walks over and he looks at me, our eyes meet and he smiles. He wants to watch the photo being taken commemorating this proud moment. I can tell he longs for this moment for himself. <br /><br />Finally, I get a shot and we head to the car. Then I apologize to Maima for not fully explaining the importance of the event. I go into a detailed explaination of how this means she can never be forced to leave America and how people like the man that watched work very hard to get that paper, people run and risk their lives to get into the country and pray they never get caught. How for some people it is all the dream of to be a U.S. Citizen. After about 10 minutes she says "Mommy, where was Obama"?<br /><br />So, four round trip driving hours and about 9 minutes inside the building Maima is officially a U.S. Citizen and we never did see Obama. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4gW28Y_qikZCLaFM7nWuIel8Xkg_zYowf-evGv6FgB78T84QOpRf7I2X3K5Dnqhh2NKpGkdPmzRBXVUVXU7GlECnk5SMNcDjAGtrXW1Ii2shqL-NtmS7DIszaq7T3wDxlr4EVxD_gCzT/s1600/_Device+Memory_home_user_pictures_IMG00096.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4gW28Y_qikZCLaFM7nWuIel8Xkg_zYowf-evGv6FgB78T84QOpRf7I2X3K5Dnqhh2NKpGkdPmzRBXVUVXU7GlECnk5SMNcDjAGtrXW1Ii2shqL-NtmS7DIszaq7T3wDxlr4EVxD_gCzT/s200/_Device+Memory_home_user_pictures_IMG00096.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539286642995448034" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1619589299000213210.post-40687134027964859792010-11-13T10:51:00.001-08:002010-11-13T21:59:24.231-08:00Off to a Halloween PartyThis year was like a 3 day long Halloween event. Friday night a party. Saturday trick or treating at the nursing home (big deal here in little Inola) and Sunday (offical Halloween day) we trick or treated with friends in Grandma's neighborhood. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd75kzS2Ppw-7F3qOG9-r82m7mIXheuf5h4xPVttFTjEY3ClDiu4ZwAPHLvFEi9twL5mRESexvJQ4z0LWPCKWdSIhrcRj499rAp0NskxvcTi8vrjdFDZT32JS4RlWFfEyDJv1Rby5ElI7Z/s1600/PICT0600.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd75kzS2Ppw-7F3qOG9-r82m7mIXheuf5h4xPVttFTjEY3ClDiu4ZwAPHLvFEi9twL5mRESexvJQ4z0LWPCKWdSIhrcRj499rAp0NskxvcTi8vrjdFDZT32JS4RlWFfEyDJv1Rby5ElI7Z/s200/PICT0600.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539112014240562850" /></a><br />Iron Man, Dr. Pepper, Cheerleader and Winter Bat Girl<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhhNsPLuTaZO0joRcYy4Y4almxZ-o7xt3pYQShhUL_juJCQckjxaImaHgL4e5em8ATlwPFph_hHUbo4GNX2UNkXPto8SF3nYttbXExWx-UkMeJp3cwZA_mVCSfR3SvIxQDiclBF4_3De9y/s1600/PICT0605.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhhNsPLuTaZO0joRcYy4Y4almxZ-o7xt3pYQShhUL_juJCQckjxaImaHgL4e5em8ATlwPFph_hHUbo4GNX2UNkXPto8SF3nYttbXExWx-UkMeJp3cwZA_mVCSfR3SvIxQDiclBF4_3De9y/s200/PICT0605.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539112022761583794" /></a><br />Iron Man!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE1jOR6ZvBcnS2pdfxcQtm0RNx-Iug5XDTP2kQGzAzQr4pXxBUMOobu6A6jDWcMBIIwEvXgahy0o5YEotANKl5h5wazOKq9qa33dPzXCB-UlYbvnyMBNtZAA0_gXMHnqWbKFm5z7jNcCbM/s1600/PICT0604.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE1jOR6ZvBcnS2pdfxcQtm0RNx-Iug5XDTP2kQGzAzQr4pXxBUMOobu6A6jDWcMBIIwEvXgahy0o5YEotANKl5h5wazOKq9qa33dPzXCB-UlYbvnyMBNtZAA0_gXMHnqWbKFm5z7jNcCbM/s200/PICT0604.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539112021168057778" /></a><br />Grandma getting in on the action - maybe cheer coach?<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWW458hEzOffClTpvpzvJhob85W08-NWKBAajDa6KzjWChnCJdeDo39HFshzTihEzgpnwvEmlrCtLD8UBowdfD0jAc8uWrnIVtDH0JldzydKuIThPpTlDik05GW62QNW07gu7cvhVfY2JQ/s1600/PICT0603.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWW458hEzOffClTpvpzvJhob85W08-NWKBAajDa6KzjWChnCJdeDo39HFshzTihEzgpnwvEmlrCtLD8UBowdfD0jAc8uWrnIVtDH0JldzydKuIThPpTlDik05GW62QNW07gu7cvhVfY2JQ/s200/PICT0603.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539112009604363954" /></a><br />Maima showing us her cheer moves <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaXWCsagkVYIoXQLLH0mINxokZxRMq4dPfePzJS6kDII7Q8nbf5G03bGGcoqfZyeHkEwhz_WiYsEZOaGBNk0yvvofCEyN3FTllZKQUT8ed2BIz2GIKptT1OzBKwnY4Vt_fpXQgcnMGQEF_/s1600/PICT0609.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaXWCsagkVYIoXQLLH0mINxokZxRMq4dPfePzJS6kDII7Q8nbf5G03bGGcoqfZyeHkEwhz_WiYsEZOaGBNk0yvvofCEyN3FTllZKQUT8ed2BIz2GIKptT1OzBKwnY4Vt_fpXQgcnMGQEF_/s200/PICT0609.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539112025972908386" /></a><br />Bet the folks thought they had been invaded when this group came a knockin'Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1619589299000213210.post-45742115593039124592010-11-13T10:42:00.000-08:002010-11-13T10:51:17.209-08:00Maima's 1st PumpkinFor the typical American getting your first pumpkin at the age of 12 would seem like someone really left you out. For Maima age 12 is the magic number she got to carve her first pumpkin this year! Of course it would not be complete if it did not somehow include Justin Bieber. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUd367YtkYKnHQLYMhJg2QFVNbLm4gVmdlReKxNTT-hHFdD-N6PqF90dCuvFFoR-k4d1geSphlDTu5meVr6fHN8yei36yRGffTfJF-m-XppeAAVXt6AREkNdGVEHuckIYXnq5Juz1uRo3d/s1600/PICT0585.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUd367YtkYKnHQLYMhJg2QFVNbLm4gVmdlReKxNTT-hHFdD-N6PqF90dCuvFFoR-k4d1geSphlDTu5meVr6fHN8yei36yRGffTfJF-m-XppeAAVXt6AREkNdGVEHuckIYXnq5Juz1uRo3d/s200/PICT0585.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539107883851747986" /></a><br /><br />J's for eyes... B for the mouth and a heart nose!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1619589299000213210.post-10960074445048873682010-10-09T17:43:00.000-07:002010-10-09T17:54:44.129-07:00JDRF Walk for a CureThis morning we got up bright and early and took the kids out to do a walk for good! Explaining to Akins the greatness of walking early in the morning is well, let's just say a challenge. We did it and after realizing there was a whole lot of fun stuff to do the kids had a very good time! <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVUtScnwvczfQV2vIFyaBqTOTZnVWc3Z6YK_eL1BNQ4cEAPln0DLaQ79mRBmf5vTxgTHbsT_XuI427PmbtrBGbtLBOrouZyJaJXY20hDzS6nUMV3k8aPtt_YS8TzuUf6YZdDe571Z2X8dQ/s1600/_Device_Memory_home_user_pictures_IMG00076.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVUtScnwvczfQV2vIFyaBqTOTZnVWc3Z6YK_eL1BNQ4cEAPln0DLaQ79mRBmf5vTxgTHbsT_XuI427PmbtrBGbtLBOrouZyJaJXY20hDzS6nUMV3k8aPtt_YS8TzuUf6YZdDe571Z2X8dQ/s200/_Device_Memory_home_user_pictures_IMG00076.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526212850913343842" /></a><br />The sun was shining it was a beautiful morning! <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7e3-l0GvDp22_cgqFs-7jcFVQt-CA4LXHHgAApt8wrXoA2C61x2EIVjC9rOOFT_vdR_aIA-ztPo9fRlTVc5cYv1fPsb4a2eIkfNwo1-eHsOR8_9Zye5YDzX1m3oInhJbxTY4a0ygoWwFN/s1600/_Device_Memory_home_user_pictures_IMG00077.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7e3-l0GvDp22_cgqFs-7jcFVQt-CA4LXHHgAApt8wrXoA2C61x2EIVjC9rOOFT_vdR_aIA-ztPo9fRlTVc5cYv1fPsb4a2eIkfNwo1-eHsOR8_9Zye5YDzX1m3oInhJbxTY4a0ygoWwFN/s200/_Device_Memory_home_user_pictures_IMG00077.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526212842090519618" /></a><br />Akins finding a way to blow some time before the walk starts<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2SoLyr_ACAfh2Fsp74Qi5AXgTtRgRWVu6qJ04mZXXyWw9_jAUWZM_Os2b58uhNdTFN5nnSaSGu3dl47P08SZVW3P5fKHH5KYqvdBQ00NPH91UCw8fzjj09ZgJE1-h03L7vsojjS7vN2PB/s1600/_Device_Memory_home_user_pictures_IMG00081.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2SoLyr_ACAfh2Fsp74Qi5AXgTtRgRWVu6qJ04mZXXyWw9_jAUWZM_Os2b58uhNdTFN5nnSaSGu3dl47P08SZVW3P5fKHH5KYqvdBQ00NPH91UCw8fzjj09ZgJE1-h03L7vsojjS7vN2PB/s200/_Device_Memory_home_user_pictures_IMG00081.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526212863535521442" /></a><br />The big football toss<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4nDvHdBNrjHxeHNLvUA3x8X-L_qA1w5L_-k2K_1ioOncf9p2EZVEIOWq9-v0u4O8CyLEwf2syD73wlQTFT85PE8wNpbZcR79AUqPMSP1KeCS7gnMSN_1icEge9VBSze3g6mgmzcFa0vdL/s1600/_Device_Memory_home_user_pictures_IMG00074.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4nDvHdBNrjHxeHNLvUA3x8X-L_qA1w5L_-k2K_1ioOncf9p2EZVEIOWq9-v0u4O8CyLEwf2syD73wlQTFT85PE8wNpbZcR79AUqPMSP1KeCS7gnMSN_1icEge9VBSze3g6mgmzcFa0vdL/s200/_Device_Memory_home_user_pictures_IMG00074.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526212833739661650" /></a><br />Gotta love "Fred"Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1619589299000213210.post-373977639835939752010-10-02T19:12:00.000-07:002010-10-02T20:03:24.758-07:00Akins turns 6!!!It's seems unbelievable but it is true... Akins turned six years old. He has a friend on his soccer team that always has his birthday party the same day. For the past couple of years we have overlapped party times causing some of the party goers a conflict. We decided to join forces this year and have the party at a skating rink and invite both sets of friends (some combined) and it worked out great! Here are some of the highlights..<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghmx4lzWr8AWqTeSxItnTdvWYyGngax7SYDYqAXKXyTZ42u7UVByRzTBr4HV4xhAno1p21x1vReR5XKvoDWBoYzyq1xJFpmeQK6PJGS5BJVVgEefwacF_fmCSddMjITCrFEPT3NtvjyT-M/s1600/PICT0427.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghmx4lzWr8AWqTeSxItnTdvWYyGngax7SYDYqAXKXyTZ42u7UVByRzTBr4HV4xhAno1p21x1vReR5XKvoDWBoYzyq1xJFpmeQK6PJGS5BJVVgEefwacF_fmCSddMjITCrFEPT3NtvjyT-M/s200/PICT0427.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523648233026743906" /></a><br />Following the instructions to Grandma's card! Stand on your head!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ4U7KDYcn9CInXpkNFq355xerAZLGDmxx5KmqN07mrDQyipaq14D-qgOJXAjjdL5LXPINNK5skq1lX3uM2nEFkWLNgFx8RnzSUaYCGmsI5vve6KXFCJm26DxYKq90Pr_LWoWfZhKeYTPx/s1600/PICT0428.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ4U7KDYcn9CInXpkNFq355xerAZLGDmxx5KmqN07mrDQyipaq14D-qgOJXAjjdL5LXPINNK5skq1lX3uM2nEFkWLNgFx8RnzSUaYCGmsI5vve6KXFCJm26DxYKq90Pr_LWoWfZhKeYTPx/s200/PICT0428.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523648240425128562" /></a><br />Pick your nose. He was just about to drink the toilet water when he realized..... OH!!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikm6ucGwnrCZcDkD5JEbSKj_uS4VF0cMbigWsBcuOhvRNg1_FaWIOuW6cnvuXu3q00XvfxsTdtl70P_wGffPvIqXvfmUGnxz3hzt9JiF8IfVIaavrvHD_99w-yn40sxRn69DIHLjf6LcM3/s1600/PICT0439.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikm6ucGwnrCZcDkD5JEbSKj_uS4VF0cMbigWsBcuOhvRNg1_FaWIOuW6cnvuXu3q00XvfxsTdtl70P_wGffPvIqXvfmUGnxz3hzt9JiF8IfVIaavrvHD_99w-yn40sxRn69DIHLjf6LcM3/s200/PICT0439.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523640298656885938" /></a><br />How old are you????<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9MHNcoYCE2zQ01Hq6ME8thZ8wm-A7SmqQcN1NvtK6J7lYHvvHRCBHebEx2kZl8u0m7ihQZN9LLHsth_DY2wr8DzWMHuIBGdcaTu8t4SvMdVeN1wL4nC0Vv4hJOpadXeT8UQNz5YlQ61F/s1600/PICT0459.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9MHNcoYCE2zQ01Hq6ME8thZ8wm-A7SmqQcN1NvtK6J7lYHvvHRCBHebEx2kZl8u0m7ihQZN9LLHsth_DY2wr8DzWMHuIBGdcaTu8t4SvMdVeN1wL4nC0Vv4hJOpadXeT8UQNz5YlQ61F/s200/PICT0459.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523640316686194514" /></a><br />Crawling the preferred method of getting across the "slippery floor"<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZm_l6d7broGRpVTIJ4lU1yErO077if2wkiG9YAW7NyloSuq7Lld99SGeEsBR_kOnfgJM1thOKWay4k0hsewilnVlURTa_jAYkxETtuLlB18Y_Get0lMj_hTKLIbU8dsyYHKXy2g9cEPns/s1600/PICT0446.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZm_l6d7broGRpVTIJ4lU1yErO077if2wkiG9YAW7NyloSuq7Lld99SGeEsBR_kOnfgJM1thOKWay4k0hsewilnVlURTa_jAYkxETtuLlB18Y_Get0lMj_hTKLIbU8dsyYHKXy2g9cEPns/s200/PICT0446.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523640307552428802" /></a><br />The challenge included tears, anger and frustration<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyn0oFcW4TsN_yjG8eZJqx3KBO4wAEnrp12rXBOy2U4ds543s2mztBEP_wytidx6u1NoF-KxIeQRdjbO9WyV5OTvGj8WG9ZWSV-Wp91fyYt1umR3RUoLM1R7qw0J3PUr5UOaxO5VRR9YIe/s1600/PICT0444.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyn0oFcW4TsN_yjG8eZJqx3KBO4wAEnrp12rXBOy2U4ds543s2mztBEP_wytidx6u1NoF-KxIeQRdjbO9WyV5OTvGj8WG9ZWSV-Wp91fyYt1umR3RUoLM1R7qw0J3PUr5UOaxO5VRR9YIe/s200/PICT0444.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523640304791366498" /></a><br />His cake was in the spirit of riding his quad<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBv9ciQc10IWQxFZF_A2EjMvKQx0S8R6wVXeZSNBTxpiQ3k3oS1QHUk2r3iOERxeuzqDBl_c0A60KpRq1MFdbV_nu1GjuDBj_aWEQ3NycMU00GqZBlBAiwr20-I5btloCZRAiULFjUh97B/s1600/PICT0473.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBv9ciQc10IWQxFZF_A2EjMvKQx0S8R6wVXeZSNBTxpiQ3k3oS1QHUk2r3iOERxeuzqDBl_c0A60KpRq1MFdbV_nu1GjuDBj_aWEQ3NycMU00GqZBlBAiwr20-I5btloCZRAiULFjUh97B/s200/PICT0473.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523640322130477394" /></a><br />Maima chickened out and did not skate<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihkDcqyoXoO1TJgC8B4E6zrYd1-xmQHT7j-OmVJe1u-MHpUC8ZtS1YpIGzbpueEHHKb5oPa6YlYWY_TmMEjWTN7v3Odvn6up3IteZ5wWyjDW2lCPgBjhjRhmbm66PxH0CJke0UlLKcG3wk/s1600/PICT0543.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihkDcqyoXoO1TJgC8B4E6zrYd1-xmQHT7j-OmVJe1u-MHpUC8ZtS1YpIGzbpueEHHKb5oPa6YlYWY_TmMEjWTN7v3Odvn6up3IteZ5wWyjDW2lCPgBjhjRhmbm66PxH0CJke0UlLKcG3wk/s200/PICT0543.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523645736913646658" /></a><br />Wiggly races<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ALZgXWfKoaeGBI-2EgesH2PSZQrW-1nrW92F7UwkqaRPvsUNbbETt80qwy6v8QZBGwOOhUcd6vk9qAU1ghue9seZcbefwCu5YYz5eUneTSq4Gx9JeBJHB1PbRdAOP2i4FyOiZfCk2WkV/s1600/PICT0517.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ALZgXWfKoaeGBI-2EgesH2PSZQrW-1nrW92F7UwkqaRPvsUNbbETt80qwy6v8QZBGwOOhUcd6vk9qAU1ghue9seZcbefwCu5YYz5eUneTSq4Gx9JeBJHB1PbRdAOP2i4FyOiZfCk2WkV/s200/PICT0517.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523645742396744306" /></a><br />Cole got the last fake rock from the cake<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj48Eg4NzUxyr6fkLJbOJGzMggtwMBgSUfDbFVtGD9dCCYIMunsAiFfyn-HWQWE8UOdnB8rCc2FKUcrn3qVFq16JfbTeZgU_ypuva-ycM_7HituW9hqFHsgM2r_HBsGEkubDys9B2uYIGzP/s1600/PICT0510.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj48Eg4NzUxyr6fkLJbOJGzMggtwMBgSUfDbFVtGD9dCCYIMunsAiFfyn-HWQWE8UOdnB8rCc2FKUcrn3qVFq16JfbTeZgU_ypuva-ycM_7HituW9hqFHsgM2r_HBsGEkubDys9B2uYIGzP/s200/PICT0510.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523645733375144898" /></a><br />The frenzy<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjde074HWnUor4yg1fBSyO51G_rGujpduZzN8S33LoH2vYmeHEK31r0y31VP76M_JMxF65TRRYBrSb6I62hU8m36LZf-DU4TvXsCXDn_4Pa5IwNpYrAW7Pj5K1Oo6HMAIw-UNpLHn6R9W1A/s1600/PICT0518.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjde074HWnUor4yg1fBSyO51G_rGujpduZzN8S33LoH2vYmeHEK31r0y31VP76M_JMxF65TRRYBrSb6I62hU8m36LZf-DU4TvXsCXDn_4Pa5IwNpYrAW7Pj5K1Oo6HMAIw-UNpLHn6R9W1A/s200/PICT0518.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523645727716557522" /></a><br />In the end we conquer this challenge!<br /><br /><br />Mommy: Akins good morning Happy Birthday. Guess what? You are six years old now!<br />Akins: I know I'm almost seven!<br />Mommy: Okay, yes in 364 more days you will be seven. <br /><br /><br />Mommy: Maima why do you not do the fun things you are letting your life pass you by.<br />Maima: I still have a good life. I am just twelve!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1619589299000213210.post-13855158670461113502010-08-29T17:06:00.000-07:002010-08-29T20:52:03.627-07:00Maima's Official Gotcha Day # 1One year ago on August 28th Maima came to live with us. I remember that scared and angry child coming to live with us. She came off the plane in her pretty dress and her white dress shoes that must have really hurt walking through the airport all day. As she was released to me by the airport personnel her face was frought with fear and uncertainty for a new family and the unknown. That long and most certainly scary day is her official "Gotcha" day! It seems a million years ago now as she is so much a part of our family we could not imagine it any other way today. I am pleased to say these days her face is mostly filled with smiles (and braces). <br /><br />In celebration of Maima's special day we took the quads and ventured beyond our backyard for the first time with the kids. To make it even more daring we went somewhere we have never been before. When we lived in California (pre-kids) we knew all the great places to go and even though we did not have kids we knew the trails well enough to know those that would be great and safe for kids. Here in Oklahoma, it is all foreign and foreign trail riding is scary, especially with kids! Today was filled with a lot of emotion, fear and tears, joy and laughter and victory as the kids conquered things they have only dreamed of before. Lorea and I were both like mother bears protecting our young. Sometimes that included growling a bit to get them to listen (Akins seems to be especially challenged with this lately)so as not to get hurt. In all, we came away unscathed with the kids bragging a bit about how well they did! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9udMjEmlHP3yWvuWXCNMuNrMwMi0YYbYumMNsH3iszo_gOad4_0Lr3clr-G645JcroMzIp4G1FnRAQ9f0Z7PECQ1Wf_paDhxAVtRfXGNDd4Z4fBnyfCTpNFKWO47G9xBwqGnOdXozknwE/s1600/_Device_Memory_home_user_pictures_IMG00072.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9udMjEmlHP3yWvuWXCNMuNrMwMi0YYbYumMNsH3iszo_gOad4_0Lr3clr-G645JcroMzIp4G1FnRAQ9f0Z7PECQ1Wf_paDhxAVtRfXGNDd4Z4fBnyfCTpNFKWO47G9xBwqGnOdXozknwE/s200/_Device_Memory_home_user_pictures_IMG00072.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510991792775884082" /></a><br />A group shot! <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr3ToWOcUJAM3i5xm7wEChxoOwBVg457URiZU8ldQoqspSd-rgmyWMkf5jdxR-mruN5O67438138bxG_lOl-ic4EvDLvbBC1xVZtZDlbmJMnJ_3Plkev6mn50cC-7QeAuBaV_rndpvACEG/s1600/IMAGE_034.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 119px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr3ToWOcUJAM3i5xm7wEChxoOwBVg457URiZU8ldQoqspSd-rgmyWMkf5jdxR-mruN5O67438138bxG_lOl-ic4EvDLvbBC1xVZtZDlbmJMnJ_3Plkev6mn50cC-7QeAuBaV_rndpvACEG/s200/IMAGE_034.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511007437590739170" /></a><br />Akins looking pretty tough <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG0rSEkiLsS_J1bvYNFOf1z0XxzwlyHtTtCH1XsgALa_LB1PAXXR3RTml4TQ7nYPM_d34LoUaBJS57ASfs6T7JRVBbxivR2ApvafgUWt25-4vCLexdFgz3mPI9pCcPhT88fJizaNA7Uh2U/s1600/IMAGE_033.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 119px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG0rSEkiLsS_J1bvYNFOf1z0XxzwlyHtTtCH1XsgALa_LB1PAXXR3RTml4TQ7nYPM_d34LoUaBJS57ASfs6T7JRVBbxivR2ApvafgUWt25-4vCLexdFgz3mPI9pCcPhT88fJizaNA7Uh2U/s200/IMAGE_033.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511007433726789650" /></a><br />and all grown up. Okay, maybe not! <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1HTQOPnXwMq5ZrEpkN-pi503jdt5AXynlkRb1vDy8XcEdLi3MwtJPdjvgFHjCRRxZt4GkiJU5buZcp18RA7OdxFmLGfsbk1DMct9w-YJ_vvW4OveaPjdb3mZ73yNdV4fBMIQRs8lSgB28/s1600/IMAGE_029.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 119px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1HTQOPnXwMq5ZrEpkN-pi503jdt5AXynlkRb1vDy8XcEdLi3MwtJPdjvgFHjCRRxZt4GkiJU5buZcp18RA7OdxFmLGfsbk1DMct9w-YJ_vvW4OveaPjdb3mZ73yNdV4fBMIQRs8lSgB28/s200/IMAGE_029.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511007424066457986" /></a><br />All that ridin', dirt and fresh air makes one hungry for bananas!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1619589299000213210.post-7244372127512811202010-08-15T07:02:00.000-07:002010-08-15T07:47:27.554-07:00Gotcha Day # 3On August 7, 2010 we celebrated our 3rd year with Akins. This is the day Mom and I arrived in Liberia and in the dark I took this scared little boy away from all he had ever known. It is impossible to explain all we have been through and all that has been learned or accomplished. A friend recently reminded me of the Santa letter I wrote the first year. The letter was intended to support the requests of me and all the other Mom's of kids from Liberia. It was rittled with things like stopping the constant flushing the toilets and incessant needs to flip light switches (without going into detail everyone with kids from Liberia or likely any other 3rd world country know what I am talking about). I have taken that list and revised it to what is remaining on there. Here it is...<br /><br /> • I wish for just 10 minutes each day to elapse without hearing the<br />bleating cry “Mommy come”.<br /> • I wish to be able to take a shower or use the toilet without an<br />audience. (working on this one)<br /> • I wish for all hand dryers to be made the same in public restrooms to<br />eliminate the curiousity as this would be a definite time saver for me.<br />(we really do need to speak with the manufacturers of these things)<br /><br />We definately have made much progress!!! <br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcItWuoOyphf4Nqr85935LqBKzEGtXY0yJT7V7JB_y80T_nZowcuw2xCmz04U44xnmvBCJyBEZlZYbE5S01ZVnMwcFPpVFGldrAsv0KcnggldhEEwLc3-6Ajr9Egx3FsJP0CyHKVBhT31e/s1600/Junior%23+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 142px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcItWuoOyphf4Nqr85935LqBKzEGtXY0yJT7V7JB_y80T_nZowcuw2xCmz04U44xnmvBCJyBEZlZYbE5S01ZVnMwcFPpVFGldrAsv0KcnggldhEEwLc3-6Ajr9Egx3FsJP0CyHKVBhT31e/s200/Junior%23+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505641728361124274" /></a><br />He has gone from.....this sad, scared little boy <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8U9Ohyphenhyphen31TLodJIjAlXe0T-lkieF2azQtAgGWVqj1CmUeLafCzxFpAzKScx1jSMkphs5tC3kpjCUll-8XzIHWAlHzfhhttL93xhbqhDjq2YUooABsF7geDC54PLkgoq9ouBrxeEvPCvxZK/s1600/DSC01029.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8U9Ohyphenhyphen31TLodJIjAlXe0T-lkieF2azQtAgGWVqj1CmUeLafCzxFpAzKScx1jSMkphs5tC3kpjCUll-8XzIHWAlHzfhhttL93xhbqhDjq2YUooABsF7geDC54PLkgoq9ouBrxeEvPCvxZK/s200/DSC01029.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505641720476918722" /></a><br />to embracing me willingly for our first hug! <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXMfBXP519jPsmUlWCvWPA4nJpWMQBXPdpvb98nf39TZLkURMVE57OhrCgNReNRDnuw25W0xjPT_v-bbTZQmEYWVVwjMdTX-ngVIofgn7AxoCk4xn2eRSTa0jReJIga3T6LOo37_L9o6x0/s1600/Junior+067.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXMfBXP519jPsmUlWCvWPA4nJpWMQBXPdpvb98nf39TZLkURMVE57OhrCgNReNRDnuw25W0xjPT_v-bbTZQmEYWVVwjMdTX-ngVIofgn7AxoCk4xn2eRSTa0jReJIga3T6LOo37_L9o6x0/s200/Junior+067.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505641724294610754" /></a><br />to leraning how to ride a scooter during the first week in America<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbdVYUjuCL79bPAXtOVoQ51Tboyfr3Q9cZdSlQstQZuCJxk5gYk_xPxbXK5mUP2bnF-kEug1GPViDO45oQQboMuPrOL-JAtyE8bh58WMAXqWMQvjhGw8lHvynDVsf4MrrmmnIioVqa7Ue8/s1600/Junior+127.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbdVYUjuCL79bPAXtOVoQ51Tboyfr3Q9cZdSlQstQZuCJxk5gYk_xPxbXK5mUP2bnF-kEug1GPViDO45oQQboMuPrOL-JAtyE8bh58WMAXqWMQvjhGw8lHvynDVsf4MrrmmnIioVqa7Ue8/s200/Junior+127.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505644551886865186" /></a><br />to getting to see friends from Africa all safe and sound in South Dakota just a few weeks after getting here<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7BzAcXsjDqutTWybJB-oGMM88UoVy8XnTDrnCa0EPG9IWiV0lwlbjlz7F-TWd0EpoWExOrVL2QRaXEBrcCuT8nIzCIU4Dk7dEl__Vd75Qsm6-DlzbvAk8rBZXx2MNJadh9SVaipRbtZnq/s1600/DSC00226.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7BzAcXsjDqutTWybJB-oGMM88UoVy8XnTDrnCa0EPG9IWiV0lwlbjlz7F-TWd0EpoWExOrVL2QRaXEBrcCuT8nIzCIU4Dk7dEl__Vd75Qsm6-DlzbvAk8rBZXx2MNJadh9SVaipRbtZnq/s200/DSC00226.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505644554177899554" /></a><br />to becoming an impressive swimmer who can hold his breath forever<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAoGaxT7tQTojis0vxr5Cy_IzvsO1zJpTPxBGX_LrrXNIfZ0l5SJJKXrCqZiul4SEAQypwMu48ncyo7cSGC7vd1unGCdtblKNTGWR7v0_QTZoabuY-Vum_9v6quCfKdf7sneUIdsmxuAJY/s1600/PICT0368.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAoGaxT7tQTojis0vxr5Cy_IzvsO1zJpTPxBGX_LrrXNIfZ0l5SJJKXrCqZiul4SEAQypwMu48ncyo7cSGC7vd1unGCdtblKNTGWR7v0_QTZoabuY-Vum_9v6quCfKdf7sneUIdsmxuAJY/s200/PICT0368.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505644562833293378" /></a><br />to that funny, entertaining boy we all now know<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_E3dfKCovyZW9t1HXIfgGwe9-A69T0TFfYpJe0fHIvtZ7Ha-8oasfvR3I4sI_GZzWFYsdEmE1F4uRT2JzI59P6VUD2AjB-J_8A7xq3duVn26cxUfEaOuPAE-dRO3EYYeYZMIDpXEK-eb/s1600/s41151cb130746_5.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_E3dfKCovyZW9t1HXIfgGwe9-A69T0TFfYpJe0fHIvtZ7Ha-8oasfvR3I4sI_GZzWFYsdEmE1F4uRT2JzI59P6VUD2AjB-J_8A7xq3duVn26cxUfEaOuPAE-dRO3EYYeYZMIDpXEK-eb/s200/s41151cb130746_5.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505644569178512850" /></a><br />to....this handsome young man!!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1619589299000213210.post-66956360075792061622010-07-31T16:00:00.000-07:002010-07-31T16:06:51.013-07:00Death by KaraokeI gave Lorea a Karaoke machine for her birthday. I know sounds cheesey, but she likes to sing! Of course she is usually willing to share her toys. The singing bug seems to run in the family as the kids will complain when she says she is going to do it, but the next thing I know is I am subjected to 2 to 3 hours of ummmm.... let's call it family entertainment. Akins is below after a long, hot rockin' living room concert. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRzMsaw0N6w-sugfXs704D-SEYbLqc-wnro3Q8w8A-w-tvBzFeWsqOBTesd1baLpgpgTesKQVbWaxeDS7BuQLgpG5vZnowy4rP7HuZfpg6NTBp7O9nFAsxAu2Y3kkgdTpPn-2RvBz5K8Vk/s1600/PICT0597.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRzMsaw0N6w-sugfXs704D-SEYbLqc-wnro3Q8w8A-w-tvBzFeWsqOBTesd1baLpgpgTesKQVbWaxeDS7BuQLgpG5vZnowy4rP7HuZfpg6NTBp7O9nFAsxAu2Y3kkgdTpPn-2RvBz5K8Vk/s200/PICT0597.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500210390419257266" /></a><br /><br />Being a rock star is hard work!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1619589299000213210.post-82707535104573061072010-07-27T17:56:00.000-07:002010-07-27T20:45:49.598-07:00MUAA Reunion 2010Once again we had the pleasure of hosting the annual MUAA reunion. This is my sanity week. The week that I get to find out if I have fully lost it or if things are right on schedule. It turns out I am as sane as the rest of the MUAA members. That puts me in very good company! <br /><br />The week started out with Tarry (Maima's sister) coming for a little one on one time before the reunion got into full swing. The greeting was frought with anxiety, fear and uncertainty. Both girls were very cautious and it took a little time to warm up. After a quiet start in the car with no one talking I cranked on Disney Radio and soon they were talking music... <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLQggFK2E3jGC92qP8GZrfMEEbL7fE_ypqwsVrw1uiW8yh-Q5OUH_ygRXtA2Ni1h5i-5ryG5SLVyX0BIN2Uz4-XFHGpr0qeXC-sRC9FN-IhUy50NC55tn4DhsOYa0mGC3xVMDyCMvWZKk8/s1600/PICT0600.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLQggFK2E3jGC92qP8GZrfMEEbL7fE_ypqwsVrw1uiW8yh-Q5OUH_ygRXtA2Ni1h5i-5ryG5SLVyX0BIN2Uz4-XFHGpr0qeXC-sRC9FN-IhUy50NC55tn4DhsOYa0mGC3xVMDyCMvWZKk8/s200/PICT0600.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498757314818583346" /></a><br />A little shy and scared...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVKiYsXCzU0QfYFN_ugowp2kBecBkaC0oZWehv_WsK142gv-adaBBOHmgzLeNhH6WbNddjWad6e6KMhh-X0wG3A14YHdlz-40oFRQ2C7PvFEu4EFSQhlgDsqT3Z3240vZXTC4qQuhxt2SU/s1600/PICT0610.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVKiYsXCzU0QfYFN_ugowp2kBecBkaC0oZWehv_WsK142gv-adaBBOHmgzLeNhH6WbNddjWad6e6KMhh-X0wG3A14YHdlz-40oFRQ2C7PvFEu4EFSQhlgDsqT3Z3240vZXTC4qQuhxt2SU/s200/PICT0610.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498758186593295794" /></a><br />Cooling off and having fun!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxwJIOYZP3FK41AvQMoJ0LOJ2fqMKF9VKjbW2IEe8k8k941rTCwyoEY1DByLz3hco0DnLSHxw4H5ypMYnMHM8jO0lWFrQ_v045kDW25YoxY-O_7tkJ5YEqWzCLcDhV5Jl3nJd4mRiGCLIO/s1600/PICT0621.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxwJIOYZP3FK41AvQMoJ0LOJ2fqMKF9VKjbW2IEe8k8k941rTCwyoEY1DByLz3hco0DnLSHxw4H5ypMYnMHM8jO0lWFrQ_v045kDW25YoxY-O_7tkJ5YEqWzCLcDhV5Jl3nJd4mRiGCLIO/s200/PICT0621.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498758171421100434" /></a><br />Silly putty is always good for fun<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpBsr5MMP6Rfwe7HcvilhvHqKDOviQzQTp479b23lpfv348hOnKGU1Houl23rx_9NNrJLLLvwKHf6AYcKW1xDdjxpvFvD_6WZLwRGkWab01R6DhhCVUe-PC5OVwEYJnmunRcRZsTo0xLbG/s1600/PICT0628.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpBsr5MMP6Rfwe7HcvilhvHqKDOviQzQTp479b23lpfv348hOnKGU1Houl23rx_9NNrJLLLvwKHf6AYcKW1xDdjxpvFvD_6WZLwRGkWab01R6DhhCVUe-PC5OVwEYJnmunRcRZsTo0xLbG/s200/PICT0628.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498762223450657538" /></a><br />Sharon's clan arrived first.... and off to the pool they go to do some great tricks<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVXtBi2BM5fY17nwj0qlE6_hxh7v9auLwhPb4IWuLOaeDT5Tt3Ch3_kA1fzLbKbso0T1zK8WxkVMRneyFQIx9hlMajYyfHeLb_Y12HtPwbPwuMrAZ-9B0wQeTrk6gHprRWY9gbBR9BKRR4/s1600/PICT0651.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVXtBi2BM5fY17nwj0qlE6_hxh7v9auLwhPb4IWuLOaeDT5Tt3Ch3_kA1fzLbKbso0T1zK8WxkVMRneyFQIx9hlMajYyfHeLb_Y12HtPwbPwuMrAZ-9B0wQeTrk6gHprRWY9gbBR9BKRR4/s200/PICT0651.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498762233414374178" /></a><br />The next morning Sue and Scott and the rest of the group arrived <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCmtN8lGzuJlc_MzK25lIRftjIiqL6EScCv6FZIVlEPGrXQFUALfMoYgjWr_s_4-R4QXCJ5fFBPg5okZzh488icG-UytPkeuAkoj6EiGKenb-PzPPV8-RD4vXLZoKkjSuKZGYc2gqssvo2/s1600/PICT0645.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCmtN8lGzuJlc_MzK25lIRftjIiqL6EScCv6FZIVlEPGrXQFUALfMoYgjWr_s_4-R4QXCJ5fFBPg5okZzh488icG-UytPkeuAkoj6EiGKenb-PzPPV8-RD4vXLZoKkjSuKZGYc2gqssvo2/s200/PICT0645.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498762226425515954" /></a><br />The kids are funny... pool, tramp, bikes, pool, tramp, bikes, pool....<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipI6gH3BiuHw1HV09XOVmIksrSE8CCbO7QKBp0TYRVP2DTeliPK4RAvTj6DFf33YguNBBiAJhRGtl8urlnUz1EtlO0WzC4J4YSfkBjPz6Do6IdYxqDJaIXZ6C1nvIQo8gRGiQlC7l-6fii/s1600/PICT0687.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipI6gH3BiuHw1HV09XOVmIksrSE8CCbO7QKBp0TYRVP2DTeliPK4RAvTj6DFf33YguNBBiAJhRGtl8urlnUz1EtlO0WzC4J4YSfkBjPz6Do6IdYxqDJaIXZ6C1nvIQo8gRGiQlC7l-6fii/s200/PICT0687.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498762254029818850" /></a><br />The little guys hanging in bed<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilWeHfGu4381hWcvZSx7ZfBuzhRMv-iSGq8ojEflLqk-5uxkJCe6ftDfEQv05qv6aDnjK8VAHXXJk51pJsps1vHsHFb_8qu1CTZmAviiEm5DfPsUS70sORDLdFlymwMyvRw0Z9z-SSHDTk/s1600/PICT0671.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilWeHfGu4381hWcvZSx7ZfBuzhRMv-iSGq8ojEflLqk-5uxkJCe6ftDfEQv05qv6aDnjK8VAHXXJk51pJsps1vHsHFb_8qu1CTZmAviiEm5DfPsUS70sORDLdFlymwMyvRw0Z9z-SSHDTk/s200/PICT0671.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498762242308717810" /></a><br />Fashion show night - Left to Right - Princess, Maima, Jemama, Abegail and Tarry<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjROK1SZIxCxlYrOt9CTcFxARn4Ia-TdbvE-DlmcrsDtRK2xutr7m2SxFZINPNZyWl0iPpDsfiQeJgBSxByl3tNIimodbp7eHhiXI_srqnFQJkDPlNEgfcVdQoblfolJBFDXp-BI6qbiJzI/s1600/PICT0700.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjROK1SZIxCxlYrOt9CTcFxARn4Ia-TdbvE-DlmcrsDtRK2xutr7m2SxFZINPNZyWl0iPpDsfiQeJgBSxByl3tNIimodbp7eHhiXI_srqnFQJkDPlNEgfcVdQoblfolJBFDXp-BI6qbiJzI/s200/PICT0700.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498765453194704370" /></a><br />Kids everywhere!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3k3zGK1x8FpA7i6sXRr_sTBAnS-gQo2U66zN8d_ZVLppjecMFKOSi6iU7_Afpt0V5xBqU3K0Sxxky0TtrdNOpwa35kyxNloxRGMdp0LLsJwfwovHQfjtt0Bqodem6NMoMEGi1D8yRVghk/s1600/PICT0720.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3k3zGK1x8FpA7i6sXRr_sTBAnS-gQo2U66zN8d_ZVLppjecMFKOSi6iU7_Afpt0V5xBqU3K0Sxxky0TtrdNOpwa35kyxNloxRGMdp0LLsJwfwovHQfjtt0Bqodem6NMoMEGi1D8yRVghk/s200/PICT0720.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498765448701716146" /></a><br />Eman the Muscle Man<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXa_FFeE0JC3f98GnqK7p0sXz8zDElkD6B1F4OkRKng5_tvlyJYZeYCUNGthTufKVkv0XXaKB6DdqMl5YAQTtpPTpfpxUrfVjRlR6l2hvqJ0vEy9Xh5VHTf5F0ZNt76UigJeG4pKCTxBmE/s1600/PICT0730.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXa_FFeE0JC3f98GnqK7p0sXz8zDElkD6B1F4OkRKng5_tvlyJYZeYCUNGthTufKVkv0XXaKB6DdqMl5YAQTtpPTpfpxUrfVjRlR6l2hvqJ0vEy9Xh5VHTf5F0ZNt76UigJeG4pKCTxBmE/s200/PICT0730.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498765431545547826" /></a><br />Lotion anyone?<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNaF6yZHl8BTLO95WA_boLLYtikxbOam828Wmzkylw7EwI0YrnuXlP2nU4WzP5xKvT9tgt2k4S4Yanf_rPWZYJwv0HvsrqMiwvY8cDO6d36bFpRgpJIJNIM0dM_VcGNlcFP71swZIMt1z2/s1600/PICT0736.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNaF6yZHl8BTLO95WA_boLLYtikxbOam828Wmzkylw7EwI0YrnuXlP2nU4WzP5xKvT9tgt2k4S4Yanf_rPWZYJwv0HvsrqMiwvY8cDO6d36bFpRgpJIJNIM0dM_VcGNlcFP71swZIMt1z2/s200/PICT0736.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498765422023055410" /></a><br />Mathew the tour guide on his row boat<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlXOzWAhQKmZHoiAV6G6SMOcdm_g4lxxR_o00m6KJHDPeYzIYV52Kym8VX2rVz3_aVXAA9tBETnfj1DlOpI3aIS_W6R1jKB5gr8wiM7-ST3S0XGfhjf6s2wzlD_VE-NovwEjQyDKawn5xP/s1600/PICT0741.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlXOzWAhQKmZHoiAV6G6SMOcdm_g4lxxR_o00m6KJHDPeYzIYV52Kym8VX2rVz3_aVXAA9tBETnfj1DlOpI3aIS_W6R1jKB5gr8wiM7-ST3S0XGfhjf6s2wzlD_VE-NovwEjQyDKawn5xP/s200/PICT0741.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498765412677424626" /></a><br />Group shot - Left to Right - Tarry, Abegail, Akins, Eman, Matthew, Jemama, Maima and Princess<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9QBkxdpxT-qdKD50esVftUmjYK5NOuwoMyGcIXabqUIMhmEa9SgJ1IVOIhvtcXsQCwAOUxAaF91NjU1Mwcawe7Ir0wM4dA00bNIeHwzY_ki28TqxG5T16x8E8DYIigA-JxojW6H4XDrM3/s1600/PICT0677.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9QBkxdpxT-qdKD50esVftUmjYK5NOuwoMyGcIXabqUIMhmEa9SgJ1IVOIhvtcXsQCwAOUxAaF91NjU1Mwcawe7Ir0wM4dA00bNIeHwzY_ki28TqxG5T16x8E8DYIigA-JxojW6H4XDrM3/s200/PICT0677.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498796331383789522" /></a><br />Scott and the boys playing with the DS<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimqUUpenmPMRTQIuNC2sELup8syHfoaZcyUmuE0iBCnbwblThVFb_M6njhyso7DhHxNvfOBKiiGRGPb_MLpbt8RyNS97HTBTlZGWRZnRvhsGqx1N4itkxOkj77lzr9r-QB2d5tDEpGvgK3/s1600/PICT0750.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimqUUpenmPMRTQIuNC2sELup8syHfoaZcyUmuE0iBCnbwblThVFb_M6njhyso7DhHxNvfOBKiiGRGPb_MLpbt8RyNS97HTBTlZGWRZnRvhsGqx1N4itkxOkj77lzr9r-QB2d5tDEpGvgK3/s200/PICT0750.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498796323004055026" /></a><br />The little guys getting in a few last hugs and punches<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7wC0hKl5aYcg8F2w_6Fgmfwe8Tlpr9qFvMVJN-6lBKr_ZkFt0UbX8276wKqhkF7Fbd-jkqzg1oa5Dg7ujgL4fOJ-x0Whrvic6y6eJbprFmaA_AFA3N6KsjBh53ilq4FmCK29aJuMrgcq8/s1600/PICT0753.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7wC0hKl5aYcg8F2w_6Fgmfwe8Tlpr9qFvMVJN-6lBKr_ZkFt0UbX8276wKqhkF7Fbd-jkqzg1oa5Dg7ujgL4fOJ-x0Whrvic6y6eJbprFmaA_AFA3N6KsjBh53ilq4FmCK29aJuMrgcq8/s200/PICT0753.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498796315355583394" /></a><br />Sue trying to sneak one more big sloppy kiss from Akins<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxA7_PZ7ICg5XswXJcp3sbo5tk7erFpwFtWMN6prYXpei8ewrpAyf4-0W_sD0L4bopqNLbWtuSPAyVEeNjeJrh2tWfqCdb2mb1mcU6wtgcvSUXlwmUH-gFe_m2td5mtHaFabujvzIvscCp/s1600/PICT0770.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxA7_PZ7ICg5XswXJcp3sbo5tk7erFpwFtWMN6prYXpei8ewrpAyf4-0W_sD0L4bopqNLbWtuSPAyVEeNjeJrh2tWfqCdb2mb1mcU6wtgcvSUXlwmUH-gFe_m2td5mtHaFabujvzIvscCp/s200/PICT0770.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498796309529214210" /></a><br />Then time to say until next year.....<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhos1laGh3JoFxY2c9J1exoANlFo4WnTIYLyJtUpTqn6-WxLOK41AyAjsQqaw7XzyuqEcB4JBJn7OIBQjCXN7VZx6z1qfbljnMyAweIUV8gsdCUflRWoXBBHOlREMjGjxLwBGry6trS5Rhj/s1600/PICT0777.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhos1laGh3JoFxY2c9J1exoANlFo4WnTIYLyJtUpTqn6-WxLOK41AyAjsQqaw7XzyuqEcB4JBJn7OIBQjCXN7VZx6z1qfbljnMyAweIUV8gsdCUflRWoXBBHOlREMjGjxLwBGry6trS5Rhj/s200/PICT0777.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498796301771029314" /></a><br />and one final hug before the doors close and the car drives away... see ya soon!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1619589299000213210.post-77504802124384628252010-07-16T20:00:00.000-07:002010-07-16T21:00:30.217-07:00Family Reunion July 4, 2010As is now a tradition we hold a family reunion each year over the 4th of July. My sister comes down with a pack of nieces and nephews and we play and play and play. The story starts with a plan for Tammy to bring Claudia, Shayne, Landon and that's it. But.... when Tammy arrived at my niece's house there stood Aleyia with her packed suitcase. Basically, Aleyia had her own plans, and they were "I'm going". So. there were four! Even still a milder version of last year's events. Amanda is in school so she and her youngest Haley stayed behind and my cousin Paula's son had a baseball tournament the same weekend and well Del and Sondie said "uhhhh, I think we will pass". I think all the kids last year about did them in.<br /> <br />Here are some of the highlights....<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPFCyMash9Pb8qcZGIFUI5ZSIhI7NBQa7F1LyBw56DNVaQGRT2vWgzn7TR3d8zRc8WcMN9ohFLgl3icQZ2UlMAZXcGke9qvgI9IVXoNK8Y7PgxdAw0KXeZn7DctPTV9oQTPFwQOJwmap85/s1600/PICT0566.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPFCyMash9Pb8qcZGIFUI5ZSIhI7NBQa7F1LyBw56DNVaQGRT2vWgzn7TR3d8zRc8WcMN9ohFLgl3icQZ2UlMAZXcGke9qvgI9IVXoNK8Y7PgxdAw0KXeZn7DctPTV9oQTPFwQOJwmap85/s200/PICT0566.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494714785321227474" /></a><br />The first day it rained, but hey who cares! It's hot. It's wet. Duh! <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmef_4oKJZAIPNx76ZmM-bbU0NNAzgsIesYDmjDwXxbDxcrdkqDouQf5tUQ7PVmtrm1QC9F2W5GMnO6XOQKCwKnsRDir0758e8iunfdV3FJ-B15IEru1EYw-LZNyvB0V7Zm2KXJ1x-pD7f/s1600/PICT0540.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmef_4oKJZAIPNx76ZmM-bbU0NNAzgsIesYDmjDwXxbDxcrdkqDouQf5tUQ7PVmtrm1QC9F2W5GMnO6XOQKCwKnsRDir0758e8iunfdV3FJ-B15IEru1EYw-LZNyvB0V7Zm2KXJ1x-pD7f/s200/PICT0540.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494716464764749186" /></a><br />Shayne and Landon chillin' lookin' like they are wearing lipstick<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOfqZk92SnvRarM8sb_S_V8iVDOG0MS_mhHgVwKyqIko_rZkWW4h9UNU8hX48RB0RvsesbCthdakbw7EykfHUEuA41cIUgVRmNZeR3J7rFtMgrKDPTT3nctb5VtOnLqPHmMtI58C2F7HAC/s1600/PICT0541.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOfqZk92SnvRarM8sb_S_V8iVDOG0MS_mhHgVwKyqIko_rZkWW4h9UNU8hX48RB0RvsesbCthdakbw7EykfHUEuA41cIUgVRmNZeR3J7rFtMgrKDPTT3nctb5VtOnLqPHmMtI58C2F7HAC/s200/PICT0541.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494716457242774066" /></a><br />Tammy and Mom havin' a moment. Mom lookin' like she is ready to make the big escape<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJVLxpnzzfdmKtxOZzJukexWdZ7QUR0jC71AykhOqhVcI25dPn2gEQCRSTRHU7O0A9QudRgqeVNH3t3JDEkVHs2u7csx16cpy7WLxPt1uwEWcxRygNulLEfqBVyp5QTbMKt3us7QZu9tst/s1600/PICT0549.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJVLxpnzzfdmKtxOZzJukexWdZ7QUR0jC71AykhOqhVcI25dPn2gEQCRSTRHU7O0A9QudRgqeVNH3t3JDEkVHs2u7csx16cpy7WLxPt1uwEWcxRygNulLEfqBVyp5QTbMKt3us7QZu9tst/s200/PICT0549.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494716448418002866" /></a><br />Karaoke Night <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ZLp2aiUR6IjKJkZIUqgg-nPrCKvSYgQDOE4x99MQt_ucBb_mwc1rU68bPbFtH5BxXRFvmJP4qXquPsmKIGHzt7TUbJQR309gvpVZdPJ_ueHZDXXNUh_Ou-kg7-BACX4ChfI8dEJmCuRU/s1600/PICT0552.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ZLp2aiUR6IjKJkZIUqgg-nPrCKvSYgQDOE4x99MQt_ucBb_mwc1rU68bPbFtH5BxXRFvmJP4qXquPsmKIGHzt7TUbJQR309gvpVZdPJ_ueHZDXXNUh_Ou-kg7-BACX4ChfI8dEJmCuRU/s200/PICT0552.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494716440812281218" /></a><br />Shanye looks like he would rather be about any where else<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKDKGsGwit-Flb-qRm4lItt6FHrbJuw6Gl75o34P3xAYZnCskz7Sl2fui4kQDkBvM_bf1OtYo9fzyALSAI8oKzr1bew5QameEwY_6I9kSK5miKBKsecfHBJrfW_y5GphOthydVQuMs0ar3/s1600/PICT0557.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKDKGsGwit-Flb-qRm4lItt6FHrbJuw6Gl75o34P3xAYZnCskz7Sl2fui4kQDkBvM_bf1OtYo9fzyALSAI8oKzr1bew5QameEwY_6I9kSK5miKBKsecfHBJrfW_y5GphOthydVQuMs0ar3/s200/PICT0557.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494714794984883986" /></a><br />One of the many feasts<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhChSKhJ0PqPL5QvIX82wLCa-YtgEpbw73PZ5NkcGOohFDr52cdwHkxqQ1P0wAx9XhejhG5pC0kXOaJ7rh6P9_6i55mPQbgBlmzgu5cGl2WYXw-ReWwUy9BU2-HZ11rQ0rG66kCKC4H6JgW/s1600/PICT0571.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhChSKhJ0PqPL5QvIX82wLCa-YtgEpbw73PZ5NkcGOohFDr52cdwHkxqQ1P0wAx9XhejhG5pC0kXOaJ7rh6P9_6i55mPQbgBlmzgu5cGl2WYXw-ReWwUy9BU2-HZ11rQ0rG66kCKC4H6JgW/s200/PICT0571.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494714777032004658" /></a><br />How many kids can one fit into a house?<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4ZmxDXVHHeVLlepPvk3M6AjeiiMK7IfY6Ld3iZAy7kCsFlZbhUWZLEnu3QopzkxdxjB5IS81u5kcL4Lmkl9oBQ_AwVJ0WgayvI_796USRHaiDIekgAHVfkLna3j2I4YtzkaSpumcx8t-/s1600/PICT0578.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4ZmxDXVHHeVLlepPvk3M6AjeiiMK7IfY6Ld3iZAy7kCsFlZbhUWZLEnu3QopzkxdxjB5IS81u5kcL4Lmkl9oBQ_AwVJ0WgayvI_796USRHaiDIekgAHVfkLna3j2I4YtzkaSpumcx8t-/s200/PICT0578.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494714774374546866" /></a><br />Well, that all depends. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioFGcbKubDuJmMvw4kNC5Jg0xG9YzbU5iip5iER6pIFyJUANbO20q3SlY0o7mN3x89I2aVFxkNDA9O9MaaBK5iHy3He8r-4ZxlvLbZ4V5fN1aanF_kdeLCDWfHK6wP8w89oACzYDtCcF5Q/s1600/PICT0575.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioFGcbKubDuJmMvw4kNC5Jg0xG9YzbU5iip5iER6pIFyJUANbO20q3SlY0o7mN3x89I2aVFxkNDA9O9MaaBK5iHy3He8r-4ZxlvLbZ4V5fN1aanF_kdeLCDWfHK6wP8w89oACzYDtCcF5Q/s200/PICT0575.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494714763550876770" /></a><br />If every couch and chair in your house folds out....<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmlgHKSwdLEbQsnfXIA_GwQhpwvwRJb149zpRs1YltqHggygmQneOtxaNlylvQoqaSNmSxRSsyf5A_enrvf2-vCva0HZKLF6ogQMSh8aSFWKDp_T7Au1rBJklSS7CNFvsd4gjVAaXmteWg/s1600/PICT0573.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmlgHKSwdLEbQsnfXIA_GwQhpwvwRJb149zpRs1YltqHggygmQneOtxaNlylvQoqaSNmSxRSsyf5A_enrvf2-vCva0HZKLF6ogQMSh8aSFWKDp_T7Au1rBJklSS7CNFvsd4gjVAaXmteWg/s200/PICT0573.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494712005723594658" /></a><br />LOTS!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTj1_D9zBzq-ejFxElsykcrRJi_bskUXB_zkNO2N-_w2uvDG3ltu7Lpuk7dyc87nBNcZQIHWf3RHislCnDQgWUoWvepiaUajstCDpS-X_S-UcmSvbaK-bn8NlUxpjo_kJvXXTW7f01f7QA/s1600/PICT0580.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTj1_D9zBzq-ejFxElsykcrRJi_bskUXB_zkNO2N-_w2uvDG3ltu7Lpuk7dyc87nBNcZQIHWf3RHislCnDQgWUoWvepiaUajstCDpS-X_S-UcmSvbaK-bn8NlUxpjo_kJvXXTW7f01f7QA/s200/PICT0580.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494711997079397042" /></a><br />Quads are always a highlight and now we have 4 of them...<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwQx-_3qXKMomAyDiVRxM-YjejzCUEAvMJPACVYaTpSZ2wma9emubYScTp40Ba8SnFPUUGTgcLGpXW1VHCkzBpaduy0VIG5TTmrB7ejcv4vTQpV_FmIwDvODYTZmYr7iR-5yJKK4orGtnr/s1600/PICT0586.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwQx-_3qXKMomAyDiVRxM-YjejzCUEAvMJPACVYaTpSZ2wma9emubYScTp40Ba8SnFPUUGTgcLGpXW1VHCkzBpaduy0VIG5TTmrB7ejcv4vTQpV_FmIwDvODYTZmYr7iR-5yJKK4orGtnr/s200/PICT0586.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494711991162304850" /></a><br />Ready for the firework display! <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbZHEuswc3nWRwY86ttL6fzLJNUCEwFL37KTTyvnPFI6ghpqttp092zHVu-hKRRwPT0k1vscBfMRCn8DbPlpzxBUjJ2EzjB7hmhS3MVDv1ZiEVLmOq8F3K3aOixziusiAlu5_NiafbJmlG/s1600/PICT0589.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbZHEuswc3nWRwY86ttL6fzLJNUCEwFL37KTTyvnPFI6ghpqttp092zHVu-hKRRwPT0k1vscBfMRCn8DbPlpzxBUjJ2EzjB7hmhS3MVDv1ZiEVLmOq8F3K3aOixziusiAlu5_NiafbJmlG/s200/PICT0589.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494711987522171890" /></a><br />and just plain ole' being silly!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1619589299000213210.post-74868988896240077192010-06-26T15:15:00.001-07:002010-06-26T15:18:36.715-07:00It's Official!Maima Hawa Knupp - Born May 9, 1998! <br /><br />Adoption complete, check....<br />Birth date changed, check....<br />Name changed, check...<br /><br />Valerie mother of two, check..... (two kids I can thoroughly screw up. yikes!)<br /><br /><br />Now all we have is re-do passport, get new birth certificate that reflects all the changes and order a certificate of citizenship and we are DONE!!!!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1619589299000213210.post-82171945314350685932010-05-29T11:53:00.000-07:002010-05-29T12:08:15.975-07:00Zachary 12/15/93 - 5/27/2010It came time to say good-bye to my dear friend and long-time companion. The kids and Lorea had all grown to love this little man. Until the very last moment he had a free spirit and unbelievable positive outlook. Needless to say we are sad and I will miss him terribly. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUgMm5SFn5PIJ6R_ItBHFbnT8RsDfb1HpsEmhBt2K8tQEnltySk7v_pkJVJo8_4ZS7jDQxDsZfNOMTbbkrkhm4Te20HLftpF87_vFetcb-qOvj5JPSo0ppmDe1V_6ScfbVEsK3rPLWLwQW/s1600/zack1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 138px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUgMm5SFn5PIJ6R_ItBHFbnT8RsDfb1HpsEmhBt2K8tQEnltySk7v_pkJVJo8_4ZS7jDQxDsZfNOMTbbkrkhm4Te20HLftpF87_vFetcb-qOvj5JPSo0ppmDe1V_6ScfbVEsK3rPLWLwQW/s200/zack1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476770442449512530" /></a><br />As a young man!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp52IuaXuJIU57ddhfDMg_2yLvveVxrq2X025ZIGFy31U3u5p3emAjGTI8VJcpwvY1Qkjh0gLIogrZCtyJc6gmriYkdsvOMZwZfxcNbsSKKMdus5YM8bM6vAI2Kt7FckUKhnPKoIJr63EH/s1600/PICT0008.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp52IuaXuJIU57ddhfDMg_2yLvveVxrq2X025ZIGFy31U3u5p3emAjGTI8VJcpwvY1Qkjh0gLIogrZCtyJc6gmriYkdsvOMZwZfxcNbsSKKMdus5YM8bM6vAI2Kt7FckUKhnPKoIJr63EH/s200/PICT0008.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476770433081006866" /></a><br />Christmas 2009<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCR2nWpHCAkm4pCATSVLYVjseEhzF7bSuVvPhmvKCjcxU4v72cPvyi77NVizBwsH4cmKybmgF8gQi7am0yhzdjOLj5I2-7QqWY1nbD7g6LfkphDgh5q-oP06XlgVfG-OQNB37HatuhmPJr/s1600/PICT0468.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCR2nWpHCAkm4pCATSVLYVjseEhzF7bSuVvPhmvKCjcxU4v72cPvyi77NVizBwsH4cmKybmgF8gQi7am0yhzdjOLj5I2-7QqWY1nbD7g6LfkphDgh5q-oP06XlgVfG-OQNB37HatuhmPJr/s200/PICT0468.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476769136388465330" /></a><br />May 26, 2010<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_z3eEzGDeYZG_7kohqI5iUP6aScsgkin7-8d3J2QizgfXEHdRD1Hpnsu3VUP3foEcS8IykRTPG-ZcCHnmuMUVl4oTu0chzS-kSOvQho88orH_fdUwNUEtBLBoH1KyRQnc2kDjduZDxtYf/s1600/PICT0477.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_z3eEzGDeYZG_7kohqI5iUP6aScsgkin7-8d3J2QizgfXEHdRD1Hpnsu3VUP3foEcS8IykRTPG-ZcCHnmuMUVl4oTu0chzS-kSOvQho88orH_fdUwNUEtBLBoH1KyRQnc2kDjduZDxtYf/s200/PICT0477.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476769130228342306" /></a><br />May 26, 2010Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1619589299000213210.post-49712822830648113282010-05-18T15:58:00.000-07:002010-05-18T17:05:02.685-07:00Akins Graduates from Pre-KThere have been times where I wondered if we would make it....<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOXH6NPjlYZdZjh0q-wMKY73aMsMZez8uFaaaT5mBe67A97VdH4OmAI26c1xzp0M75skY52KxGaINMZcKSQBm-s9u_Yj-YtzulQYkMIJ7KQqloB3i1rk0CH8cpiFHtlIV-9T_ny0MZM6cn/s1600/PICT0380.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOXH6NPjlYZdZjh0q-wMKY73aMsMZez8uFaaaT5mBe67A97VdH4OmAI26c1xzp0M75skY52KxGaINMZcKSQBm-s9u_Yj-YtzulQYkMIJ7KQqloB3i1rk0CH8cpiFHtlIV-9T_ny0MZM6cn/s200/PICT0380.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472752909541286946" /></a><br />Leading the girl (he didn't want to hold hands with) and the boy who clearly did not want to be there at all...<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqjnLoRu5tLHVxzrIgsmUWn85i6KQe91iPATqLxLmL6cNKeYYj9gsEuNQudwrpsGbE8sDh1PgUXurInXdG74npJkpk9Amx97fLD58E4uIGInkPq0nyRwgwuuNjxKUocrKOsf1Ug8JpklVi/s1600/PICT0397.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqjnLoRu5tLHVxzrIgsmUWn85i6KQe91iPATqLxLmL6cNKeYYj9gsEuNQudwrpsGbE8sDh1PgUXurInXdG74npJkpk9Amx97fLD58E4uIGInkPq0nyRwgwuuNjxKUocrKOsf1Ug8JpklVi/s200/PICT0397.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472752903490065010" /></a><br />Singing the Alligator song<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXXI9mmX1xi8-bI-KDjVW5qVUxEG9YuLF9IJQGYswATT8nZlFWgxomBdTQGbHwka1p3RBHhytEdwTEbWCaW6TKhtD2SP6tDWn7FQqowPTdZR07WQMtFtIx3E2eQAeoCPJCixzXRud0Hqeg/s1600/PICT0408.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXXI9mmX1xi8-bI-KDjVW5qVUxEG9YuLF9IJQGYswATT8nZlFWgxomBdTQGbHwka1p3RBHhytEdwTEbWCaW6TKhtD2SP6tDWn7FQqowPTdZR07WQMtFtIx3E2eQAeoCPJCixzXRud0Hqeg/s200/PICT0408.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472752891459222450" /></a><br />That little girl was pulling on his hat and now trying to share his chair<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoasdnD3UkIyhUPTFer5KJzi0HiLl4w40Ggn1peVA2Py3EEw84ciwMH1ojpHNBq28ZvX_Hh9CjqxRZS7aMiQZX05Dt6zaI0OZV5LCFJUwEa0g2mOC2nJ8KuMjmjp93cyj2KMJtiZ8nDcSK/s1600/PICT0406.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoasdnD3UkIyhUPTFer5KJzi0HiLl4w40Ggn1peVA2Py3EEw84ciwMH1ojpHNBq28ZvX_Hh9CjqxRZS7aMiQZX05Dt6zaI0OZV5LCFJUwEa0g2mOC2nJ8KuMjmjp93cyj2KMJtiZ8nDcSK/s200/PICT0406.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472752894791575666" /></a><br />Proof we made it....<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxiKVi-qxDST5KwDfshsfinW46UFcBL9E8nLhcNCb3f29Az5QnOMntyp_Drl_YhtM_f5PlqAxSAhT6lEJHR-XWTFjcHPR2bmAzxQHCxuHX0Vg6QIHou4xHLhHRTpB3Qw5pPVxy8vjnfFew/s1600/PICT0417.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxiKVi-qxDST5KwDfshsfinW46UFcBL9E8nLhcNCb3f29Az5QnOMntyp_Drl_YhtM_f5PlqAxSAhT6lEJHR-XWTFjcHPR2bmAzxQHCxuHX0Vg6QIHou4xHLhHRTpB3Qw5pPVxy8vjnfFew/s200/PICT0417.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472752889038328290" /></a><br />Perhaps he has a future as a cobbler??? Shoe repair necessary right in the middle of the event.<br /><br /><br /><em><strong>Funny Moments -</strong></em> <br /><br />Maima: "Dude, I am not laughing at you I am laughing with you"<br />Akins: "I'm not laughing" (points to his face) "Does it look like I am laughing"!<br /><br /><br />Remember the song by the Village People? -<br /><br />Akins: "Nacho, Nacho, Nacho man. I want to be a Nacho man". <br />Mommy: "Hey that's supposed to be Macho Man"<br />Akins: "What's a Macho Man"? (shrugs) "Nacho, Nacho, Nacho man...."<br /><br /><em><strong>Not so funny moments -</strong></em> <br /><br />We have officially lost all potential coolness we ever had and bought a mini van!!!!<em></em> Lorea dubbed it the "Sienna Soccer Shuttle". This sounds way better than the Mini Van. I swear not in a million years!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1619589299000213210.post-49145032280498763602010-05-16T16:25:00.000-07:002010-05-16T17:21:51.260-07:00May 9, 2010 Maima turns ???Well that is the question... we are in the process of trying to get Maima's birth age changed as part of the re-adoption. Maima has a U.S. Birth Certificate that says she should have turned 14 on May 9th but I don't think so. I think Maima is more likely 12 and let's face it, for these kids so severely behind in school the difference of 6th grade or going off to high school as a Freshman is HUGE! Maima is not physically, educationally, nor emotionally 14 so I have requested a review of her age. We had bone analysis on her hands which did put her at 13, but hair growth had her at Stage II Puberty (12) and the othodonist put her at age 11 or 12. Maima wants her age changed so we are hanging onto a couple of supporting statues and a Gaurdian ad Litem (an attorney appointed to ensure Maima's best interests are met). We meet this attorney for the fist time next Friday. In the meantime, we celebrated twelve candles in hopes of getting our wishes met. The final adoption is on hold until this piece is all figured out as it all has to go into the package. Hopefully, within 30 days we will have this resolved so we can finalize one way or another. <br /><br />Now for the fun part of the birthday. Maima asked for a pink cake with Justin Beiber (teen idol) on it. With her accent it sounded like a pink cake with "just a beaver". For those of you that know me well you know I can be a bit of a terror. This set me off into a couple of weeks of teasing and a struggle over the pink cake with "just a beaver" which always netted this response "no mommy-o not the animal, the boy". So, I had to follow through of course. Therefore, there were two cakes one with a pink beaver (animal - not the greatest rendering) and one with the boy (Beiber). Her big payoff for the tormenting is tickets to "the boy's" concert. This resulted in me getting a practice run of the anticiatped 5000 screaming little girls that I expect will be present that night. Anyone have any tylenol? I know I am going to need it! <br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTU4jx3XqGZGMGacEg621k8TZ25_usX3UIby1vcWOrbEyP4kZdiZ1qf67n0pVAwD-DUO7dDEFBb5JB_bZk01cHzjhQ1EXR-Wrbm6PMqXLD2GqmGrUArLXABn40DQbRnW6xwMD8oDsJO9NK/s1600/PICT0160.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTU4jx3XqGZGMGacEg621k8TZ25_usX3UIby1vcWOrbEyP4kZdiZ1qf67n0pVAwD-DUO7dDEFBb5JB_bZk01cHzjhQ1EXR-Wrbm6PMqXLD2GqmGrUArLXABn40DQbRnW6xwMD8oDsJO9NK/s200/PICT0160.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472018347785737666" /></a><br />"Just a Beaver" cake in pink! <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsmgLpAoZW7n1quQg47qO6T-qAaLleqHutH_Gq7PGk6Snfmhw0DxcI4bDWWXlFThSUzF9j4FJoApdgdNX4wcgqfp-MC5fjEKVviu30aWMBX9Vs2QZVcNQr8A09EgBahc4-ZxFxrORkZ_p/s1600/PICT0185.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsmgLpAoZW7n1quQg47qO6T-qAaLleqHutH_Gq7PGk6Snfmhw0DxcI4bDWWXlFThSUzF9j4FJoApdgdNX4wcgqfp-MC5fjEKVviu30aWMBX9Vs2QZVcNQr8A09EgBahc4-ZxFxrORkZ_p/s200/PICT0185.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472018357431714578" /></a><br />"Oh, you meant the boy"!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2p7uPDTO4Y8Hb0oPIDYO8CIyW8Hc122HHAEoM766TdtJPpW6Je36pcB2oiAsph3wp1sEbJdrwmQKyfSPso3Dzmxn_lhM3EuiiYybQsCuslFuuKaJKxSZcx_KWNHcS-bEyADWUZdZSxurV/s1600/PICT0180.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2p7uPDTO4Y8Hb0oPIDYO8CIyW8Hc122HHAEoM766TdtJPpW6Je36pcB2oiAsph3wp1sEbJdrwmQKyfSPso3Dzmxn_lhM3EuiiYybQsCuslFuuKaJKxSZcx_KWNHcS-bEyADWUZdZSxurV/s200/PICT0180.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472018369727141138" /></a><br />Make a wish!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZlbyHFO60jGgWN8qBTMO5Quzxrd71Mmd3AggusUoWqmwksL03Kr6IZyTPTsgmz81Ky9A6IVVgjVYylXPTYJZUI-lym5OrYgqkq8FzXKlCRrti58YmhIMPdXFa9x3Atju6mKLW2UB9l9mG/s1600/PICT0176.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZlbyHFO60jGgWN8qBTMO5Quzxrd71Mmd3AggusUoWqmwksL03Kr6IZyTPTsgmz81Ky9A6IVVgjVYylXPTYJZUI-lym5OrYgqkq8FzXKlCRrti58YmhIMPdXFa9x3Atju6mKLW2UB9l9mG/s200/PICT0176.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472018363433055586" /></a><br />Give the beaver a kiss! <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTLkGfE3tbwnH24Y6NnLst70s2qAbZmPq4IJxt-gMJ6iArNXZaCCu4_MltHFzn91yWQBxrsp5H05OYzKETXcgIhcYglLYR6IHc7uBARKlUud3WwOtnjBQoOt6xerYBxLH2JclmQgZro8bK/s1600/PICT0272.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTLkGfE3tbwnH24Y6NnLst70s2qAbZmPq4IJxt-gMJ6iArNXZaCCu4_MltHFzn91yWQBxrsp5H05OYzKETXcgIhcYglLYR6IHc7uBARKlUud3WwOtnjBQoOt6xerYBxLH2JclmQgZro8bK/s200/PICT0272.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472018374433150770" /></a><br />What is inside the big box? An old family trick to pack small things in lots of big boxes.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4pix1yv4JWRRurCpnw26Eea4gW_Lg4idUe3JEdaxDa988VMYZPA_ebowQ53F2SXhJ7cJuuX_92qc_BSpfaGI4o_TmAmMG8xCDW967eGgx3bb5pOdnXA9_gyFRw0mh20C6S7iAaQfhErYD/s1600/PICT0277.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4pix1yv4JWRRurCpnw26Eea4gW_Lg4idUe3JEdaxDa988VMYZPA_ebowQ53F2SXhJ7cJuuX_92qc_BSpfaGI4o_TmAmMG8xCDW967eGgx3bb5pOdnXA9_gyFRw0mh20C6S7iAaQfhErYD/s200/PICT0277.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472024960439443810" /></a><br />After box 3... <br />Maima: "What is wrong with you people"?<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw14yBbbjbGjOqiNjO9St_S7NRGYBmYReIOVrbaTnaZrcdrIzToNwhcBg0fCr0nbaIpcm1Lz3Jew03lUn3_ZUxNNIhPnrQwocKtAvRVNdzlh72mWMAtXaQbS1PufZ5gQEUUIKh91C3DtRs/s1600/PICT0290.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw14yBbbjbGjOqiNjO9St_S7NRGYBmYReIOVrbaTnaZrcdrIzToNwhcBg0fCr0nbaIpcm1Lz3Jew03lUn3_ZUxNNIhPnrQwocKtAvRVNdzlh72mWMAtXaQbS1PufZ5gQEUUIKh91C3DtRs/s200/PICT0290.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472020671991040674" /></a><br />After opening 2 more boxes and spending a few minutes trying to figure it out. <br />Maima: "Are these tickets"? <br />Mommy: "Yes"<br />Maima: small pause... lots of screaming, jumping and running around the room. <br />Mommy: "Do you know what it means". <br />Maima: "No". <br />Mommy: "It means you get to go see Justin Beiber in concert".<br />Maima: More screaming and running around the room!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxppIiNgrOrQ8HaMDeQscaD-eh3GeB_l9vHJ6IQmGj7AYAwaUEvIMq2CrxKk2war7ObFp7vOfEZfJfINihtfOSO8rxECL1X3399UUdv-6R2a3FqEiAjvJjdwaYd-qLCAX3eHVE9iOtaaPW/s1600/PICT0308.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxppIiNgrOrQ8HaMDeQscaD-eh3GeB_l9vHJ6IQmGj7AYAwaUEvIMq2CrxKk2war7ObFp7vOfEZfJfINihtfOSO8rxECL1X3399UUdv-6R2a3FqEiAjvJjdwaYd-qLCAX3eHVE9iOtaaPW/s200/PICT0308.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472020663433545602" /></a><br />"Yes" <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOeamASjvtMsYSnbvTkwrdwRL5VlLQzg5F02G1dJedlcpTpDPTKArH8NeGIkOk2cxj-3Rr0ggJFitqWX9lHrAoxjpBPz7KjBEJoMvfre-qzB-67FQcb6dC3XOl7JmgcLQ45e0xKYx3aejd/s1600/PICT0310.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOeamASjvtMsYSnbvTkwrdwRL5VlLQzg5F02G1dJedlcpTpDPTKArH8NeGIkOk2cxj-3Rr0ggJFitqWX9lHrAoxjpBPz7KjBEJoMvfre-qzB-67FQcb6dC3XOl7JmgcLQ45e0xKYx3aejd/s200/PICT0310.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472020662334967234" /></a><br />Loading up her loot!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1619589299000213210.post-38269805328712728222010-04-11T16:41:00.001-07:002010-04-11T18:23:41.502-07:00The Ping Pong Masters<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRYTdMxhj6YRzOar5HFMBM_PKuEWNjLt4VO0qYBS1QWoJp_IJNGGmTz2ly5HnhON_iczxAiWxYN0KogMQwpyMsuzRjVgM6aQrzvompS7mnwQeO_idNFB0lCbOVuWpafyt2BxcYc7zp56_B/s1600/PICT0032.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRYTdMxhj6YRzOar5HFMBM_PKuEWNjLt4VO0qYBS1QWoJp_IJNGGmTz2ly5HnhON_iczxAiWxYN0KogMQwpyMsuzRjVgM6aQrzvompS7mnwQeO_idNFB0lCbOVuWpafyt2BxcYc7zp56_B/s200/PICT0032.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459030262367310706" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIWqVFBSDfWBm4FnqBrhI8gggQ9S4VZo3RXQe6WcxuKXBOv_1vJQOD7akAVEVA3xOWCvPzkarNUaMSwT73ie0hkkkTITJocUOIutREGnE_pZ-ri8_5PvtXZ1vMDp2LGYkveFz3D3wKoYwP/s1600/PICT0030.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIWqVFBSDfWBm4FnqBrhI8gggQ9S4VZo3RXQe6WcxuKXBOv_1vJQOD7akAVEVA3xOWCvPzkarNUaMSwT73ie0hkkkTITJocUOIutREGnE_pZ-ri8_5PvtXZ1vMDp2LGYkveFz3D3wKoYwP/s200/PICT0030.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459030253718386210" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7hVL2_cGKMk6kxfMKIB9MZGP30spizZw3BjUZz9whPO3VNGKfSSIUo-HIBO-cDqumFuXrfresZ39CDXufKZ1L-aMmmInHRN7lE03S7Nz8Sh1Lr-44B9Nh2U3FKTulnRTximhjBc7gvaji/s1600/PICT0025.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7hVL2_cGKMk6kxfMKIB9MZGP30spizZw3BjUZz9whPO3VNGKfSSIUo-HIBO-cDqumFuXrfresZ39CDXufKZ1L-aMmmInHRN7lE03S7Nz8Sh1Lr-44B9Nh2U3FKTulnRTximhjBc7gvaji/s200/PICT0025.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459030246120558466" /></a><br />Some serious playing in the Wii Ping Pong Masters with Grandma!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1619589299000213210.post-28657918253552555282010-04-11T16:29:00.000-07:002010-04-11T16:33:14.832-07:00Maima Gets Braces<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2tsW_BtnZLPmf-NADWSrjpVnybB8uAiUkA36tFBovad8nf-8qOzlEnwDp3CGQeWry_hu5S8OZ3FMWM0ZHgSB_p6kgLOtiMWaG6qh9r7IgGRXwJAXF-C28V283LK2bjNEu49inv3kAUdIr/s1600/PICT0036.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2tsW_BtnZLPmf-NADWSrjpVnybB8uAiUkA36tFBovad8nf-8qOzlEnwDp3CGQeWry_hu5S8OZ3FMWM0ZHgSB_p6kgLOtiMWaG6qh9r7IgGRXwJAXF-C28V283LK2bjNEu49inv3kAUdIr/s200/PICT0036.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459027077789816498" /></a><br />She chose pink, green and blue!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2