Christmas #1

Well, I am seriously behind in blogging!

  (My children are on Day 12 of Christmas vacation.  'Nuff said.) 

 I'm going to have to do Christmas in three installments, otherwise there would be a r-e-a-l-l-y long post!

These first pictures are things that happened a week or two before Christmas.  Keelan had his band concert just before break.  They have concerts through the year, but the Christmas one is always the most fun.  Here is the Gateway High School symphonic band.

This is Keelan's third year playing the trumpet, and he's getting really good!  He spent part of first semester helping the beginning trumpet players in Justin's school band.

For part of the concert they marched in from the back and stood in front of the audience.

The trumpet section and drumline.  The drummer on the far left is Keelan's good friend Ian, who - for some reason - likes to spend time at our crazy house.  :)

Keelan was asked to help the freshman band with their music, as well.  He's on the end and the rest of them look so small, haha.

Here is a video of the symphonic band playing "Sleigh Ride", complete with falling snow!

Samuel and Caylie sang some Christmas songs at church with the children's class.  Caylie loves to perform and sings her little heart out, but it was all new for Samuel.  We were very proud of him for getting up there and singing and doing the motions (which he did not want to do!)  We are also so grateful for our little church family for loving our boy and helping him along on this journey.  Last year he was a parent-less kid in a group foster home in China.  And now he's singing with his friends at Meadowood Church in Colorado.  These are his people now.  I'm so glad for that.

And here is a video of them singing "For Unto Us a Child Is Born / Open the Eyes of My Heart".

A more formal shot at church that day, in which neither are smiling.  Oh well, I tried.

We had fun at our friends, the Petersons', house one night.  Their Sarah was adopted from China last year, and is a year younger than Samuel.

 Sam learned to play Monopoly.  We learned that Justin is as treacherous as his father.

Lots of houses in our neighborhood are decorated in many lights, Santas, reindeer, snowmen, and even a big green dinosaur in a Santa hat.  But in front of our house is this simple nativity scene.  Despite all the busy-ness of the season, and the stress of jobs and four childrens' schooling, and the difficulties in parenting a newly-adopted 12-year-old, THIS is what is important.  This covers it all.  The Christ child in a manger.  Emmanuel - God with us.

AAC Adoption Christmas Party

On Saturday I took Justin, Samuel and Caylie up to Berthoud for the annual AAC Adoption Christmas party.  Well, they call it a "holiday" party, but I don't.  I mean, Santa was there, and all, ha!

When I saw that they were taking pictures, I thought it would be nice to have a "nice" one.  I told the kids to not get their faces painted until after the picture.  So they didn't.  But that didn't stop them from wearing hats and masks.  And Sam wanted to hold that big hammer.  Oh well . . . 

We don't "do Santa" at our house.  We talk about how he's fun to pretend and that he's in movies and books sometimes, but that Jesus being born is the real meaning of Christmas.  I think I mentioned before that I finally have Samuel convinced that his mom and dad will give him presents and not Santa, but that he was still sure that Santa brought his presents to him in China.  (As far as I know, he only had presents last year at House of Grace, so I'm not sure what he thinks was going on with Santa his first ten years.)  But we are still talking about "Santas" just being guys wearing costumes.  It's a work in progress, ha.  Anyway, even though Caylie knows that Santa is pretend, she still likes to sit on his lap and let mama take her picture!

 And Samuel thought he'd give it a try, too. 

 He knows mom likes a good photo op.  ;)

And then it was time for face painting.  

This is our awesome social worker Jane, who has seen us through two home studies and numerous post-placement visits, and the beautiful Nicole, AAC Adoption China coordinator, who puts up with me on a regular basis.

And Caylie with the rest of the AAC staff: Christie, Alexa, Regina and Karen.

Caylie and me with our friends Gloria and Emily.

Sweet little Kai-Liang and his mama Heather.

My China kids playing outside with my friend Dawn's China kids.  So fun!

We love AAC Adoption!  Family events are fun!

Thanksgiving Into Christmas

I totally meant to do a big Thanksgiving post, being Samuel's first one and all.  But food prep and the busy-ness of the day got in the way, and I only ended up with a couple of pictures.  It was a fun day, though!  We ate lots of yummy food and played fun games.  Then watched a little football.  And it snowed!  

A perfect Thanksgiving Day.  

Tessa and I went grocery shopping for all the Thanksgiving food on the Monday before.  That sign was scary to me that day, but now the number is way lower!  Ack.

Samuel was very intrigued with the turkey when I took it out to put it in the roaster.  He decided he wanted to eat one of the legs.  Here he is with it, but I think he found it was considerably bigger than a chicken leg!  And as you can see, Caylie enjoyed her dinner, too.

Tessa wasn't even three months old at her first Thanksgiving.  I think she liked all the food this time!

And it snowed!  I think that was Snow Number 5 for the year.  Number 6 came on Sunday night.

Over the weekend Jim and Keelan took Samuel to Bass Pro Shop.  I assume he liked all the animals, but (ahem) this is the only picture that I have of their visit.  

I'm sure he would like driving this thing!

Or this thing!  Jim took Samuel with him to get an oil change at the Chevy dealership, and this Corvette was in the showroom.  

Samuel was very excited to put the Christmas tree up.  

He asked so many questions about it.  

Here he is sorting out ornaments and hooks.  

Daddy looks tired from bringing the boxes in from the shed, ha!  

Helping Daddy figure out the lights.

Justin and Caylie putting ornaments on.

Samuel thought we would have to go buy ornaments.  He was surprised by our big box of them.

Cute little elf!

Justin and Caylie with the finished tree.

Tessa and Uncle Taylor after Sunday dinner.

Caylie and Jack.

Last night we were watching A Charlie Brown Christmas, and Caylie was dancing.  So cute!