The Valentine Box

Every year is so much fun for Valentine's Day. It was tradition when we were kids to make a valentine box for school. There were always competitions and we would try to make the best. My dad would come up with the best ideas. I am so uncreative in this area. Every year now I let Nico choose what kind of box he wants to make (pasts boxes; T-Rex and a giraffe). It is always something quite challenging. This year proved to be no different. I enjoy helping him create them, but they are always his idea, Mike and I just help with cutting shapes, etc. This year though, Nico was able to do most of it himself. Don't look ahead and see if you can figure out what he made by looking at each picture. He asked for help with the painting and holding boxes together, but that was it. Here's the start...taping a series of boxes in a certain order.
Spray painting it gray...thanks to daddy for having the gray primer spray paint, this would have taken forever to paint by hand.
Adding some fine details.
Adding even finer details....you probably guessed it by now!
And here it is in all it's glory...the Empire State Building...complete with King Kong, the girl, and the airplane. He really wanted to make the airplane fly around the top...but we didn't have all the parts to make that happen this year. Nico stands about 45"...so you can see how tall this is. I am hoping it rides carefully in the van to our Valentine Party with our homeschool friends. (We have two of them to attend).

We don't have competitions anymore, but Nico has fun creating and showing his work. He is going to be making a box for Luca to bring as well....not near as elaborate, but sure to be adorable! Pictures next week!

Just the Run of the Mill

I feel so bad not getting my blog updated, but not a whole lot has been happening. Since Christmas we are just in the mode of school work, cleaning the closets, and organizing the house.

Nico is doing fanastic on his lessons and it makes the days go by quickly. Luca is doing better keeping himself occupied (in a good way) while we are doing lessons. He likes to sit and watch TV more (only educational shows) and he likes to draw. He will come in the school room and say, "Draw" and pull out his special box of crayons. He'll sit at the table and draw. He is now drawing small circles vs the big round scribbles. He will say, "round, round, round; see mommy!" Of course, we praise with great voices and clapping. He also likes drawing on the dry erase board. We plan to start preschool (at home of course) in July when our next school year starts. He will be 3 in May! He is already doing school type things anyway, but we will officially start organized activities for a couple hours a day. He also loves puzzles and is very good at them.

We are excited to be going to Kansas City, Kansas the end of the month with my friend from work (and her husband). We are headed to the Great Wolf Lodge which has an indoor water park. I am so ready to get a break and go somewhere. The kids will have a blast. We are hoping to go to a couple of other museums or such in the area as well. Just quality time away from home will be fun.

I am hoping to post pictures soon. I haven't taken a whole lot since Christmas. Nico did make an amazing Valentine box this year and I will post pictures of that.

You Tube videos

Mike bought me a new video camera for Christmas. I wanted to take video and put it on my blog or youtube so the family could see us in action.

It seems to take FOREVER for the video to load on the blog so I have put them on youtube. The first was a trial run to see if it worked. This one is a short one of Luca laughing hysterically as he crashes the R/C helicopter on the simulator. Hearing my boys laughing and playing makes my day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YA1Y076nnPI

Debbie's Daybook

FOR TODAY January 12... from Debbie's Daybook
http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Outside my window... a cold, clear night with lots and lots of stars shining overhead.

I am thinking... how cold I am.

I am thankful for... a nice house to keep me warm (although I can't seem to warm up after being outside).

I am wearing... jeans and a flannel shirt (yep, still cold).

I am remembering... 2007, as I want to continue scrapbooking tonight and am that far behind.

I am going... to scrapbook tonight while sipping wine and catching up on "Lost" (season 4).

I am currently reading...the same thing I was last week.

I am hoping... for a productive day tomorrow. We start back to art class and have to get our lessons finished before we leave.

On my mind... my renters who have avoided my phone calls to pay their rent this month.

Noticing that... my desk is a mess.

Pondering these words... "pun bah" (I am hearing my 2 year old's little voice in my head trying to say Sponge Bob)

From the kitchen... bean soaking for home-made ham and bean soup.

Around the house... Luca sleeping and Nico getting his PJ's on.

One of my favorite things~ Nico's laugh

From My Picture Journal:

Nico playing in the first snow of 2010. It was so cold and windy. However, we had to go out and take some pictures.

Yep, that's Luca in there, not Sponge Bob!

Catching UP

Wow, having our modem down really gave me time to organize some things around the house, but I felt lost not checking facebook and updating my blog with pictures. Here are only a few of the many, many pictures I took during our holiday.

Our adoption agency, Children of the World, had their annual Christmas party. There was a big turn out. It was so great to meet many families that I talked with, but never met in person. The children are all so beautiful. Here is Uncle Rudy with all his kids.

The boys visited with Santa while we were at the Christmas party.

Mike, Nico, and I had a big night out to see the Ambassadors of Harmony. We went with our friends Bill and Ellen. We couldn't take pictures of the show, but here we are together at the show. Nico was excited to have a night out with mom and dad.

Another holiday activity we did was go to the St. Louis Zoo for their holiday lights. My uncle took us on a special day when there was free food and drinks (well, free to us :-) Here is Luca showing off his favorie ~ COOKIE!

We got to ride the merry-go-round. We actually rode it twice, even though it makes me sick. Here is my dad and Nico. He is the best dad EVER!

Here is Nico and my sister, Sandi. She is the boys second mom as they are with her 3 nights a week while I am working. I have nothing to worry about when they are with her. She is the best sister EVER!

Nico is making Zeus a reindeer kitty. He looks thrilled doesn't he.

Nico and I posing by our tree just minutes after decorating it :-)

A great photo of me decorating the tree.

Here we are Christmas morning in our Sponge Bob Jammies! The boys shirts say, Sponge Bob Merrypants.
Here is the whole clan (minus Mike as he was working.) We will also be gaining a sister-in-law along with her two daughters in October. She lives in Australia and will join us in Oct. 2010. We are looking forward to our family getting larger.

I am hoping to have video tomorrow. Mike bought me a new mini camcorder to do some videos with that I can upload to you tube and hopefully my blog.

Debbie's Daybook

This is something new I am going to try. It is "The Simple Women's Daybook" blog. It was started by Peggy.

I want to try to put some more thought into my days and memories, instead of just plugging along in a hurry all day.

The Simple Woman's Daybook will be posted each Monday.

To participate, click on this link
http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

FOR TODAY, January 4, 2010... from Debbie's Daybook

Outside my window… snow, ice, and very cold temperatures.

I am thinking... about some fun things to do with the kids on our last two days of Christmas vacation.

I am thankful for... my family and another wonderful holiday being all together.

I am wearing... jeans and a Rams sweatshirt…but would love to be in my comfy Sponge Bob jammies.

I am remembering... our first Christmas home with Luca last year and how much he has changed in the year.

I am going... to get some scrapbooking completed this week.

I am currently reading... The Weight of Silence, a novel, by Heather Gudenkauf

I am hoping... to bring the boys to see The Chipmunks, the Squeakqul.

On my mind... my oldest son Brian and how he is doing.

Noticing that... my house is a disaster from all the Christmas gatherings. I must get the tree down this week.

From the kitchen... planning on making ham and bean soup with the leftover ham bone.

Around the house... take the tree down, organize the downstairs closet, and get the new toys organized.

One of my favorite things~ my children!

From my picture journal...

Here we are, Luca (14 months in the picture) and myself, arriving in St. Louis from Guatemala, August 7, 2008. He was forever home! My family was there to greet us and meet our newest addition. What a memorable day. (Oh, how I miss those curls!)

Luca's Present to Me!

At 31 months, Luca gave me a wonderful Christmas present this year....he is potty trained (well, except for the poopy part). As of Christmas Day he was wearing big boys for the third day and dry all three days. I was a little worried about Christmas Day with all the excitement, but he did great! He now tells us when he has to go 'do-do'. His reward is a dum-dum sucker. It is so cute when he says "dum-dum" when he is finished. That reward will be tapering off and only given when a poopy is given in the toilet.

My goal was to have this accomplished by Christmas. I use cloth diapers and many of the cloth diapers are wearing thin. I did not want to have to buy new ones.

He is still in a diaper for bed time, but wakes up every morning dry. This week I'll be trying the big boy's I bought that we can put inserts in for sleeping - just in case.

Hopefully pictures to come this week (we are waiting for a working modem to arrive at home).

I want to wish everyone a blessed and safe New Year!