so much more...yet to come: 2010

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Sweet Holiday Memories...

-Thanksgiving at Danbury
-Family and Friends Hayride
-Chuck's Birthday
-Mason's 1st Band Concert
-Maddi's 1st High School Volleyball Banquet
-Christmas Celebrations
-Reese and Blayke's Christmas recital
-Friends
-Family
-Jesus' Birthday

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

ALL BY MYSELF...well almost!

Am amazingly HUGE THANK YOU to http://memoriesoncloverlane.blogspot.com/ for her awesome tutorial on creating your very own blog header! It took me 4 hours(hahahaha!), but YAAAAAAYYYYY...it's done and I love it! If you've ever wanted to create your own...Clover Lane's your girl!!!
ps...and yes, after over 2 years of having a blog...i FINALLY gave it a name. whew!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Mason's Drum Debut

In 5th grade, when Mason was choosing his electives for junior high...he chose band, hoping to play the drums. In preparation, we got him a drum set, started him in lessons and hoped he would get to play what he really wanted. When try-outs came around, we held our breath until we got the call...

he was selected to play drum/percussion combo and he was pumped!

We have seen him practice daily, stay after to perfect his different instruments, and strive to stay in the top two chairs out of the 8 percussionists. He has really worked hard, and as parents, we are SO proud.

When I look at these pictures, it makes me a little teary. This is a kid that hasn't had the easiest lot in life, starting from a broken home at the age of two, and struggles in various areas of his life, some within his control and some out of his control. To see him concentrate and focus and perform for a huge group of people was incredibly amazing to us. Really. It was.

We are so proud of you, Mason Chase, and especially the changes we've seen in the last month.

We aren't the only ones who have noticed. Keep it up. Don't worry about what others say or do.

God made you who you are, unique and special beyond belief.

Mason with one of his best buds, Jesse....

Mason with one of his biggest supporters, Reesie...

(notice she brought her camera, so sweet!)

In the crowd...

Dad, who could only stay for Mason's three songs and then had to bolt to work...

Nana, Mason, and Aunt Lil...

Mason with the Carter Crew(Uncle JP, Aunt Lana, Reese and Blayke)...

Me and the Maister...

Brudder and Shister...awwwwww.....

What an awesome night!!!

(Papa and Nana....you were missed!
Papa, recover from that surgery and Nurse Nana, get him back in the swing of things!
It's not the same without ya!!!)

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Chuck's day...

It all started with getting to sleep past 3:30 AM for a change since he was off...(YAY!)

The kids woke him up with our lovely singing and morning breath...

He requested a birthday breakfast of pigs in a blanket, OJ,

and cinnamon rolls, so I made those for breakfast(thankfully, easy stuff!)...

A picture of me and my birthday boy before I left for work...

I came home to find him working on his new (used) purchase! In a week's time, he's put new flooring in, welded, sanded, repainted, and with the help of a friend at work, new lights...

Then we headed to Rice Village to his favorite shoe store and got him a new pair of tennis shoes from me, Maddi and Mason for his b-day gift. He's so easy...

Then met the fam at Kim Son in downtown...

where Blayke Mallori got into the mascara while Lana wasn't looking(oops!)....

Then headed back to our house just to hang out...

We all went around and said what we loved about Chuck...

It was a sweet time, and as always...LOADS OF LAUGHTER!!!

A picture of Chuck's fam...his sis-Aunt Lil, me, Chuck, his mom-Nana Banana, his brother-Uncle Jaime, Mason and Maddi...

A fun day for a FUN guy!!!
Happy 37th Birthday, babe!!!

Friday, November 12, 2010

October and adoption updates...

Man...October came and went, huh?!?!?! I guess for us, the excitement of meeting with the agency and waiting for it all month long, made it zoom and drag by all at the same time!

Here's some pictures of October that I just never got around to posting...

Steven Curtis Chapman concert(best ever!) with Papa and Nana...

Thanks Dad and Mom!

Mason, Chuck, Papa, Maddi, Nana

Pasadena Rodeo with the cousins....
Reese and Mason

Blayke Mallori and her daddy

Mason and Reese...sweet cousin love.

He's so good with his Reesie...wonder if she could get him to be good at school, please???

Hmmmmm...it's worth a try.

Chuck, Mason, my sister and I all ran the Goblin Gallop 5K.

Mason got 4th in his age group, my sis got 2nd in hers, I got first in mine(the benefits of a small town race, for sure!), and together he and I got 2nd in the generation run where they combine the parent and kid's times!...

Our semi Fall/Halloween decorated house...I'M TRYING, PEEPS!

I tried my hand at some home-made rosette wreaths and pennants that I had seen a tutorial for...love em!

Yes, we have officially ripped out most all of our landscaping and don't have a clue what we want to put in!

Chuck and Mason working on a project for school...goofballs!...

Maddi all dressed up for Halloween. Cute nerd-girl, I thought!....

Sweet Toby-boy loved her!

Mason coming out, looking little spooked, of a Haunted Garage that a friend of ours does every year...

And since several of you have said that I left you hangin'(T, you being the latest-xoxoxo), I better update on where we are in the adoption process...

-we still have one more agency to meet with

-we love the first one, but want to be sure

-the adoption conference was AWESOME and we learned SO much!

-and an opportunity concerning adoption really close to home has arisen. please pray for all involved.

-and...another peek into the room. sometimes, late at night or early in the morning, i just go in and sit and pray for my baby-to-be in this room. it's so peaceful in there...