Holiday fun with family and friends!!

We've enjoyed visiting with family and friends over this holiday season. Great grandma was down for a couple of days, Aunt Denise had her annual Christmas Eve open house, the Badendyck's had their annual open house and the Coopers were here!!
We celebrated Alena's 2nd birthday a week early yesterday, while they were here. Alena had a ball and loved hearing us sing to her.
Sophia was so happy to visit with her cousins. We really enjoyed seeing everyone!
Wishing everyone a safe, happy and healthy New Year!!
Love,
Jenni

Merry Christmas

Wishing all of our loved ones a very Merry Christmas!
We had a great day today. The girls got up at 7:45 and they were both soooo excited! It's was a lot of fun to watch them both. : )
Love,
Jenni

One Year "Gotcha Day" Anniversary!

One year ago today, in a beautiful province in southern China, a soft-spoken nannie placed a precious sleeping baby girl in my arms. She saw how nervous I was to take her away and she nodded and said, "It's O.K.". She was right.
I hope and pray with all my heart that this little angel's birth mom & dad also know that it's "O.K.". She is so loved and is such a happy girl.
Love to all,
Jenni

Miscommunication... possibly?

Mom and I took the girls to visit Santa last week. Sophia, of course, was more than happy to see the jolly guy and sit on his lap.
Alena, on the other hand, was NOT. She waved to him from her stroller and smiled, but wanted no part of the approach or sitting on the lap. Who wears a red suit like that anyway?!!
I was thinking that perhaps when I said "Santa" she thought I said "Satan" and that put and end to that!! OR she's having flashbacks of Santa in China. (Sight for sore eyes, let me tell ya!!) I will include a photo of that for your pleasure as well!
So, we took the photo with Sophia smiling beautifully and Alena trying her best to get off my knee!

Today marks one year since Denise and Janice drove us to JFK for our LONG flight to China. It was windy and cold, but oh so worth it!!
The 18th will be our one year "Gotcha Day" anniversary! What a wonderful adventure this past year has been.
Love,
Jenni

Doesn't she make you smile?

I just fell in love with the first picture. I know she shouldn't be playing with her medicine, but she was happy to carry it from her bedroom to the kitchen to pack it for the day. Who am I to argue when she wants to help out?!
The girls are doing great. Sophia is continuing with her tennis lessons and is doing lots of reading. She enjoys quiet time in her bedroom to read. She's also been gracious enough to supply me with "Updates" to her Christmas list on a regular basis. :0
Alena is just her usual self. The kid is hilarious. Seriously. She is just too funny.
Two nights ago while I was washing my face, she went under the bathroom sink to get what I believed was her usual headband. A moment later, I heard Fred in the living room saying "What the....?" and laughing. She had walked out there with a certain "feminine product" in her mouth like a party blower!!! We were hysterical. Thank goodness we weren't entertaining anyone!!
Tonight, Fred was snoring on the couch and she was having her bedtime cup of milk on the other couch. She said, "Momma" to get my attention, then looked at Fred and said "Da da" while she proceeded to do her best snoring impression. Then she covered her mouth with her hand and giggled. I was cracking up!!
We are still waiting for a decision from the planning boards attorney on our house plans. Through the grapevine, things are not sounding promising, because it would actually be a two family house in a sub-division. Please keep praying for us!!
Doc took us girls to NYC for the day last Tuesday. A limo took us down in the morning. We did lots of walking, visited Rockefeller Center, did some shopping in Saks, got makeovers (too fun) and ate some great food!
I ordered our Christmas card with the girls pictures the other day, so they will be on there way out in a couple of weeks!
Love to all,
Jenni