We finally feel like it's a bedroom!

We have lived in our house for 5 years and never once had a headboard on our bed. Part, was because our bed was first a queen size bed, then a queen with a bonus twin next to it (Will had a nickname for that monstrous bed which shall remain our secret) and finally we have a king size bed. After many different configurations, depending on how many children we had and how many were in our bed, we are settled now with the king and no extra children sleeping regularly in our bed. We felt it was high time to have a headboard. I was tired of parading people through our room, which has the patio door to the backyard in it, and feeling like I was always explaining our current sleeping situation. Will and I decided that all the kids had their big kid beds and we wanted one too. So, I did some research and we decided of course to do a DIY headboard, using a solid wood door. We painted it a fabulous red to add a pop of color to our room. A little research on how to hang it and we were golden. The headboard cost us a total of $23, door $0 (salvaged before it headed to the landfill in a local town), paint $8, and french cleat $15. Can you believe it? I think that is pretty good and we love the finished product. What's even better is that I have found my sense of decorating style, making old things new again! I love to salvage and repurpose and anytime I can do that I will. Check out our new headboard....seriously my picture doesn't do it justice.

Repurposed projects!

So, I have been repurposing old items. I love antique items and love to find new uses for them. We used antique levels and added coat hooks to make our entryway simple and functional.

We needed a new key hook. We were at an antique store and I thought, what about a cribbage board? Then we stumbled upon a really pretty maple one. We added bronze hooks and here is what we ended up with. I love repurposing.

Fun letter play with Giggles!

Here is what I did with Giggles and Sunshine one morning for at least an hour. I can't wait to print these and frame them! Giggles was so proud....we even took a pic of one for our best buddy and texted it to him. It was a nice birthday treat for our buddy. We did one for all of the kids. I posted Daddy's.

2011 A year in review!

I have been meaning to start blogging again but it seems there is rarely anytime. I have also been meaning to recap 2011 and here we are 3 months into 2012 and I am finally getting to it.

2011 proved to be an extremely crazy roller coaster for us. However, it was sort of like the month of March...it came in like a lion and out like a lamb. By the end of the year Will and I finally felt like we were in control of our own lives again.

January:

Will & Jenn turn 33 & 34 respectively, seriously are we that old.

We celebrate Speedy's 5th birthday!

We wait and wait in hopes to hear we can head back to Ethiopia to bring Sunshine home.

February:

More waiting and watching our adoptive friends receive word they can travel back to bring their babies home....so happy for them but so hard for us.

March:

After a long month of Tuesday after Tuesday going by we finally received word on March 30 that we had a VISA appointment. We were to leave for Ethiopia on April 13th!!!! Oh the joy & relief we finally felt but still I didn't let my guard down. Too many things had been going wrong this time around.

April:

Talk of government shutdown threw Will and I into a tizzy and we wondered what would happen if the government shutdown. We decided we would go to Ethiopia anyhow, at least we would be there once the government re-opened.

Lucky for us the government didn't shutdown but we watched every political website on the night of April 8th until we were certain the shutdown had been avoided. I think we finally had a glass of champagne in honor of our trip that night.

April 13, we leave for Ethiopia to bring home our baby girl and boy oh boy that day couldn't have been any sweeter.

April 22, we came home with baby girl in our arms....it was a happy day!

April 24, we had to call in some help. Despite our best efforts Will and I were quickly falling behind and the house was deep in dishes, laundry and other chores our jetlagged selves just couldn't handle. In our attempts to keep all 3 kids happy we were drowning...seriously. Will's mom came down to help because she had the time available and she did what needed to get done so I could focus on the kids.

May:Home 1 month and it was quite a transition for all of us...we are of course still transitioning.

June: Summer is starting soon and it will be a full summer with all 5 of us home. We can't wait but know we still need to focus on attachment and bonding since little Sunshine has barely been home a month. Eli learned to ride a two wheeler!! It took him 5 days...seriously that was it....I know it took me a lot longer.

July: We have spent lots of time at the pool and you can tell because the boys have become little fish. We went from not wanting to stick our heads in to swimming under the water, jumping in and attempting actual strokes. Sunshine is a daddy's girl but is slowly coming around to momma too. She is our little ray of sunshine. Sunshine attended her first 4th of July parade.

August: More pool time, a little camping, and all the summer activities we can think of in the greater Madison area! Uncle Josh came to visit and meet Sunshine! We had so much fun and they all missed him when he left.

September:

Speedy starts kindergarten and Giggles starts preschool. Little Sunshine just holds her own and they all have now transitioned to their family niche and are getting along as any siblings would.

October:

Sunshine's first Halloween and she kept up with those boys trick-or-treating. We thought she would be more reserved during our night time trick-or-treat ritual but she literally ran behind the boys almost the whole way. She insisted on going up to every door and at the house where they let her pick what she wanted she chose a regular sized snicker bar. Loved this Halloween...it was by far our best one yet. The boys had the cutest costumes, made by their Nana, and had such a great time.

November:

17th-Sunshine turns 2! We were going to do a big party but decided she wasn't ready for it so we opted for the usual family party. That was just her speed and even that was a little much for her.

Thanksgiving-Sunshine meets Uncle Ben.

December:

3rd-Giggles turns 4! We had a Packer party during the Packer game...it was like heaven to Giggles...seriously he loved it.

24th-Sunshine's 1st Christmas with the Nana & Papa.

25th-Sunshine's 1st Christmas with Grandma & Grandpa!

Such a fun Christmas with all 3 kids.

That's our year in review....it was seriously in like a lion and out like a lamb. 2011 we will never forget it!

Giggles turns 4!!!!

I can't even believe it...my little guy has turned 4. Yes, he is my little Packer fan!! Happy Birthday Giggles!

Baby Girl turns 2!!!

Time sure flies! Our baby girl turned 2! I can't even believe it. She has been home for 6 1/2 months and we have seen so many changes in her. Her language development has grown by leaps and bounds and she is so much more comfortable. She is such a happy little girl and has brought so much joy to our lives. We love her dearly and are so excited to watch her grow up. Here are some pictures from her birthday celebration. In case you didn't know, she is a huge Daddy's girl, which he totally needed after the first two were huge momma's boys. She is also completely stoked about her presents from her uncles, yep cars...she knows what rates around here and she was crazy thrilled!

You Crack me up!

This is by far the funniest thing Smiley has ever said.

We were driving home from somewhere and he said something hilarious.

Me: You crack me up.
S: What, what you said?
Me: You crack me up.
S: I can't crack you up only eggs can crack up Mom.
Me: What?
S: You are not an egg I can't crack you up.

Eaves Dropping

Here is a not so short clip of what my hubby heard the boys talking about in their bunks tonight. E: M when we go to high school, we'll be in the same grade, did you know that? So, when you sit in a chair, I will sit right next to you, I promise. M: OK, but don't you push me out of my chair, or I will be mad.
E: Hey, M, you want to jump out of a plane with me? Maybe like on your birthday, like when you turn 6, because I'm going to do it, I am. Uncle Josh is going to jump out of a plane on his birthday, and probably Collin, Miles, all those guys. And dad did it too. I jumped out of a plane a couple times already.
M: No, I will not jump out a plane because we could land in water and then I would be scared.

Our Feathered Friends!!!

Yes, I gave in and we have chickens! Will so badly wanted chickens and I just can't seem to say no when he wants an animal, although I did say no to a cat. Giggles is in love with the chickens and was practically speechless for an entire day because he couldn't believe we actually had chickens.

We were so lucky to know Gwen, a colleague of Will's, who has chickens and was happy to give us 3. Originally, we were going to get 2 chickens but the one Speedy wanted to give up was, in my opinion, the prettiest and I just couldn't let him give her up. So, now we have 3 chickens. Their names are Freddie, Frank & Princess Consuela (aka Cinderella) and yes I did explain to the boys that they are all girls but these are the names they wanted. I named Princess Consuela because well she seemed like she needed a more dignified name. Although it's only slightly dignified because it is a reference to a name on the old tv show Friends, which is much less dignified. Her are some pictures of our feathered friends and the kids oogling over them. Sunshine and Max are enamored with them and Speedy is taking his chicken responsibilities very seriously. This summer Will is going to make them a bigger run.

Sunshine & Speedy checking them out!

Frank, Princess Consuela & Freddie (from left to right)
Oogling the chickens!

Sunshine made them feel right at home! (Princess Consuela in the corner)

5 Year Famiversary!!!!

5 years ago today we walked off a plane and headed home with our beautiful baby boy! I can't even believe it has already been 5 years! We love you Speedy and you have brought so much joy to our lives.

One month home today!

Today is the 1 month anniversary of becoming a family of 5!

Our attempt at a family photo @ Easter (Day #2 home)

The boys played along and this picture will forever be known as Easter Butts!

May 4,(home 1.5 weeks)

The kids with Daddy!

Today! Now she not only wants to sit with them she wants to copy them!

18 months old....let's go fly a kite!

We may have missed her 1st Birthday but we didn't miss her 18 month! We made brownies and sang Happy Birthday and shared in her big day! Then, we all went to the park to fly kites. We had a lovely day as a family of 5 on her 18 month birthday!!! Oh and the dog turned 4!

Just a few pics from our trip!!!

Meet Sunshine!

Here she is Sunshine (contrary to popular belief that is just her blog name and not her given name). She is a beautiful 17 month old girl. She weighs about 25 lbs and measures 30 ish inches long. We received her referral in August when she was *8 months old and so it's been a long, wait. We are so excited to finally be bringing her home. There will likely be a short break from blogging upon return home but I will be back at it again as soon as my feet are under me. Can't wait to be holding her in my arms again!

Referral picture (taken at 6 months old)

December 2010 (12 months old)

My boys!!!

So, I have been thinking a lot about how our little girl will be changing things around here. It's hard to believe I can make room in my heart for one more little person. We are scared and ready. It's going to be a big transition but one we are ready for. Speedy & Giggles as so darn cute, funny, and perfect each in their own way that we can't wait to get to know and love another little child.

Each of my boys are so very different. Speedy worries about how life will be with Sunshine coming home and Giggles, well he has no idea what is to come. Speedy is rough and tumble, a hunter by nature and Giggles is an animal lover and self-proclaimed vegetarian. Will was grilling some venison the other day and asked Giggles and Speedy if they were going to eat it. Speedy said, "why not," & Giggles said "I not going to eat them." When Will found a little mouse house under the pile of wood from our demolition in the garage my exclamation was,"Oh gross". Giggles on the other hand said "Awwww."

Both of my boys are very much boy boys, they love to wrestle and be rough and tumble and very interested in everything daddy does. Speedy loves to help cook and when given free reign comes up with some tasty desserts (he must know how much I love sweets). Giggles is the sweetest little guy with babies and animals and would spend an entire day watching chickens at a farm. They are so very different that I can't wait to see how a little girl will fit into this family.

Today I spent the day with my boys. I was just trying to enjoy them as they are right now one last time. Life around here is going to change a lot. Ready or not here she comes!!!

Frabjous Day

We have FINALLY, FINALLY been given a travel date!!! We leave in 14 days. We are so completely excited and stoked. You have no idea how excited....we figured we were in for a long wait. I figured we'd be lucky to bring her home this summer and then we got word that we cleared the Embassy yesterday and received our travel dates today. So much to do and I won't even complain about how little time we have because I would leave tomorrow if I could. We can't wait and will be counting the days.

Hot Smoke for Sunshine!!!

We passed the Embassy today, which is a huge deal and means that now we just have to wait for an Embassy interview date! YAY!!!! It was a hugely, happy, ecstatic kind of day at our house and deserved a little celebrating. We went out for dinner, a rare treat around here, and then came home to make "the hot smoke for the icky, sticky, gooey" (in Giggles terms). Hot Smoke is a fire that we roasted marshmallows over & made smores (aka icky, sticky, gooey). Here are some pics, enjoy I know we did!

It only took 101 days!

So, finally on Tuesday, March 15, 2011, (101 days from our court date in Ethiopia) we were submitted to the Embassy. It is the 1st step in the final 3 steps to getting a travel date & bringing Sunshine home!

We are so excited to be submitted but we look at it as yet another black hole in the process. We really have no idea how long it will take the Embassy to review and approve our paperwork and until it is approved we just can't feel comfortable. We know too many things that just don't go according to plan. If all goes well we hope to be home with Sunshine in 6-8 weeks. But who knows....so we are hoping and praying for a simple and smooth approval with NO surprises!

We are excited to have moved to the next step, even if it is just new black hole:)

I leave you with her chubby little hand....hey I have been trying to find cute pics of our Sunshine that I can share...I don't have many pictures to choose from so I am doing the best I can.

Kindergarten Already?

I can't even believe that Speedy is 5 and will start kindergarten in the fall. It is so completely crazy to me. Yikes.....seriously crazy. We registered him for school today and he has the screener on the 23rd. We tour the school on May 9th and school starts in the fall. Is he really that big?

Our Sunshine!

We received updates on baby girl today! Yay! At 15 months old she is 29.9 inches long, 23.8 lbs, walking and running all over the place!Yikes....she won't be a baby for long. It's a good thing she loves to cuddle. Miss her so much today. Haven't seen her for 13 weeks!