It's Been A Tough Couple Of Weeks!

Sorry, Its been so long since I was last on here. As some of you may know, we lost someone very dear to our hearts in January. Grandpa was killed in an accident on the farm in Kentucky on January 16th. He was doing what he loved; in the place that he loved. Kentucky was Grandpa's "Heaven on Earth" and he wouldn't have wanted it any other way. We are so blessed to have so many people in our life that love us, we couldn't have done it without them. Like I said, we have had a tough couple of weeks and I am sure there will be more ahead, so please keep our family in your prayers.

Betsy

Happy Halloween!!

So Halloween is already here! It is so hard to believe! Khoa is dressing up as a Transformer! We don't know if he will be going trick or treating though because right now he has a 100.3 temperature..:-(..

We were sitting in the living room and Khoa walked up to mom and said "Mom, my throat is stuck!" Then he told us that it hurt. So the poor kid has a sore throat, 100.3 temperature, AND ITS THE NIGHT BEFORE HALLOWEEN!!!

Also, about a week ago, our family was in Kentucky and Khoa lost his first tooth! He was sooo excited! For the next two days all he could talk about was loosing his tooth! It was so cute!

Well, I just thought I would update our family status! I will try to post pictures of Halloween ASAP!

2009 IS ALMOST OVER!! AHHHH!!!!

So its October!! Erin is at college doing well and Khoa is doing great in the first grade...Highschool is a big change for me but I am doing good also. Mom is going back to college to get her degree and she is loving it. Our whole family is so proud of her!

This year has gone by so fast! 2009 is almost over! It's crazy!! Only 84 days till Christmas!! It's amazing how time flies! I hope you are all having a great year!!

I hope to get back into updating this blog but we have been very busy so I will try my best!!!

Betsy!!!

On July 10, 2009 our Uncle Bill passed away. He was 71 years old and was married to our Aunt Trudy for 27 years. Uncle Bill was kind, loving, caring, and he always had something to say. Uncle Bill will always be loved and missed. We love you Uncle Bill and we look forward to seeing you again!

Happy 4th of July!

We are spending our weekend in Kentucky at Great Grandma's House! We spent the day today hunting for arrowheads and playing in the creek! I hope you are all having a great 4th of July weekend. God Bless!

Betsy

Okay, so this is Shelly's daughter Betsy. From now on I will be taking over the blog. Mom started a new job in August and has been working full time so she hasn't had time to update the blog in a long time. So I volunteered to take over. I will try to keep you updated on family events.

How long has it been since I've been on here???

Man! There is so much to catch up on. Erin graduated from High School as Salutatorian, Betsy graduated from Middle School and got 8 awards at their awards program,and Khoa graduated from kindergarten with a Math Award! I have three awesome kids!

Here is a picture from Erin's graduation. The blonde standing in between Rob and I is Khoa's "girlfriend" Kelsi. He is absolutely in love with her. The funny part about it is that Kelsi is in Erin's class! :-)

I will try to keep you updated on all our family events and I will be sure to add pics!

So much to catch up on!!!!

It's been a wild and crazy summer around here! Here is a quick view of our summer.....

May 4 ~ Khoa and I drove to Florida to spend time with my sister and for me to do some work for my Brother-In-Law and his company.

June 4 ~ Khoa and I fly home to see my hubby and the girls... My Grandma also died before I could get from the airport to the nursing home.

June 6 ~ Drive with family to Kentucy to visit with my hubby's Grandma

June 8 ~ Granny's funeral

June 12 ~ Drive to Tulsa for Vietnam Reunion with our adoption agency.

June 17 ~ Fly back to Florida with Betsy and Khoa....leaving Rob and Erin to fend for themselves for a few weeks....

June 25 ~ Erin flys to Florida to spend a week with us and Aunt Kelly and her family

July 12 ~ Rob flys down to Florida to spend a few days and then drive Betsy and Khoa back home

July 15 ~ Rob leaves for home with the kids

July 25 ~ I fly home and spend two weeks cleaning non-stop.

August 9 ~ I go back to work

August 12 ~ Rob, Erin and Grandpa drive to Philadelphia to visit a school for Erin!!!

August 18 ~ Kids back in school ~ Erin is a Senior, Betsy is in 8th Grade, and my baby Khoa started Kindergarten!!!

August 19 ~ Give two weeks notice at my part-time job that I'd had for 9 years.

September 2 ~ Start working full-time for the first time in 10 years!!

Whew, that just wears me out typing it! Is it no wonder that I haven't blogged in a while?! I've also managed to lose 47 pounds and am trying to keep it off. It's a battle and sometimes I don't know who is winning.

Daddy and Khoa on his first day of Kindergarten.........

Mommy trying not to cry.......

Look, there's my bus!!

Mommy walking him to the bus.....

The swing.....EMPTY......after Khoa left for his first day of school!

Khoa getting off the bus after school

He had a wonderful day and was ready to go back the next day. He loves school!

Here are a few other pictures from the summer...

Khoa's New Passion.....

This is what keeps Khoa busy these days. He LOVES the bouncy ball! He follows me everywhere, bouncing! His Daddy came home from work yesterday and picked him up to give him a kiss and Khoa kept his grip on the bouncy ball the whole time! He is such a character.

This is one of my favorite pictures of spring break!



Anyone seen Rob??




The back of my sweet little niece, Zoe. Isn't she tiny!


Khoa loved his push pop. Good till the last drop!

My nephew Jacob. He was checking out something yucky in the sand.


Betsy and my oldest niece, Holly.

Trevor, could you be any cuter???


This is Zoe. She didn't want her picture taken.

My niece Emma. She's such a diva! :-)

Here is "the end" of the pictures for now.

This is a funny video of Betsy. She thought I was taking a picture, but I had the camera on video. Sneaky Mama!

Easter Pictures

Khoa enjoying a yummy sweet roll during church on Easter Sunday. He loves giving me that cheesy smile!
Here is a picture of all three of the kids. Again, there's that cheesy smile! The girls were just thrilled to have their picture taken. Geeze, give a Mom a break. It's Easter and I want a good picture of my kids!!!!
Finally!!! Aren't they adorable. Betsy isn't so happy about her picture, but I told her that her fever blister didn't show up that much. :-) Check out that smile on Erin....that's her first Easter without braces in two years!

Hope you all had a nice Easter weekend.

I've been tagged (about a month ago...but better late than never!) The following list of questions are being answered because Mia's Mommy is a brat! :-) So, here are my answers.....

1. What is your occupation? Full time Mommy and Wife. Part time Administrative Assistant.
2. What color are your socks right now? White
3. What are you listening to right now? The TV. I don't even know what program is on. It's still on one of the channels that Khoa likes to watch. He's asleep on the couch.
4. What was the last thing you ate? Sun Chips....Garden Salsa flavored. Yummy.
5. Can you drive a stick shift? Depends on your definition of "drive".
6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Red
7. Last person you spoke to on the phone? My friend Denise
8. How old are you today? 39
9. Favorite drink? Diet-Pepsi....or if I'm out with just adults...Gin and Tonic with lime.
10. What is your favorite sport to watch? Football
11. Have you ever dyed your hair? Yep.
12. Favorite reality TV show? Survivor
13. What was the last movie you watched? I don't remember.
14. Favorite day of the year? If we are talking Holiday, I have to say Thanksgiving. Otherwise I would say any day that my house is clean...every room all at once (I'm still waiting on that day to come!)
15. What do you do to vent anger? Eat
16. What was your favorite toy as a child? I really don't remember.
17. What is your favorite, fall or spring? I love fall when the leaves are turning all the beautiful colors. Once the leaves go...I'm ready to go straight to Winter.
18. Hugs or kisses? Hugs (Melissa I promise that I will never hug you!)
19. Cherries or blueberries? Cherries
20. Do you want your friends to email you back? If I've asked them a question
21. Favorite dessert? Can't name just one. Anything with sugar.
22. Who is least likely to respond? Not passing it on.
23. Living arrangement? I live with my hubby,three kids,one dog and lots of dust bunnies (you know how those bunnies multiply....)
24. When was the last time you cried? This evening while watching Extreme Home Makeover. It was a wonderful episode about a family in Louisville, KY.
25. What is on the floor of your closet? Shoes
26. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending this to? Again, not sending it to anyone. The friend I've known the longest is Denise and she is amazing.
27. What did you do last night? Is it bad if I don't remember?!? Oh, wait I remember. The girls and I went to my Mom's house to scrapbook. Yes, I know...I'm boring!!!!
28. Favorite smells? My all time favoriate would have to be Babies after they've had a bath and gotten all lubed up with baby lotion. A close second would have to be in the summer when it's just started to rain.
29. What inspires you? Beautiful landscapes, flowers, the ocean at sunset, a cool breeze, the sound of my children and husband laughing, patriotism.
30. What are you afraid of? My children or husband being seriously hurt or...dying. I'm also VERY afraid of snakes. I can't even watch them on TV.
31. Plain, cheese, or spicy burgers? Cheese
32. Favorite breed of dog? Mutt
33. How many years at your current job? 8 years
34. Favorite day of the week? Any day that I get to sleep in.
35. How many states have you lived in? ONE...(I know...boring)
36. Celebrity crush? No thanks.
37. Ever driven a motorcycle or heavy machinery? Motorcycle, NO. Heavy machinery..YES A backhoe, and a tractor.
38. Who is your favorite NFL team? THE COLTS.... Manning, Clark, Freeney, Utecht, Harrison, Addai, Saturday, Vinatieri....(see Melissa it's not just Manning and I do forgive you for your answer to this question) :-)
39. Do you have a house phone that is not cordless? Yes
40. 10 inches of snow or 100 degree weather? This answer TOTALLY depends on what my weight is at any given time. Right now I can tell you that my answer is without a doubt 10 inches of snow!!! Now, if I get busy and lose some weight and can stand the thought of putting on a bathing suit, then my answer would be 100 degree weather!

That was fun! Now aren't you glad you read my blog?!?

Here are a few pictures of our new bathroom!!! This has been a work in progress for over two years!!! We've done all the work ourselves (mostly Rob and his Daddy). We enclosed the front porch (which we never ever used) and now I can now say that we have two bathrooms! Yipee! For those of you that have actually been to my house, you know how tiny our other bathroom is.

The walk in shower isn't finished yet, but the sink and toliet are functioning!!! Rob is working on getting the shower completed. I bought a cheap panel curtain and put it up with a tension rod to cover the unfinished shower. I'm hoping that this time next month I will be posting pictures of a finshed shower. Khoa wasn't loving standing in the unfinished shower, but he loved being in all of the other pictures.

I still need to get a few pictures for the walls, but I'm still tickled at how nice it's coming together!

We made it thru the Holidays!!

Christmas Fun

This video cracks me up! Khoa was in rare form the day I filmed this. Here are some photos of the past few months:


Checking out the new fish.

Spiderman!

Oh no, not another place to climb.....

Erin and Betsy having fun...together...RARE!

Relaxing in KY

First EVER jumping in the leaves.

He LOVED it!

Christmas tree at Church. Beautiful

A picture of us celebrating Khoa's first "Gotcha Day" Celebration with some yummy ice cream.