Some of my favorite days

Last night I was watching "Sleepless in Seattle".  There was very little on and I hadn't seen it in years (like a decade), so I sat there watching it in the living room.  Chase was sitting next to me playing on his iPod.  I was getting so tired, early, but I didn't want to leave.  Because every now and again, when they're sitting next to you, even when they don't seem to be paying attention to you, they say things here and there.  I love and live for those moments.  Especially, with the 2  teenagers; they're to that point conversation is at a minimum.  I waited until he went to bed before I finally went.

Today I found a breaking point in my work (more like a brick wall on a report) and really needed a haircut and she happened to have an afternoon opening.  My boss said I could go ahead and leave (I rarely take of for haircuts), so I took it.  I was thinking 'yay, no football practice tonight, just cut Chase's hair and easy night'.  Wasn't quite that easy, but pleasant enough.  We had decided last night to make egg rolls, so now I was going to be home in time to help.  The wrappers we bought were awful and kept breaking through, so supper wasn't a big hit.  While I was making supper I noticed Chase getting frustrated with everyone in the house while he was doing his Algebra homework.  After supper he said he got it all done and checked the one that were in the back of the book.  I asked him if he wanted me to check them and after I finally convinced him I'm actually pretty smart and could reteach myself Algebra enough to check it he let me.  Soon enough I was reteaching him.  Figured out that he understood algebra itself, but not the negatives and positives and groupings.  I went over different ways to explain how to do what for about an hour, then by his choice he redid his whole assignment and seemed much more confident.  I think he really was surprised I knew it.  He said his teacher just got up and did a problem real quick without really explaining what gets added, subtracted and when signs get changed.  It felt good that I was really useful to him; that I could help.  I hope he'll come to us more now, knowing it's something we can sit and discuss and make things a whole lot easier.  Then, I cut his hair and he had the rest of the night off; football free.  He seemed so relieved and I think he was struggling, but couldn't explain why until tonight.  His grades are great.  I think he was just afraid they could go down and he tries really hard to maintain straight As and it is harder to do that with Algebra 1 your 8th grade year in addition.  I'm very proud of him and his wanting to work hard.

Now if only Cole would try as hard and do as much as I'm positive he's capable of.  I see signs of it from time-to-time, but he doesn't believe in himself enough to put it all out there.  I hope one day he does.

Hotteok! Finally

I finally looked up the recipe for hotteok.  We had them on a nice rainy day in Seoul.  And they were so good I've been craving them every since.  We have snack day at work, so I'm bringing a few, but Kaelin and I made plenty for us.  Brian got to have his first.  He was too full after the meal Yunjin fed us in Insadong that he didn't want to try one then, so Kaelin gave him one today.  They were just as good as Insadong!  So YUMMY!

Party Time for Jaemin

Jaemin has been SO excited about his party for the last week.  It's not really a big party, but it was just right for him. Luckily, his Godparents' daughter is his friend, so he got to have his friend over and his Godparents in one.  They got along well, for the most part, trying to share the jeep.  He liked having the fire in the firepit later when it got cooler.  He loved his dinosaur cupcakes and Ninja Turtle plates and napkins.  Thank goodness, he's easy to make happy. It was all outside and super easy for clean up and the weather was perfect.

Money is Jaemin's favorite gift.  He always likes to announce he got 'monies'.

Growing and preparing

Jaemin is preparing for Kindergarten next year.   He's in his 3rd year of speech.  Today, I chatted with Miss Ashley and she said he was very engaged today.  She said he started to flap briefly and caught himself, but still runs his hands on the concrete block wall.  He likes the texture.  She still thinks putting some velcro under his desk will help take care of his sensory seeking needs when he goes to school.  I hope so.  But, she said he was participating well and asking questions.  He's been participating much better for the last year, but is just now starting to really ask questions back and being part of a conversation.  AND he LOOKS at us more often when he talks!  This is HUGE!  I couldn't get him to do this just a year ago.  It was like it was painful to look you in the eyes while talking.  He'd do everything to look away....even for a camera.  Now he looks at you and you can really see him.  His questions are getting bigger and longer.  He no longer hates going to speech.  He walks down the hallway at school, beside his teacher, like he owns the place.  He's so sure of himself.  He said he's ready to go to school.  I'm so proud of his hard work.

At home, lately, I've noticed Cole holes himself up in his room or is working or is with friends....usually in that order.  I finally decided that the reason teenagers keep themselves in their room in solitude is to prepare their parents for the day they leave.  This way they're still here and you can get used to really not seeing them.  Then, one day they'll be gone, but they will not have been around much right before anyways.  God has a funny way of getting you ready for the next step in life.  Or at least that's how I see it. Gotta find the bright side.

my collages

I finally got all of the pictures I wanted printed from our trip and hung on the wall.  Love my Korea art.

 This is my collage from our trip in 2009.

Some.....of the birthday pictures

I will have more of Jaemin after his party this weekend, but I finally got Chelsi's off the camera and Jaemin opening his gift from us.  You can see his look at the blanket....less than thrilled.  But, he likes it now and sleeps on it.....yes, not under it.

Cheerleader in the Making

Even one of the cheerleading coaches' husbands said Chelsi is a born cheerleader.  I agree.  She loves cheerfair time of year and she did great.  I had to video tape it this year.  Hope her foster mom is reading.

Happy Birthday Jaemin!

I CANNOT believe my sweet baby boy is 5 already!  My youngest child is actually 5!  He has been such a blessing for the past 4 years and 3 months we've known him.  We have not done any cake yet.  We will be having grandparents, etc. over next weekend and he'll get to blow out his candles then.  He did want biscuits and gravy for his birthday dinner, so that's what Brian made tonight and I made a quick stop at the store to get his orange juice.  We gave him his birthday present too.  He needed to have something to open ON his birthday.  He liked the Duck Dynasty blanket okay.  I really thought he would love it since he loves anything Ducky Dynasty, but it didn't quite strike him yet.  He LOVED the Ninja Turtle color book best.  Go figure, the $1 color book!  But he's happy and he's made happy easily.  What more could you love in a boy.

I took this picture this morning of my 2 birthday kids.  Chelsi's birthday is tomorrow, but we won't be home together as a family until Saturday, so we're going to have her cake and ice cream then.

My sweets

Now that the weather has cooled down, Jaemin couldn't wait to play outside.  He actually stayed outside for awhile.

Growth for some

Chelsi and Jaemin lost a little weight, a few pounds each, for their annual checkup.  Jaemin, of course, had to get a shot, but I chose to wait for the other shot and give his system some time.  They both grew a couple of inches as well.  Kaelin shot up 4 inches this year.  The doctor thinks she's going to be relatively tall for a girl.  Maybe even taller than mom!

Cole's all signed up for the ACT.  He took it in the Spring and didn't do terribly for a sophomore, but he wanted to take it in October too.  I hope he does considerably better just because it will boost his confidence.  He said his teacher said it is all booked if we hadn't signed up by today, but we had no problem getting in when we logged back in.  Now, we're having to have more specific discussions regarding colleges.  He changed his list for who gets access to his ACT scores tonight.  I really want to believe he's giving it his full effort.  Time will tell just how much he's maturing with age.

Football Season

Just breath!  Every time one of the kids starts their sports season, I get nervous.  Especially, the ones that seem so hard and scary at times; football and wrestling.  If Jaemin does it all one day, I'll be a wreck!  Volleyball for Kaelin is tame at least.

Football already started, but today is Chase's first game since he broke his finger at camp.  He'll have it all taped up under his gloves, receiver gloves over it and buddy taped on that.  He gets to go back to doc in a couple of weeks and should be good to leave the tape off after that.  This year he got a practice jersey with the same number as his playing jersey, so I have a jersey to wear to the game instead of the usual, boring shirts I always have to wear.  Kind a different and hopefully breathing since it's going to be HOT!

Here's this year's official pictures and hopefully I'll get some good action shots too.  I got my camera all fixed up and ready to go.