Lunar New Year 2010 with Friends

It's not quite the New Year weekend yet, but since it falls on Valentine's Day we chose to have our get together a little early.  As usual, we had great company and loved seeing how much all the kids have grown since last time we saw them.  Cale has grown so much since October.

Here are the kids eating away and then we always take a group pic.

And now he looks like a big boy

I gave J his first haircut just after his 1st birthday so he would still look like my baby on his birthday.  I barely cut at him the 1st time because a) I didn't want to see those sweet curls go and b) I didn't want him to look like too old of a boy yet.  His hair was growing over his ears again, so I decided it was time for him to look like a big boy.  It's such a darn cut look for him, but I can't believe how old he looks now.

Fun at night

Sorry, not more creative than that tonight.  We got, yet another snowfall, so the boys begged us to let them go out after supper to play.  I told them it was too dangerous to sled ride on the hill, but they could build a snowman.  So they went out into the dark and shoveled for a bit and then proceeded to build a snowman.  The snow is a nice, wet, sticky snow so they were really able to make the balls pretty big.  Problem is they couldn't life them on top of one another, so they kind of lost half the snowman's body.   He's still pretty good size, considering.

Our Future

I worry about that so much.  It's normal, as a parent, to worry about the future for the sake of your kids, but I wonder if my worries are typical worries.

At this point, a lot of my worries stem from the state of the economy.  While, I know what is to blame, I wonder if the government has learned anything.  They always seem so business as usual....spend, spend, spend.  They both spend like water on such frivolous things and then take away some needed things.  I'm just so tired of state and federal governements at this point.  They all seem so tainted.  The employees who make the most keep the most and are the most untouched and top heavy.  We continue to support people who can take care of themselves, but don't want to.  Our governments continue to spend  as though the money is someone else's....oh wait it is. .......ours!  I pray that these people in charge of our tax dollars are better at managing their own household money.

Do I think it's an easy chore?  No.  But, if we ran into problems in our household we would have to sell everything or quit spending to take care of it.  We wouldn't just get to keep spending like nothing has changed.  I don't get why they can't treat every dollar they spend as if it's their own hard earned dollar.  I'm so disenchanted and bugged by our government bodies.  Do we ever need change!  And, no I don't mean we need to get a Republican president because Obama's doing such a poor job.  I don't care what party's in charge, it's all those dang people not getting along that are ruining this nation.  They spend more time arguing than sitting down together trying to come up with something great.  If they do come up with something they cram it through in one piece instead of staging things and thinking things through.

I'm done.  I just pray our children and grandchildren don't have to clean up the mess we're probably leaving for them because we can't control ourselves any better than they can.  LEAD BY EXAMPLE!

Lisa

How did he know?

He was exactly what I needed tonight.  I have been feeling kind of bad about the kind of mom I have been.  I think a lot of working moms go through this from time-to-time.  If you, personally, have never then count yourself lucky.  I've struggled with doing both since I became a mother 13 years ago.  I wish there didn't have to be them or job.  I wish it could be easier for working mothers.  I have it better than some, but I could so spend more time with my babies and would be thrilled.

All day I kept replaying in my mind what I could do to make Jaemin want to sit with me more and hug me more.  I think after one bad night where he's just a busy boy I have trouble letting go and realizing it may have just been one night.  Tonight we were sitting on the floor and he let me hold him more and he gave me nice soft hugs around my neck.  He has also become a HUGE daddy's boy which is great, but leaves mommy a little jealous.

When it got close to bedtime I brought his paci and puppy out, turned off the lights and sat on the couch with him and cradled his sweetness.  He talked to me in that soft, quiet voice for a minute or two and quickly fell asleep.  I had to just hold him a little while longer.  Brian wanted me to put him to bed, but I just couldn't let go of the very thing I'd been needing all day long and maybe more.

How does a little boy know exactly what their mother might need?  I could just sit there and stroke his hair and cradle him all night long.  How blessed I am to be his mother and thank you my little many for giving your mom exactly what she needed tonight.....YOU!

Lisa

We're thankful for the food we eat

It was Chase's turn to dry dishes tonight.  I like when they clear the table or dry dishes.  It gives me one on one time to chat and they're fairly willing since there's no one else in there with us.

Tonight I asked Chase if he felt lucky that we made all kinds of food to eat such as; Chinese, Mexican, Korean, Italian, American...anything that's yummy?  He said well we used to not.  Okay, not totally true because we've always cooked it all except Korean.  I had really never heard of a Korean recipe before the 3 youngest kids.  So, he tells me how glad he is that we adopted because they brought Korean food to the table.  Funny and sweet all at the same time.  Mom learned how to cook Korean because of you three and we all LOVE it!  Mom has developed a craving for Korean as much as Chinese....possibly a little more.  Never thought that would happen.

Lisa

Fun in the Sun

I didn't say warm sun, but there was sun.  We had to take Jaemin out for his first time in the snow.  It's snowed already this season, but he's always been sick or something else has prevented us from taking him out to try out the snow.  Today, we did.  He even tried sled riding.  He liked it, okay, but was content just throwing the snow around.  He also made his first snow angel....well, mommy helped him.

Here's making the snow angel.



And here's the finished product...can you see it?



Chelsi was still napping and we just stayed out for a little bit, so both girls stayed inside.