Out of order Christmas

I really did get out of sorts this year.  I didn't even do our annual Christmas photo, so no cards this year.  But, I mentioned doing a Christmas video card and the girls wanted to do that....SOOOOO....the choreography is totally them.  I just bought the music and Jaemin was in charge of operating the tablet while I video taped.  They had such a great time!  Christmas was good and I got to have some time with my sweet new nephew (Godchild).  Love him too!

Christmas card 2016!

K and Aunt M

 C and Aunt M

 C and Aunt M (She got 3 of the 5 with her)

 She's so good with the baby!

J's Christmas Party.

 More Christmas Pics

My Christmas Elf (2016 Program)

So busy and behind

This has just gotten so last thought to me.  I've been so bad about a lot of things I used to be so good about. I haven't even written the foster moms in 1 1/2 years.  I used to do that every single year without fail.  Mrs. Kim, Mrs. Kim and Mrs. Jun, if you ever read this, I'm sorry.

The activities have become so busy.  Not that we're over-extending the kids, but by the time you multiply an activity by 4 and then try to work; it's crazy.  We're a little laid back at this point with Chelsi only having gymnastics, but Chase is still weight lifting for football, so we just need to make sure he always has rides and track and volleyball are soon to be starting back up.  Then, the real fun begins with swim lessons....I think we'll try to break Kaelin from volleyball from the summer since we'll start back in with volleyball for her and football for Chase and possibly Jaemin when school starts back up.  That will be a crazy we've never attempted before.  If Chase could sell enough lures to make a few bucks a month for gas and then clean his aunt's house like he does now, that could suffice for a job.  Hoping that works out for him.  Football is hard to work during AND keep A averages in school.

Our house will start as soon as the weather cooperates, so hopefully, we can move in before school starts.  That alone will be enough for summer activities.

But, tonight was about Chelsi.  I don't know what happened to the invite, but apparently school mailed it on 1/6/16 and we just got it tonight (1/12/16) and the awards ceremony for high performance on a state exam was tonight.  Brian had to hurry up and get her there and then take her to gymnastics.  Chelsi does NOT like to miss awards.  She definitely lives for those.  I hope that continues.  I usually do the gymnastics run, but it's been so crazy with trying to sell the house, build the house and just keep up that I haven't gotten to spend time with Jaemin, so that was mine tonight.  We hadn't read all month yet, so we read for an hour and then worked on the easy times tables.  He's ahead in math since he's already finished the subtraction and additional goals for 1st grade.  I hope he always continues to be this smart about math.  That's great!  But, Chelsi got her award.  I know lots of 4th graders get these at this age, but as high as she scored....it should be a occur every year.

Cheerfair 2015

I've never used my DSLR Canon 60D for a video camera and never will again.  It didn't record sound and only records in pieces.  Oh well.....never again.  So here are the moves, but no cheer and music.

 :(

Bump it up

I picked up Kaelin from volleyball practice tonight and she was SO excited.  There's an 8th grade tournament coming up and 3 of the 12 7th graders were asked to dress out and confirmed they would get playing time at that level.  That means she would be playing with all level 1 club girls.  She and 1 of the other 7th graders are not club at all....the 3rd is level 1.  So proud of her.  I know she'll hold her own against the 8th graders.  Can't wait to go.

Football and Volleyball 2015

So, we're pretty much half way into both seasons.  Chase is getting to play a little bit more.  He had a great night last night (probably his best ever with hard tackles and great blocks), so we're hoping he'll have more confidence in his newer position.  Almost had 4 interceptions, but did get 1 great one and hit the quarterback.  Kaelin got the starting setter position for her team, which was great considering out of 12 there are only about 3 that aren't club girls and she's one of those 3.  Her Parks and Rec coach this Spring and Summer was amazing and taught her so much.  She's enjoying this and I know she really wants to play club, but I just don't know about the time and $$ commitment.

New baby soon to be

My sister will have my newest nephew in late October/early November.  Jaemin is still having trouble understanding why we were having a baby shower when the baby was still 'in there'.  This was my first real shower and I wanted it to be elegant for her because she is elegant and she always makes everything nice for others.  I'd been planning it for over 2 months and texting my cousin bak and forth so her and my aunt could participate.  Luckily, my cousin is younger and knows what people actually do at showers nowadays, so she took care of games, prizes and eatery.  My aunt brought some good fruit and monkey bread.  I made egg casserole, french toast casserole and got the decorations and cupcakes.

A girl at work made some cupcakes that I had found a picture of I wanted them nice and simple, so she just did white cake mix with white icing and made pretty, simple, elegant little flowers.  I sprayed blue icing spray on each one of them so they'd still have some white edges.  Got a huge glass platter at the Salvation Army and put my moms glass cake plate on that for a cupcake display.  I got the vases at the Salavation Army as well and then used my 40% off coupon at Hobby Lobby for the burlap roll.  I have the beautiful lace table cloth my great great aunt/uncle gave us for our wedding 21 years ago and put the burlap on top of that.  See the baby's room is pretty much shabby chic and I wanted to keep in with her theme.  I got the flowers on sale that day thanks to my cousin's alert.  I wrapped them in extra burlap and let baby blue chiffon ribbon fall inside the vase around the burlap.  I thought it all turned out really nice on a very easy budget.  I also borrowed my mom's (family heirloom) steamer trunk for the gift table.  My sister loves this trunk, so I knew she'd appreciate it.  I think everyone liked the food and the games and my sister got a lot of great gifts to get her started.  She still has 2 showers to go, so it's a pretty good start to being ready for that baby!

I'm officially

that blogger and that mom.  I no longer have (and sometimes just choose not to) time to take pictures and definitely not post.  I'm sorry if the foster moms try to read this and I've been totally neglectful.

So what's happened....hmmmm.  I don't even remember my last post.

So, the kids started school a week ago....yeah, I've had a hard time catching the younger 4 together to take a school photo.  I finally grabbed Chase as soon as football practice was over (after school) and took their pictures.  Jaemin was invited to his FIRST birthday party.  I was SO excited for him.  And at the party they had the biggest fireworks display I've seen outside of our city fireworks.  WOW!  Jaemin is usually petrified of the things.  But, of course, he wanted to go to the party and didn't want the other boys to really know.  He did AWESOME!  He covered his own ears and didn't need me to for once.  I asked him when they were over if he was okay and he was so proud of myself.  He said he was good and he wanted to see more next year.  That's huge progress and what a hurdle he overcame in one night.

Today was Kaelin's official birthday.  We had her party a couple of weeks ago, but she is now really 13!  I had 3 gold rings with opals, pearls, etc. from when I was a teenager that I had kept and she got to pick one those out for herself for her birthday.  It fit her perfectly.  Her hands are every bit as big as mine.  She's not perfect.  What kid is.  But, she's one heck of a helper around the house and doesn't let people do all the work themselves.  We can always count on her.  Can't wait to see what's out there for her.  She'll have a great life if she stays outgoing and keeps trying hard.  Ignore the bun square on top her head.  She really is a pretty girl.  :)

Jaemin and his best friend.  That's Jaemin's real smile and it's so GREAT!

The one I took this morning in case this evening's backup plan didn't work out.  We knew big college dude wasn't going to permit anyways, so just trying to get the high schooler.

The final picture.

 The 4 youngest when I said "one more".  I was actually the last.