Zip Lines, Baby Tigers, and S'Mores - What More Could You Ask For?

We drove to Ohio for our China Family Reunion recently.   We had a fantastic time visiting the Columbus Zoo, a super pumpkin patch, and just hanging out with friends.   It is such a blessing to see the girls grow each year.   This year I could truly tell the girls were becoming true friends.  I can't wait to get together again soon.   I hope you all come visit us down here in NC soon.   (or you know, I am always up for visiting The MOUSE!!! down in Zotti country!!!

Julianna Turns 4

Julianna turned 4 years old today.   We celebrated with family and friends over for hamburgers and hot dogs.    Julianna had a great time.   The weather was great - low 80's.   She picked Clifford the Big Red Dog for her theme.   Do you know how hard it is to find Clifford things??   He is not your hot kid party theme these days.    But it all came together and looked cute.

 This is my favorite picture of the day!   Blue was her favorite color for a long time.   A few months ago she switched to red.   I think that is part of the reason she picked Clifford!   Lots of red!!

 She loves to pose for pictures.   Here she is with her gang.

 Pretty Allie came to play.   So cute to watch them holding hands.

 Allie wanting her mommy to play too.

 This little doggie was a hit.   She named it Dottie the dachshound.   Its the closest she came to getting a real one this year.   She actually asked several times for a chocolate long haired one.   (remember, though, we already have 2 long haired dachshounds)

 Waiting for the cake!

She loves the kid camera we gave her, and the new board games are a hit with her.   ( I did manage to score a cute Clifford board game on Ebay!)   Also, it cracks me up to play "store" with her.   It is so much fun that I had to get her a new cash register for her birthday because the old one died on us.   It is so funny to listen to her pretend to talk over the store loud speaker!   Got to love the age of 4!  

The Last Days of Summer

Summer flew by!   It's hard to believe it is already September 15.   Here are a few pictures from our last fun days of summer.   We squeezed in a beach day and a Watercountry day at the end of August.



My pretty girl has really taken to her bike.   She has night-night hippo with her.





Watercountry was a lot of fun this year.   She does everything she is tall enough for and wants to do it all.

 



Caroline found a turtle on the side of the road.   We let it go behind our house.

 




Watch out... here she comes.

 

Our Fall is set to be very busy with fun times.   We head off to the Great Wolf Lodge soon.   Julianna's 4th birthday party is on October 6, and then we drive to Ohio for our China reunion.   Can't wait to see everyone.   We will miss you, Sarah, Lauri, and Don.   I hope you can make it down here next July.

Happy 3 Year Gotcha Day!!!

 My girls love each other so much!!

 A pretty girl and her Mulan.

We had a fun day celebrating our 3 years with Julianna!   We had Chinese for lunch followed by a small cake for dessert.   I had a Barbie Mulan doll tucked away for Julianna, so I pulled that out as a gift.    Then, she picked swimming at the Y in the afternoon.  

Just Havin' Fun

Here is Julianna waiting to go on the Goofy Rollercoaster for the first time.   Yes, I did ride in the seat with her. 

My pretty girls at the restaurant "California Grill".    Beautiful view from the top of the Contemporary Hotel.

She told Caroline she was going to drive her in the car.

A fun day in the Animal Kingdom.

Pluto giving her a kiss.

She loves the Buzz Lightyear ride.

She got to meet Stitch at Typhoon Lagoon.   The water park is always one of my favorite days.

Playing at Typhoon Lagoon

Here are a few pictures for you.   vacation was super fun this year.    We had awesome weather, a great hotel, and low crowds.    Julianna is a such a fun age for Disney.  She was thrilled to have characters sign her books, she loved doing everything, and the waterpark was a huge success!   She actually stopped playing and ran over to me to say, "I am having SOOOOO much fun!!!!"   I love my girls so much!

It's Spring Time!!

I know, I am so slack!!   I mean, come on, I haven't posted since Chinese New Year!!   Well, I will give you an update.   Time is just flying by!   Both of my girls are growing up way too fast.    Julianna took a few swim lessons in February.   She loved it and did fantastic.    We "attempted"   another session in April and it was a no- go.   The heater in the pool was broken, and even the teachers talked about how COLD it was!   Julianna made it through almost one class, but said she was never going back to that cold pool.  (and she meant it)   So, my plan it to wait until summer when the Y holds lessons in the outside pool.  
Our homeschool coop held classes in March.   Julianna truly enjoyed the preschool class.
We "attempted" (there goes that word again) to foster a mini doxie from our local shelter where the girls and I volunteer each week.   He lasted for a month with us, but the food issues were intense.  He now has a new fur-ever home (with someone else)
We have already been to the beach twice this season.   We have had some days with 80 plus degrees.
We have picked strawberries several times too.   Everything seems early this year!
Our school year is almost over, and our May trip to Disney is soon.   Julianna is beyond excited that she will be able to ride  the small Goofy rollercoaster this time!   She thinks it is because she is a big 'ol whopping 3 years old, but in reality, it is because she is now above the 36 inch mark!   She is my petite girl.
Julianna loves to "do school"   like Caroline.   She usually just picks something to do off of her shelf in the school room.   Right now, she is into writing.   She has taught herself the entire alphabet (mastered all of the upper case and most of the lower case).   She is always asking, "How do you spell ..." and practicing writing the words.   She still loves computer games, and she is a wiz with the computer.   I don't even have to help her with it.   She turns on, loads disks, exits the programs, etc. all by herself.  It is amazing what technology she knows.   She comprehends "scroll down, click on the x, make the screen bigger, etc." 
We had fun at the circus.   The highlight was being soooo close to the elephants in the pre-show.   I could have stood there all day with the elephants.   We also took a day trip and drove to Richmond to visit a zoo.   I wanted to go because you can HAND FED giraffe!!!    We had such fun!!   Julianna laughed so much when the giraffe licked her on the head!!   I love the picture of her with the bird!   We had just walked in and a parakeet swooped down and landed on her feeding stick.   The girls were in heaven.   Both Julianna and Caroline love all animals.  ( I wonder where they get that from???? :)  
Enjoy all the pics!!!

It has been nice for Julianna and Allie to see each other.    We have been to the beach together, lunch out, played at a jumpy place, and seen a stage show of Clifford the Big Red Dog recently.