Fall Fun

So I didn't really miss posting last week, it's still being tweaked. I've had requests for our story of how Sadie's adoption came to be, and it's a tough one to write, but it's in progress. This week, on the other hand, was full of fall fun with friends and photos!

The kids were out of school anywhere from all week to most of the week for conferences and UEA. Sadie cried when she found out she was the only one not going to school on Monday and Tuesday. I'm not sure why she was upset, but she seemed to feel better when I finally told her that her friends and teachers wouldn't be there either. I hope she didn't think I was just making her stay home. All the conferences brought good reports, and once again I'm very thankful for good kids.

A five day break calls for a mini-vacation, but with Todd out of vacation days for the year we were limited to local excursions. Of course I was hoping to get some work done as well, so we started with yard work and a hotdog roast on Monday night. Everyone put on their work gloves and started trimming the flowerbeds. Darkness came long before the flower beds were finished, but it was a fun night. Sadie and Carson loved helping, and mom loved the older kids actual help. Sadie tried all sorts of new food...hotdogs, blue jello, smores, and burst-a-bobs (Starbursts melted together on a roasting stick..and yes, they are good).

Other events for the week were playing with friends for hours (Sadie even venturing to a friends house without a sibling), going to the movie "Up" (another first for Sadie?), and enjoying a perfect fall day at Hogle Zoo with the Wise family and cousin Aleisha. (We learned to take carsick bags forever more when traveling with Sadie for longer than 20 minutes!) The baby elephant and baby giraffe were incredibly cute. Carson was the official map reader the entire day, spending almost more time studying it than looking at animals.

(Nothing like cold weather to get Sadie in jeans, tennis shoes and a hoodie! We knew the Utah weather would make her a fan of all of them!)

And what would conference (church, not school) weekend be without a photo session in the canyon with beautiful fall colors and self-proclaimed torturted children. I used to think it was impossible matching four childrens clothing and getting them to all smile at the same time....until we had five! Thank goodness for fast cameras. Last week when I pointed out the leaves were changing, Hayden responded with "Oh great, that means it's picture time again."

(This is our favorite Sadie face--it cracks us up every time.)

The reward for smiling and helping mom cut boxtops for hours for the elementary school was cinnamon rolls! I'm not sure which the kids find better...the cinnamon rolls, or "the feast" which is scraping up the glaze, brown sugar and butter left on the cookie sheets when the cinnamon rolls are gone. No wonder we are all seeming a little pudgy lately. I'm just hoping everyones bulk doesn't mean growth spurts are coming soon to outgrow all those new school pants.

Sadie continues enjoying routine, filled with firsts. She makes her bed as soon as she gets up, and then changes her teddy bears clothes. She is so good to eat whatever, and I keep hoping she feels like we did in China with the food being different but still delicious. She loves bread and butter and Sunny D. We know it's especially good when we get the "Sadie yummy!"

Even at the quick rate, it's hard to notice how much more Sadie is speaking unless we really concentrate on realizing what's new. This week the sentences were long and very noticable. "What are you doing?"

"So cute."

"This for you."

She's also adding words, but uses them as we do when speaking to her, which is typical language development.

Carson is still figuring out the new dynamics of our larger family. He loves Sadie and wants to sit by her and play with her, but the language barrier can be frustrating for both of them. They are two-peas-in-a-pod one minute and water-and-oil the next. He's in one of those times where his mind wants to be older and more independent, but his body isn't always willing or able.

The Fabulous Five!

So it's back to real life in the morning. At least we'll have cinnamon rolls for breakfast!