Orphans in Kyrgyzstan

Every Christmas season a couple our family became acquainted with during Anara's adoption collects money to purchase and distribute gifts to orphanages in Kyrgyzstan. This year I decided to help.

A single gift for a Kyrgyz orphan is only $5. I hope to raise a minimum of $500. And because this is a pie in the face challenge, if I reach my minimum, I will be the fortunate recipient of a pie to the face. Pictures of the event will even be posted to our blog and Facebook so you can all enjoy watching me take the pie in the face.

If you would like to help, donations can be made at John and Julie Wright's blog or directly to me to be donated through their website. Here is the link to the pie in the face challenge: http://actofkindness.blogspot.com/2009/11/one-for-kids-pie-in-face-challenge.html To donate, click the US Christmas Challenge PayPal button on this site and select "Amanda."

To read more about the Wright's work in Kyrgyzstan, click the blog header on this post.

Feel free to email/call if you have any questions.

Happy Birthday Eddie!

Today is Edison's 1st birthday. The girls are upstairs wrapping pretend presents. Edison is not so patiently waiting for them to come back down and play with him. He is a little moody because he's working on 3 new teeth and today he had a vaccine. Here are a few cake pictures from his birthday party Sunday. I will post more party pics later.

Quotes

I have kept these quotes so long that some of them aren't as funny because the girls are a bit older now. Oh well, here they are anyway.

Vi - "Yeah, that's a picture of you in Kyrgyzstan."
Anara - "Yeah, I am from Kyrgyzstan. Where are you from Violet?"
Vi - "Uh, I don't remember where I am from let me go ask Mommy. Mommy, where am I from?"

Vi while picking up the toys that she got out. "Oh man! There is so much stuff! Why is Mommy making us do this? It's so hard."


Vi, "Grandma Janet's oven makes better shrinky dinks but ours makes better food."

Anara listening to Away in the Manger (the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay) "Mommy, that lady just called the Little Lord Jesus a sleepy head."

Vi was wondering what my concerned face was for and I told her that I was trying to make a good decision about the flu shot. I asked her to pray for my decision.
"Dear Jesus, please help Mommy make the right decision not to get the flu shot."

We got a package of caramel corn delivered to us by UPS one day. Violet, "That UPS man makes good caramel corn!"

I heard Violet whisper, "Anara, I have an idea. Maybe if we make a crown for Mommy then she will let us have whatever we want."

Violet, "I wish my hair looked like yours." Dewey, "Okay, but it would be really nappy."

Violet telling us about her dream "There was a Disneyland really really really close to our house and we went and I got lots of balloons and lollipops."

Me: "Okay Vi what are we going to do first?"
Vi: "Play Jenga."
Me: "Okay, I will probably win though."
Vi: "Let's not worry about winning, Mama. Jenga isn't about winning, it's about having fun."

Anara while babysitting Joy, "Babies that are Asian can eat and drink all by themselves."

Violet about Joy, "She is Asian like you and Bobby." Anara, "Bobby's Asian?"

Vi bossing me about Joy and trying not to sound bossy, "Bring her out in this room and put her down. That's what I would do."

Anara, "Violet, you are talking with food in your mouth."
Anara (with food in her mouth), "Mommy, Violet's talking with food in her mouth."

Violet "Mommy and Daddy said they don't like giving us spanks."
Anara "Who?"
Violet "Our mom and our dad. They didn't like spanks when they were little. They give the hardest spanks don't they?"
Anara "Yeah, they make them this hard."

"Mommy, I just can't do what Violet is telling me to do. I can't do criss cross applesauce."

One morning during breakfast Violet said, "I kept praying that God would make the dog on my floor move but every time I opened my eyes it was still in the same place."

"Dear Jesus, thank your for this day. Thank you for this food. Help me not to have a nap today."

Vi, "That's an exasperating deal."

Vi, "Anara, you like Asian food because you are Asian. I'm not Asian, I'm Korean."

Vi "Mom, Edison is getting all your shoes out."
Me "That's okay you know how to put them away."
Vi "So do you. So, can you put them away."

Vi "Calm down mom."

Vi, "Mom, what are those?
Me "Canadian geese."
Vi, "Wow, they are really far from home."

Vi "Are you going to change her diaper? She probably just has a bottom and not a penis. That's what boys have. Did you know Eddie had a penis when he was born?"

"Cinderella knows Jesus but we better pray for them (referring to the ugly stepsisters)"

Anara, "Vi just hit me. Can I say, 'Violet, go to Mommy?'"

Violet when I told her I didn't have much patience left, "How many patience do you usually have?"

River City Rat Race

Nate and Aunt Megan ran in the River City Rat Race a couple weekends ago. It was a nice, fall day and the scenery was beautiful. Nate is running a marathon this weekend.

Mover Eddie

I have lots of Edison catch-up pics. He is turning 1 next week :( It's happy and sad. He is all over and into everything. He has the disappearing act down and he reappears in the strangest places: at the toilet, eating catheter supplies, on the stairs, or eating chalk at the girls easel. I miss those baby days. Here are the recent pictures.

Riding the horsey

Peek

Playing with the doctor kit

Dr. Eddie Better

Cheese

Helping Mom with supper

"Can I please get in?"

Here is a video of Edison making some lunch. He hears Nate turn on Small World and takes off to find out where the song is coming from.

Here is a video of Anara playing a little game with Eddie

Pumpkin Carving

Nate helped the neighborhood kids carve about 8 pumpkins Saturday. The kids had a great time carving pumpkins with Nate and eating treats, and our kids were thrilled to have another "party" with neighbors. Sabrina and Marlene stuck around to help pass out candy to trick-or-treaters.

Carving in the backyard

Jacob (Dewey's brother)

Dewey

Leah (Dewey's little sister)

Mickey pumpkin Marlene, Sabrina, and a few of the pumpkins

Jody's Indiana Reception

Jody and Bobby had their Indiana reception on Oct. 24th. The girls wore their flower girl dresses again and had a blast dancing. Anara asked, "Is Jody going to have another wedding?" I told her no and she said, "I wish we could start over at the beginning." Here are just a few more wedding pics.

High school friends

Ivy and Violet dancing

A Little More Mover Madness

Here is a video of Vi during the concert.

Here is the video Violet wanted me to post.

Mover Madness

Friday we took the girls to the Imagination Movers Concert. They wore the mover suits that Grandma Janet made them for their birthday party and Nate and I wore our mover shirts. The concert was great. I knew that the girls would love it but I was surprised that I was entertained as well. They did a great job incorporating some adult humor into the show. I think Nate's favorite part was the small Stonehenge that dropped down from the ceiling during part of the show (from This is Spinal Tap).

Here are some pictures from the concert.

Vi's favorite, Mover Scott "cuz he's funny"


Mover Smitty


Mover Dave
Mover Rich, Anara's favorite "cuz he has curly hair"