Christmas at Roselawn

Kiara had to follow clues to find her gift from Santa. One was hidden "where Baby Jesus was born" (bet you didn't know that a Diet Coke can also pose as a shepherd!)

The "scary" old doll held the last clue. (Kiara grabbed that one and ran!)

Then she opened...

A pink BB gun! ...And couldn't wait to practice shooting it outside. The smoke from our burning leaves added a neat effect! Talk about a smokin' gun!

Family and friends came over in the afternoon. The weather was so nice that we moved the party outside. "Christmas in the Country" events included burning leaves, jumping on a pogo stick, playing Bocci ball, shooting the bb gun, and "rooster catching". (My mom's friend and her Uncle Donald ended up catching it as he roosted in the tree later that evening. The constantly crowing cock is now cooped up in our henhouse.)

Then some MORE friends came over with their two girls and they acted out the Christmas story for the adults... the TRUE meaning of Christmas.

Later in the week two of Paul's sisters and their daughters came for a visit over the weekend.

I did lots of cooking and baked an apple pie with the gift our long-term B&B guest gave us. A pie plate with a blackbird in the middle. It had a little hole in its beak to release the steam. How cute, huh?

Now time to look forward to celebrating New Year's. Kiara and I plan to go over to my mom's since Paul is playing drums tomorrow night.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!

Deutschland

Okay, here are a few pictures from my trip to Germany... Still waiting for my brother to send pics from his camera (hint, hint, Scott)

At the airport headed to Berlin. We were in for a looooong night of flying.

A pretty cool shot of a church tower that stands in the center of the city surrounded by modern buildings. Most of it was destroyed during WWII, but they left what remained as reminder of the terrors of war.

Another haunting scene was one of the many torture areas we toured at a concentration camp. I really learned a lot about German history during the time of Hitler. I'm glad I went, but some of the things I heard were quite disturbing.

Scott and I were standing near the Spree River. One night we walked through a gas lantern-lit garden along the water. That was probably my favorite memories of the trip.

This is Spandau Old Town which is actually older that Berlin itself. It has neat little streets with medieval style houses and lots of neat balconies with that bavarian feel.

My mom and I ate up in that "space needle" on the right. It had a revolving restaurant with awesome views of the city. I love how blue the sky looks in this picture.

Glad I had a minute to post some of the pictures. Of course I have other things I SHOULD be doing right now, but Paul convinced me to take a break and have some family time watching a Christmas movie he rented. Sooo, I got in that relaxation mode, then he decided to first change out the DVD player for one he found (yes, found) because he was anxious to see if it worked. He started over an hour ago, and still no Christmas movie yet... so I wandered on over to the computer and ended up getting to the pictures of the trip. Now what... should I go ahead and start wrapping more presents? Organize this messy office? See what Kiara is doing to the cat??? Hmmm... maybe I'll just check in on my blogger friends...

Kiara's Quote: Her favorite Christmas carol at age 3 was Angels We Have Heard on High, especially the line "joyful and try armpit".

I'm Back

Well, I've been back from Germany for a while, but it has taken some time to get back to the world of blogging. I've been putting extra hours in at work so I can flex some time for Christmas. We've got some family visiting and I want to be there as much as possible.

I was super-busy over Thanksgiving managing the B&B and taking care of our guests while Paul was away visiting his brother in Florida. Last weekend we had an Open House at Roselawn for a tour of historical homes. We had another function today- about 20 ladies for a Christmas party. Now the dishes are done and I am sitting back thinking about my dad. Today would have been his 63rd birthday. My mom is here and we had a cake in honor of him. Happy Birthday, Dad. I miss you.
Tomorrow is our church's youth Chrismas program, which somehow I ended up being in charge of. Once that is over, things will seem a little less crazy... but then, I do have lots of shopping to do. Only 12 days left. Won't be long until the 12 drummers are drumming!!!

Our computer had been sitting at our CPA's office for two weeks waiting for a program installation, and I haven't downloaded the pics from our trip since getting it back. They are actually on the back up computer we used while we were waiting to get the new one back. Maybe next post??? But here's one taken while ice skating at an Adoption Celebration event. Kiara was hanging onto us all the way around the rink. Needless to say, we were very tired after about an hour!

Kiara's Quote: Last Christmas I reminded Kiara that she only gets three gifts because that's how many Jesus got-- to which she replied, "Well, there better not be any myrrh!

Germany Bound

I have been busy working 12-14 hour days so I'll be all caught up before my trip. Yes, I'm leaving for Germany one week from today!!! I've started packing early because I'll be working 3 ten hour days Monday through Wedsneday before getting on the plane Thursday morning. It's going to be crazy but hopefully worth it all. I am going with my mom and my brother. Paul is saving his travel to visit his brother, Rich, in Florida over Thanksgiving weekend. Kiara is actually excited about me going because she is getting paid to dog-sit for my mom. She just loves Riley, and I guess the responsibility makes her feel so grown up. I might not get time to blog before I leave, so here's a final "Auf Wiedersehen" just in case!

Kiara's Quote from just last week... When explaining she was talking about her grandmother she said: "Not my mumma but my mumma's mumma." (Try saying that 5 times fast!)

Pictures to Share

Kiara turned 10 last week and decided to get a Nintendo DS instead of a party this year. Of course, we still had to have cake and, of course, I couldn't resist tying in the Nintendo theme, so here's the cake I made:

P.S. Nick and Jenny... Kiara LOVED the games you got her! Thanks so much! How thoughtful!

And now fast forward to today...

It was costume day at school and Kiara went as cheerleader with very fancy eyelashes. We had to make a special trip to the store last night to get them.

Then when we got home, Kiara decided we needed a DEER as a pet instead of a goat so she fashioned some antlers for Kenai...

And now my 10 year old girl is waiting for me to tuck her in, so I must go. Sweet dreams everyone...

Rainy Friday

Today is a rainy Friday. I guess we've needed it but could do without the cold front that came along with it! I picked Kiara up from school early today so that I could bring her to my mom's while I worked this afternoon. I just got home, and Paul isn't here yet so I thought I'd take this quiet time to update my blog. Problem is, I don't have much to report! This is a bittersweet season for me as it was two years ago during this time that my dad got sick and passed away. Guess I've just been in my own little world remembering and missing him.

On a happier note, I do want to add my "Kiara's Quote of the Day" since I forgot last time. Found funny episode (but a bit embarrassing for me) from when she was 4 years old...

Kiara came in the bathroom one morning and noticed the "stink". Jokingly, I blamed Paul. Later, she came back in and replied, "It smells better in here now... Daddy must've used mouthwash!"

Have a great weekend, everyone!!!

Mother-Daughter Bonding

Last weekend Paul was in Atlanta visiting family and picking up a car we bought from his sister, so Kiara and I had some "girl time" together. One day we went to a local state park where we had a picnic lunch and took pictures of the beautiful scenery. Then we participated in something called "Letterboxing". We were given a list of clues and had to locate the "hidden treasure" which, in this case was a special rock. (See picture below). It was a neat experience, and Kiara and I finished first!

During the weekend we also went bike riding with some friends to a place called High Bridge. It is an old train bed turned into a trail that will eventually go over the bridge which, as the name implies, is very high. Here are some pictures from that:

We also went to the movies, restaurants (several during the weekend!), batting cages, and arcade where Kiara played her favorite hunting game. It was a fun weekend with my little girl who is growing up so fast. Hard the believe she will be 10 next week!

Fall is Here!

It's really beginning to feel like fall around here! The temperature is perfect-- I love crisp, cool autumn days when the sunshine warms you up just enough!

Paul is in Atlanta now visiting relatives and picking up a car we are buying from his sister. So, Kiara and I have a girls' weekend! I'll be off to pick her up from school in just a couple of hours and thought I'd sneak in a little blogging while I had time.

I am enjoying my part time schedule. The 3 ten hour days in a row seem unending at times, but then the reward of 4 days off makes it all worthwhile!

My brother is coming into town for a visit the day after Kiara's birthday. Then I'll see him again in November for our trip to Germany. Kiara is so excited about her birthday. She will be 10 on October 22nd. Instead of a big party this year, she opted for a Nintendo DS, so that's what she's getting. Anybody out there know if some good games to get?

Here's a picture taken at school of Kiara with some 4th grade classmates. The boy in the middle is her first "real crush". (Hope she doesn't mind me telling the world that!)

Kiara's Quote of the Day: Just recently Kiara asked a friend how old he was and he said, "I'm in my 50's." Kiara replied, "I'm in my 9's."

Happy Anniversary to Us

Today is Paul and my anniversary. We've been married 19 years! I still remember walking down that aisle in that little country church like it was yesterday. I must admit that I thought I was the luckiest girl in the world that day, and this has been proven true throughout the years. Yes, we've had our difficult times through the marriage, but Paul always made me feel loved and secure through all the hard times. We didn't let infertility tear us apart and ended up with a beautiful adopted daughter more precious than we could've ever imagined. We wouldn't trade her for a biological child today. Paul has encouraged me to live each day to its fullest and to be a risk taker. How else would I have left my roots and moved to Keysville, VA? We have been blessed with a wonderful family on both sides. He adores my mom and has fond memories of my dad, and I absolutely love all of his siblings, nieces and nephews. We have had so many awesome trips together (and some that he even let me take without him... including one to come-- Germany!) So I just wanted to say, Happy Anniversary, Paul. I love you.

Kiara's Quote of the Day: (To reiterate the fact that, yes, Paul and I have had our hard times...) Kiara quietly witnessed a disagreement between us and interjected..."Ya know, I heard everything ya'll said... and it wasn't pretty!" Age 5

New Computer

We had to replace our virus-infested computer with a new one, so I've been busy setting up my e-mail, adding bookmarks, and learning the nuances of Vista. Still haven't been able to get my pictures and Roselawn documents off of the last one. For that I think we'll call in an expert. I can't even get it to boot up. Lesson learned.. back up everything right away- on an external drive if possible.

Life outside of the technological realm is going well. We're all off for Labor Day but don't have anything special planned. Just hangin' around the house relaxing, I guess. Should probably be turning over two room from guests that left recently, but maybe that can wait. There's not a whole lot to do around Keysville, although we did go to the high school football game on Friday night, and friends came over last night to "porch sit" with us. I'll be taking a break from small town living to go to GERMANY in November with my mom and brother! Looking forward that.

Kiara's Quote: Looking at the inspection sticker and county decals on the car windshield, Kiara asked, "What'd you have to do to win those stickers?"

Back at Mom's

Kiara and I are spending the night at at my mom's house tonight. so I thought I'd take advantage of the chance to post some of her pics from our family reunion...

Brotherly love...
Attacked by Jaws at the aquarium...
At the dolphin show...Waitin' for breakfast...
The gang's all here in Annapolis...

Blogger Trouble

Hi, everyone! I'm posting this from my mom's computer because our computer at home is giving us trouble. It all happened shortly after Kiara attempted to download a game without us knowing... and now everytime I try to sign in to my account, a message comes up saying I need to enable cookies. I tried that but it doesn't help. I've also tried deleting cookies and clearing the cache, but to no avail. Any of my tech-savvy nieces or nephews have any idea what I can try next???

While I have access, I will give a short update on what's been going on at Roselawn...

We recently got back from a family reunion in Baltimore and had a great time (wish I had pics on my mom's computer to post!) Went to lots of great restaurants and enjoyed the Inner Harbor. Kiara was impressed by the sharks and dolphins at the aquarium! She had fun imitating them in the hotel pool that night.

Our good friends from Richmond, Kevin and Melissa, came to visit last weekend and took us out on their awesome boat. Had fun getting pulled on one of those tubes but did almost capsize once. It was a beautiful day and the weather was perfect. We spent the rest of the weekend relaxing on the front porch and catching up with each other. I miss hanging out with them! I'll post pictures if I can ever get back on at home!!!

Kiara started school last week. She's now in 4th grade! We are finishing up horse lessons and plan to get her back into karate soon. It's too hard to manage both while school is in session, so we figured we'd skip riding during the cooler months.

Hmmm, for Kiara's Quote of the Day... Let me see... (I don't have my journal here for reference, so I'll have to pull one from memory)...

While completing homework in first grade, Kiara wrote her name at the top then read "Date" and replied: "Let's see, who do I want to go out with??"

Married at Roselawn

Paul performed his second wedding at Roselawn last weekend. Here are some pictures of the special event...

Kiara Quote for the Day:

"When I get married I'm going to live far, far away... like 10 miles!" Age 4

Kiara Quotes

I thought it would be fun to start putting a quote from Kiara's past at the bottom of each blog (when I can remember to do it!) I started a journal when she was first adopted to keep track of her unique child-insights, most of which have a strong element of humor! She has been known to say some pretty funny things, and I don't share them often because, well, most people get sick of hearing "cute/funny stories of their kids" (yes, you too may suffer from this, ... but I realize it's so hard for parents to resist!!!). I figured this way, those who really don't want to be bothered can just skip that part of my blog. Now Kiara has gotten to the point where, if she says something funny she then asks... "Are you gonna put that in your journal??" So, here goes the first one:

Kiara Quote of the Day:

"My Daddy drives fast... He passes all the trees". Age 3

Silly Kiara, age 3

Jobs

It has been approved... starting next week, I will be working 3 ten hour days a week! I think this will help tremendously with the B&B, being there for Kiara, and my own sanity! The three days will be long ones, but at least I get to look forward to having 4 days "off". The only down side is that I probably won't be able to continue teaching classes at the community college, and I did enjoy doing that.

We still have two long term doctors staying here. (One of them in our rental house right now.) We are also getting geared up for a rehearsal dinner and wedding next weekend. This will be the second couple Paul will have married at Roselawn! Aside from serving as a reverend, Paul is still working part time for Family Preservation Services. He mentors youth and monitors some who are on house arrest. He's also working on purchasing the old Ford building in town. It looks like that might actually happen. (Scary for me, exciting for him.)

That's the news on the job front. Never know what's on the horizon for us next...

One More Pic

I forgot to add this picture to the slideshow of our beach trip. It's Paul and our friend, Todd. They accidentally dressed alike, which is extra funny b/c Paul will not do that even with his own wife. He would opt change clothes if we look too similar!

Fun at the Beach

Had a great time with friends at the beach. Some of the highlights were:

Riding our bikes around the military base.

Breaking open a coconut.

Going down water slides.

Seeing Todd's purple tongue from the purple milkshake.

Eating grilled steaks by the ocean.

Watching 4th of July fireworks on the beach.

Touring the Battleship Wisconsin in Norfolk.

Riding the ferry across the river on the way home.

HOPE EVERYONE HAD A GREAT 4TH OF JULY!

To Stay or Not to Stay

I gave my resignation letter last week indicating that part-time would work better for me, and my boss counter-offered with a change to working only 30 hours a week. This would enable me to keep my benefits, so I'm seriously considering it.

Stayed busy all week with work, meetings, and functions... so there's really not much exciting to blog about. Kiara is always asking to have a friend over, and usually she gets her way. Today included. She is such a sociable girl-- when she wants to be!

We are heading to the beach this week with friends, so I won't be blogging for a while. Hopefully I'll have some good stories and pics upon our return. Until then........................................... God bless!!!

Roselawn is Hoppin'!

We've had a lot of activity at Roselawn lately. Two doctors have been staying with us long-term.(One of them has been here for over 2 months.) Last night we hosted a wedding rehearsal dinner. It was catered by an outside source, but they used our kitchen for their prep. I've never seen so much food! They did a really cool thing with mashed potatoes by placing a scoop in a baked phyllo shell. Make the ordinary look fancy!

I also loved their fruit bouquet...

The weather was perfect for an outside event...

Yesterday I got a CD in the mail from my very cool nephew's wife, Jenny, of pics from their recent visit to Roselawn. This girl is one of the most thoughtful people I've ever met. She's always sending something to us, spoils Kiara when she visits, and does an awesome job of keeping in touch with people. You can visit her blog on my sidebar. My totally awesome nephew's is on there as well. We always enjoy their visits, as you can see from the pics...

Don't be jealous, Paul... I threw him back.

Cool Nick with one of the kittens we found in our backyard.

Jenny found a treasure of smashed pennies on the tracks.

Oh, the fun Keysville has to offer!!!