The Rocky Horror Boxing Show...

Yes, Tom couldn't resist seeing the latest installment of Rocky. The 4 boys ventured to theater last night and all came home singing its praises - they give it 2 gloves up

Tom was surprised when the boys flew home from the theater and started digging through boxes to find the gloves....



Here Ty is putting up a valiant fight in Round 1

Tom declaring a victory -

Tom giving it up to the heart of the real champ

December

Tian and TJ

Tian having her first tea party. She may not be good at pouring drinks, but she makes up for it with cuteness

Finally pics from December

Tian playing peek-a boo
Tian is an incredible girl ! At 16 months, she helps unload the dishwasher. Unfortunately, she doesn't care whether the dishes are clean or dirty... Here is she clapping for herself after throwing a handful of silverware in the drawer . Note those beautiful kitchen cabinets and the floor is to die for ( painted plywood)
The look. This is the look that means " I said I want it and I am not giving in...ever"

still more...

TJ sledding out back during our 12 inch snowfall in late November

The back of our palace

Not a great picture of ou rlittle elf, but had to show the proof a "dimple"

and yet, there's more

Tian and Bootsy Barker ( the cat) enjoying and "All American Breakfast"

Tian in pigtails for the first time

Trevor and Ty built a forge in the backyard. The made a brick oven and are using a bicycle pump as a bellows and a piece of granite for an anvil. They are hammering some rebar to make swords. ( I know a little ( a lot) scary, but they are having fun by the hour)
PS I don't think the swords ever turned out like they imagined.

more pics

TJ is a hit at our church Halloween Trunk or Treat. He is "the monster" and sits in the back of the car. He enjoys giving little children nightmares...

Tian's reaction to tasting the inside of her pumpkin

Ty really getting into it..

Months of pics

This is the deer TJ is waiting for everey morning while sitting in a tree. He took this with a "Trail Cam" he received as a gift from the Winterset Vet clinic. Need I say how much he loves it...

Tian trick -or -treating. She couldn't quite figure out how come everyone only gave her one piece of candy. After all, she is the Empress, however, she usually managed to talk them out of a dozen or so..

Long time no write...

I know, I know and yes, Tian has changed a lot since October, bt once we found the computer we had to find the mouse and once we found the mous we had to find the keyboard,and once we found all that,where was the camera, the passwos to add to the blog etc, etc?.. you get the picture.

We are in our new "home," but hardly settled. We will probably be in boxes for months to come... Tian is a great help and has mastered the skill of dumping faster than any child in the world ( Yes, I am sure) She can also climb and get in precarious situations quite masterfully and even on occasion has been caught running with scissors. She is a woman of extremes and keeps us on our toes day and night. It would be difficult if she weren't so darn happy and cute all the time. Just when you want to throw her out the window she grabs both sides of your head and plants a kiss that could melt an iceberg and then wraps her little arms around you in a way that could make Attila the Hun go soft. Her brothers are completely and happily at her mercy . Did I mention Tom? It could make a sick to see how tightly he wound around her finger...

The boys are adjusting and Tom enjoys his job. The people seem genuine and the work is interesting. Does it get any better? TJ has even mustered the courage to go out a few times. Trevor and Ty have enjoyed sledding until they are nearly frostbitten. I just hope to get a shower every couple of days...

I will post some pictures and some of our '60's palace" to boot. And for all who are wondering, the boys and I tore up the carpet in the kitchen ( plywood is better than carpet I decided) and the "Jeffrey Dahmer" ( in other words, could fit an entire human body comfortably inside ) chest freezer that was in the kitchen ( did I mention in avacado green?) has found a new home in the basement.

Tara

More pics

Grampy hoping for hug...
Tian playing peek - a- boo
The new Empress - post accident getting the royal treatment with Ty her royal servant
Tian convincing Grandma Tessa to let her have her sunglasses

October 19 - meets and miracles

After a great team effort - TJ's team was unable to qualify to go to the state meet. He was VERY disappointed, but assured me next year he could come back and the coach did offer to let him stay at his house... It was a fun evening and since it was the last meet we finally learned to bring the stroller and Tian loved going "four wheeling" through the golf course where the meet was held.
Tom's dad and Tessa also met us in Atlantic for the big meet. So although it was a disappointing day , it was great to see family. The younger boys had fun rolling down a big grassy golf course hill, Tian had a great time wearing out Grandma Tessa climbing the hill over and over.

Today for the first time, Tian ventured down into the basement playroom alone. We had lost her for about 5 minutes. I thought Ty was playing with her and he thought she had come inwith me - we found her downstairs playing She couldn't wait to show me the toy closet she had discovered.

Our latest chapter in the Turner saga happened late yesterday afternoon, but it does have a happy ending. TJ's team had a big group dinner planned and as he was leaving he ran completely over our 5 1/2 month old puppy, Daisy. It was a long ride to the vet where TJ has worked the last couple of years. She was wheezing and I was pretty sure that we would be one dog short for this move. The vet treated her for shock and gave her a shot of Vitamin K to help with clotting for whatever internal bleeding there may be. Other than that he admistered fluid and waited to see what would happen. He was extraordianrily kind with Tj and spent some time showing him that she still had positive blood pressure etc. and assuring him that although it appeared to be serious, there was hope. We left her to rest and hoped for the best. Well, this morning, we picked up a stiff, but otherwise happy puppy.. I knew she would be okay when she started searching the kitchen floor for Tian's leftovers. She was certainly the Empress of the day. So another miracle..yes, he ran completely over her on the concrete in the garage. She has always ben very cautious about the car....I am sure now she will be even more so.

We wind up another day thanking God for simple tender mercies and HUGE miracles.

Tara

Pictures

Tian was a little excited to get her picture taken and in her pasta covered shirt and was hoping to get the camera ..
Big brother TJ put her on his shoulders and she discovered she could bang him on the head and make her other brothers laugh

A BIG day..October 17

For the very first time Tian grabbed my face and kissed me spontaneously - out of the blue - for no reason. Up until today she would hug and kiss when I asked her, but today was all on her own. Talk about a heart melter...

The boys say this BLOG is entirely too much about their sister - so here goes:

TJ also had a big day. If you remember, over the course of the last 8 years he has had 15 teeth pulled because his teeth were to big for his mouth ( I am holding the jokes in here) ( all but 4 were baby teeth - so he does have some teeth left :o) We went to the orthodontist for a regular check and presented xrays of TJ's Wisdom Teeth - and drum roll.. He does NOT have to have them pulled. YEAH!!! TJ's jaw has managed to grow with the rest of him this year so he has room for them now.
Thursday he will run in a District meet and if their team places in the top 3 they will go on to compete at the state meet on October 28... We will keep you posted.

Trevor continues to work hard on scouts. This week he has been making miniature armor for some toys - it is pretty cool. I don't know if their is a metal working merit badge - but I am sure he has earned this week. ( oh - his teeth look great too)

Ty had a fabulous week making potions. I cleaned the medicine cabinet and closet of all the expired bottles etc and he made probably the stinkiest potion of all time. It literally gave me a headache.He jumped up and down - proud that his potion worked... hmm, I don't think he needed a potion to give me a headache..

Tom continues to work on "money pit" err I mean our fabulous new house. Two bathrooms have been demolished and await rebuilding. I know he has had extra fun tearing off the grass wallpaper. This week he is hoping to get the plumbing finished so new fixtures can be set in the bathrooms and new flooring in the living room ( yes, I am so mean I said the gold shag carpeting had to go.) If anyone would like some 60's decor I know a great source...

I am just trying not to go insane carrying around the Empress. Today ( now the 18 th) she refused to drink out of a plastic cup and insisted on glass like the boys. Tomorrow everyone is drinking out of plastic becasue when Tian is finished with anything - a banana, an apple a glass she tosses it over her shoulder. Our house is a wreck and we only allow her to eat in the kitchen! I had forgotten how quickly a toddler and destroy a house... It is hard to even upset by it because she is so happy doing it. I just hope no one wants to see the house before we move...

Take care -
Tara

A ride to remember

Okay - the stroller. Remember the DOLLY stroller I mentioned Tian received from her Aunt Stacy, the one with the warning label that states"DO NOT use with a real child" ? Ty, I might mention, he can read, had the fabulous idea to push his 25 lb sister in it. She thought it was great idea too, so she managed to squeeze herself into it. Yes, she looked ridiculous. She even allowed him to fasten the belt. ( A thin strap with a tiny piece of velcro). Ty then proceeded to take off at top speed through the kitchen, into the entry, and then the death defying doughnut spin in front of the staircase. I nearly fainted and Tian - well, her reaction was just what you'd expect of a little girl with 3 big brothers- she squealed with delight and begged for more. We slowed things down a bit and changed the course, but "Big Bertha" in the stroller had a great afternoon with her big brother. Other than that, things have been rather quiet. No, we haven't just let have everything she wants - just almost everything. Tian is learning some sign language ( she know the sign for "cookie please" quite well) and we think she is a genius. She is trying to say more words - so I am guessing in the next few months we will be buying ear plugs to stop the chatter.

The other picture is Tian baby sitting - get it? TJ was pushing her stoller around to tease her and she fooled him by sitting on top of her baby.

Just another day....

We still think Tian is terrific...most of the time. Today she threw a tantrum for 10 + minutes because I walked into the kitchen and she wanted me to carry her. I know she is the empress and I should do whatever she wants whenver she wants.... We had quite a battle of the wills. I tried to hold out, but I finally met her 7/8 of the way.

We are studying the skeletal system so the project of the day for the boys was to build their own creature from the bones they have found in the yard ( I know it is extremely gross, but a houseful of boys living in the country... Well, somehow they have found quite a collection- from cow to oppossum. No the bones are not moving with us) Trevor and his friend Grant followed the instructions and used solely bones and wire, TJ, Andrew and Ty stretched a little and used some PVC pipe. Don't you think they will help us sell the house? Enjoy the pictures - oh, and the one of Ty and Tian - in the 30 seconds it took it snap the pictures she almost fainted from lack of attention while she stood inside :o)

October 7 pics

All right - I need Tom home because all the pics are sideways... anyway, here is Tian with her favorite new toy and dolly
Tian loving pineapple - a lot.
Did I mention Tian fell off her bike and skinned her forehead?... She is also was fascinated by the blowing leaves. Tom swept some next to her feet and she was afraid to step on them, until she found out they make a great noise
Here are all the Turner cousins. TJ (16), Ty ( 8), Caden ( 4), Trev (12) Caleb (2) and Tian (14 months)

Baby strollers and pencil erasers

We made it through another weekend, a few cross country meets for TJ ( no new personal bests - but stays close to his best time), a Cub scout meeting and all day Saturday Pow - Wow for Ty. Tom drove the 6 1/2 hours home to drive another hour to bring him. All Ty could say was, " I shot a BB gun and arrows and climbed the rock wall - can you believe it?" Poor Tom , not a word about the fact his dad came all the way home just for him... We also had a Boy Scout Court of Honor for Trevor. Trev was awarded the rank of Star, he has also completed the requirements for the rank of Life, but has to wait 6 months to receive the award, then on to Eagle. He is so self -disciplined it is sickening. He is currently working a Nuclear Science merit badge just because he thought it sounded interesting...if he asks me where he can buy radio active material one more time.... :o)

Tian did not want to be left out of the mix - she has managed to scream in the car to all of TJ's meets, entertain the entire gymnasium during Trevor's Court of Honor, chew the eraser of any pencil before you can get the word "no" out of your mouth, can climb up the stairs and thanks to a whirlwind visit from her cousins ( Caden ( 4) and Caleb (2)) has learned to go down the stairs as well. Thanks - I think...
We had a great visit on Friday with Tom's brother George and his family. His wife, obviously a little more in touch than I, brought our poor deprived little girl her own stroller, baby doll and bottle. She has not left them alone. I admit having been the mother to boys for nearly 17 years - a stroller and bottles never really occurred to me... She keeps giving me this look like, " Gee, Mom, I wondered how long it would be before I could play with something other than trains, cars and dinosaurs" She loves her new girl toys, but can't figure out why nothing comes out of those darn bottles no matter how hard she sucks on them or whams them on the wall or throws them ( I didn't say she was always lady like)

She had a great time at church today. Waiting very strategically very evey quiet moment to shout - nothing in particular, just loudly so every one would turn and look at her, then she would grin from ear to ear. She also managed to write all over Ty's Sunday pants with a pen that supposedly had no ink and make Tom laugh out loud several times... Needless to say I think they are hoping we move sooner than later.

Tian continues to enchant us and although she hated Tom's unshaved face, she was so happy to have him home. She even would reach for him while I was holding her - even when he wasn't offering her Gummi Bears. She waved and blew him kisses good bye and then proceeded to call for him all the way up to bed... not da da but a distint " dad." Just 3 weeks and we will all be living in the same state.

Tara

more pictures...

Photo key :

#1 Tian thinking about making a quick get away during her kitchen sink bath . And yes she did scratch her nose - again !!

#2. TJ and Lexie on their way to homecoming ( of course we made them stop for pictures)

#3 Tian having to wear the Batman jammies - it is a Turner tradition. I know she looks a little horrified wearing boy jammies... Now I have proof that there was time she didn't wear pink

#4 The view of Tian I see most often - yes , she thinks if I am there I should be holding her, unless of course ther is something available to be dumped

#5 Tian and our poor dog up at the property - I thought a picture of the 2 of them in the grass and her in her pumpkin sweater would be so cute - her vote was "no" and that she wanted to hold the camera NOW

Week 1 at home....

We have made it through the first 10 days at home with only a few screaming and crying moments! Yes, Tian still throws a pretty good tantrum, but we can even boast that we ahd one tantrum free day and the other tantrums have been pretty short...Since I am always on borrowed time I will share the highlights:

• TJ set another personal best a his cross country meet - the 5k in 17:10 ( I think I ran the mile in that once)

Tian is FINALLY sleeping through the night and so am I ( big happy dance here)

• It is totally untrue that a child under 2 and an adopted child cannot spoiled within 3 weeks of meeting her family

• Tian's favorite activity of the week - standing a shouting on the coffee table - especially when we are reading

• Tian's other tricks of the week : shouting for a baba - which means any type of food especially what you are eating , she can say mama, dad, baba and boh ( her interpretation of "boys"), teasing her brothers ( taking toys, pretending she wants a hug or to be held then running away), drinking out of a sippy cup ( When we met Tian she could not handle liquids that had not been thickened without gagging and choking and drooling it all out of her mouth ( no - I don't know what she was actually gagging on). She is working on the cup thing

• We have all fallen hopelessly in love with this naughty little girl - especially her brothers. They still argue over who can rescue her from her crib even if she isn't crying.

We have shown our house this past week and had it filmed for a home highlight show of homes for sale... and had another looker on Sunday. Keep your fingers crossed for us. We will be heading to WI some time the weekend of October 28 - 29. So life is still insane, but good. I'll keep you posted -

Tara

pictures....

Medical Exam and TJ's news

It is Monday, September 25 and Tian had to have her required ( for adoption and residency) medical visit. No one should be surprised that she came in at the 75% for weight, but the 95% for height was a surprise she may be the tallest in the family :o) The doctor and nurses were surprised at how well she is doing - very content and a little cheeky. She enjoyed holding her hands out to them and then shaking her head no when they wanted to hold her.

Her official weigh in was at 23.14lbs and 32 inches. Our pediatrician, who has a niece from China, was very well versed in the tests and things so poor Tian had several vials of blood drawn, then to add insult to injury, she had to have 3 shots and a TB test. Believe me I was hoping for no shots... I felt like the ultimate traitor. She screamed with all she was worth and we left the office tear stained and sweaty - I don't know which of us was in worse shape. All in all she did do very well considering.

We then ran a quick errand to the post office where she managed she charm everyone who walked through the doors . So she was quickly back to her usual self. Unfortunately for us Tian is one of those children who can nap for 5 minutes and think their nap is over - so we struggled with that today , but so far it is nearly 11 pm and no fever. I have been afraid to give her anything for fear of allergy so we just sit and wait. Her face is almost all cleared up so hopefully we can solve the mystery of what set off the rash and avoid a repeat performance.

The biggest news item s of the day : TJ set a personal best record at his cross country meet today at 17:29 for his 5K run. His team once again took first place. Wouldn't you know we weren't there because I thought Tian wouldd be napping ( ha h a) I was so sad not to be there. We will be at his next meet Thursday and hopefully be able to witness another personal best ( right TJ? - no pressure). Then to top off his stellar night he walked in and Tian had woken up again and he was able to put her in her crib and she settled down - I am praying for the night. This was the first time he had put her to sleep - hopefully not a new social habit. Needless to say, TJ is higher than a kite right now.

I will hurry and get a few things done as someone is coming to look at our house on Wednesday.

Tara

The pictures were our attempt yesterday to get a nice one of all 4 kids at the same time - Mom you will appreciate this. Don't ask I don't know what Ty had in his mouth , but 3 shots was Tian's limit. The one of the dogs was how they have spent the last few days: begging to coem in and join the party. Tian likes the older dog, but the pup is another story - hey the pup took her apple