Which makes him look better?

We couldn't decide which ( no pun intended ) version of Trev we likes better.... you be the judge...in fact feel free to call him and let him know your thoughts

I'm back

Tuckers first trip to the ocean - This pic says it all
Trying to beat the waves

Trying to catch a wave

Ty about to body surf for the first time

It may be cold...but hey we're from Iowa

Horseneck Beach in Newport

some good waves due to the hurricane...

The kids and I shared a giant - might I su

Okay life is wild and crazy, but good.



Tucker update: he is doing very well. So well that I worry ( but if I didn't worry what would I do with all my time?) He has adapted to our loud, CRAZY busy house very well. His language is great, he is very comfortable and has no problem asserting himelf or even getting in trouble. He is a painfully normal 7 year old. We spend time out talking about sharing, waiting, listening to directions, not hitting your brother... Tian and Trace even voted to keep him :o) He loves to play outside and especially in the sandbox.



TJ is on the countdown to return home. At least we are counting down. He keeps reminding me that he is not happy to be coming home a couple weeks sort of the 2 year marker. I continue to assure him that I am happy enough for the both of us. He will be home December 16 - 90 days from now....no that I am counting



Trevor is having a great cross country season - if only they would quit printing his name in the paper and calling out his name for awards as TJ he could thoroughly enjoy his junior year of glory :o) He loves being able to drive himself to college twice a week and for everyone who took statistics in college - Trev is the guy we all hated who LOVES the class.... I am relieved and he keeps trying to get out of school work here at home.



Ty is busy with scouts and school. He would prefer to skip the school part :o) He has been having fun trying to train Daisey.... He keeps me smiling and is a great assistant. In fact I think he is a more cautious mother than I ever was :o) He is always willing to help me and is turning into a mountain man TJ can be proud of.



Tian is busy being Tian. She would prefer not to be learning any math and just work on her reading - when she happens to feel like it :o) The other day she asked me," Mom, if I don't have kids will I get old?" I assured her it happens to all of us. She thought for a while and asked," What if I have just one kid ?" Hmmm...I didn't try that, but I'm pretty sure the wrinkle fairy still finds you... She thought and continued her quest to find the fountain of youth,"Well what if I have just one kid and adopt it and I drink lots of milk?" ....

On the same note...she also asked me,"Mom why do some ladies have their boobs on their tummies?" I didn't tell her that too happens when you get old...I think I will save that as a special surprise.



Trace is getting more precocious by the day and has started to look like a stocky wrestler :o) The other night some friends asked us wy we decided to adopt China. Tom started to give te long answer and Trace stood up in his chair, gave tem a look of utter digust at their ignorance and said," To adopt ME." Out of the mouth of babes.



We had a GREAT trip to Rhode Island visiting places Tom's dad lived and played as a kid. We saw the infamous where the family ghost stories of Benjamin Ben began. We played in what Tian and Trace dubbed "the moving water" also know as the ocean , everyday and collected shells, crabs, hermit crabs, periwinkles, sand, crabs and some more crabs. So many crabs in fact, that we brought some home with us. Poor things. WE have been studying them for school ....please don't call PETA. Tom family indulged us in letting us visit te places OTm remembered going as a kid. He drank a giant malt called the Awful, Awful and felt awful when he was done...aww the memories

gge

s

Newport

Been home for a few days from our amazing trip to Newport, RI. We stayed in a small cottage with an ocean view. We had nice weather a lttle on the cool side but no humidity! We all went into the water and body surfed. The waves were especially good due to the hurricanes in the Bahamas.



We drove out, 2 whole days in the car, we did survive eachother. We stopped and saw Niagara Falls on the way out and Shipshewanna, an Amish settlement on the way home. We also drove the route back and stopped in Guilford,CT ( Donut Village is no longer )....



The kids really enjoyed the ocean ( shells, crabs, moving water, snack stealing seaguls, diving Cormurants ). We enjoyed some fresh seafood, visited the old Turner homesteads, enjoyed Newport Creamery Ice cream, toured Newport, saw the "Breakers" - Vanderbuilt's summer home, really a fun trip....



See the pic.s ......

School has started!!!!

Trev on the medal stand in Winterset!!!

XC if it were any easier they would call it football!

Trace - Can't wait until he is 5? Contemplating where he wants to be? Trace is an athletic monster - he can out run the energizer bunny!!!

Trev working the hills on the Winterset course

Trev and the Winterset XC boys!

Trev's strong finish @ Dallas-Center Grimes

Trev with freshman Hunter Hilsabeck on his tail!

Getting ready to start the race in DCG

It seems like forever since I've lasted posted anything.... We'll the school year has officially started. Tara has officially gone crazy again, continuing to home school.

Tucker has given her a run for her money a few times already. So, Tara toured him through the local Elementary school to prove to him that all kids have to wait... Can you imagine?

Trev has competed in three XC meets already. He finished 16th in the DCG meet ( 2nd for the Juniors ), Finished 15th in the Winterset meet 3rd for all Juniors, and 9th overall in Jefferson - Varsity! The funny thing is that they have announced him as TJ at the meets and in the newspaper! Tj is having an exceptional year. I will have to let him know.

Tian the other night was reflecting upon her stunning beauty. She looked at me with a rather inquisative look and blurted out,"If I live with you forever will I get old?" After I stopped laughing I said - "Yes, you will!". She then asked, " What if I drink milk - will I still get old?" She really did not like hearing she couldn't change that fact..

Trace has a lovely purple bruise on his head. Of course it is on the other side of is face from all his other tramas. That poor boy always appears to have gone a few rounds with Mike Tyson, but never really seems to suffer any ill affects from it. Trace may be accident prone but is quite the stud about it!

Enjoy the pics!

High Adventure

12,015 feet atop the largest mountain in Medicine Bow Approx a 2 hour hike from our campsite!

Me and my two moose friends!

Ty and his talking fish - he was quite the rainbow trout fisherman!

Ty also caught a suckerfish!

Ty and his muscles while Trev unloads the trailer!

Our little princess!

What little girl doesn't love cold hard cash!

Tian - eating german chocolate cake. Who say's she's not Tara's daughter?

Tucker eating Wendy's in the airport in Detroit. His first hamburger as an American Citizen!

Cool Hong Kong monopoly money!

See some attached pictures of Trevor, Ty, and my High Adventure / Scout Camp trip to Medicine Bow National Forest in WY, as well as some of Hong Kong and Tian's Birthday!

The trip was fantastic. Timing however was lousy, I had to drive over ten hours after returning from China less than 24hours prior!

What size?

So we received some updated pics....what size do you think he wears?
I am packing a couple things in 5, 6, and 7.....and hoping he likes to shop for clothing....

Another Busy Week and Travel Approval to China!!!! FINALLY

Pres Price as Zorro and Levi as Sponge Bob
View of the parade


My cowboys

Tian and Kassie

Kassie and Tian - Kassie is a crazy Fairy and ina is Mulan

Ty as a cowboy

Tom's in town construction project - redoing the stanchion posts around the town square

Wednesday afternoon we received our invitation to travel to China. Our appointment with the US Consulate in China is confirmed for August 4 ( Tian's birthday)...which means we will be leaving July 23/24 and picking up Jinming July 26 and back home August 5/6!! Wahoo! I am a combination of elated and scared to death....I just keep saying over and over in my head," He is 7...he is 7....he is 7. How is this going to work? Are we insane? What if....?"

So in addition to a wild whirlwind of trying to find flights....we also managed to have Trace's stitches removed, attend a July 4th party, have the chickens butchered ( A bargain at approx $2 a chicken), send Trevor to Nauvoo and marched in a parade. I think next week we will do all that and maybe we will build a new house or something really fun :o)

HOT HOT HOT - June

Ty - Tian & Trace scheming
Please can we stay outside and play!!!!!

Ty - or shall we say Arnold

Miss stylish!

Trace racing around the globe

Tian - fashionable in her pink goggles

Runnin' around the sprinkler globe!

Tian & Trace

Ty swingin' from the rope swing!

Trev & his helpers assembling my Father's Day gift!

Tian happy on the surface!

Tian - not so happy!

Tian - knows whats coming!

Trace - intent on driving that sub!

Trev contemplating the next dive! ( Really waiting for me to catch him )

Tian going in for a splash landing!

Tian & Grampy

Big bad Ty!

Tian swimming while Trace attacks with a radio controlled sub!

Ty at the kids table ( Ty, Trace, Tian, Caden, Gavin, Caleb )

Ty in the outfield......

Ty and Tian going to get concession food!

"Put me in coach, i'm ready to play today - Centerfield"

Trace playing a pick-up game of wiffleball at the ballpark between games!

Tian with wild blackberries

Trace picking berries - probably eatting them!

Weather has been extremely hot, humid and wet. Evening storms, humid hot days. Baseball is over, one would think our lives would slow down. It doesn't! We are STILL awaiting our travel approval information from China so we can go get our little boy. Keep your fingers crossed - the notice could come at any moment. We are all anxiously awaiting that information! We spent Father's Day in Omaha with my father. The weather was overcast and rainy most of the day. Before we left for home the sun broke out for an hour - so the kids swam in the pool.

This past week just seemed to melt by. It was tough to accomplish much due to the rain & heat. Tara had the cub scouts over to cook, canoe, fish and play games. All survived and seemed to have fun. It is wild black berry season - so we have been picking them like mad. Tara made an awesome pie - we all devoured it...

Grampy and Tessa gave the kids an inflatable globe sprinkler toy. We included several pictures from picking wild black berries, Ty's AllStar game, Father's Day pic's, and of the kids playing around getting wet.

Tom 6/27/10