Playing Serious Catch Up

So far this Spring, I have been quite busy taking photos of other families - something that I am loving doing- but it has left me little time for updating my own blog or reading other blogs. I am still trying to figure out how to balance my new workload with ease, and blogging has just been forced to fall at the bottom of my list. I have yet to see the light at the end of the tunnel in terms of other things that are on my plate right now, but I refuse to give it up completely. So, I am going to attempt to play catch up with this post. It's going to be rather long and photo-heavy. You've been warned. :) This is just a bit of what we've been up to...

All Spring, we've been keeping a watchful eye on the wreath on our front porch. The girls checked it every morning before they left for school. One day recently, this is what they found.

There is only one who has been watching it more carefully than we have... Mama Bird.

And let me just tell you - she is scary!!

But, she's a good Mama. She's constantly bringing a beak-full of worms back to her little babies. And my, they are growing fast!!

As you all know, Spring at our house = Soccer, soccer & more soccer.

Leila has had a great season, which is ending this weekend with their final tournament.

She has found her place on the team as the starting goalie. Although she enjoys playing other positions as well, this is where her sweet spot seems to be.

Kara's 5th grade choir held their Spring performance last week, featuring "Oliver Twist." Kara was cast as an orphan. Don't get me started on this topic. You may notice she is the only girl not covered in dirt and ragged clothing. I happen to think that spending 11 years of her life as an orphan is quite enough, thankyouverymuch. Ironically, this is a dress that she brought with her from China. Regardless of how she was cast, I was proud of my girl. She spoke not a word of English 11 months ago, and now she is performing with her 5th grade choir.

Her teacher gave Kara a flower at the end of the performance.

Last week, I shot the cover photo for the 2011 COFCC Calendar, featuring these little cuties below. (This is not the cover photo. This is the post-session popsicle treat.) If you are an adoptive parent of a child from China, stay tuned for more details on how you can participate in this calendar!

This morning, I took Kara & Mia to the Asian Festival. I really do not like crowds. At all. The thought of parking my car miles away and catching a shuttle bus is just not appealing to me. Instead, I try to beat the crowd and arrive early to secure a decent parking spot. Yep, I'm one of those people. LOL. So, we arrived an hour early and walked around the beautiful grounds, of course snapping pictures along the way.

Trying out a new purchase from the festival vendors.

Oh. My. Word!!! This is the coolest sport I have ever seen!! It is called Sepak Takraw and looks much like volleyball, but hands are not allowed. Instead, they use their heads, as in soccer, and their feet, as in hacky sack. They even serve with their feet! Using moves similar to martial arts, they are able to rotate in the air and get their feet up over the net. Seriously, this was just the coolest thing.

And, as we were sitting watching some of the pavillion performances, we were thrilled to see some very near and dear friends.... aka Mia's BFFs. They adore Kara, too. They always come running to her yelling, "Da Xin, Da Xin." Too cute!!

And at this point in the day, after we had been at the festival in the seriously hot sun for five hours, it was our cue to leave as Mia began a mini-meltdown as Kara gave the other girls piggy back rides. Mia doesn't like sharing her sister too well. It's rather sweet that she adores "her Kara" so much, but we're working on the sharing her part. ;)

Whew, now I feel better to have some of this documented. Now next month when my horrible memory fails me, I have it all here in writing.

And in closing, I want to wish all of my friends

a very Happy Memorial Day weekend!!

Thanks to all of those brave men & women who have served,

or are currently serving, this great country!