Sometimes its a rollercoaster...

It has been a very eventful six weeks. This is the first sort of break I have had to blog so here goes...

The Minnesota State Fair was a wonderful (but chilly) adventure this year. Lera has become Mama's shadow. She clings very delightfully. Last year she was excited to try everything - this year she was hesitant and needed reassurance and coaxing...except for the food, of course. Caelia threw herself into everything with gusto and even convinced Lera that it was fun - er- most of the time.




We began to accept that our plans to adopt from Russia would not be obtainable, so we took advantage of the "Cash for Clunkers" program to get rid of Randy's old truck and buy a new Dodge Grand Caravan. Randy really wanted a vehicle to drive that would have heat when the temperature dropped below 20 degrees. He has our old van (with a really good heater) and I get the new one...he should have specified a bit better! The new van is very helpful. The doors open with a push of a button on the key fob and the rear hatch opens and closes automatically. NO MORE JUMPING TO CLOSE IT!!!! Randy was picking up the new van when I received word that there had been progress and our adoption could continue! Unfortuantely, our dossier had expired so we needed to redo it all again. That has taken a large part of my time the last month.

Valeria is 7 years old! This year we didn't get a picture of her cake before she got into it. It was a ladybug made of cupcakes (I think she really liked the red frosting). What a change a year makes! She now understands birthdays and presents as you can see - she has embraced them whole heartedly! Caelia however is not so impressed.
The kids all got school pictures - did I mention that Michael is attending regular school again? He is doing great. All of my kids took wonderful, accurate photos this year. What I am saying is that, yes, Caelia is telling the photographer "uh, no!" when asked to smile.



Randy's cousin got married. The girls were dressed beautifully. Caelia picked out the dresses.
They were pretty but the girls both decided that something more comfortable (preferrably without shoes) was needed to dance!


And lastly, have you ever wanted to take your camera to a flu shot appointment? I may have to consider it. Randy and I took the girls in for flu shots. Michael already had his. Randy took Caelia for a walk, while Lera and I stayed to get our shots. As soon as Lera saw the nurse put on the gloves she started protesting but she hugged me and I hugged her while the nurse gave her her shot. She was not happy. She was incensed when the nurse pushed up my sleeve to give me my shot. She smacked the nurse's hand and said in that gruff way of hers "NOOOOOO" I showed her I was okay and went to get Caelia. Randy was walking back with Caelia - she wasn't happy and was hanging her head. "She heard." was all Randy had to say. We had to hold Caelia down. It takes more than one person, so Lera stood across the room and yelled at us. Caelia got her shot, slid off the table and walked sobbing to Lera with her arms out. Lera hugged her, patted her back and kept saying, "luv you, luv you". Now the really bad part - they need the second shot in 2 weeks...