Christmas 2009 and the year in review...

Hope everyone had a great Christmas!! We still have one more this Sunday at our house for Gary's Grandparents, with Aunt Nancy and Uncle Tom and the their family. We had a nice Christmas, very easy and not rushed.

We had our annual Christmas Eve get together with Gary's parents, and my parents, and my brother, and my other brother from Indiana and his family. Drank lots of wine and had really good food. Christmas day Gary and I get up and open our gifts from eachother and then go to my parents for breakfast. We take muffins and an egg souffle. We open gifts there and watch our nieces Jessica & Jodi open gifts. It was a lot of fun, and we got really nice gifts from everyone. A lot of nice gifts for Avery!! After that we come home and get our food that we take for dinner ready and go back to my parents for dinner, we only live 2 miles away. Had a mountain of food and tried some new recipes that everyone loved, had hardly any leftovers, which is good!

Later that evening we went to Gary's brother's house and checked in with them. We got a message this year on our answering machine inviting us up that evening for pizza, so we went up for some pizza, and we took leftover brownie trifle. It was nice to see Beth's brother Matt and his wife Katie and their son Ethan, and visit for an hour or so. We got to see what our nephew's got for Christmas and visited with Steve and Beth and everyone.

Then we went to Gary's parents for a bit, and kept dozing on the couch. I said to Gary we were great guests...I'd look at him and his eyes would be closed and I could feel my head start to nod. But it was nice visiting with his parents when they got back from their outing for the day.

We do Gary's parents Christmas the day after Christmas. We have a big breakfast and open gifts, and it's fun watching the Noah, Owen, and Sammy open their presents. We received many nice gifts from everyone, it was a fun filled day. Many nice gifts for Avery!! That evening my Mom, and Dad, and Gary & I, and my 2 brothers, Tom and Johnny, and my sister in law Liz, and our nieces Jessica and Jodi all went ice skating. Tom and his family were leaving on Sunday so we all went and had a great time. It had been years since I ice skated, and the girls had never been, but they did awesome!! Fun was had by all. We went to McDonald's afterward and had dinner and sundaes.

On Sunday Steve and Beth hosted a huge dinner for everyone, over 30+ people. A prime rib dinner, more wine, eggnog, and so much good food, and great company. A lot of fun!!! I was tipsy going home from the eggnogs and too much wine...  :)

It's always nice to spend time with family during the holidays. Avery got so many nice things from everyone. Her wardrobe just keeps growing and growing. I'll post some pictures of her presents later.

We would like to say to everyone a huge Thank you for all the gifts that they gave to Avery. For someone that is not here yet she is thought of in a big way. It makes us feel very lucky for the family we have and how lucky Avery will be to be a part of such a loving and caring family.

We hope and pray that this is our last Christmas without her. Please let that be the truth.

All in all a very good Christmas...it's always over so fast!!

A quick year in review...
•We made it out of the review room and into the matching room with our dossier.-Hooray!!
•Had our fingerprints retaken this year, and all medical documents updated.
•Had our social worker here again to write nothing had changed on our homestudy except Gary had gotten a pay raise.
•Gary actually got a new job, same place but a managerial position.-Hooray!!
•Gary's Dad and Mom have both retired this year.
•We have started a new business this year...the t-shirt printing business.
•My beloved cat of 20+ years now lives at my parents house, and I miss her terribly.
•We put new flooring in the breezeway.
•We re-did our upstairs hallway-still in process...
•We started work on the nursery, and now have the walls striped and the wainscoting up and maybe the floor by later today. Pictures to come...

I'm sure there's more but that's the highlights-the good stuff.

We have had a pretty good year. We wish everyone good health and good fortune in 2010.

We hope and pray that this is the year we meet our daughter and are able to start our family. We wish for the CCAA to get some speed in their referrals.-UGH!!!!

We wish for a lot of things for us and for our family and friends. Mostly love, family, happiness, and good health. May you always be surrounded by the ones you love!

Have a Happy New Year!!!
Happy 2010!!
The year of the Tiger


Love to everyone,
Alli

As Christmas approaches...

As it is Christmas Eve it is not lost on me that we don't have a little one running around the house excited for Christmas. We do have Avery's gifts unwrapped under the tree, and new ornaments for her on the "China" tree. 


 I pray that this be our last Christmas without a daughter to share it with. 


May you enjoy your families and appreciate the little things this Christmas. 


We wish you love and special memories!!




Sweet Daughter,

As a girl I had a common dream, to be a mom someday.
My baby would have eyes of green and hair like mine today.
But now my dreams have been transformed. New visions fill my head.
Now the tresses that I long to stroke are raven black instead.

And in my dreams those eyes are not so big or green or round.
Now in my dreams they're almond shaped and colored cocoa brown.
And in my dreams my arms can stretch across enormous seas.
They reach half-way around the world and hold you close to me.

As you grow in your mother's womb, carefully knit together,
you're also growing in my heart, where you will stay forever.
And in my dreams the moment that your mother says good-bye,
I'll be right there to comfort you and hold you as you cry.

Our features may not look alike; we're different as can be.
But still I know the Father has created you for me.
And though I've not yet seen your face, or held your tiny hands,
and though we're half a world apart in very different lands.

We'll be right there your Dad and I to get you just as soon as God allows.
But til He says the time is right I give to you this vow.
We'll pray for your protection every night on bended knee.
For God will hold you in His arms, until you're here with your Dad & me.


Merry Christmas Avery!! 
Your Mommy and Daddy and families are waiting for you to get here!!
May this be our last Christmas without you!!


Love, 
Mommy and Daddy XXOOXXOXO

CCAA News again...

Here's the latest information from our adoption agency on the progress of the dossiers in China...


•CCAA has finished reviewing adoption documents registered before February 29, 2008.
•CCAA has made placements for families whose documents were registered before March 31, 2006.




Last month they were:
• They had finished reviewing dossiers up to December 2007. So they've gotten through 2 months more...
• They had made placements to families with dossiers (LID's) up to March 2006. No progress here...   :(


The second bullet point is the one we want to see move quicker every month.
Too bad they couldn't move the actual referrals as quick sometimes as they do the reviewing of the dossiers.


Cross your fingers we see some movement next month!!!!!!


~Alli

Oh Christmas time...

It's that time of year I love and I also am not very fond of either. As I look outside today it is snowy and the wind is blowing, and it's cold, and it's the 2nd snow day for the local schools. I like snow, but I want it to snow on the night of our Christmas Show, Christmas Eve, and and on Christmas then go back to 70 degree weather. Guess I live in the wrong place...oh well. I hate making the decisions of whether or not to have classes, because it only means I have to make them up, and that takes weeks upon weeks. People don't understand unless they have their own business and make all the decisions what that's like. Most people have a boss that makes the decisions for them, they would understand better if they all of a sudden had to make the decisions and also deal with those consequences. Oh Winter...gotta love it!

Last weekend was our Christmas Show. It was great! The dancers all did a fantastic job...and our crowd was really good. Makes for a long week and a very busy schedule but with all the waiting I don't mind having to concentrated on something else. I had to deal with very selfish and not understanding people in my business last week, I try to remain neutral, and tried to be fair and very nice and honest but this person was mean and had blinders on and could only see what was good for them and not my Company-oh well! I stood up for my Company and that's all that matters. I'll post some pictures of show.

One thing I do notice is how much my kids depend on Gary and myself. We may not have children of our own but we have amassed so many children in our dance family over the last 15 years. We really do consider them "our kids". We are called Mom, and Mama & Papa Bear by our dancers all the time and it makes us feel great-we love our kids!!! I tell them how proud I am of them, and how they help make my Christmas brighter and help me to find the happiness in Christmas and the joy in Christmas because I really do not love Christmas like I used to...it seems empty, and I associate it with not having a child, and I get frustrated and a bit jealous when I watch everyone and their own families enjoy it so much. But I keep it all to myself and try to smile and carry on and probably sometimes I am not so good at it so I apologize.

I am in a major dilemma of trying to decide if my cat of 20 years needs to be put to sleep. She was with me when I lived with my parents and I love her so my Skimbleshanks. She cannot see very well, and doesn't hear very well, and she will not use the cat box, and it's just a mess, and she doesn't walk very well, and I'm just a mess trying to figure this out. In cat years she is 100, and has had a very full life. She has been with Gary and I since we have been together-20 years. I cannot have a rug in the kitchen because she messes on it, and I just think her quality of life is not good, and something has to be done. I really thought she would hang around until we got Avery. I know she's not in good health and I feel as if her days are not many, but I always felt like she was waiting for that, once we knew of Avery's arrival. But I am so upset of the thought of having to put her to sleep that I can't bear it, and the thinking of the situation and decision just puts me in tears every time. Especially this time of year. I don't know... :(

Our trees are up and our China tree looks great, we hung 2 more ornaments for Avery this year...we have a lot of ornaments on this tree as we have been waiting for her for 2 years and 5 months.

I sound so depressing today...sorry. Probably just decompressing from show week, and really just need some fun and down time.

I think I'm going to get it today, I feel a snow day at the studio coming on as the weather is treacherous today, and I don't want parents out in this weather. Maybe after my last round of PT today some hot chocolate and a movie sounds like a good idea.

Happy Holidays and would love to hear from people!!!
~Alli

Happy LIDversary to us again...

It's the 3rd of December. Our LIDversary!! I must say though between November and December the time for that month just flew!!! So that's really good I hope the next 9 months fly by too!!!

So we are at 29 months in. I am going with my next goal being 36 months to get too, and probably 9-10 months before we get really close to a referral (fingers crossed, and anything else you can cross to help us out).

Our dossier has been in China for 914 days!!!! 914 days...WOW!!!!!!!!!!

Let's see a elephants gestational period is what...28 months (It might be 22 months)? I think. So we're longer than that. If we could conceive the normal way we could have had at least 2 children by now. That's depressing.

I'm going to make a list of things that can get done or happen before you receive a referral in the China Adoption Program. After the show though...

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!! We sure did. Went to Indiana, visited family, had 31 people at the Thanksgiving table. Visited with my Aunt Julie & Uncle Dale from Michigan, and their children who are now all grown up and have children of their own. Haven't seen them in years, it was so nice.

Took out my quilt squares to ask my Aunt and cousin Joanna how to get started and Mom and I are going to start after the holidays putting the squares together. So if you owe us fabric please get it to us as soon as possible.

Gary and I have almost got our Christmas shopping done. We have 3/4 of it done. I love Christmas shopping in Indiana. My Mom and my sister-in-law Liz, and my niece Jessica and myself did the Black Friday thing in Indiana. It was nuts!!! I think it was worse there than it was here last year when Gary and I went. But we had fun. Got up at 3:30AM and went shopping was home by 8:00AM. Then we went to Shipshe for the day-I love Shipshewana Indiana!!!!!!!

So we've been really really busy. Our Christmas Show is this week!! The dancers are doing great!!

Putting up the trees on Sunday!!!

At least this time of year we are super busy and don't have time to think about the 914 days that our dossier has been in China. But I did figure that up this morning...I was curious.

We did get Avery some stuff for Christmas. Can't help it...

With the faint view of a daughter in the distance, and the many hopes and wishes, and dreams of Christmas' to come with little feet romping around the house, and the giggles that I long to hear, I know she's coming, and the anticipation overwhelms me sometimes.

So, we will put her gifts unwrapped under the tree again. We will wait for the day when we will actually  wrap gifts for her and be able to see the surprise in her eyes, and see the wonder in Christmas again... as a family.

That's my wish...

Love to all!

Happy Holidays!!
~Allison

CCAA News...

Here's the update for November...

They have finished reviewing dossiers up to December 2007.

Remember our LID is 7/3/07...(We have been in the matching room for awhile, and will still be there for awhile in the pile)



They have made placements to families with dossiers (LID's) up to March 2006. That's not bad... Those 2 dates are closer than I remember in previous updates. We still are hopefully expecting to hear next Fall/Winter, we'll just have to see. That's a little encouraging!!! Things were not making any movement or progress in quite sometime. Maybe the new director of the CCAA will help things out!!

We haven't gotten an update from our agency in quite awhile. I wish they would send out an announcement even if there's no news. That's the only thing about them that drives me nuts!!!

Well, I'm hoping things keep getting closer...

Here's a list of the groups that need to go before us with their referrals at our adoption agency:

1.April ‘06-This is where they (The CCAA) are right now...

2.May ‘06

3.June ‘06

4.July ‘06

5.September ‘06

6.November ‘06

7.January ‘07

8.March ‘07

9.April ‘07

10.June ‘07-This is us!!!!!

11.October ‘07

12.December ‘07

13.April ‘08

14.August ‘08

15.November ‘08

Their are 9 groups of families that need to get their referrals before we get ours (these are just people at our agency, does not include other people from around the world). It depends how fast they get through the dossiers for each month. One month could take 3 months, or in 1 month they could do more than 1 month worth of dossiers...it all depends.

Hope that helps a little for everyone to see where we are are in waiting. Still quite a wait but going on 29 months in another week...please keep us in your prayers that we may see a speed up in the process...


Have a great day!!!

~Alli

I forgot to post this about November...

November is National Adoption Month!!!
I forgot to post this earlier.

If you would like to do something to support adoption here is a suggestion.

Going to websites like, "Love Without Boundaries" and donating a winter coat, or something else that is needed by the children in the orphanages is always a good thing. They have the list of donations set up on their website, and you just click which one you want to give and it's all done for you. There are amounts from $12.00 and up. There is also merchandise you can purchase through them, calendars, mugs, shirts and more that the money also goes towards helping the children in the orphanages.

Just a thought for anyone interested in supporting adoption...

The website is:

www.lovewithoutboundaries.com

Happy National Adoption Month!!


Love to all,
~Alli

Been sooooooo very busy!!

I can't believe it's been almost 2 weeks since I've been here to write my thoughts down. I guess it's a good thing...that I've been so busy lately. I don't think of the one thing that's on my mind the most these days. If that makes any sense at all.

It has been a very busy time for us. We are in the midst of a ton of rehearsal for our Christmas dance show. Our show is on December 5th and it seems like we have rehearsals all the time!! That's probably because we do have rehearsal all the time. If only anyone knew how much time out of rehearsals it took to get ready for those rehearsals...you'd wonder how Gary and I even get to breathe sometimes.

It's been non-stop choreography for me lately. Even with the studio classes. We are starting their Recital routines and have just got done picking out the Recital costumes. I am in the process of finishing up ordering for the Christmas Show, and we have started a new venture with the studio. It's Gary's venture really...

We were not satisfied with our shirts that we sent to have printed at the studio last year so we have invested in our own press, and can now print our own t-shirts, sweatshirts, etc. Like Gary is not busy enough already...right? But thank goodness I married someone that is always wanting to learn new things and researches everything relentlessly. I love him to death and he really is my hero! So he now has Newton Graphix as another side business, besides the photography, music editing, website maintenance, and everything computer he already does.

It's been an eventful November. Gary has been sick, I have been sick. I had to go get an EKG for a heart murmur that ended up being no big deal...thank goodness.

We had a death within one of our friends. One of my former dancers got in a car accident and did not survive. He was 21 years old and a great spirited person. His sister is one of my beloved dancers, and was one of my assistants when she danced at the studio. A tough time on that family and they are all in our prayers. A truly lovely and loving family and we became very good friends with the family while the kids danced with me, and we still remain in contact with them as they are not at the studio anymore.

I have a partial tear in my leg calf muscle. So I have been off dancing for the past 4-5 days. Still teaching, from crutched or a chair, and still in rehearsals, but frustrated not being able to leap, or really dance while teaching and getting ready for a big show. My dancers are great and are well trained and listen really well, so they are doing fine. I'm just going nuts not having that control...you know I am a control freak and hate to ask for any help at all. I go tomorrow for an evaluation of my leg to see if I need physical therapy or not.

We are hoping we are going to Indiana for Thanksgiving. It is our year to go, we go every other year to visit my brother and his family. But Gary has received a notice to report for jury duty. He has to call this Friday to see if he has to report next Monday for jury selection. We are pretty sure we are going to go, we just may be traveling on Wednesday later in the evening than we had hoped to. We wanted to leave on Tuesday but now we'll wait to see...We don't dare use his exemption because with our luck he'll get called up again when we finally do get a referral and have to travel to China. So we'll wait this out and see what come of it.

As far as the adoption, we are still waiting. 28 months and 13 days. Another holiday season with no word of a referral, or hope in sight right now. I'm glad I am so busy right now because I think I would actually be depressed at this point. I don't know, I am at a loss right now for words to describe how I feel. Nothing really seems to be right. All I can say is I don't know...

I did get Avery some of the panda collection at Gymboree for Christmas. Very cute...waiting for it to get here. Christmas just isn't as fun to think about this year. Everyone says what do you want for Christmas...really do you have to ask?

I want some HOPE. Some hope that things will speed up so Gary and I can start our family. Some hope that we will not have to wait too much longer. Some peace of mind. Some good news. That's what I want for Christmas. But no one can give that to me or us. So I make lists of things I'm sure I don't need, or really want. Tis' the season.

Okay enough of the sarcasm. I'm not mad, but beyond frustrated, is there something in between? I'm sure there is but we in this waiting game need our own word for it. I'll try to think of something...

So there's an update, not all cheery but that's life isn't it?

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!! (Gobble, Gobble)

Love to all,
~Alli

Happy LIDversary-28/10

So here we are again the 3rd of the month. Our LIDversary. I call it our 28/10.

28 is what we've been in, and 10 is my next goal to get to. By then, fingers crossed, we should be very close to going to China.

Let's hope so!!!

Hope you all had a Happy Halloween!!

~Alli

Did you have your good luck visitors?

So we all know how I feel about ladybugs since we started the adoption and found out that in China adoptions they consider the ladybug good luck. I have adapted that mind set throughout these 28 months and have become obsessed with them. I am big on believing in things, and karma, and fate and all that so it was no stretch for me to believe that ladybugs hold some good luck for those who believe...

So  guess this past Wednesday was what you could call our "good luck" day. As I was letting Skimbleshanks outside on the back deck, I was surrounded by what had to have been hundreds and hundreds of ladybugs!! They were crawling all over the deck sliding doors, and on the side of the porch, and in the windows, and on the floor, on the cat condo, all over...hundreds of them. I had never seen so many at one time. Even when you looked out in the backyard you could see them in swarms flying through the air-it was very uplifting to me and made me smile. Something I have needed in the last few weeks as I feel very frustrated again with this waiting and the stand still again.

I do believe that things come into your life in strange ways, and when you need something it does come to you. Maybe not in the way you thought it would but if you are paying attention and willing to read the signs, and be open and accepting you will see it and you end up being in the "right" place at the "right " time.

Things happen for a reason...right?

Did you have any good luck visitors this week? I hope so...

Luck & Love,
~Alli

I took some inventory on the books that Avery has...

Books Avery already has:
"Toot & Puddle- Let it Snow" by Holly Hobbie
"So what's it like to be a Cat" by Karla Kauskin
"Because you are my Baby" by Sherry North
"Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" by Kate Toms
"The Great Race- "The story of the Chinese Zodiac" by Dawn Casey
"I love it when you Smile" by Sam McBratney
"You can do it Sam" by Amy Hest
"Motherbridge of Love" by barefoot books- she has 2 copies
"Here Comes Mother Goose" by Iona Opie
"A Mother for Choco" by Keiko Kasza
"Smile" by Roberta Grober Intrater
Peek a boo Ladybug Book
The Itsy Bitsy Spider Taggies Book
Ladybugs Gift
"Barnyard Dance", "The Belly Button Book", and "Pajama Time" by Sandra Boynton
Scholastics Shapes Book
"Mommy and Daddy Hugs" byKaren Katz
"I Love You Like Crazy Cakes"-the board book and the hardccover big book by Rose Lewis
"I am a Little Panda" by Francois Crozat
"My Family is Forever" by Nancy Carlson
"Yeh-Shen- A Cinderella story from China" by Ai Ling Louie-2 copies of this
"On The Night You Were Born" by Nancy Tillman
"Goodnight Sun Hello Moon" by Karen Viola
"How many kisses do you want tonight" by Varsha Bajaj
"Zen Shorts" and "Zen Ties" by Jon Muth and also the panda
"Kung Fu Panda"-2 of these
"Russells Magic Christmas" by Rob Scotton
"Angelina Ballerina" by Katharine Holabird
"The Very Lazy Ladybug" by Isobel Finn
"The Great Fuzz Frenzy" by Janet Stevens
"Shaoey and Dot" by Mary Beth and Steven Curtis Chapman
"D is for Dancing Dragon- A Chinese Alphabet" by Carol Crane
"Skippyjon Jones" by Judy Schachner
"Won't you be my Kissaroo" by Joanne Ryder
"Piglet and Mama" by Margaret Wild
"Beatrice Doesn't Want To" by Laura Numeroff
"The Hello, Goodbye Window" by Norton Juster
"Pea Pod Babies" by Karen Baicker
Boogie Woogie Book
"Olivia helps with Christmas" by Ian Falconer
"We're riding on a Caravan-An Adventure on the Silk Road" by Laurie Krebs
"Panda Bear Panda Bear What do you see" and "The Grouchy Ladybug" by Eric Carle
"Runny Babbit" by Shel Silverstein
"For Everyone to Share" by Gillian Lobel
"Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born" by Jamie Lee Curtis
"Daisy Comes Home" by Jan Brett
"The Five Chinese Brothers" by Claire Huchet Bishop
"Bear of my Heart" by Joanne Ryder
"Chinese Mother Goose Rhymes" by Robert Wyndum
"Little Miss Ladybug and her Magical Red Thread" by Karen Acres
"Little Ladybug"- finger puppet book
"Ladybug Girl" by David Soman and Jacky Davis
"Celebrating the Mid Autumn Festival"
"If you give a Cat a cupcake" and "If you take a Mouse to the movies" by Laura Numeroff and the cat and mouse also
"Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "10 Little Penguins" by Kate Toms
"Mommy Loves" and "Daddy Cuddles" by Anne Gutman
"Little Ladybug Learns to be Humble" finger puppet book
"Three Little Kittens" photo book
"Mama Mama" &  "Papa Papa" by Jean Marzollo
"A Quilt of Wishes" by Teresa Orem Werner
"One fish Two fish Red fish Blue fish", "Mr Brown Can Moo", "Hop on Pop", and "Green Eggs and Ham" by Dr Suess
"Ballerinas are Beautiful" and "Princesses are Pretty" from the Little friends series
"The Monster at the end of this book starring Grover-Little Golden Book
"Chinese Fairytales" by Frederick H. Martens
"Made In China" by Deborah Nash


Wow!! That's a lot!! Most of them haven't come from us though. Friends and Family have really contributed to her library of books. A lot are board books, and paperback. We do have some hard cover too!  I know we will read to her all the time so it's a great start!! I finally got to put them in the cupboard I wanted this weekend and they are all together. I'll snap a picture of them all soon and post it. If you have any suggestions for books please leave them. We are always looking for new books, and love to hear about everyone's favorites. I actually have a list of other ones I would love to get for her, but we would love to hear your suggestions!!


I was never a reader, only in the last 2-3 years have I really started to read for pleasure. Now I have 6 books of my own that I have started and need to finish...someday!! I'll post them later, and if you have any suggestions of adult books for me to read please leave them too!!


Love to all, 
~Alli

Thank you Grandma Judy & Grandpa Ron...

Just a quick thank you to Grandma & Grandpa Newton (Ron & Judy) for the things they got Avery on their Vermont/Maine trip. They got Avery  lady bug rubber boots-so cute!! I have looked at these for a long time and put off getting them, but now she has them-HOORAY!! We already have the matching umbrella and bucket hat. They also got her a finger puppet ladybug book, and a whirlybug ladybug toy-very cute!!

Thank you for thinking of her!!

Love to all,
~Alli

Pics from our trip...

Hoboken...

...Chinatown

...Brooklyn Bridge

Our NYC trip...

Last weekend we were in NJ/NYC for 2 1/2 days. This time of year we go to NJ for the Costume Preview Show and while we are in NJ we go into the city for a couple days during our stay. So we left Friday morning and got to our hotel around 1:30, checked in and set out to drive to Hoboken to go into the city for the rest of the day. Hoboken is only like 10 minutes from our hotel and the PATH train station is right there so NYC is only a 10 minute train ride from there.

We got into the city had some lunch, and went to the huge Toys R' Us store in Times Square. I wanted to see what they had for Ni Hao Kai Lan toys. They had a bunch and we got the wooden dragon toy w/ a wooden Kai Lan, and Toli that ride on the dragon. I haven't seen that one before when I was doing my research so we picked it up. We then headed to the MOMA. On Friday nights it's free to get into the MOMA from 4:00-8:00PM. It's normally $20.00 per person. I had been to the MOMA when I was a freshman in High school. Gary had never been before, so we went to the new MOMA together for the first time. We spent the evening with Cezanne, Picasso, Van Gogh, and Matisse, it was extremely busy but a lot of fun. We got a bite to eat after and headed back to the hotel.

Got up early on Saturday after a sleepness night in the hotel-beds were extremely uncomfortable. We were heading to Chelsea Market, Chinatown and Soho. I ended up really not feeling well while in Chinatown/Soho. I started to sweat really bad, and had cold chills, and it was not good. So it took me awhile to get straightened around that morning. WE did have an interesting lunch though. We ate at a place in Soho called Bar 89. Kind of a chic place in Soho. So we ate upstairs and I needed to use the bathroom-what an experience!!

The bathroom was right behind the wall I was sitting in front of so I walked behind the wall, and all of the stalls, had glass doors on them-see through glass doors!!!!!! You could see right into them. So I was a little freaked out and came back out thinking to myself that maybe it's the mens room. There were M's on the floor in front of each stall (room), so I thought M is for Men's. So I asked the waitress where the bathrooms were, and she says no they are right behind the wall where I went. I looked at Gary and said, "They are all see through...", he says, "What do you mean?", I say, "You can see right into each stall!!". So by this time I needed to use the bathroom so I went in...I thought at this point I don't care, when am I ever going to see these people again, I don't care if they see me!! So I go...as soon as I close the door, the door starts to fog up, and then you couldn't see out it-COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then a light shines above on the wall in red that says "Occupied". So we were all good, you couldn't see in or out, but what an experience... I thought because we hadn't been there before and we were"tourists" and not "chic" that we just were out of the loop. But everyone else that went in there also came right back out with a confused look on their face and puzzled and then went back in and figured it out also. So it wasn't just us...lol. :) Also, the M stood for both Men and Women. It just mattered what way you were going into the stall, in-it was an M, out-it was a W...I'm so smart!! :)

The rest of the day we went to the new Apple store in Chelsea, and Gary got a new lap top. I went to Pearl River Market (my favorite Asian shop in the city) and got all the stuff I wanted. New lanterns, and scrolls, and Chinese New Year decorations, a children's book, 2 more tea cups, and cards, and a bunch of stuff. We also walked across the Brooklyn Bridge, we had never done that before, that was neat. I felt better a little after lunch and we went back to the hotel around 6:00-early for us. But we had dinner at Chipotle, one of our favorites, and got dessert from Chili's to go and eat at the hotel. I was asleep by 9:30PM, and slept all the way until 7:00AM the next morning-beds were still too hard!!

Sunday was the preview show, we saw lots of great new costumes for the dance studio and the kids. But after we went back to Hoboken and went to Carlos Bakery-The Cake Boss. If you watch TLC he has his own show and it's a lot of fun. We got 2 cupcakes (mocha, and p/b), 2 really good chocolate/walnut cookies, a neapolitan, and a mini eclair-all really good, and only $10.35 for all of that. The 2 sisters were there, cousin Joey, and the delivery kid they always play pranks on was there too. Gary thought he heard someone ask where Buddy was and they said he wasn't going to come down. But it was fun to go there and it was all delicious!!!

All in all a great weekend. I'm tired though and it always takes me about 3 days to get straightened around from a weekend like that.

We are still waiting with the adoption-what's new!? I think lately I'm in the mad mood with the adoption. Really frustrated, and mad. But I think that's normal in this situation... Can't help how I feel...

Hope your weekend was good!
~Alli

The moon cakes...

Here are the moon cakes I ordered for us. We tried them today. One is melon-not very good. One is lotus-not too bad. One is salty (nut flavored)- it was okay. One was red bean-not too bad. They weren't totally repulsive, so that's good, and the book next to them is the one I ordered for Avery about the festival.




There are a few stories that go with the Festival:

The Lady:
The date of this story is around 2170 B.C. The earth once had ten suns circling over it, each took its turn to illuminate to the earth. But one day all ten suns appeared together, scorching the earth with their heat. The earth was saved by a strong and tyrannical archer Hou Yi. He succeeded in shooting down nine of the suns. One day, Hou Yi stole the elixir of life from a goddess. However his beautiful wife Chang Er drank the elixir of life in order to save the people from her husband's tyrannical rule. After drinking it, she found herself floating and flew to the moon. Hou Yi loved his divinely beautiful wife so much, he didn't shoot down the moon.

The Man:

Wu Kang was a shiftless fellow who changed apprenticeships all the time. One day he decided that he wanted to be an immortal. Wu Kang then went to live in the mountains where he importuned an immortal to teach him. First the immortal taught him about the herbs used to cure sickness, but after three days his characteristic restlessness returned and he asked the immortal to teach him something else. So the immortal to teach him chess, but after a short while Wu Kang's enthusiasm again waned. Then Wu Kang was given the books of immortality to study. Of course, Wu Kang became bored within a few days, and asked if they could travel to some new and exciting place. Angered with Wu Kang's impatience, the master banished Wu Kang to the Moon Palace telling him that he must cut down a huge cassia tree before he could return to earth. Though Wu Kang chopped day and night, the magical tree restored itself with each blow, and thus he is up there chopping still.

The Hare:

In this legend, three fairy sages transformed themselves into pitiful old men and begged for something to eat from a fox, a monkey and a rabbit. The fox and the monkey both had food to give to the old men, but the rabbit, empty-handed, offered his own flesh instead, jumping into a blazing fire to cook himself. The sages were so touched by the rabbit's sacrifice that they let him live in the Moon Palace where he became the "Jade Rabbit."

The Moon Cake:

During the Yuan dynasty (A.D.1280-1368) China was ruled by the Mongolian people. Leaders from the preceding Sung dynasty (A.D.960-1280) were unhappy at submitting to foreign rule, and set how to coordinate the rebellion without it being discovered. The leaders of the rebellion, knowing that the Moon Festival was drawing near, ordered the making of special cakes. Backed into each moon cake was a message with the outline of the attack. On the night of the Moon Festival, the rebels successfully attacked and overthrew the government. What followed was the establishment of the Ming dynasty (A.D. 1368-1644). Today, moon cakes are eaten to commemorate this legend.

Happy Moon Festival or Zhongqiu Jie in Chinese!!
~Alli & Gary

Our LIDversary...

Today is the 3rd. It's been 27 months so far. It's also the beginning of the Mid Autumn Moon Festival. One of the biggest Festivals in China. I'll write more about that later.

Did ya like my frustrated picture in the last blog? It's appropriate...I am year of the ox. I'll write more about that later also. Just got up, and not totally coherent yet. But didn't want to forget to wish us a Happy LIDversary. Today is also my brother Johnny's Birthday!!

Can't wait to try our moon cakes today, the traditional food for the Mid Autumn Moon Festival, and that starts today.


Have a great day!
Love,
Alli

One word Friday...

FRUSTRATED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ni Hao Ki Lan...

Can I just say I love all the new toys and clothing that are out that are from the series "Ni Hao Ki Lan". I got Avery a shirt the other day on clearance at Target, very cute. They have tons of toys and stuffed animals. I am not big on character clothing, but t-shirts are okay. Some of the pants have chinese writing on them too...very cute!! We are going to NYC next weekend, and are going to go to the huge Toys R Us store and see what they have there.

We would like her to have a bunch of that stuff to play with when we have her, before you won't be able to find it, so we will be putting it on her Christmas List for Santa etc.

So Cute!!

Have a great day!
~Alli

Moon cakes are here...

Today our moon cakes arrived from the bakery in NYC. I am so excited to try them. We actually ordered them through Chinasprout, but they are from the Lucky King Bakery in NYC. We also got a book called, "Celebrating the Mid Autumn Festival, a story book I thought Avery would enjoy someday. It explains the festival and the traditions involved.

We got a sampling of all 4 kinds of the moon cakes. Some are sweet and some are savory. There are 4 moon cakes in each package, we'll try them and see if we like them. They might be totally horrible, but I am anxious to try them-EXCITED!! I think we got a recipe to make our own also. I will try to get a picture of the moon cakes and post later in the week.

The Mid Autumn Moon Festival starts on Saturday. I will post more about the festival in the coming days.

Enjoy your day!!
~Alli :)


我只想说，享受您的一天-Enjoy your day in Chinese!!

Avery's Lifebook...finally I have started it!

So on Saturday night I started Avery's Lifebook. I have been collecting things for the past 2 years and have been putting it off for awhile, but decided to start it...finally.

I found myself lately writing in one of my journals, writing down ideas for pages for her book. I couldn't do this before, I just wasn't ready, but I guess I am ready now since it just seemed right. I have never been a journal writing person. I have tried many times, but it never felt right, and I would quit after 2 days. The blog thing I like a lot, I like the comments and the support, and feeling like I really do get it all out, whether that's good or bad. I have though lately been picking up the journal to organize my thoughts for her book, I think I just needed to wait until I was ready.

I have a lifebook writing guide. I've read parts of it but I think I will put it together the way I think it should be put together. What I did find though is I am very thoughtful on how the pages should look. This is not me, usually when I do scrapbooks I put everything in front of me and just go to work. But I found myself on Saturday really trying different things before deciding, and not wanting to commit to something on a page until I really thought it was right. I think I know that this is for her, and will introduce her to her life here, and her family, and about the country she came from etc. So, I am being very mindful of how all of that goes together.

I only have 2 pages done. The introductory page, and the letter from Mommy & Daddy.

I also sat down trying to put together a timeline for our adoption process. Looking through documents, and the 2 folders we have full of pages from the adoption agency and such. I wanted to use the blog, because I knew it would give me actual dates, but the internet was down most of Saturday so I sifted through the papers. A lot of stuff has happened, and there is still a lot of stuff left to do. It kinda put the stuff that is left to do into perspective for me again...needed that!

So I will keep everyone updated on my progress on her book. Another thing started-YAY!! I wish to get more of her nursery done...we'll see. Fingers crossed!!

The Mid Autumn Moon Festival starts this week. I have ordered some authentic mooncakes from a bakery in NYC for us this year. We have never had them, and I am anxious to try them. We may not like them but we need to try. This hopefully will be a tradition we will do with her when she is here. In 2 weeks we are going to NYC for the weekend. Our annual trip for my business. Looking forward to go to Chinatown and the Pearl River Market. I actually have a list of things to look for this time. Also, going to visit some friends that live there also-GOODTIMES!!

I am always wanting comments or just a hey, so remember to leave a comment!!

Love to all,
~Alli

You know you're adopting from China when...

I've seen this on a couple of other blog sites. So it wasn't my idea, but it is all true...

You know you're adopting from China when...

...you know that the I-600 & I-171 aren't highways they are the forms you fill out for an adoption.
...you've been expecting a baby for 2 years 
(or more...you’ve actually googled what animal has the longest gestation period just to compare it with your own (note—it’s the elephant with just under a 2-year pregnancy-Lucky them!! We're at 28 months!!!!
...you know that waiting for China has nothing to do with Pottery Barn or dishes of any sort.
...your homestudy is followed by a number (i.e. #2 or #3 or #4)

-Ours has been updated and may have to be done again-fingers crossed we don't!
...you never know how many days next month will have.
...you know that babies come in batches.
...you've been fingerprinted four times, but never committed a crime.
...you automatically assume everyone who is expecting is having a girl.
...you own new clothing in 18M, 24M, 2T, 3T, and 4T in all 4 seasons (because you don't know when or how big).
...you look twice when you see a ladybug

, and call her by your child's name-"There's an Avery"...
...your due date hasn't changed by days but by years.
...you know that forecast doesn't have anything to do with the weather.
...you've waited so long, they rechecked your fingerprints to see if they changed.
...you speak of "that time of month" referring to CCAA updates & referral.
...you love someone you've never met with all your heart.

Hope you enjoyed it!!
~Allison

I found this today...

The Making of a Family...through International Adoption


DTC......Positive Pregnancy Test
LID......1st Doctor's Appointment
Review Room......18 Week Ultrasound
Referral......Your Water Breaks
Flight To China......Having Contractions
Baby placed in your arms......Baby placed in your arms

Got a kick out of this...
Enjoy!
~Alli :)

3 is a beautiful number...

I follow some other blogs and some of the families are now in China being united with their little girls. I have been keeping up with their day to day happenings and tears in my eyes every time I read their blog updates. All of the emotions that they are going through are so overwhelming. I keep thinking how I need to start really preparing myself for those emotions. But I'm not sure if you really can "prepare" for them, I think you really do have to go through them.

I keep wondering how we will handle things, and how 2 brand new parents will do in China for 2 weeks all by themselves. All of the other things to consider to like the language barrier, the totally new surroundings, the not having family right there to ask questions to, the dealing with attachment issues, there are so many that I can't list them all. But I assume that these are all things a new Mom and Dad think about when having their own baby. I'm sure they go through times of panic, and self-doubt, and then realize that everyone has to go through this, and everyone makes mistakes and it's all part of the learning process.

I keep wondering how old Avery will be. Will they give us a young baby because she's our first one. Or will they give us an older baby because she's our first one. I have had a lot of thoughts about her age lately. It doesn't matter to me or Gary really, but I do still wonder.

I have just gone back to work this week and keep watching my younger ballerinas and think a lot about Avery. I can't wait to hold her little hand in mine...have her follow us around, and give us those little tilted head looks and smile. My little ballerinas give me this look all the time and my heart just melts.

I know the Mom thing kicks in, I have it kick in all the time in my line of work. When someone is having a bad day, or needs a hug, or needs to talk, or someone gets hurt, I always know what to do, and I'm always calm about it, and happy to have the "Mom" in me kick right in no questions asked, and I don't have to think about it.

I always have Avery on my mind. But lately she is really at the forefront. I am always thinking about how I will handle this or that. Especially how I will handle things when we are in China. Gary and I will really need to depend on eachother for confidence, and making the transition for her as easy as it can be. Patience is a word that comes to mind...and lots of it!!!

But in the end these really aren't worries, they are welcome thoughts, and ones that really I have had for a long, long, time. I think knowing that we are on the down side of the waiting has really made me feel like this is finally more real than it was before.

All the doubts, and worries, and thoughts don't matter because we will have a daughter, and become a family of 3.

3...what a beautiful number!

Thanks for listening, comments are welcomed!!
~Alli :)

It hit me today...

I don't know why, but today it just hit me, and struck me that "Avery Day" is really not that far away. We should expect to travel in 2010, and it's already the 9th month in 2009, we're almost to the year 2010. I don't know why but today on the way home from Syracuse it really hit me that we're not that far away from a referral. So the reality of it all is setting in a little today-in a good way, not a depressing way.

Hopefully it will stay that way, can't guarantee it, but hopefully!!

~Alli

I'm 36 today...

Today is my B-day, the big ol' #36, and I had a great day.

My wonderful husband took me to Tin Pan Galley for breakfast, and I had strawberry white chocolate french toast-to die for!!! Brought 1/2 of it home for tomorrow's breakfast. He sent me a really funny e-card, and he took me shopping last weekend to the outlets for my Birthday, he's a great husband!!

Then my brother and sister in law and 2 nieces are up from Indiana, so all of them and my Mom & Dad and Gary's Mom & Dad came over for a big Birthday lunch. I made bruschetta bread, and we marinated and grilled chicken, a big salad, fruit salad, and salt potatoes, and potato salad, w/ sundaes, and dirt pudding for dessert. It was really nice to spend the day with family. Really nice to see my parents and Gary's parents together. We just don't have many occasions where our families get together right now. But in about 10-12 months from now hopefully we will-Avery!!!

I received about 40 some birthday wishes on my facebook account and received texts all day from my kids wishing me Happy Birthday-made me feel really special and loved!!

It has been a fun day, and a day of family, just what I wanted!! Hopefully not too long from my B-day next year Avery will be with us and birthdays will be even more special with her here to share and join in the fun!!

Hope your day was as fun as mine, and hope you felt as loved as I did today!!

~Alli :)

Today is the 3rd...

So every 3rd of the month it celebrates our LID in China and here we are again September 3rd, 2009. I'm not counting up but in essence not counting down either but we are at what I call 26/12. The 12 is a guess and it may be shorter. I'm excited for every 3rd of the month, it means another month down. I think this number will be ingrained in my mind until we have a new date for the referral, and then the "Gotcha Day". So keep us in your mind and in your prayers today as we forge through another month of waiting...

I turn 36 in 3 days, and was hoping by now in my life to be a Mom. There must be some rhyme or reason for the waiting but some days I can't wrap my head around it.

Happy 3rd of September.

Have a good day!!
~Alli

Some more quilt squares...

We have been very blessed lately with receiving more quilt squares. We were fortunate to be able to add to her quilt with wishes from family and friends. We have also been blessed to connect with people through blogger and other families that are going through our same situation of waiting, and have received wishes from them and were able to send wishes back to them for their families.

So some quick thank yous and we will post the pictures of the squares & wishes hopefully by the end of the week on our other blog for her quilt.

We have received squares from family. My cousin Greg who just got married sent a square a while ago, and we are hoping his wife Alyssa who we got to know in the last month will also send a square to add to Avery's quilt. We would like to say congratulations to them they got married last weekend. Thank you!

Christine and Ashley Scofield also sent a square a while ago and it is so cute. So thank you to them also.

Christa Bertram, and her son & daughter, Lucas and Kara, sent squares a little while ago. Their friendship and support is so special to us, they too have adopted their little boy, Lucas, from Ethiopia. Having friends that have gone through all the waiting, and the ups and downs of adoption and all the frustrations is so much help!! Thank you!

Blogger friends The Raudenbush Family sent a square and really neat fabric a couple of weeks ago, and it was also great that were also able to send one back for their family. They too are also in the China adoption program, and their LID is 7/23/07, really close to ours. It's been great reading their blog, and leaving comments and lending support back and forth those connections are so important during this process.

And just yesterday we got a bunch of wishes and squares from the Browns. Jill, Bruce, Pamela, and Lexie. Jill and her family have been so supportive. Jill is easy to talk to about the adoption, and she feels just as frustrated as we do. Sometimes I need that from people. So I can feel alright with all the frustration I feel. Sometimes you just want others to be as frustrated as you are, and not be afraid to say so. She is always so supportive, and we are lucky to have them all in our life. Thank you!!

So thank you to all, and anyone that has quilt squares and wishes keep them coming!! We will post the pictures of all squares and wishes as soon as we can!!

Have a great day!
~Alli

The sales are good right now...keep me out of the stores!!

It's that time of year where the sales are awesome and things for Avery are really cheap. I keep buying bigger sizes so that I know she'll wear them eventually. Dresses are $5-6.00 right now. Some of the stuff I've looked at all Summer are now on sale, and I tell ya sometimes I can't resist.

That's why truthfully I don't go to Watertown that often. Too tempting to get her a little dress or something. I call it retail therapy. Gary calls it I think insanity, to me, more like sanity sometimes. So I did get a couple of things for her today, spent hardly anything on them, but oh so cute!!!

She's a girl and must have options, that's what I keep telling Gary, he just shakes his head...he understands, what a guy!!!!

Have a great day, and enjoy the bargains!!!

Love,
Alli ;)

Dear Sweet Daughter...

Dear Sweet Daughter,

As a girl I had a common dream, to be a mom someday.
My baby would have eyes of blue and hair the hue of hay.
But now my dreams have been transformed. New visions fill my head.
Now the tresses that I long to stroke are raven black instead.

And in my dreams those eyes are not so big or blue or round.
Now in my dreams they're almond shaped and colored cocoa brown.
And in my dreams my arms can stretch across enormous seas.
They reach half-way around the world and hold you close to me.

As you grow in your mother's womb, carefully knit together,
you're also growing in my heart, where you will stay forever.
And in my dreams the moment that your mother says good-bye,
I'll be right there to comfort you and hold you as you cry.

Our features may not look alike; we're different as can be.
But still I know the Father has created you for me.
And though I've not yet seen your face, or held your tiny hands,
and though we're half a world apart in very different lands.

I'll be right there to get you just as soon as God allows.
But til He says the time is right I give to you this vow.
I'll pray for your protection every night on bended knee.
For God will hold you in His arms, until you're here with me.


This poem was by Gayle Leubecker.


Beautiful, and sums it all up right now.
A bit frustrated lately, and a bit stir crazy.

Love to all...hope you enjoy!!
~Alli

Home from vacation...

So we got back Saturday morning at about 3:00AM. Gary likes to drive through the night, less traffic. I am horrible at trying to stay awake when we drive like that, but did pretty good this time. Friday morning Gary and I did a 30.31 mile bike ride on the Cape Cod Rail Trail. The weather was perfect and I was pretty proud of myself for doing that long of a ride. It's about double of what I've been doing. Burned 1950 calories in 2 hours, that made me feel good!! I've lost some more weight, I had lost 6 more pounds before we went to Cape Cod, and I think I lost a little more while in Cape Cod. I don't snack in Cape Cod, and seem to drink a ton more water while there, I don't know why. All in all the week was good. We didn't really get to the beach that much. Only 2 days. The weather was pretty good, it was dreary 1 day, and rained the next. It's $15.00 per day to go to the beach on the Cape, so you can't go everyday unless you're willing to pay that every day, or you have a house directly on the beach. I would love to rent a house directly on the beach, then we wouldn't have to pay everyday, and it would be right there, we would go a lot more. I missed my Dad's birthday this year while on vacation. We always go in August so I am always missing one of my parents birthdays. Usually it's my Mom's, but this year it was my Dad's.

The cape is great there's always a ton to do, and we have favorite places to go, and find new places every year. We did find a great cupcake place at Mashpee Commons, all gourmet cupcakes. They were great. We love to go to the Lemon Tree Village in Dennis. They have a shop in there that carries one of my favorite artists, Kriten Jongen, her stuff is called My Soul Soup. I'll put the website at the end of the blog, if you've never checked her out you should, very profound, and unique pieces of work. I bought another piece of her artwork this year, we got 3 last year. Her visual art and words really ring true with me. This shop is the only one I've ever been close enough to that you can buy it in the store, and not from her website, I love her work!! So the Lemon Tree Village is a must on our Cape vacation.

Other than that, we just check out new places, and eat out during the day, and spend time together. I think probably Gary and I are the ones who don't play well with others sometimes. I think because we are so busy all the time and on our schedule constantly and believe it or not, for 2 people who don't have children we are constantly busy with other people's children. With the studio and everything that comes with the studio and the other constant jobs that Gary has through photography and websites, and such, we are pretty well stuck in our ways, and it's hard for us to go to someone else's flow, so we're gone a lot during the vacation doing our own thing. It's hard on us every year going on a family vacation and being the couple that doesn't have children, I think we feel like we're in the way sometimes. Nobody makes us feel that way, we just do.

Can't wait to go and have Avery with us finally...

We did get some really nice things for Avery. The piece of artwork we got is for her room. We got a really pretty windchime for her room-windchimes in China are good luck if hung in the proper places-feng shui. We finally got the book, "Motherbridge of Love", illustrated by Josée Masse by Barefoot Books. It's about adoption. I've looked at for awhile, it's hard to find it in bookstores we found 1 copy of it at a book store in Mashpee Commons, not a chain bookstore just a little bookstore in the commons. A placemat for her with name on it, we got the boys ones also. And Aunt Beth & Uncle Steve and the boys usually leave little gifts outside our door in the morning during our vacation for us and Avery. This year it was a cute pink shirt that said Annabelle dance studio on it with a dog in a tutu on Tuesday, a ladybug bath mitt on Wednesday, cute cupcake pj's on Thursday, and a really cute polka dot sundress on Friday. I thank them for those treasures. It does make our day when we get up and there's something on our door or in front of it for Avery. They are so thoughtful!!

This may be our last year of Cape Cod for awhile depending on where the adoption is next year. We may be in our last few months of waiting, or if she is here, we're not sure if she'll be up to being in new surroundings for a week-attachment issues etc. Or, we may be saving like mad for traveling, we don't really know what the next year holds for us.

But we are hoping that we may be holding our Avery...
Hope your Summer is going well, and it's been all you hoped for.
Love to all,
~Alli

Here's the website for the artwork of Kristen Jongen...you should definitely check it out!
www.mysoulsoup.com

Toes in the sand on the Cape

Busy on the Cape...

So we've been here for almost a week and Gary and I have been busy as usual. Here's our week so far:

Saturday:
Arrived on the Cape about 10:00AM. Went down by Falmouth and Mashpee and then met Steve and Beth and the boys Ron & Judy at the restaurant "Not Your Average Joes" for lunch before heading to the house. Got settled at the house and took a nap, we left at 3:00AM so we needed a rest. We all had dinner together and that was it for Day 1.

Sunday:
Gary and I headed out and about we walked 4 miles to the National Seashore, sat on the beach for awhile and ended up in Provincetown in the afternoon. We had lunch and walked around P-town for awhile. Got a cool windchime for Avery's room and headed back to the house around 7:00PM. We spent most of the day out and had a great day just the two of us. We've needed some couple time lately.

Monday:
Gary and I headed out again just around locally. We went and looked at some bike stuff for Gary and some dance stuff for me. I got a new pair of ballet shoes and a new leotard, Gary got some new things for his helmet, a bell for the Rail Trail and a rack for the bike. We went to Sam Diegos Mexican Restaurant for lunch. Great Mexican food and cheap! Just ended up meandering around most of the day. Gary went for a 22 mile bike ride and I went for a 4 mile walk.

Tuesday:
This was beach day. Spent all day at the beach and came home and had dinner together. Ice cream for dessert.

Wednesday:
Went out and about. Rode 13.5 miles on the canal bike path and had lunch at Mashpee Commons. Found an awesome cupcake place for dessert and came home and ate dinner together. Ice cream for dessert at the Smuggler.

Today is Thursday and it's raining. That's why I'm updating the blog. Gary is reading his magazine. I'm blogging and the boys are building a fort in the livingroom. Sammy is sleeping. Steve is playing Wii, Beth is in the kitchen reading and Ron is on the phone and Judy is doing dishes. We are all waiting for the rain to stop.

Two days left and then back to reality...
Hope everyone is well. We've gotten some cute things for Avery and I'll talk more about that later.
Love to everyone,
Alli:)