Do You Remember?

Do you remember when you found out you were having a baby?

Do you remember how incredibly long you waited for your baby to get here?

Do you remember how you felt when you first laid eyes on your baby?

Do you remember how it felt when you held your baby for the first time?

Now, couple that with waiting YEARS for your new baby...

And couple that with being overwhelmingly appreciative of the best gift anyone ever gave you...

That's how most adoptive parents feel...especially those who have waited for a foreign adoption.

Read to learn about how a friends love of missions turned into giving a child a home.

What a great story!

Ladybug Birthday

I have a great friend that gives me some leftover party supplies every year. I usually take what she gives me and add my own touch each year. Last year, she gave me some ladybug stuff and after watching it sit in my garage for a year, it was time to make it come to life.

First, the party preparations:

I found the red buckets at Hobby Lobby for 50% off. I grabbed those and a Sharpie and started circle-ing away. I added sticker sheets, also from Hobby Lobby and also 50% off, ladybug garden tools and ladyug bug catcher, both from Dollar General and a ladybug wood cutout to color from Joann Fabrics. I think they turned out precious!

Then, for the ladybug dress-up!

I made the antennae with headbands from Dollar General (6 for $1), pipe cleaners and pouf balls (isn't that the official name?). I took 5 pipe cleaners per set. I twisted 2 around a pencil to make them cork-screwy. I then twisted a pouf ball onto each end. I twisted the other end around the headband. Once the antennae were secure, I used the remaining pipe cleaners to twist around the headband, covering them completely.

The wings were made of posterboard. Between the red and black layers, I attached some elastic for the children to thread their arms through to wear the wings on their backs.

Preparations complete!

I even found it necessary to have ladybug snacks. A little google search and blog-stalking and I found a few precious things to eat!

The ladybug bucket that the plates are in and the ladybug stand that the brownie pops are on both came from Hobby Lobby - again, 50% off!

The recipe for these precious ladybug crackers can be found here.

A mixture of Chex-Mix and Goldfish. The 'swarming ladybugs' are ladybug buttons glued to the ends of wire. They were in the original hand-me-down-party a year ago.

Someone posted brownie pops on Facebook and the moment I saw them, I knew I had to make them - ladybug style!

Even though many of my FB friends thought I should make the cake myself, I decided to buy one from a local bakery instead. I think it turned out precious!

Kaylee's super cute shirt came from here! Yvette and Sheila are my heros!

We did a super easy - and super messy - ladybug craft.

Small paper plate, painted red. Add black spots and head (that I had pre-cut from posterboard), googly eyes and pipe cleaner antennae.

Along with the bouncer and the craft, the kids played a ladybug beanbag toss game. The beanbags were ladybug shaped and the kids tossed them and tried to get them to land on large leaves that were cut out of green butcher paper and laminated. We had these scattered on the floor and steps.

Also, notice the simple decorations in the background. Red streamers and black balloons...so lovingly hung by my almost 12 year old son!

Don't you just love that stance!

She is loving the gifts...and it looks like her big brother is too (HA!).

So, even though it took a lot of prep work, this was by far the best party I have given.

I hope my girl remembers it for a lifetime!

Kaylee's 4th Birthday Tea

WOW! So long since I have been here!

I really think Blogger should figure out a way to send a photo for blog updating...much like FB posts can be done!

Anyway, it is that time of year again, Kaylee's Birthday!

We went to tea today. This year, we chose a teacher friend of mine. Her 'red thread' to Kaylee is that they are both adopted.

Barbara brought Kaylee a book that was Barbara's as a child!

Such a sweet gift!

Kaylee actually tried tea this year!

Peach Ginger with a touch of honey!

See that crazy tray of sandwiches? They were all for Kaylee.

Needless to say, she didn't eat them all!

This year's teacup - chosen by Barbara.

New Clothes

Kaylee is on her last dress that we picked up while in China. I remember shopping and buying 'bigger sizes' thinking she would never fit in them. Well, now, 2 1/2 years later, we are in the last one that fits.

I have been looking around at various Chinese festivals for more authentic dresses for her. Goodness! Those outfits that cost me $8-$10 in China cost me $30-$35 in the states. I just can't bring myself to pay that.

Well, I have a sweet friend who is spending some time in China. I Facebooked her about 3 months ago and asked her if she would shop for me. I gave her a dollar limit and told her she could pick out whatever styles she liked. I asked her to choose all different sizes. She thought this was a great idea! So, for the last few months, when she would find an outfit that she liked for my girl, she would pick it up.

Her parents spent a few weeks with her in China and she sent the outfits home with them.

It was like Christmas! Take a look at Kaylee's haul!!

All the precious outfits! I can't wait to see her in them as she grows!

LOVE the sweet little pants on this one.

Precious sleeveless dress.

This one is like none I've ever seen. Full circle skirt, cotton (not silk). It is so sweet!

Check out the fur and matching purse! I hope it gets cold enough in SA to wear this one.

Thanks, Lesli for sending us such great treasures!

Success!

It's been a while since I have been in Blogland. Crazy few weeks.

I wanted to follow up on my E-Party. What a great success - for me and for Plum Precious Gals!

Here are the items that Kaylee got for FREE!!!

LOVE THEM!!

Please consider hosting an E-Party for Plum Precious Gals. Both husbands of the Plum Precious Gals have recently been laid off (ugh! This economy!). The Gals are relying on their Plum Precious income now more than ever! It truly was easy. I provided the company with 30 emails (the number of contacts is up to you, but the more contacts, the higher your sales and the more free stuff you earn). The company sends out the E-vites. You just sit back and watch everyone benefit...you, Plum Precious and adoption! If you are interested in hosting a party, please let me know.

Come To My E-Party!

UPDATE: My E-Party ends Wednesday, May 6th in the evening. I would love to max out the Adoption Love Meter on my E-Party page. Please consider purchasing some great clothes for your little one and support adoption!

Remember not so long ago when I introduced you to a great company?

Well, I love them so much that I decided I would help them on a new venture...an E-Party!

What is an E-Party, you ask? Well, it is much like any party that an at-home business throws...you know the ones...send out invitations, make some food, clean your house, have the business person come over and talk about her product and get product credit based on what your guests purchase...EXCEPT, I didn't have to cook or clean and people didn't have to take time out of their busy schedules to come over and spend a few hours! How great is that? All I had to do was provide the company some email addresses, write a few blog posts, let my friends get on their computers and purchase some great products and...VIOLA! It's a party!

So, if you enjoy their products and would like to be a part of my E-Party (or better yet, host your own!) just come! You can crash my party!

Let's Party!

Plum Precious Clothes

My girl turned 3 and we had a great party to celebrate.

Kaylee's friend, Lili, came to the party. She gave Kaylee a precious outfit for her birthday. I was so excited and asked her mom where she got it. Yvette (Lili's mom) told me that she made it.

Turns out, Yvette and a friend started a company to make these items.

The two of them met while in China adopting their precious girls. They came home, remained in touch and decided to start this company. The best part...the company donates 10% of proceeds to help with adoptions!

So. please, click on the link above, or the cute little button in the sidebar, and order something precious! Help the company and help with adoptions!

Rubber Ducky, You're the One...

Kaylee is officially 3!

We had a fabulous time celebrating!

Rubber duckies everywhere...ducky fishing, ducky bean bag toss, bubble fun, a cake with a duck pond, ducky hats...

She invited her friends and they all had a great time!

Here are the highlights:

Bubble Fun:

Fishing For Duckies:

Ducky Bean Bag Toss:

Cake:

Presents:

My Friends:

Help Bring a Boy Home

Do you have some extra cash lying around?

Some coins in the loose change jar? Or maybe in the couch cushions? Found a dollar on the sidewalk?

Well, Panda Family could use it.

Go here to see what I mean.

Friends to Play

Kaylee had her first visitors last Friday.

Our great friends came over to play.

Kaylee has 2 friends, Jake has a friend and Mommy has 2 friends...all from the same family!

We had a great time playing, eating lunch and showing our friends our new house.

Here are some highlights:

Yep, that's my girl with fairy wings on :)

Tea for Three

My mommy took me to tea today. She has decided that we will get to do this every year for my birthday (actually, I think she stole the idea from Pandapalooza, but I think it's a good idea all the same!). She says that we will take one special friend each year.

This year, we took my Gigi (I hear that this is not her real name. I think it is Jean. I have heard that my brother could not say Jean when he was little, so 'Gigi' was born)! She is a special friend because if you take her middle name and my mommy's middle name, you get my name!

I felt like such a big girl using the knife to spread dip on my own cracker!

Mommy also says we will buy a teacup from whicever tearoom we eat each year. The special friend that we take gets to choose it for me. Gigi picked this one for me. What you can't really see is that the entire cup is pink. It is so pretty!

After all the tea and shopping, I just couldn't help but crash out in the car!

I can't wait until next year. I am already thinking about who I will invite to tea!

Great Party!

We had a successful 2 year old party!

The 5 girls had a great time hunting eggs (for most of them, the first time), finger painting and eating cake. Here are a few highlights...

The Year of the Rat

We had a busy week of ringing in the Asian New Year. Jake is a part of the San Antonio Lion Dance Association and they had about 11 performances this past week.

Here are some photos to show the highlights...

Jake is the red lion.

But, not this end...

This end... :)

If you feed the lion, you have good luck for a year!

Traditional Plate Dance.