I finally got the finishing touches put on the new home for the vn-and-back blog. You can now view it at http://vn-and-back.tazman.net/. I don't know how long it will remain on blogspot, and the new home has a couple extra posts that were missed when I first updated the original, so if anyone is referring back to it, check there first please.
Also, stay tuned, because we are planning on moving this blog as well in the future.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Bye Cathy!
My friend Cathy leaves today to meet her daughter Adelyne. It's been a couple of weeks since we've talked, so I don't know all the details of her trip, but I think that when she lands in China she will go directly to the orphanage and meet her little girl. I'm so excited for her, Scooter and Colton!
It's amazing the path that life leads us in...three years ago Laurie & Ed, Cathy & Scooter, and Dan & I celebrated Christmas without children, and this year we have 6 kids between us.
It's amazing the path that life leads us in...three years ago Laurie & Ed, Cathy & Scooter, and Dan & I celebrated Christmas without children, and this year we have 6 kids between us.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
First Day Home...
We put the boys to bed last night around 9pm. That was about an hour later than normal, and certainly later than we had planned to do, but our routine was a little out of sorts having just come off an airplane three hours before bedtime...
The boys and I are all sick, and Dan is quickly catching our cold, so my mom stayed last night to do the night shift, which allowed Dan and I to get a full night's sleep. Wouldn't you know that last night was the night Nicholas decided to sleep ALL.NIGHT.LONG, and Matthew decided that he only needed ONE.BOTTLE.??? We've been doing two bottles a night for a couple of weeks now, so I hope they keep this trend up.
I think the boys are happy to be back in their own beds. The fact that they slept so well overnight is one indication, but they took two great naps (1.5 hours in the morning, and 2.0 hours in the afternoon) today also.
Other than their great sleeping, the boys have been playing with their toys and generally just hanging around. With their colds, they can't have swimming lessons, so we had a pretty lazy day around here.
The boys and I are all sick, and Dan is quickly catching our cold, so my mom stayed last night to do the night shift, which allowed Dan and I to get a full night's sleep. Wouldn't you know that last night was the night Nicholas decided to sleep ALL.NIGHT.LONG, and Matthew decided that he only needed ONE.BOTTLE.??? We've been doing two bottles a night for a couple of weeks now, so I hope they keep this trend up.
I think the boys are happy to be back in their own beds. The fact that they slept so well overnight is one indication, but they took two great naps (1.5 hours in the morning, and 2.0 hours in the afternoon) today also.
Other than their great sleeping, the boys have been playing with their toys and generally just hanging around. With their colds, they can't have swimming lessons, so we had a pretty lazy day around here.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Flying with 10 months olds...
is not fun.
That said, we have flown on 8 different airplanes in the last five months. That's crazy! Of all the flights we've taken (including a 14 hour flight) the worst one, by far, was from Cincinatti to Orlando.
Dan said that we have become the family he hates. haha
That said, we have flown on 8 different airplanes in the last five months. That's crazy! Of all the flights we've taken (including a 14 hour flight) the worst one, by far, was from Cincinatti to Orlando.
Dan said that we have become the family he hates. haha
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Packing to go home...
We spent part of the evening packing our bags to go home. When we packed to go to Minnesota, we really could have fit everything into two suitcases. However, we decided to go ahead and pack three, which would leave us a little bit of room to bring home anything we bought at the Mall of America and also bring home the best ribs/bratwurst you'll ever eat. It was a good idea to bring that extra suitcase!
All told, after packing our bags full to overflowing, we still left two boxes of stuff for Dan's parents to ship home. Oh, and we also left laundry.
Let's just say that even though I really thought we had packed light for this trip, we really didn't. Everyone came home with clothes they didn't wear. Next time we'll have to remember that we don't need as much stuff, especially since we had to do laundry twice while we were there!
All told, after packing our bags full to overflowing, we still left two boxes of stuff for Dan's parents to ship home. Oh, and we also left laundry.
Let's just say that even though I really thought we had packed light for this trip, we really didn't. Everyone came home with clothes they didn't wear. Next time we'll have to remember that we don't need as much stuff, especially since we had to do laundry twice while we were there!
Monday, November 26, 2007
Low-Key Day
After the craziness surrounding the last few days here in Minnesota, today was a welcome relief. Nevermind that three of the four of us are sick, and need the break in our schedule...
We spent the day playing in the ball pit that Grandpa set up in the basement. The boys got to watch a video with Grandma. Dan and I each had an opportunity to nap. I even had the chance to get a full night's sleep, since Dan took night duty since we're all sick.
After the boys went to bed, we finally got to see Ocean's 13. It was one of the few movies Dan had really wanted to catch in the theaters this year. However, it was released to theaters just a week or so before we flew to Vietnam, so we didn't get to go. We spent a lazy evening having soup and scones, and watching a movie by the fire with Dan's parents. Not a bad way to spend a cold night, with a cold.
We spent the day playing in the ball pit that Grandpa set up in the basement. The boys got to watch a video with Grandma. Dan and I each had an opportunity to nap. I even had the chance to get a full night's sleep, since Dan took night duty since we're all sick.
After the boys went to bed, we finally got to see Ocean's 13. It was one of the few movies Dan had really wanted to catch in the theaters this year. However, it was released to theaters just a week or so before we flew to Vietnam, so we didn't get to go. We spent a lazy evening having soup and scones, and watching a movie by the fire with Dan's parents. Not a bad way to spend a cold night, with a cold.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Open House
Dan's parents had an Open House party for the boys today. While the circumstances of the day could have been a little better (for example, the boys could have chosen to not start a massive round of teething and catch a cold at the same time), I think everyone had a good time.
I'm not sure how many people came this afternoon, but we got to see and/or meet lots of family that we hadn't spent any time with in the last several years. We were showered with many gifts...lots of stuffed animals and books, along with a sprinkling of clothes. Everyone was so generous, and all loved seeing Matthew and Nicholas. Robin, who catered the party, did a great job with the food, and even let me in on a little recipe of hers. Costco did a great job with the cake, as usual.
I really felt like the boys did great at the party, particularly since they were battling the beginnings of colds, some awful teething, and a serious lack of good quality sleepy by this point. Dan and I headed downstairs with them a few times, just to get away from the crowds and noise, when it all became too much for them. It was quite a sanctuary to go down to the basement, and the boys seemed very at ease down there. Several of the party guests visited us down there, and Matthew even reached out to a few people to be held! Lots of kisses were blown this afternoon, and lots of waves "bye-bye" were given.
Yes there are pictures...and I might even post some. Later.
I'm not sure how many people came this afternoon, but we got to see and/or meet lots of family that we hadn't spent any time with in the last several years. We were showered with many gifts...lots of stuffed animals and books, along with a sprinkling of clothes. Everyone was so generous, and all loved seeing Matthew and Nicholas. Robin, who catered the party, did a great job with the food, and even let me in on a little recipe of hers. Costco did a great job with the cake, as usual.
I really felt like the boys did great at the party, particularly since they were battling the beginnings of colds, some awful teething, and a serious lack of good quality sleepy by this point. Dan and I headed downstairs with them a few times, just to get away from the crowds and noise, when it all became too much for them. It was quite a sanctuary to go down to the basement, and the boys seemed very at ease down there. Several of the party guests visited us down there, and Matthew even reached out to a few people to be held! Lots of kisses were blown this afternoon, and lots of waves "bye-bye" were given.
Yes there are pictures...and I might even post some. Later.
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