Spring Has Sprung so I'm Catching Up!

Well, it's finally spring yet today actually feels more like a March day with all the cool air & wind.
But I'll take it. No more snow.

So much has been going on so I guess I'll just post a few of the highlights with some pictures to catch up.  Hope I don't forget anything.

 

Spring Break to North Carolina

The Biltmore Estate with a few stops along the way.

 

 

 April Birthday for Daddy

 

The Girl Scouts Father Daughter Dance.

Always a Big Day!

All the pretty ladies.

 

Daisy Troop adventure to the horse rescue farm.

 

 ....to me!

 

So happy to be her Momma!!!

A relaxing Mother's Day at King's Dominion.

No crowds & the day was beautiful.

 

 

 

Showing off her long hair that Momma curled.

 

 The introduction for Piano Recital #3.

 

The pianist, Siena Xiao with wonderful teacher, Mrs. Christine.

 

 

Watch the Recital Video here.

 

Hope you enjoyed my catch up. Now we are on our way tomorrow for a getaway to the Williamsburg & Yorktown area here in Va. for this Memorial Day weekend.

Next week I must get to work on more plans for Siena's Birthday Party. The plans are in motion already. Just have to tie things up.

Have a Great Holiday everyone  & Thank You for those that have & are serving so that we may continue to may more Memorials Days.

 

 

 

 

Where Oh Where are You, Spring?

I sure hope this is the last of the white stuff.
This snow fall hit last Sunday & Monday closing school again. But here it is Tues. & they had a 2 hour delay for school opening. I suppose because the roads were icy. All the snow had melted but it had been raining so I guess the roads froze over.
None the less we made the best of it. Mark had to still fly out for work. Just had to reroute his flight though.
We didn't even venture out on this snow fall. I didn't want to take any chance of anyone getting sick. We leave on Sunday for Spring break to North Carolina for the week.
Fingers crossed we won't hit snow while on Vacation!

                                                              Not even going out there.

 

 

 

 

Bowls were set out for fresh snow.

 

Enjoying the freshest snow slush ever!

 

We feed the birds around here too.  

Getting Back to Normal??

I've been battling the worse flu I think I've ever had. It came on over a week ago on our last snow day. I should have taken it more seriously I suppose, but I got out & shoveled the driveway when I knew it was hitting. Needless to say I paid for it. So this week finds me still totally exhausted. Yes, I had a flu shot but there must be stronger strains of the flu out there.

Anyway, I was able to do the prior post but didn't post about our Wedding Anniversary. March 14th was 15 years ago that I married my best friend. We've been through it all like most people have with all the love & ups & downs of life, but best of all we got the greatest gift out of it, Siena.
Mark was out of town this week so I had to do a few things regardless of how I felt. I finally took myself to the Dr. on Thursday to see if there was some infection still lingering since I still had a very soar throat & was still very tired. Tested negative for the flu but I'm sure I had it the week before & tested negative for strep. The Dr. only thought it could be a viral infection if at all & still gave me an antibiotic. Now feeling a little stronger each day.

Today Mark has taken Siena to a high school production of The Wizard of Oz. I had bought tickets last week online in hopes of having this illness in the past but I'm still too tired so I had him take her. Hope they are having a good time. She was excited to go.

On another note, Siena is doing great in school. Her school work still seems too easy for her. I'll have to get her moved ahead here at home again when I can sit & teach for a longer period of time. Her class has had a substitute for a while now due to her original teacher being on maternity leave. She comes back on Monday, thank goodness. I think I like her a little better. She seemed to be in control more & didn't give candy as a reward in class. Yeah I know... and the sub even told them it was brain food. I never addressed the issue since Siena loved it & I knew it was only temporary.

I'm so ready for Spring this year. I may say that every year but it's always true anyway. Winter is really hard for me being from the Deep South. Today my original home town of Savannah, is in full blown St. Patrick's Day mode. The parade will be going on & lots of green beer will be flowing. I miss those days of green back home when all the azaleas were blooming too. But no, I didn't drink the green beer, since I don't like beer. :)

I have to really get better soon though. We have plans for a Spring Break vacation to North Carolina. We are going to the little town of Mt. Airy also known as Mayberry. That's right, it's supposed to have sites that look just like the old  "Andy Griffith Show". It's Actor Andy Griffith's hometown. But we will also be heading to the mountains & to The Biltmore Estate.  

Believe it or not Siena already knows a little about The Andy Griffith show since I got her hooked on it. And now she's even more hooked on The Brady Bunch show. I love it that she is. It just seems like good old fashion TV with honest values & good morals.

Well, I know my posts are far & few but it's hard to keep up. I'll post more when I get a chance. Hang in there with me.

 

Our last snow day (I hope).

 March 6th

6th Gotcha Day Anniversary

I can't believe it's been 6 years ago today that we were in China getting Siena. She has been the Greatest Gift we could ever image.
It was 6 years ago that Mark & I were in a cold sparsely furnished Government building in Nanchang, China awaiting the arrival of our little bundle, then named, Fengcheng Xiao Huai. She came to us scared, crying, sick & coughing with red rosy cheeks. All bundled in a huge black & yellow puffy tiger outfit, you could only see her little round head sticking up through it all.
Since then, we have all bonded well & love being a unique happy little family of 3. Mark says she's just like me. Stubborn, strong willed & sassy. Never thought those were bad traits until you're the mother of one like that. LOL!
But here's to many more years of motherhood, family life, tears, laughter, joy, school plays, piano recitals, play dates, birthday parties & the ups & downs of life in between. And we can't forget the boyfriends to come...oh my!

We Love You More Thank You'll Ever Know, My Sweet Siena!

March 13th Gotcha Day

March 13th- Gotcha Day

March 14th- Official Adoption Day

All happy now & ready to go home!

Today! Wow!

All too fast!

They Scoped Her Out!!!

We just learned yesterday that Siena has been accepted into the Scope class at school which will start next month. Scope is Virginia's "Gifted" class program.
The school has been testing her for a while this year & has also taken into account some testing that was done last year in Kindergarten.
I was very excited when I had learned this year that she would be one of the few that was tested. We had to give permission for them do the testing, but I thought, why in the world would anyone not want their child tested & get the opportunity to be in such a class?  Well, turns out that one Mom told me that she didn't want the extra work for her child. I couldn't believe it, since the work that's given to them now just doesn't seem to be that rigorous anyway. Her homework is little to none & most of the work in class sounds so repetitive.
Siena's very bright, I could just see her getting bored with most of the work in class. But don't get me wrong, if she was ever really bored I don't think I would find out about it so easily because she loves school so much. She loves learning no matter what & she especially loves the social aspect of school.

We are so proud of her & can't wait for her to take on the challenges that we know she can accomplish in the Scope program.