Brooke in Candyland

Here is some pictures that Melanie did for me. I am having a hard time picking out the one I like best. Melanie does such wonderful work. Go to her blog and look at some of her other work. If you need any editing done, just let her know. Sometimes she gets busy with school and might not can get right to it. Once she does your picture will be beautiful. I joke with her and tell her that I need some magic done. LOL Thanks Mel, they look great.
Tell me which you like best. 1, 2, or 3.

New Jeep

The jeep is not exactly new, but it is new to Brooke. This Barbie jeep was Courtney's when she was younger. We bought a new battery for it, and Brooke loved it. I hope you enjoy all the videos. It might take awhile to load since there is so many. I thought they was all so cute, that I could not decide which one to put on. I decided to put them all. Enjoy!!!!
You also get to hear the wind, and see our dogs. Our dogs was going crazy chasing the jeep.

New Jeep

Brooke's Jeep

Anybody want some Bubble Gum

"Mom. I need some gum!!!"

"I can't get the gum out. Maybe it needs filled."

"How does this thing work?"

"Oh goody, mom filled it up with lots of gum"

"Mom, I don't want pictures, I want gum"

"I am going to do this all by myself."

I love the last picture. That is so precious to me. Our gum machine was getting low, so I bought some more to fill it. The only problem is Brooke wants a piece of gum every time I turn around.
I am glad I have to add money to get the gum out, or Brooke would be getting it all the time. Once you put money in, it usually gives you three pieces. Believe me, Brooke will put all three in her mouth and look like a chipmunk.

Growing up

Talker/Artist

Painting for the first time

She is doing so good, I have to try finger paint.

Brooke is talking so much now that I can't even keep up with her. Our conversation this morning.
Me: Brooke eat you cereal. (I put her at the table to eat)
A few minutes pass

Brooke: I have to peeeeeeeee. (This is said very excited, like I have to go now)

Me: Brooke why don't you tell me this before you sit down. (Brooke does this all the time. If we go eat somewhere or we sit down for breakfast, lunch, or supper, )

Me: Brooke I don't understand why you don't tell me before you sit down to eat. This gets so old.

Brooke: Old, Whats Old?

Me: You having to go potty every time we sit down to eat.

Brooke thinks about it for a minute.
Brooke: Uh mom, One more thing. Uhhhmmm will you do me a favor?"

Me: Sure Brooke whats the favor?

Brooke: my purse.

Me:Your purse, whats the favor?

I put her back in her seat to finish eating. There is a magazine laying on the table. Brooke is just mumbling around. Uhmmmm
I think she forgot the favor because she looks down at the magazine and says " I want all these things for my Christmas Tree"

The magazine was a Oriental Trading book and it had a Christmas Tree with crafts all on it. I think she wants to do the crafts. Brooke has really got into doing crafts. I let her paint the other day and she sit there forever and painted. She did a really good job. I think she is going to be my little artist.
After about 10 minutes I think she remembered her favor. She has a cookie game and she had left it in the car.

Brooke : Mom will you get my cookies out of the car?

Courtney was a a sweet sister and she went and got them.
Brooke truly amazes me with some of the things she says. She is so grown sometimes. It reminds me of a song I heard yesterday. "Don't blink or your baby will be grown."

Looks who is Blogging

Can you believe I finally talked her into joining the fun. After three and a half hours of showing her a few things I hope she gets it. Bless her heart I think I showed her to much today.
Don't know about her, but I have a headache. I think we will dream about blogs tonight.

Respiratory Therapist of the Year

I want to take this time to congratulate my wonderful husband for not only being a great Respiratory Therapist, but a wonderful husband and dad.
Kevin got Respiratory Therapist of the year at work. Kevin treats all his staff great. When Kevin took the job as supervisor he told his staff that he wanted them to look at him as a friend and a coworker not a boss. Kevin has tried hard to make his staff happy and give them great assignments. Kevin also takes the time to help his staff when they need it.

This is a note from Kevin's Boss:
Huntsville Hospital recognizes Respiratory Therapy Week by congratulating Kevin Hardin as Huntsville Hospital's Therapist of the Year. Kevin receives this award by the vote of his peers. He began his career at Huntsville Hospital in 1994 as a graduate from Wallace State and has served as night shift supervisor since 2004. Please join us in congratulating Kevin.

Kevin received so many things that I probably can't name them all. I will post a picture, but it is hard to tell what they all are. Kevin received a nice tote with wheels, CD case, pens, hand towel grooming kit, coaster, carrying case, mug, cap, 4 hours of vacation, $50.00 gift certificate to Wal mart, and one of my favorite $50.00 to any Outback Chain, (Carrabba's, bone fish,Cheeseburger paraside). Kevin is also suppose to receive a plaque.

Snow White

Jackson (Chinese Friend)

The Wicked Witch

Snow White and some dwarfs

Molly (Chinese friend)

We took the girls to a Snow White play. We let them both take a friend. The play was great. We went to McDonald's before the play. Courtney and Alicyn loved the play.
Brooke and her friend Emma liked it, but they was a little scared on some parts. They did not like the wicked witch. They was both scared of her. We found it really neat to find two of our Chinese friends in the play. Brooke don't remember them like we do. They both did a great job. When the play was over the wicked old witch held her arms out to Brooke and Emma and said "Come let me hold you little girl" The girls had a look of complete horror on their face. Emma was clinging to me with a death grip. I did not think the lady should of done that, but I guess she was playing her part. The children usually get autographs from the characters. We did not have time because we had to get to church.
We all got a good laugh at Brooke. On the way home Brooke started talking. Out of the blue she said "That Chinese girl was pretty neat. She was pretty good." She can be so grown some times. I found it neat that she associated Molly as Chinese. We had not been talking about it at all. Brooke just up and said that.

Friends

Court and Allie
Cheese

Brooke and Emma

Sweet

Sisters

Big Bites for little girls

Clowning around

Do I see Romance

Sweet (I think they like each other ;)

Going through the tunnel

"What would you like to do Brookie?"

Sharing a secret.

Happy Birthday Lori

Lori, I hope you have a great day. I did this slide show to remind you of all the crazy times we had. I had more pictures, but I knew it would take to long to get them all here. I hated that I could not find more recent ones. LOL. I guess that means we don't get together much any more. I did enjoy taking you out for your birthday Tuesday. It was nice to be with all the ladies and be able to talk. Kevin was a dear, for watching the girls for us. We will have to do it again soon.
I hope you enjoy the slide show and that it brings back some great memories. I could not find the picture of where we got our license and had went to the mall. That was one crazy day. So many memories was made that day. Those big green glasses I will never forget. I could not find that picture. I will never forget how we almost got hit by that train. (there was no warning signs) I am so thankful that God took care of us that day. Just want you to know I love you and will never forget the good times. Happy Birthday. Don't you hate that we are getting Old?

BamaChina

Brooke tells people she lives in BamaChina. She is so funny. She told one person that she lives in Bama, but she came from China. We don't talk much to her about China. She picks up on any thing she hears us say, and she don't forget it.

Today my sister and I went to a Chinese place to eat. The waitress looked at Brooke and said "she from China"
I said "yes"
The lady said "oh where her mom at?"
I pointed to me and said "I am her mom"
The ladies eyes got as big as a saucer and she said "you her mom."
I tried to explain that we had adopted Brooke. I don't know if the lady ever did understand. She seemed so confused. She could not take her eyes off of Brooke. To top it all off, Brooke looked at her and said "Ni hao" (Hello)

Kid At Heart

James, Danny, and Kevin was being kids at heart. Watch Kevin slide. Don't laugh to hard.

Look out Hollywood

"I'm Cool"

Look out Hollywood

Just Thinking.

Fishing

Sweet

Logan, ready to fish.

Brooke holding her little pole. (Notice she has a life jacket on. I am scared of water)

Brianna, putting a cricket on. (Gross)

Courtney trying to catch a fish.

This was Brooke's first time to ever fish. The fish was not biting. I don't know if Brooke will ever want to go again. I think she got bored real fast. We plan on taking her to a friends pond so she can catch some. A girl just has to catch one fish in her life.

More Later

I am about to go to sleep trying to post pictures. I will try and post more later. I have so many that I can't decide what to post. Maybe I should just do a slide show.

I have so many clothes to wash from this trip. That is the bad thing about a trip......clean up.

Brooke slept so good. She did not get Kevin and I up. She slept all night. I think one night I heard her whine, but when I went to check on her she was asleep. Kevin and I slept GREAT.
The past few weeks we have not slept good because we have had to be up with Brooke a good bit. I think when it came bed time we all was ready to crash.
I am looking forward to my nice bed tonight. I just hope Brooke sleeps as well as she did camping. Until later good night.

Camping Pictures

"Let me hold your hand"

Courtney Running.

Miss Brooke

This part of the camping trip, the girls loved. This was a beach area, and they loved it here. The first day was hot and the water felt great. The waves was pretty rough, so I did not let the girls go way out in the water. They was just going to get their feet wet, but the waves would splash them before they would even know it. Of course I got wet also, because I had to hold Brooke to keep her from going way out. LOL Brooke loves water.

We are back

My beautiful Brooke

My beautiful Courtney.

The gangs all here. (We was at a walking trail)

Brooke, Anna, and Danielle

We are back from camping. We had a really nice time. Having some of our friends and family with us made it really nice. I have many pictures, but don't know when I will get them on here. My parents and Kevin's mom rented a cabin where we was at. That made it really nice for us. Mom cooked a really big breakfast one morning and we all ate up there. I think there was 19 of us in the cabin eating a wonderful breakfast. Kevin and I cooked our chocolate gravy for everybody and that was a big hit.
The first night at camp, my dad fixed his great Barbecue and had it for everybody. That night there was 21 of us at the cabin. It was crowded, but very nice. My parents got a cabin on the Lake. The view was breath taking.
The first night my dad and one of his friends played music. Kevin's mom sang. We really enjoyed the music. In fact I think many campers around us enjoyed it also. We had people come up and surround our camp site. Several jeeps pulled up to listen to the music and singing.
We met some really nice people who was camping beside us. The man could cook so good. He would cook over the fire and his food was always good. He would make some of the neatest food, and always wanted us to try it. He made one of the best peach Cobblers I have ever ate.
His wife homeschools also, so we had a lot in common. Their children and ours played wonderful together. They was great camping neighbors. We plan on getting together again with them one day.
I had something neat happen on this trip. We met a family about a year ago who was waiting on their referral for their daughter from China. We had been planning on meeting for supper one night, but it just has not worked out. They got their daughter a year ago. When we pulled into register for a camping spot I saw this beautiful little China Doll coming toward me. I recognized Anna's mom. We both saw each other at the same time. Brooke and Anna just stared at each other. Anna is a mommy's girl, just like Brooke. With them both being a mommy's girl that made it hard for them to play together. Hopefully the more they are together they will become friends.
Both of my girls had a great time. We did not realize it was Fall break, when we made plans to go camping. The place was jammed packed. In fact by, by Friday night there was hardly any campsites left. I will post a few pictures tonight and then hopefully get some more later.