Wine-ing about Sonoma!!!

Okay, So I was sent to Sonoma California last weekend for work. I know, I know...it's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it : ) The shoot was awesome...the crew was fantastic, our talent couldn't have been more accomodating and the weather was amazing. Here are a few pictures from our shoot out there...we were shooting promo wraps for the Dream Home that my company gives away every year. I can't show pictures of the home, but here are some of the shoot. People are always asking me what I do for work...well, I gotta tell you, I am blessed with an awesome job! I write and produce for a major cable network and it really is a blast sometimes.

We shot at two gorgeous wineries in Sonoma and did a little wine-tasting after work with the crew.

This was our director and our producer in Sonoma...

they were fantastic...and lots of fun. The best part of the weekend though, was that one of my best and dearest friends, Donna, was able to fly down from Oregon to meet me and hang out for the weekend! That's her on the right.

It was sooooooooo great getting to spend time with Donna and catch up. I miss her and her family terribly since they moved away. She is truly an amazing woman and friend and I'm so glad that we got to spend time together this weekend.

Thanks so much for coming, Donna! I love you girl!!!!!

And thanks too to my amazing husband and Mom who took awesome care of our kids while I was gone. I love you both so much!!!

Hooray for Fall!!!!!!!!!

Oh, I just love Fall in East Tennessee! The smells, the colors (not as great this year because of the dry conditions), beautiful crisp weather, the leaves, pumpkins, Halloween and long sleeves! We've been going on "nature walks" and collecting leaves...then we iron them between sheets of wax paper and put them in the window to make little "stained glass" leaf art. So fun...just like when I was a kid!

And of course...one of my absolute favorite things to do in the fall...take the kids to the Pumpkin Patch. We went this past Saturday and had a blast. Grandma M, and some of our friends joined us for a wonderful day. The weather was beautiful and we all had a great time.

Look at these two little cuties! Such buddies...and their Moms are our good buddies too. We all went on the hayride together and picked out our pumpkins.

Here's my Bestbud, D and her daughter (The future Mrs. J2)

And, just because I actually got them to "pose"...a sneak peek at J and J's Halloween costumes...

aren't they just hilarious, really getting "into" their characters. We are going to a really great Halloween party that night with all the cool stuff...crafts, apples, and of course tricks or treats. In the words of the great Charlie Brown, "I got a rock". Actually it should be "I gotta rock!"

I just love this time of year and I'm grateful to God for giving us this time and the glory of His creation.

Big Girl Bed!

Sniff, sniff...EGpapa and I took down the baby crib the other night. Kindof sad...6 years of having babies in that crib and now it's gone and there's a "big girl" bed in L's room. L is not known for liking to be confined and was launching herself out of the crib, so we decided to get her a bed before she hurt herself. I was really hoping she would stay in the crib for at least another six months or so, but oh well...my strong willed daughter had her own plan and timeline as always.

I've had several people say "why take down the crib...you'll just adopt another baby!", but my response is "No way!". Much as I've loved my babies, I don't think I want to do the baby thing again. If God decided that adoption is in the plan for us again...we would probably try for an older girl. Although, God does like to play tricks on me in my advancing age : )

I'm just so grateful to have had three wonderful babies in this crib...and they were all such great sleepers. Now, I'm grateful to hear another set of little footsteps coming into my bedroom in the morning and three very cuddly, silly kids in our bed. God is so good!

My super silly, sassy, sweet girl!

My baby girl is so funny! She has definitely hit the "terrible twos" at 22 months...she is quite sassy and very stubborn. Last night I refused to give her her dessert until she ate her food, so she picked up her plate and proceeded to dump the entire thing on the floor! The dogs loved her for it, but she was not happy when Mommy put her in time out.

She is really so funny though...the girl of a thousand funny faces and who loves to sing and laugh really REALLY loud.

"L" loves to hide in her brother's closet...in the laundry basket and giggle her head off when I "find" her.

Diapers go on your head, right?

"Rock Star, baby!!!!!"

Each and every day, I thank God for this funny, sweet, laughing, loving, awesome little girl. I am so blessed to be her Mommy. I just sit in awe of her and marvel at the fact that I get to be the recipient of her giggles, kisses, hugs and even temper tantrums.

I just don't know where she gets all this silliness?!!!

We all love her so much...especially her big brothers!

GOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL!!!!!

Ok...proud mama moment here...My awesome, athletic, amazing oldest child scored his first soccer goal! He seemed kindof stunned at first (of course, he could have been distracted by the crazy woman on the sidelines that was screaming her head off : ) I just love watching these kids play soccer. It's like a little huddle of arms and legs running around the ball and one by one they all fall down...too cute! But just look at my big boy really catching on to the whole "kick the ball to the goal thing". I'm just so proud...oh my gosh...I guess I've become a "soccer Mom"!

Here he is going in for the kill...ok, maybe just trying to kick the ball in.

And, then cutie little number 8 comes to give him a high-five...what a stud!

Happy New Year!!! Enktatush Celebration

The Casa de Chaos was rockin' on Saturday when we hosted our local Ethiopian adoption group's Enktutash Celebration. This is the Ethiopian New Year. In Ethiopia, September 11th is their New Year's Day, and they use the Gregorian Calendar, so for them, they have just entered the year 2001!!! Wild, huh?

These are few Ethiopian items that people brought to show and decorate

We had a fantastic group and a turnout of 14 families and 58 people! So much fun! We had kids of every size and color running around the house and having a ball playing together. It was a glorious sight to look around my home and see so many smiling faces and meet so many wonderful people who have either adopted from Ethiopia, or are in the process of adopting. We got to try some wonderful Ethiopian dishes...and for those of you who know I don't cook very often...I actually made an Ethiopian dish called Zilzil Alecha that came out pretty darn tasty!

It was really neat to see how much these kids love these spicy ethiopian dishes! Lori, thanks so much for bringing the Injera all the way from Nashville...it was so good!

For some reason, this picture keeps going sideways on me...but this is just a sample of the yummy food we had!

A huge thank you to all the families for coming to celebrate at our home. So many beautiful children...so many wonderful new friends, and so many more that will be coming home hopefully very soon! Our little "family" is growing fast...what a blessing! Here are some more pictures for you to enjoy. I can't wait to get together again...my kids wanted to do it all again the very next day

Look at this gorgeous family! Aren't those the best smiles? They were all so nice and they are planning to add more kids to their family from Ethiopia!