Thanksgiving Review. . .and Happy Advent!

Wow.  Here were are at the beginning of day 5 of our 5 days off.  Our, meaning me and Aidan, that is.  We have been off since Wednesday and we have been having a great time! 

When I picked Aidan up on Tuesday, we already knew Daddy would have to work late.  So, we came on home and made our brine  for the Turkey and did some chopping.  Wednesday, we got up early and began chopping and we cleaned the bird, set it in the brine, made our pie, dressing and several otherside dishes.  Daddy had to work day shift, so he wasn't home again, but Aidan was a huge help!  He insisted that we play some Christmas music while we stirred and chopped.

I loved that Aidan ran up to get his Home Depot apron on in order to help me out. . .while wearing his camoflage hunting hat!!

It rained heavily all day on Wednesday so we weren't able to go outside during our breaks, but we made due with some dancing while we cooked.  We went out for our annual night before Thanksgiving dinner with friends and Daddy was finally able to meet us there for that after having to work late again!

Thursday dawned clear and cooler.  Aidan helped me get the table set and do the last minute preparations in anticipation of sharing this wonderful meal with Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt B and UB. 

But, because Daddy had to work (again!) the bird didn't get put into the oven until 1:00.  But, boy did it look and smell good when it was done!

And, finally, we were ready to eat!!!

Later, I discovered that someone was playing with the camer again.  Can you guess who?????????????

Hmmm. . . .

Anyway, after dinner, we had our dessert and then decided to get a family photo.  Fun times coordinating 7 people and 2 dogs!!!  But, we laughed all the way through it. . .

Maggie ended up not being in the group photo. . .she just wouldn't cooperate with everyone else!!  : )

Thanksgiving was a fun family day.  I had started off feeling gritchy and irritable but was able to remember that it was a day of Thanks. . .which has now reminded me that I really should sit down and write out 100 things I am thankful for.  It might help keep me grounded and humble!  I'll let you know how I do.

Friday was another beautiful day.  In the morning, Aidan and I got ourselved going and went to pick up Aunt B and UB who were staying at Grandma and Gradpas.  We had decided to venture down to the Capitals Kettler Iceplex at Ballston.  It's a bit of a trek for us out here in Loudoun County, but we did it!  I did make the mistake of depending on the GPS to tell me where to go, so we made a couple of bad turns.  Once I went back to depending on myself, we had better luck. 

Unfortunately, when we got there, we discovered that the Caps weren't practicing that day because the game was at 4:00. . .but we had fun skating anyway!  And I got a couple of fun pictures, too!

The ice got pretty chewed up, although it didn't seem any more crowded than at Ashburn.  But, we had fun anyways and will likely go down there again over our Christmas break.  Hopefully, next time, the Caps will be there practicing!  I know Aidan will love that.

Friday afternoon, when we got back, Pat got off work around 3:00 and had enough time to put up the outside Christmas lights.  Then we went off to dinner at a good Mexican restaurant. . .no leftovers on that day for us!!  Mama was not cooking. . .

Satruday, we finished with the lights and put our fake tree together.  Aidan read off the instructions on which color came when.  I think the boys had a good time working together on this project.  Meanwhile, I decorated the rest of the inside of the house.

And now, we have a new visitor.  Steopa the elf has returned.  It looks like he brought a movie and filled the Advent Calendar up.  This will be exciting for Aidan.  Today is the first Sunday of Advent, but the Calendar does not start until December 1st.  So, he'll have to do some waiting.  But, that is what Advent is. . .a time of waiting.

Happy Thanksgiving!  Hope you all had a good one!

Travels with Tigger

A little over four years ago, I purchased Tigger in order to have some kind of stuffed animal to give my baby when I met him.  When we packed our bags and left the US on November 20th, Tigger was stowed safely in my suitcase as one of the gifts for our son.  We took off from Dulles airport and flew to Atlanta and then to Moscow, arriving in Moscow on the morning of the 21st.  We were picked up and taken to the Novatel where we stayed a few hours and got some much needed sleep and then showered and repacked up and left at 6:00 for the Domodedovo airport, where we met Tamara and Bill Holsinger-Robinson (our partners and lifeline to the US for the next few days) and our over night flight to Krasnoyarsk.  We landed in Krasnoyarsk at 5:30 am and were then taken into the city to a rooming house that had no wi fi and our phones didn't work (passports were taken from us too!).  We were told to sleep and then be ready to be picked up around 11:30 or so.

It was now November 22nd and Thanksgiving Day back at home.  We were in Siberia!  We were taken for a pizza lunch at California Pizza and then off to the Ministry of Education to discuss why we wanted to adopt a child from Russia and to find out anything we could about our baby.  Then. . .

off to the Baby Home we went! 

Our son was brought in. .  .he took one look at us. . .and started crying!  : (  I went over to pick him up and the care taker didn't let him go right away, so I handed him Tigger.  Still crying, but now clutching Tigger, my baby finally relented to being held by me.  Although he remained tearful for a while, he allowed me to feed him and even opened up a lot to play with both me and Pat.  We discovered he liked bubbles and that he was very ticklish.  And, best of all, he called Pat Papa.  And Tigger?  He went with Aidan and I presume stayed with him the entire time after that.

Four months later, we brought Aidan out of the Baby Home and Tigger was still there with him.  A little more worn looking, but still there!

And now, four years later, Tigger has the look of a well loved animal.  He sleeps with Aidan every night and Aidan told me the other day he is glad we'll be home for five days later this week because then Tigger won't fee lonely (Tigger no longer goes to school with Aidan.) 

And, so, here is our friend Tigger who came from Target, went to Atlanta, Moscow, Krasnoyarsk, Sosnovoborsk, back to Krasnoyarsk, Moscow, Atlanta and has now also been to North Carolina, Virginia Beach, Washington, D. C., Nevada and California!  Travelin' Tigger.  He's awesome!

Happy Birthday Tigger!!!  Four years with our baby boy as his constant companion, confidant and friend!!!

A Big Birthday Present

Friday was my mother in laws birthday.  When asked what she would like for her birthday, she replied that she wanted to see Aidan play hockey.  Okay.  We can do that.

So, yesterday, we headed out as usual for Aidan's hockey skills class, which is followed by Mini Mites.  Aidan did really well in the skills class.  He's really learned a lot during the last several weeks of this class and he is fortunate that he has Mini Mites right after to put into practice what he has learned. 

Yesterday was spent mostly on Stick Skills, which Aidan LOVES to do!  He practices moves at home, but they usually work on foot skills, power turns and endurance during the Skills class.  So, yesterday was a treat for Aidan.  I think his red jersey is a bit big so the fact that he is doing so well in this class is really amazing.  Here is a little of some of what they did:

Mini Mites, as I said immediate followed and during the end of the skills class, Pat went to pick up his parents.  Meanwhile, I got Aidan to eat a quick snack, have some Gatorade and change his jersey to the smaller Yellow jersey for Mini Mites.

And, for the first time all season, he scored!!!!  Four goals!!!  AND had a beautiful assist where he had gone behind the goal, turned and saw a teammate in front of the goal and passed the puck perfectly to his team mate.  And, did I get any pictures of any of this???  No.  I did get this, though.

Not very revealing of what he accomplished yesterday.  I wish I could show you the huge shining grin he had when he came off the ice.  I will say that it was so nice to hear the official skate over to Aidan after his assist and tell him what a great pass that had been.  The grin was stretched ear to ear!  Pat hadn't actually seen Aidan play since the beginning of October and boy was he surprised at his progression!

After this excitement, we came back to our house for a nice steak dinner, cake and presents for Grandma. 

Wish the Caps were doing better.  Not sure what's going with them.  But, it's still early in the season. 

Daddy had to go back to work today, after being off for the last two weeks hunting, so Aidan and I are taking it easy but will go outside and rake our front yard.  There seem to be more leaves than usual this year!

First Report Card

Well, it's here!  My baby's first report card. 

The funny thing about Loudoun County is that for Kindergarten they give dots to denote that there is some knowledge or skill in an area that is not assessed at this time; E for Exceeds; M for Meets; P for Progressing Towards Standard; and B for Below Standard.

I am happy and very very pleased to tell you that Aidan received E's on all areas that were assessed in LAnguage Arts and dots in all areas not assessed!!!!  For Math, he received an E for Identifies, describes and extends patterns and M's for every other category!!!  He can recognize and read all sight words presented as well as most into what he needs to know in the third quarter.  In the category called Characteristics that Affect Learning, he received S's (Satisfactory) in all areas except two where he received N's (Needs Improvement).  The two N's are for Listens attentively and Uses self-control.  Hmmmm. . .same areas he has needed to improve in since he was two! 

Seriously, I am really proud of him.  He is doing so incredibly well!  We read every night: he reads a Bob book to us and we read a book to him.  I cannot express how pleasantly amazed I have been at his reading progress!  He was doing really well last year at Winwood, but whatever manner of teaching they are using in the Loudoun County School system is obviously a key for him.  The door has been not only unlocked but has been pushed wide open! 

Did I tell you that I am really really proud of him????

Stacy's Big Award

So a few weeks ago, Pat handed me a form to fill out and mail in to enter a Washington Post Capitals Giveaway contest.  I never win contests, so I dragged my feet about it.  I didn't want to enter a contest that I knew I wouldn't win!  Finally, I filled the form out and sent it in thinking that I had missed the deadline--I mailed it on October 15th or so and I think the deadline ended up being October 17th.

Well, I got a message on my cell on October 31st from someone at the Post saying I had won some contest and to give her a call back.  I had completely forgotten the contest already and erased the message and did not call back. 

I got a second message from this same lady a few days later saying she really needed me to give her a call about the prize I had won.  I rolled my eyes and called her back thinking this was some scam to get me to buy something. 

Boy was I surprised!!!

My name had been drawn for the Capitals Giveaway contest and I had won a Hockey Stick!!!!  Signed by Alex Ovechkin!!!! 

I had to fill out an Affidavit saying I understood that this prize has a monetary value that is subject to taxes and then arrangements were made to get the stick to me.  Kind of hard to mail a 6 foot hockey stick, so it was hand delivered this past Saturday! 

Aidan is not happy here because the stick is all wrapped up with bubble wrap and I had just told him he was not allowed to use this stick!  : )  He wanted to take it to Mini Mites!!!! 

A little happier here because we had gotten the bubble wrap off and I put him in his Moscow Dynamo  Ovechkin Jersey. 

About as close to a hockey stance a 5 year can get in while wearing a jersey that is 5 times too big and holding such a big stick!!  But, I think Aidan may decide to be #32 in the future. . .

And there you have it.  My big excitement for the weekend!!