LOL @ our Yard!

As we were leaving to go out to dinner the doorbell rang. I answered thinking it was the UPS guy. Nope, two guys and a big truck saying “We’re here for the delivery and set up”. I was like “Huh??”. He pulls out the invoice and tells me that I ordered a cave man inflatable and a Twister bounce house. I look at the "Bill To" name and it has my SIL Tiffany’s name on it. Turns out this is her surprise present for Curly. We died laughing and proceeded out to dinner and to Home Depot while the guys set it up. We came home and it is bigger than we could ever imagine! People are driving by and honking! We are gonna have fun tomorrow!

My #1 Band Has a Kids Album

Curly and I are nuts for Barenaked Ladies. In fact, we've been Ladies Room fan club members for a loooong time. Imagine my surprise and happiness when they came out with a kids album called "Snacktime". Here is a video of one of my favorite songs called "Pollywog on a Bog". It's super cute and there is a Shaggy/Chris Cross rap in the middle. I hope they tour with this album, you know "for the kids".....lol

See the video here

PLEASE Sign this Petition!!

Many of us mom's with kids on the spectrum feel that there is a link between the onset of symptoms and the enormous amounts of vaccines that our kids receive often at one appointment and when the conditions to vaccinate (not sick, not on meds, etc) are not favorable.

Right now, the government (lower case g because that's how I feel about them) has set the statute of limitations at 3 years from symptoms to file a law suit in what they call "vaccine court".

We missed the deadline and so have millions of other mom's and dad's. We missed it because we were told that we would never "win" and honestly we were too focused on getting our son the BEST therapy that we could during the critical early intervention years.

I beg you, I plead with you to PLEASE sign the petition to extend the statute of limitations. Whether you agree or not, we need more time because the science is JUST now coming out (The Hannah Polling case) and former CDC members (Bernadine Healy) are saying that there very well could be a link and we aren't just a bunch of kooky parents.

I appreciate you helping me fight the good fight!!!

Peace!

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/vaccjust/

Ducks & Reggae Weekend

We had such a great weekend that started off with a Friday night spent in Chagrin Falls. We ate dinner at a great little dinner, fed the ducks, played on the playground, looked at the falls and then finished it off with some awesome ice cream :) Chagrin Falls is just about 5 miles away and is such a cute Norman Rockwell type of town.

Logan luring in the ducks with hot dog buns Devon and Daddy against a beautiful background
Here ducky, ducky
Have comb will travel
Devon does have shorts on.....well just a diaper cover from a dress that was in the car. She had a wee bit of a blow out....lol.

Saturday was chill and we had dinner out (shocker, I know) at our favorite Mexican restaurant.

On Sunday we had an early dinner over at my brother's place with my folks and then headed downtown to the waterfront to watch our favorite reggae band, Carlos Jones (formly known as First Light from my college days.....god are we old?). We've been taking Logan to dance to Carlos since he was a pip squeak. He's even played the bongos on stage in the past. Today he just danced his little heart out. Devon looooooved the reggae music and danced too. This was her 1st concert...lol....we start 'em young. I love the awesome mix of people that turn out for their shows. Some we've been seeing for years and now we all bring our kids. Carlos even sang the Sesamee Street theme for the little ones. Logan and Devon both gave each other that "Yeah! We know this one!" and started singing. Logan and Carlos smiling in the sun
Logan downing his cola
Look at smiley sitting at the bar!
Dancing with Aunt Fannie

Here is a video of Devon dancing to "Shake, Shake Senora". Muchas gracias to my bud Ruthanne for editing it for me. I need to upgrade to "Pro". I'm so last year....lol.

Devon's Passport Came!

It only took about 8 days from when we turned in the app at the Post Office and I didn't pay extra to expedite it! We can now officially go to random and wild places like.....Canada :) Seriously, I've missed Canada. We haven't been there since Devon's been home. It is a quick and easy drive plus they have Wheel of Fortune slot machines there that make me happy.
Check out this "mug". She had to stand on a stool at Walgreen's to get her picture taken. She has that WTH look on her face because Logan and I were tickling her and trying to make her laugh. You can see how well that worked...lol.

Running with her passport.
Staring at it with a WooHoo face :)

Happy 4th of July -- The Eagle has landed!

The 1st part of my title is self-explanatory, the 2nd part is something that I am pretty excited about. We've decided to move forward and hire a searcher in GC to search for Devon's 1st Mom. We put together some of our favorite pictures (like 40) and wrote her a letter, trying to tell her everything we'd think that she'd want to know. We also included a list of questions that we have or that Devon might have when she is older. As an adoptee with no family history or information, I think we are doing the right thing for Devon. I wanted to take this step now because I imagine that finding her might be harder the longer we wait. I put it all together yesterday and dropped the package off at FedEx. I just got an email that it arrived in Antigua today! My fingers are crossed so tightly that they might break :) I don't know what she will want in terms of contact and I don't want to get my hopes up....but I can't help it!

Today was a gorgeous day! After days of rain, we woke up to blue and sunny skies. We got the wagon decorated and watched the parade down our main street plus got loads of candy. After that we followed the parade down to the marina to meet up with our friends and family. This year they had a bounce house and bounce slide, a cook-out and cotton candy. Logan was thrilled with the bounce slide! He was so cute! Aunt Fanny secretly wanted to go on so she "pretended" that Devon wanted to try it out.....lol. Turns out, Devon loved it and Aunt Fanny had to go again and again. She's a trooper.

After the parade/marina business we headed out onto Uncle Shawn's boat for some holiday fun at "Boater's Beach". We heard a hillarious country song while we were there called "Redneck Yacht Club". I'll tell ya, it kind of fits our crew down there.....lol.

Since today was so full, we are going to watch fireworks tomorrow night.

I hope everyone had a safe and happy 4th!

This is what "Sugar Lips" look like.


I swear this bottle was empty and capped. It was just a funny pic!
Devon enjoying her Forever Family Day Tres Leches cake that momma made.

Our 1st Forever Family Day

A year ago today, we left our hotel to the Guatemala City airport at about 4am to catch our flight home. Finally, our baby was coming home with us! It was a long and amazing day. Of course Devon had a "take-off blow out" that had her becoming a citizen in a white onsie....lol. We made our way home and to Logan (who I missed terribly while we were away!) and landed in Cleveland around 4:30pm. Our family and friends were all there holding signs, balloons and flags. It made me cry. Logan saw us and came running saying "Monny, Daddy....BABY SISTER!" We came home to a decorated front lawn and door. We have the best friends and family in the world. I can't believe that it has been a year already that we've been together. It has been a WONDERFUL year and I am the luckiest Mommy in the world!

Devon at the LaAurora Aeropuerto
Houston: We have an American (and dang is she cute!)
Our AWESOME family and friends in Cleveland
Devon in her crib for the 1st time. Oh how I long for this for months!
Princess Sweetness today at Uncle Shawn's restaurant
Isn't my cowgirl precious?????

My Summer Fun Kiddo

The other day I got the video in the mail of Logan doing his Summer Fun Kid thing for the WKYC Weather Forecast. It came on a VHS tape so I went super hi-tech and videotaped the TV. Pay no mind to the fingerprints on the TV. The kids like to physically TOUCH the TV when Dora asks where something is. Also don't mind that narration by Curly and me as we remark how much our 5 year old big kid still has the same face and smile that he has in his baby pictures above the TV.

Poor little Devon didn't make the final cut as she was too busy running away from the cameras. Princess has YEARS to become a star, right??

Logan hasn't officially aired yet (that we know of) but we are hoping that he will get some play over the 4th of July weekend in his red, white and blue duds :)