Happy sweet 7 Solomon

Solomon's early morning wake-up donut!     

                                                          Each year Meggie has surprised Solomon with a cake. The first year she made a happy face cake and we sent him a photo because he was still in China(we did have a cake delivered to him at the orphanage). Last year Meggie made him a Ninja cake and this year, the Mario cake.                                     

Valentine Day Traditions

Simon went out to dinner with frienda this year so went straight for the chocolate!

Our four Chinese visitors

We were so fortunate this year to get four boys who were a blast to be around. These guys came from a high school in Beijing and stayed with us for a week. We introduced them to fooseball, snow tubing, butte climbing, the game of spoons, signs and the winking game. They cooked for us and amused us for a solid week. Lots of fun!

Yearly trek to Odell Lake

Each year we try to remember how many years we have been spending a long weekend together at Odell. We do recall the first year we were there with a smaller version of our family, Emma, Meggie and Simon, going up to spend the day with our friends. The weather turned blizzardly and we ended up spending the night in the lodge, all electricity down. Leo was teaching at the time and had to call in absent by pay phone the next morning. It was a great time! So, my guess is Simon was a year and we have been renting the same two cabins for 16 years. It is the vacation of the year for our kids.

Another year, another birthday for Lydia. She turned 10 this year and wanted roller skates for her big day. Most often her birthday is celebrated at Odell. It is fun for all of us. Lydia, oh Lydia, such a gem. She is one of a kind and we can only imagine how terribly boring it would be without her. She adds passion and lots-oh-love to all of our lives.

Christmas Times

 

Christmas was a whirlwind of activity and the beginning of the very busy birthday season. We had a neighborhood Open House, a cookie making evening with one of our past visiting students, Eva was in the Classic Christmas, the Eugene Youth Ballet performance of the Nutcracker and the Eugene Ballet Company Nutcracker, as well as, friends and food. The holidays are always a joy with Solomon because he is the true wide-eyed, open-mouthed appreciative little man.

The many ballet faces of Eva. In the Eugene Youth Ballet she played Fritz, Clara, danced Chinese and snow and mouse. In the Classic Christmas she was a little forest nymph, And in the Eugene Ballet Company performance of the Nutcracker she was Party Child and danced in The Waltz of the Flowers. I would guess easily over 30 performances this Christmas season. She loves it and we love watching her dance! Emma, Eva and I even traveled up to Seattle to spend the weekend and give Eva the opportunity to try out for San Francisco and Pacific Northwest Ballet Summer Intensives. It was a fun, fun trip and a couple of intense try-outs for Eva.

Christmas Eve and Christmas with family and friends

The beginning of the birthday celebrations....

Every year the Coury's make a delicious birthday meal for Diane and it is delicious! This year all the kids were here and so we got the group shot. Later that night Matthew headed up to Portland to catch a plane to China for five months. Great kid shot!

One week later we celebrated Meggie's birthday. She is celebrating her 20th year!

Happy Birthday and we love you!