"I just wanna see his face."

Parent weekend was this weekend at Zach's college. SO we left Friday with the intent on coming back yesterday, but we decided to stretch out the visit and stayed until Sunday. While there I snapped lots of photos. The campus is just full of persons, places and things begging to be photographed.

 I loved this photo of the bell tower.  It's beautiful in daytime, but I loved how it looked at night. I took it on our way to the School of Music Concert. In fact I took it with my real camera and with my iphone, I had to instagram it too ya know...

For the Parent/Family weekend, the School of Music had a special concert and each of the ensembles were featured. Lots of talented people were singing that night. Here's a  photo of the POPS ensemble that Zach is in.

A photo of all my children....Jolie has been missing Zach and she has been saying, "I just wanna see Zach's face!" 

More Nashvegas photos tomorrow....

Konos Kids Field Trip

At Shek's Homeschool Konos Group, they have been studying about frontiersmen, such as Daniel Boone and Lewis and Clark. One of the parents of a classmate is a taxidermist, and invited the class out to learn more about the art of preserving animal hides.

Here are some of the class checking out some of the many trophies displayed in the office.

 Shek did a report on a bobcat just last week, so I snapped a photo of this one.

Awesome black bear, I don't want to run into one that's live.

 Smarter than the average bear.

 The kids were pretty fascinated with the  LION.

 Shek and his friends take a closer look

 WOW

 Here's a photo of the teacher snapping photos.

 Shek takes a photo of the teacher with the fox hide around her neck.

 The taxidermist explains the process in preserving hides and mounting the animals.

 Here's a group photo of those from the two classes that were able to come to the field trip.

 Shek and some of his friends

It's ok, he doesn't bite!

First time we saw your face 2 year anniversary

Can you believe it's been 2 years since we first laid eyes on our sweet referral photo of Jolie Elise FanWen? I remember going to bed on the 19th  knowing that we could possibly be matched by morning. Karl handed me the lap top the morning of the 20th and I scrolled the emails and found one from our agency "POSSIBLE MATCH" we opened it and saw 3 cute little photos. We immediately read the referral pages, and sent the YES email back  within moments. We then preceded with the next steps of letter of intent and then our journey became very real...SO to celebrate the event I grabbed the referral photo and told Jolie it was time to make a photo with the very first photo I saw of her. I said, "Look how much you've grown!" She says, Now I have hair!!! She is very proud that she can now have pony tails like Karlie...

What a cute first photo for us to see 

See how much she has grown, especially her hair? There is one other photo of her with a crew cut, so her hair is not actually shown the shortest it's been.

Happy Referral Day to us...So glad that GOD allows us the wonderful awesome opportunity to be your parents, sweet girl!

Team Revolution

Shek's soccer team is called Revolution and coached by the Chapman family. It's been an awesome season, and the kids are learning a lot and working together as a team and are winning a few games. It's great. I snapped this photo during the team photo shoot.

IT's my turn

At Soccer practice the other day, Karlie said, It's my turn to be on the blog because the last few times it's been about Shek. SO I told her that I had to have photos, so I started snapping photos. SO now it's Karlie's turn.

It's my turn next, mom.

 Smilin' with shades

This is my favorite!

Karlie carries a BIG purse...inside she has E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G. in it. She has snacks, and even water, deo, makeup, you know it she's got it. Comes in handy when we get hungry.

She's probably laughing at me, not with me. but at me. My family tends to laugh at me quite a bit...

Sweetie

My sweetie is super patient.

Today, he spent the afternoon drilling Shek's spelling words...if he wasn't already patient, he would have developed it today.  We spent most of yesterday afternoon cleaning the house, we both looked at each other and said, a clean house makes me feel so happy. If he wasn't already patient, he would have developed it quickly because the house is not always tidy.

 I am thanking GOD for sending my sweetie to me all those years ago. Karl you're the best, thanks for being mine, being patient, loving and easy going. WE all love you!

Someone turns 20

Someone turns 20 on September 13. First ever birthday that we've not been in the same area on that birthday. Since he was home for Labor Day weekend, we celebrated before he headed back to school.

Publix cakes are pretty awesome

Shek lights the candles and jolie loves to sing happy birthday

Afterwards, we all posed for some photos, it was raining so we just settled for a backporch photo shoot.

my hair looks like I've stuck my finger in a socket, but noone is looking at me. lol

Gam and Pop with Zach and Jolie

Zach and Honey

Zach and Caylene

Hope Your 20th birthday is extra special, Zach, even though you aren't getting to see your sweet momma and dad and the rest of the crew on the day of your birth.





Meet Gus and Amy

I've been wanting a grey cat for a long time, ever since our Elvis died a couple of years ago. He was the best cat ever, and he was grey...apparently he was a russian blue, because he was HUGE at 17lbs. and quiet the lovable teddy bear.

A lady that lived down the road had some grey cats for free, and we went by by to take a look. She had a boy and a girl. Jolie seemed to like the girl right away, and I have always liked boy cats the best so what did we do? Deep from my gut and out of no where, I said, Can we take them both? And that's just what we did.

I was a little, I mean a lot concerned on what Karl's reaction would be. He knew I was going to get 1 cat , but 2?...So when he came home, I finally brought the box over to show him the two cats, and he said so this is what you've been uptight about? I didn't think I had been noticably uptight, but apparently this man knows me better than I know myself.  All he said was I thought we were getting one? and he also said, you must have needed two and since their yours and you take care of them I'm fine with it...so glad my hubby is a laid back understanding kind of guy. Guys don't get any better than mine...he's just the bomb!

SO meet Gus and Amy. Gus is named after the little cute mouse on Cinderella...and Amy is named after Amy on Lizard Lick towing. Em, our dog has been very interested in them and actually crawled in the box yesterday and laid down with them. When I got up to get the camera she jumped out, so I did not get that photo, but if she does it again, I will be sure to snap  that photo.

This is AMY

This is GUS

Shek and Gus

Look who got in the box with the kitties.

I pray that these kitties will love their new life with us, and be the best little kitties ever.

1st Day of Konos Take 2

Karlie and Shek headed to school one day a week this year to take most of their courses out.  It's the best of both worlds, 'out' classses and homeschool rolled into one. AND they wanted me to document the day by taking a photo. We were a little nervous about the first day and I let it get by me without a photo. SO today, I snapped one as they were headed to the car. A week late is better than never, right.

Praying for a great year at Konos Kids and Konos Academy...MAY all the kids in these classes make godly friends, grow in their faith in Jesus, and develop a love for learning not just spitting out facts, but an actual joy for learning. 

In Jesus' Name

Shek is 11!

How on earth did this child 'o mine get this old?

11 years old...comedian, sports fanatic...fun loving...

Shek enjoys opening cards with a little green inside.

Lighting his candles the old fashioned way because the flame lighter thingy was out o'flame

A wii game...

The family celebrated with Shek's favorite meal, Tacos, and birthday cake with icecream

The loot.

Jolie was excited about cake and ice cream all day long.

last night, Shek celebrated with a little family bday party, and today had a little chick fil a for lunch..
happy birthday, Shek! Hope this birthday was the best yet.