trippomg to oregon!!!
Zak and i were to fly to Portalnd this afternoon to meet dad and laurel after gym camp and to visit with his foster sister from China at their home in Salem,Oregon. Well due to unreliable airlines,over booking and very expensive tickets Zak and i have decided that we will not depend on anyone but ourselves so we will be leaving very in early Thursday am and driving....yes the two of us will drive to Salem Oregon to see Lila Ann and her family. Zak told me he was going to cry when he got to Lila Ann's house. I asked "why"? he said "happy tears of course". he just cant wait to see LA. Wish us luck and we will post pics of our trip when we get home.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
July 1 2012
The kids have been out of school nearly a month now,still soooooo busy all the time.
Gymnastics and TaeKwonDo go on as usual and of course i go to work. Stan is leading a high school running club this summer 3 days a week for a couple hrs in the am. Dad and kids go swimming a couple days a week and then take Tuesdays to do a FUN DAY.... Te local theme park or something of that sort. Te weather has been good,not too hot but not cold either.
We had been in Escrow for our own new house and then at the last minute our loan professional(lol lol ha ha) totally dumped on us and haad not bothered to get the correct loan in play that we needed due to our situation and we had to aborth the purchase. We were/are FURIOUS!!!! our real estate agent is furious,the seller is put out and the list goes on. It wasjust what we needed and now we ar back to square one....... You expect to hire a professional to know the business,well all was wll till the end,then he realized,though will never admit it was hhis fault,in fact,tried to turn it back on us. GRRRRRR we will keep you posted and we start on our hunt again,for our just right forever home.
Laurel and I and two other of her gym team mates were blessed with section 123 row 17 seats for the womans gym trials in San Jose. We were even invitd to the pre event meal and drinks before hand. These three little girls were just in their elements!!! It was a super special occasionfor them,im sure a once in a life time event.Laurel and I will be flying to Idaho in about 20 days(but who is counting),for gymnastica camp. She and Stan went last year and i stayed home with zak. Laurel has made a paoer chain to keep track of how many days till take off. We are both looking forward to going,Zak not so much. He doesnt do as well without mom so dad will have to have some things planned to keep him busy. He will be going to TKD so as to keep up with his belts and testing.
The boys will drive to Oregon at the end of gym camp and laure and iwill fly to them where we will spend a few days with Zaks foster sister from China,Lila Ann and her family in Salem.
We are about to celebrate Laurels 7th anniversary of her adoption. 7 yrs ago to day we were in beijing, do you all remember how hot it was???? lol man it was hot!! we were seeing the sights and bideing our time waiting to meet laurel. I kept having to stop and slow down,tell myself "slow down,enjoy the sites,the smells,the time,before you know it it will all be behind us" it was hard but we did it. I will post the usual pics of laurel and daddy that recounts the first pic we posted of her and daddy staring into eachothers eyes that day in China. She still is so tiny but almost too big to hold in that position.
Zakary is doing well,earning more and more stripes and belts in TaeKwonDo..and just so sweet.
Life is busy and still very rewarding...Hope you all are doing well as well.
Gymnastics and TaeKwonDo go on as usual and of course i go to work. Stan is leading a high school running club this summer 3 days a week for a couple hrs in the am. Dad and kids go swimming a couple days a week and then take Tuesdays to do a FUN DAY.... Te local theme park or something of that sort. Te weather has been good,not too hot but not cold either.
We had been in Escrow for our own new house and then at the last minute our loan professional(lol lol ha ha) totally dumped on us and haad not bothered to get the correct loan in play that we needed due to our situation and we had to aborth the purchase. We were/are FURIOUS!!!! our real estate agent is furious,the seller is put out and the list goes on. It wasjust what we needed and now we ar back to square one....... You expect to hire a professional to know the business,well all was wll till the end,then he realized,though will never admit it was hhis fault,in fact,tried to turn it back on us. GRRRRRR we will keep you posted and we start on our hunt again,for our just right forever home.
Laurel and I and two other of her gym team mates were blessed with section 123 row 17 seats for the womans gym trials in San Jose. We were even invitd to the pre event meal and drinks before hand. These three little girls were just in their elements!!! It was a super special occasionfor them,im sure a once in a life time event.Laurel and I will be flying to Idaho in about 20 days(but who is counting),for gymnastica camp. She and Stan went last year and i stayed home with zak. Laurel has made a paoer chain to keep track of how many days till take off. We are both looking forward to going,Zak not so much. He doesnt do as well without mom so dad will have to have some things planned to keep him busy. He will be going to TKD so as to keep up with his belts and testing.
The boys will drive to Oregon at the end of gym camp and laure and iwill fly to them where we will spend a few days with Zaks foster sister from China,Lila Ann and her family in Salem.
We are about to celebrate Laurels 7th anniversary of her adoption. 7 yrs ago to day we were in beijing, do you all remember how hot it was???? lol man it was hot!! we were seeing the sights and bideing our time waiting to meet laurel. I kept having to stop and slow down,tell myself "slow down,enjoy the sites,the smells,the time,before you know it it will all be behind us" it was hard but we did it. I will post the usual pics of laurel and daddy that recounts the first pic we posted of her and daddy staring into eachothers eyes that day in China. She still is so tiny but almost too big to hold in that position.
Zakary is doing well,earning more and more stripes and belts in TaeKwonDo..and just so sweet.
Life is busy and still very rewarding...Hope you all are doing well as well.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
last day of 1st and 2nd grade june 6 2012
today was the last day of school for Zakary and laurel. I had the day off to spend with them,theywere each having bbq's with their classes at school. Stan and i ran up and down the hill to be with each child at one point or another,it was alot of fun. Zak is really not looking forward to being out of school,he asked about summer school,we live in Vallejo where we are Bankrupt,there is no such thing as summer school anymore except for special ed. Neither of my kids fit that bill. laurel is ready for vacation.
So now dad has them full time,each still will attend their sport as regulary scheduled just no rush in the am anymore and for me???? no more lunch pails to pack except mine until August!!
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Big Weekend June 2012
So June is here and we bring it in with the annual gymnastics "Spring Fling". Unfortunatly the pics of actual action for laurel are too dark so i have posted the cute Grand Finale with all the kids in he gym from littl to big who do a routin(its usually kinda Chaotic). This year was dedicated to "American Bandstand". It was a wonderful performance all in all...wish i could sahre it all with you in person.
Today the kids had been invited to a birthday party for a little girl who Laurel does Gymnastics with. This was amazing. It was a western theme....there was a mechanicl Bull,a Taco cart,right there a jumpy house and then the Petting Zoo showed up. It was just amazing....not to mention alot of fun for us all. Two Pinata's and all the mexican fixings. YUMMMMMMMM. It was by the ar the most amazing party ive been to in a VERY long time. lol
Thursday, May 31, 2012
end of year school conferences and field trips. Hero project May 2012
So we are in the last full week of school. Yesterday was ak's last field trip of the 1st grade. They went to the Bouvrie Wdlife preserve. I have no idea where it is located,You will have to ask Stan. He drov on this trip,he lovs the class filed trips and for the most part all gos well each time,this time,just one little one in his car got car sick. Yes...all over the back door. Fortunatly mostly water as she had only hd Chocolate milk for breakfast(HUH?) and her mom had told her she needed something in her tummy to keep from feeling bad,so why not saltines?a piece of toast for breakfast?? just sayin. So poor kid,after all,she is 1st grade and shouldnt be expected to know for sure how to handle her tummy in a car. So she kept drinking water.....more and more till......yaaaa whooooooo ...it ws everywhere.oh well,only water,poor kid though was imbarressed and felt like hell.
The trip its self was great,the class saw all sorts of wildlife,Zak was so honoredmhe saw a newt,no one else did. He saw real snakes....ate lunch by the creek and romped through poison oak. The weather was perfect and they had a great time.
This mornig was Laurels 2nd grade "Hero" project,she had choosen Martin Luther King and did just a graet job. They did a board,a biography and then had to dress as that person and present as if they were the hero. She did perfectly. She has a shy little voice,she is only shy outside the house but i guess she spoke loudly and clearly so all could hear. Her teacher was very happy with her work.
At he Charter school where the kids attend,we have what are called "Student led conferences" the student along wth their teacher report on themselves and their work. They explain and show the parents how they have done and some of their work. Both kids have haad a great year and have done very well. Laurel is a super reader and Zakary the mathamatician. Cant believe that 1st and 2nd grade are over next week.
The trip its self was great,the class saw all sorts of wildlife,Zak was so honoredmhe saw a newt,no one else did. He saw real snakes....ate lunch by the creek and romped through poison oak. The weather was perfect and they had a great time.
This mornig was Laurels 2nd grade "Hero" project,she had choosen Martin Luther King and did just a graet job. They did a board,a biography and then had to dress as that person and present as if they were the hero. She did perfectly. She has a shy little voice,she is only shy outside the house but i guess she spoke loudly and clearly so all could hear. Her teacher was very happy with her work.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Still May and the world is still moving awfully fast! 2012
It seems there wer field trips going on last post...well ther are still field trips going on. Zaks class had 3 field trips out ofthe 4 weeks in May. Laurel has a major hero project and then there is the open house for the school and the enxt week the Celebration of the arts whre the kids school all did dance related to their years expeditional learning, Zak's was family traditions and culture,laurel the civil rights movement. Hero's. laurels project is on martin Luther King,its been quite the project for a 2nd grader(and i refuse to do it all). She will do a presentation and dress as MLK next week,will post pics after that is done.Ahead still,one more field trip, a gymnastics spring program and all the fun end of the year class/school activities including self led student/parent conferences!
I dont know how i forgot to mention but we also celebrated Zakary's "special Day" his 5th annversary of being a Raymond. May 25 was adoption day,5 short years ago....on a greay and rainy hot and humid day in China......Zakary joined our crazy family...........The pics of Zak sitting on dads lap and one on my lap....we do that each year,to see the growth since that day 5 yrs ago where we have pics of that same pose. WOW>>>>he has come a long ways!!!
Also,just this morning we took a drive out to brentwood,early in the am,before the crownds and the heat to Cherry pick. WE also were able to pick some berries,white peaches and apricots!!! YUMMMMM
Over my birthday,we took the motor home to my older Brother,Bruce's home,his wife,aunt julie has a bday the same weekend as mine so we had quite the time and learned how to use th motor home all at the same time. The kids thought that rideing in the back while driving and eating at the table was truly awesome. I will post some pics of the last several weeks...and then will try ot keep them going as the school yer comes to an end! We have all been healthy and hope this finds you and your families happy buy and healthy as well.
I dont know how i forgot to mention but we also celebrated Zakary's "special Day" his 5th annversary of being a Raymond. May 25 was adoption day,5 short years ago....on a greay and rainy hot and humid day in China......Zakary joined our crazy family...........The pics of Zak sitting on dads lap and one on my lap....we do that each year,to see the growth since that day 5 yrs ago where we have pics of that same pose. WOW>>>>he has come a long ways!!!
Also,just this morning we took a drive out to brentwood,early in the am,before the crownds and the heat to Cherry pick. WE also were able to pick some berries,white peaches and apricots!!! YUMMMMM
Sunday, May 6, 2012
all behind again May 2012
May 2012
I am all behind again. So much goes on aqnd it all goes sooooooooooooooooo fast. last i reported we were back east in Feb,since then, Stan had a seriouis Prostititus and was home a week with a Foley catheter,that was fun!! Now he is waiting for the large Kidney stone to pass or be broken up to pass,which ever one comes first,yes...more fun. Seems the school year is coming to an end very quickly and all sorts of things are happeningfiled trips,activities at the gym and so on. Discovey Kingdon is open now ad the kids and i took our first trip together today. We are going to take our new,well old but new to us Campr on a wekend jaunt to my brother bruces house for my birthday weekend,the 17th,mine is the 1th and his wife julie is the 19th,yes................. she is younger tham i m,by about 48 hrs. i will just post a bunch of pictures now to try to get somewhat caught up and try to do better from here on out. I will be sure to post from moms day and Zakarys 5th anniversary of being a RAYMOND coming up May 21. And I am sure that the weekend in the camper will prove to b interesting and alot of fun!!
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