Zakary starts Orthodontics

October 2013 Zakary has started his LONGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG road ahead of him in the orthodontists chair. His first apt was 3 hrs long,they did let him get up and move about a bit but he sat and had brackets glued and then wired for sound. His mouth is FULLLLLL of metal. He is having a hard time talking and eating and everything else that goes along orthodontics but he is going to do well,he will adjust and have a more beautiful smile when he is done than he does now! The technology is amazing now,we are hoping that thru orthodontics now,a new procedure that will not be fun or easy but will likely replace a major jaw surgery when he is 16 or so years old. This new technique has come around and has been used just since we adopted him. Needless to say...We are thrilled. The first apt was Wednesday morning, and by Tuesday eve, he already had a bracket come uncemented so he was back there this am for a recement. Hope this is all for a bit. I have to keep remembering that he is a boy.....and this stuff happens.

September 2013

I am very sorry for falling so far behind on my blogging, the addition and all the news at our house. I have some time now to catch up since a week ago today, I fell off a stair trying to go to work and tore ligaments and chipped bones in BOTH ankles and I am off my feet now for a while. No where to go and nothing to do. Kids are doing well, Laurel is just starting her second competitive season in gymnastics and is looking forward to it again. Zakary is preparing for his first Taekwondo competition next month, both these kids have competitive streaks. Laurel we were most surprised by. School is going well for both kids and work for Stan and I is fine, work is work. The house is moving along, we have had our little glitches, little burps and such along the way but the last week that I have not been out of the house there has been a lot done, just on the outside, the Stucco is going up. The actual addition is all enclosed and the windows are in. It truly looks like a house now. This week I think they are supposed to be breaking thru and making the hallway, a bad time for me to be injured since there is a lot of odds and ends that need to be moved outta the way and into temp places for the knock thru. Stan just went out and got several new pics for me to post here, sorry we missed some of the in between, we have just really been running to keep up. Enjoy the pics.I sure am wishing today that we had the back deck off the new master bedroom done, so that I could sit out there. I cant really get outdoors and sit anywhere now as it all is now since im all booted up and rocking two crutches.

First dy of school

August 19 2013 First day of school. Both kids are still at the Vallejo Charter school. Laurel started 4th grade and Zakary grade. I cant believe how big they have both gotten. Laurel has a new teacher to the school, a very nice young woman and Zakary has the same teacher that laurel had for the past 2 years. So so far are all happy.

picture catch up from Idaho Gymnatics camp.

I was finally able to gather all the pictures from Idaho gym camp this summer with laurel. They did ALOT of things. Swam in the lake,paddle boarded,wall climbed, egg toss,twins day and the water park. Nastia Lukin spent two days with the girls and that was fun too. These activities all took place AFTER 8 hrs of practice. Yes, we moms sat and watched,cleaned up the motel rooms,prepared for the next activity to take place that afternoon and into the eve. This will just be picturs.

Red belt foZakary Aug2013

Last night Zakary earned his Red belt in Taekwondo. We are very proud of him. This is where he now starts the very difficult work towards his black belt. He will have to earn 2 more after this one to get his black belt. The next few belts take  longer than the first several so about 3 yrs from now if all goes the way he is now,he should be black belt testing.

July/August...House addition

The house is coming along. I will just post pics as we move along. the frame is up and the roof tressels are in the back yard. I will post as we go.....

July 2013/ Gym camp/Idaho

Laurel and Mom took off for Idaho for a week at gymnastics camp. WE had a great time and all went well.
Nastia Lukin came and spent two days at camp with the kids,worked with laurel on her beam and even went to the lake with us one eve. It was quite the experience for her for sure. After we left gym camp we flew to Oregon as we have done the last couple years. Zak and Stan had driven. We stayed with our wonderful family/friends the Bray family in Salem. They are the family who adopted the little girl that Zak lived with in the foster home in China. We all had a great time with them and then we all drove home together home to California.
We are now home and back to some summer routine. 
We stopped on our way back to California in Cottage Grove Oregon to see a LONGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG time friend and her wonderful family(all formed thru adoption). We only had a little while but it was so nice to see them all.

I just noticed that I will have to post more pictures of gym camp later. I have the Nastia pictures elsewhere and will have to get ahold of them. Don't worry though,i will do that ASAP,