Our little Ciara

Granted the child is way taller than me....she's still our little Ciara. In fact, we tend to confuse the names between Miaya and Ciara sometimes....boy Ciara gets into a lot of trouble at our house as much as her name is used! Kind of hard to be in trouble when you aren't even around! Anyway it was Ciara's birthday this weekend and we enjoyed a family picnic at Lake Icaria. We all ate til we were stuffed and headed out to the lake. Ciara and Michael took Miaya and they had a great time! Check out the pictures!

The latest in swimsuit style....floaty optional.

Our little Ciara

We also got to see Alex and his injury as he hopped to his sister's birthday. He unfortunately broke his ankle in a preseason football scrimage.He plays for Simpson College.  He was a starting player, too! Found out a lot of things through the experience: one being don't get injured in Lamoni Iowa...no hospital....if you have a choice don't go to Leon hospital...ask if they have an ambulance in the county...would be nice to have a little something for the pain, before they set it (they did it on the field) oh it was all very frustrating! But it was hard on Alex's spirit more than  anything....he loves to play football.  Looks as though no season this year....I'm hoping he will go out for baseball! I'm very lucky to have 4 wonderful nephews that are terrific young men!

Checking the temperature.

First Day of School

I really don't remember my first day of school, in fact I really don't have too many memories of grade school. I do remember when my mother would bring my treats, which always consisted of Cracker Jacks and cupcakes. She would go around to each child and write their names on the cupcakes! She also brought our baby kittens in one time with bows around their necks. Sweet memories...obviously I had some memories, and I hope that I can do the same with Miaya.

Miaya started the day with a nasty cold, but she kept on going. In fact she had a huge sneeze after the picture of her in front of the front door... and you know what came out everywhere. I'm so glad my husband carries paper towels around everywhere! The first picture is of her in the bedroom getting ready. I promise she is really Chinese, I don't pull her hair so tight it makes her eyes that way! She was a little tender headed this morning....but  she got through it. I really love my expression....looks like I just had big bite of lemon....but I was actually singing to her....nice shot Michael! Notice she had to ride to the beauty parlor on her tricycle.

Miaya and her backpack ready to go!

She has her own Kai Lan backpack which she is very protective of. She use to have a panda backpack, but she says that's for babies now. She is growing up...too fast for mama.

I just love this picture....can you feel the excitement!















She was a bit shy and cried a little when Daddy left, but she felt better after she had breakfast

.

The report from her teacher, was that she did real well. She's a smart cookie, she knows her alphabet...can identify little and big letters both, counts real well....especially when I give her m & ms. Enjoy the pictures!

Her Very Own Playground

Whoosh!

Miaya has a "playground" as she puts it!  We got a swing-set on clearance, and now our girl actually has a place to play.  She could hardly wait for the slide to be attached for use, and the glider was a big hit, especially after she figured out how to make it "go faster" by herself.

Cruising Around

Miaya went for cruise around the yard, she's getting better about going for a ride just for the fun of it. 

She's even has her very own John Deere cap, cinched down to fit her. 

Our Space Explorers - More Pics From Wonderscope

Here are a few more pictures from our visit with the Hisle's.  Here the girls are enjoying the attractions at Wonderscope.

The Farmer's Market Room

Six Daughters of China

Six "Daughters of China" at the Hisle's. 

Bouncy House Fun

Tuesday evening during our visit, Gary set up the Bouncy Castle and the girls had a ball.

Although there was a little problem with the backwoods paparazzi!

Not Quite Ready For Thanskgiving

We saw this in our "backyard" on July 22 at 3:30 pm.  Just happened to look out the west window and saw the yard full of wild turkeys.  There were at least 25 to 30 youngsters, and numerous adults.  We have seen turkeys in the timber here many times, but never in these numbers.

View from the house

Michael saw the flock, grabbed the camera and telephoto lens, slipped out the front door, snuck around the shed and got these pictures.

On out in the woods.

Railroad Arts And Crafts

Michael had Miaya at home today, and after the 20th request to draw a choo-choo, he decided to try a different approach, and they made this in a couple of hours.

"Daddy, I love my Choo-Choo!"

Miaya has the "choo-choo" sound down solid!  

She's already made several circuits of the house, maybe we should get her some knee pads! 

One of  her favorite things is the tracks it leaves in the thick carpet.  She was good helper, holding tools and materials for daddy, and waiting patiently at a distance when power tools were required. 

My Best Friend

When Miaya and I got home after picking her up from daycare, I was hot and sweaty from working on a bad section of fence.  After getting us both cold drinks and lemon cookies, I looked at Zia/Sophie's blog so Miaya could see some of their pictures of our visit.  She took one look at this picture and said "That's Zia, my best friend buddy!"

She was disappointed (!!!) when we parted with the Hisle's in Shawnee, Kansas, and for several days any time we got in the car, it was "Go see Zia?".  Yesterday, Miaya and I went to Villisca to do some business at the bank, and after getting a couple donuts and a pork fritter sandwich the size of a manhole cover at Casey's, we took the "scenic route" home on the gravel roads and shared our sandwich as we cruised along.  After a couple of twists and hills in the road, Miaya asked "Go Zia's house?"  "Well, yes the road does look rather like the road to Zia's, but not today".

Michael

Miaya's Chicken Adventure

Miaya meets chickens for the first time.  Other than nuggets that is!  She was trying to scoop up one of them like she does her outside kittens at home -- probably not a good idea!

And, yes she made it in the house without dropping or breaking any of the eggs.  Not many chicken houses have curtains and cabinets.  And definitely the cleanest chicken house I've ever seen.

Our Little Blossom Among The Blooms

The forecast was for severe storms in or area, so Michael and Miaya went out to take some pictures of of Kim's flowers in case the storm was too hard on them.

Stargazer lilies - our wedding flowers.  This one stalk had over a dozen blooms!

Them is some tall lilies!

Wow!

Our little blossom among the blooms.

You can also see our accidental sunflower patch - from bird seed the birds never found!

Some very prolific daylilies.  

It's a good year for Tiger Lilies, these came from Michael's great-aunt Deloris, and are always tall, but this is really exceptional.

The John Deere walking plow held Michael's father's mailbox for many years.

It was kind of a bad hair day for Miaya.

I'm done with pictures for today!

Our little Ciara

Our little Miss Ciara is growing up! I think in my heart I have her in 6th grade, but unfortunately she has grown more than that and will be graduating next spring from Corning High School.

We are so proud to announce that her newest adventure resulted in 1st place in the Adams County Fair queen contest. The second runner up was from Prescott also and as Miaya calls her "My Jenny". Jenny as well as her sister Josie took care of Miaya when she went to daycare in Prescott. So it was almost a clean sweep for Prescott!

Our Salute to Kansas

We thought of our friends in Kansas today when we saw our sunflower plant bloom.. Mom tried to feed the birds this past winter and they had nothing to do with the sunflowers, so guess what SUNFLOWERS! Miss ya Gary, Sophie, and Miss Zia!

Gotcha Day

Today is Miaya's second anniversary of her Gotcha Day. It's been 2 years since we were given the most precious gift we've ever been given. Miaya can still get in her orphanage outfit. We think maybe one more year of having it fit and then she may have to wear it as a hat! She's spending a little quality time with the little pig we sent to her in the orphanage. I shouldn't of wrote anything in this blog...because words can't express how much we love having her in our lives.  Miaya dear.....we love you!

Kitty Pile!

"Kitty Pile" was what I called the Fourez cats and kittens. Miaya loves to look out the patio door and yell "Kitty Pile" when she sees the whole family together. It in fact is the entire family mama, papa, and the 4 babies.  BTW anyone want a kitty!

Sometimes...you just can't wait!

Little Miss Miaya has her favorites. As she grown older they still remain. Ciara, her big sis (we call her..she's really her cousin) made this blanket for Miaya for her to cuddle with. It is a nightly ritual to ask her pink....or blue.  Ciara had double sided the blanket with a pink solid and blue teddy bear side. Her percentage tends to go towards blue...not sure why. So I asked her one day and she said, " So I can be in the clouds!" Too cute!

Favorites tend to be well loved and drug around the house. So a weekly washing is always inevitable.
But as she grows she does become more patient and not wait at the top of the stairs until Daddy brings them up from the basement. (washer and dryer in basement...trying to remedy that soon I hope!) But today she just couldn't wait!

Whirlwind Weekend

As mentioned before we had a whirlwind weekends with all the graduation, but I didn't mind at all heading north to go to my sweet Becca's graduation party. I took mom and dad up for the festivities and headed home later in the day. She had a great turn out and everything went great! I just can't believe she's old enough to head to Iowa State next year. I'm hoping she will have a great time and take some time to come down and visit us all down south....at least she will be closer and will have cousin Rusty there just in case. Wow two McCarty's at Iowa State....go Cyclones! All our best Becca you will have an awesome time!

Take Time

Miaya's birthday came on the heels of graduation parties, commencements and anything else you want to throw in! So having everyone over on her birthday was not realistic. So we made sure to "take time" to have special moments. Janet Roberts used to be our secretary at Prescott and became a great friend that gave me words of wisdom during our long wait for Miaya. One of her gifts to us...not our soon to be adopted daughter was a tea set. She told us that we needed to practice having tea part and "take time" for special times. So with her words of wisdom still in my heart we had a picnic for Miaya on her birthday. I packed up her little panda backpack and went off to find daddy. We spread out Aunt Vesta's blanket on the ground and had choccie milk and princess cookies and just enjoyed..