Sun, Glorious Sun!

Oh what a gorgeous day it has been! We HAD to get out and take a walk around the neighborhood and then ride bikes again. If Ansley's legs were a wee-bit longer, she'd be riding the tricycle. She is a quick learner! Instead, she'd push the trike to the top of the driveway and get on and glide down. (This is the first day she has ridden the bike.) She did take a spill and get a scrape on her face and a busted lip. True to form, she got cleaned up and went right back to ride the tricycle. This is typical of her. Nothing, I mean NOTHING, gets her down. (A trait that has probably served her quite well in the past) Judson had a run in with the holly bush. So Sawyer was the only one to come out without a scrape today.Before and After. (Be sure to click on the picture so you can see an up close and personal view of the scrape!)

My Biker Gang

OK. You thought I was through posting for the week, didn't you? Not quite. It's warm here so we HAD to get outside and ride bikes. Everybody was trying to keep up with Judson. He explained to them, "I'm older. I have an ELECTRIC bike. You are babies and cannot go as fast as I can" There you have it! No other explanation is needed.

This Week

Not alot to talk about this week. (That really is a good thing) Just thought I'd post a couple of pictures. The first is what it looks like when Curious George is on at our house. No other show on TV gets their attention like this one. (Not even the Weather Channel!) The second is our little dare devil. He has no concept of danger. It scares us!

Boxes!

What's more fun than playing inside a big box? It's a boat! It's a train! It's a car! It's just a big ol' box! It's fun!!!!!

Chinese New Year

Did you know Chinese New Year starts Sunday, February 18th of this year? We had hoped to go to an official celebration but the weather and other things are going to prevent that this year. Hopefully, next year we will be able to go. We will plan a mini-celebration here at home this year.

Here are a few facts about Chinese New Year:

1. Chinese New Year starts with the New Moon on the first day of the new year and ends on the full moon 15 days later. The 15th day of the new year is called the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated at night with lantern displays and children carrying lanterns in a parade.

2. New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are celebrated as a family affair, a time of reunion and thanksgiving.

3. The sacrifice to the ancestors, the most vital of all the rituals, united the living members with those who had passed away. Departed relatives are remembered with great respect because they were responsible for laying the foundations for the fortune and glory of the family.

Just for fun, I looked up our signs. I'd say they were spot on!

Randy: Dog: Dogs have a keen sense of right and wrong and are duty bound. Their mantra is: "live right, look out for the little people, and fight injustice whenever possible"
Jan: Tiger: Sensitive; emotional; and stubborn about what they think is right. (I think that is the same as saying "control freak")
Judson: Horse: High capacity for hard work; energetic; fond of travel
Sawyer: Monkey: Charming; energetic; craving fun, activity, & stimulation; upbeat; show offs
Ansley: Rooster: Definite in decision making; flashy dresser; extravagant to the extreme (she's showing signs of all of these!)

Fantastic News!!!!!

Just found out, Louinard, the boy I wrote about in a previous post has a 'forever family'. How exciting!!!!

Dancing Fever!!!!!

Judson has it BAD. All week long, all he could talk about was the Valentine's Day Dance held by the Down Syndrome Association. We got up this morning and he wanted to go to the dance, right then. Even when I explained to him that the dance was not until the afternoon, he still wanted to go NOW. When we finally made it to the dance, he went right out on the floor and started dancing. Let me just say, he's a chip off the old block. All those who've seen Randy dance, will know what I'm talking about. (All I can say is: Thank goodness he didn't take after me in that department) Ansley and Sawyer finally warmed up to the idea and got out on the dance floor, too. They really liked the music. Ansley liked being carried around by the older girls. Sawyer just liked being in the middle of the frenzy. We all had a wonderful time.

Here's Daddy and Sawyer busting a move!


Here's Judson joining in a 'circle dance'


And Ansley being 'toted'. She was in heaven


Here's Mom and Judson 'slow dancing'

Winter Weather

Now that I am older, I could care less if it snows or not. However, Judson is wanting snow so badly. He watches the weather channel religously. He checks out the weather on the internet. He's decided we need to move up North at least temporarily so that we can have snow. So this week, he was so excited that we were going to get 'winter weather'. Well, all we got was little bit of sleet/ice. He was ready to go outside and play in it anyway. I told him we'd have to wait until another time. You can see from the pictures, how little we got. I felt so bad for him. I ALMOST wished we had snow too.The other picture is of a "national disaster". I was in the office as the kids were playing in their room. Judson comes running in saying his room was a "National Disaster". (did I say he watches too much weather and reads too many news headlines?) I do agree, it was a disaster of national proportions.