C for Cadence

Such a beautiful little girl


With such long, beautiful, full hair


Too Dang Cute



What a difference a day makes, or rather 5 minutes alone with some craft scissors....





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little more......





little more.....






Hey what happened to her hair?


From the Left


The Right


The back :-(


Close Up of the Front


Cadence on her 1st Birthday - Is that look familiar?





Here is the look before the professionals got a hold of her....





There really are no words at times like this












The only saving grace in this whole sorry event is that thankfully School Picture Day was last week... Here's hoping we don't need to do a re-shoot anytime soon.

Loud Lunch

This afternoon was spent in the company of our local friends and families at our monthly FCC get-together.

Since our regular restaurant has recently changed hands, we decided to try a new restaurant this month, a Chinese buffet restaurant in Coral Springs . It is aptly named the Coral Springs Super Buffet - not very original name, but the food was good and we all had plenty of fun.

The restaurant had a large open room at the rear, which we basically claimed as our own. Within a short time the kids were feeing right at home and the noise level was something to be heard (from along way away...). There were balloons, bubbles, screaming, joyous children running wild on a cake sugar rush, parents laughing and a general level of chaos that has become the norm at our events. I don't know if we will be invited back again or if the restaurant owners are now in the process of changing their phone number and/or location, but I do know my family ate more than could be believed and they all came home very happy. Even Joyce was smiling since she got to eat her favorite chicken feet - her little taste of home that I know she misses here.

Minouche and Yasmin


Joyce plays Pat-a-cake with Princess Pirate Gracie


Emma and Lisa share some fun


Our resident children's entertainer Brenda keeps the fun coming


Little ones enjoying the bubbles


Jade shows us how it is done by a professional


Double Trouble - The Two Emmas


Today was a day of celebration for our little group, we have had a number of special birthdays during this month (Katie Starr, Shannon, Tammie and Lori) and we also had the welcome news that one of waiting families has accepted a referral for a healthy, 5 year old boy. He is to be named Benjamin and is currently waiting for his new family to come and get him in Beijing. Congrats Ilyne and Raphael, your world will soon be filled with all things boy. We in the Choi house are extremely happy for you, having a 5 year old boy ourselves, we know you are going to love it and Hansen is going to love having a new buddy. Please keep us posted on your travel dates and we will keep everything crossed that the TA (travel approval) comes very soon.

Even though it is not really a reason to celebrate per se, we also celebrated with a cake and balloons the imminent departure of one of our families. Kristina, Mark and Olivia are soon to be moving to Orlando and this was their final FCC event. Honestly, we didn't know whether to cheer or cry. Of course we are very happy for them, but boy are they going to missed. They are a sweet, sweet family who I have been honored to know over the past few years. I am sure our paths will cross again in the future, but it is still sad to say goodbye. Good luck guys and please keep us posted on your upcoming adoption.

A fond farewell to Olivia, Mark & Kristina


Another reason to party was that since the event was held on a weekend, we got to see some of our members from further afield who cannot make it during the school week. You know who you are - it was great to see you.

Jade holds court with the younger kids



It's a good job Lia is cute, cos she is so mischievous


Jade try to hide from me - check out her beautiful dress


Finally, I don't know who's bright idea it was, but someone suggested getting a group photo. Amazingly, somehow worked it out, the only missing element was me, since I was holding the camera. I am hoping someone can photo shop me in later - lol.

Test Shot #1


Richard takes charge


The Final Photo


Cady and Joyce fell asleep in the car on the way home and no one has eaten their dinner this evening, so I would say it was an afternoon well spent.

Wonderful World Shadow Puppets

This has to be a classic. It truly is A Wonderful World.

Amazing.

The "Born In My Heart" Art Auction has already begun. It runs from April 24th - April 29th (Beginning the 24th @ 9:00am PDT)

In nearly every orphanage in China, children in need of heart surgery wait to be healed. In an effort to help as many of these orphaned children as possible, Love Without Boundaries began the "Born In My Heart" art auction five years ago. This is an annual event that serves as a special tribute to the miracle of adoption, and also as a fundraiser to help provide these essential operations to children who need emergency heart surgery. You can help to save the life of a child by taking part from April 24-29. Every penny raised will help to heal precious children and give them the opportunity to grow and thrive, and perhaps even find a family of their very own. So please bid often and bid generously!

Auction items will begin to launch at 9am (Pacific) on Thursday, April 24th. Nearly 300 items will be added throughout the day, and the auction will close Tuesday, April 29th (again, with items closing throughout the course of the day). They will have some absolutely incredible items this year, all donated by LWB's fabulous supporters! Just a few of the items you won't want to miss are: "Jia: Portrait of Hope" by Leila Ashton: an original oil painting of one of our LWB heart babies, a life-size replica jade burial suit, two giclee prints of "Qi Pan" by Zhao Kailin, personalized digital lifebooks, the most beautiful collection of quilts imaginable (including several "100 Good Wishes" quilts), beautiful paintings (both originals and giclee prints), calligraphy, custom adoption videos, amazing photography, embroidery, gift baskets, jewelery, clothing, heritage items and so much more!

You will be able to access the auction from the Love Without Boundaries website homepage at: http://www.lovewithoutboundaries.com/ beginning April 24th.

Please take a moment to have a look at all the beautiful items up for auction. Any donation no matter how small will make an incredible difference in the life of a child.

I m bidding a a few items myself, but sssh! don't tell Richard.
Kim

A for Amelia

Best of Intentions

I have to apologize for not being able to complete our Orlando trip journal, but my poor little baby Mac mini has taken a turn for the worst. Richard took her in for a checkup on Thursday and apparently she needs a new disc drive. The local Apple store didn't have one in stock, so he left my baby there over the weekend, so that she can get the care she needs asap on Monday and hopefully come home early next week.

Unfortunately, many of my photos are on the hard drive,so until she returns I am lost.

I will keep you posted on her progress, but for now I am back using my faithful old laptop.

Todays Hansenisms

Hansen has such a cute turn of phrase and his attempts at English are sometimes so funny.

This morning we were all upstairs having our morning hug in bed (read kids climbing all over their poor defenseless parents) and were contemplating getting up.

I asked Rich 'While I take a shower, please could you make me a bagel and a cup of tea? To which Hansen added and 'a spice of kiss!' It sounded like some weird ingredient in a kind of witch's brew, but he planted a kiss on my cheek and smiled.

Another recent Hansenism was last night at dinner, when he asked if he could please have some checkups with his fries... He meant ketchup, but I guess from now on we will all be having checkups and fries.

Tan Hong Ming

I just had to save this, it is one of the cutest things I have ever seen. Young love.

Budding Thespian?

I know I should be getting the kids ready for school, but I simply had to take a moment to capture Hansen's words on record before I forgot them.

Setting the scene, I am downstairs on my computer, Rich and Aimee have just left the house and it is completely quiet. I hear the little ones come out of their bedroom and start wandering around. This is the conversation I hear from Hansen to Cadence...

Interesting! No one is here in their room.

Must they all be downstairs?

(he then starts his way downstairs)

Oh No! No one is here, it is just US!

OMG! I was cracking up, the drama of it all. Also, the impressive language skills from a young man who has only been speaking English for 18mths.

Orlando Day 2

Anyone for lunch?

After a long day at Sea World on Tuesday, we decided to pace ourselves and have a quiet day on Wednesday. The morning was spent relaxing (read sleeping) and then it was a leisurely afternoon driving down International Drive to see some of the sights. The main reason for the drive was to see the Wonder Works building. Rich and I originally saw this crazy building on some tv program, but have wanted to see it ever since. The kids thought it was wild. Basically the building appears to be upside down, as if it has been ripped out of the ground and thrown aside complete with palm trees and a Fedex collection box. It is really very cool. Check out the photo, since my description does not do it any justice.



Our original plan had been to spend the evening a Sea World watching the evening Shamu and firework show, but since it looked like it might rain we decided to have an early night. On Thursday our Disney experience would start and we all needed to be ready for a long day. Of course, having nothing to do in the evening meant the kids got the opportunity to have more fun in the pool. Having three kids (well 4 inc. Joyce) now, my one regret is that Rich and I did not have a pool installed at our house. When we moved in we considered it, but we did not think we would be in Florida as long as we have been and with Aimee only one year old and no other kids on the horizon, it did not seem like a good idea. Oh how I wish we had now. I don't like to swim, but it would have been a great way to cool off and wear the kids out during the summer. I may have even learned to swim by now. I guess hindsight is 20/20, but living here for 5 years and having 3 kids was never in our plans... lol

Orlando Day 1

It is hard to capture the events of our trip, since in true Orlando style here was simply too much to do and so many incredible memories.

The basic itinerary was that we drove up to Orlando on Monday arriving late afternoon for a relaxing swim and dinner ready to start in earnest on Tuesday. Thanks to the amazing deal that Sea World are offering, we were able to buy fun passes that were slightly more that a regular day pass, but meant that we can return as many times as we like until Dec 31st. I doubt we will get the real benefit, but it did mean that on Tuesday we took our time at Sea World to enjoy everything, without worrying that we would miss anything. This was our first trip to Sea World and for those who have never been, make sure you add it to your next Orlando trip. A friend of mine recently told me it is one of Florida’s best kept secrets - She was right, there is plenty to see and do, but best of all it is WAY more relaxed than any of the Disney parks. All of us had an incredible day learning about our environment and sea life. We skipped the Shamu show since we knew we would come back and it was our plan to do the evening show later in the week.




These are two of my favorite photos of the trip- I just adore the lighting of the family picture and then the one of Aimee and the Manatee is just too cute. I think the Manatee looks like it is made of chocolate, but it is actually a bronze. Aims loves Manatees



Gotta get that Bud advertising in at every opportunity

One of the highlights of the day was the Pet Show. This is an amazing show put on by various dogs, cats, pigs, ducks, birds, etc that Sea World have rescued from animal shelters. I have seen some things in my time, but this has to be one of my favorites ever. The show is incredibly cute and funny, but what made it for me was all the cats. How they ‘trained’ them to do any of the spectacular feats I will never know. I can’t even get my cat to move off the couch when I ask, so I was totally awestruck that these rescued pets were performing to such a standard. I wish I could have sat there all day watching. These was much giggling and squealing from all the Chois, but I think I was the loudest.

Another highlight was the dolphins. There is an underwater viewing area that is so relaxing. Watching dolphins is so tranquil and it is a great way to cool off and relax. One of the things I love about dolphins is there love of playing. It always looks like they are smiling and having much more fun than the audience. One of the things the kids got a real kick out of was feeding the rays. There is a large pool that you can touch and feed the rays as they swim. The kids loved this, especially Joyce.






Dolphins underwater viewing-so very cool


Kids getting hands-on with the rays

Sea World is such a beautiful park, I think it is great just to stroll around without doing any of the various amusements. I could have walked all day just taking in all the beautiful flowers and relaxing surroundings. The kids spent about an hour letting off steam in the toddler water park area, before we decided to try the kiddy roller coaster. Since Cadence was too small for the ride Rich stayed with her, and Joyce was off doing a more grown up, it was just me, Aimee and Hansen. For anyone that knows me, I hate roller coaster with a passion. After a short wait, it was our turn, I let a few people go ahead of us, so that we would get the very front car. Big mistake! Just as we are about to load in, the two kids together and me behind, the attendant tells me that I have to ride with Hansen and Aimee would need to go on her own. There was no time to argue or even consider the options - like getting the heck outta there. So Aimee climbs in the very front seat by herself and H and I get in behind her. Keep in mind that is their first ever roller coaster ride. Well this thing takes off and I realize oops, I don’t think this is a good idea... Unfortunately there is no way back. Poor Aimee was as brave as could be, with me coaching her from behind. Personally, I don’t know how she forgave me for such a bad mommy moment. I am sure that I would have never spoken to me again for the rest of the day. She was terrified, but thankfully the ride was so short, it was over before we really knew it. The other good thing was that since I was so worried about Aimee, I totally forgot to be motion sick or scared myself - lol. Hansen on the other hand LOVED it. He thought it was the most fun he had ever had. Getting on he had been worried, but getting off he was walking so tall he must have been at least 6ft tall. He took great joy in telling Cady and Daddy all about it and about how brave he had been. In the meantime, I made peace with Aimee and gave her a much needed hug. I doubt she will ever trust me again.



Poor Aimee all alone in the front seat


Hansen bores Cady with the details


Aimee not looking too convinced


The standard Sea World shot

I almost forgot the bonus Elmo show. I had no idea that Elmo had some kind of agreement with Annheuser Busch, but he does and this means that there is the most wonderfully little outdoor Elmo show. The kids were enraptured by it. So, so cute and I got to test out my new camera. The show was funny, colorful and filled with all our Rehov SumSum (that's for Tammie) favorites. Check out these pictures.







Pretty girl watching the show




Aimee pretending to be the monkey in the middle - a bit choreographed, but I like the shot