"Oh I want what you're having Daddy!"

Just a quick post here before we too head out for a last minute trip to the beach this coming weekend with some travel mates from our 2008 journey to China! But since it was Keith's birthday on Monday, we decided to celebrate his big day at Outback's! Seeing how Francesca so refuses to try anything new...we were totally surprise when she asked her Dad if she could try his steak! With one bit - she was hooked and said "so long" to her grilled cheese she ordered! She can't wait to go back again and order some steak! (that's my girl!)

Poor Annabelle just hasn't been herself lately. Not sure what is up, but she has been having some nose bleeds and not eating as well as she normally does. I will share more with you all when I can...

On the paper chase for Benjamin - we are STILL waiting on our home study! I should of had known better seeing how I was told it would be completed three weeks ago...but I have stepped back from handling this - and Keith has taken over! He is usually the mild one in our family, but I can see he is getting pretty upset as well (seeing how he has been trying to call our SW for over a week now & leaving messages with no return phone calls). Maybe today will be our lucky day....

and...

On the "bloggerland" home front - I am finally getting caught up with all my fellow blogger friends! I am so behind but since yesterday, I have been trying to regroup, catch up, and enjoy all the posts (along with posting some comments)! Looks like you all are having a wonderful summer...as we are too! Here's to a beautiful 4th of July weekend ahead! I'll be back sometime next week with some beach photos as well...

Washington DC Zoo!

I love this photo of Francesca and Papa walking while holding hands (while on our way back to our LR)! It was a super sweet ending to one amazing day!

PS - you may all be wondering where was Annabelle during our visit to the Zoo and while I must say, she hung in there as best she could - but within an hour of our tour around the zoo, she fell fast asleep in her stroller.

and on two final notes:

1st - we are still waiting on our home study from our social worker and best of all he was on vacation all last week. You can bet your final dollar that come Monday morning - he will be getting a phone call from me...(I'll keep you all posted)

2nd - and I want to wish the greatest husband and father anyone could ever dream of (at least in my opinion) a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY tomorrow!!!! WE ALL LOVE YOU SO VERY MUCH & have something extra special planned just for you!

getting settled...

OK..so we have been residents of the beautiful suburbs of Washington DC for three weeks now and I must admit ~ I AM LOVING!!!! Our house, the area, and best of all - our family finally united 7 days a week - I am praying that we never have to move back to northeastern PA...it is "almost" everything I ever dreamed of. We are finally getting settled. For me - the hardest part is keeping this house clean. With now living in double the square footage from our old house in PA, I can't seem to keep up. We talked about getting some help to come in (which I did have in PA) but I am wanting to see if I can do it on my own (which I am hoping that by next week, I'll have a "schedule" of what needs to be done when). I will be taking some photos of the inside once we return from a visit to Grandma's in PA this weekend. I did manage to get some outside shots of the house and our fabulous front porch. The girls are loving it here as well and the only thing that I am not liking about the area is how expensive "going-out-to-eat" is!!! (our bills has doubled since our move, but I guess that goes with the territory).

Now...onto the photos!

Don't you just love the Ancient Chinese Soldiers statues! I have been endlessly looking for some giant Foo Dogs to grace the entrance of our patio but I just couldn't find "exactly" what I wanted. Once I saw these, I knew EXACTLY what I wanted...and thanks to my husband...I got them!

I will have some photos of our trip to the zoo this past weekend while Papa and Grandma C. came up for a visit! With only living minutes away, it is the perfect way to spend an afternoon (and best of all - the pandas were very active that day!)

from one DC to the other DC...

Well, we finally are 100% moved and living in the Washington DC area! This past week has been nothing but unpacking, cleaning, and shopping (which was my favorite part). The girls are LOVING it here and we have already started looking into some amazing preschools for Francesca to start with in the fall. My mom is here this weekend and we are all having a blast! I am going to be taking off some time from our blog until we get totally settled (hoping that happens in the next week or so). So if you don't see me too often or too soon, you'll know why... I just checked my emails today and responded to all of you with our status, new address & and/or phone number. My Internet connection here has been giving me some issues...so I haven't been logging on like I used to. So if you need me...a phone call would work best! Love you all and miss you all so much but I'll be back soon...

As for our paper chasing for Benjamin James...our HS is almost complete. I have to call our SW on Monday and see whats up. Hoping - PRAYING - it will be completed soon....

S&*( H#$% I^&* T@#!

How does one small house accumulate so much sh!t is beyond me! I truly have been packing non-stop for the past two weeks! As of Monday, our phone, Internet, and satellite service will be disconnected...and we will be in our new home! Everyone is super excited including me, but I am also a little sad to be leaving behind my mom, my sister, my grandmother, and so many of our other family and friends behind...I keep telling myself, "It is only a 3.5 hour drive home. That's not so bad." And this is not the first time I moved away. Maybe it is because I am getting older...or maybe it is because I am a mom now...but I just am feeling so very sad! The only thing I do know is that as soon as I am on I81 South...that our life as a whole family will be just the beginning....

(plus my mom is coming down the weekend of the 13th...my dad & stepmom are coming the weekend of the 20th - along with my sister...and I will return home on the 25th for my sister's birthday...not too bad.)

OK..signing off from PA...next post will be from our new home in MARYLAND!

What did you just say? (on two different accounts)

From what our social worker has told us - just this past Thursday - our home study has a very good chance of being completed by the end of this week! All of us busted our tails getting every piece of paper work needed and completed all the necessary meetings but I NEVER dreamed it would happen this fast! Now, I know that once the HS is completed, it must first be sent to our agency for a review and if it is accepted, we can than submit it to the USCIS along with our I800A application. If "this all happens" the way it is looking like it might - we could be LID as soon as Aug/September of this year! Is that crazy or what!



OK...so on one more note, I have to share with you all a conversation I had with Francesca this past week...(here it goes)....

Francesca: "Mommy, what colors are your eyes?"

Me: "What color do you think they are?" (as I move closer to Francesca)

Francesca: "Brown! Your eyes are brown Mommy just like a chinchilla! Did you know Mommy that chinchillas have big ears too? They can hear everything. You too must have big ears because you know when I am being bold and you are not ever around."

Oh - how I love this time with my sweet daughter...

As for our Annabelle, she is truly my little shadow! Where ever you see me, you'll see her! She loves being with her Mama and I have no issues with that! She is still wearing 18 months - 24 months size clothing, but even though she is tiny...and I mean tiny..she truly can hold her own.

Well, that's it on our end. I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend and here's to a HS complete week ahead!



***I know many of you are curious about our move and how can we do our dossier when we are in the middle of a move and the answer is - or at least our answer is - we are NOT selling our PA home - at least not yet. Not sure when we will put it on the market, but for now, that is not an issue for us. So since we - no...make that I...know what needs to be done in to complete our dossier in PA - that's where we are doing it.***

Studio News & New Photos!

Studio News ~ Just this past week, the studio's shop on Etsy has sold three more pieces of my original creations! I am just super excited & super surprised! I never dreamed I would be able to do what I love & get paid for it! I am truly one lucky girl! I was also asked by a representative from the gallery where my showing will be (starting next week) if one of my pieces that I submitted can be worn during a photo shoot that will take place at the end of the month. I haven't gotten the written contract just yet, but what a feeling it is just to be asked...!

OK...now onto the BEST part of my life ~ my kiddos!

(this is what happens when you are trying to pack up ~ she is just too stink'n cute!)


As many of you already know, we LOVE the horse races...so any time a BIG race...like the Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont are on...we must have a party! Here are a few photos of the girls with some not so lucky tickets! (come on did you actually think I would let them play with the winners...)

Now here are a few random photos that we taken over the past week while visiting G.G. at the nursing home.

Francesca & Grandma!


and...

Annabelle and G.G.

We are still working on packing up our house in PA for our move to DC! Keith has moved all of our basement & attic stuff this past weekend...along with our patio/outdoor stuff as well. I still can't believe how much sh!t you can accumulate just over a 10 year period (that's how long we have been living here). We really got rid of so much - which will make this move a whole lot easier when it comes to unpacking...By June 7th ~ our new address will be in a beautiful suburb of DC!