endless summer...

We are trying to enjoy the last beautiful days of summer!!...because school starts next week!! UGGGGHHH!!  I love these free days of NO early morning schedules and no homework!! The kids really love these lazy days too.  We have had a blessed summer of great trips, great food, great friends and lots of funfilled days...

Disneyland -round 2

Our friends from Portugal came to visit so off we went to Disneyland for the 2nd time this year...Tess and Cameron love it so they were very excited!  Tess asked to go back to Space Mountain (roller coaster int he dark) and proceeded to scream her head off the entire time...what can you say..."the happiest place on Earth!"

...the never ending paperwork...

YIPPEE!!!  Tess's Passport came today!!
...the way we were...
...the way we are!!!
I'll miss her cute Ethiopian passport but I know she feels so great having her passport be the same as the rest of the family...

We finally have Tess's American passport!!  No more getting turned down at the airport like last Christmas when Jeff and the other kids left for Mexico,  and Tess and I went home...We still have not recieved her new birth certificate or her social security # ...but I feel like we are in the home stretch...we finished our 3rd home study with our social worker which is required the first year...now we have to file a report only once a year until she is 18 years old...this adoption paperwork is not for the faint of heart...the child is the easy part!!

Pedro's Tacos...our favorite!!

I just have to laugh when I think about Tess a year ago.  The first month she was here, she only ate mashed bananas, mashed avocados and tortillas!!  Now she loves everything (except sushi).  She literally eats more than Cameron!!  I usually need to remind her that she has had enough to eat for that meal...She loves to go out to eat and she loves rice, beans and quesadillas at Pedros!!

more kayaking...

We are loving our fun new hobby of kayaking in the harbor.  It's great excersize and so much fun to do.  Tess is always ready to go when I mention it...might as well take advantage of the rest of summer!!!

Some favorite pics from Tess's first year

A favorite photo of the kids- August 2008
Becoming a US citizen- March 2009
Tess's first "fancy do"- can't remember the date...
We hosted the TOMS shoes fundraiser at Bennett's school- Dec. 2008
Our article about our adoption in the paper...nov. 2008
At the ranch in Utah- November 2008
Tess's first Halloween...she caught right on to this holiday!! Oct-2008
Soccer- Fall 2008
In New York City with CHristine and I- Oct-2008
With her favorite big sister!!  Fall 2008
Meeting my parents and sister ans neices for the first timw- Oct 2008
First sleepover with cousins Brooke and Britt-Oct 2008
Best friend ever...Kidus, made it a very special first year for Tess!!
Tess's baptism-June 2009
A Favorite family photo -2008
With sweet grandma Ann
Tess's first Christmas-Dec 2008

Tess meets Santa for the first time...she had a million questions about the whole story...
First time in the snow- November 2008-Park City Utah

New Years in Mexico- Dec 2008
Playing at the pool in Mexico-Dec 2008
Tess played AYSO soccer and loved it!- fall 2008

End of the year play with school friends Greta and Paige- May 2009
Christmas fun at school-Dec 2008
Disneyland Jan 2009

I know these are not in order but they are some of our favorite picutres from an amazing first year!!