DISNEYLAND!!!-need I say more

We decided to brave the crowds and take Tess and the gang to Disneyland for the Christmas parade and lights.  It was a beautiful day, so we pulled the kids out of school early.  Cameron was so excited and poor Tess had no idea what all the fuss was about since she had no idea what DISNEYLAND meant....boy was she in for a big surprise!!
We took all 4 kids and Bennett's cute girlfriend Amanda, who we love!!
Tess had an absolute blast on every ride she went on.  She asked a ton of questions as usual but most of it needed no explanation...just hold on for the ride!!
She was excited to see Cnderella, Pooh, Buzz Lightyear, Snow White...we did not wait on the long lines to get a photo with the characters...she really doesn't know who they are anyway...now I'll have to start renting some of these classic DVD's so she can get to know them


Space Mountian (an indoor rollercoaster in the dark)  was one of the funniest things we have ever witnessed.  Tess screamed so hard and loud we thought she would pop!!!  She even screamed "HELP ME GOD!" about 30 times at an octave that we have never heard before.  The funniest thing was when it was over we were asked if we wanted to go again and she said yes. And so we did...and again the shreiking, blood curdling shrill began again...this time Christine recorded it on her camera...it is hysterical... You can tell in this photo her smile is a bit forced...I think she was still in shock!!
Our 2 girls with their Mickey Ears...
By 7 pm we were pooped and headed home.  The crowds were a bit tough to navigate but Tess had a great time and now knows what Disneyland is...What could she possibly think of it all??

Our TOMS shoes event...

Well, the big day finally arrived...our TOMS shoes fundraiser for the LIONS for AFRICA club at JSERRA High School.  Bennett is doing an internship for TOMS shoes and is the campus rep.  They are a fantastic company that donates a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair sold...this month they are working to donate 30,000 pairs to Ethiopia... The girls that drove the van are called VAGABONDS and they travel across the country visiting schools that have campus reps like Bennett and run these events...
Here are the club kids that got students to sign up to buy and decorate a pair of shoes...
Cameron and Tess helped unload all the shoes to be decorated...
We watched a short movie about TOMS shoes and then we pulled out the spray paint and markers and got to work decorating our shoes...
The finished products...FABULOUS!!
At the end the "Vagabonds" did a video interview with Cameron and Tess and had them say "WE LOVE TOMS SHOES!!"  They will be part of the next documentary on the School reps and Vagabond tours...stay tuned!!

A playdate -California style...

Tess had a playdate with her BFF Greta.  I don't know what we'd do without sweet Greta!!  She has been so good for Tess!  The girls had a playdate and Chris took them down to the beach for a beach/pier walk.  AHHH...the perks of living in Southern California where it's 75 degrees and sunny in December!!

It's official...

Building a gingerbread house...



Cameron is the world's best big brother!!  I can't begin to share how amazing he has been with Tess.  I can't think of another 10 year old boy who would be so tender, helpful, kind and caring with his youner sister.  He and Tess put up the ornaments on the tree, made a gingerbread house and Cameron helped Tess write her letter to Santa.  The letter is so cute (written by Cameron, dictated by Tess).  Even though Cameron claims to be hip to the whole Santa thing, he wrote a letter too, just to be sure he had all his bases covered.  

Tess really wants to eat the gingerbread house...but I have explained that it is kind of fake food that will never spoil because of all the stuff they put in it...and it really shouldn't be eaten by humans...but the next day, she asks again!  I guess it looks tasty to her!! I'm not sure how much longer I can hold her off!!!

...once our eyes are opened we can't pretend we don't know what to do.  God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act...

I can't even imagine not having "acted".  Tess has been the biggest gift ever.  We are especially enjoying all the holiday stuff with her...especially fielding all the Santa and Christmas questions.  Today she asked me " MOM, do you say thank you to God that I'm here?"  and I said "Yes, everyday I say thank you to God for bringing you to us.  What about you, Do you thank God that you are here?"  To which she replied..."YES! everyday I say Thanks God for me here being!"

We made the paper!!

Our local Southern California paper ran a story about our adoption.  Our friend Norb did the interview,  which was fun...I would re-write it so you could read it, but it's quite long...The article basically recounts our decision to adopt, why and the process that lead us to Tess.  The main thing that I wanted to express was how great the support we received from our community is, how blessed we feel and I hope it inspires someone to do the same and bring another one of these sweet children into a loving family...

 I will however, write the last part of the article for you...

"Asked what her favorite thing about America is, Tess flashes her huge smile and without missing a beat says, "Hamburgers!!"

That says it all...

MY FIRST CHRISTMAS TREE!!!!!!

Tess was so excited to go to the Christmas tree lot to pick her first tree.  Christine was home for the Thanksgiving weekend so we put our tree up while she was still home.  Tess and Cameron hung all the ornaments on the bottom half of the tree.  We laughed so hard getting the tree put up on the car and then into the house...it's what the holidays are really all about!!