Down on the farm

The cider mill we went to over the weekend and a play area for children.

Ella spotted this little rolling tractor and wanted to hop on it and go around the track.

~Videographer dee, tractor follower David, and down home girl Ella

First Haircut!!!

We took Ella to get her first haircut (with us) on Friday.

Oh the tears!!!

Oh the sadness!!!

But....look how cute!!!

~Mommy dee, Daddy David, and cutie pie Ella

Fall time at Greenfield Village

We visited Greenfield Village yesterday.

It certainly feels like fall in Michigan!!!

Visiting the piggy pen with Mom Mom and Uncle Mikey!



First time on a Merry-Go-Round...hmmmmm....maybe she will ride a horse next time.


Pinkins, Pinkins, Pinkins!!!

~Lovin' Fall dee and David, and I am not too sure about this Merry-Go-Round thing Ella

Cider Mill

We visited a local cider mill yesterday for the first time as a family.

It was a bit overcast and chilly, but that did not stop us from having a great time (plus there were not that many bees to bother us).

Our little calf!


Tractor riding fun!


Yay!!!


WOW!!! This pumpkin is huge!!!



and these are just my size!!!

~Mmmmm...I love cider and donuts dee, soon to be jack-o-lantern carver David, and our sweet little pumpkin Ella

Happy 4 Month Family-versary!!!

WOW!!! Today marks four months that we have officially been a family!!!

Four months ago right now, we were in our hotel room at the White Swan Hotel going to sleep (we went to bed early in China, since we were in one room and Ella would typically go to sleep around 8:30p.m., plus those first few days with a toddler wiped us out...who I am kidding...David and I could still go to bed at 8:30p.m. on most nights), listening to the nightly opera music showcase with laser light show that was taking place across the Pearl River (the only reason we know it was a laser light show is some nights (yes, this showcase went on each night of the 16 nights we were there), our room curtains would not be pulled all the way closed and trickles of laser light beams would make their way into our room.

David and I were just hoping that we would do alright by Ella. We hoped that she would learn how much we loved her before we even met her and how much our love grows for her each day.

David and I held onto our hope that one day we would have our Ella.

Who says hope doesn't turn into dreams that come true?

~Hopes and Dreamers dee and David, and our dream come true Ella

Just having fun!!!

Ella the Cookie Elf

Connected to China!

Last week I sent an e-mail to a Nanny that took care of Ella while she was living at the S.W.I. (orphanage)in China (Thank you Kathy for giving me the correct e-mail address for the S.W.I.).

I just sent Jie a short e-mail. I told her how much Ella is loved by David and myself, as well as, our families and friends. I expressed how grateful we were for what good care she took of Ella. I also told her what amazing progress Ella has made in just the short time she has been with us, then I also attached a few (it was hard to pick just a few) photos of Ella.

I waited all week hoping for a response....and we received one last Friday!!! Jie expressed to us how happy she is that Ella is loved and is doing so well. She continued to say that they miss her and look forward to more e-mails and photos of Ella in the future.

Jie also attached a photo of Ella. This a photo that we had not ever seen before. We think that the photo Jie sent must have been taken earlier this year since the early photos that we do have Ella looks similar.

All bundled up!


Happy Girl!


What a difference a few months can make!
~Grateful Nommy dee and Daddy David and our Spicy Guangdong girl Ella

I am growing so fast!!!

My goodness...Ella has grown about 1.5 - 2 inches within the last 3 months!!!
(She has gained 2 pounds too!!!)

David has been marking how tall Ella is on the door frame to her bedroom. We are going to keep track of her height over the next year (and beyond) marking it at 3 month intervals.

Look how much I have grown!!!

~Proud Nommy dee and Daddy David and growing like a weed Ella

Imaginary Friends really do exist!!!

Over the weekend David, Ella, and I were able to meet up with a memeber of a message board that we are part of on the interwebs and intertubes.

It was so nice to meet Lindsay and Baby Cora and put a face and voice to a picture and a name.

We had a lovely lunch at the Californian Pizza Kitchen at a local mall and topped off the afternoon with some yumminess from Starbucks.

It is so nice to know that imaginary friends that you haven't really met really do exist when you do meet them.


~Smiling, happy Mama dee, photo taker of his girl's events David, and Baby Cora's new friend Ella

Autumn Moon Festival

We attended an Autumn Moon Festival (a harvest festival) event last evening in the area.

It was a small event, with a concert performance using traditional Chinese musical instruments. We also tried a few different Mooncakes.

We hope to make attending festivals and other Chinese celebrations annual events.

3 Peas in a Pod!



Meat and Sweet Bean Mooncakes

~I think I will stick to Moon Pies from Kroger dee, I was brave and tried a meat Mooncake David, and our little Empress Ella

Fall is in the air!!!

Yay!!! We are reaching that wonderful season of Fall!!!

If you live in Michigan, then you know just what I am talking about. David and I love, love, love the fall season and we hope Ella will learn to love it too (although getting her used to wearing socks and hats has been a challenge, she is beginning to embrace her new fall fashions).

We are going to be attending our first Autumn Moon Festival this evening. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate and we will have lovely photos to post for tomorrow. Have a wonderful Saturday and Happy Fall!!!!
~Lovin' fall dee and David, and "No tsoxs" (no socks) Ella

Finger Painting...on the paper....nah....

We broke out the finger paint again today. Ella really wanted to paint after I had finished painting the bottom of her foot to make our Halloween cards.

So out came the paint...apparently, painting on paper is optional!

What??? You want me to paint this paper? I would much rather rub the paint into my hands.


Ooooo.....paint facials are the way to go!!! I must inform Om Spa of this!!!


Picture Smile!!!

~activity planning dee, working hard at work while we have fun at home David, and Finger Painter...I mean inventor of the Finger Paint Facial Ella

Just me and my girl!

On Sunday some wonderful friends threw us an online Family Shower.

We would open a gift, David would take a photo, then he would run downstairs to upload the photo to the message board, during this time I would be on my laptop upstairs chatting with our friends on a chat board, while Ella would walk over to the present pile and say "Mour" (more).

We had such a lovely afternoon and we are so thankful to have such a wonderful extended friend network that reaches all the way around the world.

This is my favorite photo from the day though...just me and my girl.

~happy Nommy dee (yes, that is "Nommy"), photo uploader David, and Picture Smiler Extraordinaire Ella

Greenfield Village

Anyone that knows us, knows that Greenfield Village is one of our favorite places to visit.

David and I were married in the Martha Mary chapel, we had our reception at Lovett Hall, we attend the 4th of July Salute to America every year, we make multiple visits to "the Village" several times a month during the Spring, Summe, and Fall, we love attending The Holiday Nights at Christmas...and we have longed for the day when we would take Ella each time we would visit.

We have been to "the Village" many times this summer, and went again over the Labor Day weekend. It was a beautiful sunny Sunday, Ella loved smelling the flowers in the many flower gardens and quite the conversation with Tom Turkey (I know, I know...brave dee holding the camera that close to a bird...the things you do when you have a child...;-P) at the Firestone Farm.

If you krinkle up your nose while at the same time blow your nose the flowers just smell beautiful!!!



Walking through the garden.


Peek-a-boo....or as Ella says "beek-a-poo."


A serious conversation with Tom Turkey!

~brave videographer by the birds dee, Daddy extraordinaire David, and Flower Fairy Ella

Whew...we have been busy!!!

Whew.... We have been busy, busy, busy... over the last week.

My classroom is now ready for the substitute that will be with the kids from September-November.

Ella has successfully stayed with "Nana" (our daycare provider)for 2 half days. She has won over Nana's heart by being her silly and loving self.

Ella is also finishing up her first round of antibiotics for a cold, you would have never known she was sick unless you heard her cough or talk sometimes (she sounded like she had a 12 pack a day smoking habit last week).

She is talking up a storm, singing, dancing, jumping, almost running (she just walks at a super speed and we think running would be easier, but she hasn't made that move yet), and we are still working on potty training sometimes she tells us, sometimes she doesn't it is all just a work in process.

In other big news we think Ella has grown about an inch, and she is now almost ready to wear size 4 shoes!!!

(I need to download some recent photos, but here is a video that we sent to my Aunt for her birthday last week.)

~so glad I don't have to go back to school tomorrow dee, waking up Ella from her nap right now David, and our songbird Ella