Ditched at the Carnival

We went to the Pony Express Days today.  It is about a mile down the road from the house.  I forgot to take my camera so no pictures. The girls had a good time.  WE went on all the kiddie carnival rides several times.  Leeza still wants to go on the Big rides, but she is just too short.  At the end of the day, the girls got their faces painted.  Leeza was a purple cat.

 I took pictures when we got home.  Sadly, Sasha sweated before then and then rubbed her face.

 Rubbing a sweaty face makes a real mess of face painting!  She was a pink cat before the rubbing.

The girls were in a goofy mood and wouldn't hold still for pictures.  After we got our faces painted, the girls got to ride ponies.  Actually, Leeza was either on a really big pony or a very hairy horse.  Sasha finally stayed on the pony and didn't jump off. 

At the carnival, the girls got wristbands so they could go on rides as much as they wanted.  Leeza loved the big slide and the alligator roller coaster.  Leeza went on the slide so many times that she was starting to have a problem climbing the stairs to the top as she was getting so tired.  Sasha was a little afraid of the slide at first, but then she had a good time on it also.  We went around the carnival hitting all the kids rides a few times.  When we got to the carousel, I helped the girls on their horses and then they told me that they didn;t want me there.  I was not to touch their horses as they were big girls.  I had to stand back and not touch even the horses tail!  As we were getting off the carousel, Sasha saw her friend Allison getting on it so she went back to ride again, but told me I didn;t need to come.  Leeza in the mean time had run off and was already back on the alligator rollercoaster.  So mom stood there wainting for them.  I thought it was pretty funny as they had already dumped me to go on the rides by themselves and they are only 3 and 4.  Leeza probably rode the little roller coaster 10 or 12 times. 

As we left, we walked past the mud drag races so the girls got to see a few races.  Lots of mud.  Leeza really wanted to get into the mud.

2 Years Ago Today

5 flights, 40 hours of travel, almost 3 days with no sleep, and eating only airplane food for 2 days had me walking in a daze.  In a small waiting room at the front of the babyhouse, a group of caretakers came in holding 2 toddlers and everyone stared at me.  I stared back not realizing that these were my daughters.  After a minute, I realized who they were just before they all continued into the Directors office.  I followed them in and they handed me Leeza to hold.  Sasha started crying so they took her away before I really even saw her.   After talking to the Dr sitting on a couch in the baby house bathroom for about 30 minutes, the director came in and asked me if I wanted to adopt the girls.  I said yes and she said Are you sure?  I said yes again and 2 1/2 months later, 2 little girls arrived in the US to their forever home.

I guess I should have some beautiful portrait photos of the girls in fancy dresses for this post, but really these picutres show them for the 2 little individuals they have become.  Sasha wants to dress herself and loves lots of color and Leeza just loves an audience.  Mama just loves them both.

Saturday or when is it Mama's turn to nap?

 Started off the day taking the dog to the grommers, stopped at the bank and then off to swimming.Sasha made a lot of progress on her back stroke and float today.

 Then we went to the Decatur Celebration -we never got out of the carnival part.  As we approached the park, Leeza wanted to go on the Screamer which goes upside down and a round and around.  Sadly, she was too short so we went on a better ride- the bugs ride.

 We had to ride the carousel even though we ride this all the time at the zoo.

 This ride was cute, but it was really hard for the kids to turn the wheel to make it spin.  So it went in a circle and slowly spinned. 

 The bumper boats were fun.  The longest line of the day.

 This ride went fast and moved up and down like a jet ski.  Much rougher ride than it looks.

This was their lasst ride of the day.  Sasha did not like it.  It went up pretty high.

After the carnival, we went to Culvers and the girls had their first root beer floats.  Leeza te the ice cream, but Sasha ate all of hers.  Then we went home for a little while before leaving again to pick up the dog from the groomers.  The girls wanted to go to the park so we stopped by the new playground for about 15 mintues.  WIth the dog in the car, we couldn't stay long, plus it was almost 6pm so time to finally go home.
After all this, I need a nap, but no little girl will go to sleep.

Another weekend- more swimming

 There is Leeza hamming it up for the camera.  Notice the broom floating in the pool.  They were supposed to clean up the sand play area, but they had more fun sweeping water.

 Sasha loves to dance and will dance for any reason.  I think this one is called the popsicle dance!

 Leeza is doing great at swim lessons.  She can swim a few feet without a floatie.  She is also jumping in the pool without one which is good and bad.  Sasha is great with a floatie on, but really wants to keep the floatie on.

We got a sand table.  The sand is supposed to remain IN the box.  We are going to have to work on that.