I've Been Tagged

Thanks to my friend Lori, I have been tagged. Since this hasn't happened before I wasnt sure if I needed antibiotics but after close scrutiny I found that I just need to answer a few questions. Here goes.....

A - available or taken: Taken
B- best friend: She died 4 yrs ago. But I have to say Jakey is an awesome friend and always has been and my friend Heather and I have know each other since BIRTH and are still very close but she is in the UK.
C- cake or pie: Cake, but it has to be hot. (yes, I know that is rather odd)
D- drink of choice: Caffeine Free Diet Coke
E-essential item you use everyday: Blowdryer
F-favorite color: Don't have a favourite but have least favourites
G-gummy bears or worms: Neither
H-hometown: Born in Wollaston England now live in Miami, Fl
I-indulgence: My bed and everything that touches my bed
J-January or February: February
K-kid's names: Lily Yuni and soon to be a Molly
L-life incomplete without: my family & friends
M-marriage date: July 1, 1987
N-number of siblings: 1 big sister and 1 big brother
O-oranges or apples: clementine oranges
P-phobias or fears: Was a phobia but is now a semi-controlled BIG fear of dogs
Q-favorite quote: Sing as though no one can hear you, Dance as though no one is watching you and Love like you have never been hurt.
R-reason to smile: Waking up!
S-season: Autumn but who remembers anymore check question H
T-tag 3 people: Nikki @ Life With Lily Lin, Dannye @ Ladyfrog, Emmie @ Sister 2 two
U-unknown fact about me: I was born 3 months premature
V-veggie I don't like: Green beans. yack!
W-worst habit: Everything has to be done NOW
X-xrays: I have but when I was a kid
Y-your favorite food: Cheese
Z-zodiac: Gemini
Please visit the Blogs of my tagged friends

Guest Poster Dad

So the other day Lily and I were playing when we heard an unusual ruckus outside, so we went to investigate. Miami-Dade warned us that we were getting new garbage cans that get picked up and dumped into the truck by this remote arm, but this thing is huge. In fact it was so big that Lil and I went against the writing on the plastic can “not to be used as a toy” and as you can see we had fun. Naughty us. We called Mummy and warned her that it was in the drive way and to check it out when she got home. Little did she know that Lily and I were hiding inside and we scared the bejeezus out of her. All in a days work when you are the dad.


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I Know That Christmas Is Over But...

I am fully aware that the holidays are over but my friend Becky sent this to me yesterday and it made me laugh out loud when I read it. I might be because she added a note saying, reminds her of when she bakes her Christmas Rum Cake! Anyway read it to the end cos it just gets funnier and funnier, well I thought so.
It also reminds me of Julia Childs who I loved. And for once, I havent mentioned Lily.
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Christmas Cookie Recipe

1 cup of water
4 large eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup nuts
1 cup of sugar
2 cups dried fruit
1 tsp salt
1 bottle Crown Royal
1 cup of brown sugar
lemon juice


Sample the Crown Royal to check quality.

Take a large bowl, check the Crown Royal again, to be sure it is of the highest quality, pour one levelcup and drink.

Turn on the electric mixer...

Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl.

Add one teaspoon of sugar...Beat again.

At this point it's best to make sure the CrownRoyal is still OK, try another cup.. just in case.

Turn off the mixer thingy.

Break 2 leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit.

Pick the frigging fruit off floor...

Mix on the turner.

If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers justpry it loose with a dewscriver

Sample the Crown Royal to check for tonsisticity.

Next, sift two cups of salt, or something.... whogiveshz a sheet.

Check the Crown Royal.

Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts.

Add one table.

Add a spoon of ar, or somefink.... whatever you canfind.

Greash the oven.

Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fallover.

Don't forget to beat off the turner.

Finally, throw the bowl through the window.

Finish the bottle of Crown Royal.

Make sure to put the stove in the dishwasher.

Cherry Mistmas

That Is Some Fancy Stuff You Have.

I have been trying to get a little more jiggy on my blog. As I wander through the land of blogs I cannot help but notice all the snazzy garb that some of you folks have. Well, I am not techy enough for all that jazz so I shall admire it from afar and leave you this evening with a few photos of Lily. I was trying to get a group of photos together of my cousins stay with us but I can't seem to get them into a slideshow so as usual it is just "The Lil" with one exception, that simply divine photo of us and the horse. My cousin snapped the beauty of me and has made me promised to show it to the world. What she doesn't know however is that I have a worse one of her.....ha ha ha.

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I Need A Sponsor

Referrals are here. I know this cos I just saw that the CCAA website has changed. They also sent a big-ish batch this time, right through September 27th which is great. But I need stats, facts and figures and if you remember correctly I have sworn off of all the groups and the RQ site. I am currently going batty sitting right here acting something like an alcoholic jonesing for a drink! I need a 12 step programme and a sponsor.....I have sunk to an all time low in lameness. I am not budging, I just hope that by tomorrow one of the blogs I follow will have all my much needed information posted right on it and if it doesn't......well I could always throw in the towel, no I am just kidding I will not. Ignorance is bliss...not not not. Are things speeding up??? Is this the beginning, well I am just going to have to learn a little patience cos I will not cave......ARGHHHHHHH Off to do something constructive with my newly acquired nervous twitch!

This House Needs A Warning

Children not only bring more joy into your life than you can ever imagine but they make you smile and laugh a thousand times a day. Lily is so happy. We think this but people are always telling how happy she is too, from the checkout girls at the supermarket to the strangers we meet in our day to day wanderings. Since she has learnt to write one of the things that fills me with the warm fuzzys are the little notes that she writes and sticks to the fridge. We made her some vocab cards that she keeps in her desk so that when she wants to write something she can just pull out her cards look at the picture or photo and use the corresponding word. The other day all be herself she wrote, I love my mommy and daddy. That was a heartmelter, it is on the fridge for all to see. Yesterday she was busy doing some work and she was wearing glasses. I did a double take since she doesnt actually have glasses. One of her bears came with spectacles a long time a go and she decided to wear them herself. They looked so funny on her that I couldn't stop laughing and she didn't mind one bit. She wore them for hours and I had to snap these photos. This is one crazy household, instead of a sign outside that reads, "Warning, Bad Dog" we need one that says, "Warning, Kids Is Nuts"


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Happy Birthday To Jacob

Today is Jacobs birthday so as you can imagine Lily is super excited. She loves to hide presents for the birthday person and then play hot and cold with them until they find them and so Jacob got to play along with her little game this morning until he found all of his loot. We then had a birthday lunch for him as he does have to work today but we can't complain since he did get to spend Christmas and New Year with us. January 2nd really is a tough day to have a birthday as everyone is partied out so we probably go a little bit over board in this house to make it extra special. We take all the Christmas decorations down by the 28th of December so that Christmas is long gone and we are not allowed to buy any presents before Christmas, all shopping has to be done independently. Crazy huh but this way Jacobs day is special and he really does deserve it. Happy Birthday sweetheart. Also Happy Birthday to Heather, Lily's cousin and Jay, Lily Lins dad, from Journey to Lily Lin (link in sidebar).

The Birthday Boy With The Light Of His Life

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Finally, he found his loot.

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Nice Shoes....Dude

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Happy Birthday Dada

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I Resolve

As I peruse Bloggyland this evening I am overwhelmed by the common thread of New Years goals and resolutions. I think it is very impressive but it is not for me. I have never been one to set impossible goals at the beginning of the year which is odd because I am very driven and very goal oriented but I can't stand the pressure and thought of defeat so early into a new and fresh beginning.

However this year I am crawling back into my adoption hole and taking the family with me. As much as it was a lonely ride on our journey to Lily, with the only news we ever got coming straight from our agency, it was a calm one. Sometimes ignorance really is bliss. So this year I am swearing off of the RQ site and all of the groups that give me hives and hysteria. It isn't the fault of the groups but the fault of my type A personality. I will, of course, because I am not totally bonkers, still keep up with all the blogs, mine included and get all of the news filtered through them. So my resolution is to breathe a little deeper and stand one step back from the proverbial fan.

Ha ha ha how long will this one last......I give it until mid-week but I am trying really really hard to make it stick!

Happy New Year

We spent the day yesterday at the Miccosukee Indian Reservation at their annual arts and crafts festival, learning about all things native American and then last night we went to Lilys Goo Goo's house for dinner with some other friends and had a wonderful time. It was the first time that Lily has been up for New Years Eve and that was what I meant by a grown up party. Usually she is fast asleep long before midnight but last night she made it but was really confused that it was the next day and she hadn't gone to bed and didn't seem to think she ought to. She has this God awful habit of waking up really, really early when she goes to bed late so we knew last night when she went to bed at 1.30am that we were in big trouble this morning and we were right.....oh well never mind, it was worth every second.


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Crazy Indian Wrestling an Alligator

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Sioux Indian Dance demonstration

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lily's Indian dance Demo

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Lily and Her Goo Goo

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Lily and the Boys...and what fun they had.

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Me and the kiddies

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Lily REALLY wants that strawberry!!!

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Guess Who?

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Too Funny...well, I thought so.

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Continued from above

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New Years Eve

As we rush out of the door to celebrate a "grown up" New Years Eve with Lily for the first time I would be really remiss if I didn't stop and take the time to wish each and every one of you a really Happy and Healthy New Year. I hope this is one that is once again filled with screaming babies and pongy diapers and all the wonderful things that accompany the pitter patter of tiny feet.

Lily's Pet

We don't have any pets and we probably won't have any pets for a really long time! Every now and again Lily asks for a dog or a squirrel or a horse but nothing sticks and I breathe a huge sigh of relief. Don't get me wrong, pets are great, I grew up with every type of animal imaginable but I just don't want any. My dad and Jeanne have a cat that they inherited from Lily's Uncle Mike, his name is Ginger and he is an old fellow of about 900 and other than the fact that he is not allowed inside he lives the life of Riley. My dad has a huge dislike for cats. Now before you get all postal on me, let me tell you that my father would not ever see any harm done to any creature not even a flea, Ok, maybe a flea but that would be it. Ginger is not allowed inside because he leaves occasional "surprises" and since my folks have spent the last 4 years renovating their 400yr old house "surprises" are not welcome. Ginger however has a heated house that he lives in! Actually on this last trip home Ginger was found to be all curled up on a chair in the living room in the middle of the day, he managed a "break-in" when no one was looking. See, his life is just fine. Anyhoo, when Lily first met him all she ever heard was my father yelling, "Ginger, Out" as he tried to sneak in through the door as Lily came into the house and Lily actually thought that that was his name. And so to this day she calls him, Ginger Out. For Christmas one of our friends, who knows this story only to well, bought Lily her very own kitten...........

The Puurfect Pet

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Ginger Out

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Cute....ish

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Rubber Down

For those of you unfamiliar with biker talk, "rubber down" is something bikers say to each other before they ride and it means what is says. In other words keep your tires on the tarmac and don't wreck. I know this stuff cos Jakey used to be a Harley dude, yes, hard to believe looking at him now but it is true.

Anyhoo, now we have to say it to Miss Lil cos our little girl learnt to ride her bike without training wheels yesterday. Huge huh? We are bursting with pride here. She is still a bit wobbley (huge understatement) but she licked it and is so darned proud of herself. I felt a bit bad today when another mother told me she is way to young. I have no idea when this is meant to happen or if there is an appropriate age but I just decided to give it a shot and she went for it. Jacob took her out again this morning and she flew so she graduated to the pavement and really went like the wind. I was a wimp and kept her on the grass yesterday cos I didn't want her to fall and get hurt and scare herself. Oh yeah, I am getting a great workout....pant pant.

Getting psyched up

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OK I am ready mummy

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20 minutes later.....tada

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One of many wrecks. Before she even hit the ground she would yell, I'm OK.

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A Little More Of The Festivities and 10 months today.

Christmas was just so much fun that I am sharing a little bit more. And thanks to Christi from Cherry Blossom Baby I was finally able to figure out how to do this slide show, thank you so much Christi. Oh, and I cannot forget to mention that we have been logged in for 10 whole months today. Yes folks 10 whole flippin months and the end is nowhere in sight but alas this is a happy post so we won't go there today.


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Christmas Day

We all know that Christmas is all about the children but who knew, I mean who really knew, just how much fun they they can bring to it? On Christmas eve we had friends over for dinner and when things had finally calmed down and Miss Lily was snuggled into bed listening to. "twas the night before Christmas" we suddenly realised we had failed to put out Father Christmas' milk and cookies so we raced down the stairs to take care of that little SNAFU we also put some reindeer fodder outside for Rudolph and then it was back to bed for one very excited little one. We thought she would be awake by 5am but were amazed when she slept until just after 7am. Seconds after her little voice arrived at the side of our bed the excitement began. My cousin said we had to wake her cos she wasn't about to miss a second of it. So I ran to her room and banged on the door only to be told she was all ready up and waiting. Please remember as you view these pictures that they were taken very early in the morning and we DO NOT look our best!

Here goes....

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Boinggggggg

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Don't even ask but I was threatened by others that this had better show up!

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It Will Never Be Quiet again

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Christmas Carnage

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Lilys Make - Up

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Lily The Mortician

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The Grossest Gift Ever

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Did He Really Think He Could Escape Humiliation

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Happy Christmas

Happy Christmas, from our home to yours.
We would like to wish all of our family and friends, a truly wonderful Christmas and a happy and healthy new year.
With love, Jacob, Dawn and Lily


Our Christmas Angel

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Mummy, look what day it is.

This morning Lily changed the advent calender and squealed with delight, Mummy look what day it is, it's Christmas. I explained that it is in fact Christmas Eve and that Father Christmas will be coming tonight. That my friends was to much for her and she bounced up and down at least 90 times. I think this is going to be a very long day in Lilyland but we are ready and we are just as excited as she is. Thankfully her daddy is not scheduled to work this Christmas and he will be at home the whole time and he is just as giddy as she is and so am I. Here are some photos of some lights that we went to see the other night, they are all at one house and it takes them 7 months to get them ready and raises there electric bill by $4,500.00 for the month (are they nuts?). They look really lovely the family puts out donation boxes to raise money for the University of Miami Sylvester Cancer Center so it is all for a great cause. We go each year to see it.


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OUCH

Yesterday afternoon I received a phonecall from the nurse at Lily's school saying that she had had a very minor accident in the playground. She put Lily on the phone so that I could talk to her and in a very quiet and teary voice she sort of explained what had happened. I then spoke to the nusre who really gave me a better idea of what had happened and what it comes down to is this: Lily was running and she used her face for a brake when she hit the fence. It isn't very bad is what they said and she bashed her lip and split it so it is swollen and bruised so is her cheek. We are icing her and she is fine. My poor little pumpkin cried and she never cries but it was probably from the blood cos she hates blood. I went and picked her up and she had one fat lip but other than that she was just fine. I never did find the bruise on the cheek that they mentioned. She does have a loose tooth but I am really hoping it will re-set itself but if it doesn't it doesn't. I have been down that path with her before and frankly I want her to keep her teeth until they fall out naturally but we had a very close call at 17 months that involved a trip to the emergency room and the dentist on call managed to save them so if at 4 1/2 she loses one now I can deal with it! So here is Lily with her Mike Tyson lip.


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Master Baker

One of our favourite Christmas treats in England to eat are Mince Pies. Lily had her first one a couple of weeks ago and loved it and wanted them now here too. Lily loves to particpate in baking anything even if the pastry comes out of a box which this time it did since we were very short on time (I know the shame of it all but I had to admit to this since the box is plainly visible in the photo, next time I will be more careful!). We just wanted to eat them and the fastest way to get there was fine with all of us.


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Oooppsie...she got a little over zealous with this one and it hit the deck!

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Yikes....look at the precision with the knife.

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They turned out fine and Lily has eaten more than anyone which is surprising because mince pies are not very sweet and are quite a mature taste but she tasted them in England and loved them and couldn't wait to make them here.

Lily Has A New Toy

A couple of days after we returned from England my cousin Andrea flew over to join us for Christmas. She has stayed with us many times and whenever we go over there Lily sees her and is used to spending time with her but this time for reasons best known to Lily's 4 year old brain she truly believes that Andrea is her plaything. Thankfully Andrea loves her to bits and is only to willing to entertain her and finds it a welcome break from the stresses of the I.C.U where she is normally found working.

Lily's New Toy

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I'm Sure Lily is Dishing Out Orders

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A Night Of The Performing Arts....Sort Of

Last night was Lily's holiday show at school and even if I do say so myself it was wonderful. I am not quite sure how she didn't explode from excitement but she didn't. The theme for the evening was, "an evening at home waiting for Santa" and all of the the kiddos were dressed in their P.J.s and sang Christmas songs. Not one of them forgot even one word and they were just plain adorable.

The Stage

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A very Blurred Christmas Lily (sorry)

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Ho HO HO

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Jingle Bells

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Double Trouble

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