Annual Agency Picnic

Every year the last Saturday in June, the adoption agency we used for adopting Lindsey and Sammy from China has a picnic in a park very close to where we live. We've been going every summer since 2006 after we came home with Lindsey late 2005. It's fun to see how much the kids have grown from year to year and to see the new little ones brought home.

Summer Solstice Fishing

Tuesday evening we took advantage of the beautiful weather and the longest day of the year by going fishing at a local trout farm with our friend Dave.  You just fed the fish and they swarmed up for the food and you could easily hook one.  Easy enough for young kids and inexperienced fishers to be guaranteed a catch.  Then they filleted the fish for you and we got to take home fresh trout for dinner.

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Father's Day 2011

We had a full and fun Father's day starting out by letting Daddy know just how much we appreciate him by getting him an ice cream cake and cards to celebrate the day.  We even had a surprise visit from our friends, Rick and Chris, who stopped by on their way home from camping over the weekend.  We hadn't seen them in a while so it was great to visit with them.

Then Lindsey and I met Cindy and Brian at the movie theater to see Kung Fu Panda 2.  I had heard there was an adoption theme to the movie (Po, the Panda, goes in search of his early beginnings before he was adopted by his father who is a goose.)  I didn't realize how heavy the adoption theme was, though, and found myself getting very emotional at the end when Po finds out about his birth parents, and how he came to be found by his adoptive father, the goose, but tells him "you'll always be my dad!" 

I asked Lindsey on the way home if she understood Po's beginnings and where he was from and she said, "yes, Pandas don't come from fruit baskets" (his adopted dad found him in a radish basket).  I think she really believes that most people are adopted because that's the reality of our family.  She asked me not that long ago, "Who adopted you, mom?"

http://youtu.be/YIW5oo-8NYw

Finally in the evening we had a sitter come over and Blain and I went to a heavy metal concert and saw the New York Dolls, Poison (I'm a Bret Michael's fan) and Motely Crue.  Nothing like some head banging music to end the weekend.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTy9cG8Njok

Happy Birthday Brian!

We met our good friends, Cindy and Brian, for dinner to celebrate Brian's birthday.  It was at a fish restaurant so when the waiters got wind of the fact it was Brian's birthday, they put a fish hat on him and we all sang the Happy Birthday song for him.  Too bad I didn't get a picture of him with the fish hat on, but the waiter took a picture with a camera they had at the restaurant and then they presented him with a souvenir picture so he could remember the humiliation, I mean occasion, for years to come!

Brian holding his fish hat picture

Kindergarten Graduation

I can't believe how quickly this school year went by.  Lindsey had her Kindergarten Graduation ceremony tonight.  I am so, so proud of my beautiful, smart daughter!  She had a great first school year and learned to read this year.  It's so cool to have a child reading to me.

Lindsey with her BFF

Lindsey with her teacher showing off her diploma

Memorial Weekend Trip 2011

We went down to central Utah to escape the wet weather we've been having and were rewarded with beautiful, sunny skies and warm temperatures.  Felt great!

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