Just hanging out

Joshua playing Wii - Tiger Woods Golf
Ranger - our miniature schnauzer, our third child who happens to be the biggest baby of them all :)

Maddie playing "kitchen" in her "princess" P.J.'s

Maddie, Sophia, Sarah & Joshua hanging out on their day off from school.

She LOVES her Mickey Mouse

Just a few pics to show you what we have been up to. Last night Joshua and daddy are playing the Wii and I hear Joshua yell, " Dad, I got a birdie".....then he yells a few minutes later, " oh man a double bogey............. Do we have a future golfer or what?? He loves to play this game ( as does Matt :) ) and understands it so well. He says he can't wait to get his clubs out this Spring. Joshua is doing really well with his weekly basketball games and he looks forward to them each week. He is reading so well and no more spelling things around him because he picks on that too easily!

Maddie is starting to pick up more on her colors and can count to ten. She starts pre-school two weeks from today. She is excited and asks me every morning if this is the day...... I'm nervous because she is constantly moving and for her to sit still and listen is going to be a challenge for the teachers. She's smart though and I think around other people she might not be as open and "opinionated "....haha.

Matt and I are in the fun process of looking for another car. Our VW Passat is simply too small for a family of 4 so we have it for sale and are searching for something different in the mean time. I like mini-vans and Matt is not sure he can handle that. Ok, so I am the gal who swore she would NEVER drive a mini-van as long as I lived......things change when you family expands and we need the room :) LOL...

Off to visit some friends this weekend that moved away about a year ago. We miss them much and look forward to any opportunity to visit them. Logan is Joshuas "very bestest friend" in his words so he is excited, Kaitlyn and Maddie are the same age (within a few months even) so Maddie is excited, Kim is about to have their fourth child ( makes that 2 of each) and I am excited to see my skinny pregnant friend with a belly, haha. Will post some pics when we get back on Sunday.

Wildcats Everywhere - Raise your hands up in the air!

Just hanging out.
Joshua and Daddy racing on our day out.

Joshua outside the Fox Theatre

The Big Surprise - LIVE ON STAGE- HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL

(we were really this close to the stage, no zoom on this photo)!

Getting his tickets - he was so excited.

Well the big surprise went over very well :) We decided to give Joshua his tickets on the way up to St. Louis since he was getting a bit concerned and worried about what to expect. Thank you to one of my favorite Aunts we were able to get tickets to High School Musical Live on Stage at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis. We did not realize until we got there that we had VIP tickets and were 8 - yes EIGHT rows from the stage!!!! THANK YOU AUNT DEB!! The show was awesome ( I even think Matt enjoyed it) and Joshua wants to see it again and take Maddie next time since she goes around the house singing " Wildcats everywhere - together, together!!

After the show we went to the RV show for a bit then let Joshua choose where to eat - Golden Corral was his choice since he said all the other places take too long......haha, smart boy he is!

Maddie stayed with Nana and Papa and Nana says she asked for Joshua at least 25 times and he mentioned her alot too......funny thing is on the way home from picking Maddie up, about a 2 miles drive to our home, they were fighting already...go figure.

It's been six months and our Basketball star!

Maddie's New haircut
Future Panthers Cheerleaders Addison and Madelyn....yes MADDIE and ADDIE

Future Panther Basketball Players Joshua and Logan

Six months ago yesterday ( January 9) we saw Madelyn for the first time in a small room in China. That was our gotcha day, the day our family became 4. It's hard to believe that after almost three years of waiting she has already been home with us for 6 months. She has changed so much, she talks non-stop, she is energetic, she is kind, lovable, compassionate, strong-willed, stubborn and her smile and hugs can win over anyone she meets. She is a not so typical three year old little girl whom seems as though she has been with us since the day she was born. When you ask her if she is from China she sayd " No, Maddie from Pinckneyville,Illinois! That's our girl.

In other news, Joshua Lane had his first official basketball game tonight. He was fouled and got to shoot two free-throws.....HE MADE ONE!!!! We all went nuts and of course he looked to make sure we were watching. He is pumped and ready to play his next game. He plays every Thursday night for a couple of months. He got to play against two of his friends and it was funny watching him guard them and laugh and talk at the same time.......don't they say major league baseball players swap recipes on base.....???? HAHA! I need to get a better camera because it is not good in bad lighting so my pics did not turn out very well.....the one of him and Logan above is from after the game. We celebrated his basket at Tequila's. our favorite Mexican restaurant afterwards...........along with half the gym I think!

All else is well, Maddie starts Pre-School in February, she is ready to go...at least she thinks she is. Joshua gets a day out with just mommy and daddy on Saturday - we have a BIG surprise for him and hope to post pictures after our day.....sorry can't spill the beans until after he knows. I have kept this a secret for 3 months.....it's killing me!!!!! He has felt a little left out since little sis came around so we thought a date with mommy and daddy might be cool, we're headed to St. Louis for...............ha, thought I was going to tell you huh??? NOPE, you have to wait and see.

Oh by the way friends of mine who live in Sunny CA, we are having some cold miserable weather here again, it has gotten into the teens lately.....time to visit you all I think :)

Love, Jennifer, Matt, Joshua and Madelyn.