Chinese New Year Celebration

On Sunday February 20, 2011, we headed over to Orlando to celebrate the Chinese New Year with our Adoption Agency's Florida families. It's a little late, but found out the reason was to schedule it around the football season so the husbands didn't get in trouble again for watching football in the lobby. They had a silent auction, door prizes, dancing, and an acrobat. The food was delicious! Kaylyn only had one meltdown and Ashlyn only acted "weird" a couple of times. I say "weird" because she does this thing when she gets sad or some other weird feelings come out and she all of a sudden acts really tired and gets her face right in mine. She did this a lot when we first got back from China. She seems to do this a lot when we get around a lot of Chinese people...not sure if it brings back memories or why she gets like that. Anyway, overall the girls seemed to enjoy it.

Kaylyn coloring

Daddy's little girls

Kaylyn and Ashlyn pushing the roof

Ashlyn getting her groove on

Kaylyn showing some moves

The girls in the line dance

Kaylyn doing the limbo

Ashlyn doing the limbo

Ashlyn dancing some more

Mommy showing Ashlyn how to do the Macarana

Balancing twirling plates on poles

Balancing twirling plates on poles while balancing on her head

Balancing two glasses of water

Balancing a twirling plate

The acrobat is balancing a table on some poles while twirling ribbons

All the kids together

John, Angela, and Kayla Rawls (hope I got their names right)- travelled in our group to China

Ashlyn's 8th Birthday Party

We held Ashlyn's 8th birthday party at The Bear Factory in the Melbourne Square Mall. Kaylyn had her 7th birthday party here and it was a lot of fun. They play games, do face painting, paint nails, dance, eat pizza and cupcakes, and make a stuffed animal of their choosing. The kids really enjoyed it! Ashlyn had a huge smile the entire time.

Ashlyn ready for her party

They picked out which animals they wanted before anyone got there

Posing in front of the presents table

Kaylyn got a doggie paw print on her face

Ashlyn got her nails painted (one hand blue and one hand pink)

We got Schafer a Paper Jamz Guitar for his birthday (him and Ashlyn share the same birthday)

Drying their nails

Showing off their nails

Getting ready to play a game of Hot Potato

Playing Hot Potato with a Gator

Dancing away

Let's Limbo

Kaylyn doing the limbo

Ashlyn loves to dance

Making a wish with the heart being put inside the bear

Blowing off all the extra fuzz and stuffing

Giving Panda the adoption papers with the name Panda

Dancing with the bear

Picture with the Bear

Loving everybody singing Happy Birthday to Ashlyn

Blowing out the candles

Table 1 enjoying cupcakes

Table 2 enjoying cupcakes

Table 3 enjoying cupcakes

Musical Chairs (actually became dangerous at one point)

Gathering the candy after the pinata was opened

Children seeing what candy they got

The Birthday Attendants & Their Animals

Here's all the kids that attended Ashlyn's birthday and which stuffed animal they made:

Kiana Hall (husky)

Nicholas (Nicky) Stusse (Beaver)

Delilah Renken (Duck)

Jordan Forte (Snowman)

Brandt Reck (Gray Tabby Cat)

Felix (Gabriel) Castro (Tiger)

Dominick Castro (Leopard)

Leah Amig (Panda Bear)

Ellie Miner (Calico Cat)

Rachel Nagel (Panda Bear)

Shyanne Kirschner (Turtle)

Shelby Sprinkle (Calico Cat)

Schafer Sprinkle (Horse)

Sydney Sprinkle (Baby Unicorn)

Kaylyn Barton (Husky)

Christopher Nordgren (Baby Black Kitten)

Benjamin Echols (White Cat)

Capernia McCarthy (Husky)

Abigail Echols (Husky)

Ashlyn Barton (The Birthday Girl) (Panda)

Also in attendance besides the parents of the children who were present, was Mrs. Lucas. Thank you to everyone who came. This made for a very enjoyable birthday for Ashlyn and probably one she will remember forever!