Neat Thing We Have Done Since LID #3

It's about time isn't it? I haven't posted one of my "neat things" in a while, and I have 7 more of my top ten I need to post before referral day. I better get a move on!

Neat Thing #3
CHINESE NEW YEAR 2006!

Last year, Doug and I attended our first Chinese New Year celebration at the Chinese Culture Center with my sister Amy and brother-in-law Andy and their friends Jody and Kurt. Jody is Chinese, and her parents are a very active in the Chinese community in Atlanta. Jody was so helpful in explaining the Chinese New Year celebration traditions and introduced us to some really delicious Chinese foods! There were so many enjoyable performances as well. I especially liked watching the little girls from the Chinese dance class perform and the Dragon dance. We had a really great time! Here are a few pictures I wanted to share...

My Man Is On The Radio!

That's right! My man is on the radio! Doug has a weekly short radio spot on Sundays (usually at 3 or 3:30PM) on AM 640 in Toronto. The spots last anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes.

A few weeks ago when Doug was sitting on the plane heading home from the CES convention in Vegas, he was just about to turn off his phone when he got a call. He thought about not answering it because he didn't recognize the number, but for some reason he did. It was someone from AM 640 in Toronto who somehow got Doug's name and asked if he would like to talk on the radio about his experience at CES. Doug said ok because he knew it would be great exposure for his Gizmos for Geeks website. On January 14, the station called him up and he did his segment live with Arlene Bynon at 3:30PM. We thought that was it. Then, Doug gets an e-mail from the station saying that Arlene liked it so much that she wanted him to join her weekly to talk about technology. So Doug has done a tech segment three times total so far! I am so proud!

So if you are interested in gizmos, gadgets or technology, turn on your radios or computers and listen to him live Sunday afternoons!

My Busy Week

I have been trying to keep as busy as possible because my hubby is out of town on business for two whole weeks! He left Monday and won't be back until the second of February. We have not been apart this long since we got married. He is in Cherry Hill, NJ working on two big projects for Lockheed ATL. Gosh I miss him! So far, I have done well keeping busy.

Monday, I had lunch with my good friend Miranda and her cutie pie 16 month old son, Jacob (hope to post a picture soon!). Miranda is going to give birth to her second baby (Dylan) on Tuesday, and I wish her all the luck and happiness in the world! When I got home from seeing Miranda, there was my swap gift sitting on my porch from my pal Becky. This month's theme was Chinese New Year or anything to do with China. Becky got back from China in December after getting her beautiful daughter Charis, and she sent me oodles of wonderful goodies from there. I absolutely love everything, and I especially love the tiny bracelet for Briana. Here is a picture...


Tuesday and Wednesday I had to work. I had two very hectic days. I have a new broker who has a bunch of new real estate advertising ideas for our office - which means lots more work for me. I was pretty brain-fried by the time I got home each day.

Thursday, I met Kathy and Randi for lunch for some girl talk. It was good to see Randi again - I had not seen her since before Halloween. After lunch, I went over to Kathy's for some more girl talk. I got to see the beautiful pictures that Anna painted on Chani's nursery walls and also saw the 100 wishes book that Kathy put together for Chani. It was so beautiful! Kathy - you are so talented!

And now today I am catching up on my blogging. I have been so busy lately that I have a ton of catch up reading to do!

Atlanta China Adopters Potluck

Doug and I hosted our first potluck on Saturday for China adopters! I was really nervous because I hoped everyone would have a good time. But, I really think it was a success! I want to give a big "thank you" to Kathy who got the word out to everyone about the party. We had a really nice crowd. And I can't thank everyone enough for bringing all the delicious food! It was so nice catching up with friends and meeting new friends too! I was especially excited to see Maisie, who is absolutely precious, and Lisa S. is a wonderful mommy! Thanks again to everyone who came, and I cannot wait to see everyone at the next potluck! (And some of the pictures in my slide show I snagged from Kathy blog - thanks Kathy!)

Happy Birthday Doug!

I just want to say a big "Happy Birthday!" to my hubby Doug, who turns 34 today. He opened presents this morning, and he got some really nice goodies. One of the gifts I gave him were several children's books to read to Briana (thanks for the idea Kathy!). He really loved them, and I know he can't wait until he can read them to her.

Doug was at the big CES convention all week in Vegas and I missed him terribly! I am so glad he came home (late last night) in time to celebrate his birthday!

Welcome home sweetie!

New Year's Eve

We had a wonderful time ringing in the New Year with Mick and James, Kathy and Matt, and Michaela, Richard and Jarod. It was so nice to finally meet Michaela and her family (who were visiting from Orlando.)

We started off the evening eating appetizers and drinking Michaela's peach bowle. It was so delicious! It is one of those drinks that is so fruity and yummy that you don't really feel like you are drinking. So peach bowle is also very dangerous (ha!)! Then Mick prepared Raclette for dinner, and it was an unbelieveably delicious authentic German meal!

Jarod showed us some really cool magic tricks (which I am still trying to figure out), and then we played Cranium. With all the crazy and silly things that the game makes you do, we pretty much cracked up the whole evening. Teams draw cards that describe certain tasks to complete. There are particular cards in this game that tell one person on a team be a "puppetmaster" and the other to be a "puppet". The "puppetmaster" moves the "puppet's" arms and legs, and the "puppet" has to guess what action is taking place. Well, Doug and I got one of those cards. Doug did great, he was having me act out what a "baseball umpire" does. Of course, I couldn't remember the actual word "umpire" and I kept yelling "baseball referee!!" Let's just say Doug was a little more than frustrated with me. And obviously, we didn't get to move our game piece that turn.

About 15 minutes before the ball dropped, we turned on "Dick Clark's New Years Rockin' Eve" and counted down to midnight. Right behind Mick and James' house, one of the neighborhoods was shooting off huge fireworks, so we watched them from the screened porch.

We didn't have our little girls to ring in the New Year with us this year, but we had each other. And that made the beginning of the new year very, very special.

Fourteen Months

Yep - it has been 14 months since our LID. Will this wait never end?!









Well, at least referrals finally came out today! The CCAA got through September 27th. I wish they had gotten through all of September - oh well. One more full month in front of me. I just have to hang in there!

Dinner And A Show

A few months ago, Doug told me he had a surprise evening planned for me for the night before Christmas Eve. I was so excited, I couldn't wait to know. So, about two weeks before the surprise evening, Doug told me he was taking to me to see Cirque du Soleil's Corteo which was playing at Atlantic Station. We are huge fans of Cirque du Soleil.

First, Doug and I dined at Dolce, which was absolutely delicious. I had a "to die for" lobster pasta and Doug had scallops. Then we walked around the shops of Atlantic Station for a little while. In the middle of the Atlantic Station, there is a square which has a huge decorated Christmas tree during the holiday season. At 7PM, there are machines that turn on that blow fake snow. It was really cool, especially for us Atlantans that don't see snow but maybe once a year (and it is usually a dusting). You northerners would be laughing so hard at us because of how neat everyone thought it was!

We walked over to the Cirque tent after the fake snow event. Doug got us tickets in the front row. We could reach out and touch the performers we were so close (of course we weren't allowed to!). The show was phenomenal. We have seen several Cirque shows, and this one was one of the best. I can't thank my sweetie Doug enough for planning such a perfect evening!

And, I want to say a big "Happy New Year" to all of my blog buddies! I hope you all have a wonderful year 2007!

More Meaningful Gifts

I have been so busy the last week and a half that I have not had a chance to blog! I feel like I am going through withdrawl! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, and I want to wish all of my friends, family and blog buddies a very happy 2007.

Though I wish more than anything that Briana had been here with me this Christmas, I did manage to enjoy the holiday thanks to my friends and family. I received so many thoughtful gifts the last few weeks and I want to share them with you.

First, this is a doll that I saw with my mother in a doll shop and fell in love with it. She looked so real, and when my parents gave her to me for Christmas, I picked her up and she felt real. Every time I feel like I want Briana here with me, I will pick up this doll and hold her and dream of the day when Briana is with me.

This next gift was from my sister Amy and brother-in-law Andy. This is Ling, and she is one of the Language Littles. She speaks Chinese when you squeeze her hands and her knee. Ling will be wonderful in helping Briana learn several Chinese phrases.



This ornament is from my friend Becky. She just brought home her gorgeous daughter Charis from China right before Christmas. She sent me this ornament that she bought in China. As soon as it arrived in the mail, I placed it on the front of my tree and it made me feel closer to Briana.



These charms came from my cousin Michelle. Michelle just adopted her wonderful son Ethan from Russia in May. She went to a party a few weeks ago with a Chinese theme, and charms with Chinese characters were handed out. She received one charm, and then she went around to her friends to get the other three so she could send all four to me. They say "beauty", "luck", "happiness" and "love".



This adorable ornament came from Kathy. She wrote the nicest note on the back, and everytime I look at it, I know that Briana will be home soon.



These adorable little shoes are from my friend Jennifer (who I have been friends with since middle school). There is Chinese writing on each one. The left shoe is pronounced "fu", which means luck, and the right shoe is pronounced "so", which means longevity.



This beautiful plate was sent to me for Christmas by my sister-in-law Ann and brother-in-law Wes. The plate says "Harmony". I have it proudly displayed on my coffee table!



And last, this is my swap gift from my swap buddy this month, Wanda. Our theme was hair glitz and glamour. She absolutely spoiled Briana with hair goodies and accessories!



Thank you to everyone who gave me such thoughtful gifts for Christmas. It means so much to Doug and me. You all are the best!!!

Ta-da!

I bet you all were wondering when I was going to finish painting Briana's nursery. The room has actually been painted for a while now, but I wanted to show my mom the room first before I posted pictures. When my mom entered the room, she started to cry. My whole family has been waiting for a baby to come into our lives for so many years, the room makes us feel like this will really happen this time. We have no furniture just yet, but we will in the next couple of weeks (if my mom cried at an empty room, what is going to happen when she sees one with furniture? Oh boy!). We have a few pictures on the wall now. The picture next to the closet is of the Chihuahua from "Lady and the Tramp". I have always loved that dog! My mom actually drew the picture and framed it for me years ago. I always told her that when I had a baby the picture would go in the nursery. And here it is...

The wainscoting was quite a job. I painted it two coats of white paint before Doug put the pieces on the wall, but then we realized that could see seams. So, I had to go around the room again painting the wainscoting to get rid of the seams.

It was so much work, but I think it turned out really nice in the end. Time to go furniture shopping!!!