For 10 Years I Have Refused to Buy Them, Until

X caught me in a weak moment.

I seriously do not like shoes that light up. Ever since I worked in a science museum eons ago running the Electrostatic Generator Show and had to always remember to ask people if their shoes had batteries (as in "Before we start I want to make sure you don't have anything with batteries like light up shoes or a hearing aid or pacemaker .....")

Plus I find them annoying and well, kind of ridiculous (but I digress)

Anyway- last week was a trip to the shoe store and they had not only light up shoes, but Star Wars light up shoes and not only Star Wars light up shoes but Star Wars: The Clone Wars light up shoes. When he told me that he would rather get the shoes than go to the Lego store (keep in mind that since he had a gift card he had already picked out what he was buying a month ago) I knew he was serious.

So we bought the light up shoes.

The morning after the purchase this is the sight we awoke to...

I think that he didn't actually wear them to bed but I wouldn't swear to it

(On the plus side it does make him easier to find in the dark)

Wordless Wednesday

Autumn Moon Festival

Our local Families with Children from China hosted an Autumn Moon Festival celebration. It was great fun. We were able to sample Moon Cakes (the kids chose to forgo the traditional moon cake, and instead chose Moon Pies)

D's Chinese language teacher hosted a "dance party with the kids

Getting ready for the lantern parade.

And ending the evening with a lantern parade, complete with glowing lanterns

Weekend Wisdom

"Those who say it can't be done are usually interrupted by others doing it."

James A. Baldwin

She Has Been Waiting Years For This

D is finally old enough to play soccer (she missed the cutoff by three weeks in the spring)

Some of the shots from the first game

(at least from the time she was on the field- there were some tears as the game began- Apparently half the team started the game either crying or refusing to go onto the field)

Wordless Wednesday

Enkutatash- The Outtakes

Yesterday was our local Enkutatash (Ethiopian New Year) Celebration. The celebration is hosted by a group that provides supports for Ethiopian immigrants in our area, and serves not only as a celebration of the holiday, but also as a fundraiser for the group. Several of my friends- fellow adoptive moms and dads- are also involved with the group. Two of them are photographers and donated their services for the event. In exchange for a donation to the group, they took photos. So we tried for a photo with the kids together.......

To set the scene- large room, somewhat crowded and the photo backdrop is by the door so there is a stream of people walking by. Music playing loudly throughout the room (so A is completely overstimulated), K and D both want cupcakes (which they can't have till after photos) and they had fallen asleep on the way to the celebration so were still cranky from waking up and X who LOVES the photographer is too busy fooling around to actually listen to what he is being told to do. I feel like I should have doubled (or tripled) my donation and his patience with my kids was legendary. Hopefully when we get the photos back from him there will be something good ('cause he tried like crazy to get a good one)

Until we get the "official" photos- here are the "outtakes" from the photo shoot

I think we will keep looking for the photo for the Christmas card this year