Saluda Shoals Sprinkler Fun

Our local Families with Children from China got together today at the Saluda Shoals park. They have this fabulous sprinkler pad to play on. We have gone before but EmmaLi doesn't like too many people out there and she doesn't like water in her face. Today she played more than she has in the past. Of course our friends the Chrissy and Jackie were there which made EmmaLi's day. I got a couple of awesome pictures of Jackie.

This is the water sprinkler pad. There are two sections with different types of sprinklers.
EmmaLi wetting her hair.
Saying cheese!
Rather tired looking.
That pink bathing suit you can barely see in the big flow of water is our friend Jackie! I couldn't believe she let that water fall on her. I guess I have been too used to my "I hate any water on my face kiddo. This is sweet Jackies close up. Isn't she just the sweetest?

Do you think she enjoys bowling?

Once again we went bowling. It was too hot for anything else. ALl spring EmmaLi has been bugging me to go bowling. I told her that we go bowling when it is too hot or too cold to do anything else. This past weejk has been over or near 100 degrees everyday. This weekend EmmaLi said "Mom, it's too hot to do anything else can we go bowling now?" Here are some photos to start. I will follow them up with some cute EmmaLidotes.

EmmaLi loves bowling. Her facial expressions when she is bowling surpass those of anything else she enjoys other than getting trophies and scoring goals.

There were several couples bowling a few lanes down from us. After our first game I noticed that there were two women in the group who were not bowling but sitting in the spectator area watching their spouses and friends bowl. Half way through our second game, they stopped watching their people bowl and were watching EmmaLi! They were shouting and cheering her on. They were woo hooing her and jumping up and down hen she got her spare. It was a riot!

EmmaLi not only likes bowling but she also does a great job of cheering me on when it is my turn. She says "Nice try Mom." whenever I got a split. If I got a strike she was woo hooing me and telling me "Great job Mom! You are awesome!"

I just love this kid and I have no idea how I was so lucky to be blessed to be her Mom. Her energy is sometimes draining but most of the time catching. Her enthusiasm for life and the simple things is nothing short of amazing. To have a kid that says "Oh Yay! New Chap Stick!" when she gets a new Burt's Bees Chap Stick reminds me to be grateful for all things great (like her) and small like a new chap stick. With any luck she will remain this easy to please...I know it's wishful thinking but maybe if I do it right she will be grateful for all things for a long time.

Can you say Kung Fu Panda!!!!

We had a blast last night at The Big Mo! Kung Fu Panda was playing with Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull.

I was a bit nervous about Kung Fu Panda because the day before we were going some one advised me there is an adoption theme in it. As it turned out it was a non-issue. Po the Panda is adopted, his father is a crane or goose. I couldn't really tell as his beak was more like a goose than a cranebut I have had others refer to him as a crane. Who knows. Either way, adoption is never mentioned directly and adoption is looked at as a none issue. Families that do not look like one another are just viewed as families. Loved that part.

We went to the drive in with some friends. We had of course, Chrissy, Gordy and Jackie (EmmaLi's BFF) and our friends Pete and Becky and their daughter Morgan. There were also two other families that were friends of Pete and Becky's who we did not know. We got front row seats and had a blast. EmmaLi enjoyed herself a lot. We stayed for part of Indiana Jones but could not stay for the whole thing. The girls were trying NOT to watch the movie but they could hear it and the music was a bit spooky for 5 year olds. Pete and Becky and Chrissy and Gordy stayed but EmmaLi and I left about midnight.

Here are a few pictures.





Here is our whole gang. You cannot see them all but there were 5 families sitting in our group and another two families came with us but came separately and parked on the other side of the screen. They were another adoptive family and friends of theirs. By the way, EmmaLi took the picture of me with her snow cone. She wanted me to eat some of the ice out of it so she could get to the juice. I ate some of it and managed to get the rest crunched up so she could get the good stuff.

And the Cubby Clubber of the Year Award goes to...

...EmmaLi Taghan! Yeah! Woo Hoo! Hurray! Yippy! You're the best!

Yes my friends, EmmaLi was Cubby Clubber of the year for her AWANA program. Last night was the end of year AWANA awards program. I knew her class was going to sing the Cubby song because I was the one who taught it to them. I had no idea that my baby was Cubby of the year.

All of the children in her class receive certificates of achievement for completing the Cubby book. Each of them received a metal for an individual strength they possess. After they completed their part of the program, they all sat down. Then the Sparks did their part of the program, followed by the T&T's and then the Treks. They then bestowed the teacher their service pins and a special award for Commander Dan. EmmaLi loves Commander Dan. He even came to her birthday party. He left the after the first half of the year. He accepted a pastoral position in another church. That man was so moved at his special award (which by the way he started a few years earlier) that he was in tears as he spoke to the group. Then came the Clubber of the Year awards. One clubber from each age group was selected to be clubber of the year. The criteria used to select the Clubber of the Year was attendance, number of verses learned, class readiness, and most Christ like. While I think she deserves every award ever created, her teachers chose her to recieve this special award. She recieved a trophy and special recognition from the Interim Pastor of the church. It was really kind of sweet too. He called her name for Cubby Clubber of the Year. She walked up and he said, "Well, I don't know this little girl but if she is half as sweet as she is cute, she definately deserves it. Did ya'll get a look at her!" LOL She has another one wrapped around her finger.

Here are some pictures of the evening.

Emmie with her trophy

After getting her certificate and metal

Singing the Cubby song

Ms Cubby, KC, EmmaLi, Daniel, Dixie Rose, and Meredith