What If We All Watched Football Like Bella?

(If you watch until the end, Bella even gets "tackled")

What If We All Watched Football Like Bella?

(If you watch until the end, Bella even gets "tackled")

First Day of School.....

Sharing our first day of school pictures.....

Elizabeth's a Junior and Sam is a 7th Grader...

Grace is in 4th Grade....

Bella is in afternoon preschool....

And, I also had my first day of "school" teaching my class....but no photo here! :)

First Day of School.....

Sharing our first day of school pictures.....

Elizabeth's a Junior and Sam is a 7th Grader...

Grace is in 4th Grade....

Bella is in afternoon preschool....

And, I also had my first day of "school" teaching my class....but no photo here! :)

Can You Believe it???????

One year ago today, Bella came home to her forever family.....
We have been so blessed by this beautiful gift from God........
We love you, Bella Bogdana Burckhard!

Can You Believe it???????

One year ago today, Bella came home to her forever family.....
We have been so blessed by this beautiful gift from God........
We love you, Bella Bogdana Burckhard!

A Driving Funny.....

Ok, last week Elizabeth got her driver's license. The very next day she offered to go and pick up Grace from her summer school program. Elizabeth said everything went well--she pulled up to the curb with ease, went into the school, walked Grace out to the car, and helped buckled into her seat. All was fine....

UNTIL about 30 seconds later Elizabeth realized she was sitting in the front passenger's seat!!! She thought to herself "Oh, yeah I AM THE DRIVER!"

She nonchalantly switched to the driver's seat and drove home....

Too funny, Elizabeth!

A Driving Funny.....

Ok, last week Elizabeth got her driver's license. The very next day she offered to go and pick up Grace from her summer school program. Elizabeth said everything went well--she pulled up to the curb with ease, went into the school, walked Grace out to the car, and helped buckled into her seat. All was fine....

UNTIL about 30 seconds later Elizabeth realized she was sitting in the front passenger's seat!!! She thought to herself "Oh, yeah I AM THE DRIVER!"

She nonchalantly switched to the driver's seat and drove home....

Too funny, Elizabeth!

Bella's First State Fair....

I still feel so blessed and privileged to be able to witness Bella's many firsts. This time she went to her first North Dakota State Fair. Suffice it to say, she loved it! The rides, the people, the food, and especially THE PIGS!!! (her favorite animal after the elephant...LOL)




Bella you are still so goofy!

Bella's First State Fair....

I still feel so blessed and privileged to be able to witness Bella's many firsts. This time she went to her first North Dakota State Fair. Suffice it to say, she loved it! The rides, the people, the food, and especially THE PIGS!!! (her favorite animal after the elephant...LOL)




Bella you are still so goofy!

I Don't Know Who is More Excited.....

Elizabeth or her mom?


I have another driver in the house! Yay for Elizabeth!

I Don't Know Who is More Excited.....

Elizabeth or her mom?


I have another driver in the house! Yay for Elizabeth!

Our Annual Milwaukee Trip.....

Every year we head out in the family truckster, complete with the rooftop carrier, for the Northwestern Mutual's Annual Meeting. One might say it is the "ground hog day" of vacations--same hotels, same restaurants, and even the same activities at the same times. :) Thank goodness the kids like the structure and predictability this affords!

We headed out to Milwaukee on July 22nd this year. BUT WAIT, we really shook it up this year as we went a different direction so that we could stop and meet Michelle Zoromski and her family who just brought Lilya home a week prior from Bella's same orphanage.

Here are the kids at a Culver's right before we got to the Zoromskis:


Here is Bella, Lilya, and Ruby (Lilya's new little sister):

Lilya and Bella:

Elizabeth and Lilya (Elizabeth got to love on Lilya last summer at the Berizka orphanage)....

And, finally, here is Bella & me and Lilya & Michelle...

We had so much fun meeting Lilya's family. We got to meet Lilya last year at the orphanage, so it was so special to see her again living with her wonderful new family!

After our short stop to meet Lilya and her family, we headed south to Milwaukee. On Friday and Saturday we spent most of the time in the hotel water park because Daddy had meetings for special needs planning.

On Saturday night, we went to the "MinnKota" dinner held at a really nice place called "Mikey's".

Here are the kids at their table:

Sunday morning we participated in the fun walk...they close down downtown Milwaukee so that over 10,000 agents, home office personnel, and their families can participate in the Roots and Wings Run/Walk.

Sunday afternoon we went to the Mayfair Mall in Wauwatosa to do a little shopping. After that, we went to the "Garden Party" where the agents and their famlies eat under four big tents, listen to music, play games, and have the Milwaukee Zoo all to ourselves....





Monday night Elizabeth & Daddy got all dolled up and went to the College Awards Night....
On Tuesday we went to the waterpark, then the two olders and I went to the Milwaukee Art Museum. Loved it once again! :) After a full day, we went to Mo's Irish Pub for dinner.

We headed out for home on Wednesday morning and all voted in favor of driving straight through. Fourteen hours later, we arrived safe and sound and glad to be home.

Until next year.....

Our Annual Milwaukee Trip.....

Every year we head out in the family truckster, complete with the rooftop carrier, for the Northwestern Mutual's Annual Meeting. One might say it is the "ground hog day" of vacations--same hotels, same restaurants, and even the same activities at the same times. :) Thank goodness the kids like the structure and predictability this affords!

We headed out to Milwaukee on July 22nd this year. BUT WAIT, we really shook it up this year as we went a different direction so that we could stop and meet Michelle Zoromski and her family who just brought Lilya home a week prior from Bella's same orphanage.

Here are the kids at a Culver's right before we got to the Zoromskis:


Here is Bella, Lilya, and Ruby (Lilya's new little sister):

Lilya and Bella:

Elizabeth and Lilya (Elizabeth got to love on Lilya last summer at the Berizka orphanage)....

And, finally, here is Bella & me and Lilya & Michelle...

We had so much fun meeting Lilya's family. We got to meet Lilya last year at the orphanage, so it was so special to see her again living with her wonderful new family!

After our short stop to meet Lilya and her family, we headed south to Milwaukee. On Friday and Saturday we spent most of the time in the hotel water park because Daddy had meetings for special needs planning.

On Saturday night, we went to the "MinnKota" dinner held at a really nice place called "Mikey's".

Here are the kids at their table:

Sunday morning we participated in the fun walk...they close down downtown Milwaukee so that over 10,000 agents, home office personnel, and their families can participate in the Roots and Wings Run/Walk.

Sunday afternoon we went to the Mayfair Mall in Wauwatosa to do a little shopping. After that, we went to the "Garden Party" where the agents and their famlies eat under four big tents, listen to music, play games, and have the Milwaukee Zoo all to ourselves....





Monday night Elizabeth & Daddy got all dolled up and went to the College Awards Night....
On Tuesday we went to the waterpark, then the two olders and I went to the Milwaukee Art Museum. Loved it once again! :) After a full day, we went to Mo's Irish Pub for dinner.

We headed out for home on Wednesday morning and all voted in favor of driving straight through. Fourteen hours later, we arrived safe and sound and glad to be home.

Until next year.....

My Self-Imposed Moratorium Update... :)

In case any of you have been wondering, I have stuck to my self-imposed moratorium on buying any new clothes this year. It has been over 7 months and still have not purchased one new item of clothing.

Yes, I have been tempted to break it, but then I remember all the clothes that are hanging in my closet and sitting in my drawers and I remain steadfast.

My summer clothes have seen their better days, but I am still losing weight, so next year I will buy some new, smaller pieces... :)

Just wanted to check in to let you know.....

My Self-Imposed Moratorium Update... :)

In case any of you have been wondering, I have stuck to my self-imposed moratorium on buying any new clothes this year. It has been over 7 months and still have not purchased one new item of clothing.

Yes, I have been tempted to break it, but then I remember all the clothes that are hanging in my closet and sitting in my drawers and I remain steadfast.

My summer clothes have seen their better days, but I am still losing weight, so next year I will buy some new, smaller pieces... :)

Just wanted to check in to let you know.....