Painted, partied and played

Birthday party went GREAT!!!  Although Hayden is already in planning mode of her "hello kitty Party" that will take place next September.  See she really wanted a Hello Kitty party and well I planned an Art Party.  What's a girl to do when you already have the cute invites and have a perfect place for the party.....and a child who loves ART???  You plan a super cute and easy painting party at your local pottery painting place.  So I have been sworn by a pinkie swear that it will be Hello Kitty next year. 

Party was perfect, the quietest you have seen 9 girls ranging in age from 2-7 for an hour and a half!!!  Everyone concentrated and painted away.  I think they had fun and I can't wait to pick up the finished product next week and deliver the masterpieces to each artist!!! 

Hayden said she had a blast and loved her party....so I would say that is a success!!!

Overnight she turned 4!!

Well not sure how it happened, but somehow we woke up yesterday to a 4year old and the 3 year old had moved on.  It just has my head spinning that she is 4!!!  HOW, HOW did it happen???  The time is just flying by and as much as I want to stop the hands of time, I have decided I just need to embrace and love and soak it all up as it will continue to fly and she will be grown up before I know it. 

Miss ThANG had a wonderful day that started the moment she woke and looked at me and said "I think it is my birthday mommy"  We ventured downstairs to find that Scout our elf on the shelf had decorated our kitchen in pink streamers and A LOT of balloons.  Scout was found riding the rooster on our kitchen chandelier.  Hayden was THRILLED to see scout and he actually stayed a second night too....that would not be because mommy was SO tired that maybe I forgot to go and get him and hide him away again.  LOL

We made one VERY large pancake for the bday girl and she opened some gifts that she had been VERY patient about looking at each day and waiting for her day to come.  Lot's of lovely and fun stuff arrived including a beautiful dress that her guncles brought her from Paris.  As the day progressed things have arrived all the way from Hawaii to New York.  The kid's cup RUNNETH over!!!  We still have her birthday party that is coming up next weekend. 

She had lunch with her Aunties(my college roommates) they are taking her to see Pinkalicious the musical at the end of the month!!!(oh no she is NOT at all excited about that day:) LOL Amongst the gifts, sprinkles cupcakes and lunch made the mid-day portion AWESOME.  Then she had her Oma and Opa visit with gifts in hand....A LOT of stuff for her American Girl dolls!!!  The list is TOO long to list of the stuff that has arrived since is too long to list!!  But let me just say the LOVE that arrived whether it was gifts, calls, skype, FB msg, emails, calls, texts......Hayden felt the love.  She said it was the "BEST DAY of her WHOLE life"  She was running on HIGH octane fuel and by bedtime she was overstimulated and exhausted. 

We are hosting an Art Party next weekend.  So that should be fun and we are looking forward to Hayden's friends celebrating with her.  So we will post all of those pictures next weekend.  Nothing like the OVERLOAD of PINKNESS like last year.  It will be small and not anything as overwhelming as last year.  It still should be fun.  We have to get back to school next week though before we can celebrate anymore and we have met the teacher and are ready to head back.  So keep an eye out for school and bday pics. 

Thank you everyone for helping make Hayden's 4th bday the very BEST!!!!

The Aunties

more doll stuff!!!  HEAVEN!!!

For me really????  YAHOO

Oma and Opa with Hayden

Taiwan ROCks the Windy City

I will finish our China trip soon, but just returned from chicago and Taiwan ROCks reunion.  It was amazing and I am speechless at some of things that happened(good) while together.  I will try and share it all soon, but wanted to share some pics.  I will say that TECO which is the Taiwanese govt agency that we all deal with while we are in the process of adopting.....well they were contacted by one of our moms(thanks Suzy) well they came to have lunch with us and brought goodies for the kid's as well as Taiwanese instructors to teach the kids about some culture.  Going forward they would like to participate by offering a full day of culture camp for the kids at our reunion each year.  So to say we are excited and terribly humbled is an understatement. We were even interviewed by several media sources including the world wide press!!  I have NO idea what I said and now am nervous what came out of my mouth!!  LOL

We also raised $1400 for Ronald McDonald house Chicago and St. Lucy's orphanage in Taiwan

The weekend was truly amazing and magical.  We saw old friends and made some new ones and we can't wait for next year.....2013~ we are going to Cali and we are going to Disney!!!  YIPPEE!!

Hayden holding the tail of the lion.

at check in with two of H's favorite mamas..tiffany and lisa.  She is holding her dog pepper that she picked out at American Girl.  If you wonder what Hayden LOVES right now it is all things AMERICAN girl!!!  Will post pics of our lunch there!!

from left to right Tiffany, Me(Hayden's hand) Lisa C(hostess this year) Lisa R, and one of our other mamas that made a lovely Matilda Jane donation to our raffle.

Our chairs and Director Ger.   Suzy and her sweet girl are right next to the director and because of Suzy we are hoping for a lifetime relationship with TECO!!

foster siblings reunited and their relationship has been sealed at this point....serious love fest between these two!!

look at these two!

two little monkeys jumping on the couch(no one fell off, so that was good) LOL

Sleepover with Tyler!!

Crafts with Paigey and Tyler

Time to get this party started!!!

Hayden loves Tyler, but I think his sister Lauren would lose out in a vote:) 

This is pretty much how H spent her weekend!!!

Between Paige and Hayden....hopefully Lauren got her little sister fix:) LOL

China #10 our friend the monk.

Hayden's friend the Monk.  He seemed to have a special place in his heart for her.  We had lunch and 2 dinners with our lovely new friend and enjoyed and felt so honored that he invited us to the temple for lunch, a tour and a special blessing

The entire lunch was vegetarian, but you would never have known it.  Special chefs are brought from Beijing to cook at the temple.  If you look closely you will see sausage, shrimp, fish etc.  It was a delicious lunch.

Nope not one real piece of meat here....but it tasted GREAT!!!  You can do some crazy stuff with tofu.

They are getting ready to build a bigger building and the tiles will be used for the new building. 

Outside the temple.  This is in the heart of downtown Chongqing.

Lighting incense and candles

a very special blessing.  We felt honored that he would want to bless us with a happy, safe and healthy life. 

Having tea at the temple

As we left the temple.  What a wonderful experience and day we had with our new friend.  Hayden kept doing the namaste head bow to her monk friend.