Skating and Cheering....

Last night, cheerleading. Tonight, skating. Jasmine started to learn to skate backwards tonight.... I am told. I was engrossed in the book Decision Point- Bush's autobiography. He had/has a pretty interesting life and family history.
After skating we ate at Pei Wei Asian Diner.

Back to the grind...

Gymnastics at Gold Medal Gymnastics in Tempe
Karate at the Z-Ultimate Self Defense Center in Chandler. Taught by black belt Mr. Brad.
Suzuki piano with Ms. Karen Nalder.

Christmas Day

Ready to open presents

Playing the 'whistle'

Vision Therapy with the computer

Outside with Grandma

Christmas Eve

Jazzy with Camelia eating ice cream and cookies. Camelia is a Vietnamese girl who lives next door to my Mom's friend Joan.

Playing computer games in Grandpa's office.

Relaxing in Grandpa's chair

Ryan, Jazzy, Emma, and Nick playing the Wii game.

Columbus, Ohio

After all of the usual travel challenges, we finally arrived in Ohio.. 20 degrees and snow. Today, we sat around and ate:(, didn't exercise at all, and played lots of Jazzy games. Later we ate out (again) at a Chinese/Vietnamese restaurant and saw Christmas lights at Alum Creek, just north of Columbus. There was a series of wrecks on the freeway and we sat for about an hour or more just creeping along. Finally, we got home to our cozy house and had even more cookies!!! Grandpa had fruitcake... which was yukky.


Jasmine in our front yard as we were leaving.
In the backyard.
Feeding the birds with Grandma and Grandpa.
On the porch with Grandma's goose.
Getting ready to throw a snowball at Grandpa.

Christmas Pizza Party at the Blakeman's

Today we took a drive down to our old neighborhood for a pizza party at Grandma and Grandpa Blakeman's. First we dropped Jessie off at our other previous neighbor- Bernice Hobson's house. She has always taken good care of Jessie and Spirit. After playing and pizza, we opened lots of presents and came home to pack for our Ohio trip.

Bernice, Jasmine, and Jessie
Jasmine, Damion, Justin and Jade
Grandma Blakeman, Justin, Jazzy and Jade opening presents

Arizonans for Children

A group called Arizonans for Children hosts many events and parties during the year for adoptive and foster kids. Today was their annual Christmas party held at a Greek Orthodox church in Phoenix. There were around 500 kids there ranging in age from infants to 18 yrs old. A live DJ played music, and they served a turkey/mashed potato/etc lunch followed by ice cream and cookies! Suddenly the theme music for the Phoenix Suns started playing and in came the Phoenix Suns gorilla... the surprise guest. He ran around jumping on tables, hitting his chest, and pounding on things. Then he rotated around the room for photo ops with all the kids. Most of the kids followed him around and weren't afraid at all... but Jazzy cried every time he came near:)... so he kept his distance and we didn't get a photo. Later, after alot of dancing, each of the 500 kids got a sack of age appropriate gifts!

Jazzy eating lunch
Suns gorilla holding a baby
Jazzy opening presents