Save the TaTa's and some other recent memories

This past weekend, I walked with 3 friends{Cassie, my niece; Delilah, my sister-in-law; and Jodi, George's coworker}for the 1st Annual Lake Geneva Hope Walk for Breast Cancer. We couldn't have picked a better day for the walk, or better scenery. We hiked along the Lake Geneva shorepath, which literally crosses over the backyards of mansions along the lake. Lake Geneva has a rule of some sorts that mandates lake property owners to maintain a walkway for people to saunter around the lake. We walked to Williams Bay (7 miles) and then back to Lake Geneva (another 7 miles). Grand total: 14 miles! The "Save the Ta-Ta's" reference in the Title comes from some of the creative shirts we saw fellow walkers wearing along the lake path...

Last weekend was our 5th anniversary ("6th Honeymoon". We spent a wonderful weekend in Elkhart Lake, at the Osthoff Resort. On the way to the Resort, we stopped by the Kohler/Andrae State Park near Sheboygan---absolutely impressive. Who knew that Wisconsin had sand dunes? We had a blast walking barefoot (in late September) along Lake Michigan.

Here are a few random pictures of Marcella, her cool new shoes from Grandma, soaking her feet with Daddy, and our amazing Orange Tree.

Introducing Mr & Mrs Glaser

My little sister, Micky, just got married this past weekend. She married an awesome guy (and a pretty darn good hockey player), Darin. They had a beautiful outdoor wedding, in a park where they went on their first date. Everything was perfect and awesome---from the laid back atmosphere of LOVE, to the Jack Johnson song that they walked down the aisle to....

Marcella was the sparkly, star-wand waving flower girl,,,and I was the "Best Lady".

The wedding had a very 'natural' theme---home grown wheat grass, compliments of green thumb Aunt Suzie, adorned everything.

One of my sister's biggest passions is desserts. You wouldn't know it by her small size, but you would know it by the delicious details that came in the form of her wedding cake & the bite-size pastries that accompanied it.

Best Wishes Micky & Darin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our Peruvian Adoption & The Surmountable Brick Wall

In the ongoing Adoption Column on the left, I mentioned that "no news is good news" in the world of adoption. Well, we received some news.....

It appears that Peru is not recognizing or accepting George's Peruvian birth certificate. They want him to submit an American birth certificate.

Apparently, they are confused because after George was born in PERU, he moved to the USA at age 4. Around age 7, he was adopted by his step-father and his name was changed. They want a Birth Certificate that reflects George's current name (by the way, George has never had an American birth certificate). Unfortunately, in the NINE months we have been working on the Peruvian adoption, this is the first time this American Birth Certificate issue has come up.

In the course of this adoption, we have provided Peru with every bit of documentation we could possibly muster up (PERUVIAN birth certificate, adoption decrees, adoption certificates, the whole 9 yards...). It looks like this is not going to cut it.

When discouraged by this whole dilemma, I refer back to this motivating quote: THE BRICK WALLS ARE THERE TO STOP THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANT IT BADLY ENOUGH A very wise man named Randy Pausch based his life and his teachings around these words. You may have heard of Randy Pausch from the "Last Lecture". Amazing man, Amazing story.

So, with this in mind, I am going to embark on getting my 43 year old husband his very first American Birth Certificate--->jet-blasting by this brick wall!

The TERRIFIC Two's

Marcella turned the big '2' on Saturday!!!

In lieu of a birthday party at home, we decided to go to the Kalahari in the Wisconsin Dells, with Grandma and Papa Lynn. We hadn't gone to the Dells in many, many, many years---but its amazing how priorities and interests change once you have children. We all had an absolute blast, celebrating the arrival of Marcella's 2nd year.

Mar's all-time favorite song is the "Star Spangled Banner" (perhaps all of the baseball games we go to have something to do with this indoctrination....or perhaps she just really is this patriotic....i think it might be a combination.) Anytime we are ANYWHERE and see a U.S. flag (no matter the size or distance away), Marcella immediately points it out, announces "FLAG!!!" and we proceed to sing, "Oh, say can you see...." It may not be pretty, but it is patriotic.... With all the practice we have been getting, Marcella and I may very well be invited to sing the National Anthem for this upcoming World Series in Milwaukee....

So, when we asked her what kind of a birthday cake she wanted, it was only natural for her to respond

"FLAG CAKE!". For the last month, she has stood firm in her request for a 'Flag" cake, despite alternative suggestions such as a princess cake, or a beach cake, or a kalahari-themed cake. And good thing Grandma came through! Grandma made her the coolest flag cake ever, from scratch! When it was unveiled to Marcella, her eyes got as big as balloons, and it was almost as if you could see her thought process "Oh my! I really do have a flag cake for my 2nd birthday! Dreams DO come true!". And by the way, the flag cake tasted as good as it looked!

In between cake & sun & water & fun, I decided to try the surfing ride at Kalahari. Oh boy. Here is a little 'documentary' of the surfing incident. (Click on the video below to see the big kahuna.) Marcella is going to look back at this video on her 18th birthday (ok, or her 13th/14th/etc), and just shake her head at her loca mamacita!

Here's our Happy Little 2 year old in her sunshiney dress. She lights up our every day in so many ways. We are eternally grateful for our princesita.

The Wisconsin State Fair!!!!!!

I thought I would take this opportunity to AVOID writing anything about my beloved Brewers (namely because we have had a rough little stretch this past week....no further commentary necessary......Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.....), and instead to focus on the fun we had tonight at the State Fair in Milwaukee.

A big part of the fun at State Fair is the FOOD. Here's a little recap of what we devoured. As you are reading this, ask yourself HOW many people you think were involved in this feast...: a footlong corndog, a regular corndog, a churro, cheesecurds, a fish taco, a deep fried shrimp skewer, 2 cream puffs, 2 carmel apples, a smoothie, lemonade, rootbeer, 2 beers, and a deep-fried SMORES on a stick.

Marcella, sitting proudly (and tiredly) with her grand prize, a Curious George stuffed animal.

2 things before I sign-off:
1) There were 3 adults and 1 toddler involved in the Fair Feast; and 2) the Brewers shut-out the Braves tonight.....Finally, a victory.....A moral victory if nothing else! And, oh yeah, the Pirates beat the cubs.

CC SABBATICAL!!!

Welcome CC Sabathia!!! The most EXCITING thing to happen to Milwaukee Brewers baseball in 25+ years! CC Sabathia was the 2007 AL Cy Young Player of the Year as a Cleveland Indian, and now he will be wearing the True Blue Brewers Jersey #52. While the Brewers have been playing stellar baseball as of late, CC is the icing on the cake to propel us into the Fall Classic!

We have great tickets for tonight's game, in which CC will be the starting pitcher. We are currently working on posters & a clever shirt for Marcella to wear for tonight's debut. All of Milwaukee is in a frenzy over CC's acquisition, and tonight's game will be a sell-out! Go Brewers!!!!!!!!!

Even Uncle Lukie (Pictured on Right Below), the big Cardinals fan, is jumping on the Brewers band-wagon!!!

Long Time, No See/Talk/Write/Blog

No excuses for not blogging---just enjoying summer & Mar-Mar...

Mom's last day of the school year was Friday, June 6th... She has been here since the 7th~~we have been having a great time. Mom has totally helped us out, by cleaning our house!!!, and just being an awesome Mom & Grandma.

Here are some pix (by the way, the little blue/yellow dress that Marcella is wearing, was my dress when I was a little girl!!!~~)