Making Cupcakes

Yesterday was a cold, snowy day and I thought it might be fun to bake some cupcakes and let Meredith help decorate them. She is always interested when I am in the kitchen - she goes to her drawer, or to the pantry and pulls out various cans and tupperware and spoons and basically everything she can and does her own version of culinary arts. So I figure this would be fun! Actually it was a lot of fun and Lexi (Dalmation),had a hayday camped out under Meredith's stool chowing down on sprinkles, sugar and various decorations. (I'm surprised the dog wasn't sick)!

BTW, if you are wondering about the new hairdo......let me just say one thing;
If you are ever considering Cost Cutters and you are in a hurry......DON'T!! No matter how much your child's hair is driving you crazy. This haircut that Meredith has now is the result of a "fix" from a disaster of a cut from a week ago. Thanks, Tiffany!

2008 Highlights and Milestones

January

• My Grandmother "Dee" turned 100 years old!! The family traveled to Hot Springs, AR to help her celebrate. You Go Girl!!

• Margo had lens replacement surgery in both eyes and is now glasses and contacts free!! (After how many years)???

February

• Eric took his annual boys ski trip. This year they went to Banff. (You guys have come a long way since the poor old days of cramming 8 to a condo in "Crusty Butt")!!

• Margo took her annual family Foundation trip to Scottsdale - just Dad and the siblings on this annual trek, and it is all business!! (and shopping, tennis and good food)!

March

• We took our last childless vacation - at least for a while, to Huatulco, Mexico. It was wonderful, but I think we went too early. There was much too much winter left when we returned!

• Lindsay finished school with her MBA in Accounting/Finance Management and Information Systems Management. Yeah - Have we told you lately how proud we are of you?!

April

• We made a weekend trip to our favorite spot in Moab for some spring hiking and biking.

• Come on Spring........

May

• 5-5-08, After nearly 3 years of chasing paperwork and dreams, we are finally matched with our baby girl, Qu Mei. Wow - - what a day this was!!

• The rest of May was pretty much a blur of final paperwork, packing, wrapping up things at work, parties and general chaos....

June

• The trip of a lifetime, the ups and downs, new friendships, bonding, trials, sleep deprivation, culture shock, HEAT, humidity, smog, traffic, pollution, crowds, generosity, curiosity, sadness, lost, overwhelmed, amazed, relieved...HOME....Start all over again...!!

• 6-30-08 Meredith is home 3 days and we celebrate her first birthday (quietly)!

July

• My Aunt Carol passed away on 6-29-08 and we met up with several family members at her memorial service July 3rd in Montrose.

• Summer finally came to Colorado - -I think it went from cold to Hot!

August

• Margo has a "big" birthday. Eric and Lindsay helped her celebrate by throwing a surprise party!! Okay....you got me this time! It was a lot of fun and my mom was here to help celebrate, too! Thanks, Mom!

• Grandma and Grandpa G come out to visit and meet Meredith for the first time.

September

• Mom and Dad are back to work full-time and Meredith starts day-care. The first week was a little rough, but after that everything is terrific and she LOVES it!

• Meredith is a walking bundle of energy. It took her a little longer, but she has it now and she is so happy to be mobile!

October

• Lindsay passes her final exam and receives her CPA - Congratulations, Jie Jie!!!

• We enjoy a warm and beautiful fall here in the Colorado Rocky Mountains!

November

• Our first long trip with Meredith since China - we fly commercially to Miami for management meeting. Trip was a grand success and everyone has a good time!

• We celebrated our traditional Thanksgiving with our good friends, John and Svetlana, and Lindsay and John. We have a good time and feel blessed to have such special friends and family.
  

December

• We have a wonderful, white Christmas - we spent the day with family.

• Eric celebrates his birthday with a trip to Denver and a rival hockey game between the Avalanche and Red Wings. Happily, the Av's win in an overtime shootout! (Sorry, honey, but I'm blogging) Meredith loved the hockey game, btw...

And that takes us to the end of 2008.

It has been a tumultuous year to say the least, and one that many people would surely like to forget. However, I am one that believes that we all need some difficulty in our lives in order to properly embrace the good - sort of like appreciating the light only after darkness. It is a good time to look within and find what we can do for others, even if that means only a smile or a small gesture of goodwill.

Thanks for visiting and following our blog.

Peace and Happiness to all of you for 2009