Welcome to Siberia...I mean, Ludington?

I can't tell you how much I'm really beginning to hate...HATE winter. I know Wayne loves it, but I've grown tired of being cold, having cold toes and fingers, wearing jeans and sweaters everyday and not going where I want because the roads are crappy. I joked with Tonni that I live in Siberia, just with less vodka and no big fur hats. LOL! Here are a few pictures I took just now of the snow. Oh, and then there are the 2 pictures that Julia and I took of each other. She's been into pictures lately. Especially ones that are SUPER CLOSE.

Julia on China, Adoption, and The New Year celebration

Julia and I often have deep converations about her adoption, living in China and celebrating holidays. She knows we are meeting up with the Brooks family (they adopted their son at the same time we did) and so we had a long talk about China tonight.

Julia: Mom, why you come to China to adopt me? (Her exact words, I swear!)

Me: Because we wanted another daughter and you needed a Momma and Daddy

Julia: Baba Lu (orphanage director) he helped you find me?

Me: Yep, he sent your paperwork to a place that put your picture on the internet and we saw you and knew that you were our baby girl

Julia: My foster mom loved me?

Me: YES!! Of course she did, but Baba Lu knew you needed parents that could take care of you forever

Julia: Baba Lu, he a good guy?

Me: (Ok, I don't know the answer to this, but from what I've been told, yes...he's very nice!) Yes, Baba Lu is a nice man.

Julia: I like to see him again, with my foster mom

Me: I hope we can see them too

Julia: What about my 1st mommy (birth mom)?

Me: Well, we don't know who she is, I don't know how to find her

Julia: Moooom, she look like ME! Like Anna look like you

Me: Yeah, you're right. :-)

Some of this is heavy! She's 4 and I want her to know that it's ok to talk about how she feels. I truly think a very open heart is the way to approach this. I don't want her to ever think that she can't talk to me about China or her life there before us.

Julia: Mom, will you put some pictures of China on your 'puter (meaning website)

Me: Sure, anything you want!

Julia: Will you put the pictures of when you and Daddy came to get me?

Me: Of course! I like looking at those

Julia: Your hair was long and you were fat then. (Thanks, kid!)

Ok...so here are some pictures of our trip to China in celebration of the upcoming Chinese New Year. Remember these were taken in November/December 2005. Julia was just 25 months and just a tiny peanut!!

This picture was taken as we got ready to leave the hotel in Beijing and fly to Wuhan to get the babies. We would be proud parents for the 3rd time in a few short hours from then!

Need a new blog design?

Apparently more of my friends are getting into blog design than I realized!! My friend and fellow adoptive mom Sharon has started a new blog design business, Spiffy Blogs! How lucky am I to know all these creative moms? ;-) Just as a reminder here's a list of my friends and their websites:

1. Sharon's Spiffy Blogs (Blog designs)
2. 4 Princess Bows (Tonni's bows, my bracelets and Dawn's tutus)
3. Karen's Soaps (The BEST SOAP EVER!!)
4. Anyone else that wants to be on my list, just let me know!

Camnanna?

Julia has taken to sleeping in Cameron and Anna's room (they share the bunk bed). So tonight this is the coversation we had tonight:

Julia: Mom, is today Friday?
Me: Nope, it's Monday.
Julia: Do we have school tomorrow?
Me: Yes!
Julia: Mom, can I sleep with Camnanna
Me: Who?
Julia: Camnanna
Me: You mean Cam AND Anna?
Julia: Mom...you know what I saying. I want to sleep with Camnanna, in their bed.
Me: We have to wait to the weekend.
Julia: Oh darn!

...then she saulks away...mumbling..."stupid school" :-)

Not that I cared, but...Giants WIN!

I'm not a big football fan (give me rugby any day!), but the New York Giants beat the New England Patriots 17-14. YAY! I was tired of hearing all about Tom Brady, so I kinda started liking the Giants. Either way, I figured that the Super Bowl was blog worthy. :-)

On a greener side...there a great player for the Giants who is a former Michigan State'r. Plaxico Burress is an amazing receiver. Go Green!

BLoggy Giveway WINNERS!!

First, let me say THANK YOU to everyone that enter the giveaway for my earrings. It was really exciting to see people interested in my creations. :-) I will be sending out emails to the winners. So...on with with the announcement!!

THE GRAND PRIZE WINNER OF THE 2 PAIRS SHOWN IS:

PAM (afriend@netcommander.com)

Here are the 3 other winners picked for one pair of earrings made by me!

JENNY (j_hoesli@yahoo.com)

Linda (lholland78@comcast.net)

Faerie Mom (xenabich28@yahoo.com)

Thanks again to all that entered. I would have loved to sent each one of you a pair of earrings, but hubby wasn't going to go for that one! Take care! ~Melissa~

I WON! I WON!! I WON!!! I WON!!!!

Won what??? Well, remember that Exceptional Parent thing I got nominated for?

Welllll..... I WON!!! I freakin' WON!!

I am now the Michigan Council for Exceptional Children, Exceptional Parent of the year for 2008!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There's a small reception the day after I get home from New Orleans. Wow. I am soooo excited and in shock. In the words of Sally Fields...They like me, they really really like me!! ;-)

The day after the storm

Picture of the trees in the north part of the yard.

Another view of tree covered in snow.

Mom's picture of Julia while waiting for the bus.

Julia's picture of mom while waiting for the bus. :-)

Julia's feet.

A classic Mom and Julia goofy picture.

Last but not least is a new picture of Oliver. Who happened to get caught eating Riley poo today. He's now in doggie jail for that offense. UGH! It's not like he's starving, he's eat good! What a maroon!

Tutus!

It seems as though the craft bug has hit another friend of mine. Dawn started making tutus for her daughter EmmaLi and now our friend Tonni is selling them at her store!! Sooo...if you're in the market for a great tutu, go check out Dawn's page!

Snow Day #2

School was cancelled again today due to weather conditions. Yesterday wasn't too bad as we were able to get out and about and have lunch and do a bit of shopping. However...today is much different. It was -4 degrees this morning, blowing and drifting snow. The windchill was like -22 (actually, I'm not certain what it was...but that's what I thought I heard!)!! Winter is BACK! It was 49 just 2 days ago! The state police are recommending that people not drive unless they have to. Blahhhhhh...... If I get brave enough, I'll take some pictures.

Bloggy Giveaway!!

Ok...so I've wanted to be part of this bloggy giveaway thing for awhile (even though I've never entered one except for Tonni's!) and I'm finally going to do it. Here's the really cool link to all the neato folks that are giving things away!! Here's what I'm giving away! There are 2 pairs of earrings that I made. The first pair are made with 2 Japanese white tensha with sakura cherry blossoms beads , 2 smaller red seed beads all on gold wire hooks. The second pair was inspired by the red Chinese New Year lanterns you see hanging. There are 2 silver "lantern" beads with 3 smaller seed beads on silver wire hooks. :-)

How to win them: Just comment on this post saying you want to be entered. Make sure to leave a blog address or email address! Shipping is on me. So, just check back here on FEBRUARY 3RD to see if you won! Woohoo!

Because I'm THRILLED to have so many people sign up for my earrings, I decided to give away an addition 3 pairs. Ok...they won't all look exactly like the ones above, but...who doesn't like FREE STUFF?? Good Luck!

So, like my new look?

Hi! I'm Melissa and welcome to the new and improved Ladybugs and The Red Thread blog. LOL! I have to admit that I've been very envious of people who design their own blogs. I just wanted to pick out a neato template and use it. However, blogger isn't that easy yet. I've struggled through the Pepto pink layout, the lighthouse layout, the "design your own" layout with funky colors. HOWEVER! Nothing compares to what my bestest friend Dawn made. She created my new look!! I just love, Love, LOVE it!! It's very chic as far as blogs go if you ask me. ;-) Soooo...if anyone is looking for a super cool blog, let me know! I can get you in contact with the hottest layout designer in the Midwest. Love ya, Dawn!! Thanks so much!!

Picture this:

Julia and I are driving along to go pick up Cam and Anna up from school. Music is ALWAYS playing in the car. My iPod pretty much plays shuffles all the time, because I like things that are random. Anyways, Tom Petty's song "American Girl" comes on. I downloaded it after watching "Silence of the Lambs" one night. Sooo...Julia and I were singing along and she yells out the chorus:

"Oh yeah, all right

Take it easy baby

Make it last all night

She was an american girl"

I thought I was going to get into a CRASH from laughing so hard. Because you've got to think of a 4y/o singing in her little voice (which is soooo far from Tom's gravelly one!) and the last line she changed to a CHINESE GIRL! The first time through she said American girl, then by the last chorus, it was changed to Chinese girl. I had visions of Mao rolling over in his grave as one of his country women is bopping along in her bright pink corduroy pants, purple winter coat with the new pink headbead from Tonni (yeah, I didn't get to keep that!) singing the most American rock-n-roll song. :-) I figured maybe it was a fluke, so I played the song again. Nope. She yelled out CHINESE GIRL again from the back seat. Nice. We do talk about China lot here, especially since Chinese New Year is around the corner, but...GEEZ! LOL!

Look what new tools can do!

I recently just ordered 2 new pairs of from a nice lady on Etsy and after I got them, I realized with the right tools, I could make them. So, I bought the tools. :-) Here are the earrings I made today. I gave a pair away already to Anna's teacher. LOL!

Slow news day

A month from today I will be in New Orleans for the National EHDI conference. The average temps are lows in the mid 50's and high's in the upper 60's. That's going to seem like summer compared the weather we've had here!! Ooohh...so, I'm thrilled about the conference, but I'm also excited about going to Cafe Du Monde for beignets and coffee. Mmmmm! (Don't worry Tonni and Dawn, I won't forget you guys. Beignets are on any practical women's diet!) :-)

How great

Picture this: It's a beautiful Tuesday afternoon, about 6 inches of fresh powder snow has fallen. The sky is a bright blue with big, puffy white clouds and the sunny is shining. It's breathtaking. But it's FREEZING and I don't care to walk out to the mailbox (eh, call me lazy). I fire up the van, pull out of the garage to head to mailbox. I get the mail, start to pull back up (there's a small incline) and I get stuck. Slippin', slidin'...not going anywhere. My iPod is running and the song that comes on is "How great is our God" by Chris Tomlin. Here I sit, stuck in my own driveway, no coat, freezing to death and I realized how lucky I am to just be here. It's a wonderful day regardless of the cold. Being stuck is a minor inconvenience. However, I did get unstuck and managed to get back in the house before I became a Popsicle. I'm just glad no one saw me outside in my "I'm doing laundry clothes and the I don't give a rat's hiney about my hair" look today. :-)

Beautiful and Handsome

Julia: Mom, you're beautiful
Me: Aww, thanks sweetie...so are you!
Julia: Cameron, Daddy and other boys are handsome, right?
Me: Yep, boys are handsome.
Julia: Girls are beautiful, boys get handsome.
Me: Is there a boy you think is handsome?
Julia: Yeah, I like Jordan and Connor, but they not handsome, they just boys I like.
Me: Well, someday you might think they are handsome.
Julia: No way! No one is handsome like Daddy.

Moms & Music

So I posted those pictures yesterday and I started to think. There are some very distinct things that remind me of my mom. For my first 6 years, it was just her and I. I loved having her all to myself. Guess that's where I started to get spoiled. :-) I remember going to the beach a lot. Getting to stop for ice cream on the way home was a huge treat. I also remember getting to go to college with her on some days, I loved that! One of the other things that I remember really well is listening to Carly Simon. No on matter where I am, the grocery store, in the car, listening to my iPod...if I hear a Carly Simon song, I think of my mom. Funny thing, is I'm not sure she really liked her. :-) Diana Ross and the Supremes is the other one. I really liked her too, however, I am fairly certain mom liked her a lot. For some reason, I have a huge love for James Taylor. I'm guessing he was on the radio one or two times when I was little and it stuck. Now if you stop over to my parents house and catch my mom listening to music, it's usually Nickleback or Toby Keith! LOL!

This brings me to what my kids will remember about what listening to radio or music with me. Cam already thinks that Wayne only listens to Survivor, The Outfield, Night Ranger...classic 80's. He knows that mom likes a lot of stuff. Anything from MercyMe and Chris Tomlin to Saves The Day and Keane, to ELO and Peter Frampton (ugh...I hate that he's in the Geico ad!) to Depeche Mode and Madonna. My music tastes are all over the board. I hope the kids pick out some decent stuff to remember me by. But, I have a feeling the kids won't be fighting over my BeeGee's CDs when I'm gone. LOL!

Melissa...way back when....

The kids and I were talking about baby pictures of me and this is what I came up with. The first picture is me and my mom. The second one is me and my aunt Pam. I'm probably about 18mo to 2 years in the photos. Wish I had the blonde hair again!! Oh wait...I need to post a pic of me in the FAKE blonde hair I had for a while....I'll try to find one of them. That's when the laughing can really start. LOL! ;-)

After much thought....

This is where I plan on waking up tomorrow....Anyone else want to join me in Bora Bora?? ;-)