Happy Valentine's Day!

February 12, 2010

VDAY SHOES WM

I know this is a couple days early, but we are thinking about celebrating Chinese New Year on Sunday. In the 4 years we have been waiting, we have never celebrated. I thought this might be a good year to start and I thought it might be fun for Sarah{Nick is with his Dad this weekend}. It is about time we start preparing her for what is yet to come......God willingly!

I am going to attempt to cook something authentic.....attempt being the operative word. I am no stranger to the kitchen, but this is a cuisine I have never really tried to cook. If I don't succeed, we could always order take out, right??? If anyone has any tried and true recipes that they make for CNY, I would love them!!

Smiles WM 2

Like many of you here in the Northeast, we have been stuck in the house all week due to the snow. School has been closed since Tuesday and they are not reopening until next Tuesday. The kids are beginning to climb the walls......and frankly, so am I:) Sarah has been living in her her "dress up" clothes and yesterday she begged me to resurrect her "Fairy Costume" that she wore for Halloween.

It's pink and has wings so I told her it was kind of Cupid-esque{not really a word, but it sounded good} We paired it with her cute pink heels that have hearts on them to complete the Valentine's Day look!!

I love you this much wm

After a couple minutes in front of the camera, she had herself believing she really was cupid. She wanted to test out her "wings" to see if she could fly like he does.

Lucky for her, the bed is not too far from the floor......... As you might have guessed, the wings didn't really work! Lucky for me, that she didn't go digging through her brothers things to find a real bow and arrow:)

She is a character!! Never a dull moment with this little one:) I can only imagine what life will be like with another little girl in the house. I think it is going to be a rough transition for our little cupid, but in the end she will love having someone to play with........... and boss around!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend and a Happy Valentine's Day!

For those of you celebrating, HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!!

UPDATE: I was just reminded that today officially marks 45 Months of Waiting. Our LID is 5/12/06. For those of you not in the adoption community, that is the day our paperwork arrived in China. I cannot believe it....... at this rate, I am thinking we are going to hit the big 50 before we see her face. Only time will tell, but if I was a betting woman, I would say we are most definitely going to see fifty before we see a sweet smiling face.

49 comments:

Sharon said...

Happy CNY !!! Adorable pics. It's a combo of CNY and TET in our house. Can't wait to see what you make. Do you have decorations?

Jodee said...

You poor thing! I bet you do have a bad case of cabin fever there. It looks like you had fun with your Valentine's Day shoot though! I love the first picture! Life is sweeter with polkadots!

Hope you have a Happy Valentine's Day/CNY!

Shelly and Family said...

HAPPY CNY 2010!

and

Happy Valentine's Day too!

Love the photos of Sarah! Now you would't love to be a Fairy ~ even if it is just for a few day lol!

Here's to a great weekend :)

Number 6 and no more counting! said...

those legs are the cutest thing EVER! Happy Valentine's.

Lea
xo

Love Letters To China said...

What an adorable cupid! She is so cute... I'm sure whatever you cook is going to be delish. Make sure you take loads of pics so we can see everything and drool.

I think Sarah is going to be wonderful big sister. It will be rough at first (take it from someone that has been there, done that), but in the end the love that will transpire will be well worth it.

Happy Valentines Day and CNY to you and yours! Keep warm...

LivingSimply, SimplyLiving said...

Happy Valentine's Day and have a very Happy Chinese New Year....
Wishing you a great New Year..
Hope your cooking day goes well...
Annmarie..
You b&W photo was great and I have one similiar to it of my daughter...too bad I did not get a chance to play...I am KNEE DEEP in RENOVATION at my house..honestly I do NOT even know how I am typing this..even my fingers ache:(

Courtney said...

The pictures of Sarah are too cute. Happy Valentine's Day!

These Are The Days said...

Great pictures. I haven't been able to find time to learn how to use my Nikon D200...so frustrated. Big news, we are going to adopt from a Haiti orphanage...so scared to take that leap of faith. I thought we were done, but I can't seem to kick the promptings I'm having and hubby's all over the idea. Eeek!

Gail said...

I have to agree with Lea...those are the cutest legs and feet ever!!!

Enjoy your first CNY celebrating, I'm confident your food will be delicious. And Happy Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day!!!

Lisa (Briana's Mom) said...

Awww, these pictures put me in the Valentine's Day mood! So cute, sweet and pink!

I have only attempted to make eggrolls and they actually turned out pretty yummy. Doug bought me a Chinese Food Cookbook and I have started thumbing through it looking for easy recipes. Happy CNY!

Looks like I'm might be getting a tiny bit of snow at my house today. Bri will take whatever she can get!

a Tonggu Momma said...

Happy Valentine's Day and CNY! I think it's great you're going to try a few dishes. I would suggest dumplings (because those are the most important) and anything else that strikes your fancy. You may want to check out this post: http://tinyurl.com/yjl4oe6 written by Jaden of Steamy Kitchen fame.

Anonymous said...

What beautiful smiles! Sarah is really growing up! Yes, it's a great idea to start preparing her - we definitely did not prepare our youngest enough that she was about to be dethroned as the baby! Happy Valentine's and Happy CNY - can't wait to see your photos!

Robin said...

Holy cupid she is cute! Love the second picture ... she is growing up & really looks like a big girl there! Love the tights ... super fun!

Good luck cooking this weekend. The only thing we have cooked is stir fry :) Enjoy!!

Take care!
Robin

Dita said...

Look at this little Cupid Cutie! LOVE the tights and heels. I see she kept her wings on this time (albeit that they don't really WORK! ARRRGGHGHH)

When I saw that middle portrait of Sarah...well, I had to catch my breath. This is the first picture of Sarah that I saw a glimpse of the much older girl she will become. I believe that we catch those every now behind our lenses but it is few and far between.

Over the years I have always noticed this with the photos I took of my niece and godson, and even WonderBoy when he was a toddler.
I think this is one of those with Sarah and BOY is she a beauty.

Glad you are trying your hand at CNY this year. I'll bet your dishes come out STELLAR! Can't wait to see them.

Happy Valentine's Day!

xoxo
Dita

fleur de lis cottage said...

Awesome images....love these! I hope you all have an awesome Vday and CNY!!

Felicia

Patricia said...

HAPPY Year of the Tiger!!
And Happy HEART day!!

I have a great CNY recipe that I make every year...I will email it to you today. It's Hong Kong style roast pork & it is EASY & DELICIOUS!! Kiara LOVES it too!

That is such a cute pic! YOu are so creative with your perspective! ;)

Have a WONDERFUL weekend celebrating!
Patricia

Tisha said...

Happy Valentines Day and Gung Hay Fat Choy! Precious pics as always!

I once heard that all great cooks have a little bit of Chinese in them. And I know that you are a fab cook, so I am sure you have more than just a little Chinese in you and your CNY celebration will be delish!

Here's praying that you can finally see the light at the end of your LONG road to China.

Blessings,
Tisha

Lisa said...

Love the pictures! She is just way too cute!

How fun that you are going to celebrate CNY this year!

Have a wonderful weekend!!! : )

Wanda said...

Beautiful images Lisa! The 2nd one looks like Sarah at 15. It almost stunned me. She is so gorgeous but sadly losing some of her baby face.

What a fun little cupid-fairy she makes. And full of beans - hard not to catch that. Yes, your house will be rock n roll for awhile with a new little one. (We've run the gamut of the good, the bad and the ugly here. Dahlia is coming around and we have moments of pure bliss but it has been hard on her too. Normal stuff.)

I'm so glad you'll be celebrating CNY this year. Your first! Dumplings are a tradition. Try shrimp and pork. The sesame balls (that I posted last monday) are also traditional. I've sometimes made Singapore noodles ('cause I love them) and garlic ribs. (E-mail me if need recipes.)

Happy Valentines to you and your family and Xin Nian Kuai Le!!

xoxo

Special K said...

I love that first pic with the polka dots and heels. So adorable. Brings back my own memories of playing dress up as a little girl.

Happy CNY!

Lisa said...

Ya know there is a big age gap between our dumplings too and yes a transition looms for your Miss S....but so many little moments will catch you ( and probably them too!) by surprise ~ that keeps it lively and sweet! :)

Love those tights ~ she's sweet as sugar!

I was doing to suggest dumplings but I think others already have ~ what I like most about them is that our Miss can help and that makes it all worth it even if we end up with take-out when its all said and done! *wink*

Enjoy!

Faith Hope Love Photography said...

I have been thinking of you all week!! Not fun at all...I know. Hope you have a great CNY and can't wait to see what you come up with for the cuisine...make sure to share the recipe if you like it, I have loved all of yours so far. Loved your idea of starting a binder so that is on my to do list. I made the cupcakes you had on here for Kya's birthday and everyone loved them, especially me and I have been trying to be so good. But how can a person be good when there are all these awesome recipes out there!!!
P.S. do you have any good recommendations on where to start learning Photoshop, I know a little but it is also a little overwhelming. You are great at it!!!

Formerly known as Frau said...

Have a wonderful celebration this weekend. Love your pictures of your sweet girl.

Marla said...

So cute! Good luck with the cooking, we usually take the easy way to go out. :) Happy Valentine's Day, Happy Chinese New Year and Happy Weekend! :)

Unknown said...

Great Photos Lisa! She is such a cute little girl, and her smile...infectious! I can't believe you've been waiting 45 months. That seems like a really long time to me, but I'm not very familiar with international adoption processes. Praying that the day you see her smiling face will come sooner than you think :)Have a great CNY celebration, and good luck with the cooking!

Unknown said...

Aww, I love the tights and shoes! That's the best part of little girls - playing dress up and being fairies. I want to be a kid again!

3 Peanuts said...

Such cute photos! HAppy Valentine's day and CNY! I cannot believe you have been waiting that long...well I can but it is incredible. Enjoy your weekend!!!

The Byrd's Nest said...

She is so precious....she has the sweetest smile and of course she always has the most darling clothes! Happy Valentines Day....praying your day comes soon to get your little princess from China.

Lourie said...

My mom has made her own egg roles, won ton soup, and sweet and sour sauce and the meat to go with it. It is a lot of work...a lot. I don't have the recipe, but I highly recommend the take out. Good luck either way.

Love the pictures!!

Michelle R Photography said...

Your little fairy princess is so cute!! Have fun celebrating CNY. You may want to check and see if your area has a local FCC (Families with Children from China) group. They may be putting on a party, with performances and all. It would be a great way to meet people and start planning play dates for when your new little one comes home.

BTW, if you have success with an Asian recipe, which I am sure you will, please share! I am always looking for a good one. Kara would love you for it! :)

Enjoy your weekend!

Carolin said...

Good luck on you CNY cooking endeavor. Our girls like tangerines and I don't even have to cook those!

45 months of waiting, oh Lisa ... that makes me so sad to see that. There's just no way you can convince me that there are not children in China who need a family. I'll never, ever understand this horrendous wait. Prayerfully this will be your year!

Missy said...

Oh my goodness, I am LOVIN' all the pink!!! I am such a girly girl and would go nuts to play dress up juuussstt one more time :) Sarah is so stinkin' cute. That second pic of her truly took my breath away. You can get a glimpse into the future and all I have to say is, good thing she has a daddy and a big brother to take care of those boys :)
Have fun at your Chinese New Year celebration whether you go out or stay in...and many more to come :)

Chasing Dreams Photography said...

Oh how adorable!!!! Love that picture!!!!!! Love all the pictures but I have to say that first one is really cute : )

Oh you are good attempting to cook a little chinese cuisine...we are ordering from this fantastic restaurant...I'm happy you are celebrating this year...it's really fun!!! Yes it'ss good to start preparing Sarah but no matter how much your prepare her for the big arrival...her crown will be tipped...trust me, Livi's is still tipped LOL

Casey said...

Happy New Year!! And Happy Valentine's Day!! I love that they fall on the same day...

Lovely pics!! She is such a doll... and I love a girl with bold personality. She and Em would be two peas. I'm sure her new little sister will keep up well!!

And - oh - how I hope it is not 50. I'm always so sad to hear how slow the adoption process is nowadays. Hurry up already!! So many families waiting to be formed!!

Kim said...

Happy 45 months waiting for you girl.. she will be here soon..
Love the photos..
Happy Valentines Day and Happy CNY..
Have a great weekend..

Tutus and Choo-Choos said...

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

I can imagine how you are climbing the walls after being house bound for that many days!

Stay warm and take it one day at a time!

Becky said...

Happy valentine's day and CNY! I can't wait to hear how the cooking turns out. I have yet to attempt anything -- we go to PF Chang's with friends instead of cooking.

Looking forward to April!

Have a great weekend!!

xoxo

Ivy Shaffer said...

Hope you have a great Valentine's day and Happy CNY!

Can't wait to hear how the food came out. Love Sarah's new photos, she's really getting more friendly with the camera, watch out! Great photos Lisa, they're beautiful.

Oh you're so far from 50, stop aging yourself and get back to the scene of the crime LOL.

Happy Weekend too:))

Alyson and Ford said...

Beautiful pictures! Our local FCC group hosted several Chinese cooking classes; they were fun. All fresh ingredients. Maybe you can find a few Chinese families and have some fun dinners together.
Wow, such a long wait!. May I be bold and predict that you will have her in your arms in 10 more months? We can wait to see her!

Alyzabeth's Mommy

Rachelle said...

Adorable pics!

Mei Mei s and Mayhem said...

Happy CNY!! I love that first picture!!

{{HUGS}} While hanging on during this ridiculous long wait!! Our original LID is 4/10/06. I cant believe we signed the first paper with our agency May 05!

I cant to wait to celebrate the big day with you when you see your daughters face for the first time!!!!

Michal said...

Okay I am de-lurking here. I love your blog and every single photo on here! I can not wait to see you with your third child!

The BEST Chinese recipe that I have ever tried is actually from the Everyday Food Magazine. In the April 2007 issue on page 44. Now I know that Martha gets her fingers into everything but these really can not be beat! If you want the recipe you can e-mail me if you want : lmwydillon@att.net and I will send it your way. I have made these every year for CNY since 2007 and my family LOVES them. I am also planning on doing a "self made up recipe" of shrimp fried rice, had a trial run last week and Ev ate so much I thought she would bust!

We are doing CNY next weekend as The Tiny Empress touts Valentine's Day as her best holiday.

Unspoken said...

Xin Nian kuaile, Lisa! LOVE the shoe picture! DARLING!

Bailey said...

Happy Valentine's Day and Chinese New Year to your family!

I love the delicate wings and the story about trying to fly. I remember doing something similar when I was a child. She may not be able to fly, but she is still an adorable little cupid. Enjoy a great day!

Kim said...

I haven't been around much this week but I knew you would have something fantasic for V-Day! I am not disapointed,beautiful pictures. Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Chinese New Year, too! Can't wait you hear what you make.

Valerie said...

Beautiful pictures. I admire you attempting to celebrate the CNY by cooking something. I personally am not a fan of Chinese Food and being in China for almost 3 weeks didn't convince me.

I was always the one on the bus yelling no heads no feet when they were deciding where to go for dinner.

Isn't it funny I think nothing of ordering chicken legs or wings in the states?

I'll have to analyse that one.

Happy Valentine's day.

Valerie

jenbusymom said...

Great shots Lisa, glad you finally got her in her wings! Hope you had a nice long weekend!

Kam said...

Hope you had a fabulous Valentine's Day! Love these pics of the little miss in her pink...and those dress up shoes bring back so many sweet {and I might add...noisey} times in our lives! The girls LIVED in them and with hardwood floors...YIKES!!! She is the perfect fairy!

JMCS said...

Lisa,

These are awesome!!!!!! Love them and Sarah is such a cutie and perfect model. Nice job. :)