We were invited last weekend to a special night with our local Ethiopian Adoption group for fun, fellowship and picking pumpkins!!  I love this time of the year and enjoy decorating the house to celebrate the harvest season.  Every morning, I light all the yummy pumpkin spice candles and pumpkin lights for the kids to enjoy. (Target has some great big pumpkin lights that are happy and unspooky!!)

We loaded up Zoie and headed to the pumpkin patch to party Ethiopia style!!  We had no idea where we were going, but Kim gave fantastic directions and even though it was 1.5 hour drive out in the middle of nowhere farmlands… we were excited!!  The farm had everything- fire pits, hay rides, pumpkins, kiddie train, and Porta Potties!!  The adoption group was lively and the kids had a blast playing with the activities!!

Zoie loved the hayride.. she wanted to sit right behind the big wheels, so we huffed and sucked in spraying dirt so she could have the full tractor experience!!  She ran from pumpkin to pumpkin and finally picked out a tiny one just the right size (in the free basket)  She was delighted!!  We took a ton of pics and decided to end the evening with adventure.  As we headed to the van, Hubby loaded up the stroller and carefully maneuvered out of the pitch black field for home.  It only took me a few minutes to realize something was missing.  My cell phone was MIA.  I immediately accused Mr. Awesome for not checking the stroller before throwing it inside and he accused me of allllwaays losing my phone.  He suggested I left it on the table when I shoved 3 marshmallows in my mouth.  We got into a crazy argument about nothing and drove back home in semi-silence.  We had no idea that the pumpkin people had already called our son to let us know my cell phone was found in the parking patch. (he forgot to call us)

Well, the evening ended good… I served Hubby a plate of crow and we did a crazy U-Turn in the middle of nowhere to retrieve my lost cell.  I love when we find ourselves in sticky situations where we can bond as a family and grow in forgiveness.  Zoie loved the pumpkin patch and we can’t wait to go back next year!!  It has been suggested by my daughter that I might clip a glow in the dark stick on my phone… just in case.

I want to know your favorite “bonding” story as a family… leave me a comment.

More fun pics …

I confess… I really do like Justin Bieber.  My freshly new 14 year old daughter is madly in love with the JB, so to survive the Bieber craziness, music, videos, magazines, posters, YouTubes and LIVE concerts, I had to join the club.  At first, I had no idea that the boy could sing, but after hearing “Down to Earth” blaring endlessly from my daughter’s room, I soon realized that Justin really could sing.  The song actually chokes me up since reading in Hannah’s Teen Beat magazine that when his parents divorced, the pain was so deep in his heart that singing helped him survive.  I love bragging that I know over 1000 facts about the teen idol… I have played the “ask me anything about Justin Bieber” game with Hannah and her friends the past year.  They all swoon over this kid and bat their eyes wildly when a song comes on XM radio.  Heck, I swoon too.  We all have Bieber fever!!

The best part, my hubby taught Zoie how to say… I don’t like Justin Bieber, so now the girls fight back and forth.  I have permission to show proof of my two daughter’s Bieber rivalry over loving the super star.  This video of the girls is sooooo funny!!

Bloggy readers… who was your crazy teen crush?

This is for you baby:))

I had to get some Huggies Jeans for Princess Z so she could poo in blue très chic.  I love these crazy Huggies Jeans Diapers so much, I’m throwing a 2 day {GIVEAWAY} Even if you don’t wear diapers, or waiting for your baby, or think they’re too crazy, join in on the fun.  It’s summer time… go nuts!

What do you win?

(US only)

1 box of Huggies Jeans Diapers (you pick size)

All you have to do:

1. tell me why you want to win in the comments- you can enter daily.
2. add my crazy button on your blog or vote for top mommy blog (help make adoption #1 bloggy winner)

Just click- that’s all you do to vote:)

I’ll announce the winner via this bloggy post on June 9th.

I laughed like crazy watching this diaper video… enjoy.

I can’t tell you how much we appreciated and laughed over your creative suggestions on helping Zoie stop stripping.  They worked and she has had 7 naps in a row.  Thank you to all my crazy mommas who united for 911 diaper crisis.  We ran to Target and bought Dora Pull-Ups, waterproof pull ups, new size 3 zippy jammies and big girl panties.  We put her diapers on backwards and that has nipped the problem for now.  She has had so much fun practicing on her princess potty.  For those of you who did not hear, I set up the potty and explained to Princess Zoie how is all worked,

“Put your pee pee and poo poo inside the potty!”

She smiled and sat down on her new pink throne and did a poopy.  I think she broke a world record… can anyone’s prince or princess top that??!!

Here’s a few pics to make you smile.

You can help make adoption #1 top mommy blog- Click this button everyday 2 Vote- that’s it!

When we first brought Zoie home from Ethiopia, we headed to Target to buy diapers and new jammies for her.  Our 6 month old only weighed 7 pounds and needed newborn sizes quick!  We live in a small town and Target is our new bright beaming light beckoning us through their doors.  It’s located at the center hub between all our local schools.   Zoie’s first Target run, the staff surrounded us with congrats and love.  In fact, every time we visit the store, we feel welcomed home.  They have a mini Starbucks inside, so we love to meet Gramma in the mornings after dropping Hannah off at school.  I realized the other day, that Target and the amazing staff have become our good friends.  This winter has been so cold, that instead of heading to the frozen park, we play at Target.  Zoie was officially crowned Target Baby, so just for fun here’s our daily trek.  It goes something like this:

8:00 am- Target doors open.

8:01 am- mommy runs heads to the Starbucks to order coffee.

8:04 am- Caleb, the best Target barista, makes my caramel macchiato foam peak 4 inches tall.

8:10 am- Zoie greets the incoming customers with “na na” (knuckles)

8:15 am- we start off speed walking our first lap by the $1 racks.

8:17 am- I spot my Sexy Hair spray on sale and make the dive.

8:20 am- we greet the morning staff busy restocking laundry detergent.

8: 25 am- we dart behind aisle #34 and cart 2 gallons of whole milk.

8:26 am- I drop my coffee and spray extra foam on my UGG. (darn!)

8:28 am- we swoop to the right and head to the toys.

8: 31 am- Zoie screams “cook” and heads to bake me a cake.

8:45 am- I give Zoie the 5 minuet warning that we’re going home.

8:50 am- Zoie’s still feeling zippy.

8:53 am- I tempt Zoie with a quick peek at the candy racks.

8:55am- we say good-bye to all our Target friends.

8:58 am- dash to the car and start our crazy day.

Do you have a Target baby or do you hang out somewhere else?  I want to hear.

Target Friends- Steiger girls & Zoie playing in Baby aisle. (thx Lenka)

My Crazy List (a few things I think are just great)

• Little Monster Clothing Link- Abbie Kelly, owner.  “I am blessed to be a part of a very large and loving family (there’s 15 of us, 9 adopted- some of my siblings are on the website:). Our father had a routine of creating endearing names for each of us when we started to develop our own little personalities. Little Monsters Gear was created as a direct result of these loving little terms of his affection. Our Little Monsters try to capture the love that our father felt for each of his children and then we use these unique traits in each of our designs. My hope is that through our monsters you are able to see glimpses of the little monsters in your life.”
• My girls screaming at each other!

Click button everyday 2 Vote- that’s it!  Help make adoption #1 mommy blog!

Hubby and I needed a treat last night, so we grabbed the baby and headed for ice cream. We got home and had a little creamy surprise (this is a first) I wonder what was going on in her cute little head?  This 40 second Flip will make you laugh.

Have a fun Friday…

Do something crazy…. Click button everyday 2 Vote- that’s it to make My Crazy Adoption #1 mommy blog.