Enjoying the summer weather...

These last few weeks, the kids have been having a blast on the new Power Wheels Jeep. Tommy and Gracelynn, in particular, love it! They go out nearly daily for their drive. Gracelynn hasn't figured out how to drive, but she loves to ride. In this video, she's having a blast... those are happy yells. :)

Yesterday, we enjoyed a nice weekend with our "dinner group", a few couples that get together every other month to enjoy a dinner and each other's company. This was the one day out of the year where we include the kids. The BBQ was held at our house... and of course, the grill wasn't working. :) We fortunately used our neighbor's grill and all was well. Gracelynn warmed up to the crowd easily enough. She played in the basement rec room with all of the kids, while the grown-ups were upstairs. By the end of the evening, she was repeating everyone's names and even playing Peek A Boo with one of our friends. We'd hear "I see you" from Gracelynn in the next room!

She has become pickier with food as time goes on. I guess it's sinking in that there is a variety of food available to her, so why accept just anything?! Last night, she boycotted her hotdog, but ate up all the pineapple and potato chips! She also LOVED the homemade chocolate ice cream that our friends, the Hroniks, brought. With whipped-cream on top! We've also come to realize that we have a problem. One of our other kids' favorite meals (and thus an easy dinner to create in a pinch) is macaroni and cheese. I don't believe Gracelynn likes it! Ugh. Unfortunately she hasn't learned the mannerly way of just swallowing the food graciously, instead she spits it right out. Well, at least we know when she dislikes something. Ha! Just wish she hadn't done it today at church with a cinnamon roll.

Speaking of church, she's gone to church with me two times now while Mike taught Sunday school and the kids went to their classes. Now granted, I had to feed her nearly nonstop, but she behaved relatively well. Last week she was a little more shy and thus stayed still better. Today she was a little more comfortable and was bee-bopping all over our row of seats. I felt a little bad for the fellow down 6 seats from us when she walked down to him to just stare. :-) I suppose the cry room area would be better suited for her. We hope in the next several months to get her more used to the kids' classes so that she's ready for preschool in the fall.

Her personality is definitely beginning to shine through. And guess what.... we have ANOTHER extroverted, friendly child. How can this be, with two introverted parents? I've found her outside, hanging on the fence, staring at the neighbors and being social. She also warms up quickly to strangers. Once she is comfortable in a situation (like church or soccer games), she'll wander around and be nosey and go up to people and just stare. Yesterday, I couldn't seem to get her to understand that at Tommy's soccer game, she shouldn't go poking around other people's bags and things. She was fascinated with another girl's brightly colored umbrella and started to carry it around.

As you can see in this photo, Grace sleeps well in her new bed. She never stays still (as seen in the photo), but at least she sleeps. Peaceful little girl. The thumb-sucking ONLY occurs at night... must have been her way of soothing herself at the orphanage.