Where does the time go.....

Well my last post I said to check back in November...well that was like 5 months ago! So to bring you up to speed...we took the boys on a CRUISE! We sailed with Royal Caribbean's "Mariner of the Seas"! We had the BEST time! The boys loved it and we kept the surprise going until Quinn spotted the ship...even though he had a blind fold on! (obviously he peeked...ha ha!)

I have included some shots of our cruise adventure. We absolutely LOVED zip lining in Puerta Varata! We would definitely stay there for sure! We met some great people on the cruise, but especially our new friends Barry and Damien from Ireland. We have put Ireland on our "list" of places to visit!

School is in Full Swing!!

It is October and the boys have been in school about 20 days already! We have been riding our bikes almost EVERYDAY!! Even today it was a bit drizzily outside...but we still rode bikes. We are really enjoying the ride!

The boys are STILL trying to decide what to be for the BIG Halloween Day! I will update when we have figured it out.

Quinn is in 2nd Grade and has a wonderful teacher...Mrs. B...she has a tough name for the kids, so that is what they all call her.

Parker is in 3rd Grade and also has a wonderful teacher...Mrs. Madison!!

We have a BIG surprise planned in November for the boys! We haven't told the boys just yet...but plan on telling them about it only moments before we leave. So check back sometime in November to see where we took the boys for their BIG surprise!! They will be missing about 4 days of school...but I look at it this way...the classroom isn't the only place a child learns ...right?

3 YEARS HOME with Quinn!!!

We celebrated Quinn's "Gotcha Day" on June 4th 2010... 3 years being HOME from Kazakhstan!! We decided to take him out on a Duffy Boat again...since he really likes the ocean and boats! My younger brother Brock and his family came as well. We had sandwiches and cookies and had a great time boating around Newport Harbor!

It is hard to believe that it has been 3 years! We can't imagine life without him! I also never thought we would feel this way! Some of you know how hard it was in the beginning. But with time, patience and LOVE we did it! We are a HAPPY FAMILY...Quinn totally deserved a family!

Quinn is one of the HAPPIEST KIDS I have ever met! He loves every sport! He is also a natural athlete as well. He falls asleep faster than any kid I ever met. He is the pickiest eater too! He loves animals! He loves playing legos, boardgames, cards and watching movies! He loves to bake and cook things with Me (Mom) and he loves to build and fix things with Dad! He is CRAZY about Parker and they can play endlessly together for hours (we are so grateful for that) He is absolutely an AMAZING kid...we are sooo lucky! I am sooo happy that we took that leap of faith to do what we did! So to anyone reading this who may be contemplating adoption...it is tough at first (although every situation is different) you can do it! You can give a child an unbelievable gift...A Family! Quinn has taught me sooo much about myself! I know he has learned alot too!

To know there are millions of children "out there" that will never get the gift of a family breaks my heart!

Gosh It Has Been So Long Since I Posted!!

Well we are well into 2010!!
Quinn turned 8 on January 17, 2010!! We took him and Parker to Sea World. We did the AWESOME Dine with Shamu (even thought there was no Shamu) Ha! Nevertheless...it was AWESOME!! The food was fantastic! This is a MUST if you are going to Sea World! I don't do well with animals in captivity. The whales having to do shows for morsels of fish make me sad!
I have included some photos of our day there! Also the boys went to Winter Camp again with the Indian Guides. There first planned trip was canceled due to enormous amount of SNOW in our local mountains!! California needs all the rain (and snow) we can get! So we are GRATEFUL!!

Also we just finished our final post adoption report! This June 4th will be 3 years HOME!! Hard to believe. We asked Quinn how much of Kazakhstan does he remember...his answer was not much! Most of his memories are here...with us! We think that's cool!

We also will be visiting with the another family soon that also adopted from Kazakhstan! They adopted a 3 year old boy from Almaty! I will post pictures of the their meeting! I think it is important for adopted children to meet because they have something in common. They don't feel so different! I am literally surrounded by people who were adopted! I have learned so much from them! So thank you my friends...and you know who you are!

Grandmother Hansen turns 104 today!!

Forgot to mention that Tyler's sweet Grandmother turned 104 TODAY!! What an amazing life this lady has had! We will post her photo as soon as we get it. She lives in Houston, Texas with Tyler's AMAZING Aunt Mary Anne! We love her for taking such GREAT CARE of Grandmother Hansen!

Happy Birthday Grandmother Hansen!

We love you!

Winding down 2009

I figured I better catch up.....
We celebrated another Halloween. This was Quinn's 3rd Halloween. Of course he loved his costume...A Police Officer! That is what he wants to be when he grows up. Parker was Robin Hood. He originally wanted to be Elvis. But the school requires a "Literary Character" and that was better for Parker to do. He actually loved being Robin Hood. We made a bow with real wooden arrows. I made the hat myself!

Then I made Spider Cupcakes! They were quite a hit with the boys!

Then on November 9th we ditched school early to go to Disneyland for Parker's 8th Birthday! Oh it is hard to believe he is 8 already! Quinn's birthday is right around the corner on January 17th. Not sure what we will do for him.

Finally we received Quinn's new California Birth Certificate. It will just make life easier for him to have that. If something ever happened to his original Kazakhstan Birth Certificate...I can't even imagine the obstacle in getting a new one. This way...if Quinn ever needs a replacement...it is right here in good old California. It lists Tyler and I as his parents...yippeeee!! To us this just "seals the deal"...he is OUR SON!

The other photo I took of Quinn was at his school. His teacher, Mrs. Mayhugh needed some class pictures taken for their awards they get. I took the photo of all the kids and just love how Quinn's turned out! What a little cutie!

Oh big news!! Quinn lost both front teeth! The 2nd one took forever to fall out. Well Quinn had to sort of pull that one out. It was just hanging there all crooked. He looked pretty funny! We started calling him "Jethro"...no offense to people called Jethro.

Parker and Quinn...more photos of our summer

Here is a few of my favorite photos of The Mighty Quinn and Parker!
These were taken over the summer. We are getting ready for Halloween now! Parker will be Robin Hood and Quinn is going to be a Police Officer. I am hoping that I can get a photo of Quinn with a real Police man...that would be cool. The school allows them to dress up, but they have to have a book that matches their character. It is called Literary Character Day. What a great idea!

So check out our blog after Halloween. I am really trying to get better about posting! Ha

"TIME" a very powerful word and concept

Hi!
We have been home 2 years and 4 months now. Someone asked me the other day if I could give our adoption experience one word what would it be? The most fitting word is "Time". All of it takes "time". Time to do all the paperwork, time to get yourself prepared to leave to go meet your child, time with the child in the country and time to finally bring your child home. Then the "Time" word really goes into action. Our home "time" was the most valuable "time". The other "times" were just stepping stones to this "time". That's a lot of TIME!! Ha Ha Ha

So in a nutshell...it took us "time" to bond with Quinn. And Quinn needed "time" too to bond to a family. What an experience this has been. So thankful to TIME!

Okay, okay already!! Here is some photos!!

Hi!
I have had some requests for some updated photos. The boys are off for the summer. I personally don't want summer to end! I like having the boys home! We are having fun! Quinn is going into 1st Grade and Parker will be in 2nd Grade...can you believe it!

PHOTOS, PHOTOS, PHOTOS!!!!

Hello, Just over due on some photos. So I am putting a few up...for a few people who complained...and you know who you are!!! Ha Ha Ha

So Behind on Photos of the BOYS!!!

Hi,
Here are a few photos of the boys enjoying Halloween 2008, making apple cider at Riley Farms, checking out a Praying Mantis and Quinn enjoying his first field trip with his Kindergarten class! We also had a visit by Aunt Traci...one of Tyler's sisters.

It is almost the end of 2008! It is hard to believe....but 2009 is just days away! I hope to get more photos of the boys as they grow and grow!!

We had a great Christmas! Those photos are next! I promise!

Almost Halloween!!

It is hard to believe that Quinn will be celebrating his 2nd Halloween (just 14 months HOME!) Of course he is very excited as is Parker. Last year it was all new to Quinn. Now he is an old pro! Quinn is going to be a Pirate...Arrrggghhhh and Parker a Firefighter!

Quinn is loving Kindergarten. He has 2 teachers and he loves them both! He is starting to make friends. Even though he and Parker are very good friends (for brothers) it is good for Quinn to make friendship attachments. He even has a couple of girlfriends!!!!! Wow!

Of course I will post some photos after the big day of October 31st!!

Just LOVE this Photo!

This was one of my favorite summer photos!!

A RARE photo of Quinn

Someone on the Kazakhstan Yahoo Group had this photo...and they thought the one child was Quinn. They sent it to us and sure enough it was Quinn. What a neat surprise! Quinn has no photos of his childhood as do most of these children who came from the orphanages. I told the director of the orphanage that at the very least take a photo of the children on their birthday! I am sure it fell on deaf ears! It is a money thing.
So you can only imagine how excited we were to get this! Really excited for Quinn!
The photo truly captures Quinn too! Mr. Happy!
Oh and by the way...the other two children were adopted by another couple here in the US! So all of these children will have a Happily Ever After story!

Quinn goes to Kindergarten!!

Quinn stared Kindergarten. When we came home last June 2007, we decided that we wouldn't put Quinn in Kindergarten until Sept. 2008. We think it was a wise choice. He still is a bit immature and at 6 1/2 yrs old he fits right in with the other Kindergarteners. We know he will catch up, but it does take time. He completely understand English and really has no memory of his native language. We also think he doesn't want to remember!
He now says he is in Big Boy school. Parker started 1st Grade and really likes it. It is fun to have them both at the same school.
Glad to get these little posts in...I am so behind on them! Yikes!!

Quinn gets readopted in California

When in Kazakhstan we changed Quinn's first name...Askar and put it as his middle name. Well as time past Quinn did not care for the name Askar. So we let him pick a new middle name. He chose Caden. so on August 6, 2008 we went to court and readopted Quinn. He not only got a new middle name but will also get a California Birth Certificate. It will make it much easier for him in life to have a more recognized birth certificate.
The judge was really nice and he even had Parker join in by signing a big brother paper too!
So as of August 6, 2008 Quinn is now Quinn Caden Turley!!

One Year Ago, Quinn came Home!

June 4, 2008..One Year!
It has been quite a year! We have had good times and unfortunately some bad ones, but we all got through it!
Quinn is DEFINITELY part of the family! Some of you know that we struggled in the beginning. We weren't prepared...like we thought we were! Adjusting to a new family member took time...lots of time! Quinn went through his own emotions. To us his adjustment was much tougher to go through! He couldn't speak to us...and he couldn't understand us! Poor little guy!
Today Quinn speaks with only a little accent. He starts Kindergarten in September. He is VERY EXCITED to be going to BIG SCHOOL.
Quinn and Parker get along so much better too! They of course have their moments...but they are far and few between...we are grateful for that!
We celebrated June 4th by going on a Duffy Boat down in Newport Beach. We ate dinner while cruising around the peninsula and Balboa Island. Quinn got to drive the boat...what fun he had! I will add photos soon!
We had measured both the boys when I got home with Quinn last year. Parker grew 1 1/2 inches one year later and Quinn a whopping 4 1/2 inches!! He also gained 12 pounds!! He finally looks his age! Parker still points out...I am still taller than Quinn.
So THANK YOU to EVERYONE...for all your thoughts, advice, guidance and patience! It really meant alot to us!!

This is dedicated to our beautiful translator Maria Grinchuk

We have been home with Quinn for 11 months today!
It is hard to believe that he came from a place so far, far away from here.
It has been an incredible time of learning for all of us. We have taught Quinn so much, but in turn he has taught us! He has completely forgotten his native tongue. We tried to keep a few words...but Quinn wants nothing to do with it. He likes to speak English he has said. We have a photo album of memories from Kazakhstan that he looks at from time to time. Every time he points to our former translator Maria...he says "I like her" and he smiles!
So in honor of Maria I dedicate this blog! She so deserves so much more! We truly could not have done our adoption without her love, kindness, friendship and commitment to us. She made all the difference in the world. She explained to us the customs, the area and the people of Ust-Kamenogorsk and most importantly she helped us talk to our son Quinn. There were times when we cried over various parts in our journey. She would truly be there for us. We are so completely GRATEFUL to a young girl...wise beyond her 21 years...helping us through a very emotional time in our lives. So Maria...We thank you and LOVE YOU and miss you very much! You will never be forgotten from our hearts!! Thank you, your second family!

Had to show everyone this one!

This is a quick little blog.
We had just gotten the Boys out of the tub. Tyler was holding Quinn. The photo just really gets to me! Finally he has a family and he is LOVED!!

Look Ma...No Cavities!!!

We took Quinn to the Dentist!
The boys Dentist really ROCKS!! Tyler and I wish we had a dentist like this when we were kids. This dentist has movies shown on the ceiling!! Super cool. When Quinn was done with his cleaning ...Quinn got to pick out a really cool toy. Since Parker was there too...he got one!
Quinn has an awesome set of teeth said Dr. Christian Lopez...located in Newport Beach...just in case anyone is looking for a GREAT Pediatric Dentist!
Quinn was a GREAT patient. I think Dr. Lopez was surprised...frankly so was I. But as you can see by the photos...Quinn is enjoying his movie and not even squirming one bit!
He had no cavities...probably due to the "no sugar" policy at the Big "O"...Now don't get me wrong...too much sugar is not good for you. When we were at the Big "O" they said Quinn was allergic to sugar. So not true. If he had his choice something nutritious or a piece of chocolate...guess what it would be...CHOCOLATE!
We have been HOME 10 MONTHS on April 4th!!!