Colorado craziness

Well, last Wednesday, much to everyone's shock here, it was 40 degrees and we had snow flurries for about 24 hours!! Very early for the Front Range.
I hastily cranked the heat on, sent the boys to school in their ski jackets and was convinced winter had begun early this year.
Not so.... this weekend it has been in the 80s. (what?) We have had our summer gear on again as well as sun screen and the AC is back on. Talk about crazy!!!
I must say, it does keep things interesting and I actually like the changes. Of all the places we have lived, one thing Colorado does have that is constant, despite the fluctuating temperatures, is SUNSHINE; buckets of it, all year round!
Thus you will never hear me complain.
Never.

Taking advantage of the beautiful weather, we hiked all afternoon and hit Maggie Moo's after for a well-deserved ice-cream treat.

September pix

10 weeks ago today....

10 weeks ago today a precious little girl who had never known a mommy, never known a daddy and never known 3 adoring brothers was handed to us in a room in the Civil Affairs Office, Zhengzhou, in north central China. We were thrilled beyond belief.
She was bewildered, exhausted, dirty, covered in bug-bites and fighting a bad cold. But most of all she was grieving hard for her foster family. We knew it would take her some time and major adjusting. What a difference time, and the love of a family make. The last 10 weeks have been absolutely wonderful and beyond our expectations. Ruby is thriving, affectionate (with us only: a good sign!) happy, sweet-natured and healthy as can be. We are amazed daily at our miracle and can't believe how lucky we all are. No longer shunning Daddy and scared of our mellow dog, she embraces both! She is signing her needs/wants to us and has learned the words, Momma, Dadda, Ja (Jack), Sa (Sam), still working on Liam-that's a hard one! Kiss, hug, Ko (Koda) and ball (what a shocker in this house!), shoes, foot, no (but she rarely says this one so far--phew! She still says thank you, brother and dog in Mandarin (any other words, I wouldn't understand them!).
She's an easy toddler who loves to be around us all, is totally flexible (good thing with all those soccer practices/games!) and just adores dancing to music whenever she can. We have fallen totally in love with Ruby and we look forward to watching her blossom even more as time goes by. Adoption is truly an amazing, miraculous journey!

Let's just say Ruby *loves* her food...especially noodles!

I was experimenting with my new iPhone (my 40th-ugh- birthday present which I LOVE LOVE LOVE!) and took this mini video of Ruby after a huge plate of Thai noodles. They ended up EVERYWHERE as Miss Ruby is adamant she feeds herself!
Just had to share...