Lake Walcott Camp Trip - WARNING VERY LONG

We were able to go to Lake Walcott over June 10th -12th for Scott's friend reunion.  He ended up only have his friend Wayne and Dewey showing up.  When we first pulled up there the sprinklers were on.  So we had to hang out waiting for them to turn off.  Finally Scott and Wayne found rocks to put on them so that they would stop spraying everyone and everything.  We were able to get our camper set up and found that our awning is falling apart and totally smells like mildew.  It was so frustrating.  We let Rachel walk around the camp and play in all the water puddles.  This is one of them she played with.

She found this little yellow sprinkler flag and walked around with it all day along with playing in the water.  She was completely wet but seemed fine so we left her to keep playing in the water.  We eventually just put water socks on her so it wasn't so bad with wet shoes and socks.

Rachel actually got to try out her new camp chair.  It was a little bit to big for her and she would steal everyone else's seat when the kids got out of their chairs.

We had a few injuries and yes one of them was Rachel.  This first one is Willard with stinging nettle that he had gotten in to.  Scott had out his first aid kit putting anti-sting stuff on it.

 So as Scott was helping to fix Willard up Rachel was with the other kids playing with bubbles.  She was chasing bubbles and ended up falling over the fire pit and almost took her tooth through her lip.  It was bleeding really badly.  Her whole outfit was soaked with blood and so was Scott's shirt.  I was really worried we weren't going to get the bleeding to stop because it took so long to even find the spot that was bleeding because there was so much blood.  We eventually got it to stop and changed her clothes and this is what the aftermath looks like.  Her first really bad injury.

She had a huge fat lip that we iced with otter pops and right under the lip it was totally bruised.  Then the next day she fell again and scraped the outside of the bruise because it was still the biggest part of her face and it hit the cement first.  We just neosporin that up because of course court is in five days.

We then took a walk around the park and found the playground equipment for the kids and "Big Kids" to play on.

Riding on Daddy around the park. She's pretty happy considering she was just bleeding a few minutes ago.

I'm coming down all by myself.

This is the "Big Kids" doing this really funky teeter totter. The opposite arm was kiddy corner not straight across.

All the kids that could walk to the park posing by the water.

Daddy please go down with me.

Rachel had lots of fun making new friends.  Here are some pictures of her with the kids.

Bryson & Rachel getting ready to eat their otter pops.

GO!!

Aubree & Rachel hanging out.

Copying each other.

Chasing bubbles with the Cook children.

Not quite sure what she was doing with Joe but I love that Joe has 3 suckers sticking out of her mouth.

Bryson liked squeezing the whoopy cushion at Rachel because she would laugh so hard at it.

 

Hey I want to climb also.  She so badly wanted to be able to climb with all the other kids. 

So what do we do.  We put her in the tree also.  She's so excited about it and loves that she can do what the big kids can do.

We decided that since Rachel hadn't fallen asleep one night we would let her come out to the campfire and see what we were doing out there.  Well we were eating smore's of course and just watching the fire.  So I let her have a roasted marshmellow.  Can you tell she loved them?

So Good Yummy!

Yep this is how sticky she was.  You see who's holding her and who isn't?  Yep her dad doesn't do sticky.  Scott also gave her part of his smore's and she liked those also with chocolate on them.

Star Gazing

Yeah I get to stay up by the fire.

Bath time - Okay so when Scott and I bought our camper we weren't totally thinking about how to bathe kids.  So when we got Rachel we had to start figuring something out.  This is what we came up with.  

I really don't know how she was able to get into that position.  When I went to check on her though she was swim, swim, swimming in it.  I just had to laugh and snap this cute picture.  She sure is flexible.

So finally it was time to pack ourselves up and head home.  While the adults were working the kids played.  They were playing with this rocket launcher.  Rachel thought it was pretty cool.  She wasn't totally strong enough to get it to go up very high but Bryson and Colby were really good with trying to help her.

The rocket launcher.

This was one of Rachel's favorite past time.  Picking up rocks and dirt.  She had so much fun.

We had a great trip.  It was so much fun and really

Teaching her Young

So I had surgery on June 23rd.  They took out my gallbladder and also had a female surgery that I wouldn't say was successful.  So I have been hanging out on the couch a lot the last few days.  My back was starting to hurt the other day and so I pulled out the massager and had Scott work on my back.  Well Rachel has decided she likes the massager also.  Its been hanging out downstairs and everytime we turn around she is turning it on and massaging something on her body.  She really likes to have her feet massaged.  A girl after my own heart.  

Feet Massage it feels good.

Oh what a joyful feeling.

Daddy lay down.  She likes to give massages also.

I'm training her well.  Check her out she is totally laying on the massager and me while doing it.  I was laughing because it felt so different.

New Boots

So my friend Kammi cleaned out her kids clothes the other day and gave us a pair of snow boots for Rachel.  Well I hadn't put them away and this is what I found when I saw her the other day.  It's so funny because instead of putting on her sandals to go outside she grabs these boots to put on.  She is a silly girl.

Just hanging out watching TV in my boots sitting on my piano bench.

Pushing Around My Friend

So I had to get Rachel pushing around her life size Elmo.  Its to cute.  She has decided he fits better in the doll stroller and stays in if she buckles him up.

Pushing Elmo around the kitchen.

 Oh no he fell out guess I better buckle him in.  See where she is buckling him up at.  I had to go save Elmo so he didn't choke.  he he he

Finalization of Adoption

So today has been a glorious day.  It was our day in court to finalize our adoption.  We have been waiting for this day for so long.  I know most people are like man that went fast.  I just have to say No it Didn't.  It was a long 2 years trying to adopt and then the last 6 months have been torturous.  We just wanted to make Rachel a part of our family and move on with our life.  So this was the most joyous day for us.  They actually called us on June 8th to tell us that June 16th we finally had a court date.  We had to wait to get the paperwork in the mail to find out who exactly was going to be the judge.  So when we read that it would be The Honorable Cathleen MacGregor-Irby we were pumped.  We were told by the prosecuting attorney that this judge went through all the trials for Rachel and loves to see happy endings.  So we were happy she would get to see how this case ends.  So we showed up at 2:30 to met our lawyer, Joe Welch, for the first time.  We had only had a couple of conversations on the phone.  He is a short little guy but very nice.  He talked to my parents, Kammi, and us to explain the process.  Scott, myself and Joe then went off into the corner and he told us what questions he was going to ask us during the trial.  I decided that Scott should be the one that got to talk the most and I would try to keep Rachel quite. 


Check out my cute dress.  I look pretty!



Yes I like to climb all over the benches. 



Grandma Hobbs & Rachel. 



Reunion with the Foster Mom(Linda), Foster Dad(Stan) and Kim one of Health & Welfare's workers that helped Rachel during her time in Foster Care.  Rachel had so much fun showing off to them.  They were amazed by how much she was talking.

We ended up getting everyone into the courtroom at 3:00 and I had Rachel sitting in one of the chairs.  She wouldn't stay in her chair so she started climbing all over the place.  They were 15 minutes late getting started and so she was done by that point.  When the Judge came in she was watching Rachel as she was sitting on the table and said, "She is scaring me."  So I then tried to get her to sit in her chair but that only lasted seconds.  Everyone in the courtroom had to state their name and their relationship to us.  She told us this was supposed to be a closed proceeding but asked if we were okay with everyone that was there.  We said yes even though afterwards we were like well maybe we shouldn't have invited anybody who wanted to come down.  Next time we will be more selective.  Joe started to ask Scott the questions and I was trying to hear what was going on but I couldn't because of Rachel.  Then it was my turn to answer the questions.  Scott tried to hold Rachel but she was screaming.  I tried to give her fruit snacks and she didn't want that.  I then tried crackers and she didn't want that.  So next thing I know while I'm trying to answer questions, Rachel is running up on the stand to play with the flags.  Scott's at the bottom of the stairs trying to get her to come back down.  The Judge was like you can come get her.  It was pretty funny.  Joe then asked Katie about the Department's thoughts on us as the adoptive couple and she had really nice things to say about us. The Judge then talked to the Foster Parents and expressed her gratitude to them being willing to take such great care of Rachel.  I had to totally agree with her comments.  We love Rachel's foster parents and are so grateful that they will love and care for kids that don't the attention they deserve.

We were able to get pictures with the Judge.  Rachel wasn't very cooperative but we were able to get a couple good ones. 

 Picture with The Honorable Cathleen MacGregor-Irby.  She was so nice.

Left to Right: Kristin Negilski, Stan & Linda Peterson, Katie Phillip, (not sure this case workers name) Kim Shaffer, Jamie Hodgkins, Janiece Hunt, Scott and Rachel Schaffer; Kammi Nelson, Susan Schaffer, Sue Ellen Hobbs, The Honorable Cathleen MacGregor-Irby, Azlyn Mahem, Kathy and Wade Mooso, Dennis Hobbs, Cindy and Trevor Hall

 This is the group of people who were there to support us.  What a great group of family and friends.

We are truly blessed and grateful for everyone's prayers and support on our behalf.



Rachel Size Elmo

One of my coworker was cleaning out her closet for a garage sale and came across this Elmo they had at their house.  She gave it to Rachel because she knows how much Rachel loves Elmo.  Here is her reaction.  Its pretty funny.

Time Out for Women - Poky

So I had the wonderful pleasure of going to Time Out for Women in Pocatello and just totally loved it.

In front of one of the banners.

It was a great spiritual uplifting event.  I was also able to talk to lots of my friends from Poky and tell them our good news about Rachel.  The event was held in the Holt Arena. 

My friend Kammi and I came from Boise to it.

We hooked up with another friend Kathy, my mother, and Scott's mom and sisters.  It was so much fun to get away and to have a Girl's Weekend.  Our hotel was awesome and had a great continental breakfast.  We got the hotel for cheap off Priceline.com and I was so happy that it ended up being a decent hotel in Poky because we all know they have some crappy ones.  I got to eat at all my favorite restaurants and just relax.  We didn't really have time to do any shopping but that was alright.  We were there to be spiritually lifted.  The first night they had a concert violinist there that was awesome.  She was so funny because nonchalantly she was like oh yeah Elder Oaks is my dad.  We were all floored.  Friday night was also a talk by the editor to President Monson's autobiography. She was awesome and had great stories about how much the Prophet really does care about everyone.  Everyone is important in his eyes and he makes time for anyone.  Mercy River was awesome again as usual.  I made my Mom and Kammi listen to the CD so we could get in the mood for them.  he he he. Kammi and I had heard several of the speakers from last year but oh it was so great to hear their messages again about hope and knowing that everything will be okay.  This next year when its in Boise Kammi and I are going to work it so we can get free tickets but also so we can be an integral part of Time Out for Women.

I left Rachel with my dad all weekend long.  She loves my dad so much.  On Saturday we went to pick up my mom and I checked on Rachel.  She wanted to come with me but we told her she gets to help Grandpa make a cake and she was fine.  When we finally went to pick her up though she was done.  She wouldn't let me out of her site and I had to hold her while I packed up all her stuff.  That's the first time we had left her with anyone over night so it was a good trial run before when my parents come to our house while Scott and I are at girls camp.

Problem Solver

So Rachel has started to open doors and turn on the lights in the house.  This was one of her attempts to turn on a light.  I had to laugh as I watched her problem solve how to get taller so she could reach the light switch.

Okay so I don't need anyone to tell me how dangerous this is.  I was right there watching this whole thing unfold.  Yes that is her baby doll stroller on the bean bag.  I let her get this far and then I helped her to turn the light on because I didn't want her to get hurt falling off of this.  I have to give her credit for figuring out how she could get higher because the bean bag just wasn't enough height.

Dora Tent

So I don't know how we get ourselves roped into doing these type of things with Rachel but I would say she has us wrapped around her little fingers.  This is her and Scott playing in her Dora Tent.  She really wanted me to get in but this one there really wasn't any room in there for the three of us.  So funny.

 

Yep we are crowded in here

Love this picture.  Rachel's expression is priceless.  You can sure see her blue eyes.

 Proof of them both in there.  Scott had to lift it up and put it on them in order to get into it.  Rachel's not wanting to get out of it and is trying to pull it back down over them.  Gotta love the death grip. :-)