June 2009- Summer Fun!!

June started off with a rip roaring trip to Dallas to help my nephew celebrate his high school graduation. Yep, Graham made it with excellent grades and is on his way to USC! Berik passed the time waiting for Graham's name to be called by sticking stickers on Uncle Reid's forehead. He was really pretty good and not as squirmy as we had thought he would be.
Right after graduation was over, we headed out to Tennessee for the Kazapalooza!! We made it to Texarkana, spent the night and got up early Sat. and drove all day, to make it to Nashville, in time for a dinner and dance Kazapalooza style!
With upward of 50 families and their Kazak's kiddos and bio kids too, running rampant, the ballroom was one loud and rowdy place to be. They had a DJ for the kids and she had the kids dancing and following along with the songs. We met people that we had known only over the Internet, Susan and Leeza, and hung out with Berik's soulmate, Andrew and made some new friends too. Sunday morning, most of the Kazapalooza peeps were leaving and we all meet up and tried to take group pictures but that was not as easy as it may have seemed at the time. Seriously the parents trying to take the pictures looked pretty funny trying to squeeze out the best shot of the group! We did meet some people staying an extra couple of days and decided that we would hang out with them. We had loads of fun! The hotel, The Gaylord Opryland, was beautiful with waterfalls and a cool view from our balcony, which Berik enjoyed immensly! Each trip out of the room involved a race to see who could get to the elevator first and push the buttton! Berik had funny with Tony, (Taylor's daddy), and had fun on the boat ride inside the hotel with his daddy! The Hoffa's went too with their Kaz cutie, Rustam. We loved the Gaylord Opryland hotel and got to see the water show synchronized to music. Berik was in awe! Berik didn't lack for any attention!
We went to eat at Macaroni Grill with 4 single moms and their Kaz kids and helped Serena celebrate her 3rd birthday :) Our adventures in Nashville were, lunch at the aquarium restaurant, feeding the stingrays (of which I was scared of ), so I had Jaimie do it. We visited the Grand Ole' Opry and got to go on stage and took a backstage tour. Berik peed all over me about 3/4 of the way through, lovely! Almost potty trained but not quite.
Tues. quickly arrived and we decided to make our way to Chattanooga and then on Wed. we checked in in Trenton, GA for a few days of camping !!
We picked a KOA campsite close to Chattanooga and had loads of fun! Berik caught fireflies and dug in the dirt, got sticks and poked at bugs. He was amazing! He was so intrigued , he entertained himself for hours. He helped his mommy with the smores and we meet a single mom and her adopted girl from Russia, who just happened to be camping next to us. We had lots to talk about and enjoyed them alot but unfortunately have since lost their address.
In Chatanooga, we went to Ruby Falls and the Incline Railway and went to a local park for fun in the water and a picnic.
Camping ended to soon for all of us but we decided we best start heading home. We opted to go to Alabama and stay with Jaimie's mom. We had a nice but short visit and took advantage of the beach while we were there. This would be Berik's first trip to the beach and I would say he loved it!
On the way home we stopped by and visited with some friends in Louisiana and had a shrimp fry! Berik had his first fried shrimp, he gobbled them up calling them chicken nuggets, lol! It didn't matter to us what he called them as long as he didn't whine about it. We headed home and had a day to rest, before returning to work. WE HAD A FANTASTIC VACATION!!!!!!!
Berik is continuing to grow bigger by the minute. His new shoes for vacation were size 12. He is on his way to a 5T but we are still in 4s right now but barely. His vocabulary increases by leaps and bounds daily but with it has come some attitude. Ugh! Mainly the attitude comes with dropping him off for school. He doesn't seem to like it and they say he is a hand full at times.
Since we left for vacation the daycare has switched directors and we aren't so sure about this one. I just don't feel the "love". We all loved the old director, Lorrie and appreciate all that she has done for Berik!
Berik's new fashion statement is, shorts with cowboy boots! He looks silly but we are just going with it.
While on vacation, I scratched down something that had been whirling around in my head. Of course it was while we on the road, in the dark, so I wrote it with the help of a flashlight before I forgot it. It seems like thoughts dart in and out of my brain in flash so I have begun to write everything down now, no matter how inconvenient. Here is what I wrote about my precious baby Berik.
I love the way you cross your legs and wiggle your little toes. I love your sparkly dark eyes and your cute little button nose. I love you when you are happy and even when you are mad. I love that God made your for me I am so very glad!
We had so much fun in June, can't wait to see what July brings!


Gena