A Christmas Card preview...

For our loyal blog fans...(thank you!)...here is a link to photos we had recently taken here in Orlando. It was our first-time having professional pictures with the kids...you never know what is going to happen...but we were so pleased! Click below to enjoy! We are taking votes for everyone's favorites...please let us know. :)

Schultz Family Christmas Card Photos

If Lili were a muppet...

One of my colleagues from work shared this with me...we have loved watching it online....and often think that if Lili were a muppet...this is what she would look like. :) We heard that another family who adopted from Ethiopia asked Sesame Street to make this video. Not sure if that is a rumor or not...but either way...we love it...and thank them for creating another great video clip.

I love my hair!

Morse Museum Concert in the Park

After mentioned the Christmas Concert in Central Park on my previous blog...I had to go find a few photos to post. The Morse Museum is probably one of the gems of Central Florida...and the Tiffany Windows they place on display are amazing. These are just a few pics of the windows that were in the park...but gives you a flair for the evening. It is now a "must-do" on our annual calendar...the evening is that spectacular!

 I think this window is one of my favorites..the photos never do them justice...

We had a cold spell come through Orlando...so here is a bundled-up Jeff, with our bundled-up kids.

This cross...is actually made out of raised glass. Breathtaking...

Talk about getting into the Christmas spirit...it was a great night...so glad we loaded up the kids and went...we were thinking about skipping it...and it was such a beautiful night...

Our sweet little Lili in her MT hat...

And Henri...so sweet...

More to come soon.....

Celebrating the Christmas Season

The City of Winter Park, FL has a great Christmas-season kick-off. On the first Thursday of December, they put on a fabulous concert in Central Park and they partner with the Morse Museum to have these gorgeous Tiffany stained-glass windows on display in the park. It's really spectacular. Then...on Saturday morning...they have a parade...and a pancake breakfast. We decided to take the kids this year. Here we are...enjoying the parade:

Of course, Henri also loved playing in the park. This is one of the fountains...he loved watching...and lucky for us...it was designed just right...so he couldn't climb in. :)

Here we are with Lisa Blackwelder...Henri's first girlfriend. He still loves her...watch out cougars!

Santa even came to the parade...Henri and Lili loved watching. Henri loved the music...especially the marching bands. Lili...loved the cheerleaders. Yikes.

After the parade and our naps...we went to Hollywood Studios to watch the light display that Disney puts on. It's amazing...over 5 million lights timed to music. Here are a shot of the tree on the Streets of America:

As you can imagine...it is extremely crowded...here I am...ready to move on out. But Santa and his reindeer are dancing in the background behind me: 

Look...Henri and Lili have light-up necklaces. Their father...can't say no. :) 

Post-Baptism Brunch

There are more photos from the Baptism weekend coming...but at least this will get thing up-to-date. After church, we came back to our house, and had brunch. Mom helped me make casseroles (a good MN food), and we also had traditional Ethiopian food...thanks to Shamani. Here are a few more pics from the day:

Kim and Shamani with Henri...somehow we didn't get a photo of Lili with Tim and Carol. Hopefully someone else did....

 Here we are...I love this picture. :)

Shamani and his nephew Pandeni with Mr. Henri...showing off his muscles.

Shamani introduced us to a great new family from the Tampa area. Here is Lulit and Soli...in their traditional Ethiopian dresses.

The food...injera, various "dips" for the injera (beef, egg and chicken, cabbage curry), watermelon, and egg casserole. Yum!

Henri and Soli's brother Kebor...He and Henri are the same age. They are going to love playing together!

Papa and Grandma Schultz with Lili and Henri.

 Whitney and sweet baby Ellis.



Kim and Scott.

We spent the days leading up to the baptism at the beach...more photos coming. Slowly...I'll get caught up. :) 

Henri and Lili's Baptism

We have had a very very sick past few weeks. I am going to try and catch up on postings...fingers crossed.

On Nov. 7, we baptized Henri and Lili at St. John Lutheran Church in Winter Park. It was a great few days of celebration. We had all of their sponsors in town, as well as the grandparents to share in the fun. Here are a few photos from church. I'll post additional posts of the after-church brunch. :)

Kim Perila (Henri's Godmother), Tim and Carol Blodgett (Lili's Godparents), and Shamani Shikwambi (Henri's Godfather)...with Pastor Kistler, a retired Pastor from our church. Henri and Lili both wore traditional clothes from Ethiopia. Henri's original outfit he outgrew...luckily, our adoption agency had a spare we could purchase. That growing boy!

The kids with Grandma and Grandpa Fleharty, and Papa and Grandma Schultz.

Pastor Pete also helped with the baptism. Good thing...Henri talked through most of the ceremony...saying "wa-wa...wa-wa." Of course...our aging congregation loved it...it was a special Sunday. Pastor Pete's sermon was especially thoughtful...we are very blessed to have a caring church family in addition to wonderful friends and family.

Pretty Lili with Grandma Carol.



Henri and his dad.

Another Grandparent shot...a great way to end our long-weekend of fun together. I love this photo!

Trunk or Treat, Tiger flashlight

Today was Trunk or Treat at Henri and Lili's school. We sent both kids to school in their costume, and then they changed after the big event. Henri...has had this cute Hanna Andersson pumpkin costume to wear since we brought him home. Today, the day to debut as a pumpkin, Henri decided he was scared of his outfit. Pitched a fit...did not want to get dressed. Now, he might have been sending me a message...maybe he was afraid he would get beat-up by the other kids for wearing this to school?? I think he looks cute. Here he is...just after his Level 9 melt-down:

We played with the button eyes...it made the pumpkin seem not so scary:

Lili was also in a fabulous mood this morning. It might have been because it was 90 degrees outside...and as a kitty cat...she had a black wool hat to wear. As you can tell she didn't like it:

Lili realized she could almost pull it off:

Yes! I'm happy again:

We came home from school, to find a present from Grandpa and Grandma Fleharty at the door. Henri was so excited about his new flashlight:

It growls as the light shines:

Henri was petting his new tiger, like a dog:

And then he gave it a kiss:

He even fed it a few crackers for dinner...and then gave it another kiss. :) So sweet...he loves his tiger:

We are on vacation next week...we'll post more photos soon. Happy Halloween!