Adios to Regina

With a few tears in our eyes we drove Regina to the airport today.  We still can't believe how fast the days flew by.  What a great time we all had together.  It was a lovely day today and the girls enjoyed the last few hours together playing outside and just talking with each other.  They have formed such a sweet bond and I know that come January they both will be filled with joy to see one another again.

Many thanks to the Erickson Family for entrusting us with Regina.  She is a wonderful person and  I am so happy Morgan has her as a new friend. We will keep in touch over the next few months.  Until then, please know that we love Regina!

Adios:)  The Hallow Family

The entire exchange group at the airport.  Morgan is in her soccer clothes as she had a game today at 2pm - sadly they lost:(

One final hug before departure.

Morgan and Regina in front of a promo for the Whitewater Center - in the airport

A hug outside the airport.

Yes, it's the motorized buggy again - they just loved playing on it!!

Our Final Full Day in Charlotte

Today was the last full day in Charlotte for Regina.  We began the day with Morgan's basketball team practice.  The girls met at a local park and the team held its 1st practice of the season.  Regina , Gina and Daniela came to the team practice too and all went well.

Lunch at the Nordstrum's Cafe was next on the agenda.  We met the Mahoneys there and then went to see the animal shelter dogs.  The dogs are brought into the mall on the 1st Saturday of every month with the hope that they will be adopted.  The girls loved seeing the dogs and again wanted to take them all home with us.  Thankfully we escaped without a dog in tow!

After lunch we shopped around the mall for a bit and then went home to enjoy the beautiful day.  The girls invited Mary Hill Brooks over to play with them (Mary Hill did the Cabo exchange last year).  They had a ball riding the mini-racers which are pint sized motorized cars - that actually look like clowns should be riding them.  They are really fun to horse around on and that's just what the girls did.

The  evening was loads of fun too.  We took the family out to dinner downtown at La Vecchia's Restaurant which is a great seafood hot spot.  Then we walked around the corner to Spirit Square and saw an incredible show called "Traces".  It was a contemporary circus/dance/acrobatic performance and we all were mesmerized!!  Be sure to ask Regina about the show as it was really good.  Most of the Cabo students were there so it was a great way to end a fantastic 12 days.

I just can't believe how fast the time has gone by.  It seems like just yesterday Morgan & I were on our way to the airport to meet Regina for the first time. And now here we are getting ready to take her back to the airport tomorrow...I'm so thankful we had this opportunity with Regina.  It has been such a pleasant experience and one that will stay with us forever.

Morgan's basketball team practice at Eastover Park

CCDS students with Regina at the mall

Regina and Morgan loved seeing the dogs!!

In the theatre for the show "Traces"

Jack, Regina, Morgan and Rex outside LaVecchia's Restaurant

Me (Barbara), Regina and Morgan in our front yard

Regina, Morgan and Mary Hill Brooks at our house

Morgan and Regina take Evee for a walk: riding the mini-racers

October 31 - Halloween in Charlotte

Morgan and Regina sort their candy loot

Madison Mahoney, Morgan, Regina and Meagan Mahoney at the CCDS football game

Scene of the football game

Morgan and Regina on the field at the game - with the cheerleaders!

The 2 girls and Evee- dressed as a pig!

Richard LaVecchia (Jack's friend), Regina, Morgan, Rex and Jack - ready for the party

Neighbor Emily Brown dressed as Candidate for Vice President, Sarah Palin

On the way to the Halloween party!

The "Fire truck" giving rides to the kids at the party.

Today was Halloween Day!!  It is a huge celebration here in Charlotte and the kids just love it.  Since there was no school today, the girls slept in this morning. Then at 9:30am a professional photographer arrived to take some family photos.  She took pictures of our family and some with Regina too.  Hopefully there will be one or two good photos of us all - if so I'll be sure to send them to Regina's family.

After the photo session, we headed downtown to the Carolina Panthers Football Stadium Team Store.  There Regina found a few items for family members.  Then we went to lunch at wonderful bookstore cafe called Bravo Bistro.  The kids had fun looking around the bookstore and then eating their lunch.  Regina was excited to find and buy a book called Twilight.  She and Morgan spent the next hour reading at home - a smart thing to do as the Halloween activities lined up for tonight were vast.

OK, so the time for the celebration arrived.  We headed to the neighborhood street party riding -of course- the motorized buggy that the girls created!! We all mingled with the neighbors, who were all dressed up in costumes, ate dinner and took turns riding on a street train that was there giving rides up and down the road.  Then everyone set out to go trick or treating.  Morgan and Regina hit every house within walking distance and returned home, bags overflowing with candy!!  They sorted their loot, then changed clothes and headed to the CCDS vs Charlotte Latin School football game.  Joe took them to the game and I stayed at home with the boys - who were happy to continue sorting & eating their candy.  CCDS ended up losing the game, but nevertheless the day was very successful and the girls had yet another fun day together.

A Day at CCDS- A Day with Friends

Today the Cabo students spent the day at CCDS.  They attended the Halloween parade this morning. CCDS celebrated it today because the school is closed tomorrow/Halloween Day for teacher /parent conferences.  Then they visited with our head of school and went to a 2nd grade Spanish class.  Upon returning to the middle school campus, the students did special activities with their CCDS buddy and had fun being with other students.

After school, Morgan and Regina went to my sister Cary's  house - which is just across the road from CCDS.  Cary is a professional ceramist (person who makes ceramics).  She showed Morgan and Regina how to use the potters wheel and make objects out of clay.  Morgan made a dog and Regina made a bowl.  Cary also has a chicken coop at her house and the girls enjoyed running around in the back yard with the chickens!!

The Farewell Party was held tonight at the Touma's house.  All the CCDS host families brought the food for the dinner and it was a big success.  We had an artist come and draw caricatures of each student.  The kids absolutely loved this and laughed throughout the event as they watched one another have their faces drawn.  Then they all ran outside for a quick game of flash light tag.

The evening ended with  a special friend stopping by our house - Animal Planet's Jeff Corwin. Jeff is the Animal Planet guy who is best known for his shows "Corwin's Quest" and "Planet in Peril".  Joe and I have known Jeff for several years and he was in town doing a promotional tour for his newest TV  show topic - Save the Frogs.  Check out his website:

 www.animal.discovery.com/fansites/jeffcorwin/jeffcorwin.html

After such a long and busy day, the girls were very tired and promptly went to bed.  Halloween is tomorrow - we all need our sleep tonight!!

Morgan, Jeff Corwin and Regina at our house

Regina sitting for her caricature.

The artist drawing Regina.

The finished products - Gina, Morgan and Regina

Dinner at the Farewell Party.

The CCDS and Cabo students at the Farewell Party

Cabo students at the CCDS Halloween parade

Jack Hallow as a "Jack in the Box" at the parade

Rex Hallow as  "swat guy wearing a hockey mask" at the parade

Regina with the chickens at Cary's house

Regina and Morgan work with clay at my sister Cary's house

Lakewood Preschool and Cooking @ No Fuss Meals

Today was a perfect Carolina fall day - sunny and about 63 degrees.  I wish every day could be as pretty as today!

The Cabo students began their day by attending a science class at CCDS.   The plan was to dissect sheep eye balls, but Regina decided that was too gross for her - so she went to the library.  I'm sure I would have done the same thing if I had been there too. 

 Next they went to Lakewood Preschool - which is a local school whose students speak mainly Spanish.  They played with the 3 & 4 year old children, read stories to them and made musical instruments with them. Regina said she enjoyed being with the children and that they were really cute.

The CCDS students joined the group for lunch at a local "Mexican" restaurant called Chipotle. The food was good and I learned (from Charo and Chia) that all American restaurants that call themselves "Mexican" are not proper Mexican Restaurants, but rather Americanized versions.  I'm confident the real thing is far better than the American imitation!  

After lunch we all walked to to great place called "No Fuss Meals".  It is a place where you go to make meals/dinners.  The best part is that all the prep work has been done for you.  All you have to do is follow the step-by-step directions and basically put it all together.  Simple and delicious.  Morgan and Regina made 2 dinners for us - Shrimp Stir-Fry and Stuffed Pork Chops. We had the pork chops tonight and they were really good!

The afternoon was spent playing outside with some of the neighborhood kids.  The "motorized buggy" contraption was improved upon and expanded.  The imagination of  12 year olds is amazing:)  This was a really fun day.

The whole clan at No Fuss Meals - in their cooking aprons.

Henry Jones (Coco's buddy), Pamela, Regina, Gina, Claire & Yvette

Morgan and Regina preparing our dinner!

Jesus, Jonathan, Javier, and Miles - yes the boys cooked too:)

Henry Jones prepares his family's meal.

ImagineOn Children's Library & Theatre

It was cold this morning! Only 31 degrees and very windy.  Big change from the last few days.  The Cabo students went to a terrific place today located in Charlotte's downtown area called ImaginOn.  It is a state-of-the-art children's library and theatre.  The students learned how to use the library's audio & video equipment and made their own "movie".  The story line they made up was based on 2 princesses and the bad guys who tried to steal them away from their homeland.  Regina was one of the princesses - Sleeping Beauty.  Each student will get a copy of the movie they made.  It sounds like they had a blast seeing the library and making the movie.

After the library/theatre they took a ride on the Charlotte Lynx - which is our public train- to a great kid friendly restaurant called Jillians.  The restaurant is a favorite for kids as it is huge and has rooms & rooms of arcade type games and lots of cool music. The food is good too, but the real draw is the fun activities you can do while you wait for your lunch to be prepared.

I then met the girls at CCDS and took them - upon their request-  out for more shopping!! I'm confident Regina knows her way around Charlotte by now!!  We were very successful at the mall and then returned home, showered and headed out to dinner at a new hip place called Nikko Japanese Restaurant.  The meal was super and we all agreed it was  a restaurant we'd like to come back to again.  

Regina had another good day here in Charlotte.  She has become really comfortable in our house and with us - and for that I am very happy.  Our 6 year old son Rex is really taken with her - it's so cute.  I know you must be very proud of Regina.  She is a lovely person and one I'm sure many admire.  We sure do:)

Rex, Regina and Morgan outside of Nikko Japanese Restaurant.

A break from shopping- in Limited Two

At the mall with Pamela, Romy, Regina, Shelby and Morgan

Nikko Restaurant - Morgan, Jack and Joe at the Sushi Bar

Rex right next to Regina - he loves her!

The three girls at dinner - Regina, Morgan and me (Barbara)

Monday - A little bit of everything day.

We began our day with a tour of the Ballantyne area which is where Joe's office is located.  Ballantyne is a suburban development that our family has worked on over the past 15 years.  Comprised of office, retail, hotel and residential, the area is fast becoming one of the largest growth spots in NC.  The bronze bulls shown below were commissioned in New Mexico and are a landmark in Ballantyne. They signify that the developer is "bullish" on real estate and the area.

After the tour, I took the kids to lunch at The Flying Biscuit - a quaint restaurant in the area.  Then we went shopping all around town: Target, Learning Express, various specialty shops and a Halloween Costume Super Store.  Regina found a few treasures for some family members and a really cute costume for herself.

Our last stop was at Pet Land.  It is a true pet store with lots of incredibly cute birds, cats, and puppies for sale.  We were there long enough for all of us to fall in love with one of the animals.  Although I was being pressured hard to buy a puppy, we left without a purchase and with several long faces.  We wanted to take them all with us. Regina's favorite were the parrots.

After our shopping spree we went home and enjoyed being outside for the afternoon.  Morgan and Regina concocted the most creative mode of transportation I've seen to date. You'll see the creation in the photo's below - it's named a motorized peddle buggy.  The day ended with dinner together and lots of conversation about which activity was their favorite.  I think  Pet Land was the winner.  

Jack, Rex, Regina and Morgan on one of the bronze bulls in Ballantyne.

Queens of the Bull:)

The motorized peddle buggy.

Another view of the motorized peddle buggy.

Sneak peek of the Halloween Costumes.  

Regina is a Lady Bug and Morgan is a Witch.

Regina with the Parrots at Pet Land.

Morgan does a balancing act on sitting bull.