my tori bug

brown

2012-01-30T07:34:00.002-06:00

bug was (and still is) excited about being a BIG sister

and to have TWO little sisters!

oh my!

she called them 'brown sisters' the first week we had them

(this has since faded)

since she was proud she asked to take pictures of twins to school

i decided this was a good time to have a talk

about how not everyone likes people who look different from them

we talked in very simple terms

she was shocked

she has many adopted friends who are from different counties and

we are waiting for a cousin, oliver, to come home from south korea

so diversity is apart of our life

she took the pictures to school and came home with stories

all were positive except one boy made fun of her 'new sisters'

and she was mad

i am glad we chatted before this happened

but it a reminder of how much our life

is and will change with the newest addition

and how many more talks we will have like the one above

achieved

2012-01-25T11:57:00.001-06:00

one major goal i was working towards in 2011 (besides another adoption) was running a full marathon

w/ my running buddy

we completed it on 11/4/2011 at the monumental marathon

i think the universe was looking out for me because we were not contacted about the twins until

after the race

i was pumped, well trained and ready to see the finish line

there was a large group of us running

(either the 1/2 or the full)

we kept a good pace which would accomplish our goal time

the music, cheering from spectators and sheer joy of knowing

i was running a freakin' marathon

kept me going

it was about 30-31 degrees and i couldn't feel me feet until about mile 4

but after i warmed up i was soon stripping off the layers and by the end of the race

i was in a tank

i ran the last mile the fastest i could and when i saw the lines and crowds of people

hot tears filled my eyes

then i saw two friends with hand made signs screaming my name and i lost it

i was sobbing as i crossed the finish line

I DID IT!

is all that ran through my mind

i ran a marathon

without stopping once

and i felt absolutely amazing

all the training had paid off

all those saturday mornings running for 3-4+ hrs were totally worth it

(ok honestly i loved the long runs)

and i could have ran 30 miles the day of the big race without much trouble

ultras were my next on my list

(and then we got the call about the twins so that goal has been placed on the back burner for awhile)

thank you

2012-01-20T12:24:00.004-06:00

everyone has them

or at least they should

manners

its a big deal in our family

and i have to admit a huge pet peeve of mine

when others don't use them

(i am not pulling out my soap box so no worries)

we remind bug to 'pull her manners out of her pocket'

if she isn't using them
or if you lost or forgot yours you can borrow mine
a teasing way to remind her

of course the way children learn manners are by

watching their parents

so i try my best to be a good example

i am also a little old fashion

i use ma'am and sir

and i also believe in thank you cards

{free printable}

so after all the help we have had with the twins

food, gifts, donations, etc

bug witnessed me sitting down and writing out

thank you cards

addressing the envelopes

and gasp!

putting a stamps on them

in our world its easier to just electronically send a note

( email, facebook, texting etc )

but lets be honest

who doesn't enjoy getting a card, note or package

via 'snail mail'?

i know i do!

so thank you cards will continue

in our family

along with good manners

a special group

2012-01-19T11:46:00.004-06:00

about 1.5 yrs ago we went to a dinner club gathering for our church

the host family just happened to be in the process of adopting domestically

and they 'just happen' to be chatting with another family from our church

who also was in the process of adopting

small world, eh?

we ended up staying way after everyone went home so we could

continue to talk about adoption and our personal journeys

the 1st couple explained they were adopting internationally

from ethiopia
the 2nd family were adopting through a private adoption agency
and of course we were knee deep in our classes for the foster to adopt program

all 3 of us adding to our families through adoption but in completely different ways
but we were all open to race and gender

we have gathered every other month since then

and i am amazed how our journeys have crossed paths

the 1st family brought home a 1 y/o (girl) and 4 y/o (boy) sibling group from ethiopia this past oct

we ended up being placed with african american 1 y/o twin girls in nov

and the 2nd family received a call in december about an african american new born baby boy

{baby b 1 month old}

so not only did we all receive placement of children w/in 3 mos of each other but we

all ended up adopting children of the same race

we have marveled at this strange occurrence

and feel that we were guided to each other

to be each others support during the process

and also in raising our children

what a special gift for our little ones

to grow up and have the support of each other!

sweet treats

2012-01-16T12:53:00.002-06:00

bunny has been struggling with us holding her

if we don't have a bottle in our hands then

she pushes, hits, and screams to get away from our hold

this is the only 'holding' she doesn't like

so i spoke to a dear friend of mine and one

i consider a 'professional expert'

she said i should consider using deborah gray's advise of

a sweet treat

{flickr)

basically when bunny is calm when we are holding her

we put something sweet in her mouth

(the suggestion is M&M's but we use agave)

bunny will link sweet (aka good stuff) to us holding her

we also looked at when and what we are doing when we hold her

we usually give her a bottle and then to sleep

we thought perhaps this is a trigger

now we are holding her at different times of the day

so she wont link it to any certain event that follows

it is helping though not 100%

adjusting

2012-01-10T08:44:00.003-06:00

well its been almost 2 months and 2 holiday have passed
since the twins came to live with us

we have been visited by numerous people
including family an friends

but since the twins are in the foster care system

(and we are 'technically' their foster parents until we finalize)

we have visits with social works, case works, CASA's, evaluations, and doctors

(thank goodness for google calendars so i keep everything straight!)

peanut was 'feisty' when she 1st came to us

she screamed, fussed, and didn't like being held

after working with her she has become

a little sweetie

peanut loves to be held, cuddles, laughs and giggles

(most of the time)

still working a few other things but overall she is doing well

our sweet bunny took a turn over the holidays

she became....
frustrated and angry

not sure if it is a stage, too much stimulation, interaction

or perhaps the perhaps the honeymoon is over?

but they did get thrown off their schedule over the holidays
and they love their schedules

and she hasn't been the same since

she bites, hits, scratches, pinches

and most of all hates being held

so after talking to some professionals and friends

we are giving bottles at every nap and at night

(we were only doing the night bottle)

i am wearing the girls in a sling during the day

which they love

we are still feeding them and not allowing them to help

we are the ones who bathe, dress, change the girls

and we agreed no one else can give the girls bottles

we are also on a tight schedule during the day

these girls like to sleep and if they are off at all

the entire family pays

adjustment is a understatement

but although it has brought frustration
its also given us joy and laughter
which fills the cup that can
feel pretty empty at the end of the day

twins!

2011-11-27T12:34:00.002-06:00

well, things have changed course

we went to the interview for the sibling set of 3 a few weeks ago

we left feeling overwhelmed, sad, and amazed

these little kiddos had been through so much and really needed

a family (in our opinion) with a full time stay at home mom

no siblings close in age

intense therapy

and a year lock down on all activities

we were so impressed with the team that was advocating for these children

we knew when we left that they would locate the prefect family for them

in our hearts we knew it wouldn't be us

it was too much to ask of 'our bug'

we headed out to lunch to chat and someone left a voice mail

i checked it on our way home and it was a case worker inquiring if

we were interested in twin 1 yr old african american girls

we called back to get more info

mind you we are in the middle of the country heading back to indy

so the cell signal kept dropping during the conversation

we pulled over as semi's barreled past us shaking the car

we held the phone up to the car ceiling

and madly wrote down everything she said

she said she would send pictures via email and we could contact

her with questions

meet them and then decide

racing home we peeked into the email

what happy beauitful babies were starring back at us!

we shot back a ton of questions over the next few days

the termination of rights are not complete but heading that way

we were told

they want to move them into a pre-adoptive home to start bonding

we decided to go for it ...holding on to our hearts

we were told the next week the current foster mom didn't want to

foster them any longer and could we take them the next day

since we had planned for older kids we had purchased bunk beds a few months ago

baby stuff we didn't have

i gave it all away

to a single low income mother out reach program at our church 3 yrs ago

i was urged to post on facebook the situation and see if

anyone i knew had baby stuff they wanted to donate

(especially the big stuff: cribs, pack in plays, etc)

basically- we had a baby shower on facebook

stuff just showed up, dropped off or josh ran and got it

the baby's room theme is: ....eclectic

sparing you all the events and craziness that took place in the next 48 hrs

the short version

the *twinkies* moved in with us 9 days ago

i am dropping down to part time in 2 weeks so they are in full time

daycare until then

bunny and peanut

have filled our house with

happiness, giggles, messiness, and exhaustion

soooo

2011-10-30T20:30:00.000-05:00

i am not sure where to begin

to say i have been slacking on this blog is an understatement

i am not sure if it was the nice weather

too much going on

or not enough

i just wasn't feeling it

but i have an update

we have been looking at 'referrals'

we weren't the right match for very many

(in our opinion)

so after we had our SNAP homestudy updated and became licensed foster parents

we were told about a sibling group of 3 under 5 yrs old

talk about doubling a family!

after lists of pros, cons, changes, budgets, work schedules etc, etc, etc

we decided to say we were interested

we chatted with the case worker and i liked her from the moment she said hi

she answered a ton of questions that day and so many emails since

we go in for an interview in november with the sibling groups 'care' team

we were told 1 other family is interested

the case worker will call us that afternoon after our meeting

thats when we will find out if our life will change forever

meanwhile we wait and try very hard not to think about it

soon

2011-09-23T07:24:00.001-05:00

some say we are kinda crazy and perhaps we are...

but my running buddy and i ran 16 miles last saturday

we were running by 7 am

i couldn't wait

the weekend before was 15 miles and it felt awesome

so i was actually looking forward to 16

in a few weeks we will be running our longest one for the marathon training

20!

we ran the women's 1/2 marathon in september

and i am running the community 1/2 marathon in october

all preparation for the full marathon in november

and this is what will be on my back car window when its all done

3rd room

2011-09-20T19:24:00.001-05:00

well we plunged in and bought bunk beds last week

(thank you craigs list)

bug went through all her things and decided what to give to the 'kids'

that will someday live in that room

since we are moved into a bigger home in sept so we could open up our options

and accept sibling groups we are not sure what the combo will be

two girls, two boys, one of each...perhaps 3?

so bug said she wanted to call them 'kids' until she knew what to call them

my dad brought down an old dresser my sisters and i used when we were little

needs come updating ...perhaps a little paint and some new hardware

so the 3rd room sits

undefined

unisex

well sorta.

all of bugs stuff do make it look very girly

we are now going through the process of updating our

home study and also becoming licensed foster parents

this way we can accept

"at risk children" placements

this process has not always been clear or well guided

but we are hoping before christmas we will be placed

with 'some kids'

as bug would say

just like you

2011-09-15T19:30:00.000-05:00

few nights ago my husband was talking to bug about becoming an adult. when he mentioned having babies she said, "dad! i am not going to have a baby." he assured her that it was her choice. " i didn't say i didn't want kids! i am going be like my mommy...and adopt my babies!" she looked at me and winked.

"they need families too."

a post card

2011-06-30T15:02:00.000-05:00

i often joke with my friends

i know i am suppose to trust in 'Gods plan'

but i wish i knew he really had one

i am not asking for a personal visit or a long detailed letter

a post card would be nice

get it in the mail

it just says

dearest cara

i've got a good plan

love God

short, sweet and to the point

and who doesnt like getting mail?

post cards come with pretty pictures on the front too
bonus

and they are cheap to send

well in our little family of 3 some majors things have happened

and we have some huge decision to make

i feel like i need to know there is a plan

i have been on edge and overwhelmed a bit

last week bug opened the mail and said

you got mail mom!

as she handed me a post card

locals

2011-06-19T13:33:00.000-05:00

i was flipping through a local 'newspaper' and saw an article about a newly opened resturant in my favorites place in indianapolis, broadripple. the article raved about the food and atmosphere of the new place

that i knew we would have to try it on our next outing. we took my dad and step mom

to fire by the monon for fathers day.

their website states, "our first step includes working with local producers and suppliers to bring their best products to your table. Consequently, our menus may change as the seasons change. We want our produce to be fresh and of the best quality at all times."

how could i not support a local place like this?!

hands down the best portabella mushroom sandiwch (and sweet potato fries) i have ever had!

the rest of the crew loved their's as well and dinner conversations was sparce

due to the great satisfaction of the food.

mostly "hmmmm"'s, "wow!" and "on my"

if i wasnt so full after my meal i would have order it all over again!

(in fact, been dreaming about it all day)

"fire" (as the wait staff called it) had these 1940's type posters/ artwork on the walls

about eating local

and growing your own garden

(right up my alley!)

i looked up the artist on my phone

victory garden of tomorrow

i knew i wanted to have some for my own house

maybe the kitchen?

and affordable!

$12 each

they sell them on etsy which is even better

now i only have to decide...which one ....or maybe which ones?

a new understanding

2011-06-13T07:45:00.001-05:00

as we tucked bug into bed she told us very frankly

"she doesn't like me"

we weren't sure who she was speaking of

then she explained "the woman who had me in her belly..

she doesn't like me"

we assured her this wasn't true and promised to chat about it more in the morning

we sat on our porch and decided how to address her statement as a team

we knew this was coming

its pretty much on target for the age the adoption literature states these questions start to form

over breakfast we asked her how she came to this conclusion

she explained "well she left me at the hospital and the orphanage.

if she liked me she wouldn't have done that"

ouch

it hurts my heart for her to feel and think this

we explained what info we had on her bio-parents

ages, appearances and circumstances of placement into the baby home

we also mildly explained the birds and bees

after we were done she said "okay"

smiled and went on to tells us about something she drew

so many of conversations happen like this

comes up all of sudden and leaves just as fast

hills

2011-06-09T19:45:00.002-05:00

okay so i ran another 1/2 marathon

it was 2 weeks after the mini

i was already trained so why not

soooooo

glad i did

the geist was a nice change of scenery

and i got it to run it with my running buddy

we ran the whole race and didn't stop once

even on those brutal hills

we chatted and pushed each other through to the very end

she looked at me at the last mile and told me if we kicked it

into high gear i would get a new PR

we ran as fast as our tired legs could go

and she was right- i beat my time by 5 mins!

my husband also ran the geist marathon

it was his first

(he says he is hooked and plans to run more)

i have signed up for some smaller races this summer
and looking at 3 more 1/2's this fall and cannot wait!

its healthy addiction

veggies

2011-05-19T19:59:00.001-05:00

so while my computer was off during lent

i watched documentaries (on netflixs)

i also read

alot

i do anyway but i was on 'high gear' during lent

it was almost to the point of information overload

i also gave up meat for lent

it wasn't too hard for me since we hardly ever ate it

we stopped eating red meat a long time ago

and i couldn't tell you the last time i touched pork or chicken

i got food poisoning one day in the fall and the last thing i had eaten

was fish so hadn't returned to it

(the after the taste of fish in my throat all night from being sick
it was way too fresh in my mind to eat it again)

i took alot of time to think pray and read

i jumped off the fence that i had been straddling for sometime

and announced to my not too surprised husband

that i was a vegetarian

{pic}

i was back in college when josh 1st met me and returned to eating meat

because i kept having fainting and 'sugar' issues

i know now that i wasn't eating as well as i thought and it wasn't

because i wasn't eating meat

returning to vegetarianism i better educated and feel very secure in my decision

when we have brought up that we try to eat as local

and organic as possible

it makes people defensive

almost upset it appears

and when you add the word vegetarian

woooo....

now you've really done it

some people feel they have to convince you otherwise

like it is up for debate or they must save you from this horrible mistake

what i have discovered in this journey is

food is very personal

like religion or politics

but just like the two subjects above

i am not trying to sway anyone or bring anyone 'to my side'

for me it was a very personal choice

and i am totally okay with you making yours

1st mini

2011-05-16T19:42:00.002-05:00

so this winter and spring i have been training for the indianapolis mini 1/2 marathon

it was perfect weather

51 and cloudy

i did not stop running once i started

not even for a potty break

it began to mist and then turned into a sprinkle around mile 8

and didn't end until i crossed the finish line and grabbed my goodies

the sky opened up and the glorious sun came out

i beat my time from my 1st 13.1 in nov 2010

it wasn't much but hey!

still counts right?

and i ran in it a running skirt

which was an early mothers day present

i love it!!

i am hobbled around for a few days muscles tight and in a little pain

but as a fellow running friend told me

' today you are feeling the success of the race'

and it much not be too bad because i am running another 1/2 in less than 2 weeks!

(yes i am addicted)

left field

2011-05-13T07:25:00.003-05:00

we completed the adoption classes in march

and got our little certificate

then we were approved by the

snap council in indianapolis in april

we located a little girl right away on adoptuskids.org

and inquired about her with guarded hopes and she was placed

the next day with another family

we were told about two sibling groups two weeks in a row

one the girls were out of our age range

the other was a large group of siblings that we knew we

couldn't accommodate

we located another little one in another state and inquired but haven't heard back

from the sw yet...its been almost 3 weeks

and just sent an inquiry about 2 sisters today

this process has been so different than the one to find bug

i just knew i had people looking out of me and didn't really worry

i knew we would find a child who matched our family

this journey i feel a little out in left field

{pic}

people we have met along the way have been nice but

they seem to have their own ideas of what is best for us

very different advice and information

so we have learned to sort through it

(with a little help from a curly haired friend)

i have also feel like we are competing for children we

are interested in and i am getting the feeling

that the social workers don't seem to

see us as ...people ...a family

we either don't get a response from inquiries or

a simple 'placed' as a reply

i want to say 'hey! we had a little hope wrapped into that email sent!"

how about 'sorry but we placed her with another family

good luck on your journey'

it would be very nice and encouraging

and really does it take that much longer to write the above

response?

we have included bug on all children we have been sent or asked about

explaining the process to her as we go

it appears to be abstract to her tat this point

she hasn't asked too many questions

and it hasn't raised any interesting conversations

yet

i can tell you she was very excited about the large sibling group

we were shown until we told her with that many children

we would probably never be able to go out for dinner again

which led to a prompt, "oh...i don't want that many sisters."

guess we know where she stands!

phennie

2011-05-09T19:25:00.000-05:00

well if i am going to catch everyone up

i better start where i left off

on 2/18/11 our sweet phoenix left this world

to go into 'doggie heaven' as bug has explained

i was in one word

devastated

he was my first baby, my buddy, my doggie pal for 12 1/2 yrs

how to say goodbye to such a loyal friend?

my hubby was the true hero

and took charge

the 'strong one'

while he watched me sobbed uncontrollably

i know that sweet phennie is at peace

his legs are now working

his hips don't hurt anymore

and bug says he is running with our kitty luba

i think God knew how hard i would take

phoenix leaving so he arranged for the

very next day to have a boxer puppy our lives

i wasn't sure

it all seemed to quick and too sudden

but my husband said

'we need this. YOU need this'

i guess he was right

so we said yes to a rescued stray

(he came from the same rescue organization that we got

our other dog bele girl from arpo)

this floppy eared adorable puppy bounded into our lives

and with some kisses we knew we made the right choice

and our hearts began to heal

and so we named him chili beans

(beans after phoenix. it was one of his many nick names)

returning

2011-05-04T20:09:00.000-05:00

after a good long break

i am back

i actually teetered about returning

the 'detox' break from facebook and blogging felt wonderful

but after some thought ...

here i am

soooo much has changed and happened

will catch up with everyone elses blogs and my own soon

taking time

2011-03-09T19:18:00.000-06:00

i have been preoccupied with some many events going on right now

that i haven't made time to blog

since today marks ash wednesday

and the beginning of lent i decided to take a little break

from my blog and focus on events unfolding

(which also means i wont check other blogs very much either)

{pic}

just think !

by the time i come back

spring will be in full force!

finds

2011-02-17T07:30:00.001-06:00

a good girl friend shares her good finds and bargains

i think its something most women do

(perhaps like men sharing fishing stories?)

so while browsing through our local goodwill for something

bug needed at school i found two lovely pairs of shoes

they were..

gasp!

1/2 off that day only

well if their regular price of $4.99

wasn't a good enough deal

$2.49 was even sweeter!

so i walked out with 2 pairs of nine west shoes for $5.00!

(all shoes modeled by bug)

then this weekend a local resale consignment shop had a

super sale
everything you could fit into a red bag (they handed out) was

$15.00!

even though we got there shortly after they opened

it was very busy

walked out with 21 tops and 2 scarves in one bag

i was feeling pretty proud of myself!

maybe i should have grabbed two bags?

i don't shop often and what i do buy i keep for a long time

perhaps a little too long

ask anyone close to me

i am also not too proud to accept hand me ups

(from my younger sisters)

though these events have faded the farther away they have moved

i am getting better about treating myself and the two shopping adventures

mentioned above were well deserved and very nice on my bank account

yeah me!

support

2011-02-15T05:53:00.001-06:00

so we are 1/2 through bugs kindergarten year

and as it has progressed i felt the need to reach out and have support

from other adopted parents in the school and parish

at a dinner club gathering in the fall i met 2 other couples in the process

of adopting their first child (ren)

after a long night at chatting we

decided to form an adoption support group at our church
i was surprise how easy it was!
after getting the blessing from the parish office

we posted in the bulletin and had a surprising response

approximately 20 families who either thinking about, in the process, or

had adopted said they were interested

we had our first informal gathering last month

families who were formed by domestic, foster, international

and even disrupted adoptions came together

{pic}

once everyone introduced and explained their own journey

the conversations just flowed

i was able to ask questions of the parents who had children who

were in high school or their children were grown and had children of their own!

it was so successful we plan to meet every other month

i had no idea how many families in bugs school

were formed by adoption

if any questions or situations arise

i now have the support and knowledge
from these parents to help

all it took was on posting in a bulletin...

never know until you reach out

groove

2011-02-10T17:12:00.000-06:00

with all the snow, sleet, ice and general freeze that winter brings to indiana

i have had a hard time convincing myself to get up

@ 5 am in the morning to run

only to face blowing winds and sub zero temps

as i scrape ice off my car and allow it to warm up

so i can go to the gym and jump on the treadmill

soooo much easier to wake up a little later and not run

{pic}

i have been hit or miss making my 3-4 runs a week

but this week i had a turn around

my hubby signed up for a 1/2 marathon (in may)

its his first one

(i am soo excited for him!)

he started training last week

and so i feel his need for me to be motivated as well

did i mention i signed up for the same 1/2 marathon as he did?

after i signed up for another one 2 weeks before!

(i was feeling pretty confident when i did this to myself)

so i guess i should get my buns in gear

and start facing the cold dark mornings again

knowing that the ole groundhog predicted an

early spring has made my spirits lift

to run outside and hear the birds chirp!!

and maybe that high does of vitamin d i am on is helping too

btw it has also spurred me into looking for a nice

sale on treadmills or a good used one

(avoiding all the ice and freeze might help next year!)

mushroom love

2011-02-07T19:28:00.000-06:00

around this house loving mushrooms is a must

got a delivery of portabella mushrooms and decided to whip up

a open face sandwich and of course it was de-light-ful

how could i not share?

{pic}

need:

4 portabella mushrooms rinsed and sliced long

sliced green onions

cheese (you pick!) we used feta

pesto

naan bread (but any long shaped bread would do)

olive oil

place bread in oven for about 5 mins to make crisp

add pesto and cheese set aside

pre heat oven about 250

place mushrooms and onions with olive oil in pan

cook until tender

place above one the bread and put in oven

until cheese is melted

we served it with a side of steamed broccoli

above serves 3-4 people

on our way

2011-02-05T06:55:00.003-06:00

we have completed our 'fostering' part of the state required classes

3 long 8 hr saturdays for both of us

our homestudy visit was this past week

lucky for us it was the same person that was our class trainer

we only have fbi fingerprints to complete

then 2 'adoption' classes to finish '

then we wait

(pic)

a little side note:

bug thought the social worker who came for our homestudy

was bringing her 'baby sister' to our home that day
(i wish!)

she was so convinced she told me

"i told my teacher and all my friends at school!"

not sure how this idea was planted

but after a little chat she said she understood her sister
would not be coming this spring

although i know time lines (even 'fuzzy' ones)

are hard for a 5 year old!

lovey

2011-02-01T09:26:00.000-06:00

my husband birthday was this past month and bug really had something

in mind that she wanted to buy for him

she told me what it was and although i was uncertain

i was convinced after she told me why

at night we take turns putting her to bed

i read to her and my husband tells her stories

when he does he uses her doggie pillow pet to lay on

bug told me that daddy asks her to sleep with it at night

and she has allowed him to borrow it a few times

so she just knew he wanted one for himself

she wanted to use a gift card she got for christmas to purchase

a pillow pet for him

so we went to the store and she agonized over which one to buy

she thought a pink unicorn but i urged her to think of

what daddy would want and not bug

she agreed

not the pink unicorn

finally she decided on a red pillow pet

bug could not wait to give it to him

we wrapped it

( and she changed where she hid it

in her room several times

because she thought he might come looking for his present)

she beamed with pride and happiness

when he opened it and he hugged it
telling her he 'always wanted one'
they named the red doggie

lovey

and he now he lays on my bed
(fabulous adult decor i might add!)

although now bug sometimes borrows lovey from

daddy to sleep with

a long journey

2011-01-29T21:53:00.000-06:00

as many of you know one of my sisters, dana, is in the process of adopting a little one

from south korea

it has been thrilling and truly heart breaking for our whole family

as we support and wait with dana and her hubby ben during this process

for so many reasons out of the control of my sister

(ie: country and agency changing rules etc)

their wait which was explained to be about 12 months has turned into 18+

and looking more like 24 months

{pic}

i think the most tragic part of this is a family and child are left waiting
to me...nothing about it makes sense

good reads for 2011

2011-01-25T07:21:00.001-06:00

after reading the newest adoptive families magazine i saw two book reviews

that caught my interest

one was a tale for children

sweet moon baby

which is about a journey of a baby born in china

from her birth parents to her adoptive parents

it was reviewed by a blogger i follow
that adopted from her daughter from china
i really like to have a diverse selection of books for myself and of course bug

i immediately requested it from our library

the other one is

brown babies pink parents
which was described as
"a girlfriends guide' by the reviewer
i could not locate it at the library or on amazon but did find the
authors link which is above
since we are open to race i am trying to educate
myself as much as possible
(which is good regardless)

if you do happen to read any of the above
please share what you think
i am always looking for a new good book to
add to our collection

beds for mutts

2011-01-21T05:03:00.002-06:00

since my attempts at creating dogs beds have left me
very frustrated i have been searching for a good alternative
i think i have found it!

i cannot remember where i saw molly mutts
(a magazine i know for that much for sure)
but i have been debating on which duvet cover

i should purchase for our doggies

not only does she carry some really fabulous fabrics

but you can stuff them yourselves with old blankets or comforters

re-using! i love it!

she also has a cute blog which of course also
features cutie-pa-tootie doggies

her special day

2011-01-19T06:07:00.002-06:00

bug's adoption day is 12/26 and since that is always spent at my fathers house

opening presents and celebrating christmas

we decided to move the day we celebrate her adoption to

jan 7th which is the christian orthodox christmas

my husband located a russian mac-n-cheese dish

which was to our surprise was truly delightful and i would highly recommend it

we all prepared it together and then after eating our meal

we had her open her gifts

(which were all from russia)

some we bought when we were there and others

were picked out by our dear friend sarah who journeys

to bugs birth city each year

bugs favorite by far was her music box of st. basil's church

we brought out her adoption journey scrap book and photo album

my hubby and i took turns sharing stories about our travels and meeting her

then i read a few pages from the journal i wrote from that time period

there were so many things we forgot about!

(i am very happy i took the advise of a fellow adoptive mother to

journal during our travels)

bug shared 'her stories' with us too

which were actually stories we have told her over the last

five years

she could not wait for 'her day'

she repeatedly told us throughout the week

"its this friday! my adoption day party!"

it was so sweet to see her interact, understand more,
and participate this year

welcome

2011-01-15T20:07:00.001-06:00

yesterday my 'baby' sister had her second baby girl

my other sister, dana, and my aunt sue flew out to cali

to take care of my sisters daughter

while she stays in the hospital for a few days

jealous am i?

you bet!

i so wish i was there to help out

and of course welcome the newest member to our family

a small visitor

2011-01-15T06:01:00.001-06:00

after loosing and swallowing both of her teeth in one day bug was in a panic

would the tooth fairy come?

what would happen when there weren't any teeth to trade?

she decided to write a short letter of explanation

the tooth fairy really appreciated this and responded in a letter

assuring her that swallowing teeth was very normal

(although 2 in one day is really un-heard of)

she was given 2 one dollar bills with of course fairy glitter glued on them

then 2 russian rubble coins

we had a very excited and happy little girl the next morning

missing two

2011-01-13T05:50:00.000-06:00

just before we rang in the new year

bug had to wiggly bottom teeth

that soon were nick named

'wiggles'

for breakfast jan 30th she started to scream

right after breakfast

i ran into the bathroom not sure what i expected to see

but i can tell you adrenaline was pumping through my body!

one of her bottom teeth had fallen out and she swallowed it..

while she ate breakfast!

the other one laid to the side and i was sure it would fall out any minute

she messed with it all day

at dinner i joked with her

"now don't eat your other tooth for dinner!"

she said "i wont!" and smiled

guess what?

she did!

hi 2011

2011-01-11T19:50:00.000-06:00

a happy and blessed new year to you!

well after a month off of blogging and not really checking on the blogs i follow

i have had the urge to peek in on my blogger 'friends'

and perhaps post a thing or two

come on back and i promise there will be something worth while to read

click here to see more or buy one these tiny pints

2010-12-09T20:27:00.000-06:00

winter has arrived in indiana...

christmas will be here soon

so i am taking a little break to enjoy it all

have a very blessed holiday

clean care

2010-12-03T06:12:00.007-06:00

i have had a few people email and ask where can they

find clean or cleaner things for their home and personal care

its becoming more mainstream and easier to locate

friend and fellow blogger, sarah, shared a list by real simple on her post about this subject
another blog that i enjoy is natural beauty well
and of course one of my favorites the newly published book no more dirty looks

which is a wealth of info plus they also have a wesbite which they update on a daily basis

with updated tips and information about clean care
to hear one of the authors chat about about her book on a radio show

click here

{pics}

to be honest its been a trial and error process

some of the things have worked out wonderful

and others not so well

we have changed all of our cleaning products for our home

all of my makeup is organic/ natural

(except my eyeliner which i only wear once in a blue moon so it hasn't been a top priority)

all of our personal products are organic/natural

i would say 85% of the things we use above were ideas/suggestions

from no more dirty looks

on this journey it seems i learn something new everyday!!

little garden

2010-12-01T06:18:00.002-06:00

i love seeing the little urban gardens popping up around the city as i drive around visiting clients

i have seen several at local schools

so i approached bugs school and the principal was very supportive

then asked for me to create a plan, present it and get started

gulp!!
i didn't know i would be elected leader of the idea!
(lesson learned)

after chatting with many experienced gardening friends i came up with a rough plan
but still felt overwhelmed

and then fate stepped in

the girls scouts have designed new patches/ petals for creating a community garden

bug is a daisy (girls scouts for kindergartners)

so guess how many little volunteers and parents i have to help now?

{pic}

urban and community gardens are on my radar lately...

so when i saw a blog spot reporting the mayor of indianapolis

just announced a challenge for 50 more urban gardens by the end of 2011
i was excited!!

the mayor wants to make indianapolis the most sustainable city in the midwest!

good time to start a garden indiana

click here for the details

a letter

2010-11-29T06:23:00.001-06:00

we sent a letter to our family announcing our newest adoption journey

almost everyone already knew about it

however this email gave more details about the actual process

which is so much different than bugs

we also explained that we will have a child added to our family and

we will take our time to bond

we will follow the general rules of bonding

suggested by the adoption specialist

i wish we would have done this when we started on our 1st adoption

not so much about the process because we talked about it a lot

besides i was working at the adoption agency

so most of our family had heard about the process

what i wished we would have done

(and highly recommend to all those in the process)

send out a letter about the crucial bonding that needs to take place after an adoption

(especially if not adopting a newborn)

we didn't and almost all of family and friends understood

but those few that didn't had their feelings hurt and it caused misunderstandings

for example bug came from an orphanage where she slept with several

other babies and had numerous caregivers

they prompt fed the babies

(1-2 caregivers w/ 25+ babies in one room you can understand why)

so when bug came home mommy and daddy had to teach her

what parents were, how parents care for little ones and what a family was

so we were the only ones who fed, bathed, clothed and met all her needs until she

understood we were a forever family

after all if she cannot bond with her parents who are with her every day

how can she bond with anyone else?

(of course our family were able to play with her, visit and bond also)

if you are not sure where to start or need help i would recommend

adoptive families as a good reference of information and articles written

by adoptive parents and professionals

leaves

2010-11-24T07:35:00.002-06:00

as always when i need inspriatoin or a great idea i turn to my sisters blog

she posted about leaf prints and we tried them out

super easy and we had a blast getting all goopy

since our place is small we didnt have any room
to hang these big prints
but we still wanted to display them
so bug and i cut them and then glued them together and hung them
over the dinning room table

display

2010-11-24T05:40:00.001-06:00

my sister, dana, always seems to find the most amazing and beautiful things

she recently posted a project she is thinking about for her
'little c'

(after their adoption is complete)

she is taking the idea below and adding her own adoption mementos

click here for details

mini gaga

local

2010-11-22T07:18:00.001-06:00

people in our lives introduce us to so many things

sometimes without us even noticing

my sister owns her own company (plum tree studio)

and because of her business and all the info she has shared

i have tried to buy many handmade things

(etsy is a lovely place that my sister told me about few years ago)

this has branched out into other areas of my life too

my husband and i decided to consciously support our local

city and area we live in

we try to eat at locally owned restaurants and stores

i even try to buy our food, wine and beer locally too

we like the uniqueness that these locally owned places bring

don't get me wrong i love target too

but there is something very cool about entering a

one of kind place to find that something very special for someone or yourself

or eat that very yummy something that only

that one place makes that keeps you coming back

and makes your 'neck of the woods'

a little interesting too

elephant

2010-11-19T06:30:00.002-06:00

recently while at friends baby shower
a group of us (moms) started talking

it lead to 'baby fever'

3 out of the 5 moms explained they couldn't have anymore

since their husbands had been 'snipped'

one was teetering about adding more

i listen and smile

then its like a hush comes over and they realize

my daughter is adopted

all eyes turn to me

then i realize

i am the elephant in the room

{pic}

talk turns to examples of people who have adopted

and then became pregnant

(believe me all adoptive moms have heard a million of these and

its not as common as you think and it doesn't make me feel any better)

or how someone else they know had a baby 'fall into' their arms

through amazing circumstances

i appreciate the effort to include me

i do

but please for everyones sake

don't

my journey is different than the average family

i get that

but i am still a mom

i still have a wonderful child

i too have baby fever

i too want more children

see?

we have more in common than you thought

thankful banner

2010-11-17T06:37:00.000-06:00

seems like we jump from halloween right into christmas

skipping over my husbands favorite holiday

thanksgiving

(he loves it because its great food and no pressure)

parents magazine had a clever idea to get ready for thanksgiving

cut up a months worth of little notes

every day a each family member writes on the note what they are

grateful for that day

in the article they placed them in a jar

and then made a banner on thanksgiving day

we decided to make the banner as we went

each day we 'hang' one of our thankful notes on

our string in our living room with a paper clip

(also adding thanksgiving crafts)

its especially interesting to see what bug will say each day

best ever

2010-11-15T06:00:00.010-06:00

bug has been busy these last few days in a top secret project

she would say, "don't look! its for your birthday mom..promise!?"

she asked me what i thought when she gave it to me

my reply?

best gift ever

xoxo

driving talks

2010-11-11T05:01:00.002-06:00

driving home from school

bug asks, " mom, when will you have a baby?"

not sure where this was heading i said

i have one

you

she said "noooo. a real one."

you are my real baby

a big sigh came from the back seat

"mom, i mean a baby in your tummy. when will you have one?"

i told i didn't know because my tummy had not worked right

in the past to have a baby in it

"i don't want you to have one"

oh?

"no. it really hurts to have a baby. i don't want to see you hurt mommy."

i smile

(sometimes best not to say anything to see where the conversation leads i have learned

then to fill it with all kinds of talk or 'knowledge')

" i don't want one either!"

a baby?

"nope"

oh?

" not in my tummy! it hurts!"

i see

'"i'm gonna adopt! like you and daddy!"
the conversation ends

next thing i know she moves on to talk about school, a bird outside

or anything else that crosses her mind
with these chats she is the leader and i just follow

finished!

2010-11-08T19:12:00.002-06:00

today i wobble around my home because my legs are achy and i am a bit tired

i am still glowing, however, in my accomplishment!

i finished the 1/2 marathon

my only goal was to run
the entire time and finish
it was the biggest high and sense of personal accomplishment

it was dark and a balmy 30 degrees at 8 am

i located some of my friends right before the race

it was awesome at times whooping at the people yelling at us

giving people high fives along the way

then at times there wouldn't be anyone and it got a little lonely

then i ran into another adoptive mom i know and we hugged
and jumped while running when we saw each other

we finished the last 1 1/2 miles together

i was shocked that after running 2 hrs non stop
that i could carry on a conversation while running!

we crossed the finish line and i couldn't stop pumping my arms in the air!

i did it

i did it!

countless hugs, kisses, texts, calls

support and love from everyone

all those 5 am mornings no matter the weather or condition i was in

i dragged myself out of bed and ran

for this moment

that night we headed out for a celebration dinner

and now i am deciding between 2 half marathons in may

yep

i am hooked!

tomorrow

2010-11-05T05:57:00.002-05:00

well tomorrow is it!

i have been training for many months to run the monumental 1/2 marathon

i hit 12 miles a few weeks back and i knew i could finish this race!

since the race will begin at 8 am

it will still be dark and very cold

the high is suppose to be bbbbbrrrrrr

the high

{pic}

(those who know me well know i do not like being cold)

so that means low 30's (if not high 20's) when i am running
so off i went this week to get some special gear from the running company
(highly recommend these extremely helpful people!)

wish me luck and send me prayers

and if you really love me

meet at the end of the race with a cup of hot coco

and a big fleece blanket!

where we are

2010-11-03T08:16:00.000-05:00

well after speaking to more families and agencies

it led me to speak to our county about adoptions

perhaps with my background of working in adoption

and already adopting a child we would better suited to go this route...?

(i was also highly encouraged by my friend sarah too)

we will see

{pic}

i can tell you this part of the journey has been difficult for me

i worked for an adoption agency for 5 years so i know the 'basics'

i also know that an agency is suppose to support and assist you

after all this is a very emotional process not matter who you are

i really haven't felt 'the love' from any agency i have spoken to along this journey so far

is there a difference between the service a family receives if it is private or state?

in my experience... so far... yes.

but before i pull out my soap box and really get going

let me put some silver lining on this cloud

i did get a hold of my local state snap social worker

who was kind, informative, and honest

she referred us to a local agency to start our classes

(to learn how to be good parents and teach us about adoption)

i spoke to her and was floored

she was extremely helpful and nice

perhaps we are on the right path now?

they say things happen for a reason

classes start in november stay tuned!

national adoption month

2010-11-01T15:07:00.002-05:00

november is national adoption month!

i saw this post on my three sons and decided i had to share

six seeds , an online philanthropic magazine, is devoting its november 2010 issue to adoption
they will feature a new adoption story each day
for every comment left on the article they are donating $2 to charity

they are also giving away $2000 towards a families adoption expenses
click here for more details

sweet treat

2010-10-31T06:26:00.000-05:00

by far one of my favorite holidays

halloween!

one that all can particpate in

be safe and eat tons of sweet treats!

star

2010-10-29T08:05:00.002-05:00

this month it was bugs turn to be a 'star' for a week at school

every day she was allowed to bring one small thing to class

needless to say
she was so excited

{pic}

2 days were ordinary items but the other 3 she picked 'russian' items

a nesting doll, a wooden toy we bought in moscow, and her snow princess

i spoke to her teacher and she said she asked bug if there was anything interesting

she wanted to share about russia

she said, "no...not really"

at first i felt maybe i didn't prepare her well for this

after all read all the articles and books about adoption

and they instruct parents how to explain adoption to classes

and the teacher

then again i told myself

she is 5 yrs old

i know the whole idea about being born in russia, adoption, etc

is still pretty abstract

what did i expect her to say?

she wanted to bring a few things

that she felt were special that perhaps most other

kids in her class wouldn't have and maybe would think were

kinda neat

so right now i decided to cut myself some slack

bug did well

sweet sweet beans

2010-10-27T07:43:00.000-05:00

i wasn't looking for a dog

(heck i wasn't suppose to have one at my apt!)

but one cold and snowy night i saw a sign

with the word puppies misspelled on my way back to school from christmas break.

something whispered to turn around and so i listened

long story short...well kinda short

it was a run down trailer with dogs tied up all around it

the puppies were living under it by the hay stacks

they wound not come out and were horribly frightened by people

the mama (big german shepherd) doggie was inside barking loudly

the home was fifthly and filled with dog poop piles

so of course you know i had to take one of these puppies home

i had a moment to look at them when coaxed out with a treat

i choose the fuzzy one

he threw up 3xs in my car on the way back to school

he was shaking and petrified

after a nice bath and days spent coaxing him out from under my bed with dog food

he decided i was okay and then very soon became a mamas boy

we named this fuzzy puppy

phoenix

and he grew and grew

soon became a 80 lbs and loved to ride in our jeep

he was and is my sweet boy

hard to believe but he turned 12 yrs old this month

12 is old for a dog his size and one that has horrible hip dysplasia

(the vet said "scale 1-4 he is a 5" when he was 9 mos old)

his age has caught up with him this last yr

he walks slowly... takes awhile to get up... and sometimes falls down

he still loves popcorn, tug a war and walks

all dogs teach us lessons throughout their time with us

right now phoenix is teaching us to take our time and to be patient

also don't worry if you cant do what you use to

just sit and take a break

pant

and try again

i heart smoothies

2010-10-25T08:28:00.001-05:00

okay so ask any of my close loved ones and they will tell you i have become quite the smoothie nut

i drink one every day for breakfast

i can also tell you if it doesn't taste good its not crossing my lips

i am picky so if i post a smoothie recipe its because i have made it and drank it many, many times

since its october i had to post my pumpkin smoothie

{honest fare}

1/2 can organic pumpkin (trader joes is very yummy)

almond milk (any any kind you like)

1 frozen banana

1 tablespoon flax seed and or powder

dash of cinnamon and nutmeg

go crazy and add a little pumpkin pie spice

or 1/2 avocado

another yummy version can be found here

good daddy

2010-10-23T19:35:00.003-05:00

helping bug ride her bike

without training wheels

lovely

2010-10-22T07:33:00.002-05:00

i just love this!

i found this poster on a blog i follow lovely design

her house is amazing and her daughter is just adorable

her blog also led me to this poster which is by

charley harper which can also be found here

oldies

2010-10-20T08:17:00.003-05:00

since we don't have cable/satellite and movie channels done come in from the ole antenna

we rent from the library and perhaps a few from red box

i have been on a old movie kick

i might be dating myself here

but i have fond memories of waiting for disney movies and cartoons to come

on the tv sunday nights

i couldn't wait!

what magic

so i have been renting oldies but goodies for the family

bug has been enjoying them and i love seeing her laugh at them

like i did when i was her age
(click here for the list)

{pic}

purses

2010-10-18T08:20:00.001-05:00

i couldnt pass these up...

how c-u-t-e are these purses?

spoon-fulls

2010-10-11T08:31:00.001-05:00

when bug first came home she was 3% and falling on the US scale for height/weight

she was categorized as failure to thrive

thank goodness when we saw her we could tell she was doing pretty well developmentally

(considering)

she was a skinny minnie little thing with a budda belly

perhaps a cute belly if you didn't understand why

it was due to malnutrition

through my own research

(our first pediatrician was horrible, not helpful at all and we quickly 'fired' her)

we were able to have her back on track with in a few months

after she arrived home

she did not have any food sensory issues which was a bonus

{pic}

we let her eat and eat until she realized that she

could have all the food she wanted at any time

food would always be available

we fed her the most nutritious food available to us at that time

and we avoided empty calories

she loved fatty avocados and still does!

adoptive families magazine had an article about this issue: beyond growth charts

this isnt info that i had just 5 yrs ago

i love that it is being addressed

measuring fun

2010-10-09T07:25:00.001-05:00

i have a love for nesting dolls

it started while working at kidsfirst and has grown

since bug came into our life

but i have good control over it

however i would love to add these to my collection

have you seen these?

my sister and friend jen have them and they are a-dorable!

run girl!

2010-10-07T05:06:00.000-05:00

so last saturday i ran 10 miles

10 was my goal to officially sign up for the monumental 1/2 marathon

(which i did)

if figured if i could accomplish 10 then 13.1 was attainable

right?

{pic}

i cannot express how exhilarating it was finishing that run

10 miles!

(in a pretty decent time i might add)

i know to some seasoned runners 10 isnt an amount to brag about

but in my little world this is a huge accomplishment

and i am very proud of myself!

photo session

2010-10-05T20:05:00.001-05:00

we had our family photo shoot this past weekend

we used baby grace photography after the owner, jennfier, was highly recommended to us

we met her on a chilly (56 degrees) early afternoon at the indianapolis museum of art

(they have 100 acres of gardens and its an ideal place for photos)

jenn was so sweet and patient with us

during our session she had us
jump, skip and twirl
we stood in, on or around high grasses, sand, tunnels and bridges
we had so much fun and we love the results

so now we highly recommend her to you!

orglamix

2010-10-04T10:54:00.001-05:00

i have been slowing replacing my makeup with organic products

one i have found and love is orglamix

she makes eye shadow, bronzers, blush and foundation

affordable and lovely

apple pickin'

2010-10-01T13:38:00.001-05:00

fall time has arrived in ole' indiana

and the apples are ripe and ready for pickin'!

we headed out to tuttle orchard

we walked away with 25+ lbs of apples!

5 varieties were available and more to come in october and november
so you know what this means?

we have to return!

baby we were meant for each other

2010-09-29T18:23:00.001-05:00

i drive alot for my job to visit all my clients in their homes

so i listen to alot of books on cd

call family or friends

and listen to npr

{via npr}

while driving not too long ago they featured author and npr host of weekends edition scott simon

(to listen here or click here)

he has written a new book adout the adoption of his 2 daughters from china

baby, we were meant for each other

loved the interview

all the calls in describing their own personal stories

of either adopting or being adopted

always refreshing to hear postitive stories of children and parents loving each other

(not matter how the family was formed)

i went to rent the book from the library and it must be a great read as i am 25th on the list!

i heart plum tree

2010-09-27T05:38:00.001-05:00

i had to share

my sister, dana, sent me the link to the boutique

(where she was recently featured)

she sells her hand created designs from her

own business plum tree studio

this all started when we brought home bug

aunt dana wanted to make something unique and special

little did she know that it would lead to her own business

a few years later!

of course, i am biased

i think everything she makes

is super adorable

but drop of on by and decide for yourself

plastic bottles

2010-09-24T19:24:00.001-05:00

saw a post about the messenger bag above on the dress up drawer

these are made about green smart

as their site says:

"30 plastic bottles were never put to better 2nd life use."

nice style and fallish

ohh i want one!

bloom

2010-09-23T08:07:00.002-05:00

my sister gave this to the hostess of her baby shower as a thank you gift

oh how i love plants!

better yet lovely pots to put them in

i promptly came home and found a new home for one of my green friends

goodbye

2010-09-21T06:27:00.001-05:00

well i believe its about time to admit summer is slipping away and falls is arriving...

we will miss you dearly and cannot wait for your return next year
please hurry back!

ps.
i love this picture
during out cabin trip in june
i double dared my sister dana to jump in the water
it worked!

bulk up

2010-09-19T06:16:00.003-05:00

one of the many things i love about whole foods is the option to bulk up on things like beans,

quinoa, nuts, dried fruit, oatmeal and the list goes on

since we have limited space in our little home of 1,000 sq feet

i cannot do the huge containers

so i have been cleaning and reusing my glass containers

(from other foods that we purchase like applesauce)

to store our bulk goodies

most of our supply above will last approx 3-4 weeks

which is perfect for our family of 3

tri

2010-09-17T05:39:00.004-05:00

so you might ask yourself what in the world is this random picture for?

i took it the morning of our surprise visit to our friends debut
in the sprint go girl triathlon

she didn't know we were coming and at the end of the tri at mile one

there we were the 5 of us cheering

all the women on

she was so surprised she almost stopped to talk!

we had so much fun and it was unbelievably inspirational

to see women of all ages, shapes and sizes completing this huge goal

it filled me up with courage
i am pretty sure can complete
the 1/2 marathon coming up in november

and even gave me some extra confidence

that maybe...just maybe i can tri a duathlon this coming spring

(up to 9 miles now...only 4 more to go and i have hit the 1/2 marathon mark!

wish me luck these morning trainings are getting earlier and earlier)

sign

2010-09-15T06:36:00.002-05:00

a kidsfirst mom encouraged me to buy baby signing time videos for bug soon after we got home

she was delayed in speech but not enough for 1st steps to get involved

(at least that's what they said after the eval)

so i dived right into it and bought some dvd's

(and borrowed the rest from the library)

i highly, highly, highly (did i mention highly?)

recommend for all parents

bug picked it right away and before she could put 2 worked sentences together

she could come up to us at 15 mos and tell us (signing)

that she was hungry and what she wanted to eat

(signs ie: hungry, cereal, yogurt, drink, grapes)

it made it so easy to understand and communicate

she would also tell us when she was tired

(signs ie: bed, blanket, book, please)

by the time 1st steps came back for a follow up she passed with flying colors

she was right on target for her speech and age level

we continued to use signs until she could speak full sentences

and then gradually she stopped using them on her own

returning to an old friend

2010-09-13T05:23:00.001-05:00

my husband and i use to camp on average 8-10 times a year

we always envisioned ourselves taking our children with us on many

camping adventures

and we had very good intentions of doing so

many good plans that were changed do to weather or other things that came up

we decided no more excuses!

it was time to revisit our beloved past time

we headed down to a little indiana state park that is off the main radar

(aka not very crowded)

it has been a destination for us for 15 yrs

bug loved it, we loved it and of course our one dog bele girl really loved it

she was off leash 90% of the time running free

(ole phoenix (almost 12 yrs old now) did not come

we knew he couldn't make the 5 mile hikes we did each day

but he was loved and cared for by a dear friend)

we have already made plans to return

below are some pictures of our stay

because of the dry summer we have had in indiana the lake

was very low and there were no streams in the woods

the above cracked ground is actually lake bottom

which was good for clam shell picking

pineapple/ avocado goodness

2010-09-11T05:36:00.001-05:00

{emily eats}

i have been venturing into cold soups this summer

one my favorite recipes that is extremely easy to prepare is

avocado/ pineapple gazpacho

so grab a blender

2 cups of pineapple

1 avocado

1 chili pepper (remove seeds) or use chili flakes

dash of salt

juice from a whole lime

cilantro to garnish if you wish

(save about 1/2 cup pineapple and some pieces of the avocado

cut into small pieces to add to the soup. do not blend)

blend all the above

if a little too thick for you

add some water but the juice from the pineapple

should make it just right

place the cut up pieces saved above and eat

sweet with a hint of spicy

perfect for a hot summer night or afternoon

rant

2010-09-10T08:17:00.005-05:00

i just feel i need to vent...rant a little

yesterday i called to schedule our adoption/parenting classes with the adoption agency

i admit ....i was giddy

after collecting and gathering all our paperwork this was the final phase before the

home study and then waiting for the match

so imagine my surprise when i called and was told things have changed

at first it didn't make sense all the new lingo and explanations but then i was calm

agreed to have the new schedule sent to me so i could review and then call to 're-schedule'

i reviewed the new schedule and info

wow

they changed things pretty drastically

and it will probably delay our plans by 6 mos-1 yr

no need to go into all the details

lets just say i had many questions

i emailed them back and have not heard back

tick....tock

{pic}

my hubby told me not to waste my energy on being mad or figuring it out

until i heard back from them

i knew he was right but my emotions were swirling and bubbling

it triggered something in me

i was on the verge of crying with tears swelling

in my head the questions screamed

we have wanted more children so badly for 4-5 yrs now

why do they make it so hard for adoptive parents?!

why so many hoops?

i know i know

but for a 2 hours it was my pity party
so i called and left a voice mail today...

no worries back to my normal self

pink

2010-09-09T06:59:00.001-05:00

these ballerina prints from etsy were a gift from aunt dana

bug wanted them in pink and white frames

(hard to find pink without baby written on it if they are light pink
or in hot pink screaming princess)

so i spray painted them on my own
tada!

you need this book

2010-09-07T06:14:00.002-05:00

this is hands down the best adoption book i have ever read

and if you were to read only one

this would be my suggestion

it is a easy to read

layman terms

basically:

this is what can or did happen to your child

this is why they are or might behaving like they are

this is what they are trying to tell you

this is what you can do right now

to assist your child and guide them to new behaviors

(in very easy to follow and remember steps/ ideas)

besides being full of great info for adoptive parents

i believe so much of the advise could be

applied to any child

i am only 1/2 way through it but cannot stop talking about it!

and already using some of the suggested tips

with great success!

18 days clean

2010-09-06T05:03:00.002-05:00

so i did it

i read the book clean

and then took up the challenge of his detox

3 weeks

yes i know 18 days do not = 3 weeks

however like the book said

(and i think you would agree)

when is it ever a good time to do a detox?

i knew i had things going on

a family reunion of sorts

2 girls nights out

and a 3 day camping trip in that 3 week time frame

so 18 days it was

its wasn't the easiest thing but then again it wasn't too hard either

i wasn't all that hungry and by the end of week 1 i felt amazing

week 2 i felt awesome

end of week 3 super

but was ready to eat with my family again

it was the hardest part of the whole thing

making a yummy organic din-din for the fam and not taking part of the yumminess

i knew with the camping trip i would have to end 3 days early

primitive camping sites + juicer + blender = not a good combo

{honest fare}

my hubby said my complexion looks wonderful

i feel light

so i would definitely recommend it

lake fun

2010-09-05T08:37:00.000-05:00

every summer for one weekend

we head to papaw swimming's and nana's lake house

its a nice retreat where food is abundant and portions are enormous

(seriously nana had 5 watermelons for 5 people for 2.5 days!)

wonderful lazy days

aahhh girls night out

2010-09-03T08:00:00.002-05:00

did i mention i belong to a book club?

ahhh wonderful group of ladies

who are all in the social work type field

(i am blessed with good friends)

we meet once a month

bring yummy (and i mean yummy) food

discuss the book why (or why not) we liked it

sometimes the conversation wonders into other topics

...okay every time

then we choose our next book and date to gather

well we all read eat, pray, love

in celebration of it we headed out for our 1st

book club night out

italian food

wine

and the movie

i think we might have to do this again!

sleepy heads

2010-09-01T05:58:00.001-05:00

yep. i know.

we're lucky

she still takes 2 hr naps daily

(well now that she is in f/t kindergarten 3 days a week its not every day)

anyhow...

she loves bele girl to jump on her bed

and wake her up with her big slobbery kisses that only bele can do so well

not today though neither were in the mood this day

bele wanted to nap too and bug didn't want to wake up

perfect combo

replacing

2010-08-30T07:51:00.002-05:00

bug asked us not too long ago since we were going to 'get a new daughter'

would that mean we were replacing her?

(very matter of fact btw like asking for ice cream)

gulp.

no! never! we exclaimed

we went through all the people we knew had more than one child

see? they didn't replace their children

they just added

had more

okay she says

you sure?

yep...
and then adds

"good thing too because i didn't want to have to

get a new mommy and daddy"
hopefully we squelched this idea she had
only time will tell if we need to revisit it

coco-nut!

2010-08-26T07:35:00.001-05:00

i love coconut and i really love coconut 'milk'

have you ever tried it?

hmmm.

also big fan of almond milk

and especially the chocolate kind

it can be kinda pricey tho

so my husband suggested making some of my own

i did

i googled it and followed the directions

boy they made cutting a coconut seem so easy

after several whacks

and then prying

it ended up looking very mutilated

however after this part was complete

it was easy

and wow does fresh coconut takes good!

be brave and try yourself

sooo good and sooo bad

2010-08-24T07:47:00.000-05:00

this is a very unhealthy food post and i understand that

especially given my organic and healthy approach to food this may come as a surprise

but sometimes the rules must be broken!

my father in law (aka papaw swimming - name given to him by bug)

makes a 'mean' breakfast that leaves you begging for more and at the same time

you feel your waist expanding

my husband is eating one of the special treats below

he made french toast and bacon

doesn't sound too outstanding eh?

well that's because you don't understand what makes it so fabulous!

he takes his favorite thick home made nutty bread

adds a ton of cinnamon & sugar to the egg mixture

then cooks it in a little oil until the edges are crisp

then sprinkles powder sugar on it

(tastes like county/state fair food!)

then he fries up bacon cut real thick at a local butcher shop

(so its local meat which makes a little better and healthier right?)

hubby placed the bacon in the middle of the french toast slices and

pours on a little amish syrup

ta-da!

a breakfast sandwich
burp!

new prints

2010-08-22T08:48:00.002-05:00

bug being the people watcher and deep thinker that she is has been looking at girls younger than herself wondering "what if my little sister looks like that mommy?"

they include little girls who are asian, african american, hispanic or even red hair (like her best friend)

this has led me to reach out to friends who have also adopted children of others races

for advice about food, hair and everything in between

this also has made me rethink bugs room
(she will share with her little sister)

we might have to add some new prints to her room to reflect

our new daughters heritage

so off to etsy i went

and of course found some real cute prints!

sarah jane

kilsook

purple pickle

(this was victorias favorite~ ballerinas)

the dreamy giraffe

amy perrotti

tomatillo

2010-08-20T16:30:00.001-05:00

my father in law makes a fabu-licious tomatillo salsa verde

her grows the tomatillo in his own garden

after having some i was insistent on making some of my own

i found a very easy recipe

(and i mean easy like 15 minutes top)

{simple recipes}

we ate almost the entire thing in one setting

the next day i put a huge serving on my salad with my dressing

it gave it a little kick and my tummy was very happy

good starter book

2010-08-20T08:38:00.001-05:00

i read the whole life adoption book

recommend by a friend of mine

it was a pretty easy read

a good book for families who are in the beginning of process

it covers just about everything (but doesnt dive in too deep) and also gives resources to check out

for further information

2 jars and a bunny

2010-08-18T06:11:00.002-05:00

now that bug is making money

hubby and i decided to start teaching her about money
3 separate containers:

2 jars and a bunny bank

bunny bank is where all money collected goes

end of each week we count out the money

10% into savings - never to be spent - deposited into a bank account when full

10% into a charity jar to be given when full

now try to explain charity to a 5 year old

so i went with the humane society since she has been there before

of course she thought this meant she could save up to buy a kitten or a cat

no honey only to help care for them until they find a new family (not our family)

so we found 2 empty jars from our recycling bins

washed, dried and put the labels on them

bug was all about the decorating

(charity one is covered in animals if you cant tell)

already put 10% in them from last weeks total

bitter sweet

2010-08-16T13:15:00.000-05:00

today was the first day of kindergarten for bug

happy to report all went well and she wants to go back tomorrow!

floridie

2010-08-15T06:33:00.000-05:00

my mom came to visit us with her husband in july

i had this custom made for her at the vintage pearl

she goes by nana but bug has two nanas

so when bug was little she began to call my mom

florida nana

which stuck

but lately bug has been calling her floridie which my mom found hilarious

thankfully

the purge continues...products

2010-08-12T04:06:00.003-05:00

{pic from goddess gumbo}

wow!

after reading no more dirty looks

my eyes were open to the very yucky things that are in the products we use everyday

what made it even worse for me

they were in the things i was using on my little girl!

i received tons of wonderful advise from my very green eco kind friend sarah

and researched loads on my own

i felt i was ready for the next step in our purge

to replace some of my products (eventually all)

i looked at what i was running low on and decided to start there

i took my list of bad ingredients and headed out to shop

i purchased new shampoo for all of us, facial cleanser for me, hand soap for the whole house,

and body lotion that we all use and my mascara

i went with all organic products

and almost all i bought were in huge bottles

i should not have to replace them for 6 months or more

(all except the mascara of course)

i will let you know my reviews once i have used them

for awhile

more products replacement to come!

a little hope

2010-08-10T20:35:00.000-05:00

a blog i follow

the vintage pearl

(and adore her jewelry)

posted that all proceeds from this necklace will go to

families who are in the process of adopting

how could i not help spread the word?

smile

2010-08-09T05:23:00.002-05:00

i saw these prints on pumpkin petunia

lovesugar

the artist below was posted on my sisters site

plum tree studio

freya art & design

i checked out the sites and their prints made me smile!

i have added them to my must have list for our home

carmel visit

2010-08-07T06:23:00.002-05:00

we haven't ventured into downtown carmel, indiana for awhile

weren't we surprised when we did!

they have grand and amazing plan for their city and down town

arts, theatre, walk ways, shops, lofts, condos,
all pedestrian and bike friendly

we were so impressed!

we went out for dinner at a very cool local pizza place called bazbeaux

then wondered over to another local gathering

bub's burgers & ice cream

and you know what we got there right?

yep. you know us well

ice cream!

how adorable are these?

i took so many but only

posting a few

carmel commissioned artist to make life sized and life like

metal statues all throughout their arts district

this lady is set right outside the bread shop

moo-la

2010-08-06T07:05:00.002-05:00

bug started requesting things at the store this summer
(which is unusual for her)

we explained that we would not buy them but

she could save up and purchase them herself

well, of course, the next question is how

so this lead to many conversations (btwn hubby and i)
of allowance
chores and our family

we approach our family as a team

takes the 3 of us to make the family
and so the 3 of us need to pitch in to help to keep it running

bug loves to help and volunteers all the time to do things

so we didn't want her contribution to the family to turn into

'i will help but how much are you going to pay' type thing

so we decided to make one and only one chore a paid one
~drum roll please~

picking up phoenix's doggie poo-poo

she was already doing this but we felt this was a good one to be a paid for

we put a small price attached to this chore on a daily basis
and she is paid each day

its worked out well

when she doesn't want to do it we just let her know that a chore not done
is one that is not paid
and this makes her leap up!

juice

2010-08-05T19:02:00.003-05:00

guess what came today?

after so much research

we chose the breville juicer

in anticipation of the arrival

we visited whole foods and got

their humongous bag of 'juicing' carrots!

drink and eat up!

2010-08-04T08:08:00.001-05:00

guess who is getting these nesting doll cups and plates for christmas?

long walks

2010-08-03T06:09:00.000-05:00

while at our family cabin visit we went on many walks

this was our first with aunt dana and uncle ben

poms

2010-08-02T19:54:00.000-05:00

hand made pom-poms were used at my sisters baby shower as part of the decorations

bug wanted them so badly when she saw them dangling from the ceiling

aunt dana told she could pick one

of course it was one of the pink ones

as we left the next day to head back home

we opened our trunk to find that aunt dana had stashed all 3 back there

for bug to take back and hang in her room

her mouth fell open

she was so tickled with surprise!

faith

2010-08-01T06:08:00.003-05:00

the book club i belong to
picked have a little faith by mitch albom for june

i am so glad we voted on this one!

it was a fast and easy book
admittedly i listened to mine on cd in the car

it was read by the author and since he knew how everyone should sound
i instantly loved the 'reb'

wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!

my tori bug

brown

achieved

thank you

a special group

sweet treats

adjusting

twins!

soooo

soon

3rd room

just like you

a post card

locals

a new understanding

hills

veggies

1st mini

left field

phennie

returning

taking time

finds

support

groove

mushroom love

on our way

lovey

a long journey

good reads for 2011

beds for mutts

her special day

welcome

a small visitor

missing two

hi 2011

clean care

little garden

a letter

leaves

display

local

elephant

thankful banner

best ever

driving talks

finished!

tomorrow

where we are

national adoption month

sweet treat

star

sweet sweet beans

i *heart* smoothies

good daddy

lovely

oldies

purses

spoon-fulls

measuring fun

run girl!

photo session

orglamix

apple pickin'

baby we were meant for each other

i *heart* plum tree

plastic bottles

bloom

goodbye

bulk up

tri

sign

returning to an old friend

pineapple/ avocado goodness

rant

pink

you need this book

18 days clean

lake fun

aahhh girls night out

i heart smoothies

i heart plum tree

bitter sweet

smile