Priceless Ones

Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012

2012-01-22T16:27:00.000-06:00

May Christ's bright star enlighten your mind and heart as you strive for equality, justice and kindness in the world and the blessing of God almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, Mother of us all, be with you and remain with you for ever.

Amen

Photo Project 2012 - Day 21

2012-01-21T19:44:00.002-06:00

Day 21

The late afternoon sun peeks through the clouds.

Annalee peeks out from under her hooded hat.

Photo Project 2012 - Days 16 to 20

2012-01-20T22:13:00.000-06:00

A week of Zelda...

Day 16

Froggy Zelda, with Tubby in hand. Have you noticed, yet, that Tubby is always with Zelda?

Day 17

Some nights, Zelda decides that sleeping on her pillow just won't cut it.

Day 18

It didn't quite come through, but Zelda has her hands around Tubby while Mr. Snowman looks on.

Day 19

Not sure what happened, but the camera never touched my fingers on Jan. 19. Bummer.

Day 20

Yeah, snow today! This was Zelda just moments before moving out from the cover of the garage into the deluge of snowfall. I just don't know what it is about my daughters' faces bundled into their hats and hoods that makes me want to shoot a gazillion pictures. This was the best of about 11.

Photo Project 2012 - Day 8 and Counting

2012-01-20T21:50:00.000-06:00

Well, I've gotten really behind in posting images for Photo Project 2012. But, at least I'm still taking them. Every day, though I think I may have missed one this past week. Feeling compelled to take pictures each day has me thinking: Am I taking a picture each day just to take a picture and capture my day or am I taking a picture to push myself to look at the world around me a little differently? I started out thinking the former, but little by little, I'm leaning toward the latter. That said, some pictures will show that I'm just barely managing to get a single picture taken for a given day. January in the Midwest without much snow (before today!) doesn't leave much to photograph. I always have my children, though. And, sometimes, they prove quite photogenic.

Here are the best of the them, starting with:

Day 8

My dad Bob as we celebrated his birthday with the family.

Day 9

It wasn't enough for Zelda to finger paint. She needed to paint me and have me make a hand print.

Day 10

This is one of those pictures that very plainly captures an activity at one point in our day. This day, we drew pictures of Zelda's favorite loveys, Tubby and Bear.

Day 11

Annalee read to Zelda one afternoon after school.

Day 12

Finally, some snow! And, with that comes the anticipation of a sleigh ride down to the bus stop.

Beautiful Zelda after a joyful afternoon of snow. I don't know if the sad face is from being wet or from knowing it's time to go in.

Day 13

Pathetic, I know. The remains of some tasty, warm hot chocolate...

Day 14

Our family with our friend Bill Li. He's like the Chinese stork in our adoption world.

Day 15

Does this really require a caption?

Photo Project 2012 - Days 4 to 7

2012-01-08T10:26:00.000-06:00

It's only day eight of the new year and I have figured out something useful for my Photo Project 2012 undertaking: It's ridiculous of me to think that I will take, upload and post a new picture each day this year. It's just not going to work with our family schedule. Especially when I've been sick for days. So, I'm not going to hold myself to posting every day, but I will absolutely take at least one picture every day. Even if it's just my view from a couch...

Day 4

This was the lovely view from the couch as I tried to do nothing while feeling miserable.

Day 5

After returning from picking Zelda up at preschool, I noticed how sad our shovels look just waiting for some snow to push.

Day 6

This is so typical of Annalee, lost in a book at the kitchen table after school.

And, only because I had taken on this photo challenge for the year did I feel drawn to capture this image of a nearly full moon outside our patio doors on Friday night. My lack of detailed knowledge of our camera actually worked in my favor this time.

Day 7

This was Zelda and Tubby with a cup of dry cereal on Saturday morning looking perfectly content as the sun started to shine in through the French doors of the family room.

Photo Project 2012 - Day 3

2012-01-03T17:40:00.001-06:00

When I woke up at 3 a.m., I found Annalee awake and sitting in her bed, dressed for school. She said she was just awake and decided to get ready a little early. I went back to bed; when I got up just after 6, I found her still awake and learned that she had been awake since 1:39 a.m. I knew it would be a rough day for her. At around 6:30 a.m., just as she was dozing off, I told her it was time to get up for breakfast. She rolled out of bed and made it to the living room floor.

And, that's precisely where I decided to point my camera for the day.

Photo Project 2012 - Day 2

2012-01-02T21:35:00.002-06:00

This morning the wind swirled a tiny little bit of powdery snow over the edge of the roof outside the patio doors. It seemed worthy of a picture. Good golly, I sure hope we get some more snow than the half-inch we've gotten on two separate days this entire season.

Photo Project 2012 - Day 1

2012-01-01T21:04:00.001-06:00

I've been planning this for a few months now...to take at least a single picture every day for a year. And, today, I started.

This was our New Year's Day dinner, complete with black-eyed peas - necessary for good luck throughout the year. This picture will also remind me of how much we laughed during that dinner. We decided we'd have a good year if we could laugh just a little bit every day as much as we did this day.

It's by no means the best picture I've ever taken. Certainly, my family has looked more groomed and smiled better for the camera - all three of them at the same time. But, that is not necessarily the point. The point of this undertaking is to take at least one picture every day to capture my life as it passes by.

So, welcome to my year of (at least ) 365 images.

Zelda Turns 4!

2011-12-27T14:35:00.000-06:00

Today is Zelda's 4th birthday. Last night, you would have thought the world was coming to an end by the way she cried over no longer being three and wanting to be my baby forever. But, today she awoke happy and excited to be the birthday girl.

Sunday, Dec., 25, 2011

2011-12-25T10:51:00.002-06:00

A Christmas Blessing

May Christ our infant savior give you the joy of the Bethlehem shepherds, the awe of the worshipping sages and the humility and love of the holy family. May you become as little children and the blessing of God our Creator, Redeemer and Giver of life be with you always.

Amen

Naughty or Nice?

2011-12-22T15:55:00.000-06:00

From the mouths of babes:
"This is no time to be naughty," said nearly 4-year-old Zelda today. Then, "Only three more days until Christmas!"

Doubled Mistake

2011-12-05T15:37:00.002-06:00

BIG note to self: Do NOT double a recipe unless it's tried and true and/or from a baker friend whom I trust. And, just because a special edition cookie publication has the name of Betty - as in Crocker - on it, doesn't make it perfect. Even less so once I substitute for dairy and white flour.

Tonight I'm going to 'Even Better - a gluten- and dairy-free cookie exchange' (thanks Nikki!). And, I kept looking at these glazed eggnog spritz cookies. They 'read' and looked yummy in the picture. Easy substitutions using Better Batter gluten-free flour and Spectrum shortening. I do it all the time. Since I would be bringing several dozen cookies to the exchange, I'd double the recipe so we'd have some for home. I could freeze them for Christmas.

Once I made the dough and tasted it, I knew I made the right choice of cookie. I figured if the dough was any indication of the taste of the cookies, I was going to rock this exchange. The dough was outstanding. Yes, I eat dough, even with raw eggs in it. (SShhhh. Don't tell Ron. Apparently, he never ate cookie dough growing up because of the eggs. Too bad for him.)

The first pan came out of the oven. The cookies looked beautiful. I let them cool for a minute and then went to move them from the pan to the rack. And, that's when I crumbled. I mean they crumbled. We both crumbled. They came out so crumbly as to be unpresentable. You basically have to most gently place one in the palm of your hand and then smack it into your mouth in one smooth move. Kind of like the communion wafer (these taste better, at least). If looking at the whole pan of cookies and collapsing inside wasn't enough, I couldn't help but acknowledge that I had a large mixing bowl of batter sitting on the table waiting to be spritzed from my cookie gun onto the baking pans. Ugh.

So, I proceeded to bake the entire double batch of dough. I changed the spritz shapes, hoping that might help. I even balled up enough cookies to fill a pan. I changed the temperature on the oven. Nothing worked.

When the last pan of cookies was in the oven, I decided to check online and see if a correction had been made to the recipe. A Google search turned up the recipe on the Betty Crocker web site. I read the reviews. Everyone else found the cookie crumbly too. So, at least I didn't have to wonder too long about whether my substitutions were the problem. Next time, I'll add another egg. And, I'll just bake one batch, to make sure that works.

When all is said and done, I have about 100 cookies on baking racks that are so delicate I'm not sure I can even move them to a container. And, I still need to put the glaze on them. Maybe I can completely coat them in the glaze to help keep them together. I can only hope.

As for the cookie exchange tonight, I have a back-up plan. Yesterday, I made a batch of chocolate walnut cookies that you roll into logs, freeze and then slice and bake when you need them. Obviously, I need them.

First Sunday of Advent, Nov. 27, 2011

2011-11-27T14:48:00.001-06:00

My Christ, as he comes, deliver you from your guilt, anxiety and resentment. May Christ be your new beginning, your hope and salvation. And may the blessing of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, One God, Mother of us all be with you always.

Amen

Following in Grandma's Footsteps

2011-10-14T14:28:00.000-05:00

I think I would have made my grandma LaSota proud this week. I feel like she's been here in the kitchen and around the house with me, checking on all the things I've been doing....such as canning a 1/2 bushel of beets with Gretchen (along with Jane who cooked them all for us!); canning 12 pints of sweet garlic dill slices; and making chicken broth from a chicken carcass. Next up is the actual chicken soup. And, later, when the girls go to sleep, I'm going to start on some knitting projects for Christmas.

Yep, I definitely took after my grandma LaSota. May she rest in peace.

Short and Sweet

2011-10-03T22:31:00.003-05:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

Shutterfly photo books offer a wide range of artful designs and embellishments to choose from.

When Shutterfly recently sent me a coupon for a free 8x8 photo book just for being a good customer, I couldn't let it pass me by. So, I took a 38-page book I had created last Christmas as a gift to Zelda's grandparents of our China trip. I condensed it and hit the highlights for Zelda, intending this to be a book she can carry around and savor. (Since it's taken me until last week to finish her 'first year home' book and I have yet to complete her China trip book - though it's well under way! - I thought this would be a great treat and surprise for my little one.) It came today and we can't wait to give it to her tomorrow morning.

The book also came with codes for a 10% off everything coupon plus 5 free greeting cards - for me and three friends. So, dear friends, if you're interested, be among the first to respond and I'll pass along the codes. They must be used by Nov. 17.

I'm Roaring Again

2011-09-29T13:42:00.000-05:00

I had another 'I am woman, hear me roar' moment today. Ron and I are in charge of the community well on our block. Earlier this summer, he showed me how to reset the pump when it goes out and stops providing water to our houses.

So, earlier today my neighbor called me on my cell just after I had dropped off Zelda for preschool. My neighbor asked if I had water because they weren't getting any at her house. Since I wasn't home, I couldn't tell if my water was working, but, typically, if one house doesn't have water than neither do the other seven. I told her I'd check the pump.

I zipped over to our street and parked near the pump, which is at the opposite end of the road from our house. I walked over to it and saw that the meter wasn't turning. So, I hoisted up the big, honkin' box that covers the actual pump unit. I pressed the two buttons to reset the pump and heard that lovely clicking sound that indicated it reset itself.

Lo and behold, the meter started running again, too.
I rocked that problem today!

Zelda's first year home

2011-09-25T12:42:00.003-05:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

I'm enjoying my girls' stamping weekend - stamping cards, watching movies and working on my Shutterfly photo albums. While I put a lot of time in on my 12x12 book of both trips to China, I'm thrilled to share the book I just completed. This is Zelda's first-year-home book. Enjoy!

Fun Remembered via Shutterfly

2011-09-10T13:40:00.002-05:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

In my effort to get chosen to host a Shutterfly photo book home party, I thought I'd share a Shutterfly album that I created last fall. I don't know if I just love the book, or if I just love the book because the content reminds me of how much I loved the trip.

A Dirty Summer

2011-08-30T10:40:00.000-05:00

We had a dirty summer. A lot. I don't mean that we played in the dirt or anything like that, though I think that did happen a time or two. I mean that the girls could have taken more baths and/or showers than I care to admit. We had plenty of nights when we were all too pooped out or were having too much fun together to want to stop and take a bath. And, we often used the excuse that we had swimming lessons or were going to the pool anyway the next day (after which we bathed, thank you very much). I was even aided in my laziness to bathe by using a natural bug repellent that didn't require a shower every night. So much the better.

Now, I should say that my mom taught me better and probably would (will?) be skeeved out when she reads this (and be horrified that I'm admitting it). But, when all was said and done, we all lived. And, even though I got whiffs of the girls' smelly heads a time or two, they are no worse for wear. They survived being dirty.

Through all of these dirty days, not once did I regret not giving the girls a bath when they probably needed it. That is, until yesterday. Yes, after school had started and I had no swimming pool excuses to use. We came home late from visiting Nana and Grandpa on Sunday evening. And, when I normally would have given the girls a fast bath - at the very least - before bed, I didn't. I let it slide. Monday morning I told Annalee to put her hair in a little pony tail on top so that any dirtiness didn't show. Actually, she looked perfectly fine.

When she came home, though, her pony tail was out. And, frankly, her hair looked dirty. So, I asked her why she took her hair down. Drum roll please.... "The nurse did it. She was checking for head lice."

What? This came after Annalee had been home from school for at least an hour and I had already asked her about her day and what went on. Well, apparently I hadn't asked the right questions. It turns out that someone in Annalee's class was found to have head lice and so the nurse checked everyone in the class room.

I am happy to report that Annalee does NOT have head lice. Thankfully. She just had dirty hair the day the nurse needed to comb through it. That skeeves me out.

And, yes, I gave the girls their baths last night.

One Year to the Next

2011-08-26T17:11:00.022-05:00

The end of our summer break came this week as Annalee started third grade. It wasn't just a new grade, but since we have leveled schools, she was going to a different school. She'll be there through fifth grade. Annalee was nervous the night before school and insisted we look online so she could find out what her teacher looked like. Thankfully, I found the teacher's classroom web site and we were able to read a little about her. The next morning, I was even more excited to meet Mrs. Madsen and find her very similar in personality to Annalee's first grade teacher, whom we both liked and enjoyed so much. So far, so good.

When Wednesday came, we rushed around taking pictures before driving over to school. A few years ago, I found a 'First Day' picture frame. I purchased two at the time, in complete preparation for Zelda's arrival. Annalee's been using her frame since kindergarten. On the first day of school each year, I've taken Annalee's picture and get prints made while she's in school. She comes home to find her frame updated with her first-day-of-school picture to look at throughout the year. We'll start using Zelda's in a couple weeks when she starts three-year-old preschool.

It's funny when you look at your children every day that you only notice bits and pieces of the changes they are going through. I see Annalee's changes most in her smile (teeth going and new, larger ones coming) and her hair. Zelda has grown in height and her speaking abilities are quite advanced (have I mentioned how much she talks?). But, to see last year's first-day pictures and then this year's picture was a real eye-opener. Here, I'll show you what I mean:

The above pictures were taken in August 2010.

Here are the girls this year.

Annalee is looking more mature than I'm ready to admit.

Zelda has lost a lot of her baby face - and is wise beyond her years. So much so that she even lets us know this. "I....am a genius," she will say jokingly. I don't doubt it.

All Things Pooh

2011-08-03T22:22:00.010-05:00

A short while ago, we had an 'All Things Pooh' Thursday. Pooh, as in Winnie the Pooh. Mostly, I thought the girls would enjoy seeing the new Winnie the Pooh movie. Given that I like theme days (see Froot Loop Friday in the previous post), I figured we'd make a day of it.

We started with Pooh-shaped pancakes for breakfast. They didn't really look like Pooh; but, the girls used their imaginations. Rather than using syrup, we sweetened our pancakes with honey - a Pooh favorite. Later that morning, I broke out the flavored honey sticks that I had purchased from a honey vendor earlier in the week at a local farmers market. We also enjoyed the honey sticks at the movie, which was brief (65 minutes) but entertaining. We ended the day with Zelda wearing her piglet costume (thank you, Cormiers!).

I get a big kick out of planning events, if you could call this that. Some theme days are more involved or interesting than others. But, what I like most is the way it stays with the kids. It wasn't just a day that we saw a movie or ate honey sticks. It was a day that had significance. I know this because Zelda was talking about something this morning and said, " ...remember when we had the 'All Things Pooh' day..." That's when I knew I had succeeded. I had created a memory for my daughters.

ADDENDUM: Since Becky asked for it, I have located a picture of 'Piglet' from a few months ago. Zelda actually fills out the costume a little better now, but I didn't whip out the camera during All Things Pooh day. Actually, I'm not sure the costume will be big enough for her to wear for Halloween. (Hallelujah to growing!)

The First Part of Summer 2011

2011-07-21T20:27:00.002-05:00

I've been remiss. Well, actually, I've been traveling. A lot. And, now we're home for the better part of summer vacation. I had intended to post our list of things we want to do this summer. But, since I never followed up last summer's list with a recap of all we did, I thought I'd change things up this year and just focus on the fun we've been having.

To start off the summer with a bang - and celebrate my birthday - Ron and I along with three very special friends saw Glee Live! I felt like I was 12 again. It was such a rush to watch these talented actors/dancers/singers. I bought a very cool zip-up hoodie to commemorate the event.

Just after school got out, the girls and I flew off to North Carolina to spend time with Ron's family. We enjoyed an extended stay with Ron's dad and got to spend many days visiting Ron's mom. Most evenings looked like this - Ron's dad lives on the Pasquatank River.

We saw two lighthouses - Bodie and Hatteras, lots of white egrets and a fox. We swam often. We went to an aquarium in Manteo and the naval museum in Virginia Beach. We also saw cousins and aunts and uncles - most of whom we saw Zelda was meeting for the first time ever.

While the extended visit was relaxing, the most memorable time for me was when I took the girls to the beach in Kill Devil Hills on June 21, the longest day of the year. All the elements came together to make for an absolutely perfect evening. And though it was hard to get one outstanding picture of the girls together, I did get some wonderful individual pictures - and even some of the pelicans flying over the Atlantic.

We returned home for a few short days and managed to get in a game of miniature golf - on our list of priorities this summer. We had dinner with friends who are moving out of state (so sad but we have a new place to visit). And, the parents of Zelda's future husband had us to their country club for a chi-chi afternoon of swimming and dining. It kind of reminded me of Caddyshack. I was looking for the Baby Ruth bar at the pool. (Thanks Joyce and Bob!)

Then, we were off to Lakeside, Mich., for an Independence Day party combined with a mini family vacation with friends on the beach. This was our second vacation with these two families. The first was two years ago, when we had a 'Dinosaur Day at the Beach' - complete with a dinosaur dig. This year, we held a Kite Day. Pancakes kites set the tone followed by a craft making kite bookmarks. Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate for kite-flying. That was made up for the next evening, when the wind came in perfectly off the lake. We held the kites up and off they went into the sky only to come down when we wound them in.

One morning - after finding the Swedish bakery closed, Ron and Alan journeyed two towns north to forage for bakery items. When they came back with a box of goods that reminded me of childhood vacations with the Julians in Minnesota, I knew we had created a tradition that will be repeated for years to come.

A week after returning from Michigan, I was back there with the girls and our friend Charlotte to pick lots of cherries. While it might seem crazy to drive 1-3/4 hours to go cherry picking, it's so worthwhile to go to Stover's, where they run your tart cherries through a pitter. All I had to do was bag 'em up when I returned home. I have three bags in the freezer ready to turn into chopped cherry jam or - the ultimate - cherry pie! If it weren't for this excruciating heat, we would have been back this week for some more.

We have also gone to Brookfield Zoo, along with Papa, Gigi, Auntie Pat and the twins. We picked a lovely, warm and breezy day - the nicest of the week.

We ended that week with Froot Loop Friday. When I wrote that notation on the chalk board, my sole intention was to let the girls know that they could have Froot Loops for breakfast on that particular day - after some form of protein. But, when we started the day, I realized we needed to incorporate those bright colored o's into something more. So, we ended up making Froot Loop cookies in the afternoon. I followed a chocolate chip recipe and split the batter in half before adding chips to one portion and loops to the other. The girls really got into the decorating.

One was even made to look like a fried egg.

Very clever, eh? Needless to say, I stuck with the chocolate chips. Delish!

Pentecost, Sunday, June 12, 2011

2011-06-12T15:47:00.004-05:00

May the boldness of God's Spirit transform you, may the gentleness of God's Spirit lead you, may the gifts of God's Spirit be your goal and your strength now and always.

Amen

Easter Sunday, April 24, 2011

2011-04-25T14:06:00.000-05:00

God the Creator, by whose glory Christ was raised from the dead, strengthen you to walk with him in his risen life.
Amen

God the Redeemer who out of defeat brings hope and new alternatives, bring you new life.
Amen

God the Giver of Life make you a new creation, Christ for those to whom Christ shall send you.
Amen

And the blessing of God be with you and remain with you for ever.
Amen

Sunday, April 3, 2011

2011-04-05T13:59:00.000-05:00

Though this blessing is a repeat from last year's lenten season, it's worth repeating...

Live without fear; your Creator has made you holy, has always protected you, and loves you as a mother. Go in peace to follow the good road and may God's blessing be with you always.

Amen

Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011

2011-02-13T14:10:00.000-06:00

Give glory to God whose power working in you can do infinitely more than you can ask or imagine and the blessing of God almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, Mother of us all, be with you and remain with you for ever.

Amen

Sunday, Jan. 9, 2011

2011-01-10T06:30:00.002-06:00

May Christ's bright star enlighten your mind and heart as you strive for equality, justice and kindness in the world and the blessing of God almight, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, Mother of us all, be with you and remain with you for ever.

Amen

Saturday, Dec. 25, 2010

2010-12-25T23:00:00.001-06:00

May Christ our infant savior give you the joy of the Bethlehem shepherds, the awe of the worshipping sages and the humility and love of the holy family. May you become as little children and the blessing of God our Creator, Redeemer and Giver of life be with you always.

Amen.

And, a very merry Christmas to you all!

Prayer

2010-12-20T18:10:00.000-06:00

My friend Katie sent me an e-mail recently that contained this prayer. It struck a chord with me and I wanted to share it. It's so simple and yet has such a power over me when I pray it.

God our Father, walk through my house and take away all my worries and illnesses, and please watch over and heal my family. In Jesus' name.

Amen.

Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010

2010-12-05T21:29:00.000-06:00

Christ the sun of righteousness shine upon you and scatter the darkness from before your path, and the blessing of God our Creator, Redeemer and Giver of life be with you always.

Amen

I'm Most Thankful for...

2010-11-25T21:59:00.000-06:00

...my two amazing, beautiful daughters. Truly, they are gifts from God.

Sunday, Nov. 14, 2010

2010-11-14T14:59:00.003-06:00

We haven't had a new blessing at the end of service for quite some time. I'm assured one is coming soon. In the meantime, the Prayer of Apostleship was one that touched me this week:

God, we know that at its heart every seed holds the mystery of life, waiting only for earth, sun and rain to bring it into the light. So too in the heart of every person life waits, and each new day contains all the beauty and grace we need to live the life to which you call us. Give us faith to see you at work deep in one another's hearts. Give us courage as we wait for new life to push through. Give us joy as we see you at work everywhere.

Amen

A Bunch of Good Things

2010-10-29T15:19:00.000-05:00

Autumn is my favorite time of year. The colors of nature are magnanimous. Every day the world around us gets more vibrant. Right up until a big storm comes and drowns or blows away the leaves.

Then, there is the produce: pumpkins and gourds and squash (though pumpkins are in the squash family). Again, amazing colors. And unthinkable shapes, like the turban squash and the goose-neck gourds.

In the midst of this, the temperature drop and it's time to make some feel-good food. We got going this week...

First came the pumpkin soup. We got a late start cutting open the Long Island Cheese pumpkin - getting out the insides always takes longer than I think it will. But, it's still so much fun.

While we waited for the soup to cook - in the oven in the pumpkin - I made something I haven't eaten in years: an open-face cheese sandwich. The main reason I haven't eaten this is because I stopped eating cheese about six years ago and then totally gave up dairy two years ago. But, I have discovered that I can enjoy raw sheep's milk cheddar cheese once in a while and still feel fine.

So, I sliced some up, spread some Smart Blend Light on Udi's gluten-free bread, topped it with the cheese and popped these puppies in the toaster oven (also a new thing for us). VOILA, comfort on a plate. It reminded me of when I was much younger. Both my mom and grandma used to make these for us. Mine tasted just a good, too.

The last good thing actually came the day before. Hardware. Installed on our cabinetry. Well, all but eight knobs. But, still, a really good thing.

(In case you're wondering, the kitchen project is on day 110. Yes, really. Maybe next week will be the week. I can only hope, but I never hold my breath.)

First Frost

2010-10-29T14:11:00.001-05:00

I didn't stop long enough this morning to get a picture of our first frost. But, I did want to remember our ride to school.

Annalee and Kamila, our neighbor who's also in second grade, were oohing and aaahing, literally, about how they could see their breath as we got into the van. Then, Kamila said,

"It's like invisible fire."

Kids say the darndest things.

Reclamation Feels Good

2010-10-13T15:02:00.001-05:00

This may look like an ordinary salad. But, it wasn't to me. It was the first meal that I ate yesterday at my kitchen table in my somewhat remodeled kitchen. I say somewhat because although it's been under construction for 94 days now, it's still not finished.

I started moving back in on Monday afternoon 'cause crying about my situation was getting me nowhere. So, I decided the only thing I could do was steal my kitchen back. But, I don't like to think of it as stealing. I just reclaimed it. And, my living room. And, I feel so liberated.

When I woke up yesterday, it was one of very few days since July 12 (when remodeling began) that I felt no sense of anxiety, angst or frustration wondering when someone was going to come and work or when it was going to be finished. It was a good feeling.

Even the girls were excited when they walked into the kitchen yesterday morning. Annalee gave me a big hug and Zelda started chanting 'kitchen, kitchen.' Even Zelda's Tubby and Bear were hugging each other with excitement.

So, after 93 days of living out of our living room, this is the tarp and canvas that was left when many of the boxes were unpacked and the table moved. Truly, these pictures don't do the grossness of the situation justice.

Even just walking on our old carpeting again felt good. That's how sad it had become living off of tarps and out of boxes.

So, where do we stand on our remodel? Well, that's a very good question. When I last saw the carpenter on Sunday evening after he only put down the kitchen flooring (and left so much undone that was supposed to be done), he said, 'I'll be back sometime this week.' Well, I don't have that day on my calendar. My contractor, who's in Disney World right now, can't seem to get the carpenter to commit to working here and expressed frustration over it and actually e-mailed 'that's why I wanted this finished before I left.' Not because it's dragged on for three months or because his client has been incredibly inconvenienced by how he's handled the project. No. He wanted it done because he's having to deal with his business while he's on his vacation.

I've also asked the contractor repeatedly about the end-date for the project. Today, I finally got a response, if you can call it that. 'My end date is as soon as I can.' Unfortunately, I don't have that date on my calendar either.

For now, though, I have most of my sanity back along with an almost done cool kitchen. I've even come to like the blue tape that I'm using to open the cabinets. It isn't pretty, but it does the job of the hardware...which has been sitting here since Sept. 22, but hasn't been installed yet. Of course.

Sneak Peek

2010-10-08T15:56:00.001-05:00

Here's a sneak peak of some new stuff in the still-under-construction (day 89 and counting) kitchen.

I love, LOVE, LOVE the backsplash. It has yet to be grouted and sealed, but I think it's just spectacular. And, it totally makes the whole kitchen.

The small bit of flooring installed so far is perfectly normal, unlike the first round of defective vinyl that we started with.

By this time next week, I hope to be moved back into the kitchen completely, even though we'll still have some hardware to be installed. Keep your fingers crossed that our carpenter is productive this weekend!

Sweet End to Sour Morning

2010-09-28T22:03:00.005-05:00

As the first toasty marshmallows were heating up on the fire and I listened to the girls and Ron all talking about how to best roast a marshmallow (though they still don't have anything on my marshmallow roasting skills), I jumped up and said I needed to get some pictures. I had that warm, fuzzy feeling: we were having some quality family time, and it felt so peaceful. We had already roasted hot dogs on the open fire and eaten at the patio table in the cool autumn evening chatting about the girls' activities of the day. Everything just felt right.

Then, I thought about posting and I laughed. 'Cause my last post was about how I had had a perfect mommy day. What's so funny is that since that perfect mom day and tonight, I had had a number of really bad, sad mom days. Because I was not the mom I wanted to be. In fact, I think I would have been horrified if I had seen my mean mommy face in the mirror this morning when I went head-to-head with Annalee over TV, backtalk and general 7-going-on-13 angst.

So, while I like to post the priceless moments on this blog, everyday life is not perfect by any means. But, when I can end my day hearing Annalee say that 'having a sister is the best thing' and I can hear Zelda say 'way to go Daddy-O' for the marshmallow he roasted, despite the nastiness that started my day, I'd say life is pretty priceless. Pricelessly perfect, but with typical ups and downs. And, sometimes it takes the downs to make the ups seem even more special.

A Really Good, Really Full Day

2010-09-22T21:20:00.018-05:00

Around 4 o'clock today, I had the wonderful realization that I was having a really good day. A good mom day, a good me day and even a good kitchen-construction-getting-done day. But, I was most happy about the mom day.

Of course, when your day starts out with these two looking so hip and happy, what other type of day could I have had?

What really made the day for me was that I felt like I had been present for my girls. And, it has been a long time since I have felt truly present, without thoughts of which merchants I had to track down or contractors to contact about kitchen stuff not getting done. (Day 72 and counting, but today was a day when we saw tremendous activity and progress!) We played with Legos and Play Doh and in the sand box. I even snuck in some education with Zelda, working on patterns and colors and numbers with those Legos.

I couldn't help but remember something I wanted to carry with me this year: do less, be more. I've worked at it, and even been successful at it in the past nine months. But, during the past two months, those efforts have been scarce. So, woo hoo for me!

I even labeled my dill pickles - the first things I canned last week after the cooktop went in - and put them 'up.' I just love doing that!

As I kept patting myself on the back through the late afternoon and evening, the good mom day almost went south as our evening wound down and I was reading with the girls. Here we were reading Little House in the Big Woods with Laura and the family making cheese when Annalee starts asking me about my watch and electricity and the microwave. Hello? Are you even listening to me read? When I called her on it, she refocused enough for me to get to the end of the chapter, at which time I called it quits for the night. Then, Annalee remembered she needed to read a book to me for school. I found myself happily going into Annalee's room, snuggled up with her and let her read to me. Wow, I was so present, still.

And, it was so worth my energy. 'Cause Annalee and I shared a belly laugh when she came up with a new word: pork-cup-pin-ease. Don't you think that's so much more fun to say than porcupine?

Day 65

2010-09-14T22:07:00.010-05:00

Today is day 65 of our kitchen remodel. Yes, 65 days and counting for something that my contractor assured me would take 3-4 weeks. And, now you know why I have posted so little in the past few months...

Though I still think we have at least a couple weeks to go, today my ears heard the sweet sound of a working sink in the kitchen. I have stepped on the last pieces of mango, watermelon, parsley, onion and rice in my shower (yes, I've done dishes in the bath tub for 10 weeks!) and for that, I am so thankful!

Yet to be done...the defective kitchen flooring to be replaced by the manufacturer (we hope and are still waiting to get confirmation) and installed; several new cabinets to be remade due to mistakes by the kitchen cabinet rep; new crown molding due to the same person's mistakes; my really cool ceramic tile backsplash installed; bathroom wall tile to be replaced (we moved the door to the bath from the kitchen to the hallway); final round of painting; all new lighting to be installed; and hardware to be installed on the cabinets and drawers. When all that's done, I'll pull the remaining plastic off the appliances and know that it's really over. Oh, I mean done.

I won't go into the details here of this fiasco of a remodel. I'm saving it for a big post on Garden Web. It's a really great forum for kitchen remodeling. I hope to give back some bits of wisdom to anyone coming behind me preparing to remodel their kitchen. Maybe they can learn from our many missteps.

In the meantime, I'll give you a sneak peak of our kitchen:

Do you like the counter? It's the second Cambria quartz counter top we had installed. This second time, we got a really great company to do it right. They actually centered the top over the peninsula, unlike the first company that had a 1" overhang on one side and a 2-3/4" overhang on the other side. Yes, really.

Second Grade

2010-08-30T21:34:00.015-05:00

It feels like summer was just beginning, and now Annalee is a big second grader. Today was her first day back to school, a half day. She loved it!

Before we could all take a picture together, the girls had to check out the rolly pollies on the sidewalk.

Annalee and Alaina became friends when they were in the same kindergarten class. They're together again for second grade.

A Visit to the County Fair

2010-07-22T22:06:00.021-05:00

Remember when we made our list of things to do this summer? Two things on that list were to enter at least one canned good into the DuPage County Fair and to attend the fair. We accomplished both of those this week. (I actually put my entries into the competition at the end of June, but I saw the results of the competition Thursday.) I not only entered one canned good; I entered two canned goods and three photographs.

The results are in. And, I can now say I'm an award-winning canner! My bumbleberry jam came in second place in its class. I was most excited about this, since that jam seems to be the big favorite among my friends and family (yes, Kathy, I know the peach jam also is awesome - maybe I'll enter it next year).

My sweet beets came in first place! But, since they were the only entry in their class, I'm not sure that really counts as a true win. Frankly, I'm not even sure the judges opened the jar since it wasn't necessary to taste them. Better for me if they didn't open it, since I may get the sealed jar back to enjoy. Ron says a win is a win, no matter how it comes. Isn't he sweet?

The last nice surprise was that one of my photo entries - two or more individuals - took fourth place. A lot of photographs were entered in this class, so it was especially nice for my picture to be recognized. We spent a lot of time looking at all the pictures entered. Annalee was especially excited to look at all the pictures. Maybe next year, when she's 8 years old, she'll enter some of her own pictures.

I'm still partial to an individual portrait I submitted, of a Chinese woman in a park. I took it in Yunnan, China.

We hung out with the swines and the goats later. We even got to see judging for the female goats based on their mammaries. All the goats had full udders and looked plenty ready for milking. Interesting, to say the least.

I'll leave you with this happy photo of Annalee coming out of the fun house. Maybe you'll see it entered into next year's fair photo competition.

The Joys of Michigan

2010-07-21T22:51:00.010-05:00

Last Saturday we not only went blueberry picking, but we spent time with friends at their home on Lake Michigan.

The lake was warmer than I've ever experienced it in my life. We all played in the water a lot; Annalee spent about four hours swimming around. (She slept really well Saturday night, too!)

We collected rocks and built sand piles that somewhat resembled a sand castle. And, Zelda even napped on the beach.

I got to put my Campfire Girl skills to use building a fire in the fire pit for marshmallow roasting. I just love that I can build a fire; I think it's a good skill to have in one's repertoire. That, and being able to roast a perfect marshmallow. Which I can.

I made my own s'mores with gluten- and dairy-free chocolate chip cookies. Wish I could have one right about now!

Zelda and Miss Jane enjoyed some homemade mint chocolate chip ice cream, too.

It was a perfect day from start to finish. A perfect summer day with wonderful friends, wonderful family.

If She's Pickin', She's....

2010-07-21T22:38:00.003-05:00

I took the girls blueberry picking last Saturday in Michigan with our friends. It was a beautiful, hot day, and the blueberry bushes were loaded and lush. We ate our way through a couple rows and ended up picking about three pounds of blueberries. Like strawberry picking, Zelda twice dumped her bucket of berries out on the ground - much to my dismay.

Also like strawberry picking, Zelda decided she would squat and 'pee in the bush.' I'm pretty certain I can say this is 'a thing' now. I think she has made a perfectly reasonable association between berry picking and peeing. I know this because she had just gone 15 minutes before at our friends' house when she decided she needed to go in the bushes. Yes, it's definitely a thing.

Skills Revisited

2010-07-01T07:10:00.004-05:00

Remember my being so proud of the new skills I taught my daughters? Well, apparently, I failed to teach Zelda how to show discretion in utilizing that skill.

When we came home yesterday after the Wednesday morning movie, the girls went next door to play with our neighbors while I fixed lunch. When I went to get them to come in, I see Zelda with her pants pulled down doing a half-squat - in the middle of the neighbors side yard! Then, the girls all tell me that this was the second time she was doing that (why Annalee didn't bring her home after the first time I'll never know).

So, I picked Zelda up - wet pants and all 'cause she didn't squat over far enough - and brought her in. That's when I began the discussion about when we 'pee in the woods' and when we use indoor plumbing. Let's hope today is a better day...

Skill to Have

2010-06-29T22:07:00.009-05:00

A couple weeks ago, I took the girls strawberry and cherry picking at a local orchard - whose name shall remain anonymous for reasons obvious once you read this.

This was Zelda's first time berry picking. I'm not sure she quite got the hang of it. She seemed to enjoy picking a few strawberries - and not even nice ones - throwing them into her container, dumping them on the ground and then stepping on them. Yep, actually, I'm positive she didn't get the hang of it.

Annalee, on the other hand, did really well picking beauties - both strawberries and cherries. She did like to bounce around a bit. While I would stay in one section of a row, Annalee bounced around from section to section, row to row. I'm sure the orchard growers love ADD pickers like her.

Besides fruit picking, I had the opportunity to teach my girls some very basic skills that will carry them through life: how to pee in the bush. Yes, indeedy, I helped them squat and pee. When Annalee said she had to go, I knew it would have taken us too long to get back to the farm entrance where the port-a-potties were. So, I told her she'd need to do it right where we were, amongst the cherry trees. Strangely, I had even thought to pack tissue with me. So, they had the luxury of being able to wipe with the real deal. And, since we have the 'monkey see, monkey do' syndrome in our family, Zelda had to follow suit.

I won't go into the details here, 'cause I'm sure one day the girls would be mortified to know I'm sharing this. But, I'll just say that I was very proud of them.

Then, yesterday, I found out that this lesson had been successful. I was at a park with Zelda when she told me she had to pee. This particular park didn't have a portable john anywhere. While I stood there trying to figure out what to do, Zelda told me she was just going to go on the ground. I stopped her long enough to get her in a secluded spot near a tree. She just laughed and laughed. And, she peed.

Looking Back

2010-06-20T21:19:00.008-05:00

As part of Ron's father's day gift, I finally created a file of a whole bunch of our best pictures from the past 10 years or so for him to play on his electronic picture frame. Well, it was actually only about nine years with the exception of boating pictures, 'cause we didn't have a digital camera until about 2001. And, I say finally since I gave Ron the electronic picture frame for Christmas with the promise that I'd make a file as part of the gift. So, now, six months later he finally has his file.

It took me several hours just to pick out the pictures, then another hour sorting through the hundreds I copied into the folder. I deleted extraneous ones and ones that just didn't tell a story.

When Annalee asked me what I was up to I showed her some pictures and told her they were from before her and Zelda, when daddy and I had a different life. What I found most interesting was to click through the pictures in full-screen once they were all cleaned up. I had so many realizations; I thought I'd share them...

Ron and I looked a lot younger 10 years ago. Less gray. Fewer wrinkles. More carefree.
We had a lot of fun when it was just Ron and me. And, we've had a lot of fun when we were a family of three and now as a family of four.
We have done a lot of traveling to a lot of really cool, really beautiful places.
We have had a lot of laughs together, with family and with many wonderful friends.
We have taken a lot of pictures of each girl doing the same thing, just three years apart.
If you run all the pictures of just Annalee together, you see the same happy smile and many of the same poses, shot after shot. Same goes for Zelda. It's really pretty amazing when you see the pictures one after the other.
Zelda looks a lot like Annalee did when she was younger. In fact, I did a double-take on a couple pictures trying to figure out which girl it was.

The biggest realization for me was the peace in knowing that in 45 short years, I have lived an amazing life (and that's just from looking at a decade of pictures and remembering the other 30 years). When I finished looking at the pictures, I gave thanks to God for this wonderful life. I felt a sense of contentment in knowing that if my life ends anytime soon, it's been a very full one.

Of course, at 45 I figure I'm only half way to 90, so I still have a long way to go. I have two girls to raise and a husband to grow old with. What a great life this is!

Canning Season

2010-06-18T21:28:00.007-05:00

Canning season has opened again, at least as far as fresh produce is concerned. I was in canning heaven the other night canning beets for the first time. I just can't describe the peace that I feel when I'm canning. I often think of my grandma Fran. She was a canner, even though I had no idea what was going on at the time she was doing it, since I was probably five. But, now that I can myself, I have realized what the smell of dill in her kitchen was all about.

The cooking of the beets took longer than I anticipated. I was feeling generous, so I let Annalee stay up and help me. She was very curious to see what it looked like to take off the beet skin. Heck, I was curious since I'd never done it before. I kept reading 'slip the skin off' and 'cook the beets until the skin slips.' And, then, we figured it out. This outer layer on the beets gets soft, cracks and just falls off. It was pretty cool to see and feel. Annalee couldn't wait for me to finish cooking the beets, so I let her sample a beet dipped in the brine. She declared that canning them ourselves is 'so much better than store-bought beets. We should do this all the time!' I continued with my work long after she went to bed - I finally finished around midnight. Maybe I'll start earlier in the day next time.

We had to wait a few days to open our first jar, to let all the flavors gel. OMG, did they gel! Annalee, Zelda and I nearly polished off an entire pint jar within a few minutes tonight.

Too bad that five bunches of beets doesn't go very far. I only managed to get four pints from them. I'm thinking the next time I do beets - in the upcoming few weeks - I'll just do a bushel. And, I'll pack them in quart jars. Hmmmmm, maybe I should think about two bushels....

UPDATE: Annalee came in the office just as I was posting this. She smacked her lips at the picture of the beets and asked,'I can't wait for you to make more because I can't resist beets!'

Summer Vacation is Underway!

2010-06-16T22:40:00.001-05:00

Annalee has been out of school one week now. Those first few days, we really couldn't appreciate the opportunity to sleep in as we had a bunch of appointments and stuff to do that required us getting up early.

This week, Ron is off fishing in Wisconsin, so we've been getting really lazy. The evenings are getting later and the mornings are as well. Zelda slept until nearly 8 this morning!

Last week, to start our summer, I asked Annalee to come up with a list of things that she wanted us to do during the next few months. Being the Type A that I am, I thought it would be nice to have some direction. It also provides us with ideas when that special someone says 'I'm bored!'. Here's our list so far:

Have a fire in the fire pit in the backyard (did that tonight, actually); roast marshmallows, a lot!
Visit six new parks in the area
Go to the Shedd Aquarium
Go to the Art Institute
Go to the Field Musuem
Visit Brookfield Zoo, multiple times
Visit The Flamingo (sculpture) in Chicago
(Annalee) Have a sleepover with Nana and Grandpa
Visit the Morton Arboretum, multiple times
Go to Swedish Days in Geneva (we will, since my dad is exhibiting his turned bowls)
Go to the Wisconsin State Fair
(Jackie) Enter at least one canned good in the DuPage County Fair
Go to the DuPage County Fair
Go to a Kane County Cougars game, hopefully with friends from our first China travel group
Go to the Kane County Flea Market
Visit Grandpa Ronnie and Grandma Betty in North Carolina (sorry, Annalee, this won't happen until the fall holidays)
Pick blueberries - and lots of other fruits for canning
Read at least one book from the Little House on the Prairie Series
Go to a Wednesday morning kids movie at the Tivoli Theater
Attend the Taste of Westmont (with and without the girls)
Teach Annalee the knit stitch
See the Darien July 4th parade
Make good use of our pool passes to Cypress Cove
Hang out in a hammock watching the clouds (we have to buy a new hammock, first)
Spend time with friends, especially friends from our travel groups
Go to at least one farmers' market each week

Long list, huh? Keep in mind that we have all that to attempt along with the complete remodeling of our kitchen, which should happen in early July. Yikes! And, a lot of things on Annalee's wish list require traveling downtown. But, with good planning, I think we can make most of this happen.

Actually, one week in and we've gone strawberry and cherry picking (I'll cover that in another post), been to the Hinsdale Farmers' Market, met four families from our first travel group at a park, and had a camp fire in the back yard and roasted marshmallows.

What I think will be fun is to look back at this list at the end of the summer and see what we did compared to what we thought we wanted to do. Obviously, the best part of our summer will be the time we spend together, no matter what we do. In fact, that's so important to Annalee that she really doesn't want to take any classes. I insisted on continuing swimming, but that's all I could get her to do. She just wants to be with me. And, really, that's ok. She's seven. She doesn't have to take a class every day for hours on end. Summer is about relaxing and enjoying time together. I think we're off to a good start.

End of School

2010-06-16T22:12:00.016-05:00

Following in my friend Becky's blog tracks, I thought I'd share pictures of Annalee from the start of first grade along with pictures from her last day of school last week. I can't believe she's a rising second grader already! First grade seems to have flown by, no doubt in part because of our travels to China and the arrival of little Zelda.

So, here's Annalee on her first day of school:

And, here was her last day of first grade:

Just to highlight the changes in our family these past seven months, here's a picture of the girls together on Annalee's last day. Annalee and Zelda wore their matching outfits...

Five Times and Counting

2010-06-07T21:51:00.009-05:00

Annalee lost her fifth baby tooth yesterday. At our church picnic. The week before, she lost her fourth tooth. During Memorial Day weekend. These last two were her two front teeth.

Really, I couldn't wait for this second tooth to come out. Last week, after Annalee crashed her mouth into my little nephew's head and her first top front tooth came out, the remaining front tooth was kind of hanging there. With the missing tooth and the hanging tooth both on the top combined with the opening where a new tooth is growing in on the bottom, Annalee basically looked like a snaggle-toothed hillbilly. And, that's what we called her for a week. Now, she looks like a typical first-grader missing her two front teeth (at least three of her friends look like her right now).

With the loss of these last two teeth, Annalee has kept up her losing streak. She seems to lose teeth on occasions. Her first tooth came out on her sixth birthday; the second tooth came out on the last day of kindergarten; the third tooth came out on Easter; and now these last two teeth on Memorial Day weekend and at the church picnic. Isn't that fun?

If only the tooth fairy would come. We think last night she might have had trouble finding the tooth under Annalee's pillow. I mean, she just couldn't have forgotten...could she? Maybe I'll go check now.

Sunday, May 30, 2010

2010-06-01T21:35:00.003-05:00

A new blessing for the season:

The Wisdom of God
the Love of God
and the Grace of God
strengthen you
to be Christ's hands and heart in this world,
in the name of the Holy Trinity.

Amen

Red Beauties

2010-05-29T14:00:00.003-05:00

We planted strawberry plants late in the season last year. They gave us nothing for all the loving care we provided.

But, this year, we were treated to a small but oh-so-tasty bowl of berries. We were amazed at how sweet they were. And, the skin was so tender and easy to bite into.

We can only hope that the remaining flowers will produce some more berries for us before they shut down for the season.

Love Without Boundaries Auction

2010-04-23T22:11:00.007-05:00

As you may be aware, our daughter Zelda's foster care in China was supported by Love Without Boundaries (LWB). A family in the Netherlands provided a monthly donation to help the foster family care for Zelda.

Through LWB, we have been able to obtain many photos of Zelda as she grew in her first 20 months of life in China. These photos, along with monthly health/developmental reports are priceless to us. Here's just one of the photos we now have:

For the next five days, LWB is hosting a fund raising auction on e-bay. Please browse their collection of items for sale and consider supporting them. If not through the auction, then maybe you can provide support through a direct donation to Love Without Boundaries.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

2010-04-18T13:36:00.007-05:00

The blessing at the end of the Easter vigil service, during which Zelda was baptized, was as follows:

God the Creator, by whose glory Christ was raised from the dead, strengthen you to walk with him in his risen life.
Amen

God the Redeemer who out of defeat brings hope and new alternatives, bring you new life.
Amen

God the Giver of Life make you a new creation, Christ for those to whom Christ shall send you.
Amen

And the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with you and remain with you for ever.
Amen

If you don't get to view the Priceless Little One site, here are two pictures from that evening:

Recipient Seeks Bond Giver

2010-03-23T19:09:00.002-05:00

I posted recently on our private blog about Zelda that we had received a gift bond for her. No one has come forward to claim it. So I thought I'd ask on this blog if any of you sent a bond to Zelda. We'd like to properly thank you.

If you're the giver, please send me a private e-mail with the last four digits of your social security number (which appear on the bond).

Thanks in advance!

New Bunnies

2010-03-22T21:09:00.017-05:00

Nothing beats new bunnies.

Bunny slippers, that is. They arrived today from Runaway Rabbit. I was so excited to rip open the package and walk around in them for a little while this afternoon.

As I put on my slippers this evening, I realized that I have been wearing bunny slippers for 15-1/2 years. I have my friends Tammy and Denise to thank for giving me my first pair following a surgery I had. I fell in love with them - the slippers, that is. Oh, and I just got a warm fuzzy feeling remembering the nightgown they gave me to go with the slippers. It said "Princess of Quite Alot." Gosh, I loved that nightgown.

But I digress. Tonight, I put on my jammies and then slipped on my new bunnies. I was so excited that I had to take a picture. Check these out:

Beautiful, huh? I just can't figure out why it took me so long to order a new pair. My old pair was so very sad. The feet were completely flattened and the dirt wouldn't even wash out anymore. They were so sad that I had to take a picture to share.

The bummer is that this picture doesn't capture the really flattened, dirty nature of these slippers. However, I had already happily thrown them in the garbage by the time I downloaded the pictures. So, it was too late to take any additional pictures.

Maybe I should be relieved that I can't embarrass myself further by showing you just how awful my everyday slippers were. Yes, I wore these every day. Every day for the past two - or is it three? - years.

I've just promised myself to buy the replacement pair to these fluffy new bunnies a little sooner next time. I promise.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

2010-03-21T21:42:00.002-05:00

Live without fear: your Creator has made you holy, has always protected you, and loves you as a mother. Go in peace to follow the good road and my God's blessing be with you always.

Amen

Sunday, Feb. 21, 2010

2010-02-23T14:06:00.003-06:00

Eternal God, heavenly Father, you have graciously accepted us as living members of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, and you have fed us with spiritual food in the Sacrement of his Body and Blood. Send us now into the world in peace, and grant us strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of heart; through Christ our Lord.

Amen

Mommy Mojo

2010-01-25T22:21:00.006-06:00

I totally impressed myself last week getting Zelda to eat. This may seem simpleton to some of you. But, you have to understand that I have no experience with getting a child to eat. Annalee has always been a phenomenal eater. Put something in front of her and she eats it. And, she eats a lot. I can think of only a couple entrees that I cook that she doesn't like.

Along comes petite Zelda who eats so little, and I'm at a loss. The three different pediatricians I've seen at our local practice all say the same thing: she's petite, doesn't need a lot of calories to sustain herself and won't eat a lot because her stomach's tiny. So, I figure that when I do get her to eat, I need to make every mouthful count.

Last week, I was trying to feed Zelda a chicken vegetable soup. She should have been hungry, because she hadn't eaten in a while (and what she ate before that was minimal). I was trying to get this soup into her and she just wasn't interested.

Suddenly, I came up with this idea for the individual items in the soup to talk. To Zelda. These items wanted in. They wanted in to the belly. The chicken, the carrots, the green beans. I peaked her interest. She took a couple spoonfuls. Then, the remaining food in the bowl wanted to get to their pals in the belly. They were begging to get in. To the belly. So, she ate more.

Pretty soon, I had fed Zelda that whole bowl of soup - and she even asked for another one! I was so impressed with myself. See, I'm not one to get creative in this way. Give me a craft and I can work it. Getting clever with kids? Not really my thing. But, maybe that's changing.

The next day, Ron wasn't having luck with Zelda eating. He was easily willing to chalk it up to her just not being hungry. But, I knew that couldn't be the case. That food needed to get into the belly, wanted to get into the belly. So, it started talking, begging Zelda to get into the belly.

And, what do ya know? She started sucking that food down. Forkful after forkful. I almost hurt my arm patting myself on the back.

Blowin' Snow

2010-01-07T12:26:00.008-06:00

'I am woman, hear me roar,' went through my mind today as I pushed our 4.5 horse power Toro 2000 snow blower down the driveway to make my first line for clearing.

The thought may seem overkill to some, but for me, I was rockin'. This was my VERY FIRST time using a snowblower. And, I did it all by myself. Just me, the snow blower and the snow. I cranked out cleaning our three-car-wide driveway and part of our dead-end road in less than 30 minutes!

In fact, I was so excited by my accomplishment, I marched back outside when I was finished and took this picture:

And, now, I think I'll collapse on the couch for the remainder of Zelda's nap time. I'm pooped!

Who Jumped Who?

2010-01-03T21:20:00.013-06:00

On weekends, Annalee has a tendency to walk quietly into our bedroom - the only sound is of the carpet moving under her feet. She comes around to my side of the bed and asks if she can watch TV. After this happened a number of times, oh, at say, 6 a.m., I started telling her the night before if she could or couldn't watch TV.

So, Saturday night, as I was finally turning in, I realized that I hadn't talked with Annalee about TV viewing for Sunday morning. In anticipation of her morning arrival, and thus a God-awful-early wake-up for me, I wrote her a note:

I laid this on the floor of her room near the door. I figured that when she woke up she'd see it and go right into the family room. I was pretty proud of myself, too, for getting the jump on her.

So, I was shocked and almost incensed when Annalee came padding into our room with a 'booklet' for me - at 5 a.m. Ron told her to go back to bed because 'it's only 5 o'clock.' I echoed Ron's sentiments.

Annalee persevered and handed me the paper, which I stuck on the nightstand. Then, she padded out of our room. And, since Mommy had 'told' her it was ok to watch TV, she went into the family room and turned it on.

I thought this was insane. I couldn't let her start watching TV at 5 a.m., so I jumped up, marched into the family room and told her to go back to bed. It was only 5 in the morning and that wasn't what I meant when I said she could watch TV. Then, I added that if she couldn't sleep, she could read in bed. Which she did. And, then she fell asleep until about 7:45.

I, on the other hand, lay awake for another hour before I could fall back to sleep, thank you very much, Annalee.

When I was coherent at about 8, I picked up that 'booklet' Annalee had given me oh so early.

And, on a separate sheet of paper stapled to the back:

She had been so thrilled by my note that she just had to thank me. And, it was so important to her, that she had to give it to me in advance of that TV viewing. I felt about this big. I shared the booklet with Ron; he laughed and asked me if I felt really bad about it. I did. Of course.

And, then I wondered...

What time did Annalee actually wake up that she found two pieces of paper and a red Sharpie, sat down to write her note and draw the heart, use the stapler and then show up in my room at 5?

A Christmas Blessing

2009-12-25T13:19:00.003-06:00

Last evening (Christmas Eve) as I rocked Zelda a short bit before bed, tears filled my eyes as I realized I would never spend another Christmas wondering when we would have our second daughter home with us. She was here, in my arms, and we will spend the rest of our lives together. Having her, and Ron and Annalee are my blessings this Christmas. The many presents under the tree and in the stockings were just tasty frosting on the cake.

We attended the 4 p.m. children's service at church yesterday. All the children were invited to sit up in front of the altar as our rector told the story of Jesus' birth. At intervals, the congregation sang Christmas songs as individual children were invited to bring different statues up to the front of the altar and create the manger. Zelda was among the first children to approach. With help from Rev. Aimee, she carried a sheep. Once baby Jesus was put in the straw, Zelda decided to pick him up, study him and carry him back to her seat. Our rector just carried on and easily transitioned Jesus back to his appointed place on the altar.

I have to say, I think Zelda looked magnificent in her little silver sparkly gown and matching sweater; and she just looked so at home wandering about on and near the altar. Annalee, too, looked gorgeous in a black velvet-topped dress with a burgundy satin skirt. (Pictures will come soon, I promise.) Truly, I reveled in having my family - and not just Ron, Annalee and Zelda but our friends who have become our family - around me to enjoy the beauty of the day and this season. And, we're blessed to have Ron's dad here with us, too, this year.

So, from our house to yours, we wish you a very merry Christmas and peace to you all today and throughout the coming year.

The blessing from church on this holiest of days is as follows:

May Christ, the Son of God, be manifest in you, that your lives may be a light to the world; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you always.

Amen.

A Picture is Worth...

2009-12-12T19:35:00.019-06:00

I have so many different posts to write that I thought I'd just capture recent events here in one long blob (sic).

First, here is a slightly blurry, yet very good picture of our tree so that you can see all the colored - and white - lights. I admire our tree every time I walk through the living room, which is often, since we have a circular flow to our ranch house.

Last week, Annalee, Maia and I made Arabian hat cookies. Zelda was very interested in the peanut butter, so I gave her the mostly empty plastic jar of Jif. She REALLY liked it!

Last weekend, I tried so hard to get a beautiful picture of Annalee and Zelda. You know, one picture with both of them looking great - and at the camera. This was the best of them. It's not perfect, but neither is life. I think they look beautiful.

Yesterday during Zelda's nap time, I was thrilled to haul out my five cases of jams, jellies and pickles that I have made since June and actually label each one. I ordered custom labels from Label Creations, and I'm quite pleased with them. I'm happy to report, too, that only two of the jars were a mystery to me. I think they're Bumbleberry Jam, but I'm not positive. So, I labeled them Berry Surprise.

If you're on my Christmas list, you may just find one of these in your package. Even more exciting for me was actually packing up four teachers' gifts to send to school with Annalee on Monday. I feel so organized!

Our friends Dianne and Bill returned home from China today to the sheer joy of their youngest child, Maia. In addition to their family, they were greeted by four families from their first travel group to China (us included). Maddie was a year old in November.

Earlier this week, we experienced the joy of the first snowfall of the season. Annalee and I were so excited to share it and show it to Zelda. Despite the extreme cold, we bundled up and made our first snowman the first day it snowed. (I didn't realized the camera lens had fingerprints on it, hence the smudgy looking picture.)

The following day, an even colder one, Annalee came home from school and begged to go out and play in the snow. We were in the middle of a beautiful, peaceful snowfall with about two inches already on the ground. So, I bundled up her and Zelda and helped them waddle out the patio door into the yard.

It was this picture, below, that made me stop. And smile. And say to myself, "These are my children. My two beautiful daughters. I have TWO children. How cool is that!?!"

Annalee showed Zelda how to make her (presumed) first snow angel. Zelda just followed Annalee around the yard. I'm not quite sure she knew what to do in the snow. But, she made the most of that white fluffy stuff. You can believe they both slept well that night.

Lastly, I'll leave you with this picture of my family. Yesterday was Ron's birthday. When he returned home from work, the girls shouted with excitement and followed him to the bedroom while he changed into lounging clothes. Then, he carried them, laughing all the way, to the kitchen. I spotted them through the family room doorway coming toward me, which gave me time to get the camera ready to take this picture. Zelda's becoming a daddy's girl - and very quickly. Obviously, Annalee already is (most of the time, anyway).

Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009

2009-12-04T17:12:00.004-06:00

On the first Sunday of Lent, we had a guest priest give the sermon. It focused on the meaning of Lent and what this season is really about and how easy it is to lose sight of that in all the hype of Santa and gift-giving. Among her closing words were, "Stay alert, stay quiet and be aware for soon a child will be born...He will show you the glory of the world." That message has stayed with me this week as we prepare for Christmas - and all the excitement of the season.

This week's blessing:

Holy eternal Majesty, Holy incarnate Word, Holy abiding Spirit, bless you for evermore.

Amen

Oh, Christmas Tree

2009-11-30T06:33:00.017-06:00

The title of this post needs to be said with some exasperation, the way my aunt Minnie used to say, 'Oh, Jackie' when she just didn't know what to think about something I had just said or done.

That's because this was the state of our pre-lit Christmas tree when it came out of the box on Saturday for it's fourth season.

Pretty, isn't it? I wish the picture had come out better. But if you look hard, you'll notice that only about a sixth of the tree is actually lit up. Thankfully, I anticipated having to light it up myself - again - this year, it's final year. We figure at this point, it doesn't owe us anything, since we bought it on clearance after Christmas when we decided to go artificial several years ago.

Doesn't that sound like we went 'green' for Christmas? Well, after spending too many holiday seasons feeling sick from allergies, I thought it might be the tree. One year, when we dragged out our live tree and I felt better within 24 hours, I figured I was on to something. So, we do the fake thing now, and, truthfully, I don't miss the mess of needles. I miss the smell of the tree, but I can buy that in a box.

In buying the artificial, I even made a big change, going from the colored lights to white lights. When we went to the store to buy the tree, the colors of the colored lights were so vibrant and obnoxious. To me, anyway. I had grown up with these lovely, faded kind of colored lights. I even still had boxes of them that I had collected during the after-Christmas sales for years. I was always ready with a new strand when one or two of the old ones were bound and determined not to light each year. (I still can't figure out how that happens. They were working when they came off the tree, got wrapped up and put into the box. Then, they come out the next year and are dead.) So, we skipped the bright, nearly fluorescent colored lit trees and went for white.

Our first Christmas with the tree was very cool. I was so tickled to pull four parts out of a box, snap the posts together, spread the branches and plug it in. Beautiful. The white lights really highlighted all the ornaments.

The next year was a little touchy. The first time everything got plugged in, one section didn't light. A little jiggling took care of that. Then, last year, things got ugly. About 1/3 of the tree didn't light. I was livid. I ended up running lights all over the tree - colored lights, mind you, because that's all I've ever owned. After I calmed down, I got to the point where I could find amusement in the tree and it's crazy lighting.

This year, we knew what we were up against before the tree even came down from the attic. Zelda and I ran out to the store Saturday morning while Ron and Annalee put the tree together. I came home, walked into the living room and just laughed. Then, I turned around, went into the garage and found the Christmas box labeled 'Lights.' And, I got to it. Wouldn't you know it? Three strands from last year didn't work this year. Go figure.

The girls and I also put all the ornaments on. Well, truthfully, we started to do the ornaments, went to take a break for lunch and got distracted when Zelda bit Annalee in the waist, so then we stopped. I ended up finishing the tree in the afternoon when Zelda was napping and Annalee was at a birthday party. I was so at peace.

Here is where it ended up:

I love it. I even put all our new Chinese zodiac ornaments on the tree. Each one of the 12 has long red tassles.I'm still working on taking a picture that really shows the lights in all their glory.

So, now, when I walk through the living room, I say, 'oh, Christmas tree!' with a bit of excitement - and a little pat on my back - and I feel a sense of admiration, joy and wonder. Perfect for the season.

More Than Thankful

2009-11-26T11:02:00.003-06:00

As we celebrate this country's national holiday, we at our house have so much to be thankful for. Topping our list is that we are a complete family - and that is all that we have prayed for these past many years.

So, today, we wish our family and friends near and far - and on a plane to China, too! - a very happy, blessed and safe Thanksgiving day, weekend and holiday season!

NOTE: Birthday wishes to Aimee, April and Darlene today!

Shots and Tears

2009-11-21T21:57:00.004-06:00

I took Annalee and Zelda for the first of their A/H1N1 vaccine shots today. I knew Annalee was panicked, as she hates shots and starts complaining about going to the doctor long before a routine check-up appointment simply for fear over getting a shot. I figured if I prepped her well enough yesterday, we might get through it with minimal trauma. I talked with her about relaxing her arm to help it not hurt so much. We sort of practiced it.

I had no clue how Zelda would handle it. The only clue I had was that she didn't make a sound when the nurse pricked her finger earlier this week for a lead test at the pediatrician's office.

So, we worked our way through the maze at the county health department building this morning and were finally ushered to a table. The nurse suggested that Annalee go first. Maybe she figured Zelda would freak out if she got her shot and then that would freak out Annalee.

Annalee sat on one of my legs while I held Zelda on the other. Gigi helped block Annalee's view of the needle while I talked to her about relaxing her arm. Before you know it, the shot was done. I think Annalee was in shock that it was over, too. She just sat there. No tears, nothing. At least from her.

I was the one who began crying. I had been so worried about her fear of the shot. And, then she was so brave. So, I cried for her. The nurse was so sweet; she told me I wasn't the first mom to cry instead of her children. She made me feel much better for it.

Then, it was Zelda's turn. My second brave daughter. Not a peep; not a flinch. No tears, nothin'.

Given their display of bravado, I gave Annalee her pick for lunch. She called for a Happy Meal. Chicken nuggets all around.

Peace at Last

2009-11-17T21:03:00.003-06:00

The peace of the house is around me. Zelda fell asleep after I realized her screaming fit meant that she wanted her belly filled with rice cereal before she could get in her crib. Annalee just finished reading her book, and her light is out. Ron turned in early.

Earlier tonight, Annalee was taking a bath while Zelda looked on. We thought Zelda seemed interested (she hasn't been keen on a full-blown bath to date), so we encouraged her. Off came her clothes, and in she went. The two of them had a laugh fest lightly splashing water on each other and on me (I was not laughing). When they were out of the tub, I held both of them on my lap wrapped up in their towels. Annalee always liked 'to be held like a baby,' and I think she was pleased that we could still do that with Zelda now, too.

That fun was followed by a dinner in which both of my children (how cool is that to say!) ate everything on their plates. Annalee always eats well, so no surprise there. But, Zelda even ate everything I gave her. As I was preparing dinner, I just thought to myself that kids need exposure to the same food several times over before they may like it. So, I pushed on and put this stuff she has declined numerous times on her plate. Next thing I know, her plate was clean!

As if all that wasn't enough to make my evening, Annalee, Zelda and I hung out on the twin bed in Zelda's room and read books together. Zelda was busy kissing Annalee and me while we were trying to read. Annalee's still not thrilled about the kisses, but she went along as best as possible. Zelda really seems to come alive in the evenings, shouting all sorts of sounds and giggles. So, we had lots of laughs together.

The real high came when Annalee took Zelda in her arms and sat in the rocker and sang 'Annalee's song' to Zelda. Annalee's song is 'You Are My Sunshine;' I have sung that song to her since I first held her in my arms. Before we left for China, I asked her if I could sing it to Zelda or if I needed to find something different. Annalee told me I needed to find something else, because that was her song. So, tonight, when she began rocking and was talking about singing, I told her I had never sung her song to Zelda but had sung other songs. And, then Annalee just started singing it to her little sister. I, of course, had to hold back the tears. The scene will forever be in my heart.

We have waited so long to complete our family. After tonight, I know everything is exactly as it should be. That's what I call peace.

5-Year Family Day

2009-11-15T15:47:00.007-06:00

When I learned the dates of our trip to China to adopt Zelda, I was relieved to know we would be home in time to celebrate Annalee's five-year family day.

Five years ago today, Ron and I were in Changsha, Hunan province, China with seven other families from our travel group to adopt Annalee. She cried and cried when put into our arms. It was our first joy of parenthood.

We have remembered that day in 2004 and the days in China that followed often during the past two weeks as we were in China again to adopt Zelda.

While we celebrate Annalee's family day today, Nov. 15, and will celebrate Zelda's future family days on Nov. 1, we celebrate our family of four every day.

Here are the girls together this morning, playing dress up. What you can't see is me behind the camera with the very large clownish Ringling Bros. circus hat on my head, tulle bow on my waist, sheer pink butterfly wings on my back and silver sequined shoes on my feet. You're better off.

Home Safe and Sound

2009-11-15T02:06:00.008-06:00

We are home from China safe and sound with our little Zelda. It was a wonderful, meaningful trip of a lifetime. I'll post more very soon.

It is 2 a.m., Sunday, and Zelda and I are both awake. So, I will put this out there for friends and family...feel free to contact us via e-mail, but please refrain from using the phone. Given our wacky sleep schedules that I have dreaded for months, I don't know how soon we'll get ourselves turned around to be awake during the day and asleep during the night. I was hopeful for tonight, as we didn't go to sleep until after 8 p.m. yesterday (Saturday) after being up since 1:45 p.m. central time on Friday. But, Zelda woke up hungry and I felt a little awake too. So here we are making a post.

I'll leave you with a few pictures from our trip:

This second one is us at the Stone Forest, the first wonder of the world, outside Kunming, Yunnan. This image shows just one tiny part of the park.

This last one was taken at Yun Tai Garden in Guangzhou.

Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009

2009-10-12T08:01:00.004-05:00

Today's blessing was the same as in previous weeks for this season. However, I found the Collect of the Day something special this week:

Lord, we pray that your grace may always precede and follow us, that we may continually be given to good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Amen

Days of Summer

2009-09-30T16:13:00.003-05:00

In early August, when the end of summer was quickening and the days until school started became countable, I asked Annalee a question.

"When you think back on our summer, what were the highlights for you? What did you enjoy the most?"

We were driving in the car at the time, and she seemed to pretend to not be able to speak. I pressed on and asked her to give me some of her thoughts. I suggested it might be a question she's asked when she starts school - 'what did you do this summer?' She wasn't answering but was making some silly noises.

In looking in the rear view mirror, I realized that she was pointing to her magic writing board. And, then it became clear to me. She had written on the board: YOU! Mommy.

Thankfully, we were on a side street, which made it easy to pull over. I couldn't drive 'cause my eyes were flooded with tears. My heart was overwhelmed with joy to know that the time we spent together was the most important part of her summer. I found this especially meaningful given that this has been our first summer when I didn't work. It's also the last summer when Annalee is an only child. So, she really had my full attention everyday.

With the arrival of autumn last week, I thought it a good time to reflect on our summer and share some of our highlights - an idea borrowed from a page of my friend's blog.

Swimming - This summer, Annalee took extended swimming lessons at the YMCA. When possible, she had one-hour lessons, which seemed to really improve her skills. She is now swimming freestyle and putting her head in the water and breathing while she swims! And, many times while she was in her lesson, I was able to swim laps in the same lane or nearby, which was a lot of fun (although sometimes distracting for her). We also enjoyed having a membership to a local community pool. Although we calculated that we didn't get our money's worth from a season pass ('cause the weather just wasn't that great for swimming outdoors this summer), we still had a lot of fun when we did go. And, it was convenient to just say 'let's go swimming for an hour' because we DID have the passes.

Here's Annalee and her friend Alaina at the pool.

And, here's Annalee coming down the tornado slide.

Piano lessons - With the start of summer came the start of piano lessons with Dianne, our friend from Annalee's (and soon Zelda's) China travel group. Annalee and Dianne's daughter, Maia, are good friends. Not only did we have piano lessons each Monday, but then Dianne and I took turns watching the girls for the afternoon. The girls got to play together each week, and each of the moms got one afternoon a week to get our own things done. One day we went to the Morton Arboretum. Several times, we just hung out in the sprinkler in the backyard.

Brookfield Zoo - We went to Brookfield Zoo twice this summer. Considering we have a membership and can go whenever we want, I don't think we went enough. It certainly doesn't compare to previous summers when we went a whole lot more. That said, we did have a TON of fun (yes, pun intended) seeing the Dinosaurs Alive! exhibit, since Annalee is a total dinosaur junkie. She had the camera during the most of the dinosaur visit. This is one of the funnier pictures, in my opinion:

Can you tell which dinosaur it is? If not, here's the one I took of the face - and the other face that had trouble looking at the camera that day!

Don't you love the flower clip in the hair and the little purse?

That first visit to see the dinosaurs was on my birthday. You may recall that I share my birthday with a friend of mine. So, we went to the zoo with her and her kids and with another friend of ours and her son. It turned out that the moms all showed up with the same outfits, so we had to take a picture of that.

Our second visit was with Ron. Of course, Annalee insisted we see the dinosaurs again. Unfortunately, those pictures seem to have been wiped off the camera before we uploaded them to the computer. Big bummer.

As for MY birthday, somehow we only ended up with a picture of Ron, Annalee and little Charlotte:

Dinosaur Camp - One spring Sunday at church, our friend's mom was sitting behind us and saw Annalee drawing dinosaurs. It was then that Jane came to know what a dinosaur freak Annalee was (is). So, she asked if it would be alright if she and her husband took Annalee, along with their grandson (a friend of Annalee's) to dinosaur camp at the Field Museum in June. Do you think there was any way we were going to say no? So, Annalee spent two half-days at the museum - and around the museum campus, too. I'm sure she had a lot to tell the teacher about dinosaurs. We don't have any pictures from camp, but we did get to see Annalee on the local 5 o'clock news on ABC-7, when they did a promo piece about the camp. That was cool!

Vacation - This summer's vacation was a week in southwest Michigan. The week started July 3 in New Buffalo for the fireworks (a bit lame - maybe it was the economy) and then July 4th at the above friend's parents house for their annual holiday party. It was our first time attending. We really enjoyed all the traditions that have been carried on for nearly 20 years. Sunday, July 5 was the first of six days spent in a spectacular house in Lakeside, Mich. overlooking Lake Michigan. We were with two other families that included three other children all within one year of Annalee's age.

The week included lots of sand, swimming, some fishing, a night of s'mores, one beautiful sunset, go-kart racing and last, but not least, Dinosaur Day at the Beach.

Dinosaur Day at the Beach began with a dinosaur breakfast - miniature dinosaurs surrounded each breakfast plate. The kids painted small wood dinosaurs. Then there was the dinosaur dig on the beach - each child had a 100 sq. ft. area to sift through to find approximately 7 dinosaurs (the dads lost count of how many were buried - but we think only one was left to fossilize in the sand). We also had those capsules that you put in water and watch the dinosaur sponges grow. We commemorated the day with individually hand-painted T-shirts, which we have all donned very proudly in the days that followed vacation.

Kane County Cougars Game - The Saturday evening following vacation, we went to a Kane County Cougars minor league baseball game. We were joined by two families from Annalee's China travel group. The girls were way too into the baseball players. They're only in elementary school, and I'm scared already. Sitting on the third baseline always makes us feel like the fireworks are right on top of us.

Picking and Canning - When I became a happy hausfrau, I took up canning. Thank you, Becky! Have I told you how exciting it is for me to look at a jar of jam or pickles that I have made myself? Well, it is. And, while I'm doing the canning, I'm often reminded of my grandma Fran and the smell of dill in her kitchen or of when my mom canned in second kitchen we had in our basement when I was growing up.

Here's the 'All My Sisters' girls and Annalee during a canning session.

To get the jam canning done, we went out berry and cherry picking a few times this year. Cherry picking in Michigan was a lot of fun, especially watching the cherry pit pitter do its thing. What a time saver! And, at Garden Patch Farms just south of us in Homer Glen, Annalee enjoyed feeding lots of chickens that they have in a coop to entertain the kids.

Local Events - I don't think it would be summer without visiting some local town festivals. We did the Taste of Westmont with Gerri, Mike and the kids, along with some friends. And, we also went to a couple cruisin' nights in Westmont and Downers Grove. Saw some really cool cars!

Fishing - Annalee west fishing with Ron several times this summer. Not only did she go on vacation, but the two of them went with some other dads and kids to fish locally, too. I'm pretty sure that everyone caught something!

Safety Village - When I was laid off, we realized that Annalee would be able to attend Safety Village of Darien with Alaina. That was the best $90-program we have ever attended. It is worth at least twice that in value for what both Annalee and I learned. Annalee attended three hours a day for a week. They also offered a couple (free) two-hour sessions for parents to hear from our local police and fire officials. I learned a lot, especially about fire safety in the home - where to place your fire alarms, how to do a fire drill and what it would be like if the house caught on fire and how to prepare. At the end of the two weeks, they had a little graduation ceremony for the kids.

If you live in the area and have the opportunity to send your children to Safety Village of Darien, do it. You won't be sorry. In fact, you'll wonder why they don't charge more.

Night at the Museum - No, we didn't spend a night at a museum. But, we did see both Night at the Museum movies. The first was during movie night at church. More fun than the movie was making sundaes in the dark after the power went out. The second time, we went with friends to the cheapo theater one afternoon for a matinee. Isn't there something fun about seeing matinees? Just that word brings me back to an earlier time...

Dragon Boat Races - We went to Chinatown for the Dragon Boat Races and festival. Two families joined us - they joined our family when we traveled to China with them for Annalee's adoption. We watched the races, played at Ping Tom Park and had a tasty lunch at Emperor's Palace on Wentworth.

Don't you just love Annalee's umbrella? She brought this from home to shield her from the sun...and probably just to be cute. Which she was. She fit right in with all the local Chinese folks.

Church Events - In addition to movie night at church, we also took part in Family Farm Fest, a benefit for Heifer International. During our day of games, storytelling, crafts and food, our church raised $20,000 for Heifer, or the equivalent of four arks. How cool is that!

Of course, we also renewed our vows at church for our 10-year anniversary.

Wisconsin State Fair- In early August, Annalee and I attended the Wisconsin State Fair with my dad and step-mom. The weather was spectacular - not too hot, not too cold. Just right.

We saw tractors big and small, hogs and piglets, horses, goats and sheep. That reminds me...Annalee got a brief lesson in the male anatomy when we were in the sheep building. You'd have to have been blind to miss the genitalia hanging there. So, of course, Annalee had to ask about it. I did the best I could to explain it. Briefly. Then, I told her to ask daddy about it. How's that for passing the buck? (Funny me, another pun!)

We also saw award-winning jams and jellies (gave me something to aspire to someday), rode the sky tram from one end of the park to another, and watched pig and duck races. Annalee rode a little pink tractor, a pony and a giant slide. We also saw the Budweiser Clydesdales.

Love those monkey toes!

You weren't expecting to find a picture of a male sheep here, were you? You can stop looking. I didn't get one.

Air & Water Show - Early on Sunday, Aug. 16, we loaded into the car and drove to Lincoln Park to meet our friends for a picnic and enjoy the Chicago Air & Water Show. We ended up getting rained out mid-afternoon, but not before I got this picture of all the girls.

Train Trip to Chicago - For the second year, Annalee and I rode the train to Chicago for a day-trip. This year, we went to the Field Museum to see the dinosaurs. The weather was so beautiful that when we left the museum we walked down to Buckingham Fountain; then we took the train home.

Referral for Zelda - I'd be remiss if I didn't count getting our referral for Zelda among our highlights. And, at the time of this writing, I'm pretty confident we'll be home with her before Thanksgiving!

Other Stuff - Some other fun stuff we did included going to and having cookouts with friends, both new and old. We made a few trips to the Plush Horse Ice Cream Parlor - always a treat. We usually pair it with a visit to the model plane field. We saw some amazing planes and daring flying this summer. We played miniature golf a couple times. We cooked hot dogs and marshmallows over the fire pit. And, we made some yummy s'mores. We visited the arboretum several times (with and without our friends).

Annalee and I spent a rainy day at the DuPage Children's Museum. We took a break for lunch and met friends in downtown Naperville for lunch. Before returning to the museum for more playing, we went to the spice store. While there, the misty rain turned into a torrential downpour. Guess where the umbrella was? Yep, in the car. So, we finally made a run for it. We were soaked by the time we got back to the car. Luckily it was warm out. Annalee said it was the most fun ever.

Wowza. As I look back through my calendar and all our pictures, I am overwhelmed with our many blessings and good fortune. I had the pleasure and pure joy to spend every day with Annalee. We were able to be together and make so many special memories. The time she and I spent together and the time we spent as a family is precious, as is the time we spent with our extended family and many wonderful friends. And, for that, I say we had an outstanding summer.

Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009

2009-09-29T12:59:00.002-05:00

This week's blessing - a new one for the season:

The Wisdom of God, the Love of God, and the Grace of God strengthen you to be Christ's hands and heart in this world, in the name of the Holy Trinity.

Amen

Comfortable Conversations

2009-09-11T10:53:00.003-05:00

Many of you know we have a private blog to follow our progress to adopt our second daughter, Zelda, from China. On that blog, I wrote a post about the conversations we will and won't have in public or around Annalee about adoption. I've heard from many friends in the adoption community about the value of this post and how they want to share it with friends and family. Though this site is dedicated to our priceless family moments, I thought it might be valuable to have here for the many who are visiting, given the feedback I've received on the private site.

*********

When our referral for Zelda came through, we were beside ourselves with excitement, thrilled beyond imagination. But, what has really struck me has been hearing the excitement mirrored back to us by our friends and family. Whether it's talking with you on the phone, seeing you in person or reading an e-mail you've sent, I feel the near giddiness and sheer happiness that you feel for us. Ron and I are so blessed to have you with us on this journey. You certainly helped sustain us during the wait these many years.

Now that we have our referral, we have received so many questions of interest about the process, about Zelda and about adoption in general. Part of the reason for this blog is to provide us a place to answer those questions so that everyone will know what's going on, what's next, etc.

It also has become a place for us to share information that we are unable to share in person or on the phone. And, here's why. The primary reason for us to hesitate in conversing about some topics is our concern for how a conversation may be overheard and interpreted by Annalee. Let's keep in mind that she was adopted, so when we talk about Zelda, it would be very easy for Annalee to hear things and apply them to her history. That is not how we want her to develop her 'story' in her mind. Ron and I have been very purposeful in how we talk about adoption in general and her adoption in particular. At six, she knows everything she should know that is age-appropriate for her. In conversations about Zelda, Annalee may hear something that is inappropriate or unrelated to her but she may apply it to herself anyway. So, our goal is to discuss adoption and Zelda in a way that is already comfortable for Annalee.

A second reason for limiting our conversations about Zelda's adoption may be that we believe some information simply is private. We don't believe that every detail of our children's lives should be shared. At some point in the future, each of our daughters may choose to share parts of their history. But it is just that, parts of their history. And, we want them to decide their limits to disclosure. I will grant you that we shared a lot of Annalee's information previously. I believe that in traveling the adoption life, we have come to learn that not everything needs to be nor should be made available for everyday consumption.

Lastly, we believe that some questions, though well-intended, are just inappropriate or unsuitable for public discussion. It may be the language used or poor word choice, or it may just be comments that are off-color. Again, we are always thinking of our daughters first and foremost.

One common question that is often asked of us - and right in front of Annalee - is why did we chose to adopt our daughters from China. Among the many reasons we chose China are that they have a very organized adoption program run by the government, the children tend to be healthy and well cared for, we would not have to worry about birth parents changing their minds about choosing adoption, the wait times were shorter than a domestic adoption (at least they used to be) and, sadly, the children are in social welfare institutes because of cultural beliefs and government mandates (more about this below). Most importantly, though, and the answer you will hear from me is that China is where God told us our children were waiting. He spoke through Ron one morning, and we listened.

Some other topics that aren't always easy to discuss include:

Why the Chinese have so many girls in institutes and available for adoption, why was she in an institute - When the World Health Organization urged nations to reduce their populations, China took this to heart and made an edict that families would be allowed one child. In some rural areas where families need more hands to farm the land, more children are allowed. More recently, families that have enough wealth are paying fines to have more than one child in their family. The reason that girls are the ones predominantly found in institutes is because historically and culturally, China has been a country that values boys for what they provide the family. Boys can work the land with their parents better than girls can. Boys, once they marry, bring their wives into the family home. The wives then become near servants to their in-laws. Boys, in many ways, are the government version of social security for their parents. These views are changing in more progressive areas of the country, but the old rules still seem to hang on.

Why they abandon children in China - It's very important to understand that China doesn't have the word 'abandon' in their vocabulary. It's not understood. It is illegal for the Chinese to leave their children, so they 'leave them to be found.' In their minds, they do not abandon their children but put them in a safe place where they know the child will be discovered and cared for. And, many know that their children will be adopted either domestically or internationally and live their lives in a loving forever family.

Why the wait has taken so long - In between the time we adopted Annalee and submitted our paperwork for Zelda, China opened adoptions to several additional countries. They now work with 16 countries to facilitate international adoptions. More importantly, China opened domestic adoptions for families within China to adopt these Chinese children. And, that's a wonderful thing - for the children and these adoptive parents. China also hosted the 2008 summer Olympics. We can speculate all we want about how the government wanted other countries to view them. We will never know what impact this may have had on the rate at which they processed adoption applications.

Belief in the information that China provides us regarding our children - China provides us dossiers on our children that include medical history, developmental milestones and photos. We have to take this information at face value. It is all we have and it may be all we can provide our children as they grow and learn more about the earliest parts of their lives in China. To suggest that we can't believe this information is just plain demeaning to our children's heritage.

The grief that our daughters did/may experience in transitioning from their lives in China to being part of our family - We recognize that any child being cared for by others and suddenly thrust upon people who look, talk and smell nothing like what they're used to is shocking and painful. We have prepared for this in each of our adoptions. We have learned skills to help our children adjust and let them know they are in forever families who will provide them a loving and safe environment. It is because of this awareness that we may not be very social for the first few weeks or months after returning from China. We will watch our new daughter and determine how best to take each day and each possible new outing or visit. As I've mentioned, our sole focus is on our daughters and their well-being.

What kind of an 'order' we placed with China for a child - When we apply for adoption with China, we provide them a great deal of information about ourselves. Included in that information is a personal letter from us that details our request for a child. In both applications we requested daughters. We also took the opportunity to suggest an age range of a child with whom we would be comfortable and confident parenting. We do not 'order' children, nor is China fulfilling orders when they process these adoptions.

Developmental delays and/or the health of our girls at placement - Depending on the setting in which children available for adoption live in China, they may experience delays in their development. Frankly, this is expected in most cases when children are in an institutional setting - in China or elsewhere in the world. Once in a permanent home, children tend to thrive with care and with therapies, if needed. Yes, Annalee experienced some muscular delay in her face - remember all that drooling and constant bib-wearing? We won't know if Zelda will have delays until we're home and have her evaluated through Illinois' Early Intervention program. If we determine that she has any delays or health concerns, these may or may not be things we discuss publicly.

The level of care provided our daughters and any differences that may exist between how either of them were cared for in China - Annalee and Zelda, while both Chinese, came into this world in different ways. They also spent their early months in China in different settings. These environments are something we will share with them as appropriate. We do not feel any need to compare or suggest that one setting was better than another. In my heart, I know each of them has been loved by her caregivers.

Where Annalee or Zelda 'came from' - When we travel and someone asks where Annalee came from, I reply 'Chicago.' That's what that question means to me. My daughters were born in China; Annalee was born in Hunan province and Zelda was born in Yunnan province. This may be semantics and splitting hairs to some, but as a writer I would suggest that there is a distinction between where someone comes from and where she was born.

The cost of adoption - If any of you are interested in pursuing adoption and would like to discuss the process, we can certainly have that conversation. For others, I guess expenses are something you can compare to birthing a child.

Truly, though, whatever the cost of adoption, our children are priceless.

Friendly Thanks

2009-09-08T20:37:00.015-05:00

My lovely friend Becky over at All My Sisters/We Are Family has changed my life.

First, it was canning. Annalee and I spent a day over at Becky's house with the girls last spring. As we were preparing to leave, Becky gave me a homemade, canned jar of BBQ sauce. I'm sure she didn't think much of it. But, I took that jar home and got to thinking. And, I thought even more about it after I became a happy hausfrau.

I started thinking about how cool it would be to can my own stuff. I could make jams - I love jam! I could make pickles, like my mom and my grandma used to make. I could make foods for my family with fresh, local produce from farmers' markets purchased in season. (I was also reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver around the same time.)

So, as I am apt to do, I went to the library and took out a whole lot of books about canning. And, I read like crazy. Then I asked Becky a lot of questions. Then, I went to a local orchard and picked fresh strawberries and bought local honey. I went to my friend's house and picked rhubarb. After all that, I took the plunge: I made a batch of jam and a batch of preserves. And, they were good!

Becky came over a week after my first round of canning, and we made two more kinds of jams. Since that time, I've been buying fresh strawberries, raspberries and blueberries and freezing them - to the point that my chest freezer in the garage is nearly full.

A couple weeks ago, I was itchin' to make pickles. So, I took Annalee to a farmers' market that we hadn't been to before, and we bought cucumbers and dill and garlic. I made two different kinds of pickles. They're still setting up, so I can't say how good they are, but I sure liked the way canning them made my kitchen smell like my childhood.

As wonderful as it is to make and taste these fresh canned goods, I think I love giving jars of my homemade jams away to friends even more. People get so excited over homemade stuff!

So, if canning was the first way that Becky has changed my life, there must be a second way, right? Yes, indeedy. While I was at Becky's making peach jam a few weeks ago, I noticed a weekly menu planning sheet on her refrigerator. I asked her about it, found the planners at Heavenly Homemakers and printed a few out.

Can I just say OMG! these things have made meal planning and grocery shopping a breeze! I start with my calendar and jot down on the weekly planner the scheduled activities we have, if Ron will be home for dinner, what I might be doing during the day that would impact my dinner prep time, etc. Then, I come up with ideas for dinners. I plug them in on the planner. For instance, for this week, I knew I was going to be canning today, so I didn't want to make a dinner where I'd have to be standing at the stove or grill to cook. So, I planned ribs in the crock pot.

After I have the week's menu, I flip the sheet over and make out my shopping lists for the grocery market and farmers' markets I frequent. When I shop, I buy just what we need. And, when I start to cook, I have all the ingredients necessary to complete my meals. Truly, these menu planners have done wonders to my sense of meal planning and organization.

So, to you Becky, I extend my heartfelt thanks. You have given me great inspiration. And, you have made my homemaking life even more happy! In time, I may even follow you on your $75 weekly grocery challenge.

Full Night

2009-09-05T10:00:00.013-05:00

Did you see the full moon last night? We did. We were sitting in front of the fire pit and just starting to roast marshmallows. Ron was doing the honors - and doing a nice job of it, too. So, I sat back in my chair, looked up and there was the moon just starting to peak out where we could see it in the eastern sky.

Something about the full moon, the barely warm summer evening and the sound of the fire crackling just made for a perfect evening.

It was especially fun for me to have Ron roast the marshmallows. In all the years I've known him I didn't realize that he was such a good roaster.

He said he only breaks out his talents for very special occasions, like a nice summer evening with his daughter and wife...

Introducing Our New Daughter!

2009-09-01T22:08:00.002-05:00

We'd like y'all to meet our new daughter, Zelda Cui Na!

We're busy celebrating and sharing with family, so I don't have time to say much now. But, we were bowled over by her and can't be more excited!

FYI - these are pictures of our pictures, since our scanner isn't working. Not the best quality, but you can still see how cute she is. ;-)

First Day of First Grade

2009-08-31T16:02:00.004-05:00

Annalee started school today. What a difference a year makes! Last year for the first day of kindergarten, I was an emotional wreck, and Annalee was not quite herself. Our emotional ups and downs seemed to last for weeks.

This year, it was all smiles on both our parts, and even Ron's before he left for work.

After picture taking it was off to school. We had to park a block away, since it seems like EVERY family drove today. Then, Annalee and I half ran-half walked to get to the building.

We found where her class was grouped in the hallway, and she sat down. Within minutes, she made friends with a girl sitting next to her. I think making a new friend made everything about first grade feel good.

It's a Girl!

2009-08-24T12:10:00.004-05:00

We have had Mei Mei in our hearts far longer than the three years, five months and one day that we have waited for our referral from China. Today, we know the life she lives in China and soon with us forever. God has blessed Ron, Annalee and me with a beautiful baby girl. We are so very proud to share with you our news - finally!!!

Our daughter lives in Yunnan province in the city of Zhaotang. Her Chinese name is Cui Na. It sounds something like Zhwee Nah. She was born on Dec. 27, 2007, which makes her just about 20 months old. We are thrilled beyond belief!

We will get more information about her as soon as the translations are completed. We'll also get her picture at that time. We chose not to receive it via e-mail, and, unfortunately, our agency is not allowing families to go to the office and pick them up. So, we will wait some more. But, this time, the waiting is so much better!

Guests in the Garden

2009-08-13T15:30:00.006-05:00

I was watering the hanging plants today when something started crawling out from the ivy geraniums to escape the downpour. I ran to get the camera, then had to search to find him again, since he blended in so well. Just after I took this picture, he just eased his way back down the flower stem to be covered again by leaves.

Then I moved on to our other planters and this guy crawled out of the regular geraniums. Once he curled up onto the leaf, I almost couldn't detect him. Can you?

Friday, Aug. 7, 2009

2009-08-09T18:25:00.004-05:00

Aug. 7 was a very special day for us: we celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary and renewed our vows at our church. In 1999, we were married by a JP on the porch of a Door County bed and breakfast. We weren't part of a church family at the time, so getting married there with our immediate family around us was perfect. Now that we are very active in our church, renewing our vows with our extended family was especially meaningful.

Annalee served as our ring bearer; she was very proud and excited for 'our' anniversary.

The blessing was one that we've used in church before, but it's so wonderful I want to include it here again:

Life is short,
And we do not have much time
To gladden the hearts of those
Who travel the way with us.
So be swift to love.
Make haste to be kind.
And as we go, may the blessing,
The peace, the love, and the joy
Of the Holy One who is in the
Midst of us
Be among us and in our hearts
This day and always.
Amen

Summer's Bounty

2009-08-04T06:11:00.009-05:00

Finally! Our first tomato came close enough to being ripe for picking last Thursday. Truthfully, it could have used another couple days to get really red, but I think Annalee liked it all the same.

This year is our first real foray into gardening. Usually, I plant, water for the first month and then never make time to continue watering when things get really dry. So, my little plants just shrivel up and croak by about this time of the summer.

This year, with all this new time on my hands, we planted. And planted. Actually, I was still planting on July 21! We have five tomato plants. Two are flourishing; the other three are not so good. The two in the ground have four tomatoes among them and no prospects for more. So you can guess how bad our soil is. The third is in a topsy turvy. I'm not impressed; a couple flower buds but no signs of any output. The two I planted in a pot are going gangbusters. Well, at least they're loaded with tomatoes, green as they are, both big and little cherry tomatoes. That's where our first tomato came from. Annalee will be in tomato heaven when they start coming in!

In case you're wondering, we also have four jalapeño plants, four tomatillos, lots of herbs and strawberries. The strawberries are a bust, as far as I can tell. But, everything else is coming along. Especially the basil and 'tea' herbs. Can't wait to dry and brew them! And, most exciting for me are all the flowers that are still pretty and blooming. I'll have to take some pictures to share. Well, I think it's time to get out and do some watering...

Color Inspiration #54

2009-06-28T06:19:00.006-05:00

My friend Kathy and I share the same birthday. The timing coincided with Kristina Werner's Color Inspiration #54, giving me colors to design with.

Yes, I know that challenge was nearly three weeks ago. But June 12 and 13 went by in a blur as the dishwasher leaked all over the kitchen floor and into the crawl space, and the toilet bubbled when we ran water so we had to get the septic tank pumped and the pipes blown out. When all that was done, I had totally forgotten to post this and submit the card to Kristina's web site.

All products are from Stampin' Up! I really like using Crystal Effects. Gives a little something more to these gift boxes:

And, if you're wondering, the dishwasher was spared with $176 of fitting repair. And, the septic tank was up and running after $400 of pumping and blowing out. That was a costly week, for sure.

Friday, June 26, 2009

2009-06-27T21:37:00.003-05:00

We attended a U2Charist event at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in LaGrange on Friday night. The service was nice, and it's always fun to hear Elevation play.

The blessing for the evening:

May the blessing of the God of Abraham and Sarah, and of Jesus Christ born of our sister Mary, and of the Holy Spirit, who broods over the world as a mother over her children, be upon you and remain with you always.

Amen

Sunday, May 31, 2009

2009-05-31T20:39:00.003-05:00

This week's blessing, for Pentecost:

May the God who shakes heaven and earth, whom death could not contain, who lives to disturb and heal us, bless you with power to go forth and proclaim the Gospel.

Amen

Three Birthdays and a Boot

2009-05-26T14:56:00.011-05:00

By the time Memorial Day ended, I realized we had celebrated a birthday each day of our three-day weekend. On Saturday, my friend Jennifer had a 'significant' birthday, so her husband threw her a party. He did it all. And, she just sat and visited with all her friends. It was really a nice treat to just sit and visit!

I had been holding on to this card for a long time, since I just love it. When I went to my stash to pick a card for Jennifer, I knew it was time to give this one away. As a fellow stamper, I figured she'd really like it.

On Sunday, we went to my dad's and celebrated my step-mom's birthday, which is tomorrow (May 27). The rest of my step-siblings were there, along with my beautiful little niece, Kaitlyn. She recently turned 1 (I'll talk about that in another post - since it got past me in April). Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of this card. It was very cute with a strawberry on it.

Then, on Monday, my aunt Pat turned 80. She's never been one for big attention or celebrations, so we brought cake and cherry pie to her house, sang happy birthday and ate like pigs. I made this card during my most recent stamping weekend. I thought it was perfect to give my aunt - someone who's really lived life.

Today, came the boot. For those of you who didn't hear, I was laid off a few weeks ago, much to my surprise - and excitement. Getting laid off now rather than quitting after we adopt our second child means lots of severance pay, and even unemployment! So, in honor of 'getting the boot,' Mary Ann, my good friend and cohort in stamping, sent me this hilarious card. I just can't get over her cleverness. She's in New York this week on a little vacation, so I can't just ring her up and tell her how much I like it. Well, I guess I could call her cell. But, I really don't need to bother her to tell her how cool her card is. She can just read it here when she's back home. Thanks Mary Ann. It rocks!

Annalee's Birthday

2009-05-20T14:27:00.018-05:00

So, we celebrated Annalee's 6th birthday a couple weeks ago. The day started with her pulling out her first tooth. It had been loose and I think it just bugged her too much when she was brushing her teeth. So, she just pulled and out it popped. (The tooth fairy was pretty genius - if I do say so - and gave her two gold presidential dollar coins (which Annalee promptly lost at school the next day!).)

The night before Annalee's birthday, I did the 'big reveal' on her updated bedroom. Though we didn't repaint the purple walls, we did get her a new full-size captain's bed and bedding - and I made her a princess-like canopy of tulle. That was the big excitement for me. I had been sick the week before and was planning to drop the canopy from the renovation. But, when I asked girlie about what she hoped would be in her room (since it was a surprise), she said, "Purple curtains. The ones that hang down like a princess over the bed." And, with that one question - and response - the princess canopy was back on. Fortunately, it took only about 90 minutes of work, after a trip to the craft store (thanks for driving me, mom!).

So, here is the canopy, along with a very excited birthday girl, although from this angle, that's hard to see.

I intend to take it down and paint the wood hoop purple (a quilting hoop thingy), the same paint as her walls...maybe next week. Or the week after. Annalee also was surprised to find her very own artwork from school framed like a real artist on her walls. Ron thought I bought one of the pieces - an apple done in chalk on colored paper in beautiful reds and purples and greens. He couldn't believe his own daughter had made it. Very cool.

Of course, no birthday would be complete without a handmade card from mom.

I made this one during my stamping weekend in March (an awesome weekend!). I CASEd my card from one Kristina Werner made that I just loved.

All supplies are from Stampin' Up! I used the Ginger Blossom designer series paper - love it and wish I had bought more before it was retired!

Oh - I also HAPPENED to use this same DSP for Annalee's birthday invitations and the 'pin the center on the flower' game that I made. I say 'happened to' because when I made the invitations and then the game to match the invitations, I had totally forgotten that I made her birthday card with the same paper.
Then, the day of her party when I set out her card on the table, I thought to myself that it was a pretty cool coincidence. (But was it really a coincidence? Or did I do it subconsciously? I'll never know...)

Last, but not least by any means, is a picture of the birthday girl. If you look closely, you can see something in her smile that looks like a missing tooth:

Sunday, May 17, 2009

2009-05-20T14:09:00.003-05:00

Wow. I've been remiss. Lot's going on around here. Finally, a chance to reflect on our blessings, which are many.

So, for this week and all the weeks since Easter, here is the blessing:

God the Creator, by whose glory Christ was raised from the dead, strengthen you to walk with him in his risen life. Amen.

God the Redeemer who out of defeat brings hope and new possibilities, bring you new life. Amen.

God the Giver of Life make you a new creation, Christ for those to whom Christ shall send you. Amen.

And the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with you and remain with you for ever. Amen.

Sunday, March 8, 2009 (and March 1, too)

2009-03-09T20:34:00.003-05:00

This week's blessing:

May Christ's holy, healing, and enabling Spirit be with you every step of the way, and be your guide as your road changes and turns and the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be with you and remain with you for ever.

Amen

Color Inspiration #41

2009-02-13T10:03:00.008-06:00

Hi all. Long time, no posts. It's nice to blog without obligation. Of course, being on vacation for a couple weeks might have had something to do with it, too.

In any case, it's Valentine's Day tomorrow and time to make a card for my dear husband. I followed Kristina Werner's color inspiration, which was perfect for the season.

I was so excited to finally use the flocked paper I picked up at Michael's. I just love the color combo. Kristina's use of SU's riding hood red, rather than real red, makes the inspiration a little more sophisticated, I think.

As I'm typing this, it occurs to me that I usually put the Live, Love, Laugh stamp on cards I make for Ron, since that's what we have on our wedding bands. Oh well. Guess I'm breaking with tradition this year.

For those interested, besides the flocked paper, I used RHR paper and inks as the card base and sentiment, black paper and ink as trim and sentiment, and basic gray dots and satin ribbon. Glue dots cut in quarters came in handy to mount the dots. The sentiment came from SU's Happy Everything. I have gotten so much use out of that stamp set.

Be sure to check back next week when I list a bunch of SU stamps I'm selling!

Sunday, Jan. 11, 2009

2009-01-12T22:31:00.003-06:00

This week's blessing:

The Wisdom of God, the Love of God, and the Grace of God strengthen you to be Christ's hands and heart in this world, in the name of the Holy Trinity.

Amen

Top 15 Color Inspiration #36!

2009-01-06T09:05:00.005-06:00

Wowwie kazowwie (as Annalee likes to say)! I just checked Kristina Werner's color inspiration #36 round-up, and I made her top 15 cards. How freakin' cool is that? And, I didn't even think the picture I posted did the card any justice. I guess there was just something there she liked.

Now, I can't wait to tell Betty about how her birthday card's gone international. But, that'll have to wait until tomorrow, when I call her to say "happy birthday."

Color Inspiration #36

2009-01-01T16:08:00.018-06:00

Here is this week's color inspiration from Kristina Werner.

It came just in time for me to create a birthday card for Betty, my mother-in-law. I just hope she doesn't see it here before it arrives in her mailbox in North Carolina. Her birthday is Jan. 7, so happy early birthday, Betty!

I used a stamp from SU's Touch of Nature with both rose red and pretty in pink inks, DSP in old olive, and old olive and whisper white cardstock. The ribbon is rose red. I used the scallop punch on the edge of a piece of cardstock to get the little 'tufts.' I wasn't sure about adding the chunky glitter - I thought it might be a bit too much - but it turned out to be just the right touch.

While I was stamping, I made a card for our friend Tony. His birthday also is on Jan. 7. I like that the colors in the DSP are gender-neutral. They make for a nice man-card. The colors are pumpkin pie, brilliant blue (I think), bashful blue and wild wasabi.

Tony's card is a knock-off of a card I made the other day for my friend Chickie, whose birthday is Jan. 5.

For Chickie's card, I was planning to make a ruffle out of the twill tape, after I stamped HAPPY BIRTHDAY on it. But, I stopped. I kind of liked the way the tape folded over but could also stand up. What do you think?

And, now that I'm thinking about it, I still need to make a card for my dad Bob. His birthday is Jan. 4. Yikes! This first week of January sure is birthday busy!

Christmas Blessing

2008-12-25T13:07:00.002-06:00

We went to church on Christmas Eve for the children's service. Annalee was among the children who gathered at the alter, heard the story of Jesus and brought their stuffed animal pals to gather 'round the manger.

Here was the blessing during the service:

May Christ, the Son of God, be manifest in you, that your lives may be a light to the world; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you always.

Merry Christmas, friends.

Elves, a Horse and a Stick

2008-12-21T21:20:00.006-06:00

We first asked Annalee what she wanted for Christmas back in early November. "A horse on a stick."

Whaaat? Oh, yes, I remember now. In August, on our way to northern Wisconsin, we stopped at a restaurant in the Dells that had a gift shop (of course it did). Annalee found a horse on a stick (you know, the kind you used to run around the yard playing like you were riding a horse?) and thought it was the coolest thing. We no sooner walked out of the restaurant and that horse was gone from my mind. But, obviously, that wasn't the case for Annalee.

A few days after we first asked her about gift ideas, we asked her again what she might like for Christmas. "A horse on a stick." 'Didn't you hear me the first time, mom?' was probably what she was thinking.

I cringed, as I did each time she would say this. I could just feel the walls getting banged into, the paint chipping, the drywall cracking. The walls that were freshly painted in September.

Weeks went by. Same question, same answer. Then, last week, Annalee came home from kindergarten with this:

Having trouble reading it? It says, 'Dear Santa, All I want for Christmas is a Horse on a Stick.' There it was in black and white. There was no getting around this special request. You see, this note is for Santa. It needs to get set out with his milk and cookies on Christmas Eve.

So, I asked Annalee, "What if Santa doesn't bring a horse on a stick?"

Duh, mom. "Don't worry. The elves can make anything." Ahh, the mind of a five-year-old. So sweet, so innocent, so trusting.

And, me? Maybe I should ask Santa to bring some sheets of foam for the walls. 'Cause I know he's bringing that horse on a stick.

By Six (Not Sure Why)

2008-12-18T22:13:00.005-06:00

Laura sent this my way, and I thought it was interesting enough to post here. I just can't figure out why the subject was 'By Six.'

Six names you go by:
1. Jackie
2. Mommy
3. Jacqueline (pronounced Jack-wa-lyn). Paula, you're the only one who uses this, and I love you for it.
4. Jack (mildly offensive when used by people who hardly know me)
5. Sweetie
6. Auntie Jackie

Three things you are wearing right now:
1. Bunny slippers
2. Cayman Aggressor sweatshirt
3. Wedding band

Three things you want very badly at the moment:
1. For this movie to be over (Into the Wild - it's good, but it's gone on a little too long)
2. For the kitchen to be more clean than it is
3. To know that our referral from China will come sooner (like spring - or now) rather than later (July? August? 2010?)

Three people who will fill this out:
1. Mary Ann?
2. Denise?
3. Anyone?

Two things you did last night:
1. Made a birthday card for Denise
2. Watched Moonstruck (for the hundredth time, and I still love it like crazy!)

Two things you ate today:
1. Eggs
2. Chocolate

Two people you last talked to on the phone:
1. Mom
2. Ron

Two things you are going to do tonight:
1. Go to bed after the movie's over
2. Floss and brush my teeth

Your two favorite beverages:
1. Water
2. Pina colada (on the beach in Puerto Vallarta)

So, for those who are inclined, copy the above and paste it into your own e-mail and send it to a whole bunch of people, including me. Have fun!! and BE HONEST. Enjoy!

Color Inspiration #35

2008-12-18T13:18:00.012-06:00

Wow. I can't believe I've missed five of Kristina Werner's color inspirations! The last one I did was #30. Time flies, especially when you have in-laws visiting.

Here's Kristina's challenge this week:

I knew before she even posted her color choices what kind of card I wanted to make, so that seemed to make the process go a little easier than it has for past challenges. Here's my card:

It's a birthday card for a very sweet, funny friend of mine. I'm hoping she doesn't read this before tomorrow. Otherwise, that might ruin the fun and surprise of opening the envelope!

The big excitement was that I figured out a feature that my little ol' HP pocket camera has on it. Only took two years to notice. And, just when I was convinced we needed a new one - a new one that would focus close up without having to use digital zoom! Well, turns out that my little silver buddy has micro and super micro photo options! So, I was able to take some close-up pics that actually worked and were in focus. I was too excited! Ron didn't know about the feature, either. So, then, I didn't feel like I was the total camera idiot. (Especially since I'm the one with the photography minor!)

The only thing with these pictures that I posted is that I don't have good color-correction software right now. So, the blue doesn't look like the Baja Breeze in the inspiration challenge, but it really is. Really.

Did I mention that I'm so loving the satin ribbon? So, so pretty. Don't you think? The ribbon is from the discontinued Theater ribbon set. Oh, and for those who are wondering, I used the stamp from SU's Touch of Nature and the rub-on from Chit Chat. I really should have bought at least two packs of Chit Chat when it was on sale!

Blokus Champ

2008-12-13T14:05:00.003-06:00

I was rockin' last night at Blokus! If you don't know about Blokus, it's a strategy game of trying to get all 17 of your pieces on the board. You're defending territory and marking territory all at the same time. Very cool. Very fun.

So, we got out the game and taught Ron's dad and his lady friend (they were visiting from North Carolina for 10 days). The first game and even a little into the second game, we helped them out and showed them how to play better with their pieces. The third game, though, each player was on his own.

I'm excited to report that I was the three-time champion last night. Not only that, but I won one round with ZERO points, meaning I placed ALL MY PIECES on the board (lowest point total wins)! That was unheard of in our family. Until now. I really impressed Ron, which isn't always easy. The other two games I won with eight points and three points. Pretty cool, huh?

A Gigantic Ladybug

2008-12-08T20:48:00.021-06:00

Is this an amazing looking cake? I made it! I couldn't believe it. Made me jump up and down and clap my hands with excitement (just like when I hung my new curtain panels recently in my living room - by myself!). Truly, though, this is the most fabulous looking cake I've ever made. Notice that I said 'most fabulous looking.'

I couldn't take the pictures without Annalee getting in on the act. Thankfully, she had a friend over on Saturday. Otherwise, I'm sure she would have been in my face trying to do the decorating herself.

So, just how did I come to make such a stunning cake, if I do say so myself? Charlotte and Wyatt, my twin niece and nephew, turned three last weekend. My sister, Gerri, had their birthday party on Saturday. Gerri was going to be stuck making two fancy cakes after showing both kids a cake magazine. Instead of them choosing one cake, they each picked a different one they wanted. So, being a good aunt (or good sister, I'm not sure which), I volunteered to make Charlotte's ladybug cake. I think at the time that Wyatt wanted a firetruck. And, that was way out of my league. Heck, I wasn't even sure the ladybug was close to my league as far as decorated cakes were concerned.

There's a first time for everything - and this was my first time doing anything more than smearing icing on two cake layers and maybe sprinkling them with coconut (coconut layer cake is my favorite (as long as it's gluten-free)). I googled ladybug cakes and found a picture that seemed manageable, though mine wouldn't look like it came out of a bakery like that one. Then Gerri supplied me with special red dye that didn't have flavor, black dye and a magazine that had the picture Charlotte saw and loved. I was feeling a little intimidated by then.

Given that I'm gluten-free AND I was going to be making one of the desserts, I figured I'd make one that I could enjoy. So, I headed over to Fruitful Yield and bought a Namaste yellow cake mix along with Cherrybrook (I think) white frosting. Why Namaste? Well, I've made their brownies before - and they were fabulous (I doctored them up a little, but they would have been fabulous without the doctoring). But, I can tell you, I wouldn't buy their cake mix again.

When we cut it open, it was dense...and brown. Ish. It was brownish, like a spice cake. So, Gerri asked me what I made, and I told her - a yellow cake (as Charlotte requested). But, this really was no yellow cake. Then, came the real test - the taste test. It failed. Miserably. Well, other eaters were not so critical. But, I was. I've eaten plenty of gluten-free cakes and desserts, and this one bombed. It bombed so bad in my mind, that the next day I told Gerri that she shouldn't feel bad about throwing out the leftovers - about half a cake. She laughed, almost nervously. I kind of think she already had thrown it out.

While Charlotte stuck with the ladybug idea (as if she had a choice after I volunteered to bake it), Wyatt decided he wanted a speedracer Mach 5 car, or something like that, instead of the firetruck. My amazing sister the baker came up with this car. Chocolate cake, chocolate filling. It was very well done - and loved by Wyatt. That's the most important thing, right?

Here are Annalee (far right), Wyatt and Charlotte (the birthday hats) and their friend (in the middle) checking out their cakes.

So, if anybody needs a ladybug cake, I'm your go-to gal. Maybe Annalee will want one for her sixth birthday. But, given her fixation with dinosaurs, I think I'll be decorating something on a bigger scale than ladybugs.

Luscious Yarns!

2008-12-04T20:42:00.011-06:00

As soon as I turn off the computer, I'm going back to my most luscious yarns and work on my scarf.

I still can't believe it took me until last week to start working on this - I bought the yarn in early October when I finished my wrap. (While I get lots of compliments on the wrap, I think it looked better in my head. Why does that happen?)

So, with the wrap done, I went to the store in search of two yarns, pretty much like these, to make a duplicate of a scarf I designed and knit several years ago. Then, once I got these home, I had second thoughts about what I wanted to make. It got me to thinking that it's easier to pick a pattern and buy yarns to match. This knitting off the cuff can be difficult - at least for me. It's as if I just don't want to commit to the project. What if I could have knit something different? What if what I knit doesn't show off the yarn to the best it could? What if this...what if that? Too much doubt.

So, I finally bit the bullet. I'm knitting with the two yarns together (even that was a tough decision - knit them together or knit a couple rows with one and then the other...). I designed the scarf with two seed stitches on each edge with 9 stitches in the middle. It will be a checkerboard - 3 rows by 3 stitches of stockinette, 3x3 of reverse stockinette and 3x3 of stockinette. Then the reverse for three rows. I started with a ruffle - cast on 52 stitches, knit 2 together for two rows dropping the stitch count to 13. I'm contemplating putting a slit into the other end so that the scarf can just tuck through itself. It'll be a short one, to just wrap around my neck.

I love the colors - bright pistacchio and all those colors in the ribbon yarn. Stay tuned - I'll post some pics when it's done. For now, my luscious yarns are calling me.