Merry Christmas!

*Which photo is YOUR Favorite?

Hi Verna!
Yes we have snow here. We have about 2 feet of snow on the ground and there was a really light snowfall most of the day. Its very pretty but very very COLD. When the sun shines, as it often does, it looks like you are walking on diamonds. The ground just glistens. It's quite spectacular...or maybe that's just me trying to find the good in the freezing walk to the mailbox ;)

*Well, my video is too long...so I will try to load a few photos until I can get around to shortening it.

Home at last

Well, we just got home about an hour ago so I'll give a quik update and then go finish unpacking.

On Tuesday we found out that Jaiden had phneumonia on Wednesday we loaded up and headed to Albany on Thursday we had Gramma Obie's funeral and then birthday cake and icecream for Jaiden's 2nd Birthday. We loaded up again this morning and came home.

Jaiden is doing much much better. The antibiotics went to work right away and although she still has a dry cough she is back to her usual perkiness and smiles again.

Thanks to everyone for keeping us in your thoughts!

Happy Holidays!!!

I'll try to catch up soon, sorry this is so vague but I really need to get some things done around the house :)
Kim

Chicken Soup

Sorry there haven't been any updates lately. We have been having a pretty busy month already. We went to visit family over the weekend and Saturday morning my hubbies grandma (his Mom's mom) passed away. It was good that we were there, his mom needs all the support she can get, she just lost her husband (Scotts dad) this spring. So in the midst of all the other chaos that our life has become this past month (I don't think I've been home but maybe one weekend in months) we will be attending a funeral on Thursday. That is also Jaiden's 2nd birthday so not sure how that will get squeezed in there. Right now it's looking like the two of us won't be making it back for the funeral. We came back home yesterday and Jaiden was coughing all the way home. By the time we made it (3.5 hour drive) she was burning up with fever and coughing so much she was throwing up. We have kept her fever at bay with Motrin, I've stayed with her all through the day and while the motrin was working, she was her happy go lucky smiling self but when the fever kicks in she is so sad looking that it almost rips my heart right out to see her like that. If she doesn't start feeling better by evening we will be making a trip to the ER. If anyone has been through these symptoms; fever and a cough please let me know what I can do to make her feel better. She is still drinking some milk but has not eaten or drank very much all day.

BACKSEAT DRIVER

I made it back at around midnight last night. Oh my is it COLD here!!! Of course there were some major delays, first out of Memphis and then in Minneapolis. I had to RUN the entire length of the airport in MSP to get to my flight home to Grand Forks. The plane from Memphis landed just 5 min before my flight home was due to take off...and I was in row 45! Needless to say it was a run at breakneck speed for many of us, which under normal circumstances may have been quite exciting but after a few hours in a pressurized cabin the last thing you need is to sprint into another pressurized cabin! I coughed like crazy for about an hour after that and thought for a minute that my first hour back would surely kill me. Going from a high humidity environment to a near zilch humidity was like taking a fish out of water...I just couldn't breathe!

We have a LOT of snow on the ground, several inches or maybe feet I dunno and I'm not going outside to measure it. My hubs is the snowblowing freak, he's out in that awful stuff for hours clearing the driveway. Me I will stay holed up in hibernation for the winter :) I am just "chillin"
at home today with Jaiden, we took the boys to school this morning and as I was cautiously sliding to a stop at a light, Jaiden pipes up from the backseat "GOOOO Momma Goooooo!" Guess we need to teach her that red light means Stop.

Overall my trip went very good. I just missed my plane out of Memphis on Sunday so I had to spend 4 hours there but other than that the flights went smoothly. It was the typical funeral, go to the viewing, see lots of family and friends you haven't seen in decades HUG, HUG, HUG lot and lots of HUGS. I think I'm all hugged out. I was feeling a bit suffocated after a while. My dad looked like my uncle (his younger brother) so that was a bit weird. He is home now and I have great comfort in that. I know he is at peace. It didn't really hit me that he would not be there anymore until I got on the plane to come home. That was a little hard but I've always known this day would come. My mom attended the funeral, which in an odd way made it so much easier to let him go. I guess knowing that I still have one parent left in the world and I'm not totally alone. I know there will be days ahead when I just want to see him and give him a hug again. I loved his smell. He always smelled like an apple tobacco pipe. When I stayed at his house, the smell of him was gone. I slept in the bed he slept in for over 20 something years and could not feel his presence there. That in itself was more of a comfort, knowing his spirit is with God and has gone home to rest. He's no longer "All stove up and can't hardly walk" That was one of his most used phrases. He is walking and talking with God and I'm sure he can now hear every prayer that I whisper. I will no longer have to scream out loud for him to hear me. He will always be here with me in my heart and those memories are like hugs that I can pull out anytime I need him.

Go Rest High

My father passed on last night around 9:30. I am going to fly out tommorrow morning early, his funeral will be held on Monday. Thank You everyone for your prayers. They mean a lot to me, as does knowing that you care enough about me to keep up with me during these times.

Our Road Trip South

Baby its COLD outside!

Today was fairly warm and sunny. The temp were above 0 and the wind wasn't kickin too bad. We just bundled up as much as possible in as many layers as possible and faced the day.

Our humidifier went out at work and by midday all my paper was sticking together with static electricity. My fax machine would kick out about 5 sheets at a time and when I peeled them apart they went "snap crackle pop" ok maybe not that sound but the sound you make when you peel socks or something off your clothes fresh out of the dryer when you forgot to add softener.

Tonight was a grilled cheese and tomato soup kinda night. I made a pot of pork chops and rice in the slow cooker but it turned to mush which I had and will take for lunch for the next few weeks. I can't seem to figure out how to make my crock pot cook slower...it was on low. I guess I will have to get a timer for it.

Hubs is working late tonight so its just me and the kiddos hanging out so now I can get around to catching up with my blogs. Jaiden's vocabulary has really exploded in the past week. She can now repeat almost everything she hears and can put together short sentences. Just last night as we were about to sit down for dinner she said "Come sit down!" She seems to be twice as sassy since we've been home from our trip too. She seems to be enjoying this new developement and trying it out as much as possible.

First Snow!!!

Its snowing...rather its coming a blizzard out. But we are only getting about 3 inches so the weatherman says. Right now everything is white and its beginning to look a lot like Christmas :)

Our road trip went well. All 1600 miles each way. I saw my Dad and he's doing better now that he's in the nursing home so he will be ok for a while. He was very excited to see me and Jaiden walk through that door. Its sad to see him like that and walk away knowing that there is not much that I can do. I just hope he knows how much I love him.

I'll post more later, I'm still trying to catch up. Today was a busy day getting errands run around town and rounding up all the Christmas decorations from the attic. I made some nice warm scarves today too out of some scrap fleece, it was a very easy project. I am thinking of making more as gifts. Mittens and gloves would be easy too and could be paired to match the scarves. They will come in handy for those bitter cold winter days.

Pray with me

My daddy is not doing so good. As I write this, he may possibly taking his last breath. I am going to try to go see him this week but I don't know how it will go... I am putting off that moment, hoping it will never come and yet knowing it will whether I go to him or not. He is not a church going man but he is a good man and he's been a great daddy to me. Please lift him up in your prayers and pray that I'll have the courage to face him for that final farewell.

*Jaiden Riley and her Pappaw David Riley last March when they met for the first time

11/21/07 **Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers throughout this past few weeks. I went to see my Daddy on Monday, he's skin and bones but his face lit up the second we walked into the room. He is in a nursing home and they seem to be taking good care of him. There was not a lot that I could do for him but just be there. Jaiden went with me and she was very excited to see her Pappaw again. I have some precious photos of them together and will post them when I get back home. As I was leaving his room during our second visit there, my dad said "Pray for me" I said "every second of every day Daddy"

Belated Halloween Pics

We spent Halloween indoors again this year. Last year we were in Germany and I just didn't feel like getting the kids out in the cold, this year was cold but not so bad. We did get out...and spent 2 hours in line at the Alerus center for a 15 min stroll through the maze of tables to get a handful of candy. There was about 1300+ kids in line ahead of us and at least that many in line behind us. Quite a colorful parade of costumes. Lots of superheros and princesses, some really unique and some just plain out adorables. We saw a real live Dora (that was my favorite) pirates and bears and zebras oh my! It was fun, we got there at 5:30, expecting to just zip in and out (I was thinking it would be a craft for kids thing) but instead we stood in line until 7:30 (way past dinner, we were starving!) we made it through the maze of people and out by 7:45, grabbed burgers at Culver's picked up Cody from work and headed home. Cody's friends were sitting out front of our house when we arrived home so he grabbed the bucket of candy and treated them. We had a couple other little goblins after that but we were pretty much done for by 8:15. The kids were happy (at least Jared was, Jaiden was a bit overwhelved by the whole thing) She did not want to wear the hat on her witches costume so she looked more like a princess (as she sometimes is...but sometimes she's the other)

Enjoy the pics, I'll be out of town for most of the month so not sure how much blogging I'll do. Have a great week!

How bout them Red Sox!

Waiting for someone to love them

http://www.mnadopt.org/WaitingChildren.asp

Check out this link. This is the children in Minnesota that are currently available for adoption. When I breezed through it yesterday, Nathan is the one that caught my eye and pulled at my heartstrings, well they all did of course and I wish I could bring them all home with me but little Nathan...I don't know, he looks a bit like Jared. There is only a side glimpse of him in the photo, he seems to be a very busy little guy, much like Jared. I think they could be great pals.

Every time I look at these links my heart just breaks for each and every child that needs a home. The domestic adoption process is not easy, we've been down this road before twice already and didn't get anywhere. I'm finding that adoption here is not going to be a walk in the park either, there is very little information available and there doesn't seem to be many resources to find out anything towards getting started. I've already had the greater Grand Forks door slammed in my face yesterday when the lady said that because we live on the Minnesota side, the North Dakota office cannot help us. The only offices I've found so far in MN is located in Minneaopolis. I'm currently trying to find an agency that will help with getting a homestudy update. Also, not sure how we would finance another adoption right now.

Daycare is currently taking up a huge percentage of our income....thus the reason for not pursuing another baby at this time. I love babies, and if God blesses us with another then I know we will do fine but right now at the precarious place we are at with pre-retirement looming on the nearby horizon, we just can't afford to do the diapers and childcare routine x 2.

I'm really feeling the pull to act now. Its stronger than ever before and I pray that we can work through the hurdles before us to bring our children home.


(Match 64 of 152)
Name:Nathan (3094)
Age:5
Has Siblings:No

Nathan is very cute and likes to stay busy. Typically his a happy little guy. Nathan has severe special needs globally with his development and communication and will require intensive therapy to help him. Nathan enjoys many activities typical of children his age. He likes to ride his bike, play with trains, watch Bob the Builder, and listen to music. Nathan is improving in his social skills but struggles to communicate with spoken language. We are looking for a family that is structured and patient. Nathan really thrives on structure and routine. A family must be willing to make a long-term commitment to supporting Nathan because it is likely he will have long-term struggles.

*Does anyone know what severe special needs globally could mean?

Thinking it over...

I've been thinking it over...maybe it's time to start the paperchase for a brother or sister. Hubs and I have discussed this endlessly, he has known my heart is set on adopting as many children as we possibly can in this lifetime, he is the ever practical one and wants to make sure we are financially sound whatever that means....I can't see putting money before my babies. I still feel in my heart that I have more children, I just haven't met them yet. I know I could easily be a Mommy to a dozen...or more. Convincing the rest of my family of this is the hard part. I've really felt the urge to do something towards making this dream a reality lately. I'd thought that when we got our referral for Jaiden that I would want to get the paperwork going almost right away but as soon as I saw her beautiful face I felt content to wait for the moment. It's been over a year now that she's been home with us, and still I haven't been truly "moved" to do anything yet. Something just seemed to be telling me "it's not time yet"

I know that I do not really want another baby. Jaiden was actually much younger than we had expected and going through the baby stages has been priceless and I wouldn't give them up for the world, but then again if I had to choose I think I could just as easily love an older child. I know there are many, many children without a family and this just tears me apart. I know I could be the Mommy they dream of, no I am not perfect by a long shot, but my heart is full of love to give to them. I love to watch Jaiden and Jared playing together (more often than not arguing over a toy) on occasion they get along beautifully, like yesterday. We were all home sick. It was a RUFF night I tell ya! J bear has a sore throat, possible tonsil inflamation, and Jaiden has a nasty cough that keeps us all up at night. I woke with a stomach bug that had me dizzy, nauseaus, with a heachache so taking care of my sick babies and getting Teen to school was quite the challenge. All I wanted to do was sleep. So we got home and I crashed on the couch while the kiddos played hot wheel together. They actually played nicely together for hours on end yesterday and let me rest. That does a mommy's heart good in more ways than one. Sometimes Jared gets so lonely and he has not met any friends here yet so I wonder if adopting a younger brother for him would help him. He sits inside and is quickly becoming a couch potato...something I thought would never happen because he is such an active boy. He watches tv way too much in my opinion but I can't send him out alone to play or ride his bike. The street is way too busy and he doesn't like to go to the park alone. It will soon be winter here and he won't be able to get out much. I love to spend time with him and we play games and put puzzles together, but I know he feels all alone. He needs to do "boy things"

anyway, that is my random thoughts for the day...I gotta get to work now. Hope your day is GREAT! :)

*Update, got a call from Lutheran Services, the N.D. adoption agency and the only agency within an hour radious of here and they said that I need to contact someone in Minnesota because N.D cannot help me do to state requirements...I yi yi! I'm starting to think that it was soooo much easier to do this from a foreign country. What's up with American Adoption Programs? There's no wonder why there are so many orphans. There are no agencies that care. Yes I could easily find an international adoption agency and go that route again but I REALLY would like to follow my original heartstring that led me towards a domestic adoption...but the doors are closing before me and I'm not sure what to do

GRRRR, this really gets my maternal lioness in a tiff

Ideas for a party?

Ok, it's getting closer and closer to time to prepare for Jaiden's second birthday. It's in December and it falls on a Thursday so I am not sure what to do. I've been thinking My Little Pony tea party but not sure if that would be a little too mature for her just yet.

She is just starting to like dollies. The sweetest moments come when a Mommy watches her daughter hold her "baby" for the first time and the ever so adorable way she cradles her baby in her arms and tucks her gently in with her favorite blankie. Thats when I start to think maybe, just maybe I haven't totally messed up in this job of parenting as it sometimes seems.

What are some good toys out on the market? We haven't purchased many toys since birthday and Christmas came in the same week...and we had two years to stockpile before that. Now its time to upgrade from the baby toys. We would love to get her a Power Wheels car but since it will be too cold to get outside, that isn't exactly practical. So we are looking for ideas for inside play that doesn't take up tooo much room....and something she would actually maybe play with. Any favorite recommendations?

*Update 10/24/07 I ordered Jaiden an "Emo" from Amazon. Not the talking kind, just a cuddly one since she is getting more into dollies now. She loves Jared's piggy that we got at Kohl's and I wish I'd gone back and gotten her one as she is becoming quite attached to it and so is Jared...so he doesn't like to share it very often. Thanks Dusty, I think Elmo is a great birthday idea. Can I steal from you? I think this is something Jaiden would love. Everytime she is on my lap when we "shop" Amazon and come across an Elmo, she starts clapping and bouncing with joy. There are some cute Elmo birthday items on birthdayinabox dot com.

How do you teach a toddler to share?

Jaiden is in her "Mine" phase big time now. She does NOT like sharing with her brother Jared. Anyone else in the family is ok and he shares his toys with her just fine but when he even so much as looks at her toys then she has a squeal fit. Jared is learning to read and we have been having many "read out loud" sessions together. Jaidens idea of "reading" is flipping quickly through the book and then closing it tightly...this makes reading out loud a bit challenging when you have a wiggly toddler on one side and a reader that is getting frustrated with having the pages flipped for him. This makes for a very interesting story hour. How do families with multiples teach their kids to share? I never experienced this with the boys because they were 10 years apart. They've never really been playmates and I've always wished they'd been able to find common things to share together. As a parent I know it is my responsibility to teach them how to socialize but I don't feel I am doing a very good job. When I get home from work we don't do much. Dinner and quiet time to unwind is the standard norm. We don't get out often and there's not a lot of interaction going on amost our neighbors...sure we wave, say hello and maybe even chat on occasion but it really never gets any further than that. I really miss the come on in, have a seat and lets chat kinda times. Today's society is a go go at the break neck speed of life and yet it seems we really aren't getting anywhere. When did we forget to stop and play? How can we teach our children to be children? Maybe its not for us to teach but to take the time to be still and learn.

Cute phrase of the day "Where's Elmo" She points to her elbow "MoMo" When she see's Elmo she gets really excited, squeals and claps and says "Emo!"

A day of pinkness

Today Jaiden and I are hangin out at home because sweetie has pink eye. Her eye was a tiny bit green gunky when she woke yesterday morning but not too bad. I wiped it off with a warm cloth and watched her closely for the next hour...no green returned and the eye was not red so I sent her off to daycare. Around mid-morning I had a call from daycare saying that she indeed had pinkeye. This has happened before and turned out to be she put her finger in her eye so I was a bit skeptical of their prognosis. Both hubs and I were over our heads with work at work but he canceled his shooting and took her to the doctor whom gave her some drops for her eyes.

So we are spending the day together and Jaiden is such a little character! She is gabbing up a storm now. Still not sure what she is saying but she sure does have a lot to say! She loves books...she just brought me "Farley Mowat The boat who wouldn't float" but she tires of it after about the first sentence. Her favorite story today is "Inside, Outside, Upside Down"by Stan and Jan Berenstain...and her favorite word is "NO" for everything...even the things she really wants......like to sing and dance,which she is happily doing on my lap right now.

I've missplaced my camera battery charger so I am temporarily without photo material. So I leave you with Jaiden's latest words and antics...Up, No (Giggle) No," Clap, Clap Shake, Shake, Dance in circle, adjust sleeves, clap some more. "I wallly up" and HUh? (her newest most favorite word) Its really cute, I wish I had my camera!

Such a sweetie!

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Share Photos - Free Video Hosting

Jaiden is such a crack up! This photo was taken on the night before Gotcha Day. We had just pulled out the "Gotcha Day clothing" and she was having a blast with it...mostly tossing all the layers on the floor and pouncing on them. But she loves the Minnie Mouse pjs. They are a perfect fit now so she will be wearing them often. We will put the extra layers away in her keepsake box for sharing memories down the road.

The Red Thread to Jaiden

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Share Photos - Free Video Hosting This is "the simple art" that took me ages to finish. I dedicated it to Jaiden around the time of her one year anniversary and it now hangs on the wall in her room. I don't think it turned out all that great but there was a lot of love put into it so it's the thought that counts in this one. Maybe I'll get better and do a really nice piece someday. I'd love to take an art class...but I don't know where I'd find the time. For now it will be ala naturale, no frills just me :)

Our beautiful girls

Hi all! I know its been a while and I really do miss you all and appreciate the sweet comments. Its been crazy busy around here and I haven't had much time to write or keep up with blogging. I hope you all are doing well. I hope I'll be back again soon but till then I still love hearing from you so keep the comments coming!

Days go by...

Haven't had much time to blog lately. I'm trying a video instead. Grab a cup of your favorite beverage and enjoy! :) Have a great weekend!!!

One Year Ago...

Daddy brought home cake!

Has it really been a year? It has gone unbelievably fast. The days spent with Jaiden are the best days ever. She is such a doll and fills our lives with her abundant personality. She has many moods and layers and we are just beginning to learn them all. She is a dynamo toddler with a big attitude and a comical disposition. Drama is her forte baby...watch out world here she comes!!!

What we did tonight:

To celebrate Jaiden's one year anniversary of being our baby girl, we went out to eat at our favorite Chinese restaurant then came home for cake. Simple and quiet but we will never forget the magnitude and wonder that this day holds for our family. We are so blessed to have Jaiden in our lives and thank God every day for the gifts He has given us in our children.

(Gotcha Clothes) *Jaiden was so excited to see the Minnie Mouse outfit again but the shoes she looked at and tossed on the floor...guess they weren't right for the outfit in her opinion.

*This cake is Yummy!

*Hamming for the camera (does this outfit look familiar? It now fits!)

Thursday Thoughts

Hi Ya!
How's everyone doing? I've been a bit distracted by things so I apoligise for not visiting your blogs or updating ours. The boys started school this week and so far it's going ok. Not great, and after only 2 days that is not such a good sign but hopefully things get better.

I'm still pursuing a heathier lifestyle...not going to call it the big D word because on day 2 I went into a major fit of tiredness and grumps like you wouldn't believe...and I've been eating every 5 minutes. So far I am not seeing much change but the last day or so I've noticed the painful bloatedness slowly going away. So I'm feeling not so much like a beached whale (huge relief!)

Hubs has been super busy. He installed the window, took time out on Sat to go cross town biking with me (what a sweetie) and then we started on painting. First we did our bathroom. It is a sage ish green. Not sure if it's "the one" if you know what I mean. It dried a seafoam or pistachio green. We were aiming for more of a neutral warm tone green...if there is such a thing. Then after that we started painting the kitchen. Chocolate. Yummy! It looked so much like hershey's syrup in the paint can that I almost licked it. Then when it got on the walls I almost licked them. Aaaah! I am surrounded by chocolate when I am in my kitchen. Makes me hungry :) Gotta work that self control muscle. Next we are going to paint the living room/dining area and hallway a light beige (khaki) which I like to call coffee w/cream because when it's done I will be surrounded by my favorite flavors, Chocolate and coffee!

On Saturday (during our bike ride) my mom called and gave me some very devestating news. My cousin Faye, whom was also my best friend growing up, her little boy Dakota aged 12, died from a gunshot wound to the stomach Friday night. We are still in shock I think. I know Faye is beyond devestation, she is not talking to anyone right now and I can't say as I blame her but I feel so far away and wish there were some way to show her I care and wish there were some way I could ease her pain. I just met Dakota for a short moment in March. He was just the sweetest little boy and we shared a good laugh together. He thought it was pretty funny that I lived in North Dakota. I know things happen for a reason and life goes on but we will miss him every day. Life is so fragile.

I have been reading a lot on health issues this week. When I take interest in a subject I tend to research it to death and this weeks topic has been water. After noticing the cellulite forming on my upper abs (normally pretty flat) I did some research and learned that the cellulite deposits are caused by toxins and the only way to get rid of them is to drink lots of water...which led me to researching water and toxins and I found out about PH balances. This is a very interesting subject and I've learned a tremendous amount about things I didn't know and may never have known. diet books and doctors don't usually mention the one thing that cures many problems....PH balance. I'd never heard of it, have you? I did some research on it and there are a lot of good articles available if you are interested. One quick on to start with is this one http://www.relfe.com/health_natural/pH_human_body_balance_health_level_1.html It's a good read if you are interested in possibly creating a healthier eating plan for your family. Let me know what you think, I'm always interested in your thoughts and ideas.

Friday Thoughts

Jaiden is growing up. FAST. All of her 18 mo clothes are getting too short. Her tops are belly tops and her pants are capris. We took her to Target last night for some new outfits. I usually shop the base thrift store and find a lot of really cute and gently used brand name clothing but I just haven't had time and base is a 30 min drive from us so we don't get out there very often.

There wasn't a great selection but we found some cute pants and jeans and a few tops. Hopefully I will be able to get out and do some more shopping this weekend. The temps are really starting to drop rapidly and it will be winter here before we know it. Fall is cerainly here but I'm not sure how long it will last. Already seeing neighbors with pumkins out on their doorsteps which is really weird for me because growing up we never did pumpkins until the latter part of October. I planted mums a couple of weeks ago and that was weird too because that to me is a fall flower and it symbolizes that fall has officially arrived.

I still haven't had a chance to get that video of our vacation finished. I've just been too exhausted every evening after work and crash early. Plus I started a new diet (visit my blog to follow along) and I'm really grumpy so I don't think it would be my best effort. I will work on it this weekend, along with helping hubs to install a window in the bear's room. Window 2 of 4 that need to be done BEFORE winter sets in. When we bought our house in March the existing windows had about 4 inches of ice on the INSIDE of the windowsill. Not good. Our house is fairly new (built in 04') but the previous owner was a total goober and our house reflects it where it counts. (Remember the unfinished driveway?) In addition to the windows there are numerous other (costly) projects we will have to tackle in the next year. Hubs is a bit stubborn when it comes to hiring good help so he tackles most of the projects himself (me I'd rather hire someone) this is all well and good until you try to take on projects that need more hands...that's when we get recruited. So we will be out doing windows tommorrow. Wish us luck :)

* Update
Hubs installed the window today with our teens help so I am free to go shopping in the am! Yay! We went on a "date" tonight to China Garden and then took a swing by Lowes and then Menards...I scored some new houseplants :) My reward to self for enduring a week without sweets.

I'm speechless

Daleea has nominated me for my first ever award and I am humbled that it is the Nice Matters Award. I am touched. She is very deserving of this award. She is nice, uplifting, inspirational to others, encouraging and just such a beautiful person inside and out. I would like to give her an oak leaf cluster for this award. (In military terms that means you've recieved the same award more than once) Thank you so much for thinking of me! I would like to share the love with these 7 individuals that have touched my life in very positively uplifting ways.





"This award is for those bloggers who are nice people; good blog friends and those who inspire good feelings and inspiration. Also for those who are a positive influence on our blogging world. Once you've been awarded please pass it on to 7 others who you feel are deserving of this award."





I nominate...





Dusty @ OurFamilyVoyage





Krissie @ 5 Far From Home





Connie @ Somewhere in China





The Princess Diaries ... doesen't disclose her name on blog





Heather @ Journey with Julia





Emmie @ Sister 2 Two

These are some wonderful women that truly deserve this award because they are nice people far beyond the realms of blog world.

Road Trip

We are going on a little family vacation so we will not be here for a while. In the meantime I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend...I realize it is only Wednesday but I am a bit bored at work today and I am thinking of starting my vacation early and taking off today instead of waiting till Friday...I need to find swimgear for the kiddos, pack, do laundry etc. etc. etc.

We will be staying at the Waterpark of America Lodge. Doesn't that sound fun? I will post a full review upon our return. Our neice Ashley will be singing in the State Fair on Saturday and in addition to that we hope to do some mega shopping at the Mall of America and get a day to go to the Minneapolis Zoo. (I am a zoo freak!) There is also an IKEA across the street from our hotel :) They have .99 breakfast so I think I know where our days will begin!

It will be Jaiden's first time for a lot of this so it will be fun to see her reactions. Stay tuned! And wish us luck!

Bringin home a baby bumble bee

Jaiden is learning to sing songs in daycare. She's been clapping her little hands together and I couldn't figure out what she was singing so I asked Miss Liz and she said that they've been learning "Bringing home a baby bumble bee" so I started to sing it and the grin on her face went from ear to ear!!! Now on the way home I can bring home a baby bumble bee :) Jaiden starts clapping her hands together and singing "baby bumbee"

Prayers Needed

Please say a preyer for my daddy, he's in the hospital with fluid around his heart (congestive heart failure) and according to my brother he's not doing well. He's in his 80s and has been in and out of the hospital a lot this year. I haven't seen him since March and that was only for a couple of days. I am going to try to go down there and see him (he lives in Louisiana) I hope I am not too late but I have been expecting this for a while. We haven't been close since my mom and dad divorced when I was 8 but he will always be my daddy and I hate to have to say goodbye. (He's the inspriration behind the Riley in Jaiden's name, my dad and mom's middle names)

Sunday Update
spoke with my stepmom yesterday and my dad. He was a bit incoherant but otherwise his normal self. I don't think I am going to go down to visit at this time. I am not sure what good I could do to be there. My stepmom said that he could live with this for many years or he could have a spell and not survive it. I just hate to think of him in any sort of pain and know that the Lord is going to take care of him. Thank You for your prayers.

Happy Friday!

Jaiden woke happy this morning. I think those back molars are finally giving her some relief. She is going through this new phase though of wanting to be carried instead of walking. Guess we cuddled her a bit much over the past two weeks and now seeing the reprecussions.

It's Friday!!! Today is another gorgeous day, a bit on the cold side (yes cold) it was 50 this morning when I woke and I had to turn on the HEAT...in Aug! That is rediculous. Then I read about the heat wave so I feel a bit confused as to where I am. Maybe I am on another planet and just don't know it.

Not sure what we are doing this weekend. Hubs wants to work on installing a window but I think I pressured him out of that by saying we never have any fun...waaa waaaa waaaa We did the park last night (Jaiden loves the slide and the swing) so not sure what other fun things are on our agenda. There is not much else to do in this town.

Watch your back

or backside as the case may be....

Tonight we went out to dinner at Subway (it's always a nice treat when a family of 5 can get a free meal...there was a mistake with the credit card machine so the manager gave us a freebie) We stopped off at the park for a while to let the kiddos play...then we came home and I transplanted some weedy looking plants into another bed. Jaiden "helped" me with this endeavor by putting handfuls of dirt all over the place.

Fast forward a few hours and after I put her to bed I make a pit stop and... what the L??? when I get up to flush I notice potting soil all over the floor and in the toilet. It seems I've been "soiled" by my sweetie. Sometime during that time when she was "helping" me it seems that she got a fistful of dirt down my pants when I was stooped over digging. Aaaaah, quite the little trickster she is turning out to be. That's a good one girlie...it's on baby :) I have a prankster after my own heart it seems.

Mamma has the summertime blues

Thanks everyone for your visit and comments! I love hearing from you, it's a real treat to check my mail and see that I have comments posted on my site :)

Yes, I've been in a bit of a funk...I think it started in Sept 04 and I haven't quite been able to shake it off. That is when we moved to Germany, the weather was a big change for me (I love hot weather) and for the first time my family and I was living far from extended family. It wasn't the first time being away from home but back then I was single and stayed very busy with friends and travels. Being in Europe with my family was a lot of fun but not having friends or family to share those moments with makes things a bit lonely. We started our adoption process in Nov 04 and even then I felt very alone, especially since there were not many adoptive families on our base. I did a lot of mass emails to family and friends and had about 5 different websites going with photos, which everyone seemed to love, but no one ever replied to me. It was hard to keep up a one way conversation and I felt like I was being shut out. I joined our agency chat group and that is how I met fellow adoptive families. That led me to our DTC chat group, which led me to find Do They Have Salsa in China and that is how my blogging began. I think without my little world of bloggy communication I would lose my mind. I love reading about everyones daily ups and downs and stories that touch the heart or make me laugh. My blog friends have become a family to me and some days I think you are the only ones that care. I don't hear from family that often and that is really sad. I miss all the fun things we did together. Maybe it is because I chose the life I have and moved away but I still need the companionship of friends. I know I should try harder to make friends here but I know I don't want to live here any longer than I must and that is preventing me from reaching out to others and establishing a relationship with those that try to get to know me better. I know in less than 2 years we will move again and then it will be time to re-establish new friendships all over again. I can usually make friends quickly wherever I go but I have always been a one best friend kinda girl. I am pretty adament about who that one friend is going to be and one established, they are my friend for life. I guess I should try being a better friend to everyone I meet instead of trying to find that perfect someone because until I am settled somewhere, we will not be close enough to establish a true friendship that lasts. I don't know why but I've always wished that I'd had a sister. Someone to share secrets with, someone to be there for, to laugh with, cry with, or just to pester and annoy. I think when you have a sister, you'd never be lonely...you may want to be sometimes but you never are. You can be yourself and they love you, even when they don't like you very much. That is why I am so torn right now. Should I, in the current situation that we are in, push for another adoption? Shouldn't Jaiden have the experience of a sister? I don't want to deny her of this and I really want to bring more children into our home. What is it that holds me back? Fear? I think it's fear, not sure of what but something. I've never been afraid of anything except dying without making a difference and as the years have ticked on I reflect and wonder what I've accomplished. Where's the brood that I dreamed of? When did I lose that focus? Where am I going? When did having a nice home and finacial security become that much more important than my dreams? Why can't we have it all? What is the price of happiness? I don't know the answers but my heart tells me that I am not compete yet. I sit here in a nice job and look out the window at a perfect summer day and wonder "why in double hockey sticks am I not out there enjoying this day with my children?" I don't think there is any place I'd rather be.

This was supposed to have been simple....

Ok, I am going to post my original inspiration, which at the time that I spotted it in Target seemed simple enough...but with some modifications here and some inspiration there, has turned into quite an endeavor.

Cute right? Simple too. Not only that, a kid could draw these out in about 5 minutes...and have them colored in 10. Well, it's taken me days.

I kinda fell in love with some of the other art around these prints so I kinda incorporated it into the painting too. The three trio flowers are inspiration #2...and that's where things started getting interesting




P.S. NOooooo I can't give you a sneek peak - I already have a hard enough time letting my family see it. It feels like its being jinkzed and I am going to over analysz it again and then it's never going to get done...I just wanted to paint a simple flower! I know nothing about art (the good kind) you know that kind where the artist actually has something called talent. I just splatter globs of paint around and it helps me to relax. This week it hasn't helped much. I have PMS in addition to Jaiden's teething issues. Too much fun in one house I tell ya! Have you ever had one of those days when you get dropped "the bomb" out of nowhere and you're totally unprepared? That was my day today. Great. Fun. Total Exhuberation. I felt like a duck walking around today if you know what I mean. I didn't do much walking around that's for sure.

Thank you very very much for visiting me. I was feeling very much alone and in the dumps the past few days and I've missed you. I will be back soon and can't wait to catch up. Thanks for being supportive :) It means so much!

uh oh Mommy is trying to be creative...

Blogging is on hold for a while while I follow my new inspiration of painting. I found some cute...and really simple prints at Target, thought they were a bit too pricey and ventured out to recreate them myself on a blank canvas....days later I am not finished. Just actually started the painting process yesterday and with some modifications to the original art, it is going pretty well. I should be done in another week or so.

I'm just trying to make some simple flowers that's all. You'd think that would take all of 5 minutes. Not days and days to conjure up an idea and acrylic it onto a canvas. I love to paint but today I haven't felt very inspired so I am taking a really quick bloggy break.

Jaiden is teething again. She was up 4, 5??? lost count of the number of times she/we woke up last night but today we are tired and cranky. I wish those teeth would give the girl a break. I don't remember going through this much pain with the boys. They just drooled a lot. Jaiden is in total misery and we've tried anbesol and teething tablets, ice and rubbing the gums. Any other soothing ideas would be most appreciated.

Hope everyone has a great week!

Wordless Wednesday

Lady Katherine has arrived!

Dusty, Chet and Mary Joyce (of group 117b) just delivered their baby girl this morning!!! Praise God! Everyone is doing great and Katherine is simply a doll. (Follow their blog link to see photos) Congratulations Thomas family!!!!

Love those eyes

Jaiden would not smile or hold still for the photo above...she was too busy eating peanut butter! I just love those big brown eyes, don't you?

Sentimental Friday

It's been a few days since I felt like posting and even now, I am very meloncholy about it. The bridge disaster on I35 hit a little too close to home for comfort and last night I had a nightmare about it, but it was me and my babies that were plunged into the muddy Mississippi and I couldn't get Jaiden out of her 5 point harness, the loops and latches just kept slipping from my fingers in the swift moving murky muddy water. I could see the eyes of my children looking at me for reassurance and I couldn't get them free. That is such a horrible feeling to wake up to.

It has made me aware of two very distinct things. 1) I will pay very close attention at the first aid class tommorrow. (I have attended dozens of classes and yet I couldn't begin to tell you how many chest compressions or breaths to give. If my babies life could someday depend on me saving it, then I must be better prepared and pay closer attention. 2) Get swimming lessons for the younger ones so that they have confidence in the water. In my dream Jared was hanging on piggy back and strangling me in the process because he could not swim. (He's done this numerous times at the pool so this could be from a reality experience)

Anyway, just been in a mellow mood and didn't have much upbeat to write about lately. Yesterday was a most beautiful day and around 2:15 I'd decided I couldn't stand being cooped up anymore and was about to fill out a leave slip when my phone rang and it was the daycare. "Jaiden just woke up from her nap and we think she has pink eye so you have to come pick her up" Ok I was on my way home anyway so I pick her up and take her home (yes, the eye was red, swollen and looked pretty yucky so I called hubs and got her a referral to go to the ER) by the time we got home the eye was looking normal again. I think she must have just poked herself in the eye. Anyway it was a gorgeous afternoon and we spent it outside, Jaiden playing happily in the sandbox and me digging rocks and putting them along side of my garden. I am trying to create compost in a couple of garbage bins, anyone ever tried this? I don't know if it's going to work but I thought I'd give it a try since the pile I had going was just getting ravaged by our doggie. My garden is starting to have tomatoes and squash and it won't be long until they are ready to pick. My tomatoes are a bit heavy and floppy, I've learned my lesson; sticks just will NOT work. They must be caged. I will do better next time. This is my second year with raising tomatoes (on sticks) you'd think I'd have learned my lesson by now. But they start out so small and frail and those cages look so large and frightful!!! I know, I know I must get over it and see the big picture of those big tall tomato bushes loaded down with one pound tomatoes!

Wednesday

Yay! I slept all night :) When I went to bed it was still full daylight out (8:30pm) and woke at 5am to a full fledged thunderstorm raging outside. Finally caught up on that REM sleep and yes, I got the children off to daycare today with no issues. It helped that Jared was actually in the car because he talks non stop so there is no forgetting that there are kids in the car when he's riding with me. Yesterday he'd decided he wanted to stay home with big brother so I guess the silence kinda threw me off.

Please say a prayer for my friend Charlie. She is going through some rough times right now and is separating from her husband. He wants something different and can't quite understand that he already has the very best. She is such an awesome person that the why of this just doesn't make any sense but I know that God will give her strength and peace to endure the tough times ahead. It just tears my heart out to think of her in pain. She has two beautiful children and they are going to need a lot of prayers to get them through this.

A year ago today...

Our referral arrived!!! We didn't see Jaiden's face until Aug 1st but our daughter's information was delivered today. Where did the year go? When your on the flip side it goes so slow....

Totally Tuesday

You know it's going to be one of those days when you get halfway to work and realize that you forgot to drop your kid off at daycare!!! That is how my morning started out...I was just cruising along when I hear a noise from the back and realized that Miss Jaiden was still with me! Oh my goodness!!! If she hadn't spoken up I'd have just taken her right to work with me. What was I thinking!? So I had to loop back around and start back over again. Her daycare is only 5 min from our house so I'm not sure what was on my mind when I passed the turn???

We had a pretty good nights rest last night so it can't be lack of sleep. After I went in and soothed her a bit she fell right to sleep and slept until around 12:30. I went in and soothed her back to sleep again and this time the dog was crying so I had to take her out to go potty. The full moon sure was nice last night at 1 am :) So maybe I am a bit out of it today. Gotta work on getting that REM back.

ooooh boy it's Monday

It was mega hard to get outta bed this morning and I'm only on my second cup of coffee but my eyes are still half shut and my mind is still foggy....I'm draggin today. Last night was night one of Jaiden's giving up the bottle. She usually wakes in the night and has a bottle...last night (at 2 am she woke hungry so we spent some quiet bonding time over scrambled eggs) she fell right back to sleep till then and slept till 6am which was nice but me, I can't seem to wake up this morning. I need my mid night REM. To start our week out on a very positive note, my pal Dusty made this adorable colage of the 117b girls (aren't they sweet!) Hope everyone has a great week!!!!

Target has a great sale going on!

Jared and I went out shopping this morning and had a great time. It's been a long time since I took him out all alone and I think he really enjoyed the extra attention....although he kept be magnetically pulled towards the toy aisle somehow. His leapster finally went kaput so we picked up a Leapster TV...his first video gamester for tv. He's never quite gotten the hang of Xboxes or Playstations but the large buttons and easy to manage hand controller is just right for him. He's always loved his leapster, he's had it since he was two so it is time for it be be retired. It is going to the home of wayward and much loved toys.

School supplies are on sale today at rock bottom prices so if you have kiddos starting school or just love art you should really stock up. 24 ct Crayons were only .20 per box! I love a great sale so the boys now have enough school supplies to last them through the remainder of their education I think...but probably not. Call me weird but I like the smell of a new box of crayons, you know before they get all greasy and broken up into bits. It's so exciting to put new school supplies into a brand new back pack in preparation of that first day of school! Jared scored some new shirts and shoes too, we bought pants last weekend (no tax in Minnesota!) I wish there were more shopping available on the MN side, we have to do most of our shopping in North Dakota although we live on the Minnesota side. (Grand Forks is right in the middle of these two states)

Wave of Love

Here is the girlfriend chain. It shows a line of little girls holding hands facing the immensity of ocean waves. Alone they might be washed away, but together they stand strong. Thank you each for holding my hand somewhere along the way when I was facing a wave of my own. I hope you will reach for my hand when your own wave threatens.

W e've shared... Our hearts Our time Our secrets Our fears Our hopes And our dreams. Let us never break the chain of friends!

*As I read the blogs of the bloggie friends that met over the past weekend I felt a sense that somehow this has brought us all together in a tightly woven net. Women from all over, that were once just online buddies got together and became forever friends. That is such a beautiful thing! I am fairly new to the blog world but it has been such a wonderful experience for me to get to know each person just a little bit better with each post I've read. I've laughed, cried and shared memories with each and every one of you at some point and each time you visit my blog it's like you are here in my home having a nice cup of tea and a chat. It lifts me up when I feel blue, it's my inspiration when I am running low, it's my outlet to share my joy, my frustrations and my triumphs of life. Thank You to my friends for all the moments you've shared. I'm touched beyond words can say.

Some photos of our day :)

I took the day off because 1) I didn't think I'd be up for a day of work after taking Cody to see Nickleback Tues night (great concert!) 2) it was our 12th anniversary

Hubs had to work so I spent the day with the kiddos instead of him but the day was gorgeous - sunny and warm so I ran out to my deck chair every time I got the chance so by midafternoon I was getting pretty pink :0)

During one of my solor sessions Jared comes running out to say "Mom! We need to bake a cake cuz I haven't had cake in 100 years!!!!" So, on one of the hottest days of the year we bake a cake. It turned out rather yummy too, it's my first double decker that didn't flop. I like to "whip it" (the mix) for 2 minutes and that makes the cake come out so moist and fluffy that it practically melts in your mouth. It was chocolate fudge and I used peanut butter for the writing. Hubs and I went out to a cozy local pub for a quiet dinner and then came home and had cake with the kiddos. The greatest day ever!

Ask me anything

I've had so much fun participating in this post on other blogs that I am going to try it myself. Is there anything you would like to know?

12 Years ago in Texas....

One man took one woman to be a lawfully wedded wife, to love and to cherish forever and ever. Scott and Kim were joined in holy matrimony and a single mom became a wife and mother of three.

There's been lots of good times and we've seen our share of hard times but through it all love has prevailed. He is my rock and I am his mystery - we are one and yet two very different. Sometimes I wonder how it works and other times I wonder how I could live without him. He keeps me grounded and I take him places he's never been or would ever dream of going. He's my best friend and everything in between.

I have the best husband in the whole world! Now I need help because I can't figure out what to get him...Help Please!

12th Wedding Anniversary = Silk
When most people think of silk, they probably think about it’s beauty, or the feel that only silk can produce when worn against the skin. But I doubt that many people think about what an incredibly strong material silk is, before nylon and other synthetic materials were developed, silk was used to make parachutes during WW2. During and after the war, parachutes were highly sought after by European women. One can only imagine how many wedding dresses, lingerie and other garments were made from the recycled silk parachutes.

So it’s easy to see why silk would be the symbol for the 12th wedding anniversary gift, because just like a twelve year marriage it can be soft, beautiful and incredibly strong, all at the same time.

Going to Gramma's

*Jaiden with her big sister Sarah (Sarah lives with her mom in Missouri but flew in to visit Gramma for the weekend)

Ok, we are back from our trip to Gramma's - it was fun to see family again and we celebrated our nieces birthday late Fri night.

Saturday the babes went to cusins house while the older broads + Cody went with Gramma shopping. It was fun, and Cody is a very tolerant young man - he was very good natured about following us around town to "old lady stores" as he put it (later) not within hearing of Gramma of course. We were searching for accesories for Grammas house to go with her new paint job in her living room. She found some really cute things to go with her Tuscany decor.

We finished up at Kohls (my favorite store) where I stored some major savings on back to school clothes for Jared and found some nice chair pads for the dining room table for only $6 ea! Oh and chocolate colored towels for Cody's bathroom that were normally $45 just $15 ea - they are sooooo soft!

Sat night Jared had a bit of tummy ache which kept us all up most of the night so we were more than ready to head home Sunday even though it meant saying an early farewell to Sarah. We never get to spend enough time with her. Jared threw up twice on the way home and then slept the whole day and well into the night so today I let him stay home with Cody and he slept most of the day away but is once more feeling himself again this afternoon.

Did we make it to the concert....? Yes! Yes, we did! it was so much fun! We liked Little Big Town a lot - they opened the show. Martina sang a lot of older songs and really jacked up my favorite (I have been blessed) by singing it into another song and the band kept playing the other song...it was annoying on the ears. boy she sure can belt it though! I was mega impressed how she could sing so long and put so much passion into it. Of course the concert ended with "Independence Day" we should have known...but it was fun anyway. She opened the concert with my current favorite "Anyway" there were many songs that I wish she had sang and many I wished she hadn't but hey - the concert was fun and it was free so I cannot complain. She is still a classic.

oh and to top it off - Saturday at Walmart I scored a copy of the Deathly Hollows for only $17.95 and much to my mother in laws horror (I've never read any of the other books) I read the last paragraph first! Cody has been a big fan since around 7 when the first book came out - and he went from not being able to read to speed reading these monster books almost overnight. I've never attempted to read one yet because I have this thing with reading books and then having to WAIT for the next one to come out. It drives me nuts. I have to know if I'm going to like the book first or if it is going to be a wast of my time, because if I actually take the time to sit and read a book and then it has a poor ending then I get really annoyed and usually takes me a long time to pick up another book. If I find a good read, I get consumed and have to finish it before I come back to "reality" so in order for me to start the Harry Potter series I needed to know if it was going to be worth it. I say much to my MIL's horror because she was so upset when I flipped right to the back of the book and started reading - she is an avid book lover and has never ever in all the years she's been reading looked ahead to the ending of a book.

Well, I won't give it away but I liked it enough to want to start the series from the beginning. Now I would like to hear from those that have read from beginning to end - what did you think?

Happy Girl

We have Martina McBride tickets!!! Yep, I know I may have mentioned somewhere the fact that we both hate the song "independence day" but love MM and just yesterday hubby brought home tickets! I guess we can always make a potty run when she breaks into that song. They were free tickets - given to the military and they are nose bleeder seats but hey, I'm stoked anyway. She is one of my favorite singers and we don't get out all that much so this will be fun! It's Sunday night at 7 - we are supposed to go out of town this weekend to visit family so hopefully we will be back in time for our date night with Martina.

Red sofas...

Ok, here they are, the red sofas with which I must match a color to my walls. They are a ruby red (or poppy?) not sure exactly but a very vibrant color none the less. I would like to warm up the room, it gets a lot of sunlight so it is bright and sunny and I would like it to be more welcoming. Please tell me what you think. oh, and the curtains came with the house - hubby hates them but they match better than anything I can figure out to go with them. Any ideas? think design on a dime :)

Girls of 117b

Mission accomplished! Jaidens photos are sent in and we can look forward to seeing our girls of 117b all together again real soon.