Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Goodies I Found

I like to surf. Surf in the country? - yeppers - Surf the Internet. I enjoy getting newsletters from fabulous websites. I thought that I would share some of the information from some of my newsletters because they have some wonderful information and fun games and great crafts that you can do.
Here are some of the Goodies I found. I hope you enjoy them.

Mom, Do You Feel Guilty Serving Cereal For Breakfast and Macaroni For Lunch EVERY Day?
Kid Approved Meals


One of my favorites is Crayola. Crayola has some really neat activities and crafts for kids and adults. Coloring Pages, Crafts, Card Creator, Certificate Maker and many more. I found the Games and Fun and it kept me busy. I was having so much fun!
If you Register you get a lot of fun and creative things to do on a Winter day or a Rainy day.


On cold and rainy days, I like to cook. I really love to cook on any day. Betty Crocker has some awesome recipes and some awesome products.
Coupons - yes they have coupons too. You have to register to copy and print the coupons. It is free to register and you save money on your grocery bill with the coupons.

Friday, January 26, 2007

Save A Child's Life

Recently I have found a few really good websites that will give parents a little bit of useful information on their children and help the parents to be more informed and aware of things that could happen in their childs life.


Save your Child's Life - Be Informed, Be Aware
Stop the Choking Game!
This is not the game we used to pretend when I was a child. This is only one of the games of getting high! If you have never heard of it - get informed now. If you have heard of it and need more information then read this.
Often it can be heard as Passout game, Space Monkey and Black out.
Some do it for the high which can become addictive. Others do it because it's "cool" and risky.

Parents! Don't stop here. Continue to read the links and follow links on other website. Inform yourself and get involved in your childs life. If you need help, ask for help. If you can't find help, ask me. I will gladly help you to become more informed and to help you save your childs life.

Another great place to visit is D.A.R.E.
You can also let your children visit D.A.R.E Kids

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

What Is Our Country Coming To?

I was so surprised and amazed when a friend sent me this article.

BRENTWOOD, CA -- As children return to school this week, following the Christmas break, 7th graders in a growing number of public schools, who are not permitted to wear a cross or speak the name of Jesus, will be required to attend an intensive three week course on Islam; a course in which students are mandated to learn the tenets of Islam, study the important figures of the faith, wear a robe, adopt a Muslim name and stage their own Jihad.

In Byron, California, parents were outraged when students came home with their handouts and were told what was being taught. Their complaints to the school principal not only were ignored, but officials of this public school, funded by tax dollars, essentially fluffed them off.

Read more...

Sunday, January 21, 2007

A Few Craft Links

I found some great craft links. They are mostly crochet and knitting, but they really have some neat ideas and some cool patterns. Check them out!

Knit Out
Learn To Knit
Teach Knitting
Crafty Yarn Council
Yarn Standards
Knit and Crochet
Learn To Crochet
Each One Teach Two
Warm Up America

Another Weekend Stay Over

What a wonderful weekend we had with the boys! I must say that things are really moving very nicely. It seems more difficult to return the boys to their foster homes after each visit with us.

What we did...
We picked them up on Friday afternoon and we went to Cracker Barrel and ate a great dinner. The boys are still excited every time we pick them up. But shoot - so are we.
After our dinner, we went to Walmart where they each picked out a comforter for their new beds. Yes - we bought new beds for them on Wednesday and got them all set up with everything except the comforter. All three of the boys got to pick a comforter that they wanted and that they liked.
They also each got a new pair of jeans. Two of the boys have somehow and from somewhere picked up the habit of wearing the droopy/baggie pants that the crotch hangs to their knees and their underwear shows (unless their shirt is long enough to cover). My husband and I were not raised that way and we do not believe that is how it should be. We know what those droopy/baggie pants represent and we do not agree with it. And besides that - what do you think will happen the first time they try to play and work on a farm with those droopy/baggie pants. Yeah - they could just be hanging by the seat of their pants on a fence post... LOL So they each one got a pair of Wrangler jeans. Something that will actually last on the farm. Well until they outgrow them.
At one point I thought there may be a problem that the droopy/baggie pants were going away, however, once we explained that we prefer them to wear other pants, the boys were fine with it. They even ask if they could have more jeans like we bought them. Amazing how patience and love works.
We finally made it home where they grabbed their new comforters out of the car and headed inside and started opening the comforters and putting them on their beds. Proud is what I would call it! It was wonderful!
We all settled down with a movie and then off to bed.

Saturday was wonderful also. Out of bed, teeth brushed and breakfast was done and outside to play. We played softball and we worked on our farm truck. Once the farm truck was done we hooked up the trailer and went and got a truck and trailer load of hay for the horses. The boys loved it. One of the neighbor kids came over and played ball then went and got hay with us.
Oh yeah! We also bought a vehicle on Thursday that we could all ride in. WoooHooo - moving right along!
After buying hay, we had to unload it and stack it in the barn. All 3 of the boys ask if we could wait and buy hay again until they came back because they wanted to go and do it again. Even the neighbor kid wants to go with us the next time too. They wasn't any talk about video games or anything like that. It was great. And they seem to be fitting in really wonderful.
After unloading hay we all got baths and cooked a great homemade dinner. The boys appetite was - how do I say this - Ok - they were HUNGRY!

Sunday - Out of bed, teeth brushed and breakfast. We took the boys to meet my husbands parents. Everything went great and the kids and the adults were all excited.
Of course Sunday is the day they have to return to their foster homes. All 3 of them wanted to stay with us. They keep asking how long before they can be adopted. And once again we have to explain the process to them. We are all counting down the time.

It isn't easy to return them to foster care. It isn't easy to tell them we will see them in 2 weeks. It's hard on us and it's hard on them. However, this is the process.

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Fun or Profit

If you are interested in starting the New Year off with your very own business and being your very own boss then take a look at some of these wonderful ideas...
Some are for fun and some are for profit - turn your fun into profit!

Make Your Own Handmade Soap The Simple Way!

Secrets Of Selling Handcrafted Jewelry Like Crazy At Shows, Fairs, And Festivals.

How To Start Your Own Personalized Baby Newspaper Business.

How To Easily Sew Roman Shades. Step-by-step Roadmap To Professional Window Shades.

Macrame eBook(R) That Offers Easy To Follow Instructions, Knot Examples, Patterns, Materials Needed, Suppliers - All In One Book.

Easy, Step-by-step Kid Crafts For The Whole Year.

Sell Your Crafts Using The Techniques In This eBook(R).

Step-By-Step Face Painting Guide Makes Face Painting So Easy Even Non-Creative Types Can Look Like Pros.

Comprehensive Business Guide Shows You How To Start, Run, And Market A Successful Quilt Shop.

Comprehensive Guide Shows You How To Start, Run, And Market Your Own Successful Craft Business.

Start Your Own Home Based Jewelry Business With This Easy Step-by-step Guide!

Step-By-Step Guide To Making Fragrant And Elegant Soap.

Over 5,000 Fun Scrapbooking Titles, Phrases, Captions, Quotes, Sayings & Ideas! Free Sample Downloads!

Work-At-Home Catalog. Make Art & Crafts In The Comfort Of Your Own Home.

Fabulous Scrapbooking Pages That Are Simple And Fast.

Step-by-step Easy Craft Projects For Any Age And Ability. Open Your Own Craft Business.

Leather Craft Is A Relaxing And Profitable Hobby That Is Easy To Start.

Discover How To Turn Your Favourite Hobby Making Greeting Cards Into A Profitable Business.

Our Guide Will Teach You How To Make Your Own Bath Salts At Home.

Make Your Own Fragrances For Fun And Profit!

Downloadable Clock Plans.

Complete Interview About Getting Dreadlocks.

Candy Wrapper Software For The Rest Of Us.

Discover How To Quickly And Easily Get Simple High Quality Little Kid Crafts Guaranteed To Ignite A Child's Imagination!

The Famous Ruby McKim Book Plus A Bonus Of 102 Vintage Patterns.

Helpful Guide Shows You How To Start A Machine Quilting Business From Start-up To Running And Marketing Your New Business.

A Step By Step Guide To Sewing Basics.

100 Content Rich, Illustrated Pages Of Fashion History, Costume History, Clothing, Textiles And Social History.

A Comprehensive Guide To Beading, Covering Techniques And Styles Of Beading With Loads Of Clear Illustrations.

Gel Candles Recipes 101 The Resource For Making And Selling Gel Candles Including 51 Gel Candle Recipes. With Bonus Recipes.

Learn To Make Money At Craft Shows.

The Greatest Gold-Mine Of Scrapbooking Goodies Ever Crammed Into One Amazing Package!

Earn Great Money Selling Fantastic eBook(R)!

Innovative Diy Gift And Craft Templates For All Occasions.

The Complete Bead Guide Answers All Your Questions About Beads And Is The Ideal eBook(R) For Beginners & Experienced Bead Lovers!

Complete Metal Casting Instruction eBook(R) Package For The Hobby Foundry Worker.

Practical Information For Your Profit.

Learn To Make Stunning Scrapbooks In True Classroom Style Training Using My Scrapbooking Secrets Course.

Learn How To Make A Rag Quilt In A Weekend.

A Visual Guide To Beading Techniques.

Learn How To Crochet Beautiful Afghans, Baby Hats, Doilies, Head Warmers, Jackets, Jewelry, Mittens, Sweaters And Much More!

How To Organize A Tropical Island Theme Party With Authentic Polynesian Recipes, Desserts, Drinks And Decorating Ideas.

Jewelry Appraisal eBook(R) Course.

The Boys

I haven't updated lately on the Boys, so I thought I would give a little update. We have 4 more days before out 2nd weekend stay over. I'm not sure which one of us is counting them down - I think it is us and the boys.

I recently started working at Walmart - I work the 2pm to 11pm shift. So most days I am not home to call the boys during the hours that we can call. My husband has called them almost every night. Last night one of them in the back ground said "Ok Dad, We Love You". My goodness it sure is moving right along. Because we want the boys to be sure that we are the right family for them, we have talked to them about calling us mom and dad. They keep telling us that it is time. I just so want the boys to be sure!

Tomorrow we are bed shopping. Today my husband started moving some things around in the house to make room for the beds. We have not had any kids so our whole house is full of our stuff. We have one bedroom as an office and the other bedroom as my husbands work clothes rooom. Kinda like his dressing room. That way it keeps the cat hair off of his uniform. LOL So those 2 rooms are about to become bedrooms. Lots of stuff to do but it will all be worth it.

I will update more as we progress.

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Mom: Keep those Financial New Year’s Resolutions

Each and every year, after the holiday credit card bill shows up, we make resolutions with the best of intentions. And, within a month or maybe less… we’ve given up completely. Why is that?

Vague Goals
The goals we often times set are unrealistic or are too vague to be trackable. Here are some examples of resolutions...

Bad Resolution: “Pay off credit card debt.”
Better Resolution: “Pay an extra $20 each month towards credit card debt until it’s paid off.”

Do you see the difference? One is vague. You can’t possibly hold yourself accountable. The other is much more trackable.

Here’s another example.

Bad Resolution: “Spend less money eating at restaurants.”
Better Resolution: “Use a menu planning service to ensure that we have groceries in the house at all times. Eat at restaurants or fast food only twice per week or less.”

Difficult Goals
It’s wonderful to make resolutions, but, they do no good if you don’t have a plan in place to help you reach them. Let’s go back to that “Pay an extra $20 each month towards credit card debt.” Where is that $20/month going to come from? Is it magically going to appear just because you set a goal? Will the “New Year’s Fairy” deliver a wad of cash to you each month? Of course not. You have to have a plan in place to make the extra money available to you.

For instance, the two goals could be combined. The second goal is reachable. Instead of just saying to eat fast food once per week, it adds on a way to do just that – by signing up for a menu planning service.

The best Resolution could be a combination of both goals: “Use menu planning service to ensure that we have groceries in the house at all times. Eat at restaurants or fast food only twice per week or less. Take the money we save and apply at least $20 each month towards credit card debt until it’s paid off.

It’s a new year, which means that it’s a new chance to actually make New Year’s Resolutions and KEEP THEM. We hope these examples will help you to set achievable new year’s goals and put systems into place so you can achieve them.

Christine Steendahl created a menu planner for busy moms. For a free one week trial of this family friendly meal planning service which includes a weekly grocery shopping list, visit Dine Without Whine - A Family Friendly Weekly Menu Planner

Saturday, January 13, 2007

2 Cans and a String

Dial up, oh how I love thee! Yeah right!
I do envy all of you that have that Super Sonic Mach 12 High Speed Internet. I have used it a couple of times, ok, well maybe once. But that was certainly enough to get me hooked on it. I am just not hooked enough to get sattelite or whateve it is that I have to have to get it.
Cable is not available in my area.
DSL is not available either.
That's what I get for livin in the country. LOL Oh but just wait until I get deeper into the country. I guess then we will have to holler to get the internet. Wasn't hollering before the 2 cans and a string?
So everytime you use your SSM12HSI - Super Sonic Mach 12 High Speed Internet, think of me with my 2 cans and a string (dial up).

Monday, January 08, 2007

Our 1st Weekend Stay Over

Ok - we did it! We had our first weekend stay over with the boys. We all had a really good time. Of course we still have to think this out and so do the boys. It is not easy for us because we are so used to a quiet house, one that is organized and calm. But the laughter and the love of the boys is so welcomed and pleasant.

We picked the boys up Friday evening and brought them to our home. They ask all the way "Are we there yet?" They were so excited just to see where we live. Finally they got to see. They wanted to touch everything! And yes I mean everything! They got a tour of the house and they talked and talked and talked... It is rather amusing! We at pizza and talked then we all settled down and watched a movie. Bedtime - finally! Awwww!

Saturday - We played and we did a few things that are in our daily routine. We mucked the stalls, we played, hauled some hay, pulled 2 stumps, ate lunch, picked up our tools, fed the critters, played, roasted hot dogs, got our showers and settled down with a blanket and a movie.
Doesn't seem like much, however, add in a "Monster Truck" (our 4 wheel drive farm truck) and a 4 wheeler with a trailer, now you got some fun for 3 very active boys. They drove the "Monster Truck" and the 4 wheeler and ride a horse. Now throw in about a million questions from 3 boys. It sure is starting to sound kinda like a zoo! Now throw in 3 neighbor kids! Oh boy! What a day we had. Once again it is not easy to show our excitement here. But we really have another great day with the boys. And not to mislead you, there were ups and downs and of course there is always the penalty box.

Sunday - Relaxing - We all just kinda did our own thing. Showing the boys how once they woke up that they could do their own thing without so much supervision. They really enjoyed this also.

Of course the time always approaches too fast to return them to their foster homes. They all said they didn't want to go, that they wanted to stay with us. They ask questions about the adoption process and wanted to know how long before they could come and live with us. Remember that to a child a day seems like a week and a week seems like a month. Waiting on a birthday or on Christmas means waiting a lifetime to a child. We answer their questions and prepare for more questions.

In this process of the adoption it is commonly referred to as the Honeymoon phase. Everyone seems to be on their best behavior and everyone is excited. Once things settle down and a normal life style sets in, things generally change. So many steps and phases and hoops to jump through. A major hoop that we have to jump through right now is getting a vehicle that will haul all of us at the same time and getting 3 beds for the boys.

2 weeks - we have to wait 2 weeks to get the boys again. This is just how our schedule is working right now. It will seem like 2 years for the boys and I know that it will seem like forever for us. During the 2 weeks we will call them and we will send them little notes in the mail just to let them know that we haven't forgotten about them.

This is not an easy process, however, it is something that we have to go through. I will be posting updates as they happen.

Some Thought To Ponder On

This was forwarded to me from a friend. I have no idea who the auther is or where this originated from. I do know that some people work together while others sit and wait. During any Natural Disasters we should all listen, pay attention and help others. What has happened to our Society?

WEATHER BULLETIN

Up here, in the "Mile-Hi City", we just recovered from an Historic event--- may I even say a "Weather Event" of "Biblical Proportions" --- with an historic blizzard of up to 44" inches of snow and winds to 90 MPH that broke trees in half, knocked down utility poles, stranded hundreds of motorists in lethal snow banks, closed ALL roads, isolated scores of communities and cut power to 10's of thousands.

And now we have braced and are involved with #2 in less than 2 weeks!

FYI:

George Bush did not come.

FEMA did nothing.

No one howled for the government.

No one blamed the government.

No one even uttered an expletive on TV.

Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton did not visit. Our Mayor did not blame Bush or anyone else.

Our Governor did not blame Bush or anyone else, either.

CNN, ABC, CBS, FOX or NBC did not visit - or report on this category 5 snowstorm.

Nobody demanded $2,000 debit cards.

No one asked for a FEMA Trailer House.

No one looted. Nobody - I mean Nobody - demanded the government do something.

Nobody expected the government to do anything, either.

No Larry King, No Bill O'Rielly, No Oprah, No Chris Mathews and No Geraldo Rivera.

No Shaun Penn, No Barbara Striesand, No Hollywood types to be found.

Nope, we just melted the snow for water. Sent out caravans of SUV's to pluck people out of snow engulfed cars. The truck drivers pulled people out of snow banks and didn't ask for a penny. Local restaurants made food and the police and fire departments delivered it to the snowbound families. Families took in the stranded people - total strangers. We fired up wood stoves, broke out coal oil lanterns or Coleman lanterns. We put on extra layers of clothes because up here it is "Work or Die".

We did not wait for some affirmative action government to get us out of a mess created by being immobilized by a welfare program that trades votes for 'sittin at home' checks. Even though a Category "5" blizzard of this scale has never fallen this early, we know it can happen and how to deal with it ourselves.

"In my many travels, I have noticed that once one gets north of about 48 degrees North Latitude, 90% of the world's social problems evaporate." It does seem that way, at least to me. I hope this gets passed on. Maybe SOME people will get the message. The world does Not owe you a living.

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Great Items at Great Prices

I just wanted to let everyone know that we have some really Great Items at Great Prices.

This is one of our most popular designs. A great print on kraft paper. These bags are great for small gifts, candy, ornaments, party favors or even a mug. Papers used in this product meet FDA requirements for direct/indirect food contact. Available in 3 different sizes.
Size: 2 lb - 4-1/4"x2-1/2"x8"
Quantity: 10
Price: $2.00 ($.20 each)
Organza wine bottle bags in a variety of colors.
Tall sheer bags are perfect for wine bottles or odd shaped gifts. Important note: colors may vary from shipment to shipment.
Size: 6.5x15
Quantity: 1
Price: $2.10

Purse Containers
Tinted Frosted Purse shaped containers with handles make your gifts something to talk about. Large purses have rope handles and fold over closures. The small purse has 2 handles and snap closures.
Size 3-1/2"x1-1/2"x2-1/2"
Quantity: 1
Price: $1.75

Gift Basket Boxes

Our Gift Basket Boxes come in a variety of prints for all occassions. They are very sturdy reusable boxes that store flat and are a great alternative to the big bulky gift baskets.
Size: 7"x4"x5"
Quantity: 1
Price: $2.00

Jewely Boxes

Jewelry boxes are great for all jewelry gifts and presentations. Choose from a variery of designer colors. All boxes are filled with non-tarnish ultra white synthetic cotton.
Size: 2-7/16x1-5/8x13/16
Quantity: 5
Price: $2.65 ($.53 each)
Other Sizes Available:
3x2-1/8 x 1 only $3.15 ($.63 each)
3-1/2 x 3-1/2 x 1 only $3.40 ($.68 each)
8 x 2 x 7/8 only $3.90 ($.78 each)
5-1/2 x 3-1/2 x 1 only $4.15 ($.83 each)

For The Boys

Something I am not sure about. There are alot of thoughts that goes through ones mind. Our minds are racing with thoughts of the boys and providing for them. Life is not a Fairy Tale and it should not be portrayed as one.
My husband and I have never had children so there are alot of things that we don't have. We have to buy another vehicle, one that will haul all 5 of us, one that is safe and dependable. We are vehicle shopping and they sure aren't cheap. We have to shop for a vehicle that will support all of our needs. In other words - why buy a mini van if we need a truck. Our thoughts are to buy a truck, a 4 door truck. That way we can all ride together, haul the boys bikes, pull a trailer to go get hay and feed for the horses, buy groceries and so on. We think we are thinking smart.

Our biggest concern is this...Beds. We have got to have beds for the boys. Not just because they need them and we don't have any, but because the Childrens Home Society requires them before the children can be placed in our home. Fact of life! Don't even think that we cannot afford to raise them. We can afford to raise them - it's just that so many things will need to be done before they can be placed in our home. Some things are not expensive and some things are expensive.

Right now we have to buy beds. Nope they don't have to be new beds or fancy beds. Just a bed. We thought that it would be good to buy bunk beds. They seem to be the most cost efficient and would support the need for the boys. If there is anyway that anyone can help us with the purchase of beds for the boys it would be greatly appreciated. This is something that we hate to ask for is help on this. I have added a donation button in case anyone would consider making a donation. I can assure everyone that the donation will be used to purchase beds for the boys.

Just When I Thought

Today I did some general little chores outside. It was cool this morning and rainy, so I thought I may just hang around inside and get a few things done online. I kept looking out the window and it seemed to be clearing. So off I went to dress for the coolness and the dampness.

I cleaned the horses stalls and around their hay feeder. Decided that I really needed to take some hay off of the trailer and put it in the barn for easier access. I open the barn, pull the 4 wheeler out of the barn and get about half way across the pasture and it started to rain a little. I thought - well I will be done in no time, so I won't get very wet. Now on the 4 wheeler I can only haul 2 bales of hay at a time, unless I hook up the trailer. By the way - we use our 4 wheeler like a tractor. Only because we don't own a tractor - Yet. So I started hauling hay and the rain got heavier. I hauled a total of 6 bales, which amounted to 3 trips from the trailer to the barn. At first just the front half of me got wet, not to mention my glassess. Then of course the seat got wet and I had to sit down on the 4 wheeler. Now my back side was wet too.

Now I'm thinking - hmmm - I can't get any wetter than this. I was sadly mistaken. While I was hauling the hay I got the 4 wheeler covered in hay, so I thought I would rinse it off. We don't need any incouragement for the rats to gnaw holes in anything - LOL. In rising the hay off it made a puddle and of course I just had to step in it and it went over the top of my muck boots. Silly me. Guess I really need a taller muck boot. With the 4 wheeler all rinsed off and wet from front to back and one shoe filled with mud, I thought that I would put the 4 wheeler away. In my haste to hurry out of the rain, I have no idea why, because I was already wet, I forgot to close the gate. As they say - haste makes waste.

The horses can spot an open gate for a mile away - so it seems. Off they ran, through the gate, kicking and bucking and just having a grand ole time. I love to watch them in their friskyness. They really do have such grace and elegance. We played the catching game for about 5 minutes. Me walking from the top of the property to the bottom then from side to side and the horses running and bucking and playing with me the whole time. They are so silly. Why is it they can spot the open gate to get out for a mile away but not the open gate to get back in when it is right in front of them. They know where the gate is - they just wanted to play. As we played our catching game it began to rain. I don't mean just drizzle, I mean the bottom fell out. So just when I thought I couldn't get any wetter...

After my 5 minutes of exercise that the horse just knew that I needed to walk off some of my Christmas goodies and my New Years day meal, they decided that I had had enough and found the open gate. They are now standing in their paddock swishing their tales and just laughing at me.

I really do love this life and hope to have a larger piece of property for the horses to exercise me on.

Children in our system

If you are considering adopting an older child please know what you are about to face. I know about children in the system from my families careers. Children that are in our system have seen and heard things that many adults have no idea how to pronounce, much less what certain things are. In all reality, you probably do not want to know what the children have experienced. At this time, I will not say what the children we are trying to adopt have experienced. In that sense, I am protecting the children.

Drug use and abuse. Violence in all froms, murder, beating, punishment to the children beyond belief. Abandonment. No security. Sexual violence, sexual abuse.

If you are considering adopting an older child be aware of this. You will have to deal with issues that may be out of your reach. Be understanding. Not all children will run up to you and hug you. It could take years for some children to feel secure enough to give or receive a hug. Then on the other side of things - the child may cling to you and not want to let go. It is all understandable when you consider what the individual child has witnessed or has experienced. Close you eyes and imagine the worse happening to you. Not a pretty picture!
One child may walk into a convience store and see beer and associate that with being beat. It could be possible that someone that the child trusted drank beer and then beat them. They may see someone smoking a cigarette and associate that with smoking marajuana or crack. It could be possible that someone that the child trusted smoked and then abandoned them. These are things that we usually don't think about, however, when we do think about them a light bulb comes on and we say - Oh yeah, I can see that.

In all good there is bad. It is a horrible fact of life. If you prepare now, you will not be surprised later.

I am not trying to change anyone's mind about adopting an older child. Please adopt an older child. Get them out of the system! They need a home and love! They need security and structure.

Our 2nd Visit with the Boys

What another exciting day! We picked the boys up yesterday. Yes - we picked them up, no case workers etc... Just us and the boys. Once again I will try to show my excitement here, but it isn't easy because we really am running around the yard doing cart wheels.

Some disappointments today. Don't worry, nothing went wrong and all in all it was a good day. We were going to take the boys to skate board, once we got to the skateboard park, it was closed. And the park did not open until 4pm. Of course we had to have the boys back at 3pm, so that was one little pot hole in our day. The five of us came up with Plan B. Yes, we all 5 come up with something else that we could do and still have fun. Life if full of little disappointments like that and teaching a child to deal with those disappointments can sometimes be a challenge. However, today we met our challenge head on and we dealt with it in a positive way.

We found another park where the boys could get out and run and play and toss a football. Tackle football, I should say. Of course we were in the game too! We ran, we laughed, we tackled and we laughed some more!

Now for a little shopping experience with the boys. The youngest one (9) likes to just run off. He doesn't know the importance of staying together. However, he is learning. He got put in what my husband calls the penalty box. But only for a short time. We saw how he handled disipline and we were pleased with the results. The 2 older boys observed the disipline and they will all learn from association. What amazed me was that during his time in the penalty box he ask me if we were going to be their new mom and dad. I ask him if that is what he still wanted, even though he got in trouble. And he said "Yes".

We took the boys to an amuzement park. Because of our time schedule we could only stay at the park for an hour. Of course they didn't want to leave when the hour was up - that is very typical with children. But we all gathered up as a family without any argument from the boys and were able to leave and still be on time.

On the way to take the boys back to their foster homes they were full of questions. When could they come and stay with us? When would they see us again? When would we pick them up again? Can I have a stereo? Can I have a dirt bike? And a lot more questions. You can just see and hear their excitement!

We explained to the boys today that we are not a rich family, however, we have a lot of love to give. We saw three beautiful smiles as their response!

After we dropped the boys off at their foster homes - my husband just talked and talked and talked about them. After the first visit it was me that just went on and on... It is exciting to know that we are all excited and can hardly wait until our next visit.

Our next visit - hopefully that will be this weekend. We are hoping to have them stay at our house for 2 nights. We believe that it is time to put the boys in our environment and let them see how we live on a daily basis. Everyday is not amusement parks and skateboarding and a Fairy Tale. We do not want the boys to have a misconception of our life. We want them to know that there are animals to feed and care for, there are meals to prepare and dishes to do. They need to interact with us as we go to work and how our schedules are. How will they act and react to the daily routine and daily life? We don't know. We do know that if we continue to pick them up and run off to parks and play games and so on that they will think this is all fun and games. It's not. But I can sure tell you this - we love, we laugh and we enjoy life and that is what we want to share with these boys!

Our Readers Want to Know

Our readers have ask about our adoption and they want to hear more...

Thank you for reading our blog and anticipating our adoption. It is late and I so wanted to go to bed. LOL However, I thought I would run through my emails and I had several friends wanting to know if we were any closer to adopting.

We visited with the boys today! Today was our 2nd visit. And today we did not have to have a case worker or anyone but us and the boys. Of course we were all excited and I think some if not all of us are still excited. It was a wonderful day and we are still making progress.

I have an area on the blog that you can sign up to get updates. It will be in the form of a newsletter. But of course that is taking me some time to set up so it may be a few weeks before I get the newsletter set up.
I plan on posting an update on the blog on Wednesday, however, it may be on Thursday.

Your kind words and gentle support is greatly appreciated,
Alta

Monday, January 01, 2007

Time to check them out

If you have not checked out our Stuff A Friend then you really don't know what you are missing. Valentine's Day is getting closer and closer. I know - we just got through Christmas. I suggest that you start thinking now for Valentine's Day and avoid the last minute Jiffy store purchase. Those items at the Jiffy store can be tacky! Tacky is a new word for me today, since I heard my Mother In Law use it several times.

At Stuff A Friend we have some lovely Friends! Our friends are unique and special. Why? Because our friends Kits Come with -
Stuffing, Instructions, Wishing Star, Birth Certificate and Take Home Box.
Not just another stuffed animal. You stuff these yourself with easy to follow Instructions. A Wishing Star that you make a special wish on. A Birth Certificate that is special and unique to your friend. And a Take Home Box for a safe trip for your friend.