Jetty and Ella's Mama

Sweet Sister

2010-08-18T10:14:00.000-04:00

The other day I woke up with Jetty cuddled up next to me and Ella not in her usual spot on the other side of me. Doug had left for work early in the morning and I assumed that she would be cuddled up next to Rose on the couch. Instead I found her working hard on an art project on the dining room table. It was a surprise for Jetty and she did it all by herself with the stickers leftover from the hospital. Very thoughtful my sweet little girl.

Poor Jetty...

2010-08-17T10:08:00.002-04:00

Jetty had her tonsils and adenoids removed a week ago tomorrow. It has been rough. We are all lacking in sleep and last night her pain got even worse. I am hoping for a better night soon.

Long time away...

2010-08-02T21:35:00.007-04:00

I never expected to be away from blogland for this long. School happened, summer happened, sick children happened. I am happy to be back and with lots of new things going on in our life.
Jetty started a new school after spring break. The public school wasn't working out for us and it was sad because I really wanted to support the public school system. In the end I gave it a year and a half and I knew it wasn't the right thing for our family. We are lucky enough to have a charter school just outside of town. We decided to give it a try and I had it set in my mind that if it didn't work we were going to homeschool. Well, I am happy to say that the charter school has been wonderful and a very different experience then the public school.
I was also offered the job of art teacher for the school at the end of the school year. I wasn't planning on returning to work but I do miss teaching and love the idea of being at my child's school. Since I haven't taught in 6 years I had to take two college courses to renew my teaching certificate. I was a little overwhelmed with two 14 week online courses condensed to 6 weeks. That is one reason I haven't even wanted to open up my laptop. I needed a break from the computer and all technology. We have been spending lots of family time traveling and on the water. It has been a great summer.
I am happy to say that all my requirements are behind me and I will only be teaching two days a week which is ideal for my family and I am so excited to be in the classroom once again.

Little Garden

2010-04-26T11:45:00.003-04:00

I am LOVING our earth boxes right now. The girls have been wanting a veggie garden but we have a very shaded back yard. The one place we have lots of sun is the large tiled patio out back. I have tried potted plants there but it is too hot in the summer for traditional style pots(especially when I forget to water for a day or two). Well, last summer I was introduced by my friend Janine to these wonderful pots she sells at her nursery. They are amazing and I swear you can watch the plants grow right in front of you. I have pictures of the girls getting the soil mixture ready for planting but for some reason I didn't get a picture of the baby plants. They were the small veggie plants that come in the little pots. Compare that to the plants 3 weeks after we planted them. My squash and zucchini have over 30 blossoms on each plant. I can't wait to get a couple more pots.

Warm Sunshine

2010-04-03T21:40:00.003-04:00

So glad to have some warm weather after this cold wet winter. Island hopping on the boat is so much fun.

Happy Easter

2010-04-03T21:03:00.004-04:00

We have had a wonderful spring break... visiting wonderful friends, ice skating, boating, and lots of loving. The girls and I decided to dye our Easter eggs with natural dyes(ex. beets,turmeric,blueberries,etc.). It was a fun science experiment and the girls even wrote predictions in their journals but the result was not very exciting. I decided that whoever dyed the eggs I saw online must have slipped in some food dye. It was still fun and the girls just wanted to add some more colors with q-tips which helped a bit.

Looking forward to spending lots of time with family tomorrow and finding lots of eggs.

Teeth

2010-03-20T21:07:00.002-04:00

I never remember being so excited to loose a tooth as Jetty. This is what Jetty's mouth is looking like these days. I think we might need to start saving up for braces.

Lucky and Sneaky

2010-03-16T20:38:00.000-04:00

We tried and tried but Lucky and Sneaky got away again. Note to self...when the girls ask to start putting out the trap a week before St. Patty's day remember cleaning up little leprechaun foot prints for a week:)

A Very Important Project

2010-03-15T20:29:00.002-04:00

The latest important project... Here's a clue .

Another Birthday

2010-03-08T22:11:00.003-05:00

This winter my baby turned 4. My sweet little velcro baby started preschool two mornings a week and only shed a few tears which made me so proud. She is quite the little Daddy's girl and still likes to sleep holding my hand. So sweet.

A Cold Winter

2010-03-08T21:50:00.003-05:00

It has been a cold winter with even some snow. Okay, it was more like sleet then snow but the girls loved every minute of playing in the cold mixture. It has been nice having more of a season in Florida but I am ready for the warmer weather and heading back to the beach. The unseasonably cold weather has been rough on the vegetation. We are waiting to see what plants come back when the weather warms and we are looking forward to growing some vegetables. Warm sun, sandy toes, and fresh veggies...it will be a good spring.

Brrrrr

2010-01-08T13:18:00.003-05:00

It has been record breaking cold in Florida this last week and they say there might even be snow flurries tonight or tomorrow morning. Floridians in general are pretty wimpy about the cold and I am sure Northerners would crack up with all our winter gear and constant talk about how cold it is outside. I enjoy the heat and I am even contemplating joining a gym for the rest of winter. I had no motivation to walk or ride my bike this week with the wind chill in the teens and twenties. It warmed up to the forties today so I was able to get a little exercise before the next cold front comes in the afternoon. Doug, on the other hand, enjoys the cold and easily rides his 4 hours and only complains about cold toes. I hope everyone had a great holiday. Ours was a wonderful time spent with lots of family and friends.

Chopped

2009-12-08T08:59:00.004-05:00

We don't have the TV on much during the day at our house. There is one show I DVR and the girls will watch with me once in a blue moon and that is "Chopped". Any tv that I watch is after the girls go to bed. The other day I was working in my studio and the girls were playing with play-doh. I heard Ella say "step away from your plate and see who will be chopped". I looked up and Jetty had three lids lined up with her pretend food. Anyone who has seen the show could appreciate the cuteness. I looked at the girls and suggested we go inside and play "chopped" with real food. It was so much fun and the girls got such a kick out of playing. Just an FYI, we didn't chop anyone:) I gave them a bag with salad, crispy rice noodles, honey and a banana. Jetty made these cute little precise plates and Ella made two different plates(because she is my little rebel)and one featured a lovely cheese and honey sandwich. They both ate everything up.

The Fair

2009-12-01T09:45:00.003-05:00

The girls have been talking about "it" for a year and it finally arrived. The fair was in town and we had a blast. Some things might look similar to here. We did think enough to put Ella's cowgirl boots on her to make her a little taller. She just made the height to ride the kid's rides. Thank goodness because she had such a great time being able to ride with Jet.

Wiped Out

2009-11-13T08:54:00.003-05:00

Jetty has not been herself since the Flu. She is just wiped out. I am wondering if she is having a relapse of Mono? The other day when I was in the studio Doug took a photo of her after she fell asleep in this small box. Poor little thing. As for her tests...the MRI needs to be redone in a year or two to see if there are any changes in some lesions on the white matter. They aren't concerned and it is something that people with migranes usually have on their scans. Now we need to re-do the bloodwork again and see if she still has a positive ANA and we have started a headache journal to try to find her triggers.

My Super Heroes

2009-11-13T08:22:00.003-05:00

Jetty finally decided that she wanted to be a Super Recycle Girl for Halloween. Ella also loved this idea and the "Super Recycle Girls" were born. What a difference a year makes in the excitement of Halloween. Little timid Ella was so excited to dress-up (she has always refused)and walked up to the houses like such a big girl. The costumes were so much fun to make with the help of this etsy video. Their boots, belts, and bracelets were all sewn with fused plastic bags. So much fun to do!

This is the 4th year we have been lucky enough to trick or treat with a group friends. There was about 15 families and it was so much fun. One of the houses had an old dog who looked like Hudson. Ella walked right in their house and past the man handing out candy. Doug called to her from the doorway as he watched her walk straight to the dog and pet him as he laid on the floor. She told us she wanted to pet the dog to remember Hudson. It brings tears to my eyes. She is such a sweet little animal lover.

The Flu and Should I be Concerned...

2009-10-09T10:15:00.003-04:00

We have been stuck in the house for the week with the flu. Jetty was diagnosed last Saturday and started Tamiflu but they are now treating her for pneumonia(we are still waiting for x-ray results). She is doing much better with no fever in two days but she is so tired. She fell asleep last night at 5 woke up for dinner and fell back to sleep until 8 this morning. Doug came down with it a few days ago but is now starting to feel better. I had a sore throat so I started taking Tamiflu and it hasn't gotten any worse. Ella seems to have the best immune system of any little kid because she is still hanging in healthy. Hopefully we will be all back to normal next week but I am so grateful it wasn't any worse.

On another note...this is written on the utility pole that faces our house. Why would you write "I love the man on the bike?". Should I be concerned? HaHA

A little about Jetty and Ella

2009-09-29T20:50:00.003-04:00

Ella says "I Love You" about 10 times a day with such meaning it is so wonderful. It is often completely out of the blue but always the perfect time.

Jetty wants to be a "Trachea" for Halloween. I love how my girl thinks outside the box but a trachea....really? When I said to her I wasn't sure if I could make that costume she said "okay,how about a cup or an ottoman."

Time flies

2009-09-27T20:25:00.002-04:00

There is really no excuse for my lack of posting. Well, my computer is slow as molasses and I really try to avoid getting on it as much as possible. I am saving my pennies for a newer model so the girls can use this "clunker".

Jetty has had some tests in the last two weeks and so far so good. The tests are for daily headaches she has been having for months and because of her +ANA they really needed to check her blood vessels. There was a little something on the MRI/mra that requires another test on her nerves that she will be getting this week. Poor little thing had to be sedated for the MRI and MRA which was an experience. Eight hours later we were at home and she would stand up, make a funny comment and fall on her face. The neurologist says if the nerve test is fine we just need to re-do the MRI in 2 years to check the area again. It is most likely a condition that shows up when you have Migraines. Now we are trying to find her triggers for the Migraines. She is really a trooper and never complains about anything. I feel like we have had so many Dr. appts lately but I feel like we are getting closer to an answer. We re-do her bloodwork in another month and I am hoping that a third time is the charm and all her levels will be in the normal range.

Puppy Love

2009-09-02T08:30:00.003-04:00

Jetty started first grade and she is loving being back at school. Ella and I miss her and for the first time Ella has been asking to go to school. The other day we visited a preschool down the road to sign Ella up for next years VPK program. Now when we are out walking Ella will insist we walk by her school. It is really cute and everyone who knows Ella knows what a big step this is and how much she has come out of her shell. She has also started reading! Out of he blue she will tell us what some words are and she is even trying to sound them out. Kids are so amazing!

As for the puppy...have I mentioned that she is a little extra work? She gained 21 pounds in a month(she is now 41 pounds and almost 5 months old)and is sweet as ever. She did just eat my prescription glasses which I am not real happy about at the moment. The first thing the girls said to me was "Mama, you should have put them away." Do you think they have heard that often from me lately?

Jetty's First Triathlon

2009-08-19T09:03:00.002-04:00

Jetty had been looking forward to this tri for months. It is hard to find a Tri in this area for 5 and under. The poor little peanut had 102 fever at 3 in the morning the day of the race. She still insisted on racing and had a great time. It was a 25 yard swim, 1/4 mile bike and 1/8 mile run.

North Carolina -part 3

2009-08-14T07:38:00.004-04:00

Gem mining in North Carolina was always one of my favorite things to do as a child. I had all my rocks in a wood box my brother made in boy scouts. How I wish I still had that box of rocks. Gem mining with the girls was so much fun and now they had a good collection growing.

After Gem mining we went into Cherokee. Cherokee is one of those tacky tourist destinations that remind you of the road side attractions of the 60's. I always have fond memories of Cherokee as a child and the truth is there are wonderful things in Cherokee if you can look past the tackiness and casinos. The Museum there is really wonderful and the Native American village was just a beautiful walk in the woods. There is also a great river that runs through town and makes a wonderful place for a picnic.

North Carolina- part two

2009-07-23T21:08:00.006-04:00

While we were in North Carolina I wanted to hear some true mountain music. As I scanned the local papers I found a nearby city who was having music to raise money for their library. Groovin on the Grovemont was in cute little Swannanoa and was better then mountain music. The band was Barrel House Mamas and they were a wonderful folky/blues band. We had pizza on the grass that they were selling to raise money for the cutest little library and we all ate up the wonderfulness of the moment.

The one photo is of Jetty examining a knat. The girls became obsessed with watching them and who could collect the most "pets" on their bodies.

North Carolina

2009-07-23T20:39:00.004-04:00

We have been back from the mountains for almost a week and I feel like I am finally getting back into the swing of things. The mountains were beautiful and we had a nice relaxing week. This week has been spent doing laundry, adjusting to the puppy, and watching the Tour. Truthfully, Doug has been watching the Tour and I am truly interested but I am too tired to watch it all at night.

One of the days on our trip, my very in shape husband, rode his bike from our cabin in Asheville to the summit of Mt.Mitchell(36 miles one way). I am so impressed by the cyclists that are able to do that ride. I am also impressed with my ability to follow him back on part of the Blue Ridge Parkway as he went down the mountain at 40 mph and not be concerned. The worry that would normally be welling up in my throat has dissipated with time and I know how careful he is on his bike. The girls and I had met him on top of the summit and we ate at this cute little restaurant right below the summit. At one point as we were following Daddy down the mountain Jetty said "Mommy, please pass Daddy". My immediate thought was that she was concerned he would crash but then she clarified "I don't want him to beat us to the cabin". Everything is a race with that girl.

Back from Vacation

2009-07-17T21:11:00.002-04:00

We just git back from a lovely vacation in the mountains. Doug was able to ride his bike to the top of Mount Mitchell, we had lots of wonderful family time in a cute little cabin, and I was inspired by amazing artists. More to come ...as soon as I finish laundry, download photos and play with a puppy. Good thing Rose is so cute because she is a lot of work:)

A Day at the Springs

2009-07-06T08:12:00.003-04:00

Lots of swimming, ice cream, watermelon, and fun visits with friends. That would sum up our last few weeks. Here are a few photos from one of our swimming adventures. I love the photo of Jetty on Doug's shoulders. It was a really sweet quiet moment for them. Ella has been swimming like a little fish and is a little more confident then her actual abilitles.

Five years ago today...

2009-06-28T09:18:00.003-04:00

Five years ago today Jin Jie Li was placed in our arms in the Lottery Hotel in Nanning, Guangxi, China. We are so lucky and blessed to be her parents.

New Family Member

2009-06-26T20:49:00.003-04:00

Last night before Doug went to sleep I said "By the way, I know we don't want to get a puppy right now but there are Bull Mastiff puppies for sale in the classified". Doug said "you really should go and check them out with the girls and send me some photos at work." The next thing I know I am calling him at work and telling him they only have one girl left and she is very sweet. We have wanted another dog after we lost sweet Hudson and had pretty much decided on a Mastiff. Needless to say, the little girl puppy is sitting at my feet being adorable.The girls have named her Rose.

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-21T21:11:00.002-04:00

My girls are so blessed to have such a wonderful Daddy!

Last Day of School

2009-06-14T21:40:00.003-04:00

We are so excited that Jetty's last day of school was a little over a week ago. We already had some wonderful visitors. Lisa and Maisie we all had so much fun:) I didn't sign up Jetty for any summer camps because we are going to take advantage of as much family time as possible.

The photos are from her last day at school and the awards ceremony. Jetty received an award for reading, music and another for P.E. She was very excited and all the little ones receiving their awards were so proud.

Jetty also showed her braveness with another round of blood work this week and a CAT scan. She went right into the cat scan all by herself and didn't shed a tear with the blood work. I was so proud and hope it will be the last and they have an answer for us soon.

Field Day Fun

2009-06-04T08:11:00.002-04:00

How many of you remember field day? To be honest I never had fond memories of field day as a child. I was a chubby little kid who truly was embarrassed when I had to participate. Once I became a teacher I loved field day and being in charge of one of the games. Watching the children having so much fun is contagious. As a Mom it has reached a whole new level of fun for me. Having an athletic child who truly enjoys sports takes it to the next level. Only one more day of school and my little peanut will be finished with kindergarten.

Rain, Rain Go Away

2009-05-22T17:01:00.002-04:00

If you had asked me a week ago I never would have thought that those sediments would have come out of my mouth. As of last week we were in such need of rain to lessen the fire danger and the high pollen count but enough already. Since Monday we have had over 16 inches of rain(and that was yesterday's count) and they are expecting another 4 inches of rain this weekend. For us it is so far just a major inconvienence but for many other families it is very sad and tragic. We had our boat cover ripped from the rain, we will probably lose some plants, and we have lost many hours of sleep this week. Between the weather radio going off for warnings(flood and tornados) and our sweet Murphy terrified of the storms we are not getting much sleep at night. I am reaching the state of exhaustion and would take a nap if I was able. We have broken down and we are going to try medicating Murphy tonight so maybe we could all get some sleep. She just wanders around our room all night panting like she is going to have a heart attack. But, as I said before, these things are nothing compared to the loss some families are feeling with their houses flooding and cars unable to get them to work. The county above us has gotten over 28 inches of rain since Monday. That is insane. Even with all the tropical storms and hurricanes we had dealt with I have never remembered rains like this week. Hopefully the rains will let up soon and no more property will suffer damage.

Fashion

2009-05-16T20:11:00.003-04:00

"Project Runway" better look out because I think my husband has started a new fashion trend. Okay, I don't think anyone would be caught dead in this outfit except my husband. This is the romantic garb he wears to bed. The tights are some fancy schmancy pants that help circulation(or something like that)before a bike race. I think the Birkenstock really take the outfit to the next level. I still think he is adorable no matter what he is wearing.

On another note, Happy belated Mother's Day to all the wonderful Moms out there and all the Moms-to-be. I remember how hard Mother's Day was before our family was complete. To all the Mom's out there who are waiting I hope you hear good news soon. I can't say enough amazing things about my Mom. She is truly amazing and inspiring...I love you Mom!

I really need to put more of an effort to posting. By the time the girls are asleep I really am spent. I usually want to do something creative so I sit and hand-sew or needle felt. Posting can also be creative but for some reason the technical aspects zaps my creative spirit. I need to give a better effort and that will be my goal this week(maybe this month:).

Jetty was feeling better this week but her joints started hurting her again this morning. She ended up testing positive for mononucleosis and had a positive ANA test for Lupus or Rheumatoid Arthritis. We are praying that it is a false positive from the Mono which can happen. We go back for more tests in the beginning of June for Rheumatic diseases. Please keep her in your prayers and hope it is just a combination of the sinus infection, mono, and double jointedness that is causing her to be out of whack.

The Winner is..

2009-05-07T09:02:00.002-04:00

After a random drawing with help from the girls...
Fliss who wrote "I will be a sucker... I will put in for it... just remember... with me... cheap postage... hahahaha" Congratulations:)
Also, some other people should be expecting an e-mail from me soon.

Last Day for Give-Away

2009-05-05T08:27:00.002-04:00

The give-away ends tonight and don't forget...I will be giving extra away to any followers so right now my followers have a GREAT chance on winning,hehehe.

The pendants dimension is 1 1/4 inch and I usually make my necklaces 17" but can change that to whatever size needed. Good luck.

Give-Away

2009-04-30T19:58:00.003-04:00

I have a new necklace design and thought I would like to give one away. Just leave a comment with you e-mail and you will be entered for a personalized ceramic necklace with either a favorite word or your child/children's name(s).

Since I would also like some followers of my Blog...I will also be giving away two more necklaces to two of my followers after the contest is over. I know I have some wonderful friends who follow my blog and would love to give them a little something every now and then. So if you become a follower expect more give-aways...

The give-away will end on May 5th. Good-luck.

Jetty Update

2009-04-30T18:07:00.002-04:00

Thank you for all the nice e-mails and comments about Jet. The Dr. visit went great and I really like him. He doesn't think it is anything real serious but a series of problems. The joint pain she complains about(her knees, hips and neck)is probably because she is double jointed. We new she was flexible but I just never paid attention how her joints hyper-extend. It was actually really creepy when the Dr. showed me how her knee can move sideways. He said about 15% of kids with this have pain so she is one of the unlucky few:( Her ligaments are all loose and will never tighten so it is important to build up muscle and limit jumping. So much for that trampoline we planned on getting her this summer. He also thinks she has chronic sinusitis that is causing the fevers and her being sick so often. Even though I think it is very strange that she has had a fever every 29-30 days for the last 9 months except for two months when she had her fevers 14 and 16 days with add up to
30. It is very weird but the Dr. is being really thorough and we will see what shows up with the blood work and go from there. She has a CAT scan tomorrow to check the brain and sinus cavity and a bunch of blood work. I happen to be due for my 6 month blood work with my endocrinologist so I figure we will do the blood work together in the morning and hope that helps Jetty get through the fear. Who am I kidding? It might be more traumatic if she watches me get the needle first. Hopefully if will be pretty smooth.

My Sick Little Thing

2009-04-26T09:32:00.003-04:00

Poor sweet little Jetty is having some trouble with fevers again. The fever finally stopped yesterday after five days. She is such a trooper even with high fevers. The girls and I were out in the studio, I was sewing some skirts and they were painting beads, and Jetty said she was cold. She then stopped painting climbed up into a chair with a blanket. Ella climbed right up with her because she likes to be next to Jetty. I knew this was unusual with my "Hot Babies" and went inside to get the thermometer. Her fever was 104! It fluctuated up to 104 for 5 days and just finally went away.

The worst part about this is this isn't a one time thing. These started after out second trip to China two and a half years ago. She was getting 106 fevers every 23-28 days. They did some blood work and x-rays and the only thing that showed up was a low white cell count. The fevers seemed to stop for a few months and then she started VPK and seemed to be sick all the time. I just chalked it up to starting school and stopped keeping track. Well,I started keeping track again 5 months ago and they are definitely cyclical. Now the fevers are every 29-30 days and sometimes she comes down with symptoms and sometimes not.

We went to our Primary Doctor and they set us up with a specialist on Tuesday. He specializes in Pediatric infectious disease, immunology and rheumatologist. This seems perfect because it is all the things that need to be checked. Please keep her in you prayers that it is something simple. I feel sure that it is I just hope we are able to figure it out soon without too many tests. If anyone has had the same experience feel free to contact me with any information on the causes.

Visit with Friends

2009-04-22T20:06:00.002-04:00

Right before Easter we were lucky enough to have some friends come and visit from the other coast of Florida. I blogged about their visit last year and what a connection we have. Not only are Jetty and Zoe from the same place in China but we traveled together to become a family. Not only are we connected by adoption but true friendship.We are blessed to have them in our lives and have such a great time when we are all together. Lisa, Larry and Zoe we will be coming over for a stay this summer:)

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T11:04:00.003-04:00

Wishing everyone a Happy and Blessed Easter with family and friends.

Egg Art Shirt

2009-04-09T09:51:00.004-04:00

The other day the girls asked me to make them an Easter shirt. Instead we came up with an idea for the girls to help create their own shirt. It is really simple and the girls are very proud of their new shirts.
Supplies:
Fusible web
muslin
plain t-shirt
thread and needle
fabric paint
buttons or beads

Iron on fusible web to about a 1'X 1' piece of muslin. Iron the textured side down on top of the muslin. I prefer the paperbacked web so you are able to draw shapes and cut out with the paper still attached. With a pen draw one or two eggs per shirt on the paper side and cut out. place some different colors of fabric paint on a palette and let the kids paint their own eggs on the muslin side. When fabric paint is dry, peel off the paper back and iron in place on the shirt. The iron will not glide over the egg because of the fabric paint so just press the iron up and down until the egg sticks to the t-shirt. Then either hand-stitch or sew around each egg on the machine.(NOTE: the fabric paint made it difficult to sew if there were globs of paint. If you have a walking foot it works great or just use a straight stitch on the machine. When I used the zigzag it became wobbly when the foot stuck on the dried paint.) I then embellished the eggs with some buttons and beads. Have fun!

Bentos

2009-04-04T10:52:00.002-04:00

I have always admired the little bentos that parents put together for lunches for their little ones. Here is a cute give-away from Maisie's Mom, Lisa, for a start-up bentos kit.

Sad News...

2009-03-31T19:13:00.002-04:00

We just received an e-mail from CCAI. Michael Wei, our amazing, generous, and loving guide we had on our adoption trip has suddenly passed away from a cerebral hemorrhage. Any family who has been on the journey of international adoption knows the importance of the guides in your new life as a family. We were blessed to have had such a wonderful experience with a truly wonderful man. This is truly heart-breaking and a tragic loss for any future adoptive families and especially his family and eight year old son. Please keep his family in your prayers.

CCAI has established the Michael Wei Memorial Fund for his family and in particular, Michael’s eight-year-old son, Wei, Song Bo. Should you wish to contribute, please indicate on your donation the “Michael Wei Memorial Fund” and send your donation to CCAI at 6920 S. Holly Circle, Centennial, CO 80112. If you prefer to contribute through their secure website, please visit www.chinesechildren.org, select “Charity Outreach”, and select “Make a Donation”.

The one picture of Michael is when we were filling out paperwork right before receiving the babies and the other photo is Michael making silly faces at Jetty on one of our outings in Nanning.

Paddle Board

2009-03-27T08:36:00.002-04:00

Doug rented a paddle board the other day to see how the girls would like paddling. Needless to say it was a big hit so we are now proud owners of a stand-up paddle board. Ella was hesitant at first but soon hopped on and said "off to Siberia"(her favorite quote from the original Cat and the Hat cartoon). We brought it back a few days later and it was very windy and choppy but both of the girls sat right up by the nose with their legs crossed. The photos are from the first day.

My Little Kayaking Partner

2009-03-25T13:45:00.003-04:00

I have made a pact with myself to get out on the kayak once a week and I am very lucky to have a very cooperative child. We have had both of the girls in the kayak since a year old but Ella never took to it like Jetty. Well, Ella has matured quite a bit since last year and I took her out with me last Friday. She was such a great little partner and completely happy to look for hermit crabs in the shallow water as we glided along. We were lucky enough to be joined by my good friends, Libby(my sister in law)and Wendy. Our plan is to try to make it a weekly women's kayak trip. There is something empowering about being a group of women on the river and in control of their own boats. Okay, so I won't mention the trip before that when Libby and I got a little backwards in the backwaters(mangroves)and it was fisherman that helped us find the river again. Other then that we are usually in control of our boats.

Happy St. Patricks Day

2009-03-17T11:35:00.003-04:00

I hope everyone is enjoying their Corned Beef and Cabbage today. Jetty had a brilliant idea after school yesterday to make a trap for a leprechaun. We found a box in the studio and Ella and Jetty decorated it to look like a Leprechaun's house. Complete with rainbows and a nice faux wood door. I love the "caught you trap" sign. We rigged it with a string attached to a gold coin.

I have never seen the girls so quick to get out of bed in the morning even on Christmas. They were so excited to lift up the box but that Leprechaun is very fast and our trap not quick enough. He was nice enough to leave a note and some stickers for the girls to enjoy. Notice the little green footprints heading out the door with a trail of gold coins.

I can't take any credit for the footprints because my Mom has done it for years. She is so amazing she stretches it out a whole week at her lab school and even has footprints going up the walls. Have a great St.Patricks Day!

Ella's Art

2009-03-01T15:57:00.003-05:00

After boasting about Jetty's bike race it is time for a little Ella bragging. This is the art work I found her creating on the chalkboard the other day. Kids artwork makes me smile and I just love finding their sweet artwork all around the house. I love the expression on his face. When I asked her about the lines on his body she said "they are his brains." Love it!

Jetty's Race

2009-02-24T15:25:00.002-05:00

Here is the promised video...

Swimming in snot...finally coming up for air

2009-02-23T20:32:00.010-05:00

I am so behind on posts. Our family has been sick for weeks. I have been lucky enough to have stayed healthy. It started with a stomach thing and since then strep, double ear infections and a nasty respiratory illness. Our Doctor looked at me the last time I brought Doug and the girls in the office and said "it will be a miracle you don't get this thing." She knows we have a family bed and both girls want to just about crawl on top of me. It is really pleasant when sweet little Ella has her arm around my neck and starts that horrible wet cough. My immune system must be great from all those years of teaching. Doug, on the other hand, seems to get sick whenever the girls are infected. Besides a little snot I think they are all almost healthy.

The weekend was great with fevers finally gone and able to get out of the house. Saturday we watched Daddy in a road race and Sunday I was in an art show and met some wonderful people. I am feeling very inspired this week and looking forward to some new adventures. The one thing that I was sad to miss was the video below. (Update: I can't seem to get the video to load but I will work on it tomorrow.)Doug took the girls to Sundays race and there was a kids race. Have you ever seen anything so cute?

Jetty is able to ride without training wheels but since I wasn't there to watch Ella they were put back on for the race. Doug is holding Ella and running alongside Jetty. Check out how cool Jetty's bike is... someone gave us this 1982 Schwinn Pixie and it is in excellent shape. She calls it her "Pinkxie".

ouch!!!

2009-02-06T20:21:00.002-05:00

Two things you might notice from the photo... 1. cycling race season began last weekend and 2. I am married to a 43 year old who thinks he is 18. Actually no. 2 is one of the many things I love about my husband. He had his first race of the season last weekend. I decided to take the girls to a local art show and I was waiting to hear from him all day. When I finally got a call he told me he had crashed during the race. Being the loving wife that I am the first thing out of my mouth was "is the bike okay?" All I was thinking was skin and bones heal but a carbon frame can't be repaired. Looking back on the conversation, maybe I should have asked if he was okay first. He was fine besides a little road rash. Okay, so the little road rash is worse then it appears in the photos. It actually looks much worse after three days and the photo doesn't show the rest on his hip and bum. I am grateful that he was okay and the girls and I will be going to his race this weekend in downtown Gainesville.

I will be doing another give-away at the beginning of the week. I am sorry I haven't been better about posting this week. I am trying to get ready for two art shows and we have had some sickness in our household. Have a great weekend.

Please Read

2009-01-28T09:17:00.003-05:00

For those of you who love handmade this is a great article written by an etsy seller. Please read.

As parents and concerned citizens I’m sure most of us at one time or another have been confronted with the question of lead poisoning. But have you asked yourself what your government is doing to protect your children from lead contained in toys? The answer? They're banning toys, taking books from schools and libraries, hurting low income families, killing entrepreneurial spirit and risking putting the economy in an even greater depression than we've seen in decades. I'd like to introduce you to their solution: the CPSIA.Do you know about the CPSIA? No? Then I ask you to take a few minutes to find out about it.
The CPSIA stands for Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, a new set of laws that will come into effect on 10 February, 2009 and will impact many, many people in a negative way. Make no mistake, this is very real. View it for yourself. If Forbes, the American Library Association and numerous other media are paying attention, perhaps you should too.
How will these new laws affect you? Well, here are a few examples:
To the Parents of Young Students:Due to the new law, expect to see the cost of school supplies sky rocket. While those paper clips weren't originally intended for your student to use, they will need to be tested now that your 11-year-old needs them for his school project. This law applies to any and all school supplies (textbooks, pencils, crayons, paper, etc.) being used by children under 12.
To the Avid Reader:Due to the new law, all children's books will be pulled from library and school shelves, as there is no exemption for them. That’s okay though, there's always television. Our children don’t need to learn the love of reading after all.Article from the American Library Association http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=1322
To the Lover of All Things Handmade:Due to the new law, you will now be given a cotton ball and an instruction manual so you can make it yourself since that blanket you originally had your eye on for $50 will now cost you around $1,000 after it's passed testing. It won't even be the one-of-a-kind blanket you were hoping for. Items are destroyed in the testing process making one-of-a-kind items virtually impossible. So that gorgeous hand-knit hat you bought your child this past winter won’t be available next winter.
To the Environmentalist:Due to the new law, all items in non-compliance will now be dumped into our already overflowing landfills. Imagine not just products from the small business owners, but the Big Box Stores as well. You can't sell it so you must toss it. Or be potentially sued for selling it. You can't even give them away. If you are caught, it is still a violation.
To the Second-Hand Shopper:Due to the new law, you will now need to spend $20 for that brand new pair of jeans for your 2-year old, rather than shop at the Goodwill for second hand. Many resale shops are eliminating children's items all together to avoid future lawsuits.
To the Entrepreneur:Due to this new law, you will be forced to adhere to strict testing of your unique products or discontinue to make and/or sell them. Small businesses will be likely to be unable to afford the cost of testing and be forced to close up shop. Due to the current economic state, you'll have to hope for the best when it comes to finding a new job in Corporate America.
To the Antique Toy Collector:Due to the new law, you'd better start buying now because it's all going to private collection and will no longer be available to purchase. “Because the new rules apply retroactively, toys and clothes already on the shelf will have to be thrown out if they aren't certified as safe.” http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123189645948879745.html
To the American Economy:Already struggling under an economy that hasn’t been this weak in decades, the American economy will be hit harder with the inevitable loss of jobs and revenues from suppliers, small businesses and consumers. The required testing is far too costly and restrictive for small businesses or individuals to undertake.
To the Worldwide Economy:Due to this new law, many foreign manufacturers have already pulled out of the US market. You can imagine the impact of this on their businesses. If you think this is exaggerating, here is a recent article from Forbeshttp://www.forbes.com/2009/01/16/cpsia-safety-toys-oped-cx_wo_0116olson.html
And for those of you prepared to be stupefied and boggled, The New Lawhttp://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html
Did you know? If this upsets or alarms you, please react.

Gung Hay Fat Choy

2009-01-27T09:40:00.003-05:00

Wishing everyone a Happy Chinese New Year. We were able to celebrate with two different groups of adoptive families on Saturday and Sunday. The girls had a great time and I loved seeing the new little ones who have joined their forever families in the last year. I pray that the process speeds up for all of the families that are waiting for their children.

Monday I went to Jetty's class to do a presentation on China and the Chinese New Year. I was torn about the presentation and thought maybe I didn't want to make Jetty stand out more than her classmates. When I mentioned it to my ever-so-wise husband he told me a story about being in middle school and one of his classmates was Native American. He said they all thought she was a little weird and one day she wore her native dress and performed a dance for the class. After that performance he said that he thought she was really cool. (Keep in mind he is telling me from the perspective of being a kid.)

I am so glad I went to her class. Jetty was so proud and she should be proud of where she was born. I did a presentation last year for her preschool class and I am not sure why I was even hesitant but it won't happen again. There was an incident last week when I went to have lunch with Jetty at her school and I guess that made me want to protect her and that is not always the best answer.

Last week I was waiting in lunch line with her and the little boy behind her said " she has Chinese eyes." I knelt down and explained "yes, she does. We all have different shaped eyes." Thinking that was the end I turned back around to see Jetty staring behind me and then put her head down. I turned around to see the same little boy then pulling his eyes back at a slant and making a funny face. My heart dropped. I am sure this little boy wasn't intentionally being mean but maybe he was. I knelt back down and said that it wasn't appropriate and explained we all have different shaped eyes and different colored skin. How different was good, etc... He did it one more time and a teacher came over and took over as I moved on with Jetty.

I don't look at our girls as different but the reality is they are a minority. Even in a school as diverse as the one Jetty attends she is really a minority. Her class is made up of many Hispanics and African Americans. Even the little boy I spoke about is African American. That night I realized Jetty is 1 of 2 Asians in a school of 450. All I can think about is how you want to teach them to handle that type of situation when you are not there. I don't know how many times he might have been doing that to Jetty and I happened to be there that lunch.

Hopefully the presentation helped to educate. I started off asking who was born outside of Florida and then explained that Jetty was born in China. As an adoptive parent of different ethnicity you hope you are saying the right things.

That night we read one of our favorite books Big Words for Little People by Jamie Lee Curtis. There is a great line "different is never something to hate" (The illustrations also show a diverse family). She looked at me and said "we are a little different and I think we are perfect." I told her that I thought so too and gave her a big cuddle.

$$$Bike$$$

2009-01-23T09:23:00.000-05:00

Doug brought the girls to the Bike Shop the other day while I was in the studio. The girls are very comfortable there and make themselves at home. When they arrived home Doug showed me the picture on the camera of Jetty holding on to this bike. He then proceeded to tell me the bike was $18,000. "What, are you kidding me and you let her touch it?" I am nervous enough when they are pushing baby strollers around the shop and I know some of the bikes are $5,000. I am so glad I wasn't with them that day in the shop. For that kind of money it should fly or at least guarantee that you win every race.

Pretty Little Pots

2009-01-21T09:10:00.003-05:00

These are some of the little pots the girls made for Christmas gifts. I ended up keeping these for myself because I love the way the colors all looked together. It is a simple clay technique to teach kids and they are so proud of the outcome. Air-dry clay would work fine and then could be painted with acrylic paint. If you have any access to a kiln the glazes really make the pots beautiful.

Pinch Pot directions:

1. Make the clay into a ball ( about 1/2 dollar size for little hands)

2. Stick your thumb into the middle of the ball (visualize little Black Horner with his plum)

3. While keeping the thumb in the clay, start to thin out the sides by pushing the outside of the ball with your four fingers.

4. Continue around the entire ball to make the sides even.

5. Gently pat the bottom of the pot on the table to flatten out a bottom.

Happy Birthday

2009-01-19T18:52:00.002-05:00

Our little baby turned 3 on Friday. Ella is quick to correct me and tell me she is not a baby anymore. My usual response is "You will always be my baby" and give her a kiss on the cheek. She usually then flashes her sweet smile and giggles. She still does seem like a baby to me but I do notice how much she has grown and how her face is changing. She makes the funniest expressions now which I am never able to get on film. Happy Birthday our little Monkey!

The winner is...

2009-01-15T08:57:00.002-05:00

It is so cold this morning it is hard for me to get motivated to do anything. I know 41 doesn't sound that cold but when you live in Florida it seems even colder. I am trying to get motivated to ride my bike but I don't see it happening and I don't know how well Ella will tolerate the cold in the bike trailer.

I am happy to announce that the winner of the necklace is Momma Mary. Please stop back again because I plan on having a give-away once a month. I will post the next give-away the first week in February. It might be a handmade kids item or a purse. I hope everyone is staying warm.

Give-Away

2009-01-09T21:06:00.004-05:00

I enjoyed the give-away so much last month I thought I would start hosting a monthly give-away. This month will be for a handmade earthenware necklace. The winner gets to pick which necklace they prefer. Both are handmade by me out of earthenware clay and hand-carved stamps. After the bisque firing they are stained with an underglaze and then multiple coats of translucent glaze is applied. The turquoise cross is 18" and the pendant is about 1" with a red glass accent bead. The OM symbol pendant is 2" in diameter and 18" cord.

Just leave a comment to enter. If you have a blog and post a link I will count that as 10 entries. If you don't have a blog please leave contact info in your comment. I will leave the comments open until *Wedenesday at midnight* so check back next week.

I hope everyone has a great weekend. Doug is working and I took the girls to a hot air balloon festival. What a neat experience but I am now exhausted. Accomplishing all the stuff I was suppose to do on the computer tonight will not happen. This will challenge me to work on my New Years resolution of letting stuff go. I can update my shop and answer e-mails later. Right now Murphy is giving me her puppy dog eyes and needing some attention so I am letting go of my to-do list for the night.

It's Here

2009-01-07T21:08:00.003-05:00

The new Stampington Publication is out in the bookstores. Anyone who admires softies should definitely add it to your collection. By the way...there are some cute little birds on page 123 and 128. In all seriousness I am so flattered to be included with such a amazing group of artists.

I will be posting a give-away on Friday. I can't decide if it should be a necklace, another bird, another softie or a purse. Any suggestions??

A Little Bit of Nothing

2009-01-03T21:21:00.005-05:00

I hope everyone had a great Christmas. We are just enjoying doing a little bit of nothing. Ignoring the to-do list and just spending time with each other. Jetty goes back to school on Monday and I miss her already. I like our spontaneous days of not setting the alarm and just waking, cuddling and playing together. Our house is begging for a little cleaning to be done and the Christmas tree to come down. Tomorrow will be a day of hiking and a canoe trip and Monday will be a day of cleaning, organizing and refreshing the to-do list. I hope to get the studio organized this week and I plan on posting another give-away this week.

I want to Thank everyone for their nice comments about Hudson. Murphy is getting lots of love from us and is enjoying cuddling on the couch with me after the girls go to sleep. We even bought her an extra bed for our room so she can sleep next to our bed. So much for the bedroom being pet free. The girls still talk about Hudson everyday. The other day Jetty pretended to call Heaven on her play phone and said to us that God said Hudson was doing good and he was throwing the ball for him. Kids are so much more resilient then we think.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T21:37:00.001-05:00

Wishing everyone lots of hugs and giggles...

Good-Bye Hudson

2008-12-22T20:50:00.002-05:00

Our sweet dog, Hudson, passed away Saturday around noon. I won't be able to write much because it is hard to see through the tears. I was really fine today until I started to look for pictures to post. Hudson was the best dog with the girls and the poor thing put up with lots of hugs even when he just wanted to be left alone. Doug and Hudson shared a special bond and I have never seen a more devoted dog to his master. We will miss him terribly and poor Murphy is really missing her brother right now.

Thank You

2008-12-16T07:30:00.002-05:00

Lisa asked me to post this on my blog...I also added a photo of Jetty and Anna at Anna's birthday party last month. The girls had so much fun!

Dear Friends,
We are overwhelmed by your generosity at Mel's Open House. Thank you so much for your support. We are so thankful for all of you. God is going to turn our difficult days into joy. Anna and I are going to get through our chemo and be healthy. I have no doubt God will hear our prayers. What an awesome testimony we will have to tell the world! Thank you again for being so wonderful. Have a wonderful Christmas!!

Lisa, Vern, Aimee, and Anna Harris

2 years ago today...

2008-12-09T19:10:00.011-05:00

We were in Chongqing, China and became a family of four when Little Ella was placed in our arms. I can't even put into words how much she has changed. Our once sick and anxious baby has turned into a determined, funny, sweet and very affectionate little toddler. She still sleeps holding my hand most of the night but she won't want to do that when she is in College so I will take advantage now.

I look back at pictures of Ella and she had that constant worried brow. I remember when she was in my sling just gently rubbing between her eyes and reassuring her that she was safe and loved. That little furrowed brow didn't go away for about six months and still visits occasionally.

It is so neat to see the little girl she is becoming. She is a little collector and every bag the girls have is always filled with her treasures. She also likes to fill our pockets with special rocks that she finds. My favorite is when she collects stickers and places them on my bottom but I don't realize it until Doug mentions it to me later. This is usually after I have been to the grocery store or at an appointment,etc...

I can't imagine our life, our family, without this sweet little girl. We are so blessed and lucky to have her as our daughter. I love the picture of Ella with Daddy on the bus in China. She had been with us for two days and I just love the look on Jetty's face as Daddy was making Ella laugh. Those are the things that are priceless.

Little Hostess

2008-12-09T18:55:00.002-05:00

Jetty was so excited about the open house that as soon as she got home from school she asked "Can I be the hostess?". I told her that would be lovely and she could greet people. Distracted with getting food ready I didn't notice what she was doing at the art table. A little later she ran up to me with a handful of "tickets". She had wrote "welcome" about 20 times and cut them out to hand to people. That was the sweetest thing and so cute.

It was such a wonderful night and thanks to everyone who came out to support me and help raise some money for the Harris family. At the end of the night I was straightening up and Ella placed some clay pendants on the floor in a design. I love the way these girls think.

The Winner is....and more give-aways

2008-12-07T22:55:00.004-05:00

Well actually there are two winners. The first name the girls drew will be getting the dream catcher and instead of not giving away the necklace because there was no link on the blog I decided to draw an additional name to win the necklace.

The dream catcher goes to...Arah, who also commented with "just adorable, I love birds. Pick me..please. "

The necklace goes to...Suburban Farm, who commented with "Pretty Pretty things!!"

Please stop by again and look for the new give-aways. I am touched by the sweet comments and as I told some friends at my studio open house Friday night "I love when people 'get' my stuff ".

Update

2008-12-07T16:51:00.002-05:00

Comments close at midnight tonight. The winner will be announced in the morning. Thank you all for such nice comments. This was so much fun I plan on doing a give-away once a month.

Give-Away

2008-12-02T21:56:00.007-05:00

A little bird needs new home and I would love to send him on his way. He is very similar to one of the two birds that will be featured in the new Somerset studios publication "Stuffed:A Gathering of Softies". This sweet bird is meant to be used as a dream catcher with a little extra flair. It is hard to tell from the photos but the copper leaves are stamped with the words "Sweet Dreams". Have I told you how honored and excited I am about the new publication?

Just leave a comment and one of my little ones will pick a number randomly to choose the winner. If you also post a link from your blog I will add a handmade earthenware clay necklace of a majestic tree with vintage bead dangle.

I will post the winner on the 8th. Good luck and have fun with all the great give-aways.

Studio Mess

2008-11-29T19:02:00.003-05:00

I told myself that I would have all my projects done and this week would be just setting up for the open house. The truth is I still have many projects to finish, including another kiln firing, and my studio is a mess. It could possibly be called a disaster. I am being reminded of my days in school and how I use to tell myself that I work better under pressure. I think it is really more of a focus issue then procrastinating. Lately I am not able to focus on one project and it is wearing me down. I am not sure if I should blame age or being a Mom.

The girls and I did a benefit 4 mile run/walk this morning which was fun. The girls did great in the stroller. I don't have a double jog stroller so I had to pull them on the bike in the bike trailer then convert the trailer to a stroller for the run/walk since the bike trailer won't fit in my car. We didn't break any records (no running for my knee ever again) but we weren't last (almost).

Published...soon...and a Give-Away

2008-11-20T08:44:00.004-05:00

I am so excited to say that two of my birds will be featured in the premiere of the new Somerset Studio Magazine. The new publication is called Stuffed: A Gathering of Softies. It should be out in January and I am so excited I can't put it into words. I was contacted a few months ago and was told that two of my birds will be in the featured gallery. I feel privileged to be included. I am amazed at the talented softie artists and their creations with such personality. I wasn't going to post about the publication until it comes out because I really won't believe it until I see the photos but I decided to join the Give-Away day.

On Dec. 3rd I will post about the give-away and which little bird will find a new happy home.

Studio Open House and Sale

2008-11-18T12:40:00.003-05:00

It is that time of year again....

Studio Open House and Sale

This years sale will help to benefit the Harris family. They are a local adoptive family whose daughter was diagnosed with cancer in August. They now have a new battle to fight because Lisa, Anna's Mom, was just diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Please keep them in your prayers and I know they will win this battle. If you are in Central Florida and would like to join us just let me know.

Ocean and Moon Studio
Friday Dec. 5th 4-8pm

Come enjoy good company, a glass of wine and do a little Christmas shopping.
Lots of unique handmade items all priced below retail for this once a year sale.
Items starting at $3.
20% of ALL sales to benefit the Harris family. Raffle with all proceeds
benefiting the Harris family.To learn more about the Harris family please visit...http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/annaharris

End of Summer

2008-11-07T21:30:00.003-05:00

Summer feels like it is coming to an end. We have been enjoying the cool air and dinner outside. Hopefully we will make it to the beach a few more times this year. Tomorrow we will be enjoying a reunion with our wonderful adoption agency in Orlando. I can't wait to see all those cute little kids.

Marie-Therese Gown GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

2008-10-21T19:59:00.000-04:00

Marie-Therese Gown GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

Oh! How I would love to win this gown. I don't know what I would have to do to bribe my little tom boy to wear it but it is just beautiful!

Feeling Loved

2008-10-20T07:49:00.002-04:00

I am so touched by all the offers from family and friends to help me when Doug isn't home. The girls have loved all the extra attention from family members visiting and helping Mama. My knee is feeling pretty good today since I took it easy yesterday plus I broke down and took 1/2 a pain pill last night. I am having the strangest dreams because of the medication and last night my dream had to do with David Hasselhoff being a monster and eating gross things, very strange and I am a little concerned my brain can even come up with such a scenario.

Ella has been doing a lot of sewing on the couch with Mama and I love that she is enjoying her creations. I am hoping to make some Christmas gifts with Jetty and Ella's embroideries.

Bum Knee

2008-10-18T14:12:00.003-04:00

I had surgery on my knee last week and I am out of commission for a few days. Who am I kidding... I vacuumed the house the day after my knee surgery. Pain killers are a bad thing. I thought I was super women on them and I really couldn't think straight. No more pain meds for me so maybe I won't overdue anything for just a few more days.

The mark on my right thigh is a YES stamp. They were very thorough with making sure they operated on the correct leg, which I very much appreciated.

10 years

2008-10-14T20:57:00.003-04:00

Last weekend Doug and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary. It was such a lovely time and we spent our first night away from the girls. I forgot how nice it is to be able to talk to your husband over dinner:) We went to the spa together and stayed at a really quaint old Florida style hotel just 2 miles from our house. Just the right distance away for an emergency but it seemed like a world away. The girls were lucky enough to have Grandma stay the night and they had a great time.

I thought I would get a great night sleep without a girl on each side but I surprisingly kept waking up. Since we got Ella (almost 2 years ago) she sleeps holding my hand all night. I guess I am use to her little hand in mine and I missed it in the middle of the night.

This photo was my gift to Doug. I realized I didn't have any photos with the girls and I except the adoption dossier photos. Happy anniversary sweetie!

"Sentence Me"

2008-10-08T08:21:00.007-04:00

Daddy snapped this photo of Jetty the other day when they were working on sentences. She proceeded to cover herself in the post-it note words and looked at her Daddy and said "Sentence Me". She cracks us up.

I am happy to say that her skin virus is all gone and she is enjoying school once more. We ended up having a conference with her teacher and things are much better. Jetty told us she was bored. The teacher wanted to have her tested for gifted but we suggested they wait a year. After all she just turned 5. When the reading assessment came back she is almost at 2nd grade level. No wonder she was bored. The teacher now sends home more advanced books on her level and they have her doing a 1st grade reading program at the library. I can't say enough good things about her teacher. She has been very accommodating and we really appreciate the great job she is doing. It is so nice to have Jetty wake up in the morning excited about school.

By the way...after that spell check I just performed on this post I don't think I am much more advanced then Jetty, hehe. Maybe it is because there is a little Ella helping me type or it is just Mommy brain. I think I remember the days when I had complete thoughts and I could spell :)

New Haircut

2008-10-05T13:52:00.002-04:00

Tie-Dye How To

2008-09-30T19:59:00.003-04:00

Since I was an art teacher in a private life I know how much fun kids have with tie-dye. I even tie-dyed with 5 fifth grade classes. Let me clarify that, the wonderful art teacher (Dana) that I taught with made the suggestion and I probably looked at her like she had 5 heads. She is the most amazing art teacher I could have worked with an so laid back. It turned out to be a great project and the kids LOVED the outcome. I don't know why it took me so long to finally try it with my girls.

I suggest buying a kit because it contains everything you need. I found it important to use either Procion Dyes or other pigments but not Rit dye. This is a great place to buy all the supplies Dharma Trading Co. or just go to your local craft store and buy one of the kids kits. It will contain 3 dyes in bottles, soda ash, and rubber bands. Soak the fabric in water with Soda Ash. This is important to allow the fabric to really soak up the color. I then let the girls twist in bundle the fabric however they want. When they are ready I twist the rubber band around their little bundles. There are all fancy ways to fold the fabric but for it to really be the girls artwork I let them experiment. I showed them a few twists and then told them to make about 5 that we could rubber band. I then put the t-shirts on a cookie tray and let them squirt away. The bottles work great for kids because the mess can be a little contained. When you are all done with the t-shirts place them in a Ziploc bag for about 24 hours and then wash.

Speaking of crafts... this is an easy self-hardening clay recipe the girls love. I know I have a kiln but the girls sometimes like the instant gratification of sculpting with color clay that will be hard the next day. Warning: Do not leave out around dogs. I found this out the hard way when I thought the dining room was flooding. No it wasn't flooding, it was Hudson and his body reacting to eating so much salt. He still didn't learn and we have to watch him like a hawk when the girls are creating. I can't imagine that it tastes good:)

4 cups flour

1tsp alum

1 1/2 Cups salt

1 1/2 cups water

You can either paint it when hard (about 2 days) or we like to add food coloring and then build. Have Fun!

Tie-Dye

2008-09-20T09:04:00.000-04:00

The girls love tie-dye and we created our first tie-dye shirts together. It wasn't as messy as I expected and the girls loved the outcome. We will definitely be making some more fun designs.

Jetty turns 5

2008-09-13T21:33:00.000-04:00

On August 23rd Jetty turned 5. I seems like last year that she was placed in our arms in China when she was 10 months old. Her face looks like a little girls now but sometimes she still has that serious look and wise eyes. Happy Birthday my sweet!

School

2008-09-05T08:34:00.002-04:00

Jetty has not been wanting to go to school the last few days. It just breaks my heart. I guess there is a computer game that has noises that makes her nervous. She has always been sensitive to noises. The teacher and I now have her not wearing the earphones but rather hanging them around her neck. We also have her raise her hand when it comes to that game and the teacher will change the screen. I don't know what else to do.

She was so sad this morning and it is really stressing out her eczema and not helping with the skin virus we have been fighting for two weeks. Poor Jetty had bumps under her armpit and it was originally thought to be a reaction to the chicken pox vaccine but when I took her to the dermatologist she knew right away that it is Molluscum. I love how the websites say it is common and no one I have talked to has heard about this virus. Has anyone had an experience with this virus? Some Doctors choose not to treat it but with Jetty's eczema it is not an option. She scratches so bad some days and it is opening herself to lots more infections. The Dr. treated her bumps last week with beetle juice and put a little piece of medical tape on each spot which I (Daddy was working) had to remove 4 hours later. There was 27 pieces of medical tape, not fun. Each spot turned into a blister and I thought we would be in the clear. Well, 4 days later she has 27 scabs and over 25 new spots. Doug and I decided to try a prescription immunology drug which made me nervous because of her allergies but she is handling it well. I pray that it works and doesn't get more out- of-control. She has to wear long sleeve shirts to school which is great in 94 degree weather.

Birth

2008-09-03T21:11:00.000-04:00

5 weeks ago I was privileged enough to be the birthing coach to one of my sweet best friends. Actually, Cindy is my oldest childhood friend. I have know her since I was 7 and I cherish our friendship. I have been blessed to have some wonderful childhood friends whom are still very close. Those special relationships that you may not see each other for a few months but it never feels that way. Cindy and I have gone through times in our lives when we were on different paths but we always stayed close. Now we are both on the same path of parenthood. Cindy always wanted to be a Mom and made the decision to become a single parent. I was lucky enough to be with her from her first appointment and was privileged when she asked me to be her birth partner.

After the first Lamaze class, Doug asked if it would upset me and would I long for my own birth experience. It would have bothered me before our girls but I was really okay with the situation. Heck, I was more then okay. I had no burning desire to have that experience anymore and I was so grateful to experience it through my friend. Thank you Cindy for letting me be part of the birth of your family, beautiful Emerson Cole, you are going to be an amazing Mom.

Another Storm

2008-09-03T08:18:00.002-04:00

I hope Hanna takes a hard right and stays far away from land. There are some areas that don't need anymore rain. We have lakes and a river that have yet to crest from the last storm. My heart goes out to everyone dealing with the flooding water. Hopefully the storm will stay far enough off shore and school won't be canceled. North Carolina is sounding so nice right now:)

First Week of School

2008-09-01T20:41:00.002-04:00

It is actually the 2nd week of school but the first week was pretty non-existent because of Fay. School was canceled for 4 days so this really feels like the first week. Jetty is LOVING school and really missed not having school this weekend. I heard all weekend about how she was so excited to go to school on Tuesday. This is encouraging me that we made the right choice to send her to school. She is my social butterfly and really loves meeting people. My little girl is growing up!

On the other hand, she can now list off the characters from Sponge Bob Square pants. All my friends that know me are now smiling because they know how we are about those type of influences. The girls have never even seen a movie. No full length Disney cartoons or Pixar movies. Yeah they do watch TV some days, Charlie and Lola, Zoboomafoo, Winnie-the-Pooh and Jack's Big Music Show. Heck, that electronic babysitter is great when I need to make dinner and it often keeps me sane. I also know that lots of the shows can be very educational but we are very selective. I am a visual person and the girls are sensitive so being selective has just been the right choice for our family. I know that she is going to learn all sorts of things in school even some things that I don't want her to learn. Hopefully she won't come home one day singing Hannah Montana songs, my head might explode.

A Special Little Girl

2008-08-28T20:49:00.002-04:00

There are so many posts that I need to catch up on. So many things have happened in the last few weeks but nothing is as important as some dear friends who need our prayers right now. A sweet friend of Jetty's is in the hospital right now and any prayers sent her family's way would be much appreciated. Anna is such a sweet joyful child and a strong fighter. http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/annaharris

Come on

2008-08-21T20:08:00.002-04:00

I thought it was a joke this morning when I woke up and turned on the news. I was fully expecting this storm to be long gone but instead she choose to hang out on top of us all night. It was overcast but not very rainy or windy and I even contemplated taking the girls for a bike ride. After talking to my brother on the phone I decided it was best to stay home. The eye of the storm was over us so that was why it was so calm and the storm hadn't moved in six hours. It was a good decision because the storm started moving and the winds picked up and they haven't stopped all day neither has the rain. We are told to expect more tomorrow and school has been canceled yet again.

As any Mom (or Dad) knows it is hard being stuck inside all day. Today was the third day and I finally busted out a Winnie-the-Pooh video and popcorn. As soon as I got the girls settled on the couch and put the video in the power went out! Go figure, I don't know how to set up the generator and Daddy was in Orlando at a Bike Race (International Firefighter and Police Games). Crazy cyclist racing in the wind and the rain. The girls and I ended up putting headlamps on and reading which was so much fun and the quietness with the rain was very magical.

By the way, Daddy won both of his races today and we are very proud of him!

Wet Day

2008-08-19T20:55:00.002-04:00

We are dealing with tropical storm Fay and unfortunately it looks like we might be dealing with her a little longer. The county below us is really getting the most damage and I hope everyone makes it safely through the night. It is actually beautiful outside with the occasional rain. I just sat on the front porch with Murphy and a glass of wine while watched the trees blowing around. It feels like fall and makes me long for cooler weather. You would think it was just a thunder storm but we are under a flood watch and tornado watch. It is those tornadoes from the feeder bands that really scare me.

I think most Floridans are prepared for hurricanes these days. We stocked up on fuel for the generator and I went to the grocery last night and I couldn't believe the empty shelves. The early bird does get the worm and shopping the night before a tropical storm is a little late.

This storm had us reminiscing about our first summer home with Jetty. We had three hurricanes and it seemed like our house was boarded up forever. I found this picture of Jetty during one of the storms and she was so mad. She wanted to go outside to play with Daddy in the middle of a hurricane. Daddy is riding his bike trainer on the back porch during the storm (you can see him in the sliding glass door). Poor little Jetty just didn't understand why Daddy could go outside and we had to stay in. I tried to explain that Daddy had life insurance and we didn't and that I would prefer not to be listed on the Darwin awards, hehehe.

On another note, Jetty's first day of school went smooth. She was very upset in the morning and I ended up carrying her into school. She ended up having a great day and was smiling when we picked her up. Unfortunately, school has been canceled for two days because of the storm. Hopefully this won't throw the kids off too much.

Catching Up

2008-08-16T20:14:00.002-04:00

This summer has just flown by and I have many posts that I will try to catch up with in the next few days. Here are a few pictures of Jetty jumping to the couch. I left the girls while I was doing laundry in the garage and I came into the house hearing "cannonball" being yelled over and over by Jetty. I turned the corner to see this...

By the way, my little girl starts Kindergarten on Monday. I am really not sure how I feel about this transition.

Just Like Mama

2008-07-17T20:45:00.003-04:00

Jetty has taken over my favorite little mug. I don't mind and I think it is adorable. I found the mug at a thrift shop and it reminds me of all the Owls and Mushrooms that decorated our house in the 70's. Oh, how I loved those Owls and when I found this mug it reminded me of my lovely Mom. Jetty likes to pretend she is lounging and drinking coffee just like Mama. Mornings are our lounging time when we sit on the couch for about 20-30 minutes and the girls cuddle with Mama and Daddy. I know we won't have this luxury when she starts school in a few weeks so I will cherish it while it lasts.

Birthday Party for Bear

2008-07-17T20:39:00.002-04:00

We seem to have a birthday party for Bear at least once a week. Jetty made special crowns for the Bears to wear and we sing "Happy Birthday". The best part is that the birthday cake is always sliced bananas with two candles stuck in the top. I wonder how long I will be able to get away with the fruit instead of cake?

Labeling

2008-07-12T21:02:00.002-04:00

Jetty has been enjoying writing out labels. She writes words on paper, cuts them out, and tapes them on the proper item. She was apparently tired of waiting for her slacker Mom(Me) to label items around the house to help with reading.

Notice the label on the hat.

A visit with new friends

2008-07-01T09:35:00.003-04:00

Jetty and Ana Claire playing at the beach.

Two weeks ago we were lucky enough to meet another family that was on vacation in our little beach town. I actually met the other Mommy through her blog. They have two lovely teenager boys, Jetty was very smitten with the oldest, and a beautiful daughter from China. It is so nice when you have a instant connection such as adoption but even better when that connection goes even deeper. Lisa is one of those women that I know I would be friends with even without the adoption connection and I am grateful that link brought us together. The girls and I were able to meet them at the beach twice and they were able to come to our house for a bit. Lisa, we can't wait for your next visit to see your family:)

The girls had a wonderful time and Jetty keeps asking for sweet Ana Claire. Unfortunately, Doug was not able to join us because he was out of commission. I mean really out of commission...Doug's back went out at work Sunday and he was sent home. The girls and I went to a baby shower and left Daddy resting safely on the couch. Well a couple hours later I get a call from Doug saying he can't get off the garage floor and he had been there an hour. I raced home and his brother was there and we couldn't get him off the floor. I ended up having to call 911 and they rolled him on a scoop and off to the hospital. After being in the emergency room for 6 hours and putting a load of drugs in him I was able to take him home. By the time we left his respiration's were 10 and his blood pressure 89/45. I mean a LOAD of drugs. He was not able to even sit up for 3 days. I am happy to say he was cleared for work last week and is even back on his bike.

Jetty

2008-06-28T19:58:00.001-04:00

4 years ago today

2008-06-28T14:33:00.004-04:00

Four years ago today our lives were changed forever. Jetty was placed in our arms at the Lottery Hotel in Nanning, Guangxi, China. It was amazing... she looked right into our eyes and it was like we knew each other forever. She always wakes up happy in the morning, loves telling jokes and acting very silly. We are celebrating tonight by watching her video, reading her toddler lifebook, eating at a Chinese restaurant and giving her a gift that we bought for her in China. Last night I pulled out all the gifts and Doug and I decided which would be best to give her this year. We decided on a children's porcelain Chinese tea set in a pretty brocade box.

I found this letter I wrote on our 1 year family day or gotcha day...

One year ago today……
One year ago today our lives changed forever. Our sweet daughter that we had dreamed and prayed for was placed into our arms.
We began the day finishing up paperwork before being united with the babies in the afternoon. It seemed so surreal that the baby we had longed for was finally going to be placed into our arms. As we walked through the lobby of the Majesty Hotel in Nanning to board our bus it was full of other adoptive families with their babies. What a beautiful site to see all of those forever families together. We boarded the bus with the eight other families to journey to the Lottery Hotel to pick up the babies. I think the ride was about fifteen minutes to the hotel but it seemed like an eternity. I felt like I could have jumped out of my skin.
When we reached the hotel and we were boarding the elevator there were other families leaving the floor with their new babies. There was lots of crying, both of babies and new parents. We were told to sit in the seats against the wall as a government official spoke to us from a podium. I never heard a word she said because I was looking at the doorways trying to get a glimpse of the nannies and babies in the hallway.
Finally, the babies were brought in by the nannies and we had to wait for our names to be called. There she was, our little Jin Jie Li. We knew her right away. I had stared at that photo for eight weeks and knew her face by heart. As she was held in her nanny’s arms she was mesmerized by the lights on the ceiling and kept sticking out her little tongue. She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen and she was our daughter! When our name was called and she was handed to us I felt a sudden calm that I never expected. Our journey was finally coming to an end. Jetty never cried but just looked at us as if to say, “ What took you so long?”. We had our daughter and it felt so perfect.
On the ride back on the bus Jetty Jie Li fell asleep. We just stared at her and I fought the incredible urge to wake her up. At the hotel we placed her in the little metal crib that we had been preparing for her in the room. We all sat around watching her sleep. She woke up a short time later and we all laid on the ground playing with her. Grandma was the first to get a good belly laugh from her that night and Grandpa took lots of pictures.
Now I can’t imagine our life without that laugh and smile. Jetty fills our heart with laughter and we are better people because of her. Each time I walk out in the backyard and find seashells in her familiar hiding places or crayons in the dishwasher I think of her and smile. She has us laughing and smiling more then I ever could have imagined and it feels so good. Jetty Jie Li has turned into a loving, adventurous, curious and joyful toddler. There is no doubt that God chose Jetty to be our daughter and we are so blessed.

Worn out

2008-06-20T18:37:00.002-04:00

We took the girls to the Springs the other day and it was beautiful and refreshing. Jetty's snorkeling is amazing and cute little Ella insisted on wearing a mask even though she wouldn't put her face in the water. Ella was wiped out on the way home and fell asleep in the mist of eating her sandwich. You can see the sandwich hanging out of her mouth in the picture. What made it even funnier was that when she woke up 40 minutes later she finished chewing and picked up right were she left off.

Our Little Graduate

2008-06-16T16:25:00.004-04:00

Jetty graduated from VPK a couple of weeks ago. I always found the whole cap and gown thing for little kids a little cheesy. When it is your own child it is the cutest thing ever. Jetty was lucky enough to have both Grandmas and Grnadpa there to help celebrate.

I can't believe our little girl is going to start Kindergarten. I was really nervous about the start of Kindergarten and I was contemplating home schooling. Before becoming a parent I thought that we would home school. It turns out that Jetty LOVES school and her friends. It also turns out that Mommy would like the little break and Ella will enjoy the one-on-one time with Daddy and Mommy. The kindergarten orientation was wonderful. It turns out they have the highest reading scores in the county and the fifth highest in the state. I am not for the standardized test and the way schools are rated in this state... I could go on and on. But there was so much excitement about reading in the school and the love the teachers have for the students and making it positive was wonderful. Jetty loves reading and I think it will be a great fit for her first year of Elementary school. It is also nice that we live right behind the school and we are welcome to join her for lunch everyday.

Since Jetty has no school this summer we plan on going to the beach, sailing, kayaking, and spending lots of time with friends.

Here are some photos from her graduation. Sweet little Jetty wants so bad to be tall but as you can tell she is a little peanut.

Happy Father's Day

2008-06-15T21:13:00.003-04:00

Happy Father's Day Sweetie! You are such a wonderful father! The love and patience you show for our girls gives me the warm fuzzies inside. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing this journey with me.

Daddy and the girls at the museum and one of the many cardboard creations engineered by Daddy.

The Beach

2008-06-13T08:10:00.001-04:00

Well it is really the inlet, where the river meets the ocean. It is our favorite little beach.

Apron swap

2008-06-05T11:08:00.004-04:00

I joined an apron swap from this great blog. I just finished sewing it and will mail it off tomorrow to my swap buddy. I hope she likes the colors and the bird pocket. I think I might make one for myself but maybe with a cupcake. That is just what we need in this house, more aprons(hehe).

We have another sick doggy in the house. Well, actually she is acting fine but has a horrible hard lump that came up all of a sudden. The antibiotics didn't work so I took her in this morning for surgery. It was absolutely heartbreaking. I had Ella with me and we brought Murphy in the vet and put her in one of the cages in the back room. This is the heartbreaking part...As Ella and I walked out of the building she started screaming, I mean really screaming "My Murphy Now! My Murphy Home!". I tried to explain to her that she had a boo boo and the Dr. was going to fix it and we will bring her home this afternoon. In hindsight, I guess I should have done this before leaving the doggy. She kicked and screamed the whole way home for quite awhile after we were home and finally fell asleep on the couch. It was so sad.

Our other sick doggy apparently has 9 lives. He is doing great and for a few months there he was so bad we almost had him put to sleep. We had to take him off the meds because they were a couple hundred dollars a month and bad side effects. He has made a full recovery which we are very grateful.

Finally finished...

2008-05-23T08:18:00.004-04:00

Yes...after 19 months behind schedule I have finally finished Ella's 100 Good Wishes quilt. I guess it is the same with any 2nd child and projects usually take longer. I made a large quilt and a small one. Ella was so sweet when I gave it to her and all day she would come to me and say "tank you mama". Which made me start to feel bad that maybe she thinks Jetty gets more then her... this is typical mother thoughts, right?

Now, if I can get her toddler, regular lifebook, and slide show done by her 2nd Family Day, I will really be on the ball.

Speaking of slideshows...I used Nero to do Jetty's and it had a few glitches. Can anyone recommend a good slideshow program.