Adoption Creates Families: April 2010

Thursday, April 29, 2010

3 more weeks

Our packing list for our trip is slowly getting marked off.
Today I bought air freshener for the room, batteries, Crystal Light to go packets,
and a Toy Story Uno game.

Speaking of...

We are SO excited to see this movie releasing June 18th.
According to some Disney forums, we will be able to meet some of the new characters while we are there. One of them is a strawberry smelling bear that is claimed to have been a popular toy in the 80's.

We got to cuddle him at the Disney Store...he actually looks old and ragged and does smell like strawberries! Funny thing is, the above bear is the advertisement for this character, but the bear below is the actual stuffed animal being sold by Disney. Can you see the difference?

Something tells me he is a villian like Sneaky Pete was in the second movie. I refuse to read much online about the movie because there are spoilers out there. But I think this ought to be a fun villian!

There is even a commercial for him. Of course you will not

remember him from your child hood because
"Lotso" the bear and the retro commercial are totally made up...even including the lines that would show up on an old VHS recording. You can view that clever skit here and see a clip from the new movie:
Toy Story 3
Those geniuses at Pixar never cease to amaze me!

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Teacher Appreciation

This is the gift we made for Isaac's

four teachers on Earth Day.

It is a bucket with a cute little metal shovel, a packet of herbs,

and a pkg. of Brite crawler candy gummy worms.

I just found out on Monday that next week is Teacher Appreciation Week at his school. I have been looking forward to this all semester..but did not know it was this soon! I have planned to give his four teachers a gift every day of the week, plus Vivi's two preschool teachers on Tues. and Thurs. (Ya'll know my love language is gifts by now..right?) The trick in doing this on a budget for so many teachers, for so many days is: (1) Have a very supportive husband and (2) Be willing to shop around in order to (3) put together each gift for under $10 a piece and on two days less than $5 a piece.
Whew, did you follow that? Plus- I did not want to duplicate anything I have already done for them this year...which you can view here. (I also gave them chocolate bunnies for Easter but didn't take a picture of those).

The challenge set before me was not an easy one, I tell you! BUT after three days of making lots of phone calls to retailers, shopping at Jo Ann's, Michaels, Hobby Lobby, Dollar Tree, Half Price Books, Target and an online order from Kohls...I am happy to say it has been done!!! The rest of the week will be spent preparing them and, beginning Monday I will do a post each day of what that day's gift is and how much it cost, including ribbon and wrappings. I have asked my mom to please, please, please make me gift tags on her Cricut to go along with each gift theme and she has graciously agreed. Can't wait to see what she comes up with.

Stay tuned for the unveiling of Teacher Appreciation Week....

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Our weekend

Saturday:

We went to a walk benefitting children in foster care.

It was hosted by a local emergency shelter for kids called Jonathan's Place.

There were also booths from other child placing agencies.

Here is Vivi winning the candy land cake walk!

Isaac won too!

Hula hoop practice.

Here is Isaac with my friend Ali's son, Daniel.

And Vivi with my friend Debbie's daughter, Isabel.

They are moving to California. Boo for us, but good for them!

Sunday:

Billy's parents came up from Houston to go with us to the Dallas Symphony. For Christmas, they had bought us tickets to Bugs Bunny on Broadway. Unfortunately I forgot my camera...grrr....but here is what it looked like:

Looney Tunes cartoons played while the Symphony did all the music and sound effects for them. It was really good.

Then we left to take Isaac to church for his Spring Choir Musical.

This is the photo from Nana's blackberry.

After we got home, Padre played checkers with Isaac and ball in the backyard and Nana read lots of books. The next morning we had breakfast at their hotel and the kids got to swim in the pool with Billy. His mom took me shopping and bought the kids shoes, pj's, and clothes. It was a lot of fun. They will be styling this summer once again!

We are looking forward to Isaac spending a week this summer at Nana and Padre's including camping at the lake in their comfy trailer, fishing, and roasting marshmallows.

Friday, April 23, 2010

Summer Employment

As much as I would LOVE spending my summer

doing this...

I need a job.

Please pray that I can find a summer nanny position. It will most likely be in their home not mine as that is how these things go (the kids like to sleep in in the summer).

Preferably, school age children.

I applied for one this morning and will be praying it works out and that they can pay me what I ask. My rates are not cheap. I have been doing this every summer for more than 15 years and I have paid my dues. I do not sit around and watch tv, I am in constant interaction with the children and it can really get exhausting. The hours are typically long and filled with lots of activities and field trips, including breakfast and lunch preparation. So, anyway....if you all could pray I find a high paying summer position, I would be so grateful!
Billy has an interview next week too and we are praying that works out. He would love to not have to pour coffee anymore...7 years has been enough for him.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Earth Day!

Today is Earth Day. I am not a big tree hugger and yes I buy plastic water bottles (but I do recycle them!). However, I do think Earth day is an important day. Why? Because it is the world God created for us, it is the only world we have, and He has called us to be good stewards of our resources. So we recycle and I use reusable shopping bags at the grocery store. Today we will work in the yard, admittedly not planting anything...because I can't keep a houseplant alive...but instead cleaning up the yard, mowing, and laying down mulch!

The kids and I worked on window boxes for the kitchen:

Vivi planted flowers in hers and Isaac has peppers in his.

His is not growing well at all. boo.

But they look really cute!

There is a site where you can see all the great freebies offered this Earth Day:

www.freebiespot.net

We will be turning in 6 water bottles to the Disney store for a free hat and possibly going to the story time at Pottery Barn Kids. You know how I like free stuff!
Funny story about that...

I found in the Sunday circular an ad for a coupon from Target. You were to tape the ad into an envelope and fill it with 5 target bags to mail postage free where they will recycle them in exchange for a coupon for a $1 off a reusable bag at Target.

So I am scrounging around the house trying to collect Target bags but can only find 3. Then I see one crumbled on my dresser and I yell out in excitement to Billy "found one more!" He says to me "I have never seen you work this hard to save a dollar." I as the good steward I am announce, "that is not why, honey! i am trying to reduce my carbon imprint on this earth." His retort was, "You just want the cute bag."

He knows me all too well.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

One Month

Thought this was a great image for our 4 week mark until we leave for Orlando!

It comes from my favorite little pastry chef, Bakerella.

I won't be trying these at home.

Next week will begin our paper chain countdown for the kids.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Learned something about my son tonight

For the past year or so we have been noticing a trend with Isaac. He does NOT like movies that show any kind of family strife. It started when we let him watch A Goofy Movie. In the movie, Goofy's son is a teen and as teens usually do, has strife against his dad. After one viewing, Isaac refused to watch the movie ever again. He said "Max is not nice to his dad."

Then there is a movie called Return To Neverland. He makes me fast forward through the part where an older sister yells at her little brother and makes him cry.

I'm sure there are others that are not coming to mind, but tonight it was confirmed that my son has a tender heart towards any kind of family strife. At Chick Fil A's family night they had a new Veggie Tales movie playing on a rented flatscreeen tv. There was a part in the movie where the son (Junior) is seperated from his father in a big ocean storm. Isaac comes running over to me with tears streaming down his face...in the middle of the dinner rush, mind you. He is NOT a big crier at all so of course I was surprised. He buried his head in my chest and I said "Isaac, are you upset that the son was lost from his dad?" and he nodded. I wiped his face and he said "I'm okay, I'm okay." I wanted to talk about it but he seemed embarrassed at his reaction. I told him I would cry too if he was ever seperated from me. It was such a sweet moment! Reminded me of how as a toddler he would sob when we would leave him anywhere...church...school...it was all too much for this little guy who had been shuttled around his whole young life.

I love that his heart breaks for injustices done. Maybe this is why he is really into the Justice League characters.:) I hope this is a part of him that will always remain, God could really use this for His glory!