Monday, December 7, 2009

Merry Christmas!

Even though I haven't posted since May I am still getting a few visitors so I thought I would post a Christmas greeting to those who come. I stumbled onto a site which had this video and thought it would be fun to post it here. On this site that I visited it talked about how when we think of Germany many times we get thoughts of Hitler and World Wars which leaves you feeling a coldness. But, then they mentioned that many good things come from Germany as well, including music, literature, maths, science, engineering, and I would add beautiful castles and great candy. Love those Tolberones! Germany is just as any other nation in that it has the good and the bad side to it. Hopefully this video will leave you with more of a peaceful feeling for this wonderful country than a coldness and bring the thought of love coming down to all of us alike in this season of rejoicing. Enjoy!
P.S. make sure to hit the pause button on Sananda's playlist on the side bar before starting the video, so you can hear it without interference.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Late Birthday Party


A friend and I both have kids that just turned 3, and neither one of us had a party for them with friends invited, so we decided to have one together and celebrate them both with their friends. Although the photo is a little blurry,this is the cake that I made for Sananda. I hope she enjoys it.
The football cake in the back of Sananda's cake is one I made for my friend's son.
I think the kids will love it.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Please Vote

Jessica Ward, is an adoptive mother in Washington state. She has entered an essay into
a rather interesting contest. It is all about the credit crunch in
America today. You can read her entry at this link: http://www.uncrunch.org/uncrunchAmerica/uncrunchArticleDetail.action?gui\d=10502
I love her idea, but she needs your vote to win. She is currently is second place, so the running is VERY close. The prize is $5,000 and - if she wins - it will go to
Project HOPEFUL to become the basis for a revolving loan to parents who
desire to adopt children with HIV. Her website is: http://www.projecthopeful.org
Please check it out and vote today!

Friday, April 17, 2009

Happy Birthday Sananda!

Today our little girl turned 3!
We did a little nail art, baked a cake, decorated it and enjoyed!






The other day we ate out at a resturant and when we told them it was her birthday in a day they sang to her in French and gave her a free birthday cake. It was really sweet.

Curtain Pictures



Well, I finally got around to getting these posted. Sorry it has taken me so long but it has been very busy around here. Oh I will be so glad when summer vacation starts, maybe I will be able to get a little more accomplished then.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

I added a new button to the sidebar that you can click to see how you can help make the adoption tax credit permanent. Many families rely on this to help them pay for their adoption expenses, thus helping them get their children home. There is also a potential for the Adoptive Parents to give the Tax Credit to the orphanage their child came from, once they are home, or possibly to another organization that cares for orphans. Seems like a win-win situation either way. Won't you please consider taking action to help this last beyond the year 2010? Who knows, someday you may be surprised to be getting it yourself!

Thanks!

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

My Little Girl is Sick

My baby girl has a fever and here she sits snuggled up beside me looking at our blog and singing with me to our favorite song. All she really wanted to eat today was crackers. last night we had a new friend over to play with, must have wiped her out, as they had a great time playing together. Hoping she is well soon.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

New Curtains

Sananda and Olivia have new curtains in their room. I finally finished sewing these up after starting them about a year or so ago. So many projects leads to many things not getting done in a timely manner. :( The curtains did turn out very pretty though. There are made from a shiny pink and shiny purple fabric with little shiny colorful metal-like disks on them for design. The fabric was made in India, and it also has some embordiery of butterflies and lines. I may get a picture out here, but then again, if you read my blog much you know I don't get pictures out like I like to.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Our 2nd Family Day

Today we celebrated our second Family Day. I can’t believe how fast the time has gone this side of our youngest joining our family. We watched the video we took of our time in India and it is amazing how big our little girl is now compared to then. We first met Sananda when she was just a few days short of being 11 months old and she will be 3 years old next month. We read some books about India and adoption, they still bring tears to my eyes while reading them aloud to our daughter. There was a nice meal served on special plates that were placed on a tablecloth, made in India. After the meal we had a chocolate cake that was decorated with the words, “Happy Family Day” , it was sprinkled around the edges with colorful confetti candy. Each member of our family came and placed a candle on the cake alongside a number “2” candle that stood for how many years we had all been together. On the count of two we all blew the flames out simutaneously. We bought a balloon that said, “Forever Yours” and played some family games. Just having time with each other and knowing the love between us was a wonderful way to end the evening.
An added blessing was seeing how much more comfortable and settled our daughter is after this amount of time home.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Finally pics!!!!!!!!!!!!

I finally got a few photos out!
Captions start from the bottom of the post going to the top.

Pretty in Pink-waiting for her Thanksgiving meal.

Christmas at Grandma's, with her cousins.

My baby is going to be a seamstress, just like her mommy.
She kept calling the baby doll, on the floor at the left side of the machine, Nana.

Opps! I'm caught!

Am I in trouble?





Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Whose Right to Life?

Certainly not a babies according to this new legislation. Below is a letter printed with permission, please visit the website to learn more.


Dear Friend,

I'm writing to let you know about a terrible piece of legislation called "The Freedom of Choice Act" (FOCA).

FOCA would establish the right to abortion as a fundamental right (like the right to free speech) and wipe away every restriction on abortion nationwide.

It will eradicate state and federal abortion laws that the majority of Americans support and prevent states from enacting similar protective measures in the future.

Please read the expert analysis by Americans United for Life (AUL) and sign the Fight FOCA petition at:
http://www.FightFOCA.com

Thank you!

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Last Day To Vote-5 pm Eastern

This FWD mail arrived in my inbox today, if you have a moment or two would you please consider going in and voting for this idea. When you click the link there is an article telling how far reaching this new lead law may go. Let's get things back on the right track.

Thanks!
--------------------------------------------


The last day of voting for the Ideas for Change in America competition is today! On Friday we will present the top 10 ideas to the Obama administration at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. We'll then connect the winning ideas to leading nonprofits and launch a series of national advocacy campaigns to turn each idea into federal policy.

You have voted for the following idea:


Save Small Business From the CPSIA (6th Place)

You can help support this idea by forwarding this email to friends or posting links to your favorite ideas on sites like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, or any blog you might write.

You also have 9 votes remaining, and we encourage you to finish voting for your list of "Top 10 Ideas" by going to www.change.org/ideas before voting ends at 5pm Eastern this Thursday, Jan. 15.

We started the Ideas for Change in America initiative in the hope that we could translate the energy behind the Obama election into a citizen-led movement for change around the major issues we face. With over 500,000 votes thus far, each of you has helped deliver a clear message to the Obama administration that the American people want to participate in their own government again.

For that, we thank you. And we can't wait to work with each of you to continue this momentum after the competition ends.

In the meantime, best of luck for each of the ideas you support!

- The Change.org Team

Friday, January 9, 2009

Closing our store

This mail was sent across one of my groups and with permission I wanted to share it on my blog. How will this affect us?? Well, in many ways, but for now we are mostly affected with our website of where we offer our "In my heart dolls". As of now it looks like we will need to stop selling them. If you want to order any before the closing date please let know us. To see the dolls please go to www.stanleyadoption.com . Closing date is Feb. 10th, but all orders much be paid by that date.

I feel horrible for all those who will be put out of business. If you do to there are ways you can take action, listed below.

Read On......

The Homeschooler' s Notebook
Encouragement and Advice for Homeschool Families
============ ========= ========= ========= ========= ========= =
Vol. 10 No 2 January 8, 2009
ISSN: 1536-2035
============ ========= ========= ========= ========= ========= =
Copyright (c) 2009 - Heather Idoni, FamilyClassroom. net
============ ========= ========= ========= ========= ========= =

The Sale of Children's Books to be Banned

---

Oh, how I wish this were a joke! But it is a grim and looming,
almost Orwellian, reality.

Effective February 10th, in the United States, the sale of
all children's books (books intended for children ages 12 and
under) is to be PROHIBITED. Every single book printed prior
to the ruling is affected, whether new or used. New books in
production are required to include a "lead-free" certification
and will be the only books that are legal to offer for sale.

What does this mean to the homeschooling family?

Well, for one, curriculum fairs across the country will be
cancelled as book vendors scramble to figure out how to comply
with the new ruling. Complete book inventories will have to be
destroyed -- the ruling even prohibits giving away the books!
Local thrift stores will be hard hit -- most will likely have to
close their doors -- yes, even Goodwill and Salvation Army.

Clothing, toys and books -- even CDs and DVDs are included in the
ruling. Thrift stores will no longer be able to accept or process
anything (including clothing) that would be intended for a child.

No more library sales. Libraries will not be permitted to give
away or sell book donations. It is unsure yet, however, how
the libraries' shelves themselves will be impacted (the ruling
doesn't explicitly mention "loaning" books, just selling or
giving them away). The key word, however, is "distribution" --
libraries may well be required to destroy books from their shelves.

(The ruling that originally passed was about toys, but the EPA has
since made a statement that clothing, books and media are included
in "children's toys".)

Just how serious is this new law?

Amazon.com has already notified all vendors of their need to comply.
No book can be sold at the Amazon site that was printed prior to
compliance. And the "compliance" must be coordinated at the manu-
facturing stage. At the time of this article there is no clause
to be able to grandfather- in older books or even rare out-of-print
books. It can cost between $500 and $1500 to test a book for lead.

I happen to own a children's bookstore specializing in living books
from the 1950s and '60s. My punishment for selling a book after
February 10th? Up to $100,000 and 5 years in jail. And yes, it is
a felony charge. For selling a SINGLE book.

(Although I don't think the S.W.A.T. team scenario would become a
reality overnight, at the same time I would be leery of blatantly
violating Federal law.)

So what can you do to help save your local used bookstore that
sells children's books? Or that homeschool curriculum business?
Or your EBay business selling children's items?

ACT NOW before the quickly approaching deadlines:

1) Email or call the CPSIA - the office of the CPSC ombudsman at
888-531-9070. http://www.cpsc. gov/cgibin/ newleg.aspx

Comments on Component Parts Testing accepted through January 30,
2009. Or email: Sec102ComponentPart sTesting@ cpsc.gov

2) Contact your local representatives. For their contact informa-
tion, just enter your zip code.
http://capwiz. com/americanappa rel/dbq/official s/

3) Make your voice heard by voting on this issue! The top 3 in
each category will be presented to President-elect Obama.
http://change. org/ideas/ view/save_ handmade_ toys_from_ the_cpsia

4) Sign the petition.
http://ipetitions. com/petition/ economicimpactso fCPSIA/index. html

5) Spread the word! Forward this article. Send an email. Write
about this on your blog. Tell others about this issue and
encourage them to do the same.

---

For the complete story, read the following links:

http://www.cpsc. gov/about/ cpsia/cpsia. html

Consumer Product Safety Commission Summaries on Legislation Index
page for Children's Products Containing Lead; Lead Paint Rule and
other rulings

http://www.cpsc. gov/about/ cpsia/legislatio n.html#summaries

Office of the General Counsel FAQ on retroactive inventory require-
ments -- The use of forward effective dates appears to force current
inventories to adhere to the ruling on February 10th, 2009

http://www.cpsc. gov/about/ cpsia/summaries/ 101brief. html

Specific FAQ on their interpretation of books and other media to be
included in the testing of lead based products

http://www.cpsc. gov/about/ cpsia/faq/ 101faq.html

Effective Date: Lead content limit of 600 ppm becomes effective 180
days after enactment. An advisory opinion regarding the application
of the new lead limit to inventory existing at the effective date
can be found on our web site at
http://www.cpsc. gov/library/ foia/advisory/ 317.pdf

Getting the Lead out: There is no lead in children's books
http://news. bookweb.org/ news/5695. html

There is no lead in Children's books: From a Pedtrician

http://health. yahoo.com/ experts/childhea lth/3955/ is-there- lead-in-baby- books/

Monday, January 5, 2009

Pictures Again

I know I am terrible about getting pictures up here, but we were unexpectedly called away over the weekend, and now school is starting back up. SO I still hope to get them out here sometime soon.

PBS Special tonight!

There is a PBS Special on tonight about India. It is a 6 week series. I am hoping to get this on tape, I think Sananda would love to see it over and over. Sananda said she wants to see it and was asking questions about our trip when we went to India to pick her up. There is also a book and video available on the PBS site with a section for teachers and parents to use with thier kids.