No Ordinary Family

Happy Memorial Day everyone!  I am so thankful to have the day off of work today! I really needed an extra day. I am thankful for all the service men that have fought and will fight for our freedom! But today I would like to give thanks to one serviceman in particular, my Grampa L.  I want to thank him for angel food cake!  I know it seems strange but he is the one that taught me to love this wonderful dessert, simple.  It only had strawberries on special occasions and even then I liked the simple version better.   He was a wonderful cook and always had wonderful things for me to eat in his kitchen.  I miss that.  I miss him.  He was gone way too early from my life but I feel so blessed to have known him and to have been loved by him.  He always had Vienna Sausages in his pantry for me (or so he let me think), I no longer eat those but I L.O.V.E angel food cake.  At only 128 calories per slice it is something I don't hav...

I should know better than anyone that plans are meant to be broken.  We had all these plans for the weekend to get stuff done and we did get stuff done yesterday but today we (as in mostly me) are moving a bit slower. About once a year I decided to mow the lawn thinking how bad can it really be.  Plus this year there was the added bonus of it being a great way to burn some calories.  Every year I seem to forget how allergic I am to grass.  I am fine while I am mowing but then after comes the sneezing and the plugged up nose and the watery eyes and all that fun.  Keep in mind I take a zyrtec every day, but it is like a sugar pill against grass.  The stuff hates me.  So I ended up taking a sudefed and  that seemed to work ok, until I laid down last night and that it when I believe the Cold Virus Attacked.  BASTARD!  (yes, I just did comment on the uncertain parentage of the Cold Virus) So I am now miserable, I didn't get much...

I am really looking forward to having a 3 day weekend.  It has been a long week, unannounced inspections at work, a doctors appointment that did not go too well, and just general exhaustion.  Before anyone worries about my doctor appointment I am fine.  The doctor is just really worried about my steady weight gain in the last 3 years.  Funny thing is I was pretty stable before the adoption process started, coincidence?  I don't think so.  Anyway, she wants me to try and lose weight and come back in a couple of months. So I guess I am on a diet. I want to loose weight for me, too, this is the heaviest I have ever been and I don't like it.  So despite my leg pain (which sucks btw) I walked yesterday and the day before and plan on trying to make it a habit.   I wish we had an indoor pool around, that is the easiest exercise for me.  The nearest pool is in Yakima and I probably won't go by myself.  But if you are local and want t...

Whatcha think?

I didn't have long to be upset or sad because Friday night I had a party to go to.  I hurried home changed into something presentable and headed out for a surprise retirement party for my old plant manager who retired last month.  He was surprised and I hope he had a great time.  I had a good time and really enjoyed seeing the people I work with outside of work.  It was a dark room so not a lot of the pictures turned out but here are a few that did.  (no Jim you can not get a D90 yet). John meeting Fred's (new plant manager) wife. Me and Renee.  Renee came up for the party from our CA office.  Renee and I became good friends when I lived in CA, it was really great seeing her again. Me and Zenona. Zenona and I have been at Naumes together forever, they could not survive with out us, LOL.   Then came the shed.  Jim put in the door on Saturday, it replaced that big hole that was there.  Please ignore the mound of junk inside that is the...

Be prepared for a pity party, it's my blog and I can cry if I want to and today is one of those days.  I read blogs about every ones children and I just want to be there, be a mom.  I have wanted to be there for 10 years!! That is a lot of trying, does any one get that? I know my adoption agency doesn't. That is a lot of life to have been spent in the pursuit of one goal.  Every time I think we are close it seems to drift farther and farther away.  And no one that can make anything happen, has any sense of urgency.  So the Minister is not in one day, let's wait a week to go see her don't try again tomorrow that would be crazy It came up in my review for work, you know "the make sure you have everyone prepared for your leave" part.  It has been in my review for the last 3 years.  I would really like it to not to be there any more, is that really too much to ask.  I am about ready to take all our adoption money to Seattle and dump it on a fer...

Jim and I were in need of a new toaster.  We got the one we were using before we were married.  I think it cost us $15 or maybe it was $10, I can't remember but I do know that we would never have dared to spend more than $15 on a toaster at the time.  It did the job we needed it to for more than 10 years (probably more like 12 but I am not sure of the date), however recently it started having issues.   Lately, we have been enjoying English muffins in the morning, but we were having trouble getting them just right.  The first would always be under toasted and the second was very often burned to a crisp, even on the lowest setting. There were definite signs of impending toaster doom. So we decided that it was probably time for a new toaster.  Off to Wal- Mart I went.  I found the toasters near the curling irons because you know putting them next to the coffee pots would make too much sense.  However, they only had one model in ...

Jim and I went to Target on Saturday.  We needed a toaster and some cold medicine.  We came out with a few extra things but that is another story.  I love browsing around the store, perhaps dreaming of the day that we will have need to be in the toy section.  Plus we are big kids at heart so occasionally we find something we enjoy.  As we wandered upon the Lego isle (a favorite place) this is what I saw: Now if you just glance at the photo you might not notice that there are lighters in the middle of the toy section!! WHAT?   Yep, right between the Legos and the Uno cards, Target decided it was a good place for BIC lighters.  I know that toys have changed since I was a kid but really are lighters the new thing?  Hey, they are bright and colorful, right?  I know my Mom told me not to play with matches but I don't know if lighters were mentioned, maybe I missed something in my childhood, the BBQ lighter phase.  I was hoping to fin...

Not much happening around here, hence the lack of posts.  Jim has got some airplane wreck chasing adventure planned (I still say is it not chasing unless the target is moving but whatever).  He left early this morning and I tried to sleep in.  A little later I will head in to the fabric store, I have a few things I want to work on. It should be nice today, in the 80s!  In May, this is crazy weather for us.  I like it this temp but I am going to hate it when it gets any hotter.  The only reason that is should be hotter is to go swimming and since we don't have a pool I have no desire to see it hotter than 82.  But the evenings sitting in the back yard have been fun and relaxing and unplugged.  As much as I love the computer and all my precious electronics, it is nice to unplug for a while, together.  I have always know that my habits will have have to change when we have kids, but until them I have been reluctant to turn thing off.  I t...

Well, here we go again.  I hope that everyone has a great day.  I think I am going to ignore it a little if you don't mind.  I just plan on staring at a picture I got yesterday and hoping that next year there is more than just a picture!

I don't have an iPod, I guess I'm anti-Apple but the iPad is drawing me in a bit (don't tell Jim).  I have a Zune and although it is a little bigger than the Apple version, I LOVE it.  I have a set of speakers in my office and I would be bored lost with out it.  I have like a million songs loaded but there are really only a few that I listen to over and over again. I have one playlist that I call "adoption" because it just gives me hope and makes me think of our Aiden or our Little Miss. They just make me feel good.  I hope that someday soon I will be listen to those songs and holding that sweet boy.  I don't play it all the time but sometimes I just need it. So what songs are on the playlist?  Well here are a few that top the list: Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a wonderful World , Isreael Iz Kamakawiwo'ole Lullaby , Dixie Chicks Two of the Lucky Ones , The Droge and Summers Blend ( right now this is my absolute favorite!! ) Albe...

As you know Jim and I are trying to earn money to offset the high cost of adoption by selling coloring books.  I also sew little girls dresses but I have not been doing much sewing lately.  I want to get back into it but it is hard to get motivated and the coloring books are just easier, plus they are really really cool.  But if you are not looking for a coloring book there are lots of other ways you can help families come together.  I have met so many people on this journey and many of those people I have yet to meet in person.  Robin is just starting the journey again to another beautiful daughter.  I know she will be sewing her heart out for this little one.  Check out Red Thread Stitches she makes wonderful and super cute clothes. I just found Daleea at Ophaned No More and she is selling beautiful bracelets for her Isabella.  Check them out here. Need a cool adoption T-shirt?  Then check out Adoption Bug and help out the Kal...

A couple of months ago Jim and I got an invitation in the mail.  My cousin Laura was getting married!  I held on to the RSVP for a while because at that time we thought that we might be traveling around now.  But I finally decided that we could not miss another family event because we might travel.  So I RSVPed 2 (1/2?).  We had hoped we would be bringing along a pint sized Huffman but no such luck.  It was out of town so we had to stay in a hotel for a night I felt down right fancy.  It was nice to get away but it was also a lot of work for only one night.  Our next trip out of town needs to be much longer.  We went out to a nice lunch with my parents, Emily, Ryan and the Taylor Family.  I think I had the best crab melt ever, it was so good. Our normal dog sitters were also going to the wedding so the dogs went to the "spa"  and they came home very tired.  I can't imagine leaving them in a place like that for more...