Been thinking about this blogging business lately. I honestly have No Idea how many people are reading anymore. I know that there is a way to find out how many people have checked in and such, but that would require some fancy-pants investigating, and well, I'm much too busy, and not quite that curious. ;O) But I do know that a whole lot of people out there *really* know me, but uh, well, I don't know them from Adam. This summer I have a chance to put some faces to many names that I've come across over these last few years though a reunion of families within our adoption group. I'm really looking forward to it! - Though, I must admit, I'm rather skeered. Well, not really skeered. Just, well, weirded out. Ok "weirded out" is a little too strong. Maybe just nervous.
This winter a family came to our house who has been a long-time blog reader. I knew them an itty-bitty bit, but they knew me Rather Well. So well, in fact, that when I was showing them where the bathroom was, they said something like, "Ah yes, that's where the map with St. Petersberg is!" LOL! It was a little intimidating to say the least. To instantly realize that I have come face-to-face with someone who not only knows that Liana jumped into the toilet, but may very well remember me complaining about such things as constipation, !, chin hairs, !, knows I'm guilty of digging up dead rabbits, and I'm sure Many Other Things I'd rather forget that I blabbed about! And now with this reunion this summer to meet a whole bunch of 'em at once! Yikes!
Anyway, I'm not seriously all that worried or freaked out, it's just that I've been thinking about it lately and decided to blog about my blog. I am thankful, though, for the handful of you that have given me links to your own blogs! It has been fun to get to know YOU better, though I confess I don't always have time to keep up with them as I'd like, and I've lost track of a few of you (Kate! Where are ya, you seem to be password protected now!) And others don't post too often, so I forget to check (Lisa! Missy!) And others post so much that I miss a ton because I haven't checked it every day (Ruth! Tami! I really need to keep up with you both daily to really know what's up with you both!)
Speaking of Tami. (Ok, we weren't really speaking of Tami, but I just happened to think of something. My blog, I can rabbit trail if I want...) Another downfall of this blogging thing, is that because I have no Real Live Face to the names, people get mixed up. I'm fairly certain there are two Tami's (Well, a Tamm-y/-i/-ie/-I-can't-remember-right-now-because-it's-late), though I might be remembering wrong... and there are at least used to be two Joanna's. And because I didn't KNOW there were really two Joanna's, I once made a giant boo-boo and because the one had just told me that she was adopting from Guatemala, I had assumed that she had MISCARRIED because the "other Jo" had just told me she was pregnant. And so I emailed the pregnant one with a "congrats on adopting, but sorry you miscarried" message. OOPS. She was puzzled to say the least, and once I realized that there were two Jo's, and that one was expecting, and the other was adopting, I was Mortified and had to do a whole lot of apologizing! (Jo's baby was born perfectly healthy and beautiful by the way!)
Oh, and speaking of there being two of someone, just so the Barbs know, I now have two Cousin Barbs reading my blog... and I guess I'm announcing that so that when THEY see a comment from "themselves" they won't scratch their heads too much. *tee-hee* I have a Cousin Barb on my mom's side of the family who has just adopted two absolutely GORGEOUS little girls, and I have a Cousin Barb on my Dad's side of the family who I met years ago while doing family tree stuff. If you two could leave a last initial with your comments, that would help me out a lot! ;O) I wish you both had blogs, because I'd love to get to know you both a lot better!
Well anyway, bunny trail over. Enough late-night rambling for tonight... I'm beat.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Friday, February 29, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Things that melt Mama's heart...
Between Brelly's bottom (which says "Love" on it; click picture to enlarge), the "shlappa" (Russian for "hat") and Adam's smile (can he look any happier?), this picture just, well, melts this mama's heart...
Friday, February 15, 2008
Valentine Villa
(Click on the pictures for close-ups)
Well, the night was a grand success, and even though I was totally in on all the planning and such, no matter how many times we rehearsed, it was a totally new deal once John walked through the door. Aleksa was to play hostess, and we'd practiced and practiced what she was supposed to say, and all that. John walked through the door and all she could do was plaster an enormous smile on her face and the BLANKEST stare in her eyes... It was like, "I'm-so-happy-and-excited-that-I-have-completely-forgotten-everything-including-my-name-so-don't-ask-but-I'm-having-so-much-fun-just-standing-here..."
So, I had to coach her a little, *wink* and then she was so excited she started hopping (not realizing she was, I don't think). She also kept gravitating over in front of us and not saying anything, just smiling and being excited. Liana, the waitress, (actually, she used her birth name "Valentina" last night as her "waitress name" - much more in keeping with the holiday), had to drag her away from us a few times. We asked her how she thought we could sneak kisses if she was going to hover... ;O)
Actually, all three were total hoverers, it was just that Aleksa was also the hopper ;O). I directed them toward their folders full of printed out puzzles, games and jokes to keep themselves occupied, but they were so excited, their attention span for those was pretty short. Liana, who had practiced all week on coffee-making, forgot to plug in the coffeemaker, so it took a LONG time. But when it did arrive, it was wonderful, and Liana's accompanying poem was adorable. "I love coffee. I love tea. I love you. Do you love me?" You have to notice what she's wearing - a curtain as a shawl, and while it might be hard to see, she has a hoop under her skirt, so she was Quite the lady last evening. :O)
I have to include a picture of our littlest Valentine, who slept through the whole party.
After Waitress Valentina delivered the "check" and mints, John stuffed three one dollar bills into the leather folder. Aleksa happened to notice them first, and you should have heard the screams from all three at once when they realized they'd been tipped! They hadn't thought that far ahead and weren't expecting it. It was the icing on the cake to see them so excited.
John was pretty impressed by all our hard work and preparations, we were all in stitches all night. A good time was had by all! :O)
By the way, I'll add the recipe for the "salsa chicken" just in case you want an easy recipe for your kid to cook YOU supper one night... Really easy and delicious. All you do is sprinkle some frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts with about a 1/2 packet of taco seasoning, then cover them in a 9x13 pan with about a cup and a half of salsa. Bake for an hour at 375, then the last three minutes of baking, add some sprinkled cheese on top to melt. Serve with sour cream and over rice. Easy, but it's one of John's favorite meals.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Happy Valentine's Day!
Have to share our big doings around here today/this week...
I love, love, love Valentine's Day. So, it's a big deal over here. This morning John and I hid some treats under the kids' pillows, but the big doings are tonight.
We're setting up the livingroom like a restaurant!
This week we've designed and printed up "menus," (and even "the check" along with Andes mints). We've trained in the chef and waitresses, and have even rigged up some entertainment... The kids have been memorizing poems and jokes, and practiced a few Valentine readings. All of us are going to get all gussied up, Adam has his black "chef's apron" all pressed and ready to go along with a bright red bow-tie, and the girls have their dress-up clothes all laid out for tonight. We've been baking up goodies all week, and Liana is all trained in on how to make coffee (I didn't tell her I had no idea how to make it before two weeks ago...) (Waitresses, she said, must serve coffee...) Serving everything up on the good china.
I have to read you our menu:
Just-for-you Jello
Passionate Pudding
Sweetheart Salad
Sizzling Salsa Chicken
Racing-heart Rice
Valentine Veggies
Chase-you-down Cheesecake
Bow-and-Arrow Bread Pudding
Care-for-you Coffee
Mad-for-you Milk
Follow-you-to-the-Mountains Dew
Love-you-to-your-Roots Beer
Poor John - Last night he asked me what I wanted to do for Valentine's Day and I told him I just wanted to lay low at home. He seemed a little disappointed. Little does he know! :O)
Can't wait!!!!!
I love, love, love Valentine's Day. So, it's a big deal over here. This morning John and I hid some treats under the kids' pillows, but the big doings are tonight.
We're setting up the livingroom like a restaurant!
This week we've designed and printed up "menus," (and even "the check" along with Andes mints). We've trained in the chef and waitresses, and have even rigged up some entertainment... The kids have been memorizing poems and jokes, and practiced a few Valentine readings. All of us are going to get all gussied up, Adam has his black "chef's apron" all pressed and ready to go along with a bright red bow-tie, and the girls have their dress-up clothes all laid out for tonight. We've been baking up goodies all week, and Liana is all trained in on how to make coffee (I didn't tell her I had no idea how to make it before two weeks ago...) (Waitresses, she said, must serve coffee...) Serving everything up on the good china.
I have to read you our menu:
Just-for-you Jello
Passionate Pudding
Sweetheart Salad
Sizzling Salsa Chicken
Racing-heart Rice
Valentine Veggies
Chase-you-down Cheesecake
Bow-and-Arrow Bread Pudding
Care-for-you Coffee
Mad-for-you Milk
Follow-you-to-the-Mountains Dew
Love-you-to-your-Roots Beer
Poor John - Last night he asked me what I wanted to do for Valentine's Day and I told him I just wanted to lay low at home. He seemed a little disappointed. Little does he know! :O)
Can't wait!!!!!
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Fisher Family Feast
Been meaning to post since Saturday night...
We had a wonderful weekend! On Saturday, John's extended Fisher Clan all came to our house for a belated Thanksgiving/Christmas get-together. No gifts and such; just dinner and good company. Like 35'ish of us. That's one way to get me to dust, let me just say! ;O) (I didn't get it all done though, ssshhhhh!)
The highlight of the day was that four of us cousins had babies this fall. We were each due in September, October, November and December. It wound up that the December baby was a tale end of November baby, but you get the idea. ;O) What a photo op it was to prop all these little ones on the couch next to each other! Two were sleeping (soundly) on each other, Abrielle and the last little man were looking around ready to cry. Adorable.
Adam and Aleksa thoroughly enjoyed hanging out with their little cousins, and making the rounds. Adam scarfed down I-don't-know-how-much pickled herring. *shudder*
The best part of the day for Liana was getting to talk to our cousin Courtney, who knows ASL (she's an interpreter, actually). Liana got to show off some of what she knows from our Signing Time dvd's, and got to ask questions, and learn some more. She was in 7th Heaven. Courtney was also the mom to one of the new Little Fish and she let Liana lug her little guy around for a while, and even showed her how to change little boy diapers (!). At bedtime that night, Liana was all sighs saying, "Oh, Mama, she was so pretty, and so nice, and oh, Mama, she's like a princess she's so nice, etc., etc." It was cute. :O) (So, Courtney, if you're out there, thank you so much for being so nice to Liana - she'll never forget it, and is still talking about you days later!)
John and I agreed after everyone left that it was an awesome feeling that neither of us had to worry about our kids all day. We just knew they were going to be ok. Maybe not angels, but we knew we weren't going to have any meltdowns, fits, screaming, hitting, etc., etc. It was just a no-brainer that they were going to be good. Great feeling to not have to be on high-alert that someone was going to need high-maintenance parenting all day.
I've been getting the itch to do some quilting... I have put my unfinished quilts "on display" in my livingroom as incentive to Get At It and finish them up. They have been calling my name lately, but between school, an infant, the laundry, supper, etc., it hasn't happened. Today I pulled out some fabric pieces that I'll need to work on one of them. (It is a crazy quilt). Maybe if I have everything "ready to go" it will be easier to sneak in a few minutes here or there to play.
The rest of the family is Out tonight making a quick library run since we were busy Saturday. It's weird having the house to myself; I can actually hear a clock ticking. Didn't know it made any noise! -Maybe I'll get to do a little quilting tonight afterall! ;O)
We had a wonderful weekend! On Saturday, John's extended Fisher Clan all came to our house for a belated Thanksgiving/Christmas get-together. No gifts and such; just dinner and good company. Like 35'ish of us. That's one way to get me to dust, let me just say! ;O) (I didn't get it all done though, ssshhhhh!)
The highlight of the day was that four of us cousins had babies this fall. We were each due in September, October, November and December. It wound up that the December baby was a tale end of November baby, but you get the idea. ;O) What a photo op it was to prop all these little ones on the couch next to each other! Two were sleeping (soundly) on each other, Abrielle and the last little man were looking around ready to cry. Adorable.
Adam and Aleksa thoroughly enjoyed hanging out with their little cousins, and making the rounds. Adam scarfed down I-don't-know-how-much pickled herring. *shudder*
The best part of the day for Liana was getting to talk to our cousin Courtney, who knows ASL (she's an interpreter, actually). Liana got to show off some of what she knows from our Signing Time dvd's, and got to ask questions, and learn some more. She was in 7th Heaven. Courtney was also the mom to one of the new Little Fish and she let Liana lug her little guy around for a while, and even showed her how to change little boy diapers (!). At bedtime that night, Liana was all sighs saying, "Oh, Mama, she was so pretty, and so nice, and oh, Mama, she's like a princess she's so nice, etc., etc." It was cute. :O) (So, Courtney, if you're out there, thank you so much for being so nice to Liana - she'll never forget it, and is still talking about you days later!)
John and I agreed after everyone left that it was an awesome feeling that neither of us had to worry about our kids all day. We just knew they were going to be ok. Maybe not angels, but we knew we weren't going to have any meltdowns, fits, screaming, hitting, etc., etc. It was just a no-brainer that they were going to be good. Great feeling to not have to be on high-alert that someone was going to need high-maintenance parenting all day.
I've been getting the itch to do some quilting... I have put my unfinished quilts "on display" in my livingroom as incentive to Get At It and finish them up. They have been calling my name lately, but between school, an infant, the laundry, supper, etc., it hasn't happened. Today I pulled out some fabric pieces that I'll need to work on one of them. (It is a crazy quilt). Maybe if I have everything "ready to go" it will be easier to sneak in a few minutes here or there to play.
The rest of the family is Out tonight making a quick library run since we were busy Saturday. It's weird having the house to myself; I can actually hear a clock ticking. Didn't know it made any noise! -Maybe I'll get to do a little quilting tonight afterall! ;O)
Friday, February 01, 2008
The hormones hit
Well, the day came.
Last night at the dinner table, Liana burst into tears for nothing.
It's hormones.
The more we asked her what was wrong, the harder she cried. Freaked the poor girl out not to know why she was *that* sad.
I confess, I laughed. That didn't help for some reason. ;o)
So John, being a better mom than me, *wink*, scooped her up from the table, carried her upstairs, and had a talk with her about how these feelings mean she's becoming a woman, etc., etc.
After a few minutes I pulled myself together though, and marched upstairs, and echoed what John said and added my own two cents.
When she finally quit crying, she and I went shopping. (What else could we do? LOL)It was really nice mother-daughter time which I think we were both badly needing.
John and I are gulping hard realizing this is only going to get more and more "interesting" as the kids get older. *breathes in and out* One day at a time, right?
Last night at the dinner table, Liana burst into tears for nothing.
It's hormones.
The more we asked her what was wrong, the harder she cried. Freaked the poor girl out not to know why she was *that* sad.
I confess, I laughed. That didn't help for some reason. ;o)
So John, being a better mom than me, *wink*, scooped her up from the table, carried her upstairs, and had a talk with her about how these feelings mean she's becoming a woman, etc., etc.
After a few minutes I pulled myself together though, and marched upstairs, and echoed what John said and added my own two cents.
When she finally quit crying, she and I went shopping. (What else could we do? LOL)It was really nice mother-daughter time which I think we were both badly needing.
John and I are gulping hard realizing this is only going to get more and more "interesting" as the kids get older. *breathes in and out* One day at a time, right?
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