A Drawing of Me?

As I was steam cleaning the carpets yesterday, my sweet daughter asked if she could draw a picture. "Of course you can," I replied. I sat her down at her Dora table handed her a red crayon and said, "Only on the paper please." After she was crouched over her paper for several minutes, I finally went over and asked if I could look at her picture. "Mom, it's a picture of you!" "Oh how sweet, I love it!" I write about this picture for a couple of reasons. 1) It's rare that she draws a picture for me, all of her pictures are for Daddy. 2) It's the first time that she has drawn a picture I could actually tell what it was. There is clearly a head, hair, eyes, mouth, body, and arms. I asked her about the hair, and she said "Mom, you have crazy hair!" Awww, thanks dear. :)

 

So then I asked about my face... "why am I not smiling? You drew a frown, a sad face." K says, "Because, Mom, your sad." Hrmm, interesting what little kids pick up on! Regardless, I'm so proud of her!

24 Things I've Learned As An Adult

 I just received this email from my childhood best friend. It totally made me smile and I hope it puts a smile on someone else's face as well!

THINGS I'VE LEARNED AS AN ADULT

 1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.

5. How in the world are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

6. Was learning cursive really necessary?

7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

10. Bad decisions make good stories.

11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after BluRay? I don't want to have to restart my collection ...again.

13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page technical report that I swear I did not make any changes to.

14. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

15. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

16. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lite than Kay.

17. I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.

18. I sometimes have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.

19. How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear or understand a word they said?

20. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters!

21. Shirts get dirty. Underwear get dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.

22. Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

23. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I'd bet everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time.

24. The first testicular guard, the "Cup," was used in hockey in 1874 and the first helmet was used in 1974. That means it only took 100 years for men to realize that their brain is also important.

Pure Yumminess

and so not healthy! I actually just finished up making these yummy desserts for a get together we are going to this evening. I was asked to bring them... they must've liked them last time I brought them! I'm not sure exactly what the name of these are so I'm naming them myself!

Strawberry Cream Cheese Cups

Ingredients:

1 8oz package cream cheese room temperature

1 8oz tub cool whip 

1 cup powdered sugar

Strawberries

1 package of sugar cookie dough (or make your own as I do--- I will include my recipe for that as well)

Ingredients to replace package of sugar cookie dough:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven.  Butter, or spray with a non stick vegetable spray, 48 miniature muffins tins.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter. Add the sugars and beat until light and fluffy (about 2 - 3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat just until incorporated. Fill each miniature muffin cup with about one tablespoon of batter. 

Bake the cookies 7-10 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned around the edges but still soft in the center. After finished baking, cool in pan. 

Filling: (I do this step while the cups are baking)

Using an electric mixer, mix cream cheese, cool whip, and powdered sugar in a bowl. Mix until smooth and no lumps. 

After mixed and the cups are cool fill them with cream cheese filling and then top with strawberries. Add chocolate as well if you would like!

 

Makes about 48 cookies.

Happy 3rd Birthday Miss K!

We had a wonderful party for K. I can't believe she's three already! Not that she would ever let me forget. She constantly says "Now that I'm older I can _____________." or "I'm not two anymore, I'm three!" It's amazing how much she has changed, looks and personality. She is still a little firecracker like she always has been, but she is really starting to be lovey dovey and I'm LOVIN' it! Even as a baby she didn't like us to hold her much or kiss and hug on her!

Her poor little legs were up by her ears, thankfully they eventually relaxed!

This was my favorite "new family" photo.

Where's my cake?

 

Yay! There it is!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm ONE!!

TWO already?

 

 

 

 

Lovin' the cupcake!

I love the pure joy on her face!

Happy Birthday!

and... she still loves cupcakes!

And that's my little trip down memory lane. She sure makes life fun and gives me a reason to smile every single day!

Contacted Already...

Wowzers, only a few days "on the books" and we have been contacted by a birth mom. I was not at home so I didn't have my "list" of questions to ask. I drew a complete blank and all I could think is remember to breathe, and don't throw up! The call went well and she's a super sweet girl. My heart just breaks for her (and all other birth moms) for the situation. After talking with the agency we aren't compatible, but I'm still thinking about her and hoping she has some peace and comfort during this difficult time. I'm just so thrilled that somebody liked us enough to call! Next time, dear old husband is going to be asking all the questions. As soon as I got home he was asking me all kinds of questions that I didn't even THINK to ask! Of course, he did have time to think about it all as I was on my way home!

We're Live!!!

If you aren't familiar with the adoption lingo, this means that our dear birth mother letters are ready to be sent out to potential mothers and our website is available for all to see!

We signed our contract with IAC March 22, 2010. I can't believe it's already been over 9 months that we have started our adoption process. That waiting time wasn't all that bad! It went by fast. Now that we are truly waiting, I'm curious to see if it goes by just as fast! Now what to do? (Other than sit by the phone and check my email every few hours....)

Address In the Stars

My little girl turned 3 today! Wow, what a day! She's growing up so fast and I'm just not prepared for it. She says, "Now that I'm older I can ______." I'll tell more details of her party on the next post. This one is a little more vulnerable. Today was a rough day for me, and not for the reasons you're probably thinking. Not because K turned three, but because her baby brother should be here celebrating with her. It breaks my heart. I know that she doesn't know any different, but I do. All I wanted was our baby, for K to have a sibling to play with. How I prayed and prayed for it (hearing the news that our baby didn't have a heartbeat) not to be true. I'm still waiting for the day that I can think about it and not cry. I know I've learned so much throughout this whole experience and I know I have tons more to learn. But man, is life unfair! I was lying in bed, trying to sleep. Really I was just crying and thinking about the night I went to the emergency room. I wanted to hear a song I had heard on the radio a long time ago. So I got up and found it and listened to it. Music (all kinds) has always been soothing to me. The song I listened (am listening) to is by Caitlin &Will called Address In The Stars. You can listen to it here. The chorus touches me tonight and pretty much sums up how I'm feeling. "What do I do with all I need to say? So much I wanna tell you everyday. Oh it breaks my heart, I cry these tears in the dark. I write these letters to you, But they get lost in the blue, 'Cause there's no address in the stars."