Sweet Summertime

Pinwheel hair clip

I love quick and easy crafts and projects. This was one I saw on another blog that was a give-away and searched until I found a tutorial here. Oh. my. goodness. How cute are these? Jules needed one and I whipped it up in about 10 minutes. I used the machine and did a quick zig-zag over the points that joined in the center (I HATE hand sewing). I still have to fine the glue gun and finish it up, but check out how cute it is. I'm sure I'll make a few more this week. Again, sorry for the terrible picture. It's from my phone because that's the quickest to get them on the computer.

June 2011

This month has been so busy; I don't know where it's all gone.

This week alone, I took the kids bowling (for FREE). We're heading back Thurday for two more free games of bowling. All we have to pay is the $1.00 shoe rental fee. If you haven't signed up, you can get free bowling for the kids all summer long all over the US at http://www.kidsbowlfree.com/. Eric and I signed up to for $24.00 we get to bowl with them, and we scored $24.00 in restaurant.com coupons.

Today, we tie dyed shirts out front. The ground was still a little wet from the storms last night, but I think they had a good time. I'll post the finished product when they are washed and worn. I lucked up and scored this $30 kit for only $3.00 at Joann's clearance section a few weeks back.

We've also been super busy with baseball. JD has a tournament almost EVERY weekend. So, we spend all weekend at the ball park Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. But, there's nothing I'd rather do than watch the boy play some ball.

We're still waiting on a court date. We found out today that our home study agency is on the "R" black list and the court won't accept our homestudy. The agency director is trying to find out what the problem is and get it fixed. If she can't get it fixed, we'll need another home study, which could take three-four more months. We know that this is just a bump. It really hasn't put us "behind"; we're truly ahead of the game. We're about 8 months in, and we were told when we started that it could take over a year to finish the adoption. Now, I would LOVe to be in the "R" country in July, but if it's not in God's plan, then we won't be. I know we will get our girl home in His time. I have faith in that. She will be home when she's supposed to be home and not a day sooner. It's just hard. You have a date in mind, and it comes and goes, and then you hit these bumps. We'll get her home.

Right now, I'm just focusing on the kids at home and enjoying my summer with them. I'm gearing up for the new year. I'll be teaching two blocks of Reading/Language Arts/Writing and one section of Reading. I'm looking for information on block scheduling so I'll be prepared and ready for those 90+ minute classes and controling 25+ 8th graders. I'm super excited about this new schedule. I love writing and teaching writing. I know these blog post aren't super well written. I usually just type as I type without any revision or real thought into what I write. It's all just off the cuff writing, my sloppy copy. :)

I've done a ton of sewing this month. I've monogramed some things for a friend, made a couple baby gifts, sewn Jules a couple outfits and made bunches of doll clothes for Emma and Julianne's dolls. Next up is a matching outfit for Jules and Lyubov and a couple pairs of shorts for JD.

Princess Jules

Happy birthday to big sister Jules! Today (June 14) she turns six and I wonder where the time has gone. She's not a baby anymore, and I'm not sure I like that. About my #2:

*she loves to dance. This year's recital dance was hip hop "whip your hair" by Willow Smith. We did major curls and lots of glitter. She was beautiful!

*she can make you laugh in a second. She's ssoooo funny. Her new favorite saying is "that's what I'm talking about, yeah!" love it.

*she not so patiently sits at her brothers ballgames every weekend all weekend. She does actually cheer for him when he's up to bat.

*Emma, Chloe, and Madi are her best friends (Maddux is by default).

*she really likes school and is already asking when we go back (she's only been out for two weeks).

*she lost her first tooth in May.

*she can't wait for little sister to get here. She can't get enough of the videos of her and pictures.

Mini Smores

Sorry for the poor quality. It's from my camera phone. I received a mailer from Publix last week that had a sweet recipe on it for mini s'mores. We love s'mores around here, but it's TOO HOT to build a bonfire to make them. They are usually reserved for our Halloween trick or treating cook out at my mom's house, camping in the early fall, or weekends on the back deck. But, since I received the mailer for the indoor smores, I thought I'd try them with the kids. It was simple to make. Here's what you need: mini muffin tin
mini muffin liners
mini marshmallows
chocolate chips
graham crackers

Preheat oven to high broil. Line muffin tins with liners. Break graham crackers into smaller pieces to fit into muffin tins. layer in marshmallows and chocolate chips. Place on middle rack for a few minutes until marshmallows are toasted and chocolate melted. (I baked mine for a few minutes before putting on the high broil). The kids (and me) loved them.

A Bucket List

I've seen so many bucket list lately, just thought I'd add one of my own. Here goes, in no particular order:

• Go on a cruise with my family; If I can only talk Eric into this one
• Travel to Hawaii
• Take the kids to San Diego Zoo. JD has always wanted to go there.
• Visit Red Square (planning on doing this one in a month or so)

• Attend an LPA national conference and become active in our local group (baseball seems to get in the way with this one)
• Achieve National Board Certification
• Get my master's. In what, I'm not sure (technology education, special ed, reading?)
• Learn a new language-this one is hard and I don't practice well
• Go back to Broadway

• Take a road trip with no plan on where I'm going
• See the Grand Canyon from the air
• sew more for charity
• Get published in a magazine
• Visit all 50 states. I'm about 1/3 of the way through them

I know there's more, these are just from the top of my head.

Adoption update

We received word today that as soon as our facilitator in *R* has our documents in hand she can schedule a court date for us. The only additional paperwork they requested is FBI clearance- we'll register and get those done Monday. Paperwork should be in Vita's hands by this time next week. We also have to get our doctors to update our physicals which is just taking in the form and having them sign off on it. We were waiting to send in the last three documents to see if the judge requested anything else. The FBI clearance and update of dr. Physicals can be walked in when we go back sometime in July! Specifics to pray for: speeding Fedex, fast turn around on the fingerprints, and our dr. To revise our Medicals quickly with no trouble. I had trouble getting my dr to give me a copy of her license the first time.

Yumm!

I was just surfing around tonight and found this wonderful looking dessert tonight and will be making it next week!

find the recipe here

Court Documents

Vita, our fabulous translator and facilitator in our daughter's region, submitted our documents to the judge this week. Now, all we have to do is wait and see if he'll grant us a court date or request more documentation. We have the papers that we know they will need ready to go (except for the appostilling). It's just waiting to see if we send them now or if we will be able to take them with us when we travel. Please pray for a speedy court date!!!

Videos from our first trip

I finally found our flip camera and was able to pull some video from it from our first trip.

Lyubov Mocking her daddy.... She says her name right at the beginning.

Our room in Region

More Doll Clothes

This week has given me the chance to catch up on some sewing. I love to sew. I don't think about anything when I'm sewing. It's a great release for me.

This week, I've made six doll outfits (some for Emma's birthday and a couple for Julianne) and a Little Blue Boo t-shirt dress out of up-cycled old navy clearance tees (sorry the picture is dark, I made it on my phone). I was worried about sewing on the knits, but it went together pretty easily. The neck is a little tight, but I know how I messed that one up and can fix it next time. I serged most of it, so it went together quickly. The criss-top top is from The Blueberry Moon. I just adjusted the length a little to fit our Rachel and Elizabeth AG dolls as a shirt. The pants are a basic pant template from some generic site; I did add some length to them to make them capris instead of shorts. On the blue ones, I added a double fold ruffle. The shirred orange dress is from Dana at Made (one of my favorite crafty sites). The blue and orange striped dress is from Carpatina; I just serged the hem instead of hemming it (it fits her doll snug, but looks great). The orange top and pants is the same carpatina dress, only shorter so it fits her doll like a top and not a dress. The baseball outfit is reversable to solid red. Emma loves baseball, so I thought she would like it. Velcro closes everything. I do have one dress that I'm going to try with a zipper later this week.

Summertime

Yesterday was the official first day of summer break for us. Since I teach, I get summer break too. But, how do I keep all three (Emma, my niece, JD, and Jules) busy all summer. We dont do a big family vacay in the summer-its just too hot! Right now, we have a schedule of sorts. I go for a run before anyone gets out of bed, take a shower, check email, etc. Around 8, if the kiddie aren't up, I'll get them up (except Monday's, our do what you want day). We have breakfast, brush teeth, and put on some clothes. Then, we have about 15 mins of "school work." today we used kid college for the oldest two, and Jules did a couple math worksheets from her workbooks from school and practiced writing her name. Today was errand day, so we went to get the oil changed, waited on the air guy (because it's 9000 degrees upstairs). We planned on going to the library, but the air guy had to come back. Tomorrow will just have to be our library day for the week. Thrown in the mix is laundry and picking up their rooms. We have some crafts planned for Friday and maybe some free bowling on Thursday. I love summer break!

Happy birthday!

Lyubov Janes's birthday was May 27th. We didn't do anything to celebrate, because we are having a party when she gets home. Plus, it's just too hard. I'm so ready to have her home. To love on her. To get frustrated when she doesn't understand. To kiss her sweet cheeks. When we went in February, she was about 29 inches tall and about 26lbs (she was right at 2.5 years old.) I can't wait to see if she's grown any when we return-I'm not expecting much.

So, happy birthday sweet girl. This will be your last birthday without your forever family. I can not wAit to see you tear into your gifts when you get home.