Our Time

Many people have asked how Sweet Pea is handling all of this foster care stuff.  Well, that is a hard question to answer.  Overall she seems fine.  If you talk to her she isn't always fine though.  Like any child who adds children to their home (even one at a time as newborns) there are times she really wishes it were just the three of us.  What happens when our time with this placement is up? I'm not sure.

We have seen some behaviors from her we didn't like.  She began to repeat negative behaviors from one of our children because she knew it would land her one on one time and attention with one of us.  Tony and I wanted to quickly counter act this.  So over a week we have been giving her positive, one on one, alone time with mommy.  This is hard for me as it cuts into the time I have to rest and get things done but it has SO been worth it.  We've already seen great improvement in her behavior, better relationships with her siblings, and I'm enjoying some awesome time with my sweet girl.

Letting her do my makeup was a little out of my comfort zone but ended up being a ton of fun.

Hmmmm.....Someday she will laugh at this.

Little Miss on the other hand is stunning as always.

Great for fine motor skills

She is praticing her fine motor skills also.

Again, beautiful!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies where in Sweet Pea's home-school material from Answers in Genesis.  They are the most kid friendly cookies I have every found?  Why?

1. There are no special instructions, just put in things in the order specified and stir.
2. The amount of dishes to mix up the batter is FOUR.
3. The ingredients (minus the pumpkin) are basic cooking ingredients.

Plus these are oh so very yummy.  I even got a heads up from the hubs, who isn't a big pumpkin fan.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
From Answers in Genesis

1 can of pumpkin
1 tsp cinnamon
1 egg
1/2 c oil
1 tsp baking soda
1 c sugar
1 tsp milk
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
1 12 oz bag chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix ingredients together as listed. Drop by spoonfuls on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes. Let cool on waxed paper or cooling rack.





ENJOY!!!!

Picture Perfect: School Again? and Thankful

November marks something great AND something scary. 

First, I took a "First Day of School" shot of the hubs this morning.  He headed out the door with his laptop, ready to begin his year and a 1/2 MBA.  It is quit a bit scary.  Big Brother asked him why he was taking the computer.  He explained that when you go to school as an adult you need a computer a lot of times.  Then he said, "It's like my notebook....well, it is a notebook."  Big Brother didn't quit get it.  :)

Something I love about November is Thanksgiving.  This is quickly becoming a favorite holiday of mine.  We started Thankful leaves this year and were even better about staying on top of them this year.  With six people in this family we have a LOT of things to be thankful for.  The kids love watching it grow.  They keep saying, "It's almost gone all the way around the room!"  No color this year though....trying to keep it more simple.

So, what are you thankful for?

Orphan Sunday

Today was Orphan Sunday.  A day in which churches across America (and possibly around the world) stop to specifically focus on the Orphan.  We were blessed to be part of this at our local church.  The elders prayed over us as we care for the Least of These.  We were able to pick up "Challenge Cards" and decide some ways in which our family was going to support the Orphan or those caring for the orphan over this next year (and boy am I excited about what we get to do).  And we at at the Orphan's Table.  This is event in which we ate a meal that a typical orphan would eat (rice and beans and a piece of bread).  We got to sit on the ground on cardboard.  What an incredible way to show our kids what others experience on a daily bases and how blessed we are.

We also did one other thing.  We watched one of the most heart wrenching, convicting Orphan videos I have ever see, Depraved Indifference by Eric Ludy.  I wanted to share that video with you. Take some time to watch it and reflect on our position in this world.