Words to live by

Some of my favorite words to live by!

I want to put this in the upstairs hall between the kids rooms!

 And these...words to live by

  

The boys are prepared for Valentines Day!  2012 I am trying to be more 'on the ball' with holiday's and birthdays but that may be a little harder for me being I don't get reminded of those from the general public!

The boys made valentines to send, hugs, and personalized magnets!  They LOVE them some craft time!

The boys got to 'help' daddy outside the other day-----don't they look so cute!  Daniel said Phoenix LOVED it-Parker did well-Boston was not for it one little bit!

Polaroid Magnets---I love the ideas we get from Pinterest!

Playing with daddy is always fun!

As I sit here and watch the boys work together to put together a puzzle and race cars on their tracks I can't help but think of how much has changed and how much is going to change.  Although....three children three and under takes quite a bit of organization and patience - we are so blessed!  I can only imagine how things are going to be once we get the girls here!  The boys seem so excited to have their sisters home!  They have helped get so many things ready -  I can not wait to see them all together.

Growing up my father used to tell me 'you will never know until you have children of your own'.  Oh how true he was.  Now today, three years to the day, after his passing I would do anything to have him tell me advice about parenting. 

I still with all my heart believe that all three boys are here because of him.  The miracles that happened right after his passing couldn't be by chance.  I think of him every.single.day and I know that will always be.  I look at each of the kids and see him through them in so many different ways.  I still have his cell phone number programed in my phone, his program from his services hung on our fridge. 

Days have turned into weeks and weeks into months and months into years and it still hurts as much as it did that day.  I strive to keep his spirit alive and will no matter how much time passes. 

Until the day we meet again I will cherish what I have here on earth-the blessings that I have been given-and the lessons I am meant to learn.  I love and miss you more than words can say dad!

Updates

First off..........ADOPTION NEWS!!!!

We got a call that our I-600 Approval was issued yesterday!  WAAAAAHHHHHHOOOOO!

We still need to get the paper copy to request and Embassy Appointment in the DRC but in the mean time they are making sure the girls have their passports and medicals done.  Embassy Appointments are about 6 weeks out - BOOOOO that is way longer than what they have been running :( - then we will wait for the girls visas to be issued then we can travel for the DMG!  So all in all it looks like 6-9 weeks until we can travel!  Sounds like eternity HOPEFULLY it goes much faster than it sounds!!!

WE LOVE UNCLE B!  Whenever we need a sitter he is always just a call away! And...he doesn't let the boys get away with everything BONUS! We are so thankful that the other night when Daniel and I had to work he was around to help out! I don't think the boys left his lap to often :)

 

 This morning I tried to make the kids something different for breakfast that they would be interested in eating!

Sooooo...

Tortilla

Spread with peanut butter

Cut a banana in half

With one half of the banana cut the eyes-place a chocolate chip in the middle of the eyes

With the other half cut length wise in 4 sections and it will remain curved for the mouth

Chocolate chip noses

Flavored marshmallow cheeks

Sprinkles for hair

Lets see what the boys think :)

Ok I had to take a picture of this because....Phoenix is eating!  Rarely happens around here! Honestly!  Today was an afternoon of cooking at our house we made:

BBQ shredded chicken on fresh yeast rolls - which is what he is eating and after sandwich #1 he went back for another and.....2 Go Gurts and almost an entire apple! 

Sloppy Joes - Tried Betty Crocker recipe with Tomato Sauce- we will see how the kids like it!

Tater Tot Casserole - I use a lot of veggies in mine!

Apple Pie with home made e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g!

Sandwich Pinwheels

Homemade pizza

So......now we have meals for the week including lunches for the boys and dinner!

We had quite the productive weekend!  Daniel rearranged the kitchen!  It is amazing!  We took a lot of our overflow couponing stash downstairs and organized a rack just for food items.  Now we have room for canned and boxed goods!

I rearranged the craft room -- for the most part!  I still have 1/2 a tote to go through but I am almost there!  I also sorted all the boys toys and just need to make labels for them so they can start picking up their goodies at night and nap time! 

I went grocery shopping and picked up a bunch of things needed for my trip to get the girls!  It is soooo nice to get some of those things checked off of the list!  Still A LOT worried about the luggage situation and amount!  I don't know how in the world I am going to be able to take everything we need plus the donations that I have packed in 2 totes!  Makes me sad because the donations I have packed are literally only half of the donations I purchased couponing!  I just don't have enough room especially with only one of us traveling and only a 1 check item per person rule!  I hope someone else traveling can take some items when they go!  Coming back I am not worried I am only bringing home what I have to!

Speaking of adoption-----there is a family, Amy, that is there right now picking up their sweet 6 year old princess!  It is AMAZING to hear how the trip is going and bonding is going, tips, etc!!!  I couldn't tell you how valuable it is!   I made Daniel promise today that he would e-mail me a picture of the boys every.single.day!  I also started getting the boys packages ready for when I am gone!  I am attempting to do something special for them each day.  I made handmade cards and have gathered little items for them to open each day while I am gone just for something that they know I am still thinking about them and loving them from afar!  I will post more on that later!

I also got most of our taxes done!  WHHHHAAAT!  Yes!  I still have a ways to go but---we made it almost through the deductions list for Federal so we have made progress!  I still need to check on items like -mortgage interest paid, PMI, interest earned statements because I know we should have them but don't yet soooo....but the brunt of it is finished!  Which has lead me into organizing all of our finances ---- companies, account number, payment method, balances, etc.  That way if anything should ever god forbid happen to me Daniel wouldn't be in the blue about anything!  He thought I was very strange for doing this but........I think it is smart for me to help keep track and him for when I am away!

 I also made these shadow boxes for the girls rooms.  They are much more antiqued then they look!  I still need to antique them some more and put a clear coat on them but.....for the most part I like how they turned out!  I again, used my Silhouette machine to make my stencils then painted them!  Took the vinyl off and voila! 

 The symbol on the side means Power of Love in some African Tribes still to this day. 

This elephant......this was the first thing I ever received!  This was from my father the day I was born!  It has been through A LOT!  Not only my childhood growing up but also a major house fire!  You can see her ear is burnt on the top!  I actually still hums a lullaby when you crank it and her head moves slowly from side to side!  It....it is something that means so much to me!!  I am going to keep it in the girls room on their shelf and hopefully one day it will mean as much to them as well! 

Craft Time!

Well....since I hardly ever post on the blog anymore and the last two posts that I have done have been heart breakers I decided to share some pictures! 

 We are practicing on Phoenix drawing stick figures.  He gets really into it!  We also flipped the board over and did the alphabet big and small and he knew every.single.letter he even said most of them before I started writing them! 

 Parker and Boston enjoyed themselves too!  They got REALLY into drawing this time!

 I asked all the boys to hold their pictures up in the air so I could take a picture with them and Phoenix wouldn't hold it in front of him, Parker complied with my request, and Boston wanted nothing to do with a picture!

 We also made these plaques to hang up stairs.  These are another craft I did with my silhouette machine!!!  I painted the blocks to begin with then I cut the words out of vinyl then painted around them then put the final letters on and painted around them!  Then I peeled them off, sanded and voila!  they are more antique in real life than they look in the photos!  I love how they turned out and the boys helped!  They love to use 'tools' and help trow things away!  These are gentle reminders as their parents what we think is important in every day life-help keep us on track :)

Seriously!  Look at this thing!  Daniel finished the Firetruck for the boys room and I am AMAZED!  I don't know how in the world he does it!  It is a mix of paint, charcoal, chalk and personalized!  He incorporated: est. 2006, Alleman Fire Dept., 1040!  There is so much detail in here I need to get some great pictures of it to show it off!  I still think he may be missing his calling ;)  he is available for hire! ;)

Theo

http://oh-bla-di.blogspot.com/

Please take a moment to pray for this family and little Theo.  Theo was recently adopted from the DRC and shortly after they discovered he was living with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.  Theo's long battle came to an end last week just seven months after coming home with his forever family.  Please take a moment to lift them up in prayer and pray for Theo's warm embrace into Heaven. 

Remember to be grateful for all our blessings-big and small! :)

This Breaks My Heart

How in the world could someone do this!?! The fact that this happened and happened literally 2 blocks away from where I grew up sickens me! There are other options to unwanted pregnancies! The thought that these children were never held and loved and told that they were cherished BREAKS MY HEART! I only hope and pray that their welcome into heaven brings them the love and devotion that they did not receive from this evil person here on earth! There are so many things that I want to say but probably should refrain from saying on here.....I just hope the images of causing these innocent little lives to end are etched in her memory forever!

Huxley Mom Charged with Killing Newborn Twin Daughters - ABC5 WOI-DT News, Weather, Sports in Des Moines, IA

There will be a prayer vidual held for the twins on Sunday in Huxley if anyone else would like to attend!

It's Potty Time

The little boys had some BIG news for me when I came home the other day!  They both pottied on the pottie most of the day! 

I can't wait to leave that diaper bag behind!!!

A Charity Project- Chrisco Adoption Travel

We were able to set up a fundraiser page on A Charity Projects Website.  Please visit

A Charity Project- Chrisco Adoption Travel Fund

to check it out! 

The total cost of travel is estimated to be $6,000!  Our goal is to raise $2,000 (1/3 of the cost) by February 14th 2012 (Piper's 3rd birthday!).

So.........here we go!  Please consider donating and if you can't we understand!  But.......either way PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD!  Please post the link any where and every where you can!  Facebook, blog, twitter, e-mail!  A daunting task for one but if 200 people donated $10 the goal would be reached! 

We sincerely appreciate everyone's love and support along the way!  Here is to a wonderful healthy and happy 2012!

Projects around the house

Well I am excited to say that we are only months away from bringing the girls home!  Our USCIS I-600 Packet was sent last Thursday and should be in our caseworkers hands as we speak!  Now I know with the Holiday's it is going to be delayed a bit but we are hoping, wishing, praying that we get our approval within the month!  Typically they say 75 days. 

I am also OVERLY excited because a sweetheart of a gal is going to be picking up their 5 year old daughter hopefully this week!!!  She is bringing a video camera as well as flash camera so I am excited to see that and hear about the trip, their daughter etc!

That being said.....we are trying to get projects done around here!

 The little boys finishing their Christmas Thank You's Man do they LOVE stickers!!!!

 The girls room.  Really wasn't going this direction it just kind of spiraled into it.  I had all the materials on hand so I thought hmmmm why not right?  I think it turned out cute, hopefully the girls think so too!!!  We have more progress to make in their room but, all their clothes are put away, beds are up, bedding is out, the Butterfly Garden corner is almost complete.  I still want to add a hot air balloon from the ceiling in the corner and we were going to put maybe a overloaded bean bag chair or their doll house or something in this corner----any suggestions?!?!?  Then we also have 3-4' shelves we put up in their room that I need to figure out what to put on them----also any suggestions :)  I really really want to incorporate Africa in some way! 

 This is Dan's project for the boys room. I painted these canvases this summer then couldn't figure out what I wanted to do with them!  I knew that I wanted some vehicle on them but me draw....nothing but stick figures!  So Daniel took it upon himself to complete it!  This is just the start folks!  I am BLOWN away but what he can do!  What he has done thus far is simply amazing!!!  So much detail and spot on!  He got frustrated with himself and said "I messed up!"  I asked him what he meant and he said that he should have moved the front up a little more on the first canvas so he could put a dalmation chasing the fire truck on the last canvas!  Now sweetie with how amazing this is I think that is ok!

I 110% think with all my heart he is missing his calling!  He is so artistic!  When I say he can do everything I mean he can do E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G!  With his new position he will be working weekends so hopefully the week days he can let his artistic juices flow and see where that takes him!  I could totally see him doing customs as well as custom room's-especially kids rooms and play rooms!

Daniel also go our wall of pictures hung going up the stairs!  Although we haven't painted yet-still the original peach from when we moved in-I think it makes it feel homey! 

He also got the bookcase for the Entry done as well as refinished a desk for the kids hallway upstairs!  Now to figure out what to do with that hallway hmmmm.....

Christmas!

 The boys helped make lots of things this year!  Rice Crispy tree's and truffles were their favorite!

 On our way to Jolly Holiday lights!  The boys LOVED it!  Phoenix got a little stir crazy but the twins did WONDERFUL!

 Grandma Ranies house Christmas Eve

 Christmas morning at our house.  Phoenix was the first up and literally sat on my lap on the sofa for nearly and hour and didn't mention that Santa came!!!

 Hank wanted to be festive too!  He is picking up what santa left behind!

Grammie KK send a snowman kit!  ADORABLE!!!!