The boy's room...

I didn't not like this room...but I felt we should change it to the boy's room because W is in a bottom bunk at the orphanage, and I thought it would be easier on me if she had a bed on the ground when coming home. This room is too small to have 2 beds on the ground, and H is too little to be in a top bunk yet. So we decided to make the smaller room the boy's room.

BEFORE...

AFTER...

(D sleeps on the top, and loves it. H is on the bottom now until her room is finished...I am working on it now. But L will be on the bottom when he comes home.)

BEFORE...

AFTER...

BEFORE...

AFTER...

BEFORE...

AFTER...

It turned out great! Now I just gotta get the girl's room done!

Valentine's Day...

Friday I was at my kids school all day helping with the Valentine parties... D wanted his hair sprayed red. It looks more orange in the picture than it really was. My kids always want their hair different colors for special events...parties, sports, etc.

He wanted a heart...his hair is so light, it shows up so good!

His class did this game where they had to eat a cookie off fish line, it was hilarious! They also ate sundaes, did a cute craft, and shared Valentines...D of course handed out Star Wars ones.

H wore this Hello Kitty dress that grandma bought her.

Her room also ate sundaes, played games, and did a craft. She passed out Disney princess valentines.

Friday night was the Daddy daughter dance!! I was working, but moms weren't allowed to go anyways. H was so excited, all day talking about how daddy was gonna dance with her. They had a blast!!

Saturday we brought Hazel a valentine, candy, a donut, and a muffin. We visited for an hour. She was happy we came, and it was hard to leave.

100th day of school

Yesterday D had to bring in 100 of something to count at school to celebrate 100th day of school. He chose Lego's...(surprise, surprise...he loves Lego's)

I haven't been posting much lately, partly because I am running ragged. Partly because I promised when starting this blog, that it wouldn't be a place I'd come to bitch, and I haven't had a good attitude lately. I want about 6 more hours a day to get things done, and more income to pay these bills, cheaper health insurance, nicer weather, and good news on the adoptions.

I went to Ms. Hazel's Monday. Brought her milk, bananas, and donuts on her request. I cleaned AS FAST AS I COULD for 2 hours, while H was in preschool. Since Monday, I think about her all the time. She cried when I left, making me late to pick up H, which made H cry because I had my friend run over and get her. I don't like cleaning a very dirty house, filled with dog pee. But I have only seen Hazel twice and I feel I love her. I want to help her more, and I just don't have the time to do it. She is so lonely, 87 yrs old, lives alone, but shouldn't. She has no family, had no children...no one deserves to end their life this way. I am sure there are worse, I don't want to think about that. But Hazel is a lovely lady with a very sad lonely heart, and it's just not fair. I always think "after I get this and that done...I'll have more time for that and this" but it doesn't happen...it's always busy around here...I know I know, it will be more crazy and more busy when W comes home, then when L comes home... I just have to learn how to organize my time better, and stay off this darn computer!! LOL

What jobs have you had?

H wanted a picture with her glitter shoes on...so I took some.

This is a pic from sledding on Sunday, we love this new hill we found. We actually went there again today, but I didn't bring the camera. I like the simple things in life. (and cheap fun)

I went to an older women's house today...87 year old. Her name is Hazel. Isn't that a beautiful name that you never hear? I used to clean houses, but haven't since I had my 6 yr old. Cleaning houses is the hardest work I have done...This lady has no family and she recently took a bad fall. So, I am giving up two mornings a week to go clean her house...pick up groceries for her, etc. I really do love old people and their stories of their life. I hope it all works out. Although I still need to paint the girl's room, the boys room is done. I'll post before and after pics soon. It turned out great!


So anyone out there work an unusual job? I have had nothing unusual, but here is my long list...
1. Subway
2. Denny's
3. Greenhouse
4. Chuck E Cheese
5. Wedding Banquets
6. Landscape Nursery
7. McDonald's (2 weeks)
8. Nanny (2 different families)
9. Daycare/Preschool Teacher
10. Cocktail waitress
11. Bowling Alley lane waitress
12. House cleaner
13. Gas City

Yes, I am a real career gal I know, working the jobs that take great skill (HAHA). I might have forgot a few...I worked some of these at the same time. I guess I never got bored at one thing...I did what I could to work around being a mom and not wanting someone else raising him. I brought him with me to teach preschool, cleaned houses when he was at Kindergarten, and cocktailed Friday nights. I love taking pics, working at a portrait studio is a job I would have liked. I am not gonna "tag" anyone...but feel free to blog your past occupations...which ones you liked, which ones you hated...
Gotta pass this time...missing W and L...

Do you notice.... I put a lot of.... these.... in my ....writing.....I have no idea how I picked up that habit!

Roller Rink Field Trip...

My daughter had a preschool field trip to a roller rink last week. This was H's first time on skates. It was fun, and brought back memories. There was a roller rink while I was in junior high and high school and had a teen night every Friday. My friends and I used to get dropped off and hang out for a few hours without our parents there. I learned to skate pretty good back then, however didn't put skates on at the field trip in fear that I couldn't skate and hold up my daughter. I am happy to say that I think roller rinks have changed for the better since I was a teen. Back then, cigarette machines were everywhere, including the roller rink, where anyone, any age had access...and smoking was allowed inside the roller rink...there also weren't parents there, so almost no supervision... at 15-16 years old, we thought we were adults!! I know I am getting old now, when I see a 15 year old as just a "baby".

me and H...

I am glad I brought these which were purchased at a garage sale...the rental skates are so heavy for little feet!!

I am happy to see the rinks around here cleaned up a bit, no more smoking allowed, and no more cigarette machines...but snow cones still available at the snack counter...

We've been busy!

We had a small kids party for D which included a lot of fun games, ice cream cones, and a donut cake...D LOVES donuts!

D wanted a blue Mohawk for his party...

And on D's real birthday he got a guitar so he can jam with his big bro...

we sang again...with these cool candles that glow in different colors...

And we went to this awesome hill to sled down since they only had 1/2 day of school...

There are so many things I want to get done before spring. Once spring is here, my kids (and I) will want to be outside, which means the things IN this house will NOT get done. And I also want to get these things done before W comes home. Here's my list...

1. Paint the girls room and put it back together.

2. Get my pictures (the last 2 years) organized and put in binders.

3. Paint and reorganize the laundry room.

4. Eliminate clutter in my bedroom.

5. Organize the kids papers, schoolwork, etc from the last year and put it in their "memory" boxes in the attic.

Not so much...but along with everyday cooking. errands, laundry, dishes, etc....it seems not much time is left for these things. I also have some reading I want to do before W comes home.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY D-DOG!!!

My D is 6 years old today!! D was the longest baby my doctor delivered! He came out at 23 inches long...8 pounds 10 ounces. Although blond, he came out with a full head of hair!! The nurses called him the beach baby. There were 17 babies in the nursery, and D was the only baby with blond hair! We had a hard time getting pregnant with D, and we were so happy when we found out he was conceived, and when he was born we were overwhelmed with joy! B was a happy big brother too!

6 weeks old...1 year old...

2 years old...

3 years old...4 years old...

5 years old...

NOW 6 YEARS OLD!!!

D is such a character. He has so much charm, so much imagination. He is a loving boy and growing up so fast. Happy Birthday to my little D-dog!!

News! News!

L IS IN IBESR!!!! He went in Jan 16th!!
W is in MOI, and no DNA request at the birth parent interview. Now I hope W can move through MOI quickly!!

Getting ready for little D's family birthday party tomorrow, but had to share this awesome news!!

No news, no news...

I am getting so impatient waiting for MOI and IBESR #s. I try to call the director and can never get through. I hate calling...I am always so nervous I will say something that will irritate her. Because I am not getting verification that the birth parent interview is done, and an MOI #, I am of course afraid that my file is not where I think it is... I am probably so worried about it since I "thought" it was where it wasn't 3 times in the last year. I try not to get excited about being in the next step, until I REALLY know it's true.
I have been working on my kids room's, trying not to think about the time passing. And although always happy to see others advance in the process, and see kids come home, it's hard to hear of others progress when your file is trailing behind where it should be.
It's so cold here that school let out early Wednesday and have had no school yesterday or today. My family is coming Sunday for my son D's 6th birthday...I have to prepare for that and work tonight, so I probably won't post til the weekend is over.

My son's Christmas party at school was postponed due to weather...but finally did happen last week

H's party...(H on the left)

And D's party...

For anyone who wants a Haiti's children reunion in Caledonia WI...

We love Yogi Bear Jellystone parks, and go once a summer. There are so many fun activities for the kids, and it's great to sit around campfires, let the kids run around, and is much more lax than a hotel, where you have to sit in a restaurant for dinner, go in your separate rooms at night, etc. Last year 2008, my kids D and H were in the brochure. You can imagine their faces when I showed them the Yogi Bear brochure and they see their faces eating ice cream from the prior year (2007). The same pic was in the brochure twice. We usually go July/ August. I am hoping W is home by then! Anyone interested?

Wow does time fly...

I have no idea how this picture appeared on my desktop...I think it is a sign for me to live NOW, to enjoy every moment because before I know it, they will be grown, out of the house, and I will be here looking at old pics wishing to have one more day with them when they were young. ...

This is my H at a few months old!! What I would give to hold her at this age for 5 minutes!!

And look at her now!!

I haven't posted in a while because I am painting...scary thing! H and D are switching rooms, and I am repainting them both...so everything is ready when W comes home. I will post before and after pics when I am done.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Not only do we celebrate the New Year with being thankful for our health, safety, and happiness we had in 2008, we also got the great news that...

W is IN MOI !!!! and L will be in IBESR next week!!!!

Now if those aren't reasons to throw confetti all over the house right after mom cleaned the house...I don't know what would be!

Also, W's birth parent interview went "fine" so I guess no DNA was requested!!

WOO HOO!!!

Notice my son ready to chug his orange pop we toasted with...(the extra kid is my son's friend)
My son D took this pic of me!
We spent the night doing 5 science experiments, the most exciting was putting vinegar in a 35 mm film container, then quickly putting in baking soda wrapped in a piece of Kleenex. Quickly put the lid on and wait a few seconds for the top to fly off making a loud noise making everyone scream!! We also made ooze (below).
B with his friend on the PC.

B just thrilled that I made him look at my camera...

Earlier in the day we played with Moon sand!!! Messy, but so much fun!! (extra kid is our neighbor who spent the night...)

Another blog I read has posted some cool things she has done to her home. I love seeing other people's homes to get ideas for my own. I thought I'd post some pics of our home for others to see. Yes, we have a small home, but we make it work. We have little storage and no closet by the door. This is a cubby that my dad and hubby built. Stairs going upstairs are to the left of this cubby and our front door is to the right.

This is my $6 bench! It also opens for storage!!

Our front room... notice the wood cabinets in this room which are filled with bins of toys...(also note the blue gun on the chair next to the door...doesn't everyone keep a gun by their front door? LOL)

We have yet to buy one of those LCD flat thin TVs. It is on our wish list, but not one of the top 5 things on our wish list...so who knows when we will actually get one...

This is a wall we opened up a couple years ago, I love that we did it!

Hopefully this year will bring good business to our company and we will be able to fix more things around this house that need it!! I am also going to start painting the boys room and girls room now that the holidays are over. I know most people have their kids rooms ready a long time ago, but I will be sure to get them done before W gets home!!