Wanted To Share This For Quite Sometime....

While we were in Taiwan in September, I had some issues with the internet and blogging, so I stopped half way through our trip.  I felt bad, and had so much to share with everyone, but finally gave up fighting with the slow internet and just had fun enjoying our newest little addition!  But this is something that I had so wanted to share with everyone!

While we were in Taipei, I had a mission.  To find a place that I had seen in a picture.  I didn't even know if it was, infact, in Taipei!  I just assumed.  The reason I wanted to find a particular place from a specific picture is because it was a picture of my grandparents when they visited Taiwan, probably back in the 60's.  My mom has always had this picture displayed (it's on decorative round piece of granite...or something!) and I never payed much attention to it, until I knew that I had a child in that country!!  I took a copy of the picture with us so we could do some searching while we were there.  Here it is...

We asked our translator in Taitung if she knew where this picture took place (she was from Taipei) and she told us it was on the grounds of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall.  So one of the days we were in Taipei, we ventured out with a "tour-guide".  Actually, she was a friend's daughter (from our church) who is a missionary in Taichung, Taiwan!  I was so excited to meet her and she was so sweet to come to Taipei and go on our "adventure" with us! 

Well, we got to the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, only to find (after much searching!) that it wasn't the right place!!  We really didn't know where it would be in a city that size.  I have to admit, I was pretty sad to have not found it that day.  So that night after we put Abi down, I did some further investigating!  We noticed in the back ground (on the left side) there was a very tall roof.  We found pictures of The Grand Hotel  and the roof line looked pretty similar, so we thought we'd try it (what did we have to loose?!).  We looked at the map of where The Grand Hotel was located and found that right next to it was the National Revolutionary Martyr's Shrine, and it had two pagoda type buildings on the grounds! 

The next morning, we hopped into a taxi and made our way to it!  And guess what?  It was the right place!  Here's a couple of pictures of us in front of the same place that my dear grandparents stood years prior!  The surroundings looked a bit different after so many years, but it was definitely the same place!

While I was standing there, I had a hard time not becoming emotional.  I know my grandparents would have both been so excited to know that we stood in the same place they did, probably 40 some years later, not to mention the fact that we adopted our youngest from there!  They adopted my mother, so adoption runs in the family, so to speak!  Yesterday was the anniversary of my grandmother's passing, 28 years ago.  I know she's smiling down on us! 


Here's to a wonderful weekend!

My Little Excavator Operator!!

Yesterday, Ana got to be an excavator operator!  My brother is an operator and has his own equipment.  My parents need a rock wall built.  Since we are temporarily living at my parent's house, Ana got to help her uncle move rock (after he dumped it from his dump truck) with the excavator!  She was SO excited!!

HUGE rock!

 

Getting ready to dump the rock

Ana using the controls!

 

This is fun!

All in a day's work!

When I asked Ana if she was going to grow up and be an excavator operator (haha!!), she said in a very adamant tone, "No, silly!  I'm going to be a mom and have 18 babies!"   :-)  Good luck, my sweet girl! 

The next two pictures I just had to include to brag about how nice of a day we had yesterday!  In the 60's and so sunny!  It was heaven! 

Did I mention what a beautiful, spring day we had here???!!!

Gorgeous view!

Happy Spring!

Challenge...(for myself!!!)

As most of you know, we are living in limbo.  We sold our house immediately after returning with our youngest treasure from Taiwan (hence, making the last 6 months almost a complete blur to me!).  We are now crammed living in an "apartment" above my parents 3-car garage.  My parents have a beautiful house, and their garage is no exception!  We do feel very blessed to be able to live here while we wait for Lance's retirement date (April 30th!) from the Air Force.  We thought this would be the best option for all of us since we had just brought Abi home, we wanted my family to be able to spend some time with her.

On to my "challenge"... we are moving across country in about 7 weeks.  Evidently, I have a food hoarding issue!  (Actually, I think I was just born in the wrong time period.  I love the knowledge that I have food stocked up to feed my family no matter what may happen.) I have enough food stored up to probably feed the entire Air Force!  (well... maybe not!)  I have been working at clearing out my freezer(s), but it dawned on me that I have a lot of food that isn't in my freezers! 

Just one of my very full cupboards that I need to empty!

So, my challenge is going to be this:  I am going to try my hardest to NOT buy any food for the next month with the exception of fresh fruits/veggies and milk.  I know I can do this, I am just going to have to be more creative (I haven't been extremely creative the last 6 months or so in the food department!).  One of my favorite things to do is read cookbooks (yep!  You read that right!!).  So I guess it's time to pull out some cookbooks I haven't read for a while and try some new (and old!) recipes! 

No, this is NOT all of my cookbooks!  I have a couple of boxes of cookbooks in storage!

I also love the website allrecipes.com , and recently realized that at the top of the page is a search button.  But the cool thing is, you can search ingredients!  It will give you a list of recipes that include the ingredients you have on-hand!  Pretty neat! 

Do you have any websites that you recommend for using things up?  Please share!  I would love to look them over!

Here's to creative cooking!!

Definitely A Hit!!!

My new Hugg-A-Planet Globe!!

Ana, can you show me where Kazakhstan is?

How about Taiwan?  ~  No sweat, huh?!

 

Abi, what continent does Daddy fly to that has penguins?  Antarctica?  RIGHT!  (yep, we teach them early!  Haha!)

OK, I just had to share this with my home school friends (and friends that don't home school, but have kids!!!).  When Ana and Abi did the photo shoot for Timberdoodle's catalog (if you don't shop from them, you should!  They are the best!!), they each received gift certificates to spend there.  Ana has been pouring over the catalog for weeks to make sure she picks just the right thing out!  After much looking, we decided on a few things for the both of them.  I kept going back to the Hugg-A-Planet Globe.  It was going to put us over our gift certificate amount, but I thought it would be good for both of them, so I spent the extra money on it.

Boy, am I glad I did!!  It has been the best thing we've bought for the kids in quite a while!  Ana loves geography, and she's been playing with this non-stop since we picked it up yesterday. It's different because it's cloth and stuffed like a pillow.  Abi likes throwing herself on it and giggling!

Ana has been showing us all various places on her new globe, such as Kazakhstan (where she was born), Taiwan (where her sister was born), WA state (where we live), WI (where we are moving), Antarctica (where her Daddy flies to part of the year), and the place that takes the cake is Libya (where, in her own words is, "Where all the fighting  is going on right now.  There's a bad guy there."  Hmmmm....better watch how much news I watch!  She's evidently paying attention to more than I thought!)

Anyway, just thought you'd like to know about a very fun, educational "toy" we have discovered!! 

Great Idea...For A Great Cause

Don't you just LOVE this bag?!! 

I get email posts from some amazing blogs, and one of my favorites is I Am Momma - Hear Me Roar.  (Cheri, the writer of the blog, is incredibly creative!  I glean so much from her!)  Today's email of her blog post is awesome! 

This week, I think we all have the disaster in Japan on our mind.  I know I have been trying to figure out how I can help.  Well, Cheri, from I Am Momma - Hear Me Roar, had an amazing idea!  She recently developed the pattern for this adorable bag and is releasing it next week.  Here's the deal she has for everyone from her blog...

1) You can pre-purchase the pattern by donating $8 or more to a humanitarian aid program. 

2) E-mail me to tell me you've donated and that you want the pattern.  It's iammommahearmeroar[at]gmail[dot]com.  If you want the pattern you must e-mail me, because leaving a comment here won't always give me your e-mail address.

3) I will e-mail you the pattern and tutorial when it's completed next week.  The pattern will contain a full tutorial with pictures, making it easy for even the beginner.  It will also have a second look - a different bow option.  It will come as a PDF file.

4)  I just added this, due to questions I've been getting.  If you want to spread the word bout this on your own blog you are more than welcome to.  I am happy to give the pattern to as many people as possible. 

That way you'll know that 100% of your funds will be going to help.  I will really only be using the honor system - trusting that you've made a donation when you send me your e-mail.

So, essentially this week's challenge is to give to a humanitarian program to help those in Japan.  If you're not interested in a pattern that's fine.  You can still give.  It's just my way of making it easier for you to give.  

 

That's right... she's not making anything on this pattern!  She just wants to help get people to donate to help those in Japan.  One place she suggests to donate is through the Red Cross.  One of my favorite humanitarian groups is Samaritan's Purse, and they do have a disaster relief team that is in Japan helping out with relief efforts. If you have a favorite humanitarian program that you like to donate through that will help the people in Japan, donate and let her know!!  

If you donate and get the purse pattern and make the purse, please send me pictures of the finished purse!  I can't wait to make mine!

A Mini-Vacation!

Our good friend has had an amazing 30 years of service to our country!

Luckily we had reserved seats.  It ended up being standing room only! Yep, that's my husband smiling at the camera!

My husband and three of "the gang"!  Great group of guys!

Some of us friends enjoying the sun at a BBQ the next day.

My husband and I in the hotel lobby, enjoying catching up with old friends.

 This past week, my husband and I flew to North Carolina for a good friend's retirement from the Air Force. 

First of all, since my husband is in the Air Force and is gone more than he's home, it was nice to have 5 days, uninterrupted with him!  But the thing that is so incredible is this unique group of friends that we have!  It always amazes me how it can literally be YEARS (and in this case, it was 10 and even 15 years for some!!) that we don't get to see some from this group, and it feels like not a day has gone by!  Truly a blessing of good friends!

It was nice to get home to our kids, but it was a great reminder that God definitely places people in our lives, and I am so thankful for the friends, near and far, that He has given us!  

Remember to appreciate and enjoy good friends!

Rock & Worship Roadshow Fun!!!

The mighty Space Needle

Key Arena before the fans pour in!  (it filled up!  About 10,000 fans turned out!)

Getting the stage ready

My daughter Meg (on the right) and her friend Megan

The girls with Thousand Foot Krutch

The girls saying good-bye to our friend Mike (MercyMe)

Saturday we headed to Seattle to attend the Rock & Worship Roadshow!  If you don't know what that is, you should find out!  The group MercyMe started this tour 3 years ago.  It's an evening of amazing Christian music from well known artists, all for only $10!!!  Yep, you read that right, only $10!!!  They took out the middle-man (Ticketmaster in this case!) and are able to charge less.  To offset costs, they do offer VIP passes that get you in early and get to attend the Meet and Greet with MercyMe, plus a few other bonuses, and also pass an offering "bucket" for donations.  This year there were 7 very different, VERY good bands!  They were Jars Of Clay, Thousand Foot Krutch, Matt Maher, The Afters, Lacrae, Anthem Lights and of course, MercyMe.  They all put on wonderful shows!

When we adopted Ana, we met some amazing and wonderful people that were also adopting.  Luckily, we've remained friends with a few of them.  One of the friends we made was Mike from MercyMe.  He and his wife adopted a beautiful little girl that was also in our daughter's orphanage.  We enjoy catching up with him before and after the show whenever they come to town.

If you haven't had a chance to attend the Rock & Worship Roadshow, check out to see if they will be visiting a town near you!  They only have one more weekend of touring for this year, but look for it next year!  You won't be disappointed!

Suprised!! (and very proud!)

Ana on the cover of the Timberdoodle catalog!

That's our Abi in the middle!

Recently, our two youngest daughters were asked to participate in a photo-shoot for Timberdoodle's new catalog.  If you homeschool, then certainly you must know about Timberdoodle!  They are our favorite homeschool supply company!!  They also happen to be located just a couple of miles from us!  The family that owns and runs the company, as well as all of the their employees, are just incredible.  They carry some of the best educational supplies around at great prices, and they are always so helpful!  I always look to them first when I am looking for something!

Well, was I surprised when I got up this morning and my husband said he saw on his computer that Ana had made the cover of the catalog!  The catalog just went to print this week.  It will be fun to see the rest of it!  I found on their website that Abi also was used in a picture with two other babies.  So fun!

A proud Mamma-moment! 

Random Funness!!

Yeah, yeah, yeah...I know.  Funness is really not a word!  But so appropriate for this!  I love fabric.  I love to create things with fabric.  I love to imagine the things I would make with fabric if I had more time (I definitely fall into this category MOST of the time these days!!!)!!!

Well, I came upon a blog that Moda fabrics does.  If you are a quilter, then you know Moda fabrics.  But this site isn't just quilts to make (although, there a lot of very fun ones on there!).  This site has projects that others have made and submitted, along with directions you can print out.  It's called Moda Bake Shop, and it has some VERY fun projects to make and be totally inspired by!  Check some of these amazing things out!!

If you click on the tab at the top of the Home page labeled "Recipes", you will find the following categories of projects:

• Accessories
• Apparel
• Baby and Kids
• Bags and Totes
• Challenge
• Fabric Collections
• Featured Store
• Food
• Gifts
• Home Decor
• Quilts
• Seasonal
• Stuffed Stuff

Pretty fun stuff!  If you love to create things (or really want to!) with fabric, you should check out all the inspiring ideas this site has!

Happy creating!

New Blog...New Beginnings!

Well, I am going to make a whole-hearted attempt to combine my three blogs (home school/family, adoption, and Denice's Creations) into one.  For those of you that have followed my other blogs, you know that I pretty much fell off the face of the earth!  (Many times it felt literal!)  We adopted our youngest daughter in September, returned home from Taiwan from getting her and our house sold (been on the market for 2 years!).  Then a whirlwind of new baby and moving pretty much overtook me!  We are now living above my parent's garage until my husband retires from the Air Force (April 30th!) and we make the big move across country to Wisconsin!  It has definitely been a year of change, school not getting done like I would like, not being able to do the sewing I would love to do for Denice's Creations, lots of compromise, adjusting, and patience!!  I'm sure the upcoming year will not be too different!  I'm still putting this blog together so check back often to See what I've added!

Thanks!