Nov./Dec. kids' quotes

  

Brooklyn:
"ah-dah"
"da-da-da"
"aaaaahhh!"
(cough-cough)

Keandre:
K - "Mama, I’m getting exhausted from these pretzels." (tired of)

K – “Mommy, I’m *starving hungry*!” (A while later:) “I’m done, Mommy. I’m starving full.”

Mom – “Keandre, please worry about yourself.” (and not your sister’s business)
K – “Mom, I don’t know what to worry about. Can you tell me what to worry about?”

K - "Mommmmmy!  Why aren't you looking at me?!?!"
Mom - "Because you're throwing a tantrum, Keandre."
K - "I am NOT!  You need to look at me!"

While cuddling together after Keandre calmed down:
Mom - "I missed this side of you, Sweetie." :)
K - "Where was I, Mom???"

Destany:
D – “Can chickens complicate with birds?  Can chickens talk with birds? ”
Mom – “Hmm, I’m not sure.”
D – “Can you ask the computer?”

D – “Mama, I’m not a vegetarian, I’m MEATatarian!”

D – “Mom, I put some water on my hair. I don’t want it straight anymore. I’m a CurlyGirl!”

D - "Lucas, please butt out of my business!"
Mom - "Destany!  Don't speak to your brother that way."
D - "But Mom, I said PLEASE!"


Lucas:
After snacks: "Look how clean my plate is, Mom. And I didn't even lick it!"

"In Flagstaff, Granny and I were looking at the whisky clouds and talking about how you can tell if it might snow or not, depending on how the whisky clouds look." 

cherry on top

 

I've talked a little in the past about the many blessings of a healthy open adoption.  But it's important to realize that open adoptions do not remove the normal grieving process that most children experience as they begin to understand the losses they have experienced along with the blessings. 

Destany and I are writing this post together, to share some analogies that describe our contact with her birth family, whom she adores and often wishes she could see every week.

1)  Our family life is like a hot fudge sundae.  It is good all on its own, and we are very blessed to have each other.  When we spend time with Destany's birth family, they are the cherry on top!  They make it just that much better.  But when time together is not possible, whatever the reason, we let ourself feel sad, then try to also appreciate the many blessings we still have.

2)  Destany also suggested that her birth mother is like a headband.  When Destany has a beautiful hair style, she celebrates it!  But no matter how pretty her braids or twists are, she always thinks she looks prettier with a headband.  It is the little extra that makes her smile.

3)  Birth family is like flowers in a colorful vase.  The vase is beautiful and precious all on its own.  But those flowers sure do accent it well!

We had fun coming up with lots of other silly analogies, but you'll have to ask us in person about those!  For now, I'm just thankful that God has blessed us with ideas for creative ways to work through some sad feelings.  As I tucked her into bed tonight, my sweet daughter was cuddly, delighting in these quiet moments together, and feeling very loved.  And I am praising the Lord for His grace, healing, and presence in our lives. 

Funny Friday

 

 
Once a week we have a campfire in our front yard with our neighbors and anyone else who stops by.  We make s'mores and serve up hot apple cider and maybe a few beers.  It's the perfect way to relax after a long day.  (If you live in the area and want to join us, just ask me for details -- we'd love to have you stop by!)

Not surprisingly, this is our children's favorite night of the week.  They look forward to it for days, and often write up personalized invitations that they pass around the neighborhood to make sure their friends have not forgotten.  They also like to help set out the food and drinks, put out camp chairs, and get the firewood ready. 

This week, I walked into the boys' room to find this little scene.  Lucas had been reading in his room and had this bright idea that he could reach more branches on the dead bush outside his window from inside the house.  And of course he wasn't concerned with how many sticks, leaves, and little pieces of bark would be in his bed next time he needed it.  He was just excited that he'd hit the jackpot on kindling! 

What is that saying?...oh yes, 'boys will be boys!'  Well, I thank God our kiddos are all so different from each other.  It sure keeps life interesting.

Our Little Rockstar

  

Around here, Brooklyn is a rockstar.  Everyone loves Brooklyn.  At any given time, there is a line of siblings waiting for a turn to hold her.  Each of them takes great pride in their special relationship with her, and their ability to make her laugh and squeal.  It is so sweet to watch their relationships grow. 

Right now, Brooklyn is especially high on my list of favorite little people.  You see, Destany had this tooth that was driving me crazy.  You know the kind.  The one hanging crooked, right smack in the middle of her smile, just begging to be pulled.  But Destany was not interested in having it pulled.  I begged for the privilege, but she was not to be swayed.  And stories of tying a string around it and slamming a door to yank it did not help any.  (Nice try, honey.) 

To my great delight, Brooklyn took care of that tooth tonight.  Destany was playing with her when she suddenly shouted out that Brooklyn had knocked her tooth out.  And sure enough....as she explained what had happened, that stubborn little tooth fell out of her mouth and onto the carpet in front of her.  Wooohooo!  That's my baby. 

Now let's just hope the 'Tooth Fairy' remembers to follow up on this tooth!  A few nights ago Destany received $1.25 and an apology note from said fairy.  That tooth had been under her pillow for a couple nights, so she accrued a little interest!

Body & Hair Butter

  

Whipped Body & Hair Butters ~ Luxurious moisture for dry skin and curly locks. These butters are homemade with organic, unrefined ingredients for maximum benefit for skin and hair.

I have been making these whipped body and hair butters to help raise money for our next adoption.  It's been quite the project!  But I am really excited about how they're turning out, and I've been getting great feedback from family and friends about the finished product. 

If you'd like to support our next adoption by ordering some, click here. :)

1st foods

  

Brooklyn enjoying coconut cream. 

With our other kiddos, I read the book Super Baby Food and made homemade organic purees and introduced a wide range of healthy foods from about 6 months on.  I followed all the directions and learned how to pick the right foods, steam them, blend them, and freeze enough to last a few weeks.  And I enjoyed it!  It felt meaningful and important to feed my children this way. 

This time, however, I'm happy to mostly nurse Brooklyn and take a more laid-back approach to introducing foods.  I'd like to do just a few baby foods, and then jump straight to finger foods.  We'll see how she does as time goes on. :) 

Next stop, mashed avocado from Grandpa and Grandma's avocado ranch in California!

Credit for this baby food idea goes to my friend Julie.  Her sweetie did a taste test with some coconut cream and it was a success, so we thought we'd give it a try as well! :)

Check out this post to learn more about my new favorite approach to baby food.

Oh, baby!

I am so excited.  This is the creamiest, most luxurious hair and body butter I have ever made.  It is amazing on my kiddos' skin and in their curly locks.  Made from 100% organic, unrefined oils and butters, for maximum benefit for your skin and hair, it is safe to eat as well as wear!  Good thing, because it is so yummy my kids lick it off their skin. :) 

I have three tubs made from 100% organic, unrefined coconut oil, shea butter, and cocoa butter (natural cocoa scented from cocoa butter), and one tub of 100% organic shea butter, coconut oil, and mango butter (mild shea/coconut scent).  The mango is refined, so it is unscented. 

It costs me approximately $6 to make each tub of body butter.  We will distribute these on a donation basis.  The cost of supplies will come out of our family budget, so 100% of what you donate will go to our adoption fund!

Comment here to claim a tub.  First come, first served.  Only 4 tubs in this first batch.  Thanks! :)  Update - the first four tubs have been claimed!  Watch for another post this week with more body butters, and I'll also be making raw sugar body scrubs.  Yum!

shea/cocoa/coconut -- Kim, Monica, Stephanie 
shea/mango/coconut -- Lucinda

Future batches will come with other combinations of oils and butters, and in a few scents, such as orange and peppermint.  I will also fill smaller tubs that will mail well for those who do not live in the Valley of the Sun. 

Thank you for the amazing response, and for choosing to support our family this way!

Funny Friday

Having rebelled against rabbit food, and now running out of grass, our rabbit (who remains unnamed and usually goes by 'Rabbit' or 'Bunny'), has joined in with the chickens.