Doesn't D look a lot like Buffy with her hair fixed this way!!

All she's missing are the freckles.

D will soon be able to sing this song for real! She lost a bottom tooth on Friday and her first top middle tooth finally came out last night after being wiggly for 2 months! The other one is about ready to come out soon and she'll have a really, really big gap !



p.s. I added a recipe two posts down of a delicious cold weather soup! I invented this recipe last Fall and it really is scrumptious.

Hubby and I went shopping Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. I was looking for something really cute for D to wear to our Agency's Christmas party next Saturday. I went to Ma*cy's and didn't find anything I loved, everything looks like miniature teenager clothes.

I've been eyeing a precious outfit in the Hanna Anderss*on catalog, but it is so expensive. But hubby said let's go look at the Hanna Anderss*on store and see if they have it - I was surprised so I said OK! But, they don't have the ornament dress and leggings in the store, you can only order it. They could order it and have it shipped to our home with no shipping cost, but it wouldn't have arrived in time. It wasn't meant to be. The entire outfit would have been more than $65 and I just don't usually spend that much on clothes for such a quickly growing girl, so it is probably for the best.

We went next door to Gymbor*ee and I got this cute Czarina shirt and precious plaid skort and matching tights and velvet headband. I took a picture of her at church this morning in front of the big cornucopia, but it's too up close. It's on hubby's camera so I'll have to wait till he e-mails it to me anyhow. If she wears this outfit to the Christmas party, I'll take a full length picture. She looked very precious!

While at Gymbor*ee I also got this dress and leggings which is not specifically Christmas, but it is Christmas-y. It is along the same idea as the Hanna Anderss*on outfit. I got both these outfits for what I would have paid for the one HA outfit, so I was thinking I did pretty good!

Next we went into the Buil*d a Bear Workshop store and looked for this precious bear outfit, but they didn't have it in the store and it's out of stock online. So we went to eat at Panera Bread (I got broccoli cheddar soup and 1/2 a Smokehouse Turkey Panini) and then we headed back to Grandma's house.

Tomorrow is hubby's big 4-0 birthday, so we're having a little party for him tonight at Choir Rehearsal after church. I've got to go and get everything together for the party.

Till later . . .

p.s. no there has been no adoption news the past week :o(

Hearty Soup with Wild Rice, Chicken Breast and Autumn Vegetables


3 stalks of celery, diced fine
1/2 onion, diced very fine
2 medium carrots cut in slivers
2 T butter (I used real)
1 T canola oil
1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast (I cooked mine in my microwave roaster for 7 minutes)
2 chicken boulion cubes
5 cups water
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 box Uncle Ben's Original Long Grain and Wild Rice (already prepared per box instructions)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp.Mrs. Dash Original

Sautee the onions, celery and carrots in butter and oil until onions just begin to carmelize - about 15 minutes or so on med/hi heat. Add salt, pepper, garlic salt and Mrs. Dash. Add water and boulion cubes and allow to come to a full rolling boil. As this is boiling - for about 20-25 minutes - prepare your chicken breast and Uncle Ben's rice. Cut chicken into small cubes/chunks after it's been cooked. Add cream of chicken soup and allow to boil until it is no longer lumpy. Add in the prepared rice and chicken. Let soup lightly boil for about 30 minutes to combine flavors.

This would be delicious served with a crusty bread! Makes approximately 5 hearty bowls of soup. (If you are feeding a family of more than 4, I'd suggest to double the recipe. If your family likes mushrooms, I think it would be good to do one can cream of chicken and one can cream of mushroom soup. I also added a handful of frozen sugar snap peas to mine. English peas would be good too if your family likes them.



Marvelous Mac-n-Cheese

12 oz bag of medium pasta shells
1/4 cup butter
1/2 small onion chopped very fine (so kids won't detect)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup flour
1- 3/4 cup milk
8 oz Velveeta cheese
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 cup grated cheddar (or 2 cups, depending how much cheese you like on top)

- In medium heavy saucepan, melt butter, stir in onion, salt, pepper and garlic.
Cook until onions are tender. While preparing roux, boil pasta shells and drain.
Mix in flour, cook on low, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth and bubbly.
Remove from heat. Wisk in milk. Heat again to boiling stirring constantly.
Add cubed Velveeta and a handful of the cheddar, stir until melted.
Pour cheese mixture over shells and gently combine. Pour all into a 1 quart casserole.
Top with grated cheese. Cook, uncovered for 30 minutes at 375*.

My tried and true tips. Cube your velveeta and grate your cheese before beginning the roux
since you have to stir constantly. Or have a partner in the kitchen to do that work for you. It will
seem that you have too much sauce for the amount of pasta, it will seem really runny and wet.
Don't skimp, use it all because it soaks in and becomes very thick and yummcious!
It's a little more work than the blue box, but SOOOOOO worth the trouble!

In one hour I'll pick D up from school and our holiday will officially begin! Our nephew has been here since Friday and I haven't been online but just a few minutes a couple times each day. Teenagers are connected to the internet these days I guess like I was to the telephone as a teenage girl! So, I'm back to see what I missed!

I'm so excited for Debbie, I read her blog right away this afternoon as I remembered it was her Homestudy day! It sounds like things went well for them.

I'm so sorry for Jenn and Margaret that they didn't receive the news they were hoping to hear. It's so hard, I know!

Those are all I've had time to check so far! I'll comment back on others. I'm anxious to see what all my bloggy pals have heard in the past 5 days! I hope some good news is somewhere!

We haven't heard a peep, though. I'm trying to do like Kay suggests and keep super busy. It hasn't been hard the last few days and I'm sure with the holidays upon us, we'll be really busy!

I've got all my grocery shopping done and will cook, cook, cook tomorrow getting ready to load up and head to Dallas for two Thanksgivings! We'll have hubby's family celebration at noon and my side for supper! I've got to bake a pecan pie, pumpkin pie, chocolate decadence pie, and my yummy homemade macaroni and cheese. I'll try and post the mac-n-cheese recipe here in a bit for Margaret's recipe round up!

till later . . .

I received another thoughtful gift from my Secret Blog Pal! It is a metal bookmark by Hallmark that says, "A mom loves without limits."

It got a little damaged by the lovely USPS, I think the metal of it clogged one of their machines and the envelope was ripped up and the bookmark a little bent. It came to me in a baggie with a "Sorry, 'bout that" note attached. I was able just to bend it right back into shape so it's just fine SBP. I just wanted you to know if it was delayed, why I haven't replied till now.

Here's a pic!

Kate tagged me a few days ago and I just keep putting off writing out my tag assignment. Mostly it is because I never bring my purse in the house, it is in the van out in the garage. Let me go get it....be right back.....ok, got it.

1. 2 emery boards
2. a wet wipe singles pack from our trip to Russia (you gotta have lots of 'em!)
3. One of the buttons that fell off my big coat in Russia a few weeks ago.
4. My cell phone with an almost dead battery (going to plug it in....just a sec....)
5. Carmex
6. Ricola papers from my coughing up a lung sickness
7. A dead camera battery
8. Tin of Altoids sugar free smalls
9. My cross necklace I wore in Russia and couldn't find it since we got home :o)
10. Hubby's extra key to my van
11. Revlon #420 Blushed lipstick
12. old sunglasses (my good ones broke)
13. small bottle of Bath and Body Works breath happiness lotion
14. Orbit wintermint gum
15. Equate Ibuprophen
16. Rimmel Rich Moisture lipstick in Undressed
17. Plastic horse toy
18. Plastic purple jewel princess ring
19. Purple bracelet from Chuck E. Cheese
20. 4 pens
21. Grocery list
22. Compact of powder - L'Oreal True Match in 3W
23. Mommy pack of kleenex
24. My Wallet with $12 in cash in it
25. Floating spare change in the amount of $3.76 (and 2 kopeks)
26. 1 black thin point Sharpie

Ok, so there you have it! Now I have a cleaned out purse :o)

Alrighty then, now I tag Amy , Robin and Jessy (when she gets released from her love slave duties)

**added in reply to my commentors....My purse really isn't that big, just regular sized. I guess all these things are pretty small so they don't take up too much space.

James 1:27 Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.


Please listen to The Voice of the Orphan

Today's broadcast is already up.

Nov 13 Dr. James Dobson, Ryan Dobson, and Jim Daly
Nov 14 and 15 Dennis and Barbara Rainey
Nov 16 and 17 Steven and Emily Chapman

to listen, click here >>>>>>ONE PLACE


Voice of the Orphan is a coming together of many organizations to find families for the millions of orphans in our world. Our adoption agency's parent arm, Buckner Orphan Care International is a partner in this ministry.

Last week was filled with wonderful news!

• Government Decision #268 received an overhaul becoming #654 and was signed!
• The next morning it was posted on the Russian Government site, although that wasn't expected for a week. In that posting it outlined all the new rules and the paperwork needed from the agencies concerning re-accreditation.
• Lastly in the good news of the week, we learned that although the rumor turned out to be true that a key official in re-accreditation had resigned, we learned at the same time that he has been replaced with a lady who's main goal is the orphans and finding homes for them! So she is sitting, ready and waiting, behind that big shiny accreditation desk, blue pen in hand just waiting for the applications for accreditation to come pouring in! Our agency's Russian coordinator, of course, will be the first in line with application held aloft with a shining aura surrounding it as she glides into the office and the new lady stamps it repeatedly - APPROVED! APPROVED! APPROVED!

Ok, bring on the good news for this week! We're ready!

I went Christmas shopping this morning. After dropping D off at school I went to WalMart, with NO MAKEUP on! When you live in a small town like we do, it takes guts to do that, at least for me. Of course I saw 3 people I know. I don't know if I've ever been to WalMart that early in the morning except on the day after Thanksgiving a few times :o)

It was kind of nice except for all the stockers in my way!

D has been seeing this Bounce and Spin Zebra on TV and wanted us to get it for V for Christmas. We saw it just the other day and she said it again and I told her I'm afraid V would be too big for it by the time she gets home. I'd never seen it in real life before, though. So I saw it this morning and it says 12-36 months and up to 43 pounds (even D can ride it- LOL). Wal Mart has lots of BONUS toys and in this Zebra pack is also a Fisher Price Baby Moves DVD. So I got it. Surely, goodness and mercy V will be home before 36 months!!!!

I got D a small Littlest Pet Shop set. She is kind of wanting that Biggest Littlest Pet shop play set, but she already has the Dora one from last year and the Care Bear one from the year before and she never plays with them! We're running out of room around here. But I hate to throw anything out since V is coming behind.

I also got, for our court trip (not for Christmas), a little portable booster seat for V. It's really lightweight, folds up in a little carrier pack. I had planned to take an umbrella stroller and use it for a feeding chair too, but there is going to be snow, snow everywhere and a stroller won't work. Maybe a sled? I think this will be great to take. I remember trying to feed D without a high chair and it was tough! Of course I was very inexperienced in feeding a baby, but I am inexperienced again because it's been 5 years. You should have seen me trying to feed V with her in my lap, it was hard! V was probably thinking "this woman is entirely incompetent! She can't talk and doesn't know how to feed anyone!"

Wonder what else I bought??
This shampoo and this shampoo
These for D's lunch box
This for D's milk
These for my out of control eyebrows
This in Rich Moisture #360
This and this for laundry

hee hee, don't you like looking in the shopping carts of other people sometimes?

till later . . .

My blog is just - gone! I can come on here and post a post, but no one can read it!

I first noticed last night that Lauren's blog was blank so I e-mailed Debbie to see if it was blank for her. When Debbie looked this morning, she said, "Yours is completely GONE!"

What is the deal???!!!???

We just heard from our agency that they have been notified by a reliable source that #268 has been signed and the official announcement will be made soon which will explain to agencies which documents will be required to proceed with re-accreditation.

Our agency is VERY careful about releasing any news until it is certain, so I believe it!!

Praise God, Praise God!

You Betcha! I believe I'm going shopping!!

Please watch this You-Tube Video, you really will need some tissues. I didn't believe the person who sent it to me, but believe me - get the tissues!! Then go shopping if your older child is not in a five-point harness!

There are only two (2) other people in the U.S. with my name. So three (3) altogether, including me!

How many of "you" are there?? Check it out and see!

Till later . . .

I went and voted a while ago and then hubby and I went out for a lunch date. Don't forget to vote today!

So far today I've had a phone call from my friend Laura B., and last night Rudy G. called and even Bill Clinton called last night, but he had the wrong number. The only thing is, something must be wrong with my phone because they can't hear me when I talk to them! I've gotta call the phone company about this!!

I thought I'd share this HILARIOUS political ad. I just laugh my socks off everytime it comes on. It is in favor of our current Governor, but I think even those not in favor of him will like this ad - it is just so cute and clever!

till later . . .

Mike (and Dawn) who have been home for just 10 1/2 weeks with their two new sons (3 & 5 years old) from Bryansk Region!

They sent me some pictures of their precious, beautiful boys and they look so happy.

Yay, I made some new friends.

D's Russian passport from when she came home as a baby has expired. So, we have had to apply for her new updated, "big girl" red passport.

When we went to get her passport photo made last week, the consumate professional (said with a smirk) at CVS Pharmacy said she had to remove her glasses and could not smile. Mind you she is smiling like a Cheshire cat and seeing quite clearly in her US Passport photo ???

So, what we ended up with is quite the same photo we got when she was 11 months old .... just with hair and a bigger bow!!

However, Mommy didn't check the Russian Consulate site very well or I would have realized that today is a Russian Holiday called Civil Unity Day {Civil Unity Day, though being a newly adopted holiday, refers to a critical point in Russian history and honors the liberation of Moscow on November 4th, 1612 from the Polish invaders - in great manifestation of the national unity - by a people's army consisting of all classes of the Russian society.}

My lovely little Fed-Ex package tracking now says Delivery Exception which means they tried to deliver it, but the darn place was closed stupid woman! Good thing I only paid for two day delivery instead of lickety split delivery!

**edited...I removed the photo of the passport renewal pile because I got freaked out after reading Lauri's blog!

Blogger wouldn't let me add all the pix I wanted below so here are some more birthday pix!


Mommy and D:

D and her cousin "Bubba" eating the yummy pizza. It was Bubba's wedding where she was the flower girl two months ago:

D's birthday cake made by her Grandma Y. D loves horses and the birthday theme was horses:

And finally....

D and Chuck E. Cheese:

On Friday, I went and ate lunch with D at school. She felt very special and the other kids were treating her special because it was her birthday. Her teacher had given her a birthday crown and birthday kid sticker to wear.

When I picked her up from school she floated out the door with her crown on her head and I could tell she was feeling like a princess!

Then we went home and picked up Daddy and we headed to Dallas. This year she had a family party. Most of our family lives in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, so we met in Arlington at Chuck-E-Cheese. Her cousin T was the only other child, because her cousin E and her new cousin-in-law K were both sick :o( But she still had a BLAST!

I am only 42 visitors away from having my 10,000th visitor!

Keep a check on my visitor counter down on the right lower in the sidebar and let me know if it's YOU!

It should probably happen today :o)

Till later . . .

Today is a little bittersweet.

D turns six (6) today. Six is a big girl. It means no more sucking your thumb -something that has been hard for me to push - but six really is too old to suck your thumb. It means no more sippy cups because six is really too old for sippy cups, especially when your two front teeth are wobbly. So while six is a big-fun-exciting deal and means getting older, it also means bye-bye to my baby.

D had a birthday pancake for breakfast this morning with one candle in it to blow out. When I went in to wake her up this morning, I asked how she was feeling and she said, "I feel like I am SIX!"

This is the first time my birthday girl has gone off away from me on her birthday. She had to go to school of course. With an August birthday, I never had to go to school on my birthday, so that's a foreign thought to me.

Do you know what one of my very first thoughts was upon awaking this morning? I thought about O, D's birthmother. I prayed a little prayer for her (O) and I wished she could know how wonderful this girl is. How smart, and beautiful and funny she is. What a Gift from God she is!! I am so thankful for my Gift. Thank you O and thank you God!!

Here are some pix of D as a cute little Bunny. We did the "easy" costume this year - I had a white sweat suit and we bought the bunny ears and tail from W*l-Ma*t for $3.88 :o) But she was so cute! I couldn't find any short sleeved white shirts yesterday afternoon, so I just put her in one of her springy tops that she wears under jumpers. It was sweaty last night for sure. By the time we left the Festival at 8:00 p.m., the cool front was coming in and it was in the 50's this morning - downright chilly for us here.

Ok, here comes the Bunny ........


D in our front yard before the Festival. D playing the can knock down game at the Fall Festival. She knocked down the cans with a marshmallow :o) She throws a mean leftie marshmallow!