A Pinterest Fail

This WAS going to be the basis of our Christmas card, but the younger boys are too small to see :( And here I thought I was being so cutesy. Oh, well, I have salvaged it to do another way. It was a good idea, but I guess I have too many people and not a big enough frame.

Thursday Thankful - my week of thanks posts

1. I'm thankful for my hubby! He's awesome to me and the boys!

2. I'm thankful for my boys who make my days complete and bring me so much joy!!

3. I'm thankful for my family, which has provided many laughs, constant support, and a strong sense of self and rules to live by. It doesn't "run" in my family, it practically gallops ;)

4. I'm thankful for my friend's, near and far, past and present, for the support, laughs, advice, commiseration, reasons to get out of the house, etc. You are all dear to me!!

5. I'm thankful that I have 2 sides to accommodate the 2 little ones who both want to be next to me.

6. I'm thankful for technology that allows me to keep in touch with friends & family scattered everywhere and which allows me to be creative.

7. I'm thankful that cleaning is so much less a pain to do (in my mind) than it used to be bc heaven knows I have more of it to do!

8. I'm thankful for my health. I woke up this morning with a raging sinus headache, feeling hungover. But if that is my only complaint I am doing good!!

9. I'm thankful for a longer afternoon "break" between picking up the middle child & the oldest.

10. I'm thankful for coffee products, cappuccino and lattes, yummy. Gonna make one now ;)

Adoption is not a trend

This shirt has bugged me for awhile. Adoption cannot be compared to such slogans as "pink is the new black." these are lives, not what you choose to put on in the morning. Yes, adoption is more heard of, and yes I believe some gained way too much media attention, but it isn't a bad thing, it has brought it to the front of attention. I always wanted to adopt, I remember asking my mom why she didn't. It was just something that seemed a natural progression to me, even though I've noticed older generations frowned upon it, saying you never know what 'problems' you might encounter, to me, same with biological children. I've even had people tell me not to tell my second son about his adoption, but it isn't a bad thing, I refuse to hide it! My generation looked forward to receiving adoption papers for our Cabbage Patch Kids, our parents fought for them to give to us, my grandmother made them for me when my mom couldn't get me one before they sold out. Maybe we were just inadvertently programmed at an early age how wonderful adoption is, and yes, it is. A shirt like this mocks how special it is!

Filipino Time

JJ is on "Filipino Time" - Trick-or-treating was torture with him last night, he was so SSLLOOWW..... I don't know what it is about these Mendoza boys dragging! But, they were cute ;)

"Scrapping"

JJ comes to me just about every night after I put JT to bed to ask to scrapbook. If I have pictures to do, I will get my bags and boxes out and sit with him with "his" bag of my left over supplies. Sometimes he will do pages of pictures I give him (I inevitably print more of my favorite pictures than I need) but a lot of times he will just do what he wants. We have many creations in odd places around the house - of course he draws pictures, but his creations run the gambit from 3D paper houses, flat houses with frames for windows and doors, paper transformers, the solar system, and lately he had me teach him how to make his own envelopes so we all have been receiving letters, cards, and invitations. He's definitely a crafter and he is pretty artistic to boot! My only "tic" on his endeavor - he runs through tape and glue sticks like candy! I think maybe Santa could put some of these in his Christmas stocking!

Charlie Brown

I REALLY wish I had done this as a family shot like the guy suggested! But my little two guys are cute enough I guess ;)

Beautiful

What a gorgeous welcome to the day!

"What funny?"

Sometimes I just need a pick me up. If it's not bad, I read the blogs I follow on here, but if I really need a boost I go to www.damnyouautocorrect.com - I end up laughing until my stomach hurts, tears in my eyes, snorting (yes, I'm a proud snorter, I get it from my daddy.)

Last night JJ kept coming up to me, asking me to read to him what was so funny. Those things are not family friendly to read most of the time. Today is was JT jumping on me, asking 'what funny.'

I get just as much a kick out of their reactions to me than I do what I'm actually reading. Might just be I try to quell my responses, making it worse.

John thinks I'm ridiculous reading the posts. He doesn't find them nearly as inspiring as I do. Oh, well ;)

Wordless Wednesday - brothers

Trying to be fair

I called today to find out if Jammers had newborn pictures taken at the hospital. I have sat on the company's contact info, waiting. But, no luck, they were never taken or there was a problem. I'm really disappointed because I would like to see what he looked like (adorable, I know) because I missed out on 3 months of his life, but mainly I wanted them because I want him to have as much the same as JJ as possible. I never want him to say we didn't care as much. I did email The White House today for a letter like we got for JJ from the previous administration welcoming him to our family. I am waiting for next week to name his star after him on his second birthday, like we did JJ, which I have been sitting on since the winter!

Homecoming 2011

We are so blessed to share Day's senior year with him! This suit was bought with more than just tonight in mind - interviews, meetings, classes, and a big family trip this summer to celebrate graduations and John & my decade anniversary.

Finally ours in every sense!

Almost 21 months later Jammers is officially ours. Seems like forever, feels like only a day. There are no words to express my joy, there is no gratitude I can put into words for everyone who had a hand in this : our social workers who went above and beyond their job, our friend's and family who supported us and treat all of our boys equally special, and my husband for being more than just open to fostering (I know not many men will raise a strangers child.) I'm eternally grateful for everything. I say it a lot, and it needs to never be forgotten, I am blessed!

Pajamas

I feel guilty the days that I put on a sweatsuit to drop JJ off at school to walk him to his class. I see the moms with their pjs on and envy them. I have a thing for cutesy & funky pajamas, why can't I bring myself to wear them out? I know there has been a big stink about this in some schools, principals even banning parents from wearing them. My take, so what? The parents aren't there for a conference or to sit in the class! They aren't showing up looking like a Victoria Secret mannequin. The kids aren't wearing them, so they are seeing by example that situations require different attire. I just can't bring myself to do it. I will continue to get myself ready along with making sure 3 kids are ready to get out the door. But I still envy those moms ;)

Sesame Street

I went today with a friend and her son to see Sesame Street Live with Jammers. His reactions were priceless! He stopped dancing when the voice of Big Bird started talking, hitting my arm for attention. When Elmo came out you would think he got a roomful of gold! The whole time he was dancing, clapping, and hitting my arm to make sure I saw what he saw. Those are the moments I live for. Will he remember it, no, but I will, and I fully believe it will leave a stamp on his subconscious of our special time together!

Add your own creative twist

Sometimes I see things out cheaper than I could make. Right now the crystal bracelets are trending. I couldn't buy the beads as cheap as I found the bracelets for at Boscovs. I picked 3 up today in all different colors (and matching earrings.)

I plan to add a key charm to each, and done. My own personal touch, quick and easy for even the person who swears they have no creativity (which I don't believe in, it's just an under-estimation of abilities!) I will leave the tags on them, I still don't feel right because people will assume I did it all myself, but that's a personal decision.

One set each with go to our different social workers to symbolize their part in our family, the part within our home.

I will post once I make the origami boxes to gift them in.