The Mommy Bag

Do you have a mommy bag?  At our house, it's sometimes called the Mary Poppins Bag or the Hermione Granger Bag as well.  

With fall in the air, I knew it was time to move the basic contents of said bag from the summer tote into the winter tote, so what better opportunity to share with you what I carry with me at all times when being out and about with my kids.

Diapers and wipes, sensory toys and napkins, Advil, sunscreen, chapstick, lipstick, lotion, hand sanitizer, mouth wash, hair ties and Band-Aids, wallet, library card, pens and snacks.

Depending on the outing, add to this basic stash paperwork, lists, sandwiches, fresh fruit, drinks, tablets, and sometimes books as well as extra clothes and you can bet that carrying my mommy bag is like toting the weight of an additional child.

What's in your magical mommy bag that I might need in mine?

Pictures Of The Day

Emilia (much like her mother) is not a big fan of rollercoasters, but with her daddy by her side, even the Grand Carousel can seem like a huge thrill.

IAC 365-367 Results

The following referrals were issued in IAC Session 365 which was held on July 14, 2016:

1) Spanish dossier from November 2010 referred a female child aged 4 years and 7 months

2) Spanish dossier from February 2011 referred a female child aged 3 years and 9 months with features in health status

3) Spanish dossier from March 2011 referred a male child aged 1 year and 6 months

4) Spanish dossier from March 2011 referred a female child aged 3 years and 2 months with features in health status

5) Irish dossier from May 2011 referred a female child aged 1 year and 11 months with features in health status and a family history

6) Italian dossier from August 2015 referred two sisters aged 9 years and 9 months and 8 years and 10 months

7) US dossier from August 2015 referred a brother and sister aged 7 years and 6 months and 4 years and 10 months with features in health status

8) US dossier from July 2016 referred a waiting child (#937) with a profile on the MOJ site

9) US dossier from July 2016 referred a waiting child (#3057) with a profile on the MOJ site

10) US dossier from July 2016 referred a waiting child (#2939) with a profile on the MOJ site

11) US dossier from July 2016 referred a waiting child (#2506) with a profile on the MOJ site

12) US dossier from July 2016 referred a waiting child (#3080) with a profile on the MOJ site


The following referrals were issued in IAC Session 366 which was held on July 21, 2016:

1) Greek dossier from February 2011 referred a female child aged 1 year and 11 months

2) Dutch dossier from March 2011 referred male twins aged 3 years and 6 months

3) German dossier from December 2011 referred a male child aged 1 year and 11 months with features in health status

4) French dossier from March 2012 referred a female child aged 8 years and 8 months

5) US dossier from July 2014 referred two waiting children (#3220 & #3221) with profiles on the MOJ site

6) US dossier from December 2015 referred a male child aged 1 year and 5 months with features in health status

7) US dossier from July 2016 referred a waiting child (#3124) with a profile on the MOJ site


The following referrals were issued in IAC Session 367 which was held on July 28, 2016:

1) Spanish dossier from May 2011 referred a male child aged 1 year and 9 months with features in health status

2) Dutch dossier from September 2011 referred a brother and sister aged 3 years and 10 months & 5 years

3) Italian dossier from June 2015 referred two brothers aged 7 years and 5 months & 9 years and 3 months

4) US dossier from July 2016 referred a waiting child (#3153) with a profile on the MOJ site

5) US dossier from July 2016 referred a waiting child (#3163) with a profile on the MOJ site

6) US dossier from July 2016 referred two waiting children (#2902 & #3119) with profiles on the MOJ site

7) US dossier from July 2016 referred three waiting children (#2964 & #2965 & #2966) with profiles on the MOJ site

Our New Favorite Salad

This summer, we discovered a new favorite salad.  You could certainly make this whole dish from scratch, but in the interest of time, I start with a Suddenly Salad Southwest Grains kit which I prepare according to package directions.  Then I add vegetables on hand, like fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, grilled corn, canned beans and always an entire bunch of finely chopped parsley.  Sometimes we also add feta cheese.  Mix and refrigerate until ready to eat.  If I need more salad for a larger crowd, I stretch it with a few cups of cooked couscous and some extra spices.

I don't know how many times we've made this salad over the summer months, but we're still not tired of it.  It's great in a lunch box, too.

All About Arms

The Best Part of Me

My arms are strang.  My arms feel hugs. I lik my arms becaus stretch and my arms are tan. I can also I can climb trees.  Best of all I lik to use my arms to do stuff my frens.

2016 Summer Vacation

This summer, we had lots of little weekend getaways, such as a trip to Mammoth Cave and the Bulgarian Adoption Reunion and the annual camping trip with Craig's extended family, but our big vacation led us to South Carolina in August.  As always, we rented a house in walking distance to the beach and with the golf cart provided, we went from door to water in about a minute.  We had six beautiful days of doing nothing but swimming, sunning, playing, eating, watching movies, and sleeping.  

Here are some photos.

Craig decided we were ready to drive rather than fly.
All I'll say is potato chips, lots of them.

My wave runners

Ella's and my Enchanted Forest

These guys had a ton of fun together

Pretend boogie boarding...
which Emilia called "water boarding"

The mermaid

Ella's first attempts with chop sticks

Pleased as a peach after a lunch of nothing but bacon

Craig took Rex and Ella on a helicopter ride over the beach front

Silly sisters on the way back to Ohio

Home sweet home

As always, I am so thankful that we have the opportunity to take our family on such vacations and to spend quality time together away from the daily grind of our home life.

IAC 157 - 164

The following referrals were issued in IAC 157 held on May 5, 2016:

1) Luxembourg dossier from April 2012 referred a female child aged 1 year and 11 months with features in health status and a family history

2) Swedish dossier from April 2013 referred a female child aged 2 years and 4 months with features in health status

3) US dossier from August 2015 referred three brothers aged 8 years and 2 months, 6 years, and 4 years and 2 months

4) US dossier from April 2016 referred a waiting child (# 3052) with a profile on the MOJ site

The following referrals were issued in IAC 158 held on May 12, 2016:

1) Spanish dossier from January 2011 referred a male child aged 1 year and 7 months

2) Italian dossier from February 2013 referred two children, female, aged 7 years and 8 months and 5 years and 11 months

3) Swedish dossier from November 2013 referred a female child aged 1 year and 10 months with features in health status and a family history

4) German dossier from March 2015 referred a male child aged 2 years and 4 months with features in health status and a family history

5) German dossier from June 2015 unspecified referral

6) US dossier from May 2016 referred a waiting child (#2923) with a profile on the MOJ site

The following referrals were issued in IAC 159 held on May 19, 2016:

1) Dutch dossier from January 2011 referred a female child aged 4 years and 2 months

2) German dossier from March 2011 referred a male child aged 2 years and 1 month with features in health status

3) Italian dossier from May 2011 referred two sisters aged 6 years and 11 months and 5 years and 3 months

4) French dossier from February 2012 referred a female child aged 2 years and 3 months with features in health status and a family history

5) French dossier from August 2015 referred a waiting child (#3190) with a profile on the MOJ site

6) Italian dossier from January 2016 referred siblings, male and female, aged 7 years and 9 months, 6 years and 9 months, 4 years and 11 months

7) US dossier from May 2016 referred waiting children (#2305, #2306, #2877) with profiles on the MOJ site

8) US dossier from May 2016 referred waiting children (#2882, #2883) with profiles on the MOJ site

The following referrals were issued in IAC 160 held on June 2, 2016:

1) Spanish dossier from February 2011 referred a female child aged 2 years

2) Italian dossier from June 2011 referred a female child aged 5 years and 11 months with features in health status

3) Italian dossier from December 2015 referred two waiting children (#3238, #3239) with profiles on the MOJ site

4) US dossier from February 2016 referred a female child aged 1 year and 11 months with features in health status

5) French dossier from April 2016 referred a brother and sister, aged  8 years and 11 months and 7 years and 10 months with features in health status and a family history

6) US dossier from May 2016 referred a waiting child (#2924) with a profile on the MOJ site

7) US dossier from May 2016 referred a waiting child (#2188) with a profile on the MOJ site

The following referrals were issued in IAC 161 held on June 9, 2016:

1) Dutch dossier from March 2011 referred a brother and sister aged 3 years and 4 months and 1 year and 11 months

2) Spanish dossier from March 2011 referred a female child aged 1 year and 11 months with features in health status

3) Spanish dossier from March 2011 referred a male child aged 2 years

4) Spanish dossier from March 2011 referred a male child aged 1 year and 8 months

5) French dossier from March 2012 referred two brothers, aged 3 years and 5 months and 5 years and 7 months with features in health status and a family history

6) US dossier from November 2012 referred a female child aged 1 year and 2 months with features in health status and a family history

7) French dossier from February 2013 referred a male child aged 4 years and 11 months with a family history

8) US dossier from July 2014 referred a female child aged 1 year and 2 months with features in health status

9) Italian dossier from August 2014 referred a male child aged 8 years and 3 months with a family history

10) US dossier from June 2015 referred a waiting child (#2901) with a profile on the MOJ site

The following referrals were issued in IAC 162 held on June 15, 2016:

1) Cyprus dossier from July 2012 referred a waiting child (#3255) with a profile on the MOJ site

2) Italian dossier from April 2014 referred a waiting child (#3209) with a profile on the MOJ site

The following referrals were issued in IAC 163 held on June 23, 2016 (countries not specified in this session's results):

1) Dossier from August 2010 referred a female child aged 2 years and 9 months with a family history

2) Dossier from March 2011 referred a female child aged 2 years and 6 months

3) Dossier from May 2014 referred a male child aged 4 years and 1 month with features in health status

4) Dossier from March 2016 referred a waiting child (#2013) with a profile on the MOJ site

5) Dossier from June 2016 referred a waiting child (#3219) with a profile on the MOJ site

The following referrals were issued in IAC 164 held on June 30, 2016:

1) Spanish dossier from June 2011 referred a male child aged 7 years and 6 months

2) US dossier from June 2015 referred a male child aged 1 year and 10 months with features in health status

3) Italian dossier from January 2016 referred a male child aged 8 years and 10 months with features in health status

4) US dossier from February 2016 referred three siblings, male and female, aged 5 years and 11 months, 3 years and 9 months, 3 years and 9 months with features in health status

5) US dossier from June 2016 referred a waiting child (#3170) with a profile on the MOJ site