Picnic Prep

This afternoon we are meeting a fellow adoptive family whom we have not seen in far too long for a hike and a picnic at a favorite park.  We've been preparing our outdoor feast and are looking forward to devouring it later today.

Here's Ella cooking our homemade soft wrap bread.  I'm not entirely sure why she had to wear her Halloween costume for this task, but the wraps turned out great.

Does anyone else save the trays from the prepacked veggie medleys you can buy at the grocery store?  I do because they make great storage for eating on the go.  Craig and I have this tray for the picnic:

Ella's looks like this:

We'll be sharing the wraps and a batch of chocolate chip oat cookies.

Emilia has her own little tray with a sandwich, blueberries and grapes as well as dairy-free cookies and Rex is probably just going to eat potato chips and drink lots of water.  He's easy and predictable to feed, but hard to feed healthfully.

P.S. Here are the kids on our hike and the girls playing with their friend A.

Beautiful fall afternoon with friends.  Always a pleasure.

Picture Of The Day

Post-therapy crash: Here's one tired little boy at 6:00 pm after three hours of school and five hours of therapy.  Of course, he went to his happy place (aka his parents' bed) to pass out. We love our hard-working, devoted son.

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.