tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61003249203538017512009-10-19T19:22:31.551-07:00Our journey to Russia to find our daughter and bring her homeJaninehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17383039718040670720janine_cmconsultant@msn.comBlogger105125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100324920353801751.post-13617402575285602442009-10-08T16:14:00.000-07:002009-10-14T22:49:17.523-07:00

Emily started school in the fall just like her brothers. She goes one day a week to Mtn School with mommy. She is in class with 11 0ther 2 and 3 year old children. Emily is loving her school and asks every day if it's her day to go to Mtn School. In the fall and spring Mtn School meets outdoors at various locations. Currently we are meeting in a redwood grove that has a creek and a sandbox. The

Janinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17383039718040670720janine_cmconsultant@msn.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100324920353801751.post-35249060829459556112009-09-19T22:49:00.000-07:002009-09-19T23:41:18.472-07:00

Well, it looks like I took a little time off. All is well, just had a busy and fun summer. Lots to catch up on. Here is a quick photo series of my silly kids this evening.For fun..here is a look at a photo series I took a little over a year ago. Oh..so little and oh so cute! Hard to believe how fast they grow!

Janinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17383039718040670720janine_cmconsultant@msn.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100324920353801751.post-22365168348197362512009-06-25T20:02:00.000-07:002009-06-25T20:28:27.986-07:00

Back in Feb 2008 I was desperately trying to get a response to what happened to my I-600A. It had been sent in completed 6 months prior and I couldn't get anyone at Homeland Security to respond to me. In desperation, I sent off many emails to my local homeland security office in charge of adoptions inquiring desperately about why I hadn't received my 171-H yet. We were told we would most

Janinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17383039718040670720janine_cmconsultant@msn.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100324920353801751.post-51448574096822194872009-06-25T18:52:00.000-07:002009-06-25T19:25:09.371-07:00

Oh sweet goodness! My little baby girl has been in big girl undies the past few weeks and has had no accidents the past 4 days in a row. We have been on the go...parks, carpooling to camps, grocery store runs, restaurants, swim lessons...she has used the potty successfully everywhere we have been. She is so proud of herself and loves wearing her big girl undies. It's amazing..it's like it just

Janinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17383039718040670720janine_cmconsultant@msn.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100324920353801751.post-30781604613391776742009-06-04T17:42:00.000-07:002009-06-04T19:59:02.716-07:00

We are still here! Just been so busy with the end of the school year stuff!! Little miss smiley is still keeping me on my toes. She continues to grow and amaze us. Her little personality is not so little! She is full of smiles and sillyness. She likes girly stuff but is also my sporty tom girl..totally into climbing, riding her scooter and bugs! And she is fast too! Full on sprints, totally

Janinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17383039718040670720janine_cmconsultant@msn.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100324920353801751.post-44372658860832173822009-04-21T17:16:00.003-07:002009-04-21T17:42:30.705-07:00

One year ago today a judge helped us to expand our family to include a beautiful little girl!!

Janinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17383039718040670720janine_cmconsultant@msn.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100324920353801751.post-35102016560891355572009-04-18T21:54:00.000-07:002009-04-19T00:47:55.607-07:00

My little girl turned 2 and suddenly it just feels like she's growing up faster. Where's my little baby? It's hard when it's your last and you know this is your last everything...last baby toddling, drinking from a bottle, wearing the little clothes, sleeping in a crib, etc. So everything she does or outgrows I can't help but feel a brief sigh of sadness. Now, on the flip side, she really is at a

Janinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17383039718040670720janine_cmconsultant@msn.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100324920353801751.post-85003339259479003472009-04-13T22:23:00.000-07:002009-04-13T23:26:42.587-07:00

I had a wonderful birthday spent at the beach. My hubby made me a cake and with help from the family kept an eye on the kids so I could have the day off to relax. My mom bought me my favorite flowers, pink tulips and made me my favorite dinner...TACOS!! And there were presents too! What a wonderful birthday! My oldest loves tacos just as much as me.

Janinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17383039718040670720janine_cmconsultant@msn.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100324920353801751.post-47911418183907966302009-04-12T18:18:00.000-07:002009-04-13T22:11:21.933-07:00

What a busy month I've had! I'm only now getting caught up on blogging due to a small reprieve of having one child out of school this week. I'm so looking forward to the end of May! My workload will slow way down then and my sanity can return too. Life has just been way too busy right now. Just hanging on and trying to enjoy the ride!Let's start with Easter! We spent a few days at the beach

Janinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17383039718040670720janine_cmconsultant@msn.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100324920353801751.post-38201710466415796332009-03-16T21:27:00.000-07:002009-03-16T23:26:06.397-07:00

It's hard to believe that just one year ago we were in Russia this week meeting our daughter for the very first time. I can still easily recall almost every moment of that trip. All of the feelings I felt...the rush of excitement, wonder, awe, fear, total joy, amazement, worry and sadness. All those intense heightened feelings all jumbled up inside mixed in with the unfamiliar language, unique

Janinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17383039718040670720janine_cmconsultant@msn.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100324920353801751.post-10059646480638563162009-03-05T16:14:00.000-08:002009-03-05T17:10:20.388-08:00

Two years ago today in St. Petersburg, Russia, our daughter was born.She weighed 6 lbs 9 oz and was 19.2 inches long.She was beautiful and perfect in every way.How I wish I could have been there! Happy 2nd Birthday our dear Emily! We love you! Before school this morning we had a breakfast celebration of cheesey scrambled eggs, yogurt, milk, strawberries and

Janinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17383039718040670720janine_cmconsultant@msn.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100324920353801751.post-4343173175061852402009-03-03T21:54:00.001-08:002009-03-03T22:20:27.974-08:00

We have had quite the rainy day weather this past week and to top it off I have been house bound with 3 sick kids and 1 sick hubby who reappears at the end of each day. Since the kids have been too sick for school we have been home having a pajama day as Bubba likes to call it. For the most part they have had more energy today. Yesterday was more of a snuggly hold me kind of day which gets a

Janinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17383039718040670720janine_cmconsultant@msn.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100324920353801751.post-3435825356436784712009-03-03T19:13:00.000-08:002009-03-03T20:56:46.788-08:00

We left the day after Valentine's Day for Disney so I didn't get to share our Valentine's pics. Making Valentines a few days before...For Valentine's morning we enjoyed a yummy breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes and whip cream. The kids found a little kitty cat at their place setting awaiting them. They are so in to cats. Of course we have 2

Janinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17383039718040670720janine_cmconsultant@msn.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100324920353801751.post-40912335814503900142009-02-21T18:39:00.001-08:002009-03-03T19:11:08.132-08:00

We are home, the bags are unpacked and laundry has been washed and put away. It's always nice to be home especially after being on the road with 3 little ones for 7 hours and hearing every half hour a combo of how many more miles to go and are we home yet. Ugh! It was a long, long drive but it was worth it. Although next time I think I would take the hastle of flying just to save myself a half

Janinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17383039718040670720janine_cmconsultant@msn.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100324920353801751.post-23782495631799693022009-02-17T23:48:00.001-08:002009-02-25T16:54:54.405-08:00

Need another hint? I think you've got it figured out now, but just in case... We are in Disneyland! The first day here, we had on and off showers but as you can see, it didn't slow us

Janinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17383039718040670720janine_cmconsultant@msn.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100324920353801751.post-66113967313191918792009-02-10T20:45:00.000-08:002009-02-10T23:51:47.572-08:00

It's hard to get anything done. Where does the day go? I find myself wondering how I'm going to accomplish the oodles of stuff that is just hanging over my head. I'm not panicking yet but I know it's looming ahead.What happens in just one day. Here's a look at just today...5am--I'm up and make 4 lunches and begin to get breakfast ready. I pack Bubba's backpack, set out all the jackets, hats and

Janinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17383039718040670720janine_cmconsultant@msn.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100324920353801751.post-54174539994090722732009-02-06T01:06:00.000-08:002009-02-06T01:37:27.871-08:00

Janinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17383039718040670720janine_cmconsultant@msn.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100324920353801751.post-82513324799865524612009-02-01T15:14:00.000-08:002009-02-06T00:34:07.649-08:00

Where does the time go? Can you believe we are 2 months into the new year already? Can you believe I'm still posting about Christmas? This is the last post, I promise. I have been so tired at night that after putting the kids to bed, after getting all the chores done and getting ready for the next day I've been crashing much earlier than usual. I have missed posting. Hopefully, I can get back

Janinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17383039718040670720janine_cmconsultant@msn.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100324920353801751.post-54807058387535348302009-01-07T22:11:00.000-08:002009-01-07T23:23:00.584-08:00

Making Gingerbread CookiesThe simple recipe we used...1/2 c margarine1/2 c sugar1/2 c molasses1 egg yolk2 cups sifted all purpose flour1/2 tsp salt1/2 tsp baking powder1/2 tsp baking soda1/2 tsp ground cinnamon1/2 tsp ground cloves 1 tsp ginger1/2 tsp ground nutmegIn a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until smooth. Stir in molasses and egg yolk. Combine the flour, salt, baking

Janinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17383039718040670720janine_cmconsultant@msn.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100324920353801751.post-43054624730289113772008-12-30T09:53:00.000-08:002008-12-30T23:49:34.389-08:00

Here's the 2nd installment...Meeting SantaI'm kind of a traditions girl. Every year since Boy Wonder was a baby we have taken the kids to see Santa. The funny thing is that for each boy their second Christmas when they were around 20 months they refused to sit with Santa so I have no photo of them that year. So...I was wondering how would Emily do. Would she too not sit with Santa being that this

Janinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17383039718040670720janine_cmconsultant@msn.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100324920353801751.post-51290071255786451922008-12-27T11:02:00.000-08:002008-12-28T09:03:03.219-08:00

I've been so busy this month with school and all of the Holidays that I haven't had a chance to post in a long while. I'm going to try and do a series of posts on our holidays.Here is a little of what we've been upto...Our version of a white Christmas. It's been so cold here this month that our backyard almost looks like it got a dusting of snow.Emily's First Christmas TreeThere's a Christmas

Janinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17383039718040670720janine_cmconsultant@msn.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100324920353801751.post-31007387524630701922008-11-26T21:39:00.000-08:002008-11-27T01:16:25.174-08:00

Emily...20 months old...How I love my amazing little girl! Everyday we talk about how much her family loves her. I will start and say, "Mama loves you Emily." And then she will say..."Dadda?" And I will say.."Dadda loves Emily." And she will say "Bubba?" And then I will say "Bubba loves Emily." And then she will say her other brother's name (BW). And then MuMu? (nickname for our littlest dog

Janinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17383039718040670720janine_cmconsultant@msn.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100324920353801751.post-5158219628905391532008-11-24T23:08:00.000-08:002008-11-24T23:52:42.502-08:00

I'm excited about a new find!! I'm a toy nut! I'm always on the hunt for new and imaginative toys that are age appropriate, well designed and of course fun! Dolls have become a small obsession for me. Gee..I wonder why? Well anyways..I'm not really a fan of Barbie for about a zillion reasons and she really is more tame than some of the other very scary role model dolls that are on the market

Janinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17383039718040670720janine_cmconsultant@msn.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100324920353801751.post-2625803626697929812008-11-23T22:36:00.000-08:002008-11-23T23:40:41.717-08:00

In Bubba's 3's class the children planted wheat berries in a jack-o-lantern they named Hairy and set him in the garden. Each time the kids come to school they water Hairy and watch the grass grow and the pumpkin decompose back into the earth. Each child was given a packet of wheat berries to take home. It was a fun experiment at school so we decided to give it a try at home. We chose 2 of our

Janinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17383039718040670720janine_cmconsultant@msn.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100324920353801751.post-41357495638812302022008-11-13T22:51:00.000-08:002008-11-20T00:15:01.634-08:00

An update: November 19th... Bethany and Kyle have arrived home today with their beautiful little girl. They are settling in. I'm anxiously awaiting homecoming photos of the entire family.Adrienne and Jim have had a complication arise in their adoption. The birth mother has chosen at this time to raise her child. My heart goes out to Adrienne and Jim. I'm so very sad for them as I know how very

Janinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17383039718040670720janine_cmconsultant@msn.com3