hanging out

Not much has been going on, just ready for Spring/summer to show up for good so we can enjoy the great weather.
Ulia will be competing in the special Olympics On April 15th she is super excited

Post 4 Years ago!

Merry Christmas & toddler too
Well, we got the goods today! Juliana is now with us.She did pretty well in the car util the last 1/2 hour of the drive were she deided it was time to puke all over mommy.Once she did that she was fine.We made it back to the hotel about 8pm.She was a bit to wired to sleep, so she took inventory of the room. Once she got tired she realized she was with us and she pretty much got freaked out and cried for about 1hour and finaly feel asleep around 1 am in my arms.

Christmas

Ben thought it would be fun to have a picture of the dogs by the Christmas tree,the dogs had another idea...and it was not to have a picture.

Four Years ago

Four years ago we were in Russia getting to know the little girl who was to be our daughter,a little girl who didn't know what the toys that we brought to her were,a timid little thing that just went with the flow of things.Fast forward 4 years we have the most Americanized little girl around,she can tell you the newest thing around,she doesn't go with the flow at all, in fact.. lol she flows to her own stream.
I love how she has been able to adjust to life in a family,but am sad that she has forgotten her life in Russia.
Thank-you Ulia for being our daughter..I love you

There comes a time in life when you walk away from all the pointless drama
and people who create it...and surround yourself with people who make
you laugh so hard that you forget the bad and focus on the good. Life
is too short to be anything but happy.

Zack,Ben and Ulias list of Thanks

Zack
1.My mom
2.My dad
3.Animal Rescue
4.Friends
5.my family
6.fall break
7.birthday parties
8.food
9.my pets
10.my teachers
11.the military (ok he makes me want to go back and change mine )
12. Christmas
13.playing
14.being taken care of
15.breakfest
16.the milatary
17.nana and Pa pa
18.nana being healthy
19.christmas
20.toys r us
21.having a thanksgiving break
22.my friends
23. my cell phone




Ben
1.Star wars
2.Candy
3. My legs....? What can i say the kid has his own agenda
4.my mom
5. being healthy
6.no homework
7.toys
8.donuts
9.my cat
10.sushi
11.the army
12.starwars
13.my dogs
14.my mightbeanz
15.pancakes
16.clothes
17.the military
18.toys r us
19.weekends
20.christmas gifts
21.toilet paper
22.



Ulia
1.My House
2.My family
3.No school
4.food
5.electricity
6.my bike
7.paste
8.clothes
9. My teacher
10.I carly
11.Ms.Wesby (a teacher)
12.my tv
13.going out with dad
14.cake
15.Nothing Im mad!...her answer this am
16.swiming
17.the tooth fairy
18.going to dads
19.thanksgiving
20.christmas

30 Days of Thanks

the kids and I are participating in the 30 days of thanks
Kelly..
1.Having grown up with 2 loving caring parents
2.Having been given the children that I have
3.My true friends,just wish I didnt have to go thru the worst to find out who they are
4.My step dad...calling him a step dad is not fair as he is my other dad
5.my kids laughter
6.Quiet Weekends
7.being able to hang out with friends
8. mondays = back to school after a week break
9. Having a wonderful 18 year old son..Alex is all I could ask for in a son and more!
10.For being allowed to adopt Ulia,
11. New friends
12.Starbucks
13.Weekends
14. my pets
15. my house
16.My moms Health and making it throu her Chemo and radiation
17.My brothers
18. Being able to live were it is 77 degrees in Nov
19.Christmas
20.Having my health
21.my cellphone
22.my life
23.the delivery guy

Pep-talk to myself!

I hate making decisions,I hate confrontation, why can't things just be easy?
I want to be A teenager again,
I want to live with my mom and dad again,
I want to not have to worry about anything
I want my kids not to be hurt,physically or mentally
But,none of that's going to happen so Suck it up and do what you have to do!

Cub Scout Halloween Party

"Sometimes you have to give up the life you planned to find the life that is waiting for you"

He will be a reader yet!

Ben Struggles in reading and the school has started a new program where the kids get to read to a dog with the help of a reading aid,this has done wonders for Ben he loves dogs so this was right up his ally. The dog is Dante and he is over 100lbs!

Bennie

"A face without freckles is like a sky without stars!"
~Stephen Majercik

WW Black bean Brownies

Made these today,they are pretty good,kids could not tell they were not made the regular way!
Black Bean Brownies
This might sound strange, but these brownies actually come out rich and fudgy. They are low fat, high in fiber and protein and no one would know there are beans in them. These brownies are only 2 pts each. A great way to eat dessert with out packing on the pounds!
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 20 servings • Serving Size: 1 brownie • Calories: 194 • Points: 2 ww points

1 can (15 oz.) black beans
1 box brownie mix
Open can of beans, drain and rinse well. Put beans back in the can and fill can with water. Put beans and water in blender until smooth. Mix pureed beans with brownie package mix. DO NOT add eggs or oil. Spray baking dish with Pam. Cook brownies according to package directions. Cool and serve

My kids worked me again!

Zack and Ben came home from a walk yesterday afternoon, holding a kitten that a lady down the street told them she was getting ready to take to the shelter cause her dogs didnt get along with it. Along with there cute little sad faces was a bag of cat "stuff" after a long speech from the boys on how the poor kitty was going to the shelter and we didnt have to buy anything for it,we are now a family with a kitten!

Sigh of relief

Things are getting better.

The kids caught this in the pond and brought it home for me to see!after a quick look they took it back to the pond

Nothing else for today

TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria
In life, we all have to deal with the unexpected. Just because we're believers, just because we're good people or doing the right thing doesn't make us exempt from trouble. The scripture says, "The rain falls on the just and the unjust." In times when something unexpected happens, or you find yourself facing a crisis, you don't have to go into "panic mode" or fall apart emotionally. Remember, that crisis is no surprise to God. It may be unexpected to you, but God knows the end from the beginning. He has solutions to problems that you haven't even had. He has equipped you for every battle, and He goes before you making your crooked places straight.

Today, focus on the fact that He is with you. Remember that He is walking with you and guiding you to a place of peace and victory. No matter what has happened, He will take what the enemy meant for evil and turn it around for your good! He always leads us in victory, so keep moving forward trusting in the good plan He has for you!

Nicholas Sparks-
"Just when you think it can't get any worse, it can. And just when you think it can't get any better, it can."

The contempt shown to parents of large families

I thought this was a great article,I know many people dont agree.
Click on link to read.

The contempt shown to parents of large families

Brownies...

Tomorrow Ben's second grade class is holding a bake sale, so I have been busy all morning baking brownies.Tomorrow at school is the grandparents luncheon so they are hoping to be able to sell a bunch to help fund the field trip to the zoo in May.I hate when they do the grandparents day, we have no family close to us so the kids never have a grandparent there.

In other news, Ulia had her first spelling test of the year and got a 100% she was so proud! she studied so hard,I'm so proud of her.

A ah ha moment

This morning I had to go to the boys school to help out a bit,it was a great time I love going and helping in the classroom and seeing the boys in another setting besides home. The best thing about today was all the kids,teachers,lunch ladies and everyone else I ran into who asked how Ulia was doing at her new school and talked about how much they missed her! Ulia came to the school as a 4year old that spoke no english but always had a smile on here face and a hello for everyone.In the years that she was at the school she became everyones friend,I think almost every student would say hi to her,she knew every teachers name,every worker in the school knew Ulia and loved her for her crazy,silly personality. I left the school feeling really happy about my little girl who has a few challanges ahead of her for years to come, but realizing how far she has come and knowing she is really starting to show me she is capable of learning and doing things other kids do.