Well, passports have arrived for everybody. We are ready! Now all we need is our Lia:) Our agency has matched 33 children from this current list of waiting children. There are still 5 children waiting on the website, but I am pretty sure they are done making calls from the current list. Last I heard they were expecting a new list at the end of this month or November. Will Lia be on this list? I think that it is a possibility, but I am not planning on it. To pass the time, I plan to finally get started on the scrapbook and quilt for Lia. We have now been waiting for just about 7 months (remember- average wait time is 8 months:)).
The kids are doing well in school. Caelan said that her day goes so fast and she is never ready to come home. She had her first field trip today, but siblings are not allowed, so I wasn't able to help out. I volunteer in her classroom once a week and am the aide in Garrett's "Good Shepherd" class- a Catholic religious education class, which also meets once a week. Preschool is going well for Garrett as well. He is doing better than I expected, though Picture Day this week was very traumatic for him. I am not sure why- he is a ham at home.
Oh, I have a JOB. Yes, I was just hired by Sylvan Learning Center to work as an online tutor. It will likely be 10 hours a week or so, but I can do it from home in my PJ's. Tutoring math 3rd- 9th grade level. I haven't officially started, I just send in my paperwork and then have training to do before actually tutoring students. It will be interesting- but the extra money will go directly towards the adoption trip.
Friday, October 12, 2007
100 Wishes: Wish #62-67
Six More Wishes, getting us to 67 wishes. I just ordered a scrapbook today so that I can start organizing the wishes. I am starting to look through quilt patterns. I want to make an easy quilt. I know how I get when I have projects that are difficult to complete- they never get done. Easy. I need an easy quilt pattern. BUT- I still need more, so if you haven't sent one yet- I would still LOVE your squares!!!
This is from my very best childhood friend, Beth. Note the leaves on her fabric and the picture of the two of us buried in leaves- we were probably five years old:) Thanks, Beth!
Beth's mom, Mrs. Lawson also sent a square.
An Indiana family with an April, 2007 Log in Date
Mr. and Mrs. Drainville, friends of my parents
My Aunt Jane and Uncle Tom
Marilyn and Jack Kosiorek, Friends of my parents and my Godparents
This is from my very best childhood friend, Beth. Note the leaves on her fabric and the picture of the two of us buried in leaves- we were probably five years old:) Thanks, Beth!
Beth's mom, Mrs. Lawson also sent a square.
An Indiana family with an April, 2007 Log in Date
Mr. and Mrs. Drainville, friends of my parents
My Aunt Jane and Uncle Tom
Marilyn and Jack Kosiorek, Friends of my parents and my Godparents
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Play: Unplugged
I found a great new book. It is called Unplugged Play: No Batteries. No Plugs. Pure Fun. You can read about it here.
I do not like the kids to watch TV. When they do, it is limited to an hour or less and really only to preschool shows. Caelan might watch a movie on the weekends, but by the time she gets home from school, she plays with Garrett, we eat, take baths and read, it is time for bed. So she watches no TV during the week. I know that she is probably the only child in her first grade class who has never seen "Hannah Montana."
The TV drives me a bit batty. I can't really describe it, but if the TV is on, I get very irritated. Garrett is the same way. Bob tries to watch sports on the weekends and Garrett quite often, just turns the TV off. Now, don't get me wrong, I do like to watch a show or two once the kids are in bed. I haven't missed an episode of Grey's Anatomy, The Office, or Lost. We even recently got cable (really only because of the cheap package deal w/ the phone and high speed internet). We could certainly do without cable.
Well, I knew that this winter may pose some challenges for me in keeping Garrett busy and entertained, since we won't have Caelan around all day. I was skimming through my library and found the book. Many of the ideas are sort of common sense- but on those days when I feel a bit brain dead and run out of ideas, this book is full. I think that I will jot down some notes or even order myself a copy. Shucks, no I will not. Don't forget #10 on my "The New Washing Machine" post.
The book has a section for independent/ mommy play and for playing with friends. I do need to make a bigger effort getting Garrett together with friends. Last year, I had a new years resolution that I would have a friend over for Caelan to play with once a week. It worked great, I think I will do the same with Garrett.
I do not like the kids to watch TV. When they do, it is limited to an hour or less and really only to preschool shows. Caelan might watch a movie on the weekends, but by the time she gets home from school, she plays with Garrett, we eat, take baths and read, it is time for bed. So she watches no TV during the week. I know that she is probably the only child in her first grade class who has never seen "Hannah Montana."
The TV drives me a bit batty. I can't really describe it, but if the TV is on, I get very irritated. Garrett is the same way. Bob tries to watch sports on the weekends and Garrett quite often, just turns the TV off. Now, don't get me wrong, I do like to watch a show or two once the kids are in bed. I haven't missed an episode of Grey's Anatomy, The Office, or Lost. We even recently got cable (really only because of the cheap package deal w/ the phone and high speed internet). We could certainly do without cable.
Well, I knew that this winter may pose some challenges for me in keeping Garrett busy and entertained, since we won't have Caelan around all day. I was skimming through my library and found the book. Many of the ideas are sort of common sense- but on those days when I feel a bit brain dead and run out of ideas, this book is full. I think that I will jot down some notes or even order myself a copy. Shucks, no I will not. Don't forget #10 on my "The New Washing Machine" post.
The book has a section for independent/ mommy play and for playing with friends. I do need to make a bigger effort getting Garrett together with friends. Last year, I had a new years resolution that I would have a friend over for Caelan to play with once a week. It worked great, I think I will do the same with Garrett.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Article on "Crying it Out"
This is for you, Mom and you, Maura:)
Children Need Touching and Attention
From the Harvard University Gazette
Children Need Touching and Attention, Harvard Researchers Say
By Alvin Powell
America's "let them cry" attitude toward children may lead to more fears and tears among adults, according to two Harvard Medical School researchers.
Instead of letting infants cry, American parents should keep their babies close, console them when they cry, and bring them to bed with them, where they'll feel safe, according to Michael L. Commons and Patrice M. Miller, researchers at the Medical School's Department of Psychiatry.
The pair examined childrearing practices here and in other cultures and say the widespread American practice of putting babies in separate beds -- even separate rooms -- and not responding quickly to their cries may lead to incidents of post-traumatic stress and panic disorders when these children reach adulthood.
The early stress resulting from separation causes changes in infant brains that makes future adults more susceptible to stress in their lives, say Commons and Miller.
"Parents should recognize that having their babies cry unnecessarily harms the baby permanently," Commons said. "It changes the nervous system so they're overly sensitive to future trauma."
The Harvard researchers' work is unique because it takes a cross-disciplinary approach, examining brain function, emotional learning in infants, and cultural differences, according to Charles R. Figley, director of the Traumatology Institute at Florida State University and editor of The Journal of Traumatology.
"It is very unusual but extremely important to find this kind of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research report," Figley said. "It accounts for cross-cultural differences in children's emotional response and their ability to cope with stress, including traumatic stress."
Figley said Commons and Miller's work illuminates a route of further study and could have implications for everything from parents' efforts to intellectually stimulate infants to practices such as circumcision.
Commons has been a lecturer and research associate at the Medical School's Department of Psychiatry since 1987 and is a member of the Department's Program in Psychiatry and the Law.
Miller has been a research associate at the School's Program in Psychiatry and the Law since 1994 and an assistant professor of psychology at Salem State College since 1993. She received master's and doctorate degrees in human development from the Graduate School of Education.
The pair say that American childrearing practices are influenced by fears that children will grow up dependent. But they say that parents are on the wrong track: physical contact and reassurance will make children more secure and better able to form adult relationships when they finally head out on their own.
"We've stressed independence so much that it's having some very negative side effects," Miller said.
The two gained the spotlight in February when they presented their ideas at the American Association for the Advancement of Science's annual meeting in Philadelphia.
Commons and Miller, using data Miller had worked on that was compiled by Robert A. LeVine, Roy Edward Larsen Professor of Education and Human Development, contrasted American childrearing practices with those of other cultures, particularly the Gusii people of Kenya. Gusii mothers sleep with their babies and respond rapidly when the baby cries.
"Gusii mothers watching videotapes of U.S. mothers were upset by how long it took these mothers to respond to infant crying," Commons and Miller said in their paper on the subject.
The way we are brought up colors our entire society, Commons and Miller say. Americans in general don't like to be touched and pride themselves on independence to the point of isolation, even when undergoing a difficult or stressful time.
Despite the conventional wisdom that babies should learn to be alone, Miller said she believes many parents "cheat," keeping the baby in the room with them, at least initially. In addition, once the child can crawl around, she believes many find their way into their parents' room on their own.
American parents shouldn't worry about this behavior or be afraid to baby their babies, Commons and Miller said. Parents should feel free to sleep with their infant children, to keep their toddlers nearby, perhaps on a mattress in the same room, and to comfort a baby when it cries.
"There are ways to grow up and be independent without putting babies through this trauma," Commons said. "My advice is to keep the kids secure so they can grow up and take some risks."
Besides fears of dependence, the pair said other factors have helped form our childrearing practices, including fears that children would interfere with sex if they shared their parents' room and doctors' concerns that a baby would be injured by a parent rolling on it if the parent and baby shared the bed. Additionally, the nation's growing wealth has helped the trend toward separation by giving families the means to buy larger homes with separate rooms for children.
The result, Commons and Miller said, is a nation that doesn't like caring for its own children, a violent nation marked by loose, nonphysical relationships.
"I think there's a real resistance in this culture to caring for children," Commons said. But "punishment and abandonment has never been a good way to get warm, caring, independent people."
Children Need Touching and Attention
From the Harvard University Gazette
Children Need Touching and Attention, Harvard Researchers Say
By Alvin Powell
America's "let them cry" attitude toward children may lead to more fears and tears among adults, according to two Harvard Medical School researchers.
Instead of letting infants cry, American parents should keep their babies close, console them when they cry, and bring them to bed with them, where they'll feel safe, according to Michael L. Commons and Patrice M. Miller, researchers at the Medical School's Department of Psychiatry.
The pair examined childrearing practices here and in other cultures and say the widespread American practice of putting babies in separate beds -- even separate rooms -- and not responding quickly to their cries may lead to incidents of post-traumatic stress and panic disorders when these children reach adulthood.
The early stress resulting from separation causes changes in infant brains that makes future adults more susceptible to stress in their lives, say Commons and Miller.
"Parents should recognize that having their babies cry unnecessarily harms the baby permanently," Commons said. "It changes the nervous system so they're overly sensitive to future trauma."
The Harvard researchers' work is unique because it takes a cross-disciplinary approach, examining brain function, emotional learning in infants, and cultural differences, according to Charles R. Figley, director of the Traumatology Institute at Florida State University and editor of The Journal of Traumatology.
"It is very unusual but extremely important to find this kind of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research report," Figley said. "It accounts for cross-cultural differences in children's emotional response and their ability to cope with stress, including traumatic stress."
Figley said Commons and Miller's work illuminates a route of further study and could have implications for everything from parents' efforts to intellectually stimulate infants to practices such as circumcision.
Commons has been a lecturer and research associate at the Medical School's Department of Psychiatry since 1987 and is a member of the Department's Program in Psychiatry and the Law.
Miller has been a research associate at the School's Program in Psychiatry and the Law since 1994 and an assistant professor of psychology at Salem State College since 1993. She received master's and doctorate degrees in human development from the Graduate School of Education.
The pair say that American childrearing practices are influenced by fears that children will grow up dependent. But they say that parents are on the wrong track: physical contact and reassurance will make children more secure and better able to form adult relationships when they finally head out on their own.
"We've stressed independence so much that it's having some very negative side effects," Miller said.
The two gained the spotlight in February when they presented their ideas at the American Association for the Advancement of Science's annual meeting in Philadelphia.
Commons and Miller, using data Miller had worked on that was compiled by Robert A. LeVine, Roy Edward Larsen Professor of Education and Human Development, contrasted American childrearing practices with those of other cultures, particularly the Gusii people of Kenya. Gusii mothers sleep with their babies and respond rapidly when the baby cries.
"Gusii mothers watching videotapes of U.S. mothers were upset by how long it took these mothers to respond to infant crying," Commons and Miller said in their paper on the subject.
The way we are brought up colors our entire society, Commons and Miller say. Americans in general don't like to be touched and pride themselves on independence to the point of isolation, even when undergoing a difficult or stressful time.
Despite the conventional wisdom that babies should learn to be alone, Miller said she believes many parents "cheat," keeping the baby in the room with them, at least initially. In addition, once the child can crawl around, she believes many find their way into their parents' room on their own.
American parents shouldn't worry about this behavior or be afraid to baby their babies, Commons and Miller said. Parents should feel free to sleep with their infant children, to keep their toddlers nearby, perhaps on a mattress in the same room, and to comfort a baby when it cries.
"There are ways to grow up and be independent without putting babies through this trauma," Commons said. "My advice is to keep the kids secure so they can grow up and take some risks."
Besides fears of dependence, the pair said other factors have helped form our childrearing practices, including fears that children would interfere with sex if they shared their parents' room and doctors' concerns that a baby would be injured by a parent rolling on it if the parent and baby shared the bed. Additionally, the nation's growing wealth has helped the trend toward separation by giving families the means to buy larger homes with separate rooms for children.
The result, Commons and Miller said, is a nation that doesn't like caring for its own children, a violent nation marked by loose, nonphysical relationships.
"I think there's a real resistance in this culture to caring for children," Commons said. But "punishment and abandonment has never been a good way to get warm, caring, independent people."
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Off to School
Today was the first day of school. Caelan is starting first grade. This will be the first time that she goes all day, last year we chose to send her to the half-day kindergarten. Garrett started a two- morning a week, three-year- old preschool. I feel like they were both ready, and neither showed any sign of nervousness as I walked out of the rooms. I guess I expected that:) I am sure that Caelan will do well, but I do worry about Garrett. Surprisingly, though, he was actually playing with other kids as I was getting ready to go.
Here is Caelan. She fell off her bike on Sunday night. Yes, right on to her lip. So she is puffy and scratched up. But pretty excited about her lunch box.
And little Bubba. He usually wakes up on the wrong side of the bed (an understatement). He is not a morning person. Today he was as cheerful as can be and was really excited about school.
Here they are together in front of Caelan's school. I also have a picture with Bob. Bob is the principal of Caelan's school, so at least I know that she is well looked after. In fact, I am pretty sure Caelan's teacher will tire of seeing Bob's face pacing the first grade hall.
Caelan at her desk.
Garrett playing (gasp) with other kids. He usually takes a while to warm up. Not today.
Well, with both of the kids at school, I will have two mornings a week to manage as I please. As the weather gets cooler, I do think that we will join the YMCA- I will work out. I also plan to volunteer in both of their classrooms. Of corse, we should have Lia by the end of the school year- but for today I am going to sip my coffee, use the computer, and RELAX!!!
Here is Caelan. She fell off her bike on Sunday night. Yes, right on to her lip. So she is puffy and scratched up. But pretty excited about her lunch box.
And little Bubba. He usually wakes up on the wrong side of the bed (an understatement). He is not a morning person. Today he was as cheerful as can be and was really excited about school.
Here they are together in front of Caelan's school. I also have a picture with Bob. Bob is the principal of Caelan's school, so at least I know that she is well looked after. In fact, I am pretty sure Caelan's teacher will tire of seeing Bob's face pacing the first grade hall.
Caelan at her desk.
Garrett playing (gasp) with other kids. He usually takes a while to warm up. Not today.
Well, with both of the kids at school, I will have two mornings a week to manage as I please. As the weather gets cooler, I do think that we will join the YMCA- I will work out. I also plan to volunteer in both of their classrooms. Of corse, we should have Lia by the end of the school year- but for today I am going to sip my coffee, use the computer, and RELAX!!!
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
A New List
I am so happy to say that our agency has just received a new list of waiting children. Their last list came in June. As I mentioned in the "Update on our little Lia" post, we are part of the waiting child program which means that Lia will come to us with some type of "special" need. It is very unlikely that Lia will be part of this current group of children, as there are many people who have waited longer than us, but I can hope, right? So far we have only been waiting for 5 months. They generally get large lists every 2-3 months, which would put the next list in October/November. At that point we will have waited for 8 months, the average wait time for our agency. This new list puts us one step closer to Lia. I am so excited about this list and about all of the waiting families just days away from seeing their children. Maybe now I can give my computer a much needed break:)
Monday, August 27, 2007
19 More Wishes
I have 19 new wishes for the 100 Wishes Quilt. This brings my total to 61! I still have 39 to collect, but as you may have noticed Bob, the kids and I haven't even done ours yet. I am excited to get started on the book and the quilt. I haven't decided on a pattern for the quilt yet, but I'd like to do something simple. I only have pictures here of 18 of the squares, because no matter how many pictures I took, I couldn't get one of the squares to show up.
Here are our newest squares:
My mom
My brother, Kevin
My sister, Maura
My Grandma and Grandpa Geraghty
My Aunt Mary and Uncle Chris
Two squares from my cousin Jonathan, his wife Maggie, and their son Joseph
My newleywed cousin Molly and her husband Connor
My cousin Tim
Bob's Administrative Assistant, Monica
My mom's good friend, Ann
Another friend of my mom's, Anne
Donna, a friend of my mom's
Pat, another friend of my mom's
Mrs. Ward, my mom's good friend
Molly Ward, a childhood friend
And two cute kids!! I know that Garrett will not be happy later in life to hear that we put a bath picture on the Internet, but isn't he cute? He doesn't like the shower we have at the cottage, so we have to give him a bath in the sink:)
Caelan's newest favorite thing to do is give piggy back rides to Garrett.
Here are our newest squares:
My mom
My brother, Kevin
My sister, Maura
My Grandma and Grandpa Geraghty
My Aunt Mary and Uncle Chris
Two squares from my cousin Jonathan, his wife Maggie, and their son Joseph
My newleywed cousin Molly and her husband Connor
My cousin Tim
Bob's Administrative Assistant, Monica
My mom's good friend, Ann
Another friend of my mom's, Anne
Donna, a friend of my mom's
Pat, another friend of my mom's
Mrs. Ward, my mom's good friend
Molly Ward, a childhood friend
And two cute kids!! I know that Garrett will not be happy later in life to hear that we put a bath picture on the Internet, but isn't he cute? He doesn't like the shower we have at the cottage, so we have to give him a bath in the sink:)
Caelan's newest favorite thing to do is give piggy back rides to Garrett.
Guess who's coming to China?
After a lot of discussion we have decided that we are going to bring the kids with us to China. We have always wanted to bring Caelan, but we were (OK, still are) worried about how Garrett will handle the trip. There is no way that we would bring one and not the other. I am so happy that we have made this decision, I want to be able to enjoy our time in China, and I know I wouldn't be able to do this worrying about the kids at home. I just kept thinking about what a basket case Caelan was while Bob was in Africa. Granted, he was gone an entire month, but she cried nearly evey day. And Bob may have been just as bad, I am not sure, what I do know is that he missed the kids terribly.
I am a stay-at-home-mom and the longest I have been away from the kids was last weekend when Bob brought the kids away for two nights and I stayed home to clean the attic. Sparkling, by the way:) Well, that worked out fine, but other than that I have been away from Garrett only a handful of nights (actually 4- when my girlfriends came to my parent's cottage last summer, Nora's wedding in September, Molly's wedding this June and one night while we were at our cottage I had to drive home for a doctor's appointment and steam clean the carpets). Only one of the nights I left him with someone other than Bob. I certainly haven't prepared him for life without Mom for two weeks.
Even my mother agrees that the kids should be there. That or she has realized after our 2 night visit last week that two weeks with the kids might put her over the edge. She has volunteered to come with us. And my dad doesn't want to miss out, so he will likely be coming as well. This will work out really well, since my parents can watch Caelan and Garrett whenever we need help. I know that once we have Lia, her needs will be our priority. I am also hoping that having the kids there will put her at ease more quickly. Our only problem now is that we have two more plane tickets to buy! Oh, and passports! Visas!
Oh, and I will bring the kids to a local class so they can learn some Mandarin! That starts in September.
I am a stay-at-home-mom and the longest I have been away from the kids was last weekend when Bob brought the kids away for two nights and I stayed home to clean the attic. Sparkling, by the way:) Well, that worked out fine, but other than that I have been away from Garrett only a handful of nights (actually 4- when my girlfriends came to my parent's cottage last summer, Nora's wedding in September, Molly's wedding this June and one night while we were at our cottage I had to drive home for a doctor's appointment and steam clean the carpets). Only one of the nights I left him with someone other than Bob. I certainly haven't prepared him for life without Mom for two weeks.
Even my mother agrees that the kids should be there. That or she has realized after our 2 night visit last week that two weeks with the kids might put her over the edge. She has volunteered to come with us. And my dad doesn't want to miss out, so he will likely be coming as well. This will work out really well, since my parents can watch Caelan and Garrett whenever we need help. I know that once we have Lia, her needs will be our priority. I am also hoping that having the kids there will put her at ease more quickly. Our only problem now is that we have two more plane tickets to buy! Oh, and passports! Visas!
Oh, and I will bring the kids to a local class so they can learn some Mandarin! That starts in September.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
We Did It!
Yes. We set up the crib.
Caelan was feeling sort of down in the dumps about when Lia would actually come home. I keep hoping that we will hear something by Christmas- this would be almost exactly 9 months that CCAI had our medical conditions checklist, but it could go a little longer than that. I am still hoping it will be sometime this fall. Caelan said, "Mom, last night I kept thinking about Lia and I wanted to cry. When will she come home?" So I figured that we should do something to add a little excitement.
Well, this is my big weekend for cleaning and reorganization. Bob is bringing the kids to the cottage, and it will be my responsibility to reorganize the attic. It is really bad:( Caelan's bedroom also needed a major overhaul, so we did that yesterday. Just as I had everything out of her bedroom I had the bright idea of setting up the crib. It makes sense- I had to clean the attic anyway, and the crib was in the attic- right? SO here it is:
We love our house. We live on the Saginaw Bay. We have a lot of birds and other wildlife. But, we have a small house, especially the kids' bedrooms. Caelan's is small, maybe 8 x 9 or 9 x 10 or something like that, and good intentioned people (my mom and mil) questioned whether we would be able to fit another body in Caelan's bedroom, but as you can see it was a success! Now Garrett's room is much smaller than Caelan's and there is probably no way that we'd ever fit two beds in there.
Neither Caelan or Garrett were very interested in sleeping in the crib as babies- they much preferred their mama :). So needless to say the crib is in very gently used condition and even if we don't have a baby to put in the crib for another year, maybe we will get some use out of it with the kids playing in there.
I am so glad that we did it. Caelan didn't stop smiling all day, and she went to sleep very easily. And she made her bed today. Wow. Last night as I was reading her stories we were pretending to say goodnight to Lia. The crib has just made the adoption seem even more real. Someday (soon, I hope) there will be our sweet baby looking up at us from that crib. We can't wait!
Caelan was feeling sort of down in the dumps about when Lia would actually come home. I keep hoping that we will hear something by Christmas- this would be almost exactly 9 months that CCAI had our medical conditions checklist, but it could go a little longer than that. I am still hoping it will be sometime this fall. Caelan said, "Mom, last night I kept thinking about Lia and I wanted to cry. When will she come home?" So I figured that we should do something to add a little excitement.
Well, this is my big weekend for cleaning and reorganization. Bob is bringing the kids to the cottage, and it will be my responsibility to reorganize the attic. It is really bad:( Caelan's bedroom also needed a major overhaul, so we did that yesterday. Just as I had everything out of her bedroom I had the bright idea of setting up the crib. It makes sense- I had to clean the attic anyway, and the crib was in the attic- right? SO here it is:
We love our house. We live on the Saginaw Bay. We have a lot of birds and other wildlife. But, we have a small house, especially the kids' bedrooms. Caelan's is small, maybe 8 x 9 or 9 x 10 or something like that, and good intentioned people (my mom and mil) questioned whether we would be able to fit another body in Caelan's bedroom, but as you can see it was a success! Now Garrett's room is much smaller than Caelan's and there is probably no way that we'd ever fit two beds in there.
Neither Caelan or Garrett were very interested in sleeping in the crib as babies- they much preferred their mama :). So needless to say the crib is in very gently used condition and even if we don't have a baby to put in the crib for another year, maybe we will get some use out of it with the kids playing in there.
I am so glad that we did it. Caelan didn't stop smiling all day, and she went to sleep very easily. And she made her bed today. Wow. Last night as I was reading her stories we were pretending to say goodnight to Lia. The crib has just made the adoption seem even more real. Someday (soon, I hope) there will be our sweet baby looking up at us from that crib. We can't wait!
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
The New Washing Machine
This probably doesn't warrent its own post, but we recently made a big purchase that I couldn't be more pleased about. Here is the washer we bought.
Now, I must say that our washing machine that we had been using came with us from our Delton house. We have lived here for 2 years, in Delton for two years, and that washer was in the Delton house when the previous owners moved in. So at least 11 years, likely longer. We replaced the belt on the old washer twice in the past 9 months. It stopped agitating the clothes and leaked an enormous abount of water on the floor. I was pleased to finally say to Bob that the washer has finally washed its last load.
On to the purchase. I hate doing laundry. With three kids (OK- ALMOST three kids:))and a semi-regular jogging husband, we have a lot of laundry. I feel like there is always laundry to be done. My friend Karin once said something about if there is something that you dislike doing, figure out how to make it easier. Well at the time, I didn't like to put the clothes away. No wonder- all of our drawers were busting at the seams- did Bob still need that concert t-shirt from 1990? Probably not. SO once the drawers were cleared, putting clothes away was a breeze. My new washing machine really saves time and energy. I have found that I can do two, maybe three loads of clothes a week and be done. I was doing 10 with the old washer.
Now my second reason for choosing this washer is that it has an ENERGY STAR rating. Last year during lent, my lenten resolution was to make at least 10 changes to how we live that will lessen our impact on the environment.
Here is my list:
1. We recycle. I am even embarrassed to put this down, as we have lived here for two years and just started recycling. The garbage company picks it up curbside. Too easy.
2. We now compost our kitchen waste.
3. Turn off and unplug all appliances, lights when not in use. (Mom, if you are reading this, you know how hard this one has been:)) Did you know appliances can use up to 40% of power while plugged in, even if they are turned off?
4. I use a Divacup.
5. We almost never purchase processed foods. My exceptions to this are breakfast cerael, bread, pasta. We also buy canned tomato products (Salsa, spaghetti sauce, canned tomatoes) and canned beans. Oh and condiments- I eat a lot of salad and love the convenience of prepared salad dressings. But for the most part we eat fresh, whole foods. This cuts down on boxes and plastics and we all feel much healthier.
6. We are buying organic foods, when possible. I joined a local food co-op which was a great way to purchase organic foods at lower prices. I would love to do all of my shopping there, but it is a little too far, which sort of defeats the purpose as I was spending too much in gas, so I have gone back to Meijers and our local fruit and veggie stand. I always go to the organic section first and purchase from there, though there isn't a huge selection. I sure wish we had a Whole Foods around here.
7. Any appliance we buy from now on must have an energy star rating. Not all appliances can get this rating (like dryers), but for those that can we will stick with the energy star.
8. Our next vehicle will get better gas mileage. We are currently driving a gas guzzling SUV. Our lease runs out in March and we will be looking for a smaller family car that will still be able to accommodate 2 adults, three kids and our two big dogs.
9. We are trying to use less water.
10. I will try not to purchase any more books. I am definately a book junkie. In fact yesterday, I picked up a box full of maybe 100 children's books from a freecycler. This doesn't count, though, since I am simply reusing someone else's old books.
11. We use non-toxic cleaning products. I usually use a mixture of vinegar and water for most of my general wipe downs. I also use Simple Green.
So anyway, my list has finally generated an energy star rated appliance- Yeah!
Now, I must say that our washing machine that we had been using came with us from our Delton house. We have lived here for 2 years, in Delton for two years, and that washer was in the Delton house when the previous owners moved in. So at least 11 years, likely longer. We replaced the belt on the old washer twice in the past 9 months. It stopped agitating the clothes and leaked an enormous abount of water on the floor. I was pleased to finally say to Bob that the washer has finally washed its last load.
On to the purchase. I hate doing laundry. With three kids (OK- ALMOST three kids:))and a semi-regular jogging husband, we have a lot of laundry. I feel like there is always laundry to be done. My friend Karin once said something about if there is something that you dislike doing, figure out how to make it easier. Well at the time, I didn't like to put the clothes away. No wonder- all of our drawers were busting at the seams- did Bob still need that concert t-shirt from 1990? Probably not. SO once the drawers were cleared, putting clothes away was a breeze. My new washing machine really saves time and energy. I have found that I can do two, maybe three loads of clothes a week and be done. I was doing 10 with the old washer.
Now my second reason for choosing this washer is that it has an ENERGY STAR rating. Last year during lent, my lenten resolution was to make at least 10 changes to how we live that will lessen our impact on the environment.
Here is my list:
1. We recycle. I am even embarrassed to put this down, as we have lived here for two years and just started recycling. The garbage company picks it up curbside. Too easy.
2. We now compost our kitchen waste.
3. Turn off and unplug all appliances, lights when not in use. (Mom, if you are reading this, you know how hard this one has been:)) Did you know appliances can use up to 40% of power while plugged in, even if they are turned off?
4. I use a Divacup.
5. We almost never purchase processed foods. My exceptions to this are breakfast cerael, bread, pasta. We also buy canned tomato products (Salsa, spaghetti sauce, canned tomatoes) and canned beans. Oh and condiments- I eat a lot of salad and love the convenience of prepared salad dressings. But for the most part we eat fresh, whole foods. This cuts down on boxes and plastics and we all feel much healthier.
6. We are buying organic foods, when possible. I joined a local food co-op which was a great way to purchase organic foods at lower prices. I would love to do all of my shopping there, but it is a little too far, which sort of defeats the purpose as I was spending too much in gas, so I have gone back to Meijers and our local fruit and veggie stand. I always go to the organic section first and purchase from there, though there isn't a huge selection. I sure wish we had a Whole Foods around here.
7. Any appliance we buy from now on must have an energy star rating. Not all appliances can get this rating (like dryers), but for those that can we will stick with the energy star.
8. Our next vehicle will get better gas mileage. We are currently driving a gas guzzling SUV. Our lease runs out in March and we will be looking for a smaller family car that will still be able to accommodate 2 adults, three kids and our two big dogs.
9. We are trying to use less water.
10. I will try not to purchase any more books. I am definately a book junkie. In fact yesterday, I picked up a box full of maybe 100 children's books from a freecycler. This doesn't count, though, since I am simply reusing someone else's old books.
11. We use non-toxic cleaning products. I usually use a mixture of vinegar and water for most of my general wipe downs. I also use Simple Green.
So anyway, my list has finally generated an energy star rated appliance- Yeah!
Sunday, July 29, 2007
End of Summer for Bob
Bob officially goes back to work on Tuesday. His five weeks of freedom are over. We spent the last week at the cottage. Caelan had a lot of fun with her cousins, Jenna and Zane and her Grandma Jansen. Garrett was too busy mowing and raking to be bothered with all of the fun:)
The Baldwin Troutarama was going on all week, so we went to the carnival. Bob and Gayle brought the kids to a fish hatchery where they had a two day kids event. Each child could catch up to three fish on the first day and two fish on the second day. The kids were able to keep the fish.
Bob's mom had 2 nights of sleepovers with Jenna, Caelan, Zane and one night with Tommy as well in the camper. As she gushed over what fun they were having, I often wondered if she was slowly losing her mind. I guess this is what I have to look forward to- being a grandparent. I am far too anxious right now to handle all of the chaos that seems to come with the territory of a handful of sugared-up 5 and 6 year-olds. I am not sure that I will do well when the time comes for me to organize and supervise sleepovers, maybe I will check myself into a hotel and hand over the night to Bob!
Just look at how excited they all are:
I have made it a habit to walk around the lake each morning. From our driveway, around the lake and back is exactly four miles. I have walked every day that we have been up there, except the day I had to bring Garrett in for chest x-rays after a couch diving incident went terribly wrong. (Thankfully, nothing was broken). Caelan has decided that she really needs "exercise" so she has also made it a habit to come with me. Unless, of corse, there is something more "fun" going on- aka her cousins and Grandma are at the lake. She does pretty well. I bring a stroller and she takes a ride when she is tired, but I think she usually goes at least 3 miles. When I bring Kali (our Siberian Husky) it usually takes me an hour to walk. When I take Caelan, we usually make it around in 90 minutes. It is fun. She is really into searching for dead snakes and frogs on the road. One day we saw what we suspect may have been a hedgehog. It sort of scared her. Here is a picture of us both in our walking gear- note the fancy pink sunglasses.
Caelan had such a fun time with her cousins this week, we were able to take quite a few pictures of her and her cousin Jenna.
The Baldwin Troutarama was going on all week, so we went to the carnival. Bob and Gayle brought the kids to a fish hatchery where they had a two day kids event. Each child could catch up to three fish on the first day and two fish on the second day. The kids were able to keep the fish.
Bob's mom had 2 nights of sleepovers with Jenna, Caelan, Zane and one night with Tommy as well in the camper. As she gushed over what fun they were having, I often wondered if she was slowly losing her mind. I guess this is what I have to look forward to- being a grandparent. I am far too anxious right now to handle all of the chaos that seems to come with the territory of a handful of sugared-up 5 and 6 year-olds. I am not sure that I will do well when the time comes for me to organize and supervise sleepovers, maybe I will check myself into a hotel and hand over the night to Bob!
Just look at how excited they all are:
I have made it a habit to walk around the lake each morning. From our driveway, around the lake and back is exactly four miles. I have walked every day that we have been up there, except the day I had to bring Garrett in for chest x-rays after a couch diving incident went terribly wrong. (Thankfully, nothing was broken). Caelan has decided that she really needs "exercise" so she has also made it a habit to come with me. Unless, of corse, there is something more "fun" going on- aka her cousins and Grandma are at the lake. She does pretty well. I bring a stroller and she takes a ride when she is tired, but I think she usually goes at least 3 miles. When I bring Kali (our Siberian Husky) it usually takes me an hour to walk. When I take Caelan, we usually make it around in 90 minutes. It is fun. She is really into searching for dead snakes and frogs on the road. One day we saw what we suspect may have been a hedgehog. It sort of scared her. Here is a picture of us both in our walking gear- note the fancy pink sunglasses.
Caelan had such a fun time with her cousins this week, we were able to take quite a few pictures of her and her cousin Jenna.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Update on the 100 Wishes Quilt Wishes #3-42
Well, I now have 42 squares total!!! Only 58 left to collect:) I think that I have made copies of all of the squares, though I feel like there are a few missing.
Bob's sister, Robin and her family
From Great Grandma Jansen and Bob's cousin Cindy
From Bob's cousin, Rich, and his wife Lindsay:
From Jackie Kellogg and her children Mitchell and Olivia with cousin Courtney Kellogg
From Leslie, a teacher that Bob worked with in Delton, Mary Rose, a teacher at Hampton, and Tina, a parent coordinater at Hampton
From Bob's Aunt Betty Brown, her daughter Linnea, and granddaughter Linden
From Bob's Aunt Julie and Uncle Dick
Bob's Aunt Pat and her family
Bob's Uncle Howard, Aunt Betty and cousins Kraig and Kristy
From my very good, new friend Nicole, who is also adopting from China
An adoptive family
Another adoptive family
More adoptive families
Even more adoptive families
Bob's sister, Robin and her family
From Great Grandma Jansen and Bob's cousin Cindy
From Bob's cousin, Rich, and his wife Lindsay:
From Jackie Kellogg and her children Mitchell and Olivia with cousin Courtney Kellogg
From Leslie, a teacher that Bob worked with in Delton, Mary Rose, a teacher at Hampton, and Tina, a parent coordinater at Hampton
From Bob's Aunt Betty Brown, her daughter Linnea, and granddaughter Linden
From Bob's Aunt Julie and Uncle Dick
Bob's Aunt Pat and her family
Bob's Uncle Howard, Aunt Betty and cousins Kraig and Kristy
From my very good, new friend Nicole, who is also adopting from China
An adoptive family
Another adoptive family
More adoptive families
Even more adoptive families
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)