Monday, December 28, 2009

This and that...

Friday evening Josh and I, Cari and Mark and Michelle all went to the airport to welcome 4D home from China. We couldn't be happier for them! The pictures don't do Daphne justice, she is SO precious and beautiful up close.

Sorry for the quality of the pictures, they were taken with my phone. For some reason I keep forgetting my camera. Oops.

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Saturday, as I was about to take a bath Deuce decided to join me. Before I got into the bath, he jumped onto the toilet seat, where he usually sits and waits for me to finish the bath. Anyways, he must have thought that the toilet seat was down, because he jumped right INTO the toilet. Poor wet, humiliated kitty...

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In a few short hours we're heading to the airport for our trip to Vegas, bay-bee. Miss me. Miss me lots. Leave me stuff to read here, because lord knows I'm not going to catch up on the bajillion blog posts that you're all going to post in the time I'm gone. So sad, too bad. ;)

Make stuff up. I don't care...

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Happy New Year to everyone!

Monday, December 21, 2009

What a weekend!

Josh and I had my family as well as Lisa, Craig and the girls over for dinner on Friday, and if I do say so myself, a good time was had by all.

Lisa had read this post just before leaving for our place and brought us two containers of Philadelphia cream cheese...you know, so I don't kill everyone at the table. Actually we ended up using the other brand, and as far as I know, everyone's still alive and well... ;)

After a fully belly-bursting, jean-button-popping dinner, we took a small break from eating and I brought the kids into the kitchen for a 'surprise'. I had made dreidel-shaped cookies and bought icing and had a little decorating station set up for the kidlets. It was HILARIOUS watching the kids put the icing on the cookies. S (who is, if you ask her "2.75 years old") was more interested in smiling for the camera than watching what was happening with the icing...as it glooped to the plate and counter. Some of it actually ended up on the cookie! I wouldn't have had it any other way...the kids had a blast and the adults were killing themselves laughing.

We also exchanged gifts for the kiddies, and Lisa and Craig got us a gift certificate for Boston Pizza (where else?) ;)

I had my nephew for the weekend and we had an amazing time. Friday night, after everyone left, we watched cartoons and then tucked him into bed.

Saturday morning was started off with chocolate chip and peanut butter pancakes...*drool*. Zachary did some research with Uncle Josh on his project for school. He's doing a write-up on king cobras, so the boys went to the library for some research, as well as doing some on the computer.

Saturday night we went to Josh's parents' house for dinner (it was Josh's dad's birthday). Zachary had a *blast* over there...especially playing every.single.note on the piano, both up the scale and down. I'm sure everyone's ears are still ringing from that. ;)

When we got home from dinner, I gave him two options - it was a loaded question. We could either sit on the couch and watch cartoons or we could all put on our pjs and snuggle in bed and watch them. Guess which one he chose? What a snuggly little boy he is.

Sunday was spent at the Canadian Air and Space Museum. We got some great picks of my nephew in the cockpit of a plane. He was enthralled with all the different planes and he read *everything* about each plane. His parents came by later in the afternoon to pick him up and we all went out for dinner.

This morning the house is just WAY too quiet...

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Sayonara salmonella

Josh and I are planning a dinner party this Friday night for the last night of Channukah. We're having the family and Lisa, Craig and the girls over. Anyways, we like to get things done early, so we did our shopping earlier in the week.

Tonight, as Josh was reading the Canadian Jewish News, he stumbled over this article and tore down the stairs. Lo and behold, we had THAT cream cheese with THAT date and THAT UPC code. We nearly plotzed.

We packed up the disease-ridden cream cheese in question with the newspaper article and went back to the grocery store. We went to the customer service counter and told them about the cream cheese. The clerk looked at the article, looked at the cream cheese and was about to ring it up. Umm, we don't want to BUY it, we wanted to return it.

We asked to see the manager. The clerk didn't want to exchange the cream cheese we had and give us new ones because we didn't have the bill.

The manager ambled down the stairs and we re-told the story. She told us that she knew about the cream cheese and that the story was actually out a little while ago. She then looked at us and said "Did you buy it here?"

It was REALLY tempting to say "no, we're part of a great cream cheese conspiracy and we walk around from grocery store to grocery store trying to return rancid cream cheese. You're onto us, lady!"

We told her that we bought it there and she said "ok, straight exchange". Fine, great. The clerk took the original cream cheese from us and was going to put it back on the shelf. The manager told her "no, it has to be destroyed".

So we went back to the shelf to pick up our new cream cheese and guess what we saw? An entire shelf full of the 'bad' cream cheese. SAME cream cheese, SAME date, SAME UPC code. We went back to the counter and told them that it was still sitting there and asked to see the manager again. This time we had to wait a few minutes because she was on the phone.

She didn't come down the stairs and Josh actually ended up talking to her on the phone. Josh told her that it was still sitting on the shelf and that she would "deal with it shortly".

Well, that wasn't good enough. I mean, we don't want anyone getting sick because of the manager's apathy or laziness.

We found the manager in charge of stocking the shelves. We showed him the article and pointed out the entire shelf of cream cheese. He told us that "it was a new shipment" and that even though it has the same date, it's not the affected product. He understood our worry and said "instead of making excuses, I'm going to personally take all of them off the shelf and call the company in the morning".

As we were talking to him, wouldn't you know that a clerk walked by with the two affected cream cheeses (from our fridge) and placed them back on the shelf. Oh yes, he did.

We didn't take the second manager at his word, seeing as what just took place. We stood there and watched them remove ALL the cream cheese in question.

So, what do you like with your salmonella-laced cream cheese?

Monday, December 14, 2009

Sunday, December 13, 2009

39 months

So today marks our 39 month LIDiversary, one shy of the big 4-0. Instead of focus on the negative and how long we've waited, I'm going to try to be positive about the wait from now on. (HA! I know how many times I've said that in the past, and failed, but this time I'm going to really see beyond what we've been through and look to the future).

I'm not going to lie and say that it hasn't been hard, but when I see my friends getting their kids and realizing that the CCAA are now starting April, I'm hoping that things speed up a little. What I'm really hoping for is that the Rumour Queen is right (ok, you can stop rolling your eyes) about her predictions, and that we'll see our referral in a year and a half. Perhaps I'm still being naive, even after all this time, but I have to believe that this interminable wait is going to end...at some point.

Anyways, enough of that. This month's charm was chosen by Josh's dad. Since he's a doctor, he chose the charm that definitely suits him the most...

3D is now 4D!

Please take a moment and go over and see this beautiful family and wish them congratulations! We couldn't be more thrilled for them.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Happy Channukah!

I think I prefer the Adam Sandler version, but this is just so...wrong, it's right. Give it a listen. ;)

To all of you, whether you celebrate the holiday or not, I wish you a happy and healthy Channukah!

Thursday, December 10, 2009

50,000

At some point today or tomorrow, I'm going to pass the 50,000 mark on the blog. I find it hard to believe that in the past three and a half years (has it really been THAT long?!), since starting the blog, that I've had that many hits. That there are that many of you who like to be bored follow along with our adoption standstill journey.

Thanks everyone, and here's to the next 50,000. Hopefully I still won't be waiting at that point. ;)

Wednesday, December 09, 2009

How thoughtful!

I've been feeling rather down about the adoption, which doesn't seem to be going anywhere lately (which you can all attest to). For long-time readers of the blog, you'll probably notice my lack of posts *about* the adoption lately. As we're coming up to month 39 this Sunday, I've been feeling like this is never going to happen. (It probably will, but this is just how I've been feeling lately).

Anyways, today I received a truly thoughtful card and present in the mail from very good friends - that are currently in Shanghai and are about to receive their beautiful daughter in a few short days. I won't lie, a few tears were shed when I read the card...
Rhonda,

I saw this charm and thought of you. The two hearts reminded me of a hug. A hug between friends when times are rough. A hug between a mon & her child. Both have & will happen.

xo Doris

This charm is going on the bracelet today, and I'll be putting another charm on the bracelet on Sunday as well.

Doris, I can't thank you enough for the truly thoughtful gift. It means more than you know. I'm putting it right next to the daisy you sent me last December.

Jose Cuervo Christmas Cookies

1 cup of water
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup of sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup or brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup nuts
2 cups of dried fruit
1 bottle Jose Cuervo Tequila

Sample the Cuervo to check quality. Take a large bowl, check the Cuervo again, to be sure it is of the highest quality, pour one level cup and .

Turn on the electric mixer. Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl.

Add one peastoon of sugar. Beat again. At this point it's best to make sure the Cuervo is still ok, try another cup just in case.

Turn off the mixerer thingy.

Break 2 leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit.

Pick the frigging fruit off the floor.

Mix on the turner.

If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaters just pry it loose with a drewscriver.

Sample the Cuervo to check for tonsisticity.

Next, sift two cups of salt, or something. Who geeves a sheet. Check the Jose Cuervo. Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts.

Add one table.

Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink. Whatever you can find.

Greash the oven.

Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over.

Don't forget to beat off the turner.

(Thanks Nic.) ;)

Monday, December 07, 2009

Monday morning mew

Is it just me, or is this the *perfect* picture to sum up my love/hate opinion of the RQ site? ;)

She just released her projections for the next few batches, and she's still standing by her thoughts that the CCAA are going to get to mid-May by April/May of 2010. I still don't see it...


Wednesday, December 02, 2009

March is done!

Finally!!! Even though our LID is in September, I breathed a sigh of relief this morning when I read that March is FINALLY complete.

Congrats to everyone who is about to get their referral!

Still looking to see how many more lurkers there are out there. If you're reading this, leave me a comment. I don't bite...hard.

Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Shaking the lurker tree...

...let's see who falls out. Leave me a comment if you're poking around here...