Recipe - Chocolate Chip Cheesecake - Rich!

This was a nice discovery as we all love cheesecake. Years ago I didn’t think I could bake one successfully. I found several recipes made with Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk and Voila!! Success! This is one of our favorites… Another is Key Lime Cheesecake. If you don’t have a springform pan, borrow one! 2 Cups finely crushed crème filled chocolate sandwich Cookies (about 24 cookies) ¼ Cup Crisco Shortening 3 packages Cream Cheese (8 ounces each) 1 can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (14 ounces) 3 Eggs 2 tsps. Vanilla 1 Cup mini Chocolate Chips, divided 1 tsp. Flour Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine crumbs and shortening; press firmly on bottom of 9 inch springform pan. In large bowl, beat cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in Sweetened Condensed Milk until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Toss ½ cup chips with flour to coat; stir into cheese mixture. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining chips over top. Bake 55 minutes or until center is set. Cool. Chill. Refrigerate leftovers. Serve with love...

Referrals Are Pouring In - Congratulations To All!

Families are growing! The referrals are pouring in and so we've listed a couple of the blogs that have really great links to the NEW FAMILIES!!! You can just feel the joy, relief, excitement and love filling each of these happy people. Soon they will be traveling to bring their daughters home.God bless each and all... Do They Have Salsa In China Rumor Queen

One Year Ago Today

6-25-05: A year ago today...

Adoption Timeline Update

Attention Veteran Adoption Paperchasers and Waiters: This post will be old news and old hat for you. This post is primarily for our family and friends that lack the international adoption savy you all have come to live with 24/7... Attention Family & Friends: Announcement From the CCAA: The CCAA has finished the review of the adoption application documents registered with our office before October 31, 2005. So, what does that mean and how does it affect us? Quite simply it means that the CCAA (China Center of Adoption Affaris) has finished reviewing the paperwork up to and including October 31, 2005 submitted by families wishing to adopt from The People's Republic of China. Remember during our "paperchase" how we kept writing off for personal documents and getting them notorized, certified and authenticated? That would be the documents we're talking about along with our home study and about a million other things. You will also remember us throwing out terms such as DTC & LID during that time. Well, those documents sit patiently in China awaiting their turn to be reviewed by the Chinese government to ensure everything is in order. You know, dots over the i's and t's crossed. Ok, maybe it's a little more than that but you get the idea. It also would not be uncommon for the CCAA to notify your agency, ours is CCAI, and ask for clarification on issues regarding your dossier. In the perfect world the dossier would meet with their approval without the need for that and move on to the matching room to once again sit quietly until it's your turn to be matched with your daughter. For us, that will be awhile. We're thinking January 2007 at this point. We have an LID date of 1/27/06 which means we are inching our way towards the Review Room phase of the adoption process. The CCAA is presently reviewing dossiers with LID dates of November and quite possibly December. See what we mean? We're slooowly edging closer, little by little. That's it. Just thought I would give everyone a little update on the process. This time between LID and Referral is called "The Wait" in adoption land. It is painful but that's the process...

Cognac - REMY MARTIN XO

Throughout the week we enjoy Wine. Sunday's are reserved for Champagne. We do have a fondness for our Champagne Sundays. However, when the time calls for a relaxing evening alone with Aly or pleasently joined by good friends and sterling conversation, we prefer: Grande Champagne Cognac - Our favorite sipping beverage of choice. The latest purchase was a "Duty Free" souvenir from our UK trip! Well-rounded. Subtle. Long-lasting flavor. Remy Martin XO offers a complexity that warrants attentive tasting. Aged up to 35 years. You have got to try this...

CCAA Review & Referral Update

Huge congratulations to the families getting their referral and preparing to see a picture of their daughter for the first time! The CCAA has finished the review of the adoption application documents registered with our office before September 30, 2005. The CCAA has finished the placement of children for the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before June 28, 2005.

Guess Who Got To Babysit Today?

Aly and I got to babysit Alivia today for Jesse and Leaa. It was tough duty but somehow we pulled it off. Ah, baby Alivia, you help to make our world smile...

Happy Father's Day Papa

To Alyson and her two sisters, TerriAnn & Melissa, he is Dad. To the grandkids he is Papa. How he ever survived in a household of 4 women I will never know but somehow he did! So on this Father's Day may we offer love and best wishes to my FIL, Alyson's dad. Happy Father's Day!!!

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day Dad or as the grandkids call you: Big Pop... You're a tough act to follow but then that's the way it should be. You show the way and in turn we "kids" learn to find ours. You formed my past and helped shaped my future. You're my dad and for that I am forever blessed. I love you Pop... fm

No Offense To Salty Dog BUT It's Lonely Around Here

Salty Dog and I are batching it this weekend. Aly is off to Maine and the loving arms of family to partake in the celebration of our nephew Andrew's graduation from High School. CONGRATULATIONS ANDREW!!! Only two more nights to go... and Salty Dog and I will have our Aly back... and life will be good again.....

Return Trip To Wine Warehouse

Three new and untried bottles came home with us on this trip. We'll let you know how we liked them. Each was purchased for under $10. Of course we couldn't leave with just 3 measly bottles. We came home with 12 bottles all together, one being a double size. Aly has some notes around here somewhere that capture our likes and dislikes on the first batch. We'll post soon on the ones we purchased (again) on this trip and the two we crossed off... May we offer a toast to all of us "waiting" for our daughters and to those who have gone before us and those who follow. Clink...

Sweet Dreams Sweet Dreamer

Alivia loves to be swaddled. Sweet dreams Alivia...

Poppy & Nana and The Amazing Alivia

We're babysitting Alivia today for our daughter Leaa. We'll post more on our adventure later...

Knock Knock, Alberto's here...

And he woke me up... Alberto is making himself known right now. Small debris is tapping our windows, enough to wake me. The wind is "wooshing" (probably not a real word) about and though I can barely see into the dark, I can make out an ugly St. John's river sending set after set of waves towards the docks. Heavy rain bands come and go. And we're on the good coastline side but unfortunately we're on the east side of the storm. Not good. You always want the storm to pass so you stay on the west side. Less powerful winds. Oh well, we don't have a boat to lose this time and we've lashed everything else down. It'll be light soon and Alberto should be away from us and back out to sea. Our daughter has to drive to Orlando this morning. I hope they cancel her meeting. I really, really do. We didn't get the generator out. We didn't fill up the gas cans or vehicles but now Alberto has reminded me that the "season" is back. Our wake-up call. And Alberto is only a storm. I've come to fully dread this time of year...

Recipe - Fresh Strawberry Cake

Fresh Strawberry Cake This is an easy cake to make with impressive results. It is refreshing for a spring or summer cake with fresh strawberries so now is a great time to try it. It is a “semi-homemade” type of dessert as it starts with a box cake mix. This is a family favorite recipe discovered (in 2000) and made frequently by MIL, Nana Joy and now a favorite made by her granddaughter (our daughter), Leaa. You can’t go wrong with this recipe!! Cake Batter: 1 Box Yellow Cake Mix 1 Box Strawberry Jell-O (3 ounces) 4 Eggs ¼ Cup Oil ¼ Cup Water 1 Cup Fresh Strawberries (sliced) Mix together in order of ingredients, adding strawberries last. Preheat Oven 350 degrees. Bake in an oblong 13x9 pan for 30 minutes. Cool cake completely before frosting – very important to allow time to have the cake cold before frosting. Frosting: 3 ounces Cream Cheese 4 Tabs. Butter 1 Cup Fresh Strawberries (sliced) 1 Box Confectioners (powered) Sugar Mix frosting ingredients together and frost cold cake. Frosting will melt if cake is warm. Another great dessert that is different, unexpected and delicious! Great to share with family and for special occasions!! A word of advice. You may be tempted to "add" more strawberries to the frosting. Don't. If you do, don't say you were not warned. It could make for a very runny icing...

Wireless Baby Monitors - Sight & Sound

If you have already purchased a wireless home monitoring system we would appreciate any feedback you are willing to share. If you are considering the purchase of a home (baby) monitoring system, check out these sites. NexTag Alibaba fm

Flying (NOT) In & Out of Cape Girardeau

Gee, I don't know? Which would you choose? Total trip Duration 10 hours 14 minutes Roundtrip price $494.00 per person OR Total trip Duration 4 hours 50 minutes Roundtrip price $258.10 per person Warning: This is a quasi-vent post. First let me say this: I love Cape Girardeau. I grew up about 30 miles from Cape and graduated from college there. It is a GREAT town with GREAT people. It's the airport I find lacking. Cape Girardeau is not a huge town but neither is it missing on most maps. In fact, it prides itself on being one the largest cities in Southeast Missouri. I made the mistake of commenting on an article published in the local paper a couple of years back that was bemoaning the lack of people using the local CGI airport for travel. I pointed out the high ticket cost as compared to the smaller city of Paducah, Ky. It was and still is cheaper to fly into Paducah and rent a car and make the drive than it is to fly into St. Louis, rent a car and make an even longer drive. Don't even think about flying in to Cape. Save your money. Just for the record. The paper had pledged not to publish my comments. Not that I went on a rant or anything close to it. Still, I didn't appreciate being stabbed in the back. So anyway, I periodically check the flight prices to see if anything has changed only to find it hasn't. CGI still remains a great airport if you own a plane or have a commerical business requiring air shipments. For the common person living in the area, you still need to drive to St. Louis, Memphis or PADUCAH to catch a flight for a greatly reduced price. Oh well, that's up to Cape and the airlines. Somebody is happy with the arrangement. Looks as though it's time to fill up the truck with $3 gas and make the drive or better yet, fly to Paducah. I've been wanting some Starnes BBQ anyway...

To fly to Cape Girardeau, Mo

Total trip Duration 10 hours 14 minutes Roundtrip price $494.00 per person To fly to Paducah, Ky Total trip Duration 4 hours 50 minutes Roundtrip price $258.10 per person

Happy Graduation to Nephew Andrew!

My baby sister's son is graduating!!!!! Senior Prom was a few weeks ago, now for the BIG event! Andrew graduates tonight from GNGHS and then off on a white water rafting senior over night "trip". Hope they have a fun and safe trip!

BIB Swap!! Makes the WAIT Seem Less Miserable.....

Making the "final" decision to adopt is a great feeling - but the wait is terrible. Many Yahoo groups have formed to help with those beginning the adoption journey, those traveling to China, local families with Chinese children, groups for each adoption agency, the 100 wishes Quilt group, plus groups for every month of DTC/LID!! And the list goes on and on. We have learned so much from these groups and from individual blogs. It is so nice to read about things that we have done or will be going through. So I joined a few "swaps". This bib swap involves sending out bibs to two addresses each month until everyone has received a bib from each participant. I have the bibs all bought and ready for wrapping and mailing. I didn't exactly follow the instructions so I started out sending the bibs in the wrong order. Still it will all work out in the end, they just will not get bibs from me the way the list stated (could it be I am stressed, over worked, tired, and was in a rush due to the BIG UK vacation? That's what I blaming it on). So a bit of an apology to those participating. please be patient, I am sending out two a month. So here are some of the bibs we have received.

Bibs!!

D. Chapman sent more than a bib; she sent a personalized burp cloth and bib, plus a onesie and a regular bib. All so cute and special. She took the time to personalize "Alyzabeth" on two of them!! Wow - to have a sewing machine like that!!! Check it out! Plus she sent a hand written message on a Ladybug notecard. She is such a great "swapper" and knows how to make a gift so very special. Thank you!

Bibs and Bibs!!

From the Henry's and the Loman's. Each bib is very cute and all are so different! I didn't know about plastic bibs - I thought they were all cloth. Boy do I have some catching up to do...... I even saw on eBay the disposable Dora bibs, now they could come in handy too; no washing!

Another Bib PLUS a Father's Day Gift

We received a cute bib with lavender gingham and flowers PLUS the extra special surprise gift for DH. A "Daddy's Little Star" bib and a Father's Day card stating " ....thought you deserved star treatment...". What a generous and thoughtful gesture for DH. Thank you to the Kogut's. The Kogut's share the same adoption agency with us and the same "LID" for our dossier in China. I think we will be traveling together! Too bad they are in NJ and we are in FL!

Asian Adoptions in the United States

Asian Adoptions in the United States HEARING before the COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS UNITED STATES SENATE ONE HUNDRED NINTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION Thursday, June 8, 2006 Time: 2:30 PM Place: 419 Dirksen Senate Office Building Presiding: Senator Murkowski A hearing was held in Washington today that brought attention to international adoption concerns. Included in the hearing was the issue of expiring documents as they related to the adoption slowdown for those adopting from China. Click on the above link entitled Asian Adoptions in the United States to watch the hearing via RealPlayer. The hearing lasted approximately 2 & ½ hours. If you have the time I encourage your viewing. A pretty good recap of the hearing can be found on the blog In Search of Rumors. fm

HALT! We Are Babyland Security. We Don't Need No Stinkin' Search Warrant

Well I'm on a buying hunt once again but this time I don't think I'll be stepping on Alyson's "paper pregnant" toes (Though she has come to admit that BOB was a really good purchase). I'm on the Baby Monitor prowl. I want sight and sound with motion detection. Wireless and portable. It should be able to handle no less than 3 and preferably 4 camera remotes. Range, it must have excellent range. I want options. Oh yes, and it can't interfer with our wireless phones or wireless internet connections. And it must be able to project an image from a totally darkened room. That's about it. We're not asking for much. Why, we won't even flinch, so you would notice, at the price. What can one say. It's for Alyzabeth...

A Family Day of Celebrations

We celebrated college graduations and birthdays today. The afternoon thunderstorms held off so we could play in the water until the ocean breeze made its way inland putting a fairly good size chop on the river. Still, it was a great day celebrating, laughing, eating and just having a good time with family. So once again, we offer our congratulations to the college grads and best wishes to our birthday people! We are blessed to have each and every one of you in our lives... Justin, Kilee & Jesse return from splashing through the waters of the St. Johns River! Ian, Cara and Angie steer a course for the dock with Ian driving! Baby Alivia in the arms of Nana (Alyson) This is Grampa Carl (Leaa's FIL) exchanging glances with sweet Alivia, his first grandchild. Congratulations Kelly on graduating from Florida's Nuclear School of Medicine!

Alyzabeth's First Christmas Ornament

While we were having fun in the UK, my Mom explored some local shops while caring for our home and pets. There is one elegant, upscale shop that we have browsed in before. Occasionally a reasonably priced Christmas ornament or decoration was bought there in the past. Now this shop has everything needed to furnish a home in the best of styles (owned by an interior decorator); Christmas decorations are just a small part of her business but has been popular so she stocks it year round. My Mom bought an ornament of a Santa holding a robin. She was told the story that related to how a little bird acquired the red breast, thus becoming a robin. Russian folklore? I guess I will google to see if I can find the story. So this is Lizzy's first ornament and it is beautiful! Thank you Mom! (The picture is a little fuzzy so will replace it with a better one later). You have read a lot about what my Dad does while visiting us. Next will be more "Mom" stories!

New Picnic Table - Custom Built by Dad

I am still catching up telling you all about my Mom and Dad's "visit" with us in April and May. I keep finding things that they did while we were on our vacation. They must have worked constantly! My Dad made a picnic table for us ("custom"). Let me explain. We purchased the wood for two picnic tables about 8 months ago. We hardly ever work on projects when we think we will have time, partly from truly being busy, partly because other priorities get in the way of these "nice" projects and a huge part of procrastination. So there's the wood stacked and ready in our yard, with the project plans. My Dad takes one look at the plans and start talking about a better way to build the legs and where to support the table top so there are less angle cuts.... of course he lost us after the first comment. So, when we get back from vacation, one is built and the other is cut out ready to be assembled (he had to leave something for us to do). If anyone needs anything fixed or built, just call on my Dad in Maine. Another huge thank you to my Dad who can do anything!

What is a Blog? Oh, You mean a "WEB LOG"?

Sometimes people hear about our blog and do not seem to know what to make of it. We have information on our blog that states why we started a blog and yes, it is personal information. There are others who just don't know what a blog is. So follow this LINK if you would like to have a brief and informative description of a blog.

Name That Movie Revealed

Sound Of Music (1965) Julie Andrews as Maria Christopher Plummer as Captain Georg von Trapp In Salzburg, Austria, a former nun leaves the convent to become a governess for the seven children of a wealthy, Austrian widower who has grown into a cold disciplinarian. Soon, she opens the children to the wonders of life and the joy of music - and eventually softens the heart of their father and gains his love. It should be noted that details of the von Trapp story were altered for the play and the film. The Captain's eldest child was a boy, not a girl, and the names of the children were changed (at least partly to avoid confusion, as the Captain's second-eldest daughter was also called Maria). The repertoire of the Trapp Family Singers was entirely classical, with a special focus on early motets. The von Trapps spent some years in Austria after Maria and the Captain had married (in 1927) they did not have to flee right away and when they did it was to Italy, not Switzerland, via train, not foot. We have a confession to make. We took the Sound of Music tour while in Salzburg. What can we say, we were Americans in Austria and there was no hiding it. We toured the different locations where many of the scenes were shot and we even joined in on the terribly off-key sing alongs. What the heck, it was fun. Austrians for the most part are not all that familiar with the movie and simply smiled and shook their heads as we merrily belted out "the hills are alive with the sound of music". It was silly, it was fun. You may enjoying singing this all day: "Do-Re-Mi." ...the first three notes just happen to be, Do-Re-Mi. Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So-La-Ti, oh let's see if I can make it easier. Doe, a deer, a female deer, Ray, a drop of golden sun. Me, a name I call myself, Far, a long, long way to run. Sew, a needle pulling thread, La, a note to follow So. Tea, a drink with jam and bread, that will bring us back to Do...