Tonight I had a "Mom's Night Out" with a friend from church. Our whole play group was invited, but it ended up being just the two of us. We went to a Japanese steakhouse where I had my first experience with a hibachi. It was yummy! Then we mosied around a couple of stores and chatted well into the evening. My hubby deserves a special thanks for allowing me to go, as we have the flu bug going around our house right now, it seems, and Benjamin waited until Mommy left to get sick again...I'll spare you the details!
I have been really blessed by some great friends in our new town. Most of them have come through church, but some have not. They are helping me plan a big adoption benefit garage sale in April...stay tuned for more details on that...and are so excited to see our adoption come to fruition. I'm very grateful for the support they, and so many other friends from all over, are giving us on this journey.
Tomorrow Jonathan has a basketball game. He has been playing for three years now, and this year is doing very well. Both he and Sabastian brought home decent report cards today, for which we are also thankful. They continue to work hard and do their best (most of the time!) and we are really proud of them.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Friday, January 23, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
A Favorite Etsy Shop
On of my favorite Etsy shops is Vintage Hot Cakes. Dawn, the owner, makes various items out of vintage tea towels, among other things. She loves to do commissioned work, and I have gone to her several times with tea towels commemorating anniversaries and birthdays for my family and friends. She has made beautiful pillows and tote bags for me and the recipients have been really tickled when they see the year on the towel.
This year, my husband and I celebrated 13 years of marriage. We really didn't do anything special to commemorate the event, so I told him that I wanted a pillow made for us with our anniversary year. I went on an internet hunt for the perfect 1995 towel, and found it via Ebay in England, of all places. I had Dawn preview it before I bought it to make sure she thought it was doable, and then I waited for it to arrive from across the ocean. I sent it to Dawn who sent pictures back to me for approval with several fabric options. The finished product can be seen below...the photos don't do it justice...and once again I am just so impressed with the quality of the workmanship and presentation. Since the towel's design was a bit different, she cut out our anniversary month and put it on the back, as seen in the second photo, and made an oven mitt (not pictured) out of the rest of the months, just for fun! So, if you are looking for something unique and different to commemorate a special event, check out Vintage Hot Cakes on Etsy! You won't be disappointed!
(Note: I am not getting anything for promoting Dawn and her store...she doesn't even know I'm doing it...I just love her work!)
Benjamin in a Box
I love that my son Benjamin has such an imagination. He amazes us every day with his creativity and insight into his little world, both real and not-so-real. I had a package arrive on Saturday that came in this box. He took it and had a blast with his "flying box" and "story box" (a la "Pinky Dinky Doo" on Noggin) and "magic box". Sabastian helped him label his box with various titles, and got in on the fun as well. At one point Benjamin was determined to take his box outside so he could fly...he got very upset when I said he couldn't because it was too cold and snowy! Oh to be that carefree again!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
A New 'Do and New Posts
Late last week we took the little boys to get haircuts. Here is Nathaniel's result...
No more baby here! My little boy is growing up! In this picture you can see one of his favorite places...the kitchen cupboard! He gets into EVERYTHING!
On another note, check out our newest blog, Sophia's Blessing Quilt, for some new posts. Our first blessings are rolling in! Feel free to join the fun! Have a great week!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Christmas Photos #2 - For Rubins and Garcias in Chile
My sisters and their families are both currently living in Chile, South America. They sent gifts back to the States with my parents, after their recent visit to Chile. We enjoyed opening the gifts which were mostly handmade items by artisans at a neat little place called Pueblito Los Dominicos, an artisan village of sorts...one of my favorite places in the whole, wide world! Of course we wish we could have seen my sisters and their growing families in person! We love you and miss you!
This little hat says "Chile" on the front...it's the best photo we could muster, as Nathaniel kept tearing it off his head!
Benjamin loves his wooden alligator!
Jonathan is modeling his lapislazuli while Benjamin shows off his new Spanish children's CD.
And here's Sabastian with his necklace, hidden by Nathaniel and his CD!
And finally a photo of the photographer...I LOVE my new bracelet!
This little hat says "Chile" on the front...it's the best photo we could muster, as Nathaniel kept tearing it off his head!
Benjamin loves his wooden alligator!
Jonathan is modeling his lapislazuli while Benjamin shows off his new Spanish children's CD.
And here's Sabastian with his necklace, hidden by Nathaniel and his CD!
And finally a photo of the photographer...I LOVE my new bracelet!Thanks Rubins and Garcias...we love you and miss you!
Christmas Photos #1 - For Grandmom and Grandpop Fisher
I'm finally catching up on some long overdue posts regarding Christmas. This post is for Grandmom and Grandpop Fisher in Ohio...thanks for all of the goodies you sent us for Christmas. We missed seeing you, but hopefully we can connect soon! We love you!
Standing family joke...someone always gets rice for Christmas!
Grandmom made each of the boys their own special pillowcase...Bob the Builder for Nathaniel...
...and tigers for the Cincinnati Bengals fan!
Grandmom also made each of us a handmade ornament and the boys received savings bonds.
Here's Benjamin with his ornament and pillowcase!
Standing family joke...someone always gets rice for Christmas!
Grandmom made each of the boys their own special pillowcase...Bob the Builder for Nathaniel...
...and tigers for the Cincinnati Bengals fan!
Grandmom also made each of us a handmade ornament and the boys received savings bonds.
Here's Benjamin with his ornament and pillowcase!Merry Christmas!
Friday, January 2, 2009
I'm a Genius!
Lest you think I'm tooting my own horn, the following words were uttered by my 3 1/2 year old son in the car this evening, "Mom, you were a genius!" What prompted such an utterance? Apparently the fact that I told my husband to turn left at the light which led us on the road that passed the mall...but who cares? My son thinks I'm a genius! Now if I could only keep him persuaded of that fact when he turns 14!
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Sophia's Blessing Quilt...An Open Invitation
January 1, 2009
Dear Family and Friends,
While we are waiting for the arrival of our daughter, Sophia Elizabeth, from Taiwan, we are working on a project that we REALLY need your help with. We are creating something called a "100 Blessings Quilt."
To welcome and celebrate a new life, there is a tradition in the northern part of China to make a Bai Jia Bei, or "100 Good Wishes Quilt." It is a custom to invite 100 people to contribute a single square patch of cloth. The 100 patches are sewn together into a quilt that contains the luck, energy, and good wishes from all the families and friends who contributed a piece of fabric. The quilt is then passed down from generation to generation. Believing that God has called us to adopt from Taiwan, we are calling our quilt a “100 Blessings Quilt”. God, not luck, will guide Sophia’s life, so blessings are more appropriate!
We are asking you to please participate in this project. We love the idea of welcoming Sophia into our home with a quilt that represents the good wishes and blessings you are all sending her way. Here is what we would like you to do:
1. Choose ANY 100% cotton fabric that you like. It can be from clothing or from a fabric store. It just needs to be a design and color that you like.
2. Cut ONE 7" (pre-washed) or one 8" (un-washed) square from the fabric. Tip... if you have no idea how to work with fabric, ask for assistance at a fabric store and show them this letter. They will probably cut it for you.
3. Include your "good wish/blessing note" for Sophia. We will place all your notes in a scrapbook that we will give to our daughter someday. Also, please include a small piece of fabric on the note so we can always remember which fabric was yours!
Ideas for selecting fabric squares:
*Select a fabric that is meaningful to you.
*100% cotton fabric is best, as it washes and wears better.
*If there are several members in your family, please feel free to send more than 1 set of scraps. It would be so special to include good wishes/blessings from all members of your family!! In China, these quilts were originally made from garments of family and friends, which would surround the child with luck/good wishes.
Ideas for good wish/blessing note:
What would you wish for a child to have in his/her life? Some ideas that come to mind are good health, perseverance, compassion, and sense of humor. Or, what blessing do you wish to give to Sophia? Perhaps a favorite Bible verse you find meaningful, or other inspirational quote. Use that as a guide for your good wish/blessing note. Keep in mind that she will not see your note until she is older, of course. Also, you could write down why you chose the fabric that you sent, if that is especially meaningful, as well. Remember, please include a small piece of fabric on the note.
Please take a few minutes from your busy schedules to help us create this very special keepsake for our daughter. We have created a blog entitled, “Sophia’s Blessing Quilt” (http://www.blessingquilt.blogspot.com/) that will have photos of the fabric swatches as they arrive, as well as the notes. You will be able to keep tabs with us as our “blessings” pour in! There is a link to the quilt blog from both our family blog (http://www.merrilymusingmom.blogspot.com/)and our adoption blog (http://www.oursilkroad.blogspot.com/). Feel free to pass along this information to others whom you feel might want to participate with us!
Thank you for investing in our family, and especially in our new daughter’s soon arrival from Taiwan. May God bless you richly!
Sincerely,
Dave and Terri Fisher
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you would like to participate in this project, please leave a comment on this post that includes your e-mail address, and we will send you an e-mail with our physical address. I moderate my comments, so I will not include your e-mail address when/if I publish your comment. We can't wait to see what fun fabrics arrive from our blogging friends!
Dear Family and Friends,
While we are waiting for the arrival of our daughter, Sophia Elizabeth, from Taiwan, we are working on a project that we REALLY need your help with. We are creating something called a "100 Blessings Quilt."
To welcome and celebrate a new life, there is a tradition in the northern part of China to make a Bai Jia Bei, or "100 Good Wishes Quilt." It is a custom to invite 100 people to contribute a single square patch of cloth. The 100 patches are sewn together into a quilt that contains the luck, energy, and good wishes from all the families and friends who contributed a piece of fabric. The quilt is then passed down from generation to generation. Believing that God has called us to adopt from Taiwan, we are calling our quilt a “100 Blessings Quilt”. God, not luck, will guide Sophia’s life, so blessings are more appropriate!
We are asking you to please participate in this project. We love the idea of welcoming Sophia into our home with a quilt that represents the good wishes and blessings you are all sending her way. Here is what we would like you to do:
1. Choose ANY 100% cotton fabric that you like. It can be from clothing or from a fabric store. It just needs to be a design and color that you like.
2. Cut ONE 7" (pre-washed) or one 8" (un-washed) square from the fabric. Tip... if you have no idea how to work with fabric, ask for assistance at a fabric store and show them this letter. They will probably cut it for you.
3. Include your "good wish/blessing note" for Sophia. We will place all your notes in a scrapbook that we will give to our daughter someday. Also, please include a small piece of fabric on the note so we can always remember which fabric was yours!
Ideas for selecting fabric squares:
*Select a fabric that is meaningful to you.
*100% cotton fabric is best, as it washes and wears better.
*If there are several members in your family, please feel free to send more than 1 set of scraps. It would be so special to include good wishes/blessings from all members of your family!! In China, these quilts were originally made from garments of family and friends, which would surround the child with luck/good wishes.
Ideas for good wish/blessing note:
What would you wish for a child to have in his/her life? Some ideas that come to mind are good health, perseverance, compassion, and sense of humor. Or, what blessing do you wish to give to Sophia? Perhaps a favorite Bible verse you find meaningful, or other inspirational quote. Use that as a guide for your good wish/blessing note. Keep in mind that she will not see your note until she is older, of course. Also, you could write down why you chose the fabric that you sent, if that is especially meaningful, as well. Remember, please include a small piece of fabric on the note.
Please take a few minutes from your busy schedules to help us create this very special keepsake for our daughter. We have created a blog entitled, “Sophia’s Blessing Quilt” (http://www.blessingquilt.blogspot.com/) that will have photos of the fabric swatches as they arrive, as well as the notes. You will be able to keep tabs with us as our “blessings” pour in! There is a link to the quilt blog from both our family blog (http://www.merrilymusingmom.blogspot.com/)and our adoption blog (http://www.oursilkroad.blogspot.com/). Feel free to pass along this information to others whom you feel might want to participate with us!
Thank you for investing in our family, and especially in our new daughter’s soon arrival from Taiwan. May God bless you richly!
Sincerely,
Dave and Terri Fisher
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you would like to participate in this project, please leave a comment on this post that includes your e-mail address, and we will send you an e-mail with our physical address. I moderate my comments, so I will not include your e-mail address when/if I publish your comment. We can't wait to see what fun fabrics arrive from our blogging friends!
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