Our backyard this morning. Sad to think that Feb 14th, 2010 - the crocuses were 2" out of the ground! I think we have a long way to go before we see any signs of them this year! Didn't that darn groundhog NOT see his shadow?
Monday, February 28, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Second home study and a visit from the SPCA!
Today started off with a call from a local petstore. I had previously left 2 complaints with the store employee regarding the care of their turtles. Poor little lifeless turtles... heads hung on the ground, eyes closed and unresponsive to the touch. The turtles were kept in a frog terrarium... a little amount of water and no dry basking area and no heat lamp.
The owner and I had it out on the phone... his defense was that had been visited by the SPCA a year ago about his turtles (he assumed it was me that called them. - wrong.)and his turtles were found to be in great health and his store got great grades. So, we went toe to toe on almost every care issue, the water, the lights, the temperature, the frogs. (I have 2 Red eared sliders, and I am well educated on their habitat requirements.) We resolved it with his agreement to add a basking lamp and that he would read an email that I had previously made with information and informative links.
Shortly after this phone call, our Social worker showed up for our second visit. First question was how do you describe yourself? My answer - "Passionate".
Dan and I agree that we just love these visits. They are amazingly therapeutic! Questions asked of you that you would never think about. Questions that invoke thought and reflection... About yourself, your relationship with your spouse, your parenting skills etc. It's an incredible experience and unfortunate that not all parents can experience this. There are some things that we have realized could be improved or done differently... just by simply reflecting back on these questions!
20 minutes later, the door bell rings. A man introduces himself as a SPCA officer - as he flashes the badge on his belt. I'm thinking to myself... WOW... how does he know I have a bone to pick with someone!? LOL... Only to find out that someone made a report about a dog with an injured leg that has no shelter. I chuckled, invited him inside and introduced him to Mikha and Koda. Mikha is 10 years old and has bad arthritis in his rear leg. Arthritis that set in a leg that he had badly strained as a younger dog. He does limp after laying for too long or when the weather is colder. We juggle his pain meds... only giving it to him when we feel necessary as it harmful for his kidneys.
We live in a small town, and on the edge of town. We have a very large treed lot and a walking path right behind our property. Our neighbourhood and town are very dog friendly. Dogs are off leash... etc. Our dogs are permitted to hang outside "free". They don't run away... they mainly stay on our property, and our younger dog will accompany other dog walkers on the trail. In fact, many people come walking by to pick Koda up because he plays so well with their dog.
However, our dogs are indoor dogs. They are members of the family and they live with us. Dan and I can't help but chuckle about the silliness of it all. Yes... he can limp, but most dogs owner can tell it is arthritis in the hip.. it's quite obvious... and yes, we do let our dogs outside - but it doesn't mean we don't let them in! I try to think of what circumstances would have prompted this individual to make a report. Perhaps they walked by on a colder day, and both vehicles were not in the driveway and Mikha limped up to greet them? And so what... did they ring our door bell to see if someone was home, did they go into our backyard and look for a dog house, or a shed? We also shake our head at the fact that Mikha's long, thick coat makes him cold weather worthy for a much colder climate than here! Our average winter temp is 3 degrees above freezing! LOL... BUT... all chuckling aside, I am very happy that there are people out there that do care and do advocate for others and animals... We need to be the voice of the voiceless.
However, as the SPCA officer told my children.. "Those people should have done exactly what your Mom did with the owner of the turtles and spoke with her directly." All ended well... he was a very nice fellow, and said the situation was obvious when he walked up the driveway and met Mikha.
Hopefully, I will not have to resort to making a report. I really hope that my "voiced" concern will motivate the pet store owner to make some changes for those little turtles.
The owner and I had it out on the phone... his defense was that had been visited by the SPCA a year ago about his turtles (he assumed it was me that called them. - wrong.)and his turtles were found to be in great health and his store got great grades. So, we went toe to toe on almost every care issue, the water, the lights, the temperature, the frogs. (I have 2 Red eared sliders, and I am well educated on their habitat requirements.) We resolved it with his agreement to add a basking lamp and that he would read an email that I had previously made with information and informative links.
Shortly after this phone call, our Social worker showed up for our second visit. First question was how do you describe yourself? My answer - "Passionate".
Dan and I agree that we just love these visits. They are amazingly therapeutic! Questions asked of you that you would never think about. Questions that invoke thought and reflection... About yourself, your relationship with your spouse, your parenting skills etc. It's an incredible experience and unfortunate that not all parents can experience this. There are some things that we have realized could be improved or done differently... just by simply reflecting back on these questions!
20 minutes later, the door bell rings. A man introduces himself as a SPCA officer - as he flashes the badge on his belt. I'm thinking to myself... WOW... how does he know I have a bone to pick with someone!? LOL... Only to find out that someone made a report about a dog with an injured leg that has no shelter. I chuckled, invited him inside and introduced him to Mikha and Koda. Mikha is 10 years old and has bad arthritis in his rear leg. Arthritis that set in a leg that he had badly strained as a younger dog. He does limp after laying for too long or when the weather is colder. We juggle his pain meds... only giving it to him when we feel necessary as it harmful for his kidneys.
We live in a small town, and on the edge of town. We have a very large treed lot and a walking path right behind our property. Our neighbourhood and town are very dog friendly. Dogs are off leash... etc. Our dogs are permitted to hang outside "free". They don't run away... they mainly stay on our property, and our younger dog will accompany other dog walkers on the trail. In fact, many people come walking by to pick Koda up because he plays so well with their dog.
However, our dogs are indoor dogs. They are members of the family and they live with us. Dan and I can't help but chuckle about the silliness of it all. Yes... he can limp, but most dogs owner can tell it is arthritis in the hip.. it's quite obvious... and yes, we do let our dogs outside - but it doesn't mean we don't let them in! I try to think of what circumstances would have prompted this individual to make a report. Perhaps they walked by on a colder day, and both vehicles were not in the driveway and Mikha limped up to greet them? And so what... did they ring our door bell to see if someone was home, did they go into our backyard and look for a dog house, or a shed? We also shake our head at the fact that Mikha's long, thick coat makes him cold weather worthy for a much colder climate than here! Our average winter temp is 3 degrees above freezing! LOL... BUT... all chuckling aside, I am very happy that there are people out there that do care and do advocate for others and animals... We need to be the voice of the voiceless.
However, as the SPCA officer told my children.. "Those people should have done exactly what your Mom did with the owner of the turtles and spoke with her directly." All ended well... he was a very nice fellow, and said the situation was obvious when he walked up the driveway and met Mikha.
Hopefully, I will not have to resort to making a report. I really hope that my "voiced" concern will motivate the pet store owner to make some changes for those little turtles.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Why I Blog (*with tiny disclaimer*)
I wear my heart on my sleeve. I am confident. I have nothing to hide. I take ownership of my actions and who I am.
Blogging allows me to connect with other adoptive parents. Adoption is an incredibly difficult process and reading adoption blogs has already helped me along in this process. Adoption blogs provide information, and insight that you can't get anywhere else. They confirm that you are not alone in your thoughts, emotions and experience. Blogging is a portal for friends and family to support you and cheer you on through this process. It allows them to be a part of the journey that will bring their Granddaughter, niece, cousin, or little buddy home.
Blogging is a way for me to de-stress and get it off my chest, akin to journalling.
Blogging about adoption is to raise awareness... and help others find their way to their journey. On that note, once this adoption is complete, it is my goal to give back to Africa via missions, fundraising etc. I need readers to make it successful!
I appreciate all those who do follow along with me on this journey... I hope my blog can one day provide you an ounce of information and support that I have received from reading your blogs and those of others.
My promise to you is to keep it real and honest. I will also keep it public for as long as possible. There may be a time where I have to become very vague about the country or details about our child... but only for the safety of the child and the adoption process/travel in country. However, if you know me or shoot me off a message - you will likely get more details than you needed! Also, obviously... I am trying to keep agency info etc. under the radar, but have no problems disclosing that information as well if you send me a message.
Please... don't hesitate to leave your comments, I love to hear your thoughts and see where you all (y'all?) are from. ;)
Blessings,
Jolene
Blogging allows me to connect with other adoptive parents. Adoption is an incredibly difficult process and reading adoption blogs has already helped me along in this process. Adoption blogs provide information, and insight that you can't get anywhere else. They confirm that you are not alone in your thoughts, emotions and experience. Blogging is a portal for friends and family to support you and cheer you on through this process. It allows them to be a part of the journey that will bring their Granddaughter, niece, cousin, or little buddy home.
Blogging is a way for me to de-stress and get it off my chest, akin to journalling.
Blogging about adoption is to raise awareness... and help others find their way to their journey. On that note, once this adoption is complete, it is my goal to give back to Africa via missions, fundraising etc. I need readers to make it successful!
*Enter Disclaimer*
Although, I am quite aware that I am "putting it all out there" for the world to see - and quite content with that - , it does not grant anyone permission to tell us how to live our lives or offer unsolicited negatively toned advice or opinions. Welcomed here, with any thoughts and feedback, is fellow adopted parents, and supportive friends and family.
Read my blog for no other reason than because you like what I have to say or have an honest interest in our journey... *Exit Disclaimer*
I appreciate all those who do follow along with me on this journey... I hope my blog can one day provide you an ounce of information and support that I have received from reading your blogs and those of others.
My promise to you is to keep it real and honest. I will also keep it public for as long as possible. There may be a time where I have to become very vague about the country or details about our child... but only for the safety of the child and the adoption process/travel in country. However, if you know me or shoot me off a message - you will likely get more details than you needed! Also, obviously... I am trying to keep agency info etc. under the radar, but have no problems disclosing that information as well if you send me a message.
Please... don't hesitate to leave your comments, I love to hear your thoughts and see where you all (y'all?) are from. ;)
Blessings,
Jolene
Monday, February 21, 2011
This Mom is going Green(er)!
Why? Because I spend waaay too much money on purchasing organic products when they can be easily made at home. Green is healthier for you, the environment and your pocket book!
If you are not an organic consumer - you may find some of these listed in your household product ingredients.
MIT (methylisothiazolinone)
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
DEA (diethanolamine)
Iodopropynyl butylcarbamate
Propylene Glycol
Tocopheryl Acetate
Parabens
Aluminum
These are just some of the harmful chemicals that you will find in your shampoo and other beauty products.
With your skin being the largest organ - it is only soaking these nasties right up! These chemicals are known to cause cancer, birth defects, Alzheimers, rashes, dandruff, infections, blisters, hives, reduce fertility and cause hormone inbalances - just to name a few. ;)
So, feel free to join me in the upcoming weeks as we make all natural, organic household products such as shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, lotion, deodorant and cleaners. It will not only be easy (and most ingredients you will already have!)... but fun too! (And I guarantee you they will work!)
Stay tuned...
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Home study visit #1
We had our first visit yesterday with the social worker. She tells me that our agency requires 5-6 visits! Isn't that unusual? I thought 3 was the norm. I guess that's why their homestudy is $500 more than other agencies?!
Anyway, we are lucky that she just happens to be on vacation... so we can squeeze these in sooner than later. She is a very nice, lovely woman. We really enjoyed our time with her... We went through 4 pages of questions that basically give her a sense of who we are and why we are the way we are. (Nuttier than squirrel poo! lol ;)
We are looking forward to the next few visits... the sooner the better.
Anyway, we are lucky that she just happens to be on vacation... so we can squeeze these in sooner than later. She is a very nice, lovely woman. We really enjoyed our time with her... We went through 4 pages of questions that basically give her a sense of who we are and why we are the way we are. (Nuttier than squirrel poo! lol ;)
We are looking forward to the next few visits... the sooner the better.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
War on the pantry moth!
I have been battling these darn things for years! It all started with a batch of hemp seeds. All I wanted was a little nutritious salad topper, and I ended up with a pantry infestation.
Since that time, I only store food in airtight containers and I do weekly pantry scrubs. If you don't properly store your food, they will find a way in. I have had to throw out 3 brand new bags of rice because they have gotten in when they have not even been opened!
I have learned that they love nuts and seeds the best, and are not fond of spices or tea. I have also learned that if you can get rid of the food source, they simply cannot survive. However, they. are. clever! Just when I thought I got rid of them, they turned up in my daughters room. Food source - an old bag of hamster treats that she had stored in her bedside drawer. So we did a culling and a cleaning. They disappeared again... only to come back. Where? In my office that is in the basement! Food source - a couple almonds left in a bag that got pushed behind a stack of envelopes. Culled and cleaned. They came back a couple more times at no ones fault other than my own... bird seed that I thought would be okay because it had a ziploc closure. After properly storing the bird seed, I also took a tip from my neighbor and applied stickers to all the holes in my pantry walls. (You know the holes for moving the shelves... apparently they get in behind these holes and that's why you can't get rid of them!) So today, I saw a little bugger flying around my office. I swatted him and then started another thorough cleaning. Food source: A Reeses peanut butter wrapper.
I guarantee you... I hardly left a crumb of that one little peanut butter cup behind! But yet... they have somehow found enough to feed off. Once you find a moth... you need to locate his larva friends. But, remember - they are clever! This is what I found:(Iphone quality - sorry) Can you see them?
How about a close up?
So, I open the sucker up (which has never been opened before!)... and find this hidden inside:
I told you they were clever right?! They have been winning this war for 2 years now. I would love it if anyone had any advice... or ideas... Is there anything I can do that I haven't already haven't done!? I have also found larva cocooned (as in the photos) in my folded fleece sheets that are in the linen closet. Not near any food source. They were much smaller than normal. I don't know if they got desperate and took to eating fleece? I hope they aren't evolving, the damn things!
**Side adoption note - First home study is TODAY! Yippee!
Since that time, I only store food in airtight containers and I do weekly pantry scrubs. If you don't properly store your food, they will find a way in. I have had to throw out 3 brand new bags of rice because they have gotten in when they have not even been opened!
I have learned that they love nuts and seeds the best, and are not fond of spices or tea. I have also learned that if you can get rid of the food source, they simply cannot survive. However, they. are. clever! Just when I thought I got rid of them, they turned up in my daughters room. Food source - an old bag of hamster treats that she had stored in her bedside drawer. So we did a culling and a cleaning. They disappeared again... only to come back. Where? In my office that is in the basement! Food source - a couple almonds left in a bag that got pushed behind a stack of envelopes. Culled and cleaned. They came back a couple more times at no ones fault other than my own... bird seed that I thought would be okay because it had a ziploc closure. After properly storing the bird seed, I also took a tip from my neighbor and applied stickers to all the holes in my pantry walls. (You know the holes for moving the shelves... apparently they get in behind these holes and that's why you can't get rid of them!) So today, I saw a little bugger flying around my office. I swatted him and then started another thorough cleaning. Food source: A Reeses peanut butter wrapper.
**Side adoption note - First home study is TODAY! Yippee!
Friday, February 18, 2011
The Price of Convenience
2 years ago, I traded this:
for this:
I recently stumbled over a fantastic article that can explain (much better than I can!) why I got rid of my microwave. You can read it HERE.
"Research has shown microwave ovens to incur serious damage to food during the heating process – from tearing molecules in food apart, causing some nutrients to become inert, to altering the composition to make a healthy substance carcinogenic. There are also issues with plastic containers leeching into the food and exposure to radiation coming from the microwave during the cooking process."
While I had stopped using microwave containers and plastic wrap long ago, the fact that the nutrients were being "zapped" out of the food I was feeding my children - forced me to make the change. (I cringe when I see Mothers warming baby's milk in the microwave...!!)
In exchange for the microwave, we purchased a small Bravetti convection oven. I was concerned about the amount of energy used to heat an entire oven to warm up one piece of pizza. This little oven is fantastic! It can heat up a piece of pizza in minutes, and double as a second oven for Christmas time etc. I cook asparagus in it all the time and use it to brown all my nuts and seeds and salads etc. I can honestly say that I don't miss the microwave. I still sometimes eat convenience food such as frozen lunches (Eek I know - but they are the healthy kind! lol)... in which case I will empty it into a saucepan, or simply heat it up in the convection oven. It does take longer than the microwave - but at least I'm not eating nutrient devoid food anymore! I challenge you to make the switch!
for this:
I recently stumbled over a fantastic article that can explain (much better than I can!) why I got rid of my microwave. You can read it HERE.
"Research has shown microwave ovens to incur serious damage to food during the heating process – from tearing molecules in food apart, causing some nutrients to become inert, to altering the composition to make a healthy substance carcinogenic. There are also issues with plastic containers leeching into the food and exposure to radiation coming from the microwave during the cooking process."
While I had stopped using microwave containers and plastic wrap long ago, the fact that the nutrients were being "zapped" out of the food I was feeding my children - forced me to make the change. (I cringe when I see Mothers warming baby's milk in the microwave...!!)
In exchange for the microwave, we purchased a small Bravetti convection oven. I was concerned about the amount of energy used to heat an entire oven to warm up one piece of pizza. This little oven is fantastic! It can heat up a piece of pizza in minutes, and double as a second oven for Christmas time etc. I cook asparagus in it all the time and use it to brown all my nuts and seeds and salads etc. I can honestly say that I don't miss the microwave. I still sometimes eat convenience food such as frozen lunches (Eek I know - but they are the healthy kind! lol)... in which case I will empty it into a saucepan, or simply heat it up in the convection oven. It does take longer than the microwave - but at least I'm not eating nutrient devoid food anymore! I challenge you to make the switch!
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