Monday, October 26, 2009
10 days
Only 10 days left until we leave for Ecuador. I know Sam is getting excited and so am I. We have been collecting money from our friends and family to purchase items for the orphanage. We will buy some stuff here and will wait until we are down there to purchase the rest. If the orphanage needs something that we can buy, we will do it when we are down there. I'm sure there is a lot they need. Thanks to everyone who has donated already.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Getting ready for Ecuador
Bruce and I adopted our son Sam in Ecuador in 1992. On November 5th, Sam and I are returning to Ecuador for a visit. My brother Michael and sister Janet are going to accompany us. Unfortunately Bruce isn't joining us due to health concerns. The city we will be staying in, Quito, is at a VERY high altitude (almost 10,000 feet) and since Bruce had trouble with his lungs last year he doesn't think it is a good idea to make the trip at this time. We will miss him A LOT! My plan is to update this blog every day, at least once. That way everyone can keep up with what we are doing. I plan to share lots of photos and knowing my brother and sister, i'm sure we will have lots of funny experiences and stories to share.
I want to thank everyone who has responded to our request for donations for the orphanage. My brother Michael has been amazing with getting his friends and co-workers to donate. If you haven't responded and want to donate, it is not too late!!!
If anyone has suggestions on things to do while we are there, let me know. I am planning our activities and would love some suggestions to add to my list.
Monday, June 15, 2009
The LAST week
I am counting down the days. Only 1 1/2 days of work left. YIPPEE!!!!!!
Tonight I made one of my favorite meals. We call it Eduardo Pasta. Here is the story:
Several years ago I was the president of the local chapter of Stars of David, a Jewish adoptive families support group. I received a phone call from a woman from an exchange student organization who told me that she had found my name on the Stars of David website and she was in a bind and was wondering if anyone in our group could help her out. She was in charge of placing foreign students with host families in the United States. She had a young man who was scheduled to arrive from Italy the next week. The family that was was supposed to stay with were having some problems and couldn't take him. He has requested a Jewish family and she thought that someone from our group could help. It sounded like it would be really interesting, so I spoke to Bruce and we decided to host the young man, Eduardo. He arrived on a Friday, and we traveled to north NJ to pick him up. He seemed like a nice boy, and we had heard from the coordinator that he came from a VERY wealthy family. I remember googling his family and found out they had $$$$$$. From the time we picked him up he was on the cell phone to his father in Italy. We arrived home and he stayed outside for a little while talking on the phone and then Bruce and him went to the golf driving range.
We gave him his own room, with a sofa bed, and had explained to the coordinator when she came for a home inspection that we could get a bed in he was uncomfortable. To make a long story short, 3 days later I got a call from the coordinator asking me what was going on. Eduardo had been on the phone with his father telling him he had to get out of this "village". He said that our "village" was dirty, that we made him sleep with the dog, that "the boy" didn't speak English, and he couldn't share a bathroom with "that boy". Needless to say, I was speechless. I told her that she needed to get him out of our home as soon as possible. It was such a nightmare. The only good thing that came out of it was that he taught me how to make this wonderful pasta dish. It is so easy too!
Tonight I made one of my favorite meals. We call it Eduardo Pasta. Here is the story:
Several years ago I was the president of the local chapter of Stars of David, a Jewish adoptive families support group. I received a phone call from a woman from an exchange student organization who told me that she had found my name on the Stars of David website and she was in a bind and was wondering if anyone in our group could help her out. She was in charge of placing foreign students with host families in the United States. She had a young man who was scheduled to arrive from Italy the next week. The family that was was supposed to stay with were having some problems and couldn't take him. He has requested a Jewish family and she thought that someone from our group could help. It sounded like it would be really interesting, so I spoke to Bruce and we decided to host the young man, Eduardo. He arrived on a Friday, and we traveled to north NJ to pick him up. He seemed like a nice boy, and we had heard from the coordinator that he came from a VERY wealthy family. I remember googling his family and found out they had $$$$$$. From the time we picked him up he was on the cell phone to his father in Italy. We arrived home and he stayed outside for a little while talking on the phone and then Bruce and him went to the golf driving range.
We gave him his own room, with a sofa bed, and had explained to the coordinator when she came for a home inspection that we could get a bed in he was uncomfortable. To make a long story short, 3 days later I got a call from the coordinator asking me what was going on. Eduardo had been on the phone with his father telling him he had to get out of this "village". He said that our "village" was dirty, that we made him sleep with the dog, that "the boy" didn't speak English, and he couldn't share a bathroom with "that boy". Needless to say, I was speechless. I told her that she needed to get him out of our home as soon as possible. It was such a nightmare. The only good thing that came out of it was that he taught me how to make this wonderful pasta dish. It is so easy too!
Friday, June 12, 2009
Where have I been?
My last post was April 22. I can't believe it's been that long! We've been busy with Sam's soccer and baseball games. Tomorrow is the last soccer game of the season. I hope I remember to take some photos to post here. He's had a great season, scoring goals and playing really hard. We're really proud of him!
I've been keeping up with the recipe scrapbook page swap at my local scrapbook store, Scrappers Cove. Here are 2 of the pages that i've done. One was a Valentine's Day theme and the other was Summer Favorites.
I would love to get a another group together to do a swap like this. If you are interested, let me know and we can make arrangements.
On Wednesday at 12:00 I will leave work and won't return until September 1. I am looking forward to relaxing and getting some of my house projects. The first thing I'm going to do is paint the livingroom/diningroom
I've been keeping up with the recipe scrapbook page swap at my local scrapbook store, Scrappers Cove. Here are 2 of the pages that i've done. One was a Valentine's Day theme and the other was Summer Favorites.
I would love to get a another group together to do a swap like this. If you are interested, let me know and we can make arrangements.
On Wednesday at 12:00 I will leave work and won't return until September 1. I am looking forward to relaxing and getting some of my house projects. The first thing I'm going to do is paint the livingroom/diningroom
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Bye Bye Saturn
After 16+ years I am getting rid of my 1993 Saturn. I know it's time for it to go, but I really love that car. Since it failed inspection for an exhaust leak. I realized that it was time to let it go to Saturn Heaven. There was no justification to invest any money in that car, even though it only has around 90,000 miles on it. I say around 90,000 because the odometer stopped working and it says 84 thousand something. We hardly put any mileage on it because Bruce and I commute togeter most of the time. So last night we bought a new car (well new to us). Its a 2008 Chevy Cobalt with only 17,000 miles on it and still has all the warranties too. Sam is so excited that he no longer has to drive the "piece of shit car". He said the best thing is that the new car has a jack so he can play his Ipod through the car speakers.
Earth Day
I figured it was time to post an update. It's a beautiful day, and it's Earth Day!
We are big Ironmen fans, thanks to my brother Michael. We love going to the games. We took the Mias to the last game of the season. Ann is a BIG Evan McNeeley fan and I tool lots of photos for her. I took a whole bunch when he was in the penalty box or as I once explained it to Alyssa Horana, he was in time out! I liked this one the best.
Our Passover Seder was very nice. The in-laws and the Mias joined us. I love cooking for family and friends. I really should do it more often. I love setting the table with my good china, sterling and crystal.
Bruce has not been feeling that great. The cellulitis in his leg keep coming back.(4times in 6 weeks) We've been to the ER a few times and he is now working with an Infection Disease specialist. Hopefully he is on the right track now and will get it resolved once and for all!
I'm counting down the days until I am off for the summer. I am going to look for some part time work (if you know of anything available, let me know).
We are big Ironmen fans, thanks to my brother Michael. We love going to the games. We took the Mias to the last game of the season. Ann is a BIG Evan McNeeley fan and I tool lots of photos for her. I took a whole bunch when he was in the penalty box or as I once explained it to Alyssa Horana, he was in time out! I liked this one the best.
Our Passover Seder was very nice. The in-laws and the Mias joined us. I love cooking for family and friends. I really should do it more often. I love setting the table with my good china, sterling and crystal.
Bruce has not been feeling that great. The cellulitis in his leg keep coming back.(4times in 6 weeks) We've been to the ER a few times and he is now working with an Infection Disease specialist. Hopefully he is on the right track now and will get it resolved once and for all!
I'm counting down the days until I am off for the summer. I am going to look for some part time work (if you know of anything available, let me know).
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Finally Spring
I really think Spring has arrived. There are buds on the trees and I am excited to see some buds on my hydrangea bushes in the front of the house. They looked so nice last year. I bought the 2 bushes at the same time, but for some reason one of them didn't want to grow. Its been about 3 years and the little one, which I call the baby, is finally starting to grow.
There are a few days, during the start of Spring, when you look into a wooded area and see a slight green haze. That is one of my favorite things to see. I think next year I am going to try to get some photos but for some reason I don't think that I will be able to capture it.
I participate in a recipe swap at a local scrapbook store, Scrappers Cove. Every month is a different theme. We make 6x6 scrapbook pages with the recipe on it and when we meet we bring the finished dish as well as the copies of the recipe pages for everyone. We have a lot of fun seeing the great ideas people come up with. We meet on the first Friday of the month. This month we used Spring as the theme and made dishes that were light (not diet type light). I made my White Chocolate Easter Cake and it was a hit. Here's a pic of my swap.
There are a few days, during the start of Spring, when you look into a wooded area and see a slight green haze. That is one of my favorite things to see. I think next year I am going to try to get some photos but for some reason I don't think that I will be able to capture it.
I participate in a recipe swap at a local scrapbook store, Scrappers Cove. Every month is a different theme. We make 6x6 scrapbook pages with the recipe on it and when we meet we bring the finished dish as well as the copies of the recipe pages for everyone. We have a lot of fun seeing the great ideas people come up with. We meet on the first Friday of the month. This month we used Spring as the theme and made dishes that were light (not diet type light). I made my White Chocolate Easter Cake and it was a hit. Here's a pic of my swap.
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