Thanksgiving Adoption and Orphan Care Fundraiser

::UPDATE:: I've decided ALL donations are going to Orphans At Play. Seeing the kiddos left behind...it's heartbreaking. The Grandma Mentoring Program is so, so needed::

So, I've mentioned it before...but! It's finally here! A fundraiser for orphan care! And just in time for a little holiday shopping!

I started this to help out with our unexpected third trip with our adoption. You can read more about that HERE.

It was difficult, yet, we've been able to move forward and complete the adoption of a precious child who desperately needed a home. You can meet Sunshine over HERE.

Meanwhile, I began to get a fundraiser together. As I was doing so, something just kept delaying it.

I think I know why.

I want this to be so much more than just about our adoption. And, through this last trip we've taken, I met some fabulous mamas and learned about an organization that helps orphans. It's called Orphans At Play.

Amazing.

They have something called the Grandma Mentoring Program.

Here is a little more about this great organization and the program:

Children thrive with simple contact in promoting emotional growth and physical development by giving a baby home a grandma. The few orphanage employees cannot keep up with the growing number of children in these homes. This is where Orphans at Play have partnered with the vladmission.org in the Primorsky Krai region to provide the Grandma Mentoring Program giving children a chance to “play”.


In early 2011, several adoptive parents came together and shared their experiences of adopting children from the Vladivostok region in Russia. Although their children were born in a variety of cities and lived in many different orphanages, there is one common theme among their conversations: the children had limited stimulation before coming into their families. Many children without early attachment and bonding may experience reactive attachment disorder, sensory integration concerns and hyperactivity just to name a few. Through research Orphans at Play has the opportunity to bring the latest in current development and create solutions to support the children in the baby hospitals, orphanages and those in transition to their new families.


Orphans at Play is celebrating the holiday season by giving the Gift of a Grandma. Please join us in helping fundraise during this special time of the year to help children in need.

Our goal is to raise $5000 dollars this year so we can place four grandmas in 2012. We need your help through donations and holiday shopping in the online store. All proceeds go directly to our grandma mentoring program

Will you please consider helping out with a donation? Will you help spread the word?


Here's the scoop: There are three groups of items to win! They are numbered #1, #2 and #3.

To enter, give a donation of any amount by clicking the "chip in" button located on the side bar (top left). Suggested donation is $5 per entry and for each $5 you will receive one entry into the giveaway. When you use the chip in button, please put which group number you are wanting to put your entry towards (ie please put my donation towards #2). Of course, if you are not able to give at this time, but would still like to enter the giveaway, just leave a comment on this post. :)

For a BONUS entry! Just facebook or tweet about the giveaway, linking back to this post and then just come back here and leave a comment that you did so! You will automatically receive an additional entry!

That's it! Easy peasy!

Giveaway will go for 1 week and winners will be drawn December 2nd ::Update: Extended through December 10!::

So, without further ado....here are the lovely items to be won!

Group #1

3 pretty flower pins, donated by Edan. 

Custom Little Bird Creations Vintage Definition Pendant: You choose the word!

Design Your Own LBC Owl Coffee Cuff! You choose the colors.

 Group #2 

Beautiful "From Russia With Love" necklace donated by the fabulous Tracy at JunkPosse

2 large pretty flower pins donated by Edan. Great with scarfs!

Pretty Bloom statement necklace & 2 pretty bloom pins by Heather

Group #3

Fabulous trio of button earrings donated by Lindsay. You pick!

2 Statement necklaces & 4 Pretty flower headbands donated by Heather


Thank you and many blessings to you and yours this holiday season!

*No donation necessary to participate

Is It Dusty Around Here?!?

Wow...poor little blog of mine. It's been terribly neglected.

But! It's because I've been blogging a bit more over HERE on our adoption blog!

And guess what else?! This little blog will be hosting a giveaway/fundraiser fairly soon. Just getting some kinks worked out. However, I'm excited to get it going and introduce you to an amazing new non-profit I've recently learned about. Half of the fundraiser will be going to this organization that loves on orphans. I hope you will join me next week in raising funds to help complete our adoption, as well as support orphan care!

Until then, hope you've all been having a lovely November!

Blessings!
-Jaime

Business of Oreos

We like Oreos in my family. No. We LOVE them.

However, we don't often buy them. They are a super special treat. Perhaps twice a year at most do they show up in our pantry.

But, the one time for sure they will be there? In the Fall when the typically white cream center turns to orange. Oh yes, the halloween Oreos. Mmm.

Now, I don't much care for (gasp) halloween itself. Always loved the dress up part, but never the scary part. I was the kiddo that would rather stay home and snuggle up and watch "It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown". But, I can guarantee you I will eat some halloween Oreos!

We were enjoying some the other evening for dessert (I know, it's only September) and the question arose as to what kind of Oreo eater each one of us is.

These are the catagories we discovered:

The dipper : just lets a little of the cookie be dipped in the milk

The dunker: just dunks it and eats it (my son)

The drowner: dunks it in and lets it get all soaked up. Then eats it.

The 'no way I'm putting my cookie near milk': just likes to eat the cookie and chase it down with some milk. (my husband)

I am sure there are other types of ways to Oreos, but I have discovered I am a drowner. Doesn't that sound horrible?! Yeah, I think so too. But, it's true (gasp!) I let my cookie just drown in the milk. Yuppers.

Funny story, growing up if my aunt caught me doing that she'd scold me. I thought it was totally normal. She thought it was terrible to let your fingers get near the milk. Whatevs...I was a kid and didn't much care. She told me my grandfather (otherwise known as Papa) taught her how to eat them that way. Try as I might to please, I just couldn't do it. I'm a cookie drowner.

Yup.

So, what kinda cookie eater are you? Do you even like Oreos?!

Seven

The other day I was meandering around a fabric store. I had been feeling a little sad...no, a lot sad. I wasn't sure why I was feeling so blue and then it hit me...

It had been seven months. Seven months since the very day my precious Gramms had passed away. Oh...seven months how could it possibly be?!

I miss her so, so, so much. I was in the middle of the store. A store we'd been in together countless times. I was looking at a book I thought she would have liked. I wanted to turn to her and show it to her, but she wasn't there. It was in that instant I snapped out of it and was almost a mess of tears.

I felt sad, mournful and a bit silly. Like I had almost forgotten she was gone. That she was not standing there with me.

So very sad. I quickly had to flee the store the tears were coming so fast.

I was a mess of tears. Tears flowing down that I could not stop. Oh how I miss her.

I talked to my sister the next day to find out she had been feeling the same way and didn't realize it either. Funny how that is, isn't it? Those moments of sadness well up inside us, but we don't always know why. Until we are reminded of that sadness....that day it happened. The day my precious Gramms went to heaven.

I want to think this sadness will one day fade away, but I don't think it ever will. I will never stop missing her.

It's hard to believe life keeps going on as it does and I do not get to share it with her. But, I know she is happy and free where she is....blissfully happy and with Jesus. And that? That gives me peace.

I love you Gramms...your generous heart and happy, sunshine filled smile will forever be with me.

Tangled Mess

Over the weekend I decided to tackle some unruly twine....

It went from this:

With some of these:

and voila! Turned into these!

Much less tangled and more functional. :)

Closet Thinking

It's been in my mind for a while...changing things up. Perhaps converting a closet?

I have a dedicated sewing/craft room. The thought of giving it up and giving it to my kids...well, some might think I've lost my mind! But, more often than not, my kiddo (and kiddo to be most likely will too) come in and sit and craft along while I am working. Or chat or talk or color/build/design....and the like. Right along side me and I love it.

However, I have a whole room. I love it. It's mine....my special space that I can dream and design and sew and create in.

But, changes are coming. And I've been thinking about this for a while. Thinking about converting the closet in said sewing/craft studio into the craft/sewing studio itself. Doing so would make more 'hang out' space for kids. Also? It could double as a play room/craft space of their own. I also like the idea that I could shut the doors of my sewing/craft studio, lock it and enjoy the rest of the space hangin' out with my kids! :)

I checked around internet world (mainly pinterest) and stumbled upon some very creative and lovely spaces.

Source: ana-white.com via Jaime on Pinterest

love the colors in this one. Not sure how best used the space is though.

Source: bhg.com via Jaime on Pinterest

this one is nice too...

Source: craftaholicsanonymous.net via Jaime on Pinterest

very creative and good use of all the space!

Source: bhg.com via Jaime on Pinterest

Okay...this is really fun. Too bad I don't have an armoire I could do this with.

Source: sevenpretty.com via Jaime on Pinterest

Loving this one and the great use of space!

Source: theinspiredroom.net via Jaime on Pinterest

I'm thinking this one has to be my fave with the colors. Maybe a little more storage like the one above it though and it might just be the one! ;)

I know I have a lot (LOT) of purging and reorganizing to do to make this happen. That is, IF I decide to take the plunge. I know my kid(s) would love it. I'm thinking I would too.

It's gonna take some time....I'll let ya know if I go for it and pics along the way of the transformation.

Do you have a dedicated craft space? If not, does your dream room (or closet) look like?

InstaFriday

It's InstaFriday! Time to share some fun and randomness of my past week...

Outside at a local Austin place. It was 8:30 at night, record high temps that day and misters still needed...HOT I tell ya.

On Sunday, after church we grabbed some Hey Cupcake! cupcakes. It's a super rare treat, but we were in the area, so....we got some. Mmm.

From my son's "I wonder journal" from school. Oh my heart. I love this kid. 

Apparently we had a chance of rain this week. Uh....yeah. No clouds, no rain, still icky hot.

Colors! I picked up some fun fabrics this week. Love them.

And ahh....pretty lantana. I think that's what this plant is called anyway. Regardless, I LOVE it. :)