Alright, Okay stop your laughing

Now I know most of you never rented Toy St*ry 5 that never made it past the video store. Most people haven't. Jessie the cowgirl lost interest in Woody. Woody became depressed after Andy grew up and became friends with Sid the sadistic next door neighbor. Andy started blowing up his toys and even went as far as to put Slinky's head onto Rex's body. Rex became a trans-animal who eventually became homeless. Jessie was disgusted with Andy and how pathetic Woody had been begging Andy to still be his friend. Woody finally eloped with Bo-Peep who had by this time lost all of her sheep.

Jessie set out on her own and met Mr. Potato Head. She loved his smile, his sense of humor and his humility. After 6 months of dating they married and have been happy ever since. Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head are now content to live their lives, but Mr. Potato Head has a bit of OCD and doesn't like to leave the house much. Jessie convinced him to come to the church Halloween Party and had herself a GREAT laugh indeed.

The End.

Mrs. Jessie Potato Head

Mr. Potato Head

"Late Nights" are Great Nights

So there are moms around our neighborhood who don't really want their kids to have sleep overs. I'm okay with that, they have their reasons and it really means less work for me as well. Instead of having sleep overs we have "Late Nights." A Late Night is when the friend comes over and plays, does activities, eats dinner (obviously pizza), watches Movies and stays up late but then returns home to do the sleeping in her own bed.

Last Night Lyssie Lou had one such activity. Since its getting close to Halloween, and she'll be with her mom this year on Halloween, I made the Late Night a "Halloween Theme."

Here is the "Pumpkin Pizza"

The Girls working on carving their pumpkins.

Showing off their blue tongues from eating blue suckers while watching

"The C*rpse Br#de"

The finished projects with Ace protecting them.

Bad Luck Blues

When

will

this

Bad Luck end?

Scott and I were just walking around in our living room when all of a sudden we heard the crash of glass shattering. We wondered what it was and after looking around, Scott thought about our pool table light. Yes, indeedy our light (which cost more than our stove) had pulled out of the ceiling and shattered on the pool table.

I'm beginning to think that I inadvertently stepped on 5 black cats, walked under countless ladders, saw several broken mirrors and was without salt to throw over my shoulder.

Some Sunshine out there

Today I was feeling down, I felt like I didn't have the information to make a wise decision in this adoption pursuit. I wondered, how I could make a decision when I didn't know how the process was to be done. But then I came across this Statement coming from the USCIS. My hopes are again renewed. It may be 2011 when we get Emma, but we will get her under the same rules we have been following. Read the following good news!!

******BREAKING NEWS******
Dear Families & Friends,
After advocating on behalf of adoptive families for the past 6 months, Joint Council is very pleased to confirm that USCIS has announced a very positive ruling concerning the I-600A process.
In summary, it is our understanding that, effective immediately, families who filed Form I-600A, Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition, prior to April 1, 2008 and whose USCIS approval of that petition (aka the I-171H) has not expired, will be able to proceed with their adoption under the I-600A process if they take certain steps while their approval remains valid. This means that families with valid Form I-600A approvals will not be required to transition to The Hague process via Form I-800A. In order to maintain their status as ‘grandfathered’ cases, families with non-expired Form I-600A approvals must request a one-time free extension. Then, prior to the expiration of the one-time free extension, families must file a new Form I-600A and pay the appropriate fee.
It is also our understanding that families with a Form I-600A approval that has expired and who have not obtained an extension or filed a new Form I-600A, will need to undertake the Hague process. The Hague process will also apply to any petitioner who has not completed their adoption by 2014.
As we noted in our Position Statement, this ruling will save adoptive families thousands of dollars, eliminate countless sleepless nights and ensures that their adoption can proceed to completion.

We need your help to bring our daughter home!

As most of you know, Scott and I have been in the process of adopting a little girl from China for several years now.

Recently new legislation has been passed to help better regulate and facilitate international adoptions. Unfortunately several government agencies have chosen to interpret this legislation in a manner that will negatively impact our adoption, along with thousands of other American families who are trying to adopt internationally.

We have been waiting for almost 3 years for our adoption in China. We are so close to seeing our daughter's face and picking her up from an orphanage where her cries go unheard. This loose interpretation of the new legislation is a HUGE penalty for families who started their adoptions before The Hague legislation was implemented and is unfair and unjust.

Let us finish our adoptions, and allow us to bring our long-awaited children home!! We are only asking that you take a few minutes of your time to read and then sign the following petition to help us welcome the daughter we know is waiting to be held in our arms. Please help us to bring our daughter home!

As you go to the link please take a moment to read the explanation offered to better understand the situation and our predicament:

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/adoption-for-all.html

In addition, we have sent emails supporting the Joint Council Position Paper on I-600A Renewals. In a nutshell this would allow us to continue using the I-600A paperwork we started with rather than having to:

• Switch agencies.
• Have an updated home-study done.
• Pay thousands of additional dollars.
• Re-qualify under the new and more stringent Chinese rules (If we can).
• Ultimately end up at the back of the line (behind more than 25,000 people).
• All of which would effectively end the pursuit of our Chinese adoption.

All of this can be prevented if these overseeing government agencies will follow the letter and intent of the law which was to allow us to continue using the I-600A paperwork rather than the more stringent I-800 forms the Hague wants to implement.

Please help us by sending an email with your support to the following addresses:
advocate@jcics.org
mark@ccainstitute.org

Below is a sample of what you can send:

To Whom It May Concern,

“I/we understand that USCIS is actively engaged in seeking a resolution to the I-600A issue. I/we wish to offer our support in their efforts to find an immediate resolution to the I-600A Extension issue.”

Thank you for your attention to this important issue.

Sincerely,

Thank you for your help so we can welcome Emma home,

Susie & Scott Phillips

Tell me it ain't so!

I CAN NOT believe that I am actually in the situation I am in. Me being young and stupid (and in tune with the cosmic forces, and not paying attention pretty much) killed my microwave a few days ago. I thought I had just put it on a timer mode to time the dinner, when in actuality I had put it on cook mode. So while I was out "being good and helping the community" my microwave had a meltdown literally. I came back and the thing had shut off completely warped the glass plate and everything. So... kicking myself a few hundred times I set off to find a new microwave.

Yay! Got a new microwave! While installing the new microwave today the hubby and I were trying to balance the stupid huge monstrosity and we put some weight on my glass cook top. Yes, you guessed it...my freaking stove now has a huge hole in the middle of it and yes I now need a new stove.

What a craptastic day.

Anatomy of an Elk Hunt (as told by my hubs)

Friday morning leave early at 4 am so you can get to the place early and scout for elk.

• Friday morning leave early at 4 am so you can get to your Dad's house to find out the trailer hitch has a hitch problem. You fix the hitch problem and end up 1/3 of the way to your destination around 11 am.

Get to campsite and set up so you can scout for elk.

• Get to campsite late and get camp set up late and find out that it is to dark to scout for elk.

Get up early again to go for the morning hunt

• Actually get up early and hunt elk while the weather changes from soft to drenching rain. Get drenched, head back to campsite for lunch.

Get back to campsite, while pouring rain try to make sandwiches with uncut lunch meat. Hubs, cuts the lunch meat in preparation for the sandwiches.

• Hubs cuts the lunch meat with sharp hunting knife and while doing slices a 3 inch incision down the finger. Finger bleeds, bleeds and bleeds and now has gone numb.

Go get medical care

• 3 adults men decide that since the bleeding is so profuse they should seek some medical attention. Drive to small town and go to instacare.

Receive stitches and watertight finger packing.

• Hubs receives stitches and having already been given 4 shots to numb the pain feels every stitch being pulled through the skin.

Go back out to hunt in the evening.

• Since it was a downpour decided to get some lunch and go to a movie.

Get up early the next morning and hunt for elk.

• Sit in truck and listen to conference with the heater on while watching the snow collapse the tent.

Eat lunch and go back out for the evening hunt.

• After listening to conference brave the snow to pack up belongings and head for home.

Arrive home having "seen a few deer" and having an awesome story to tell the nephews about being attacked by a chipmunk.

Holy Hideous Batman!!!

So I'm trying to learn how to knit so I can make some cutie things for Emma and Lyssie Lou. I just talked with my sis Karen who said that she could help me crochet some stuff as well. (I did learn to knit and crochet a bazillion years ago when I was 12 or so, but those memories are long gone). Anyway, I was surfing the net to find some free patterns that were cute when I came across this:

Katamari Damacy Prince of All Cosmos Baby Hat

Okay I am really sorry to the person who designed this hat, but who would torture your dear sweet baby and make them wear this??? I did have the pattern listed below thinking that some of you might be into the tortue of children, but since I wasn't seeing any takers I have since removed them. I would like to note, however, that the author of this pattern said "who knows may your baby would enjoy "bopping the padded sides against things." I'm sure that is exactly what the newborn is doing...bopping it head against the sides of things. snort. yeah right!

Getting a little bit of the fever...

Just getting a few vibes for spookiness. Here are some pumpkins we carved in years gone by aren't they awesome?