Thursday, January 31, 2008

We are so spoiled by Pam C.....



Today we came home from work to find a package waiting for us in the mailbox...Pam C. is my Year of the Rat Swap partner and she spoiled our Chynna....we so can't wait til she comes home to be able to enjoy these goodies:

This picture of this Chinese outfit, just doesn't do it justice...it is beautiful:


and this adorable purse:


spoon, fork, and chopsticks for Chynna:


the red envelope with "lucky money":


and rat ornament:


thank you Pam....we love all of it!!! Now hurry up CCAA, where's that speed up??? Chynna's things are waiting on her as are we....

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Wacky Wed (what fruit are you?)

You Are a Strawberry

You are friendly, outgoing, and well liked by many people.
You are popular, but there's nothing you ordinary or average about you.

You a very interesting person, and you have many facets to your personality.
Sometimes you feel very conflicted. Your different sides of your personality pull at you.

You are a very sensual and passionate person. You are fiery... you can't help it.
In general, you keep your passionate side under wraps. You are only wild in private.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Did my patriotic duty....



I voted....be sure and do your part too....make your voice be heard...and vote!!!

Monday, January 28, 2008

Just hanging out with cats and other animals....

Yesterday my mom, nephew Adam and I got to go out and visit/play with some really adorable tigers (Bengals and white tigers), a lion, a cow, some Watusi cattle, a goat, emu, and some horses on this beautiful piece of property...and what fun we had...

We got to pose next to Chad the giant gorgeous tiger:


see some awesome Watusi cattle (makes my head hurt just looking at those ginormous horns....)


feed some sweet treats to the cow and goat:



check out the fabulous horses:





and tour this awesome piece of property and learn a great deal about the animals....what a wonderful experience...

the weather even cooperated with us....what a treat!! Thanks Mitchel for this terrific experience and for allowing us to invade your space!!

Sunday, January 27, 2008

and the winners are....

The Year of the Rat giveaway has come to an end....and the drawing has been held ... with Freckles, with Ray's assistance, drawing each name carefully added to the official drawing Tupperware bowl....

There were 6 First Prize winners, and 1 Grand Prize winner....who have all been notified via email of their great luck!! And the 6 first prize winners are:

Leslie and Michelle G. who won these Year of the Rat napkins:


Doris and Holly won these great Mickey Mouse Clubhouse puzzles:

Ohilda won this cute Mickey Mouse Beanz:

Dawn won this sweet Minnie Mouse Beanz:

and the GRAND PRIZE WINNERS Cyndi and Dean won the book "If you give a mouse a cookie" and the mouse with cookie stuffed animal!!


Congrats to all who won, and thanks to all who participated....you guys really helped me lift my spirits some by distracting me from this really long wait!!

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Last chance to win Year of Rat Giveaway...


Okay guys, here is your last chance to win Year of Rat giveaway....

No purchase necessary, hehe...

Just email me (dannyem1973@yahoo.com) your name, address, LID or date received child, Age/sex requested/received....it's that easy....

I will be drawing the winners late this evening and will post the winners Sunday 1/27 morning...

Remember you've gotta enter to win!!

Good luck!!

Friday, January 25, 2008

Blessed by our Secret Pal again...

With many thanks to my awesome secret pal for all the goodies received...it really gave me that pick me up I really needed....


She gave Chynna some froggie galoshes....


froggie spoon and fork....

froggie drinking cup....


this adorable summer outfit complete with hat and diaper cover...



this froggie wind chime:


and this thermal onesie outfit (she'll be adorable and warm at the same time...)


Chynna will be so ready with these fabulous gifts....Thank you Secret Pal, you are too kind!!

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Celebrating another birthday....



Today is the birthday of my Mom's friend (otherwise known as "Aunt Sue")....she is such an amazing person...so sweet, funny, and always thinking of others....Aunt Sue has also recently become a first time grandma to the most adorable Connor....

Happy Birthday Aunt Sue!! Go out and Part'ee, kick those heels up and let your hair hang loose (oh wait you already do, hehe)....Hope it's a good one!!

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Wacky Wed (What finger are you?)

Feeling blah-y, I thought this to be an appropriate Wacky Wednesday....guess I'm not the finger I thought I would be, hehe

You Are the Thumb

You're unique and flexible. And you defy any category.
Mentally strong and agile, you do things your own way. And you do them well.
You are a natural leader... but also truly a loner. You inspire many but connect with few.

You get along well with: The Middle Finger

Stay away from: The Pinky

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Getting the case of the blahs...


Every day I check my emails, and all the blogs, and it seems that everyone else has lots to share with everyone, but I can't think of a thing to share...

The adoption seems to be in a holding pattern, although we know we will eventually be going to China to bring our baby girl home....it just isn't moving all that rapidly....

And then it seems like all we do is work, come home, go to bed, and then start the cycle over again...not that exciting....

I appreciate all of you that read this blah blog, and comment, and it does appear that there are some lurkers....so maybe that could be what this day's blog is about...

Come out come out wherever you are...introduce yourself...or if you're not a lurker, tell me what exciting things you have going on in your life, what your "routine" consists of...and of course if you haven't already, feel free to sign up for the Year of the Rat giveaway!!

Well I better get myself off to work to start the vicious cycle over again!!

Monday, January 21, 2008

Happy Birthday Ray!!



Today is my honey's birthday!! He keeps telling everyone he's 23....but in reality add about 21 years.....

Since we have our waiting families meeting tonite we celebrated with my family last night...boy is he lucky celebrating his birthday two days in a row!!

Hope you get all you want and then some Yummy!! Love you lots!!

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Sign up for Rat giveaway coming to an end....


Come one come all....the Year of the Rat is rapidly approaching, so is the closing for signing up for the giveaway....if you haven't forwarded your information to me at dannyem1973@yahoo.com (or commented on this blog that you wish to participate) you haven't been entered...and although no purchase is necessary nor do you have to be present to win, you do have to complete your "entry form"....take a chance, you'll be pleasantly surprised!!

Friday, January 18, 2008

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Wacky Wed, Are You Sexy?

You Are Somewhat Sexy

While you may not be the sexiest person in the world, you have your sexy moments.
You sometimes carry yourself well, and it gets you a lot of attention.

You have a lot of sex appeal ... as long as you remain confident, friendly, and adventurous.
The only times you seem unsexy are when you lose your confidence or sense of adventure.

How You Are Sexy

You are friendly and outgoing, even to people who don't deserve it. Your positive body language makes you even sexier.

You are open to all sorts of experiences, and you have a taste for the exotic. Your adventurous spirit is very sexy.

How You Aren't Sexy

You're not very active, and that's not terribly sexy. It's hard to be attractive when you're always catching your breath.

You don't always go after what you want, and you tend to be afraid of failure. And there's nothing sexy about being passive.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Happy Birthday Janet!


While surf blogging (and checking my many emails I receive each and every day), I noticed today was Janet at Tuiningatreasures....

so I wanted to wish her a HAPPY BIRTHDAY and many more!! Take a moment and stop by her blog and wish her happy wishes!!

Monday, January 14, 2008

18 months down....

Make your own clipart like this @ www.TXT2PIC.com

Now where is that darned bus????

Don't forget to sign up for the Year of the Rat giveaway...don't miss out on the fun!!

Sunday, January 13, 2008

The great giveaway....



Since CNY is rapidly approaching (and I am running out of things to blog about), I thought what could I do...well I am pretty good at shopping (at least I think so)...so what I'd like to do is a Year of the Rat giveaway....

If you are interested in entering for this giveaway, email me (dannyem1973@yahoo.com) with your name, address, LID, Age/Gender requested/received (if applicable). This giveaway is not limited to only Chinese adoptive families!!

All entries must be received by 2/1.

Good luck and remember you must enter to win!!

Friday, January 11, 2008

I would like to thank.....


my adoring public for this wonderful award...the Blogging with a Purpose award that Jonni so kindly nominated me for....I am so honored that she thinks I blog with a purpose...and here I thought I had this little insignificant blog to keep track of my thoughts and doings while we awaited the referral of our Chynna...

I understand these are the following guidelines for said award:

AWARD GUIDELINES:
1. Awarded parties must nominate five people who have not received the award.
2. The blogs that receive the award must serve some purpose.
3. In their post about the award they need to link back to the original entry.
4. Awarded parties must post the award banner on their site. The banner must remain linked to Eric Novak's site.

So without further ado, here are my five nominations in no particular order:

Don and Be who are anxiously awaiting their daughter Joanna Mei...their wonderful spirit so full of love and kindness to all around them...I always enjoy reading their blog and experiencing such entertainment through their eyes....

and then there is Cyndi and Dean who are patiently waiting for Alicyn...they are both so full of life and enjoy each day to the fullest...

next there is Janet...she tickles me each and every time with her posts about her children or just her life in general, she brings humor into my everyday dull life....

there is also Deb who is also experiencing this agonizing wait for her child....but keeps things real and brings a smile to our hearts with her witty postings...

and finally I nominate Susan and Riz other waiting parents, who are so very close to getting referral, and even though the wait was only 9 months or so when they started (and they just passed the 2 year mark), they stay upbeat and keep others of us waiting behind them in line feel like the front of the waiting line is getting closer and there really is an end to this ever growing wait...and I thank them for reminding us of this!!

And that my friends is my nominations!!

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Wacky Wed (the hidden meaning of your name)

What Chynna Means

You are very open. You communicate well, and you connect with other people easily.
You are a naturally creative person. Ideas just flow from your mind.
A true chameleon, you are many things at different points in your life. You are very adaptable.

You are truly an original person. You have amazing ideas, and the power to carry them out.
Success comes rather easily for you... especially in business and academia.
Some people find you to be selfish and a bit overbearing. You're a strong person.

You are a free spirit, and you resent anyone who tries to fence you in.
You are unpredictable, adventurous, and always a little surprising.
You may miss out by not settling down, but you're too busy having fun to care.

You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people.
You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts.
You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals.



You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection.
You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive.
You have the classic "Type A" personality.


What Dannye Means

You are balanced, orderly, and organized. You like your ducks in a row.
You are powerful and competent, especially in the workplace.
People can see you as stubborn and headstrong. You definitely have a dominant personality.

You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection.
You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive.
You have the classic "Type A" personality.

You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people.
You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts.
You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals.



You are a free spirit, and you resent anyone who tries to fence you in.
You are unpredictable, adventurous, and always a little surprising.
You may miss out by not settling down, but you're too busy having fun to care.

You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone.
You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together.
At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together.


What Ray Means

You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something.
You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you. You're very intense.
You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble. But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun.

You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection.
You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive.
You have the classic "Type A" personality.

You are a free spirit, and you resent anyone who tries to fence you in.
You are unpredictable, adventurous, and always a little surprising.
You may miss out by not settling down, but you're too busy having fun to care.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

The Year of the Rat is approaching....


Celebrating the Chinese New Year
Year of the Rat Stamp Kicks Off Series That Runs Through 2019

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In observance of the Chinese
New Year, the U.S. Postal Service will debut a new stamp series for the 12
different animals in the Chinese calendar. The series will continue through
2019. The first 41-cent stamp in the series is for the Year of the Rat, which
begins Feb. 7, 2008 and ends Jan. 25, 2009 and will be dedicated tomorrow in
an 11 a.m. ceremony at the Nob Hill Masonic Center, 1111 California St.

The rat is the first of 12 animals associated with the Chinese calendar.
According to legend, the animals raced across a river to determine their order
in the cycle. The rat crossed by riding on the back of the ox, jumping ahead
at the last minute to win the race.

"The start of the Lunar New Year is the biggest holiday of the year for more
than 25 percent of the people in the world," said Katherine C. Tobin, member
of the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors, who will dedicate the stamp.
"It is a time of great celebration and reflection for many millions of
Americans, including our nation's oldest Chinese-American community here in
San Francisco."

Joining Tobin at the event will be Sidney Chan, president of the board of
directors of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce; Claudine Cheng, former president
of the Organization of Chinese Americans, Inc.; stamp designer Kam Mak; and
Leung's White Crane Kung Fu Association, which will perform a traditional
White Crane Lion Dance.

People born in the year of a particular animal are said to share
characteristics with that animal. Those born during the Year of the Rat are
said to be adaptable, clever, ambitious and industrious. Persons born within
the following date ranges can be said to have been born in the "Year of the
Rat:"

Feb. 18, 1912- Feb. 5, 1913
Feb. 5, 1924 - Jan. 24, 1925
Jan. 24, 1936 - Feb. 10, 1937
Feb. 10, 1948 - January 28, 1949
Jan. 28, 1960 - Feb. 14, 1961
Feb. 15, 1972 - Feb. 2, 1973
Feb. 2, 1984 - Feb. 19, 1985
Feb. 19, 1996 - Feb. 6, 1997

Famous Rats include Antonio Banderas, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, Claude
Monet, Doris Day, David Duchovny, George Washington, Hugh Grant, Donna
Summer, Prince Charles, Samuel L. Jackson, Sean Penn, and Olivia Newton-John.

Art director Ethel Kessler worked on the new series with Chinese-American
illustrator Kam Mak, an artist who grew up in New York City's Chinatown and
who now lives in Brooklyn. They decided to focus on common ways the Chinese
New Year holiday is celebrated. To commemorate the Year of the Rat, they chose
festive lanterns -- in red, for luck -- which are common decorations at such
celebrations, where they are frequently hung in rows.

Kessler's design also incorporates elements from the previous series of
stamps, using Clarence Lee's intricate paper-cut design of a rat and the
Chinese character -- drawn in grass-style calligraphy by Lau Bun -- for "Rat."

The Celebrating Lunar New Year stamp sheet is available for purchase in Post
Offices, on usps.com, and by calling 1-800-STAMP-24 starting tomorrow.

SOURCE U.S. Postal Service

Monday, January 7, 2008

No longer Top Momma....

I'm a Top Mommma!

Well, the week started off sadly...I got booted from Top Momma, no longer one of the most popular to stay...but hey with your help I did last 3 days!! So for those 3 days I was honored to say I am TOP MOMMA!! Now if only that means something with the CCAA and they let me live up to the title....

Sunday, January 6, 2008

Your help is requested...

It's not too often I ask for the readers of my blog to help out other bloggers, but this is one of those times....


A fellow adoptive blogger mom is in the process of trying to bring home her daughter, but needs some help...she and her family are doing fundraisers to bring Hope home....they have to raise enough money for the first payment for a long journey to make this a reality. Please check Robin's site out at Redthread Stitches (click here) and do whatever you can to make this family bring Hope home. You can even let Robin know you heard about this from this blog.

Now onto another matter of less importance....my blog has been placed on topmomma.com...I have placed a link on the right hand side to this website...if you could please click on it (as often as you'd like) to help keep me a "top momma", I would greatly appreciate it (my goal to last on the site at least one week)...you only get to stay on the site based on popularity, so let's click away!!

Saturday, January 5, 2008

Thursday, January 3, 2008

Twas the week after Christmas....


...and all through the house,
Nothing would fit me, not even a blouse. The cookies I'd nibbled, the
eggnog I'd taste At the holiday parties had gone to my waist.

When I got on the scales there arose such a number! When I walked to
the store (less a walk than a lumber).

I'd remember the marvelous meals I'd prepared; The gravies and sauces
and beef nicely rared,

The wine and the rum balls, the bread and the cheese And the way I'd
never said, "No thank you, please."

As I dressed myself in my husband's old shirt And prepared once again
to do battle with dirt

I said to myself, as I only can "You can't spend a winter disguised
as a man!"

So away with the last of the sour cream dip, Get rid of the fruit
cake, every cracker and chip

Every last bit of food that I like must be banished "Till all the
additional ounces have vanished.

I won't have a cookie - not even a lick. I'll want only to chew on a
long celery stick.

I won't have hot biscuits, or corn bread, or pie, I'll munch on a
carrot and quietly cry.

I'm hungry, I'm lonesome, and life is a bore But isn't that what
January is for?

Unable to giggle, no longer a riot. Happy New Year to all and to all
a good diet!

By Pigeon G. (thanks Pigeon for letting me borrow this!!)...

Wednesday, January 2, 2008