Inspiration??

TJ and I watched the movie Julie & Julia. It was pretty good. Like always there's some language that could have been left out. Anyway...the next week I looked up a couple new recipes. Mainly to find something I could make with the ingredients I already had around the house, and because, you know how it is, you get in a rut with the same old things. So last night I got out a couple cookbooks and found things that looked good, or quick and easy. I started highlighting them, and thought I should make more new recipes so I can add more things to my cookbook. So that's what I decided to do. Then I thought to myself...this is a little like the movie. It must have inspired me more then I even knew myself. So anyway, that is what I'm going to do. I'm going to start making lots of new recipes. I'm not going to be quite as crazy as the movie, I'm not going to make a new recipe every day or anything, but maybe a couple new recipes a week. And if I like it enough, I'll share the recipe with you all! I know how hard it is to branch out and find new recipes, and I've tried the whole recipe exchange thing and very few responded. So I figure I have to do things on my own. But I also figure why go to the hard work and not share it...

So here's the first new recipe I tried a couple days ago... pretty simple, and we all liked it so, give it a try if you want. I give it 10 out of 10 for quick and easy, and maybe a 9 out of 10 for taste. :)

Sicilian Sausage Rotini

1 lb of Turkey Sausage (fried like hamburger)
1 jar spaghetti sauce
green pepper
rotini noodles, cooked and drained
2 cups mozzarella cheese

Fry sausage, cook in a 9x13 pan at 350 degrees with green pepper for 10 minutes. Add cooked noodles and sauce and mix together in pan. Top with cheese bake for 20-25 minutes more or until cheese is golden.

We all enjoyed it, hope you do too. :)

The reality is.....

Last night we had movie night with the kids. TJ picked Nemo. As soon as he picked it  Monkey said, Oh not that movie, it makes me cry. Well, apparently he's not the only one!  Bear cried too. Bear.... I mean seriously?!? He's 3 and he's crying over a movie. It was serious too. It wasn't just this little tear coming down the cheek, nothing else to it kind of cry. Well at first it was. I was sitting by him the whole time, and his eyes looked a little watery. He didn't know why at first. He said, why are my eyes watering? But then later, he was very concerned for Nemo. And the real tears came. I couldn't believe it. My 3 year old was like shaking/sobbing kind of crying. Waaaahaaahaahaa..What's (deep breath) going (deep breath) to happen? (deep breathing, waaaaahhaaaaaawaaa. I just held him and rocked him a little and told him everything's going to be ok, remember Nemo finds his dad in the end? I was kind overwhelmed with this. I mean, this is not the first time he's seen the movie. He knows what's going to happen. But then I remembered something else. Two days ago he mentioned that he loves me and wants me to be safe and never wants to be taken away from me. So now I'm sitting here with my broken 3 year old, sad for him. He's so scared for this cartoon fish because he's been taken away from his daddy. Something he's all too familiar with. I mean he was super little when this all took place, but none-the-less, I think his brain is telling him something, or bells are going off or something is going on inside there. And the reality is....it's going to be there for the rest of his life. So if you're reading this today, why don't you say a prayer for our beautiful children, and for us. That God will calm their hearts, and that we will know how to handle these situations in the right comforting way that they need for the rest of their lives....as it will never go away.

You can't run away from it, you can't hide from it, and you can't change it.... It simply is.

edible shampoo

I've used the same shampoo for quite a long time.... when it runs out I just get the same kind. Well this time I went to the store and smelled a few and and decided to get something else that smells good. I ended up with white nectarine and pink coral flower. I bought it a little while ago and was waiting until my shampoo was completely gone before switching. I finally switched over to my new shampoo now and the first time I used it, it didn't quite smell like I remembered at the store. It didn't smell bad... it smelled like those peach ring candies. Then I thought, hmmm...peach ring candies kinda sound good. I wonder if my shampoo TASTES like how it smells.. Maybe I should try it. So, I did.

Ok maybe I didn't, but how many of you thought I really did?! hahaha.... but that leads me to my title "edible shampoo". Is that a good idea? Should we market that?! I mean they have edible underwear, not that I've ever tried that!.... and edible playdough... now that, I have tried when I was a kid... so is there room in the market for edible shampoo.... I'm sure there are some crazy people out there who would buy it. RiGhT?!?

blogger brain

Lately, everything I do I wonder if it's a good enough story to put on the blog...and there have been more stories that have appealed to me as blog stories. After many events I find myself thinking, should I blog about that, or that totally have to go on the blog. But then I would wonder should I blog more than once a day, or should I just keep it to once a day? But then more than 1 "good" story comes along and I've already blogged and by the next day I usually forget about it. Well I decided that I'm going to blog about whatever I want, whenever I want too. SO watch out, because there may be more than 1 blog per day. You never know. Now that my brain has kicked into blogger brain...I have many more thoughts that end with..... "I should put that on the blog."

Follow Me!

Can you do me a favor? If you haven't already, that is.

You don't have to comment on all my blog posts, but can you please become a follower?!

To the right of this blog you will see the my followers section. Join me...Follow me...let me know you're there! :)

That way even if you don't comment I can know who is out there listening.

Thanks all!

Parking Lot Fun

We just got back from the store. TJ ran in and the boys and I sat in the car. While we were waiting this van pulled up in front of us. Here are my random thoughts about this van.

What are they doing? They are going the wrong way. Then the guy cranks down the window to flick his cigarette. Nice. They back into a parking spot, but they were way too close to the other car so they pulled forward and did it again, but the tires were turned the wrong way so they really didn't move any further away the second time they backed in. They're having a hard time parking there. Then I notice the same guy put the window up...and realized it was going very slow and his arms was cranking. Wow, I didn't know there were still cars with crank up windows. I look behind that door and notice someone getting out of the back side door. Hmmmm....does that van only have 1 door. Remember when all vans only had 1 door. What were they thinking? I wonder how old this van is with crank windows and only 1 door. The lady getting out was having a very hard time getting the door shut. I almost thought she wasn't going to be able to get it. Then I noticed something else, where did the front seat passenger go? Oh he got out the otherside, huh......the front seat passenger had to get out the driver side door. Well, this is leaving a very definite impression in my mind. I better blog about this.

-Stephanie

random thoughts by stephanie, v3

I'm sitting here looking at all my snowmen decorations. Wondering, what is it about snowmen that are so cute, or adoring? I mean, I look at them and think awwwww, that's cute. But I'm not sure why. Does it make you feel warm and fuzzy when you look at them? Because shouldn't it make you feel cold or something? And if people hate winter so much you'd think snowmen would be a constant reminder of that.

That is my random thought for the moment. :)

-Stephanie

Laundry...UGH!

Laundry is such a horrible task.

I mean you lug everything down to the laundry room, but that's not all.

Then you sort it out, but that's not all.

Then you wash it, but that's not all.

Then you dry it, but that's not all.

Then you have to fold it but yet again that is not all!

Then you have to put it all away.

It's like the never ending chore. And what makes it worse for me is that my "buzzer" is actually a faint "ding" so it is too quiet for me to hear upstairs so I usually forget to switch it right away. It really never ends when you don't switch it to the dryer. UGH! Sunday and Thursday are my laundry days, and I despise them for that reason. :)

Stress over a game!

Ok, I just got done watching the Vikings game. Talk about stress! I could/can not believe myself. My heart is still racing. I was so nervous the whole time through the game. I wanted them to win so bad! When it really got rough at the end, I thought I was seriously going to have a heart attack! I mean really?!?! I didn't know I cared this much. I mean I'm a loyal Vikings fan, no matter what... but I didn't know it was worth having a heart attack over.

Seriously, I can't believe it... my heart is still racing, I don't know how to calm it.

I better to scrapbook some more. Maybe that will help. :)

-Stephanie

First time Bowling

Today we took the boys bowling for the first time. We used a lane that had the bumpers up. It benefited more than just the kids! Ha...lets just say it's been quite awhile since I've bowled last and I had to get back in the rhythm of it. Monkey almost beat me! But he used the bumpers every time. I just used them a couple times! heehee



The first time I showed him what to do. We had him put the ball down and push it. the second time I thought I was going to have to help him again, but he picked up the ball and went right up to the line and did it all himself. I was pretty proud of him. Toward the end he tried throwing it instead of pushing it and he went way over the line, and fell right on his butt. Good effort though! ;)


The first time TJ showed him what to do. The rest of the times he ran right up there and threw the ball. He did really good. I was impressed. :)

Book

TJ and I are writing a book. We started writing down the funny, irrelevant and weird things the kids say. Once we get enough we might write a book. Not sure on the details, or if it will be illustrated or not. But keep an eye out, because it's going to be awesome, and hilarious, and weird and all of the above! :)
hahahahahahahahahhaha

outside time

I think it literally took longer to get ready this time then the amount of time we played outside. The kids were determined to play outside. So we started getting ready.  Monkey, Bear, Josie, Kacee and I. The older three could do a little but I had to finish up with the gloves, hats, scarves and zipping up. Then I had to get Kacee ready, and myself. So we finally went outside. They walked around for maybe 5 minutes and Josie said I want to go in because I got snow in my boot. I THOUGHT to myself, are you kidding me?!? I spent 15 minutes dressing everyone up and you want to go inside already? That's the difference between girls and boys. :) Monkey and Bear didn't want to go in so Josie started de-layering while we stayed outside for maybe 3 more minutes. Then the boys came inside. While coming in they said, that was like the longest ever. I thought, well atleast you had fun and thought it was a long time. That made it worthwhile for me. I love it when they are grateful for things. (which doesn't always happen, mind you)

babysitting

Yesterday through tomorrow I am babysitting Josie and Kacee. We had a decent day yesterday. Kacee was tired and wanted to go to bed at 7, but I was not having that. I did not want to get up at 5 in the morning. So we hung on and went to bed at 8 instead. I'm assuming she slept fine right away, TJ was here while they kids went to bed and I went to a friends house to watch a movie. I get back at 11pm and head to bed and as soon as I lay down Kacee starts crying. I thought oh great....she thinks it's time to get up. I let her cry for a little bit just incase. But it didn't stop, so I thought I better make sure she's ok. I checked on her, she still had her blanket and pacifier.... I gave her a bottle and she laid back down. She drank it for a little bit and then cried, then drank and then cried. She's sleeping in our room and poor TJ has to get up for work at 4:50 so I said, you can pull the hideabed out and sleep downstairs so she doesn't keep you up. He slept on the couch up here instead. I'm not sure what time she fell back asleep, but eventually she did. I did too. I was so paranoid that she was going to wake up at 4 or something though, and I was paranoid that TJ forgot to bring his alarm clock out to the couch with him, so I didn't sleep very well. Kept waking up listening, or wondering if TJ was going to get to work on time. Well, we made it through the night and we all had a great morning. We did school, and Kacee and Josie joined us. Kacee sat at the table in her chair pretty well the whole time. I was surprised. That helped too, so I didn't have to get up from teaching every 5 minutes to see what she was up to. :) We all had a fun time at school, and they sat long enough that they are playing well together now. Almost time to get ready for lunch. What to have, what to have...
Then I hope everyone takes a good nap because I have work to type. Well, when TJ get's home we're going to do it all again. Hopefully I can sleep better tonight or tomorrow's going to be rough.

Diet

So for the first time in my life, I decided I need to go on a diet. This staying at home all the time thing is really getting to me weight wise. :) So all us girls in the family are doing a diet challenge of sorts. I also along with this decided to not drink so much pop, because that's probably why I've gained weight. ha
So I set a limit of no more pop than 3 times a week. I've been doing really good sticking with it. I've actually only had it a few times since the first of the year. I'm drinking a lot more water. Yesterday I had a pepsi, which is my all time favorite pop, and I totally regretted it. I was like WHAT??!?!?!? Then today we went to Culver's for lunch, and you get a drink with your meal, so what else do I do......but I thought I wasn't happy with the little bit of pepsi I had yesterday so I'm not going to have pepsi, so I had Mt. Dew instead. Even while drinking that I was not impressed. And I said to TJ, I'm regretting having Mt. Dew here.... Then I checked myself, and thought what?!? Me? Miss Pop-O-Holic doesn't want pop! This can't be?!?!

I've lost 3 pounds so far. I think I'll stick with water, and I've been jumping on the trampoline every day. Hopefully it pays off. I need to lose my "baby" weight. HaHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

bedtime prayertalk

We pray with the boys every night before bed.

A couple weeks ago I was praying with Bear, and I prayed for him that he would one day soon understand why Jesus came to save us, and that he would accept Jesus, and ask him to live in his heart. Then we talked about it for a little while. I said, Bear do you want to go to Heaven someday? He said yes, but how do we get there? I said, Remember how Jesus came to the earth as a little baby, well then he died on the cross to save us from our sins. And if we ask Jesus to forgive us of our sins and live in our heart he will, and we will know for sure that we are going to heaven. He seemed interested at the time, and curious.... but then he said. Does Jesus drive us to Heaven. Oh so close. I thought he was really understanding. So we started over again and he said something about asking Jesus when he gets to church. So I didn't think much of it. The next Sunday, when we pulled into the parking lot of the church, Bear yells, while still in the car. "JESUS, WILL YOU LIVE IN MY HEART!"
I thought it was totally cute and kinda funny. He doesn't really know what he's talking about so we're not counting on that. We'll still pray that he comes to a complete childlike understanding of salvation.

The long adoption story

Our Adoption Story.....
I’m just going to warn you that this is long, so prepare yourself if you're going to read it all. :)

Really according to God our adoption story started almost 8 years ago. TJ and I were married in May of 2002, and we did not want to wait, at all, to have children. We were married young, and all my sisters married young and had children soon after and I wanted to follow in their footsteps in the same way, and thought, why wouldn’t I? God had other plans though, I just didn’t know it at the time. We tried for 2 years and I cried month, after month after month. Then in July of 2004 we found out we were pregnant. We were so over joyed and everyone had been praying for us as they knew we had waited and wanted this. The news was out, everyone knew, and TJ and I went to the first doctor appointment to hear the heartbeat. But the doctor couldn’t find it. She said, we’ll need to take you down to the hospital to use the newer ultrasound machines instead. The next day we went down there did an ultrasound and saw a lifeless picture of a little peanut. She gave me the worst news I had ever heard in my life. All this time God was preparing us on our journey, we just didn’t know it at the time. The next year we moved to Minnesota. Little by little the idea of adoption was put in front of our face through people we met and friends and acquaintances. Never in my growing up life, did I picture myself adopting but as we saw it more and more we started to put it in the back of our minds. First I/we, selfishly were not ready to give up our dream of having a baby. So we sought out an OBGYN who specializes in infertility. After numerous treatments and tests and month after month of disappointment, I physically and emotionally couldn’t handle the stress anymore. I really thought that this would work, and that this is what we were supposed to do, and after all the hassle, and tests, and doctor appointments putting failure on top of all the work was too hard. So we took a break, and looked for another option. During that next year we visited 2 adoption agencies to get more information on how they work and see what options were available and what we thought we were supposed to do. God had a plan for us, we just didn’t know it yet. We still struggled with what God wanted us to do/what we thought we were supposed to do/and what I had always dreamed of doing. I never imagined being married 5 years before having kids. However this was our current circumstance, and I was mad about it. I hate to have to admit this part, but it’s the harsh truth about the story. I was mad at life and God, and everyone else who seemed to get exactly WHAT they wanted WHEN they wanted it! It seemed everyone I knew, everyone my age, and everyone I saw, when out shopping or something, was pregnant. A constant reminder to me of what I’d always wanted and struggled to have, and a sad reminder of what we had for a moment and lost. By now it had been 6 years, more time had passed, more adoption realizations had been presented to us, and God was working in our lives and focusing our attention more on kids who are already out there and needing a home and someone to love them. So we met with a third adoption agency. This one was a God honoring agency and we were excited about their mission. So we started working with them. We felt a need more for older children and sibling groups and helping the children who were labeled “hard to place”. The fog started clearing. We realized that God’s hand and working really was in this the whole time. If this is what he wanted us to do then that is what the wait is for. If we had previously birthed children we wouldn’t even considered adopting older children. So we started paperwork, and meetings and more paperwork and traveling to meetings. Towards the end of 2008 we were asked about meeting a family of 5 children, and a family of 3 children in foster care waiting for a permanent home. So in mid-December we traveled up and met all of these children. We had NO idea what to expect and were so nervous and scared. After going up there we were sooo confused to be honest. How could you say no to anyone and how can you pick who your kids are. It’s a crazy weird experience lets just say. :) If we chose any of these children there were meetings and paperwork that still had to happen before anything else could happen so we were set on the waiting list. We waited for them to get back to us, and waited and prayed and waited. We didn’t know what God had planned for us, or what we were supposed to do, so we prayed for wisdom and a clear understanding of what we should do. Finally in March of 2009 we were asked if we would adopt 2 of the children we had met previously. We weren’t sure what choice to make, but once presented with this option we were thrilled with the idea, and that the choice was no longer a choose this or that, but here are 2 boys will you give them a home? But, still more paperwork and waiting had to happen. We were finally given the o.k. that the paperwork was finished and the next batch of paperwork could start which meant we could start the visits with them, and slowly make the move into our home. May was filled with more waiting as we waited for the move to happen and wondered when it would happen. We were having such a good time visiting with the boys we couldn’t wait for them to move in permanently and to be their forever Mom and Dad. Finally after many hours of driving back and forth every weekend, June 19th we became their forever Mom & Dad. We were excited, they were excited. It was a huge roller coaster of excitement! ;) God has been so good to us, even through the rough times of life. Deuteronomy 31:8 says, “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you, he will never leave you nor forsake you, Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” We are so grateful for the Lord’s unfailing Love, and his provision and faithfulness. If it weren’t for the hope we have in the Lord we wouldn’t have grown through the tough times and I personally wouldn’t have made it through those rough years. God is good to us, even when we lose sight. I’m so thankful for that. Not many times are we ever thankful for the rough times of life, but God knows best and I can say that He used those rough times to mold me and make me a better person. And if it weren’t for those rough times, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I wouldn’t have a stronger faith, or relationship with the Lord like I do, I would still be selfishly wanting my own ways in life instead of God’s ways and things would be much harder. I pray that our story can be used by God to give hope and encouragement to anyone out there. God is always and will always be working in us to make us who He wants us to be and to be a better person for His name sake. Some times the things He needs to change in us are big, sometimes they are little. Sometimes they are quick, sometimes they are long, hard and very painful. But whatever the case, however big or small, if God is in it, He will carry you through. This year we will celebrate 8 years of marriage, what a rough 8 years it’s been. But, to God be the glory great things He has done. June will mark 1 year since the boys moved in, it will be a special day. They give us so much joy and love. We couldn’t ask for anything more. We’ll see what the next few years hold, and we’re praying for the other children, whoever they may be, that God has already planned and prepared for us.

Boggle

Christa and I just don't get together quite enough. We had to squeak in a game of Boggle at the adoption party. It was so fun! I miss her. Too bad we don't live closer so we could encourage each other's brains a little more often. :)


TJ got it for me on my iPod and it is great. I usually play it by myself unless I'm with my Nicole or Jamie. It's so fun. I love it. I play it during any down time, or in the car now. :) And now TJ got me Bananagrams for my iPod. Yeah! Now I have a way to play the games no one else wants to play with me.

Wedding Ring

We went to Target to look around and stuff on Sunday afternoon. When we got there I had to go to the bathroom so I went in to pee. Before going in the urinal I noticed my wedding ring almost fell off. It does that when it gets cold out. I had to get a different ring because my actual wedding ring is too tight to come on and off. I can't wear it to work so that's why I got a different one. It's just a cheap one from Wal-Mart. Anyway, my ring almost fell off so I slipped it back on. First, before going to the bathroom I popped another button off my church pants. It has buttons instead of a zipper. At least the top one is still there. After going I buttoned, flushed, and washed my hands. As I was drying my hands on the paper towel I noticed my ring was gone. What! I didn't hear it hit the floor or anything. So I checked the floor around the urinal, the sink and checked the garbage. There was only a few paper towels in it, nothing else. No ring. I checked my coat pockets, my pants pockets. No ring. I went out and told Stephanie. She told me to get it there and look again. So I went back in and looked all over the floor, the garbage again, the sink, again, the urinal again. Nothing. No ring. So we continued shopping. On a side note, we bought Lost on DVD. Each season is on sale this week only at Target for $17! They are regularly like $35-$40 a season! Anyway, back to the story. We went home and I changed and Stephanie and I watched a little football and a couple episodes of Lost before the evening service. Before leaving I went in and went to the bathroom and did my hair. As I was doing my hair I looked down on the rug in front of the toilet and there sat my ring. What!? Apparently, it was in my underwear! I didn't even notice. It was in there all afternoon. Crazy.

TJ

random

I was looking through pictures and saw some funny faces from Kacee, so I put this together for fun. :)
Here's faces of Kacee Ruth Perrizo, from Birth to now....




Some time has passed since I first posted this.... so now I have one for Bear and Monkey. Here they are. :)

Craft Day!

Monkey wanted to cut something so I thought today was the perfect craft day. We all made some paper snowflakes. Then I hung them on the banister. As I was hanging them the boys sat there and watched me. They are such good encouragers. "Oh, that looks good right there, Mom." and "That looks so pretty like that, Mom." ha ha they are great!


Bear proudly displaying one of the snowflakes he made. With my help of course! :) But he did pretty good, however after 2 he was done and off to playing with toys.


Monkey showing off one of his creations. He made like 10 or more... didn't really count, but he was having fun. The angle that I took this picture is weird and Monkey is holding the snowflake away from him and closer to the camera so it looks like it's ginormous! but it's really only 8x8. :)


This is one that I made. It turned out to be my favorite!


Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let is Snow! As long as I don't have anywhere to go! :)
Ha ha ha ha ha.... funny how as a stay at home mom, I don't mind having all the snow! I don't have to drive to work in it. :) This is one of the banisters with decoration on it.

Merry Christmas! part 3

Ok.... as my mom always says, Better late than dead!
ha ha ha ha....the original saying says better late than never.
Here's a few snip-its from our Christmas with my family. We held it at Dana's house. It worked out well there since she has such a huge living room. We had our usual meal,(it's what we normally have on Christmas Eve when we get together). Shrimp, chicken drummies, fruit, cheese curds, onion rings, chips, chicken dip, and many more snacky things! Yum.....My tummy is getting sick just thinking about it. :) ha ha ha


Dana's tree and all our gifts for each other. Just think how many there would be if we didn't trade names, and everyone bought for everyone! Yikes!


The kids acted out the Christmas story while it was read. Bear was a sheep, and crawled around following Cole, Monkey was one of the wise men.


Bear got a couple tractors from Isaiah.


Monkey got this from Grandma. "Ohhhh, just what I've always wanted, a remote control monster truck!"

Adoption Finalization!

We've been a wee bit busy for me to have a chance to post lately. But incase you haven't heard.... we finalized the adoption on December 29th! The boys are officially Wright's. Yay!!! We are having an adoption party this coming Saturday, January 9th from 10am-2pm to celebrate this great addition to our family. Please join us...we are using our Church basement at First Baptist Church 1108 Westwood Drive, Faribault, MN.

We were sitting outside the court waiting for our hearing. It was 10:30, no one was before us but we still had to wait a little bit. Oh well. :) It was worth the wait.


Our first real Family photo, and the Judge who made it all happen. :)



All those who came to celebrate with us. From the left "Grandpa", The Judge, "Grandma", Grandma Shirley(my mom), Guardian Ad-Litem, Social Worker, Bear(being shy?), Me, Monkey, TJ, Adam, Jamie (my sister), Caleb, Cole. Front of me: Elaina, Kalli, Michael, Noah, Allison.