two!

The greatest ideas are the ones you snatch from others. Amy over at cupcake and the caseys wrote about how she woke her daughter up with lovely scented bubbles on her birthday. I decided on giant punch balloons for Oliver.

He loves the balloons but can't figure out how to hold them and eat warm delicious blueberry muffins at the same time.

Presents in the mail! Thank Kiley

We didn't have birthday cake or ice cream tonight, we are going to have a little party on Sunday. However, since Oliver has never had a birthday and has only attended two birthday parties, we had better practice the candle blowing. We practiced with the blueberry muffins.

Thursday our families fly in. My mom from California and Jim's dad and step mom from Massachusetts. Sunday Oliver will be baptized (lucky for the congregation he is no longer terrified of H20), then back to our house for snack, fun and cupcakes.

to birth family search, or not?

I grew up not knowing my father. Not because I was adopted and moved half way around the world, but rather because my mother and father divorced (age 2 months) and that was that. I asked a few times, but my requests were brushed off. I think I was too accepting as a child. I've seen one photo. My father died when I was 21.
My story makes me sensitive to Oliver's story. I know what it's like to question. This is what makes me consider doing a birth parent search for him. Just to have a photo of the person you look like, or a photo of you as an itty bitty. To be able to know something about your medical history. Since Russia is a popular country among us adopters this search process seems to be well set up and seems to run pretty smoothly.
My questions are...
-Did you search for your child's parents/family members? Why? Why Not?
-Was the information you received worth it? Are you happy you searched?
-Who did you use? I've read lots about Mary...
-Anything else you want to add would be great!

Feel free to email me if you don't want to share in a blog comment. trisha.tylick@gmail.com

Thanks!

flower advice needed

This is our third home, and the second one with a yard. Our yard here is awesome. Not really kid playing awesome more like trees and flowers awesome.

We have three huge peony bushes. Luckily I saved these before today's driving rain, wind, and tornado warning.

Also inherited over 20 rosebushes, which bloom all season. Bragging? Yes!

Let's focus on the rose garden in the front yard.

Lovely right? Okay, then there are these. These evil irises.

Well they aren't really that evil, but they just don't look very nice. Even at their peek bloom they were not that pretty. They are a bland like purpleish color and only last for a week or so. I think they take away from the lovely of the rest of the garden. Beside that there are hundreds (no exaggerating)of them in other places around the yard. (back yard, side yard, front yard, everywhere!)

Let's vote.
A. They are awesome. Just trim off the dead blooms, admire the green leaves from now until mid September when you are finally allowed to cut them down for the winter. Repeat for whatever number of year you live at that house.
B. Keep them until September, then dig them up and give them away to someone who thinks they aren't evil mass producing flowers.
C. Dig them up now! Add a new rose bush in the empty spot, re mulch, enjoy.


P.S. I got a little post happy today so be sure to scroll down.

first birthday presents

Oliver's birthday is just around the corner (May 31st). Though he is turning two, this will be his first birthday with a party, cake, presents, and a family that thinks he is pretty much the bee's knees. The other day he received his first birthday present in the mail, thanks grammie and grandpa.

I didn't even ask him to hold it up.

He neeeeeeded to try the shorts on right away.

Books, always good. Books with animal pictures, yes please!

gone!

Your advice was heard, and together we managed to convince Jim that tree removal was necessary, thank you! However, he did try arguing that I only took photos of the tree from bad angles (half dead, blocking the window), hey can you find a better angle? No, okay, let's cut it.

We cut it down awhile ago, but haven't shared any photos yet. Though the tree is down I still have not filled the new space with flowers, will it ever stop raining?

Someone needs to supervise.

New dining room curtains, and a view of actual living trees.

chop chop

"So what are we doing today," asks the stylist.
"Either a little trim, or chop the whole thing off"

before

a 15 inch pony tail

an 18 inch trim

The best part, there was a woman getting her hair cut at the station behind me, I got to watch her jaw drop as Nick hacked off my tail.

dolls and turtles

Little blurbs

I always wanted an American Girl doll. I always wanted Samantha, she was the most popular when I was a kid and I neeeeded her. But those are expensive dolls. I played barbies instead. Oliver doesn't need Samantha, but I do think he needs a doll. He loves to snuggle stuffed animals and I think he would love a baby. Finding a baby doll for a boy at say target is difficult...off to ebay. The American Girl Doll Store makes twins, a boy girl set. Lots of folks on ebay sell them separate and they are so cute. Currently bidding on a little blondie. Does your son enjoy playing with babies or dolls?
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I need a to get my hair trimmed. The place I want to try is closed on Sunday/Monday which are the only days Jim has off. Jim's on vacation next week, so I'm off for a haircut. I call the place and set up an appointment the receptionist says "Nick will be a good fit for you" Okay. All I said was I need a trim, Nick must be the master of trims. I go to the website because they have bios. Nick's says "you can never be too blonde, you can never be too tan" It also mentions that he is a west coaster. Yes, well then there is me...almost the whitest white with almost black hair, and a New Englander through and through. Just a trim please.
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This morning we went out to trim some flowers and found a turtle in our front yard.

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Have you ever been to this site? It's a bit confusing to me as there are many many parts to it, but after clicking away I found this particularly inspiring post. Let's be clear I have no plans of home schooling, but I am my child's first teacher and I've got a bunch of teaching supplies, so why not make the most of it (I only work part time). I haven't done any really structured activities with Oliver yet, besides puzzles and flash cards during potty time and the occasional finger painting and play dough rolling. I've got a long road ahead of me as Oliver still thinks crayons are a snack. Here we go! Any particular sites that inspire you when working with your two year old?
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Checking out a 24 hour gym tomorrow. It's only a mile and a half from the house, greatly increasing my chance of actually getting there and I can go after Oliver is asleep and Jim is actually home. After all the doctor that did my physical for the adoption did say I need to loose 4-6 pounds a month, he didn't specify the amount of months. I think I was told that in October. Guess that means I should have lost between 28 to 42 pounds so far. HA 42 pounds ago I was in middle school!