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Chocolate makes me warm all over

Chocolate makes me warm all over

Not really a recipe needed here. The girls were frozen after an afternoon at the playground and Elena announced that hot chocolate and chocolate chip banana bread would keep her warm all over.
We ran out of marshmallows so I punted and used a scoop of frozen cool whip (why have I not tried [...]

A change for some change

A change for some change

The pantry has been pretty cluttered lately. Real life and work took over and has had us thinking of meals as a thing to grab between work and time with the girls. I miss cooking, and I miss family meals and honestly I miss being able to find something in my pantry without [...]

It’s June…must be time for sparkly pink shoes

It’s June…must be time for sparkly pink shoes

March?!  How could my last post have been in March?  It’s June, 3 months have flown by and I haven’t had a moment to spare since March…  yoikes.   So, here we are, the first week of June – Mark is leaving for shoots in Dublin and Madrid for the first half of the month, [...]

This is a test of the Elena Broadcast System

This is a test of the Elena Broadcast System

Earlier this evening, after the girls were asleep, I went back downstairs to finish a painting project (yes, I underestimated the number of coats of paint it would take to make our dining room walls red.)
I’m not certain how long she was calling out for me, but I didn’t hear Elena until after she [...]

Ever have one of those nights?

Ever have one of those nights?

After a long day of the Wee Kahunas letting me know, in not so subtle little kid manner, that they don’t approve of this whole Daddy going away for 14 days thing. (By testing every limit and rule – including laws of nature like -gravity.) I gratefully climbed into bed early to try and catch [...]

Memories of 2010…in advance

Memories of 2010…in advance

We returned from our last trip to Siberia in late 2008. Making 2009 our first full year as a family at home with the Wee Kahunas. I haven’t really felt compelled to mark our court date  (the date we legally became the girls parents) nor the day in October that we flew home with the girls, [...]

Malt-O-Mealicious March Milestone!

Malt-O-Mealicious March Milestone!

It’s been 5 months since we brought home our two new, adorable, tiny daughters from eastern Siberia. We’re so unbelievably happy to have them in our lives, and we’re even more happy that these two sisters get to stay together. That day in October, when we finally began our 18 hours of air [...]

Minding the Little Minds

Minding the Little Minds

Ok, I’ll admit it. The routine being routine is starting to get to me.
The girls are still recovering from ear infections and the weather here in Chicago has been blustery (go figure!) so we have been mostly trapped indoors. And I’m running out of things for us to do.
Don’t get me wrong, shredding up the [...]

Two weeks as a family at home

Two weeks as a family at home

To be certain it has been a blur. If that amazingly kind judge in Chita hadn’t waived the ten day wait we would have only been home for a couple of days.
The routine is, well, routine. Bed time, wake time, snack time, lunch time, nap time, bath time, diner time…. All relatively predictable.
What is [...]

Pantry Check

We're collecting recipes for jar and canning and freezing of fresh produce to help us make it through the next winter. Got a favorite? Send it over and we'll post it along with the ones we try...

Check back soon!