Fundraising --- A Mom's Duty?

PTO --- If I remember the meeting, I go.

But, it's always about the next thing we can do to fundraise.

I'm not saying I'm against fundraising, it just seems there are other ways we can do good for our children without fundraising for more "stuff" all the time.

Last year, we started out supporting everything the kids brought home. Then we decided we needed to be more selective; that we didn't have to contribute every time. We haven't contributed again.

That is, until this year, and that's because my son gathered up all his change and put it in a ziplock bag for "Make-a-Wish." I figured we could help out too so my husband dumped a bunch of our change into his bag.

My kids play soccer and piano. We pay the minimum and don't contribute. When my daughter performed in the Nutcracker, we didn't contribute anything more then the long hours we had committed too. Both kids are in ice skating, which is all non-profit. Last year, I spent hours on the program, tickets and posters for their ice show. I didn't participate in any of the fundraising --- selling any ads, tickets or coupons --- I figured I had done my part.

But this year, although I am doing the program for the ice show again, I thought I can sell a few ads. The ads start at only $10 and on up to $100. Knowing how expensive it is to advertise in the newspaper for a day, it seemed to me to be an inexpensive way for businesses to advertise around town. So, off I went to sell a few. I had a chiropractic appointment, so I sold there first. I sold one other ad, but mostly, I got a bunch of times of when I could return to talk to store owners. Everyone was nice about it, but after 3 hours I was done for the day.

The next morning, I dropped off my kids at school, then built a bunch of ads and added the skater's information into the program. After lunch I headed out again. I sold a few more ads and made an unexpected trade for doughnuts that the board members are very excited about. Just after another sell, I returned to Broadway Burger at the time they had requested me to from yesterday. A different of the 3 owners was there so I explained what we were doing again and that I had been asked to return today. She flipped out! "Haven't we contributed enough to the community!" Ummmmmm, I don't know, I guess so? I thought. Anyway, she went on an on, I think she was explaining "why," but I, with a smile, wasn't really listening. I just wanted to leave; and when she was done talking at me, I did. I got in my car and all of a sudden I felt the sting and my eyes got all teary, after all, they had asked me to come back today. I tried to shake it off, but decided that with tears so close to the surface, I was done for now. It was almost time to pick up my kids anyway. I wonder how sells people can do this ALL day long!

I did decide to take my kids on my last two stops. At the first one, I made a trade for pizza coupons. The second store wanted to buy but needed me to wait for 15 minutes, and having the kids with me and a husband waiting for the pizza I now had out in my car, I decided to stop at home quick first.

I didn't go back. I had to start baking cupcakes (6 batches) with Alyssa. She's entering those in the Chocolate Festival tomorrow. Besides, I am exhausted from selling and I think I am getting sick.

And, WOW! for those parents who actually go out with there kids and sell those fundraisers more than one a year! This really takes effort and time. It's also something that may take a year for me to recoup from each time. (And, since, I'm on a roll with making trades, the board suggests that I go to visit Coke and Pepsi. I'll have to see if I can regain any of my selling momentum by Monday morning.)

Valentine Funnies

Written by Alyssa

This is what came out of her backpack on Valentine's Day.

Click image to see larger!

(She had Daddy and me laughing so hard that I thought I'd post it so the world could laugh too!)  : )

My sweet, and SILLY, Alyssa.

We hope you had a fun Valentine's too!

Our Adoption Story - Part 13 - Photos

(I almost hate to post this tonight when I just learned that a good friend of mine just adopted a baby boy --- I hope no one thinks I'm trying to steal the attention she should be getting. Go HERE if you want to read about a newly announced adoption.)

It's already close to a year since I posted our adoption story and said that I hoped to put photos with it. This last week I finally hunted down the disk those were on (thanks to a scrapbooking/family history lesson this week that motivated me to find it). So, here we have it. Below are a few of my favorites photos of my beautiful babies almost SEVEN years ago!!!!!!!

Part 1 - Infertility
Part 2 - Waiting
Part 3 - A New Goal 
Part 4 - Comfort
Part 5 - Chosen
Part 6 - Charlotte
Part 7 - Expecting
Part 8 - Shopping
Part 9 - Birthday
Part 10 - Hospital

Part 11 - His Will

Part 12 - Miracles

12 Days of Christmas --- Dinner Ideas

If I plan a menu through the month of December (back in October), will it make the holidays go by with a little less stress? Just wondering because I'm so am hoping for that!

While jotting dinner ideas on my calendar I started thinking it would be fun to serve up some sort of food for those 12 days counting down to Christmas. (Yes, here I am, making a simple idea complicated again!) So, I've browsed from time to time, all the way up to Halloween, and now, before completing my menu, I can't help but share all my research with you! So, have a look, then share your ideas with me!

(BTW, I thought this video of the MOTAB singing the 12 Days of Christmas will be a fun way to start Day 1.)

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   Day 1 --- Partridge in a Pear Tree

Fresh Pears (This is a nicely presented!)

• canned pears
• pear dessert
• Harry and David pears
• Roquefort Pear Salad (see 1st review / can replace bleu cheese with Gorgonzola cheese)
• Christmas Cinnamon Pears
• Gingered Pears
• Autumn Pear Dessert
• Piles of Pears and One Amazing Coffee Cake 

Day 2 --- Turtle Doves

Turtle Cake --- This is beautiful! (However, I will use this chocolate cake recipe instead --- it's super easy to make, you don't need coffee an it's one of our favorites.) I think I'll have a scope of vanilla ice cream with that!

• turtle chocolates and dove bars
• Pretzel Turtles
• Turtle Bread
• Turtle Soup (I will use beef or turkey) or Turtle Mock Soup
• Turtle Cheesecake (Mmmmmmmmm... this looks yummy too!)

Day 3 --- French Hens

Stuffed Cornish Hens (2 hours), Apricot-Glazed Cornish Hens (for glaze only)

• Rich and Simple French Onion Soup
• French Bread or French Baguettes
• French Green Beans
• French Fries
• French Vanilla Hot Chocolate

Day 4 --- Calling Birds actually "Colly Birds" (means blackbird/crow)

Calling Bird Cut-out Cookies

• Buy or cut out a bird shaped stencil. Spread cream cheese on crackers and use the stencil for things like finely chopped chives, black olive, paprika, chopped egg yolk, to make the birds on top.
• Colly Bird Pie (I think I'll make 2 pies some night soon and freeze one of those for later --- or --- I might just make a regular old pot pie and make reference to the children's rhyme with blackbirds baked in a pie.)

Day 5 --- Golden Rings

• gold-foil wrapped chocolate bells (for ringing)
• oranges sliced into rings
• onion rings with a hamburger
• Cowboy Donuts (for 5 golden glazed doughnuts --- or glazed will work)
• Christmas Bread Wreath (for breakfast)

Day 6 --- Geese-a-Laying

Duck Egg and Brussels Sprouts Hash (I'll just use hen eggs from the store...)

• Breakfast for dinner: something with (hard boiled?) eggs
• Mexican Sunrise Scrambled Eggs

Day 7 --- Swans-a-Swimming

Swan Cream Puffs

Day 8 --- Maids-a-Milking

Milk Duds, Popcorn and a Family Christmas Movie (But, what's for dinner?)

• something with lots of milk (i.e. cheese, custard, yogurt)
• Chocolate pudding topped with whipped cream
• Tres Leches Cake

Day 9 --- Ladies Dancing

Pink Ladies (With so many sweets, just make 1/2 a batch --- these are rich and oh, so good.)

• Pink Lady apples (can use to make Raw Apple Crisp, Apple Cider (juice the apples through a juicer)/Wassail, apple pie)
• Gingerbread Ladies (1, 2, 3, 4) --- Can be baked and frozen until Day 9!

Day 10 --- Lords-a-Leaping

Chicken a la King (can make double and freeze extra for the 10th Day)

• Beef Wellington (Takes 4 hours or more to make and cooks up med. rare) Sounds good but might want to find something easier...
• Gingerbread Men with crowns iced on (see ladies dancing and make them both)
• Capering Baron of Beef au jus, Trinidad Hops Bread and Grasshopper Pie
• King Cake (traditionally on the 12 day to celebrate when the wise men travel to the baby ends --- "King/Queen for the Day" trinket) King cake - Wikipedia
• garlic-crab-legs (King Crab)
• Burger King (Don't forget your coupons!)

Day 11 --- Pipers Piping

Snowman Stew (Make 11 snowmen with little pipes drawn on with mustard.) I will use this slow cooker Beef Stew recipe because we like it and it's pretty easy, I'll just add the snowmen towards the end of the cooking time, maybe even pour it into a casserole dish... but that might be complicating a simple idea. Here's some good crusty bread to serve with it.)

• Scottish food for Pipers --- Pork and Sauerkraut Casserole
• pipe frosting onto sugar cookies
• Duchess Potato Christmas Trees

Day 12 --- Drummers Drumming

California Rolls --- video (These are drum shaped, add something for drumsticks ---  chopsticks?) These can be made a day ahead. (Serve with instant Miso Soup and steamed veggies.)

• Simple Chili (in crock pot) with Rosemary Breadsticks
• 12 Cinnamon Rolls (for Christmas breakfast) or dozen of anything
• Oven-Fried Drumsticks

Trick-or-Treat!

I finished the bat wings just in time, even with a broken sewing machine. Payton's smile made it all worth while. (Those are glow sticks in his wings, purple even, his favorite color these days, but the picture just doesn't show it.)

I signed up to bring treats to his school class and was asked to bring veggies. I wasn't sure how creative I could get with those --- good thing for Google --- I found something easy enough. The hardest part was coming up with a little container small enough for the nose. (Yeah, I found one!) I also signed up to bring treats to Alyssa's class, but, it turns out that I guess that meant I was staying to help with the party! Ohhhhhh... so, I would bring cupcakes still... but, the teacher wants the kids to decorate them! Okay... I guess I can do that too...

I don't know why I didn't get a picture, the cupcakes were really cute with a spider web in the icing and a spider ring stuck on top. But here's her class playing musical chairs to Halloween music.

And here are my two monsters after a quick dinner, ready to TRICK-OR-TREAT!

Alyssa's is a witch for the 3rd year in a row. My mom sewed us matching costumes and left room for my little girl to grow with it. Doesn't she make a darling witch!

The weather was cool, yet, nice for this time of year. We trick-or-treated our neighborhood down to their school where they were having a trunk-or-treat. We ran into some of our friends there.

Then we trick-or-treated our way back home. Some people where very creative in decorating their house. These were some of our favorites:

We got TOO MUCH CANDY! (Almost 2 buckets full each!) I told them so too and asked them to just keep their favorites --- we needed to get rid of the rest. And they did --- without complaining (and with a little help). YEAH! Now they've got 1/2 a bucket each (as if that isn't too much!)

We hope your Halloween was fun too!