** COMING SOON **

COMING SOON TO A T-SHIRT AND TOTE BAG
NEAR YOU!!

BE PREPARED TO ORDER A SHIRT FOR YOUR WHOLE FAMILY
(yes, I will use extreme measures to ensure this)
SO THAT WE CAN BRING HOME BABY GIRL BUTTERWORTH!!

"James, The Musical" *Extended Cut*

James the Musical (Extended Version) from Overlake Christian Church on Vimeo.

Enjoy watching my husband and BOTH of my sons in this instant classic! This is my youngest's acting debut. Pure genius!!

Decompressing

I am been overwhelmed with my life lately. Jesse and I have entered into the process of adoption and there is A LOT of paperwork. I have had friends go through this process but you don't know how much there is to do until you jump in yourself. (I consequently have a lot of respect for the families that have gone before me.) I run a non-profit group and for lack of a better term, I am "managing/overseeing" a golf tournament in addition to regular group tasks. I am also on a Planning Team and have a lot to do to prepare for a Women's Event at our church. On top of all of that, I am trying to be a pretty good (I've let go of being great for this season) mom and wife. I believe some women would probably thrive with all of this, but I am not.

I made myself take a break from a few things over the weekend. (I say this loosely because I did send a few emails and finished filling out one teesy piece of paperwork for our Home Study.) I instead cleaned the house and folded clothing and sorted thousands of tiny socks for what seemed like an eternity. I hung out with my boys and husband and did a little cooking on the side. I went to dinner and a movie with some friends.

I never really felt like I let myself relax though. If I wasn't thinking of all I needed to do during the day, I was dreaming about it at night.

So I am putting this out there to you, my two readers... How do you turn your mind off? How do you relax? Do you take a weekend? Is that possible when you are a mother? I would love to hear your thoughts or advice if you have any!

My kids are cuter than yours... *wink wink*

But seriously - they just might be....

Liam's "scary face"

Finn's "scary" face. Sweet Lord, he's CUTE!

My FAVE Weight Watcher Friendly Hot Chocolate

I am a BIG chocolate fan - I mean REALLY big. I LOVE all things chocolate and have it in some form just about every day. My mouth is seriously watering right now. I have problems.

One of my favorite comfort drinks is real hot chocolate (click HERE to buy my favorite, slave-free kind). I do let myself occasionally indulge these days but have found a suitable alternative for those ever frequent, "I ate myself out of points" days. This recipe is a variation on a Hungry Girl recipe. (If you don't know who Hungry Girl is, you should check her out).

INGREDIENTS:
* 1 Package of Swiss Miss "Sensible Sweets" Diet Hot Cocoa Mix (Pretty great on its own but not chocolaty enough for me).
* 2 Teaspoons of Cocoa Powder (Go Fair Trade or Organic if you can help it!!)
* 2 Teaspoons of Sugar Free, French Vanilla, Non-dairy Powdered Creamer
* 1 Teaspoon of chocolate chips (I use mini chocolate chips)
(Go Fair Trade or Organic if you can help it!!)
* Fat Free Redi-Whip (Only 5 calories per 2 Tablespoons and pure heaven)
* 20 Marshmallows

1) Boil Water
2) Grab a mug and pour the first four ingredients into mug.
3) Pour water into mug and stir. (I would suggest waiting for a few seconds to let the chocolate chips melt, and then give it a good stir again).
4) Cover in Redi-Whip and your 20 marshmallows and ENJOY!!

On another note... I am really passionate about STOPPING Human Trafficking. Did you know that at least 50% of your cocoa is produced by slaves and that 70% of all cocoa beans bought by the US are grown on the Ivory Coast of West Africa and harvested by slaves? Interested in learning how to make a difference? Check THIS site out or visit my friend Amy's BLOG to read more about it.

99 THINGS

I saw this on my sister in law's blog and thought Id post it to do something a little more fun and upbeat!

Instructions:

Copy the list, bold the ones you've done (with explanations if needed), share with friends.
You apparently can't bold on my blog so I'm making all of my bolding, RED. :)

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a thunder and lightning storm
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child - in process :)
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb (does a calf count?)
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating - fish
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Got a tattoo
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Basic Human Trafficking Statistics

Trafficking in persons is modern-day slavery, involving victims who are forced, defrauded or coerced into labor or sexual exploitation.

It is estimated that at least 27 million people are currently enslaved around the world; many have been enslaved through being trafficked.

Approximately 800,000 people annually are trafficked across national borders. Around 80 percent of these victims are women and girls and up to 50 percent are minors. The majority of females are trafficked into commercial sexual exploitation. (2007 Trafficking in Persons Report, U.S. State Department)

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) now believes that the number of children trafficked each year is around 1.2 million. (2006)

That's two children per minute trafficked for sexual exploitation/slavery.

45,000-50,000 persons are trafficked into the U.S. each year; 15,000 of them are children. (ECPAT-USA)

The U.N. and other experts estimate the total market value of illicit human trafficking at $32 billion. (UNODC)

These numbers make trafficking in persons the second most lucrative crime in the world, second only to the sale of drugs. (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2006).

About $28 billion of this is generated from commercial sexual exploitation. (International Labor Organization)

Photo Courtesy of Amy Cheng Photography