Boo has become attached to baby dolls this past month.  

Labels: babies, Boo

I'm in the process of getting a website designed, FINALLY!  It took me forever to make the plunge and choose a web designer.  I'll let you know when it's up and running.

In the meantime, I thought I'd show off a few new tutu designs that I've made recently for local and online clients.  I'm amazed that people are already thinking of Halloween in July! :)

Click on the images to enlarge and let me know what you think.   If you're interested in ordering one these (I also do custom orders) please email me at sales [at] sparkleandcharm [dot] com.

Thanks!

Labels: Sparkle and Charm Boutique, tutus

Happy Wednesday to you! It's time once again to post another WFMW tip!

Before leaving on my business trip, I managed to snatch some "me" time to go browse through a shopping complex. While out, I stumbled upon a cigar lounge and remembered hearing somewhere that cigar shops often times offer their empty cigar boxes for free to those that ask.

So, I stopped in the cigar lounge and instantly had several pair of male eyes on me as I walked toward the bar. I asked about the availability of empty cigar boxes and the owner pointed to a small table near the entrance and told me to help myself. On the table were several cigar boxes of various sizes. Several were very nice, with hinges and locks.

I selected two boxes, offered my thanks, and then took them home to Snuggle Bug. He was thrilled to have such neat boxes and quickly filled them with various trinkets (small toys, favorite rocks, etc.).

If I were really motivated, I could've decoupaged the wooden boxes with fabric but Snuggle Bug seemed happy with them just as they were so I didn't bother.

Scoring neat trinket boxes from a cigar lounge for free works for me. To find out what works for others, be sure to check out the other links at Shannon's, the creator of Works-For-Me Wednesday!

My past WFMW entries are found here.

Labels: Works-For-Me Wednesday

After a long day at work, I just spent the last THREE HOURS in a long line of stand-still traffic trying to get off of Edwards AFB!!  Apparently they locked down the entire base and no one knew why for sure.

Labels: business travel, frustrations

Most of you know by now that I'm a pretty private person and I avoid posting identifying pictures. Well, in honor of my 40th birthday, which I celebrated earlier this week, I've decided to post a recent picture of me on this post. I'll take it off in a couple of days.


So, I'm thinking 40's not so bad so far. :)  I'll expand a bit on why I think that, when I have more time.  I'm visiting relatives in Orange, CA so this is going to be a quick post.  I'll come back and edit it later this weekend.

Labels: birthdays, photos

Good Friday to you all! It's time for a special Favorite Ingredients Friday Healthy Eating Edition II. Last year I got some great recipes so please, share more light and healthy recipes! :)

The recipe I'm sharing I found on Eating Well.com!  These sandwiches are delicious!

Southwestern Cheese Panini

Ingredients
4 ounces shredded sharp Cheddar
1 cup shredded zucchini
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup prepared salsa
1 tablespoon chopped pickled jalapeño pepper (optional)
8 slices whole-wheat bread

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 12-cup muffin pan.

1. Have four 15-ounce cans and a medium skillet (not nonstick) ready by the stove.

2. Combine Cheddar, zucchini, carrot, onion, salsa and jalapeño (if using) in a medium bowl. Divide among 4 slices of bread and top with the remaining bread.

3. Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place 2 panini in the pan. Place the medium skillet on top of the panini, then weigh it down with the cans. Cook the panini until golden on one side, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, flip the panini, replace the top skillet and cans, and cook until the second side is golden, 1 to 3 minutes more. Repeat with another 1 teaspoon oil and the remaining panini.

Nutrition Info
Per serving: 310 calories; 11 g fat (5 g sat, 1 g mono); 30 mg cholesterol; 37 g carbohydrate; 16 g protein; 5 g fiber; 523 mg sodium; 163 mg potassium.

Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (50% daily value), Calcium (30% dv), Vitamin C (20% dv), Iron (15% dv).

2 Carbohydrate Serving

Now, I look forward to seeing your Favorite Ingredients Friday Healthy Eating edition recipe! I won't be able to visit your recipes right away but fear not, I will stop by to visit your recipe as soon as I can!

Don't forget to link your specific recipe post link on Mr. Linky so I can see what's cooking at your house!

Oh, and be sure to put the title of your recipe in parenthesis! It makes it so much quicker for me to go back and search for recipes as I build my weekly menu.

For guidelines and my past Favorite Ingredients Friday recipes, click here.

Thanks so much for your participation. I do appreciate it!

Labels: Favorite Ingredients Friday, recipe exchange

Some time ago, I got an email from Nancy with Babies and Moms Radio letting me know that I had been picked as a winner for a pair of pediped™ footwear shoes. I was even allowed to pick out the style that I wanted.

Thinking of Boo, I chose a 12-18 month sized pair of pink Abigail pediped™ shoes.

I have to say, I love these soft-soled shoes! Boo seems to find them comfortable, probably because pediped™ footwear features soft, flexible soles and supple, premium grade leather uppers. Velcro fasteners make them quick and easy to put on (even with one hand- I love that!) and ensures they stay securely on Boo's feet. She wears these shoes without even trying to take them off, which is pretty amazing for her.

We all know that at the age that little ones are learning to walk, it's best to be barefoot, but that's not always practical. Given the fact that pediped™ footwear is accepted by the American Podiatric Medical Association and recommended by podiatrists, I feel pretty good about having these shoes on Boo's little feet.

After looking through the pediped™ website, I know that I will be purchasing some more of these shoes. They have so many cute styles for boys and girls!

If you'd like to purchase a pair of these shoes, you can either order them off of the pediped™ website or check out their store locator to purchase them in a store near you!

Labels: baby products, product review

Happy Wednesday to you! It's time once again to post another WFMW tip!

This is a travel tip, whether you're traveling on business or pleasure.

I'm out of town on business this week and next and I tried to pack smart for this trip, given the fact that many of the major airlines are now charging $15-$25 extra per 50 pound  checked bag!  Ouch!

I had to pack business casual clothes for work and casual clothes for off-hours so I worried about the sheer amount of clothes I'd have to bring.  I decided that it would be smarter to do laundry at the hotel while I'm away.

I checked with my boss.  My company will pay for coin operated laundry, but not hotel dry cleaning (not surprising, given the jacked up prices they charge) unless I had business suits to dry clean (I don't have to wear those on this trip, thank goodness).

I knew that these coin operated laundry rooms in the hotels usually sell small boxes of laundry detergent and softener, but I also know that those products are overpriced so I decided to get creative and bring my own.

Labels: Works-For-Me Wednesday

Some time ago, Brian with Provident Music Group offered to send me a pre-release of the new Third Day Revelation CD comes out July 29th. 

Labels: music, product review

Well, I made it to Lancaster in one piece.  I'm not sure I took the most direct route to get here.  I flew into Ontario, CA and rented a car.  The nice people at the Dollar car rental counter gave me directions to Lancaster that had me taking 10 W to 57 N, then 57 N to 210 W, then 210 W to 5 N, then 5 N to 14 N on in to Lancaster.

As I was driving, I called Oronzo and chatted with him.  Of course, being a guy, he had to get on to Google and look up the course I was taking and then proceeded to tell me that if I had gone in the opposite direction on 15 I would've avoided driving through mountains and gotten here quicker.  I assured him that I didn't mind the longer drive.  For the next 2 weeks, I've got nothing but time and since the car rental and the gas is being paid for on this business trip, it was no big deal to take the longer route.  

I had my iPod with me and was enjoying being in the car alone, listening to my music (rather than Jimmy Buffet songs that Oronzo always listens to on his Margaritaville station in the car), belting out the lyrics to my favorite songs!

I must say, I'm impressed with my diggs for the next two weeks.  This Marriott in Lancaster is one of the nicer ones I've stayed in.  I have a rather spacious suite with a king sized bed in one area with a big screen TV (not your normal size) and a nice sized bathroom a stone's throw away!

Another area has a desk with free wifi internet access (my Macbook picked up their network in no time), along with a couch and a cofeee table.

Finally, there's a small "kitchen" area with a refigerator, a microwave, a counter with a sink, and a cabinet space in case I want to purchase beverages or food and store it there.

I'll tell you what, this place sure beats the rundown Motel 8 that I'm forced to stay in when I'm working at Holloman AFB in Alomogordo, NM.  Thankfully having an opportunity to see Michelle when I'm there makes up for it! :)

Labels: business travel, working mommy

I'm heading off to Edwards AFB today.  I'll be there on business for two weeks, through 25 July!  I'll have access to email and the internet while I'm in my hotel in Lancaster, CA but not during my time on base.

Labels: business travel, working mommy

It's time for another one of my free Pay It Forward book giveaways! Sorry for the delay on getting this out. We've had an emotional roller coaster these past couple of weeks with foster care issues.

For those who may have missed out, please read about the guidelines right here.

So, I have two books to give away this month.

1) Hitched by Carol Higgins Clark.

This book was sent to me by Sheryl with Taking the Challenge. Thanks, Sheryl!

From Publishers Weekly

Nervous brides may want to wait until after the wedding to read bestseller Clark's winning ninth mystery to feature PI Regan Reilly (after 2005's Burned). With her wedding to Jack "no relation" Reilly, head of the NYPD Major Case Squad, only a week away, Regan thinks she has everything under control. But when she arrives to pick up her wedding dress at Alfred and Charisse's Coutures in Little Italy, she finds the young husband-and-wife designers bound and gagged, a wedding dress shredded on the floor and four others missing, including her own. In spite of all she must do before the wedding, Regan agrees to investigate. Jack, hoping to solve a big bank robbery case before their nuptials, is more than supportive. To Regan's surprise, not all the brides-to-be who've lost their gowns are that distraught. Regan's and Jack's cases convincingly intertwine as the sleuthing trail leads them from the streets of New York to Las Vegas. With her usual cast of quirky characters, Clark's lighthearted romp will keep readers guessing who will and who won't make it to the altar.

This was a fun, quick read!

2) I Choose This Day by Sharon Fieker.

This book was sent to me by Dawn at Our Adoption Journey...to Nowhere. Thanks, Dawn!

Book description: Have you faced a difficult decision concerning an unexpected pregnancy? Sharon Fieker uses I Choose this Day: Mournings and Miracles of Adoption to convey how the circumstances of the darkest period in her life evolved into the brightest time. She includes the challenges and blessings surrounding her pregnancy. The heartache of "not knowing" what happened to her baby and the beautiful story that unfolds as she meets her birth daughter are inspirational. When going through difficult times, Sharon sometimes wondered how God could allow such troubling things to happen. Her story demonstrates how He had a plan for her--one filled with hope. He also allowed her free will to make her own choices. If you're facing or have faced an unplanned pregnancy, you will benefit from reading I Choose this Day: Mournings and Miracles of Adoption.

Labels: book review, books/reading, giveaways, Pay It Forward

Today there was a dependency review for the parents of our youngest foster daughter, Baby Bug. The outcome was what everyone expected.

CPS, the state rep, and all the lawyers were finally on the same page, advocating to the judge that Baby Bug be returned home to her parents. This is the first time that Baby Bug's lawyer has been on board with this plan, so Oronzo and I suspected that her buy-in would influence the judge to grant CPS the discretion to begin a transition plan to get her home.

That's exactly what happened. The judge is willing to allow the transition to begin to get her home. CPS has set a target return date of Friday, 15 August. It's being left up to us and Baby Bug's parents to decide on how that return will happen. I'm advocating for us to be allowed to deliver Baby Bug and all of her possessions to her parent's home, bringing Snuggle Bug with us so that we can see her happy in her home with her parents and have a sense of closure. I think that's important for all of us.

So, I did pretty good throughout the court hearing. When the judge asked for my input, I spoke clearly of my support for the decision to reunify Baby Bug with her parents. They've worked hard these past 7 1/2 months, still remaining 100% compliant with every aspect of their case plan, and although we'll miss Baby Bug dearly we agree that she belongs back home with her parents.

After court, when I was asked to stay behind and speak with Baby Bug's parents and the CPS worker to arrange the beginning of overnight visits, I must admit that I broke down and cried. The emotions were just too intense to hold in.

I felt bad that I cried on what was a very happy occasion for Baby Bug's parents and I assured them that I was truly happy for their good news. But the thought of saying a final "goodbye" to this precious baby girl left me feeling overwhelmingly sad as well.

Baby Bug's mom actually started tearing up too and her dad was quick to assure me that it wouldn't be a final goodbye because they wanted to keep in contact with us. I half teasingly told her parents that Oronzo and I want to be considered an honorary aunt and uncle to Baby Bug and they told me that'd be great because what little family they do have in town they're not on the best of terms with.

So, we've got her with us (part time) until 15 August. ((sigh)) I pray the good Lord gives me the strength to survive these final days with her and beyond.

This certainly has been an emotional couple of weeks in our world of foster care.

Labels: Baby Bug, foster children, fostering, leap of faith, letting go

After much research, I chose a new Singer Confidence 7463 sewing machine.  Oronzo purchased it early for me for my birthday that's coming up next week.  Of course, it'll take me some time to learn how to use this, considering I know nothing about sewing.  But I have a willingness to learn!

Labels: craft ideas, sewing

I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July!  We did!  We had a group of friends over for a BBQ/pool party and managed to see a good view of the city fireworks from our front yard.  Hooray!

Labels: Boo, holiday, photos

Good Friday to you all! It's time for a special Favorite Ingredients Friday 4th of July Edition II! Last year you gave me several great ideas and I need your help again this year.  Please share recipes of something that you'd prepare and serve for a 4th of July gathering. It can be a savory grilled dish, a fun dessert, or a flavorful side! Be creative! I need ideas for the BBQ that we're hosting later today! :)

The recipe I'm about to share is one that I found on Fabulous Foods.  I'm going to make it for our party today.

Labels: baked goodies, Favorite Ingredients Friday, recipe exchange

I had intended to post a July Pay It Forward Book Exchange today but I hope you'll forgive me for not feeling up to it quite yet. Maybe later this week.

Boo's 12 month Permanency hearing has taken place and it ended up being the worst case scenario for us. I wish I could share details with you to explain, but I just can't.

Suffice it to say that due to the CPS worker's incompetence and half truths or outright lies, Boo will remain in the system as a foster child for at the very least 4 1/2 more months, but in all likelihood it'll be next May or even as late as next August before a decision is reached for her, meaning she will have been a foster child for well over 2 years.

The judge granted an extension until November and is likely going to push the case out 6-9 months after that. Even if severance is granted finally at that point, she'll be in the system another 6-8 months + to get through the adoption process.

My heart is just sick. We've had this little girl in our home just 4 short months and I already love her. Oronzo is being honest and telling me that he's not sure he can commit to 2 more years of uncertainty in the "hopes" of being able to adopt her. The longer we have her, the more attached she becomes to us and we become to her. And if it doesn't work out in our favor, and we're not confident that it will, it'll be even harder on all of us.

Oronzo is angry beyond belief at the lies we've been told by the CPS worker, the truth has been slowly revealed to us over these past few months and more came out during this hearing. He said that had we been told the truth about this case in the very initial meeting, he would've never taken it on. I'm angry and shocked with the CPS workers lies but more just incredibly sad.

I don't want to give up on this little girl and if we ask her to be transferred to another home, that's what I would feel like we were doing. She's been through so much and she deserves better! None of this is her fault. She's the innocent one. I don't want her hurt any further. I want to be there through the very end, even if that means seeing her going back to her mother. I think I could live with that.

It may be out of our control anyway. We learned in court that there's a family friend in another state (the same state that Boo's mom is in right now) that is trying to get licensed as a foster family with the specific purpose of having Boo transferred to that state to be closer to her mom, so that her mom can avoid having to come here. I think the judge would grant this. We were told by the CPS worker that this wasn't a viable option but now we're learning differently.

Please understand, I advocate for parental rights 100%. Children belong with their biological families if at all possible. But how long should parents get to pull their lives together? How much trauma and suffering should their children be forced to go through in the process?

The question we have to decide upon is how much anguish can we take as a family? How can Oronzo and I come to an agreement on this situation? We don't have answers yet. We've decided to hold off on making any decisions until we see if Boo will be tranferred out of state.

Now when I see Boo, I want to burst into tears and hold her tight. I want to tell her I'm sorry. I want to keep her safe forever. I want to shield her from all of this. It's killing me to know that I can't. I can only love her while I have her but that hardly seems enough. I shudder to think of how all of this is effecting her little spirit. How will she ever trust or have healthy attachments when the floor keeps dropping out from under her?

We knew fostering wasn't going to be an easy road but "knowing" and experiencing are two different things.

I'm struggling to see God's purpose in all of this.

Labels: Boo, foster children, foster-to-adopt, fostering