Project 52

Here's where my 2010 Project 52 will be.

The Empress's Holiday Show

Daycare Holiday show from zipurzor on Vimeo.

Project 52

I don't have what it takes to keep up with a Project 365 where you shoot and post an image each day for a year. Rather than set myself up for inevitable failure, I'm going to do a Project 52, entitled "Through the Looking Glass". I'm going to try and post each week's entry on Sunday but we'll see how it goes.

Halloween Show

Halloween Show 2009 from zipurzor on Vimeo.

HO squared

Winter Wonderland

Last night began the first snowstorm of the season. By 7am we had more than a foot of snow on the ground and Em couldn't wait to look out the window to see. Her grandparents had bought her a beautiful flexible flyer wooden sled for Hanukkah but it was a little too powdery to try it today. I'm hoping tomorrow night we'll go for a ride. Nonetheless we bundled up and braved the cold to clean off the cars and have some fun. Just like her mommy, Em loves to frolic in the snow, throw snow at people and likes some hot cocoa with marshmallows afterward.

Oh Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah

From Our Home to Yours

Photos by Summer Lyn Photography

Book Sale

I recently decided to try my hand at something to keep busy in between jobs. I found this company that has GREAT multicultural books that really appealed to me. I think my favorite is about a boy in China since it hits close to home. Right now there is a big sale so head on over and check it out. Just click the button below and it will take you there. 10% of any monies earned will be donated to charities which benefit orphans in China

Not Me Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week. This week I did NOT grab a sweatshirt from the laundry pile to wear for morning because that would be gross and a real lady always makes sure she looks her best. I did NOT add a 9 to the salary figure when the recruiter asked what I was making because only a dishonest person would try and make MORE money when they are unemployed. I better go bow my head in shame. When my daughter woke me up Saturday morning I did NOT ask for 10 more minutes, only to find her naked from the waist down in a pile of urine. What kind of mother would do that to a child? Certainly not an almost four year old who still doesn't think the potty is necessary. GADZOOKS what a week it's been.

Weekend Wanderings

We spent this past weekend at Hershey Park and Amish Country. Em enjoyed Hershey's Holiday event though it was quite cold. She went on some rides, did the chocolate tour and picked out a cow to add to her menagerie of animals. Sunday we went on a historic train and Santa even stopped by with a gift. We enjoyed the seasonal lights, music and most of all, Em enjoyed all the animals she saw.

A day of beauty

First a haircut at Zippity Doo followed by a mani/pedi at the salon. It was jam packed without a free hand so the owner's husband offered the princess a pedi. He donned his glasses and gave her the works; exfoliation, massage, file, reflexology and polish. While there she snacked on a orange and bottle of water. Even three year olds need pampering every now and then.

Turkey-blaster workout

Thanks and Giving

It would be an arduous task in the least to list everything I am thankful for but I'll try and summarize it. I am thankful for friends and family who are an active part of my life. I've known for a long time that blood doesn't equal family and friends don't have to be merely that. The people in my life are my family regardless of their origins and for that I am extremely grateful. I am especially grateful for my mom who is my partner in crime, my dutiful assistant and watcher of small child. I couldn't ask for a better grandparent. I am grateful for overall good health despite the fact I've had every bug and critter known to man this year. In the big picture all is well. I am thankful for our amazing doctors who take really good care of us. To say I am grateful for my daughter seems odd so we'll rephrase it. I am both grateful and ever so thankful to my adoption agency, the People's Republic of China, IAAP and special friends, the "T" family in Beijing who made me a parent and gave my daughter a forever family that loves her to the moon and back. Words will never be enough. I am thankful and blessed to have a wonderful man in my life who accepts me unconditionally and loves my daughter almost as much as I do. I am thankful they were open minded enough to welcome each other into their lives. I am also thankful for his family who treats us like we have always been part of them. I am thankful and grateful for my daughter's daycare. The owner and staff take extraordinary care of my daughter and treat her as if she were their own. What more could any parent ask for? We are blessed to be part of yet another family. I am thankful that there are also so many wonderful children and families that we've gotten to know. I am thankful for the new people I've met as a result of becoming a parent. While there are a lot of new friends in our life, we do hold a special place for the P family and of course the L family. Deb (L) and I worked together and probably wouldn't have chosen to be friends otherwise. We're very different but she and her family are a blessing nonetheless. At this difficult time of being unemployed I am thankful for my education that will take me on the next leg of the journey and for my colleagues who I've developed relationships with over the past 15 years. From our house to yours, Happy Thanksgiving

The Many Faces of The Divine Miss Em

How I love this girl. Her expressions are priceless and she almost always has a smile on her face. Please excuse the rim of orange around her mouth but SOMEONE gave her Gatorade.