I'm happy to announce we are officially Foster Care lisenced for the state of Utah. Our lisence came in the mail today! Now, we can be called anytime, so we'll see what happens. Generally, what *should* happen is before we have a placement, a resource worker should meet with us and get to know us. She will be the one to actually make the match between us and a child. So, while we can now officially and legally get called any day now, it's likely she will want to meet with us first. We'll keep you posted and we will definetly let you know if we have a new little one join the family. Yeah!!
PS- Korbin is sleeping through the night...it only took 3 nights of us giving him less and less formula at the night time feeding. He didn't even cry about it, he just did it! Now we are regretting not having done it sooner!
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Pre Easter at the Wilsher's!
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This last Sunday we had the opportunity to watch Josh, our second to oldest nephew, receive the Melkezidic (????spelling???) Preisthood, as he prepares for his mission in Fall. It was a nice experience and we are so proud of him and his parents. He is such a great guy and will make an excellent missionary.
After church, we spent the afternoon at my sister's house in Draper. She made us delicious food, which we all enjoyed! My mom, or "Nana", in other words, brought markers, crayons, glitter and glue to decorate hard boiled eggs. The kids all enjoyed it, even some of the grown ups were having quite a good time!
My mom, sisters and I hid plastic eggs full of candy around the house, while the kids played. And of course, the kids had a great big egg hunt around the house! We enjoyed ourselves very much. It is always so nice to be with family and still such a novelty to be with the Wilsher's, considering they have been in England pretty much my whole life.
Here's some pictures!
Lake Side Property
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Chris and I always joke that every Spring we have lake side property. North Ogden and Harrisville, especially the area we are in, has a very high water table. So each spring, with the added run off, ponds seem to apear out of no where!
Our duck friends have returned this year. They are nesting and laying eggs in the cattails next to our horse pasture. They swim in the newly added "lake". lol! A friend of Landon's came over and said, "I can't believe you have your very own pond with ducks!"
While Chris was setting up the sump pump, in the crawl space, he opened the vents so that he could let some more light into the crawlspace. When he did that, I small frog jumped in. Chris caught it to show Landon, who had gone out with me for the morning. Landon was excited to see it and touch it. He called him Spot. Later, after a photo shoot , :) Spot was released into the "pond" with the ducks. He is quite happy there.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
The Woman's Month :)
I am loving the weather! Today is beautiful and sooo sunny. It's getting me excited to start planting flowers and pulling weeds....yes, I really don't mind pulling weeds....it gives me a sense of accomplishement!
Two Sundays ago, while not as warm, but still nice, we went out on a Sunday drive. We found this beautiful calf that had just been born, with it's momma. The calf could barely stand and was still wet and goopy from being born. We watched the momma cow lick it clean while the calf nursed, trying to keep his wobbly legs straight underneath him. They were so sweet.
Anyway, I just wanted to share, but I'm heading back outside before the weather changes it's mind. My bio dad, who lives in Bulgaria, (Bulgaria has a VERY similar climate to where we live) said that the Bulgarians call March "The Woman's Month" because the weather is so ever changing and can't make up it's mind! lol!
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Almost St. Patrick's Day
Landon is usually a fabulous sleeper, but last night he kept waking up with bad dreams. So, Chris told him to get his blanket and pillow and sleep on the couch, so he could be near our room.
This morning when he woke up, he came and told me, VERY SERIOUSLY, that he had seen a leprechon (bad spelling) running back and forth between our two couches all night. I asked him if he was scared and he said no. He said he tried to lay very still so that the leprachon could hide his pot of gold in OUR house. lol! So, today Landon has been in full searching mode, to find the pot of gold. He is begining to get concerned that the leprachon may have taken it with him, to put at the end of a rainbow!
...oh....I LOVE kids....especially mine!
This morning when he woke up, he came and told me, VERY SERIOUSLY, that he had seen a leprechon (bad spelling) running back and forth between our two couches all night. I asked him if he was scared and he said no. He said he tried to lay very still so that the leprachon could hide his pot of gold in OUR house. lol! So, today Landon has been in full searching mode, to find the pot of gold. He is begining to get concerned that the leprachon may have taken it with him, to put at the end of a rainbow!
...oh....I LOVE kids....especially mine!
Still Scrappin'!
Well, I'm still at it...I think I've done about 7 or 8 pages this last week! I've been trying to get a page a day done, while Korbin naps...at least until I catch up! I've finally completed my 2007 book, other than a title page. And Korbin's book is totally up to date. My 2008 book is finally up to date and I'm only about 4 pages off of my "Family by Jacqui" book. Whoa! Gosh...just in time for Easter and Korbin's birthday to creep around the corner! I just wanted to post a few of my favorites that I did this last week.
Here's a page from my "Family by Jacqui"...back from Fall. And a page of me and my boys in my Family 08 book. And last, but probably not least... Landon's 5th birthday from last December....for the Family '07 book. Well, I'll try posting some more words and not so many pages, now! I just couldn't resist sharing! Thanks for looking.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Sunday, March 9, 2008
I've been scrapin'!
I'm really behind on my scrapbooking. I haven't scrapped in our Family '07 book since BEFORE our Montana vacation, in August! And Korbin's baby book hasn't been scrapped since he was 5 months hold, he's now 11 months. And my special "family by Jacqui book" still need like 6 more pages! So, I'm cracking down!
Between church, Daisy's run, the boys and family time, I managed to get a 2 page layout of Korbin finished for his book. Anyway, here it is. I'm sure there will be more to come! Once I get going on my pages, then that bug bites me and I can't stop!
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Our Foster Care Update
Well, people keep asking, so I'll post a little update. We put all of our foster care stuff on hold to move and if you read my blog you'll know we didn't move. (long story) After finally unpacking the house, spending two weeks sick (the whole family) and locking up just about everything we own (LOL!) we are finally ready to go! (Licensing has pretty strict requirements...ANYTHING that says "keep away from children" has to be locked up, with the exception of shampoo and dish soap...check your stuff...it all says, "keep away from children"!)
We met with a social worker this last week to finish up our paperwork/homestudy. She said that The Christmas Box House, the children's shelter in Ogden, has been at full capacity lately (most of them in the age range we are going for). They had to get special permission to allow more children to stay there, than the usually number allowed.
They are in great need of foster parents, but with the great sudden increase in children, it has created a great deal of work for all the social workers. So, while they really need us, they are trying to finish up other homestudies that are before us and their time is limited.
It looks like we are about two weeks out from being licensed. The social worker has to type up a 15 page report on us, our background, our family, our home etc... And yes, if you are related to us, they now know all about your life, too. LOL! They want to know EVERYTHING!
Once we are licensed they can call us with a child, but generally they like us to meet with a Resource Social Worker first, who will get to know us even further. I feel like my life is on display with Foster Care! LOL! She will talk really indepth with us about what our preferences are. She will be the one to call us with a child when she thinks she's found a good match. By the time that is done, we are probably looking at three weeks from now.
While Foster Care doesn't garauntee a placement, the social worker we met with said she bets they will call us almost immediately. She said they are in such great need and that our house and our homestudy all looks great. So....we've got about a month, give or take a little!
It's definetly getting exciting!
I feel I have that "nesting instinct" that you get when you are 9 months pregnant. I've suddenly become very excited to get the bedroom together. I really just feel like I'm 9 mo pregnant (minus the discomfort and misery!!) and waiting for my baby to be born. LOL! I've been printing out schedules and chore charts and all the things I used to do with Landon before I had Korbin...the pregnancy really threw me off! And I'm just now noticing it! LOL!
Anyway, I'm enjoying the month with my boys. I'm really determined to get Korbin to sleep through the night, as I figure when the child gets here it'll be like having a newborn again, for a while, anyway. (Figure how scary this all has to be for the child...they don't sleep well.) Then when we get that call, it'll be a mad dash to get things ready! Because we don't know the age or gender (we have requested 18mo to a young 4yrs) I can't go buy clothes or toys just yet. So, when they call I'll have about 24 hours to go get what we need and go pick 'em up.
Whoa...this is a little longer than my short update I was going to give! LOL! Well, now you have all the details and a nice long update. :)
We met with a social worker this last week to finish up our paperwork/homestudy. She said that The Christmas Box House, the children's shelter in Ogden, has been at full capacity lately (most of them in the age range we are going for). They had to get special permission to allow more children to stay there, than the usually number allowed.
They are in great need of foster parents, but with the great sudden increase in children, it has created a great deal of work for all the social workers. So, while they really need us, they are trying to finish up other homestudies that are before us and their time is limited.
It looks like we are about two weeks out from being licensed. The social worker has to type up a 15 page report on us, our background, our family, our home etc... And yes, if you are related to us, they now know all about your life, too. LOL! They want to know EVERYTHING!
Once we are licensed they can call us with a child, but generally they like us to meet with a Resource Social Worker first, who will get to know us even further. I feel like my life is on display with Foster Care! LOL! She will talk really indepth with us about what our preferences are. She will be the one to call us with a child when she thinks she's found a good match. By the time that is done, we are probably looking at three weeks from now.
While Foster Care doesn't garauntee a placement, the social worker we met with said she bets they will call us almost immediately. She said they are in such great need and that our house and our homestudy all looks great. So....we've got about a month, give or take a little!
It's definetly getting exciting!
I feel I have that "nesting instinct" that you get when you are 9 months pregnant. I've suddenly become very excited to get the bedroom together. I really just feel like I'm 9 mo pregnant (minus the discomfort and misery!!) and waiting for my baby to be born. LOL! I've been printing out schedules and chore charts and all the things I used to do with Landon before I had Korbin...the pregnancy really threw me off! And I'm just now noticing it! LOL!
Anyway, I'm enjoying the month with my boys. I'm really determined to get Korbin to sleep through the night, as I figure when the child gets here it'll be like having a newborn again, for a while, anyway. (Figure how scary this all has to be for the child...they don't sleep well.) Then when we get that call, it'll be a mad dash to get things ready! Because we don't know the age or gender (we have requested 18mo to a young 4yrs) I can't go buy clothes or toys just yet. So, when they call I'll have about 24 hours to go get what we need and go pick 'em up.
Whoa...this is a little longer than my short update I was going to give! LOL! Well, now you have all the details and a nice long update. :)
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Uh-Oh
Korbin is quite the little walker now. He began taking steps at the end of his 9th month, but now at 11 months, he is walking very well. He still crawls a lot, but yesterday he walked the full legnth of the family room and then down the hall way and stopped just 4 feet shy of the front door. And today he walked the full legnth of the family room and into the kitchen and stopped at the kitchen sink.
Of course with learning to walk there comes topples and falls. The other day while walking his upper body got going a little quicker than his legs. He desperately tried to get his legs to catch up, only to find that his legs twisted underneath him and PLOP!! He landed flat on his face. He laid there with his face on the carpet for a moment and then sat up and said, "Uh-ho!" It was really cute!
Since then, ever time he falls, bangs his head or if there is a crashing noise, like his blocks tumbling over he says, "Uh-oh!" It's his new found word and he's quite proud of it!
Of course with learning to walk there comes topples and falls. The other day while walking his upper body got going a little quicker than his legs. He desperately tried to get his legs to catch up, only to find that his legs twisted underneath him and PLOP!! He landed flat on his face. He laid there with his face on the carpet for a moment and then sat up and said, "Uh-ho!" It was really cute!
Since then, ever time he falls, bangs his head or if there is a crashing noise, like his blocks tumbling over he says, "Uh-oh!" It's his new found word and he's quite proud of it!
No!
Korbin has been making so many milestones lately. I can't believe he is almost one. Wow, the time surely flies!
We have a membership to The Treehouse Museum in Ogden. The boys love to go. Landon just runs from one activity to the next and of course, loves to climb the big tree. Korbin's favorite area is the train area. It has trains to play with and a big soft train to climb on.
The last time we were there Korbin was climbing on the big train. A little girl, nearby, was playing with the trains on the track. The little girl's mom said it was time to go home. The little girl, went into dramatics, with sudden tears, crying and a big cry filled, "Nooooooooo!"
Korbin was watching all this very intently. His eyes got wider and wider and his body stopped moving. He had every ounce of attention on this little girl. He was captivated by this show of defiancy.
Trying to regain Korbin's attention I handed him a toy train to hold. It took a moment for him to "come to", but when he did, he got the same look of terror and looked at me and screamed, "Nooooooo!" He copied this little girl almost perfectly, with the same sound, tone and legnth of the scream. It was pretty funny!
Now he loves using his new word when Landon is bothering him. LOL!
Monday, March 3, 2008
My Sister Tagged Me...
Especially for my sister, Victoria. :)
1. What is his name? Christopher Robert McDowell
2. How long have you been together? Known each other 7 1/2 years, married 6 years.
3.Who eats more? Chris, but I still can pack it away! LOL
4. Who said I love you first? I did. We had just finished a meal at Lottie's, in Evanston, WY. Durring the meal Chris and I didn't even have to speak to know what the other was thinking...but just to clarify, we talked about how we both "knew" we were meant to get married and that it was "love at first sight". After the meal and after talking about getting married, we figured we'd better say "I love you.". So, Chris suggested that because he'd told me first, that he felt he was supposed to marry me, I should say I love you first. So, I did, driving down the main road in Evanston, in Chris's fancy metallic blue Mustang GT. We both got teary eyed...
5. Who is taller? Chris
6. Who sings better? Me, but he can actually sing quite nicely if he has an alternative song to sing with.
7. Who is smarter? Oh I don't know, I guess we have our own areas of expertise.
8. Who does the laundry? I do the vast majority, but Chris is always willing to help.
9. Who does the dishes? Mainly me, just 'cause I'm home all day, but Chris is great at helping me out and doing them when he's at home...I have to tell him to, but he does it!
10. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Chris
11. Who pays the bills? I used to, but I got SOOOO sick of being in charge of the finances for 5 years, with Chris in la la land, so I gave it all over to him one day and haven't touched them since! It's been a nice wake up call for Chris. LOL! I don't think he realized how much work it all was!
12. Who mows the lawn? Who ever has time...either or.
13. Who cooks dinner? I usually cook on Chris's work days, but Chris usually cooks on his days off.
14. Who drives when you are together? One of us!
15. Who is more stubborn? Not sure, we're both WAY stubborn.
16.Who is the first to admit when they're wrong? ME...for sure! I'd rather say sorry, KNOWING I was NOT in the wrong and have peace, than wait the entire day for Chris to come around. I swear it takes him forever to forgive. LOL! Me?...oh I forgive pretty dang easy and pretty dang quick.
17. Whose parents do you see the most? I see my mom the most...usually she's just dropping by to say hi for a few minutes or just stopping by to pick Landon up for the afternoon.
18. Who kissed whom first? It was a mutual kiss. In my parent's driveway...Chris was so nerveous! LOL!
19. Who proposed? Chris proposed to me at one of my most favorite spots...Antelope Island. We hiked to the top of the big hill/mountain...whatever it is...and then we snook off the trail and went as far to the edge as we could. We climbed up onto a big rock, almost like a cliff, hanging over the water's edge. Then, with the sun setting over the water, Chris proposed. It was so very romantic. Then the funniest thing was the park closed and when it was time to leave we went to the exit to find that we had big iron gates in front of us! We thought we'd be there until morning, luckily the gates had a sensor on them and opened as we approached them.
20. Who is more sensitive? Me...I am my mother's daughter, you know.
21. Who has more friends? Oh I don't know. We both tend to have a lot of aquaitences and people to hang out with and I guess they'd be "friends", but we both tend to hold dear to a few close friends. Close friends mean the most to both of us.
22. Who has more siblings? Chris...he is the second of 5 kids...3 brothers and one sister. I have two older sisters. :)
23. Who wears the pants in the family? You know we tried that equality thing once, but it just didn't work for us! LOL! No, I'm kidding. Really, we are both pretty equal in everything.
Okay...happy, sis? LOL! ...just for you. :)
1. What is his name? Christopher Robert McDowell
2. How long have you been together? Known each other 7 1/2 years, married 6 years.
3.Who eats more? Chris, but I still can pack it away! LOL
4. Who said I love you first? I did. We had just finished a meal at Lottie's, in Evanston, WY. Durring the meal Chris and I didn't even have to speak to know what the other was thinking...but just to clarify, we talked about how we both "knew" we were meant to get married and that it was "love at first sight". After the meal and after talking about getting married, we figured we'd better say "I love you.". So, Chris suggested that because he'd told me first, that he felt he was supposed to marry me, I should say I love you first. So, I did, driving down the main road in Evanston, in Chris's fancy metallic blue Mustang GT. We both got teary eyed...
5. Who is taller? Chris
6. Who sings better? Me, but he can actually sing quite nicely if he has an alternative song to sing with.
7. Who is smarter? Oh I don't know, I guess we have our own areas of expertise.
8. Who does the laundry? I do the vast majority, but Chris is always willing to help.
9. Who does the dishes? Mainly me, just 'cause I'm home all day, but Chris is great at helping me out and doing them when he's at home...I have to tell him to, but he does it!
10. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Chris
11. Who pays the bills? I used to, but I got SOOOO sick of being in charge of the finances for 5 years, with Chris in la la land, so I gave it all over to him one day and haven't touched them since! It's been a nice wake up call for Chris. LOL! I don't think he realized how much work it all was!
12. Who mows the lawn? Who ever has time...either or.
13. Who cooks dinner? I usually cook on Chris's work days, but Chris usually cooks on his days off.
14. Who drives when you are together? One of us!
15. Who is more stubborn? Not sure, we're both WAY stubborn.
16.Who is the first to admit when they're wrong? ME...for sure! I'd rather say sorry, KNOWING I was NOT in the wrong and have peace, than wait the entire day for Chris to come around. I swear it takes him forever to forgive. LOL! Me?...oh I forgive pretty dang easy and pretty dang quick.
17. Whose parents do you see the most? I see my mom the most...usually she's just dropping by to say hi for a few minutes or just stopping by to pick Landon up for the afternoon.
18. Who kissed whom first? It was a mutual kiss. In my parent's driveway...Chris was so nerveous! LOL!
19. Who proposed? Chris proposed to me at one of my most favorite spots...Antelope Island. We hiked to the top of the big hill/mountain...whatever it is...and then we snook off the trail and went as far to the edge as we could. We climbed up onto a big rock, almost like a cliff, hanging over the water's edge. Then, with the sun setting over the water, Chris proposed. It was so very romantic. Then the funniest thing was the park closed and when it was time to leave we went to the exit to find that we had big iron gates in front of us! We thought we'd be there until morning, luckily the gates had a sensor on them and opened as we approached them.
20. Who is more sensitive? Me...I am my mother's daughter, you know.
21. Who has more friends? Oh I don't know. We both tend to have a lot of aquaitences and people to hang out with and I guess they'd be "friends", but we both tend to hold dear to a few close friends. Close friends mean the most to both of us.
22. Who has more siblings? Chris...he is the second of 5 kids...3 brothers and one sister. I have two older sisters. :)
23. Who wears the pants in the family? You know we tried that equality thing once, but it just didn't work for us! LOL! No, I'm kidding. Really, we are both pretty equal in everything.
Okay...happy, sis? LOL! ...just for you. :)
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