Good Times...

...are almost always SILLY times!

A Near Perfect Day...

...I say near perfect, because my girl is suffering through a HORRIBLE cold,
other than that, today was?
PERFECT!

Don't get me wrong, I could spend every day, every waking minute with my girl.
However, I'm pretty sure that spending all those moments inside the four walls of our playroom,
just aren't as exciting for her as they are for me.
Yes, I'm a homebody, always have been,
but that doesn't mean that my girl should have to be OR wants to be, right?

So today I asked Ruby if she'd like to go to our local 'Children's Museum'.
It's little, it's simple, but it's local (next town over)
and best of all, because they're affiliated with the YMCA,
it's FREE!
Gotta love employee perks!

Ruby had a BLAST!
Here are a few captured moments from today:
(they were taken with my cell phone, so apologies if they're grainy...)

Fire Marshal Ruby to the rescue!



Have you ever seen a cuter firefighter?!

Look! It's one of those rarely seen, adorable Asian Giraffe's!

They're fast runners & always on the move...



...so lucky to catch THIS one mid run!

Oooh, all this playing has made me hungry!
Good thing I've made some great new friends to help me in the kitchen!
(L2R: Molly, Rubes & Connor. Photos posted with parents permission)

After a busy fun filled day at the Children's Museum,
a toasty 'Bear' nap was in order.
What you can't see from this picture isn't what you can see with the eye, but it's what you would be able to hear if you were in the same room... my wheezing stuffed up breathing from this HORRIBLE cold.
Tomorrow, we have a date with our family doctor at quarter of 2.
Until then...
Shhh...

Tuesday's With Uncle Steve...

...ARE BACK!
For the month of December & the first week in Jan, we had to do 'Uncle Steve' nights on Thursday. COMPLETELY messed with my mojo... SO now we're back on our regularly scheduled night & bringing you a DELICIOUS NEW RECIPE TO WARM YOU DURING THESE COLD WINTER NIGHTS!

Italian Chicken Noodle Soup


Ingredients:
12 cups chicken stock
4-5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 large Spanish onions chopped
3 cloves garlic chopped
6-8 celery stalks chopped (leaves & all)
1 pkg baby carrots cut into bite size circles
4 large boneless chicken breasts roughly chopped (larger pieces)
2 cans of: diced tomatoes (brand of your choice, mine is pictured)
1 palm full Italian seasoning
1 palm full dried thyme (not ground)
Salt & fresh ground pepper (to taste)
1 palm full Bell's Seasoning (the kind people use on stuffing at Thanksgiving)
1/2 lb of Barilla ditalini pasta
(ONLY the half pound IF you intend to eat the HUGE pot worth...
otherwise, for a smaller pot to be eaten that evening, 2 to 3 hand-fulls of pasta ONLY.)


EVOO in bottom of large soup pot over medium heat.
Add onions & garlic, saute for five minutes or until slightly transparent.


Add salt, pepper & Italian seasoning


now add a palm full of Bell's seasoning,


and a palm full of dried thyme,


& stir.


Now add your celery,


& stir again...


Now toss in your chicken pieces,


& again, stir...


Now add your two cans of diced tomatoes...

*I like two different kinds, one has wine & the other more Italian seasonings...
obviously feel free to pick two that your family enjoys!*


1st can...


...2nd can!


You know what comes next...
STIR!


Now add your chicken stock.


Then last but not least, add your carrots...


...mmm doesn't that look YUMMY!
(oh cuz it SO is!)
hehehe


Turn the heat down to low, for me that's 3 on my stove,
all stoves are different, so you be the judge...


Cover & walk away.
Here is the part where, if I were motivated to do so, I'd clean something.
But I wasn't, so I just played with miss Ruby instead.
*grin*
hehehe


Now, here's the key feature, before you add any pasta, section out an amount that you KNOW you're going to eat that night.
Put that into a separate smaller pot & return that small pot to the low heat.
Remove the BIG pot from the heat & just cover & let come to room temp.
(to put in fridge for another day...)


Oh yeah, I know your mouth is watering...


Now, to that smaller pot, you are going to add your pasta, UNCOOKED.
REMEMBER, ONLY 2-3 HANDFULLS FOR THE SMALLER POT!
(so forgot to mention that the first time around, my bad!)

It'll take 20 minutes on that low heat to cook within the soup.
The reason I don't cook all of it in the huge pot is simple... pasta absorbs liquid.
If I put this whole box into that whole pot, which I could have easily done,
I would have to be sure that the whole pot were about to be enjoyed by several football teams.
Leftover soup is fine but you don't want leftover soup with PASTA in it.
You want leftover soup WITHOUT pasta so that is why we put the large pot aside for another time & only put the pasta in the small pot.
It's a sneaky way to make soup last the longest & taste the FRESHEST!


Once you add your uncooked pasta,
cover pot & stir every so often until it's done.
(about 20 minutes)



Freshly grate some imported parmigiano reggiano cheese,
sprinkle over hot soup
&
MANGIA TUTTI!
hehehe

Ok, all this talk has made me hungry
&
Uncle Steve just arrived!

Bye everyone-
SOUP'S ON!

Bridging The Gap...

...I'd like to share with you all a recent letter sent to Ruby's foster Mother.
(what a gift it is that I am even able to make such a connection...
sometimes, I am beyond speechless at just how blessed my little family is.)

Dear Wu Mu Hua & Family,

It is with much love that we send you this letter. First we would like to wish you a HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR! Although we are worlds apart, we are celebrating with you in our hearts as well! Ruby just crawled up into my lap as I was typing this letter to you & I asked her: "Ruby, do you remember the woman who took care of you in China? Your China Mother? If you could say anything to her right now, what would you say?" Ruby thought for a moment, and then smiled up at me & said: "Ruby say, I wuv you!" It brought tears to my eyes and makes me happy to know that she can say such sweet loving things to you, Wu Mu Hua! I will be forever grateful to you for the love and care you showed Pei Pei until the moment she was placed in my arms.

Currently we are working on using the 'potty' like a BIG GIRL! She will do it when I am always asking her to do so, but if I let too much time go by, she just goes in her 'pull up' (it's worn like underwear but works like a diaper). I have every confidence that she will learn to properly use the potty in her own time, as she does with everything else. We just have to remember to be patient with each other until then.

Ruby is a very smart little girl. Her favorite thing in the whole world is the MOON! Every night, we must look out the window & see what phase the moon is in, and believe me, she knows them ALL by their actual NAMES! So, if you are ever having a night when you are missing Pei Pei, simply look up at the moon, and know that we aren't that far away after all... because we too are looking at that very same moon.

It's amazing to me how easily Ruby picks things up & then REMEMBERS what she's learned! I never have to tell her something twice. If she's genuinely interested in something and asks me to explain it to her, I will explain it, and then she knows it, for GOOD! Our little girl is a very smart COOKIE and I could not be PROUDER!

Ruby is now a beautiful TALL 3 year old young lady who loves to do anything artistic. Whether it's sculpting with clay, or painting or drawing or coloring, she's happiest when she can be quietly enjoying all that the colors of the rainbow have to offer her. She also LOVES BOOKS & READING! We visit our local library at least once a week & always bring home new books to read together & enjoy! Ruby also is still very much in love with her Bear that I gave to her on the day she was first placed in my arms. She calls him "Bear", and she says, and I quote: "Bear best friend, Bear best friend... he's a teddy bear!". She never goes ANYWHERE WITHOUT HIM, EVER! (he even has a little seat belt for when we go out in the car!) She is 37 inches tall (3 feet, 1 inch) and weighs 32 & 1/2 lbs.
I look at her every day & can't believe that this beautiful young lady is the same sweet little baby I first laid eyes on over two years ago. Where does the time go?

I took a job at our local YMCA in their babysitting room caring for the children and Ruby gets to come with me and simply LOVES IT! It's only part time for now but I'm hoping that it will turn into full time work eventually. Until then, we're patient. Somehow, God always manages to provide us with what we need & we never go without. I feel very blessed!

Also, Ruby can speak two languages! I don't know if I mentioned this before, but my father is originally from Italy, born & raised and did not move to America until he was 19 years old. He met my mother & the rest, as they say, is history.
His first language being Italian, I asked him to please only ever speak to Ruby in Italian, and knew that she'd have no choice but to learn... and learn she DID! The two have full conversations now in Italian and it's just the sweetest thing to see! I too can speak Italian, but did not learn until I was in my teens.

I have every intention to also see to it that Ruby learn to speak Chinese as well, but so far haven't been able to find a local teacher for her. I am hoping to find one before this year is out, she turns 4 in September and I think that 4 is a good age to take on another language. So far, she's doing excellent learning the two that she's around on a daily basis... I know that she'll do wonderfully once I do find a suitable Mandarin teacher! As always, we're just a letter away so we'll keep you posted as best we can!

Wu Mu Hua, I want you to know that words can't express to you how much I appreciate everything you did for little Pei Pei when only my heart knew of her existence. It's surreal that it's been over two years since that first moment I laid eyes on her. Not a day goes by that I don't thank God for the gift of her in my life. On Nov. 20th of this past year, we celebrated 2 years together, and in honor of that occasion, I took Ruby to the mall to have professional pictures taken of her & her beloved Bear and I've sent the two photos to you along with this letter. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! I know that for us, Nov 20th is a special day of celebration, and for you it must be a sad reminder of the day you had to say a very sudden, very sad goodbye to our girl. I want you to know that I do speak of you to her, she knows that you exist and that you were, are & always will be a very important part of her past, present & future. You helped mold her into the beautiful young lady she is today. Every Christmas, we speak of you, every holiday, you are NEVER forgotten. You are only far away in miles, but never far from our hearts. Please always know this and carry it with you in your heart as well.

You know, she asks sometimes about her little scar on her right upper arm, and I tell her that is her 'angel kiss'. I tell her of a story of when she was a very small baby in China, how one night she was so beautiful & so sweet that an angel from heaven came down just to give her a special kiss because she was loved so much. She smiles every time I tell that story & beams with love because she knows she is loved. I know you still love her very much, as you always will, as we both always will.

Anything I can do to help bridge the gap between our worlds, I am happy to do and I know that writing a little letter & sending a few photos isn't much, but I do hope that it's enough to fill you with Ruby's love from the inside out for weeks after! If you can ever manage to send an email, even if I can't understand it, I can ask Ning to help me out and so you are welcome to email me, ANYTIME, at the following address:

mom4ruby@yahoo.com

We may speak different languages but the one language we both know by heart is love,
and I'm pretty sure that language is spoken through smiles & hugs.

ALL OUR BEST TO YOU & MANY MANY WISHES FOR A WONDERFUL NEW YEAR!

Sincerely,

-Amy & Ruby Cate Pei Mu

ps. I have not forgotten about your wish to find your other little girl you fostered, the one who ended up in Spain. I am sorry to say that I have not yet been able to locate her. I wish I had better news but sadly, I do not. I won't give up & will keep trying as long as it takes.

*hugs & kisses* from our corner of the world to yours!

-Amy & Ruby

Post Holiday Wrap-Up...

...man did I have a BLAST this holiday season!

First, I want to thank everyone who sent Ruby & I a gorgeous Christmas Card!
I LOVED THEM ALL & WILL PROUDLY DISPLAY THEM ON MY FRONT DOOR FOR MONTHS TO COME!


(no lie, every year I have such a hard time parting with them,
that they tend to stay up until I 'HAVE' to take them down!)
aka: October!

Second, I wanted to share with you all some of Ruby's Christmas creations!
She proudly displays them all over our house and quite frankly,
it just wouldn't be 'HOME' without them!


Third: I'm happy to report that not only is Ruby suddenly 'ok' with using the potty,
but she's done it successfully now, TWICE!
(no, I don't have a picture of that, figured I'd spare ya!)
And because of this new development,
I have taken it upon myself to
R-E-M-O-V-E
that g##$%^$%^damn,
CHANGING TABLE
from her room!

Behold, the new space:
Ruby informed me that it's now called:
Bears Corner.
She uses the chair to sit & read Bear stories,
puts him down for naps in the little bed,
(was mine when I was a little girl, my father made it along with the matching bureau)
and that bureau is filled with Bears sweaters,
all 1,255,546,267 of them!
*laughing*

Oh, and it's funny, but even though I didn't ask for anything for Christmas,
things that I had secretly wished for had a way of finding me.
Like, when my parents completely took me by surprise
& gave me the Rachael Ray cookware set!

(pictured is only a 10 piece set, mine's 13!)

I ABOUT LOST MY TREES WHEN I SAW THAT HUGE BOX
FULL OF GLORIOUS ORANGE COOKWARE!

Soups, beware!
Amyla's now properly ARMED & READY TO COOK!

And how I was just about out of my most favorite perfume on the planet,
and got just enough Christmas money that I could splurge on a GINORMOUS BOTTLE!
(GOD BLESS BJ'S! 3.4OZ BOTTLE FOR ONLY 54 BUCKS!)
I am so so SO in love this stuff!
It makes me happy to smell like this every day
&
I honestly get more compliments on how I smell not only from men,
but from WOMEN as well!!
*evilgrin*
hehehe

AND if those two wonderful things weren't enough,
that Christmas money also managed to pay for my new enV cell phone.
It truly wasn't anything I had planned on getting because as I've said before,
I am SUCH a creature of habit & my old Nokia was fine with me.
That is, until it broke.
It's just nice that phone dying happened to coincide with the holidays...

And now, last but CERTAINLY not least... a blast from the past:

Just because I CAN'T believe how much she's grown!
(and because it happens to be one of my favorite pics of her)
Is that sweet little baby really the same big girl sound asleep next to me in my bed?

Talk about the ultimate gift.
Who needs Christmas when every morning is like opening up a present
your heart always knew you wanted.

I hope everyone is enjoying their families & friends this time of year as in every day
&
to those still waiting,
my heart waits with you
&
I pray for safe
&
speedy arrivals of your referrals!
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!

Hang in there, when it finally happens it's truly going to be the moment that takes your breath away & you'll never forget it for as long as you live.
*BIG CYBER HUGS TO EVERYONE*

-Amy

Happy PAJAMA New Year!!!!!

It's hard to believe that last night was
MY 5Th annual Pajama New Year party,
& RUBY'S 3rd!

Every year we both look forward to getting fun new pj's to wear just for the occasion!

Ruby's, of course, were GREEN,
& mine were obviously RED!

There was so much going on
that I only managed to take these few pictures of us being silly
before bedtime.
Well, before Ruby's bedtime-
(I didn't get to bed till 3:30am...)
But we ALL had fun & after the second scare for me in 07'
I've come to the conclusion that I'm allergic to shellfish.
Long story, short version:
Lobster roll finger sandwich late August: severe reaction, scared me to death.
Last night's 'house lo-mein', one TEENIE bite of an even teenier shrimp: Ditto!

No more shellfish for Amyla.
BOOO HOOO
I SO LOVED LOBSTER, THIS ALLERGY IS UNFAIR!

Ok, I've purged my shellfish angst.
Feeling better already.
(kinda)

Back to PNY (pajama new year):
Jen, Elvis & the muffin man (aka: Mikhail) came over as well as Aunt Catherine and to round the evening off, we were graced with a surprise visit from one very funny, very drunk Kristen.
Gotta love the drunk pop in.
LOL

I did something last night that I don't think I've ever done ONCE in my 35 years on this planet.

I PLAYED MONOPOLY FROM START TO FINISH WITHOUT GIVING UP!

Sadly, I can't say that I was the winner, Aunt Catherine ran away with the property and the money, but Jen & I fought till the end as best we could!
(in vain, I might add, Cath's a SHARK!)

Elvis, God bless the boy, was out COLD way before midnight. LOL
With his sleeping son on his chest & miss Ruby was curled up in my bed & fast asleep as well.

We played & chatted & laughed & reminisced till the wee hours until my eyes were BEGGING me to shut them.
Four hours later, I'm up. LOL

Today, should be at the very least, interesting.
If I don't collapse mid way through it, that is.
*OyVeY*


HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!
To all my friends with their precious children home,
May 2008 bring another 365 days full of smiles, laughter and fun!

And to all my friends still patiently & not patiently waiting to bring their babies home,
may 2008 bring an end to your waiting and a beginning to your 'forever family'.

*hugs* from our home to yours!

-Amy & Ruby Cate
(& Bear...)