A Beautiful Valentine

Looking for a unique card or gift for Valentine's Day? Support Reece's Rainbow, an organization that assists orphans with Down syndrome find their adoptive families by shopping at their on-line store. What an amazing way to say I Love You!

Shop HERE

Learn more about Reece's Rainbow HERE

Christmas Photo Shoot Fun

Today a we had a (free) photo shoot at church. When you're done, you get a disk and unedited shots to do with what you please. They needed a lot of help with cropping, removing a weird smudge that kept showing up, and adding special effects to look really good, but you can't beat free!

Since we're not really having a Thanksgiving this year, we're already in Christmas mode. It's too much to travel AGAIN this month (after IA last month and again in Dec). So, Country Buffet it is! (Hey, that means no cleaning, baking, more cleaning, or travel). We bought a new and much smaller Christmas tree last week that will go up next weekend. We MUST have a tree, but one that is small enough to be lifted off the ground on a stand/table and still see it behind Sophie-proof gates. We got a great deal on a prelit one and as a bonus picked up an electric Grinch train for the base.

Don't forget to click the Reese's Rainbow button on the sidebar to order your Christmas ornament and contribute to a great cause. Next week is the Festival of Trees, sponsored by the Junior League, that will help support Larkin's Place. Raffle tickets are on sale to win a new car! So ya, we're already in the Christmas spirit.

Thanks to Renee, I've been introduced to Picnik.com. It's an online photo editing site. I chose the free registration and have been spending WAY too much time messing with photos today. As of this afternoon I already have my Christmas cards created (not yet ordered) and a few gift ideas. Enjoy the shots and a jump start into the season. Be careful if you try out Picnik as it is a wonder, but addicting.

Reece's Rainbow, 'Orphans' with Special Needs

written by Meredith Cornish

Dateline [last night] couldn't have had better timing for such a sad story but one we need to see and hear. The plight of orphans with special needs including Down syndrome in Serbia. Reece's Rainbow is currently working as well as Until All Have Homes to identify children with Down syndrome that are available for international adoption. Many children, maybe even some shown in this footage, could find their way into a home from these grants. It's not just Reece's Rainbow's opinion that this is happening, take a look at this video below. And if you'd like, take a peek at my own children adopted from Ukraine in 2008. One of whom is 5 years old and weighed 17 lbs with a fatal heart defect. Her heart is corrected through a miraculous surgery. She is now thriving as is my new little boy (11lbs at 18 months, 22lbs at 23 months!)

Reece's Rainbow made the difference for my children and it did for me as well. But it is a huge financial burden to take on an international adoption. Reece's Rainbow could do so much with your help.

Nominate Reece's Rainbow Adoption Grant Project to win a share in a $2.5 MILLION prize from American Express. Anyone can vote, just log in as a guest and help us make it to the top 25! Voting ends on September 1! Login as a guest to nominate.

WARNING: video below is difficult to watch