spring has sprung

Spring has sprung in Colorado which makes for gorgeous views on the Rockie Mountains and tons of time outside. Most mornings when the "bigs" are in school I try to go on a walk with Luke, because unlike Oregon most mornings in Colorado you can go on a walk or run and NOT get wet! I'm still honestly amazed by this phenomenon. For this Oregonian it's still hard for me not to go outside when it's sunny, even if that is 300 days a year! Today I decided to take the camera along, in hopes of getting some pictures of the mountains. After a 1.5 hr long walk and a little guy who was quiet the goof ball we came home with a lot more pictures of Luke then the mountains!

Still mesmerized with his Cars pull-ups.

Love those curls!

On a side note....My mind has also been reeling with thoughts on the Trayvon Martin case. During most of the walk I was listening to NPR and coverage about the the Million Hoodie March. Trayvon's mother tearfully told the crowd "This could be YOUR son....it's not a black or white issue, it's about right and wrong." Her words pierced my soul. I want to blog about it, talk about it, learn and read more. I just don't know what to say or do, I don't want to offend people because it is such a sensitive issue. Mostly I feel so much guilt for trying to think that could never be my son. We will always be able to protect him, but this case has thrown all those issues right back in my face. As a sociology major in college I studied the subject of race, gender and inequality for years, I know in my heart it is Luke's reality but guess what... I am white so how much do I really know. I do know I won't always be able to protect him. Ryan and I knew this when we decided to adopt. It still though just makes my mama bear heart hurt! I hope to post about it later, right now though all I can think about is how incredibly sad this makes me for my son and all those that face this unjust burden.

I pray that even as adoptive mother's of African children we will not ignore that we have an incredible responsibility to our children, we MUST educate ourselves on the issues of race and not ignore the fact that we are raising them in what still can be an incredibly racist society.

wordless wednesday

iphone photo's from our hiking trip at Chautauqua

Happy Family Day Luke! {video}

A year ago today we took custody of Luke Tizita. It's a day we will never forget and we hope you enjoy seeing the story of our family's journey unfold. We are so incredibly blessed by those who sacrificed so much and loved you from the very beginning.

2 vs 3

As I run around taking care of my 3 little ones I sometimes chuckle thinking about all the little things I let slide with 3 kids, then when I had just 2. The last few days, I've had this random list of comparisons running around in my head. I'm sure I am forgetting a few but here is a peak into my life with 3 kids versus my old life with 2.....

Carpooling

2 kids: I rarely wanted friends to drive my kids. I worried about such things like...what if they didn't have the right car seats or boosters? What if they were texting or making phone calls while driving (because I sure never do that). What if they forget to pick my kids up? Worry, worry, worry!

3 kids: The BEST thing ever! Love, love, love carpooling! Why did I not do this more before?! I'm so lucky to have met some awesome moms in our neighborhood that love to carpool too. As long as the car has seat belts and hopefully booster seats, they will be just fine. One less trip I have to make back to preschool. Yahoo!

Playdates

2 kids: Well of course they both need to have a well rounded social life. What 2 or 4 year old doesn't?! They need to see their friends. I always liked to think it was also so I could chat with friends too, but I have to be honest, rarely could I manage to carry on a decent conversation with a friend while trying to watch the kids. Someone is always throwing food or fighting....ok not all the time but most of the time. Just ask the barista at my old local Starbucks! When the kids were babies you could totally let them sit on the floor at someones house and play nicely which you had some much needed grown up conversation with mommy friends. These days it's just not a priority for us, which makes me a little sad, but I think it's just part of growing up.

3 kids: Seriously way too much effort most of the time! My oldest two go to school, they can see their friends there. Everyone has so many different schedules these days. With 3 kids it's hard to just find the time to relax and hangout as a family some days. Since our move Noah and Brooke have become such great buddies, it's been one of those little blessings I never expected. Most days they even race to see who can play with Luke when he wakes up from his nap. We still love to have friends over when we can and carpooling is almost always involved. It's even more fun when a mommy friend calls unexpectedly and asks if they can bring Noah home after preschool to entertain their little one so they don't have too - my answer "why YES, of course!" Honesty at it's best....I love it and love doing the same thing when I'm organized enough to think of it. We are definitely enjoying the laid back, neighbor yelling off their deck to see if your kids want to come over and play, kind of lifestyle in Colorado.

House cleaning

2 kids: I like a clean house, I just do ok. I always have. My mom will tell you she never had to tell me to clean my room. While my sister stuffed all her clothes and toys under our bunk bed, I wanted everything organized and tidy. I like to vacuum and with 2 kids and 2 pets I vacuumed alot. Friends even tried to pop in just to see if I wasn't vacuuming before they showed up. My cleaning lady who came every 3 weeks to clean the bathrooms was heaven sent.

3 kids: As long as the dishes are clean, the laundry isn't piling too high and you aren't covered in dog hair it's a good day. It does help our backyard isn't a swamp 9 months out of the year so the dog isn't tracking in mass amounts of mud. I hate mopping and rarely take the time to clean the floors. I don't have a house cleaner anymore, though now I probably need one more then ever. Don't worry visitors...I'll clean up before you visit.

Laundry

2 kids: I could let it go for a few days....no big deal. I always made sure to sort the lights from the darks. This mama was always the one to put it all away.

3 kids: Unless I want the kids to run out of clothes or have my super tiny narrow laundry room filled to the brim, a couple of loads have to be done everyday. It all gets tossed in, I haven't ruined too many things yet. I still fold the laundry, but the kids are in charge of getting it up to their rooms and put away. Even Luke carries his up to his room, minus a few items that get dropped going up the stairs.

Date nights

2 kids: I would try to get a sitter or ask my parents every few months to watch Brooke and Noah. It was nice to go out alone with out kids but not a big deal if we haven't in a while. Dinner at Crazy Sushi was about as wild as things got. Always home around 9 or 10, to make sure the kids were ok or let my parents drive home before they fell asleep on our couch.

3 kids: If I could I would have a sitter every Saturday night! It's been tough finding someone but we finally have and she is awesome! My usual questions before we leave, "how late can we stay out?"

School

2 kids: I'm not sure if I'm ready to send them yet. What if I miss them, what if they miss me? What if they aren't with any of their friends? What if the teacher isn't nice?

3 kids: When can I sign them up!

Some of my friends are still convinced I haven't change my ways, but many only saw me briefly with 3 kiddos before we moved to Colorado. Oh if you could see me now. I'm so happy these 3 have helped me slow down and relax a bit, because I've learned I just can't do it all and still be the mommy I want to be....and I'm slowly learning that's ok! It's a crazy busy life but we love it!

on second thought....

Our blog is now public again! Sorry about the confusion, it appears to be more work keeping it private then it's worth. I've received a handful of emails from people not being able to log on and after spending too much time trying to add emails or figure out what is up...I just decided to make it public again. Sorry to flip flop back and forth with this....but then again if you know me, you know I'm kinda like that sometimes :)

I just had to throw in a picture too. I haven't blogged about the kids skiing this year and I just love this one of Noah. All smiles after skiing almost 6 hours! We can't wait to head back up this weekend!

happy valentine's day

Wishing everyone a very happy valentine's day!

Brooke's home recovering from the stomach bug today, but during some of her extra hours in her room the last few days she made these cute cards for us! Love them & LOVE these 3!

hair & skin care...always learning

This is a topic that I know many of my fellow adoptive mamas spend much time researching. I have to admit, I tried reading a few things before Luke came home but honestly it totally overwhelmed me and seemed like way too much information about hair and skin care. I was just planning on keeping his hair very short. I mean how many products does my sweet little boy from Ethiopia really need? So I cheated, a wonderful friend gave me a basket of her favorite items at my baby shower, and I just bugged other friends from time to time asking them what they liked. Did you know there are even entire blogs devoted to this topic, videos and a constant topic on facebook. Yet, I still can't seem to remember what products friends like and why, so I thought I would share what we think of the products we use. Whenever possible I do try to stay clear of products containing parabens & petroleum. My goal is to scale back the products listed below. Right now with the dry cold Colorado air I'm having to experiment much more then I would like to hence the long list of products.

Please also keep in mind every child has their own unique hair and skin so what I have quickly learned is what a friend might use on her daughters very loose curls doesn't work as well on Luke's very tight coils. The length, texture, climate are just a few things that all impact their hair and skin care.

I still have a few products I want to try out including from: Babycakes & Kinky Curly. Please let me know what some of your favorite are too! I'd love to hear what you like using!

Skin care

Desert Essence 100% Pure Jojoba Oil for skin, hair & scalp
Purchase: Whole Foods Markets
:: daily ::

This oil is great! Luke never had any scalp or skin issues when he came home so there might be other oils that work better for scalp and skin issues. I think this is a great oil to have around and use frequently for healthy looking skin.

Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream
purchase: Costco
:: daily ::

We love this moisturizer! This stuff is awesome, no funky fragrances, it goes on evenly and soaks right into Luke's skin. I also really like how thick and creamy it is. We have tried a few others moisturizers but they are either to watery or way to sticky and thick. I hate that this product isn't very natural, but it's basically the only moisturizer I use on him and his skin has always looked great. His pediatrician agrees with me too!

Desert Essence Tea Tree Oil

Purchase: Whole Foods Markets
:: as needed ::

We haven't used this oil that often, but the few times I have noticed a tiny little bump on Luke's skin I will put the oil on the spot. I heard early on it's great for preventing various skin issues and we have never had any. Not sure if that's because we used this as a preventative measure or we were just lucky! Either way I think it's a great oil to have around. It's also been known to help prevent the spread of head-lice! I've read that if you just add a few drops to a spray bottle full of water when you hear of an outbreak at school...it "might" help keep them out of your little ones hair.

Jason Vitamin E Oil
Purchase: Whole Foods Market
:: as needed ::

Great oil for very dry skin and helps prevents scarring. Anytime Luke scratches or gets a little cut I try to dab this onto the area. The only downside is it's super think and sticky. It can make a pretty big mess and requires some work to get it all rubbed in. Must have product!

Hair Care

Taliah Waajid
Kinky, Wavy, Natural Three in One
Purchase: online
:: weekly ::

My favorite shampoo! I try to only shampoo ones a week as not to dry out his hair. I love how light it is, very little fragrance and makes a great lather without having to use very much product. Rinses out really nicely too. Even my daughter who has very thick red hair, loves using it too. Another bonus it's only $5.00 a bottle & totally natural!

Carol's Daughter

Hair Milk: The Original
Purchase: Sephora
:: returned! ::
(Update....I'm retuning all the Carol's Daughter products I purchased. I just can't get past the smell. And for almost $40 for both products it doesn't seem worth it to me. The Loc Butter keeps leaving a gritty mess in Luke's hair. I did purchase Kinky Curls Knot Today and LOVE it!! )

I just purchased this product! After Luke woke up from his nap today I dampened his hair a bit and applied a dime size amount as the directions indicate. It went on really well. At first I thought it was going to leave a white residue, but that quickly disappeared. The smell was a little strong (Luke smells a little like rose peddles) but not too bad. I'm really hoping I can start using this on a daily basis to help soften and condition his hair in place of the Alba Leave In Conditioner we have been using on a daily basis.

Carol's Daughter

Loc Butter
Purchase: Sephora
:: returned! ::
I used this for the first time today right after I applied the Milk Butter. It only took a small amount to moisten Luke's tight curls and kept his hair looking shinny and soft all day. I love the look it gave to his hair...the only bad part...it has a really strong smell, really strong! My husband says my nose is too sensitive but just like the saleswomen at Sephora mentioned too...it would be really nice if Carol's Daughter came up with a kids line that was unscented. The verdict is still out as to if we wills stick with this product. Overall for now, I'm happy with it and going to keep trying to use it as part of our daily routine.

Beautiful Curls

Shea Butter Deep Conditioning Treatment
Purchase: Whole Foods Market
:: weekly ::

I use this on a weekly basis. I rub it into Luke's wet hair while he is in the bath and let it sit for at least 10 minutes. His hair always feels really nice and soft just after applying but honestly I can't tell the difference as the days go on. I'm going to keep using it weekly though and hope that it's really giving his hair a deep conditioning.

Beautiful Curls Shea Butter
Curl Reviving Tonic
Purchase: Whole Foods
:: as needed ::

I like to use this to freshen up Luke's hair if it's looking a little dry after naps or before bedtime. It doesn't make his hair look very moist which is a bit disappointing. I do like that it has the Shea butter in it though and it's so quick and easy to use.

Queen Helene: Royal Curl
Curl Smoothing Oil
Purchase: Whole Foods Market
:: as needed ::

Great oil to freshen up Luke's hair. It's a little heavy and oily but if I rub it in really well it does give his hair a little bit of shine.

Aubrey Organics
Jojoba & Aloe Desert Herb
Revitalizing Conditioner
Purchase: Whole Foods Market
:: as needed ::

I haven't used this very often on Luke. In the summertime when I worried about the chlorine in the pool drying out his hair I did use it after he was in the bath as a light conditioner.

Alba Botanica
Leave-In Conditioner
Purchase: Whole Foods Market
:: daily, if not using another leave-in ::

Love, love this stuff for short hair or as a detangler. I was using this daily on Luke's hair since he came home. It goes on really well and makes his curls look defined and soft. Recently though I've been concerned that because of it's high alcohol content it might be drying his hair out during the winter time. His hair is also a bit longer and it just doesn't seem to be working as well as when his hair was super short.

California Baby
Tea Tree & Lavender Shampoo & Bodywash
Purchase: Whole Foods Market & Target
:: weekly if not using another shampoo ::

Nice shampoo and wash for all my kids!
I used this a lot when Luke was first home because it does have the tea tree oil in it.

Burt's Bees
Baby Bee Shampoo & Wash
Purchase: Whole Foods Market
:: no longer use ::

This shampoo works really well. I was using this on a weekly basis for Luke until I discovered Taliah Waajid which I prefer hands down over Burt's Bees. My other kids actually use it more then Luke these days.

Palmer's Coconut Oil Formula

Hair Milk
Purchase: Target
:: no longer use ::

I found this at Target the other day. It was only $4.99 so I thought I would give it a try. I was hearing so many great things about Carol's Daughter's milk products the words "hair milk" caught my eye. I rubbed it into Luke's hair and really liked the look it gave but I can NOT stand the smell! It just has such a strong smell. If you don't mind the smell you might want to check it out though.