I need all of your help with this and yes

we are technically cheating but oh well. One of my best friends is a budding musician and attends UO school of Music. Well he wants to play a show at the WOW Hall here in Eugene but he needs votes. So that is where you all come in. All you have to do is email eugenechosen@yahoo.com and in the body write "I vote for Stephan Nance" The person with the most votes wins a free gig there and this would be awesome! I would really appreciate it if you all would help. And there is no spam just an auto response saying your vote has been counted.

you can view it all @ eugenechosen.com

Thanks guys!

I Recieved A Great Gift Today.....

From my Emerald Sisters. They are a lovely group of women who I have known for awhile some since I conceived Juniper. They got every detail (even more than some may have wanted) about my pregnancy with Casey. They were amazing in the first few days after Casey's birth having a prayer chain where someone was praying or sending good thoughts out in the universe for every hour of the day. It was simply breathtaking and beautiful during such a hard and difficult time. Then they were there to listen to me cry and rejoice over Casey. They sent flowers for the funeral and one special friend even came all the way down from Tacoma WA just for the funeral. All of these women offer so much love and comfort towards everyone and I am so lucky to know them and call them my friends.

Today I received a very unexpected and welcomed gift. The contents were amazing. I received a necklace for me which is pictured to the right. A necklace for Jon and a charm bracelet for Juniper. They also enclosed some awesome note cards and matted print. I also received two books one grerat nighttime book for Juniper and a guided/open ended journal specifically for Moms who have lost a child either before or after birth.

I am in awe that this came for Jon, June and I. I was so taken aback that I was weeping in sorrow and joy. I felt as though I should travel across the country and give them each individual hugs. This was the good thing that happened in my day today.

Thanks again guys! I love you all!

High Fructose Syrup Contains WHAT????!!!

Mercury, that is right. How vile and disgusting is that? I read this article in the Washington Post;

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/26/AR2009012601831.html

Study Finds High-Fructose Corn Syrup Contains Mercury

Monday, January 26, 2009; 12:00 AM

MONDAY, Jan. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Almost half of tested samples of commercial high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) contained mercury, which was also found in nearly a third of 55 popular brand-name food and beverage products where HFCS is the first- or second-highest labeled ingredient, according to two new U.S. studies.

HFCS has replaced sugar as the sweetener in many beverages and foods such as breads, cereals, breakfast bars, lunch meats, yogurts, soups and condiments. On average, Americans consume about 12 teaspoons per day of HFCS, but teens and other high consumers can take in 80 percent more HFCS than average.

"Mercury is toxic in all its forms. Given how much high-fructose corn syrup is consumed by children, it could be a significant additional source of mercury never before considered. We are calling for immediate changes by industry and the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] to help stop this avoidable mercury contamination of the food supply," said the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy's Dr. David Wallinga, a co-author of both studies.
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In the first study, researchers found detectable levels of mercury in nine of 20 samples of commercial HFCS. The study was published in current issue of Environmental Health.

In the second study, the agriculture group found that nearly one in three of 55 brand-name foods contained mercury. The chemical was most common in HFCS-containing dairy products, dressings and condiments.

The use of mercury-contaminated caustic soda in the production of HFCS is common. The contamination occurs when mercury cells are used to produce caustic soda.

"The bad news is that nobody knows whether or not their soda or snack food contains HFCS made from ingredients like caustic soda contaminated with mercury. The good news is that mercury-free HFCS ingredients exist. Food companies just need a good push to only use those ingredients," Wallinga said.

More information

The U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry has more about mercury and health.

SOURCE: Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, news release, Jan. 26, 2009

We are Turning in our Application Tonight

Jon has his physical at 4:15 then we are making any final touches we need to then our application is off. All that needs to happen after that is all four of our references to mail the letters back. They will be sent off by DHS tomorrow when they receive our application. Then when those are received by DHS an adoption worker will be assigned and complete our home study. So hopefully by the end of Feb. our home study will be started and then by the end of April we can start applying for kids!

New Blog!

So to keep this all about our family I am starting a new blog that is focusing on my weight loss journey as I get to a healthier weight! My new blog is Losing Brandy

Move In Count Down!

So we have 7 days that is right only a week till we can start to mice in to our house. I am so excited to day Jon and I picked out our colors for the house. For the playroom/3rd bedroom we chose peanut brittle and we are doing peanut brittle for the living room and a light green accent wall(the exact name is escaping me at the moment)that green color is also going to be in the bathroom. We choose a light blue for our room. June's room is already painted lavender so no painting is required in her room. I will definitely post before and after pictures for everyone to see. I feel like I should move in right now because I am so excited!

WE GOT A HOUSE!!!

Okay so we are still renting but still, it is three bedrooms and has a fenced back yard. I am so excited! YAY! We will be moving around mid February.

Help me reach my goal!Sponsor Me at March for Babies!

Neat Articles On Home Schooling Adopted Children

I have been thinking about this a lot lately because the more I think about the more I am getting excited that I am going to home school June until at least middle school if not further.... I found these neat articles and though I would share it.

http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/articles/051806.htm

http://ezinearticles.com/?Parenting-in-the-Homeschool-Homeschooling-Adopted-and-Traumatized-Kids&id=1645628

I Am Going To Be Married!

Okay so I am already married and actually in May will be our Four Year anniversary! Though my wedding set has been eaten by the couch so we ordered a new band and it should be here tomorrow so I will appear to married. I am quite happy about it too :p

Onward Towards Adoption

We had almost finished our adoption classes before we conceived Casey and now we are finished with those and we are meeting with an adoption worker today. Our paperwork is almost finished and we will be starting our home study process soon! Jon and I are really excited, looking at the heart gallery website we have a child in mind we would like to pursue Sophie not sure if we will get her or not but she sounds a lot like June and is born in the same month only a year older! We are also interested in sibling groups. Right now where we are only going to look at girls because we only have one room and June will have to share it. When we move it will hopefully be to a three bedroom and we are more than willing to get some boys!

Wish us luck that this is a fast process!

New Years Body Challenge

I am taking part in a NYBC on another great website I am on. It is from
1/12/09-3/2/09. I will be posting pictures and measurements on that site and at the end I may or may not post the number but will post the beginning and ending photo for sure! I am excited to start. I was planning on Weight Watchers since last time I joined I had lost 20lbs. So this is a great reason to join! Woot, wish me luck!

New Year New Purge

So yesterday Jon and I spent all day cleaning and organizing things. We donated six garbage bags of clothes, two bags of of toys and three boxes of books to the Goodwill. We also gave three bags of baby clothes to Jillian our friend who is due in April with a girl so she is getting ALL of Junes clothes so we are nicely cleaning out her clothes too. I never realized how many clothes that child had. Sheesh I have found outfits she has never worn and that had never been taken off the hanger. I am so happy to have the house organized it is great!

I Got a Job......

Not in a traditional sense but I start daycare for 5 and 10 year old boys on Monday. I am quite excited it will be fun. I am excited that I get to do something in the home to help pay off medical bills as we got the first set of medical bills. Just for my hospital stay we owe 1480$ this is not the surgery cost, Casey's stay, anesthesia or anything extra. I am glad I can help pay bill with out breaking into our regular spending habits of Jon's checks.

I also can't wait for the 13th and 20th of January because I will be getting my braces put on and I will be on my way to straight teeth!