Thinking About Spring

Yay, purple.

Before you think I'm totally crazy, let me explain. My sister-in-law and roommate both did some cleaning this weekend and have set aside items for a second community yard sale this spring. I had almost forgotten about the plan, oops!

So as you're doing your holiday organization, trips to the attic, etc. please keep me in mind if you have items you no longer need. Text me, FB message me or leave a comment here and I'll be happy to come take it off your hands.

The yard sale in August was very successful and we had people come for clothes, furniture, sporting equipment and even a dog collar. You never know which item might bring a whole family to shop.

Thanks for keeping me in mind, and have fun decorating your homes for the holidays. I know I'm enjoying my new purple wall and recovered throw pillows. :)

Snow and Sprinklers

Okay, I admit it wasn't quite this bad.

Today on my lunch break I braved the first snow of the season to get a draft copy of the recipe book, Sprinklers, printed at Office Depot downtown. Everything looked great so I ordered a bunch more to pick up on my way home from work. Then I'll be cutting and binding till the cows come home.

I chose the name Sprinklers because that's what Natalya used to call candy sprinkles, and with a sugar cookie-cover, I thought it was appropriate and unique.

And, it looks like I'll have a booth at the outdoor Procrastinator's Holiday Market on Sunday, December 11th, so that's exciting. They're going to have fire pits and hot cocoa for the shoppers, and more than 30 local vendors will be there with their high-quality goods. So if you're into buying local, don't miss it!

Anyone outside the Boise area who wouldn't mind a digital copy of the recipe book can find it on eBay for $7. The printed version will be $10, with your choice of a pink or green photo border.

A Little Help

CASI called back with a solution to the roommate situation, so that's straightened out and I won't have to pay massive fees every time one moves in and moves out. Very grateful for that!

I also found out that my roommate's job may keep her in Boise till March instead of January, and we're getting along well so it's nice to know I may have a few more months of rommie income than I had planned on.

So today is better than Monday.

Major Frustrations

Yes, I wish it grew on trees!

Let me preface this post by saying I had an awesome Halloween weekend and I won the funniest costume award at work today, so things aren't all bad.

I have to admit that so far, the adoption process has gone relatively smoothly for me. So I guess it’s only fair I get a taste of the frustration other adoptive parents have experienced.

1. I learned that 2011 is the final year the adoption tax credit will be refundable. This means that if I adopt in 2012, the amount of taxes I owe could be reduced to $0, but after that, I won’t get anything back. People who adopt this year can get the full $13k even if they don’t owe any taxes.

2. If I decide to pay the agency’s waiting list fee of $2,000, I need to do it this year so I can be sure I get it back as a tax refund. But I can’t ask for it until I file my 2012 taxes (random rule.)

3. But wait. Without the $13k tax refund, I can only afford the minimum adoption budget of $15k (and that may be a stretch.) And on that budget, CASI can only network with 3 other agencies for me. Do I want to pay $2,000 so they can network with just 3 agencies on my behalf?

4. Contrary to what I was told before, the agency is now telling me that my roommate will need to meet with the caseworker in person and there will be a $150 fee to amend my home study. This is NOT what I was told before I paid the home study fee. Grr. My roommate is only in town for 2 more months on business, and having to pay for her to be there would be a huge bummer. I'm already having to foot the bill for her background checks for ID and MT. 

Grr!

Adoption Cards are Ready!

After delayed shipping and printing errors, I finally received my adoption cards last night. They're business card size, so it'll be easy to hang on to a few in case you find yourself in a conversation with someone who knows someone who knows someone who is considering an adoption plan.

If you'd like a few cards for yourself, leave your name in the comments and I'll make sure you get some. There's no rush to hand them out - just hang on to them until the time is right.

Sugar Cookie Photo Shoot

In between prepping for Halloween, dad’s birthday and Yazmin’s baby shower this weekend, I also had to find time to shoot a cover for my recipe book. Anyone who’s tried it probably learned the hard way that food usually looks disgusting on camera.

One restaurant reviewer actually posted this Mexican dish photo.

 In commercials, artists use Elmer’s Glue for cereal milk and wax for ice cream. McDonald’s even has a team of food painters - I hear they start with actual McFood parts (as required by law), but paint them to intensify the colors. 

Anyway, there are a few exceptions to the rule. Fresh fruit, vegetables and frosted sugar cookies typically photograph quite well, so I opted for a cookie cover. The printing won’t go all the way to the edges of the covers so I’m still working on an illustrated frame for the book, but I’ll include a sneak peek of one of the photos.

Jayda loved catching sprinkles as they bounced off the counter.

 

Not the winning shot, but I bet you'd kill for a frosted sugar cookie right now.

If you’re interested in reading more about commercial food photography, there’s an interesting blurb here.

Recipe Books

Natalya showing off her mini summer squash loaf.

I'm putting together a bound recipe book with 30 great recipes to sell as an adoption fundraiser. They'll be ready some time next week, and the price is just $8 if you're in Boise and $10 if I need to ship it to you.

If you're outside Boise, you can use the Paypal "donate" button on the upper left hand side of the blog and email me your mailing address. If you're in town, let me know and I'll make arrangements to stop by your home or work.

Some of the recipes include:

Beer Bread with Spinach Dip

Apple Brie Flat Bread

Rajas a la Crema (vegetarian)

My Mom's Homemade Lasagna (vegetarian)

Tortilla Soup (vegetarian)

Pumpkin Gut Bread

Summer Squash Bread

Apple Pie

Swedish Farmer Cookies

About half the entree recipes are vegetarian by default, but meat can be added easily for the carnivores in your family.