Season's Greetings!!

The holidays are officially here!  Thanksgiving has come and gone...along with Black Friday.  Now it's back to work for a few more weeks and then some down time to enjoy Christmas with my family and friends!

Are you feeling the holiday frenzy yet or easing your way into the madness?!  Last year, mom and I were troopers and shopped a little on Thanksgiving Day (for the first time) and then got some great deals on Black Friday.  This year we lost our steam early on!  It must be old age?  We didn't go out shopping on Thanksgiving Day and we started mid-morning on Black Friday...however, I got out a couple hours earlier on my own before mom came over.  We got some good deals, but we lacked the gusto of a year ago!  How's your holiday shopping going?

I still feel behind but am trying not to put undue pressure on myself.  I'll decorate the house next weekend (inside and out) and wrap presents during the week.  As for my notoriously early Christmas cards...well, they may be a few days later this year...yikes!  I know, I know...it's OK...but people have come to expect my card 1st to arrive each year.  But, there's only so much I can get done each day and there's always tomorrow, right?

It's almost 80 degrees here in Texas today, but tomorrow it will struggle to get into the low 40's.  Eeeck!  But, it'll feel more like the holidays with some cooler weather ahead.  

Today also ends National Adoption Month.  I've read several articles posted on Huffington Post online throughout the month and was happy to see some attention paid to the cause rather than be overshadowed by the holidays or other news.  I hope you were able to read or hear about some good adoption stories throughout the month, learn more about adoption, volunteer or support the cause in some way and/or share your adoption story with others.

If you haven't read my book yet, Corn-fed with Rice on the Side, you can go to www.kimfenneman.com to order the book.  You can order a hardcopy from my website or go to Amazon.com to order an ebook.  I ship internationally, as well as, domestically and you can get the ebook in other languages.  It's a great Christmas gift for anyone, so buy one (or two) today...and don't forget to get one for yourself!!

Blessings to you on the first week of December!!  Happy Holidays!!!

Yes, I'm Here...

Sorry for the missed post on Sunday, but I've been trying to post to the site since Sunday and haven't been able to access the site.  I just ran a vulnerabilities scan and thankfully I'm now able to access the site.  Sorry for the delay!

Are you ready for Turkey Day?  Preparations made, food prepared, baking done, bar stocked, house clean, and appetite raring to go?  I feel like I've been to 10 grocery stores in the last 3 days, but it's really more like 4!  Yes, 4 and I haven't just been preparing for Thanksgiving but the next couple weeks preparing meals and freezing them along with some holiday treats for co-workers.  And even though I had last week off and this week I feel behind!  Normally I would have all of my Christmas cards done by now...or at least I did last year!  It's the one Christmas thing I'm a 'little crazy' about...getting my cards out on December 1st!  I love sending cards and receiving them because most of the time it's the only time of the year that I hear from people...except for Facebook (if they're on FB).

Last week I was truly on vacation (the first one I've taken this year), as I took my mom to New York City for her first visit ever!  We had a lot of fun and filled our days full!  My mom enjoyed ALL the sites and sounds of NYC and we really only saw 1/3 of the city.  There is SO much to do and see and we just couldn't fit it all in, but what we did do was fun and memorable.  When we arrived on Monday it was rainy but warm, but that all changed on Tuesday.  The polar vortex sank down and it was in the low 30's with winds gusting up to 20-30 mph!  It was freezing!!  Literally!  And so were our toes and fingers since it's such a walking city.  I don't think my mom realized how much walking we'd do even though I warned her.  She did pretty good, though, in keeping up and getting around the city.  Of course we took some taxis but walking through Central Park is an experience all it's own.  We honestly didn't do a lot of shopping and really only spent money on food and taxis!  Go figure.  But, my mom enjoyed her first visit to NYC and I enjoyed spending time with her!

So, now that the holidays are upon us...starting tomorrow...it's time to get in the holiday spirit!  Decorations to put up, lights to trim our trees and houses, holiday treats to bake, Christmas cards to write, gifts to buy and wrap, and sharing it all with family and friends!  So, no matter how quickly the holiday season flies by I hope you enjoy the sounds, the sights, the joy and laughter of the season!  And, may you be safe and bountiful with your holiday shopping...starting either tomorrow or on Black Friday!  Good luck and Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!  May you realize your blessings, share them with others and help those in need around you.

I'm thankful for my health, my family, my friends and for the opportunity to share my story with you and others!  May you have a blessed Thanksgiving and holiday season ahead!!!

Vacation...Blissful!!

I'm on vacation, vacation, vacation!!!  Ahh, time off to enjoy my surroundings, my company and recharge!  I'll write more after I'm back from my trip, but wanted to check-in and wish you all a wonderful week!  This posting is going to be short and sweet so I can get back to my vacation!!!

Blessings to you on this week before Thanksgiving!!

Vacation...Finally!!

I know, I know...it's almost December and I haven't taken a vacation all year!  Crazy!  And, right now I feel it!  I did take a week off for July 4th, but I didn't go anywhere.  I just got "some stuff" done around the house.  Fun.  But, now I'm ready...really ready...to take a week off and just enjoy being off and away from home!  Yippee!!

I tend to do this more often than not...work, work, work until the end of the year rolls around and then I have all my vacation days left to take.  I've tried to get better over the years about taking a few days each quarter, but those few extra Friday's off aren't cutting it anymore.  I need some real quality time off!  Are you good about taking your vacation days?

So, I'm off for the week and then next week I'm off, too, because my company is closed for the Thanksgiving holiday (here in the States)!  Yes, that's right...2 weeks off!!  I didn't really plan it that way, but I'll take it!  I can't wait!

Time to recharge the batteries...the mind...and get ready for the full holiday madness that is coming!  I'm looking forward to relaxing, no work and no household chores to do for a week!  And with all vacations there's the excuse to eat some sweet treats, too, right?!  I'm definitely looking forward to that!  :-)

So, enjoy your week ahead, as I know I will be, and get ready for Turkey Day next week!  Blessings to you all this week!!

Seeing is Believing

As I've mentioned in an earlier post it's National Adoption Month!  So, I hope you've been sharing your stories, reaching out to adoption organizations and supporting the gift of adoption around the world.

I ran across this article on The Huffington Post this week and wanted to share with you.  It shows pictures of adoptive families and the first meetings with families bringing their new loved one home...to their forever home.  It shows the raw emotions, the loving anticipation and the pure joy of the moment.

For many adoptive families it takes several years to finalize the adoption process and it seems like a sea of paperwork, phone calls and emails.  The end never seems close enough and the process can be quite frustrating and overwhelming.  But, these pictures show why it's worth it!  Why the wait, the patience, the worry, the stress and the anticipation all pay off!

Here's a link to the article:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/10/adoption-photos_n_6064110.html

So, enjoy the pictures and share your story with others...with me!  I would love to hear them!  Have a blessed week ahead!!

Let the Holiday Shopping Commence!

Many of you start your holiday shopping early in the year and many of you start it around now.  My mom and I have been to several craft fairs over the past month and we just went to our last one the other day.  It's the biggest one that we go to and it has a ton of cute handmade crafts by artisans from all over.  It's a lot of fun and gets you in the holiday spirit!  I'd rather shop homemade crafts for the holidays versus what's in all the retail stores already!

When do you start your holiday shopping?  Do you do all of your holiday shopping online, in retail stores or specialty shops?  I think it's fun to mix it up a bit and I still like going to physical retail stores to do a majority of my holiday shopping.  I know some people do all of their shopping online, but I haven't and probably won't convert completely over.  Besides, I enjoy the time shopping with my mom too much to do all my shopping online.

I can't believe it's November already?!  Where did this year go?  Has this year flown by for you, too or are you ready for it to be over?  It's always interesting to reflect back on a year, a month, a week to see what transpired versus what you think was going to happen.  Most of the times, as we all know, it doesn't work out the way we planned or thought it would...sometimes it works out better and sometimes it doesn't.  That's just life and if we could all just learn to live in the moment maybe we wouldn't have those expectations that let us down or discourage us.  That's easier said than done, though and being a planner at heart it's hard for me not to plan out the next day, week or month ahead.  It's just a natural thought-process for me.  But, I'm trying to set that aside and enjoy moments throughout the day...one step at a time.  Because when we're not in the moment, we steal the beauty of that moment and the gifts of what the present moment is giving us.  That's how we 'skirt' through life not really living but just getting by or getting through it.  So, although this year has flown by for me, there are moments in the past 11 months that I do remember and cherish just for the simplicity of what they were and that I was present in those moments to fully take in...life!

So, I hope you take a moment today to just "smell the roses" and take it all in...good or bad...because that's how we learn, grow and enjoy life more fully!  Blessings to you today!

Finally....

Sorry for missing my last few posts, but I haven't been able to access the blogging tool.  I'm not sure if it was their server or something wrong w/my computer, but sorry for the delay!

I had another 'first' the other day...I was at a store with my mom and I was walking ahead of my mom when an elderly woman came up to me and asked me about my husband and son.  I said "What?" and she repeated "Is that your husband and son?"  Obviously I said "no" right away and then she pointed to them.  There was an Asian man sitting in a chair with his son on his chest and they were both sleeping.  It was a sweet sighting, but also a bit funny because it was a normal assumption for anyone to make, I'm sure.  My mom came up to see what the woman had asked me and I told her apparently I have a husband and son and then I pointed to the man and his son.  We both giggled a bit and kept shopping.

If you haven't read my book yet it's really snippets of daily life like the one above.  It gives you a glimpse into those kinds of assumptions or ironies of every day life for an adoptee.  When you read the book, perhaps you'll wonder if you've ever done or said that or made those same assumptions about someone you've met.  Hopefully it will open you eyes and understanding of what it's like to grow up being adopted and the misconceptions you and others may have about it.

It's National Adoption month, so during the month try to do at least one thing to learn more about adoption, what it's like to be adopted, talk to a friend or someone you know about their experiences of being adopted, or simply buy my book and read for yourself!  You can purchase my book, Corn-fed with Rice on the Side, at www.kimfenneman.com.  The e-book is also available on Amazon.com (just search on the title of the book or my name).

Blessings to you this first full week of daylight savings time as we all adjust to the time change!