Mom's Weekend

Hello Ladies! I know that it seems like our getaway weekend is far away but as I was checking online the hotels for that weekend are booking up fast. I would like to book our rooms in the next week and have that in place. I need to see who is truly planning on coming so I can book enough rooms. Here are the details of the trip: we will be leaving Nov 11 and returning late Nov 12, we will be staying in the Pittsburgh area. Please let me know in the next week if you plan on attending.

Adoption Awareness

Hello families! This morning as I walked into my daughters school and noticed that on the lesson plans this week my daughter and her fellow classmates were learning about trees. In this lesson plan was the parts of the tree and a cute little song about apples in a tree. As I continued to read I saw that they were going to "Adopt" a tree. UGH! I so dislike that word being used in that way. Yes adopt can mean many things. A city council adopts a resolution. A board of directors adopts a position. A Company might adopt a new production method. The use of "adoption" is not a new meaning of the word ­ it is a recent distortion that confuses children and does a disservice to adoptive families. There’s a very simple, fitting word that works very well in this scenario: "sponsor." I don’t believe that the person who came up with "adopt-a-whatever" are deliberately trying to misuse the word or insult anyone. I bet they’ve just never stopped to think about it.

So why does this involve you...Well after much thought Chad and I decided to donate to Grace's school a copy of "An Educator's guide to adoption". We will donate it in our groups name and are asking you do the same. November is national "Adoption Awareness Month" and Mary Ann and I try to do something to do our part. So if I order 9 copies or less they are $7.75 each with no shipping. If we order 10 or more they are $6 plus $3.95 shipping cost.
Please let me know if you and your family are at all interested. I have also included a link to the site so you can read more about this guide for educators. http://www.adoptioninformationinstitute.org/about.html

Thanks for your time,Jeannine

Playgroup outings for the remainder of 2006

~September 23~
Erie Planetarium
11am
356 W. 6th Street
871-5790

~October 21~
Port Farm
11am
2055 Stone Quarry Rd.
Waterford
796-4500

~November 18~
Lakette’s Gym
12-12:55pm
8296 Peach St.
864-9363

~December TBA~
Holly Hill Farms
Sleigh ride
19451 South Rd

Spartansburg, PA 16434

814/ 438-8112

~Mom’s Night Out~

Where: Olive Garden

When: September 14

Time: 7pm

~ Mom's Fall Weekend Getaway~

We will be leaving for Pittsburgh November 11 and returning November 12.

There are so many things to do and see and we are trying to narrow it down.

But of course shopping will be included. Last year we split the cost of hotels,

gas, and whatever else that was shared. We try to keep the cost as low as possible

so that it is financially in reach for all. So please consider going this year.

It is always so much fun and a well needed break. Please email me and let me

know if you are interested in coming with us.

~Playgroup change to Saturdays until the end of the year~

Everyone's schedules are becoming more hectic as our children are getting older.

So we are going try some Saturday Playgroups till the end of December

and re-evaluate at the end of the year. Mary Ann has already scheduled

them till the end of the year, so please check out your schedules

and mark them in your calendars! The few responses that

she received for T/Th group, she will personally email you

and see if we can arrange random playdates.

If you have any questions, email Mary Ann at mabm@velocity.net

~How I Explained Adoption to the First Grade: Using a favorite doll and a logic children can follow, one mother enlightens her daughter's curious class. http://www.adoptivefamilies.com/articles.php?aid=238

~What Your Child's Teacher Needs to Know:

http://www.adoptivefamilies.com/articles.php?aid=57

~Special Thanks to the Ward Family for hosting our family picnic. We had a great turn out and the day was beautiful. Thanks to all our talented cooks who brought such great food. I hope to see you all again next year .~