New blog name

I know I've mentioned it before but I really want to change the blog's name so I'm trying them out to see what you think!

1.Wedeminute
2. Jennifer's Joys
3.Kimchi, krafts and kids
4.Keeping up with the Wedemeyer's (should I just leave it alone?)

I want something unique and catchy like this blog Oops, I Craft My Pants, everytime I see the name I smile and giggle a little bit.  I've had this name for quite a few years but still get questions about it, like am I trying to Keep up with the Kardashians (nope), you know people aren't supposed to try and keep up with each other (I didn't mean it that way, I meant stay in touch) and you really shouldn't have your last name on your blog (probably true).

I'm really liking the Kimchi, krafts and kids because my blog has crafts, cooking (even Korean cooking hence the Kimchi) and of course kids.

McLinky Monday - Christmas Decor



Kylan really got into the Christmas spirit!




Kevin and Kenzie putting up the Angel



Kylan likes to lay under the tree and look up!

The Real Housewives of Oklahoma want to know when you drag out your Christmas decor?
We ALWAYS decorate the house for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving, ok we start pulling all the decorations out the day after Thanksgiving, it usually takes several days to get it all put up! We have WAY to many Christmas decorations!!! Our traditions is to decorate the livingroom tree together while we eat snacks, this year we had little smokies, Dawn's chocolate sheetcake recipe(to die for) and my friend Nicoles spinach, artichoke dip (so good my husband is begging me to make it again). Then, when we are done with the livingroom we head up to Makenzie's room to put up her silver Christmas tree and then to Kylans room for his tree. Kylan had a small one until Kevin found a deal after Christmas last year and bought him a new pre-lit 6ft tree on clearance (yes, he's a bargain shopper).

The finished tree

My sweet kids and myself

Moms Rock the Holidays! Rayovac & Paper Jamz Giveaway! {5 winners-$250 Visa Gift Cards!} (12/05)

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Disclosure – Followers who promote the Rayovac Mom Rocks the Holidays Sweepstakes may receive gifts from Rayovac.

Tulsa Air and Space Museum

Makenzie is in a Girls Club and they have field trips about twice per year and this time it was to the Tulsa Air and Space Museum.  I was so excited to go because for some weird reason and yes I hate to admit this but WE HAVE NEVER BEEN!  As a homeschool mommy that's always taking her kids on educational field trips you would think we would have been here before but I just kept putting it off and thinking we will eventually get around to it and so we finally did!  It was fun, we have to go again and the kids also loved the planetarium...very cool according to Kylan.
I took a LOT of pics so you can now see a slideshow of our adventure.







Created with flickr slideshow from softsea.

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

I started watching the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills because my cousin Nicole works for Camille and Kelsey Grammar so I was intrigued and couldn't wait to see all the crazy things that I knew were going to happen.  Poor Nicole, I can't imagine working for that crazy Camille.  I don't know how she's been able to work for them this long and not be totally insane, of course I'm sure they pay her well and she travels all over the place with them like to their house in Hawaii, the NYC apartment and they have a house in the Hamptons and in Colorado (or she did, you know they are getting divorced right).  She's their "House Manager"(for all of their many houses) and personal chef.  Nicole has some many interesting stories to tell and I  just sit and listen with my jaw dropped open in shock and surprise but Nicole takes everything all as a days work and just keeps going.  I tell you she's a SAINT to work for Camille, have you seen the show?  The crazy eyes, flirting with friends husbands, micro miniskirts, everything is about her and she has the weird baby voice that she sometimes uses....anyway, it's all fascinating to me since I know someone that actually as to put up with all of that in REAL LIFE.
Here are a couple of pics I got from Nicole...enjoy!

Nicole and Camille playing golf together

 

Nicole is 2nd from the left in the aqua dress, this was at the Tony awards.

Ok, so after all that drama I'm really loving the Real Housewives of Oklahoma, they are a bunch of friendly, fun loving gals, go check them out at The RHOK and they won't try to flirt with your hubby, they are God fearing, church going women!

Pyramids

In our homeschool curriculum we are doing a unit study on Egypt!  So far the kids have loved this unit, we worked on Pyramids last week and it was a lot of fun.  We experimented with straws to make different types of pyramids and to help figure out the volume.  Then, we played with cards to make tessellations which are pyramids that fit together without any gaps.  Today we are working on a sugar cube pyramid and will have pictures later in the week once it's finished!

1.  Makenzie built a tetrahedron pyramid which is a triangular based pyramid

 Kylan built a square-based pyramid which is the most common pyramid

 We experimented with other shapes to show that pyramids are very strong

We also figured out that 3 pyramids could fit inside of the cube!

We are using the book  Pyramids (Fantastic Facts) and the magazine Kids Discover

McLinky Monday-For what are you thankful?

I'm seriously loving those RHOK girls, they are fun, sassy, classy and a little crazy and I like it!  If you want a good laugh go read about the Ben Affleck sighting by Mrs. Albright, she's a hoot!

Anyway, I'm linking up again for McLinky Monday and this weeks questions is For what are you thankful?  I'm thankful for many, many things in my life.  My wonderful church, my awesome hubby and of course my wonderful, amazing, precious children!  I blogged about Kenzie's 10 yr gotcha day yesterday and was brought to tears while I was writing my post, a flood of emotion hit me as I thought about how much our life has changed in the past 10 years.  So the answer to the question is ADOPTION, I'm very thankful for ADOPTION!  We were told we would NEVER be able to have children after years and years of trying and after 6 miscarriages.  We did try domestic adoption but it didn't work out for us but we do know MANY people that it has worked out for.  Dillon International helped change the course of our life forever, they are an amazing adoption agency and are here locally in the Tulsa area, if you have any questions please call them at 918-749-4600 and they can help you or you can email me!  November is National Adoption Awareness month, please leave me a comment and let me know how adoption has touched your life!

 These are our adoption day pics from when the kids legally became our children, they were taken at the Tulsa Court House!

Happy 10 yr Gotcha Day Makenzie!

Nobody can ever know about all of the heartache, suffering and pain and pure joy that you go through while trying to adopt unless you've actually walked in those shoes and it's a bond we share with many, many other adoptives families that we have been so blessed to meet during this adoption journey.  It's a lot of work proving that you will be a fit parent for these precious children and you have worries about will it be "enough", will they pick me?  I'm sure most parents go through a lot of these emotions but it's a little different for adoptive parents because we have people come through our house for a homestudy and make sure it's ok for a child, it is nerve wracking and emotionally draining on top of all of the interviews, meetings, paperwork, fingerprinting, police records check and the list goes on and on.  Will we EVER get through this is a question we asked ourselves often.  Then the big day comes and you get a referral (we even got a picture AND a video of Kim, Sun Hwa), this adorable, chubby cheeked, black haired, almond eyed child is going to be ours after years and years of praying for a baby and exploring so many options along the way, we finally have a picture....now comes the really hard part WAITING for her passport and visa when you know what she looks like and all you can think about is that she's getting bigger and bigger and is she smiling? is she rolling over? can she say any words? is she attaching to her foster mom?  will she have attachment issues or will she bond with us? Questions, worries, waiting, happiness that you have a child in this world but you haven't met her yet...it's a swirl of emotions.  Then, the call comes in that she has a visa and passport and a lady(we love you Beverlee) that we've grown to love and trust is in Korea and is willing to bring her to us...oh happy day!  We rush to LA, California and anxiously await her arrival....but wait SURPRISE the morning she's supposed to come in we hear a knock on our hotel room door and it's Kevin's parents and my mom, they want to share this joyous, happy day with us!  Then, time seems to stand still while we pace about the LAX airport just waiting to see her and then she's here and all of the sudden all of the past 8 years of trying to have a baby fade away and are just a distant memory and our daughter is safe in our loving, open arms at last!!!  November 19th, 2000 is a day Kevin and I will never forget, God answered our prayers and gave us a wonderful, special gift of Makenzie Nicole Wedemeyer and for that gift we are eternally greatful!  The past 10 years have been the happiest 10 years of my entire life and I know it's because of this blessing sent from God with a detour through South Korea!  If you have questions about adoption please email me at adoption questions I would love to help others experience this wonderful gift!
I Samuel 1:27 For this child I prayed and the Lord has given me my petition which I asked of Him!

Please leave me a comment and tell me how your life has been touched by adoption!  November is National Adoption Awareness month!!!

Every year on our children's gotch day we eat Korean food in honor of their birth country and we give them a small gift so they know that we love and cherish them and think the day we "got" them is very special.  We look through their Korean box, which holds their baby clothes that they arrived in from Korea, an extra diaper from Korea, and any pictures that were taken while they were in Korea, some Korean money and any other items sent to the U.S. with them from their foster family.  This year we were blessed to eat lunch with the wonderful Delano family and they helped us celebrate Kenzie's 10 yr gotcha day, they are in the adoption process for a sibling group so please keep them in your prayers!

iMOM-The 30 Day Mom Challenge

This is a great challenge, one way everyday to be a better mom!  I try really hard to be a great mom but sometimes it just seems overwhelming and I wonder am I doing enough, do they feel loved, will they grow up to love me or resent me, do they have the right focus in life,  will they be productive humans, and the list goes on and on.  We have this group in town called iMOM and every month they meet and talk about ways to be a better mom, they have mom's in the area speak to us and share tips on cleaning, coupons, etc.  It's always enjoyable...especially for a homeschool mom to get out and about and talk to other mommies.  Anyway, this month they have a 30 day mom challenge and I decided to join the challenge.  Let me know if you join too and how your month goes and if it changes you in any way!  Oh, by the way, I printed off the challenge sheet and hung it on my bathroom mirror so I can see it in the morning and at night...just a helpful reminder!

Mc Linky Monday-Thankful for food

If you are like me then you just love those girls and all their posts over at the RHOK and today they are wanting to know:

What is your favorite food on the Thanksgiving table?



Well, mine is Wild Rice Stuffing!  I absolutely love it and can't stand for Thanksgiving to go by without it!  This is a simplified version on the original recipe...I like simple!  What is your favorite food on the Thanksgiving table?  Leave me a comment or even link up with the girls at the RHOK!



Wild Rice Stuffing

1 (6 oz.) pkg. long grain and wild rice mix


1 lb. bulk sausage

1 1/2 c. sliced mushrooms

1 1/2 c. chopped onion

1 c. bias cut celery

1 (8 oz.) pkg. herb seasoned stuffing mix

1/2 c. fresh snipped parsley

1/2 to 1 tsp. poultry seasoning



Cook rice according to package directions. Meanwhile brown sausage (partially) in large skillet. Drain off all but about 2 tbsp. fat. Add mushrooms, onion and celery to sausage. Saute until celery is crispy tender.

Prepare stuffing mix according to package directions. In large bowl combine stuffing mix, rice mix, sausage mixture, parsley and seasoning. Toss to combine. Use to stuff a 14-16 pound turkey or goose or turn into 2 greased 1 1/2 quart casseroles. Bake at 325 degrees during last hour of roasting time. Yields 12 cups. Can add the cooked and ground up giblets and omit mushrooms. (sometimes I add cranberries to it too)


 
Thanks for the encouragement Dawn, I love you!!!

Chewing light!

Light up your smile with Triboluminescence and yes we can make a lightning like effect with wintergreen candy just by chewing them in the dark!  That's what we did today as a science experiment!  We bought wint o green lifesavers (don't try the sugar-free ones they won't work as well), the 3 of us squeezed into the 1/2 bathroom, put a towel in front of the door and shut off the lights and started crunching on our candy!  WOW, sparks were flying and this was easily one of the kids favorite science experiments for the year.  We also tried it with a pair of pliers and it worked too!  Then, we tried mixing sugar in a glass bowl and it was sparking also!


Explanation:

You are generating light energy by triboluminescence because each time you chew the candy your teeth are tearing apart the chemical bonds that were formed when the liquid candy was molded into a solid lifesaver. Wintergreen contains molecules that exhibit triboluminescnece.

This was our chapter on light from unexpected sources...very cool!!!

How to make homemade pumpkin puree

A lot of you have been asking me how I make my pumpkin puree and it's so simple that you will be making it too!  Why, you ask do I make my own pumpkin puree?  The first time I made it was because I had run out of canned pumpkin and I just happened to have a pie pumpkin as a decoration so I decided it was time I learned to make pumpkin puree, it was cold and rainy outside and the kids were taking a nap so I couldn't just run to the store.  I've used homemade pumpkin puree in soups, cookies, pie, pumpkin dip, pumpkin butter, muffins, pancakes and bread.  Homemade pumpkin puree gives such a great flavor and texture to any recipe that I don't think I'll ever go back to canned puree plus it really doesn't take that much effort to have this wonderful, distinct fall flavor!

 Step 1- Cut a clean pumpkin in 1/2 (make sure you wash the outside of the pumpkin first)

 Step 2-Scoop out the stringy insides and all the seeds (save the seeds for roasting later on)

 Step 3- Cut the pumpkin into smaller sections and boil for 10-15 min.

 Step 4-When the pumpkin will basically fall off the rind then drain it

 This is what the rind looks like with the pumpkin out of it

Step 5- I then take a handheld blender and blend the pumpkin up for about 2 min. (a food processor would work well if you have one)

Step 6-Now, I usually put 1 cup per ziplock baggie and freeze what I won't be using right now and then I try to start storing up for the winter! (if you fold back the edges of your ziplock and place it in a smallish glass it's so much easier to stick your gooey goodness inside, then I force air out and seal it up to freeze)

There are many ways to make pumpkin puree but this is fast and easy for me!  You can bake it, microwave it and boil it, if you use another method please leave me a comment, I'd love to hear from you!  I'm headed into the kitchen to try the microwave and baking method and I will let you know what I find out.  I did find that the Pioneer Woman bakes hers and every single recipe that I've ever made from her is delicious...now I can't wait to try mine baked and see if it tastes the same or different.

Cook's Essentials Handblender

Several years ago I bought this really awesome hand blender from Cook's Essentials on QVC and I've come to love it and depend on it almost daily until the unthinkable happened.  I used it one too many times and a piece broke off...I"m so so very sad.  I wrote to QVC and I've tried finding just the main piece to replace but no such luck!  Do you have a favorite kitchen item that you love and would be upset if it broke?  What is it?  Please share all your cooking info!

Cuneiform writing

Over the past week we've been learning about the Sumerians and ancient Mesopotamia.  Today, the kids have a fun project of writing the Cuneiform alphabet, which was done on clay tablets in ancient times BUT our clay is actually sugar cookie dough and then we will bake it and eat it! YUMMY!  It's so fun to be a homeschooler.