12 Storage Tips for Frozen Foods by Jean Anderson author of Dinners in a Dish or a Dash General tips: Do not try to freeze or store food at less than 0°F. Keep a freezer thermometer handy and check freezer temperature from time to time. Never put hot food in a freezer. Never refreeze frozen food that has thawed. Commercial frozen foods: Transfer at once from shopping bags to freezing surface of 0°F freezer and leave there several hours. Any packages that were ripped in transit, overwrap... Read Full Story

1 c. cornstarch 2 c. baking soda 1 1/4 c. cold water Stir the cornstarch and soda together in a saucepan. Mix in the water and cook over med. heat, stirring constantly until mixture reaches a slightly moist, mashed potato consistency. Turn out onto a place. Cover with damp cloth. When clay is cool enough to handle, knead it like dough until it is plastic and easy to use. The clay is now read to use, but you can store it tightly covered for later use. To dry your creations, leave at room... Read Full Story

Missouri Adoption Heart Gallery coming to St. Joseph by Sylvia Anderson Sunday, June 29, 2008 Donald J. is a 10-year-old boy who loves cats, dogs, semi-trucks, going to church and watching Sponge Bob Square Pants on TV. He’s much like other boys his age, except for one thing: Donald dreams of having a family. “Someone to love me and I get to stay there forever,” he told the Missouri Department of Social Services. Just looking at his sweet face with those puppy dog brown eyes — well, it’s... Read Full Story

I’ve been subscribing to The Daily Groove, a mindful parenting newsletter from Scott Noelle, for quite a while now. This reminder came at such a great time for me (Thanks Scott!) because it came a few hours before Shawna & I did some paint by numbers and it helped me to bite my tongue when I felt she wasn’t doing it “right”. Go With the Flow… Even If It’s ‘Wrong’ Sometimes we think we’re doing our kids a favor when we tell them the “right” way to do something. No, dear… Do it this way.” We... Read Full Story

I just read that yesterday and thought it was interesting. I think the interview may be a few months old but here’s part of it. He talks about what led up to them adopting her and also transracial adoption. Dadmag: Your youngest daughter Bridget is adopted. Why did you decide to adopt Bridget? McCain: Well it was primarily my wife’s Cindy’s idea. She was in Bangladesh and she and some of the medical personnel visited Mother Theresa’s orphanage to try and help the children there. There were... Read Full Story

My daughters (who we adopted through foster care) took my husband to Wendy’s for a Fathers Day frosty last year and they intend to take him again this year. The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is such a great organization and is one that everyone in the adoption community should support! TREAT DAD TO A FATHER’S DAY FROSTY AND HELP CHANGE THE LIVES OF CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE DUBLIN, OHIO (May 27, 2008) – Forgo the colorful Father’s Day tie, treat dad to Frosty and help a wonderful group... Read Full Story

The idea behind once-a-month cooking (OAMC) is to spend a set amount of time cooking, be it a day or two, but cooking and freezing enough meals to last through the whole month. Some people, especially beginners, feel intimidated by the process and do it on a weekly basis instead of monthly. Some benefits are using less time and energy…it takes longer to make three chicken meals one at a time, than to make them at the same time. Another benefit to having meals on hand is not relying on... Read Full Story

A couple of times a week, I like to make a cup of tea and catch up on some of my favorite adoption blogs. Here’s a few of the posts that caught my eye. Lori, a valued member of our adoption forums, blogged about what Adoption Utopia would look like to you. Based on my personal experience with adoption (as an adoptive parent and a sister to an adoptee), my reply was: My adoption utopia would be that after being abused by their biological parents, children are not victimized again by the... Read Full Story

(Dublin, OH – May 1, 2008) It’s the list that prompted policy change. After the first Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces in America list debuted in 2007, more than 50 organizations nationwide established or enhanced their adoption benefits for 2008. As a result, employers who made the top 100 list released today by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption offered more robust adoption benefits packages this year to make it. Wendy’s International, Inc. ranked #1 and was among those who expanded... Read Full Story

Author of Logan’s Journey, Kathy Heath reads her endearing book on open adoption. A valuable tool for parents and educators, Logan’s Journey can help children understand that families are created in many different ways. Read Full Story