Liam again

I spent the weekend at the National Down Syndrome Congress Conference. It was wonderful seeing so many people with a direct connection to someone with Down syndrome. If you don't have someone with Down syndrome in your intimate circle of family and friends, then you are definitely missing something. We like to say that our kids have something extra, but we could also say the rest of us have less, less hugs, less love, less acceptance, less peace, less understanding of what is important.

Amy understands this so much that she is adopting her fourth son with Down syndrome, Liam. She still needs $8K to be able to rescue him and bring him home. My younger sister is a Tastefully Simple representative and she is donating 100% of the profits of an online catalog party to Liam's adoption. Just go to the Tastefully Simple website and order delicious gourmet food products to help with Liam's adoption. Just list me 'Kimberly Hughes' as the host and my sister will make sure the profits are directed to Liam's adoption. This is the last week of the party will end on August 15th.

I saw a package of beer bread mix at my local grocery story and I couldn't help but have a bake off.

Both asked for 12 oz of beer and I used Corona light.

Although the package of Firenza makes an almost insignificantly smaller loaf and has slightly less dry ingredients, somehow it was a much drier loaf.

The Tastefully Simple bread mix was about the same price after shipping (cheaper without shipping), but it was much, much tastier. So if you like beer bread, buy it now through the catalog party. The spinach and artichoke dip and the Fiesta dip have been a hit at the two parties I have served them at. I also am very fond of the Almond pound cake.

As always you can skip the party food and donate directly to his adoption here, and donations are tax deductible.

Feeling a need to donate

If you have money burning a hole in your pocket, please go here to see a list of children that are currently still in institutions waiting to be saved but lacking funding. They are all beautiful children with Down syndrome. Donating directly to their adoption funds is tax deductible.

Another Liam's Adoption/Tastefully Simple Party Plug

As my readers know, my sister has agree to donate 100% of the profits of an online catalog Tastefully Simple party to Liam's adoption. What a deal - buy and enjoy gourmet food and feel good about helping save an orphan. Amy, the mother, has three other boys with Down syndrome, one of which is an adult, so she knows what people with Down syndrome are capable of. You can view her blog about her family here.

Today I made the beer bread, both regular and whole wheat (I just had to compare) and the potato cheddar soup.

I chose the Corona because it was one of the few I could just buy one of and I figured I could melt the bottle in the Kiln.

Oh, how I wish you could smell this picture.

Both beer breads are awesome. You can see in the picture that the wheat bread didn't rise as much and I was afraid it was going to be dense and awful, like wheat breads used to be in the past, but the flavors were incredibly similar, with the wheat having that nutty tastes that wheat breads are supposed to have, but still being sweet and airy. My house smelled like beer and I was thinking the whole time the bread was cooking that I should have used a soda or something other than beer, but the taste of both of the loaves was really good. I'm not really a drinker and I really dislike beer, but I heartily recommend these breads.

As for the soup, I'm not really a cheese soup fan and so this soup isn't really my thing. It IS much better than the dehydrated potato soups that I've tried from the grocery store, and I certainly like it enough to eat it, but it isn't good enough to convert me to choosing a cheese soup over something else. In short, buy the beer breads!

To order any of these or the biscuits from this post, go to Tastefully Simple and list me 'Kimberly Hughes' as the host and my sister will make sure the profits are directed to Liam's adoption. This party is going to run until August 15th. My suggestion is to order a few things you like to try now (most of it is great party food), then you will still have time to order again more of the things you really like before the donations are closed for this adoption.

As always you can skip the party food and donate directly to his adoption here, and donations are tax deductible.

Save Ivan/Liam!

Anyone that has been reading my blog for any period of time knows that I always have one or more adoption of a child with Down syndrome through Reece's Rainbow that I am watching. Melanie/Lucy's mom is at the orphanage getting her right now. Lera's adoption is fully funded and they are completing the final steps before they can go get her. Alexander's adoption is almost fully funded, and they are gung ho about going to get him even if no more money is donated, but they are having to wait for some issues with the political system in the country of Alexander's orphanage. So now I am advocating for Liam.

My sister is a consultant for Tastefully Simple. It is a company that sells gourmet food products that I had never heard of before she started selling it, but apparently is extremely popular because as soon as I start talking about it, everyone cuts me off having heard of it and obviously knowing more about it than I do. She has agree to do a fundraiser donating 100% of the profits of an online catalog party to Liam, who is still $9K away from being fully funded. Go to Tastefully Simple, pick out your products, and list me 'Kimberly Hughes' as the host and my sister will make sure the profits are directed to Liam's adoption. Liam's mom, Amy, has adopted multiple times before and if you go to her blog, you can see pictures of her three handsome sons that have Down syndrome.

Of course, if you don't eat or know anyone who eats, and therefore cannot fathom buying delicious food, then you can, of course, donate directly to Liam's adoption here.

Finally, a giant thank you to all those that have donated to this adoption or any of the others or who have already purchased. Every small amount counts.

Baby Lust

I have to admit that I'm experience a lot of jealousy over all the people I know having babies. I've always wanted a large brood and I've had baby lust since my younger sister was born (I was almost five). P and I are likely done. We will welcome any babies that come our way, but we went through quite a bit of medical intervention to get the two that we have and have decided not to use any more in the future. On top of that, my pregnancies weren't exactly what you would call easy.

Then there is Reece's Rainbow (http://www.reecesrainbow.com/newsite/angeltree2009sponsorpage.html) There is a waiting list in the US to adopt babies with Down syndrome, but in many countries, they children have no chance at a life outside of an institution. Looking at this site breaks my heart and I want to adopt them all. P and I have always agreed that adoption is in our future and we have also agreed that special needs children are completely acceptable. Since Chloe's birth, we have developed a fondness in our hearts for people with Ds.

I've been telling people that I believe that I was always meant to have a baby with Ds and a lot of people agree with me. There is no question in my mind that if any family can provide what these kids need, it would be ours. I hope I continue to have this mindset when Kate and Chloe are old enough to allow us to follow this route.