Still Playing House @jessiestilplayinghouse - Tumblr Blog

The "Orange Not Orange" Smoothie Recipe

The “Orange Not Orange” Smoothie Recipe

If you’re into blended drinks and you like to spice up your life a bit, this drink is for you! It’s a fantastic way to introduce fresh carrot juice into your diet. You won’t even taste it. Trust me. You’ll reap the healthy benefits of King Carrot without triggering the gag reflex. Your husband will hand you his glass for a refill and since you slipped an extra dose of maca powder into the…

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#carrot juice smoothie #cashew chai milk in a smoothie recipe #chai carrot smoothie recipe #orange smoothie without oranges

Prepare for a Melting Heart

Today our adopted daughter went for her first dental cleaning, ever. She’s almost 12 years old. If you follow me on Instagramyou’ve already seen the stream of photos documenting her successful outing. She left the dental office a SUPERSTAR. She now holds the title of most loved patient if we don’t count the staff’s personal family members. (And we don’t.) She left the office handing out…

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For those into Bible Prophecy and America

Listen. You know from the sidebar that I’m into Jesus. I try not to talk a lot about spiritual things because I realize it’s not for everyone and besides, I’m still figuring it all out myself. I don’t need to drag you along when admittedly I sometimes wind up on dead-end streets and passed out in the ditch. Those within my inner circle will tell you I’m a deeply spiritual person. Not a…

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#America and Israel biblical prophetical patterns #Bible prophecy and America #modern day america reliving bible history

Electoral College SIMPLIFIED. Humorous. Quick & Easy Lesson

Today’s video courtesy of my teenage son who may have been a bit frustrated by his Mom’s constant questions regarding the electoral college and the state of elections in America. This is an enjoyable and brief description of how the electoral college works.

I still think it’s time for election reform in America. Who’s with me?

[se…

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#homeschool highschool american government #how the electoral college works

Biracial Siblings Chime In

Yesterday, I told you about a recent experience my daughter and I had at the local park. (Yes, I felt like I was stepping out of my car and into an episode of The Twilight Zonedespite the fact that I’m nearing 40 years old, have black friends including a Haitian teen who lived with us for a year and still calls me Mom, and travel to black nations. Even so, it was like the universe handed me a…

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#growing up biracial in southern united states #how different races respond to special needs child #race relations in children in southern united states

Black Children Better at Accepting Special Needs Child

I’ve written about the struggles our newly adopted daughter has had on the playground. How, because of her physical differences, she’s left on the outskirts of play groups, either ignored or scorned. How even adults have pulled their children away from her company. I didn’t realize how race made a difference in what we’re experiencing. Recently, I watched a fascinating display of acceptance…

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#difference in how black and white children groups respond to special needs child #race relations among children in southern united states

Aw, sh#%

The inevitable happened.

Accidentally dropping her Minnie Mouse purse on the floor, our new 11 year-old daughter groaned, bent over, and said:

“Aw, sh#%.”

It took her five months, but here it is. The s bomb. Because folks, sh#% is not a cuss word in India. A fact my husband has voiced repeatedly over the course of our marriage.

This is the story of how sh#% has come to rest upon our home, to…

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#shit&039;s not a cuss word in India

What I Learned in January

I’ve wanted to join in with the popular What We’ve Learned link-up for months only I couldn’t quite figure out how to do it. It just seemed like I wasn’t learning anything new. I was making it too hard on myself. Imagine that! I learn things all the time. Are you ready for this?

What I Learned in January:

When a Northerner says something that sounds like cran, they’re really saying CRAYON. You…

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Reader Question: Christmas Lights on a Timer?

I’m not going to lie. I’m loving the reader questions because you’re giving me MATERIAL. Writing, like yoga, is good for me, but you know it’s the first thing I let drop as the day fills up. And yes, yoga’s the second activity that I kiss bye-bye when I’m faced with life’s daily demands; needs that summon me from three pairs of cutesy, wutesyeyes. In this new year I resolved to do better, to…

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#benefits of using a timer with outdoor holiday light displays #why you should use a timer for outdoor and indoor lights

Remember the neighborly Christmas light war?

Clearly I’m nuts.

It’s after midnight and I’m creeping around inside my darkened house, pointing my cell phone across the street, zoomed in on my neighbor’s window. The only thing keeping me inside is the 38* weather (my Floridian butt won’t see the outside of multilayered thermal underwear until that groundhog crawls out of his hole, slips into his speedo, and starts making sand castles at the…

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#christmas tree displayed in home for over 3 months #neighbors compete with outdoor holiday light displays

Wanted: One Woman's Momentous Day with a Special Needs Child

Wanted: One Woman’s Momentous Day with a Special Needs Child

Momentous! Splendidly delightful!

Beautiful words to describe beautiful news.

We have news.

Nope. Someone didn’t show up on our doorstep with $500,000.00 and tell us that it’s ours if we sign over our house and evacuate the premises immediately.

Dang it.

This is BIGGER.

We made a friend!

WE made a friend. Mother and child made a friend. A FRIEND, A FRIEND, A FRIEND. A real-life bone and…

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#how a parent of a special needs child needs connection #how a special needs child met a friend #parenting special needs children #treatment of special needs child on the playground

Reader Question: Adoption's Complete BUT....

Reader Question: Adoption’s Complete BUT….

I love when readers email and leave comments because it means you like or care about something you’ve read here on the blog or that you care about Pam and I. Either one of those reasons thrill us. We feel your love. :D

I thought others might like to see the answer to this reader’s question:

“Do you still have to deal with India, though you’ve already completed the adoption of your daughter?”

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Where to find us on Social Media and why we want you to Know

photo courtesy of New Old Stock

Leaving Facebook

We’re making a small social media change. Facebook’s just not our thing. You know this because you see how consistent we are at NOT updating our Facebook feed. If you follow our Still Playing HouseFacebook page or our personal accounts on Facebook, we would love for you to connect with us over on the social media apps we DO use. If you’re not…

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How A Simple Book Light Helped My Low Vision Child in School

This is NOT a sponsored post. Just one mom helping another mom. Here’s what’s working for us.

Our daughter’s been home with us for 5 months now and we are learning tons about Albinism and low vision needs when it comes to school time. I recently wrote about the no-frills magnifier our daughter uses when dealing with small print. (Small to her.) Today I want to tell you how adding a simple…

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#how to help children with albinism in school #how to help low vision children with school work #low vision aids for early elementary children #way to help child with albinism see school work

Does Your Low Vision Child Need a Dome Magnifier for School?

Mine did!!

This is NOT a sponsored post. Just one mom helping another mom. Here’s what’s working for us.

A simple, no frills dome magnifier has helped our low vision child SEE the page numbers at the bottom of her school books. It has helped her find hidden pictures in school assignments where before she couldn’t ever make them out. She didn’t know what she was supposed to be looking for!!

N…

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#how to help children with albinism in school #how to help low vision children with school work #low vision aids for early elementary children #way to help child with albinism see school work

Kindle Deal ALERT. Moms with kids at home, grab it while it's on sale.

Kindle Deal ALERT. Moms with kids at home, grab it while it’s on sale.

Happy NEW Year!! Thank you for out with the old and in with the new, I like to say. I do love me a fresh new year. 8-)

I’m super busy trying to implement all my new year’s resolutions so I need to make this quick. NOT! I have made no resolutions. Actually, I am busy, but Jessica said it best this morning on her Periscope broadcast: “It feels like I’m on someone else’s timeline now. ”

Yes.…

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#amazon kindle sale #book for moms #book review of hands free life #kindle book deal #periscope for moms

In the Boxing Ring over SOCKS

We spent last night in the boxing ring again. This time over socks. It happened like this:

“Go get your sleep clothes,” I said to our young daughter.

That is our cue for bathtime. Bathtime is one of our daughter’s favorite parts of the day since she realized that in America taking a bath is a lot like swimming sans the water over your head part. A big tub of water, toys floating around, and…

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