We are back from Peru and adjusting to our routines. I had a fun-filled day yesterday, between unpacking, getting a new license at the DMV, dealing with my stolen credit cards, and updating all my auto-payment with the new card number. Let’s not even talk about my email inbox or the unopened mail that is taking over the kitchen table. The boys got a little treat yesterday – their friend Caleb took them dirt-biking. This was their first time and they loved it! His mom is a friend and a . . .

I’m pushing for another “Occupy Christmas” movement this year. Last year, a lot of people seemed enthused about the idea of bringing the consumerism down a notch for the holidays, and bringing the tangible giving up for those in need.  Less plastic toys for privileged kids, more food on the table for those without . . . that kind of thing. I’ve created a list of ideas that I think could be helpful for shifting the holiday season for good: Last week I wrote about Pure Charity and how you . . .

The last few days have ben travel days. Machu Picchu is pretty far removed from the city of Lima where we’re staying with friends, and getting back there involved a taxi, a train, another taxi, a plane ride, and yet another taxi. We decided to break it up a bit, so the day after we went to Machu Picchu, we had a mellow morning at the hotel and took the train back to Ollantaytambo where we had stayed on the way out. Our last morning at the hotel near Machu Picchu, we decided to take a hike to . . .

We’ve been having a great trip so far but I’ve just got to talk about one element of travel that I absolutely did not expect: the totally bonkers reaction that the local are having to our family, and specifically to Kembe’s hair. We’ve had our share of nosy adoption questions in the US but usually they are scattered and random – maybe one a month or so. Here, it’s like people cannot NOT ask. Every single person we come in contact with asks if the boys are really our kids. Waitresses, airline . . .

Last night something disturbing happened that has shaken our family adventure a bit. We went out to dinner with our friends the Goodfellows here in Lima, and celebrated Thanksgiving with some amazing Peruvian food. On our  way home, there was a sudden crash at the window near my head exploded into tiny shards of glass. The impact was so jolting that initially I thought we’d been hit by another car, but then someone reached in and grabbed the purse out of my hands, and it dawned on me that . . .

Did you know that your everyday purchases at stores like Target, Best Buy, The Apple Store, and Walmart can earn you money back in a personal giving fund? All it will cost you is a few minutes of time to sign up with Pure Charity. You can still shop sales and promotional prices, and the rewards will ad up with no cost to you. Change the world with Pure Charity! from Pure Charity on Vimeo. And once you’ve racked up money in your fund, you can in turn donate the money to a cause on Pure . . .