Christmas Fun and Make Ahead Breakfast Dishes

We've been up to our ears in Christmas fun these past few days.
We had a family photo session and actually have a family photo with everyone in it for Christmas this year! 

 (This one's for you Becky...although you'll get one in the mail soon!)
We hosted a grown-ups only Christmas party on Friday night, which was a blast. Clearly we all don't get out too much because the overwhelming response was, "We shouldn't wait until Christmas to do this again!" Maybe over the summer?
We also hosted a Christmas Tea Party for Beulah and Hannah's friends this afternoon. Such fun. We played the Left-Right Christmas Nativity Story Game and Christmas Carol charades. We also found some great games here--although we only used the Candy Cane Pass. Then, while we listened to the Nativity soundtrack, each girl recounted her favorite Christmas memory. What a joy it was to hear all of their special remembrances! I even shared a favorite Christmas memory from when I was their age. After each person shared their memory, they lit a little tea light, which they then took home with them to remember this Christmas memory.
Tomorrow morning, we are gathering with several other families for the culmination of a special sort of "secret Santa".  Throughout the Advent season, families were given the name of another participating family to pray for and tomorrow we are all meeting for a potluck-style brunch and the big "reveal" to meet our secret "Advent Family".  Each family will present the family they prayed for with an ornament.  We can't wait--although I was just informed that The Boy has wrestling practice smack dab through the whole thing.  Sigh.
We're also preparing our menus for Christmas.  We traditionally don't cook on Christmas Eve, but eat only an assortment of appetizers and other fun finger foods.  Christmas morning we always do a brunch after presents are opened and I like the ease of make ahead breakfast dishes.  Our two favorites are Paula Deen's Baked French Toast (although we omit the nuts in the topping) and my mother-in-law's Cheese and Egg Bake (commonly referred to as 'the egg dish').
Paula Deen's recipe (and all its sinful, rich, fattening goodness) can be found here and the egg dish recipe follows:
Cheese and Egg Bake
1 1/2 lbs sausage (either links or ground--but you'll have to brown the ground kind ahead of time)
9 eggs
3 c. milk
1 t. salt
6 slices bread, cubed
1 1/2 t. dry mustard
1 1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese
Mix egg, milk, mustard and salt in a large bowl.  Stir in bread cubes, cheese and sausage.  Pour into a sprayed 13 x 9 inch pan.  Cover.  Refrigerate overnight.
On Christmas morning, uncover and bake for 1 hour at 350F. 

Hope you are all enjoying these last few days of Advent!

Clear The Roads

And make sure your insurance is up to date. I've just signed The Boy--who I was quite sure was just in Kindergarten!--up for this.

What a Week!

Please keep our family in your prayers. Our oldest, The Boy is having sinus/adenoid surgery tomorrow morning and we have had a nasty virus run through our house the past few days.

Specifically, pray for safe, uncomplicated surgery for The Boy and for God's wisdom and guidance for his doctor and the team who will care for him during the surgery and for a return to good health for the rest of our household.

Finally, I couldn't not let you all know of the wonderful addition to our extended family this week--my brother and his wife welcomed home their second daughter! We are so thrilled and just praise God for this blessing on our family.

Willy Wonka JR. Wrap-Up

Beulah did a wonderful job in her oompa loompa role! We are so proud of her. So much so that I may actually break down and post a picture of her here...we'll see. This week is her class showcase and then we have Thanksgiving week off--only to start up again the following week. This time we're off to see the Wizard! The Boy has surgery this Friday, please keep him (and us) in your prayers. Until then, here's a clever quote to close out this weekend's show:

"A little nonsense now and then, is relished by the wisest men."
— Willy Wonka

Oompa Loompa Song

Oompa Loompa Doompa Dee Do
I've got another puzzle for you...
Oompa Loompa Doompa Dee Dee
If you are wise you'll guess where I'll be...

This weekend.

For several shows.

With many small children.

By the Charlie actually owns the chocolate factory, I may fall into the 'bad egg' category.

Or be pushed---by Beulah---if I don't stop reciting lines, singing songs and rehearsing choreography from the show.

And here's the tune to the song (as if you didn't already know it) It wouldn't be right to let you out of here with out leaving this song to play over and over and over again in your brain.

Football Update

If I weren't already a proud football mom, this win over our cross-town rivals (and other school we looked at for The Boy) sealed the deal!

Lost and Found

Lost:

One small, speckled bullfrog froglet. (Yes, one of these bullfrogs.)

Found?

One very unhappy Captain.

Homecoming

It's homecoming weekend around here.

As if I were old enough to have a child old enough to be going to homecoming.

But apparently I am...because I do.

So, I've been spending this week trying not to have acid-flash-backs of my own high school homecomings tying up the loose ends of a teenage boy preparing for his first semi-formal dance. You know little things--like making sure he has pants for the occasion--which he does. Now.

Then there was the little matter of the purchasing of dance tickets, the reservations for dinner and not-to-be-forgotten wristlet corsage to be tracked down to match a dress that required top secret clearance to find out its color.

Check. Check. Check.

If you're in the area and you're planning to attend the game, be sure to come dressed in blue. There is a "blue out" planned to clash with the visiting "green wave".

Unfortunately, Beulah will miss the festivities, as she has her first rehearsal. But fortunately for the Boy, we'll all be around on Saturday before the dance. ;-)

Stay tuned for more homecoming news later this weekend.

Cast List

After sitting on pins and needles the better part of Saturday, late last night the cast list was posted! We are simply thrilled to announce that Beulah will be (much to the delight of The Boy) one of the Oompah-loompahs! in the fall CYT production of Willy Wonka Jr!

Let us know if you want tickets. I'm quite certain part of the glory of the stage involves hawking show tickets to friends and family. ;-)

Callbacks!

I guess Beulah's tryouts went well. She got called back! Parts should be listed by tomorrow morning. Not too shabby for a first-time audition.

I'll have to think back to my days as one of the postulants (or was I a novice?) in my high school production of the Sound of Music.

Maybe I can offer her some pointers? Then again, maybe not.

Tryouts

Beulah's Beginning Musical Theater class with CYT started with a bang! She has decided (at the 11th hour, mind you) that she wants to audition for the show the group is performing this Fall. Tryouts are Friday night! Wish her (and her nail-biting stage mom) good luck! Now I'm off to buy the karaoke (no vocals) version of this song.

Full Fall

There's a full range of activity going on here on the ark this fall.

From our busy Friday nights to our school days--deliciously full of faith, learning and fun. It seems the ark has got its groove back.

As a part of our homeschool curriculum, we have several children active in the performing art. Some take piano, while others belong to a choir and still another is beginning with the Christian Youth Theater (CYT).

We also want to develop healthy, strong physical bodies as well. So, there are gymnastics and soccer lessons (which yours truly is helping to coach--but that is post for another day!)

Spiritually, we've selected a few targeted activities which will be aimed at specific children. Naomi and Candace will be part of a budding Little Flowers group and Beulah and Hannah will be part of a brand-new mother-daughter bible study group created around the delightful All Things Girl study series. Both of these will be hosted here on the ark, so we also have a tremendous opportunity to practice hospitality. We've also arranged to join another homeschool family for some monthly volunteer work at the local nursing home.

All in all, a season full of excitement and challenge for all of us!

Not to mention, our school plans--which have involved the addition of two amphibious creatures to our classroom. If you know me as a teacher--you know that I'm obsessed with partial to creating thematic lesson plans. Homeschooling has only fueled that fire. With something akin to gasoline, as I have free rein to design curriculum totally around my themes. But as you might imagine, when you fuel that type of fire, it can burn out of control. And so today, I am heading out to the bait shop to purchase some feeder fish. Despite my lesson planning moxie, I can't quite yet bring myself to walk into a store (even a bait shop) and request "pinhead crickets".

Oh, and I can't let pass by an opportunity to share two wonderful resources that the Captain and I are using for our own faith journeys. Once a month, I enjoy the company of a lovely group of ladies at my home for "Mother's Circle". The circle represents our friendship as well as the prayer circle we support one another with. The devotional book we are using is called All Earth Is Crammed with Heaven by Mary van Balen Holt and is a perfect length--ie-brief!--for a group of mothers meeting while children play at their feet. Finally, the Captain has spent nearly the last six months waking before dawn to attend planning sessions for a new men's prayer group that our parish has started. If you've never heard of the That Man is You! (TMIY) program, it is worth a look--especially to share with the men in your life!

And now, Saturday begins. See you next week!

Pleasing the Godmother

There is no previous post which specifically describes The Boy's aversion to the camera. Or at least to pictures on the camera that wind up on mom's blog.

But because it's for his sweet godmother, I absolutely must break with the moratorium on Boy pictures on the blog to share at least a couple of graduation night ones...which reminds my lame blogging self--I still have Easter pictures to share!

Is it The Boy? No, it's Beulah, practicing her graduation pose. You never can be too prepared.

Here comes Naomi getting into the act. You would never have known that the mortarboard in question was soaking wet from the deluge that hit as we exited the church. (You would, however, have known if you had gotten a look at the drowned rat who masqueraded as photographer.)

Get a load of Candace's hair. Picture the pouring rain...seriously, picture it. But look at the grin on that face. Not even a little monsoon could bring the arklings down!

Ummm...yeah.
(Can you see the slice of pizza on the counter? That would be The Boy's after dinner-dinner. Why did no one tell me that my once 8 pound baby Boy would eat his weight in pizza as a teenager?)

He even tied his own tie. We're just so proud!

Fiaklnllay I Caa;kmn wrrRitae

Sorry about that title. I type much better with my mittens off!

Yes--mittens--the A/C is (knock on wood) fixed and it is finally below 80 degrees on the Ark for the first time in 6 days!

Now, I believe I promised you a story...

Way back in the Winter, we were struggling with a high school decision for The Boy. We had hemmed and hawed about every piece of minutiae that was available. But when we finally came to a decision, we suddenly had peace about it. We knew that it was the right decision for us.

Actually, let me take you back even further. Over a year ago, we were discerning whether or not we would begin homeschooling. It became clear to us that homeschool was an appropriate choice for our family, but that it would not include The Boy, who only had one year of school left before beginning high school. The decision was made to allow him to finish 8th grade at the parish school where he was doing very well and had formed many good, solid friendships.

Back to earlier this year.

We had made our high school decision and now registration paperwork to rival an adoption dossier began pouring in to the Ark. We sorted through the papers. We circular-filed the unnecessary ones and began putting pen to paper on the others.

As spring approached, there was one last paper to complete. The deadline for the form was May 1st. After more hemming and hawing, a call down to "the principal's office" to discuss said form prompted us to go ahead and complete it. So, complete it we did.

Fast forward to the end of May. Graduation week. The Captain and I (thanks to the kindness of my neighbor who came to stay with the rest of the arklings) accompanied The Boy to the 8th grade awards dinner. Sitting front and center, we were so proud of him as he accepted award after award for his academic achievements, his character and his accomplishments on the sports field.

But none of those awards could have prepared me for what was about to happen. As we sat, directly in front of the stage (yes, the stage was in the gym where the dinner was held---isn't the cafetorium standard Catholic school fare?), we listened as the principal introduced a woman who was there to present one, last special award.

It seems that her father, who has since passed on, was a physician in our area who had done very well for himself. In addition to raising 5 children (who from her description had also gone on to do great things), he was a successful surgeon and a strong supporter of the community and parish at large. She wound her way around his life's story and shared the sacrifice---because "every parent sacrifices in some way to give his or her children a Catholic education" she said---their family had made to send all 5 children through the parish school and then on to the diocesan Catholic high school.

Because her father knew how important this was to him and he knew the sacrifices involved, he wanted to pay his success forward in the hopes that it would help someone else.

Someone who had worked hard and academically achieved in grade school.

Someone whose character was one that looked outside him or herself to help others.

Someone who had a love for Science and excelled in that area.

Someone who had attended the same exact parish grade school his children had attended.

And someone who would be a Freshman next year at the same diocesan high school he sent his children to many years ago.

That someone, his daughter announced, would be honored with a full, four-year high school scholarship.

And that someone was The Boy.

After all that hemming and hawing about grade school decision and high school plans, in one evening we received an unbelievable affirmation about our choices. The scholarship could only be given to a student who had attended that specific parish grade school and who would attend that specific diocesan high school. And, of course, it could only be given if you completed the application form.

I can almost see God winking at us now.

This is What I Get for Attempted Bragging

So, I wanted to finish my little cliffhanger this weekend, but Friday the A/C quit working on the Ark. Friday afternoon, the repairman nearly cut his hand off trying to remove the fan blade which had corroded to the unit. (I warned him to turn it off first.) Needless to say, he was forced to cut the blade off to reach the defective motor beneath...but not until Saturday morning as he didn't have the necessary replacement blade for the cut one.

I was content (read: deliciously cool and refreshed---something akin to a perfect, icy mason jar of sweet tea) for about 30 minutes on Saturday morning, when the repair man checked "job complete" on a crinkly, yellow invoice.

At the 31 minute mark, I knew something had gone terribly wrong.

The vent by which I rank how well the air conditioning is working, seemed to me a little lukewarm and was blowing with all the intensity of Senator Boxer. Yes, Ma'am, it was. (Actually, it wasn't even close to blowing that hard, but I couldn't let that one pass.)

It is now almost 24 hours after I started typing this. I wanted to finish last night, but the keyboard was starting to melt and I couldn't keep my fingers from sliding off the keys. Lucky for you, however, it is now a brisk 82 degrees here on the Ark at 6:30 AM and I managed to not lose my total body weight in sweat last night; thus being up and at'em to finish typing this morning.

Fortunately, yesterday was not as hot as it could have been.

Unfortunately, it's going to be that hot today.

I made the comment to Hannah, who one would never guess grew up on the Horn of Africa, that it was "Africa hot" yesterday.

Using all her strength to lift her wilting body off the fold-out couch in the basement where we all (yes, all) bunked last night, she scowled back at me, "Africa is not this hot." And then with a dramatic sigh collapsed on to her makeshift bed.

So, now the A/C guy is supposed to be coming today to fix whatever it is that is not working.

I will be back with updates (and to finish my story) once I have the A/C set to snow.

Braggin'

It seems I still have pictures and stories from around Easter to put up here on this blog. Somehow the last few months seem to have gotten away from me. This summer is providing me with a slower pace and different times of the day to myself. It's just taking me a while to adjust to the change in schedule. Nonetheless, I thought I'd at least start sharing some of the pictures and stories as time permits.

This first story is one that I was reminded of last night while chatting for a good, long while with a dear old friend. I hadn't talked to her for a while, so our joyful story was news to her. Afterwards, I shared with her that I hadn't blogged this story yet, because it seemed to me a bit boastful. But I slept on it last night and decided two things:

A) If I am trying to chronicle our family's story here, this is one I don't want to leave out.
B) This story actually pertains to another big decision that I've discussed here previously.

And now, I've run out of time.

(Is it possible to write a whole other story before actually getting to the story you intended? Apparently the answer is yes.)

The story (and more) coming soon.

The Dependable Blogger

At first glance, that title seems quite misplaced around this neglected part of the blogosphere. But bear with me a little longer and you'll see just how it fits.

When I first started this blog, it was out of sheer convenience for keeping a multitude of friends and family informed as we navigated the adoption process for the first time. A second short while later, we were adopting again and so the purpose of this blog was once again streamlining communications regarding our adoption.

But if you've been reading here for a while, our most recent adoption has been fraught with ups and downs: We've become first-name-only customers at our local pharmacy. I have the Pediatric Sub specialty Hospital on speed dial...in my cell phone. It has taken every ounce of energy of every person on board the ark to get through the longest days and weeks we've faced over the past eight months.

And it's left me with much to think about.

Little things like: Will my laundry room ever be clean again? (answer: probably not)

And big things like: What things can be scaled back (I mean waaaayyyy back)? What things are really important?

Given the squeaky-wheel-nature of a family of seven grade-school and younger children and a frequent-flier husband, I didn't need to wait long for an answer. Hence, the lack of blogging happening around here in this season on the Ark. It was quite clear to me that as soon as my children and family were competing with blogging, it was time for a re-organization of priorities.

The summer will be different, I think. Lazier days and fewer obligations will allow for more time to upload photos and write out thoughts---but maybe not.

I know that breaks every law in the blogging universe. If I want a high-traffic site, I have to maintain it more than once a month. A good blogger is dependable. Reliable. Someone you can count on.

There's truth to that logic, but it stretches far beyond blogging. If I can't be dependable, reliable and someone to count on first and foremost in my home than I was never a very good blogger after all.

What God Will Ask (Blog Version)
by yours truly(with apologies to the original author)

God will not ask you what your Google page rank is, but He will ask where He ranked in your daily life.

God will not ask you if you're powered by Typepad, Wordpress or Blogger, but He will ask if your work was powered by His love for you and for others.

God will not ask you how many followers you had, but He will ask if you followed Him when it mattered most.

God will not ask the size of your Technorati score is, but He will ask the size of your heart for others--especially those whom He has entrusted to you.

God will not ask what the traffic visiting your blog looked like, but He will ask if you took the time to welcome the people who visited your home.

God will not ask if your template was original and creative, but He will ask if you marveled at His perfect, original creation when you looked in the eyes of your child.

God will not ask about the number of blogs you read, but He will ask how much time you spent reading His word.

God will not ask about the number of comments each post received, but He will ask if you made time for conversation when your child or spouse called your name.

God will not ask how important your blog was, but He will ask if through it you just might have found what was truly important.

Hi Everyone!

It's me, Baby Girl.

My mom is too busy tonight watching American Idol folding laundry, grading papers and other noble causes to blog, but I had some free time and I thought she'd want you all to know that tomorrow is a big day on the Ark.

It's my re-adoption hearing. That means tomorrow mom will dress me up in something really scratchy, put shiny shoes on my feet and attempt to coerce my hair into some form of hair "pretty" so that people don't think I'm a boy.

As if all the pink she puts me in doesn't do it.

So, I'm off to bed now to prepare for a busy day tomorrow. I'll try to remind mom to snap a picture or two...and if she doesn't get around to uploading all the pictures on her camera sometime soon, I just may take matters into my own hands. ;-)

Home For Now

Well, we (Baby Girl and I...okay, mostly I) made it through the MRI.

Now we're just waiting for results. Hopefully soon.

The staff was wonderful---even though it took the pediatric anesthesiologist three tries before his nurse got the IV started on the fourth try. Thank goodness for nurses!

Naomi and Candace were so happy to see her when we got home that before I knew what was happening they were all sharing a celebratory bag of Cheetos!

Thanks for your prayers. We'll continue to need them as the rest of the week unfolds.

Scheduling Surgery

I hope everyone had a very blessed, joyous Easter. I have many pictures from our Triduum and Easter celebration, but I have yet to transfer them from my camera to the computer. Eventually, I'll get them up here.

We had a lovely Easter. The weather was perfect and we enjoyed a cozy little brunch for about 30! We also had our annual Easter egg hunt. This is the 5th year we've hosted Easter and it is amazing how many new faces have joined our family since we first began!

My third quarter grade reports are due to Kolbe and the entire house is on Spring Break this week so we're trying to plan some fun activities. Soccer (for the big girls) and track (for The Boy) started last week and we have games/meets this weekend. Besides all of the excitement, we've been back and forth for a few doctor appointments for Baby Girl.

She'll be having surgery next Thursday (keep her--and all of us in your prayers please!) to remove her adenoids, scope her throat and re-check the tube placement in her ears. She'll also be undergoing an MRI of her head as at her 18 month appointment it was noted that her soft spot (the one on top) wasn't yet closed. Apparently, this is not completely uncommon. Other people have shared stories with me that their children (some even older than 18 months) have soft spots that hadn't closed yet either. The only difference being in their situations, they could tell how the pregnancy progressed or whether the labor and delivery was complicated or not. Unfortunately, we don't know any of those details, leaving us with the MRI as our only "good option". The good news is we'll find out if there is any cause for the soft spot being open or if, perhaps, there is nothing wrong and we possibly had been given poor birthdate information. Needless to say, she must be sedated for the test, which is next Tuesday.

The good news in all of this is that my mom is coming to spend the week with us! Yeah, mom! (Remember Renee's mom post?!? So true!)

Hopefully, I'll be back soon to post those pictures!