Update to Prayer Requests

I just thought I'd update and let you know Danny's Grandma had her PET scan and biopsy.  They'll get the results on Tuesday.

Also, it's been a hard few days for my mom, but they've started the difficult task of dividing things and preparing my Grandma's house to be listed.  Things have been civil which is really all I can ask for at this point.  My mom has stood up to her sisters and fought the battles that were important to her and let other things go.  I'm proud of her.  Please keep praying for my parents as there's more cleaning out to do next week.  My mom just wants to get these tasks behind her.  She needs to grieve in her own way without all of this to deal with.  On a bright note, I've planned mine and Jen's Serenity Spa day and my mom is coming with.  It's going to be fun!

Bushels of Smurf Berries - Learn a Lesson From Me

Last week was a pretty boring, normal week.  I sat down at the computer several times, but I couldn't think of a single thing to blog about...until I talked to my mother in law on the phone this morning.  I can't believe I didn't think to blog this story.

Well, so we have iphones with fun little apps that we let the kids play.  We never thought a thing about it because you need a password to purchase anything through itunes.  Since the kids don't know the password, we thought we were safe, until Smurfs entered our life that is.  I downloaded this harmless looking little app for the kids to play.  Their goal is to grow smurf berries in order to raise money to build a new smurf village.  Sounds fun and harmless, right???  At least, that's what I thought until Dan called me mid-last week to tell me one of our children had purchased 2 bushels and a wheelbarrow full of smurf berries.  You are probably thinking that a bushel of virtual smurf berries can't be that much.  I almost fell out of my chair when I learned there were charges totaling $136 on our credit card bill for the silly things.  Seriously, one hundred thirty six DOLLARS.  Itunes thankfully refunded our money and we have put further restrictions on our phones so that "in-app purchases" now require an additional password.  My friends have all thanked me for the little lesson and I'm thanking God and Itunes that we aren't out $136!

Prayer Requests

My parents went home today.  We had a great Thanksgiving visit.  I'm sad for the reason they came, but happy that they were able to come and breathe for a week or so before going home to deal with reality of settling my Grandma's estate with 2 of my aunts who, well, aren't very nice, to say the least.  Would you pray for God's grace and love to fill every aspect of that situation?

Also, Dan's Grandma is having a biopsy tomorrow to check a spot on her rib.  We need good news.

How to Put Up a Christmas Tree: Step by Step Instructions

Step 1 - Unroll it

Step 2 - Plug it in

Step 3 - Hold it up

Step 4 - Stand back and enjoy

Ta Da...a Christmas tree that is ready to go at a moments notice

 

And that folks, is how we do it!

Merry Christmas from us and Bob, our blow up tree!

PS  I'll be back after Christmas to show you how to take it down :p.

Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake

I get Kraft Foods Magazine and this cake was on the cover of the holiday issue.  I bought all the stuff to make it to take to Dan's Thanksgiving party and then went out of town.  I've been waiting for another occasion to make it and the girls' party was the perfect opportunity.  This cake was awesome.  I got many compliments.  My only word of caution is that it takes a long time to make: an hour and a half to bake, another hour to cool before chilling it in the fridge for two more hours.  It was worth it though!

What You Need

1/2 cup chocolate syrup
1 pkg. (2-layer size) chocolate cake mix
1 cup water
1/3 cup oil
7 eggs, divided
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
4 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted
1 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

HEAT oven to 375ºF.

1.  SPRAY 12-cup fluted tube pan with cooking spray; pour in chocolate syrup.

2.  BEAT cake mix, water, oil and 3 eggs with mixer 2 min. or until well blended; blend in sour cream. Pour over syrup in pan.

3.  BEAT cream cheese and sugar with mixer until well blended. Add remaining eggs; mix well. Blend in evaporated milk and melted chocolate; gently spoon over cake batter in pan. Cover with foil sprayed with cooking spray, sprayed-side down.

4.  PLACE tube pan in shallow pan. Add enough water to larger pan to come at least 2 inches up side of tube pan. Bake 1 hour 30 min. or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Refrigerate 2 hours. Invert cake onto plate; remove pan. Serve cake topped with COOL WHIP.

*Tips:  Size-Wise Since this layered chocolate cake makes 24 servings, it's the perfect dessert to serve at your next party.

*The cream cheese mixture sinks to the bottom of the cake batter in pan as the cake bakes, forming the mousse layer at the top of the unmolded cake. To unmold cooled cake, use long thin spatula to loosen cake from side of pan. Place plate over cake pan; invert cake onto plate. Gently remove pan. Spoon any chocolate syrup remaining in pan over cake.

*To prevent overflow, check cake pan to confirm it is the required 12-cup size. Just measure 3 qt. (12 cups) water and pour into empty pan to verify the volume before using as directed. If you only have a 10-cup fluted tube pan, reserve 2 cups cake batter before pouring remaining batter into prepared tube pan. Continue as directed. Reserved cake batter will make 9 cupcakes. Bake as directed on cake mix package

Let's Party

The girls' Brownie Troop had their Christmas party last night.  It was a whole lot of craziness in a little bitty room.  Between all the girls, their kindergarten brothers (there are 5 of them) and their parents it was packed.  Miss Deb gave the girls their patches and try-its they've earned so far this year while everyone was still focused and paying attention.

We had a ton of food for dinner.  I made barbeque meatballs and a chocolate mousse cake (recipe coming soon!).  After dinner, the girls ripped through their present exchange.  Allie got fingernail polish from a friend and a little caboodle box from Miss Deb.  She was squealing in delight over her girlie presents.  Jaelyn got a new Zhu Zhu pet and the caboodle.  It was perfect for her.

I thought this picture was perfect...it's what is left behind after 13 girls open 2 presents each!

Our Gotcha Day Tradition

Seven years ago tonight, Dan and I were standing in an orphanage in Samara, Russia waiting to pick up our baby girls.  We had no idea of the adventures and changes our lives were going to go through at the time, but wow, what a ride it has been.  It hasn't always been easy.  As a matter of fact, a lot of it has been down right hard, but God has orchestrated every minute of it.  I am forever thankful that He gave us our girls (and our little man).  The Marriott in Moscow was decorated with beautiful gingerbread houses so every year on Gotcha Day, the kids and I decorate houses.  Dan and my mom joined in tonight and apparently, this is the first Gotcha Day Dan has been home for because he says he's never helped decorate them.  And trust me, I would have enlisted his help if he'd been here.  It's like our wedding anniversary...as long as he was at the main event, the rest is just a bonus (right?).  The kids look forward to this activity every year and this year was no exception.  We had a wonderful time and my Dad was kind enough to play photographer for us.

I dug into my adoption box for the first time and pulled out Russian coloring books and paper dolls to give the kids.  I've been waiting for them to be old enough, but not be too old, to appreciate and enjoy them. 

Decorations...Coming Soon

It's that time again...Gotcha Day - the day we "got" Jaelyn and Allie forever!

Shopping, Movies and Such

This has been a great week.  We've done what we normally do when Grandpa and Baba come to town; we've played and had a ball.  Mom has needed to be distracted, and I can't think of a better way to distract her than to take her shopping.  I've finished shopping for just about everyone on my shopping list and I helped my parents find something for the kids. 

We took the kids to see Tangled on Sunday and it got 14 thumbs up!  The girls loved the whole princess thing and Caden loved the fighting and chase scenes.  It was a great story without all the rude humor and bad language that are so prevelant in kids' movies these days.  It'll be one I buy to keep.

Dan and I have also managed a date night.  Those are few and far between for us so it was a real treat.  We had dinner at PF Changs before heading to see the new Harry Potter movie.  I'm not sure Dan appreciated me squeezing his hand, but I appreciated him not snatching it away.  There were some tense moments.

Anywho, we've taught Baba and Grandpa how to play Mancala and had an Uno tournament last night.  The next few days will be filled with lounging with library books and the nights will be filled with kids' activities.  We are thinking of visiting Port Discovery on Saturday and then Baba and Grandpa are heading home on Sunday.  They'll have a few weeks to get their house straightened out before we head that way for Christmas.  Then they've bought tickets to come help when Allie has her surgery mid-January.  After that, we'll be heading back to Pensacola in February for a quick weekend to celebrate my Grandpa's 90th birthday.  I think I'm blocking out March as a month to sit at home and do nothing :).

Cheer with me, "Red and Yellow, Red and Yellow"

Last year, as we drove to Medieval Times on Thanksgiving Day, Caden called Baba and asked her if she would go with us.  Since they were 1000 miles away, it didn't work out, but she promised she'd try to come this year.  In the fall, they made the decision to stay home to help my Grandma.  After she passed away unexpectedly, my parents decided they needed to get out of town for a few days.  They hopped on a plane and flew here on Thanksgiving Day.  We went to Medieval Times tonight.  It was amazing.  My parents got a kick out of seeing the excitement in the kids.  They yelled right along with us; although, admittedly not nearly as loud.  I think I annoyed my dad a tad :p.  We drank soup out of bowls and ate with our hands, all the while cheering for the Red and Yellow Knight and booing the Green Knight.

Sadly, our Knight died before the end of the show, but our most hated enemy, the Green Knight, was defeated by the champion, the Black and White Knight (who has a special spot in my heart as he was my knight on my very first trip to Medieval Times).  Jaelyn and Caden watched and cheered, but they didn't enjoy the experience any where near as much as Allie did.  It's one of those things I knew I couldn't explain so I recorded her.  Take a peak...

So, anyone want to visit us next year to take part in our Thanksgiving Tradition?  It's lots of fun!!!

Thanksgiving

We are so thankful to have my parents here with us right now.  Yesterday was all about family, food and fun!  Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, but it's been lacking since we've lived in Maryland.  The first year we were here, my parents had to cancel their trip here.  I was sad and didn't want to cook for just us so I made reservations at Medieval Times.  We had so much fun that we decided to make it a new tradition.  Even though it's been fun and different, I've still missed all the cooking and having family here.  But not yesterday.  We had Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings.  We had turkey, my Grandma's cornbread dressing, sweet potato casserole (with half crunchy pecan and half  ooey-gooey melted marshmallows), candied carrots, green beans and rolls.

While I was cooking, there were games of boggle and games on the Wii going.

We ate about two o'clock and were so stuffed.  Caden and Jaelyn both ate the turkey.  AND when Caden tried a bite of dressing he said "Yum, that's good."  I almost fell off my seat.  Caden doesn't like anything new and he liked the dressing.  He like it so well, that he took a second and a third bite.  Jaelyn liked the sweet potato casserole and Allie, well, Allie was Allie and she liked everything.

We never got around to pie in the afternoon so about 5:30 when everyone should have been screaming to eat dinner, I pulled out the apple and pumpkin pie.  Everyone had a piece of each plus a dollup of cool whip.  Jaelyn complain that pie didn't make a good dinner.  Where did that come from?  I'm always telling her everything in moderation.  I think pie was a great idea once a year.  Technically, we had veggies and fruit for dinner!  It might just be a new Thanksgiving day tradition.

Happy Kids

'nuff said!

Let the Thanksgiving celebrations begin!

Allie's Surgery

I talked to the scheduling nurse yesterday and Allie's surgery is going to be Tuesday, January 11th.  She's out of school 3 days the following week so she won't have to miss quite as much school.  The biggest complication for this surgery is bleeding so if you could start praying about that now.  Thanks and I'll update more as we go.

Zoe

I don't really want to write this post, but I write about everything else so I guess I should.  I know I wrote about the problems we've been having with Zoe.  In the last month, as long as she's been in our spare bedroom, she has used the kitty litter pan without problem, but as soon as we let her out, she pees and poops in the floor.  As much as I love her, we've made the decision we can't continue.  She's only 4.  That's a lot of years to clean up after her.  There's something in our house (kids or Zac) that stresses her.  We relinquished her to the animal shelter yesterday to find her an adult, single pet home.  They said declawed cats are in high demand so they should be able to find her a new home quickly.  I layed in bed last night worrying about her and feeling guilty about our decision. 

November has just been a horrible month.  I want it to end quickly!

She Graduated

Jaelyn only has to wear her retainer at home from now on.  Have you ever seen a prettier smile on an eight year old?

My Turn to Pull

Dan has pulled out many a tooth, but no one has let me pull one out.  I was started to feel unloved.  Well, Allie's been watching out for me and has been letting me pull on one of her teeth for days.  Her central had dropped down and it was hanging crooked in the center of her mouth.  I couldn't wait to get the snaggletooth out.  Allie let me yank on it Monday night and out it came.  There was a little bleeding and some drama about pain, but it ended quickly.



Allie wanted to take her tooth and tooth fairy money to school to share so she left the tooth fairy this  note.

The tooth fairy left her money (a dollar for the tooth and a quarter bonus for letting someone pull it out) and her tooth.

She was thrilled to get to take it to school to share!

It's a Go!

I took Allie to see the pediatric ENT today.  Here's what she got from the sleep study.  Allie has mild sleep apnea.  It's so mild, that it didn't concern the doctor.  What did concern her was Allie's carbon dioxide level.  She said normal is around 10.  Allie's was 40.  That's not good.  She said to add that with Allie's large tonsils and she would recommend getting them out.  We went over the surgery, but I made it to the scheduling secretary's desk at 4:03.  She gets off work at 4:00.  I'll have to wait until tomorrow to schedule anything.  Allie's excited about "getting to eat ice cream" for two weeks, but I think that'll be short lived.  I've been told it can be a painful recovery.  She'll have to miss two weeks of school.  Start praying, please.

Nasty Nasty Stomach Virus

Caden was sick all day Thursday.  He woke up with a stomach ache on Friday and by Saturday, we thought he was all well.  We had lunch with friends at Chick-fil-a and then he had left over pizza for dinner.  See where I'm going here???  Caden woke us up in the middle of the night with diarrhea and vomiting (yes, at the exact same time).  Ughhh.  Nasty, nasty, nasty stomach virus.  Sunday, he was sick a little in the morning and then again this morning.  I took him to the doctor today.  We looked so sad walking in with our trash can, but I wanted to be prepared.  It was a good decision, because on the way out, I didn't have to tell anyone that Caden had thrown up in their carpet...we used our handy dandy bucket.  Anyway, Dr. K said it's just a stomach virus that is going around and the pattern has been virus for a day or so, a few days of feeling better, and then wham, a few more days of the virus.  I'm  keeping him home tomorrow, but I really want him to be able to go to school on Wednesday for his Thanksgiving Day party.

Letters to Santa

Now that the kids have talked to Santa, they decided they needed to get their Santa letters written.

Caden did a great job.  His writing has improved so much since September.

Allie got very into this project.  Jaelyn, not so much.

We put the letters in an envelop addressed to Santa Claus, The North Pole. Think it needs extra postage?

I Saw Santa

A Santa was at the church bazaar that the girls had a Girls Scout Cookie sale at today. They all asked me if he was the "real" Santa. So they know that all the santas they see are not the genuine article. None the less they told the imposter what they wanted for Christmas just in case he was an authorized agent working for Mr. Clause. Dan again.