We have a surgery date!

We met with the top Pediatric Surgeon for digestive disorders at Children's National in DC last week.  I was really surprised we got in so quickly, but as the scheduler said, his diagnosis puts him higher on the list to be seen.  The Surgeon was very good and walked us, Karl, Anton and I, through the procedure, covering possible issues, hospital stay and recovery.  He showed Anton how big, about 4-5 mm cuts he has to make to do the procedure.  It will be a laparoscopy procedure, so his hospital stay will be between 1 - 3 days, with a minimum of 24 hours post surgery.

Anton is scheduled for January 24.  Please keep him and the surgeon, Dr. Timothy Kane, in your prayers and thoughts.  Anton is a little nervous, but also excited to have this taken care of in the near future.

Isabella's Birthday Cake

Isabella requested a chocolate cake with strawberry jam in the middle and she didn't care what icing.  So I made Seven Minute Icing, which is a cooked egg white mixture that is like marshmallow whip when warm but eventually stiffens to a crystallized sugar coating.

She loved it!  I think I should have made a dark chocolate one, but it was her choice. 

 I also ended up toasting a few sides to give it a deeper flavor with a cooking torch. 

Well, my confidence is getting better on my GF/DF baking.

Isabella and Molly getting ready for bed

Isabella received a matching set of PJs for her and her American Girl Doll from Karl's Mom. 

It came in handy as Isabella declared Molly had the flu while she had been given an antibiotic for possible strep with Bronchitis and ear infection.

Anton was the only one who was not taking an antibiotic for either strep, bronchitis, ears and sinus infections.  We took a few days to just sleep, watch movies and keep us all quarantined. 

 We are all better now though!

We've Got Eggs!

We are up to four a day! 

With six layers, we are looking at 30-42 eggs per week when we reach full production! 

Maybe we will be able to keep up with our kiddos egg consumption!

Highlights from Christmas Morning

We tried to keep things a little more low key, but with our dramatic crew, that is a little hard. 

The fact that three of us ended up on antibiotics, I think we look pretty festive.

Christmas Eve 2011

A quick picture before the festivities.

Then I got busy getting ready for the Children's Christmas Pageant. 

So unfortunately I missed the kiddos piano playing.

Boy Scout Christmas Party 2011

The Boys had a meeting first, then we had a buffet of various boy chosen foods like chicken nuggets and Oreos.  I brought Isabella some GF food and I ate before I came.

After eating, we had a white elephant gift exchange.  This is where you draw numbers and #2 can steal from #1 or pick a new gift.  Only those who brought a gift could participate.  Everyone seemed to have a good time, even with a warning from the Scout Master to not make a Cub Scout cry who was a little brother of one of the scouts and was guarding a Nerf gun he had chosen.

Anton ended up grabbing a different Nerf gun.  Boys and their Nerf guns and Lego's!

To show the Boys it is OK to stand up and do something you might not be very good at, the Scout Leaders singing Christmas Carols.  Everyone had a good time and lots of giggles.

Christmas Concert 2011

Well, this year, my voice rose to new heights. 

OK, they had a lot of people join the choir in the Alto section, so I moved over to the Sopranos.

Since I have been off gluten and dairy, I have been able to sing better, so holding my Soprano notes has been easier. 

Isabella and her children's choir also grew in participants! 

They were so cute and did very well. 

I am adjusting to the fact that our youngest is not in the little girl section anymore.