The JESUS Haus

Years ago I made a huge JESUS sign to hang in front of our house during Christmas. I bought the wood, sketched the letters, cut them out with a jig saw, sanded it smooth, primed it, painted it Rudolph's-Nose-Red, and sprinkled it with about 6 gallons of red glitter.

People noticed. You can't really blame them though because it was 6 feet tall and 12 feet wide. Kinda big. The neighborhood kids started calling our house "The Jesus House"! Talk about a great name! We absolutely loved it.

Last year the JESUS sign finally bit the dust after being knocked down in a Santa Ana windstorm, and we went the rest of Christmastime without it blazing across the front of our house. Sad.

This year, Michael made a new one for me! OK, so I made him do it, and I bought the wood, and sketched the letters, but he cut it, sanded it, primed it, and painted it. He drew the line at glitter, and I really do understand. Strapping, manly men don't do glitter. I get it. (It does make me rethink the turquoise sequin iceskating bodysuit I got him for Christmas, though.)

So, here it is without further ado. I'm so happy to live in The JESUS House once again!



(If you squint, you can even see Evangeline & Ray Ray laughing at me standing out in the rain and wind just to take a really bad photo.)

OCEAN Christmas Gingerbread House Party Photos

What a fun night!

I must admit that there were more than a few cheaters (including me) this year... wildly abandoning all gingerbread house making rules and running amok with power tools and glue guns... all for a house that would stay standing! Very very naughty, but it worked!

Thanks, OCEAN families, for a blessed and wonderful evening together. We are so thankful for your friendship!

"Buddy the Elf. What's Your Favorite Color?"

Do you know what today is?

It's International Answer the Phone Like Buddy the Elf Day.

"Buddy the Elf. What's Your Favorite Color?"

Are you in? Come on, don't be an angry elf!

And, if you have to ask why? Just remember "I just like to smile! Smiling's my favorite!"

18!

And this is (still) what happens when we try to take a nice photo!

A Capella Brilliance

OK, since this video currently has well over 3 million hits, I'm sure you've all seen it, but just in case you haven't...

A fun side note: it has been nominated for a People's Choice Award! This is a crazy awesome tribute to John Williams... which we've already watched a dozen times. Ricker has it nearly memorized!

OCEAN Christmas Gingerbread House Party Reminder!

Orange County Ethiopian Adoption Network

If you haven't already RSVP'd for the
OCEAN Christmas Gingerbread House Party tomorrow...

GET YOUR JINGLE ON!

Saturday, December 13th 5:00
At the Hausams’ home

RSVP to this post, facebook, email, or phone.

Just don't be surprised if I answer,

"Buddy the Elf. What's your favorite color?"

As always, feel free to invite other Ethiopian adoptive families.

Here's a peek at last year:

Visiting The Big Kahuna at His Beach House

Well, after preparing Evangeline & Ray Ray with books, and photos, and songs for the last month for a visit to The Big Kahuna at his vacation home in Newport Beach, I thought we just might avoid the Santa Meltdown...

Not so much.

Both of the babies were wiggly-excited all the way up to the front door, ran straight for him with arms wide open, and then screamed their little baby heads off once they got within white glove range.

Oh well. I finally got them to agree to lower the screeching pitch a notch if the older kids held them for the photo. Evangeline said, "OK, yes, that's a much better idea, Mama. I love you, Santa, but no lap-sitting for me today, OK? Don't be sad! Except for right now, I've been SO GOOD!"

Shoot, my little liar is just so cute! I must add that Jackie was a mensch for agreeing to sit happily on Santa's lap, too.

There's always next year...

San Diego!

Last week we were in one of our favorite places -- San Diego! -- for a group field trip with friends to Sea World. What a fun day! Ricker's favorite was the Shamu show. Marg loved seeing the penguins' antics. Evangeline had a ball running around with the other kids and seeing the beluga whales. And, Ray Ray went crazy over her through-the-glass smooch with a polar bear! All four of them loved hanging out with a bunch of cool homeschool kids... 19 kids all together. Michael, of course, was happy as a clam being the only dad among the seven moms. And I enjoyed getting out with the girls and having a great time together. (Jackie was under the weather at Poppy & Nana's house. Phooey!)

Many thanks to Tracy Marcus for planning our outing!

The Twelve Days of Sickness

On the first day of sickness,
My true love sent to me
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the second day of sickness,
My true love sent to me
Two stuffy noses,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the third day of sickness,
My true love sent to me
Three coughing children,
Two stuffy noses,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fourth day of sickness,
My true love sent to me
Four ear infections,
Three coughing children,
Two stuffy noses,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fifth day of sickness,
My true love sent to me
Five sick babies,
Four ear infections,
Three coughing children,
Two stuffy noses,
And partridge in a pear tree.

On the sixth day of sickness,
My true love sent to me
Six different antibiotics,
Five sick babies,
Four ear infections,
Three coughing children,
Two stuffy noses,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the seventh day of sickness,
My true love sent to me
Seven people feeling icky,
Six antibiotics,
Five sick babies,
Four ear infections,
Three coughing children,
Two stuffy noses,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eighth day of sickness,
My true love sent to me
Eight cans of Lysol,
Seven people feeling icky,
Six antibiotics,
Five sick babies,
Four ear infections,
Three coughing children,
Two stuffy noses,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the ninth day of sickness,
My true love sent to me
Nine party invitations declined,
Eight cans of Lysol,
Seven people feeling icky,
Six antibiotics,
Five sick babies,
Four ear infections,
Three coughing children,
Two stuffy noses,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the tenth day of sickness,
My true love sent to me
Ten sleepless nights,
Nine party invitations declined,
Eight cans of Lysol,
Seven people feeling icky,
Six antibiotics,
Five sick babies,
Four ear infections,
Three coughing children,
Two stuffy noses,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eleventh day of sickness,
My true love sent to me
Eleven shopping days left,
Ten sleepless nights,
Nine party invitations declined,
Eight cans of Lysol,
Seven people feeling icky,
Six antibiotics,
Five sick babies
Four ear infections,
Three coughing children,
Two stuffy noses,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the twelfth day of sickness,
My true love sent to me
Multiple infections for Michael,
Eleven shopping days left,
Ten sleepless nights,
Nine party invitations declined,
Eight cans of Lysol,
Seven people feeling icky,
Six antibiotics,
Five sick babies,
Four ear infections,
Three coughing children,
Two stuffy noses,
And a partridge in a pear tree!

The Man Cold

Those of you who know my Michael know that he's a pretty fantastic guy. He's smart, funny, social, cute, witty, a great leader, above par on so many levels... And, I'm crazy about him. But, there is just one tiny, little thing that is challenging about my man. When he doesn't feel 100%, he's such a man.

You know what I mean. One tiny sniffle, and he stumbles into bed with a quilt and tissues, cough syrup, a thermometer, Tylenol, Chloraseptic spray, a humidifier, a cool cloth, and begs me for my homemade soup, or popovers, or other comfort foods. And, the whining! Holy Kleenex, Batman, the whining is just relentless! Could a woman, a mother, ever get away with this behavior???

Over the last few weeks everyone in the house has been sick. It's been like dominoes over here, one after another. Coughing, congestion, fevers, stomach flu, ear infections, sinus infections, etc. Michael, bless his heart, seriously did not even notice... until he sneezed and then *gasp* coughed. Then, the world as we knew it ceased to exist.

My girlfriend, Liz, sent me this appropriate video.



It only got worse from there. A tummy ache! A back ache! A fever! Chills! And WORSE!

When I told him, "Michael, I made reservations for our anniversary (next week)" he replied "(Moan, whimper, raspy cough) OK, I only hope I'm feeling better by then..."

At this little interaction, the very tragic thing is that my sense of humor, compassion, and sincere desire to serve my man was wearing a teensy weensy bit thin. So, I insisted that he go to the doctor...

where he was diagnosed with a nasty UTI that was progressing into a kidney infection, and an even worse bacterial infection elsewhere.

Oops.

My bad. My really, really bad!

Poor Haus! I guess all that whining was legit.

Moral of the story: When your man gets a Man Cold, be long-suffering. Don't give him a hard time about the whining.

He might actually, brace yourself now... He might actually be SICK!

I'm off to cook another batch of apologies -- I mean popovers!

Ray Ray the Jabberbox!

Loquacity. That is our vocabulary word for the day, class. It means talkative, garrulous, verbose, wordy. As in, "The Hausams lean heavily towards loquacity."

Princess Elianna Ray, at 22 months now, has hit the verbal explosion stage. She's a royal magpie! Every day she comes up with new and darling things to say and is having so much fun with her discovery of language. You should hear her and Evangeline ("Ya-yin") talk. It's pretty stinkin' darling.

Yackie hazza book to wead to Way Way. May I peez hava some wead to me, Yackie?
I'm aww done and I want down noooow.
Ya-yin need to shaaaare wif Way Way.
Did you hear that? Shhhh... Wisten!
Wetch (let's) go to Poppy and Nana's house today! OK? Wetch!
OK, evahbody, wisten to Way Way!
Oh, wook who wooks so bewwy pwetty! It's me!
Wook who has dwy panties! It's me!
Who wants a wead a book? It's me!
Did you know I want a pancake?
(One of my personal favorites:) Ummmm, that's OK with me.

Ray Ray's favorite songs are:
The alphabet song
The VeggieTales theme song
The Sesame Street theme song
Itsy bitsy spider
Wing awound the Wosie
Jesus loves Me (hand motions are a must)

Besides being very busy being absolutely adorable, Ray Ray also loves to talk on the phone, go to the park, jump on the trampoline, swing, climb onto everything, play in Sunday school (a big fave), dance, color, paint, help unload the dishwasher and clothes dryer, sneak into Mama's makeup and dig her naughty little fingers into lipstick... and empty out cabinets and drawers faster than you can say boo!

She is such a miracle! When we brought Elianna Ray home we expected a long road of developmental and physical therapy, but slowly but surely, though, she caught up. It blows my mind. Praise the Lord!

So, although she is a whirlwind of activity, chattering, and mess-making out the wazoo these days, Ray Ray is (and all the kids are) a completely miraculous delight. Um, that's OK with me!

A Very Jib Jab Christmas, part 2

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

A Very Jib Jab Christmas

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

For Julie

Her Purpleness will appreciate this interaction.

This morning.

Evangeline: ...and I like to go to the park and play, and swing, and slide, and run around, and go la-la-la-la. And I want to bring Sleepy Bear, and snuggie wif him, and have a tea party. And, did you know that I like to eat macaroni and cheese and watermelon? And cheescake? And vegetables? And lemonade? Did you know that? And, did you know that I know all of the colors in the whole, whole, whole world? Like redorangeyellowgreenbluepurple, and pink, and purple, and some more purple?

Michael: (laughing) Yowza! When she talks like that it reminds me of so-and-so.

Me: Because she's so verbal?

Evangeline: Yes, Mama, because I'm so PURPLE! I'm so very PURPLE!

OCEAN Gingerbread House Christmas Party!

Orange County Ethiopian Adoption Network

You are invited to

The OCEAN

Gingerbread House Christmas Party!

Saturday, December 13th 5:00
At the Hausams' home in Orange

Sign up to bring an appetizer, salad, side dish, drinks, or dessert.

(Chipping in cash for your gingerbread house and decorative candies is NOT required. So, please don't let that keep you from celebrating Christmas with us!)

Please RSVP ASAP
to this post, facebook, email, home phone, cell phone,
or Buddy the Elf singing Christmas gram!

Cool Christmas Gift + Benefit Ethiopia = Buy Tom's Shoes!

Thanks, Emily, for this great Christmas gift giving idea!

Let Them Know It's Christmastime

An oldie but goodie...