Table for Eight

Part human, right? We heart Maggie-the-Dog!

After Lu's choir performance. Last week Lu had her first choir concert performance at school. Yayhoo! It was really fun to be there and see her sing--especially because she was a kiddo who NEVER liked to sing in public (until this year). The whole Meehan gang came out to support her and it was a great night. Next on our list: 7th grade Family History Oral Presentations. I have to say, it kinda cracks me up to see just how many middle school homework lessons cover biology vs. environment topics.  I guess I'm just more aware of it because our family came together via adoption, but it's cracks me up when the girls bring home science handouts that ask them to see "how many physical traits they share with their family members" . . .  uh, that would be VERY FEW. VERY. FEW. Ha! Oh well.  It's still fun to see how bonded our family can be in spite of our distinct/unique physical traits.  Kinda gives me the reminder that the ...

I have to be honest, 2016 began with about as much stress as 2015 ended. So much for New Beginnings! But all is well and we are learning how to move forward in the middle of hard things. (And these are hard things relative to other hard things. I'm sure we will look back and say "that wasn't so bad."). So March is a great month because it is filled with sunshine and rain. We're slowly edging into warmer weather and we are WAY excited about that. And now, for some pics. Papaya's birthday. Papaya's new kitty: Phoebe. Bam's new hairdo. Harriet--pre-Spring haircut. Papaya's BFF, T-Girl, with Phoebe. Zu and Lu's Spring obsession: volleyball. Papaya, Jr., Bam, and Zu all painted their rooms in March. Woo!

Jay and Lauryn in a snow cave in Provo Canyon. I've mentioned this before, but 2015 was such a long year for us that I've been really searching and listening for ways to SLOW DOWN. At first what I thought I really needed was to SIMPLIFY my life ( or take up drinking--LOL ), but for some reason the idea of SLOWING DOWN is really what is striking a chord with me. And so as Janae would say, "My Great Brain Project" this year is to learn everything I can about how to slow down. (Psst: For those of you who haven't heard about the Great Brain Project: Janae's kids have an annual project at their elementary school where they pick a topic--any topic--and learn all they can about it. It may be a favorite insect, a country, a profession . . . ANYTHING! It's really cool. So cool, that Janae started doing them herself. My favorite Janae Great Brain Project was a quest to learn about gelato--and then find "the best one" in town. Co...

This year Dave found the "Baby Jesus" in our King's Cake. Every year, around Mardi Gras, we buy a King's Cake from our local grocery store. We don't understand much of the history behind it, but we know it has something to do with lent and Mardi Gras, and the Three Kings, and Jesus' birth. Legend has it that you hid the baby Jesus in the sweet roll cake and whoever finds it in their piece has good luck . . . and buys next year's cake! This year Dave found our Baby Jesus. It was pretty hilarious. A pic of the whole King's cake. And now, for some of the other things that crack me up this week: Jr. has been saving a lot of his pizza-making money. This was one of his first big purchases: a console that fits on his phone so he can play games using the console. Teenager-move, right? (Don't worry, he has a long term savings that he isn't allowed to touch, so these purchases are in the "okay" area for him.) ...

This month's calendar (made by Dave). January really did feel like a long month, so we were SO happy to have the month of February up on the chalkboard! I especially like it because Dave is the one that chalked the board this month It makes me smile every time I see it. In other news . . . Zu and Lu continue to make life fun(ny). Zu and Lu out for ice cream after visiting the Provo City Center Temple Open House. Zu and the Most Beloved Dog on Planet E: Harriet.

1. Our favorite toddler and Amelia Pond, the guinea pig. McK came over for a visit and ended up helping us bathe "piggie," as she calls him. (PS: Papaya did McK's hair. Her dad asked for corn rows.) 2. McK's brand new baby brother, Baby J. (Bam got him to smile and Lu snapped the photo.) 3. Bam holding Baby J. 4. Lu with Baby J. 5. Papaya holding baby Obi Wan. (The World's Most Spoiled Cat.) 6. THIS. Enough said. 7. Oh, and soup. We've had sick kiddos AND a pretty cold December /January, so I have been making a lot of soups (this one is potato, leek, and carrot). Psst: Yes, I think it is hilarious that I photograph the food. I have no idea why, but I like it.

Zu has started making smoothies for the family. I think it's a trip that she makes them so special. In all my years of making the kids smoothies, I have never made them look so special. I love these. (And Zu took the pic, too--adding the background heart.)   Do you ever have one of those weeks where the stress level seems extraordinary?   Well, last week was our week for that.   I want to explain the specifics and yet part of me is so beat from it all, I don't want to rehash it. (Though I do think it's probably valuable to journal about it, so in the future I will remember "we can do hard things.")   Anyway, my point!   We had a surgery and ER visits. We had a mono diagnosis for one kiddo and radical colds for the others (minus Jr--he's holding strong). Dave had a business trip to Oregon (while sick). We tended our favorite toddler in the middle of the night--while her mom had her second baby. Oh! AND we had job in...