We had a slumber party last night, just mom and the girls. Our kids don’t spend nights at their friends, so this is a big deal here :o) We all camped out on the family room floor (now clean, thank you, Amy!), ate popcorn and dill pickles, said goodnight to Daddy via phone, and stayed up late listening to a dramatized version of the literary classic, A High Wind in Jamaica., plus a few Five-Minute Mysteries from homeschoolradioshows.com.  We have never had television in our home, so these audios can really get the girls’ imaginations going :o)

At about 10:00pm (which is like MIDNIGHT to my younger two – Really Late at Night), Emily asked if we could have oatmeal for breakfast. Now, I know that when Emily asks for oatmeal, she is not talking about the goopy stuff you add ½ C water to and stick in the microwave for 60 seconds. This is Baked Oatmeal, something yummy and filling, which we were introduced to in Canada. So being the wonderful mom that I am (this week), I got off the hard floor, worked my old bones and joints around, and went into the kitchen to whip up some make-ahead breakfast. I had told the girls that I might not make it all night on the floor, but I would try.  I couldn’t do it. Everything ached about three minutes after I lay down. I endured as long as I could, but as soon as I heard four little girls breathing deeply, I tiptoed to my own bed!  My whole body relaxed when I put my head down.  What would I do without a bed?!  I went to sleep thinking about all the people in the world who sleep on the ground or on a straw mat. 

This morning our stomachs growled while we sniffed our breakfast baking. Overnight Baked Oatmeal is really like a big oatmeal cookie in a bowl. I sometimes add chopped apple and/or nuts.  It is wonderful with warm milk or cream poured over it. All we selfish girls were glad Daddy wasn’t home, so we could eat his share! :o)  We ran off to the park before doing anything important, and hey, I forgot to tell you, WE’RE DONE WITH SCHOOL!!!!!!!! YAYYAYYAYYAY! But there are times, you all know, when you can have “school” and your kids don’t even know it.  At the playground I was reading outloud Ruth Beechick's book, You Can Teach Your Child Successfully, and the older girls were mentally multiplying large numbers by 11, as they climbed and slid and ran around.  (Ha ha! They just think school is over!)

P.S. Baked Oatmeal Recipe coming soon at Amy's Recipes.