We were all smiles this morning for the first day of school.
Seth starts the 2nd grade and Colin is a Kindergartener.
We sent the boys off this morning with prayers for good learning and good friends.
Blessings on a new school year!
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Boys
When school was out in May it became clear that we needed some semblance of a routine if we were going to make it to the end of the summer still liking each other.
The boys created their own summer schedule (with more than a little bit of guidance from mommy). They had lots of free time each day and if we felt like doing something like going to the zoo or playing at the park we let the schedule go and enjoyed it.
It worked to keep the boys occupied without a lot of negotiating or discussion and they got to try new things. They had building time, music time, writing time, imagination time, etc.
Like anything...even the best laid plans run their course. School starts tomorrow and we are all ready and excited. With permission from mommy the boys said goodbye to their summer schedules with flair.
Goodbye summer! Hello school year!
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Boys
Bailey is, well...a young energetic dog. He's a sweet puppy who just wants to be your friend. He doesn't always realize how big he is and that he can come across as a little in-your-face because sometimes he really is in-your-face.
I call him our loveable lug. He's just wants to be around people all the time and he wants to be as close to you as possible. If your close enough to his mouth, you're getting a sloppy kiss on whatever limb is available...hand, elbow, foot, toe doesn't matter.
One day, when he learns some boundaries, he'll be an amazing dog. He listens well and is eager to please. He wants so badly to do the right thing, he just doesn't always remember what the right thing is every time. But he will.
It's been one week and he got some free time to wander the house on his own this afternoon (while the boys were napping...they tend to get Bailey all wired up). He did great. He stayed off furniture and stayed far away from my precious piano (oh yeah...I got a new piano...but that's another story for another time). He got along well with Carhartt (they acknowledge each other but they're not the best of buds quite yet). He goes in his kennel on his own, knowing he'll get a treat if he does. He's better about walking on the leash without dragging me down the driveway. And he's working on the difference between chew toys and our feet.
He's a good dog and we're happy to have him.
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Pet Pics
We welcomed a new pooch to the family today. We went to church then went out to lunch with our friends and then got a dog.
This is Bailey. He's warming up to the place and learning the ropes.
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| Goin' in for the smooch! I love Colin's face. |
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Boys,
Pet Pics
Seth left this afternoon for church camp. I've been calling it practice camp because it's just one night. He was so excited and talked all morning about all the things they might do. I have no idea how they will fit all those things into one overnight stay but I'm sure he'll have fun anyway.
Colin was more than a little bummed about not being able to go. So I did my best to boost his spirits. We got ice cream, went to the pool, and finished our evening with his special request....A campfire and roasted marshmallows in the backyard. He's currently telling "spooky" stories. Something about a grizzly bear haunting a family on vacation. The family decided they had enough so they flew to Africa. Seems reasonable.
Posted in
Boys
While the boys spent time with Aunt Kelly, John and I had a lovely night out. We dined on the patio at
this place (Food is so good and atmosphere is great. We recommend it to the locals among you.)
After dinner I beat John at skee-ball at a play place close by. No reason to mention that detail of the evening except to report my victory.
I love my boys. All of them. But I treasure the time this particular man and I get to spent together in quiet uninterrupted conversation.
Happy Celebrate America day (that's what Colin calls Independence Day)!
We enjoyed a beautiful evening at our house with good food, good friends, and blowing stuff up in the front yard. Sounds like a good 4th of July plan to me.
I used a few new recipes (and one old one) so I thought I'd share. We grilled steaks using this rub recipe from "American Grilled" with David Guas on the Travel Channel (I don't watch the show but saw him on The Today Show.
For the steak:
4 (16 oz.) boneless rib-eye steaks
Coarse sea salt (to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
For the coffee rub:
3 tbsp. fresh coffee beans, finely ground
1 tbsp. light brown sugar
2 tbsp. paprika
1 tbsp. coarse sea salt
1 tsp. granulated onion
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
I would recommend using a bit less coffee, maybe 2 tbsp. It seemed a bit overpowering. Maybe I just needed to grind it finer.
Black Bean Salad with Corn
This one has become a fan favorite of every summer/fall potluck, bbq, dinner party, lunch at my mom's house, etc. I improvise almost every time so I can use what I have on hand. A few things I wouldn't do without are the fresh lime zest and then fresh lime juice, and fresh chopped cilantro. The rest you could substitute what seem appropriate.
Rustic Peach and Blackberry Pie
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| The boys on a mulberry hunt. |
And finally for dessert I tried this rustic peach and mulberry pie. John and the boys picked wild mulberries we have growing around our property. John made the crust (he's better at it than I am) and I did the rest. It was delicious. Very little sugar and healthier with only one pie crust (and we substituted Coconut Oil for butter). I will definitely be making this dessert again. Super easy (especially if you sweet talk your husband into make the pie crust)
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Boys,
Holidays
