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The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. -Proverbs 1:7

Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost you all you have, get understanding.-Proverbs 4:7


Saturday, June 25, 2011

Life is a Party

(This weekend, anyway.)

Last year, I went to a party. I'm really not a party-going type and was a surprised I went. But, seriously? It was possibly the best day of my whole year. Surely the best party I've ever been to. I had "What if I don't get invited to this year's party?" anxiety all spring. I got invited.

Of course, I took what I always take to summer parties. (Well, what I would take if I went to any others.)

Their farm is beautiful...I grew up in farm country, but this farm is AMAZING. I want to live there.
Sigh...someday I'm getting bees.


The house...total house envy going on...
Fun stuff...

Even though it started out like this:
they didn't want to leave. Just like last year, I had to drag them out of there. Just like last year, they went on every hayride including the anticipated by all "firefly edition". Just like last year, they declared it the best night ever on the way home. And Jac said "I hope you get invited again next year." Me too, Jac...me too.

Thank you Tom and CarolAnn for once again giving us the best summer night. Your farm is gorgeous. The food was awesome and the music delightful. We had an amazing time.

Friday, June 24, 2011

A post as long as my day.

Today was a day of parties.

My kids both have birthdays during lacrosse season and if you know anything about lacrosse season, you know it's not a time where parties can happen.

So, back to back, we had them today.

Part I.

(Click on the pictures to make them bigger Grandma.)
The girl's was first. The theme was kind of like that Cake Boss bake-off show. We started with a zillion cupcakes and decorating accoutrements, four categories of competition and a whole lot of creativity.

You know there was a MESS before it was all said and done.
There was voting.
The winners:
Feeling so blessed to have a child as old as she is who still thinks having a little party at the house is fun.

Part II.

The boy's party. I have less pictures I can post...because I feel weird about posting other people's kids on my blog. Trying to be as "faceless" as possible here. Most of my pictures have faces.

Basically picture 12 children running around my yard, through my house and back again with super soakers and water balloons. (Somebody please remind my children of this when they grow up and try to tell stories that I was never fun. It is true that I am rarely fun, but I have my moments.)
My house is currently wet-ish.

We played a game where bubble gum was hidden in plates of whipped cream. With their hands behind their backs, they had to find the gum, pick it up, chew it and blow a bubble. Hilarious! (Note that I had them do this out in the grass.)
Made by me during the aforementioned cupcake jamboree.
In the end, he said it was his "second favorite party". (Some junky, filthy, noisy, sticky amusement place when he was turning 6 will always take first place. For some reason, I'm o.k. with that. Maybe, because going to a place like that doesn't sound all that unattractive next year when I'm thinking about it at this moment.)

Thursday, June 23, 2011


I cooked. Big news around these parts considering I haven't cooked much of anything in two weeks (with the exception of that spaghetti taco Father's Day dinner).

Ancho lime chicken with roasted sweet potato wedges and Brussel's sprouts (Alicia's second favorite vegetable)

P.S. I regret the photo of this chicken seems obscene. I am not a photographer.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Colette's Sorbetto

You know what's awesome? Being able to make a new top in less time than it takes to do a load of laundry.

This is my second Sorbetto. (I didn't show the first. I was waiting to finish a skirt to go with it and then..well...I got sidetracked by something shiny.)

My first one fit better (with all my adjustments, I should have made the 6 instead of the 8.), but for that one I just followed the pattern. I would have done the same for this, but I didn't have enough fabric. The pattern calls for 1.5 yards. I had a smidgen over a yard.

1. I took out the front pleat.

2. I did some unconventional laying out.

3. I put in a mock button back since there was no way to cut it without a seam with the amount of fabric I had.

4. There wasn't anyway to match the pattern at the seams. But, I'm cool with that.

This is the perfect pattern for a really quick/easy top.

Summer School


"Why did you have to watch Waiting for Superman right before summer vacation?" Can you hear it? Two kids wailing and gnashing their teeth over the reality I'm not going to let them watch t.v. and play video games all day. Maybe only half the day; which is still too much.

So people look at me like I have two heads when they find out I assign my kids work over the summer. "But we live in one of the top districts in the United States for education." O.K. And? Ranking near the top in a nation that lags educationally behind nations who don't even have enough food for their people means what again? Oh yeah. That we're o.k.

I'd like to not be so cynical about the whole thing. My awareness of reality prevents me from being so.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Father's Day

The typical Father's Day pictures are first.
And then it gets a little weird.
If you don't watch iCarly, then you have no idea what this is about. Jac has been asking for spaghetti tacos for forever. I have not obliged, because the idea of spaghetti tacos disgusts me.
If you've never tried to load spaghetti into a taco shell, it's not as easy as you'd think. I broke the first shell trying to do it.
If you are imagining eating spaghetti out of shell and thinking that might be a bit messy, you are correct. It was messy. He ate two of them.
I conceded on the tacos because I was making "Honey and Wasabi Grilled Shrimp" for Ryan's Father's Day dinner and my kids don't like shrimp. The shrimp are an easy-peasy affair:

Marinate 1 1b of shrimp in 1/8 cup of honey, 1 TBSP of wasabi powder and 1/8 cup of oil for 30 minutes. Grill until shrimp are done. Sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds and serve on jasmine rice. (I had 1/2 red onion that needed used and threw it in. Next time, I'll leave it out.)

Friday, June 17, 2011

End of an Era


I am now officially the parent of a high schooler. I always anticipated I would feel much older at this point in my life.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Verbs






With only two more days until I'm done working for the summer, I'm:

Rejoicing the heat is gone for these days. It has been so beautiful outside this week.

Grateful nobody has said anything about my lack of cooking for the past few days while they happily munch on all my cheater meals.

Looking forward to sitting on the deck, way past dark, watching the (covered in summertime, outside playing dirt) boy catch fireflies.

Marveling at how long a pile of rocks and a couple of Lego guys can keep said boy's attention.

Wishing I wouldn't have chosen sushi over grading exams this afternoon.

Staring at my girl, who was just born yesterday and who will graduate 8th grade tommorow.

Feeling incredibly peaceful. (Despite the fact I still have a ton of grading to do.)

Sunday, June 12, 2011

West Virginia





Jac: "West Virginia doesn't look like I thought it would look."
Me: "What did you think it would look like?"
Jac: "I thought it would look like Africa."

For the record, he's been to West Virginia at least 40 times. He's never been to Africa once.

With the exception of the outhouse, I suspect West Virginia looks nothing like Africa. But then, I've never been to Africa either.