Aaaaafricaaaa....

So, Kevin is in Africa...6 or 7 hours outside of Nairobi, Kenya...almost to Tanzania...in the middle of the bush...sleeping on the ground in tents surrounded by a perimeter of spiky branches and guarded by a Masai warrior at night...cool, huh?

He and 11 other men are sharing God's story with the Masai...trip of a lifetime for sure.

He left Friday and returns September 5.

The kids and I are fine. Missing him terribly. Every time I talk to someone on the phone, Eli asks, "Daddy?" Hoping that I had been talking to him. He also walks around the house throughout the day asking, "Daddy...home?"
Heart. Breaking.

But other than that...we are good.

Confessions of a New PreK Mom

1. I am more concerned about her friend-making than she is.
Proven by asking her if she made any new friends on her first day of school. To which she replied,
"No, today I was getting ready to make new friends."

2. I am more concerned about whether she is wearing the "right" clothes than she is.
"What will the other kids be wearing?"

3. I am more concerned about "fitting in" than she is.
"Is it obvious that we don't frequent the Country Club?"

4. I am more concerned about people's opinions than she is.
Proven by her desire to take homemade blueberry muffins as her birthday treat...because she doesn't like icing ...
The muffins turned out more 'dense' than I had anticipated and look like they might actually be
GOOD for you. What 4-5 year old wants something that is GOOD for you for a birthday snack???
"What will her teacher think??"
"What if they tease her for bringing MUFFINS for a birthday treat?!?!"
"What if she is THAT kid...you know the one with the Mom who sends HEALTHY snacks?!?!?"
"Maybe I should go to the fancy cake shop and get the 'best cupcakes' in town..." (Hello? VANITY!!!)

Now...all of the previous are INTERNAL struggles...I am not sharing them with her...
However... I feel like I am the one going to school again...revisiting all the thoughts and emotions that come with it.

So.

The Truth.

1. She is going to make great friends.
2. She has clean clothes to wear. (most days.) :)
3. We are not needing to "fit in". We are who we are... and we are GOOD.
4. The class will eat (or not eat) the muffins. It is what she wanted and it is HER birthday.
Dense, ugly (made with love by Mommy and Chloe), good for you muffins it is.

Deceptively Delicious...Take 2

My second attempt at a recipe from Deceptively Delicious...

Macaroni and Cheese (with butternut squash puree')

It looks edible doesn't it??

Let's hear from our judges...

Mmmmm...Macaroni and Cheese


Yes... that is spit suspended in air...

Ewwww....

Second attempt...

F.A.I.L.E.D.

I have to admit...it tasted horrible. The butternut squash puree' was not deceiving...it tasted just like butternut squash. blachhh.

(I think I may have 3.5 more cups of butternut squash puree' than I need in the freezer...)

Deceptively Delicious...Take 1

Trying a few recipes from Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld.

Today's attempt: Pita Pizzas

F.A.I.L.E.D

Well...to be fair...Kevin, Chloe and I really liked it...didn't seem to mind the spinach puree' hidden beneath tomato sauce and cheese...but, the one who most needed to be deliciously deceived...

not deceived in the least.

I know what you did this summer... Eli

Eli, you have done SO MUCH this summer I really have a hard time narrowing it down...

You have become a little boy in the past month...very little 'baby' left.

I would say your top 2 summer accomplishments are:

1. Catching your first fish!

AND

2. Telling us, "I caught a fish!"

Since that first complete sentence you have been talking up a storm. Repeating everything we say and telling us what you see. It is so fun!

Here is a video of the first sentence. Pardon the 'coaching'...it is worth the wait.

I know what you did this summer... Chloe

Chloe, you are growing up so fast! Soon you will be 5 years old! (a WHOLE hand!)

Here is a list of a few of your summer accomplishments:

1. Tubing in the Puget Sound for the first time EVER with Daddy and Uncle Rob. SO BRAVE!

2. Swimming underwater! (complete with underwater flips AND handstands!) SO FUN!

3. And your personal fave...

BLOWING BUBBLES!!

SO. COOL.

(Thank you, Aunt Mimi, for the tutorial...obviously a VERY good teacher! We are having MUCH success!)

Feeling Behind

Lots going on...nothing going on...

Do you know that feeling?

I am needing to organize my brain...make some to do lists and actually do them...

Trying to make the most of our last couple weeks of summer before Chloe starts PreK...

Weird to have our first "Summer is almost over...school starts soon season."

It is good. It is time. It is bittersweet.