accidental gourmet

UPDATE: Basil Chicken, Mixed Grain Quinoa with Kale, Roasted Root Veggies with homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette. I like to call it the "accidental gourmet". And my kids like to call it gross. Well, they liked the chicken.

snips and snails....

I unloaded all of the fresh veggies from our CSA subscription (btw, you can check out their blog on my sidebar, Blosser Urban Garden!!) onto the counter and went about to prepare dinner. We get turnips each time and I guilt-ily throw the greens away every week, though I am sure they are good to eat or at least use in Veggie Stock. This week, I decide I may keep them! So I was busily cutting the turnips, when to my surprise, I find a visitor on the greens!!

I guess this is what you get with an organic farm veggie subscription!! A large snail munching on my counter!! I screamed and the girls ran in to see what it was all about. Abs rescued him out to the yard and I am pretty sure I will be tossing the greens.... even though I know that these little guys probably crawl all over them when they are growing in the ground. I just don't need to see it!

And the turnips are actually smelling really good as they are cooking up right now in the oven. Of course, it may also just be the smell of the Balsamic Vinegar!! Mmm.

This week we got a great bag of stuff. Strawberries, Lemons, Artichokes, Potatoes, Zucchini, Lettuce, Carrots, a very large onion... along with the irregular regulars: bok choy, turnips and kohlrabi. We'll see what kinds of yummy things we come up with!! The girls tried artichokes the other night and they loved it!!!!

three. more. days.

Every day this week I have tried to come up with some reason that my girls need to stay home from school. Or get picked up early.  The truth is, with only a few more days of school, everything in me wants to just be DONE already.  And they are ready too.  Abigail was in tears the other day, ready for vacation- and I am missing them more and more.  I am counting the minutes until I can pick up Bella today so we can come home and have some fun together on a non-school night.  Do we really have to send them for the last 3 useless days?!  But then there's something about closure.  And saying goodbye to friends for the summer.

Some days I really miss homeschooling.  I miss the family time, the family-focus.  I miss being a team 24-7, on the same team- with an outward focused goal.  I miss the projects and the lessons, the outings and the free time.  I am hoping that summer will shake me back into reality- that we will get our fill and be ready for the new school year.  Nonetheless, we are ready for summer!  Here are some things I've been stewing over:

*  Weekly beach day with some of my favorite people.

*  Sewing projects are floating in mind (dresses... for me!  and maybe the girls too).

*  Re-vamping the AMEN blog and going craft-blog crazy.

*  Mac projects!  Movies, podcasts... (regular updates from the girls!!).

*  Decorating!!  (I need some change, I need ideas!!)

*  And thrifting.  I really want to get back into this, one of my favorite past times!! :)

So many things to do!  Too many.  But I am expecting that after our long-awaited vacation the week after next, we will be in full summer mode, and ready for some fun projects.  Am excited!!

Abigail likes to sing.

a little music

Oh how I love Over the Rhine songs.  So creatively inspiring.... and beautiful.

dun dun da-da-da-da dun dun da-da

(that was a circus song... if you didn't get it :)  Last week we went to the circus!  It was really, really, really, really fun.  If you can't tell, we had a great time!  The girls LOVED every moment, especially laughing like crazy at Alex the clown.  And he was so so funny.  I love the circus!  It wasn't even spooky which I was expecting a little.  It was just magical and sweet and amazing.  Thank you, Carson & Barnes!!

once in a blue moon....

We had a nice and restful weekend.   Saturday began with a first scrimmage for Bella's new team (which is no longer called "Santa Maria 8U All-Stars but is now officially called the "Santa Maria SHOCK" - yes, like a lightning bolt).  She was tired and unimpressed, sleepily meandering in the outfield.  But it was still fun, and she did great.  And it was fun for us to see her new team in action and meet all of the parents. (More on this at a future time)

We then hit In-n-Out and were complimented on the well-behavedness of our girls (which- it's always nice for people to notice & mention it at that moment... never letting the pride set in for the readiness of the fall.  But it is amazing for those precious times when we can really appreciate our awesome kids).

After that, we went home for FAMILY NIGHT!  Our kids get SO excited for family time.  We all cuddle down on the couches, make popcorn and watch a movie we all enjoy.  (Pretty normal but, oh so enjoyable!)   I went old school and made popcorn like my mom used to, on the stove and with real butter.  I had to ask the guy at the store where it was though.  Here I am: "Do you have popcorn?  Like, the kind you actually pop?"  Nice :)  And we watched Bedtime Stories, which is so funny.  Of course, it wasn't really night, because the movie had to be over by 5:30 since the Cavs game was coming on.  And they lost, so sad.

And then today.  It was another great and relaxing day!  We went church, came home and ate lunch, then to the barn, fed the animals, ate some samples, played with some old fashioned toys... went to Pismo, walked through the stores, stopped & got coffee, got some Mo's BBQ sauce... came home and BBQ-ed, relax, relax, relaxing.  And now it is 9:30 and the house is quiet.

Once in a blue moon we have a completely plan-free weekend, and this was one.  And we made it proud by fully enjoying it.  Now, we're ready for a busy week, hectic weekend of first tournament, and then the last couple of weeks of school!  And then summmmmmmmmer!