Adventures For Summer

I am too tired and to back logged in my online work to spend too much time typing up some thoughts I have had this week on serious subjects so this post is just to gush about how blessed and wonderful this week has been.

Isaac has continued to walk. At first it was just in the afternoons, after lunch. Now, he's at it all day. It just makes my heart explode with joy to see him come around a corner and toddle across the room into my arms. He also taught himself (from the iTouch program) to sign heart. He signs it when we ask him where his heart is, but also does it when I ask him where his love is.... and then he says, Mama.

We had adventures this week. Full speed. Ballet camp, playing with new friends, lunch with one of my mentors and friends. Art class, playing with new friends. A day at home full of farm chores and phone calls and running running running running. Lunch as dragons and princesses on the square.

Finally, we topped off the week with horse lessons and an amusement park trip. Oh the girls were in love. Isaac was frustrated that there were so many rides he was too small for, but kettle corn seemed to make it up to him. Plus, he borrowed a sweet ride.

My girls had never been to a ride park like this. They have been on carousels at the park, zoo, and mall.....but nothing like this. When we got an invitation, I hesitated. It wasn't something that I like to do and I usually lead the adventures....but life and learning are about new experiences and deciding what you like. The girls can decide for themselves. Oh my. They are huge fans, especially Holly. If the ride was fast and furious, she wanted on. She was too little to ride on some without an adult so she drug me on with her. Eek. Not my cup of tea, but holding her in my arms while she screams a joyous and wild, WhooooooooHooooo!!!! is my cup of tea. Oh that girl. She will fly.

Easy Summer Dinner: French Bread Garden "Naked" Sandwiches

French Bread Garden "Naked" Sandwiches

Ingredients:
Mushrooms
Chevre (or cream cheese)
French Bread
Tomato
Basil
Asiago
Butter 
Seasoning

Fry sliced mushrooms in butter, add favourite seasoning.
Slice French sourdough thin, spread on chevre or cream cheese.
Top with whole leaf fresh basil and slice of garden fresh tomato.
Serve with the hot mushrooms and sprinkle with Asiago cheese.

Homeschool/Farm Update July 18th

We had days rolling around playing with Holly's new trumpet. Lily taught Isaac all about grubs in the play area, how to blow bubbles, and how to really shake it when he dances! Isaac figured out how to climb up and into the sink, turn on the water, and wash dishes with his feet. We found a wasp pinned to a tree with a tiny fairy arrow. Probably another wasp's stinger, but it looked like a fairy arrow and the girls spent a long time examining the dead wasp up close, touching its wings.

This week was fun. We got peahens and named them Ann and Beyonce. Lily cooked up the first peahen egg. I was offered $15 for a peacock egg and I will never get sick of how funny that is. Peacocks don't lay eggs! When people as what they taste like I answer, like duck eggs but more pretentious. Oh we are soooo funny sometimes. These ladies are never ending sources of beauty and laughter and joy for me. I love them so much. I shall have a fowl army of peahens and peacocks and bring up the rear with Muscovy ducks. I shall rule the farm with my fowl army!

A new cafe opened in the local to us town and it is fantastic. I love the food. The kids are enamoured with one of the servers who told them he had eaten dandelion fritters just like they do.

Holly has been playing Ben Ten Mega Dragon all week. She also almost dreaded her hair. That's fixed now. It was not intentional. The girls learned more about electrical current via the electric fence. There was a lot of tree swinging. We worked together on chores quite a few times. Lily practiced first aid too. The calf is growing.

That's pretty much it in a nutshell. Now onward to the weekend!

Dinner Fail.

Sometimes my best intentions are just that, intentions, and everything goes wrong.

I lost my phone and camera so I could not take pictures.

I broke a 1/2 gallon glass jar while washing it and sliced my pinky finger. Blood, drama, mess, rescue.

The package of meat I opened was not the cut I wanted.

Still can't find camera.

Something in the sink was gross and started to stink.

Missing ingredients for the thing I planned to make.

Kids getting frustrated that I asked them to reorganize the art supplies. They start arguing.

Isaac wants to go outside but at 95 degrees that is not an option.

The AC vents start dripping water onto the beds upstairs.

Just not a good set up for a recipe post.

So, I fried up the bacon ends I found, chopped up the stew meat that was supposed to be steak, browned it all in butter. Added crushed tomatoes and some black pepper. Boiled pasta. Easy peasy dinner. Tasty too, but nothing to write home about.

No pictures.

Sometimes life does that, gets in the way of the perfect thing you want to make. Dinner, blog posts, art projects. All of it. I am posting tonight anyway because of my personal challenge to write everyday and sometimes my days are like this, not perfect. Not anywhere near.....but in all of our imperfection is joy. We go with the flow, smile, and cherish each other. None of the kids had any idea I messed up dinner, they gobbled it. My frustrations were not even noticed. At every meal we eat together we share what we are grateful for in the day: Lily was thankful for her calf starting to wean off the bottle, Holly was thankful for her whole family, Chad was thankful for his potato crop, and I am thankful that human beings are technically capable of sleeping. Isaac was asleep (I am hoping later that I will be too....).

This is Lily, trying out writing with ink paint and a peahen feather. See? The issues I had and frustrations didn't even touch her day. She had a great day.

I hope you all did too.