mornings

seminary......

pros

sebastian and i get 45 mins. of uninterrupted morning silence together

sunrise pinks

3 lunches, a load of laundry and dishwasher unpacked by 5:45 am

no traffic

don't have to share the bathroom

don't have to ride the school bus

get to start the day seeing all your church buddies

doughnuts on friday

never late for school

cons

5:15 wake up call

grrrrrrrr!

this morning, i got to do another one of my top 5 most unfun things to do first thing in the morning...

clean up after a dog with a terribly sick stomach all night

awful........

i will spare you the photo but

THIS

was the color...

let's think of something else......

Check it out! look what we bought with our costco rebate check this year! a breadmaker - remember those?

paul (hiding behind the sticker) is excited as i am

memory-

i used to love to time the freshly baked loaf of bread to be ready when the kids got home from school. i think i will do that again today.....mmmmmmmm, cinnamon swirl loaf......

lila & ryan

i have been developing a preschool curriculum for the last 5 years and finally have one year's worth of lesson plans completed. these sweet little twin guinea pigs, lila and ryan come over twice a week so i can teach and play with them all morning. am i the luckiest aunt in the world, or what?

into the garden.....

earlier this summer, gabrielle chose and planted a little, last and lonely butternut squash plant. who would have thought it would turn into the most amazing mother of 12 butternuts!

......off comes the first one because.....

tonight we will make Gabi's favorite food....

a favorite family RECIPE

from "Cook with Ina Paarman"

butternut soup

3 T butter

2 onions, chopped

2 cups butternut, cleaned and diced

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped

3 T flour

2 t curry powder

pinch nutmeg

3 cups chicken stock

1 1/2 cups milk

grated rind and juice of 1 orange

salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar

parsley, chopped

dollops of cream

Saute the onions in the butter until soft and flavorful. Add the butternut and saute to absorb the butter and develop the vegetable flavors (about 3 minutes), stirring lightly from time to time. Add the apple and then the flour, curry powder and nutmeg, blending with the vegetables.

Add the chicken stock, milk, orange rind and juice. Simmer slowly for 15 - 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Liquidise the solids in a food processor or rub through a sieve. Taste, then add salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar. Serve topped with a dollop of cream and a sprinkling of parsley.

*This soup improves with keeping. Prepare a day or two in advance if time allows. Keep refrigerated.

we have new music in the house, our first string instrument......

gabi's viola

during the 5th grade in boulder, each student chooses an instrument to play in the school orchestra or band....gabi fell in love with the deep tones of the viola

Memory-