Evergreen State Fair

Saturday we woke up early determined to make the most out of our final Saturday of the summer. We biked to the Redmond Farmer's market where we picked up some produce and two bird baths and a little hedge hog figure for the garden. We did a little back to school shopping for Sela at Redmond Town Center and then loaded the two little kids, the bird baths, produce, and Sela's clothes into the bike trailor and hurried back to Woodinville. Pretty sure we exceeded capacity on the trailor but I'm just glad I wasn't pulling it. We had a quick lunch at home and then headed to Monroe for the Evergreen State Fair.

I had many other things I needed to do Saturday and I almost sent Zig with the kids. I'm glad I decided to go because it was so much fun. It was a very classic fair with tons of animals and competitions and old fashioned fun. The highlight for Sela was cuddling a baby calf and the spaceship carnival ride. Nina loved the baby goats and spotting "the easter bunny." Rollin was glued to the nascar type races at the speedway and despite the noise didn't want to leave. He also loved riding a motorcyle at the carnival. We watched some western riding games at an indoor aren. We finally pooped out and headed home, with Rollin and Nina falling asleep in the parking lot as we drove out.

He might need a brother.....

Jonah

Sela and Nina love to plan and present little lessons for family night. Sometimes Nina comes up with some real winners. Just ask Mom! Once she has a captive audience, you can just see the joy in her bright little eyes. She is not one for brevity and would go on for hours if we would just sit and obey. As the middle child, she loves all eyes on her for as long as she can get it. It thrills her to give assignments and ask questions and have us role play. And she often has us in stitches because she her lessons are a little bit of doctrine and a little bit of rock and roll. Often the girls try to mimic what the sharing time lesson was in primary. For some reason, Sela thought we needed a lesson on obedience this week so she chose to teach about Jonah. She told the story in her own words and had Nina and Rollin play instruments during the story when she said the word "storm" and "spit out." Getting them to stop playing wasn't as easy as she planned. She had us do a craft and make our own whales with a little Jonah man stuffed inside. Even Rollin took his role of newspaper ripper seriously(oh the joy of tearing, ripping, and breaking something!) and stuffed his whale(or helicopter as he calls it) quite full. Well done, Sela!

Last days of summer

I'm so sad to see the summer come to an end. These carefree days of the kids spending every waking moment outside have been absolutely wonderful. We stayed very unstructured so it's no wonder why I love this particular summer so much. I do love the excitement of back to school and having a bit of a schedule, but no matter what we cut out, things just get busier in the fall. The calendar is already filling up, sadly. Things really get busy for Zig as well and we have the first three weekends already set aside for social engagements for Microsoft stuff. I wish I had one more month and then I think I might be ready.

Today Sela had her "meet and greet" at school. She was put in a 2nd/3rd grade split class, which is what I was really hoping for. Her teacher seems great and she seems happy. Two of her closest friends are in her class and she sits right next to one of them, Perrie, who is also a friend from church. All is well.

This last week of summer the weather has been touch and go. Heavy rains followed by a clear day followed by heavy rains. Our yard is green again :)I think it is supposed to continue that way through the weekend. Yesterday when the sky cleared Nina wanted to have her friend, Piper, over. Her brother, crazy Jack, is Sela's buddy. They had a long super active playdate running all around the yard for hours doing who knows what. I do know the bunny was feeling the love.

Free range at last

The chickens started out in the small cage Zig made with a heated light. Then we moved them to the actual chicken coup but covered the hole that allows them to leave and go outside into the fenced area. Two weeks ago we moved the piece of wood and they started to venture to the outside portion of the coup. And finally this week, they got a taste of freedom when we let them all out. They are now able to forage for their own food. They stay in the back part of our property for the most part, though there are a couple who stray a bit further. They have been pretty good about going back in at night where they still huddle together in a big dogpile in the corner to sleep. Sela is also good at rounding the chickens up in a hurry. They're getting harder for the kids to catch though that doesn't stop them from trying!

Zucchini Omelet

I gave this a go when we needed something fast and simple. It was so tasty and quite pretty. And how I love pretty food.

The directions are simple. Cut a zucchini into thin slices, saute zucchini and finely chopped garlic in olive oil for a couple of minutes, just enough to soften a tiny bit. Remove zucchini from pan. Whisk one egg and pour it in the pan like an omelet. Place some zucchini slices all around, grate some parmesan or romano on top and let it cook until it is done. Finish with fresh ground pepper and a squeeze of lemon.

What an easy weeknight dinner with a little salad on the side(or breakfast).

Three winners

I have three new favorite recipes. While mom was here, I tested out a curried tofu scramble on her and she loved it. I don't use tofu a whole lot, but this scramble was seriously yum! I basically just sauteed chopped onions, garlic, and red peppers and then crumbled the tofu in. Then I added a little bit of turmeric, curry poweder, and a splash of tamari and sauteed it all for a few minutes. At the end I threw in chopped spinach and a little kale and served it with a bit of cilantro.

After mom took the kids and friends blackberry picking on our street, we decided to make some biscuits to serve them with. The biscuits we made were Amaranth flour seeded bisquits. I put seeds on some and raw sugar to top the others. They were very good warm out of the oven with some fresh whipped cream, peaches, and berries. A perfect saturday morning breakfast.

The last recipe is good ole refried beans...with a twist. I found this recipe in "the Splendid Tables's How to eat Supper" cookbook. I'd actually never made my own refried beans, and this is the dish that kept giving. This recipe begins with sauteed onions, cinnamon and cloves, 2 cans of red beans, 1 can of tomatoes, and salt and pepper and a bit of butter at the end. You mash it all with a potato masher. I don't know what it is, but these creamy yummy beans are really delicious.
We made rice bowls out of them with brown rice, the beans, cheese, salsa, cilantro and avocados. Very satisfying. The next day we made breakfast burritoes. Good stuff.



















Tofu scramble and Biscuits



















More biscuits



















Refried bean rice bowl

Camping

We went camping at Ensign Ranch last weekend with the Parrys and the Norrises. The kids had a ball and it was really fun to camp in teepees, though not the most comfortable (we were ill prepared). Rollin rode his first horse and didn't fall off. Unfortunately, we picked a weekend where the temperatures reached nearly 100 degrees. It was pretty dusty at the ranch. The gigantic slip n slide was a respite from the heat, but there was no shade. Rollin started wandering around like a zombie in the afternoon, and I discovered that one day is primo for me for camping in these circumstances. I tried to cram all there was to do there in 24 hours and we headed home to showers and clean sheets...and 5 loads of laundry from our 1 night stay!

Spotty

Sela and Nina have been scheming for another pet. Enter Mom, the softie. Ever since April when she saw Keaton's chameleon in Texas, Sela has wanted one of her own. We told the girls if they were good then Mom would take them to the pet store to find out about chameleons. So they woke up this morning, made their bed and brushed their teeth, gathered props for me for the primary party, and most importantly, they got along. So off they went to Denny's Pet Store with Granny. After finding out that chameleons are incredibly hard to keep alive, not at all a "first time reptile," and that they need 85 degree temps year round, they decided to move on to plan B. And boy am I glad they did...welcome Spotty!

Goodbye to the Davis'

Lots of smiles and a few tears were shed as we spent our last few days with the Davis'. We gathered with lots of friends and neighbors to make smores at the park across from Darcie and Geoff's house on Tuesday night. Then on Wednesday night they came over for one last dinner. We had to have a salmon dinner, of course, for a proper northwest send-off. And I had to serve Geoff beets for old time's sake. Mom was so happy she was able to say goodbye as well. The kids played hard and Nina tried to stowaway in their car when it came time for her to say goodbye to Tennie, Adele, and Ceci. We were all a little somber when that moment arrived. Darcie and I have shared many bonding moments as we've been in the mothering trenches together and have leaned on each other...I treasure her friendship. She and Geoff are such dear friends. Their move will definitely leave a void and we will miss them so much. We know we'll see them again when they return from France, we just don't know where that will be. And you can bet we'll be anxiously awaiting that bit of news!

A little update

It's been a wonderful last couple of weeks. Our neighbors with the triplets just returned from their month in Canada and Sela and Nina were thrilled to hear their voices at the back fence this week. We've maintained our low key summer and I have to say it has been one of my best summers yet. The days are longer and more joyful when we don't have to be running all over the place. There are so many great programs and concerts and other activities around here in the summer, many of which we have participated in over the past few years and likely will again, but this summer has been different. The kids are at perfect ages where they are content to be home and outide from dusk till dawn. They can entertain themselves and each other with little intervention. I just bring them snacks and smoothies now and then, grab the tape and scissors and find some props for their latest idea, and they are happy. There is always a playmate and lots of open space. We share a fence with two families and between each of us, we have 8 girls and 15 acres for the kids to roam on. There are no streets in between making it very safe. I had lots of ideas for little camps to do with the kids this summer at our house, but I've decided to do the activities more in the winter when we will be inside. Why mess with little imaginations already running wild and creating their own fun.

I started taking the kids to play tennis a couple of times a week at a nearby junior high. Nina did surprisingly well which was really fun for me to see. She swelled with pride when I told her how much she's improved and several times afterwards she kept saying "Mom, tennis is my special thing I'm good at, right?" So precious. We try to take some friends with us each time so we have enough kids to do little drills and play games. Plus, it's more fun!

Eric and Ben began the treehouse last week. We love to watch the progress each day.

Rollin is doing a little bit of nature boy potty training again and was sure happy to tell us that he wizzed on a rock this morning. Every day there is another reason to be thankful we moved to the country!

Lastly, Mom arrived this week which is always exciting and greatly anticipated by all. She has already cleaned out my fridge, dusted the whole house, reorganized my furniture, read "the friend" to the kids and the list goes on. This is on day 1 after coming here on no sleep directly from a vacation to Bermuda. Wonderwoman is in the house! I told her to just sit on the porch and read and relax, but she is a busy bee, happy only when in constant motion. We love having her and I feel like a slacker right now on the computer while she is trying to pressure wash our patio with a garden hose ;)



Kona still pretty chill for a puppy


Sela lost another tooth



Sela released 400 ladybugs to keep the aphids at bay.




Fun with Q-tips


Nina ready for church



Another favorite flower


Some of our last berries