For Kicks

Tonight Christian's team played their final soccer game.  They have improved so much over the last few weeks, and it has been delightful to watch them work together and learn what it means to be teammates.  Here are a few pictures of Christian from the game, and some post-game as well.

Strings attached

Something burns

And pulls inside and shifts and weighs it down

A smile through tears makes little sense

Unless there's love involved

Pain and happiness, companions

Strange and true, no other way

A loss is losing for the gain

Was great and now there is a gap

P.S.  This is about someone I know, two someones actually, they have a broken heart.  It's about a lost pet.  It affected me and this is what came of it.

Things I Learned Today

I love learning.  Writing academic papers, not so much.  But reading about history, and studying the Bible, and literature, science, and philosophy-it's all so interesting and I wish I had paid more attention when I was actually in school studying those things.  Fortunately, we never stop learning in life.  There are always opportunities to read or study, to grow in our knowledge.  I'm so grateful for that.

And my education extends far beyond the classroom.  I'm acquiring knowledge all the time that is directly related to what I studied/am studying in a classroom, and these things affect my everyday living.  Take this lesson...this is related to science.  Did you know that when you plug an appliance into an electrical outlet, the electricity is then able to flow into the appliance and make it go?  Well, I learned that my KitchenAid mixer works much better when I plug it in than if I don't.  In fact, it will only work if I plug it in.  These lessons are so helpful, and so practical, aren't they?

Here's another.  And I think this would also fall into the science category.  Something about moisture and evaporation and heat and moisture transfer.  I learned that rinsing off your pizza stone right before you cook a pizza on it will result in, not a "crisp, golden and evenly browned crust," but a doughy, uncooked, evenly unbrowned crust.  Indeed, a baking stone functions properly by "pulling the moisture from the outer surface of the dough as it rests on the stone," unless its ability to do so is sabotoged by its owner's foolish notion to coat the surface of the stone with moisture, which it then puts into the dough as it rests on the stone.   I will say, the top of the pizza looked great, and my homemade turkey sausage topping was pretty good.  Can I put a positive spin on things, or what?

Some folks reading this may be a little concerned that I'm homeschooling, but you should definitely not worry.  The kids are much smarter than I am, so they realize very quickly when I'm headed in the wrong direction and point me back to the correct path.  Then I say,"I knew that, I was just seeing if you were paying attention!"  And they are never fooled. 

Here's to being smart...

At the End of the Day

Order

in the midst of chaos...

Indeed, at the end of the day, it is what we all want. 

S'more Good Memories

Yesterday Christian told me that several of his classmates were going camping (a YMCA thing) and that he really wanted to go too.  Well, we were not prepared to take him camping, but I said,"How about we toast marshmallows here, make s'mores, and you can sleep in your sleeping bags on the floor?"  He and Michaela both thought that sounded like a great idea.  A camp-out, in. 

We didn't end up doing it last night, but tonight looked promising, so after Eliana went to bed, we "lit the fire" and toasted up some marshmallows, had some graham crackers and chocolate ready, and made yummy, sweet, little sandwiches out of it all.

  They thought this was VERY fun.  And it was very fun to watch them.  And no one burned their fingers or caught their hair on fire. 

Here is our blazing fire, lighting up our room and keeping us cozy warm on this cool evening.

Unlike its outdoor counterpart, our fire had to preheat...so the kids waited patiently...with sticks and sugar-bombs ready.

Still waiting!

It took a llittle while to get warmed up, and even still, I'm not sure that it really ever got as hot as it was supposed to be...but FINALLY!

This was serious business...

It also took a little while for the marshmallows to get warmed up and soft; sooner rather than later Christian decided that his was done.

So did Michaela, and they assembled their delightful, toasty, treats...

and took a little bite...

and decided they wanted s'more.  (I'm sorry, I had to say it.)

  Eating and heating.

Note how differently they eat their s'mores. Michaela keeps hers whole, while Christian eats his in separate parts. Such individuals.

"How can you tell I've been eating chocolate?!"

Everyone knows it is foolish not to have a flashlight when camping out...

I think she just heard something rustling nearby; maybe a bear or a fox...

Indoor s'mores maker: $19.99

Graham crackers, marshmallows, chocolate: $5.89

Seeing them glow in the "firelight": priceless