it's a pretty big deal

Today was the first day of school!  Public school. Earlier in the summer we made the decision to send the girls to school this year. This may come as a surprise because I've been shared such positive thoughts on homeschooling.  These thoughts and memories remain, but the needs of our family have changed.  Primarily, my need for some sanity.  Ugh, I hate saying it like that because my children don't drive me insane...the grocery shopping/dishes/laundry/toilets/floors/etc drive me insane!  I have a "full-time-nursing" and 'yet-to-fall-into-a-napping-routine" baby, an "eager-to-learn-to-read" Laurel, two older girls in need of something more socially, a husband who likes clean clothes and an occasional meal, and the desire to have 5 minutes each day (okay maybe more) when I can do- well- whatever I want to do. There just doesn't seem to be enough of me to go around.  I'm trying not to feel guilty about that.  I can only do so many thing AND do them well. Right? Right. I am blessed to have all of the above, I don't wish for any of it to go away. We just needed to restructure.

So, we bought backpacks, lunchboxes, and LOADS AND LOADS of school supplies (I had no idea!). We got haircuts, a few chosen vaccines, and new shoes. We had ice-cream with their teachers, saw their classrooms, and today...they waved goodbye to me in front of their school (kisses and hugs were taken care of at home- out of sight :).  And you know what?  I have peace about it. Alright, so I had dark sunglasses on and mascara all over my face by the time I got home, but really I think it was the right choice.  The girls are super excited and I too am expecting good things. 

New Favorite

Just checked this book out from the library.

 

Since the birth of the wee one, I haven't been much of a champ in the kitchen.  In fact, it is close to a miracle if dinner even makes it to the table in one piece.  Several nights we have survived on cereal.  But, I am starting to feel the wind come back into my sails thanks to this book:

Kitchen Express by Mark Bittman.  First of all, can I just say how much I love Mr. Bittman?  I listed to a podcast a while back as he talked about trying to eat more fruits and veggies and consuming fewer animal products. He doesn't depart from his unstuffy style in this cookbook. 

I love that the recipes (divided according to Summer/Fall/Winter/Spring so you can eat seasonally) are in paragraph form and that he offers a lot of ideas for substitutions should you not have the exact ingredients on hand (I rarely do).

And yet, the food represented in this book is generally whole (think of shopping the perimeter of the grocery store), fresh, interesting (no more repeating the same 5-6 dinners), and really very simple. What more could you ask for?  It is my new favorite.  Going now to Amazon to buy one for keeps.

Rx for a fussy baby

Today was one of those days-- lots of fussing, no napping, plenty of frustration. And for good reason: Ian is the proud new owner of his TWO lower central incisors. My arms were full of baby! After dinner we escaped out to our front lawn. There we made a little nest...

and put our feet up.

Some of us ate tomatoes from the garden (which, by the way, has been a total flop).  Other of us just drooled over them.

 

We pinched and nibbled,

kissed...

and just generally engaged in silliness.  Then we smiled and laughed and went inside, took our baths and went to bed.

*Sigh*  I'm not going to think about the dishes until tomorrow.