Thursday, August 27, 2015

Happy Birtday.

I am taking a break from party planning to jot down some memories from this week.

Yes, I idolize my child and he is at the center of my life and we hang images of him throughout our home to honor him and sing praise songs to him every day.  Why do you ask?

So, back to my break from Jonah to tell you about Jonah.  He started preschool this week and we couldn't be happier with how it's going.  He loves it, and we love it so much that if he didn't we would second guess him before the school.  It's that good.  

Aside from trying to solve the mystery about who Abigail is and why he should be nice to her, I heard the sweetest recollection from him about his day.  Last night as I was putting him to bed I was going through the events of the day with him (he loves this and gets really still and pays close attention) and when I got to the review of snack time and the lesson at school, he pointed to himself and said, "My name Jonah."  Then he pointed to me and said, "My name Mama."  

MELT ME.

They've been talking about names and family this week and I hadn't even brought that up in our review of the day.  I think Mamas and Papas are the best teachers, so to hear that he is learning and growing even though we're apart during the day washed me over with peace.

I'm prepared for the peace to be fleeting if his made-up girlfriend Abigail dumps him tomorrow.

Howard and I aren't back at work yet so I've been working a little on decorating my classroom and a lot on Jonah's birthday party (ies).  It helps to work out the missing of him.  I'm about to go make 'healthy' cookies for his school party tomorrow but before I do, you have to know that I was working so hard on this chalkboard sign this morning.  I got carried away and had so much fun representing all the things Jonah likes.  Howard even so sweetly surprised me with my favorite lunch because he saw the sweat I am pouring into a 2 year old's birthday party where he'll only care about the M&Ms.

I was proud and took pics.

Before the addition of Larry the Cucumber:

Larry was added:

I went and did some other things and walked back through the kitchen again, and it hit me. 

I misspelled "Birthday."

I MISSPELLED "BIRTHDAY."

I'm not redoing it.  

Jonah tells people all the time "Happy Birtday" as a sign of affection.  So there you go, Jo.  Happy Birtday.  

It's probably best you have other teachers in your young life, after all.

Saturday, August 22, 2015

Big Hug, Summer!


The day is done and summer too.


So much we saw and did (and threw).



A trip to Tulsa and twice to the beach, to the pool and swim lessons where we learned to kick feet.



Frozen yogurt and cookies and popcorn galore.  Every day was an occasion.  Don't forget s'mores!



Lots of firsts this summer did see, like riding rides at the toddler park and the start of climbing trees.


Now it's off to school, but when our days are through, we'll meet again for playtime, for snuggles, and for YOU.


(In case the above wasn't clear, the snuggles are for Jonah - not you, the reader.  Please don't come to our house asking for snuggles.  That would be really weird. Thanks.)

Friday, August 21, 2015

Now & Later Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 lb mild Italian sausage
1 16 oz jar Tomato Basil Pasta sauce (I like HEB brand)
1 package oven-ready lasagna noodles
1 package sliced mozzarella 
1 package grated Italian blend cheese

Supplies:
Ramekins or non-paper oven safe cupcake liners and muffin pan

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 and line muffin tin with non-paper cupcake liners (I used Reynolds foil liners).


2. Brown and drain the sausage.  Keep in pan and set aside.

3. Add a spoonful of sauce to the bottom of each liner.  Add the rest of the jar to the sausage and stir over warm until heated through.  Cover and set aside.

4.  Break up noodles and start layering noodle, 1/4 mozzerella slice, grated cheese, sausage mixture, until all ingredients but a little grated cheese are used up.


5. Top with remaining grated cheese and bake for 30 min at 350.



6. Serve some now and freeze the rest!  Reheat later in the oven or pop out of liner to microwave.

Monday, August 17, 2015

A Dance at the Dienger

Today we visited the newly restored cafĂ© in town, the Dienger, and had a ball...quite literally.  After being drawn to a particular "pitching hat" in the men's clothing section, Jo and I found an excellent book (a Mark Twain board book adaptation), exchanged warm hellos with friends, and then made our way to the bakery counter where Jonah picked out a chocolate croissant (decisively, I might add - it's genetic), and then proceeded to take both of my hands in his.  Flustered from trying to order and pay and keep my almost two-year old from practicing batting swings on the glass display windows, the glass serving pitchers, the glass trinkets and doo dads, and the glass everything all of a sudden seemed to be made of, I decided to divert my attention from the cash register all onto him, because, after all, if he's taking both of my hands he might have a sticker poking him or have just made a mess somewhere, or have seen an important dog or airplane.  

But no.

It wasn't about a mess

or a dog 

or a plane.

He took my hands because he wanted to dance.  Yes, dance.  Not the silly way we dance to the seasons song on Baby Einstein - no - actually dance.

He held my hands in his and said "dance, mm hmm," and he led me in a ballroom like sway right there in the middle of the Dienger, right in the middle of our order, right in the middle of a wonderful life.