No Story, Just Adorable

...and he sang to it until it warmed up enough to jump away.

While Sissy's Away...

...Henny will play.

I've been asked a few times how Henry is handling having Sissy back at school. Does he miss her? Sure! Was he sad to drop her off? Not really... though he was disappointed that he has to wait one more year before he gets to start going to school too.

And also I'm asked: What does he do with the majority of the day to himself?

My answer: Whatever he wants! And boy does he make the most of it.

Right Now :: And She's Off!

Ready or not, First Grade, here she comes! She's feelin' good about it, too.

Right now I'm remembering just how much one can get done when your morning starts before 6:30am... and how hungry Little Brothers can get when breakfast is eaten before 7am. I'm also remembering just how quiet and kinda empty the house, car, and day can feel when school starts up.

One thing is for sure: we are looking forward to the end of the day when we get to come back together and hear all about the new adventures being had by our big First Grader...

...and just look at her. You know she's gonna have some adventures this year.

Prepping

The monumental task of purging, organizing, and choosing the clothes that will be worn on the first day of school is now under our belts. New notes have been made for school lunches, fresh batteries are in the alarm clock, and the backpack is packed.

There will be an on-time bath and tuck-in (so help me), and there will be a fresh batch of breakfast cookies waiting in the morning... the morning my biggest Little wakes up a First Grader.

*sniff*

Revamped Breakfast Cookies

Makes about 14 biggins 

1 stick room-temp butter

1/2 cup room-temp lard or coconut oil

1/2 cup sucanat, rapadura, or dark brown sugar

2 cold eggs

1/4 cup real maple syrup

1/2 tsp sea salt

2 tsp real vanilla

1/8 tsp almond extract

1 cup whole what flour (whole wheat pastry flour OK)

1/2 cup almond meal

1/2 cup quick-cooking oatmeal

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2-ish cup dark chocolate chips (optional)

1/2-ish cup unsweetened coconut (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a stand mixer or handheld mixer beat butter and lard/coconut oil with sugar until very fluffy (this will take around 4 or 5 minutes). Add cold eggs one at a time (mixture will thicken), then add maple syrup, vanilla, almond extract, and salt. On the side combine dry ingredients (leave chocolate chips and coconut out for now, if you're gonna use 'em). With your mixer on LOW slowly add dry ingredients in about three batches, then add the chocolate chips and/or coconut.

Spoon or scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are browned and center seems set. They will spread out significantly, so give them room!

Cool completely and store in the fridge.

Weekending :: Coffee on the Porch

I'm starting my weekend off right- coffee on the porch. From here I can see all the raw outdoor spaces that will someday be fantastic and I can dream out all their details. I can also hear my kids through their shrouded windows playing with the cat. I can see the sunrise. I can watch my chickens forage in the garden. I can sit and get my day started slowly.

Happy weekending.

Just a Taste

It finally rained today, breaking the 41-day streak of zero precip that has made this August the third driest on record. Granted, we only had 1/10", but it was better than nothing. What made the teeny tiny bit of rain acceptable was the "cold" front that came with it, allowing us to finish the second half of the day in the low 80's and high 70's.

It made the kids energetic and got them outside.

It made the dog frisky.

It got the chickens foraging again (vs. laying in shade, wings out, panting).

It got me working on the front flowerbeds.

It got us all thinking about autumn, and that maybe- just maybe- it's drawing near.

Tomorrow (they say) the high will be in the 80's, and we may start the day in the mid-60's. When it's hot and dry it's hard to remember that summer doesn't last forever... but what always helps us believe that fall will come again is a day like today... even if it was just a taste.

Chalk Art Evolution

Remember Henry's first taste of sidewalk chalk (and at one point it was quite a literal taste)? Look at what he's drawing now! This is a dinosaur with a hump, a long tail (he says the tail is the most important part), spines and a forked tongue. I wish I could peel this thing off the concrete and put it on paper in a frame! But I suppose sharing a peek at it in this space will keep it just as well.

Loooooooooove. 

A 3-Day Staycation

We slipped away for a "staycation" with some close friends to a place not too far away from home for one last hurrah before school starts up again (hence my silence in this space the past few days). 

A good time was had by all.

We're ready to start getting ready for school now.

I think.

You Are My Sun

I rounded the corner on my 33rd trip around the sun yesterday. I've got to hand it to all this social media stuff- it sure can be used to make a gal feel loved! But I'll tell ya what takes the cake for feeling loved... this:

"You are my sun! I (heart) you"

The green card is from Henry... Sister helped with the heart shapes, but he did all the letters
on the inside. There are almost enough letters to spell "I love u"

This years' birthday had many a high point, but it will forever be remembered as the birthday that both of my Littles remembered- on their own with no prodding or reminding from the grown-ups- and made and gave me these.

I done teared up again.