It was a good Memorial Day weekend. For the first time in my ten years with Bray, he had the day off, so we were able to spend the long weekend in Oklahoma with my father, his wife, and my brother. It’s always low key there and we have a lot of time just to drink coffee on the front porch while the kids play on the lawn.
(Despite the pool noodles in the way, I am in love with this picture. These boys are so much alike.)
So I haven’t written, and I don’t have a lot of posts running around in my head. That led me to thinking that I’d do a little recap of stuff I’ve written about lately:
1. The headshot. So this was an amazing experience. I got great feedback from folks on what to do for my author headshot, and I peppered my wonderful photographer with “ideas.” She was amazing – I highly recommend using Julie Shochat if you need anything from a headshot to a family photo if you’re in Houston. These were my favorite two and the first one will be the one featured on my book jacket! Woohoo!
(And I was shopping with my best friend when I fell in love with that blazer, it’s from J.Crew. The color was perfect for natural lighting.)
2. Cooking new-for-me veggies. Ugh. So I got so many awesome ideas for all my farm fresh veggies. But here’s the thing, I just don’t like them all. I really haven’t ever liked beets and I still don’t like them. I made the perfect roasted feta beet recipe and all my beet-loving friends salivated when I told them how I prepared them, but they still taste like beets. Which I don’t like. And my balsamic roasted brussel sprouts (sans the bacon) were no better because they tasted like brussel sprouts. I’m a bad mommy role model. But I used the turnips in my crockpot pot roast and those worked well and I will now use them along with potatoes. And the kale and radishes were good. So hopefully I’ve redeemed myself a little.
3. Marriage tag. Oh, I wrote how I struggle with wanting everything to go just so and not letting my husband help a while back. This weekend was a good lesson in that. We were both so tired. Brutal traffic on Friday, of which he drove the whole way and me entertaining three year olds, left us wiped on Friday night after nine hours driving, and then turning around for a much better, but still long seven plus hour, trip yesterday extended the exhaustion. He felt bad and I was recovering from a cold. We didn’t sleep great because the kids kept crawling into bed with us. So we tagged teamed it. He did duty and then I did. He’d grab a nap and then I’d rest. He’d cover the front lawn antics, and then I’d take over. Wow, talk about the perfect tag team effort. It’s a process, but I’m learning.
4. We’re still laughing. Oh my mercy, all my dad did this weekend was laugh at how funny the kids are. The eldest patiently explained his favorite part of the National Cowboy Museum experience and little bit did a dozen somersaults when prompted to do one and the baby bounced back from a massive temper fit with darling generosity and funny one liners. They offer them daily at home, and I’m still upset I don’t keep a notebook handy. Recently, I told him that most people say, “May I please be excused?” when they want to leave the dinner table. To which he replied, “Mom, we’re not most people.” Well, that couldn’t be more true.
Hope you all had a wonderful extended weekend and had the opportunity to recognize those who gave their lives for our freedom. Memorial Day always reminds me how blessed I am to have my dad who made it back from his service.
Cute pictures!! “Mom, we’re not most people!” LOVE it! Glad to hear the drive home was better, I was worried! : )
In lieu of keeping a notebook (ain’t nobody got time for that!), when my second baby was born, out of desperation, I started writing things he said on a regular hanging calendar. I just jot down a brief description. It’s was the best I could do…and hey, when I got to baby number 4, I stopped even doing that, but whatever. : )
Loving the book jacket pictures!!
I understand about the veggies – I so, so want to like roasted brussel sprouts (WITH the bacon! : ) ) but I just can’t. I keep thinking one day I will.
Love that idea Christine, I have a hanging calendar on my fridge, I’ll just tape a pen to it 🙂 And thanks, I’m feeling some serious solidarity with me, you and Page on the brussel sprouts now 🙂
Awesome recap. The hammock picture is my favorite-great Father’s day picture- resting, napping allowing the Lord to hold both of them in His arms. Head shot is great- blue is a wonderful color on you for sure. Can’t stand beets, or turnips or brussel sprouts and I am a health nut- but no amount of butter or bacon can make those vegetables taste like anything.
Thanks Page – I know, I wish we had time for hammocks in Houston, but it’s so nice that we always get time for it in Oklahoma 🙂 And coming from a health nut, I feel SO much better about my brussel sprout disdain!
So sorry you did not like the beets 🙂 As I mentioned in my comment on your veggie post, they are one of my favorites. Sorry too that the brussel sprouts were a bummer. I love those too, but really like them with sprinkled parmesan cheese on them 🙂 If you do not like them cooked, you can always try shredding and using them as you would cabbage for cole slaw. Hope you get a better basket of veggies next time.
Oh Jewell, I tried. I really did 🙂 And you’re right, cheese makes everything better. I will try the shredding idea, b/c we use broco-slaw and coleslaw and I could sneak it in there!
You are so brave traveling that long with three 3-year-olds! I have to say, I’m with you when it comes to veggies. I’m not a fan of beets or turnips, and Michael and Jerry won’t eat broccoli without cheese on it! I tried cooking Brussel sprouts on the stalk and I’ve tried them loose — I’ve tried them with parm and bacon and I’ve tried them with a light orange glaze. Somehow, I still don’t like them, little cabbages that they are. Trust me, you’re not alone. The best thing that I found was a completely organic farm about 30 minutes away. We invested $125 in this farm and he gave us $400 in produce to spend throughout the year! He grows everything from salad greens to broccoli to strawberries, pulls his own honey from the hives and breeds turkeys. He also has fresh eggs. We buy all our produce from him and it gives me a chance to try things I wouldn’t normally buy, like watermelon radishes (they’re good!). Anyhow, just wondering if there might be an organic farm not too far from y’all. I always know his produce is freshly picked! Please pray for us to find a house and Jerry and I to find jobs in Texas next year! We want to move and be closer to our Texas families as well as our Missouri families! Take care, Gindi! I can’t wait to see your book!!
Well, we go see dad every year so we’re used to it by now 🙂 And the farm that delivers our veggies is a local organic farm, luckily they come to my neighborhood or I’d never get to them. Unfortunately, I don’t get to pick the veggies, I’m trying to broaden my horizons though….