Wednesday Already?

R caught this moment at the Blue Angels Air Show

On Monday I thought about writing a blog post titled Trophy Wife Mondays. As a trophy wife, Mondays are now filled with possibilities: to get up before the children and have coffee, to run, to practice the violin, to read more books and watch less cartoons, to research potty training, to eat less sugar. Trophy Wife Mondays are very different from Engineer Cubicle Mondays or Manufacturing Floor Mondays. While I don't always make decisions that lead me to be the person I'd like to be, Mondays are now full of the chance to do so. 

This past Monday, during which I thought about writing the aforementioned blog post, the Great woke up from a long nap with a high fever, and after consulting the on-call nurse at our pediatrician's office (because of his fever and other symptoms) we took a family evening outing to the Urgent Care clinic. The Great will be okay - he actually had two different issues that ended up not being related which really was better - and we all got to sleep in our own beds that night. 

And now for a fire breathing dragon....

This past weekend ALM and MMD and myself went to Harry Potter world at Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure. It was wonderful. Diagon Alley is the newest attraction and we explored the alley, rode the new bank ride, and then took the Hogwart's Express to Hogsmeade and explored there too. I did manage to remember my dear husband and children and brought back awesome souvenirs.

Yesterday I thought I was capturing a sweet moment - Squirms coloring while I did the dishes.

Awwwwwww, my child is so calm and constructive. She likes to color.

Less than two minutes later I took another photo.

what. just. happened.
She likes to throw colors.

I should mention that before bedtime she was very helpful while we cleaned up this creation. She was very excited about using a wet paper towel to clean crayon marks off the floor....so enthusiastic really, that I'm considering calling that a game and getting her to help clean up around the high chair after the Great eats.

Ten Things

1. I know we're back home in central Florida because yesterday only 1 out of 6 people waved back to the Great and I while we jogged around the neighborhood. Our normal percentage is 33%. I started counting how many people wave, or don't wave, because I thought maybe I was overestimating my disappointment in the lack of what I like to call Southern Culture, or friendliness. But, it is not my homesick imagination. Most people choose not to wave to a smiling, waving, out of breath woman pushing a double stroller. At least no one has hit us.

2. H moved into a new apartment, with a roommate, several weeks ago. And she still doesn't know her address. This concerns me.

3. The Great has been enjoying the toddler-size playhouse in our back yard. He prefers to slide face first, on his belly; and today he learned that the ladder is not a slide that you should go down face first. He took his lesson well, with surprise but no tears.

4. Squirm's growing vocabulary is enlightening us more and more to her growing personality. She's just delightful. After our gulf coast visit she has been talking about cons (pecans), caroline's wedding, acorns, jets, and boo boo from running with Gran. Preschool highlights right now include toy cows and horses, apples that crunch, and growing pumpkins.

5. I finished Stephen E. Ambrose's D-Day. I really don't know what to write about it. Epic. I read it slowly, I could not read it quickly. I almost always needed kleenexes. The quotes from oral histories - from Eisenhower interviews to lieutenants to privates - made me proud, heartbroken, awe struck, and reflective. Ambrose is analytical in his review of the preparation and execution, and he brings the reader to understand the depth of this one day with the stories of the men who were there. He also accomplishes a feat of organization in how he takes the reader through the day. I suppose it's not that I don't know what to write about this book - but that I don't feel a short review from me would do it justice. Read it.

6. R and I really like Panera's new online order and restaurant pick up system. (This feels like an odd thing to say after no. 5. That book is intense.)

7. Squirms saw her first, real, rainbow during our Gulf Coast trip. She was ecstatic.

8. Instead of writing this blog post, I really should be paying bills. Or ironing.

9. R is a very patient husband.

10. The Great is not a very patient baby boy. And he is awake. He probably needs some kisses.

THE Wedding and Air Show

RPPIII and C were married on 7 November. C was radiant, relaxed, and couldn't stop smiling. Her dress was soft and romantic, with a beautifully delicate lace jacket. I will confess that we didn't take a lot of pictures with our camera - but it's a wedding and they had a real photographer! Please refer to Facebook, especially my father-in-law's newsfeed because he re-shared from the photographer, for actual wedding day photos.

It's still sinking in that our extended family now has one more permanent member. Our new brother-in-law has an excellent sense of humor and adores C. I've been told he's also responsible, dapper, and enjoys skeet shooting. Squirms and the Great love him. The happy couple is enjoying Asheville, and we're looking forward to gorgeous scenery photos when they return.

My parents came for the wedding weekend and were a huge help with Squirms and the Great. I am certain I would have been found in a corner....sitting in a ball....sobbing on the day of the wedding had my parents not been there to play with and take care of our children. R and I got to participate in all the bridal party fun and I especially enjoyed getting ready with C, Mrs. MHJ, and all the bridesmaids.

The sanctuary is filled with stain glass windows, of which R captured several photos before the groomsmen had to change into their tuxedos. The beauty of the stain glass will hopefully give a small glimpse of how beautiful the ceremony was. RPPIII and C acknowledged and worshipped their Lord with every part of their wedding ceremony.

R calls this the Rose Window

The day after the wedding the kids, my parents, Senior R, R, and I went to the Blue Angels Homecoming Show. My beloved highly respects, and well, gets rather giddy about the Blue Angels. It was wonderful to see their homecoming show as a family. I had imagined that this was something we were doing for the kids; however, I think I enjoyed it more than they did. I held my breath, jumped, and my dad took a very unflattering photo of me staring in amazement with my mouth open. These pilots and planes are just simply amazing.

I requested that we take a family photo in front of the display plane. And, yes, Squirms and the Great now have toy F-18's.

Did I mention that our hotel wedding weekend gift bag included bakery-made moon pies (THE BEST moon pie ever), dark chocolate covered pecans from the panhandle, and gingersnaps baked by the bride? I'm eating dark chocolate covered peanuts from the gift bag right now.

Food, and the Pumpkins

My mother-in-law has a talent for finding wonderful cook books. The latest one she gave me is A Time to Cook: Dishes from My Southern Sideboard by James T. Farmer III. James T. Farmer III also happens to be an Auburn alum. Plus, he has a cool name that is kind of fun to type, James T. Farmer III.

 Besides beautiful photographs and lovely stories like a church member making a pound cake once a month for the pastor's family, the recipes we've tried have been very satisfying.

So far we have tried Warm Bacon and Spinach Salad with The Farmer's Vinaigrette (made using a lemon from our back yard tree!), Summer Garden Pasta (pictures below) which R has requested become a regular dinner dish, Heart Healthy Corn Chowder (he also includes a normal Corn Chowder), Sausage and Wild Rice Bake (described as a Baptist dish), Basic Whipping Cream Pound Cake (my first ever pound cake! I felt very southern), and Crisps (I've made pear and apple).

Summer Garden veggies for the pasta.

Ready for dinner.

And then there was Halloween. Our two angels were pumpkins. Squirms was very excited this year because now she actually knows what Candy is. It's refreshing really, her attitude toward candy: she treasures each piece, smells it, carries it around, wants to know the name of it, and enjoys just holding it before she ever takes a bite. It takes her twenty minutes to eat a Tootsie Roll.

Look at my shoes!

Scouting the neighborhood.

Out of focus - but such lovely excitement.

He was not impressed. At all.