Tonight we finished watching Anne of Green Gables. The girls have been very interested in the story, especially LittleZabba. She was very excited when it became clear that Gilbert “liked” Anne Shirley. She giggled every time they would talk, or when Gilbert would give Anne “that” look.

The credits rolled with Gilbert and Anne walking together. LittleZabba let out a big sigh, and said,

That’s the end!? Dang. I wanted to see them kiss.

For the past several days we have been relaxing and enjoying time as a family and reconnecting with some dear friends. We are so lucky to have friends who we can be silly with, friends who love our kids, friends who have a spouse that the other spouse enjoys, friends who will travel across the country to visit us. We are blessed. Thanks for being our friends. We love you and we love being with you!

Have a safe and happy 4th of July.

Lunch has always been the hardest meal of the day for me. I am always at a loss for what to make. One particular afternoon I had no idea what to serve the family so I started pulling things out of the fridge and arranging things on a plate. Apples, pears, snap peas, avocado, pita bread, hummus, cauliflower, turkey, cheese and anything else I could find. The family was called to the table. They asked, “What’s for lunch?” And that is how the now famous “Pick what you want lunch” was invented. Now the kids often ask to have “pick what you want lunch”.

My kids tend to be snacky eaters, meaning, they will eat lots of “snacks” but have a hard time eating a meal. This kind of meal is perfect for them. They get to pick what they want, a lot or a little of that item, so it feels a little more like a snack. Our one rule, you have to eat all of whatever you pick. I was shocked when they ate everything. All the plates were empty. They loved it. They got very creative with their little pita sandwiches, adding a little of this and that to make a new pita every time.

Last weekend Daddy and the girls went on a father/daughter camping trip. They were so excited to go on a special trip together.

They packed a lot of fun into a short trip.

Now you don’t.

Summer is finally here. I can’t believe how fast the school year has flown by. It seems to go so slow and then just like that it starts going really fast. BigZabba has had a great year. I am so pleased with how much she has learned and how much she has matured this year. While she is still shy she is more confident in herself and is able to stand in front of people without cringing. Last year I had to walk with her to the stage to accept her Student of the Month award, and this year she jumped up without even a second thought.

We have been thrilled with her teacher. She is fun and creative with the students, and takes an interest in each of the kids. She has been encouraging to BZ in her areas of weakness and given her helpful strategies to help her grow. Overall it has been a fantastic year. We will miss Miss W and her silly songs.

Summer here we come.

I look at these photos…

..and I get that hankering again. It must be like childbirth. It takes a few months for the painful memories to fade and you get that sick desire to go through it all again.

This morning LittleZabba wanted a snack. She went to the cupboard and decided to she wanted to try something new. She chose crackers with the spreadable cheese. She doesn’t normally like cheese, so I was surprised when she wanted to try it. When she opened it she asked,

Oh, do I dip the cracker in the cheese?

I responded, “They mean for you to use the stick and spread the cheese on yourself.”

With a stunned look she said,

I have to spread the cheese on myself?

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