Healthy and Yummy

I had a physical today.  I am working through the steps to obtain my CDL (commercial driver's license) so that I can get the school bus driver endorsement (I'm trying to help my children's school).  Getting a physical was the first step...well, actually the second.  The first step was taking the bus driver class.

Perhaps motivated by my visit with the doctor, maybe just driven by the need to use the tomatoes, I made Bruschetta for dinner.  Tomatoes (two large heirloom), onion (2 medium-large), basil (handful), parsley (half a handful), olive oil (2 tablespoons, roughly), salt and pepper to taste, and one large baguette.  Healthy and yummy.

 

First Day of School

Summer is officially over. Today the kids go back to school and I get to reclaim my sanity.

Don't get me wrong, I really like summer; trips to the beach, watching the kids enjoy their summer camps, relaxed afternoons at the pool, camping, fishing, and sleeping in. This summer, we even had an "epic" (my son's favorite word) family vacation to Germany where we visited family, and then toured southern Germany into the Alsace (on the French border along the west bank of the upper Rhine, bordering Germany and Switzerland) in France...all on motorcycles. It was fantastic.

When we returned to the US, we brought a nephew along. He stayed with us for three weeks, returning to Germany on Saturday. Now, it's Monday and all of that "epic-ness" is a fading memory.

Katherine is excited to start the new school year. I think she likes the routine of it, and truthfully, I think she likes to go where she can show off her skills and be "better" than some of her peers. She's learning humility since you can't be the best at everything, but when it comes to academics - so far - she is very strong and enjoys this part of herself. Katherine is a straight A student and takes great pride in pointing out the A+ grades when they come. She's also looking forward to seeing her friends again. Kids don't tend to invite Katherine over to play so unless we do the inviting and the hosting (which we do as often as we can), Katherine sees little of her friends during the summer.

Patrick, on the other hand, gets together with his friends as often as humanly possible. He loves the freedom that summer brings, enjoys the summer camps, and dreads the return to school and desks and homework.

With the start of school, my schedule shifts back into a fixed routine of early rising, making lunches, and getting kids up, fed, and out the door. Between their departure in the morning and pick up in the afternoon, I have my other jobs to do (laundry, cleaning, errands, and managing our real estate rental business). During the summer, these jobs take a back seat to the activities of summer vacation...a waaaay back seat. Now, it's time to do some catching up as I shift from "summer vacation mom" to "school year mom". I like them both - they each have their up-sides - but, like new school shoes, they require some breaking in.

And so I'm off to start breaking in my "back to school mom" shoes.

Camping Treats - for the little people

These Campfire Cones were great. I prepared the supplies at home so that the kids could just fill the cones and heat them up over the fire. They were a hit!

Camping Treats - for the big people

What could be better during a camping trip than a dessert with grasshoppers?! Okay, I guess the grasshoppers are just in the name.  This Chocolate Grasshopper Cheesecke was part of my contribution to our annual group camping trip with several families.

This group has gathered for a camping trip each summer for several years and recently invited us to join in.  We haven't been able to attend every year, but we did this year, and the State Park that we invaded (like a swarm of bees) was Elmore State Park.  We've been there before (as a family) and it's still a nice place.

We were responsible for dinner (with another family) on Saturday night.  I made Sloppy Joes, and this dessert.  Both were well received.

Bringing Germany Home

We are back from our fabulous vacation! We spent two and half weeks in Germany, with a couple days in France, visiting family and touring the country on motorcycles. We enjoyed classic German meals, munched on Bavarian Brezel (pretzels), and hydrated on Apfelschorle (apple cider/juice and mineral water) and johannesbeerschorle (currant juice and mineral water). Bier was reserved for those evenings when we could walk to dinner since our only mode of transportation, for most of this trip, was a motorcycle.  Drinking and driving is bad enough, but when you remove two wheels and add kids...just not happening.

Now that we're home, the flavor of German cuisine is still fresh on the mind.  And, in honor of our German guest (we returned with a nephew) I have been throwing in some "tastes of home".

Tonight we had steak on the grill, CSA salad, and kartoffelknödl with this Mushroom Cream Sauce.  There was a lot leftover so I was able to freeze enough for a small meal later.  That will come in handy.  The sauce is good...says the member of the family who isn't a big fan of mushrooms.  So, if *I* like it...it's good. :)