busy bees, busy kids, a pumpkin! Ernie and the cukes, fennel pollen

Dru's first day of 4th grade! :)

<3 you guys!

a trip to the farm! :)

how much fun can one have! what a great time. The kids loved every
minute of it -- perfect day!

Evelyn's PreK3 orientation

Doubtful there will be any tears -from her anyway - as she boards the
bus on Monday. Big brother Ernie was so proud to walk back in, as an
alum, to "show her the ropes." Mwah! Love you guys!! xox

a blast from the past moment I wanted to share

If you know me, you know that for the better part of 4 years, Gene traveled.  The story below was from one of the most challenging moments during his traveling. His mom was married in Phoenix, we lived in NC, and his work, where he traveled every week, was in Nashville.  If Carrie Pendergrass or Ginger Jolley are reading, you were angels.  xox

 one of those "gene will never understand the sacrifices I made for him" moments was getting all 3 kids to the airport - met him en route, in nashville - One of them had a fever, I don't remember which one - Ev was 9 mos, Ernie was 3, and Dru was 6 - to the airport - with 3 car seats, all the luggage - so we could go to his mother's wedding - I had sent most of the stuff to Arizona for his birthday, where we celebrated at a train park. The "I'll help you once you arrive in Nashville" attitude blew my mind. Just because the *flight* is longer from nashville to phoenix does not mean you actually *helped* one iota! My neighbor across the street dropped us off and picked us up, which was a God-send (she used my van) While there, Ernie barfed (the morning of his party, couldn't cancel because we were all out of state with no backup plan!), Ev had some funk, and I think Dru had a fever the morning we got on a plane to come home. One day I'll write a book. No one will buy it - but I will have written a book. ;) 

om nom farm to yummy yummy table schlurp dinner

YUM. We had lots of lovely, delicious things in the garden tonight,
which made their way to our table. Tomatoes, zuchinis, beets,
cucumbers, The protein, on the right, marinated and grilled ahi,
topped with pico, to its left, cucumbers, tomatoes, in a light rice
and balsamic vinegar with a pinch of brown sugar, some salt and pepper
and dill (also from our garden), black rice with chicken stock and
whole garlic, zuchini coins cooked in white wine with garlic, onion,
and tomato, and, in the middle, candied beets. Evelyn couldn't keep
her fingers off it long enough for me to shoot it! Yummy. yummy.
SCHLURP!

beauty is skin deep. Flavor is through and through.

from the YYS garden! Isn't it beautiful, this raiinbow carrot, with
its beet red exterior and gorgeous orange interior?