Category Archives: Holidays

Fall’s a-flying

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Stephen and I went to our very first marriage retreat the weekend before our 14th anniversary on 10/14. We have been talking about attending one for a few years now, but we finally made it happen … and boy, was it worth it!

“Love is blind, but marriage is a real eye-opener!”

These “getaways” are aimed at Christian couples, from newlyweds, to folks whose marriage just needs a tune-up, to some who are even on the brink of calling it quits. Stephen and I fell in the middle category, so we chose break-out sessions that met our needs for enrichment.

Here we are on day 1 of our LIfeWay Marriage Getaway @ the Ridgecrest Conference Center, near Black Mountain, NC.

The themes were varied, but the overarching message of the weekend is that God designed marriage to be a celebration and reflection of His love for us. So, why would we willfully want to degrade this beautiful gift that God has given us?

After all, God is the Creator of diversity. It’s a declaration of his handiwork, so we need to affirm the differences between a husband and wife (which can so often be the cause of marital stress), instead of condemning it. Of course, this can be difficult sometimes, as a man and woman’s nature are oftentimes seemingly so at odds.

But God created us to have unique roles that reflect the divergent aspects and characteristics of Himself, so those differences which can divide are actually assets, not burdens and stresses. And harmony in marriage will result from embracing our complimentary variances.

Check out Zeke and Gabriel’s serious-to-terrified expressions just before riding the Haunted Train on 10/24. Don’t worry … they survived unscathed, and declared it to be “awesome!”

As author Gary Chapman put it during his session: “Each of us has a primary love language. Seldom do a husband and wife have the same, and by nature we speak our love language.

“So, we must learn to speak their language … (and) if it doesn’t come natural, it’s an even greater act of love. Love is something you do for the other person, not for yourself.”

“If I have all faith, so that I can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.” — 1 Corinthians 13:2

But for a spouse to do this effectively, he or she must get right with God by first utilizing the Fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.

And by opening ourselves to God and His abundant strength, we can grow in dealing with our own flaws and sins, which then filters into our marriage and our treatment of our spouse. In short, it’s a heart issue. Like our pastor at Mercy Hill always says, true Christ-like behavior works from the inside out.

Zeke & Stanley admire “Turkey” the pumpkin. Don’t ask me … Gabriel named it.

The even bigger news of that weekend was that Stephen and I renewed our vows. Some of you may recall that we went way out of our way to exclude God from our very atheistic wedding, with our vows being more about each of us separately and what we brought to the table, and less about our union.

“Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” — Ecclesiastes 4:12

Our old vows were so much about self, instead of selflessness … hopes, instead of heartfelt promises … feel-good notions, instead of serious submission to one another … a 50/50 arrangement, instead of a devotion of each giving 100%.

Houston was originally going to be a “medieval zombie executioner,” but it eventually morphed into just a good ol ‘zombie. Scary!

In retrospect, it is so clear that God has always been with us, even back during our hostile-toward-Christianity days. And this just seemed like the perfect opportunity to publicly renew our commitment to one another by attesting that Christ is our foundation, and that through Him, we can win “the race.”

“Let us throw off everything that hinders & the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” — Hebrews 12:1

But how do we train for this race mentioned in Hebrews? Well, by being intentional in our love for Christ and for our spouse, and then we can achieve oneness in our relationship. But we must remember that marriage is a marathon, and each day is just part of the worthy and fulfilling quest.

Zeke & Gabriel are Steve from Minecraft. Great job on your homemade costumes, boys!

Gabriel and Zeke celebrated their 6th birthday on 10/16. Since this was a Thursday, we got together with some of our fave homeschool families, including crews from CC and church, as well as our wonderful homeschool neighbors, Shawn, Dixie, and Milton.

We started off at Putt-Putt for miniature golf and video games, and then hit Chick fil-A, where we took over the outdoor seating area for feasting on chicken and chocolate cake on the gorgeous fall day with which we had been blessed.

That night we had a sleepover with the twins’ buddies, Jackson and Alex. Gabe and Zeke had a blast during every part of their big day, as did I, since I was pretty doggone diligent about planning as low-maintenance and stress-free a day as possible.

Gabriel was the only Amigo brave enough to strike a pose w/ this huge skeleton & Mommy. The guy inside the costume explained that he crafted the long arms out of pool noodles and wire … so cool!

That Friday, Gramsey and Papa came to visit. They took care of the boys — thanks a million, y’all! — so Stephen and I could attend Poker For Preemies. This is an incredible annual fundraiser that helps raise money for premature babies, and special-needs and sick kids in our area.

It was an incredibly delightful evening, specifically because we got to hang with our great pals, Meredith and Greg (who happen to help organize the event). In addition to paying for our way into the gala, our awesome friends also hooked us up with starter chips for gambling. Mucho gracias, y’all!

The only gambling we did was Texas Hold ‘Em, but it was sooooo fun. I even won a hand! So, Stephen used all of our surplus chips, plus some additionally purchased chips, to enter a cool gift-basket raffle, which he then won. The odds were in our favor for sure!

Granny & I get prepped for a full night of spooky shenanigans & ghoulishly good times. Thanks for making Halloween so grand, Granny!

And did I mention there was an open bar, our local cigar guy doled out complimentary stogies, and we took a cab home?! Yep, we had a rockin’ wild night indeed!

Stephen and I took the kids to the Haunted Train in Burlington on 10/24. It was a short ride, but particularly sweet since Zeke didn’t get to ride the Halloween Train at the Transportation Museum some three years ago due to his fairly common tantrums back then. (If you recall, he didn’t get to go trick-or-treating that year either. Poor dude.)

So, this year’s jaunt was of especially significant to Zeke, who can finally say he has ridden a festive fall train. And it’s also a big deal across the board, as it was just a nice way to celebrate both his and his bros’ increasingly mature behavior. Way to go, 3 Amigos!

While @ the park on the twins’ birthday, Zeke masters swinging one high-wheel to the next — a feat that seems to impress onlookers Alex & Gabriel.

This was probably our most chill Halloween yet. We didn’t do any church trunk-or-treats or drive to any faraway locales to get candy. We stuck to our neighborhood, took a brief half-time to drop off the tired folks (Zeke and Granny), and then headed out for round 2 with the late-night adventurers: Houston, Gabe, Stephen, and I.

Dare-devil Gabriel even went up solo (with Daddy) to “the house with the bloody heads,” which the kids and I had been bike-riding to during the day as preparation for this All Hallow’s Eve night. Oh well, maybe next year, Houston!

Since they are bolting for a more Southern home this Friday, we have been trying to spend as much time with the J-Crew as possible. I recently had a girls-night out at a swanky tapas bar with Christie and her good pal, Tricia.

Some of our giddy birthday posse @ Chick fil-A on 10/16: (from L to R) Tyrnan, Houston, Jackson, Gabriel, Zeke, Eli, Briggs & Knox.

We also celebrated Asher’s 8th birthday; Houston partook in a last-hurrah sleepover; and then Stephen and I went out with Christie and Logan and their kind community group earlier this week. And I am crying just thinking about their move because Christie is so much more than a friend.

I joke to her, saying “Whose coattails am I going to ride on now?!” But it is the truth; she is my mentor in her faithful walk with Christ and her passionate call to homeschool her fearless threesome.

Christie is funny and smart, genuine and self-less, and always giving and grace-filled. She is authentic, never putting on airs. Her honesty, realness, and forthrightness are such rarities to behold in this age of pretend and plastic.

My great pal, Christie, & I in the only pic of the two of us in existence. Funny thing about that is that she & her hubby are professional photographers … memory-card-erasing slackers!

She is a lifelong-learner who is thoughtful, inquisitive, and opinionated, but not easily offended. Christie is also a person who is amazingly open-minded and ready to hear new things or just old things from a different perspective. Seems oxymoronic to possess such diverse traits in our coarse culture.

But that is precisely why she will be so missed. Thank you for making me a better person, Christie, and for welcoming my brood into the fold of your incredible family’s adventures these last three fun-filled years. May God bless y’all in the Holy City!

By the way, I’m in the market for a new best bud. So, if you enjoy a good intellectual challenge, like discussing controversial topics in a civil manner, love the Lord (but still say the occasional curse word), have a penchant for ’90s music, and consider the TV show “Portlandia” brilliant (hint hint: Tricia!), message me.

Jammin’ July

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We celebrated Houston’s 7th birthday at the sprayground this year. Cool fun on a hot day + free facility + tons of families from church, CC, and beyond = one splash-tacular event! I just can’t believe my firstborn is so doggone old. Where, oh where, do the years go?

Asher, Houston & Jax quite gleefully attack a kid with the fish blaster. Don’t worry … he got ’em back good. Such is life @ the spray ground!

For Independence Day, Daddy treated the family to a Grasshoppers game. I must say, this was the most enjoyable baseball game to date. Not only were our seats great and the weather perfect, but the home team won and the kids lasted the entire game without complaint.

Moreover, the combo of their maturity and interest in the sport kept them pretty riveted through every inning and until the bitter end. I think Stephen, who’s a big baseball fan, really appreciated this evolution in his boys. So, Daddy got a nice treat, too!

The kids and I attended a three-day CC practicum earlier this month. This was our third time participating in the annual summer conference aimed at equipping home educators and providing their students interesting and fun academic camps.

Zeke recently got so angry at his bunkmates for keeping him up that he just plopped down in the hallway & fell asleep. Seriously. Houston, as most big bros are apt to do, took great pleasure in mocking his little bro.

Past years’ themes have been Latin and Math, but this summer’s practicum topic was something extremely near and dear to my heart. The conference tagline said it all: “Rhetoric has founded nations, has excited revolutions, and negotiated peace. It has ushered in great awakenings and lulled babies to sleep.”

“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” — Colossians 4:6

Not only did I love the focus of rhetoric’s importance and power, but I got in lots of bonding with Miss Christie, which is sometimes a real challenge with six kids hangin’ around. I also got to get better acquainted with my pal, Holly, a newbie homeschool mom who goes to Mercy Hill, but will be attending a different CC community this fall.

A happy clan relaxes in our comfy seats along first baseline @ the Grasshoppers game on Independence Day. Great baseball & amazing fireworks … what’s not to love?!

On 7/12, Clan Dillingham made it to the 59th Annual Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, reportedly the largest single gathering of Scottish clans in the world. We ate meat pies and Scotch eggs; danced to beautiful Celtic music; and got mini-tutorials from collectors of real Scottish weaponry.

We also had big fun doing a little ancestral digging, like finding the clan related to my maiden name, Quate. Apparently, my ancestors weren’t Vikings, as previously thought. Rather, these “watchmen” battled the Norse invaders, and hail from Aberdeenshire in Scotland’s East Highlands.

After taking a shuttle back to the van and then driving back to Granny’s, Stephen and I got to return to the games (sans kids!) to catch a concert by celtic-rock group, Seven Nations. The closing event to our grand day was made even sweeter due to the huge moon rising over Grandfather during the show. Nice.

Gabriel, my persistent adventurist, was the only one of the 3 Amigos willing to endure the long line in order to ride Penny the pony @ the Mercy Hill Block Party. It didn’t hurt that his church crush was waiting in line, too, but still.

Some significant news: I’ve been asked to be the lead facilitator of the abortion-recovery Bible study (ARBS) at the pregnancy care center! The outgoing facilitator decided to step away after years of serving in that role, and I suppose I was the natural replacement.

Reassuringly, both she and the center’s client services director have strong faith that I can actually do this thing: speaking only when necessary; listening without fail; letting the Holy Spirit do His work; sharing the Gospel; and always remembering it’s not about me, it’s about the client and her healing.

Whoa, those are some intense goals, but I do have the confidence that the Lord will provide … as long as I get out of the way (read: lighten up and believe that He will indeed equip me for the job). And with anything, the more experience you have with work, the easier it gets.

Houston finds Houston @ the Highland Games! Big bro locates his namesake family in Clan Donald, which consists of many septs in the West Highlands and islands of Scotland.

What’s intriguing is that I had been thinking I should look into other volunteer opportunities simply because the last ARBS class kind of fizzled out. See, the client was either canceling or a no-show, and every chance I had to co-lead the class never panned out, even though I had been shadowing since February. I was frustrated.

But it’s funny how just when you’re thinking, “Oh well, maybe this wasn’t meant to be after all,” God throws that something back right in your lap. Plus, what I’m realizing about volunteering at a nonprofit is that appointments don’t always unfold as neatly or on schedule as you’d like them to.

Anyhoo, things get rolling with my new gig in late August, so I’ll keep ya posted. And please keep me, the center’s volunteers, facilitators, and peer advocates, and the many clients in your prayers. Thanks!

The dudes proudly display their St. Andrew’s Cross flags while chillin’ in MacRae Meadows. If Highland warriors painted their faces blue before battle, why not the 3 Amigos?!

We began sponsoring a child through Compassion International this summer. His name is José, he’s age 6, and he lives in eastern Peru. Our financial support allows the staff of Jesús es mi Esperanza Student Center to provide José with Bible studies, health checkups, nutritious food, tutoring, and sports, among other services.

Also through the center, his parents receive health education and income-generating training. We like that Compassion doesn’t just throw money at the poor, but that they offer resources and opportunities to people, so that they may be able “rise above their circumstances and become all God has created them to be.”

We are encouraged to write letters to José, which are then translated, and also share art and photos with him. We can do this via mail or an online account, so we can get to know the actual child and him us. We aren’t just sponsors, and he’s just not a number: we’re humans interacting with one another and growing in the Lord.

The boys pose (however unwillingly, eh hem, Houston) with a kind Braveheart-esque man from Clan MacNeil.

The twins started speech therapy in late June. Both have been assessed as having mild issues, like having trouble pronouncing Rs, Ls, SHs, CHs, and a few other sounds that are typically challenging for many kids their age.

Both Gabriel and Zeke’s therapists are confident the won’t need really longterm rehab, which will hopefully be wrapping up this fall. In fact, I can already see an improvement.

Speaking of that, I am finally feeling results with my chronic muscle and tendon issues. I stopped going to the chiropractor and am now only seeing my talented physical therapist. Slowly, but surely, I am going to get my pre-pregnancy/pre-childbirth/pre-bedrest/pre-c-section body back!

Zeke & Gabriel were almost as excited to experience their first-ever ride on a school bus, which was the “shuttle,” as they were to attend the games … that is, till they saw the Scottish marching band, guys wearing kilts, massive men doing the caber toss, border collies herding sheep, etc.

I took Houston to the ophthalmologist, an appointment he has every two years specifically to keep his Horner’s eye in check. Everything looks fine with both his eyes, thank God! But as it turns out, he’s eventually going to be near-sighted like me.

The doc said that at the next appointment in 2016, Houston will most likely need prescription glasses. The specs will be used on an as-needed basis at first, but more permanent glasses or contact use will eventually be the case.

Houston’s a little bummed about it, but I have two years to impress upon him how NOT a big deal this is. Moreover, he’s so incredibly blessed that his eyesight is normal and his ptosis not severe that sweating something as small as this would really be an exercise in futility.

Once I rigged up their old teepee in Liberty Loop, the 3 Amigos decided to landscape the “fort” area so feverishly that they broke a mallet hammering downed trees. It’s a nice place to escape schoolwork or chores, relax in nature, or just play with lil’ buds (their name for stuffed animals).

Some randoms worth mentioning:

  • The boys’ aquatic skills continue to improve. For instance, while swimming at Miss Christina’s house, Houston and Gabriel (inspired by her kids, John Hunter and Gray) jumped off the diving board into the 12-feet water. It was bold stuff for sure!
  • Houston finally got to go to Build-A-Bear. So, now the twins’ bears, Cheebo and Cheebi, have a new pal, John Bearemy.
  • I took the dudes to Barnes & Noble to pick up their one free book each for completing the store’s summer-reading program. Way to go, bookworms!
  • Jackson got to pick any friend to have for a sleepover, and out of all his buddies, guess who he chose? Gabe! That child was beyond excited when he heard the news and, as usual, had a blast with the J-Crew.

Houston & Zeke lounge with lil’ buds galore! (Zeke holds his dirty feet outside, since big bro insists on keep the teepee as dirt-free as possible. Houston’s so much like his me it’s scary!)

  • Zeke’s new BFF from Mercy Hill Kids Week, Josh, invited us over for his backyard birthday party. Turns out that not only does this nice family attend our church, but they will also be part of our CC community this school year. Small world, indeed.
  • The dudes and I went to a CC potluck at the former director’s home last week. Even though the get-together was to bid a longtime family farewell, the party was a nice opportunity to get to talk with some incredible moms — something I can always use.

I am so ready to get rolling with CC! In year’s past, this is about the time when I would start getting anxious about the impending school year. But I think all the homeschool veterans were right when they said it’s about the third year when you really start getting into your groove … finally!

Meet the Slow-Schoolers!

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First of all, let me wish everyone a happy early School Choice Week. And speaking of alternative education, you know there’s homeschooling, un-schooling, after-schooling and many other innovative options for a diverse population.

But I think the 3 Amigos and I have invented a new mode of learning. It’s call slow-schooling. See, most of the homeschoolers I know who have kids around the same ages as mine usually tie up their schooling by lunch.

Houston, Zeke & I hang w/ two of my oldest & dearest friends, Shelley & Ashley, during a chill Sunday afternoon get-together @ Gramsey & Papa’s.

Sure, many of those moms are morning people, which I am admittedly NOT, so we normally get a late start by comparison. If we get rolling with school by 9 a.m. (which is my goal), that is a momentous occasion for us.

First of all, the dudes are just some dawdling diners. Even when there’s excellent behavior, meals rarely take less than an hour. Now, the kids are usually hardily eating most of whatever I put in front of them, which I know is a huge blessing. No picky eaters around here!

Sometimes we even manage to incorporate learning into a meal, like listening to memory-work songs, reviewing Bible verses for Awana, reading CC history cards, or watching cool videos that relate to our current studies. That, of course, leads to talking. And more talking.

While in Richmond, Kara entertained the 3 Amigos with many creative & wild diversions, like this game of playing indigenous backyard tribesmen … and tribe-gal.

And questions. And more questions. And then further discussing the new learned info mixed with a healthy dose of inquisitive and creative “What would happen if?” queries.

There’s never a dull moment at the table. And I know I should appreciate our mealtimes since that’s actually the way eating is supposed to be: lengthy and engaging affairs, not hurried and quiet tasks.

And it’s at the kitchen table that we do about half of our schooling, while the other half takes place at desks in the living room — a house setup that includes no door between rooms. So even when teaching is going smoothly and the kids are working diligently, the mere volume of our school day is often be booming!

Needless to say, the dudes aren’t always as focused as I would like. Yes, that’s to be expected per the ages and gender (and human nature) of my kids, but their drifting ways can be an irritating time thief nonetheless.

Another dear pal, Angela, & my sweet cuz, Matt, strike a pose w/ Shelley, Ashley & Stephen during our hang time over the holidays.

To deal with Houston’s dilly-dallying, we make a list of his daily lessons on a white board. As he crosses off the completed tasks, the hope is that this visual tool will aid in motivating increased efficiency.

Houston also recently began using a timer for his independent work. I have to tread lightly on this one, though, since I certainly don’t want him to make mistakes or do poor-quality work because he feels rushed.

I haven’t seen a dramatic change in performance yet, but these efforts are still in the early stages. My hope is that these visual tools will simply lead to better time management as Houston matures as a student.

In his defense, Gabriel and Zeke’s loudness can surely be an impediment to concentrating. I mean, I’ve never been known for being soft and quiet, so I suppose much of this is in the genes. Then multiply is times 2, and school is quite often an ear-splitting affair.

To counter this, I’m now have Houston listen to classical music on the iPod during his solo studies. This genre shouldn’t be too distracting; plus, classical’s mathematical, so that’s a win-win.

Gabriel uses the walkie-talkies Santa brought to communicate w/ brothers during a chilly Liberty Loop adventure on Christmas Day.

Furthermore, Houston loves symphonic and orchestral music. He often requests Afternoon Classics when we’re riding around in the van. See, subsidized public radio does have some perks for the taxpayer.

And Houston and his bros are way into the compositions of John Williams and Klaus Badelt. Sure, it’s music from their respective movie soundtracks, Star Wars and Pirates of the Caribbean, but that’s still pretty cool.

In fact, these notable film scores have recently been the backdrop to most of the 3 Amigos’ dramatic interpretations of warfare spanning history, cultures, and even galaxies. It’s quite an intense thing to behold!

But even with some of these hopeful fixes, I’ve finally come to accept our plodding style. It’s just who we are: a first-grader, who is only 16 months older than the two pre-school students (who are actually being taught kindergarten material), and one organized-yet-“organic” home educator.

Embracing our uniqueness has been a gift. It not only refocuses my attention to the fact that doing things my own way and in a manner that meets the needs of each of my kids as individuals and me is one of the wonders of homeschooling, but it also helps me maintain a level of confidence that is essential as a homeschooling parent.

Christmas afternoon, Houston enjoys two of his favorite pastimes: assembling Legos & picking his nose. Boys will be boys!

Additionally, it allows me not to be so obsessed with the clock, thus, unlocking even more doors to those voluminous, but fleeting moments of bearing witness to my kids discovering, exploring and learning. It’s a beautiful thing.

Our slow-schooling style gives me greater opportunity to take part in the kids’ off-the-cuff discussions and debates, help foster their amazing realizations, and appreciate those seemingly little lessons that somehow morph into monumental ah-ha moments.

I thank God for calling me to take my family on the incredible journey of homeschooling and for ALWAYS equipping me for the intermittently bumpy, but always adventurous ride. Our school may be poky, but it’s never boring, and that’s just the way we roll around here!

The holidays in review

On 12/22, Granny came to visit for Christmas, kicking off the countdown to our yuletide celebration. That afternoon, we all attended Houston’s first piano recital. He played Jolly Old St. Nicholas confidently and without error. And considering that Houston was the first student perform makes his presentation all the more impressive!

Houston sits proudly w/ his amazing piano teacher, Miss Julie, after his very first piano recital in December.

This day also marked Houston losing another tooth … literally! This front, lower tooth came out during sleep the night before or at breakfast, but was never recovered. So even though Houston got dissed by the tooth fairy, Santa made up for it a few days later.

The dudes never wavered in their fervent belief in Mr. Claus. Before attending the J-Crew’s Polar Express Party on 12/21, Houston announced that Asher wouldn’t be able to “hear the bell,” thus, signifying his disbelief in in the jolly old elf, according to the movie for which the annual bash is named.

And the 3 Amigos continued unabated in their Santa convictions throughout out the holidays. Houston even said, “He can read my mind, Mommy.” Wow, not that’s dedication! It’ll be interesting to see what revelations Christmas 2014 will bring.

But Christmas 2013 was low-key and love-filled. The kids seemed to have a much greater appreciation of their few, but quality gifts than in years past, and we just had a wonderful time being with Granny, relaxing, and sharing in the joy that is the birth of our Savior!

This photo (taken by Houston) was the best pic we got of Granny during her visit. This shot was taken moments after she & I shagged to Christmas music, which just so happened to correlate w/ our Bloody Mary cocktails kicking in.

Granny left on 12/26 and we headed to Richmond the following day. It was our first time to stay at Gramsey and Papa’s new house, which is within a few-minutes drive of many close family members.

Meredith and Jacob, who live the farthest away, crashed at the new pad during most of our visit. And since Rick lives there, we got to hang with all those wild youngins a ton. Kara spent a few nights, which is always a delight for the 3 Amigos.

Casey and her fiancé, Garret, were in town when we arrived, so we were lucky to get to see them for one night. Dina, Lisa and Albert stopped by here and there, which is always a treat.

Then my folks let me invite over a few choice pals for a get-together one afternoon. It was so lovely getting to see Shelley, Angela, Ashley, and my cousin, Matt. Doing oyster shooters with family and old friends was a nice way to tie up our holiday travels.

Albert & Stephen get silly during our visit to Virginia. Hmmm, I wonder what’s in that cup Albert’s so gleefully drinking?!

My most audacious New Year’s resolution is to get something of substance published in 2014. Whether it’s news, opinion, advocacy or activism, it doesn’t matter to this journalist in need of a byline fix! (Please remind me of this goal next time you see me slacking.)

The next most challenging is to have a family music day at least once a month. Stephen and I haven’t played guitar consistently in years, so this will take some major motivation on our parts. But I think we’re ready to dust off his Martin and my Alvarez and get the jam on. And I know the boys ready to rock!

The easiest resolution is for Stephen and me to get more creative and bold in our home-cooking à la David Chang. Stephen is at the helm of this endeavor, of course, but I do serve an important role as shopper, sous chef, and occasional non-fancy cook.

This resolution came to fruition this past weekend when Lisa and Albert visited. My sister and brother in-law share a penchant for spicy, exotic, ethnic food. So, the centerpiece of their stay was a trek to an incredible international market in town and then preparing the sumptuous foods for an eating extravaganza Saturday night.

Stephen taught the 3 Amigos how to play chess during his Christmas vacation & the competition has been raging between the dudes ever since.

The Saturday-night meal included taro and peanut mochi, tamarinds, guava, sesame porridge, roasted duck with bing pancakes and Hoisin sauce, stir-fried pork bellies and rice … and Old-Bay-seasoned Carolina shrimp just for good Southern measure. Thanks for helping us out on this one, Lisa and Albert!

Other notable outings & festivities 

  • 12/23: Granny took the 3 Amigos to a bounce house called Monkey Joe’s;
  • 12/27: Daddy took Houston to his orthopedic specialist for the 6-month-post-elbow-break appointment, which turns out to be the final visit our well-healed boy!
  • 1/4: We attended Miss Jessie’s wedding to her handsome longtime beau, Mr. Joseph;
  • 1/6: The boys and I had playdate with our neighbors, Miss Shawn and Dixie, who we haven’t hung out with in ages;
  • 1/11: I accompanied Houston to his pal Corban’s birthday party, while Daddy took the twins to the Science Center;
  • 1/12: I had a well-deserved and fun girls-night out with Miss Christie;
  • 1/14: The boys and I celebrated our first day of CC 2014 doing pizza with the J-Crew and some of our other fave homeschoolers, Miss Kristin, and her boys, Eli and Briggs;
  • 1/15: Zeke had his first sleepover with friends (the J-Crew, of course) and all went well. They sure do grow up fast!