Adventure Girl

Shelagh went back to school today (pictures coming), so yesterday was the 1st time since before Rory was born that I have had only 1 kid on my non-work days.  Kelly and I had a great day.  We took a long walk around a lake, played in the tot playground, went to the pool together (see below) and then returned to the pool with the big kids after school pickup.  She is an absolute nut and the super star of the pool.  Everyone cheers for her when she jumps off the board and is amazed that she is swimming face down and blowing bubbles.  Future swim champion?  Possibly. 

"Whole Buttered" Onion Soup

 

From Rozanne Gold's Radically Simple book that I copied while at my mom's about a year ago...  Just made it yesterday while trying to cook through the veggies in my frig pre-hurricane.  I got a nice few hours in and made several new things.  This soup came out delicious!  I changed a few things.  I had 2 huge fresh white onions to make 1/2 the recipe.  I didn't have Madeira, so I used Marsala.  Finally, I had more pulp than thin soup, so instead of reserving the pulp to put on top I just mixed it all in.  My house smelled wonderful last night.
"Here's a radical new way to make onion soup. There's no slicing, dicing, or stirring. Instead, whole butered onion bake for 4 hours, oozing luscious juices that caramelize like toffee."

3 pounds medium yellow onions, about 10

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced thin
3 tablespoons Madeira
1-1/2 tablespoons wildflower honey or truffle honey
sprigs of fresh chervil for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Peel the onions. Place in a 6-quart Dutch oven. Top with the butter.
2. Cover and bake 4 hours, until very soft, turning the onions after 2 hours. Transfer to a large bowl.
3. Pour 4 cups water into the casserole and scrape up the browned bits. Add to the onions.
4. In 2 batches if necessary, puree the onion mixture in a food processor until very smooth. Pour through a sieve placed over a medium saucepan. Mash down to extract all the juices. Save the pulp.
5. Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and add the Madeira and honey. Simmer 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper.
6. Ladle into bowls and garnish with a dollop of onion pulp and chervil. Serves 4

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Kindergarten 1st Day

So handsome in his uniform this morning. I managed not to cry at drop off. He did great! Long 1st day with after school in there too. I expect a few days of tantrums...








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My Boys Relaxin

Week at the Cape

Much needed, lovely vacation. Some bathroom project situations, lots of big kid fighting, early rising, and a dead bat when we got home. More later...











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Potty Training

Not quite yet.  But, how I love toddlers in new underpants.

By the way, she pooped in these cute Yo Gabba Gabba panties within 5 minutes.  She did hide under the table and did not seem upset about sitting in it just like it was a diaper.

Bathroom Project

It has begun. 
Before...

Tub, Toilet, Faucets, lighting, and accessories have all arrived.  Tiles and Paint are chosen but not ordered yet.  All that is outstanding are the shower door and a possible custom "window" for part of the shower wall and some storage in the corner (I have 3 boxes of stuff that came out of the bath and nowhere currently to put it back). 

Demo

Showering at work wasn't so bad for Joe and I.  The sitter showered the big kids, but poor Kelly is just getting grimy.  I might have to stop at the pool after work just to scrub her down.

Update

I really haven't been blogging much lately.  Don't think I've talked much or emailed anyone either.  Everything is good, just swamped.  Not even watching much TV - nothing is on.  True Blood is getting to be too annoying; Entourage sucks, although I feel obligated to finish it.  Curb is pretty good still and Breaking Bad is awesome as usual.

The highlights...

• Not cooking much, other than what I have to to keep up with the CSA bag (which means I roast or saute everything in one day and eat it myself cold over the week).  As a result, my frig is a disaster.  However, I'm on countdown to get my new freezer.  Yeah!!
• Camping out at the pool
• Prepping for vaca and Rory starting school on the 23rd of August!  (School supply shopping was fun!)
• Demo being done for bathroom renovation project so no shower in my house from now until Labor Day (p.u.)
• Basement/Furnace Room completely cleared out for bathroom project access and pile of "yard sale" stuff accumulating nicely on my front porch for a projected September sale.  Unless, of course, Shelagh one by one brings everything back in.  New freezer has a happily reserved space.
• Slammed at work
• Having warts removed, fillings filled, haircuts and deep conditioning treatments to remove the massive amounts of chlorine.
• Finished swim team; continuing tennis lessons with much improvement.
• Kelly is officially swimming face down, blowing bubbles, and jumping off of the diving board. 
• Prepping for a couple family visits over the next few weeks (w/out a shower and only 1 toilet)

While I do not want the summer to end, I think I'm ready for school to begin.  Shelagh & Rory are fighting non-stop and have too much time on their hands.  Then, of course, I'll have to get all the activities in order and figure out how we're going to handle my big kids being in different schools.

Did I mention Rory is going to a charter school a town over from us while Shelagh is still in the town public elementary near our house?  Very exciting opportunity for him (and possibly for her in the future).  He's mostly pumped for his uniform.  He's been walking around with his PJ's and his new reversible belt on top and tucking in his shirt to practice.

Back to work...