Jeremy is officially off work for the summer, all the praise hands are in order for this! One of the perks of both of us working in the school system is that we all get a few weeks every year that everyone is at home. Even better than that is summer day dates when the kids can go to our beloved sitter and we get to have lunch alone.
With Jeremy putting in application and starting to talk to churches about a ministry position it is not lost on me the time we have together. Once he is no longer a School Psychologist and reaping the benefits of a 10 month job and living the pastoral life that is full time - year round - sometimes longer than 40 hours a week - these weeks of slow summers will vanish. We will suddenly be thrust into the world of what most of American lives in... actual vacation time.
So with this being possibly our last summer like this, I'm soaking it all in.
Elliot has been more than ready to eat table food, but I have been not the best at making 100% baby led weaning style meals all the time. Also... I'm just not as good as cooking earlier. With that, Elliot got Grits & Grillades Sunday night. (mostly butter grits with a touch of the grillades - gotta keep that salt at bay) Y'all, that baby cackled with every bite.
He's passed southern test #1 as a child and adores grits.
In other news Harrison gags every time he touches or watches this child eat. He has no room to complain, he was equally gross.
For lunch this week I stole Harrison's RePlay plates to keep my food separated. Anyone with me on this? In case you're curious, Kodiak Pancakes with Almond Butter (put a dollop in the microwave with a splash of water and it actually turns more sauce like), frozen blueberries, and an 8 minute hard boiled egg.
The 8 minute boil is the best is you like a soft set center. Don't even ask me how many times I made boiled eggs to find my perfect boil time.
Where Harry was the baby I wore constantly, Elliot is in fact not that baby. He's steadly a pound or two ahead of Harrison... more like 2 or 3 really. That combined with what I'm assuming is less than strong core muscles means mama has a back ache when I baby-wear. So stroller baby it is. E doesn't mind though, he likes observing.
No real rhyme or reason for this picture, except this child rarely falls asleep randomly and I had to document it. He must has been exhausted that day.
He's also had a go of the downfalls of chewing your fingernails. He's caused 2 ingrown nails that led to infection and him crying all night. The first was so awful we had to get an antibiotic that on day 7 like clockwork according to Dr. Google showed he was sensitive to sulfa drugs. The child broke out in a completely harmless rash that looked so bad mothers would run screaming.
I finally made a batch of Regina Charboneau's biscuits. I won't lie, I prefer her method and might be more of a biscuit maker now. It actually makes it easier and it makes for great layers. You can find it in all of her cookbooks or in [this New York Times article] from a few years ago. The only problem I ran into was salt. I forgot the salted butter and used unsalted, and you can't buy salted margarine here. I'll have to play with salt amounts and get back with you on it.
Honestly though, if you're in Natchez spend the $25 for her biscuit class. I'd say 95% of this is getting her tips and method down. Method is EVERYTHING with these biscuits.
Two things:
1. A husband who will eat Chicken Salad Chick with you is worth more than rubies. Proverbs 31.5
Just kidding.
2. I am by no mean a hipster coffee house customer. I can't stand that bitter mess for anything. Give me all the syrup and decaf. I don't even care that I'm not cool.
Elliot is on the move lately. He's starting to attempt to get on his knees, but he can get awfully far with his big toes. Army crawler expert level. Don't leave your shoes in the floor though, he wants to chew on them... and he isn't above chewing on them while you wear them.
It's a constant battle.
All the Lafayette Moms ladies went to dinner the other night. It's fun to get out of the house even for a minute. I'm so glad I joined this crew two years ago. Women who you'd never think you could relate to or have such different stories than can become some of the biggest cheerleaders in your life and the biggest prayer warriors. Diversity and all.
Last but not least: is it ever a Saturday morning without everyone piled on the couch?
