This moment

From SouleMama

Lamb and Pizza

Both David and Smith were craving lamb yesterday - so odd, while I know that is a common thing David likes, Smith came out with, "me too!" when David mentioned his craving. I, on the other hand, had seen a picture of a grilled pizza, and decided I must make that. I made that a couple times last summer, with the normal fixin's like shredded mozzarella, pepperoni, marinara. However last night I wanted one of our Golden Jubilee tomatoes, fresh home-grown basil, onion and garlic from the farm market, soft mozzarella and olive oil. Oh my mouth is still watering.

So...lamb kebobs (turned into a mighty lamb sandwich!) for the boys and a grilled pizza for me! Tate ended up with hot dogs - I swear that girl is going to turn into a giant hot dog!

1 package dry yeast
2/3 cup water (100-110)
1.5 teaspoons olive oil
1-2/3 cup flour (or 2 cups)
1 teaspoon sugar
rosemary, chopped finely 


Dissolve yeast  in warm water for 5 minutes. Stir in olive oil, add 1.5 cups flour and mix on 2 with your dough hook for about 2 minutes, gradually add more flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until dough sticks to hook and cleans the sides of bowl, do for about 4 more minutes. Put in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top, cover and let rise for 45 minutes. Dough is ready when indentations remain. Punch dough down and let rest for 5 minutes.


Divide dough in half (cover not-used half), roll or form into crust size you want. Spray or oil grill rack, put the dough directly on the grill and cook for 4-10 minutes per side. Once flipped, put toppings you'd like - I brushed olive oil, sliced tomato, mozzarella, sliced basil, caramelized onions, roasted garlic. Mmmmmm. Enjoy!

Week in review

We spent the week at a good friend's house in Williamsburg, VA. Smith was attending an enrichment camp - Lego Robotics and Roman Archaeology, at the College of William & Mary (my parent's and brother's alma mater!). It was a great week - the classes, the companionship of friends, "wanding" at Great Wolf Lodge, swimming at the pool, and visiting Yorktown for some beach fun. All in all, a week well spent. While Smith was in classes every day, Tate and I visited some beautiful spots on campus, through Colonial Williamsburg, and, of course, Rita's Ice. Heat index was 118! Hot, hot, hot.

this moment

From Soulemama

Big Rock Candy Mountain

Looked over my Summer Fun List, and then promptly freaked out because next week is HALFWAY PEOPLE! I love love love summer break and use my kids as an excuse to do everything!!

I do these monster lists every year, want the kids to do a journal, think we'll have a "theme week" complemented by a field trip to the appropriate theme (aka dinosaur week with a trip to the National History Museum in DC, etc). We do plenty PLENTY of fun stuff over the summer, but these epic plans always make me feel under-accomplished by the end of summer. So I decided to do a poster this year, with the hopes of a bit more accountability, and a bit more free-form-edness, and a lot more help from the kids. 

Checking off:

Hilton Head, Making Kool Aid Play Doh, Zoo, Rock Candy, making homemade ice cream.

So maybe a journal doesn't happen this year, and maybe, after 3 years of wishing (but not preparing) for theme weeks, I realize it just isn't happening. But maybe instead of all that, I just enjoy, live, relish the time with them, each and every day (notice I didn't say every moment!). I am working on laughing more, listening more, living more in the moment. It's a work in progress...

Tubing

Went tubing with a dear friend and her family. We (she) bought an underwater disposable camera to document the event, and they turned out looking very 70s. It was a blast - took 3 minutes to bus to the drop off point and almost 2 hours to drift down river! 

The 4th and Vacation

Went to our hometown 4th of July parade, then hightailed it out of dodge to go to Hilton Head with my parents (sans husband). Us:

Hilton Head - nothing like going to the beach twice a day, eating ice cream at LEAST once a day, rinsing off all that salt water in the pool, going to bed at 10pm. Vacation joy, pure and simple.