Odds and Ends

A few bits of randomness tonight!

We spent this past week learning a little bit about Ancient Egypt.  Everyone loves Ancient Egypt because it's so fascinating on so many levels.  We didn't get way down deep into it because it's just first grade, but we learned about a few major kings and their accomplishments.  Ben loved the mapwork this time around.  WHY you might ask?  We made a map of Ancient Egypt on a cake, per the textbook's suggestions.  Yay!  Ben helped do all the decorating and flag placing as we looked off a printed map.  I'm sure the person most proud of this is my former college roomie/Ancient Near-East scholar/museum educator, Amber.  She and I took a semester of Ancient Egyptian history together, which obviously FULLY prepared me to direct the decorating of this cake. 

 

Ben and I ran to the store on Friday to pick up the boys' Halloween costumes.  They have agreed to be Mario and Luigi!  Not sure on Hannah yet.  I may put her in a fancy dress and call her Baby Peach to match the boys' theme, or borrow a friend's baby banana costume and she can be Hannah Banana (HA HA).  We're not really "into" Halloween because it is so strongly tied to pagan ritual.  But if we're going to be honest, Christmas and Easter have very strong ties too and we can't boycott one without the others.  We enjoy the boys dressing up in fun costumes, visiting neighbors to trick-or-treat and chat, and hitting various church fall festivals.  I went ahead and got the boys mediums, a whole size up, so we can wear these for dress-up play for a few years until it becomes uncool to play dress up.  :-)  The costumes came with moustaches, but we're saving the sticky on them for a couple costume parties and the 31st!

 

 

I've been making more effort lately to cook some of the recipes I've pinned on Pinterest, which has been fun (or annoying when I end up being the only one who liked the dish with the most expensive ingredients, oooops).  One favorite so far is crockpot lemon chicken.  Put a few pats of butter in the bottom of your crockpot and lay 2 or 3 chicken breasts on top.  Sprinkle a pouch of dry Italian dressing mix and 1/4 cup lemon juice over the meat.  That's it!  I also threw in red potatoes, and the whole thing was so good and we'll definitely be making it again.  We've also really enjoyed this recipe for sweet and sour chicken.  It calls for very common pantry/fridge staples, and you can throw some minute rice and stir-fry veggies on the side for an easy dinner.

 

We have some fun times slated for this coming weekend - mostly because my birthday is Sunday.  On Friday morning, we are invited to a little costume/fall party with friends!  Then Andrew's parents are coming in the afternoon to babysit because Andrew and I have a birthday date that night to see Les Miserables at the Fox - it's one of our most favorite shows.  We also have plans to hang out with some friends Saturday night too.  I turn 32 this year and my hip has been all sorts of out of whack ever since Hannah was born.  I'm definitely not over the hill but I think I've started the climb up!  :-D