Quick 5

I'm glad that cooler weather is here, because I've been ready for a good bowl of soup for a long time now.

1.  Perhaps one of my larger failures in marriage has been the failure to adequately supply my husband with dessert.  (At least I think it's one of my larger failures.  Obviously you'll have to ask him.)  I don't know why.  It probably stems from my self-centered behavior of preferring salty to sweet, so I just don't think about it.  But we were desperate, so I busted out some made from scratch brownies.  They'll do because we don't have anything else, but they definitely leave much to be desired.  However, thanks to the power of social media, I am now armed with several homemade brownie recipes that I'm excited to try.  When I remember to make dessert next time.

2.  Alaina has made a new friend at school: a second grader named Alayna (who is actually the daughter of a gal I went to church with a long time ago.)  Alaina loves that there is another girl named Alayna there.  This morning she told me that Alayna promised to wear her sneakers to school today so she could help chase the boys.  "Not to kiss them, Mom!" Alaina assured me.  "Just for fun!"  Oh to be in first grade again.

3.  Here are my Cubbie and Sparkie:

They were all decked out for Crazy Hair Night.  I found it most impressive that Alaina was willing to be that crazy.  It's taken her four years to get into the spirit of things.  Then Joya absolutely chickened out.  I didn't see that coming, but I should have, based on how Alaina reacted the first few times she went to Crazy Hair Night.  Joya thought she looked "ridiculous" and that everyone would make fun of her.  No amount of talking about how everyone would be crazy could convince her.  So she did not go looking like that.  Maybe next year.

4.  Our week of having Lee work from the office while we have to do the school drop-off/pick-up thing went very smoothly.  It was almost a non-issue.  Last year the girls were very good about waiting in the car for Alaina to come out.  This year Joya's patience is quite short.  She's good, but she spend the time saying things like "Why aren't you going  Mom?"  "Just go!"  "This is taking forever!"  I think the difference is last year there were only about 10 of us moms who picked up the kids, so we were able to park right next to the playground.  This year every parent has to pick up their kid, so we're probably 20th or so in line, which means we are out in the big parking lot, and not next to the playground.  Bria has been a gem; Joya has turned into quite the backseat driver.  Hopefully she'll catch on soon that I can't very well drive forward if there is another car directly in front of me.  Needless to say, her dad will be teaching her how to drive.

5.  I am very much enjoying the zucchini that comes out of our garden.  We only get one or two at a time, which actually isn't quite enough.  Next year I'm going to plant two plants (which apparently I should have done this year anyway.)  Mostly we grill it, but last night I roasted it in the oven with some garlic.  I about gorged myself.  While I'm not getting enough zucchinis, I'm getting more than enough tomatoes.  Confession: I don't know what to do with them all.  They're little guys, but they are plentiful.  Confession #2: I grow tomatoes so I can have BLTs.  That's it, really.  But I'm getting too many for even that.  And no, I'm not really interested in canning, although maybe I should be.  But I don't really have the moola for the expense that it would take to get that going.  So I have an abundance of small tomatoes.  Anyone want any?

Welcome September!  I've always liked you.