What a day

This has nothing to do with today. Just showing off our Sam on the tramp in Jackson Hole

Since we've been home I can't say I've been much fun. The stress of getting my home back in running order and mentally preparing to begin our routine was tiresome. So I decided to mix it up a bit and have fun today. I do love being back in Seattle. It's such a lovely time of year here and I have missed my friends immensely. Today, Sam and I went over to Ashley's. Dave calls it our day of Ashley envy or more appropriately Ashley worship. And quite frankly she deserves all the envy and praise. She's quite remarkable. Lori, along with Maverick and Micah came as well as Wendy. Ashley, Wendy, Lori and I were making plans on taking some cooking classes together. It seems we all feel we're in a bit of a rut so what better way to mix up our kitchen time then with some new recipes. Well we really never got around to planning as it was so much more fun to visit. And besides the kids thought so too.

The Serafins built this amazing tree house that the Swiss Family Robinson would envy and so the kids were not seen or heard from for about 4 hours. After the 4 hours Nina, Rollin and Sam showed up with faces and bodies covered with dirt. Nina looked like a dalmation and quite happy it seemed to be one. They were looking for worms to feed the fish of course. It was a joy to see, just earlier Mav had shown up with face covered in popsicle leftover. This is what I love to see, kids being able to be kids: Exploring, playing, inventing, running, climbing, digging..........

As we were driving home Sam said, "I love Ashley. I loved today it was the GREATEST day ever. I want to live in her house and have those orange plums every day. Weren't those apples delicious mom? Do you think Dad will build me a tree house like that?"......he went on and on and on. He really did have a most fantastic day. I could tell, he usually doesn't say too much in the car but he talked to me the entire way home.

We got home had dinner: salmon, rice with olive oil (Ashley's recommendation--thank you very much--delicious!) and really truly the yummiest Kale. Ashley had a little to spare so she offered us some and I (AND Dave) were so grateful she did. We sauteed it with some olive oil, garlic then when it was soft(er) we added some balsamic then at the last minute a few tbs of Feta. Neither Dave nor I could get enough. It's just remarkable how yummy veggies are fresh. You kind of forget and then you get it and it's hard to go back to chilean cherries or peruvian cucumbers......You get my drift here I 'm hoping? Oh how I love late summer (local) harvest.

We were in a hurry after dinner as Dave had to be at the church for a meeting and Sam and I had a meeting at his school. Sam was excited to go see our blackberry bushes so he took of on his bike carrying his man with the parachute. I told him I would pick him up on the way out. As I headed out I noticed him on the side of the road in the midst of all the blackberry bushes. He had crashed his bike and was pretty scraped up. He was bleeding and crying and then he'd see a thorn and cry louder and harder and he was a miserable mess. I picked him up, gave him lots of loves and kisses and when I had finally got him settled and we were driving off he said with his sad voice, "This is the WORST day of my life....." Just a blink of an eye and the world can change in the mind of a 6 year old I guess.