Early summer

I set myself the goal of catching up, and catch up I will!

Summer here (and I write this with the wise voice of hindsight) hasn't actually been too bad. We've definitely had some hot and miserable days. Like the day both the car AC and car battery died and Mike was in Japan. The less we say about that, the better. Right. Moving on. And my garden is mostly dead or gone to seed (because the heat has kept me from working in it - or even watering it). But, still, we're definitely below average for 100+ degrees days (a sorry, Texan boast if I ever heard one!).

Anyway, all this is to say that spring lingered, summer started mild, and we had some good times outside.

 Incidentally, those are Jacob's first shoes in the pictures above. Aren't they super-cute?

A girl's gotta have priorities, right?

Retro pictures for everyone:

This was haircut day. Jacob does look like a little boy here, thanks to his fist haircut. But never fear - I wouldn't let them cut the baby curls in the back of his head. He already needs another haircut (but she doesn't, so, well, we're gonna need to wait on that). 

You wanted an update on the roses I planted outside our bedroom window (my first Mother's Day present)? Happy to oblige!

I'm still at it with the challah project, slowly. This is Czernowitzer challah with saffron and raisins and almonds. As it turns out, I don't care for saffron in my challah. But if I were a food stylist, I'd be adding saffron to every darn challah loaf out there, since the loaves were the most pleasing shade of sunshine ever.

Next up: sourdough challah, made with sourdough starter from scratch. I wish I were kidding.

The kids' school had a parent night out. We went on a date! I took a picture to mark the occasion. Also, just in case I needed to explain to the ER about ghost pepper sushi.

And then Natalie and I went on a date! We went to hear the community choir of a good friend of mine. The songs were all about animals, and kids were encouraged to dance during some of the numbers.

Intermission featured cupcakes. Those might have been her favorite number.

 And then it was Mother's Day.

I actually took this picture as prep for some biting social commentary about income inequality. A few months later, well, the issue still stands. But also: truth.

Mike taught a film + Japan course in summer school - which went great (evals just back yesterday). Uncle Eric and Aunt Melanie came for a visit; Uncle Eric gave an intro lecture about film as medium. Uncle Eric is also well-versed in print, especially board books:

Whatever this is, JBoy wants you to have it:

Snack time:

I'll leave you with the current picture of the kids that I have on my desk at work:

Next up: San Diego and pre-k graduation (yes, this is a thing. Of course it is.).