Baked Kale Chips

I love baked kale chips. But they look remarkably like something you rake into piles in the back yard.

A little olive oil, sea salt, and 410 degrees--and voila! I scarf them down.

The kids usually like them right out of the oven, then the strong flavor wears on them.

Obviously these were right out of the oven.

And you have to eat them with people who will tell you candidly if you have something in your teeth. Because baked kale chips love to cling to your pearly whites.

Sisters

I told them I wanted a sweet sister picture. This is what I got.

Let's try that again. Well...one...

There we go. :)

Milestones

Seems we reached two in one day.

1. Both girls both brushed their hair without being told this morning.

2. While shopping for thrift store jeans for them today, I tried on a few skirts for myself. Both girls felt comfortable telling me what looked good and what didn't (NOTE: "looking good" is no longer dependent on an item having sparkles, ruffles, or pictures of princesses.) I heard the following:

- "Mom, that looks TERRIBLE. Just AWFUL."
- "It looks like an apron, Mom."

Cute pairs of jeans for girls: 3
Cute skirts for Mom: 0

It was a RHETORICAL question

We participated in a community yard sale today. In the space next to us was a really friendly couple with whom the girls and I made fast friends.

At one point the husband asked, "So, how's it going? Are you having a good day?"

I smiled and answered, "Oh yeah--I've taken a bunch of stuff out of my house, I'm surrounded by nice people from my neighborhood, and I'm just sitting reading a book," and here I looked at Amelia, which I never should have done, "and when do I EVER get to just SIT and read a BOOK?"

"On the toilet." she replied.

It's definitely time to start locking the bathroom doors.

Bedtime

Alan: Evelyn, put that reading light away. It's time for bed.

Evelyn: How are you going to know if I'm reading in bed?

Alan: Uh, I can walk up here and look in your room?

Evelyn: I can hear you coming.

Things Said

I will forget these if I don't record them. There are already some that have flown out of my head between thinking, "I have GOT to write that down!" and this minute right here.

Evelyn: (after being told for the millionth time that it might not be a great idea to strip down to her underwear EVERY time she comes home) Why?!?

And Friday we had a family movie night and watched an episode of Little House. Evelyn is currently fascinated with episodes involving kissing or crushes or any variation of boys and girls liking each other. In this particular episode, some of the girls ended up having to ask the boys to the dance, and it sparked Amelia to ask Alan, "Did you ask Mommy to marry you?"

Alan replied warmly, "I did."

Amelia looked at me with a cute smile and asked with anticipation, "Did you say yes?!?"

The Haircut Plant

Evelyn and Amelia had a playdate late in the spring and one of them went to a gardening activity at the library. Ever since, this little character has been growing in our kitchen window sill.

Every now and then he gets a haircut.

There. All tidied up.

I wonder how much longer he'll last? This morning there was downright chilly air coming through that kitchen window!