We can't really lay around, but that's okay because it's not fun to lay around, so we finish a grout job, run some errands, sew some costumes, keep the laundry going, walk the dog again, lungs burning and all. I just feel like we've been powering through pain the past couple of weeks. Kids cough through the night and cry about headaches during the day.
Kate had a headache after our dentist appt. and cried, "See, this is why I hate tooth paste! It makes my forehead hurt!"
She is so dramatic when she's sick and tired. She had a sleepover with a friend this past weekend (Of course, they stayed up late and ate sugar) and was a bit cranky and beside herself over everything the next day.
Claire was knocking down the rocks and bricks of an old fire pit in our back yard. It's something we've been de-constructing for years, one rock at a time. Claire was just going at it and Kate was acting like someone was killing her best friend. She ran inside wailing and saying, "Change is just so hard to get used to! I haven't even gotten used to the ipad and the iphone! I just hate change!" Oh man, I nearly collapsed on the kitchen floor laughing while she wailed. Eventually, she got her hug, but wow, she cracks us up when she's tired. So, it's been rough over here.
Once hints of wellness finally do come gradually to our lungs, it feels like a holiday. We stand in the yard and let the sun soak into our pores, as though she had not kissed our cheeks for a fortnight, and say, "It feels so good to feel good!" But we're still coughing. The fevers are gone, but I'm sure the coughs will linger a bit longer, as they tend to. Kids in 2 of our classes have had double pneumonia, and I was sure that was what we had, but the doc didn't diagnose us as such. I'd like to believe we were close, though.
Now that halloween is done and Lola's birthday party accomplished, the play-date with our neighbor, and the van dropped off for AC fixing, I find myself, for maybe the first time in 21 days (it feels like), sitting down here thinking, Hmmm, what should we talk about? It's nice to have time to contemplate.
Nathan ordered me a couple of books from the library by a 75-yr-old lady who won the Nobel Prize this year for her writing. She didn't start writing until she was 32. She had little kids and only had time to write short stories, so she called that her practice for "Some day" when she would have more time to write her novels. As it happens, she was really good at those short stories. That's inspirational. Nathan reminded me that the time is now. Sometimes I say dramatically to the world, as my excuse, "I'm darn 32! My life is nearly over! I only have time to sweep dog hair, walk dogs, and make food!" But I just read A Million Little Ways and I know that's not true. And Nathan reminded me again, if I want to make cooking and cleaning my life, I sure can. Or I can be purposeful about other passions. I can't even remember that lady's name. My brain...
Family/Christmas card pictures are coming up. Can't decide if Lucy should be wrangled into it or not, because there would definitely be wrangling going on.
Well, what's a blog post without a recipe? Today, I'll share our Apple Pie Crepes:
A while back my mother-in-law made pancakes and opened a can of apple pie filling to top them, and it was just delish. I started craving that this past week, AND our grocery store started selling organic apples way on sale, so I freaked out and buy 20 or so every time I go in there. Our family eats 4-6 apples a day anyway. So, I had a pile of awesome apples and decided to make some breakfast apple pie filling, which means, make it with half the sugar so we don't have the guilt of eating dessert for breakfast.
Nathan is the crepe-maker in the family, because he prides himself on his crepe flip, which is quite impressive. He makes the crepe recipe from our little Mom And Me Cookbook:
1 cup flour
2 eggs
a big pinch of salt
1 cup of milk
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp butter
More butter for the pan
Whisk eggs into sifted flour.
Mix water and milk.
Add liquid to flour.
Stir in 2 tbsp of melted butter.
Get pan really hot.
Put in a pat of butter.
Once pan is pretty hot, pour in 2Tbsp to 1/4 cup per crepe.
Tilt pan so that batter covers the base.
Cook for about 1 minute on each side.
We usually double this recipe, so we can reheat some the next morning. Nathan makes a pile of crepes and I make the filling:
Peal and chop 6 apples (for a non-doubled crepe recipe).
Toss the chopped apple pieces in 1 Tbsp of corn starch in a medium saucepan.
Turn heat on medium and add to the apples 3 Tbsp of brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg, 1Tbsp of butter and a dribble of water. Stir occasionally as it cooks.
The apples will be tender and saucy within 5 minutes. Done!
Of course, you pile the apples into your crepe, roll it up, and sprinkle on some powdered sugar. It's wonderful!
And I always, without fail, call the crepe (correctly pronounced CRAPE), a creep. I just do. I know it's wrong, and I can't help it.
Anyone know what type of shrub this is? We walked past this while trick-or-treating, and I want one. Isn't she lovely?
2 comments:
Hm, I loved this post. Kate is insane.
We stand in the yard and let the sun soak into our pores, as though she had not kissed our cheeks for a fortnight, and say, "It feels so good to feel good!" But we're still coughing. The fevers are gone, but I'm sure the coughs will linger a bit longer, as they tend to.
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