Design my Own Pendant

     I guess I didn't do such a bad job because I was asked to make some more pendants.  And this time I got a little crazy and tried to figure out one on my own.  It turned out to be a bit weird but I added my daughter's name and thought it would be better than just wasting the time spent on the shape.  I went back to finding shapes and patterns that would compliment each other in the hopes of something pretty being the outcome.  Some were.  Some were not.  But I was feeling extra adventurous today and in a moment of complete and utter bravery I went with an original idea.  I created something all my own.  No mimicry.  No pattern.  I stood back and looked at it and was actually pretty excited.  Now, I'm not the type to run with the thrill and imagine my works on the neck of famous actresses anytime soon but maybe with some practice I might have a new idea for my holiday list of goodies...

Kohlrabi

     I grew up in a house that knew a little something about veggies.  We loved them.  We grew them in our own awesome little garden.  Summertime meant snacks of cherry tomatoes and grapes fresh from the vine.  Some people found it odd that we ate fennel and kale and the like but to us it was normal.  I've mentioned the CSA and I have been pleasantly surprised to have been introduced to some new things.  That being said...yesterday we picked up two kohlrabi...one green and one purple.  I have heard of them but have never eaten a single bite.  So today I trimmed it up and sliced it into matchsticks and we all dug in.  I brought out the tried and true olive oil and s&p mixture that is a fennel staple and it worked well with the crispy sticks.  Today they were a crunchy raw snack and I'm saving the other one for another cooking adventure.

Rollin' Out the Clay and the Dough

     This morning at work I was taught how to make some pendants out of clay.  I worked on a few different styles and can't wait to see how they came out.  I thought I had discovered my new thing until there I was with a batch of dough rolling away yet again.  This time instead of a pendant we were making naan.  After a quick fry in the cast iron skillet we were enjoying some delicious homemade bread.  Sometimes you just have to smooth things out in order to create something beautiful!

4th of Jallow

     Tonight I did something I have never done in all my years of living in this town...I walked the levee to watch the fireworks.  No chevy and the levee was not dry.  Also no traffic.  No crazy crowds.  No admission fee.  Just four adorable kids and a lovely summer walk.  We found a spot and placed our blankets and watched as they caught fireflies.  The fireworks were in perfect view while on our own little section of the earth.  We named them as they fell...bowl of peas, sparkly popcorn, chicken chow mein, Christmas ornaments and bedazzled were just a few of the titles.  We headed back and lit some sparklers.  It was sweet and nostalgic and the very thing you love about a small town and a cherished summer holiday.  Thank you to the Jallow Family for celebrating with us...and for having another cool event in which your name fits so nicely!

Purchased Backpacks and Lunch Boxes for TWO Children

     Check your calendars people...it is only a few days into July.  I'm a Virgo and I procrastinate.  In theory I want to plan everything and line up the world in alphabetical or ROY G BIV order but that can't happen so I do it where I can.  Sometimes I battle though and get to those things but it might take a bit.  SO every summer I think about how my daughter needs a new place to put her lunch and another to carry books and before you know it...it's late August and we are scrambling.  Halloween costumes and birthday party themes come in with a photo finish as well most years.  Today, I stared at a wall of pink and blue and green and black.  I went from size to size to color to price.  I picked them up.  Zipped them.  Imagined cleaning crumbs out of them.  I was the tester with the white coat and the  #17 badge inspecting the choices.  I also faced the milestone of having to buy the set for my little guy as well.  I don't think I have let is seep in completely as to not fall down in a crumbling crying mess in the store.  My buddy will be off to all day kindergarten come September and that will be another event in itself.  And he'll be doing it with blue and orange sharks.
     Before fireworks celebrated the birthday of our country I have already purchased the school necessities and I am quite proud!!!  Those glittery explosions might have been for our beloved nation but I'd like to believe that just one or two were for my newly purchased backpacks...

Started and Ended my Day with a New Movie

     At 12:01am I was watching 127 Hours and at I got home from watching Larry Crowne at almost midnight.  One was good and one was...well...let's say different.  But they did have something in common.  There was a moment in time that changed their whole world.  It was how they dealt with it that made the rest of the story possible.  One man had to face weather conditions and pain and agony to continue on with life.  One had to weather a house forclosure and the pain and agony to start a whole new one.  That pivotal moment did not define who they were as men but everything after it DID.  When a man is pushed to his limitations you see the true character of the man.  They both had character.  They both were creative and strong.  They both fought.  One is real and one is a symbol of the typical man living in this country today but both were heroes. 

Da Vinci Science Center

     I declared today Ethan Day.  (Emily's was on Wednesday, don't get nervous.)  It's part of the letter of the day for the summer...when we get to "E" they each get their own day.  We had Chick Fil A for breakfast.  His very first tooth fell out...good timing on that one.  Then we headed to the Science Center where we played for hours.  I am pretty sure that I watched their little brains grow today right in front of my very eyes.  They explored, tested, played and experimented.  He now knows that he can lift 120 lbs if he uses the pulley system farthest away from the weight source.  He can rock a complicated little puzzle.  He can design and make bowls with a vacuum system...you get the idea.  We rounded out the day with a nasty dinner at a place I don't do too often... but let's just say he had two different play places in one day.  It was his day and I can't argue with a boy's wishes.  We will return to sanity and the letter F next week.  My final thought comes from the man himself...

"I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do."