Salsa, Sexy Gloves, and Scarecrows

On my most recent trip to the promised land...er, Farmer's Market I bought these ugly tomatoes. The precious woman at the stand offered Stacy and me a fantastic deal on them because she heard us talking about making salsa. As long as we were going to be dicing the tomatoes to bits anyway, why not take these? So we split a 10 pound bag of the ugliest tomatoes you've ever seen. She threw in some of the peppers for a dollar and we were set.

My Impromptu Salsa Recipe

5 pounds of tomatoes, cut in half and broiled until the skin peels off easily, peel skin and dice
2 jalapenos, seeded, deveined and diced
3 green serrano peppers, seeded, deveined, and diced
1 lime juiced
1 medium red onion diced
1 teaspoon cumin
Sea Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in blender and pulse until you reach the desired consistency.

***Please please please make sure you wear latex gloves while working with the peppers. I reached into my box of gloves and realized it was empty. My salsa craving was intense. I considered using another latex product that we just so happen to have in our house, but was sure that if I donned 10 individually-wrapped "finger gloves" one of two things would happen: 1 - a fire would break out and I'd be forced to evacuate the apartment, and once the neighbors observed Ava being hauled to safety by my strangely costumed hands (this is assuming I could even successfully pick her up, since the ungloves tend to be slightly, um...slippery) they'd call DHS and she'd be taken away from us OR 2 - Ava would observe the "finger gloves" and decide to decorate herself with them at the WORST possible moment (like when we invite the Sunday school teachers or grandparents over for dinner). So I decided to go ahead and cut sans gloves. BIG MISTAKE. Despite prompt and fervent washing, soaking in milk, lemon juice, tomato paste, and alcohol, and rubbing with Benadryl cream they still burned until this morning. Thankfully I'm finally out of pain, although I'm a little nervous about putting in my contacts later, yikes.***

Here is the labor of love and pain salsa. Totally worth it!

Before last school year began the fourth grade lost our storage closet. There were so many things that were destined for the dumpster. I rescued as many treasures as my sweet hubby would allow (and a few he didn't know about until we moved, mwuahahahaha). This fella' was one of my storage closet orphans. Ava has been OBSESSED with scarecrows since she saw one in Rabbit's garden. She was delighted with her fall room decorations. I can't find his legs, so I posed him "sitting" behind the pumpkins.

Smiley girl!

This is totally random, but I love bathing Ava on Saturday nights. The bathrooms in our apartment block all back up and sit atop one another, making it a safe place to hide during a tornado. It's the one place where we can occasionally hear our neighbors, strange acoustics because of the tile. Anyway, on Saturday nights around 8:00 we all bathe our babies for church. It's so heartwarming to scrub my little girl while listening to giggles, singing and splashes all around us. I think the neighbors behind us must put their girls in together (remember those days Sarah Beara?). I love the community we live in, and would not trade it for anything.

To the moon and back

The title to this post will make sense later, just hang with me.

For Labor Day weekend Ava and I headed to Clifton. Josh used the long weekend to study. We've found that he actually likes to study with "Autumn & Ava noise" in the background. I guess seminary study and LSAT preparations have conditioned him to learn in an atmosphere of Beauty and the Beast soundtracks and giggle sessions. Still, a quiet house allowed him to work ahead for the week. On Saturday the girls headed to our FAVORITE Waco spot - Spice. It's actually called The Shops of River Square Center, but who's going to say that? We enjoyed browsing all of the wonderful things that none of us needed to buy.
Here are Baba, Aunt Sarah and the Bave.

Baba, Mommy, and Ava

In her too-cute dress on Sunday, nice work Baba!

Daddy Daughter Mani Pedi time

If you look closely at Ava's pinkie in this picture you'll see Josh wrapped around it.

Here are some random musings.
Those of you who just blurk the pictures can click onto the next blog you stalk.

Since Ava was born I have always sent her to dreamland with the words, "I love you to the moon and back." Josh's Dad has patented, "Good night, sweet dreams, I love you," with Josh and Jaryn. Seriously, Gordon can say it in one syllable. I wanted to have a phrase like that with my little one. As she grew Ava began completing the phrase, I would say "I love you to the," and she would finish, "moon and back." Then for a while she would respond with, "I love you to the moon and back too." Well, the other night after I said my parting words for the night she asked me to come close. I bent over her bed and she said, "Mommy, do you know where I love you? I love you over the rainbow." Anyone who has known me for more than 5 minutes knows that I am a HUGE fan of The Wizard of Oz. How could she possibly have known that "over the rainbow" is exactly where I'd want to be loved?

The kiddos I'm nannying for are 6 and 8. Ava is picking up some big kid lingo from them, but she's not exactly sure how to use it. Here was an Ava quote this afternoon, "Mommy, these jelly beans are yummy. That's not fair!" She said this with a spectacular smile and sweet tone. Just wanted to throw in some big kid phrasing.

I've had a rough day today. Ava's hacky cough took a turn for the worse and was joined by some nasal congestion. Since our student health plan was in place (or so I thought) I took her to the doctor on campus. She has an upper respiratory infection, but lungs are clear...for now. The doctor was insistent that she take a round of antibiotics and cough syrup to make sure it didn't get more serious. There was concern in her tone. She also prescribed a once-daily Singular for asthma and allergy symptoms. When I got to the on-campus pharmacy they said that they couldn't give me her medicine until we paid the insurance premium in full. In full? Our health insurance for the year is slightly less than $4000. If I had that kind of money on hand I wouldn't need health insurance, duh. I called the insurance folks and sobbed while Ava hacked in the background (there also may have been a casual threat to contact Michael Moore, but I can't be sure). LOOOOOOONG story short, the insurance company made an exception and released the pharmacy to give us Ava's medicine. I'm not going to get political here. I know most (okay, all) of my blog lovers do not agree with anything I would say. But, the health insurance system is totally broken. I have been "covered" by 5 different health insurance providers in recent history and have been royally screwed over by every stinkin' one of them. Sure you may be able to get a surgery quickly in this country, but your great-great grandchildren will be paying for it. If you were to check my credit score right now you would find an unpaid surgery bill for a surgery I never had. I fought this as long as I could, but in the end it just isn't worth it. (Plus, the surgery in question represents a baby that I never held in my arms, not exactly something I enjoyed rehashing 1000 times to complete strangers.) HEALTHCARE IS A RIGHT, especially for children. Choose who you think should fix it, government, deep sea divers, the Dallas Cowboys, I don't care. Just fix it. Okay, I'm off my soapbox now.

In happier news, I've decided what I want to do when I grow up. I want to cook and bake scrumptious things in Sookie's kitchen. I want this kitchen to be inside of an ancient edifice that is steeped in history, and preferably slightly haunted, but in a romantic-not gory way. I want to serve my food (and fantastic coffee and teas) to interesting, kind people who come and sit at cute tables and read while they eat. They will all be reading their favorite books, my favorite books, or stuff I've written. These sweet people will discuss works of literature with each other and with me, since I'll have plenty of time to sit and enjoy their company between cooking, baking, writing, and serving. When my family needs me, I'll ask the folks to rinse the dishes after they're finished and hit the road. This will be acceptable because no money will be exchanged, money sucks the life out of me. Who needs it?

Okay, so who can point me in the perfect career direction? What's my first step?

Crawlspace, Cupcakes & Calendars

Thanks to our sweet friends, the Browns, Ava and I discovered the Norman Public Library. Even more importantly, we found their AMAZING children's department. With Rhythm Babies, Toddler and Preschool story times, train tables, lego tables, block tables, a puppet theater, kid audiobooks and DVDs, fun animals, AND a little potty (just like the one Pops installed in our old house)...we have found our home away from home.

Ava met the African Frogs,

and the gerbils.

This busy gerbil was running round and round.

Sitting and waiting patiently for story time to begin, on a carpet square
(such a tingly school moment)

The generous kiddos that Ava and I hang out with each afternoon offered their old scooter and helmet for our park trip. Ava has watched her idol, Darby, ride a scooter. She was anxious to scoot around the whole park. Unfortunately this band-nerd mom was unable to show her how to ride. The scooter will be going to Clifton with us this weekend. Maybe someone coordinated can try to help her.

Here is the illusive J, finally caught on film.
He's a master of the tire swing.

This week of law school has allowed for more time with HLS. He's learning how to manage his time, and we're soaking up the extra minutes. I'm sure this was some welcome light reading, no briefing required.

Another sweet church friend, Stacy Lubbers, who also happens to be Ava's Sunday School teacher joined us for a Starbucks/Farmer's Market date on Wednesday. Stacy is also the wife of Rich, student minister at the church. It's so fun to sit and talk with folks who are in shoes similar to the ones we've worn and lived to tell about (wow, pretty sure that's not a real sentence...nope it's not, I just tried to diagram it). God has been strategically placing law school wife survivors in my path (seriously, 3 just this week). Their amazing stories and encouragement keep my head above water. I hope to pass the same support on to the Lubbers. Don't let Ava's wind scowl fool you, she loves this chica.
(Ava griped at the wind all morning, "No wind, don't blow my hair anymore!")

Helping Stacy pick out some tomatoes

Ava helped me choose another watermelon this week.
I didn't realize how sketch this van was until just now. The watermelon was totally safe, I promise;)

I'm not about to sock Ava in the face, just holding onto the melon's stem.

The goods:
make sure to check out Cooking Pink later this weekend for an amazing Acorn Squash Bisque recipe

Crawlspace #1:
In our tiny abode we have to be super creative with space. Our printer rests permanently under the dining room table. Here is where I found HLS on Wednesday evening, happily printing out important documents.
(Note the blue shopping bag half unloaded on the table top, Winnie the Pooh towel drying over the chair, and pink parasol stashed underneath. He's so extremely patient with us!)

I know this picture is sad, but it's a reality for us these days. Ava's dry, hacky cough has been keeping me up for the past week or so. She's 100% fine all day, but after sleeping for a few hours the hacking begins. As soon as I move her onto the couch and let her sleep on my chest she is fine. The breathing treatments help some, but sleeping with Mommy seems to be the only real cure. Uncle Brandon will be working on her this weekend (between dove hunting trips). He's also bringing some new vitamins that should help her. I know her issues are allergy related. Oklahoma has some funky trees. Hope to have my healthy girl back soon!

Crawlspace #2:
Halfway through making coffee on Thursday morning I noticed things were quiet. Every mom and teacher reading this knows exactly what that means, check on the kiddos quick. I walked through the house calling for Ava, and she didn't answer. I knew that she had to be in the house, the deadbolt was locked. Upon second inspection in the living room I noticed that the basket of tiny yellow tomatoes was missing from the coffee table. Then I heard a little sound from beneath the end table.

Monkey see monkey do.

I am a little jealous that I don't have an under-table to call my own.

The Pride of Oklahoma Marching Band practices in the field adjoining our apartment complex. The beautiful 72 degree afternoon demanded that we sit and listen for a while.

Enjoying the music

Clapping to the beat

"I'm going to

come and get you Mommy!"

Dancing to the music

Two peas in a pod

HLS has dedicated Thursday evenings to us. A wise man instructed all of the 1L's (first-year law students) to set aside one night each week for their families. Thank you, thank you, thank you Dean Evans!

This week we headed to Bricktown in Oklahoma City.

Loving the ducks and the water

Ava, did you put that truck on top of the building?!

I wanted to find a fun spot for us to grab dessert, so I entered "Sprinkles" into the GPS. Sara Sara Cupcakes popped up first on the list. From the adorable house that hosts the cupcake store, to the cute logo and Astroturf front lawn this place was pure bliss. If I'd brought a book and pillow with me I might have spent the night.

This is Ava's "stop taking pictures and give me a cupcake" face.

My two cupcakes observe one cupcake.

Our choices:
Coconut Cream - Daddy
Chocolate - Ava James
Vanilla Bean - Mommy

In true first-born fashion, we all three thought our cupcake tasted best.
Really, mine won because I type the words on the blog:)

Getting a little help from Mommy

Messy girl

The happy family

With these cooler temperatures (we've actually observed the geese starting to v-up and fly south), I decided to put up some of my fall decorations. Most of my decorations for fall are Halloween-related, and it's still a little early for that. Just having a few splashes of autumn around the house makes this Autumn very happy.

Here's my "entryway" decorated for fall:

On Sunday at church Mitch Randall preached a sermon about Making and Impact. Baskets containing random acts of kindness were passed around and we were supposed to draw one. (We're going to hell for this, but Josh and I could not help laughing at some of the older folk who were confused and kept trying to throw their offering into the baskets. I was secretly hoping to pick a $20 instead of a kind act suggestion.) Anyway, before the basket got to our row Josh and I decided to switch slips of paper before looking at them. We switched and he immediately started trying to give his to me. I was not going to switch because my "traded for" act was perfect for me. As it turned out, we drew the same act of kindness. What are the odds?

Take dessert to a neighbor

Score!

Ava and I baked the cookies, and Josh will help with delivery. What a great message for us all. Thanks Mitch!

Since we live so far away from our family, I made Ava a family tree poster for her room. Instead of hounding me to see pictures of Aunt Jaryn or Aunt Sarah on my computer, she can see them anytime. I actually completed this project the week after we moved in but haven't posted about it yet.

Many thanks to Mimi for donating this calendar set. We have enjoyed changing the date each morning, and telling Daddy what day it is in the evenings. Sometimes he really doesn't know:)

You can tell Ava is feeling more at home in her castle, crazy naked baby.

As a lover of books, libraries, reading, and words I had to take a picture of Ava with her first checked out library books. The Z Was Zapped, Peedie, Ollie, and BooBoo
This girl LOVES Oliver Dunrea books, and this mommy LOVES Chris Van Allsburg.

In other Ava's room news, a collective sigh of relief was heard from the Loving Family Dollhouse when the long sought after bathroom was finally located in stores. A line quickly formed as bladders were emptied, babies were scrubbed, and hair was dried. Yes there's a hair dryer in the drawer of the cabinet, it was Ava's second favorite piece in the bathroom. I'll let you guess her first.