Coming along nicely

My collection of eggshells for Cascarones is coming along very nicely. I'm nearly at four dozen and am confident that a few more evenings of breakfast for dinner or big weekend breakfasts will get us to a solid five dozen. Ohhhh...I can't wait to crack a few over my boys' heads!

It's not too late to make Cascarones yourself. Check out my tutorial here. Just make a quiche or a nice egg strata and you'll be all set! 

Original post by Smiling Mama. Thanks for reading!

A New Dryer

It's been about three months now that we've been without a working gas dryer but we've found something just as effective. On sunny and warm days, at least! Who knew I'd be planning my laundry around the weather forecast!

There is something soothing about carrying a laundry basket into the back yard, hanging it up and then taking it back down again a few hours later. I'm also falling in love with the smell of our line-dried clothes, sheets, towels and napkins, and the texture is much less stiff than I imagined it would be. In fact, I hardly notice.

Abel installed this rack right over the 2" pole that remained from the laundry line we promptly removed the moment we moved into this house (Total irony, right? But, the two cross bars were incredibly rusted and the line crossed nearly our entire yard.) Unfortunately it is located right under our largest tree, so, depending on how well the birds are able to aim, we may need to move it later!

Original post by Smiling Mama. Thanks for reading!

Cherry Blossom Kids' Run

Yesterday was one of those days when I just kept thinking, "The things we do for our kids...."

You see, ever since the day Abel found out he didn't win the lottery to run in the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler, he has been looking forward to taking Lucas down to the Washington Monument to participate in the Kids' 1/2 Mile Run.

But then two friends decided to sell their bibs and so Abel did get a slot in the 10 miler. At first I totally assumed that meant that the 1/2 Mile Run was off for Lucas. But, I was wrong. It meant SO much to Abel for Lucas to do it, and of course Lucas had gotten pumped for the race.

And that's how my friend and I ended up trekking FIVE children ages 11mos to 6 years on the 6:59am Metro train to Smithsonian, across the Washington Monument grounds (dodging runners and blocked roads) so Lucas and his friend (team Fireskulls as you can see in the photo above) could run a quick 1/2 mile loop.

Oh, the things we do!

In the end it was, indeed, worth it. Lucas ran the entire distance and was so incredibly proud of himself. It was a beautiful morning, and other than some elevator challenges (the two youngest were in a double stroller), the trek itself went pretty smoothly.

Thanks to Abel volunteering to do an elite athlete airport pick-up a few days prior to the race (and yet not actually having to perform that duty--he is SUCH a lucky duck!), he's got a guaranteed slot in next year's race. And so I anticipate a similar trek for the Kids' Run again next year.

The photo above is my reminder to myself that, despite the 5am alarm, we should do it again next year.

Original post by Smiling Mama. Thanks for reading!