Five Brown Kids

I know you've all been waiting patiently.  A recap of 2014.  Lots of smiling baby clips so it's 3 times longer than normal..

What a week!  The confederate flag is out (but at such a price) Obama care is here to stay (where was it the year I had to put $7500 on a credit card to pay for a policy?) and marriage equality has arrived (legal protection for all families)

I have a big birthday this fall and I'm celebrating by running a Ragnar with my friends.  We need a few more people to fill the second van.  Send me an email if you are interested....

Taye's first summer visit to the farmers market the other day.  We were on the hunt for peaches but he couldn't leave without some okra.   He washed and sliced the okra and then dipped it in this batter.  1 whole egg 1 egg white 1 cup flour 2/3 cup cold water salt and pepper to taste He just puts a cup of vegetable oil in a small saucepan, brings it to a boil and then cooks a few pieces at a time until it's toasty brown.  So tasty!

Recipe from Our Best Bites.   I've modified the cooking a little bit.  This is a new family favorite!   Green Chili Chicken boneless skinless chicken thighs salt and pepper 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium onion, finely chopped 2 poblano chiles, stemmed, seeded, and chopped  1 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon ground cumin 14 oz green enchilada sauce  1 cup water  1 cup long-grain rice 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional, sprinkled on top after it's cooked) 1.  Salt and pepper chicken. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat. When very hot, add the chicken thighs and cook for about 5 minutes or until golden and crispy on one side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.  2.  Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and allow to heat for about a minute. Add the chopped onions and peppers and cook for about 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cumin ...

Nothing fancy here, no rewards for books, or treats for pages.  Just an hour of quiet time everyday before swim.  Read or nap.... Taye The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Fantastic Mr Fox Catching Fire Swiss Family Robinson Mockingjay Jaxon The Trumpet of the Swan Invisible Man Time Traveller Stuart Little Jessica To Kill a Mockingbird Extraordinary, Ordinary People lots and lots of blogs, Newsweek, National Geographic and NPR news on my phone

Jaxon has the luckiest friends. A play date out on the lake. 

Taye turned 14 this weekend.  We went out for dinner and he ate this burger again.  He wanted money  for a present and that was easy enough. Saturday Tyrone worked. Jaxon headed out early (6:30 am) to a basketball tournament with another team family.  I cleaned up, took Taye to swim, went running with the girls, picked Taye up and headed straight to Scotia's year end dance recital.  She did a great job and we loved all the different dance routines. From there we headed straight to Durham to catch Jaxon's last basketball game of the season. We ate supper at Moes in the American Tobacco Campus and then finally had time to relax.  Swinging in the hammocks, playing in the water, flips and wrestling on the lawn.  Perfect ending to a busy day. Let the summer swim season begin!

It's tricky to be the the toddler in a house of big kids.  You get dragged around to places a little kid just isn't interested in.  But while everyone is in school I try to give Blythe lots of toddler time.  I hope she remembers having time to move at toddler speed from 9-3 each day and wandering on the greenway with time to pick up sticks and throw rocks in the water, long bike rides in the trailer, swinging as long as she wants at the park, tasting all of the strawberries at the farmers market and  time to play at home. 

Taye graduated from middle school. He introduced the guest speaker and spoke clearly and slowly and made eye contact with the audience.  He received an academic excellence award for science. And then he ate a few treats, took some pictures with his friends and was out of there (by 10:30 am!).  No hugs for teachers, no fond looks back, just done and moving on.  I took his squad out for lunch and then dropped them off at Defy Gravity for some "no more middle school!" celebrating. Can't believe I have a high schooler now - and a middle schooler and an elementary schooler and a toddler home schooler.  I'm a planner - how did I end up in a predicament like this? The Quad Squad.  At a graduation party a few days before.  So I know you're now wondering the same thing Tyrone and I are.....  how do our kids go to schools with lots of black kids but have mostly white friends?  I'm not sure what dynamics are at play here but everyone is happy s...

We always end up wet and dirty which is a sign of good fun right? 

Jaxon is done with elementary school and he knocked it out of the park.  I know there are kids who are smarter and kids who are faster and kids who are cuter and kids who are nicer but I'm not sure there are any kids who are as smart, nice, cute and fast as Jaxon Brown. He leaves with 3 visits to Odyssey of the Mind World Finals under his belt, plus four trips to First in Fitness once with a first place finish in the 100 yard dash, and a few medals for being the recess basketball one on one tournament king. He had great grades and not a single enemy.  Home run!! Graduation was wonderful.  The kids marched in to Pomp and Circumstance.  Ms. G gave a great speech reminding kids to look and see.  Keep your eyes open for the opportunities out there!  After certificates were handed out there was an amazing slide show with pictures of the kids starting in kindergarten.  (They watched my kids and taught my kids and still had time to take regular photos of th...

At a friend's birthday party. And big enough to drive himself now! 

This year Jaxon went with his coaches - no parents.  They did a wonderful job keeping track of him for five days and brought him home safe and sound. It seems like he had a great time.  And he came home with many amazing new pins. And memories of donuts for breakfast. Creativity Fair Jaxon is removing one of four marbles 860 pounds! Good enough for 10th place overall.  China placed first and second. Taking props to the trash.  This is a highlight.  After regionals you had to pack them home, after state you had to pack them home.  There is no where else to go from here - so in the garbage it goes. Getting sprayed with silly string coming out from spontaneous Closing ceremonies. First and second trip to worlds here.