Categories
Daughters Family

Indian Food

This semester MD has been working on a report project covering India. Part of the project is to put together a display that will be featured at the home school group’s Cultural Dinner in March. Since it’s a dinner, each student’s family will be bringing sample food from the country.

So yesterday we went out to eat some Indian food. The restaurant served a lunch buffet with Tandoori chicken, Chef’s Special chicken, spinach with mushrooms, potato and waffles, fruit with mango sauce, rice in coconut milk, etc.

Both girls did pretty well. Of course they liked the fruit the best, but they ate (or sampled) everything the tried from the buffet. They even say they want to go back.

For the cultural dinner, MD wants to make nan bread and maybe have some fruit. We’re also considering making samosas if we can figure out how to do it.

Categories
Daughters Family Travel Wife

Trip to Tryon Palace

For her birthday, CDF wanted to go on a day trip as a family. She picked Tryon palace since we had never been there and the gardens were supposed to be in bloom. It turned out to be a great day to visit, the sun was out and the temperature cool, but not cold.

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Tryon Palace
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Girls in the Gate
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In the Gate House

We purchased the garden pass, so we spent most of our time walking the paths. The girls really enjoyed exploring the more formal gardens with their walls and bricked paths. CDF took a lot of pictures of the flowers.

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Going into the Gardens
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Sharing secrets

The garden pass also included the Kitchen Office, where the servants used to be quartered and most of the cooking for the Governor was done. We had almost a private tour of the office, kitchen, laundry, and bedrooms. Probably the most interesting part was talking to the guide in the kitchen. She was cooking lunch in the wood fireplace, an actual sausage and rice dish that would have been cooked back in the 18th century. She told us about what the people would eat, and how the servants at the mansion were better fed, and better educated, than most of the town folk. A lot of the people of that time wanted to have their sons and daughters hired by the governor.

Categories
Around the House Daughters

Winter Snow

This past weekend we had an unexpected snow storm. It came after the storm that hit Washington DC and took a more southerly route, covering Alabama, Georga, and even Florida, beforing moving up the coast and gifting us with snow. It arrived Friday night as we were finishing dinner.

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Snowing Friday Night

The next morning the yard was covered with a nice white blanket. I was surprised how much snow we got. My guess was that it was around 4 or 5 inches, but there were places that were 7 inches deep.

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The Back Yard

The pets were almost as excited as the girls. The cat wasn’t sure at first, but her curiosity overcame her hesitation. The dog was already running and jumping around.

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Cat in the Shed

The girls went outside as soon as they could get dressed after breakfast. We played in the snow for a while, building snowmen, throwing snowballs, and making snow angels. First MD went inside to warm up, and eventually CE got cold too. So as one was going in the other was coming out. Meanwhile CDF was going around and taking pictures of the snow.

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Looking Down our Street

Before everyone went in, our neighbor came over from across the street. She and her sister had told the girls that they would help make a snowman, and so they made a little one in the front yard.

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We Enjoyed the Snow
Categories
Daughters

What if He’s Fired

Yesterday, out of the blue, MD asked, “what if Daddy were fired?” Then she went on to wonder what would happen if both my brother and I were fired. “I hope they don’t get fired.”

Not to worry, CE had the solution, “If Daddy gets fired, a fire truck will come, and he’ll be saved.”

Categories
Daughters

She’s Three

CE’s birthday celebrations stretched over the course of the week. It started with a small celebration down in Myrtle Beach, where we were staying with CDF’s sister for the night. She had a red velvet cake.

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Blowing out the Candles
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This is Good Cake

Then on the next weekend we had a bigger party at the local park. This time CDF made a cake in the shape of a butterfly, and we ordered pizza. We invited a lot more people this time. Before we ate the children were able to play on the playground and then afterward they played in the lawn beside the picnic shelter.

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Butterfly Cake

One of CE’s favorite gifts was the scooter and helmet. Now she wears the helmet while riding the tricycle too.

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She has a new Scooter
Categories
Daughters

Preschool

From CDF:

Here is CE this morning on her first day of preschool!! She was so excited to be going—but was not all that sure about being left. She didn’t cry though. I was proud of her.

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Outside the Preschool
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Getting Involved
Categories
Daughters

Clo and the Trike

This past week I got out the tricycle for Clo to try. Up until now she has been too short. This time her legs just reach the pedals and she can push them enough to get going.

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Riding Along

Yesterday evening she and I went out to the drive way with our bikes to ride together. She rode a little, but ended up pushing her trike around a lot. So I got off mine and snapped some pictures.

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Turning Around
Categories
Daughters

Playing in the Tub

On Thursday the girls were being silly in the tub. I gave them some “fun soap,” a foamy soap that comes in various colors, and they were putting it on their faces like clowns.

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Playing in the Tub
Categories
Daughters Rambling Thoughts

Swimming at the Lake

This past week I was on vacation. Our plan was to stay home, and every day I would take Mo to a nearby lake for swim lessons. The weather didn’t want to cooperate and it was colder than I liked, but we persisted and made it every day.

Mo Swimming

Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday Clo came with us. On Tuesday CDF was supposed to go to the beach with Clo, but plans fell through and we all went to the lake and made it family outing. Wednesday Clo was just looking so disappointed about not going that I decided to take her. We didn’t get as much swimming practice in that day, but they had fun playing.

Swimming in the lake

Friday was supposed to be the day Mo showed how much she had learned, but we didn’t quite make it to where she is able to swim, but she is much more comfortable in the water and can hold her breath under water for two or three seconds now. So Friday we spent more time playing around. CDF and I swam out to the raft in the middle of the lake and dove back off into the water. Then I went and tried to dive from the diving board (and failed) at the tower. I finally made somewhat of a dive off the side, but I’m better when I’m close to the water. CDF showed me how it should be done from the diving board!

At the lake

Categories
Daughters Wife

Father’s Day

From CDF:

For [jModule’s] Father’s day we had a very low key type of day. We all attended church together and that evening we took a stroll at Wrightsville Beach. It was so nice & the girls thoroughly enjoyed it. We did not take our suits, but wished we had once we got there. The water was so calm & it was high tide.

I love the picture of Clo close-up with how the sunlight is hitting her face. And Mo — the picture says it all — she was having a BLAST!

Take care! Come enjoy the beach for those of you that live inland!!

[CDF]

Behind the Dunes

Walking at High Tide

Having a Blast

Contemplating Her Next Move