Finally, school is a'starting, Mom and Dad in Africa

T- 54 minutes until we leave for J's first day of K.  It's so dark and rainy here today, but I know he's going to have a marvelous time. And so will I. Oh lordy does this kid need a schedule and more daily stimulation than I can provide. Mom and Dad just called from a picnic they're on in Kenya. August marked 10 years since I was there- in some ways that seems preposterous, in others those three weeks seem a lifetime ago, or another lifetime entirely. My time in Kenya was a lifechanging event in so many ways. I have never been the same, and while the ways in which that's true are hard to articulate, I am profoundly grateful and anticipate, in an almost-over the top way, when I can go back.

Ok, J is insisting we draw a tractor-trailer before we get him dressed (in an extremely handsome outfit of course; I know you are not surprised) for school.

Back in the weeds a bit

Today is just one of those days, and I don't mean that in a good way. Icing on the cake is that I just did a major haul at the market, got home and started in on the jam, only to find that I was just short of enough freaking pectin. I cannot even consider going back out so called T who's in the 'burbs. Hopefully he can find this ridiculous pectin which I need. And what in the sam hill is calcium water? What do you do with it? This random insert says Before You Start Jamming, MAKE CALCIUM WATER. But, there is no subsequent message about the use of or needs for calcium water. Put it all together, and this jam session is not starting out under a good cloud. At least the grands invited the kids over. Dios mio. This morning was one breakdown and injury after another, culminating with T slicing the bejesus out of his finger with a freaking razor blade as he tried to slice a chopstick in half to make a crane something or other for the  boys. Blood was all over the walls, and let me just tell y'all that T does NOT do well with his own blood. Meanwhile, J is rightfully alarmed, O was screaming about my putting the vacuum away after a very protracted session of it on full blast as a pipe-laying tool. For real, I bandaged T's finger, put Oliver in bed, put Jack in bed, got in bed and closed the door. Sometimes you just gotta do it.

I am also sore but at least I feel good about that. There's nothing like an adrenaline rush on the treadmill to make you think, "Of course I can run a 5k right now after having NOT run for months." Alas.

Does your house look like a warzone? I don't even know how all this stuff got out...

Family picture, spiced plum jam

Who else has struggled to get a family picture in recent days? Does everyone's school want one? I love the idea, but it's always kinda hairy. You parents of girls probably don't have near as much trouble as those of us with boys. I always end up calling out poop/booger/such words in an attempt to get my scatalogically-minded boys to laugh. Even that failed this morning, but I think we have one decent option. In the past few weeks, I've been photographing the new students for a welcome board at Jack's school. The children are darling, and it's been tons of fun, but I have been amazed by the reaction of little girls to a camera. Insta-pose! Insta-smile! They are on! Cute as buttons but where does this come from? It's fascinating. The boys have, by and large, been very agreeable but without the same performance factor. I just bribed T to go out and run some errands. He was actually fairly amenable as the boys have been whine-factories this morning. Bring on school! In the meantime, I put them in front of Mighty Machines (they are obsessed with Deep Underground, a show about excavating salt mines) and am about to make Chinese 5 Spice for a Spiced Plum and Port Jam I'm going to make this afternoon. DC-folks, if that sounds good to you, I'll be selling some at the Circle Yoga Arts Market on Saturday from 2-6p. Hint, hint. ;)