Hello! Remember me? It's been a bit of a whirlwind this past month. We had fair week, and right in the middle of it, with all hands on deck working the neighborhood booth, Dominic and Shawn welcomed their little girl. The next day was Jerome's scheduled jaw surgery (both jaws, plus his wisdom teeth out, it was gruesome, and I can tell you more if you aren't squeamish). His birthday was four days later. Happy birthday! We had a pot roast we puréed for him, over mashed potatoes and chocolate pudding with chantilly cream for dessert. His care was really difficult at first, with something like 20 pills he had to take (crushed and added to liquid which went in a syringe, because he couldn't swallow or chew), and almost all his food and drink had to go through a syringe for the first week.

The day after that, I left on a bus for Dominic and Shawn's to make meals, clean up, and hold Winnie. It was a delight, but exhausting. Also, I learned a lot about people on the bus rides to and from their home. While I was gone, Rich was doing a lot, while also trying to be at work, and the kids at home helped with much around the house and with Jerome. Then, Rich and I had a trip to Canon Beach to be there for our godson's wedding, which was also kind of an early anniversary trip for us, because this year won't be an anniversary trip year. Also, a one night work trip the same week.

We are exhausted. In the meantime, some of the kids' classes have started, and we are easing into our school year beginning (which is the end of September). However, their group science class has started, and our co-op begins soon. So, yes, it's a little busy around here.

Our church family has been amazing, making meals, taking care of things while we are gone, looking out for our kids. They are doing so much to relieve pressure and stress for us. They even provided the dinner tonight, so I didn't have to cook any of the things I had planned and could rest on our day of rest.

We have a couple weeks without too much, but Winnie's baptism is coming up, and that will be exciting and beautiful. Please pray for her, her parents, and her godparents. Also, please keep Jerome in prayer. After a month of good recovery, he may have overdone it and has an infection. It is being treated, but that is now his second round of antibiotics in a month.

• Sunday - Feasts of the Elevation of the Holy Cross and Saint John Chrystostom
  Breakfast: Biscuits and Sausage Gravy, Nectarines, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Pork Street Tacos, Caprese Salad, Custard Puddings, Almond Cookies and Peanut Butter Brownies, Plums
• Monday
  Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs and Veggies, Toast, Cantaloupe Balls, Coffee and Milk
  Dinner: Pork Chile Verde, Mexican Tomato Rice, Pears, Apple Cider Doughnuts and GF Pear Fritters with Cider Glaze
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Feta, Tomatoes, Za’atar and Olive Oil, Toast, Plums, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Zurbiyan with Lamb, Duqqus, Mutawam Kusa, Sliced Watermelon
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Potato and Vegetable Hash with Salsa, Pluots, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Baba Ghanooj, Hummus, Tamis, Sliced Cucumbers, Olives, Moroccan Beet Salad, Sliced Watermelon
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Salatat Battatas ou Bayd, Plums, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Leftovers, Pears, Sliced Watermelon
• Friday - Feast of Saint Theodore
  Breakfast: Egyptian Style Ful, Duqqus, Toast, Sliced Cucumbers, Fruit Plate, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Vegetarian Ranchero Beans, Quick and Dirty Mexican Rice, Sliced Watermelon
• Saturday
  Breakfast: Turkish Menemen, Shawerma Spiced Sausage Patties, Toast, Sliced Cantaloupe, Mint Tea with Honey and Coffee
  Dinner: Lebanese Roasted Stuffed Onions, Rice, Mafrouka

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday.

Labels: Church Year, Family, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Homesteading, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Tales from the Kitchen