Maggie made this delicious vegan lasagna for us this past week.  She used pureed navy beans as a "paste" to replace the ricotta.  It was delicious!  As usual, she has a few more experiments to try with this recipe.

 Last night we made a surprise impromptu visit to Allen's workplace after Lizzie's soccer game.  We called Sarah and Maggie (who had just finished teaching swimming classes) to meet us at 9 pm at Sakura. 

 Granddaddy was with us since he goes to all of the soccer games.  It was a busy night at the restaurant because it was not only Valentines...but also the last evening of the Chinese New Year.

 This is the infamous dragon that I bought at the thrift shop and donated to the restaurant.  I'd forgotten about it until one of my children jokingly referred to me as the Dragon Lady. 

 This was a terribly busy day/night for Allen.  He didn't even say hi to us.  He ended up working 14 hours nonstop.  He was exhausted when he got home at 12:15 am.

 Why are we standing and tossing food?  It's all part of Lashon (?)...celebrating the Chinese new year.  We were given a large plate of spaghetti veggies.  Then we were given lots of little plates of spices, fish, nuts and foods.  You stand up and toss all the side dishes into the spaghetti dish.  The owner seemed a little concerned about our family's hope of a good new year because we couldn't add the peanuts because of an allergy.  Oh well!

Sarah got this Goldfish Salad that was delicious.  It's sitting on a bed of julienned cucumber.  This could easily be my favorite.

So we had a fun evening.  Today we are all very busy.  Allen and Lizzie went to a Krav Maga martial arts clinic on base.  (Krav Maga is the martial arts used by the Israeli army.)  Maggie is making a cake for the banquet tonight.  Mike is putting together the microphone setup since our children are doing the special music tonight (5 songs).  And I am getting ready to cook the dinner to take.  Sarah is babysitting and Anna is working.  Ruthie is helping in general.  I'll be glad when it's Monday...which is President's Day...a holiday!

Many blessings ~ Kathie

 

 Not much is going on around here.  Allen works long hours at his restaurant.  I took this picture of him last Sunday morning as he was waiting to leave for church.

 

Then Allen and Lizzie started playing around with my funny phones.  The plastic phone Allen has is an antique Roy Rogers phone.  Lizzie's phone actually works and we depend on it when the electric goes out. 

 

 

This past weekend, a couple of our children came down with the dreaded stomach virus, so we thought we'd show our church family how much we love them by staying home.  We spent the time listening to this excellent cd by Voddie Baucham.  We all agreed it is definitely worth listening to.



 

This past week was special for Anna.  First, she got the last of her braces off.  Hurray!  Then, she drove up to Washington DC and spent the night at a hotel with her second family.  If you remember that two years ago, Anna spent 11 weeks in Uganda being a mother's helper to a missionary family that was expecting a new baby (Anna is holding her in this picture).  Well, this family is in the states doing deputation. 

 

 

 

Anna loved being back with them and she also liked how the children remembered her and felt at ease with her...sitting on her lap and asking her questions.  Baby Ethan was a toddler then but now he is a big boy at four years old!  (But still cute!)

 

Anna came home and slept on the sofa for a long nap...just like she did when she came home from Uganda!

 

We're tired of the ugly snow piles.  We want some REAL snow!  And I am tired of all the mess that wood makes around the woodstove.  But I'm thankful to be warm and toasty.

 

Can you tell what these pictures are?  We were given a free ticket to get a car wash.  The first picture shows the soap being squirted onto the sunroof window.  Now my little black car is shiny and clean.  It was painful to drive my clean car onto our dirt road.

So we are busy into the winter doldrums.  School, work, chores, and soccer keep us busy. 

Many blessings ~ Kathie

This week, Lizzie and I went to Apple Basket Antiques to see Anna at work.  We came home with this wood "tray" that was upcycled from a fence slat.

Now I need to get out my apple-themed tablecloth.

Early last Saturday morning, our church hosted a Father-Daughter banquet.  Anna had to work, so Mike took the four seen here.

I thought this was a wonderful idea.  (The picture with Lizzie and Mike got mixed up somewhere so it'll be on another post when we get it.)  The ladies at our church did an excellent job with the whole morning.  Mike gave the devotional.  He sure misses teaching at church.

Lizzie did Ruthie's hair with these cute clippers.  The wording on Ruthie's dress says "let it snow"...and it did!

Ruthie turned 14 last week so we had a simple birthday party/dinner with my parents.  Ruthie requested cheesecake, so Maggie was able to make one that was allergy free.  Delicious!

Meemaw and Ruthie checking out Ruthie's new tablet holder/case.

 

Maggie made a chocolate sauce for the cheesecake and we got a good laugh when we saw how much the two chocolate lovers (Meemaw and Maggie) poured over their dishes.

 

Enjoy, Meemaw!

 



 

This week I got a wonderful surprise in the mail.  Adina, our former violin teacher, sent us these two pictures...plus another in a beautiful frame.  We have missed seeing Adina and baby Clara.  These pictures are taken at lessons where I am accompanying the girls on the piano.  Hopefully some day the girls will resume lessons.

We've been having little snow storms.  Most of the snow is melted...but our driveway is still pretty snowy/muddy because of the trees.  Today and tomorrow will be unusually warm...in the low 50s!...so it should all turn to mud. *smile*

Grandad had all of us over for a brisket dinner.  Sarah had trouble driving up the hill in her little pickup truck, so Mike had to go save her.  It was tricky even for us...and scarier when we had to go downhill going home.  But we made it.

Allen had put in a 10 hour workday, so he was pretty tired.  He has been working long hours but enjoying it.

Last night Allen's Japanese restaurant celebrated the Chinese New Year with an 8-course meal.  Sarah and her friend Cris (we call her Crispy Nut) went and had a good time.  Towards the end, Allen came out in his uniform.  It was quite the cultural event.  We enjoyed listening to the details of the evening from Sarah.

Yesterday Allen worked 12 hours straight (with barely a moment to rest) but still came home smiling.  This morning, Mike and Allen left at 6:30 am to drive to Richmond for the annual Frostfest, a ham radio event.  Allen was driving because Mike knew he would be too tired.

We thought we'd be eating endless meals of Japanese cuisine when Allen started working at Sakura...but he has no heart for it at home.  So Maggie and Lizzie have perfected veggie sushi.  Love it!

Yesterday was our church's annual Sportsmen's Banquet, so four of my daughters were gone most of the day and evening.  Mike took two friends from work, and my brother took my Dad. 

I was supposed to have the whole evening home alone...but Sarah locked her keys in her car down at the college where she was teaching swimming.  So I drove the hour down there to give her the spare set.  By the time I got home (after unexpected shopping), my daughters were home.  And I forgot to give a camera to my daughters so they could get pictures of the banquet.  Oh well!

Enjoy your Saturday.  Many blessings ~ Kathie