March Marches On

Salve! (practicing: Italian Lesson #1.)

Just checking in...we had a couple of warm days this week, and now we're back to "winter."  Brrrr!  The sun fools us into thinking that spring is close.  Then you walk outside and the wind hits you.  Ugh!

Here are some highlights of the week:

GUN CLUB.  Frank was given some rifles that his dad and grandfather owned.  He is officially "licensed," now, to have them in Massachusetts!  He found a gun club in a neighboring town that had reasonable hours and fees.  We went to check it out yesterday.  It's still snowy and slushy and muddy out!  But Teresa, Frank and I shot at some targets at their range yesterday.  I think it will be a good place to practice in the future.

D.C. TRIP.  The 8th graders around here take a trip to Washington D.C. in the spring.  It's a fabulous trip, with monuments, U.S. government buildings, and museums.  The 8th grade curriculum is filled to the brim with history, U.S. law and constitution, and studies of the Revolutionary War.  This D.C. trip in April will be the culminating event of the year, tying all these studies together for the students.  They take a train down, pack in a ridiculous number of historic attractions and activities into 3 days, stay in hotels and eat food court food.

EARNING MONEY. While it's a great trip, it is also expensive.  We have basically required each of our kids to make half of the money to go to D.C.  So David went during our first year here in Massachusetts.  We had house projects up to our eyeballs that year, and every door inside the house needed to be painted.  Twice.  That was his "D.C. project."  Teresa was also earning money for Peru that year, so she earned for both trips, and she made loaves of zucchini bread and sold them (many. many. loaves) to neighbors, friends, people at church...lots of zucchini bread.  So...we don't have house projects going on right now (Thank You, Thank You--so tired of those).  What could Kara do?

PERSONAL CHEF.  Kara actually likes to cook, including baking of course.  Her friends at school know that on their birthday, they can request what kind of treat they want at school, and Kara will make it and bring it in to the lunch room! (Public schools now don't allow food in the classroom, and there are allergies galore, but as far as we know, the students can still bring food into the lunchroom.)

So I have hired Kara to cook meals for our family! I find recipes online, get the ingredients, and she makes the food for us.  I stay within earshot for questions, but I read, work on the computer, etc. while she makes dinner!  She has prepared:

Salmon & Zucchini Skewers & Couscous
Pork Fajitas w/Pepper & Onion
Chicken Picatta
Crispy Panko Cod with Kale & Mango Salad
Rosemary Chicken Lasagna
Gnocci w/Spinach Salad
Crispy Shrimp w/Canellini & Kale

and lots more!  It's perfect for me.  I'm afraid I'll be sad when she's earned all of her money for the trip.

Time to move to the next thing, getting ready for the week!  Hope it's springtime where you are.  Thursday is the BIG DAY: 1st day of spring, officially!  I'll keep telling myself that, anyway.  Even tho our temps are far from spring-like.

Happy Monday tomorrow!  Kari