The Big 3-0...

...I turned it on Monday, but we're not going to party it up until next weekend, so I don't yet feel any older or wiser. Two thoughts about thirty. In high school, we had a thirty year old English teacher, a very young guy compared to the mostly middle-aged faculty, but I so distinctly remember feeling, "well he seems young, but he's thirty! that's so oooold!" Later, when I taught my first class in grad school I was 24 teaching a bunch of 18-19 year old freshmen, and we were totally buddies - I dressed like them, I talked like them. On the first day, they didn't realize I was the teacher. Five years is nothing! Now if I go back to teach to get my last year of funding I'll be closer to twice their age. :)

Anyway. Lots and lots of projects brewing around here but I never like to share until they are done. Get ready for many big reveals in the next few weeks.

In the meantime, I made some apple muffins with a few of the apples from Linvilla Orchards. They were delicious. I was totally in shock - I'm still at a place where I don't quite believe that things I mix together and heat will become the food they are meant to become. But, just like my favorite no-frills cookbook said, the dough became muffins and the muffins were devoured. Here they are just out of the oven:



Next batch I'll make with apples and craisins. Truth be told, I bought craisins to put into these but forgot them in the flurry of the kitchen with Lara around.

Speaking of, there has been much daddy-missing lately. Misha has been on call and on consults (call during the day) for the last three out of four weeks. Late days mean no daddy time, and it really shows. Today she cried when he tried to go in the shower, climbing up his torso like a little spider monkey and yelling "Stay he-ah! I yov oo!" The last few times I came to pick her up from school, Lara looked at the door behind me expectantly and then accusingly demanded, "Wheah Dada? Dada! Wheah Dada?" before sighing with resignation, "Dat's Mommy." Misha got to be around for a couple of hours on the weekend, so:



And, why, yes, that is the apron that she is wearing. Thank you for asking. I made those pants also, and should photograph them at some point. Here are some cute faces for you.