If you have spent much time around Ben lately, you will likely have noticed that his new favorite phrase is, “Speaking of which…” He uses it correctly and it makes him sound very sophisticated. He has a pretty well-developed vocabulary, though it seems to have some holes. How can the same guy request a charcuterie…
‘Union
If summers had themes, and we really think they should, ours would be family. A new family began when Sophia and Jake got married, existing families came together for the big event, and we also attended both a Sprunger reunion and a Yoder reunion this summer! Ben dispenses with the first syllable of reunion and…
Ben’s Day Friends’ Day
Usually, for Ben’s birthday in June we bring lunch for his friends in the park. This year his birthday was four days before his sister’s wedding, so we put him off until July and we took great pains to tell him that it wasn’t a birthday party, it was just a gathering of friends. We…
Eat the Rainbow
Thank goodness you chose the rainbow challenge for this week’s cooking adventure! (I couldn’t face those frozen bananas for a second week in a row, especially when paired with pretzels, shrimp and a surprise ingredient!) Besides, summer’s produce is filled with colorful choices for a rainbow meal! We all know that eating a variety of…
Pork Wellington and a Cooking Challenge Hoax!
As you know, last week we came to you, the readers, to help us pick items for our cooking challenge that would help reduce our freezer and pantry contents. Phil and I each put 10 “slow moving” items on a list and you voted for the ones you wanted us to use. I carefully tallied…
Something Old, Something New, Plus a Vote Needed from You
With the wedding behind us and Phil returning to teaching in the fall, Ben and I are excited to start up our Ben’s Day Wednesday activities again. I had in mind starting with something new, but when I asked Ben what we should cook this week, he suggested chicken parm, the dish we have been…
To Have and to Hold
Ben and I have been on cooking and blogging sabbatical for a year, courtesy of Phil, but this week’s events warrant a return to social media… Sophia got married! The day was everything anyone could hope for. If I had actually snapped some photos instead of Mother-of-the-Briding it up, maybe I could show you more…
Straddling the Prime Meridian in 1970
While Phil and Ben were visiting Grandma in Kansas, Phil went through zillions of slides that his father, the history professor, had taken to show in classes, but also to record family outings while on sabbatical. He texted me this picture with the caption, “Straddling the Prime Meridian in 1970.” It’s hard to say what…
Don’t Stop Believin’!
This weekend, Ben wrapped up his performance in The Lion King Kids (as part of the ensemble.) The show was great! As usual, after the show, the cast and mentors of this Penguin Project Production sang and danced to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” and Ben was in his element. I love seeing Ben and friends…
Reflection
When Phil and I travel abroad, we don’t really buy souvenirs, or much of anything to bring home. The one exception is that wherever we go, we look for a small mirror that we can hang in our very tiny bathroom. It has to have a material or motif that represents the country. When we…