getting out

We love leaving the city, absolutely love it. We accidentally found a secret beach spot on one drive and have been driving out to it almost every weekend. It is in a little town called Inverness and when we were living in Glasgow and Rich knew that we were moving here he checked it out through google. The geography is similar to that of where we were living and the street names are all Scottish. There are little thistles blooming now and bramble berries line the highway. It is a little hike through the redwoods to the beach. Even on Labor day weekend there was no crowd. Driving to the spot is slow, but once there we are totally rewarded.

Atlas was thrilled to find bear poo. He is our resident expert on all wildlife. Everywhere.

On the way home we stopped and picked berries on the side of the road. We picked so many- wearing flip flops and and our swim suits. It was dangerous! Then Emilia and I made a perfect berry pie that could be sliced with no runny berry mess. I can't wait to go back and do it again.

job hunting

Hunting- yeah I guess that is the right name for it. You really have to search and persevere and be discriminate? However, I am applying to just about everything I am remotely qualified for. The other day in an interview in response to a valid question I gave this valid response: size doesn't matter. I thought about what I had just said while looking the interviewer in the eye and didn't laugh or turn bright red. I took a breath and then qualified the statement by saying that big companies and small companies bla bla- as long as it is a good company...

Another blunder was in answering the phone. I was expecting a call from a friend that I hadn't spoken to in years. I answered the phone with a very friendly and expectant hello. There was an unexpected pause. It wasn't my friend but an employment agency in response to receiving my resume.

I am learning. I now answer my phone much differently no matter who is calling.

And I have been cooking, baking, making and mixing. I am sprouting seeds and beans too. It is getting obnoxious. Someone please hire me before I bake and cook us out of the house. hortachata
basil pesto
super thick and creamy yogurt and whey
the beloved hummus

Bread, cakes, cookies, yogurt, cheese, soups and stews, pestos (yes plural- basil and cilantro), horchata, and hummus. The other day I went to my regular supplier from Israel and he is on vacation. I just had to get my fix so I had to give hummus another go at making it myself- safeway and TJ's just doesn't cut it. I read about 10 different recipes and made the best hummus ever. Tahini, garlic, parsley and freshly cooked chickpeas. Warm cooking water, salt and a bit of olive oil. All of the kids loved it. Even the silly ones who didn't like it before.

excursions

I haven't taken my kids on as many adventures this year. But a few weeks ago I let them skip school and we went hiking in the Santa Clara mountains. It was beautiful. It reminded us of Scotland- just warmer. Atlas caught a snake and we saw a wild turkey and an expired blue jay. It was good doing something together we all love and leaving the stress of city life behind.

I wish...

I wish I was done. I'm not. I am up to my eyeballs in studying the law for the CA bar exam held over 3 days in July. I am however, finished with school for now! I now hold a degree in International Relations from BYU. A law degree (LLB) from the University of Glasgow and an LLM (Legum Magistra- master of the laws, feminine) from University Calif Hastings college of the law... Ya I'm done with school- at the very least until I pay off all of my student loans! I haven't really looked for a job- it is really hard being a mom and going to school and job hunting and studying for the bar. My motto is one thing at a time- so that means that until I am finished with the bar the job hunting is on hold. But I now officially hold a Master's degree! I am glad. All of my grades were posted today and I have officially passed. I might add that I did pretty well- for all of my anxiety and stressing, it paid off- so far. One last hurdle. And yes, I do feel like a freak!
ps- the pretty leis are from my parents-in-law. They came, but unfortunately I have no photos.

Desperate

How desperate am I? How over it all am I? One hundred per cent! My last exam is tomorrow- a statutory class. It is an open book exam and I just sold my textbook. So um... I don't have my book to bring in to help me out tomorrow. I had to sell it because today is the last day I could and I just hate when the bookstore won't buy back the bloody book. I was solicited by Amazon and so I am taking the offer. It expires today. So that is it. Not really, I can borrow a book from a fellow student who is taking the exam a day late due to conflicting exams. It is a little funny and sad... but I get a good credit with Amazon! which is really all that counts- ya know degree that costs too much and a silly book that in comparison doesn't.


On a different note- the weather here has been amazing. For an entire week! I even got a hurtful burn on each shoulder when I just had to sit in the sun and study. Through the pain I was so glad that it was sunny.

A new LOVE

So I have fallen in love and if it were possible I would marry these beans. I love this recipe. Rich does and Atlas does. The three littles don't. They think it is too spicy. When I read the recipe the first time I filed it away, knowing that I would love it. But then I didn't make it for a long time. When I saw it again I made it the next day. Then the next and now it is weekly. It reheats perfectly for lunch the next day. It is great with eggs for breakfast and of course tastes as if it was meant for a corn tortilla. I lOVE these beans. I made them again this afternoon for dinner. I don't use bread crumbs and I have made it with every type of bean (ok almost), my favorite is the pinto. I also make my own beans by soaking them over night and cooking for most of the day in a crockpot on low!

On a side note, I took my first exam today. Then I planned to get right back into studying for my other two and finishing a take home exam and starting another. I didn't. I completely blew off everything and wasted time and then made this cake. Sometimes I just cannot not bake.

We have also had a birthday and totally broke all the rules (mine and the landlords... shhh) and got a gecko for this birthday boy. I mean, how could I not? I totally hate caged animals. Fish included and we have 3. Life can be compromising.

The Inevitable

It finally happened. I am not quite sure when, but last week it wasn't so. Last night it was. I knew it was going to happen soon, and I wasn't quite sure how I would feel about it. As it turned out, I am fine. I feel just the same, maybe only a little shorter- though I am not. Atlas is taller. About an inch taller. That means that he grew about 1.5 inches in a week. He is taller now than all my sisters too! First it was Charla about 2.5 years ago in Glasgow at Christmas. For the past few months Atlas has been trying to see if he was taller than me- standing over me wearing shoes, tippy toes and all sorts of funny business. Last night he towered over me.
So it will be some time before he tops Richard...