annie blog

This little buster.

This passionate, unexpected, optimistic, imaginative, slightly nutty, and almost irrepressibly joyful baby of mine — he is 10 now.

Double digits, y’all.

Got to get my mind around that.

Life with him is anything but boring.

Happy birthday, Eli!!

The beginning of January is kind of an interesting time for the Barlows.

Because Christmas, it’s basically over.

And yet, the celebration still goes on. Why?

Because of New Year’s. And birthdays.

We want to make these January birthdays special, too. So, what does that mean?

I will tell you.

It means doughnuts. And lots and lots of cake.

Someday I envision these boys sort of sharing their birthdays — maybe even celebrating on the day between, together. But, for now, there is cake… there are donuts….there is an avalanche of candy from the piñata. There are no first of January sort of resolutions.

But, we have sugar. And we are all very very happy.

Somehow

Turns

14, today.

I don’t know how that happened.

Happy birthday, precious Charlie!!!

I bought a blow torch.

This makes me happy! Like little child with a new toy sort of happy.

Also, fried chicken salad for dinner.

Happy Thursday, y’all!

I hope this finds you having a great new year! Later, we’re having ribs and braised cabbage and blood oranges and black-eyed peas. We have some time to burn, so, Eli and I are on a walk right now. He is in a T-shirt and shorts — on the first day of January. Mississippi is oddly warm right now. Or maybe it’s typical, I guess I need a few more years before I know what is odd and what is not.

Here are some paper whites that I saw is a neighbor’s yard. It’s funny how hardy some delicate things can be.

Okay my tour guide/walking partner is demanding my full attention. We have a wagon to pull and Nutella sandwiches to eat. And, he just told me that if I catch him I can have a kiss on his cheek.

I think I’m going to catch him.

Have a happy day y’all!

This is going to be my lunch this week. Did you know you’re not supposed to talk about what you had for lunch on your blog? But to me, what you had for lunch is really interesting. The opinions of this book notwithstanding.

Coconut braised spinach with chickpeas and lemon is seriously wonderful.

Really! And, it must be eaten on top of a roasted sweet potato.

My modifications: I subbed coconut oil for the ghee, didn’t include the sundried tomatoes and so, included a scant tablespoon of raw sugar to make up for the sweetness the tomatoes would have provided. Also, I use frozen spinach if the fresh isn’t looking well.

Happy Monday!!

We needed a mixed berry pie today. Ahem.

Happy Saturday, y’all!

Happy Wednesday, y’all!

This is silly, I know, but I’m feeling sort of liberated this week.

Why? Because I cleaned out my closet.

Now, I know what I actually have. And what is that?

Three, I repeat, three pairs of pink chinos.

Also, many brown skirts, a cool denim strapless dress, and a sweater dress that I’m going to wear soon because I finally realized that I already own a shirt that is going to look awesome with it.

I hope you’re having a happy Friday!

On this Friday, I am making lasagna, and just being very happy that we have an entire week off of school.

A whole week, hallelujah!

On very happy Fridays such as this one, I think some raucous sort of messy music is just the ticket.

Like, this one calledmarigold.

I really have no idea what this song is about, but it’s nice to groove to at the end of a Friday.

Have a good one!

Hey, have y’all seen dinovember?

You should, because it is awesome. You double-should if you can do something similar for some young’uns in your life.

Check it out!

And, happy Tuesday!