Stopped at the beach to pick up my lil grom after a surf session. He was building a dam to stop the river and redirect it. I watched from above for quite a while before revealing my presence. He used to spend hours in Bend. HOURS, digging, creating canals, filling with water, splashing, moving dirt. I used to wonder then, as I wonder now, what puts the joy in his heart to work with dirt and water. Big brother stands by directing where the overflows are about to occur.

We ended up pulling up our pant legs and getting wet from bangs to toes. Dug a trench to let the water flow out to the ocean. Onlookers said it would take hours. It didn’t take long, maybe half an hour. Dig dig dig, push push push. There really is something about playing in the sand that just never leaves you. It was refreshing to my soul to see my son so happy in the mud.

Meanwhile, hubby was garage sale-ing with the older son and picked up these dishes. He thought they would be pretty for our new Trim Healthy Mama (THM) deserts. He loves all of the creamy concoctions to be made with whipping cream, extracts and cream cheese, or fruit and greek yogurt, or berries and cream, or or or . He loves sugar free puddings and jellos, even though the authors of the book are not keen on those items. He keeps me stocked up.

Nate did a Chemistry Lab this week with candles, fire, water and bowls, changing air pressure, and such. Jon grabbed some of the candles, a few agates , and some colored water to decorate our table. (Not an affiliate – we are LOVING Chem 101 DVD!!)

Goofy grin of a very pleased goofy boy.  He has been working on studying for his Driving Permit, but has not wanted to go take the test. Last week he found out that he needed picture ID to get the job at the Community Pool. $43 dollars for ID, $23 for a Permit.  He studied up and got the Permit!!  Then we headed to City Hall (His employer) to sign paperwork for the new job. He has had one other job with paperwork, but this was the most he had ever seen. Ha. He’ll start Weds as a lifeguard at the pool.

As many of you know, we lost a friend this week, Carianne McCready. She was an avid blogger and very skilled at getting products her family could use, raising money for her home, using her social media skills.  We were both on the TOS Review Crew and went to Women of Faith as bloggers together. She and her boys came to the house a few times to explore the lake and beach together.  A siezure, a stroke, and she never woke up after weeks in care at OHSU.  It was the first time my mind led to comfort food. So I broke out the Dreamfields Pasta and took the fermented sour dough bread out and made a feast.

On a true weight loosing THM plan – I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t do Dreamfields AND Sourdough, but it felt good and the family really enjoyed it. We actually had leftovers of bread, and the boys thought it was amazing. We’ll have bread for a couple of days now for their sandwiches. I may never buy store bought again . . . .

Made a wonderful sauce with tons of veggies and home crafted low fat pork sausage. Mmmmm. Put in quite a large pinch of red peppers. The boys raved about it.

Sunset in our lil back yard last evening. It was a full day. Full of learning. Full of mourning. Full of achievements. Full of Joy. Full of Sorrow. Full of Reflection. Reading all of my friends’ responses to a sudden death of a mama with two small boys. Made me hug my family all day long.