A trip to the zoo

Easter weekend was our only soccer-free weekend in recent memory. We took advantage and went to the Waco Zoo. For those who've been to Zoo Boise, think Zoo Boise with Bamboo trees instead of evergreens. The signage was all the same, the entrance was the same, must be owned by the same company. We arrived a few minutes after opening, and it the weather was just right for a light jacket.

Nathan was at work (furiously writing grants to get a slice of Obama's stimulus pie), so he missed out. So did many other people. When we arrived, there were very few cars in the lot. But by the time we left, it was full. Even with a full parking lot, it didn't feel very crowded.

Our favorites:

Mine was the squirrel monkey holding an Easter egg.



Andrew's: The tiger. No photo of that, but check out the size of this snake.



Bryn's favorites were the lions. Again no photo, but they had three lions. When I looked at the male, he opened his eyes just a slit--just enough to check me out and then pretend he wasn't looking at us. Wouldn't it be fun to know what they are thinking?

This photo is a plexiglass slide near the otters. You can see into their pond from the inside of the slide as you descend.




Cait's favorites were the elephants and rhinos.

Diana's favorite was hard to tell, but since she didn't want to leave the elephants, I'd have to say that was her favorite. Here she is showing off her well developed climbing skills.



We ended our adventure with a trip to my favorite fast food: Wendy's.
Diana stayed awake all the way home, to nap in her own bed.
It was a perfect day.

Chicken Tortellini Soup

Because I've mentioned this recipe 2 times in the last month, I am going to post it. It is from one of my mom's friends, and though it isn't copied word for word here, all the essentials are here. (IE, I TOOK OUT THE GARLIC).

Notes: You can easily keep everything in this recipe in your house--making it an emergency meal option with a great loaf of bread. Most of the time, I omit the onion & use "Better than Bouillon" rather than broth.

This is the perfect meal for when you have a leftovers from a rotissiere chicken, are wondering what to do with canned chicken, or are sick and have to make your own chicken noodle soup! Hunt family Favorite. Well, I still have to convince a couple of children that Tortellini are worth eating. Nathan and I like it.

Chicken Tortellini Soup
9oz pkg frozen cut broccoli, thawed
6 C Water
3—10 ¾ oz cans condensed chicken broth
1—10 ¾ oz condensed cream of chicken soup
2 C cubed, cooked chicken
1 C chopped onions
1 C sliced carrots
1/2 to 1 tsp. basil
½ to 1 tsp. oregano
7 oz. pkg tortellini
grated parmesan cheese if desired

In a large saucepan, combine water, broth, soup, chicken, onions, carrots, basil, oregano. Bring to boil—add tortellini. Simmer uncovered 30 minutes. Add broccoli. Simmer additional 5-10 minutes or until broccoli is tender. Serve with cheese.

This is the bread that Nate baked

Nathan gave me my first lessons in bread baking. What he knew came from his mom and grandmother. He baked bread on our first date--at which point I knew he was a keeper.

Thank you for bringing this man of many talents into my life and kitchen! Tonight he baked bread while I was gone. But not only that, he had the girls washing dishes, at the same time, so I came home to bread,(needed for tomorrow's school lunches), and clean counters.

What more could I want?

Please come for lunch, there's plenty.

Accounting class complete!

It's done! I finished my BYU accounting class today! I took it to re-certify to teach, even though my immediate plans do not include formal instruction at this time. The accounting class was the big hurdle. There are several smaller ones still at hand, but with an approaching deadline, May 30, it will not be long before the whole process is complete for 3 more years.

Many people have supported this effort along the way, from cheerleading to watching kids while I study, to reading papers I've written for assignments, to paying for the classes, etc. To washing dishes while I didn't, and waiting for me to read a story later . . . Thank you--it isn't possible without you!

Knowing the way home

I've survived my worst nightmare. Thank goodness it wasn't worse and ended quickly.

I got out of the shower this morning around 10:20, and we were planning to attend an elementary school cookout, beginning at 10:55. I came into the office and made a couple of phone calls. I noticed that my blue recycling tub had been tipped over, with the contents in a pile next to my desk. I began to get curious about this, even though I knew who had done it. Diana.

I went into the living room where I thought she was on the couch watching TV with Caitlin. Ummmmm . . . not there, beginning to worry. I had passed the recyclng can in the hallway, and when she wasn't on the couch, I realized that we had a problem. I checked the front door and sure enough, the deadbolt was unlocked, but the door closed. I knew immediately she was gone.

Running out into the street, I called her name frantically several times, and nothing. I live on a pretty long cul de sac, but today it wasn't long enough, because she was nowhere in sight. I ran back into the house just to check one more time, but she always answers when I call--so I was pretty sure she'd gone far from the house. I opened the back door, with each second feeling like an eternity. I called to Caitlin to get her shoes, and ran out the door to a neighbor's.

I quickly explained that this was an emergency, and would she please wait at my house in case Diana came back. She kindly agreed and came right over.

Caitlin and I got in the car, all the time praying to know what to do and where she could be, I felt like we should go the way we always go on our family walks--to the right. There is a loop that goes around the cul de sac, and we can do it at Diana pace in about 10 minutes, so a few times a month, we go all together. This was the right thing to do, because she was on this path, about halfway around--in the middle of someone's yard playing with their hose and trying to get a drink.
Barefooted.
Not a care in the world.
Oblivious to what might have happened.
10:40 a.m.

I was so grateful to find her--there were no unkind words, feelings, or reprimands--just happy she was in my arms. She looked up at me as if it were the most natural thing in the world that she should go on a walk by herself.

How long was she gone?
Did anyone see her? If anyone saw her, were they someone who would be helpful?
Or want to hurt her?
Did she know the way home?

We rushed home to thank my neighbor for help and thank Heavenly Father than we found her, put shoes on Diana and show up in time for lunch with Bryn. My heart and adrenaline were on high speed for awhile.

The time when I can shelter, teach, and be involved with Diana's daily life is limited. I want to teach her how to make it on her own. Today--she succeeded. And thankfully, nothing serious came from it. For a very short season, I get to be the way home. I hope she knows the way home when my season is over.

Three of my favorite parables are about being lost. They all are in Luke 15, but I will only include the middle one:

Luke 15:7-8
"Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?
And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I had lost."

Diana's adventure (for that's what it was to her), was not a long way off, and she might not have been in any peril at all, I will never know.

Just wanted to rejoice with you that she is found.

Heard at the Hunts

Just in case you think your kids aren't listening to the commercials during the evening news, check out this conversation Nate heard in the car with kids after soccer practice:

Andrew: "I feel great! I sneezed and sneezed all day, but at dinner mom gave me a Claritin and I feel a lot better.

Bryn: "You should take Zyrtec next time. It's onset is 2 hours faster."

Unreal. There is a reason I mute the commercials. Add this to the list.




PS. Time for my second to last accounting update: Last quiz taken, check. Final on Monday and then a very big check! I am already planning my celebration party. Instead, I should be studying.

Five

This morning at breakfast, Caitlin said, "Diana, what's your favorite color?"

Diana replied, "My favorite color is PINK!"

I thought it was the first time I've heard her string that many words together, and she said it with passion. PINK!

Later at lunch, however, she proved me wrong when she said
"I want the pink ones."
She was referring to her supply of Easter jelly beans on this occasion, but this phrase is also used for the dress she wants to wear every day or her favorite shoes.

And later again at naptime, "I get out of bed."
Less amusing.

I guess there were more five word sentences than I thought . . .

p.s. Thanks, Kim for the idea of using a number for my title, and Danica for this new category of topics to share--"Heard at the Hunts"

pps. One more accounting quiz to GO before my final. Tonight I made a little chart of what I have to score on the final to get a B or a C in the class. At this point, an A is out of reach. But I can have a very bad final and still pass, so I am content with that. I used to be a straight A kind of student, but that was many moons ago. We used canned chicken tonight, I think I was at the computer for at least 5 hours today, so we had Chicken Tortellini soup and bread for dinner. One of my favorites--so easy and delicious.