Sunday, May 24, 2015

More Togetherness

Jacob, Danielle, Chris, and Sarah at Cinderella.
15 May 2015

There's no real story to this blog post, just lots more fun family togetherness, for which I'm most grateful, and some pictures to share!

Mark, Mary, Jacob, Danielle, and Chris before the performance.

Our whole family, with the exception of Dylan who had to work that night, attended our high school's production of Rogers and Hammerstein's Cinderella (my personal favorite version). The play was very well done and most enjoyable. It was all Danielle and I could to to refrain from singing along with the cast! Even the guys got a kick out of it.

Cinderella with her fairy godmother.

Cinderella's stepsisters and stepmother were simply hilarious!!

The Prince and Cinderella have their momentous dance at the ball.

 Chris's niece Morgan had a part as a town person in the play!
She was delightful!

Jacob and Danielle at El Rancho.
16 May 2015

On the following night, Saturday, Jacob decided we should all go out to dinner at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants, El Rancho. During the 17 years of our marriage, Mark and I took the kids to El Rancho quite regularly, but this was Mark's first time to eat there since our divorce in 2006.

Dylan and Jacob ham it up in the restaurant.

Coincidentally, two tables over from ours, our friends Jim and Kathy Rice arrived shortly after we did and filled pushed-together tables with their family of daughters, sons-in-law, and grandchildren. When Jim stopped by our table to say hi, we both mentioned how nice it was to have our entire families together that night. Not one person was missing from either family!

Chris and Sarah in El Rancho.

Mark and Mary at El Rancho.

Sarah prepares her bratwurst during last Sunday's family dinner.
17 May 2015

The next night was our weekly family dinner. We enjoyed bratwurst (not me--I can't stand the stuff, so I had chorizo sausages, a spicy Mexican sausage), ruffled chips and toasted onion dip, and "Dad's Salad," an invention of Mark's from many years ago.

Mark invented this salad when the kids were young.
They call it "Dad's Salad" and insisted he make some for us.

One day we didn't really have anything in the kitchen for a side dish with dinner, so Mark went through the cupboards and refrigerator drawers and threw this together: diced cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, onion, and cubed cheese, all blended with spices and a bit of mayonnaise. It was delicious, and we've enjoyed it ever since. Last week, the kids insisted he make it for us, for old time's sake. And it was yummy!

Jacob's filled plate.

My plate was a bit more modest, minus buns and chips.
Yes, I'm back to eating right--again! (I've lost 5.2 lbs in the first 9 days.)

Mark and Dylan have macaroni and cheese for Sunday's lunch.
17 May 2015

Lastly, allow me to confess that I'm enjoying having another person in the house. It was pretty lonely when Dylan started working 5 evenings per week and it was just me at home, alone. It's even better when all 3 of us are together at meal times, or watching a DVD, or just talking and joking around.

My lunch was a no-bread sub with ham, cheese, tomato, onion, and alfalfa sprouts.

One night it was stuffed bell peppers (with meatloaf for Dylan).

One of the fun things about having Mark back in the house is having someone to cook with, who enjoys the same foods I do. I guess it's natural to develop similar tastes after being married for so many years. And somehow it's more interesting to plan and prepare meals when you're doing it with someone else. Due to Dylan's aversion to most foods (his three food groups are meats, breads, and sweets), it just wasn't the same as cooking for or with someone who's going to actually eat the dish you've prepared!

Another night it was beef stir-fry with leftover steak, broccoli, cauliflower,
green beans, and mung bean sprouts. And plain grilled steak for Dylan.

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