We've had a very quiet, laid back day, but the rain returned.
All day, it was gray and overcast. Alesia and I hurried to the Kroger this morning trying to beat the rain.
Michael went to his tennis match but it was sprinkling when he left, so he spent all afternoon playing at his friend Colton's house.
Alesia and I saw the movie Surrogates, a sci-fi thriller. It was pouring rain and Mother was napping. I mainly just wanted to get out of the house. It wasn't too great. I like Minority Report a lot better, and it's a similar sort of film, preaching about the dangers of technology.
The highlight of my day was making a batch of Butternut Squash Soup. I am trying to perfect the recipe, because it's such a nice, hearty soup. This time I baked the butternut squash in the oven for nearly an hour in a pan full of water, and that softened it up nicely so it could be peeled. Then I chopped an entire onion and sauteed it in butter until soft, peeled and diced the squash, and added a lot of chicken broth to the mixture. Next time I think I will roast some garlic when I do the squash in the oven. I added some Havarti cheese to this batch, and served it with a dollop of sour cream. The kids really like it, which is great because it's so nourishing. I wouldn't even attempt making it without using my Braun hand blender, which is my favorite kitchen gadget.
Below, another shot of the kids in Helen, Georgia. You can see the look of the town, which is like a village in Bavaria. See how tall Mike is now, compared to Alesia?! It's amazing how much he has grown.
