A Day Without Daddy

My man isn't in town today. Molly thinks he's somewhere in Lake Michigan...

There were reports of Daddy sightings near Columbus, OH earlier in the day.

By lunchtime the trail had gone cold.

While Molly worked on the Case of the Missing Daddy, Kate helped with the prep for another "Daddy's Gone Dinner".

I found this recipe online a few weeks ago, and filed it away until today when Daddy would actually be gone! It looked so interesting, so different, so internationally appealing.

Look at all of those ingredients...tomato puree, olive oil, onion, garlic, butter, cumin, and the star of the show, sweet potato.  Then there was the ingredient that answers the question to the old Sesame Street game, "One of These Things is NOT like the Others...." peanut butter.

 We began as instructed...

...we added helping hands...

...and we made soup.

Though it looked like this when we were finished, 

...we approached it with open minds and eager spoons.

However...

Meg: "I really WANT to like it Mom, but I just can't quite get there."

Cole: "Mom, I don't think I can finish my bowl. It's just too different."

Molly: "Yuck, I don't yike it. Ewwwww."

Kate: Kate blew this joint a bit before dinner and was dining "out".  

I thought it had an interesting flavor and finished my whole bowl. It appeared that if I ever wanted to eat this soup again, I would be needing only a table for one. 

As my Dad says, "You win some, you lose some!"

Happily, we made some rolls to go with our soup and so we weathered our "Daddy's Gone and thank goodness we didn't try to feed him this meal Dinner" on multiple pieces of bread...

...and a little bowl of popcorn.

After enjoying a movie, it was time for bed. Since Molly still hadn't successfully located her Daddy,  I took this picture of the kids to send to him to wish him good night.  Just after the picture was taken, we all bowed our heads to say our bedtime prayers. One child asked God to help them to listen better, one child asked for a deeper knowledge of God, another asked for good rest and for safety for Daddy's travels...

...then it was Molly's turn.

"Molly," I prompted, "say 'Thank you God for today.'"

"Fank you Gawd for today."

"Say 'Please help me to sleep good.'"

"Pleath help me sweep good."

"And," I continued, "please help me to be nice to everyone tomorrow..."

"Naaawwwww," she responded. 

I waited and waited but it appeared that she was certain that asking for God's help being nice the next day was just not something for which she could sincerely pray.  The bed began shaking violently as squeeks and guffaws escaped from the very children Molly wasn't going to be nice to the next day so I said, "Molly say 'Amen.'"

"Anem Anem!"