Today was a wonderful day with the homeschool group for their first geography club! It was very well organized and such a pleasure to be a part of. When we got there tons of food from Spain was spread out on the table. There was gazpacho, flan, chorizo, paella, tapenade, bread, natilla, and leche frita. We brought churros - which are our favorite Spanish dessert. (Click on the picture of the churros for the recipe!). I decided I was actually going to cook (instead of buying something from the many many ethnic restaurants around here) and I was so excited to get the kids involved and everything. So I had everything ready - down to the pastry bags and fluted tip - and everything went wrong. The first bag exploded, I then used a heavier Ziploc baggie, but the fluted tip shot right out of it, then the dough was too thick, then dough was all over me and the kitchen, then I thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown.

K had woken up by this point and just said, "Mom, let me do it". I handed her all the stuff and she was a true professional. She doubled up the pastry bags, snipped off a corner and the tip sat perfectly inside. She spread the tip open a little wider so the dough flew out easier. She got the oil to the perfect temperature and made beautiful ribbons of churro. After 2-3 minutes she tonged them out into a container while I was ready with the powdered sugar. She did the whole batch fairly quickly and I couldn't thank her enough. I resign myself to the fact that I am completely and unarguably culinarily challenged.

The kids presented their reports on a small stage and spoke into a microphone attached to a big amplifier. About 20 kids gave a report on different things about Spain. I was so impressed with many of the littler kids who were so comfortable in front of a crowd and with the shy kids who used every nerve in their body to accomplish a few minutes of public speaking. My kids happen to love being the center of attention and did really well.


When if was over, some of us walked around the block to a nice playground and just relaxed. J, W, and I stayed about an hour and then headed over to a large park by the dance studio for over 2 hours of professional photos being taken. All 3 company teams were there to have shots taken for the studio website and a recital montage on the big screen. The theme was "on tour" and all the kids had to wear rock-n-roll shirts, denim, skulls, roses, and other cool things. It was a gorgeous day and the kids went to so many different areas of the huge park for good pics. They looked like movie stars and many people asked us what was going on, lol. W hung out with some of the other dancer's brothers who were there and skateboarded, played with a puppy, ran around in the playground area, and really enjoyed the day as well.

J went to her friend's house after the photoshoot. K spent the day at a friend's house, too. W and I got home around 7 and we are all just relaxing now from a huge day.