Joe and Andi are getting married today!

It was furthest from our mind when we invited Andi to Niger to come and spend a school year with us.

Aren't they just the cutest couple?

But we are so super thankful it has happened... that we got to watch the romance grow... and that we are here with them to celebrate their special day and thank God for bringing the two of them together... as only He can!

Wordless Wednesday ~ If we were back in the States... Tim would be doing this, although Bren and Andi would be a bit bigger!

Hey Andi, remember this? - A fun blast from the past!

We don't often get to "go" on vacation while we are in Niger. Instead, we practice "staycations..."

I think that's the current "buzz" word.

Travel from the backside of the Sahara to anywhere else is just too expensive and exhausting or potentially dangerous. And, if we leave, who stays around to keep an eyes on things? Therefore, instead of going, we just stay put.

And really, we're OK with that. It has been our life for several years, our kids have gotten quite creative in their methods of self-entertainment, we don't have to find someone to care for our menagerie, we've learned to mostly treasure our time together... and we've eaten a lot of french fries and drank many cokes and ice teas from the buvette by the pool (maybe some day we'll decide that wasn't such a great thing, but it sure was yummy at the time).

Christmas 2007 - 2008, however, generous dear ones gifted us with the funds to fly the family home for Christmas. With the exception of Richelle's parents, the rest of the family had never even met our 15 month old Elsie Mae at that time.

This blog post was written right after that vacation, after we'd landed back in Niger... and it recently popped up on the "You might like" related archived blogs that are linked to at the end of every post.

It made me smile... and so I've decided to include a teaser photo... 

and then link back to the original post.

I'm also stalling... until we get my photo editing software re-installed on my computer (It crashed. Is that what you call it when the virus protection software you are trying to install instead wipes out almost all of your program files?) and most of my installed programs were completely wiped out earlier this month.

And Andi? Just sayin'... M&M still looks for you in your room sometimes, and asks when you'll be back.

Catching Up - Photos from Andi's birthday celebration (way back in May)

Andi had seen this cake pan mold - and she said THAT was what she wanted for her birthday cake.



Nadia is our cake baker extraordinaire! She used our favorite from scratch chocolate cake recipe (minus the frosting and in between layers).

  

Rebekah and Nadia worked together to come up with the colors
and actually ice the cake. Doesn't it look great?!!!



Hamburgers was on the menu as the main course of Andi's birthday menu.



Nadia made them, too... They were PERFECT!



Tim volunteered to be the "short-order cook" for the celebratory occasion...

 

...so he fried the burgers

 

and the french fries.

The rest of the kids helped set the table -
complete with burger fixins and lots of carrots and cucumbers to munch.
We'd also prepared homemade salsa and guacamole
to give those burgers just that little touch of Tex-Mex flavor.
YUMMY!

 

She really seemed to like her cake...



... don't you think?
It was our delight to be able to thank the Lord for Andi
and celebrate her 19th birthday together in Niger!

I'm forecasting a less melodious carpool to and from school this year...

Why, you ask?
(We still can't believe school starts tomorrow!)

What do carpools and melodies have in common?

Last year, this gal was what they had in common.

She's back in California now, getting ready to start college.

We're excited to hear all about her college experience...

...but we'll be missing her, too!

We're finding there's a homemade version of about EVERYTHING!

So how about homemade Cheez-Its!

Yeppers!!!

Don't you just want to give 'em a try?

makes about 120-150 crackers, depending on how big we cut 'em!

our recipe adapted for Niamey from here:3 cups all-purpose flour

• 12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 3 cups grated extra-sharp 2% reduced-fat Cheddar cheese (or Gouda with Cumin, or plain old Gouda and add your own cumin, or Blue Cheese or whatever other fancy French cheese might be on sale that week)
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon market piment (i.e. cayenne, optional, but recommended)
• 15 tablespoons cold water

Combine flour, salt, and piment. Cut in butter. Add cheese by hand.

Add water, a tablespoon at a time, until dough comes together. (You may not use all the water.)

Wrap dough in plastic wrap, press into a disc, and freeze for 30 minutes, or leave overnight in the fridge.

Preheat oven to 350º. Grease 2 baking sheets. (That's the ONLY thing for which we use Blue Band!) Set aside.

Flour countertop and roll in a rough rectangular shape to 1/8-inch thickness. When we can't find the rolling pin, one of those Saudi Arabian glass Mountain Dew bottles filled with water works pretty well, too. We always tend to have one of those available. The dough's sticky so it helps to sprinkle/sift flour on top of it as well. 

Using a knife, cut into 2-inch squares.

Carefully transfer squares onto baking sheets, using a spatula if needed.

Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until crackers are just slightly turning light brown, and are crisp.

Quickly cool and taste one for crispness. If they are not crisp, bake just a few minutes longer.

Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days if they last that long! Ours never have... 

They are absolutely awesome with homemade, fresh tomato soup... even better than grilled cheese and tons better than store-bought!

I know! I didn't think it was possible, either. M&M totally agrees, however! Just ask her...