Sorry I Mustache!

One morning, the Diva and Chuck were playing around with these Mustache Cutouts.  We were also messing around with the speech bubble chalkboard.  I wrote the saying," Sorry We Mustache", on it.  The kids didn't really get it.  I thought it was funny.

****I had to come back and edit this because I read the Personal Use clause on these Mustache Kit from Design House Digital . This totally cracks me up. It reads as follows:

For Personal Use only/Kit will not actually Make you someone else/ Design House Digital is not liable if you participate in any illegal activity while wearing this disguise

OP Art Kicking and Screaming

I saw this OP Art project  or 3-D  Art on Pinterest.  The project was from We Heart Art. She has some great directions. It looked fun.  The Diva dug right in. She is so motivated at 7 am in the morning. Me, I am not that motivated that is why I tried to have something planned.

I did pre-draw these lines.

I tried rather unsuccessfully to bribe the boys to do this project with the promise of computer time.  I don't know if I will use the strategy again.  I don't want to force anyone to do art but I don't want them playing computer all morning. I need to keep them busy and give them better choices. Big E made the project a lot more coloring.  He didn't complete.  What he did do was really great. We used dots to indicate what part to color in.

Chuckles initially needed a lot of assistance and was not into it.  He managed to complete. This was too much coloring for him.  It did turn out.

Of course, I did my own.  I wouldn't pass up a cool  3-D art project. This reminded me a lot of this line drawing project we did.

Cascade River Road

I saw this really neat drive in Northwest Travel September/October Edition, " A Day Trip to North Cascades National Park."  Cascade River Road Starts in Marblemount, Washington just off of State Route 20 and ends at a parking lot for the trail head for the Cascade Pass Trail in North Cascades National Park . After reading the article, I had been pressuring my husband to take us. Especially when I realized how close it was too us.  So if you live in Skagit or Whatcom County you've got to go on this drive. When we found out the weather was going to be great ,70's, we headed to the mountains. It was a stunning drive. The road starts out paved (first 12 miles) and the rest is a primitive road, gravel.  It is quite narrow in some places.  However, there are plenty of pull outs but I was really relieved the Giant Man Child was driving. There were lots of little waterfalls along the way that cascade down the side of the mountain.

The view is awesome

It ends in the world's most beautiful parking lot according to some geocachers and in our case the word's most full parking lot.

Due to the full lot, we didn't get to see the waterfall at the Cascade Pass Trail head. The view of the hanging glaciers are amazing. We had no idea this was so popular as we encountered so few cars on the way up. Our plan to eat lunch here was crushed so we headed down and found a spot along the river. Doesn't everything taste better in the mountain air.

We found a geocache near the Mineral River Camping Ground. We tried on the way up with no luck but we found it on the way down using our  keen and highly trained geocaching sense. There are quite a few on the way and in the parking lot as well. but we only really looked for this one. I highly recommend this ride. This reminds me of the Sunday Drives that my parents are famous for.

16 Years

Everything I want to say sounds cheesy but here it is anyways.  To my husband of 16 long glorious years, I love you now and always. You are my true love and  no matter how difficult or easy the journey I am here.

Slime

Last week there was a request from the crew to make SLIME!  I said OK.  I am all about 7 am slime. This was hit.  I got 100% participation which is a rarity these days. A little glue, water, borax, and food coloring and your set. This was a cheap experiment too.  I was able to get the  regular school glue at  40 cents a bottle.  I used the recipe at  Our Best Bites. The kids wanted to try clear glue.  The Idea Room had a glow in dark slime and a good video explaining the making of slime and polymers.

Today, we used clear glue.  These were see through.  I think the regular glue worked better. The clear stuff seems to fracture and not be so much of a blob.  The kids loved it, though. Some of us made creatures such as BOB the BLOB by Big E.

Eventually everyone mixed there clear and regular slime together.  Chuckles was definitely the nicest looking but Big E's looked like some weird upchuck - yuk.



Monday Motivation

This picture above of my cat Puss in a box labeled, "Let's Get Started." I pretty sure the only thing he wants to get started is a N-A-P.

Blackberry Cream Cheese Braid

The other day the Giant Man Child came home with a bag of blackberries he had picked.  I had pinned this Blackberry Cheese Danish on Pinterest.  So, I gave it a shot.  OH MY! It was delish.  The only thing I did different was actually blend the blackberries with the cream cheese mixture.  The picture above is without the frosting. Believe me, we had frosting.  It was really creamy delicious warm from the oven.  My braid wasn't that beautiful but it worked out. Pinterest is adding pounds to my thighs.

What's 1 More Candle?

Happy Happy 91st Birthday Pappy!

Wishing you many many more!

Sunstones

I get the magazine Northwest Travel.  It is usually just ho hum for me. But this time this article on Sunstone's caught my eye in their September/October edition. 

The Sunstone is Oregon's state gem. When we were visiting Pappy, rock hound, I asked him if he had any sunstones.  That turned out to be a really silly question.  He had a huge gallon bag of sunstones. He basically just picked off the ground in Rabbit Hills in Eastern Oregon, 1972. They are really cool looking. 

It makes me want to pack up the kids and head to southern Oregon to do some rock hunting. More information on prospecting Sunstone here.

Point Defiance Park

All Pappy wanted for his 91st birthday was to visit Point Defiance Park in Tacoma.  Point Defiance Park houses a zoo, botanical gardens, beach, Fort Nisqually, 5 mile drive, trails. This past weekend we went for a pre birthday celebration. We decided to do the 5 mile drive around the park. It is important to note that the drive is closed to cars until 1 pm on the weekend. So, we ate our picnic lunch near the Botanical Garden located at the Park. During our lunch , the ferry to Vashon Island came in so we headed to the top of the hill behind the tennis courts to get a picture. 

Then we walked around the gardens. It was quiet warm so we mainly wandered through the dahlia's and the rose garden.

totally staged photo - dahlia's don't smell by the way

Me

The Birthday Boy (Pappy) sitting by the roses

None of us had ever done the 5 mile drive though we have been to the Point Defiance Zoo for Zoo Lights. We couldn't have picked  a clearer more beautiful day to do the 5 Mile Drive.  The views are great. I took so many pictures but I am going to share just a few.

Vashon Island and Sailboat

Tacoma Narrows Bridge

I can't believe we waited to explore this Pacific Northwest Gem more.  I can't wait to come back here!

September Booking It

Please stop by Life as Mom and check out what everyone is reading. I am a little late posting but here it is.

I am still reading travel/biography books. Castles in the Air by Judy Corbett is about the restoration of a crumbling castle in Wales called Gwydir Castle.  I thought it was a great true story.  This book is for anyone who has looked at a run down building and said I can fix that. I loved the adventures that Judy and her husband had in restoring this gem.

I also read an Alphabetical Life by Wendy Werris.Wendy Werris is the daughter of Sang Werris a staff writer for the Jackie Gleason show. It is a memoir of her life and adventures in the book Industry.  My favorite quote in the book is, "We never know what may happen when we pick up a book to read. The turning of a page might actually change the course of our existence. There is something miraculous about this. Truth strikes at the very hear of books and readers who turn themselves over with great trust to finding the essence of themselves."  What is so interesting is when she started in the book industry there were small bookstores. Wendy was there when the Barnes and Nobles and other mega book stores came about.

I picked up French by Heart by Rebecca Ramsey in the biography section. It is all about an American Family's Adventure in France. I really liked it. It was an easy read.  My Husband's Grandmother grew up in France. One of Rebecca's neighbors and friends in France is an older woman named Madame Mallet. At first, Rebecca is not friends with Madame Mallet because she always is criticizing Rebecca. Eventually Madame Mallet and Rebecca become friends. Madame Mallet reminds me so much of my Hubby's Nanna. Nanna was an opinionated  feisty lady,too . She is missed.

Sept 11

I can't believe it has been 10 years since 2 planes crashed through the towers.  Our world changed that day. I don't think there is one of us who wasn't touched by 9/11.  My oldest was 3 years old at the time.  My youngest has always grown up in U.S. concerned about security and terrorist threats.  I still can't wrap my head around how we explain to our kids that bad people are out there. There is fine line between trying to teach them to be safe and living in fear. I want them to know that people did the right thing in the aftermath.  They helped their fellow man. I am so proud of how Americans stepped up and were heroic.
"Our Nation saw evil, the very worst of human nature. And we responded with the best of America - with the daring of our rescue workers, with the caring for strangers and and neighbors who came to give blood and help in any way they could. " - GWB
Here is my journal entry that I wrote on 9-11-01 in a child development class.

Newest Addition

Here is my newest addition to my houseplant collection.  I really like houseplants. I can't explain it but they make me happy. This one though I would have to say is my largest by far.  My friend got it free through Craigslist. She needed more space so she gave it to me.  IT IS HUGE! I don't know if this is going to be it's permanent location or not.

Graffiti Names

The Diva and I on Monday worked on some Name Art.  The boys didn't seem interested in this. We made our names Hip Hop - Graffiti style.  I have to say this was as addicting to me as zen tangle.  Here is a great explanation. Teach Kids Art also had a great example and explanation. We used sharpies and markers for our creations. The more stick like or square you make your letters the better.  This was a little challenging to the Diva but she got the hang of it..This is probably better suited for 6th grade and up.

1st Day

From all accounts, the first day went off without a hitch. It was hard to go to school on such a fine day. I can't believe I have an 8th grader and a 3rd grader.  Here is to a successful 2011-2012 year!

Back to School

This comic was in Sunday's Funnies and it pretty much sums up how I feel about my kids heading back to school this Wednesday. I know it is juvenile but it has been a long stay at home summer. I love them dearly but it is time to go back.

Ruler Wreath and a Challenge

I decided to partcipate in Nester's Wreath Challenge.  There are some really cool wreaths. I saw this lovely ruler wreath from Polka Dot Chair on Pinterest. So, 15 rules later this is what I ended up.

Unlike the original, the rulers are glued to a lip of a landscaping pot.  I cut lip off the pot with an exacto knife. I didn't want to go out and purchase a embroider hoop and didn't have a chance to run to Goodwill to look for a cheap one. I looked around my husbands garage and had an AHH moment.

I read the orginal post at wrong so I bought only 7 rulers at .59. Then I realized I need at least 7 or 8 more rulers to make my Ruler Wreath dream come true. As luck would have it ,Walgreens had wooden rulers on sale for .19.   Each ruler is cut in half and hot glued on the plastic 6 inch ring.

I embellishd with some newspaper flowers and legal paper flower repurposed from another wreath and made a red pipe cleaner flower. I think it still needs some kind of ribbon to cover the wreath hook.

I have a little wreath addiction. I cannot lie. So you might want to check out my snake wreath.

I also have a $5 Dollar Store Wreath I made. This is made with a lot of pipe cleaner flowers.

Ham and Cheese Pretzel Bites

My kids have been begging me to make homemade pretzels.  I have never made pretzels.  Yesterday, when I was checking out Pinterest.  I came across these Ham and Cheese Pretzel bites.  I gave these a shot.

They really turned out terrific. Other than being time intensive as you had to wait for the dough to rise, these are totally doable.  My crew gobbled these up in no time. I ended up with about 25 pretzel bites.These would be great for football watching.

Sharpie Tie Dye

On Monday, the Diva and I experimented with Sharpies and Rubbing Alcohol.  You draw your design with sharpies on fabric then you dab with Alcohol and the result is a somewhat tie dye effect.  I found Q-tips work pretty well for this.  It would work really well with a dropper. Then you set the design with a hot iron after the alcohol has dried.

The Diva

Of Course, I had to give it a try.  I did a smaller tighter design and I think the actual smearing of the ink  works a little better. The original idea is from here.