By Artist Request

My son made this drawing for my blog.  He insisted that it be posted here.  So here it is.  I know this is my son's work because there is a Honeypot in the picture.  I love that boy.

February Booking It

I read a couple books off my list from the beginning of the year. Here is my update.  Please check out what everyone else is reading at Life as Mom.

My son(10) and I finally finished The Hobbit by J.R. Tolkien.  I had been reading it aloud to him since Christmas.  The print in our Hobbit is itty bitty.  We both enjoyed it and spent most school mornings tackling it.  Now we are working on Lord of the Rings. 

I read the book,  A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg.  I really enjoyed all the stories that went with the recipes included.  I made the Chocolate Banana Bread with Crystalized Ginger.  It was delish.  This reminded how all of us have stories around food.  I hope I am making some memories too.

The Kitchen Counter Cooking School by Kathleen Flinn I read and really enjoyed.  I believe this was a recommendation from Life as Mom. Kathleen Flinn is another Seattle Writer - WAHOO. You can totally "Wahoo" for Pacific Northwest writers. The sub title is , "How a Few Simple Lesson Transformed Nine Culinary Novices into Fearless Home Cooks."  Kathleen took 9 volunteers and toured their kitchens and set about to basically teach them some basic cooking skills. I can so relate to the 9 volunteers fears of cooking.  I have to admit my basics aren't that great.  I am consider myself a baker not a cook.  I sadly have really poor knife skills amongst other things.  I often think I am taking the path of least resistance by buying ready made. There is so much food for thought in this book.  It inspired me to really examine how I could become a better cook.  I actually spent an afternoon cleaning out my pantry of all my old spices.

Turn Right at Machu Picchu by Mark Adams was also on my list.  Mark Adams was an adventure/outdoor editor who never really been on an adventure.  He decided to retrace the Yale Adventure Explorer Hiram Bingham III explorations in Peru specifically in regards to the Inca city of Manchu Picchu.  It was an interesting book and Mark Adams exploration of whether or not Hiram Bingham actually discovered Machu Picchu is fascinating. This book also totally makes me want to watch Indian Jones again. I loved the Inca Golden Rule:

Ama sua, ama llula, ama cheklla - Do not steal, do not lie, do not be lazy.

Photo from the Past

Charlie in our Kitchen - Washington
2/21/2007

Well I didn't get this posted yesterday but close enough.  I don't know why he has his eyes closed. He isn't quite 5 in this picture.

Project Life Tuesday - Week 7

I am late to this party.  I am linking up with Project Life Tuesday at The Mom Creative this Wednesday.  Check out the many many inspirational Project Life layouts.

This is probably the largest layout I have done for Project Life.  I used Project Life Photo Protector G for Sunday.  We spent the weekend down at Nonna's for her Birthday.  The weekend included spending some time out in her backyard. I was able to get some really good photos of the boys. The journal card is from Project Life: Cobalt Edition. The Sweet Frame was a Toni Berman freebie from way back.

Our week was a busy one. The journal cards are from Cobalt Edition: Project Life.  The tag on the "Smiley Face Pancake " photo is an adhesive note from SMASH.

I did a separate layout for Valentines.  It is back to photo protector A. The little 3 x 4's were small samples of the cover of the Valentine's I sent out. Check out my post on how I made the Chalkboard Art Valentine's. These are the Valentine's that I re-mailed from the Sweetheart City of Loveland, CO. I put a cachet envelope that my son received from Loveland in one of the 4 x 6 pockets. The love heart card was a generous freebie from Smiling Colors.  I also put one the homemade Valentine's my son received  too.

Field Trip - Peace Arch State Park

Friday was a rare sunny and off day for the boys.  We went to Peace Arch to work on our secret project or brain storm for our secret project.  I am SO dying to tell everyone about it.  More to follow at a later date.

Washington State Parks are celebrating their centennial this year.  Check out Washington State Parks- Adventure Awaits for interesting articles about the State Parks.Peace Arch remains one of my favorite Washington State Park to visit located right on the United States and Canadian Border.  I daresay it is also one of the busier parks.  Many Many people pass by the arch while on the way to the port of entry. 

Boys on the Arch

However there is also another side to this park.  During the summer months up on the hill above there is usually a sculpture exhibition that is well worth checking out.  There is also a really nice building and picnic grounds.

Happy Valentine's Day and Special Wishes

These two lovely people are my parents and today is their Wedding Anniversary.  They were married in Loveland, Colorado in 1969.  I hope their Valentine's Day is especially nice.  Love you both!

Happy Anniversary !

The Boys Work

The boys brought home some interesting school work.  Thought I would share.  I am like that.
In Charlie's stack was a paragraph on his name and how he felt about it.

Charlie and Niki at Nonna's House

I was named after my pappy. His name is speacal because he was a very lucky WWII vetetan he helped build the Alaskan high way. I like my name I just don't like being called Charlie Brown that's a unhelpful part of being named Charlie. My Pappy was lucky because in WWII he missed a boat that I think 3 or 4 cats (Cats are a bull dozer in WWII) The boat sunk because of the weight of the cats.

Of course, once my youngest started showing me his work, my oldest went and grabbed his. This gem was in there - Character Traits Writing  Exercise.

#1 Son in Nonna's Backyard

4 words to describe something good about you
Happy
Hardworking
Artistic
Intelligent

Because I work hard, I try not to give up. This means I have determination. I try to balance work and play. I like to get my project done quickly, while doing it to a quality of "good".

The underlined part cracked me up because that is him exactly. He was told he couldn't do his homework at school so now he does it on the bus. He cracks me up.

Project Life Tuesday - Week 6

I am linking up with The Mom Creative Project Life Tuesday.  Check out what everyone else is doing for their project life.

We started the week with Super Bowl and ended with an extra special treat to see Cirque Show, Amaluna, with Nonna.

Week 6

 Here is a little closer look.  I am using a Style A photo protector page.

I don't usually take photos at the grocery store but the giant plastic cow was a surprise.  The Saran Wrapped car is actually the 2nd one I have seen this one even had post it notes covering it as well.

Charlie and I FINALLY finished on the Hobbit.  This is probably my favorite blocks.  I photo copied a  cover of art book about drawings by J.R.R. Tolkien.  I added some color with a colored pencils.

My son finally got to work with the therapy dogs at the school he goes to. It was something he had been wanting to do since he arrived there.

Some additional details.  Both journal cards are from the Project Life; Cobalt Edition. Not pictured is some school work that both kids did in a 8.5 x 11 American Craft Photo Protector.

Project Life Tuesday - Week 5

Please check out what everyone else is doing for Project Life at The Mom Creative.  I was so inspired last week by everyone else's project life pages. 

Week 5

We had a week of sickness at our house.  Ah Crud, summed up the week pretty accurately. I didn't have much to show for this week.  This is Project Life minimal.  The font for the " Happiness is..." and happiness list is LoveLove which I saw used in someone else's Project Life (wish I had bookmarked that).  I colored in the "Happiness Is.." with a yellow colored pencil.  It doesn't show up well in the picture above. The happiness list as follows

Happiness is..
warm lemon cake after a rough day
valentine decor
having your very own cactus
your barbers special blend of coffee

I decided to go small pictures because they weren't very good pictures other than the sunset picture taken by my Husband.

I love how my family contributes to my pages.  Once again I am amazed at how quickly this comes together even with the digital journaling.  

Cultivating a Plant Lover

The other day while walking or should I saw wandering around Home Depot Chuckles spotted these cactus.  He told me he would like one for his room.  I didn't think much about.  While down at his Nonna's, he found a small pot in her stash.  He insisted that it was for a cactus. So now Chuckles is the proud owner of cactus. I have never seen him so excited about a plant. 

Chuckles with his Cactus

It turns out I might have a plant lover on my hands after all.

Chalkboard Art Inspired Valentine's

Chalkboard art is all the rage.  I wanted to re-create this in my Valentine's.  I kinda BECAME obsessed with trying to recreate the look.  This is the best tutorial I found for Photoshop is at Sweet C's Design. I used Photoshop Elements to create my faux chalkboard art look.

I like to make homemade Valentine's for Valentine's Day.  Frequently, my Valentine list is much longer than my Christmas Card list.  This is the case this year as well.  So, I came up with 4 Valentine's this year with different designs. I made them in Photoshop elements.  I stamped Happy Valentine's inside.  These are printed off on red card stock. I think my Hubby and Mrs. Epi were quite, frankly, tired of  helping me pick designs. So I decided not to choose.  Anybody have a favorite? 

 

The quote is from Ralph Waldo Emerson.  I will be re-mailing my cards through Loveland - Directions for Re-mailing

You Know You ARE in the PNW

You know you are in the Pacific Northwest(PNW) when your husband's barber has his own special blend coffee.