life in general

on 7.8.09

at 10:11:12 AM I was waiting for the piano tuner to arrive and running around the house gathering and organizing craft supplies for Girls camp.  

And I forgot to take a picture.

Luckily, at 10:11:12 PM I was still doing the same thing!  Minus waiting for the piano tuner.

As far as the craft projects go, I think I'm 95% packed.  3 storage tubs, 2 boxes, 1 file tote.

As far as extra "make-camp-cute-and-fun" projects . . . I've still got some work to do.  I'm hoping to make myself an apron, some decorations for the craft cottage, and come up with a couple quick ARK-ing ideas to bring along with me.  Details on that and a wealth of other camp-related acronyms are sure to come late next week.

a photo challenge

take a photo at this exact time, blog it, comment with a link on Elizabeth Kartchner's blog, and be entered in a giveaway.

Giveaway or not, it's pretty cool to think that this wednesday's date is 07-08-09.  When will that ever happen again?  I guess next year we'll get to have an 08-09-10, and then a 09-10-11, and so on and so forth.

While we're on the topic of total randomness . . . .

I spent the late night hours searching the web for modest swimsuit/clothing sites and came across a couple that are new to me and wanted to share.

• Mika Rose - dresses that are oh so stylish.  I'll definitely be checking back here.
• Vintage Hem - love the idea & look of these long slips that are supposed to poke out from under your dress/skirt.
• Christa Taylor - not your typical Utah based modest clothing shop.  I was pleasantly surprised to come across this one in my google search.  She appears to be a good fashion designer who just likes to keep things on the modest side.  And I was surprised to find they are actually in Vancouver, WA.  
• Layers Clothing - cute tops and one blind-your-eyes-yellow tankini. 
• Modbe Clothing - I've heard that their jeans are really wonderful - supposedly they don't slide, sag, pucker, or reveal anything in the behind.

As for modest clothing shops that I have shopped at

Shade - The tank is my favorite.  I think I have 5 of them, in all different colors.  

Also, when they came out with their denim bermuda shorts this spring I did an internal cartwheel and ordered a pair right away.  Love them!  A few other tees, long sleeve shirts, a swimsuit and I guess you could say I'm a Shade shopper.  

Shabby Apple - I really like my dress (the ballerina, I believe), but had to do some alterations to make it work for me. And I just noticed they have a pre-teen section that is "coming soon."

Down East Basics - I only have a few camisoles from here, but they have a lot of cute tops I'd really like to get my hands on.  And they always have the most fun skirts (patterns, colors, etc.)

Lime Ricki - okay, I just bought a swimsuit from this site last month, and I love it.  It is 

definitely on the fun & playful side.  As you'll see, their suits are geared more toward the teenager demographic, so I hope I can pull it off.

It's great to know that there are so many options out there on the web for clothes that will cover your body and look cute in the process!
  

  

mountain hood

We just spent the day at Mountain Hood (as Anna calls it, and it's just so darn cute we might all start saying it that way).  Our first ever visit to SkiBowl and it was a blast!  There was so much to do and it was a huge bonus that ALL of the kids were able to do everything (even little Anna on the bungee trampoline).  Very nice that no one was excluded for being too short.  Plus, you can't beat the scenery.

{taken while zooming down the alpine slide}

As for the activities . . . . 

There was, of course, the alpine slide.  We did it 3 times, and because we came mid-week there were no lines.  We'd make it down the hill and jump right back on the chair lift to take us to the top.

{Payton and I at the end of the track.  And Conner zooming past me on the other track.  He was pretty proud of this move.}

kiddy karts

kiddy canoes

an indoor playzone

summer tube hill

watching Anna come down was a crack-up!

miniature golf

Conner even got a hole in one!

bungee trampoline

This was at the top of everyone's favorite list.  At one time Anna, Payton, Conner, and I were all going at the same time.  Pretty darn fun!  Below I have a video of Payton doing his backflips.  I, of course, was too chicken to attempt that maneuver.  Jumping 15 feet in the air was thrill enough for me!

 

and last but not least . . . . the zipline

Conner and Scott strapped up, climbed the tower, and zipped their way down the 500 foot cable.  There is also video of this below.  As you'll see, Conner did great!  When he got down he was pumped and ready to do it again.  But we were only paying for one trip down the zipline, so maybe another time bud.

 

Mt. Hood SkiBowl from Shannon on Vimeo.

A trip to Dairy Queen for blizzards and a lot of "that was so much fun!" comments from the back of the van, and I'd say it was a pretty successful day.

shaving cream paper

$1 can of shaving cream + food coloring + white cardstock =

pretty cool paper and a fun decoration for the 4th.

I tore out a page with step by step instructions for this from Creating Keepsakes magazine yeeeaaarrrss ago and tucked it away in a binder.  For whatever reason, it surfaced this year and here we are.

Is it messy?  I won't lie . . . yes.  (But not nearly as messy as these kids - thankfully shaving cream is mostly soap, right?  Just hose 'em down.)  But it was fun, and cheap, and honestly I was the messiest of the whole crew.

So now, in 4 easy steps you can create your own shaving cream paper.

Step 1:

Spray shaving cream all over a cookie sheet and spread it out.  This was the kids' favorite step.

Step 2:

Add drops of food coloring.  Swirl it around with a knife or toothpick or popsicle stick to get the design you want.

Apparently it helps to be wearing homemade antennae.  (An obsession that Payton went through last week -- see his photo album on the right for more).

you might end up with something like this

Step 3:  Place a sheet of cardstock over the shaving cream and do "the finger dance" . . . . pressing lightly all over so the paper & shaving cream come in contact.

{a bit blurry, I know - trying to manage kids, camera, and wiping shaving cream from my fingers}

Step 4:  Slowly pull up one corner of the cardstock, and use a spatula to scrape off the shaving cream.  This is can be a little tricky.  And messy.  But what's a fun craft project without making a little mess in the process?

Doesn't it look cool?  Just wait till you scrape away the shaving cream and see the patterns underneath.

Okay, I lied . . . . one more step

Step 5:  Lay the paper out to dry.  Then cut into fun shapes or leave it as is.

And you could even do this project using just one color.  By mixing red and blue we ended up with a little bit of purple on our paper, but we decided not to worry about it.

Tomorrow we're going to let the kids decorate their bikes for the holiday.  I picked up red, white, & blue streamers, balloons, little flags . . . . I think that one of these years it would be so fun to gather up a bunch of kids to do this and have a little parade down the street or in the church parking lot, with the parents cheering them on.  Do we have any closet baton twirlers?

raspberries!

12 pounds of raspberries =

10 cups of freezer jam

gallon size bag of frozen berries (smoooothies)

pitcher of raspberry lemonade in the fridge

big bowl of fresh raspberries to enjoy

small bowl of mushy, juicy raspberries to drizzle over cheesecake tonight

raspberry milkshakes for FHE

raspberries in my Special K for breakfast

and a bowl for Scott to share with the lady co-workers today

The kids LOVE berry picking!  I can't believe we've lived here this long and never gone before.  This will definitely become a yearly tradition.

The raspberry patch was right next to the flower garden, so I had some fun playing with the manual focus on my camera.

otherwise known as HOOVER

Conner has recently acquired the nickname of "Hoover" in our family.  Although, the personality traits and actions that are the basis for this name have been prevalent for a number of years.

This kid likes to eat.  and eat.  and eat.

Once he cleans his lunch or dinner plate he is scoping out Payton & Anna's, ready to pounce as soon as they say they are finished.  When everyone leaves the table he goes from plate to plate eating the leftovers.  Now I should clarify: not all the leftovers, just the things he loves.

And he doesn't just eat.  He devours his food.  He inhales it.  And in the aftermath his face, hands, t-shirt, chair, and the floor are a total and complete mess.

{sigh}

And I won't even go into the time he took a girl's sandwich at school lunch when she wasn't looking and ate it because he was still hungry.

Or when he swiped a handful of leftover macaroni & cheese from a baby high chair while at piano lessons.  !!!

Or how he routinely cleans up crumbs from under the kitchen table by eating them!

This should be a warning to all -- if Conner is in your home, lock up your food!

Now, I do feed the kid.  Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and 2 snacks usually.  He gets all the food he needs, although his super skinny body would lead you to believe otherwise (good metabolism). We're trying to teach him about impulse control, slowing down when he eats, listening when his belly tells him he's full, and for pete's sake, to not make such a mess when he eats.

But he just loves to eat. 

And someday he'll be a teenager, who loves to eat.  

yikes.

camping essentials

beautiful scenery

{a simple comment about how it reminds me of Twilight unraveled a series of events that nearly led to water torture.  i.e. my head under a spigot of cold water.}

sticks

and lots of open space for the kids to run freely.

food

and we were fed well!  Dutch oven BBQ ribs, scalloped potatoes, peach cobbler & ice cream, s'mores, and a bacon & pancake breakfast.

campfire

and everyone gathered round it.

And when you have the opportunity to burn something really cool -- like worn out, torn pajama bottoms -- that's always a plus.

messy hair

friends to run around with

and to look totally CUTE with!

We threw rocks in the creek, explored trails, made s'mores, busted out the portable toilet for Anna potty emergencies, sat around the campfire until midnight, enjoyed dutch oven culinary delights, sat back while 10 kids ran around and played to their hearts' content, and had such a good time we just might have to do it again.

for today: june 22nd

Outside my window . . . the neighbors' gorgeous hanging flower baskets.

I am thinking . . . I might just go find a quiet spot to read.

I am thankful for . . . a pretty quiet afternoon, clean bathrooms, completed laundry, and my husband home.

From the kitchen . . . marinating steaks for dinner and a fresh batch of pink cupcakes are cooling on the counter.  We'll be frosting them pink tonight for National Pink Day tomorrow.

I am wearing . . .khaki gaucho capris, twilight blue shade shirt, grey 3/4 sleeve varsity cardigan

I am creating . . . nothing at the moment.  But I have a couple projects sitting on my desk (baby books, flower barrettes, an apron) waiting for me to have the time.

I am going . . . to see a dermatologist this summer (any referrals?), and get a tetanus booster (5 years late - last one was in '94), and hopefully find some relief to my jaw problems (yes, I already wear a nightguard, every night)

I am reading . . . City of Bones (book 1 in The Mortal Instruments series)

I am hearing . . . the boys play Star Wars Legos on the Wii downstairs.

I am hoping . . . I can finalize a lot of my girls camp preparations this week.  That way I can put it away and not stress about it until the last minute.

Around the house . . . Anna is watching a movie in the playroom and Scott is keeping her company.  Even though I accomplished my chores today, I feel like to need to go through the house and just pick up in every room.  One of the things I do not like about summer - the debris that seems to be scattered everywhere.  

One of my favorite things . . . is Payton.  He is just so stinkin' cute and has the funniest things to say.  In the last week I feel like he has grown up so much.  It is weird.

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . swimming, sprinklers, the park, camping

A photo to share . . .

{the peonies are just about at the end of their bloom - I have one more on my bush to go.  I love the tight buds, when everything is just beginning to emerge}

happy father's day

an interview with your children

What is something dad always says to you?

Conner:  "no"

Payton:  "hi" and "no"

Anna:  he always loves me

What makes dad happy?

C:  when we listen to him

P:  when I clean up my room

A:  I always make him laugh, like this: "bugga, bugga"

What makes dad sad?

C:  not listening to him

P:  when I don't give him any cheese for his birthday

A:  onions

How does your dad make you laugh?

C:  when he does The Thunder

P:  by tickling

A:  when he makes naughty faces, and I laugh

What was your dad like as a child?

C:  didn't like chocolate

P:  he didn't like chocolate

A:  he was just like me

How old is your dad?

C:  33

P:  33

A:  5

How tall is your dad?

C:  10 feet tall

P:  10 feet and 20 hands tall

A:  he is big, just like me

What is his favorite thing to do?

C:  tickle us

P:  World of Warcraft

A:  he likes to play games

What does your dad do when you are not around?

C:  play world of warcraft, which is what I don't like because I want to watch him!

P:  chill on the couch, play world of warcraft

A:  he always does stuff on his 'puter

If your dad becomes famous, what will it be for?

C:  Famous Tickler

P:  doing the bark when mom wasn't around

A:  I don't know

What is your dad really good at?

C:  playing world of warcraft

P:  tickling me.  He, like, almost makes me pee my pants.  I'm serious.

A:  he always plays games

What is your dad not so good at?

C:  making his hot dogs - he makes them burnt

P:  playing London Bridge

A:  he's not very good at playing with us because he always falls down

 

What does your dad do for his job?

C:  he teaches kids when they come to his work.

P:  drink chocolate milk and pop and do world of warcraft

A:  he always goes to work when he's thankful.  Cuz he's pretty and he's my friend.

What is your dad's favorite food?

C:  burnt hot dogs

P:  cheese

A:  broccoli & chicken

If your dad were a cartoon character, who would he be?

C:  Panda in "Skunk"

P:  I don't know

A:  Diego

What do you and your dad do together?

C:  sometimes he takes me golfing.

P:  watch shows

A:  we just hug and cuddle

How are you and your dad the same?

C:  we both like turkey, mayonnaise, and mustard sandwiches

P:  we both have a big toe

A:  we are chickens

How are you and your dad different?

C:  dad likes banana cake and I hate banana cake

P:  we're not big as each other

A:  I am 3 and dad is 4

How do you know your dad loves you?

C:  He just says it.

P:  because he likes to tickle me

A:  cuz he hugs me like a squishy hug

I compiled this interview in a book for Father's Day . . . I have a feeling he's going to be entertained.

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's...

By

Book Preview

brown sugar muffins

When I married Scott, part of the package deal was a set of recipe cards handwritten by his mom, that she had given him when going off to college.  Chicken fried steak, Ketchum poporn, crescent rolls, cream of wheat potatoes, finger jell-o, and banana cake to name a few.  I remember staring at the card for brown sugar muffins several times, a bit confused -- is this a breakfast muffin? is it a dessert?  When Scott informed me that it was a dinner muffin and they were fabulous, I made a batch.  And we still make them 1 or 2 times a month.  They are yummy, quick & easy to whip together, and thankfully Conner doesn't like them so there is more for us!  Ha-ha!

Sorry there's no picture, but here's the recipe.

Cream together:  1/2 cup shortening, 1 cup brown sugar

Add:  1 egg

Sift together and add:  2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt

Mixture will be dry

Add:  1 cup milk  and mix until smooth

Spoon into muffin cups and bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Makes about 16-18 muffins.