Summer afternoon

We had a great Thursday afternoon. We took our friends out sailing. We weren't expecting much wind and thought we might have to motor around but when we got to Long Beach it was a different story. There was the perfect amount of wind, the temperature was perfect and the company ,You guessed it, perfect.


( Hey who is sailing the boat?)

On our way back in we were oh so close to a race. It was really fun to watch and the boats looked beautiful.


The sails on this boat were such a pretty color. The pictures don't do justice.

Silly Summer Fun

Anyone out there up for this?

Summer Nights

After a quiet day Danielle is ready for a fun summer night. She was kind enough to let me do some practice photography while she was waiting to go to a farewell party for a friend. She is a beauty and was a great sport.

Growing Pains

A summer day in, I think, "96". Point Reyes National Seashore. I miss having all my kiddies around.

A Bit Late.....

These pictures and this post are a bit late. These are from Memorial Day Weekend. We thought we would sail down to Newport Harbor and hang out and enjoy the warm weather that we had been having. As luck would have it the storm clouds rolled in and it was cold. Oh and did I mention that it rained and rained? Oh, did i mention that the wind was fierce. Needless to say we didn't go to Newport but decided to hang out in Long Beach. It was really very cozy in our little home on the water with three teenage girls. They all had their cell phones and were able to stay in constant contact with their operatives at home.

We stopped in at the Long Beach Museum of Art. They had a big sign up that said "Free Friday". We are all over free anything. Very interesting. Please notice that Danielle has her head strategically placed. Doesn't this look like the dancing baby?





We stopped at the market to stock up on the cozy comfort foods required in bad weather. Chocolate milk, cinnamon rolls, and cheese for Grilled cheese sandwiches. Holly had her first grilled cheese sandwich ever! (I think she liked it.)

We decided to take a sunset cruise because it was so beautiful out and it wasn't raining. While we were out it started to rain. The sunset was still beautiful and we just got a little wet.


These girls really know how to have fun. They informed us that laying around in the boat and keeping their PJ's on was perfect, exactly what they like. It actually reminded me of a book I used to read to my kids when they were little. It was called the Maggie B. a lovely book.

They laughed a lot. I don't know if they were laughing at each other or at the old folks on the boat.

Here is our dedicated Captain. I have to admit this guy knows how to have fun and entertain. The last night the girls wanted him to tell them stories. They thought that was more entertaining than watching movies. I loved it. I snuggled up under my blankie and read to my hearts content.

Here is Danielle looking out at the little speck of sun shinning through. Not the best picture, a bit over exposed but she just looks so pretty and her eyes so sparklie.


So that was our weekend. It seems so long ago. Oh yeah it was. Are you sick of sailing pictures yet? So sad so sorry I think there will be at least a zillion more by the time the summer is over.

The End of School

Well it's almost here. Summer. No more school. I was going through my pile a photo CD's today and found this photo. Oh memory lane all the way. This was a special day for our family. It was the last time I would ever have to do another State Report. Wasn't Dani a cutie pie?

Cactus: to have or not to have?

My girl Natalie loves cactus. I Don't. They just look --- well --- Ugly. So we have a pot on the patio that has the ever necessary Aloe Vera Plant. Natalie had a small cactus that was going to kick the bucket so she plopped it in the pot with the Aloe Vera plant. Now once a year I love cactus. It is the time of year when it has these incredible flowers. Is it too much or what? I was so happy to see these blooms the other day and of course think about Natalie working so hard in the freezing winter cold in Argentina (see blog). I should probably mention the amazing Aloe Vera plant because without sharing it's pot I wouldn't be enjoying its little pot partner. We have already used the Aloe Vera. Ken came home with a killer sunburn last week. We sliced up that spiffy Aloe Vera smeared it on the burn and the pain and redness was gone in a snap. No skin peeling later on either. So my ever humble advice. Don't just sit there go get a pot and an Aloe Vera plant today! It could be considered part of your emergency preparedness because what could be a bigger emergency than your whole fam damily crying because they fried themselves. Oops sorry did I get carried away?

mmmmmm!

Don't you just love it when you open your door on Sunday afternoon to see some of your favorite people with these in their hands. Yummy, what a sweet treat. I must get this recipe. I will share it with all of you if it isn't a top secret family recipe handed out from the first born grand daughter to the next.

This just in......The top secret recipe

I think I will call them : Sunday Cookies

bake 350
devils food cake mix
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
2 tbs water

scoop and cook for 6 min.

take out and place 1/2 a marshmallow on the top and then put them back in for 2 more min.

Icing on the top is from the hersheys cocoa. I make it a little more runny so that it can be drizzled because some may not like all the chocolate.

Now get busy people and deliver these divine little goodies to someone you love on a quiet Sunday afternoon.

And thank you Stacy H. for sharing.