Book Look - A Couple of Boys Have The Best Week Ever

Look at this book:

A Couple of Boys have the Best Week Ever by Marla Frazee




The illustrations in this book are what first caught my attention.  I love the way the text says one thing and the pictures show us another.  Very clever and funny.  You will love the Grandparents,  your kids will love the boys and you will all want a similar summer adventure.  Share the book with your kids then get busy.  Here are some ideas I have to use this book as a jumping point for some summer fun:

* Make Banana waffles:

BANANA WAFFLES

1 3/4 c. sifted flour 2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tbsp. sugar 3 eggs, separated 2 - 4 tbsp. oil 1 1/2 c. milk 2 med. bananas, mashed Sift first 4 ingredients into bowl. Make a well in center. Combine egg yolks, oil, milk and bananas in bowl; beat well. Pour banana mixture into dry ingredients; stir until just mixed. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Bake in waffle iron using manufacturer's directions. Yields 4 servings.

* Take your kids to the Natural History Museum (that's what Bill  wanted to do)

* Take your kids to a local Aquarium to see the penquins (Sea World?)

*Check out books from the library with information on Penquins and Antarctica

* Watch "March of the Penquins".

*Send your kids to their Grandparents house for a week.

*Take your kids to the beach to see the tide pools. 

*Send your kids to Nature Camp (what?)

*Take time to have your own nature camp.  Hiking, bird watching, Arts and crafts, etc.

*Let your kids get out the big air mattress and sleep on it.

*Let your kids use said air mattress as they see fit

*Spend some time looking at the stars

*Help you kids make their own Antarctica or better yet get them a pile of supplies and let them figure it out on their own.

*If you are lucky enough to have access to mussel shells and rocks make your own Penguins.

Senior

(Dani Kindergarten graduation)

Danielle informed me this morning on the way to school that she is officially a Senior.  Hmm, how does that work?  Well the Seniors from this year are done with finals and Graduate tonight so that makes her a Senior she says.  So here we go . . .  Senior Year.  Here is the Kirtley Family Senior Wall of Fame.

Natalie 2001

Sean 2003

Katey 2007

Lisa 1981

Ken 1979

Scout Overnighter

What to do when the hubby is on an overnighter, it's cold outside, and you don't want to get in the car? Bake Bread!

Recipie courtesy of the Barefoot Contessa
Forget the egg whites on top next time---it looks funky. Oh I wish you could smell this.
Hot slice-
Breakfast Toast with honey from the hubby's hives-
The hubby better get home soon or it may all be gone.

Earthquake?

Last night, well 3:00 in the morning, we were about blasted out of our beds. The house shook and we jumped up and said earthquake. Then as we sat there waiting for our heart rates to go back to normal we noticed the sky was still rumbling. It was actually thunder that had made our house shake. We don't often have thunder and lightening storms here in California. Today it has been cloudy, thundering, and lightening, and WARM. I saw the biggest rain drops ever this morning. I have to admit the unusual weather change is kind of fun.

Little Luxuries

If there is a store I would choose to just browse in and look at every little thing it would probably be Anthropology. First, their window displays and decor each season are amazing. They can do things with tissue paper, yarn, and balloons that are so creative. Second, the minute you walk into the store the smell hits you and you start to breathe a little deeper and slower. On my last visit these were a few of my favorite items. Luxuries for sure.... the one item I do love to buy is the Mistral Shea Butter soap in the Almond Milk Fragrance. It is such a clean, yummy smell. The bars are very large and have little scrubbies in them. The stacking measuring cups are a favorite of mine. I don't own them but I think they are so cool they also always have really fun measuring spoons as well. Anthro always has beautiful clothing and accessories. They have had beautiful scarves lately. Finally they always have drawer pulls, door knobs, and hooks that are so artsy and fun. The two pulls above I bought for Dani. She has been putting different Drawer pulls on her desk and dresser drawers.

I usually leave the store with absolutely nothing but love to cruise through every now and then to browse, touch, read, and explore.

Where do you like to window shop? Do you have a favorite store to browse through (I'm not talking Target here)?

Rockin' Runnin' Playlist

Last week Ken and I joined our friends Liz and Elliott for a Styx and REO Speedwagon Concert. It was great. I had forgotten how much I love that old rock music, especially Styx. It's just great, heart pumpin', rockin' stuff. It makes you want to get up and move. What? Get up and move? That's right get up and move, which means that it would be the perfect music for a playlist to run to.

So here it is my new playlist for running. I used it today and I have to say that it made a difference. It gave me a little extra kick in my step as I bonded with the treadmill.

So here is my Rockin' Runnin' Playlist that is not for the faint of heart. You must have a love of great 70's and 80's Rock to fully appreciate it. How did I decide - well all I had to do was think High School. Most of these were on albums I would listen to at night in my room with earphones on the size of large hamburger buns.



Warm up:
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Run girl run:
Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man) - Styx
All Right Now - Free
Roll With the Changes - REO Speedwagon
Radar Love - Golden Earing
Baba O'Riley - The Who
Carry On Wayward Son - Kansas
Jungle Love - Steve Miller Band
Juke Box Hero - Foreigner
Sweet Emotion - Aerosmith
Don't Stop Me Now - Queen
Black Dog - Led Zeppelin
Goodbye Stranger - Supertramp
Life In The Fast Lane - The Eagles
Renegade - Styx
Cool down:
The Joker - Steve Miller Band
Everybody Hurts - R.E.M.
Dog & Butterfly - Heart

Finally - what's missing. Yup I still need Bob Seger - Hollywood Nights. This is not on iTunes? Ah! I may have to buy the CD.

So what else am I missing? Any suggestions?

Here is what has been going on

This is mothers day. Have I told you how much I love being a mother?

Paula, Ken's mom and Grandmother Helen.

These are the beautiful flowers Grandmother Helen brought with her.

Danielle went to Prom.

We took Natalie sailing .

Some masked bandits came to our house.

That's it I am all caught up now!