Jumping on Beds..........

Gingerbread Playdough and Diorama Mania!

 
Morning!

Wowza! It is chilly here today!

I just lost this post and I am retyping it! bummer!

Here is the recipe for the playdough! easy and fun!

2 cups flour

1 cup salt

1 cup water

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 tbsp. ginger.......1 of cinnamon and 1 tbsp. of nutmeg

mix and knead!!

We have determined the order of our Sunday themes:

Dec. 5......Santa

Dec. 12......Rudolph

Dec. 19......Jesus......Cara thought it was best to save Jesus for last since it was closest to His birthday.......great idea!

In other news.......

1.  Cam is home today again so we are homebound and I am determined to make something.

2. I think I need to put Studio Calico on my Christmas list.

3. Cara and I worked on a diorama for her mystery bookreport! Can I just say FUN!! She choose a great book.........The Missing Mummy by Ron Roy! I love his books!!!!........themes, which I love!  And of course, the book she choose was fun for us......us, being Cara, the kids and I.....since we had some Egypt stuff to add to the project!

Parents are not supposed to help much on the projects! Okay, I am a geek because I was just as excited as she was.  I had a really hard time keeping my hands off the project.......it was definitely a team effort.  I think I need to make my own dioramas! They are fun.  Cam and Charlie made one too because they thought it looked cool.  

Cara had a great idea........she wrote "Missing Mummy" in hieroglyphics down the side of her project using the hierogyphic chart we have.  I thought that was a cool idea!  She is SO excited to share her project with her class.  I am so excited for her.  Most importantly, it was a fun way to express an understanding of the plot of the book! 

Here she is hugging her project!!! So cute!

We may be making more diorama's for sure!  and we are stocking up on Ron Roy's books this Christmas!! I am excited to check out his Capitol series.......and then someday go to DC to check out the sites!!!

Well, that is all.......have a good one!

Gingerbreadman Day!!!

 
Well, good morning!!!

We had a wonderful gingerbreadman day yesterday!!

We started the day off with some gingerbread waffles!!  They were seriously SO GOOD!!! moist and fluffy!

We made enough for leftovers and I just finished eating one! I think I will make these a few times this holiday season!

Recipe found here!

Even though it was gingerbreadman day, we still had some other things going on....we had to take down our Thanksgiving decorations, do some laundry, Mannie put up Christmas lights outside, I was working on a Shutterfly calendar that was a freebie and had to be done yesterday.....then I did our Christmas cards as well.....and then in between all that, we had gingerbread day!

So,  the kids traced each other and they estimated how many gingerbreadman cookies long they were....(non standard units of measurement).......then they measured with cookies,
then estimated how many inches long they were and measured the traced body with a ruler.

They even measured Teddy! :)

We also made gingerbread playdough! No pictures. I think I have posted the recipe before, just let me know if you would like me to!

And the kids made gingerbreadman paper bag puppets.

and they got to decorate their GIGANTIC Trader Joe's gingerbread cookies!!

The kids wanted me to do the gingerbreadman hunt too but there wasn't time to make an actual gingerbreadman and then hide the notes and little treasures around the house so MAYBE today after school!

It was a busy day and today I have Cami home with a cough.  I have a couple of errands that I would love to get done, but not sure taking her out is a smart thing so I may have to do some Cyber Monday shopping instead and get back to organizing! or who knows, maybe I will actually make something just for fun!!! what a concept!

Hope your weekend was fab! 

I am thinking about planning a few more  theme days for the Sundays in December!  Sunday is our more mellow day, I have not planned anything for Sundays in December.    Looks like there are 3 Sundays in December before Christmas ! One idea is a "Jesus" day with all crafts related to the nativity.....I think that will be next Sunday........maybe another one of Santa's from around the world......and the 3rd Sunday.....Rudolph day perhaps?  Any ideas!?

Have a good one! Time to get back to my little cough machine!

I *HEART*........

Happy Saturday!!!

Today.....a little grateful post titled......"I Heart".......

Inspired by the beauty I saw today on our drive home.......a gorgeous drive on the 101.......the Pacific ocean glistening away! We stopped on the side of the road and found our way down to a beach!

I Heart......

1. These 3 .....

my sweet angels!

2.  this dude....
such a fun guy to spend life with.....goof ball and the nicest person I know!

3. the beach....
God sure knows His stuff!  I bet in heaven, everyone has a beachfront cottage! :)

4. my home....feels so good to be home with a shower, pj's on and waiting on a pizza delivery!

5.  Pizza......speaking of........best food ever!!! I am starving......I wish Sal's was being delivered right this second!! (no pictures, sorry!)

6. Sunday.....thankful we have one more day to spend together before the daily routine starts up again!

7. haircuts.......hoping to schedule one for myself sometime soon.....Charlie too! (see exhibit #2 above for Annie's desperate hair situation!)

8. the holidays......magical time for all!

9. Gingerbread day tomorrow!!!! Will make it up as I go along but it is officially kicking off our Christmas season.....starting with the gigantic gingerbread man cookies I found at Trader Joe's!!!

10. good health.......thankful for my health, my kids, Mannie's and thankful that my family has generally good health....and hoping that 2011 will be a healthier year for my sister Kerry who still battles chronic kidney stones!!!  My wish for 2011 will be that Kerry gets HEALTHY!!!!

I leave you with 2 pics from our Thanksgiving trip....a very routine holiday for our family....the feast always AMAZINGLY prepared by aunt Joan and uncle Pat!!! They are the best host/hostesses!

and......a trip to the Dunes.......what would Thanksgiving be without the 10 mile trek through the sand???
Nothing says Thanksgiving like a bloated stomach and aching legs!!

speaking of aching legs......here is one last one of poor Mr. Turkey's fate.....
Tomorrow it's Mr. Gingerbread's turn!!!!!!

Hope your turkey day was fun!!!

Time for pizza.

San Diego

Taking a break from laundry and unpacking/packing.

We were in San Diego for a couple of days.

Mannie had some work down there which was cancelled due to weather but we still had the room and family was in town as well so it all worked out great.

We started at a craft fair in downtown....Gia was selling her pillows.

Then we checked in to our room.

This is a great "check in" picture b/c this is what happens.....we open the door, drop our stuff and the ESPN channel mysteriously pops up on our t.v. the minute we are in!!!
We lucked out too......our garden priced room got upgraded to beach front for free!!!! YAY.

That was cool b/c our favorite part of staying at the hotel is that they have beach fire pits and we like to grill hot dogs and do all that while there!

Shawn, Miro and the kids were staying there as well.  They are down visiting for the week.  Gia stayed in their room too since she was in SD for the craft fair.  So, we got lots of family time and the kids got more cousin time!
 

We headed out to Cabrillo National Monument on Monday  since I need to learn my CA history.    
We checked out the museum and all the kids worked on their Junior Ranger badges, which as I have said, I think I may be more excited about than the kids.  I like it though b/c it forces you (and the kids) to really learn more about where you are.....otherwise, you are just looking at stuff.  So, the kids had fun trying on the armor of  "the day"....1542.   

Here is Cabrillo......
explorer who first landed in California.....who the park is named after.....who, my kids could not remember anything about after we left the park.......with their Jr. badges pinned on and all.  It was funny.  I think this time of year with all the "pilgrim" stuff everywhere they sort of thought to themselves......Cabrillo......old time guy + old time ship + hardtack/hard life at sea......oh, he is a pilgrim!!!  We may need to revisit in a few years.....preferably not in November!  But here they are getting their badges!!!

Anyway, we explored the lighthouse too......pretty cool.
I love lighthouses.  I liked looking inside as well and seeing how the lighthouse keepers lived........very cozy and great view......I'd love to live in a lighthouse!
 

We cooked out that night.......great memory for  us as a family.....adults getting to talk and the kids digging in the sand and playing on the beach in the dark.......very exciting.

It was chilly but the fire kept us warm.  The kids don't seem to register cold when they are playing with their buds.

Tuesday.......we went for a paddleboat ride on the bay.  Have you ever been?  Um. yeah it is a little slow paced......maybe too slow paced for where we are at right now in life.  Not to mention a work out as Mannie and I were the peddlers.  

Then we really picked up the pace with a roaring good round of miniature golf!!! Not!
We are not very good at miniature golf apparently.......we only made it to 8 holes.........because there was this thing called check out calling our name! (thank goodness).......anyway, I got their age pictures though which is why I made sure to make it to hole # 8!

Cami is my little fashionista! She choose a red ball and a red putter to match her outfit....so cute!

6....

7.....

8.....

Then we got a bite to eat at Seaus........great food.

Then one last CA history lesson......the first missionin California.  
I am set for Cara's 4th grade report for next year........done, check.....finished!! Got lots of pictures and information. 
The missions are tricky to explain to the kids I found......indians/missionaries......a little bit of violence....assimilation...it is tricky.  But we got to speak with a native american in Yosemite and she gave us alot of history and background info. so the kids have a pretty good idea of it all.  However, I prefer to teach my kids the "happier" stories.....but that is because I am visual and I enjoy living in "la la land" most of the time.  They were not overly excited about it all either.....you know, not exactly a day at Legoland!....good thing it is a fairly small mission and at least they know they exist and that they are apart of the history. 

Now, we are gearing up for Thanksgiving!! More time with the family up north.  My job is to bring the drinks so I don't have a lot to do, just pack and finish laundry! 

Hope your turkey day is fabulous!! 

Happy Thanksgiving from my turkeys to yours!~!!    ;)

Saturday Evening Post

Hello there!

It was a busy week and the whole week flew by without time to get on here.

I really thought I would have too much time to myself once  the kids were in school and now I am realizing that somehow I am busier......I am still scratching my head over it.......I am not sure I can call myself a "Stay at home Mom"  anymore b/c I feel like I am rarely home .....good and bad I think.  I am missing things like having time to blog and make stuff though.

Week  summary.....I had a fun time at the 31 Gifts party here and can't wait to see all the goodies in person!  Cara lost in the championship soccer game, so her team placed 2nd and she was smiling away during the game.....that's all I can ask for!  I got to see lots of friends this week.....Susan, Laura, Amber,  Marina, Sheela (two times!!) and Julie!! Not to mention the girls at the party on Monday.  So, it was a very "Girly" week for me and I feel lucky to have great friends in my life.  

This morning I went to a craft fair in Mission Viejo with my neighbor and got a couple of cute hair accessories and some cute little "loves"  for the kids.....I also saw lots of things and found myself saying to myself, "I can make that!".......so maybe that will be enough to inspire me to make stuff!!!

But anyway....it is a rainy day here and we had a random day helping Mannie with work stuff and he accidently drank gasoline of all things!!  Yes, I said he drank gasoline!!....long story but apparently I am NOT the only ding dong in this family....anyway, he was trying to get some gas for his "sweeper"(a machine thing that requires gasoline to work)......anyway, so far he doesn't appear to be poisoned!!!  But seriously? craziness.  I will be on "poison watch 2010" now for the day and I suppose I won't be lighting any candles tonight as his breath literally smells like gasoline still! 

Other than that......we are home and cozy now and the kids are watching..........

Can you believe it?  I have been really trying to not give in to the Christmas bombardment but it is just TOO hard to resist!!!  So, as I type this, I can hear Clarice singing, "There's  Always Tomorrow".....and getting that 6 year old feeling again ......the excitement of Christmas!!!

This is one from Charlie today......he was actually counting the highlighted words to make sure there were indeed  100 words in the book(cover above)......he loves numbers that one!!

Other than that.......we are gearing up for more rain and a trip to San Diego(work related for Mannie) and then our family Thanksgiving up north.  Will be a busy week.

Happy Thanksgiving if I don't get back on here in time.

Sunny California Weekend

We are enjoying a gorgeous weekend here in Cali.

Although I am currently indoors cleaning up a bit.

I am having a party tomorrow night so I want to clean up a bit. Cute bags and patterns.....I have my eye on a picnic thermal cooler.  We can never have enough coolers it seems and these are cute ones.

I have been using Ping for electronic invites........I like their designs.  Thank goodness for evites! Makes life so much easier for all.......very easy...click yes, no or maybe........no need to call and leave a message just click away........and I love how it keeps track of it all for me. Plus I get to see when the invitees view the invite so I know they received it! Very easy indeed!!! 

So.....after I finish up some chores, I need to get outdoors and enjoy the sunshine while it is here.

Mannie is out watching football with Drew. 

We had a fun weekend.  The big news was that Cara's team won another playoff game and are now in the championship game!
I seriously cannot believe it.  I think all the parents are dumbfounded.  We are the last place team!! But the girls never gave up........actually the losses during the season never seemed to phase them.  I really love their coach......laid back guy who stresses the fun but at the same time has taught them ALOT about the game and has helped all the girls improve (obviously as they are in the championship).  Anyway, it is very exciting. We are bummed though b/c coach cannot be there for the championship game (away on business in Europe) so Mannie will be the stand in coach for the last game! 

Overall, a great season with a great end.

Then we hit the drive in movies last night. We met up with the Mottas and  saw Megamind. It was good. Felicia was up to her tricks though and the car died half way thru the movie.  But then at the end of the movie she came back to life.??? Go figure. I cannot figure out that car for the life of me......but apparently she can resurrect from the dead now so I guess we have a VERY SPECIAL car and should be thankful !!! Lucky me!

Well.......time to get back to work and then time to enjoy this day outside!

Have a good one.

Veteran's Day!

 
We went here for Veteran's Day!

We got to see a parade as well!

Beautiful day in San Diego.

Fun way to spend the day and to help understand what this day is all about!

Thank you to the veteran's and their families!

Well....time to go finish organizing!

Have a fun weekend!

Once Upon a Time....

I was crafty.....

I made stuff....

I took a ton of scrapbooking classes...

I went to CHA to be a part of the fun...

I even taught some scrapbook classes  here.....

 
I was featured in a BHG Scrapbook Lifestyles webisode....(which is no longer on anymore)

I was on a design team( for an awesome online company which no longer exists- Freckle Friends :(  

I worked on marketing Canon printers for scrapbooking for a wee bit of time.

but what I was most excited about was seeing my kids in the project I made on the cover of her mag(which is no longer in publication!).....

Stephanie wants to do it again....I am not sure exactly what her plan is but I am posting this in support of just getting the word out on this end.  Hopefully her plan is to create another paper version because I really think there needs to be some more "in print"  inspiration out there.

Anyway, I wish I could be excited about crafting again.   

But.....right now, crafting is just taking a little rest!  Where is my creative energy going?

Where is that crafty girl????

I am not sure....maybe I don't have crafty energy anymore....maybe I used up all my crafty energy.

Maybe I need a dose of  crafting viagra.

Just sayin.

Now HERE is someone in the Adams family that never needs any crafting viagra.....Gia has her own Etsy shop now!! Check her out!!

In other news, not crafting, medications or nostalgia related....I am going to put some  energy toward various organizational projects:

1. organize the upstairs desk area.

2. get rid of the paper pile in the area between the dinning room and kitchen.

3. do something with Cami's room.

Well...enough of that, have a good night! 

 

 

Monday, Monday! Lazy Bones.

 
I am in my pj's still and yes, I have left the house but I am lazy today!

We woke to rain and it was lovely but now it is completely sunny with big, beautiful white puffy clouds.

I have Charlie home sick with me today.  He had a low fever last night and his head was hurting. Today he seems fine but it has to be 24 hrs. of no fever before they can go back to school.  I am feeling a little funny today too...a stomach bug thing, hence, the pj's still.

I took Cam and Cara to school and even went and got a bagel but then Charlie and I got back in bed and watched t.v., read a few chapters of a book, chatted with Mikey while he played Indiana Jones next to me on the laptop and then we played a couple of games of Perfection.......and he got to have a special lunch in bed too!  It was so nice to have some time with just the 2 of us......I love that little guy, I am REALLY lucky to be his mom!

Then we had to go pick up Cam and now we are all back here hanging out.  Luckily, Cara comes home via carpool so I don't have to run back to school again.

We had a great weekend.

The big news was that Cara's team actually beat the number one, undefeated team in the playoffs.....Cara's team only won 1 game all season so this was an upset for the other team.  I actually found myself watching every play and screaming (in a good way) with excitement!  First time all season! So, hopefully they can rally again and get past the next team!

I liked this picture b/c I am trying to figure out what she is doing with her fingers...nerves? or is that her "I am ready" stance.......who knows?

Here is Cara saving a goal.......

And here is the end of the game......

Cami found a dead butterfly, totally entact(above pic).......we took her home and she is currently on the science table.... gorgeous butterfly! I think Cami needs to grow up to be some sort of bug or animal scientist! She sees things most people walk right by.

I went out with Tricia on Saturday....we hit Claim Jumper.....we had a great time chatting about our usual topics! Always fun to hang out with Tricia.....then we wandered around Joann's and Home Goods....fun to walk around and imaginary shop together.

Cara had a fun sleepover with Gia........they made some projects...beading and sculpting and then went to Target so Gia could get some Christmas present ideas.  Mannie and the kids met Gia and Gramps up in Long Beach for a Dia de los Muertos art fair.  Gia had a piece of art work showing.  They had a good time and it sounds like it was really cool.  Lots of neat projects for kids to do, food, art and festivities.

Sunday was uneventful........the big event was grocery shopping.  We had baked potato bar and hot dogs for lunch.....I have been on a baked potato kick ever since Julie's birthday and we had those yummy potatoes over the campfire.  I had a potato on Sat. with Tricia as a matter of fact.

We have a short week and I am very excited to have 4 days to hang with the kids!!! I have been thinking up little field trips for us to go on!  I have also been plotting out the month of December and what Christmas outings we are going to do this year! Fun and excited for Dec.!

Well......Time to get back to the big pile of laundry that has accumulated in my house!

I also have to eventually get myself dressed.....plans to meet up with Sheela later for dinner! Yay!

Adios!

This Week!

I am one tired lady today!

Fridays{ for me} mean school helper from 9:30 - 1:00 and for whatever reason, by the end of that time, I am so beat.  

I think I should have lined myself up for Mondays instead so I didn't end the week exhausted.

Oh well...live and learn.

We had a busy week with a lot of half days for conferences.  I barely remember what I did during all that off time, well, I guess for one I attended 3 conferences.  Yesterday each kid had a friend over for a playdate. It was fun and noisy for  a while and then I got the smart idea to suggest a board game and then things quieted down but then it was time to go home so they didn't get very far into Monopoly.  

It was a really hot week here which made me unmotivated to go outside.  But then cold at night.

Last night Gia and Gramps took us all out to dinner at the Trabucco golf clubhouse.  We all like that place.  We sat outside on the patio and ate.  It got really cold which felt strange after being SO hot all day.  

I am excited for the weekend!!!  There are a few things I would like to do and then things planned like dinner with Tricia!!! Yay!!! 

We also have Cara's soccer playoffs! fingers crossed! 

Cara is having a sleepover at Gia and Gramps' as well.  

One thing I realized last week was that my entire family LOVES the Trader Joe's pre made meals (not in the frozen section) like chicken picata! and all it takes is 3 minutes in the microwave....it has something for everyone...pasta, broccoli and chicken!! Helped me out last week when we had soccer practice and something else going on (can't remember) and we came home, popped it in the micro and then just like that, we had a family meal....(2 of them for us).  I LOVE when I can find something we all love!

We had it for dinner tonight!

Cami gave her owl report today and did great!! I got to see her since I was volunteering and I took pictures....what a cutie pie! Aunt Joan and Uncle Pat had mailed us real owl feathers that they had collected in their backyard so we stapled a baggie of those onto her report.  Uncle Pat also emailed me a great picture he had taken of the owl.  Such pretty animals.  I didn't realize that owls are a symbol of death in some cultures...we think of them a wise....I am not sure why "we" decided on that but anyway it wasn't one of Cami's facts that she told the class.  

In first grade I got to read with the kids.....they are just adorable!  

In Cara's class, I helped with computer lab. The kids are working on Patriotic Symbol reports. 

So, Cara and I made up a science game for the science table....she made gorgeous picture cards for matter!
 

We did the egg experiment( I rambled on about it the other day).....Here is the before:
I love how excited they look!

After:

The kids are at the perfect age right now for being close enough in age to ALL  understand concepts better and they are also at the perfect age for REALLY getting EXCITED about learning LOTs of new things!!!  This has been a FUN year for all of us! They are literally soaking it all in even more than in the past and not only that but wanting to do more and more!!  As a mom and teacher, it is heaven for me!  6,7 and 8 is the best!!!!  I think I will miss these days the most when I look back in years to come!

Right now as I type, they are working on copying book characters onto a poster board so I can hang it up in the playroom.....I have some hanging up that I made so they want to be included!  I was hoping Cara would make Jack and Annie for me from the Magic Tree House but she wanted to copy a mouse instead! Oh well.  I think people are really hard to draw so you know, I get it.

Well......off to bed!

Have a fun weekend!!!

Oh p.s........speaking of Jack and Annie...I found these at Border's the other day......they were giving them out for free while supplies last.....if you haven't printed them off the site, get over to Border's to get one!!