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

Lunch and Legos!

Hi there.

This is my lunch.

Fascinating right?

It is the last bits of a turkey wrap.

I decided to take a picture of it for my Project Life....ordinary picture but one day when I have given up Diet Pepsi, I will see that picture and say, "Oh my gosh! Remember I used to drink like 4 of those a day????? What was I thinking???" LOL.   

Then Mannie will say, "Yes, I know, now you only drink 2 Diet Cokes a day - You ROCK ANNIE!!!"  ha, ha.  Actually, Mannie would never say, "Rock!".

I went to Target today and bought those pizza flavored Goldfish.  For some reason, I looked at them and HAD to have them.  They are good .....not Hostess Cupcake material, but good! 

Oh and just a public service announcement for locals....in the Easter section of Target they have these Lego guys for like $3.50 or something anyway, inside there is a coupon for a free kids entry with one adult ticket so I have purchased 2 of those guys to help with an upcoming trip to Legoland!

It is SO HOT today!! Yes, 90 degrees, feels like 100 though.  My body is not used to this, it is in shock right now.  Makes me want to go in the pool and I am not a pool kind of gal!! But I have 2 parent teacher conferences today so that is what we will be doing later! 

I guess that is all......rats! I wish I had more to say....this means that now I actually have to go fold laundry and clean......:P Yuck. 

But yeah, I got nothing else.  

Later gators~

Project Life...end of March!

Happy Wed.!!

It is gorgeous here in Cali and I feel so happy to have sunshine and warmth again! 

I have spring fever for sure! 

I have almost finished up my Project Life for March....just need to print out pictures of Cara's birthday(yesterday) and what we did..

We took her horseback riding.  She was in heaven! The smell of the barns and being around horses is her happy place! I am glad that we have pinpointed that because I can see hanging around the barns with the other kids who are passionate about horses being a positive in our life during her teenage years.  I am glad we have something wholesome to cling to/focus on for the upcoming years.  Plus, since she is so set on horse lessons/camps and owning her own horse someday, she has goals for herself and hence has something to work toward and it will serve as a desire to want to work(money and grades).  I think that will be helpful in the teenage years for sure!

So now that March is  finishing up, I am looking ahead to April and I think I am going to do another calendar page with mini pictures.  That way, I have a little break from printing and I don't have to fill up so many page protectors...I mentioned my album is really full!!   I may do just a one page write up rather than journaling everyday on the little journal cards like I did in February.  I think that will be faster and easier.  Again, I will highlight the big events though with some regular sized photos, like spring break and Easter.

Here is my latest PL......

I have another one of these handy dandy menu planners that I cannot remember for the life of me where I found these.....I found it one day when i was on a downloading spree and hopping from blog to blog downloading freebies.  Sorry, if I come across it again, I will link.

Some of the kids art work to go with the journaling:

I think having the kids artwork mixed in with the photos of everyday life is my favorite part of PL:

If you look closely at what I wrote above the book Cami made about penguins, you will see I forgot the "e" in wrote......oopps! :) btw, her little book is the cutest thing! She has another one about a puppy, it is adorable, I need to add that one too! She wrote the whole book backwards. funny.

We all need to work on spelling around here, not just the kids! ;)

This is the kind of stuff that I save but I save it in a box for them to take with them someday....I like that I have some in this album which will be more accessible and put in context rather than just one of a bunch of random papers in a box......of course, they will have that too but this is better.

I had to add Mannie and my March Madness predictions....I won this year but we forgot to actually bet on anything.....figures! :P

The photo sleeve on the left is actually a 6X12...don't know if you can tell:

Here is the last bit.....now I just have to print from yesterday and add the LO I made for Cara.  I may try to scrap again and add more scrap LO's too!  

That is all for Project Life today! Thanks for looking and I hope you are having the BEST day EVER!!!!

toodles! :)

 

P.S......Erika, I hope you see this.....here is where I saw some Tangled ideas!  There are more on their if you click on her home page and look around.  

Happy Birthday to Cara!

I love my girl!!! 

9 years old today! 

I am going to work on another LO later!!! Amazing what can get done when your craft room is clean!  And I am adding this to my Project Life album (which is looking pretty full btw....I am thinking 2011 PL is going to be 2 albums!)

Have a good one....time to go get things pretty for my birthday girl!

Planning Mode...

Hellllllllllllllloooo!!

Happy Monday!! 

I have decided that I love Monday! At least, after I have dragged myself out of bed and made breakfast and lunch..I don't love that part but I do love getting a little time to myself once everyone is at school!  

I am in planning mode for spring break! We weren't sure what we were going to do....we had tossed a few ideas around like hitting Sequoia National Park or even Death Valley so we could get a few more National Parks under our belt. But we have decided to forego those and do something a little closer to home.

So, I have decided that this years spring break will be called "Outdoor Adventures!!!"

Here are some ideas in case you are local and have no spring break plans!

1. beach camping

2. go in search of the "lost waterfall!!!" (sounds more exciting and adventurous) hike here.

3. visit the "Caves of the Wind"!!!  (from a book Cara is reading!)  here.

4. Find the "Boiling Springs of Moltlanta"....here.

5. Sleep in a tee pee!! 

6.  ****try 5 activities from daddy's guide book during the week.

7. sleep in a bunk bed out in the "WILD"!!!!!

8. possibly take in a ball game.

We are doing a few of those for sure....some will depend on our schedule and how it is all flowing! But will be fun no matter what.  

Okay so those are a few of my ideas for a very ADVENTUROUS spring break!! :)  I am thinking of making the kids little journals to keep track of their outdoor adventures!  I actually taught a kids scrapbooking class a few years back titled Outdoor Adventures...too bad all that paper is gone! 

So, speaking of the outdoors....we had Cara's Outdoor Campout birthday party on Sat.  
The kids had fun and it has sparked all this adventure business.  The kids got really excited about having the tent up so there you go! 

Mannie set up the tent outside and the activities were partially indoors and outdoors due to the chilly weather on Sat.  

Activities:

1. craft:  make God's Eyes

2. Games.....camping bingo, how many words can you make using the letters from "Cara's Country Campout", Hiss Hiss Snake bite! (our version of duck duck goose), Hibernating bear hunt (one kid hides a teddy bear outside and the others have to find it), fishing for goodies (a sheet that looked like a river was hung up and Mannie was behind it with the goodies, everyone took turns fishing and Mannie would clip a goody on their line) and finally s'mores.

 

Overall, a fun day.

Try This!

Whether or not you have kids.......try this!  It is TEAriffic!! ;)

My favorite scientist never disappoints!

I AM SERIOUS!!!  It is fun, interesting and slightly addicting...well, short term addicting.....like you will want to go through all your tea bags and burn them addicting.

Here is what we did.  

I had the kids decorate their rockets just for fun....USA was a natural one of course!

Here we go!!!

5....

4....

3....

2....

1.....

BLAST OFF!!!!!

 

Try it....you won't be disappointed....easy and cheap entertainment for a slightly boring Sunday!! (Actually, we did it on Friday night when I actually needed to be doing lots of other things to get ready for CAra's birthday party but I saw it and had to try it out!

Watch the video to see how to do it! 

In other news.....Cara had a wonderful party, all went well of course (only 2 guests) but they had fun and now we have a couple more celebrations to go!  I will share pics soon.

Today is a very uneventful day here.  Again, the majority wanted to stay home.  We would have spent the day watching Mannie play baseball but they were rained out.  I offered a few ideas to the gang but nothing sounded good to them so I resigned myself to watching t.v. and relaxing instead!!! Now I need to figure out dinner.  I am excited for March Madness to end soon but now we have baseball season so........I will have to get out my ball cap!  

Hope you had a T(ea) riffic weekend!!!  

Try the Tea Rockets! :)

S'Mores

Well, today I am working in the classroom and trying to finish up preparations for Cara's birthday party.  Luckily, we only invited 2 friends but I still want it to be special  for my girl!   Therefore, I will be busy, busy, busy putting together games and whatnot.

It is pouring rain here and it is supposed to rain tomorrow.  I have planned a "Campout" party....yikes.  Even if it isn't raining tomorrow, our backyard is soaked and muddy so the beautiful table setting with candlelit glass jars hanging from our tree aint gonna happen!!!!  I am bummed but I will do my best to jazz up the indoors for our "outdoors" party.

Last time we attempted camping as a family it rained as well so I think "the gods" are trying to tell me something!

So far, I have prepped the S'mores buckets ......hmmm.....s'mores by candlelight at my kitchen table???? 

I will make it work.

I can't believe Cara is going to be 9 already.  Crazy how quickly the time goes.  One of my former students' mother (my room Mom from my first year of teaching) just friended me on Facebook and the year I had her kid as a first grader was the year I met Mannie (96)...her little first grader is now in college!!! Of course that year seems like it was just yesterday! Wow, the time goes quickly.  She is talking about being an empty nester.....how is that possible??? and I remember him as this little guy and now he is taller than his Mom....seriously, it seems like that was yesterday that he was a little guy!!!!   Anyway, Mannie and I  will be empty nesters in a blink....can't imagine being an empty nester so soon! 

So, for now though, i will continue to fret over silly little details of my NINE year old's birthday party and enjoy every minute of it!!

Well, I suppose I will go get moving on my day.....hope you have a fun day!! Enjoy it! 

Good Things!

Hi there!!!

Good stuff happening around here today! 

1.  A sweet note left on my pillow....from Cara!

2. Charlie got the game ball in todays game....he hit off the coach all 4 times up (he has been having to hit off the tee which has been humiliating for him)....Yay Charlie!! Sadly, I missed the game as I was at lax practice with Cara! bummer.

3. Gia went into Charlie's classroom today and did a print making activity with his class....they LOVED it!! Mannie and I were on hand to help! Gia is a wonderful grandma not to mention a talented artist and teacher!   Her art lessons are for sale here if you are interested in some multicultural art lessons to accompany your studies!

4.  Kids drawing the rainforest!  I love their interest in everything!!   I need to download the unit  here! :)

5. Cami made the cutest!!! camping bingo game for Cara's upcoming birthday party....no picture but will post one of these days. 

6. It is raining and I am thankful that we have a nice warm and cozy home to shelter us! 

7. Leftover chicken enchiladas for dinner.....thank goodness for leftovers!!!

8. Survivor, American Idol and Modern Family tonight!!! Yahoo!!

9. I am about to print the above pictures to add to this weeks Project Life which I will work on during the above t.v. shows!! :)

10..........a healthy week!!!!!! phew.

 

Hope you have lots of good things happening this week too!!! Nighty night....time to go print!

Choosing to Stop

Hi there!!

Picture is the marinade I used for last nights dinner....just passing along a recommendation for an EASY!!! dinner.....chicken drumsticks....my Mom recommended it and it was a great one!!!  No cutting gross chicken just throw in a bag and let it marinate...then into the oven when ready!! Kids loved it and Mannie did too!! 

I have the busiest day and yet I am choosing to stop in my tracks and blog hop and type a quick post...I have to stop and breathe or else I will stress!!

I just have the usual stuff but I overbooked myself which I don't like to do but sometimes it is just a necessary! 

So, quickly.....you have to check out this video!! I know most people check her blog but just in case you don't, watch the video! Gave me chills!

Also....I ordered these for myself and Cara.  I used to wear these when I was in high school.  I am sooooooo nostalgic for these shoes.  I can't wait to wear them again!!!!  Cara had them in pink for the past year and they are literally falling apart. So, she needed a pair and I figured I would get  a pair too! They are comfy and you don't need to wear socks, they are the perfect summer shoe! 

I also placed an order for various journaling tags here! They are having a giveaway on eighteen 25 but I decided not to bother and just order what I wanted.  I am going to use them for my PL. 

Well, that is all....now time to start crossing off the "to do's" of Today!!!

Have a great day!!

Rainy Monday.

Good morning.

Rainy day here in Southern California.

Cam and I had a date this morning at Cinnamon Productions. We had a nice breakfast together.

Today's agenda:

I have grocery shopping to look forward to. 

I have birthday party shopping to start. 

I found this cute "A" on this blog.  If your name starts with an A, S, H, E or R, grab it for your records.  I think I may print it out and frame it....or maybe just add it to my Project Life.  Not sure but it sure is cute.

I also liked this quote which I may print out and frame as well.

I found that on this site.

I have a confession.....I stayed in bed until 1pm yesterday.....WHAT??? Yes, I couldn't sleep on Saturday night, woke up on Sunday and asked what did everyone want to do.  No one wanted to do anything. The kids wanted to play and Mannie wanted to watch March Madness.  So, I went back upstairs and went into a coma.  

I woke up and and we all watched "How to Train Your Dragon"....I liked it.  Sad at parts but cute.

We did nothing else of interest but hang out indoors.  Mannie made oatmeal cookies with the kids.  We had nothing much to eat so they were making something to eat.  Then we scavenged (made up word?) through the freezer for dinner....so, a full pantry is going to be a real treat today! I love that feeling.

I got on a puppy kick and tried to convince Mannie that we need to buy a puppy.  He dug in his roots for the discussion and I have to agree with him, it would be a financial burden right now.   But bummer because it would be the ideal time to do it with me still at home and the horrid state of our carpets and furniture, why not add puppy potty training to the mess and then fix up the place once it is all done.   But, our health insurance has gone up a car payment per  month so we need to take care of those bills and not add to it with another mouth to feed.  Oh well.  

Oh, one more tidbit of my rather uneventful weekend:  Charlie and I were chatting yesterday.  I asked him what was his favorite thing in the world to do?  I was thinking he would say something to the effect of Legos or trains.....and he said, "Being with you!"  Melt my heart!!! I must have done something really good to get a boy like Charlie!!! What a sweetie.  Kids are truly the greatest gift.  To be loved like that by another is a wonderful thing.  I hugged him so tight.  

Well, that is the latest and greatest at our end of the world.  Hope you had a wonderful weekend.

 

THis weeks Project Life

Happy Saturday.

Just sharing this past weeks PL!

I decided to add in the map of the hike we did last Sat. I like that I am actually putting to use some of the random things that I save.  I always save these random things thinking that I will do something with them and never do.  Now I can just add them into the album.

of course, I had to add in some of the cute artwork the kids make! Like Cam's obsession with Biscuit.

.....and Charlie's excitement over the turtles coming back to live with us!

I found this cute meal planning download...I will try to find out where I found it, so I can link but I thought I would just write down what we had for dinner last week.  I like it. 

I wished I had saved the paper from last Friday when the earthquake/tsunami hit Japan so instead I wrote a little something about it.  And I had to add the prescriptions from the last 2 weeks as well.

I think I did a pretty good job covering our St. Patty's day happenings, feel like the pictures and the little bit of journaling told the story.

When I wrote on St. Patty's day, I was tired and done for the day....well, apparently not...Cami had a little hunt she wanted to do, so I rallied and quickly made up a little leprechaun hunt for the kids.  They loved it and I was glad I rallied.  Then we ate a huge feast....overall a wonderful St. Patty's Day. Not bad for an exhausted mom, if I do say so myself!

I made a mini layout of the leprechaun hunt....I had fun scrapping!! It has been a while and although it is nothing fancy, I had fun and I told the story...so that works for me!

That's a wrap......still enjoying Project Life!!!!!!!!! Yippee!!

We had a scary morning today....at Charlie's baseball game, one of his teammates had an allergic reaction to peanuts.  He has a severe allergy and one of the other kids was eating cashews.  I was in awe  of the dugout mom's quick reacting and even more of  his parents!! They were on it faster than you could blink, epi pen in and done, absolutely amazing! I have always loved these parents and now I love them even more!  We had a team meeting after and coach reminded everyone to keep the nuts away.  But, my heart was racing and I, along with everyone else was really shaken up.  SCary stuff.  But, wow, those parents rock. Again, poise is shown to me.  

Time to go get ready for a birthday party!! Happy birthday Miss Mia! :)

Have a great weekend.