Mirror

Step 1: Buy ugly mirror off of craigslist for $25

Step 2: Prime it then spray paint it silver

Step 3: Make it your new entry mirror

Sew Again

 I just bought fabric for Piper's birthday dress.  I think it is time to rearrange some furniture to establish a new sewing nook.  That is considered normal in Spring time, right?  I can lump myself in with the spring cleaners, right?

My husband was very nice when I told him some big furniture might want to migrate.

Ideas:

Nalle's House Blog

Design Sponge

Now Craigslist, I wave my wand at you to produce an inexpensive, light colored, 36" round pedestal table.

Down to Earth

Low tide is finally back at convenient times.

BEACH SEASON IS OPEN!

A high of 53 degrees today and Blake said he just had to get in the water.

He cried the whole way home after playing around waist deep in the water because he was frozen.  Wails of "I am never going to the beach again" were quickly replaced with happy smiles after a hot bath and some warm food.

Chicks

Just a little proof that we cooked the chicken.  I was out three of the ingredients, but we made it work (who doesn't have rice wine vinegar on hand???).

Eat Food

I have hopes of making some General Tso Chicken tonight.

Everyone want to take bets whether I actually get this on the table?  I am pretty confident about it.

Just Putzing Around the Kitchen blog

I wish I would then have enough energy to make this for dessert:

Summer Classic Lemon Meringue Pie

Why stop there?  Then, I could have this for breakfast:

Southern Country Gravy

Can you tell I have been watching what I eat this week?  Bring on the weekend, I'm hungry!

Set Up

Ellen was in charge of a crew last week to help on the final push of getting the garden ready for planting.  Andrew now has sciatica after working hard alongside the team!  With a little stretching and online seed shopping, he will be as good as new.  

I just put ourselves on every free wood chip waiting list around town.  It will be nice to get some mulch in the walkways so my house isn't the mudpit landing zone.

I put some plants in my planters.  It looks fun with life in it.  The kids are a bit bummed their digging holes are off limits now.

Calling All Girls...

Saw this:

Did this:

I cannot wait until she has more hair!!!

Easter

Kirkland Kiwanis Easter Egg Hunt

2014

Loved this kid's style:

Why go around grabbing eggs when you can eat on the job?

Good Morning Easter

We dyed eggs for Easter Eve so the Easter Bunny would have yummy snacks to munch on (they do live off of hard boiled eggs and carrots, right?).

Left on our porch with a note for the Easter Bunny:

Dear Easter Bunny, We would love to have treats.

Ellen witnessed a lot of "third child" parenting when she was here and the Easter Bunny seems to have gotten tangled up in that too.  When he runs out of Easter Baskets he improvises with a wonderful Thanksgiving cornucopia basket.  What a clever bunny.

Happy 4th Birthday To My Reade

4 Years Ago

All About

We are trying to cross off our Seattle to-dos as quickly as we can.  The minutes are slipping by.

Shopping:

Eating yummy food:

Looking at rentals (for Ellen & David?):

Eating at chocolate shops:

Introducing Olive to Seattle parks:

Cherry Blossom

I forgot to include this photo in the last post.

My sweet cherry blossom of a niece (I had to threaten her to get her to smile!).

Thought It Would Be Like Glee...(but really kind of not)

Look, here is my friend Nick (below in the green shirt).  He teaches at a school in Castro Valley.  He chaperoned high school kids on a choir ensemble workshop in Seattle.

I dragged Mia to watch the kids sing and then we did a mini tour of the University of Washington.

Here are Nick's kids being coached by a fabulous person.  I don't know who he is, but he would listen to the choir, suggest things, and then they would improve leaps and bounds.  I wish I had his knowledge of music.

6 Days...Go

Guess who's back...

Let the fun begin.

Farmy Friday

 It must be spring because our chickens have started laying more eggs.  Andrew makes the best sourdough bread so breakfast is always a treat now.

I am sore all over from moving all of the repurposed concrete.  I originally wanted to create a pathway under the yew tree, but I settled for making raised beds and will fill in the path with free wood chips from the local tree trimmers.  Imagine more dirt and happy plants for the complete effect.

Thanks Hopper Supporters

Thanks everyone who supported Reade's Hop-A-Thon for Muscular Dystrophy.  I went in to watch him hop and the kids were broken into small groups so they could hop individually.  The boy before Reade hopped over 600 times!  Reade went on hopping after I stopped the video.

His whole school hopped so much that they will be able to send a child to MDA summer camp!  

Reade got home and said this to Blake:

"You know Blake, we didn't actually have money fall from the sky."

After some explanation, I found out that Reade thought "raising money" meant he would be jumping up and trying to grab money.  

First Football Practice

Flag football season is underway.  He loved it and I loved it.  These are real men coaching real boys.  No fluff, just pure football.  Why do I love the sound of coaches' whistles so much?  

It was raining and my legs almost froze off after standing for two hours on the sidelines.  The kids didn't mind the rain and cold at all.  Some were in shorts and short sleeves.  The parents said goodbye to each other through chattering teeth.

Inside

Everyone in blog land is outdoors and absorbing all the sun.

We went indoors because the weeklong rains had just begun.

We played at the park for 10 minutes and then headed in for an open gym.

I don't have beautiful outdoor pictures to share, but I do have kids who will sleep well.

I texted Andrew's cousin to prove how similar they are and then I got this shot today.  She looks exactly like my sister.  Sometimes she pulls the hybrid card.

I am thinking of spring clothing.  I usually dislike spring lines, but white tops intrigue me right now.

$11 - only 2 days left of the sale