A Royal Wedding with a Beautiful Bride

So pretty!

I love the royal pageantry, the hoopla, and the bride.

Just like Princess Diana I had a bum bow on my gown. I'm excited to see the trends that come from Princess William's (Kate's new title) wedding gown.

I am hoping for sleeves.

I'm tired of strapless wedding gowns. So much detail can be on the sleeves of the gown.

Gowns with 3/4 length sleeves make me swoon.

There have been too many brides wearing strapless gowns that did not have the arms for the gown. Strapless has become boring and sometimes unattractive on brides with chubby arms.

Long live the queen.

Long live the sleeves!

The mother of the bride chose a lovely suit and hat, Victoria Beckham did NoT.

Best Wishes to the Royal Couple.

I think I'll watch TV all day... for once it is not depressing.

School Days

This week was Grandparents and Special Friends Day at the elementary school. Since Emilyn and I are friends, I got invited. There are some pretty cool things going on in second grade. I wish I could have some time set aside to make an Indian village or to read up in the loft or swing on the monkey bars.

It was special this year because Emilyn has Miss K as her teacher. Miss K., as in my friend, Emily. She does so many great projects with her cherubs.

Emilyn isn't dishing out her usual BiG smile as she has no teeth.

And frankly, Emilyn is not a school lover. I learned that when she went to K and then to first grade, she only likes the Art because it's the best of the worst...

in school.

I do think she likes the social part though, just not the assignments.

I get that.

Thanks for inviting me, Emilyn. I loved reading the book you wrote, very funny stuff. :)

Hang in there kiddo, you only have 10 years of school and college to finish!

Easter to the MaX

We had such a nice Easter. Our church had a beautiful Easter worship service. I love the Hallelujah chorus and the masses of lilies and white azaleas in front of church. We went to my folks for dinner. It was a small group this year. It made for a some nice visiting and more ham for those that were there.

Big Max and Little Max kinda look alike. Brown eyes. And apparently Little Max's folks have to use reverse psychology with him too. Imagine that! I warned them that after almost 18 years of that kind of parenting I'm tired. Real tired. Then I wished them luck and danced a little jig that I am so much closer to the finish than them.

Besides Max's little sister, Little Max was the only kid for our Easter egg hunt.

It's really fun when you get to find all the eggs!

Typical cold Northwest Washington Easter egg hunt, put on your boots and parka...

Happy Easter

Wishing you a Blessed Easter today!

Rockin' the Walls

Since the Snapsister that is my sister took our family pics on Camano Island I have been wanting to make some canvas prints. It was easy, once I had the right size canvas and prints. I painted the canvas edges black.

Called in Melinda and Emily (She just took the trip of a lifetime to Eygpt and Israel and every time I see her I have to yell, "Jesus is in Waikiki too" or she gets all holier than thou with me) for some help and a large paper cutter. We trimmed the pics, used mod podge (an old 70's favorite) and attached the pics to the 11 X 14 canvas.

Then they talked to me about arrangement and I was sent out to purchase a shelf. We talked vinyl but I decided against it.

Not many pics because the girls were in their after church Sunday afternoon slumpadink clothes.

I thought they looked great, bed head from their naps and all.

Tadah! The glass jar is being filled with heart rocks.

My guys have a long history of bringing me heart shaped rocks and of hitting rocks out to sea on Camano Island with their Dad. Thus the ROCK theme.

A fun and easy project made even more fun with Mel and Em!

Thanks girls ;)

Attention Easter Bunny

Easter Bunnies

Impromptu sale this morning!

If you are stuffing Easter baskets or need a hostess gift, hurry into the shop today!

20% off sale

today only

Happy Easter!

Tips for Suit Shopping with a Teen

A suit was purchased.

No lives were lost.

That said, I could've hurt that kid last night.

Kassie was along or I would have left his bum at the mall.

Just drove off.

And left him.

I usually take my guys to JC Penneys for a suit. They are 50 % off Easter week. They have good help. They can order a missing size or piece. And most importantly, Penneys has some slim cut, younger, more hip suit for the young guys.

They could not get the pants we needed. Huge bummer as we found a great suit at a great price, just no pants that were long enough.

Kohl's had some hip suits but not the long jacket size we needed and no pants with a 34" length.

Macys doesn't do long or tall. One jacket and it needed to be tailored. And not really any suits for young guys at Macys.

My guys have very long arms. It's a problem.

So, we ended up at Men's Wearhouse.

Great help and slim cut, talls and longs!

Max had two choices in our price range.

All pants come in 38" length and they hem them. For a fee.

Nice black suit. No tux rentals for him. Yay!

I recommend the suit purchase Junior year so as to avoid the tux rental.

Long term, it saves money, they are more comfortable and in the end they own a suit.

It makes sense, but it's painful.

My tips besides where to shop are to take your patience, a buffer (Kassie) and more money than you think you'll need.

Then we went to the football meeting at school. The new coach was introduced.

It's exciting. I love football season.

And then I came home, went straight to bed with a headache.

A BiG, BaD headache.

My teen is a teen.

But he is a teen with a very nice suit.

And he looks very handsome in the suit.

Mission accomplished.

Speaking of Which...

*Yesterday I spent the day with my sis, Kathi and my folks. We played, 'American Pickers' and can I just say, it would have been a good episode. Between yesterday, the Sunday robbery with Melinda and the Friday estate sale, I'm in junk heaven.

*Speaking of junk, I have a ton of projects in my brain. Right now.

I need time, paint and a sewing machine.

*Easter Week! I mailed care packages to Danny in MI and Sam in NC yesterday morning.

One new recipe was baked and sent:

Cool Cookies

1 cake mix

1 egg

1 8 0z. Cool Whip.

Mix the egg and cake mix and then fold in the Cool Whip.

Use your cookie scoop and plop into powdered sugar, roll around and then place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 7-8 minutes.

Any flavor of cake mix can be used. Thumbs up from Max, Kassie and Hubby!

Because they are so easy I think they have a very high cool factor.

*Speaking of Easter, I've been reading, My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers.

You can pick up a paperback copy at the bookstore for $4.97. I have the updated edition.

They fit in care packages too. Written long ago but still prevalent today.

*Hubby did the floors Saturday and I cleaned like a crazy woman. It was amazing.

That said... if you stop by today it looks like a tornado ripped through the Stone House.

UGH!

*Speaking of tornadoes, Sam is stationed in North Carolina. Sam spent Saturday night helping local ambulance crews going on aid calls. There were many lives lost, many injuries and a lot of property damage. Please pray for the people who have lost someone they love.

*Speaking of prayers, I'll need some today.

I am taking Max suit shopping after school.

Why can't he be fun to go shopping with?

Why couldn't I have had one girl?

Why can't Max be nice?

Why will it be so painful?

Why?

WHY?

*Speaking of 'why?' Why can't it be warmer, more sunny and a tad more like Spring?

*Picture today is of our sweet, Hawley. He is the most undemanding part of my life right now and I love him all the more for it.

pic by my sister who is a Snapsister.

A Beach Read

Jane Eyre written by Charlotte Bronte isn't really light reading or a beach read but I made it mine for my recent trip to Hawaii. I had my reasons. The biggest reason was Hubby's Grandma. Grandma and I both love to read and any time we see each other the conversation turns to books. Her favorite book is Jane Eyre. She read it as a newlywed. Having just moved away from family, Grandma spent time reading. She didn't neglect her housework though. She has told me many times that the first time she read Jane Eyre, the book was propped on the wood stove and as she stirred, she read.

So, as I read I couldn't help but think about Grandma, cooking and stirring as a young bride. Grandma is now 96 years old and Grandpa has been gone for 20 years. They were so in love, always. She misses him still and spends her time knitting, reading and seeing family. She is a Godly woman as was Jane Erye.

I enjoyed reading the book and am glad that I did read it. I finished after we got home. Today I am sending Grandma a postcard to let her know that I finally read Jane Erye and thoroughly enjoyed it. I finished just in time for the movie, Jane Eyre, that was recently released.

Getting Groceries and Hitting the Jackpot

Today Hubby and I went to town for the semi-annual stock up. We went to Trader Joes, Costco, Haggens and then Safeway. It's painful but nice when we get everything home, put away and don't have to go again until Fall. I had lists, coupons, oh my!

Today while on our quest we saw a sign, 'SALE', missed the turn but decided we deserved a break and so we turned around and went to the sale. Not just a yard sale but an estate sale. We scored! Hubby has been looking for an edging tool at garage sales for years, it was there. I got a serving bowl, a deck of cards and hit the Christmas jackpot. ShinyBrites, baby! Boxes (4+!!!) of gorgeous, come to mama beauties plus three boxes of the vintage wide tinsel, a box of old hooks and more. I. am. so. happy. I kept glancing back at the backseat to make sure they were still there.

I think we just used up our garage sale karma for the year in one stop,

but we'll take it.

I don't really believe in karma. Unless I'm out going to garage sales.

I wasn't totally self centered, I did pick up some terrarium doodahs for my sis, Jodi.

And a treat for Holly. It's easy to spot treasures for her.

Happy, happy... my cupboards are stocked and I had an estate sale fix.

It's all good.

Vacation Scrapbook

Okay before this turns into a boring travel slide show, I'll stop.

Right after these shots...

Every afternoon Max drew a line in the sand and when the surf got to the line Karen and I moved our towels up shore just a bit. Thanks Max ;)

I just love a guy in madras plaid shorts and a linen shirt. swoon

Karen with her white grape juice and me with a club soda and limes...

The boys got some father-son time with "life lessons" aka free advice.

I still love to send postcards and found some pretty ones in our hotel gift shop.

Since Braden is a senior this was his last family vacation.

I think we made enough memories to last a lifetime.

Breakfast on the patio was always delicious. I miss it.

Hubby drove the Ford Flex and we were never lost. Or at least if we were we didn't know it.

At about 4 o'clock in the afternoon the light on the beach changes.

And it's pretty, real pretty.

Our last dinner at House Without a Key. It's our favorite spot for dinner and we got our favorite table both nights we ate there. I had the coconut cake both nights and thought about getting one to go before we left for the airport.

Robert Louis Stevenson wrote at House Without a Key under the big tree behind us. Just a little trivia for those of you that played the old game, Authors.

Aloha

Educational Time

Since we take our guys to Hawaii we feel compelled to have one educational outing. Max and Braden love this part...

This year we visited the Iolani Palace in Honolulu. I'd met someone at my museum about three years ago who winters in Honolulu. Esther is a docent at the Palace. She set up our guided tour with Willie. The Iolani Palace is beautifully restored and loved by its docents. Hawaii is rich in history.

From the Palace we walked to Chinatown. On our way we found a cupcake shop and indulged, oh my!

Quite frankly, we were very happy we had a snack prior to Chinatown. It was very pretty, interesting, but not appetizing. At all.

Hmmm, cupcakes or bullfrogs? Let me think about it, for one second.

I think we made the right choice with cupcakes. No pictures, as I was walking and eating a lot of frosting. I did purchase coconut malsadas on the street and am going to learn to bake them, we had the baked, not fried version. Yum!

Don't feel too bad for the boys, we still made it to the beach in the afternoon.

And someday they'll thank us.

Scientific Plans

We have an Oahu system, it's real scientific. Three days on the beach, three days sightseeing, three more days on the beach. The sightseeing includes other beaches. The six regular beach days are spent just in front of the beach volleyball by Fort De Russey park. It's our spot, our bums belong there. It's a very scientific system and it works...

For one of our 'car days' we drove to Kailua and rented kayaks. We kayaked out to Popoi'a Island, a bird sanctuary, where we walked around the island exploring. We walked carefully as the rocks were sharp and we agreed to have to paddle back with salt water in the wounds would not be fun. And could attract sharks.

We also visited Lanikai, a beautiful white sand beach. It's on our list to return and stay.

I have family pics of the day but Karen and I are in our swim suits and since I have a little pride left and value my friendship with Karen I chose to omit those pics.

After working so hard we stopped at Teddy's Bigger Burgers. Yep, they're BiG.

This was one of my favorite days. The drive over was gorgeous on the Pali Highway, we stopped at the Pali Lookout, where you can see forever.

I loved the kayaking. Hubby and I thought Mark and Karen were poetry in motion paddling across the ocean. It takes teamwork to kayak and from our view they nailed it. That said, we could not hear what was being said on their kayak ;) I did all the work on ours and Hubby just laid back and trailed his fingers in the ocean...

Next Time

Max and Braden had a really good time with the 'rents in Honolulu. Just ask their mamas. The boys were reminded just how FuN their moms can be, over and over and over.

They were also reminded that it was their last trip. Next trip they will be in college, working for a living and their parents are going without them.

Next time you run into Max or Braden just ask 'em... their mamas are a lot of fun and they are soooooo lucky to have us and our giggles and good times. And we reminded them every chance we had, "you have fun Moms, your Moms are cool, you are so lucky you have us as your mamas, blahblahblah..."

I love these guys. And we are pretty lucky they're our boys.

Post Traumatic Vacation Stress

So last night before I left Waikiki Beach I had one last yummy dinner and topped it off with a macadamia nut kona coffee mudpie dessert. Tonight I had a sliced apple with a Laughing cow cheese wedge.

I'm home and and it's not fun. As a group we will taking a poll for the collective weight gain tomorrow morning.

I'll post more Hawaii fun tomorrow. I'm kinda busy in the laundry room tonight.

Diets and dirty laundry suck but don't feel too bad for me, I had an amazing vacation...

Wait! Feel bad for me... it's back to boot camp tomorrow morning and I'm still on Hawaii time. Which will mean I'm getting up at 2:45 a.m. to work out...

I think I can...