Good Morning

I just got back from the gym where we did our entire 60 minute boot camp to Michael Jackson music. Late last night our instructor put together a playlist she called "A Celebration of Michael Jackson" from ABC to Thriller to Black and White. So there we were, a room full of women in their 20s and 30s, jamming hard and sweating hard. And I can't promise there wasn't any dancing, laughing, or moonwalking going on. Our cool down was to this song. It was good morning for the body and the soul. So go grab your Thriller cd (doesn't EVERYONE own that one?) and jam it out today to a couple of your favorite songs.

Cookie of the Week

At the beginning of every summer we sit down and make a list of things we'd love to do, see, make, or visit during the ten short weeks we have before we're packing up the backpacks and heading back to school. These things usually look like...

Running through the Gateway fountains
Hosting a lemonade stand
Visiting grandparents
Hitting happy hour at Sonic
Going to a Bees or SL Real game

...all in all, pretty typical summertime activities. That's why I was utterly impressed when my most culinary child suggested we not let the summer slide by without trying some new recipes. So we've decided to implement the summer "Cookie of the Week." (As you can imagine, our family is terribly disgusted with this proposition:) Last week, we made these. I didn't take photos because they were, well...ugly! But they were oddly yummy. Really, you should try them.

This week was a delightful and different version of a peanut butter cookie. Lately we've been loving almond butter - so I researched an almond butter cookie and came up with this one. These cookies were soft, hearty, delicious, and pretty :) We're already looking forward to next week.

If you have a cookie you think we must try, will you be so kind to pass it along our way?

Juicy Josie

We had smoothies for dinner. Can you tell she kinda liked em?

First Aid Find

My favorite find in Chinatown to stash all my bandaids, boo boo strips, and Neosporin. It is perfectly lovable, don't you think?

Our vacay to the city by the bay

Bad News: I forgot my camera on our trip to SF.
Good News: That's what iPhones are for.

We crammed in loads of favorite tourist spots like Ghiradelli Square and Alcatraz - and even had some time for a few local favs (soft serve with olive oil and sea salt after dinner at Pizza Picco in Larkspur - yum!) and searching for the parrots on Telegraph Hill. (After the family watched this documentary, it was a must.)

For a quick glimpse of our trip to the city by the bay, check out my iPhone Flickr album here.

Today

Taken from the Salmon Creek Beach in Northern CA this morning.

What's Your Favorite App?

My girls love the My Lite app with the Bic Lighter. Here they are shaking their groove thing with iPhone in hand at the David Archuletta concert - no burns or sore trigger thumbs. Brilliant.

Kindergarten Camp

Before school let out, I gathered together a few moms of pre-kindergarten children to help me organize a weekly get-together for our 5 year olds. I wanted for them to have a chance to play and interact with one another before kindergarten actually starts up in the fall. We decided that each of us will take one afternoon a week throughout the summer to host this little party that is much more adventurous than just a playdate. We're calling it "Kindergarten Camp" - and its sure to be a lively and energetic event each week.

We started it off today with a bang. The girls and I hosted (drumroll please...) the "Kindergarten Olympics." The girls spent a good portion of the morning filling up water balloons for our balloon games while Max and I dug through our coin jars to find pennies for the penny toss. Finally, we baked up an American Flag dessert and wrapped up the all -American Cracker Jacks as prizes. After numerous races and contests, each child got to wear home a gold medal from our medal ceremony (which took place in our basement playroom because we were rained out - :( sorry no pics.)

What a way to kick off the summer. It would have been perfect with a little more sunshine but wet and wonderful it was! Max is already asking what's up for Kindergarten Camp next week!

Summer's Here!

For the first time in months I actually have a minute to post an event on the day it happens! Today is our last day of school and we couldn't be more excited. No more homework and no more crazy after-school schedules. Instead, we'll be spending our days with loads of sunshine, swimming, and popsicles.

For years and years our neighborhood has held a Last Day of School Rootbeer Float party for the kids walking home. The moms who have hosted this no longer have elementary age kids (and we couldn't bear to see this tradition die) so the torch has been passed to my neighbor Jane and I.

Before I know it, I'll be posting the first day of school pictures for the 2009-2010 school year, so for the next 10 weeks we'll be busy making the most of our summertime (and hopefully sharing a little of it online!)

P.S. I can't forget our Buggy Boy. For a picture of Max's last day of preschool, check out Bryce's flickr.

Mother's Day 2009

In the spirit of recap, I had to post my most favoritist (Max's word) picture in the whole world taken just a few short weeks ago on Mother's Day. As every mother knows, it's not always this good. But when it is good, it is oh - so - good.

Salton Sea

These pictures are from our trip back in April (I'm finally getting to a little catch-up). Take a look at Max and El. I'm starting to think they are the world's first twins born 3 years apart.

Leap Frog

This is what a rousing game of leapfrog looks like
when your daddy is 6'8".

City Life

Bryce just got back from NYC. He spent his free morning taking in the city on a road bike. If it had been me, I might have surpassed the biking and gone straight for the shopping. (Gasp!) I'm in love with this perfect NYC - inspired take home gift for the kids. Maybe next time...

Super Someday

Max had preschool graduation today. (More pics to come.) I can hardly believe it. Mama's a little bit sad, a lot happy - and super proud. When asked what he what wants to be when he grows up, he answered, "A super hero." No surprise there. Most days, we think he already is one.

P.S. There was one answer to the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" that had us all in stitches. This sweet little girl's reply was: "The lady who draws the line through your receipt at Costco." Oh to dream!

Tart Yogurt and Honey

If you like this (and who doesn't?)...you'll love my new favorite summertime treat. Dreyers has a new FROZEN yogurt blend called Tart with Honey. Yum! If I can't have a Pinkberry or Red Mango machine in my freezer (oh to dream!) this has to be the next best thing.

SUPER

*image of Max by moi'
“One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar.”

-Helen Keller

Beautiful Words

*image via frolic

A few weeks ago, I spent the day volunteering at my Alma Mater as a hostess for their annual Women's Conference. During our training we discussed a quote by an Indian spiritualist and Nobel Peace Prize winner named Rabindranath Tagore. Several weeks have passed, yet I still have this in my mind.

" I slept and dreamt that life was joy.
I awoke and saw that life was service.
I acted and behold, service was joy."

Isn't that beautiful? I'm trying to live by it each day.

Coloring

As many of you know, I'm in the middle of an exterior remodel on my 60+ year old colonial home. Every day there is another question to answer, another decision to make, and another check to write. It's exciting and exhausting all at once. (I'm living a bit of deja vu from 4 years ago when we spent 7 months living off site to have our interior done.) At least this time I know how great the reward is in the end!

Today I'm obsessed with this tool on the Sherwin Williams website. The above picture is a sample "colonial exterior scene" that allows you to click and drag different paint colors to different parts of the home (has an interior option as well). I'm surprised how much I love my current door color "Porpoise" on the new clapboard on the top half of the house. I always thought I would go lighter...hmmm Sherwin Williams you got me thinkin! Welcoming your opinions!

Am wishing for...

...a moment to sit smack in the middle of this photo and cuddle up with my laptop to visit all my favorite places on the web. (How much do you love this? I don't even know the source but am in la la love.) I'm home from a wonderful trip to the midwest with my mom and my sisters but am anxious to get settled back into my routine. Until then...

Lucky Me

I have two little beauties to call my own. They look so different and yet so alike, don't you think?

More Reasons to Melt...

You can imagine my pure melty bliss when I linked and linked and linked and found this website. I've always known chocolate and I had special relationship...but this has taken things to a whole new level. This packaging alone has convinced me to add this serendipitous stop to my hit list when I return to London in the fall. ...melt... ...melt... ...melt...