Goose and Binky

Holiday Fun

2011-12-21T10:52:00.000-08:00

Dreidel, dreidel, dreidel!

Counting of the gelt!

Fun at a Carolls and Cocoa party!

Our friend's beautiful living tree.

Goose, BFF and Sebastian wishing you

Season's Greetings!

We have been having fun here by the bay!

But Goose is sick with pneumonia in her lungs and possibly developing asthma.

Not fun!

Today we are staying indoors, baking like crazy and watching some fun holiday movies like

Elf, The Santa Claus, and The Polar Express.

What are your favorite holiday movies??

getting ready

2011-12-16T22:37:00.000-08:00

An interpretation of Monet's Waterlilies for Daddy.

A coil clay pot for her BFF!

A crocheted scarf for my sister.

An ornament wreath to deck the halls.

And some seriously adorable cats!

We have been getting ready for the holidays by making gifts, crafting and snuggling

these two little guys. Okay, Scratch is not so little anymore!

This next week will be CRAZY!

We will be celebrating Solstice with a walk in the woods, Hanukkah to light the lights with family and friends, and Christmas with presents and lots of yummy food!

Hope you are enjoying the season with your loved ones!

Fort Ross

2011-12-04T17:31:00.001-08:00

Cooking in our outdoor kitchen!

We cut up beets, carrots, onions and potatoes all day long!

The Kuskov house where we slept on the second floor.

A better view of our "kitchen."

Binky in his hunter outfit.

Love the hat!

The chapel.

After dinner, we walked in silence with out candles to the chapel for

some beautiful Russian music played by some students.

Goose(far left) aka Unitma, and some fellow Fort Ross employees.

And our final hour was spent watching the militia fire the cannon!

Very cool!

I have to say this was a very cool trip!

Exhausting, but so cool!

I learned so much about this Fort and time period.

Like, it wasn't actually a Fort, but more of a settlement.

While we were there, some real Russian tourists visited the Fort and

really enjoyed seeing all the kids in their roles.

This was our first living history trip and I

couldn't have enjoyed myself more!

I know the kids had a great time.

Binky wants to go back next year. Maybe with Daddy this time!

Peroshki Party

2011-11-15T06:34:00.001-08:00

Yesterday was spent making peroshkis!

Goose and I (along with eveyone in this photo) are cooks for our Fort Ross class and we

will be eating peroshkis for dinner along with grilled salmon and homemade borscht.

After baking, they will be frozen until we leave on November 28.

We made vegetarian and meat peroshkis for everyone!

The Russian American Company created this "fort" along the coast

in Northern California in the 1800s while hunting sea otter for their fur.

They brought with them Aleut hunters who were experts at hunting in the sea.

Binky is part of the hunting group. There are hunters, cooks, artisans, gardeners and a militia.

I have heard a lot of great things about this living history program at Fort Ross.

The kids and I are really looking forward to it!

You may have noticed in the first photo a girl with crutches.

Yes, that is Goose.

She fell on her knee while ice skating and can't bend or walk on her right leg.

She is scheduled for an MRI tomorrow.

The orthopedist thinks she tore the meniscus and probably needs surgery!

We will see.

Goose is dealing with it fairly well.

There have been some tears, but overall she is coping.

She is in pain all the time, but she is more upset about not being able to do

everything she had scheduled in the coming months.

I am trying to keep her

calm and remind her that she will heal.

I will post more after we meet with the orthopedist with the MRI results.

Happy Tuesday!

Geometry

2011-11-08T16:16:00.000-08:00

Binky is working on geometry right now.

I made this little graph paper book for him.

We've learned about 90* angles.

Love the smiley face!

And angles of different degrees using a protractor.

We learned how to mark different lines.

And looked at different shapes and all their fun names!

I like "trapezoid."

Binky loves playing with tanagrams.

He will sit for hours making designs and creatures,

like a fish

and a snail.

Both kids like to make mandalas with the tanagrams.

I found this amazing lesson to make learning geometry more interesting since the kids

already enjoy making their own mandalas.

Even though the kids are 9 and 11, I like to work with them together as much as possible.

It makes my life easier. When they are getting along, that is!

busy weeks

2011-10-25T10:27:00.000-07:00

We have been very busy these last few weeks.

Science classes where we are studying the cell have been lots of fun!

My class was about the plant cell. We made our own onion slides to look at through the microscope.

This was a lot of fun. We saw the nucleus in each cell.

We also survived 4 earthquakes!!!

Yes, I said 4!!!

These paintings fell off the wall along with some other frames that broke and

some things fell over.

The first, and biggest quake, was VERY scary!

The kids and I were home and I honestly thought to myself, "This is the big one!"

But it ended by the time we ran into the hallway. The epicenter was just a couple of miles away, which explains why we felt it so strongly. I have lived in California my entire life and been through many earthquakes. This one scared me more than any other! Goose and Binky were terrified!

The second one scared them even more. Poor things!

We have definitely been talking about earthquake safety and preparedness all week!

This little guy has been having lots of fun with Cody the dog.

They really have fun together.

I am surprised at how much Cody loves him!

And no, we don't have a name for him yet. We can't agree on anything so far.

Any ideas?

More cell stuff with Shrinky Dinks and a mitosis flip book.

Binky loves snuggle time!

I finished this scarf! It is a Christmas gift for someone special!

And we've been enjoying the season with candles,

cups of tea, baking, and leaf collecting.

Happy Tuesday!

2011-10-22T00:11:00.000-07:00

Please join me here for a Halloween Party

hosted by

A Fanciful Twist!

You won't want to miss a thing!

Happy Haunting!

spider webs and a diorama

2011-10-10T20:40:00.000-07:00

This spider is living right outside my bedroom window.

I watched it build this web the other day after heavy rain and wind

destroyed the first one.

Every morning when I wake up I check to see if my new neighbor is still there!

Binky finished his ocean diorama today.

He made the kelp, the rock that the eel is poking out of, and the red coral with air dry

clay. I like the school of fish he painted in the background.

This goes with his Oceans study. He just finished listening to "The Cay" on disc. This was the first time we used an audio book. Binky loved it! He relaxed in the living room while listening so intently. I checked out "Island of the Blue Dolphins" to start this week.

I also can't wait to try this project before we head to the Monterey

Bay Aquarium in a couple of weeks. The jellies are one of our favorite exhibits.

It's not even 9pm and I am exhausted!

Looking forward to another great day tomorrow!

Harvest Festival

2011-10-09T12:38:00.000-07:00

The kids and I spent yesterday at a local farm for their yearly Harvest Festival.

It was warm, crowded and lots of fun.

We said hello to the animals,

picked a lot of corn,

really beautiful corn,

found some pumpkins, made a corn husk doll, and had some yummy snacks.

This is our bounty of Indian corn.

Isn't it beautiful?

I love, love, love the colors!

They are like jewels!

These kernels remind me of garnets.

Goose likes to remove the kernels and grind them in her mortar and pestle

for potions and the like.

I am saving some for displaying around the house and

some for art projects like kernel mosaics.

Last year I made a corn kernel necklace.

I hope you are enjoying the season as much as we are!

Happy Autumn!

Happy Fall!!

2011-09-26T08:16:00.000-07:00

Happy Fall!!

This is my favorite time of year!

I always seem to come home from our morning walks with a handful of

fallen leaves. I can't help myself.

This is the time of year when I change the radio station more frequently to our local

classical station. I love listening to classical while cozied up with a cup of tea!

Not that I will be cozied up anytime soon.

It will be quite warm here this week. No sweater weather in sight!

Goose is studying pre and ancient history this year.

We started with the first peoples migrating out of Africa.

NOVA's Becoming Human is a great program for this subject along with this

website. She made this very cool ice age shelter, complete with handmade

mammoth bones, moss, twigs and animal fur. I also found this

amazing website created by the French Government with a virtual tour of the famous cave paintings

at Lascaux. I highly recommend this site!

Our reading list for this section includes Maroo of the Winter Caves,

Boy of the Painted Cave and Manu's Wolf.

Next we move on to the first civilizations!

We will be reading the Gilgamesh stories first while also reading Story of the World.

I have a huge list of activities for this section like making our own cuneiform tablets,

cooking ancient bread and stew, and building a ziggurat model.

We will also be looking at the roles of women and gods and goddesses in everyday life.

The Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago has an amazing

website on ancient Mesopotamia where I found

some activities and photos of ancient artifacts for this lesson.

Goose has a full schedule this semester.

It looks something like this

Algebra

Math Group meets once a week

Ancient History

Creative Writing Group meets once a month

Science

Science Group meets once a week with lesson blocks on the cell, human anatomy and oceans

Art History Group meets once a month

Charter School Classes include Industrial Revolution and Fort Ross living history

Repertory Theatre Glee Production meets once a week with performance in December

Volunteering at local Animal Shelter twice a week

Library Book Club meets once a month

Cuong Nhu martial arts meets 4x week

Wow, I'm tired just typing it all up!

Lots of driving from place to place for me, but I know she is really looking forward to it all.

I am still finalizing some things for Binky.

He has asked to hold a cooking class at our house this year.

Sounds good to me! I am also organizing some fieldtrips to our local

missions to go with our California lesson. Binky is so looking forward to volunteering at the animal shelter!

He LOVES animals!!

I am opening my Etsy shop this week!

More details on that later!

It is time for our morning walk!

Happy Fall!

Big Sur

2011-09-06T10:47:00.000-07:00

We camp here most Labor Day weekends.

This campground is situated on the Big Sur River just south of

Carmel on Hwy 1.

The first thing the kids did was go climbing!

The river is coooold!!!!

Goose tried to get in, but immediately got out.

Next year we will bring wetsuits!

This is Barkley.

He immediately came to greet us when we pulled up to our site.

Cute, isn't he?

Grandma and Binky played volleyball together.

Grandma and I trekked through the river one afternoon.

It was so beautiful! And so peaceful.

We always bring the hammock.

I didn't get a chance to get in it this year.

Goose, Daddy and I found some enormous trees that had fallen across the river.

Goose said she would love to live in Big Sur.

The view from Cafe Kevah.

We always stop here Monday morning before heading home.

Such a beautiful view.

It was a very relaxing weekend.

Quiet, peaceful.

And we are all looking forward to next year!

2011-08-31T08:36:00.000-07:00

Autumn Greeting

"Come," said the wind to the leaves one day.

"Come over the meadow and we will play.

Put on your dresses of red and gold.

For summer is gone and the days grow cold."

I see little glimpses of autumn on my morning walks with the kids.

I am looking forward to autumn and all its beauty.

I know we still have a a few weeks before the equinox, but I

am ready for it now! Sweaters and scarves, cups of tea, a fire here and there in the

fireplace, pumpkin bread and apple pie.

What are you looking forward to in the coming season?

days of summer

2011-08-19T20:08:00.000-07:00

Playing with paint,

baking with Goose,

having fun with a KLUTZ telescope and

learning about the seasons with Binky,

making friends with the neighbors,

Goose's bounty from Grandma's garden,

and the very grey days of summer here by the bay.

We spent the afternoon at the pool even though there was no sun to be seen.

Only fog.

There is more fog in store for this weekend.

We are having a very belated birthday slumber party for Binky

tomorrow night. There will be pizza, rootbeer floats, popcorn, wii, and movies.

Hopefully sleep somewhere in there.

We are the house where all the kids like to sleep over because

we let them stay up waaaaay too late!

Most of their parents have them in bed and asleep by 10pm.

I guess when the kids have to get up for school on Monday they don't want to

change the sleep schedule too much.

Makes sense.

Goose is packing for our camping trip already.

And we are not leaving for two weeks!

She always does this.

I tell her to wait, but does she listen?

Of course not.

And then she has nothing to wear for the next two weeks because

she doesn't want to unpack anything!

I have no idea where she gets this...

We are going to Big Sur for our yearly camping trip.

I am so looking forward to it.

Not quite as much as Goose is, though!

2011-08-08T10:16:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a while since my last post.

Life is happening.

We have been at home a lot lately because Daddy needs the car to get to work.

He is working an hour away right now.

We did get a motorcycle for him to take to work, but we are waiting for the registration paperwork.

Hopefully this will be the week!

Goose spent last week with her coop camp.

Each day is spent with a different family.

Tuesday didn't go so well.

Most of the day was great! The girls spent the afternoon at the park running and playing with

Kaia, the dog. It wasn't until the drive home that things took a turn for the worst!

While sitting at a complete stop on the freeway in stop and go traffic,

their minivan was rear-ended! And not just bumped into, but full on, no brakes used at all!

I spoke with Goose the moment after it happened and from

the sound of her voice I knew she was not okay.

She said her head and neck hurt and she felt dizzy!

To make a long story short, Goose went to the ER and came home with

whiplash and a concussion.

It was quite scary for all of us!

She was in so much pain that night!

But she is feeling pretty good now and seems to be over the shock of it all.

I am sooooo grateful everyone in the car is okay. A little sore, but okay.

Let's see... what else have we been up to?

Well, neighborhood walks and library visits.

Did I tell you Goose volunteered at the library this summer?

Binky has been working on a spy kit for himself complete with a gadget watch and other spy devices that I am not supposed to know about!

I have been working on a business idea for awhile now.

I love paper and want to focus on up-cycled gift wrapping accessories.

More to come on that!

We are going to hit the books today and make some decisions

about this next year of learning. Not that we will stick to all of it. But just as a starting off point for the year.

Did you read this article on CNN?

It really hit home with me.

Well, I am off for another cup of coffee.

Have a great week!

Birthdays and Brown Belts

2011-08-01T11:05:00.000-07:00

Goose celebrated her birthday with a Spa-tacular Sleepover.

Daddy made the cake.

Goose and I made vanilla scented bath salts for each girl.

I made fabric drawstring bags to hold the salts.

And each girl went home with this spa-tacular goodie bag!

There were honey and yogurt facials with cooling cucumber for the eyes.

And I gave them each a pedicure!

I turned 39 on Friday!

I celebrated with a scrumptuous seafood dinner with my husband.

And my sweet mother-in-law surprised me with these gorgeous flowers from her garden.

Aren't they so beautiful?

They smell as good as they look!

Goose and Binky passed their brown stripe test on Thursday.

They were very prepared for this test.

Binky was a little nervous at first.

But they did an amazing job!

We are so proud of them and all of their hard work!

This is the beginning of their fourth year practicing Cuong Nhu.

They have come so far and learned so much.

Have I told you how proud of them I am?

Happy 11th Birthday!

2011-07-25T09:18:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Sofia Marie!

You fill our lives with so much joy and laughter, love and thoughtfulness.

We are so blessed to be your parents!

We love you more than we can say!

love

Mom, Dad, and Miles

at the lake

2011-07-21T21:24:00.000-07:00

We spent yesterday at Lake Berryessa in Napa.

It was so warm and beautiful!

My mom used to own a place up here where we spent many weekends fishing, swimming and having fun.

I do miss it now that I have kids.

After so much rain, the lake is just about full.

I've seen it so dry we had to drive out to the water!

Goose, Cousin and Grandma got in first!

Binky would not get in at first.

He didn't like the way the mud felt in his sandals.

But...

After at least an hour of watching Goose have fun, he decided to try it.

And he loved it!

He isn't comfortable swimming where he can't touch yet, though, so he couldn't swim out to the buoys.

The ranger just happened to walk by and ask us if we wanted to use a life jacket.

They let you borrow them for the day,

so we grabbed one and Binky was on his way out to the buoys!

He had so much fun in the lake.

I was happy he finally decided to go in. I know he would have been bummed if he didn't at least try it.

Goose and Binky can't wait to go back.

I really enjoyed the quiet and beauty all around.

I haven't relaxed like that in quite some time.

I thought I had forgotten how!

what we've been up to...

2011-07-14T14:42:00.000-07:00

...enjoying urban blooms on our morning walks,

the kids made homemade foccacia,

and finding knitted bike racks in front of the downtown library!

Goose has been volunteering at the library a couple of days a week.

She enjoys being on her own in the world, without her parents watching her every move!

While she is at the library, Binky and I meander over to the coffee shop and then to the comic book store.

Today, before we left, I checked to see if there were any letterboxes in the area.

Guess what?

There was one in the library!

So when we went to pick up Goose, Binky found the letterbox and stamped his journal.

It has been foggy all week here by the bay.

Which is typical for July.

You know that old saying, "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco!"

I remember our first summer in this house.

One day it was 55* in June! I even turned on the heater!

It is supposed to warm up again next week. I know the kids are looking forward to that.

Me? I don't mind the fog one bit!

I grab a cup of tea and a book and I'm happy!

s u m m e r f u n

2011-07-02T10:04:00.000-07:00

We've been spending some of our days at the pool!

It reminds me of being a kid and spending every day at the local YMCA pool

with my sister while my mom was at work.

She bought us each a summer pass so we could go all summer long.

And we did!

By the first day of school, my very blond hair was lime green!

Today will be a relaxed day with bbq, roasted marshmallows and a movie tonight in the backyard!

How will you spend your holiday weekend?

Enjoy every moment!!

Letterboxing

2011-06-30T07:56:00.000-07:00

Binky found his first Letterbox yesterday!!

Actually he found two!

If you don't know about Letterboxing you must find out about it here and here.

It really is fun! First, you buy or make your own stamp.

We found one that Binky loved at our local craft store. You also need a stamp pad,

a journal and a pen or pencil. Next, go to the websites linked above and find

letterboxes hidden in your area.

We found 3 we wanted to search for.

The first one was hidden in a cemetary!

The clue said to stop in the Chapel of the Chimes for a visit before going into the cemetary.

It is such a beautiful building!

I drive by it every day and have never been inside until yesterday.

After leaving the chapel we walked over to the cemetary and began our hunt for the letterbox.

One of the clues said to find a place where two rose bushes bloom.

We found the bushes, without blooms.

The last clue was to find a very old crypt in the side of a hill.

The Letterbox was hidden beside it under leaves and dirt.

It rained quite a bit the day before so I wasn't sure what condition it would be in.

But we found it safe and sound in a round tin.

Everything inside was dry!

This is Binky's stamp that he stamped into the journal in this Letterbox.

And the top stamp is the one from the Letterbox that he added to his journal.

The second stamp was found a few blocks away outside a library.

We couldn't find the third one.

It may have been removed due to all the rain the day before.

We had such a good time reading the clues and hunting for these Letterboxes.

It is a true treasure hunt!

We can't wait to do it again!

MAd TeA PaRtY

2011-06-24T09:23:00.000-07:00

A Fanciful Twist is hosting a Mad Tea Party on Saturday, June 25, and you don't want to miss it!

You are invited to join me on my new blog lisa by the bay to

share a cup of tea and have a little fun!

After visiting my blog you can enjoy all the other Mad

Tea Parties by clicking over to A Fanciful Twist.

You don't want to miss this magical day!

yearly martial art photos

2011-06-23T12:15:00.000-07:00

My two green belts!

Since we homeschool, these are our official yearly photos.

I can't believe how grown up they look!

They have come so far in Cuong Nhu.

I am so proud of them and their hard work!

our week

2011-06-17T09:47:00.000-07:00

Above is Binky's thank you card to Grandma with some chinese writing.

It says, "Thank you Grandmother."

He is learning Mandarin. After seeing The Karate Kid, he came home

and told me he wanted to learn Chinese.

Right now we are using this book. Binky really enjoys it.

It covers everything from the four Mandarin tones and characters to numbers and eating in a restaurant.

Binky especially enjoys writing in Chinese.

I pulled out some canvases the other day and the kids immediately sat down to paint.

Daddy joined them. He is always ready to sit down and create!

This one is Binky's. You probably guessed that!

I love the colors he used together.

Goose painted this after an unpleasant day with a friend.

It makes me feel sad, but I love, love how it turned out!

Painting was a healing way for her to deal with a sad situation.

She is taking a break from friend for now.

I found these blank puzzles at the craft store the other day and forgot about them.

Daddy found them and painted this scene on his.

It makes me think of a magical land or another world in a galaxy far, far away...

These blank puzzles are so cool!

This is Goose's puzzle.

Well, it's not really a puzzle anymore. She used

so much paint that it won't come apart.

But it is still a beautiful piece of art!

Daddy recieved his Father's Day gift early this year!

It is a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker!

We have been making ice cream all week.

Binky is more than happy to help in the kitchen when ice cream is involved!

Big surprise there!

And while we're at it we use fractions, convert cups to quarts and tablespoons and

watch the changes in matter right before our eyes!

Happy Weekend!

baking with Goose

2011-06-14T08:58:00.000-07:00

Homemade crumb cake with fresh whipped cream and berries!

Can I just say YUMMY!

We finished this cake off in two days!

I am not sure where she got the recipe. She loves to find recipes online.

She is a huge fan of the show Cake Boss.

This is her homemade lemon bar.

Also very yummy!

I always get a lemon bar at our favorite bakery around the corner.

Now I don't have to leave home to enjoy my favorite treat!

She found this recipe here.

She uses this book all the time. When she feels like baking, look out!

Goose takes over the kitchen!

You won't hear me complaining!!

everything in nature...

2011-06-06T07:59:00.000-07:00

Everything in nature is

lyrical in its ideal essence,

tragic in its fate,

and comic in its existence.

by George Santayana

The kids and I spent a lovely Friday morning exploring our local botanical gardens.

It was a very grey day with a chance of raindrops any second.

We were talking about rainbows and Binky asked,

"What do rainbows feel like?"

And before I could even think of a response

Goose said, "They feel like happiness!"

I quietly smiled to myself and we continued walking.

It was one of those moments you feel so lucky to have witnessed!

By the time we got home it was raining.

But we were wishing for rainbows!

Decorating Seashells

2011-06-03T08:35:00.000-07:00

My mom recently returned from a trip to the Jersey Shore with a huge box of shells.

She was amazed at all the shells lining the beach!

So she brought some back to California for us to have a little fun with!

We headed to the craft store for some glitter, paint, beads, stickers, ribbon and glue.

And then we had some fun!

Goose made this one with the ribbon for me!

I am loved!!

I like using the sticker gems that are all one piece.

You just peel and stick!

So easy.

Here we glued one shell on top of another.

This is the other side of the same shell.

You can use either side, depending on your mood!

Even Daddy was having fun with this craft last weekend.

We had such a good time being creative and oohing and ahhing over everybody's

shells. I couldn't get Binky into it, but I haven't given up yet!

Maybe some Star Wars stickers...

!!!yarn bombing!!!

2011-05-27T10:59:00.000-07:00

You MUST head over to Fancilicious Fairylands and read about this amazing project

going on in Paris!! It is the coolest thing I have seen in a long time!

Yarn bombing is my kind of graffiti!!!

hope you like Lady Gaga!!!

2011-05-26T21:35:00.000-07:00

Goose and friend had so much fun tonight!

They danced like there was no tomorrow!

Goose really needed to have some fun. They remind me of when I was a kid

and we used to dance and sing to The Go Gos.

Such sweet memories. And now I am watching Goose make her own memories with her friends!

Love it!

playing and reading

2011-05-25T12:49:00.000-07:00

Goose and a friend love to play with their toy animals.

They made this adorable home for all of them.

There is a dining room with cozy fur seats.

The lady bugs like to hang out here.

This is downstairs.

It is has a very modern decor!

This is the bathroom with a lovely shell tub.

Who wouldn' want to enjoy a bubble bath here?

And no home is complete without a kitchen!

I love the fact that Goose still loves to play in her imaginary world with some of her friends!

May this world of hers never disappear!

We have been reading a lot these days.

Binky is really loving the Diary of A Wimpy Kid series.

He finishes each book in a couple of days.

He spent most of Monday reading the fourth book.

I love seeing him so into reading.

Last night he finished this book.

Now he wants to read every night before going to bed!

I read this book to the kids last week during breakfast. They loved it!

The story is very sweet and so are the illustrations.

And who wouldn't love a story with names like Quenelope, Quilliam, Quilice and Quint?!

Goose is reading The Last Dragon Chronicles and The Little House on the Prairie series.

It's funny, normally Goose is the voracious reader and Binky is uninterested.

But now Binky can't stop reading and Goose has other things on her mind.

I am reading this book by one of my favorite authors, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni.

It is the story of a group of strangers stuck in a basement after a major earthquake.

And to calm the group, one woman suggests each person tell one amazing story from their life.

If you do not know this author, I highly recommend you look her up!

She is a master storyteller!

What is your family reading?

painting with Pepper Paints

2011-05-21T13:36:00.000-07:00

I was over at Pepper Paints and found this super fun painting project for the kids.

It is so easy and really, really cool!

You must stop by her amazing blog and check it out!

You will be so inspired by all the fun stuff they do and create!

I started with what I had at home.

A mini-canvas for the base so the paint wouldn't go through and some blocks I had to

barter for from Binky. I glued my blocks to the canvas.

And then it was time to pour on the paint!

Acrylic paint from the craft store worked really well.

Simply pour each color over the top of the sculpture.

Continue adding color until you are satisfied with your creation.

This takes quite a bit of paint but is so worth it!

Isn't it so cool the way the colors move around each other?

I think next time I will add more steps for the paint to drip over.

Goose made both of these.

I really can't wait to do this project again with more

steps in the sculpture and maybe pastel colors.

Like I said before, check out Pepper Paints for some really inspiring art projects!

I know I am always inspired when I visit!

h e a l i n g

2011-05-19T11:33:00.000-07:00

It has been a long week here by the bay!

Goose had her appendix removed at our local Children's Hospital Monday night.

We got home yesterday morning.

I slept with her last night because she was so uncomfortable.

I don't think she quite realizes how long her recovery will be. And how little she should be doing.

Pretty much laying in bed is about it right now.

And no physical activity, like martial arts, for 3 weeks!

Laparoscopic surgery is amazing!

They went in through her belly button and one other tiny incision at her bikini line with a camera and it

was over in less than an hour. So she won't have that tell-tale scar on her right side of an appendectomy from many years ago.

So for now, we rest, sleep and h e a l.

Homemade Milk Chocolate

2011-05-12T08:09:00.000-07:00

Goose attended a homeschool class about chocolate last week.

She came home eager to make some at home!

We started with these organic cacao nibs.

Have you ever tasted raw cacao?

It does NOT taste good!

First we roasted them in the oven at 250 degrees for 18 minutes.

They were already starting to smell really good!

After letting them cool, we placed them in a food processor.

You have to grind them for maybe 10 minutes until they start to liquefy.

This is called chocolate liquor.

Next comes the sugar.

And you need a LOT of sugar!

We just kept adding it until we were satisfied with the sweetness.

Then you add vanilla extract. We added about 1 tablespoon.

Continue grinding.

Now comes the milk.

We used 2% because that's what we had on hand.

I am sure whole milk would be the way to go if you have it.

Again, continue adding the milk until the chocolate is to your liking.

And now you have homemade milk chocolate!

Binky and friend thought it was too bitter and needed more sugar.

But Goose and I liked it.

I was surprised at how much sugar you really need to make it edible!

I can't wait to play with the recipe and add different flavors like orange or lavender.

Who knew it was so easy to make homemade milk chocolate!

Happy Birthday Miles and Mother's Day

2011-05-09T07:25:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Miles!

Miles, aka Binky, turned 9 years old yesterday.

We celebrated at Grandma's house.

We celebrated lots of birthdays and Mother's Day with good food, cake and ice cream.

I get teary-eyed when I think about what a special person he is and how blessed

I am to be his mother!

I started my day with a lovely breakfast in bed!

I had poached egg with tomatoes on focaccia bread, canadian bacon, a beautiful little chocolate cake and my favorite, a lemon bar. No, I wasn't able to eat it all.

I saved the lemon bar for this morning and shared the cake with Daddy and Goose.

I received 3 mugs decorated by Daddy, Goose and Binky.

I love them! The mugs and my family!!

It was a day filled with celebration.

And I enjoyed every minute of it!

Today is filled with cleaning house, lots of laundry and hopefully a walk in there some where.

Back to the daily chores for me!

outdoors

2011-04-28T14:24:00.000-07:00

Most of Easter Sunday was spent at the park.

We flew a kite, painted on canvases and listened to some great tunes.

It was a lovely afternoon.

Goose, Binky and I have been house- and dog-sitting for my mom all week.

We like to walk to the waterfront and check out all the birds.

I knew there would be some baby birds. There always are this time year!

We were lucky enough to find lots of goslings!

This little one walked right up to us!

His mom was not to thrilled with the idea, though.

She circled him back to his siblings.

We spent almost an hour just watching them.

The Martinez Shoreline is very pretty.

There's a train station, antique shops and a marina as well.

It's a nice change from the hustle and bustle of our neighborhood.

Tomorrow we will visit John Muir's home here in Martinez.

Did you know that Martinez is the birthplace of the famous cocktail, the Martini?

You can read about it here.

Just a little local history for you!

petals

2011-04-22T10:02:00.001-07:00

petals, a photo by Lisa Crowe on Flickr.

I found this flower on our morning walk yesterday. It said, "Take my picture!!!"

Happy Weekend!

flowers and kittens

2011-04-20T09:20:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went for a walk down by the Berkeley Marina.

It was cold and windy but oh so pretty!

There were flowers everywhere.

Goose had so much fun making this boquet.

One of the feral cats that lives behind our house had kittens a couple of weeks ago.

Goose and Binky are madly in love with all four of them!

We visit them each day.

I want them to come to us so we can spay and neuter them.

The mom and her siblings will not come near us, even though we've been feeding them for years.

So I'm hoping I can at least keep this generation from having more kittens.

They really are adorable.

I have already made it clear that we will NOT be bringing any of these kittens into our home!

Goose and Binky have started kitten journals to keep track of their growth and daily antics.

Binky gets to name this litter of kittens since Goose named the last one.

He wants to wait until they are a little older so he can see their personalities before naming them.

I like that idea!

decorate an egg with yarn

2011-04-15T07:46:00.000-07:00

All you need is what you see here!

Yarn, an egg, and glue.

Add some glue and begin wrapping your egg.

I started at the bottom.

Keep wrapping...

You are done!

What a pretty egg you've made!

Now you can display your egg for all to admire!

I only had two wooden eggs for this craft.

But it was so fun and easy I may have to pick up some more today!

We are still trying to get back to some sense of normalcy around here.

Day by day.

This weekend is filled with birthday parties, magic shows,

yard work and lots of sewing.

I'll fill you in on the sewing details a little later!

Happy Weekend!

Test Results

2011-04-14T09:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we found out that Goose does NOT have

diabetes!!!!!!!

We are so relieved, to say the least!

It was a long waiting period, but

now we can move on with life and get back to our

normal lives. Well, you know what I mean.

Normal for us!!

THANK YOU for all your support and caring thoughts and wishes!

They really meant a lot!

weekend crafting with Goose

2011-04-11T10:13:00.000-07:00

a spring book

a doily bowl with fabric stiffener

more doilies

spring button frame

and painting on canvas.

Happy Monday!

s p r i n g

2011-04-07T14:33:00.000-07:00

Spring is in the air at our house today!

Goose and I decorated some wooden eggs with tissue

paper, fabric and paint.

Crafting while you are sick takes your mind off things!

Aren't they pretty?

I think I'll pick up some more eggs this weekend to decorate.

Goose update

Well, last night there was more wheezing in her lungs

and she was working hard to breathe again.

So off to the ER we went!

A dose of albuterol stopped the wheezing.

After a couple of hours of observation

we were able to go home. This time with a prescription for albuterol

and antibiotics for a sinus infection in hand.

I hate having to give her all these medications.

I prefer natural remedies, especially for the kids.

But when it comes to breathing, I don't take chances.

I am going to make her an appointment with the osteopath to help

with the healing process. An osteopath uses very gentle bone manipulation

to help heal the body. Binky saw a wonderful osteopath when he had asthma.

Within a year we were off all meds, albuterol, Qvar and steroids, and haven't needed them since!

I am exhausted! But I am looking forward to happy,

healthy days ahead!

solar puzzle plane

2011-04-06T08:43:00.000-07:00

Have you ever tried to put one of these together?

It's a little tricky, even for an almost 9 year old.

But once you get it together and put it in the sun for a few minutes

the propeller starts turning!

It doesn't fly on its own, but it is fun to imagine.

Solar energy is so cool!

Goose update

She is sick! She must have picked up a virus at the hospital.

Most likely the flu.

We spent 3 hours yesterday in the doctor's office just

to make sure nothing else was going on.

We are still waiting for the Colorado lab results.

But I did find out from the doctor that they think

the first lab test was wrong(the positive result.)

So for now we wait and

focus on making Goose well again!

where to begin...

2011-04-04T07:54:00.000-07:00

Where to begin...

Well, last Monday night, after martial arts class, Goose sounded terrible.

I could hear her wheezing without putting my ear to her chest.

So off to the ER we went.

Which we are lucky enough to live down the street from.

A Children's Hospital even!

So, after immediately hooking her up to albuterol, they take an x-ray.

She has never had asthma.

The pictures show a bacterial pneumonia!

Well, she isn't responding to the albuterol at all so

we are admitted to the hospital for the night.

At 2am we are transported, by ambulance(Goose thought this was cool), to the hospital's

satellite where they treat respiratory illnesses.

Thank goodness it is only a five minute drive!

Here's a history of what's been going on with Goose in the last several weeks.

She has had stomach trouble, headaches, and she has had some serious frequent urination.

Her doctor, who we visited twice in the last three weeks, said it was all stress.

So back to the hospital, they did a urine sample and the glucose levels were very high.

So they did a blood glucose test which came back very high.

So they did another blood test, a1c, it's called, which gives an average of her blood glucose levels for the past 2-3 months. It came back showing that Goose was type 1 diabetic.

Well this was not what I was expecting, as you can imagine!

After Goose's breathing was under control we were taken back to the main hospital to meet

with the endocrinologists and prepare for taking home a diabetic child.

This meant two days of education, checking blood glucose levels ourselves and lots of questions!

Goose was scared! But when she learned how to test herself and got her own insulin pen, she felt a lot better. Now it looked like Goose was still in the early stages of type 1. Which meant that her glucose levels were good again and that the pneumonia had caused her pancreas to work overtime which is why her glucose levels were so high. Basically, that her immune system hadn't killed all of the insulin-producing cells quite yet. Which is what happens with type 1. You get sick, like a cold, the flu, or pneumonia, and your antibodies start killing all the "germs" in your body, like they are supposed to.

But, then they begin killing the islets that produce insulin and once they start, they never stop.

Eventually your pancreas loses the battle and completely stops making insulin.

So we were in the "honeymoon" phase of this disease.

There were still enough cells left for her to get by, for now.

We were the classic case as far as how it is usually diagnosed, the right age, the right symptoms and glucose levels.

Well, Thursday night another a1c blood test was done, which they always do before you leave the hospital.

The results were very odd!

They came back in the normal range.

Now, for a blood test that measures your average glucose levels for the past 2- 3 months, it isn't really possible to have such a discrepancy. And it was a huge discrepancy!

The endocrinologist was shocked. She fully expected it to be where it was the first time.

So they didn't know what to say, and Friday morning we were sent home.

The conclusion we came to was that one of those tests was done incorrectly.

And now we have to wait for the last blood tests to come back from Colorado

to give us the true diagnosis. What those are looking for are 4 auto antibodies that would be present, and attacking her islets cells, if she is indeed positive for type 1 diabetes.

And these results could be two weeks away!!!!!!!!!!

I am already going crazy waiting.

And my poor Goose! She is scared, exhausted, not feeling well, and terrified that the results will be positive!

She doesn't want to be alone, not even for a minute.

I've had to sleep in her bed since we've been home.

I can only imagine what is going on in her head. She is worried that her friends will treat her differently if she does have it. She is worried she might get really sick. And I don't have an answer for her!

There is so much to do at home, but I think what the kids and I need is to escape for a little while.

I am thinking maybe the zoo today.

The weather is great and we deserve some fun!!

Jelly Art

2011-03-25T12:00:00.000-07:00

This is a gift Goose and Binky brought back for me from the Monterey Bay Aquarium

several years ago. I just love it!

Goose loves it too.

She pulled out a canvas and some paints and began painting the jelly.

After painting she added some glitter to really bring it to life!

I am so in love with this painting!

Rainy days and art can be good for the soul!

It has been raining like mad here by the bay.

And I mean like MAD!

The ground is saturated and the sump pump in my basement is working overtime!

Happy weekend!

Twelfth Night

2011-03-24T09:59:00.000-07:00

Goose played the role of Sailor #3 in the first scene.

And she also played a statue in several scenes.

The best statue, I might add!

She did two performances yesterday.

After the first she was much more relaxed.

The performance was a big hit!!!

They put this play together in 10 two hour classes.

We are so proud of all the actors!!!

shoebox lid weaving

2011-03-22T08:21:00.000-07:00

Find yourself a shoebox lid that is in pretty good condition.

I taped the corners for extra support.

Mark and cut equally spaced slits on both ends of the lid.

Lace your string back and forth to form the warp.

Tie your yarn to the first warp and begin weaving.

When you want to change yarn, simply tie the new one to the old one and continue weaving.

You can weave in any loose ends when your are finished.

Be sure not to pull too tightly at the edges so you don't get an hourglass effect.

When you are done with your last line, tie it to the last warp.

Now you can weave in those loose ends from the back.

Gently pull the weaving off each end of the lid.

Find some sticks or dowels to slide through the loops at each end.

And now you have a beautiful wall hanging for your room!

When I first showed this to Binky, he said no.

But as soon as I started he said, "I want to do it!"

After a few minutes he said he wanted to weave a rug for his room!

I highly recommend reading "Annie And The Old One."

The story goes wonderfully with this craft.

week in photos

2011-03-21T07:49:00.000-07:00

More Arrow To The Sun work.

Legos, legos, legos.

Little reminders.

Natural hearts

Shoebox lid weaving to go with our Native American study.

And finding a warm place to nap!

goose and binky

2011-03-18T12:07:00.000-07:00

Well, this is the finished product!

Goose spent a lot of time on this project. The theme is "Women of the Court."

She included a time-line, a map of Tudor England, and fabric samples.

I am so proud of her and how it turned out!

Binky helped Sensei with a demo at a local elementary school on Wednesday.

Being homeschooled, he was the only student available to help out.

He had such a good time!

He came up to me at one point and said, "I love little kids!"

He also had to perform on stage 2 katas and some self-defense.

It was wonderful to watch him interact with the little kids with such interest

and excitement. My little boy is growing up!

math cat, tudor style and nature journals

2011-03-14T10:23:00.000-07:00

Scratch the cat loves to be right in the middle of things.

Even if it's 5th grade math!

Goose and Grandma finished the tudor dress!

Isn't it beautiful?!

Goose made dinner for Grandma to thank her for all the hard work.

This is part of Goose's research project in her Shakespeare class.

It will be displayed in the lobby of the theatre before and after the play.

I am so looking forward to seeing their version of "Twelfth Night."

We spent an hour in the garden poem writing and sketching.

It had been too long since we last opened our nature journals.

Do you have a nature journal?

anatomy and kivas

2011-03-08T08:44:00.000-08:00

Goose is studying the human body right now.

We've started a wall of her sketches.

As part of Binky's Native American study we read Arrow to the Sun.

I forgot how truly beautiful this book is!

Binky loved it.

He drew what was inside each of the four kivas in the story, lions, snakes, bees and lightning!

He made his own kiva filled with fire!

We also went to see the Olmec exhibit at the de Young Museum in San Francisco!

This was very cool.

We watched a video on how archeologists believe the Olmec people made and

hauled these enormous stone heads.

Unfortunately I couldn't take any pictures!

While we were there we looked at pueblo baskets and pottery to go

with our Arrow to the Sun study.

Today... Binky is sick.

It will be books, tea and naps for us today!

e l e v e n

2011-03-04T13:42:00.000-08:00

E l e v e n years ago today we married on a boat.

It was raining.

But I didn't notice the rain.

All I could see was Y O U.

Happy Anniversary my love!

coyote hills

2011-03-01T08:38:00.000-08:00

Binky is studying Native Americans this year so we

began our study at the 2,000 year old shellmound site of the Tuibun Ohlone tribe.

This site is located in Fremont, California and is only about 30 minutes from our house.

It is a very beautiful place!

The first shelter is a sweathouse!

Goose should not be inside! These were for men and boys only!

This is the skeleton of an Ohlone home. Since it is partially underground, it is much larger

than it looks. This is where Binky spent most of his time here!

There was also a shade shelter. This is where most of the day was spent by the women, cooking and such.

And under it was an Ohlone ancestor, but she had to go right after we arrived! Bummer!

The Ohlone people had a very rich environment.

They ate shellfish, salmon, blackfish, berries, and hunted fowl and elk.

Goose made this necklace after making a pinenut bead.

The marshes are swarming with birds.

Ducks, geese, hawks, heron.

I asked Binky if he could live in that shelter he spent so much time in and he said yes!

E s C a p E

2011-02-22T07:48:00.000-08:00

Last week was a rough one.

At one point I told my husband that I didn't want to think about it anymore!

I want to turn it off!

To make a long story short my niece ran away last week.

She is home safe now, but during those loooooong hours of not knowing where she was or who she was with it was a living hell!

It's not easy coming down from such horrifying emotions and thoughts.

So... I needed to escape.

I grabbed Goose and we headed to the Garden!

It was a cold, beautiful day.

The rain had filled the creeks with rushing water all through the garden.

It was as if all this water was washing away my worries.

There were signs of new beginnings everywhere!

Throughout our walk, Goose was telling me about a story

she is working on with some of her friends. It's called, "The Pirate King's Revenge!"

It's quite a story!

As soon as we got home she sat down and started writing.

I know she and Binky were very worried about their cousin.

This is my favorite shot of the day.

You know how I love ferns!

This was the view as we drove down the hill back to reality.

Just beautiful.

One hour in the Garden and I am at peace.

Thank you Garden!!!

green belt

2011-02-18T08:46:00.000-08:00

We have another green belt in the family!

Binky tested last night. He broke his arm right before he and Goose were supposed to test together for their green belts. So he had to wait for his arm to heal and then wait some more for sensei to have time

to test him. But last night he did such an amazing job!

Everyone was impressed with his performance.

Especially Sensei Terri. She came over and congratulated Daddy and I

for such a good job. And she never does that!

It was wonderful to see him so confident and well prepared for this moment.

It was also great to see Goose so excited for her little brother.

Although I'm not sure how much longer he will be her "little" brother.

We were standing in the kitchen yesterday and I suddenly realized that Binky has gotten quite a bit taller recently. I always know when he is having a growth spurt because he is always hungry!

Unlike Goose who is always hungry all the time.

And when he stood next to his sister I thought, "Wow, he's going to catch up to her sooner than I thought!"

After testing we headed straight for our favorite ice cream shop

Binky had rose vanilla, creme brulee and plain vanilla.

I know, three scoops?!

It was a splurge, but well deserved!

pet huggies

2011-02-14T10:50:00.000-08:00

I have been wanting to do this for quite sometime.

It is so easy.

First you need to snap a picture of your favorite pet.

Our cat, Scratch, would not open his eyes for anything, but he still looks cute!

Next you can edit your photo to change colors or add anything you like.

I tinted Goose's huggy in purple, her favorite color.

You will also need fabric for the backside of the huggy. I chose prints I thought the kids would like.

After you choose the photo you want to use you will need to print in 8 x 10 size

on printable fabric. You can find this at most craft stores.

Cut out your pet and sew your pieces together.

Stuff them and close them and you are done!

I hand sewed these because I didn't want the kids to see me making them.

This is my first sewing project!

But you could probably tell that from the pictures!!

Goose and Binky loved their "Scratch" huggies!

They were so surprised!

I can't wait to make more for friends and family.

I'm hoping the kids will be inspired to make their own.

s w e e t

2011-02-11T08:01:00.000-08:00

It was cupcake day at our house yesterday!

I think we should have a weekly cupcake day.

They are so yummy and fun to make!

Today we are sharing some of our cupcakes with neighbors for Valentine's Day.

We do this every year.

I received a box of chocolates early because two chocolate monsters couldn't

keep quiet any longer!

I am making some gifts for Goose and Binky, but because a certain someone reads my blog

I can't share them now.

I can't wait to surprise them!

How will you spend Valentine's Day?

p i n k

2011-02-08T21:51:00.000-08:00

It was the most glorious day today!

The sun was so bright and it was windy.

On our morning walk around the neighborhood

this is what we saw.

Pink blossoms and blue sky.

We were inspired to make our own blossoms when we got home.

We did this two years ago and loved how it looked.

You can see how we did it here.

Pink...

I never liked pink growing up.

I almost never wear pink.

But as I get older, the more I am drawn to it.

When Goose was very little she would always say her favorite color was,

"red, pink and purple!"

Before she was born I told everyone not to buy anything pink.

No pink for my daughter!

And what was the only color in her closet for the first 6 years of her life?

Pink.

She had to have pink!

I heard a quote once...

"Pink is the navy blue of India."

I wouldn't mind a pink sari of my own!

magnet fun

2011-02-01T09:06:00.000-08:00

Binky is fascinated with magnets these days.

He had some fun making this one dance!

Happy Birthday Grandma!!

2011-01-27T09:02:00.000-08:00

Daddy's mom celebrated her birthday at our house last night.

I made a chocolate pave cake for dessert!

It was sooooo yummy!

All the grandkids helped blow out the candles.

And each one took a turn performing!

This is Binky doing his thing, even with a big cast on his arm!

Happy Birthday Grandma!

We Love You!

her first outfit

2011-01-25T15:31:00.000-08:00

Goose made this top and skirt with Grandma last weekend.

She did most of he sewing herself.

Isn't it cute?

She spent quite a bit of time picking out each fabric.

Grandma made a lot of our clothes when we were kids.

She is quite talented with a sewing machine.

I have to say this talent seems to have skipped a generation!

The next project is an elizabethan dress for an American Girl doll.

Goose chose this as her project for her Shakespeare class.

I can't wait to see how it turns out!

f r i d a y

2011-01-22T08:05:00.000-08:00

Happy Weekend!

back in action

2011-01-20T09:40:00.000-08:00

This was a christmas gift to Binky. And what an amazing set it is!

He's already finished the first book of experiments like lighting a bulb, creating an alarm, learning how different circuits cause different reactions. The really cool thing was making an AM radio!

He even tried aluminum foil to see if the connection still worked.

It did! This set is truly hours of fun!!

Speed Racer legos have taken over the dining room!

I love the little scenes he creates!

Goose is studying cells at the moment so she made some sculpey models.

They look great! I think it is time for a microscope.

We had one that broke the first day we opened it.

I think we need a better one! Any suggestions?

I am finally feeling human again after weeks of feeling like hell!

I am on my second round of antibiotics for swollen and very sore lymph nodes in my neck.

And not just one, but several lymph nodes.

My doctor did some blood work and it came back normal.

I am crossing my fingers that this round works!

We are back into learning and playing.

Goose is in her first real play this year. She is a sailor in the first scene of "Telfth Night" by Shakespeare!

She is also in a few other scenes, but without lines.

She is very excited and nervous! I know she will do well.

For her project that must be turned in before the play she is sewing an elizabethan outfit for her doll.

It will be displayed in the lobby of the theatre for all to see.

I found this great pattern here.

Goose also received her green belt 2 weeks ago! So exciting!

Binky couldn't test with his arm in a cast above the elbow.

He was VERY disappointed!

The weather is gorgeous here by the bay.

Sun and clear skies every day... in the low 60s.

And now that I am back to myself we can get outside and enjoy it!!!!!

new year, new cast

2011-01-07T08:05:00.000-08:00

Well, we are starting off the new year with a cast.

Not exactly what I was hoping for with this new year.

But, what do you do?

Binky fell while rough-housing with friends in the dojo.

Not during class, but before class even began.

And both kids are about to test for their green belts.

Now only Goose will be testing. And Binky is not happy about that!

It's been a strange new year all around.

I won't go into details, but let's just say, I hope the worst is over.

I am focusing on healing and happiness in the little things.

What are you focusing on in the new year?

more holiday cheer

2010-12-23T09:18:00.000-08:00

decorating the tree at Grandma's house

Binky 8 years ago... how time goes by

pinecone ornaments painted by Goose

some serious sugar cookies

our house is filled with holiday cheer

and a winter sunset to remind us of the beauty all around!

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

blog love

2010-12-20T08:21:00.000-08:00

Anet and Noah from Purple Squirrel Homeschool sent us this lovely and delicious package from Michigan!

What a treat it was to find in the mail!

It was filled with gingerbread soap, yummy!, really delicious coffee, pretzel and chocolate treats, a beautiful ornament, hand-painted by Anet, and some wonderful nature treats for our mantle.

I LOVE the ornament Anet painted!

Did you know that The Purple Squirrel is the first blog I ever found?

Sometimes I wish we lived in Michigan so we could all hang out together!

Thank you Anet, Noah and family!!!

And Happy Holidays to you!

I had to post this photo of Scratch. He has taken permanent residence in this basket near the heater.

Goose and Binky posed for this photo the other day.

They were so happy and cute in their colorful clothes. I couldn't resist.

Today we are baking, yes, again, cutting out snowflakes, visiting with friends, making gifts, reading and enjoying tea by the fire.

I hope your day is filled with warmth!

almost winter in the garden

2010-12-17T08:41:00.000-08:00

With 7 days of rain in the forecast, I packed up the kids yesterday morning and headed to our favorite botanical garden. It was cooold, but so beautiful out.

There were signs of winter everywhere. Bare trees, carpets of leaves, damp, cold air.

Green, brown, white, and yellow.

And Tux, the garden cat, was right where we left him on our last visit.

Today we are baking, making gifts, playing with friends and snuggling by the fire.

My kind of rainy day!

cinnamon mobiles

2010-12-13T10:57:00.000-08:00

Goose and I made these adorable mobiles to fill the house with the scent of cinnamon.

We used this recipe I found here.

We used the first recipe, which needed more cinnamon, and also added glitter.

They took several days to air dry but the house smelled so good!

Goose came up with the idea of a mobile. She is giving them as gifts before Christmas so they can be enjoyed throughout the holidays.

Yesterday she delivered some gingerbread cookies to our new neighbors across the street.

We give cookies to our neighbors every year. We're adding fudge to our goodies this year!

Oh, how I love baking holiday goodies!

holiday cheer

2010-12-12T12:07:00.000-08:00

rolling out the dough

adding the icing

eating them as fast as we make them!

holiday angel

Binky's favorite decoration.

the tealight he made for me in preschool

one of my favorite ornaments I brought back from Nantucket Island about 6 years ago

the tree.

Happy Holidays!

first craft fair

2010-12-10T10:58:00.000-08:00

Goose participated in her first craft fair yesterday!

She made over 60 fabric bags to sell.

She sat at the sewing machine for 3 days making them.

I did all the cutting and ironing.

She sold over half of them! She was sooo excited!!

I am so proud of her. She worked so hard and it all payed off.

We had fun. Some of her friends were there selling their creations, like tie-dye clothing, crocheted headbands, handmade books and lots of yummy food.

Today is our first day home after house-sitting for my mom.

Being gone all week was hard. I feel like I've missed a week of holiday prep and fun here at home.

But today we are going to make up for it!

Christmas music is on the radio, gingerbread cookies will soon be in the oven, and if it doesn't rain, we'll

pick out our tree! I am so happy to be home!!

house and dog-sitting

2010-12-04T18:56:00.000-08:00

The kids and I have been house and dog-sitting for my mom since Wednesday.

We can walk down to the waterfront and climb trees,

watch the birds,

find shipwrecks,

and enjoy nature.

This is Johnny. He loves to sleep on the couch. He also loves Binky!

Goose and I have been making these little fabric gift bags for a homeschool craft fair we are participating in next week. We are making several sizes. I do the cutting and Goose does the sewing. We've never done this fair before but we are very excited about it. The proceeds from the raffle and soup lunch go to a local women's drop-in center. I am also selling photo greeting cards in sets of three that come nicely wrapped in a fabric gift bag. Tonight we are watching a movie, eating chocolate and snuggling with the dogs.

Life is good.

t u e s d a y

2010-11-24T10:01:00.000-08:00

baking together

reading by the fire

dance of the water molecules experiment

candlelight to celebrate the season!

Autumn Fires

by Robert Louis Stevenson

In the other gardens

and all up the vale,

From the autumn bonfires

see the smoke trail!

Pleasant summer over

and all the summer flowers,

The red fire blazes,

the gray smoke towers.

Sing a song of seasons!

Something bright in all!

Flowers in the summer,

Fires in the fall!

Pier 39 and Thanksgiving

2010-11-22T10:54:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again.

Time to light the tree at Pier 39.

It was also a blue moon last night!

It was cold but beautiful in San Francisco yesterday.

Christmas music is already playing on the radio!

This was a little shocking to me.

It seems the holidays are coming whether I'm ready or not.

We are spending Thanksgiving at my mom's house.

I will be doing all the cooking!

I want my mom and Joe to have a relaxing day with the family.

Joe will be on the tail-end of his chemo for the month, so I know he will be tired.

So we'll cook, play Apples to Apples, and watch football.

Sounds lovely to me!

How will you spend your Thanksgiving?

Homeschool Day at Monterey Bay Aquarium

2010-11-16T07:43:00.000-08:00

Grandma, the kids and I spent the day at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

It was so warm and beautiful.

We had to stop at the beach before going into the Aquarium.

Binky took this picture of one of his favorite animals.

The sea horse exhibit was one of my favorites.

There was a room filled with exhibits and touch tanks. And lots of docents to answer questions.

We watched a sea star grab a tiny shrimp and carry it down to its mouth.

Goose stopped to draw in her journal.

Binky found some old friends.

My favorite is this beautiful octopus.

She is usually hiding in a corner, but yesterday she gave us quite a show!

We also found a lovely pearl inside this giant clam.

I think we're gonna keep her!

We just had to stop at the water one more time.

Before getting in the car, we stopped at Ghiradelli for some ice cream and chocolate.

It was a wonderful ending to a wonderful day.

Thank you Grandma for joining us!

zoo day

2010-11-13T18:40:00.000-08:00

Binky and I went to the San Francisco Zoo yesterday.

It was such a beautiful day.

Binky took a lot of these photos.

He is very interested in photography. We are making a photo album of

all his work. He will be showing it at our

homeschool Gathering of Learners next week.

Tonight both kids have a friend sleeping over and Daddy went to the movies.

Me and the kitty are hanging out while the kids are having fun with their friends.

Daddy just got home so I'm gettin' off the computer to hang out with my best friend!

one p r o u d mom

2010-11-10T20:56:00.000-08:00

Binky performing Pinan 3.

He was the lowest rank in his group and had to perform his Kata 3 times before

the judges made their decision.

He won 2nd place!

He was soooo proud!

Goose performing Pinan 2.

She won 1st place!

Binky also competed in sparring and came in 2nd place.

They worked very hard for this tournament.

Lots of practice at home and extra classes.

We are so proud of them!

I am so amazed at their confidence to get up and perform in front of a large group people.

But what really made me proud was watching all the kids high-five each other as they came off the mat, regardless of what dojo they were from. That was the real prize of the day!

After six hours at the tournament we celebrated

with ice cream sundaes, extra cherries!

Bonnets and Comics

2010-11-09T20:52:00.000-08:00

Goose made this Blackfeet war bonnet for her history class project.

Isn't it beautiful?!

Binky has been making comic strips nonstop!

These last two photos are from our moring walk around the neighborhood.

The sky was so blue and bright!

Right now we are making a stew similar to what the Blackfeet would make.

The recipe calls for buffalo, but she would have none of that.

So beef stew it is. She is, or rather I am, bringing the stew to class tomorrow as part of her

Blackfeet project. They've been studying the Overland Trail and she chose

the Blackfeet tribe for her project.

I am also going to make paper airplanes with Binky and his friends at lunch.

I only hope I feel better.

I can't seem to kick this thing I've got going on in my head, neck, throat and ear.

It's driving me crazy!

And life doesn't stop just because you are sick or your husband had gum surgery or

your kids enlist you to cook a stew for their class or you have to find a part-time job

or, or, or...

But taking care of these three, five including the cat and dog, is what brings me the greatest joy.

Even if I feel like crap!

Leaf Cut-out Frame

2010-11-07T07:30:00.000-08:00

I have been saving leaves to do this project for about a week now.

All you need is a frame, some cut-outs, and Mod Podge.

I pressed the leaves between books for a few days so they are nice and flat.

Then I got to work cutting out the shapes I wanted for my frame.

I didn't have any problems cutting out each shape.

You can use the veins of the leaves in interesting ways.

Next, I covered the frame in Mod Podge and placed my cut-outs.

Then I covered the frame again in Mod Podge.

After drying, I did another coat.

It really is pretty!

I can't wait to make more with the kids!

wednesday and thursday

2010-11-05T09:52:00.000-07:00

This tree took my breath away!

It was so beautiful in the sunlight.

Goose found this little guy Wednesday after classes.

Thursday was a day of friends, Catopoly and

cookies!

Binky helped me make cookies, which I really enjoyed.

I even fit in a little fraction lesson while we were measuring.

Then we took the kids to martial arts and then home for dinner.

I had dinner with a friend at a local pub while listening to some great jazz.

It was so much fun! I really needed to escape for a while.

She is a first grade teacher and an amazing one at that.

We met at our preschool and have been friends ever since.

I listened to her head lice and mother-in-law ranting and she listened to my tween daughter meltdown rant!

My throat is a little sore from laughing so hard!

Today I am a little tired, but far more relaxed.

Thank you Beth!!

birds and a pod racer

2010-11-03T08:44:00.000-07:00

This beautiful pelican was diving in and out of the water looking for a feast!

The Western Burrowing Owls are back!

They spend the winter here and we look forward to watching them every year.

This little guy was very vocal.

He was having a conversation with a seagull.

Peace by the bay.

And no outing would be complete without a lego pod racer!

Another week of classes.

Bats, the Overland Trail, Bizwiz and outdoor games.

While the kids are in class I head to the local coffee house with another mom or two.

We head back in time to have lunch with our kids.

After classes today, the kids are going to a friend's house for a few hours.

Goose is tutoring him in reading.

She is making money tutoring and being a mother's helper.

She is so thrilled!

Binky plays with legos while he waits.

While they are away, I will be applying for a part time job.

Some evenings and weekends to help out financially.

We are going through some rough times.

It looks like we are foreclosing on our house...

It is so hard to even type those words.

So we are looking for a new place to live.

The thought of living somewhere that isn't ours is no fun.

We have been honest with the kids.

Which I sometimes regret because they are very stressed out

and SAD about leaving the only home they've ever known.

And no matter how much I tell them that as long as we are together everything will be okay, they

still seem sad, nervous and worried.

Goose is having stomach problems and Binky is constantly reminding me that he does not want to leave his home, that he will never be comfortable any where else.

So...

that is where we are.

It isn't easy to share these things when I know Goose and others read this.

But there it is.