Party on Riley, Party on Quinn

We made yet another trip to the party store today, in preparation of Quinn's Star Wars party tomorrow. The boys love to try on the masks and things in the Halloween aisle. They really know how to party on...like Wayne and Garth.

Quinn, ready for A Chorus Line. One, singular sensation, every little step he takes...

Riley, pulling the plug on Quinn's off (way off) Broadway debut.

Word of the day: Clean. My house is so clean, you could eat off of every surface. It's great for now, but after Quinn's party tomorrow, I'll have to clean again. It smells like cupcakes too!

This Just In...

The scouts had their annual Pinewood Derby tonight. Riley did well, but didn't win anything. Quinn did quite well. He won first place in his Tiger Cub division. 

Hamming it up for the camera. "How you doin?"

Word for the day: Exhaustion. Busy, strange day at school. Came home only to have to rush around getting things ready for the derby. I was the food/cafe coordinator. Up to school to set up cafe for the evening. Spent more than my fair share of time manning the cafe. Derby started late and so ended late. I'm heading for my couch.

Another One Bites The Dust

Quinn pulled another tooth out today-oh don't worry, it was loose. He did it at recess. Now he's down 2 teeth, in one week. We are hoping the top ones won't be out for awhile.

Doesn't he look adorable? Hopefully the tooth fairy has small bills this time.

Word for the day: Vacation. There are 90 days left of school for us. We booked our summer vacation trip today. Here's where we will be going.

NASA

Riley's class went on a field trip today to NASA. I went too, as a chaperone. It was awesome!

NASA logo.

This is what Riley would look like all dressed up to do a space walk.

Riley, the human gyroscope. 

A scientist, hard at work. He and his partner had to figure out what kinds of rocks they were looking at, based on color, holes/no holes, texture, etc.

The times in the 3 most important states to the space program. California-Ames Research Center and shuttle landing if unable to land in Florida, Florida-Kennedy Space Center (we've been there!)-launches and landings, and finally, Texas-Johnson Space Center, mission control-as in "Houston, we have a problem."

Everyone had a great day.

Word for the day: Space. Wouldn't it be cool to go?

This Is Not My Official Post For Today

I made some new pieces of jewelry! Here are my top 3.

Mushroom Leaf. It's a glass mushroom with a gold leaf, on an 18 inch chain.

Leaf Trio. Two lucite leaves with gold trim, and a gold leaf, on an 18 inch chain.

Love Bird. Big silver bird with a small, lucite heart charm.

Do you like? I'll post them to my shop later today.

I'm off to NASA, for a field trip with my son's class.

Blast from the Past

On Sunday night, when Kevin and I ditched the boys with my parents, my mom gave me a GIANT stack of schoolwork that I had done. The pile contained things from preschool all the way to high school. It was really funny to see my kid writing and kid thoughts.

I wanted to be a teacher from a very young age. This is a report I did in 4th grade. I got an "A" and in the back, the teacher wrote that she thought I would make an "excellent teacher." 

Oooo, oooo, oooo! My Horshack folder!!! I loved this folder. The dog next to it is a batik on canvas. I made it in art in junior high school. Wax and dye, the whole nine yards! I drew the dog all by myself too.

This is preschool art. I made them in Japan where I went to preschool. 

My kindergarten journal. I see some of the way Quinn draws in some of my drawings. Isn't that weird? The eyes mostly.

What's up with this? Yes, it says, "Mostly well done." MOSTLY well done??? What kind of comment is that? I don't know what grade this is from, looks primary, like 2nd grade, but the standards have changed so much, it's hard to say. Could be 4th! Ha ha ha ha. Sorry. Teacher joke.

Word for the day: American Idol. Ok, that's 2, but yeah for American Idol! Tonight's the last night of try outs. 

It's Just So Exciting!

Quinn lost his first tooth today. He pulled it out at school. He said he just "twisted it and twisted it, and it camed out!" It didn't even freak him out! 

See his little space on the bottom? That's where the aforementioned tooth stood. The one next to it is loose as well. The tooth is really tiny. He's holding it. Can't you see that?

Here it is. Can you see it now?

Safe and snug in its little tooth home-at 4:48pm. At least we can't say he's not organized. I just hope the tooth fairy remembers.

Word for the day: Yippee! Congrats to Quinn for losing his first tooth.

Shhh I'm Reading

During my trip to Ikea last night, I picked up some things for Quinn's bed-baskets and a step stool because the bed is so high. I also got him his own reading lamp-AND it was $2.99 (I kid you not).

I may have created a monster. Add light, will read. Quinn's brushing up on his Star Wars knowledge before he settles to sleep for the night.

Word for the day: Molai Kofta. That's what I had for dinner tonight. Kevin and I ditched the boys with my parents and then had Indian food. He loves buttered chicken. I love almost anything else-vegetarian-not a big fan of the meat dishes. It was yummy and I have some for my lunch tomorrow.

New Bed take 2

Quinn got a new bed, a captain's bed.

See how he organized his little cubby spaces. He was very serious about where to put his special things.

It has 4 big drawers, compliments of his brother.

Take 2. This one is Riley's bed. We got it a couple months ago. He had 8 drawers, and it was pulled away from the wall. He is a slob. The space between the wall and the bed did not work out. So, we got Quinn the same bed, and took Riley's extra set of drawers. Twin beds and two happy boys, and hopefully a happier mom.

Word for the day: Argue. That's what the boys mostly did over the Wii. Now I hear Kevin in there arguing with it.

Friday Foto Finish Fiesta

It's Friday! Here's my picture for candid carries Friday Foto Finish Fiesta. Go check out her blog. Go ahead...I'll wait...

We opened a new jar of peanut butter yesterday-hopefully without salmonella! Quinn likes to draw on the untouched top. His picture of choice this time? Kirby. He's been nuts (no pun intended) about Kirby lately. For those of you not in the know, Kirby is a character in video games. He's really kinda cute. Both boys have been drawing him a lot lately. Riley made Kirby Indiana Jones! This picture is a double bonus-Quinn got to draw Kirby and he gets to have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches again-we were being careful.

Word for the day: Friday. Ahhhhhhh. Happy weekend everyone!

Cotton Time

A couple of weeks ago, I ordered these...

Cotton Time magazine is a Japanese craft magazine. It's beautiful! I had been wanting one for some time, and when I discovered a shop on etsy that had 2 of them, and different ones too!  I bought them. 

There are small books within the magazines, and pull out patterns, and one came with a 2009 calendar! All of the directions are in Japanese, but what the Japanese do really well are picture directions. I can't read a word of it, but I can understand enough from the pictures!

See? There are pictures for just about every step! I can't wait to make something. Also, the magazines are pretty big, and they are pretty thick-printed on nice, thick paper. AND they open backwards! I know it's backwards to me. I'm smart enough to know that the Japanese read from right to left. I is a teacher after all! That was a joke. Get it?

Word for the day: Starbucks. I tried their apple chai today. Oh...my...warm...goodness!

What's Riley Reading?

I think the question, more appropriately, should be, What ISN'T Riley reading?

Indiana Jones on the kitchen table.

This Pokemon book on the couch. Please note that the book is upside down, not the picture.

Star Wars on his bed. He's in his room right now reading a different Star Wars book I picked up for him tonight. He told me in the car that he needs to decide which one of his new ones to read tonight, and by tonight, he means the whole book! 

Word for today: Drip. That's what the sky did today, at times. Never quite heavy enough to be considered rain, just light sprinkles. We need more-real rain. I need to look at green hills.

Happy Inauguration Day!

I practically jumped out of bed this morning to watch all of the Inauguration coverage. I continued watching at school with my 2nd graders. I thought it was important for them to see history being made. We watched until Obama started to speak, and then they had to go to science. I came home from school and have been glued to the TV all night. How exciting, and I can't help but think of how exciting it must be to those 2 little girls. Wow. Of course, the boys are jealous. They want a bowling alley in their house. I told them our hallways were long enough. I guess it's not the same.

Anyway, here's another necklace I made yesterday. When I'm finished here, I'm going to list my items.

Word for the day: Change. Enough said.

Making Jewelry

I got about 7  pieces of jewelry made today. There are always distractions! I ended up buying a new bed for Quinn, we had lunch, I vacuumed, I played on the computer etc.

I like this one. The close-up did not work out, so I need to try again tomorrow. It's a watch face with a glittery dot in the middle and a gold owl charm hanging from it, on a 24 inch chain.

This one is made with plastic vintage stacking flowers, and a little silver dangling heart. It's also 24 inches on ball chain.

Here's a peek at almost all of what I made, hanging on the door. I'm going to try and get them uploaded to etsy tomorrow. I need better light for some other pictures.

Word for the day: U2. Go here to listen to the new single from their new CD, No Line on the Horizon. I really love it. Go...get on your boots, and take a listen!

YMCA

Well, I started out working on jewelry, but I didn't get far. Quinn's room was a complete mess since Christmas, so it was time to straighten, sort and toss. Here's the aftermath of my cleaning. Still have a little more to do, but it looks much better.

YMCA dancing on the carpet. I don't know where he gets his ideas, but Kevin went in and found him, shirtless, wearing his Globetrotters headband from yesterday, and dancing to YMCA.

He was willing to pose for me-actually, he's never NOT willing!

Nice headband huh?

In motion with the cool moves. He can breakdance too! That picture was a huge blur.

Word for the day: Pajamas. I never got dressed.

A Basketball Day

We went to the Harlem Globetrotters game/show today. We all had lots of fun.

Here's the view from inside the stadium. These windows are only a LITTLE impressive huh? What is more impressive? The beautiful blue sky and the 70 degree temperature outside.

We got to the game early for the pre-game clinic. I guess there weren't enough people for that, so they changed plans and we got to meet and greet with some of the players instead. Very Cool.  Look how tall the players≠“ are.  I had to get on the ground to be able to get them, and shorty Quinn, in the picture.

Jumbo screens.  Super helpful to see some of what was going on.

The entrance of the Globetrotters.  They played "4 Minutes" as they came out. The Washington Generals, the opponent, did not have as spectacular an introduction.

Game time! They played awhile, then they would stop and goof around, play some more etc. It really was a lot of fun.

Word for the day: Beautiful. It was nice and warm. We ended up walking around University Ave. in Palo Alto, and ended our day with dinner at California Pizza Kitchen.

A Sneak Peek

I have BIG plans for my 3 day weekend. I have to update my etsy shop. It's sitting over there-to your right-empty. I ordered business cards from Zazzle and they are super cute, so I am wanting to put them to use. 

This is my drawer of vintage plastic stacking flowers.  Aren't they so colorful?

Here's a sneak peek of some beginnings of jewelry. I need to finish them all.

Word for the day: Margarita.  I had one tonight. A blue one. It was yummy. I wouldn't mind another, but I'm home now.

Public service message: You can't stick a sour rope licorice into your ear. If you do, you miss 3 days of school and have to see a specialist.

Did I Already Blog These?

I can talk about these now. Before Christmas, I got the Nov./Dec. issue of Cloth Paper Scissors magazine. Aren't these snowmen cute? I thought so too! I had to make some. 

First thing I had to do was go in search of vintage salt and pepper shakers. I found some here. Then I went home and put them all together.  It took a few days to assemble them, but I'm happy with the outcome. They are messy, but cute.

I kept these 3-I couln't bear to part with them.

Here they are, nude. They are kinda cute this way too.

Word for the day: frustrated.  California needs to iron out their budget. Next school year is going to suck, big time.  It's scary.

It Takes A Village

There's been lots of Playmobil and Galactic Hero fun around here. Quinn is a big fan of both. I love how he mixes them both together to play.

He got the A frame house and other A frame lodge for Christmas. Let's take a closer look.

I'm not sure why the polar bear and brown bear are on their sides. Perhaps they are sleeping.

Who's that? It's Han Solo, and Luke Skywalker, and some other pilot guy.  There are also two penguins on the yellow chair.  Shhhh.  They are sleeping, guns and all.

I'm a big fan of these imaginative toys.  Quinn can play for hours.

Word for the day: warm.  It has been really warm here the last few days.  We are talking short sleeve weather.  It's weird.  We need rain.