Big Bear – Summer 2010!

We spent several days at the cabin in Big Bear with my brother’s family last week. This picture was taken at Blake’s office, while we were picking up Blake and the boat. Kids are ready and excited to go!

Kate on the beautiful drive up the mountain.

The next morning we were off to hang out in the boat. Kate is ready to inner-tube!

So is Annie!

Will goes in for a dip.

We hung out in our favorite cove listening to tunes.

It takes many hands to help with the loading and unloading of the boat.

We grilled dinner at the cabin.

I taught the girls how to make Reverse Applique T-Shirts.

Brian was the Grill Master….grilling with “The Loving Cup!”

Cocktail hour on the deck was beautiful.

First course was delicious corn.

Then burgers!

And, finally, S’Mores!

The next day, everyone pitched in around the cabin.

Then more time on the boat.

We even got a little BB Gun time in! Great time! We had fun with The Storrs Family.”Hi……………Annie!” “Hi…………….Gavin!”

Full-Time Summer-Time!

Here are some highlights from our last couple BUSY weeks! My buddies, Lynne & Beck decorated my sidewalk for my birthday!

Complete with a greeting from our rat…..and…..

a special message and crown to drive around town with.

Lynne and I took the girls to the Patchwork Craft Show. So fun!

They each bought a cute necklace for themselves at this booth.

We won free passes to go see the Last Airbender movie at Mann’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. We decided to make a night of it and have dinner at Musso & Frank.

Will heard they were famous for their Mac N’ Cheese!

Blake had Sweetbreads?????

I had French Onion Soup and a Caesar Salad….yum! Kate sat there hearing our choices staring at the large menu….I was a bit concerned she wouldn’t find anything…..then she excitedly popped up with…

“They have French Brie!”

We went to the Concert in the Park….where Kate ran into her friends.

The kids and I drove to Pasadena for lunch with Deborah and our dear friend, Kathy, in town visiting from D.C.

The kids were good sports and treated to a frozen yogurt.

We had Friday night dinner at the Petroleum Club.

And….Kate played with her buddies.

We went to the Bel Air Bay Club for a pre-4th of July Party. This is a frequent look I get from Will these days…..he’s always up to something!

I love to take pictures at the beach when the sun is setting!

We had a fabulous time at the Claridy’s for the 4th of July festivities.

Oh….how much fun we are having! Loving sleeping in, playing hard….and staying up late! I love summer!

Last days of school!

Wow! That was a wild last couple weeks of school! Here are some highlights! Kate and her friend Ellie at their violin concert.

There was Teacher/Student “Swap” day…..Kate came dressed as the school counselor, Dr. Hosn. Dr. Hosn was dressed up as a student.

Lynne, Beck and I organized the 2nd Annual School Vintage Bake Sale!  We made $1077 in 2 hours for the Library.

Kate’s Brownie Troop donated toys and a brand new DS Game System (they bought with their Cookie Sales) for Miller Children’s Hospital.

Kate wanted me to make the 6 layer erupting Volcano Cake for the last day of school! The kids and Blake built it and decorated it.

Mr. Johnson had the kids clean their desks with shaving cream on the last day of school.

Will and his buddies attended (all on their own) their friend, Matthew’s Bar Mitzvah.

Kate was in 2 shows for her Dance Studio at The Carpenter Center. She was in a Tap routine, Jazz (picture above) and the ballet.

The Brownies earned enough money with their cookie sales for a trip to Disneyland with an overnight at a nearby hotel. I was one of the handful of Moms to go! We had a great time. Here is Kate’s group at California Adventure.

Here are all the girls the next morning at the Hotel pool!  Whew!!!!  We made it!  Now we can relax and enjoy slowing down a bit!

Easter

Blake and Kate decorate Easter eggs. I like the matching stained white T-Shirts!

Here is what the Easter Bunny left! Including Liberty of London sandals for Kate.

Looking for Easter Eggs. Kate’s shirt says….”I may be small but I’m the boss!” So true.

Will collected all the plastic eggs filled with candy….leaving the hard boiled ones behind.

Blowing bubbles from the Easter Bunny.

Will and his Mustang seatbelt belt.

Kate and her Liberty of London swimsuit.

Time to head up to Gramps and Nana’s house. Kate and I found this dress with matching dress for her American Girl doll at T.J. Max a couple months ago for $16.99!

Kate and I went for a Mani/Pedi the day before Easter. Check out her polka dot toes and her Miss Trish of Capri sandals…we found at Target!

Time for another Easter Egg hunt….this time there was cash inside the eggs!

Nana had chocolate fondue for the kids….with…..

peeps! They were in heaven.

For Annie!

My niece Annie….has gently advised that I have not been posting enough. I love that I have a appreciative follower! Here you go….Annie….this should bring us up to date. It’s been crazy busy around here.

Will’s Boy Scout Troop has been busy planting trees in our community. Part of a Eagle Scout Project for one of the boys.

Will is Historian for the troop…which means being the official photo taker….AND….he puts together the slideshow for the end of the year. Love this self portrait.

Kate and Gracie on one of our many rainy days.

Will and Frankie on the Boy Scout tour of the USS Midway aircraft carrier in San Diego. They all spent the night onboard.

Kate and some of her Brownie buddies.

The Brownie troop had a cooking class at our neighborhood restaurant The Factory.

They learned how to make Empanadas.

We went to First Fridays in our neighborhood….we ran into lots of friends. Here are Kate and some of her friends at Medusa Salon….where they got colorful hairdos!

Blake felt left out and wanted to join in….much to Kate’s embarrassment.

Will sports a festive shirt for St. Patricks Day.

Kate and buddy, Colin, “Ran for the Green”. Their school raised $34,000 during their St. Patrick’s Day Jog-A-Thon.

Annie, I promise to try to post more often. Thanks for checking in on us. Can’t wait to see you next week!  xoxo “Aunt Chris”

Gettin’ Crafty!

There has been a whole lot of crafting going on! My Crafty Group met last week at Julie’s Beautiful Store, Vintage Emporium! What a great place to hang out for several hours. On the counter you can see one of the swaps….the cute branches with handmade paper buds!

Our swap theme this month was Easter…..another pretty arrangement of branches with butterflies and tiny, glittery eggs.

A super cute….perfectly pink Easter Cone with handmade chicks!

And a wonderful moleskine with the Crafty Queen logo to keep in our purses….to jot down inspirations. Notice the cute wrapping!

As always we had yummy food!

And, Julie taught us how to make cute glass tile pendant necklaces…..I made mine for Miss Kate….owl on the front and the letter “K” on the back.

Here is what I made….a couple of layered fabric flowers with buttons and beads and a wired stem.

With a little tag!

My work table is finished……so much fun! Now I have a place to sit and work on projects.

The Mod Podge experiment was great fun…I am so happy with how it turned out.

I crocheted a cover for my stool. I wasn’t sure how to crochet a circle…..hmmm….I will google….”how to crochet a circle?”….sure enough a video showing me exactly what to do!

Now I have a tidy place to work! I have been making these Fabric Flower pins with vintage buttons…..for gifts……Julie from Vintage Emporium…..took them on consignment in her shop on Wednesday….and had sold 8 by Friday.  Yippee…..now its time to start making more…..my next goal is an Etsy Shop!

Months to prepare and in minutes its over!

Wow….what a whirlwind week it was. I feel like the kids started school….bam…it was time to work on the school carnival…..that was over…..and…..bam….it was the Holidays. Now I feel like I can finally stop worrying and chill for a while. The Christmas cards never made it out….they will now be New Years….ish cards! The festivities started with one of the Groomes fabulous Birthday parties for Eyja. It was a Alice in Wonderland Tea Party Theme. We could only stay for a bit…..but had so much fun. Here are the kids decorating their “Mad Hatters”.

We rushed home to change for my family’s Christmas Dinner at my Mom’s. Here are Robin, Kate and Annie.

Will even let me get a little hug in!

Monday…our dear friends Marcia & Scott….invited some of the neighborhood girls over for a Christmas Cookie party. Here they are making beaded necklaces.

Christmas Eve….my Mom/Gommie came up to spend the night. We had our traditional Cheese Fondue dinner in front of the fireplace!

Then the long awaited Christmas Morning! Will got an I-Pod Touch from Santa!

We opened our stockings!

Look what I got in my stocking! There seems to be a theme here? Do I seem stressed or tired? I guess Santa thought so!

Then we had our traditional Monkey Bread!

and some time spent chilling with our new gifts.

We headed up to Blake’s parents later in the afternoon.

Kate with her new doll “Julie” from Santa.

Will got a special golf club from Gramps and Nana…..and a cool new jacket from Aunt Karen and Uncle Bill.

Kate listens out for Santa…

and then takes a quick picture with him! Phew…..it’s over. Very fun….but boy I’m glad its over! Today I snuck out for several hours to go see a movie (“It’s Complicated”) and do a little post Christmas shopping ALL BY MYSELF!  Heaven!

Holly, Jolly Time!

Blake was Santa again this year for Pixie Toys & Vangie Ogg Photography for First Fridays….here he is heading out of the house!

Of course Will & Kate had to give him a hard time before he started.

See Vangie’s whole gallery of photos of Blake and the people who stopped by to see him at this link! She takes the most amazing photos!

OK…this little girl was so cute…..came running in…..said “Hold on Santa!” and went over to her purse and pulled out candy and cookies for him! She is so chatty with him….not sure what kind of rubber creature she is holding in her hand…..and I think she is trying very hard to make sure he knows her address. Darling!

I went to a super fun “My Favorite Things” gift exchange with some of my buddies. I took my favorite pumpkin bread (shhh….Trader Joes Mix) in a cute little reindeer loaf pan with a Christmas Tea Towel and a little ornament made by Kate and me!

Here is a close up of our ornament!

We got our Christmas Tree….So easy with the new “BIG RED TRUCK”! We walked in….the man untied one tree….we spun it around and said….”Looks Good….lets go!” Gone are the days of stressing out over the “Perfect” tree!

Last weekend Blake and Will had a Boy Scout Weekend…so Kate and I had one of our fabulous Girlie Weekends. We did quite a bit of crafting. Here is Kate working on one of her Christmas Presents.

Four of my Crafty friends and I have started a Crafty Club….where we will have “Swaps”….we each make or buy someting for each person in the group! Kate helped me make these little Candy Cane Ladies. They are made out of a pink ornament with cupcake liners tiered as the skirt. Lots of time spent with the mighty glue gun!

It was the perfect time to spread out all of our goodies and work away!

This last Friday night….we bundled up and took the Whaler out to check out the lights in Naples.

We grabbed Subway sandwiches and a bottle of wine and were off.

It was pretty chilly but…..so beautiful!

I love that in Southern California we can cruise around in our boat and check out Christmas lights. Lots of Gondolas out that night! That has you pretty up to date!

They are back to school!

It official….Summer is over! Here they are all spiffy….new clothes, new shoes, new backpacks and Kate’s new lunch box. Dropped Will off at the Middle School gate with his GIANT Tuba….which has taken up half of his room all summer…..he headed off with a wave. Walked Kate over to the Elementary School…..

She immediately found her buddies and they screamed with glee and hugged. About 8 of us Moms met at Bake N Broil for a celebratory breakfast!

Back to making lunches…..Will just grabs $2 and is happy buying lunch at school…..Kate is another story…..she decided last night she would like edamame, cheese and rice? So this morning I got up and made her rice…along with some First Day of School heart shaped corn muffins.

We had a great summer….it flew by! Yesterday the kids and I went to Disneyland for our last outing.

The park was not very crowded….especially California Adventure. Here is Kate with Minnie.

We finally had a Lemonade Stand….the kids have been asking all summer……I baked cookies……we made TONS of Lemonade…..and hauled everything down to the street. The earned enough money to take to Disneyland to buy their  own souvenirs.

We got lots of Whaler time in this summer….

here is Kate driving thru the canals of Naples.

Love this picture of Will….the sun is setting…and probably more orange than usual due to the fires. Its my last photo of him before his back to school haircut.

We had lots of fun swimming at the Petroleum Club…..here are all the kids of my Bookclub Friends.

We made it to a Dodger Game and dined in the Club!

I took the kids to Venice Beach to see all the crazy people on the boardwalk….as you can see in the photo….this was not our most popular outing!

We went to Downtown Disney and had the Volcano Cake at Rainforest Cafe.

I’m sad Summer is over….I will miss spending all day with these two guys…..but it is time to get back on schedules and routine. Bye Bye Summer!

Mellow Weekend!

We started the weekend with Kate and I meeting Kelli and Griffin at The Petroleum Club for BBQ and Gin and Tonics….while the kids swam.

Blake and Will went bowling with the Boy Scouts…..Will is wearing his bowling shirt that we had custom made for his Bowling Birthday Party last year from this site….and Blake’s old bowling shoes which he decorated with Sharpies.

Will decided that he would like to start doing some of the cooking for the family….we found this recipe from Martha Stewart…..it reminded me of the Chicken Viva my Mom used to make for us. We went to Ralphs and Will read the recipe and figured out just what we needed. We came home and put the casserole together and put it in the fridge….it needs to chill overnight. Here he is Sunday night with his finished creation.

It was very tasty….a bit runny….we think from the moisture of the mushrooms….more of a stew….than a casserole. We are going to recreate Chicken Viva next time. Sunday morning….Kate and I headed down to the Farmer’s Market at Alamitos Bay to meet Kelli and Barrie. Our mission was a large quantity of strawberries for this recipe….

We found this recipe in Martha Stewart Everyday Foods magazine. This is another of Will’s creations.

Delicious!

Kate spent a large part of the day watching TV and hanging with Ziggy….

and later had a Tea Party with her American Girl Dolls.

Here you can see her food erasers from Marukai in action…..and I LOVE that Samantha has her napkin in her lap. Kate will never put HER napkin in her lap….but, now I know that it has left an impression.

Will played video games with Lucy. Later we had our fabulous dinner prepared by our new favorite chef….Will.