Monday, June 27, 2011

mahogany monday {life learning}

Mahogany Monday
{life learning}

can you see the tadpole in the background?

the girlies got a new job with their pet sitting business.
A frog & a tadpole in the same container.
we LOVE frogs so
how lucky is that!
so neat to be able to observe two of the life cycles right in front of our eyes!
what impressed me the most was that the girls immediately (instinctually???)gathered up all kinds of learning materials & dug right in.
even though we are not full-on unschoolers...child led life learning is definitely the kind of learning we LOVE & prefer!


*Mahogany Monday is a showcase of mothers of color that are living the natural mahogany lifestyle (homeschooling/unschooling, healthy eating,natural parenting, etc...).

on twitter i will be using the hashtag Mahogany Monday.
please visit the Mahogany Way
feel free to join :)

Saturday, June 25, 2011

treating our hardworking Daddy {a new baking gadget & a delish dinner}

  He has been super busy mornings, days, nights & weekends even.
 so the girls & I decided to make some surprise treats for him.

{our new fave}

 we FINALLY got to try our message in a cookie cookie cutters from William-Sonoma!!!
  SO FUN!
perfect personalized cookies...once you get the hang of it!
 sorry...wont let me flip these two pix
of course we figured it out...after the very last cookie.
(have i told you before i REALLY dont bake)
*OUR TRIAL & ERROR TIPS*
we used a prepared sugar cookie dough
  • after preparing the sugar cookie dough according to instructions we chilling the dough for @ 30 mins & it made it soooo much easier to work with!
  • please make sure you check that the oven is set to the right temp by your cute little kitchen assistant before you bake an entire batch of cookies.
  • the highest temp on the package works best...too low & the dough fluffs up & erases the sweet messages to your hardworking Daddy that you love so much during baking.
  • press the cookie cutter first, THEN press the word  press FIRMLY or...the sweet messages you left to your hardworking Daddy you love so much will be erased  during baking ;(
  • laugh, enjoy your cookie & hardwork...but cover up the mistakes in frosting first.

Miss Chef 2 wanted to make Daddy some Some More Casserole for dinner using our version of his Grandma's(secret family)recipe.
 the girls set the table for us outside
it has been a Star Wars movie marathon week over here.they used our own cloth napkins (good girls!)
please note the lightsaber utensil napkin rings the girls made.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Friday Flowers{very pretty}

Friday Flowers{very pretty}
*testing my computer out*

this pic i found on pinterest just screams summer to me.
the bright turquoise sky
{my fave color}
the cheery melon colored bloom
{a FAB summer pedi color}
 the brightness & light
{sunny skies}  
ALL of it!
it's just so so pretty.
really hoping this computer test works...we have a lot to catch up on.
wish me luck!



*yaaay!!! it worked...very sloooow still & kinda glitchy, but it worked!*

Monday, June 20, 2011

experiencing technical difficulties{a blessing in disguise}

having computer issues forcing us to take a computer...thus a bloggy break.
very frustrating when the technology we rely on so much is not working, but instead of dying like we thought we would,
 its actually a blessing in disguise.
my house is getting THE purge of it's life, lots of other things are getting done (fun & necessary). im truly surprised how much more time we seem to have because we cant use the computer & are not glued to the screen.
or maybe we're just using our time more wisely, either way 
being unplugged for a while is a good thing & a good lesson.
hope you're enjoying your summer. we definately are...even if we arent posting about it :)
we'll pop in when we can.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

fam camping trip...can't wait

can't wait...


so super excited!
 we booked a fam camping trip in Cuyamaca. it's not until July, but im already planning. i even started a camping pinboard on Pinterest to organize my ideas.
really can't wait. 

Saturday, June 11, 2011

quick.easy.cute. friendship gift

quick. easy. cute.
(& super CHEAP)
friendship gift
last minute the girlies wanted to give some of their fave workshops girlfriends a gift.
(depending on the design & kids age, some of the little boys even like these)
we bought these cute little wooden bead bracelet kits at the dollar store. 
(one of our little town's only stores esp for last minute stuff) 
there are enough supplies in each kit to make at least 3 full bracelets. 
we
split them up in little drawstring baggies (also from the dollar store) & included a little note with our info for summer playdates.
this is one of our fave go to gifts.
they also make cute party activities & party favors.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

teacher appreciation gifts pt2{we need s'more teachers like you}

teachers appreciation gift part 2
{we need s'more teachers like you}





{ours}
our charter school has two different programs : ours & Core.
we gave our 6 teachers the Amish Friendship Bread as a gift of appreciation.
sometimes the two programs intermix & we did not want to leave the very hardworking Core teachers out of the lovin'.
i saw these on Pinterest & got the directions & printables here.
 pretty cute & very easy.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

License Plate Fun{ & summer activity}

License Plate Fun
(YAAAY! the last work sample of the year)
we've been playing the license plate game whenever we are out.
it's so much fun looking for the different licenses plates & keeping track of them.
 now it has become a habit.
when we see a different one i put it in my Blackberry.
(kinda dangerous i've pulled some risky maneuvers just to get close enough to read a plate. YIKES!!!)
the list was finally long enough we decided to start mapping.
we located the license plate states on our big map
 filled them in on our photocopied maps 
then colored the states in
the girls really got into the maps features & landmarks on their own.
(lakes, each state capitals, beaches, mountains, mileage scale)
some of our supplemental tools
state flashcards, Coast to Coast state trivia game, a fold out state fact map.
(all i think i got from the dollar store)
they've been using them to quiz & correct me(everyone else) so i've been learning new info too.
 i picked these books up & some other fun ideas to use over the summer.
we are going to continue learning about the 50 states one at a time.
 i printed out a fun state learning module called Cruisin' the Country.
we are going to make cardboard cars & go on a cross country road trip from our living room this summer.

when i was younger our fam drove from:
(5 of us in our Chrysler New Yorker...no DVD player, video games, etc...mind you)
  • Connecticut to California two different travel routes hitting & stopping in as many different states possible
  • from Texas thru New Mexico, Arizona to California a few summers (including thru Colorado once)
  • from Texas thru some of the southern states
  • from Connecticut up the East Coast including Canada & down the East Coast states(alot of weekends were spent this way)
  • from California north to Washington
  • a few others too
my Dad would stop & see ALL the sights, Universities & historical landmarks, along the way.
(i mapped them all out, but my map got ruined)
we loved the spontaneous adventures & exploring. 
as an adult i still do!
i really hope my girls will be as lucky as i was growing up.
i'm very ready to hit the road!

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

cute summer hair{nia long}

cute hair{nia long}
what do u guys think?




i think this would look so cute on me, esp in the summer.
 im reeeeally thinking about it.
 i have shaved my head down to the scalp & loved it.
i have a very cute head. 
 (if i find a pic i'll share it)
 surprisingly He LOVED IT!
it's the girlies who like my hair long even if it's in a sad ponytail all the time & it drives me crazy! 
also from where i live it's a 4 hour salon trip & short hair requires regular salon upkeep...
but im seriously contemplating going for it.

Saturday, June 4, 2011

weekend backyard bonfire peanutbutter cookie & dark chocolate s'mores

weekend backyard bonfire peanutbutter cookie & dark chocolate s'mores 
(pic from my Blackberry sorry)

a few weekends ago we made this super easy & super yummy treat around the backyard bonfire.
(blogger lost this post!)

*super easy & super yummy details*

*peanut butter cookies
(we used Fresh & Easy's pb cookie dough...soooo good!)
*dark chocolate chunks
*marshmallows for roasting
*the fam & maybe some last minute friends, a nice spring weekend night & a last minute backyard bonfire ;) 

Friday, June 3, 2011

teacher appreciation gifts pt1{Amish Friendship Bread}

teacher appreciation gifts pt1

{Amish Friendship bread starters}
we made a little thank you gift for our very hardworking charter school teachers.
they work so So SO hard...have no clue how they do it!
Amish Friendship Bread is a fun & super easy sweet bread that you keep a little for yourself & share the rest with friends.
there are many variations & if you keep it going, you will always have a delish sweet treat.
3 & i used this easy recipe to make the bread starters.
AFB also makes a great homeschooling craft activity & lesson.
(measuring, reading, counting, adding, spelling, science (fermentation, combining solid & liquids & oils, chemical reaction, etc...)even a little history)

for each gift we printed out the recipe & instructions & labeled the starters.
i was going to print out cute labels, but 3 insisted.
we think they were much cuter this way anyway ;)
very small but sweet token of our great appreciation!

*a friend shared her AFB with us. yesterday 3 & i made chocolate chip, pecan/walnut, cinnamon AFB with it.
it was so delish, i kept saying i would take pix later...this morning both loaves are gone! THAT GOOD! 

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

fieldtrip{monarch butterflies pt 2 & tamarack beach}

Monarch Butterflies part 2 & Tamarack Beach
this one of our fave butterfly books.
 this very cute & informative story is all about going to the butterfly conservatory (even the same rules we were given). it even has 3 sisters in it. we found it funny that one of the girls on the trip actually had a butterfly land on her finger & wouldnt leave just like in the story.
the conservatory ed room.
we learned tons of interesting facts:
  • boy Monarchs only, have one black dot on each bottom wing
  • butterflies only make chrysalis not cocoons
  • Monarchs live @ 8 months, most other butterflies only live @ 1 month
  • butterflies eat thru a straw like tounge called a proboscis
  • butterflies like salty & sweet things
in the butterfly vivarium there were many different types of host plants. it was helpful to see them all in person & get more ideas to add to my own butterfly garden.
this is the  list on their website. 
 after the beautiful butterflies...the beautiful beach.
we thru together a quick lunch: left over fried chicken, carrot sticks, strawberries & some waters & enjoyed the afternoon at Tamarack Beach in Carlsbad.
pretty perfect day.