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26 March 2009

Spring break - Garden day


Yesterday was garden day. We went to the rose garden and while there were no roses blooming yet, we still found something to draw.

The first picture was taken in the Shakespearean Garden. Where there is a brick wall with a plaque with his outline and the quote "Of all the flowers, methinks a rose is best" ~ William Shakespear

Adam drew a tree from this garden. Carus drew a bit of the wall and the sundial.




The second picture was taken in the gold medal rose garden - which I understand to mean that all the roses in that garden won a gold medal in competition....can't wait for them to bloom!


The kids found the arbor a good drawing feature.

I was just enjoying the sunshine here.

25 March 2009

Spring break - Movie day

Yesterday Carus found some coupons the kids earned from the school winter reading challenge for 2 free games of bowling and free shoe rental so we started out our day with some bowling and a little arcade fun. I'm trying to get the slideshow to attach and right now it isn't cooperating so I will try again tomorrow.



We did watch some movies too. We rented Beverly Hills Chihuahua and Bolt for the kids and watched them today. I was surprised by the chihuhua movie. I was expecting it to be cheesy with a stupid story and while there were some cheesy points, the story was good and we had some laughs from it.

Bolt was so funny! We all watched that after dinner and laughed, and Carus got scared, and laughed some more. The kids have reloaded their arsenal of movie quotes from both movies and I will be hearing catch phrases for .... until they see the next movie for more quotes.

I was still unable to rent Changeling - it has been all rented out for ages and today it got stuck in the darn redbox machine!

I might eventually just break down, spend $5 and rent from on demand...but for now I have Australia and Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2; both movies I've been wanting to see for awhile.

So check back tomorrow or so for the slideshow attached to this post...and of course tomorrows activities will be here too. :)

Rainbow cake

For the book club meeting last week I made Rainbow cake. I saw it here on Rachael's blog and the original recipe came from this cooking blog.


The kids helped.


Yes my oven tried to burn the second layer.


But the cake was still yummy!

I especially liked the 'frosting' of whip cream and pudding mix.

22 March 2009

Adam's Progress Report

Adam's progress report was full of S's (satisfactory) and M's (meeting expectations) with a few E's (exceeding) with his areas of highest marks in reading and mathematics and the areas of lowest marks in organization (sorry Adam, that is my fault), writing legibly, and speaking out-of-turn.

The following are the notes from the teacher:

" Adam has been developing his skills in sharing his thinking and putting forth his best effort, which comes much closer to reflecting his true abilities. It has been a pleasure to see Adam growing in these areas. He is also working on being able to control his shout outs with only one reminder. It is a pleasure having Adam's outstanding ability to see deeper meanings and humor in our work.
Adam continues to do well in learning new math content. He could still use practice in verifying his work, whihc he has made improvement in, as well as writing down his strategies in problem solving. He recently took the state math test. A score of 212 meets state expectations for 4th grade. Adam scored 236.
At this point in the year, fourth grade students are expected to read at a level 40 fiction on the DRA. Adam is reading at a level 50. Adam recently took the state reading test. A score of 211 meets state expectations for 4th grade. Adam scored 229. Fourth grade expectations for reading fluency are 115-140 words per minute with correct intonation and expression. Adam is reading 164 words per minute. Adam is really trying to share his best understanding, which is helping him to continue to achieve. I hope that Adam continues to put forth effort into his complete sharing of understandings."

We are so proud of him and have grand dreams of all that he will be able to accomplish in his life. I am so excited for him becoming a young adult/teenager - minus the additude problems that come with teenagers - and an adult. And I'm excited to see where he goes from here.

Coming at another time, when we get it, Carus's progress report.

21 March 2009

Spring Break plans

The kids are officially on spring break, and spring is here (knock on wood).

The weather has improved and most of the day you can go out without sweaters, and sun glasses are a good idea to have when driving. The other day I was able to sit on my porch in the sun and read - and actually get a little warm (black pants). It was nice. We have trees budding, tulips and daffodils poking up out of the ground and pansies blooming like crazy. Winter has been a little too long and hard this year (for Oregon). And to think we had snow 2 weeks ago. Yes it was a dusting and yes it didn't last, but it was cold and in the 30s and 40s and now we are in the 60s and it is great.

We have even been able to open the windows and air out the house a bit!

I am working Monday and Tuesday, but then I am off for the rest of spring break for a mini 'staycation' with the kids. I made plans for the kids and I to have some fun and actually get out of the house. (Robert is going to be at work so he won't be able to join us.)

Wednesday is movie day. We will either go to Valley Theatre (the cheap place at $4/person) or rent a few movies, have some popcorn, and some red vines. If we rent I'm leaning towards Bolt and Madagascar 2 - and I don't know what Valley is playing right now so we'll see. EDIT: Valley is cheap because it shows movies that are no longer in the main theaters.

Thursday is garden day. If I can get the cultural pass from the library to the Japanese Garden we will be going there. The cultural pass allows free entrance to some museums, gardens, and the zoo. But it is on a first come, first gets it thing so I don't know if we will get it. If we can't then we will just be going to the rose garden. Hopefully we will see some blooming roses too - still a tad early, but I have seen a few blooming roses around here. We are going to pack up our water color paints, colored pencils, camera, crayons, paper, and of course a little picnic lunch and make it an art trip.

Friday is zoo day. We have a membership to the zoo (BEST $94 I spent last year - paid for itself in 2 visits) and we go a lot since it is free admission for us plus 1 or 2 guests - and we get other freebies and discounts. It will be crazy busy, but we always have a good time. We will pack our lunch and get to eat on their wide open lawn close to the baby elephant. We are curious about some changes lately since they have been getting ready for the new African exhibit they open this summer including bringing back lions to the Oregon Zoo. (Bringing Back the Roar)

Saturday is beach day. Or that is what I'm hoping for. Gotta review the budget and make sure we have enough for gas to and from the beach AND for the next week. It looks good, I don't do a lot of driving during the week - or at all in general, which is a good thing. If we go we will be packing our lunch again and hang out on the beach, walking on the beach, wading in the water a tad (it is always really cold unless it is 100* out) and maybe check out the lighthouse in Newport. I would love to go to the aquarium, but admission is expensive! For what they charge I wanna pet a dolphin or something. If we're lucky we will find enough to do that. I do get a 10% discount from work so it might happen. *crossing fingers*

Anyways them there is our plans for the next week...stay tuned for pics and such.

Oh, and we got the kids' progress reports yesterday. Well, actually just Adam's. Carus says she forgot hers at school. I might check her backpack tomorrow to be sure. I will post the note Adam's teacher sent with his progress report tomorrow or Monday - and Carus's when I get it or find it.

16 March 2009

I heart faces: Green

In celebration of St. Patty’s Day I ♥ Faces is having a green-themed contest and I decided to enter this picture. This is one of my favorite photos right now.
I have some others that I was debating submitting that have been my favorites for years, but determined to be more decisive I settled on this more recent pic. The others are of the kids a few years back standing in a field of green, green grass and in a corn maze taken by gramma and grampa that I just love so much. I posted them here on Flickr so you can still see them - it is CRAZY how much the kids have grown in just a few short years.

This is my first entry on I Heart Faces and I'm only doing the contest for kids - there is a section for adult faces too. Wish me luck!
Be sure to head on over to http://www.iheartfaces.com/ to check out all of the beautiful face entries this week!

11 March 2009

I might have issues

I have an obsession. Well actually I have multiple obsessions, but I'm only referring to one of my obsessions right now.
This one teensy tiny (okay, not so small) obsession is really cute shoes.

I LOVE really cute shoes. I dream about them. I do. I really really do.
When watching TV shows, commercials and movies I see all the cute shoes. They could be shown for half a second and I will see them, and want them. And I will tap Robert on the arm (or if they are really cute I actually smack him HARD, very hard, on the leg) and say 'did you see those shoes!' I have even been known to make him rewind and pause just to point out the really cute shoes!
If I come into a room clutching a magazine, or store add, or something, he will look at me go "NO" and roll his eyes, because he knows that I'm just going to show him a pair of shoes I just have to have.
There are Manolo's and Jimmy Choos that I love and would accept if given to me for free (and would sleep with them and take them everywhere) but with most of those I can't get past the price - that's my rent. . . for 2 months! Or a trip to Hawaii (for just me) - just can't do it.

But the everyday brands are what I truly love. 'Cause technically they are within my budget. I could actually buy them and wear them and love them and squeeze them and hug them and call them George. And not have to file bankruptcy to own them.
Yesterday I was going through the coupons we got in the mail (Tuesday is coupon day) and I found this flyer. And I ooohhed and aaahhed over the first page and these shoes in black. Oh so cute.

And then I turned the page and I made a squeeking sound 'cause I saw these. - yes I squeeked.

LOOK AT THEM! LOOK AT THEM!

LOOK AGAIN!
Every season I have a pair of shoes that I drool over and dream about and these - my spring/summer sandles - are them right now!
I did dream about these last night. I really did. It was a good dream. And then I woke up and looked at my feet, and was disappointed that they didn't magically appear on them.
And I looked them up online today and stared and drooled and pouted.
Even though the price is good for a pair Madden Girl (on sale from $54.99 to $44.99) and I have a coupon for another 20% off of that! Alas, I cannot afford them.
Stupid recession!

A story to remember

Last Friday when I was talking to Granny she told me a story that I liked so much I wanted to get it on here so I could remember it forever. I love Granny's stories. They make me smile and laugh and sometimes I want to cry - but in a good way.

Anyhoo - back to my story about Granny's story.

We were talking recipes and she told me of a meal her mother made during the depression.

Granny's Depression Meal

1 medium potato, cubed (per person)
1 slice of bread, cubed (per person)
1 egg (per person)

Brown the potato in a skillet.
Add the bread and brown that.
Add the egg and cook until done.

Viola.

This is pretty similar to something Robert makes that we call breakfast hash - we don't have bread in ours and we add in cubed ham and top with cheese.

The best part of this story was when Granny told me that this meal chased away a boyfriend. . .

One evening after returning from their night out her boyfriend was hungry so Granny made him this meal, and then she never saw him again.

And she says, "good thing I didn't make it for Gramps."

Yes Granny good thing you didn't make it for Gramps.

Love you!

05 March 2009

Book club

A friend of mine, Crystal, started a book club and we had our first 'meeting' last night at Starbucks.

I drank a white chocolate mocha at 8 pm (closer to 9 when I finished) and talked and laughed with other woman! I know, its amazing, me getting out of the house and all . . . WHAAAT!
And the caffeine only kept me wide awake until I curled up in bed and tried to watch Heroes - then I got sleepy. Stupid body, I'm not tired I wanna watch my show.

Oh and then we went and wandered around Barnes & Nobles, since it was attached to the Starbucks - convenient right - looking for the book we decided we will be reading first and looking for other books on our To-Read list.

Oh yea, the book we're reading this go 'round is Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner. Click here for all that Amazon has on the book. Or here. Or maybe here.
Isn't that THE GREATEST NAME EVER! Both for the title and the author. It just works so well together. I've been reassured that it is not 'that kind' of book.
Robert's reaction when I told him the name was great. He thought I was making a joke or something. hehehe - I said 'weenie'
Since I have to be on a budget and I wasn't feeling the price on the book at B&N ($19) we headed over to Target to see if it was any better....it was ($13)
BUT I knew I could get it cheaper so I rang Robert and he quickly found it on Ebay for $1 with $4 shipping - ONLY $5! Or $8 if I wanna go with a new copy - I think I will splurg since I would like to not get halfway through the book and found a page splooged on or missing, or something.
That reminds me, I need to put that order through...
Anyways! We won't be meeting at Starbucks anymore since someone was able to get the clubhouse at an apartment complex and we will bring snacks and drinks. YAY I can bake again! (I got 'grounded' from baking 'cause Robert likes it too much)
We meet every other Wednesday at 8 pm to discuss a few chapters at a time.
Wanna read along?
Any suggestions for future books?

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