Handbag Giveaway

The Contest is over . . .

A friend of mine was just telling be about a cute bag she sewed out of place mats (I've yet to see it but it sounds darn cute). I can't sew to save my life but would love to try (hopefully not in order to save my life). I just stumbled across this giveaway for a handcrafted handbag from this talented lady. Check it out!

Muffin Tin Monday at the Beach

Monkey's latest muffin tin was eaten on the deck at Kingfisher Cabin on Vashon. The beach was much more interesting than the day's muffin tin so not much was eaten (although all the blackberries were promptly inhaled). Here it is in all it's beachy glory.



Grapes
Cheese & Turkey
Grape Tomatoes
Blackberries picked from the driveway
Baby Belle Cheese
Black Beans





Alas, we are now home from the beach. I miss it, but I love sleeping in my own bed WITHOUT Monkey!

See all the muffin tin mamas at FrannyKate's Creative State (Sycamore Stirrings is on vacation).

Mormon Muffins

Recipe Thursday

A lovely friend of mine (who grew up in Utah) brought these muffins to share for an overnight we had with the kiddos at the Kingfisher Cabin on Vashon. Monkey loved them (and I inhaled a few too many myself). I made them again this trip and they were well received by all (and I'm not a pro baker like she is so this was an amazing feat). This time I made them with whole wheat flour so they weren't quite as attractive but just as yummy. What's great about this recipe is that the batter stays good in the fridge for a week so you can bake what you need each day. Fresh muffins without going to the coffee shop--yum!

These muffins were made famous by the Greenery restaurant in Ogden, Utah. Get the recipe here.

Fun with Snails

I love to watch Monkey exploring his world. When he discovers something new (and let's face it most things are new to those that are two) I feel like I get to experience it all over again too. It reminds me of how I felt as a child. My dad used to try to explain this wonderful parenting phenomena to me via this story:

When I was little, my dad would take me on walks around the neighborhood. When this began he was really into getting from point A to point B--that's what a walk is all about, right? You're going somewhere for goodness sake! Well, that (of course) was not what walks were about for me. Walks were about discovering new things and picking up gross stuff. One day I stopped (yet again) and was bent down looking at something up close and personal. My dad stopped to look too. I was about to touch some chewed up gum and his instinct was to pull me away from the disgusting glob and continue on the walk. But on this day I looked up at my dad, pointed at the glob and said, "horsey!" with such joy and wonder that he stopped and looked at the gum blob. He's told me this story again and again and always says, "and damn if it didn't look like a horse!" So from that day on he decided to slow down and look at life from kid-level (and he hasn't stopped since--love you dad!). I try desperately to do that and some days I succeed (and of course many days I don't).

Last week we played with a snail. It had rained in the morning and the snails were all over the place. They were desperately trying to get back to cover as the sun was now blazing. He found a few in the driveway and then (after I was ordered to find more snails) we went all over the yard looking under big leaves and finding whole families. After his interest dwindled he decided to ride his trike around the deck while I fixed up his muffin tin lunch. As I was arranging the fruit I hear, "Mommy! It's moving!" so I come out to see what the fuss is all about. He'd found another snail stuck to the bottom of the plastic cup he uses to water the plants with his leftover pool water each night. Now, as a child I thought snails were cool and exotic (because we didn't have any that I know of in Seattle--the first time I ever saw them was in California and I thought they were the cutest things). Well, times have changed for me and snails and now they are the bane of my existence (well, my garden's existence) and when I see snails I don't feel all cuddly anymore. But enough about that . . . I held all my hatred for the snail inside and shared the moment with Monkey. I showed him how the tentacles shrink when you touch them gently and how it pulls back into his shell, etc. I brought out lunch while he was still "experimenting." As I came out he was talking to the snail and he offered to share his lunch. He decided the snail would like some cantaloupe so gave him some. All in all it was a great little moment in kid-dom that I got to share. After all the cuteness was over he threw him onto the driveway (oops). I feigned concern for the snail but inside I was cheering that the little bastard wouldn't be eating our tomatoes (although I'm sure his cousins will).

Muffin Tin Monday

Monkey's latest muffin tin:

salami & cheese
butterfly pbj
grapes
cantaloupe
alpine strawberries from the garden
watermelon

Check out the party tins over at Sycamore Stirrings. I couldn't get my party in gear this week, but we did eat this in the garden.

Monkey left some in the tin but instructed me to "save it in the fridge & put back in tin later." So I then had to wrap it up and take it on the ferry with us since we were off to Vashon. I ended up snacking on it since he fell asleep! But now we have a muffin tin at the cabin just waiting to be filled.

Time is running out!

It happens every year . . . you're finally into the swing of summer and suddenly you realize it's almost over! I had grand plans for this year. We were going to do all sorts of exciting side day trips and overnights and, and, and . . . and now almost all weekends are taken up! What happened to the camping trip I so wanted to plan? Hopefully the weather will stay decent into October and we'll get out there to experience a night or two in a tent with Monkey. Mark thinks I'm CRAZY for wanting this :) but he'll indulge me as long as I can get us all out there. I bought a tent and everything (there's no way we're going in our teensy backpacking tent!).

Other things on the list we haven't gotten to:

Remlinger Farms
Biringer Farms
Wolf Haven
NW Trek

There's more I'm sure but the list is at home and we're on Vashon so let's focus on what we HAVE done!

Kingfisher Cabin on Vashon the best part (aside from the beach) is the grandparents next door!
Lots and lots of digging and splashing at Golden Gardens
Exploring at Carkeek
Checking out the fish (and boats) at the Locks
Fish & Chips at the Totem House
Splashing in the backyard pool with friends
Monkey learning to ride his tricycle
Margaritas on the deck, more margaritas on the deck . . . and more . . .
Park dates with lots of friends
Boat rides with Monkey
Monkey visiting his cousins
Feeding the goats
First vegetable garden ever
Swimming in the Sound (yes, I'm a crazy born & bred Northwesterner)
Fun with snails
Picking berries
Farm Tots at South 47 Farm (sans wagon ride as Monkey balks each and every time)
Painting in the backyard
Naked days (for Monkey, not for me!)
Monkey's first popsicle (first of many now!)
many trips to get CHOCOLATE ice cream cones at The Scoop at Walter's
Outdoor "soccer"
Swim lessons
Owls, eagles, kingfishers, seagulls, ducks, etc.
Muffin tins
Point Defiance Zoo trip
Family Reunion
Countless hours of throwing rocks into the water
Looking for crabs (and watching Monkey's face as one scrabbles across his palm)

and hopefully we'll stuff a few more things in before fall arrives!
What have your favorite activities been this summer?
Or what's still on your list?

Act now!

p.s. Let me know if you have any good (nearby) campsites to recommend. I am DETERMINED!

What a difference 7 days make!

This year we finally filled in the planters Mark built when he covered the hideous green concrete patio with our new deck (he's cute AND handy!). So I decided to jump into the wild world of vegetables. I've always been a perennial gal and have only grown tomatoes in pots but this year I wanted Monkey to see some edible stuff grow--and I hope and pray he may EAT some of the bounty. Gotta stuff some veggies in that kid somehow!

Well, the weather and my plans did not coincide too well this year. I didn't think we'd ever have tomatoes after weeks of watching my plants just sit there. Who knew all we had to do was go away for a week! Everything shot up while we were gone (thanks to M for watering so well!). My beans have gone past the top of the pole and are madly twirling themselves towards the clouds. Monkey's beans are almost to the top of the pole (he insisted on planting his own spot). The squash has exploded and today I saw actual squash! Wahoo! Let's hope the pumpkins are on the same track.