Paper Cup Poet

colorful family

  Tulips from the garden.  I know they're not roses, but isn't there something so Soprano's about this arrangement?  

4 year old's are fearless with color.  I'm taking note to be a little more daring with my tights.  The gladiators are new from Target...I was hoping she would want the gold, but no, they had to be shocking pink!  I think Elsa Schiaparelli would approve.  She didn't want to take them off and when she finally did she held them in her lap while watching Dora - I totally understand this.

  Eggs have been dipped in beautiful rainbow colors!  I'm filling the hollow ones with wheat grass. 

I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way - things I had no words for.
Georgia O'Keeffe

weekend projects

  the brown wall was painted by Marc long ago and finally the black and white pictures are going up!  I am happy with the results and plan to keep adding to it.

croutons were made!  From a loaf of white bread from the bread machine.  These are totally easy.  I may never buy croutons again.  We spritzed them with olive oil added chopped garlic and minced fresh herbs from the garden. 

April is super into drawing birthday cakes.  Here is one she did for me.  I love all the dots (confetti?) and the mom written on top. 

inspired by the composting at April's school, Marc has finally decided to get on the composting band wagon.  This is Ryan watering the composter at Morningstar Montessori in Lincoln. 

two lips

  Marc grew these flowers for us in the garden.  When I went downstairs yesterday morning these were sitting on the counter.  What a nice man.  I have noticed that I have recurring themes in my blogging and one of them is talking about how good a guy Marc is.  Too bad he doesn't read this blog!

April and Ryan love collecting stuff from the backyard and garden.  Here a compilation of leaves, twigs, petals and what not that April insisted be decanted into a vessel for our table centerpiece for dinner last night.  I ablige almost every kid request that does not require me to do more than 2 hours of cleanup. 

Inspire me:  tulips-especially striped ones, things that might normally be considered junk, first ladies setting up edible gardens, rainbow colors, mettalics, the fashion choices of an almost 4 year old, the kid gardening collection at Target, lemons and one fantastic drawing of a birthday cake presented to me this morning.

sacred shopping

  shhhh...both my children are napping.  This is a rare and elusive thing -it feels like a present.  Let's celebrate with a little sandal shopping, shall we?  The rosette embellished beauties above are Poetic License.  Want.

Pedal to the metal...mettalics are still going strong and I love these Tory Burch logo thongs.  True gladiators scare me, but these are just a little bit glad.  Want these too.

These babies are Jessica Simpson and are so Big Sur, neo hippie chic I could die.  I'd wear them tailored shorts, tissue tee's and a (fake) tan.  REALLY WANT!

Is it me or is sandal shopping in spring the happiest thing ever? 

lemon aid

  I got my new Sunset in the mail today and I was so happy to see the Meyer lemon as a new Sunset essential.  Our own Meyer lemon tree is prolific and I have found so many good uses for these sunny globes.  (This photo is Thomas J. Story/Sunset)

I have swapped my morning coffee with a big glass of water fortified with a juicy squeeze of lemon.  I know this sounds crazy, but I swear I am so clean and hydrated and happy in the mornings now!

Old lemons morph into sink scrubbers, white clothes stain rubs and garbage disposal sanitizers.  A little squirt into cleaning liquid makes everything sparkle.

If you haven't made lemon pound cake or lemon chicken or lemon pasta with a Meyer - you should! 

Since Domino is gone (RIP!) I decided to subscribe to Sunset.  I have been reading my mom's since I was a kid in the 70's and I think it is just as vital now.  Even my 4 year old gives it a little nod!

Favorite magazines as of late:  Martha Stewart Weddings, Cookie, WonderTime, Parents, Country Living, Better Homes & Gardens, Sunset, Sacramento Parent, Bon Appetit, Gourmet.....and on and on....

welcome spring

    Spring stuff happened all weekend!

Cleaning:  windows were thrown open, floors were scrubbed, lemons and baking soda were sent down the disposal and the grapefruit candle was lit.  Like a religious experience for me, since the kids were gone all day.  Plus it rained lightly and I got to listen to only that.  Bliss.

Greening:  finally I got around to making natural cleaners.  I am done with harsh chemicals.  The new issue of Real Simple magazine has an excellent article on this.  I am all about castile soap, baking soda, vinegar, essential oils and of course lemon.

Peeping:  Yes, Peeps were bought, nests were made out of chow mein noodles (make like a rice krispy treat) and kids consumed them.  We are all mad for marshmallow around here. 

**Spring has returned.  The Earth is like a child that knows poems.  ~Rainer Maria Rilke

friday candy

  I will make these cotton candy topped, grown up floats from Martha Stewart Weddings!

Lollipop centerpiece from Everyday Rachael Ray magazine.  Love it.

**PEEPS ARE BACK**  April and I cannot wait to make peep-topped cupcakes...Giddyup!

Have a sparkling weekend!!

green stuff and a pinch

  things that are green:  money, envy, being good to the earth and these chucks.

DON'T OVERMOTHER:      a few months back while at a park with Ryan in Santa Cruz a homeless man who was playing drums at a picnic table yelled to me:  DON'T OVERMOTHER, MOTHER!!  LET HIM BE FREE...LET HIM BE BEAUTIFUL. 

I dismissed it and said, "okay, sir" thinking how ridiculous, I would never OVER mother.  Never.  Not me.

**But every so often like the lyrics to a song you don't even like, I hear it again in my head.  Is it possible this man saw something about me that I can't see myself?  It's like a little pinch.**

red plane and a great wind

  I don't know which was funnier: the look of pure delight as April figured out the joystick and got lift in her red plane.  Or Marc trying to wedge all 6'3 inches of himself into the back of the plane.

this guy was happy just to watch the rides.  He did the choo choo and then called it quits.  We did have him on a plane, but the ride had to be stopped so we could get his crying self off.  I am still pretty sure he is a future pilot or astronaut though. 

**I am officially over all this pre-birthday moodiness**  I will turn 40 and everything will be fine!

"Sometimes I go about in pity for myself, and all the while a great wind carries me across the sky."  -Ojibwe saying

cotton candy

  there are very few things I like better than this.  I think it was one of those forbidden foods of childhood for me or something.  I had this for lunch. 

Marc had a corn dog with mustard.

We spent the day at Funderland in Sacramento's Land Park.  It is aptly named.  It's vintage America at its best and simple in the loveliest of ways.

List of favorite faire foods:  cotton candy, caramel corn, corn dog, deep fried snickers....churro.