Paper Cup Poet

a desk reimagined

 This is so good.  Have you noticed how Sunset Magazine is really knocking it out lately?  I love this old desk which they reimagined as a happy yellow vanity.  Genius.

I also love that it is so unfussy, it would be perfect in a beach shack. 

See all 6 cool projects here: http://www.sunset.com/home/weekend-projects/salvage-makeover-decorating-projects-00400000043264/page13.html

Now that April is in preschool I have been spending really good one on one time with Ryan.  We go to Whole Foods and play in their kid-spot, go on walks, go get tea at Peets, hang out at home.  I am noticing that he is a funny kid, very sharp and so friendly.  He wears his frog rain boots everywhere which makes people smile.  This is some of the best times I have had as a mother, just hanging out with one of my kids.  On the weekends I try and at least "go have coffee" with April.

Today April said to me, "mommy, let's do coffee soon." 

Yes, mon aimee let's do.

to romp or not to romp?

 I heard the romper was back and was not happy.  Come on!  Even this model feels absurd I am sure.  My 4 year old can rock it, but in another year even she will pass.

Would you wear this?  (images from Nordstrom)

I am old I guess.

I am bathing suit shopping for April.  This Kate Mack number is very cute. 

**Good to know...bathing suit shopping for someone else is totally not upsetting**

dip your brush

 In my Spring cleaning efforts I have been going through old art supplies. Sunday we took a bunch of old paint and gave it to the kids outside.  First I prepped a canvas with leftover wall paint and then I let April go for it. 

I like the way they mix up all the colors and paint with abandon...

even the fence got a little decoration.

It was a most excellent weekend, beautiful weather and the garden all lit with vivid green colors and humming with bees; everything flowering.  Turkey burgers and corn on the cob hit the grill paired with Fat Tire Ale.  There was even Rainbow Sherbet. 

**"Painting is silent poetry, and poetry is painting with the gift of speech."  -Simonides

i love lemon

http://www.watkinsonline.com/family.cfm?Parent=52&family=293&gCatalogLocale=USA

I love this lemon oil (J.R. Watkins) that I get at Target.  I use it after each shower and it perfumes the whole bathroom.  Checking out their website I see they have natural cleaners and gourmet products too.  All made in the USA and totally natural.  Time to shop!

Speaking of shopping.....made a little side trip to Sur La Table today. Ahem.  Purchased a salad spinner which Alton Brown recommended, a microplane zester (finally), a biscuit cutter and some adorable baking paper loaf and star pans!  Excitement!

Oh what to fill these beauties with?  I'm thinking lemon cake.

I'm into making desserts again lately.  Dinner?  Not so much, but there is usually a dessert item.  The other night Marc came home to cake.  I think this absolutely fine, but he thinks there must at least be frozen pizza, for the sake of the kids...

There is one thing more exasperating than a wife who can cook and won't, and that's a wife who can't cook and will.  ~Robert Frost

a rose is a rose, but a cute boy...

 big, blousy roses that Marc grew.  I am loving them scattered around the house.  It has been hot like summer lately which isn't such a bad thing, just curious for April. 

Parents Magazine's blog, Goodyblog has my son up on their Cute Kid Thursday:

http://www.goodyblog.com  Scroll way down to witness his cuteness!  Thank you, Parents!

I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck.
Emma Goldman

garden herb cake

 we had some plump lemons hanging around, so today we made Barefoot Contessa's Lemon cake.  It's done in two loaf pans usually, but I did one loaf and one small round so the kids could decorate it. They harvested some herbs from the garden and stuck them in - viola!  The chive blossoms are pretty funny.  I looked away for one second to adjust my camera and a quarter of the cake had been shoved into to little mouths. 

April's chums and teachers at school all made her a birthday card - so nice!  She brought them home in a bag and we sat and read them instead of napping.  She had a whopping 4 parties this year - pretty lucky.

totally unrelated, but...Tracy Feith for Target is coming (or is it here?)  Surfer girl cute stuff.  The bark cloth skirt and 8 tee are good. 

friday candy

courtesy of Dylan's Candy Bar NYC!   Zero calories too.  Have a sweet weekend!

the high priestess of heirlooms

 While we were home in Santa Cruz we made a little detour to Ben Lomond and checked out Love Apple Farm: http://loveapplefarm.typepad.com. Here is the farmer, Cynthia Sandberg with her babies (heirloom tomatoes).  The farm is the kitchen garden for Manresa Restaurant in Los Gatos, whose chef, David Kinch recently conquered Bobby Flay on Iron Chef.  This is all very important to me, as I love Food Network and love anything farming.

Here are the beautiful, well-loved greens just begging for Chef Kinch to turn them into tantalizing salads. I was in a bad mood for about an hour after I realized we could not afford to dine at Manresa.  They are serving the Iron Chef winning menu right now which would be a fun dinner.

 This is why we stopped by.  Amazing, rare varieties of heirloom tomatoes (over 100 varieties!) We picked up some for us and some for friends.  I picked a steaky yellow and a purple-black one.  I am so excited to make tomato sandwiches this summer. 

 How to grow superior tomatoes...it's all about the BIG, FAT FISH HEAD apparently!  I find this creepy good.

"It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato." - Lewis Grizzard

A is for April

 My flower child is 4 today!!  She's big now she tells me.  She asked me "mommy, what's your number?" I said 40.  She said, "that's big and old."

April, you are the funniest, nicest, smartest, most loving girl I know.  Wear as much PINK as you want to.  Jump on the bed.  Hold hands with your friends.  Laugh loudly.  Cry.  Ride roller coasters.  Dig in your garden.  Draw beautiful pictures.  Read many books.  Eat cupcakes and ice cream.  Have fun!

Every tear is answered by a blossom, Every sigh with songs and laughter blent, April-blooms upon the breezes toss them. April knows her own, and is content.
-Susan Coolidge

holiday highlights

  My favorite things from a long weekend in Santa Cruz: 

dinner at Riva with Marc, riding the Giant Dipper and screaming into his ear as loud as I possibly could, a white-tea party with a blooming tea flower, salad with edible flowers, a party for April with a yellow princess cake, Marc with a baseball mitt, Ryan watering the garden, visiting the tomato farmer and watching two kids hunt for plastic eggs in fresh green grass.

In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.  ~Margaret Atwood