Cha Cha Changes!

We've recently made some changes

in our household.

Tyler found a new identity.

Keira graduated to a

high back booster seat.

Minna (mean-uh) has jokingly been renamed

*Sparkles*

Courtesy of Keira & Travis.
{{She's content to answer to any name,
as long as you say it in a happy tone & rub her belly.}}

And.....

My rosemary has taken a turn for the worse.

Is there a use for sun-dried rosemary?
:/

I ♥ Houses

I have this thing for houses.

I even dream about them!  In fact, my most commonly reoccurring dream is one where we're moving into a new house & I get to explore, finding the {{sometimes hidden}} rooms & the amazing layouts.  It's really never the same house, but the theme is always the same. 

I can't even let myself click past HGTV on work nights, because if House Hunters happens to be on, I often end up being awake past my bed time.  If they happen to be looking at a rustic country home in Italy {{like this one}}... forget about it!  I can't even blink, much less close my eyes to sleep! 

Homey features I especially love and covet are mud rooms, Arizona rooms, basements, and homes located on large property... perhaps fronting a lake.  Oh, and fireplaces that are flesh with the floor and reach up high past your head.  I think I saw that in an episode of The Tudors?

My favorite house are old and therefore have a story and great character.

Previously, I blogged about the house that is believed, by some, to have inspired "The Great Gatsby" & lamented the fact it was set to be demolished. 

Yesterday I saw that the house from the movie, "Marley & Me" is up for sale.  This house totally stood out to me in the movie.   

I'm off to mine our couches for 1.5 million,

so I can buy this little beauty!

♥

Too Much Painting



Recent decoration discussions with a SIL lead me to paint a wall in the boys' room this weekend.  One wall, with a nook.  A soft grey for most of said wall and an olive'ish green (actually named gecko green) for the back wall of the nook.  A quart of each color.  It turns out I need about a half a cup more of the grey to finish tough spots in the nook, but I'm just too tired and paint fume headed to do it this weekend.  I promise MYSELF that I'll finish it up this week, one night after work.  Once I buy the paint, it should be really quick and easy to finish.  I'm just hoping the kids don't peel the blue tape off so I don't have to redo that before I can put this project to bed!

I wasn't the only one painting this weekend.  The kids each had a paint project.  One bird house, one wind chime and one bird house wind chime combo!  It was really cute watching the earnest concentration and love that went into their work.  Too bad I was too groggy headed after spraying on sealant to remember to take an afer picture! Duh. 

Today was spent with my handsome Daddy & a whole bunch of other family celebrating the fathers in our lives. 

I sure ♥ this guy!

And a BIG shout-out to my baby daddy who wasn't able to join us for the fun.  I'm thankful for the hard work he does to take care of us, weekends and all. 

♥♥♥

Keira's Good Day Song

Keira learned this at her school. 

It's better than coffee in the morning!

♥

Eastman Family Fun Day

I just spent the most lovely day with my sweet family. 

We spent a day at Wet 'n Wild enjoying the Arizona sun and nice, cool, heavily chlorinated {{Thank God}} water!  Unfortunately, I didn't get many pictures of that.  For it's own protection, the camera spent most of our time there in the locker.  I did, however, get pictures of Nathan & the kids enjoying a pit stop on our way home.

At the water park, the kids loved the wave pool the very most.  They love to jump the waves.  We also spent a great deal of time at the kiddie land, which if I ever get rich I will have replicated in my back yard because it is just too fun.  One element of it is this giant bucket that gets filled up with gallons and gallons of water and tips over drenching whoever is under it.  Nathan tried to trick me into standing under it, but botched it and I figured out he was up to no good.  Travis & Keira both fell for it & thoroughly enjoyed their soakings. 

After a quick stop at Baskin Robbins, we were home.  It wasn't long before Nathan & I were alseep on the couch.  The kids are still (9:40 pm) going strong.  Figures!

:)

~ So stylin in our water socks ~

~ Keira's cold in 110 weather ~

~ Waiting for Daddy & Trabby ~

~ Time for 31 Flavors ~

♥ Yummy chocolate lips ♥

~ He just realized he picked the wrong flavor ~

~ Spoiled Babies! (Daddy did it) ~

Rosemary

There’s rosemary and rue. These keep

Seeming and savor all the winter long.

Grace and remembrance be to you.
- William Shakespeare (Winter’s Tale, Act 4, Scene 4)

I love this herb and I'm hoping it loves me. 

Potted yesterday & still in fair shape when I got home today.  Hopefully it will last through to winter so I can add savor to my dishes then.  The Lord knows it's tough being holed up inside for an AZ winter without some savory dishes.

:)

My Idea of Summer

Brenda & Tristan invited us to their new house for a BBQ Saturday. 

My assignment was to bring dessert & I knew just what to make!

 It's probably some neurotic condition or something, but I get fixated on trying to induce feelings of what I think seasons {{events, holidays, dates, GNO's, First Days of School, etc.}} should be like and it always starts with me picturing what the purest, most warm and fuzzy element of said event should be.  Usually it involves food. {{I'll just come out and admit that now.}}  Anywho... this year, Summer looks like chocolate cake.  At some time in my past there was a book and in the story Minnie Mouse makes and packs up a chocolate cake for a picnic with Mickey Mouse.  Something about that cake stuck with me and for whatever reason resurfaced as what the Summer of 2011 should be.

So, I googled recipes for chocolate cake & chocolate frosting and came up with this cake & this frosting.  They are both very simple and easy to do & use very basic ingredients, but turn out fantastic! 

Pizza Picnic

My kids had the great idea to eat our take out pizza

at the park by our house. 

How kids "play" at the park these days!

{My kids have FANTASTIC ideas!}