I LOVE HEARING GIGGLING

while we watch TV together.

Tonight we watched It's The Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown and it just made my heart full....
Snuggling on the couch with my wee ones, being amused, laughing and having a great 'quieter' time with my man clan.

It's the best....

A 60 SECOND

catchy tune and sweet, modern day love story called The Accidental Duet...

via slash/slash

I'm loving this UK ad for Match.com.
Watch it, it will make you smile....

FIREFLIES

intrigue me and I have a vague childhood memory of running around and catching some with mason jars in hand when we lived in Indiana....

photo found here

I'd love to relive that memory one day.
I'll be visiting Iowa in a few weeks, and I heard through the grapevine fireflies reside there.
Sherri, what do you think my chances are to frolic with the fireflies?

BEFORE & AFTER

of the family wall in the living room is almost done....

As you can see there are 2 frames waiting for photos and a frame or two needs to be raised a smidge.

I'm really happy with how our gallery wall is turning out and the story it's telling about us....

TIRE SWINGS AND TREE FORTS

aren't in our back yard since we don't have honkin' trees....

But the wee ones have access to that boy fun and love it...

SISTERLY LOVE

was delivered to my inbox - it made me happy.
Awe, so sweet...

Thanks Steph and I love you too!

I HAD A MOVIE DATE

with one of my man clan....

This was my favorite part of the date....

We saw How To Train Your Dragon and we both give it two thumbs up - we loved, loved, LOVED it!

{TUTORIAL} CHOCOLATE MARSHMALLOW EGGS

Wash and dry an egg. Fill three 11x13 pans with flour, approx 1 - 1 1/2 inches deep. Push egg into flour to create a mold.

In a large bowl combine 2 envelopes gelatin and 1/4 cup water and let stand. Boil 1 cup water and add to gelatin. Mix well and add 2 cups sugar, a pinch of salt, 1/2 tsp vanilla and if you wish, food coloring.

Beat with mixer until thick and soft peaks form. If you use a mixer like mine, it will take you about 15 minutes, which seems like an eternity - one of these days I'll have one of these.
Martha, can you hear me? I need a fairy godmother to hook me up with kitchen tool awesomeness!!

Spoon mixture into flour molds and let the marshmallow set.

When set, turn eggs in flour to coat all sides. Remove and brush off excess flour.

Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Dip eggs and cover all sides. Place on wax paper to cool and set.

I was out of wax paper so I used tin foil. See Martha, I told you I need you!

It's as easy as that.
Enjoy your wonderfully delicious, imperfect, one of a kind, soft marshmallow eggs that will make your tastebuds dance.

Thanks again Mona for teaching me how to make these!!

TODAY IS A WONDERFUL DAY

to celebrate Sarah's birthday....

Sarah is fun and funny, beautiful, kind, looks gorgeous laying awkwardly in a meadow with Edward, smart, thoughtful, interesting and a great mom and wife.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARAH!

NOT ONLY DID I LEARN HOW TO MAKE

marshmallows, I learned how to make chocolate covered marshmallow eggs....
Let me introduce you to Ms. Mona the Extraordinaire.
She is an amazing, talented woman who I've known for about 16 years.
She makes the best chocolate covered strawberries in town
and I'm hoping one day she will take my advice and open a shop - she's that good!
Anyway, tonight she was Le Professeur in the kitchen and taught some chocolate covered marshmallow egg skills!

Deliciousness in the kitchen, uh huh - I know you don't even have to guess what I'll be up to this weekend....

MOTHER GOOSE POPCORN

is a yummy childhood memory and today I made it for my man clan.... 1/2 cup milk
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
food coloring
8 cups popcorn - popped

Bring milk and sugar to a boil. Add vanilla and food coloring. Pour over popcorn and toss until well coated. Spread out on a cookie sheet to cool. (As it cools it will be less sticky)


Ivon, do you remember us making this?

PS - we chose blue food coloring but for some reason and blueness went away while stirring and gave us green - it was still delicious!

OFF WITH THEIR HAIR!

Before and afters....

I think they look so much better, don't you?

THREE QUESTIONS -

1. Are you a peeps lover?
2. Is your preference fresh, stale or frozen?
3. Isn't this the cutest idea for a springtime brunch?!
Thanks to Dana if you want to do this brunch idea, you can click here for the tutorial for the felt bunny bunting....

THREE OF MY MAN CLAN AND I

went to the gorgeous Tulip Festival today.
The weather couldn't have been any better and we had so much fun!!

It goes through April 25th and it's definitely worth a look-see.....

THE MTV SPRING PRODUCT GUIDE 2010

is out, online and features two of our boards that are being sold at Uncle Funkys in New York.
Click here to see the rest of the Spring Break Guide...
FYI - The longboard on the left is an Adam's Old Skool Dancer and the one on the right is a Komodo.

We're a smidge excited!!!!!

I WANT TO PUT OUR TRAMPOLINE

into the ground.
Have any of you done this as a DIY project?

DELICIOUSNESS IS WAITING FOR ME

I'm wanting this Zoku Quick Pop Maker.... Doesn't it look fantastic!

DID YOU GO TO A MIDNIGHT

release for the New Moon DVD release?

Of course we did.....

DIFFUSED EARLY MORNING LIGHT

makes me happy....I'm loving these sunny days....

EAGLE SCOUT, HERE WE COME...

At the Court of Honor last night, Larry J got his Life and Eagle packet and Laird got his First Class.

In our house, in order to get a driver's permit the man clan needs to have their Eagle.

With 9 months before his 15th birthday, Larry J is FOCUSED on his Eagle project.

FOR SKYWATCH FRIDAY

If you would like to participate in Skywatch Friday, post a photo you have taken featuring sky. Click here and follow the easy instructions.

RANDOM LETTERS

Dear Lady Gaga,
You have very catchy songs with a great beat. Please stop singing about vertical sticks.

Dear Sun,
Thank you for being out and so beautiful. Please stay for Spring Break.

Dear Albertsons,
I love your sales! Keep them coming.

Dear dining room chairs,
Please hold on to the felt pads so you'll stop scratching my floors.

Dear Pur,
Thank you for making our water even more delicious.

Dear husband,
I love you and our man clan.

Dear cousins,
I'm having so much fun reconnecting with you!

AN IRISH FAMILY TRADITION

was brought over to us tonight by Grandma Joan - a sprouting potato....Let the potato sprout a few more days, cut into wedges and leave out to seal.
Plant in soil and when it grows, you dig them up and you have a "pot of gold"en potatoes to eat!

Thanks Grandma Joan!

WE HAD A TRADITIONAL MEETS

Green Gala for St. Patrick's Day dinner.

The traditional - corned beef, cabbage, Irish soda bread, green beans.

The Green Gala - pesto mashed potatoes, green Grandma Joan rolls, green lemonade....

And the evening was finished off with rainbow cupcakes, fresh whipped cream (for the clouds) and chocolate coins, which we all would love to find at the end of the rainbow.

I hope your dinner was as delicious and fun as ours.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!