Cluck and Tweet

What I was going to do, but didn't. And what I did do. Thank goodness.

I was going to write about some to-die-for pesto and some fabulous-to-freeze carrot soup (I'm in fully freaking out it's almost fall stock up the icebox mode).  Or, I was going to write about Alison's great houseful of art-- ps, she and Sam used to give each other the gift of said art for anniversaries-- and how we have a few pieces of great art, but I've got an ever growing list I thought I could share of the "someday" works we hope to own.  Or, I was going to write about Max throwing the longest temper tantrum in the history of four year olds last week (but not really, because there wouldn't be much to say besides headache. scream. headache. scream. fast forward until past bedtime, and big. glass. of. wine).

But I can't write about any of that, because really, my week was just too busy.  I mean, who has time to create a post when the fair is in town?  

I HATE THE FAIR, by the way, and never, ever would have taken them if my mom wouldn't have said that four letter word in front to two very elephant-like in memory grandsons.  

But I went. And my kids truly had a lovely time, getting on rides run by men who were definitely possibly stoned,

 and learning how it feels to have a rifle in their hands. 

Good times, people. Good times.

And when I wasn't running around the midway this week? I was clamoring through a slide far too small for adults.

 And loving every minute of it, because it meant I had a solo date with my girl. 

No errands. No big plans. Just sharing a scone, playing at the park, and eating lunch-- just the two of us, although it was unexpected (the boys clearly needed a break in routine that involved putt putt golf and an adult that was not their mother) and required me to totally juggles my schedule.

And this weekend? Well, this weekend we traveled to Traverse City, to watch this hot guy 

(I mean, come on-- look at those legs!) rip it up with his buddies on a crazy in-town race course one day, and a monster climbing hill course the next.  It rained like crazy the first day, and was windy and cold the next-- and those are some tough conditions to do the "hurry up and wait" game with three littles beside you. 

 It didn't matter one bit though, because I forgot how fun it is to be on the sidelines cheering for someone you love doing something they love-- 

and doing it well, I might add.

So that's it, folks.  My last week of August, wrapped up in the joy of being open to whatever opportunities came our way-- even if they seemed less-than-ideal upon first glance.  It's a good reminder for me as we head into September, and a good opportunity for you to practice some free family fun of your own this week (unless the awful fair is in your town now. Then you're going to have to shell out the dough).  Otherwise, just do this:: clear an afternoon or morning...or a day or a week... from your schedule and just see what pops up. Or plan a solo date with one of the kids. Or do something with your partner that is all about their passion, just to watch 'em light up.  What a way to welcome in the month that brings us closer to warm fires and lots of tucked in family nights...

Rain + Cold + More Rain + Vacation = The Best Trip Ever

It all began with this woman:

Well, it didn't all begin with her.  But this trip, and all the memories created, are because of her.  "Her" is my mother-in-law, Rosemary, who looks cute, but is not.  She's distinguished.  She's gracious and kind and doesn't like being called cute.  (Secretly, and very warmly, I still think she's cute.  But don't tell her I said that.)

Seven years ago Rosie brought her oldest daughter's family on a trip with The Boat Company and for seven years we had to endure the photos and stories about this wonderful trip.  I truly thought it sounded nice, but come on... I saw the pictures.  It was rainy and gray and they were dressed for winter.   In the summer. 

I love to travel.  Even more, I love the thought of travel.  When Rosie came to visit us in the spring and said she'd like to take our family and her daughter's family to Alaska I was a bit giddy at the prospects. We didn't initially plan on a Boat Company trip because it's not cheap, but anything we looked at didn't compare in Rosemary's eyes.  It always came back to The Boat Company.  I looked at charters: "Well, it's just not quite like The Boat Company."  I read on-line reviews:  "Doesn't sound like the same experience as The Boat Company."  The Boat Company.  The Boat Company.  So I called Kathy.  At The Boat Company.

Don't ever call Kathy at the Boat Company unless you are prepared to sign up for this trip.  Because there is no fence sitting once Kathy gets ahold of you.  She's enthusiastic and friendly and once crewed the boat herself.  I got off the phone with her once and Anna, who had overheard the conversation said, "Did you make a new friend?"   As if it were the first day of preschool and she was proud of me. 

This was one of our first glimpses of the boat, the Mist Cove, sandwiched between two enormously large cruise ships.  I know there's a large contingency of people who love their cruise ships, but I'm not one of them.  I was so glad not to be on one of those ships.  We had an ongoing discussion amongst ourselves whether it's better to go on a large, less expensive cruise on one of these ships or to not go on a trip at all.  

I don't think there was a consensus one way or another, but my 15-year-old niece, Ginny, who is not a nature girl (I still have hope for her, however, because that girl was game for anything!), thought the twisty slide on top of the Carnival Spirit looked like a lot of fun.

We flew into Juneau and spent two nights here:

 

The Westmark Baranof.  It doesn't look nearly this fancy in person.  If you were to stay here, hypothetically speaking, of course, I would highly recommend requesting a room on the backside of the building unless you want to hear all the street noise and someone yelling for Jimmy at 3 in the morning which is highly disconcerting when your son is named Jimmie and you wonder why people are yelling for him.  And then I would highly, HIGHLY recommend that you do NOT get a room next to Eric and Lisa for two nights because they are she is quite loud and even louder after you complain to the front desk and they call to ask them to be quieter.  Let's just say I was really glad Anna slept through it all and that my ears needed a solid bleaching after that night.

Juneau is an interesting mix of outdoorsy tourist town and cruise line destination.  I liked the outdoorsy part of it and there were some great little shops hidden amongst the traps, but I learned that many of the shops closer to where the cruise ships dock are actually owned by the cruise ship companies.  Which would explain all the sales on Tanzanite and Tourmaline and Gold that look exactly like the sales of jewelry that you see in the Caymans, for example.   

We rented a wreck in Juneau for 24 hours at $135 for a van that fit all 9 of us very comfortably.  It didn't come with a driver, but we had our own who constantly referred to himself in the third person so he didn't receive a tip.

There's nowhere far to go around Juneau since it's landlocked, but we wanted to see Mendenhall Glacier, our first for the trip:

At the time we thought the ice floes were amazing.  Then we saw this:

Not knowing that in a couple days we would be doing this:

and watching this:

You poor people.  Are you still here?  Because this is just the beginning.  

I Haven't Been Drinking...

So, I have just returned from the balmy shores of Alaska where we spent a week on this boat:

with some of these creatures for company:

I'm still swaying a little from being on a boat for that long.  So if you see me weaving from side-to-side it's not because I'm drunk.  Really.

It was a once-in-a-lifetime trip that will take me several posts to fully convey, so bear with me.  No pun intended.  (Although any time someone says that, the pun is fully intended, isn't it?)

Simple Notecards

I don't know about all of you, but I detest going into a greeting card store.  I end up spending so much time looking for the perfect sentiments-- which I rarely find-- and yet, I also walk out with a much lighter wallet (how does that happen??)

In any case, we've started making cards around here. Simple, fun, and far more economical.  I buys stock blank card and envelope sets (I go to a craft store, but I know in an overwhelming google search there are even cheaper resources online).  

The biggest cost comes up front, with both the cards and an alphabet stamp set.  I like the wooden ones-- I think they last longer than foam, plus, well, I just like the look much better.  Get a couple of stamp pads-- choose colors with thoughts of what type of cards you'll likely be making, what seasons you'll send them, etc.

And then? The sky is the limit!  I use some  favorite quotes, and often (and more fun) quotes from the mouths of my babes.  To date my favorites include Maxism's like "Holy Guacamole, you gotta be kidding!" and "You are so lucky because you know the world's best toilet clogger!" (obviously that one can only darken the mailboxes of a select few).

Sometimes, the kids personalize the cards with artwork.  I'm collecting other cool stamps for this pirpose too.  The greatest thing about making cards, however, really is the ability to make a card with a specific person in mind-- you can really say what you want, without too much (or little!) greeting card fluff behind it.

Meet my husband, the worm.

What an honor to be a guest Clucker. While I don’t regularly follow this wonderful blog, I do manage to check in every once in a while when time allows. Following the creation of cluck and Tweet, I was an avid reader until learning from Max that Mr. Wonderful and I were actually represented on the unique banner the girls had created.  While the kids all have a unique character, I found that the worm was the Dads. Correct,  folks: Sam and I are together one worm. Wonderful to know that we mean so much to Kate and Allison that they could not even create two worms….but only one. Anyhow, I don’t follow as often as I used to, but I’m not bitter about the worm at all….

 

So when I heard that Allison and family were heading to Alaska for the Wii-fit family challenge, and Kate was left to cluck and tweet alone, I offered to help. Albeit in a small way.  Since I am not as witty as Allison nor as creative or as well spoken as my wife, I offered to fill in and take 10 photos from one spot. I figured how hard could it be? And besides, Allison has not really set the bar that high in her 10 shots one spot. These shots were taken from the roof of my office in downtown Harbor Springs (shameless plug coming up here) where I sell boats of all sizes to people from all over the world. (www.walstrom.com) in case you need or want one. without further ado, 10 shots one spot….

 

 

J (aka part of the worm)

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of These Things Is Not Like the Others

Part One:  Giddy with Anticipation

Part Two:  I Hope We Can Figure Out Which Boat Is Ours

We'll be getting on one of these boats today (my niece hopes that it's the one with the twirly slide on top!  It's not.  Don't tell her.) and will be off the grid for a week.  Probably.  By the time we get back we'll all be full of sunshine and smiles.  All of us.

Sponge Bob

Kate and I have named the craft section of this blog "Bob" for reasons that should seem obvious, but, if you insist on an explanation, here's the short version:

1. We could not think of a single bird reference related to crafts (however, we are still open to suggestions)

2. Back when I was in college, oh, about a year ago, each floor of the dorm gave itself a name. Some made absolutely no sense.  For example, my first year of college I was on the third floor of Shaw Hall and we were called "Cloud Nine."   Yeah, I know.  But one of the years I was in a dorm one of the brother floors called themselves "Bob,"  which I found quite funny.  

As in, "Hey, I'm from Cloud Nine! What floor are you on?"  

"Oh, I'm on Bob."

3. The end.

Thus the title of this post. 

Today I am revealing what I alluded to in this post and this one.  How to make awesome dollhouse furniture from sponges.  Yes, SPONGES!  I know!

Anna and I found a book in the library

where we found the instructions to make furniture for my Anna's dollhouse.  Now, we will share our amazing knowledge and talent with you.  

First, you need sponges.  We got the kind with the wavy edges, but any kind will do.  Except maybe those real sponges that are round and, well, spongy.  Those won't work.  Sorry.  

While they are still damp (why are sponges damp when you buy them?) measure and cut:

about 1" off the length of the sponge.  This is the back of your couch or chairs.  If you choose to make a couch, this is the only measuring and cutting you'll need to do.  

If you would like to make chairs, first cut the sponge in half width-wise

and then 1" off the end (we chose the wavy side) to use as a back

Now the hard part.  You must let the sponges dry.  Dry, sponges, dry!  I find the wait excruciating.  But your sponges will change:

Now simply take beads that you may have lying around:

and choose some that you would like to use for legs.  Anna chose the following:

and placed them on 3/4" long nails:

2 beads per nail would work well, too. 

Now use this marvel of the modern age:

Words can't quite express my feelings for my glue gun.

Have someone who doesn't mind getting burned once in awhile man the glue gun.  Or use Elmer's, you chicken.

And there you have it:

a cute dollhouse chair. 

Let the fun begin!  Because in this household, if there are beads involved, all bets are off:

We can add them to the back (this is the Ladybug Series, I'm told by the designer).  But where a little is good, well then, by golly, a lot is better!

 (full-size sponges make good beds)

Hey, Sigfried and Roy...need a decorator?

The best part of giving kids the space to be creative is seeing what they will come up with:

 

These are my favorite product of this project and Anna came up with it all on her own...a vase of flowers and the beginnings of a lamp.  

Remind me to do these things more often.

Sometimes, it is just gross.

I was all set to share a recipe for z-muffins today. But then, i decided I'd do bread instead. Except I didn't check the pantry before starting and had sleeping children that made running to the store impossible. Now on occasion, this opens up my creative cooking skills in wonderful, magical ways and I end up creating a recipe that is fantastic (not to toot my own horn...okay, maybe just a quick beep, but still).

This was not one of those times.

So here's the lesson folks...

When a recipe that wants to turn this

into this

calls for this,

but you only have a half-a-cup, not three...

don't-- I repeat-- DON'T use this

 for a substitute.

Y-U-C-K.

And since the bread tasted horrific (but at least made the kitchen smell nice), I have nothing left to share...except I hope it is sunny and warm wherever you are:)

Procrastination as an Art Form, Part One: Packing for a Trip

Did I tell you that I'm leaving tomorrow for here?

It's a boat trip through part of Alaska's Inside Passage with The Boat Company.  Our whole family (minus the dogs and cat) is excited beyond belief to be spending a week on a small boat with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law and brother-in-law and niece and nephew and some other people who have no idea what they're in for and don't have -in-law attached to their names.

Say a little prayer for them, wouldja?

So I have been preparing for this trip over the last couple of days by doing what anyone else would be doing if she were in my shoes.  No, not packing!  This:

Yes, that would be yarn.  Because two days before any long trip through airports like ORD or JUN or even SEA, a person should try to teach herself to knit.

It's just what needs to be done.

I have become quite good at CO-ing, which, in the lingo of my fellow peeps in the knitting world, means "Cast on."  And it's all because of this link right here that explains how to do long-tail cast on.

The impetus for this seemingly impulsive move was when I was surfing Etsy and came across this:

Hello!  It's Penelope, the Empathetic Monster!  Or, actually, it's a pattern for Penelope, the Empathetic Monster.  And it looks really simple.  And I'm sure the kids and I can make these from Harbor Springs to Juneau to Sitka and back.  Maybe like 15 or 20.  

Have you seen how far I've gotten?  Maybe you have:

But it sure beats packing.

(My next post, if we're at all lucky, will be from Juneau!  This technology sure is somthin'!)  

A gift for summer hostesses-with-the-mostesses (I know, not a word)

There is a ridiculous amount of photos to go with this post.  Sorry 'bout that up front.

Summertime brings lots of bbq's and get togethers with family and friends.  I've never been very good at bringing something other than a bottle of wine (which I end up drinking) to most of these events, but I always think once I'm there "this is so nice. I should have done something as a little thank you."  Not too long ago, my folks had some friends over for dinner that brought an entire (homemade) spread of baked goodies for their breakfast.  I loved this idea, and wanted to tailor it to my still-little-children-at-my-ankles-waist-and chest hectic schedule.  So this is what I can up with: a jar of concentrated sun tea, some fresh flowers (or at the moment, sprigs of lavender from my yard...) and a basket of muffins (when time allows).

To make:

Start with a pitcher of water and add a whole bunch-- I use eight to 10 teabags of a perfect summer sun tea blend (my current fav is a local blueberry variety).  

Set out in the sun (and try to keep out of curious toddler reach, or it will take three pitchers and thirty teabags. Ahem).

Let it sit until it is good and dark.  

And then, simply pour into a clean glass canning jar.  

I like to add a little fabric scrap to the lid, and a little note explaining that this is concentrated tea...Just a couple tablespoons full (to taste) over ice does the trick.  

Tie up some fresh flowers (from your yard if you can-- nice and inexpensive, but even better, more personal!)

and ta-da! A homemade thank you that is so very warm and cozy (despite being iced tea).  This also would be a great "just because" gift for a friend or relative that needs a little smile.  

And while I do like to add blueberry muffins to a basket these days (in season and all), I have a whole bunch of these from my CSA share

So the next round of thank you tea will be getting zucchini muffins instead.  By the way, I'll be sharing that recipe soon....so stay tuned!

Life in Miniature

Back in the day I had a doll house.  I'd like to say I was maybe 8 years old at the time.  Or that I loved dolls.  Or that it was a large Victorian handed down from my grandparents and that my mother used to play with it while her nanny looked on.  

I'd like to say that, but it wouldn't be true.

I was probably 12 or 14, didn't care for dolls one bit, and my dad helped me put it together.  I have handed it down to my daughter and now it looks like this:

or, if you remove the horse blanket covering it, it looks like this:

a decrepit haunted house.  Which is exactly the look Anna says she was going for.  I have to say, I was a much better house owner.  

And I never, ever parked a Polly Pocket car in the kitchen.

I loved all of the miniature items.  I cut a hole under the stairs for a mouse:

and in my Dollhouse World magazine it showed how to make food so I also made a little mouse to live under the stairs using the same recipe of flour and whatever else.  He has since disintegrated.   

I made a "welcome" sign from a flat toothpick.  X-Acto knives were a Christmas present that year.  I was terribly excited.  And I still use them.   

I got a paper flower kit and used the directions to make miniature paper flowers to put in the miniature glass vases Aunt Helen gave me.  I used the wire from twisty ties.  My dad made a corner fireplace from plaster of Paris and I found the pebbles.  I made the fireplace screen from some extra screen we had lying around (everyone must have extra screen lying around) and painted it black:

The years have not been kind to my little fireplace, but it's nothing a little more plaster of Paris can't fix.

Anna and I are in the process of making a new dollhouse from a kit given to her by her aunt.  It's a long process of sanding and papering and sanding and painting and gluing.  I'm not as good at it as my dad. But I still love all of the tiny aspects to it.  I think it completely ties into my fascination with this:

or this:

Just how much can be crammed into 1" of glass?

Later this week Anna and I will have a dollhouse furniture tutorial that consists of this:

This tutorial will have danger!  intrigue!  sponges!  

You won't want to miss it.

I'm baaaaaack!

Again, a post with very few pictures.  Why? Because I am still in bed, listening to the rain pour down, and thinking that it is perfectly lovely to be doing just that.  We got home from a week on a boat last night-- you remember my have-awake fit in Wisconsin, right?-- and the mountain (perhaps now just a hill) of laundry seems less enticing than a king size bed with no one else (at the moment) in it.  

I don't know exactly how much I can share of the tail end of our trip with you (because, um, Traverse Magazine has the rights to it, and ya'll will just have to watch for the july issue of 2010 (yeah, they book out pretty far in advance) for the stories. But I can say, it was great, and beautiful, and also very, very buggy.

In any case, I didn't end up despising the cheesehead state all that much. Fish Creek, a sweet little town in Green Bay, was a blast.  And my kids sat through a very fancy, white linen tablecloth gourmet meal (we sort of ended up there by accident) like champs. Which made me love them even more, if that's possible.

The few shots that have made it from the camera onto a computer from our boat trip are all thanks to my husband.  

This is what we all did (except him, because he had to drive) all day as we crossed back over the lake, on a smooth and sunny morning.

And this is a few shots hiking around certain islands in Lake Michigan, that boast both big blood-sucking bugs and an old Native American burial ground.  This part of the trip was away from the docks, away from just about everything really, and was so, so nice.

Anyway, I'm slowly returning to the real world, and I'll be back Monday with Nature Walking and I can also promise some sweet, simple summer gift ideas and a recipe or two.  

Oh, one more thing: Alison really is an angel. And a saint. But I'm betting you all already knew that.

Use Your Imagination

Today I have no pictures for you except for the ones in your head, because I am not at home.  I am at my parents' house, taking care of my mother who is 78 and has dementia.  So I'm just going to help you imagine what that's like. 

First, a disclaimer:  I know it could be a lot worse. 

Imagine:  blue skies, white clouds, boat horns, whisper winds, bobbing daisies....and Clorox cleaner.  My proud father, bless his heart, will not take more help or ever complain about anything.  But he's one man.  And he's 81.  And a half.  So I look to this as a great opportunity to reach some cobwebs that are out of his reach or take some rugs to the laundromat or wash some floors.  And, honestly people, I really am happy to do it.  It's productive, I'm here and able, and my mom needs constant vigilance, but she doesn't need me hovering over her all day.  But it just so happens that after a summer of rainy-cold days, this week has had beautiful weather.  Of course.

Imagine:  orange barrels, flashes of traffic, whooshes of cars, McDonald's Mocha Frappe, someone in the passenger seat who is 78 and has dementia telling you, in no uncertain terms, how to drive.  As she spills her coffee (which is half cream and a little ice, so don't worry about a burn, I've got that covered at least) all down the front of her white shirt.  Which is kept immaculately clean by my father.  And which I cover with a jacket for the rest of the day because I can't get her shirt off of her.  

Imagine:  shiny floors, fresh rugs, Wii whees, shuffling feet, abandoned walkers, "Hot, hot, hot!"  Jimmie is here with me.  And he really has been great.  Of course he has gotten to play the Wii three-times-more-per-day than he would at home with no chore to earn it.  He had McDonald's for lunch.  With a strawberry shake.  He had ice cream for dessert after dinner.  Did I mention that it's been sunny?  Because I have a bit of guilt that my son will turn into one of "those" kids.  While I was cleaning my mother was hanging tightly to the counter in the kitchen.  She doesn't have a lick of balance and the walker is not always remembered so she hangs on like a it's her parachute line, the deck rail of a keeling boat, the edge of a bridge where she's decided the bungee jump is not such a great idea.  Yesterday she was hanging around the stove as I cleaned the kitchen.  All of a sudden I hear, "Hot! Hot! Hot!"  and I look over to see the front burner on, coils red, heat exploding.  I shuffle her away, again.  Again.  Until it cools.  Because this adds a whole new element (no pun intended) to this story. 

Kate had the great idea of taking off the burner knobs.  She has a toddler.  There are similarities.

Imagine:  Granny from Madagascar2 showing up at 8 pm and staying until 8 am.  Except add a halo above her head.  And call her Marie.

Imagine:  sitting with family you haven't seen in a year, not worrying about laundry, sleeping more than 3 hours at a time, laughing, clearing your head, letting someone take care of you, putting your feet up, allowing someone else to drive, seeing every day worries flit through your head, briefly, occasionally, an not running after them because there's nothing you can do about them.  Except let them go.  And enjoy where you are. 

That's what I hope my dad is doing. 

right now i really, really don't like the internet service in Wisconsin. Actually, I'm not that big of a fan of the big cheese state in general at the moment. Personally, I like our side of the lake a bit better.  But maybe that's because I'm way tired and my entire long-winded and actually kinda good post just got deleted. ARGH!

So you get this:

a teaser of a post on nature walks and being calm and all that jazz.  Sounds peaceful, right?

Anyway, I'll be back in a few days, if Lake Michigan decides to play nice and let us come home.  Crossing that lake, I have to say, is a lesson in humility. Mother Nature does not mess around when she decides to get crabby-- and combined with the soul of that beautiful fresh water-- watch out.

Presently...

Presently, I am getting ready to go here:

To spend some time with this lovely lady:

While this guy

heads here for a few days

for a well-deserved break.

Sorry, Zoe, but you're not invited.

....if you don't hear anything from me in a few days, send out the troops....

alison