Highlights - early August

I figure since I've been silent for a while, I'd better make up for by covering more than just this week for Pops' "post the highlights" challenge. So, highlights for the past few weeks:

• Nana visiting - Max so enjoyed having Nana read to him at night and play in his "shuttle" all afternoon. Great visit.
  
• Finishing the appliques for my circle quilt. In progress for oh, about 2 years now, and I can finally move onto step 4, start sewing blocks to each other. (Step 1 was cut lots & lots of trianges & circles, step 2 was piece the triangles onto squares, step 3 was hand stitch the circles onto the squares.) Step 3, though it took a rather long time (since it would sit for months), was very restful and satisfying.
  
• Unpacking 3 huge boxes for my b-day present. Some additional pieces for our Denby Boston plates from Replacements, since it's a discontinued pattern. Now I have a gravy boat!
  
• Selling the bunk bed and getting real cash money for it, plus Colin taking a load o' baby stuff to Eastside Baby Corner to donate. Buh-bye!

Lunch - Bento style

About a year ago, I saw cute Bento-style lunches for kids on the Kid Eats Flickr pool and they looked like so much fun! Then I wandered across Lunchinabox and CookingCute and an obsession started to form. Must do bento lunches!

Online shopping from Ichiban Kan USA plus a couple of eBay orders from Japan, and I had the equipment I needed.

I now present to you...Max's lunches for summer camp, Bento style:

Ham & cheese skewers, corn muffins, apples, and strawberries.
Dinosaur PB&J, cheesy crackers, cherries, raisins, carrots, & snap peas.
Bologna rolls, cheese stick, crackers, carrots, snap peas, cherries, granola bar, raisins.
Chicken salad, crackers, canned green beans, cherries, snap peas, raisins.
Tillamook cheddar hearts, hot dog octopusses, ketchup, crackers, cherries, carrots, snap peas, raisins.
More hotdog octopusses (octopii?), ketchup, bun, cherries.

I've also been doing my own lunches and snacks, when I have appropriate leftovers or did weekend shopping, in the Happy Orange/Blue Balloon and plain clear bento sets that Colin got me from the local Japanese dollar store, Daiso. He's an enabler :-). Better stop before it takes over the house!

For the birds?

Max and I have been enjoying a new bird feeder we put up, watching the birdies come munch and looking up which ones we've seen in a bird book from the library.

We've had Stellar's Jays, Goldfinches (I swear, I never saw them around before I put up the feeder even though they're our state bird!), Black-Capped Chickadees (I knew we had those - chick-a-dee-dee-dee!), Dark-Eyed Junkos, regular-old Robins, a Rufus or Spotted Towhee, and some good old sparrows. We even drew a hummingbird one day although he looked confused that the feeder didn't have anything he liked. Not sure what kind of hummingbird - they're hard to get a look at. Anyway, it's been fun. One week, I started to notice that the bird feed (shelled sunflower seeds, no mess!) was disappearing rather more quickly than before. A day later, I found out why.



(Action shot - through a window - kinda fuzzy sorry.)
Hey Mr. Squirrel, that's not there for you! Guess we'll have to investigate and deploy some anti-squirrel measures.

Why homemade frosting is better than frosting from a can

Colin's b-day, he got a yummy yellow bowl cake, with input on the decoration from Max. Cheated and used canned frosting.


Later that evening, it looked like this. 'Nough said.

But we did enjoy his new game.

Beach time with the R-clan

I always love a trip to Cannon Beach, OR, and what's more fun than hanging with the whole Robertson clan? Not much!

There's parties for hosting (happy 70th Pops!), Marshmallows for roasting...

Double-decker kite flying with Dad:

Crazy cold & windy family photos:

Just plain crazy family photos:

And good, clean fun with some cousins:

Ah, the beach. Nothing like it.

Volunteering - too much or just enough?

This year I've been serving as a room representative for Max's class on the Parent Action Committee for school (like the PTA). About 5 meetings over the year, mid-morning, plus coordinating lots of stuff for the class (auction project, Art Festival booth, signups for random stuff), and "generating excitement for events". It's been fun, and I'm glad it's not for an older class where I'd also have to deal with coordinating carpools for swim classes and field trips. Phew!

Next year, however, I'm biting off a bit more. Let's hope I can chew it. I'm going to be the PAC Secretary, which means taking notes for the monthly meetings with the PAC and the Room Rep meetings, plus other tasks. So, probably quite a bit more work. As one nominating committee member noted, however, it's a great free pass on other volunteering at the school. Gee, sorry, wish I could help, but I'm on the PAC. AKA - the auction project won't be on me next year! ;-)

Mom thinks I'm crazy to sign up, when the meetings happen during work hours, but hey, work's supportive (and they even match my volunteer hours with cash money for the school), and Colin's on board, so why not.

So, what do you think? Most of you have church stuff, work stuff, kid stuff, school stuff, hobby stuff - how much is just enough for you?

Overdue: Strolling for the Cure

Got the wacky idea to drive over to Spokane for the weekend a couple of weeks back to support Lisa by joining in the Race for the Cure. Her girls and Max came along and we did the mile walk, very very slowly (meandering kids'll do that). Here we are pre-race. Twas nice & chilly, with little flakes coming down now and then.

And here's the whole gang.

Boy, don't we look energetic. I'd meant to bring the jog stroller for Max, but sadly, left it in our garage at home. That doesn't help! So he had to hoof it most of the way and settle for intermittent piggy back rides.

Max and Maddie were impressed by the snacks at the end of the course. The yogurt, muffins, juice, and granola bars almost made up for the walking part.

It was great seeing Nana, Lisa, Van, and all the kids. Max had a swell time with cousins and Nana and wanted to come back the very next weekend.

You've already seen Colin and Lucy's posts on the other stuff we're doing around the house. Max participated in his T-Ball practice, but was still unwilling to play when it was game time. This might take all season.