Summer Fun

No, not the beach. But a fire station visit with the Cub Scouts and ice skating for the first time! Hope you had as wonderful a weekend as we did!

Not quite big enough for these britches.

Inquisitive Wolf Cubs

Lunch and gelato! Well-earned sustenance.

 

Ready to hit the ice.

Daddy giving the Monkey a lesson around the rink.

So proud of my boy! Still hugging the boards, but determined to fly solo. :)

Radish Break

Despite the pesky slugs chomping at the leaves, we had our first taste from the square foot garden: classic radish on brown bread with butter. Yum! :)

How Does Your Garden Grow?

I'm happy to report that mine is actually still alive and thriving! :) How is your garden growing?

Still waiting, waiting...

My garden newbies--just added Sharpblue and Southmoon blueberries.

Tangerines and miniature roses from the patio garden.

Progress!! Everything is growing and fruiting. We even harvested our first eggplant and some radishes. Planning on a mesclun salad tomorrow for lunch.

Clockwise from top left: Japanese cucumber, "Black Beauty" zucchini, zucchini blossom.

"Wonderful" pomegranate.

Ben 10 Bowling Bonanza

Welcome to the Monkey's 7th Birthday Party!

 

Birthday Baking: Take Two

Crazy busy weekend! Baked like a madwoman on Friday night and finished up on Saturday before the Monkey's birthday party. Final count: two Ben 10 cakes, thirty-six cupcakes, and a partridge in a pear tree. Thank you to Betty Crocker for her excellent Butter Recipe Yellow cake mix which garnered rave reviews and to Kitchenaid for making the awesomest (yes, that's a word) workhorse of a stand mixer evah....... ;)

Bought the "Ben 10 Ultimatrix edible cake image" here.

The luscious innards of the Ben 10 Neapolitan cake: chocolate fudge cake, fresh strawberries in whipped cream filling, and butter yellow cake.

Kinda looks like a giant Oreo, but this is the Omnitrix cake: butter yellow cake with chocolate buttercream filling.

AM / PM

Morning meditation.

Afternoon recreation.

It's a Ben 10 Kind of Day . . .

Happy 7th Birthday, to my sweetest, most imaginative, energetic, squishy, joy of my heart!!! I love you very, very, very much!!!

Tiger Badge: Check!

Birthday Baking: Take One

Have you heard? The Monkey's turning 7 on Monday. As requested by the birthday boy, I made Ben 10 Omnitrix brownies to take to class today. Did I mention they were peanut butter chocolate brownies? Just added peanut butter chips to some good old Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie Mix, pour in *extremely* well-greased muffin tins and bake. Decorate with Royal Icing and there you have it! Omnitrix(es?) for all! :)

If you don't already have one of these, it is a MUST for classroom parties! This one holds 36 cupcakes. :)

Birthday Monkey and friend. I'd say they liked 'em.

Reprise: "Star Wars: In Concert"

More from the weekend . . .

All-you-can-eat Korean BBQ at Road to Seoul.

On our way to the Bowl. View from the dashboard.

Ready for the show.

After-dark light extravaganza. Don't worry--the little Monkey had his light saber, too. ;)

Bored in the parking lot.

Home, Jeeves!

"Star Wars: In Concert" at the Hollywood Bowl

More pics to come, but first, one of my favorites capturing the unusual cloud-cover and the fervor at the Hollywood Bowl.

My Latest Experiment

Ever find that one sweet potato lurking in the deep recesses of your pantry or drawer or wherever you keep your sweet potatoes? You know, the one growing legs and arms and antennae? Well, I decided to take those "slips" and root them. Gonna try growing my own sweet potatoes. Think it's almost time to plant these. This should be interesting . . .