Family Reunion at the Park

My relatives from two states flew in for the holiday weekend,

so we met up for the day to enjoy a picnic and amusement

at Fairy Tale Town... designed specifically for little

children for it's themes of nursery rhymes and stories.

PG Breakfast!

Today the PG group came over for potluck breakfast!

We had a great time laughing and catching up!

And... it was Gwenda's turn to receive the "Friendship Box!"

Suzanne, Sara and Gwenda brought flowers from their gardens.

Together they made a beautiful arrangement!

Our potluck was lovely! On the menu was bacon, fresh berries,
scones with cream and jam/curd and broccoli quiche!
And for an added treat, lace cookies!

It was Erin's turn to present the "Friendship Box" to Gwenda this month!

Ladies, I miss all of you VERY MUCH already!

Smokin' in California

Here are some pictures taken from my backyard tonight.

As you can see, the smoke from the wildfires surround the central part of the state.

It is thick and hazy. The moon looks bright orange although

this picture doesn't capture how orange it really is.

And what you can't see here is a HUGE mountain!

103 degrees outside...

And I want to be here... I don't know where it is though as there wasn't a description given when I was searching the net, but I want to be here....

She sings... Fabulous!

Our girl made it on Disney tonight with her video for the My High School Musical feature!

Way to go girl!

Here is the full length version!

Heard from the Family Room

I was in the dining room clearing dishes from breakfast when I heard this conversation from my kids (ages 5 & 8) watching National Velvet in the family room nearby...

Daughter: How old do you think he is? (referring to Mickey Rooney)

Son: I think he's about 25.

Daughter: Well I think he's about 20 years old.

Son: Look at her eyes, they look the color purple! (referring to Elizabeth Taylor)

Daughter: Your right! MOM! LOOK! Her eyes are purple!

Me: Yep! You're right, they do look purple. Now that you mention it, I remember reading that when she was young her eyes were referred to as Violet.

Again a few minutes later....

Mickey Rooney's character says that he doesn't have anything left in him...

Son: Why doesn't he have anything left in him?

Daughter: Because he doesn't.

Son: You mean he doesn't have any more blood in him?

Daughter: Nah, it just means he doesn't believe in himself anymore.

Son: Why did he stop believing?

Daughter: He just gave up I guess.

Son: Must have been the beer he drank. (In an previous scene he gets drunk)

Daughter: Yep. That was dumb, they shouldn't even have beer in the movie.

Children don't miss a thing!!! Classic example that children are wiser than they are given credit for. As for myself, it was proud moment to hear the dumb beer coment!

A Hawaiian Luau Tea Party

A Hawaiian Luau Tea Party!

My family and friends rotate monthly Tea Party's and

this month was my Mothers turn to host. She has a fake

flower arrangement (that looks VERY REAL until you get close up)

that inspired her for this party theme.

Her beautiful table greeted us as we walked into the dining room!

Her plates and glasses were Hawaiia Luau themed too!

I asked my Mom where she got all the darling dishes and

she said she found them at the dollar store! Get yourself

down to your nearest Dollar Tree to pick up a set for some summer fun!

Here's my sister Melody looking very festive with the

assorted fruit skewers! Yummy!

Delicious fruit, berry scones with cream and lemon curd, chicken salad on crossiants!

Here's my Mom enjoying the fruits of her labor!

For dessert we enjoyed Pineapple and Coconut Ice Cream with Cheesecake and berries. Not a likely combination, but it actually tasted good together. The fruity ice cream off set the rich cheesecake.

Me and Ann.

Me and my Dad - self portrait of course!

Jackie and Melody!

Jackie and I - self portrait again!

Time for Hostess presents! (You secretly love this part when your hosting!)

This was a beautiful porcelain type flower!

A gorgeous plant from Jan! My Mother LOVES plants and has an emerald thumb so this gift was right up her alley!

Jennifer, Melody and I gave my Mom a Orchid flower lei (which we gave to her when we arrived so she could wear it immediately). She was blown away! Jennifer had it flown in from Hawaii just for the occasion and it smelled so amazing!

Three hours later it was time to go. Our mouths were sore from laughing 2 of the 3 hours we were there. It's so great to have these times together with family and friends. It doesn't have to be elaborate or even a themed gathering. Just invite your BFF over to help you fold laundry and while their there, enjoy some coffee/tea and treats to thank them!

A Special Fishing Day

Hmmm, what should we do this Saturday that

doesn't cost alot of money? GO FISHING!!

And so we did! The kids jumped out of bed before the sun came up,

while I rolled out of bed and headed downstairs

to immediately make a pot of coffee!

Now isn't that a beauty! We got to the water early to pick our

spot on the bank and I turned around to look at the water and saw the beautiful reflection of the sunrise on the water.

Reminds of some pages I just read in Anne of Green Gables...

"So I took the brooch. I thought I could put it back before you came home. I went all the way around by the road to lengthen out the time. When I was going over the bridge across the Lake of Shining Waters I took the brooch off to have another look at it. Oh, how it did shine in the sunlight! And then, when I was leaning over the bridge, it just slipped through my fingers--so--and went down--down--down, all purply-sparkling, and sank forevermore beneath the Lake of Shining Waters. And that's the best I can do at confessing, Marilla."

(see previous post to learn more about that)

Another beautiful look at the water!

My boy settles in to make his own version of a fishing pole. (Adorable!)

Well I am NOT pioneer woman so when I go along these fishing trips I am the Official Bathroom Chauffeur! I drive them to the NICE bathrooms so they don't have to use the outhouses - EEWW - ICKO - GROSS! So I usually bring along something to do and today it was my bible study. As you can see my pages are filled with colored ink. Aren't bible studies more fun when you use colored pens?! Currently I'm studying the book of 2nd Samuel... GOOD !

I was a couple hours deep into my reading when I looked up at the water to think about something I was studying when my eyes shifted to the ground underneath my lady like crossed legs. Silently and slooooooowly a snake was passing through.

A SNAKE... I yelled while my lap of papers, bible and notebook went flying in many directions! My Man came to my rescue and assured me it was... just a Gopher snake honey. JUST A GOPHER SNAKE! Ladies, I don't know about you but I don't like snakes. I don't like them disguised as rides in theme parks either! Nor the Serpent in the Garden or the one in my business. And absolutely not the one trying to interrupt my bible study!

All the old men on the nearby fishing dock got a good laugh when they realized it was not a rattlesnake and I was out of danger. They'll regret they laughed someday! This city girl knows how to make a mean HUMBLE PIE who will gladly bring some along to share with them the next time we go fishing and see those early risers at the dock!

Here it is... it was easily over 2 feet long.

Time to break out the picnic basket! Peanut Butter and Jelly just takes better when you lean against an old tree doesn't it?

My boy patiently waits for a fish to bite. (Adorable isn't he?)

My girl is tracking butterflies. She's quick too! Catches them in her hands with lighting speed!

 

A nice, fat Blue Gil! They taste alright but they have too many bones to make it worth it in my opinion! But we brought it home anyway for the kids to have for dinner.

Well now it's time to celebrate! Popsicles!

All this excitement has wore us out and the sun is going down. Time for Parents to get their stinky, fish smelling children into the bathtub filled to the ceiling with bubbles! As we were leaving, this little family of ducks was doing the same. Great picture huh?!

While uploading the pictures this lovely photo appeared. Hmmm! My man is in BIG trouble for putting that stinky, smelling, slimy fish on my WOOD ABSORBING cutting board! AGAIN! This isn't his first offense mind you. I've told him before but he fiend ignorance that he didn't "remember" when I brought it to his attention. Yeah... right! Well now I gotta go disinfect a lovely Williams Sonoma Birthday gift from my best girlfriends!