Memorial Day in Tigard

The Tigard American Legion did a wonderful job today of remembering our veterans who we've lost. Mark and I attended the service and it was very well done.

Tattoos and Magical Unicorn Rainbow Cake

Okay, looks a bit strange here. Trying out some tattoos I found at Party City. This is for my RFL team for Hillsboro. I think it looks stunning. I'll see what Rhonda, my team captain, has to say. Considering this may be the only way I ever get a tattoo, gotta enjoy it!

In one of the blogs I read one of the gals had baked up a rainbow cake. She explained she'd gotten the idea from one of her blogging friends. This gal's 5 year old daughter wanted a unicorn party. So the mom decorated up the house with cute designs, made inexpensive wands and such for the girls to play unicorn, gave each young lady a little pouch to gather 'jewels' hidden throughout the house, played 'pin the horn on the unicorn' game, and then when they all gathered for cake and ice cream she pulled out a cake with white frosting, several brightly colored round candies on it, and a unicorn sitting on the top of the cake.

She told the girls that she had baked a white cake, and that someone told her if she put this magic unicorn on the cake that it would make a rainbow. And sure enough: when she cut into the cake there was a rainbow! All the girls were thrilled!! The birthday girl loved it.

And the best part? When she took her daughter to school the next Monday one of the guests showed her that she had kept her piece of cake (the mom had sent home an extra piece with each girl) so she could show it to her friends at school and tell them about the magic unicorn cake.

As I've grown older I love stories like this more and more. Our children grow up so fast, and there is so much out there tempting them to grow up faster, and to lose that joy and innocence that childhood should have. There is only a small window to be a child and believe in magic. I think believing in magic and unicorns and tooth fairies and such can help teach children that anything is possible. Even after they no longer believe in those things. A poem I read said that we learn to make our own magic.

The birthday girl will have wonderful memories of her birthday, but I also believe the little girl who kept a piece of magic cake to show her friends will have wonderful memories as well, even when she no longer believes in magic unicorns.

But you know, at a future RFL meeting, a magic unicorn may appear. Oh yes, magic is in the air.

Until a magic unicorn comes my way, here is how I had to make my own magic. I colored five portions of the cake batter with fun colors. I then poured one portion in, and then on top of that I poured the next color. And so on. I wasn't sure it would work, but it worked like a charm (charm, magic, get it? oh I'm so witty).

Look at this! Doesn't that look wonderful? Mark thought I shouldn't frost it. He is coming around to the ways of the magic unicorn.

But I had to frost it. I've been looking for a frosting that isn't too sweet, and I finally tried one I'd been reading about that uses a flour and milk base. This was a perfect opportunity.

It was so good! The texture was great, and it isn't so sweet you want to scrape it off the cake. Oh yes, it's a keeper. I love it when a plan comes together.

And since my friends are putting together a 'Bark For Life', I bought some dog cookie cutters and some brown food coloring. I think they look pretty darn good. Whoof, whoof!

I like the fact the cookies look like dogs with a lot of decoration,but I'm gonna play around with different decorating ideas today for fun (gonna rent some movies today and practice decorating while I watch the movies and bemoan the rainy day outside).

Mary Jo had a great idea to make some doggie cookies shaped like people. I love it! I've got a recipe for doggie cookies with PB, and Deacon loves PB, so looks like an idea whose time has come.

Or maybe some magic unicorn cookies should be thought about as well. Hmmmmm........

15 happy years....

30 years ago Mark and I tied the knot on Feb 9th. On May 18th our family gave us a wedding reception in Bremerton, Washington. And as you probably know, Mt. St. Helens blew it's top that day. What are the odds a darn ole volcano would explode the same day as I get to be a blushing bride? GADS!

Why am I making a face in the picture? Mark's grandmother gave us a very unusual gift. She gave me lots and lots and lots of quarters so I could call my mom whenever Mark drove me nuts (how did she KNOW what would happen?). This was to be used for pay phones for you young uns. Cracked me up with all the quarters.

AND she gave me something in a small box to symbolize what Mark would give me a 'lot of'.....and it was from a horse.....get it? In the picture above I'm opening that gift. A bit of a surprise, I must say.

But hey, I bet none of the rest of you got the same gift. Am I right? It makes me laugh whenever I think about it. Thanks Grandma Hazel. You were wicked funny!!!

Oh my gosh, he's already giving me....well, let's just pass that one on.

The cake was beautiful, and we had a wonderful time. When we went to cut the cake we had to ask everyone to come back to the rec hall. My in laws had a manufactured home park at the time, our reception was in the hall adjacent to their home, and everyone was in the house watching the news about the mountain. Now I realize how wonderful everyone was to spend time with us, celebrating, when they probably really wanted to be watching the news.

And the 15 happy years? That was a running gag of my dad's. In this case he would say, "15 happy years....15 out of 30 ain't bad!" And trust me, we've had many more happy years than 15, and we're looking forward to many more.

But no more exploding volcanoes!!

Llamas are adorable!!!

Jennifer and Llamas....

Mark, Steven, and Jennifer and I took a road trip this weekend to Washington. It was about time Jennifer met the rest of the family. And saw some Llamas. I mean Hooper ran with the llamas: why not Jennifer??? On our way we stopped for lunch. Mark stayed cool.

Steven not so cool.

See?

Beer was enjoyed. Mark, as the driver, was a good guy and drank about 1/4 of a glass, with a whole glass of water after wards. What a good guy!

While we waited for food, pool was played.

Mark had a good time. Since I don't like playing pool he enjoyed having someone to play with for once!

Jennifer and Steven hang out.

I hang out. Mark pointed out this booth. Just stuck in the middle of the pool room, like they had this little space and decided to put it to some use.

Pool was fun!

This house is located in Centralia. We saw it the last time we were in town, but I didn't have my camera at the time. I did today.

VERY unusual. Never seen anything like this.

Wonder what the neighbors say???

I took up a late 'Mom's Day' gift for Mom. The intent was to have one big cookie state 'you are...', and then several little cookies have tidbits such as 'sweet, loving, cute, etc' on them. But I had so much trouble with the writing (and I gave it a good go!), that I only produced a few, and left the rest just glazed. They still looked pretty, and Mom understood my intent. That I wanted to make her something that showed her how much I care about her and love her. So even though my practice didn't produce a lot of actual cookies, I think Mom knows that I love and adore her. And that's all that counts.

Jennifer was a good sport and got on the horse for a picture. Wait, doesn't everyone have a carousal horse in their living room? No? Wow. Go figure.

Bampa explains something to Randy and Mark.

Grammy Jo shows Jennifer the llamas.

Some good ole one on one time with a llama.

Very sweet.

The view off their deck was amazing this morning.

Yep, even Maya was amazing. She's very sweet!

Taking pictures.

Following.

I just don't get this pose....

On the way home we stopped at Gig Harbor.

Wonderful picture!

Wonderful view.

Stuff to look at.

Birds to pet (even if they are fake).

My boy. Not a little boy any longer.

I just love Gig Harbor.


Driving home, taking the bridge.

Steven and Jennifer watched a movie most of the way home, and laughed most of the way home. Mark and I listened to the Mariner's game. Needless to say we didn't laugh most of the way home........

But we did have a wonderful visit and can't wait til we can go back.

Ned needs help kicking cancer's butt!!!!!

Today a very special package arrived. Cari designed some buttons for me to sell as a fund raiser for Relay For Life. I'm so lucky to not only have a wonderful and adorable daughter, but she's so talented and shares her gift with her Mom. Man, I just flat out love her.

Here my friend Tigard Tiger proudly shows off his button: it states, 'I'm helping Ned kick cancer's butt'.

Shouldn't you have a button too? Help Ned show cancer 'whose boss'!

Boys will be boys

Doug needed to get out after his wisdom was all removed......

Happy Mom's Day with so much love.

Happy Mother's Day to my amazing, wonderful, loving, sweet, classy, and adored Mother-In-Law. Others may think they have the world's best MIL, but I know for a fact that I do.

She loves my children more than she can say, she's so proud of Mark and loves him dearly, and yes, she loves me and lets me know it every chance she gets.

Mom, I love you very much, and my wish for you is that this next year is filled to the brim with fun and happy times.

Happy Mom's Day Mom

Today is my first Mother's Day without my mom. This is what I wish could happen today: that we'd go see Cari and hang out and just talk. Funny, but that now seems like a wonderful way to spend Mother's Day.

Not a lot of gifts or fanfare, just hanging out and being together. I wish that could happen.

This is a great memory. Getting together. Hanging out. Family.

Happy Mother's Day Mom. I love you.

Hanging out

I met Cari and Erica and we walked on over to the MAX station to go to Crafty Wonderland. Cari always adds something to taking pictures....

Erica gives it a try, but my darn old camera was too slow. Darn it!

We met up with Jennifer, did some shopping, and then headed back to Cari's.

Wow. I just spent money when I could have gotten something free! What was I thinking?

I love walking through Cari's neighborhood.

Here I'm standing in front of her house: isn't this a great view???