Tuesday, June 12, 2012

What's for Lunch?

A perk of working so close to home...or in my home, is that I really get a chance to see what fun little places I have around me where I can grab lunch.  Typically I just eat at home.  Today, however, there was a treat right around the corner.

El Molina Central.

I grabbed some veggie tamales and was a happy camper.  Yum.  They also serve blue bottle coffee here, which is awesome.

I have to say, I am lucky to have really great Mexican food all around.  If I can't get to Mexico, I guess this will have to do.  95 degree weather, Mexican music on the radio and these awesome floors...


Gracias y tenga un gran dia!

Friday, June 8, 2012

Dinner for 2?

I don't think I have added any ideas to the bucket lately, so I thought I would share this one.  Dinner for 2, no.  Dinner for 100? I don't know, maybe.  Outstanding in the Field sounds really awesome as a date night with my lovely hubby.  The idea is, instead of bringing dinner to your table (at home), you bring the table to your dinner.  A very long table.  Sounds yummy and the setting looks amazing.

There's one tomorrow as a matter of fact, in Petaluma.  We won't be making it, but I will definitely be keeping my eye on the calendar.  So fun!

Oh and check out the gallery of photos.  So cool!

I bet they don't have tiny peanut butter face/hands at this event.  Just sayin'





Thursday, June 7, 2012

Train Town

We are pretty spoiled in that we have a nice kid spot right in our backyard.  Train Town!  It is a great go to if we need an activity in the morning or if we are just being lazy and don't want to think of a new adventure.  The boys love it and honestly, I do too.

It's a fun, mini carnival.  If you haven't been there, it is worth the drive. And while you are in town, call us, we'll head over too.  Choo choo!









Monday, June 4, 2012

Party Time!

Don't you love a good party?  I sure do.



Ok, well I do love this sign and sometimes a good party consists of this, but not always.

This weekend was a party weekend.  A great wedding with a photo booth, which was super fun for us, especially the boys and their cousins.


We also had a party for my oldest KJ.  He will be 4 this week, wow!



I love having parties.  Here are a few reasons why.

1.  My house gets cleaned from top to bottom, twice in one weekend.  Yup, a lot of work, but I sort of joke that we have parties so we HAVE to deep clean the house.

2.  People come to us. Ok  this is a bit selfish I know, but we are traveling around a lot (happily) visiting others.  We like to, but sometimes it is great to invite people to our house too.

3.  I get to be crafty.  Depending on the occasion, it is nice to make a few banners and glue or sew stuff.  I have a houseful of boys, so this doesn't happen as often as I would like, so I take advantage.

4.  It is always fun.  No matter who is there and what is going on, we always have a good time.

I love parties!  So, cheers to a party filled summer.

Friday, May 25, 2012

Best Strawberries Ever!

Have you had the best strawberries in the world?  If you've never been to the strawberry stand on Watmaugh Rd. in Sonoma, I will tell you right now, you are missing out.


 These are the best strawberries.

And boy do I love when we stop and pick up a few baskets.  OH YUM!


There are two little boys in my life that love them too.  We munch on them all the way home.



Oh how I love happy strawberry faces!


You should stop by sometime.  Down Arnold drive and a right on Watmaugh.  $3 for one basket and $7 for 3 baskets.  They are SO worth it!

Monday, May 14, 2012

Welcome to Sonoma

I feel like I have just moved to Sonoma.  I know that sounds weird since we have lived here for 2 years, but I didn't really spend much time around town at all.  Commuting for 2 hours a day took some time out of my wine country living.  So now, let the exploration begin.

The week I had off between jobs, I dropped the boys at school, headed over to Basque on the Sonoma square for coffee and a french macaron (my new favorite treat).  Then I headed over to this little place called Sonoma Country Antiques.


I have passed by it practically every day and have always wanted to stop in.  Well it was just as cute inside as it  is outside.  Maybe one day I can buy something from them. Love it!


Excuse me while I share other places I have passed by on highway 12 and just hadn't had the time to stop.  More to come!

Friday, May 11, 2012

Mother's Day Weekend

I am blessed to have lots of mothers in my life.  My own mother, who I love so much, a grandmother who I know I will turn into one day (oh wait, I am already just like you), and lots and lots of friends who are moms.  New moms, moms who I look up to, and moms who aren't really my mom, but who I call mom anyway.   All are such great people!  I learn so much from each of you.  Thank you!

So, here's to you...Moms everywhere!  Happy Mother's Day and have a delightful weekend!

And to those two little boys who call me mom...I love you so!  Thanks for choosing me to be your mommy.

  poppytalk.com
the happiness project
 
 rascal flatts
etsy.com

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Things a Changin'

You know when you get in a groove?  All is well, you are cruisin' right along and then bam, something happens to slow you down or just mess up your pace.

Well, I was in a groove that included driving a lot and I had a pleasant surprise.  It hit me this week and I am happy to say, I am spending more time at home and less time on the road. 

I will be working from home (for the most part).  Some travel will also be a part of this change, but it is totally welcomed.  I am excited for a new challenge and a new pace.  I feel like a student again, learning a whole lot.  Yup, I love to learn...call me a nerd, I'm ok with it.

Anyway, more of this makes me smile.  Yeah for changes!


Friday, May 4, 2012

An Artsy Idea

Yesterday I posted about the Bay Area Discovery Museum and how much fun we had there.  Well I left out one of the highlights.  I did it on purpose actually because I thought it deserved its own post.

There is a whole art room there and one of the spots my boys had to be dragged away from was the painting area.

Check out their system.  You actually paint directly onto the window.



Then, you have a squirt bottle and a squeegee and you can easily wipe is all away.  Seriously brilliant.


Every once in a while, they would come by and wash down the floor because paint gets everywhere.  But it was back to painting they would go.



Not sure how I would feel about this on my windows at home, but it seems like a clever little idea (on the outside of course).  And, I gotta say, the tiny smocks are pretty adorable too.


Thursday, May 3, 2012

Bay Area Discovery Museum

I am embarrassed to say that up until now, I had not taken the boys to the Bay Area Discovery Museum.  I heard it was a great place for little guys and we have been meaning to get there.  So, mission finally accomplished. And boy, I was nicely surprised.  Awesome stuff for everyone!  Seriously, you can't go wrong here.

Help plastic fish swim upstream...Yes please!


Hoot like an owl...Absolutely!


 Check out a beaver and his dam...Of course!


Be the captain of the ship...Wouldn't miss it!


Fun was had by all.  We will definitely be going again soon.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Butter and Eggs Days

Every Spring, around this time is Butter and Eggs Days in Petaluma.  We went last year and thought it was worth another round.  We had a great time!

My family has been in this neck of the woods for a long time and rumor has it my great grandma was in the "Cutest Little Chick" Contest when she was a baby.  Would love to see a photo of that.  We checked out all the cute little babies dressed up like little chickens.

I digress.  We had fun riding the ponies.






But I think the highlight for all four of us was the hand dipped corn dogs.

We were all tired by about 12:30.  Naps were extra long that day.



Tuesday, May 1, 2012

So Sorry...

I feel like such a slacker.  In fact, when it comes to my blog, this face sums it up.



I am here.  I promise to fill you in on what we have been up to. Sorry for the 3 week delay.

Thanks for stickin' it out!

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Ice Cold Juice

Every day for the past two years and multiple times as a child, I have passed by this cider stand. 


I love it.  It is a spot that will always remind me of my childhood and living in Sonoma County.



But lately I have been driving by and wondering when it will be demolished, or just fall down. 



I mean, it is obviously neglected, but the charm it has is so great.  I thought before it falls to the ground with the next storm, I should get some photos.  Because one day, I will drive by and the sign will have fallen. 

Till then, I just wanted to share this with you.  A chance to give an old shack a little glory.


Love it!  Seriously how cool is that sign?

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Hwy 1

Highway 1 or the Pacific Coast Hwy is a fun, tourist attraction and I have to say, I have driven on Hwy 1 about a million times, but not all at once.  Well, with a house guest in town, we did a mini drive from Stinson Beach up to Jenner.  It was a half-day drive and we stopped a few times for walks on the beach, lunch in Point Reyes Station and views of the waves. 

The weather was not great, but the rain stayed away and we enjoyed the relaxing drive.

Lovely Northern California!










Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Busy Busy

We have been busy the last few weeks, so I thought I would give you yet another update.  With a lovely house guest in town from Germany, we got to do some fun things...

Sparkling wine anyone?



Then, we were off to Yosemite.  We hiked up to Vernal Falls and then had a chance to play in the snow up at the Wawona Hotel.  Can you believe this is the same day.  Sun in the morning and snow in the evening.  Crazy!



I love this place!   Can totally see us vacationing there in the summer.  We had fun!

And my favorite picture of the day.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Plans for Summer

I am a planner.  I am! I like to think my Grandma had a little to do with that. She would always plan our summer vacations 6 months in advance.

Anyway, it‘s March already and I haven’t even planned a single family vacation for this year.  Summer is going to be here before you know it and seriously, we need to do something.

We will go camping, that is an easy weekend jaunt.  I do have a project in mind for our campsite.  More to come on that. 

Conn mentioned he would like to (one day) get to Hawaii.  Let me clarify that he did not specify when.  Of course that planted a seed in my little brain, though.  And, some friends of ours are currently there and posting comments on Facebook.  Ooh.  Aloha!  Yes please.  The boys playing on the beach sounds great.  Sunsets and mai tais.  Add it to the bucket list.    

One day, a little Aloha would be fantastic or maika'i nui loa (that’s very, very good in Hawaiian).

I think this little guy could totally hang loose there.


Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Baseball Season

Spring is here!  And you know what that means, Spring Training is upon us.  That sure did sneak up on me, but here we are, mid March.  We are big A's fans in this house.  In good times and bad, we love our Oakland A's.  So, in the spirit of baseball season and in hopes that we can get to a few games this year, EJ is sportin' the gear.


Yeah baseball season and Let's Go Oakland (clap, clap, clap clap clap)!

Monday, March 19, 2012

A Thought

Saw this and loved it.  I do hope they remember some of what I teach them, but I am also trying to have more patience.  Thanks Jim Henson!

Saturday, March 17, 2012

St. Patty's Day

We have been so busy around here lately, but I didn't want the day to go by without saying Happy St. Patrick's Day!  I hope you are having a pot of gold and wonderfully green day.  Here's some fun over at Say Yes To Hoboken.

More soon!  Till then, here is a funny pic of EJ was he was just about a month old.  Ha!

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Parenting

It is a funny little parenting dance I do sometimes.  There are days when I feel great.  The boys have listened well and actually done what I asked of them or were super sweet to each other and I am so proud.

Then, there are other days when I truly want to pull my hair out from the craziness that goes on in our house.  The chaos sometimes takes over.

This is normal, I know.

But, no matter what, I hope to keep these 19 Things We Should Say To Our Children in mind.  They are listening to me.  I know they are.  But this list is an excellent reminder.  Totally love it!

On the same note, I found this link too 25 Rules for Mothers of Sons, that I love just as much. 

I may just tack these to the fridge, old school style!  I want to make sure these two get as much from me as I can give.  Often!



from wanelo.com

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Animals Around the Bay

We like animals.  Well, we sometimes act like animals too so maybe we can relate. I have been known to call the boys my "monkeys."

I wanted to share a few spots in the Bay Area where we have visited some animals in the past few weeks.

The Oakland Zoo was one place I had never been and wow, it was really cool!  We will definitely be going back.  Super kid friendly and not too overwhelmingly big.


The boys spent a lot of time in this tunnel leading to the prairie dogs.  I have to admit, they fascinate me too.  So cute!




And just last weekend, we headed out to Tara Firma Farms in Petaluma.  I wasn't sure what to expect, but along with some great info on eating healthier and sustainable agriculture, we got to see some very cool animals.  Baby chicks, piglets, chickens, cows and goats.  The boys had a good time exploring the farm.




I have to admit, there is a little bit of country girl in me too.  I really enjoyed being out there.  And the baby chicks were cute!  No pics though, I was too busy snuggling with them.

If you have suggestions for places to see animals, I would love to hear them.