First Giveaway

Our Bucket of Fun will be a lonely for a couple weeks, I am going offline.  So, I have decided how to keep my little blog company, a giveaway.  The first giveaway for the Bucket!  Whoot whoot!

German chocolates are on the dessert menu for two people who post a comment here.  Please leave a note telling me your ideal summer vacation.  The two people will be chosen at random, but you need to leave a comment with your email address in the comments area.

Thanks for playing and if you are selected, I will contact you when I return.  Miss you already!

Auf Wiedersehen!

Mother’s Day

Sometimes I wonder what I am good at.  This is not a “pity party for one” I am just making a general statement.  Some people are good at a particular sport.  My hubby is an awesome coach!  He rocks it!  Other people were born to be artists, musicians, mathematicians, engineers, you name it. 

But I don’t really feel like I have a knack for anything.  I mean, I try lots of stuff and have had great fun, but can’t pinpoint one thing in particular. 

Well Mother’s Day is here and I have to say I love being a mom to my boys.  Being a mom comes pretty naturally for me.  I LOVE it! 

I continue to work on balancing life and being stern when I need to be.  And I definitely need to work on my “no” face.  You know what I mean.  When I was a kid all my mom had to do was look at my brother and I a certain way and we knew she meant business.  I am working on that face. 

But really, I may not be a great chef, like my brother or coach, like my husband or knitter, like my grandma or seamstress, like my mom, but I think I am a pretty good mom. 

And it is what I love to do the most!!  Thanks to KJ and EJ for this.  You boys make me smile!

 Happy Mother’s Day to all you mothers out there!

 The most challenging and fulfilling job in the world!

 

 

Party On!

I feel like every time I turn around, there is another reason for a party.  A great problem to have I think.  We love parties at our house. A reason to bust out the jumpy toys.



Put on your party hat.



And eat cake.



So, when I came across One Charming Party, I was in heaven.  I love it!  We have decided on a dinosaur party for KJ, so I will definitely be scouring this site for ideas.

I also just found Meri Meri and think her stuff is totally awesome. Look at the cool dinosaur stuff!

With parties on the brain, I could come up with anything.  An unbirthday party?  I don't know, maybe.  Tell me, do you think I am too old for a Wonder Woman party?  I think not!

Wisteria and Olive Trees

I have always been in love with wisteria.  I love the way it looks and smells.  They bloom with the most elegant flowers and I feel like they are everywhere this time of the year.    One day, I want to have a pergola and have wisteria growing up the side of it.  The other reason I like it is because it takes some time for it to grow and be the beautiful focal point.  It is a piece in your yard that marks how long you have been there.  If I start it soon, I can look back in many years to remember when I planted a little sprig.  Our backyard definitely has some potential for this.  This post at Design Mom  definitely has me swooning.

Olive trees are another part of Sonoma living that I really feel like we should have in our yard.  Not that I want to do anything with the olives.  But olive trees in lovely pots.  Oh, yes, I think we need a few.

I could add lavendar to this list of plants I would like to own.  I am feeling the Spring in the air (finally) and want to get out and plant.

I am lovin' the plant my grandma dropped by for Easter.  Thanks Grandma!  KJ picked one for me...ahh!

Doran Beach in Bodega Bay

This weekend we attended the Kite and Sandcastle Festival at Doran Beach in Bodega Bay.  It was an overcast day, but the boys had a sand-eating, wave-chasing, kite-watching good day.  It was such a blast and it didn't take us that long to get there, maybe an hour. Although I have been there before (when I was a kid) I didn't remember that they had camping.  The camp spots are right near the beach and all the people looked like they were having a tons of fun.  So, on the bucket list, camping at Doran Beach.  Maybe closer to Fall when the weather is a little better.



It was so great to be at the ocean!

Marshmallows

About a month ago now, I spent a wonderful afternoon with some old college friends.  While out and about in Sacramento, we stopped into Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates and had the most wonderful hot chocolate.  Oh my, this stuff is like pure liquid yumminess.  It was awesome! And, it was topped with a homemade marshmallow.  Which got me thinking...why shouldn't I try this? I do LOVE marshmallows.

So, I decided I would add it to my list. I needed to make homemade marshmallows.  So, yummy and actually they don't look that difficult.  Of course Martha Stewart has a recipe.

Easter is here and I thought it was the perfect weekend to have marshmallows on the menu.

Well, I tried them, yes, I tried, but I will not show any photos.  They definitely tasted like marshmallows, but they looked like cottage cheese.  Hmm I did something wrong, just not sure what.  So, on my bucket list, still, homemade marshmallows!

Happy Easter everyone!!!  And to my dear friend Jayme who I have known my whole life, Hoppy Birthday!!

Avon Walk for Breast Cancer

I have decided I am going to do the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in San Francisco this July.  I am excited to do it but I know it will be very challenging.  I have been walking almost every day to get myself ready, but I really feel like the marathon that those with breast cancer have to run to save their lives is a whole lot harder.  I feel like this is the least I could do.

So, I am dedicating this walk to our dear friend and member of our extended family, Jane Gianino. KJ calls her Grandma Jane and she has a heart of gold.  She has opened her home and heart to us and we are eternally grateful to her.  It is time for me to give back!

If you feel so inclined, I would love a donation.  Fundraising is a big part of the walk.  Here is my page.  Hope I will see you there.