Fun for our Summer

These boys only have three days left of school before it's summertime.  It's going to take alot of effort on my part to keep them from being glued to the TV or fighting like cats and dogs.  I have been collecting art projects to keep us busy.  They are not serious art, but here are a few I found on Pinterest  that look like lots of fun.

Sharpies with rubbing alcohol give a tie dye effect

 Humongous bubbles 

made with 6 cups water,

1 cup corn syrup, 
2 cups dish soap

Race cars made from toilet paper rolls

Cut the stems of roses into strands and place into food coloring bottles. 








Here is the link to my Pinterest page for children's ideas

By Jeeves

This project debuted in 1975, but was visited and rewritten in 1996.  Andrew Lloyd Webber teams up with Alan Ayckbourn,  an amazingly clever and funny playwright.  The story is based on The Jeeves Stories written by P.G. Wodehouse.  You may have seen the British television show "Jeeves and Wooster"  staring Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry, also inspired by these stories.  I love Hugh Laurie in comedic roles.  He's equally hilarious in Blackadder.  (Okay, that's a side note.)

 
Back to our musical of the day,  the characters of Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves are captured for your laughing enjoyment.  Here let's take a look at a few scenes.

These scenes are taken from a filmed 2001 performance starring John Scherer and Martin Jarvis, with Becky Watson.  If you like comedy that's both farcical and witty, check out this lesser known show.

West Side Story

West Side Story premiered on Broadway in 1957.  The story was inspired by William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, with music written by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.

                   The classic film came out in 1961 starring Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer.

The street gangs - The Sharks vs. the Jets

                                  It's always I good day when I find myself singing "I feel Pretty"

I think this song "Cool" is so great.

Here is an instrumental version of "Cool", it's actually better without the words.

                   I always love a love story.  Here is the famous "Tonight" sung on the balcony.

Once Upon a Mattress

Once Upon a Mattress  opened as an off Broadway play in 1959.  It later went onto Broadway and then  TV productions were made in 1964  and 1972, both featuring Carol Burnett.  The story is based on Hans Christian Anderson's story the Princess and the Pea. 

 In recent years, Sarah Jessica Parker starred in a 1997 Broadway revival and in 2005 Disney made a fantastic version for "The Wonderful World of Disney" with Carol Burnett (now playing the queen instead of the princess), Tracey Ullman and Zooey Deschanel.

 The music is not amazing, but this is a silly silly show, great for kids. 

Here are two versions of the song "Shy".  The Princess Winnifred has just swam through the mote and climbed up the castle walls to find her prince right before this song.

 

The picture is a bit fuzzy, but Sarah Jessica Parker has great body language.

Carol Burnett -  those big eyes of hers are so funny.  Her big voice is perfect for this part.

Here is a ten minute except from Disney's Tracey Ullman production.  

Like I said, it's very silly.

A Mommy Uniform

I remember reading an interview with Gywneth Paltrow years ago where she talked about having a mom uniform.

Something comfortable yet stylish, and very washable.  

A few weeks ago I went to hear Courtney Kendrick speak at a BYU conference.  

She shared the same idea, but her version of the uniform is a mumu dress.  Again comfortable, and a style that makes her happy to get dressed each morning.

When I looked up pictures on the web, there is actually a wide range of dresses that fall into the mumu category.  I liked this vintage pattern that I found.

I definitely like the concept of having a mommy uniform.  The only times I am interested in giving my outfit extra time and contemplation is on date night.  For me I have found a few items that wash really well.  I mean over and over for years and years!  They have passed the test of time.

Undertease t-shirts.  My black top is still very black four years later.  I bought mine from Nordstroms, but when I was searching for links, it seems that Undertease has been bought by Modbod.  Hopefully they are still just a good.

I have skirts from Garnet Hill that are similar to this picture. 

  They are made of 70% cotton and 30% modal and never pill.  

After having spent $50 on a maxi skirt from a different store, which looked worn after the second time wearing it, I really appreciated how smooth these Garnet Hill skirt stay.

Mixing Legos

As a mother I am constantly fighting against the pull that T.V. and video games have on my boys.  Fortunately I learned when Henry was just a toddler, that the weekly limit for healthy kids should be 10 hours of TV viewing.  That knowledge helps me keep them down to 1 1/2 hours a day; but sometimes when I turn off the TV, the boys show strong emotions of anger or despair.  "There's nothing to do!"  I hear them say.

 Oh, am I just imagining that the house is full of toys, board games, books and art supplies?  Not to mention their bikes and scooters outside.  I had recently been threatening to start giving all these things away if the boys did not start playing with them.
 One day I pulled out our Lego Ideas Book to help get the creative juices flowing, but the boys found it intimidating.

   I realized I was going to have to sit down and build something myself, to prove to the boys that they didn't need a booklet of instructions to have fun with Legos. I didn't have enough gray blocks to build my church like the picture, so that was my first lesson to the boys - you don't have to use the same colors.  Then I didn't have the same smooth pieces as the book for the roof tiles, second lesson - get creative with what you do have.  My Stain Glass Cathedral ended up looking like a Japanese Temple.  I had fun and the boys stayed interested the whole time.
Near the finish, George made a tree for the church grounds and I realized he had used both traditional Legos and Duplo Legos.  What?!  I didn't know they could be used together!  Next time I will use the Duplo to build my foundation, and that will go much quicker.

I do recommend The Lego Ideas Book and have included the link up above.
There are fun projects to be found,  like this one.

A Star is Born

Do you know the scene in P.S. I love You  where Hillary Swank hasn't done her dishes in three weeks and her family walks in on her singing her heart out to Judy Garland's "The Man That Got Away"? I love that scene.  I could totally see myself drowning my sorrows in old movie musicals if my husband died at a young age.  I knew this song because I've heard Barbara Streisand sing it in one of her concert albums, but I didn't know where this song originated from.  

The answer to my search is 1954's A Star is Born.

 The film,  starring Judy Garland and James Mason was chosen as #7 in  The American Film Institute's 2007 list of Best Musicals.

Here is a link to wikipedia for lots of details of plot and production notes.

And here is a trailer that's going to leave you wanting more.

                                                 They don't make movies like this anymore.                                             Judy Garland was 32 years old when she made this film and she is really amazing.  

Day by Day

When we are baptized we promise to remember our Saviour always and take his name upon us.  I really like the song "Day by Day" from the 1971 musical Godspell.  It's very simple message is repeated over and over because its demonstrating how we need to stay focused as life keeps bringing us a new day, often very similar from the last.

There is a scene in the movie Meet the Parents where Greg is asked to say grace for the family dinner.  He agrees but is very uncomfortable about what he should say.  Halfway through his prayer he remembers this "Day by Day" song and decides to recite it word for word as he concludes his offering.  This scene makes me really smile, okay truthfully it cracks me up.  But regardless of Ben Stiller's antics, I resonate these sentiments.

Day by Day
Oh Dear Lord
Three things I pray
To see Thee more Clearly
Love Thee more Dearly
Follow Thee more Nearly
Day by Day

Here is the scene

And here is the song performed by a revival cast, they sing "You are the Light of the World" as well.

Orion

It's March 1st!  We've made it through the dreariest months of winter and even though there is still over a foot of snow on my lawn, I know spring is on its way.  These last couple weeks the sun has been shining strong through the west windows of my kitchen.  Today I will be pulling out the Easter decorations and deciding what fabric to use for my accent cushions in the family room.

There is one thing that makes me sad to think winter is coming to an end.  Orion.  He's the one constellation I can identify in the night sky, and he only shows himself during the wintertime.  Is that weird that he brings me such joy and comfort?  Well, I do have a few other things I'll miss when winter is gone and then let's review some mythology.

1. Orion
2. Christmas music
3. Feeling like a stolen bride as I walk from the house to the garage for a new gallon of milk
4. Cold weather makes my fingers smaller, so my rings fit better

There are two different versions of the Orion myth, depending on the identity of his parents. The first of these identifies the sea-god Neptune as Orion's father and the the great huntress Queen Euryale of the Amazons as his mother. Orion inherited her talent, and became the greatest hunter in the world. Unfortunately for him, with his immense strength came an immense ego, and he boasted that he could best any animal on earth. In response to his vanity, a single small scorpion stung him and killed him.

Another version of the Orion myth states that he had no mother but was a gift to a pious peasant from Jupiter, Neptune, and Mercury. "Orion supposedly was able to walk on water and had greater strength and stature than any other mortal. A skilled blacksmith, he fabricated a subterranean palace for Vulcan. He also walled in the coasts of Sicily against the encroaching sea and built a temple to the gods there"(Magee, 48). Orion fell in love with Merope, daughter of Oenopion and princess of Chios. Her father the king, however, would not consent to give Orion his daughter's hand in marriage--even after the hunter rid their island of wild beasts. In anger,

Orion attempted to gain possession of the maiden by violence. Her father, incensed at this conduct, having made Orion drunk, deprived him of his sight and cast him out on the seashore. The blinded hero followed the sound of a Cyclops' hammer till he reached Lemnos, and came to the forge of Vulcan, who, taking pity on him, gave him Kedalion, one of his men, to be his guide to the abode of the sun. Placing Kedalion on his shoulders, Orion proceeded to the east, and there meeting the sun-god, was restored to sight by his beam.After this he dwelt as a hunter with Diana, with whom he was a favourite, and it is even said she was about to marry him. Her brother [Apollo] was highly displeased and chid her [she was, after all, a virgin huntress], but to no purpose. One day, observing Orion wading through the ocean with his head just above the water, Apollo pointed it out to his sister and maintained that she could not hit that black thing on the sea. The archer-goddess discharged a shaft with fatal aim. The waves rolled the body of Orion to the land, and bewailing her fatal error with many tears, Diana placed him among the stars (Bulfinch's Mythology, 191-192).

It is also stated in some versions that Apollo, worried for Diana's chastity, sent a scorpion to kill Orion.

Fort Collins, CO

Our friends from Chicago, John and Heather, have chosen to move out west for what they are hoping is a slower pace of life.  They have picked Fort Collins, Colorado as their new home.   Daniel and I met them on our last day in Denver to go see the new house they are about to close on and explore the town.

Fort Collins is a college town, home of Colorado State University, and an hour north of Denver.  This a picture of the reservoir which looks over the town.

 The thing I loved the most about Fort Collins is its so charming Old Downtown.

 This college town must have more industry or lots of tourism because it's a downtown is a big area, filled with nice shops and restaurants. The buildings and sidewalks have been freshened up and maintained, something I don't think alot of cities can afford to do when trying to revive their old downtowns.

Okay, let's talk taste buds.  For dinner we went to a local brewery and John ordered chicken and waffles.  The chicken was so-so, but the waffles were served with pepper butter, creating an amazing contrast to the maple syrup.  He let me try one, and I'm telling you, you gotta try Pepper Butter!

For breakfast we went to the Silver Grill Cafe and I had my first Bloody Mary, virgin of course.  I have always been nervous to try tomato juice, but I think I'm going to look up a few recipes. It was yummy, especially with the big stalk of celery.  

                                       You will never find a more luscious, not too sweet cinnamon roll, than at              the Silver Grill Cafe, Fort Collins, CO.  Hope you get to stop by one day.

Bye bye Chicago.  We sure had a great time with you, but are grateful to have our friends within driving distance.

My Book Wish List

My decorating magazines always have a page featuring new books and I am often sold.  Here is my current wish list.

                                                   The Sprouted Kitchen by Sara Forte

I have been interested in sprouting and I think I could do it with some instructions plus recipes.

                                          The Italian Table by Ron Suhanosky

There's a recipe for Eggplant and Peach Parmigiana!

                                       Be Your Own Decorator by Susanna Salk

She poses the question "why not create a kitchen that feeds your appetite and your soul?"

Life in Color by Annie Griffiths

 Taken from National Geographic's collection of photographs, the book is a celebration of color.

Here is one the pages.

Reminds me of another book I've had on my list for several years.

Apples For Jam by Tessa Kiros

A unique cookbook where the chapters are separated by color instead for conventional categories

I've included links for all these books to Barnes and Noble.  Gotta support the only bookstore left.

Family Pictures

It used to be once in a blue moon, my laundry room would look like this.  But lately, it's been happening more and more.  And don't know what's going on, but I've been noticing that the morning house work is not overwhelming anymore.  After all these years, I'm learning how to handle my responsibilities and its wonderful not to feel weighed down with the never ending cycle of mess, clean, mess, clean.

 Anyway, I decided I want to take advantage of my little bit of new found freedom, and squeeze more into my days.  Today I made a list of extra tasks I need or want to do, all requiring 30-60 minutes of time.  After my list was written, I chose the family room picture wall to tackle today.  Oh, wait.  First I'm going to finish showing off of my laundry room.

 These are all the bulletin boards I've mentioned in the past.  This is my room, filled with books, fabric and clippings that make me happy.  Do you see my two quilt squares I made with my local quilt guild?  They're houses.  I joined in August because I wanted to spend more time with these ladies.   Then I discovered the whole time was spent doing "show and tell" instead of time for chatting.  I'm not continuing my attendance, but I think these two squares will inspire a special quilt.  You know I'll keep you updated.

                                                   My cupboard for 1 yard pieces or bigger.

                                                                   My cupboard of scraps
Okay, so on Sunday night Daniel was sitting in the family room after our dinner guests had left.  "How come the walls are so boring in here?"  he asked.  I explained I still needed to buy the floating shelves, "remember you said you didn't want all those holes again?"  "So I have to mount shelves?"  his eyebrows raised.  "Just put the pictures up, I always liked that wall."

This is what I finished today.  Me and Daniel at the bottom (I'm the big baby), our parents above us, grandparents above them and I have one great grandparent picture at the top.  I want this wall make more sense, like a family tree, in stead of all mixed up.  I am going to leave it like this for a few days.  I want to give myself a chance to add any other pictures of us and our parents before the rest of the space gets filled in with siblings, nieces and nephews.