"An ex-plu-sive card."

Those were the words uttered by my five year old while watching a commercial--just one of the many despised TV ads aimed toward kids, to break their parents' bank--exploiting a Bakugan DVD. This ad promises an exclusive(or in Einstein's case, "explusive") card, only available if you buy this DVD.

We transition from a made up word, to a word that I consider sophisticated for a kid Einstein's age. The boys are playing baseball on the Wii, and Einstein says to his brother, "Throw it a little bit more delicate." Where do they come up with these things?

Then there's Picasso, bless his heart. Yesterday I made french toast for breakfast; he couldn't get enough of it: he and Einstein both had two slices. This morning they wanted a repeat of yesterdays breakfast. Some time between yesterday and this morning, Picasso found out how I made the french toast. When he didn't want to finish his breakfast he said, with trepidation, "Does french toast always have egg in it?" It's funny how kids are more inclined to eat something if they don't have a run down of all the ingredients. All of a sudden, all he can taste is the eggs; but, he loves eggs so I don't know what the problem was. (Oh yeah, I forgot, he's my problem child who likes to be difficult.)

Saturday Photo Hunt #20: {Beautiful}

One thing I miss about Hawai'i is the "beautiful" white sand beaches. The beaches here in Washington consist of gray, muddy looking sand that looks like volcano ash. The very first time I visited a beach here, the first words that came out of my mouth were, "Sand? That's not sand, that's MUD."

So here are a couple of photos of one of the many beaches on the island of O'ahu.

Happy photo hunting!

Virtue Pack Giveaway!

While visiting other "Aloha Friday" participants, I stumbled across katymom.com. They have a great giveaway that's definitely worth looking into. It's a FamilyTimes Virtue package to help parents "transfer a spiritual legacy to their children." It looks like a valuable tool to teach our kids to love and obey God, and to teach them positive virtues.

Aloha Friday #5

Kailani says (and so do I) that, "In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response."

My question is, "What are you and your family doing this Labor Day weekend?"

We may be going to the tugboat races in Olympia. I think it's something the boys will enjoy. I can't say that I've ever witnessed a tugboat race before, but I'm sure it's something you have to see at least once.

I'm sure I'll spend the rest of the weekend with my nose in any one of the multiple books I'm reading, or on the computer digital scrapbooking.

Thursday Thirteen #4

I've been reading like a madwoman lately; Everything from the Twilight series to Comma Sense: A Fun-damental Guide to Punctuation. Here's a list of thirteen recommended books that I plan on reading at some point in time.

1. The Shack
2. The Power of a Praying Parent
3. Have a New Kid by Friday
4. The Secret
5. Home: A Memoir of My Early Years
6. Eat, Pray, Love
7. The Shadow-Lands of C.S. Lewis
8. The Last Lecture
9. A Thousand Splendid Suns
10. The Glass Castle
11. The Host
12. Barefoot
13. Twenty Wishes

Wordless Wednesday #3

I took this shot while at the Sand In the City last week Friday. I loved how the kayaks were lined up neatly in a row. I love the colors too.

Happy Wordless Wednesday.

My Blog Reading Level

It looks like reading all those books about punctuation, grammar, and vocabulary is paying off. My blog reading level status has gone up another level, from "college" to "genius." But since it's a "Blog Reading Level" does that mean that the reader is a genius? Or does that mean that you need to be a genius to read the blog? I don't know, you decide.

I Scream, You Scream...

...We all scream for ice cream! Today the MOMS Club Kids were treated to an ice cream decorating session at Baskin Robbins. All the kids received a scoop of ice cream topped with a cookie wafer to decorate to their hearts content (free of charge).

Einstein had a little difficulty piping the frosting out of the bags, while Picasso went to town decorating his ice cream. He needed no assistance or guidance; he knew just what to do. He's a cake decorating prodigy. This December he can decorate his own birthday cake. I guess his innate artistic abilities extends way beyond paper and pencil.

I love MOMS Club. They offer the members so many opportunities that we wouldn't have otherwise.

Here's our mascot, "Aloha Monkey," posing in front of the Baskin Robbins sign.

Einstein and Me

Picasso in creative mode.

Picasso's Masterpiece; looks like a face peeking out.

Einstein, hard at work.

Einstein's Masterpiece.

Pool Season is Over

I made an executive decision the other day; pool season is over. We've been getting rain and the boys go back to school next week. This is what the pool looks like now. It's supposedly drying, then will get a good scrubbing (not by me) before being stored away until next summer.

This is what our "lawn" looks like now. I'm sure the grass will come back to life once our typical Washington rain returns.

Lowes Build & Grow

A couple weeks ago I signed the boys up for a Build & Grow workshop at Lowes. Yesterday, as we were getting ready to leave, Picasso was complaining about going. He wanted to stay home and play video games. When given the choice between building a wooden truck, or staying home and doing nothing (that meant video games was out) he chose to build the truck. Then, as usual, when we got there he was glad he came. Of course, being the rule breaker that he is, he refused to wear the apron they each received (free of charge). He did wear the safety goggles, though.

He had fun putting the pieces of wood together and pounding nails. We ran into a few hangups (like nailing the chassis and carriage on upside down), but we had fun. Neither of the boys hit my finger with their hammer (that's always a good thing).

It seems like Lowes had a Build & Grow every two weeks. We already signed up for the next two sessions when they'll be building a pirate ship (it looks way cool) and a firetruck. Free wooden toys every two weeks, what a deal!

Saturday Photo Hunt #19: "Wrinkled"

This weeks theme was yet another challenge for me-unless I was willing to photograph the post birth wrinkles on my tummy, which I wasn't. On to plan 'B': While the boys were having fun playing in the giant sandbox at yesterday's Sand In the City event, I hunted high and low for something "wrinkled." While people watching I spotted a couple of individuals with wrinkled clothes, but I thought they would probably be offended if I asked their permission to photograph their attire for my 'wrinkled' post. This was the best I could come up with; an under inflated beach ball with subtle wrinkles. And the mainland style manapua that I had for lunch.

Overexposure To Sun Causes Moodiness

After nearly a week of doom and gloom, we were finally blessed with a perfectly sunny day; perfect weather for a sand sculpting competition. Today was Olympia's annual Sand In the City event. My intent was to observe the teams working for a bit, then stroll along the boardwalk to the playground. As soon as the boys spotted the giant sandbox my plans went out the window. They spent three hours digging and piling in the sandbox. I didn't mind basking in the sun and relaxing while the boys had a grand ole time-it beats listening to them argue. I just wished I had my book or iPod. Why didn't I bring my iPod? I ALWAYS carry it in my purse.


When the sand sculpting teams' time was up, the boys and I cruised on over to see the amazing sand creations. I would have enjoyed it a lot more if Picasso hadn't been whining the entire time:"I'm hungry,""I'm thirsty; I just want a drink." Give me a break! I was ready to leave two hours earlier, but I was patient enough to sit and twiddle my fingers while they played in the sand for THREE hours. I enjoy w-i-n-e, not w-h-i-n-e. My mood went downhill so quick that it was just a blur.

On our way home we stopped at Costco for a pizza-because I was in no mood to actually cook something. And since we were there I thought it would be a good idea to get the kind of w-i-n-e I like to relax my tense demeanor-a glass of that liquid happiness did the trick. I think we were in the sun for too long. It fried my brain, and Picasso's. Einstein didn't seem to be affected.

Einstein Has the Last Laugh

Today was Einstein's last golf lesson, and they were treated with a golf course of sorts. Using yellow rope and cones to form the "green" of the course-okay, I'm no golfer so please excuse my made up terminology. There were four holes set up, and the four groups of kids split up accordingly.

Picasso was the first in his group to drive his ball. He missed the ball on his first swing; that's when one of the kids in his group showed his lack of class and sportsmanship. He promptly snickered out loud with a, "ha ha." Okay, I have to admit that I wanted to smack that kid, but in the end, Einstein had the last laugh. Mr. Snickers had a higher score than Einstein-significantly higher by my estimation. The kid couldn't even get his tennis ball to stick to the Velcro cone, representing the hole. In the kids defense though, I observed his parents over the past five weeks and can plainly see that it's a learned behavior.

Einstein gets an 'A' for good behavior and sportsmanship! Go,Einstein!

Thursday Thirteen #3

Since I'm submersed in this world of technology and innovation, my list is of things (in no particular order)I can’t live without that make my life easier.

1. Blackberry (or “crackberry,” as some people refer to it)

2. Laptop (I must stay connected)

3. Little pink Cyber-shot camera (I always have it in my purse; just in case)

4. iPod (I’m a podcast addict; plus it works well to tune out the kids noise)

5. Our Durango (I need it to chauffeur the kids to wherever they need to go)

6. Vacuum

7. TV, along with the DVR (I’m gearing up for the upcoming season)

8. Photoshop Elements program (although I’ve been neglecting it lately)

9. Watch, because I take pride in being punctual

10. Washing machine and dryer

11. Dishwasher

12. Ceramic top stove (they’re so much easier to clean)

13. Home security system (It makes me feel more secure)

Whew, I think I actually worked up a sweat creating this list. It’s difficult to make a list when you’re put on the spot.

Wordless Wednesday #2

I had my back facing the window while having a latte and discussing a book with fellow moms at Cutters Point. I think it was mid sentence when one of the moms commented on the beautiful pink sky. This was a very unexpected scene following a day of rain.

Go here to see more WW participants.

Tackle It Tuesday #2

This is only my second post for "Tackle It Tuesday" because, quite frankly, I just haven't been tackling a whole lot. I've been spending too much time on this darned computer instead of "getting 'er done."

Today's post falls more into the category of "Random acts of kindness." While at the library yesterday I heard two or three parents comment about this stack of scattered books: "Oh, looks like someone made a mess," "Wow, what a mess." I took it upon myself to just get down on the ground and re shelf the books. I didn't have anything better to do while I was waiting for the boys to finish playing "Magic School Bus" on the computer.

Here's what the neatly shelved books looked like when I was done with my random act of kindness directed at the poor librarian who would've had to do it otherwise. Hmm, I wonder if the library is seeking part-time help? They're more likely seeking volunteers.

Manic Monday #5

Is there something you've dreamed of doing for a long time? Why haven't you done it?

I've always wanted to take a trip to Europe (Scotland, Ireland, London), but probably never will. It's not in the budget, and I wouldn't want to travel there while the boys are still young.

If you could make any fictional character come to life, which one would it be?

At this point in time I would say Edward Cullen of Twilight fame. It's all about the eye candy.

f you could have a $10,000 shopping spree to one store, which store would it be and how long would it take you to spend the $10,000?

I might spend the day at IKEA and refurnish our entire home. I haven't a clue how long it would take me to spend it all, but I'd guess four hours.

Name three things you wanted as a child but never got.

Smaller feet, to be shorter, and to have a different last name.

Puzzle Solved

Here's the project that the boys and I (mostly me) worked on over the weekend. This 300 piece Thomas Kinkade puzzle measuring 15"x 15" took less time to put together than I anticipated. It was an interesting process. We worked on it until the pieces no longer made sense to us, so we took a break. Every time I walked by the dining room table I magically found a few pieces that fit together. Fresh eyes make a huge difference while working on jigsaw puzzles. I don't know how many hours it took us, but we got it done in about three days. As soon as I get it framed I'll decorate one of many bare walls in our house. Our next puzzle is 500 pieces.

Saturday Photo Hunt #18: Colorful

Welcome to this weeks edition of Photo Hunt where the theme is "Colorful." These are a couple recent photos from this past week. The first two are the mask that Picasso crafted at Vacation Bible School. The last one is a stained glass at the church said Vacation Bible School was held at. I'd say they're both pretty colorful.

Breaking Twilight Movie News

Suh.weet! I just received the breaking news from Summit Entertainment about the Twilight movie being in theaters three weeks earlier than originally planned! Opening date is now November 21st-the day Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince was supposed to be in theaters. I know where I'll be on that day.

Thursday Thirteen #2

Thirteen items I need to return to the library…

1. The ABCs of Handling Money God’s Way

2. Peter Pan

3. The Photoshop Elements 5 Book for Digital Photographers

4. Making Allowances: A Dollars-and-Sense Guide to Teaching Kids About Money

5. Killer Weekend

6. Creating Web Sites: The Missing Manual

7. Eclipse (The Audiobook)

8. Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

9. Head First HTML with CSS & XHTML

10. Hiking Olympic National Park

11. Office 2007 Simplified

12. Fun Food: 25 Delicious Recipes That Kids Can Cook

13. Grey’s Anatomy Soundtrack

Indecent Exposure

Every day after vacation bible school this week I've been letting the boys expel some energy on the playground. Today I was wishing we had gone straight home when Picasso casually sauntered over to a tree to relieve himself! I had a horrifying suspicion that I knew what he was up to; I trudged over to his location and found that, much to my chagrin, I had hit the nail on the head. I thought I was going to hyperventilate when I spied him in all his glory, pants dropped to his ankles, peeing like it was no big deal. The least he could have done was find some real estate a little further in the brush. I Thank my lucky stars he wasn't seen – at least I don't think he was – or he might have been arrested for indecent exposure. Just as a side note, yesterday I did encourage him to pee on a tree because the church was already locked up – when you gotta go, you gotta go – but today the door was wide open.

Chocolate Chip Monkey Muffins

Ever since Einstein found a recipe for "Monkey Muffins" in his High Five magazine he wanted to make a batch. Yesterday I baked a batch for breakfast; the boys loved them. Einstein said, "They taste just like monkeys." By the end of the day there were just a few muffins left. Apparently, monkey muffins make a good snack. This morning I baked another batch with a twist; I added mini chocolate chips. They tasted even better than the first batch. The recipe is very simple-If I can make them without ruining it, anybody can make them. Go ahead and try them out for yourself.

Ingredients:

• 4 Bananas
• 2 Cups of Flour (I used whole wheat)
  
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1/2 Cup Shortening
• 1 Cup Sugar
  
• 2 large Eggs
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• 1/2 Cup Sour Cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put paper liners in muffin tins.

1. Cut bananas into pieces and mash them.
2. Put flour and baking soda in a mixing bowl.
3. Put shortening and sugar in a large bowl. Beat until creamy.
   
4. Add eggs and mix.
5. Add bananas, salt, and vanilla. Mix well.
6. Add the flour mixture and sour cream. Mix well.
   
7. Fill the muffin cups half full. Bake for 15-18 minutes.

I Finally Found Myself

Just a few short days ago I was going on about finding my identity. After visiting www.wordsmith.org/anagram I think I finally found my blogosphere identity. I entered my real name which resulted in over a thousand anagrams. A few of them stood out to me, but my favorite was "Mystic Heart." I'll use that one for now, but since I'm a woman it's my prerogative to change my mind. After all, nothing is set in stone.

Manic Monday Meme #4

"How would your friend describe you to someone who has never seen you?"

This is a difficult question to answer because it depends on who you ask. So just for the sake of answering this question I'll go with tall, dark, and beautiful – just kidding. But seriously, if any of my Washingtonian friends were to describe me they'd probably say, "She's Hawaiian, friendly, and has two little boys. She appreciates a good bottle of wine and spends too much time on the computer."

"Do you trust anyone to protect you? Who, and why?"

This one should be a no brainer; I'll have to say my husband. He would go to the ends of the earth to protect his family.

"If you died or went missing, who would miss you?"

My family: kids, husband, mom, sister

Breaking Dawn Done

My monkeys thought I'd never reach the end of the book, but today I completed my mission. Okay, so I didn't get through the entire series in six short days like some fanatics, but just over three weeks isn't bad for a busy mom of two. I loved all four books but Breaking Dawn is my absolute favorite. There were so many twists and turns in the storyline that made my brain go into overload. And just when I thought I knew what was going to happen next, the storyline threw me for a loop. Stephenie Meyer is a genius! I must admit though that, while reading the story being told from Jacob's perspective I found myself getting a little confused; I had to back track and remind myself who was telling the story. The first three books were told nearly entirely from Bella's perspective so I was already in Bella mode.

Now that I've read the complete Twilight Series, what will I do in all my spare time? - Yeah right, what spare time? I deprived myself of sleep the first time around. I'm thinking of re-reading it at a slower pace to pick up the things that got past me the first time, maybe take a few notes. But first, I need to get some sleep.

Saturday Photo Hunt #16: "Dark"

I couldn't decide between these two so I posted them both. These photos were taken last Halloween during our annual begging for candy trip around the neighborhood. I was experimenting with the settings on my camera, trying to capture the essence of my subject without drowning it out with flash. I was pleasantly surprised at the results.

Aloha Friday #3

Aaah, at last it's Friday again! Happy Aloha Friday, everyone! In conjunction with the fact that I've been reading the "Twilight Series" - obsessed with it really - I was just wondering; are you also reading or already completed reading the series? Do you even know what I'm talking about? It's just like a junkie to suck everyone else into their addiction. I'm quickly approaching the halfway mark of "Breaking Dawn," and my family will be happy when I'm done.

My Identity Chrisis

Oh, I give up already! I've been leaving comments on other blogs signing with either "Pinkaholic Mom" (because I love pink and I'm a mom), or "Manic Monkey" (because I'm manic and my blog is called "Monkey Tales"), or "Aloha Monkey" (because being from Hawaii, we have aloha spirit). I'm so confused! I've decided that from now on - or until I change my mind again - I'm just signing my comments as "Truly Tracey" because Tracey is truly my name.

Thursday Thirteen: #1

Welcome to my maiden voyage of the "Thursday Thirteen" meme. My theme for this week is "Thirteen things I've done this summer...so far."

1. Take my kids to the playground.
2. Go to the library.
3. Go to the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. (I posted about it here.)
4. Pick strawberries. (Read about it here.)
5. Watched the Thunder Birds rehearse for the McChord Air Expo. (Read about it here.)
6. Went on a day trip to Seattle via the Amtrak and went on the Duck Tours of Seattle. (Read about it here.)
7. Went to the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. (Read about it here.)
8. Tasted wine-oh boy did I ever! (Read about THAT one here.)
9. Volunteered at vacation bible school for a week. (You can see some photos here.) I'm pondering sending the boys to vacation bible school at a different church just to give myself a short - very short - 2 1/2 hour daily break for a week. You know what, what is there to ponder? I'm doing it.
10. Read "Twilight," "New Moon," and "Eclipse," otherwise referred to as the "Twilight Series," by Stephenie Meyer. I'm currently reading "Breaking Dawn," the last installment to the series. If you're not familiar with this series, it's sort of a teen romance with a twist. The hunky male teen is a vampire. That's all I'm saying.
11. While the boys spent a night at their cousin's house I got a pedicure/manicure for the first time since sliced bread. Okay, so I'm exaggerating just a teensy bit, but not much. This was a love-hate experience. I loved it because it was relaxing, for a change. I hated it because earlier in the day a klutz broke a glass bowl and didn't clean up after himself. Want to guess how I found out? You can read about it here, but let's just say they drew blood during my visit there. Good thing there weren't any vampires in the vicinity.
12. Took the boys roller skating. I surprised myself when I discovered I could still skate without falling. I also discovered that I forgot how to stop.
    
13. And last but not least, I spent w.a.y. too much time on the computer blogging and such. See, I'm doing it right now.

I'm Done Reading "Eclipse"

That was intense reading. I read the last few chapters while importing the audiobook (that I borrowed from the library) to my iTunes library. I know I'm teetering on obsessive, but reading fiction is my only escape from the real world, and Stephenie Meyer draws me into her storyline. I listened to a few minutes of the audiobook version and was slightly disappointed. I was expecting the narrator to add even more life to the story, but I enjoyed hearing my own voice in my head while reading the book. I'll probably listen to the entire audiobook anyway - because that's what people with an obsession do. I also read the first few pages of "Breaking Dawn" to get a glimpse of what I can expect in the next few days. No wonder my eyes are misty. I guess that's what happens when you read for too long. Maybe I should take a break from reading for a while. Naaah, I don't think so.

Quacking Up In Seattle

It's been an exciting summer for the boys and me. We went to the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium a little over a week ago (I posted a little bit about it here), and then yesterday we went on a day trip to Seattle via the Amtrak. Grandma Susie has wanted to take the boys on a train ride ever since we moved back to Washington two years ago; yesterday it finally happened. We boarded the Amtrak from the Olympia-Lacey Station at 10:30 a.m. and headed north. I was grateful for the short stops in Tacoma and Tukwila because it was a rough ride for me. I tend to get vertigo when being jerked from side to side. And have you ever tried using the "facilities" while on a moving train? It's not an easy task. Fast forward an hour and forty-five minutes and we're at the King Street Station in Seattle. Although I enjoyed the scenery, I liked walking on steady ground even more.

Since we had very little no experience getting around in Seattle we went with the majority and stood in line for a cab to take us to the Duck Tours. One small problem; there were five of us and only four seat belts. Little Einstein sat on Grandma's lap and shared a belt while Darien sat shotgun with the cabby. This maneuver was illegal as all get out, so the cabby took a side street and hopped on the highway to avoid getting a ticket. Who needs a roller coaster when we have city cabs? I thought we were going to die when the cabby turned onto a street while an approaching car was, I swear, less than a car length away and closing in. Twelve dollars and ten cents later, we arrived at the duck tours safe and sound.

Our duck was guided by Captain Claire Buoyant (get it? Clairvoyant). Another captain's stage name was Matt Agascar. These people are a quack up (pun intended). The tour started off with the usual on land tourist attractions – Seattle Aquarium, Starbucks (cha-ching), and other local establishments with history. A couple memorable moments was blaring the Rocky theme song to cheer on a local jogger, and playing the Cops theme song (bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do?) while passing a cop giving someone a ticket. What a riot!

Our last stop, before heading back, was Lake Union – as you probably guessed, the duck went into the lake. It was a little disorienting transitioning from land directly into the water. I experienced a sinking sensation. Picasso thought that was pretty cool. Claire did disclose that you shouldn't try this with your personal vehicle. Don't try this at home, kids.

We were entertained with a little ambiance music – The Love Boat theme, Sponge Bob Square Pants, Gilligan's Island theme, and...Hannah Montana music? That one I didn't get, but it made the young lady sitting behind me struggling with sea sickness feel better. We even saw the Sleepless in Seattle house boat and learned that it's currently on the market for only $2.5 million. Alrighty then, anyone want to buy a house?

After having lunch at McDonald's it was time to figure out how we were going to get back to the train station. Pay $25 for another cab ride (putting our lives in jeapordy), or ride the bus as far as we can then walk 12 blocks. Guess which one we chose? Let's just say that we were lucky to find a friendly local headed in the same direction. When we reached the station we had just enough time to retrieve the bag we checked in, and then stand in line for our seat assignments. In contrast to our ride to Seattle, the ride home was sold out. Also in contrast, was the fact that the ride home was a lot smoother; my vertigo didn't have a chance to kick in. During our ride to Seattle I was dead set against ever riding a train again (after we got back home, of course), but since our ride home was a better experience I think I might like to do this again.

So that was our day in a duck shell. Quack!

Amtrak

We're at the train depot waiting to go to Seattle.
Sent Via My Blackberry

Manic Monday Meme #3

Since I won't be anywhere near a computer tomorrow I'm posting my "Manic Monday" post a day early.

"Using no more than 10 nouns, and ONLY nouns, describe yourself."

1. Hawaiian
2. Daughter
3. Sister
4. Wife
5. Mommy
6. Homemaker
7. Organizer
8. Problem Solver
9. Photographer
10. Christian

"If you owned your own store, what would you sell?"

My store would sell chocolates, coffees and wines from all over the world. These are my favorite three things to consume. I'd also love to do some traveling, which would be required for research, of course.

"If you were to name the most comforting thing for you to hold in your hands, what would it be?"

I've always thought that holding dry sand in my hands is very soothing. I like to grab a handful and let the sand sift through my fingers.

The Cause of My Misery

I attended an "In Home Wine Tasting" at a friend's house last night and I'm paying for it dearly today. The cause of my misery is probably my lack of self control, or maybe it was the 14.2% alcohol by content level in at least one of the wines I tasted. I probably should have used the "spit bucket" more than I did. Actually, I didn't use it at all.

When I woke up this morning I had cob webs in my head and couldn't even remember if I took a shower before I went to bed. I cranked up the hot water and jumped in for good measure, and to clear my head. After re-hydrating myself with water followed by a coffee chaser I'm starting to come back to life. No more wine tasting for a while.

My "Breaking Dawn"

I bought my copy of "Breaking Dawn" at Costco and paid $12.99 (plus tax) for it. Then we went to Wal Mart where they were selling it for $13.88. They had a sorry little table set up as a free standing display for the Twilight series. One rectangle table covered with red plastic table cloth and black, red, and white balloons. All four books of the series were unceremoniously stacked on the table. What an insult to the brilliant author. What did I expect from Wal Mart? I'm sure the book stores had nicer displays. I have my copy of the new book ready and waiting for when I'm done reading "Eclipse." That's all that matters.

Vacation Bible School Highlights

As promised, here are the highlights of our week at Vacation Bible School.

Saturday Photo Hunt #15: "Cloud (s)"

This weeks theme wasn't that difficult because I usually feel compelled to snap a picture of clouds if they look interesting. What was difficult was choosing just one photo to post, so I narrowed it down to three.

Here's one that I took recently while touring the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. I was drawn to the wispy edges of this formation. I also see a dolphin in the cloud.


This one is of the almost perfect clouds formed over the warm Pacific Ocean at Ali'i Beach in Haleiwa, Hawaii. I took this picture two years ago, right before moving to Washington.

And this one I also took two years ago in Mililani, Hawaii. When I saw this formation it brought images of Jesus on the cross to mind. The eerie thing is that this cloud was right above a church. I wish I could have captured the church in this picture.

Breaking Dawn In a Few Hours

Picture me rubbing my hands together in anticipation of the release of Stephenie Meyer's fourth installment of her Twilight series. Some time tomorrow morning after I drag myself out of bed and handle my motherly duties I'll be sneaking off for a "Breaking Dawn" run. I hope Costco will be selling them, since they'll probably have the best price. Stay tuned to see how many stores I stop at to get my fix.

Rude Awakening

It was 3 o'clock in the A.M. when I was so rudely awakened by Picasso complaining of having "bad thoughts." He was probably having bad dreams again which was, no doubt, stirred up from watching Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball GT more than he should be. In the not too distant past he's been forced to take a break from these movies (cartoons, really) for over a month until he got over his nightmare issues. Now the force will be with him again (just a little Star Wars joke...ha ha) to give his over active imagination a well deserved break.

I think Einstein was in on the conspiracy too. When I walked Picasso back to bed he discovered that Einstein had wet the bed. At that moment I was thinking, "Ugh, am I ever going to get back to sleep?" Off came the sheets (thank goodness for water proof bed covers) and out came a new set of clothes for Einstein. Finally, back to bed. Not my bed, of course. I had to stay with Picasso to make him feel safe from his bad dreams, but at least I was able to close my eyes again. I must have been back to sleep within 20 minutes. Things can only get better (I hope).