Signs of Spring!!!

Signs of spring around here:

My little guys in their Easter shirts I got them at H&M - they also had bowties, however, kept it cas for the big EB!

......beautiful blooms in the backyard!

Spring Break and lots of time with my little guys....

Dylan is really into drawing and we have an ongoing discussion on how he is going to catch me a chipmunk....he drew this illistration of how on a rainy/sunny (note the sun and the raindrops)day he will will walk by a tree and catch me one, he will put an acorn on one side of the tree and then it will walk to the acorn and he will catch it!.....notice how one is walking right by him.....

Spring Cleaning makes room for some Thrifting adventures......this weeks toy score - Fisher Price Little People Ferris Wheel and Playground Set (Brody approved) total $6.50 for both!....came with little people and once scrubbed up brought hours to fun time....altho not sure why a chicken is at the fair or at the playground....unless of course that is why the chicken crossed the road......yehaw....thanks folks, I'll be here all week, don't forget to tip your waitress....

The Spring Auto Show in Del Mar.....Steve went and found this fun addition to our collection of advertising that show a car like our '65 Pony.....love this as it has our wheels and logos too....well done honey!

.....and the Spring weather netted a second trip to the Thrift Store where I found this jewel for only $50.00!!!! I.Love.It

.....all it needed was a little love....aka....lemon oil, furniture pen to cover some scratches and a chance to shine! It now homes and organizes all my decorating items like candles, glass beads, holiday decor, etc.

.....and a spring break sleep over during the week - how fun is that.....could not resist these sleeping pictures of two loving brothers....

....and when Brody eventually pushed Dylan out of bed he got up and helped GiGi make some bird nests out of rice krispies, green icing and cadbury eggs.....after we molded the eggs in a muffin pan, Dylan took over lining the nest with green icing...

....hmmm GiGi...I better taste it to make sure it is ok.....

Adding the eggs.....three in everyone, not 2 not four, 3!

.....and these precious hands hold a little spring nest!

.....and spring also brings a Lego birthday party for Dylan!!! Mommy went all out i nthe theme.....

....a build it yourself Lego car station and ramp which was really enjoyed by the kids....

....and a special banner spelling out the birthday boy's name.....

.....a picture of the birthday boy in a lego frame with a lego wishing the kids lots of lego fun....

....a collage of the previous 5 birthdays leading up to #6....

....and the sweetest boy soaking it all in....love the 6 on his birthday lego shirt...

Brody takes a swing at the small kids pinata.....

.......Dylans name in Legos on the cake! Time for presents.....yeaaaaaaaa! Happy 6th Birthday Dylan!

After the party Steve and Adam went to a Spring Classic around here - Padres Vs. Dodgers.....I hunkered down with Rocky and season 1 of Downtown Abbey and made a skillet dinner of fennel, yellow shash, maui onion and sliced left over steak.....and stuffed a zillion eggs for the egg hunt! Favorite quote of the night...'All of us have chapters in our life we don't want published'....yeah, I would say so :)

Up early this a.m. to make bunny tracks....Rocky was a big help!

Hop Hop Hop....hiding eggs and spreading joy whereever he goes.....

The Addie and Shannie came early as Adam and Steve are the BEST egg hiders bar none....Shannie and I had a bonding moment as we analyzed human behavior and the important things in life.....I love her more every time I see her....

Gramps eyeing a spot to hide one....

....the little ones arrive with Mommy (poor Daddy had to work!)....Buckets of candy and Tshirts from Gramps and GiGi....Plants vs. Zombies for Dylan....Chipmunks for Brody

What's this????? A chipmunk for GiGi from her boys?? How sweet is that.....it must have been a sunny rainy day when he eyed an acorn....the rest is history!

A quick look outside....what? Bunny Tracks!

Look! Eggs by the tracks, come on Brody - let's go!

...oops...out of order but Dylan and his shirt....

Gramps gives Dylan a lift for one hid up high by EB

Brody sees a blue one!

Gramps gives Brody a lift for another one up high!

Look at our bounty! Thank you Easter Bunney!

Time for brunch!!! GiGi's Egg cups - yummy! They look like little birdie nests....

Grandma Alexanders Fruit Salad for Adam (as she used to call it) yummy fresh strawberries, egg cups, Shannies famous pineapple upside down cakes, Dylans bird nests! Brody is ready to eat!

and a little chick hatching from the GIANT eggs Uncle Adam and Aunt Shannie brought....

....and bless the beasts and the children.....after everyone left and I came upstairs I found that Brody set up a little buffet for his buddies....

.....Happy Spring everyone - hope your week was wonderful!!

A little Salt in Sugar

My MaMa Auten used to say to me when I would pout 'I see there is a little salt in sugar'....what does that mean I would think!!!

She and my dad had so many wonderful sayings about things (a southern thing) and I have them all written down somewhere and love remembering them - when I catch a glimpse of something that relates they instantly come into my mind and makes me smile.....

This picture of Brody started me thinking about that saying! He is the start pouter of our family and is pretty stubborn and will sit and cross his arms and pout the best pout....however once he works his mood out he is lighthearted and funny and lovable.....and far more sugar than salt!
My friend Annette got the boys a fun firetruck puzzle and sidewalk paint for their birthdays - they love her (Miss Net!) and she knows just what these boys love....we must have put it together a hundred times!

Monday we celebrated all the March birthdays at Fuji's...Shannie, Dylan and Brody....
(note to self - get your bangs cut this week!)

Dylan loved their soup....he is my soup eater!

We all were mesmerized by their cooking show....

Brody did incredible with chop sticks - Kristen has the cutest video....

Chop Chop...sizzle...sizzle....

The famous 'Volcano'

Lava flow.....

The beautiful birthday girl and her handsome hubby.....

Plum ice cream for the birthday guests....where is Brody??? He came back a few minutes later with a wet fork....hmmmm someone went fishing in the Koi pond?

Steve mesmerized by his iPhone - put that away and watch the show!

Time for presents!

We love all our gifts Gigi and Gramps....especially our harmonicas - we will play you a song!

Spring time about the Wilson Manor.....

A touch of bunny and chicks on the hutch in the entry way....

A pastel rag garland with egg lights and some Easter decs on the mantle....the Fisher Price train and the Thomas Easter Train and Easter books out for the boys....

The Lazy Susan on the dining room table filled with bunny and chicks....and the ceramic Easter basket I made in 1972!!

My Easter Annalee Bunny, some Easter subway art and a ceramic egg filled with pastel M&M's
on the bar....

In the foyer a little spring scene with lambs and ceramic plate and my cholce protecting a nest of eggs....(I saw this nest when we went to the winery with friends a few weeks ago and the guys were waiting on us so I decided it was a want and not a need and passed on it....I just could not get that nest off my mind so last week I drove back out there and it was still waiting for me!!!!) I.love.it.

I am not crazy about the scarf on the distressed table so looking for something better....

Close up of my new little treasure....

Found this cute wall hanging birdcage for half price......so I decided it to perk it up a bit with some of my vintage postcards....

I bought some small clothespins and pinned the postcards on the 'cage'....

....and hung it on the wall next to my hutch....it looks great and I can change out the postcards (I have collected all the holidays) or just leave it plain....

'The Apothecary's are proud to announce a new addition to their glass family'.....(I found a nice new one!) and of course that means I had to take them all out and wash them down and rearrange them....

.....and a fun trip to Hobby Lobby this week netted some cute decorations for an upcoming birthday party around these parts....

....and speaking of salt in sugar - time for my annual batch of bunny bark...the perfect blend of salt and sugar!!!

First you break up a pkg of vanilla cookies (or Oreo Goldens), break up pretzel pieces, spread a handful of pastel M&M's and some spring sprinkles on a cookie sheet.....

...then melt about 1# of white chocolate slowly in the microwave = stirring every 30 second until melted...

Then drizzle over the white chocolate on the pieces and let it set up in your fridge for 15 minutes....then break it up in pieces and store it in an airtight container - yummy!

I love this picture of Brody - putting all the Toy Story figures in Rocky's bed....

...and speaking of earning your salt....I got an award for my 15 years of service, even tho I have been there 16 years - they are a bit behind!!!

Hope your week was full of salt and sugar and all things that make you happy!