The Train Museum...

A couple of months ago Rainee & I had the chance to go to the Orange Empire Train Museum with some friends. We rode on all sorts of trains and trolleys.... even an old steam engine. They have... Narrow Gauge Trains, Union Pacific Trains, South Pacific Trains, Santa Fe Trains, California St. Cable Car, L.A.'s Yellow Trolley Cars, Pacific Electric Red Cars... it was amazing seeing all the different types of train transportation and being able to ride them. We didn't have a chance to do everything, so Rainee's already decided we're going back, but next time we're taking daddy!

Have fun to{day}!!!

 

Stuff For To{day}...

I was web-surfing for a few things for my husband yesterday and go side tracked by a few interesting things... and thought I'd share this Stuff For To{day} with you ...

Nudgemail...

First have you seen this... it's the coolest thing... it's such a clever idea... you can forward ANY email to Nudgemail and they send it back to you at a time you can specify... cool huh!

.... say for example I receive an email from a friend and want a reminder about it in 7 days... rather than putting on my calendar or have the joy of trying to search for in in my hundreds of emails... I instead forward the email to 7days@nudgemail.com... then in 7 days... I get that specific email sent back to me... what a great email reminder system. I love this... I know I'll be using it! For more info go to... nudgemail.com

Next up...

A message to your 16 year old self...  

When I saw this I thought of all the times I wanted to be tan... all the times I wanted not to have such fair skin... all the times I got burnt to a crisp... and the time, many years later... I watched a mole change before my eyes and found out it was cancer... life can change in a moment. For me, that was 13 years ago... but there isn't a day that goes by I don't check every spot... wear sunscreen... or remember how thankful I am... that I caught it early.

So this little video hits home for me... and I know at 16, you don't want to listen to anyone except your friends... but this video compels you to share it... with anyone who is, will be or was 16... this can happen to anyone.


Next up...

Watermelon Waffles...

What a delightful way to make something fun out of something fun. I have always loved waffles... and watermelon goes without saying... but this clever idea, is something I can't wait to try... yum.. this stuff for to{day} idea comes from... http://the-wilson-world.blogspot.com/2011/05/watermelon-waffles.html




And lastly an award given to me...

The Versatile Blogger Award... 

The lovely and sweet, Becka at ScrapperBecka gave me this blogger award... thank you soooooo much Becka... I really appreciate it!!!
And here are 5 things about me:
1. I love summer fruits... can't get enough of them.
2. I am addicted to Grey's Anatomy, White Collar, NCIS, The Bachelor and The Next FoodNetwork Star
3. I hated camping as a kid, but want to take my family on camping trips now... is there something wrong with me?
4. My favorite city in the world is Paris, France.
5. I hate it when any of the Terminator movies are on TV... my thought on those movies are... seen them once... and that's enough. But not for Steve & now Rainee... ugh!

Here are my 5 people to pass this award on to:
1. Moira at http://lwhoscookin.blogspot.com/
2. Georgia at http://gedepapel.blogspot.com/
3. Julie at http://thetuckerwolekclan.blogspot.com/
4. Joan at http://joanofcards.blogspot.com/
5. Deana at http://deanaboston.typepad.com/divalogues/

Have a lovely Tuesday... see you tomorrow!

Blogoversary... Blog Candy...

Hello everyone... yes I can't believe it myself... but it's been three years since I started blogging. These last 3 years have been filled with lots of wonderful everyday moments... photos... blog candy... scrapbook layouts... and cards...

And in celebration of these last 3 years... I thought I'd do a little giveaway. Since it's my 3rd blogoversary, I'll be giving away 3 prizes!!! Each Random.org chosen winner will receive a set of  Luminarte's Twinkling H20's!!! I love love love how many different things you can do with the Twinkling H20's like... stamping, painting, splattering and the list goes on... I love finding new ways to use these little guys... did I say I love them... well, I do!!! Anyway... along with the Twinkling H20's, I'll also be throwing in the box some other fun scrapbook goodies for each winners.

To enter... just leave a comment... and next Monday, June 13, I'll randomly choose my 3 winners!!! It's just a small way to say... Thank you... for skipping along with me and my blog these past 3 years. As always... thank you for your lovely comments... I really appreciate hearing from you!

Friday's 10 Happy Things...

HAPPY HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

Let face it... life is busy... but somewhere squeezed into each day are some unforgettable everyday HAPPY moments... and if not written down will be easily forgotten.... HAPPY moments are worth sharing...

Here's how to play... you have ALL WEEK to link up your list and/or your creation at the bottom of this post... it's that easy!

My 10 HAPPY thing for this week...

1. Breakfast picnics... in the backyard.
2. Bike rides to the park... when it's suppose to be dark...
3. Butterflies hatching from their crislsis'... & watching them flutter & play around in the port-a-bug all week... it's been so much fun!! Thank you Sharon!
4. Dinner barbecuing... I love that smell... 
5. Summer berries...
6. Watermelon... watermelon... watermelon...
7. Champ all clean & trimmed... no more shedding hair to clean up... 
8. Music blaring while cleaning house...
9. Finishing the last little bits of my spring cleaning list... soooo happy this is done!
10. Staying up late... because it's summer!!

My favorite creation this week... 'Doggie'... I love this photo of Rainee... and I love the memory. And we'd love you come along and share your favorite toy with us over at TAAFOMFT...

Join in ANY TIME... have a very Happy Friday!

What's Cooking To{day}...

or rather what we had for dinner last night... I have to share with you a recipe I love when I'm in the mood for bbq'd shrimp... especially when I just happen to get the shrimp on sale!!! Enjoy!!!

Sweet & Sour Shrimp

	1 1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
	1 1/2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
	1 Tbsp vegetable oil
	1 Tbsp honey
	1/4 tsp table salt
	1/4 tsp black pepper
	1 pound to 1 1/2 pounds shrimp

• Combine mustard, vinegar, oil, honey, salt and pepper in a medium bowl; add shrimp and chill for 1 hour. (Note: If you're short on time, simply baste the shrimp with the marinade a few times when grilling.)
• Preheat grill or broiler. Grill or broil shrimp until pink and tender, turning once, about 5 minutes. Serve over rice.

Almost Seven...

I love it when I see layouts of a child days away from turning one year older... they encourage me to do this... not just one year... but every year. Layouts/photos like this remind me of how fast time flies... because before you know it a year has come and gone... and every day is precious.

They also encourage me to take more photos... because, you know, we all have photo of our child on their birthday... but what about those last few days right before? I know I have a few over the last 6 years... but I am so focused on the birthday... and the party... I forget to take the last photos of Rainee before she turns another year older.

But this year... well, this year... I remembered!!! Yeah!! This is such a great photo of her! It's not only right before her birthday... but it's also right before she lost her latest tooth... and is now smiling with her latest toothless grin at seven. I am so happy I was able to capture Rainee and one of her last few days of being six year old... priceless.

Thanks for dropping in... have a lovely lovely Wednesday!

What's Your Favorite...

childhood toy??? This is our new challenge for TAAFOMFT. I love this challenge... because I knew right away what toy, even what photo I was going to scrap... Rainee with her doggie. We've had doggie since she was a year and a half. We found him right before Christmas... when I was doing some last minute shopping at Kmart... and to keep her happy we went in the toy section to find a toy to keep her occupied while I got what I needed. She played with a few things, but little did I know, the moment she saw doggie it was all over ... we weren't leaving without him.

He was a cute little guy... and he was keeping her happy. But the moment it came time to put him back.. she wasn't having it... she wasn't letting him go. I tried telling her it was his bedtime and he needed to go to sleep... even a store employee joined in to help me get doggie to bed... but she wasn't having it, if she had anything to say about it. She wasn't letting him go... he was coming home to live with us! So like any good mother would do, who has a crying child... I caved. What??? With the tears flowing... her sad little face starring at me... I had to buy him. Once home, the only thing she was interested in was doggie... Christmas came and went, with lots of other toys, but doggie was it. She was only interested in one toy... doggie... she wouldn't let him out of her sight... he went everywhere with her... he was her constant companion... at breakfast... nap time... lunchtime... bath time... reading books... bedtime... it didn't matter what she was doing or where she was going... doggie was right by her side. He's been a good friend to her.

Since doggie came into our home... Rainee's had quite a few other favorite toys... but when she's really tied or has had a bad day... she always turns to doggie for an extra bit of love... he'll always be her favorite... no matter what.

Now it's your turn to show us your favorite toy. We'd love for you to play along and check out what our very creative TAAFOMFT DT have chosen as their favorites. Whatever yours is, share it with us... on a scrapbook page, a card, a mini book or project. We can't wait to see what you create!

Memorial Day...

 Freedom. I am blessed to live in a country who fights for our right to be free. Every day, I am blessed by the men and women who serve for my freedom. I am blessed by their choice to serve, they did not have to... but they chose to fight & even die for our freedom.

So, on this day of remembrance... I want to say, thank you... thank you, to all who have died for my freedom. I am truly grateful.

What's Cooking To{day}...

I love barbecuing throughout the summer... I love that it's so easy... but after a while I can only take so much bbq chicken... so here's a favorite recipe that gets me through the summer and barbecued chicken.... I love the fresh flavor of this lemon marinade, it's so refreshing... I hope you enjoy it as much as my family and I do...

Tuscan Lemon Chicken

• 4 chicken breasts (works great with or without skinned chicken)
• Sea salt
• 1/3 cup good olive oil
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
• 1 tablespoon minced rosemary leaves

Sprinkle each side of chicken breasts sea salt. Combine olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary in a bowl. Once mixed, place chicken in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 4 hours or overnight. Turn the chicken in the marinade a couple of times.

Prepare a hot grill, spread olive oil on grill grates for less sticking. Place chicken the grill. Cook both sides until golden brown and center of the chicken is not pink, then cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 5 minutes. I like to also grill some lemon halves with this...

Enjoy!

Friday's 10 Happy Things...

HAPPY HAPPY FRIDAY!!!  I hope your week was filled with some unforgettable HAPPY THINGS... and you'll join in with your 10 everyday happy list... plus the creative happy thing you made this week... it can be anything...  a scrapbook layout... a card... something you've baked... sewed... or painted... anything you've created that made you happy...

Here's how to play... you have all week to link up your creation & list... do both or just one... Be sure to do a direct link... Link back to my blog... and add the 10 Happy Things button (in the sidebar) >>>>>> , so others can play along too!!!

It's a wonderful way to share HAPPY with others!!

This week's 10 things...

1. Rainee's 'fake birthday party' at Chuck E. Cheeses... so much fun!
2. Rainee's excitement as she opened every birthday present.
3. Practicing the Ticket Blaster at home with scraps of paper... so she would know what to expect... too fun!!
4. Taking birthday cupcakes to Rainee's class...
5. Playing with Rainee and her new birthday toys...
6. Watching the sun set from my front porch...
7. Receiving flowers & gifts from kids I work with at school.... so sweet!
8. First grade picnic... playing games... eating...
9. Last day of school... ready to enjoy the summer!
10. Kung Fu Panda 2 in 3D... Rainee's 'real birthday' treat... a fun way to start the summer...

And my favorite creation... this photo of Rainee...  on her seventh birthday... 

That's it for me on this very... Happy Friday! Remember you can join in ANY TIME before next Friday... it's all about sharing the things in your life that make you happy... which are sure to make us happy too!! Enjoy your weekend, see you Monday!!

Happy Birthday Rainee... & One Year...

Happy Happy Birthday to my wonderful little Rainee... I hope today is extra special... enjoy it my little love... enjoy it!

And before I go.... I wanted to say it's hard to believe it's been a year since my dad passed away. It's been a difficult year without him. It seems like just yesterday I could reach for the phone to tell him about something that was going on here... or to let Rainee have her cute little chats with him... which they both loved. He taught me so much and he continues to do so even now.... I was blessed with a loving, kind and generous dad and will be forever grateful. At the time is seemed a bit sad that his passing was on Rainee's Birthday... but we've come to see it as papa giving her one last birthday present... leaving behind with her a little piece of his beautiful heart. One very special gift. Love you dad... and we still miss you.

One More Tooth...

Well last night, right before bed, Rainee came running in all excited showing me another tooth had fallen out!!! That makes 4 now!!! And of course I had to as a good mommy, document the event!!! As I laid in bed with her, after reading books... this was our new tooth conversation...  

• Rainee: Mommy, will another tooth grow back? 
• Me: Yes, why? 
• Rainee: I was just wondering, because the last tooth... number 3 still hasn't grown in... and I don't want to walk around with this hole in my smile.
• Me: Hmmmm let me see... well, sometimes teeth take longer to grow in... but don't worry it will come in... I think this one is waiting for more space, it looks a little squished in there.
• Rainee: You mean space like this?
• Me: Yup, like this cute space.
• Rainee: Thanks mommy, I was just wondering because it's just taking so long and I've been wanting to see that new tooth for awhile.
• Me: Soon, Rainee, I'm sure it will be soon....

That's it for today... I have so much too do... with only today and tomorrow left for school, the first grade class picnic and Rainee's 'real birthday' tomorrow... I'll be happy when this week is over... to take a breath... have a great Wednesday! See you tomorrow!