Father's Day Ideas

Father's Day is coming. Before I know it, it will be here. I made Hubby these frames last year. I personally feel you can never go wrong with sentimental. That being said, I would also like to get Hubby something special/fun/manly/he really wants. Something not techy or video game-esq...since he is the wise one in that area and I would only end getting something lame, out of date or for WAY too much money.

So today I put together a little "Things-You-Can-Get-The-Dads-in-Your-Life" or "TYCGTDiYL"...kidding. Let's just call it the Dad Gift Guide. Ahh much better. These are just a few things that spoke to me.

First, Sentimental.

Anything homemade with meaning behind it. Aka anything with photos, drawings, stickers, glued on macaroni, with the kids on it, made by the kids...you get the idea.

scrabble frames

personalized key chains

here

Next, Prints.

Anything you can order, print off and put in a frame. Something for him to hang in his office or put on his desk.

Dad Subway Art

THIS IS A FREE DOWNLOAD

here

Geeky Dad Print

here 

Chic Animal Head Print

here

Dad Eye Chart

here

Moving on to Edible.

Who doesn't like some food? Try something new, original and special. Or you can just pick up his very favorite treats.

Ruby Snap cookie dough by mail

my brother swears they have the BEST cookies

here

Salted Caramels 

Caramel Mallows 

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Mallows

all three found here 

Root beer Sampler

here

 Okay wrapping up my idea list, last by not least, Stylish/Clothing


You ladies know that we use major holidays as an opportunity to get our Hubbies clothes we want them to wear, feigning innocence, never admitting that we don't like what they choose for themselves. So here are just a few simple things...nothing over the top. Things they won't fight you about wearing.

Canvas Shoulder Bag

here

Casual Summer Tees

here 

Bow Ties-they are all the rage

here 

And while we are in clothing, here is a shout out to the most popular, longest standing Father's Day gift EVER...

The necktie.

No harm in getting another one...just make sure it doesn't have a barbecue or a Grateful Dead bear on it and you should be good.

here

You would think after all my virtual window shopping I would know what I am getting Hubby. Still don't. I do however have some projects for the Grandpas...I will share soon.

You can check out more of my gift ideas on 

my Gifts Pinterest Board.

Celestial Summer Salad

A practically perfect Summer salad. Yum. This was a super easy salad even including sugaring the almonds. Yes, I just said sugaring the almonds. DE.LIGHT.FUL. No joke. I might have eaten some before putting them into the salad. Note to self: make extra next time because you just won't be able not to eat some.


While I don't love a lot of things about Summer--what??! Blaspheme, I know who doesn't adore Summer right?...this girl that is who--I do love a great salad. Summer is perfect for salads. Ingredients are fresher.  They are lighter. Nothing says Summer to me like a salad.

SO when I came across this recipe in food blog land I decided it was immediately going on my must-make-list.

I pretty much love, love, loved it. Next time I might mess with the dressing a bit, but it still was yummy. So if you have any BBQ's coming up, the crowd will not be disappointed you brought this.

Celestial Summer Salad 
your homebased mom

Ingredients


1 cup almond slivers + 1/4 cup sugar to sugar them, I'll explain
1 cup chopped celery
2 green onions, sliced
1/2-1 cucumber peeled and diced
1 can mandarin oranges, drained.
2-3 heads of romaine lettuce, torn into bite size pieces
Dressing:
1-2 tablespoons of sugar
1/2 teaspoons of salt
dash of pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons of white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon of red wine vinegar
sprinkle of red pepper flakes

The first thing you want to do is sugar your almonds. Start with a medium pan. Pour your almonds in and sprinkle the sugar over the almonds. Turn it to med heat. Stir pretty regularly. There will not be much change at first. Then the sugar will start to clump slightly...so don't worry. Just keep stirring. Then you will see the sugar start to melt. Keep stirring. Eventually the sugar will coat all of the almonds and then they will start to get golden. This is when you are done. DO NOT let it go past this stage or they will burn. YUCK.

Turn your almonds out on a flat surface to cool.

Go ahead sneak a few bites...I mean you do have to make sure they taste okay.

While the almonds are cooling, cut up all the veggies.

Open you can of oranges, drain.

Prepare the lettuce.

Whisk together your dressing ingredients.

Dump all of your ingredients into a bowl. Toss. Then drizzle liberally with the dressing.

Steal a few more almonds...then serve it to your friends and family.

PS- Thanks for all the kind words about my drama in mommyland yesterday. Reading back on it was a tad more dramatic than I had thought....not quite as witty as I had intended...I blame it on our house selling adventures...it is making me a drama queen.

Duh...I am a Good Mom

NOT.

You ever have those moments? Do you have a lot of those moments? I seem to be having a lot of them lately.

Remember this new development in our lives-

Oldest Little Man has been doing great under his new treatment. We have heard no cough, no wheeze, no anything but good healthy breathing for about a month now. Well that is until the last day or two. His coughs started coming back and he seems to be out of breath.

I was a little confused, but chalked it up to the fact that he was outside most the day Monday and then outside  Tuesday for a school outdoor extravaganza of fun...you know the kind of fun...stations, bouncy houses, running around...

This morning his cough was bad still.
Sigh.
Why?

'Cause I am an awesome mom (can you pick up on the sarcasm?), that is why.

Upon cutting up a newspaper for patterns I came across this article from today...

Yep it was hot here the last couple of days, but yesterday (if you will remember the outside fun day of running and frolicking) was super hot. It was more than just hot I guess. As a mom to an asthma kid I should have known this before reading it in the newspaper...

AWESOME. That is me one awesome mom. I guess you all who nominated me for Mother of the Year better call the office and tell them you were wrong and that I need to be black listed. When they make the award for Duh-Mom-You-Should-Have-Known-That, feel free to nominate me again.

I guess now I know...
and knowing is half the battle...
(G.I. Joe, the real American Hero...anyone else singing along now?)

Pinterested in a New Addiction

Heard of Pinterest? Well if you haven't, don't worry I hadn't either until a couple months ago...thank you my lovely readers for introducing us.

Pinterest is just about the most fun, addicting way to waste time EVER.

It is similar to a digital compilation of all of your computer bookmarks found in one handy dandy place. Instead of bookmarking something you "pin" it. Your pins are categorized by you on "boards". They are put under headers you determine and all organized accordingly.  PLUS, you have access to all of the other things people "pin"...especially those you might follow. This sounds technical, trust me it is not. If I can do it, you can do it.

It is a sensory overload of marvelous ideas. I LOVE IT! I mean seriously. Love. At first I was timid and just used the boards they offered, then before long I got the hang of it and well now my boards are a perfect representation of all things I find lovely. 

You know the pages you pluck from your favorite magazine? Or how about the style cards from the Behr Paint catalog...anyone else do that? Then there is the outfit from this fashion mag, or the shirt from that store. What about the really good recipe you saw in the magazine at the dr's office...you know the one you tried to take a picture of with your cell phone? Well guess, what...this is like a digital online version of your magazine page plucking, cell phone picture taking, style card stealing way to gather ideas.

BUT it is SO much more fun.

I thought in introduction (to at least some of you) of Pinterest I would show you some of my latest pins.

From "For My Closet"

my moving to Idaho outfit 

via

perfect polka dress...pair it with a yellow cardigan

via

I want this skirt in the worst way...

via

From "Recipes I will Try"

 BBQ Chicken Burger w/ Sweet Potato Fries

via

the only coleslaw to EVER sound yummy

via

 I heart donuts

via

From "Projects to Do"

 homemade wooden blocks

via

utterly delightful picnic basket liner

via

love this retro duffle bag...how cute is that kid??

via

 Okay so now we move to THE board. The board that gets pins the most often...the one I drool over and wish and hope over the most...

From "For The Home"

TO.DIE.FOR. I would NOT complain if this was my house.Pretty sure there is no 

such house where we are moving...at least in my budget.

via 

 did you just hear choirs sing? I did. LOVE.

via

Hello room. You will be mine.

via

Okay friends...pinterested yet?

Seriously. Ahhdicting.

So head over to Pinterest. Come on by and check out My Boards, see the rest of my addiction. You can follow me...you know you want to. If you have a Pinterest account let me know so we can be pPinterest friends. If you don't, get yourself an invite to the site. Then get yourself a'pinnin'.

In a Nutshell: Poor Oldest Little Man

We don't mean too, but we seem to find so many fun things to do when Oldest Little Man is at school. Poor Little Man. The argument, "well you have fun at school while we just sit at home" isn't really working anymore. I am really going to have to make it up to him this Summer.

Hubby had to research parks on Friday for work...tough, right? Lucky us...okay again, lucky all of us but Oldest.

Little Men loved the park. The slides. The rides. The walk. The water. The tunnels. The climbing. You name it they loved it.

My favorite...

A day with daddy at the park is just about the absolute best...