On Vacation

With Jess's graduation came family from out of town. I will be spending the rest of the week up in the Mountains enjoying my family, the scenery and fun times.

Have a great 4th of July celebration with your families and I will see you again on July 5th.

Graduation Cupcakes

We had Jess's Graduation open house this weekend and did some fun stuff. One of my favorites were these fun little graduation cap cupcakes that we came up with. Fairly easy, they look awesome and were a big hit.

I'll Play Drums When I'm 80

I appreciated Aaron's post yesterday "Rocks and Sand". This, of course, is a parable I have heard many times, I am married to "The Man Cave" after all. It's funny that he posted that, because I have been having all of those same thoughts lately, but on a much grander scale: on a life scale vs. a daily one.

The Man Cave: Rocks and Sand

I have just finished an incredibly busy week. I felt like I had more to do than I had time for. It was a perfect storm of work, chores, oddball tasks, and important appointments, with a crisis or two thrown in for good measure. I was freakin’ out.

I managed to make it through because I followed the lesson of the rocks and the sand.

5 Sunburn Soothers

Warmer weather is just around the corner, or for some of us lucky saps, here right now (Seattle has one or two days here and there, just enough to get us excited and then crush our dreams). With the dawning of summer, our pale skin that has been covered up all year, really takes a beating those first couple of outings. Even with the most careful of sunscreen application, sunburns happen. If you, or someone in your family, finds yourself a little red around the edges, here are a few things you can do.

Neighborhood Bike Parade

We did this somewhat often, when our kids were little, at our 4th of July parties. All you need is a bunch of crepe paper and a little bit of tape and you have hours of entertainment.

Patriotic Sand Candles

Very pretty, very easy and not that expensive: Patriotic Sand candles are perfect for your 4th of July table. Put some citronella candles in them for an outdoor feast.

Dad Is Great! Give Us Chocolate Cake

I love this guy! He has good, clean humor that leaves me giggling every single time I see him. I am posting my very favorite Bill Cosby skit of all time for your enjoyment this Father's Day.

Have a wonderful day, and enjoy the time spent with family.

Adoption Option: What Do You Say To Someone Who Is Struggling With Infertility?

A lot of couples are becoming more and more open about their struggles with infertility.  Many turn to their family and friends for support and encouragement.  What can you say to a friend or family member that will help them feel better when they come to you?

5 Things My Father Taught Me

With Father's Day just around the corner, thoughts of my own dad have been occupying my time. He was not an important, well known person in society; he did not hold a position of power or have a life saving career; he did not make millions and live in a mansion on the hill; he was not perfect; but, he was my dad and I loved him. I am who I am today in big part because of him, and I thank him for being a part of my life for as long as he was. Here are a few things my dad taught me, either directly or inadvertently, that have stuck with me through the years.

The Man Cave: Getting Rid of Father's Day Gifts

Macaroni-pictures slowly shedding their macaroni. Hand-print plaster casts broken in two or more pieces. Unworn neck-ties. Saltwater-clay sculptures that have become soft and gooey. Hand-made greeting cards slowly turning yellow. Novelty mugs.

Am I obligated to keep them forever?

Father's Day Coupon Book

Father's Day is just around the corner. If you need some last minute gift ideas, here is the perfect thing: A Father's Day Coupon Book. The work is already done for you, all you have to do it select and print.

Custom BBQ Tools

As you can probably tell by now, when good weather hits we love to be outside so cooking there is just a given. We came up with this fun idea for customizing BBQ tools for father's day. It's cheap, easy and fun. What more could you ask for?

Don't Wish Your Life Away

Wow! What a whirlwind of a weekend! In 36 hours I had 8 hours of work, two band gigs with Aaron, about 12 hours of sleep and two graduations: Yup, two. Our baby graduated from both High School and Community College with her AA Degree this weekend. It seems like just yesterday that I was taking her to her first day of school in kindergarten.

Father's Day BBQ Sauce

Father's Day means summer and summer means BBQ's: So it just goes without saying that father's love to BBQ..... I don't know, it sounded good - but, most dad's like to fire up the grill. A great father's day gift would be this homemade bbq sauce.

FREE Pedigree and Family History Pages

Family History Day is coming up on June 14th. This would be a great opportunity to sit down as a family and fill out a pedigree chart and some family group sheets. It really helps everyone visualize who your family is and where you come from.

I have prepared these pages for you - just print them out and you're all ready to go.

The Man Cave: Top 10 Things I Want My Graduating Senior To Know

It's that graduation time of year. High school seniors across the country are celebrating their accomplishment by donning funky hats and gathering in gyms, arenas, and stadiums to listen to speeches prepared by their fellow classmates. This year, my daughter Jessica is among them. The speeches she will hear at her commencement ceremony will be full of bright-eyed optimism and youthful exuberance, and that's great, but before she goes out into the world there are a few things I want her to hear from me too. You could call this my commencement address to the Cheney Class of 2011.

Drowning Doesn't Look Like Drowning

Aaron sent me a link to a very well written post  by Mario Vittone, who is a seasoned US Coast Guard helicopter rescue swimmer: Drowning Doesn't Look Like Drowning. This post is A MUST read for all parents who will be spending time in the water with their children this summer. You will be shocked at how easy it is for someone to drown, right next to you.

Try Ice Blocking

Every heard of ice blocking? A lot of people haven't. I tried ice blocking for the first time when I was in High School and had a blast. As the summer months heat up, it's the perfect way to cool down and have some fun.

Grab Your Pic-A-Nic Basket!

Yogi had it right - picnics are the best. There is just something about taking your food outside that makes it taste so much better. Going on picnics is one of our favorite things to do in the summer time. We just had two this weekend - Friday night at the top of a mountain for dinner and Sunday afternoon at a local lake for lunch.

Gone Fishin'

Fishing is a great summer activity with the kids. It's outside, away from video games and TV, gives them time with the family, and teaches them where the food they eat really comes from (hint: it's not the grocery store).

Adoption Option: Teaching Your Children About Their Adoption

My oldest daughter knows she is adopted. How have we approached that subject? Well, we have told her from the day she was born about her miracle arrival into our family. As she grows up, there will never be a time she can look back on that she didn't know where she came from. She will have always known.

Holidays For June

I'm going to start a new thing each month. If you have been following this blog for any length of time, you know that I am obsessed with holidays: traditional and non. Any excuse to have a mini party and to do something out of the ordinary is good enough for me. I'm going to start giving you a list of all the fun holidays for each month. Start getting creative and having some unusual fun!

The Man Cave: Our Silver Dollar Tradition

My Grandpa Paul has always been oddly associated with silver dollars. I remember stopping with him several times at the 10,000 Silver Dollar Bar near Missoula, Montana. True to its name, the walls there are encrusted with literally thousands of them. It was also his tradition to hand them out to the grand kids at every visit. I spent every one he gave me. I have wished many times that I had held onto a few of them. Thankfully, I do still have the first thing I ever bought with my silver dollars....and I use it every day.

Cinnamon and Sugar Popcorn

This isn't your everyday popcorn. It's a cinnamon goodness that won't last very long once you make it. Get everyone together in the kitchen to make a batch of this for your next family night.