Because I'm Your Link Slave . . .

I'm giving you my favorites around the web from this past week. That's what happens when my husband's out of town. I sit up watching dumb movies and spending too much time on Stumbleupon.

But when I saw these I was caught in two conflicting emotions: reverence and laughter. I mean, it's bacon right? Who would have the audacity to take something as healthy as a salad then encapsulate it in pig fat? But then there's the other half of my brain that says "Genius!"

If you want details for making these mini myocardial infarctions then please see Not Martha. And bring the Lipitor.

Then I also follow this flower arranging site which had this pretty little idea for some fresh cut flowers. My garden is ripe for cutting and a simple idea like these beaded bracelets around a tin can is well-timed.

Do you ever look at those "Flower Arrangement of the Month" features in Martha Stewarts' magazine and roll your eyes like I do? In my mind it takes absolutely no skill whatsoever to pull out four dozen roses and make them look nice. Or 28 peonies or whatever. What impresses me far more is to find cute creative arrangements for just a few blossoms. Now that's something.

Then there's this link I found that defies description. Click on it. It's completely pointless and is a huge waste of time but yet strangely intoxicating while being subconsciously disturbing. Like being chased by a room full of daddy long legs. And if that description doesn't pique your interest I don't know what will.

Oh and there's this cute little table top soccer game someone made for their kids out of little wooden pegs . . .

And this sandwich made to look like a rubic's cube. Only out of processed deli meats. Again with the bacon. What's wrong with me?

Sponsored by Unique Wedding Invitations by Dependable Printing.

Sweaters and Hats and Rafting. Oh My.

Yes I'm up late. Yes I should be in bed but I have a really good excuse--two in fact.

First, I was up finishing THIS . . .

My latest knitting project, just in time for the approach of fall (though don't get too excited, I'm not expecting any fall weather for at least a good six weeks. At least).

I got rather excited this summer when I found the Lion Brand Yarn site (not that it's any big secret or anything) but they have all sorts of free patterns. I signed up for the newsletter and they sent a catalog to my home where I picked out this cable sweater and started it the next day.

It looks remarkably like this Victoria's Secret sweater and I'm sure I'll look just as sexy and sleek as the model in the picture. Heh . . . sure I will . . . if I say it enough times it's bound to become a reality, right?

Maybe if I get a hat like hers. Yea, that's the ticket . . . a hat.

I would have had a picture of my own to show you as proof of my accomplishment except that it became a rather crazy evening full of phone calls and anxious moments. Andrew and Spencer left Wednesday morning for a Boy Scout rafting/camping trip down on the Kenai and I got a call from him last night to let me know that there had been a slight accident.

A couple of the leaders and boys had stayed up river to do some fishing but Andrew and another leader took two rafts and seven boys to head on downstream. Though they were being cautious and responsible, apparently the first boat got swept into a "sweeper" which, for you unacquainted with rafting, means a place in the river where a tree branch is stretched out into the water, catching anything in it's path and often dragging them down underwater where they get trapped. The first raft hit the sweeper and tipped, throwing four boys and the leader into the icy water where the oldest two boys were swept down even further.

Andrew saw it happen and tried very hard to avoid it but the currents were too strong and his boat followed the same path, flipping and throwing all of them into the water. Luckily they were all able to get out without being trapped underwater though it was a while before they were able to verify that the two boys who'd been swept off were safe.

By the time he called me they'd all been rescued and emergency people had shown up to make sure no one was hypothermic and that everyone was safe but I think it shook them all up a bit. Isn't it crazy how life can do that? Everything is going great then one second later you're in a life-threatening situation. It could have gone so horribly but I tell you that is what PFDs (personal flotation devices) and prayers are for. You don't go on a river without either. But after getting everyone together and regrouping they decided to continue. It'll give them something to talk about around the campfire!

Of course you know that means I'll be nervous the rest of the week until they get back home. Though I'm counting on the odds that the experience means that now that they've had one near-catastrophe their chances of having another such rare experience have gone significantly down. You know, that whole thing where if the guy next to you draws the short straw your odds of doing the same back-to-back are much lower?

Ah forget it, I'll just be glad to get them home again, though I'm sure it will make the trip memorable. Thank goodness for those life vests!

Building Sand Castles in the Air

Play dough is always a good rainy-day activity (we've had a bit of wet weather this past week) but this recipe makes the standard homemade playdough recipe even better.

It's made with sand and hardens up to make your dough creation look like it was cut from the rocks the way a real castle would be.

You can use regular sand from your latest trip to the beach or even craft sands in psychedelic colors if you choose but the recipe, colored or not, is the same:

2 cups sand
1 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 1/2 cups hot water

Mix everything in a saucepan (it doesn't ruin the pan but it's a slight pain to get it clean afterwards so you might consider using an older pan). Then begin to cook it on a medium heat until it gets so hard to stir that you give up and declare it finished. Let it cool a bit and it will be ready to sculpt into fabulous shapes.

Add some drawbridges and flags on the top if you're really looking for realism.

Sponsored by Pak Naks--decorate your stuff!

Raising Your Youngest Child

After being parents for 15 years now, one of the things that concerns Andrew and I the most is our stamina--can we make it through the whole process and still be sprinting as hard at the end as we are at the beginning?

When our oldest, Grace, was born we didn't know what we were doing but we were full of ideas and energy and determination. However, as the years pass I can see how my parenting style has changed and how the mom I've been to Grace is a different person than the mom I've been to Lillian.

While I think it's impossible to be completely static with your parenting throughout your entire career (and why would I want to stay exactly the same? I think I am generally a better parent now than I was at the beginning) Andrew and I have talked about how important it is to keep up the energy and be as good and as strong a parent for your youngest child as you are for your first.

For example, with our first child we were all about schedules. Bedtime, naps, all those things were commandments. Now having teenagers in the house has completely changed my efforts to get the youngest to bed on time. Stay up, go to bed--who cares? While I think that not being as rigid in this area is probably a good thing overall it has taught Lillian to be slightly less disciplined than her teenage sister was at the same age.

When Grace wanted her first bike we told her that she'd have to earn at least half of the money herself and she did. It was a wonderful thing for her to scrimp and save to find a way to make that $20 but when Lillian came along did she even need to earn money for a bike? Of course not, because she already had one. Two in fact. A hand-me-down that Grace had given her and a brand new one our neighbors offered her. Tough life huh?

With our oldest we were poor and struggling students but by the time our youngest came along we could afford to do so much more. Family vacations, going to the movies, fancy lessons were all things we could offer and what parent doesn't want to give their child things that make them happy?

The thing is, giving your child things isn't good parenting. Sure, it's important to make sure they're properly fed, clothed, doctored and educated but part of that education is teaching them to be independent which comes from providing for themselves--a much harder job with the youngest than the oldest because there are even more people in the house waiting to supply every need to that smallest child.

Here are a few suggestions gathered from our recent self-examination. Take them for what they're worth and maybe they'll help you too.

Money
I gave you a sense of what I mean in this area already but unless your financial situation gets worse as you go along in life then you're probably able to give your youngest child a softer life than your oldest.

I mentioned how we taught Grace to earn the money for her first bike but then how we also realized Lillian was being given her bike without any effort on her part at all. So we took the very unpopular route by getting rid of the hand-me-down bike then telling Lillian that she could have the brand new bike our neighbors had given her when she earned it.

We set a fair price then made her work for it even though it was sitting in the back yard gathering dust while she weeded and raked her way along the path to financial freedom. It took her months but it felt much better to require the same work from her (or rather to teach her the same lesson) as we had with our other children.

Rules
This is probably the hardest area of all. Imagine the scenario: you have rules about what kinds of movies your oldest child can see. Let's say they can't see PG-13 movies until they're 12 or 13? It's easy enough to enforce this but as soon as the oldest child starts seeing PG-13 movies it's that much harder to keep your younger children from seeing them too. After all, you've got the DVD right there, the youngest child really wants to be included, you feel bad to put them to bed while the older kids see it so you let them stay. It's harder to get those youngest children to bed early anyway once you have preteens in the house (and you won't imagine how impossible it is once you have teens!)

My younger children have seen things I never would have let my older children see at the same age but we get tired and the slope keeps slipping along until pretty soon we've got the younger kids doing things that are really only suitable for pre-teens which pushes them into growing up much faster than our older children ever did. And not in a good way.

While this isn't entirely bad--I notice my youngest child has a wonderful sense of confidence--it tends to mean that we hold the older children to stricter standards than the younger ones. Not only is that unfair but it doesn't do the younger kids any favors by letting them get away with more.

For us this takes a concentrated effort to remember that "Grace wasn't able to do this when she was this age. It was a good standard then and it's still a good standard. Make Lillian wait." Which is rarely easy. It sometimes means getting a babysitter for only the youngest child while the rest of the family goes to a movie, it sometimes means simply telling the youngest child "no" and sticking to it no matter how they whine that the older kids get to do it but in the end I think it'll be a good thing.

Chores
There are eight years between Grace and Lillian. When Lillian was born I needed help with the new baby and my three-year old so I asked her to help quite a bit. I had her helping me with the baby, cleaning up and folding laundry, doing her chores and playing mom right along side of me.

However Lillian is now seven and it was very easy to continue to have Grace and Spencer doing most of the chores around here. First, because it was convenient, they were already trained. Second, because they were good at it. They do chores much better than an untrained seven year-old would so why would I want to turn the job over to someone who'd do an inferior job?

Well things changed. The first thing to go was Grace and Spencer. I didn't kick them out of the house but their chores got substantially reduced. I told Spencer that he'd been mowing the lawn for three years now and that he'd done a great job. He was free to get his own mowing jobs now for money and wouldn't have to worry about mowing our lawn any more. Then I took David under my wing and said, "Guess what? You've just inherited the mowing!"

Not only was this a good thing for Spencer (it knocked his responsibilities up a notch) it was great for David. He was thrilled to be able to try something reserved for men and his big brother and while he sometimes will complain about the chore it's been teaching him that same work ethic that's had Spencer doing handyman chores for cash around our neighborhood.

Same with Grace. I have her doing a couple specific smaller chores designed to help her homekeeping skills but basically gave the majority of work to David and Lillian. It sounds hard perhaps but it's not any more than I required from Grace at that age.

The other thing that has changed is that I've altered the way I think. When I need something done instead of automatically turning to the older kids who will do it the best I remind myself to turn to Lily and David and ask them to do it. If Andrew and I are heading out for the night and the kids need their mac and cheese made up (that's the standard meal here when Andrew and I go out, the kids get mac and cheese) instead of asking Grace or Spencer to boil the water and make it up I get Lillian or David to do it.

If Spencer is gone for the evening and can't finish his part of the dishes I don't automatically ask Grace to fill in I ask the younger kids. To sum it up: instead of passing things to the oldest child I've rearranged my thinking to automatically pass the chore to the youngest and it's been great.

Even in the past year I've been doing this I've seen great results. You see that picture at the top? David has a pet frog and Lillian decided that she too wanted to have a frog. She checked out books from the library to read up on their care then decided the best way to earn the money was to set up a cookie stand. There she is, on the street corner, selling her homemade cookies and making a killing. It only took her a month or so to save enough for the tank, frog and supplies--all without her coming to me and begging for a pet the way she would have before.

I figure if my oldest children deserve rules and discipline then the least I can do is give a bit to the youngest ones as well. After all, I love them too, right?

***

Congratulations to Becky of L'Anse, Michigan, Kelly and Sonya of Forest Park, Illinois for winning this weekend's prize packages from Pak Naks. Cute charms, aren't they?

Sponsored by Wedding Paper Divas for wedding invitations.

My Grandmother's Chicken Soup

I wasn't going to post back-to-back recipes but this isn't just a recipe, it's a story.

When I was a child my grandparents lived in Arizona but in the summer they would make the trek up the Alcan to Alaska. The Alcan is the Alaska-Canada highway that winds its way for four or five days, up and down through the wilderness.

The last time I traveled the road it was mostly unpaved and I remember mile after mile of hills and valleys that jarred my bones. Grandpa and Grandma drove Old Blue, their Ford sedan, all the way from Chandler to visit in the summer and once they got here they'd pack up a little trailer and head down to the Kenai to fish.

Grandpa would fish and then Grandma would smoke and can the catch and when they needed supplies or wanted to drop in to see the grandchildren they'd run up to Anchorage for a visit. And on special days--days when we were really, really lucky--Grandma would fix her famous chicken noodle soup and baking powder biscuits.

I can't smell a pot of chicken soup on the stove without thinking of Grandma and while chicken soup may not be your standard summer fare while I was sick last week it was about the only thing that sounded good to eat.

Chicken soup is chicken soup but what made Grandma's soup special--what made it the kind of soup that we'd cheer for is that she made homemade noodles. Big, fat, slurpy noodles that were hard to eat without cutting them with a knife in your bowl. Noodles that only got better the next day when you could have the leftovers with Grandma for lunch (like me, she was big on savoring the leftovers).

My recipe calls for boiling a cut-up chicken, reserving the broth, then sauteing a cup of finely diced celery, a cup of finely diced sweet onion and a cup of finely diced carrots slowly over a medium heat until things soften up. Then I add the fresh cracked pepper and a couple dashes of ground cloves. It sounds weird but the cloves really give it that wonderful aroma that tops it off.

Saute another minute or so then add the broth, shredded chicken and a couple of bay leaves. Then come the noodles.

These aren't fancy noodles, they're as homey and down-to-earth as you can get and are really more like spaetzel or dumplings but they're worth the extra ten minutes of work. You combine:

1 beaten egg
2 T milk
½ t salt
1 c flour

I mix it in the food processor so it only takes a second, you might need to adjust the milk or flour so that you get a big stretchy ball that sticks together properly.

Once you've got the ball, put it on a floured surface and roll it out. It doesn't need to be pretty but make it rather thin if you can. Then I use a pastry cutter like you see above to cut the shape in half then chop off lengths of noodles one after the other before dropping them into the boiling water. Oh, and the add the salt at the end after the noodles are cooked. I tend to forget the salt.

Give the noodles a good dose of flour too because they won't stick together and the floury noodles just add an extra creamy thickness to the soup whick makes it even better. I usually double the noodle recipe for my big pot.

So give it a try, I promise it's easy and the difference is so wonderful you'll thank me (and Grandma) for it.

Sponsored by Tiny Prints for the holiday party invitations for children.

Ricotta-Artichoke Calzone with Zip and Trekking

This recipe is a Scribbit original, made it up myself. Was it successful? Depends on how you measure success. Did my family like it? Yup yup.

Did I like it? Absolutely. Did I eat too much of it and make a pig of myself?

Sigh. That's where the debate about "success" comes in. I ate way too much and you can guarantee this one was not low-calorie. I guess this little piggy really went to market.

Dough:
1 1/2 cups warm water
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoon light olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon yeast

Filling:
1 tub of ricotta (I think they're 16 ounces?)
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces diced chilies
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
1 can artichoke hearts (about 14 ounces?)
3 cups broccoli, lightly steamed and finely chopped

Combine the ingredients for the dough in the order above in the bucket of your bread machine. Set to "dough" cycle and push start.

In a saucepan, saute the chilies, onion and garlic in the olive oil over a medium heat until the onions until translucent (about five minutes). Add the broccoli and stir, cooking another minute or so.

Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly then add the four cheeses. When the dough is ready, divide it into 8-10 circles (depending on how big you want to make them) then spoon a fair amount of filling into each flattened circle of dough. Fold in half, seal edges carefully to avoid leakage, then prick the tops with a fork and allow to rise for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 420 and bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown. When they come out rub the crusts with a dab of olive oil or even a spray of olive oil to give them a nice shine and soften them beautifully.

Serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan if desired. You can never have too much cheese.

***

Andrew and I saw Star Trek this weekend. Fabulous movie! It reminded me of Iron Man in that I didn't have high expectations but it really delivered and it reminded me of Batman Begins because it was a great example of giving a successful face lift to a franchise.

I'd heard an interview with J.J. Abrams and it came out that he hadn't really seen the original Star Trek series or subsequent movies and in my judgmental mind I thought "Well then, what kind of an idiot would try to make a movie when he couldn't be bothered to see what he had to live up to? He'll probably mess everything up like a Centarian bothgar."

I just made that up (obviously). Really, I'm not that big of a Trekkie but I have seen all the previous movies and this one is by FAR the best.

It's got a terrific cast. There's just enough of the original characters in each performance to be familiar yet the faces are fresh and appealing and give it that dose of hipness that make it okay to once again admit you always thought Spock was cool. I heard Abrams say in an interview that the actors were great to work with too because they're relatively unfamous and down to earth so that diva element wasn't a hindrance like it is on so many sets.

Cocky Kirk? Check. Uptight Spock? Check. Funny Scotty and Chekov? Double check. Sexy Uhura? Downright smokin'! (Oh and as a sidenote--the original Uhura was played by actress Nichelle Nichols. My maiden name was Michelle Nichols. That makes either her or me pretty cool, I'm not sure which).

The brilliant thing about the movie (and I'm not really giving any spoilers out here because this is established at the onset of the movie) is that there is a time warp running through the plot which alters the space-time continuum and in essence sets the story off into an alternative reality right from the beginning so that we have the same old characters but new experiences.

So all those die-hard fans who might otherwise object to changes in the story line and character backgrounds can't really be upset because they've now been given a "plausible" explanation for why things might be slightly different than in the original series. It's an alternate universe created from that point of time warp which changed the destinies of the entire crew yet kept their characters essentially the same. Brilliant.

This allows any future movies (and there will be more, oh yes there will be more) to use these same actors and characters but not be bound by any story lines from the original series. Of course it also means that we as an audience can't sit in our seats, comfortably assured that all our favorites will make it through unscathed because they exist in the "future" in the original series. Abrams might kill of Spock or Sulu unapologetically in the next installment with a shrug and a "Sorry! Alternate universe!" excuse. None of them are safe.

Or he's free to introduce all sorts of new plot devices that weren't there with Shatner and Nimoy. Who knows? Maybe they'll even get some decent costumes--that really would be the test of true greatness for this new crew. Can they get a outfit for female officers that aren't either skanky or androgenous? Only time will tell.

Sponsored by Beau-Coup for unique baby shower favors.

A Pak Nak Giveaway

Pak Naks have become one of my daughter's favorite things lately. Have you seen these little guys? They're kind of like charms but kind of like trading cards but also kind of like little toys. Vague, huh?

Well, more specifically, Pak Naks are these cute little rubbery guys that are backed with super adhesive Velcro so children can stick them anywhere but then switch them around with other Pak Naks via the Velcro.

Each Pak Nak comes with a trading card, name and profile (you see samples above) and there are all sorts of characters to choose from.

Lillian was first sent a flower named Mona, a monkey named Martin and a robot named Robert which she promptly and proudly stuck on her back pack. Well, actually she stuck the flower and monkey on her back pack but gave the robot to her best friend Allison. She's since expanded her collection to include holiday themed hearts, Christmas trees and reindeer and when she needed a new back pack for school this year one of the conditions of the purchase was making sure there would be room for display.

Pak Naks are made specifically to stick to back packs and tote bags (they stuck very well) but I can see them being a hit on notebooks or as decorations in a room--little children would love to pull them off and switch them around I'd imagine.

Three lucky winners will win a set of four Pak Naks of their choice but even if you don't win once of these prizes, you can always use the coupon code PAK20 and receive 20% off your order. Enjoy!

Here's how to win:

Before 12 am Monday morning go to the giveaway entry form on this page and enter your name and email. I will pick one of the names at random, contact the winner via their email and publish the winner's first name and home town in next Tuesday's post. See the bottom of the entry form for more details.

This giveaway is open to all readers.

On the Road Again

In case you were wondering (and I know you are all dying to hear) we finally have our cars back. It was rather dodgy there for a bit and played havoc with our 4th of July weekend but we now have two working vehicles. Knock on wood.

I ought to give a plug to Classic Auto Rebuilding because they did a great job--I'd highly recommend them if you happen to be in need of someone to undent your own car.

But the point is, the word for the day is TRAVEL. And if Mini Coopers aren't cute enough can you see the cute little trailer it's pulling? I love, love love it--even I could be induced to go camping with such a hip and cute pop-out living compartment.

It's called the Mobile Mini House and it just goes to show you what fun you can have when you've got a great designer on your side.

So anyone going anywhere interesting before summer is over? This is about the time I start to dream about hanging out at the Outer Banks for a leisurely two weeks while the sun gently warms and the sound of waves lulls me to sleep at night . . .

Andrew and I finally got our passport applications submitted in preparation for our trip to India this January. I'm really starting to get excited about the whole thing, I was on the phone with Mom and Dad talking about the places we could visit while we're there. Goa . . . the Taj Mahal . . . . even going on safari. Just like Meryl Streep and Robert Redford here. Sweet.

So speaking of travel I've got a couple of good links if you are planning on going on a vacation.

Here's a great set of tips for how NOT to look like a tourist. Not that there's anything wrong with that of course. Of course, all kidding aside, it's not a bad thing to read up on just for basic safety or for basic etiquette when you're abroad. Go ahead, read it so you can do us proud while you're out and about.

Here's a list of frugal vacation tips from my good friend Heather Lessiter. Especially good for domestic travel and for traveling with children.

And another set of tips for traveling the world of $35 a day. My sister has an in-law who is a master at this and can plan a two-week vacation across Europe using only a selection of coupons, three sticks of chewing gum and a some blue jeans for trading. Kind of a Man v. Wild of the travel scene if you will.

Sponsored by Unique Wedding Invitations by Dependable Printing.

Things I'm Going to Do When School Starts

I know this is weird to say but in less than a month school will start. The Anchorage School District gets out in mid-May and the kids will be back at the books starting August 20th. For goodness sake, I'm still enjoying sun and summer but registration and school shopping are right around the corner.

We've had a great summer so far and while I'll kind of miss them when they go back to school there is an up side to all this: more time to do fun things. I'm a list maker and I've always got a list of things I want to try so I'm sharing some things I'll be doing once the house is quiet once again.

Can you see a hint of posts to come?

1. Trying some wood burning.
Several years ago I fell in love with the wood burned boxes at Sixth and Elm which are really spectacular little pieces of art and while I know I couldn't possibly pull off a box like Tellie's beauties I really, really want to try. Not this super-cool Hogwarts box (that would be too crazy to contemplate) but maybe one of the beautiful script boxes.

I bought a plain wooden box for $5 and it's sat in my craft closet for months now, waiting for me to get up the guts to put pen to paper (or whatever). I'm kind of afraid I'm going to mess it up badly and I've had a hard time finding a copy of the script I need but get those kids back in school and I'm ready to take a stab at it.

2. Cooking a Chinese buffet.
I saw this post at Blog Chef about cooking your own Chinese buffet and thought it would be so fun, given the way my kids love Chinese food (and it's really, really expensive to do take out with six mouths to feed). Kung Pao Chicken, Orange Chicken, Egg Rolls--it's all there in a seven-course meal that takes (you guessed it) approximately seven hours to cook but for a fun family treat I think it would be great. I was thinking it might even be fun to have the meal picnic-style on the living room rug.

The menu is a little heavy on the chicken, I think I'd replace a couple of the items with things like Sweet and Sour Pork or Mongolian Beef (a favorite) and I'd also probably try these baked egg rolls to see if they're a good substitute.

3. Making fried cheese.
And if that baked egg roll recipe works well maybe I'd try it on this fried cheese recipe that has had me drooling for half a year. Of course you realize the inherent danger of waiting until my kids are back in school to make this?

I'd eat every one all by myself. So maybe I shouldn't do this one alone.

4. Sewing some clothes.
I'm not normally someone who likes to sew but I do *ahem* like to have clothes. But, being a cheapo, I find that I can sew clothes for much less than I can buy them (usually).

I hit a $1 sale at Walmart and collected a couple cute floral prints and dug out an old skirt pattern that is still in style (if you can adjust the hem it'll never go out of style) and have cut out three skirt patterns and one dress pattern. All for under $10.

Now, of course, they sit and wait for me to get to the process of actually sewing them. I'll get them sewn and then be so burned out I won't touch my machine again for a year.

5. Brewing up some root beer.
Now this one is kind of funny and you'll see my odd side but a couple months ago I made homemade root beer using some dry ice. After it was finished I did some research and found that you can also make root beer by adding yeast which creates carbon dioxide, resulting in carbonation.

Fair enough right? Sounds like lots of fun to make and bottle except the only hangup is that the process is the same used to make real beer and just as when you make regular beer, the yeast gives off alcohol as a byproduct of the fermentation process. With the root beer the amount of alcohol you get is really small--something like .03%--but in our house we don't drink alcohol (it's a religious thing) and while I recognize that someone would have to drink over a gallon of root beer made this way in order equal the alcoholic content of one glass of regular beer it's the principle of the thing.

Yes I'm aware that other products also have alcohol: vanilla extract, Nyquil, whatever--but somehow that seems a little bit different. If I'm telling my kids that we don't drink alcohol then I'm suddenly brewing up a batch in my basement and telling the kids not to get piggish because they might get drunk (I'm kidding here) then I'm wondering if this really is the project for me.

The thing is, it sounds really fun. Am I being odd here?

6. Canning and making fruit leather.
Several years ago, in a burst of domestic euphoria, I canned a whole bunch of fruit. Peaches, cherries and applesauce to be specific. They were so pretty and so sweet, sitting like jewels on the shelves that I hesitated to eat them. You see where this is going, right?

Well the applesauce got eaten--it's popular enough around here that the kids are always pulling jars out of the pantry--but the peaches and cherries (which my husband doesn't like) weren't as popular and I kind of forgot for a year or two that I had them. So now I'm out of applesauce and stuck with jars of cherries and peaches that are past their prime which means I'm due for a big ol' canning party. I've learned my lesson and will be canning applesauce but I recently found an article describing how to make fruit leather from older canned fruit such as I have in abundance.

We have a dehydrator and we have the fruit so pretty soon I'm going to be whipping out the fruit leather. It ought to be good for a post at least, right?

7. Making fruit cordials.
Another thing I might try is making fruit cordials. I had always somehow thought that cordials were an alcoholic drink (again, with the alcohol thing!) like liqueurs but when I read that they're really just a fruit drink and saw the pictures of these pretty little bottles I thought maybe I ought to give it a try.

And with the peaches and cherries I've got I think it is just about the perfect timing. I also suspect I can puree some of the fruit and add it to things like muffins and pancakes and breads or sauces. Without pits.

8. Planting garlic.
I LOVE garlic. I pretty much add it to everything I cook, even if the recipe may not call for it so when I saw a video about how to plant your own garlic the portion of my brain that controls obsessions kicked in and thought it might be time to give that a try.

And just to clarify, I don't add garlic to things that might cause horrifying mutations--like garlic cinnamon rolls or garlic orange juice. I stick with the savory.

I'm wondering if I can get them to grow well with sunlamps on them because once the winter comes on we'll never have enough light to keep them alive.

9. Growing mushrooms.
Another gardening adventure. I've bought a box of morel spores and I have yet to plant them. They're supposed to go out in my garden but I've sat around, enjoying myself and being rather lazy so that they're still out on the back porch waiting for me to get around to sowing them.

Alaska has plenty of morels but they're rather tricky to find so I thought I'd give mother nature some help by trying my own hand at things. I'm not going to tell Andrew because if he even knew I was planting mushrooms he'd be instantly suspicious of any dish I put in front of him. What he doesn't know won't hurt him.

10. Building an outdoor fire pit.
My parents did this where they ran a gas line out to their back deck and put in a fire pit on the porch but I've seen several less-expensive, less-invasive alternatives that really sounded fun. If this video on Wonder How To for building a fire pit doesn't work then I've also seen a pit that incorporates a propane tank in its base that was going for $50 at Walmart (a sweet deal).

11. Making some beaded bracelets.
I've done a bit of beading--nothing huge you understand--but these sweet little pink bracelets look quite doable. I've seen them being sold for $50 but I bet I could make one for under $10. If I get around to it . . .

12. Knitting.
When I finally finish the seagreen sweater I'm working on then it'll be about time for warmer clothing and I'll be knitting up this pretty little scarf. Or maybe this crocheted castle (dang I wish my boys weren't too old for that kind of thing, it's really cute!)

13. Making dandelion syrup.
This is odd, I know, but then the only excuse I have is because it sounded so wild and out there that I couldn't help but be interested. Anyone ever tasted dandelions? Me neither. But syrup? That's never a bad thing and I've heard birch syrup is really good so maybe dandelion syrup wouldn't be too bad either. It will freak out the kids if nothing else. The link is here.

***

And congratulations to Krista of O'Fallon, Illinois for winning last weekend's Blush giveaway. What a handy little clothing gadget to have around.

Sponsored by YourWeddingDays.com for beautiful bridal shower invitations.

Candy Bugs

And the march of death continues . . .

I'm still pretty horizontal with this stupid head cold. Nothing like having so much fluid packed in your skull to be able to feel the roots of your teeth ache. Tylenol is my friend.

Which is why I was glad I'd made this little purchase at the store last week. I bought a bag of mixed flavor LifeSavers and some licorice ropes and let the kids make up their own candy centipedes, candy butterflies and other candy creepy crawlies.

In fact the ropes and holes inspired some interesting free form art such as a candy cat o' nine tails. Because nothing says sweetness like being flogged with sugar, right?

So if you're looking for a creative and fun little project give it a try and see what you can come up with.

Sponsored by Pak Naks--decorate your stuff!

Born to Run

I'm a little late getting anything done--I picked up a nasty cold this weekend which worsened into a sinus infection until it left me conducting the business of my little empire from the fortress of my bedroom surrounded by a moat of crumpled, used Kleenex. Not a pretty sight.

The kids would pop in to see if, in my weakened condition, I had lost my mind enough to allow them to do things I'd never normally permit--like eating a box of fudgesicles or riding their bikes down to Blockbuster for sodas and movies.

Hey, just because the body isn't at top form doesn't mean I don't know what you're doing!

But speaking of top form I'm going to tell you about this book Andrew read last week that has him flipping out. It's called Born to Run by Christopher McDougall and it's got me intrigued too.

You see, years ago I married a runner. I thought I knew what I was doing at the time but of course I truly had no idea. Andrew ran track in college at BYU back in the days when Olympians Frank Fredericks and Ed Eyestone graced the track (they lapped him pretty bad) and has always loved to run. We've even had times where we've done cross-country races as a family for short 1-3 mile distances--after all, Anchorage is a runners haven.

Unfortunately, the last five years he's had terrible trouble with various injuries. Hips, knees, and (most recently) chronic shin splints that have kept him from doing what he loves, even with physical therapy.

Which brings me to this book. I'm not sure where he heard about it but he wouldn't even wait for it to arrive through Amazon, he went right down to the bookstore and has been raving ever since to anyone who will listen. The book tells about McDougall's search for a rather mysterious tribe of Indians in Mexico who are known for running. We're not just talking speed or the chic-and-slim 26.3 miles but "ultra" distances of hundreds of miles over tough terrain.

When he finds them and learns their ways it sets him on a new quest to learn how such a thing is possible, because not only do they run like animals, ignoring the distances and difficulties, but they run barefoot.

Can you imagine such a thing? I'm having a hard time grasping the idea of a human body being able to run and move under such a continuous strain but then to think of being barefoot too blows the mind. Now, add to this that they run without the anticipated injuries and have high life expectancies makes the mystery even more intriguing.

McDougall goes on to describe how the human body--despite my own assertions to the contrary--is designed to run and the foot itself is a wonder of structural achievement that has, through civilization, been kept from its original purpose which is, to carry us along over great distance. He makes a pretty good case for the idea that in our modern, ultra-soft world shoesmakers such as Nike have encased our feet in "comfort" designed to strengthen our feet but which have unintentionally weakened them just as encasing your arm in a cast would weaken it.

I won't make you listen to the whole thing but I'll just finish by saying that he makes a pretty plausible case for returning to the basics of our bodies and letting nature do its thing--all while telling a very interesting story of this hidden tribe. Anyway, as I mentioned, Andrew has been through years of physical therapy and still suffers from all sorts of injuries and when he read this it was a case of "Well, I've tried everything else so what have I got to lose from trying something completely different that seems to have some common sense behind it?"

So he's been training barefoot.

Of course there's more to it than that--it's in the book--but after this latest round of physical therapy he decided that it wouldn't hurt to give McDougall's hypothesis a try for himself so he's been going up to the track and running barefoot. He actually doesn't run on the track itself, just on the grass on the inside and I can assure you he's received some stares but the funny thing is he hasn't had any trouble with inguries so far. No shin splints, no foot pain, nothing like you'd expect. He said after the first couple times his calves were sore, but not in an "You've done me wrong and this pain I'm sending is a message that I'm damaged" kind of way but in a "I haven't been used this way in quite some time but it feels kinda good to be back in action" way.

Anyway, the whole point of this is that it's got me thinking about running. I've never liked it but that's because it hurts. Endorphins, schmendorphins--running is just punishment but after this it's made me wonder if a softie lard-ball like myself could be trained to run and not get tired or have my knees screaming in agony. I take pretty good care of myself but need more exercise and maybe not only would I get some time with my guy (you should see how excited he got when I told him I'd like to run with him) but maybe I'll be able to do something I didn't think I could.

Anyway, I was scheduled to go up to the track with him last night until the Hand of Death grabbed me by the shoulder and filled my sinuses with cement. I'm hoping that maybe tonight I'll be able to roll my bones off the bed and give it a try. I'll keep you posted.

Sponsored by Wedding Paper Divas for wedding invitations.

Barbie Meets the Mouse

While going about her chores on Saturday Grace happened to walk by the bedroom she shares with her younger sister where inside, Lillian was playing with her dolls and carrying on an in-depth conversation in strict Barbie-to-Barbie fashion as only a first grader can do in that kid-sized falsetto pitch.

Says Barbie #1: Ooooh! What do you want to do tonight?

Says Barbie #2: I know! How about we go to a movie?

Barbie #1: I LOVE movies--what movie should we see?

Barbie #2: How about we go see Life of a Dead Mouse? I've heard that's a good one.

Barbie #1: I'd LOVE to see Life of a Dead Mouse--it sounds like a good movie. . . .

Grace wandered downstairs and informed me of the conversation going on above our heads. Chuckling I asked her why didn't hadn't noticed that Life of a Dead Mouse was playing (I can only assume it wouldn't be a Disney production). Apparently I missed it's premier amidst the Harry Potter craze.

"Oh I'm not interested in seeing it," Grace said with a smile.

"Really?" I said.

"Yea, I heard it was really, really cheesy," she said.

I don't know which one cracks me up more, my youngest or my oldest.

Sponsored by Tiny Prints for the holiday party invitations for children.

Passion Fruit Cheesecake

A while ago my mother gave me a jar of passion fruit puree (and you know she's been out of the country for two years so that shows you how long it's been). I keep it frozen and whack off junks as I need them but honestly? How often does one require passion fruit puree?

Well I found this recipe for passion fruit cheesecake that uses it and not only is the shortbread crust the best I've had on a cheesecake, the tartness of the passion fruit is perfectly balanced in this light summery dessert.

It's really worth getting a jar of the puree for yourself just to be able to make it. If you're in Anchorage M&M Distributors are my source for odd ingredients like that. They carry all different kinds of fruit purees along with syrups for hot chocolate, inexpensive dry-packed yeast, all sorts of restaurant stuff you won't find at the supermarket.

Crust:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons nuts, finely chopped
6 ounces butter, melted

Filling:
1 1/2 pound cream cheese
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons corn starch
1/2 vanilla bean, scraped
3 eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup passion fruit puree

Directions:
Make crust by combining dry ingredients in a large bowl. Melt butter and add to dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly. When incorporated, press evenly into nine-inch springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.Combine cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add corn starch and blend. Add eggs and mix thoroughly, scraping the sides of the bowl. Add vanilla and sour cream. Mix until smooth and fold in passion fruit puree. Pour batter into a springform pan and bake at 300 degrees for approximately one hour and thirty minutes, or until set. Cool slowly and completely refrigerate for several hours.

Sponsored by Beau-Coup for unique baby shower favors.

Blush Giveaway

Got a fun little item here to show you here--something to fix those fashion glitches and prevent unfortunate wardrobe malfunctions.

Thank goodness that whole belly thing has gone out of style because after all my pregnancies some things are better left a mystery. Like my stomach. But being tall it's hard to sometimes find shirts long enough.

The solution? Blush offers shirt extenders that are tubes for your midsection to lengthen the coverage between your tops and those low-rise jeans.

While the idea works well with regular folks it's particularly well-suited to maternity wardrobes. If you have one of these little contraptions you can not only extend your shirts but the life of your wardrobe as your stomach swells. They come in all sorts of colors and with various edgings but this week's winner will get to try one out, courtesy of Blush. Just follow the directions below.

Here's how to win:

Before 12 am Monday morning click here to reach the giveaway entry form then enter your name and email. I will pick one of the names at random, contact the winner via their email and publish the winner's first name and home town in next Tuesday's post. See the bottom of the entry form for more details.

This giveaway is open to readers with a U.S. address, good luck!

Junk Food for the Soul

It's not exactly original but the books-as-food metaphor works for me. There are books that are like whole grain health with a side of zucchini to teach and inspire, the books that are poisonous (stuff that rots your brain inside out) and then there are the bubblegum books. They're fun, they're quick and oh how sweet they are.

In fact, they're hardly books at all and really more like hardbound screenplays, with their focus on action and plot over character or strength of language and unity but so help me I love them.

I go in cycles, reading heavy stuff here and there then I'll rebel and go crazy binging on the literary equivalent of Doritos topped with fake neon liquid Velveeta goo and let me tell you I've been on a binge lately (probably because I can read them with only half of my brain, making it conducive to my life of forced multi-tasking that I lead while my children are out of school.)

Anyway, I'm partial to mysteries and thrillers and though I've made my way through most of John Grisham's and Dan Brown's novels I've been reading Harlen Coban lately. He is actually a old college friend of Dan Brown's and starting writing with the first of a series of 8 detective novels (which I haven't touched) but then sneaked in a few stand-alone thrillers that I've gobbled up. Tell No One was the best though No Second Chance wasn't bad either and there are others. Oh yes there are others.

I'm very partial to historical fiction and on someone's recommendation just started Outlander by Diana Galbadon. So far so good (the beginning was a little slow but it has picked up once the time travel thing kicked in) though I'm barely started and it's 630 pages (or something like that). Hardly a quick read--and me only partly into things. As a side note . . . I met Gabaldon at a mystery writer conference several years ago along with Michael Connelly, Anne Perry and a few others that are now starting to surface on the shelves--you'd have to look up Anne Perry on Wikipedia to get the full appreciation of her bizarre life. And I mean bizarre.

Anyway . . . then once I'm finished with this one I have Lauren Willig's Masque of the Black Tulip waiting that was also recommended. A historical fiction mystery that picks up where the Scarlet Pimpernel left off, it promises to be a jolly good read.

And isn't that what summer is about?

My Favorite iPhone and iTouch Apps. So Far.

I already mentioned how excited I was to try out the new iTouch and I was thrilled to get so many great recommendations for new apps. (I won't tell you how much time I wasted looking at apps and thinking about apps and installing apps and playing with apps . . . it would just disgust you).

But I made progress and I've found a few that I'm pretty excited about. I've got a list here and to those who made such great suggestions, a big "Thanks!"

As it happens today is my day to chaperone at cub scout camp so it'll be a good thing I have my iTouch . . . I'll be off in a corner playing Pac Man while the boys go at it with Dodge Ball.

1. Crossword Light.
I'm a huge crossword fan (I credit my love of crosswords for allowing me to completely dominate Andrew at Scrabble . . . though that's a bitter story that is best left for another day) so one of the first apps I ferreted out was a crossword puzzle. This one is the "light" version and only has a few puzzles but I can try it out for free and see if I like it before going for it's "paid" older brother version. That's actually a nice way to go. Most good apps have a free "light" version that gives you a taste (kind of like Baskin Robbins with their mini spoons) before you have to invest in a couple dollars for the meatier thing. Niiice.

2. Pandora Radio
A few of you recommended this free app (thanks!) and I felt sheepish that despite having heard about Pandora here and there I had no idea what it was. I'm still not entirely sure, all I know is that I can now listen to digital quality radio via internet by artist. I can type in a group I like (say the Killers or Muse) and they'll not only pull up their songs but others they think I might like. It's really fun. Of course with the iTouch it must be on a wifi system so you have to be in range of a signal.

3. Flixster
Another recommendation and another free app from another nice commentator and being the movieaholic that I am I grabbed this one first thing. It allows you to see movie times and recommendations as well as trailers and other juicy tidbits.

4. To Do's
I am a consummate list maker. One of the first things I do in the morning after hoisting my bones out of bed is to sit down and make a list of the things I need to do. Crossing things off is a rush of endorphins every time I put that pencil to paper (and I prefer using pencil). However this sweet little to do list program helps me keep everything in one spot rather than on the various pieces of random paper and backs of receipts that I normally use. Verrrry handy. I think this particular program was a free version (and so far I like it fine--I mean it's a to do list, how fancy do you really need it?) though you can get some that are as much as $10.

5. Spend
Not a bad deal for $.99. This one is a fairly simple budgeting plan that allows you to keep track of a budget then record your expenses. The only problem I've encountered so far is how to change the amount of a certain category without messing with the entire budgeted amount total. Say, I have extra in one account and I want to add it to another account. How do I do that without messing things up? I'm sure there's an answer but so far in every other way I like it.

6. Big Oven
Yet another recommendation--this one for an app that lists 160,000 recipes. Yes, as in enough recipes to feed every household in Anchorage. Twice. So far, so good. I've seen other apps of a similar nature listed but this one was free (are you sensing a theme here? I'm a cheapo at heart) so I'm trying it to see if I'll really use it. Hey, free recipes! Who's going to argue with that?

7. Spongebob Tickler
Bring on the games! Now I could lie and say that I downloaded this one for my kids. However you know I'd never lie to you. Unless I really, really needed to.

Anyway, yes I'm a goober and think Spongebob is funny so I got the free "light" version which made me at least feel good about myself by knowing that I wouldn't actually spend money on something so stupid but nonetheless poking and stretching him and watching him giggle is kind of funny. At least for the first 20 seconds.

8. Labyrinth
Why do I have such a hard time spelling that word? It's like "rhyme" where I have to think about it every time. Must be that Greek "y" thing. Regardless, this game is much more sophisticated than the previous (as if there was anything that could be less sophisticated than touching a cartoon sponge) and I find it not only rather relaxing but somewhat addicting. I like the music it plays while you role the digital ball that you swear is real through a computer maze. How do they make it feel so real? Well however they do it, it's free and it's fun.

9. Hidden Mysteries
Here my love of mysteries comes out. This (also free) game is a sleuthing treat where you look at scenes to solve a crime. This is the app Sherlock Holmes would have if he had an iPhone. I haven't used it much yet but it's very highly rated and so far seems a great deal. Of course it's free so who knows what that means.

10. Flashlight
It is what it is. An app that turns your iTouch or iPhone into a flashlight. For those who like to spelunk while listening to their tunes. I downloaded it (again, free) purely for the thrill of another gadget. Kind of like making my iTouch into a Swiss army knife or something and while I don't know if I'll ever use it, if I have to find my way some day in total darkness with only my iTouch to guide me you can bet I'll be pretty glad I loaded this baby.

11. Light Saber
When I saw this mentioned in the comments I immediately had to go and find it and download it stat. If you aren't a Star Wars fan you might run the risk of devaluing this highly exciting app where you can turn your gadget into a light saber (or the closest thing you'll ever have to it) and can even creat your own Jedi alter ego. Yes, you read that right. You're own Jedi character. Me? I will now be known as Peekup Yermez, the mother of all Jedis.

12. Remote
This one is really, really cool. It turns your iPhone/iTouch into a remote control for your computer or your Apple TV. It's tricky to get it working properly, you have to have your units on the same wifi network but once you get it installed (for free) you can use it to play your computer or tv. Sweet!

13. Finger Piano
Again, very intuitive as to what this app does but I find it strangely fun. I've got the light version but as always you can pay for something fancier if you really want to.

14. Art Gallery
I'm still not finished deciding on some book apps but in the meantime this particular toy allows you to see all kinds of paintings from throughout the history. Interesting and kind of fun. I have another that gives you a tour of various museums which I found but haven't tried yet. Basically, if it's free I'm willing to give it a try. Charge me and I'm much less interested.

Sponsored by YourWeddingDays.com for beautiful bridal shower invitations.

Soap Crayons

Everyone's heard about making your own recycled crayons or sidewalk chalk but equally fun is making your own soap crayons. You know, the kind you can use for fun art projects either in the tub or on the sidewalk then rinse away?

It's an easy recipe, the only caution is that you want to make sure you don't have white grout in your tub that can be stained by the food coloring (though usually a good product like Soft Scrub can remove any residuals the food coloring might leave behind).

Here's the recipe:

1 cup powdered laundry soap
30-40 drops of food color
water

Mix the dry laundry soap with food coloring then add enough water to turn the powder into a very thick liquid. Pack the mixture into ice cube trays then set the trays out in a sunny place for two days to dry.

Once they're dry just pop them out and they're ready for drawing. Great for bathtime fun!

Sponsored by Pak Naks--decorate your stuff!

Happy Birthday to Me!

While I was out camping with the girls last week Andrew decided to take time off and bring the kids down to see me on the Kenai Peninsula to celebrate my birthday.

He brought with him peach pie (a favorite), chocolate pie, vanilla soup (that was once ice cream in a former life) and a present.

An iTouch!

I didn't have much time to look at it while camping but now that I'm home I've been playing and playing with it in utter contentment.

I've downloaded a to-do list application, a budget app, a shopping app, even a crossword app and a few games but my question is: which iTouch/iPhone applications are the best?

Which apps can I not live without because I'm a novice here and am pretty sure there are some great ones out there that will make my life pure bliss from this moment on.

I'm particularly interested in good audiobook or ebook programs but am open to anything with extra helpings of "cool." Which apps do you recommend?

***

Congratulations to Karen of Bloomington, Minnesota (hey! I've been there!) for winning this weekend's celebrity gift basket. Woo hoo!

Alaskan Kayaking

So how about that Sarah Palin?? You just can't get away from Alaska in the news, can you?

And I'm going to give you more Alaskan things to think about because you're going to have to listen to the story of my week. Sorry for not answering emails or responding to comments, I was too busy having THE BEST TIME OF MY LIFE!!

I should start by saying I've never been a huge camping fan. I've always had a hard time with that whole cold, dirty, bug-infested part. But last week I accompanied 11 teenage girls on a kayaking expedition and if I were to tell you all the wonderful things about the trip you'd be reading pages and pages till you dropped from exhaustion.

We had originally planned on going to Valdez and kayaking on the ocean but when it came down to it the people who were training us worried that the girls would be fighting the dangerous ocean currents and notoriously touchy weather on Prince William Sound so at the last minute we switched to the Kenai Peninsula so we could instead go kayaking on lakes and stay safer.

I was a little disappointed at first but boy was I wrong because we had the most fabulous weather you'll ever see in southcentral Alaska. Our temperatures were around 80 for most of the week (the picture looks rather hazy because of the forest fires burning around the state but it really was very sunny) and instead of using all the layers I packed we spent the week in swim suits and t-shirts, trying fun things to keep ourselves cool.

We camped in the Ptarmigan Creek campground which is about 20 minutes north of Seward. The fee is $14 a night but it's well worth it because the area sits alongside the Ptarmigan Creek where there's a trail that leads from the campground for about 3 1/2 miles along the river up to Ptarmigan Lake. We hiked the trail first thing when we got there (even before setting up camp) and it's very much like the Winner Creek trail back in Girdwood in terms of terrain and difficulty.

At first I was a bit nervous because of all the signs that said things like: "Bear Country: Beware!" and "For the safety of all, do not leave any food, cosmetics, toiletries or anything with an odor in your camp!" The other leader that was with us handed me a can of bear spray and suggested I go first along the trail.

"You just pull this strap here and the trigger unlocks. Then you spray the bear. Just be careful that you're not more than 30 feet from him because it won't work at that distance--you'll just get a cloud of spray that blows away. You need to be able to get him good in the face and the can only has enough spray for about two or three seconds which means it's really just there to give him a distraction so that you can run away."

"So let me get this straight? I see a bear coming at me. The bear wants to eat me. [we've already proven how good I am with wildlife relations after my earlier moose episode] I'm supposed to 'wait until I see the whites of his eyes'? I'm supposed to let him get a good, tasty whiff of me and offer myself as a morsel then get close enough to really make him mad so the rest of you can have time to run away?"

"Pretty much."

"Okay. Just so we're clear here."

So at first I was a bit nervous and did a lot of shouting along the lines of "If there are any bears out there you better back off because I'm armed. With bear spray!" until the temperatures rose and we were all a pack of dripping sweat balls and I pretty much didn't care if there were any bears out there anyway because becoming an h'ors d'oeuvre couldn't be worse that the flies that were attracted by my most pleasant fragrance.

But sweatiness aside it was a great hike. Forget-me-nots and orange wild columbine dotted the forest trail with dogwood and cow parsnip underfoot as we hiked beside the opaquely-green river. It was about as beautiful as you can imagine.

The next few days were all about kayaking. We shuttled our nine kayaks up the road about five miles to the turn off for Upper and Lower Trail Lakes where we packed up and put in.

Grace and I were both in single-man crafts while most of the girls were in doubles. The singles are a bit more unstable but the water was just like you see it here--perfect glass.

We paddled for five miles and the girls did great--even with a sticky rudder and a broken cable to cause some problems they really were amazing and it was one of those perfect days where the weather is perfect, your surroundings are perfect, you're just perfectly content, hoping it all doesn't end.

There were float planes occasionally taking off or touching down on the lake as we made our way across, there were dolly varden and rainbow trout jumping here and there to break the surface and surprise us but the highlight of the trip was when, on our return, we passed directly beneath two large spruce trees where two bald eagles sat perched on the very tops. They were screeching in their distinct way and were watching us as we drifted by then they flew on ahead a bit to two new trees where they watched us catch up only to fly on ahead of us again, screeching and talking.

I would have had pictures of them but it's hard to pull out your camera from the back of a kayak. We ate our snacks and lunches right there on the water, floating along, because there were no places to put out--it was nothing but mountains and spruce trees right down to the water line.

When we finally got off the water it was so warm and lovely the girls all jumped back in the water right there at the lake. Even back at camp it was warm enough that every afternoon we could tramp down to the river and bathe so we could feel more human and evenings were all about sitting around the fire and playing long games of Five Card Mow (rhymes with cow) which will probably warrant a post in itself it was so fun.

On Wednesday Andrew brought the kids down to wish me a happy birthday and I took the kids out on Kenai Lake which is the picture you see here--they all loved it and the only bad news now is that we're thinking that we may have to do it as a family next summer. Maybe by then David will be big enough to reach the rudder pedals and won't have to mope about how he wants to go out in a kayak by himself and why does he have to have a partner?

I think after this trip I can definitively say to Andrew that I am not the outdoor whimp that he thought he'd married afterall. And the girls had as much fun as I did--I kept hearing that it was "the best experience of my WHOLE life!" which must mean that it wasn't too bad of a week.

Who says I'm not an outdoor person? At least as long as I've got my sun.

Sponsored by Wedding Paper Divas for wedding invitations.

Barbecued Pork Salad

Between the barbecue and the cole slaw this salad just oozes "summer"--everyone loved it and it got rave reviews. Though as for calories it's not one of your lighter salads.

For cole slaw:
1/2 green cabbage, shredded
2 shredded carrots
1/4 shredded red cabbage

For cole slaw dressing:
1/4 cup mustard
1/4 apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 cups sugar
salt and pepper to taste

For salad:
4 cups pulled pork
1 cup barbecue sauce
10 ounces romaine hearts, torn
4 tomatoes

For salad dressing:
1/2 cup buttermilk ranch dressing
3 tablespoons barbecue sauce (or more if desired)

In a bowl mix the ingredients for the cole slaw and in a separate bowl mix the cole slaw dressing ingredients then toss together. Divide the torn romaine among six plates. Mix the ingredients for the salad dressing and set aside. Mix the pork and barbecue sauce then divide among six plates, placing on top of romaine then sprinkling with chopped tomatoes. Add a scoop of the cole slaw and drizzle with the salad dressing.

Sponsored by Tiny Prints for the holiday party invitations for children.

Tori Spelling Gift Basket Giveaway

Are you interested in a package that's not only fun but full of glamour? Well here's the story: Tori Spelling and her husband Dean McDermott threw a birthday party for their daughter Stella and the many guests received gift baskets just like the one you're about to see right here.

First it includes a cute little stuffed lady bug from Bel Bambini that is also a pretty little night light. You see the Twilight Lady Bug pictured here at right from Cloud B and if you decide to order one of their products you can use the coupon code TSBG-0609 to get a 20% off your purchase through July 15th. Sweet, huh?

You will also find custom made hair bows from Pixie Bows in bright colors such as you see here. Cute, aren't they? I love the little lady bug in the middle, it goes perfectly with the stuffed bug.

But if that's not enough the gift basket also includes a pair of shoes from Robeez in one of their beautiful little garden-themed styles such as this "Happy Garden" style you see here. Lady bugs? Gardens? Get it?

To finish off the sweet package it also has children's detangler/conditioner from Suave in their Fairy Berry Strawberry (and you probably already know how I love Suave's stuff--and detangler is at the very top of my Love List when it comes to children's products).

. . . AND it has healthy food from Boxed Greens to finish off the treat. How great is that?

So how do you win one of these exclusive baskets? Just follow the rules below!

Here's how to win:

Before 12 am Monday morning click here to reach the giveaway entry form then enter your name and email. I will pick one of the names at random, contact the winner via their email and publish the winner's first name and home town in next Tuesday's post. See the bottom of the entry form for more details.

This giveaway is open to readers with a U.S. address, good luck!