I Survived Girl's Camp!

I'm back and I survived Girl's Camp!!

My treehouse

The view of the lake from my treehouse

The toilet accommodations...I had to walk up the path for the mildewy showers.

Rand looking sooooo thrilled and me with my wild frizzy hair!

But we did it...and I'm pretty sure we're both going back again next year!

Goin' Camping

Rand and I are headed off to Girl's Camp!

I am nervous about going camping for 5 days.

I am not a camper.

BUT I do get to stay in a tree house and that's kind of cool.

Wonder if it will be as nice as this one?

Chances are pretty slim.

I'll be sure to report all of my adventures (and misadventures) this coming weekend!

Cupcake Wars

See these sweet girls?

They waged WAR yesterday...Cupcake Wars that is!

The girls earned their Let's Get Cooking Junior badge while having a little sweet fun!

Allie made adorable polar bear cupcakes.

Kenners made these scary monster cupcakes.

Meet the judges.....the brothers!!!

Yum!!

The war was judged a tie....yay for our two cupcake chefs!!

(As for the two mamas...me and my sister...we were ExHaUsTeD by the end of the day!!! Between supervising the baking, cleaning up and then dealing with sugar high children it really did feel like we had been in a war!!

S'more Pops

Tonight we had a fabulously easy and impromptu dessert of S'more Pops! I found the recipe a few weeks back via Ready.Set.Plan and immediately fell in love with this idea!

What is needed:

~lollipop sticks

~crushed graham crackers

~marshmallows

~melted chocolate (mine was in the microwave when I snapped this picture)

To assemble:

~poke the lollipop stick into a marshmallow

~dip marshmallow into melted chocolate

~coat with graham cracker crumbs

Delish!

Super easy!!

Oh! I forgot the final step...pop the whole shebang into your mouth and enjoy!!

Perfect Summer Day

Yesterday was one of those golden days of summer.

No responsibilities.

No have-to-do's to be done.

We asked the kids what they wanted to do and they said...

....let's go SwImMiNg!!!

Family love!

Check out Kenners' flip:

Proud girl!

She definitely gets her dare devilishness and talent from her dad who was wowing the other citizen's of our town during adult swim with his crazy turns/flips and what not's off the diving board.

I can't even dive, for pete's sake!

Tired guy

After hours of swimming we decided to go out for dinner.

Reading the newspaper while waiting for our buzzer to buzz.

I am coming to grips and trying to accept my naturally frizzy...oops, I mean wavy hair. What choice do I have with these 90 degree days with 100% humidity to boot? I've been giving the blow dryer, round brush and flat iron a little break this summer. It's been rough going but I'm trying to be a little bit more organic. I must admit having a hat helps a lot!!

Can you guess where we went for dinner by looking at the buzzer Kenners is holding?

After dinner we went to the Apple store and Pottery Barn.

No pictures though...I was too tired.

Perfect summer days definitely lead to happy endings and sweet slumber at night!!

There's a Party Going On!

My kids crack me up!

Should be a fun and happenin' night tonight!!!

Puppy, Distelfinks and Family

Introducing the newest member of the East Coast Evans Family:

Peyton...Do you see her? Kenners is holding her. She is a 10 week old Bichon Poo. We thought we should have an updated family picture taken.

At the end of May I started seriously thinking about getting a puppy and then, viola! A few weeks later on Father's Day morning my sister called asking if we wanted their new puppy. Off we went to pick up this little hair ball (she's hypoallergenic, HALLELUJAH!) and my quandary about whether or not to get a puppy was over.

Though DK and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary last month we haven't actually seen each other long enough to have a picture taken together. So here we are...15 years later...a little grayer (both of us) some extra poundage (just me) but still as much in love as the day we wed!

During our trip to PA and in salute to my Pennsylvania Dutch relatives we stopped and picked up a Hex Sign. We had one back when we lived in PA but misplaced it/threw it away somewhere along our way back to the East Coast. I placed it on our door leading from the garage to the kitchen. A bit untraditional since they are usually hung on the outside of a barn/shed/house but that's okay, I like breaking from tradition!

Memorial Day

This is still one of my favorite pictures of JK...

...we are off to a parade and picnic on this Memorial Day...

...but no matter what we do this day we will remember and honor those who came before and sacrificed their lives for our freedom...

God Bless America!!

Getting Ready for Summer

We are a family of drinkers...no, not THAT kind of drink!

I am addicted to Diet Coke and the kids love juice

(Rand is a water drinker...she's such a good girl).

Hence the annual stockpiling of drinks so we are ready for the hot days of summer!

It's only just begun!!

Photo Contest

I am by no means a great photographer but I just had to submit this picture of Kenners in the Summer Fun Photo Contest 5 Minutes for Mom is hosting. Hop on over and take a look!

I'm flying!!

Thanks Christie for your post!

Just the Usual

Today was just an at home day for us East Coast Evans'.

JK played with his trains for a big chunk of the day.

Kenners practiced her gymnastics and flips and such for a big chunk of the day.

Rand played her Nintendo DS for a big chunk of the day.

I cleaned the house for a big chunk of the day.

What's goin' on in there?

Before lunch the girl's were playing with some pizza dough and making fun different shapes. When they were done we made pizza for lunch which we all ate except Rand who wanted spaghetti-o's. What is wrong with that girl?

I snuck in a nap during the afternoon. It was so divine. I ignored the four phone calls that dared try to interrupt my nap. Please do not call my house between the hours of 1 and 3 PM!! Important things are happening!!

We also watched College Road Trip. Donny Osmond played a pretty kooky character who you couldn't help but love...and be grateful he's not YOUR dad. I think parts of the movie went right over the girl's heads though they enjoyed the gag reel.

Kenners finished cheer camp tonight. Though she's done going to camp I have a feeling we are not done hearing the cheers. Joy oh joy.

To finish up this typical day I am headed to my jacuzzi tub to relax and finish the book I am currently reading. I'm tying up all sorts of loose ends so I am completely prepared for Breaking Dawn! We are down to under 2 hours until its release! I am now squealing like a 14 year old girl!!

Summer Fun @ the Movies

Look what I saw last night! A few girls from town called up and off we went! Back in January DK and I went and saw the Broadway production of Mamma Mia! and had such a fabulous time I thought I should go and see it this summer in the movie theatre. Oh. My. Heck! It was fabulous!! You must see it and then buy it when it is released on DVD! It was divine...though I must admit I chuckled a few times watching Pierce Brosnan sing!

Bella Italia

So, how could I NOT go to Bella Italia while in Port Angeles? The answer: I couldn't. Of course I had to go. It was within walking distance from our hotel and I had read great reviews (it has also been featured on the Travel Channel). And here is the cherry on top of the sundae: this is the inspiration for the restaurant where Bella and Edward went for their first date.

So quaint and charming.

Stephenie Meyers paid Bella Italia a surprise visit last month.

Can you picture Bella & Edward sitting here?

About 3 minutes after this picture was taken JK decided he had had enough and demanded we leave. It was a long day complete with morning service project and afternoon Lavender Festival. Just look at MY face...I look exhausted too!