Rock On!

Today I'm offering a bonus blog post.  Mark and I have been enjoying the company of our grand nephew, Johnathan, who spends about a week with us in our home each summer.  This year he is 14 and this marks the 7th year he has been with us.  As I type, he and Mark are out at the skate park in Solvang where Johnathan is, I'm sure, tearing it up!

While here, I tried to come up with fun activities for all of us to do together.  Johnathan is a super easy-going kid and is happy just swimming in the pool.  We have kept him busy doing other stuff , too.  He and Mark have had a lot of fun with Mark's hexacopter and GoPro camera.  They've also attached the GoPro to Johnathan's RC car and shot some crazy footage.  We all went to the Santa Barbara County Fair in Santa Maria yesterday and Johnathan rode all the wild rides.  I rode one.  Mark rode none!

I also thought it would be fun to do some arts and crafts.  I looked over my Pinterest pages and found an activity that didn't require me going out and purchasing any supplies.  Rock Painting!  Heaven knows we have tons of river rock in our backyard.  Johnathan and I collected several rocks and he scrubbed and dried them.  I painted a couple using some pins as my inspiration.  I have this funny feeling that Johnathan isn't actually going to join in this activity.  At 14, he seems a lot more interested in what his cool physicist uncle can share with him.  Oh well, I had fun painting rocks and think I will continue to do so.

Here are two of my inspirational images...

There was no link for the first image but here is the link for the heart rocks...

Blooming on Bainbridge - Mod Podge Painted Rocks

It is so relaxing sitting down with several jars of paint and a little inspiration.  I didn't go too far out of the box with my first two rock projects but plan to get a little more wild and crazy with the next batch.  What will I do with these painted rocks, you ask?  I think they would look cute tucked into a pot, or set on top of a pile of books, used as a paper weight or napkin weight when serving outside.  They can also be placed in the garden as the paint I used is made to stand up to the outdoor elements. 

Here is the paint I used...

And here are my first two painted rocks.  I don't know why I like them so much - the colors and designs just make me happy!

The heart rock is actually much smaller than the other, and much smaller than it looks in this photo.

Thought I'd add a few photos of our week with Johnathan.  Maybe he'll paint some rocks, maybe he won't...

Johnathan saying bye bye to the Berg Boys

Driving the Roller Racer train with his cousins on board - even big cousin, Dan!

And iPhone photos at the County Fair...

Happy (Belated) 4th of July!

What a fun time the 4th of July is at our house!  Since the fireworks are visible from right behind our house, it is natural that we have a celebration in our backyard each year.  This was the second year that we've hosted a 4th of July party in this home.  All of our kids and grandkids were here as well as our daughter Kelly's in-laws who are also our dear friends.  They were all staying in our house for several days and then on the 4th, we had many friends joining us to celebrate.

So, I thought it would be fun to try a couple of holiday recipes from Pinterest.  Here is the inspiration for one of them...

These are called Firecracker Cookies and here is a link to the page where you can find the recipe and process for making them.  Cookin' Cowgirl - Firecracker Cookies

The recipe called for a 1/2 cup of red sprinkles and a 1/2 cup of blue sprinkles.  I just couldn't bring myself to use that many sprinkles.  In fact, I couldn't find the red and blue "jimmies" that they used in the recipe.  I had found a jar of red, white and blue sprinkles and used the entire thing (about a 1/4 cup total.)  Or should I say that my two-year-old granddaughter, Ellie, used the entire jar.  She was my cooking assistant and put all of the ingredients into the bowl for mixing!

So, our cookies didn't turn out nearly as colorful as the inspiration but I'm sure they were just as yummy!

Our YUMMY Firecracker Cookies!

And here is my assistant baker, Ellie, as she watched the Solvang 4th of July Parade.

My second attempt at a 4th of July treat was a Colorful Bundt Cake.  I actually used two recipes and combined them for the effect I wanted to achieve.  Here are the two "pinspiration" cakes...

I made the cake and frosting according to this first cake recipe.  You can find it here:

easybaked - Colorful Bundt Cake

And this site just inspired me to add sprinkles.  Wish I had read it a little better - it would have been fun to add Pop Rocks at the last minute!

weenii - 4th of July BundtCake

Here is my cake...

While I think that the layers on the inside of my cake are much cooler looking, I was disappointed that the red turned out to be pink!  It looks more like a baby shower cake when you don't yet know the sex of the baby.  Oh well, it was very tasty!

And here is a fun photo of my 5 sweet grandchildren and their big second (I think - I can never remember how that 1st, 2nd cousin, once, twice removed thing goes!) 

Owen (2 1/2), Ellie (2), Cousin Johnathan (14), Wesley (2 1/2), Andrew (4 1/2), Alexa (5)

What shall I try next, you ask?  Well, I already attempted another pin and will add it to this blog this very day.  I need to catch up since I have missed so many weeks.  Enjoy!