Auntie's Artic Adventure, a very Martha Experience

What happens when three Martha Stewarts get together?

You get an Artic Adventure* complete with princesses...

And knights in shining armor to protect them.


Every kingdom needs a black knight so the good knight will have someone to defeat, right?

Here is the Matriarchal Martha with a Martha-in-training.

And every kingdom must have a baby Knight in training.

(Don't chew on the sword, please)

"I'll protect you!" says the brave Daniel.



The princesses must stand together and unite against the evil knight that threatens them!


Doesn't she make a beautiful princess?
Check out that tiara!
(The real Martha Stewart would approve, don't you think?)





Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the most Marthiest of all?

Is it the one who creates the songbooks for the campfire sing-a-long?

Or the one who is in charge of the castle-cake-decorating-activity?

This two year old definitely has "the gene". Look how serious he is about his cake decorating!

Is the most Martha the one who applies princess tattoos to the little princesses?

I think these are some tired little girls.

Being a Princess is a lot of hard work!

Certainly, a very successful Artic Adventure!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

*Auntie's Arctic Adventure: Each fall Prince Charming's sister invites the entire family to her home for a theme party. There are games, crafts, activities, and of course singing around the camp fire, smores, and talk of sleeping outdoors in tents (which, in the 8 years of this tradition, has never happened, but each year we like to pretend that THIS year is the year we will be brave and sleep outdoors by the fire underneath a starry sky.)

It was a wonderful Arctic adventure!

Thanks Marthas for making it a wonderful memory for us all!

A Double Easter

Easter was unusual for us this year. Last week we had a wonderful celebration with the wedding crew on Easter Sunday (A1 and A2 hosted a marvelous Martha brunch and had a little Easter egg hunt for the little kids.) The weather was bright and sunny and warm down in Paradise.

But, since we were out of town last week, this year we celebrated Easter again with my side of the family. Easter is an important holiday for us. Not because of the obvious, which is of course because of celebrating our Risen Saviour, but also because, well, because....

This side of the family has rules of engagement for Easter

Rule #1. Easter celebration is always, always at the Gardening Aunt's house. This is because her house has the prettiest yard, the only yard free of dog doo-doo, and usually she is the first to have her yard in tip-top shape each spring. One of my sisters said it will be 200 years before Easter is this early again, but, despite the earliness of the holiday her yard was, as always, a delight.

Rule #2. All the siblings (there are 5 of us)bring candy for the hunt. As the kids have gotten older we've been known to throw in some money with the candy. We all sit in the spare room filling the eggs together. Gives us a chance to conspire in secret if needed.

Rule #3. ALL children of the next generation (our children) must participate in the hunt until such time as they have children of their own who can take their place in the hunt. Doesn't matter how old they are or whether or not they are married. This year we had one married couple, an engaged couple, and children from the age of 6 to 24 participating in the hunt.

Rule #4 Children exit the house in reverse age order. Youngest first.

Seth and Sophie are the two youngest.

Then comes Sam

Rule #4. We take all the kids' pictures with them standing in chronological order, then we take a picture of them standing in order of height. That has been fun over the years to watch as positions change in the line-up. This year we were missing 2. One was on Spring Break in Florida (the tallest - a 6 foot 4 inch 280 pound offensive lineman), and one was in a studying frenzy (I hear Pharmacy is a hard major). She is the tallest girl in the group, although one of the younger ones of the bunch. It wasn't the same this year without them. We joked about photo shopping them in, but it just wouldn't be the same.

Rule #5 Must look at all of the gardening aunt's "stuff" to see what's new. I don't want to say I "covet" her belongings. I think that is going too far. I don't like that word. Let's just say that she has a lot of neat stuff that if she ever decided to get rid of, I would be happy to help her out.

She kind of has a theme about her home. If you read her blog, MayDreamsGarden, then you have already guessed the theme.

I really, really like this doorbell. If I remember correctly she had this doorbell before the house was built and had the door frame built to accommodate it. If I had this doorbell, I'd do the exact same thing. It's pretty cool, don't you think?

This quilt is something that I admire and if she tires of it, she knows where she can send it. It's her garden. Really, seriously. The fabrics are vegetables. Our mother made that for her. Guess we know who she loves best......


I also admire these books. The only reason is that I remember the middle two as ones that sat on our bookcase the whole time I was growing up. But, I really don't want these books. I know they are right where they belong... in a place where they are deeply loved, never neglected, and maybe even used upon occasion.

Yes it was a wonderful Easter for the Zoo Family both in Paradise and at the home of MayDreamsGarden.

This blog post has been viewed and approved by Carol at MayDreamsGarden prior to publication.

Never a Dull Day

Hi Rabbit!

Thanks for coming today.
I really needed you.

I'm supposed to make a trillion cookies to take to A4's wedding next week, and since I can't bake, I appreciate Rabbit coming over and offering her culinary talents. (Truly, she really is gifted. Being my niece has nothing to do with it -- she has won all kinds of awards at the State Fair in the open division...you know, the one that real bakers and stuff enter? She won the grand champion wedding cake decorating contest at the tender age of 16. She's my niece by the way, did I tell you that? AND she is a Martha in the kitchen. How about that? But I digress....)



Becca and Sophie were busy in the kitchen.

I take advantage when others are here and have them teach Miss Sophia the culinary tricks I haven't a clue about. HGTV is wonderful, but sometimes it's nice to have an on-site instructor.

Seth was more interested in eating the fruits of their labors.

So, as everyone else was in cooking class, I was on "Dog Duty." Easy enough. I've raised a few dogs in my day.....

So...I take little precious, perfect, sweet, adorable Victoria outside to potty, when I am distracted by a beautiful red bird (probably a robin?) hopping on the fence. I'm so excited, I run in to get my camera. I've been mesmerized by all the birdie pictures on the birdie bloggers' blogs right now, and have been longing to get some pictures to share so I can feel "part of the action."

BUT, See this?This is where the puppy was able to walk on ice just yesterday. Today she tried again, but no ice......just COLD water. My back was only turned once - I promise! (Well, other than that run inside to go get the camera.)

PLOP!

Uh-oh....

In all my "eeking" and "acking" and my running to the pond to scoop out the puppy, I violated multiple rules.....

1. I forgot to get a picture. HOW COULD I?

2. I forgot that not only can dogs swim, but some breeds actually enjoy swimming. So my panicking was really totally unnecessary.

3. Never attempt to scoop up a puppy out of water in one hand while holding a camera in the other hand. Enough said. We won't go further.....

So, now all cookie baking must come to a halt so as to give the royal princess a bath.

(In the tub, not the pond).

Poor puppy. At least this water was warm.

She liked it better than Peridot did.

Sorry about this picture. Moving targets are hard.

Poor wet baby!

Let's cuddle under a nice warm blanket heated up in the dryer.

OK. Now where were we?

Ah yes.

I was out in the backyard, trying to capture a picture of a beautiful bird. I found out how hard this is, and I want to know right now, how do all you bird lovers do it? You must have really nice cameras, lots of talent in the photography department, or both.

By the time I got back outside all I could find was this crow up in the tree....

And this cat stalking something in this other tree.

Now...this is a good kitty doin' what good kitties should do.

Sleeping quietly, not stalking other poor defenseless creatures, and not falling into ponds.

No matter how hard we try, there is never a dull day at the Zoo.

Fridge Meme

Missy from Bees and Boo Boos has tagged me for a refrigerator meme.


To see the rules, go visit Robin Heart at Home and click on the picture above of her refrigerator.


OK, world. Here is my fridge....




Sorry to disappoint you, but being the organized, efficient, no-nonsenseless, clutter-free person that I am, there is nothing on the front of my fridge....



Except this one little magnet that my daughter put on the fridge...she is a Martha Stewart and doesn't like clutter, but she makes an exception for anything dachshund.




Ok...ok...I hear some of you who know me and have been to my house coughing and spluttering in the background, so I'll come clean.....my daughter is a clutter-free Martha, but I'm not.

Here is the SIDE of the fridge that faces the cabinets...



That's the top of the side....

Here's the bottom part....


In my defense, they are all Mary Engelbreit magnets. Does that give me points?

Stickers, At Home Mama, May Dreams Garden, Striving for Simplicity, and Greenbow Gardens.....you've been tagged!