Peanut Butter Cookies ...

My good friends know that I don't use cookbooks or recipes, but that doesn't mean I don't love to cook or bake. To make these you just need 3 ingredients;

1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Peanut Butter
1 Egg

Mix together, roll into balls, press down with a fork to make the criss-cross marks and bake for 10 min @ 350º ... yes really, it's that easy =)

What Would Be On Your Cardboard Banner?

Take a few minutes and watch this inspiring music video ...

"Be The Change You Want To See" by Kat Edmondson

I love this artist ...

I came across Seonna Hong's work recently, and I have to say I love her art and thought you might like to go take a peek at some of her other creations. This one is called "Self Defeating".

Hong says her paintings reflect her exploration of personal evolvement and how your environment such as family, friends, and society can shape one's existence. There's so much truth in that. I think we are shaped by our surroundings. Makes me think, what have I surrounded myself with and what am I becoming???? Something to ponder, I love it when art makes me think.

This one doesn't require much thinking to figure out, it's called "Happy Ending" ... the girls say this one is their favorite. Of course ... don't we all love happy endings?

What You Do With What You've Got ...

OK, since the pressure was on to post something, because it's almost been 30 days since my last post (and the blog police fired their warning shot today) I wanted to share this inspiring and beautiful song by Eddi Reader with Thomas Dolby on the piano.

Our family spent last weekend with about 125 volunteers just south of the border in Tijuana building homes for some very impoverished families, the trip was amazing and I can't wait to go again. If you want to know more about Project Mexico, check out some of Jon's latest postings on his blog about our last trip with some links to some great photos from the weekend.

So in honor of all the amazing Project Mexico volunteers who really "used what they've got" ... I hope you enjoy this song!

Procrastination ...

Yesterday we had a garage sale. We're moving soon and we want to downsize or at least not haul it all down south. Jon has a rule, once it makes it to the driveway, it can't come back in the house. We only sold 20% of the stuff yesterday. So we put down the seats of my Expedition and packed it up tight and took the leftovers to Goodwill, I'm sure it's the most we've ever donated in one shot. I've got to say it feels good. It's really true, "we don't own the stuff, it owns us". Having to store it, insure it, haul it here and there is being "enslaved" by the "stuff". Now I have a pretty good path in the garage to actually get to my sewing table - something I've missed using for months!

I wish I had "purged" sooner. I'd like to say I've just been "busy" ... but maybe I waited so long because I'm a procrastinator.

If you are not sure if you are one then watch this great short clip and then ... get back to work!

**if this video doesn't play properly just click on the words "great short clip" in the paragraph above**

Art by Jon ...

Jon had his wisdom teeth pulled yesterday. I'm making him take it easy. I didn't know what he's been doing on the computer this morning, until now. He just sent this to me, he took the picture of Emily last weekend and then he worked on it this morning ... I LOVE IT!!! and thought you'd enjoy a peek at the wonderful stuff Jon does when he can squeeze in some "spare" time.

The picture is from last Sunday, just after the Spelling Bee in Long Beach we drove back towards home via the Pacific Coast Hwy. When we drove past Huntington Beach the girls saw the sand dunes and wanted to stop and play. So of course, we did. Collecting shells and getting sand between our toes and stopping at Gina's Pizza in Laguna Beach on the way home is our favorite way to end a perfect beach day.

Before and After ...

Stefani wanted her hair cut this weekend so that "a little girl who's sick can have hair". She donated a whopping 18"!

We are sending the hair to Locks of Love so that a wig can be made for someone who really needs it.

Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children under age 18 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis.

I think the new "do" suits her =)