Pinewood Derby

Yes, it's that time again.  The smell of wood, the sound of a dremel, the screams of ...well, me.

"You are getting paint all over the table.  Go upstairs and get some of that purple stuff under my sink.  Why are you still standing there?  Run, run, RUN!"

I hate projects.  Actually, I hate my children's projects. They always wait until the last minute to tell me, "Oh Mom, where do you keep the 3 inch styrofoam balls?  I need to make a DNA display tonight."

Our pinewood derby project went pretty smoothly this year.  Big Daddy and Drama got started early, several weeks.  Big Daddy used this as an excuse to purchase a new tool, a dremel. For those who don't know, a dremel is a small handheld rotary tool.  It looks just like those drill/sanders they use in the nail salon. The dremel comes with 15 different accessories and a catalogue of a billion more. Lazy Boy was quite put out that his cars were all made without the use of electric tools.  Just his lame mom trying to use a dumb coping saw.

Drama and I went to a special hobby store to buy paint, special shiny paint.  It had to be green and blue.  We asked Sweet Pea to utilize her made art skills and draw some "cool lines" with Sharpie. It made it very cool.

Making the final weigh in and adjustments.

After all the races, Drama didn't come in the top 3. I think our cars (a true family project) didn't have enough weight. But that's another story. He did, however, receive a certificate for "Best Detail"  

Thanks Sweet Pea!

And The Winner Is. . . .

The Maui Giveaway goes to ......The Queen. Yep. It's official, she won it fair and square. Email me an address and I'll drop your prizes in the mail-io. I was really hoping for one of my local peeps, so I could just drive it over. Oh well. That just proves what a giving and thoughtful person I am. Enjoy your highness! Maybe McFly will mellow with chocolate macadamians.

Thanks to all of the others:

There were 17 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

1. 7-queen
2. 17-queen
3. 2-jennifer k
4. 13-emily
5. 11-audrey f
6. 16- amber
7. 14-jennifer k
8. 5-laura p-h
9. 9-mama snail
10. 4-gay lynn a
11. 1- emily w
12. 12-kristen c.
13. 3-amber m
14. 8-kristen p
15. 10-missy
16. 15- laura b
17. 6-angie a

Timestamp: 2009-05-26 05:06:25 UTC

Maui Giveaway....last chance

Today is the last day to enter my Maui Giveaway. I noticed several names missing...Queen,K.P.,Laura,Vicki,etc. Sweet Pea is disqualified because she got her own stash of crap, including a beautiful ring purchased at the exclusive Kmart, where my personal episode of COPS was played out. I'll assign numbers tomorrow and drop them in the Random.org spinner.

My tan is beginning to fade, so I am out to the pool!
Good Luck!

Grandma Sycamore

I really should change the name of this blog, "What the Princess is Eating Today".  I just like to share good things with friends.  In today's share bag (yep, I'm a Kindergarten teacher) is Grandma Sycamore Bread.  

We discovered it about 6 years ago on a trip to Utah.  My sister-in-law made us toast with GSB. TOAST. It was that simple.  It was like eating cake.  This is also the s-i-l that feeds her children ice cream for breakfast, so. . .  We discovered it makes the most wonderful french toast. I am a breakfast girl and was jonesing for something yummy on Saturday and created this
Here is my secret recipe:
1 loaf Grandma Sycamore White Bread (has to be WHITE)
4 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Beat eggs, add milk. Add remaining ingredients until well combined. Soak each slice of bread in the egg mixture, allowing for full absorption. Cook on well greased (PAM or butter) until golden brown. Do it while the kids are still asleep so you can have one for yourself! 

Now the bad news, can't get it south of Las Vegas. POOP! You Utah people just don't appreciate the goodness of purchasing GSB at Walmart or Costco.  For this reason only, am I jealous of you. Now whenever I have a friend or family member traveling to visit, I try to make sure I acquire at least 5 loaves. I pay handsomely. BTW, thanks Michael for our last shipment. Still have 3 loaves in the freezer.

Enjoy

Alias

Do you have an alias?  When I return an item to the store, say Target, sometimes a signature is needed on the receipt.  Why put my own name? Who is cross checking this stuff?  Answer: No One.  So why not use an alias?  I have used my alias name for the past 4-5 years.  

My alias is Cher Bono. 

It's not like a I am huge fan. It's quick and easy to write. 

 Sometimes when I am feeling sassy,

 I write Cher Bono-Allman.

 

Lulu's alias is Joan Rivers. She buys a lot of stuff from the Home Shopping Network, the Joan Rivers collection, so she feels a tie there.

What is your alias?

Blog Candy Give Away

I am having Maui withdrawals. So, in order to make myself feel better, I am giving,

 GIVING

 away goodies. My first blog candy. I am so excited.....

Included in the prize package is;

 Island Hula Honeys mug

Milk Chocolate macadamias

Hawaiian Flip Flop Keychain

Authentic Shell Necklace,

and

A Towel Card to Marriott's Maui Ocean Club

(the use of 2 towels)

But to be the lucky recipient of tokens of my Maui vaca, you can:

A) make a comment

B) sign up to be a follower

C) put me on your list of "fav" bloggers on your own blog

That is 3 chances to win, I mean, receive. Tell your friends, tell those who wouldn't make me crazy!

 Giveaway will end on Saturday, May 23rd and winner will be announced May 24th.

Best Wishes!

XOXO

Aloha!

Day Fifteen

 Sayonara Maui

Last day (sigh). It had to end eventually. We decided to go out with a blast! Breakfast at the Gazebo with the Besties.  Sooo much good food.  I will miss it all.  As soon as I get home, it's back to the WW plan. We waited, only 45 minutes this time, to get into the Gazebo. While we looked out onto the ocean, there was a pod of whales. How lucky were we. Everyone told us that it was too late for whales, but we saw a few, however, very far away.

White chocolate chip pancakes with killer Dream Whip topping

The Boss had bacon and eggs and a loaf of toast.

Pancakes with Dream whip topping, macadamians and coconut syrup. 

Need a blood sugar check.

After breakfast, we checked out of our lovely resort and camped at the beach for a few hours.

Big Daddy rented a cabana on the beach for us next to our Besties.

It was lovely.

We had snowcones...

and a gor-juss view of Kaanapali beach.

Finally, the day, week and vacation had to come to an end.

On the way to the airport, the cloud formed and began to sprinkle.

I say it's Pele crying because we were leaving.

Aloha!  

See you at home.

Day Fourteen

Aloha Friday!

Our last full day in Maui. Boo-hoo. Big Daddy and I rented gear to snorkel. The first beach we went to, D.T. Fleming park/beach, about 8 miles from our resort, was cloudy and raining. No good. We drove to Napili beach and found a sweet spot, just below the Gazebo, the breakfast restaurant we are making famous.Although it was still cold, we braved the waves. We saw lots of fishies, coral and a Titlest golf ball wedged inbetween two rocks. Funny! How could I not think of Seinfeld? When we got out of the water, it was raining, horizontally. Awesome!

After snorkeling, we hit the pool with the Folks and Besties.

My favorite time at the pool or at the beach is 4-6 pm.  

I guess its the way the sun is hanging low in the sky.

Beautiful.

For our last night out, we went to dinner with Momsie, Popsicle, the Fishing Guy, his wife and their daughter and her husband. Shwoosh!

We ate at the Plantation at the Kapalua golf course. Once again,

Beautiful. 

If I were Oprah, and ya'll know how I feel about her, this is where I would live.

The greens overlooking Kapalua Bay.

Me and Momsie

Isn't she cute?

Since I won't see her on Sunday,

Happy Mother's Day!

XOXO

Aloha!

UPDATE

I am a couple of days behind but had to update all the friends, family and fans.

Today was Mudder's Day and Big Daddy had the biggest surprise of all.

He knew how much fun I was having in Hawaii and guess what!?

He planned for us to stay another week!  Is he the best or what!

See you in a week back at the farm!

Kids.....Grandma and Grandpa are still in charge.

Day Thirteen

Aloha!

Another great day in paradise.

Big Daddy went golfing with Momsie and Popsicle's besties, Fishing Guy and their son-in-law. BD did ok. Poor Pop couldn't go because he hurt his back on Tuesday working out at the gym. 

Silly Popsicle!

I didn't get down to the pool until after 9 am. It's soo hard to get out of bed when there are 3 different episodes of Law and Order on at the same time. However, I finally did and hung out at the pool with Momsie and Popsicle getting my tan on.

 They are too cool. Reading and tanning. That's my heritage.  Speaking of tans, can you believe Big Daddy's tan is better than mine?! I am blaming the genetics.

The Besties shopped and made a lovely bbq for us.

Da Boss cooking Hot links and Polish Sausage.

Lulu is so thoughtful.

They are the best!

After lunch,  the Boss and Big Daddy played some more bocci ball. Lulu and I walked to the shops at the Hyatt while the Bocci Boys where kicking butt. Very pricey stuff! I window shopped and Lulu purchase some reasonably priced earrings.  

After some practice, the Bocci Boys were in a tournament.  Some other guess' wanted to take those bad boys on.  Ha! They losed! (That's my native Hawaiian Pidgin lingo). In fact, The Boss and Big Daddy won the Marriot Maui Bocci Ball Tournament of 2009.

Bad Dudes!

 I am thinking of having t shirts made in celebration.  Next week they take on the winners of the Sheraton and the Hyatt. Not really.  But the Bocci Boys did receive a coupon for a free pizza.  Whooppee!

The Cutest Couple at the Pool!

For dinner, we ate at Bubba Gumps.  I have been jonesing for coconut fried shrimp and my wish came true, with onion rings. Woowzers! Those were good.

After dinner we shopped, cuz that's about all there is to do. We bought some t shirts at a surf shop, then went next door to a new Barnes & Noble.  After sifting through a couple of magazines, I came across a little blue book. It's called

Da Jesus Book

No kidding. The New Testament in Hawaiian Pidgin. Here is a sample page:

I could not make this up. Fo see yor sef, go to: www.pidginbible.org/

I was crying, and about peed my pants. Oh, good times!

Day Twelve

Not much going on today. Hanging out at the pool with the Besties and Momsie and Popsicle. I bought a floatie last week at the ABC so everyday I have to drag it down to the pool. It's a good time.
Big Daddy has begun the countdown. "Only 4 more days" he says. "Shut up!" is my sweet reply.
We ordered pizza from Round Table and had Big Daddy's new favorite-Maui Zaui. Afterwards, we met the Besties at the owner's lounge for more cards-7 card gin. It seems it's the only game we all know. We messed around with the rules, but seriously, we need to learn more card games. Usually we play Phase 10, but we forgot it at home. So sad!

Day Eleven

Happy Stinko-de-Mayo!

I have wanted to take the road to Hana for the last couple of trips to Maui. Big Daddy thought I would get sick and barf in the rental car so. . . we took a drive that wasn't so rough. We went with the Besties on highway 30 starting out at Lahaina in the morning. We drove past Kahana, Napili, Kapalua and Honolua, where we pulled over. We watched surfers and saw some giant turtles cruising around. Cool!

We continued along the Honoapilani Highway to some spectacular scenery.

On we went winding our way down a narrow highway, some places only one way. The locals drove like they could do it with their eyes closed. That was scary.

We found our way to Kahakaloa. Kahakaloa is a small isolated village at the end of a valley. The village is home to about 100 people and their homes, two lovely churches, and several roadside stands including Lorraine's banana bread. We followed the signs to her driveway and parked in her front yard. Lorraine greeted us and you could not find a friendlier person. She sold shaved ice, toasted coconut, banana bread with macs, and of course, coconut cream pie. We had it all.

Lulu, Lorraine and me.

Big Daddy and his coconut pie.

After we drove up the hill on the other side of the village, we stopped at a gift shop where we cruised then back on the highway were we saw cattle. The windy road continued past Kahului, where the airport is to Paia. Paia is a small coastal community on the northern shores of Maui a. An old sugar plantation village, Paia was filled with galleries, gift and clothing shops, and of course, food. We celebrated Stinko-de-Mayo at Milagro's resturant with nachos. How very appropriate, yes?

After the boys bought some t shirts, we were off again, back to Kahului to where-Krispy Kreme. But this time I was sick. I took a bite of one donut and took 2 1/2 home. Yikes. We got back to Kaanapali about 5:30 pm. I was wiped out. Driving around eating is sooo tiring.