Sir Kyle.........our muse.

Are you up for some AMAZINGLY DELISH cake???

We are...

So tonight we've decided to make some (semi) homemade strawberry delight cupcakes.

This is simply the BEST EVER STRAWBERRY CAKE.............ever!

Best Ever Strawberry Cake

1 box white cake mix

3 TB. plain flour

1 (3 oz) box strawberry jello

1/2 cup water

3/4 cup oil  (I actually only used 1/2 cup oil & it was fine)

1 cup frozen strawberries, thawed and chopped up

4 eggs

Combine cake mix, flour, Jello and water.  Add oil and eggs, one at a time, beating well between.  Add strawberries.  Beat 2 minutes.  Pour batter into well greased and floured 9×13 pan.  Bake at 350* for about 45 minutes.

 Be prepared for yum!

*Ding*

They're ready......hot and fresh out of the oven.

They smell soooooooo so good.

 We decided to decorate them like someone near and dear...

by near I mean--
in the kitchen
 right beside us the WHOLE time
from preparation
 throughout the baking session
 right to the decorating finale.

Behold the masterpiece......

Mmmmmm......

Now Sir Kyle would like to know when he can have a cupcake??

 (Click here to see what we were up to last year to day) 

Chicago reflecting......our reflection

I can't believe that a year ago to date we were in Chicago......
Seems like only yesterday (sigh)

--PERSINGERFIVE PORTRAIT--
This is from the reflection off of CLOUD GATE.......... (rare photo of Millennium Park EMPTY)
WE like to think of it as our private park.

Can't wait to make more summer memories on this years.... ROAD TRIP!!
(Click here to revisit our Chicago blog)

prehistoric kisses

It's SUNDAY...... perfect day to goofing around at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science. Where else can you have FUN all while learning seismology, geometry, history, genome system, astronomy, geology, and prehistoric evolution!!!

Isn't this the funnest picture??

It looks like the dinosaur is munching on some tree branches. (as so it appears from this angle)

Hahahaha....

 My Princess Fifi appears no taller than an ankle bone........ dinosaur ankle bone that is.

ABSOLUTELY HUMONGOUS and FEROCIOUS......... nah, NOT this guy, he's a mini plastic figure from the museum gift shop!

 Couldn't resist the opportunity to snap a shot of the beautiful SANDIA MOUNTAINS on this lovely family day.

BAM!! LOOK OUT for the BEAST BEHIND YOU!!!!!

We love going to the "DINOSAUR MUSEUM" 

"Eye" hope you enjoyed our pics...

Where even the Coelophysis gets love and attention.

Muah......

(click here and here to see what we were up to a year ago today!)

I'm a big kid now.....

Today is the final day of science and engineering camp for Bam and Princess Fifi.

The campers will be spending the morning exploring the science museum and later they'll conclude with a farewell luncheon.

Sounds like fun!!

Except....… Camp starts at the exact same time as the soccer game!!

There is no way I could be in two places at the same time.........on different sides of the city!

Eeek....

Solution.... Bam and Fifi will take the city bus line to camp!

**BIG sigh**

We've rode the bus before and we become somewhat familiar with their scheduled stops.

ABQ is fairly easy to get around

With cellphones in hand, a bus map, the address, and some money----- I send them off.

(earlier in the week we drove the bus path to become familiar with the locations and stops)

It was a HUGE step towards more responsibility for my two babies, Bam and Fi.… a sort' of milestone (In my opinion)

They were very excited to be given the task of getting themselves downtown (Old Town) for their final day of camp.

-------------------

Meanwhile....Back on the soccer field, I could tell my little Sweetheart was feeling a little lonely at the early morning soccer game.

Cookie and I cheered her on throughout the game....… But we could tell she was missing her sis.

Sweetheart after the soccer game
Cheer up honey

 After the game we headed downtown to meet up with Bam and Fifi.

I knew they made it to their destination via texts and calls.

Below are the pics they took from their BIG KID venture....

They decided to start off the morning right...
lucky for us we live walking distance to FRONTIER and
it's right next to the bus stop! 

FRONTIER has very tasty
Green chile and carne adovada handheld breakfast burritos.
Mmmm..... (the temptation must've been too much for them to resist)

Bam and Fi boarded an empty bus....

After several stops and go.........they've  arrived.

FINAL DESTINATION: Explora!!!

THEY DID IT!!

They make it to Explora....... (who says I was worried??)

They were waiting for US to get there!!!

I'm so relieved.... I wasn't nervous.

(okay, maybe just a LITTLE)

After we reunited..... we enjoyed the museum, with their hands on experiments, exhibits and some creatures.

Cookie singing to the lizard because

lizards like it...... (so she says)

Sweetheart tells her sister all about the soccer game....❤

After tons of science fun...... it was time to gather for the honorary private luncheon for the campers and their families.

Looks yummy

Super meal

Sweetheart is no longer feeling lonely now that we're all reunited.

 Mum loves all her smiling faces...

(Click here to see what we were up to last year on this date)

sweets for the family

Some people think that candy stores are the only place you can get something SWEET.

nope...

Today we visited the local skateboard shop, where we found cool skateboards, awesome long boards, fun clothing, and skating accessories like decks, bearings, trucks, grips and stickers.

That kind of store...with FUN items...is what my children refer to as a "SWEETS shop". 

Our intentions were to purchase new bearings for Bam's skateboard.

But with so many "SWEETS" to admire, we were like toddlers in a candy store.

You know, we could've gone to the franchised shop in the mall for our bearings.

But we decided to support a local indie shop. 

We had a blast plus they didn't mind my little family at all.

Afterward, we stopped by a local cake shop that opened in our neighborhood. 

Mmmm....

From one SWEET shop to another......

What a perfectly SWEET DAY.

raindrops keep fallin' on my head....

Ball game day...

Game tonight at 7:05pm..... "Woo! Woo! 'Topes!!"

Tonight's game
Albuquerque Isotopes v. New Orleans Zephyrs

Take me out to the ballgame...

Joining us tonight is little Miss Katia--Sweetheart's best friend (BFF)

"Mmm... dipping' dots are so very yummy"

What started off as a perfect blue sky day changed as dark clouds slowly moved in overhead.

A fly ball was hit by the New Orleans Zephyrs right into our club seating area just as Princess Fifi was taking a pic of Sweetheart......... (I absolutely love her expression) LUCK for us-- we have Bam. He caught the ball...GREAT CATCH, Son!!

After that fly ball scare, the girls decided to take a break at the ball park playground.

Princess Fifi captured this image of the girls enjoying
 the game up top the playground structure.

RAIN!!
First it came down very light-- but within minutes it was pouring!!
We raced from the stands to the concourse to seek shelter from the rain and lightening.
While we ran the Isotopes field crew raced out on to the field to place a very, very LARGE tarp over the field. It was very impressive!

--WE ARE CURRENTLY IN A RAIN DELAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE--

Waiting the rain we decided to peruse the gift shop and stroll the concourse

"Mommy look at me!"

"Mommy, isn't this mini pink baseball bat the cutest!"

"Mommy, Bart's mom is sharing a cola with us."

It's official the game is canceled---
Isotopes memories shall have to continue another day.

ice tea and refrigerated air

Tea Time!

It's a beautiful day
the birds are chirping, the cicadas are shrilling--the air conditioning is working overtime.

It's time to get out to get some ice COLD tea and REFRIGERATED air conditioning.

Ohhhhh YES!!!!

The absolute-best, freshly brewed tea around.
 PERFECTO!

playground fun is.....

May the summer playground fun begin......

 

Playground fun is

the sound of laughter from the children....

Playground fun is

the energy they have as they bounce off one playground equipment to the next....

Playground fun is 

the children calling "Mommy, Mommy look at me!"

Playground fun is

games of tag and chasing one another....

Playground fun is

jump roping, blowing bubbles and dandelions....

Playground fun is

the warm summer breeze with the hot sun kissing your face and arms....

Playground fun is 

having no worries about homework, school projects, reports or tests.....

the RING of FIRE is a jewel you CANNOT wear

Tonight is the annular solar eclipse where the moon blocks most of the Sun.

According to NASA, the eclipse will begin at sunrise local time in southern China, then pass over Hong Kong, Taipei and Tokyo. After entering California's view, the moon's shadow will block the sun's light along a course from Reno to the Grand Canyon in Arizona to Albuquerque to Lubbock, Texas. The full "ring of fire" effect is visible in ONLY eight states in the western United States this evening.

The RING OF FIRE is when all of the moon covers most of the Sun....leaving a ring of sunlight blazing around the moons circumference. The moon is near apogee--the farthest point from Earth in its orbit around our planet--so it's too small in the sky to cover the sun's face completely.

We set out to catch this AWESOME celestial event aka the annular solar eclipse.
We were fortunate to witness this AMAZING event at the Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum.

The photo above is a view of the eclipse in the display of a video camera with a special eclipse viewing lens filter attachment on the front. 

Can you see the beginning stages of the eclipse???

(I debated whether to include this photo in the blog....)

Can you see the moon is on the way to completing the RING OF FIRE....

(the reflection of the eclipse on a sheet of paper is cast from the binocular lens)

(BTW: you should NEVER fully view a solar eclipse with the naked eye....you must use proper viewing tools like a #14 welding shield or special eclipse viewing glasses)

Tah Dah......THE RING OF FIRE

We witnessed the RING OF FIRE 

---via the reflection

---via #14 welding mask

---via the special eclipse viewing glasses

The RING OF FIRE lasted only 4 minutes...... and it was well worth every second!

But the rest of the eclipse lasted until sundown.

Inside the Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum they had LIVE broadcasted coverage of the eclipse on various LCD screens inside and outside the museum.

I clicked this photo by accident on my little old camera with no filter........ 

Let hope I didn't ruin my camera.

(Although I might add.....it is a rather stunning photo)

 This is the viewing balcony where we watched the eclipse.
After sunset we took in the museum and went out to the museum lawn where they had tons of activities like a rock climbing wall, jumpy house for the kids, crafting stations, face painting, food trucks and an outdoor SCI-FI movie.
---------
Persingerfive +plus+ Eclipse
equal = Persingerfun

auditions, arts and eats

LIGHTS, CAMERA.......ACTION

We're in Santa Fe auditioning for a feature film which is set to film here in New Mexico.

Acting is something very few people know we enjoy doing.

 So before the lights, camera, actions begins we have to....

check-in and confirm our appointment with this guy....

Read, react, recite and memorize the sides....

Cookie fine-tunes Bam's hair for his audition

Then just before we're go in.... we grab the resume and head shots....

It's all in a day in the life of an actor......

Okay..... not really...... it's all done for FUN, for the experience and for expanding our artistic knowledge.

One can only learn to appreciate the arts, theatre and film when one knows all aspects of the line....

from pre-production...to acting....to crewing...to production....to presentation

After the audition we took a much needed break by taking in Santa Fe.......the arts, walking the plaza, artist row....and ending our day with dinner at our most favorite Santa Fe eatery---the Zia diner---they always treat us well......... ALWAYS!!