keep calm and carry on

Okay, okay. I know I'm late to the "keep calm and carry on" party but when you shop at Goodwill you sometimes lag a bit behind the crowd.

I've always appreciated the look/slogan but never enough to actually buy any of it.  For .25, how could I resist?  Especially in February.  On an in-service day.  :)

Here is a happy picture of Ruby and I from last summer.  I am a bit pudgier right now but am finally back on track.  I didn't gain any weight in Paris but have gained some since I got back!!  Oh well.  That's what winter is for, I suppose.  But only until your jeans feel snug and you want to wear sweats all day.  Then it's time to face reality and stop eating candy bars.

Here is my little tiny James after his first (and only) really bad skin reaction as a baby.  Poor little buddy.  We didn't know what the heck triggered it (something in the Burt's Bees Apricot Baby Wash) and it took a lot of trying (and finally some steroids) to get him cleared up.  The top of his head was especially gross.  Poor little baby.  ANYWAYS.  Poor kid.  Glad it was a one off.

Speaking of Goodwill!  (I know it was a couple paragraphs ago...bear with me...it's an in-service day)  Remember in Paris when I saw those dolls and fell in love with them but they were so pricey?  Well, I found one of the EXACT ones that I saw in Paris at Goodwill the other day.  The price? .99!!!  I was so happy.  I got to bring her home and give her to Ruby and it was so fun.  I couldn't believe it.  (Well, actually I could because I seem to find lots of stuff I love at thrift stores and it's NO ACCIDENT, let me tell you.  :)  )

((That reminds me of my cousin Sarah pulling a plastic gnome (or something) out of the bin at the dig and raising it up and saying, "Praise God!!".  Totally mocking me.  :)  Hahaha, love her.  Miss my cousins.  Summer is coming!!!))

Okay, here's the doll.  I didn't photograph our actual doll because I am too lazy to go up to Ruby's room and get her.  I will sometime though because this picture is so bright...you can hardly see the darling freckles that remind me of Ruby's own.  Her name is Louison.  She is less than a foot tall and retails for $45.  (what???)

This morning Nicky came into our room as he does most mornings when he wakes up first.  He stands by my side of the bed and says, "Me come up, Mom?"  Of course I say yes.  Nicky is a Class A cuddler.  This morning he was deep in the throes of cuddling when he said, "Me yove you."  It was so sweet.  He said it so sincerely.  I am in wonder watching another little person learn so much about life and communication just through osmosis.  It's pretty incredible and I feel so blessed to be experiencing it a third time.  Poopy diapers and all.  (He just now communicated to me that he is pooping.)

We are having a no TV morning.  Ruby is upstairs playing with her dolls.  James is working on his second duct tape wallet and I just told you what Nicky is doing.  Yesterday I found some patterned Duck Tape at Target and the kids love it.  I kinda do, too.  I got myself a tie dye roll.  :)

Aside from our trip to Target yesterday (with a quick pop in at Goodwill) it was kind of a boring day.  So good, though.  I needed a bit of boring.  The kids got out of school after lunch and James went to the library for Lego Club.  Ruby, Nicky and I came home and when Nicky took his nap, Ruby and I painted.  Later on I did some ebay listings and  made a big pot of homemade chicken noodle soup for dinner, so everyone ate without complaining (!!!), and then Ruby and I went to girl scouts.  It was a mad house (we had a third grade troop there, too) but it was over in an hour, praise God. 

What else was I going to tell you??  Oh yeah!  Annie and I bought Ana White's book and are planning on building a bunch of furniture together.  Woo hoo!  Love it!  She came over for lunch the other day and we decided on our first project.  Naturally it involves a trip to Anthropologie.  :)  (Ha, I say naturally but actually I rarely go there and when I do I never buy anything.  This time I'm going to!)

Happy Weekend to you!  :)

xoxo