tifi

Because Bebe’s smock and chair cost less than a “Texas sized” Strawberry limeade from Dairy Queen.

Also, my Redbud finally started blooming!

Have a fabulous weekend!

I was supposed to go to an auction on Saturday (just to look, of course), but I was too scared to drive the country road in potentially bad weather, so I didn’t go. Instead, I somehow ended up at Goodwill on my way to the supermarket. So what that it’s in the opposite direction? This was my purchase:

I was bummed about missing the auction, and needed a consolation prize, I guess. Oh, a bit of advice: At a thrift store, it never hurts to ask for a discount if you think something is too expensive. For the most part, I find Goodwill overpriced for what it is and what they sell (except for the cool garage I got the kids for Christmas brand new for $5) and asking got me a 10% discount. Hey, it was like getting everything tax free!

This year, I’m really going all out for the holiday season. DH grew up with MIL decorating for every season and holiday and has always wanted to recreate that in adulthood. I always think that if I add more decoration, it’ll just be too much but now that I’m doing it, I don’t find that at all. So, here’s some of the “more”.

I made this last minute advent calendar on Friday based on an idea I saw at Kiddley. Maybe next year I’ll start early and make one like Blair’s.

This is the box they’re in. (And that’s our tabletop kitchen, every family ornament chucked on it tree) So far everyone has gotten new ornaments (something we do every year), and written letters to Nana. Oh, and Girlie learned how to ride without training wheels! I forgot about that.

Oranges make me think of Christmas. Doesn’t everybody get or know someone who gets a huge box of citrus for the holidays? I had forgotten about these Tord Boontje plates I bought at Target on clearance last year until ZB said we should have Christmas plates.

And I saw these pyrex mugs and thought they were cute. A quarter each, why not?

My new slightly creepy apron.

I think my holiday village needs one or two of these.

Bring on the Solstice/Christmas season, I’m ready! All four of our trees are up. The “fancy” tree, the small family ornament tree, and the two older kids’ mini trees. I’ve got the stockings hung, the wreath on the door, the windows decorated, etc, etc, etc. I started making a Christmas village. I’ve been baking, and I’m even doing holiday knitting. BUT, I really need to get my house in order. Having the kids home for about a week threw off my housework and so the laundry pile is probably Bebe’s height. Yea, I should get on that. But before I go, pictures!

That’s my favorite ornament. It’s a pop-up paper snowflake ornament by Robert Sabuda for MoMA and was given to me by my stepbrother a few years ago. It was the second snowflake ornament I was ever gifted, and so I decided to start collecting unique ones.

Girlie and I have been working on our little holiday village, this was the first house. What’s more fun than paint and glitter? Not much.

A little hat I’m working on. I couldn’t resist this adorable yarn from Hobby Lobby when it finally went on sale.

The cover of Girlie’s book. Inspired by the ones over at soulemama.

I picked up two of these Japanese mugs at Sally Ann’s for a quarter each. I first saw similar ones on flickr and I have a non Christmas one, too.

Kids are sick, but on the mend I think. Girlie with her non-strep streppy thing still. *eyeroll* She’s had so many wrong diagnosis (strep, rash, strep, rash, eczema, exactly like strep, but rash.) I’m pissed at all the time and money I’ve spent in her ped’s office and in the ER (really painful itching on her palms, soles of her feet, hives, etc) only to find out they didn’t really know what the heck was going on either. Then I find out ridiculous things like my insurance will only cover Zyrtec for a child two or under. I mean, w.t.f.?? I miss Tricare.

Why do we only have 5 spoons?? We probably have 20 butter knives, but somehow, our spoons have dwindled down to one for each family member. Mind you, all of them are from different sets of cutlery!

How is it possible to run out of so many basics at one time? This morning I had to buy bread, sugar, milk, eggs, and tissue.

My dog snores. It’s not cute.

I guess this is a bulleted list without the bullets.

I guess I should turn my computer on and put some pictures up here at some point, huh? We’ve been doing fun things when we aren’t itchy, stuffy, or sneezy.

I need to do some utilitarian sewing. We need placemats and I need some floor mats that won’t unravel like those cheapy woven rag rugs I love.

I finally scored some Bob the Builder DVDs at the library, woot! I’m Bebe’s new best friend.

I also got him a toddler bed in perfect condition for $5 at the little old lady thrift shop. Let’s see if he’ll actually sleep in it. I’m not ashamed to be a cosleeper (actually, the opposite). I’m just ready to have my bed back. I’m not ashamed that I’m still nursing him either. Just ready to have my b.reasts back.

I’m going to go make chocolate bread and fantasize about going antiquing in Paris while the kids watch Bob.

• October is a busier month than expected this year. To put it plainly, I’ve been off actually living life. Good and bad. And it feels great.
• It’s National Chocolate Cupcake Day.
• I heard that on the new Everyday Food show on Sirius. Ask Reesie, I only ever listen to Martha Stewart or Cosmo radio in the car, heh.
• I wish the weather would make up it’s mind!
• ZB is reading Freckle Juice for homework this week! And coincidentally, I’m reading this book.
• Girlie is better.
• Hub is so-so.
• I was finishing up that doll quilt…but ran out of thread…and apparently I bought it somewhere I don’t go often b/c calling/visiting three local quilt shops hasn’t enabled me to find it. (Mettler quilting cotton)
• My monitor died and so I’m sharing one with DH for the time being, part of the reason I am not blogging much.
• I got my anniversary gift early. Her name is Isabelle (and she needs a haircut..). She’s a year old Lhasa Apso (supposedly) mix. We call her Izzie (It’s the most adorable thing to hear Bebe say “Ishie”). But she isn’t named after that one. We’ve had her two days and she’s a perfect fit for our family. Love her. She’s making me a dog person. We have a 5 y/o golden, but he and I have never been…friends, lol. He’s loving enough, a spaz, but Izzie is different. I picked her out, I am responsible for her care, etc.
• I accomplished or will accomplish everything on my “to do” list this week including having lunch at school with both older kiddos.
• Except laundry. That is never ending.
• The reason I’ve been able to get so much done is b/c I cut down on two bad habits: tv and internet. Now, neither of these are really bad, but I do tend to get distracted or not sleep enough because of one or the other, so buhbye.
• I’ve been buying up books that the school library is discarding here and there for 50 cents each. My favorites so far are first (school) edition This is London, and The Red Fairy Book. Funny, I have wanted this Fairy collection for a long time and this is the second one to fall into my lap super cheap. I’m going to a book sale Saturday, so who knows what else I might find!
• On that note, I have thought of maybe starting a little children’s bookselling business on ebay, but I dunno.
• There’s an antique store not far from me that is going out of business. Boy, oh boy the gems I have picked up. Lots of handmade, hand embroidered linens. And pyrex and glassbake, to aid me in my deplasticization (real word? used correctly? who knows?!) of my kitchen!
• I’m bored with my hair.
• I need an external hard drive. My computer is soooo slow b/c I have about 3 years worth of photos on it. I know, I know. Anyway, any suggestions for an “inexpensive” one?
• The title of this post has nothing to do with anything. It just cracks me up.

I love October. The air is so crisp and the leaves are changing color (well, not here, but I’m sayin’). Crunching leaves under my shoes is one of my favorite things to do. Talk about simple pleasures. Another of my favorite things about October is that my wedding anniversary is this month. It’ll be 9 years this year. Crazy!

I think my absolute favorite thing about October though is that it kicks off the holiday season with Halloween being at the end of the month. Some of my best memories are of being in the Halloween parade and getting to wear a costume! I have always loved costumes of all sorts. Halloween around here is pretty tame. I thought about having a party this year, but ultimately decided against it. Maybe next year.

A newly discovered favorite thing is that this is the perfect time to thrift for the children’s dress up collection. For Girlie, I got a cheongsam which she loves. She even slept in it one night. Right now, she’s pretty into Chinese culture, likes to read about all things Chinese and even wants to learn Chinese and so this was perfect for her.

ZB’s had his own share of costume wearing lately b/c every Friday there’s been a different event for his class. The sock hop*, then sleepover day, and last week, Western day.

*Funny thing, this morning, two girls in Kindy (NOT in DD’s class), came up to me on the playground and asked me if I would make them poodle skirts. I guess word gets out, hah.

• washing dishes.
• doing laundry.
• somewhere not my computer chair.

But instead today I’ve:

• taken a walk with Bebe.
• stopped by my friend’s house to chat.
• thought about what I’m going to sew next.
• uploaded photos of my thrift score of the month.

I went back to that senior center garage sale on Monday in between errands. I filled a huge paper bag for a dollar! I got about 30 zippers, some ricrac, grosgrain ribbon, a pouch made with some adorable-ish 70s fabric, a bit of denim, and a few necklaces. I have to go now, I think I have an apron crying out for some white ricrac. What can I say, I am growing to love things a bit kitschy.

And also? Arrr!

We kicked it off with the Sock Hop on Friday night.

I look awful in this picture, but whatever. I’m not sure you can tell, but I’m wearing leopard print ballet flats. Hope I make the school year book!

Saturday was spent with Reesie and Tristan at a local festival which included a car show, scary horses, us “hiking”, and a garage sale at the senior citizen center!

It was a 16th de Septiembre festival, so of course, there was Mexican food. Reesie’s about to enjoy some in this pic.

T & ZB

Goodies from the Senior Center garage sale. I was diving under tables checking out the fabric, lol. I think I paid about $1 total for everything pictured.

And here’s a shot I took in front of Reesie’s house. Aren’t these whatever they are pretty?

Yesterday, we rode bikes, had a picnic under a shady tree, and then went to visit the ducks at the college (where we were eventually kindly asked to leave by the campus police, didn’t we know the pond closed at xyz 0′clock? oops)

I’ve been doing tiny amounts of sewing here and there. Like this skirt I thrifted and turned into an apron. Refashiontastic!

Our school sock hop is coming up and so I made these for me and DD. In case you couldn’t tell, the one with the gigantic sequined “D” is mine.

Superbuzzy had a sale not long ago and so I used that opportunity to snap up some adorable fabric for the boys. I have a specific project in mind and hope to get started on it next week!

My grandmother is in New York again and before she left St. Lucia, I asked her to get me some traditional madras. I might cut a panel of the printed one and frame it.

In other St. Lucia news, Sir John Compton died last week. A sad day for St. Lucia. I was a bit bummed about it myself as he was a friend of my family. Here I am with him in my grandmother’s living room (some of you have seen this photo already).

I don’t think I’ve ever bought any clothing for any of my kids at the thrift store. In fact, I rarely clothes shop for them. When you have shopaholic grandmas, it kind eliminates the need. Plus, the clothing in thrift stores here is meh, nothing fantastic or really old or cool, or whatever. Anyway, I just happened to walk by and see this adorable corduroy dress from H&M on the rack. I was thrilled as I’d been coveting one from here. Happiness cost $5 that day.