girls' week, part 2

We went on a field trip to Hobby Lobby. We bought fabric and materials for birthday gifts.

Bella discovered a whole aisle of boas and wasted no time trying them on.

Pretty much everything is more fun with Emily around. I never do stuff like this.

99 degrees. With a pretty high percentage of humidity as well. You can see why I so appreciated the rainy day...

Cooking is so much more fun with a buddy. Faster. Less lonely.

Jessie took us on a pilgrimage to Mary Jo's Cloth Store. I wish I had this store close to me. Although it would be quite dangerous.

This really doesn't do it justice, it is just enormous. (Or hunormous, as Eva likes to say.)

There are many, many aisles with these helpful signs. This was my favorite. I never did see any outhouse fabric, though.

We wandered the store for a long time, finally narrowing our selections. I left several fabrics behind that I now regret. (Why did I have to choose that moment to show restraint?)

Sheer happiness.

They also sell grits at Mary Jo's. Sadly, they were sold out when we were there.


We wanted to make skirts for the girls, but all we managed to get done was the washing, drying, and a little cutting. We should have started earlier on that.

Jessie, working on a last-minute handmade birthday gift for a party the girls were invited to. (Eva couldn't believe that someone she didn't even know invited her to the party!) Fiona was ever so helpful.

Eva's moods would swing wildly where Fiona was involved. One minute she was saying she didn't like her and the next she was chastising Bella and telling her that there were plenty of Legos for them all to play with. It literally could be a 180º turn within a minute or so. She sure likes to keep us guessing.

Emily made us this blueberry lime pound cake. Even those who professed not to like blueberries became believers.

On our last day, we took the girls to the neighborhood pool. Man, what I wouldn't give for a pool like this within walking distance to our house! Amazing. I managed to get fried, of course.

pool towels hanging to dry on the deck

Jessie wanted to take us to Cantina Fifteen Eleven, but we didn't have much in the way of childcare options, so I stayed home and Jess and Emily went to get take-out. It was delicious.

After dinner, Jessie and Emily dyed their hair the same color. (It was Emily's first foray into home hair coloring.) It cracked me up the way it looked like they were rinsing blood out.

Not to be outdone, I bought this hair relaxer. For black girls. Well, my hair is similar to theirs! I think. Anyway, I did a home straightener several years ago and had a lot of breakage, so I can't even believe I was considering doing this, but I was feeling desperate for a little cuteness. Unfortunately (or fortunately), I read the instructions and there was a strong warning against using the product on highlighted hair. Rats.

At the end of our last night, we realized that we hadn't taken any self-portraits. So we did what any self-respecting bloggers would do: took some indoor, end of the day shots with bad lighting. Documentation at all costs.

While taking the self-portraits, I explained that I can't take them with my big camera due to my T. Rex arms (as Jill calls them). Jessie did not know about this condition, so she insisted on comparing. So sad! I guess I really do have T. Rex arms...

Jessie snuggling with Smeagle (I show only his head here to spare you the ugly details).

Eva did wonderfully well during our return trip. Our connecting flight was delayed for awhile, however, and she was getting bored in the terminal, so she set up a dinosaur bed for herself, complete with leaf blanket. Why didn't I think of that?

five for friday, photoless edition

I seem to have taken amazingly few photos this week. I can't explain it.

1. On Sunday evening we went to see Marc sing in the Young Ambassadors' 40th anniversary fireside. It was held in the small theater of the Conference Center and was open to the performers' families. The fireside was recorded for broadcast and DVD, and thus we opted not to bring Eva. I could just hear her yelling, "This is too long!" or "I want to go home!" in between numbers... (Thanks, Aunt Michelle & Uncle Bob, for staying with Eva.)

When I told her she wouldn't be coming with us to the performance, she said, "That's okay. I just like listening to Daddy sing downstairs." He had been rehearsing all week to learn the songs, and it was like a continual serenade for the rest of us. The boys agreed that they had enjoyed hearing his practices, and so did I.

At the conclusion of the fireside, we were informed that they needed to redo two of the numbers (I hadn't noticed anything amiss), so it ran longer than expected. We didn't get home until after 11:00! But Eva did have a 3 hour nap on Monday...

2. I took Lucas and Eva to the dentist this week for their 6-month checkups. Lucas has 2 cavities; Eva has none. She is gloating quite a bit and keeps telling Lucas, "I told you you should brush your teeth!" Needless to say, Lucas is not enjoying that.

Also, the dentist's office is now selling Sonicare toothbrushes (at a discounted rate), and they said that someone like Lucas (teeth prone to decay and a lazy brusher) could really benefit from one. Lucas told me he wishes he could have one. Well, so do I! Do you think he'll save up $125 of his allowance? (it should only take a year or so...)

3. Last night I had a hard time getting Eva to get ready for bed. She was too busy making up songs on the piano about Mr. Ickle Dickles, her latest drawing creation. (He's a creepy guy with spikes who has minions of crocodile-like creatures.) Most of the lyrics are along the lines of, "he is creepy, he is scary," but there are some other details about what makes him so creepy/scary. Max was accompanying her, fleshing out the songs with appropriately eerie chords and runs, while Lucas was actually drawing his own staff paper and notating the repetitive chorus.

Can you blame me for moving bedtime a little later?? I only wish I had thought to grab my camera and get some video before the whole thing ended.

4. Yesterday I was vacuuming, and I noticed that the dirt cup was not filling up. With Jack around, it's just not possible that the carpet isn't covered with dog hair, so I knew something was up. I looked online for some troubleshooting possibilities and then downloaded the manual for our model. I diagnosed the problem, took apart the hoses, and discovered what was clogging up the works! I felt like a super hero: DIY Woman.

5. Wednesday's second-to-last meeting of our organization class was unexpectedly emotional for me. It was about teaching children to work, but ended up being a lot about parenting. It really got me thinking. And worrying that I've made too many mistakes already, and what if it's too late to salvage things?

And then, Jill and I ended up going and talking to the teacher for a few minutes afterward. The conversation took an unexpected turn which left me practically sobbing. I did not see that coming. I've been feeling emotionally fragile ever since, like I could start crying at any moment. I am not used to this! As Jill would say, "what is this salty discharge?!"

Jill mentioned that this class appears to be a defining event in my life -- perhaps down the road we will think in terms of before the class and after the class. I think she may be right.

p.s. I made some double chocolate banana bread last night to use up all of my overripe bananas. This morning I had a piece with a smear of peanut butter (a new innovation). Oh. my. gosh. As my aunt Denise says, "That is sure to make my pants fit better!" Yikes. I fear they may never fit again.

a brief emotional chronology

Tuesday 13:00 -- Relieved. whew! We made it, and with very minimal sickness!

13:30 -- Frustrated. This place is a disaster. We can't put anything away without first cleaning its destination.

23:45 -- Relieved. There is still much to do, we don't have a top sheet, and our bed is pretty uncomfortable, but at least we're going to sleep!

Wednesday 01:00 -- Frustrated. Eva is awake. I don't think she ever went to sleep. Now she is crying and disturbing everyone.

05:30 -- Relieved. Eva is finally asleep. Now I can go back to bed.

08:00 -- Frustrated. Eva is awake. (for the day?)

08:15 -- Doubtful. I've made a huge mistake. I can't do this.

08:30 -- Relieved. Eva is asleep on the floor! I am going back to bed.

11:00 -- Disbelief. All the kids are sleeping?! I drift off again.

12:30 -- Fearful. I'm up, but I don't think I want to be here.

13:30 -- Hopeful. Now that I am showered and clean and dressed, I might be able to face this situation.

14:30 -- Surprised. My period started. Ohhhhhh.

15:30 -- Exhilarated. I'm completely unpacked, the sinks are clean, the toilet is clean, I cleared room in the closet, I found space for some of the suitcases, I organized the kitchen. Maybe I can do this!

17:30 -- Relaxed. Watching the kids at the park. Yeah, this is kind of fun.

11:45 -- Anxious. Eva is crying, still awake. Not again...