Theme Thursday {Groups}

Linking up with California to Korea for Theme Thursday!

Last weekend, we had family pictures for the parish directory.

Since everyone was already dressed in coordinating clothes, and the weather was beautiful, we went to our local nature preserve and snapped a few shots (with the help of my niece).

Here are some outtakes of our "group" shots :)

File this under "things I made my kids do"

Theme Thursday {All the Catch-up}

By my count, I'm only three weeks behind (gah!)

So, I'm going to play a little catch-up!


Linking up with California to Korea once again - and very truantly!

10/22 - Same Photo, Different Angles

I opened an Etsy shop at the beginning of October (can't imagine why I haven't blogged much - ha!).  As a part of the process, I took lots of product photos.  A. Lot.

10/29 - Silhouette

 I took a series of shots of a full moon recently.  While I still have a lot to learn about my settings, I love this one because of the shadows and depth.  The silhouette of the trees in the foreground and the barest shape of the moon, something about this one just sits well with me.

11/5 - Catchlights

Ah, the light in her eyes.  This is a special catchlight.  This is my girl after her first tumbling meet.  She competed in two events, trampoline and double mini trampoline and came home with second and third place trophies.  That catchlight?  It's about doing something that makes you deep down inside yourself proud....and your hard work made your mom so proud she almost broke into blubbery tears no less than twice.

11/12 - Close ups

Recently, we've been helping with my nephew a couple days a week.  L is a "baby person" to her core.  She loves babies.  Here's a close up of their sweet snuggles.

A Very Belated {TT} Sun Flare

 I was so excited Theme Thursday is back - but last week got away from me!

Since Micaela has the link-up still going, I decided to jump on the bandwagon late.

This pic was a lot of trial and error with the settings on the camera - and a little Photoshop.

October is full of varying temperatures and sunny days in the Midwest. 

I loved this shot with the plane crossing the horizon.

So great to be back at it!  Thanks for getting it going Micaela!

{TT} Prepare

Good Friday morning!  Playing along with Clan Donaldson.  A day late on my Theme Thursday, ironically enough, it's about preparation.

This time of year is all about preparing.

I've been working on handmade Christmas presents feverishly.  I'm trying to get the bulk of Christmas shopping done before Advent so we can relax and really focus on the actual reason for the season.

My look at Prepare:  a Christmas project nearly finished.

Other ways I'm preparing this year include participating in a Jesse Tree Ornament Swap.

I made Esther's tiara and am looking forward to the designs of others that should be showing up on my doorstep soon!

Another big thing we are preparing for right now is (one of) my little sister's wedding.  One daughter is a jr bridesmaid, the other is the flowergirl.

We've been practicing her wedding hair (and paying for it in candy).

And glittering shoes (a very fun new project!)

{Theme Thursday} Crack in the Wall

Remember how I said last week that I went to Germany for work and would post some pictures and a recap?  Well, in the meantime, here's another picture from the trip.

When I was in fourth grade, I remember the Berlin Wall coming down.  All of a sudden, the whole world was changing.  The maps in the classroom were out of date, we no longer had a country called the USSR, with the wall coming down, the actual map of the world completely changed.

I'm going to stretch this - but when that wall cracked - it changed the world.

I was bummed that it was such a long trip to the actual location of the former wall, but as we rode on a bus through Wiesbaden, I had a total STOP THE CAR moment.

We jumped off the bus, and I forced Hubby to take many pictures of me.  He was not nearly as impressed.  But I touched the Berlin Wall - or a piece of it anyway.  It was just sitting on a corner, as if it wasn't one of the most memorable historical moments of my life.

Go over to Clan Donaldson for more crack....I think we're all 12 today Cari :)

Good Job {TT}

Theme Thursday is back!  Joining Cari for the link-up that was my very first link-up :)

Back in July, I had a good job.  I'm a contractor, so I work from home most of the time.  My work is based on contracts.  Either I have a contract and I'm working furiously, or I'm on the vacation of everyday homeschooling and homemaking.  We eat a lot of stuff I've thrown in the freezer or can get at a takeout window when I'm working.

Sometimes I have to travel for work.  Locations usually include destinations a couple hours from home.  But, in July the job took me slightly further from home.  To GERMANY!

I'm so behind, I just downloaded the photos from my phone and I'll be doing a little photo recap in my Summer Recap series.  Maybe when I'll finally finish my mommy-blogging digital-scrapbooking of our summer before, well next summer :)

Here's a picture from a really good job - a coaching/training job that included a plane ticket to Germany!

Russian Orthodox cathedral of St. Elizabeth in Neroberg

Here's the full story of the cathedral, but the version we got from the tourist trolley (which was such fun!) was that the cathedral was built in memory of Duke Adolf of Nassau's young wife.  They married when Elizabeth was 18, and she and their infant died when Elizabeth was 19 in childbirth.

He was greatly grieved and built this amazing memorial of his love for them.  Those domes?  Yep, they're made of gold.  Long live the love of Adolf and Elizabeth.


Stop by Clan Donaldson for all the Theme Thursday fun!

{Theme Thursday} Remember

When you've lost a child, there are things you hold on to.  The crayon markings on the wall I haven't cleaned off because Sweet Baby made them.  The pregnancy test from the baby that died at 7 weeks gestation. 

Even the marks that Mara left on my body from the emergency surgery to save my life; these are things I hold on to.  That I look at and remember; I am changed because of this.

But, sometimes, it's all too easy for me to forget the ones who are here.  I mourn too deeply sometimes to see the beauty in front of me, the everyday moments that are amazing, magical, miraculous.

So today, in spite of all the losses....or perhaps because of the losses, I need to remember what I have.

I need to remind myself of the miracles that surround me, like the little girl, so joy-filled that spring has finally sprung that she cannot go to the car without stopping by her slide.  Every time.  She screams if we pull her away before she gets her slide in.  Even when the slide is wet (like today).

These moments of childhood, they're what I need to pay attention to; what I need to remember:

Remember the joy too.

Stop by Clan Donaldson for more Theme Thursday and Surviving Our Blessings for your #holylens prompts (week 5 below).  Also stop by my giveaway for a chance to win an embroidered necklace from Jenna's place :)

{Theme Thursday} Hear {7QTs}

Linking up - a day late - with Cari over at Clan Donaldson for Theme Thursday and Jen over at Conversion Diary for 7 Quick Takes.

 

  

 

I was all on-board with Cari when she said the prompt for Thursday was "word" over at the #holylens project.  I have no excuses of influenza either, I just have a hard time keeping track of the date.....so much so that I write the Mondays on my Creighton chart and then am gently chastised that there's not supposed to be anything "unnecessary" on the chart.

Well, thinking about "word" got me thinking about my word of the year.  I never really picked one in January.  I was in some serious grieving, and I thought perhaps the word should be "good-bye", but after this week, I think the word I needed to hear (see what I did there, oh yes you did, you're so witty you caught my not-so-subtle play) was "detachment".

I never would have gotten to this word without homeschooling.  Why?  I'll tell you, in 7 Quick Takes about why we homeschool:


{1}  For our family life. 

Hubby works a Tuesday-Saturday week.  When Little Bean was in 2nd grade and I had two babies under 1 in the house, we sent her to the local Catholic school.  Hubby and Little Bean rarely had any meaningful time together.  Sunday is a day we go to Mass together and visit extended family.

We either had to give up our visits with our extended family or homeschool so Little Bean could spend more time with Hubby (and we could all spend time as a family).  We chose to homeschool (again).

Ashley Jane Photography

{2}  For Little Bean's childhood.

She went to 3 y/o preschool and I was shocked by how fast the other kids were growing up.  No little girls should be having cat fights and complaining about their appearance in preschool.  Seriously.  No.

Others have found different solutions to the drama of small children together, we chose to bring Little Bean back home for 4 y/o preschool to "test out" homeschooling.  We love it.

I believe we are providing a solid education (LB's year of school confirmed that she's ahead of the curve) and our daughters have friends both within our neighborhood and within our homeschool community.  I am confident in my ability to advocate for my children and seek out their best education and path in life.  My goal is to get my children to Heaven.  They might also go to Harvard, but that's not the priority.  Good, kind, considerate people with a strong work ethic and strong morality...that's my definition of success.

Ashley Jane Photography

{3}  For Sibling Relationships.

Little Bean and Sweet Pea are very close.  They're also separated by 7 years.  Their relationship is beautiful, and while it would still be sweet and lovely were LB gone all day, the amount of time they spend together brings out qualities that might not otherwise be there.  Patience and compassion are stretched to new limits when SP is being a turkey, and SP is one of the most verbal toddlers I've ever been around.  It benefits both of them.

(4}  For Friends.

Weekday playdates - during the middle of the school day.  My favorites.  I love meeting my friends at the local children's museum, or visiting at each others houses for lunch and visiting.  Not only are SP and LB getting some great play time and building friendships, I am getting some great talk time and building/strengthening friendships as well.

{5}  For Community.

Our homeschool community is amazing.  I homeschool within this cocoon of sweet, wonderful families.  Families who brought me meals and celebrated with me when SP was born.  Families who brought me meals and mourned with me when we lost Mara.  And again when we lost Sweet Baby.

We go to Mass together, we celebrate holidays together, we learn together.  In my homeschool community, I've found beautiful pieces of past generations, where women mentored each other, brought each other meals and sharpened and inspired each others faith.  It's still happening today.  Just never where I would have found it without homeschooling.

{6}  For Me. 

I like being around my children.  I like being around them all day.  Sometimes I seek some alone time or time with friends when Hubby is home, but, I don't feel burdened by the presence of my children.  (Although I'm really looking forward to a couple years from now when LB can hold down the fort while I make a quick milk run!!)

I'm the kill-joy who is upset by those back-to-school commercials showing the happy parents dancing at the bus stops.  I know it's supposed to be an exaggerated joke, but I don't really think it's funny.  They're going to be gone so soon.  LB is already halfway out the door this summer when she turns 9.  I am so grateful that I have the option and ability to homeschool so that more of those hours between now and then can be accounted for in my presence.  I just love being with them.  They're some of the coolest people on the face of the planet, and someday, they're going to be living out on their own, and my turn will be up.  

{7}  For Faith.

Over the years, I've attended some women's studies in our homeschool group.  They have been so inspirational in how I live my daily life, interact with my husband and children, and express my faith to the world at large.

One of the things that has been profoundly impactful of late is practicing a spirit of detachment.  To let go of my own fears and anxieties to go out and be gift to the world.  The Holy Spirit is working in me through homeschooling, and the community we've built through it.  My ears have been opened so I could hear that word that I needed.  Especially this year.  We're still reeling in some ways over our grief, in others, we're moving forward.

I believe detachment will be a key piece in that puzzle this year.  Practicing a firm trust in God's will and laying down my wailing and gnashing of teeth over each bump in the roller coaster of finding a way to build back up a relationship with Sweet Baby and her new family.  Detachment.  That was the word I needed to hear.  The practice I need for the next steps in my journey.  A word I found through prayerful reflection with other holy women.  A gift of homeschooling.  Just one of the many gifts.

That beautiful, restful little ear, ready to hear God's word

I know not everyone is able to homeschool.  I know not everyone wants to homeschool.  I know not every family is called to homeschool.  I am so grateful that our family is able.  I feel called to raise my children this way.  Some days, I'd definitely like to send them all out the door.  We take that decision one year at a time, and we're open to that answer changing.  We're open to our children having different schooling needs.  In every day though, I feel the decision for me to work less and be present more has served our children better than the bigger house and nicer clothes we've had to pass up.

Thanks for stopping by and reading how homeschooling has blessed our lives.

And a bonus take - happy 36th birthday today to Hubby!

{Theme Thursday} Rich

Linking up with Clan Donaldson for Theme Thursday and Instagramming along with #holylens over at Surviving Our Blessings.



The theme today is rich.  This morning, as I fed my girls sausage, certified-cruelty-free eggs and whole milk, I looked around and realized this is what rich would mean to most of the world.  Forget the whole 99% campaign - to most of the world, we are the 1% - and it is oh so easy for me to forget that truth.  Thank you God for all my riches, even if I'm not rich by American standards, I know that I have an earthly wealth beyond many.  Next time I inwardly (or outwardly) complain about the price of filling up my operable vehicles or the size of my heated and air-conditioned house with running water, I'm sorry in advance.

My girls, getting plenty of protein in a comfortable home #rich

Yesterday was also the much-anxiety-inducing doctor's appointment - the first in my Creighton NaPro Technology fertility appointments.  I was sure my charting was going to show some massive problem....but, to my surprise, the doctor said....it looked pretty good.  Ugh, not what I wanted to hear.  I wanted there to be some obvious anomaly.  Not so, not so.  I'm a little disheartened this morning.

Only a little though.  Based on my charting and symptoms, I was fairly sure I would be prescribed progesterone....nope, not so.  Instead, the doctor prescribed an antibiotic and B6.  There is some indication that there may be an underlying low-grade infection.  This infection might be irritating my uterus enough that I'm not getting pregnant.  Perhaps that would explain the three spontaneous conceptions....maybe I was between infections.  Regardless, the next step is a round of 10 days of antibiotics for Hubby and I....it's a team effort.  The next prescription was for a time-released B6 supplement.  This is supposed to increase symptoms of fertility, supporting conception.  As the doctor put it, "can't hurt, might help".

As I drove home last night, the thought occurred to me that I really don't care if I'm a victim of the placebo effect.  Maybe just taking these medications will have some bearing on my stress or our hopefulness and *boom* a baby!  I'm totally okay with it being all in my head if that's what gets us another little person.

The next more aggressive step I signed on for is a hormone profile.  I really have mixed feelings about this one.  I think I need progesterone......for PMS if nothing else.  However, what if the hormone profile shows that it's all in my head.  I'm super accomplished at hypochondria.  What if there's nothing there?  No answer?  Circling back around to question everything all over again.

One of the most troubling parts of infertility/low fertility is that I doubt myself, I doubt my wholeness.  What if there's no medical diagnosis because it's just me and I'm about to be dismissed as cuckoo yet again?  Looking for answers after 7 years of struggling has brought me to a place that holds a lot of the old desperation I thought I'd let go of.  I'm not a fan of revisiting it.

One of the thoughts I had as I was trying to fall asleep last night was, "what if we discover something so wrong with me that there is no explanation for the miracles of our girls?"  Really, what if that's the story.  As much as I hope and pray for more children, that thought was a reminder of how much I've truly been blessed in the sweet girls I have.

Dwija was kind to remind me that really and truly, evil attacks what is good, and me looking for answers and fighting to bring more souls into this world to know, love and serve God....that's the pinnacle of good.  So, the war within will rage on.  Voices of doubt will creep into every step, every moment.  Taking vitamins and antibiotics will feel futile at times.  Charting will feel laborious.

But I can attack back.  I can pray, fast and work for good.  Starting on Tuesday, I'll be having my blood drawn every other day for the better part of a month to complete the hormone profile.  I will silence the voices of fear and doubt by doing.  If nothing is identified, that's not defeat, that's one step closer to the answer, it's one problem ruled out.

In this fight, there is one tool, one weapon that has been my comfort and shield.  Your prayers and love.  As I sat in the doctor's waiting room, my anxiety was at an 8/10.  I was nearly physically ill with worry.  I threw a little post on Facebook about how I was feeling anxious.  You answered with love and prayers.  So, today, as I fight the rebellion within my heart to chart diligently and take all the prescribed pills, I know I am rich in you.  Your intercessions are so welcomed and appreciated.  You cannot know just how much it means every time one of you comments that you're praying.  Seriously.  In those moments when I remember to be a better person, I offer my anxieties and waiting up for you.  Because we all have crosses, but carrying them in unity eases the journey.

I'm rich in your friendship and prayers

For a take on the beauty of our unity this Lent, check out my Three Reasons: Lent Edition.

{Theme Thursday} Answer

This week, Theme Thursday over at Clan Donaldson is linking up with the #holylens project by Abbey.





Today, as you can see, is Answer.  I started my morning by writing an answer to some long-overdue correspondence.

My other big task of the morning has been filling out intake forms for a FertilityCare appointment next Wednesday....and that's where the real story is today.

Hubby and I are in the process of learning the Creighton Model of Natural Family Planning.  Because of its specificity and scientific rigidity, it's been used in many instances with great success to overcome fertility issues. 

I haven't talked about how Creighton is going much lately, but I'm feeling called to be very honest about where I am right now.  Maybe you or someone you know is somewhere similar and this sharing will help....or maybe the vent will prepare me to move past my struggles.

With secondary infertility, there isn't much burden to chart or follow any particular system.  Babies are heart-breakingly few and far between in these parts, but there's also not a lot of effort required either. 

Having unexplained fertility problems for 7 years now, I've been out of practice with charting.  Creighton requires an investment in your mental space that I wasn't quite prepared for.  Observing mucus before and after each bathroom break?  Still seems a little OCD to me, but I'm trying to be a good student.  That there's science backing up all this excessiveness does make it at least tolerable to keep track....mostly.  But really, I'm in a silent revolt over charting.

The revolt makes absolutely no sense.  The charting has already picked up some biomarkers that suggest underlying issues, so I'm not doubting it works, but it feels like such a chore.  Really, can't I just go to the bathroom in peace without every trip being a constant vigil for signs of fertility?  No? Well, then I'm going to whine and complain in my head constantly until it seems like such a burden I'd rather just give up.  *Well, hello voice of evil sowing seeds of discontent when it's not easy.*

I'm struggling with Creighton.  I truly believe it will hold the answers to what the heck is going on with me; to why I can have two spontaneous pregnancies in 9 years, but concentrated efforts seem to have no effect.  And I think that's partly the key to my struggle.

I am terrified.  Terrified it won't work because it really is my Obi Wan Kenobi, but more, I'm terrified that it will work; that my life is about to change drastically.  That, dare to hope, I might be standing on the precipice about to dive head-first into what we've always wanted:  a large family. 

Who will I be with more children?  Who will I be when infertility is no longer a part of me?  Can I do it?  Am I brave enough to find out?

It took me two weeks from the time I got the doctor's phone number to placing the call.  My appointment is next Wednesday at 3:00pm Central Time.  My anxiety on a scale of 1 to 10 is hovering right around an 8 over this appointment.

Having read through typical procedures, I'm thinking there's a high likelihood I'll be doing exploratory surgery in the near future to check that my remaining fallopian tube is free of blockages, perhaps a check for endometriosis and perhaps even a 14-day blood profile.  These physical aspects are equally terrifying.  I don't wanna.

But, more than I don't want to do it; more than I'm anxious over the future; more than I worry that health insurance won't want to cover the costs and we'll be punching a hole in our savings; I need an answer.

Why aren't there more faces on this wall?  April 17th will mark 10 years of marriage for Hubby and I.  What is going on?  Why hasn't our openness resulted in a van-load?

I'm terrified to know.  Terrified something won't work.  Terrified something will.  Just really struggling in general with being (perhaps) so close to knowing.

It's time to find an answer.

{Theme Thursday} Hearts

Have you heard about #WhatWomenNeed?  It's been suggested by a large provider of contraceptives and abortions that perhaps we need abortions and contraceptives for Valentine's Day.  No, thanks, I'm good.  And should any pro-choicer exclaim - well are you going to raise this baby?  Yep, just send me a line, I'll be right over to pick him/her up.  And, if you'd like to know a little bit about how this week has been going for me, stop over to check out Goodbye Again Sweet Baby.

The pro-life response to this message has been pouring love and happy faces through my Instagram account.

Check out some of the pictures at Upstate NY Prolife Advocates. 

Here's me, speaking my heart, with a picture of my baby in hearts with #WhatWomenNeed.

Stop by Cari's place for more Heart themes on this St. Valentine's Day week :)

{Theme Thursday} Church Windows

Linking up with Cari for Theme Thursday this frigid Midwest afternoon!



I had my picture taken before 7am, but six hours later, I finally have a chance to sit down and put it all together....mostly because I was so exhausted after the gym this morning that I fell asleep watching the Little Mermaid with the girls.

Last night, I had the joy of joining some other women for a discussion on delighting in our children.  The group is meeting weekly to encourage and support each other.  Really, it's a time to gather and share, which should help us be mindful throughout the rest of the week.  The hope is that I can find ways to delight in my children as God delights in all of us; to speak to them and nurture them more like we ourselves are nurtured by God.

At the end of the evening, we all shared a characteristic of Mary that we wanted to really work to emulate more closely.  I felt a calling to really embrace Mary's ability to suffer graciously.  She isn't complaining about the loss of her son at the foot of the cross, there's no account of her locking Jesus up for a couple weeks after that whole temple incident; throughout the Gospels, where we see Mary, we see her accepting any suffering that may come from her motherhood with grace.

Even in the acceptance of her motherhood, Mary is gracious and accepting, though she must have realized her circumstances as a young mother without husband would not be easy (thank God for a faithful St. Joseph to support her!).

It's been about six weeks since Sweet Baby returned home.  With such a wound to carry on my heart, it's hard to think about living graciously.  It's hard to be considerate and compassionate.

This morning, on my way home from the gym, I stopped by our church's perpetual adoration chapel.  I snapped a quick shot on my phone and ducked in to say good morning to our Lord.

Here is the door that leads to Jesus:

In more way than one, she is the door.  Praying that I can be a better door for my own family.

{Theme Thursday} Barns

I should pay attention.  It wasn't until Micaela mentioned looking for a barn in California that I started thinking about this week's Theme Thursday *make sure you check out all the fun with Cari!*

Barns.....ummm, I live in corn country.  This seems like such an easy-peasy assignment given where I live.  I mean, my friend lives in a converted barn (if only I'd had the time/foresight to drive out to her place for a shot!).  So, sometimes when it seems so easy, it starts to wiggle in your brain that maybe you should be more creative than just snapping the first one you see on the way out of town.  This is where I start over-thinking.

I very nearly gave you a shot of our Little People farm house, but I'm pretty sure it's packed in the attic still from our basement remodel.

I also had to go to the lovely DMV today (for the record, they're always super-nice, I just hate all errands).  The DMV used to be about a mile from my house - they moved it a few years ago to a more "central" location....now almost 40 minutes from my house.  I remembered as I was getting ready that there happens to be a unique barn on our way.

I pulled up, took out the camera, realized I had forgotten to stick the memory card back in, thanked the maker that there was a small amount of internal memory and snapped a shot.  I thought it would be a pain to get the photo from the internal memory to the removable card, but my camera is a genius and as soon as I stuck the card in, it promptly asked me if I'd like to transfer the internal pictures to the card....why yes, yes I would.  Thank you genius camera for making my day a little easier.....especially since I spent from 11am-12:15pm waiting in line for a couple sandwiches from a local place that's closing on Saturday (amazing sandwiches, not sorry I waited!).

The barn I captured is a converted barn that has become a theater.  Local actors put on productions on a stage that has audience seating on three sides.  The first floor features concessions, the ticket office and a reception area.  The upstairs loft is the theater.  Seats where the hay bales used to be folks *real seats*!  If you're ever in the area, it's a fantastic way to take in local talent.

f 8.0 - 1/30 - ISO 200

{Theme Thursday} Catching People Unaware

Theme Thursday over at Clan Donaldson today!





Every time the toddler sees a camera, she starts moving....at least Little Bean was a little easier to catch.

Years of being ignored pays off

Is that Mom with the camera? Run!

Moments later, Bert helps me catch her unaware

{Theme Thursday} Bear/Bare

Time for Theme Thursday with Clan Donaldson!

I was walking through my local big box general store yesterday and saw this:

I can only assume that large retailers are now getting in on Theme Thursday.

Last night, we babysat for bio dad and had Sweet Baby and her younger sister in our care.  It was the first time we'd seen Sweet Baby in three weeks and I think Sweet Baby's sister was freaked out by Hubby's beard, but it was overall good to see them.

Sweet Baby is still suffering the trauma of moving houses.  Every time she's slept over at our house the last few months, she's woken up every hour or so to make sure I'm still there.  So, it was a long night of reassuring her I was still there. 

In the morning, we took it slow as I got three babies instead of the usual one ready.  By 10am, I had everyone bundled and ready for their various locations.  (Seriously, how does anyone do it in fewer than 2 hours?)  Sweet Baby and her sister were bundled into my car for daycare and my MIL came to get Sweet Pea and Little Bean for some fun time.

Dropping off Sweet Baby's little sister was a piece of cake, but Sweet Baby got agitated from the moment we walked into her room.  She started outright sobbing when I tried to leave.   The teachers in her room know the situation and they were very kind about it.  They offered to hold her until she calmed down after I left.  They reassured me that she wouldn't be left in a pool of tears, but that they would sit with her until she was okay.  The poor sweet girl sobbed and called out for me as I left and I was less than dry-eyed as I walked away.

With Sweet Pea and Little Bean otherwise engaged, I took the opportunity to spend a Christmas gift card at my favorite hobby store that my babies have enthusiastically called "wobby wobby".  I couldn't believe it when I looked at the clock in my car when I walked out, but I spent an hour perusing the aisles BY MYSELF.  I can't tell you the last time I got to just look at and touch everything I wanted with no one asking me for anything or trying to jump over the side of the cart. 

I followed my shopping with a couple orders of crab rangoon for lunch and I felt much better about the harrowing drop-off.  Especially since I picked up a couple embroidery pieces to try out (on the advice of Jenna) and LOTS of pretty, sparkly beads....I am a magpie, so much shiny makes my heart sing.

I'm looking forward to some crafting and if something turns out well, I'll be sure to share.   

{Which reminds me that I'd like to submit CRAFTY as a Theme Thursday word.  My SIL is a native Mexican and thought we were calling her shady/suspicious every time we remarked on her creative-handiness.  There's word-play in there for a fun TT}

So, for all of our amusement, BARE:

Bare feet

Anyone have a baby that actually keeps socks on?