in the moments between the madness

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this year thehobbit took a weekly middle school english class. they read many books, worked on poetry, essays, dialogues, & so much more. since september his love of reading & writing has flourished. i could go on & on about his extraordinary teacher, the fun he's had in the class, & how his writing has developed & matured. but this post isn't about any of that - it's about what i (in between bites of lunch) made for his teacher.

i haven't much time to create these days, between one bit of madness, & another. but i did manage to make this set. do you like them? they are shakespeareanificated (real word) clothespins! i used the same portion of a midsummer night's dream that i use on my shakespeare people. my plan had been to back them with magnets, so she could use them on the fridge, but i couldn't find them in my mess of a studio changed my mind. instead the backs are papered in more of the same.

 

they are more squat than the average pins; slightly thicker, & about half the length. i sealed both sides with a matte sealer. though they would have been fine left without.

i have one that i use to hold papers, to keep open a book with pesky pages, to hold back a curtain in my sewing nook, & once to hold back hair that was getting in my way. that last was not a fashion statement. i had been sewing & was too lazy to get up for a barrette.

here is mine, decorating the privet:

what about you? what would you use them for?

~peace.

sets will be available in theshop, um, eventually.

(not really) a whatchamacallit tutorial

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i thought i'd share how i created this beautiful photo, um, whatchamacallit. now i should say that i don't usually like these whatchamacallit frames. when i see them at people's houses they seem random & cluttered to me. i wouldn't have chosen this myself.

when thehobbit was dinky, we were shopping for a daddyo-day prezzie. he saw this frame, & declared it the most perfect thing ever. i tried to interest him in other items, because a) i don't like whatchamacallits, & 2) it was a shiny black frame - so not my style. my stubborn boy could not be swayed.

the first thing i did was attack it with sandpaper. that took away the shine, & gave it a bit of shabbiness. only a bit, because this was a prezzie for manlyman, & he does not love shabby. freak.

next, i chose photos of thehobbit. if you are going to do this project, i recommend sticking with a theme. this will keep your whatchamacallit from looking random. here my theme was thehobbit.

i chose photos that represented who he was at the time. i also chose simple photos, to avoid things looking cluttered. if you peek again at the first photo you'll see a mix of close-ups, torso, & full-body shots. it's more interesting when you have that balance.

because this was many years ago, i did not have a digital camera, nor programs for altering photos. in fact, i think all i could do was scan photos, then turn them black & white. caveman days!

once i'd chosen & altered my photos, i printed them onto regular computer paper. i know! but we didn't have much money back then, so i used what i had. if you click on the photo below, you may even see faint lines in the photographs, from our sucky printer.

people often comment on this whatchamacallit. they're always surprised when i tell them how i made it. it goes to show that you don't need a lot of money to create something beautiful for someone you love.

i suppose i need to make one of elfling. that's this years daddyo-day prezzie taken care of! ;)

~peace.

thursday things - little prezzies

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box of stocking stuffers: naturalkids (look! my acorn gnome kit!)

this installment of thursday things focuses on little prezzies for stockings & solstice. no chitter chatter, let's get right to it!

i am thrilled to have my acorn gnome kit included in the box of stocking stuffers you see pictured above. the boxes are fabulous if you have more than one child to buy for, or if you want to spoil your only child rotten.

set of houses: woodmouse

i love amber's toys. their rustic simplicity makes me swoony. if elfling were older, the caption on this photo would have read set of houses you can't have, because i just bought it, neener neener neener. she's hosting a give-away on her blog, by the way.

typewriter key jewelry: buster and boo

how about something for you angsty tween or teen? sara has just what you need. i adore this lock/key necklace beyond reason. i may have to buy it for myself. by the way, my own angsty hobbit has approved her wares for guys, not just girls. in case you were wondering :)

snake oil salve: muddyfeet



santa just ordered a jar of this yummy calendula salve for manlyman's stocking. golfing in winter leaves his hands dry & tender. she sells it with a regular grown-up-type label, but santa & i think the silly label is so much better. i'll let you know how manlyman likes it.

gardenia perfume oil: sacred waters soap co.

wives, mothers, sisters, girlfriends, etc - they all love smelling pretty. if shan's soaps are any indication (i use them exclusively), her perfume oils will do just that. her shop lists two other scents, if gardenia doesn't appeal.

that brings this edition of thursday things to a close. disclaimer: i do not get anything for the things i feature. they are always chosen because i like them, or because they have caught my eye. that said; i do know all of today's sellers. just thought i should throw that out there.

happy shopping!

~peace.

thursday things :: fabulous toys

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i found this gorgeous set of nesting blocks when poking around lehmans. i love the vintage images, & that the colors aren't your typical primary hues. excited to find them, i shared on my personal fb page that elfling needed the blocks. his grandpa instantly replied with one word: done. grandpa rocks!

they arrived a few days later, & i must tell you they are even more fabulous in person. elfling loves grandpa's prezzie, as does thehobbit. ok, we all do. the birthday boy has had, on a few occasions, to remind us that they are his.

as people keep asking for prezzie ideas, i've been doing a lot of searching for things. the trouble is, he needs very little. still, people ask, so i look. of course, i am terrible at staying focused, so it is never long before i'm off baby items, & on toys for bigger kids. below are a few things that caught my eye. enjoy!

* this set of blocks is fabulous!! definitely not your mama's wooden blocks.

* truly, this must be mine. mine, mine, mine!

* a gnome in the box? i love it!

* my goal is to find a used dinky piano for elfling. or win the lottery, so i can afford a new one.

* look at this circus toy, by a fellow naturalkids gal! swoon-worthy, indeed.

sadly, that is all i have time for today. now it is your turn - what toys have caught your eye of late?
~peace.

one.

*

today my sweet elfing is one. there is so much i should say about this past year, about this child & how he has changed who i am. i should tell you about the joy he's brought, the way my heart has expanded beyond what i believed possible, or a million other touching & profound things. the thing is, i cannot.


my emotions are playing me fiercely today, & i find i am unable to give voice to any of it. please understand, & forgive me my silence. thank you for being a part of my journey from family of three, to one of four. i am glad you are here.

to celebrate elflings birthday, i am offering all sorts of fabulousness in theshop!

* all mini buntings are half off their original prices!

* a free prezzie with every birthday crown & birthday tiara!

* free shipping on all purchases over $40.00!! (yes, even to your corner of the world!)

please spread the word about the celebratory fabulousness - no hogging the love! & please, please, please go eat some cake.

~peace.

prezzies for the soon-to-be

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two of my natural kids teammates are about to have teensy ones: melissa of sqrl & bee studio , & donna of day of rest.

some of us on the team are throwing them baby showers. well sort of. we are spread out all over the world, so getting together for tea & party games isn't possible. what we are doing is making prezzies for their babes, & shipping them by a set date. our hope is that the gifts all arrive within the span a few days.



assuming they are behaving, & are not reading this post, i can tell you what i've made. well, made & making. you see, a certain elfling snatched one away from manlyman, & proceeded to love all over it. by love, i mean to say that he stuck it in his mouth, & chomp-chomp-chomped! giggling maniacally all the while.



there he is, my sweet doctor horrible, with a cheeky chicken's head in his mouth. i had planned on making a chicken for his birthday, but apparently he wanted a specific one. happily, i have more of this fabric to sew another for the shower.


these chickens are much smaller than those for sale in theshop. i like them, so may have to offer both sizes. the smaller hens don't have crocheted crowns. instead, i used red twill tape. i love how they appear even more rustic this way. i may even prefer it. hmm.


i'll show more photos when i've got them ready to ship. perhaps even links to what the others are making. what fun!

~peace.

earth day promotion

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i've been hard at work with, my fellow natties, getting ready for earth day fabulousness of the utmost kind. ok, that isn't the official title of the promotion, but i really do think it ought to be.

the details of the group-wide fabulousness can be found on our blog (don't go there just yet!). there you'll find links to all of the shops participating, the dates, & what specials each are offering.

if that isn't enough fabulousness for you, we'll be holding a fun find the gnomie game. with a prezzie! that too is explained on the nk blog.

so what is to be my contribution to earth day fabulousness of the utmost kind? with each purchase of $20 or more, you'll get your very own eco gnome to adopt. i love prezzies.

ok, you may now go check out the blog for all the fabulousness info & such.

~peace.

in which she further breaks her 'no faces' rule...

sort of.

a few weeks ago i took a photo of my brand new, very own, yet-to-be-named laptop. had i known the reflective quality of her screen, i would have made sure to clean the room behind me, & get my be-jammied self out of the shot.

oh well, it's not like i hadn't told you how messy the belfry has become since the arrival of a certain teeny person. the messy reflection is proof that i wasn't exaggerating. & now you all have what you've been longing for lo these past few years: to see my face.

sort of.


but which is more glorious? more beautiful? more stunning to behold? sigh. i know. the laptop is.

you could lie to me though; tell me that the yet-to-be-named laptop doesn't hold a candle to my beauty. lie to me. i won't mind. i'll even believe you. um, you know, as a favor to you. so you can feel good that you were kind to me. i'm nice that way.

~peace.

*note ::no, i did not fail the challenge. the yet-to-be-named laptop was my xmas prezzie from manlyman & my mother-in-law. oh ye of little faith.

room with a view

i am ever so bored. people haven't been coming by to entertain visit me. something about us being contagious with a nasty pestilence, blah, blah, blah. whatever.

i am also sick of being in my bedroom. i do venture into other parts of the belfry, but i tire so easily, so predominantly we're in here. it's just easier, what with the beds, the tv, the laptop - ya know?

we're fairly certain everyone is on the mend, so i'm giving thehobbit a bit more freedom. he was sick of having to stay in bed, & i don't blame him. today he celebrated his freedom by making a fort between/beneath the beds, & playing tetris on the floor. wild thing ;-)

one good thing about my bedroom is lying on the bed, & looking at this:



he's been very into his toys of late. at first it was just sammy, his monkey rattle from here, & his giraffe teether; but the other day he discovered his ball. ooooh how he loves it!


i wish you could see this ball in person, it is truly a work of art. his very talented auntie-b felted it. would you just look at the moon! (& the beautiful bebe.)


turn it around, & you find the sun! (& again the beautiful bebe.)

hidden deep within is a jingle bell; which delights my boy to no end.

so as bored as i am, (did i mention i am ever so bored?) at least i have beauty to feast my eyes upon. quite a view indeed.

what about you? what beauty has caught your eye lately?

~peace.

what bebe really needs is coffee.

when he was first born, lemondrop received many prezzies from the older, well-to-do crowd, whom manlyman knows through work. we spent quite a bit of time discussing how generous we thought they were, & how blessed we were. then we put it all aside until we could get to the swanky shops to return it.

happily, we had been lucky in the amount (& quality) of hand-me-downs we'd received, so he didn't need more clothes. oh. did i forget to say it was all clothing? it was. golfer bebe clothes. yup.

we finally returned it this week, then spent quite a bit of time discussing how much it all had cost, how generous they really were, & how we wished shops still did cash-returns. what ever would we get lemondrop from swanky shops? i knew i'd never be able to dress him in a $40 onesie, let alone a $90 sweater.

then we spied the housewares department, & jumped for joy! & by 'we' i mean 'me'! look what we bought lemondrop:


we chose this one because it had a slight retro look to it, what with the dials & flip-switch.

now i'm a french press gal, but lemondrop prefers drip. finally he can have his cuppa just the way he likes it. plus i can brew enough for company without doing so in batches. it's just what thebebe needed - hurrah for prezzies!

we still have money left on the cards, but i'm going to set them aside until lemondrop needs something else for the kitchen. perhaps one of these? i'll have to ask him ;-)

i hope your day is a lovely one.

~peace.

coffee break

just popped on to say hello. i'm taking a break from sorting through the horrific wreck that is my studio. if you recall from a few months ago, this is the room that has become the drop-off place for anything & everything.

it's going to take quite some time to sort through, but i'm not daunted. i've many bags & boxes at the ready, as well as a hobbity helper. most likely this room shall yield the most items for the challenge.

i'm excited by that, because it means i'll end up with more space in my studio! it's cramped in here, even without the piles & stacks & family of trolls. we're even moving a bookcase out (no yelling at me. by 'we' i mean 'they'), to make way for deep shelves. woohoo - no more fabric stored in bins!

my break has come to a quick end. time for me to get some food into thehobbit (you know, before he starves unto the very brink of death), then back to sorting.

wait! before i pop off, look at what i made this morning:

i cannot show you it in its entirety, because it's a prezzie. it was made from an old skirt, some of my favorite velvet ribbon, & (lined with) wool felt.

have a gloriously happy saturday!!

~peace.

day :: 26

i've listed more things in the shop!

i've also decided that you deserve a prezzie for putting up with my babblings all year long. kats in the belfry readers who purchase things before the end of the year shall all get an extra little something sent with their orders. just make sure you write "i'm your one & only reader!" in the comment section of your order, so i know who you are.

happy shopping!

~peace.

here comes peter cottontail..

hopping down the belfry-trail!

i was torn this morn: do i share with you yesterday's drama of the water heater breaking then replaced with one that was too big, the landlord having a diabetes event in my laundryroom, the whatchamacallit that turns the water on to the entire house breaking, & their plumber away until monday, thus leaving us hooked to rubelin's water via a very long hose?
or do i share the easter fun, & leave you in blissfull ignorance of the rest? i decided to share easter fun!! (see how i shared both, making it seem that i only meant to share one all the while?)

i meant to take a photo of the table set to surprise thehobbit, but um i sort of forgot today was easter until i heard him squealing with delight in the other room. i also meant to take a photo of my very first knitted bunny!!!! except he turned out looking like he'd survived being stepped upon by a giant, & never did heal properly. in true hobbity fashion, he was proclaimed the most perfect bunny in all bunnydom. i do love that sweet boy of mine.


this is thehobbit wearing the ties from the easter bunny, & showing one of the teeeeeny wooden animals that led the way to the baskets. they are the sweetest little toys, & the wheels do work! bunny, alligator, pig, & elephant - an odd menagerie. (the felt eggs were a huge hit!)

um he just drove into the room wearing: black slacks, dark green dress shirt, white tie, black wool overcoat (it's already warm enough for shorts,) & a black derby... wanting to know when i was going to get dressed. ha! as we're going nowhere, & none are coming to visit, i have no desire to get into my fancies. you & i both know that i shall - those huge brown eyes, with those freakylong black lashes - pleading with me... sigh.

i'm off to get dressed in my easter best. i wonder if i can get away with putting a fancy skirt on over my jams...

~peace.

poached eggs are good for what ails you

my one & only reader... are you sitting down? please sit, because what i have to say is sure to make you faint. **the pestilence has returned.** i know! do you see now why i needed you seated?! so far it's just thehobbit, & myself, as manlyman is still faking that he's well.

this is not the week to do the pestilence tango! we have history club, a park thing, easter egg hunt, hogwarts, & our spring/easter celebration. not to mention; though it seems i am; the kitchen cupboards are bare, i've holiday shopping still to do, errands & chores are stacking up... & on, & on! no! time! for! pestilence! get thee gone sickies. now. i mean it! (ok, everytime i say 'i mean it!' i think 'anybody want a peanut?')

my mom used to make poached eggs for me when i was sick. to this day i still crave them when the pestilence hits. i made these eggs last night:

yummmmm. two poached eggs that slide easily from their shells. these will go in thehobbit's easter basket, along with a teeny bunny & some treats. what are you putting into wee baskets this year? put a link to your photos in the comments section, so i can see!

we are staying home today, in hopes that thehobbit will be well for all the festivities. this morning was nice - we played a fun game here, then printed what we did to make a book. i think it's meant for younger kids, but we found it entertaining, & learned quite a bit from the teacher pages.

now it's past noon & i am in need of a restorative nap. thehobbit however, feels he needs to show me how much energy a sick 10yo has, whilst humming 'oh when the saints' over & over. these two things don't go well together.

lunch! how could i have forgotten that? i should go make it before i hear how i'm starving him unto the brink of death. i would love for a greek salad to magically appear in the kitchen. wish me luck on that one!

~peace.

into the shorty realm

i love how shorties see things. lately thehobbit has been obsessed with spaceships, & droids; drawing them, buidling them, & so on. this morning he said, "i'll see you later mama. i have to fly to planet faeryopolis, to take my droid to visit some faery friends."

my mind doesn't work like that... worlds don't mix. i would play faeries, or i would play spaceship. it would not occur to me to combine the realms. how restrictive the adult mind is.

i feel like monica on friends: the episode where she shows off her perfectly victorian dollhouse, & phoebe builds her own, adding a dinosaur, bubbles, & so on. adult minds are monicas, & shorty minds are phoebes. can one be a monica & a phoebe? if so, i should like to try.

speaking of the world of shorties... some have asked for the latest news regarding the too-small shirt. thehobbit has not worn it in the past week. we don't know if it's because he can no longer squeeze into it, or if he's simply moved on. manlyman & i do not want to ask, for fear he'll take to wearing it again. lately the outfit has been black slacks, long sleeved tshirt, short sleeved dress shirt, bright red crocs. there has been a myriad of accessories: hp glasses, neckties, cloak, sword, dagger, hats (including a bowl, & a box,) badge, adventure belt... you get the picture.

what fun to be a child.

now on to something fabulous..... pictures! not! from! clipart!!!

this bucket was a prezzie my darling paper made just for me!


isn't she talented?! it's thick, & sturdy, & i love it so! manlyman keeps suggesting we fill it with water "just to see if it's water-tight." ah... no.

& what is this? well my one & only reader... this is the scarf i am currently knitting!

i wish the photo could show you how lush the yarn is. i cannot wait to wrap this around my neck, & snuggle my face down into it! i did a few k-rows at the start, then alternated k-row, p-row. i'm sure that is not the official ways to describe what i did, but if you knit you know what i mean. if you don't, then the official explanation would make no sense either.

now i'm off. it's time for lunch, & thehobbit is sure he's on the very brink of starvation. have a glorious day!
~peace.

*check out paper's new blog, & what sweet oddsox posted for my birthday!*

to to, or not to to...

today is going to be too busy! i had no idea that ditching my to-dos yesterday; to spend the afternoon at disneyland; would mean that i'd have to still to-do those things today. today's to-dos too. simply too much to do today. all i've to do today is making me looking toward tonight. or tomorrow even. heehee. too, too funny.

all silliness aside, my to-do list is long... which means i'd rather be sewing. i have to clean the kitchen, print labels, ready bags for an auction, read/play/create with thehobbit (who just walked past with a box on his head,) & get everything ready for tomorrow's trip. & i must weed the front lawn... the city keeps sending us notices about the weeds. but we love dandelions! the tall, thin stems, topped with those sweet, yellow flowers - it's why we named our home dandelion cottage. i don't want to weed.

tomorrow we are going with other homeschoolers to san diego. on the train! it shall be thehobbit's first train ride!! most importantly... tomorrow is to be my birthday! oh how i love my birthday! birthweek is great fun, but my actual day of birth has always filled me with great joy. & i get to point out all day how it is my birthday, therefore all about me. me. me!

i have decided what your prezzie to me shall be. i want you to de-lurk! i know you are there, you've told me so. i expect comments from here on out. daily. & no more of this anonymous business please, this is not a secret society. be loud & proud! thehobbit just came in with his jumprope to jump for me... jump! jump! "i know i'm not allowed to jumprope in the house mama, but look at me jump!" jump! jump.! ???

i'm off to to-do! remember.. post!
~peace.

hiding & babbling

what i need to do is finish the cleaning i didn't get to yesterday, & wash the bedding. what i want to do is sew something, or cut pages from magazines so i can stop tripping over stacks, or finish the painting project i began yesterday (when i was supposed to be cleaning.) unable to do what i want, & refusing to do what i need... has me here online... hiding. shhhh.

look! a prezzie!!
manlyman's order was late in arriving, so i only received her yesterday. isn't she lovely? i'm not a fan of orange, but oh how i shall love her. watering the farm has been a royal pain in the arse since my last spray nozzle broke. do not waste money on plastic gardening tools; pieces o'crud the lot of them. now i can water without having thehobbit stand at the faucet adjusting the water for all the various stages of growth. the last time he didn't hear me call for a low trickle, & an entire row of seeds went flying who knows where.

i know i'm not the only person pleased by receiving simple prezzies. what everyday items send you swooning?

time to stop hiding, & time to get to cleaning. paper said she never starts a new year with a messy home. i think that sounds like a peaceful way to ring in the new.
~peace.

i covet this!

wait, no... now i am tired

we had an er adventure from 11pm last night, until 3am today. don't worry, everyone is ok. i don't know how personal i wish to get here in blogland. for now i'll stick with a vague intimacy. i am an all or nothing person by nature, so finding the balance with this should prove an adventure in itself. as i said... i am fine. but i am beyond tired. i imagine manlyman is beyond-beyond, for he had to get up for work at 6am. yikes! i must say... there's nothing like an er scare to make you appreciate how lucky you are.

aside from our late night adventure; christmas was wonderful! manlyman spoiled me rotten, & thehobbit made me a sweet card. oh how i love my boys! don't think badly of me for my pleasure at being spoiled; i am quite easily pleased. i am thrilled by a few handmade items, or a small bag of books from a thrift shop! but to be truly, & utterly spoiled? i cannot lie... it was marvelous.

as is our tradition, we went to pom's for brunch, & a lovely time was had by all. she surprised me with this! oh my reader it is heaven in a jar! this year we stayed until it was time to go home for dinner. not that any of us had room for dinner after our day of non-stop feasting. there are only a special few able to make brunch last the day.

the holiday season is nearly over, & the new year about to dawn. wow! today i rest, tomorrow it's back to our wild life, getting the bizzie off the ground, & planning thehobbit's birthday. i'll need this day of rest to be sure.

for this birthday, thehobbit has requested a tea party, (themed) with only three friends. last year's was much too large an event for my shy one. still freaked by last years, he originally asked for no party, but this is to be a biggie... 10! fortunately he changed his mind. a small party is easy peasy, but it means a separate dinner with family. also easy, but not so peasy.okey doke my one & only... it's time for me to rest, & a certain hobbit wants to make snowflakes. have a lovely, restful day!

~peace.

here comes the sun....

here's a photo of me this morning, after i hiked to the top of a nearby mountain...

... in my imaginary world. clipart to the rescue once again. well, not rescue exactly; elvie has been unwrapped, but i am feeling a tad lazy today... & uploading pics on she of slower-than-dirt sounds like too much work.
instead of actually hiking a mountain to greet the sun, i woke thehobbit with tickles & raspberries (belly, not food.) nearly the same thing.

i have to share what happened to me last night. i went out to run last-minute errands for santa, & ended up at whole foods. santa really wanted me to have this, so of course i had to buy it. one cannot deny santa his prezzie-giving. well... they carded me (which is silly to begin with,) then accused me of having a fake id! not joking sweet reader, they had to bring in a manager. they did not believe i was my actual age! heeheehee! now that was the best prezzie i could have ever been given. santa works in strange & mysterious ways indeed.

countdown, day 20: today we shall make luminaries to light the way!
review: we half-made them. i have yet to find the wire cutters, so we couldn't make their handles. the jar part was great fun though, & they are really beautiful. we used white tissue paper, then once that was dry, painted on glitter. i couldn't find the silver glitter glue (i see a need for better organization here) so my lantern had only a thin layer of glitter. i'm not a gold person.

countdown, day 21: tonight we shall turn out the lights & have a family concert!
review: did you know there were zillions of people out last night running errands for santa?! traffic was wretched, & i got back too late for a concert. we can rock tonight instead.

my last solstice prezzie for you:

the shortest day by susan cooper

so the shortest day came, and the year died,

and everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world

came people singing, dancing,

to drive the dark away.

they lighted candles in the winter trees;

they hung their homes with evergreen;

they burned beseeching fires all night long

to keep the year alive,

and when the new year's sunshine blazed awake

they shouted, reveling.

through all the frosty ages you can hear them

echoing behind us - listen!!

all the long echoes sing the same delight,

this shortest day,

as promise wakens in the sleeping land:

they carol, feast, give thanks,

and dearly love their friends,

and hope for peace.

and so do we, here, now,

this year and every year.

welcome yule!!

~peace.

the day after

we survived our day. i'm a bit worse for wear, but it was a lovely day, & thehobbit willingly hugged his grammie 3, count them... three! times. of his own accord. he was not asked! yes my only reader, wow indeed.
two of the hugs were for prezzies he wanted very desperately; this (she found an all-wood set), and this. some may be surprised to hear the former isn't always all in wood. it's sad to see plastic parts put into toys from our childhood. as usual there were many more prezzies, & as usual he really didn't care for the majority. he's so amazing that way - really wants very little, but what he does want, he wants ever so desperately. maybe the hugs helped her see that he doesn't need the explosion of prezzies to feel loved & special?

manlyman took us to one of my favorite restaurants for dinner... yum! grammie was a great sport, & ate all the veggie "meat" dishes right along with us.

countdown, day 16: today we will make potato stamps!
review: someone, i'm not naming names, forgot to buy potatoes! ooops. luckily we had a sweet potato left, & it worked nicely. we carved the cut edge into a tree shape, & stamped away. it was fun!

i have to get ready for a freaky-busy day. i hope yours is a lovely one.
~peace.