A Gal Needs a New Purse Now & Then

OK, I got off the computer, plugged in the glue gun, dug out some felt scraps from my upstairs "room" and got to work. Boo has been carrying around an ugly pink vinyl purse that we've had in the toy bin for years, so I decided a new one was in order. I was able to whip this out while her brother napped. The strap is a little short, but she seems to like it.

It's handy to have your purse when you're playing ball with the dog.

Major Crafterbation

I don't know what is happening to me, I've never really been a crafter but these days I can't peel myself away from the computer. Stuffed animals, felted gnomes, tooth fairy pillows, super cool fabrics, little girl dresses, appliques...the urge to sew and craft little cute things is becoming overwhelming. And just in case you're wondering, I'm not pregnant. Although I'm finding that I'm spending more time on the computer looking at other people's crafts rather than making my own. Hence the term "crafterbation"...I actually stole that wonderful word from another blog, so I won't take credit for it.

A friend loaned me her an old sewing machine that she got from Goodwill for $15, so I can try my hand again at sewing (a class I flunked in tenth grade!). I've been nervous about breaking it out. I have this nagging feeling that once I start fumbling with bobbins and the thread starts getting tight and the swearing starts, then my whole sewing fantasy will be crushed.

But in the meantime I can dream...and use my glue gun. Besides, there's always knitting.

R.I.P.

God's Holiest Work

When people say "you must be so busy", I just smile and say "oh yes", but inwardly thinking "it's not really that bad", but then at the end of the day, around 9:00 p.m., when I'm still washing dishes, hoping for a little down time before bed, I think of everything I had hoped to do, and none of it is done. OK I admit it, I guess I am pretty busy. I'm usually able to complete daily cleaning tasks, thanks to Sesame Street's Elmo, but nothing of any consequence, except for cleaning, dressing, undressing, hugging, feeding, diapering and teaching two toddlers how to: take turns, use inside voices, appreciate flowers, be gentle with the cat, not to eat the cat food, dance, play peek-a-boo, not shove all the banana slices in your mouth, negotiate steps, use a fork and much, much, much more. Mothering is God's holiest work according to Oprah (she must have watched Elmo). So be it, this is my road to Zen masterhood.

Here are a few summery photos.

Saturday Night

Mix one free babysitter (gotta love family), two glasses of red wine, one outta-this-world pasta dish, throw in some adult conversation, a surprise sighting of friends at a restaurant, finish with a little ice cream and decaf and oila...Saturday night!

Nature vs Nurture

One fun thing to do with boy/girl twins is to see the "Nature vs Nurture" theory play out. Over the past 18 months we've seen clear gender differences in Boo and Bear's development. Bear loves all things mechanical: opening doors, fiddling with latches and Boo loves stuffed animals, talking and shoes (seriously!). Boo hugs the baby doll and Bear throws it aside, totally uninterested. I decided to put them in the driver's seat of our 24ft company truck and see their reactions.

Hmmm, what is this big round thing?

I'll admit, the view is nice up here.

Now what?

Cool!

If I could just pull that e-brake.

I was meant for this!

No Title, I'm Too Creeped Out

Tonight as I sat with a friend in the front yard, we watched a policeman take pictures of our neighborhood intersection, one block from our house. Later, he came to the door to let us know that a "white man in a black van" tried to lure our neighbor's ten year old son into his car.

Uuugh! I am creeped out, stunned, a little scared even. I can only imagine how his parents must feel. When an evil out there taps your child's shoulder, after you've thanked the universe with all your being that they're safe, held them for an eternity, and are pushing away scenarios of what could have happened, how do you send them into the world again? Right now, I'm thankful that my children are always in my protection...but I know it won't last forever. It can't. It must be the hardest part of parenting...letting them go.