Craft Fair

Saturday I did my last Thirty-One event of the year. I had given my friend Chris some catalogs to take to the school where she works to see if anyone was interested in ordering. No one was, but the catalog ended up on the secretary's desk. She looked through it, decided she wanted to order something for her sister for Christmas, AND invited me to participate in a craft fair. What makes it even more cool is that it is the school where Big Sissy will go to kindergarten next year (but don't make me talk about THAT again).

I didn't know what to expect AT ALL. I don't do crafts, craft fairs, or anything remotely related to a craft usually. It just happens that now I'm a vendor. I had heard that usually a vendor doesn't make many sales (unless you're Pampered Chef, who apparently OWNS the craft fair I went to), but it's a great place to make contacts. I found this to be true. The cake lady in the booth next to me is my new best friend and will definitely be helping me out at future kid birthday parties. She works out of her home so she's reasonable, and her cakes were amazing. AND she could ice cupcakes, talk to people, and not get her cute jeans messy all at the same time. I was impressed. The lady across the gym has a granddaughter who is a missionary and who makes these cute hats to raise money for missions.

Aren't they cute??? And the hats are pretty adorable too. So I think I was supposed to go there to make money, but it turns out that I kind of like craft fairs. Who knew? I did learn some things, though--like always take someone with you so you can go pee sometime during the day and not leave your booth unmanned. I also learned that it is totally appropriate to wear jeans to a craft fair even when you're working. If you're selling hemp necklaces, it's also fine to not even comb your hair. And if you're selling Pampered Chef, you don't even need hair. People will just stand in line to buy your stuff. (And no, I don't regret selling 31 instead. People will stand in line once they know what it is. Just wait...)

So I'm hoping that the end of my events for the year means more time for blogging, wrapping presents, ordering Christmas cards, catching up on laundry, and reconnecting with YOU.

Git 'R Done

Apparently I am not moving fast enough in getting the house decorated for Christmas. In my defense, we do have a mantle beautifully decorated with red and green paper chains for our "days 'til Christmas" countdown. But I keep finding these all over the house.

Red and green popsicle sticks are taped all over our house. "We just need some Christmas decorations, Mommy!" By tomorrow we should at least have our Little People nativity set scattered throughout the laundry in our living room. See, I can decorate!

Our Little Research Scientist

Big Sissy never has accidents any more--well, not when she's awake. But today she did. I don't know why. But when we walked down the hall later, this is what we found.

Clearly there is some information she has not yet read about the matter. She will research it. No doubt about that.

It's Finally Here

Big Sissy has been waiting and waiting and WAITING for her birthday to arrive. It's been a little confusing because we celebrated with the big family party back in October. But today it's official. She's 5. You know the question people always like to ask: What do you think you'll be doing in 5 years? Five years ago I could never have imagined how full my life--and my heart--would be today. I feel so blessed. I'm so proud of Big Sissy. She is becoming quite the little lady. She has her share of attitude--don't get me wrong--but she is also very sweet and sensitive to others. She is reading like a champ and writing words on her own. The other day she wrote "Broun Lame." That's the phonetic spelling of Brown Lamby. I was pretty excited about the ou diphthong in there. And I like to say diphthong a lot. It makes me giggle. She loves to use her imagination making up games and stories. And she LOVES to play hide and seek. I got the notice the other day that I need to sign her up for kindergarten in February. We do year-round school in this district, so she will start in July. I almost cried. I really wanted to homeschool her, but that has proven to just not work. She is a wonderful student. I just can't focus more than about 30 minutes a day on it. That's fine for her age, but she needs more. And she can't wait to meet all those new friends. *sniff*

We had kind of an interesting celebration today. Daddy took the day off to hang out with us, but then we realized that we had MOPS all morning. So we met for lunch and then went to Monkey Joe's--a whole place full of inflatables. That was quite possibly the best $20 I've ever spent. They got lots of exercise, lots of fun, and it wasn't hard for me because there was really no way to get lost. Then we came home and put up her and Little Sissy's new bed. In an interesting chain of events, I was getting sick of changing sheets on bunk beds and my parents were tired of storing Hubby's bedroom furniture from before we were married. So the girls are now sharing a queen bed. I think that will be great--until someone pees the bed or starts throwing up in the middle of the night. I'm really excited to have a real bed for guests if they ever should show up at my door. AND, that means that Little Buddy is done with his crib. He cried for a minute at naptime, but by night he was begging to get in his new big boy bed. I would have taken pictures but I'm embarrassed about how much he loves the Disney Princess sheets that are still on there. I will get him a new set soon. I promise.

One thing I love about Big Sissy's birthday is that for 3 months, when I tell people the ages of my children, they don't stare at me and for a short time can believe that I spaced my children "responsibly." Right now it sounds like they are all 2 years apart. They are 5, 3, and 1. Until February, when they are 2, 3, and barely 5 and I get the looks again. They're just jealous.

So happy birthday, my baby girl. And no talk of kindergarten yet. Mommy can't STAND it!!!

The Addams Family Goes to China

These are our cute children before we made them dress up like China dolls. My dad brought the kids some great outfits from China. All was well until I tried to add black wigs. My idea was to put them in buns and stick chopsticks in. Wala! China dolls. But wigs are even less cooperative than their real hair, and it didn't work. The final result was a little more ghoulish than I intended, thus the Addams Family in Asia joke was born.

Dressed in China man costume, but still happy.

Pugsley Addams. Add hat. Present doorbell. Now he's not so sure.

Sweet Little Sissy has been transformed into Wednesday Addams.

Big Sissy was much happier to keep something on her head than her siblings.

Grandpa is tickled pink to see his China dolls. They get lots of candy. And toys. And white out. Why? Because it makes them happy, and that's what grandparents do.

Next stop: party at church. The Asian Addams Family had lots of fun here--crafts, face painting, inflatables, games, and of course more candy.

Morticia--I mean Big Sissy--diligently keeping her headwear on, though it's starting to slip. She would probably wear a chicken on her head for candy. She's a trooper.

People Don't Have Tails!

This week I was talking to my sister on the phone, and I told her I had been working my tail off. Little Sissy interrupted me and said, "Silly Mommy. People don't have tails." I assured her that she was right, but then...

maybe a person does if her teacher makes her put Brown Lamby down during dance class. Look closely.

Is There Something In My Eye?

True story.

Tonight Hubby is laying down with the girls for a little while since I need to go call a hostess. Right in the middle of my call, I heard this stressed voice call, "Can you come up here, please? I would greatly appreciate it." Usually that means something like, "Kids are crying and they're driving me crazy" or "I'm mad about something and I need to talk about it now." It seemed odd for after the kids were in bed AND while I was on the phone, so I hurried upstairs.

Little Sissy had coughed so hard in her bed that she threw up. In hubby's face. He couldn't even see to clean it up because it was in his eyes and all over his glasses. I sprung into action changing pajamas, changing sheets, giving the lecture about throwing up in the toilet and not in Daddy's eyes...

But then, when all was calm and clean, I came downstairs and giggled. It's really funny when it's not me.