Thanks, Lori!

A lot of cool stuff came into our house via the Women's Fair this weekend, but this one might have been the coolest.


Lori picked up this cool bicycle man toy for Lexi on our way out the door this afternoon. It provided her with at least 30 minutes of entertainment tonight, which any mom of a toddler will attest, is like an eternity.

Sleepy Do

That's what Aunt Jaime calls little girls named Lexi when they're sleepy. This is the sweet scene I found when I went to check on Lexi before bed last night.


The lamb looks interested in the story, but apparently Lexi was not so much.

Sicky Do

That's what Aunt Jaime calls little girls named Lexi when they're sick. Sicky Do is sick. Some sort of cold with a fever. Daddy stayed home with her today. Tomorrow, it's mommy's turn.


This was taken tonight when I told Lexi to try to look sad.


Moments later, I got the real thing. Don't worry, she's not that miserable. I'd just taken the Pringles away.

Things I like this weekend

1. My new Vera Bradley purse: My sister-in-law turned me on to this stuff at Christmas (thanks, Katy) and then I noticed it everywhere. I ordered the one I wanted from Kay Wiggins and picked it up yesterday. This is the fabric, though the design is somewhat different. Love it.


2. "Once:" I've been reading about this movie for months and had even downloaded some of the music onto my iPod. Friday, I finally got a chance to watch it on-demand and I loved it. Such a sweet movie with great music and lots of Dublin scenery, which I appreciated having vacationed there a few years go.


Deleting e-mail: My inbox at work is ONCE AGAIN over its limit, but in the process of deleting I tend to come across old gems like this one. Don't worry. I didn't delete it.

It didn't cost me a dime

For the entirety of the nine-plus years I sat by Chris Shull, I begged him to cut his hair. It's not that he didn't look good with a ponytail, I told him, it's just that he could look so much BETTER without one.

He always said the same thing: "TALK TO CHARLA!"

I never had the guts, though I did have a deal with Chris that if I ever won the lottery, I'd give him $10,000, and the ponytail would die.

Then, last Friday, this picture landed in my cell phone.

I don't know whether to be thrilled that I've finally gotten my way or angry that I didn't get it until I could no longer enjoy the results.

Princess Rachel

Today, Princess Rachel -- celebrating the occasion of her fifth birthday -- was kind enough to grant us an audience in the magical land of Pump It Up. Is this a RIOT??


This was Lexi's first Pump it Up party, but not her first time wholly refusing to enter an inflatable jumpy thing. Mizz Shy Pants instead made her own fun on the more stable floor. (She told me she'd do the bouncy things "when I'm older.")


She was THRILLED that Princess Rachel had read her mind on the strawberry cake. Coop was just happy for cake.


Please note Princess Rachel, scepter in hand, reigning over royal subjects.

A friendly day

Lexi likes to play, and today, she had a lot of chances to do what she likes best with some of the kids she likes best.


This morning, we had Maddy and Harrison over, and we played two games -- Hullabaloo, which requires a lot of jumping and crazy dancing...


...and Cariboo, a very toddler friendly game. Maddy, not being a toddler, was an expert at winning.


I let all three of them sit on the dining room table, which was the highlight of their young lives.


Tonight, we went to Jeff Filby's 50th birthday party. Jaime, Lara and Ushi were there, too. It was a kid-friendly cocktail party with heavy hors d'oeuvres. This is our kind of party.


And Lexi's, too. She and Ushi first created and then tore up the dance floor.

Ushi!