just add water

Isn't everything more beautiful when it rains? Paisley was going to have her first walk in the rain yesterday, but by the time we got bundled up it had stopped.  We still got to do a little exploring and I tried to introduce

Paisley to p...(this is an unfinished blog post Rachel was working on that I am going to finish for her) I think she was going to say 'puddle hopping,' but I think Paisley is too conscientious about her shoes to feel comfortable getting them wet...

Because I have had such little involvement in our blog, I want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude for the effort Rachel has invested in it and to pay tribute to all the moms do likewise, sharing their love and enthusiasm for motherhood. I don't think enough can be said about the  joy that parenting brings to our lives, and it is neat to share that which matter most.

shoe love

  

Somehow girls just instinctively know to love shoes.  I used to feel like all I did all day was put Paisley's shoes on, take them off, put some new ones on, exchange them for another pair . . .  It was a small price to pay for a happy toddler.  She needs less help these days.  In fact, she might be growing up a little too quickly.  I think she can walk in these heels better than I can. 

Dancing with MacDonald

Do people still win money for funny home videos?

paint the town

I found an amazing book: Unplugged Play: No Batteries. No Plugs. Pure Fun. by Bobbi Connor.  Most books with games for kids seem to have all the same ideas, but this one has a huge section with activities for toddlers ages 1-2.  It has really motivated me to do more activities, just for Paisley.  The first idea we tried was to "paint" the sidewalk with water.  And just to make sure we'd have to play in the bathtub afterwards, we played with chalk first.   

happy things

1. Labor day weekend campout

2. Staying up until midnight to can tomatoes with a sweet old lady from church

3. A visit from Nana and Aunt Mikan!

4. A new darning foot for the sewing machine! I'm so excited to try some more doodling with thread.

5. Free upholstery fabric. Yay! What should I make with it?

6. My first homemade chicken noodle soup for curing the sickies

7. Thrift store finds- favorite childhood books

book hunt

Lately I've been pining after vintage children's book illustrations.  Brandon was so sweet to spend a day with me in and out of used book shops, moving sales, yard sales, and antique shops.  This is my favorite image that we found.  Precious, huh? 

hasta luego

Little kitty found a new home.  I couldn't be more thrilled to not be sharing our tiny bathroom with a litter box--and to not be pulling cat food out of Paisley's mouth or the cat out of Paisley's breakfast bowl.  The real deciding factor, though, was that we thought Paisley might be allergic to cat dander.  Maybe she was just sick, but we were secretly relieved.  Maybe one day we'll be ready for a pet . . .

pet advice please

Five little neighbor kids knocked on our door last night to see if we wanted a cat.  I began the conversation with an adamant "no" and ended up with kitty poo poo all over our carpet the next morning.  We agreed on a one day trial period, so I've got to decide by tonight if we want to keep her or not.  I don't really like cats.  But what I didn't share in our last post was that after thinking about getting a dog for 10 minutes, we spent a whole evening musing about a cat.  They're cleaner and easier to take care of.  And Paisley likes them a lot . . .when they don't run away. And this little kitty happens to be pretty friendly and cuddly.  She even seems to like Paisley's attention (except when picked up by the tail).  Will the novelty wear off in a few days or is this a good investment for Paisley's happiness?  Any advice from seasoned pet owners?