Labels: Family

It has been 14 years since the passing of my Dad, or Grandpa-Up-In-Heaven as the Wee Ladies know him. This day is always a tough one for my family and I as we think about how much we miss one of the strongest forces we have ever known.

Labels: Family, Reflection

Labels: Family, Fun

We are at Grandma's this week. We had Auntie Vee and Susie visiting last week from the UK. There was the beach, the parks, pools, dancing, and playing all over. There was and is no stopping.

Labels: Family, Fun

It is officially summer holidays. School is done and the Wee Ladies are home with me now full time, without breaks, every waking second, no childcare until September. I am torn. One the one hand, I am excited because we get to do lots of fun stuff. On the other hand, I think about how insanely insane I am bound to feel at times with them all running circles around me, all the time. We got our summer off to a good start today. And if we can keep the momentum, we will be fine. I know. It's only been a day. Give it time, you say. 

Labels: Family, Fun

We went to Florida tonight. What a great trip it was to the backyard! We didn't actually leave the house, but talked a lot about it! I am glad EvieG and Spark Plug enjoyed the process of planning, packing, and finding their passports.

Labels: EvieG, Family, Spark Plug

The after-dinner roughhousing between Hubby and the Wee Ladies is always entertaining. He is like a Ninja who is fighting off the enemy. They keep coming at him, even after they have been tossed down. They get back up and come at him again with different moves from different angles. He is sometimes left vulnerable. He should be wearing armour. Or a plastic cup.

And what a workout this roughhousing is for him. He can get full strength training completed in just a few minutes. By bench pressing, doing leg lifts, core training, and bicep curls, squatting, and ham string curls, he finishes it off with some clean and presses. The Wee Ladies make for perfect free weights as they are lifted and tossed about the room.

Sometimes he gets kicked and hit in the wrong places, if you know what I mean. He gets a real beating from the three of them sometimes. He tries to keep himself safe, but it doesn't always work.

And so tonight, as they were all roughhousing, he got gas-pedaled in the you-know-where. He grimaced, rolled up into fetal position, and cried out like he would have after being kicked in the bits by a girl in grade school. I could only cringe and hold the Wee Ladies off momentarily as they snorted and dug and pounded their hoofs in, ready to go at him again full steam.

And all EvieG could say to him, obviously not knowing the reason for his painful outcry, was, "Daddy. Protect yourself!"

And all he could do was look at me and beg for mercy.

All's I'm sayin's all.

Labels: Family, Fun

Here we are, another year later, with Mother's Day upon us. I went back into the archives and read what I posted last year. My sentiments are unchanged. You can click here to read it. After all we have been through in our family in the last year with our move, I have realized that the Wee Ladies are just as happy as they were the year before. It is our love and consistency that keeps them so secure. 

Labels: Family, Reflection

Spark Plug announced, "I love my bir-day, Mommy!" this morning while we drove EvieG to school. I'll take that as another mission accomplished. We had a birthday celebration yesterday that was certainly Estrogen-Only.

Flowers was the theme. Initially I thought tulips, but could only find flowers of all varieties. It worked well.

EvieG was at school yesterday which actually worked out well because Spark Plug and I had a lot of time together, especially when The Destroyer was napping. We prepared, played outside, read books, iced her cake, got dressed. It was really fantastic. We both enjoyed the time.

After school, another little friend came over and the party started. We had pancakes, fruit, cake, ice cream, presents, and finished it off with a trip to the back 40 where the Wee Ladies proceeded to wade through a foot of water. Ending the party with wailing due to cold water up to their knees and mega soakers, we settled them down with a warm bath and books. They needed some down time because they were wired after the sugarfest. Only an estrogen-only party would be guaranteed to end with crying and discontent.

Spark Plug had a blast. She lapped up all the attention and wishes she had a birthday everyday. It was tough to explain to the other Wee Ladies that it was Spark Plug's special day and that we had to support her and make sure she had a good time. I explained that everyone has one special day a year and it is important to be happy for that person. EvieG understood and after a couple of snits, realized the truth and helped make Spark Plug's birthday a real fun one. The Destroyer was just fine. She did run off with her new crown and princess shoes a couple of times.

You must remember my cake from EvieG's party last summer. Click here for a refresher. I made another DDM classic- a chocolate cake in the shape of a tulip. I carved out the tulip shape myself...no special pan for this one! It wasn't from a box either, but it was close. Our oven is a little inconsistent and the middle took an extra long time to bake. The outside was a little crisp. I included greens and all for special effect. Check it out....


I loved planning and executing this shin dig. It was great fun for everyone.

All's I'm sayin's all.

PS Thanks for reading! I will be back next week with more!

Labels: Family, Fun, Spark Plug

The birthday went well. And as Nenny with Twins says, the day after is the worst day of the year. The attention is over and done with and now you have to wait a whole 365 days until the next birthday. Well, the day is over and I am going to try to enjoy being 34. For me, the longest day of the year was a good one. Aunt Nancy drove up with my aunt, her daughter, and my grandmother, Nana. They stayed for a while and we had a great visit.

Labels: DDM, Family, Nenny with Twins, Reflection

It always cracks me up when I point out different things while driving with the Wee Ladies. I can try and try to announce in as much advance as possible the things I want them to see, but 98% of the time, they miss it.

Labels: Family

I don't ever remember really feeling the freezing cold when I was little. I remember being cold, but dealing with it. Kids are tough crackers and when playing in the snow, they could care less if they had frostbite. I watch the Wee Ladies play and tumble in the snowbanks without too much complaining.

We have good mittens, but not great ones. We were out the other night and Spark Plug was having a jolly time sliding and jumping around a huge snowbank wearing her not-so-wonderful fleece mittens. We have just come out of a major deep freeze in this part of the world and it was cold. It was way below zero degrees Celsius and the Wee Ladies didn't seem to care. EvieG and Spark Plug played while The Destroyer wandered around pulling the sleigh.

It was I who pulled the chute on them. Knowing that their hands were not covered in super duper snowmobile mittens, I told Hubby it was time to take them back to the van, fearing potential frostbite.
Because apparently frostbite is when you can no longer feel your fingers. There was no complaining of pain, no comments about being cold. I knew I didn't want to be that person to bring their three frostbitten Wee Ladies into the ER and then have the entire hospital staff say under their breath, "What a moron! Doesn't she know to keep her kids inside when it is Arctic like temperatures? Should we be calling CAS?"

We high-tailed it for the van. It was a horror show trying to get them in. They would not go in. As they stiffened into straight 2 by 4's, I literally had to pick them up and throw them into their car seats, breaking the boards in the mid-section, as they threw the best of the best conniption. They wanted to play outside in the snow! Didn't I see that? Awwwww, mom!!!

I remember being the same way as a kid. I know I didn't care that I had icicles hanging from my nostrils, and numb fingers and toes. I could care less that my neck-warmer was drenched in bad 10 year old hot dog breath, or that my butt was stinging from sitting in my snow pod that I had just spent a half hour making. And I even persevered through sitting with my tongue glued to the metal fence post. Remind me to tell you the story about the time I put my tongue to the safety bar on the chair lift at the ski hill. That is a good one.

We made it through and our kids will too. They will enjoy all of these experiences just like we did. They will survive the cold and come out virtually unscathed. They might have to leave a few tongue cells behind at some point, but they will have fun. And they will always remember it too.

The best part is that they will always have mom there to bring them inside to where it's warm and cozy, with a hot chocolate waiting.

Or a Little Hotties hand warmer ready to put in their mittens and boots as she sends them back out into the frosty wintry world.

All's I'm sayin's all.

Labels: Family, Fun

One thing that does not come with you on a move is babysitters. We had babysitters in our other town. A few to choose from. And now we have none. I am on a mission. A mission to search out and locate some babysitters.

We had fantastic babysitters. Teenagers who were great with the Wee Ladies. One babysitter always brought amazing crafts in her babysitting bag of tricks. The Wee Ladies adored her; I adored her. And we will miss her.

We also had 3 girls across the street who could walk over anytime. They were great too.

And so we start from scratch. It is hard. I have been asking around. Any contact that I have so far, I am asking for some help with this. I have even asked Sparkle at EvieG's Sparks group. She is on it. And a few moms are going to try and help too.

Until we find someone, there will be no date night. Or mom time, unless it occurs after working hours or on weekends.

So we take the Wee Ladies with us to eat out. And what a relaxing time that is. There is nothing like watching The Destroyer reach her Restaurant-Sitting-Threshold. It is like the button shuts off and she checks out. Before we are done our pints. And so we usually ask for the bill in advance so we can chug, pay, and fly. Because it gets to a point where you can only run around the bar so many times. I had to laugh when The Destroyer went up to the bar and tried to climb up to be seen by the bartender.....I thought I heard her ask for a martini with an extra olive. He thought it was a pint of beer with a straw.

We will do anything to keep them sitting at the table and occupied while we wait for the meal and try to eat. We break out the crayons, hand them a wet nap to play with, a spoon, even the ketchup bottle. But last night, I pulled out the last resort- the cell phone. Hubby got his playlist going for EvieG, and Spark Plug was playing with the camera on mine. I am sure the last picture stored in the memory is one of my nostrils as I approach to grab the phone. I should get it blown up into an 8x10 glossy. Today I had to wipe it down because it is so gooey from little chicken finger and plum sauce covered hands.

Someone please help me find a babysitter! If I can't get out alone between the hours of 9 am and 5 pm, or be able to go for dinner without children, I might just have to go and get a box of Timbits and eat away my disappointment. We don't want that.

It just goes to show that a babysitter is a really great thing to have on hand. And you really notice the difference when they are not around or available.

I have a call into the Pathfinders group with the Girl Guides of Canada. Surely, one of the girls has her babysitting certification.

If we find one, I hope she brings over a box of Girl Guide cookies.

All's I'm sayin's all.

Labels: Family, Mission

Happy New Year to everyone!

I am wearing a grey turtleneck and pants today. I did this purposely to match my hair. With the moving experience, my hair has gone several various shades of grey. It is funny because the more stressful the situation, the lighter the grey gets. I have three different shades of grey going on right now.

Charcoal Grey: This is a nice dark tone that matches my outfit quite nicely today. I noticed a few hairs this colour as we were in the throes of packing the rest of our house and getting it into the moving truck.

I thought we were pretty organized in getting packed and moved. We had been working on it for a couple of months. I was wrong. We were totally scattered and by the end, we were throwing things in boxes and tying clothes to the side of the truck. I called this experience Tetris Packing. Hubby was in charge of packing the truck, along with his brother. Dear friends also came over to stick some fire in our pants and without their help we would have been completely screwed. I thought Hubby was doing a good job at the Tetris Packing by placing boxes and furniture strategically in order to fill up every available space without losing points and then the game. He started off well and then I noticed about at about the half way mark that he was leaving some holes. Big ones. Game Over.

I was starting to get tense, thinking we would not have enough room to put everything. He reassured me that we would be fine. I had doubts. The glass was half empty this day. Good thing we had two vans to fill.

Hubby and I started to get on each other's nerves. We started nipping and barking and spatting. He told me I took too long to pack the boxes leaving too much space in the truck and therefore the only other option was to put in more furniture. I told him that his Tetris Packing abilities were lacking. Thank goodness our friends were there to diffuse any brewing explosions.

We had to leave a little bit of stuff behind because it wouldn't fit. We will be back to pick it up when Hubby returns to get his truck.


Silver grey (like tinsel): We hit the road and drove through freezing rain the whole way. I had the Wee Ladies and Hubby was driving the 26 footer. My MIL came with us and drove the other van.

The Wee Ladies have handled the change very well and they were all super during the ride up. My silver grey hairs were matching my knuckles as I gripped the steering wheel for dear life as we were pelted with freezing rain. I had to keep using my wiper fluid to clean the windshield off and at one point I ran out. Crap. I was on a four lane road and pulled off to the side to refill my container. I was stressed. It was a long and slippy ride. After a morning of packing the rest of our stuff, this four hour drive was tiring. We made it up in one piece.

We rented a condo for two nights. We went for dinner and called it a night the first night. We were to meet our movers the next morning. They helped Hubby with the big ticket items.

My MIL looked after the Wee Ladies as Hubby and I moved our stuff into our new place. She totally saved me from slitting my wrists. She was there to help with food, laundry, kids, organizing, running around. She was amazing and we are really going to miss her. The kids adore her and they have a very good relationship with her. We will have to make sure that they see her as often as possible.

Cloud Grey (a very light shade when the sun is almost peeking through): My MIL left today. And my blood pressure has been up ever since. Hubby started work yesterday. I am trying to get unpacked and organized while dealing with the Wee Ladies. So far I have applied bandages to fingers dripping in blood from a broken piggy bank, I have counseled EvieG through her first fight with her stuffed animal/best friend, cleaned up the same messes made by The Destroyer a few times, settled fights, and wiped many runny noses. All of this in between getting situated.

EvieG has started school and Sparks. Spark Plug wants to live in her princess nighties and trying to get her dressed to go out is a nightmare. The Destroyer is busy climbing and trying to get into everything. She also tries to help sweep by swinging the broomstick around and nearly decapitating anyone in her proximity.

We will persevere. Moving with kids is hard and if anyone tells you differently, they are lying.

All I want right now is a stiff drink and tweezers to pluck out these grey hairs.

All's I'm sayin's all.

PS Thanks to Nenny with Twins for blogsitting again. I-LOVE-HER.

PPS I have a list a mile long of blog topics. Please come back to check it all out. Who's DDM for January will be up as soon as I have time to take a pee and sit down to do it.

PPPS There will also be some more reviews heading your way in the DDM's Try Ons section. I will keep you posted on that front.

Thanks for sticking by me through this transition.

Labels: Battle, Chores, DDM, Family

It is nice to have a boy in the house. And no, Hubby is not the boy I am talking about. We are looking after my pal's 8 year old son today and tomorrow. My pal is working and school is out. We love having him around. The Wee Ladies are having a ball and it adds a whole new dynamic to the house.

As I observe them all playing, there is no question that there is a different vibe; almost like a physical energy. There has been a whole lot of physical play, as they run, play hide and seek, make snow forts, and play the-running-away-from-the-giant-squid game (the giant squid is the dog). We have made and decorated gingerbread cookies too. And it is only noon. The energy this guy has!

He takes good care of the Wee Ladies. He keeps a watchful eye over them and makes sure The Destroyer doesn't take marker to the walls, furniture, and carpet in the basement. He tried to take Spark Plug for a ride on the sled, but she wouldn't have any of it. It was adorable watching him try to pick her up to put her on the toboggan.

It is a nice change, not to say I don't love having the three Wee Ladies all the time. I'm just saying it is nice to mix it up a bit sometimes. I love that they have kept each other amused all morning inventing games and making each other guffaw as they try and interpret what The Destroyer is saying.

I say it is awesome having a boy around. This boy in particular is like a big brother to the Wee Ladies. He is the perfect guy to have hanging around the girls.

It is the other guys that will be hanging around later on. I am not sure I will feel the same way about those ones.

Hubby will for sure not feel the same way about those ones.

We'll just have to keep this one around for a while longer.

All's I'm sayin's all.

Labels: Family, Fun

I find it hard not to get carried away with holiday baking. Since my teenage years, I have been in charge of providing the family with a plethora of holiday goodies. Squares and cookies ranging in flavours have found homes in the many Tupperware containers and tummies in our family.

For the past few years I have hosted a cookie exchange party. A few moms would come over with a few dozen of one treat and then we would exchange them and end up with a wide variety of holiday goodies. We only had to make one thing and end up with several different sweet treats. I didn't do it this year because of our move and because we wouldn't be able to get through it all. So I am back to selecting a few different recipes for this year.

A good girlfriend of mine lent me her Mrs. Fields Cookbook from 1992. It has one hundred cookie recipes in it. I have had it in safe-keeping in our cupboard since last Christmas when we made Christmas sugar cookies and gingerbread cookies. She needs it again for this year's batch and has asked for it back. Sure, no problem. I have decided I need to get myself a copy of this book because there are some recipes in there that we must have for the holiday baking.

I decided to go through my recipe file and select this year's festive goodie line-up. I sat with EvieG and we went through one at a time. She got bored after about the third recipe and left me to finish this task alone. No hard feelings. It took me about a half hour to decide what to make. There are so many good recipes to pick from!

I chose a selected assortment. Ten bucks says I will continue to find any excuse to use the old classic Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chip recipe that Nenny With Twins e-mailed me.

I have decided on the following goodies for this year's festivities:

1. Cookie Cutter Sugar Cookies
2. Gingerbread Cookies
3. Classic Shortbread
4. Cranberry-White Chocolate Shortbread
5. Chocolate Cookies (using cake mix)
6. Peanut Butter Balls (with Rice Krispies)
7. Peanut Butter Cup Tarts (you stick a PB cup in the Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chip cookie dough and bake it)
8. Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies for Uncle Jeff

And here is what I am debating with myself- do I make Confetti Squares? The peanut butter squares with the multi-coloured marshmallows? You know the ones that were served at every bake sale, church bazaar, and holiday party or dinner?

I should have just hosted the cookie exchange party. As I look at my list, I am realizing that I may have too much stuff. It would have been easier to make one thing and then exchange with everyone else. Maybe I just need to do a short-list and ax a few of these things, like one of the shortbread recipes.

And one of the peanut butter recipes.

The kids don't even eat peanut butter.

I think that they have to experience the Confetti Squares at least once. That taste never dies.

I just hope they don't have some sort of reaction. Maybe I should do a scratch test on them first. On their forearms.

I wouldn't want to them to have ill-feelings towards the Confetti Square experience.

All's I'm sayin's all.

PS DDM's Try Ons is up and running! Head on over to check it out! More reviews are coming, so stay tuned...thanks to Brian for setting it all up!

Labels: DDM, Family, Fun, Nenny with Twins, Responsibility

Yesterday was our annual trip to the U-Cut tree farm. We don't go to the well known tree farm/theme park, but rather to another farm run by the same people. It is a couple of concessions Southeast. It is the same place we have gone for years. Which means there aren't many trees left for the taking. There are a lot of stumps.

Here is the tree EvieG thought we should take home-

She thought it was perfect. I laughed so hard, I almost peed my pants. I told her it was indeed lovely and that we should look for one with a few more branches to hang our bubble lights.

We ended up tripping over tree trunks as we meandered through the clear cut forest. I know it doesn't sound too environmentally friendly, but just so you know there is tremendous regrowth surrounding this particular lot of trees.

We found a perfect tree. It was standing alone- full, straight, strong. It was like it saw us coming and puffed out its chest a little more, to say, 'Pick me! I can be beautiful! Especially with bubble lights on me!' Hubby and I both saw it at the same time, stopped in our tracks and it was like I heard the angels singing around us, 'Ahhhhhhhh!' There it was!

I found myself saying to Hubby, "Quick, get it! Cut it down before someone else does!" There was no one else around. It was -10 degrees and windy. The guy minding the premises was sitting in his warm pick up truck, listening to the radio, and drinking a hot coffee.

Hubby and I looked at each other. We discussed and questioned why this tree was still sitting pretty and wondered why it hadn't been cut down long ago?

We shrugged it off and Hubby got down on the ground to start cutting.

Then I heard the, "Oh. Uh oh. Oh, I see! This tree doesn't have just one trunk! It's like, 4 trees in one! It's a mutant!"

I questioned him. "What? What are you talking about? A mutant? How can a tree be mutated? Let me see!"

I got down on the ground and peered in at the trunk. Sure enough, it was 4 trunks in one and couldn't be cut down because it was so close to the ground. A mutant indeed.

Disappointed, we kept moving. The Wee Ladies were handling the cold alright. I was carrying The Destroyer and Spark Plug was being carried by Hubby. She doesn't like walking through the snow. EvieG was having a great time trail blazing her way around the property.

In the far back left corner, we finally found our tree. And it was very similar to our first, failed attempt. Only this new one was fatter. Surprisingly, or not, there were clusters of uncut trees along the very back fenceline. I guess only the real daring folks like us make it back that far and make it out alive.

Hubby cut. And we all yelled, Timber! He ended up dragging it all the way from the back 40 to the parking lot with Spark Plug in the other arm, where he threw it in the back of the pick up truck. By this point, the Wee Ladies were freezing, whining, and waiting to go.

The whole expedition lasted about 10 minutes. The drive was an hour total. Had it been a little warmer, we might have lasted longer. But it was brisk.

We were so excited about our tree. And Hubby and I agreed that every year our tree seems to grow in height and in girth. We got it home and dragged it into the living room.

Before bringing it in, we decided we should change some furniture around to accommodate the tree. We are hosting Christmas and Hubby thought it would be a good idea to make our living room into the dining room and vice versa. We are moving anyway, so we got rid of some furniture and put it in the garage. It worked and looks pretty good.

When Hubby brought the tree in, we ended up putting it beside the fireplace. This tree ended up filling that space and then some. It is so big that it covers part of the fireplace. Good thing we ran out of wood because there will be no more fires. Too risky. The tree protrudes in all directions.

We made sure we checked for squirrels and chipmunks first. Hubby did find something though. A big bird's nest. In the middle of the tree. EvieG was so excited. It was massive! I thought that for sure a flock of birds was going to come flying out and start crapping all over my living room floor.

We vacuumed and decorated and vacuumed some more. And every year, without fail, the vacuum gets clogged with needles, twigs, and tree, even though I always make sure I get rid of the bigger pieces.

The Wee Ladies had a blast decorating. We only had one casualty. Only one broken ornament. And it was my fault. I dropped it. Not the 5 or 2 or 1 year old. Here is a picture of our tree in its completed state-

Notice the bubble lights about two thirds of the way up. I have to keep them away from The Destroyer.

EvieG says they are her favourite lights.

She has such great taste. With the exception of her first choice in trees.

All's I'm sayin's all.

PS December's Who's DDM is up! Check it out!

Labels: Family

I will set the stage for you. Picture this-

There is a rather slick looking, shiny black, 4 door Chev pick up filled to the brim with an old, broken dryer, a lemon yellow lounge chair cushion, and half a wooden wine rack driving to the dump. Inside sits a cool looking stud wearing a black fleece pullover, ripped jeans, and low cut hiking boots caked in mud. Beside him is a woman who is wearing the same coffee stained t-shirt she wears a couple times a week, sometimes two days in a row, dirty jeans, and boots without socks. She has her hair pulled back as usual. There is no denying that this is a cool looking couple. The coolness factor resonates from them.

In the back there are 2 girls. A 5 year old and a 1 1 /2 year old. From behind the tethers of the car seat straps you can see, along with their parents in the front, 4 bopping heads. The windows are down and their hair flies in the crisp, Ethanol scented air. They are rockin'.

They rock to the iconic band, The Beastie Boys.

DDM: Whooo hooo! Rock on!

Hubby: Look back at the girls! They are right into this!

EvieG: I know what this song is called! It's called, Hey Ladies!

DDM: That's right! Well done! Rock on, Ladies! (hands waving above her head)

Hubby: I can't believe she knows the name of this song!

DDM: It's great! It's classic!

TheD: Weeeeeeee!

EvieG: Come on everybody! Raise the ceiling!

Pause-, look back-, and stare-.

DDM: What? Did you say raise the ceiling?

EvieG: Yep. Come on!

DDM: Ok, then! Raise-the-ceiling?!! (whispering to Hubby) She means raise the roof....she just had a senior's moment! That's totally something a senior citizen would say on the dance floor, cutting some rug at somewhere like a wedding, who is among a bunch of young people, and trying to look cool. That's my girl!

We are so cool.

All's I'm sayin's all.

PS Thanks for reading and I will return on Monday....

Labels: Family, Fun

We had a family movie night last night. The Wee Ladies had popcorn and sippy cups of water. Hubby and I had beer. Hubby chose the movie. He has also chosen the next family movie night flick for this weekend. I have to say that I am gobsmackingly impressed.

Hubby: Hey. I have the next 2 movies for family movie night.

DDM: Oh ya? Great! What did you pick? (thinking Disney cartoon or computer animated film of some sort)

Hubby: Tonight we are going to watch The Sound of Music. And this weekend we have none other than Mary Poppins.

DDM: (shock rings through my voice) You are sure you want to sit and watch musicals starring Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, and Dick Van Dyke? The whole way through?

Hubby: Yep. My girls will love it and I want them to enjoy it.

DDM: (to myself) Holy man! A straight guy who voluntarily wants to watch musicals. That is love.

Silence.

Hubby: What was that noise?

DDM: That was just my jaw hitting the floor.

All's I'm sayin's all.

PS Have a fab weekend! I will return on Monday with more from this zoo.

PPS I have some fun news to share with everyone on Monday! Be sure to come back then and check out the new announcement!

Labels: DDM, Family, Fun, Hubby

I am totally the opposite of a salon girl. I only go to get my hair highlighted and trimmed. That is the extent of my styling outings. I will go for a pedicure bi-annually because someone found it in their heart to donate to the DDM's Callus Cause. Hubby and I took Spark Plug and The Destroyer for their first hair cuts today. Boy howdy, did we ever see some interesting stuff.

It was 9:30 am. We got to our appointments and we put The Destroyer up on the black vinyl box first. She was squirming right from go. We gave her a sucker to silence her. This goes totally against my 'No suckers until after lunch' policy, but this event was an exception. It didn't work. Every time the hair stylist went to trim some hair, The Destroyer dodged the incoming scissors. We put her down to let her check out the premises, destroy the Christmas tree, and knock down any decorations at floor level until she was comfortable in her surroundings.

We then put Spark Plug up on the pedestal to see how she would do. She is sometimes quite hesitant in new places and in new situations. But I will say that she loves the mirror and all sorts of accessories. If she could, and she usually does, she would roam around in her purple Palmolive Madge sunglasses all day.

She ate up this time in the chair. Completely. Watching, studying, lapping it up. She was in salon, pampering heaven. She sat still and quiet. She did not move a muscle, except to beam at us. She got a trim and some shape added to her hair. The best part for her? The princess sparkles. She had that sparkle hair spray put in her hair and the stylist put it in pigtails. The pride was resonating from her. She got down from the chair, strutted around the shop, and then went straight for the suckers. She continued to strut while simultaneously dancing to Madonna's Hard Candy album.

I had some snippets of their hair put into Zip Loc Sandwich Bags. And that has got to be one of my dumber moves. Plastic bags and baby hair are not a good match. The static in the bag has resulted in the hair sticking to the sides of the bag. And it covers the sides of the bag completely. The hair is spread around like honey spread over a piece of bread. I say, smooth move, DDM. How I am going to collect it all together is a puzzle. I will put it in a drawer or a box along with all of the other stuff that has to yet be placed in some sort of baby album, waiting for the day to come when the Album Fairy comes to save me and make them for me.

When it comes to styling the hair of the Wee Ladies, I get a big, fat, bold F. I brush it and tidy it, on a good day. Usually I just clip it off to the side, or spray some detangler in it to make sure they are not wandering around with rats' nests attached to their heads. I barely do my own hair, so why would I do theirs all nice with a blow dryer and product? I don't. But I did watch the stylist put their hair in pigtails. So I can do that myself now, realizing that I will not pull their hair, or hurt them.

If I am going to start putting their hair in pigtails more often, I am going to have to go out and find some of this princess sparkle spray. Where do you get that stuff?

From this salon experience, we learned that The Destroyer is going to go to the salon because she has to. To her, it is a waste of time. And to Spark Plug, the salon experience will be a way of life.

Hubby has said that he believes he will spend his life funding EvieG's humanitarian missions as she travels the world, helping those in need. Well, now he believes he will be funding Spark Plug's salon missions.

I think The Destroyer will be happy with all access to Dare, Allen's, Cadbury, and Hershey.

All's I'm sayin's all.

Labels: Family, Fun

Hubby was laughing out loud at the TV last night. He was watching a Just For Laughs show on The Comedy Channel. I went in to see what was so funny. I missed the comic, but Hubby paraphrased on his behalf. And now I will paraphrase a second time.

It was all about the true colours of your loved ones as they emerge during sleep. This comic said that if you want to know whether you can sustain a good, solid relationship, make sure you sleep in the same bed first. And in this case it is not for the you-know-what. It is to really see what kind of person your future partner will be- in a sleeping state. Because no one cares or is conscious of what they look like while they are sleeping. You are who you truly are. He went on to say that he knew he could be with his wife forever because during their sleepovers, she was an angel when she fell asleep; so calm, beautiful, and peaceful. But in the middle of the night when she was in the middle of her REM cycle she became a walrus. Her mouth would hang open and she would snore. Loudly. He found it in himself to look beyond the walrus. He probably just dabbed the drool from the side of her mouth and rolled her over so she could sleep soundly and not in a pool of her own saliva.

In our house, Hubby has looked beyond my dorky sleeping habits as well. We are in it for the long haul. Apparently I do 'the chicken dance' in my sleep. This is where I put my hand on my head while I am sleeping on my side. And it looks like a chicken wing. I have no idea why I do this, but I guess it's comfortable. I also do the walrus sometimes and when I was pregnant, I was a VIA locomotive. And look- we are still strongly intact.

Hubby has the heat barrier. He likes the sheets cold. He coffins himself between 3 pillows. He has a pillow barricade around him, protecting him from the loving warmth of his wife, and also from her unshaven legs. He has been like this since we met. Even before we had our first sleepover. He rolls from one cold pillow to the other. The bottom line here is a) it isn't an issue, and b) there is never any cuddling action. Ever. That would make the human furnace overheat. We wouldn't want that.

Even the Wee Ladies sleep in funny positions. Both The Destroyer and Spark Plug sleep with their bottoms up. Their faces are planted into their pillows and their bums stick straight up. How this can be remotely comfortable is beyond me.

EvieG is a walrus too and sleeps on her back. She sleeps so still that her hair is one big frizzball every morning. She sleeps with her stuffed animals piled underneath her. I also can't figure out how this is very cozy.

The Wee Ladies always manage to sleep in weird places within their beds. At the bottom of the bed, across the top, on top of the covers, and even on the floor sometimes. I went into EvieG's room over the weekend and found that she had set up camp in her closet. She had her pillow and The Destroyer's quilt, and her books. She said it was her camp out. The Destroyer was missing her blanket, but that didn't seem to matter because we didn't hear a sound from her. Both The Destroyer and Spark Plug seem to sleep without blankets quite often. Sometimes they cry out when they get cold. I don't know how they can sleep for so long without covers!

I am not a fan of sleepovers with the Wee Ladies because of their positioning. They kick, poke, and jab. Like the BAM! and ZONK! and POW! from Batman and Robin, you can see me cringe and clench as I receive each blow throughout the night. But I still do it. And I still love them, even though they hurt me. In the kidney.

Watching them sleep in the car is hilarious. They look like they have had one too many cocktails as their heads swing from side to side, their mouths hang open, and you can see the drool dripping from their chins onto their coats. They even snore.

If this is indeed a look into the true colours of your loved ones, then this is what I see in the future for The Wee Ladies- a girl with one hand on her head, elbow pointing into the air, pillows all around her, blankets on the floor, drool collecting on the mattress, as she kicks her legs while grunting just like our Wee Westie Basil.

All's I'm sayin's all.

Labels: DDM, Family, Fun, Hubby

After a weekend of traveling with the Wee Ladies, I have tallied:

2 10 packs of Timbits consumed
3 games of I Spy played
1 Tim Horton's coffee with double cream
2 Skinny Vanilla Lattes from Starbucks
1 McDonalds meal
3 boxes of Kleenex for EvieG because she doesn't know how to use just one at a time and we could have had a bonfire with all the paper and goobers

We went to start our search for a place to live in our new town. It is a 4 hour drive between here and there. It went fine. We haven't found anything and need to keep looking. We had fun although it does not go without some crazy moments when there are 3 Wee Ladies in a van for that long.

We have a DVD player that comes out on trips that last more than an hour. We even went to rent some DVD's from Blockbuster for the occasion. We were also told that there was a DVD player in our condo unit.

We were running late on Friday as Hubby took EvieG to the clinic to get her chest checked. She has a wicked cough and cold. By the time we hit the road we were 40 minutes behind and Hubby had to get to his new office to meet his new colleagues. Once we threw everything in the van, we set off. But before we left, I noticed that the DVD was without its power cord. Crap. We couldn't possibly make the 4 hour drive without movies. What did people do before in-car theatre? We couldn't find it and so went without. The kids were fine. They played, slept, coloured, played I Spy....They made it through rather well.

By the time we reached the office, it was like the demons were freed from the confines of hell. They were WILD. Running around, screeching, and climbing on really nice, expensive leather furniture, desks, chairs, and even trying to play with the computer keyboards. I was so proud... They sent us to the boardroom and shut the door. They had a TV in there and put on kids programming. They were very gracious and understanding, but I was anxious and sweating, and even more anxious because I thought I smelled. I was hot. I was flushed. I felt badly for the Wee Ladies as I tried to control them.

We had a condo with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms and a kitchen. We ate out once and stayed in the rest of the time. I had packed lots of food and snacks, so we were more than okay. It worked out pretty well, but come the time to put in a movie, there was no DVD player. They told me there would be a DVD player. Crap. There was a remote, but no machine. Just 2 old VCR players and old TVs. The buttons were sticking and made it difficult to find something to watch. I did stay up to finish watching Two Weeks Notice starring Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock.

The stuff that we managed to pile into the van is astonishing really. I think our realty agent was flabbergasted by all the crap as she tried to entertain the Wee Ladies in the van as Hubby and I ran through a few places. Playpens, bed rails, food and drink, bags of clothes, toys, markers and colouring books, garbage, stuffed animals, towels and blankets, double strollers, and a case of beer. The van was overflowing. It took a special trip into town just to get rid of the Kleenexes and garbage.

The ride home was more trying. The girls were more edgy and irritable on the trip home. We tried to keep them occupied and were ecstatic when they fell asleep. And then Hubby had to go and stop to use the bathroom. As soon as the van slowed down, we were greeted with wailing.

We have to stop a few times while on the road. We need to stop for bathroom breaks and just to let the Wee Ladies stretch their legs a bit. I think that Hubby and I go to the bathroom more than EvieG does. She has a bladder like a camel. I ask and ask if she needs the washroom. She always replies with a no and continues with her colouring.

The Destroyer was next to EvieG and kept passing gas. She found that she would get a rise out of her sisters when she did her thing. And so she kept pushing. Trying to get it all out to continue the laughter. When there was no more left, EvieG leaned over and pulled her finger, hoping that there was a little more to release.

The Destroyer is all about gas. It comes out both ends constantly, much to her sisters' amusement. When it came to her turn in I Spy, EvieG would preface with the whole, I Spy, with my little eye, something that is......and she would get a gassy response. The Destroyer put her lips together and made noises much like her lower end. Her sisters roared with laughter. They also blamed any odd smell on her too.

I thought I taught better manners than that.

I am just happy that it hasn't been a part of the dinner entertainment yet. I know that in due time The Destroyer will captivate her audience at the table.

And give her the opportunity, she might even try it at a restaurant.

We'll just blame it on the fast food.

All's I'm sayin's all.

PS Thanks a bunch to Nenny With Twins who posted on my behalf on Friday! I love you! You are the best!

Labels: Family

We are our own art gallery over here. People can come by and view the displayed artistic works of the Wee Ladies. Every room has something for your viewing pleasure. The best part is that it is free, but coffees for the curator are always appreciated.

I have just finished preparing for the next exhibition. I went through the house with my pint of paint and a brush and eliminated all old works. In the living room beside the fireplace there was a really nice piece. It was titled, Markings in Ochre, from the year 2008. It was by The Destroyer. It was crayon on matte eggshell, Richmond Gray, Benjamin Moore HC-96. She has been developing her technique and has expanded her style to include Crayola Washable Markers. On the sofa.

On the small wall between the kitchen and the living room there was a piece by another featured local artist. Spark Plug is her name and she specializes in the use of space. Her piece here was titled, An Exploration of the Hand, 2008. Here we saw a magnificent array of blended colours spanning from the wall to the floor. We saw a blue similar to Yves Klein,

and a brilliant red like in Matisse's Red Room.
I found more artwork as I travelled through each room. Works that reflected the raw talent and style of each artist. Each work was covered as we cleared for the next lot of art.

EvieG is an artist who is experimenting with cutting, pasting, and drawing. She favours collage. She has been known to dapple in a variety of mediums, sculpture included. I have been to some houses in the area who have her work hanging or placed in a special spot for all to see. At one point she thought it would be a good idea to rough out her place on the wall in pencil. As curator, I like to have things run by me first for approval and in this instance, I decided it was an inappropriate spot and had her erase the area and scrub it with Baking Soda. I did appreciate her creative integrity though.

As curator of our gallery, I like to have artists who represent a wide variety of expression. I am happy to say that the walls have been covered in various places throughout the house and our gallery has been well received by the public. And now that the gallery is undergoing a major shift, we have had to think about how we will exhibit future works.

I think that Scotch tape and construction paper might be a good option and we can go with a winter theme.

White crayons might be a safe bet too. Then they won't show up as clearly on the walls.

Or maybe Colour Wonder. Then we can have the viewers wonder where the art is.

All's I'm sayin's all.

Labels: Family, Fun

The Wee Ladies squawk to get what they want. It is like we are living with a flock of birds.

DDM: Hey! Keep your hands to yourself! We don't hit!

TheD: SQUAWK! Grunt....run away.

EvieG: Don't take my Halloween candy!

Spark Plug: SQUAWK!

DDM: Use your words!

The Destroyer and Spark Plug are playing tug o' war with the Barbie Car....

SSSSSQQQQQUUUUAAAAWWWWWKKKK in unison.

DDM: Hey! That's enough! No more squawking! Where are my ear plugs? And the Extra Strength Advil Liquid-Gels...Fast Release?

The Destroyer is trying to take EvieG's sippy cup of orange juice and it is none other than a screeching, piercing SQUAWK! as EvieG tries to get it back followed by The Destroyer's pull to hang on and the flexing of her thigh muscles.

There is a squawk for candy, a squawk for cookies, a squawk for toys, and even for a toothbrush and toothpaste. They are communicating via the squawk. Especially when it comes to wanting food and sweets, or if something is being held by the other squawker, if something is taken away, or if things just aren't going the right way.

Do they think that they will always get what they want? They think it is the way to be heard. We might give in sometimes, just to shut them up.

I wonder how they will respond to each other as they start fighting over clothes? The SQUAWK plus the SLAM is what I predict. Or rather the MEOW, SCRATCH, HISS, and SLAM.

What will happen when their boyfriend bails on dinner plans? Will they ring him up, SQUAWK into the phone and then hang up?

I am dreading years of the SQUAWK. I won't be able to take it. I will be in the loony bin long before puberty if it keeps up at this rate.

All I am going to hear in my sleep is SQUAWKING. I would be much happier if I could hear crickets.

How can we get to a gentle chirp from the window shattering SQUAWK?

3 separate bedrooms and 3 separate bathrooms.

All's I'm sayin's all.

PS The November Who's DDM should be up anytime. You can also go back and reread past Who's DDM's...

Labels: Battle, Family

It is Halloween and the Wee Ladies and I have been busy today, hence the late blog. There is much to do to prepare for the craziness that comes with tricks and treats.

EvieG is a princess. She is using the Cinderella dress she has had for 3 years now. This is its first Halloween debut. Spark Plug is Tinkerbell. She makes a perfect fairy. Petite with her blond highlights that women would kill for. The Destroyer gets the shaft and is wearing Spark Plug's Winnie the Pooh costume from last year. There will be a day when she accepts no more hand-me-downs, but for now, she couldn't care less.

We carved our pumpkins this afternoon. This was interesting because I was trying to keep the place impeccably neat and tidy in preparation for 2 showings that occurred today. I am telling you, this house has never been so spotless. I think the last time it was this clean was when we moved in and cleaned it from top to bottom. Good thing I went through the 'nesting' phase too when I was pregnant. It is amazing how every nook and cranny had to be beyond clean. The car included. We went and had it detailed prior to each baby's arrival. I cleaned out every cupboard and closet with a very potent cleaner as I prepared for each Wee Lady. I reorganized everything. So this most recent de-cluttering was not too strenuous.

I made a huge mistake and went out and bought candy before today. I bought Halloween bags of Twizzlers and Smarties as requested by EvieG. I threw in a bag of assorted mini chocolate bars for good measure. Why do I do this to myself? With the whole moving thing and all that I am thinking about right now, why would I go out and buy this stuff when I know that I am going to eat it? All of it. It is all gone. We have nothing for any trick or treaters if they come by.

I turn the lights off at our house. We live on a fairly busy street and find that the kids hang out in the neighbourhood behind us. So there is no point in my sticking around to hand out another candy to kids who already have a full pillow case full when I can watch my 3 Wee Ladies trick or treat. That is far more exciting. Call me selfish.

My MIL and FIL are coming over any time for pizza and beer. They do this every year so they can see the Wee Ladies in their costumes. We eat, drink, and take pictures. And then we hit the hood and pound on doors for some good loot.

Remember the days when you used to get apples and Cola? I mean real Cola. That's what was on the can. Did you ever get the soda where you had to use a can opener to access the fizzy goodness? Did you ever get anything shady? Now it is anything made in China. And these are the gummy candies of all shapes and sizes. Gummy vampire teeth, gummy pizza, gummy bugs, etc. There is so much gummy material out there for the picking at the local dollar store.

I know one girl whose favourite Halloween candy was and probably still is Arachides. Have you ever had these before? She was obsessed with the Arachides and called them that for years. And then when she was about 14, she realized that all those years Arachides were nothing more than Glosette Peanuts. She finally realized that there was an English side of the box and a French.

Happy Halloween!

All's I'm sayin's all.

PS. My favourite part is sorting the candy when we get home. One for EvieG, one for me. One for Spark Plug, 2 for me. One for The Destroyer, 3 for me. Why is it that The Destroyer always gets the shaft?

Labels: Family, Fun

We have big changes going on right now. None of which I have blogged about before. But now I can!

We are preparing to move. We are heading north to a town 4 hours away.

Hubby is transferring to another office with the bank he works with. He is an Investment Advisor. We are thrilled about the opportunities the area has to offer. He starts in January.

This town we are going to is a big tourist/ski/retirement/beachy destination. It is beautiful, hilly, welcoming, and very community oriented. There are lots of people who live there full time and many who visit on the weekends. It is a progressive and happening place to be.

I grew up in the area and have some family up there. We also have very dear friends who live there. So we are going to a place where we are comfortable and know people. Hubby is moving somewhere new for the first time in his life. He is excited about starting fresh in a place that has a lot of growth, progress, and opportunity.

We are de-cluttering the house right now to get it ready for showings. We listed the house with a realtor yesterday. There is a sign on our front lawn. It is weird to see it there. There is no more squalor to be found in this house. I am going to have to be a tidy freak.

EvieG asked, "What is that sign doing on our lawn?"

Hubby and I reminded her of the fun she had here over the summer. She was so excited when she realized that she will be moving to a very large playground. She also had a few moments of sadness when she understood she would be leaving some family, friends, her bedroom, and house behind. But we made her understand that change is good, exciting, and fun. That there is a whole new world waiting for her to explore. She liked the sounds of that.

Kids are adaptable and resilient. The Wee Ladies are young enough to just go with it. They will meet new people and learn new things. They will be exposed to things like skiing and many other outdoor activities. It is a very active place to live. And we are active.

This is something we have talked about over time. The door has opened for Hubby to move within his company and we are all over it. We have to go where we will thrive. As someone we know has said, the move has been executed. We are taking the plunge, making it happen, going for it. We are assuming risk and jumping in with both feet. You never know until you try. And so we are going to try.

We will be heading up to find a place to live. We need to get acquainted with the area. We need to find EvieG a school.

We are so happy about what the future holds as we embark on this new phase in our life. We will be back to visit lots and will only be a 4 hour drive away.

There is lots to digest at the moment. It is not easy leaving behind loved ones.

We have to do what we have to do. And we feel that this is a very positive move all around.

All's I'm sayin's all.

PS I will keep the blog updated of all new happenings and events.

Labels: Announcements, Family

This is why I don't invest a lot of money in clothing...

Because everything I wear is a giant napkin for the Wee Ladies. That is one of my many t-shirts with cookie smeared at the shoulder thanks to The Destroyer. I picked her up to wash her off and she cleaned herself first.

Here is the wrist of my sweater....

I don't know who's snarf this is. I always wipe my nose on the other sleeve.

Missing is the semi-used Kleenex that sticks out of the end of my sleeve. Like my Grade 1 teacher used to do.

We ran out of wipes in the van. Much to my horror, I found myself acting as a damp napkin today. It is picture re-take day for EvieG. And Spark Plug was out this morning playing too.

As I let each one out of the van, I noticed slight breakfast face. Having no wipes left, I resorted to the one thing I hated as a kid. The slobber-wipe. Remember when you were a kid and your mom licked her thumb to clean your face off? Yep. I did that today. And it was like a slow motion trip back to 1979 while I simultaneously saw the wincing of the Wee Ladies as I licked my thumb and brought it to their chins. They both did the same thing. They pursed their mouths, scrunched their eyes, and stiffened as they became covered with saliva.

I guess I could have just let them go wearing their breakfast face. And I considered doing that. I have done it before. But they looked really cute today. And it would have reduced their cuteness factor by 10 fold if I let them go looking like slobs.

It's on my list. Wipes. Must get the Wipes.

Being a human napkin is not one of those things I want to be regularly. Trust me.

At least I didn't actually lick them. Even though it would have been much quicker and more efficient.

All's I'm sayin's all.

PS Have a fun weekend! I will return on Monday with more!

Labels: DDM, Family, Fun

Not too long ago, I wrote about our Sport Rack on top of the van. We used this to travel north in August and for some reason after we returned home, it managed to become a permanent fixture up there. People could spot our van among the millions of others. Now we have chameleoned back into a regular van. We blend in. We are back to boring. All because Hubby finally took the Sport Rack off.

I am so proud that he got this job done.

There is nothing like the sight of a hot man and his drill.

It only took 2 months. That is not too bad.

People were getting used to seeing the Sport Rack in all its glory up there. And then one day, one of EvieG's friends saw the van drive by. His mom told him that we had just gone by. He refused to believe it. He said, "No that's not them mommy! That van didn't have that thing on the top! That was someone else!"

Now we have to clear out the squalor that is our garage so we can get the van in. The cold weather is here and it is easier if I don't have to scrape the windshield while trying to mind the Wee Ladies. Although they love watching the scraper clear their windows off. Just like they love watching the windows get sprayed with the psychedelic soaps at the drive-thru car wash and then rinsed off. It is a real trip. A guaranteed few moments of silence. I highly recommend that trip if you are having a bad day with the kids.

At least I didn't get too used to having the Sport Rack on top of the van. If it had really become a permanent fixture, I would have lost it while trying to drive the van into the garage.

It is definitely not the same damage as running into a curb.

Or leaving your coffee on top of the van, only to drive away with it still there.

And then having to take the kids to the drive-thru car wash. Again.

All's I'm sayin's all.

Labels: Family, Fun, Hubby

I ended yesterday's blog with a comment about my Consumer's Distributing dollhouse. About how it wasn't the dream house I was expecting from Santa. I was 6 years old and I still remember that feeling of excitement with a slight pang of disappointment. I enjoyed playing with my dollhouse and have often thought about how the Wee Ladies would love it too. Well, now they can!

We were over at my mom's this morning and she spent all of yesterday cleaning out her basement. So told me over the phone that she had some things for me to take home, but didn't mention the dollhouse. I heard about my old trunk and my grandmother's bread maker.

When I got to my mom's and saw the pile, I was over the moon. Elated. EvieG was equally as thrilled. The house was sitting in a box in parts, covered with a thick layer of dust that I am sure has been accumulating since 1983. We are without accessories, but after this rare find, I believe there is still hope; that the other bits and bobs are elsewhere in the basement. I thought this house was long gone. I didn't know she still had it hidden among the Space Lego and Tonka trucks and front loaders.

Here it is! All washed and assembled!
I am missing a few parts. Gone is the front door, balcony, and chimney. But at least my cardboard pictures are still glued on the walls. They were actually record covers I mistook for pictures. Western Tunes, Jazz Songs, and Sing Along Tunes. Notice the bay window in the living room! Do they make dollhouses with bay windows anymore? Probably not. That would be too much work and too expensive.

The interior is very much a step back into an era where bright blue and lime green dominated decorating trends. The furniture that accompanied these rooms matched perfectly. The stand up shower with its plastic door was even green.

You can see the reddish brown kitchen floor that echoes a nice parquet floor. There is also an area of imitation slate. When I was a kid, I lifted this piece off and used the pit below as a makeshift swimming pool for my Glamour Gals.

That's right. Glamour Gals. The 80's version of Bratz. The description of a Glamour Gal is as follows:

Glamour Gals were made by Kenner in 1980-1982. They were 4.25 inch fashion dolls, that all came in a specific themed outfit. There were over 70 individual dolls/outfits, and guys for them. There were playsets, including a house (Party Place) a beauty salon, a wedding playset (with exclusive groom doll), and a car (the Fancy Firebird).

Why my mom even allowed them is a mystery to me. We weren't heavy into this kind of doll. I was more of a Strawberry Shortcake/Barbapapa kind of kid.
The Glamour Gals were Farrah Fawcett/Charlie's Angels looking dolls. They were sold wearing the latest 80's fashions. I had many of these gals and I remember playing with them in the back of our chocolate brown wood paneled station wagon with the rumble seat.

How do I feel about my Wee Ladies playing with these dolls? Whatever. I cannot stop them from playing with BPA laden plastics. But I can say that I think they are lead free. I love that they can get a quick glimpse back into my play days. And if they want to go out shopping for a shimmery silver off the shoulder number, well, I will just tell them to wait until the economy is booming again. I will highly encourage the salmon ensemble.

Check out these iconic beauties. And click here for a retro commercial advertising the carrying case that I had.

Why is it that blondes represent that majority with these kinds of dolls? But it's the outfits! The silver strapless top shimmering against the grey slacks with matching pointed booties. And then the salmon jumpsuit next to the the velvet mauve vest with carefully coordinated trousers and poofy long sleeve blouse. The candy striper fourth in line is a real vision in her wedges. The last gal with her low cut banana yellow blouse is missing her long pencil jean skirt. My brother probably stole it so he could get a look at her girlie parts.

I am happy that the Wee Ladies have something of mine from childhood to play with. It makes me happy and it brings back so many memories.

Next on the list? Pulling out the Dr. Suess and P.D. Eastman classic library that was purchased like the Columbia House cassette club. Get 10 for nothing and then buy 10 more at regular price. Giving my mom a year to fulfill her obligation to the Time Life book club. I think we got free Cat in the Hat shaped book ends thrown in there too.

I can't wait to teach EvieG to read Go Dog Go, Wacky Wednesday, and Are You My Mother? Those books are way better than some of the stories they are using to improve their reading skills with today.

I wonder if there are still copies of Mr. Mugs or Flipper the Dolphin out there?

All's I'm sayin's all.

Labels: DDM, EvieG, Family, Fun