fondue

I'm so excited to have a couple of dear friends over tomorrow night for fondue and Emma.

On the menu:

dark chocolate sauce

strawberries

bananas

cheesecake

pound cake

pretzels

marshmallows

dried cherries

Do you fondue?

Do you prefer dark chocolate, white chocolate, cheese?

What do you like to dip?

letters

not Dear Jenny, but Jenny Dear...I love this!

Are letters a thing of the past?

I love getting email from friends, but letters--there's just something about receiving a letter in the mail. Agreed?

Back in the day, I remember how much I enjoyed writing to the friends I met at summer camp--even more, I enjoyed receiving letters from these friends.

I met one particular friend about 20 years ago when I was in high school. We exchanged letters for years. I can still picture her handwriting. I don't think I would have this connection with her if we had emailed each other. Sadly, she passed away about 10 years ago. She died of Leukemia at the age of 30, leaving behind her young husband and a sweet baby boy. It literally broke my heart, but I love that I have sweet memories of exchanging letters with her.

One of my goals for this year is to be more intentional about letter writing. It's been on my mind for a few weeks.

Have I written any yet?

No.

But guess what I got in the mail today?

A sweet, two-page letter from a friend. It truly was the sweetest letter ever. It made me smile.

But I was smiling even before I opened the letter.

That's how happy letters make me.

keepsakes

A family friend crocheted beautiful dresses, bonnets and baby booties for our girls when they were born.

They looked like dolls when I dressed them up in these sweet little outfits.

four days old, November 2005

While browsing around Tuesday Morning with the family today, I spotted these keepsake collector boxes for $3.99.

Perfect! I thought of these crocheted sets immediately!

I just can't help myself

Now that you all know I smell dryer sheets, I might as well tell you that I smell ballet slippers, too.

Actually, those of you who know me well enough know that I smell practically everything!

I've noticed that one of my daughters is already taking after me in this quirky area.

I'm not sure if it's in the genes or if she's learned it by watching me put everything up to my nose.

It's one thing I simply can't resist.

Ballet slippers.

And they have to be pink.

oh, january

I know I'm not the only one who feels this way.

January...it's such a drab month.

I looked out my kitchen window this afternoon and saw rain dripping from the pergola.

"Oh, January," I said with a sigh.

Then I noticed the cute red and white checked ribbons tying back my kitchen curtains.

I hardly notice these during the summer months, because we spend so much time outside.

And as I look around the house, I notice other things about January that aren't so bad...

piles of books all over the house

and brand new calendars!

Now I'm on the lookout...

what else do I over look as I glance out my window and see a dreary, gray sky?

laundry day

A friend of mine gave me a box of Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day dryer sheets. Here's the new laundry routine around here...

1. Place wet clothes into dryer

2. Grab dryer sheet from box

3. Smell dryer sheet

4. Separate dryer sheet along perforated line

5. Smell dryer sheet

6. Place dryer sheet into machine

7. Smell the scent on my hands

8. Close dryer door and press start

9. Look down at the box and smile

vintage books: eloise wilkin

Eloise Wilkin is my favorite children's book illustrator. Yesterday I found We Like Kindergarten in a local thrift store and bought it for 49 cents. In my humble opinion, it's one of the sweetest picture books ever written.

I wanted to be in Miss Hall's Kindergarten class. Who wouldn't want to spend morning after morning in a cheerful classroom singing, feeding turtles, painting, playing the triangle and napping on a colorful mat?

My favorite picture in this story--I remember wanting a blue sailor dress like Karen's

Other favorites by Ms. Wilkin...

Baby Dear
We Help Mommy
We Help Daddy
Where Did the Baby Go?
Baby's Birthday

and I would like to find a copy of The Twins. I didn't know this title existed, and I would love to read it to my own twin daughters!

*EDIT*

A friend of mine sent me this Etsy link and, I'm happy to say, the book is on its way!!!

I want to remember...

We were blessed to be able to drive down to California to visit family this year for Christmas. The trip takes about 18 hours with kids :)

Here are a few things I want to remember...

the anticipation of going "home" for Christmas
a cozy little log cabin to stay in along the way
waking up to snow
the kids singing in the car
first hugs after being away for awhile
coffee with my mom
the safe feeling of being with family
how much I love candlelight
laughing with my sister
how much my kids love being with their cousins
good peppermint bark
Christmas cards
warm kitchens
driving in the country at night
stars...lots of them!
tears at goodbye...not so fun, but it means we're loved