oh so fun!

 

Yesterday was my second oldest's birthday, Miss Abigail Marie...everything with Abigail is an adventure.

Even when she's chilling and relaxing, which isn't often, she's pleasant.

This is from last year when we went to Ft. Lauderdale...

Mariel, Abigail, Sonja, Emily, Evelyn...

Abigail lives in Delaware now, so we didn't see her on her birthday.  She did get a surprise party, and that was probably a blast.  She's not the kind of girl who hates being surprised.  I'm very proud of her, she has her own accounting business now, and is doing well.  She is coming home for Christmas!!!!

Yesterday, I drove Charlotte Claire in to school late, so she could sleep in a little...she went to The Nutcracker on Monday night with Camille and some of their friends.  I decided I'd go to the thrift store, because 25% off Tuesday, and if I was already dressed and out...I also decided to invite my friend Angela, who accepted, and off we went.  It was way too much fun.  She is also a dawdler and a browser, and we get on like a house on fire.  

I found:  a sweet red sweater for Achilles, a size 2t OshKosh jean jumper (so cute!), some things brand new in packages for gifts, shh, a nice thermos ($1.50!), a Ranier Series Camp Chef stove for $4.49 (checked online, they sell for $199), hope it works. Sometimes it's worth the gamble.

 I also bought a beautiful dress, a UllaPopken, Angela found it...it had a red tag, and red tags were 70%off...so it was $2.40. I don't LOVE the print, but I do love the fit, and the style, and it has pockets.  It seems like it's never even been washed.  

Four pretty Christmas glasses and a cute candy dish also made their way into my cart...

Things I just NEED...the candy dish was 74 cents...and the glasses, 60 cents each.  It's hard when you're leaning towards minimalism, but you love all the things.

There is a lot of coziness around here.  The heater is humming, the tree is glowing, and there are pumpkin muffins in the oven.  (I stopped in the grocery store a few weeks ago, and there was pumpkin bread/muffin mix half off, so for three dollars, we have one loaf of pumpkin bread, a dozen big muffins, and a dozen mini muffins.   With some glaze and Christmas sprinkles, mmm.  I'm planning to pass them out tonight when we go to clean at church.

Ever feel sick and tired of anything?  I thought this morning I'm sick and tired of being cold ALREADY.    Then I thought...go ahead and get sick and tired, it'll all be over before you know it.  We dig our heels in, here on earth, set everything up like we're here to stay, forgetting for huge swaths of time that we're actually just temporary guests, pilgrims, visitors.  

Well hours passed, I vacuumed and did dishes, and Kathryn is here with the kids...I made a roll-out butter cookie dough, and gingerbread cookie dough...all refrigerated for baking....ahh, now in my comfy chair with afternoon coffee...this is a grand vacation, this journey through life....most of the time, ha.