Haircuts x3

I decided on the way to pick the kids up this afternoon that today would be haircut day. The girls had not had theirs cut since the summer and Q had never had an official hair cut. We're hosting 2 birthday celebrations this weekend and they were looking a little rough. So, it was now or never.

Casey went first - the decided to get an inch cut off in length and add long layers. It looks wonderful. Chandler was up next who wanted hers cut to her chin. I really don't know why I ever kept her hair long - she is the perfect short hair girl.

While the girls were getting their cuts, Q was wild. Remember yesterday how he was an angel at the doctor's office? Well, he was the devil at the salon. He was immediately attracted to the back room. You know, the one with the large "Employees Only" sign on the door? Yep. At one point he was laying on his stomach under the sink for washing hair. I couldn't get to him and he found this to be thrilling. He would also take off running and randomly grab things as he ran. When I would get close enough to catch him, he would throw himself to the floor, scream holy hell and make himself into dead weight. I know that the hairdressers were drawing straws to see who would be the lucky one to cut his hair. And then, we got him up in the chair and he was an angel. He held still. He tipped his head forward when she needed him to. He laughed when she sprayed his hair with water. It was an amazing transformation.

I was really excited about getting them home and taking their picture together. All 3 with shiny new haircuts. But Q had a meltdown the moment we walked in the door and really didn't recover. Perhaps tomorrow there will be pictures.

Speaking of tomorrow...it will be the girls 8th birthday. So, on this day, 8 years ago, I made a stupid decision. Even though I had been on bed rest for 7 weeks, I decided that I should vacuum the living room. It was a very small room. The carpet looked terrible and my aunt and uncle were coming in town the next day to celebrate my birthday with me. I figured the 5 pushes of the vacuum would be ok. Clearly, it was not.

Quinn = Double Ear Infections

One snotty little boy. He was in the middle of trying to put the shopping cart in the fireplace. Just for fun.

I am at home today with Q. We paid a visit to the pediatrician this morning (you know, the one that once told me - referring to the girls - "Why, I think they might be the worst patients I've ever seen.") and he has ear infections - both ears - and they looked bad. On our way to the pharmacy, I called my mother-in-law to let her know what was going on. These are some of the things that I told her...

Quinn was an angel at the doctor's. He didn't cry. He walked everywhere by himself. He let the nurse and the doctor do whatever they wanted to him - listened to his chest, looked in both ears, then he opened his mouth and let them look at his new teeth and down his throat (using a tongue depressor even) . After all of that the doctor asked if I could turn him around so she could listen on his back. Absolutely, not a problem! And it wasn't because he is an angel at the doctor's office. I love taking him there. I would rather take him than his 8 year old sisters because he (at 19 months) is so much better behaved there then they are. And at the end of the visit he waved good bye to everyone and tried to blow a kiss to Althea at the front desk.

After my glowing review of our visit, my mother-in-law told me that I was never allowed to speak ill of Q again. I will try. I make no promises, but I will try.

A Splash of Spring

Look at this! Frankie designed this lovely logo for me and my business cards are in! Aren't they so cute! I'm in love.

Fun, colorful bracelets ready for spring!

***Sorry this post is so short. I am exhausted and will be home tomorrow with a sick Quinn. Therefore, I am going to bed asap. Like, probably by 7:30. No, I am not kidding.

New Stuff

multicolored stone beaded bracelet with pewter clasp $12

fantastic stretch bracelets multicolored glass beads - set of two - $12

Really awesome smooth wood beaded bracelet - not for sale - I love this one too too much! It is unbelievably lightweight and I have found a way to wear it almost everyday this week. I can make one for you though, if you like, but you have to email me first! :)

Stunning antiqued brass small chandelier style earrings - $12

I have been very busy getting ready for several events this month - we had a bazaar at the school that I work at (so much fun!), I met with the owner of Elements Salon in Athens this morning (more about that in a minute) and then I have a vendor booth at the consignment sale next week at the Jefferson Civic Center. I am not sure how that is going to go, if its even the right atmosphere for that sort of thing, but I figured it was worth a shot. After that, I am going full out with my etsy shop, so I have been working hard to build my inventory.

But back to Elements Salon...they have several of my pieces on display and for sale! They are located next to Earth Fair on S Lumpkin in the Five Points area of Athens. You should definitely stop in and check them out if you live in the Athens area.

My family is not for sale (although Chris might disagree with me), but I think they are pretty fantastic too. I felt like I hadn't posted a pic of people in a while so I thought that I would just bring this one back. It makes me happy. We have it hanging in the foyer and I catch myself stopping to look at it all the time. Its so beautiful its a distraction. You can't really see it so well in this size picture, but Q is spitting on Chris's head. That's pretty awesome. And probably the only time in his life that he will be able to get away with such behavior. Frankie took this picture of us in the fall...if you don't know about her, you should... www.stylizedportraiture.com

Fun Facts

This morning, as I dashed out the door for work, Casey was coming down the stairs with a poster about Mars that she had worked on last night for a group project in school. The poster looked really good. She wrote in her neatest handwriting. I offered to put it in a garbage bag so that it wouldn't get messed up in the rain. As I put it in the bag I glanced over her work. She had taped index cards to the poster with "Fun Facts" written at the top of each card. Only she spelled "facts" - "facks"...and she failed to close the top of her a's so that they looked more like u's. Oops.

The Box From Grandpa Part II

My dear sister in law commented on the last post something to the effect of "What did Quinn get?" Well, funny that should come up...

My dad and stepmom did indeed send something for Q in the latest box. I spoke to my dad Tuesday night (before the box arrived) and made a comment that there had better not be anything noisy in the box. He chuckled and then we had this conversation...

Dad: Well, er, um, we did send Q some V-day gifts and one of them is a little bit loud.
Me: Its not an umbrella with a whistle attached, is it?
Dad: (more chuckling) No, no umbrella. It is actually something that is representative of the greatest gift the Mexican culture has given us. (more chuckling)
Me: Dad, did you send my son Cheech and Chong dolls?
*silence and a long pause*
Dad: No. (very offended) I did not send him dolls.
Me: Ok, just checking.

Fast forward to the opening of yesterday's box...Quinn received a car from the movie Cars. It was Ramone - the lowrider Impala - with the voice of Cheech. He says things like, "Show me some respect, Homes."

The sad part of this story is that when my father said "the greatest gift the Mexican culture has given us," I knew automatically that he was referring to Cheech. Sad.

The Box From Grandpa

My father lives in Chicago. (I believe I may have mentioned that once or twice before.) And so the girls only get to see him once a year. Our visits are filled with trips to the zoo, aquarium, children's museum, movies, etc., and they love it. They love the fact that my dad and stepmom still have the huge wooden playset in the backyard from when my brothers and I were little kids. They love that the food never stops there (we're an Italian family, you know), and that Grandpa and Gram generally let them do whatever their little hearts desire...even banging on the piano for hours on end in the front room.

The best thing about Grandpa and Gram though is that they send the kids "boxes" throughout the year...their birthdays, Christmas, Halloween, Easter and sometimes just because. For a long time I had to go through the box before the girls because my dad would send each of them enough candy to last 8 years. Or there was the time that they sent them megaphones. And another time they sent them umbrellas that had whistles attached. Now, the girls are aware of what the box is and we have to open it together.

There was a box on the front porch when we got home. The screaming began in the car. It escalated in the foyer. GRANDPA IS THE BEST GRANDPA EVERRRRRRR!!!! Mind you, this is before the box has even been opened. But Grandpa and Gram never fail to disappoint...candy, Valentine's socks, fancy pencils, Littlest Pet Shop out the wazoo, $5 in cash and giftcards to Target.

Chris made the comment that he hoped that they carried memories of the "boxes" from Grandpa for the rest of their lives. I know that they will because I have been receiving the boxes since I was 8 years old and the "box days" are among some of the best days of my childhood.