My favorite shoe store...

...is the Nearly New shop on Vivion. My sister-in-law Laura mentioned the store the other day, and it put me in the mood to make another pilgrimage. I brought home a great stash of shoes. Five pair of shoes for $12 total.

Goodbye Big Yellow House

As of yesterday, the sale of our house at 417 E Franklin is completed. I spent a little time there Saturday morning gathering a few final items, digging up a few favorite plants from the yard, and saying goodbye. It wasn't as hard as I expected it to be, but I thouht I'd document some memories room-by-room.

Entry hall: Ben's "time out" spot on the bottom step (Sam only used it a handful of times), punishment-induced weeping and wailing.

Living room: Christmas tree in the bay window, christmas mornings, pulling out the sofa bed to jump, making tents, visiting with friends, Sam's therapy sessons with Miss Heather and Miss Sheri.

Guest/TV room: movie nights, movie afternoons, movie mornings, lunch or dinner on the picnic table cloth, cowboy campouts.

Dining room: Piano lessons, riding bikes around the table, dance parties.

Kitchen: The big remodel (ugh!), "can I have some juice?", "can I have some Cheezits?", "can I have an apple?", "can I have another apple?", "that's your fourth apple!", piles of shoes by the back door, making cowboy pizzas, "close the fridge!", watching Ben swing on his playset from the back window, Sam hiding in the new empty cabinets.

Nursery (this was the hardest room for me to leave): late night feeding, changing, and rocking in the chair, Ben climbing out of his crib, Ben sleeping on the floor for a year because he could climb out of his crib, reading books at night, singing songs at night, big smiles putting Sam down to bed (he loves his bed!), marking the boys' height on the door frame.

Big boy room: Ben's cool platform bed, playing trains, taking care of Beardie, BIG messes, Ben and his buddy locked themselves in the closet, said a prayer, and were able to break through the cast iron lock!, laying on the floor waiting for Ben to fall asleep, Ben and Sam talking and playing when they should have been sleeping.

Good-bye Big Yellow House!

Ben and Gabe

Since he was less than a year old, Ben has had a great buddy named Gabe. Here are a few pictures through the years as well as one I took a couple of nights ago. Due to our recent move, we now live accross the street from Gabe, so the boys play together more than ever. Every time I see them running around together, I reminisce...

Corn on the Cob