All the rest of the week.

And Dad's back home today,  too. Even better!

Bean got stung by a bee on Friday, twenty minutes before I picked her up from daycare. She's a tough kid though, as you can see...

I'll bet you'd never guess what Lulu is a fan of...

Isn't this gorgeous? It's from Ann Sacks Tile and was a part of her Perennial line of mosaic mural designs. It was created by Ruth Frances Greenberg and called "Quince Tree."

Well, I was walking by the Ann Sacks showroom today at lunch and they had torn out this particular window installation and the wall panels were outside against the wall of the store. I couldn't help myself, I walked up to it and started running my hands over the tile surfaces.

These are VERY expensive tiles, typically starting at $45 a sq.ft and up. My cousin works for Ann Sacks, and even with his employee discount, he can't afford their tiles, either.

The man who was taking his supplies from the showroom to his truck saw me affectionately caressing the tile and said, "If you want that you can have it. Otherwise, I'm going to take it to the landfill..."

"I'll go get my car!" was the only acceptable reply.

Alas, the two pieces were too wide to fit in my car. And very heavy, too. They must have each weighed over 100 lbs a piece. And where Bean was going to sit on the way home from school tonight, if they had fit? I couldn't tell you.

One of the pieces, had a break in it already along the back, where the backer boards had lined up when originally installed. It made a cleaner break when he struggled to put the larger piece back into his truck, and I told the tile man, I'd take that piece!

It fit in the front seat of my car.

Bean's booster is back in it's proper place, too!

I do not know where we'll put this beautiful thing, but I'm thinking maybe somewhere in the garden?

One of the fun things about my job, is I get to use this stamp on my bosses personal checks when I send in his tax payments each quarter.

Seriously, it was originally his idea, I just found the stamp and ink pad to see his idea through!

Really, it's NOT that cold out today.

The need for hat, scarf and gloves this morning was a bit overkill on Miss Josephine's part.

I will make a concession for Comfy Horse needing a blanket, though.

I saw this on Pinterest: put your cut green onions in a jar of water in a sunny window and they will quickly grow back!

The girls were sparring in the car ride as we made our way towards Astoria.  Lulu must have stuck her tongue out at Bean, because I heard her say back to her, "Keep your tongue in your throat, Lulu! "

Lulu had an excellent birthday turning 8 this past Saturday. It started with pastries from the Bake Shop. She wanted to have two as it was her birthday, but managed to end up making herself a bit sick between that and a cup of hot chocolate with not only whipped cream, but a large marshmallow, too.

 

 

Then it was on to a day trip to the beach, to Astoria, Oregon. We stopped for lunch at the Fort George Brewery in Astoria, and it was delicious!

 



 Lulu hamming it up for the camera.

 

After lunch it was time for a birthday surprise. Lulu has been sad that our neighborhood bowling alley is going to get torn down to make way for a home improvement superstore. So, we did what any self-respecting bowling-loving family does, and went bowling! Lulu was thrilled with her surprise...Though goofy faces abound in the photo below.

 

Not bad in the scores department!



Lulu then tried her hand at the Big Buck Hunter game with mixed results.







After bowling and a round of BBH, we hopped in the car and started driving toward the beach and the bridge in the rainy, windy weather. And proving I CAN be spontaneous, continued driving us to our next spontaneous surprise for the day:

 

Where the girls saddled up for two rides each on the...

 

 

Then it was on down the rainy and windy boardwalk, to the indoor amusement park. Bean and Dad went on the bumper cars, while Lulu and I went on the Tilt-a-Whirl.

 

This picture below was taken before I realized what I was truly in for...

Dad got off easy with the bumper cars. I re-lived the nightmare of the Rose Festival gondola incident with Lulu, but this time with severe motion sickness. I refuse to go up high on an amusement park ride or in a whirly ride like this, ever again with her. I just can't handle it, and I have no idea how I made it through this ride, either.

Lulu however, delighted in the reverse reassurance roles we played while whipping around in the Tilt-a-Whirl carriage. She tried her best to calmly hold me and console me while I screamed at the top of my lungs, kept my eyes closed, clung to her and forbade her to move or hold the grab bar in anyway, whatsoever. (I think in pulling the safety grab bar, it makes the carriage spin around even faster, believe it or not.)

 

Lulu lobbied for a family game of miniature golf before we called it a day at the beach. We were all set to do so, until we saw the sign proclaiming No Kids Under 6 Years of Age.

 

Bean released the biggest crocodile tears upon learning she couldn't golf, too, so I whisked her across the street while Lulu played with dad for a candy run. Bean wanted a big 'ole lollipop and I totally accommodated the request based on the earlier circumstances. Bean, however, being kind and caring and considerate, wanted Lulu to have a big lollipop, too. And we bought one for her as well along with a bag of salt water taffy.

 

Mmmmm, big lollipops taste even BETTER when eaten in direct view of your big sister, while your big sister is playing miniature golf. Lulu's reaction was priceless when she finally noticed Bean to the side eating that thing, though I was impressed, she just gave her a very surprised look and didn't do any of that "No fair!" business she's prone to do. Of course, it all ended well when she was done with golf as she got her lollipop, too.

 

Lulu chose to open all her presents on Sunday after blowing out the candles on her Barbie doll strawberry cake Grandma Louise made especially for her at Lulu's request and brought over.

 

Lulu is still raving about how this birthday was her best, ever!

 



 

Bean has been bringing me flowers a lot, lately.  Which is good news for the neighbors and their lawns and yards...

I decided over the weekend I was going to tackle this sewing project, next, view 2 with the fuller skirt:

 

I've had the above pattern for a couple years, scored at an antiques shop, but not been inspired to do anything with it until I saw this lovely vintage number below on Pinterest recently!

 

My version will be using this great squiqqle striped cotton from Dr. Seuss collection of fabrics. I love the whimsy this print will bring to the vintage pattern.

 

Alas, I went to lay and cut my fabric pieces out on Sunday, only to discover I had looked at the wrong yardage information and must have ordered for the slim-skirted option, not the full. Plus, I'll need a little extra fabric to match up my bodice and flat skirt front, appropriately. Fortunately, the online fabric store I bought my fabric from originally, still had more available and now, on sale! I ordered more yardage which will arrive next week. It will have to wait for the weekend of the 12th, now, to get started on this.

 

As it stands, this Sunday, will be my day to stitch up my superhero words dress, instead.

 

Maybe?

FOR A FREE SLICE OF PIZZA!!!

Imagine my surprise when I went to my car in the parking garage last night after I left work and saw this bright yellow envelope tucked under my windshield wiper...

 

My tags are current, I have a license plate on the front of my car, I have my monthly parking pass displayed in my windshield. "What infraction could I have received?" I wracked my brain while walking to my car...

 

A very clever marketing campaign for April Fool's Day, my least favorite day of the year, since forever, but somehow made a little better, knowing I have a free lunch within the next 14 days.