welcome to america.

Oh, wait.

We've been back for 6 days.

I just haven't slept much, you'll have to forgive me.

For those of you that have wondered what I've been filling my day with

{besides LOTS of caffeine!}

here you go...

We have spent approximately 5 hours a day outside {that might be on the low end).

The girls can't get enough of the PARK at Auntie Beth's & Uncle Joe's! :) Every morning, they want to go out before the coffee has even finished brewing. I think not. I {sadly} have no picture of them at the park. I shall rectify this in the morning. I hope.

We were able to sneak a visit into our traditional Chicagoland hot spot...

Build-A-Bear.

Daddy told Abby that she could have TWO bears

this year

for being a good girl on the airplane for Mommy.

Hmmm...

he can be a real softy for his girlies! :)

Can I just state that I'm ever so excited that they come out with new pink bears every year?

At least for the last 3 years.

We have them all.

Abby decided to hold off on her 2nd Build-A-Bear...

she has such control.

There is a new bear coming out on Friday that she MUST have.

It reminds me of sherbet.

It isn't pink.

SHOCKING!!

HA.

This is so Beks.

Let me just lay down on the ground now.

Someone will push that bear.

In that stroller I HAD to have...

And here are Abby & Bek's nanny {aka Michele!}

Strapped in for safety!

Our walk back from downtown...

we love Glen Ellyn! :)

{look at all the happy green trees & blue sky peeking through all you people in Korea--it's still here!}

{I'm going to save the story of our trip back to the states for another night...I'm tired & I want to do it justice. In that exciting post, I'll also include the lovely story of what has transpired since arriving back in the good ol' USA.}

Bloggy love,

a request

Abby rarely asks me to sew things for her.

So, when she did, I jumped on it.

{well, that means I made it before she forgot she wanted it!}

Here it is...A's new baby carrier {it's a mini mei tai, for those that aren't familiar with baby wearing!}

Can you tell she is afraid of my flash.

The new camera has a few drawbacks! :)

Modeling the back...

I have to tell you...it turned out so cute. She helped me walk the dog with her beloved Gertrude in it! So funny. Now, I need to make Beks one--she saw it & wants to be like sissy. Goodness. I bet Bunny Bunny will love being carried around in it!

Off to finish my secret project for tonight! Getting ready to move is almost as good for completing projects as nesting while prego. Um, without the 70lb weight gain.

Bloggy love,

so proud

She did it!

14 days. {because Mommy is slow, this was over 2 weeks ago!}

No more finger sucking...

it was as hard on Mommy as it was for Abby.

It just seemed like the last baby thing she did...and it was cute.

Her little hook 'em horns are a thing of the past.

But,

she's 5 now.

It was time.

She had a chart & was working for her American Girl goodies!

Traditional Abby picture...

Celebration dinner at Chili's!

No surprise there! :)

This cake was gone in under 5 minutes...I'll have to time it next time.

We are going to pick out her American Girl reward in Chicago.

Mommy Abby can't wait!

A little tea party.

A little shopping.

Should be a very special day for her!

Bloggy love,

i may shed a tear...

or 2.

or have a good old fashioned cry.

i am leaving the land of fabric.

tragic. {yes, i'm a relatively dramatic person}

but, it is a sad realization...

i will no longer be able to venture into a large warehouse or into a 5-story building to buy fabric from 1,oooW (.80) to 5,000W ($4 something) a yard. minkee is about 7,000W! won't find that in the good ol' usa.

no worries. i have stockpiled.

and i've heard before that walt disney world

is the happiest place on earth.

i think not.

no freaky costumed people here.

koreans following me around with coffee. yes.

do you see the happy?
and more happy...how can you stand it?
truly amazing how much i fit into my little basket.

it. was. heavy. HEAVY.
dongdaemun.

i said good-bye on saturday. boo. hoo.

and the exciting news...charlotte made her first trip to dongdaemun. so happy to visit it my last time with her!

the first trip is always overwhelming. she was able to overcome it & bought a few things!
kellie...she is modeling one of the MANY headbands they have on this floor.

it is crazy. another thing i'll miss--especially with 2 girlies!

RIBBON. hair accessories. ribbon. sewing tools. fabric.

did i mention ribbon?
our fabric shopping crew...brave ladies ventured out in the rain.

the sacrifice. :)

we found a restaurant at dongdaemun this trip. um, it's good we were unaware of this earlier--i would have gotten my energy back & kept on spending money. worked out well on the rainy day.

l-r: kavita, janelle, charlotte, susan & kellie
hey, they had a list of what was on each floor.

we thought you just aimlessly walked around.

get lost.

walk the same area 4 times.

craziness. way too organized.

so, that's it. that's all the fabric.

{okay, so i may make one more trip to happy quilt, but we shall see. shhhh...it'll be our little secret!}

Bloggy love,

Happy Birthday, Aunt Erky!

Round #2...

We love & miss you!

500th post...

Wow. I feel like we should do something special for this momentous occasion.

I can't believe I have written 500 blog posts.

Okay, probably not that shocking to you all. This is actually 501.

Here's your special treat for the day.

This makes me laugh. And laugh.

Here are the girls wishing UB a Happy Birthday!

{cha cha cha!}

Did you catch Beks not doing a thing?

And Abby playing 20 questions?

Oh, and the video was too big to send UB...

Thankfully, he & Pawpaw called us today, and the girls got to sing it in person!

Bloggy love,

vacuum baby

these girls.

beks actually likes this.

she probably just likes the fact that abby is paying attention to her,

but she asks her to do it.

and they laugh. and it makes me laugh.

vacuum baby, vacuum.

bloggy love,

blah.

I really don't like posting without a picture.

But really.

I don't feel like looking for a cute one right now.

Maybe by the time I get done ranting, I'll be in the mood.

Maybe.

Maybe you would be surprised that I was an English major in college.

Just know that my concentration was in Old English Lit.

So there.

So when I start sentences with "so" and "and"...you should know that I know better.

And I know that I use too many "..." and not correctly most the time.

I'm over it.

ANYWAY...

I made a dinner that no one liked.

Not even me.

But at least I didn't moan & cry the whole time.

{and have to go directly to bed because of it}

I drank my wine, but I didn't cry.

I can't find a place for us to live in D.C.

Yes, I still have until August.

But, I'm over it.

And I'm tired.

And cranky.

My kids will tell you.

That's all for now. Pray for our move & our new home. We really are excited to head back to the good ol' USA. Girls & I {and the hairy mongrel...Indy, not Brad!} will be back in about 3 weeks. I'm sick with leaving, but excited to go. I do like this military life. Not the part where we have to pack up our stuff, but the moving to a new place. I like it. Of course you might need to remind me I said this in 4 months or so. :)

I am now off to listen to JJ Heller. She & Dave make me happy...and make me think about what is really, truly important. Take a listen.

Bloggy love,