Yes, I still exist!!

It's about time to update this-here blog, isn't it? Posting has been light the past couple of months, ever since April's "I-will-post-every-day-and-number-down" series while I was at my parents' house (no, I didn't explain what the numbers were at the time... I was hoping to add to the Aura of Mystery. What do you mean, it didn't work??)

Today it is Hot here in the Lehigh Valley, hitting a high of around 94 degrees (and very humid). To beat the heat, I took the Chicken in her new stroller to wander around Linens-N-Things and Babies-R-Us (what's with the middle initial contraction phenomenon? Does it have marketing appeal like spelling words like "town" and "shop" with extraneous letters at the end?) So far I am quite pleased with the new stroller- with the one exception that the wheels seem not QUITE as smooth as they should be. I read somewhere that bits of dirt can get between the wheel and the... uh... bearing?, causing decreased performance. Overall it was a great value for the price, though, with the taller handle (for Nate), deep recline (she napped soundly in the store today), and the portability (lightweight, and with the carry strap I can go up and downstairs pretty easily while carrying the baby and diaper bag as well.) Even thought it's not a one-handed fold design, it's still easy enough that I can fold it while holding the baby. So I'm glad I picked it out. (It came quickly too- wasn't supposed to be here until much later!!) :-)

Anyway, Linens-n-Things was a bust- they're going out of business, so you would expect good deals, right? They have the man out on the street holding the going-out-of-business signs, the millions of bankruptcy signs hanging from the ceiling... BUT, most of their merchandise was 10% off! That's not 10% in addition to regular sale prices... and usually you can find a lot of stuff 25% or 50% off sticker price. Also they weren't accepting coupons anymore! (They used to take Bed Bath and Beyond's coupons... even expired ones!) So no new sheets for us. At BRUS we got the Touch-and-Tickle Rounds and a Boppy Changing Pad Set (same fabric as my Boppy nursing pillow slipcover. Matching is Important, you know.) ;-)

We're moving June 28th, and while I get rid of things we won't be moving with, I'm shopping for new stuff we need. ("Need.") On the list: A new sofa and chair or loveseat; new table (preferably with leaf) and 4 or 6 chairs (my inner geometrer likes the idea of a square or circle table that becomes a rectangle or oval with leaf); a full-size bed (for second bedroom, for Madelaine to sleep on); a dresser and possibly changing table (I like cherry; sleigh style?). It seems like I go through phases of Retail Euphoria, and I'm in a shopping and bargain hunting mode right now. Also, shopping online is easier than doing things like cleaning out the bathroom cabinets in preparation to move...

I should wrap this up- hoping to do a post for the Chicken's ten-month birthday tomorrow, but we'll see- here's a couple of pictures, in closing.

Love, Neb