Cool blocks (and other yard sale tales)

I went yardsaling today, with my mom which is usually really sucky and productiony but today she did pretty well. I got Fina a new bike for 7.50, and it is purple despite saying BARBIE (I thought there was a law that barbie branded stuff has to be pink). We also got a few books, an angelina ballerina and a winnie the pooh which are both reminiscent of The Jolly Postman (which incidentally I always lusted after.), one about a moose helping santa, a mostly uncolored in Nickey Mouse coloring book, some random other books Fina helpfully tossed in the bag, and some of those american girl tiny paper dolls that mcdonald's gave away in their happy meals a year or so ago. We got a dress for Fina for next summer and a pair of black leggings for her. For Eloise I got 3 pairs of pajamas, a new dress, an oshkosh jumper, 4 play outfits for this winter, 2 pairs of pants, and a couple t-shirts. We also got a bag of wooden blocks, which is a mishmash of them from several sets like you would expect to find in Aunt Jean's basement. Which leads me to the picture:

I thought these 6 were pretty cute (I bet the whole sesame street set was cute, especially before there was years of filth layered on them) We have Franky, Prince, Bert, Ernie, Poco Loco, and Little Bird.

Eloise got this really obnoxious "learning drum" that she grabbed off a table as we walked by and then held on tightly to until we got home. And we rounded out the day with a couple stuffed animals of course. The books, blocks, and most of the clothes came from a church rummage sale where they handed you a shopping bag at the door and you stuffed it full for $2, which is why I was sort of tossing shit in my bag with no abandon. Oh, and at that sale I also got a swaddling blanket that I was going to give as a baby gift to my new niece or nephew but I think it is a larger size so I don't know about that now.

I spent:

7.50 for the bike

$2 for the bag of crap

$1 for the 4 play outfits and jumper for Eloise

$1 for a stupid stuffed turtle that Eloise "needed" because Fi was buying a stuffed toy at that sale (Fi brought her own money, score!)

And I think mom paid for most of the rest of the junk. Mom bought so much crap that she had to leave me her car and borrow the yukon to transport it all home.

Eloise's owly diapers

She's going through the bag going "Oooooh, what else did mommy buy?"

Climbing up onto the couch

I love how she's just serious when she's chilling. She's like "I know you're photographing me but I don't care."

Hamming it up a little by trying to stand up.

This is how we SLIIIIDE down.

Hey, I found the remote!

Magic Singing potion

Apparently today in primary during singing time, they sprayed "magic singing potion" into the kids' mouths to "help them sing better". Fina was telling me all about it when we got home. She said, "it tasted just like juice!" Then she sang a song to me and asked "Don't I sing better now that I've had that magic singing potion?" (answer: no. I've never heard her sing more monotone and chantlike) but I told her yes and she said, "Yeah, it's really too bad they didn't give you any."

Pictures of "fishing"

We went fishing today. Well, John did. The girls and I played in the water. He didn't catch any fish, mysteriously.

Just before I took that one, Fina came up behind her and kicked water and splashed her in the back. That's the mildly startled face but it was too cute not to include.

And it was about this time that I realized: I do have spare clothes for them, but I don't have any towels or even baby wipes to wipe off the mud and water. Luckily I had a fleece blanket that we use for picnics or things sometimes and it was enough to dry them a little.

Dolls

The other day I was digging out the cords to my sewing machine and Fina said, "what are you going to make? You should make me a doll!" Since I hadn't decided what I was making, but i did have a doll pattern bookmarked that I had been wanting to try, I obliged. I actually made 2 dolls because I have 2 girls and I figured if i didn't then Eloise would be super jealous.

Both dolls:

Fina's doll:

Eloise's doll:

I did the head/hair on Fina's doll first and I wasn't quite happy with it, Eloise's has the same style of hair except that I cut the loops and I made it longer so that it could either stick up like a topknot or lay down on her head.

They're best friends. I don't really like how they turned out, but the girls are happy with them. I think they're the perfect size for Eloise, she likes to play with hers and love on it. Fina has played with hers a little bit, but not near as much as Eloise. Mostly Fina just knows that it is hers and carries it around and asks John, "doesn't my dolly's hair look boyish?"

If I was going to use the same pattern again, I might enlarge it slightly so that they don't end up so weirdly proportioned and pointy limbed. Also I would find maybe peach flannel or doll fabric for the heads instead of the peach cotton that I used this time. And maybe buy some white paint and do their eyes a little differently.

Stylin Fina

I don't know why she is obsessed with these socks. I bought them to make fuzzy sock monkeys and opened them in desperation last winter when our house was freezing. I tell her not to wear them but she always finds them and puts them on.

She was being silly and hamming it up for me.

Note the dozen barrettes on the top of her head:

Bonus picture of Eloise, who was making this face in every picture I took of her today. I guess it was just serious baby day. (Or she's disappointed that I let fina out of the house looking like that)

Well Shit.

I guess I celebrated prematurely. Apparently this is "the CA apartment" so since we no longer wish to be cas, liz is kicking us out of family housing.

Relief

John said we can resign from the stupid CA job, even if it means that I have to get a "real" job to support us. No happier words have ever been spoken. Now I don't have to be fake nice to the terrible terrible neighbors.

Sparky's Overnight Hike

Uh, this one kind of embarrasses me. Oh well, I suppose it was an outlet.

Sparky carefully packs her backpack.

("1 2 3 shove!")

Lucky presents Sparky with the 25cent amulet of power.

Amanda arrives, and they wait half an hour for Angel to arrive.

Then Angel arrives.

They then meet with the Bozeman girls to drive to camp. (luckily Sparky is separated from Angel.)

("Do you have a backpack I can borrow?" next page "You can come with us." "Yay!")

They arrive and begin setting up camp.

Then they cook dinner.

("Does anybody have a tent stake I can borrow?" Thought bubble "Ahhh, finished." next page "Does anybody have any tinfoil I can borrow?" Thought bubble "yum yum")

Jessica says that Sparky can sleep in their tent, and Sparky agrees.

So of course Angel has to invite herself too.

(First page thought bubble "Only if you don't hug me again." next page "Can I sleep in your tent? I couldn't set mine up." "There's not enough room." (She takes this to mean yes).)

At the campfire, they all sit around and make nice comments about each other. (but sparky refuses to talk.)

They go to bed and Jessica attempt to tell scary stories.

("And I think he found a body. But I'm not sure...")

Having failed miserably, they attempt to go to bed. (Angel fails this attempt at sleep.)

Sparky is awakened by Angel talking in her sleep.

("I'm cold! Does anybody have a blanket I can borrow?" "You can have my towel." next page "Does anybody have a brain cell I could borrow?")

They then prepare for the hike.

They get up to the lake and eat their lunch.

("Does anybody have a canteen I can borrow?" next page "Does anybody have some food I can borrow?")

They get down and prepare to go home. Angel wants to go to Sparky, but Jessica rescues her.

They arrive at the church where Sparky's family is waiting.

("Sorry. Have to go home with the same person you came with." next page "Is that your brother? He looks just like you.")

Sparky goes home and goes to bed.

And Oinker plays on.