Sole Searching

I consider myself to be a fairly reasonable person when it comes to shoes.  I like shoes, but my closet isn't overflowing with them.  I generally wear a pair of shoes until they are nearing the end of their useful life before replacing them (although even after replacing them I sometimes often hold on to them until they literally fall apart because, well, that one skirt just looks better with my old brown flats than my new ones!).  I'm willing to pay for quality shoes, but I refuse to spend exorbitant amounts of money on footwear.

Until now.  Now, I'm about ready to pay anything for a pair of brown sandals.  Because, apparently, I am absolutely, completely, unreasonably high maintenance when it comes to brown sandals.

My last pair of brown sandals lasted me for almost six years.  I should have replaced them last summer, but I just didn't want to deal with it.  This summer I have no choice—part of the sole has fallen off one of them, and I just don't think duct tape can fix it this time.  So about five weeks ago I started my search for new brown sandals.  I wasn't feeling too picky—just something not too expensive, dressy, fairly comfy, and little to no heel.  Easy peasy, right?

Ha.

Five weeks, countless hours of hunting, 9+ stores, and sanity-I-didn't-have-to-spare later, still no sandals.  After the first round of hitting the stores I expanded my search parameters to: less than $100, somewhat dressy, won't kill my feet if I wear them for an hour, and a heel no higher than two inches.  Thinking that now I was being open-minded enough that surely I could find something, I headed out for round two of the hunt.  I probably could have found something along those lines, but apparently the final straw was that I wanted brown sandals—not beige, not red-brown, but just plain ol’ dirt brown sandals.  Apparently I have absolutely no sense of style whatsoever, because these sandals simply do not exist. 

I did see one pair that looked quite promising, but I wouldn’t even let myself try them on after looking at the price tag.  Please tell me it is reasonable to not want to pay more than $100 (or even that much!) for sandals.  Am I completely out of my mind?

All of this would be frustrating but not disastrous, except for the fact that I’m headed to Lincoln for a friend’s wedding tomorrow and—you guessed it—my dress is brown.  It’s supposed to be in the 80s, and I don’t want to wear my flats.  So time is running out.  What’s a girl to do?  Do I subject myself to one more vexing round of fruitless searching?  Do I settle for something I’m going to absolutely hate by the end of the summer?  Do I go ahead and pay $100+ for the perfect pair (maybe—they probably won’t even fit right) and not let myself buy a new pair of sandals for the next 10 years (and at that price they had darn well better last that long!)?  Do I go barefoot at the wedding, because everyone’s supposed to be looking at the bride and not her personal attendant anyway?

Heaven help me when my black sandals wear out…

Wildlife adventures

Last night we went for a family walk after dinner, complete with Cassie, who had been cooped up inside pretty much all day (Cassie is my dog-in-law--Alex's parents' sweet-tempered twelve year old Shiba Inu/American Eskimo mix, who enjoys napping and more napping when she is not fighting off cougars... seriously).

Michael made sure we saw each plane that flew overhead (one of his current favorite things).  We also saw the following exciting Colorado wildlife (photos courtesy of the internet, as I did not foresee the need for my camera).

In addition to the usual magpies, robins, and red-winged blackbirds, we ran across a Spotted Towhee--who didn't look quite as grumpy as the one pictured below.

Photo credit:
http://sdakotabirds.com/species_photos/photos/spotted_towhee_8.jpg

 We saw several rabbits, much to Cassie's consternation as she was not allowed to run off to play with them.


Photo credit:
http://dnr.state.co.us/ImageDBImages/20040Web.jpg


And nearing the end of our walk we saw two very sleek, well-fed looking coyotes (much more so than the one below).  Cassie said she could take them, but we decided to go home via the park instead of the part of the trail down which the coyotes had headed.

Photo credit:
http://shrewsbury.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/coyote.jpg

It was a much-needed outting after a long day.  The morning consisted of a cycle: me sitting down at my computer, trying to work up motivation to work, realizing Michael was strangely silent, discovering Michael had gotten into something he wasn't supposed to, and cleaning up the mess.  Thankfully he took a good nap, and then wonder of wonders and miracle of miracles--he slept from 9pm-7am without a peep!!!  Thank you, Lord :)

7 Quick Takes Friday (vol. 1)

---1---

Happy early Mother's Day to me!!!

My boys graciously allowed me to pick out my Mother's Day present and get it early... and I am enjoying it immensely!  They spoil me... :)  I've been listening to Audrey's CDs almost non-stop, and in less than 48 hours I'm already halfway through the book.  Want open, humorous, thoughtful commentary on being a Catholic lay woman?  Buy it, read it, love it, share it.  Seriously!

---2---

Michael has discovered dirt.  He would spend the entire day outside playing in the dirt if I would let him--and it's very tempting, because he has a much longer attention span for dirt than he does for any of his toys, including the train set.

---3---

Everyone told me that once he was walking and running around--and especially playing outside in the fresh air--he would start sleeping better.  Ha.  Our standard night for the last several weeks has been waking up twice, with at least one particularly bad night per week (unable to stay asleep for more than 20 minutes at a time for a 2-3 hour stretch... teething? growth spurt? phase of the moon?).  Naps range from an hour to three hours (oh how I love those days!), with at least one no-nap/super-short nap day each week.  So our afternoons on no-nap days are spent with Veggie Tales or the Backyardigans:

---4---

Speaking of naps, he's down right now and I should really be working instead of blogging, because I just have a feeling that today isn't one of those glorious 3 hour days :(

---5---

That's right--working.  Last week I started doing some writing for a project at the Augustine Institute.  I'm absolutely thrilled about this opportunity.  It's challenging, I'm using my degree, and I feel "important" and "involved," which I hadn't been feeling with my two-days-a-week in the Distance Ed office.  And the unexpected extra income is literally a Godsend for us.  It's also an exercise in trust, as I would love to transition to doing this type of thing exclusively--especially after the baby comes--but for the time being I'm only contracted through the end of April.  However, I have it on good authority that there may be at least a little more work for the summer, and likely more in the fall.  One day at a time...

---6---

As if all the aforementioned perks weren't blessing enough, yesterday I received some high praise for my work from someone whose opinion I value very highly on a personal, academic, and professional level.  I spent the rest of the day alternating between walking on air and waiting for the inevitable humbling counterpart to that sot to my ego (since, alas, I am not quite nowhere near holy enough to receive a compliment like that with detachment!).  It didn't come (Alex suggested that the two hours I spent up with M early yesterday morning may have been humbling enough), but I did realize that I don't compliment the people around me nearly enough.  Sure, I praise Michael to high heaven for every little thing ("You played in the dirt for 20 minutes without eating it!  Brilliant child!!!") and I'd like to think that I keep Alex well-informed of how just how amazing he is, but beyond that it just doesn't occur to me to offer compliments to those around me as often as the opportunity arises.  This is something at which I'd like to be better.

---7---

And now for something completely random... it is absolutely imperative that you know that the microwave at Alex's parents' house says "KitchenAid Superba" and NOT "Kitchen Aid Superbra," which is what I see every time I go to use it.  Hmmm... yet another thing I can convincingly blame on pregnancy-brain? :)

Happy Friday!!!  Check out Jen at ConversionDiary.com for more Quick Takes!

Happy Easter!!!

On this beautiful and holy Easter day we have so much to celebrate.  We celebrate the rising of Christ to new life, and the hope and promise we have been given that if we die with him we shall also rise with him.  Alleluia!

Almost 15 months after his birth we continue to celebrate the gift of new life we have received in Michael.  He brings us so much joy (as well as opportunities to grow in patience, wisdom, etc.)!  He is very much a toddler now, and looks especially grown up in his Easter suit from Grandma and Grandpa (Daddy is jealous--he wishes HE had a pinstripe suit with a vest!)

In fact, he's getting so big that he's ready to be a big brother.  That's right, this Easter we are also celebrating the gift of a new baby, making his/her appearance in November.  Here's our new Baby Bear at 8 weeks:

May God bless you and your family abundantly with the joy and grace of this Easter season!

Christ is risen, He is risen INDEED!  Alleluia!!!

Signing

Happy Easter!!!

There have been some exciting new developments in the last two weeks--Michael has finally started signing some of the words/phrases we've been working on for over six months!  He now signs "all done" consistently (his version, which consists of holding his hands over his head and flapping them), and "more" and "please" occasionally.  Such a simple thing, but so wonderful to have a little more precise communication--especially at mealtimes, when we need it the most!

In addition, if he is in the right mood he will tell you that Thomas (the Tank Engine) says "toot toot" and cows say "ooooo."  I am one proud Mama :)

Here's Michael playing with his trains at Papa & Cici's house after Mass this morning.