Four Little Monkeys

I've got some happy mail to post:

My friend and former neighbor, Amy, sent a beautiful birth announcement and a thank you for a baby gift. This picture was definitely taken in her new house - I'd recognize those floors anywhere - so I'm thinking she took that photo herself. Beautiful baby, beautiful photograph.

Next I have a thank you from Kristi that I forgot to crop before I uploaded it. She's so good about using exact postage. I'll over pay postage by quite a bit if I don't have any penny stamps.

I got a surprise package from Kelly A. for winning a contest on her blog. Love the big pink envelope, Kelly. I knew I had good mail as soon as I opened my mailbox.

I've already put the pink envelope to good use: I folded and sent off my mom's Mother's Day present in this envelope bright enough to call wrapping paper. I have some thrifting to post, and the gift for my mom loosely translates as thrifting. I found it antiquing, actually. The main difference between thrifting and antiquing is the $$$, but the cost of antiquing is no more offensive than the odor of thrift stores, so I'm going to call it even.

My mom grew up in Raymond, Alberta, which has (had? is it still operational? i don't really know) a sugar beet factory. When I was antiquing during my corporate retreat trip I found this cloth sugar sack from her home town. The bag is about the size of a king sized pillowcase, and it is so cool. My dad has a rule about not giving them gifts that they have to store, so I often give tickets, but I figure this can fold up and fit in their linen closet quite nicely and painlessly.

When I was looking for corporate retreat dress up clothes at Value Village, I found this great cowgirl outfit. Too small for me, perfect for my girls. They go to a country school and have Western Days all the time.

My little girls like me to tell them this story, but we didn't have the book up until now. This copy closely follows the 'Barb' version, plus when I opened the book and saw the cute inside cover, I was instantly sold - 49 cents? O.K.!

Saturday I passed a garage sale in my neighborhood, and this old cruiser bike was a free give away. It is in perfect working condition, has a blue sparkle vinyl seat - all it needs is a basket! We don't lack for bikes around here, but Jaclyn and I have been sharing a bike which interferes with family bike rides. If she doesn't want to ride this baby, I'm happy to.