more and more treasures

Aside:

High speed internet?

Um, I don't think that word means what they think it means.

Maybe it got lost in the translation.

Molasses, turtle.... those seem more appropriate.

Okay, I'm done complaining.

On to the good stuff...

Look at this beautiful fabric!!

And it is mine, all mine!

(there was no wicked cackle at the end of that, I promise)

And speaking of molasses... I have some!!!!! And a can of pumpkin, and a big bag of chocolate chips, and two packages of chili powder, and a ginormous jar of peanut butter, and a crock pot, and another treasure that I can't talk about (it is a surprise for Christmas..... shhhhhh!), and chalkboard paint, and Maddy's bedding, and sunglasses to protect the eyes of my precious family (and absolute essential here - UV index is always, always, always in the way-danger zone), and some random other stuff.... and that fabric.

Ahhhh.... I feel spoiled.

Our boss-man was in Minnesota for a few weeks this summer (with his lovely family) so we asked him, if we would pay the extra baggage fee and could get the stuff down to him in MN, could he bring some stuff back here for us. The Gem said yes.

So my darling family, bless them, spent, I am sure, a ridiculous amount of time running around and gather this stuff up for us. My sister-in-law (my brother made a very good decision, by the way) and/or her parents (I love Bert and Mary... if I could have an additional set of parents, I'd choose them) picked up the stuff we ordered at their US address (just across the boarder - couldn't have it shipped to Canada), my mommy went and got the crock pot and dealt with the fabric fiasco, all of them - or some of them bought all the other stuff, plus book marks and fun pens for the kids, plus packed it all up. Then there was a lot of asking around by all of them to find someone to get the stuff down to MN (initially I had a "ride" for it, but that fell through) so finally my dear brother hopped in his Bug with a friend, after being Mr. Nasty Principal (pal, not ple - because the principal is your pal) on friday, drove down, dropped the stuff off, went to a Vikings pre-game on saturday and drove back on time to be Mr. Handy-Dandy Sound Man at church. It was a sacrifice for him, but one that he apparently enjoyed.

THANK YOU FAMILY!!!!!!

And speaking of family....

These are the books that I picked up from the school library this morning.

Beauties, all of them.

But I must admit....

Pathetic.

That is what I am.

I admit it.

I didn't admit it when I cried at Kung Fu Panda (those of you who didn't have not a drop of tenderness in you...).

My children teased me mercilessly.... they love to look at me during any slightly emotional or touching scene in any movie to see if I am crying.

Inevitably I am.

But cry in the middle of a row of children's books in a school library?

(And, unfortunately I am not just talking about my eyes getting moist and my nose having that burning sensation. I'm talking about crying.)

Well, yes.

You see, Lucy said to me last night (I just about dropped my load when she said it) "I want to get books so I can practice reading."

Thrilled, I went to the library straight away after dropping the kids off.

I sat down in the easy-reader section and saw "Julius".

Julius! We had Julius!

And mom still has Danny and the Dinosaur and Sammy the Seal (I forgot to get Sammy out - next time). And Babar looses his Crown and Big Max, and Small Pig, and The Fire Cat.

And (please read with an outrageous french accent): the piece de resistance:

The Five Chinese Brothers.

I love that book.

A piece of Heaven.

Frog and Toad are a cross over from my childhood to books we had for the kids at home - but had to say goodbye to.

I Wish That I Had Duck Feet is not that common to my childhood or my children's, but it reminded me of my sister-in-law (that Brother's wife woman). She used to quote it with boring, but enjoyable regularity.

Mystical Bob the Rhino, more commonly known as "Curious George Flies a Kite", is a family favorite. It is a daddy thing.... don't ask.

And Pickles to Pittsburg?

Jungle pickle 'n' toe, of course.

Or, Jumbo pickle in tow.... it is about wrestling with your kids.

Another daddy thing.... don't ask.

So yes, I was in tears.

Tears of joy from good, good memories.

Tears of sadness because I really miss my family.

Tears of reunion because we get to relive some fun family memories with my wacky husband reading stories.

Next time it will be all books we had but had to leave behind.

Good stuff.

I love progress, I love the internet (albeit rather slow in our house), computers, iPads (do you have any idea how badly I want one?), Kindles, and all that good stuff, but you just can't get away from the wonder of

a book.