Mother-Daughter Day

Since we moved here 4 years ago, Emily and I have talked about how nice it would be to get away, just the two of us, and have a shopping/talking/lunch day without the children.  We've met for quick Target or Trader Joe trips and once lunch, again quick, but it's never worked out that we had the luxury of a whole day.  But since she's taken the week off, and both girls are in school, we made it happen.

I had printed Emily out a Halloween graphic to frame, and that set her creative juices flowing.  She then sent me this -



With Katherine's love for cats and Graysen's love for all holidays, we knew we had to do this.  They've grown a pumpkin in the garden, but I'm not sure it's big enough for this.  This gave us just the incentive we needed for a trip to Michael's!  It's more than 6 weeks until Halloween, but we felt a great urge to find that ribbon!

She took the girls to school, Katherine's first day at Rooster Valley - many pictures to follow - and stopped by to pick me up.  First stop was Starbucks.  I got just an iced coffee with a little milk in it, and Emily got her usual grande skinny blah-blah and blah-blah lattte made just this certain way, and we were set.  I have 3 Starbucks within walking distance of the apartment, but I never go there.  I'm cheap, and, to me, it's more of a social thing, but that was a good coffee.  I drank it all day and brought home enough to warm and finish off last night.

September (if I haven't already mentioned) is a hard month for us and I think always will be - the whole holiday season.  We can't not think about where we were 3 years ago, the hospital waiting rooms, the despair, the pain, the reality setting in.  I think it's getting somewhat easier as the years pass, and I know it will be even better year by year, but that, coupled with Kate's first day of school, made the drive bittersweet and a little soggy - and not just from the rain.

Emily dropped off some packages at the post office in Issaquah, and we decided to skip Michael's - only temporarily - and get her other errands run in Bellevue, or Factoria, or somewhere out of my comfort zone. We wanted to not be rushed in Michael's. I helped her carry her returns into Nordstrom Rack and walked next door to DSW get a head start on shoe shopping.  She was determined to buy me some shoes for my birthday, and that seemed like an excellent plan.

It's a huge store, and there were very few people shopping, so we were able to drag out boxes and do some serious damage to their housekeeping.  I didn't really have any idea what I wanted, just some comfortable walking shoes, but I've taken a real liking to slip-on sneakers lately.  We're trying to leave our shoes outside the front door in a basket, and this makes it so easy.

There were the regular canvas ones, leather ones, suede, mesh, corduroy - so many brands, so many colors but all basically the same style.  It was just a matter of comfort then - and color.  Of all the brands I tried on, Keds were the most comfortable, so I ended up with some navy corduroy ones, although it was a toss-up with the pinky-gray color.

The other pair I got were a style that I know is too young for me, but I like them so much, I got them anyway.  In burgundy. If they're too young for me, who's going to tell me!

Emily talked me into also getting a pair of soft gray moccasins too - totally useless but so soft.

I think these.  I probably should have gotten the sheepskin-lined ones. 

So that was enough of that.  At least I haven't let her talk me into clothes shopping.

We finally ended up at Michael's in our happy place.  There's my coffee, my list and coupons and the beginnings of the cat pumpkin creation.

There were just too many distractions.  I'm not a Halloween person - love the rest of the season - but Emily totally is.  I wish I had taken a picture of the porch pillow she got with the sequined cat, perfect for the swing.  It's not on the web site either, but the pillows were the best things there.  She wouldn't spring for a second one, but I probably can cover an existing one and use some of that ribbon for a matching one.

It was hard to get anything done after she got to the Halloween section.

Especially Spooky Town.

But we pressed on and got black wire for the pumpkins kitties' whiskers, paint and glitter paper for two more projects, and some art things for the girls.  It could have - and has been - worse.  

I have everything needed now to let the girls make these:

Katherine is all of a sudden obsessed with some huge acorns she picked up this weekend, so we got some gold and glitter paint to decorate those.

I want to make these for the girls.  I've printed the tutorial and scouted around in the sewing room to see what I have, but I think I can do this.  It's a mug rug, but I think it will do for a placemat for a few weeks.  I could put a bigger border on it maybe.  Looks like a trip to Hobby Lobby for a few pieces of fabric.  I wish we had a Jo Ann's nearby or a Wal-Mart.

I brought this little thing out that I did from a kit I bought in Minnesota, I think, on one of our cross-country jaunts.  I'm not sure I like it enough to finish it, but we'll see.

So big plans!

I realize Emily will be going back to work next week, and my enthusiasm will likely fade a little, but I'll try.  I even have my planner all set for the end of October.

I don't even want to think about what they've cooked up for their costumes this year.  Emily does a great job designing and carrying through with their costumes though.

Oh, lunch.  We finally got around to eating right before 2:00.

This was close and convenient.  Although I don't eat bread, and Emily is one day away from not eating it either.

I found a delicious combination and was perfectly happy with a Caesar salad and ten-vegetable soup with an apple.  I tried counting all the vegetables but didn't come up with 10.

Emily was glad to take my croutons before I could be tempted to have one.

I'm not sure what she ordered, but it was just the right amount for us.

I looked up the 10 vegetables to see what they were:

Tomatoes, red and yellow peppers, onions, corn, carrots, celery, spinach, poblano peppers, garlic, seasoned vegetable stock, chickpeas, sprouted brown rice and red fife, dried Aleppo chili." The soup is completed with a vibrant lemon wheel.Jan

According to Panera's web site, I got two of the healthiest things on the menu.  Good for me.

Such a perfect day.  

I'll get back with Katherine's first day of school, but the brain full of ideas that woke me up at 4 a.m. has calmed down, and I think I'll go back and sleep a few hours.