Quick 5

Good morning, Starshine!  The Earth says hello!

1.  Last week Alaina made a sign that says "Alaina's Prayer Spot" in Sunday School.  It's the size of a piece of construction paper, and has a loop of yarn strung through it so she can hang it up.  She likes to hang it on the doorknob of the bathroom when she goes in to take care of business.  My little multi-tasker.

2.  I'm in a bit of a conundrum about what to do about Alaina and her thumb.  She's been a thumb-sucker since she was three months old, and I've always loved that it has spared us the midnight paci hunts that I find myself on with Joya.  However, she IS four years old now.  We've told her she can have her thumb at rest time and night time, but she still pops the thing in her mouth at all times of the day, especially in the car.  So yesterday I put a band-aid on her thumb to remind her that she isn't suppose to be sucking it during the day and she flipped out.  Am I choosing the wrong battle?  I know she won't be sucking her thumb in college or anything, but do I even need to crack down on it, or let it run it's course? 

3.  The A/C works like a dream.  Although the greatest thing lately is that while it's still mid-90s during the day, it's starting to drop down to the lower 60s at night.  With our windows open and fans sucking in the air during the night, if I shut everything up by 8:00, the A/C doesn't even need to kick on until about 4:00 in the afternoon.  I can live this way for awhile, I think.

4.  This weekend is going to be lovely.  My sister Jamie has arranged a Mommy-free overnighter for my birthday, and a couple of my all-time favorite people are going to join us.  My dear friend Becky from college is actually flying in, and our college friend Kristy (who lives probably 13 miles from me, but I only see every 18 months or so) is going to come too.  Jamie set everything up, and I'm really looking forward to it.  Yes, my birthday was last month, but it takes time to get everyone's schedules together.  It was worth the wait.  I expect the days to be filled with eating without wiping up faces, watching uninterrupted chick-flicks (Return to Me?  You've Got Mail?  So many choices!) and a blissful night of sleep where I don't have to set my alarm for 6:10 on Saturday morning.  A big thanks to my accommodating husband for agreeing to watch the girls for 24 hours or so.  :)

5.  I'm at a standstill with the house.  (Okay, in all honesty I'm at a million different standstills when it comes to my house, but let's focus on one.)  I need curtains for the front window.  It had broken, dark blinds on it when we moved in, which we of course threw away.  It's a nice, big window.  But it's open all the time.  People have to walk directly past it to get to the front door, which gives them the nice opportunity to gawk in at us before we even have a chance to decide whether or not we want to answer the door.  And it faces east, so in the morning we get a good hours shot of morning sun.  That might be nice in the winter, but not when I'm trying to keep the house cool as long as I can.  The problem is, I'm a little paralyzed when it comes to getting curtains.  I feel like it's a big deal; it's a big investment and a large main part of the decor, and I stink at decor.  Looking a pictures online doesn't help me.  But I'm ready for a little privacy.  See what I mean?  Standstill.

Have a great weekend, folks, and a lovely week.  My little sis turns the big 2-8 on Monday, so if you think about it, send a big ol' Many Happy Returns toward Canada on that day.  Happy Birthday, Carolyn!