Reese's Christmas Book

It only took me a month to make - good thing I started before Halloween - and  is done just in time!  I am very happy with the end result  - it was worth the hard work.  I followed a Simplicity pattern but made adjustments like hand-stitching instead of using fabric adhesive.  I was thinking of making another for Amy's girls but I think that will have to wait until next year because my list of christmas presents to make is getting quite long...

Cutie Patootie

After not seeing each other for almost a week, we were both pretty jazzed about hanging out!

I'm not quite sure what took place in Reese's crib during her nap yesterday...

Preview for the next post:

Reese's Christmas Book is done!!!

Oaken Bucket

For those non-hoosiers out there, Oaken Bucket is the football game of Indiana University vs. Purdue University.  It always equals smack talking and tailgating.  IU always looses but we still talk a big game.  I was able to go to Bloomington with my cousins and met up with some IU friends.  We hit up Nicks and Upstairs on Friday then tailgated all Saturday and finished off with walking around campus on Sunday.  It was a great weekend of college memories and making new ones. 

Roommates

Besides living with my Dad and Reese, I have three other roommates. 

Gracie

Who has gracefully adapted to life with two dogs and a baby. She doesn't particularly like the dogs but she will only drink out of their water dish and she really likes my Dad, who doesn't really like cats.

Trudy

What can I say, she is pretty dumb and loves to lick, especially a sneak attack, but she prances around all day truly thinking that she has it made.  Sometimes I think it would be nice to be dumb and happy and little Trudy gets to live it.

Bella

Just back from a much needed haircut!  She is super smart (which just makes Trudy look dumber) and breaks into eat cat food whenever she can.  Her life is Lady and the Tramp - a cocker spaniel who once ruled the roost then a baby came and got all the attention, then a cat came (not siamese but still) and was mean.  I am sad to say that her "Tramp" is Trudy so I don't know if she thinks that is a happy ending.

Shedd Aquarium

Reese and I had another Chicago adventure with Allison! We visited the Shedd Aquarium on one of its free days.  Unfortunately, you still had to pay if you wanted to see the dolphins or penguins or whales so we didnt get to experience them.  But we did see a number of fish and Reese saw them too!  I pushed her stoller up to a tank that had turtles swimming and she looked in then pointed at the turtles and looked at me like "do you see those things?"  It was fun to watch her - I think Allison and I spent more time watching Reese than the fish but that is how it goes when you have a cute kid with you.  We also had a really nice lunch at the resturant there, which surprised me.  It is hard to see but in this picture the city skyline is behind the doors.  It wasnt exactly what I expected but we still had a fun day at the aquarium!

If you look beyond Reese (which I know is hard to do) there is a sting ray swimming - this was the coral reef and my favorite part.

Out and About

"Crime Doesn't Pay, But It Does Charge Admission"

Wow, we have been busy.  Reese has been having longer visits with her mom so, I have had time to catch up on school work (i should be writing a paper right this minute) and spend some time with the people I love.  Two weeks ago, my mom took off a day of work while Reese was away and we went to the Indiana Welcome Center and visited the John Dillinger Museum.  We ended up spending 2 hours there - they have the wooden gun that he escaped from Crown Point jail with (but it is a replica on display), his death pants and a death mask.  It is probably weird that I enjoyed it as much as I did but they did do a very good job of placing the time of Dillinger with news reels and books he would have read and all things 30s.  I recommend it if anyone is coming through northwest Indiana.

We also visited an estate sale shop that I think we book said "oh, look at this" a hundred times and I scored an awesome tin Washington DC date reminder.  Then the thrift store where we found some great craft supplies and a poppy pin that I could not love more.

 Then when my dad got home from work, we went to look at new cells phones... I went in saying that I wasnt going to get an iPhone and walked out with one.... and it is wonderful.  I have been playing an intense amount of cribbage on it. 

The next day I went up to Chicago with my aunt Kathy to go shopping with Annie.  It was the perfect day - Einsteins, (overly caffinated) Target, Old Navy, Gap, Borders... I didnt have an agenda but I did get some good Christmas presents!  Then Reese came back that night and I dont think I let go of her until she went to visit her mom on Tuesday night.  It was nice to have a couple of days to just be Lindsey but nothing beats being Aunt Lindsey!