 I had one transfer on the way home from Atlanta, so I was in Cincinnati for two and half hours to kill. On my first flight from Atlanta to Cincinnati I finished my novel that my friend Louise gave to me. I was so sad to finish it and read the last page five times. It is as good or better than Pride and Prejudice. I had a small suitcase on wheels I was pulling behind me, my large camera backpack with a tripod strapped on the back, my coat tied to my waist, my scarf flying behind me because I was walking so fast, a starbucks in my free hand and there I was just super focused on finding my gate. I pass by one of those tiny cafes and see a blur of someone sitting at a tiny table clicking away on her laptop and I literally walk backwards as fast as I was walking forward. And there she was, my sister's friend Kim who has more caffeine in her personality than the double shot espresso mocha I was carrying. She was flying home from a wedding she was shooting in a different state. Good thing I ran into her, the flight was behind on paperwork and we sat on the tarmac for I don't know how long... That would be Kimmi on the left posing as me. 
Coco has been praying for six months for her own baby from Ethiopia and so for Christmas she was given Gracie. On Tuesday we went shopping together, Coco myself and a very large diaper bag for Gracie which included a plastic cake and plate and forks, two toys for Gracie, some matchbox cars, a book, gum, lip gloss, clothes...you get the idea. Chloe was so happy to be out with only me that she did not stop talking for three hours. 
Steve's parents gave me a gift card to Borders for Christmas, which is just so perfect for me. I have a long wish list on Amazon and enjoyed thinking about which item I most wanted that Borders might have in store. The kids Love Saturday morning cartoons and often want me to cuddle with them to watch them. I really can't stand cartoons for even ten minutes, I do not like the stories, the drawings, the flashing lights..I usually pass on the invite, but Charlie and Lola, they are different. I could watch them over and over. here is why: 1) They are British and that is just cool 2) The art is fantastic, little collage elements (real photography mixed with art). The color combinations and perspectives are enough in and of themselves 3) The majority of the show is based around the older brother being so very kind to his little sister Lola 4) It is funny, Steve and I laugh and laugh because the writer knows children so well. So now I am the proud owner of the dvd set and we have been having a Charlie and Lola marathon all week, I usually have one kid snuggled on each leg and the third little person is over with Steve, and everyone is happy. 
Do you want to know how many times she asked me if I was hungry and then offered me a piece of her candy necklace? She came to the dinner table with only one or two left on the strand and ate very little of her actual dinner. Nutritious She walked past me the other day and I was struck with how little she is, it is really so delightful to have a house full of such small people. 
Do you remember the story of baby Ari? I had lunch with her mother Laura, we found the perfect small town diner called The Cozy Corner. They had paper place mats with scalloped edges and I ordered grilled cheese with tomato and the waitress acted like she knew us our whole lives. I felt like I was in the pages of a novel! The above photo is a reflection of Laura sitting at the table 
My sister Juls and sister in law Martha. We had a birthday party for Juls at Kim's house everyone had to come dressed up in the most extreme thing in their closet. Martha had a hair piece and vintage Dior glasses, if they were not taped together I might, just might consider really wearing them. Kim knows how to throw a party, the games were crazy 
Kim came up with the idea of making bouquets and whoever brings the most creative wins so I had everyone in my family make flowers, Steve made me three origami flowers, the kids drew flowers and I made big tissue paper ones. Janet has the bouquet now, she said "It has twenty different kinds of happy in it" and I want her to always be happy so she has it. The day after the party, the kids wanted to make more, and I sprayed perfume all over it so it would smell like a flower. Gave myself a nasty headache because the house was thick with it after, but it didn't seem the bother the kids who had their faces stuck in them for the most of the day. I had Chloe hold her flower up against the wall so you can see the color I painted over their drawings in the hallway. | 
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