7 Quick Takes Friday (#10)

1. I wish I could have stolen this shopping cart from PetSmart... and that it was collapsible like my current stroller. I just popped Samuel's car seat onto that upper ledge (which is difficult to see in the sunlight) and loaded the bottom and the basket up with stuff. SO EASY. Seriously, it was the best shopping cart/car seat I have ever experienced.

I guess it would be almost just as good if my current stroller had a grocery basket attachment. It does have a basket underneath... but people tend to think that you're stealing if you start putting things down there before you have paid for them.

2. When I was a senior in high school... we got a new band director, whom most of us judged (probably wrongfully) and disrespected a lot. The one good thing that came of this-- several of us started to crochet. In rehearsal. To date, I have finished 2 (TWO!) blankets. One of them was a 16th birthday gift for my sister... 8 YEARS ago. The other one, I finished last night.

After browsing my friend Meghan's Etsy shop, ThreadedGoodness, I was inspired to start a really nice project. I do pretty decent casual work (read: EASY and FAST), but Meg's work is beautiful. I like to think that I'll commission her to do a piece for each of my children... someday.

Did I mention that Meg was in band with me?

3. That said... I wish people would learn to PUNCTUATE. Seriously. When the directions the really nice project that I'm starting look like this:

"Rnd 4: Ch1, sc in same st as joining, sc in each sc, dc and ch 1 sp around working (sc, ch2, sc) in corner ch3 sps, join to first sc (44 sc, 4 ch 2 sps)"

I am bound to have issues. I started my FIRST SQUARE about 6 (SIX!) times! Every time I got to the part I emphasized in my sample above, I got so confused. And then... I read the directions out loud. And I got it. In fact, I made 2 very nice squares last night.

4. I feel like this is turning into 7 Quick Takes, the Arts and Crafts edition. Oh well. Yesterday, I was researching appropriate toys for 6 month olds... because Samuel will be 6 months on Thursday. And he seems to be totally disinterested in several of his toys. The first thing I saw on the list was these soft blocks, made of organic wool felt. For $30. Six blocks for thirty dollars. $5 each... for blocks.

So, I took myself over to Hobby Lobby (the name of which, always makes me giggle) and purchased some plain, manmade, not-organic felt. Then, I had an intensive session with the hot glue gun. This picture is the end result. These are filled with whole feed corn... which I also use to fill microwaveable heat pads... which means I have a 50 POUND bag sitting behind me here in the office.

5. Speaking of Samuel... he's getting SO big! And sturdy. And I think I hear him rolling around in the crib, even though he's supposed to be napping and I put him down almost 30 minutes ago. Anyway. I put him in the shopping cart seat for the first time this week. SO!CUTE! I'm excited because now I can use the shopping cart cover that I bought. I don't really care about the germ-protection aspect... it just looks like it will be comfortable and entertaining.

6. Baby Bobby Melton was discharged from the hospital and sent home on Wednesday! YAY!! I'm sure that prayers are still wanted and welcome.

7. At some point in her college life, I gave my sister a moka pot. I found it, still in the box, in her things last week, while I was sorting through some boxes she left with us when she went to live in Spain. Since I know she has another one in her apartment in San Diego, I knew she wouldn't mind donating to the cause of my sanity. I've never been so glad to take back a gift in all my life.