updates

• My sister is getting married!  She and Adam got engaged on Laguna Beach during their recent trip to California.  I am beside myself with excitement.  The girls and I have flights booked to MN for a long weekend in October for dress shopping.  Let the fun begin!
• Steve received a big promotion at work this past week.  I'm proud of his hard work, and I'm glad that he has a boss who recognizes and rewards his skills and contributions.
• I've decided that they should make one more episode of Seinfeld titled "The Last Word-er".  Sara should star.  OMG, she is so into having the last word.  *Please let this serve her some day.*
• As for Emma, can you say hand+full?  She seems to already think that rules are just suggestions. Here's how she rode in the cart at Target today:
  

(But don't get me wrong, I do love my beautiful children more than anything in the world.)

• We continue to swim almost daily (except for a couple of rainy evenings this week), and we've had lots of Saturday swim dates the past few weeks.  If, for some crazy reason, we were to never use the pool again, we already would have gotten our money's worth.  Seriously.
• Today Steve finished removing the cloth wallpaper that was in our entry way.  Yes, you read that correctly: cloth wallpaper.  It was ... interesting.  But the drywall underneath is in perfect condition, so with a little texture and some paint, our foyer will be transformed.
• For her retirement, my sister and I bought our mom a new sewing machine.  Sara decided that Grandma should use it to make her a new princess dress.  Grandma got right to work, and the dress came in the mail this past week.  Sara was thrilled.  I think her big smile says it all! 
  
• I think my car is on the fritz.  I always said I would drive it until the wheels fall off, and that milestone might actually be on the horizon.  Last summer we put a new transmission in it, and a couple of weeks ago it needed a bunch of other repairs (the kind you have to do so it will move and/or not catch fire on the side of the road).  Yesterday the speedometer quit on me, and I told Steve that it's getting to the point where I feel a little unsafe driving it.  But seriously, I do not want a car payment, so I'll probably just ride this out for a while.
• It's been a busy day, and now it's feeling like a wine and hot tub kind of night, so I gotta go.  More later.  Hope you're having a great weekend!