Wanna peruse with me?

I have an urge to blog but my computer isn't letting me upload any photos!! How cruel is that?

I think this will be the first post without a photo in years. I can't remember the last time I did something horrendous like that. :-)

Instead of pictures, I will just shoot this post up with bullets.

• Thursday, though I was sicker than a dog and could barely get off the couch, I am proud to say, not once did I resort to movies as babysitters.

• Friday morning I was feeling a bit better-but still not on par when Matt took off work (even though I yelled at him for doing it) in order to help me. We didn't do schoolwork Friday either. Around lunchtime, Matt was doing dishes and said "I'm telling you. I don't know HOW you manage to do all this in a day, let alone with a full day of homescooling. How do you do it?!" *sigh* Every woman's dream: their work to be acknowledged.

• That said, he would be MIGHTY impressed with my day yesterday. Not only did we do a stand-up job of schooling, I exercised in the afternoon, washed and hung two loads of wash, did animal chores, sorted 5 bushels of apples, nursed a baby-lots, swept the floor, washed a gazzillion dishes-cooking and canning ones, made French toast for breakfast and caramel apple porkchops for supper, made and canned 28 quarts of applesauce, and stayed (relatively) sane all day!

• We finally started up the woodstove. It was getting downright frigid there. PA isn't exactly known for its tropical climate even in summer, let alone mid-October. brrrr. There is nothing that smells so wonderful as the first fire of the season.

• With the onset of cold, rainy October weather, I have been using the dryer more. I had forgotten how EASY and FAST it is to toss clothes in a dryer and push a button. Wow. Welcome back to the 21st century Rebecca. (This said from a woman who just gathered jeans off the line.)

• I mailed off Judah's birth announcements when he was a month old. Now the world knows how pathetic I am.

• Andrew picked the book BARNYARD IN YOUR BACKYARD to look at during rest time the other day and came out thoroughly educated on the kidding of goats. It just so happens to have the whole process in illustrations! (JOY!) When my in-laws stopped by for a visit, he told them in amazed tones about how baby goats come out of their Mamas bum. I then proceeded to bury my head in the sand. I wonder: does that count for health class? Anyone, anyone?

• I have been in a crafting rut since Judah has been born. I have either lacked time or energy (or both) to get any crafty things made and maybe my lack of gumption has also affected my lack of inspiration. No longer!! I got the Magic Cabin catalog in the mail the other day and, as usual with Magic Cabin, my inspiration tank is now spilling over.

I don't generally allow toy catalogs in the house (because why tempt the kids to be greedy? And why set them up for disappointment? I wouldn't spend a DIME on the things in most toy catalogs.) Magic Cabin and Hearthsong (and Vision Forum, if that counts as a toy catalog) are my few exceptions. The two former for the sole purpose of stealing ideas. Am I the only one who does this? Pours over a catalog and says "I wanna make THAT and I wanna make THAT. Oh YES-that too!!) Is it worrisome to immediately think about making it yourself instead of buying it? ? ? ? ? ? nah.

Wanna see some of the things that made me gasp? Things you might just see Newman versions of in the future? (Prepare to be inundated!)

This Classic Cloak would NOT just be for dressup if I know MY girl.

These toad stools are beyond cute.

This Fairy Forest Home ingeniously uses silk gauze and would be a quick, fun project but what I ReALLY wanna tackle is THIS Tree Fort. I nearly died when I saw it.

This Christmas Pocket Gnome is super cute.

This pulley would be an awesome addition to the treefort the kids and I dream about. This rope ladder could be made from solid sticks and rope, and this fun ride cable? Methinks they would have to wait for my turn to be over.

I love looking at their dollhouse accessories selection because I love getting new ideas for making food and furniture to add to our homemade dollhouse. Love the watermelon, cheese, pears, and PIZZA! Alos love the pioneer shelf. All would be easy to reproduce with sculpty clay and sticks.

This Nature Collage Artframe would be a hit around here.And completely changable for the seasons!

This International Dollhouse Sweden Doll inspires me to make a few outfits for our own dolls for Christmastime.

Owen and Mzee and Ed Emberley's Funprint Drawing Book are two books I might be able to get through the library. I have loved Elsa Beskow for so long and so endearingly that I hope to own all of her books someday.

Crayon Rocks might just be on this years' handmade Christmas list.

The magic cabin dolls remind me again how much I want to learn to make Waldorf dolls.

Corynn would be in heaven if she had a reading nook this beautiful.

These pocket dolls insist I get a copy of felt wee folk and start making them by the dozens.

Silk Parachutes would be a fun crafty science experiment.

I might have to get Matt to make these stilts for the children for Christmas.

Somethings I just couldn't recreate or even own-but I can still admire right?

I wouldn't ever spend that much money on a baby chewtoy (I would rather hand them a measuring spoon to gnaw on) but I *adore* Sophie giraffe. Did I mention giraffes are my favorite animal?

Canvas tipis this grandiose make me swoon.

I KNOW we don't have room for this-but isn't this market stand a DREAM?!?

If I had to pick ONE thing to recreate-it would HAVE to be the tree fort.

PS. Naptime is over and the children are pouring over the catalog. Corynn has admired aloud the very things I admired in the catalog-it is incredible. A girl after my own heart. (She even pined over those stilts for Christmas!!!)