Wichita, etc.

On Monday and Tuesday Abby and Anna and I went to Wichita for a major shopping trip. We had a really good time, and I think Abby got everything she wanted. Anna was an excellent shopper, happy to stay in her stroller and touch the clothes as we walked by. The only time she really wanted to get out was after she watched Abby's feet in a changing room. As far as she could tell, Abby went into the room, shut the door, and then stood on one foot, and then the other, and Anna thought that looked like great fun. We went swimming at the hotel that night, and learned that Anna is not a bit scared of the water. I let her go under several times, trying to teach her that she needs to ask "Are you ready?" and get a "yes" answer before jumping into the pool, but I didn't succeed. For the first time EVER, I'm a little bit glad I don't have my own pool in the backyard. She's spooky. Since Anna's been having such fun sleeping with Grammy Joan in the company bed whenever she goes to visit, I thought it would be fun to have her sleep with me in the hotel bed. It was not fun. I couldn't ever sleep with her in my bed when she was tiny, I would wake up in a panic every 30 minutes. I don't know how other Moms do it. I still woke up, even though she's almost 3 years old! I don't think I'll try that again for a long time.

I wrote down a few of my favorite quotes from the trip:

In the Olive Garden, the waiter brought me something and said "Ma'am".

Anna: (loudly, of course) "My Mama is not a man!"

Driving past downtown Wichita at night.

Abby: "Wow, Wichita is humongous!"

Also at the Olive Garden.

Betsy: "So, is Olive Garden all you expected?"

Abby: "More! So fancy shmancy."

I'm really glad we got to take the trip together. I had a blast.

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I sort of finished the top for Lainey's quilt this afternoon, I have all of the blocks together and just need to put on the borders. I have an appointment to drop off the top on Thursday at 1:00, so it'd better be all done by then. I put off putting the blocks together for so long, and then it didn't take any time at all to do it. That's the part that makes me nervous, where you'll be able to tell if you did something wrong and it won't go together. It turned out nicely though, and I think it's going to be nice when it's all done.

Abby and I shopped and shopped in the Dollar Tree in Dodge City on the way to Wichita, the next Craftster Challenge is due April 1-5, and involves making something out of things purchased at a Dollar Store. She helped me choose items and make a plan, and I'm eager to get started working. Hopefully I'll get done in time! If I enter, I'll be 3 for 3 on Challenges this year!

Matthew and I looked at cars yesterday. I wish Prissy could make it another two years, but she makes lots and lots of funny noises, and sometimes doesn't go into reverse. Looking at cars is not nearly as much fun as I would have thought, and I didn't really think it was going to be THAT fun. The new Altima doesn't have a key, you just push a button to start it, and is so fancy it makes me nervous to stand by it...and the passenger seat is amazingly uncomfortable. We told the salesman that was the problem, and he sat in it, and then agreed. We went around to lots of the other ones, but it's just something funny about that seat. It tips you forward. The Chevy Malibu seems like an old lady car inside, and is called a Malibu. The used Honda is a very nice car, but there's not a bit to be excited about, not a BIT! And if it already has 50,000 miles on it, am I just going to have to do this again in a couple of years? I want to just drive Prissy forever. So, we're sort of at a standstill, hoping to find a 2006 Altima somewhere, so we can sit in the passenger seat and see if it's better. Grown up stuff-blegh!