It’s a beautiful day in Oregon — any day that the sun shines in the winter here is a very welcome respite!  I’m hoping to have a free half hour to bundle up and get out for a walk with the dog today and enjoy it…

It’s been a busy week around here.  There was another couple of bad days with the kids — more temper tantrums, clothes being tossed into the full tub, Alice going head over heels on her trike, etc, etc, – just more of the norm for a parent of little ones.  We seem to be having a better week this week (ok, maybe Jack is screaming his head off upstairs as I say that, but oh well…).  Here’s Alice a few days after the trike incident — she was sporting a lovely bruised and scraped nose, lip and chin…

I’ve had a difficult time wanting to post for the last week because it seemed that whatever I said would be so trivial in comparison to what had happened.  My mother’s best friend’s 23 year old son was found dead in his apartment.  Five days after burying her father.  He would have graduated from college last friday.  This on the heel’s of one of my good friend’s friend losing her 22 year old daughter in the same manner the week before Thanksgiving.  I haven’t been able to wrap my mind around much else in the last week.  It just makes you wonder how you go on as a parent after something like that.  My mother’s friend lost her sister a couple of years ago and adopted her nephew.  I’m so thankful that she has a child in the house, someone that she has to get up and take care of to keep her going.  All of this definitely makes me even more appreciative of my children.  What do the temper tantrums, screaming and fighting really matter in the grand scheme?  This is a reminder of just how quickly life can throw you a curve ball.  Count your blessings….

So, I had promised a peek at the kit for January.  It’s a homage to the most fabulous city in the world (in my mind, that is!).  I spent a year in Paris when I was 21.  It left an indelible mark on me and transformed the direction I thought my life would take.  I’m in love with Paris!

This kit has a great vintage feel to it and just looking at it makes me happy!  I even found enough of some great vintage items that we’ll be able to include those in all the kits!  Look for a better peek at the kit in a couple of days…

On an up note, we celebrated St Nicholas’ day yesterday.  Ok, so St Nick’s Day wasn’t really yesterday, but if you live in the States where few people celebrate it and your kids are still very little, you can celebrate on any day that you finally find a few minutes to get your act together (and when the little gifts have arrived from the grandmother for the occassion).  Happy belated St Nicholas’ Day to all!