All Kinds of Good

First of all, I checked the mailbox today and found a surprise ... well, not really because my friend sent me an email telling me a package was on its way.  But I forgot - until I say the box - so that counts as a surprise as far as I am concerned.  Either way, it totally put a smile on my face :)

My talented - aforementioned friend - Carrie sent me a new snazz-iriffic camera strap cover.  Not only is it oh-so-stylish but it will also prevent me from confusing my camera for one of the many others floating around the play dates these days.  There's a whole lotta mamarazzi in the my circle of friends :)

And she also sent me the c-u-t-e-s-t scrapbook for Charlotte's Firsts.  The paper is pink and girlie.  The embellishments are delicious.  The firsts had me shaking my head thinking about all that will happen in this first year of her life!

What's that you say?  You're super jealous of my goodies?  Well, you should be ... but I have really good news for you.  Carrie has just started selling these goodies on Etsy.

Yes, I am friends with the one, the only ...

You should definitely check out her shop!  Tell her I sent you and maybe, just  maybe, she'll be your friend, too  :)

Okay, so as if that isn't GOOD enough ... I also have a muffin recipe to share with you.  My new thing is baking from scratch and often times I'll have NHV help, which is a lot of fun and very messy.  Well, tonight I baked all by myself - after the girls were in bed ... because I was in the mood for a muffin (does that ever happen to you?  am I the only one?) and I had blueberries in the fridge that needed to be eaten ... such a dilemma, I tell ya!

And so, I found this recipe - the name pretty much says it all ... and made six of the most delicious muffins I've ever tasted! 

Just look at them ...

Well, I am assume all six of them will be delicious, but I only ate one. And CPV ate one - even though he's on some (pretend) no-sweets kick right now.  I thought about eating a second one.  Decided I would rather fall asleep dreaming about it and wake up hungry enough to eat two!

Inquiring minds want to know ... 
What kind of GOOD are you having this weekend?

I'm in love with an ... Owl

Heard this funky Gavin DeGraw song today ... I'm in Love with a Girl. Do you know it? It's one of those tunes that totally gets s-to-the-tuck in my head! Hope you're singing it right now. Or at least doing a quick search so you can hear it.

Anyhoo ...

As I was perusing Etsy in search of a handmade delight for Natalie's upcoming birthday, I couldn't help but belt out my own version of Gavin's catchy song ...

I'm in Love with an Owl!

Natalie has already been singing this song for the past few weeks. She's a little owl obsessed these days, and I am in total agreement with her ... there's just something so cute about these wise creatures! Whenever we go on a hike, Natalie is on the serious look-out for an owl. Chad makes this great "Hoo-Hoo" noise that tricks her everytime.

For her birthday, I would like to get her an owl ... preferably homemade and one-of-a-kind ... so one day she can blog about the best birthday present she ever got and how she still has it twenty years later ... that's a tall order of a little owl, huh?

Well, I think I've found just the owl for the job ... introducing ... girly, funky Strawberry the Owl ...

Found this little darling at Homemaker Hobbies (a little piece of me), and I am in l-o-v-e!

I haven't officially purchased Miss Strawberry yet ... I have to think about it overnight because that's just how I am ... so don't go running over there and steal it out from under me. I'll hunt you down! But you are more than welcome to go visit April's site and find your very own super adorable OWL :)