What's in a month?

Seriously. What's a month in a lifetime full of them? Let's delve into exactly what a month brings at Whirlwind Lodge.

A month is me going back to work. This past Monday was my first official day back at work. I opened...on a Monday...which is scary. Thankfully, it didn't go badly at all. I even left on time, which is very unusual for a Monday. Also thankfully, BBM was off work, so I didn't have to think about Angel Cake being at the sitter's house all day. However, everyone and their brother (and uncle, and sister, and mother, dog, fish, etc.) wanted to talk about Cakes, or see her picture, or ask how her birth went (they may not be family, but these people have been customers for life, and went through this pregnancy with me). This means I had to think about Cakes ALL. DAY. LONG. And it means I talked about her ALL. DAY. LONG. And it means I cried A. LOT. Thankfully (I promise that's the last time I use that word), I got through it, and it's become easier throughout the week.

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A month is The Boys and Angel Cake being christened. This happened last Sunday. It was a wonderful day, as we had multitudes of family in town for the event. My father-in-law and aunt-in-law joined us for 9:30 mass, we came home for a quick bite to eat, and then joined back up with them and the rest of the family for the christening. There were 2 other babies being christened, so lots of family and friends. Angel Cake wore a family gown made by a family friend from the wedding dress of BBM's aunt (a different aunt than the one that was here). The Boys were treated to special outfits by my dad (who was also in town). I think they're growing up just a little too quickly for my tastes.


The Boys all decked out.


During the christening.


Not that I'm biased, but those are some adorable children.


With the bonnet on...{sigh}

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A month is dropping Angel Cake off at a sitter's for the first time. That happened this past Wednesday, and then again on Friday. She's only there for a little over an hour one day, and then about 7 hours on the other day. Luckily, our sitter lives just behind and down a ways from our house (within walking distance), so it's not like I'm driving all over creation before I get to see Angel Cake after work. The sitter also called me the very first day, at work, and said that BBM told her I was going to call her because, well, I'm me, and I don't like being away from Cakes. So she called to check in.


Beanpole holding Angel Cake.

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A month is winning a contest over at Lisa's blog!!! She had a giveaway for one of her awesome little notebooks, and I won!! I got a "You're a weiner!" email (oh wait, well, nevermind) that said the package would make its way to me in Misery just as soon as her little fingers could package it up. A few days later, I spy a large white envelope in our mailbox, and I know that my prize has arrived! Inside, I find these: (and you're just going to have to excuse my pictures. I live for blurriness...really, I do.)



TWO packages?!?! How do I rate?!?

Inside the littler package:



Seriously, how nifty is that? She even included a pink pen, since I'm all about the pink now! What a fantastic prize. Then, she *really* got me, however, with this other thing I found in the envelope:

***I have to preface this picture with a short story. Ever since I've "known" Lisa, I've also known about her etsy shop. She makes rockin' things like stuffed weiners with really neato names (c'mon...Balle-Weiner? Cup-Pooch-ino? You just can't get any better than that!), log carriers (don't worry gals, she's got 'em in pink too!), and reuseable produce bags, among other things. Well she'd had something for sale for quite awhile, and I wanted it. I wanted it baaaaaad. But I couldn't swing it in ye ole budget, and I selfishly continued to hope that no one else would buy it so eventually I could get my hot little hands on it.***

So, story being told, here's what was inside the bigger package:



But wait, there's more!



Of course, I cried when I opened it, but then I promptly tried on the apron.



One side has the tea towel.



And the other? A pocket. A pocket fit for...a *notebook*!!!!



And the bag? The bag is lined in green gingham. I LOVE gingham.



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A month is celebrating another year of being married to my soul mate. Big Boss Man and I reached 5 years of marriage on October 11th. We didn't go out...we didn't wrangle Mom into watching The Kids so we could invade some stuffy restaurant filled with candles...oh no. We ordered in...Steak Out, I believe. So while the celebrations weren't large, our love is, and continues to grow each and every day.


On our wedding day.

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So, while my hiatus from blogging didn't leave me with oodles of extra time in which to get the house all spic and span, or reach the bottom of DirtyClothes Mountain, or to finally finish Angel Cake's room, or to put down newspaper on the grass that we want gone for next year's hopeful flower garden...it did make way for other things. It was the last portion of the last maternity leave I'll ever take. I had precious time to spend with The Boys and Angel Cake. I think BBM and I even got to go out to dinner once.

But it's good to be back. Here's to many more months!!