We hosted our weekly playgroup this morning. Kara came over wearing a blue flowered dress that Annalie also happens to own. Naturally, I had to find that dress for her so she could put it on, because what’s more fun than dressing just like one of your friends?

Nothing, that’s what!

Kara and Annalie were thick as thieves the whole morning. They colored together. They spent a long time playing “Grandma and Mommy and Baby” with one of Annalie’s babydolls. They sneaked up to Annalie’s bedroom (which is off-limits during playgroup because that’s where I hide the mess that’s normally in the living room) together. They were having a great old time.

After they came back downstairs, Annalie asked me to help her find her stickers. That’s not a special request or anything; she is allowed free access to her sticker collection and is allowed to use them however she likes, as long as she likes putting them on paper or someone’s clothes. I rummaged in her art drawers and gave her the whole zipper bag full without thinking twice. That was first my mistake.

Ten minutes later, I realized I had not heard or seen Annalie or Kara since handing over the stickers. Losing track of them was my second mistake. I found them creating their own sticker art gallery on the underside of the kitchen table.

I managed to keep a straight face long enough to remind them that stickers are not for furniture, and suppressed the urge to have them pose for a photo with the stickers above them. They crawled out from under the table, gave me the remaining stickers, and went off to play.

April 1: Coffee Shop Corn Muffins I made for our Bible study potluck. They’re very nearly the perfect corn muffin—not too sweet, hearty but moist. I will definitely be making them again.

2: We’ve been spending lot of time on the deck lately. Lily, who is mostly an indoor cat, joined us for one of her rare strolls out-of-doors. She spent about five minutes at the open screen door, sniffing and rubbing, before she ventured out.

3: Mmmm, hummus & pita…from my favorite restaurant in Virginia Beach, Elia’s.

4: I got my new Stripey Electric Pocket from photojojo just in time for our weekend trip.

5: Annalie helping her cousin Leo and Aunt Dana put together a floor puzzle.

6: Feather Your Nest sent me this awesome oilcloth bag more than a week ago for the Color Me Happy Swaparooni Tote Swap. The main reason I’ve been slow to take a picture is because I started using it as soon as I got it out of the box! On our weekend road trip to visit family I used it to carry several crochet projects, two books, some snacks, and my new camera.

7: Annalie peeling glue off her fingers after a crafting session, wearing the apron from BeachMama.

8: Annalie nicking a strawberry from my fruit salad. I used half a fresh pineapple, two pints of strawberries, a handful of blueberries, a couple of bunches of grapes, and a mango at the peak of perfection. It’s in this bowl.

For the 30 Tiny Moments group on Flickr, nudged into it by Sarah. If nothing else it motivates me to use my new camera every day and get over my annoyance at not knowing how to use it already. Eight days down, 22 to go.

a quickr pickr post