This is me with my new favorite coffee mug. When Brenda was here for my birthday and we went painting, she painted this mug. I liked it so much I swiped it as soon as she finished the last brushstroke and paid for it myself. Luckily, she had been planning to sell it in her etsy shop anyway, so we didn’t have to get into a fight over it or anything. I love that grumpy little face on the front of the mug, but it’s the back side that really speaks to me.

Too right.

Since my mom is getting on a plane tomorrow and flying back to Omaha, Brenda and Bug came down for one last visit before she goes. My mom is so awesome, all my friends love her too and my friends’ kids all call her “Gramaw Debbie.” Bug is so comfortable with my mom that Brenda and I were able to flit off to the pottery studio for a few hours and paint while Bug stayed at home and played with Annalie. I finished up this frog mug I’ve had in the works for a while (if you think the frog looks familiar, you’re not crazy), and completed a custom-order Gumball mug for Moose. I hadn’t done a Gumball mug in a while, so it was fun to paint him again. Falwyn, yours is next on my list!

We also went to a late lunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant in Old Town, and then wandered around for a bit. We admired the wall of colorful soap at a shop that sells delicious-smelling lotions and potions. Brenda took a few silly self-portraits, looking for her 7 Days photo. Annalie & Bug watched tortillas being made and were delighted when one of “the tortilla ladies” waved at them through the window. Annalie decided that would make a great spot for her 7 Days photo, in fact.

We didn’t have a good spot to set the camera, so I was her tripod. She told me, “Stand there and point the camera at me!” then set the timer and pressed the button and smiled patiently till the shutter clicked. Then she finished eating her freshly-made tortilla. I ask again, how did she get to be so grown-up all of a sudden!?

Tomorrow morning: doughnuts on Snail Mountain for breakfast, because somehow we’ve never done that with my mom. Then we have to take her to the airport and say good-bye. I’m glad Brenda and Bug will be here to keep us busy so we aren’t too sad to see her go.