Yes I'm still here - I know we dropped off the radar for awhile there, what can I say...D's in final's week and on top of that (and the obligatory editing of term papers that results) I'm also coping with a cranky Cookie who's getting not just one but two more teeth pretty much simultaneously. Despite all that life's going pretty well...we got approval from the VA homeloan program for a home loan and immediately after christmas we plan to start looking for a house.  :)  That's exciting because it means more room generally, and a garage for the car that doesn't require a walk across an icy parking lot in another few weeks/months...believe me when I say with vigor that a fall with the hideous resulting bruises would the absolute last thing any of us need.

Now off to UnderwaterWorld at MOA.  In case I haven't brought it up before, the Cookie LOVES the fishies...

The trouble with proper size baby clothing....

I got the chance yesterday to go shopping for fall clothing with both my mom and sisters. (I am the youngest of three girls, for the curious.) It was a rare treat indeed, since the Cookie got to stay home and spend some quality time with her Daddy while we were out.  D's an awesome baby watcher...if perhaps prone to addicting out kid to random get-stuck-in-your-head silly songs. Mahna Mahna anyone?  (Those those of you teens and twenty something who don't get that reference?  Google the name and the Muppets and be properly introduced...)   :) 

But where was I...ah yes, shopping for the fall.  We're officially back in the frozen kingdom of Minne-snow-ta after 5 years of army assignments to the southern half of the US (Georgia and Texas mostly).  The Twin Cities are as cold by late September and October as Fort Hood is at its worst, so pretty much a complete stockpile of cold weather outfits for all three of us was necessary.

Which makes me want to groan, because for the record I HATE shopping.  Well for clothing anyway.  It's a totally different story if we're talking a book store or a cooking store or an arts and crafts store - heck anything BUT clothes.  I'm just...not fashionably gifted.  I may be fashionably impaired in fact (at least for me - K has easier coloring than I do to find good stuff for, thank goodness!)   Luckily, my clothes shopping phobia is  mitigated for by the fact that my mom and sister both LIKE clothes shopping - at thrift stores in particular.  (Which is good because we're saving up for a house and like being thrifty.)

The result...10 new outfits I know will look good on the wearers  for under 80 bucks.  It was totally win in my humble opinion...

Especially in our case, because I'm hard to find stuff for and the Cookie?  Is basically an adorable curly haired bean-pole with an oversized head.  (No there's nothing wrong there whatsoever -big heads and monster IQs are actually a family thing, you should see the ones on her grandpa, uncle and Daddy.) With that disclaimer ...the Snickerdoodle's almost impossible to dress some days. Cause her tops have to be sized to be at least 18M to fit over her head (the sleeves need to be rolled they're about an inch too long), while the 18M  slacks are the right length but fall right off her hips...

At the thrift store I at least can match items to ones I know fit piece by piece.