Oh, that's so sweet. I am really happy for you, Amber.

Petunia might get a kick out of a night walk after dinner sometime. That's a great idea.

This morning, I had a longish conversation over breakfast with Petunia, freshly turned 5, about slavery, the Civil War and why anyone would want to assassinate President Lincoln. I can only imagine what the next four or five years will bring.

I hate those hokey games and decorations. At my baby shower, I insisted on only games that could be plaid with a pencil and paper (ie, things you could write down) - no diapers, Baby Ruths, baby food, dolls, etc. It was great. I hosted a shower for a friend, and it was all about good food, white wine, chatting and presents. And great cake.

You're my kind of Virgo! I'm always holding myself to ridiculously high standards but only perform well under tight deadlines. Do you make a lot of lists but then never scratch things off? (That's what I do all the time!) I have the Etsy shop date in my calendar; I can't wait to see what's there.

For me, it was never about the way it looked - it was the popularity. We wanted something that wasn't "in" and we got it. My daughter's name has been sliding in popularity since she was born (4+ years ago-yikes!) and I love it. It's a little old lady name, and it is so perfect for her.

I'm amazed that that was an early project. I know nothing of knitting (only a smidge of crocheting), but I think that cardigan is quite handsome.

I remember stringing cranberries for an office Christmas tree ten years ago. They were so pretty.

Have you seen Stranger Than Fiction? Maggie Gyllenhall is a baker, and it made me so envious. I've always dreamed of going to culinary school and becoming a pastry chef. And now I need to put an Eberskeeber pan on my Christmas list because those look DIVINE.

You must have great parking karma. I have had terrible luck downtown lately - the Mall, downtown and Gallery Place. They're doing so much construction and there's always something special going on, it seems impossible to find parking lately. Or maybe that's the different between a weekday and a weekend field trip?

I do love Kai Ryssdal's voice. I find myself excited when Marketplace comes on during my short commute to work (though it usually means I'm late). I struggle with consumerism. I end up using WAY too many plastic bags but I do at least recycle them. I encourage few gifts (or gifts of experiences like tickets or classes) at holidays to cut down on packaging and junk, but I buy cheap toys bound in seven layers of plastic and cardboard for other people. It's a hard balancing act, and it's hard to be conscious of every action I'm taking as it relates to the environment. I'll have to listen in to Marketplace this week for sure.

We wear our coats in the grocery store. Petunia may take hers off because she's annoyed but generally, we were them around. Wear coats that match your clothes. If you've got jeans on, go casual. If you've got heels on, bust out the dressier coat. If the day is going to stay below about 40 or 45, then I'd go for really warm coats.

My daughter will start kindergarten in two years. We too paid extra to live in one of the "best" elementary school districts in Alexandria, and I wonder if I will be happy with it. Not because it's a bad school but because public schools today are so saddled with tests and measuring. My mother has been a public school teacher for thirty years and recently retired and is now teaching in a private school. She wanted to keep teaching but was tired of all the requirements thta kept getting foisted on her and taking away from teaching time. I am not sure that involved parents can overcome state and federal requirements, though I'm willing to give it a shot.

Good for you. My mother (divorced) and mother-in-law (widowed) won't go anywhere alone, even the movies. I want them to have that confidence so badly.

Parents trick their kids into a hike; kids trick their parents into fun, new technology! I love it. I wish Petunia was old enough to do something like that.

That is really cool. What a great thing to do with older kids.

I remember being in awe at the people who made homemade chocolate 'lollipops,' especially if there were different colors. I never encountered anyone who made sugar lollipops. Wow.

Berlin, I just wanted to let you know that you are on my fantasy team for NaBloPoMo. I'll be reading and rooting for you this month. Good luck! http://elevatedumbrella.blogspot.com/2007/11/time-for-new-fantasy-team.html

Good for you, WhyMommy! It must have felt so empowering to walk the whole thing. I have done the Komen Race on the Mall several times. The first time, I ran in honor of my grandma, a breast cancer survivor and gave her the tag I filled out, which about made her cry. I wish I would have conveyed how powerful the event was.

Last year, we took Petunia to the American Art Museum/National Portrait Gallery, and she was great. We try to take her someplace a little "challenging" every two or three months, and it usually goes fine. I think you just have to try it semi-regularly to see how it goes. Now, I'm *really* dying to see the Annie Leibotvitz exhibit, along with the Edward Hopper. Maybe we need to schedule a Saturday downtown.

My daughter is almost four, and we only have one regular babysitter. We just this week found out that there are some teenagers at our church who babysit. Do you have any friends with nannies? I find that they often like the extra money from babysitting but want a break from their regular weekdays charges. By using a friend's nanny, you can trust that your friend has already screened the sitter and the sitter can trust her employer's relationship with you as a friend. Good luck!