it has been busy, and i have been uninspired, at least in the words department. i spent the weekend with my family in the mountains of virginia, and i'm still recovering from the love and the food and the lack of sleep. i love my relatives. that's a nice feeling.

my cousins carey and laura are both pregnant, so we had a surprise baby shower. i gave them both little tiny virginia tech onesies and tiny hokie bird booties to celebrate our alma mater. i can't get over how little babies are. except for my new nephew on my step-family's side. he is a huge fat little two and a half month old man. i just wanted to shove him in my suitcase and bring him back to chicago with me, how cute he was in his little cable knit sweater vest and cargo shorts. which reminds me: i don't understand the purpose of pockets on baby clothes. do they need a place to put their wallets and keys and spare change?

my favorite verbal exchange of the weekend: (backstory: laura is pregnant. she has two kids, 5 year old jake and 3 year old grace. their aunt is also pregnant.)

grace: (looking at her mom and her aunt) "you don't have a baby."
emily: "no, you are right, i don't have a baby."
jake: (evaluating me with a furrowed brow) "yeah, you are WAY too thin."

this will leave me with smiles for weeks, i tell you. except that today while holding my coworker's 4 month old, i realized that i kind of want a baby. a little bit. sort of. but at least after a weekend of eating and drinking too much toddlers don't mistake me for being pregnant.

i am obsessed with little comfy ballet flats and mocassins right now. i'm working on wearing my bronx flats out:

and i'm thinking about something new now....or else the same shoes in tan:

i plan to spend some time this weekend taking pictures of the dozens of necklaces and earrings i've made over the past few weeks. i have way too many to do anything with, so i may end up trying to get a booth at one of the many chicago craft fairs to sell some of it. i ordered some new beads yesterday, some pearls, more agate, jasper and amazonite. i can't stop.

vows i've made in the past week:
1. to never book a 6:30 am flight again.
2. to drink more water.
3. to dress my children well.
4. to bring a flask and some sedatives next time i travel, just in case my flight is delayed THREE FREAKING HOURS.
5. to overreact less.