Flora Likes to Pick Out Her Own Outfits

Ready for our dinner guests. 

Did you let your children pick out their own outfits at a young age?  Even it it meant sometimes they left the house in ridiculous clothes? 

Back to Work, Kinda

I've been keeping myself very busy for the past week.  I've gone back to work, kinda.  


My grandmother, JJ, is a collector of old ethnic jewelry and has been for 50 years.  She used to have a business but stopped selling when she was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer 10 years ago.  She beat the odds and has been cancer free for several years now.  


Though cancer free and doing well, JJ does not have the energy or desire to sell at collector shows anymore.  Instead, I have started a business to help her sell her collection online.  She provides the collection and expertise and my folks, and I do all the hard work.  It's a great deal for everyone because honestly, no one in the family could have done this collection justice, upon inheritance, without JJ's help.  While I appreciate the rarity and beauty of her collection it is not my passion, it is hers.   She seems genuinely excited to have a reason to spend hours in her "bead room" again.  


After months of work we have finally opened our online store.  I have been (still am) uploading inventory daily.  Not an easy task with a toddler running around.  


We haven't even sent out our mailing launching the store and already we have sales.  It feels good. 


Please check out our store, Girl Adorned.  If you have loved ones who have a passion for ethnic treasures pass the link along because the Jackie Little Collection has been coveted by other collectors for decades.  

Me as the "Girl Adorned" Age 5
This has been the advertisement
for JJ's business for almost 25 years.

Dance Class

Tuesday was Flora's first day of dance class.  She did great.  She held her own with the bigger kids, she listened to the teacher and most importantly, she had fun!  Flora had so much fun she even cried a little when it was time to go home.  The teacher diffused the situation by asking her to draw a picture of what it looks like when she dances and bring it to class next week.  


I can't believe how big my girl is getting.  

Marching

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!

Listening intently 

Have I mentioned how grown up she is?

Flora's First Day of Dance Class from David Saldana on Vimeo.

A Classic Shave

I'm not cheap.  I like nice things.  I don't like overpaying.  We have been overpaying for razor blades for too long.  Every time I go to the store to buy new Mach3 replacement blades the price goes up.  Last time I went to buy some, 8 replacement blades were going to cost me $23.  That's $2.87 a blade for those of you who don't want to do the math.


I've put my foot down.  I will not over pay for razor blades any longer.  Instead David and I are changing our grooming routine.  We will now use an old school safety razor to shave.


I bought a Merkur Classic Safety Razor, Straight and 100 SHARP STAINLESS Double Edge Polymer Coated Safety Razor Blades for about $50.  The cost of replacement blades is $0.16 each.


You may be under the impression that safety razors are difficult to use and that it is easy to cut yourself, I was.  It's not true.  The first thing I did when the package arrived today was shave and I did not cut myself once.  I did not have to shave extremely slowly and cautiously.  I was easy, almost as easy as a modern razor.  But that's not all...


The best part?  My legs are so smooth.  MUCH smoother than they get when shaving with a modern razor.  David's review is that they are "uncommonly smooth."


We just got the razor in the mail today so I've only used it once but I'm very happy with my decision and  I highly recommend the switch.  

Farmer Flora

I recently started buying eggs from some friends who have 16 chickens on a couple acres just over the river in Washington.  These chickens truly are free range.  They eat bugs and grass from the lawn, greens and squash from the garden and are only cooped up at night to protect them from the coyotes.  If you've never had really fresh eggs you're missing out.  I used to buy farmer's market eggs but they cost twice as much as expensive store bought eggs and were not noticeably better so I went back to organic store bought eggs.  These are different.  The yolks are firm and orange and the taste is unparalleled.  


Labor Day morning my family went up to Washington to buy two dozen eggs.  Flora had an amazing time learning where her food comes from.  

David was her stylist. 

Flora spotted the chickens almost immediately.

Greg let Flora check the nests for eggs.  She found two.

She was amazed. In case you can't tell her eyes are saying "you mean I get to take this home and eat it?"

They also have an amazing garden.  They sent us home with some kale, romanesco, and cucumbers.

Amy was kind enough to pick Flora a beautiful bouquet. 

They put her to work feeding less than perfect greens to the chickens. 

The chickens were grateful.

After learning that Amy and Greg have chickens and dogs
Flora is considering a move to Washington.

Before heading home David and Flora decided to show off their balancing act. 

Do you think it is important to know where you food comes from?  Do you keep chickens or have a home garden?  What are you doing to teach your children the importance of fresh, real food?

First Haircut

I know it's silly but I've been really nervous about getting Flora's haircut.  I was worried that her beautiful curls were only baby curls and that by cutting her hair I would be getting rid of them forever.  The daily struggle to brush her hair finally got to me and we took her to Rudy's Barbershop over the long weekend.  I considered taking her somewhere that specializes in kid's cuts but I don't trust the skill of stylists who work at those places.  She may only be two but she still deserves a stylish haircut.  


Flora did great.  She sat on the booster seat, held my hand and put on her brave face while a large man covered in tattoos cut her hair.  Unfortunately, we forgot our camera and were unable to get any photos of her getting a haircut. 


After cutting off a good 4" of hair her curls are still there and she's cuter than ever.  My mother-in-law thinks we should have kept a lock of her hair but it didn't even occur to us so those first locks are lost forever.  


Were you nervous to get your child's first haircut?  Did you keep a lock of his/her hair?  Where do you take your child for haircuts?

Bacca-chew

Flora's Bacca-chew, or Chewbacca as you may know him, was left behind at a restaurant this weekend.  She bathes and sleeps with him every night so this was a big deal.  At bath time, when I realized our mistake, I called the restaurant where he was forgotten.  The waiter on the phone told me they found him so I went to get him back, no big deal.


As soon as I walked into the restaurant the waiter remembered me and I could tell by the look on his face that he did not have my Bacca.  He explained to me that they had my missing toy earlier but someone, he knew who, brought it home because she had the matching Princess Leia.  He promised me he would get it back; he felt so bad he even offered to bring it to my house.  I accepted his offer and made a final plea to get Bacca back.  He's a 3" action figure that was my husband's as a child so he cannot be replaced with a quick trip to the toy isle.  The Chewbacca action figures of today are not nearly as charming as the 70's version. 


I waited about 24 hours and had not heard anything from the waiter so I called the restaurant again.  The waiter was not there but by this time the story of the missing Chewbacca was known by all the restaurant staff.  A woman, who I recognized as being the owner, got on the phone and told me she brought Chewbacca home but had later returned him to the waiter who said he would deliver the toy to my house.   That waiter was not working that day so she offered to call him and see what was going on. 


I got a return call about twenty minutes later and it was a woman whose voice I did not recognize.  She explained that she was the waiter's roommate and though he had gone for an all day motorcycle ride she would be happy to return my toy.  I accepted her offer because by this time we had gone though a bath, a bedtime and a nap time with out Chewbacca.  I wasn't looking forward to explaining his absence again.  I gave the woman our address and told her to leave him in the mailbox. 


When we got home that evening the first thing I did was check the mailbox and, after involving what felt like a significant portion of my city's population, there he was. Bacca-chew was in my mailbox, his right hand raised in victory. 


Has one of your child's favorite toys ever gone missing?  Did you get it back or was it a lost cause?  

ahhwrooooo!

Bacca's Bath

Every Girl Should Have An Elephant

Flora received her first truly frivolous gift, an Eames Elephant.  It arrived in the mail with a note saying: "I couldn't get you an Eames chair.  I hope an elephant will do.  Love, JJ"  JJ is my grandmother and she believes that every girl should have an elephant.  

Eames Elephant

Flora thinks an elephant is the perfect place to eat a snack.