Bramasole

Millie is sick with a cold. Non-stop runny nose and yucky cough. I am trying to keep her away from Ivy but I'm sure her germs are all over me (because she always wants me to hold her) and then I probably pass them to Ivy when I hold her. I'm guessing she picked it up in nursery, although she sits on my lap in there for 75% of the time (she won't go without Mark or I) and they put santizer on the kids' hands before snacks, but yeah it's basically a breeding ground for illnesses.

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I finally ordered my flatware! I did a lot of research and asked a guy at the Silver Super Store a lot of questions and got the best set I could afford (or at least I pretended we could afford). I got an 85-piece set with service for 16! I'm guessing that I will never buy flatware again in my life so I wanted a huge set so I could have matching silverware for large family gatherings now and later in life so that's how I justified what I paid. Also the author of flatware.org really convinced me that it is an investment. When I first saw the set in January, it was $19.95 a place setting which made it $299.95 (which I already thought was a lot) but when I went back to order it a week later it was $34.95 a setting bringing it to $494.95!! I was so dissapointed that I e-mailed the store and asked if I could get the previous price. The guy said that the manufacturer, Ricci, had raised its prices and that the new inventory had been purchased in January and that the 85-piece set cost them $330 and that they could sell it to me for $350, which is still compartively inexpensive compared to other quality stainless flatware. Since I had already started a correspondence with the store I asked a few more questions before deciding that this really was the best set for me. I finally ordered it on Monday and it should be here today! It was a total splurge, but luckily my mom helped pay for it as part of my Christmas present. I am so excited. I keep looking out the window for the big brown delivery truck.

So without further adieu, here's my set: http://www.horchow.com/store/catalog/productImagesPopup.jhtml?

You can read more about Ricci on the Silver Super Store's "Ricci" page or at flatware.org.

Lovely

I am so not motivated to blog without photos, but since I haven't taken any lately, I am getting creative and getting images from the Web. 

My mom gave me a set of flatware for Christmas. I decided to exchange it for a pattern that better fit my style, but the search for a different pattern led to an interesting education. I now know more about flatware than I ever imagined possible. How many of you know the difference between silverware and stainless flatware? Or the difference between 18/10, 18/8 and 18/0 flatware??? If you want to know the answers visit www.flatware.org, it will open your eyes to the quality of your eating utensils. And if you don't care, don't bother.

OK, now here's more about my life: Millie has been saying the funniest things lately. The other day she starting singing "Ding, dong the witch is red, the witch is red." But my favorite misinterpretation is from a new song I downloaded the other day. It's called "Bubbly," by Colby Caillat. The lyrics read "Everytime I see your bubbly face, I get the tinglies in a silly place. It starts in my toes makes me crinkle my nose . . ." Anyway, I think it's a cute song and have listened to it a few times with Millie. But when Millie decided to sing the song on her own, it came out like this: "I paint my toes and I pick my nose!" Love it! And I love Valentine's Day. Hope you're all having a lovely February!