Things that are so awesome I can hardly stand it.

This little gem arrived in the mail, last week. It's Aaron's letter to Santa circa 1982 (first grade)In case you can't read it, I will translate:

"Dear Santa,
I was bad when I hit my sister. I was good when I helped my mother with the dishes.
I want a blue G.I. Joe Motorized Sidewinder."

Aaron then tried to claim that this couldn't possibly be his letter in such good condition after all these years.
I reminded him who his mother is, and that she saved everything awesome from his childhood.
He was still skeptical.

Then we turned the page and whaddyaknow... the proof is in the pudding. Or, in this case, Santa's beard:

"Santa, put the presents in the family room, by the tree.

-Aaron Willardson"

and as if that didn't narrow it down, he continues to clarify:
"My house is brown.

Valencia.

25368 Via Dona Krista."

and then he adds a bit of true Aaron randomness,

"Magic Show."

We can only assume this is a Magic Johnson/Lake show refrence mash up.
I did a little research and discovered that in 1982, tv commercials apparently did their job.
G.I. Joe released a motorized (MOBAT) with sidewinders.

If Santa came through, I would bet a fat chunk of change that it is sitting in it's box in Rob and Lynda's garage, in perfect condition, next to a storm trooper gun and a cabbage patch doll.

Vintage Treasure

Aaron retuned from his trip to Utah with a suitcase full of goodies. Wow, is all I can say! Lynda knows me well and gathered the most wonderful "package" of treasures for us including but not limited to:

-fresh peanut butter from Whole Foods (my fave!)
-a new sugar cookie salt city candle
-two vintage My Little Pony Play doh Pinkie Pie Twinkle Twirl Parlor sets (we can't wait to play with this one over the weekend! I need to make some pink and purple playdough! My kids have no idea what kind of fun they are in for.)
-old school FHE lessons from Aaron's childhood.
-paper cutouts and the book, "There Was and Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie" (be excited, preschoolers!)
-Dr. Seuss's The Foot Book and The Lorax
-trick or treating flashlights

and, my favorite item, this little treasure.

-a tiny metal cashbox that Aaron for Christmas from Grandma Wini when he was a little boy. It really locks, it is awesome (clearly), and I love it so much I clapped with excitement when I found it in the suitcase! My favorite part is the old school engraved metal name plate. The keys disappeared years ago, but Lynda was clever and figured out which number it needs to be set on to open and marked it with a sharpie. It opens to a bright orange removable plastic tray that is miraculously still in tact.


I quickly put it on the shelf in Corbin's bedroom with the little vignette of other vintage treasures from Aaron's childhood, but then decided the reason I love it so much is because I can picture a young Aaron toting it around full of pennies or rocks or basketball cards or birthday money. It is full of love and it should be played with. I took it down from the shelf and it is the new hot novelty in our home. We've used our microwave timer for turn taking a lot this week!

I love watching my children play "store" and "garage sale" with it. They have filled it with doll clothes, strawberry shortcakes, toy story characters, grass (that was fun), and hair pretties. I wonder if Grandma Wini knew that it would last 30 years and be enjoyed by her great grandchildren.

Thank you, Lynda, for being the Mary Poppins that you are, and continuing to find little treasures like this, that make my children so happy! We love you!

Grandma Lynda, Come Back!

Rob and Lynda came to visit for Thanksgiving, and Lynda stayed with us for the following week. It was so fun to have them here, and the kids were in heaven. I was in heaven, too as I might have taken advantage of having a grandparent here and slept in every single morning. Corbin and Quincy loved getting to know their Grandma and Grandpa. I made the mistake of saving a bunch of pictures of the kids with Rob on the old laptop, and it finally gave up the ghost, a few days ago. Looks like we got the new one just in time, but I'm still sad that we lost some of those pictures.
Corbin quickly became Grandpa Rob's little buddy and follwed him around everywhere. If they were both in the same room, you could be sure that Corbin was somewhere near Rob, if not in his lap, with "PaPa" reading him a story.
Grandma Lynda brought a bunch of fun projects for the kids to do in her Mary Poppins Carpet Bag of a suitcase. I seriously think that she and Hermoine have worked out some kind of deal, and that her luggage is bewitched. One visit, she managed to bring us (among other things I can't remember): Aaron's entire childhood baseball collection, a remote control car, a remote control helicopter, a lamp and a rocking chair. Yes! A rocking chair! She is amazing. Or magic. Or both.

This visit, her bag was filled with goodness for the kids, and the fun didn't stop from the moment she arrived. My mom affectionately calls Lynda the "cut and paste Grandma" because that is where you fill find her. She is always making something fantastic with the kids, and they love it.
It was just a blast to hang out, laugh, do some crafting, cooking, and shopping together. Lynda is so loving and helpful with my kids. I rarely even changed a diaper or bathed a kid while she was here, not because I didn't want to, but because she beat me to it! She rocks.
She also helped me throw Quincy's birthday party. It. Was. Fabulous! I'll post on that another day, but for now,
We miss you Grandma Lynda!

It was evident when I got out of the car to wish you goodbye, and unload the suitcases at the airport. When I got back into the van after to drive away, I turned around and there were tears running down the cheeks of all three of my kids. They're going to miss you so much. They loved being spoiled by your undivided love and attention and it was really special to have you here. I think Corbin is experiencing withdrawals already and keeps climbing on the table, hoping you'll appear out of nowhere to play with him.

Thank you so much for coming to visit us. We love you!