Better late than never?

I won't get into all of the hairy details of why or how you are looking at this unappealing, dull/drab blog post in place of what was certain to be an exciting video of my boys revealing our first giveaway winner... (Can you say, "Run-on sentence!")

I will add, however, that even with the best of intentions life just got in our way today.

Traveling for the holiday+Three boys under 5 years old+One man (my father) who operates on his own time schedule not compatible with the rest of mankind=Me, not able to squeeze everything in.

Anyway, I do promise that for our next giveaway (perhaps in celebration of my 28th birthday sometime in January...) I will have the boys help me pick one of your names out of a hat. Or a mixing bowl. Or a tennis shoe.

But tonight, you just get me. Sitting alone, actually, at my desk. At work. Picking one of your names (all 19 of you who commented!!) out of a gift bag. I loved scribbling each of your names on a sticky-post and adding it to the pot. Two of my sisters, two of my best friends, Becca's Uncle Todd (felt a bit like I had a celebrity visitor to thisfamilysquish!) and my bloggies. Thanks for playing along!!

I will tackle all of your AWESOME questions in the next couple of weeks. Starting with my winner's.
But now, without further ado...

(Shaking the bag and picking now...)

CATHERINE from I Smell Elephants!!

(If you aren't picking up on it, that WAS terribly exciting for me!!)

Catherine, send me an email at honty3242@yahoo.com including your mailing address so that I can ship you your loot!!
Know that your new books were purchased out of love, for a good cause. I hope you enjoy them...

And, I hope you are getting some rest.
Good night!

Last call...

...for questions and comments below.
The boys and I will be picking our *first* giveaway winner tomorrow evening.
Get your name in while you can!!

A Family Squish First

That's right, folks!

Our first giveaway...

In honor of Becca and Open Books (see below) and the fact that we've had over 20,500 visits to our blog, I've decided to host a literary giveaway, Christine~style. (I said I was stealing it, didn't I?!)

Anyway, if you are unfamiliar with how to play...

Just leave a comment below to be entered in our drawing, and the boys (or at least one of them) and I will pick a name on Sunday evening.

(Warning: This is the part of Christine's giveaway that I really, really loved, and so I am copying it (nearly) verbatim...)

To make things a little more fun [for me more than anyone else, probably] leave a question for me [or one of the boys] in your comment and we will answer them throughout next week. Your question can by Theo-related, Emmett-related, Rubin-related, adoption-related, or life-related in general. I'm looking forward to having all sorts of new topics to blog on!!!

Exactly which books, you might wonder, are up for grabs??

Well, I picked up two this weekend at Open Books. One for the Mama:

and one for the little one:

Remember, both of these books have been gently used and were up for resale at Open Books, where proceeds are used to fight illiteracy in Chicago.

Ask away, people. And, good luck!

Open Books, Chicago

Just back from an amazing little getaway to Chicago with my friend Krista.

On Friday night we celebrated the Grand Opening for Open Books, a non-profit used bookstore and literacy program that's been about 4 years in the making at the extremely hard working hands of one of my dear friends, Becca.

I was so incredibly proud, to see this labor of love, built from the ground up in large part by Rebecca, who I've known since her ripe old age of 18 years old... Witnessing this event was just the coup de grace to a friendship that has been a staple in my life since my sophomore year in college. I've taken on so many of life's bigs and littles with this girl: breakups and makeups. long runs and road trips. new life and death. We've been, at times, roommates, classmates, co-workers... always, friends.

I can really only remember one other day witnessing her in this light:

(gorgeous)

Just like on her wedding day: certain. confident. full of delight.

in her own element. right where she belongs.

You have so much to be proud of, B.

This

(amazing lighting everywhere)

and this

(inspirational)

and this

(just plain adorable. and genuine)

But, most certainly and withoutanounceofadoubt this

(forever family)

I loved, loved, loved seeing you. and Open Books. and yours.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for including us.

And, as for Krista and I, we

(rode the el)

and

(bought books)

and

(partook)

and

(restaurant red light)

and then

(morning in the city)

and

(downtown)

and

(shopping)

and

(a lot)

and it was

so good.

Sumo: The Back Story.

Poop storm, people.

As in, take cover.

Because we've been hit with the Great Poop of 2009.

Which is why Rubin was wearing a towel last night instead of a diaper... because his buns are so chapped, I couldn't bear to think of wrapping them tightly.

So I didn't.

I stripped him (and his brothers, who wouldn't be left out... see below) down, and draped them in dish towels.

Much better than scrubbing stray poop off of the sofa.

And much gentler on the tooshie.

(I do what I gotta to get by somedays... Heck, let the truth be told on Wednesday.)

Wordless Tuesday Night

Our pants predicament.

Theo has grown over 3 inches in the past 5 months...

I noticed this morning, when we were getting ready for school.

I could not find a pair of pants to fit him.

His 4Ts are about 2.5 inches too short.

And he'll have to gain about 10 pounds before he fits into his 5Ts.

Tall and skinny.

What a problem to have...