Some Places Should Have Warning Signs

Welcome to Bill's.

What? A warning sign, you say? Yes-- something like "You're likely to spend a lot of money here and add a lot of fabric to your mile-high pile". Bill's Hardware & Simply Unique in Ozark, Alabama. One building, two businesses. It's a place I can't believe I didn't know existed.... until my embroidery machine needed repair several months ago. After quickly browsing the Viking website I found a certified technician in my area:

"Simply Unique-- Ozark, AL".

Hesitantly I called expecting to find someone repairing sewing machines in their garage, instead I spoke with a very kind woman named Paula. She was going to be in the shop until 1pm so off I went, fast because it's not exactly close to my house.

You know what they say about books, about how you can't judge them by their covers? Well, you can't judge Simply Unique by it's cover either. Paula's husband owns Bill's and she's tucked in the back corner. Unfortunately, during this outing she was in Dallas at a Viking convention.

It's the only fabric store I've ever been to that I think my HUSBAND would love. Look, they even have straw hats... I'll be sure to take him with me next time. If only Bill could speak to him in Spanish.

While you're there you can pick up anything from entredeaux & cotton batting to nuts, bolts, Quikcrete & tires. I think for our family it could be a "one-stop-shop".

When you step in the back of the store the scenery changes drastically.

It's a little more feminine in the back.

And colorful too.

Oh the colors.

And the patterns & books.

And inspiration... it's everywhere you turn.

It's a dangerous place... at least for me.

We came down from our fabric high on the way home with a sugar high. Me & Raiger in the backseat with candy is also very dangerous. I love candy. Not chocolate. Candy. Sour patch kids. Chewy sprees. Gummi worms. Giant sweet tarts. Nerds. Hot tamales. Mike & Ikes. Bit 'O Honey. Air Heads. I can't buy it for myself because then my kids will eat it and I don't want them to have it. Maybe that's why I like it so much... Mom, did you deprive me of candy as a child? Anyway, I was a big girl and shared my candy with Paige. Mary Grace {in the carseat} is thankfully too young, we didn't have to share anything with her. She just worked over that water bottle the whole time while we recovered from our shopping excursion.

The restaurant supply store is also a dangerous place for me. When I walk into these type places I say, "I'm NOT going to buy anything!" But then it happens and I see something I absolutely can't live with out. Erika and Marla were here this week and I had the pleasure of introducing them to my weakness. I will go ahead and make myself feel better by saying that they too are weak. So I didn't leave with a lot but I did leave with some AWESOME cups. Like the ones you get at Pizza Hut. I got giant ones for the adults and little squatty ones for the munchkins. When the man at the store told me they were hard to tip over I threw my hands in the air and said, "OK fine... I'll take 6 of 'em!" He also said they were good for cocktails. I don't really drink cocktails but if I did, I'm not sure I'd want it from a plastic cup... but I'll take his word for it. Maybe after 5 or 6 cocktails you wouldn't care what you were drinking out of. They looked more suitable for chocolate milk to me.

I picked up that chocolate swirl effect from Arby's. Do you like it? The girls thought it was super cool. Then I watched them dip their hands in their milk to "stir" it. Next time I'll be sure to serve it with spoons. John Martin doesn't get chocolate in his milk. But maybe soon... you know, 3rd child. The girls didn't know chocolate milk existed until their "Mom" {aka grandmother} introduced them to it when JM was born. That stinker!

We are thoroughly enjoying our summer. For my recollection I want to record what the little ones are up to:

Morgan has mastered the back flip I was dreaming about and also a front one {all underwater, nothing too fancy off a diving board, but still great for a 4-year old}. I'll see if I can capture her on video doing her tricks to share.

Raiger:

She's full of spunk & sweetness. Just this week we've noticed her using more adjectives in her sentences and she's much more expressive with speech. Wednesday night Justin was trying to get the kids out the door for church and kept saying, "Come on guys, we need to run to church!"

As they were hurrying out the door Paige, with a very concerned look on her face asked Justin, "Daddy why we not takin' ouw car?"

He responded, "We are, what are you talking about?"

She said, "You said we runnin' to chuwch"

Kids. They. Are. The. Best. And very literal.

John Martin: Loves me. And I love him. He's still a little fireball; gets mad easily and beats his head into the floor. I am assuming that soon he will realize that it hurts and stop. But he's a smart little creature and gets my attention every time he does it. Trust me, it'd get yours too! He is scooting around the furniture but not walking yet. He likes to get dirty and MUST have a bath every night. He loves his sisters and gets so excited when they play with him. He's our only picky eater and what he doesn't like he throws {hard & fast} onto the floor. Including his sippy cup. I could eat him alive.

Good night!