9 P.M. And All Is Well.

I should really go to bed.

I should really go to bed.

I should really, really go to bed.

The Baron is working until 11:30pm tonight, which means at least midnight before he gets home.  The Pickle is asleep.  The Pepper is asleep.

I should really go to bed.

Kids have been sick on and off again for the last week.  The Pepper's sleep schedule is way off.  Last night she went to bed at 11:15 - which meant that the Easter Bunny hit the sack around one a.m.

I should really go to bed.

And yet, if I go to bed, I don't get to appreciate the one thing I am enjoying right now...something so rare, I almost forget it exists around here.   

Silence.

It would be a shame to waste it on something so mundane as sleep.

I should really go to bed.

In a few more minutes. 

Those Wacky Swedes

On Sunday, we took a little field trip to Ikea. I love Ikea, I can't help myself. For those of you who've never had the pleasure of visiting our little elf house covered in dog fur, it's a tiny little cottage, not unlike, I often imagine, the same type of cottage where the three bears lived. It was built in the 40's as a summer house for some of those fancy pants types in Washington D.C.. Over the years, people have added onto the house, but it's still a little place with narrow doorways and small rooms. I can't actually shop for furniture in traditional furniture stores, 1) because we can't afford real furniture and B) Real furniture is built with the giant McMansions in mind so none of it fits in my little 3/4 size house.

But Ikea. Ikea is furniture built for people in small apartments - for trendy, chic, young, upwardly mobile people who have a definite sense of style. In other words, people completely unlike me. However, their furniture fits in my house so I love it there.

On the way over, the Pickle asked what Ikea was. When I told her it was a Swedish furniture store she looked a little confused and so I asked her if she knew who the Swedish were.

Her face lit up and she answered, "Yes! Those are the people who celebrate Hanukkah!"

Excellent.

By the way, it just occurred to me that if the Pepper grows up and decides to attend medical school she'll be "Dr. Pepper."