ahem. i have something to show you.

Did you think I was going to show you a pregnancy test or something? BWAHAHA! One, no. Two, it's even better (for now). Three, I'll show you this thing I want to show you in a second, after I tell you about my weekend even though you didn't ask.

Oh, this weekend. It. Was. Awesome. J and I left the kids in the loving care of the Mommo, and didn't shed a single tear as we cruised out of town. Not that we don't love our kids to PIECES, you know that we do, but sheesh, three year olds are something ELSE. We needed a time out from parenting. And we took one, in the form of a road trip to Minneapolis, where we visited college friends (who are having a baby ANY SECOND, but her water did NOT break during our visit, much to J's relief.) Then we meandered through shops, choosing only those with breakable items and walkways too narrow for double strollers and really expensive/impractical things (that we did not buy, obvi). And Super Targ, because duh. And we also went antiquing, because apparently we're 93 years old now. Then had one of the most scrumptious Italian dinners I've had in years. Then, and this is probably the second best part of all .... we slept in until 8:30am. I KNOW! SO LATE. It was delicious, that uninterrupted Sunday morning sleep. But you want to know the FIRST best part of all? The real reason for this road trip, or at least the other real reason for this road trip (the other real reason being how three year olds are something ELSE)? Okay, then. Here's why we went to Minnesota:

Meet Chester. Or, one of Chester's siblings, as we don't know yet exactly which of the nine pups will our new baby. If you don't think that's about the cutest thing you've seen in forever, I'm concerned for you. Let's try this:

Sleeping puppy! Cutesplosion!

So yes, we're getting a puppy. And yes, I know I'm a smidge crazy to add a puppy to our two toddler/three cats/not enough hours in any day life. But we need a dog. We miss having a dog, and have always hoped there would be a Golden in our future. We didn't anticipate Griffy passing away so soon, and certainly didn't anticipate bringing home another dog so soon after that .... but fate intervened. We found an amazing breeder with this sweet litter, born precisely the same day as our Griff went to doggy heaven. Meant to be. Baby Chester gets a few more weeks to be with his mama and siblings, then we'll trek back to southern Minnesota and bring our new baby home. I. Am. So. EXCITED.

Oh, PS: one of my kids welcomed me back with hugs and kisses and "wuv you mommy"s alllll morning long. The other kid welcomed me back with three temper tantrums before breakfast was even on the table. I'll let you guess who's who. Hint: one of my children is three. And fortunately for him, very very redeemably cute. And he'll be four in 11.5 months, so that's very soon.

Oh, PPS: antiqued cream it is for the desk! Thanks for all the ideas, both here on el bloggo and emailed. You're the best friends (and e-friends) a girl could ask for. Stay tuned for the office reveal. I mean, after I paint the desk and do the other 107 things I'm now planning to do to my office space. So stay tuned until the year 2098. Kthxbye.