fabric, snow, & disco.
I had tasty breakfast with Mariko on Sunday and then we hit Fabric Depot afterwords. I got these Valentine themed fabrics, two of which were used on the Aunt Sarah dolls. And thanks for the love on that project-they are so fun to have around the house. It is really hysterical seeing Aunt Sarah "sick" and going to the "hospital" so much. I sure hope she feels better soon.
I have no idea yet what I will do with these fabrics, but had to get them-so there you go.
And as you can see from the NW blogging contingency, we got some snow here. Big news. The city all but shuts down-there are no plows here and it's a mad house. But we had milk, eggs, cheese, and freshly baked monkey bread before the storm came, so we are all good. (But now, the monkey bread is gone.) The girls have only been eating snow for the last 24 hours anyway. (Which means you know who was eating the monkey bread.)
And I had one of those mommy pride/crying moments last week. Big big stuff. I never realized how anxious you can feel, as a parent, introducing something to your kids for the first time that meant so much to you when you were little. Like something that was super important, life affirming, and nothing short of pure magic, possibly something that holds the meaning of life, and can make sense of the world-and when I was about Sadie's age, that thing for me was disco music, specifically, ABBA. I put on the double vinyl of The Hits last week for them for first time, and was just trying to play it cool. I started with Dancing Queen, of course, and then, to make it impossible to not feel the disco love, Take a Chance on Me. The double whammy. I didn't plan it, not really, but as I put the record on, my palms were sweating. If they didn't like it, that would be it. They don't really go back to stuff if the first impression isn't good. The song started and Sadie just looked at me, smiled big, and said "It's about dancing!" grabbed a scarf and danced her heart out. Miss Delia did the same thing of course, but it was more like running in circles. Later, Sadie told Grammie all about Take a Tatch on Me (it took us a while to understand what she was talking about) and I was as proud as the parent of the kid who hits the winning home run.
I have heard that Mama Mia is going to be made into a movie, but I don't know if I can see it because to me, Abba is about one thing only, roller skating. I am fully prepared to accept the girls might not like rollerskating, at least not yet. . .but when they do try, you can bet I will be there with glow sticks, high-top skates with big purple pom-poms on the toes, and a slew of disco music for them at the ready. And then maybe they will get an Abba-Zaba candy bar afterward.
I'm sighing with pleasure at all those memories. As for Sadie and Delia and Abba.....my, my, How can they resist them? Purple pom-poms forever!
Posted by: Grammie | January 17, 2007 at 09:00 AM
Aaaaahhh... a little disco is good for the soul.
And I am oh-so-in-love with that little hood in your photo! Adorable.
Posted by: Amy | January 17, 2007 at 09:02 AM
What a wonderful moment! I can't wait to share my favorite things with my little girl.
For some reason, I can't see the fabrics, but I am sure they are beautiful.
Posted by: Veronica TM | January 17, 2007 at 09:03 AM
My daughter would object because she is a princess not a queen - "queens are old." I get to be the queen though and my job is to "clean up all the messes." Maybe I should try some ABBA to improve the queenly image with the princess.
Posted by: Mama Urchin | January 17, 2007 at 09:15 AM
Oh how I miss Fabric Depot (I remember when that building was Fred Meyer)! I haven't had an Abba-zaba in ages (but now you've got me craving that weird smooth peanut butter stuff they put in the middle!). I'm off to check out that candy site now!
Posted by: jona | January 17, 2007 at 09:19 AM
Oh, I love the Abba story. I find myself casually forcing all kinds of vintage '70s Fisher Price toys on my 2 year old for the same reason -- I want her to experience the same amazing thrills that I did. Of course, the kids will eventually find their own versions of Abba, but when they're this little, it's nice to relive a little slice of history with them.
Posted by: elizabooth | January 17, 2007 at 09:23 AM
i love the new header. my mum got dish cloths in those colours and similar pattern for christmas. i have been trying to steal them from her....
and congrats on passing alongs the abba.
i had my 21 mth old plankin' er down to hank williams last night!!
Posted by: cara | January 17, 2007 at 09:35 AM
whoo-hoo! dance your little hearts out sweeties...
Posted by: melissa f. | January 17, 2007 at 09:36 AM
Yay!
It was big for me, too, when I discovered my kids like ABBA. I have a DVD where you can pick the old ABBA videos from a menu and Princess is so the boss! Waterloo is our current favourite. It's so great to brainwash them with this, my otherwise music loving husband wouldn't want to be caught dead near an ABBA CD.
The videos are hilarious, too, some of A and A's outfits are really stylish and some are - well - bad.
Posted by: strikkelise | January 17, 2007 at 09:46 AM
i can still remember the bliss i felt when my granny gave me the hits for my bday oh so long ago. a favortie in our house too. xo
Posted by: tracy | January 17, 2007 at 10:22 AM
yay! such a good story... abba rocks.
Posted by: amisha | January 17, 2007 at 10:33 AM
i heart dance parties! way to go sadie and delia!!
Posted by: hannah | January 17, 2007 at 11:14 AM
ps. love the new banner!
Posted by: hannah | January 17, 2007 at 11:14 AM
that is truly so sweet, i can feel my palms sweating just feeling in that moment...these are things that i love about being a mother too. so sweet!
ps, the snow looks wonderful!
Posted by: jenny vorwaller | January 17, 2007 at 11:24 AM
I honestly cannot fathom someone not liking rollerskating. Seriously. I spent many an hour skating circles in my garage to the sweet sounds of my Grease soundtrack played on my turquiose record player and I can't think that everyone wouldn't think it as wonderful.
Posted by: mo | January 17, 2007 at 12:11 PM
how funny, I was wondering where you were going with that sentence, then I got to ABBA. so sweet. thank-you for the smile. =)
Posted by: otakulab | January 17, 2007 at 12:30 PM
Love ABBA! It was my very first album! Your story brings back memories of my friend Shelly coming over after school so we could dance to "Dancing Queen" in my livingroom on a cold, snowy afternoon! Just love it, thank you for that!
Posted by: Michele Annette | January 17, 2007 at 12:48 PM
phew! my palms were getting sweaty just reading that whole paragraph. glad they got the disco gene, amy!
Posted by: molly | January 17, 2007 at 01:04 PM
i LOVE your new banner. can you make that into some fabric, please?
Posted by: molly | January 17, 2007 at 01:04 PM
OH my...our cat is named Abba-Zabba after the candy. I didn't think anyone else remembered that!!
Loved the Auntie dolls in the last post too. We might have to make some for the 'up north' family.
Posted by: Beth | January 17, 2007 at 01:13 PM
Oh, my, yes, ABBA is all about roller skating, as are Debbie Boone and the Xanadu soundtrack. We did our rollerskating in the front carport with the music coming from a freakishly large cassette player. (My seven year-old asked me what a cassette was the other day. And I'm officially geriatric.)
Posted by: rebecca | January 17, 2007 at 02:41 PM
Oh, you made me a little weepy with the Abba and a lot weepy with the rollerskating memories. Those were great times.
Posted by: Adrian | January 17, 2007 at 02:45 PM
Oh, God yes. My daughter is nearly five, and I felt the same awful mix of emotions when I showed her "The Sound of Music" for the first time in December. I didn't quite realize what it meant to me, until the credits & opening music started up, and I was awash in chills & tears & struggling hard to keep from flat-out sobbing. Thank god she loved it, and sat through the whole 3-hour thing, Nazis and all. Great post.
Posted by: KellyS | January 17, 2007 at 02:47 PM
What good taste you and your girls have! My four- and six-year-old daughters love to sing along to Mommy's ABBA Gold.
Posted by: Carol | January 17, 2007 at 02:48 PM
What a great story! So sweet!
Posted by: Coleen | January 17, 2007 at 03:19 PM
We had a (weak) imitation ABBA band here for our summer music fest one summer. Grace (about 9 or 10 at the time) was so looking forward to seeing them. We just danced liked crazy. Then we went home. It was so much fun. I felt like I was in high school again (except I dance better now!).
Posted by: Mae | January 17, 2007 at 04:08 PM
I danced to Abba daily when my daughter was in the womb..she didn't stand a chance.
Posted by: Amyleigh | January 17, 2007 at 07:47 PM
ABBA!!! I love them - my mum used to play it whenever we cleaned the house. We would dance around and clean! And you know what's funny - I play it at work (I'm a dance teacher) for my 7-10 year olds in jazz class and they totally dig it. Kids are so cool! ABBA is so cool!
Posted by: geek+nerd | January 17, 2007 at 08:02 PM
Okay, gotta ask.... would she not keep mitts on? Her poor little hands look so cold!
Glad they liked the snow and the ABBA....
Posted by: Rebecca. | January 17, 2007 at 08:31 PM
Abba holds a special place in my heart, too. You must get a pic of the little one dancing to Dancing Queen.... I can only imagine how adorable it is!
Posted by: Morgan | January 18, 2007 at 12:00 AM
You've got me thinking about Valentine's Day now. I am sure you will think of sweet ways to use it, preferably while consuming equally sweet chocolate.
Posted by: Jennifer | January 18, 2007 at 02:33 AM
Oh my gosh I feel the exact same way about roller skating/Abba. I'm so glad you successfully passed the Abba torch. I wish I still had my original, on 8-TRACK!!
And the fabric is gorgeous. I loved the dolls too. So cute and funny!
Posted by: Meredith | January 18, 2007 at 05:41 AM
Did you know there is a Musical? As in Stage Production? I'm sure you do... my mom went to see it last fall when it was here (Vancouver) and said it was the best thing she's ever experienced. Ever. The audience was full of kids, olds and in betweens and everyone was loving it.
Posted by: cate | January 18, 2007 at 07:37 AM
Your little one in the snow is so cute in that hat!!! and ABBA ROCKS!!
love tha banner-
Posted by: Tyn | January 18, 2007 at 07:50 AM
Yay Abba! I was on an obsessively big Abba kick a couple of months ago, but I've kind of calmed back down to only once or twice a day (that's calm, right?).
Posted by: scribblesnbits | January 18, 2007 at 08:02 AM
Oh yes!! Those were the days!! When life to us seemed like all we did was rollerskate and listen to ABBA on records!! My kids look at me like I'm crazy when I say something about records!! I can't remember how many sets of colored pom poms I had for my skates!! Thanks for the little journey down memory lane!!
Posted by: Dawn Castro | January 18, 2007 at 08:41 AM
You made me smile! No little dancing queen can ever resist ABBA...
Gosh... I feel kind of old! ;o)
Keep on rocking!
Posted by: Nic | January 18, 2007 at 11:34 AM
Oh Abba - how I love thee!! Thanks for reminding me!! And as a special tribute to wonderfully cheesy and super sing-able(?) disco music, I have added a few of my select favorites to my site, so that all who visit will smile and say, "oh yeah . . ."
My seven-year-old is TOTALLY in love with Abba, btw!!
Posted by: Melissa R. Garrett | January 18, 2007 at 12:11 PM
oh this is so funny!
:)
Posted by: tania | January 18, 2007 at 02:15 PM
I just love your blog. Thank you. I'm not sure if I've ever left you a comment before, but I'm a mailorder subscriber (LOVE it! Got the secret word right away this time-yay!). I love that photo of your little one! That hat is too cute! I just was browsing some valentiney fabric yesterday and got a little to make some bags for some valentine surprises. Enjoy your snow!
PS~ Love love love ABBA!!!!!!!
Posted by: sUsAn | January 18, 2007 at 03:42 PM
Wow- memories...
I can remember dancing with a friend in the lounge room of the house I first lived in (must have been about 30 years ago) with an 8-track cartidge (That's how long ago!) of ABBA blaring from the stereo..
Thanks for sharing your experiences and memories!
Posted by: di | January 19, 2007 at 03:39 AM
ABBA! My SON loves ABBA (he's 3 1/2)! And from the comments above, an ABBA DVD? Oh, lordy! Must have!
You should see his dancing already! He does all the moves from OK GO's "Here it Goes Again"--sans tread-mills! And he tried doing some killer break-dance moves! Where has he seen break-dancing?!!
My husband has introduced him to some wonderful music (grown-up music) both old and new!
Posted by: Sharon | January 19, 2007 at 07:05 AM
This is so off topic... I recently read your post about freezer paper stencils. Then, I was reading about darts because my darts always look like ass, and I found this little tip (click my name)! Thought I'd share.
You seem to get such great fabrics. If you know any good shops in Chicago, let me know!
Posted by: jennie | January 19, 2007 at 08:02 AM
Seriously, how can you NOT love ABBA! It just makes you want to jump up an dance. Mama Mia, really was a wonderful show. I had my doubts, I mean, how can you make a cohesive story around a bunch of songs (no matter how good). But I loved it!!
Posted by: natalie | January 19, 2007 at 11:30 AM
I've grown old and boring listening to my country and western favorites.
The other day I walked into my 10 year old's room to see her belting out EYE OF THE TIGER for crying out loud. Shortly thereafter she was bopping to "Time After Time" and around supper time I heard "Mad About You".
She is singing my generation's songs while I belt out my grandfather's generation of songs.
Disco - you can't help but dance.
Posted by: OMSH | January 19, 2007 at 07:45 PM