Well, maybe just one more post...

OK, I couldn't resist taking a picture of one of my MANY parallel parking victories that I've had over the past few weeks.  Parallel parking was one of my biggest fears when I moved to DC because there is no other kind of parking here.  If you can't parallel park, you ain't parking!  Can you believe I didn't have to parallel park for my driver's license test in Monroeville?  My parents and I practiced in the driveway before I moved, but it wasn't enough to make me feel like I really "had it down pat."  When I drove into DC for the first time, all I could I think was "What do I do if I can't park my car?!"  After many failed attempts and even a few frustrated tears, I've finally managed to whip my car into a parallel parking space in no time!  Aren't you proud of me?  Now, if only I could get someone to take a picture of me working a roundabout!  :-)

I also forgot to tell you about these in my last post:

I don't think I've mentioned yet how much I LOVE getting mail (bills and junk mail excluded!).  I turn into a happy little kid when I find a special envelope or package in the mailbox.  On Saturday I came home from a walk and found the above package and note in the mailbox.  That's two special pieces of mail in one day!  I was a doubly happy little kid!  The letter was the sweetest thank you note from my friend Ashley in Birmingham.  Ashley writes the best thank you notes. They are always so personal and heartfelt.  Plus, she has georgeous handwriting!  I think she should start a thank you note writing school for dummies like me that have horrible handwriting and can't write anything that isn't generic and boring!  Thank you for my thank you note, Ashley! :-) 

Ashley's husband was my boss for four years and their precious daughter was the first baby I babysat for in Birmingham.  She is now three years old!  I nicknamed her "Squishy" when she was born because she had the softest, squishiest little cheeks I'd ever seen.  I have so many wonderful memories of babysitting for her and playing with her when she would come up to our office to visit.  I would actually get offended when her parent's would ask someone else besides me to babysit!  Of course this usually only happened when I wasn't available to sit. ;-)   Reading Ashley's note really made me miss that sweet girl and her family so much! 

After reading Ashley's note, I tore into the package:

   

A present from A'Mano!  One of my favorite stores in Birmingham!  I kept on tearing and found:

Three of the cutest housewarming gifts from my friend Hampton!  I babysat for Hampton's two adorable boys every Thursday night for three years.  Her oldest was only three months old the first time I babysat for them.  If you saw her boys I promise you'd want to steal them!  They are cute as buttons and sweet as can be.  I sure miss my Thursday night dates with them.  I'd take those little fellas over a grown up date any day! ;-)

Don't you love the "Pick Your Nose" cups?  Hilarious!  Table Topics has already been given a home on the coffee table and City Walks with Kids in Washington, DC will be awesome to have when it's outing time with Gretchen and Lucy!  Thank you, Hampton (and family!), for such thoughtful and fun gifts!

I decided to wrap up my weekend tonight with a trip down the street to:

That's right, one of the BEST ice cream and homemade candy shops is ONE BLOCK from my apartment!  It is really, really hard to avoid making a nightly trip down the street to Thomas Sweet.  Ice cream is without a doubt my absolute favorite edible thing in the world!  I think it should have it's own spot on the food guide pyramid. ;-)

After my trip to Thomas Sweet, I walked across the street to:

Don't you love the name?  I have actually never been inside Propper Topper, mainly because I am a poor grad student who has to stay out of boutiques like these!  I do love the idea of a store devoted to hats.  I have always loved hats and I wish women still wore them like they did in the days of Jackie Kennedy.  If I didn't think I would get alot of strange looks, I'd wear a suit, kid gloves and a pillbox hat to church every Sunday.  Yes, I'm one of those that is hoping that soon it will only be fashionable to dress like the characters in the AMC show Mad Men!

While I was peering through the window, I happened to notice this:

The quote says: "Where we love is truly home; home that our feet may leave but not our hearts."  Isn't that wonderful?  I have never heard it before, but it is definitely now one of my favorites.  I'm thinking I might even have to either scrape together the money to buy the picture or ask Santa if I can have it as an "early" Christmas present!  This country mouse's little feet are certainly a long way from home, but her heart will always be there. :-)

Sweet dreams from my home to yours!