This Moment Brought to You by IKEA

Thanksgiving took us to my sister's house this year, which is a seven-hour drive without a child and a two-day trip with a hotel in there somewhere with a child. We had a lovely time, with my little family, my parents, my grandmother, and my sister's family all under one roof. We had turkey and delicious sweet potato casserole and ready-made mashed potatoes, because, according to my mom, if you know how to make something you're allowed to buy it already prepared. (I do not understand this logic, but I wholeheartedly agree with it.)

The trip home took us past IKEA, and as it so happens Kevin has never been there. We went in with two "needs": toy kitchen for Harry's Christmas present and a back-up bathmat, for those rare instances when I have washed our bathmat and it's drying in the basement. We left, of course, with significantly more. First of all, Harry absolutely, positively fell completely head over heels in love with a stuffed kangaroo that it as big as he is. He refused to release it, so it traveled the store with us. And eventually Harry fell asleep on it, and the decision to buy it became final.

We also bought a shelf for our dining room. I knew the day was coming when Harry would replace me as Kevin's handy helper, but I thought it was still off in the future.


Harry helped Kevin put in gigantic bolts, and aside from the crying while the drill was running, he did a great job.


The final product:


A small selection of my Fiestaware, including some pieces I love but rarely have occasion to use: for instance, the gravy boat. I guess that means I should host Thanksgiving again.