Technology… or “Everything I touch turns to broken.”

I’m going to start by saying I realize I am currently typing on a computer the size of a (rather large) notebook, connected to nothing, sitting on my lap, on the couch. I’m typing to my blog, to be posted to the Internet and read by people on the other side of the world (that’s right Joyce, I’m talking to you!). I realize that the following complaint post is a first world problem, as my dear husband likes to say. First world problems, I know, but annoying nonetheless.

That said, technology in my world sucks these days! As I’ve complained about before, the dishwasher has issues. It’s currently running with the help of a paper clip in place of a fuse. Oddly enough that seems to work, but no one is quite sure what to expect the next time a fuse-popping surge occurs. The stove has never worked well in the five years we’ve owned this place, but this year we were told it’s leaking… fumes, I guess, and ought to be replaced. Several qualified people have looked at it and given us the same diagnosis. Nobody seemed super urgent though, so we’ve been delaying. But now that cold weather is here and the house is nice and tight… and we’re dishwasher shopping anyway, we figured it was time to replace the stove. And the microwave, which is also dying a slow death. I put some frozen broccoli in there to heat up and after 15 minutes it still had ice on it. And the two bowls of oatmeal that I make each morning (Lex and I are oatmeal junkies!) take longer and longer to cook each day. So add that to the list. And the bluetooth device in the car, which is less than a year old, stopped functioning altogether two weeks ago. My phone gave itself an update a few weeks ago, resulting in quirky functionality and a loss of all my contacts. Sprint says “yeah, we know.” Apparently they were waiting on LG to release an update to the update. Still waiting. Tonight the ancient MP3 player in the kids room stopped working. It lights up and does some crazy stuff. I’m hoping Alan can work some magic and get that going again. I left a very distraught Lex up there, trying to fall asleep without music. You’d think it was the end of the world. Fortunately Eve was so tired she fell asleep on Alan’s lap during story time and doesn’t even know (yet) that the music is broken. What else? Hmmmm…. I have a headache right now too, but I suspect that’s due to the mass quantities of fresh bread and butter I ate today (followed by a few oatmeal cookies), not my technology issues. If only there was an app for that!

Grumble, grumble, grumble. I asked Alan for a Kindle for my birthday and he was happily shopping, but now it looks like I’ll get a new dishwasher, oven, and microwave instead. All of which are way more useful than a Kindle, but also way less sexy. Oh well. Such is life, such is homeownership, right?

Ok, I’m done complaining now. Off to fold some laundry and try not to eat any more cookies. Tomorrow will be more :) and less :/

Sunday afternoon football

football

Lex has taken an interest in football so he and Alan have been tossing the ball around lately. Or, as the kids say, “toss around the old pig skin!” Lex remembered that from one of the Calvin & Hobbes books I put away ages ago. Grampy Don came to visit this weekend and the kids have been super excited to go out and play ball with him. This afternoon was perfect ball playing weather and we all had a blast!

lex

Isn't he cute?!

passing

Tossing around the old pig skin.

handoff

Each time Lex catches the ball they do a hand-off.

tired

After awhile Lex got tired and decided to try playing while sitting down.

football eve

Tossing around the old Eve ball.

silly eve

Then we got a little silly.

sweet eve

Sweet Eve

bunny

White bunny was playing football with us.

boys

'da boys!

laying down lex

The color on this is funny but I think it looks neat. I wish his bright blue eyes were open.

on the couch

After running around for awhile we moved the party inside for some football on TV.

Silly Sleepers

I added a tag called “silly sleepers” to mark all these crazy sleep positions :) Some day I’ll go back through the years of blog posts and tag them all. For now, here’s a starter photo.

sleeping eve

Her legs were criss-crossed in front of her (criss-cross applesauce, hands in your lap) and she was flopped right over them. Sound asleep. So flexible!

Winter

Winter is in the air. I can feel it’s nippy touch on the breeze, it’s darkening in the clouds. I am not ready. Not. At. All. Ugh. I guess it’s time to dig out the winter gear and assess who needs what for this new season. This might be the year I wear two pair of pants. And gloves 24/7. I repeat, ugh!

Maxin’ and Relaxin’

After several weeks of maxin’ I am ready for some relaxin’! Today was perfect. Exactly what we’ve been needing. A “do nothing” day. Alan had to go to a conference (no “do nothing” day for him!) but the rest of us chilled at home, in PJs. Eve woke up with wet PJs but when she heard it could be a pajama day she zipped right back upstairs to grab some clean pajamas. I did some long-overdue exercising, we tidied up after last nights party, we did a lot of reading, including a full chapter of On The Blue Comet (the kids LOVE the book Mema, thanks!), we played games, we did puzzles and built block towers (photos from Lex may be posted soon). I made it to 5:30pm before pulling out my to-do list to write down a few things for next week. I even went so far as to REST during quiet time. We haven’t even had quiet time in ages, what with the kids both being in school in the afternoons now and our string of super busy weekends, but today we all had a nice quiet time. I brewed a cup of lemon tea and plopped my butt on the couch for a cozy date with Real Simple magazine. It was niiiiiiccceeeee……

Tomorrow I’m hoping for more of the same, but it will be punctured by a few chores. We have to go dishwasher shopping in the morning and meet a new babysitter in the afternoon. Both things that need doing (our dishwasher is currently running with the aid of a paper clip! Seriously! Darn technology! But that’s for another post, another day) Otherwise I hope we can do more relaxin’ and less maxin’ for one more day.

Cocktails and Crafts

Inspired by a local blogger’s Cocktails and Crafts parties, my friend and I decided to see if we could get a group going as well. Tonight was our inaugural party.

Photobucket

I was thinking about making ghost feet pictures (like this), but the idea of eight little kids with painted feet running lose in my house didn’t sound appealing. The paint would be washable, of course, but it still sounded risky. Instead we made two tissue paper crafts.

ghosts and pumpkins

Ghosts and pumpkins

We had lots of fun, including mummy pizzas and warm apple cider (with a little something extra in it for the grownups) and oatmeal cookies.

party food

Eve and I practiced making these crafts earlier in the week, so when it came time tonight she was happy to lead the effort. She helped dole out the supplies and did her best to explain the directions. Most of the kids participated, but a few couldn’t tear themselves away from the vast array of trucks in our living room.

party crafts

In the end my living room was a disaster, the kids were exhausted, and we were all excited to do it again next month! At someone else’s house! :) We had a really fun group tonight and we have the November party on the calendar, so I hope we can make this a regular thing.

chaos

Chaos, in a good way :)

Linked up to the Happiness Is… blog hop at Rub Some Dirt On It
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More from today

Alan is reading bedtime stories so I’m going to take a quick minute to post a few more pictures from today. Can’t leave you with lo-qual cell phone pictures for too long!

socks

Loooong socks!

eve and alan

Eve and her daddy

legos p1

I'm regularly impressed with the amount of detail that goes in Lego cities. Look at the diving guy right in front? Several other guys have legs raised as though they are mid-step.

legos p2

See the boat in front, docked. The guy on the boat is stepping off. The horses in the background have water to drink (Eve's doing). So much detail!

lex

A too-close picture of my sweet boy.

eve

Eve, coloring at the WW meeting (where I did not make Lifetime, but I did not gain either!). We ran errands all day in the rain and she was a trouper! She can be such a sweet little friend to have along.

wrestling p2

Eve pulled her socks mostly off so they were long and floppy, then she ran around the house yelling "floppy socks, floppy socks!" I ran after her with the camera, but she wouldn't pose for a picture. Lex decided to help by taking her down!

wrestling p2

"Quick mom, take a picture!" he yelled. We all had fun :)

csa

Our final CSA share for the season. Lots of winter squashes. The bag in the back is full of onions and shallots and garlic and the like. Now to do something with all that food....