Ever so dependent...

I can't believe how much we rely on technology! It's crazy that we once lived without computers and without the internet. Right around the time Tyler was born our computer monitor was fading and fading fast. It would shut off on us all the time. Frustrating. I realized then how much we depended on computers. Lately we have a whole new issue. The monitor is working great...it's a new one. I think Tyler was 2 weeks old when the old one finally gave up completely. But this new issue is the computer. It gives us the blue screen of death.

For those that have experienced this joyful event know how it's not so joyful. One morning I had it shut down on me 5 times within 30 minutes. Why did I even keep trying?! Last Friday I was talking to Dell tech support for 3 hours. When I got off the phone after the first hour I thought the kind lady in India must have figured it out and helped. Shortly after...the BLUE SCREEN hit. I called them back and hoped it was a simple little problem they could fix again. Two hours later I got off the phone hearing that it would be best to reinstall the whole operating system and upgrade the memory on it. Our computer IS 5 years old next month. That's pretty good for a computer. The Dell tech support people said there was no need to buy a new computer but we just need to upgrade. I thought they would convince me I needed a new computer. More money for the company they work for, RIGHT? We now have more memory so all it needs is a reinstalled operating system... We'll see what happens!!

The late bloomer

Everyone develops at different rates... I just expected my kids to be a little more similar on their developmental learning. Tyler has definitely been the late bloomer in the family. I'm not sure if I just spoil him more...or if he's just a more needy baby...or what?? I have found that he's just a little more difficult than I've heard other 3rd children to be. He's just as sweet as can be and LOVES his MOM more than words can express...but I keep waiting for him to "catch up" to his brother and sister. Grant was crawling at 6 months. I know because I looked it up in his baby book. Those were the days when I was really good at writing everything down because I only had one child. Tyler is 8 months and I think I can finally write in his baby book that he can sit without support longer than 5 seconds. He CAN roll over...sometimes...but doesn't really chose to do so. Of course Grant and Kenzie were rolling all over the place by 4-5 months.

I don't want to sound like I'm complaining but I don't really consider it bragging either. Some kids are walking by 8 months and I'm glad that Tyler is not. I really am so grateful to have a HEALTHY and mostly HAPPY baby. Sure I wished he slept through the night! But that will come, I think.

Dinner and Dessert

I love a good deal. It's fun to see how much I can get for as little as possible. Coupons. Sales. Deals. Bargains. Discounts. All a language I understand very well. Monday night for FHE we decided to use our FREE SUB coupons for Quiznos. Talmage and I each had one so we knew we were covered. We figured we would just share our sandwiches with the kids and get something else to eat at home. Not a surprise that I took a little longer to order...I just couldn't decide what I wanted. The lady helping me was very patient and kind. She let me taste the different sauces that went on the sandwiches to make sure I liked them. After ordering my sandwich she asked if I wanted to get something for the kids. I asked how much the kid sandwiches were. $1.99 for a 3 inch sub...but she would give me two for the price of one. Sounded like a good deal to me.

So after getting our three sandwiches...which were delicious of course, we were enjoying a nice evening together. Our kids were happy. We were able to eat our sandwiches and they were able to eat theirs. When we were just about done the other lady working came to our table with three cookies and asked if the kids could have them. Well of course! Grant had been asking for a cookie but we didn't want to pay $1.29 for 1 cookie. How nice of her!

Then Talmage went to go refill our waters and one of the ladies said he could fill up on any of the other drinks. He thanked them but we just stuck with water.
What an evening! It was great walking out of there having dinner and dessert for only $2.14. It might have helped that were were the only ones in there most of the time. Only a few people came and went during the time we were there. Maybe it's just that we have cute kids?! Whatever the reason, those two employees were so nice. We had to leave them a little tip. Of course it wasn't ALL free...but close enough! Thanks Quiznos!

I'm up too late...

I can eat it fast
I can eat it slow
I can eat it with milk
I can eat it without
I can eat it with chocolate
I can eat it without
I can eat it in a bowl
I can eat it in a cup
I can eat it on a waffle
I can eat it with people
I can eat it alone
I can eat it at night
I one time ate it in the morning
I can eat it everyday
It's a good thing I don't
I just ate it


I love ice cream

IKEA

I knew it was going to be fun and I'm so glad I wasn't disappointed. I've been wanting to go to IKEA for so long. Since Talmage has had the week off school we decided we would go. We chose to go on Tuesday because I also thought it would be fun to go to the Galt flea market. I hadn't been there in years so it seemed like a fun thing to do. Of course that was the day it POURED so we didn't stop. I wasn't a very good navigator so I led us a few miles out of the way, but we finally made it. But even with the minor difficulties in getting there it lived up to the expectation I had.

It was a bit overwhelming and a little difficult with two kids. I know I could have spent a lot longer there and we were even there for almost 4 hours. Talmage was such a good sport. I actually think he enjoyed it. I'm sure he could have spent a little less time there but he was good to let me enjoy it.

Kenzie liked trying things out. It's just too bad she was about 2 inches too short to go to the little play area. She was more than mildly disappointed about that. Talmage pushed her around in the cart and they made that more fun than most. Those wheels just slide over that slick floor! Too bad Tyler wanted to be held the whole time. I saw so many fun cute things, though. I realized that was a store where I could spend A LOT of money. We got a few things that are fun and useful. My favorite purchase of the day was the laundry drying rack. Talmage put it up on Wednesday and I used it for the first time today. It's on a great little pulley system so I can put things on it then get it out of the way.

I had such a fun time. I can't wait to go back. It's probably a good thing it's an hour and a half away...

Bedtime stories

Grant missed his second day of school. I know it's just kindergarten...maybe it's because I hated missing school. He's actually feeling much better today but not well enough to go to school or have Kenzie's play group here today. Grant is such a good kid. I've been thinking for a while how good he is to put up with sharing rooms. He used to be in the same room with Tyler, but since we've been trying to let Tyler sleep through the night his crying wakes Grant up. So over Christmas break we moved Grant's mattress into Kenzie's room. They loved it but when school started again I thought it best for him to go back to his room. He's back in Kenzie's room again...Tyler still wakes up at least once. This time Grant just has a little bed made of Kenzie's pink blankets in her PINK room. He doesn't complain. In fact I think he enjoys sleeping in the same room with her. The other night they were telling each other their "dreams" for SO long. Their "dreams" are just little stories from their imaginations. I know they can't recall their real dreams THAT well. It's really cute listening to them talk.

I remember when I was little there was something almost magical about going to bed. Jenn and I used to play "dates." Thinking back it doesn't seem like it could be as much fun as it really was. Our little imaginations would take us on weird little advendtures. We had made up names. We created cool inventions to help us get ready for our "dates." We even pretended to be different animals. I don't remember how old we were or how long it continued but it's something I don't think I'll ever forget. It was so much fun sharing a room. Of course times we were supposed to be sleeping and got caught because we were talking too loud are times I won't forget either. I remember one time we were supposed to be taking a nap before our aunt's wedding reception. I can so vividly picture laying on my bed and looking up at my dress hanging from the curtain rod. I LOVED that dress. It was purple with pink and white little flowers on it and had a lace slip that hung down lower than the dress. It also had pink pearls that went with it. I remember Jenn and I were talking or playing or jumping on our beds instead of sleeping and my dad came in and scolded us. I think to scare us into sleep he opened the door with a little more force than intended and sent the door knob into the wall. I remember thinking how mad he was but now that I have kids... I understand. I sometimes try to put more of a serious tone to things and it comes out a little more harsh than expected. Of course I'm not strong enough to send a doorknob through a wall but I now understand the intention behind the force. I also remember a time Jenn and I were in trouble because we hadn't cleaned our room but it was time to go to bed so we would have to do it tomorrow. Sneaky us cleaned our room using a flashlight. I remember feeling so excited for our parents to see how clean our room was in the morning. I'm so glad I got to share a room with Jenn. I don't think we had much of a choice but I'm glad I have such good memories.

Of course Grant and Kenzie can't share a room forever, or even too much longer, but I'm glad they have a special little bond as siblings and as friends.

Was it worth it?

Maybe we're crazy but it was fun. I love eating out for breakfast but it is very rare that we actually go out to eat. So when we heard about this free breakfast we thought it would be fun.

Talmage and Grant got there at 6:00 this morning and said they were #2 on the waiting list. I didn't want to wake Kenzie and Tyler up or we would have joined them. Talmage said there were a lot of people so he was lucky to have been there so early. Tim, Ryan, and Scott came to eat but the wait was too long. Tim ended up sitting down with Talmage and Grant while Ryan and Scott went next door to Burger King. Talmage and Grant got home around 7:30. Just enough time to get a lunch and snack together before leaving for school.

My mom, Kenzie, and I decided to go a little later in the morning. I think I was hopeful there wouldn't be many people there...wrong! I think we ended up waiting a little over an hour before we were seated. Watching the time I knew I had to get Grant from school so while my mom and Kenzie waited for them to call our name, Tyler and I went to get Grant from school. Grant got a second dose of Denny's today. Although I think waking up an hour early started to catch up with him because he was a little on the grumpy side.

We had a great breakfast though. It was fun to get the bill and only pay for the orange juice.