Okay so let's admit it we all got the DVR thinking awesome now I don't have to worry about did I remember to set the VCR (do any of you still have one of those) to record my favorite show. It is the greatest invention. Well continuing with my discussion from last week of new technologies. Did any of you guess the new battle would be trying to make sure you had enough memory left in your DVR after your children's recordings to actually watch any of your own shows?
Jordan has his share of memory filled with the unusual humor of the Monty Pythons, Simpsons, and get this Home Improvement. (hey I can live with those choices)
Regan I think is the one that has claimed the majority of our memory. Mainly because when she chooses to record a show she doesn't just pick one show she wants the entire series and she wants reruns too! So our DVR is currently full of episodes of Jon & Kate plus eight and many MANY episodes of her new favorite show The Upside Down show pictured below. This show is like a train wreck you don't want to watch but you can't stop. I double dog dare you to try!
Anyway coming around to my point. Am I the only one that spends most of their time with the remote trying to sneakily delete their children's shows so they can have room in the dvr memory for a couple of their own?
So Mandy told me about an awesome magazine last summer called The Home Companion with Mary Englebriecht (I am sure I butchered the spelling on this) Anyway I found a really good deal (I bet that surprises all of you) on a subscription and was paying something ridiculous like $5 for a whole year. Well it took almost 6 months for me to get my first issue which arrived last month. Then I get a card in the mail today saying they are no longer making the magazine and are going to send me Martha Stewart instead. That is so annoying!
So my youngest child is in her teacher's words a 'social butterfly'. She just can't stop talking when she is at school. She is so excited to see her friends and just can't stop chatting. I have no idea where she gets this from. Anyway it is a problem. I am not really sure what to do about it. Her teacher and I have decided we are going to start working on her Good Day awards. She gets sent one home every day that she has had a good day. If not such a good day then the teacher makes her turn her good day award in. So I have started really showering her with compliments if the good day award comes home. If not she has to do a very unappealing chore. So far she has had to clean all of the food out of the bottom of the dishwasher and clean the lid to the trash can. Let's just say she was not very happy about either one. So now I am thinking hmmm what else do I need cleaned around here....
I took the girls this weekend to see the play Flat Stanley the Musical. It was a pretty cute show. I am not sure Erin is still old enough to sit through an entire show. Sitting for any length of time has never been her strong suite. It was only 45 minutes long and there was quite a bit of moaning and complaining coming from her seat, but when it was done she said she loved it? Go figure? Regan of course loved it as she always does anything that has music in it! I couldn't get both of them to smile at the same time so I thought I would share both pics.
When the show was over we walked a couple blocks down to Pike's Market place and got some lunch at this yummy spot. It was soooo cold we got our stuff and ran back to the car to warm up! Fun day in the city!
I know this is going to be one of those posts that says wow Abby you are getting old but here goes anyway. Do you remember being in high school and thinking hmmm I'm bored what to do. Watch TV read a book maybe call a friend on the phone. Well the generations of teenagers today wow the technology at their fingertips!! This is Jordan who is playing an online video game with his best friend Nick that he met while we were stationed in Alaska at the same time as we were. He now lives in Washington DC. Nick and Jordan were inseperable in Alaska and we were so sad to have to part ways. Even though the two were so tight, you would think the two of them would loose touch since it has now been almost 2 years since they have seen each other but no not with the technology of today! The two of them actually speak on an almost daily basis and get to play this online game together. Those headphones he has on is him actually talking to Nick (see the moutpiece too) at the same time as they are battling who knows what on their online adventure. How cool is that? I know I know a bit nerdy but hey I'm grateful to have a teenager interested in sticking around the house doing this instead of partying all night!
I love to listen to the girls in their imaginative play. They were building a garage here for all of Erin's cars. As I listened to them they said now this one has to park here and he can't come out unless this one says its okay. And this one has to do this . . .
It's hilarious b/c they are constantly making rules but I am not sure they ever follow them. Why is it so fun to keep making up rules?
I just started my new semester the other day. I am taking a Philosophy class. The first couple days is always just introduce yourself and tell a little about yourself...and memorize the syllabus. Anyway my Philosophy teacher asked us to tell a little about ourselves and end with what is our favorite pie. My thinking it is just to warm us up and make us feel comfortable-wrong.
She responded to each person's pie choice be telling them what their choice said about their personality. Did you know you could profile a person off their pie preference? So I bet you are wondering what she said about me...well my favorite is apple pie (you know the kind with the crumbly top and lots of caramel mmmm now I'm hungry!) Anyway she said that according to my choice I like things in order and I like to be in control. I'm thinking she is way off - stop laughing!
Here are some of her other assessments of my classmates
Key Lime Pie - likes to travel and experience foreign cultures
Strawberry Rhubarb - likes fashion and trendy things
Cherry - exotic choices in life and picks luxurious items
Raisian cream pie (I know I have never heard of such a disgusting concotion) - she said he was just weird ;)
I attended Jordan's holiday band concert this evening. It was kind of funny to listen to all the holiday music in January, but their concert got postponed due to the snow here. It is so weird to move from Alaska and see a community that is literally paralyzed by a foot of snow!
It was very enjoyable though. They did a beautiful job!
(like the shot of the bald head I got?)
Regan is so involved in the world of Harry Potter right now. Her favorite pass time is crawling up at the end of my bed as I do my work and reading yet another one of Harry's adventures. She asked me the other day is there really anyone named Harry? Who would name their baby that? I had to explain to her in British culture that is a very popular name. We then began a lengthy discussion of names that are popular in every culture she has ever thought of. . .
I went shopping today to buy both Christian and Jordan new white dress shirts. They both really needed new ones. Christian b/c his just needed a replacement. Jordan b/c he has GROWN out of his! I was so surprised when I realized I was buying the same size for Christian as I was for Jordan!! When did this happen?!
So when I got home I had Jordan try his on and sure enough it fit. He twists his neck around and says yeah this is much better then my other ones (poor kid was wearing shirts too tight) then he says but this one is so stiff. Are you suppose to keep the cardboard piece under the collar. That boy cracks me up!!
It is official we bought the plane tickets. We will be flying to Missouri to visit family over Spring break. For family that is reading this that is April 6th - 13th. Our plane will be coming in at about 5:00 and we will then go down south to visit hubbies side of the family until Wednesday evening and will drive up to see my side of the family the rest of the visit. We will then drive back down south for Easter services and fly out at 8:00 that evening. Even though it sounds jam packed (and it is, a lot of family to see in a short amount of time) we are all looking forward to it. Regan is already discussing sleeping arrangements. So ready or not Missouri here we come ;)
is AFTER they told me they cleaned the bathroom! Please tell me I am not the only one that sees this mess? All three of my children seem to be a bit blinded to clutter....
I know many of you have seen the news and wondered how we are doing here. Don't worry we live on the very top of a hill and so far have remained dry. Thankfully all the rain seems to be slowing down the waters receding. I wanted to take a picture of some of the flooding for you. Wish I had done it yesterday as it was WAY worse yesterday. I am amazed it has gone down so significantly in one day! I will have to take a picture of the damage it has done to the road that leads up to our house. All the neighbors and I are writing a letter to the city to let them know they have got to do something or we will not be able to get to our houses without the road.
Sorry the pictures aren't the best all I had on my was my phone. The pictures are of a field where just a couple months ago they were full of pumpkins and now it looks like a lake! Yesterday the water was almost to the road and going over the road in some spots!
Christian likes to make up words and insert silly phrases when he is reading the kids bed time stories to keep them on their toes and see if they are really listening. So as Christian read to Erin tonight he said so then Chick Hicks won the race. Erin said nooooo daddy (giggling) it doesn't say Chick Hicks it says Lightning the Queen.
Christian then looked up at me and looked at Erin and said no it's not Lightning the Queen it's Lighting McQueen. She looked at him as if we told her there was no Santa Claus!! All this time Erin has been in love with this movie she apparently has always thought it was was Lighting the Queen. I am telling you if you want to break her heart you will tell her that her idol's name is not what she thought it was all this time!
I decided I would try out one of these weekly features. This one is from one of my favorite blogs to check out called Tiaras & Tantrums. She hosts a weekly What are you Wearing today section. So here goes
T shirt from Cover Wear $18.95
Jeans from TJ Max $19.95
and cute shoes you can't see Rocket Dogs from Famous Footwear on sale for $19!
You know I had to throw in a deal I found ;)
Also earrings that I love and will be talking about soon on Steals and Deals I won from A Gracious Plenty. So pretty!
(I apologize for the kids disgusting bathroom, I will be discussing this more at length in the next couple days, tomorrow is cleaning day)
Erin has outgrown her snow pants so she had to wear mine. Bet you didn't know we wore the same size huh?
She was not too thrilled and kept pushing the camera out of the way.
So Christian and I worked on taking down all the Christmas decorations today while the kids were in school. The house is looking...less festive, but cleaner! I know the kids will not be thrilled about it when they come home but it has to come down eventually right or we going to turn into the rednecks that leave it up all year b/c it's just easier ;). Hey it's seems to work for some of my neighbors.
Anyway my online classes don't start until next week. I was so excited about the kids getting back in school so I could have one day to myself. But can I tell you it is now 1:00 and now I have finished EVERYTHING on my to do list! It is amazing how much you get done without having to give someone a snack or referee a fight every two minutes...but I miss them ;). They will be home in three more hours. Let the chaos begin! Did I say that out loud? Nah I just typed it so chaos really won't ensue will it?
Happy Anniversary!
to be wooed (for lack of a more eloquent word) by your husband? I was reminiscing the other day about how Christian worked so hard to get me under his spell. Let me tell you back in those days I was pretty bitter against men in general and poor Christian had his work cut out for him! He would leave notes under my windshield wiper, call me, and show up at my work. Although in the beginning I really thought he was a bit of a pest...I gotta admit I grinned every time I saw one of those cheesy cards on my windshield! Well we dated for two full years before we got married. During those two years he sent me flowers once a month! He always sent them to me when he knew I needed them most. One day I had been having an especially stressful week and when I saw the flowers being delivered I was giddy with excitement. When I saw they were a bouquet of tulips (my favorite flower) I almost cried! I couldn't keep my eyes off those flowers all day they were so GORGEOUS! One of my co-workers walked by and caught me staring at them and said alright already we get Your In Love...geez gag! I know this sounds crazy but until she said those words out loud I didn't really know how head over heels I had fell for Christian. Ahhhh young love. I have to say even though I don't get flowers once a month (and haven't on any regular basis since the day he snagged me when I said I do) I am still giddy and head over heels in love with him...most days ;). Yes our anniversary is coming up can you tell I get mushy around our anniversary?
I'm so excited to bring the magical world of Harry Potter to another child in our family! Regan has begun reading the series. Since Christmas vacation has started she has finished book 1 & 2 in the series. We then get to watch the movie after each one. I told her she has no idea how lucky she is to get to read each book one after another and then the movie as well. Jordan on the other hand had to wait until each one came out. I have enjoyed getting to rediscover Hogwarts again this time through Regan's eyes, although I will always see a bit of my Jordan in Harry. Regan has already told me she wants to be Hermione for Halloween...we'll see if she still feels that way in 10 months or if we discover something else by then.
I gotta add it was so funny as we were watching the movie she learned as most of us do the books are so much better than the movie. She kept saying they left that part out! Wait, that's not right! Then today when we watched the second one she said Jenny who is Jenny? I looked at her and said Ron's sister. She said ooooh I pronounced her name Ginny all the way through the book! (I think that is the way it is spelled but it still cracked me up!)
