appliance repair Oct 2014

My oh my this is the year for appliance repair.  This washing machine that is only a year old started to break down on me.  I've repaired it again and again but this last time this part totally broke off.  They have since discontinued the machine and do not sell the part because it had so many problems.  Arg talk about frustrating the machine is only a year old!  After calls to where I bought it and the manufacturer I was getting no where.  I finally decided it was just time to wash my hands of this machine and get a new one.  I just hate when something like this happens and I have to spend a couple of hundred extra dollars on something that should have lasted years. I took no chances with my next washer I researched the crap out of that thing.

After getting anew washer I was praying that my dryer would hold up.  After a few weeks of using my new washer the dryer decided to quit on me.  I was tempted to call in a professional when Scott said "can't you do it?"  I don't know if he was telling me that because I know I can't turn down a challenge or because he didn't want to spend any money on another appliance.

  Luckily it was just the belt and I You Tubed how to fix it once I ordered the part online.  I am happy to say It works wonderfully!

Next was the dishwasher.  I guess bad things always do happen in 3's.  Our dishwasher started letting off a bad electrical smell.  I took it apart and tried to find out what was wrong but I think I just died.  It was original to the house.  Thankfully my sister had a dishwasher she was pulling out of an investment house they just bought to put in a stainless steal one.  She said if I can get it out I could have it.  I know we live in a rental and they should have handled it but I am somewhat of an opportunist.  The whole process was fairly simple and I got to knock some money off our rent for that month by doing it myself.

I am glad that I can fix all these things but I sure am getting tired of having to fix things.

Christmas mirrors Oct 2014

Christmas Mirrors.  My mom invited me to do a boutique with her for Christmas.  I came up with the idea to make Christmasy mirrors.  I found, made, or collected many different mirrors and frames then had my brother-in-law help me with the vinyl.  Here is some of them.  I think they turned out really cute.  The boutique didn't really quite pan out as I would have hoped but I did make my money back and just a little more.  What I didn't sell at the boutique I sold online and made enough that I would probably do it again. The "Let it Snow" mirror which I knew was going to turn out so cute gave me the most trouble.  I took the mirror out the fix the frame and then I couldn't find the mirror.  I think I cut it up to put in other mirrors.  So I bought some other mirror glass to cut to fit inside the frame.  After about 5 tries I got one that cut without breaking and fit with a little modification to the frame.  Once I finally had it all together I stored it in my room because I thought it was cursed and I was sure it was going to break before I could get it to the boutique.  It turned out to be one that didn't sell so I sold it online to a woman who was tickled pink with it.

Wrestling Oct 2014

I signed the little boys up for wresting.  I figured they do it all day why not learn how to do it properly.  Peter was one of the smallest kids in over 30 kids.  

I learned that Peter is excellent at getting out of being pinned but terrible at pinning.  It matches him always trying to avoid things.  Once I told him to pretend his opponent was his brother he did well but he couldn't remember to keep that in mind.

Brennen on the other hand excelled at wrestling.  Because he is pretty solid he wrestled 4th graders but he has a knack for it.  He took second place in his first tournament against a kid a foot taller and 2 years older than him.  I posted that he won on his first tournament but my sister reminded me that he has been preparing for this his entire life.

For his second tournament he had just gotten over being sick and was not  his full self.  Regardless he did pretty well but I knew he was still not 100%  more like 60%.  He didn't place in that one and all the dad's were wondering why because they knew he was a good competitor.  they had a good experience but I don't think I am ready for them to make this their sport.   

Halloween 2014

Halloween this year felt like a California Halloween.  the weather was so warm.  We did the obligatory school parade.  Brennen and Peter decided they HAD to be a skeleton pirate and a skeleton cowboy because their older brother was a skeleton. They even let me paint their faces.  They never let me do that. There were about a million Elsa's and Anna's from Frozen, and a large handful of those stupid morph suits.  talk about the most lame Halloween costume ever.  Not to mention embarrassing because you can see everything in those suits, gross.

I volunteered to help out Brennen's class for their Halloween party.  I was incharge of making and running a game.  I decided to do the old "throw the sticky eyeball on the monster".  I bought enough sticky eyes to  give one to each kid in the class. They got to keep the eyeball and if they won they got a candy.  Then I drew a cute troll about 4' tall.  The one to get it closest to the eye socket won.

Our neighborhood is not a good neighborhood for trick-or-treating so we headed up to my sister Stephanies new neighborhood.  It made it seem even more like our old California neighborhood.  Not quite as great but pretty fun and the kids scored and some good candy.   Of course the little boys had to change costumes because that's just what they do.  I have learned to live with it. which is why I don't spend any kind of real money on their costumes.  

Matt decided to light is super awesome pumpkin on fire and the kids were acting like Lord of the Fly's dancing around it and chanting/singing/yelling.  

 Overall it was a really nice Halloween.  This year saved my faith in Halloween.

Ellie turns 14 Oct 2014

For Ellie's birthday she couldn't come up with anything more than have some friends hang out and watch a movie.  I know as a mom I should be grateful that this simple request was all she wanted.  However as the Jane that I am I couldn't allow it.  It sounded so lame to me.  Why is it teenagers are so boring and lame?  So I talked her into going Laser Tagging.  I know this was going to cost me more but I felt like she needed something a little more fun.  She reluctantly agreed.  I came up with this cake idea  it was simple yet it fit the theme.  Most importantly it tasted good.  

Peter thought this was the  most amazing cake ever.  

We all had a great time at laser tag.  Yes Scott, me and the boys joined in on laser tag.  It was us against the girls and can I just say we totally creamed them.  It was so funny to watch them cower and squirm with only a few brave enough to actually venture out and shoot.  After the first game the more timid girls found their bravery and came out with a vengeance.  Sadly they still lost to Scott, the boys and I, but they had so much fun.  I heard that comment over and over again, "That was so much fun."  That's a winning mom moment. Happy Birthday my talented girl.  We love you!

Bridal Veil Falls in Autumn Oct 2014

My sister Amy and I decided to take advantage of these last days of fall to take a picnic up to Bridal Veil Falls and enjoy the last few golden moments before the leaves bid their final adieu.  The weather was perfect.  We let the kids bring their scooters so they could play around and ride up to the falls.  As we walked along the trail the air just shouted fall.  The crisp breeze, the sound of cool rushing water, and the smell of moist leaves and earth.  I do love this part of fall.  The kids had a great time running around, feeding the fish, climbing all over everything.  We purposely left at a time a little after lunch and then let them hike around so when it was time for lunch they would actually eat.  That way we didn't have to worry about them being too busy playing and then complaining they were hungry on the way home.  After a few years you learn how to plan this kind of stuff.  Its also works when you are going to restaurant with kids.  Don't! feed them before and don't let the server bring their food early or let them snack on too many appetizers.  If you take kids hungry they will eat at the restaurant instead  bothering everyone you sit next to.  We had some friends that didn't want to pay for a meal for their kids so they would feed them before.  I'm telling you its worth paying for a meal to have them eat and behave nicely.

 As we were walking along the trail Brennen came across this very UNexceptional tree and fell in love with it.  His exact words, "Oh look at this tree isn't it so beautiful!"  Oh my Brenny seeing the beauty in all things.  Don't let his demeanor fool you this kid is actually a deep thinker.  

It turned out to be a very relaxing outing.  I only wished I'd brought a book and then I could just soak up the sun with the sound of the river and my children's laughter in the background lull me into contentment.

Cornbellys Oct 2014

We decided that we had so much fun at cornbellys that we wanted to go again this year.  Its a little expensive so we gathered all the coupons we could find to help offset the cost.  With the coupons it cost as much as taking the family out to dinner so it was justified.  Then again can you really put a price on good fun together time as a family.  I know you don't have to spend money to have a good time but once in awhile I think its fine, and we are creating lasting memories for the kids when we do stuff different from the norm.

This time we got a little lost in the corn maze.  That is what happens when you let the kids choose which way to go, then again that is all part of the fun.  

We went into the spook alleys this time and I am really quite embarrassed to admit that in the giant blowup dinosaur that had absolutely nothing in it but lights and sounds I was spooked.  There was a hole in the dinosaur rib area, I stuck my arm in it to feel the breeze from the fan when a little kid bumped up against the other side of it.  I jumped a few feet and let out a squeal.  My family thought it was the funniest thing while I tried to down play it.  They still haven't let me live it down.

We also went through this hay maze.  The hay was about 12 feet tall and you could only go through it single file.  I couldn't believe what a good insulator hay is.  It was so warm and quiet in the maze.  This fact alone freaked out the boys more than the stupid blowup dinosaur.  There was a guy in a Gilly suit who was sneaking around scaring people.  Ellie came across some kids from her school inside the maze.  when the Gilly suit guy made an appearance one of the girls broke off her group and joined us. They had a couple of machine when you walked past they blew air at you or a loud noise.  Those got William good and I was redeemed just a little bit.

They had a game called "corn ball"  it like volleyball with hay bales for the net except the ball looks like corn and is huge and a heavy.  We were having a blast playing when some smart alec decided to get up on the hay bales and try to knock the ball from there.  I told the kid many times that he needed to get down it was too dangerous up there.  I was serious the ball is pretty heavy.  I knew if he got hit with it it could definitely knock him off the wall and he could really get hurt.  He hopped down for 2 minutes then was right back up again  even though I told him to stay off.  Well as my luck would have it the ball came to me and I tossed it back over.  I didn't realize that the kid was right in my path (did I mention the ball is huge  I can't see around it) Apparently I knocked that kid off the wall so hard he went flying.  As soon as the ball cleared I saw him falling to the ground.  I made sure to check on him to see if he was okay.  He wasn't happy, but I did warn him.  I made sure to talk to his parents to see if he really was okay.  THANKFULLY they were the kind of parents that said "it was his fault for climbing up there, maybe next time he will think about his stupid actions."  Meanwhile Scott is in the background busting up because he got it all on video.  Definitely AFV worthy.