Computer Issues

Both of our home computers have been in the shop (Corey is our PC doctor). One of them is back today, so I'm glad I can go back in time (via the schedule thing on the blog) and pretend that I haven't been MIA blogging since Friday. It's weird to have so much time when I can't waste time or be productive online! Life has continued to happen with all the regular stuff plus some of the extra holiday stuff and a few unwelcome cold weather stuff.

Regular Stuff - school, dinner, and a messy house (cause we live here.) Natalie likes to unload the dishwasher. She does great putting the silverware in the drawer. The cups however... she likes to empty the clean cups into the garbage can. Then I find them when I'm emptying the trash and put them back in the sink with the dirty dishes. She is what's called a make work helper. Another of her favorite things to do it push the start button on the dishwasher. Many times she washes a load of invisible dishes. If I catch her, I push cancel, then she looks at me and pushes start again. Then I push cancel and get a knife to prop open the dishwasher just enough that it is closed but not latched, and then it won't start when she pushes start again. And then she goes off to find another toddler task for herself.

Last night I caught this rare moment -

Joseph and Ethan were cracking up as they read Wesley's library book of Calvin and Hobbes. Ethan was laughing so hard, I wanted to go see what they were laughing about, but I didn't cause that might mess up the flow of the bonding that was going on. It was cute to listen to, grateful for those moments.

Extra Stuff - Corey got back safely from his trip to Campinas Brazil. We went and got things notarized and such for our Brazil Visas yesterday... we'll see if this happens. I'm a bit reluctant about the whole idea, since I know and slightly dread what the process would involve, but also know that I'm always happy that we go after the fact. (Kinda like being pregnant.) We went to see the lights at Temple Square on Sunday night. On Monday Joseph, Ethan, and Hyrum had a performace with their Caleb Chapman sound house bands. The boys did great I hear. I was home with kids. Corey and his parents went and my dad went too. He called me to say it was awesome. He also made a funny comment to Corey that the kids laughed about too: "If I'd have known that it would be this good, I would have looked forward to it!" Yes, I think I've got some of my dad in me and I'm a parent who, when I do attend concerts and programs, do it out of sheer duty, not for fun and rarely cause I'm actually looking forward to it. But now my dad is really excited to go see their Peaks Jazz festival in the spring cause now he knows how much they rock it. :) I haven't been to any of their concerts, I usually just catch up by watching the videos. I should probably go this year too.

More Holiday Stuff - Then another school winter concert on Tuesday, neither Corey or I went to that one but Melodie's young women leaders at church went, I thought that was super sweet of them.

Unwelcome Stuff - We've all been feeling a bit ill. Stomach flu I think. We've been puke free though until the wee hours of Tuesday morning when Abi woke me up at 2 am to tell me she threw up. She threw up a ton, but I was very grateful it was all on blankets and sheets and pillows. I gathered it up, trying not to puke myself, and went to rinse it all down the garbage disposal. There was so much, I swear it was all the food she'd eaten the whole day. At dinner time when she said she didn't feel good, I should have stopped her and not let her shove any more down (but it was Orange Chicken night, and they hate to miss that). Nasty. But again, so glad that none of it got on the carpet, hooray! Then up to put it all in the laundry machine and back to bed. I let her sleep in and was going to keep her home, but when she woke up she felt fine and was perky and knew my regular chill afternoon with little girls would be taken up a notch by her, so I let her go to school.

So that's what's going on here. Hoping to plan and finish Christmas shopping this weekend.