Welcoming the new addition to the family

Well my dishwasher took a dive.

It hasn't been washing the dishes well since Christmas.  I shouldn't really complain.  It is 10 years old and runs twice a day between the kids, the family and the daycare.  She has been good to me and never once a repair except for a missing screw. Every day I turned her on and she happily hummed through her job and didn't once ask for a thing or complain.

Todd, being raised by a woman and no men in the house, wanted to whip out the check book and run to Homedepot at the first sign of a dirty spot.  But me, being raised by a man who fixed anything that didn't move faster than him, said "Lets try and fix it". I mean after all we had no clue what was actually wrong with it.  I didn't grow up in a disposable household. Things were taken care of and nurtured and fixed and nurtured some more. So after much whining and a lot of stalling he tried repairing it.

It didn't work

So we finally called the repair man in.  He laughed at me.  Said Todd and were backwards.  Usually the man fixes and the woman grab the checkbook.  Then he sadly broke the news........ The pump was going and as hard as the dishwasher was trying to pump out the dirty and bring in the clean, she just couldn't do it anymore. She was slowly and sadly shutting down. And the cost for repair was more than replacement. It was time for the old girl to go.

Todd gave me the "I told you so" look and happily ran for the car with checkbook in hand.

It took two days to pick the dishwasher. Another fours days to deliver.  Another 4 days before anyone had time to start putting it in.  Two grown men and two more days to install.  And the best part?  I don't like it! 

Thats right.  Thinking on returning it. I am sure that Todd and my neighbor will be thrilled when I tell them to haul it away back to the salesman that had the nerve to sell it to me in the first place.  No sorry.... Correction.  Sell it to TODD.  See Todd picked out this lovely appliance. I like google. I like to read reviews.  I don't often purchase things or go places without looking up reviews.  Todd teased me about this and ended up picking this dishwasher.  Perhaps he should have googled. 

The contractor grade old one cleaned my dishes for 10 years.  It fairly dried them well too. She was noisy but in a house full of kids and barking dogs, one hardly noticed.  This one my dishes are soaked.  It takes three hours or more to wash them. I have to put it on the highest water heat setting and it still isn't drying them.  I am not sure how this is energy efficient.  And I don't like having to dry the dishes after paying an arm and leg for a brand new dishwasher that should be doing it for me. 

Momma is not pleased.  And this little lady might be seeing the inside of the discount section of HomeDepot.

So.....welcome....for not..........Miss GE dishwasher.  But you better get your act together or your days are numbered!

Something to be said for the old. 

Gee thanks for the fun times!

As if I didn't have enough to do daily, Delaney's school thought it might be 'fun' to start a puppet theater.  Each child had to bring in their favorite book and make a puppet based on the book. 

I knew I was in trouble when they asked the children to bring in the books to approve them.  They never came back.  The teacher is keeping them in a bin to read through each book.  They will be returned later.  Only.....you have to make a puppet based on the book......and you don't have the book!

I am not sure WHO thought this was going to be fun but it surely was not a parent!

After panic eased, I took a deep breath and thought that Delaneys puppet should be fairly easy.  Her book is "I am a rainbow" by Dolly Parton.  The book doesn't really have a main character.  Each color is a new character telling about how the color on the page makes them feel.

Time to rethink.  I don't have the book.  I don't have a main character anyway.  What to do?

Off I ran to the store for supplies....eyes....a sock.....hair......etc etc etc.

We began our 'fun' project this weekend.  Delaney painted rainbow stripes on the arm of the puppet.  The rest is obviously beyond Delaney's craft skills so today Mommy gets to piece it together.

I tried hot gluing the hair on.  Which didn't hold down each strand so I had to slip the puppet on my hand and sew the hair on with the other.  I hot glued on eyelashes and eyes.  Then painted on the nose and mouth which promises to be a challenge.  MY hand is not the same size as a 3rd grader and I fear that "Dollys" mouth might end up either INSIDE her mouth or on top of her face.  It is a sock so one can only hope it can be shifted around.  And because each childs hand would differ I opted not to include a tongue pretty much for the same reasons.

So here I sit....paint coated, hot glue gun burned looking at the Dolly puppet who is a rainbow.

They better be super happy cause I know I am.  I am FINALLY done my....um....I mean Delaneys homework!

Thumbs up school.  Thanks so much for the added activity.  It was so "FUN"! *insert eye roll here*

Now....to add or not to add Dolly boobs??????

Happy Birthdays Everywhere!

I am a little behind on posting Delaneys birthday pictures.  That poses a problem because now it is Ryans birthday and I am now jammed up on birthday wishes and pictures and all that fun stuff.  Only good thing is that I have no pictures of Ryans birthday yet....it is today and he is still in bed. I guess I could sneak in and snap a shot of the birthday boy but I am thinking he would not be very happy with me so to spare my life, I shall wait on birthday picture posting for Ryan!

Delaneys birthday party was, well, exactly two weeks ago and she had a blast!  I would love to show you 200 wonderful shots of glorious birthday celebration but it was in the dark skating rink and my camera is not the best so getting shots that were not blurry from moving 8 year olds or dark from dim rink lights is rare so you get what you get and know that you do not need to make an appointment for an eye check up.  It is totally me! I can continue to blame the camera but you will see I also took pictures at home and they are not much better. 

My sweet Delaney is offically 8 years old. I cannot understand where that time went! It seems to have skimmed by just as fast as the children in these pictures.......

HAPPY 8TH BIRTHDAY DELANEY! Mommy loves you!

AND......

HAPPY 20TH BIRTHDAY RYAN!
Officially at 5:55 this morning you turned 20.  I remember the day like it was yesterday.  Not because of the whole birth process and all the pain mothers complain about...but because this was the day I first fell in love with the sweetest man in my life.  May you have many more blessed birthdays!