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January 16, 2009

The Washing Machine

This morning I went to do laundry and noticed that the load I had out in the wash yesterday morning was sopping wet, sitting in a little pool of water. I didn’t think much of it since the on and off knob is on the front of the washer and we all frequently lean against it and turn the machine off. So I turned the washing machine back on and went on my merry way.

I came by it a little while later and realized that running the washing machine again had not solved anything. The clothing was sitting in a pool of water and the machine wouldn’t spin.

As someone who does endless laundry, I had no other choice than to pull the machine out and attempt to fix it. Even though, honestly, I had no idea how to actually fix it.

Long story short, I pulled the washer out from underneath the counter, took the drain hose off and cleaned it out. In the process spilling water that smelled like an old swamp all over the floor and myself. Then I cleaned out the little pump motor thingy. Turned out the frigid weather had caused some ice to form in it. No, my washer is not outside. Yes, it is located inside an interior room of my house. Imagine me shrugging my shoulders.

I heated the little pump motor thing up with the hair dryer. And then hit it with my screwdriver really hard a few times.

And viola, it began working again. (I’d like to pretend that I typed viola on purpose like it was my own saying, “Violin! Harpsichord!” But alas I really did mean voila, with the little accent mark that I do not know how to type.)

My daughter was fascinated by this process, jumping around just out of the room asking me a million questions.

“How do you know how to do that, Mommy?”

“I don’t, sweetie. Like everything else in life, I am just making it up as I go along.”

And sometimes just smacking the crap out of something with a screwdriver really is the answer.

‘Round the Net

January 15, 2009

Story of a Crock of…. Leftovers

The third installment in the Disney World series.

Ahhhh, the Happiest Place on Earth

This is at the Beauty and the Beast show. They wanted everyone to know that they were NOT enjoying anything princessy. AT ALL. Do not for one minute think that they were.

Waiting in line. Miles thinks that it is lots of fun, too.

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Cold.

I’m just glad it isn’t snowing.

Today we spent the day huddled near the woodstove. We read stories. We did school work. (By “we” I mean the children. Though sometimes it feels like it is me and I have to stop and tell certain children that I have already done elementary school, thankyouverymuch.) Watched bad Disney tv. And abused the Ninetendo DS priviledges. But what else are you supposed to do when it is really too cold to go outside and play?

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January 14, 2009

By the light of the Nintendo

Yes, I have joined the dark side. After years and years of being an electronic free house, the Waldorf schools would have loved us, we slowly began acquiring things than needed batteries. My last hold out was hand held video game things.

A few years ago I bought Leapsters for some of the kids. But I was able to convince myself that they were educational and as such were not really hand held video game things.

Then Nintendo gave me two DS Lites last year. Everyone shared them. And we only had the Brain Age game. After awhile they had all improved their little brains as much as they could and the novelty had worn off.

As of today, everyone has their own Nintendo DS. Today at Target I calculated the price of my sanity and realized it was $258, plus tax. Yes, I Bought two more. Hopefully the never ending arguing about whose turn it is will end. Maybe, just maybe, they will all sit silently by the glow of their Nintendos and shut the hell up for five minutes. I know. I dream big.

My daughter got a pink Nintendo. And a Wedding Planner game. A game whose sole purpose is to pick the perfect dress, music, veil, and flowers for your wedding. I think you even get to pick the perfect groom, the ultimate wedding accessory.

Don’t judge me. Gloria Steinem is clutching her chest in agony right now, shouting, “We burned our bras for this?” I’m sorry Gloria. I am really, truly sorry. I have sold my feminist soul for five minutes of peace. And I am totally okay with it.

I’m typing this braless if it makes you feel any better.

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Rowing

Only thirteen days in and I forget. Ooops.

I love this little painting my 8 yr old son made. So much so that I taped it to my refrigerator. Anyone who knows me knows that this is something that NEVER happens in my house. I like to keep the front of my appliances clutter free, the way the good lord intends them.

Lately I have felt like the faceless rower in the painting. Frantically rowing, trying to get somewhere, but only seeing where I have already been.

Kind of thinking the rowing is an awful lot of work and that maybe I should just stop and look around for awhile. Or at the very least get some longer oars that actually reach the damn water.

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January 12, 2009

The Inevitable

I can’t keep any plants alive. I love plants in the house. I feel like it makes the house feel more alive. But I can not for the life of me remember to water them in a timely manner.

Then the inevitable happens. Eventually I throw it away, cursing myself. How hard is it to keep a plant alive?

I buy another plant, swearing that this time it will be different. But it never is. Even the hearty plants succumb to my neglect.

Isn’t enough that I manage to keep seven children fed and watered. And alive! Isn’t it?

Ending Hunger, One Bowl of Oatmeal at a Time (updated below)

Every single morning Miles, my newly turned 4 yr old, eats instant Quaker oatmeal. Every. Single. Morning.

Even if I am making something else for breakfast like waffles or pancakes or omelettes (oh, shut up it does so happen) he insists on having his bowl of oatmeal first. “Just a widdle snack!” he says.

So when I was contacted about blogging about Quaker oatmeal and their campaign to end hunger, I thought how could I say no. Their goal is to give 1 million people a healthy bowl of oatmeal. That is a lot of people. And a lot of oatmeal. Probably as much oatmeal as I buy in a year.

For participating I have been given 2 coupons to give to two commenters for some oatmeal, as well as a case of oatmeal to go to my local food bank. I’ll pick two people at random from the comment section to send the coupons to. They are going to send them to you directly so you don’t have to wait for me to mail them to you. Because that would happen, uh, never.

But the best part? The reason I said yes to doing this, the blogger that gets the most comments on their post will receive $5000 for the hunger charity of their choice. So leave me a comment. I want to win because I am competitive like that.

Join the Facebook group and upload a photo of yourself with the Quaker Oats man, if you want. But, uh, you can’t deface him in anyway. Or do anything nasty with him. Not that you want do anything to the wholesome Quaker man, just sayin’. Download your own Quaker Man here.

He blows so hard that often the oatmeal goes flying across that table/. I can not tell you how much his siblings LOVE that.

What? What??? I’m just tryin’ to enjoy my oatmeal.

Mmmmmmm, no I will never grow tired of eating oatmeal for breakfast. How dare you suggest such a thing!

It’s like heaven in a bowl. Even if my mouth gets stuck together like glue.

Maybe one day I will branch out from the Maple and Brown Sugar oatmeal. But not today. And probably not tomorrow either.

Wouldn’t it be great if all children, everywhere, could push back from their breakfast table, full and content?

Updated: Apparently when I agree to do things I should read better. The comments that count toward the $5000 for charity have to link to your facebook photo with the Quaker Man. Gah, I know. I know.

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January 11, 2009

See the pretty girl in that mirror there:
Who can that attractive girl be?
Such a pretty face,
Such a pretty dress,
Such a pretty smile,
Such a pretty me!

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January 10, 2009

Moon Rising

As I am typing this the sun has fully set and snow is falling. Again.

From inside the warm house it looks beautiful. We have the fire in our wood stove. The smell of stew in the crockpot fills the air, making us all hungry. The kids are playing games together nicely, or at least no one is crying or yelling.

The snow does not need to be dealt with until morning and so I can almost convince myself to enjoy it in a way that only little kids, who are too young to know what a royal pain in the ass it is, can do.

And I can’t help but think that this moment, this one right now, is as close to perfect as it gets.

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January 9, 2009

It’s always a good day for cupcakes.
And for licking the bowl.