Redemption IV - Family Fun Park

We're on a redemption roll, aren't we?!

I redeemed my fourth Christmas Coupon this evening with a trip to a local family fun park. We organized to go with friends... cause, well... it's just more fun with friends!



The place was busier than I expected but there was plenty of space for our mats on the ground.



We got a bit settled in...



and Sweet N wasted no time breaking into the Doritos we brought.

Can't say I blame her.



The bigger kids ran off to buy tickets to what I call The Big Big Toy Cage.



Cause prettymuch it was a big cage full of big toys.



Look at that face. Just look at it.



This was the most popular big toy. You can't see him, but my boy is climbing up with the best the bigger kids.



See his orange shirt just ahead of red shirt kid?

My theory is that the crowd somehow pushed him up the ramp. He was such a little guy he completely disappeared amongst the rest.



Um, H? Are you okay? Still there?



There he is!



He's thrilled.



Trying to slide...



Better late than never! Ha!



Such fun.



Can you guess who is at the top of the ramp again? Please note the backup being caused by you-know-who...



Down again!



This is how he usually finished the slide.



Or like this.



Or like this. (awkward)



Or this.



Or like this.

Wow, this is really getting comical. He really had a rough time at the bottom, huh?



Last one. Promise.



He never minded all the tumbling, scraping, and rolling though.

Not once.



In fact, I think he loved every second of it.



Back out on the mat he did as any puppy would and ate popcorn out of his hat while his baby sister tried to get a handful too.



Ahem... I see what you're reaching for (again) baby girl. Don't you think you've had enough?

Impossible.

While big brother was off exploring, Sweet N literally spent almost the entire evening crawling around on the mats getting into whatever food she could get her little fingers on. Her mother never tried to stop her. At one point she was shaking a bag of doritos and throwing crumbs all over her head.

Oh well. No harm done.

It kept her occupied. And happy. And cheesy. Very nacho cheesy.



This guy is just so cute. He had a much more healthful approach to eating on the mat. Isn't he the cutest Egyptian/Dutch boy you've ever seen? And if you think he's cute to look at... you should hear him say "uh oh"...



Here's some of our family fun park companions!



These two couldn't get enough of the pigs in blankets that I brought and even had mouthfuls for the picture!



We were so happy to share this evening with them all (and another family that declined photos!... It's okay R, I have my days when I don't want my photo taken either...) :)



But today wasn't one of those days for me. Wow. We look so happy.

I think it's cause we are.



What a great way to spend an evening...

Redemption III - The Oven

It's taken me some time to use up my Christmas coupons.

This is okay with me.

Recently after our old stove/oven started leaking gas constantly, it made it easy for us to make the decision to go ahead and get me my new stove that was promised at Christmas.

Before I show you the new one maybe I show you the old one?

Then, and only then, can you appreciate the new.



Maybe it looks okay to you. And I guess it was okay. I used it for five years in this condition.



But it had gotten quite filthy, yes. That's easy to see. But it also was only partially functional. The door made an awful noise when opening and closing and never did close all the way... so if the heat of the house itself wasn't enough... add to it the oven which would heat the entire kitchen right along with the oven itself. Whew. It was a bit much. My kitchen is often over 100 degrees. Although that might not change...

Also, only three of the burners worked. And only two of them were moderately reliable.

It had a serious hot spot in the front right side that caused every batch of muffins/cake/anything to seriously burn if I didn't properly rotate.

Oh yeah... and the door not closing caused the heat to rise directly onto the stove and oven controls... so it was never possible to touch the controls without hot pads or as I often used, tongs.

Okay. I think that covers it.

And now, drumroll please...



Hallelujah and Amen!



Isn't she a beaut?



All four burners work. The door closes all the way. The controls don't get hot. No awful noises. No leaking gas. No hot spot. No heat-the-entire-kitchen-like-the-oven capability.

Thank you Mikey!

I love it and I love you.

New, Improved...

A million years ago when my parents visited...

or

Just yesterday when my parents visited...

(depending upon how I am feeling in the moment)

...my Dad did some great improvements to our place.

The first was building us a screen door! Glory hallelujah!



It keeps the skeeters out of the house but the breeze (on occasion) and the green IN!

We all love it. Even H has perfected the right angle and pressure needed to close it properly and N loves to sit by it and look outside.



Or actually I should say that she loved to sit by it and look outside (like in these pictures) before she learned that she herself could push open the door, crawl over to the sandbox/plant pot/stray leaves/half-full bucket and become a little (happy) sandy dirtball before her Mama had time to think... "Where did sweet N go?" and then rush outside to find her grinning, with dirt smeared all over.

Just happened (again) this morning. A good Mom would have wiped her off and changed her clothes. But this Mom just threw her in the car as-is to go visit a friend. Whatever.



A simple lock would remedy that problem, but we haven't gotten there yet...

The second improvement has also been A.MAZ.ING.



This was my old countertop.



It was well used, to be sure.



I'd tell you something clever like "It was original with the house" but I don't actually know. And anyway, isn't that information useless unless I knew the year that the house was built?

Oh well.

After numerous trips to tile stores for the right tiles and numerous trips to the market for cutting and supplies the work began.

I think I tried to prepare my father ahead of time for how not-easy and not-straightforward doing house projects is in this country. I don't know if it sank in until he and I spent about three hours combing the market, chatting with people, asking questions, making exaggerated motions, drinking tea, and going on wild-goose hunts just to come home with some wood, some screen, and some screws.

Then maybe he got it.

But maybe not.

Because that was just the beginning.

But he sure did persevere. Did I tell how all how amazed and impressed with my parents I was when they were so willing to experience everything about daily life here with no fear and no complaints?

I mean, my Mom even ate orange wedges every day.

And my Mom never eats orange wedges. (yes Mom, I noticed...and I love you all the more for it!)

Aaaaaaaanyway. Back on track, Suzanne.

Right.



Good thing Poppi had an apprentice. No matter that that small apprentice apparently has some sensitive ears.



I was also a (not so small) apprentice. And look! I was wearing sweat pants! Amen.



The finished product is wonderful! (and yes, we moved the fridge, in case you noticed.)



So smooth, clean and white. And so nice and not chipped and not dirty and not stained. You know... it's just so smooth and clean and white! I don't know how else to say it people.

Can you sense my joy?

My joy is great each time I wipe this counter. Even a million years or one day (or actually, a few months) later.

Thanks Mom and Dad for all you did. For coming here. For being here. For doing life with us for two weeks.

And thanks, too, for the screen door and new tile counters.
:)

Favorite Thing

N has a favorite thing. Well, she probably has more than one.



She knows right where to find it.



Here it is!!



It's a little satchel bag from Lufthansa that H got when the kiddos and I were on this trip last year.



H loves to pack it up and take it on outings and N likes to pretend to pack it too. Here it looks like she's planning a picnic of corn on the cob. Except she never actually manages to get anything in the bag. I guess she doesn't love it for it's functionality...



But for it's pure fashion genius.



Or something like that.



Wouldn't you just love to know what is going on in her wittle baby head?

Me too.



All I know is that this bag is sure to please her.

And make you want to squeeze her.

(rhyme not intended, but liked)

Welcome

This was waiting for me on our front door when I returned home from my solo trip. H wrote the letters he could and his Daddy filled in the rest.

So so sweet.



It's the little things in life, isn't it?

Tent Training

Tent training has commenced. Gotta get her ready for our summer travels!

Step 1: Get her familiar with the tent. Done.

Step 2: Get her to sleep in the tent. Done. She napped in the tent in her bed this afternoon.

Step 3: Get her to nap in the tent on the floor and not crawl out when she wakes up. This is by far, the most difficult step.

Wish me luck!