Trying to amuse ourselves

2nd full day in the hospital + one 3 year old who feels absolutely fine = trying anything to pass the time.

How do you spend your saturday?

Poor Trey had a severe asthma attack so we are spending some quality time with the nice folks at Children's.

RIP Quinner. We love you.

Quinn. Quinner. Q-bert. QB. Q-dogg. Lil' Buddy. LB. Neen. We've called you many things over your 12 years. And with each new nickname we've loved you even more.

Sleep well baby.

i feel like a thief in my own house

I've come down with the stomach bug, and been hiding from the kids all day in the bedroom to avoid contact.  This is the only time I curse my first floor master.  I have been texting Joe when I need something so the kids don't see me. 

Target update

The Baby Tales kits will hit shelves Sunday, October 4th. I can start to see sales info a couple days after that. They have already ordered about 1,000 more kits, but since I was conservative in my factory order I only have about 500 left. Oh well - lost income but at least I don't have a ton of product sitting around!

Jonah's first steps!

I think we can consider that tonight we saw Jonah's first unassisted, albeit reluctant, first steps.  Take 1:  Jonah was walking and holding lightly onto Joe's thumbs - coming straight towards me.  When Joe let go, Jonah veered towards the ottoman to grab Trey's "computer."  Take 2:  I'm now holding the computer so Jonah is more interested in coming to me.  Joe got him started and when he let go, Jonah took 2 halfway balanced steps on his own then crashed into me.  Success!

He's a funny walker...I think he still has the feeling of Johnny Jump Up in his mind and is the true definition of having a bounce in his step.  He moves forward, but the movement is more like a bop forward.

Whrrl

I'm playing around with a new service called Whrrl.  I think it will be an easy way to keep you updated from the road for the Great RV Trip of 2009.  I can text updates and pics and you can watch the story unfold.  You can click on the pic of Jonah on the right side of the blog to see my practice one.  I'll try it out this weekend on our trip to Santa Fe for Cousin Allyn's wedding.

What's in the box?

Thanks Apple!

Good things come to those who procrastinate wait.

I've been looking around for an mp3 player that has built in FM radio. I have a small iPod Shuffle, but I can't listen to the TV at the gym. I have some birthday money left and I've been trying to make a decision on which one to buy. Low and behold, Apple announced that the newest version of the iPod Nano has built in FM radio, PLUS a pedometer, PLUS it shoots videos. I'm so excited!

Take the Pledge with me!

Take the pledge today to stop buying bottled water!

Good boy!

the dangers of eBay

Trey's PJs are woefully small on him and barely cover his belly.  So the other night I went shopping for used PJs on eBay.  I typed in those magic words "boys spiderman PJs 4T" and stared at all the wonderful options before me.  I admit...I went a little crazy, bidding here and there without a care.  I figured that I wouldn't win most of the bids.  Well, days later I start receiving "you have won this item."  Ah oh... I have a list of wins and not a lot of losses.  And I thought I could save on shipping by bidding on listings with multiple pair of PJs, so the wins are for multiple pair.  The first box arrived today, with not 2, not 4, not 6, but 8 pair of size 4T PJs for Trey - 3 of which are spiderman.  I've lost count, but I believe 3 more boxes are coming for a total of about 13 pair of PJs.  So grandparents, friends, neighbors...if you were thinking of buying PJs for Trey for Christmas...please don't!

Change in itinerary

We've changed our RV trip plans just slightly so we don't have as many long days driving. We traded Zion and Bryce Canyon for Grand Canyon. Here is how it stands now:

Sat - drive to moab (6 hours)

Stay 2 nights around moab and see arches and canyonland national parks

Mon - drive to Grand Canyon and stay 1 night

Tues - drive to Phoenix, hitting Sedona on the way

Spend Tues night in Phoenix and see Grandma Jan (and hopefully have a real shower at her house)

Wed - drive to Joshua Tree National Park and stay 1 night there

Thurs - the festival lot opens at noon on Thursday, so we'll want to be there when it opens to get a good spot

Thurs - Sat - Festival 8 in Indio, CA

After the music on Sat night we'll hit the road and spend a long few days driving, and be back in Parker Monday night.

He practically takes care of himself!

Night night baby

Shipment just arrived!

FINALLY!  Just in the nick of time, my shipment of 5,000 Tiny Tales kits just arrived at my warehouse in MN.  It couldn't have been cut any closer...they go back out to Target on Wednesday morning next week.  Darn U.S. customs for holding it up so long!  It's paper!  Not drugs.  Jeez.

I still haven't seen them... they could be horribly messed up which would be a very bad scenario.  But I'll just hope for the best and know that something is going to make the Target deadline.  Let the weekend begin!

Aug was a great budget month!

Joe and I did amazing well in August with our budget.  I didn't even include any of the birthday money I received (kept that in a separate bucket).  We didn't make it to the goal of 80% of my salary, but even still, it was a good month.  We put a good amount in savings and had some left over.  When we've done really well one month, we typically have a bad next month b/c we've just delayed purchases, so September will be the real test.

SafetyTats

Getting geared up for the big RV and festival trip in a few months...  I ordered these for the kids.  I think they are such a great idea!

cruel joke

Joe and I always try to give each other small anniversary gifts that align with the "official" gifts for that anniversary year.  In a cruel twist, this year's gift is supposed to be candy.

The chair

Trey: Alec had to sit in the chair today at school. He was bad. He said poopie and that's a bad word.

Me: do you ever get put in the chair?

Trey: no because I'm good. (Long pause). At school.