I am in Love

I've looked at the Roomba for years and wondered if they were worth the money, but had never convinced myself to buy one.  However, after recently talking to a few neighbors who did have one and liked them, I decided to bite the bullet and buy my own...on my birthday....as a birthday present to myself.  You only turn 40 once right?  And who wouldn't buy themselves a vacuum on their birthday?

Oh. My. Goodness.  This little guy is a gift sent straight from heaven.

Today was his big trial run all alone in the house to see if he would earn his keep.  I picked up the major obstacles on my main floor, shut a few doors and turned him on right before I left the house to run errands.  I had doubts that it would do a good enough job to warrant his price tag as his mini trial run the day before was a little iffy.

To my amazement, when I returned home the house was swept and vacuumed and he had safely returned to his port, ready to do it again whenever I called.

As soon as I got over my amazement, for I was truly awestruck,  I about jumped for joy I was so pleased.  You mean this little piece of equipment will sweep and vacuum and I don't have to do it nor pay anyone else to do it for me?  Where have you been all my life?  I'm Sold!!

Sure, he doesn't do as good as I do.  Corners are a little tricky and there are spots he missed.  If I were to grade him, I would give him a B+.  But he does it well enough to make it sooo worth the money.   So, in between my weekly sweeping and vacuuming, he's totally got me covered.

Oh and I love him so much, I gave him a name.  Milo.  Welcome to the family.

Procrastinator

That's me.  Don't you hate it when you read your e-mail in the morning and realize the due date for the space derby ship thingy is today and you haven't done a darn thing to get it ready.  Was I reminded about it for months.  Yep.  And I did absolutely nothing about it.

So, the second Owen got home from school we had a marathon derby building afternoon.  With a lot of help from YouTube, and a sufficient amount of spray paint and wood glue, we threw one together. I'm just hoping the thing doesn't fall apart before the race is over.

Swimming on a Soccer Field

Soccer games this past week have been wet, drizzly and cold.  Taylor's game was the icing on the cake, though.  After raining all day, their team showed up at Lone Peak's poorly drained artificial turf field and found standing water.

What a game.  The boys were sopping wet by the end and found it quite the challenge to play with large lakes in the middle of the field, squishy sopping wet turf,  and a ball that kept stopping every time it hit the water. To top it off, Taylor decided to take a quick swim after the game was over.  You don't get that opportunity very often.

Helping with dinner

A table setter and a cook.

Owen and the Rubic's cube

A few weeks ago, Owen found an old Rubic's cube at my parent's house.  Most of the stickers had peeled off, but was still in working, twistable order.  He brought it home and immediately tore off all the remaining stickers and then asked me to buy new ones.  What did I do?  I go to Amazon, because that's where I buy EVERYTHING and find someone who sells stickers for the cube for about $3 bucks.  The problem is, they are coming from China on a boat that is being rowed across the many waters to America, followed by a handcart to Utah.

When Owen meets a problem he wants to solve it rather quickly.  He got these rectangular stickers as temporary replacements, put them on and colored them.  They actually work fairly well, all things considered and has only replaced them once.

He has been happily working on solving the cube ever since and is not-so patiently waiting for the real stickers to show up.  Keep waiting kid.  They've still got a long ways to go.

Try not to laugh

Don't you love this picture?  I sure do.  A few years ago, after sitting through yet another spring soccer game in the drizzly rain, with the cold wind going right through me, I thought that there must be someone out there that makes a blanket heavy duty enough to keep me warm.  Within a few clicks online I found my lifesaver.  Windproof, waterproof and oh sooo warm.  At first I couldn't believe I just paid so much for a blanket, but the first time I wrapped up in it at a cold, windy, wet game and I stayed toasty warm, I was completely sold.  I am no longer the one shivering on the sidelines.  Add an umbrella and boots and I could sit in this weather all day.  I may look ridiculous, but I could care less.  I am warm!

DisneyLand

After going back and forth about taking a quick trip to DL for spring break, I surprised the boys last minute and took the plunge - I call it a mom and son's trip.  Scott had to work. :(     I have been a very neglectful parent as we have not been in 6 years.  Chase was a 2 year old, the last time we were there and has no memory of it at all.

I was a little worried about the crowds, but it turned out just fine.  Part of the surprise was "happening" upon our besties from Utah who just "happened" to be there at the same time and we then conveniently hung out with them for 3 days making it all the more enjoyable.

We beat the crowds by arriving at the park super early and we worked the fast pass system like nobody's business.  Oh and the churro ice cream sandwich....Wow!!

All in all it was a fast, but great trip and we will definitely go again- hopefully sooner than 6 years.