Just can't win

So a little while ago we moved Benton into Brita's room. He didn't sleep at first because Brita's night light is so stinking bright that Brita can look at books until one in the morning with the greatest of ease. So we got rid of the night light and then Brita started being so bored at night because she couldn't see to look at her books that she started being really loud and then Benton couldn't sleep. So we thought that we could get some music or a book on tape for her to listen to so she wouldn't be so antsy and she would go to sleep.

So yesterday we went to the library and got some things. Then last night we realized we didn't have a CD player, so we asked to borrow Monica's but it bit the dust a few months ago. And we would have used the laptop, but we haven't been able to find the power cord for a while. Finally Peter found a DVD player that would work. (Thanks, Stewart!) We put in Curious George and it started off with jazz music that got Benton out of bed and dancing. Luckily Brita didn't like the thought of listening to that book so we put in the music, which unfortunately Benton still wanted to dance to. Brita started crying about how she didn't want to listen to music and her life was basically ending. So I asked her if she could be quiet if we turned off the music and she said yes. Peter left her with a threat that if she was loud we'd turn the music back on and everyone went peacefully to sleep. Or something like that.

My birthday

So I don't usually blog about important events (you know, like everyone else in my family's birthdays), but here's some pictures from my birthday. And yes, I consider my birthday an important event.

The first part of my birthday was pretty ordinary, other than people dropping by the house and giving me things. It was so nice--I didn't expect anything and people are really just too nice for their own good. Then Brita went to a 4H activity with a friend of hers and Peter came home from work and had lunch with me (he was supposed to be home for the rest of the day, but that didn't quite work out). Then I talked to my sister for about two hours (ahh, the freedom of having a phone after not having one for a long time) and she got to hear all sorts of things that she never wanted to. Mostly involving potty training. Then Brita came home and we picked up Peter from work and got subway and came home and had cake and ice cream. It was a lovely day.

My cake. "What is it?" you might ask. It's a muddy tractor in winter.
My cute family.
They enjoyed the cake and ice cream. It was cookies and cream ice cream--you know, like vanilla, but more muddy-winter-ish.
They liked it a lot. And they're pretty funny.
After cake and ice cream they did a song for me. Peter sang and Brita and Benton danced. They have some moves.
I don't usually do videos. Mostly because I never watch other people's videos. So feel free to not watch.
Here's a video of the amazing dancing.

Here's Brita singing Picture a Christmas. You would have gotten the beginning, but I had to mess with my camera. A lot. Don't miss Benton's mad dance skills.
And then we went to bed.

Goals pay.

So we have this goal blog to encourage us to, you know, be more productive with our lives. It's not bad--you just have to feel guilty once a week for not doing anything with your life. But anyway, one of my sister's goals is to get all her recipes typed up. And as part of that she emails them to my other sister. And then comes the great part: then my sister who gets the recipes in her email makes them for me. It's pretty much a perfect system. Yeah for goals! And honey lime enchiladas are amazing.

I am so socially inept

But we already knew that, huh?

Slippers

Brita: These are my slippers, Mom: I can slip in these!

Wipes

This is my new serger.
These are my new wipes.
Too bad my fraycheck is about 20 years old or I'd actually be done with this project.

I need to wash a pan

So I was just talking to my sister on the phone. In that time I made a batch of cinnamon rolls and Benton and I ate them all. They were good. That's all.

Relationship advice

It seems like I've been giving a lot of relationship advice lately.

Brita: These people aren't excited to go to the temple--they don't want to get married.
Me: Then they shouldn't get married.

Brita: Can you give these people a hug? They're crying because they don't want to get married.
Me: They shouldn't get married then.

Maybe my advice is all the same, but I stand by it.