My obsession with Facebook...

I realize it's been quite a while since I've updated our site, and I blame it all on Facebook!

I had been using MySpace for a few years, but it seemed like I could never find other people who used it. So after hearing a third friend tell me about Facebook, I decided to check it out. Let me say it is FABULOUS!

Over the course of one weekend I was able to connect to all of my cousins in South America, the majority of my friends from high school, and other great friends from Sandia Labs. I would definitely recommend this site for anyone who is interested in finding lost friends (a girl from my elementary school found me!) or family, or anyone who just wants an easy way to keep in touch with people.

Before FB I would tell people that I didn't really care about what my classmates were up to. Once I signed up (it's free) however, I realized how much I did miss some of my classmates, even though I hadn't thought of them in years. It's been wonderful to catch up with people and to see how much we've all changed. I am very thankful for this advancement in technology!

On another topic, we got hit with more winter weather (it snowed on and off all last weekend) and then again today. I swear the snowflakes that fell this morning were the largest I've ever seen. The girls had a great time running outside to catch them. :-)

My Facebook Pic

March snow!

Mom! Catch!

Bronwen and Ava burying figurines; cute or creepy?

Uncle Joe Comes to Town

I think everyone's favorite part of Uncle Joe's visit is right now. It's Friday night and he's laying on the living room floor making a "Rudolph the Reindeer" flashlight puppet with the girls. The girls are having a blast because Rudolph is talking about Christmas, and I'm entertained because Rudolph's voice is a cross between Guido the Italian and Nana the New Jersey Grandma. It's hilarious!

Some highlights were riding to the top of the Space Needle, taking the monorail to Pike's Place Market, and having the best clam chowder. I am so happy to see how much the girls love their uncle. His visit was special, and I think we all wish we could live near each other again.

Cajones

Conrad came home today to find the kitchen a disaster, and me standing exhausted by the sink.

"I need your help," I told him.

He exhaled loudly (he's not a fan of home projects), but started rolling up his sleeves.

"I promise it's easy and won't take long," I said.

One hour later, we had our new kitchen faucet completely installed. To my credit, I did everything. This included shutting down the main water line to our house, which requires a special tool, just so you know. All I needed Conrad for was to teflon the fittings and tighten them.

Disclaimer: This project kicked my butt. It took me in total four hours and two trips to Lowes.

I originally bought a new faucet and sprayer because our old ones were leaking (and I secretly wanted new ones to match the new cabinet hardware). However when I took things apart, I realized the problem wasn't the faucet or the sprayer, but the cold water valve. It wasn't controlling the water flow properly. This malfunction was creating a large amount of pressure on the line, which caused seals to pop in the faucet and sprayer. So there I was, an hour later, back at Lowes to pick up new valves, flexible tubing, and the special tool to turn off the main water line. By the time Conrad had come home my arm was just too fatigued to go under the cabinet again.

I have to say that it will be a while before I do another home project. But I did love what Conrad told me when things were done. "Michelle, no one can say that you don't have cajones!" Con, thanks for being a great sport.

Old faucet: Notice how sprayer is laying over the sink so it won't leak water to the cabinet

New faucet: Notice sprayer is in a proper upright position (ha-ha)

Friends and Family

Today I am feeling very thankful for all of my friends and family. Sunday was a blast even though we didn't watch the superbowl (Gasp!) because my family came out and we celebrated my sister Natasha's birthday. Who needs football when you have homemade lasagna, cake and great company? On Monday the girls and I had the best time with Cami and her daughter at the park. Oh how we love to see baby Courtney! Tuesday I got together with another mom at a duck pond and possibly had the muddiest play date ever. Today I renewed a friendship with my friend Stacey from high school and watched our children (Wow, we have kids!) play together. Later on this month we have Uncle Joe coming out to visit us from Albuquerque. I am so happy to have such wonderful friends and a close family. I am blessed to have the girls grow up this way, surrounded by so many people who love them.

Friends Equal Home Projects

I resumed my home projects not too long ago in anticipation of the girls' Uncle Joe's visit later on this month. My goal was to do about one project per week. Well the pressure went up a notch after talking to my friend Stacey, who I haven't seen since high school, and planned a play date for today. I went to Ikea on Tuesday and bought some light fixtures. All can I say is the McCain/Palin mantra, "Drill, baby drill!" After nine months of talking about it, we finally have lighting in the family room (that doesn't include Christmas lights!) and guest bedroom (which the girls like to call "Anna's room" -don't ask, I don't know where they got that). Stacey and Joe thank you for motivating me to finally get this done!

A Lost Tooth and Two Ballerinas

On January 14th Ava became the first little girl in the house to lose a tooth. Here's the story...

I took the girls to the gym childcare while I worked out. When we were done, we stopped at Taco Time to get burritos and went home. As we were eating, Ava said, "Mom, I fell at the gym and hurt my chin." I examined her chin, kissed it, and asked her if she was okay. About a minute later, Bronwen exclaimed, "Mom! When Ava fell, her tooth popped out!" I said, "What?! You're tooth popped out?" Ava said, "Yah," and opened her mouth for me to see. Sure enough her bottom right tooth was gone. I couldn't believe it! I called the gym, and they couldn't believe it either!

I guess what happened is that when Ava fell (onto a foam couch of all things), she somehow knocked her tooth out. She cried for a few minutes, but was fine after one of the teachers cuddled with her. Once out of the teacher's lap, Ava told Bronwen, "My tooth popped out." This prompted the two little girls to explore the area. When they found the tooth, they picked it up, examined it, then put it back on the floor. "It was white. It was little. It had kind of like a smooth part," Bronwen told me. They never told any of the teachers.

After we went to the dentist (things are fine), we went back to the gym, but couldn't find the tooth anywhere. We figured the tooth fairy found it before us. The tooth fairy gave Ava a beautiful coloring book and a box of chocolates. Bronwen also got a coloring book for being such a good sister.

The fact Ava only told Bronwen about her tooth showed me just how much they love and trust each other. I hope they will always have such a beautiful and special bond.

"Open up wide!"

"Okay, enough looking in my mouth!"

Some fun news, they started dance class last Tuesday and loved it! Of course they wear their new tutus 24/7!

So pretty in our tutus!

The Kitchen, Part II

Not everyone may be familiar with the story of the kitchen cabinets...

When Conrad and I lived in Albuquerque, we hated the cabinets in our old house. Had we stayed, replacing or refinishing them was next on our to-do list. The shape was fine, but the finish was almost a pinkish hue (I knew the correct name at one point, but forgot since then!). So of course with the move, I thought I would have freedom from my pink cabinetry. Unfortunately, the house we fell in love with while house hunting in WA was perfect, except for one thing. You guessed it. It has the exact same cabinets. During the tour I looked at Conrad and literally said, "Well I guess we're never going to escape them" (although I also wonder if we were subconsciously drawn to them because of their familiarity, therefore that's why we liked the house)...

Anyway, I was too afraid to try refinishing them, so I did the next best thing. Today I put new hardware on all the doors and drawers. It's the best $65 I've spent!