First big cry of 2010

Posted January 8th, 2010 by Mom | Comments (0)

In a post a few back, I talked about my new washing machine and dryer.  I am so proud of them.  Yesterday I was brought down a notch and became aware of how much I was proud of them.  Proverbs 16:18:  “Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

I didn’t exactly fall down, but I sat down hard and cried.

I had almost finished all the laundry in the house and rounded up a few miscellaneous kid clothes that needed washing.  I washed them and then put them in the dryer.  After the dryer cut off I went to put the clothes away and found to my dismay that there had been a purple crayon in a child’s pocket.  Purple splotches covered the inside of my new dryer, my new dryer that was less than a week old… oh, the dismay.  Clothes could be replaced, the dryer – not gonna happen for another 13+ years if all goes well.

All I could do was panic.  And cry.  Then spring into action with the help of Google and WD-40.  The WD-40 did a smidgen of good.  Not much.  After 20 minutes of hard scrubbing, there was hardly any difference.  More crying.

Then my mom called to let me know about her doctor’s appointment (she has a cold) and heard all about my woes.  She suggested bleach.  Didn’t work.  Then I thought about calling Daddy.  I talked through my purple mess with him and he suggested mineral spirits.  Not sure what that is, but he said it is as strong as gasoline without all the harsh fumes.

Also, when the delivery people were trying to get all the stickers off of the washer and dryer they mentioned a product called “Goof Off.”  My dear Dad stopped on his way home from his office and picked some up for me.  I was dreading B getting home and seeing the new dryer!

While waiting for my dad to get here, I tried a dash of gasoline.  It cut the purple residue so quickly!  However it STUNK!  I washed the old sock that I was using and it reduced part of the smell.  I left it in the sink to soak until it could be safely disposed of.

My dad brought the Goof Off and he tried it.  Wow!  I would like to be the national spokes person for this product.  I can testify that it is awesome.  Smells mildly like WD-40, but works like gasoline.  Sweet!  Every household should have this product.

My dad didn’t stop at just trying to rid the dryer of the stain, he cleaned the whole inside of the dryer!  That’s my Daddy.  I sent him home with a plate of homemade chocolate chip cookies that J and I made yesterday afternoon.  He deserved more than just cookies, my dryer is clean like new.  Whew.  I really didn’t want to spend the next 13+ years with purple blotches!

My dryer after cleaning the purple spots off of it:

Thanks, Daddy!

April's introduction to snow 1.7.2010

Posted January 7th, 2010 by Mom | Comments (0)

April kept wanting to eat the snow.

It’s a good thing that April’s tongue didn’t get stuck to the plastic.  Maybe tongues only stick to metal?

April and J playing in the snow:

J’s “snow castle:”

Karate picture

Posted January 6th, 2010 by Mom | Comments (0)

April and her bed

Posted January 3rd, 2010 by Mom | Comments (0)

This morning while we were at church, April decided to destroy her Christmas present.  It was an extremely soft and plush doggie pillow for her room (her cage).  Grandma had gotten it for her and given it to her several weeks ago, knowing that the weather has changed from mild to very cold.

April chewed a hole into the pillow, not along a seam where I could have repaired it.  She then pulled every last fiber of filling out of the pillow.  Bad girl.

Here is a close-up of April’s disasterous/fun morning:

April is now reduced back to sleeping on a towel.  Sorry Grandma!

New Washer and Dryer. Welcome to MMX!

Posted January 2nd, 2010 by Mom | Comments (0)

Our washing machine and dryer are now gone, replaced with a new set that was delivered today.  Good riddance to the old set.  The washer was small and leaked.  The dryer was rusted and having trouble drying clothes.  My new set is lovely.

The old washing machine was given to us after B’s Grandma died.  After we received it, we purchased the dryer.  They have lived a long and useful life.  Time to move on.

Here are pictures of our old dryer and its dials:

Here are pictures of the dials on our old, leaky washing machine that made it over 13 years in our household and several years in B’s Grandma’s house:

Here is our new, matched set of washing machine and dryer.  They are Magtag Bravos.  Pretty.  And they lite up more than a spaceship.  It is going to take me awhile to get used to the new buttons and settings.  However, I have managed to complete our first run through of the washer and dryer with a load of towels.  Wow, this washer can hold as least 2x what my other washer held!  At this rate, I’m not going to complain as much about having to do laundry, not that I complained too much anyway.    Being a SAHM is much better than having to drive into an office every day.  Thanks honey for my job!

I must be a grown up.  Having new appliances makes me giddy with enthusiasm!  Woo Hoo!