7 Quick Takes: Technology, Single Parenting, and Polar Vortex

~1~

Monkey Toes and I agreed to not exchange gifts this past Christmas.  Finances have been a little tight and we decided to cut back where we could.  Under the tree, however, on Christmas Eve, was a box with my name on it.  It was a new laptop from Monkey.  He sold some sound equipment the day before so he could replace my old computer.  I love having my own computer again!  The problem - I am technology challenged.  I do o.k. navigating around where I need to, but far too often I find myself in uncharted territory and must rely on my live-in Techie (Monkey).  My current computer problem is figuring out how to get downloaded pictures from my desktop to this blog.  I am unable to open any of those files.  I was up far too late last night trying to figure this out.  At around midnight I gave up.  Blogging about Cucumber's 7th birthday will simply have to wait until Monkey gets home.

~2~

Monkey is on a business trip, leaving me to single-parent the household for awhile.  Can I just say, I'm not a fan of it.  Even though Monkey is typically gone the majority of each day, there is a certain comfort in knowing that he is coming home.  And if there is ever a time that I absolutely need him home, then he makes arrangements to do so.  When he is on a business trip, the kids are a bit more irritable, I usually deal with a bit of insomnia, and we all miss him very much.  

Yesterday at breakfast:

Pumpkin:  I miss Daddy.

Me:  I miss him too.

Gummi Bear:  He'll only be gone a week.

Sweet Potato:  That's a week too long!

~3~

Once again, school was delayed two hours today, due to the cold temperatures.  Yes, I am a Minnesotan. Yes, I have lived here all of my life.  Yes, I should be used to conditions such as these.  No, I don't like to complain, especially about the weather, but YUCK! YUCK! YUCK!  I don't have a problem with the season of winter, but I struggle with the sub-zero temperatures.  The kids don't like it, Grandma doesn't like it (FYI:  Grandma complained today of feeling "cooped-up"), my van doesn't like it.  Fortunately, tomorrow is forecast to be 33 degrees.   No doubt, it will feel great!

~4~

A couple of days ago, Pumpkin wandered into the kitchen while I was cooking supper.  She asked me to pick her up and then she laid her head on my shoulder.

Me:  We haven't snuggled in a while

Pumpkin;  That's a shame.

Oh, be still my heart.

~5~

Cucumber had a dentist appointment yesterday to get a cavity filled.  The dentist office is located in the mall. As we were walking past Hallmark. . .

Cucumber:  (Pointing) Hey, that's where Marc (her Godfather) buys my action figures each year for my birthday!

Me:  Mmm, do you mean your Precious Moments figurines?

Cucumber:  Yeah, whatever.

~6~

One of the gifts Cucumber received for her birthday was a giant container of Cheeseballs.  At first, she asked if she could keep them for herself without having to share with her siblings.  For some reason, she had a change of heart and decided that her brothers and sisters could eat some.  Her sharing, though, consists of counting out the correct serving size (32 cheeseballs) for each sibling.  If one "accidentally" gets 33 cheeseballs, she has determined that he/she will only receive 31 cheeseballs the next day.  Cucumber is running a very tight ship and fine-tuned system.

~7~

Yesterday morning, I reminded the boys to brush their teeth after breakfast.  A few minutes later, it was evident that they were doing anything BUT what I expected them to do.  I hollered calmly yelled downstairs for them to get moving.

Pumpkin:  Mommy, how did you hear that they were not brushing their teeth?
Me:  Because I'm a Mom and moms hear everything.
Pumpkin:  Oh.

A little bit of silence. . .

Sweet Pea:  Mom also has big ears.

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