Michelle Smiles

Teaching my children to question authority, except mine.

Gadget boon

May17

It was a good weekend for technology in our house.  My not-very-old-but-poorly-refurbished-laptop has been on the fritz for 5 months.  It just randomly shuts down or gives me a blank screen.  Steve declared no more refurbished laptops.  Then decided just no more laptops right now since I don’t use mine to rove anymore (I don’t get out much…and when I do, I have my smart phone…and the laptops got too darn hot to actually put them on my lap).  So this is my new friend.  I haven’t named him/her yet.  Still getting to know it.  (Yes, I name my computers. This last one was Blue because it as navy blue…I never loved it enough to give it a good name.  The one before, which I did love, was Hera.  This one might end up Juno or Zeus but time will tell.)  It is a Gateway One – the touch screen function is pretty darn cool.  The CPU is integrated into the GINORMOUS screen (ginormous screen size…it actually has a quite thin profile).  The screen is so big I feel like I am sitting in the front row at the movie theater.  Huge.  Also? I haven’t used a mouse in years and miss my touchpad.

Then? Mr. Coffee got a girlfriend.  I won this pretty little Tassimo coffee maker on Secret Agent Mama’s blog.  How cool is that?  I tried it out this morning.  I’m not a huge fan of the first t-discs I picked up – Starbuck’s breakfast blend (it was fine just not as good as my normal coffee).  But then I’ve never been a fan of Starbuck’s plain old coffee.  I look forward to trying out some different things.  The discs are a bit pricey but the machine is quite slick and makes a nice, fast cup of coffee.  Can’t wait to play with it a little more.

The girls are even more full of sass than usual. Time outs are plentiful.

We went to another couple’s house for a cook out on Saturday.  Neither girl would eat anything.  Tessa screamed and squealed at the indignity of being forced to sit still during the meal (like she isn’t forced to do it at home) so conversation was difficult.

Sabrina and Tessa escalated the bickering last week to a new level.  Tessa has started to care more when Sabrina takes toys away so there has been much screaming and tug of war.  I’ve started piling the toys causing issues on the dining room table rather than refereeing.  By the end of the day there isn’t a lot of room left.

Sabrina’s favorite thing is to hoard toys that she wants to stake a claim on.  She used to pile them in the corner of the couch but once Tessa started getting on the couch she had to find a new tactic.  Now she puts as much as she can in her baby stroller and walks around with it piled high.  She looks like a bag lady.  I’m thinking of buying a black and white striped shirt and a whistle because I spend my entire day refereeing “I had that!” “That’s mine” “She took that from me!” “MAMA!”

posted under family
7 Comments to

“Gadget boon”

  1. On May 17th, 2010 at 10:47 am Regina Says:

    Your house sounds like mine! The boys fight constantly over toys and Wyatt hoards them behind an end table and does not want anyone to move them!!

    It does get better as they get older. Now that Garrett is almost 3, we do have less fights.

    Regina

  2. On May 17th, 2010 at 2:05 pm Valerie Says:

    Same thing going on here – Gabe has zero interest in something until one of my little guys picks it up…

    Congrats on the Tassimo – mine changed my life! You know how all the books say to give up your expensive lattes and make your coffee at home to save the money??? And you know how it sounds like a good idea and you really want to do it but coffee at home is no where near what the barista can do to a latte??? Well, enter Tassimo. I buy the Maxwell House Cappucino or Latte discs at Target – usually 6.79 or so for 8 drinks but were on sale last week for $5 something. Anyway – it comes with an espresso disc AND a milk disc that it steams and froths into such goodness you will think you have your own personal barrista right in your home. I add some splenda, a dash of cinnamon (and sometimes Kahlua 🙂 )and I’m good to go! This is the only thing that cuts it for me anymore since being spoiled with the great coffee in Guat!

  3. On May 17th, 2010 at 2:55 pm Burgh Baby Says:

    I might be in love with your new computer, even though I’m a 100% laptop sort of girl. It’s se-xay!

    Whenever I visit a relative’s house (who happens to have 5 kids under the age of 8) I nearly pass out laughing at how much toy fighting goes on. Her technique is that if anybody fights over a toy, they all lose it for a week. She has a closet so full of toys it looks like Toys ‘R Us is in her bedroom. (Her technique actually does work, but then she forgets to give the stuff back and the kids don’t ask. Go figure.)

  4. On May 17th, 2010 at 7:35 pm Cass Says:

    I have about 15 things to say about this post but the thing I can’t seem to get past is how long Tessa’s hair got! Our girls…they’re starting to look like little girls.

  5. On May 17th, 2010 at 7:41 pm nora Says:

    Oh the timeouts… so there.

    I have not done the toy corral, but I have done the child liited to one toy. Of it they don’t want to play nice, they can go in their rooms, or or or…. I can’t say its getting better here, but its not getting worse.

    Tessa and Amalia look like they could take on their older sisters to the death!

  6. On May 18th, 2010 at 7:23 am Bobbi Says:

    Ok, the pic of Sabrina broke my heart!! Cuz she’s not mine:>) And, Tessa what a cutie!! I am with you on the referee thing. Reese LOVES to antagonize Krista. Then, two older girls—one who is DAYS from “that time” makes for good times!!

    Your coffee maker looks pretty cool. I have a Keurig, and the K-cups are expensive, but the coffee is good!!

    Touch screen looks pretty cool, but I would miss the warmth of my laptop:>)

  7. On May 18th, 2010 at 8:08 am Ani Says:

    My current solution for the toy wars at home is: if you want to play with something (that is yours) and don’t want your sister to meddle, go play in your room. Pretty soon the interest in hoarding wanes bc its not as fun to play with something if you can’t wave it in your sister’s face… Then again, my eldest is almost 5, so the playing in his room with limited supervision is easier to do than with a 3 year old.
    Oh, and that pic of Miss S in a time out… so pitiful… She certainly has a handle on the drama 🙂