My Rant

This post is just me blowing off steam about something that isn't really that big of deal, but with all the other things going on, it just makes me feel better to get some frustrations out by writing about something that has been bugging me. You do not have to read if you don't want to. This post is for me. I am sick of all the restrictions in the parks for people who owe dogs. All the walks that we go on are just me and the boys and we go to a park where the boys can play and have fun with new equipment, rock walls, etc. But my dogs have to stay at home because that park does not allow dogs. And this makes them dig and chew and develop other bad habits because they are not getting enough exercise. I can't bring a part of my family on a walk, when they are the most in need of it, because our destination does not allow dogs. They are on leashes and we clean up after them, so What Is The Problem??? But CATS!!! Cats can roam all over, pee/mark on our $200 tent that we have in our backyard airing out, my stroller, and my cloth-fold-up wagon, and poop in my childs' sandbox!! And the owner is not responsible for the damage done by this "free-spirit". My sister is what I consider a responsible cat owner. Her cat is an indoor cat. I think that it should be a law!! My children could get sick from the cats using our sand box as a litter box, not to mention all the cats who probably have used the parks as litter boxes. Where is a law for that??? They can ruin my property, which if it was a dog or a child, the owners/parents would be called legligent and held responsible. I just think that cats should have the same laws that are applied to all other PETS, because that is what they are, PETS. They are not wild animals, people have domesticated them. If someone wants a cat as a pet, they should be responsible enough to accept that cats should be indoors. If you want to take your cat out, leash-train it, just like dogs and ferrets and other PETS that have RESPONSIBLE owners!!! Is this too much to ask? People domesticated dog and cats, and they should be held to the same rules. I know a Lab that can jump over his owners 6 foot fence. That owner is responsibe for that dogs behavior outside his fence. Just because cats can climb out of yards does not mean that the owner is not responsible for that cats behavior. A cat has food, bathroom, toys, you can get scratching posts and climbing houses. Cats can be perfectly happy living indoors. No one complains that you are taking a birds freedom away by keeping it inside. Thank you. This is just theraputic writing. You don't have to agree or even like what I have said. Now I am going to take my boys and my DOGS on a walk, not to a park where we can have fun, but on boring sidewalks around the neighborhood, and when we come home, I will be tired from juggling two dogs, a stroller, and a 3-year-old that has decided he can't walk anymore after 5 minutes but is full of energy the minute we get home, the dogs will be exercised (the good part, because they are less likely to dig and chew and other bad behavior), BUT my little boys will be ready to run and play and want to go to the cool park that we couldn't go to because DOGS ARE NOT ALLOWED. Thank you parks and recreation (said sarcastically).

Dirty Dishes

The past few months, we have had to put up with a white film on our dishes. Some wiped away with a rag, but most of my dishes are permanently etched with this white chalky, gritty gunk. We thought it was our dishwasher (since we didn't know how old it was and it came with our house), so we got a new dishwasher, which the installation of it is a whole other headache of a story. But with my shiny new dishwasher, things did not improve. So we thought it was the hard water build up in our over-15-year-old water heater, which was giving us little hot water at a time. We wound up going out and getting a new water heater, the cost of which made me cry. Our hot water now lasts longer, costs less and looks great, but our dish washing problem not solved. We were seriously debating on whether or not we should invest in a water softener, when my Dad emailed me this article: http://www.deseretnews.com/mobile/article/700069155/Going-green-leaves-gunk-on-dishes.html Thank you, Dad. I was so relieved that it was not just us and it could be solved with a little detergent change and some vinegar. It does amaze me that the detergent change could cause so much heartache and the expensive solutions we tried, that didn't even work. I am just glad we found out about it before we went out and spent more on the problem. P.S. The story of our new dishwasher. My dad came over to put it in while David was at work. Luckily, James was here to help him, because as it turns out the people who re-did the kitchen counters did not do it right (surprise, surprise, since everything else in the house was done WRONG). They had to unscrew the counter top, cut boards, lift the counter almost an inch and slide the boards under the front and back, then screw the thing back in. Then, they were able to slide in the dishwasher. The old dishwasher was a little smaller and they took the insulation off to get it to fit in, and it was not secured so every time I opened it, it would fall forward. I am loving my new dishwasher that is installed correctly.

Justin's Birthday

Justin turned 9 years old yesterday. We had a Video Game Tournament party with his friends. I bought some Silly String for the kids to use outside. They had a blast, but it didn't last very long and it was a lot more cleaning. Then we came in and opened presents. Justin got a shirt, spiderman for the wii, nerf for the wii, nerf guns, bakugan, a hand-shadow game, and sea monkey kit. The kids decorated their own cupcakes with frosting, sprinkles and candies, and toothpick flags. I also made a cake for the adults. Finally we came to the Video Game Tournament (what they were all waiting for). David watched them, while I cleaned up the kitchen and backyard. Justin said it was an awesome birthday and that is all that matters to us, so we are calling this party a success. When the boys came home from school today, I had a surprise in their playroom. I found some wall decorations at Walmart in the Halloween section. So now their playroom is a mid-evil castle with a knight. Happy Birthday, Justin!!

David Wilcox

David and I were able to get away for the weekend and see a David Wilcox concert. My mom and dad watched the boys. We left on Saturday afternoon and stayed at a hotel, thanks to my brothers' christmas gift last year. He got us a Marriot gift card. We went to the Olive Garden for dinner and then to the concert, where David bought a David Wilcox music book. After the concert, David got to meet David Wilcox and got his autograph in his book. My David had a grin on his face bigger than I have ever seen. That night we slept in a bed without kids jumping in every couple hours, however, neither one of us slept very good away from home. The boys were happy to see us when we got back. Even the dogs were excited. Izzy jumped on and licked me like she thought I had abandoned her and Art sat on my lap the whole way home. It is good to get away every once and a while, but there is no place like home. Scott and Eli have been clinging to me all day, and I am loving it. Even Justin and Adam have been giving me extra hugs.