Ordering preschool products online

When school began Lamb 3 brought home his book order forms. I tried several times to order online because you get a $5 free book with the next order if you order online. It would not let me do the final step to submit the order. I called Scholastic. Basically I had an account in MN and the computer couldn't figure out that I wanted a new account for ID. I had Ram try to order it-thought perhaps I was doing something wrong. Ram even tried on his laptop while he was at his office, just in case the problem was something with our internet. After a few days of trying several times, I gave up. I waited until the next month and I was able to order just fine.
Today I tried to order the pictures the boys had taken at preschool a few weeks ago. I wanted to order a CD with a couple of the pictures instead of paying the outrageous prices for a few sheets that weren't exactly what I wanted. I went online, clicked on quantity, and just like Scholastic there was no way to put it in the cart to finalize the order. I called the picture people. The lady was very nice and apologized several times, but there was no way for her to order a CD over the phone, only I could do that final step. Her computer was working fine. :) I cleared the cookies off the computer and everything I could think of. Ram tried too. Finally Ram got out his laptop and tried. It worked fine on his laptop.
I just want to scream when I know what I want to order and the websites won't let me. I have wasted a long time on this. I was able to try several times each day. I don't know what the mothers that work outside of the home do at times like this. Or maybe it's just me, the other moms don't have any trouble?

At the library today...

The Boise library that we go to sometimes has a parking area near the door with signs saying those parking spaces are for Fuel Efficient Cars. It seems kind of silly to me, the parking lot is often almost full, but not full. If more parking was needed there is a shopping mall nearby. I think instead they should promote walking to the library as several houses and apartments are within walking distance. All the parking spaces have about the same walk to the front door of the library.
Today I had to laugh because one of those Fuel Efficient spots had a big old boat of a car-I would guess the car was made in the 70's. Add to that the bumper sticker had something not nice to say about Prius owners. If I had a better phone I would have taken a picture.

What do you call..?

What do you call cinnamon rolls when you forget to put the cinnamon in? Everyone in my family watched me make them, ate one, talked about what ingredients were in cinnamon rolls, and no one noticed. About an hour after I ate one I realized. I don't know if it is more crazy that I forgot the cinnamon or that my family didn't notice. They were still yummy with raisins and walnuts!

National Tie One On Day...

National Tie One on Day is tomorrow. I was sick over the weekend so I think I will have to celebrate next week, not tomorrow. I don't want to give any germs away. But I can't pass up a chance to wear an apron!

Tie an apron on and deliver a homemade good to a neighbor in need of cheer...

Fall vacation day 5

We checked out of the hotel, spent most of the day with Great Grandma at her house, and then took a flight out of Long Beach. The airport there was under some construction so we had a long walk to our plane. I take that over flying out of busy Los Angeles though. We flew over the supper hour so we didn't eat. We planned to take the Lambs out when we got home. Lamb 2 and 3 fell asleep in the car on the short ride from the airport. Lamb 1 was tired but not asleep. So we just went home and went to bed. Here are some final vacation photos from Great Grandma's house.

Great Grandma was thrilled that Lamb 1 practiced piano at her house and that her piano was played by someone

Great Aunt Shelly brought some toys she got at a garage sale over for the Lambs to play with while they visited. It was an Arctic set-boats and animals. They went all over the backyard with the toys.

We try to always take a photo of the Lambs by Grandma's orange tree. My have they grown-we started with one Lamb sitting in the car seat for a photo-now there are 3 and they all stand for a photo.

Great Grandma, 3 Lambs, Ram, Grandpa
4 Generations

Fall vacation day 4-Disneyland day

It was a strange time of year to go to Disneyland. It was decorated for Halloween...

and they were beginning decorating for Christmas. It's a Small World, Storybook Land boats, and a few of our other favorite rides were closed so they could decorate them for Christmas. When we rode the train they used the prerecorded message, "Over here on your right is It's a Small World, you won't want to miss this classic ride!"
I have been to Disneyland twice, both times were in October. It seemed plenty crowded to me for the "off season". We went on a Thursday so there were no fireworks, no special Halloween activities, and very few rides had offers of Fastpasses-the ones did we either weren't interested in those rides or there wasn't that long of a line.

As far as Ewe is concerned, we have gone both times to Disneyland mostly just to go to Critter Country and get photos with Pooh. After we got in the park that was our first stop. We were pleased that this time we were able to wait in one line to see both Tigger and Pooh. Last time we went to Disneyland you saw either Tigger or Pooh, but not both at once. We got there at a good time and only had to wait for a few families ahead of us before we saw Tigger. A few more families after us got to see Tigger and Pooh and then they took a break. After their break Eeyore came with Pooh. By then the line was very long and we didn't stay to see Pooh again and see Eeyore. The Lambs warned me that Aunt Hannah would be upset that we didn't stay to see Eeyore.

I talked about visiting Pooh first thing in the park with the Lambs for several days before our trip. Everyone cooperated really well because a trip to the Lego store at the end of the day was promised if they took photos with Pooh. Of course they were told it was all for Mama, but Lamb 2 and 3 both hugged Pooh on their own.

Family photo in Critter Country-near the line for Pooh
Then we rode the Pooh ride.

Next we rode the train around the park and the Lambs hadn't done anything they wanted to do yet-Critter Country was for Ewe. So we decided to ride Autopia next. Grandpa rode with Lamb 1, Ram rode with Lamb 3, and Ewe rode with Lamb 2. It was too loud for me to get Grandpa or Ram's attention so only Lamb 2 had his photo taken. None of the Lambs could reach the pedal so they took the steering wheel and the adult with they pushed the pedal. The Lambs liked this ride, it had a long line but not too terrible. They liked getting a driver's license and "driving" themselves.
Then we rode the monorail around the park.

Then we headed over to Fantasyland. Grandma rode the teacups with Ram and the Lambs.

Ram and Lamb 2 and 3 rode Dumbo. It was hot while we waited in the line for Dumbo-I can't imagine being there in the summer.

Ewe and Lamb 1 rode Dumbo.

Everyone but Grandpa rode Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. We had read Wind in the Willows earlier this year. Ewe wanted to ride Peter Pan because the last time we were at Disneyland it was closed for repairs. That line was really long-over an hour. So we did not ride Peter Pan. Mr. Toad's Wild Ride the line was not too long and everyone liked it.

Family photo time again

After this we had reservations at the Blue Bayou for lunch. Grandpa and Grandma wanted some real food by this point in the day-not corn dogs or junk food. Our reservations were for almost 3pm. There wasn't much that Lamb 1 considered worth the time waiting in line that we had done yet. All the Lambs had stayed up too late the night before. All the Lambs had not listened and didn't eat much breakfast so they were starving. We had reservations so we were seated pretty quickly. Then the meltdowns began. None of the Lambs were happy with the menu, especially Lamb 3 just wanted cheese pizza which is not on the menu! The waitress was so patient with us as we figured out what to order them. The food didn't take too long. We ate a delicious meal. Ewe had Monte Cristo, Ram had a steak, Lamb 3 had pasta with chicken (he didn't eat any chicken, but most of the pasta with sauce), Lamb 2 had macaroni and cheese, and Lamb 1 had salmon and pasta. They all ate well. After eating and several bathroom breaks during lunch, the boys were whole new children, ready to do more, not just go back to the hotel and crash. 

Lamb 3 loves carousels and requested we go back to Fantasyland and ride that. There was almost no line when we went back so that request was easy. 

 Then we wandered around the park looking for a couple more rides without too long of a line. We got in line for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. When Lamb 1 figured out that it was a roller coaster there was no way he was going on that, even if it was a little roller coaster. Grandma took him out of line and he was happy to wait for us. Lamb 2 and 3 loved it! Grandpa survived the ride-it had been years since he rode a roller coaster.

At this point we let each Lamb pick one ride to ride a second time. Lamb 2 and 3 chose the roller coaster again. Lamb 1 chose to go back and ride Mr. Toad's Wild Ride again.

Lamb 3 was exactly the right height to ride the roller coaster, 1/2 inch less and he wouldn't have been allowed to ride.

Ewe chose to go back and ride the Pooh ride again. We walked all over the park to let the Lambs ride their rides a second time and Ewe ride the Pooh ride again. The Pooh ride was one of Lamb 3's favorites too. Grandpa and Grandma waited for us and didn't even try to do all that walking around the park.
Ewe took advantage of the Lambs ages-she knows she will probably never get the Lambs to ride the Pooh ride again so willingly.

Then we stopped and got pineapple ice cream from the Dole place. We were told by our church members that we had to do that!

Then we planned to go along Main Street and do some things, but by that time at night Abraham Lincoln was closed and everyone was pretty worn out. Lamb 2 was very disappointed about not seeing Lincoln. We decided to not stay for the parade as we would have had to wait about a half an hour.

Then when we left the park we had to walk way down the end of Downtown Disney to get to the Lego store. We let each Lamb build a minifigure for their prize for taking photos with Pooh and Tigger. This took quite a long time to let the Lambs chose. Lamb 1 built Abraham Lincoln, Lamb 2 and 3 just built people with accessories. By then the parade was done and we needed to take the shuttle back to the parking lot before they closed for the night.

After the big lunch at Blue Bayou we went back to the hotel and the Lambs ate leftovers from some of our meals out earlier that week. We all slept well that night. Grandma had her pedometer on and said we walked 8 miles-but we walked some without her so I wouldn't be surprised if we walked 9 or 10 miles.

Fall vacation day 3-Beach day!

Ram, Ewe, Lamb 2 and 3 (the ones of our family that were not afraid to go in the water)

Our family plus Great Grandma and Grandma

Our family plus Great Grandma and Grandpa

Ewe, Lamb 2 and 3 

Ewe, Lamb 3, Grandpa

Ewe, Lamb 3

On past visits to Great Grandma's house, we spent one day going to visit Great Great Uncle Del and stopped by the beach for a few minutes on the way home from his house. The Lambs have never been excited to go to the beach and Lamb 2 was the only one that went in the water before.
This visit Great Great Uncle Del had other plans for the day that we wanted to visit. You know those people in their nineties have busy social schedules! Great Grandma still wanted to go to the beach. Grandpa expected the Lambs to not want to stay at the beach very long. I didn't even dress the Lambs in swim clothes as it was a little cool.
The first thing we noticed when we got there was the beach was full of shells. This meant there was something for Lamb 1 to do because he didn't want to go in the water. Except for posing for a few pictures he spent over an hour looking for shells with Grandma helping him. When we have been to this beach before there weren't very many shells. Lamb 2 and 3 couldn't get enough of the water. They spent over an hour in the water with the exception of posing for a few pictures. Ewe watched Lamb 3 that he didn't go out too deep, Ram watched Lamb 2 and also took some pictures. When Lamb 3 started chasing the birds was when Ewe was ready to be done. It was cool when we got there but being out in the sun warmed us up quickly.
Great Grandma was so happy they let her borrow the beach wheelchair and she was able to go right down to the beach with us and put her feet in the water too. When we returned the wheelchair Grandma remarked how much fun the Lambs had collecting shells. The man that worked there questioned if she was joking or wanted him to write a ticket. He then told us that as of January 1, the beach that we went to is protected and there is no collecting allowed. He told us there was a sign when we first came in the beach. We had not seen the sign. There were no other signs along the beach. I'll let you figure out if we took our shells or left them. The man did say that they are trying to figure out how to enforce the new rule. But that does make sense why we so easily found shells this time as compared to other years. The man said it just doesn't make sense for every single tourist to take a bag of shells home. So before we go back to CA we need to do some more research of where we can go that we are allowed to collect shells, for Lamb 1's sake.

After washing off the Lambs feet and cleaning them up as best as we could we went to lunch at a nice restaurant near the beach. Most of us had ribs, Lamb 3 had the fanciest grilled cheese sandwich I've ever seen and ate every single bite, and I think Lamb 2 had macaroni and cheese and ate all of it. I should have stopped with the ribs, but I chose to share a piece of lemon meringue pie with Ram. I didn't eat any supper after that big lunch.

Then we went to Target and Great Grandma bought the Lambs some Lego minifigures. She wanted to get them a treat.

After we took Great Grandma home then we rested in our room for a little while. Then Aunt Lois (one of Grandma's sisters) and Cousin Joe came to visit us. We walked over to the bar of a nearby hotel and had a nice visit. We ordered a couple of orders of sweet potato fries and also had drinks. The Lambs sat at this cute little table and entertained themselves pretty well by playing Lego minifigures and even played some card games by themselves. The adults sat near them and visited. It's hard for me to believe that Cousin Joe is now at the adult table, that is what happens after almost 11 years of marriage, the relatives grow up, even the ones you don't see often.

Ram, Lambs, Aunt Lois

Sorry for the poor quality photo from Ram's phone
Cousin Joe, Ram, Lambs

We ended up being up way too late before our Disneyland day, but it was nice to see Aunt Lois and Cousin Joe.