what's going on

What is that kid's book about the horrible, no good, very bad day? I can't remember but I know that I feel like complaining for a minute. The following things are annoying to me of late:
(1) my laptop has been broken for several weeks and I need to get a new one. I hate the desktop and I hate having to go to the basement to use the computer. Much like with the bike debacle this summer, Joe and I have different ideas about what my computing needs are and how much we should spend to fulfill those needs. It may be a while before the computer is replaced and I have a bad feeling I will end up with a Mac or something because he can get a free ipod out of it. Erg.
(2)My work life has changed a bit lately and I feel very overwhelmed with the amount of work I suddenly have. I have never had a particularly easy schedule at work but it has increased just recently and I don't know what to do. I have never had a time when I am constantly bombarded by emails and calls while I am home during the week, like I am now. People seem to have forgotten that I don't actually work at home during the day. I work 30 hours a week at the courthouse and the other 10 hours early in the morning, in the evenings, etc. I am thinking of foregoing my telecommuting for little while and working 4 tens to be able to actually get away from work when I am home.
(3) I hate my camera. All the pictures are blurry. Joe bought it for me last year for Christmas and I hate to say that I don't like it nearly as well as the one I had before. I took pictures of the boys at the Treehouse museum in Ogden today only have about two workable pictures. Double erg.

That is enough of my grievances for now.

Because of the lack of laptop, my blogging has lapsed (though I don't think it really matters to anyone). Dallin had a particularly funny day the other day. I intended to remember all that he said, but now I have forgotten most of it. I do remember though that I came home, carrying the mail and told the boys I had something for them. Their Friend magazine had come in the mail. Dallin took it and threw it. Then he yelled, "I don't want this. Porter is not my friend. I don't want to be Porter's friend."
Dallin has also developed an odd interest in toe lint. He checks his toes several times a day and tries to check everyone else's too.

Porter and Dallin had their yearly checkups last week at the doctors. All is well. They have both grown a lot. Porter is 5 inches taller than last year and Dallin is 6 inches taller (I can't imagine how someone who eats as little as Dallin could grow so much). They are no longer on the short end of the scale. Hooray. Porter also has perfect vision. Porter had to have three shots. It was terrible. I didn't tell him beforehand so he wouldn't worry, but it still took me and a resident to hold him down while the nurse gave him the shots. Dallin spent the whole time asking if he would get a sucker too even though he didn't have to have shots. He got mad that we wouldn't give him a better view of Porter's torturing.

sayings

Porter banged into a table leg at daycare on Wednesday and it left a bump on his face. I asked him what happened. He said, "My legs wouldn't stop so I ran into the table. I think they are broken."
Dallin yelled at me today at Target. Usually, I get called a "fart poop" but today he called me "damaged."
Joe told Porter that he would get him a baseball bat that pings when it is summer. This morning Porter told Joe that it was summer. Joe asked why he thought that. Porter said, "because the sun is bright." Joe told him that the sun can be bright even in the winter. It has to be warm to be summer. Porter has asked for an exact number of days until it is summer.
Porter and Dallin have been playing "surfing." (Porter holds one end of a rope and Dallin holds the other and they run around the house). Dallin calls Porter "sir" whenever they play.

christmas

Porter and Dallin had a nice Christmas this year. They were happy with everything they got and didn't make requests for new toys for almost a week (which is a big deal for kids who ask multiple times a day to go to Target, Toys-r-us, etc. to get a new toy). We also got to see family, which was very nice. Jacob came over that morning at the end of present opening. My family came a bit later for brunch, sledding, etc. We saw Erin and Isaac the next day. (Too bad I was too lazy to get out my camera and record any of these events). one of our greatest gifts was the Christmas Pooh we received. She has spent all of her free time sitting under the Christmas.

Here are some present-opening pictures

Before Christmas, we went to see the Elves at Gardner Village,

met Santa at the mall,

wore elf hats that we got from Santa,

and decorated Christmas cookies (this is Porter with, in his words, "the greatest cookie ever" which he decorated)

(Dad and a cool helper making the cookies)

way behind

These are some pictures from the boys birthday parties. At Porter's they all dressed as Scooby Doo characters

Dallin's birthday was at a bouncing house