A little strange ...

So, the kids have been spending a few days with my mom and stepdad ... which is VERY different. I mean ... they're not here. It's almost like having a family of three.

Which we've NEVER been (unless you count the cats, which I actually don't. You don't change your whole life for a cat. You don't dress it and breastfeed it and push it around in a stroller or schlep it around in a carrier on your body ... and you don't get a tax deduction for it, either).

So it's rather strange.

So, what do I need to fill y'all in on?
Let's see ...

Friday, we loaded up the car and drove down to Michael's work in the morning, all together.
The kids and I went to one mall (which was still closed for another HOUR) and walked around. Then we drove to the OTHER mall and went to Target to get a few things we had forgotten or needed (like an umbrella stroller for Miss Bubbles). Then we went BACK to the FIRST mall and went to See's Candy (sample du jour: Blueberry Truffle. YUM!!). THEN we drove to a children's museum and played.
Bubbles had a BLAST when I took her out of the Moby and set her in the children's ball pit.

I think that she sucked on/licked EVERY BALL she could grab.

As we left, I told her (all sing-songy), "You probably have the plague!"

Still, she doesn't seem at all sick ... so maybe she got an immune system like Bruise's.
We joke that he has the titanium immune system, since he NEVER gets sick-sick (The Molluscum warts ... that was STRANGE. But he doesn't catch colds or the flu for longer than a day. Whereas, Miss Bucket? She will cough and cough and puke and puke. Poor angel).

Then we picked up Michael from work, got a light lunch, and drove down to visit Nana. It was a good visit.
Nana has been diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia ... and she's 81 now (though, I always think she's 57. Since she was 57 for a LONG TIME. ^_^). But she's doing well. And it was good to see her.

She told us her favorite story about when I was little. I was probably around three or four, I suppose in this story:

One of Nana and Pop-pop's (outdoor) cats came into the laundry room and laid down on a shelf to die.

I come walking in, see the cat laying there and pet it.

"Good kitty. *pet pet* Good kitty."

Then the cat rolls over and falls on the floor. THUD!

Non-plussed, I look at it for a second and pronounce: "BAD CAT." And I flounce off into the house.

Yeah ... I'm a special person. Very, very special.

So, after visiting Nana, we WERE going to head down to Dad and L's ... but they had already left town (in the morning), because one of L's sons had been struck in a hit-and-run a couple years ago ... He's had trouble with his leg since. It's been infected off and on ... and it was amputated on Thursday morning.

So, we didn't get to visit with them this time. And it's good that L is there for her son. And she'll get to see family (like her grandkids) while they're down there.

Then we headed to Mom's and C's place ... had dinner, got the kids to bed ...

And my phone ... remember how I mentioned that it was acting all weird?
IT GOT WORSE.
And I was FREAKING OUT.

AND, since I had set the two-step authentication for my Google account (and for Facebook), I couldn't check my email on any other computer UNLESS I could get a text on my phone ... which had STOPPED even being able to send/receive CALLS or TEXTS!!!!

So, I looked up the number on my mom's computer and called Verizon's tech support.

Say what you will about Verizon and their pricing and all ... but, I have to say that their customer support and tech support are REALLY GREAT.
The gal who answered and the guy she transferred me to? AWESOME.

I did have to do a factory reset ... but, since my photos save to the SD card and my contacts are backed up, I really didn't lose much of anything (Fruit Ninja achievements, really ... since my DrawSomething and SongPop are both logged into Facebook. PHEW!!) ... Yes, I lost about 24 hours of Bubbles' feedings, sleep, and diapering schedule ... but that's okay.

AAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNDDDDDDDDD!!!!!
I don't know if you remember how I kvetched about how my clock widget that would tell me the weather, the one that came with my phone ... how it wouldn't FIND my location ... so it STOPPED telling me the weather?

IT WORKS NOW.

SO ... it appears that what happened was that, with an update, there was some bad software. THAT'S why (1) the weather/clock app stopped working, (2) almost ALL my other apps started acting up, and (3) it would keep rebooting in the middle of the night.

This factory reset WORKED. Phew!!

But, then, the LDS Tools (ward/stake directory and calendar) wasn't working. It would crash on starting up. So I emailed a crash report Sunday morning. In a couple hours, I got a reply to try the new version they'd worked on. SUCCESS!!

So, I am a HAPPY Llanna!! My phone is WORKING!!
There are AWESOME people doing tech support!! Phew!!

Which brings us to Saturday (when we backtrack from the LDS Tools bit).

We woke up and let Michael sleep in. Bucket watched 101 Dalmations (the animated one) ... and, well, when the puppies returned? ... I ... well, I went all misty-eyed and ... I'm NOT THAT BAD, usually!! It's pretty ridiculous.

But, we all got ready and took the kids to the county fair. There were some differences (a lot of things moved ... like the FOOD COURT! The flower exhibits were much smaller and not nearly as well-represented as the last time I'd been. The convention hall was redone ... very swanky for Douglas County.), but the kiddos seemed to have fun. They went on a lot of rides.

Bucket REALLY wanted to go on the Ferris wheel ... Bruise really wanted to go on a roller coaster.
So, here's how it went down, since we had Bubbles in her stroller with us (so either Michael or I had to stay out with her).

• Bruise and Michael went in the "haunted house" ride (Seriously, for 9 tickets each [$4.50. But they only were charged 9 tickets, not 18, since the card wouldn't scan the second time], it was about a one minute ride. And some of the skeletons had the wires [animatronic wires] totally showing. Michael was NOT impressed. At all.)
• Bruise, Bucket and I went on the Ferris wheel, since Michael doesn't care at all for most rides. Heights and taking-your-life-in-your-hands and trusting that things built by the lowest bidder will keep you safe? He's not a fan of that.
  They loved it.
• Then it was time for the kids' rides ... There was a rocket ship that you could raise and lower [Bucket's seat] and there were fake guns that you could pretend to shoot [Bruise's job].
  Then the DRAGON COASTER!
  And the HUGE slide!!
  The kids were going to go through a fun house, but Bucket was wearing open-toed shoes.
  So, there was a little meltdown.
  Instead, they went on a firetruck which ... do you remember the Sinbad Boat-type rides? They rock and then end up doing a full circle? Well, this was like that, but you didn't go upside down. The fire truck pivots along with you, keeping you right-way-up the whole time.
  And then a little ride with fake-hot-air-balloons.
• Michael had me get another two tickets and go on a ride by myself.
  And here, I was going to pass ... not because I don't like the rides (I DO. I think the momentum and the velocity? Those are awesome ... But I was thinking that I was too old to do things like this. Obviously not.)
  I chose one that spun, then raised up on its side (so you are spinning on a vertical axis, not the usual horizontal axis), then turned upside down.
  Yup, good times.
  Even though, while I was up there, spinning upside down, feeling my weight pressing against the (locked into place) safety restraint, I looked up/down to the ground, and had a full realization that, if ANYTHING went wrong, I'd die. Or be broken beyond repair.
  But I trusted (and said a little prayer), and returned back to Michael and the kids all in one piece, no worse the wear (except for my VERY wind-blown hair).

Also, while we were at the fair, we got to pet a Silkie chicken ... She was SO SOFT!!

Then we headed back to my mom's and the kids (even Bubbles) got in the wading pool (Bubbles LOVED when Bruise and Bucket were splashing. She even joined in a little, too). Then we ate dinner, loaded up our stuff, and took off for home ... leaving Bruise and Bucket behind.

Sunday (yesterday) was busy ... I forgot the bag of school supplies to donate. Ugh!
And I had Stake Choir rehersal (not double choir, thank goodness! That would have been quite a lot to do!) ... where I got to see my Bri and her brother!
Once Bri gets married, we'll actually be (distantly, but STILL!) related!! Her fiance is the cousin to Michael's cousin's wife ... so, yeah, distant relation ... but YAY!!!

Got home late and had an evening alone with Michael (Bubbles had fallen asleep ... she woke up when we came into the bedroom, so I got her fed and alseep again after that). She didn't sleep as well as she could have ... but, she did sleep most of the night.

This morning, I worked at cleaning our room ... it's not perfect by ANY means. I need to pick up some storage containers for the kids' outgrown clothes (which I need to sort through) ... THEN, it should be a LOT better. I moved the trunk that Michael keeps walking into (and I do, too).
I've done some laundry and loaded the dishwasher. I cleaned the hall bathroom.
I still need to clean the catbox and empty out the Diaper Genie. (Okay, I just impressed myself by spelling "genie" correctly on the first try. Yay!!)

Besides Bubbles' need for naps (and getting HELLA CRANKY before she falls asleep), it's been pretty quiet. ... Besides the said fielding of phone calls.

The kiddos and my mom are coming up tomorrow, so it'd be nice if I could clean off my desk before they get here. And figure out a few dinners. And paint my toenails. And read a book ... But I don't know if I'll get to any of that. Especially since I am Bubbles' main entertainment today. My pinch sitters are gone! But they'll all be back tomorrow. Phew! ^_^

Also, in silly news ... That elder daughter of mine ... She's a hoot.
As she made me walk her to the ladies' bathroom in Michael's office (She KNOWS where it is. The office is SMALL. In fact, only Michael and one other employee were there at this point).

Bucket goes into it, turns to close the door (after I told her that I'd wait outside of the bathroom for her), and states, in a rush, EMPHATICALLY, "I'm locking the door! I know how to do it! I won't twist it! THERE ARE INSTRUCTIONS!!!!!!!!"

I had to lean against the counter in that hall to compose myself.
Sure enough, there ARE instructions above the inside handle, telling you to just push in the button to lock the door; to NOT twist/turn the button.

But, OH, it was HOW she said it ... cracked me up something fierce.

I mean, really, what am I going to do to amuse myself half as much with these kiddos in school for hours and hours and hours almost every day?? (Seriously, they'll be in school for just about SEVEN HOURS ... except for early release days ... and, well, I don't even know when they get out THEN. Just that it's EARLIER. I should figure that out, right?)

So, I should ALSO take advantage of the "free time" and figure out what we're going to do on Michael's business trip ... looks like we're going camping! And to a new place! (Well, to the kids. It's a place that Michael and I have been to before. In my case, MANY times. Because I started getting my geek on quite early in life. At least out here in the Pacific Northwest. ^_^)