Kenmore - No More!!!!!

Argh! Why is it that appliances don’t last long anymore? When we were children, our parents and grandparents had sturdy American appliances that lasted forever. They were simple, effective machines that did what they were supposed to do. Nowadays, it seems we can get 5 years out of them, (and our vacuum only lasts a year or two). One would think household appliances would last a lot longer… not so!

We’ve only been in the house for four years. All our kitchen appliances (Kenmore) were new when we moved in, and we actually “upgraded” them from the basic models that came standard with a new house. We also bought a Cabrio (the top-end of the Whirlpool brand, which should be named “Crapio”) washer and dryer set. Well, in the four years our dishwasher had to be taken apart and cleaned/fixed over three times, our range had to have the “brains” replaced, and our microwave quit, and had to be replaced. Now, two weeks ago (while Sterling was on a trip, of course) the oven quit, and so did the washing machine (which had never done a very good job anyway). While researching replacement parts for each (two parts were over $ 150 each, and more parts were probably needed) Sterling discovered that our microwave (the one that quit) and our dishwasher had been recalled.

After talking with customer support (or lack of), they questioned how we found out about the recalls, as if we had discovered a hidden secret. (Of course, they had our product registration information on file, but didn’t send us any notices.) We were also upset to find out that they wouldn’t do anything about the microwave we already replaced, and would only send out a technician to change out the motor on the dishwasher (the old ones have a history of catching on fire). We offered to use the money they’d spend on repairs towards a new machine, but they will spend money to fix an appliance, but not give you a new one.

So, long story short. We got rid of the three faulty appliances, and replaced the entire set with LG ones. It took a Friday afternoon and all day Saturday, but we’ve got them all in – hopefully these will last longer than the other pieces of junk! If you have any Kenmore/Whirlpool appliances, beware!

Halloween

Pumpkin carving has become quite the ritual at our house. Each child gets his or her own pumpkin, and then chooses a design to fit it. The designs, and especially the tiny pumpkin saws, are a huge improvement from years ago, when we’d carve them with a butcher’s knife, and try not to make Mr. Pumpkin lose too many teeth (and us lose any fingers) during the carving process. No wonder they all looked scary – they’d been disfigured by the poor kid trying to simply carve a smiley face. Nowadays you can make very intricate (and actually pretty) pumpkin designs. Now if they can just figure out a way to get the smelly goop out of the pumpkins, we’d be all right.
From the movie “Patton:” “Some of you may be asking yourselves if you’ll know what to do when the time comes. Believe me, when you put your hand in a pile of goo, that seconds before was your best friends’ brains, you’ll know what to do…” Ok, maybe scooping out the pumpkins isn’t that bad, but it sure feels and smells disgusting. (Yet pumpkin pies taste so yummy, go figure.)

Anyway, back to the story. We had a very enjoyable evening with the kids participating in the pumpkin ritual. The older kids all do their pumpkins by themselves, and Ashley and Brandon have help from Sterling and Shawna. We had lots of fun!
Now, details are still a bit sketchy about the next part, but at one point in the evening someone got a can of “liquid string” or “silly string” (which shoots from a can, then hardens into a soft foam) and started shooting the unwary pumpkin carvers. Needless to say, a small string battle ensued, as you can see from the pictures. By the end of the conflict, there were bodies, pumpkin guts, and green foam-string all over the floor. It was a good night!
Trick-or-treating was the next night, and we had a smaller crowd than usual, both of our kids and of neighborhood kids. Tyler had to work, Mackenzie stayed at home to pass out candy, and Summer was with her dad. So we went with Bryson, Ashley and Brandon. It was beautiful weather, and a very enjoyable evening. At the “scarier” stops, Bryson and Ashley would have Brandon go up first, to “test the waters” and make sure it was safe! Ah, gotta protect the young and small ones… Anyway, at 3 years old Brandon thought the whole thing was pretty cool, and would show us the candy he received after EVERY stop. “Look what I got!”

New Neighbors

We’re getting new neighbors! We’re not usually excited about neighbors, but these are special ones – Mom and Dad! They’re buying the house across the street from us. It used to be a model home, and Mom has looked at the house every time she’s visited us. Recently they decided to move out of Cheri’s house, and buy a home (the housing market is way down), and looked out in Utah. Well, they couldn’t find anything there, and felt pulled to Kansas City, so here they come! They got a great deal on the house too. It was originally around $60k more than our house, and they’re paying $30k less, plus they’re getting most of the model home furniture too! We’re very excited to have them out in Kansas City!

Food Storage...

Alright, time to get serious about food storage! We’ve all heard the counsel about food storage, and we’ve done a decent job storing food for around 6 months. After General Conference we felt we needed to get the full year (and also make sure our finances were solid.) We don’t necessarily feel that a great calamity will happen to us, (we sure hope not) but we need to be prepared and also be prepared to help out others as we can. Besides there is security with the extra storage, and most importantly, great safety and security following the counsel of the prophets and the promptings of the Spirit.

Shawna kept having an uneasy feeling about our finances, and Sterling had a sudden inspiration on the plane flying home – fix the finances. (They weren’t “broken” – we were saving a lot, and paying the bills; just not paying off some balances as quickly as we could have.) So we sat down with the spreadsheet to do so. When we were finished planning, we had cut our time to pay off the balance from two years down to six months. There wasn’t really any more money, (although we “found” some extra) just a different priority. The plan came together very easily, and we knew we were doing what we were supposed to do. It was a neat experience!

Trunk or Treat!!

Yes, we spelled it correctly. Trunk or Treat, similar to Trick or Treat, is an activity we do at our Ward for a Halloween party. There’s a potluck chili and dessert dinner (of course there is, it’s a Ward activity…) There’s even a contest to determine which chili or dessert is best, and various costume prizes. Afterwards, the adults open their car trunks (most are minivans, of course) and pass out candy.

Shawna sews costumes for the kids, which they wear for this party, for their school parties, and for Halloween. We enjoy the Trunk or Treat party more than Trick or Treat, as they aren’t really scary (in more ways than one) costumes. The kids love it, because they go around the parking lot, getting a lot of candy in a very short period of time. This year the weather was perfect! It’s been a lovely fall so far.

Seventeen Candles!!!

Wow, Tyler’s already 17! Time flies… He’s a junior in High School, and starting to realize there’s something at the end of it all. He has been doing his projects and homework, and has straight A’s this year. For his birthday, we cooked out steaks with mashed potatoes and Shawna’s famous homemade rolls! We gave him a “designer” cologne gift set, which smells really nice. (Ashley went to the store with Shawna, so she told Tyler that the cologne was from her and Mom.)

Ty asked for his usual birthday cake, angel food cake, but with blue icing – he even managed to blow out all 17 sparkling candles!

The "To Do" List

The “to do” list is never complete! I don’t know if it’s because we’ve never lived in a house for longer than 2 – 3 years, but I don’t remember all the upkeep required to keep the house, lawn, appliances, etc all working correctly. Sterling’s already had to take the dishwasher apart twice. It’s never “broken,” it just didn’t seem to clean like it did… In the pictures, the boys are installing a door to the back yard.

This week Shawna noticed a smell coming from our washing machine. Turns out that in the “energy efficient” washers the water is constantly being circulated during the load. (Saves water, since the machine doesn’t have to fill the tub completely full to get all the clothes washed.) Well, because of the recirculation, one must clean the machine every so often to remove any buildup of soap scum, etc that may develop. Let me tell you, it will build up – disgusting! Sterling had various pieces of washing machine in the sink, trying to clean the hard-to-reach places with a toothbrush and Shawna suggested he use the power washer sitting in the garage… What a good idea! (Did I mention it was cold and rainy that day?) It was cold and wet, but the washer did the job in a few minutes, and our clothes once again smell wonderful!

Do blondes have more fun?

Do they? And if they do, is that fair? But the real question is: If they do have more fun, do they even realize it?

When Shawna was in her twenties... Oops! I mean, when she was younger... Wait! That makes her sound even older... Hmm, how about this? A little while ago, she would get her hair colored, but had to cut back because her blond hair (OK, blond-"ish" hair) would get damaged by the chemicals, especially with her swimming and the chlorine in the pool. Reluctantly, she had to cut back. (Besides, she doesn't have much free time to just lounge around at the salon getting hair and nail treatments. Plus we couldn't afford the high price of hair coloring, especially the maintenance required to disguise the roots every few weeks!)

Well, Shawna had a relapse! She went to the "salon" (which is to say the strip-mall version, with an overpriced hair dresser.) She walked in a gorgeous blonde, and an hour later was a beautiful brunette! Once again, she has more fun as either a blonde, brunette, or even with red hair! (just a hint of red, let's not get crazy.) It appears it's the person, not the hair color, that determines the level of fun. Who knew?

Shawna hasn't had such a dramatic color change since we moved here, and people don't recognize her, not even her close friends. It's funny! Well, it's not that funny - A couple of her friends called her because they "spied" Sterling at the store flirting and holding hands with some good looking brunette... Men are such pigs!

The Kansas City Temple!!!

We have a temple! One of our very own! We're very excited to say the least!

We were sitting together watching General Conference, and President Monson announced five new temples. One in Calgary, Canada, another in Rome, Italy (which got some laughter from the audience) another one somewhere else we don't live, and one more... He then said the "greater Kanas City area..." Whoa. Did he just say KC?

We can't express the immediate feelings that swept through us. Eyes filled with tears of joy and gratitude stared at each other and at the screen. (We didn't even hear where the fifth one was going - we had to ask someone else.) We've never had "our" temple. The closest one is in Omaha, and that's not even the one to which we're assigned; that one is in St Louis. But now, we'll have our very own temple, and we'll be here from the ground-breaking to the dedication!

Now, to round out the story, a few Sundays prior, there was a brother visiting our Ward for a couple weeks. He was out from Utah, and worked for the company that is the "land branch" of the Church. Sterling asked him about church-owned land in the area (near one of the nicer areas), and he said yes. Sterling said, or tried to say, "no kidding?" and "seriously?" at the same time. You can guess what it sounded like... Yep, you guessed it. Anyway, it must be neat to work on future, confidential "projects" like this. Ok, now back to our story.

After the Conference announcement, we were discussing possible sites around the "greater" Kansas City area. Lo and behold, the temple is going to be two or three miles down the street! Can you believe it? We drive by the area all the time. We'll literally be able to watch the whole process, and in a couple years, have the great privilege of walking to the House of the Lord.

Slug Bug!

This game has morphed into an official game, complete with rules and by-laws. Ashley is the foremost score keeper for this game, and is a strict enforcer of rules (some of which she modifies to help her cause...)

First, there's no hitting of any sort, but you get points for the VW Beetle Bugs you call out. Points only accrue while one is in the car; if you get out of the car your points drop back to zero. Likewise you can only call a specific bug once while you're in the car. There are no teams - it's everyone for him/herself, (although Ashley will often try to join with Mom, since she normally wins.)

Points are awarded as follows:

1 pt for a "normal" bug

2 pts for an old style bug (Herbie the Love Bug style)

2 pts for a convertible

and 5 pts for a decorated one (decorated like a soccer ball, or advertisement)

And of course, everyone knows where the local bugs are, and keeps a vigilant eye out for them...

Game On!

Brandon's 3rd Birthday!

Brandon is three! Yippee! He was very excited, and we were too. Here is a picture of him with his birthday cake. Believe it or not, most of the kids prefer to have a "doughnut cake" instead of a traditional birthday cake. It works out well, since this "cake" gets completely eaten, everyone gets a slice or even two, and you can also have leftover cake for breakfast!

After the presents and party, we went to Chuck-E-Cheese to play with their arcade. (Not to eat their food, it's about the worst pizza imaginable.) We had 200 tokens between all of us, and ended up lasting almost two hours.

Shawna's 10k run

Shawna has been working out all summer for various races, including a couple triathlons, and various other athletic competitions. She's been determined to improve her running, and decided to do a 10k (6.2 miles for our non-metric friends) with some of her friends from church. She has been running one every week, (just for training) and it takes her 59 minutes. Sterling tried running with her a couple times, but doesn't care for the long distances. He'll usually run with her for a few minutes, then fall behind. That's ok because she's in great shape, and he enjoys the view!

We Love Applesauce!!

We were able to "pick" apples donated from one of our friends. Her tree was so full of apples we just shook the tree and picked the apples up off the ground! It took less than 30 minutes to fill the back of our car.

The main workers at the applesauce factory. Shawna and Kenzie were laughing about only earning a penny per apple - sounds like a good price!

Working over a hot stove...

Corn Anyone?

We stopped and bought some fresh corn from a farmer selling it by the side of the road. Notice the brown bag in the background. It was sweet and delicious! (at least it was while it was fresh)
The shucking experience was new for the kids. They've done it before with corn from the store, but weren't expecting the worms found in the "authentic" ones we bought.
Everyone was helping, even if it meant mostly just screaming at the bugs and flicking them off the deck.

Shawna's Sewing Project

These are homemade purses, and below I used the same design to make nice trick-or-treat bags for the younger kids!

I had a fun day sewing with friends. These purses are easy to make. It only takes about 2 hours. Well, actually it took 4 hours because I chatted with the girls & ate a lot of snacks.