Here’s a video of the floors and tile after completion. Today I realized we had the “chromatic” bulbs in the ceiling lights of the kitchen which gave off a redish light and when I changed them out for energy efficient flourescent lights the floors looked the normal oak color. Now, funny enough, everthing looks red in this video now – go figure.

Anyway. I didn’t realize how much Elmo and I sound like an old married couple at the start of this video, it’s pretty funny. But after working next to someone for 12 four-hour days I challenge you not to sound like us. But I now have a greater insight into what Tutu goes through on a daily basis – I am in awe of you Tutu!

I wanted to show Chrissie our new kitchen floors using our webcam and our laptop but was having EXTREME Windows 2000 issues. Let’s just say it wasn’t really Plug & Play until XP.

Anyway, I decided to use the internet to show the world what our floors look like now. The oak turned out more red than I was planning. I note this several times on the video ’cause on the camera screen, with the auto-light adjustment on, the oak floors looked very normal. But looking at it now, on the computer, the redness does come out. So just ignore the comments about them not looking red – they do.

So here’s the video – out with the old vinyl ugliness, in with the new laminate goodness. Hopefully Chrissie’ll like it, ’cause I really don’t want to tear them out.

Kulia survived her first trip to Disneyland and she did great.

It was crowded and overcast, rides were broken and lines long but Kulia was the best little trooper. She skipped from ride to ride. She hung on the bars in line and screamed with joy on the Toon Town roller coaster. We didn’t get to see any characters. They were pretty mobbed and everytime we found one, they were on their way for a water break. But the girls didn’t mind. Disneyland is just overwhelming as is. I’m hoping we can go back after Thanksgiving when everyone is back in school. Maybe then we could see the Princesses and hug Mickey.

Of all the rides, It’s A Small World stood out. They had decorated it for Christmas and changed the song to Christmas carols. It was beautiful. The girls were wiped by the end but made it back to the car without a melt down. I don’t know how much Kulia will remember, but I hope something of the day stays with her. What a great little trooper she is.

Wow, that was the easiest plane ride ever. The girls did great watching the little DVD and snoozing. After our 6 hour trip to Hawaii, a mere 2 hour jaunt down to LA is nothing. This was also the first time I didn’t lug a giant car seat onto the plane and that made a world of difference.

Leina was on fire the day of our trip. She was Ms. Chatty Kathy Social Butterfly and had everyone around her cracking up. She informed every person who made eye contact with her that she was going to visit her grandparents and going to Disney land. This cause quite a few chuckles and smiles but my favorite was the poor business man she cornered on the plane while we were waiting for everyone to board. After informing him about her trip to Disney Land, she asked if he was going too. If so, she told him to look for her so she could show him where her favorite Peter Pan ride was. Poor guy, he tried his best to bury his head into his iPhone but she was persistant. Eventually, he moved to another seat. Guess he didn’t want to chat with a 4 year old about Disneyland for two hours.

The girls are running around her like wild things. They love discovering all the strange stuff my parents have like harmonicas and old plastic easter eggs. Sleeping isn’t so hot. Last night Leina woke me at 1am, 2:30am, and the sister got up at 6:30am. Ugh. I have forgotten how horrible it is to deal with fragmented sleep. I’m optimistic that they will settle into their new beds nicely in the next few days and I can get some sleep!

Oh yes, Kevin found the charger. It was on my craft table mixed in with my bead box. Now, this discovery gives rise to two questions.

1. How did the camera charger get upstairs in my bead box?
2. What was Kevin doing looking in my beads in the first place?

Kevin appears to be surviving nicely. He has hung out with our buds Kat & Josh eating ribs, slept in, played on the computer, and has lined up several other dinners over the next few days. Even worse, he has the whole week off from work. So he gets to loll about doing whatever he wants without a poopy diaper in sight for the next 5 days. He can barely control the giddy.

We are heading to Disneyland tomorrow. It will be Kulia’s first trip and I’m so excited. DisneyLand with a child is truely magical. I’ll try and post a few picks when I get a chance. Hopefully, my sleep deprived kids will make it all day long!

I can’t find our camera battery charger.

And it is driving me C-R-A-Z-Y.

I just used it. Right before we went to the zoo a few days ago. It is always by the kitchen sink plug sitting in its own little charger bowl just waiting for use. But when I went to pack it, it was gone. Vanished. Kevin and I torn apart the house last night looking for it. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

Arrrrgh. Nothing makes me more frustrated than items being misplaced. I have a place for everything. A box, a drawer, or a room. Important stuff, like chargers, are kept up high were little hands can’t reach them. Kevin has learned not to mess with my bizarre organizational tendencies. When he needs something, he asks me and I find it. This is how it works. Chargers are not suppose to move. So not acceptable.

I’m going to have Kevin order a new one but I know once he does, we’ll find the old one in some odd place. But I gotta tell you, this missing charger is keeeling me dude.

Aside from the wayward charger, we are packed and ready to go. Yippee!

Just a short post today. I’m attempting to pack everything I need for myself, Leina and Kulia for two weeks into two suitcases. Wanna come help? Yeah, I didn’t think so. In two days we are heading to LA to visit the grandparents. Yippee! The girls are so excited they can hardly sleep. Leina in particular. Kulia is still stuck on the fact that daddy isn’t coming with us.

As much as I love visiting family, I dread taking my kids to the airport. All those people and lines and business. Do you have any idea how hard it is to get through the metal detector with two toddlers? Just taking off and putting back on their shoes takes 10 minutes are a good day. (My girls are very particular about how their socks go on. Sigh.) Then we have to unload all our carry-ons, fold down the stroller, and gather it all back. Bleck.

As for packing, my mother insists it is “cold” in LA. I have to take her assessment with a grain of salt. Today, our high was 50 degrees and we are all in short sleeves. For this reason alone, I have packed the following types of clothing:

Shorts and t-shirt with sandals.
Pants and long sleeves.
Vests.
Windbreakers.
Heavy coats.
Tights.
Sunglasses and sun hat.
Light night gowns.
Footed PJ’s.

So if our plane gets re-directed to Hawaii, we’ll be ok. (Please oh please oh please send us to Hawaii.) On the other hand, if we land in Wisconsin, we’d be just fine. This breath-taking range of clothing items means a very full suitcase so my original plan of packing Christmas presents has to be scuttled. Looks like I’ll have to brave the post office like the rest of the population. Drat.

My five minute rest is over. I now have to figure how many socks, undies, and hair clips we need over the next two weeks. At the rate my girls lose hair clips, I’m thinking 2 dozen per child ought to work. Socks? That’s a whole other ball park.