New Kitchen Appliances

Our oven has been on the fritz for some time.  It frequently would fail to ignite (or fail to re-ignite while cooking) and had to be set about 40 degrees higher to reach the correct internal temperature.  When the April tax refund came in, we decided to spend it on some new kitchen appliances…and what a difference they have made!  We purchased everything from Lowes because they had a decent selection and competitive prices and were located nearby (we don’t have a lot of extra time to devote to comparison shopping).  We decided on Samsung appliances: we purchased a Samsung washer and dryer when we moved into the new house, and those have worked well for us.  Our only hesitation was whether everything would fit through the narrow passageways of our 1950s era kitchen space.  In the end, they had to remove the door handles from the fridge but otherwise managed to get everything into place.  Everything, that is, except the dishwasher.  Our first shipment arrived damaged and had to re-ordered.  When they came to install the second shipment, we realized it would not fit under the countertop.  Apparently the prior owners had installed new flooring and effectively narrowed the space by half an inch.  So, it was back to Lowes to special order an ADA-compliant dishwasher with adjustable feet.  Several weeks later, over Memorial Day weekend, we finally got our new dishwasher installed (they had to cut out the old unit with a hacksaw).  Although a little more complicated than we anticipated, the new appliances look great and, more importantly, work perfectly.  And for the first time in our married lives, we have a built-in water/ice dispenser.  We’ve come a long way!

Memorial Day in Michigan

Elise, Henry and Vivian traveled to Michigan over Memorial Day weekend to visit Mimi Pauline.  This was the first time that one of us has attempted to travel alone with both kids, and Elise reports that it was challenging but not altogether unmanageable, especially with a portable DVD player for the plane. Having been sorely disappointed when their last promised trip to Michigan ended in Disney World (watch the infamous video here), the kids were psyched to be visiting Mimi Pauline “for real” this time.  Even before they left, Henry and Vivian were looking forward to a ride on the “Green Gator,” and, sure enough, Mimi Pauline busted out the tractor upon arrival.  When they weren’t taking rides on the Gator, the kids hunted for frogs at the pond (they found a blue racer snake instead) and watched the horses at the nearby stables.  An excellent playground in nearby Brighton also provided some easy entertainment.  On Sunday, Elise, Pauline and the kids visited the Brown-Bakers in Harper Woods.  While Henry dug for worms in the backyard with Alexander, Emily and Vivian opted for the more civilized activity of coloring.  In the evening, everyone enjoyed some delicious Lebanese takeout.  As if all that wasn’t exciting enough, Henry and Vivian also got to watch Hotel Transylvania, in 3D, on Mimi Pauline’s fancy new television (check out the photo below of the kids with their 3D glasses).  All in all, a pretty eventful holiday weekend for the Morris children.

Back in Alexandria, Bryant had four days on his own to complete some long overdue home improvement projects (including building an enclosure for the garden), shopping for a new suit and baking a three-layer chocolate-raspberry mousse birthday cake for Elise.  You can read about the “Labor of Love” cake here.  Happy Birthday, Elise!  

 

 

Historic Half

We made a family trip to Fredericksburg, Virginia in May to watch Elise run the Marine Corps “Historic Half” half marathon.  Believe it or not, this is the first time we’ve all gone, as a family, to watch Elise run a race—something that was long overdue.  We drove down on Saturday afternoon to pick up Elise’s race materials and explore Fredericksburg (childhood home of George Washington).  For Bryant and Elise, it was a bit nostalgic to revisit the town where they got engaged some eight years ago: it was at the Kenmore Inn on Princess Anne Street that Bryant popped the fateful question…after first setting off the hotel smoke alarm when he tried to light the bedroom fireplace.  Apparently you’re supposed to open the damper first.

At race headquarters, Henry and Vivian made posters to cheer on their mommy (see photos below) and sampled the energy drinks.   On race day, Bryant and the kids arrived early to find a prime viewing spot near the finish line.  Although it was a little rainy, the kids showed extraordinary patience as they waited for Elise.  Henry was quite keen to have his poster ready for her when she came by; for her part, Vivian was content to sit and watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on the iphone.  Elise crossed the finish line in just under two hours, running at a pace of about 9 minutes/mile.  Afterward, we all walked with mommy to collect her race medal (Elise is beginning to amass quite a collection) and help her eat the free post-race snacks.  Well done, mommy!  We’re all proud of you.