Try Something New: Week 7

February 12 -- My friend Melissa invited us to dinner and made some delicious gnocchi soup. I realized I had never had gnocchi before! So good. I want to try making it.

February 13 -- Bought a piano!!! Matt and I had been searching for six months -- checking Craigslist, driving out of town to look, asking around, getting to know the local used piano dealer. A brand new one was way out of our budget, and we don't have room for a full grand. So finally last weekend, I found an okay-looking one on Craigslist and we all drove to Saginaw to look at it. Coincidentally, this guy happened to have two other baby grand pianos at his house that he was trying to get rid of as well! (Turns out he used to own a piano store.) We ended up falling in love with one that he was selling for an old blind lady, who had seldom played since she bought it brand new three years ago and is now in a rest home. It's a baby grand, about five feet long, feels and sounds amazing, looks brand new, and Matt talked the price way down. I couldn't be happier. Now I can start teaching piano lessons again!

February 14 -- Started Italian lessons on my computer! My mother-in-law sent a great computer program to me so I could learn a little before our Italy trip. Josh likes to sit on my lap and play the quiz games with me. It's not fair -- he's better than I am already.

February 15 -- Made artichoke appetizers for the preschool potluck tonight. It was mini quiche, a recipe from a Mormon cookbook my mom gave me. You know how some things you just keep trying, thinking maybe someday you'll learn to like it? Quiche is one of those things for me. I don't think I'll ever like it enough to want a second bite. Too eggy.

February 16 -- Signed Josh up for a free gymnastics lesson to see if he'll want to do a regular session. When we were at the preschool potluck last night, there was a gymnastics coach with a bunch of equipment for the kids to play on. Josh followed directions and participated SO WELL, which he never ever does in big groups. He seemed to really love it, and I loved how spent he was by bed time. We'll see how he likes it next week. Hopefully it wasn't a one-time thing!

February 17 -- Firehouse car wash. I'm really really bad about washing my car and keeping it clean. The snow and salt have been pretty brutal to my little truck this winter. The boys had never been through a drive thru car wash before, so it sounded fun. Josh loved it -- he's still talking about the giant noodles. Jude hated it, and screamed whenever the scrubbers passed his window. It was so easy and cheap, and left my car so shiny at the end, that we'll definitely be going back. (Maybe next time when Jude is asleep.)

February 18 -- Started reading "Matched" by Ally Condie. It's about a future society that controls pretty much everything to produce optimal health and functionality. They match you with someone when you're seventeen, and that's who you'll eventually marry and have a family with. So far, it is interesting, but kind of reads like a Disney Channel teeny bopper TV show. Not brain-stretching at all, but I think it will be quick and enjoyable.