We had a beep

The beep came from the dryer.  It wasn't a predictable beep; it was just random enough to nearly drive us insane.  Almost literally insane.  We nearly left the house once to get away from it.  I think it even would bug Bruno.  Sometimes, we could get rid of the beep after really getting a good clean out of the lint filter; we stuck the vacuum hose in, took off plates of the dryer to vacuum deeper.  But then....

Beep.

Beep.  Beep.

For the past few years, it would go away for a few weeks, letting us think we had solved it somehow, but then...

Beep.

I don't know what we were planning on doing about this beep.  We argued about clean lint filters and reset the circut breaker.  Nothing ever put it away for good.  Last Friday, however, our lives changed forever.

I was laying in bed reading one of my favorite blogs (besides Kristen's and Erin's, of course), A Cup of Jo.  On fridays, she finds random/cool/funny/weird things across the internet and links to them for you to find the hidden treasures.  I rarely look at these links, but felt compelled to follow the link called: 17 genius tips to make your life easier.  Granted, right now, my life is pretty easy, but I thought, well, why not make it easier, right?

Things 1- 16 were interesting, but my heart nearly stopped at #17:

17. Info About Clothes Dryers
The heating unit went out on my dryer! The gentleman that fixes things around the house for us told us that he wanted to show us something and he went over to the dryer and pulled out the lint filter. It was clean. (I always clean the lint from the filter after every load clothes.) He told us that he wanted to show us something; he took the filter over to the sink, ran hot water over it. The lint filter is made of a mesh material – I’m sure you know what your dryer’s lint filter looks like.
WELL…the hot water just sat on top of the mesh! It didn’t go through it at all! He told us that dryer sheets cause a film over that mesh that’s what burns out the heating unit. You can’t SEE the film , but it’s there. It’s what is in the dryer sheets to make your clothes soft and static free – that nice fragrance too, you know how they can feel waxy when you take them out of the box, well this stuff builds up on your clothes and on your lint screen. This is also what causes dryer units to catch fire & potentially burn your house down with it! He said the best way to keep your dryer working for a very long time (& to keep your electric bill lower) is to take that filter out & wash it with hot soapy water & an old toothbrush (or other brush) at least every six months. He said that makes the life of the dryer at least twice as long!

I immediately jumped out of bed, ran to the lint filter and tested it.  Sure enough, our lint filter was totally plugged up and would not let a drop of water through.  I took a towel, some water, and some soap and scrubbed the filter- by the time I was done, it was difficult to rinse off the soap because the water was flowing through the filter!  It's amazing!  You really need to try it!  The best part of it all...

No.  More.  Beep.  (Yet.)

Summer So Far...

Well, it has been quite the summer so far!  When school ended, it took me quite some time to get used to all the time off.  It did not help that it was cloudy and rainy either....  I did get a little good relaxing in and was able to help Grandpa celebrate his 84th (!) with a fun round of golf with the family.

The summer so far has also been filled with many exciting visitors in our neck of the woods.  Linda and Bruce came in from Charlotte and helped to celebrate my birthday and the 4th of July.  We had a fantastic trip that truly felt like I was kick-starting "vacation mode."  So awesome.  Kristen and Megan came up from Phoenix and they, too, helped the celebrations.  SO wonderful to have everyone around and we miss them already.

On my birthday, a crew met up for the Mariner's game and drinks afterwards- what a great way to celebrate... gulp!... 29.

The 4th was fantastic with ultra competitive games of polish horseshoes and whiffle ball and chasing Grace and Ryan around.

On the 5th, Linda, Bruce, Bryan and I headed up for a day of utter fun and relaxation at Mom and Dad's.  It was so great to have the whole crew together and enjoy the fresh mountain air.

On the 6th, we took the ferry to Bainbridge to eat dinner at a great little restaurant, Hitchcock.  It was awesome weather for a ferry ride, although it did get a little cool in the breeze on the way home!  Linda and Bruce had to head home the next day, but it was such a fantastic trip and we are really looking forward to an extended beach vacation in NC later this week!

That weekend, we went to a Sounders game and enjoyed free hotdogs and fish and chips at the Owl and Thistle pre-game with Mom, Dad, Kristen, Megan, and some of Megan's friends.  We were so happy that the Sounders won (finally)!  Unfortunately, though, they only scored 2 goals, so Bryan didn't get a free haircut (they needed 3).

On Sunday I was able to make it back up to the mountains and spent a day lounging with Mom, Dad, Kristen and Megan.  We played S***head (card game in which I never lost and became the s***head, oh yeah....) and chilled in the sun.  It was just what the doctor ordered.

Woah, am I still going?  This was just last weekend!  This past week was also filled with fun- more golf with Grandpa, running with Bryan, golf & kayaking & eating a TON with Mom and Dad (seriously, it was a vacation day in all sense of the word), and West Seattle Summerfest with Devin and Sarah!  Sarah had such a great time last year, that this year she brought Dev along.  We had a great time and soaked up the sun!

The summer (so far) in pictures can be found here!

More fun to come as on Thursday we are headed back to Sunset Beach, NC!  AND WE GET TO MEET BRYCE!  Yay.

I hope all of you are having as fantastic of a summer as we are!

Watch this!!!!!

Watch "Sesame Street: Share It Maybe" on YouTube

4 years!

Oh my goodness... 4 years ago and we were walking down the aisle! 4 years later and I'm still getting the same flowers from Snoqualmie. What a man! :)

The new monstrosity

So my thumb is healing properly, but slowly. Cast from before has turned into a removable cast that I'm supposed to leave on most of the time. Next wednesday, I go to hand physical therapist that well get me a training-wheel sort of cast that still protects but is a little smaller and more manageable. Needless to say, I want very happy with the doctor today when he put me back in thus thing. Positive notes: still no surgery required and I can take it off to shower! But that's it. Boo.

Not much new...

Well, not much new to report here.... unless, of course you care about my hygine!  Only two more morning showers left with the cast on!  I go to the doc Thursday after school to get this big hunk of blue off (switched colors after the 3 week x rays).  Please don't say: "Boy, that went quickly!" because... it didn't.

We had quite the teaser of good weather last week, only to be followed by the return of winter today!  Mom and Dad might even get to freezing tonight.  Yikes!  As a teacher, I feel as if it is my duty to look forward to summer vacation, so in that light, here are some highlights that made me smile and dream of sun, and I hope they do for you, too:

(A few from last summer and a few from our honeymoon because I'm getting nostalgic... 4 years coming up next week!!!)

Welcome Bryce Henry Hamilton!

Many Congrats to Garrett and Kenzie, who welcomed their son (and our nephew!), Bryce Henry Hamilton at 3:59 am on April 29th.  He was 6 pounds and 19 inches long.  A small little pumpkin! :-)

Tonight, Bryan and I got to Skype with the family and saw Bryce sleep and pass some great physical tests!  Such a cutie!!!