Ten for Tuesday

• Thanks for all the input on our next computer.  After much dithering, we purchased a Macbook Pro yesterday.  If you ask Jeremy, it's probably my Valentine's Day/Mother's Day/birthday present for the year, but hopefully it will prove to be worth it!

• On that note, I am quite sure I will be asking you experienced Mac-users many questions in the weeks ahead.  My first question--Do you store your pictures in iPhoto on the hard drive?  I want to use the editing features in iPhoto, but I like to keep my pictures on the external hard drive, and at this point, I am a little overwhelmed by all of that.  What's your photo-editing and -storing method? 

•  There has been a virus going around our town and I am so very ready for it to move along and leave us alone.  Nearly everyone I know has had it in some form over the last few weeks, including Mackenzie (last week), Addison (right now), and my mom (also right now).  I am feeling the urge to deep clean the entire house...which, if you know me, is SO not normal.  

• We are starting to talk about the girls' THIRD birthday, which is coming up in just over two months.  I keep saying they are almost three, leading them to some confusion when asked how old they are.  Two?  Three?  Somewhere in between?

• A & M have gotten the idea in their heads that they want a blow-up bounce house at their party.  In our previous experiences with bounce houses, they only wanted to jump when there was no one else in it, so I'm not too sure how that will go over at the party.  I foresee my girls doing their jumping after everyone is gone, but maybe the other guests will enjoy it.  

• They got the idea of the bounce house while watching a child fly off of one on America's Funniest Home Videos...maybe it's time to discontinue viewing that show before they get any more ideas?

• I really want to go see my sister in Baton Rouge next month, so I'm on the lookout for cheap airfare.  She is working as a missionary with Campus Outreach at LSU and will be moving into her first real house soon.  She's all grown up, and I could not be more proud of her!

• I am debating the possibility of scheduling my trip to coincide with Mardi Gras, which I have never experienced.  I'm a little worried that I am too old and uptight to enjoy it, but I still want to do it at some point in my life.  Have you been to Mardi Gras?  

•  Looking at airfare really gives me the travel bug.  I have all sorts of trip possibilities planned in my head right now.  Looking back at 2011, we did quite a bit more traveling than I expected at the beginning of the year, both as a family and Jeremy and me.  I look forward to many more adventures this year...mostly nearby, but we might sneak a couple of larger explorations in there as well!  I dream of a relaxing getaway to Charleston and Savannah, but I feel like it could get a little expensive, so we'll have to see on that one.

• Speaking of expensive traveling, we are very tentatively beginning to talk about a trip to Disney World.  I have my sights set on December 2013.  I have heard December is a good month to go, with mild weather and not too many people.  The girls will be four--old enough to enjoy it, but still plenty young enough to really love the magic and wonder of the experience, I think.  Also, that will be the last year before they are in school (!!!!), and I like the idea of not trying to plan around a school schedule.  Is Disney on your family must-do list?  

 Happy Tuesday....I'm off to cuddle a sick little girl and hope this is the LAST of this virus for our family!