{p,h,f,r} Piano recitals, dishwashers and books… Oh my!

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~ with the lovely ladies at Like Mother, Like Daughter

I think Intense Debate is really working this time… I hope. We'll see. 

{pretty}

Just a little nervous, but they played beautifully at their piano recital last weekend! Even though sweet Shortcake had switched her recital piece a month before the recital and had not been able to practice the week before due to illness, she rallied and did a fantastic job. I wasn't able to go and neither was The Professor since we were both sick, but my husband filmed them for us. If you want to see them perform (they gave me permission to link) you can find them here:

BigBoy
Shortcake
Sunshine

{happy}

Happy that our little book club is coming to a close for the year and that I have all summer to figure out what we are going to do for next year. Here are a few possibilities I am considering.

{funny}

My funny piano kids!
"Smile for Mama, please! I know you are nervous, just a little smile?"
I think it took Dad making silly faces behind me to get some smiles to break through the nerves!

{real}

So far, I am pleased with my new dishwasher even though I was not happy about having to purchase a new one after only a year and a half! Let me share with you a few things I have learned:

1. The dishwasher business is a total racket! That was the conclusion that Sean and I came to after spending three days researching them. Don't expect any machine to last longer than 10 years. These new machines just aren't built that way. Even with standard use, which is maybe once a day. If you use your machine like we do (2 times every day maybe 3 if we are really cooking around here) fuhgetaboutit!

2. Rust in a dishwasher is considered a cosmetic problem and is not covered under any kind of standard warranty. Even if the racks are rusting out to the point that joints are breaking and coming separated. Nope. That's just cosmetic! Doesn't affect the ability of the dishwasher to clean at all.

3. The only way to insure that you won't get Rusty Rack Syndrome… buy a machine that has nylon racks. Four dishwashers in the past 11 years… WHY DID WE JUST FIND THIS OUT?!?! Plastic coated racks split and rust but nylon doesn't. Replacing racks can sometimes cost almost the same price as a new machine. Why do they even make plastic racks anymore?