escalators take 2

I've reached the stage of unpacking where I've randomly started nailing things to the wall.  I've had three huge boxes of my photos and other miscellaneous wall decor sitting around for three weeks and today folded.  I'll be submitting my entry for ugliest collage wall of all time shortly.  But hey, at least there are no boxes left! 

The last thing I have to do before we are officially "moved in" is clean out the awful bottom cabinets in the kitchen.  They are full of mouse poop (old, I hope), dead bugs, and the nasty smell of infestation.  These apartments were abandoned and infested before being purchased and "renovated" in the last year.  Renovation entailed ripping out half of the kitchen cabinets, redoing the floors with cheap vinyl, and then painting (without covering the new floor... so the new floor is covered in paint spots).  It's pretty disgusting but it was the right price for what we need right now.  The point of this rant is, I have to face the bottom cabinets and I just can't yet so let's write a blog post!

Do you remember this hilarious story about me falling up the escalators the first time we lived in Dallas?  This is it.  This is the escalator.

 And this is the Nestle Toll House place with the teenagers who witnessed the whole thing.  Different teenagers probably.  I don't know.  I didn't look that closely the first time.

 We actually went to the mall on one of the few freezing cold days we had this winter, when I needed something for the boys to do indoors.  It was a prime opportunity to conquer my old foe- down escalator.  I even had the same umbrella stroller with me.  I'm sure you're relieved to know that it all went well.

We stayed for about an hour.  We also went to watch the ice skaters, then the zamboni, and we checked out a few stores.  (Read: I checked out a few stores while TJ whined about how much he hates shopping) 

For someone so young, TJ has a surprising animosity to any retail store that doesn't feature food, toys, or tools.   

 Both kids were super happy - Eli is always pretty happy to play alone, but TJ went around literally asking other kids if they would play with him.  He didn't have much luck with the 10-month-olds or the 6-year-olds but eventually he found a little boy around his age and they played tag until we had to go.