Get music from Amazon not Itunes

So I have learned a few things about downloaded music that I thought I would share. I don't download much music, but when I do I want to be able to play it on all of my devices and the kids devices without issues. We'll Itunes is really easy to use and the only way to load music on our Ipods so that is what I have been using. The downside of buying music from Itunes is that their songs have DRM(Digital Rights Media). This is a way for them to restrict how you use your music that you purchased and own. So when I download a song and put it on my Ipod, the kids Ipod and my computer it starts to restrict where I can put my music. In the coming years, or now, the digital home is going to have a media server that will serve the home environment music, videos, pictures and such. When that happens if we purchase our music from Itunes since they restrict how many devices you can serve to this will limit what you can do with your media home.

I have started to purchase my music from Amazons MP3 Service. They don't DRM protect their music and in fact I have found that it is about 10% less expensive. The quality is the same. Their site isn't bad for finding music either, however I still prefer to find the music on Itunes then go download it from Amazon. Just thought I would share so that you dont get years down the road and realize that Itunes DRM severely hinders you using the music the way you want to

Bike Rider - Austin

Well Austin can finally ride a bike on his own. We have been working on this for a while and yesterday was the day that it all came together. I took the kids bikes down to the campground that Gma and the kids are staying at to have dinner and play for the evening. So I got the bikes out for the kids and Austin was still kind of scared. So finally he got on and we went up and back with me holding onto the seat. Then he was done, wanted to scooter instead. I haven't pushed him this whole time so I let him, then we tried it again a bit later. Finally we were cruising along and I could tell he wasn't needing my help holding on so I let go and jogged next to him. He started getting excited that he was doing it by himself. A couple more times up and down and we decided to go around the big loop. Figured there were no turns to deal with just big sweeping ones which he should be able to handle. So I jogged next to him all the way around and it was like 1/4 mile trip like a field track. He did great all the way around. One lap was enough then he wanted to stop. A short bit later he was grabbing his helmet and wanted to go for another spin. So off we went for another lap. When he wanted to go another one I was exhausted so I asked if he thought he was ok on his own and he said "Yeah dad". so I stopped and cut accross the infield waiting for him to come around. He did great. Zoom right by me. So then Kortne started to follow him around like a good big sister making sure that he was ok. He went so fast that she had a hard time keeping up. By the end of the night he was zooming all over the place. He was very proud of himself as was I. Great Job Austin.

Summer is here

We'll school is out for the summer and this week is the first week that of the summer schedule for the kids. One week with Cathe and one week with me. Kortne is going to be a 3rd grader and Austin is going to be a 2nd grader, maybe. His teacher, Cathe and I all believe he should skip 1st grade because he is doing 3rd grade work. I think the only real question is whether he is socially ready for the move. The principal wasn't notified early enough to study the situation so it might be tough to get the move approved. Hopefully this is something that Cathe and I can work on together and get done. I'll let you know.

The kids are spending some time with Grandma doing all kinds of fun stuff. Yesterday they worked really hard getting terd 1 ready for camping. They shopped, packed and washed it up. Now its a shiny terd. It is so funny to watch the kids in the motorhome. It must feel like a fort to them because they just LOVE playing in there. Today they took off for a local camp spot for an overnighter and Austin crawled in a couple hours early with a blankey and started playing DS. He had no interest in moving from that couch until they were ready to leave. They are there now and I'll meet up with them after work for dinner and fun. I'll grab my camera and see if I can get a picture of the kids and Gma.

This week Janet and Brit (Her daughter) are in New York for the week. They are exploring all the fun places in the city and should have some stories for sure when they get back. I miss her a lot and cant wait for her to get back.

I'm really excited for the Iphone to come out. Our company is switching to AT&T so that is now an option for me. The phone is really cool and I have to admit I'm a bit obsessed with it. Check it out on their Iphone site. I just may have to get one of those things. You know I like my gadgets.

Oh, I almost forgot fathers day. Kortne made me a wonderful card that I could tell she spent some time on. She cut a bunch of yellow and green (Duck colors) squares and pasted them in the shape of a "D" on the front. Then wrote some things on the inside with a couple illustrations about Pepsi. It seems the kids think my favorite thing is Diet Pepsi or something. Austin didn't make anything so he remembered the week before he made a little box out of paper and asked where it was. He ran and grabbed it and wrote Happy fathers day in it. It was kind of funny. We really enjoyed our day hanging with the family, playing games, hot tubbing etc.. Thats what its about is being together. It is really cool when we get all three generations together from Grandparents to Grandkids.

This summer the kids are going to be with me for 6 weeks and only three of them in daycare. I'm happy that I can take time off and spend it with them, and that I have loving family that likes to spend time with them and play. We have a fun vacation planned the first week of July and I'll be sure to blog and post pictures about that.

The jerome fish.... and my super reader.

Kortne and Austin are doing swimming lessons now and they are just about done with the 6+ week lessons. They are doing really well, especially Kortne. Austin is able to go under water and hold his breath for a few seconds and kind of swim. When he is out of breath he lifts up and makes sure to squeegee off all the water from his face. Kortne pushes off throws her face in the water and swims for 4-5 strokes. Once she gets the breathing part figured out she'll be able to swim, I think. They both absolutely love swimming. We go to free swim and play and goof together. They usually end up ganging up on dad and taking me down. They can both go down the water slide all by themselves now. Kortne has no trouble and Austin only goes under once in a while. Overall he is doing really well with it too.

Today Austin had the three little pigs play at school. Last night he told me he was a narrator along with two other girls. It was so funny because Austin said one of the little girls wants to marry him. We saw her at Target one day and she is definitely sweet on Austin. So the narrators read about what was going on during the play as other kids (less skilled at reading) would act out the play. They had some lines but usually Ms Anderson had to go whisper in their ear what the page said. Austin read very well and even read with intonation which was pretty cool. He didn't know I was going to be there so I snuck in and sat down and watched their rehearsal for a while. He looked up and saw me and got the biggest smile and did the little quick wave, like get over here dad. So I scooted up and sat by him. He was so excited and he did a really good job.