dishwashing 101

I have never had such an appreciation for an appliance until it broke on me... 3 times that is!  Our dishwasher (newly purchased less than 2 1/2 years ago!!) stopped working around Thanksgiving and was fixed once only to run a complete cycle 2 times.  It was fixed again and then the day before Christmas Eve it stopped working again.  I guess we got to see how our grandparents used to entertain because that week we just so happened to have 5 large family/friends gatherings, all with no dishwasher.  I certainly have the dry hands to show for it.  Yesterday when I was able to load the dishwasher for the first time, I have never been so grateful to have such a simple chore! 

farewell to drying dishes on the breakfast bar!

Jacob will miss the bird's eye view of all the comotion; he is seen here eating a banana in this handy self feeding invention.