Ever since we've been back from Disney, I've been disorganized. With the end of the school year, multiple field trips, the end of soccer season and everything else that goes with daily life, I've been way too busy. Maybe even a little distracted.
Of course, I have to go one step further and make it even more complicated. I throw a six year old birthday party on the last day of school. To top that off, the hubby is out of town for the week. Why you may ask? Well I have several reasons. On the girls last day of school, the school district was kind enough to give us a half day. So I thought what a great way to have some of the kids come home on the bus with Child #3. That way some of the parents that work full time don't have to worry about finding places for their kids to go. Then I thought it would be better than trying to reach all the kids during the summer, you know with vacations and activities. The only problem was I forgot about sending out the invitations. It boiled down to me calling several parents the week before and praying a few kids would show up.
It ended up turning out very well. I had a total of fourteen children including my three to watch at the beach swimming. Granted, my ever so gracious sister-in-law always helps me out so at least I had her. She is always awesome with helping at parties so thanks sis.
Anyway, the party was a success. All the kids were picked up by 5:30pm. Child #3 was ecstatic and grateful. But I couldn't breath yet, I still had to feed my children dinner. And I still had a appointment for our rental house to show at 6:15pm. I figure I'll jump in the truck and take the kids to Subway and bring the sandwiches back to eat at home so I can be there for the appointment (rental house is next door to our house). No problem. Kids are in the car, I have my purse, the car is started. I back up.
Crunch!
The girls asked, "What'd you hit mom, the scooters?" At this point, I have no idea. So I jump out of the truck and take a look.
Yep. I backed into my husband's truck. I didn't even see the truck in my review mirror. Distraction might be an understatement at this point. I had moved the truck behind mine so the kids wouldn't play in between the vehicles. Oh well. My husband needs a new truck anyway. This might be a little incentive for him to get on that.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Hot Temp
When it is 90 degrees, everyone gets a little irritated. But when it's 90 degrees and there's no air conditioning, everyone gets a little hot (pun intended).
So our central air kept running, but nothing was really coming out of the vents. Of course, I shut it down and consulted the fix-it guy. Well the fix-it guy comes home and messes with the thermostat. Suddenly, the central air unit won't even turn on. Now the fix-it guy is not just hot temperature-wise, he's hot temper-wise. And when the fix-it guy is hot temper-wise, look out. We will call it mildly frustrated. I tell him to let it go and I'll call someone on Monday. Yeah, no. He can't let it go. He calls several friends to help him troubleshoot the problem. Nothing.
Next morning, he gives it one more shot and turns the air on. Miracle of miracles its starts. Then he shuts it off and tries it again. Nothing. This is where I begin to tell him our house is haunted (I've known this for years, but that's another story). I push on the thermostat and it starts. Something is wrong with the thermostat, which is weird because we just replaced the thermostat a few years ago. He rips the unit off the wall (literally) and hard wires the two wires that make the air run. Apparently, heating and air conditioning are a simple system. It's the computerized thermostats that have made it complicated.
Basically, I get to turn on the air conditioning with a simple twist of a wire nut holding two wires together. Then when I want to shut it off, I will have untwist the wire nut. Fun.
The fix-it guy went out and got a new thermostat. Yeah the air is back on and working. Just in time for Tuesday's cool 70 degree weather.
So our central air kept running, but nothing was really coming out of the vents. Of course, I shut it down and consulted the fix-it guy. Well the fix-it guy comes home and messes with the thermostat. Suddenly, the central air unit won't even turn on. Now the fix-it guy is not just hot temperature-wise, he's hot temper-wise. And when the fix-it guy is hot temper-wise, look out. We will call it mildly frustrated. I tell him to let it go and I'll call someone on Monday. Yeah, no. He can't let it go. He calls several friends to help him troubleshoot the problem. Nothing.
Next morning, he gives it one more shot and turns the air on. Miracle of miracles its starts. Then he shuts it off and tries it again. Nothing. This is where I begin to tell him our house is haunted (I've known this for years, but that's another story). I push on the thermostat and it starts. Something is wrong with the thermostat, which is weird because we just replaced the thermostat a few years ago. He rips the unit off the wall (literally) and hard wires the two wires that make the air run. Apparently, heating and air conditioning are a simple system. It's the computerized thermostats that have made it complicated.
Basically, I get to turn on the air conditioning with a simple twist of a wire nut holding two wires together. Then when I want to shut it off, I will have untwist the wire nut. Fun.
The fix-it guy went out and got a new thermostat. Yeah the air is back on and working. Just in time for Tuesday's cool 70 degree weather.
Friday, June 1, 2012
Where Magical Dreams Come True...
It happened. After some maternal grandparent brow beating, we broke down and took the kids to Disney World in Florida. Now James and I've never been to Disney World and we turned out okay (I know some might differ on this, but for the most part we are productive people in society). I didn't really see the need to go, but with some outside influence I booked the trip.
I went into this trip knowing my children would only be able to handle so much. The trip was planned for six nights. Three parks and two down days. First night, we settle into our hotel and swim in the pool. First day, Animal Kingdom. Second day, Magic Kingdom. Third day, down day at the beach. Fourth day, Universal Studios. Fifth day, down day to swim or do whatever we feel like. Sixth day, we fly home. Knowing everything might not go as planned, I didn't have that high of expectations.
Overall, everything went fairly well. The only thing I didn't expect was the how extreme Child #2 was going to complain. Now I definitely expected some complaining, but she was down right horrible. Screaming at us on how she didn't want to go to Disney and how we made her go. She hated us for it. All she wanted to do was go swimming. Granted, it was hot, but we had been in air conditioning for several rides and shows at the Animal Kingdom. Thank God, we went early and had gone on most of the rides and seen most of the shows. At this point, I said to her that she will be banned from any future family vacations. She will be staying with one of her grandpas next year. The funny thing is she agreed to this (of course, the next day she denied that she agreed to it). Child # 1 and #3 were much more grateful. I'd say Child #1 was definitely the most mature.
By the end of the trip, Child #2 had lost her Birthday party that we were going to have in the summer. I have to say I am definitely running out of threats. So next summer, we might become a family of four on our family vacation. We'll see. Though Child #2 did apologize several times for her behavior. The problem is that the behavior continues to be the same just on a different day.
So what did I learn at Disney World? I learned that I can't stand people. I realized that I use all my patience up on my children and I have nothing left for other people. Disney is not my cup of tea. Give me a mountain to hike or a trail to ride or a road to run on any day. I'm glad the girls had the opportunity to go. It was a one (one and only) in a life time chance.
On the happy side, we did have fun. Child #2 got better as the trip went on. Several rides, we had a blast on and went on more than once. They will have great memories and pictures to remember the trip forever. Thank God it is over and we are home.
I went into this trip knowing my children would only be able to handle so much. The trip was planned for six nights. Three parks and two down days. First night, we settle into our hotel and swim in the pool. First day, Animal Kingdom. Second day, Magic Kingdom. Third day, down day at the beach. Fourth day, Universal Studios. Fifth day, down day to swim or do whatever we feel like. Sixth day, we fly home. Knowing everything might not go as planned, I didn't have that high of expectations.
Overall, everything went fairly well. The only thing I didn't expect was the how extreme Child #2 was going to complain. Now I definitely expected some complaining, but she was down right horrible. Screaming at us on how she didn't want to go to Disney and how we made her go. She hated us for it. All she wanted to do was go swimming. Granted, it was hot, but we had been in air conditioning for several rides and shows at the Animal Kingdom. Thank God, we went early and had gone on most of the rides and seen most of the shows. At this point, I said to her that she will be banned from any future family vacations. She will be staying with one of her grandpas next year. The funny thing is she agreed to this (of course, the next day she denied that she agreed to it). Child # 1 and #3 were much more grateful. I'd say Child #1 was definitely the most mature.
By the end of the trip, Child #2 had lost her Birthday party that we were going to have in the summer. I have to say I am definitely running out of threats. So next summer, we might become a family of four on our family vacation. We'll see. Though Child #2 did apologize several times for her behavior. The problem is that the behavior continues to be the same just on a different day.
So what did I learn at Disney World? I learned that I can't stand people. I realized that I use all my patience up on my children and I have nothing left for other people. Disney is not my cup of tea. Give me a mountain to hike or a trail to ride or a road to run on any day. I'm glad the girls had the opportunity to go. It was a one (one and only) in a life time chance.
On the happy side, we did have fun. Child #2 got better as the trip went on. Several rides, we had a blast on and went on more than once. They will have great memories and pictures to remember the trip forever. Thank God it is over and we are home.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Not just another Birthday
So the big three-five has surfaced. On the good side, I don't look any different from my last day of being thirty-four. On the other side, I forgot to renew my drivers license before the expiration date, which happened to be this year on my birthday, May 30. Normally this wouldn't be a problem except that I didn't notice the expiration date until I was waiting in line for security to check my ticket and ID to get on the airplane to head back to Wisconsin on May 31. In this instant revelation, I quickly motion to my husband what I've discovered. He gives me his license and the tickets in hope the security person won't notice.
While I'm waiting the happy nice security lady checking the tickets is replaced with the grumpy security lady. Not good, not good. Now there is only one person ahead of us. I'm ready to start biting my nails. Suddenly, another security person replaces the grumpy security lady. The new security guy takes our tickets and IDs (my license is on the bottom). Thankfully, this guy is happy too and from Minnesota. He asks us what our opinion is about the Packers wanting to retire Brett Favre's number. Of course, we laugh and say we're good with it. He checks the IDs and tickets and waves us through.
Phew.
That may have been some divine intervention or just luck swinging our way. Either way, I am very thankful.
While I'm waiting the happy nice security lady checking the tickets is replaced with the grumpy security lady. Not good, not good. Now there is only one person ahead of us. I'm ready to start biting my nails. Suddenly, another security person replaces the grumpy security lady. The new security guy takes our tickets and IDs (my license is on the bottom). Thankfully, this guy is happy too and from Minnesota. He asks us what our opinion is about the Packers wanting to retire Brett Favre's number. Of course, we laugh and say we're good with it. He checks the IDs and tickets and waves us through.
Phew.
That may have been some divine intervention or just luck swinging our way. Either way, I am very thankful.
Monday, May 14, 2012
By the light of the Moon...
By the light of the moon, I see a darken hole. I know there are freshly washed clothes in that darken hole, but there isn't enough moonlight to identify what I am reaching for deep down into that hole. Does it really matter that I can't see? Well not really. It would be nice to be able to see what clothes I need to hang dry though. Simple luxuries I've forgone with. Oh woa is me. It's a hard life. I know I shouldn't complain, but it makes for a fun story.
Okay so in our laundry room (which is in the basement) we have these ugly fluorescent long tube lights. One by one they have burnt out. Since I notified the handy electrician in the house (two weeks ago) that the last tube is on its last flickering leg, I thought by the first week there would be some replacement tubes. Nope. Nothing. Nada. The handy electrician has decided I need to go to the store to buy two new pull chain sockets to replace the broken light socket in the work room in the basement (It's only been two years since that socket broke) and to replace the tube production light in the laundry room. No problem. I can do that.
Sockets are in the house. Another week goes by, they are still neatly enclosed in the boxes they came in. Granted, we had a busy weekend with a soccer tournament for two kids this past weekend and mothers day at my mom's house, but the handy electrician had time to fix someone else's electrical on Saturday night. Hmmm. Now that same handy electrician is out working hard in another state for the rest of the week. Hmmm. That reminds me. The garage light is burnt out and the porch light is burnt out too. By the time he comes back, we might be living in the dark. I guess I'm going to have to get a tool belt and a ladder for myself. Look out.
Okay so in our laundry room (which is in the basement) we have these ugly fluorescent long tube lights. One by one they have burnt out. Since I notified the handy electrician in the house (two weeks ago) that the last tube is on its last flickering leg, I thought by the first week there would be some replacement tubes. Nope. Nothing. Nada. The handy electrician has decided I need to go to the store to buy two new pull chain sockets to replace the broken light socket in the work room in the basement (It's only been two years since that socket broke) and to replace the tube production light in the laundry room. No problem. I can do that.
Sockets are in the house. Another week goes by, they are still neatly enclosed in the boxes they came in. Granted, we had a busy weekend with a soccer tournament for two kids this past weekend and mothers day at my mom's house, but the handy electrician had time to fix someone else's electrical on Saturday night. Hmmm. Now that same handy electrician is out working hard in another state for the rest of the week. Hmmm. That reminds me. The garage light is burnt out and the porch light is burnt out too. By the time he comes back, we might be living in the dark. I guess I'm going to have to get a tool belt and a ladder for myself. Look out.
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