I'm back

I have said it before, I am a bad blogger.  Chris did an amazing job on her trip reporting.  http://momdeployed.blogspot.com/

On my first day back 2 and a half weeks of being gone jumped up and slapped me.  I had a solid week of Mondays.

On top of work crap my car is now dead.  I had the car towed to Hal’s auto shop in Northville.  They gave me a call to let me know the cool sound it makes when you try to start it is the timing chain slapping around.  If the only damage done to the car was a snapped chain then it would be about a $750 fix.  Odds are since I was driving at the time it is very likely the pistons touched the valves.  That would be very bad. He wanted to know if I would like him to work up and engine replacement quote.  I told the mechanic “You had me at $750. Push it outside I will donate it.”  He made an attempt to try and talk me into the repair.  I reminded him it was a 2001 Stratus.  He understood.  I donated it to Cars Fighting Cancer.  I had a vision of ‘Mater from cars with boxing gloves on his front tires.  I donated there.  They sent me an iPod Shuffle for my car.  There it is.  A 2001 Dodge Stratus with a blown motor equals an iPod.  Sounded good to me.

Being down to one vehicle makes me a bit nervous.  I haven’t been without a back up since 1993.

Vacation

We just spent two weeks on Christine’s R&R.  A week in Orlando and a 7 day cruise in the western Caribbean. 

I highly recommend the Central American coast for beautiful beaches.  No idea what the countries in question are really like but the beaches are fantastic.

I would go into more detail but Chris already did and should be posting it in her blog after she gets home on Tuesday. 

Our wonderful neighbor Kim dropped us off and picked us up at the airport.  That worked very well.

Once we got home the kids moved the luggage downstairs and all was well.  I told them I was heading to the bank and Kroger.  After much begging I agreed to pizza as well.

I drove out of the garage and realized something didn’t feel right.  The right rear tire was completely flat.  I backed back into the garage, cussed a lot and I re-inflated the tire on the van.  I was surprised it held air.  I figured if it held then maybe I could get a new tire on Sunday.  (No luck.  The tire folks do not work Sundays) I got into the car. It started slowly but I didn’t think anything of it as it hasn’t been started in a while. I was just across 6 mile when it started making an odd sound.  There were cars around me so as I tried to figure out where the noise was coming from the engine died.  I put it in neutral, hit the flashers and tried to re-start the car.  Odd noises come out when I tried to crank it. I coasted into DFCU’s lot and got it parked. I tried unsuccessfully to re-start the car. It sits there now.  I grabbed the gloves out of the trunk and because I was so angry, I walked home. It seemed like less distance when I started.  I guess walking fast and zipping up my fleece worked.

I stopped at CVS and picked up milk and Pizza rolls.

Movie Time

The kids were very good today and decided they wanted to go see a movie.  The conspired together.  They looked up the movie times, made me a snack and presented me with a free back rub and a well written note.  They asked politely if we could see a movie, they would even use their own money. (Christmas gifts of AMC Gift cards) 

So off we went to see The Chipmunks, Chipwrecked.

Even though we just had lunch the kids were excited to get their own snacks.  Sam got a small popcorn, soda, and candy.  Jason got the kids pack and I got a small popcorn and soda.  The list becomes important in a minute.  Sam had her purse and I needed to grad napkins and straws for the kids.  Sam set her popcorn down on the prep counter, for butter etc., so she could put her card and wallet away.  I wasn’t looking and she knocked he popcorn over.  She lost about half a bag.  Sad but not unrecoverable as I told her I would share mine.  We walked into a full theater and found three seats near the isle towards the top.  The stairs turn twice.  I stopped so the kids could get around and when I turned I was closer to the step then I thought.  I tripped and went down.  I lost my soda, mostly on my arms and pants, and ¾ of my popcorn.  In the process I smacked my head on the hand rail and my knee on the step.  I mentioned full theater right?  So we sat down quick and I told Sam our popcorn matched now.  The above mentioned list became much smaller causing me to reflect on the insane prices at the snack isle.

The movie was funny and an overall fun time.  I just ended up a bit soda soaked with a bump on my head.

I probably won’t get any notes for awhile.

Holy Crap!

I did not expect the first person to take a bath in our remodeled bathroom would be Abby.

When I came home today I was met with a surprise.  The entire house had a particular odor to it.  I was pretty sure what I was walking into when I went downstairs.  I was very, very wrong.  That was a smell I can honestly say I have not encountered since the stockyards in Clovis, NM.  Abby ate something that did not agree with her.  It passed today.  Her crate was covered from end to end.  My first problem was how to get her outside without spreading it all over the carpet.  The second was the crate itself.  The crates are large.  They will not fit through a door.  The tray is wider than a door.  So me and the little green machine went to work.  Halfway through cleaning the tray Sam came down and asked me “What was for dinner?”  That was not a good idea.  I told her and Jason to clean the living room and last I looked it was getting done.

Once the cage and floor was cleaned I still had the daunting task of cleaning Abby.  Our tub is in and the plumbing works.  There is no proper faucet and the handle is not installed, just the end of the valve.  There is a temporary spout in place for construction and eventual installation.  I took off the plastic, uncovered the drain and dropped Abby in the tub.  It is hard to wash a dog when you cannot use a hose attachment.  Just me and a cup.  She is clean now and my headache is starting to subside.  Tomorrow is a Lucky Puppy day and I am hoping the fresh air and lots of yard helps her stomach.

Off to eat dinner.  Yum. 

Goofing off

So while we work hard and slave away at our normal, safe, 8 hour (mostly), non-rocket attack having jobs this is what the folks overseas are doing!

Merry Christmas.

New Addition

So today is officially my day off.  I was sitting around not doing anything.  Jason was building with his Geomag kit; Sam was playing with her new stuff; I was relaxing with Gears of War 3 and evidentially Diane was being the over achiever and giving birth.

Welcome to our goofy family Ms. Jordyn Emily. 

Ta Da!

Christmas

Christmas morning!

Lots of lights, very tired.  Many kids, still only count two, sounds like more.

Yeah, I need coffee.

Lots of coffee.

A little better.

Stockings.

More coffee.  Write down gifts for thank you notes.  Try to read list.  Lots of luck.  Why do I feel hung-over when I didn’t drink.  More coffee, starting to wake up. 

Heat breakfast; feed young ‘uns, yep just two of ‘em.

Ok, on to the good stuff. 

Present opening went well.  I made a list and the kids and I should be able to decipher enough of it to write thank you’s.  I still got the coolest gift.  I got a drill.  Good thing as my old one caught on fire.  I tried to mix mortar with it.  Small flames shot out of the side and it stopped working.  (In my defense it was 20 plus years old and the cord was frayed in the case.)  Either way I was going to go pick up a new one soon.  Now I do not have to.  I am sure the kids think their stuff is great too but no, mine is better.

Roger’s house was fun.  Rog and Shaun had a cook off.  Whose roast was better?  Roger’s from the Crockpot or Shawn’s from the oven.  We were supposed to choose.  Not a chance.  We all agreed that they were both very good and thank you for making dinner.  The only odd part was that I broke tradition.  Since 1999 in Phoenix we have had Chinese food on Christmas day.  This is the first year we didn’t.  Well I didn’t.  Christine may have.  I am guessing the chow hall has a myriad of items to choose from.

Except for Chris being in Afghanistan it was a good day.

Our Stockings

It was early but I got the timer to work.

My kids.

The dogs got presents too!