By now all of you have probably heard about my super duper car. In September of 2008, Sean bought me an Audi Allroad. Its got silver exterior, black and gray leather seats, that walnut looking panelling, all electronic gadgets, butt warmers in the front and back seat, those new fancy, yet annoying, headlights and a sunroof. It's super fast and has rockin quick pick up. I like to drive fast and this thing was all that and then some! Aidan said it looked like a rocketship.
We all loved (note the past tense) this car. It totally rocked! That is when it wasn't bleeding us dry! Talk about a MONEY PIT! Luxury is not always worth it... in the long run. That daggone car cost $250 for one stinkin spark plug to be fixed. Not to mention the cap that got screwed on too tight during an oil change that cost $165 to fix cause it caused a leak. Most recently, like 2 weeks before Christmas, we dropped almost $3000 on new front and back brakes, something called CB boots and a 55,000 mile checkup. Last weekend the service light came on Sunday afternoon. Sean took it to a mechanic by the house. After 3 days and another $800 we got the car back Friday afternoon around 4:00.
Yesterday, saturday, Sean drove that super duper rocketship straight to the Nissan dealership in Annapolis and traded it in for a SUPER DUPER COOL nissan Pathfinder. It's really nice and it's just like my old nissan Xterra.
I totally LOVE it! So do the kids and they are the biggest critics!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
A special day for "me"
Today was Aidan's birthday party at our house with all his friends. We were frantically getting ready this morning, in hopes that despite the possible 2-4 inches of snow predicted, people would actually come to the party. When it started to snow at 8:30am, Aidan looked out the window and said, "It looks like this is a special day for me." I mean come on birthday party and snow... what more could a winter baby ask for. All the kids invited were from Aidan's "school". They all go to Noah's Ark with him, which is down in Calvert Co. WELL, to our wonderment and surprise they showed up, all except for one.
Aidan's face was like pure happiness when he saw the first car pull in our driveway. And it kept up for the whole 2 hours they were all here. He ran around showing them all his toys and his bedroom. Once they were all here, the first thing he wanted to do is open presents... go figure! Then we did the ninja turtle pinata and then ate pizza and cake. The boy was in total HEAVEN!
Right about the time we were lighting the candles, Aunt Momo, Uncle Wade, Bel, Uncle Mickey and Nana got here. About 20 minutes after they arrived and everyone else left I walked into the kitchen and Aidan was sitting at the table eating his 3rd piece of birthday cake. He says to me, "Hey Mom, Nana's here." I say, "Oh she is? Wow." So funny.
All in all the Ninja Turtle Clubhouse Birthday party was a huge success primarily because our little Aidan was totally thrilled with the turn out!
While I was hanging up the streamers before the party, Aidan looks at me very sincerely, smiles and says, "THANKS, Mom." Awww 4 years old (tomorrow) and still so sweet!
Needless to say after partying and playing in the snow all day he was wiped out tonight. He passed out on the chair in the living room watching a "lost episode" of TMNT.
Man I LOVE this kid!
Aidan's face was like pure happiness when he saw the first car pull in our driveway. And it kept up for the whole 2 hours they were all here. He ran around showing them all his toys and his bedroom. Once they were all here, the first thing he wanted to do is open presents... go figure! Then we did the ninja turtle pinata and then ate pizza and cake. The boy was in total HEAVEN!
Right about the time we were lighting the candles, Aunt Momo, Uncle Wade, Bel, Uncle Mickey and Nana got here. About 20 minutes after they arrived and everyone else left I walked into the kitchen and Aidan was sitting at the table eating his 3rd piece of birthday cake. He says to me, "Hey Mom, Nana's here." I say, "Oh she is? Wow." So funny.
All in all the Ninja Turtle Clubhouse Birthday party was a huge success primarily because our little Aidan was totally thrilled with the turn out!
While I was hanging up the streamers before the party, Aidan looks at me very sincerely, smiles and says, "THANKS, Mom." Awww 4 years old (tomorrow) and still so sweet!
Needless to say after partying and playing in the snow all day he was wiped out tonight. He passed out on the chair in the living room watching a "lost episode" of TMNT.
Man I LOVE this kid!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
A True Trooper
Our house has been plagued with a minor, yet nasty stomach virus since Friday night.
First Clare started while we were out Friday night. Then Aidan at 5am Saturday morning. Saturday Sean and I felt fine and figured if we didn't get it by Sunday morning we were in the clear. Well, NOT so clear. I woke up Monday morning to a little bit of a turning stomach. I chugged a glass of water and then heaved. That lasted for about 6 hours then the headache and exhaustion set in.
We figured Sean was still okay til last night around 7pm. He came to me and said, "My stomach is turning." OH NO! Well shortly after that the BARFING started. Now when I say BARFING I mean BARFING. He was definately hit the WORSE. He was sick from 7pm until around 1am when he was finally able to fall asleep. He had to work today for "Bill Moyer's Journal" and he's such a workaholic that he was NOT going to find someone else to replace him. So at 6:45, feeling like he was hit by a mac truck, he dutifully got up and turned off his alarm. Brewed a pot of coffee and jumped in the shower.
All I can say is, WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That man has amazed me for many years with many different things but he's one thing if nothing else, a man of his word. He said he'd be there today and by God he was there. Pale white, feeling like a big bag of crapola and he got the job done.
Now that is one amazing man! And I LOVE him for it! I spoiled him a little tonight for it too. Chicken soup in bed and a special slice of homemade banana bread.
You're awesome Babe!
First Clare started while we were out Friday night. Then Aidan at 5am Saturday morning. Saturday Sean and I felt fine and figured if we didn't get it by Sunday morning we were in the clear. Well, NOT so clear. I woke up Monday morning to a little bit of a turning stomach. I chugged a glass of water and then heaved. That lasted for about 6 hours then the headache and exhaustion set in.
We figured Sean was still okay til last night around 7pm. He came to me and said, "My stomach is turning." OH NO! Well shortly after that the BARFING started. Now when I say BARFING I mean BARFING. He was definately hit the WORSE. He was sick from 7pm until around 1am when he was finally able to fall asleep. He had to work today for "Bill Moyer's Journal" and he's such a workaholic that he was NOT going to find someone else to replace him. So at 6:45, feeling like he was hit by a mac truck, he dutifully got up and turned off his alarm. Brewed a pot of coffee and jumped in the shower.
All I can say is, WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That man has amazed me for many years with many different things but he's one thing if nothing else, a man of his word. He said he'd be there today and by God he was there. Pale white, feeling like a big bag of crapola and he got the job done.
Now that is one amazing man! And I LOVE him for it! I spoiled him a little tonight for it too. Chicken soup in bed and a special slice of homemade banana bread.
You're awesome Babe!
A cup of tea
A cup of tea holds a long list of memories for me.
When I was in high school I used to work at a pool, as a lifeguard, in 60+ community of people. Needless to say there were NO saves because most of the people did not leave their air conditioned condos when the weather was hot much less take a dip in the pool. So I had a lot of time to work on my tan and that pool was ALWAYS sparkly clean. One particular day, it was kind of chilly and cloudy but the pool stayed open, just on the off chance that someone might have a grandchild visiting that wanted to swim. So as I lay in my lounge chair covered in my towel a sweet older gentleman, who I knew was recently diagnosed with some sort of cancer, came over to the pool and asked how I was doing. I quickly answered, "Fine, thanks." We chatted for another minute of two and he was on his way.
Another hour or so went by and he returned to the desolate pool with a little cup of hot tea. Nothing fancy just the tea bag floating in some warm water. However, for this none tea drinking girl it was GREAT! Warmed me up! Here was the man dying of cancer and for a couple of hours out of his life he was concerned about me and how I was doing. WHOA, that was an amazing thing to me! I later wrote my college admission essay about that day.
Now my family if full of tea drinkers. My Grandmother, affectionately known to us as MONGIE, was a huge tea drinker. Every single time we went to her house she either had a cup of tea in hand, or on the table of the kettle was about to start singing. I loved that about her as do my other siblings and cousins. Tea and Mongie go hand in hand. She drank tea with milk in it. Which we all in turn came to love. My mother drinks tea too. She loves tea in the afternoon or just to warm her up on a chilly day. I remember the kettle singing in our home growing up signalling that someone was about to be warmed to the soul by a cup of deliciousness.
My sisters and brother all LOVE a good cup of tea. Maureen will drink it anytime of the day, she'll start the kettle immediately after a meal to have a cup. She will make sure her tea is perfectly steeped before cutting into her favorite pie or cake for dessert. Maureen and I talk every morning on our way to work and most mornings I am on the phone with her as she pulls into the dunkin donuts drive thru to order her "medium hot tea with milk only". It's so funny cause now I order with her when she tells me to hold on. Kerry and Jenny, a lot like Mongie, seem to always have a cup in hand when I'm at their houses. Kerry recently informed me that once the original cup loses it's heat she is DONE with it. Won't microwave it or anything. She just dumps it out. In fact, I think all of their kids even drink tea. Kerry's son Mike, 12, is the only one of the great-grandkids that had the opportunity to kind of know Mongie. They would have "Mongie Mondays" when he was a little guy. Mongie would come over to Kerry's house for a few hours in the morning and they of course would have tea. I'm not certain but I'm sure he too shared the pleasure we did of enjoying a cup o' tea with Mongie.
In my later life, when I met Sean and would go to his parents home to visit with him, his Mom always would ask me if I wanted a cup of tea when she was brewing some. We would sit at the counter and chat and sip tea and get to know each other better.
All these memories, just over a simple drink like a cup of tea. To that I do feel blessed in my life. I, now, after many years am becoming quite a tea drinker. I love me some chai latte from starbucks but I also have learned to love a nice hot cup of tea right out of the singing kettle on my own stove. Delicious!
When I was in high school I used to work at a pool, as a lifeguard, in 60+ community of people. Needless to say there were NO saves because most of the people did not leave their air conditioned condos when the weather was hot much less take a dip in the pool. So I had a lot of time to work on my tan and that pool was ALWAYS sparkly clean. One particular day, it was kind of chilly and cloudy but the pool stayed open, just on the off chance that someone might have a grandchild visiting that wanted to swim. So as I lay in my lounge chair covered in my towel a sweet older gentleman, who I knew was recently diagnosed with some sort of cancer, came over to the pool and asked how I was doing. I quickly answered, "Fine, thanks." We chatted for another minute of two and he was on his way.
Another hour or so went by and he returned to the desolate pool with a little cup of hot tea. Nothing fancy just the tea bag floating in some warm water. However, for this none tea drinking girl it was GREAT! Warmed me up! Here was the man dying of cancer and for a couple of hours out of his life he was concerned about me and how I was doing. WHOA, that was an amazing thing to me! I later wrote my college admission essay about that day.
Now my family if full of tea drinkers. My Grandmother, affectionately known to us as MONGIE, was a huge tea drinker. Every single time we went to her house she either had a cup of tea in hand, or on the table of the kettle was about to start singing. I loved that about her as do my other siblings and cousins. Tea and Mongie go hand in hand. She drank tea with milk in it. Which we all in turn came to love. My mother drinks tea too. She loves tea in the afternoon or just to warm her up on a chilly day. I remember the kettle singing in our home growing up signalling that someone was about to be warmed to the soul by a cup of deliciousness.
My sisters and brother all LOVE a good cup of tea. Maureen will drink it anytime of the day, she'll start the kettle immediately after a meal to have a cup. She will make sure her tea is perfectly steeped before cutting into her favorite pie or cake for dessert. Maureen and I talk every morning on our way to work and most mornings I am on the phone with her as she pulls into the dunkin donuts drive thru to order her "medium hot tea with milk only". It's so funny cause now I order with her when she tells me to hold on. Kerry and Jenny, a lot like Mongie, seem to always have a cup in hand when I'm at their houses. Kerry recently informed me that once the original cup loses it's heat she is DONE with it. Won't microwave it or anything. She just dumps it out. In fact, I think all of their kids even drink tea. Kerry's son Mike, 12, is the only one of the great-grandkids that had the opportunity to kind of know Mongie. They would have "Mongie Mondays" when he was a little guy. Mongie would come over to Kerry's house for a few hours in the morning and they of course would have tea. I'm not certain but I'm sure he too shared the pleasure we did of enjoying a cup o' tea with Mongie.
In my later life, when I met Sean and would go to his parents home to visit with him, his Mom always would ask me if I wanted a cup of tea when she was brewing some. We would sit at the counter and chat and sip tea and get to know each other better.
All these memories, just over a simple drink like a cup of tea. To that I do feel blessed in my life. I, now, after many years am becoming quite a tea drinker. I love me some chai latte from starbucks but I also have learned to love a nice hot cup of tea right out of the singing kettle on my own stove. Delicious!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Sanford and Sons got nothin on me!
My rocketship is back in the shop... I think it's more like a tall glass of lemonade rather than a rocketship if you catch my drift! But that's about to become another sad story for another day!
Now usually when I have my rocketship in the shop I get a nice, clean, sometimes cute little Audi loaner to drive around town. I mean the back has a sticker the size of the rearview window that says its a loaner from Criswell Audi in Annapolis but hey, if you have the Audi loaner it's cause you own an Audi. WELL, not this time. We are banning Audi for ripping us OFF so we took the rocketship to a little mechanic near home. Needless to say he doesn't offer an Audi loaner in it's place.
Lucky for me we have a 1993 Ford F150 pickup truck that Sean primarily uses to go to the dump. Yes, we have so much extra crap in our lives that we had to buy a junker just for frequent runs to the dump. So I am now the proud driver of this hunka hunka burnin oil! We went to the post office today in it.... yup you can fit 2 kids in carseats in the front seat with ya. Clare thought it was great. When the truck made the crazy loud noise it makes if you keep your foot on the gas for too long, she says, "Whoa Mommy, that sound was AWESOME!" Aidan says, "Make it do it again!" I smuggly respond, "Oh don't worry kids, it WILL!" We broke the cardinal rule of the truck already though, we listened to Rock and Roll instead of Country... SHHHH don't tell Sean.
The good news: it only stalls when you put it in reverse, but it fires right back up again! Gonna be a long ride to work tomorrow. Guess I won't be passing on the right in this bad boy! UGH!
Now usually when I have my rocketship in the shop I get a nice, clean, sometimes cute little Audi loaner to drive around town. I mean the back has a sticker the size of the rearview window that says its a loaner from Criswell Audi in Annapolis but hey, if you have the Audi loaner it's cause you own an Audi. WELL, not this time. We are banning Audi for ripping us OFF so we took the rocketship to a little mechanic near home. Needless to say he doesn't offer an Audi loaner in it's place.
Lucky for me we have a 1993 Ford F150 pickup truck that Sean primarily uses to go to the dump. Yes, we have so much extra crap in our lives that we had to buy a junker just for frequent runs to the dump. So I am now the proud driver of this hunka hunka burnin oil! We went to the post office today in it.... yup you can fit 2 kids in carseats in the front seat with ya. Clare thought it was great. When the truck made the crazy loud noise it makes if you keep your foot on the gas for too long, she says, "Whoa Mommy, that sound was AWESOME!" Aidan says, "Make it do it again!" I smuggly respond, "Oh don't worry kids, it WILL!" We broke the cardinal rule of the truck already though, we listened to Rock and Roll instead of Country... SHHHH don't tell Sean.
The good news: it only stalls when you put it in reverse, but it fires right back up again! Gonna be a long ride to work tomorrow. Guess I won't be passing on the right in this bad boy! UGH!
Barbie Monster
The other night Sean and I were standing in the kitchen talking. The kids were in their play/tv room playing and semi watching tv. All of a sudden Clare makes a "Raaaarrrr" noise. She does it a few more times and I finally peek my head in to see what or who she's "Raaaarrrring".
She's sitting on the floor in the middle of the room with all her barbies around her. She holds one up to her face and goes "RRRRaaaarrrr" right in Barbie's face. So, of course I giggle and turn to Sean and say she's scaring her Barbie. She then takes the Barbie and cradles her like a baby in her arm and says, "It's okay, don't be scared. Shhh! Shhh!" She then points her finger at the Barbie's chest (which is naked cause they are all naked) and says, "Are those your boobies? You got boobies?"
Sean and I were CRYING in the kitchen!
She's sitting on the floor in the middle of the room with all her barbies around her. She holds one up to her face and goes "RRRRaaaarrrr" right in Barbie's face. So, of course I giggle and turn to Sean and say she's scaring her Barbie. She then takes the Barbie and cradles her like a baby in her arm and says, "It's okay, don't be scared. Shhh! Shhh!" She then points her finger at the Barbie's chest (which is naked cause they are all naked) and says, "Are those your boobies? You got boobies?"
Sean and I were CRYING in the kitchen!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)