Crazy Days

I know, I know. It's been days since I posted., All I can say is that life has been very hectic and a little overwhelming. I just don't feel like I have my feet under me yet which makes blogging about anything a bit difficult. But I'm getting there. Step by step.

Here is some of the easy stuff.....

I know it's not the end of the world but my car was in the shop and we walked away $418 poorer but are feeling grateful that it wasn't the $1018 we were quoted at the first place. Apparently one of my O2 sensors failed but instead of recommending replacing the broken one, the first place was insistent we needed to replace all four. OUCH! The second place, a place I was referred to by two of my MOMS Club friends, was much easier to deal with. Sure - it meant having to pay for a diagnostic (it was free at the first place with a coupon) and yes, the first place was right that generic sensors won't fit my car but the service felt better and they felt there was no need to replace the other sensors because they were working properly at this time. He said "Unless of course you are rolling in money and enjoy spending it on, at this time, unnecessary repairs." Umm...no...not really, thanks. :)

Sure - for that amount I could have probably bought a nice little term life insurance policy but that's what happens when you have vehicles. Some times they break. You just have to hope you get lucky and it doesn't break the bank. Fortunately, Dakota's mom let us borrow her car yesterday so Little Miss Attitude...eerrr...I mean Kaylen could go to gymnastics (and her attitude is HUGE these days. Wow. She is 3.75 years hear her roar!)and I could both drop off and pick up my guy from his first day back from winter break.

I still can't believe winter break is over. The snow, for as much as I loved it, got to be a bit much when, as it began to melt off, the water pushed past the flashing on the fireplace causing a wet ceiling in the living room which means we will need to repair the damage at some point. And by the way - not for nothing but we did break a 40 year record for the amount of snow on the ground during the month of December. And again, not for nothing, this was the first time in 112 years that there was greater than 2 inches on the ground Christmas Day and only the 8th time in 112 years there was snow on the ground for Christmas Day. Pretty cool!

We did face our fear of snow/ice/slush driving and made it out on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and then on the 26th we drove to see my family 4 hours to the north of us. I can't say I'm a fan of driving on it (please note our city/state is not equipt to handle snow. I think this county has *maybe* three snowplows) and I don't think I would dare without 4WD but just the same, I did it and we survived.

So - in a nutshell, that brings you up to date on the non-kid issues. Dakota heads back to school for her final semester next Monday and until then, we are enjoying our evenings together and all the family time we can cram in. I'm actually enjoying family dinners and evenings that stretch out bedtimes a bit further than usual. We're all going to miss Dakota when she goes back but it's so nice to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Finally.

It's funny though - at the beginning of this journey the 4 years stretched out F.O.R.E.V.E.R. I had a 6 month old and 3.5 year old and the thought that they would be 4 and 7 by the time school was done felt like a lifetime (or two) away. And yet - here we are. Kaylen turns 4 next month and Kelton will be 7 in April. This last year is going fast and picking up speed. Before you know it, Dakota will be hitting the job search trail hard and fast to begin her new-hard won career as an attorney. Amazing. And I am so, so, so proud of her.

Wow - this is much longer than I thought it would be when I logged in to post something to let you know I was indeed still around. At this point, I may as well go on to share about Kaylen's latest Pallid Breath Holding drama and Kelton's medical stuff but alas...what will I have to share the next time I sit down? :) I guess it will just have to wait.

I'm off to get my afternoon cup of coffee and then I am sitting down and watching "The View" from earlier today. Meet you back here later. :)