Thank Heavens

After weeks of searching for a replacement for Mary Ann, Madison finally purchased a Honda Accord.

With it, she took out her first bank loan.

And her first series of payments.

And her first fears of 'what ifs.'

Welcome to adult life, kiddo!

She has been so worried about finding a car...she is on a different schedule from Mallory next semester, so sharing rides would be hard to impossible.  She was so worried I think she wore out her shoes pacing and definitely wore out my computer looking.  We drove a few that seemed really bad, and then ran across this on Craigslist.  She went to look at it on Thursday last week, a day when Jim was really, really sick.  So I volunteered to take her over to Lecompton to test drive it.  The whole way there Mallory was texting her until Madison almost didn't want to look at the car anymore because her sister convinced her that we were feeding right into the hands of the craigslist killer.  What are sisters for?  The guy was actually very nice and even dropped the price for her.  I hope that the car will last a long, long time!  :)

Christmas 2013

 We started out our Christmas at our annual Christmas Eve extravaganza of cousin love, food, fabulous gifts and bribery.  As in, if you want to open even a single gift, you will stand together and let us take photos of you.

 And each year I am surprised at how crazy the photos are!  One would think I would learn!  At least this year, nobody was crying!  :)  Heck, the middle one might even be considered decent?

 We had an awesome evening.  It was relaxing, fun and amazing to have us all together, celebrating and visiting.  I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

 And so did everyone else.  We decided the kids were old enough to give 10 pm mass a try.  Its not midnight, so it wouldn't be as tiring.  Except that Father Kip was in a very, very festive mood!  He sang A LOT of Christmas carols (ones the choir had not prepared, he just sang by himself!).  I though the mass was beautiful, despite being long and am very happy we went.

 We discussed that it is ok to get a ring from grandma and grandpa, but never from a boy.  As of today, Madison is agreeable to this arrangement!

 Cameron's Christmas goal - add to his crazy t-shirt collection.  Success!

 Christmas day, we enjoyed being home as a family.  My kids know there will be no gifts from Santa, or anyone else until I get my annual Christmas morning photo.  Madison frequently tells me that I am a horrible photographer....I am starting to think my subjects are the real issue.  Who sits still here? :)

 Santa was excessively good to us!

And I was absolutely thrilled with my husband who bought me a long wanted Nook.  Of course, I have since discovered why this is a very bad idea.....thousands of books to read at my fingertips.  Reading has always been an addiction of mine.  The world ceases to exist when I read....which is ok until you realize that nobody has gotten dressed or eaten breakfast!  Ooops!  At least nobody can say I didn't enjoy my new toy!

Mallory and Madison had to work the dinner shift tonight.  They were a little bit shocked by the Christmas dinner selection of hamburgers!  Apparently, the residents were turkey'd out!

 The only thing Quincy really, really wanted for Christmas was fake puke.  I have no clue other than she thinks she can prank people and it will be HILARIOUS.  Sorry in advance if you are one of those people!  She was happier than ever to receive this strange gift!

Sorry honey, but this is better than the posed photo you asked me to post.

Merry Christmas to all, and I can't leave a Christmas post without quoting the great and powerful Larry "nothing's over like Christmas"  Ours was great!  Hope yours was too!

More adventures

 When I was in town with the kids Friday, we went to Sam's club.  Harper had to have a gingerbread kid.  It was a desperate kind of asking that I just had a hard time saying no to.  Besides, they were predicting a terrible winter storm for the weekend and they had already cancelled most of our activities for Saturday, so I knew I was going to be inside all weekend and need something to keep the kids entertained.

 The box showed a very nice, stately manor where all your gingerbread dreams can come true.  Let's just say we built a gingerbread crack shack where nobody seemed to care if Saige and Harper ate the shutters and shingles!  It did keep the kids entertained for quite a while, but nobody here is going to be getting a job in the gingerbread house making department!

 We waited most of Saturday for the big storm to roll in.  When it did finally arrive, it came as ice.  I am always happy to see ice turn to snow, as I dislike driving on ice, being without power due to ice, and well, just about everything else about ice unless it is in cube form in my tea.  All told, I think we got about a quarter inch of ice and sleet and then about 4 inches of the white stuff.  The kids had a remarkable time playing outside in it!  I stayed inside and watched out the window!

 Around 3 pm, Jim headed outside to do something.  He came back in and asked me to step out on the porch because he smelled something weird.  I thought it smelled like chemicals, he thought something was melting.  After several minutes of sniffing, we decided it was coming from the breaker box.  Luckily, the handyman we have been using to paint the outside of the house was available to come over and  look.  He took apart the box, and said he just couldn't see anything that was hot, out of place or unusual.  Just as he said that, the power blew out to the house.  That was perfect timing, and he was able to then tell us what was happening, and that he knew how to fix it.  He and Jim ran to Topeka to buy parts while the kids and I stayed home and did some crafts.

 Notice we had to craft by candle light?  The kids were amused with this for quite a while as we made coffee filter angels and coffee filter snowflakes.  All good things must end though, as the kids quickly got tired of the dark, tired of the crafts we were doing, and a little bit chilly since we had no furnace.

 I explained to them that this was our Christmas adventure.  All the while I was crossing my fingers that we will have no more adventures for a very, very long time!

The story has a happy ending, as the power is back on, there is no more melting smell on the porch, the house warmed up nicely, and all the children have been bathed to remove the excessive amount of glitter glue, and are fast asleep!  And I have said an extra prayer to thank God that our house did not burn down during this electrical disaster.

Harper's party

 Since the kids were out of school today, it seemed like a good idea to go have a party for Harper at Chuck E Cheese.  Harper was super excited that some of her cousins and aunt Amy's day care kids could join her, play games, and run around on a cold day!

 Harper even danced with Chuck - the promise of free tickets was too good to pass up!

 Saige is a cheap date to this place - she only liked sitting on the rides, she did not like them when they moved!  The other kids were happy to spend her tokens for her!  :)

 Even the big kids had a great time.  Except for Mallory, she wanted to stay home and sew.  She may have been worried about the weather, which is supposed to be really bad tomorrow.  Bad enough that Colin's wrestling tournament has already been cancelled! 

We had a great day of playing and shopping.  I refuse to go back to the big town until after the holidays though!  I think I can do everything I need to do right here in good old Overbrook!