The Waters of Minoqua

It was my brother in laws 10 year anniversary this last weekend. He thought it would be cool to have a hotel party of sorts, so we went upnorth to Minoqua with my Dad in law and Mom in law and had a blast. This place was a huge log cabin-like hotel. I am not absolutely sure why the called it "The Waters" because it had a normal type hotel pool and stuff. I mean the hottub was inside and outside, and it had a toddler pool which was super awesome! Adalai didn't like it at all, Wy wasn't too sure at first, but had a blast, and I actually was suprised because my husband got in his trunks and took our son in the pool. We stayed there two nights which was nice to be away from our place for that long... and we got some extra rest while the kids played with their cousins. We got to eat out a lot, which I LOVE to do... and spend quality time with the fam... It was super cool. The last part of our weekend kind of stunk though because we drove through places yesterday that got about 10 inches of snow. So, we got to test out our new 4X4 on our Jeep. It was really nice to feel safe in our vehicle. We faced Adalai forward for the first time because I couldn't fit well in my seat, so that was a whole new experiance for her riding in the car. Anyhow, super weekend and now onto a busy week. We are going to see my Gram tomorrow and have plans with a friend the next day...

Anyhow, have a blessed week!

...well maybe success... not sure yet...

Here I sit with the kids, and Ben is off, already, to an autobody place, trying to get our "new" Jeep fixed. It is very discouraging at this point for us to have troubles already with this vehicle. We were so excited and Stoaked about it, but now, a little apprehensive. We smell burning plastic (and as Wy says it "melll firrrre (Smell fire!))" when we get out after driving on the freeway, which as you know if you read the previous two posts is VERY scary for us since our Buicks wires started on fire! (ooh that rhymed ;)) So, we need to get that checked out, also the sun roof- busted, and also our lights (all of them the dash and the outside lights) tend to do a little dance, like we are driving a police car... So, we aren't sure if there is a short somewhere or something. OH MY GOSH it is so annoying, so Ben and I have come to the conclusion that if they won't fix it and help us out with the cost or something, we are going to return it. Oh man, could be back to square one by this afternoon. On the other hand though, if they can fix it for us, and the cost is to our liking, we will be back to happy happy happy about our new little Jeep! So, we'll see.. Also, we are supposed to go upnorth and stay at a hotel/waterpark with my bro-I-L, for their 10th wedding anniversary/F-I-L birthday... so if the Jeep is all better by this afternoon, we are HOPING to go there. I am really praying that we can. I need some fun right now. With the apartment in utter shambles and the car situation that has approached us this last week, we are in need of some good family time, and to see the in laws... I really hope it works out. Well off to clean and keep myself busy while the husband deals with the car situation...
Have a good weekend ;)

Success!!!

We bought a car yesterday! I am so excited. I love driving it, totally felt safe in the snow last night... it is a 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee... exactly what Benjamin had in mind and it fits the kids really well. It is wonderful! I am so excited I can't hardly believe it. I actually have only gotten to buy one car before and that was our Camaro. We also got to get our new carpetting put in the other day so that is nice. We are working to get together the living room again which is quite a project! It does look pretty nice though so I am super thankful! We are so blessed!

Our Smokin Car

We have had troubles lately with our poor Buick. Our friends graciously gave us the car, and over the year that we have had it, it has come to have some issues with growing old in age, and having 209,000 miles on it. We had been smelling something funky over the last few days, smelled smokey like burning rubber or something. So Ben thought maybe something like ice was stuck by the tire or something. Well, he took a look under the hood and didn't see anything fishy... so we did our normal weekend shopping (this time we decided to go to Target-I love that place, it is one of my faves, but we always end up spending too much $ there!) and on our way home, we got into Hartland, and REALLY smelled the smokin... So Ben turned on the vent and smoke started billowing out. We were luckily at the corner where there is a gas station (not super great to pull into a gas station when your car is on fire I suppose) and shut off the ignition and whipped the kids out of their seats. Anyhow something w/ turning the ignition off stopped the fire, but unfortunately that was when she breathed her last......
My sisters best friend came and picked us up, and he worked to get it started again to get it (and our bunches of groceries and everything else!) home... to no avail... Anyhow, his dad wanted to try and find the source of the problem so maybe we could fix the problem, but we ultimately ended up having it towed away to the salvage yard! :(
So, Ben spent the rest of the weekend fixing our Camaro, which needed to be done anyhow, so that is now back on the road... only problem is, that it doesn't fit our family of four, and our dog... actually it doesn't even fit our family of four. Only one adult and both kids... ugh... So, luckily, I talked to my mother in law, and she is so helpful and offered to watch the kids this morning until the afternoon so Ben and I can go car shopping! So, hopefully that is successful! In the midst of the car trouble, we had the carpet replaced in the living room which was a total project. I feel like this place will never be in order, but it is really nice looking in here with the new blue carpeting.
I am also very tired of the snow, and can't wait for spring!
So, in the end, I hate car trouble... this has been pretty hard on us... so we are going to go out and look for something that is practical for our family... hopefully since we are expecting like three moe inches of snow this morning, that that doesn't get in our way too much!

Snow and the Gallery

I thought I would add a couple of pictures, the first is at the end of the 16 inches of snow that fell last Wed... crazzzzzy amount of snow! I think that is the first time in my history at least that the like whole state of Wisconsin was closed! ;) And then the next picture of Adalai chewing on my Starbucks top. This was on our second trip to the Childrens Play Gallery, this last Thursday. We had a great time! We went along with a friend, Tina and her baby and daughter. We actually were able to come back after nap this time, so we got to play a lot there! Now this weekend we have a few more things going on. First, our car isn't working well, so Ben is going to be looking at that this morning because we are supposed to go upnorth for my brother in laws wedding anniversary next weekend. We have to go shopping, and then we have to move everything out of our living room, they are coming back on Monday afternoon to replace the carpeting in the living room. OMG... And then tomorrow we are celebrating my Grams birthday which is actually on Monday. So, busy busy we are... and I heard that we are on weather watch again for really freezing cold weather. Oh great!

Have a blessed week!

Max doesn't mind much ;)

Well this was in the midst of the moving our room around so they could put in our carpet. The dog is so hilarious. Sometimes I am so suprised at how calm he is... There we are, moving everything out of our bedroom, and he is snoozing on the job!

Balistic is the word of the day! ;)

I called our landlady awhile back and asked her about redoing carpeting in the apartment. Ours was looking really shabby. Not sure if it was new when we moved in, but over the years of us living here (Ben has been here almost 6, and I have been here almost 5) and two dogs and two kids later, it is in some shabby lookin shape! So anyhow she said that it was going to be done anyhow and that she would love to replace it for us! I was totally stoked about it because how sweet is that? Anyhow, unbeknownst to me, this was like the hugest project to get myself into! They came and did the kids room yesterday, it looks fabulous and I am really thankful. The carpet is much different now, we had a pale like beige plush carpeting and they are putting in green/blue industrial carpeting. Makes a bit more sence for cleaning and for dog hair, so it is great! This portion of the project was supposed to happen on Saturday, so we had worked the week before hand moving all of the kids stuff into the living room/ kitchen. Our place was (is) trashed. Anyhow, the dude didn't show up on Saturday while I was at my class, and I was more then a little ticked. I calmed down after a bit, but geeeez people, you wouldn't want to live in this mess either! ;) Anyhow, he came yesterday and we put back the kids room. He and my husband chatted a bit about when they could do our room and then the living room... that was when my mind went balistic! They decided that they would come back tomorrow to do our room (as I give my husband that "are you sure?" look) and then Wednesday to do the living room. Well Ok, so Kir came last night and helped me move the stuff out of our room, so there is only a few things left (big furniture), but the living room? Oh my gosh yeah right... We have an entertainment center, a desk with the computer, a couch a piano... where are we gonna put this stuff??? Ahhhh anyhow, so that is my ordeal right now. I am going to talk to the guy tonight and see if he can come to do the living room next week so we have time to figure out where we are going to put this stuff!
Other than that, nothing much else is going on. Today is going to be a ball because we are going to storytime this morning, and then seeing little Grams, cleaning this place up, and then having a playdate. Supposedly the snow is supposed to be insane tonight. I have heard different each time, but was told between 4-6inches, and then I heard the weatherman utter the words 12-14 inches... WHAT??? Oh my gosh. Tomorrow depending on the inches we may go visit my Grams, and then on Thursday we are visiting the Childrens Play Gallery again! So, I am sure there will be some sweet pics along w/ that post again! We are going with Kir and Mer, and also Tina and Amelia. What fun!
Peace to you today