Saga of a missing ac vent

12:05 That's right. My "scheduled" time of 9-12 has come and gone and I have not seen hide nor hair of my repairman. Should have gone to Wally World while I was waiting. Now it is too late because you know as soon as I pack up the kids said repairman will magically appear in my driveway.

1:17 The customer service rep called to let me know that my repairman was just around the corner. Hmm.... 2 hours ago she said he should be here in no time. If I knew she was going to call in advance I would have made the trek to Wally World and been done with it.

1:58 The repairman just showed up...maybe his watch was broken? Then he asked me which vent he was replacing. Not replacing my friend. Installing. That's right. No one installed the AC vent in our playroom. It has been hot hot hot! We'll see how much of a mess he leaves behind. Given the previous work in the playroom I am expecting the worst. It is after all my problem child room. I'll let you know how it goes.

2:12 The repairman just told me that he can't get to the playroom in the attic so he needs to cut an extra hole to figure out where to put the right hole for the vent. I am picturing a big mess. The super says they will send a drywaller tomorrow. Guess that means my playroom will have yet another unsightly unpainted patch.

2:49 The repairman just left. We have AC! It is, however, going to take a while to cool the room down...and we do have an extra hole in the roof. But by this time Wednesday the room should be all fixed up and ready for play time. Yippee!

3:23 Wally World here we come.

Monday Musings

I am starting to think that big challenges may lie in the coming school year because Heavens-to-Betsy my patience is being tested (strengthened?) at every turn this summer. It has me questioning if I am being prepared for something.

What do you figure the chances are that the air conditioning people who are "scheduled" from 9-12 will actually get here in time to be done by 12? Since it is already 9:30 with no word I am betting the chances are not great.

Along those lines...what do you figure the chances are that the nice gentleman from Chapman (you know the one that has been holding my van hostage for 11 days already) will finally have a quote and time estimate for getting everything done?

My Princess in Training had some final touches added to her princess room. I love it, but it also makes it all that more obvious that Sugar and Spice still has a very white, very plain room.

I would really like to bust out the paint that I bought for the kitchen arch and make some magic today, but I know that would be a foolish use of my time.

I really don't want to pack for the 4th (and not final-two more to go!) time this summer.

The laundry is almost done...that is if you don't count the towels that I just got dirty by taking a shower.

I loathe the idea of taking the kids to Wally World today, but alas I need groceries.

I really...I mean REALLY need to recover my dining room chairs again...but first I need to find some fabric. No chance of that happening today.

I heart waffles from a can.

I got new sheets and I am honestly considering ironing them. Even after washing they are a wrinkled mess. Hmmm...maybe if I have extra time.

I can't wait to meet up with Miss Becky next week and get my hands on some new-old smells. YUM!

I am making brownies today under the pretense that they are for my visiting teaching sisters...truth be told they are only half for them and half for me.

I have procrastinated long enough...to do list here I come.

Cleaning Frenzy

There is nothing quite like the potential of a last minute road trip to send me into a white tornado of house cleaning. I can't leave a messy house. And though my house wasn't really messy, it also wasn't really clean. So far...I have attacked the dusting, vacuuming, cleaned two bathrooms, and have semi-organized our closet. On a side note, while I love many things about my new house, the master closet is not one of them. Even after dedicating a whole hour to it, I still walk away shaking my head. Unfortunately, there is much yet to do from laundry to cleaning out the fridge...when did I make those enchiladas? YUCK! And even with all that marvelous cleaning, I may be the only one to enjoy it as there is a chance that I couldn't possibly get to where I was going fast enough for it to matter. On another side note...after the past four days of being the sole keeper of the children I think that single parents are amazing and I pray that I never ever have to be one. Especially not one without a mini van.

Ha!

I managed to outsmart the Southwest airlines website and get the price I wanted! Yes!

Hole in my heart

I got some news today that left a hole in my heart.
I know you feel it too.
I feel it with you.
I am thankful for the time I had with this great man.
Knowing him helped to fill another hole.
A hole that was the start of big changes in my life.
Losing one
helped me to understand that I will have
the sweet joy
of seeing both again.
For that I am thankful beyond words.

Can't sleep

Ben is on the mountain helping to protect the Young Women from potential threat of bears or wayward boy scouts and I can't sleep. I always have a hard time sleeping when he isn't here. I hear every sound. My mind runs wild. And for some reason the train seriously seems to blow it's horn more frequently when he is not here. Maybe I will go snuggle in with one of the kiddos. Or maybe I will stay up for the next three hours watching mindless television in hopes of being lulled to sleep. But probably I will just go add a top coat to my home made pedicure. Wish me sweet dreams... I could use them!

A Productive Day

Unlike yesterday...today I have been motivated and even without "inspiration" from my three little helpers. So far I have- cleaned the kitchen, run a load of dishes, run a load of laundry, put away two lingering load of laundry, vacuumed the playroom, living room, and My Princess in Training's room, taken pictures of and documented all the junk I intend to donate today, I even loaded it all into the van! I have also made my bed, emptied and stacked the luggage from all of our recent travels, discovered that when Sugar and Spice "cleaned" his room yesterday he really just stuffed it all in the closet. Said closet is now clean and everything is where it should be in his room. Currently the vacuum cleaner is staring at me waiting for me to vacuum my own room. But alas it will have to wait. Time to donate our junk and take the van away to van hospital where some hopefully lovely men will put it all back together again without giving me the slightest bit of grief. A girl can hope right?

And...
for those of you who haven't seen the
"facelift"
I gave the van...
here it is in all it's gory...
I mean glory!

Grumble. Chapman Collision just told me that they are going to hold my van hostage for the next 16 working days. For those of you without a calendar in front of you...that means July 12. Yes. July 12th. My husband so cheerfully also pointed out that includes 4 weekends. Not fun.

Doing nothing EDIT-EDIT

It truly boggles the mind how much time can be wasted losing at Spider Solitaire on the computer. I feel very little inspiration to start yet another load of laundry or help my Princess in Training clean her room for the 18 millionth time this week. I feel even less inspiration to clean the bathrooms or organize the linen closet. I think I could be convinced to do some painting if only the girls didn't have ballet today. Naw. I think I will just go back to Spider Solitaire. At least until the natives get restless and want some lunch. 

edit-12:30 pm...Flooded bathroom. Wet towels all over the floor from little "helpers". Now my day is complete. 

edit-12:45 pm...Found poop smears on the shower curtain. NOW my day is complete...at least I hope so. at least I found my "inspiration" to clean the bathroom...and do another load of laundry.

A day without plans

Today's plans just got cancelled

I am dancing in the aisles!

Where to start?

New book?

Long shower?

Packing for the free hotel?

It is going to be a great day!

Today's Score Sheet

Vacuuming: 0

Me: 1

Dishes: 1

Me: 0

Laundry: 1

Me: 0

Strange yellowish orange sticky substance under my bar: 0

Me: 1

Kids with a nap: 1

Me: 1 (well for at least 10 minutes)

Pantry: 0

Me: 1

Game closet: 0

Me: 1

Strange purple sticky substance in kids bath: 1

Me: 0

Marker on the craft table: 1

Me (and a magic eraser and Clorox wipes): 0

My Princess in Training's messy room: 1

Me: 0

Write Up a Storm: 1

Me: 0

Summary of my day...you win some, you lose some.

Friday in San Diego

After our busy Thursday,
we woke up too late for the free breakfast at the hotel today.
So, we went in search of an IHOP.
We made the GPS lady mad...
a lot...
But finally made it!
You can see that Sugar and Spice
was very happy!
Next we headed to the temple.
Little did we know
it was undergoing a MAJOR face lift.
Not quite the beautiful castle we had sold to the kiddos.
Oh well.
Then we were off.
To nowhere in particular.
Actually, we were on our way to a park.
To fly our kites.
Instead ended up on a dead end road.
In a very expensive neighborhood.
At the top of a cliff.
(wish I had a picture of that!)

But then we stumbled on the Birch Aquarium.
Thankfully, I remembered we had coupons.
Yeah for two free kids!
After the aquarium we drove in circles.
Until at last we found the beach.
And a park for our kites.
If you haven't already heard...
Sugar and Spice lost his kite.
Now it is being flown by a giant tree.
Oh well...
There is always the beach...
That is until My Princess in Training fell in.
Overall...it was a perfect day.

Thursday in San Diego

All day Thursday was dedicated to the San Diego Zoo.

Here is our day in pictures...

And though there are no pictures 

we had a perfectly delicious dinner at Edgewater Grill 

at Seaport Village. 

A must for any vacation.

Wednesday in San Diego

Goal #1 on Wednesday was Mexican food in Old Town.
Next, we spent some time at the Mormon Battalion.
Finally, we capped off the day with more wandering through Old Town.
Here is our day in pictures!
I have no idea why,
but My Little Reader loves to make this face.
Grumpy girl at lunch.
Daddy was picked to dress up!

Believe me...

your ears are very glad this is a picture

and not a video.

At least she had fun!

"Come on, Mom! It's time to go!"
Compliments of My Princess in Training
we saw this entire museum
in under 5 minutes.
I love old fashion candy stores.
Are we done yet?
Wow! That was a busy day!