This is how we get ready for Christmas!

So to do a little catching up since I am behind........we had a flood! The connection piece on the shut off valve under our kitchen sink:

came loose sometime after we turned in for the night and flooded through the cupboard, vents, and kitchen floor:





directly to where our poor child was sleeping peacefully underneath a rushing waterfall. (soaking wet mind you.)








It then proceeded to seep through the flooring of the whole basement and that's when we awoke to dripping noises in our room only to discover our floor was already a sea of water.





This happened at 2 am so who to call? What to do? We are renters so it's not our home owners ins. that will cover it so we had to start making phone calls in the middle of the night to our land lady so she can get a hold of the ins. and see what comes next. (meanwhile a little concerned that all the electricity was still up and running and we didn't know where the water was exactly). Not fun!








So at 10 the next morning we moved our behinds out of dodge to a hotel and the clean up crew came in with fans, hammers, and dehumidifiers a blazing!



the living room that shares a wall with the kitchen also took a hit. And "yes" that is the place where we had our nicely decorated Christmas tree of course. ;)



This was to keep our basement at around 98 degrees and with fans going you could sort of stand in the wind and pretend we were on a tropical island.......(or that could have just been the tequila I was having for breakfast to cope that made me personally feel that way????)


I really should have sound effects on here because seeing it really does not do it justice.....pretend you're standing under an airplane about to take off and that is about what it sounded like throughout the house.


All these tiny tubes going between the walls to dry them.



This is why we wore the same clothes for about 2 weeks!



Just screams romance doesn't it?
So happy to have my kitchen somewhat back in order.......though going on two months without a dishwasher or garbage disposal......grrrrr

Right now everything is dry and the carpet just in the hallway is replaced but still waiting on Gavin's whole room to be rebuilt, carpet in the bedrooms, kitchen sink cupboard replaced, dishwasher installed, and the living room corner needs a new sub floor.

This is where we called home for about 6 days of which on the 6th day Haylee decided she would get the flu and throw up all over the place. (Thank goodness it was the last night!)
Kids loved the free breakfast (mystery food) and the pool though, we tried to make the most of it and still keep somewhat of a routine even in crisis. Two weeks before we were supposed to be leaving for Christmas too so that was just like the cherry on top! ;)

Well I will get on to happier, Christmas'y' stuff next post just wanted to let those who knew we had a flood see that we really (do need your checks and donations made directly to us personally for our pain and suffering)........wait, no I mean see that we really are doing just fine! :^)

Disappointment

I would just like to have a moment of silence for my ebay item that I bought on false pretenses thinking they were a size 8 but would actually fit Justin better than they would fit me. UGH! I have been waiting and waiting and looking for boots like these and am SO SAD to have to give them up....sniff sniff. SO back on ebay they go and I better be making me some cash for the next pair that comes along cause this means WAR ebay!!

Anyone feeling like shopping come look me up......or just wish me luck! ;)

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

November came and went in a flash (as I'm hoping will winter in general) and I am now realizing that with dreary winter comes no pictures, no excitement, no blogging. Sorry.

I just had to take this picture cause these ringlet curls have not been around for a long time. sniff sniff I guess it's one good thing about WA weather??? ;)


In other news Justin the mighty fisherman has been quite successful these last few weeks in the salmon fishing dept. He was like a kid at Christmas when he came home to show us what they caught. :) Salmon are spawning right now so the fish aren't so pretty but his buddy smoked them all up for us and man is it GOOD!

Two times last month all 3 of them caught their limit.

The beginning of Thanksgiving break I took the kids down to the Children's museum, they had a ball and it was so nice to do something out of the house.

Gavin loves the balls. ;)

We did have a little snow that week too and Thanksgiving had quite a bit but it was the best kind, only stayed for a day.

Thanksgiving morning I cleaned and got my house ready for dinner while Justin took the kids sledding and let me tell you, living on a mountain is great for this we can snow right in our front yard. :)

Kids go down, Justin pulls them back up........good way to get ready for the big meal. ;)

Gavin finding clever ways to reach what he wants.......eggs perhaps????

This cute girl was my wonderful helper the whole day!! She is so great in the kitchen and makes it so much more fun than doing it all solo. "Thanks Haylee, I appreciate everything you do."

Table is set.

Girls made the place cards.

While waiting for dinner to finish we took a little "snow break".

We followed our noses to the neighbors house where they were smoking a turkey......yum!

And they have a swing set.

Hannah and Maddie

Finally dinner is served!

The whole gang.

Our company for the evening, thanks for celebrating with us.

Haylee had such a full day this is what I found about two seconds after she stopped hollering at me that she was ready to read. :) Oh how I love this sleepy girl!

So our holiday was great and we're gearing up for a trip to Boise for Christmas, although judging by the amount of snow........everywhere that may be a joke. Keep you posted!