1 Vacation down....next....up..Vegas

So we made it thru family vacation...and we are no worse for the wear!  Skinny and I had a great time....even though it was REALLY HOT.  When I say REALLY HOT..I'm talking about burn your footprints off on the pool deck or it feels like you just took a shower when you walk out the door in the MORNING.  It was in the 100's all week while we were at the lake.  So it was a lot of swimming everyday, which for me it was perfect.  Skinny actually ventured out twice to play golf in the morning a couple of days....but by afternoon he was back at the pool.  On our last full day at the lake, Skinny and I rented a jet ski...it was a blast and much more fun then the last time I rented one.  Granted that was almost 15 years ago and I was the driver. 
I'm pretty sure everyone had a good time also....even though there were a few fights and everyone was glad to be heading home at the end of the week...we all did say "we would maybe do this again soon".  Now we will see once the planning for next year's trip to Florida...and see who really would end up coming.
All in all I have to say it was a fabulous start to our vacation/business trips "month".  Next up is the girls' only trip to...VEGAS......!!!!

2 days and couting

Last Day of work before our whirlwind next 30 days......we start with the family vacation, then Girls' trip to Vegas...then LA/ATL business travel.  I feel sorry for Herbie....he is going to have to spend a lot of time at "doggie camp".  But at least this past week is over and we can relax a little...maybe. 
This past week........Skinny comes home on Saturday to tell me his brakes are pretty much out and someone has shattered his sunroof with a golf ball.  So we talk about what we are going to do...fix it or "something else"....but really it is a waiting game till Monday, since the auto shop was now closed.  Skinny talks to his Dad on Sunday and maybe we can buy his old car off him...for cheap.  But we still need to wait to see how much it will cost to fix our car.  Skinny takes the car in on Monday...and the cost is way too much!!!  So now what to do.....Skinny again talks to his Dad about his Dad's car. Now here is where things gt a little gray...cause next thing I know we are looking at cars to buy from a dealership.  Monday night Skinny brings home his still broken car....and Tuesday night he goes to find a car.  So we now have a new car..which really this is not the best time to have it...since like I said before....we are GOING ON VACATION!  But then things can never be easy....or drama free!  Guess we will just have to watch it a little on vacation...and Skinny will only get to play golf a couple of times.

Griswald Vacation 2012

Yes...you heard me....it's summer time...so that means it is time for "another" Griswald vacation!!!  Now if you recall we have not had one of these kind of vacations since 2009....and here is why.....( long version)
Back in 2009 my Grandmother decided she was not getting any younger...nor  were any of her children, granchildren or great grandchildren.  My than 2 year old niece wanted to "go to the Beach"...so we started the planning.  Since there were 19 of us who would be going....by car and/or plane, we needed a family friendly place to go and one that would be easy to get to.  My siblings talked about CA, TX, the coastal South and FL. Most places....but FL were nixed.  We decided that we didn't want to go to the Orlando area, since the kids were too little to truly enjoy it.  But we did keep coming back to the FL,  we looked at different places in the Miami, Tampa and FL Keyes area.  Like I said before, there were going to be 19 of us... ranging from 79 to 4 months old....so we needed a big house with LOTS of rooms AND bathrooms.  We finally settled on the Gulf Coast of FL...after MANY calls and emails back and forth from my siblings, aunts, THE MOTHER, plus cousins.  Oh yeah, maybe this is when I should inform you that my Aunt Queenie....is the one who makes decision for "US" all.  If she doesn't like something...we don't do it...and it's usually her way or the high way.  Anyway...She decided on the Siesta key area...so that is where we go.  We find 2 great condos, right next to each other, everyone but one of my cousins gets to come...we enjoy sun,sand and family.
Jump to 2010...Grandma decides that the week long trip is a little too much to do EVERY year...so we decide we will do a l0ng weekend, Thursday thru Sunday.  Talks start for Kansas City, WI Dells....places within driving distance...with some kind of beach again....( my niece's suggestion...)  Once again the DSM crew is up for most anything, just as long as there is something for the 3 and 1 years to do.  Again lots of emailing and calling is done...but again Aunt Queenie dictates we go to a place of her choosing....which is Lake Geneva.  I know... I know... you are asking yourself, why do we even try to suggestion something?....Well because we like the stress of finding places and then getting shot down...NOT!!!  Anyway all 19 of us converge on the little lakeside town for 4 days of family, fun and sun.  During this trip we ( the grandkids) are to decide AS A GROUP where we will go in 2011. My Grandmother gives us a budget, there is suggestions that we go somewhere different....so I look at the Savannah/Hilton Head area ( yes...Skinny's influence)...Rands and A.B are good with that too...since they are also family friendly area.  My cousins want a most mountain vacation....so they look at places like Denver and Little Rock. Everyone brings their printouts, pricing and "presentations" for Grandma's review.  We spend a whole evening looking, listening and discussing.  Everyone agrees that Grandma can make the final decision, and we would all be happy with whatever.  She goes home with all the information.....we DO NOT go on vacation as a family in 2011.
At the beginning of this year, there are talks of "another" week long family vacation.....we are now 21 people ( my sister added twins at the end of 2011).  We talk about a bunch of places but it is decided that we need to really be somewhere we drive to....since over half of us live in DSM....and now we have 4 children 5 or under.  It needs to be a place we can get to quickly.  So after many hours of discussion...Lake of the Ozarks is picked.  But where to stay?  Again lots of research is done....but again Aunt Queenie makes the decision....and we are now ready...in a little over a week to invade MO....with our red shirts.
It should be interesting...since I have heard thru the grapevine...there is a lot of "unrest" in the QC family.....I just hope we don't make total fools of ourselves...and my Grandmother gets the "family togetherness" she it looking for.....
FYI...a week after we get back from this Family "vacation".  Rands and I will be going to Vegas for a REAL VACATION!!!

Family pictures...in 2012

Starting about 30 years ago, my mom would have pictures taken of the 3 of us every year. Sometime it was in the spring....or the summer....but normally it was at JCPenny's over Thanksgiving weekend...in UGLY sweaters. We would be just like the thousand of other kids standing in line....waiting, sweating....and complaining for the 20 minutes of smiling for snapshots to give out to grandparents or have a record of how we had changed from the previous year. Once I reached my pre-teen years, we added my cousins...till I hit college. Then pictures were only taken when we were all together at a family event like a wedding or family reunion.

That was until my sister and brother started to have children.....now we have started to have pictures taken AGAIN once a year....and the stories begins...

The picture we took in 2009...was on the beach in Florida...at sunset....everyone look great..well KIND OF.....my niece "decided" she needed to take a dip in the ocean....30 seconds before the picture. So she looked like a drained rat...and her parents...had that look of " should we laugh or cry" at the situation. That picture become the cover of our vacation scrapebook!

The picture we took in 2010....had us posing in front of a beautiful fountain in a quant lakeside town....problem was we were all facing the sun...so everyone's eyes were either closed or all squinty. That photo is up on the wall at my Grandmother's house.

In 2011 we wanted to have a new picture taken for Mother's day....we went to a photo studio, and everyone had coordinating outfits. This time the photographer...was a young girl...who had no business taking our picture. The only good thing about any of the shots...we were all facing forward. This special picture...is now sitting on the wall in my parents' den....in a really nice frame...no less!

This year we were bound and determined to get a good picture....we had the motivation of making it special. Rands, A.B. and I talked about places, outfits and "props". It was decided that SuperBowl Sunday was the date, and Target was the place. Since it was Feb., the "theme" was Love and red-pink-white outfits fit the bill. Everyone was on time.....the photographer was quick and got everyone to smile......so finally in 2012 we had pictures worthy of us and ones Bubbie could take with her..it reminds her what a beautiful family she has behind her on the road to her recovery.

So after all the bad sweaters and funny situations....we really are a good looking family....Don't you think?

Herbie is here

So we finally got Herbie yesterday.....and it was a very busy, exciting and tiring day. We picked him up at 9:30 in the morning and headed back to DSM. Skinny had him on his lap the whole time except for about 5 minuted when we tried to eat a snack...and put Herbie in his crate...he cried so much that Skinny took him out and he rode on the car seat the rest of the way home. Herbie and Skinny fell asleep about 20 minutes before we got home...which was good since we were going to the Office to meet Rands, The Mother and Howie. They totally loved him and Herbie made sure to give everyone kisses.

We finally got home around 2......and we played, napped and hung out the rest of the day. A.B., Big L and the boys came over in the evening to meet Herbie...and brought him a duck that quacks and he totally loves it. He hasn't figure out how to make it quack yet.. but it you squeak it...he comes running to attack the beak.

Next Rands, the Beau and Izzie came over with more presents... Herbie got a new collar with his name sown on it...it matches 1 Rands got for Louie. Herbie also got some more toys that squeak... I guess my siblings are getting me back for all the toys I got their dogs and children that make noise.

Once everyone left and Skinny and I were able to have dinner...we finished the evening with a little TV and then bed. 1 last trip to the back yard for Herbie and then into his crate with this W*mb bear that was a suggestions from Rands... It was great. I got him in the crate, turned the bear on and put him by our bed.....but I guess he thought that he was still too far away because he cried and cried for about 15 minutes. Finally I put his crate between us on the bed...and he quieted right down and went to sleep. He slept about 3 hours then needed to get up, so Skinny got up with him, they went outside...potty...then right back into the crate and sleeping for another 3 hours. All in all it was not a bad first night.
This morning he got up and eat a good breakfast... played for awhile and is taking a nap....

Gas Leak!!!!

So last night I arrive home with workmen across the street from our house....Skinny had called me earlier and told me that they were out there fixing a gas leak and he would need to park in the driveway...to which I was fine with, since once I got home I wasn't going anywhere...plus he leaves before me in the morning.
Jump a head to 2 am....it is freezing in the house...so Skinny going down and checks the temp...and it says 65 degrees...and notice that the workmen are still outside....we think they must have turned off the gas on the street and will be turning it on soon...so back to bed we go and snuggle under the covers.

7am....I get up and it is really cold now in the house...but I think a hot shower will do the trick..so into the shower I go, only to find out it is cold water. Thank goodness for quick reflexes and I'm out of there after a fast body wash and face scrub. I exit the bathroom and head down stairs to see the temp in the house...which is now a breezy 61 degrees. I call Skinny, who tells me that he talked to the workmen as they were getting finished this morning and they said the leak was from OUR HOUSE and they shut OUR GAS OFF ONLY.... but they were going to be turning it on soon. So I think "great" and get dressed and head to work.

8:30am...at work and calling gas company...only to find out that YES our gas had been shut off yesterday around 4pm to fix the leak but it was now fixed and can now be turned on....only problem....WE.... meaning Skinny or I needed to be home....WHAT??? I'm at work...and why didn't the workmen tell Skinny this??? I don't want to yell at the CSR on the phone so I just confirm that as soon as I get home and call back we can have the gas turned on TODAY...she says yes. I hang up the phone and call Skinny.....since he gets off earlier then me. We discuss my call to the gas company and I give him all the info he will need to get the gas turned back on... He is not happy but will do it.

8:45am......I look at the schedule for the day and see that 2 of my afternoon meetings get cancelled so I'm able to head home at 2pm and finish working from home...great!!!

2:15pm...I am home now and calling gas company...get a really nice lady...named Brook...she tells me that she will put the order in and have someone to my house asap....but that we are on a list and there are a bunch of gas leaks getting fixed....still she assures me that our gas will be turned on today. I walk over to the thermostat and see it drop from 59 to 58 degrees.....I tell her the sooner the better..hang up the phone and go get on heavier socks and a sweatshirt.

2:25 to 4:59....try to work as my fingers and toes start to go numb....get 2 fleece blankets and it seems to help. Skinny comes home states " it is not that bad in here" as he changes into sweatpants, long sleeved t-shirt, sweatshirt and socks...from this work clothes. we continue to wait and I say " if no one is here by 5:15 I'm calling again"

5:03pm Workman shows up to turn on gas....turns one valve outside....heat starts to come on....goes down to basement and hits 1 button on water heater and pilot light comes on. Workman heads out the door.
6:02pm...temp in house is already 68 degrees.....

Now .... Why did no one tell us the gas leak was coming from our house last night??? Why didn't the workmen tell us they were shutting off our gas and it might get cold in the house?? Why didn't they say anything to us this morning?? and Why did they put a note on our door 10 minutes after they saw Skinny leave for work...to say we would have to call AND be home for the gas to get turned back on.

DOwn to 5 days,....and business

Yes... you heard me...5 day till Herbie's arrival...We are getting so close. Tomorrow during the day I will be making the final preparation for his arrival. I have to putting stuff up high and deep cleaning everything. So now I just have to do a few more things and we will be puppy ready. Or at least as puppy ready as we can be.
TO change the subject spring is getting closer...the snow is melting and there is even grass showing a little bit. This week it is supposed to be warm but rainy...so it should be a good week. Skinny is getting cabin fever for golf...he can not wait for all the snow it be melted,so he can go out to the driving range....the past weekend he ever made me take him to the indoor range to practice. I just want it to be nice out so I can take Herbie out there to play...but I think it will still be a few more weeks before we can do that.
Last but not least, I'm going to be traveling again for work. But this time I will be going out of the country....for 2 and 1/2 weeks....it should be interesting. We ( a coworker and I) will be going to India. I'm a little scared but have plenty of time to get used to it. On Friday I got 90% of the shots I need to go, today I got my visa application done and sent it away...plus I got some medication I will need. Now I just have to figure out what kind of clothes I will need and what kind of training I will be doing. Look for future posts on this soon.