Singin’ in Reverse

So, I feel like after the last post, I needed the country song in reverse version, so here goes…

Even though the brakes went out on the white car (not the family car, phew) this morning my hubby made it home safe and was able to even park safely in the driveway (we think it’s the line). He prayed his way home from dropping Dot off at school for band (they meet in AM before school on Mon. and Wed.), where he first noticed the problem. Coming down the hill to our house he would apply the brake and the car would slow some and then begin to speed up. He managed to get parked safely in our driveway though.

We had the most fun with Paul’s birthday this month. The kids didn’t have school on his birthday so we all hopped into the van and drove over to his work and decorated his car. We hung balloons on the antenna and put banners and candy posters in the windows – the candy posters read something like this “We know this may come as a ‘SHOCKERS’ to you but we think you are more than a ‘BIT O’ HONEY’. We even think you are more than a computer ‘NERDS’. In fact, we think you are worth more than a ‘1,000 GRAND’. You are a ‘LIFE SAVER’ when things go ‘SOUR’ (we had to draw an arrow up to the sour because they were sour gummy life savers) because you make us ‘LAFFY TAFFY’ and that’s not a ‘COW’S TAIL’! We all signed it and taped each section (their were four) to one of his windows.

We’ve had a ton of fun reading stories together at night – in addition to picture books for the boys I’ve been reading chapter books to the girls.

Lots of fun playing in snow, sledding, snowman building, and then sitting around the table sipping on hot chocolate to warm up.

Yes, the kids fight a bunch, and throw temper tantrums, but they also go out of their way to help and do nice things for each other. For Christmas we encouraged them to give acts of service to each other rather than things, so this month has been rather neat as they’ve been doing their Christmas presents.

My two oldest girls were angels in helping to get the powder sugar mess cleaned up.

We’ve been having fun making pinewood derby cars for the girls (we have so few cubscouts the girls were invited to join in)

The sleds were only broken because we were having so much fun flying at top speed down icy snow in the backyard. 🙂

Even though Paul’s had to work late he’s only had to take a few calls on the weekends – and only 1 on a Sunday and that was right when we were walking out the door after church.

The bathroom flooding incident could have been SO bad, and yet all appears fine for now. We didn’t loose the ceiling or anything – it all drained out through a little hole for a phone line. So for now, things are ok.

And the things that have broken are just things. The glasses were glued back together (I love super glue), the glass in the picture frame can easily be replaced or done without, and the watch can be replaced on a birthday, etc.

I’ve learned that I can make my big pot on the stove work almost as well as my crock pot, or just throw it all in the oven for a while.

Even though the controls on our fridge and freezer were played with and we didn’t notice it for a while, we lost very little food – just some fridge leftovers, the freezer stuff was still frozen.

I have an amazing hubby who let me sleep all afternoon yesterday when I came down all of a sudden with a nasty bug, and amazing kids who helped a bunch.

Anyway, my list could go on and on. This month has been a hard one, but a good one too and there have been a lot of blessings mixed in with the woes.