Wish Me Well...

I'm taking off in the bus today!  Me, the kids and 2 of their friends... Matt has to work but he'll be joining us on Friday.

The big kids and I had a lesson of the inner workings of the electrical system of the bus, I took meticulous notes and then subsequently lost them.  It's okay though, because, since then, most of the things changed.

The main inverter blew and Matt replaced it with a smaller one we had laying around.  (That always makes me chuckle... the things we have as "extra" that most people don't even have one of!)

I laid awake last night not being able to remember... When the generator is powering the bus, which plug goes where?  When I'm driving, do I leave the main inverter switch on?  This is important because we are camping in a field with no power, a fridge full of food, and a pregnant woman who's going to need a fan.  The forecast is for high to mid 80's, thunderstorms and high humidity for most of the 5 day event.  I got my answers this morning before Matt left for work.

Ahhhhh.  Lifest. Again.

Once I get there and get settled, all will be well.

In other news, the pregnancy is going... well?  I'm tired, but not sick anymore, which is HUGE.  The baby is growing ... well?  According to my latest ultrasound Baby B is HUGE. (Doctor's exact wording)  I'm slow moving and sleep a lot... quite like a sloth.  I'm pretty sure I failed my glucose test yesterday because when I got home from the grocery store there was a message on my machine to call the office this morning. 


Wish me well!

1 Down 5 To Go

Hailey graduated a couple of weeks ago.  Our oldest, our only girl (so far).  We got together with 9 other  GBACH families and planned the ceremony.  It was truly a success.

Being the emotional person that I am, I knew I wouldn't make it through the without crying but I didn't expect to start at Pomp and Circumstance.  I have a picture of me on my graduation day doing the crunchie face cry as I walked in the auditorium... I'd show you, but I'm too lazy to plod upstairs to dig through the photo albums to find it.

Afterwards we had a party at our house and celebrated her graduation, Hayden's and my nephew's birthdays.







1 down...5 to go.

Rose

And this is what we found in the pool today!  We thought he was dead (like all the other bats we've found there) but upon closer inspection, we noticed he was shivering.  We scooped him out with the skimmer and put him in the shed to do whatever-it-is-that-bats-need-to-do-after-spending-a-night-clinging-to-a-flotation-device.

He reminded me of Rose from the movie Titanic.  I was going to post a YouTube video of the movie scene, but I cried so much watching them that I decided to watch the movie instead.  It's been that kind of week.

Within an hour he had dried off, warmed up and left.  At least I hope he left, just to be safe, I'm not going in the shed for a few days.

Seals

Last week snow.  This week swimming.

Summer's coming, I just know it!

The boys have thicker skin than I.

 

Who Says You Can't Buy Anything For a Penny?

The other day, while on the way to prom decorating, the kids noticed the van acting funny.  "It's shaking really bad, and it stinks!"

Great. 

It's hard enough for me to deal with our schedule down a vehicle.  Now add to the mix 2 kids with a job, a social life, and the prom only days away.

Great.

Somehow we made it through yesterday with one car, two jobs (drop off and pick up), a grocery trip, a stop at Auto Zone for a computer analysis, updo and make up appointments, pre-prom parties, pre-prom pictures, and prom. 

Today, Matt's first and foremost responsibility was to get  that car working.  When I took it in to get checked at Auto Zone, the diagnosis was "Tune up required"  "Probably just plugs and wires" the employee stated.

This morning, upon inspection by the resident Master Mechanic (have I ever mentioned that Matt can fix ANYTHING?  He's amazing!),  it was found that one spark plug wire that had been draped over the exhaust manifold was damaged.  (Causing cylinder 2 to misfire~ I feel like such a smarty pants when I talk like that)

Get this... When he went to pick up the new wire... It rang up as $.01...  ONE PENNY! 


... And I was worried that this repair was going to cut into my Book Budget for next year.

If you don't believe in miracles...

How do you explain...

this?


I've been reading Jenni's blog for several years.  Truly an inspirational woman.

Con and Pro and Con

Just about everything about traveling in the bus is glorious.  The space, the ability to use the potty if needed, the access to refrigerated food, and did I mention the space?

The gas mileage is a con.  Although, when you figure in being able to stretch out to sleep without setting up a tent while you're traveling, I can overlook that.  Or the price of a hotel for the night... We wouldn't be able to travel that way.

We discovered a new con this trip.  Short term transportation.  We didn't want to drive the bus around town or to the beach, so we rented cars.  Yes, two.  They were out of large vehicles and really, it turned out to be the same(ish) price for 2 compact cars.  We were upgraded to the next level and got a PT Cruiser and a Dodge Caliber.

But the pro?  It's kind of fun driving a little car.  I don't remember the last time I've driven a car that seats less than 7.