Saturn

The dealer finally called me back today and she said that they can't even look at the car because the ignition and the key won't work. To replace all that, so they can look at the car and determine what is wrong, will cost me $401. Then they can tell me everything else that is wrong with it. I know I will need a new battery which is $100, and then they will remind me that there is a leak in my radiator and that is $1500 to repair. I'm sure there is more wrong with it. So I authorized the $401 and then said call me after that. Looks like Gunner will get his motorcycle after all. I wonder if he will settle for a motard? The boy is so accident prone that I am just worried about him getting one.

Time for a nap....

Gunner just called and I was filling him in on everything when they came through and told everyone to get off the phones and internet immediately. A quick bye and he was gone. Wonder what happened.

M1 Abrams 5k

It was freezing this morning. I texted my friend Mel to see whose bright idea this was, and she reminded me it was mine. Figures. She came over to pick me up and the outlaws stayed with the kiddos.

It was Mel's anniversary and since it was Valentine's Day, we had to do something healthy for our hearts. The run was nice, and not bad at all. It would have been easier if it hadn't been so cold. I did come in under the goal that I set for myself, so that's good. No marathons yet!

This isn't the most flattering picture, and I was freezing and only had my dad's heavy sweatshirt to run in.

My friend Mel, ready to run her first 5K. She did great!We even got a ribbon.....a participant ribbon, lol. Guess I can put it with my trophy from my 2nd place finish, lol.

The next race on post is in March, I wonder if Mel will have forgotten about this one?

Why can't people do what they say they are going to do?

I called this afternoon while my students were recess to see if Saturn had an estimate on my car. They hadn't received my car.

I called the tow truck driver who said he had no idea where my car was.

I called the tow truck company--Goode Towing--who said that they would look for it. The girl that answered the phone was a real idiot and couldn't even get the license plate for it, and kept having to have me repeat it over and over. She finally passed me off to the manager who told me I was rude to her entire front office staff. I told her I only talked to one girl who couldn't understand a license plate number and I just wanted to know where my car was and why it wasn't delivered at 7 am like promised. She told me a guy fell off the truck and broke his foot, so it was late. I told her that was unfortunate, but that they had promised me it would be there by 7 and they should have informed me if it wouldn't be. They hung up on me.

So I called AAA and complained and they said that they would contact them. AAA called back and let me know that the towing company assured them it would be delivered within the next 15 minutes. I was back in class and couldn't follow up, so I called Saturn after school and they told me that it had just arrived--two hours after they said it would be there in 15 minutes. I called back to AAA to complain again and they said that they would have someone contact me, but that it shouldn't have taken almost 24 hours and that I shouldn't have been charged $20. The tow truck manager told me it was because my tow was 4 miles over the limit. Considering that I have 100 mile towing or 5 free tows or whatever it was, I knew this wasn't true, so AAA is following up and is going to work on getting my money back. Crazy I tell you. So now it is 5 pm and I still don't know what is up with the car or how much it will cost. What a pain. AAA and Saturn also told me that the tow truck driver could have dropped the car last night.

I just called Saturn and they are still looking at the car. I guess it isn't an easy fix! Great. I hope it doesn't cost an arm and a leg. I hate when people don't call me back. And then I have to figure out a way to get my car back to me with three kids in tow. Can I quit yet?

Our Valentine's party at school was crazzzzzyyyy. The kids had a good time, the parents were a HUGE help, but we had so much stuff and the kids were downing sugar like they had never seen it. I put an end to that so that their parents wouldn't have too many problems dealing with them. I got observed in the morning too, and that actually went really well despite them being so excited about the party. Two more observations left this year from that person.

The donut of misery is slowly moving and we have just over 4 weeks and are sitting at 30.44 days. Of course this is all an estimate, but I am hoping it is sooner rather than later. Gunner called last night and I told him about the car and everything else, and he just groaned. The last thing we need is to have to buy another car. Where's my dad when I need him??? He would somehow make everything seem less stressful even with Gunner halfway around the world.e was home on R&R the same time Gunner was and on the flight back to Kuwait introduced himself to Gunner. I told them about my car and he told me if I had anymore problems to let them know and he would take a look at it. He should have told me that before the towing fiasco!

I think we are off to the gym for a little workout before bedtime. Or maybe I just need a long time in the sauna.....

P.S. Gunner, we are fine, no worries. I might complain, but I know in the big scheme of life this is nothing and in 30 days you will be able to take care of all of this! And I am hoping the rain is minimal this weekend so I don't have to mow before you come home. We love you and miss you!

Drama Filled Thursday

My students were awful today. They were driving me nuts! I can only imagine what tomorrow will bring, and I have to get observed in the morning. Woohoo!

I called Toyota yesterday and arranged to have my car picked up, serviced, tires rotated, oil change, and get the overdue inspection updated, and then they would deliver it back to my house and I could call in and pay with a credit card. I was so worried about getting a ticket, so it had to be done.

I drove our hooptie Saturn today, and all was well. I got the kids dropped off, got to school, and then worked, tutored, and headed out. My friend was taking Em to her performance tonight and I was going to run Abs to PT. I stopped off at the shopette to get a monster since I was dragging.

I should have known better. I came out and the Saturn wouldn't start. Ugh. So I asked these two gi's if they had jumper cables. They did, but my car was not in a good position to jump and we couldn't get it out of the parking spot. Finally one of them managed to get it into gear and then they pushed it back so they could jump it. They worked on it for a good half hour, when they were supposed to be headed out of town to get his wife's Valentine's Day present--a 4 week old beagle. I canceled PT for Abs.

I started to get stressed because it wasn't starting. I didn't know what to do, so I asked them if they could give me a ride to my house. They seemed normal, and I didn't have a lot of choices at this point. My thinking was that hopefully the toyota had been delivered and I could get it, and come back, wait for AAA, then go get the two little ones.

They took me to my house, Junior's carseat and all. They were so nice, I lucked out I didn't get some freaks helping me. I called AAA, arranged to have them come get the car and deliver it to the dealer in Temple. Called the dealer and they said that the car could be dropped there at the yard. I ran up to the shoppette and waited. Eventually he showed up, 20 minutes before I had to get the kids from daycare.

The driver informs me that he has to store the car overnight and that it would cost me $20. I reluctantly wrote a check for the overpriced amount, and tore out of there with 12 minutes to get the kids. Ran and got Abs when I remembered that Em left her backpack in the trunk. I called the tow truck guy and ran back there, grabbed her backpack and tore back to Junior's daycare to grab him in the nick of time.

Now the kids are eating oatmeal. I'm starving and would love to tear into a burger, but I'm too sensible and would regret it later. The guys that looked at the car think it might be the alternator and the started from the way it was acting, which I am sure is going to cost a fortune. Not sure it is worth fixing, but Gunner won't have a car when he comes home. Guess I can look at buying a bottom of the line toyota or nissan or something. No American cars for me!

To the random guys that helped me today, thanks for being nice, honest, and willing to help me out while I was stranded! I know Gunner appreciates it (although I can hear him balking that I got in the car with random strangers), and I also knows that he tries to help as well when he sees someone stranded like I was.

Oh, and the outlaws....they were busy. Whatever.

Fortune Cookies

Today at school we did a team building exercise where we had fortune cookies that asked us questions we had to answer. The responses were interesting enough. At the end they gave us a real fortune cookie. I of course didn't eat the cookie, but my fortune read "You will have a romantic encounter soon." Hmmmmm....wonder what that means?

Of course soon is all relative when you are a military spouse.

5-6 weeks at NTC is nothing. Two NTC's ago, he called to tell me he was coming home, and I asked him to call back because I was at a really good sale at Dillard's and found a pair of $400 sandals for $19.99! He just laughed and called back later.

Field time is a nice vacation.

Staff duty is an inconvenience because it screws up their sleep schedule for the rest of the week--we aren't spring chickens anymore!

65 trash days was what we had when we started. I think we are down to 5 (?) maybe. Told you we are stuck on 5! Of course we were also fortunate enough to get his 15 month deployment cut down to 12 months.

To me, 12 months was do-able. Not easy. But there was something in my mind that just said 15 months is too much. Kind of like anything over 1 year and 1 day is too long. He will be gone over a year, but at least it won't be by much.

But 30 days or so.....that I consider soon (regardless of the whining I will do about it dragging on!).

On the way home from school I mentioned to Em that it was just about a month away. She smiled, and said "that's soon!". A month to me when I was 11 would have lasted a lifetime. I guess the kid has learned to take it all in stride too.

And soon means.....I'll be checking expiration dates to find the longest lasting milk/cheese/yogurt possible so I know it will be there when he comes home....

Food

I guess I keep hoping that food will miraculously appear each evening. I'm tired of even microwaving or boiling water. I'd love a nice fat free lasagna. I'd love more to have a year's worth of meals frozen for me so all I had to do was heat it up, serve on paper plates and then throw away. 365 meals. I will continue dreaming....

It's supposed to storm tonight and I am hoping to go to bed early. Really early. My car is still overdue for an oil change and it needs to get inspected and get the tires rotated. I think I can fit it in on Saturday after the 5K and before I have to work. Or maybe I will get them to pick up the car while I am at work one day. I just need to remember to call!

I'm sore from personal training last night....a good sore.

On the tv front, my friend Abbey told me that Survivor starts Thursday and Amazing Race is coming up. That will get me through these last 5 weeks.Well that and the kids, work and the idea that I'll see Gunner sooner rather than later!

Mail cutoff is Saturday!!!!

Power of suggestion

Let's face it, I already admitted that I have a problem with germs, hand sanitizer and sick people.

Junior's dirty diaper looked suspicious this evening. I am holding out hope that it is nothing.

Had training tonight and he mentioned that he might have a stomach bug. Are you kidding me? I made him carry around a bottle of sanitizer. He thinks it is something he ate, I am not taking any chances.

I am making emergency sub plans just in case. I know if I had been a sub, and my notes said to "go to the social studies drawer and pull out a map on the bottom and have students complete," I would have laughed.

Let's just hope I don't have to use the plans!

When Junior and I were leaving the gym daycare, he told me...."there's something in my ear mommy". I asked him what could possibly be in his ear, and he told me it was a rock he put in there. He didn't say anything else about it, and hasn't been pulling on it, so I am hoping he just randomly thought this up on his own and there is no rock in the ear. Keep your fingers crossed.

Em had her basketball performance tonight and my mom took Abs along for the ride. Apparently it went well, and I will see more of it on Thursday if the outlaws will take Abs to PT, and they have a performance during school. We forgot about the shirt and pants they needed to wear, so after setting up a lifesize map grid on my floor after school for my observation tomorrow, we raced hom to locate the said items. For once, everything was clean. Whew.

I grabbed Junior and we raced off to the gym where I got my running in, but the stairs were full so I settled for some cycling till I had my training. I will be sore tomorrow, which is good.

.....Found a 5K and am running it on Saturday. Woohoo! This would make the 4th race since Gunner is gone. Don't expect any trophies like Erin & I scored in our first 5K, but it will be fun and my friend Mel has the same trainer, so he will be happy that we are doing it.

Gunner better be in shape to keep up with me!

Paraphrasing

Em needs a class in it, since I just read her paper on Alexader Graham Bell and it sounded surprisingly like the information we printed out yesterday. I can't remember when we started getting in trouble for that, but I'm making her rewrite the paper much to her dismay. If only she would realize that in the long run it will be beneficial.

We went to Sam's, and as always had quite the adventure. Abs decided she wanted to ride in the cart, and I didn't argue since it was a way to get Junior into the seatbelt portion of the cart without a battle. Abs is small, but still at almost 8 years old, she got stuck in the cart. Some careful manuvering and taking off her shoes allowed us to pull her little body out of there with no screaming. Thank goodness for small miracles!

This was my last trip to Sam's without Gunner's help--I hope...maybe I should have bought two cases of toilet paper?

After Girl Scouts (no phone call thank goodness) we went to HEB with 5 million other people to get a few things. It was crazy. Not as crazy as my street looks like right now with the MP's all over the place....looks like another case of domestic dispute/domestic violence.

....MP's knocked on the door. They wanted to know what I had seen. Looks like they are going door to door to ask questions from the neighbors. I don't even know my neighbors names. I sure wish my friend Abbey would come be my one normal neighbor out here!

Tired of titles

I can never think of a title.

Gunner called last night. All is well in the land of camels. We are still on 5 weeks, this 5th week is lasting forever.

I had class yesterday so my mom kept the kids Friday night. I finished all my homework, worked out and went to sleep. Very exciting night. Saturday I spent all day in class, then sped to GT so I could work, and grab the kids. My mom always seems surprised that I am not well rested when I show up for the kids. When do I have time to rest?

Abs has Girl Scouts today. I hope I don't get a phone call.

I really should go to Walmart and Sam's. We're out of toilet paper and with three girls, I can't imagine that we will be able to function. Maybe I should buy the industrial rolls?

Block leave is in the middle of the school year, so Gunner will be sitting at home for a month. I told him he would be so lonely, so he might as well come volunter in my classroom for a month. I really want a vacation, but doesn't look like that is in the cards. We need to get the kids to Disney World while they have the military special, so I guess we are going to have to fly. 5 people...not cheap. Maybe Chris could leave early with the kids and drive and I'll fly in later? I'm sure that would be well received.

I'm not getting to the gym as much as I want because of everything else going on. I am definitely seeing a difference and have lost about 16.5 pounds. I asked my trainer when my hips would get smaller, but he said a 10.1 oz baby boy didn't help that at all. Good thing he's so cute...the 10.1 oz baby boy that is. By the time Gunner is home, I should feel much better. My scale is three pounds off of the trainer's, but I never liked his scale much anyway.

I wonder if a busy day of shopping, cleaning, changing diapers and folding clothes counts for a workout?