Nine loads of laundry...

And Nugget STILL had to wear purple, floral underwear on Friday.

But let's back up, shall we? Saturday night, our wonderful, we-want-you-to-do-well-in-life-but-please-don't-go-away-to-college sitter watched the kids while we danced the night away. Sunday, we went down to the basement and discovered it clean and organized! Monday early morning, I went down to the basement to grab a dvd the kids could watch upstairs while I cleaned. Monday was beautiful, so we played outside. Tuesday? Same Drill. Wednesday? Looking like another fun outside play day!

We had no plans of hanging in the basement all week in fact. But, Wednesday morning, my little artist, Strip, used the last 5 pieces of paper from the printer to make a book and asked if she could go to the basement for another ream. Coffee just made, I sat down to check my email and told her sure, but breakfast was going to be ready in a second, so hurry.

A few seconds later, she bounds back up the stairs, and I glance over to see a look of utter disgust on her face and hear her breathe a heavy sigh.

Me: What's with you?

Strip: Ugh. Nugget peed all over the basement!

Me: What?! (I glance around and notice Nugget sitting on the other end of the couch)

Strip: He PEED all over the basement!

I'm looking at Nugget who clearly did NOT just scoot down to the basement and pee all over it. Thinking back, the last time we were in the basement was on Sunday, so if he'd peed in the basement, it wouldn't have been wet this morning....

Take a BIG swig of Joe...

Me: WHAT?!

Strip: He peed all over the basement mom. It's wet.

Oh.my.sump.pump.

I FLY down the stairs to assess what I can only imagine is a faulty sump pump. I'm slightly relieved when I get to the bottom of the stairs. The carpet is dry! That kid is crazy. I look at the base of the steps and see....

Water pooled at the base of the stairs. Ok. Deep breath. The sump pump room has probably flooded. The water has gone under the steps and has stopped here at the thick padding and 2 year-old carpet. No big deal. I'll assess the damage, call hubs, and we'll have to trash some boxes.

I take a step on to the carpet, and that's when I see it.

The ripple.

Ever sat on a water bed? You know how it just ripples across to the other side? That's what my carpet did. It was floating.

I puddle jump to the sump pump room and attempt to open the door, but a piece of carpet we had just sitting in there has floated over to the door and wedged itself in a way that I couldn't open it. I splashed upstairs and called Hubs who, THANK GOODNESS, was in town. He walked into his meeting, announced he had to leave, and greeted me 15 minutes later with a giant starbuck cup. It was going to be a long day.

The clean-up guy arrived just minutes later. He rang the bell and asked if he was in the right place. Spying his Hunter galoshes, I assured him that not only was he in the right place, but he was wearing the right shoes, too! I lead him to the basement with all his flood gear. He looked around and held up a big stick with a trigger thingy on it.

"This is what we use to test the carpet. It can detect if there's any moisture in the carpet or padding." He looks down at the water quickly spilling over the toes of his shoes. "I think we can just set this over here...."

The clean up crew was great and got everything moved out, trashed, pushed to the middle, and we now have 6 large extension cords powering fans and dehumidifiers that have been running since Tuesday am. The insurance agent came out Friday to take pictures. I'm amazed at how much damage such a seemingly small amount of water can do.

I'm trying to be optimistic and look at this as a way to do some really good cleaning and organizing down there. Also trying to look at it as a really big yard sale. Our stuff is gone, we'll get some money for it, and while it might not be all we paid for it, it will be something.

But there are some things that just aren't available any more, so if anyone sees a fisher price "portable" record player, let me know.

Thank goodness my Cabbage Patch Christmas album was safe upstairs. So needless to say, regular laundry was placed on the back burner while I frantically tried to wash all the towels we used and the massive amount of clothes I had down there in an attempt to salvage something. And this is why Nugget was wearing flowered undies by the end of the week. Oops. He also proudly told anyone who would listen that he DID pee all over the basement and that's what caused the flood. Boys, and the weird things they are proud of.

Cleaners come back tomorrow to hopefully remove all the equipment, but we are all sickly sounding and my nose is so stuffy yet my throat is super dry. The house stinks the minute you walk in, and everything just seems musty. Ick. I'm just glad this all happened while we were in town, and before severe weather hit (read: everyone else's basements flooded).

Sorry, I've been recovering

And while I was recovering, we had a natural disaster IN the house. But more on that later.

So last week was Neighbor Chick's birthday, and we all planned to go out Saturday night. After spending an eternity trying to figure out what to wear (black sweater with the purple cami, or the purple sweater with the black cami? I really need to shop more.), I finally decided on sweater, skinny leg jeans and some HIGH heels (not the ones pictured above. Those are Louboutin's. Mine were some clearance kicks from Macy's). This was fine seeing as how plans were to have dinner, walk around a little and come home. Then, along came Usher.

We finished up our YUMMY dinner and thought we'd hit some bars and look for some good, local musicians. We were in the young, hip part of town. It was at this moment I realized I didn't have my ID.

Hubs: Seriously?!? What were you thinking?!

Me: I was thinking we were all going to pile into my mom-mobile where my license is.

Hubs: How did you think you were going to get in anywhere?

Me: Well, I planned on going out with a group of 30 somethings, not barely 21 year-olds so I was thinking I'd be ok.

I began to frantically dig through my wallet as we approached the first place, when VICTORY!

Here it is!! It was right here between two coupons for frozen veggies!!

If that doesn't scream, "You're out of your element" (or, "Clean out your wallet!") I don't know what does. Glowing with the triumph of being able to prove I belong here legally, we walk around. No room at the pool table, so we move on.

Next place is fine, but I realize, due to allergies, I am totally going to be that girl who is drinking wine at a sports by. I don't want to be that girl. I'm not even sure they had a glass they didn't have to literally blow the dust off of. We left that place and were walking around. We had given the birthday girl some swanky Riedel wine glasses and thought we might go back home, open a bottle of 2buckchuck and test out the new glasses.

And then, along came Usher.

We were walking to the car when out of a bar we hear an oooolllddd Usher song playing, and Neighbor Chick screams, "I LOVE THIS SONG!! COME ON, WE'RE DANCING!!!"

I'm not a dancer. I take that back. Ballet and ballroom? Fine. Dancing in a club/bar? Not so much. But apparently, being sober and hearing old school music while surrounded by college kids is all we needed to dance like rock stars.

We glanced at our watches and it was 10:30. Ugh. Looks like an early night. We left the Hubses (Hubi?) holding our bags and went to the ladies room.

And then, along came Michael.

"THE WAY YOU MAKE ME FEEL!!! I LOVE THIS SONG!! PEE FASTER!!!!"

We cleared the dance floor and danced like maniacs, then it was all down hill from there. Every song seemed older and older, which of course, we loved even more. At one point, I requested a little Abba for us. Every time we would get ready to leave, another song that we just loved would come on and we'd head back to the dance floor.

We finally pulled ourselves away even as another "favorite" was playing and checked our watches to start doing our babysitter math.

1:30AM?!?

How could it be that late? We only danced to a couple of songs... Oops! By the time we made it to the car, my feet hurt so badly, I wanted to take my shoes off, but was scared I'd never be able to stuff my pigs back in them! We walked the sitters home, apologizing profusely for being SO late and called it a night.

The next morning, it hurt to walk. Dancing like a fool in heels for 3ish hours = best workout ever. Strip told me Babysitter let her stay up late which warmed my heart thinking that she didn't just toss her in bed so she could watch tv. Then we went down to the basement and discovered that she had cleaned up all the toys, even though they didn't play down there. LOVE our sitters. Hubs said he wasn't surprised, she must have been bored out of her gourd waiting on us to get home!

We couples made grand plans to go to Vegas sometime for a long weekend, but seeing how it took me two days to be able to walk upright and stand without grunting, I'd say we need some going out practice before the trip. I also fell promptly asleep the next night on the couch at 9 pm. Yeah, we need more practice.

Adopted!

After getting in late, putting the kids down and emptying the dishwasher, I festively poured myself a glass of green wine (pictured above) and checked petfinder.com to see how my baby was doing.

My puppy has been adopted as of tonight! Not sure if I'm happy or sad. I think sad. Nope, I know sad. Part of me hoped she would hold out until this summer, but I'm glad she has a forever home.

On another puppy related note, It's a girl! Meet Heidi:

My parents have welcomed a baby girl Schnauzer. She looks adorable and reminds me of a mix of our two schnauzers we had growing up, Franz and Charlie (who died 8 years ago today) and a little June Bug (check out the white paw!).

I was slightly concerned because she looks like Taylor's favorite chew toy (and is about the same size), but those two had a meet and greet this week and he didn't rip her stuffing out, so I think we'll be ok.

EDITED!

Oh good gravy!! In a more important, kid-related matter (2 legged), Strip is officially ready for kindergarden! We went to her school and registered her for elementary school. 5th graders are huge by the way. A gaggle of them wandered by while I was filling out paper work (two sheets less than the documents you have to fill out when closing on a house). They look scary.

Also scary? The giant school bus outside. Because Strip SO wants to ride it. In my car? 5 pt harness, but on the way to school? Just roll around in Old Yeller. The jury's still out on the bus stop.

Still got that Magic!

She might be on to Santa but it's all still magical at Disney!

A few weeks ago, I was chatting with a buddy who works at Disney. One of his jobs is being in the Hoop-Dee-Doo musical review which we got to see him in a few summers ago. It was contract negotiation time, so I told him we'd send prayers his way the next afternoon. It just so happened that the meeting time was right after I picked the kids up from school, so as we were driving home, I said "We need to say a prayer for Mr J!"

Strip asked why and I explained what contract negotiation was, we said a quick prayer and moved on.

Yesterday, my elephant who never forgets, brought it up again.

Strip: Did you talk to Mr. J again?

Me: Who?

Strip: Mr. J. Remember, we said a prayer for him about his job?

Me: Oh! No, I haven't! I'll email him to see what happened.

Strip: I think he'll stay at Hoop.

Me: Really? Why do you say that?

Strip: Well, what else can a dancing cowboy do at Disney?!

I decided to let her keep the magic and assume it was perfectly normal that I went to college with a dancing cowboy, and not inform her that he also did a few other things around the House of Mouse. So glad she hasn't figured out Disney magic :-)

Kid's art rocks!

This week in Strip's class they were studying Michelangelo and the Sistine Chapel. They talked about the artist, then how he painted the chapel's ceiling and they all got to look at some pictures of the Chapel. Then, they were all given a blank canvas, a smock and some paint and got to paint their own masterpiece inspired by Michelangelo. Here's Strip's work of art:

I complemented her on her use of color and the perfectly centered position of her masterpiece, then said, "So tell me about it!"

The perfectly reasonable explanation?

"It's Jesus doing a headstand because, I think, he liked to have fun sometimes, too."

I can't wait for this one to come home! I think it might be my favorite Strip Art so far!

Oh and, waving hello to all the weirdos who just found my blog by googling "Strip Art."

The great thing about Bible stories is everyone can interpret them differently.

This morning, we were getting ready to leave when the Today Show aired a clip of Lady Antebellum. The kids were screaming to watch, but I told them I'd record it and they could see the performance when we get home.

When we got in the car, Strip naturally asked if we could listen to their new cd (Strip had every Toddler Classic song and nursery rhyme down by the age of 2. Nugget? Pushing three and knows the entire Wicked and Glee soundtrack and at least 3/4 of both Lady A cds). Unfortunately, Hubs snagged the newest cd out of my car for his last trip along with a couple of others. Naturally, this conversation took place:

Strip: Can't we listen to the "Quarter after one song?"

Me: Sorry, sweetie, but daddy took that one out of my car.

Strip: He's just a cd taker, isn't he?

Me: (laughing) I guess you're right.

Strip: You know what you should do?

Me: What?

Strip: You should take a bunch of cds out of his car.

Me: Why? that wouldn't be nice!

Strip: Moooommm. Weren't you paying attention in Chapel? Do unto others? Daddy took your cds, so you should go take some of his!

Me: I don't think that's what Jesus meant...

I think we need to buck up on the God's Little Princess devotional.

SOLD!

Lookie lookie! My thermometer moved!! Almost $20 richer than I was last week. And between my now ebay success and love of the show Hoarders, anything not nailed down is up for auction. Once I got that first bid and knew it was good to go, I relaxed, then enjoyed getting up every morning to see what the late-night bid-happy bidders were up to.

I think the next one I'll cut down to 5 days, though. I just can't stand the wait!

I am, however, devastated. We went to visit our goal at Costco and they were GONE. I went to the other Costco on Sunday....GONE! They are getting more in this week, but really?! Who's putting these darn things up in the snow?! I have GOT to get the basement sold so I can buy this bad boy, asap.

On a completely unrelated note, Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!! This week in preschool is all about the man and the cat in the hat, so I bring you, deep thoughts on the car ride home by Strip:

You know? That book is weird. Really weird. You wanna hear the weird things? For one, the mom leaves the kids at home. Alone. No babysitter? That's weird. Then, the kids let a cat in their house. They didn't know that cat. Weird. AND the cat can drive. Cat's can't drive! Or talk, actually....and neither can fish... Yeah that book is just weird.

Tomorrow is green eggs and ham. Can't wait to hear the deep thoughts that come out of that one!