CRAZY WEEKEND!!!!!!!

Ok - I do preface this post with a disclaimer and forewarn you that it will be lengthy! However, don't miss out on my funny and eventful weekend!!

This past weekend was a crazy one to say the least. It started out on Friday morning knowing that we needed to leave for Phoenix by 12:30pm. I had a hair appointment with my Sister-n-law Jen Chapman at 2:30/3 then I would be off to help set up and give my sister, Michelle, a surprise baby shower that started at 7pm.

Let's just say that the weekend did not go anything at all, or remotely close, to what was planned. I took MacKenzie and Bailey to dance practice. MacKenzie is from 9 to 10 then Bailey is from 10 to 11. Whoever is not in dance sits with Brendon and me in the car watching a movie while I read or work or find something else to do. Shortly into Bailey's class the battery died in my car. I immediately started to panic! I called my good friend, Alisha to see if she would mind picking up Lexi from the bus stop at noon - it was a half day due to parent teacher conferences. At this time it was only about 10:30. Alisha offered to drive all the way out to me to see if we could jump the car or if I took out the battery she would take me to Checker Auto just a couple of miles away.

Plan #1 - Jump the car. I don't do this often so I had to call my dad to make sure I was connecting everything the way I needed to. Slight fall back - my cell phone dies half way through call - let me remind you the battery is dead in my car so I can't charge it with that. Alisha let's me borrow her phone and I pick up where I left off. We charged the battery for 15 minutes, trying to jump it every now and again. No luck.

Plan #2 - Take the battery out, take it to Checker and get a new one. I borrow tools from Julie - who is the dance teacher - by now all classes are out. I get most of the battery unhooked. One last bolt left. Mind you I am now covered in black almost up to my elbows. It was a very good thing I was wearing black that day. I can't get the last bolt loose. UGH!!!!!

Through all of this I kept texting Josh. Unfortunately, he had no reception at the seminar he was at so I couldn't get help from him.

Now - we are about 20 minutes away from the time Lexi has to be picked up and we are no where close to solving this problem. Then an answer to a quick prayer. Up drives another good friend, Trisha. She said she was driving by on the main street and saw my car with the hood up so she stopped by to see what she could do to help. I wrote a quick note allowing her to pick up Lexi and off she went. What a blessing!!!!

Plan #3 - I call my insurance company and use their road side assistance program. They tell me that the ETA is 45 minutes. I can handle this. Julie has to leave for PT conferences, but leaves us a key to her house so we don't have to stay in the hot cars or outside. What a life saver!!! Well...that 45 minutes turned into about an hour and a half - Now the time is after 12:30 - don't forget this was supposed to be the time we left for Phoenix. Josh has also now finished his seminar and gotten to where I had been stranded. When Josh got there, Alisha left with all of the kids to her house and said she would keep them until we were ready to leave so I would be able to get ready at home faster. The tow driver was able to jump our car with his powerful 4 battery truck. Josh took it over to Checker and I raced his car home to start packing. Thank goodness there were no cops around!!!!!

Now to pack. I had to make sure I had everything my family needed for the weekend and also for the shower. Just as I am finally walking out the door - already having to cancel/possibly reschedule my hair appointment, my sister calls. Quick debate in my head, and I answer the phone. All the while lying to my sister - UGH!! I hate that! But, it was necessary not to blow the surprise. So, what time did we finally get on the road you ask??? That would be 4pm!!!!!!!!

We get to Beth & Ben's house (Josh's brother and his sweet wife). Josh quickly unloaded everything while I go change out of the clothes I had been in all day, freshen up as best possible without actually taking a shower and I am off for the baby shower. I get there; while walking in I drop my punch bowl and it breaks. Just another hrudle to jump through. I quickly call my mom who I knew was at Wal-Mart around the corner so she grabs another one. Problem solved.

The shower went so much better than expected. Michelle was so surprised. Then, thanks to my crafty lying, I surprised her more when I walked around the corner. The shower was a great success. I have to tell you about the food I made. Cranberry salsa (with cream cheese) served with Wheat Thins, Spinach Dip with a variety of crackers and french bread. Chicken Salad Croissants. (Yes, those things are all the same from another friend, KristaLyn's babyshower - but they are all so good I couldn't resist doing them again!), then a chocolate fountain with fresh strawberries; Jennie - Michelle's friend added marshmallows, bananas, and graham crackers. Teresa, the hostess, did the chocolate. Thank you to them for all of their hard work!!!!

Following the shower Teresa drive me around to where I parked my car. What did I find - ANOTHER PROBLEM - a flat tire. After having the battery dead and knowing I had just gotten news tires 2 months ago all I could do was smile to not fall apart. Teresa's husband Neil and my Dad, along with the person whose house I had parked in front of, changed the tire for me. I was extremely grateful that the tire had not had a problem with all of the driving we had done that day. And I was even more grateful for the three men who came to my assistance/rescue.

I finally got to Beth & Ben's about 11pm. I stayed up for about a half hour and then had to crash - not sleeping very well through the night.

The following morning was fairly uneventful. The only ongoing problem was that Brendon did not like anyone - not even Josh most of the time. We were trying to get out the door to the temple and now had to add in a trip to Discount Tire.

As Josh was driving I was calling around to all of the shops to find out which one had the shortest wait time. All of them were at least an hour up to almost three hours. YIKES!!!!! So, after another quick brainstorm I came up with another plan. I called my Dad, as my parents live only about three or four miles from one location. I asked him if he could meet us there and take us to the temple. This way we would not have to wait two hours for it to get fixed and then spend another two hours in a session (my thoughts were with a pregnant Beth and Ben and a very cranky Brendon). Dad eagerly came to our aid!!! After our temple session, he came back and took us back to the car. I just love my parents!!!!! The tire was fixed (there was a nail in it) and we were off. It was now 4pm and I had my hair appointment at 5:30 -Luckily it was rescheduled. Another race for time!

We ran and got the Papa Johns that we had ordered over the phone - thanks for the head's up on the sale, Michelle!! And drove all the way back to Queen Creek. I dropped off Josh and the Pizza, did a quick change of my clothes and headed back into town to get my hair done, which looks fabulous, Jen. I finally arrived back to Beth and Ben's at almost 8pm.

I was supposed to be home, in Tucson, at 6pm for Ladies Night Out (LNO). That was not even close to being possible even without my hair appointment. I am sorry I missed hanging out with those friends.

Then we had some fun. I worked with Beth on some Skin Care and Make-Up needs. Josh and Ben ran to Wal-Mart to get me some supplies for my primary project and then wanted to watch a movie. It was decided that we would stay the night again and leave early on Sunday morning. They watched the movie and Beth and I worked on my singing time project that I still needed done. I was trying so hard to stay up to finish it, but I was beyond exhaustion. I went and laid down about 12:30. Josh woke me up at 1, just as Brendon woke up from a lengthy nap. FUN! Knowing Josh would need to drive in just a few short hours, I sent him to bed, after only getting 30 minutes of sleep myself.

Brendon! Brendon! Brendon! The kid would not stop screaming! He screamed for three hours straight. I couldn't figure out what to do with him. He didn't want food, a cup, his bear, a pacifier, anything!!! I couldn't have him in the back bedroom - Josh was sleeping, in the front bedroom - the girls were sleeping, in the family room - Beth was sleeping on the other side of the wall. Ben - he was playing his computer game. I finally let Brendon cry himself to sleep around 3am. At 3:30 I was woken up by Bailey, who had wet her pants. This is not something she does very often. SIGH, I was up again. I had clean panties for her, but since I hadn't planned on staying that extra night I had nothing else. I had her put on clean panties (digging in the dark as to not wake anyone else up), cleaned things up, and pulled out one of our sleeping bags for her. Then I had to start a load of laundry so she would have something to wear on the way home. I finally got back to bed just after 4am. What more could happen? - MacKeznie. She was up at 5am. Well, that meant I was up again. SIGH again, and groan as I roll out of bed yet again. I rotated the laundry, turned on the Disney station for her, quickly folded the laundry Beth and Ben had in the dryer and went back to bed for about one more hour of sleep.

We were loaded and on the road at 8am. I really didn't get to sleep on the way home between the girls arguing and screaming at each other and Brendon still screaming. I was about to lose my mind.

Ok, we were home. Josh had to shower and get out the door for a meeting at the church. I had about 2 1/2 hours before I needed to leave for church. Here is my list of what I needed to do. Finish my word signs for the new song in singing time (yes I procrastinated - not a good thing to do), figure out what to fix for dinner because I had already invited Trisha & Alisha and their families over for dinner to say thank you for all of their help this past week, and of course get myself and four kids through the shower and ready for church. I was actually doing very well until Brendon woke up from his nap - again what did he do, yep you probably guessed it - screamed -for over an hour!!!!!! Also, the girls kept fighting and arguing as well. Needless to say we made it to church - only 30 minutes late! I was so embarrassed to walk in that late. Oh well. Church was great. My game in primary was a huge hit. I even made it home and finished up dinner in time for my guests to arrive.

Before church I had pulled out my frozen Indian Fry Bread and refried beans I had made the week before. I also threw together a yellow cake with homemade cream cheese frosting - YUM! After church I made another quick batch of the bread to make sure I had enough and browned up some taco meat to add variety. Josh kept the kids out of the way and made the drinks; Bailey ripped up all of the lettuce for me, followed by dropping an unopened can of soda. Yes, it did explode all over the entire kitchen floor and all of the cabinets in front of it. Thankfully Josh came in to help clean it up, my hero! Regardless, it was a very enjoyable evening with good friends.

Me, you ask? I went to bed by 9pm. I remember my head hitting the pillow and that was it. Josh didn't even have time to walk in the room from the family room from turning out the lights. I was out cold until my alarm went off this morning!!!! It felt so good to sleep!