Weekend Fun

Disclaimer: after reading back through this I realized it is so much longer than I thought. So no hard feelings if you don’t get through it all. =)

I never did tell you about our weekend. Of course it started out as a normal weekend---except for the Christmas shopping and mailing of packages. But wait I am already getting ahead of myself…

Waking up on Saturday I knew we had a lot to do before going to our small group Christmas party that evening. We had to scrounge around and find some boxes so we could mail off some goodies and presents – you know so that everyone would get them before Christmas. We decide to drive to Neile’s office because he had the “perfect” box for us to use. He runs in and I stay in the car waiting…and waiting. Then I hear it. A strange grinding noise. I have no idea where it is coming from, but am not really that worried. I am much more interested in watching a woman across the parking lot play with her child. There is the noise again…a bit louder. This time the woman looks at me in the car. Hmmmm slightly self-conscious – did she see me watching her.

Ugghhhh that sound again except this time it sounds like a huge piece of ice is being pushed back and forth on top of our car. I sit there and look around to see at least 4 people staring at me and our car and me acting like nothing is going on at all. I just know that Neile will be out any second---afterall he was just going to grab a cardboard box and come back. What the heck was taking him so long!

This time when the sound started again I got out of the car to see if there was in fact an ice sheet on top of our car creating the horrible noise. No ice sheet. Okay I definitely need to tell Neile. I walk into the building and see him standing their chatting with his boss while I am out in the car that is about to explode!! No panicking in my voice though while I ever so calmly say, “Neile, your car is making a bad noise and you need to come out right away.” Well, this isn’t a big deal to him apparently since he just keeps CHATTING. (Well, I should forgive this since it is his boss….but I really did think his car was going to explode or something awful)

Well, when Neile gets into the car that horrible noise is gone. There is a noise, but not bad at all. That just figures. So we start driving…and get about 10 feet when that ever so lovely noise happens again. Yes! I am not crazy. The decision is quickly made that our packages can be late if necessary, we need to go home and change cars before this one breaks down completely. The plan…drop the car off at the shop on our way to the Christmas party.

Well, fast forward through long post office lines, shopping, insane traffic, present wrapping, food making, and we are off to the Christmas party.

I follow Neile in my car. Yes, I pretty much lost him after about a block of driving. Dumb lights. Not to worry because about 10 minutes later there is a slow down in traffic at a 3 way stop. Hmmmm…what could that be about? Oh dear, there is Neile running alongside his car and two guys (no clue who these angels are) pushing from the back. They end up pushing the car to a nearby church. From here we proceed to call the towing company (Thank goodness for AAA!). By now, the 6:00pm Christmas party has started and I still have a huge dish of potato casserole in my back seat. Oh well, it could always be worse right?!?

Well, towing man comes and takes us to the auto shop. Off we go to the Christmas party and it is only 7:45. Well, at least we made it to the gift exchange.

So that was Saturday. Sunday was a great and full day. We wake up a little early and roll some pineapple and water chestnuts in bacon for the Hawaiian potluck my family is having at noon. Pack up the gifts to celebrate Christmas #2 with my sister and her family for the afternoon and head to church. After church we go to my parents’ house. Let the eating commence! After eating some very interesting food and reminiscing about our time in Hawaii it is time for presents. Of course all of us are most excited about watching the crazy kids open their presents….and we were not disappointed as the hyperness ensued.

Neile and I had to make a quick exit from the Christmas celebration and head over to his office to go to a Hockey game with some of his coworkers. Yes, the Blackhawks won! Yes, we had box seats and lots of food! And yes, it was a super fun time.

What more is there to say…other than Neile and I were exhausted on Monday AND we still had a huge dish of potato casserole!