What A Weekend!

Hi everyone!  I hope you all had the best holidays possible under your particular circumstances :)

There will be a post coming with actual pictures of the adorable and awesome gifts Cricket received, but I thought I would just recap my insane weekend of family, etc. 

Thursday night our car finally tanked.  So I spent my last hour and a half of work texting like mad to find us a vehicle for the weekend.  We had discussed buying my sister's car when our settlement comes in (more on this later) but it hadn't arrived yet, so we were just hoping our car hung on as long as possible.  Car did not cooperate, LOL.  So, happily, we borrowed my grandmother's BEAST of a vehicle until Christmas, when we took over my sister's car.  The next couple of weeks will be spent insuring, registering, inspecting, etc THAT car, which will become "my" car. 

Christmas day with my mother's side of the family was good, and amazingly, drama-free.  Hubby and I felt a bit...odd man out, as usual, but not too badly.  There was much discussion of how I'm carrying, who I look like when carrying, how small I am for nearly 6 months, etc etc.  I had forgotten that a lot of the extended family didn't know what we went through and so felt the need to verify we are excited, LOL.  Umm, yeah.  Just a little :)  So, the determination is that I am carrying just like my mom, and that I am tiny for nearly 6 months (despite feeling enormous most days).  I don't know.  I'm right around the other women I know who are in the same timeframe as me.  I think.  We all look different, LOL.  gfvb2.1e7r4d  Ummm, thats what Oreo that cat has to say about that!  Anyway, good day, good food, and we left with a functional car, woohoo!

We normally celebrate Christmas with my dad on Christmas Eve (German tradition) but had to rearrange because of my work schedule.  So we did that Sunday, during the "blizzard."  I have been through storms that dumped well over 1.5 feet, so this was nothing for me, but we also didn't get much, and at my house, barely an inch!  Anywho, this was the day I was dreading.  There is NEVER an easy holiday with my dad.  It blows going into a day with dread.  Most of the day was okay.  It was the storm that caused the problems.  He was so freaked by the storm he actually forbade my sister and I to drive.  He didn't so much like it when I pointed out we are adults and he doesn't get to do that anymore.  Sometimes his concern is...ill-addressed.  So, as opposed to saying, "I'm concerned about you driving in this weather, can I drive you" he said, "You are NOT driving in this.  I am taking you home."  See the difference?  Anyway, my sister and I just kept cleaning off the car while this lovely fight went on in the storm and left.  He's yelled at her once since, and I'm avoiding him.  Merry freakin' Christmas.  Sigh.  He's had an amazingly difficult time with us growing up.  And he's lonely.  It is a very difficult situation, and we all just try and breathe in and out and get past the blow-ups.  Anyway, suffice it to say, it really wasn't THAT bad out, and we had no problem, as the further north we went, the less snow there was.  I was so happy to see my Hubby last night when we arrived home because I needed my normal. 

So, with the exception of crazy Dad fight, the weekend was good, we solved the car problem, and we will soon be able to get a second car!  GASP!  2 cars???  Wow.  LOL.  I am spending today chilling out after we handle insurance stuff, and at some point finding my kitchen under the mess, LOL. 

Pictures to follow tomorrow :)  Thank you for all the Christmas wishes!