Ahh, Saturdays. Days to relax, spend time with the family, enjoy your time off.

Ha! Apparently the gods had different ideas for this already harried family.

Original plans: No hockey today so wanted to go to the Museum of Natural History and see the Space IMAX (we have 4 free tickets from when we became members).
Altered plans: Jay run an errand then I go pick up Pappou
Actual plans: SEE BELOW

Last Saturday, Jay told me he saw a “bubble” on one of the tires. Being the Manhattan girl that I am, I had no idea what a bubble was. He pulled into the drive later and showed me the bubble. What I saw was actually 2 large pimples on the side of my tire. Nice. Google told us this was in fact a very bad thing. We called Sam’s in Nashville, where we bought the tires 10 months ago and they told us that they have only seen bubbles like that as manufacturing defects, go to a nearby Sam’s and they will gladly take care of it.

The “nearby” Sam’s here is in New Jersey, an hour or so away. I called them, told them what Nashville said. The guy laughed at me and explained that in the Tri-State area, bubbles are caused by none other than potholes and they would not be covering that for me.

Fine. Our Sam’s club membership expired anyway, so in the words of Eric Cartman, “Screw You Guys” I am taking my pimply tires to Costco.

Costco was 5 minutes in to the job before they informed me that I needed not one but two tires, the pimply one and the one with a nail in it. Nice. Awesome. Love NYC streets. $350 later I left with 2 new tires.

That was Sunday. On Monday it snowed. I stayed inside Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Zero car trips made.

Thursday night we go out. Driving down Northern Boulevard, Jay gets a phone call, it is our Nashville friend Buddy who we have not spoken with in a few weeks. Jay answers and has a short conversation. In my head I am thinking, he should hang up, we are going to get pulled over. I never say that though. Until I see a police car. Then I tell him to drop the phone. He says a hurried goodbye just as the lights flash behind us. The Tennessee plates and license give us a free pass and we get just a warning. Phew.

Friday night we go out. Same boulevard (it is a major one). We make a quick stop, are not thinking, and get back in the car, driving off. Without our seat belts. Lights behind us. Jay mutters something and I realize what it is instantly. Same cop. We pull down our window and he says, “Now I know they wear seatbelts in Tennessee.” Yep, not even worth trying to get out of this one. Maybe I should have gotten his address and we could exchange Christmas Cards next year?

Saturday morning Jay goes to run his errand. I take a quick shower and come out to a ringing phone. It is Jay. I know something is wrong before I even answer. He has a flat. I quickly get myself and the kids dressed. Now I need to get 2 car seats in Pappou’s car and lose the very coveted parking spot in front of the house. Light bulb goes off and I call Maria upstairs. She changes her plans (thank you!!!) and takes both kids and puts her car as a placeholder in the spot.

I signed up for AAA last week (Hallelujah!) but it is in my name so I meet Jay and call AAA while he goes to get the kids so Maria can go out. Before I start this, let me say, I officially love AAA. Now on to the story.

1. AAA cannot find my membership via Name, Address or AAA Number (I have a temp card with all the info on it but that does no good).
2. AAA agrees to send me a courtesy tow and work out details later
3. AAA asks where I am. I tell them Grand Central Parkway. I hear…Oh. That is never good. Apparently, the Grand Central is a FRANCHISE road and only AllState can service them? REALLY??? ALETHIA??? Is this a McDonald’s? How do you franchise a ROAD??? They can send a tow but we have to pay upfront and THEN they will reimburse me.

We decide to not go that route, Jay gets to work and puts the donut (sp?) on the car. (Kudos, Jay). The kids and I walk by the water, watch the planes, and get some actual doughnuts from Dunkin Donuts (I thought it was appropriate).

Fast forward, we are at Costco in Long Island. Turns out there was yet another nail in the brand new, 6 day old, 3 days of driving tire. They replaced after a few tears from me and promise to check my tires regularly.

Playing at Costco

We are home now. Making dinner for Maria to say thank you. I swear, I am never driving again.

Frazzled Fani

Thane loves finding his shadow. Tonight, in a very Peter Pan fashion, Thane grew agitated when he could no longer see his shadow. We pointed out that he and daddy’s shadow were following them to the restaurant from behind. He loved it…and proceeded to walk several feet looking behind him as he went.

In honor of shadows, I am participating in this week’s Inside the Frame challenge…SHADOWS!

Can’t wait to see everyone’s pics!

We are trying to teach the kids the meaning behind the words. We tell Thane and Mara things like not just saying I am sorry, but saying I am sorry like you mean it. Another one is saying I love you with my actions. This is generally our actions towards the kids.

Jay does the dishes at our house. No, we do not have a dishwasher. He does the dishes every night. He has Palmolive hands, except they are rough and dry and not the smooth and shiny they show in the commercials. That is completely false advertising.

Tonight being Valentine’s Day, I prepared a nice meal (aka non-Crock Pot) of Mushroom and Onion Pork Loin and Cheesy Mashed Potatoes. I also decided that I would do all the dishes for him, something I detest. Thane saw me doing the dishes and asked what I was doing (see I don’t do that very often, the poor child was shocked into a state). I told him I was doing the dishes and this was how I told daddy I loved him with my actions. He told me he wanted to tell daddy he loved him with his actions, too, so he pulled up the step stool and asked to help me dry. He was a very good dryer but then decided he wanted to help more and asked to wash. I showed him how and he took over. He washed all of the dishes (minus the knives) on his own. I was in charge of drying. He then got some of his toys and gave them a bath. The grand finale was spilling out all of the water from the dish basin and proceeding to clean that. I will never have to wash a dish again, thank goodness for the men in my life.