More floods

So to keep a positive tone, I spared you all the details of our toilet over-flowing flood last week. First I didn't want to distract any potential visitors from coming because they knew we had poop in the walls and second we'll there's just nothing good that comes from telling people that your toilet over flowed with messy water.
Let me clarify one thing on Chris and I's defense, it was the girls toilet and the girls fault. I was downstairs when Charlotte screamed from upstairs "Mom, there's water coming out of the toilet", (how I wish it was just water coming out of the toilet). Anyway I run upstairs to be the hero and it was to late, the trail had made it's way from the bathroom into the carpet in both of the girls bedroom. They have a jack-and-jill bathroom, which I now know the disadvantage of , if there's a leak both bedrooms get hammered. In an emergency I called my handy neighbor for help because there was no way to clean it up and watch all three kids at the same time. Mason would have had a hay day in that mess. They lent me their shop-vac to wish I sucked as much up as I could. I'm sure they'll never be as good as neighbors again because really how easy is it be friends with someone who borrowed your supplies to clean up poop. I did santize that machine until it was crystal clean, but still. After shampooing and pulling carpet up that night, the restoration team came the next day to our rescue. After the large bill I was assured that our house was in sanitary order.
One week later,
It's dinner time, followed by playtime upstairs, stories, baths, showers, jammies and the forever long bed time routine of three kids. Don't you love that moment when all the kids are finally down? I do to, and even the journey down the stairs was great, my mind was racing with what I should do, T.V., a book, some Christmas project. All my dreams ended way to soon as I found myself wading through puddles of water. I let out the worlds biggest scream. Our house was seriously under water!
Charlotte had gone to the bathroom during dinner (90 minutes prior) and had plugged the sink (don't ask me why) and forgot to turn the water off. You'd be amazed at how much water one small faucet can put out.
I grabbed every towel in the house threw them down on the floor and made zero progress toward cleaning up. Chris got out the carpet cleaner and started sucking up water. It only took about 5 seconds each time for the tank to fill up. We really needed that 30 gallon wet dry vac from the same neighbors but even I had to much pride to go ask again. After the longest night of getting water up, moving all furniture to dry land, emptying bookcases, ripping carpet up, pulling the pads out, taking base boards off we went away to bed. The same restoration team came back the next morning to which they informed me that they have no such policy as "buy one flood get one free" in the same week.
So our house is torn apart, our sad rooms just sit with fans blowing on them waiting for the moisture to go away so it can get put back together.
I've never been through a flood in my 28 years until a week ago. I decided to get all experiences over with in the same week while I'm still on a first name basis with the restoration guys.

I'm victorious

Two large bowls have already been spilled today all over the floor. First it was the cereal and then the bowl of soup for lunch. But to counter these setback, I was victorious in court today. Me vs. the State of Texas and I was the big winner. I got all dressed up fancy, dropped the kids of at the babysitter and went to plead my case. When I met with the judge she told me my case had been dismissed, no further action, no further charges.
Hooray!! That brings the 1000 dollar ticket down to only 220 I believe. I almost blew my probabtion to which I agreed, to have my ticket price reduced by taking driver safety when I got pulled over taking the babysitter's home the other night when I failed to signal (I'm serious!!). I also didnt' have my license with me. The same license that I just got to plead my case with in court. Luckily only a written warning which appartnley doesn't violate probation. It's funny how I'm so excited about spending $200.00 I feel like I just made 800 dollars and now I'm in the mood for shopping.
I wonder how much it would cost to have a live in nanny to be my shadow and clean up messy liquids whenever my kids spill food (or the toilet overflows), I can't seem to keep up. Probably more then the $800 I feel like is mine to spend.

and the stockings were hung with care

Project complete! I just finished Mason's stocking 16 months after he was born. After I hung them up it was manifest to be once more, by stockings, just how big our family is. I k eep looking at them and reminding myself of how many people live here! It seems like just yesterday I was 20 and on my way to marriage and now 8 years later, 5 stockings. Stockings are also begining to be a factor weighed in when family planning. Since they all match, another child couldn't have a store bought stocking. Each new addition means one more stocking project, this ran through my head as I was scrambling to get Mason's up for his 2nd Christmas. Oh the things we have to consider these days.
I'm loving this Christmas season and am so full of joy. I feel like the luckiest person to have landed in this family with Chris and the three funniest kids. I've felt my testimony increase of the knowledge of Jesus Christ. As people all over the world believe in the true story of Christmas because it was foretold by prophets, and still today, 2000 years later, we are still celebrating that the star was shining, the angel speaking with Mary, the lowly birth in a stable, the wiseman bringing gifts, etc. etc. Still today we have prophets on the earth whose prophecies come to pass, just like 2000 years ago.