Our Christmas in a Post...or Two.

Christmas 2010 will definitely go down as one of the most....memorable. We were off to a great start this year. I got a lot of my shopping done early and I was so excited to celebrate with the kids and be with family. Before I get started with this story, let me just randomly remind/tell you that we had new wood laminate floors installed back in August. O.k. so here we go....

December 17th was Gabby's last day of school before break. I went and picked her up from school as we were all getting ready to leave town for the weekend. We had booked a hotel in Noblesville this year and the kids were pumped about swimming and celebrating three different Christmases. We eagerly came home and finished packing the car, had pizza with good friends that night and then hit the ground running Saturday morning with Christmas brunch at Brad's dad house. We were joined by two of Jeff's good friends which I think Brad would agree was a little awkward for us going into it but in the end, it all came out o.k. We had a great morning with Brad's dad and step mom and Brad and I were even able to break away for a couple hours to do some shopping for ourselves! It was so nice to have some one on one time with Brad and just stroll the shops. I love the new Hamilton Crossing Mall!

That afternoon, we left and went to Brad's aunts house to celebrate with Brad's exteneded mom's side. A nice time was had by all and then we went back to the hotel and Gabby and I hit hte pool for a little while before bed. Each morning we were gone, Noblesville was blessed with a beautiful freezing fog that coated all the trees, fence posts, ground, etc...it was gorgeous. There's always a part of me that misses Noblesville when we go back. I love driving over the water and looking at the resevoir!

On Sunday, we slept in (as much as the kids would allow) and then went back over to Brad's dad's house to partake in the brunch leftovers from the morning before as well as collect a few odds and ends that we had forgotten there on Saturday. We then said good bye to them and ventured up the road to Alexandria to spend the rest of the day with Brad's mom Terri, our niece Lauren and my sister in law, Amber. I must say, by this point of the trip, I was TIRED! It takes alot to pack 2 kids, a dog, myself and then make room for the hubby to get in a car and be gone for the weekend, not to mention, all the gifts that needed to go! We enjoyed the day and the kids had a fabulous weekend! Many memories made for sure.

HERE'S WHERE IT GETS INTERESTING! That night, as we were packing the car, preparing to head back home, tired, worn out and just ready to get back home.....my phone rings. It's our neighbor. He knew we were gone for the weekend but wasn't sure when we'd be back home. I'll never forget his first words.

Jason: "Hi. Is this Stacy?"
Me: Yes, what's up, Jason?"
Jason: Well, I don't want to alarm you but I just got home and there's ice on the driveway in front of your house so I walked over there and you have water running out from under your garage door and I can hear water running inside your garage.

I don't really remember much after that other than hauling the kids into the car at 90 miles an hour, quickly, half assing our hugs to family and booking it for home! Because our neighbor didn't have a way of getting into our house, we spent the next hour and fifteen minutes wondering, dreading, imagining what we were going to find when we got back home. It was AWFUL!

When we arrived home, we found water all over the garage....and almost over our entire first floor. Brad and I were both devastated when we came in and thought our laminate was safe but then stepped on it and saw water coming up through the seems. I was so sad! These floors that I LOVED and took pride in had to be torn up that night to prevent any mold from forming. We found water in one of our walls as well.

So this ends part one of our Christmas 2010.....more to come! Sorry to end abruptly but I am getting tired.