I’ve needed roadside assistance from AAA twice during the past few months. :( My tire completely blew (and shredded!) about a mile from our house, and then I accidentally scraped against a high curb and blew a hole in my tire on the way home from shopping at Wal-Mart. :( AAA is a good service, though. I know how to change a tire, but it’s nice to let people with the proper equipment do it (those lug nuts can be difficult to get off). I have four brand-new tires now … let’s hope that my tires will stay intact for quite a long time now!!!

Hello! Why yes, I’m still blogging! Are you still reading? Hope so! :)

We had a very nice Christmas. The kids woke us up around 7 a.m., we opened our stockings, we opened our presents … and then we tried to put a few of our gifts away. I actually had to do a load of dishes, though, because there was a huge pile in the sink (and our dishwasher is unfortunately still broken). I made a delicious sausage, egg, and cheese casserole and fruit salad for breakfast. Then … I just kind of “parked it” on the living room couch and vegged out. :) I needed a day like that. I snuggled with the kids, took a little nap … it was really great. No snow … our weather was chilly but still in the 40s!

I can’t believe the amount of junk food (sweets, mostly) in our house right now. I seriously need some good weight loss pills … my diet has been *horrendous* lately. I figure that I’ll give myself a bit of a break this week and then get back on track this weekend. For me, being at home during the day equals *lots* of calorie intake! I’ve actually lost 14 pounds since starting my new job, which rocks. And I want to keep up that good trend!

I’m in cleaning mode this week, now that Christmas is over. Decluttering, reorganizing, etc. Unfortunately, there’s a *huge* pile of laundry on our bed right now that I must fold so that we can go to sleep tonight. :) I’m sure enjoying spending time with our kiddos … they (and I) are off until January 3rd. Amazing that 2012 is almost here. That sounds like a date from the far-off future! :)

I just went back to using Google Chrome. Internet Explorer was really getting on my nerves … plus, I couldn’t see the cool “Let it snow” feature that Google had around Christmastime. :) Websites just look better in Chrome. When I search for random stuff, too, like english horse tacks, the search feature is just *so* much easier. I think my husband prefers Explorer, though (he uses Ubuntu on his PC and on our mini laptop). Which browser is your favorite?

Does anyone know of some good sears coupons? Jeff loves that store, and it’s time to start Christmas shopping! Have you started your Christmas shopping yet, or maybe you’re completely finished? I have to admit, I’m starting to get into the holiday mood a little bit. I’ve been craving some eggnog, and I actually bought light eggnog ice cream at the grocery store the other day. :) Not sure whether we’re staying here for Christmas or going to Indiana. Will have to figure that out soon!

I know more about laser spinal surgery than I’ll probably ever want to know, thanks to watching “Lost” reruns on Netflix. :) I just watched the episode where Jack marries the girl named Sarah, whose back he fixed. I love Jack … the whole show is just incredible. It has been lots of fun going back from the beginning and watching the whole thing, knowing this time what’s going to happen. I’m thankful for “Lost” on Netflix … it has helped occupy me while I’m recuperating from this flu bug!

Many years ago when I worked in Indianapolis, there was a huge snowstorm and it took me forever to get home. Normally, it was about an hour drive ~ but that night, it was two, two-and-a-half hours. :( The road home was literally like a bobsled course. The snow was piled high on the sides of the roads, and the road itself was a thick sheet of ice. I remember having a blanket with me in my car and spreading it over my legs because I was so cold while driving (even with the heat on full blast). At one point, I was following behind a curt trailer hitch, which of course made me nervous. Thank God I got home safely that night. I am so not ready for winter weather!!!

I can’t believe that I’ve gone so long without blogging, but I have a good excuse: we celebrated Meredith’s fifth birthday (on Halloween). My mom arrived on Thursday and left this morning (a short visit, but we had a fantastic time … oh, how I miss her terribly!). It’s hard to believe that our baby girl is now five years old. We made strawberry “Tangled” cupcakes, and my mom took them to Meredith’s classroom. She was beaming with excitement. :) We also went shopping for a new winter coat for Meredith (the symbol barcode scanner rang up a sale price that was awesome!). We also enjoyed Subway for lunch one day and a local pizza place for dinner another night, and we watched “Tangled” and “Captain America.” It’s amazing how much easier things are when your mom is in town … what a blessing she was, helping the kids get ready for school in the mornings, doing our grocery shopping, etc. Not sure when we’ll see our families again … maybe this Christmas, if we travel to Indiana. Thanks, Mom, for an awesome visit!!! We love you so much. Thanks for helping make Meredith’s fifth birthday so incredibly special!

Forgot to mention this … a while back, the front passenger-side tire on my car completely shredded! Ugh … I had just gone grocery shopping and had all the groceries in my trunk when I heard a loud “bump.” I tried to drive my car as far as I could, but the tire eventually just “died.” With skidsteer technology (haha!), I drove over into someone’s driveway (about a mile and a half from our house) and tried calling my husband. My cell phone wouldn’t work for some reason. Walked to our town’s post office and used the postmaster’s cell phone (bless her) to call AAA. The guy finally came, and so did my husband … everything was fixed, and I was back on the road. But wow, what a pain … it’s no fun when something’s wrong with your car. I have four new tires now … hopefully they will last for a long time!

I could absolutely go crazy in Kohl’s. My mom and I were there on Sunday, shopping for a new winter coat for Meredith. I saw so many outfits that I just loved. With Kohl’s cash and all the coupons they offer, you can’t help but get some great deals. I like the guys t-shirts, too … I think that for my husband’s birthday (December), I’ll buy him some new clothes (he needs it). Only thing is that their shoes are so expensive. Scarves seem to be fashionable right now, so maybe I can find some cute ones and a few new blouses to wear to work. Yay for fun shopping! :)