So, this was the weekend for the B men to take their guns and head north. Ah, yes, hunting season is upon us again...
However, in a sad turn of events (at least for the fellas), there was engine trouble :( It seems that my father-in-love drives his big fancy truck so infrequently that it has become home to some mice.
Oh yeah, I am serious. I don't think I could even make this stuff up!
The little critters burrowed chunks out of the insulation and made themselves a little, mouse poopy home right there atop an engine thingy that I cannot think of the name for. It musta been an important thingy though, cause the engine would not start - at all!!! Hubbs was about to offer our vehicle when mother-in-love looked over at father-in-love and asked if he was feeling ok. "Are you having chest pains?" to which he answered a sheepish yes.
TRIP OFF!
They learned last year when our son Steven broke his KNEE how very far the hospital is when you are deep in the woods! No need to go there again!
Hubbs came home a little sad. So, what is a good wife to do when her man cannot go to the wilderness as planned? Yep, we loaded the car and set out for the wilderness STORE!
But, hold up. Don't go engraving my name on the Wife Of The Year trophy just yet... I happen to know that there are two very good reasons to go to the wilderness haven of Eastern MI. One, there is a Panda Express in that mall. And two, there is a Verizon store right next door to said Wilderness joy. And, if wilderness can put a smile on my man's face, new cell phone beauty can do the same to mine! And, by golly, my phone was up for renewal the very next day.
See, we are trying to cut back on expenses - waaaayyyyy back! And texting is cheaper than talking - waaaayyyy cheaper. So, I have been hinting for a QWERTY endowed cell phone for Christmas for a few weeks now. And, by hinting I mean cutting out every add, checking websites daily and telling him where to find the best price, begging, pleading and sending SuperModel after him at church to show him HER new phone! But, ya know, not in an annoying kind of way.
So, we are at the mall and, in all my sneakiness and ninja skills I hand Hubbs his Christmas presents and send him off to the cash register. Oh yeah, I am that good! Hubbs is picky though, so it is better for all involved this way! We also got a few things for the girls - who were in the stroller with us! (And the ninja-ness is taught to a new generation!) Then we headed off to the food court. 'Cause nothing says "gee Honey, I am so sorry that your weekend was ruined" like a big 'ol bowl of orange chicken, some egg rolls and a few crab puffs!
Then we headed off to the Verizon store, so I could show him what I had in mind. Now, standing outside looking in, the store looks a bit on the small side. Throw in a few dozen patrons and one family with a double stroller commonly referred to as the SUBURBAN for kiddies and ya got yourself some serious store cozy! Hubbs' mood dropped a few points. I show him the phone, we check the price and ask about our VIP $50 discount. And learn that it cannot not (usually) be used on the secondary line - and I cannot upgrade until tomorrow, but if I could the kind lady would be ever so gracious enough to let me use it, but oh so sorry ya just can't! See ya!
Now, we had been to WalMart earlier in the week - hubby's favorite spot on earth! - and had seen the pone for about $50 less than in the store. So the next day, after church, we head our little tails to WalMart. They are out. She does some checking and finds a few at another location in the OPPOSITE direction from our house! Since the girls are getting fussy - and, by fussy I mean screaming at the tip top of their lungs that they want FOOD NOW (yeah, they are so demanding that way!), Hubbs says that we should go home and then one of us head out to the other WalMart in search of the phone.
And apparently, I am the "one of us" of which he spoke. So, I left in a quest for my own Christmas gift - which seems only fair.
But, it seems the lady did not check her source carefully, 'cause that store had been out of 'em for days! So SHE called another store - even farther - to find another one. I asked her to call the store to be sure that they had 'em. She did. They did. And I was off. But not before asking about the procedure. I did not want to get all the way out there to find that "yes, you can have the phone for this rock bottom price if you stand on your head and sing the Star Spangled Banner backwards at the top of your Lungs while juggling with your feet"! She explained the process to me - but left out the very important detail that the person whose name is on the account - the one with the PRIMARY number - has to be the one who does the upgrading.
Hello, that is INFORMATION I COULD HAVE USED YESTERDAY!!!!!
And thank you so kindly!
I went home - after throwing an ever so Christian like hissy fit - completely bummed out.
SO - are you bored yet? - Hubby set out yesterday afternoon to get the phone at the Verizon store and see if the ever so kind lady would still allow me to use his discount. And he took Hattie. And she was great - right up til the time that they called his name. She then proceeded to throw herself a little fit that had the entire store looking at him. 'Cause she learned her hissy fittin' skills from the master! The helpful sales person checked our account and told the Hubbs that we were over 30 days delinquent so we could not get our phone. Ummm, no we aren't. In fact that lady that checked in on Saturday (who was not there) told us we actually had a credit! But hubbs was in no mood to fight with anyone other than Hattie. SO he walked out and came home.
He told me the tale, just before he left for the grocery store so he could calm down - all the while picking up a few things for his precious wife! As soon as the door shut behind him I got myself on the little phone and called to check the story. Yes, we do have a credit. I threw a slightly less ugly mini fit and told the kind lady our tale of woes and she had pity on me ... or at least my man. She not only gave us the $50 off, but she is sending the phone to our warm comfy home for FREE!
And SHE is my new best friend!
Hubby's too, I am sure!
Side note number one - Father in love is fine ... He has a touch of the angina. For the most part it is under control. But, ya know, on hunting days ya gotta make yourself a nice fat fritter for breakfast and put all the sausage you can find in the house in it! Hello chest pain, nice to see ya!
Side Note number two - we also took the girls to see Santa - the Wilderness store Santa. Nothing like a deer looking over our shoulder as you tell Santa all you want for Christmas. And the pictures, PRAISE THE LORD, were free.
FREE, I TELL YA, FREE!!
But ya have to wait for Monday to see em. I am getting a bit desperate for Picture Perfect Monday stuff, like pictures, since my camera has been acting funny.
Hmmm, guess I shoulda mentioned THAT to Santa!
Ah well, maybe my new phone will have a good camera!
Hattie gave a charming smile - it was so sweet!!!
Sophie, on the other hand, kept trying to grab the camera!
(see what I mean?)
Yeah, no body was cooperating for this one!!!
And then there was one ... and hello, it was Hattie!
(And, yes, that is a tealight for the candle - because, being the good Christian woman that I am, I forgot the birthday candle for the Sweet Baby Jesus!!!)
Sophie is quite serious about her cake eating business!!!
Hattie just likes to have a little fun with her cake.
And, as they ate, we read the kids version of the Christmas story!! Hattie seemed to really understand things this year. All day long on Christmas, she kept saying it was Baby Jesus' birthday!! 
Hattie got this lovely baby doll set. And it remains untouched to this day... She prefers the cheap magic wand that she found in her stocking.
Sophie got some Little People sets that Hattie commandeered. But that is OK, because SHE prefers the old cell phone that she received. She is always trying to take everyone else's and this way she has her own. She LOVES it!!!
Hubby got t-shirts and socks. Thank you Santa!!! He also got a swell mug. And it, too, has remained untouched!
I got some straws ( I HEART straws!!!) and a ped egg, both of which have been used profusely!!! Wanna come feel my feet? Smooth, baby, SMOOTH!!!
Here is Sophie playing shy with the camera .... Ummm, who are you and what have you done with my baby?!?!?!
And, here is Hattie a little out of focus (have I mentioned that I am currently hating my camera!!!) due to the dancing she was doing with her magic wand! So sweet!!!
