沒有出門的假期

兩個星期長的假期結束了，這是這輩子第一次休假而沒有出門（想當年沒孩子的時候每年的休假是沒有一天呆在美國的！唉！）。

八月初搬家時公司忙得不可開交，勉強請了兩天假，完全沒有整塊時間收拾。老公那是剛好換工作，搬家前後在家呆了兩個星期。

趁天氣還好，孩子們又都上幼兒園，我在家大幹特幹了兩個星期。

總計做了一下事情：
1. 找到了給我們割草的人。
2. 找人砍死樹，整修前後花園。
3. 找人鋪樓梯地毯。
4. 自己刷地下室樓梯清漆。
5. 體檢。
6. 三個孩子看牙醫。
7. 三個孩子打流感針。
8. 虎貝看過敏醫生。
9. 虎寶虎貝驗血。
10. 第一天出門被人追尾，第二天送去修車，最後一天才修好開回來。

每天如下在facebook上簡單記錄每天做的事情。

staycation day #1: rearended by a pickup, Nissan dealer for the recall and oil change, Called Geico to schedule an express service tomorrow. Picked staircase runner I like and made appt for measurement. Picked out a few kids birthday gifts at Marshall's. Dental appt. Met real estate agent meeting. What a busy day!

Staycation day #2: researching in Home Depot for tools and materials to stain the staircase to the basement. Went to Geico designated body shop to drop off the car - cost to replace the bumper, light and quarter shaft is over $3400. Ikea for lunch and picked up a number of small items. Babiesrus to return stuff and picked up more. Last stop at Jay's to borrow his sander. Cleaned kid's closet, wondering if my new neighbor would like to have some hand-me-downs. No gardeners showed up for a quote to mow the lawn, even after my repeated voicemails, have to find another one.

 

Staycation day #3: after dropping off kids, went to HD again to buy stain and stuff, Marshall's to get hubby some comfy shoes and casual top to wear to work, stopped by a carpet store to check their stair runner price. Got home, made half dozen phone calls to get landscaper and tree remover to come over for an estimate. Stained the two-step stair from garage to mudroom. Took a nice nap after l...unch, but interrupted by a tree remover, an hour later came another. Oh man, removing trees is expensive!!! Cleaned the staircase to basement, when folding laudry, a landscaper came. 6PM, picked up 5 kids from daycare, including Doudou & Miaomiao. Jay came after work, Cindy came back from biz trip to DC. After dinner, after wild playing time, the girls played the piano for 5 minutes. Supervised Valentina's coloring homework.

 

Staycation day #4: took Hubert to allergist at 9, took all 3 to visit dentist at 10:30, dropped all at school at 11:30. Came back home, the piano tuning guy was already waiting at the front door. Our builder and his workers showed up at 1:30 to install kitchen cabinet knobs and handles and radon fan. Had to go to HD for some longer screws for the handles. Staircase runner guy came at 3. Appl...ied another coat on the little stairs. The gardener dido not show up as promised, definitely fire him before even hiring him. Called the student landscaper for a 8am tomorrow lawn mowing. Went to school for "back to school night", Geoffrey drove all 5 kids home, Jay came after work. Got home with Cindy before 8, feed myself, yet to feed the twins. After putting kids down, washed kitchen floor and a few cabinets doors. Still wondering who left a message on my cell, 'cos I made too many calls and left too many messages and kind of lost track.

 

Staycation day #5: the student landscaper showed upnwith a partner and lots of equipment at 8:30. He thought the job would take him an hour, but it turned out to be 2.5. Another landscaper showed up for a cleanup estimate. Cleaned the entire second floor. Grocery shopping at Jinmen & Costco, where both stores were on backup generator. While sound asleeping, mother-in-law told me someone was... looking for me in the backyard. I didn't make any appointments this afternoon! It took me 5 minutes to figure out what the guy does. He is a tree guy, friend of my neighbor's landscaper, who was supposed to show up to mow my lawn yesterday and never did! The student landscaper showed up again with a friend, who does landscape he can't do, and whose dad removes trees! So this guy and his dad will come for another visit tomorrow.

Staycation day #6: finally made it to the doctor's in the city for the annual exam, swore not to go to the same place again. Visited hubby at his super cool office, had free lunch and latte. Bought an eye cream & brow pencil. Drove back home via a new route, would try again for commuting. Returned a number of items to HD, and bought a few, too. Met my landscaper for the third time, ask him to talk to my lawn mower regarding my front yard planting job. Picked up kids, supervised Valentina for her first ever official homework.

Staycation day #7: took 3 kids to the pediatrian for their shots, and then to the lab for blood test. Dropped them off before 12:30. After lunch and a short nap, went to order the staircase runner, and picked up some shelves at Lowes. Having a really bad allergy since yesterday, but I've been on allergy shots since Feb, shouldn't it be working now?!

Staycation day #8: landscaper arrived at 8:30 promptly, started working on cutting trees right away. By the time, all three kids were up and had their breakfast, one big tree was down already. Did a little shopping after dropping off kids. Did kids' laudry in the afternoon, cleaned their play area. cleaned the excersaucer the twins outgrown, and gave it to my neighbor's 4 month old son, together with some of twin's clothing. Made veggie pancake for the kids for dinner. Trying to set Valentina into a routine: homework before dinner and piano practicing after. This is my most relaxed day since my staycation.

Staycation day #9: picked up shrubs and a beautiful pine from the nursery, sat in hair salon for 3 hours for highlight and a trim, came back home in a storm and found my landscaper did not show up today, painted the staircase for it's second and third coats.

Staycation day #10: 7am, woke up on twin's room floor, cold and aching all over the body. Landscaper came early and started to work on the stumps and weeds. Went to pick up my car which had been in body shop since last Tuesday. Came back home, found the front and back lawn had been mowed. But who did it? I was only thinking of calling the student landscaper after tomorrow. In-laws did not know. Landscaper's workers didn't do it and did not pay attention to any names on the truck. Haha, I hope this kind of good happens more often.