After Braeden's Spring League Hockey game. The whole family headed to Appleton, WI for Isaac Shimek's 1st Communion. About an hour out from our destination, the power steering totally want out and the vehicle pretty much seized up. Brad was able to steer us into a gas station in Wautoma, WI. They were very helpful inside the gas station. The cashier started making phone calls to a mechanic she knew in town that worked at one of the dealerships. He came over and gave Brad a ride to the dealership to get us hooked up with a rental. It seemed like an eternity that he was gone and I was trying to entertain 4 kids in a gas station parking lot alongside a busy highway. He finally arrived back with a minivan and loaded up all our junk and we were on the road again. The mechanic was going to take our vehicle to his house and work on it sometime after 5pm on Sunday. We, finally, arrived at our hotel in Appleton at 7pm. We quickly unloaded and I took the 3 oldest kids to the pool while Brad and Clara ordered pizza. We ate by 8 pm and nodded off to sleep soon after.
Mother's Day brought Isaac Shimek's 1st communion. We were able to get a late check out as the 1st communion wasn't until 1 pm. We ate breakfast, swam, packed up and ventured out to find the church. Once we found where the church was we decided we only had enough time to eat fast food, so Burger King it was. We headed back to the Church and found the Shimek's inside. Sarah was so sweet to have bought all the mother's a mother's day corsage. Although, mine quickly came off when Clara could not keep her hands off, of it. Isaac looked very grown up receiving his 1st communion. Later, it was off to the Shimek's for a yummy spread, gifts and kids running and playing. Dan even gave Braeden his 1st communion gift, a wooden cross with a communion picture in the middle. We packed up and headed to Wautoma later that evening. En route and half way there, the mechanic told us we would have to turn around and a pick up a water pump in Oshkosh, as that needed to be replaced as well. Once in Oshkosh, Brad swung into Wal-mart to get a car charger as we had left ours in the Durango. We received a call from the mechanic saying the parts store was closed. We would have to pick up the part tomorrow and he would not be able to work on the vehicle until Monday after the dealership closed. Ughhh! We made phone calls to all the schools to report the kids absences. Arranged for another night of dog sitting and tried to make our way back to the Shimek's in the dark to stay the night. After several attempts of trying to figure out what streets, to take we made it with 2 of the 4 already crashed out. Braeden said some day someone will probably have this road trip in a wedding toast.
The next day it was a typical Monday for the Shimek family. The boys were off to school and Dan was off to teach. May had preschool at noon and Sarah had a meeting then, too. So, we hung out with them until just before noon. Then, it was off to the American Girl outlet to spend some Christmas Account funds and score some major good deals, and to pick up the vehicle part. We headed to Wautoma and ate an early supper at McDonalds's which allowed the children climb and slide in the playland. The mechanic even came over to McDonald's to pick up the part. Needless to say, the repair took longer than anticipated and we were finally on the road at 7pm. It was a very, very long ride home. We finally arrived home extremely tired at 11 pm and it was back to the grind and then some the next day.
The above pictures were all I got to document the weekend. I think I was too preoccupied to think to snap any. On a more pleasant note the kids gave me a gift certificate for a pedicure that I will gladly use closer to my due date. Also, Pudge and Laken's teachers each had them answer some questions about me. The answers are so stinkin' cute. Like Laken thinks I'm 60 and Preston said my favorite show is, Extreme Couponing. Laken also made me a clay wall pocket on a field trip she took to the Art Center where Brad, also, chaperoned. Love, love those gifts :)
