Hello, Winter

First note regarding this cold time of year:  I love Indiana winters.  I may be one of the few, but I really do.  For this reason, I will probably never leave Indiana, or at least the Midwest.  The thought of going without winters makes my heart sad.  As much as I love them, though, my sensitive Irish skin does not.  My eyelids are chapped.  Top and bottom lids.  Both chapped.  Blinking is bizarre.  As I sit typing this, my face is slathered in Vasoline.  Truly.  It does help...it doesn't treat anything, but it does help.  That is, until the end of the day, when my face gets slathered all over again.  Come Spring, I will have to replace my pillowcase cover, which has now developed a darker "vasoline" smudge right in the middle.  To me, it's worth it.  And, weirdly, the Vasoline tends to make a heat barrier, of sorts, and I feel as though my face is less cold.  Maybe it's my imagination, but whatever.  I love my Vasoline.

Second note regarding the Winter:  The fuel line on my mom-car froze on Wednesday morning, thanks to the -2 degree reading on the dash.  (Car would not start.  I had obvious power, but the *@#% thing would not start.)  I have heard to always keep gas in the car during the winter, and I have pushed the limit before.  This time, however, I had a quarter of a tank, which I think is pretty reasonable.  Nonetheless, I was out the door and planning on going to my final when I realized that the car was dead.  I ended up taking Adam's car and left he and the boys stranded.  God Bless that man.  That morning, he was a quick-thinking lifesaver (though he kind of had to be, as I almost dragged him out of the shower to try to jump my car and there was absolutely no way he was going outside dripping wet and in boxer shorts.)  In a way, it was good that the car froze because we found out that our alternator was bad.  And something else was, too.  And something else.  And a little optional something else.  Several hundred dollars later, I have my car back.  And it's a gem.  So go the holidays...and the hemorrhaging of money.  It's life.  I'll take it.  (I kind of laughed when I wrote that.  When Adam called me, he prefaced the grand total with, "I have news for you, Catie, and I really need you to not freak out.")

Speaking of cars (this blog post is kind of all-over-the-place), the hunt begins for a minivan.  I know the typical "ugh" response to a minivan, but that is not mine.  I am so excited about it!  Really...excited.  I love minivans.  Once soccer season starts and Patrick is signed up, I will officially be a soccer mom.  (And, let's be fair, that's kind of been on my to-do list since birth.)  So far, we have it narrowed down to either the Toyota Sienna or the VW Routan.  I guess we'll figure it out in March.  I love car shopping, though, so I insist that I get all of the research parts done now.  I can deal with the rest later.  Actually, since both Adam and I have a little history in the car business, I don't worry too much about getting ripped off.  I know people, he knows people... We'll be fine.  And who doesn't love a new car?  Especially one with 31 cup holders or whose backseat folds 7 different ways to provide optimal storage?  Seriously.  You minivan-haters are crazy.

Christmas is coming in a week.  I have a lot to do.  Tomorrow.  It's a good thing that I love gift wrapping.  It's a bad thing that gifts don't come with boxes from the stores anymore.  I hate making an extra trip to buy boxes.  (I only say that because that is the one reason I am not wrapping tonight.  No boxes.  Boo.)

In keeping with the all-over-the-place theme, Leo has 7 teeth now.  One more on the way.  Maybe he'll get a porterhouse for Christmas dinner.  He says "Mama" and "Baba" and give big, wet, open-mouthed kisses.  And he has a hot temper, much like his mother.  Patrick is so in love with Christmas, I worry what will happen when it's all over.  He's become even more outgoing (if that's possible), as he has found that he has something to talk about that everyone "gets."  (Santa even understood him clearly when he asked for a dragon and a robot...and Legos and a Transformer for his "friend" Leo.)  This time of year is absolutely superb with the little ones.  And, despite our "cutting-back," the kids are making out like little bandits.  Even Leo, who would never, ever know the difference if he didn't.  He got his manatee, by the way.  Adam saw it and responded, "Catie...this had better be a fat dolphin."  Not a chance.  I win!