Early Bird Catches the Worm

I must admit, it is 5:56 am. I have been awake since 3:33 am. The baby awoke and then I could not fall back to sleep. At 4:30 am I decided to get up. I had some things on my mind and I wanted to write them down as when the baby is awake, I have no time to write down my thoughts. {giggling}
After I completed what I set out to do...I figured I might as well complete another layout. I have done 2 since Friday and was going to start a third...but how do you go about scrapping a picture of yourself the day before you break your leg? Hahaha...you know what...I only think I have one picture of me with my broken leg. It was a family portrait we had done...you can't see my broken leg...but I rem it very well! Anyway, I can not post the layouts because they are for the design team I design with and it's just not time to reveal it yet.
So, then, I decided...hmmmm why not complete my blog???
I have a great story to tell!

Yesterday, Michael left early to head into the office to meet his dad and his crew to begin tearing down the models at the office in order to refurbish them and place them on the new office sites. I went Christmas shopping and feel I am done...except maybe a few stocking stuffers...when is enough ehough?
I digress...
I stopped at my mothers on the way home, because I couldn't bear the thought of being alone another day and chasing Jay around the house, up over things, and keeping him from fishing in the toilet bowls!
Then, my parents basically kicked me out...hahaha...just kidding....they had to fill out paperwork for the house they are putting a contract on today. YAY FOR THEM!
Yes a side note here...
It appears mother and dad did not tell anyone else in the family about this house they were thinking about buying...not because they were hiding it...actually mother had been looking for a home that was made of block rather than wheels. My dad is always fretting about bad weather and tornadoes and unfortunately this fall we have had more tornado warnings/watches than I care to remember. So, I can completely understand when your permanent residence is on wheels and made with kite material{despite how darn cute it is and all flamingo-ied out} that there are days you may not feel so safe. This being the case I am all for the 4.3 mile further distance they will be living from me!
Now they were just looking at homes and I should put looking in quotes because it was just a curiosity and with home prices being what they are... So, looking for a 55 + community close to our family where you own the land and it is cinder block structure- they are few and far between. Then Victoria gardens popped up in mother's searches. Much by happenstance, on their way back from one of mother's many shopping trips, they stopped in just to look...
They really liked it and they were shown one house in particular that the people that were to close on this month backed out. It is nearly complete and stunning. To boot, they were given such a huge reduction...it became a little evident they needed to give it a little more thought as a strong possibility. A few days later, they made arrangements to take me over and show me the house. I liked it alot and went over it with a fine tooth comb as I do not want my parents getting the shaft in anyway! The house is absolutely stunning in a gated, staffed community with amenities and a clubhouse that is to absolutely die for. The one pool is HUGE and stunning...however, they have access to the other two communities pools which are more "kid friendly" for when company comes. As we were being given the tour of the clubhouse and told about the activities and parties, the sweet sales lady told us that outside people are invited to the parties!!! Woohoo...we can go to!!!! I told her big mistake telling my parents that when I was there...now they can not escape me! hahaha However, this will be awesome so when my Aunt and Uncle are down they can participate in the activities with my parents! I might add, if you are reading this Uncle Gordy...you will want to live here too when you move down full time!
{Holy smokes this is turning into a long long story!}
So back to my side story....
so it is not as if they are hiding their actions from anyone...it is just the fact that it has been a snowball effect turning into an avalanche! They stumble on this goldmine of a deal, show me, I love it, mom goes to Cleveland, comes home, gets paperwork in order and is putting a contract on it today if all goes well. They get a killer mortgage rate as it is one of those end of year deal thingies! We have all gone over with a fine tooth comb, run the numbers, etc etc etc and looks like it is going forward.
Bottom line is folks...
there is an upgrade cable put out on the lanai right next to the outlet for the refrigerator...IT WAS MEANT TO BE! Oh and if that wasn't positive enough...they currently live on Abbottwoods Lane...they will be moving to Abbot Way. How cool is that!?!
Ok, now back to my main main main story, so I leave there and still do not want to go home alone on a Saturday...so I call Mike and tell him I am bringing the baby down to see his Grampy! Sure enough, I did and he was soooo sweet to his Grampy. He was in a dead sleep and awoke when I got him out. Grampy met us at the car and started talking to Jay, Jay immediately reached out to him to be held by him! How cool! Then Grampy went and showed him to his crew and then into the office they went and Jay sat on his lap for a few minutes before he realized he would rather be running around the office!
We go and head home because I wa shaving my parents over...or we may have been gong out to use our gift certificate to the outback. Big decision...we decided to go out. So when Michael got home and cleaned up we headed out to pick up my parents. We had a call ahead seating reservation for 6:30 pm. We arrived shortly before and the parking lot was SWAMPED...eeeeks! I let Michael off and I began through the parking lot wondering where we would park. Lo and behold as I drove a woman jumped in her car and pulled out right up front! WOO HOO! Our lucky day! We get in and it is so crowded. They told Mike could be 20 minutes. We were seated in less than 10! Wow! Now, I am not sure you are all familiar with the Ocala Outback story...but it ends up they cooked our steaks horribly...all absolutely burned and well done. NIGHTMARE...so we were given a gift card to come back and try again.
We all order tentatively and tell the waitress exactly how we want it to look and she told us how to order...
Things are going well, jay is eating everything in sight and having a ball. Our food comes and we all immediately check our steaks. Mine was done the least of the bunch...Dad's was completely well done, Michael's was almost the same and dry and mine so so. We have to ask for our waitress to come around after waiting about 10 mintues she gets there. We tell her our steaks were not done right. Tell her we are here on a gift card from the company because they screwed up the first time...she goes and gets her manager. She looks at our food tells dad she would have never eaten a bite of his, said to Michael you didnt even eat 1/4 of yours and to me she said that's not right either.
She tried to take it back and make us a new one...we were all almost done eating anyway, no thanks...she says how about this...can I get you some dessert to make up for it? Nah that's ok, well are you sure...I am not going to charge you so you might as well...she really pushed the peanut butter pie on us and we agreed to one. It was delicious! Well, then we assumed that our steaks would be taken off the bill and we waited and waited for them to come and bring us the check(mind you mother ordered ribs and they were delicious and perfect). They come back and I said may we have the bill and she said, there is no charge for anything, you do not have to pay.
That was not our goal or our intent...however, WOWZERS! Needless to say, the waitress got a huge tip from us!
We went from discussing how we would never eat there again to deciding when we would go and use up the gift certificate we still have and try the Outback in Daytona Beach. Taking bets on whether or not they can get the steak right. I have heard they are top notch there. I am hoping so!
So, to that story there is an end and no more side stories.
If you read through this whole thing...your name must be Peggy!
{I knew you would get a kick out of this story and it was written specifically for you!!!}