Monsoon Season Strikes Again....

So, you know how I was talking about all that rain we've been having and the little pitter-patter that I was hearing dripping from the ceiling?? Well that has officially turned into a giant whooshing and gushing sound in our sunroom! We are flooding like crazy and of course it has to hit it's worst point in the middle of the night. Last night Zach got up randomly to check on Aubrey and I casually asked him to check on the buckets in the sunroom because a HUGE amount of rain was forecasted and I did not have a good feeling about it. Sure enough I hear a very panicked "JEN!!!" and go running to find that EVERYTHING was soaked. Now this would be bad normally with random furniture, etc. but the sunroom just happens to be Zach's office....with all his papers.... and the laptop.... and printer.... needless to say he was NOT pleased and a little more than worried at this point. To make a long story, well, long it seems, we were up from 3am until 6 just trying to clean up, set up buckets(which we had to steal from the neighbors.... good thing they're friends) and figure out where to put all the wet stuff and the dry stuff to keep it safe. Not to mention trying to fall back asleep after that.

Best part is, they are forecasting ridiculous amounts of rain again and predicting some of the worst flooding in NJ history.... oh did I mention that the landlord didn't fix anything when he came this morning just cleaned out a drain and called it good........ awesome.

What the office looked like the morning after we did the quick clean out in the middle of the night.

Set up for night.

Aubrey insists on wearing my rain boots!

(isn't she the cutest?!)

Cleaning....ummmm, no thanks.

So I'm sitting here during Aubrey's nap, staring at four laundry(heaping, might I add) baskets of clothes that need folding, dusty...well...everything, floors that need vacuuming/washing and dishes in the sink and I have absolutely ZERO desire to do any of it! Why is it that when you have the most to do you have the least desire to do any of it? I decided that at this moment it was crucial that I do a blog entry even though I have nothing really to write about. Well, that's procrastination at it's finest, isn't it?!

It's raining outside, the kind of rain we normally get on the west coast and our wonderful (please note the sarcasm), generally forgetful, landlord decided that the leaks in our house(five of them in various places) are not something that he needs to come back and fix. So I sit amidst buckets, tupperware and pretty much anything that I can find to catch the drips. Did I mention that we live in a multi-family home and we have the MIDDLE apartment?!? How are there leaks you ask? Well, the place above us is vacant and given the super construction of this home and the quality roof fix(that was apparently "just fixed"), we are getting second hand leaks from the upstairs. I don't even what to know what it looks like up there. They joys of living in a place with "charm";) But to be honest, we shouldn't complain because a lot of other people in this area have homes under water or are with out power.

Zach doing another crazy rotation, commuting to Queens this time and well, that means he's MIA during the week. Just me and the Aub-meist.... it's fun, but draining at the same time. It's hard when Zach gets home at 8, on a good night, and he's tired and not pleased that he hasn't seen her and I'm tired from being at home all day....with no car either! It's just taking some adjusting(we have 6 more weeks of it). Luckily, before this random monsoon season set in, we had some amazing weather. Aubrey and I and our friends downstairs went out for walks and wanderings almost every day. Spring is here and I'm so pleased! This is the time of year when not having a second car doesn't bother me because we live a half hour walk from Montclair center. Did I mention that Montclair has an Anthropologie and an Urban Outfitters?!? Enough said!

I guess that will be all of my ramblings for now. I'll leave you with some shots of my helper that I'm thinking of enlisting after she gets up from her nap.....

Life lately...

So, I'm not going to even talk about how long it's been since I've posted. I'm just going to pretend that I've been keeping up with it and I'm not going to give any excuses(mainly because there aren't any;)).

Life's been moving along in our neck of the woods. We went to Canada for Christmas and Aubrey and I stayed on for two weeks after Zach left and I'm pretty sure that might have almost killed him! He and Aubrey are so close these days and that time apart was hard on both of them(and me too!). So I'm not sure if we can do a long stint apart like that again.

Zach just got back from a week in Grenada. He went because he and a few other guys won a research competition with the school and they got to go down during the faculty meetings and present their papers....all expenses paid! Not too shabby. I do actually wish that I could have gone(*gasp*!!! Who knew I'd want to go back already?? Not me), I'm ready for warmer weather(not to live in forever, but in a vacation situation) and would have loved the time with him. This winter has just seemed so long and I miss my perma-tan!

Aubrey is doing great these days, growing like crazy and slowly getting some hair;) She's talking a mile a minute and it's actually making sense. She's saying unassisted please and thank you's and it just warms my heart! She's on a kick where she is praying for everyone and everything and it is so cute. She shuts her eyes really tight, folds her hands and says, for example, "Pray, Dada, work, amen."! So cute, but most of the time her prayers consist of Barney, Calliou, Elmo and going on walks.... you know, the really important things in life! They always start with "pray" and end in "amen". She loves going for walks, playing with her dolls, and reading-mainly her Curious George books. She's become quite the ham and loves to make Zach and I laugh. She's just a great little kid who is so easy going(perfect for me when Zach is gone for a week!).

Well, here are some pictures from the last few months....

Aubrey and Asher were inseparable while we were in Canada!

Helping Grammie(as she calls her now) in the kitchen.

Playing with uncle Gord.

Astrid and I finally convinced my parents to go out for breakfast!

Kliewer family at my parents 40th wedding dinner! (Zach and Noah are missing in the picture...well Noah's feet are between mine and Taylor's, but that's a long story!)

All the grandkids together for Christmas!

14 in all(so far)!

Astrid and I went to Vancouver for a night with Aniya!

(left Aubrey with Grammie and Jacob and Asher with Oma and Opa)

Back in NJ and playing in the snow after a massive blizzard.

Just a cute shot!

Splashing in puddles while out on a walk with Dada

We had a warm day on Monday and decided to go for a walk. We didn't even have to bring our parkas!

Trying to carry a stick bigger than she is:)