Summer (2009). So, not everything has gone as planned this summer. Ian and I had to break the "adventure jar" one too many times this summer.

First, was the car. The axle was no match against the I-287 in Westchester, New York's moon craters. Ian took our one and only car to the MB shop. We have affectionately named that the Oompa Loompa's (from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory). Well, that's what the place looks like. A big iron gate and a guard protecting the fine-tuned German engieneering. That MB workshop is also a Porsche, Audi and Lamborghini workshop. Side note: You have to go over the river and through the hood to get there. Anyway, we won't mention how much it costs to repair the ol MB. It's just too painful for words. One look at the bill and, "Bye bye Disney World." In fact, its worse than that.

Ok, so we had a huge storm this summer which knocked out the power and killed the old dryer. No, Homeowners' will not flip the bill, so don't even go there. Anyhow, we got a new dryer. Kaching. Kachang. The next day it went on sale and was $50 cheaper. Would they refund the difference? No.

So the long and short of this whinny little blog, is here we are another summer without a vacation. Or are we? Let's look back...

1. I have taken the boys to the beach almost everyday.
2. We went out to eat more this summer.
3. Ian took a few days off and we got some sleep.
4. A fun trip to the New York City's Guggenheim Museum to see some fabulous art. And Cafe Figaro's in Greenwich Village for a tasty treat.

So...Ok, we didn't make it to Hawaii. Yes, that would have been nice. But we did get to sleep past 9:00am a few days. And I'm so grateful we didn't have to camp out in a children's hospital. :)