What is it about...

...New Years and our sump pump?

This was the second time in our six years of marriage that we've had problems with our sump pump working on New Years Eve or Day. There just seems to be an almost predictable weather thaw-out around the new year that melts the snow and brings on the rain. Read: lots of water sitting around our house.

The last time our sump pump failed us was five years ago, I think, and we walked down to the basement to find 2-3" of water covering the whole floor. Thankfully we didn't have kids yet, because that was a heck of a lot harder to clean up. And we've since taken extra caution and preventative steps to prevent another flood.

This time, we came down just in time to find the crock filled to the brim and Craig just manually lifted the float thing. But after draining completely, it continued to run and then stopped all together, refusing to work entirely. Sophie happened to be taking a rare morning nap again and Will was entertaining himself in the living room. So I called Wes to ask if he'd sit with Will while I continuously sucked water out of the crock using the shop vac and dumped it into the utility sink in the basement. Repeat.

Meanwhile, Craig made a speedy trip to the store to buy a new pump and pipe to replace the old. Upon his return, I helped him make the switcharoo (which was a lovely task, by the way) and we were good to go. Thank goodness for no flooding this time. I think whatever Craig did the last time helped prevent flooding in the future because we have been lucky on MANY occasions when other houses in the neighborhood have flooded with excessive rain/snow melting, etc and we have not.

Okay, add to that awesome morning:

1) both kids had a fever, cough and runny nose

2) Will threw up at lunch time

3) our house was still a disaster with Christmas loot everywhere

What a day!

And what a way to kick off 2011, huh?

Things to be thankful for on January 1st:

1) we got the tree down, decorations & gifts put away

2) we have a brand new sump pump

3) Motrin & Tylenol

4) Sophie's almost 3 hour nap in the morning and another 2 in the afternoon! (whoa!)

5) the mad cleaning spree that left our sweet, little house in very nice-looking (and smelling!) order

6) an evening with friends over and kids sleeping in which dinner was brought to US!

Ah, well. You'll have days like that when you're a homeowner and a parent. We'll take the good with the bad and just be thankful it wasn't worse.