Car-scapades

Cars.  Cars.  Cars.  Cars.

James and I both have long, trusting relationships with our cars.  He had his Toyota and I had my Honda, each of us for much longer than we've known each other.  I took really good care of my car before I got married, and then James has taken care of it since then.  We have, however, had a series of significant (and some unfortunate) car events in the last 6 months.  Here they are:

September - We bought a new car.  Against our inner Dave Ramsey's we took out a loan for the vehicle.  We paid a good portion down and are quickly paying it off, but nonetheless, we don't exactly "own" it yet.  It fits us better, is much more comfortable, and is a great family car.  In the event of an emergency, however, it means that we refuse to take out a loan on anything else (except our houses, of course).

January - We sold the Toyota to Jarrell and Whytnee.  They needed a car.  We had an extra.  It worked out well.

End of February - During one of the last super icy snow storms, James got rear-ended in the Honda (along with a Granite District Police Officer) by an uninsured teenage driver, driving his Grandma's car.  Molly, Jack, and I drove past the accident on the way to school that morning.  The kids mother misled police that she DID have insurance and then stopped answering calls from the insurance company all together.

March - It's been a long month of trying to figure out what to do with the Honda.  Because it was an uninsured motorist and we had liability only on our trusty car with 220,000 miles, it was just been slow.  For a couple of weeks afterwards, it still ran fine.  James duct taped the rear end and pounded it out a little.  (It looked great . . .  um no.)  He continued driving it, even in it's terrible state.

Finally, we heard word from the insurance company that the car was officially totaled.  We had a few options, but after weighing them all we decided to get rid of the Honda.  Sniff.  Sniff.

If we kept it, the estimate for the rear end repair was quite high, plus it is going to need a new clutch soon.  Both of those items would add up.  In addition, as much as we hated to admit that it was totaled, the insurance company's amount they would give us was actually more than we figured we'd be able to get by selling it (pre-accident).

It took us a few days, lots of time on the internet, the help of both sets of grandparents tending kids, and some major evaluation and then re-evaluation of the family finances to see exactly what we could spend . . . but James found a new car he liked and we bought it.

It is a 2002 Hyundai Sonata.  It is a little older, but in excellent condition.  The previous owner had taken it to the dealership we bought it from for years and there were accurate service records of all of its maintenance.  We saw it before it had been detailed and it was exceptionally clean.  That was a plus!  It also has brand new tires and relatively low miles for an older car.

We filled out all the paper work on Saturday, but it still needed to be cleaned and have new brakes put on.  We went back on Monday to give them a check and pick it up.
 

The Honda is still sitting in the garage.  The insurance company sent us the wrong paperwork to fill out and we're waiting on that, I guess, before they come pick it up.  James has driven the Honda a few more times int the last week or so and said it it starting to make super loud noises.  This morning he drove it to Lowes and said that that the heater wouldn't work. I guess it is time to pull the plug on it.  It has led a good life.  

Ahhhhhhh!

It's 4:30 in the morning.  Jack woke up and just went back to sleep.  Rather than going back to bed, I decided to do some school work that I didn't get done last night.  I started by checking my e-mail.

I know I'm a nerd (and this video is really stupid), but the musical stars have aligned and I am sooooo excited (while I sit in the office with the door closed so the light doesn't wake anyone up.)

This just made my year!  (Not that things were bad or anything, but how cool is this?!!)

9 month stats

Jack and I went to the doctor on Thursday for his 9 month check up.

Here are his stats:

Weight: 21 lbs 15 oz. (71%)

Height: 29.25 inches (80%)

Head: 46.25 cm. (75%)

Though he's had a cold for just about ever, his lungs sounded clear and his ears looked great.  His skin is splotchy with eczema and Dr. Havlik recommended a new lotion to try called Vanicream.  Physically, he is great!

Developmentally, he is doing great, also.  He can pass something from one hand to another.  He can use a pincer grasp to pick up things.  He responds to his name.  He can pull himself up to standing.  He crawls.  He babbles.  

The only two questions the doctor asked that I couldn't answer right were 1) can he clap his hands together and 2) can he get your attention or point if there is something he wants.  For the first question, I think I answered yes, but then realized that he doesn't really clap.  We've never really worked on that and no, I don't think I've seen him do it.  Molly did it all the time at this age, but not Jack.  We'll work on it.

The second question was interesting because it made me think how independent and resourceful this little boy is even at 9 months.  If he's trapped somewhere, like in his bed or in his highchair, then yes, he'll make a lot of noise to get our attention.  But, when he is free to roam about the cabin, he is bound and determined to figure things out for himself.  He'll pull himself up, push things out of the way, reach as far as he can, and just do about whatever he can to get what he wants, very quietly and focused.  It will be interesting to see how this trait characterizes him as he gets older.

What else does Jack do at 9 months.  He babbles and interrupts Molly and I when we are talking in the car. It's like he needs to get his comments in.  He sometimes yells, "ohhhhhhhh," when Molly starts singing in the car (like he wants to join in with that, too.)  He can say, "uh oh,"  "mamamama," and can wave bye-bye, but not generally on command.  

He never holds still.  He wiggles on your lap, bonks his head 7 times a day, insists on holding his own bottle, picks up any small object he can find and puts it in his mouth, loves to follow his sister around, thinks sitting under a table is really cool, and loves to smile and be tickled. 

He hates his nose being wiped.  He squirms like crazy during a diaper change unless you can give him something new and exciting to hold on to for a couple of minutes.  He loves the bath tub and can make a bigger splash mess and with less water than his sister.  He's even screamed the last couple of times I've taken him out of the tub.  He pulls his socks off in the car.  Shoes are a lost cause except on Sunday when I insist he wears them.  

That's about it.  He's just a cute, happy, determined little boy!  We love you!

Molly & Emily

Thursday was "Princess Day" at Molly's school.  It was honestly the best day every for getting Molly ready for school.  She got to wear her Belle dress that Annie gave her for Christmas and she got to wear her Rapunzel t-shirt underneath it.  She was in heaven and we had 100% cooperation to get ready for school.  It's too bad that everyday is not as exciting in the morning as Princess Day was.

Molly's best friend at school is Emily.  Emily's mom sent me these pictures (and an old one of Halloween).

The other day on the way home from school, Molly and I had this conversation:

Molly:  Mom, today during outside time I had to go to the bathroom.
Me:  Oh.  Did you tell Mr. Matt or Ms. Sarah and go in and go.
Molly:  No, I just told Emily.
Me:  You mean you told Ms. Emily?
Molly:  No, I just told little Emily.  We were playing in the wood chips.
Me:  Oh.  Did you go inside to the bathroom and go.
Molly:  No, I just told Emily.

I have no idea what the end result of this conversation was, but there was no sign of an accident that day . . . crazy children.!

Handsome and Ready for Church