Lots of updates!

Wow this last month has been a lot of fun!  I have also learned some important lessons.

As Dan and I prepared for our tax refund to come, we talked about what we needed to use it for, house, cars, ext.  As we prayed about it we really felt like we should get a newer van then we had.

So after much research and talking about what we wanted, we did some looking and we were able to pay cash for a 2002 Honda Odyssey.  I love this mini-van and it has been wonderful!  We saved so much money that we were able to replace our broken dishwasher and get a new microwave for over the stove.  These have all been a blessing to us.  This experience taught me that if we want something we can have it and not get into debt.  A few days later we sold our old mini-van to a couple that really needed it and we were able to buy their extra car so that we had two cars.  We again paid cash and even though it has a few issues, it was things we could work with.  Dan still takes the bus to work, but on the days he has to drive, I will still have a car at home to use and his Sunday and Tuesday meetings at church will be easier as I don't have to drive him and then come home and then go back (he is one of the ward clerks).  The smaller car gets better gas miles which we are happy about.

I feel like a rich women because we were able to buy 2 cars, a new dishwasher and a new microwave all with cash within 5 days.  Now we are broke, but we don't have car payments so that is good.

I learned I had to make some sacrifices, but in the end I still ended up with what I wanted and what I needed!

Our New Mini Van.  2002 Honda Odyssey The kids are loving the power sliding doors.

I am loving the bigger trunk space.

2000 Grand Am

New Microwave~ I choose black because I am hoping to change all of my appliances to black some day.

new dishwasher

Slice of Life #19 - "Get Into My Car"

The year is 1993 and I was 15 when I started to learn to drive my dad would take me to large empty parking lots and have me practice on a Sunday afternoons.  We would use his car which was a Pontiac but I don't remember what model.  And then as it got closer to getting my license we used the Nissan mini-van that we owned.  Of course a month before I got my licences they sold the mini-van and got a large blue suburban.  Which I drove a lot.

But the month before I was to turn 16 in 1994, My grandfather had some health issues and gave up his drivers license.  That summer, my sister and I moved in my my grandparents, since my parents were moving into a small 3 bedroom apartment and with 6 girls it just wasn't going to work.  So I got to drive grandpa's car.  He had  a 1984 Century.

In Oct 1994 I was in a car accident that wasn't my fault and totalled the car.  He then bought this 1986 Ford Taurse with all the bells and wistels.  I drove that until I left on my mission and while I was gone it died.

When I got home from my mission I bought my first car.  A 1999 Toyota Corolla.  I loved that car!  Of course I had driven Corollas on my mission.  We sold this car in Jan 2009, just before the twins were born because we couldn't fit 4 kids in it.  We bought a 1998 Dodge Caravan.  And it is alright to drive, not my favorite.

 What  I would really like to drive is a 8 passenger Toyota Sienna.  I love the space in that thing.  One day  That is my dream car right now. And someday that may change.

We own a 1994 Honda Civic and I have never driven it.  Dan got it when he got home from his mission in 1994.  It is still running good and he plans to drive  it until it dies.  The reason I have never driven it, is I have never learned to drive a stick.  My dad bought his first stick in about 15 years when I bought my Corolla.  So I never learned, as I had my car and never needed to borrow Dad's car.  And with 4 kids under the age of 5 it is hard to get out and have Dan teach me.  Maybe someday we can still do it.

If you like to read other fun stories or join us and share your own please feel free to join us at Slice of Life.