Lots of Randomness

I haven't been on here for a while. My computer has been being held ransom after work hours by my adoring husband - a phenomenom that happens every time he needs to buy something. So, today, my poor computer has been released because we've finally replaced the Subaru.

If any of you have any experience shopping for used cars, you know what a horror that is. If any of you have experience shopping for used cars with four boys in tow...well...let's just say that if you don't - don't try. It takes a whole night to look at a car, because nothing is close in location. So by the time you drive to Spokane or Athol or Deer Park or wherever, you've wasted a bunch a gas, and you have to buy dinner and hang out at the McDonald's playground to reward the kids for their time in the car - though we won't say anything about their "behavior."

But when you are like us -buying used, on a low budget, your options are limited, and you find yourself in some interesting situations. "Yeah, its a deer magnet. We've hit a few." "Did I say I hated to let it go? I meant I bought it at an auction last week to make a quick buck." "Yeah, it's a great, clean rig. (except for the part where we saudered in new little square pannels because the locks were busted)."






SO ANYWAY...I'm really glad to have this done and over with. We have let go of the Subaru Wagon that noone around here ever really fell in love with and replaced it with an older model Honda Passport. Now we find ourselves with two '99 vehicles that both need some identical work, and it would be great if we could find some places that offered 2 for 1 tire sets, 2 for 1 wiper motors, 2 for 1 windshields, etc. Oh, such is the life! But we feel very blessed as God totally protected us from ourselves by giving us that uneasy feeling before we almost purchased another vehicle. We bought this one from Christians, and the guy told Bill that he'd had it for sale for two weeks (we never saw it listed until yesterday). He said he'd had lots of calls and a few come look at it, but just didn't feel like pushing it. Today, when Bill called, he felt like God was saying to do whatever he could to help us get this "rig." (Sorry, it is Idaho for vehicle). He took much less than he was asking, and we believe we got a good "rig."


In other news:

• It is still cold!! It has snowed almost every day this week - then the sun might come out later. Maybe.


• The boys all went to the dentist today. Their teeth all look terrible, and I told them before they left (certain I wouldn't have to honor it) that I thought I was going to start giving cash for "no cavity" dentist visits. Would you believe three of them were cavity free??!! Did I say "cash"? Umm....well, let me think about it a bit. (grimace.)


• I hit a spectacular sale at Albertson's last week. It was 3 boxes of Kellogg's cereal for $5, and if you bought 7 boxes, you got 3 gallons of free milk. So I got 21 boxes of cereal, 9 gallons of milk, oatmeal, flax meal, and something else all for about $36!! I came home and quickly dumped it all in the hallway and asked the boys to help put the cereal in the cold cellar for me because I had to get to work. I went to the cellar later to get something, and this is what I found. Thanks guys!

• We now have pictures of the cyst from Bill's leg. I won't post them, as some may really not care to be exposed, but let me know if you want to see. Mwahhaaa!


• Ian has now turned 7, and we had a very fun dress up party. His friends came as any character they wanted, and we made a movie. We had, ahead of time, edited a photo to turn Ian into the Hulk and had it put on his cake. This is the first time EVER I've not made my kids' cake. But with Bill's surgery the same weekend, I gave myself an out.

Click here for a cute little slideshow of all of our "characters."

• We got to hear baby Brandel's heartbeat this week!!! and I've gotten to shop with maternity clothes for Michelle. It is so fun to see her in maternity clothes! Bill tried to buy some little girl's socks at Old Navy the other night...just in hopes!
• I'm so glad to be walking again. It is amazing how every winter I'm ready to move downtown and have neighbors, and as it warms up, and I can walk....I never want to leave this place. As I ventured out for my first walk and God-talk for the season, I saw a tree, with a heart scraped into the bark. I grinned and thought about how even nature shows their love for God, but on my last pass by it, I heard God say to me, "No, you don't understand. I had that done for you this winter. Welcome back!"