New Car!

Well, my last post talked about how we could now afford a car 'cause of the holiday bonus so we went out and bought one! We really didn't plan to get one so quickly, but when we were looking around yesterday we saw a deal we couldn't pass up.



It's a 2007 Mazda 6i (what the "i" means, I have no idea, but that's what he said it was!) It's got about 27k miles on it and it's in GREAT condition. That's not the picture of our actual car, but that's exactly what ours looks like, color, spoiler and all (cept it looks like there's a sun roof and ours doesn't have that). It was a rental before and it'd been sitting on the Michael Toyota lot since September so they were ready to get rid of it. It's got a 6 CD changer too. The best part about it though is that it changes back and forth between an automatic and manual transmission. We got the extended warranty cause I figure with our track record we will be really glad we did.

Maybe I'll actually get to drive it today, haha. Paul test drove it and the guy asked if I wanted to, but with my poor eyes (need to get my new prescription fixed) and it being night and a little foggy and all I didn't want to. Now we can get rid of the station wagon, yea! Merry (late) Christmas to us! Or just Happy New Year, whichever.

Yay for Holiday Bonuses!

Paul called me today, and I didn't get the phone call, so he left a message saying a needed to call him. He sounded a little agitated so I was bracing myself for bad news (a ticket or another bill--something like that). Turns out, it was GOOD news! He got his Holiday bonus (which I had basically forgotten about) and it was big! We can afford to buy a car now! Yay!

The conversation started out "Do you want to buy a car?"

And of course I said, "Uh, right now?"

"No, not right now, but soon. I got my bonus." And it was much bigger than either of us were anticipating. I'm very grateful for a responsible company who chose to forgo the big holiday party in L.A. (including the cost of putting everyone up in hotels and such) and instead spending the money on marketing because of the awful economy and holiday bonuses. Cause, let's face it, most of us would just rather have the money anyway, right?

We've been really good about saving money the last few months, but we spent a little more this month than usual and I was guilty feeling and wondering how we were ever going to give Keith any kind of Christmas (not to mention Paul's 30th [so it's kind of an important one] birthday). My only consolation was that I had all the month's bills paid by the 3rd of the month except one $40 bill due on the 30th. But, now I can afford to get him a birthday present, and we can afford to buy a car with a decent down payment (and without using the money we HAVE been saving, so we won't be totally broke) and maybe even buy a garage door opener or something, haha. I would just like to say, I have a very strong testimony of tithing! Just when I start to get crazy about money something happens to make me heave a sigh of relief and realize we're being taken care of.

The Christmas Survey

I opened up Becky's and thought, why not? Especially since my last 3 (or was it 4 now?) posts were pictures.

1. Do you like hot chocolate or egg nog?

I like both, though I don't usually drink my egg nog straight. I prefer to cut my egg nog with some milk to tone down the flavor. And I LOVE gourmet hot coco, mmm.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just put them under the tree?

Of course they're wrapped! What fun would it be if I could see them all??

3. Colored or white lights on the tree/house?

Depends on where they are. If they're on a house, I prefer white lights, or plain blue lights are nice too. But o I like colored lights cause they're just so pretty!

4. Traditional Christmas or contemporary/Mod Christmas?
I'm not entirely sure what a "contemporary" Christmas is, so I guess I'll have to go with traditional. I love the traditional music especially.

5. When do you put up your decorations?

As soon as I can! But certainly no later than the first weekend of December cause if I can't enjoy everything for at least 2 full weeks then it kind of feels like a waste of time and especially money (for the tree and stuff).

6. What is your favorite holiday dish?

I'm really not sure. I can't think of anything that stands out really. Is that sad?

7. What is your favorite holiday memory from your childhood?

I don't really have one. I didn't really like Christmas for a long time. I didn't dislike it, but I didn't love it either.

8. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?

Nope. We never did and I'm not sure how I feel about it. Course, you have to have enough gifts to have something to open Christmas Eve without giving up all of the Christmas fun, lol. And it could be a few years before we get there!

9. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?

Right now, it's pretty pathetic. There's pretty much nothing on it but lights and two different Fresno Temple ornaments. We have nothing.

10. Snow! Love it or dread it?

Neither. I don't love it, but we don't get it here so I certainly don't dread it. I did while I was in Idaho though cause they never plowed the roads in our town and I didn't like driving on the ice (or Paul having to drive on the ice everyday).

11. Do you remember your favorite gift?

I would have to say probably the Christmas that I got a bicycle. I was sick with the flu (like usual) and laying on the couch and there was a knock (or ring? or nothing? I'm not sure, it was a LONG time ago) at the door and my dad told me I should answer it and it was a bicycle! It was like something you see on a TV show. It was also my first bike and I've only had one other since then. I miss having a bike!

12. What is the most important thing about the holidays for you?

Having my family together, and keeping the spirit of Christmas in Christmas.

13. What is your favorite holiday dessert?

I really can't think of one. I like fudge, though we never made it in our house, and I love good homemade breads like Banana and Pumpkin.

14. What is your favorite holiday tradition?

I would have to say probably picking out/decorating the tree. I love the smell it brings into my house and I love how my house feels different the whole time it's up. There's just a different feeling in the air.

15. What tops your tree?

Nothing. We haven't gotten that far yet. This is the first year we've ever had a tree, so we don't have much to put on it, especially a topper. But eventually I'd like to get a star.

16. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving?

I like both, but definitely giving. I wish I had a little more money though cause this year I don't have enough to give to ANYBODY and it makes me sad. At least Keith will be able to open presents Christmas morning.

17. What is your favorite Christmas song?
"O Holy Night" for a religious song and "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" cause musically it's so much fun and really cool. Also love "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"

18. Candy canes?

Love them, but only at Christmas and only in small pieces. Plus, the tree doesn't look complete without them, which reminds me, I need to buy some!

19. Do you feel Christmas is too commercialized?

Uh, yeah! Who doesn't? Well, probably atheists, but other than that. Seriously, Christmas stuff comes out the day after Halloween (sometimes sooner). Give me a break!

20. What is your favorite Christmas movie?

A Charlie Brown Christmas and White Christmas

21. Can you ice skate?

It's been a very long time, but both times I went as a kid I did very well. I was even skating backwards before the day was over.

22. Are all your Christmas presents ready yet?

Nope. They're all in the mail for Keith, hopefully to be here soon, and I have to get a stocking together for Paul (since that's pretty much all we'll be doing). . .oh, and one for Keith, though he still needs a stocking first, haha.

If you'd like to do it, consider yourself tagged.

In the last 10 minutes. . .

So, while I was posting the other blog, I sent Keith to his room for not listening. You saw how he was dressed before. . .check out how he was dressed when I told him he could come out.

Siblings. . .aren't they cute??

Beautiful Sunny Day

It was a beautiful day outside yesterday so I took Keith out, left Alexa inside snoozing and we had some fun with his "Flintstones" car while I strapped on my roller blades.

He figured out that he could push the car up to the top of the driveway and just coast down.

Check out his feet. . .

You can't possibly look at this picture and not see how he looks like me, even just a little bit. =)

Aww, the funniness of little boys

Doesn't he look like some warrior/hunter guy with his lean little body, "loincloth" and tall boots? He just found my socks and pulled them all the way up to his knees, so funny.

Picture Update

New Christmas Traditions (and a TON of pictures!)

Paul and I decided to take Keith to Cobb Ranch yesterday to pick out a tree. What he failed to mention was that Cobb Ranch had lots of other fun stuff to do. Like a ride on an (OLD) fire truck, and a little animal zoo and the possibility of cutting down your own tree (though we weren't really in for that). If he HAD told me that I would've said "we better get some money out of the ATM then to have cash on hand" cause we don't usually carry cash. So, we got there and Keith wanted to ride the fire truck. . .which cost money. . .which we didn't have. . .let's just say it was a rocky start to the fun afternoon. Anywho, it turned out all right in the end and we had quite a good time. And by the end it was actually quite chilly; my hands were even really cold!

Paul says he was trying to get Keith's attention here but he was "pouting"; Paul doesn't know why.

Trying to pet the little goat.

Paul says he was petting the cow. . .nice huh.

And you may ask why I say "Paul says" on these. Where was I, you ask? Well, waiting in line for the fire truck ride of course! Keith REALLY enjoyed that!

Yes, Alexa is under those blankets in a baby carrier sleeping quite peacefully.

I wish this one weren't blurry. It's so cute.

Trying to find the best tree

Don't ask about the face. . .I don't know.

He was quite tired by the time we left. It was cold and we were there for a couple hours, and he hadn't had a nap.

It was quite a fun day and we've decided to make a family tradition. If I'd realized they had so much to do there I would've insisted we visit their pumpkin patch. Oh well, maybe next year!

Surprise!

Yesterday morning while I was talking to my hubby online he asked if I wanted to go see a movie. To which I replied, "sure." Then he said something about my mom saying she'd take the kids for us. I said "we're going to go all the way to Tulare for a movie?" But, in it's weird way it made sense anyway. His parents live across town, but we don't ask them to babysit much because they've been out of the "baby/toddler" phase for so long Keith usually ends up having an accident at their house or something. Plus, they just do things SO different from me.

Anyway, we left for Tulare and got to mom's house. As we were getting ready to leave for the movie mom asked us to take something to Rachel, who was at the Morris's (<-- is that proper?) house. I asked what she was doing over there and mom said she was helping to get ready for a baby shower for a chick in their ward who recently had her baby. So, off we went. I, not wanting to be late for the movie, called Rachel on the way to tell her to come out and get her bag. When we got there and Paul became adamant that I get out of the car to give her her bag, I FINALLY started to get an inkling of what was going on. It was a surprise baby shower for me! And I was truly surprised. I mean, obviously by the time I actually walked in the door I knew what was going on, but up until that point I had no clue.

My sisters Becky and Amanda decided to throw me a baby shower. It was so sweet of them! When Amanda found out what Paul had used to get me to Tulare she said "That's lame! He couldn't come up with anything better than that?" But honestly, it wasn't that weird a request to me, so I didn't suspect. It was slightly difficult since we were in Tulare Friday and then again Sunday. But I used to make that drive to Fresno every day and from a house way out on the south side, and in the country, of Tulare, so it wasn't a big deal to me! What's most impressive is that Paul kept the secret from me for 2 weeks (or so; . .I'm not sure when this all started)!

It was a great shower. Since Paul couldn't stall me, I got there before most of the guests, but it was still fun watching them come in since I had no idea who'd been invited. It was like one on-going surprise. I got some GREAT clothes for Alexa, and the best part: they weren't all pink! In fact, they weren't mostly pink. Not that I don't like pink, cause i do, but that's pretty much all I have right now! Everyone was so generous giving me 2 or 3 things each, and it was a great crowd. Becky and Amanda and Rachel did a good job on the guest list. What a great surprise! I have great sisters. It's kind of fun to all be having girls together. For once, there will be an outnumbered boy! Though, in the long run, the odds will still be in his favor. Oh well. =) Thanks girls!

16 Things

"Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 16 random things, facts, habits or goals about you. At the end choose 16 people to be tagged, including the person who tagged you."

Well, this will be quite an interesting list. . .that is, if I can even think of 16 things to put on it. Here it goes:

1. I'm super anal about little, dumb things, like my shoelaces. They have to be laced the same way on both shoes. And if the laces are those flat ones, they have to be completely flat (not twisted) all the way up my shoes. In fact, I will, from time to time, straighten them out of they become twisted from use. Sad, I know.

2. I thoroughly enjoy manual labor (YARDwork, that is). I love the feeling of using my muscles to get something accomplished, and I love being able to see exactly what I've done at the end of the day and feel good about what I've accomplished. Don't ask me why this doesn't spill over nearly as much to housework.

3. I have to have things done in order to enjoy whatever comes next. I know, that statement doesn't really make sense by itself, so let me explain. If I'm making myself a sandwich, before I can eat it I have to have everything I used to make it put away before I can really enjoy it without feeling rushed through it. Or, if we've gone shopping and grabbed dinner on the way home, before I can eat it and enjoy it I have to have everything brought in from out of the car and put away where it goes. Hmm. . .come to think of it, this mostly manifests itself when I'm trying to eat.

4. I am I woman, and I don't like kids. I LOVE my own more than I ever thought I could, but in general I'm not a big "kid person". I prefer to be with them when they can hold a semi-intelligent conversation with me without repeating something 10 times (in a row, lol) or getting distracted by a random story about nothing. However, if I do have to watch them or something, I prefer them in small groups because together, they're quite entertaining!

5. I LOVE LOVE LOVE to swim. It is one of my favorite things to do EVER. If I could swim all year round I would be one of the happiest people in the world. However, I MUCH prefer natural bodies of water for swimming in than a regular swimming pool. Most favorite to least favorite being a river, the ocean, a lake, THEN a pool.

6. I generally hate talking on the phone. Caller ID is one of the best/worst inventions ever. I will avoid it if I think it's not important, someone I don't want to talk to, or I think they will leave a message/I already know why they're calling. I prefer text message or messaging on the computer, though even that I can only do for so long before I really feel like I should be doing something else.

7. I have an obsessive goal to graduate college (I know, it doesn't seem like it). It is always somewhere in the back of my mind that I am not done with my schooling and I will never be happy until I have a degree in my hand. Even if it takes me until I'm 50 I WILL graduate college. I can't really relax and be completely happy in my life knowing that something is still undone. I don't mean to say that I'm unhappy with my life, I simply mean that I can't be completely comfortable being just a stay-at-home mom until I have a degree knowing that if I ever had to go to work to support my family/self, I could and make decent money. It is my only constant "nag" in life and I hate it!

8. I'm scared of snakes. . .seriously. I'm not so scared of them that I won't stand close to them or get anywhere near them, but ask me to hold one, no thank you! I have a deep, perhaps irrational fear, that I will get bit if I hold one. To me they are ticking time bombs, and I don't want to be the one holding the bomb when it goes off!

9. I like classical (baroque/classical/romantic/contemporary) music a lot less than you'd think a "musician" should/would. I don't really enjoy listening to classical music as background music. I'm either listening to it and analyzing it, taking it all in or I'm not interested. Rarely does a classical piece of music catch my ear and make me want to listen. I enjoy playing it all MUCH more than I enjoy listening to recordings of it. And of that, I mostly enjoy the Romantic genre, and put up with the rest (especially classical, gag), which leads me to. . .

10. Beethoven, yuck. I'm SO not a Beethoven fan, and apparently this puts me in a very small minority. My piano teacher once told me if you asked piano players who their 3 most influential/favorite composers were, 9 out of 10 would list Beethoven as one. Well, I guess I'm that 1 out of 10 that wouldn't list him. I don't enjoy Moonlight Sonata (at least that movement of the Sonata, the second one's pretty cool actually) or Fur Elise.

11. I have a deep desire to do a marathon someday, possibly even a triathlon. I know, this makes me crazy, right? I guess so, but I LOVE to challenge my limits physically (even though I know it doesn't look like it). I have a hard time getting motivated for straight, boring exercise, but once I'm going there's no stopping me. I WILL do a marathon someday, just so that I can say that I did. I may do one and decide it was the dumbest thing I ever did, but I will finish it to say that I did it.

12. I have a deep random fear of cancer. Don't ask my why; I don't know. And more specifically, I have a fear of contracting breast cancer. As far as I know, there is no history of this in my family anywhere. There is mild skin cancer that my grandpa is constantly having removed, but that's it, however I fear the disease for reasons unknown.

13. (This is getting really tough, but I did 12 pretty easily) I don't like driving at night. Because of my contacts, some bad experiences, and a couple other things, I avoid driving at night whenever I can. If it's a very well known route for me, or very well lit I don't have as much trouble, but basically I avoid driving at night and Paul usually drives after sundown.

14. I really enjoy singing. . .which I'm sure is not news to people. However, what would possibly be news to people is that I don't like to solo as much as I like to sing in a really good group. I would much rather sing in a great small ensemble than sing alone. I LOVE to make good harmonies and could listen to a good a Capella group (especially a barbershop style) all day. I love to make GOOD music and generally think that a group makes better music than a solo, at least more fun to listen to most of the time, which is probably why I gravitated toward the piano instead of staying solely with an instrument like the trumpet.

15. (Almost there, two to go!) I very much enjoy baking. I find it relaxing and fun to create something warm and yummy. Plus, everyone else loves the warm and gooey things you've made, and I love sharing it with other people. Plus, I just love to eat and definitely have a sweet tooth. . .which is why I DON'T bake as often as I THINK about baking.

16. I hate politics. I know we're encouraged to vote and be a part of the democratic process and all that jazz, but in general if I can avoid it I do. It all makes me rather angry, or annoyed or depressed, so I don't deal with it. And I hate debating politics even more especially since many of my positions are based on my religious beliefs, and those are basically impossible to explain to non-Christians, or people who don't really believe in religion as a way of life rather than just a feel good Sunday activity. Okay, so this is a lame one, but I was getting desperate!

Anyway, there they are. Maybe I surprised someone, but probably not. I'm not that interesting! lol.

P.S. If you read it, consider yourself tagged!