Long Time

Hey!! Remember me?! LOL. Its been a while, I know, but its been crazy busy around here!

Last week, the kids were away visiting with their grandparents and cousin (who was also visiting because her mommy had surgery the week before last), and while they were gone, Kyle and I buckled down and got some 'home-work' projects done. Our goal this summer was to get the deck and fence repainted, and last week we finally got it done! Wow, a fresh coat (times 2) of paint has made a dramatic difference. We've also learned that what seemed like a dark stain for the fence is actually fairly light, and doesn't make as much of an aesthetic punch as we would like. It does, however, coordinate nicely with our house!

The other major goal while the kids were gone, was to clean out my flower bed so that I can start fresh next spring with what I would like in there. There was a hot, tangled mess of ferns, bleeding hearts and ivy (I think) growing in there, and just looked hideous. I didn't like it at all. So, now my plan is to start fresh! I've been using Pinterest to research plants I might like to plant there; now I just need to head down to the nurseries and gardens in our area, and pick green thumb brains for what likes to grow best in our kind of soil, and in mostly shaded areas that get late afternoon sun. They must.be.perennials. No annuals for this girl!!

Now that they've come home, they're both really sick with colds. Poor Maren is so sick, she sounds like a little old lady with severe emphysema. She hardly has a voice! They both have congested coughs, and have had such violent coughing fits, its made them throw up. Not very fun. We went to the doctor yesterday, and got amoxycillan for Maren, and prednisone for both the kids. Our sleep last night wasn't perfect, but it was MUCH better than Monday nights' sleep. I was up all.night. with Maren. No sleep at all for this mama, and barely a nap the next day for all three of us girls. I'm glad the meds have kicked in and we're starting to climb out of this hole! (If only it would cure the fussiness that comes along with it LOL).

And now, for what I'm sure has been utter suspense for all of you- the surprise that I've been sitting on for a couple of weeks. Truth be told, I'd like to keep it a secret a little longer, because the final touches aren't done yet, but it'll be a month when everything is finally said and done. And, I don't have the patience to wait that long.

So, as many of you know, Kyle and I lived in the trailer for the first few years of our relationship- dating and married. Then, we lived in it again when we moved back to Alberta, before we bought our house. I've mentioned before, that Addison referred to it as her 'first home' when we cleaned it out for the last time and tried to sell it.

We've been trying for a few years to rid ourselves of the thing. It served its purpose, especially for Kyle. But, we kind of out grew it. In many ways, it out grew us, too. Kyle's pick up wasn't beefy enough to haul it around, and with a family of four (and newborns), we weren't doing much camping in it. It became a burden and a huge waste of our money.

For a long time, I tried convincing Kyle to just bring it to a consigner and have them sell it on our behalf. We weren't having any luck AT ALL on our own, selling it privately. Anywhere. We tried everything. Finally, Kyle came to the conclusion that he needed to do something with it, so he brought it to the consigner, hoping that maybe we could trade it in on something that was more useful for us. No go. He did leave it there, and the consigner promised us it would be sold within the month. That was near the end of- or the beginning of- July and August.

He was true to his word. The trailer DID sell. Hallelujah!!

In the mean time, Kyle's been driving an absolute LEMON around for the last few years. The diesel, after we moved it to Saskatchewan, wouldn't heat up for him over the winter, and by the time we came back here, it began dying on a daily basis- even over the summer, when it should work with no problem. Nearly every day, he either jump-started it or took the Yukon to work (if he was particularly irked with it). Funny thing was, most days it was gone, I never even noticed. Even if I went outside to take the garbage out. Shows you how observant I can be!

He's put a lot of money into the diesel to keep it running, and finally got to the point where it just wasn't worth putting money into anymore.

We concluded that we would be able to afford a new vehicle AS LONG AS the trailer sold. He deserved a new vehicle- he's never had a new one (new- used).

During this ENTIRE time, I was trying to convince Kyle that we couldn't afford the Yukon. We never should have bought it, in the first place. A good chunk of his pay check, every month, was going to paying for it- both for our loan and for insurance. Not to mention fuel. All the negatives aside, it also served its purpose. Winters in Saskatchewan are incredibly harsh, and we needed a solid, reliable vehicle to keep the kids and I safe- not to mention a vehicle big enough to accommodate a family of four, with a dog that rode around everywhere with us, a dual stroller that was ginormous, and all the groceries I would need to bring home with me when we ventured out to Estevan (one hour away). We.needed.it.

When we decided that Kyle needed a new vehicle, it became apparent that we wouldn't be able to afford two new vehicles (a new one for him, and our Yukon). I told Kyle we should trade in the Yukon and we could both get what we wanted- for probably the same amount of money. He didn't think that would fly, for what was still left owing on the Yukon. I told him he would never know unless he looked into it.

Bless his heart, he finally did, and happily it worked in our favour. To make a long story short, we were able to buy two new vehicles because the trailer sold. If it hadn't sold, it wouldn't have worked out. We are indeed a blessed family!!

One last picture of the Yukon. Its actually on the sales lot in Edmonton in this picture, and they'd already detailed it by the time I got this picture of it (sadly, the few small changes they made to Yukie make it look so.much.better!!) They put a bug deflector on the front of the truck, and swapped out the stock black door handles for chrome ones. It looks fierce!!

SO, this is how the story went down. On our last trip into Edmonton, we had a wedding to go to, and I had a hair appointment Friday afternoon. After my appointment, Kyle asked me what we should do until my parents were off from work (we were meeting at their place for supper). I told him it wouldn't hurt to waste time and just go and check out this one particular dealership (I suggested City Ford to him because it always seems like they've got such great deals and sales on. Those living in Edmonton know how annoying the commercials can be LOL. If we didn't find anything there, I was going to suggest Wetaskiwin). It isn't all that far from my parents place, either.

We drove through the used car lot, and suffered immense anxiety by all the vultures, I mean sales men, standing around in the parking lot. He decided to call them up and complain about it, and the man that manages the place, hooked us up with his son (who must be like the assistant manager). When we told him we had our kids with us, he told us to stop in anyways- they've got a park indoors for the kids to play while their parents shop.

While I sat inside with the kids, Kyle browsed and came in after a short period of time. Either time had gotten away from me, or there was nothing that caught his attention (which wouldn't have been bad). In fact, it was the opposite. His truck, which is pictured above, is a Ford Lariat, which is like the top of the line before you get into the luxury type trucks- your Denali's, Navigators, Lincolns, etc. It was everything and more he could have dreamed about having in his next vehicle. For a reasonable amount of money. His was an easy sell.

Me, on the other hand, I hummed and hawed over my car for a while. I knew what I wanted, and I wasn't going to take no for an answer. Unfortunately, it didn't go the way I planned. I had my heart set on a Focus or Fiesta- in that pretty metallic green- or, in this powder blue (metallic, I think) colour (I had seen it on their website a few days prior). By the time we got there, it had sold. Boo. Our salesman suggested the Fusion to me, and I wasn't interested. Until it became apparent that Kyle wouldn't be able to fit into either vehicle. They are too small, and he's too big. LOL. Darn! Although, I asked him if that would really be a big deal. It isn't like we'll be taking my car on any road trips we might take. That'll be for the pick up. (But, now that we know how fuel efficient my car is, that's not quite right).

So, alright, I took a Fusion for a test drive. I really liked the way it drove, but I wasn't sold on the colour. I could choose from either silver or grey. By that time, we needed to meet up with my parents, so we told the salesman we would be back later that evening. (To finalize the deal on Kyle's truck). At this point, I was still really on the fence, and actually leaning more towards NO, I don't want it.

When we came back, I took it for another spin (the silver one), and kept humming and hawing over it. But, instead of pining over what I wanted, I began thinking I wasn't sure I liked the colour. I've always liked charcoal (grey- it was one of our wedding colours, after all, and is now the permanent colour of our bedroom- has been for as long as we've been married), so I inquired about the grey one they had on the lot.

R, our salesman, thought it had sold while we were out having supper.

Bummer. 

But, oh well. All that meant was that I would keep looking for something that I would be happy with.

He (R) ran inside to double check, and came back with wonderful news. No, it wasn't sold, and it was a step above the car I had test-driven. Basically, all that meant was a different wheel package and a sun roof. I took it for a drive, and I was sold. LOVE. IT. What I love about it: KYLE.FITS.IN.IT!!!! And, he's COMFORTABLE in it, and he says he DOESN'T MIND RIDING IN IT!!!! (And, and...this is purely aesthetic and superficial, but the cup-holder between the front seats lights up. You can choose between 6 different colours). Its a pretty pimped out little car.

Bonus! He hated riding in my little Cavalier. (Pre-wedding and twinlets). I always told him that he shouldn't write cars off, because they've changed so much since I had that little Cavalier. I hate to be one of those 'I told you so' types of people, but I told you so. About a few things. {Insert grin here}

How can we afford two brand new vehicles, you're asking?

That's the best part of this whole deal. The whole thing would have been off if we had to pay more (or too much more) than we were already paying on the Yukon. (Kyle paid cash for the diesel). We are paying only $14 more TOTAL than what we were on the Yukon. That was about $1000/month on just one vehicle. Can you say SCORE??!

Fueling up for me, now, is only $40 (and it'll last forever, because the kids and I don't go out much), and the rest of what I paid in fuel (for the Yukon) is going to Kyle's pick up (which is about $100). I know. It was sucking us dry. So, even though we aren't saving money, I think its being put to better use now. And, I feel MUCH.BETTER about that.

So, are you wondering about the 'final touches' I alluded to at the top of my post?

I was only going to buy this car if they installed a remote starter for me (which they did- and free of charge), and a rear spoiler. Even though we'll pay for the rear spoiler, they are installing it for me, though that won't happen until we are in Edmonton next, which will be at the end of the month (the 21st). It should have been done when the remote starter was installed, but it wasn't.

Because men are sometimes dunces.

Basically.

(By the way, you can see the diesel in the picture above of my car).

What has everyone else been up two the last two weeks?