Out with the old and in with the new...

If this comes as a big surprise to anyone, don't worry, it was to us too. I should probably explain. We have had my car for the last 6 1/2 years. I bought it from my grandparents a couple of months before Creighton and I got married, and it has been a great car. However it is an older car, with 230,00 miles on it and we knew it wouldn't last forever, but we'd decided to drive it into the ground for the most part. And over the last two years we have put some money into it. Not too much, but it was getting close--we wanted to be able to use the car and then sell it before we started losing too much on it. (Sorry, this is a long explanation). Over the winter the heater wasn't working great, and so I would take a blanket with me when I went to the gym at the crack of dawn, and Creighton did let me start parking in the garage (his card had a nicer paint job and was newer so he had the garage before), so it wasn't too bad. Then at the end of May when it finally started to warm up I went to use the air conditioning and discovered that it wasn't working. I was pretty bugged because we had payed last summer to get a valve ring fixed and get it recharged. So we took it in to see what was up and they told us that the air conditiong compressor had gone out and it was going to cost $1100.00. Now this was after we had just spent a chunk of money getting the muffler replaced so it could pass inspection.
Well after looking into other shops (learning that we had been paying too much money the last 2-3 years) and finding that it could be done for about $1000.00 instead (yeah so much cheaper), we realized we had two options. Fix it and keep using it, or get a new car. So we have debated for the last 2 months almost and came to the conclusion that we were going to get a new car. Now what we didn't know was how fast it was going to be.
I talked with a friend of mine whose husband sells used cars and he told us to come on down and he would give us a deal if he could get us what we wanted. We also spent a few weeks looking on the Internet to see what deals we could get there. When we went in to see the guy, he showed us a car and told us to look around. Creighton and I instantly thought that the car would be too much and so we looked at others. When we went back in to talk to him and he told us the price we were so excited. So we took it for a test drive, I called my dad and he looked up some stuff on the internet to help us compare the prices better and we realized that it was a definite deal--plus he was going to take our car as is and give us a little for it--not much, but really not too bad of a offer, especially when considering all of the work we were going to have to put into the car to get it ready.
Well we went home that night and talked about it and did some more looking and decided that it was a great deal and that we really wanted the car. So the next morning I called him up, and that night we brought home a new car!!! Well, 2006, but new to us. Now the only problem is that Creighton wants to drive my car everywhere, and has even taken it to work!! Oh well, I'm glad he likes it. And I am so excited to know that I don't have to drive the rest of the summer without air conditioning, and our poor baby won't have to suffer either in the heat, or cold :)



Here is the old car. I have to say, and maybe it's because I'm pregnant and hormonal, but it was a little sad giving this car away. We have had it during our entire marriage, and I've driven it for so long. We just have a lot of memories involving this car, but I'm sure we'll make many more in the new one.


Here are some pictures of the new car--all taken by Creighton. He's Mr. photographer, and so he kept trying out all of these different shots!! Anyway, it's a 2006 Honda Accord, with great miles, tan leather seats, and it is soooo clean. We love it, I'm just afraid to drive it and do something to ruin it. I'm one of those people who likes to leave Christmas gifts unused and unwashed for a while so they still feel like a gift, I know I'm a weirdo!!

7 Month Update, and a couple of pictures of the view from my house in Cali...

This is a picture of the patio my parents put in before my wedding reception. It is my favorite thing to go sit out there and eat breakfast and read--when it's not 100 + degrees outside :)

Here is a picture of the view from the back patio. Isn't it great. It's really beautiful at night when the lights are on in the city. I just love it, love it, love it!

Ok, now the the 7 month pictures. Please ignore the ugly smile, I promise I really was smiling, but I don't know what happened. Anyway, as of today I am 31 weeks and 2 days--which is just a smidge over 7 months. So I have less than 2 months to go now. And I promise I really am growing. I feel tighter and tighter everyday. And no, it's not unbearable, but really, just not enjoyable. All and all, I am feeling pretty good. I have noticed that my feet have started to swell a little by the end of the day here, I'm sure it doesn't help that it is so stinkin' hot! But I can still wear shoes, so I know I haven't got it too bad yet, give me another month, and then maybe it'll be there :)


I guess that's it for now. When I get back home I am going to post some pictures of the great travel system (stroller/car seat) that my parents bought us, and hopefully the bedding we ordered will have come (and be the right thing) and I can put some pictures of that up too. We are going to be looking at getting the furniture for the nursery and getting the room ready in the next few weeks too. When that is done, then I will have some more fun pictures to post--yeah! Hope you all had a good 4th of July!!

My Week in California!!!

So last Monday I left Utah to go home for a visit! My mom had planned a great shower for me that was going to be on Tuesday. Here are just a couple of pictures from the shower. I got to see so many great friends and family members. It was so nice and tons of fun :) I got some wonderful gifts too. Everyone was so kind and generous, it was amazing!!


Then later on in the week for the 4th of July my mom and I canned blackberry jam, from the berries grown in my parents' garden. We made 4 batches which made about 24 pints of jam!! I can't wait for them to come up this September and bring me some :) (The pictures of the jam are farther down because we hadn't showered and gotten ready for the day yet, so my mom said no to the pictures until later!!
After making jam we made homemade ice cream and then drove to the beach to visit my grandma and grandpa. The live on a hill that over looks 3-4 other cities and their fireworks, so we get to see a great show whenever we go there. It wasn't foggy at all and so we saw tons of fireworks and they were beautiful. I tried to take a couple of pictures with my mom's camera, but we were too far away, and I'm not the best photographer, so here is what you get. Sorry if all you see is black--I promise, it really was beautiful!

Here are the pictures of the jam. You can't quite see all of the jars, but you get the idea. My mom is with me in the bottom picture. It took quite a lot of convincing to get her to be in the picture with me, but I think it turned out cute:) I love you mom!!!!!

So that's been my week in a nut shell. I've been helping my dad on little projects here and there, but mostly just really enjoying my parents. They are so great to me and it just amazes me how much they love me. I don't know what I'd do without them. Thanks for the great week mom and dad!!