Black Friday

Our car broke down last Saturday so we made an appointment to get it fixed at James Toyota today at 8 am. Probable cause: old belt that runs alternator. Estimated repair cost: $60-70. The plan is; Zach will take the 4Runner, and I will drive his parents' Bug. We will leave about the same time (7:30ish), and I will stop and give meds to a lady, while he continues. If he has any problems, I will catch up to him shortly.

-So I get up at 6:30 this morning to shower and get ready.
-At about 7:15 we realize I left the 4Runner key at his parents. We only have one, because the other broke. I leave to go get it.
-I come back, drop off the key and grab Austin. Before I can get out the door, Zach tells me the car won't start. Yay. (Its nearly 8)
-I go give the meds, stop at Schucks and buy jumper cables. Excuse me, "booster cables" as they say on the package. Since when?
-Back home. Austin is in the car with me, and getting cranky about being in the car seat while I run inside to get Zach, and we fiddle with the rigs.
-Jump start the 4Runner, let them both run, still connected, to help get the battery a bit more juice.
-Finally leave. Luckily we have no problems once we get going. Zach is far superior to me and doesn't forget not to use his blinkers. (I forgot once when this started and turned it on automatically. Luckily, it didn't die.)
-We roll into James Toyota at nearly 9 am. Not bad. We leave it running for them, let them know it's there and running, then we head to the stores.
-Have a fun day shopping until they call and say it's done. It wasn't the belt, just a bolt that was loose. When they tried to tighten it, it broke. They had to take the alternator off, replace the bolt, and then put it back on. Total costs: $135.36 ($120 for labor.) Ugh. $135 for a bolt.

Oh well, it wouldn't be automotive repair without an outrageous bill for nothing. And like we discussed, it was way easier than us trying to do it. And really, is $135 too much to save a marriage? I don't think so...

And on the up side, we got to go shopping and buy fun things for our trip to Peru!!

Twilight: The Movie

First of all, just let me say, it wasn't a bad movie. There were just some things that detracted from it in one way or another. Bella, for the most part, was not as much of a gushy girly girl as in the books, but she had her moments. Ok, it's bad enough when guys cheer when Star Wars begins, but I can handle that. The bazillion girls at the midnight showing screamed. And by screamed, I mean that "little girl at a Hannah Montana concert" scream. They screamed at the beginning, they screamed when Jacob Black came on screen, they tittered at this and that, and luckily, they were engrossed in the movie enough that by the time Edward showed up, I barely heard noise. Thank goodness. I was about to vomit. And the biggest detractor of the entire movie? (I say this easily because it happened the entire movie.) Robert Pattinson's (Edward) performance. He's supposed to be some smooth, suave guy that everyone wants. In reality he was a nerdy, "stumble over my words so I sound like Captain Kirk" guy. It never got better.I don't know whose decision it was for him to deliver his lines that way, but it was a bad one. So, yeah, I didn't like the movie. I didn't like the books either. All you Twilight fans are on your way to picket my house I'm sure, but hey, whatever. Oh yeah, and when he sparkled, he looked Stupid (with a capital S).

On a side note: When the celebrities had their premiere, the question "Bella" was asked most often, and I quote, "What's it like to like to kiss a vampire?" Uhh, vampires aren't real, and Robert certainly isn't really Edward. The closest you get to real vampires are people who think they are. You wanna find out what it's like to kiss one, go ahead. It will be like kissing a normal person, but you die at the end because they're psychotic.

Ok, enough ranting. I don't feel well, and my kid is running amok. But it had to be said.

Southern Cross Humanitarian

You probably don't know this, but in December Zach and I are headed to Peru with his family. We are doing a humanitarian mission with Southern Cross Humanitarian. They are the ones that own the Sunflower Home, if you've heard of it. I have added a button, a link, and here are a couple little tidbits on how you can help their cause without spending a dime. (That's the kind of support I can afford!)

Here is How to Make a HUGE Difference with No Cost to You!

Register your Albertsons Preferred Customer card with Southern Cross Humanitarian as your charity. By doing so, Albertsons will donate 1-3% of all your purchases to Southern Cross. Each person who uses their Preferred card on a regular basis contributes an average of $100 a year to Southern Cross.
All you need to do is email your name, address, phone# & Preferred Card#, to Ken@sxhu.org or complete the registration form on our website on our "How Can I Help" page.
This is a great service opportunity for high school & church youth groups as well as a qualifying Eagle Scout project: register people in front of a local Albertsons store - for more information contact Ken@sxhu.org.

Do you shop at Amazon, Ebay or iTunes?(Apple, Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, Expedia, Half.comMacy's, Overstock.com, Target, Travelocity)Use GoodSearch Shop these and many other websites through GoodSearch/GoodShop and they'll donate a % of your purchase to Southern Cross! Remember to go to Goodsearch first and they will give us a percentage of your purchase.
Bookmarking and using GoodSearch, an internet search engine powered by Yahoo, is a great no cost way to help Southern Cross! Just enter Southern Cross Humanitarian for your donation in the messages field and you're ready to search.

Click here to try Goodsearch

We are so excited for this trip and the opportunity to reach out and help those in need. Not to mention all the cool things we will get to see: Machu Pichu, the Reed City, and lots more!

Cleaning, Gotta Love It

So I spent all this morning cleaning, without seeming to accomplish anything. I did dishes (constantly), I mopped the floors, I even gave Austin a bath. Zach came home from Job 1 (construction) with really muddy shoes. Entry way mopping pointless. Then he needed two pairs of muddy shoes washed, so into the tub they went for "pre-cleaning." Bathroom mopping pointless. I diligently washed them (He said he was going to, but it would have been a day or two before he got to it I'm sure.) and let them soak, then rinsed again. Tub now disgusting. Then he didn't want the laces in when I washed them. He said to just toss them in the dryer with the shoes, so I dutifully pulled them out. I was going to wash them by hand, but then realized I was making more work for myself. Shoes, laces and muddy gloves went into the washer. Mopping utility pointless. Our washing machine is missing a leveler, so I have to sit on it during spin cycle, twice per load. Austin likes to sit with me too, and has recently taken to sitting on the dryer. Not bad, except he's been whiny this afternoon. So, that's my day so far. Cleaning for no reason at all.

As an added bonus, Austin threw up, and I found one of my shoe inserts ripped in half. (A pair of my shoes have this really funky insole so I cut foam pieces to fit inside when I worked at PSPT. It would cost $5 to get new foam and it's only about 1" x 2".) Ugh. Not a good day.

I Win!!

Update on the cat.

I got a spray bottle at the dollar store and set it to kill (straight shot, no spray). Finally, after weeks of waiting, my day had arrived...The cat was back today. I was on the computer and I heard the beginnings of a fight. I ran and got my "gun" from under the sink (dang child locks!!) and ran outside. One shot, direct hit, and the cat was on the run. I laughed and gave chase. It ran and hit the fence and I sprayed into the bush blindly. I could hear it scrambling, and I kept shooting. It finally got out and ran through a gap in the fence. Haha! Victory is mine you evil beast!!!!