That is what I kept telling Jason...we paid off our van loan with part of our tax return and I knew that meant something would break on it. Isn't that always the way? As soon as you pay something off, it breaks. Or, as soon as you get some money built up in savings, something major happens and wipes your savings back out. It's like, Murphey's Law or something!
To be fair, we have been having a little trouble with the van for several months now...but it just started getting worse and worse. Let me set the scene for you:
Yesterday, we drove to Granite to have lunch with Jason's mom and his grandparents. We weren't intending on a long visit, just chat at lunch, hit a real-sized Walmart for groceries and head home. If only it were that easy...after lunch, the van wouldn't start. I don't mean a problem with the engine or anything like that (thankfully). The key just will not turn. At. All. Same problem as usual...but, usually we can get it to turn after some serious jiggling. Nope. Nada.
Jason calls a friend who is a tow truck driver (Ugh, I'm already thinking about THAT bill...) But luckily, this nice man told us a little trick to try. His oldest daughter used to have the same van, and apparently Chrysler makes bad ignitions. The trick works and we are able to drive the van to the local repair shop (Jason's entire family all uses the same place, so it was kind of lucky that this happened while nearby!)
This little adventure turned our "Short and Sweet" lunch trip into a whole day ordeal. We sat around for a few hours at Jason's parent's house with the whole family, which was nice. But Jason apparently wasn't planning to stay for dinner, so I asked WHY we were still there...we still needed to get to Walmart and hopefully make it home at a decent hour. That didn't happen either. We made it to Walmart around 6, and Emilia did pretty well for being hungry and missing lots of her nap...then the drive home and Emilia was in bed by 9:30! We have been getting her to bed by 8, most nights...
We are still waiting to hear how much this will cost us, but Jason thinks it will be rather pricey...to fix it they have to take off the steering wheel and something else just to get to the spot to look at it. So, Jason just gave them a list of a few other things that we wanted to have checked out anyway...I have a bad feeling! (Don't we always when dropping a vehicle off for work...it's never cheap!)
Moral of the Story: Don't ever pay anything off unless you're ready to have it break down! (O:
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
First and LAST time...
Several weeks ago, my (now ex) co-worker told me about some great deals JC Penney had online. And seeing as I still had a $25 gift card from our work Christmas party, I thought maybe I could find something to spend it on. I found a couple items for me (cute white top, plain white tank top undershirt, AWESOME pink polka dot robe) and even found an awesome deal on some clearance bedding. I ended up spending well over my $25, but I thought they were all worthy items (the robe was for fun, but I've been wanting one forever and this one is adorable!!).
So, I waited....and waited....and checked the tracking information....and waited. Finally, yesterday I called because the tracking info hadn't been updated since April 16th. I know I live in the boonies now with only a PO Box for an address, but come on people! That bedding is for our guest room and who knows when I may have a guest "stop by" (HAHA). The nice man told me something about just cancelling my order and reordering/reshipping. Something about the order being considered lost bc the tracking was never updated. OK, fine. These things happen, and I'm not in any *real* hurry.
Later that day, Jason went to check out mail. He came back with a "Item too big for mailbox" slip, but couldn't pick up whatever it was because the Post Office was closed for lunch. (Yes, we are that small...I'm very glad we actually HAVE a Post Office, but they only have one employee, so you better get there before 11:30 or after 1:00) I went by later in the afternoon to pick up whatever was waiting (I assumed something from Ebay)...but it was a box. Too big for Ebay, but not big enough for my bedding...so now I'm confused.
I get it home and open it. It is EVERY single item I ordered EXCEPT the bedding. There were a bunch of papers in there too...something about there was a loose mailing label floating around without a package and a package without any mailing instructions, so they had to figure it out. My packing slip was still with the items, so I assume that's how they solved that mystery. Everything was marked off except my bedding. And another slip said to contact my Post Master if any items were unaccounted for. Great. (Side note, the box also had the wrong PO Box number on it and a special little note from my postal worker, Sue, asking to please inform my sender of the correct number to avoid possible return of package in the future...apparently she runs into this a lot because it was a preprinted note. AND, my packing slip HAD the right number...whoever matched my items to my mailing label wrote the wrong number down! I just hate looking stupid.)
So, what do I do first? Now I have to call JC Penney Back Again and explain this fiasco. I also have to talk to Sue and find out what to do about the bedding part of the whole ordeal. I guess I'll talk to Sue when I get our mail this morning and go from there. But come on! All this for some bedding?? Ugh.
But hey! At least it's something to blog about (haha, I'm so boring still!)
Hope your day is less annoying than mine. (O:
So, I waited....and waited....and checked the tracking information....and waited. Finally, yesterday I called because the tracking info hadn't been updated since April 16th. I know I live in the boonies now with only a PO Box for an address, but come on people! That bedding is for our guest room and who knows when I may have a guest "stop by" (HAHA). The nice man told me something about just cancelling my order and reordering/reshipping. Something about the order being considered lost bc the tracking was never updated. OK, fine. These things happen, and I'm not in any *real* hurry.
Later that day, Jason went to check out mail. He came back with a "Item too big for mailbox" slip, but couldn't pick up whatever it was because the Post Office was closed for lunch. (Yes, we are that small...I'm very glad we actually HAVE a Post Office, but they only have one employee, so you better get there before 11:30 or after 1:00) I went by later in the afternoon to pick up whatever was waiting (I assumed something from Ebay)...but it was a box. Too big for Ebay, but not big enough for my bedding...so now I'm confused.
I get it home and open it. It is EVERY single item I ordered EXCEPT the bedding. There were a bunch of papers in there too...something about there was a loose mailing label floating around without a package and a package without any mailing instructions, so they had to figure it out. My packing slip was still with the items, so I assume that's how they solved that mystery. Everything was marked off except my bedding. And another slip said to contact my Post Master if any items were unaccounted for. Great. (Side note, the box also had the wrong PO Box number on it and a special little note from my postal worker, Sue, asking to please inform my sender of the correct number to avoid possible return of package in the future...apparently she runs into this a lot because it was a preprinted note. AND, my packing slip HAD the right number...whoever matched my items to my mailing label wrote the wrong number down! I just hate looking stupid.)
So, what do I do first? Now I have to call JC Penney Back Again and explain this fiasco. I also have to talk to Sue and find out what to do about the bedding part of the whole ordeal. I guess I'll talk to Sue when I get our mail this morning and go from there. But come on! All this for some bedding?? Ugh.
But hey! At least it's something to blog about (haha, I'm so boring still!)
Hope your day is less annoying than mine. (O:
Monday, April 26, 2010
Not quite settled...
Hello friends! (And Woah! Hello new friends, I'm glad to see you here. Please introduce yourself, I would love to meet ya!) (O:
I know I've been completely silent for almost a week...and I am sorry. I'm still working on balancing stay-at-home-Momma duties with wifey duties and unpacking, organizing, living, eating, showering, and me time (somewhere in there!) But, I don't feel nearly as overwhelmed as I did last week...and I haven't cried any(more). Only once last week.
I think I didn't prepare myself enough for how vastly different my life out here in the country would be. Yes, I knew it would be different, but how can one understand HOW different when this world is completely opposite of everything I once considered normal?? I really do like it here and I am starting to work through missing all the comforts of my old "home".
One perk- more lists! We have a little notepad up on our fridge once again...because there is no "running to the store" anymore. Each trip needs to be planned and made the most of. So, we keep a running list of things we need- groceries, Emilia-proofing items, a new iron, etc. That way, when we head into Town to The Walmart, we *hopefully* won't forget anything. The trick is to REMEMBER THE LIST...we have already forgotten it twice I think when going to The Walmart. Oh well, it just gives me a chance to look forward to getting out again relatively soon. (O:
Oh, and I now make a daily trip to the Post Office...where I've already had one package returned to sender because it was made out to my Real First Name and my Maiden Last Name...whoopsie! Probably should have warned the Post Office Lady about my E-Bay addiction and the fact that I still haven't changed it over to my married name...but Come on! E-Bay wants you to send them a copy of your marriage certificate and fill out some form...Seriously?? I don't really find that necessary when everyone else will do it without. So, I'll just be a pain in everyone's side. Haha.
Well, like I said- I'm boring right now. I am sorry for wasting your time on this post...I promise to make my next post one of substance and with at least a somewhat coherent thought process...but until then, Good Night! (O:
I know I've been completely silent for almost a week...and I am sorry. I'm still working on balancing stay-at-home-Momma duties with wifey duties and unpacking, organizing, living, eating, showering, and me time (somewhere in there!) But, I don't feel nearly as overwhelmed as I did last week...and I haven't cried any(more). Only once last week.
I think I didn't prepare myself enough for how vastly different my life out here in the country would be. Yes, I knew it would be different, but how can one understand HOW different when this world is completely opposite of everything I once considered normal?? I really do like it here and I am starting to work through missing all the comforts of my old "home".
One perk- more lists! We have a little notepad up on our fridge once again...because there is no "running to the store" anymore. Each trip needs to be planned and made the most of. So, we keep a running list of things we need- groceries, Emilia-proofing items, a new iron, etc. That way, when we head into Town to The Walmart, we *hopefully* won't forget anything. The trick is to REMEMBER THE LIST...we have already forgotten it twice I think when going to The Walmart. Oh well, it just gives me a chance to look forward to getting out again relatively soon. (O:
Oh, and I now make a daily trip to the Post Office...where I've already had one package returned to sender because it was made out to my Real First Name and my Maiden Last Name...whoopsie! Probably should have warned the Post Office Lady about my E-Bay addiction and the fact that I still haven't changed it over to my married name...but Come on! E-Bay wants you to send them a copy of your marriage certificate and fill out some form...Seriously?? I don't really find that necessary when everyone else will do it without. So, I'll just be a pain in everyone's side. Haha.
Well, like I said- I'm boring right now. I am sorry for wasting your time on this post...I promise to make my next post one of substance and with at least a somewhat coherent thought process...but until then, Good Night! (O:
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