My apologies for the lack of posts these last couple days. I lost a few days this week with the van hunt and other stuff, and now I'm working on catching up.
The van hunt was a work in progress, but once the van we had been using got the fuel leak - we had to speed up the process of the van hunt. Our goal was to find a good used van, but the person we had help us look wasn't finding one and said that they are few and far between these days. With my husband's work schedule these days and the other busy-ness that takes up so much of my time - we weren't able to adequately hunt on our own time.
In a pinch then without a van at all - we bit the bullet and agreed to go with a new 2012 model fresh off the lot. But my stomach hurt just thinking of it. It went against all of our debt-proof living goals, but we were to the point that I just couldn't seem to see a way around it.
So we lined up all the paperwork on a new one. I picked the color, I spent the day on the phone back and forth with the dealer, the bank, the dealer again, the bank again and on and on for hours. Finally, on my last phone call - a phone call to the insurance to fax proof of insurance ....
a used van turned up, not from the dealer but from a connection. (2005)
That's how close we were.
Scary close.
I hung up the phone with the insurance, and flew out the door to check out the van. Because I'm a girl - I checked out the color - nice, the clean factor - 10/10, coffee cup holders - check, foot room in the passenger seat - lots of leg room, and stow and go - what I wanted. Perfect!
I called up my husband and he took a look under the hood and kicked the tires and stuff later in the evening.
On Friday - it was ours.
Saturday I took the kids for a ride and I thanked my lucky stars that we didn't raise the bar too high for the next time.
Brian: Whoa! There's like hanger hooks to hang stuff!
Wendy: And there are chargers for our Nintendos!
Mark: I can hear the music back here! (the rear speakers had been long broken in our old van)
Brian: And this van has AIR TOO????
It's all that.
It it lasts one year - which is definitely should (knock on wood) - then we won financially - everything after a year will be bonus time.
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On Friday night I got a call that there was a balloon launch, but I was unable to attend (volleyball), but Allan was able to. It was his first time. He's hooked
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Blog hop tomorrow and a May Studio AE share on Tuesday.
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Today we went for a hike at the nature center - perfect day for it. I took lots of photos - scrapbook layout coming up later this week
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I was grateful that I didn't try to the Week in the Life this week as things got so busy. I actually missed my first day of my 366 project for 2012. I winced when I realized, but I'll move on.
I'm considering doing Week in the Life this coming week.
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Friday in preschool, the moms had to go in the back before class and have our hands painted and plunk them down on some purple construction paper for a project that the kids are working on.
When we came back later to pick up the kids - I got called out. I had to do mine over.
I failed preschool finger painting. True story.
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Be Good!
congrats on the van! Do I see a road trip to NY in the future???
Posted by: Deb Wisker | April 29, 2012 at 05:27 PM
AWESOME new wheels!!! I was wondering what you decided....ENJOY the air!
Posted by: Dale Anne Potter | April 29, 2012 at 06:53 PM
oh good for you! biting the bullet (and payment) for a new anything these days is hard...I totally miss our van - we had a Mercury Villager that we put almost 200,000 on!!
have a fabulous week!
Posted by: Mary Rogers | April 29, 2012 at 07:28 PM
Whew! As I read, I was totally into the buyer's remorse thing with you...and then wham it was over. Yaay for all of you. This is exciting.
Posted by: Barb | April 29, 2012 at 09:41 PM
Awesome to have wheels again!
Posted by: Amber | April 29, 2012 at 11:51 PM
LOL. Failed finger painting. Hope you are enjoying your new van! Exciting stuff.
Posted by: Mindijo | May 01, 2012 at 06:42 PM