Tom went alone so we didn’t have to drag the kids and he just texted me that they agreed to our minimum trade-in offer (they had to come up $500 from their original offer to match that). Tom also got them to halve the “reconditioning fee” but I still hate all those fees—the “online special” price magically becomes the original price they were asking after all the fees, etc.
The cons? Our payment doesn’t go down quite as much as we’d hoped (but anything is better than nothing), I’m not sure my new phone mount will fit anywhere (thanks to that huge nav screen), our insurance goes up by $26/year, and we have to put a hitch on (but at least it’s wired for one) but…YAY I have a new car!
Nothing like talking about it Thursday, test driving Friday, and bringing it home Saturday! Stay tuned for real pics once the weather stops being gray and rainy.
Friends were talking about getting new cars and other friends were talking about cars they were looking at and how much their cars were worth…so just for shits and giggles I researched my car. Kelly Blue Book approximated $25k-27k so that grabbed my attention because I knew our payoff was about $10k less. Now, it’s not that I don’t like my car…but I don’t love it (like we loved the Highlander) and I thought What could it hurt to look? Famous last words, right?? 🙂
I had a few cars in mind from friends’ recommendations, so when Tom came home I told him what I was thinking and he looked at me like I was completely nuts. By the time I was leaving for my PTO meeting an hour later, he was on board for some research and we agreed we’d take a quick look at Carmax tomorrow. By the time I got home from the PTO meeting, he told me we had two test drives scheduled (at two dealers) for the morning! 😯 Well well, look who was suddenly on board!
The reasons for wanting a new car were twofold—our current monthly payments are a little too expensive now that our cost of living is higher (our BAH—the money the government gives us for housing—paid for the house AND car in Jacksonville…here, it doesn’t even cover our rent) and we have realized we miss the AWD (especially with actual winter weather coming). So we just thought we’d see what we could find that might cut our monthly payment a bit while still giving us the size we need.
And then the reality sets in that to REALLY cut our monthly payment like we’d like, we’d have to spend about $10k less than we are looking at…and unfortunately I’m really used to the nicer touches of a little bit more expensive car. (When we were searching for this car, we looked at the Ford version of a similar size (I think the Traverse) and everything about it just felt cheap.) I also really really really don’t want a minivan. We don’t need seven actual seats but we do sometimes need six so when parents come to visit we don’t have to take two cars (critical in this traffic nightmare). And I like the space seven seats affords us with the last row folded down because we fill up the back A LOT (we’re not even carrying strollers and stuff anymore—I’m talking trips to Costco, IKEA, Target—all errands in one day type of thing—plus our road trips to Michigan). We use all that space very frequently.
I was 99% sure that there is not a new/different car in our future because we are not the people who just buy a new car on a whim (I kept my last car for 10 years and Tom has had his Prius for six years), but now we’re both thinking about it.
So…we did our test drives. I’ll skip the majority of the BS that goes along with that, other than to say we had Katie with us and she didn’t do too badly. She LOVED playing in the cars in the showroom while we waited and didn’t mind the test drives at all.
Katie: I want to start it up!
Mazda earned points for giving Katie a balloon—and boy did she love it!
After both test drives, we were pretty sure we were going to go ahead with the Mazda CX-9 if they could get us a bit closer on trade-in value. We liked the dealership and they’ve let us take the car home overnight to really test it out.
Most of the things I don’t like about it are minor (the auto liftgate isn’t quite as good, I don’t love the color (see below), it has navigation which I don’t want, it doesn’t have the backup warning beeps, the shifter pattern is WEIRD, and it doesn’t have the automatic three turn-signal-clicks with one press)…but the Bluetooth is nice, it has lots of pep, the third row seating is easier to get into, it has XM, and while it’s not as tall as my car, it still sits high enough to not feel like a car). The things I don’t like about it are things that my current car has spoiled me for over the past two years. It’s definitely a step down in luxury but not enough to be a deal-breaker.
Dolphin Gray Mica—meh. It totally reminds me of the color of our Birdie house—the siding was gray or blue or green depending on the lighting. At least this car doesn’t have shutters that try to match. 🙂
Owen has REALLY been looking forward to the cookout and I was excited because Tom would be home so we could ALL go to the pool together for the last time. It was definitely warm enough and it looked like the rain was going to hold off for a bit, so we headed down after Katie’s nap.
Now, let me preface this by saying that when we go to the pool, there are typically just a handful of people there. As in maybe 3-6 other kids AT MOST (with parents)—and most of the time, there’s less. And when Owen and I went this past Saturday (the last Saturday before the pool closed for the season) we were the ONLY two people there (four total if you count the two lifeguards). And by the time we left two hours later, the only other people there were two older couples! I was baffled.
So today we walked in and HOLY SHIT there were a lot of people. As in “Wow, I guess there really are people who live here.” As in “If it was this busy all the time we wouldn’t come nearly as much.” There were lots of older annoying kids who didn’t much care that they were running into people or splashing people or just being overall obnoxious (and of course their parents weren’t doing anything about it). I heard the lifeguards’ whistles more today than all the other days combined. It was extremely chaotic.
The super annoying thing was that we had nowhere to sit when we got there. I felt like we should really have our names on some seats because we were there ALL THE TIME. All these other people NEVER went but were taking up all the seats for the free food. Well, at least that’s what it felt like. Literally the only seats that were open were in the kiddie pool area. Which was fine…just annoying.
So Tom was swimming with the kids and I was chatting with the mom I had hoped to see there (with the son in Owen’s class). And then I saw another mom I’d met at the pool previously (the ones that are moving this December) so we chatted a bit. And then Katie was coming down the pool steps behind me and I turned to see Tom behind us as well (just having moved our stuff to a table that had become free) and he was saying “Katie! Katie!” at some other little blonde girl wondering why she wasn’t stopping to listen to him. Well, it turns out her parents were right in front of me and Tom obviously had the wrong kid, so we laughed about it and started chatting and WOW, fingers crossed, they might just be our new best friends here. We just really hit it off—they have a 2.5yo girl with another on the way, they’re military (army), and they just moved here in late June so they don’t know anyone, either! And we instantly hit it off (as opposed to the other people we’ve met who are NICE but I just didn’t feel that instant connection with). So much so that we invited them to come sit at our table with us!
And then! Tom was sure he recognized a guy sitting across the pool. I told him it was all him—I’d done my part meeting moms. 🙂 So it turns out it’s someone he went to TBS with back in the day…AND THEY LIVE ON OUR STREET!! Small world, right? So we might end up with some good friends yet!
So then we had a little more fun in the pool and then Katie wanted to go home so as Tom was getting her packed up, Owen also decided he wanted to go home. I think it was just too chaotic for him (which I totally get).
Papa happened to call right as we were walking in, so I Skyped them back so they got to watch Owen do a few jumps and watch Katie swim around.
He kept doing this and I finally asked what he was doing… You’ll never guess. He was trying to do a somersault! 🙂 I told him I’d help him when we were in the big pool!
Katie saw Owen holding his nose, so she was trying to do the same thing!
The kids she had been playing with in the kiddie pool were going home, so she was at the fence saying “Guys! Guys? Where are you going?”
He loves just floating like this.
If you didn’t know he liked to do it, it might freak you out because he looks…well…dead.
This is how Owen moves across the pool when he’s not actually swimming.
And then it was time for the special surprise! Not only was daddy at the pool with us…but we ordered pizza for dinner! Poolside! (Ever since Owen saw the signs and saw someone have pizza delivered, he’s wanted us to do it. Since the pool season is almost over, today was the day!)
She loves being tossed in the air…but can’t quite manage to count to three. 🙂
My turn with Katie. The video isn’t that great (meaning Katie doesn’t appear to be having that much fun) but she really was…and it’s rare for me to actually be in a picture or video with the kids. So here it is. 🙂
I finally got a video of Katie getting out of and back in the pool. However, she only did it once. The other day, she just kept going up the ladder then back into the pool—time after time after time.
And the bonus to the whole day? I started talking with a girl at the pool (she was there with a little girl who Katie was playing with in the kiddie pool) and long story short, she’s a babysitter and lives in the neighborhood! WOOHOO!
And the funniest thing of the day? While I was at the kiddie pool talking to the girl, Tom came over to tell me what Owen had just said. Tom said they had a race across the length of the pool and of course Tom won, but when Owen finished, Tom asked if he was tired or if he wanted to go talk to me. Owen’s response? NO! I’M PUMPED UP! LET’S GO! 🙂
This isn’t the best video of how great Katie swims but it’s something (I have one week left to get a good video). She has no fear and just kick-kick-kicks her little legs so cute and motors around the pool.
Her favorite thing to do, however, is to climb up the ladder (not the steps—the ladder on the other side of the pool), walk two steps to the pool edge, then get back in the pool by sitting on her butt, rolling onto her stomach, then sliding into the pool. I hope to get a video of that, too. 🙂
Owen has apparently taught himself how to swim by watching other kids and maybe taking a few small tips from me (though he never seems to care, he must be listening). He obviously does better when he’s not holding a gun in one of his hands but it’s still miles ahead of where he was just a few weeks ago.
I can’t wait to get them both lessons next summer.
Both kids also like playing with other kids. Two little girls were there and at break time (when the kids have to get out of the big pool) they were all in the kiddie pool. The girls started to leave and Katie piped up: “Guys! Guys?” Their mom told them the little girl wanted them to stay, so they did. 🙂 Later when they did leave, Katie said “Bye! See you soon!” 🙂 Later, Owen was over playing ball with the girls and Katie had to be right in the middle of it. 🙂
I wasn’t expecting to see this today in my Facebook feed—and it totally caught me off guard. I’m obviously happy, but it’s definitely bittersweet. I hate that we lost all the money we put into it (floors, deck, fence, shed, and stainless appliances), but am glad we were able to short sell fairly easily without losing more.
It’s no secret to anyone that I didn’t love the house (that damn kitchen!) and it’s obvious it wasn’t going to be our forever home…but we still had six years worth of memories there—pre- and post-kids—and it’s a little sad to think it’s really gone. But then, I am an emotional sap…
Owen locked Katie in his bedroom (technically accidentally but kind of on purpose because he was playing) and—SURPRISE!!—we don’t have a key to open it. None of the generic tools I found were working, our landlord didn’t have a key either, none of the neighbors we knew were home, and the hinges and knob screws were on the inside of the door (so I couldn’t remove them). Oh, and Tom is 1000 miles away.
Cue subdued panic for about 30 minutes while I texted Tom, texted the landlord, visited the neighbors, hunted for the tools, etc.
I finally jimmied it open…and now his knob is reversed, too. Is 9:30 too early for a drink?
Oh! The best part? All Owen was concerned with (if we didn’t get the door open) was he wouldn’t be able to sleep in his bed tonight.
The roof is leaking into the garage. With the torrential rains we had yesterday we had small puddles in the garage, the drywall tape is completely peeling away from the ceiling, and Tom could see mold (which means this isn’t a new problem). It can’t be good.
The landlord came out today and I’m guessing we’ll likely have to have the garage torn up eventually.
Lucky us, eh? I’m not sure where all our stuff is going to go so they can work on it.
But the good news is at least he’s not ignoring it!
We started in the backyard but it’s SO steep that it really taxed the car battery—and it’s SO narrow that it really taxed Owen’s driving skills. And consequently my patience. 😐
So we headed to the front.
But if they’re not actively moving forward they’re rolling backward and even on the low speed they can get going pretty fast downhill. I don’t trust him not to go off the sidewalk (even accidentally) and hit a car or mailbox so I let him go downhill on the side of the street but it was still nerve wracking and I walked in front of the car the whole way.
Heading up on the sidewalk.
Heading down in the street.
It looks less intense than it really is:
Heading up the somewhat flat sidewalk along the main drag.
I’m not sure if we’ll be keeping the car or getting rid of it. I had high hopes of being able to use it here but it’s just SO SO STEEP. So of course I’m feeling super guilty about it again. 🙁
We’ve been going to the pool every afternoon with our guests. Today was the first day I remembered my camera. Owen and Katie have both gotten MUCH more comfortable in the pool…
Katie had borrowed another girl’s toys but the girl eventually wanted them back. This is what happened.
Ruth and TJ taught Owen how to blow in one end of the noodle to spit water out the other end.
Katie likes to float on a noodle now, too.
And try to climb up on it.
I wanted Owen to show me a big jump like he’s been doing but I just got this little one.
Katie has started saying “Oh yeah! Oh yeah!” (from Despicable Me) and she was doing it in the pool.
I loved the idea of this cabinet, but I had no idea what I was going to put there because I’ve never had cupboards like that (they’ve always been regular cabinets with no glass).
This isn’t quite done yet (I might end up hanging our anniversary plate on the wall, which would allow me to put all the cookbooks in that middle right section) but for now it’s good.
Tom and I disagreed about how many curtains to put up. I wanted to reuse our two orange panels (I like the orange and it would save money) and didn’t think we needed to cover the door (thinking it would look like we had two windows instead of a window and an unusable door). We’re not worried about blocking anyone’s view or really even keeping the sun out—it was more just to add color. Tom wanted three panels to cover all glass openings. And…??! We ended up with what I wanted…but installed a long curtain rod over the double door so we can always add more curtains if we change our minds.
Of course the room still isn’t quite done—the mantle still needs to be filled and artwork decided on…
The weather was nice so Tom and I sat out at our slanted table for the very first time! I tried to get a good picture to show just how slanted it is but none of them do it justice.
The community pool has two “night swims” a month where they open the pool from 8-10 (it normally closes at 8), turn the pool lights on, and serve ice cream for the kids. It would be past Owen’s bedtime, but I knew he’d love it—and I knew Tom would enjoy taking him, so I strongly suggested they go. 🙂
This was our exchange:
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I’m pretty sure he didn’t really talk to anyone (ask names or anything) but it’s so cute that he calls everyone his friend and he’s so excited! Tom said he was REALLY glad he went and loved watching Owen. And they’re both eagerly awaiting the next night swim in two weeks. 🙂
So we were at the pool again today and Owen was having a blast in the big pool (though he typically still wants to start in the kiddie pool). There were a few kids playing around and one had water guns and diving rings—which he noticed IMMEDIATELY so of course he zeroed in on him and wanted to play with the gun. I told him he had to ask—which he did. And they played for a bit. Then we went back to the kiddie pool for a bit (for 10 minutes every hour, kids have to leave the pool and it’s adults only—so we just go to the kiddie pool because they’re still young enough). And while we were in there, the kid with the guns/rings came in saying “My dad said I should come meet you.” 🙂 So I had them introduce themselves and then I asked a few questions—his name is Eli and he’ll be in first grade. It was so cute watching them together.
Then it was time to go back in the big pool and they had a blast throwing and chasing the rings. Eli is quite a good swimmer and Owen started mimicking him—it was hilarious! He pushes off into the water like he knows what he’s doing and he kicks his feet…but his arms just flail madly and he doesn’t really go anywhere but he’s trying so hard and he’s having so much fun and he excitedly says “I’M SWIMMING!” 🙂 So then Eli’s dad came over to the edge of the pool (where I was with Katie) and introduced himself and we chatted for a few minutes (he’s familiar with Michigan—his family had a cabin around Grand Rapids). So the kids got along and Eli let Owen borrow two rings when they were leaving. I said we’d be back at the same time the next day!
