Misadventures in Car Shopping...

You may (or may not) have noticed that I have been a little absent with my blogging.  Nobody's fault but mine.  I have been a little overwhelmed, and have been feeling less than creative.  Blogging is something I enjoy, though, so, I'm coming back.  At least a little.

Over the last few weeks in October, my husband and I decide we would try our hand at downsizing our gas-guzzling car.  Also, we were experiencing intermittent non-starting with my lovely '09 car.  The issue was more that the car maker did not know what was wrong with the car, than just the starting problems.  And, because Tony is a mechanic (Automotive Technician - sorry babe), he was checking out what consumers were saying about this particular issue.  It seemed that this issue was happening to lots of people who were spending big bucks to fix it on guesses from the Dealers.  These guesses were not panning out.

So, we decided to start looking at cars.  One Saturday, we checked out the Chevy Cruze Eco, the Toyota Camry and Corolla, the Nissan Rogue, and the Honda Civic and Accord.  The Thursday after that, we found ourselves at Mazda checking out the Mazda 3.  This is where the trouble began.

Side story - at Toyota, they wanted to check our trade in.  I asked the salesman, "You know how girls won't shave their legs before a first date to make sure that their naked legs are not seen?  That's what we did with my car.  It's not ready for you to see it yet."  He just gave me a weird look.  I don't think we connected.

Back to the story at hand, that Saturday, my girls were troopers!  We were out and about ALL DAY LONG, and into the evening with car shopping.  However, by Thursday, they were done with this. 

After searching the Mazda lot, we came inside and started looking at the showroom.  This could barely be called a showroom.  There were 2 cars, with desks circling them.  While running around, Mia tripped and went headfirst into the door of the Mazda 3 in the showroom.  Thankfully, neither the car nor the head were dented.

The salesman brought a car around for us to test drive.  As we were talking to him, the girls got in the back.  Olivia leaned across the back seat to close Mia's door when Mia SCREAMED!  Olivia had closed the door on her fingers!  Tony and the salesmen BOLTED to the other side of the car and let her free.  She was ok, her hands barely in the door.  So, now, we had two tired kids, one injured and one feeling bad about what she did to her sister, both were crying.

After we left, we had a clear front-runner, the Chevy Cruze.  42 mpg, cute, roomy enough for the family, manual transmission.  We set up a sitter for the following Saturday and went back out to Chevy.

When we got there, they had just sold the only Eco they had on the lot.  Of course, they did.  So, we decide to go look at another cruze.  Tony could test drive and look under the hood.

We went out to the car and the salesman followed with the key.  The hood is up, and Tony is in front of the car, I'm on the passenger side, both are looking under the hood.  The salesman turns on the car, then takes his foot off the clutch.  The brake was not on.  The car lurched.

There is a car on my foot.  There is a CAR on my FOOT!  THERE IS A CAR ON MY FOOT!!!  I yelled.  Then, the car lurched again, and there was no longer a car on my foot.

The salesman came running out to see if Tony was ok.  Tony was hit twice, in his knees, which haven't been doing so well lately.  Again, and thankfully, we are ok, just a little bruised.

We soldiered on.  We took the test drive.  We started working on a deal.   They took our car for a drive, because we were going to trade it in.  They come back to us and offer $10,000 for our car.  Um, no.  It's worth $13,000 on the trade.  To make a long story short, they wanted us to take another 5-year loan, paying more a month than we do on my car currently.  My car is not a compact car, but is an SUV.  My car has a video entertainment system.  My car has satellite radio, a back up camera and foldable third row of seats.  My car stickered at $28,000 when we bought it.  The Cruze?  Stickered at $20,000.  But hey - we should pay MORE a month for the little car, than my car - with the SAME loan term.  Ummm...no.

We did not buy the car.

What did we learn?  When people start getting injured, you still can't get a deal.

Household happenings...

I thought I'd provide a family update for all of you.

The last week of October, Tony was in PA for work mandated schooling.  Yay, me!  One whole week of uninterrupted fun with my kids!! *are you picking up the sarcasm?*

Anywho, on Tuesday, Olivia needed to take a shower.  When I told her this, she asked what day it was.  Tuesday.  I don't have to take a shower today, she said.  I said yes, you do.

No, Mom.  My paper says I don't have to take a shower today.

What paper?

This is not a mommy approved paper.  I reasoned that she hadn't taken a shower on Monday, and needed a shower by Tuesday.  Eventually, she took a shower.

The next time she had to shower was Thursday.  She went upstairs and was quiet and I forgot about her.  Eventually, I noticed that it was too quiet and I hadn't heard the shower.  I go upstairs and find her asleep, still in her clothes, under the covers in bed.

The next morning, I tell her that we are going to be watching movies Friday night while she has to take a shower because of her stunt the night before.  This is upsetting to her.  Apparently, she is so moved by her emotions that she cannot talk.  While she is supposed to be getting dressed, I walk in on her writing this note.

When she sees me looking, she stops.  I grab the note and read it.

No, we are not going to wait for you.

Crying ensues and eventually, we get to school and the day goes on.  The minute we walked inside that night, she was up the stairs and in the shower.  However, due to her lack of hair washing abilities, I had to send her back to the shower two more times.  Eventually, she came down, somewhat cleaner and still super moody.

I jokingly say that Olivia is a ball of emotions, wrapped in a blanket of emotion, under a parka of emotion.  She is constantly overwhelmed emotionally and is crying.  I have to work hard not to lose my patience and get her to talk because, she generally won't talk to me when she gets like that.

Here's Olivia - 7 going on 15.

Here is a picture of Mia, being tickled on my bed.  Yep, the winter comforter is out.  We had our first snow November 10.  It didn't stick, but looked pretty blizzardish (is that a word?  If not, I claim the creation!) coming down fierce.

Also, I have been baking a bunch.  I bought a new cook book and am planning to go through the entire thing, front to back making all of the bakery treats.  Here are chocolate hazelnut brownie bites.  If you like Nutella, you'll like these.  P.s. the frosting is Nutella.

November 11 Weight Watchers Update...

It's official!  I have been on Weight Watchers for 8 weeks now.

How much have you lost, Tara?

Well, I'm glad you ask.  I have lost 17 lbs!

I am down into a pair of jeans I haven't worn since before Mia.

I am 8 lbs away from pre-Olivia weight.

I am really excited for me!

Because I don't have much more to say about this, I am going to show you a few before pictures.  However, I need to explain something.  I started working on losing weight at the end/during summer 2010.  I had gotten to a place that I was no longer comfortable with myself.  I was embarrased and ashamed of myself.  I never wanted to be in pictures.  I didn't want to look at myself in the mirror when I was getting a haircut.  I didn't even want to visit with family because I was so embarassed.  My chins were overwhelming and the multi-rolls when I sat down!  Oh my goodness!

So, I decided to start weighing myself.  I wrote down my weights on a daily basis. When I first started, I weighed in at 257 lbs.  I was 265 when I gave birth to Mia.  Two years later, and I had only dropped 8 pounds.  Working hard, I was down to 245.  However, I was not able to get lower and this is where I was when Weight Wathchers began.

I tell you this not because I need to let you know how much I weigh, but because I need to explain where I have been.  I have 3 pounds to go to hit an even 20 lbs on Weight Watchers, but I will also be at 40 lbs down since Mia was born.  I am proud of this!

My ultimate goal is 150 lbs.  I have quite a ways to go, but I am ready to do it and become a lifetime Weight Watchers member.

Me, all the way in the back with my Grandma and female cousins on my moms side.

My little family, Summer 2010

Me, second from right, holding Mia.  With most of my girl cousins on my dad side.

Halloween, 2010.  I was a librarian.  I look amused.

I threw this one in just because it was fun.  Halloween, 1999.