Government Motors

Today we are buying a new car from Government Motors!

President O. fires GM's Wagoner.

What? A U.S. President just fired one of America's biggest CEO's? Really?

All loan payments are being put on hold for 60 days.

Future of GM looks bleaker than bleak.

So,I must say that on the day we are set to purchase a new GM vehicle, I'm not feeling strong as a consumer. I had been liking what I was seeing with GM...things were looking like they were getting back on track. I was feeling fairly confident about buying a GM vehicle.

Now..After Pres. O. decides to take a stand, I'm a little anxious about buying a vehicle that might not have a company to back up the 100,000 mile warranty!

To assure consumers reluctant to buy GM or Chrysler cars, the government plans to take the unusual step of guaranteeing all warrantees on new cars from either company. These guarantees would lapse back to the companies once they return to health.

Basically we are buying a car from Government Motors.

Boiler Up!

Congratulations to Coach Matt Painter and Purdue on a great season. It was a disappointment to see Purdue lose tonight...but UConn has some big, huge giants on their team. Going up against those guys was like going up against a building. Purdue hung tough!

Purdue has a great coach, respectful young men as players and a great future in the Big Ten. I'm stoked to see how well this great Purdue team will play next year!

615

I just burned 615 calories on the Torture Device, i.e. the elliptical machine.

It broke on Saturday and the nice repair man came today and fixed it. The nice repair man was definitely not like the crazy elliptical repair man in my dream who chased Connor and I out of our house and set it on fire?? Yeah, where does stuff like that in our dreams come from?? Really??

I can't say that I missed not having it working, but I am glad to be back into a routine again and burning over 600 calories a day in roughly 35 minutes! That thing kicks your ass!

I found out from the nice elliptical repair man that the calorie counter is very accurate for me because it is based on my weight. So, when it says I burn 615 calories, I actually am. It isn't accurate for Chris. He is actually burning way more calories than it says he is. When I told him that it really made his day. Now I'm just going to have to work harder so that I can burn more calories than him!!!

To Traverse or Not to Traverse..

...that is the question. We are searching for a new vehicle to replace the Buick Rendezvous. Our lease is about up on the Buick and with low APR (0%) this time we are buying.

This is essentially my car and my one request was that the vehicle have third row seating. I'm tired on not being able to fit more than 5 people in our car or having to pass up driving our boys friends! Along the lines of that request was that I didn't want to end up driving a tank in order to get the third row. And, don't even think about the "m" word...mini-vans are out of the question!

We always try to take advantage of our GM pricing that we get through my dad. That narrows the vehicle down to a Chevy Traverse or a GMC Acardia.

Chris has been so busy at work that I've taken the lead on talking to two different dealerships and salesmen. I hate car dealerships! No, I mean I really, really hate car dealerships. I dislike dealing with car salesmen, I dislike being treated like an uneducated little girl. But there I was today, picking up the Traverse, driving it to Chris' office at lunch, letting him test drive it and then returning the vehicle to the dealership.

It was after we returned that the real fun started. We began pricing the model we are interested in and working that out. I'm okay with that. But then said salesman turns on the afterburners and starts trying to "sell" me the car. Like I'm going to just whip out my checkbook and buy the car! That is when I get completely uncomfortable. I swear I was turning red in the face and not getting enough oxygen. I just hate that!

I did like the salesman and I understand he is just doing his job trying to make a living, but I swear it took every ounce of restraint I had not to turn and bolt out the door.

I recovered and made it out alive. I still have to do it all again and pick up the Acadia on Friday, take it over to Chris during lunch and then return to the awaiting sales trap.

Good times, good times. After Friday, my role is done. I want no part of trying to get a lower price or negotiating more discounts. Screw that and have fun Chris! My work here is done.

Updates

Happy St. Patrick's Day. I am wearing green today but really don't plan to celebrate the appropriate Irish way. As close as I will get to eating anything Irish today will be my all-time favorite, best ever, Shamrock Shake from McDonald's. It's probably a good thing they don't sell them year round!

Wes' wrist is making good improvement. I got him an Ace bandage to wear on it last night and I think that has really helped. He came home from school today and said it was much better. He is playing the PlayStation right now and when he asked if he could I said "yes, as long as you don't fall off the bed!"

Connor went under water at swim lessons today. Although it wasn't by chose and was really just an accident...he didn't cry afterwards. I view that as progress! Maybe 4 years from now he might get his face wet.

Wes achieved the big 30 dry nights goal last night. As a reward he gets to pick out a new DS game tonight. He is on pins and needles waiting for Dad to get home and dinner to be eaten. When I started that whole process with the Potty Pager I would have never guessed that 31 nights later we would have conquered bed wetting! Rock on! I want to be the new spokesperson for the Potty Pager. I actually wish I had invented it, but oh well.

Tomorrow I will be heading down to Indy to pick up Uncle Stu when his flight arrives. I know he wanted me to come and get him verses his parents. Could have something to do with the fact that I drive slightly above the speed limit instead of 5 mph under the limit. Just guessing! But I got the strong impression from his mother that they could and would have gone to get him...I'll let them take him back!

Alright, time to get dinner in the oven and finish cleaning up the house before Stu gets here tomorrow.

Florida

Life has been hectic since my return from Florida. I'm just now getting some pictures on here from my trip. I had a great time while I was there. I couldn't hang with the seniors. I don't know how my Grandma keeps up to her busy lifestyle. She golfs all the times, walks every day and just loves life.I want to be like her now, let alone when I'm nearly 80.

Highlights include a dinner at the Country Club, Theater tickets/dinner, multiple lunches, out for drinks...just crazy! And, boy can those old timers drink. I felt like a complete woosie! It's bad when you can't hang with the old guys!

I saw this sign on an "oldie". I knew Chris would approve.





My Grandma's boyfriend is a great guy. I just loved him. They are perfect for each other and I'm so happy that they get to spend time together. As I type this they are headed out on a 11 day cruise to Pannama. (I'm not jealous or anything!)



This is MY boat. It is 65 feet of pure happiness! Apparently someone else is borrowing it right now until I win the lottery...but it's MINE and I want it back!!!



Just some random pictures of us out enjoying the sunshine!





This is hard to see, but a cute little dolphin was hanging out at the pier while we were there. They are so fun to watch!

First, and hopefully last, trip to ER.

Well, it had to happen sooner or latter, that we would be taking one of our two boys to the emergency room for x-rays. Wes was sitting (not jumping) on our bed yesterday afternoon playing the Playstation and just fell off the bed. I will laugh at that eventually, but not yet. Evidently he landed on his right wrist. The very loud thud from the kitchen below him sounded like he was going to be coming through the ceiling.

I immediately called our pediatricians office and find out where to take him because he is pretty tough and was really hurting. They said to ice it, elevate it and give him Advil. I did all that and we made it till about 10:30. Wes went to bed at 8:00 and then got back up at 10:00 crying and in pain. What to do?? Too soon to give him more Advil, so I took him for x-rays instead of waiting.

We were at the ER by 10:30 and with a doctor by 11:00. The doctor didn't make a very good impression on me. She wanted to know what happened and when it happened. Wes told her what happened and I told her it was about 5:30 when he fell. She then proceeds to say, "And you are just now bringing him in??" Wow, I about fell out of my chair. I explained that I had immediately called our doc's office and was trying to follow their orders. I told her that I was doing what I was told and not trying to be an over reactive mother. Clearly she thought I was the scum of the earth and had beaten my child. I actually had talked to our doc's office twice and proceeded to tell her that! She sulked out and ordered x-rays.

To make a long story short...nothing is broke, just sprained. He didn't get to sleep until 1:00 last night and I felt awful sending him to school today, but I thought it would be better for him than just sitting at home thinking about his wrist constantly. Bitchy doctor wouldn't even wrap it for him...said that moving it around was the best thing.

I understand that she is doing her job and trying to protect innocent children, and I thank her for that, but once she had been informed that I had contacted our pediatrician, had followed their advice and then decided against doctors orders to take him in...she could have been nicer!

I would like to believe that last night was the first and last trip to the ER, but I doubt that is true. Hopefully, next time I won't be made to feel like the worst mom in the world for attempting to get medical treatment for my son!

I'm actually surprised that I haven't heard from Wes' teacher yet. I really do not expect him to make it through the day and I told her to call whenever she felt he had had enough.

Poor guy! I know how pooped I am today, I can't imagine how he must be feeling!

Boiler Up!!!

Way to go Purdue!!

Thanks for winning the Big 10 Tournament and making my husband a very happy man!

Wes-Man

Wes has joined the "I Can't See Poo Club" in our family. He failed a vision screening at school, much to my surprise. He had been doing well at school, so I would not have guessed anything was wrong with his vision. He is NOT a big fan of sitting down to read, but I think that is just because he has to make an effort at it. Now I believe his reading skills were a combination of not being able to see well and also not being very "into" reading. Hopefully we can improve the willingness part!

I took him to get his eyes checked earlier in the week and discovered that he is half blind, like the rest of us. His left eye is perfectly fine, but his right eye is 20/90 and farsighted. Poor kid...he can hardly read anything with that eye up close. We got his new glasses in Friday and he loves them.

Apparently enough of his friends at school wear glasses, so it's a cool thing. Thank God! I was dreading a battle with him over glasses. As I was informed in the car to the doctors office, "My girlfriend Isabella wears glasses!" Great, good to know!

I'm very thankful for the vision screening at school. The doctor didn't understand how he was doing well at school when he could only half see. I guess we were just lucky that he was doing as good as he was!

Here are some pictures of our cutie with his new glasses! Pardon his teeth...they are still a work in progress!

Rest In Peace...

We got word yesterday evening that Chris' Uncle, Bruce, passed away. He died unexpectedly of a heart condition. His wife was with him at the time, so I guess it was better she was there with him, but still sad. This comes as a shock to his whole family.

I was expecting the traditional Monroeville (conservative small town Indiana) services..ie. open casket, visitation, church services, burial and luncheon. But, the plot thickened this morning when we discovered services are up in the air as to what the family plans to do. He will be cremated (which is a shock for this family - not to me...but not the norm in Chris' family) and the memorial, visitation, service is up in the air. Glad I'm not part of that fallout!

Uncle Bruce was a great guy. He was kind hearted, quiet, always there for you when you needed help and had such patience with his nephews and his own grandchildren. He was always behind a camera taking pictures at every family function.

Rest in peace Uncle Bruce, you will be greatly missed.

About to get my travel on!

I'm headed to Florida early in the morning! Yeah! I'm actually going home to fly out of Flint, because it is cheaper! So, I'm off to Flint tonight and leave at the ass-crack of dawn in the morning.

I've been practically killing myself all week getting everything cleaned, organized and ready for Chris. He is perfectly capable of dealing with everything around here, but I just feel better leaving him with the laundry caught up, food in the refrigerator and a clean house. I know the boys are going to have fun during their "Boys Weekend"!!!

Oh, and speaking of practically killing myself...the elliptical machine arrived last night. The delivery guy told me the box weighed 240 pounds. Chris and I carried all the little pieces down to the basement and then attempted to carry a 200+ carcass of a machine down a large flight of stairs! It was great fun. I'd love to do it again today, but my back says otherwise! The machine isn't even working yet and already it is kicking my ass! I am looking forward to coming back and learning how to use it. Hopefully it won't give Chris too much of a fit putting it together.

Time to finish packing, get Connor ready to visit his Grandparents house and get my travel on!

Oh, and Wes has stayed dry 17 of the 18 nights!!! Go Potty Pager!!!!!!!!!!!