Goal #19- Buy a 4-door Car
So last Thursday, Brian and I got approved for a new car. We didn't want a huge car payment so we went with a pre-owned 2010 Toyota Corolla. Red! My favorite color! I was so excited! I finally had a car that I carry my little bundle in safely and comfortably!
...for all of 4 days. On Sunday, which is usually my off-day, I got called in to work because one of the other girls was sick. Which is fine, I don't mind covering for people when they need it. I was supposed to get off around 9 and I was going to see a movie with Emily and Brian before he left for Auburn for the week.
I ended up getting off about half an hour late so Brian came to pick me up so we could ride together. We were driving down highway 69 and stopped behind a car that was turning into a business. I happened to look in my side mirror and noticed an Audi was not slowing down...at all. All I could get out of my mouth was "Brian!" before they crashed into the back of our car at 45mph.
To be the less expensive of the two vehicles, I have to say mine looked a lot better than the other driver. However, the back doors to the car won't open which leads me to believe that there is frame damage. Frame damage = totalled vehicle. :(
That makes me a very sad mommy-to-be. But the good thing is, Brian and I are fine and more importantly, the baby wasn't affected by the accident. Thank the Lord.
Friday, March 15, 2013
Friday, February 15, 2013
My first love
Goal #10
Finally! I have been waiting for this day for almost 6 years. The day I could say that I no longer have a car payment.
Unfortunately, it is also the day when I say I no longer have a car.
Yes, I finally made the last payment on my Tiburon. But a few weeks prior to that, I realized that it simply was not big enough to fit an infant car seat in. Which means, I had to say good-bye to my car, something that meant more to me than a lot of people.
I was able to find a silver lining in selling my car. I found a lady on facebook garage sale that was looking for a "cool car". I sent her a message, along with some pictures and explained that I was only selling because I was having a baby. She seemed extremely interested and asked to test drive it. That all went well and we agreed on a purchase price.
I met this lady, along with her husband early this week to give them the keys, title, and bill of sale. She then informed me that today was her daughter's 16th birthday and that she had passed her driver's test less than an hour earlier. They waited until after her test to let her know that they were buying her a car. She told me that her daughter was so excited that she started crying.
As much fun as I've had through the years driving my little coupe, I walk away so glad to know that another little girl is going to enjoy it as much as I have. So, with tears in my eyes, I said goodbye to my car and drove away in my mom car (Brian's Curtis) and silently greeted this new chapter in my life. I can't be that care-free teenager anymore. I am going to be a mom. But I sure as hell am going to be a fun mom! :)
Finally! I have been waiting for this day for almost 6 years. The day I could say that I no longer have a car payment.
Unfortunately, it is also the day when I say I no longer have a car.
Yes, I finally made the last payment on my Tiburon. But a few weeks prior to that, I realized that it simply was not big enough to fit an infant car seat in. Which means, I had to say good-bye to my car, something that meant more to me than a lot of people.
I was able to find a silver lining in selling my car. I found a lady on facebook garage sale that was looking for a "cool car". I sent her a message, along with some pictures and explained that I was only selling because I was having a baby. She seemed extremely interested and asked to test drive it. That all went well and we agreed on a purchase price.
I met this lady, along with her husband early this week to give them the keys, title, and bill of sale. She then informed me that today was her daughter's 16th birthday and that she had passed her driver's test less than an hour earlier. They waited until after her test to let her know that they were buying her a car. She told me that her daughter was so excited that she started crying.
As much fun as I've had through the years driving my little coupe, I walk away so glad to know that another little girl is going to enjoy it as much as I have. So, with tears in my eyes, I said goodbye to my car and drove away in my mom car (Brian's Curtis) and silently greeted this new chapter in my life. I can't be that care-free teenager anymore. I am going to be a mom. But I sure as hell am going to be a fun mom! :)
Debt-free at 23!?
Goal #18
Originally, that was supposed to be the plan...Brian and I thought we were well on our way to buying our first home. He had taken out several different kinds of loans including a credit card through his credit union. Unfortunately, what they failed to tell us, is that the credit union that he was doing ALL of his business with only reports to one credit bureau...which means...no house for a while...AND all that hard work to pay off our debts (over $20,000 in less than a year) was for not.
What does every bank advise us to do?
Go back into debt. What?!
Yep. They gave us very specific instructions to go back into debt with certain companies that wouldn't hit our credit and report to all three credit bureaus.
The result? We bought new living room furniture on credit. I know, I know, I was supposed to buy bedroom furniture but my mother-in-law bought us (new to us) bedroom furniture. Not completely our style and not exactly what we had picked out but it's fine.
So now we have living room furniture with no living room to put it in...yet. Since I am pregnant and able to work my waitress/hostess job less and less, Brian and I decided together that it is better that I handle our finances for a while.
This makes it much easier on both of us and I believe that we are well on our way to being able to buy a home.
Originally, that was supposed to be the plan...Brian and I thought we were well on our way to buying our first home. He had taken out several different kinds of loans including a credit card through his credit union. Unfortunately, what they failed to tell us, is that the credit union that he was doing ALL of his business with only reports to one credit bureau...which means...no house for a while...AND all that hard work to pay off our debts (over $20,000 in less than a year) was for not.
What does every bank advise us to do?
Go back into debt. What?!
Yep. They gave us very specific instructions to go back into debt with certain companies that wouldn't hit our credit and report to all three credit bureaus.
The result? We bought new living room furniture on credit. I know, I know, I was supposed to buy bedroom furniture but my mother-in-law bought us (new to us) bedroom furniture. Not completely our style and not exactly what we had picked out but it's fine.
So now we have living room furniture with no living room to put it in...yet. Since I am pregnant and able to work my waitress/hostess job less and less, Brian and I decided together that it is better that I handle our finances for a while.
This makes it much easier on both of us and I believe that we are well on our way to being able to buy a home.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
"One does not simply watch the Lord of the Rings trilogy in one day..."
...well, not simply. This was probably one of the longest days of my life. I had an entire day off work on November 7 (I know this post is a little late! ;)) I figured I could use the day productively. I woke up around 7am by accident. My goofus wakes up around 4am to go to work and I could never really get back to sleep when he left.
So 7am came and I got up, started some laundry and skipped over to the television, eager to get the marathon started! The first one was awesome, just as I remembered. A little long, granted, but still really good. I found myself reminiscing back to when the movies first came out and I would oggle over Orlando Bloom. :) He was still just as dreamy as I remembered him being when I was 11.
3 hours later, it was time to start "The Two Towers". I hopped up, a little less eager but still excited to watch the movie. Now don't get me wrong, I love these movies but I didn't think about how big of a task this was going to be. 3 hours of walking later and I was finished with two out of three.
By that time, I definitely needed a break. So I ate lunch, started another load of laundry and took a half hour nap.
Half an hour later, I reluctantly started the last movie. The return of the king is my favorite of the three. I begrudgingly had to finish it this time though. I cried at the end partially because it is a heartwarming ending and partially because I was so glad it was finally over!
I would not suggest to anyone to ever watch these movies all in one day. Not alone at least. I was more tired that day than if I had gone to work and worked all day long.
Monday, September 10, 2012
"We're having a baby: My baby and me!"
Goal #15
This is one of the most exciting goals I made at the beginning of this year and my husband and I are so blessed. We had been praying for a baby for the better part of the year. We had, unfortunately suffered a miscarriage along the way. But last week, I just had this feeling that something was different with my body. I bought a pregnancy test on September 2 and low and behold, it said yes!
My due date is May 11, 2013. We get to go back to the doctor in two weeks to hear the heartbeat! I cannot wait to meet our little bundle of joy but for now we must be patient. :)
This is one of the most exciting goals I made at the beginning of this year and my husband and I are so blessed. We had been praying for a baby for the better part of the year. We had, unfortunately suffered a miscarriage along the way. But last week, I just had this feeling that something was different with my body. I bought a pregnancy test on September 2 and low and behold, it said yes!
I had all these grand plans of how I was going to tell Brian when the time came. I was going to fill our room with pink and blue balloons, write "guess what?" across my belly, or even have a photographer present to catch his reaction. But all I could think about when I saw that digital reading of "Yes+" was run. I ran to him as fast as I could and just fell into his arms crying. My heart just melted with his response of "I'm going to be a dad?!".
My already extensive "Baby Garner" pinterest board is only going to get bigger and I'm more than positive that my sisters among others (Sara) will have pretty large boards that will be extremely helpful along the way.
We still have a pretty long way to go but we couldn't be any happier with this new phase in our relationship. Of course it is going to be difficult. We are still young, after all. But I believe this experience will only draw us closer to each other and closer to God.
My due date is May 11, 2013. We get to go back to the doctor in two weeks to hear the heartbeat! I cannot wait to meet our little bundle of joy but for now we must be patient. :)
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
"I am a Jedi, like my father before me!"
#76
If my geek status hadn't been set in stone before, I think it most definitely has now. I had never gotten around to watching the Star Wars movies. I started out with number 4 and watched the ones with Harrison Ford first. (This, I was assured, was the correct order). I enjoyed these much more than I thought I would, reading each opening sequence in my most dramatic voice. :) I even went so far as to change my text message tone to a lightsaber sound. I think it's pretty awesome.
Ultimately, I am glad that I finally watched this series.
I have many more exciting posts to come soon. Stay tuned!
If my geek status hadn't been set in stone before, I think it most definitely has now. I had never gotten around to watching the Star Wars movies. I started out with number 4 and watched the ones with Harrison Ford first. (This, I was assured, was the correct order). I enjoyed these much more than I thought I would, reading each opening sequence in my most dramatic voice. :) I even went so far as to change my text message tone to a lightsaber sound. I think it's pretty awesome.
Ultimately, I am glad that I finally watched this series.
I have many more exciting posts to come soon. Stay tuned!
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Bills, bills, bills.
#8, #9, and #23.
These specific goals were some that Brian and I both were seriously looking forward to accomplishing. We made a budget and a brand new financial plan a few months back and we were able to pay off BOTH of my credit cards. We were also able to pay off Brian's 2010 Scion 3 years early! We also had a wedding loan as well as a signature loan we had taken out last year and we were able to completely pay those off as well!
This is a major accomplishment for Brian and I because we haven't always handled our money the way we know we should. We have also started tithing because we know how important that is. With these monthly expenses out of the way, we hope to be able to be in the process of buying our first home by the end of the year! :)
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