Bad Bullets and Good Bullets

I have no idea how I am going to fill you all in on the last 48 hours or so. It's been Loooooong. I think I'll try some bullets.
Here is the sucky/pain in the ass stuff:

• New van: Had to drop off the new van to the dealership yesterday morning to get the hitch that we ordered installed. Took much longer than we thought it would, so we were stuck with a loaner van and couldn't get out there to pick up our van until this morning.
• New phones: Hubby and I got new cell phones. Another ordeal. We went to 2 Verizon stores because the first one was rude as could be. The Kid set off the alarms in both stores by pulling the phones from the wires (fun). And we left there over $200 poorer. Yea, nice 2 year deal my arse. You still HAVE to buy the hands free and car charger and all that extra crap since they keep changing the phones. The real kicker was Hubby's phone didn't work when we got home and had to stop there again after we picked up the car this morning (at least we were in the area of the same store). They were such a pain in the ass and took SO long that Hubby got a free memory card out of it! (Both the dealership and the Verizon store we went to are around 25 minutes away from our house.)
• New shed: May not happen. We may be out about $600 deposit. The asshole zoning guy in this town (the one where you need a permit to fart) denied us our little 10x12 beautiful Amish built shed that we ordered over 6 weeks ago. As you know, we live in my grandparents house now and my GREAT grandfather started an electric company about 60-70 years ago and it has been run out of this house ever since. There is just a small office and a 2 car garage that holds the 2 trucks and material. Well, that means this property is considered for commercial use and they won't let us have a shed for our bikes and kid toys because there is the 'chance' that it would be used for business use. UGH!

Here are some good points about the last few days:

• OB appointment: I only gained ONE pound the last 2 weeks! Wow! I am very excited about that. Now I am into my weekly appointments. I had my strep test yesterday. I was negative with the Kid and hoping I am again. The doc gave me a quick ultrasound and I got to see all the boy bits in their glory. Good thing, because I was starting to have dreams that I had this baby and it was a girl! LOL! Heart beat was great and my blood pressure was normal, as usual.
• My engagement ring: I got a couple stones tightened on it and picked it up yesterday (between dropping off the car and going to the 2 Verizon stores.) It is so beautiful now since the jeweler cleaned between each stone, it kinda makes my wedding ring (with half of it wrapped with tiny diamonds) look like crap! LOL! I should have left both to be cleaned.
• Inspections: We passed the rough plumbing and rough electrical AND the framing inspections this week!! Now we can have the insulation people in early next week for sure and we should have walls up by the end of the week. There is an end in sight!!
• The Kid having fun: Wed. after I picked him up from the Little Gym we went over to my dad's cousins and took a nice dip in her pool. It was a beautiful afternoon. Last night we went to my mom's for an awesome steak dinner. We were able to stay a little later since the Kid actually fell asleep in the car on the way home from the Verizon store. Then today we went to the boards and went on some rides with the friend that was supposed to come down Wed to go to the beach, but she wasn't feeling well, so we changed it to today...again, beautiful day.

Now we are moving into the best weekend of the summer. Labor Day weekend. This is the last weekend that we will have to sit in SO much traffic to go to the store/beach/anywhere! September is my favorite month. There are still so many nice days to come and we can sit on the beach and find parking! Don't get me wrong, I know we need all the bennys (tourists) to come here and spend money on our little towns, but we are all SO happy when they are gone. ;) And since the Kid will be starting school on the 8th and getting out by 11:45 I am sure I will have a few more beach days before the baby comes....which by the way, is only 3 more weeks! I think we are getting close to the time Hubby has to go to storage and get my that 0-3 month bin of baby clothes so I can start cleaning them. At least I have an extra dresser here to put them in.

The Last 4 Days

Oh boy, it's been 4 days since I've posted. oops. sorry.

We have been busy busy busy.

We spent the weekend with family. Saturday was at my MIL with the family from Ireland and other family from the tri-state area. It was a really nice day, except the the Kid was so upset to see 'Lisa' go. That was the 5 1/2 yr old that went back to Ireland. They had a great time and they were so cute together.

Sunday we were at my dad's cousin's house for a pool party. I think during the 4 hours we were there the Kid was in the pool for about 3 of them. He just wouldn't come out. And he could TOUCH the bottom in the low end. So he was walking around dunking himself under. He was a little fish. Unfortunately it was only my cousin's there which range from 18 to 28 so no little kids for him to play with. But he did have a blast with my dad...he's a big kid anyway when he is around the Kid.

Monday I went out of my mind (obviously) when I went to Sesame Place in PA. Yes, I went to a water park at 36 weeks pregnant. It really isn't that big of a park anyway, I wouldn't have went to Great Adventure last week - and I didn't. Plus SP has mostly water stuff, so I could sit and cool down while the kids played in the water. Here are some fun pictures from the park (Thanks again K for having your camera and uploading pics much quicker than I.)

On the way home from Sesame, we stopped and had dinner at my dad's. I was so exhausted!

Yesterday we just took it easy. Hubby and I went to go get new cell phones. That was a fiasco. My new car can have a bluetooth sync and there wasn't anyone who could tell me which ones are compatible. Also, I have to move all 75 photos from my phone and send them to my email because they said they may not be able to move them to a new phone like they can with the contact list. Hubby has over 200 photos! But that is because I accidentally deleted all of my photos a couple months ago, and cried over it so bad! So I sent some back to my phone from his. So after almost 2 hours we gave up and will try again tomorrow.

The Kid is at the Little Gym now, and then we are having one of his little friends come over and we will be heading to the beach today (Beach Wednesday!). Tomorrow we are dropping off the new van at the dealership (and getting a loaner car) to get the LoJack installed (yes the Hubby had to have LoJack - that is a whole other story LOL) and the hitch installed, then I have my strep-test at the OB - FUN! not. - then we are going to the mall to pick up my engagement ring I had to have the diamond tightened and have some lunch. Hopefully by then the van will be ready and we can go home! I have a feeling it's going to be another long day.

Meanwhile, upstairs, we passed the rough electrical inspection and we have the rough plumbing inspection today, then we can make the framing inspection and if we pass we can put up WALLS! YEAH! Cross some fingers for us!!

My Hot New Ride

On Tuesday night we bought the 7 passenger '08 Sienna LE in Slate Metallic (a dark greyish blue).

I LOVE IT!

Hubby had 2 different dealerships looking into getting us one with the specs we wanted. We even got more than we expected. They both found the same one that was at a 3rd dealership. Hubby did his magic online and figured out exactly where it was. After being told that neither dealership could trade with that dealership and get us the car, we went right to the source. He did very well with negotiations. I am so proud of him.

It has almost has everything the XLE has at the price of the LE, except the leather. But, I didn't want leather seats with 2 boys!! And except the sunroof, which I would have LOVED, but only the XLE comes with that and it would have been insane to pay to get that as a luxury.

We did get a dvd player with 2 wireless headphones, both side doors have power sliders, back up sensor, upgraded engine for towing (up to 3,500 pounds) and a hitch (for a rack for our bikes), upgraded stereo system with mp3/bluetooth/satellite compatable, 17 inch alloy wheels (for those of you who care about that stuff). There are even 2 REAL household plugs in the back of the van. That was a surprise. We are very excited!!

This is my very first new car EVER and my first I have ever bought from a dealer. My first car was a '86 white Jetta that I had gotten through a barter system that my dad worked out while I was in college (around 1996) and I sold it to a guy I worked with for $500 to put toward buying my second (and current) car in 2000, a '98 black Jetta that I saw on the side of the road and fell in love with. That's it, in my 14 years of driving this is only my 3rd vehicle! And my first NEW one!

I figure I will have it at LEAST the next 10 years so I better get what I want now. AND we were able to get it with 0% interest for 60 months!! We only put $500 down! And we won't pay a penny more than the price of the car. awesome.

So, if any of you are thinking of getting a new car...look into getting an '08, anywhere. The '09 cars are coming on the lots now and they are being very generous with clearing out the '08 cars. Now is the time. There are lots of good deals and incentives out there.

Now I have a nice, safe, bigger, comfy ride for my boys. :)

Anything would have been better than squeezing my boys in the back of my 10 year old Jetta. Before Tues the Kid was in the middle of the back seat and could put both legs up on the front seats, he'd never had fit once I got an infant seat in there and moved him behind an actual seat. And there is only 5 more weeks to go. Next week I am going to get my new infant seat and we'll be all ready to take him home...once he decided to get here.

Magic

Well, first the magical thing is.... I HAVE NOTHING TO DO TODAY! No plans. No outings. Nowhere to be. I may just hit a park and sit and relax. As long as the sun stays out. This is the first day in the last 9 that I have an empty square in my calendar. I am very happy about this. :)
Tomorrow we have a birthday party, and nothing to do over the weekend. (OMG!) Of course this weekend is supposed to be in the 90's. So I will be sitting in front of the a/c. Oh and catching up on all the laundry I have been neglecting for the last 9 days.

In school yesterday the Kid had a magician come to entertain all the 3 year old classes. It was hysterical. I was standing in the hallway listening. The laughter of 4 classes of 15 kids was so infectious.


While he was in school I even went and got myself a pedicure! I now have some pretty pink toes and much smaller callouses.


We went the mall after school to have lunch with his 'girlfriend'. We went to Johnny Rockets. It was the first time we had ever been there. He was so excited to have the chocolate shake before his lunch. I was a little worried that he wouldn't eat his grilled cheese, but he ate every bite.

Then we went to Babies R Us to check out baby stuff. Then we then went to the DMV, MVC, whatever the heck they are calling the NJ inspection station nowadays and got my pretty new sticker that keeps me from going back there until 2010! :)

Rejected Again

Well, I got my '98 Jetta inspected today since it is due to be done before the end of the month.
Now I have a big fat red REJECTED sticker on it. I think my car's feelings are hurt. No one likes to be rejected. Especially for all to see. It's not the first time my poor car has failed...but at least last time there was a crack in the exhaust system that we just didn't know about.
You wanna know why my car failed? The back 2 tires are bald on one side. Seriously, that's it. My step-dad is a mechanic and he can't believe the guy actually noticed that. So now I have to get new tires AND go back and get my REJECTED sticker peeled off.
Here in NJ you are supposed to get 45 days to get your car rechecked or you are 'subject to a full reinspection' and we don't want that! What if my check engine light comes on in the meantime? (That has happened already too.) BUT on the failure form they give you it says right below that line 'if you do not get your car inspected by 6/30/08 you can be subject to registration suspension.' WHAT?? Where is my 45 days?
Damn Jersey. Poor car. Thank goodness my step-dad is a mechanic or I would have been in big trouble over the last 12 years that I have since owned 2 Jetta's (an '86 and '98). Let's just say we are never buying a VW ever again.