New Rooms, New Job, Same Crappy Car

Last week didn't exactly go as planned.  I took Monday off and when I went to start my car that afternoon to pick up the kids, it started doing the same thing it did a few weeks ago (remember the $750 car repair?). 

My neighbor retired a few years ago and he's now a part-time mechanic.  It was always his "hobby" so he's making the most of his retirement life!   He has one of the diagnostic machines that gives the codes for the different error lights and sure enough, the ignition coil on cylinder 5 was failing.

Son of a B!

To make a long story short, I had already paid a crap load of bills and we were broke until my husband got paid on Thursday.  My neighbor said he could replace the 3 coils in the front of the engine but the other 2 aren't easily accessible.  He gave me a website and told me they have the best prices. 

3 ignition coils = $300. 

The car was completely undriveable so I worked from home Tuesday and Wednesday.  DH and I talked about sharing a car but trying to figure out schedules and daycare pick up made our brains hurt.  My neighbor replaced what he could on Saturday so today, my car is running.  There are still 2 original coils and every time I start my car,  I hold my breath.  I HATE not trusting my car.  I think I'll have to bite the bullet and just pay to have the last 2 replaced within the next week.  I can't have an unreliable car.  Not when my husband will be travelling.

I took Thursday and Friday off from work.  I continued to clean out Chris' future room on Thursday.  As I started moving furniture out, I realized I didn't have anywhere to put it. 

So, Operation Switch-A-Roo happened on Thursday.  Chris is officially in his own room!   That's still his old bedding.  I'm hoping we'll be able to purchase full size mattresses in the next 6 months and then I'll buy the plaid bedding that I posted earlier.

I was a little nervous about how they would react and frankly, how they would sleep.  I had been talking about his "big boy room" for a few weeks but I wasn't sure if he understood that he would sleeping in there.

When they came home, I took them upstairs and Chris said, "Wow, Mom!  This is cool"!  He immediately started calling it his room.

Kendall was also excited about her "princess room" even though nothing really changed except the placement of her bed. 

Over the weekend, I tackled my copycat Pottery Barn paintings.  I'm really happy with the fire truck.  The upper picture is the Pottery Barn art and it retails for $180.  Mine is on the bottom and I spent $10 plus an hour of my time.  The canvases are 11x14 so it's a decent size on the wall.  I have it hanging above the small dresser in the picture above.

And, here's Kendall's woodland artwork.  I think I could've done a better job.  It looks a little too "homemade" but she's proud of her mommy for giving her a special painting.    Pottery Barn plaques are on the top and retail for $40 each.  I spent about $20 for both plus an hour of my time. 

In other news, my husband starts his new job tomorrow.  And, he flies to St. Louis Tuesday night for the rest of the week.

Here we go!  I'm still apprehensive about the whole job, travel, etc.  It's a guaranteed 6-month contract and I pray it turns into a FT position when it's all said and done. 

And, lastly our new additions are settling in nicely.  While I didn't plan to spend the entire week at home, I think it was helpful to help the kittens settle in. 

 They are so sweet.