Have I mentioned...

How much I hate car shopping. It' been almost a week and the process just keeps going. When I was young I always wanted to buy a car... it would be fun I was sure of it. Now I have the opportunity and I HATE it!!!!!!!

Will this madness never end?

Oh, and just a byword: our dishwasher started making funny noises out of no where today... yippeee!!!!

P.P.S.: I will have to blog about the used car salesman we had our first experience with... classic.

5 years ago Feb 7th

Wes and I had our first kiss!

Car Accident and Lessons Learned

So, as many of you have probably heard Wes and I totaled our car Wednesday. :(

Now we are stuck with the Sentra, which looks pretty tore up. Not to mention I have been driving it since I was 16---- sheesh. (Actually, we are SUPER lucky we still have it).

Even if it doesn't have a bumper anymore... another accident from another time.


The plan was to go something like this on Wednesday.

Wake up, head to L.A. for some fun, go have dinner with Ryan and Taryn and watch LOST, then head to "3 Clubs" in Hollywood to watch a mission friend of Wes' play in a band. They are really good... look them up... their name is Fictionist.

Anywho... that plan did not happen. Instead:
We woke up and had some work that needed to be done. So, we did that. Then it was like 1:00pm, and we decided we did not want to pay $15 for just parking, to go where we had initially planned... so instead we decided we would try Sprinkles Cupcakes in Santa Monica. So, we headed there and got a few different kinds of cupcakes. (Good, but not worth $3.50 each or the hype).

Then, I had to pee... and like any big city, finding a bathroom is hard! So, we wandered around for about 10-15 minutes looking and asking, and finally ended up in a funny, stinky basement in a Rite Aid.



We then began our drive to the McCook's... taking a few detours to look at amazing houses, and fun streets.

***Finally, about 7 miles from their place and about 2 blocks from the L.A. temple we were driving down Santa Monica Blvd. Some idiot in a BMW cut us off, and got into an argument with a Honda in front of us. At this point I pointed out a billboard with my beau Lebron James on it to Wes who glanced up for 1 sec. literally.

Traffic was stop and go, and the cars in front of us started moving, so Wes slowly moved forward (maybe going 10 mph). I looked down in the 1 sec. Wes looked up, and saw traffic stop. I warned Wes to look out, but it was too late. We rear ended that Honda in front of us, the one that had been in the argument with jerky BMW guy.

Well, jerky BMW guy somehow turned around on this busy busy street, made 2 U-turns and came around behind us and called Wes over. He then said, "Hey take down my info. I saw that guy back into you." Wes was confused and said, "What?" And the guy repeated that he would attest to that guy hitting us. Are you kidding me? He was such a jerk and was mad that the guy didn't see him when he was trying to cut him off, he wanted revenge and was willing to lie for us to get back at him. We couldn't believe it... what an idiot!

Somehow, our car went under the '94 Honda Accord, and we got jacked!!! His car had slight scratches, no dents, and his muffler came off. He was super prepared and had his car fixed and was off in about 10 minutes. We stood on the road like idiots trying to figure out what to do. We had liability only on the car and no AAA. Towing was not an option and we were afraid to drive it because of a funny noise we heard. We started the car again and it sounded like a fan, so we turned the air off and the noise stopped.

His car:

Our Car:


So, after about 1 hour we ended up driving to the McCooks and just spent the rest of the night there... where we did enjoy our smorgasbord of cupcakes, fajitas and LOST. On Thursday morning, we decided we would just drive it home. :) Luckily we are still alive and well, and did not blow up in the process. Now we are just in the hunt for a new car. Please let us know if you are aware of any good deals on new or used cars.



***Lessons learned in the process and over the last few years, months and weeks.

I had a seminary in service meeting on Wed. morning. Something that I have thought a lot about the past while and it stood out to me that morning, and stuck with me through all of this car trouble crap, was that we are asked to be long-suffering. But, what does that even mean? Many times through trials, I whine complain and have a hard time understanding why? But, through talking with family and friends I have come to understand that it doesn't mean just suffering a long time, or being asked to just endure. We need to have the right attitude through our trials. That is truly the only way we learn and are truly long-suffering as the Lord requires. Our attitude makes all of the difference.

So, when I saw that hood come flying up to the windshield and knew our car was toast, I knew we were in for some more trials. (Yes, this will be another thing we need to endure and make it through... just one of the many).

I also recognized at that very point I could react in a number of ways. 1. Be angry and mad, and say mean things to my hubby who already felt awful. 2. Woe is me, woe is me. More money problems, car problems, trials, etc. and I could be sad about it all. or 3. Take it for what it is, because "it happens". Look at the bright side, a new car, and no one was hurt, and luckily we had some insurance.

So, I will not complain about this! I am not joyful it happened, but I will not pretend that it is the worst thing that could have been.

***Lesson 2: My discussion with Wes

So, while I had that Epiphany, Wes had one of his own that was also a nice reminder.

He thought about how small all of our problems here on Earth are. How a car breaking down just doesn't matter. That this time is a spark of time in comparison to the long haul.

If we can remember that always, our problems will seem insignificant, and our decisions here on Earth would all be a little easier. This time is the time to prepare to meet God. We will have an eternity to be there, and this is a second of that time. If we are mindful of the big picture we can endure all trials with happiness in our hearts.

1/12 Done!

Fare thee well January.

I can't believe we are 1/12th of the way done with 2010! Time sure does fly when you are having fun... or old... or bored... or looking forward to a baby... or looking forward to not waking up for seminary. hmmm, I guess it just flies. :)

My husband can read my mind!!!!

Last night, I had this song in my head all day/night.

At one point I turned to Wes (we do this all the time) and I said:

"Guess what song I have in my head right now."

Without hesitation he says, 'I like sandwiches'.

Ironically, that was it. (It's a song from the super music friend show from Yo Gabba Gabba). Apparently, he had been singing it to himself too.

We both thought long and hard if one of us had been singing/humming it to ourselves, only to come to the conclusion that we hadn't. And, we just now share 1 brain.

Maybe we will be able to talk to each other solely through mind power in the future. We will laugh and make jokes that no one else will be able to hear! Oh the possibilities!

Up and Coming........... Kori Jean Olsen and........

Country Robb.

Wes' brother Robb is a super talented musician.

His family moved to Texas and few years ago and Robb has embraced their new lifestyle in a way no one could have foreseen.

He has always been a very "rock and roll" kinda guy. Long hair , and beards at 18 years old to the style of clothes he has always worn.

However, Robb in the last few years has been playing lead guitar for a country singer named Kori Jean Olsen. They are a great new country band and the potential is definitely there to make it big. He has been a new addition and like I said, adds a lot of talent to the group!

They were recently on the radio out in Texas playing live and acoustic, they have been touring and playing a few gigs and they have a new album out.

Take a listen and support their band!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here they are playing an acoustic on air performance.



Their website is... http://korijeanolsen.com/

It's Raining, It's Pouring...

Wes and I were watching my sister's kids on Tuesday and we were all driving in the car during a nice rain storm.

Of course, with the rain and a three year old we started singing the popular nursery rhyme, "It's Raining, it's pouring...."

Here however, Wes and I came to a difference of opinion as to how the song ends.

I have always sung:

"It's Raining it's pouring,
The old man is snoring,
He went to bed and bumped his head,
And couldn't get up in the morning."

Wes said it went like this:

"It's Raining it's pouring,
The old man is snoring,
He fell out of bed and bumped his head,
And couldn't get up in the morning."

However, the best is when Ella joined the conversation and informed us it went like this:

"It's Raining it's pouring,
The old man is snoring,
He went to bed and peed the bed,
And couldn't get up in the morning."

She finished with, "That's really how it goes, really!"

Well, after looking it up we were all wrong because it goes like this:

"It's Raining it's pouring,
The old man is snoring,
He bumped his head and went to bed,
And couldn't get up in the morning."

I absolutely love the rain, even if it floods the entire city of Perris. We stopped to watch "the wash" this afternoon, which was a ragging river, and almost over flowing. The rain is exhilarating!

Living the Dream- MLK Day

We celebrated the dream today with my family at the Moreno Valley Brunswick Bowling Alley, followed by sloppy joe's and wii at my parentals.

(I had to include this photo cuz' he is hot!)





The whole Todd fam. minus my dad, Hayley and Adam, with the addition of my cousin Mark, his wife Louise, and their kids Alfred, Alaina, and Lafe.

My mom smoked us all in bowling btw.

O Happy Days....

So... as I mentioned before Wes and I had an absolutely fantastic 4th anniversary.

Like we do every year we had a delicious dinner at Benihana on our actual anniversary. Too bad our chef was bo-ring!
Then on Friday we left for our cruise... technically.

Since we had to find a ride to San Diego to depart, Heidi and Ned graciously offered, if we would join them at the zoo in the morning... well, I guess we could do that. So Friday we had a perfect day at the zoo.

Then it took all of 3 minutes to board the ship.

We spent a fantastic, lazy, filling 3 days on board the Carnival Elation and at "beautiful" Ensenada. Really we didn't do much on the boat, besides sleep, eat... including a lot of room service, and watch a lot of movies. Thus, the lack of photos... we just didn't do much.
Laughing our butts off at the flamboyant dancers at the terrible night show.
All you can eat pizza and soft serve ice cream all times of the day!Check out the window in the back ground... it was big and really nice to have.
Ensenada:

Long story so I will try to make it short.

We are idiots... we forgot cash. So we only had $40, and realized too late no one in Mexico takes card and there are No ATMs.

So we spent $6 to get to downtown.
Then we looked for the best deal to get to "La Bufadora", or "the blowhole". A beach where the water shoots way up in the air.

After talking to a number of people we find what we think is the best deal (I should say Wes did because he did it all in espanol). We drive for like 30-40 minutes and get there and the taxi lady then says $40 instead of $4... communication difference with the money exchange. What!? Everyone else charged $10-$15. Wes argues, I sit quietly. We pay $20. Leaving us $14 to get back for both of us.

We enjoy the blowhole and lunch (they took card) to the best of our ability... both of us a little anxious how exactly we would get back.

We find a bus taxi guy who agrees to take us back for $10 total if the people he took there agree to let us ride with them. Luckily they were 4 nice people about our age. So everything worked out.

Moral of the story... always bring plenty-o-cash to Mexico.
At the restaurantYou can see where we ate in the back ground at the end of the hill/cliff

La Bufadora/The blowholeCheck out the big blowhole.


And now, I must admit that I am not happy to be home. :) Bring on the next vaca!

Pregnancy Update #1

So... many of you have asked me questions in regards to "the big announcement."

First of all, I feel fantastic. Okay, tired and a little emotional, and I do get headaches almost on the daily. But, with a little Tylenol and a nap I am good to go. I haven't thrown up or even felt close to it. I felt better on the cruise than on any other cruise we have taken. I do have to say, that I blame this pregnancy on the day I totally slept through seminary though. It was the day we found out... I couldn't sleep that night, and didn't fall asleep until 4:45 am. It's no surprise I never, ever heard my alarm go off, and Wes never, ever hears anything before 7 or so. :)

Secondly, I don't think we are going to find out what we are having. Wes really doesn't want to know until the baby is born, and I am on the fence and can go either way. So, odds are he will get his way and I am okay with that. We probably won't tell names either, just because everyone has an opinion and I really don't care what you think about what I like... let's just be honest. But, we also don't have a boy name we love, and I am open to ideas. Not too common please, but not weird where people will be like, "really?"

So, with these things said.. I have posted our first ultra sound. You probably can't tell what you are looking at, so I posted the same photo again with labels.

I loved seeing the heart beat and it made everything feel much more real and exciting. I know I never really cared as much about other people's ultrasounds, but I can totally understand why they were so excited now! :)