Ding Dong the Evil Jetta is dead!

Yup. Officially totaled. And officially worth nothing to anyone that has any say in it.

I'm not exactly sorry to see it go...it was more trouble than it was worth. I bought that Jetta 3 years ago next month. Bad bad bad choice! The first year was great! After that, I slowly began pouring more money into it to fix it than it was worth.

At the time of the "accident", which was more like a disaster that couldn't be avoided, I already had:
A major oil leak
A dent in the front corner panel
A crack windshield...which went all the way across
One seat belt in the back that didn't work
One window in the back that wouldn't roll down
&& last but not least, a ticking noise in the engine

It had 181k miles on it...and was pretty much dead.
After my $500 deductable...I'm getting a wopping $514 for my Jetta.


We were on Mt. Hood HWY 26 over the weekend. Drove up to clear lake, and learned that the snow hasn't quite gone away yet...even though it was 77+ degrees out! So we ate our lunch and turned around to head back to Portland. Just pass Government camp we came around a blind curve, and in the right lane, the lane I'm of course in, there was a rock slide that had come down the mountain and spread across the majority of the right lane. Going highway speeds of 50+ I had three choices. Side swipe a car to the left of me to avoid the 80 pound boulder suddenly in front of me, hit the mountain wall with no guard rail, or go over the boulder and pray for the best. So that's the option I took. Needless to say the boulder won. Tore off my trans axle casing...which there were pieces of allllll over the highway...and put a huge dent in my oil pan...which was already leaking. So we got to wait for my mom for 2 hours to come up the mountain with the AAA card and save us.

Yesterday I went out and got myself a new car.

2005 Dodge Stratus, with only 42k miles.

I was already planning on getting a new car soon..this just sped up the process a bit. I spent a little more than I wanted to...but such a nice car for the price it was and such low mileage! I had already spent hours going from lot to lot. Charlie and I saw this and it was done!

So now it's time to go clean out the Jetta, and say goodbye...GOOD RIDIENCE!

What 2009 has to offer...

Hey everyone! Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! The holidays were eventful for us. First there was the snow.

The snow started on the day before my birthday. I drove Charlie to work, which is luckily really close to home, ( now that he's transferred) and after only 2 hours they told him he could head out early because the snow was really starting to come down. So I drove to get him, going on 20 MPH with my chain-less car. I never drive in the snow, it's a scary thing for me. I was doing pretty good until I got about 5 blocks from his work and I was going down this hill...and the light changed...and then a pedestrian starting walking across...yeah I tried my best to not slam on my brakes and still be able to stop...kind of slid and turned a little into the curb...missing the power pole only because I was going so slow! Oh it was bad...I'm apologizing over and over to the guy walking across the street and he's just laughing and saying it's okay. Needless to say Charlie drove home.

We woke up on Sunday morning, my birthday, to 4 inches of snow! Smart thinking me had gone right to the grocery store after dropping Charlie off at work the day before, so we were set and were able to just relax and enjoy the snow. I didn't have to work Monday..and things weren't too bad the rest of the week so I was able to slowly make my way into work. But then over the weekend it only got worse. I didn't go to work Monday or Tuesday, and made it in Wednesday because I got a ride! We had the rest of the week off for the holidays. Tuesday night Charlie and I used our pots and pans to try to dig our car out..to make it up the street to Target to do our Christmas shopping we still hadn't done because of the snow. That was a scary short trip. Then on Christmas eve Charlie and I both got off early and borrowed a neighbor's shovel to dig our car out of the 2 ft of snow that surrounded it. We weren't even sure we'd be able to make it to our parent's houses for Christmas! We did though. It was just all very rushed. Which mad me sad. But such is life.

The New Year has brought us a little bit of good fortune. Charlie has been at his job for about 3 months now. Things are going good...much much better since he's transferred to a non-mall store that's closer to home. His boss is a little crazy, and things have gotten really strict. Almost to the point of being ridiculous. Pretty much they're on a no tolerance spree. But with the new year, minimum wage goes up...and while Charlie was making more than minimum wage...it went up more than his pay was, so he got a raise! His boss also decided to extend the store hours by 1/2 an hour during the week and an hour on the weekends. So he's getting an extra 2 1/2 hours a week...every little bit helps! We're actually doing really good. Finally not really living paycheck to paycheck...paying debts back...and actually able to have fun every now and then.

In 2009 we will be:

*Renewing our lease, glad to not be moving!
*Saving up for a new car, mine is about to blow up
*Re-paying debts to family members and creditors
*Getting in shape! I will get back to my high school weight...
*Celebrating our 2 year anniversary in May!
*Taking a much needed vacation..even if it's just for a weekend.
*I'll be flying to Indiana in the summer to see my best-est friend and meet my God daughter Gracie!
*I'll be exploring my artistic side, by taking a black&white photography class
*I'll be getting another raise come September, yay!

It may not be much, but it's all things we are looking forward to this year!

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas everyone!!! I hope it's amazing!! Loves and misses you all!!!!!

How awesome is it that we have a white Christmas in Portland!!!!

Babies, Holidays & Glasses

Hey everyone! So not a lot lot going on...but there are a few things I guess I could update you guys on! My best friend, Kayla, since I was 4..when we moved into the house my parents still live in...had her baby!! Grace Marie Glenn-Culley was born on November 18th, at 6:42pm est. She was 7 lbs, 14 oz., 19.5 inches long. It took inducing and 28 hours of hard labor for poor Kayla! But yes, they're both doing splendidly! And I'm now a very proud Auntie/God Mother. I can't wait until after the 1st of the year, and when I come up with the whopping $300 for a plane ticket so I can fly out to Indiana and see my best friend for the first time in 4 years and meet little Grace!


Momma and daughter

All stretched out! 1 week old.
Happy little Family; Kenny (dad) his son Isaiah, Kayla, and baby Grace.



Then there was Thanksgiving..Happy late Thanksgiving everyone! Ours was a busy one. Charlie and I almost never get to sleep in..so we were pretty shocked when we woke up at 11am on Thanksgiving day...and I had to be at my parent's in 3 hours and Charlie to his Grandparents to help his uncle cook in about an hour! So we rushed rushed rushed... took a shower and packed up my makeup and hair dryer to finish getting ready at Uncle Paul's, grabbed something to snack on from 7-Eleven...so gross, then headed to his Grandparents house. We visited with them for a bit, Charlie helped make dinner for his uncle and grandpa...his grandma had just gotten out of surgery that day. I headed over to my parents...tried not to eat too too much because I knew I'd be having a second Thanksgiving dinner...that didn't work so well though! Pretty much as soon as I put my fork down Charlie called saying his parents had just called and wanted us over there within the hour. So I pack up the leftovers I was taking home and go to pick up Charlie and head to his parents. We both could barely eat another bite! But of course, we did, to be polite. After all that turkey we defiantly were ready for a nap! So we went home to do just that. I had a four day weekend...but poor Charlie had to work Friday, Saturday and for 3 hours on Sunday. So I made myself busy at home the best I could. I went crazy-mad-woman on my house and did some much needed cleaning, brought Charlie lunch, made a trip to the library, took the pop cans back, went to the grocery store, and to Target. Then I was ready for a nap! The rest of my weekend pretty much went the same. Oh and on Friday I picked up my new glasses! I have glasses for reading...that I honestly never use. But Charlie gets very scared when I drive sometimes...so I gave in and went to the eye doctor. Just a slight prescription, but it really does help!

So yes, that's just about it for our very boring lives. Oh and Charlie transferred stores...it's a much better fit for him. Only 30 min bus ride away instead of over an hour, and NOT in a mall. Believe me, I worked in the mall for a very very long time...it's really not fun. Oh yeah! As of today, my birthday is in 2 weeks! ::Sigh:: I'll be 22...I'm starting to feel so old! Even though I know I'm really not that old =)

Just keep goin'

So Charlie is in the 3rd week of his job. He likes it. But hates it at the same time. It's really easy, he's making just above minimum wage, he likes his bosses, he gets lots of hours. He hates that he works for 11 hours a day, by himself, without even a lunch break, and has to take the bus for over an hour to work. But, such is life I guess. He might be switching to the store that is right up the street from us...but that's still in the works. He'd only be working like 6 hours less a week...which is no big deal. We're just waiting for his first check! We're pretty broke right now...but just one more week and we'll be in the clear!

The kittens are huge now. We're hoping to sell them soon. I'm holding off on the ad because we have a friend who's roommates might take two of them. But I don't know if I can wait much longer! They're driving us nuts. Getting into everything, jumping on us in the middle of the night or clawing at the bed...keeping us awake! But they are too cute.

School is going okay, I'm just waiting for it to be over with!! And yeah, that's pretty much it =)

Anoucement!

Charlie got a job!!! Yay!! It's not cooking. But I think that's a good change for him. His best friend got him a job at Cricket Wireless! He kinda started training last night, but his first official day of training is today and then one more day of training tomorrow and on Monday he'll be all on his own! Right now he's at a store that's kinda far from the house...but his friend is a "floater" who goes to all the different stores and will give him rides a lot, or if worse comes to worse the bus will only take him an hour. He'll be at that store for a little bit and then probably (hopefully) moving to a store closer to home. He'll be working 4 10 hr days. Which is great because he'll have friday, saturday and sunday off! I'm so proud of him and so excited that we'll be doing so great now!

Life && Such

Hello everyone! So not much going on, but I'll still fill you in on the non-exciting life of me and Charlie!

Charlie is still on the job hunt, sigh, he's had a couple of promising interviews, and has another one today. But still, the hiring process is such a chore. On a happier note, I got a raise!! My supervisor, who is normally a terror, actually gave me a really good review for my one year and gave me a $1.25/hr raise! So now I'm up to $14.25 an hour and very excited! I've never made that much! Work is...well it has it's busy moments and it's slow moments. Usually during the summer we're super busy because of all the new construction projects and people deciding to finally buy that central air system...but with the state of the economy lately that wasn't the case this summer and we were defiantly slower then last year. Winter is usually moderate to slow...mostly people needing their furnaces fixed or replaced.

School started up for me on September 22nd. I was really dreading this term because both of the classes I'm taking were soooo long. One is 2 hrs and 20 mins long and the other is 2 hrs and 50 mins long. Those classes are always so hard to get through. BUT my excel class as it turns out is a self paced class! And seeing as I spend 8 hours a day in front of a computer, my instructor and I worked something out. I'm already on week 5 of the 10 week course work wise, when we're only actually on week 3 of the class. And she said I could just come in once a week for a few minutes to turn in work and take any exams I need to! Instead of the twice a week for 2 hrs and 20 mins. Which is sooooo nice. Because really there is no point in me going and it's all the way on the other side of town. My accounting class gets out early, about half hour or more early. Everyone agreed to start at 6 instead of the scheduled 6:30, and it's five minutes away from my house so that's really nice to have extra time. Plus, he doesn't collect the homework! So school really should be that bad this term. It's just tiring =(

It's finally gotten cold here in Portland! I'm so excited for the fall/winter weather. Plus, I'm a total holiday nut! I'm way excited to go to the pumpkin patch, get new christmas decorations, a tree, and decorate my house for the first time! It won't be the last though, Charlie and I have for sure decided (I think!) that we will be staying at our little duplex for at least another year long lease! I'm so glad. I hate moving. It's such a pain. And of course I'm excited for my birthday!! It's 2 months and 1 week away! haha. I don't really know why though...don't think that turning 22 is really anything to be excited about. I'm still working on my weightloss...it's tough! Working and going to school...and then having to make it to the gym? Pssshhh. It's hard. I need to get my butt in gear though! If I get on it, maybe by Christmas I'll be where I want to be. That's only 2 months away! I told Charlie he has to make me go to the gym at least 3 times a week...or make me cancel my membership. No point in paying for it if I don't go!

We do have 3 little kittys right now. But rest asured, they will be the last! Oreo just got to DJ right before we got him fixed...ugh. But it's okay. I think Charlie and I can handle kittens one last time. They're always so cute and so much fun! Plus, when we do sell them it's always nice to have the extra money. We sell them for $20 each...and everyone looks at us like we're crazy when we tell our friends that. But hey, people buy them for that! They really do.




Well that's pretty much it! Like I said, nothing exciting. I hope you all are doing great!

Loves,

Brittany