My New Car

Thats the one! Here it's sitting in my mom's work parking lot. It's a stick so I was nervous to start driving it, but Mom gave me a lesson yesterday and I drove it back to Portland. She taught me for about 15 min in the Houck parking lot (my old middle school!) then I drove it right home. Of course I've killed it a couple times but I will get better with practice. My biggest problem is 1st, but I've heard that that is the hardest gear. After that it's easy peasy.

I'm back from NYC! I absolutely loved it. There was so much to do and see. We didnt have any down time and there's always something to check out. There were also tons of people, which is awesome for a feeling of anonymity and so much opportunity for people watching. I'm definitely a people watcher no matter where I go, but in NYC it's inspiring because of all the fashion. I love seeing how differently everyone dresses and there's such an eclectic mix. I got home at 2:40AM-ish this morning and then started errands today before heading to Salem. The madre, Kurt, Emily and I are going to go out for Thai food and then tomorrow I am learning how to drive my new auto. I'm way stoked to learn how to drive stick. I havent done it before but I hope I will pick it up fast. This is a good weekend!

New Car

So I got a car! I went to different lots all day and was looking online and finally found one that I liked. It's a 2001 Saturn SC2 in yellow. It's a stick, which I have no idea how to drive, but my mom is going to teach me. Since I leave for NYC early Thursday morning, I won't really have time to learn how to drive it beforehand. So tomorrow I am dropping the rental car off at Enterprise and then borrowing Mom's car to drive back to Portland. Then i'll fly to NYC and when I get back then I'll drive back to Salem and have Mom teach me how to drive my own car. haha. A lot of shuffling around but it'll be worth it. My mom test drove it and said that it handled nice, and everything else looked good to me and it checked out well. So I'm the new owner of a car. Whoot. Glad to have that off my chest. I have had a lot on my mind with the NYC trip, my roomie breaking the lease and moving out and then the car getting totaled. So this is definitely helping put my mind at ease!

Parents House For Sale

When Mom and I got home from car shopping (which I will have to post about as well) the sign from her real estate agent was in her yard. She was all excited about it. The house is listed for sale here if you want to check it out. It's 6 bedrooms and 3 living rooms so my mom is worried that she's going to have a hard time unloading it. It had been for sale for a long time by the time we had purchased it. Anyway, that's a shot I snapped with my cellphone while heading inside. The process is well on it's way!

Car

So I've decided what I'm getting (if it's available)! A 2003 Pontiac Sunfine Coupe. It's listed online. I did the carfax and researched it. It's the perfect price and matches the mileage on my last car, so it's pretty much like I am walking away with the same thing. The insurance takes care of the cost so its a clean slate. Awesome, right? But I need to see if its still there, and I am going to take it to my mechanic. I really hope its still there. Aaah!

Car Totaled

So I totaled my car last week. I'm currently driving a rental that the insurance company is paying for while I look for a new car. I came down to Salem to visit my mom and go car shopping. We went to Robertson Motors, which is actually where both my mom and I got our last cars. Mine was a white Hyundai Elantra. Sadly it's gone. It was my first car so I felt sad walking away from it once I got my stuff out of it today. It had treated me well!

The car that is the most economical is a 2001 Buick Century for $10k (before we haggle 'em down) with 50,000 miles on it. It isnt anything special to look at but it'll last awhile and is in very good condition. There are 3 others there that we had our eyes on, but those jump up in price to around $13k and arent as good mileage wise. They just look so much cooler! At a different lot there was a Mini Cooper (which is my dream car) for $8k but it has 117,000 miles on it. That seems like a lot! My mom told me to only go for cars with 50,000 or less on them and thats more than double. Plus it's a stick. I don't know how to drive one, but I guess I could learn and it wouldnt be that big of a deal. The thought of getting it though and having it poop out on me in like half a year would totally suck. I wouldnt be financing as much, but I also would have more than twice the miles as the Buick. The only reason I'm not jumping on the Buick right now is because it looks so blah. I want a car thats somewhat cute. Or at least modern looking. That one is just ok.

I think I am going to go car shopping when mom is at work tomorrow. I also need to look online and see if there are any good deals on there that catch my eye. Obviously Im not going to buy a used car until I have a mechanic take a look at it and we have a really good one in Salem. Yay for moms having the hoookups!

Kurt and Em signed for an apt today! That's really exciting. Everyones moving! Pap is already down in Utah and Kurt is moving out to Stayton here in the next little bit. Then Mom is moving as soon as the house sells. The appraiser comes this week so they are making a list of everything that needs to be done.

In other news, theres only a week left of the term. I am way happy about that! I think I am going to do an accelerated summer class which is only one week for 4 psychology credits. Not bad at all, especially considering its an upper division course. I am officially a senior credit wise, but I will feel like one when this term gets over. Just one more year left until my BS!

Today I got to come down and spend the evening with mi madre in Salem. My Dad arrived in Utah today so it was just my Mom and I hanging out. We watched Harry Potter 4, played Racco and then made no-bake cookies. Of course we talked the entire time and it was really nice to see her. I am going to be really sad when I cant come down and see her anymore after she moves. We are going to go to Thai (surprise, surprise) tomorrow for lunch. You can never go wrong with a good Thai meal!

Best Man

Kurt asked me to be his best man!

I'm super excited about this. Being a best man has been on my bucket list forever and I want to be involved in the wedding. Plus it's a big honor. I didn't think that he would pick me since I can't actually attend the wedding portion of the day (since it will be in the Temple and I don't have a recommend). I thought he would ask our friend Bronson instead but I guess I made the cut.

He brought it up when I was visiting Salem on Wed for a late Mothers Day lunch with my Mom. I swung by the house to visit for a little bit and he said "You know, the best man is going to have to do a speech at my reception." I was like "..Ok?" And he was like "Well, what are you going to say?" I was like "You're picking me as your best man?!" He insisted on getting a sword from the library upstairs and dubbing me "best man" in the kitchen. Yes, it was a real sword. A three foot long saber. I guess a lot of people found that funny when I put it on facebook. I just think that's normal to have. My Dad has all sorts of interesting stuff in the library.

So the position is pretty much ceremonial since the bride and her half of the party are taking care of the wedding stuff and Kurt wants to do his Bachelors party himself. I think he's afraid of what I would come up with. Ceremonial positions are my favorite! haha. So I am wearing a tie that is tied in with the wedding colors. It's a yellow-gold combo. Not my best colors but I guess most people will be focusing on the bride there. Unless I can help it. ;) ...Juuuuust kidding.

Parentals moving

So the good news keeps on coming this week. I'm being facetious when I say that, although it is good news is some respects.

My Dad got a job at the family history center in Salt Lake with the Church. He moves *drumroll* at the end of this month on the 29th. Thats only a few weeks away! My Mom is going to stay back in Salem until the house is sold and then she will be following him down there.

I know that this is good news because my Dad has gotten a job that he's always wanted. The part that is bad news is that I am a little selfish and don't want my Mom to move away. I won't be able to come down and see her anymore and go out to our fav Thai place. Or come down and do crafts for a weekend. I know SLC isn't like Zimbabwe. I'll be able to come down and visit and I'm sure that she will come up from time to time. It's just that its a pretty major change and the house in Salem is the one that I've really grown up in. And I personally would not like to live in Utah. I think anyone that knows me would know that right off the bat. I am liberal and progressive and I would not mesh well there.

My Mom is one of 14 and 8 of her siblings live down there, plus her parents as well. So my Mom will be surrounded by a lot of her family. Immediate family wise, I will stay in Portland and Kurt is moving out to Stayton (just a bit outside of Salem in Oregon) to be with Emily. Gerrit is on his mission and then Erika is at BYU so when she gets home from school she will be going to Utah. So just my parents and Erika will actually make the move there.

I'm happy for them but sad I wont be close anymore. Big changes happening!

Chat with my therapist

I went down to Salem yesterday to go to my Dr. appt. It was actually with my therapist so we could do a reeval since I havent seen her in over a year. I was happy because it was definitely an ego boost. She said that I was "serene and secure" and had done so much growing since I had seen her last. She said that I seemed comfortable in my own skin and that I had really found who I was. We chatted for an hour and I felt fine the entire time, even though we were talking about "deep" stuff. The last time I was there I was a mess, and she and I laughed about how I was so out of control then. It's good to get the positive reinforcement that I am doing so much better now. I feel good!

Afterward I went to Thai with my Mom and we had a really good meal at Thai Beer, then headed to Craft Warehouse for a bit of browsing on her lunch from work. It's always good to see her.

All in all, the 3 hours I spent there were bien. Lol