. . . for My New Car! - and other catch-up items

A week ago Friday I was told by my mechanic that my car needed either the head gaskets replaced or a new engine, and they wouldn't know until they got into the head gasket thing, which would be a minimum $1600 cost.  I decided I was tired of dumping good money into my old car (2001 Ford Taurus with 135,000 miles on it) and it was time for a new one.  I had been planning for quite a while to get a new one, even knew what I wanted, but hadn't saved as much of a down payment as I wanted, so I wasn't quite ready, but close enough that I went ahead and bought that new car I had been dreaming of.  Here are some pictures:

My new 2012 sage green Subaru Forester Limited. (It looks blue in some lights, but really is green and beautiful!)

When I picked it up from the dealership (can I tell you how grateful I am to work for a company that owns several dealerships and gives me a great price on new cars!!) it had only 11 miles on it.  There are now 89 miles on it.  I just picked it up two days ago.

I have not even cleaned off the "to be removed only by customer" sticker on the glove box.  It is so new!  I love it!!  That square in the middle of the dash is where my radio information shows up, but it is also where my backup camera video feed shows when the car is in reverse.  I still look behind me though, habit I guess. 

Leather seats, reclining rear seats, cup holders and an armrest in the center for the rear seats if there is no middle passenger.  This car has some wonderful benefits!  Plus it is so pretty!

So, I am very excited about the new car.  I hope to keep it for many years and use it well. 

In other news - I am also grateful for the following (posts I should have made this fall and winter, but never sat down to do):

My neighbor's grandson Josh (20 yr old with down-syndrome) and my leaf blower.  In late fall I decided to clean the leaves off my lawn before the snow flew and covered them all so I pulled out my handy-dandy leaf blower. . .

. . .and blew all the leaves in the back yard onto my patio.  Then I invited Josh over to play in them with me.  We had a great time smashing leaves, kicking and throwing them at each other, and generally acting like little kids.  I never remember doing this as a little kid, because all the leaves blew away before you could play in them. (I grew up in windy Wyoming).  Josh and I had so much fun!!

I am grateful that a friend invited me to participate in an ornament exchange this year, and for the ornaments that I received to put on my Christmas tree.  I spread them out among all my other generic ornaments and had a very festive and fun tree this year!



I am grateful for family traditions.  Growing up we always had a homemade tree skirt under the Christmas tree.  My Mom made the tree skirt, and as kids we all loved it.

I have not had a tree skirt under my tree since I bought my home and got a large artificial Christmas tree, and I have been wanting one.  Well, this fall my mom visited my sister in Colorado, and they made patterns from the decorations on my mom's tree skirt and my sister made her own tree skirt.

They then let me borrow the patterns and I made my own tree skirt!  They are all different in layout and size and in some of the decor used, but my tree skirt makes me think of home and the wonderful life I had as a child. 

I am grateful for my mom for so many things, but especially for the tree skirt, I am grateful to my sister for sharing the patterns, and I am very grateful for wonderful family traditions!