Next Chapter - A New Car

For the past three years, I've driven a great car - her name is Beans...

She was the first car I ever bought - well, leased - and there is nothing about her that I would change.  Unfortunately, when the end of the lease came along, I had a decision to make... I really wanted to buy her, but I also really wanted to lower my car payment and buying her would not do that for me.

SO, my dad let me know that he was looking for a new car for my mom and that if I didn't want to buy Beans, they would - which they did.  So, I set out on a quest to find a new car.  For about 7 years, I'd driven Hyundais... I had a Santa Fe before Beans, and I didn't drive any other cars before getting Beans 3 years ago.

For the past few weeks, J and I have been visiting dealers and seeing what else was out there.  I drove a Santa Fe, another Tucson, a Nissan Rogue and a Ford Escape.  They were all great, but the Santa Fe and Escape weren't going to lower my payments.  I was deciding between a less equipped Tucson and an even lesser equipped Rogue.

Then, I started working at Michigan and found out that we get a Ford discount!  So, I looked at inventory online and went to a dealership up here (Briarwood Ford in Saline) where I test drove the Escape one more time and got GREAT service.  They guy gave us a straight price, and there was no back a forth... 

SO - here it is... I'm the proud new owner (well, leaser) of this 2014 Ford Escape (name still TBD)!!!

Keep Looking Up...

I wouldn't say that I've moved a lot, but I've lived in my fair share of cities.  The Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex was my home for about 10 years of my life, and the place that I had some of my most significant life moments - I learned to drive, I graduated high school, I got my first real job and I met my husband in that area.  Yesterday, I found out that the morning DJ on KISS FM, Kidd Kraddick, passed away suddenly while at a golf outing for Kidd's Kids - his charity.

This obviously is an extremely sad occurrence - he has a daughter who is in her mid 20s, and it was completely unexpected, so I cannot even imagine what it would be like to receive that phone call.  It also made me think about the fact that Kidd was not only the guy that I listened to in the morning, but the guy who shared his life.  When I was in middle school, I remember riding to school in the car with  my mom and listening to Bath Time with Caroline.  I felt connected to the co-host, Al, when his son decided to attend Purdue University, which is where we lived before moving to Texas.  And the song that J and I danced to on our wedding was an unplugged version of Bruno Mars' "Just the Way You Are" that I fell in love with when he made an appearance on KKITM.

Listening to Kidd Kraddick in the Morning was like spending time with a friend - that friend that tells the best stories.  He was entertaining, but he was also so real.  He did a lot for the community through his KISSmas wish, where people could write in and request that family or friends of theirs be given a Christmas that they deserve instead of just the Christmas that they could afford.  He made an immeasurable impact on a number of terminally ill children and their families on their Kidd's Kids vacations to Disney World.

That is the kind of radio family that you want to claim as your own - the kind that shares their lives, keeps it clean and makes an impact on the community.  So, Kidd Kraddick, I hope you've been reunited with some of those Kidd's Kids that have gone before you and that you know that you've been a part of the lives of many who you never met, just by being there every morning on the way to school or work.

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"Keep looking up, cause that's where it all is"

They Say it's your Birthday...

Today is my Birthday - not just any birthday, but my 30th Birthday. 

Overall, turning 30 is fairly anti-climactic... That could be because packing my house up and working my last week of work at IU has kept me really busy. 

I am excited to go get a much needed pedicure this afternoon and have dinner and drinks with some friends, but overall, it just feels like another day. 

 The guys at the Hyundai dealership must have known it was my birthday today because they gave me an extra flower with my oil change.

I love that the dealership gives flowers to people who come and get the oil changed. Just makes you smile!

Well, I hope everyone enjoys my birthday :-) and the rest of the week!!!

Happy 4th of July!!

I'm taking a much needed break from real life to come to the lake and enjoy some relaxing time with my family!  J is visiting his family in Minnesota/North Dakota so I'm missing him, but I'm so glad he was able to get up there and spend some time with them.

Although I love the lake and family time, I'll be missing 2 very important people this 4th of July!!

My cousin Hannah on the left and my cousin Carli on the right are both out west and can't join us for the festivities, AND I don't get to see my other cousin Miranda (next to Carli) until Saturday - the 4th of July won't be the same without them.

Today, I'm running a 5 mile race around the lake (it's going to be BRUTAL) and then relaxing at the lake, and hopefully seeing some fireworks to finish the day.  Hope you are enjoying your holiday and I hope your view this weekend is as good as mine!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!

2nd Anniversary

A break from the Greece recaps to celebrate!!!  Today is our second anniversary!

The last two years has brought J and I a lot of changes and challenges to overcome, but I am so grateful for the support that we can show each other and I know that through all the challenges, our love and partnership has continued to grow and get stronger!  I am so blessed to have such an amazing man in my life - one who supports my personal and professional goals and who does everything he possibly can to make our lives together happy and comfortable.  I cannot put into words the love I have for him, nor the amount of thoughtfulness and kindness that he shows me on a daily basis.

www.catiescaptures.com

Happy second anniversary to my best friend, and here's to MANY more together!!