A smelly blessing

So last weekend our 95 Honda Accord died on us. We had it towed home that night and started talking about what we should do. We decided that it was time to get another car. I called my Birth Grandma who I knew had had a car for sale a few months ago to see if she still had the car. She did. She had offered to just give it to us but I did not feel right about that. I knew that they had put some money into the car to get it running good again. So they offered to trade my shotgun for the car. So that's what we did.
The only thing wrong with the car is it leaks water on the inside. The floor boards are flooded when it's raining or has been raining. So the car stinks, and stinks bad. Well after doing some looking around on the car, sucking up the water with a shop vac and then hosing it down I was able to narrow down the area of where the water was coming in at. So then I turned to the internet and found some more information on that car and that it's a common problem for the Chevy Corsica's. So Pat spent most of the day ripping up the carpet inside the car to get to the water leak. Then we sealed under the windshield where we think the leak is coming from.
Tomorrow will be the big test. We will drive the car in the rain (well hopefully it's raining outside but it's Oregon so probably at some point will rain). If not then we will just hose it down and see if we get any more water inside. At least the carpet is gone so we will see any water coming in a lot faster now.
The car still stinks a little but once the leak is 100% fixed then I will get in there and do a good deep scrub on it and make it smell oh so much better.
This car only has 103K miles on it, the Honda had 213K miles. Pat drives about 110 miles a day round trip for work. Is this car perfect, no. Would I like a nicer, better looking car that smelled good. Sure. But this car is a blessing to us. This car will help us in so many ways in the long run. We are planning on getting a mini van after the first of the year with our tax return with the new baby on the way. This car is helping to pay for that van. We are able to see the Honda and use the money from that to help pay for the van.

Blessings

So this weekend on our way home from Tigard our Honda died on us on the Interstate. So we called AAA and waited for our tow truck. Got the Honda home and started thinking about what we will need to do since this is Pats car that he drives to work every day. We can't afford for him to drive the truck to work more then just every once in a while.
So I called my Birth Grandma who I knew had a car for sale a little while back, I did not know if she had sold it yet or not. She still had the car and was willing to just give it to us. I was not comfortable with that since I knew they had put money into the car. So they offered to trade my shotgun for the car. So we brought the car home and found out is had a dead battery, no big deal, so went down to the auto parts store and got a new battery for it. We also talked with someone who works there and is a Honda guy and asked about our Honda. He was pretty sure it's a relay for the fuel system so we bought that part and will put it on today or tomorrow.
We are going to sell the Honda once we get it up and running again. We will use that money to put towards our new van that we will be getting after the first of the year with our tax return. I can't wait to get our new van and have all that room for all three kids and the dog with room to pack our stuff when we got on small trips.
Right now we normally travel in the Honda and with two car seats, me, Pat, and the dog. Then add all our stuff on top of all that, there is not much room left for leg room or anything else. So the van will be nice to stretch out a little.
The new to us car is such a blessing to us. We know that God is providing for us in every way possible. We may not always see it but he really is. I do admit I have moments of doubt. I try not to but I'm only human. I try and pray and ask for help when I have doubt. I try and talk with Pat to help me have better faith when I have doubt.
I know that God will provide in all we do and always be there for us no matter what we are going through. I also know that God will never give us more then we can handle.

Winter is here

So we are still getting the trailer ready for winter time around here. Each step we have taken to keep it warmer and more efficient seems to be working. Our propane keeps lasting about a day longer each week every time we have done something.
I have one window sealed up and I will be working on the rest during the next few coming days (it's a pain in the butt). But I can tell it's working because after sitting next to the one window that is sealed up I no longer feel cold or feel the draft coming from it.
Next is to get the wood put up around the bottom of the trailer. We have run into a few speed bumps with this one. Right now our current speed bump is that Pat is sick so he can't be outside in the wet and cold cutting the wood. he took tomorrow off to try and rest to get better. So hopefully we will be able to get that part done soon.
So far we have gotten a new better space heater
closed up all the windows nice and tight
working on sealing the windows
got the dry air condensation trays
and getting wood under the trailer (working on it)
we also plan on getting the spray foam to put around water hoses under sinks and around the toilet where drafts could be coming in from under the trailer.

One down seven to go!

So we finished paying off our first debt last week. That felt really good. Now we are moving on to our next debt on our list. My quad. But if things work out we might be able to get all the quads sold and have all three of them paid off :) that would be great!
So we are just going to keep chipping away at our debt until it's no longer there. Until we can finally say we are debt free and ready to buy a house/land of our own.
So hard work and lots and prayer are in our favor :)

Getting the trailer ready

So since this will be our first winter in the trailer I thought I would write about what we are doing to get ready for the colder months and how we are staying warm. Who knows maybe someday someone else will be in their trailer and need some idea's on how to stay warm and cozy.
So we first started by getting a new space heat, this time we got a radiator oil filled one. Our little tiny one we have had for about five years was on it's last leg and not putting out much heat anymore. The new one is a smaller one and is working great so far.
We also bought some OSB boards and are cutting them down to size to be a wind block under the trailer so it will be sort of a skirt around the trailer but we are putting them just under the lip of the trailer. We are also painting them with a flat black exterior paint so that when the sun does hit them the black will help hold in heat more then any other color. Will that make a big difference I'm not sure but it does sound like a good idea. They do make special skirts for RV's and trailers but with tip outs/slide outs you have to have them custom made and they are not cheap.
So the next step is go get some window shrink wrap. It's a special wrap that you put on your windows and then take a blow dryer to them to shrink them up around the windows nice and tight. I know that will help a lot since I can sit on the couch and feel the cold air draft coming from the windows.
Next we will be getting some of the spray foam insulation and looking around for holes where pipes and tubes are coming up from under the trailer and cold air could be getting out that way.
We also have one of the dry air tubes with the crystals in it for condensation but will be needing to get a few more since one is not enough for a 38 foot long 5th wheel.
We also have switched over to our fresh water holding tanks and put the hose away. We have two tanks but right now we are only using one since the drain hose to the second tank is missing the cap for the hose. (hoping to find one this week).
So everything we are doing will take about two weeks to complete. The first year is always the hardest since we have make things and check every thing out. But once we have done it once it will be easier the next year.
I will update once we get everything done and let you all know how much warmer it is in here.

Did I hear that right?

So I have posted on here before how we are trying to dig our way out of debt and become debt free. Well tonight Pat told me that he is done hunting until we are debt free and/or living in our own house on our own land. I was not really sure what to say to him when he told me this. I have been wanting something like this for a while now, him to be fully on board with us getting out of debt and not spending anything extra on anything. Yet on the other hand I know how much hunting means to him, how much it is a part of his life and who he is. So I do admit I'm a little worried about him being stressed out to much, and not having an outlet to relax, since he has told me before that hunting is hit outlet and how he relaxes.
He said that he will just have to find another way to relax that is free or very cheap. I suggested that we throw ourselves into the church, and become very active in everything that we can. He agreed to give that try. So when reading this say a little prayer for our family that we can put our faith and trust 100% in God. For God to guild us in his ways and down the road that he wants us to follow.

That time of year again

So Christmas is just around the corner, according to ebay we have 40 days until Christmas. That's not a lot. I'm sitting here thinking to myself how am I going to get the last of my gifts for people. How am I going to pay for it all. I started early this year, really early for me. I started buying and shopping back in the beginning of October. Now to some that is late others early. Next year I plan on starting earlier then this year. Someday I hope to start right after Christmas of the last year. But one small step at a time :)

I know people will still love me the same if I can't get them a gift for Christmas. They will still care about me. But at the same time I will still feel bad. I like giving gifts to people, I like to watch them open them and see that they got what they wanted, what they asked for. But this year I'm a little worried about doing that, and seeing that.

Maybe this is God's way of showing me to get back to basics. What I mean by that is get back to the real meaning of Christmas. The birth of Jesus Christ. He is the real reason we celebrate. Not the gifts, and all the food. He should be the main reason, and family should be next.

So I'm putting it in His hands, a way to pay for the gifts that I still want to get for people. I'm leaving it up to Him to help me either find a way to pay for them, or to give me an idea of something to make that wont cost me anything or very little.

What is your reason for the holiday season?