lizardblog ( the blog of liz creech

September 23, 2003
This sucks

My husband has little patience when it comes to me and telling me how to do stuff with the internet.

The car buying thing is a pain in my ass. What kind of car do we look for now? Would a Windstar be ok, really want a Honda Odessey but can we find one we can afford? Will we get ripped off? This is a stupid hard process.

Got an email today from the guy in the internet department at Toyota on Nicholasville about and hour ago. I emailed him back and told him the fiasco we went through. I was kind of hoping he would email back and have something to say, but not yet. He was the one that made us think we could get the van for what we could afford, or we wouldn't have pursued it as much as we did. We went and looked at an Odessy and when we made an offer the guy almost laughed at us. He said that we wouldn't be able to find one in that price range. He said they hold their value too much. I think that is a lie. I also found one, in Indianapolis, in our price range, but now I want leather. You all that would be awsome. I just don't know. It was easier just to have someone else pick out and pay for what ever I drive.

There is this conversion Windstar at Man O' War ford, sorry Debi, that has leather, a tv, vcr, 6 cd changer, and is well within our range. I don't know though, cause with the conversion thing on top and the ugly decals I doubt Alan will like it. I drove it and it is nice, but we will see. They also had an '02 with leather but it is way out of our price range. Well, I guess that is all for my first blogger blog post. I am sure we will keep you all informed, wether you you want to or not.

FYI: We just got an email from a lady in the Internet Department at Toyota, appoligizing for our problems on Saturday. She offered the van at mid 17 but I told her we had gone as high as we could. Haven't heard back but we will see.

posted by Liz at 2:48 PM - permalink - -

September 22, 2003
cars, wedding cakes, and my sister

Why does buying a car have to be such an ordeal? Why do people who sell cars have to lie and cheat and be, in general, stupid? We are going tonight to try and work out a deal on this EuroVan. The rear air conditioning doesn't work. I wonder if they will fix it and still give it to us for what we want to pay for it? I am going to call the VolksWagen service department here in town and see how much it would be to fix it. That should give us some figure to look at, I hear it is expensive to fix those boogers. After the hasel we have been through, I am not looking forward to more. I was telling Alan that since they want to play games that we should too. Go in and say, "tell you what, I want that van for a certain price, I am not going to tell you, but you get as close to that original 15 thousand that we offered and I will let you know when you get there." Then with every offer say, "no, that isn't good enough", until they get to the price you want or just say no to selling us the van. Alan says we just go in with the top amount we can pay and then if they say no, we go look at a Honda Odessey at Don Jacobs, up the street. They had one at Toyota on Nicholasville, but it was nasty, stunk and had pieces missing from inside. So, we will see. We will get a vehicle one way or another. I think that a Honda Odessey would be bigger and would work better than a Sienna . I just don't know, so many if's and's and but's.

Did a wedding cake this weekend. It turned out just fine. I was up until 4 a.m. finishing it. The lady picked out a certain style from a cake book that I have. Her colors were yellow and slate blue, they were hard to match but I did it. I ended up changing a few things because all the original ideas didn't work well. At one point, around 1 in the morning, my sister and I were scraping the border off of the cake because it was beginning to look like a band uniform. We got it there with out any decorations falling off and the bride was happy with how it looked and tasted. Sucess! I don't think I ever want to do another one. It really is hard. I started baking around 11 on Saturday and the last leaf was put on just a tad before 4. The wedding was in Louisville, so in that time is an hour and a half of travel time. Now, I say I don't want to do any more, but my Brother-in-law made me some wooden cake boards that are awesome. I brought them home and will pack them up with the other ton of cake decorating stuff that I have and pull it all out in a year when someone else asks me to do one. But, I will remember and charge a lot more than I did this time.

A big thank you goes out to my husband for posting this from work for me, and in general being my computer fixing hero. He was all alone with the kids this weekend while I was doing this cake. He ran interference for me while I was baking and then took the kids to Mamaw and Papaw's house to show them the van and came back yesterday.

One last thing. Pray for my sister Deana. She is in a custody battle for her daughter Macailla(5). Her father, who Deana was never married to, is trying to get primary custody. Long story and I will share it tomorrow, and until then, please pray for her.

posted by Liz at 10:49 AM - permalink - -

September 17, 2003
strings, volkswagen, etc.

I don't like it when someone gives me a gift with strings attached or does something for me with strings attached. Those are not real "gifts" they are tools used for manipulation. And that is wrong, what good does it do to the giver or the receiver? Do you find yourself doing that or having it done to you? Why, on both accounts?

We have been negotiating for a Volkswagen Eurovan Westfalia. The dealer turned down our offer at the dealership, but now I am dealing with the Internet services guy. He says he is going to work us a miracle and get us that van for what we want it for. I guess we will see. If we don't then Alan will be very disappointed, it is a cool vehicle, ugly, but cool. Why do we let ourselves get all worked up over something not set in concrete? Just the dreamer in us all, I guess.

I will keep you all posted in the car buying saga.

posted by Liz at 10:00 PM - permalink - -

September 15, 2003
weekend trip

O.k. you all, it has been a great weekend. We went and spent Saturday and Sunday with the Beans in Indianapolis. About an hour into the trip, our fixed van "broke" again. We decided to go on cause we really wanted to hang with them. So, Sunday morning it seemed even worse and we did not feel safe to drive it all the way home. The wonderful Indy Church, rented us a van to come home in and have for the week until Alan's parents can contact the dealership in Corbin, Ky, that supposedly fixed it. Alan was very mad. It was frustrating but God took care of us through some wonderful family. Now we have decided that we just have to buy a new, to us, replacement vehicle. We are going to go shopping tonight to start and see what is out there. I have never bought a car myself, nor Alan, so pray that we don't get ripped off and for some financing to go through at a reasonable percentage rate. I am going to call our Credit union this morning and try and get them all the papers today so we can go in prepared, just in case something good comes in our path. I was reading the paper last night and saw a loaded '99 Toyota Sienna XLE with 57,000 miles, a 5 screen video system for $15,900. I am going to call on that one today. You all let me know what you think about the mini-vans you have, good and bad, to help with the decision we will have to make.

Other than the frustration of the stupid van, we had an awesome time. It is funny cause Mollie Bean and myself could be sisters. It is amazing the physical resemblance we have, same height, almost the same shoe size, we think a like. Crazy, to meet people that are so like yourself. God really is helping me to deal with some pride issues. I have a very prideful attitudeabout most things, and God has helped me to be able to accept and be appreciative of things given to me, especially money type things. The fact that Indy Church and the Beans did so much giving to us this weekend is staggering to me. The fact that they gave without the slightest thought of "pay back" is awesome. So a big thank you goes out to them.

Another subject is that I keep loosing things. I have a pair of "fat" jeans that I love, especially during certain times of the month. They can be a life saver then. They are gone! Also, I bought myself a relatively inexpensive pair of tennis shoes and they too have literally disappeared off the face of the earth. That upsets me that I am going to have to go buy another pair. It is the time thing, not the money, well that too, but I already did that! Crap.

I guess that is all. Just to let you all know, we aren't hurting for money, we just aren't in a place where big expense after big expense is not doable. Who is? So let's continue to support each other and do what we can as the body of Christ to help as we can. Peace to you all.

posted by Liz at 7:09 AM - permalink - -

September 10, 2003
school, tomatoes, beans, and stuff

I was going to get controversial this morning but decided I didn't want to expend the energy. So, I will just tell you what is going on with me instead.

School is going good, for us at home and Katey in public school. I am happy that she is happy. We/she are in the midst of trying to decide if we/she want to addend our public school for creative and performing arts. It would be good for her future but she is so happy where she is, making new friends and still getting a feel for a new school. I am leaving the decision up to her. I told her to talk to her creative writing teacher and see what she says. You all pray that she will be happy with what ever decision she makes. At home I have been a drill sergeant, little ones giving me grief about doing such minute things as writing and reading. Shame on them. We are in general having a good time and getting things done. I feel much better this year about what I am doing.

We have tons of tomatoes. We have around 18 - 20 plants and they are all spitting them out as fast as they can. We have around 10 pounds in the kitchen at the moment. I need to make some spaghetti sauce and some salsa and all kinds of stuff. We had bruchetta and pesto last night for our community gathering. Good times and food. If any body is close enough and you want to come get some you are more than welcome.

We have plans to go visit the Beans this coming weekend in Indianapolis. Looking forward to that. Our van is still in the shop at Alan's parents house and we are hoping that it is done in time so that we don't have to take 2 cars. That would suck. You all pray that it gets fixed so I don't have to drive my little '89 Toyota Corolla there. It is a good little car but I am afraid that it won't make it there and back. Louisville is one story, Indy is another.

I am doing a wedding cake on the weekend of the 20th. The lady, Rebecca, picked a cake out of a Wilton cake book. I will take pictures and then we can compare between the one in the book and the one I do. That will be fun to see. She is getting married in Indiana technicaly. It is just over the river on the Louisville Star, a boat on the Kentucky river. I will bake it here and the put the "crumb" layer of icing on and then transport it to my mom's house to finish. I still get jitters thinking about it. It is kind of stressful and I have had cakes loose decorations and borders on the way to the reception. Very stressful. It can be fixed but nobody want to actually have to deal with that. O.k. I guess that is all for today. You all have a good one.

posted by Liz at 9:15 AM - permalink - -

spiritual

> vine & branches
> vineyard central

blogs

> Garden Escapades
> Trish Hiduk
> Maryann
> Alan Creech
> The Vine
> Little Houses
> Amber Bishop
> Jody Nixon
> Laura Ogle
> Debi Warford
> Jason & Brooke Evans
> Eric Keck
> Beth Keck
> Pete Matthews
> Trudi Matthews
> Brian Phillips
> Bryan Sherwood
> Malie
> Kim Johnson

Homeschool

> vegsource homeschool
> discovery school channel
> saxon math and phonics

general interest

> john rosemond's affermative parenting
> lisa welchel
> thunderstruck
> Homestar Runner

gardening

> Kids Gardening

books i like

Here are some books I suggests if you are looking to homeschool or just for information. I gleaned a lot from them. Our church gets credit if you buy through these links.

In their Own Way
by Thomas Armstrong

Seven Times Smarter
by Laurel Schmidt

How to Talk So Kids Can Learn
by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish

Teen Proofing
by John Rosemond