Amazed by what we can do!

This year has brought a lot of "news" to our world.  Me being home, Patrick's new job, mom living here, a brand new tighter budget.  These things have created a significant parental role reversal (poor Keaton!), eating at home almost every single meal, no soft drinks when we do eat out, less extravagant leisure activities, no summer vacation and the need to try and fix things ourselves.

So far, Patrick has repaired the dishwasher latch, we replaced the filters in my car thanks to a YouTube video to show us how to get to the one behind the glove box...The kids and I were hysterical on that one!, the lawn mower and the stupid Taurus' ac fans.  All for about 10-20% of the cost of having someone do the repair for us.  It took more running, more research and I am sure more time, but hey, to save 80% - who wouldn't!?

About 2 years after we got the Kia it started revving up (not just a little, but like I was ready to race for pinks in 1950's America!) at stop lights and stop signs and occasionally in parking lots.  It would also just randomly die while I was driving down the road.  I took it to the dealership because it was under warranty and they "fixed" it....oops, not really...so I took it back in and they "fixed it again"...shoot!, maybe not...so I went all Lisa on them and they did whatever they should have done the first time and finally got it to stop.  3 years go by and 2000 miles out of warranty it starts again.  I call them, they are quick to inform me that my car is no longer under warranty ("would you like to speak to someone about purchasing an extended warranty?") and they felt no responsibility to repair the repair they did (3 times) 3 years ago.

I decided to use my daily computer break to see what my friends on the internet had to say about my car's particular problem.  Amazing what you can find online.  Then, with a call to O'Reilly auto parts and some confirmation, we got a $40.00 part and Patrick went to work fixing it.*

 Amazingly, Patrick had purchased this weird screwdriver that can bend around corners...the trick car manufacturers play on you to make all home garage repairs much more difficult...hoping you don't have this (or even know it exists) so you have to take it to the dealership/garage.

It was HOT!  Too hot to be outside at noon fixing my car, but Patrick is the best sport and understands how much we need to save 80%!  He hates this kind of thing, but he can't deny that he's really good at it, so he just does it!  I was his lovely assistant - I think I annoy him when I hang around saying positive things and offering him drinks of ice water, but I am trying to show solidarity and that I am willing to sweat with him (and the entire world knows I hate to sweat outside in Texas)

*We did this on September 12 and it is still working perfectly (on November 7) all for $40.00!!!  YAY!  Since then, we have fixed our washing machine agitator, installed our own water heater, installed the new sink hardware and light fixture in the downstairs bath...I'm so proud of us!