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  • Female/United States
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  • Deviant since Jun 23, 2005, 12:07 PM
  • Subscribed until Mar 31, 2009, 9:13 AM
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Long time coming

Journal Entry: Wed Apr 23, 2008, 8:18 AM



First let me say a big THANK YOU to everyone who comments, :+fav:'s or just comes by. I appreciate the time you take to visit me. :hug:


~~~ :butterflytwo: ~ :heart: :heart: :heart: ~ :butterflytwo: ~~~



I can't believe it's been so long since I've updated my journal. I'm so sorry.
I haven't been around here much lately except to check in here and there. I've been in such a funk. The long winter didn't help matters. :fingerscrossed: I hope it's finally over...it is near the end April after all. The sun finally showed itself after much gloominess and rain. The flower bulbs I planted last fall were floating in the water, :cries: I don't think they will be blooming for me.

Anyway....the last time you all heard from me my husbands car had died and he was driving my van everyday, leaving me stuck at home. Not that I go out everyday or anything it's just that I couldn't go if I wanted to. (public transportation is not available where I live) I had to put new brakes and rotors on the van during that time too.
After much web research we bought him a brand new 2008 Toyota Matrix on March 22! He loves it! The gas mileage is fantastic. The dealership we went to sucked BIGTIME anyone in the Chicagoland area...STAY AWAY from OAKBROOK TOYOTA!!! High pressure, pushy salesmen and a horrid, rude man in the finance department.
March 23rd, the engine light came on in my van. I took it over to the repair center only to be told that I needed a new exhaust and transmission (you might remember the transmission overheating last summer in California). The darn thing also had a mind of its own when it came to where I wanted the heat/air conditioning to blow from too. There was a vacuum leak somewhere in the system that made a horrible hissing sound. So we decided that it was time to say goodbye to my van. I was a little sad but it was 10 years old with 116,670 miles on it. Back to the web and classifieds for me. Looking for something reliable with not too many miles. Sad to say but what I was looking for just wasn't out there at a decent price. So I started shopping the sale ads, with tax time so near I knew there were deals to be had. I test drove several vehicles, not falling in love with anything...until I went to a different Toyota dealer on April 3rd. I met a very nice salesman, he let me look at the cars I was interested in, answered all my questions and took me on a couple test drives. It was while I was waiting for him to get the keys for a Rav4 that I sat down in a car in the showroom. I looked around and said "hey this isn't half bad." After I drove the Rav 4 I decided it wasn't for me. It was a little pricey too. On the way back into the showroom I asked if I could drive one of "those" cars I had been sitting in...and guess what.....
I loved it!!!!!!
They let me drive a demo model over to hubby's office to see what he thought, he couldn't believe I was actually considering this car, but after he got in and rode around, then drove a bit, he liked it too. He didn't like the color of the demo, I didn't either.
I went back to the dealer.....and....Bought a new car!!!! :excited: The first brand new car I've ever owned. :faint:
I did everything by myself too, basically the only thing I had to negotiate was the price of my trade in. I bickered just a bit but I ended up getting $300 more than my bottom line so I did good! :w00t:
They had to order the color I wanted so I had to wait a few days, I hardly slept at all, wondering if I made a mistake, all sorts of stuff running through my head. On April 7th I got the call saying I could come pick up my new car. Hubby was in the middle of something at work and could not leave, I was anxious to get my new car! After a couple of hours he finally came home and drove me over to pick it up. :excited:
I ordered some extra things, like a security system and a rear spoiler but one thing I splurged on was totally friviolous….underdash lighting with cupholder illumination! I can toggle through 4 colors, green, red, blue and amber. I like blue the best. It’s so cool! I can’t believe it :faint: Normally I would never spend money on such things but Hubby said “if you want light up cupholders then get them” so I did.

I’ve taken a few pictures recently, maybe one or two I can post. Hopefully I’ll be able to get some spring flower pictures soon. I’ll be going down to southern Indiana (in my new car) in a few days, my sister tells me they have a lot of blooming things down there. It will be nice to see my nieces and nephews again. I haven’t seen them since Christmas.
It’s always so hard living so far away.
I can’t believe it’s been a whole year since I’ve seen my daughter. :cries:
Good news is we’ll be taking a vacation to California again this summer so I’ll get to see her. :happycry:
Of course that means I’ll be away from dA even more. I always think about you guys. I look through my inbox and see all your beautiful images. I just wish I could comment on them all. I miss the fun we used to have. Hopefully I’ll be able to reconnect here and get back into the fun. Thank you all for hanging in there with me.

Oh….here’s a picture of my new car!
my car

It's a 2008 Scion xB! Not as boxy as the previous models. I love it!!!

:hug:Take care! And HAPPY SPRING! (to the midwest US)...finally.

:blowkiss:
Andrea

~CSS provided by the wonderful :iconbabyducks: ~
Clubs :rose: :iconflower-club: :strip: :iconex-po-zure:
My Husband ~Traveling-David
My Daughter =KatTheGrrreat ~KatTheGrrreat-photo
Her husband Joe ~Gandora


Disclaimer:
The work contained in my gallery is Copyright © Andrea Stephens 2005-2007
All rights reserved. My work may not be reproduced, copied, edited, published, transmitted or uploaded in any way without my written permission. My work does not belong to the public domain.

  • Mood: Joy

Devious Information

  • Current Age: (it's not the years, it's the mileage)
  • Current Residence: Illinois
  • Interests: taking photographs, old movies & my family
  • Favourite movie: "old" movies
  • Favourite artist: Katthegrrreat aka Katherine Dattilo
  • Favourite cartoon character: Bashful, Goofy, Eeoyre, and Figment(from Epcot)
  • Tools of the Trade: Canon Rebel XTi, Canon S2IS, friends with gardens

Devious Comments

=allym007:iconallym007: 6 days 7 hours ago
thank you so much :iconredbullglompplz:

--
Alice
--

:new: SUNSET TREES CONTEST at the =TreesClub :sun:
--
Dreams are often most profound when they seem the most crazy. ~Sigmund Freud :crazy:
`babyducks:iconbabyducks: Jun 27, 2008, 12:41:30 PM
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--
~Your heart understands what your head cannot yet conceive; trust your heart~

My :heart: belongs to *Ex-po-zure
`WaitingForTheWorms:iconWaitingForTheWorms: Jun 22, 2008, 8:22:44 PM Mood: Humor
:iconjusaysthx1::iconjusaysthx2::iconjusaysthx3:
:iconjusaysthx4::iconjusaysthx5::iconjusaysthx6:


:giggle: Couldn't resist this one. :giggle:

--
:D 'Logic is a systematic method of coming to the wrong conclusion with confidence.' :nod: :D
`WaitingForTheWorms:iconWaitingForTheWorms: Jun 13, 2008, 7:39:29 PM Mood: Love
:aww: :hug: Thanks, Andrea, darling. :thanks: Love you to pieces, my sweet friend. :love: Keeping my fingers crossed for your safe travel home. :heart:

--
:D 'A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.' :innocent:
`babyducks:iconbabyducks: May 19, 2008, 5:36:19 PM
Hey Baby :hug:
:iconfurrydanceplz:
:glomp: :smooch: :heart: :kiss:
I'm sorry I've been so absent of late on my personal account :hug:

--
~Your heart understands what your head cannot yet conceive; trust your heart~

My :heart: belongs to *Ex-po-zure
=KatTheGrrreat:iconKatTheGrrreat: May 11, 2008, 9:23:06 PM Mood: Love
HAPPY MOMMY's DAY!!!

--
Do not trifle with the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

=KatTheGrrreat :heart: ~Gandora
`WaitingForTheWorms:iconWaitingForTheWorms: May 8, 2008, 8:13:18 PM Mood: Love
:bow: :bow: :bow:
:iconrudeboyskunkplz::iconrudeboyskunkplz2::iconrudeboyskunkplz3:
:heart:

--
;) ;) If at first you DO succeed, try not to look astonished. :giggle:
*taramara:icontaramara: May 8, 2008, 12:00:07 AM Mood: Joy
Thank you so much Andrea for the :+fav: on Reflections and Shadows. :hug:

--
Today is the first day of the rest of your life

It's nice to be Important but It's more important to be Nice :nod:
`WaitingForTheWorms:iconWaitingForTheWorms: Apr 25, 2008, 4:15:29 AM Mood: Love
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:frail: ............... :butterfly:

..:frail:................................:frail: :heart: ..........:frail:


:frail:........:frail: ................ :butterfly: .......:frail: ........ :butterfly:

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..:heart:............. :butterfly:............ Thank You .......:heart:


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:frail:........:frail: ................ :butterfly: .......:frail: ........ :butterfly:

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..:heart:............. :butterfly:

--
;) ;) If at first you DO succeed, try not to look astonished. :giggle:
`WaitingForTheWorms:iconWaitingForTheWorms: Apr 15, 2008, 11:49:35 AM Mood: Love
:hug: :heart: Thanks a lot for the :+fav:, sweets. :bow: :bow: :thanks: And for being such amazing friend. :love: Love you to pieces. :blowkiss:

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;) ;) 'If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you...' :innocent:
=voyager01:iconvoyager01: Apr 2, 2008, 7:20:09 PM
Hi Andrea. Just wanted to say thanks for the Fav on
Hssssss Hssssss.
Glad you liked it.
Your gallery is growing and your photos are as great as ever.
~V

--
If you like my work, check out my book: [link]

We can do no great things. Only small things with great love.
~Mother Theresa
`WaitingForTheWorms:iconWaitingForTheWorms: Apr 2, 2008, 9:44:37 AM Mood: Love
:hug: :heart: Thanks a lot for the :+fav:, Andrea, darling. :bow: :thanks:
:D Hope you are getting some sun :sun: finally. :glomp: I know you are tired of rain, cold, and wind just as I am. :roll: Spring is somehow late coming this year. :(
:love: Love you to pieces. :blowkiss:

:iconflowerdanceplz::iconfaveplz:
:iconnewglomp:
:icongwomp:

--
;) 'When everything is coming your way, you are in the wrong lane.' :giggle:
`babyducks:iconbabyducks: Mar 26, 2008, 1:16:39 PM
:icongwomp: Love ya Baby!

--
~Your heart understands what your head cannot yet conceive; trust your heart~

My :heart: belongs to *Ex-po-zure
`WaitingForTheWorms:iconWaitingForTheWorms: Mar 26, 2008, 6:07:52 AM Mood: Love
:iconflowerdanceplz: A million thanks :bow: :bow: for recent :+fav:s, Andrea, darling. :iconflowerdanceplz:
:icongwomp:

--
;) 'Careful with that light at the end of the tunnel, it might be another train coming.' :giggle:
`WaitingForTheWorms:iconWaitingForTheWorms: Mar 23, 2008, 4:39:57 PM Mood: Love
:iconflowerdanceplz::iconflowerdanceplz::iconflowerdanceplz:

:love: Happy Easter, Andrea, darling. :love: :heart: A lot of warm weather soon and a lot of flowers soon after that. :cuddle: Love you to pieces. :blowkiss:
:iconflowerdanceplz::iconflowerdanceplz::iconflowerdanceplz:

--
;) 'Careful with that light at the end of the tunnel, it might be another train coming.' :giggle:
`zetab:iconzetab: Mar 23, 2008, 4:03:55 AM
Thanks for the birthday greeting :D

Is Spring looking a bit better now? :o

--
Zeta B.
Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.
=KatTheGrrreat:iconKatTheGrrreat: Feb 22, 2008, 8:42:00 PM Mood: Cheerful
:glomp: Lovings and huggings to you mommy!! :cuddle:

--
Do not trifle with the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

=KatTheGrrreat :heart: ~Gandora
^SheTakesPics:iconSheTakesPics: Feb 14, 2008, 8:12:00 AM
Happy:heart:Day !
:iconbemyvalentineplz:

--

DL. Higdon
Animals, Plants & Nature Gallery Director
shetakespics@volunteers.deviantart.com

♥Love me or hate me. Either way I'm on your mind♥
~BeMyValentinePlz:iconBeMyValentinePlz: Feb 13, 2008, 8:37:30 PM
`babyducks has sent you a :iconbemyvalentineplz:

Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
You have been sent a Valentines Rose,
Just because you're you!


-------------------------
You are receiving this message because someone out there has noticed how great you are! To send a rose to someone, send a note to *SecretAdmirerPlz
`WaitingForTheWorms:iconWaitingForTheWorms: Feb 13, 2008, 6:36:47 PM Mood: Love
:iconbemyvalentineplz: :blowkiss:

:love:

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:D I like work. It fascinates me. I could sit and look at it for hours. :innocent:
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:idea: Give us your best shot. :+favlove: Expose yourself on :pointr: *Ex-po-zure :nod: :aww:
*scootergirl762:iconscootergirl762: Jan 31, 2008, 4:39:55 PM
Thanks so much for the :+fav:!

--
~"A good photograph is knowing where to stand"~ Ansel Adams

Get Some Ex-Po-Zure
`WaitingForTheWorms:iconWaitingForTheWorms: Jan 28, 2008, 6:58:29 AM Mood: Longing
:sniff: :sniff: Where are you, sweetie-pie? :O_o:

:lonely:

--
;) Learn from the mistakes of others, because you can't live long enough to make them all yourself. :giggle:
--
:idea: Give us your best shot. :+favlove: Expose yourself on :pointr: *Ex-po-zure :nod: :aww: