Thanks Denny for the kind words. I enjoyed looking at your blog also, and getting a glimpse into your life.

It's late and my bed time is near, so this post will be short. Early to bed, early to rise. I'm much more of a morning person then a night person.

We took the new minivan in to get the brakes done. $650 later, we're good to go. The back brakes were completely shot and the front needed new pads and rotors (?). I'm glad we had the money to pay for it, but it's so frustrating because just when we get our savings account to where we want it (or even some extra in it) something always comes up. But I just tell myself to be thankful that we have the resources, unlike so many other people out there who are not as fortunate....

I made split pea soup today and will be making another batch tomorrow to take up North with us. I also made cheesey broccoli soup for us to enjoy here, and paired with French bread that we tore chunks off of, it was a perfect lunch.

Frugal/Simple Living Thought of the Day: Find a good mechanic before you need one. Ask your friends and family for recommendations. And don't forget to get more then one estimate the first time you go to a new mechanic. It is a lot less stressful when you have a dependable mechanic that isn't swindling you.