3 vehicles and all not working properly!

So last week my dear husband was feeling okay and went down to Salt Lake to take care of a client's network problems. He called me to tell me that he was on his way back around 1 p.m. So about an hour later he calls and says that he is having problems with the car and to borrow his mom's car and come immediately to follow him home. So I rush out the door and drive down the road looking for him. I find him a lot sooner than anticipated and he gives me the thumbs up, so I turn around and follow him home. He tells me that he stopped in Layton at his friends' warehouse to chat with the guys, but it was too hot in there so he decided to go home. He could not get the car started so had his friend jump start the car, it worked but there was white smoke coming out of the hood and therefore he called me. He got home okay and figured that the car had overheated (as it was 95+ that day outside). The next morning he had me go outside and help him start the car to see what was the problem, car will not turn over at all. Well after doing some internet research he fears that the car engine has ceased. GREAT! We spent the last of our savings instead of replacing the Suburban's engine, since it would be TOO EXPENSIVE to drive with the price of gas now and only 14 miles to the gallon on a good day. Also the license expired and so to be able to legally drive the Suburban we are going to have to at least fix some minor issues with its engine. What to do??

Well John woke me up this morning to help him in the garage. I handed him the proper wrenches and sockets so that he could pull the starter out, and I also turned the key to see if the engine would start. He has deduced that it could be the starter and that is where he should start and try to fix it before having a mechanic do it and charge us so much money (that we do not have right now).

Now on Sunday, I went down to Salt Lake in Mom-in-law's car for a family party and on the way home I was having a lovely conversation with my kids about what they learned in church and so I turned off the radio and turned down the air conditioner. Well as I exited the freeway to come home I heard this horrible grinding sound and knew that the brakes were going bad. Great, the last working car at the house is now sick. So I listened carefully as I drove the 5 minutes to home, a few stop lights and stop signs and sure enough each time I touched the brakes, the same horrible grinding noise, the kids even said that they could "feel it."

Well I told John and he sent me to Checker this morning to get the replacement brake pads. Now it would seem strange to some that I (a female) going into what my son terms as "A BOY STORE" and feel comfortable doing so. The girl behind the counter was impressed that I knew what I needed, I felt good about that. I was raised by a dad that did not have a lot of time to teach me everything but he did teach me the essentials on cars so that I would not be stuck on the road somewhere with a flat tire, etc. I have replaced brake pads, changed oil, filled washer fluid, installed a radio and speakers on my cars before I got married, but it sure is nice to have a husband who knows how to do those things and is WAY BETTER at it than I am.

I guess the next alternative will be to ride bikes everywhere, well at least in the area, WalMart/McDonald's and Wendy's are around the corner so I would survive, hehehe...