Can You Follow the Logic?

Let's start with some personal history. I have owned four vehicles in my twenty-one years of driving. Not a bad average, I must say. In 1986 my Dad allowed me to appropriate his 1985 Toyota Corolla. In 1993, I finally gave it back. I had just purchased my brand new Cardinal red and black (I still insist it was not orange, no matter what C says! Ford called it "Vibrant Red") Ford Explorer Sport! I loved that car to death, literally. Eight years and four, yes four, clutches later a dealer mercifully gave me approximately $1600. in trade-in value towards my new Hyundai Santa Fe. Luckily the dealer's test drive of my old rust bucket was just around the block. They never discovered it had been missing a 5th gear for over a year. Don't ask, don't tell you know... All jokes aside it was going straight to the wholesale lot. I did not knowingly or otherwise defraud anyone (if C ever does run for office, I guess these blogs could come back to haunt me if I don't clarify...LOL). So, back to the Santa Fe. I loved this little SUV. We were expecting M and this was going to be our little family truckster. I was adamantly and vehemently and ? (what else means Hell NO?) opposed to any suggestion of a minivan, EVER! The Hyundai was a perfect little car, only an idiot would trade it. Skip forward two years and enter one aforementioned idiot.


We had just moved to San Antonio and were planning a week long trip to South Padre Island with my folks. They were flying in to SA and we would all ride together to the coast. Needless to say, four adults, one car seat, one pack-n-play, and luggage for five for a week would not all fit in the Santa Fe. When I started researching rentals for a week that would accommodate us all, I nearly had a fit... Have I mentioned before my propensity to be somewhat um thrifty? So, suddenly the wheels were turning. This is always dangerous. This is how I found myself having the following conversation with C.

• Me: "I want to make a proposal. I want you to say yes or no. Under no circumstance may you laugh at me or call me crazy."






• C: " Oh my God, what did you do?"


• 
  


• Me: " I am serious."


• 
  


• C. "Just tell me, what did you do?"

This went on for a while, and yes, this is pretty much verbatim. I have a very good memory for the conversations in life I most wish I could forget.


Suffice to say, I talked myself into buying a minivan. Have I mentioned, I HATE minivans. My apologies to Kim, Becky, Jen, and my folks. You are all of my favorite people. You all love your vans. I am so glad that you all are so thrilled with your vehicles. On this one topic we will have to agree to disagree... I was SO sure that if I bought a really cool minivan, you know black, all leather, sunroof, tinted windows, etc. it would be just great. Not so much. It seems you just cannot trick out a minivan enough to make me overcome my deep-seated loathing. I have now driven this monstrosity for nearly four years. C has done his best to not say "I told you so" more than a couple of times a week for four years. We have been telling everyone we know since we found out we were coming here that when we left CA, the minivan was not coming with us. We now realize that we are really only going to use one car here. We only have one designated parking spot, so we must play a cat and mouse game with our four neighbors over our two "guest" spots. Rumor has it that when C does actually start classes in two weeks, parking is so scarce at the school that those in the know have already started walking. Joking aside, it seems most everyone bikes to school. This is quite a testimony to their fitness as the hills here are murder. Never push a jogging stroller here in $3 Target flip flops... (that's another blog entry all in itself)


SO, we now have listed for sale...






Wait for it....







You guessed it...







The VOLVO ?!?

Now you just have to bear with me for a minute to get to the whole logic thing. Yes, this is the vehicle we actually do like. It is also however, somewhat cozy to be our only mode of transportation at this stage. Jogging strollers take up a lot of room. As do sand buckets, coolers, chairs, dogs, etc. You get the drift. SO, we are going to ultimately get rid of both of our current rides and head back into the world of the SUV. Do NOT ask which one as we are only dealing with one process at a time. We are hoping this whole mess is done by Christmas. All I know for sure is that if I ever again speak of changing my long held opinion on something as big as oh say, a car. Somebody shoot me.

By the way, if anyone is interested in an awesome car or a much loathed, but perfectly functional, minivan, you know who to contact.

I do have a couple of additional commercial announcements today!

First, we have a dear friend celebrating a birthday this week. So everyone join us in wishing Rachel a great Birthday!We are so sorry Rachel that we could not find a more recent digital pic of you. This one from the Christmas of 2002, though was too cute to pass up. Besides when else can I post a pic of my Mom in antlers?

My second commercial is about one of my favorite topics, shoes. I have recently discovered TOMS shoes. This company gives one pair of shoes to a needy child for EVERY pair they sell. The shoes are great and the mission is better. They have given out 10000 shoes to kids in Argentina and are planning on giving 40000 this year to kids in Africa. Check them out at http://www.tomsshoes.com/ . They are even cute in my monstrous size 9.

When I received my pair they sent me a discount code to pass along to my friends... So, if you are in the market enter 1PAIR4FEET in the special code box on their website and you get $5. off. Note to you other parents of little ones. The kids patterns are adorable, and look no laces or velcro... I am on the waiting list for two pair of pink camo....too cute.

My last ad of the day is purely narcissistic. When you stop in and read these little nuggets of my wisdom. Wait a minute, I must stop laughing. You may notice a small place marked comments at the end of each entry. Huge thanks to Jen, Elizabeth, and Kirstin who have all had nice things to say. I am open to, and asking for, all comments. Even criticisms are welcome. I am strong. I can take it. I can also stick my tongue out at you on screen and you can't see it. See, I am mature too. All kidding aside, I would love to know you're out there and still getting my warped sense of humor. (PS, Mom, You will be thrilled to know that I just ran the spellcheck on this post and I got narcissistic right on the 1st try all by myself. Aren't you so proud?)

Off to get ready for church. Have a Blessed Day!