Out with the old....

1. We grew out of our car on January 14th, 2013. For almost 18 months we have been taking two cars whenever the entire family is going to the same place.  Admittedly, this only happens on Sundays and whenever we decide to go for ice cream. No biggie...

But then there are those trips to Arkansas and we started to feel a little ridiculous pulling up in two cars.

Then we realized that we would be driving separately down to Florida for our family vacation.

Good grief.

So after a brief consideration of renting a large enough vehicle so as to drive down together, we realized it was time to face the facts. WE NEED A CAR WITH 8 seats.

2. Goodbye Town and Country.

I will miss your fold down seats, your secret bins in the floor and your seat warmer that kept my buns warm in the winter.

I will miss that I knew that even after you claimed I had "zero" miles left till I was out of gas, I knew I really had 40 more to go till I was stranded on the side of the freeway.  Thanks, John Stossel.

I will not miss the weird smell that you acquired fair and square after hauling 6 kids everywhere with their tendency to stash unwanted food items in your pockets, cracks and crevices. It wasn't you...it was them.

I will also not miss the your most recent habit of sending me constant reminders to "Service Tire System Soon"....yeah, well, I serviced the tire system and it cost me 100 bucks to be told that it would cost me 1000 bucks to get you to stop telling me to "Service Tire System Soon". Thanks for that.

And while we're on the subject, thanks a million for scratching my arm every time I got out of the car and too close to the loose, razor sharp Chrysler logo, jutting threateningly off the driver's side door.

Won't miss that.

3. Hello, Sienna!

We don't know each other yet. I don't know how to work anything but the gas, brake and steering wheel, but I think if I spend a little quality time with the instruction manual, I will get the hang of it all.

At the very least, I think I can find the windshield wipers and turn signal.

But honestly, even if I never manage to make a single phone call from the van or ever effectively use the GPS system....there are 8 seatbelts in that baby and that means that next time we go on a trip together, I get to sleep part of the way!!!

4. The kids love it. They love the room and the gadgets and the new car smell.

5. I love that I have approximately 3 weeks before I start wondering why there are fruit flies in my car.