STRAVA

Friday, July 6, 2012

The Sweet Family Truckster

Wow what a freaking difference! I am feeling great. My emotions are totally back to normal. I still get weepy at that darn Mother's Day commercial for P&G -- but give me a break; that thing is a total tear jerker even if you aren't preggo, right? I am excited for little man to arrive, I am looking forward to all that pregnancy has to offer, my disposition on a daily basis has totally improved. Whoo Hoo!

The only preggo "symptom" I am having is insomnia. I can't sleep. I can fall asleep fine, but if I wake up...I am UP. But hey, I am writing a blog, right?

Here are my 21 week pics:



We are getting ready to take a family vacation in 2 weeks. The husband is competing in Ironman Lake Placid. We are going to DRIVE 18 hours to Lake Placid. People we tell think we are out of our minds. But last year we flew with a 7 month old to IMLP for my work and for Andy to sign up; and that was torture! In order to actually get to Lake Placid, you have to fly into Vermont, rent a car, take a ferry over Lake Champlain, then drive an additional 2 hours. Plus, this year we are taking Andy's bike and all his IM gear. Checking bags and his bike would be a small fortune. So family road trip it is. The only caveat is the blue magoo (our trusty Saturn Vue), probably wouldn't fare as well as we would. So the initial plan was to rent a mini van. The least expensive van I found was going to be $600 for the week. Plus, we were going to have to install some sort of bike rack on the back. Either buy a new hitch and secretly install it on the rental for our bike rack or buy a new bike rack that would "stick" to the back gate.

Our thought was with baby #2 on the way, we were going to have to get a second vehicle anyway. We have an old pickup truck that Andy drives, but no bueno for bambinos/car seats. So...wait for it, wait for it, wait -- ok here goes...we are going to buy a mini van. GASP. I know, here we are in our thirties with 1.5 kids and we are going to buy a mini van. Yup. I am THAT gal now. I never thought in a million years I would be who I am today. Not that mini vans are bad or kids are bad either. Gawd no. Just not what I pictured for myself. I really didn't think I would ever get married, let alone have kids, a house in the woods, AND a mini van. Good to know I am not solely in charge of my future and there is someone out there looking out for me. I love my family and where I am today.

OK, back to the Sweet family truckster. After much painstaking deliberation and a little kicking and screaming from me.

"But I don't WANT a mini van." 
***POUT*** 

We found the Mazda 5. So cool. It is a "mini" mini van and has a much sportier look. Also rated 3rd out of the top 10 mini vans on the market.

Photo from US News and World Report.com

We wanted something with just as much cargo space as the Vue (BTW the Vue had a craptastic load of room in the back), side sliding doors, good gas mileage, and captains chairs in the 2nd row. The Mazda has it all and it was not like driving a bus. Traditional mini vans are HUGE. There you have it. I am pretty sure we are going to be purchasing this in the next 48-72 hours.

Yikes! "Hello soccer mom-ville? Have room for one more? You do?!"
"Great..."