VANtastic!

Yesterday my life as I know it changed for the better. And for the convenient. And I am absolutely giddy with excitement in a totally geeky way that I am now a minivan mom! I suppose these are words that I never thought I’d say, but ever since this shoving-three-kids-in-the-back-of-my-sedan thing started (and immediately got OLD), I have been lusting after a minivan.

Since we are Toyota people, Bobby and I really wanted a Toyota Sienna.  We also wanted to pay cash, which meant USED.   And, we wanted leather seats (because, really, Joshua has thrown up in my car about 8,000 times and if it didn’t have leather, I’d have to wear a HAZMAT suit just to DRIVE it) and at lease ONE power door.  (Whoever invented the power door is a geeeeeeeeenius and should be given the highest honor the country of his or her birth bestows upon civilians.  Anyhoo.)  Also, we were hoping for a 2004 or newer because that’s when they last changed the Sienna significantly.  SO -we were being very picky!  We really began searching about a month ago and we called on a couple but they were always sold – these babies go fast!

Then, Tuesday, I saw one that was slightly out of our price range but not too far out.  And it was nearby, and had everything we wanted.  So Bobby said, “Let’s go look at it!”  We pulled into the JANKIEST car lot I have ever seen.  The first letter was missing from the company sign, it was about the size of a gas station and the lot was packed FULL of cars!  Nevertheless, it has the perfect Sienna.  It was pretty dirty on the inside but the outside looked great.  Since Bobby is a mechanic, he wanted to take it into work to look at it thoroughly, and the car salesman said that was ok.  After looking it over the next day, Bobby thought it was a no-brainer.  So we made them an offer, they took it, and yesterday, we brought this baby home!

We are calling her Yoshi.  A good Japanese name for a good Japanese car!  It’s a 2004, with leather, two power doors, and pretty much every option you could get back then. It’s like, the finest in minivan luxury from 7 years ago!! SCORE! Bobby took it to work today to get it detailed (it really was dirty on the inside – the previous owners left all kinds of stuff in it including several hair bands, some earrings, and an Nintendo DS game!) and tomorrow I will get to click open that power door and put my three kids in it without wanting to shoot myself and go for a spin!! I can’t wait and I’m so thankful to have this new-to-us-car!

Yippee! Minivans rule!

Post to Twitter

14 Replies to “VANtastic!”

  1. Congratulations! You will love your van and never know how in the world you ever fit all 5 of you comfortably into a smaller car again! I still try to figure out how we fit all of us (when there were only 4 at the time) into my little 2 door Saturn and drove to the beach every year. Pack and plays, high chairs, bottles, diapers, swimsuits, and lots of other beach goodies galore! Somehow we always made it, but I would NEVER go back to not having a van. Enjoy!

  2. Minivans totally rule! We bought one right after we found out we were pregnant with #3, and we’ve never looked back, nor regretted it. Welcome to the club!

  3. So if a minivan means you are old then what am I driving a 12 passenger van?

    Seriously…enjoy your new ride!

  4. Congrats! And thank you for pubicly sharing your practical approach to car shopping! You don’t hear enough of that these days…

  5. We’ve had 2 minivans, both Dodge Caravans, and we were terribly happy with them. So convenient.
    As to used cars, well duh, I work for CarMax, so…

    UP

  6. I an sooooo happy for you and your family. Bobby is so smart to be able to check out a van so thoroughly. You were just beaming yesterday when you brought it over for us to see. It is perfect for your family. God is good all the time!

Comments are closed.