Need a New Best Friend? Go Car Shopping.

After what feels like ages of searching, I am finally in possession of my very own new-ish Mommy-mobile.  We have had a long and exhausting search which has taken over our lives and emotions this week, but now we're halfway there.  One vehicle down; one to go! 

We have also made the acquaintances of several car salesmen who wanted to be our new best friends (as long as we were in need of a vehicle).  I know that not all car salesmen are slick and shifty (like the pretty decent one we eventually purchased from in the end), but some of them are.  They like to use your first name too frequently and assure you that they understand your needs.  Most of them had no concept of my needs.  "Big Al," for example told me, "Look Meredith, you got kids.  You got a lotta stuff.  You're gonna be driving them and all thier friends all around town.  Heck, you prob'ly also got a lotta big friends just like me.  I'm a big guy, you know.  So you're gonna need a big vehicle to suit your family's needs."  Al didn't have a clue.  (I've been driving a Ford Focus for the last few years with my three kids.)  In the end, I was pretty annoyed with his assessment of my needs and with the pre-recorded spiel that constantly spewed from his never-closing mouth.  I was also annoyed with his overly familiar use of my first name and the fact that he referred to other people like me as "gals."  (Am I a little hormonal this week?  Who's got chocolate?)

So in the end, I didn't wind up going with Al's giant, gas-guzzling minivan, but I did buy a slightly more sensible minivan from another dude, who happened to be much less slick and even confided in me, "Meredith, I hate minivans.  They are so not cool."  I totally agree with my new best friend, Kevin from the Nissan dealership.  Minivans ARE completely lame, but it looks like that's what I need right now.  Next week I will be driving Sophie and Emma to Kung Fu Camp in my new Mommy-mobile, and maybe that's just a little bit cool.

Happy Weekend to All!!