*sigh*
In case you were ever wondering what happens after your beloved van goes down, down, down as the flames get higher… and it burns, burns, burns like a ring of fire (name the song!), turns out your sentence reward is 60 months and this sweet baby:
Don’t get me wrong, she is shhhhhhhmmaaaaancy. GPS (not that I can figure it out), one of those back up cameras (so I have no excuses for hitting the address post anymore), it talks (I don’t know what about), and some other shmancy stuff.
It’s just that… well, I was perfectly content with my geezer of a car. She’d been so reliable. She’s been paid off for years. She had a whole lot to love about her. And, oh and this is the kicker… we had just put brand new tires on her, and installed one of those stereos you all have probably had for years. Oh and, about 15 miles before she went down, down, down… I had filled her with $50 in gas.
Doesn’t that just go figure?
So, I’m done whining about it. Soon, I know I will love this shiny new toy as much as I loved my candidate-for-Rusteeze, chugalong ol’ grandma of a van. It seems they’re all pretty happy about it…
And I’m looking forward to making more family memories with this shiny new thing as a backdrop. I hope she ages much more gracefully than her predecessor. In the meantime, did I mention it has heated seats and a DVD player???
Yeah. They like that, too.
{ 37 comments… read them below or add one }
Niiiiice! My MIL was visiting this past weekend and, for some reason, she always insists on filling my old rust bucket up with gas, and I was like NOOOO!!! Something always goes wrong when the tank is full!!! Fortunately, nothing has happened yet ~ keeping my fingers crossed.
Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash!
Have fun with your new ride~the boys look pretty excited about her. The heated seats are something sounds like you need in your neck of the woods
Heated seats? I could sure use those during the cold Alaskan winter
Sounds great! I’m hoping that my Expedition will last a few more years. We finally paid it of this year, and I would love to go a while with no payments…..
Eeeee!!! You are going to LOVE it!!!
That pic of everyone jumping is awesome. (It reminds me of those old Toyota commercials– Oooohhhh what a feeling! Toyota!)
I LOVE IT!!
we have sister vans!!!
stay tuned for adventures of the ya-ya honda-hood… LOL
(http://annmariedetavernier.blogspot.com/2009/06/goin-on-vacation.html)
ps I may have to borrow your idea for the jumpin in front of van photo… maybe my husband can jump while holding the two kids… and then photo shop in the prego mommy jumping too… (SOMEONE has to hold the camera right??)
Servin’ the same 60-payment sentence…although I think we’re down to a low-low 59 months, here. Snort.
Lovely van!
Welcome to the family. We have a Honda too and even though we are serving the payment sentence I wouldn’t trade it for the world. We have the light blue color with all the bells and whistles. My favorite part is the ECO fuel saver, I am currently up to 24.9 MPG on one tank of gas and I have been driving up and down the highway to the doctors for a week and a half, which is 28 miles each way. The Navi is sweet too since we have just moved to a whole new state.
Enjoy the Odyssey!
Your new vehicle you will love! I have a new to me crossover and love it!
Now for a new twist. I did not believe I could do this when I began. I paid my last vehicle off early. Just saved the money in the bank and one day took it in and that old vehicle was mine. Then I kept saving money. It was my car fund and I did not touch it for anything. When it came time to buy the next new to me vehicle I paid cash. Did not think I could do it. It is so much more fun to drive than when I made payments. Now, I’m saving money again for the next car I buy but it will be at least 8 years before I think of getting a different one and maybe 12 years. Enjoy you van. It is so nice to have. The bells and whistles of the new vehicle are so enjoyable.
What a nice van! Mine is only 5 years old but was the most basic that could be bought at the time. It sounds like there are lots of nifty features on some of the vans these days.
Blessings,
Dawn
Nice! I like that it doesn’t look like a van. ; )
Congratulations!. you’re gonna love it!. We just got a Mazda 5 (I do not think you got many down in the States) last year and are serving the same payments (down to 45 months hourray!!!!!!!). Enjoy! it really looks sweet. Your pictures are great!
If I owned a mini van that’s the one I’d purchase. Very nice. However, I must admit that my favorite pic is the one of all your guys. Gotta love ‘em!
Puuuurrdddy, Darcy! You’ll love those heated seats come winter time!
She’s beautiful. I have van envy. My ’silver bullet’ (caravan) is great and is paid for but lacks those fun bells & whistles. Like no automatic doors – it cracks me up when I pick up friends and they stand by the door waiting for it to open on its own. The extra seat in the middle row is nice too.
Love me some Johnny Cash!
Love the last photo of your fam-fabulous. Thanks for hosting the not back to school blog hop. I enjoyed reading how different people teach, school, & learn.
We love our Odyssey! It’s a great van! Of course the payments are no fun, but oh well!
Sweet ride, girl!
Awe. Some.
You will love it!!! We just made our last payement on our Odyssey THIS month, I have enjoyed mine and am looking to enjoy it a while longer with NO payments! It is still in AWESOME condition, never had any problems!
I have a 1999 version of this van and I promise you, you are going to love this car. You will love the dependability, the smooth drive, the room (roomier than all other minivans), the packability (you can get so much more stuff in this van than the others), it’s great for vacations….you’ll love it. I promise!
Are you a Johnny Cash fan? I sure am. In fact, I used to live in Nashville (or NashVegas, as we often called it), and once boarded a plane with Johnny. Yes, ma’am, he did wear that long black coat and carry a guitar. He sure did. Man, he could sing. “Ring of Fire” is one of my favorites.
And my Odyssey minivan has been one of my favorite cars. It’s a great vehicle, and I know that it will serve you well. But I know it hurts to have payments again, doesn’t it? Feel free to whine if you need to; there are sympathetic ears in your audience.
Wow, is your HandyMan part kangaroo or something? He was…um…catching some air? (Is that the correct, happ’nin skater term?)
I’m not even going to comment on the v-a-n. I’m still driving my paid-off, oil-burn, smokin’ (and not in a cool The Mask kind of way), getting-on-up-there-in-years van and trying not to get new car fever. So, I’m not looking at the pictures of your new, suh-weet ride anymore.
Very nice! I can understand the sentiment in not wanting to get rid of the old one, but ahhhh, new things can be such nice treats.
Enjoy!!
Sweeeeet! Enjoy those heated seat!
Cute!
congratulations!
loved the last photo!!!
That last picture is adorable!
And I would LOVE a new car! Just not the note. : )
Oy! My suburban is starting to fall apart! So, now you’ve got me thinkin’!
I love following you on twitter by the way. You’re sense of humor is darling! Congrats on the new techno-Van! I LOVE it!
love it!
Oh, this brings back memories. I had an Odyssey and loved it so. Enjoy!
Now I’ve got that song stuck in my head — good thing I like it. : )
We were a mini-van family, then had a Pacifica, but I missed the space of a van so much. So when it died this summer we went with a mini-van again (Sienna) and I love it. We bought used though, so I’m coveting your seat warmers. : )
Okay…the new van is awesome! (you’re husband cracks me up), but I’m glad I’m not the only one holding onto the ‘grandma wagon’. My van is an ‘02, has 180k+ miles, has long been paid for, has more hail damage than you can count, is missing part of the right front bumper, the radio only works in the town a tower is located in (no fancy shmancy stereo), and the seats have enough crumbs to feed a third world country. But….. aaahhh. She loves me! She’s still going strong! As long as I carry an extra galon of water in the trunk, just in case she gets overheated. lol
Did I say congratulations already? It’s the ‘only 60 more months’ thing that keeps me going with ‘ole faithful! lol
I’m there with you–my husband just reminded me:-), 36 more and I’ll own mine too:-)!!
Gotta say though–LOVE my Odyssey!!
Congrats and enjoy!
Ooooo, heated seats! How I looooove heated seats! (mine does not have heated seats. ah well, a girl needs dreams)
Hey, if it helps, we have a Honda CR-V. Me gusta Honda! It’s our second consecutive CR-V, and we’ll consider a third one when the time comes. (city street parking keeps us from bumping up to the Odyssy) The dealership is even a pleasant experience for maintenance!
I love toys, though, and am envious off all of your bells and whistles. Have fun learning them all!
Congratulations on the new, hot van! Condolences on the 60 month term, however…lol! I’m sure y’all will LOVE the new ride! The last picture is priceless!
{{HUGS}}}
Robin
)
I can’t believe you got the DVD player…too funny! Mine isn’t too old, but I have VAN ENVY!
-S
COOL! Don’t forget the “promise” that we *won’t* eat in *this* van.
We’ll keep it clean.
Yeah. That doesn’t work so well for us.
Congrats. It’s nice.