We had SUCH a great day with my mom and sister! We went for a walk outside, and played lots inside. We ate yummy food and built blocks and read books. It was fun! However, I have none of the pictures, so that’ll have to be a different post.
I wanted to throw up a quick post on things we’ve learned about having a van in the few short days that we’ve owned one. Pros and cons. I’ll say right off the bat that none of the cons are deal breakers at all. Just new things, or some weird things to adjust to, and just a few weirdo quirks. And I need some advice on a few of these so, van drivers, that means YOU!
Pro: The most obvious pro of the van – space! Both of our back rows fold all the way down, so our issue of ever having to haul furniture or anything else very large is solved. A couple of days ago, we purchased three of those green boxes with cloth handles from Superstore. They fit perfectly in the little well in the back of our van, and it was wonderful to be able to put everything back there and have it not roll around.
Con: Things do roll around. Not in the baskets, but f a toy is dropped, it is considered to have gone rogue. Dekker dropped a little car almost immediately as we drove off the lot, and it fell into the little crack where the seats fold down. He also dropped a container of corn pops trying to put them back into the diaper bag. They weren’t closed. Sigh. Since then, Brady and I have been trying to figure out what in the world to use to help stop this from happening. I was thinking the ideal would be one of those organizer things that can hang on the back of one of the front seats, but being so strapped back in his seat, he’d never be able to reach it. What do people do?! I’m thinking we may have to resort to an ice cream pail hooked on the arm rest or something.
Pro: I love having the kids higher up! They both stare out the windows and don’t get bored as fast. And the tinted windows are great for keeping the sun out of their eyes.
Con: Being up so high in the van and being so entertained by the world flying by keeps both of them from sleeping unless they are completely exhausted. It can sometimes be a challenge getting up to that point. And the tinted windows are helpful, but Dekker likes to wave at the truck drivers, and now they can’t see him. Such a small thing, I know, but it makes me sad.
Pro: This van has compartments EVERYWHERE!!! Cup holders, too! Our car had two cup holders. Well, four, if you folded down the middle seat in the back. This van eight in the front seat alone. I’m not sure how we’ll fit eight people in the front seat, but I like that I have that option! The salesman made the joke that, anything you’re not sure what it is, it is probably a compartment. And it is. He wasn’t kidding. We actually have two glove boxes, on top of each other. And our console is a monster. It is wonderful having space!
Con: The little area for change is sort of two U-shapes cut on in a pull-out tray. I don’t know how to describe it better, but its like it wants to hold coins as if they were in a roll. Does that make sense? Anyway, they’re kind of unbelievably small, and also, one fits loonies, and another – dimes. Perfect. I always carry a handful of dimes on me. I don’t actually. But even if I did, they wouldn’t all fit in that lame-ass tray.
Thats enough nitpicking for the day, I’d say. We are so happy with our van, so as long as we can find a way to get Dekker’s toys and snacks within our reach, we should be able to keep it 😉