Introducing Our Newest Family Member...

SERENITY!!!

(nicknamed "Razzmatazz")

(Why "Serenity," you may ask? Click HERE. And then put it in your Netflix queue. You won't be disappointed.)

(Why "Razzmatazz," you may ask? It's a Tulsa thing. Thanks for the nickname suggestion, Anne Marie!)

Soooooo... Team Anderson finally joins the ranks of the two-car people. It all started seven years ago, when we got married and decided to be a one-car family with Cloud (our 1999 Ford Escort). Fast forward to two weeks ago, when Cloud's air-conditioning died on our cross-half-country road-trip, just as we were passing Oklahoma City on our way to Tulsa. At least Cloud survived the trip, and at least we had air-conditioning MOST of the way.

However, once we arrived in Tulsa, it seemed to magically get hotter and hotter and HOTTER every day. We went two weeks without air-conditioning in our car, and we spent most of that time dreading going anywhere. (Haha!) When we did go somewhere, we rolled the windows down for a breeze, but most of the time it felt like we were just sitting still at red lights, sweating under the hot, hazy sun.

When we couldn't take it anymore, Tim finally drove Cloud to a mechanic, who invited us to his church and also said that it would cost $1,000 to fix the A/C, plus another $1,500 to make other needed repairs. (And this was after the $950 that we'd already spent on Cloud in Pasadena, making sure that it was fixed up for the long drive.)

That was when our ambiguous thoughts of maybe getting a second car some day became real, clear, and IMMEDIATE. So, on Thursday and Friday of last week, we researched lots and lots of used cars, came up with a list of about eight that we wanted to see, and then narrowed it down to our top two.

On Saturday, we packed up loads of snacks for Weston, and then we drove to a dealership to see Car #1, a Hyundai Accent. We test-drove it, but as it turns out, Hyundai Accents are preeeeetty cramped (with a carseat, anyway). However, Theo the Really Friendly Salesman invited us to his church (not kidding) and then came up with a list of other cars that we should check out. He drove us around the lot (in a golf cart, to Weston's great delight), showed us the other cars (which looked much more expensive than the little Hyundai Accent), and then tried to get us to make a deal as we were telling him that we needed to get Weston home for a nap. I liked Theo, but for some reason he wasn't hearing us when it came to our budget. Fortunately, his saving grace was that he happened to mention that all the cars he showed us were also posted online, so as soon as we got home and got Weston to bed, we double-checked his list of cars, only to see that they were all priced WELL above what we wanted to pay. (He never told us the prices while he was driving us around the lot; he just kept saying that he wanted to get us "the best car for our money." Oy vey.)

So, fast forward three hours, when we headed out to see Car #2. (We had promised Theo several times that we'd be back after Weston's nap, so I feel a little bad that we broke up with him without so much as a phone call. He was, after all, really really friendly.) Car #2, a Toyota Corolla, was at another dealership, so we met up with Mike the Nice But Much More Laid Back Salesman and gave it a test-drive. The Corolla is also a compact car, but it felt much roomier than the Accent. (We figure we'll get our big minivan or SUV once we have three children, let alone two. Right now we're still all about the small family car.) Anyway, we LOVED IT. It drove so smoothly and quietly, and it had a really fast pick-up. Plus, it had working A/C (cue angelic choir), a CD player, power windows and locks, AND an automatic transmission. (Jean is sick of stick.) Oh, and FOUR DOORS!!! No more squatting in the backseat to get Weston into his car seat!!! Oh my joy. Yes, we just loved it.

It was a good day for Mike, because we told him as much, and he didn't have to do a thing. He led us into his cubicle and started the paperwork, while Tim and I sat on chairs and Weston sat on my lap eating Goldfish crackers. And then, as luck would have it...

Weston TOTALLY puked...

ALL down my leg and onto the floor. Plus, because I tried to catch it with my hand, I got vomit in the little tiny crevices of my wedding rings, not to mention all over my clothes because of Weston holding onto me while I raced to the restroom. Oh, and once I got there, I realized there was vomit in my sandals, too.

Gross.

Believe it or not, we were at the dealership for another THREE HOURS. (They were in some administrative transition, and all the sales processes were new for everyone.) After throwing up, Weston instantly felt great and became very energetic:

However, he and I smelled of rancid Goldfish crackers for that entire time, and anywhere we went, it started to stink there, too. (We eventually tried to stay away from everyone, so we just watched Spongebob on the waiting area TV.)

Finally, FINALLY, after three hours, we were finally done and ready to go home. I could not WAIT to get both me and Weston out of our vomity clothes. Unfortunately for me, insult was added to injury that evening when Weston and I were deemed "too stinky and pukey" for the nice, shiny new car. (Ahem... TIM...) So, Weston and I drove home in old Cloud, and Tim got to take Serenity on her quasi-maiden voyage.

Hahaha! But it's alright, I agreed to the arrangement, too. And all's well that end's well. While we were getting Weston ready for bath, I made Tim promise me a big Chinese dinner to make up for the downer drive home (and to help quell our loudly growling tummies). Fortunately, he delivered:

So worth it

Now we are the happy owners of two sweet little cars. Tim gets to drive Cloud to and from work every day (he's a sport), while Serenity, the "family car," gets to stay in my possession during the day. Aren't they adorable together?