Life in the mini van...

Uh...I have a mini van.
I have a mini van and three children.

Enter the Twilight Zone.

What in the world? Somewhere in the last 3 and 3/4 years, Judd and I morphed into a family of 5.

Having our first child was amazing
Having our second child threw us off, but we managed to hold on tight.
Having our third child is like owning a really nice and expensive outfit for the first time. It's a little uncomfortable, you're afraid to move in it, afraid to ruin it, but you know you can get used to it very quickly and you're going to love it!!

Anyhoo.

Here's just a few things I've "overheard" in the mini van:

"WHY are there so many acorns and nuts in my mini van?" (I've embraced ownership... affectionately)

"Leave the acorns alone for minute, you can have them back once you're buckled in." (cup holder is overflowing with nuts/acorns)

"Quit chucking acorns at Baby David, he's little and they can hurt him!" I really try not to yell, but how else should I handle this? David's carseat is rear facing and in the middle seat so he faces either Luke or Savannah.

A sizable amount of nuts in a cupholder and away we go. It wasn't until I was buckled into the driver's seat and driving that I noticed one fly from the far back and almost hit me. That's where the yelling comes in...

"Quit throwing your nuts at David! I mean it!!"

...Other quotes from the mother of 3...

"You know what? Let's DO go to through the car wash!"

"There's muddy shoe prints in my mini van!" (This is the exact moment when I was intiatiated into the "Mother-of-3-minivan-driver's club)

"What is that smell?"

"Is it hot back there?"

"Is it cold back there?"

"Why didn't you potty before we left?"

"Don't fall asleep back there, we're almost home!"

"Leave your hands off of each other."

"Okay, get out."

"Get in already."

"It's time to clean out the van again..."

"It's like a spaceship."

"Hold on tight!!" (I only use this one when I've unbuckled them but still need to move the van a very short distance, for example coming back from the mailbox, or back and forth from the pool.)

"There's so much room!"

"I love how I can stand up in here!"

"You know what? We're just going to hang out in here until it stops raining. Sure! You can sit up front!" One afternoon, we really hung out for about 45 minutes waiting for the rain to let up. Quite fun, I must say!

"This minivan is just right for us!"