What was your first car?

My first car was a 1989 Honda Civic. My dad had kept it in tip-top condition and it ran great. The trouble was in the lack of power steering, power windows, air conditioning and the ever dreaded to a 16 year old driver – the clutch. The worst part of the lack of features in the car was that the manufacturer didn’t re-do the dashboard with just a few buttons. No, there were blank grey boxes all over the dash as a reminder that this car has absolutely nothing fancy about it. 

Given that this was going to be my car to drive to school, my father taught me to drive in it. I have vivid memories of his frustration to my lack of getting the hang of the clutch as we circled around and around in an empty church parking lot over and over and over again. The poor man must have had such a headache after all the jerking and hard stops as I tried to learn to drive a stick shift. I remember one day he got so frustrated that he left me in the church parking lot and walked home. He told me to figure it out on my own and drive home. I guess I figured it out that day because I don’t have any recollection of him returning to save me.

My sisters and I all drove this car at one point or another. We dubbed the lack of air conditioning ‘sweaty back syndrome.’ The only way to survive driving this car in the summer was to put your hair in the tightest ponytail possible, wear a tank top, roll down all the windows and hope you didn’t sweat every last bit of makeup off before you arrived at your destination.

This car was a full on workout just to make a sharp turn, all while you’re staying nice and sweaty. You could just forget about making a u-turn; not even possible for a little 16 year old girl. I think you would have had to have pumped some serious iron to be able to maneuver that! If you have ever driven a car without power steering, you know what I mean.

But, just like every 16 year knows—all I cared about was that the car ran and got me around.

What was your first vehicle? Do you have any funny memories from when you learned to drive? Share them with us!

My Plunge into a Minivan

My husband has been trying to get me to drive a minivan for years, and for years I have been resistant.  I truly tried to understand why I needed such a big vehicle when I only have two kids.  Recently, my oldest son started t-ball and I realized my time had come.  I found myself squeezing all his baseball gear into the back of my SUV while battling my backseat to fit a third booster seat to be able to carpool with his friend.  My final ah-hah moment came at Target, when I found myself with this dilemma.

I had so much kid gear in my car -- all of which I use on a daily basis and didn't want to remove -- that I could not fit my groceries in.  I immediately called my husband and said...it's time.  My time has come.

I did it.  I took the plunge into becoming a 'minivan mom.'  I had to laugh at my older sister, who became a minivan mom a few years ago, when she said, "Ten years ago, if you would have told me I'd be living in the suburbs driving a minivan I would have laughed at you."  We both commented on how convenient the Chrysler Town and Country is, and that we are happy we took the plunge into the minivan.

 

I have had my Town and Country for just 3 days and I will admit that I love it.  As I was moving all my belongings into the Town and Country, I was appalled at all the space and storage!  I am now left wondering why I was so resistant all those years.

 

I will keep you updated on my minivan adventures and what I think of the car.  Do you love your minivan?  Tell me about your plunge into your minivan.

Seven Man-Made Wonders of the US

Check out the Travel Channel's picks of the seven best man-made wonders of the US.

Mount Rushmore

Mount Rushmore, in the Black Hills of South Dakota, welcomes more than 2.6 million visitors per year.

The Brooklyn Bridge



John Roebling designed the Brooklyn Bridge hoping it would be perceived as a great work of art. It now is.

Washington Monument



It doesn't matter where in the world people come from, one glimpse of this and they know they're in Washington, DC.

Golden Gate Bridge



The Golden Gate Bridge is the first non-building structure to receive the "Distinguished Building Award."

The Space Needle

Seattle's 605-foot-tall Space Needle is designed to withstand winds of up to 200 miles per hour.

Empire State Building



Built during the Great Depression, New York City's Empire State Building is a work of determination and pride.

Hoover Dam



It took 5 years to complete the mammoth Hoover Dam on the Nevada-Arizona border.

How many of the man-made wonders have you seen?  Let us know!