A Car For a Family of Four (and a dog)

My kids are going to be here within the next 8-10 weeks and I am no closer to picking out a car than I was four months ago. Right now I drive an S40. It's cute, I love it, but it's SMALL. I can't even fit our DSNG in the trunk with anything else. It's not functional, so it's time to upgrade in size.



Here's what we're looking at, and I'd love some feedback - if you're a parent, a parent of multiples, a driver - hell, if you're reading this, just tell me what you think.



And to answer the question before it comes up, yes, we're buying new. I'm out of time to look for a "gently used" car that meets all of my expectations and whatever I get I'll have until the wheels fall off. So for the first time ever we're buying new. All three cars are priced relatively the same, so take your pick.

We started off looking at the Chrysler Town and Country Touring Plus. Of all the minivans I liked this one the best. It is small and it has a lot of bells and whistles for the price.

Pros: power everything, the rear DVD system, sunroof, lots of storage, seating for 8, seats fold flat

Cons: it's a Chrysler and I've heard that they're not reliable, no way to get to the back without climbing over the center console or stopping the car, front wheel drive only (we live in Upstate NY), it's a minivan.

Then we looked at the new Honda Odyssey EX-L. Joe already has a Pilot. The new Odyssey drives exactly like the Pilot, which is nice. However when they redid the body style for 2011 they got rid of some stuff that was good about the old body style. Annoying.

Pros: It's a Honda, sunroof, power everything, third row folds flat, middle row is reconfigurable, seating for 8

Cons: you can get to the back by removing the center console, but then you lose the majority of your front seat storage, very little room for negotiation as this model just came out and it's a brand new body style, front wheel drive only (we live in Upstate NY), it's a minivan.

The car we started off looking at when I first planned to trade in my tiny S40 was the Volvo XC70. I really love this wagon, but it clearly doesn't have the convenience features of a van.

Pros: power lift gate, sunroof, all wheel drive, we get a $1000 credit for being repeat buyers, it's not a minivan.

Cons: Seating for us and the kids only, if we had a third kid we'd probably have to get a van eventually, it's a wagon - so when I load kids into the car they need to be behind me in a stroller which means I can't see all kids at all times, we'd probably still have to take Joe's car for long road trips.

So there you have it. I'm sure there are other pros/cons I can't think of right now, so please opinionate (yes, I made up that word for the purposes of this post) on this for me. I need to take care of this car situation by the middle of the month. 

Thanks for your help.

a 'high hopes wrap' for a chilly day, how-to...

now some folks may say,

"oh Tif, i think you may be mistaken,

for it would appear you are wearing a glorified blanket around your shoulders

and not as you say, a high hopes wrap"

but i know

and you know dearest readers,

what they obviously do not know.

all one needs is a pair of rose colored specs

and an imagination of the utmost kind,

for the glorified blanket around my shoulders

to become a 'high hopes wrap' for a chilly day.

not a super duper freezy chilly kind of day

but a medium sort of chilliness day,

when one can still maintain a little bit of charm in the clothing department,

and not so freezy chilly one loses all cares of looking charming,

reaching for the nearest duvet to drape around ones self before leaving the nest.

ingredients ~

* one pair of rose colored specs

* one imagination

* one Mrs Hook size K/6.5mm

* lion brand wool-ease yarn in chunky

2 balls of fisherman (color #099)

1 ball of silver grey (color #155)

1 ball of charcoal (color #152)

* one doily

* one kilt pin

* a few left over bits of yarn from your stash

just a word before i proceed with my little 'how-to' for a chilly day.

to be honest you can use any yarn or color combination you wish.

Mrs Hook is a size K hook,

so if you wish to follow my measurements perhaps use a yarn suited to her ample size.

the final measurements for this peachy wrap is roughly

15" wide x 51" long

or

38cm x 130cm

as with all my crocheting tutorials, it is quite simple,

however i have used the joining technique of the 'ordinarily extraordinary' blanket,

if this is a "no-no" for you,

then i would suggest making your individual colored strips

and then slip stitching them together at the end.

and last but by no means least!

i have used the US double crochet term throughout,

which is UK treble crochet :)

so with all that being said, to borrow a phrase from the brilliant RAMONES

"hey ho, lets go"...

recipe ~

using the fisherman cream yarn, chain 20 plus 3 (for turning)

double crochet into 3rd chain from Mrs hook

and continue double crocheting happily for 130 cm (51")

attach new color, sliver grey and chain 10 plus 3 (for turning)

double crochet happily back towards your cream strip

when you have reached your cream strip,

join the grey to the cream

using the 'ordinarily extraordinary' way

(at this point you will be at photo #7 of the blanket 'how-to' close ups, so follow from there)

continue along your happy way,

joining the grey to the cream strip as you go.

when you come to the end of the silver grey strip,

join the third color charcoal, chain 5 plus 3 (for turning)

double crochet back towards the heather grey strip,

again using the 'ordinarily extraordinary' join as you go

once you have finished your charcoal strip, finish off your yarn.

weave in any threads needing to be disguised.

you will now have a lovely rectangle strip of crocheted goodness.

looking not unlike a narrow blanket :)

gather up your doily, pin and yarny leftovers.

carefully stitch your doily down in one corner of your wrap,

by weaving yarny colored leftovers in and out of the doily's pretty pattern.

i also used a bit of green yarn to wrap around my kilt pin,

this was to keep him warm, i thought about him being chilly too

and thought how nice for a little pin to have his own 'warm wrap' whilst out in the cold.

and there you have it!

Voila!!

a 'high hopes wrap' for a chilly day

i am thinking so many possibilities here,

jollier, brighter colors,

weaving lace or ribbon through the 'ordinarily extraordinary' eyelets,

edging the wrap with picot or shell edging,

just with a bit of imagination,

i have no doubt you will take this woolly wrap 'how-to'

and make it you own

she is brainstorming her 'table of contents' with used dog and little olive ~ Tif

All Soul's Day from New Zealand

Photos of the All Soul's Day morning mass from Our Mother of Perpetual Succour Monastery, Christchurch, New Zealand.






O Precious Blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and upon the poor souls in purgatory.


The Sacrifice is complete. Only God knows how many souls this august Sacrifice introduced into eternal glory!

Sixty Years Ago Today

Today 60 years ago,
Venerable Pope Pius XII proclaimed the
Dogma of the
Assumption of Our Blessed Lady into Heaven.
This little film clip gives one an idea of
the solemnity and beauty of the occasion.

(Click on the picture below to go to the clip
and once there click the button on the
bottom right of the film to see it more clearly.)