Many moons ago, before we bought our van, I agreed to road test a 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander S-AWC (Super All Wheel Control, baby!) on our family vacation to my parents’ mountain home in Virginia.  After we got our van, I was all, “Aww man, I love my van, I am kinda bummed I agreed to this Outlander test drive. My van is so roomy and did so well on our Easter trip to Virginia.”   So, when we got ready to leave for vacay, I wasn’t so sure about the Outlander.

But then I drove it.  And WOW, does it drive NICE! I mean, so, so smooth.  It is really a pleasure to drive.  Even though we had to put the available third row down to fit all our crap in it and the kids had to all ride in the middle seat together, it was totally awesome.  The kids actually enjoyed all being together in one row, by some miracle.  See?

AND – when the McD’s we always stop at (because there is no where else to stop!!) failed to have a changing station in the bathroom, we were SAVED by the Outlander’s tailgate!  Yup, Jonah got his diaper changed on a tailgate. Klassy we ARE.

Now, after we got back on our way, the Outlander continued to impress us.  We drive through quite a bit of mountains to get to the particular mountain that my parents live atop, and I am always a nervous wreck during that part of the drive.  We’ve done it in several different vehicles, our Camry wagon, my Lexus, my Toyota Sienna van, a Chevy Traverse – and this was by far the most comfortable I’ve ever been during that portion of the trip.  The Outlander ROCKED those mountains!  My mechanic husband was super, super impressed.  As a matter of fact, I would say he has a serious *crush* on the Outlander.  He really does not want to give it back!

Among other things, what I LOVE about this Outlander is the aforementioned smooth handling, the leather seats, the fancy entertainment package (interfaces with your IPod, IPhone, bluetooth device [like my Droid], amazing sound system, Sirius Radio), and the eighty gazillion places to charge your electronic devices!

But back to our journey:

Now, when we actually got to my parents’ house, the Outlander had to head up the gravel mountain roads that comprise their “neighborhood” and then their steep, steep driveway.

Ok, so anyhoo: it’s a long, gravelly, steep way up with a classic hair-pin turn at the top, you gotta be going at least 12 miles per hour to make that one. And the Outlander did awesome! Again, the smoothest trip I’ve ever made up that drive!

As I mentioned, the Outlander also has an available third row seat, so after we reached my parent’s place, we got all our crap out of the car and popped up that third row so that if my parents wanted to go somewhere with us, we could all go in one car. It was fabulous!  We did this when my mom went with us one day to a place we go every year when we are in Virginia, Amazemen Square Children’s Museum in Lynchburg.  On the way home,  we tested the Outlander in a way we were really hoping not to…you see…

After the museum, we stopped at McD’s to get the kids dinner and get the adults some beverages (mmm Iced Mocha).  We sat in the parking lot while the kids ate and we stole Wi-Fi.  And then Joshua, the pukiest boy who ever puked (but not for a long time! I thought I was safe!!) says, “Mom, I don’t feel good….”  Of course I totally panicked. He was buried back in the very back seat of the car so I shoved a bag at him and told him if he needed to throw up, to throw up in the bag. Which he then immediately did.  *Shew*! The bag held it!

Until we got him out of the car.

Then it broke as he was getting out.

Vomit everywhere!! All over our loaner car!  And our kid!

You have never seen three adults jump out of a vehicle so fast.  My mom went to work cleaning up Joshua (whose shorts, fortunately for the car, bore the brunt of it), I went to work cleaning Joshua’s car seat (Cannot even COUNT how many times I have done that!), and Bobby went to work on the Outlander.

Let’s just say, the Outlander also cleans up REALLY NICELY!! Bobby detailed it with baby wipes, and yes, gave it a PROPER cleaning when we got home. I swa-ear it’s as good as new.

So. Now it was time to go back up the mountain.  Little did we know the Outlander’s greatest challenge lay ahead.

You see, my crazy old dad had decided the driveway needed new gravel that day.  So, while we were at the museum, he called to warn us that the gravel was a little deep and that we would need more speed to get up the driveway.  My Famous Uncle Paul was also on his way to my parents’ and received a similar warning.  THEN, my dad called and said Uncle Paul had beaten us there but had gotten STUCK.

And not just stuck, but rather, his car was teetering in very precarious position. Kind of on the edge of the driveway that is right over a 200 foot drop.  You can see Uncle Paul’s post here on how he got stuck here:

Long story short, the two Mayberry tow truck guys that came UP the mountain to rescue Paul were no help, because the tow truck was way too big to get around Paul’s Jeep Liberty without knocking it off the mountain.

But you know what WASN’T too big to get around Paul’s car?

The Mitsubishi Outlander!

While an unsuspecting ME was in the house trying to keep my kids from being run over by the various and sundry vehicles in the driveway, my husband decided to borrow the tow strap from the Mayberry Men, drive the Outlander around the Jeep, attach the tow strap, and pull that Jeep up the mountain.

And it worked! Imagine my surprise when my mom came in the house and told me what happened!

Do you think Mitsubishi will ever let me road test anything again?  I sure hope so!  But I hope next time I don’t have to be this thorough!

I know this was long, but to recap: I LOVED this automobile.  If I only had two kids, or if my kids were older, I’d definitely put it at the TOP of my car buying prospects!! If you get a chance to test-drive one, please do!

This past weekend when my family and Emily’s family got to spend the weekend at Fort Rapids, there was some awesome cousin bonding that happened. All four cousins played so nicely together, and were just cute and sweet and funny.  At one point, Kate and Sophie were sitting on the bunk beds in our villa together and I whispered to Emily, “I hope they’re picking out bridesmaids dresses for each other’s weddings!”  Then yesterday, Kate spent the day with us at our house.  She read books to Sophie, played Littlest Pet Shop with her (Joshua even joined in, don’t tell his friends), they all three played hide-and-seekm we broke out Busytown, one of my kids’ favorite board games…it was just really FUN.

Emily and her sister  Anna were kind enough to let me be  a sidekick to their sisterdom and form the SuperCousins.  I never had a sister, but I had the next best thing.  I got to be close to my cousins and I didn’t have to share my clothes! (Although as adults, especially during and after pregnancy, we all three of us shared clothes!  As a matter of fact I still have a bunch of Anna’s maternity clothes hanging in my closet and she still has a bunch of my regular clothes that she wore post-partum.)

Kate doesn’t have a sister, Sophie doesn’t have a sister, and Anna’s baby Lily doesn’t have a sister…*yet* – I suppose that’s still a possibility, right Anna?  But they have each other! Girl cousins!  We’ll have Lily designing the bridesmaids dresses in no time, I am sure she is going to be crafty like her mama.

My niece Murrin, who is 13, came over Wednesday to help me with the kids at the CRAZY pool.  She was so sweet and kept such a good watch on Sophie, and Sophie loved it. She told all her friends at the pool, “Look, I brought Murrin!”  Another girl cousin success. Murrin also has girl cousins on her mom’s side of the family with whom she is very close.

Sophie also has lots of girl cousins on my husband’s side of the family.  One, Isabel, is only 3 weeks younger than Sophie.  When they get together it is C.U.T.E.!!  Sophie also has two girl cousins, Gabbi and Katie, who are about Joshua’s age.  I hope they will all be good girl cousin friends as well.

I can’t wait to see how my kids and Emily’s kids and all their other cousins grow closer as they get older.  And based on my own experience, I am going to do whatever I can to encourage these great cousin friendships!  I’m so thankful for my extended family.

(Photo by Anna B Photography)

My cousin Anna took this picture yesterday; it is of my and Emily’s grandmother playing hide-and-seek with Joshua (the blue blur) and Kate (the purple blur).

Grandma is pretty much the best hide-and-seeker ever.

This picture speaks to me; it tells me lots of things I already know but reminds me how important these things are.  For instance, that my grandmother is at 85, still an expert at the art of playing with a child, just like she was when Emily and Anna and I were little.  And that, like the speedy blurs that are Joshua and Kate, the chances to play with a child pass by in a blink.

It reminds me that there is a time to be still, and a time to be quick.  That the most fun things in life are also the most simple.  That people are more precious than things.  And most especially that I am very, very blessed that my kids get to enjoy my grandmother just as I did as a child.

Take some time to enjoy the simple things today.  Because Ready or Not, they won’t always be there.