Last Fall we went to our friend’s motorbike build-off contest. It was held in a very flavorful part of town (that’s my nice way of saying the ghetto), and I’m pretty sure we were the only ones who were insane enough to bring a small child. We joked that day that we’d return to our car to find it stripped and our bright yellow “Baby on Board” sticker in the gutter. It was loud and probably very damaging to all of our lungs. The burnouts were cool to watch, but the whole time I was thinking, “When is the bike going to go flying, and where is it going to land?” After all, it was an experimental bike build-off, meaning all the bikes there were constructed by their owners from parts retrieved from who knows where. And I’m pretty sure no one there had Motorbike Insurance. Not really the top priority, you know? In the end, we all survived and were actually glad we went. It was pretty fun. At least there was beer.

But do I want Jason getting a bike? He swears he’ll be careful, but OH. MY. GOD. They scare me. I think we should get a Vespa instead. A pink one. ;)

Don’t you hate that. You’re the first to get a new model of car and then, a year later, you’re seeing them everywhere?!?

We bought the Scion in 2003, when it was this weird thing that nobody understood. People constantly stopped us on the road and asked where in the world we got it and what it was. Now everyone has one.

Then we bought the Mazda 5 - the cool little microvan - in 2006 when they were released. Same thing. Now we see them all over the place.

We were first! ;)

Who knows what Jason is looking at now. He’s the kind of guy who likes to buy cars on a regular basis. Like, every few years. But if we do that, we’ll definitely have to get rid of the Scion, which I don’t think he’s prepared to do. He loves that car.

I really don’t feel like taking out any more car loans, though. It’s expensive enough just paying for insurance. Even when you find a good deal on cheap motor insurance, you gotta pay for repairs, gas, yada yada yada. It’s hard!

Anyway, I’m perfectly content with our two little cuties. I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Should we have leased our Mazda 5? Man, it’s hard to see all these crazy leasing deals in the paper much after the fact. In other words, I hate thinking I made a mistake. No matter what it relates to! I open up the Sunday paper and there it is - a new lease deal that is drawing me in. And then there are Jason’s words echoing back at me. “Maybe we should have leased. Leased. Leased. Leased.” It’s like a nightmare. Did we make the wrong move?

I love our car. But did we do the right thing? Lease vs. Buy. Is there any clear answer? On the one hand, our car is ours! And the fact that Jason got it for me for my very first Momma’s Day back when Squidie was just a little little bug makes me so happy. It’s our “family” car. It’s the car I drive my little babe around in. It means a lot.

But, okay, what about the money? I think we definitely could have saved some dough by leasing rather than buying. I’m not sure…in the end, if you do decided to buy, why lease? And I definitely know that I would want to buy and keep my very first Momma car!

ShrewdLease is an online automobile lease evaluator. If you’re looking for a Lease Tool that will help you decide whether to lease or buy, this might be it. They don’t show bias toward any certain dealers, and as far as I’m concerned, achieving valuable, fair information is the most important thing when car shopping.

So, shoulda coulda woulda…I’m happy with our decision. When it comes right down to it, we own (or will eventually own) what we love the most. We’re not the kind of people who are just “so-so” about our cars. We’re serious about our wheels. Totally (if not ridiculously) serious. Yeah, it’s sad. But it’s worth it!

I went to the car this afternoon to head off to the store and found it completely dead. What? I didn’t forget to leave my lights on or anything, and I just drove it on Monday. So, yeah, that was annoying. I had to call to have someone come jump me. Ooh, if only…

;)

Can you believe the guy they sent didn’t know how to operate a stick? No, seriously. I know I started it, but get your mind outta the gutter! He couldn’t do it!

I felt bad for him, having to TELL HIM TO PUT IT IN NEUTRAL TO GET IT TO IDLE WITHOUT STALLING!

And then…THAT NEUTRAL IS THE “NON-GEAR” IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STICK SHIFT!

He kept putting it in 3rd and taking the clutch out. Wow.

Anyway, now it’s up and running again and I’m waiting for Jason to come home so we can get our tree! And, if I’m lucky, a gigantic cup of coffee.

It poured all day yesterday. Our roof even started to leak. Fun.

But today it’s sunny again, so we’re probably going to head over to the Dirtbag Challenge to see a friend’s bike. Should be a good time. I mean, it’s advertised as having great beer, bikes and broads. In other words, pure class.

I’ll keep you posted!

“I’ll get you into a minivan one day,” my husband said shortly after we began dating.

“The hell you will,” I responded. After all, I had not nearly finished shaking my ass in clubs, drinking myself into shameless stupors and falling down stairs. In short, I was far from housewife material and the thought of ever becoming a soccer mom made me shudder in my stilettos (yeah, back then I actually used to dress up! Imagine that!).

So, when we attended last year’s auto show (I was 4 months pregnant), I did my best to avert my eyes from the lengthy rows of rather comfortable looking minivans! No, this isn’t happening! I am not actually considering one of those monstrous things!

Suddenly we strolled upon what appeared to be some sort of van, but being much smaller than all the others, couldn’t have been. Could it? It was then that we were introduced to the Mazda 5 - a sleek yet practical microvan! Fuck yeah! You hear that, Jason, micro! Micro, micro, micro! So, no, you do not win!

I fell in love with this car almost immediately. I knew having a baby, we’d need a second vehicle and this seemed like the perfect compromise: 6 seats, double sliding doors, lots of cargo room, curtain air bags, still small enough to look cool and I could get it in a stick! Awesome.

It’s weird, actually, because it seems so spacious inside, yet looks so small outside. Here it is in front of my husband’s Scion:

For all of you who know how tiny Scions are, the Mazda 5 may look too small here. But then, look at this:

So, which is it, big or small? It’s both, and that’s why it rules. AND, I can still avoid being a total soccer mom…at least for a few more years, anyway.