12 years ago

It all started twelve years ago. On June 22, 1996 Trevor and I were married.

Then somewhere around July 4, 1996 we decided it was a good idea to go buy two bikes in our Nissan Maxima. We were more oblivious than realistic so we shopped around and found the perfect pair of mountain bikes - ALREADY ASSEMBLED! Woohoo - what could be better than that. They were ride-ready and so were we. Then we realized that we may have to actually ride them home.

If my memory serves me correctly, we were at the 161 / Cleveland Avenue Meijer (quite the bike shop) and we strutted out of the store with our new bikes and then looked at our little car. Two bikes, two people, one little trunk. Oh but the seats fold down! ...Well that sure didn't help. Now what? Ride one home? Lynn stay with one while Trevor takes the other one home (Lynn couldn't drive a stick yet so she would have to be the one staying. In the end, Lynn did not give up and eventually we crammed one bike through the trunk and one lay across the front folded up passenger seat and back seat. I sat on top of a bike wheel behind scrunched up Trevor and away we went.

We didn't learn.

A few years later we bought something at Lowe's and I had to wait with half of the load while Trevor took the other half home.

Then a few years after that we bought deck furniture at KMart and I had to wait in the parking lot while Trevor went to his Dad's and borrowed the truck.

We have even had to remind ourselves on vacation, "We are in a car in Pennsylvania. No we can't shop for Amish built picnic tables!"

It all came full circle this past weekend. We took the kids to Lowe's in our van and bought a picnic table kit to assemble as a family project. We were all so excited. The kids rode on the big cart with the table all the way to the van. Then it hit us. We are in a van with two required car seats and a 6 foot picnic table (unassembled at least). Yep, it's wider than the van. No, it won't fit in the back with the third row laying down. No, we can't push it over the kids heads. Maybe we should take the boards out of the box and put them in one at a time. Maybe Lynn should stay here while Papi takes the kids...wait that won't work. Maybe Lynn and the kids should stay here while Papi takes the table home. Whose idea was this anyway?

Then I had an idea. We tipped the table and smushed it up beside Johan's car seat in that little section of open van space that allows people to get in the back row. It reached all the way from the back to my seat - under his seatbelt.

Now all we have to do is strap Johan in and we are on our way. OOOOOPS. I just pulled the seat belt out all the way and then it slipped back a little and I can't pull it forward but I can't let it go all the way back and restart either - there is a table in the way.

New idea - Johan you will need to ride in the third row. One seat will remain folded down for the table and one will go up for Johan's seat. Can you picture it - Papi, Dayana, Johan - single file in the van with a table running next to them?

I don't think Trevor and I will ever learn but then again I don't think I will ever give up getting everything in the car once we buy the next big thing. The table looks great, doesn't it? What a fun twelve years.