I'm Getting Old

I bought a minivan on the same day I left a hockey game early because I was worried about the babysitter (my Dad) staying out to late. When did I get this old? :-)

I turn thirty this year, but I really don't mind. I feel good. About my self. My life. Where we're at and where we're going. Thirty isn't so scary. It's kind of exciting. I'm a lot happier heading into my thirties than I was into my twenties.

But I was definitely feeling nostalgic (again) at the hockey game last night. I had a lot of fun, especially with the cheering (and cuddling) with my husband, just the two of us. It made me think back to when it was always just the two of us. And it reminded me of how much I love sporting events. It's funny how sports (such as hockey, and college football) actually define certain times in my life. I love the crowds, the excitement, the enthusiasm, the soundtrack of awesome songs really best heard in 20 second bursts (it fits perfectly with my music A.D.D. . . . I mean, seriously, who needs to hear more than 30 seconds of "Welcome to the Jungle"?) But it had me thinking back to a decade or so ago. I used to go to a lot of hockey games. Like nearly all of them. I loved hockey. I miss being an avid fan of something. Whether it was a few 'glory' years of the Jazz, a couple seasons of the Utes football team, or Grizzlies hockey of the late nineties, there have been times where I've devotedly followed a team. And you know, being a rabid fan is a lot more fun than being a casual fan. Knowing the players by name, who's the best at what, being able to cheer for someone beyond, "Good job goalie!" is a lot more satisfying when you know what's going on. I used to 'get' hockey. I knew the rules (mostly). I understood the game. I felt out of practice last night. Watching the puck fly from side to side, it felt almost random. I missed understanding the flow of the game, seeing the strategy, getting the purpose of certain plays. It made me long for something I don't have anymore. (Plus, they kept showing teasers for the Depeche Mode concert that's coming to the E-Center. Hockey and Depeche Mode make up a core of memories from my late teens/early twenties.) But seriously, there is no way my thirty year old self could allocate the kinda budget needed to be so devout to a sporting cause. When I was twenty, it was much easier. Now it's like, "Catch a game? Or pay for preschool?" Feeling out of touch with hockey, oddly enough, kinda made me feel old. That, and leaving a tied game going into overtime, because I knew my girls were terrorizing my poor Dad and wouldn't sleep well when not at home (or at all, since Annie was up past 10PM last night.)

Then there's the minivan thing. I am so excited to have bought a van. And that makes me feel kinda old. I remember back to the days when I was all, "Why in the world does a family with one or two kids need a minivan!? You need at four kids, minimum, before such a purchase is warranted!" Oh, how wrong naive twenty-something-year-old-Hilary was! A vehicle that allows us to not only haul all our own crap, but an additional THREE bodies is deserving of all kinds of awards and accolades. We had been saving since before Ellie was born, so that we would be able to buy a minivan before we had a third kid. We just got antsy, a third kid being at least a year away. And we'd gotten so close in our savings, and we found SUCH an amazing deal, that we just couldn't help it. Plus, heaven help the person who told Annie we weren't buying that van once she saw it!

So, I have to admit . . . I kinda feel oddly lame 'announcing' my minivan. Partly 'cause it's not the 'coolest' van on the block (you know, with as cool as minivans can be). I've had more than a few people, upon me excitedly telling them about our purchase suddenly interrupt in an almost horrified voice, "A Kia? You bought a Kia?" Then I feel dumb trying to 'justify' my purchase.

But, yep, we bought a Kia Sedona. And really, I couldn't be happier about it. I researched the heck outta this decision, and I am 100% convinced we got an absolutely amazing deal. (Not that I would turn down a Honda Odyssey . . . but sometimes a girl can only dream . . .) Although I was worried upon hearing some (many) bad reviews pre-2006, I've found nothing but good stuff about the newest batches of Sedonas. (Here I go with the justifying . . . ) What really convinced me (besides the amazing price, thousands and thousands less than all of the other 2008's we looked at), was the reviews I read on autotrader.com, Kelley Blue Book and Consumer Reports.

Here's my favorites:

"The 2008 Kia Sedona minivan is a consumer's best friend and a nightmare for rival manufacturers. In just a few short years, Kia has transformed the Sedona from a middle-of-the-road minivan into a first-rate people mover. "

"If you like saving money but won't sacrifice much to do so, you'll be excited to see just how well the lower-priced Sedona stacks up against the category's best." (And if this doesn't sum me up, I don't know what does.)

"With horsepower near the top of its class, a "Top Safety Pick" rating by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), seating for seven and a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, it's hard to argue with the Sedona. "

"Except for its vertical tail lamps, the Sedona doesn't carry itself much differently than a Toyota Sienna, which wouldn't be impossible to mistake for a Honda Odyssey. The Kia is also about the same size as those competitors, if not a little longer, taller and wider than both."

It doesn't have a lot of the 'bells and whistles' of some of the decked out newer minivans do, but it's safe, reliable and in awesome shape. I don't particularly care for the body style, but then again, almost none of the minivans are what I would think of as 'attractive' (I do like the look of the Nissan Quest the best though). And even Greg, Mr. I-think-we-should-get-a-crossover-because-I-don't-know-how-my-ego-will-handle-a-van, was completely sold as soon as he drove it. It's remarkably car-like, and it has SO much power, and is amazingly quiet. And it seemed all around to be a fantastic deal, so the bargain hunter in me was well satisfied.

And of course, Annie is beyond in love with it . . . she talks nonstop about how it has "Lots of rows! A middle row for Annie & Ellie, a front row for Mommy & Daddy, and a back row for Grandmas and Grandpas!" She keeps telling people how we paid for it so it's ours now and can come to live in our house.