Car...something

So, since I talked about my car in my last post I started thinking about all of the cars that I've ever had. I decided to write about those cars and dedicate this post to "all the girls (cars) I've loved before".

Maybe you noticed that in my last post I referred to my car/van as Carleen. I name all ( most) of my cars.

My first car was a 1974 Toyota corolla. She wasn't all mine(she was a family car) but, I drove her nearly everyday. She was Red, Hot and Rollin'!( had a sticker on the back window exclaiming so). She was paper thin and with only a 12 horsepower engine she maxed out in 4th gear at 55 MPH! I loved this car. She had only 20,000 miles on it when I got it in 1991. It had been sitting in a garage in Morehouse , Mo. for nearly 20 years and she was still sporting the original tires! What a gem. She looked kind-of like this and I called her Car.
My next car was a gift from my dad just before I left home for my second year of college. She was a 1988 Mazda 323. Blue, with a sunroof and some phat gold rims. She had a few battle wounds from her days spent in East St. Louis, Illinios. But, a few bullet holes didn't stop her from driving across the country 4 times! She had a nice stereo and the sunroof kept me sitting with her for hours. Through boyfriends and breakups she was always there for me. "Cari" left me in Provo, Utah after suffering a blown engine. I would see her occasionally parked in a parking lot near the University Mall in Orem. I still think about her often.
This pic shows a small likeness...those gold rims really brightened her up compared to this one.

After the loss of my beloved Cari I was blessed with Carlene (not the same as Carleen).Carlene was a 1990 Toyota Camry, Light Blue. She was good to me but, we really never seemed to bond. My Dad provided me with this car as well. He even drove it to Utah for me after selling Cari to that nice Hispanic man for $400.00. I gave my dad the $400 Bucks and he presented me with Carlene one day while I was working at Barnes and Noble in Orem. He had driven her all night and all day from Southeast Missouri and hitched a ride back to MO via SWA after spending a few days here with my brother and I.
Carlene had been in our family awhile and had quite a history. She was originally my oldest sister's car and after a devastating accident my dad bought the car from my sister at a greatly reduced price. He did some repairs and then, she was all mine. Thanks Dad! I drove her back to Missouri when I moved back there in '98? and Missouri is where I left her. I moved to California after a while and Kimberly (little sis) inherited her, I think.


The next car I had was the whole reason I am married to Jason. Apparently, the first time he ever spoke to me...he asked me about my car ( I don't remember that well). Carly was her name and she was definitely the funnest car I ever had. She was a 1995 Mitsubishi, Eclipse, RED! She was totaled at one point too and I actually had to buy her from my Dad. He was driving her when I came home from California and I decided that I HAD to have her. I made $250 a month payments to my dad and was able to pick her up in Missouri when My little Brother, Adam, came home from his mission. We put her on a trailer and drove a truck(for a friend from Utah) from Missouri to Utah with her towing behind. Then drove her from Utah to California. She then moved with me to Utah when I finally moved back and soon after is when I met Jason for the first time. I sometimes think he married me for my car. He obviously didn't know what he had gotten into. The car was NOT worth it( she fell apart and ended up selling her to Jason's stepdad! However he lucked out with the girl! Carli added so much to my life at that time. I dated a ton and loved cruzin around with my girlfriends with the sunroof open and the music blaring! lol now, it seems so silly. Anyway, she prepared me for Carla. I knew I needed to settle down after her.

The next car I had, was actually "ours". It was the 1st big thing Jase and I bought together. We actually still own her. Carla is her name and she is wonderful! She is a1997 Nissan, Altima Champagne in color. She is 11 years old and is still kickin! Jason drives her to Salt Lake everyday now and she has been there for us when we had NO OTHER CAR to depend on.
She is more mature than Carli was. She really knows how to treat a girl right. After all she is a girl! She also prepared us for the big one!

Carleen (named after Jason's mom, Kayleen). She is a dream. I never thought I would love a mini van but, holy cow! She has heated leather seats, a DVD player for the kids and she is a lot bigger than Carla but, still gets great gas mileage. We got her just before Nora was born. A friend of a friend of ours was selling her and we were in the market. She wasn't in perfect shape but, that was ok cause it made her price just right for us! I love that I can put on a movie for the kids and they will be quiet for 2 hours while I drive. We can stretch out on a long trip or haul all of my demi-dos stuff and/or a friend of mine and her kids too. We have driven her to Missouri (a couple times), Texas and New Mexico and soon to be California! We love her!