Going to the car wash

Last week the minivan was in desperate need of a car wash. It reminded me of when a friend got a parking ticket for his blue car and the ticket said "car color: gray". Our "slate green" minivan, while usually looking very slate anyway, looked particularly blah gray with all the water splatter from melting snow.

Plus with kids, they always brush up against the car, touch it, blech. And I feel like I touch it more often too, loading groceries and Target finds.

So I had a coupon for a free car wash at Scrub-A-Dub and wanted all week to wash the car. I wanted to go with the kids but school, playdates, life, etc. never really allowed it in the schedule. So I went by myself last Friday while both kids were in school. While I scooted in the protection of the minivan through the forest of sudsy strips and twirling brushes, I really missed the kids. I knew they would love it and I felt like it was a waste of a car wash to go without them.

So as determined as I was last week to get the minivan washed, I was determined this week to get the Camry washed WITH the kids in tow. It came down to this afternoon of vacation week with a day of "fun" errands to do: had to go to Target so we were in the vicinity of Scrub-A-Dub and Chipotle. Mmm... Anyway, when I arrived at Target, I was heartbroken to find that not only did I leave my shopping list at home, with it was my Scrub-A-Dub coupon! Grrr! While I was miraculously able to recount everything on my shopping list, I couldn't product my coupon out of thin air. Sorely disappointed, we finished our errands without the car wash. Even Tobey took the disappointment better than I did, but he didn't know that we don't always have "daddy's car" on a day when both kids are with me in that part of Woburn. Note to self: maybe the way to stop the whining in kids is to whine myself. I fully expected them to whine about no car wash but it was as if I already took care of the whining so they didn't have to.

Tobey suggested that we drive all the way home and then come back with the coupon. Pshaw -- I am the queen of efficient errand runs. It kills me to do a "one off" errand like Tobey was suggesting, especially since we were *right* there, but just sans coupon. But fresh off my regret from last week's car wash and the fact that the kids fell asleep in the car on the way home anyway, I decided to go home *just* to get the coupon and drive all the way back, so they could get a nice car nap and so they could see the car wash. 

Needless to say, the boys were quite excited when we were going through the tunnel of suds. They weren't the screaming kind of excited as much as they were the "there's so much to look around and see, I forgot to talk" kind of excited. I was glad to point out the white foamy soap and the blue foamy wax being applied. I was glad to make "whoa!" and "ooo!" exclamations to hype up the experience. I was glad to say "Woooo!" when I shifted back into D on our way out, as if we just rode the most exciting roller coaster at Six Flags. 

The kids were happy and I couldn't have been happier that I made sure to go with them this time. Kind of goes along with my resolution to savor my time with them more. I can't help but lament how fast they are growing up and not necessarily wanting to prolong the young child phase of our lives by having another child, I decided I had better *better* appreciate the copious amounts of time I have with them. And this car wash was one of those times.