Car Catch-Up 2016

In previous "car" posts I'd mentioned Gray's (then Landon's, then Callahan's) truck, the Avalanche, and the issues it had. It wouldn't pass emissions testing. In 2014, we managed to get the registration renewed on an exemption for a year ... and before we knew it, registration rolled around again and we were in the same boat. Pay for repairs? Buy a different car for Cal to use? What Grayson ended up doing was buying a nice new family car, and having Callahan drive the Suburban, which had been "my" car for several years.

Introducing ... the Dodge Durango. 

August of 2015.

Now, if you'd have asked me (Gray doesn't really ask me) I would have said I didn't need all the bells and whistles. I don't care. I just want a car that goes when I need it to go. Reliability. But this baby HAS all the bells and whistles ... and I like them. The rearview camera? LOVE it. The keyless ignition? LOVE IT.  The heated steering wheel makes winter so much more bearable. Stereo inputs with iphone attachments make music and audiobooks easily enjoyable. Auto start and the easy open back gate ... it's all great. So now I'm spoiled.  If I ever had to go back to driving the big ol burb (the Durango was also a bit more compact, while still seating six) it felt so old and clunky!

Callahan was the one driving the suburban now. That was his car for his Junior year. He'd often pack it full of friends and drive them around. As school ended, Gray brought up the idea of a new car for Callahan. One that he'd be at least partially paying for himself. Cal wasn't that picky, I think it was more a Grayson idea to look at Mustangs and Chargers. 

 Cal's new car ...

 Meanwhile ... Keaton got his learners permit.

... and then his license. 

Keaton didn't really drive much his sophomore year. Callahan was a senior and was driving him to school. I'd have to pick him up occasionally when Cal's schedule had a conflict. Unfortunately, Keaton was carless for quite a while, as Grayson had said "bye bye burb" and sold it. But with 2017, Landon would be coming home and needing a car, and Callahan would be graduating, so Keaton would need something when school started (if not before, he got a job, at KFC, which is close, but still a struggle if he needed to borrow a car or get dropped off and picked up)... so more car changes would be coming in 2017!

Cooper driving is closer than we'd like to think.
... and Colton already has an eye on the goods. :)

It's been a while since Cooper and I have "collected" license plates, 

but I find myself still looking ...for out of state plates or punny personalizations.

... I don't know whose car this was, but it made me laugh!

Muhahahahahah!