the back seat of the van

Get your minds out of the gutter, folks. This is a G-rated Way Back When-sday. Aren't they all, for that matter? My past is pretty G-rated. As is my present. But my future...now that might be a different story. For another day. Of course.

So! My growing-up included a lot of lonnnng road trips. Both of my parents are from Texas, you see, and all of my extended family lives there still. So being the far-flung members of the family growing up on the East Coast, it was our Family Tradition to drive out to the motherland at least once a year. That's a long drive, people. 18 hours-- because my dad drives UNDER the speed limit, and also because having 3 kids and 3 dogs means you make far more stops than should ever be allowed. In addition to the annual trek to Texas, there were also annual trips to Florida and Tennessee...plus any other vacations we happened to be going on. Occasionally we flew, but for the most part we packed up the van (Ford Econoline with a high-top, anyone?? AMAZING RIDE.) and hit the road. This was the tradition from the time I was born until...well, the present, except that Matt and I (and my siblings) rarely are able to participate anymore. But my parents still brave the road a few times a year-- sadly, not in the van, though. It is no longer with us. *moment of silence*

Anyway, our van had a TV and VCR in it and that was pretty sweet back in '94 when we got it. We were basically the talk of the town AND the coveted van to get a seat in if my parents were chaperoning any youth group trips. I realize that now it is no big deal to have a TV (or 4) in your car, but back in the Days of Yore, it was pretty special.  Having the TV definitely helped the hours pass more quickly. But NOTHING livened up a road trip quite like that most excellent of inventions: the digital camera.

The day digital cameras got into the hands of Sarah and I was the day road trips ceased being torturous. Because we are actually (as you have probably suspected) supermodels. And also twins (born 5 years apart). And we make really awesome faces. And all of these things could finally be properly documented, analyzed, and enjoyed once the digital camera came along. Wanna know how many pictures 2 teenaged girls can take in the back seat of a van on an 18 hour drive? I could probably tell you. Or show you, as the case may be. Onward!

Today's pictures are all coming from the renowned Thanksgiving '05 photo shoot in Tennessee. 'Twas a glorious year. The lighting was perfecto in the back of the chariot that year. Our coordinating cream tops make us look even more twin-like than usual. And towards the end of the shoot, we even brought in some props that are a delightful foreshadowing of our (my) future craftiness: just wait and see!

 Above is the 'turtle face.' It's a classic in every shoot. Obviously.

  So right before this trip, I'd learned to crochet! And then I taught my sister! This did help us pass the time in the van...but not as much as photo shoots did.

 And once you start actually posing with your freshly-crocheted scarf wrapped around your head, your photographer (aka MOM) will probably start punking out on the job, claiming you are getting "too wound up" and "acting hyper." Whatever, photographer. We're just getting into the groove. And you're killing the vibe in this van. Psh.

The bottom line here is that if you are ever forced to go on a road trip to a faraway land, it will be best if you can take along with you an awesome sister (preferably a fellow supermodel) and a digital camera. And even if you happen to be a grown up (as Sarah and I were roughly 18 and 22 in the above pics), don't let your mean parents boss you around and try to separate you so that you can't sit together and be happy in the back seat. Because the back seat is where the party is. No one should stop you from being there. The end.