I want my sister's car. It's a brand new Ford Edge. It's small, sporty, sleek, and nothing like my seven-year-old, dented and scratched Honda Odyssey mini-van. That's why I want it.

The Ford Edge is not in my future, at least not until my little boys are grown and nearly out of my care. My mini-van is just too practical. For one, we own it. Second, the seats are positioned perfectly and my guys can't touch each other. That's a biggie. Third, it's dented and scratched, and I don't worry at all about what else may happen to my jalopy. Fourth, and most important: My mode of transportation at this very moment contains two bikes, one skateboard, one Big Wheel, one portable potty, hats, sunglasses, and a few tubes of sunscreen (it's still sizzling hot here in Florida). In a nutshell, we are on the road to fitness every time we embark on a road trip. All we need is a location, and we're set.

After school the other day, we headed to a local community college track and logged more than a mile of activity -- my boys on their bikes, me on my own two feet. All summer, stocked with swimsuits, tubes, boogie boards, squirty guns, and more, we were set for a jaunt to the pool at a moment's notice. When we go to the beach, we jam-pack with chairs, umbrellas, coolers, buckets, shovels, and fishing gear galore. Does it get any better than that?

My van doesn't compare to my sister's cool ride. It's worn, messy, and a little cruddy. Pretty it is not. But for some fitness on the go, there's just no better option. For now.