Creative Cooling

I grew up in the "West".... where hot = hot, NOT hot = hot and humid. I really dislike the HUMID weather here on the East Coast. I love summer and I try hard to get outside with the kids. We swim, play ball in the yard, garden... And I am very, very grateful for AIRCONDITIONING!!!!! We managed to make it through July without turning it on, but it has been on most days the past two weeks.

I have now discovered, though, something that I dislike more than being outside in hot and humid weather - being in a car with no airconditioning in hot and humid weather. That. Is. Miserable. With. A. Capital. M!!!!

Our minivan has been giving us trouble for the past several months. A few times this winter it had no heat, and in May of this year the airconditioning stopped working. We paid big bucks to get it fixed in June, but it stopped working again at the beginning of July. Not only does the airconditioning not work, but HOT air blows through the vents at all times. Did I say MISERABLE? I've tried thinking "positive thoughts", focusing on being grateful that I even have a car..... but... reallly...... it is miserable!

Apparently our children have inherited my dislike for being overheated. They ride in the back of the van, where there are no windows and no vents... You couldn't pay me to sit there. LOL.

Today temperatures are supposed to be near 100 and it is very very humid. We drove my mom to the airport (an hour away) this morning and on the way home my hot and tired kids began to complain. I suggested that we use our creativity to design a way to cool off the van. This is what the kids suggested:

"Mommy. I know. We could buy a HUGE airconditioner that you can plug into the car, just like you plug in your cell phone... and we could keep it back here in the back seat and I could blow the air toward you".

"How about we turn our car into a HUGE cooler. We could buy gigantic ice packs and put them on the side, and then we could fill the back of the van/trunk with icecubes.... Then we would stay toasty cool all day."

"Maybe we could buy a big bathtub liner and put it in the van and fill it with water. Our seats could be in the water and we could wear swimming suits. That way we could get clean and cool off at the same time!"

Anyone have any other ideas???