I am a new rider (and new poster!). I have lurked for about a year, getting a TON of good advice from these boards. I need help finding an indoor trainer for the (potentially long) winter months.

A bit of background:

I am a 33 year old mom to 5 kids under the age of 6. I am NOT an athlete of any sort. I started training for triathlons about 3 years ago, right after my 4th was born and I was tipping the scales at 200lbs. Now, one more baby and 50 pounds lighter, I have completed four triathlons and am also working on increasing my biking miles. Hubby and I are hoping to do a 7 day 400+ mile ride next summer so I want to keep the bike fitness I already have and continue to increase my mileage over the winter. I have a Trek WSD 2.1 that was a HUGE upgrade from my 10 year old $70 Kmart special. The more I ride, the more I realize how much I love riding. During my peak tri training, I was getting in about 50-60 miles a week. It is hard to get long rides in with the kids. As I get more comfortable on my bike, I am seeing that I really hate the stationary bikes at the local YMCA. So I am really hoping to find a trainer so I can stay on my own bike for the winter.

So - (are you still with me?? I can be a bit long-winded)

Is there a "trainer for dummies" link? A quick search of trainers at nashbar or performance bike show several different kinds, and a huge price range. I'd be using it indoors, hopefully in the living room. We have a largish area behind the sofa (about 8 x 17ft) - I am hoping that with a yoga mat, it will work there. I can still watch TV if I want, but it would be relatively easy to barracade myself off from the little ones (worried about fingers + spinning wheels, etc). Are the ones in the $100 price range worthwhile? After all the money I have spent this season on tri gear (incl the new bike), I don't have a ton left to spend. Have any of you used the trainer with kids around? Realistically, how long can you spend on the bike at a single time on the trainer? Any other helpful tips/advice? I read somewhere about needing a fan to keep you cool, and being sure to wipe down the bike afterward. Do you just get on and start pedalling? Do you find workout DVDs helpful? Do I need a trainer with adjustable resistance, or can I still use my gears? Anything else I need to know?

Thanks.