I'm a Minivan Mom

I never thought I would say those words. I remember years ago, even before I had kids, telling Brian that I would never own a minivan. I am now eating those words big time. Last night we said goodbye to our 2003 Toyota Sequoia. It has been a great SUV for us. We bought this car when I was pregnant with Zoe. We were so excited to have a baby and thought the next step was a family car. As our family has grown the Sequoia seemed like it was shrinking. I really wanted a car with more room and bucket seats for the girls.

I really fought the whole minivan thing. I loved driving an SUV and looked at crossover SUV's, but none of them seemed right for our family. Not to mention they are more expensive than a minivan.

I talked to mom's who had minivans and they all said they loved the sliding doors. That was one of the selling features for me. The ease and safety of getting the girls in and out of the car quickly. I researched 3 minivans; the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna and the Chrysler Town & Country. After a lot of time spent on the computer comparing all three, I finally decided on..... drum roll please.......

A 2009 Chrysler Town & Country. I joke I had to have it in black to make it look cooler. Here's what I love about it. The T&C was awarded 5 stars on the Crash Test Ratings and is equipped with airbags around the entire vehicle. It also has a back up camera that appears on the front console so you can see what is behind you when you back up. You can't put a price on safety.

Here is what the girls love: The 2 DVD players, their bucket seats swivel to face backwards and it has a table that goes in the back between their seats and the third row.

There is so much more that I love, but will refrain from mentioning all the features. It may not be the most stylish car on the planet, but I just can't get past the comfort and roominess of the minivan. I've let go of my pride for the sake of my family. I will one day probably go back to the SUV, but it will have to wait until the kiddos are in college.

But for now I will roll the windows down, put my shades on, crank of the music and close my eyes and pretend I am 16 again driving my black rabbit convertible along Pacific Coast Hwy. Well, maybe I should keep my eyes open.

If you are a minivan mom I would love to hear what you like best about yours. Leave me a comment and let me know.