It’s as old as time.
Like, “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?”.
“How did Zak freeze time with that time out?”
And, “Did Alice really live with the Bradys?” That’s just weird if you think about it.
It’s the van debate. Mini van to be more precise. Not the big ‘ole van of our youth that looked like it swallowed a whale.
No, these vans are smaller, sleeker and make you feel like you aren’t stepping over to the dark side and turning into your mother.
There is a distinct possibility that we could be acquiring a van very soon, but I can’t get over the feeling that it might be the last straw towards total MOM conversion.
When we were growing up, my mom wanted a baby blue caravan with a wood grain siding. For years she drove the “blue bombs” (a baby blue Caprice Classic; we had TWO identical ones back to back) and not-so-secretly coveted a minivan.
Around the same time we got MAUVE carpet put in our home (to replace the brown shag; the mauve matched the green sofa with mauve flowers), she got the car of her dreams.
Life didn’t get much better than this, folks.
Frozen pizzas, mauve carpet and a baby blue minivan with wood grain siding. Suburbia at it’s finest.
So, you can see my slight hesitation at purchasing my own little suburban dream.
I’ve driven an SUV since Ollie was born and it wasn’t that big of a change. I drive a Durango now and love to be the tallest on the road. And I like the idea that I could smoosh a small car, if needed, like Kathy Bates in Fried Green Tomatoes.
The back windows are somewhat tinted and the car seats aren’t exactly visible if I’m driving to the mall or need to look “young” somewhere. In my mind, it just barely sneaks by as cool.
But, the minivan- oh my.
There is nothing about a minivan that feels young.
There is no way to mask that you have children. Several.
You definitely cannot hide any car seats; they’re mandatory in a minivan.
And you also can’t hide your decision: you have decided to turn in any shot of a cool card that you have, and trading it for comfort, convenience and more grocery storage space.
(It reminds me of people on What Not to Wear who wear sweatsuits every day and say they are “comfortable”. Is a minivan the mommy sweatsuit?)
I KNOW. They have cool remote controls to open the doors. But I can hide my REALLY cluttered car with my doors now.
And I do like the fact that the side doors slide instead of allowing a 4 year old to ding every neighboring car in a parking lot. The guilt saved there might be worth it.
Just because of space and travel needs, I think we are going to have to go there. The minivan; the dark side.
And I need your help. What should we look for?
And do you have one and love it (everyone does; I know)?
Are there any that are at least somewhat cool in the minivan world? I really have no clue.
I’m just hoping not to pull up next to a bunch of cute college girls at a stop light and have them ask me what year my wood grain siding came about.
Then have them tell me they were born that year.
Because I might just go Fried Green Tomatoes with my minivan on their cool car.
About Hillary
At least consider the Flex while y’all are looking. I was SHOCKED at how roomy it is, and I love it. It’s working out great for our family of 4 and I know it’d be fine, too, if our family were your size. I LOVE IT!
I feel the EXACT SAME WAY!!! I have yet to convert to the “other side”, but since I only have one child so far it hasn’t even crossed my mind to consider a mini van. I remember being SO disappointed in my “cool aunt” when she sold her SUV and bought a mini van…haha! My husband works at a car dealership so we are always looking at alternatives to the mom van. You could always consider a full size SUV with a third row, such as a Yukon or Acadia. I’m sure you’ll look good in whatever you choose momma! Good luck!:)
Just say NO! We have friends with 7 kids and they don’t even have one ( not to mention she was a former Miss Teen NC so I’m certainly trying to follow her cool factor). I know others who have three kiddios and have been surprised at how great some of the 7 seater SUV cross over things are spacewise. Almost like a minivan in disquise. Don’t do it! Ha ha
I LOVE my new mni-van!! It’s got power third seats (cause I might brak a sweat pulling that rope that folds the others), it has 2 DVD players (one for each row in the back), navigation, back up cam (cause I tend to back ove stuff smaller than an elephant)…. It is the new “cool”. I even got the seal of approval from a 19 year old, a 13 year old and an 11 year old….. Go for it!! You can cruise with Vader and all the other cool folks on the dark side (and fit a ti fghter behind the third row of seats Just in case)…. Jedis are overrated anyway;)
Well, since I now drive what the state of TX considers a private bus, I obviously abandoned cool a long time ago. I drove a minivan for a few years though, and it was fine. But, the car we had before the Largeness was my favorite. It was a Ford Freestyle, a crossover. It sat seven of us, including kids in car seats, and it was just fine. We don’t travel much, and the space in the back was sufficient for our needs. All car manufacturers have some version of a crossover. I’ve heard great things about the Chevy Traverse. I loved driving something that was more like a car. It handled well, it was really easy driving on the highway, etc. I miss my car.
So, my suggestion is to consider a crossover vehicle. Slightly less mom-ish. 
nicole´s last blog ..One Week
When my dad had his mid-life crisis, he traded in his F150 for a minivan. He LOVES it. Not a carseat in sight, unless we’re there with Libbie.
He has a Town & Country and adores it. I DO like the fact that it has the back-up camera. Personally it’s a little too smart for my tastes. I don’t like my car to think it’s smarter than me.
Vanderbilt Wife´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday
Cute post. I am still the SUV mommy though. But growing up we had one of those wood grain vans for awhile I think. I can’t convert just yet, though. I like the Tahoe too much. Sorry. You may have to go Fried Green Tomatoes on me!
Lauren´s last blog ..Ten On Tuesday
When this thought crossed my mind…”If I ever got a van, I’d get a VW Routan”…..I knew i’d crossed over….I didn’t even have to get one, but because I had the thought of what minivan I’d get, I knew it was too late!
LOL….But seriously, minivans are sooooooo much more convenient with multiple children. I definitely understand why people get them. With only one baby, I’m safe for a few more years, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we got one someday….I vote for the Routan because it’s so cute! And when I was in high school and college the cool moms I babysat for had the Honda Odyssey! 
Please tell me you have seen this video about the mini van..if not, then I am soooo glad to be the first to share it with you!!!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql-N3F1FhW4
Okay, think about it this way:
When your oldest is growing near the driving age….mine reminds me daily that she is going to be driving in 2 1/2 years!! I smile and say, “Oh Goodie…. mommy gets a sports car and you get the old beat up mini-van.” Her dreams of cruising down the highway in mom’s mini-van mortifies her and makes me really happy cuz I’m cruisin in my convertible mustang…. oh yeah, baby!!
You seriously crack me up!
Thanks for the giggles. But oh how true it all is. And that wood grain, oh me, oh my! Just when I thought I’d forgotten about all the woes of childhood, you help it rear its ugly head again. Thanks.
LOL. Seriously though, I’d used to advice people to buy the Toyota Sienna. With Toyota’s woes lately I’m not too sure. I love my Hyundai but they don’t make minivans. I’d go for a Nissan Quest, Ford whatchamacallit, or Chevy anotherwhatchamacallit. I know people who own those and they rave and rave-like-shut-up-already-I-get-that-u-r-hip-now-and-I-am-not-with-the-new-coolness-of-minivans about them. I feel like I’m the uncool one because I’m on the side of life where I want a stinkin’ minivan because I want kids to put in there so badly, but I can’t get a minivan without kids cuz seriously who in their right minds does that?!?!, so I got the next best thing I could, an SUV. I feel cool in it. I could squish a Smart Car and make it look like an ant. I can pretend to use my cool you-can-drive-in-auto-or-manual-feature even though I have no clue how to use it. But alas, I really just want to be a mom. So I don’t care if I end up with wood grain, nasty blueness, or not. I want one. Or four. So I can put all my kids in ‘em.
*sigh*
Okay that’s meant to be funny but there is a little seriousness to it that I just had to share to help give some perspective to the plight of the minivan debate. I do sincerely hope that you are able to find something you will love and that you won’t feel awkward driving around… and that you can use to make college girls jealous and hope to be like you someday. And then just remember to thank God for your kids that he’s blessed you with, and the opportunity to truck them around in anything at all is a huge blessing not to be taken for granted.
All my best in finding that perfect minivan.
I can’t wait to see pictures.
Rochelle´s last blog ..National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day
You are HILARIOUS!! I must say that I have slowly started taking a liking to getting a minivan myself. I know they’re uncool and all, but it’s more for my sanity. AG and Daniel fight so bad that it’s like WWF in the backseat. I really need to have them sitting far away from each other. Maybe I just need to buy one of those mini buses that have the automatic doors. Also, since you are having a girl, she will need a ton of space for all of her must-haves. AG needs a travel trailer hitched to the back of my car to carry all of her things that she HAS to have in the car. Ugghh.
GASP!! i never thought i’d see the day when you converted!! haha..love it! do i feel cool in the MV? certainly not.. not ever. but i do love how easy it is. we drove the honda and toyota. although i think the honda looks better on the outside, i liked the toyota on the inside and also liked how it drove. but i do also think the new VW model is nice. Good luck with your decision!
I have an SUV. No need for a minivan yet, but I hope to never drive one. Although, everyone I know who has one absolutely LOVES it. We had a Mazda MVP growing up. The standard champagne color. We were an SUV family from that point on.
“Because I might just go Fried Green Tomatoes with my minivan on their cool car.”
OMG, that made me almost shower my keyboard with fruit smoothie!! You are so funny!
But on more important topics, I cannot help you with this. One of the great things about only having ONE child (besides the incessant questioning from others about when we’ll have more) is that we will NEVER have to go to the dark side. We will never need more traveling/shopping space than what is offered in a mid-size SUV. But I have heard from my mommy friends (aka my sister) that the remote control sliding side doors ROCK.
Good luck! And if you see Darth Vader over there on the dark side, make sure to get his autograph.
I am still driving a seven passenger SUV with three kiddos. But last week when we were in Alabama visiting from California we rented a minivan, the Town & Country, and I got a taste of the dark side. My favorite thing, besides the automatic doors, was the stow & go under floor storage. That’s where you hide the clutter! Good luck, can’t wait to see what you pick.
Oh, honey, give it up and get the van. We have a Town & Country and I grew to love it. I won’t get into the whole story of how we actually got it. I’ll just say that I went into the hospital to have my son with an Audi (station wagon, but still) and came out to a mini van. That I did not pick out.
You’re still up high and the sliding doors are great. Get the second row captains seats if you can, whatever make/model you decide on. The T&C has stow and go seating which is pretty amazing. We also got the built-in DVD player which is a lifesaver on long trips.
And, I must say, I have had several Fried Green Tomatoes thoughts even in my mini van. (I’m kind of glad to know I’m not the only one who thinks these thoughts.) I could take a Mini. No problem.
Oh, and PS – my husband knows that I’m getting a cool car when the last kid turns 18.
Jen @ Little Bit This n That´s last blog ..Frugal Summer Living Tips {Guest Post}
amen to the cool car when they grow up! I had to smile when I read your comment and couldn’t help but reply
When our family surpassed the mini van stage…I got a volkswagon bug convertable!! Of course, now the daughter that is getting married needs a car that is paid off so she is inheriting it, but it made me feel young and cool while it lasted (and hey…if the young 20 y/o bride thinks it is a cool car…then I was definitely cool!)
So Hillary…find the car that gets the mommy job done with the least amount of stress and strife and dream, momma, dream! The years fly by and you’ll be in your dream car before you know it
Tami´s last blog ..Make Asian Tonight and Serve Pizza Tomorrow
puh-lease tell me you’ve seen this!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql-N3F1FhW4
i love those swagger wagon commercials! we don’t have a minivan yet, although we’ve thought about it…and we are a honda family, so i’d have to suggest the odyssey!
carrie´s last blog ..good times
I love my minivan!!! I NEVER thought that day would come, but when it did I just had to get over it! It has been wonderful!!! We got the Hyndai one, which they stopped making almost immediately! We chose that one because it has a bucket trunk which gives way more room for all that kiddie junk you will be hauling around- especially with 2 boys! Sports is the main reason we got one!
Everyone that rides in it wants one! I even take it on our girls trips and they all love it because EVERYONE fits in one car!!!!!!!
I just don’t know about this. I’m not anti-van, but Mark is. So we’ve looked at every SUV and crossover vehicle out there. Are you SURE a big SUV wouldn’t work? Because you’re right – there’s just no hiding it. A van is always a van.
Mary @ Giving Up on Perfect´s last blog ..A mish-mash . . . not to be confused with a mash-up.
The Nissan Quest!! I owned it and loved it……It was so convenient, full of gadgets and so, so roomy! But most of all, it was actually cool!! Even my hubby loved it!!!! Go test drive one, and check out the features, you’ll be amazed!!!!
I’m surprised no one has mentioned the Honda Odyssey. I’m driving my 2nd one & LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. One thing that turned me off to SUVs is dealing with car seats. Since I’m a little on the short side, it seemed harder getting kids in & out. With the Odyssey (& others), there’s no fighting the door, climbing to get kids strapped, etc. If you’re interested, I have a cousin who works at Tameron Honda in Birmingham & he’ll take good care of you. We’ve bought 2 Honda’s down there. Anyway, good luck!!
If I were ever forced…and force would be necessary…I would go with the Honda Odyssey. I bought an Accord as a single gal and drove it until just before having my daughter and I loved it. I would guess the mini vans from Honda are just as great…and they hold their value. Good luck!
Tara McCarty´s last blog ..Cause you gotta have friends…
I have the VW Routan…. It is made VW and Chrysler… has the storage in the floorboard that the Town & Country/Grand Caravan has, but more leg room and looks better on the inside (I think we test drove every mini van made recently). The Honda was a close second. If you want to buy one soon, they didn’t make a Nissan Quest for the 2010 year. you either have to buy one used or wait for the new model year with the redesign…
Happy hunting dear!
Uh, I am the antithesis of cool, so I understand if you delete this before considering…but we like our Dodge Grand Caravan. It’s not luxurious, but gets us from point A to Walmart. Ous is 2004, so I know they’ve gotten cooler. I’ve heard many a Honda and Toyota owner swearing the extra 10 grand is worth it, but I’m not so sure. It’s a vehicle. And you’d look cool in whatever you drive. Or at least from the waist up right about now:)
Elizabeth´s last blog ..A little scare
Ask yourself this: how do you see your kids in the van? We chose ours because the drive to and from school is so precious … they’re all strapped in and sometimes listening to them talk to each other is all I get to hear about their days … I didn’t want a van that would always relegate one kid to “the way back.” That, and I like being able to reach around and smack whichever one is smarting off at a given moment. Lastly, we figured we had three kids, we’d likely be toting three friends around, too. That being said, we bought ah 8-passenger Sienna. At the time, it was the only one we found that would fit three car seats across the middle row. Granted, you don’t get the captains chairs and you have to flip up one of the seats to allow way-back access, but we personally were willing buck the American belief that every child is entitled to four personal cup holders for the sake of family bonding! Good luck!
Other Mama! I’m out of the loop. I’ve been wondering why I haven’t seen any updates form you on my “dashboard” in quite some time so I decided to just pop on over and check you out. I see you’ve been up to blogging business as usual . Why am I not getting updates since I’m a “follower?” Have I just not read far enough and you changed something? Operator error? BTW, the minivan is a MUST now that you’re about to enter the world of more than two kiddos! I am in LUV with my Honda Odyssey…..got it when number #3 Snowbaby was in route. Only thing it won’t do is fix breakfast and clean up its own floorboards, I hate that responsibility. Anyway, glad I checked over on you. Love the belly beach shot….funny. Great for shadowing other small people from harmful UV rays huh? Been there.
Honda Odyssey – the fancy schmancy one with leather (a must with kids – barf proof!), a good stereo, power everything. I LOVE my Honda Van! For a while, we actually owned TWO Odysseys. Yes, two vans. The geekiest garage in town. Now we only have one van and three civic hybrids. (LOVE my hybrid, too!)