That’s right! I’m a “mini-van mom.” I’m well aware that I’m a rolling stereotype, but this new ride is worth it.

Our 2004 Buick Rendezvous had been slowly dying for a long while. It wasn’t in great shape when we bought it six years ago, but we certainly got our money’s worth out of it! We grew from a family of three to a family of five, and amazingly, we squeezed three car seats in the back seat. We even managed to move from Arizona to Oregon in that car. It wasn’t comfortable doing it, but since I didn’t know anything else, we were just fine.

But, now I know better. This van has features I didn’t know existed–like a second rear view mirror that’s designed for seeing your kids while driving and a foot rest for my left foot. And then there’s all the lovely comfort features that make mini-vans a mom’s favorite; like heated seats, 13 cup holders (that I know of so far), power sliding doors and rear hatch, rear seats that fold into the floor, built-in blinds for all the back windows, DVD system (with headphones!), and extra seating. As Stephen reminded me, minivans are stereotypes for moms for a reason–because they’re the best!

On top of all the bells and whistles, I’m fully enjoying the ordinary features any car should have that were broken on our Rendezvous. Now I can see what gear I’m in and what our mileage is since the light behind the dash isn’t  burnt out. We have windshield wiper fluid that doesn’t leak, a glove box that’s functional, and the AC/heat actually changes the temperature inside the car. It’s incredible!

We chose the Toyota Sienna since it’s the only minivan that has all-wheel drive. After the snowpocalypse of this winter, all-wheel drive was a must-have on my wish list. Even if it doesn’t snow at all next year, I’m sure the four-wheel drive will come in handy on those rainy mountain roads we plan to explore on the weekends. Overall, we’re much safer in this van, and it handles more like a car than a truck.

I’m thrilled to finally have a comfortable vehicle that meets our needs–better yet, the kids are excited to go for a ride!