MINI-VAN MAMA..............AGAIN

Well it's official I'm a mini-van mama again.  Now don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with a mini-van.  I have owned 3 before.  But I had thought I had moved on to bigger and better things.  Yep a Suburban.  No really we live in Southwestern Pennsylvania and snow is a way of life.  Last year I actually ran car pool to every activity mine and my friends kids were in because the "burban", as the kids call it, was all that could get around.  Unfortunately the price of gas has prompted us to look at alternatives and with three kids the options were limited. Now when looking there were several options that were not optional. Let's combare what some of these options really are.  Second row bucket seats, or as I like to call them referee seats.  By having second row bucket seats the children are seperated there for serving as a referee to keep fighting down.  Tinted windows create a dressing room on the go.  Anyone who has children in multiple activities it is vital that you have tinted windows for clothing changes. Rear heat control is really the not make mom so hot she explodes option.  None of my previous vans have had this option and I have spent much time trying to warm my children in the outer reaches of the vehicle while melting in the drivers seat.  Power sliding doors looked like a need feature but I didn't think of them as a must have.  At best I thought it would save me the countless trips back around the car when child #2 couldn't close the door and child #1 was being to "I'll show you" to help.   I was so wrong since getting this van my kids run out the door to the van as soon as I announce I'm opening the doors  Even the baby has a new independance with them.  She gets to push the door buttom if she gets into her car seat and doesn't fight me. All in all if you get the right options being a mini-van mama isn't so bad.  I may even get one of those catchy license plates or window decals showing how cool I am.