For as long as I can remember, I knew that when I grew up I wanted to…. drive a minivan. HA! Just kidding! But seriously, for as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be a mom! And now here I am 33 years later and I’m the mom of three beautiful babies and a proud owner of a minivan. I was never one of those people that said, “I will never drive a minivan!”, but I’m not going to lie - it was never something I dreamed of owning!

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At the time I owned my two-row SUV with bucket seats, I had three kids: a 3-year-old, 1.5-year-old, and a newborn. I knew that SUV was just not going to cut it when baby #3 came around. The first problem was there was ZERO trunk space - I’m talking can’t-even-fit-a-stroller kind of trunk space (or lack thereof)! And um hello, with three kids under three you need at least one stroller! It was also like doing gymnastics every time I had to climb in and out of there, clambering over diaper bags and God knows what else just to get to the back to buckle in each of my kiddos. And when you have three kids under three, someone always needs something (I could use four extra arms), so you’re climbing back there A LOT! After a few short months of sweating just to get the kids in and out of the car, bruising my shins whilst leaning on the other seats and running circles around the car to get everyone in their designated spot… I knew something had to give.

It’s not that I despised minivans but honestly, who really wants to admit that of all the badass cars out there, that’s the one you’re going to buy!? That being said, the minivan is simply the best tool for the job when you’re outnumbered with littles in your house! And just like everyone else who has one, I couldn’t be happier with taking the plunge! We went with the Honda Odyssey and there are a lot of features I've fallen in love with. I find myself talking this thing up to people who have college-age kids. Seriously, it’s great and there’s something for everyone to love!

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Let’s start with my favorite feature, Cabin Watch. This 360 camera in the ceiling of the minivan gives you a birds-eye view of what’s happening in every inch of the car WHILE DRIVING! No more wondering who is hitting who in the back. It gives a whole new meaning to “mom has eyes in the back of her head”. I love being able to see what’s happening and know if there’s really something that needs mom’s attention or if it’s just typical toddler antics.

Another thing I love about the Honda Odyssey is the sliding bucket seats. This feature is awesome when someone is in the back and mom or dad needs to help with a buckle or nose wipe or a cup of water etc.! No need to squeeze yourself back into the third row (especially with snow & slush all over our feet during winters in Wisconsin). We simply slide the seat over, lean in, buckle up and pull the seat backward or leave it there and drive that way too! Lots of options! I can foresee my daughters enjoying sitting next to each other in “love seat” style down the road with the two buckets pushed together. Time will tell!

The feature in the Honda Odyssey that seems almost too good to be true is the built-in vacuum. That’s right, I said it- BUILT.IN.VACCUM. Every mom’s dream! I don’t even know how many times I’ve used this already, but it makes it seem like my car isn’t a total mess 100% of the time and for whatever reason, that helps me sleep at night! Hey, if there is something out there that makes it seem like "I’ve got my stuff together", I’ll take it!

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The Odyssey has everything you could need as a parent on-the-go and makes getting from point A to B with lots of littles, a little less stressful! There are hands-free options for everything from opening up doors, to popping the trunk and even texting! There's even a heated steering wheel, which those of you in LA may not relate to but for parents, in the Midwest, this is a must-have! I love the sliding doors, sunroof, Blu-ray player, shades in the windows, endless trunk space, comfortable seats, leather that can be easily wiped down... the list goes on and on!

So the next time someone rolls their eyes about a minivan or talks about how “uncool” they are, just remember, don’t knock it 'til you’ve tried it! And like I said if there’s something in this day and age that can help us parents make things a little less hectic and a little easier in our lives... you should probably buy it ;)

xoxo

Rachel O.