The Burkett Bundle

I am officially a mini-van mom. Let me rephrase that...I drive a mini-van, and I love it!

Jason and I tried to make it work with the Altima, but it's just not big enough. There's barely room in the trunk for the double stroller, so when we go to the store or out of town with luggage and the dog, it becomes impossible. We found out quickly that we needed a bigger car.

A year ago, if you had asked me what car I would drive after having kids, I would have said, without a doubt, an SUV. No way was this mom going to drive a mini-van. Several things have changed my mind in the past year.

The first thing is the price of gas. Even though it is lower now than it was last year, I don't trust it not to skyrocket again. Even though we could get a great deal on an SUV right now, mini-van gas mileage is enough better that I feel more comfortable driving one.

The second thing is that I got pregnant with twins. Getting two infant carriers or babies into the car is hard work. Automatic opening side doors may sound like something for a lazy person, but they are one of the greatest inventions in the world for parents of young children. It's also much easier to get both babies in and out from the same side, which helps in some situations.

Being able to walk to the back of the mini-van, rather than climbing over the console to get to the back to comfort crying babies feels like a luxury.

A mini-van offers seating for more than just our family. With the infant seats in the captain's chairs, there are three available seat-belted spots in the back for other riders or a long seat for Bella to stretch out on.

One final selling point for a mini-van was the safety ratings. Mini-vans are designed with families in mind, and to sell to families, safety is one of the most important things. Therefore, they are loaded with safety features. A friend of mine was in an accident with her family (including her twin boys) and her Honda Odyssey flipped over. Everyone was fine, even though the van was totalled. They went out and bought another Odyssey, and that is what I am driving now too!

I have set one rule for myself when it comes to driving a big car. Prior to the mini-van, I drove a little Toyota Celica (which we're selling if anyone is interested). I loved the car, but one thing I hated was when people in SUVs pulled up all the way at an intersection and I couldn't see around them. I have decided that, when at an intersection, I will stay back a few feet so that drivers of smaller cars can see around me.

I will miss my Celica - driving around with the sunroof open in a cute little sportscar - but what I have now is so much more important. I am a mommy and I am proud to drive a mini-van as my mark of mommyhood.

My Celica


My Mini-Van

Karyssa has discovered a new talent...we'll call it scooting. She started on the pillow at the top of the picture, and when I looked at her after blowdrying my hair, this was what I saw!