Rage Against the Minivan...Not me!

I don't know about you but I always was a practical girl.  Not much has changed.  Now I am a practical mom, most of the time.  I don't remember saying that "I'll NEVER drive a minivan!"  IWho knows, maybe I did.  If you have said it and have stuck to it, good for you.  I am glad it works for you.  As for me, I have no "rage against the minivan." 

Honestly, I just don't care a whole lot about the image of driving a van.  Who would I be trying to fool?  I am a mom of 4 young kids who have tons of crap stuff and car seats/booster seats.  I need room.  I "need" a DVD player for vacation.  I need the cup holders, and storage under the seat, in the back, and on the luggage rack.   I am on a budget.  Not to mention, I am quite short and would probably need 2 running boards to just to climb into a big SUV. 

My absolute favorite thing about a minivan is....sliding doors.  I can get into a parking spot and get the kids out without my kids dinging the cars next to me.  It also comes in handy in our packed garage.  That is unless I am dragging a pumpkin seat in and out, then it is anyone's guess how it'll go. Since our accident on Friday, we have been driving my husband's car (FYI, not all of us fit) and I don't like standard doors.   We picked up a rental minivan today and it has automatic doors and my kids almost wet themselves with happiness.  "Mom! Can we just buy this one?? I get to close it!"  I agree with them.  That is one feature that I wish our van had. 

I guess we'll find out in the next few days how long and how much $$ it'll take to fix our minivan.  I just hope that the kids and I don't get too used to the newer model rental in the meanwhile.  I am not saying that we might not outgrow the minivan stage someday.  Maybe we'll need to haul a camper or something.  Heck, maybe someday we won't have so many stinkin' car seats and boosters.  Who knows?  I figure the new car smell wears off sometime (unless you buy the little air freshner that smells like "new car") and it begins not to matter so much your car looks like.  For now, I will proudly get out of my 2006 minivan with my hair in a ponytail, wearing jeans and gym shoes, with a gaggle of kids in toe.  What's it to ya? 

Do you have rage against the minivan?  Are there good alternatives for the bigger family?  Please share.