Best (small) Family Vehicle with Most Cargo Space

More shopping...I told you I've been shopping! Only this time it's not for clothes, it's for cars. Our ten year old (yes, that's right ten years old) Camry is just now starting to show signs of aging...big-dollar aging. We drag our feet to buy a new one because we live in the city with no off-street parking. Which means we suffer all the blows parking on the street offers. We just let the sideswiping of our old car roll off our backs. We also don't want to have to worry about our new car being dinged, stolen, broken into, etc. Our old Camry doesn't really invite thieves. It doesn't hurt that the car is totally paid for either. We have no intention of taking on a car note either, so whatever we buy...we plan to buy outright...so we aren't looking at cars in the $50k and up price range. However, the next big-ticket repair that pops up for this old car we want to be ready and have researched out what car we want to buy because at that point, we'll be buying a new car. I don't think it will be very long before we have to buy a new car either. Too bad this old Camry can't go another five years for us!

In addition to not wanting to worry about a new car getting damaged, etc...we really do think that at some point in the next five years we'll be moving to the 'burbs (insert crying here) so the kids can go to a decent school without breaking our bank. We're still in debates over private vs. public and all that nonsense. But in all reality, raising kids in the city is tough. So, we would have liked to wait until we moved to buy a new car since, parking on the street requires a smaller vehicle. At least we see it that way.

What are we looking for? We are looking for the best family vehicle with the most cargo space with a small footprint. So, being the list-maker that I am...I compiled a list of cars and I'm not excited by ANY of them! Not one. Boy this parenting thing is far-reaching! I would so love, for example, to buy a Smart car or a Minicooper or a nice compact hybrid. However, since we travel at least twice a year to Montreal to see Mark's family and since flying with two kids gets pretty expensive we need a car with some cargo space for traveling. OK, we always did like to drive up but now we need a car that can accommodate all our ssshi... um I mean stuff.

Here is our shopping criteria: Number one on the list is reliability & safety (enter Edmunds.com for all that info), Number two is cargo space, third - gas mileage and maintenance cost...

I ended up with a comparison list of eight cars. Surprisingly one of the most expensive cars (the BMW 328i xdrive) is the worst for safety (according to stats from Edmunds.com) and the only car in the whole list that had 100% reliability across all categories was the least expensive (the Kia Rondo Lx), again according to Edmunds.com.

After compiling this list (below) I think I'm leaning towards the Toyota RAV 4; it gives us our storage, great gas mileage, great price and very good reliability and safety. We'll see how it drives and how comfortable it is...15 hour drives kind-of requires a bit of comfort!

THE LIST:

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Kia Rondo LX (v6)

Cargo: 35 cu ft max or 31.7 cu ft luggage only

Gas Mileage: 18 mpg / 26 mpg / 21 mpg (city/hwy/combined)

Cost: $19,495

Edmunds reliability: 100% Green/Good all the way http://www.edmunds.com/new/2009/kia/rondo/101129996/reliability.html

Maintenance: $3421 (estimated total cost for five years)

Safety: Passenger: 5 stars | Driver: 5 stars | Side Impact Front: 5 stars | Side Impact Rear: 4 stars | Rollover Rating: 4 stars

Honda CRV

Cargo: 59 cu ft max storage or 29 cu ft luggage only

Gas Mileage: 17 mpg / 23 mpg / 20 mpg (city/hwy/combined)

Cost: $21,245

Edmunds reliability: Almost good all the way http://www.edmunds.com/new/2009/mazda/cx7/101020295/reliability.html

Maintenance: $2721 (estimated total cost for five years)

Safety: Passenger: 5 stars | Driver: 5 stars | Side Impact Front: 5 stars | Side Impact Rear: 5 stars | Rollover Rating: 4 stars

Acura RDX (AWD Technology Pkg)

Cargo: 61 cu ft Max or 27.8 cu ft luggage only

Gas Mileage: 17 mpg / 22 mpg / 19 mpg (city/hwy/combined)

Cost: $37,620

Edmunds reliability: Almost good all the way http://www.edmunds.com/new/2010/acura/rdx/101192369/reliability.html

Maintenance: $3,637

Safety: Passentger: 5 stars | Driver: 5 stars | Side Impact Front: 5 stars | Side Impact Rear: 5 stars | Rollover Rating: 4 stars

Toyota Venza

Cargo: 70 cu ft Max or 30.7 cu ft luggage only

Gas Mileage: 18 mpg / 25 mpg / 21 mpg (city/hwy/combined)

Cost: $29,250

Edmunds reliability: Almost good all the way http://www.edmunds.com/new/2009/toyota/venza/101109191/reliability.html

Maintenance: $4,006

Safety: Passenger: 5 stars | Driver: 5 stars | Side Impact Front: 5 stars | Side Impact Rear: 5 stars | Rollover Rating: 4 stars

Toyota RAV4

Cargo: 73 cu ft Max or 36.4 cu ft luggage only

Gas Mileage: 22 mpg / 28 mpg / 24 mpg (city/hwy/combined)

Cost: $21,500

Edmunds reliability: Almost good all the way http://www.edmunds.com/new/2009/toyota/rav4/101042865/reliability.html

Maintenance: $3,880

Safety: Passenger: 4 stars | Driver: 5 stars | Side Impact Front: 5 stars | Side Impact Rear: 5 stars | Rollover Rating: 4 stars

Mazda CX-7 Grand Touring AWD

Cargo: 59 cu ft max storage or 29 cu ft luggage only

Edmunds Reliability: Mostly Good: http://www.edmunds.com/new/2010/mazda/cx7/101194222/reliability.html

Gas Mileage: 17 mpg / 23 mpg / 19 mpg (city/hwy/combined)

Cost: $32,885

Maintenance: Not yet available

Safety: Passenger: 5 stars | Driver: 5 stars | Side Impact Front: 5 stars | Side Impact Rear: 5 stars | Rollover Rating: 4 stars

Volkswagen Touareg 2

Cargo: 71 cu ft Max or 31 Cu ft luggage only

Gas Mileage: 14 mpg / 20 mpg / 16 mpg (city/hwy/combined)

Cost: $39,300

Edmunds reliability: Mostly Good http://www.edmunds.com/new/2009/volkswagen/touareg2/101010895/reliability.html

Maintenance: $3,594

Safety: Passenger: 5 stars | Driver: 5 stars | Side Impact Front: 5 stars | Side Impact Rear: 5 stars | Rollover Rating: 4 stars

BMW 328i xdrive (AWD v6)

Cargo: 61 cu ft max or luggage only not provided

Gas Mileage: 17 mpg / 25 mpg / 20 mpg (city/hwy/combined)

Cost: $37,400

Edmunds reliability: mostly good http://www.edmunds.com/new/2010/bmw/3series/101200940/reliability.html

Maintenance: too new for estimate

Safety: Passenger: 4 stars | Driver: 4 stars | Side Impact Front: 5 stars | Side Impact Rear: 5 stars | Rollover Rating: 4 stars

I've Been Shopping!

I've been shopping. I've been shopping a lot! But I haven't bought anything yet. I've been getting my "fix" by clicking "Add to Kaboodle". Kaboodle is an on-line wish list that gathers things you like, want and or intend to buy from any website. So you have a handy list of items from all types of shops. My family and I have been using it for several years now for our Christmas gift wish lists; my list last year included a tricked-out Mini Cooper - nobody got it for me. But they did get me the food processor I wanted and the electric tea kettle!

So, the latest list I've been compiling is for my return to work. I have no work clothes. None. I'm not exaggerating. I've spent three years as a stay at home mom and I wore jogging pants and shorts every day of it! LOVED IT! Just last month I bought a pair of khaki pants (hadn't owned a pair in three years). So...going back to work in the government I'm assuming I need some suits. Something I haven't had to wear in previous jobs for over 10 years. I've been working in start up companies or in companies with a laid back atmosphere.

I'm using Kaboodle to compile things I like, to gauge my own tastes. From there I'll weed it down to things I think would be appropriate in the work place. Boy am I having fun! Check out some of my selections:

Want to see more of what I'm "shopping" for? Look here. Please, feel free to get me anything on my list! ;)

Does Education Matter at Age Four?

There is an enormous debate going on between my husband and I right now. That debate revolves around our decisions on where to enroll our toddler next year when he becomes eligible for some of the free public preschools in the area. The question, the debate: Does education matter at age four? Does the school you choose for preschool up to Kindergarten age have an impact on future learning and education?

I say yes.

I've been surprised to learn I'm an education snob! When I started considering where to send our son and viewing not only test scores but the over-all feel of the school I found the more affluent schools to be more attractive to me. What was it that drew me to these schools? Was it because, at best, I went to a mediocre Catholic School and felt a more expensive private school would be better? Was it because I felt the more expensive schools would be more challenging to my (clearly genius) children? The answer is probably a little of all of that. Good teachers are important but if the other children in a school have an attitude that you're a dork if you don't get good grades - then that's even better! Peer pressure for good grades is so valuable. I can't gaurantee that these expensive schools' kids will have this attitude any more than I can guarantee the public schools' kids don't but I can almost positively guarantee the parents will be more involved and have an affect more than in the public schools.

So, for the question of whether we go public or private in the long run is settled. It's the younger years that we're having the debate over. Does it matter at this age? What's your take?

I'm a writer!

I'm officially a writer! OK, maybe not... but I was flattered that A Lil' Welsh Rarebit asked that I guest blog for her today. Go check it out here!

Back to work!

No more luxurious life of a stay at home mom for me! Those words use to be an oxymoron to me: luxurious & stay-at-home-mom...but now that I'm heading back to work mid-October I'm starting to savor my little moments with my boys more and more.

I'm feeling that deep twinge of guilt for putting my 6 month old (well, he'll be 7 months old when he starts) in the care of a stranger. My 2 1/2 year old is more than ready for daycare. Still, I wish there was some way for me to get that forever sought after balance of of staying at home with the kids and oh so fulfilling experience of working.

I won't lie, I miss work, I never stopped missing work. I miss having a conversation that doesn't revolve around kids, I miss wearing clothes; real clothes not jogging pants and shorts covered in spit up and food. Although I'm sure I'll occasionally be heading to work with food and spit up on my suits. I hope not.

Where, you ask, might I be going to work? Well, I took this really boring job that is sure to be easy on me and not demanding at all. That last sentence was drenched in sarcasm. I took a position at the State Department supporting the Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. It promises to be exciting, no doubt about it. I was relieved to see there would be no travel required of me and at the same time I was a little disappointed. I'm nothing but a ball of conflicting emotions and thoughts that I'm sure will work themselves out as our family settles in to the new routine of mommy working.

The hugest impact will fall on my husband. Not because he's lazy. He always takes the kids off my hands the instant he comes home from work, he always does the daily grocery store run, he almost always cooks the dinner, and every single night he gives our two year old his bath and puts him to bed. But, since I wasn't working I saw the kids as my job. So I saw to it that all things kids related I took care of. I didn't work the next day so never did my husband have to deal with a night feeding or a nightmare. That is, until the second baby came along, then he kind of took over the two year old who would occasionally wake up and need some soothing. I always did the doc visits and shopping and of course I was with them all day.

Now that I'm going back to work and since my work day starts at 7:30 am, my husband gets the joy of wrestling BOTH kids out of bed, getting them dressed, fed and delivered to the daycare with their bags of necessities for the day. Luckily, the daycare cooks hot meals for breakfast, snacks and lunch so my husband doesn't have to worry about packed lunches. I figure if I prepare all the baby's bottles, pack the bag and lay out all the clothes the night before the morning should go more or less smoothly. It's also lucky that if he has trouble feeding the boys breakfast the day care serves a breakfast at 9:30.

Still, I worry. I feel guilty. I will miss seeing my 6 month old's bright beautiful smile all day and miss his first steps and first words. I will miss watching my two year old and his antics and he is just beginning pretend play - the funnest part of child hood. But...for my two year old, this is EXACTLY why he needs to be in school so he has other children to pretend with.

Oh I wish I could hold tight to them forever!

I Get Drunk on Coffee & You Can Too!

It's too true, I can get loopy as hell on coffee! Here's the story:

The day I found out I was pregnant with my first son I quit … well, pretty much everything. I was an Über-mom. I quit coffee. I quite coke (the drink not cocaine – ‘cause who’d give up cocaine?! I kid…I don’t use drugs). I gave up alcohol. Everything! I made sure I got all the sleep I needed. Heck, I even improved my diet by eating really well right up until my eighth month of pregnancy when an insane craving for Marsha Marsha Marshmallow ice cream kicked in! By the way, the stuff has been taken off the market…if you can convince Ben & Jerry’s to re-institute it, well, I’d love you forever and put you in my will!!

So… after the baby was born I was breastfeeding for over a year (16 months to be exact) and naturally being Über-mom I didn’t do any of those things then either. So that was 2 years I didn’t drink anything that wasn’t juice, water or milk (didn’t even consume my beloved chocolate). Then… just a few months later I go and get knocked up again. This time, however, I allowed myself 1 cup of coffee per day and now that that delightful cherub is six months old I’m allowing myself to drink. OK, OK, I’ll be honest, I was allowing a little nip here and there almost as soon as he was out of the womb!

So now that I drink again, it’s kind of cool. I can get toasted (I mean toasted!!!!) on 3 beers! Want to know something even cooler? I can get tipsy on two cups of coffee! I’m not kidding, I get slightly dizzy, very jittery and extremely goofy on COFFEE! It’s the best! Who knew! I may do this to myself in the future too. NO! Don’t be silly…I wouldn’t get knocked up just so I can get tipsy on coffee… I mean lay off the good stuff (coffee, alcohol and chocolate) for a while so I can get an early morning buzz from my coffee! Oh yeah, I think it’s called “cleansing”. Whatever…I won’t be doing it for holistic reasons!

Win Free Loot!!!

My friend over at A Lil Welsh Rarebit is giving away some free stuff...five things in fact...check out how to win here: http://www.alilwelshrarebit.com/2009/09/lil-welsh-rarebit-giveaway.html

Here's what you can get:

First, we have Christina Lee, the stylista behind the blog Real Style, Real People, who is a newspaper columnist and owns her own hand-stamped jewelry company, Tags-N-Stones. She is giving away a set of her adorable Teeny Weeny Wine Charms.

Second, one of my favorite online stores, Dali Decals, has offered up a $50 gift certificate to one lucky reader. They have just tons of options...

And finally, she's giving away three framed (8 x10 inch) Janet Hill prints! If you aren't already familiar with Janet's work, add her to your reader. She's an amazing artist! Check out her etsy shop!