Anyway, for today’s blog post, I thought I would switch gears a bit and share a throwback style blog post with you. Way back in 2013, I shared a Currently-themed blog post on PBF that highlighted some current things I’m enjoying, reading, wearing, doing, etc. It’s also a style of blog post I’ve seen Kristin share on her blog for years and I always look forward to reading about her current interests, recommendations, etc. I hope you enjoy this post as well! And, if you feel like playing along, I’d love to read about some of your current interests, reads, needs, wants and more in the comments section of this post!
Currently…
Currently Reading: Transfer of Power by Vince Flynn
Years ago, I read Term Limits by Vince Flynn after both my mom and dad recommended it to me and thoroughly enjoyed the political thriller. During our stay at my parents’ place, we chatted a bit about the author’s other novels and since I was in the market for a thriller and both my mom and my dad have enjoyed some of the books from his Mitch Rapp series, I figured I’d give one a shot. I opted for Transfer of Power and it’s a page turner for sure though something about the writing/thought process of the main character irks me a bit.
Currently In the Market For: An SUV with a third row or a minivan. With only 7(ish) weeks to go before our little one arrives, we’re feeling a bit of pressure to make a decision regarding a larger vehicle for our family. While I realize they make slimmer car seats that allow three car seats to fit across a bench seat (our current car seats are too wide), even if we got new car seats and managed to get them into the back row of either of our vehicles, there is no place for Sadie to go during road trips with our family since we use ALL of our trunk space for luggage and kid stuff. Sooo we’re in the market for something with a third row that is a little bigger to accommodate our growing family. I’d love to hear about any third row SUVs or minivans you guys have out there that you love or, on the flip side, vehicles you’ve owned that you’d never purchase again. I drive my cars for-ev-errr (we’re talking 12+ years) so while we know this is a big purchase, we’re hoping it will be one that will be with us for the long haul.
Currently Drinking: Sparkling water with a splash of juice or coconut water — aka my go-to pregnancy mocktail!
Current Craving: Ben & Jerry’s Pint Slices (SO GOOD!) and watermelon. Gimme watermelon 24/7 right now!
Currently Wearing: All the comfy clothes… and a mask (I have this three pack)! I feel like my quarantine wardrobe consists entirely of athletic clothing, loungewear and bathing suits. I partly blame this on pregnancy (I’ve never been one to go out and buy a new wardrobe during pregnancy and try to keep my maternity wear budget-friendly and practical) but also on the fact that 99 percent of our plans these days take place outside in the sweltering heat or else they involve simply lounging at home (aka wrangling kiddos at home since not a lot of lounging seems to take place around here)!
Here are some of my current favorites that are not strictly maternity clothes:
- Athleta Run With It 3.5” Shorts: I ordered these a size up in neon a month ago when they were on super sale and they are a DREAM. They’re incredibly comfortable, don’t dig into my sides at all and the length is perfect.
- Perfectly Cozy Lounge Shorts: The softest fabric and comfiest fit. Target does it again! There’s a reason these get great reviews! (Note: The stripe patterns are currently on clearance!)
- Seamless Basic Bralette: I cannot even remember the last time I wore a real bra because this is the bralette I wear nearly every single day. It is the BEST and so comfy… not to mention incredibly inexpensive. I gave a two-pack to my sister as part of her birthday present and she’s already obsessed, too.
- Lululemon Cool Racerback Tank: My all-time favorite workout tank both pre-pregnancy and now! Tip: Check out thredUP for this one! I can often find my size in this tank secondhand as long as I’m flexible on color/pattern.
- $10 White Slides: Aka my summer sandal obsession.
- Lululemon Align Leggings: Worth every bit of the hype.
Currently Watching: It’s been months since I’ve been into a TV show and I’d love to find a good one to check out. Ryan and I almost always read at night before bed so TV time isn’t a big thing over here but I know Michael Jordan’s documentary series ‘The Last Dance’ just came out on Netflix yesterday and I’m looking forward to watching that one soon because we’ve heard great things about it. As someone who was a huge Bulls fan as a kid and grew up in the suburbs of Chicago (shout out to Palatine, IL!) during Michael’s glory days, I’m excited to check it out. The Bulls continue to be Ryan’s all-time favorite NBA team so he’s all in on this one as well and it will be nice to have a show to watch that we’re both into.
Currently Anticipating: Our baby’s arrival. With less than two months to go, it feels like we’re officially in the home stretch!
Currently Wishing For: A LOT of things related to getting back some semblance of normalcy during this pandemic but, on a much smaller level, I’d also like a haircut and a pedicure. Little things! And, if I’m being completely honest, I’ve also found myself increasingly interested in Botox. Is it just me or has Botox become way more popular these days? I love that people are so open about it (I thought it was just a movie star thing for years!) and I am envious of the natural-looking results so many women seem to achieve. (I’m not into frozen faces over here but I’d looove to see some wrinkles disappear.) Clearly it’s not something I’ll explore until I’m no longer pregnant and nursing (so at least for another 1.5 years assuming I nurse our little one for more than a year like I did with Ryder and Chase), but it’s on my radar. I definitely have research I want to do before taking the plunge, too. In the interim, do you guys have any pregnancy and nursing-safe recommendations for getting rid of wrinkles? And while we’re at it, age spots? I need help!
Currently Indulging In: Homemade ice cream. The ice cream maker Ryan gave me for my birthday is getting more use than I ever could’ve imagined. Love that thing! The below bowl of ice cream was out of this world and was a cinnamon ice cream base packed with lots of crushed Biscoff cookies. YUM.
Currently Feeling Blessed By: Time with family at my parents’ place at the beach earlier this month. I know we were incredibly lucky to be able to spend time with loved ones and I didn’t take one second of our time together for granted.
Currently Pondering: How and when to move Chase and Ryder into the same bedroom. Our grand plan is to eventually have the baby in Ryder’s room when he or she is no longer sleeping in a bassinet next to our bed but since that won’t be for 6(ish) months after our little one’s arrival, I haven’t felt any pressure to move forward with transitioning Ryder into Chase’s room. Well, a few days ago, I started to think about how much we used the boys’ bedrooms even before they were actually sleeping in there. Their gliders were key for rocking them to sleep/a comfy nursing spot, the changing table was clutch and I used their bedroom dresser for clothing, swaddle blankets and other baby gear. What to do… What to do!? And when to do it!?
(Note: I know cribs for babies should have nothing in them. The above photo was shared before Ryder was sleeping in his crib and we absolutely removed the blanket and stuffed animals from his crib before he slept in there!)
Currently Looking Forward To: Celebrating Chase’s birthday! He’ll be five years old on the 29th and while we don’t have a birthday party planned this year due to the pandemic, we’ll find a way to make it special. He’s already requested a vanilla cake with vanilla icing and lots of sprinkles so couple that with some decorations and a few fun surprises and I think he’ll be a happy birthday boy!
Questions of the Day
Choose a few “Currently” categories and play along! Need a starting point? Here are a few…
- Currently In the Market For…
- Currently Anticipating…
- Currently Craving…
- Currently Indulging In…
- Currently Feeling Blessed By…
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Can you post about people’s recommendations for larger vehicles? I’m expecting twins and have a two year old so we are on our way to minivan life!
Also you will love The Last Dance! I grew up in Deerfield IL at the same time as you and it made me so nostalgic and brought back so many memories!!
Yes, please post about car recommendations! We have 14 month old twins and need to upgrade.
We bought a 2016 Honda Odyssey after the birth of our third child and it is AMAZING. The ease of self opening and closing back doors, getting everyone buckled in a timely manner, the space in the trunk… There are so many positives to a minivan! I love how reliable Honda is and I have had no issues with it! Totally recommend
Agree 100 percent. I drive a 10 plus year old Honda Odyssey and everything still works wonderfully! We road trip in it all the time. You can fit 8 people in it which works well for throwing in spare riders (grandparents/cousins/aunts/uncles etc.) when visiting with family. My friend’s husband is a car dealer and says he regularly sees them at 220k-240k miles still working well! The automatic opening doors are the best part. Never worry about your kids or your infant seat banging a car next to you again!
I agree with the Odyssey. My parents bought it so they could carry around all 4 grandchildren if needed. My mom loves that the seats move easily and there’s enough room for an adult to squeeze in the back.
Love our new odyssey! I just had my third baby in the spring and it’s been great!
No no no to the Botox! Please!!! I wish everyone would embrace the beauty of aging and not give into the marketing of “wrinkles are bad!” Just eat well and take care of your body and let the rest come naturally, as it is intended.
I feel similarly about Botox. Aging is beautiful. That being said, I do things to help like wear a hat in the sun, use sunscreen, hydrate, and eat well. Many have found the overnight resurfacing peel from beauty counter to be very helpful with dark spots and they use safe ingredients. Maybe look into that??
Ditto….no Botox as I imagine once you start you can’t stop? Aging is part of life so embrace it!
This is totally false, you can easily just stop getting botox treatments at any time – you just don’t have the injections done.
I started Botox at 29 and since then I’ve got one round of injections each year for the past year. They say it can wear off as early as 3 months later, but mine has always lasted a bit longer (though I do get Dysport for the most part). It really is no big deal, I’ve gone on my lunch break and then gone back to work. I feel so much better with just a slightly freshened up forehead. The only downside for me is that it is pretty pricey and will be a long term expense.
I swore I would never drive a minivan…
But fast forward and my beloved Grand Cherokee finally bit the dust. Since I was laid off during the pandemic, by mom generously offered to give me her minivan until I go back to work. I took gratefully accepted, and let me tell you, I LOVE it! I have two boys, and the ease of opening their doors hands free, and all of the extra room is incredible. It’s comfy and my boys think it’s the coolest car ever, lol. Ours is the Town and Country, but I’ve heard really great things about Odysseys and Toyota Sienna’s too!
We got a Toyota Sienna a couple years ago and I’ll never go back. All of the positives already mentioned and they are just so convenient for kids.
Currently In the Market For… Pool furniture
Currently Anticipating… my next Botox appointment 🙂 ( Big fan over here)
Currently Craving… breakfast, I’m starving!
Would love to know what you narrow your car choices down to. I think we want our next car to have a 3rd row option.
Older mom here (my kids are 20, 17, and 15). I drove a Honda Odyssey for over 10years, and I can’t recommend that minivan enough. They are super roomy, reliable, and functional. We drove that thing all over the country, hauled band instruments in it, and helped out when my friends needed me to drive their kiddos too. We finally retired it last year when my 2nd kiddo got his drivers license, but it still had plenty of life left even though the mileage was close to 200k. Something else to think about, depending on what style of carseat Chase has, go ahead and teach him to buckle and unbuckle it (if he doesn’t know already). He will most likely be the one in the far back (my oldest was), and it is a huge pain to get a kid out of that 3rd row over and over again.
Honda Odyssey! We have three kids and it is a life saver. The middle seats slide which makes it easy for kids/adults to get to the back row. Lots of storage and we love having a DVD player for long car rides. I never thought I would advocate for a minivan, but it is so great for little kids!
I love this Julie! I would move Ryder into Chase’s room now! I bet within 7 weeks (or way less!) they will adjust and love it!
You always look so stunning! I am shocked you are thinking about Botox! While my initial reaction is “nooooo Julie, no” I certainly am curious about people who love it. Kate Winslet is my favorite because she embraces her wrinkles and looks so lovely with them! Courtney Cox will always be gorgeous but I am curious what she did – fillers? Botox? I feel like she doesn’t really look like herself (that would be my fear) and I’d love to know what she would have looked like now if she hadn’t done anything. (Clearly impossible but I just always wonder when I see her picture.)
Yes, if you decide to move the boys in together, I would do it soon. The closer it is to the baby’s arrival, the more it will feel like Ryder (or whoever is being moved) is being “ousted” by the new baby, even if (maybe especially if!) the baby isn’t sleeping there at the beginning. Ryder may also regress a bit after the baby is born and you may find it harder to move him once the baby is here. That said, if you think it’s too much, it’s fine to wait — just that if you decide it’s best to d it pre-baby, the further away from the birth, the better.
Team ‘I’m never getting a minivan’ here… fast forward to 3 kids and 2 dogs and our Town and Country is AMAZING! We also got a skybox for the top for luggage and to give us more space!
Also, I say go ahead and move the boys together so they’re used to it by the time baby comes. One less thing to tackle when you’re in the trenches with a newborn! ❤️❤️❤️
Can you post the ice cream recipe you pictured in this post?
Yes! Looking for it too!
Honda Odyssey! We have older kids, 10 and 14 and just sold our minivan in for something smaller last year. Minivan was a life saver for little kids with the sliding doors. While your hands are full with baby and Ryder, you can easily push a button and Chase can hop in without fear of doors pinching fingers. We took a long trip this summer and rented another minivan for more room and my husband said several times that he never thought he’d say it but he misses our van
Minivan!!! It’s one of the best decisions we’ve made! It makes things so much easier for parents and kids. We have a Honda Odyssey and love it. We got a nice one used as they’re fairly expensive but they last forever.
I am due in September and we felt the same pressure for a new vehicle with three rows! We bought a Ford Explorer and love it. Wasn’t ready for a mini van plunge, but they I know they tend to be cheaper so it might be worth it to go that route. I follow The_car_mom on Instagram and she does a great job of walking through the features on different SUVs and how they fit car seats. She just did a mini van tour too so it’s worth it to check out!
Oh thanks for the rec!
Older mom here also… my kids are 21 and 24. We also said “we will never drive a minivan” . So….we bought a Toyota Sequoia SUV. LOVE LOVE it. In fact, I’m still driving it until our son graduates from college next spring, it has over 250,000 miles and still going strong. We have loved it and the extra room. We still drive friends around…just ours now instead of our kids friends. :):) Our plan is to buy something a little smaller next spring but still want a SUV.
Our family has had great experiences with Toyotas! They really do last forever!
We LOVE our Sequoia too! We have the model with captains chairs which is a MUST if you plan to access the back row frequently. Our friends have a sequoia and sit all 3 of their littles across no problem in the bench model too! The area behind the third row isnt huge, but its bigger than other options. We also looked at suburbans and escalade XLs (which have more cargo room). The tow capacity was higher on the sequoia which is why we went with it in the end.
I have three kiddos and we love our minivan! We got built in screens and wireless earphones for long car rides 🙂
Mom of 3 and we bought a Tahoe Premier with 2nd row bench seat, all 3 of my kids car seats fit just fine! No lie-they are super hard to find-took us 6 months. i’m one of those moms who is super worried about putting a kid in 3rd row and getting rear-ended. but 3rd row folds down so we can pack all the things plus dogs for trips.
I was so team “I will never drive a minivan…” BUT I think with three kids it is a must! I had a Honda Pilot which was amazing while I had two kids, but when we were trying to figure out where to put the car seats with three young kids, I finally embraced the minivan phase I was entering. I love my Honda Odyssey!! When my 3rd was first born, I had my two older ones in the back and the baby in the captain seat. But after a few months we put all 3 in the middle row, and it was large enough to do so. There is just so much space…and the doors 🙌🏻 Can’t tell you how nice sliding doors are with little ones!
The odyssey seems to be getting a lot of love!! One of my closest girlfriends here has one as well and she and her husband are obsessed!
The MJ doc is awesome! But the timeline jumped around so much, that part annoyed me. Still recommend!
And I’d say move the boys now! One less thing to worry about and give them a few weeks to adjust before baby comes.
My parents said the same thing about the jumpy timeline of that documentary! But they also really enjoyed it!
Hi Julie! Can you get an electronic minivan? Or one with a battery and back up gas engine. Two of my closest friends with 3 and 4 kids have them and love them!! Or a Tesla Model y with a rear seat?
I love these Currently posts! Thanks for sharing. I’d love to see a future post about your ice cream making tips and recipes. That cinnamon ice cream looks amazing!
I always said I would be team no Botox, but took the plunge end of last year for my 11 limes between my brows and couldn’t be happier! No one could tell I had it done and my derm did what he says is called baby Botox. Would love to hear about other remedies if any are shared!
I have a friend that loves the VW Atlas with captain seats for easy third row access and tons of space in storage still
I love love my Botox my make up goes on smoothly and makes you fresh!
Sooo you’re saying it doesn’t get stuck in wrinkles and cake in your forehead lines?? Haha!! Sounds like a miracle!
We just upgraded from a murano to a VW Atlas, I was adamant on not driving a minivan – not ready to take the plunge with only 2 kiddos and 2 small dogs. I kind of envy the sliding doors as my older boy (4) still can’t easily open the doors of the Atlas alone, but I loved the comfort and tech in the Atlas. I think the only way you’ll know what you like is to test drive. I feel like I test drove ALL the 3 row SUVs before we purchased what we have now. I ended up trying to choose between the Volvo XC90, VW Atlas, and Honda Pilot, at the end landed in the Atlas bc I liked driving it.
I LOVE the Atlas from an aesthetic standpoint — i am just a little worried about trunk space/carting kids around once we are able to bring the boys’ friends with us. But it’s definitely one I’ve been looking at closely!
I think the car mom in Instagram does a really great in depth review of the 2020 Atlas that’s worth checking out! I also loved the exterior aesthetic of the Atlas!
I agree with the Odyssey. My parents bought it so they could carry around all 4 grandchildren if needed. My mom loves that the seats move easily and there’s enough room for an adult to squeeze in the back. My in-laws bought a Ford Explorer and I would NOT recommend it for dealing with lots of car seats. It’s very difficult to squeeze people around and the seats do not move so easily.
Hi,
While I don’t have a minivan I have heard really good things about the Honda minivan and the Toyota from friends!
I only have two kids, but I have the Acura MDX. If you are looking at SUVs I highly recommend this one!! I LOVE everything about it! 3 rows but the third row can fold down to only one seat or no seats. The trunk is flat! So it’s super easy to change diapers on. I don’t know if minivans are like this. You can easily stick Chase in the third row. I LOVE the safety features on the newer ones like the ACC and the lane keep assist etc. they are extremely safe and really really easy to drive! As someone who always drove a small sedan before, I swear I still feel like I am driving a small car!
It’s worth a test drive!
Also, I recently was at my dermatologist and asking about Botox too! You have plenty of time to think about it, but I don’t think it’s terrible to look into. They said you can always do less units for a more natural look.
I have a Tahoe and LOVE LOVE LOVE it. It works perfect for my two boys. If I were having a third… I would probably look into the Yukon XL or Suburban. A Tahoe has a 3rd row but you will be limited to the amount of baby gear you can put in the back with the full row up. (*dislaimer – I live in Texas and Tahoes/Yukons are popular)
Botox. Hell freaking yes. I do it in my forehead and between my eyes and I love it. When compared to women around my age that don’t do it, my skin looks much better and I look younger. Sounds kinda rude but it’s the truth. I also love the way it looks. My make up even goes on better! Plus I tell my injector that I still want some movement and they tailor it to my needs!
W have a Toyota Highlander, which is fine now that our 3 kids are out of carseats. The only problem is that when the third row is up, there is very little cargo room. So we either have to load things on the top or we have a bumper hitch cargo carrier thing. We also had a Honda Odyssey minivan when the kids were all babies and that was perfect. Plenty of room for carseats and for cargo. My friend has a Ford Expedition XL, which is bigger than what I like driving, but has a ton of space for people and cargo. I prefer Honda and Toyota so I didn’t go that route, but as far as space is concerned it has a ton.
My husband and I are looking to upgrade our car and are looking for exact features as you— we are planning baby 2 but we travel frequently so we need the third row for extended trunk space.
We have been hearing great things about the Kia Telluride— I love the way it looks and I’ve heard nothing but good reviews— might be worth checking out!
I’m also pregnant with my third and we are looking at cars too! Everyone keeps recommending the Honda Odyssey, but I just can’t decide if I’m ready to drive a minivan 😂. But I think we’re going to do it!
And I’m with you on the Botox- out of nowhere I feel like every single one of my friends is doing it. I’d love to hear about any natural wrinkle prevention recommendations you get!!
I drive a Town and Country after thinking I would never have a mini-van, and it’s been a great vehicle. We’ve had it for about 10 years and no issues at all. It’s been great for long road trips with plenty of room for everyone and all the luggage that comes with having children.
On the Botox, you do not need it, Julie! You are beautiful naturally!
The vitamin c from Paula’s Choice is the best for dark spots and brightening. They always have 20% off sales/coupons and the ingredients are the best (no fragrance, bottles don’t let in a lot of light/air that can expose the ingredients and make them less effective).
Prescription strength retinol is the only topical that helps with wrinkles – not a mom but I don’t think you can use while pregnant?).
Spf is your bff for anti aging!! A separate facial sunscreen, not just a moisturizer with spf 🙂
Thank you for the recommendations!!!
Enjoyed the Currently post! I am on my second Toyota Sienna and have loved every minute of driving them for the last 16 years! Even my husband likes driving/owning the dreaded family minivan, haha. When we chose to buy a second one 4 years ago, we didn’t really HAVE to-our youngest was 12 by then so we were long done with bulky car seats and only 2 kiddos anyway. But we had enjoyed the first one so much, we made the decision to go for another. We love how much stuff you can pack in for vacations and when we took our oldest son to college, we crammed in everything he needed! Next time, maybe a small SUV or something, but we weren’t ready to part ways with our minivan yet! No regrets. I’ve heard the Honda Odyssey is great too-don’t think you could go wrong either way. All that said, with 3 kids plus Sadie, maybe an SUV is the way to go with even more space?? I’m sure your readers will have great thoughts and suggestions on this!
The Sienna is definitely on my radar. My mom drove one for years and it was actually the minivan I drove when I was learning how to drive back in high school! I test drove a newer one before quarantine and really liked it a lot — Plus, from experience/past cars, I trust Toyota!
If you love Toyota’s you should at least check out the Sequoia. It would give you much more space than a minivan and much safer in my opinion. Minivans don’t give you much cargo space for bulky items.
Just wanted to put the Subaru Ascent on your radar! My parents wanted the large space to make longer road trips to their home in FL with the dog in tow and it is super roomy!
I recommend the Honda Odyssey. My current Odyssey is my first one, but my sister-in-law is on her second one and if and when I need a new vehicle I plan to purchase another Honda Odyssey. We are like you and keep our vehicles for many years.
My teenage granddaughter is on a traveling competitive soccer team so we always travel in my vehicle. Plenty of room for soccer gear (sun shelter, cooler, game equipment, fold up wagon) and family.
Highly recommend Rodan and Fields aging regimens. I use the brightening one for dark spots. I also use a mild retinol alternative from the company One Kind. Their Mightnight Magic serum and face cream are AWESOME.
So I test drove all three major minivans (Odyssey, Sienna, and the Chrysler Pacifica) and we ended up being blown away by the Pacifica. For me, the Sienna’s steering wheel felt oddly off-center. Weird, I know! But I couldn’t get over it. The Odyssey was nice but I didn’t like how when I would let up off the gas pedal, the car felt like it was trying to purposefully slow down for me and it just didn’t feel natural. Also I didn’t like how the Odyssey had two different touch screens in the driver console, one for the van controls and one for entertainment. To me it was too distracting. We loved the driving feel of the Pacifica, the look of it, the dual kid tv entertainment screens behind the front headrests (instead of sharing one screen from the ceiling). Despite Chrysler’s maintenance reputation, I’ve never had a problem. I can’t say enough good things!
I’ve been getting Botox for years and I love it! I started out only getting it about every six months and now do it every 3-4 months or so. I’m a long-time sufferer of headaches and migraines and Botox really helps with that…as well as softening my wrinkles. 🙂 My advice is to start slow and find a treatment professional with good recommendations (and possibly whose work you can see, if your friends use them).
IPL (intense pulsed light) can work really well for dark spots. I usually do that in the fall when I know I’m not going to be out in the sun as much. It’s kind of amazing–the dark spots come to the surface and then just peel away.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with giving your skin a little extra care and if your provider is good, no one will be able to notice you’ve had anything done. They’ll just comment on how great your skin looks. 🙂
I’ve heard AWESOME things about IPL!! Thanks for sharing your experience!
We had four kids in four years (no multiples). We got a minivan when we had our second because we knew we were going to have more…it was fine, BUT we could not fit our dogs (one is a 110 lb golden retriever) and our stuff for a road trip. The minivan trunk is kind of useless in my opinion. You need a car that has a third row, not just “a third row option” with three kids…and a dog. About 18 months into minivan life, we upgraded for the Ford Expedition extended back and we are IN LOVE with the car. It gets incredible gas mileage, fits mostly everything and rides like a dream!
My mom just bought a new Hyundai Palisade SUV with a third row and it’s a phenomenal buy! Super sharp looking and lots of space for her grandkids (without being suuuuper big!)
My kids are now 21, 19, and 15. We bought a Toyota Sienna when I was pregnant with my third and it was one of the best purchases we ever made! We replaced it with a Subaru Outback a couple years ago, and as much as I love the Outback, I kind of wish we had bought another Sienna. We went on so many wonderful family trips, had plenty of space for carpooling, groceries, camping gear, etc. and it was comfortable for all of us. Lots of wonderful memories in that minivan!
My husband and I are expecting our first baby this October and recently purchased a Subaru Accent in February and absolutely love it! We owned a Subaru Forester for 4 years before this and are huge Subaru fans! The Accent offers a third row and lots of trunk space without feeling as big and bulky as a minivan.
Currently pregnant and I am getting botox as soon as I have this baby!! I figure it’s my reward for birthing two children. If it’s something you want to do for yourself, I see nothing wrong with it. You don’t have to “accept” wrinkles/frown lines/etc just because that’s how someone else feels. You do you!!
My sister-in-law has 4 children and they purchased the Subaru. Ascent for their family and love it! They go on a lot of road trips and also have two dogs!
I am getting Botox for the first time on Wednesday after years of saying never and months and months of consideration! I personally feel like there are many woman out there who get baby Botox and achieve a very natural, beautiful look, including many of my friends! None of my friends share frozen, they all still have their wrinkles for sure, just fewer! So excited for my first time 🙂
Please think twice about injecting poison into your face. It doesn’t matter how may people, famous or not are doing this, it’s ridiculous. Be proud of your age and every line and wrinkle. You are beautiful just the way you are!
We are currently a Subaru family (they certainly last) and they just came out with the Ascent with three rows of seats – our neighbor just got one and they love it. We are also eyeing the Volvo SUVs for our next car!
I am a LONG time reader (since you got engaged!). I have boys almost the same age as yours and we are planning on a third but bought our last vehicle assuming we have 3 so that we have it paid off before the baby. I feel compelled to share because we’ve done a CRAZY amount of research, test driving, and comparing 3rd row vehicles. I feel like 3rd row divides into van vs SUV. We are team SUV!
We already had a Honda Pilot (husband’s car). Love Honda! But like others have said, any car with an optional third row doesn’t leave much cargo space. You also have to think about a child in the back seat- if you have a split back seat are you going to have bags/groceries/etc shoved in next to them? Also are you going to climb into the back and buckle/unbuckle their car seat? My newly 5 year old can’t do it himself (still in a 5 point harness). If your second row is a bench and not captain seats this is going to be extremely inconvenient for all the daily trips.
My last car was an Infiniti QX60. We bought this because at the time, it had one of the widest second rows for 3-across car seats. It also has a third row. We only used 2 car seats in it, but I could definitely see 3 fitting if you get certain brands/styles.
Ultimately that car just wasn’t “me” but it was a great family car. It has a huge cargo space.
I now have a Yukon XL. First I will say it’s HUGE which is good and bad. There’s so much space that now I can’t imagine having something smaller. But it’s very clunky to drive around to the grocery store, baseball, etc. Anything in the GM family (Tahoe, Yukon, etc) are the same size and they are very wide. Every time I park someplace I worry about new scratches, so it’s become normal for me to park in the back of a lot and get some extra steps in. The rear doors are big (like swing out a ways from the car) and it can be tight to open them wide enough to get a child or infant car seat in. We got 2nd row captain chairs but you could easily do 3-across on a second row bench. We took our current car seats to the test drive and installed them on a bench to see what it would feel like. There is still a lot of cargo space with the third row up. COVID has upended everything, but you have to think about life where you have a stroller, maybe cooler or bags, stop to get groceries, or maybe eventual carpools with another family. We went into the purchase thinking Yukon but the XL wasn’t that much more, and like you we will keep it for a long time. Also want to make sure it will fit in your garage if you normally park inside!
I would second the VW Atlas as another great pick, or the upgraded Audi Q7. We drove and liked the new Expedition/Expedition Max but I didn’t want to buy a vehicle in its first model year. I loved the Toyota 4-runner but it’s not very big inside (I think Ryan used to have one?). I can’t get on board with the look of the Sequoia. The Lexus GX/RX have the swinging rear door that I didn’t love. It’s hard to know what your preferences are on price and desired features. Regardless of what you buy, I would absolutely put your car seats in the car on a test drive and make sure you like it. Many third row vehicles have a very narrow second seat, and our Britax Boulevard almost wouldn’t fit rear-facing on some.
We rented a minivan when we vacationed in January, and I do see the appeal for families. The sliding doors are so nice in tight parking lots! The cargo space is also deeper than I was expecting, but it’s not very long, so we were stacking stuff upright instead of laying things flat like we would in our cars at home. I’m just not a van person, ha!
Sorry this is so long… I guess I had a lot to say on this!
Just commenting on the car situation. I have 4 kids, with 3 still in car seats and drove a Chevy Suburban for 5 years. A month ago we bought a Toyota Sienna. I was so worried about leg room and cargo space but I think it has more than a surburban. I always said I would not want a minivan but now I can’t believe it took me so long to buy/drive one. I would definitely look into a minivan!
Hi Julie! Quick question that’s totally off topic from this post…(BUT, I keep meaning to ask) what’s your favorite sunscreen for your kids? I know you guys spend a lot of time on the lake and I’m wondering how you prevent your sons’ scalps from burning too? My 16 month old daughter is super blonde, like your boys, and she refuses to wear a hat outside. We mostly play in the shade, but I’m wondering if you have any secrets/tips? Also, is there a USCG approved life jacket you recommend for toddlers? There are SO MANY OPTIONS! Thank you in advance!!
Hi!! So we’ve been going through sunscreen SO FAST this summer! I love Badger (Clear Zinc) because it’s very clean and waaaay more affordable than other clean sunscreens out there but it can be quite sticky. It doesn’t seem to bother the boys though! Beautycounter is fabulous but so darn expensive. As for their scalps, we definitely rely on hats (I’ve had the best luck with Bitty Brah hats — our boys aren’t into hats much either but these look like most like baseball hats hats like Mom & Dad wear which I think helps) but spray sunscreen is a great option for the top of the head! I’ve been slowly making my way through some of the brands from this list in search of a go-to –> https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/browse/category/Beach_&_sport_sunscreen/
Oh and YES on the life jacket — we LOVE the HyperLite life jacket for both boys. It was recommended to us by their ISR instructor and is more streamlined than other life jackets (if that’s even possible — haha!) and both Chase and Ryder wear them well.