How I Fell In Love With A Honda Odyssey

This is a sponsored post. Honda was AWESOME enough to let me borrow an Odyssey from their Alabama plant to lug around all my extra kids last week. I was not paid for this post but recieved the use of the van at no charge to myself. Which obviously– was awesome.

It’s time for a new car. I have loved, loved, LOVED my Toyota Highlander. So much so, that I was planning on getting a newer one with a third row of seats so I could haul all of my kids, run carpool, go to the grocery store and all that other glamorous stuff that I normally do.

That was my plan– before I met Honda’s Social Media Director, Alicia, at Mom 2.0. I missed the session she was teaching because my session ran simultaneously but I introduced myself to her later and mentioned that I was looking for a new car. She said if I was ever in a large city and wanted to test drive an Odyssey or a Pilot to let her know.

Only a few weeks later, I found myself in Birmingham, surrounded by my nieces and nephews and I realized that my mother and I were going to have to take two cars everywhere we went, so I emailed Alicia. There wasn’t a fleet of cars nearby but the Honda Odyssey plant just happens to be located in Lincoln, AL, only 40 minutes away. Ted, Manager of Corporate Affairs, brought me an Odyssey a few days later and spent about 20 minutes with me showing me all the bells and whistles: all FIFTEEN cupholders(!!!), how to fold the third row into the floor (you can do it with one hand and a baby on your hip, by simply pulling on a strap),the navigation system, the FOUR different ways to open and close the doors. I was impressed.

But I didn’t fall in love with the Odyssey until I loaded five kids into the car. They were all comfortable and magically– not touching each other, AND everybody’s sippy cup or water bottle had its own little home. The girls in the way back could easily flip the second row seat forward to get in and out. I was twitterpated.

How I Fell In Love With a Honda Odyssey

REAL TALK

When I initially got the van I knew it would be a great car, but I wanted to stick with what I knew. I loved my Highlander, it just wasn’t big enough anymore, and also… (confession time) I DIDN’T WANT TO DRIVE A MINIVAN!!

Why??

1) Um. Well… When I was teenager, ya know– back before I HAD kids? I swore I would never drive a minivan. So there’s that.

2) Also? Uhhhhh, it was a minivan and obviously I am so much cooler than that. (It is sad to say that this really is the breakdown of my thought process.)

3) IN ADDITION, it was a MINIVAN and I am Robin O’Bryant and I don’t “DO” minivans because apparently my teenager street cred was more important to me than my mommy street cred.

WHAT I REALIZED

It’s sort of like my yoga pants… (Am I about to make a yoga pants/life/minivan analogy?? Yes. Yes,I am.)

I want to wear my yoga pants all of the time. They are comfortable, versatile and get the job done. If I see you at the girls’ school and you are dressed up all cute, I’ll notice. I may even say, “Hey! Lookin’ good Momma!”

But don’t you think, for ONE FLIPPING SECOND, that I wish I was wearing underwire and makeup– ‘cuz that took some work and I know you aren’t as comfortable as I am.

In fact, I know that as soon as you get home, the first thing you are going to do is slide your bra out the sleeve of your shirt then go put on your yoga pants– but here’s the thing: I’M ALREADY WEARING MINE!

I want to wear my yoga pants all the time.
Physically and metaphysically.

And in the same manner, I want to drive a Honda Odyssey. It is the perfect car, and I may have cried a little when I drove away from it.

Then I may have put some pics in a music montage…