Out with the old....

See my car? A 2004 Lincoln Navigator Ultimate. There are lots of things to like, and it was the perfect car to handle the Dallas suburbs. However, since moving to the burbs of Chicago, I have become slightly less-enchanted. Why?

• First of all, I realized that my car is a very big premium gas-loving vehicle. And when premium gas costs 'ya over $3.50 a gallon, you raise your eyebrows. Seriously, over $80 to fill my tank? OUCH!


• I also realized that the parking spaces in the Chicagoland area are geared more towards COMPACT cars.....which of course, mine is NOT. Small parking spaces lead to lots of door dings--albeit on other people's cars--but this hurts my conscience. AND, there is constant yelling at my children to BE CAREFUL.


• Halle has grown. How is that an issue? She is the perfect height to run smack into the door with the top of her head, never seeing it coming. Bummer for her.


• Can you image parallel parking that bus into an already cramped space? And I've never claimed to be a champion parallel-parker.

• Finally, I've come to realize that those air-conditioned seats might not be as necessary here....

So, what does all this equal?

A New Family Car for Jennifer!
Welcome the new, 2007 Honda Odyssey! And I'm very pleased to announce that I'm driving the very same vehicle as every other mom in the state of Illinois! Yah, sure, it sort of strips my individuality, but there's something about BLENDING. Besides, my Texas accent gets me more attention than I'd like! I gave up a few features that the Nav had, but I also gained a few great ones: a more sophisticated Navigation system with voice command, a DVD player that will pick up where you left off when the car was shut off, and XM satellite radio! The hardest thing to give up? My TEXAS plates! Now I'm off to the DMV for an Illinois driver's license.....