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The Pacific Coast Highway {or PCH} is one of our favorite drives. It was even more beautiful than I remembered, and whether that’s due to the fact that we haven’t done it for nearly 10 years, or the fact that we hadn’t ever shown it to C, I’ll never know. But it’s gorgeous, and it was a delightful drive.

A bit south of San Francisco, in Half Moon bay there is a break that locals managed to keep a secret up until the mid 90′s and although it has taken lives of legends such as Mark Foo it has become one of the premier breaks for surfers from around the world. Mavericks is in the same class as Pipeline, Waimea Bay, and Jaws.

Well, it’s summer so everything was flat and therefore we did not even bother stopping. We kept driving south through the wonderful Cyprus and Eucalyptus forests that have a smell that cannot be reproduced, described, nor found anywhere else. If you ever get a chance to walk through one of these forests and not just drive through them, I would recommend that you would do so. A short half hour walk is a great way to break up a long day of driving and let the kids run around. A soft off shore breeze, the sun’s rays that are filtered by the 80′ canopy overhead, squirrels, and the companion of the soft hum of the near by highway has never been a bad place to each a sandwich.

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Name: Julie Pron

Car of the week: 2009 Volkswagen Routan

Number of Kids: 2.8

Geographic Region: Philly Suburbs, PA

Ages: Mom: 35, Dad: 38, Kids: 5, 3 and negative 60 days

Thing I love most about my car: Gas and brake pedals move so that there is plenty of room between me and the wheel (especially with my ever-expanding baby-belly); cargo room; large (and lots of) drink holders

Thing I hate most about my car: blindspot when the DVD player in the 2^nd row is down

If I could change one thing about my car it would be: make the DVD player slimmer or higher, or put one on the back of each front row headrest

What we call the car: The white one

I don’t leave home without: cell phone, carseats and a large water bottle

Longest road trip with kids: 25 minutes (we’re testing the car for the week)

Favorite driving music when alone: I’m getting to know Sirius radio, pretty stuck on Radio Disney

Favorite driving music with kids in the car: Mama Mia, Radio Disney, Justin Robert’s Pop Fly

Worst car moment: While in a store I looked outside to see a large, purple heart dripping on the side of the car. I panicked thinking some crazy had graffiitied in our suburbia haven. Thankfully, it was just a crazy bird who must have had an awful stomach-ache.

Car snack of choice: Firm rule: No snacks in “the white one”

Last car before kids: Honda Accord

Most embarrassing thing you have ever done in a car: I’m not going there. )

Drive thru dining? (Yes or No): Not in this car

Funniest fight between your kids was: The 3 year old getting upset at the 5 year old, when the 5 year old was trying to agree that the 3 year old was right. It went on and on.

Oldest food item found in car: nothing

My next car will be: Not sure… if it weren’t for the blindspot, I’d be pushing more for the Routan

Julie Pron is a mommy driver and the owner of Precious Personalities, where Mommies Shop for Unique Treasures and Gifts. She blogs for Car and Caboodle, Popshopology, Mommies with Style, Just Precious, Philly Moms Blog and more.

Name: Susan Whitehead

Our Family Car: 2000 Toyota Sienna

Number of Kids: FIVE!!

Geographic Region: Eastern NC

Ages: Mom: 34, Dad: 35, Kids: 10, 8, 5, 3, 4 months

Thing I love most about my car: It’s SO dependable and drives very well.

Thing I hate most about my car: The brakes SQUEAL!

If I could change one thing about my car it would be: I’d make it bigger

What we call the car: The van

I don’t leave home without: A diaper bag and cell phone

Longest road trip with kids: 3 day drive from San Antonio to NC

Favorite driving music when alone: ALONE?? Usually just about anything loud!

Favorite driving music with kids in the car: Go Fish or Classical

Worst car moment: Accidentally backing into a ditch not 100 yards from our house and getting stuck. Had a kind farmer come by and helped me get out, but I had to hang on the outside of the car by the luggage rack (standing on the running boards) to be a counter weight so the back tires were on the ground. All with 4 kids inside. )

Car snack of choice: Hmmm…pretzel rods

Last car before kids: Honda Accord

Most embarrassing thing you have ever done in a car: Nothing…seriously. )

Weirdest item in the family car right now: Probably something my kids left and I am not aware of…yet.

Drive thru dining? (Yes or No): YES

Funniest fight between your kids was: probably them saying “Don’t see me”

Oldest food item found in car: We recently found a Gerber Sweet Potato puff under a car seat from *blushing* 2006. ewww

My next car will be: Probably a Suburban, but maybe a Toyota that fits 8. Don’t know yet!

Susan Whitehead is a mommy driver and the owner of Custom Internet Marketing Solutions for small business owners.

Looking for a game playing system that is sure to be a hit with your 4-8yo? That you can happily hand over to them, assured that they will be occupied for the flight/drive/wait but that they won’t be brain dead afterwards? You can’t miss with a Leapster2 Learning system from Leapfrog.

Over the last few months Leapster has become a part of our lives. My four year old son, an emerging reader, got a Leapster 2 unit and a bunch of games prior to a long family road trip. It was his first plunge into the world of handheld educational electronics. He dove right in, and has been swimming happily since.

I have to admit that I was skeptical about giving him a Leapster. My daughters had the very first Leapster unit several years ago, and never played with it much. It went through batteries too fast, was heavy, and prone to malfunction. Because of this, I’m sorry to say, I’ve mostly stayed away from Leapfrog products until recently.

But this time around it’s a whole other story. They have won me back. The unit is smaller and lighter with a big bright screen, and is immediately kid-user friendly. I have to ration out Leapster time to my son. Often he continues to “play” the games even after the session is over. In the supermarket the other day he was identifying veggies and what we could make with them, acting out scenes and recipes from the Leapster game “Ratatouille”. He’s learned so much spelling, math, reading, and language arts skills from his Leapster Games that I’m concerned that he’s not going to have much left to learn in Kindergarten next fall! It is amazing how easily these things “stick” when they are learned as part of a fun game with recognizable characters. His favorites include Diego, Spiderman and above all… Wall E!

One thing that is really unique about the Leapster2 is that it is the only handheld preschool gaming system that connects to the LeapFrog Learning Path—an online, interactive tool that allows parents to see what their child is learning. As kids play games on the go, they “unlock” rewards online on the LeapFrog Learning Path site. They can connect online to see their rewards as well as play additional fun games and learning activities. Parents can connect to the online LeapFrog Learning Path to get detailed updates on the skills their kids are mastering, games they are playing and questions they are still working on.

More reasons to love Leapster 2:

* The vast library of games – there is something for everyone
* The broad age/ability range – this is a gaming system that will work from about age 3-8
* The durability & size of the games themselves (Lets just say that someone’s big sisters have Nintendo DS’s. And have lost every single teeny tiny little ds game that I have shelled out the $ for!)

Leapster sells storage cases and accessories for the Leapster 2. Leapster 2 is also compatible with all previous model games so you won’t have to give them up if you already own them. Head over the the Leapfrog Website for awesome post holiday specials on bundled systems and games – starting at $9.99!

Pontiac recently treated me and a few other writers to test five of their current models at the Bondurant School of High Performance Driving in Phoenix, AZ. I learned today’s Pontiac brand is both performance-driven, and rather practical. Over the next few days I will be sharing my experiences as a work-a-day father of four pushing Pontiac’s G5, G6, Vibe, Solstice and G8 models on the racetrack and in high-intensity safety drills.

Full disclosure:

1. Pontiac/GM paid for my 2-day excursion – and a very nice dinner to boot!
2. In nostaligic memory of my very first car, there is a ’64 Pontiac Catalina-shaped soft spot on my heart – it wasn’t hard to get me excited seeing what the modern Pontiac has to offer.

I’ll tell you about the Pontiac G5 first. This is Pontiac’s entry-level model, in a class with the Ford Focus, Honda Civic, and Scion tC. Pontiac states the standard 148 hp engine achieves 35 MPH (highway), while the G5 GT has 171 hp and gets about 32 MPH. I would call the dash and interior trim design “stylish” and “conservative” – nothing jarring, everything in the expected place, consistent and re-assuring. It had an unexpectedly roomy back seat, with plenty space in the rear bench for this leggy 6 footer. It probably could seat 3 adults across without awkward elbow-tucking or thigh rubbing.

I took the G5 and the G5 GT on a short autocross track set up for us. Autocross is a short, flat course with tight twists and turns marked by cones, keeping the whole thing inside a small parking lot-sized plot. Most impressive in the G5 was experiencing GM’s StabiliTrak in action – I never once felt even slightly out of control despite auto-racing-newbie choppy turns effected while my foot flew between full-tilt gas and brake. Before coming to the event I had joked with the wife about how sorry Pontiac would be when I rolled one of their cars, but after a lot of hard driving I never so much as fishtailed.

With the large back bench, great gas mileage, responsive and powerful engine, I can imagine a family’s G5 the the role of a dad’s commuter car. Zippy in traffic, only sipping gas on the home/office route, and Dad would know the kids are safe and comfortable in the roomy back seat when he’s got them.

In my last two installments of this series, I tried to bring you both sides of the Minivan Wars and introduce you to real moms who loved their minivans and moms who wouldn’t drive a minivan if they could at all avoid it. I learned a lot from these moms but I was still torn as to what car to buy for my family of six.

Ultimately my crew made the decision for me.They were fed up with the status quo and it was either a minivan or a big old Partridge Family bus, for us.  I went quietly, no fight left. Four months of driving an Acura MDX with my four children, and groceries on everyone’s laps (no room for groceries when the double stroller is in the back) had taken the fight out of me. We worked with an excellent broker and placed an order for our very own minivan. We got the Honda Odyssey Touring in black, with the black interior. It looks either sleek, goth, or like Shamu sans white stripe, depending on your perspective.

I will say this, since driving a minivan my life has gotten considerably easier. Cushy almost. I could get used to this! Some of my favorite features thus far:

• The Doors and Liftgate. It’s hot here and I worried about a black on black vehicle. It’s never been a problem, partly because of the ability to open up the car from a hundred yards away.
• The Space: No more "Quit touching/crowding me!" screams from the back seat. I have all four kids sitting with noone next to them. The double stroller is still in the back of the car. Along with the groceries. There’s room for it all.
• The Versatility: My husband has removed the seats twice now. All that stuff in the garage waiting to go to storage? Gone. The mountain of things for Goodwill? Spreading cheer to those in need as we speak. These things tended to pile up and knowing it would take two or three trips in the MDX was enough to put it off till next weekend.
• The DVD system we have not used: I’m glad it’s there but I am also glad that my kids have not asked to watch it yet. In the crowded MDX tv was like a sedative, dosed out at every trip in order to keep the masses silent. In the Odyssey we actually listen to (XM) radio. And converse. How novel!

Do I love my minivan? Well despite the convenience, I can’t say I love it – yet. It’s getting there but a part of me misses driving a vehicle with major horsepower and a complete disregard for where to put a sippy cup. Which is why I already have my sights on something else in place of the MDX. I

If I had not had a fourth child, I doubt I would have taken the plunge. I would have stuck to an SUV or more eco friendly car for transporting the family. But now that I have it, I have to admit, there’s worse things in the world than being a Minivan Driving Mom!

For dads who feel like their minivan needs some manly personality, check out how Gear Dad from DadLabs adds some spice to his family minivan.

Name: Anne Rogers

Family Car: Chevy Uplander

Number of Kids:  3

Ages: 4.5, 3 and 9 months

Geographic Region: Eastern North Carolina

Thing I love most about my car: DVD player with headphones and automatic sliding side doors.

Thing I hate most about my car: No LATCH hooks in the third row?!?

I don’t leave home without: The list is pretty long considering I have an entire tool chest loaded up with goodies that lives in my car (I like to be prepared for just about anything), but the number one items are my cell phone, sunglasses and the travel potty.

Longest road trip with kids: We have pretty much covered the eastern US between Florida and Upstate New York with one or all of the kids…and the dog.

Favorite driving music with kids in the car: High School Musical soundtracks

Favorite driving music without kids in the car:  No music. I savor silence and talk radio on NPR.

Worst car moment: Each and every time one of the kids has thrown up all over the backseat. 

Oldest food item found in car: We have recently sent a sippy cup to the CDC for analysis. We are still waiting on their findings.

My next car will really be: A completely refurbished Jeep Grand Wagoneer complete with wood paneling.  (Yes, I’m serious)

You can check out what my family and I are up to at our blog, The Rogers Family

Car and Caboodle welcomes Anne, our new writer and "In the Bag" expert extraordinaire!

Name: Shani Gilchrist

Our Family Car: 2003 Mercedes ML320

Number of Kids: 1 *Ages: 18 months

Geographic Region: Southeast

Thing I love most about my car:  It’s a toss up between the unprecedented number of cup holders for a German car and the super-tight turn radius.

Thing I hate most about my car: No automatic lift gate

What we call the car: “The Truck” (boring, I know)

I don’t leave home without: My iPod, BlackBerry, and my son’s “ball ball” (I think he’s destined to be a jock!)

Longest road trip with kids: 9 hours

Favorite driving music when alone: Wyclef, Regina Spektor, Jaymay

Favorite driving music with kids in the car: Jack Johnson, Lisa Loeb, Will Smith

Worst car moment: Driving 45 minutes to my parent’s house with a sore throat and a screaming baby who was using his hand, cheek and forehead as Kleenex… just to find that they weren’t there and I had to do it for 45 more minutes all the way back.

Car snack of choice: My son- Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies. Me- Tall 4-pump caramel latte.

Most embarrassing thing you have ever done in a car: Pumped breast milk with my Medela Pump-In-Style... while driving.

Weirdest item in the family car right now: A stick of deodorant in the center cup console

My next car will really be a: Realistically- A Honda Odyssey. Hopefully- Mercedes GL320 CDI.

Welcome to Shani, our newest Car and Caboodle writer. Shani will be bringing us the latest family friendly car gizmos, gadgets and decor with her "Pimp my Ride" posts

Name: Kyle Pike

Location: Baltimore, MD

My Family Car: 2005 Honda Civic sedan

Number of Kids:  2

Ages: 2 and 4

Thing I love most about my car: The engine

What we call the car: The Daddy Car or The Grey Car

I don’t leave home without: My iPod

Longest road trip with kids: Baltimore to Cape Hatteras, NC

Favorite driving music when alone: Widespread Panic

Favorite driving music with kids in the car: High School Musical soundtracks

Worst car moment: When i was in high school, students took my 1979 Civic and put it on top of the stairs blocking the front doors.

Last car before kids: Suzuki Swift GT

Drive thru dining?: Never

Funniest fight between your kids was: They argue over who is happy. "No, me happy!" "No, I’m happy!"

Oldest food item found in the car: The liquefied remains of a chocolate bunny. My wife’s car, on the other hand, has apple juice that has fermented to 90 proof.

My next car will really be: Able to carry 8 passengers and 5 sheets of plywood!

Welcome to our new writer Kyle, a true car enthusiast, car seat installation expert and dad extraordinaire.