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A few weeks ago, Chrysler gave me the chance to test drive a Town & Country minivan. These are my stories...

"Sleigh bells ring, are you listenin'? In the lane, snow is glistenin'! A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight, Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland."

Well, we’re in the midst of another big snowstorm here in the Midwest, and the sights and sounds of the holidays abound on Kansas City's Country Club Plaza this time of year. Having traveled many places in my lifetime, I can assure you that I have found no place that can hold a candle to Kansas City's Plaza lights throughout the holidays. The "Plaza" is a shopping and business district that was built in the 1920's, back in the storied days of Tom Pendergast, JC Nichols and gangsters. That's right. Gangsters. Kansas City has a tawdry history of gangster activity dating back to the early 20th century.

So, when our old college friends, Tom and Martha, phoned last week to say that they’d be in town from the East coast for a few days for a visit, we knew just where to take them. The Plaza. Initially, I was a little concerned that we would have trouble with the icy roads, but the van did great, and we had a wonderful evening -- without children. Strolling along the snowy sidewalks made for a picture perfect setting for holiday fun. We hadn’t seen our friends in almost 10 years, but somehow we got right back into the swing of our friendship without skipping a beat. Our kids are of similar ages, so we seem to be going through the same struggles and worries of raising teenagers. It was truly a comfort to hear an old friend share her own tales of messy bedrooms and bathrooms, oh-so-late nights, and wondering if they’re making all the wrong decisions.

In the end, we all patted ourselves on the backs for the fabulous parents we are. HA! It practically became a mutual admiration society of sorts, as we congratulated each other on well-mannered children who appear to be making their way through the perilous years between 12 and 18 relatively unscathed -- so far, we cautioned one another. On the drive home, we wound our way back up Ward Parkway past fountains and mansion after mansion, also built in the prosperous 1920’s. A beautiful ending to a lovely evening, indeed.