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BornFree Wants to Help You Celebrate!

Have you seen the new BornFree Twist and Pop Straw cup? Not only are these cups cute, they are spill proof and like everything BornFree makes they are BPA free.

Jill had a great idea to use these sippy cups as party favors for her son’s second birthday. You can check out her cute table set up using the cups on her website.

Since the Twist and Pop cups are a new product you might not be able to find them in your local store, but they are available on the BornFree website. I am really excited to try these with Cora, as she has had so many feeding issues. She prefers a straw to a sippy, but our current cups make a huge mess!

These cups would make a great birthday gift for the one year old in your family! BornFree wants to help you celebrate by giving away 5 Twist N’Pop Cups and 5 Trainer Cups to one of my readers. WOO HOO! I know how much you all love BornFree so I am excited to host this giveaway.

To be entered to win these 10 cups from BornFree leave me a comment. Giveaway ends Wednesday August 4, 2010.

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Traveling with Children

surviving a road trip with kids

Most of our family vacations involve driving south on I-95 to visit family in Florida. My children have spent many, many hours in the car going to Grandma’s house. Early Monday morning we head out to visit family in Texas. We haven’t made the Florida to Texas drive in many years, but I do remember that I-10 is long…..While not every trip has been a breeze, there are some things we do to help make those hours on the road a bit easier.

Plan Trips Around Your Best Driving Times

Are you a morning person or a night owl? Don’t try and start your trip at 4 am if you usually don’t wake until 9 am. And don’t plan on driving all night if you normally go to bed at 8pm. While we try to plan trips around our children’s schedule, the most important person is the driver.

Make a List/ Check it Twice

A few days before our trip I usually create a list of all the things we need to pack and all the things we need to load in the car. As we are loading the car I check the items off the list. The times I don’t make a list I always forget something.

Plan the Seating Arrangements Before You Get on the Road

If you have two children who don’t get along inside the house, chances are they will not get along during a 12 hour road trip. If you have a choice, seat children with a buddy. In our house that almost always means older kids sit with a younger one.

Pack Goodie Bags for the Kids

Hit the Dollar Store before your trip and make goodie bags for each of your children. We bring things like stickers, notebooks, pencils, books, small toys and treats. Target sells travel versions of classic games, so if your children are older this might be a fun option too.

Bring Chargers and Extra Batteries

iPods, Gameboys, Leapsters, and other electronic toys are much more effective if they work! Pack spare batteries and make sure you have all the chargers in the car before you leave.

Make Music and Movies a Family Decision

We have a portable DVD player we bring on long trips. Each child helps select the movies. During the trip they take turns picking the movies to watch. This reduces arguments and keeps everyone happy on the road.

Use Coupons and Stock Up on all Those Prepackaged Items You Normally Wouldn’t Buy

Snack packs and juice boxes are great for the road. My kids think they are getting a treat and it is less expensive than buying them a Happy Meal on the road.

Make the Most of Your Stops

For many years we would stop at restaurants for lunch and then wonder why our children suddenly couldn’t behave at a restaurant. After sitting in the car for several hours the last thing my children wanted to do was sit still at a restaurant!

We now bring almost all our food with us in the car and stop at rest areas along the way. I pack a frisbee or soccer ball and they run around for 30 or 40 minutes while mom and dad eat lunch at the picnic tables. Once they are tired and worn out we put them back in the car and they eat their lunch on the road.

Invest in Some Travel Luxuries

Two things I never travel without are the electric cooler and power inverter. While there was an initial investment it has made our road trips so much easier. My electric cooler has its own inverter so we can take it from car to hotel room on the extra long trips.

Don’t Forget the Classics

Remember the days before iPods, portable DVD players, and hand held video games? Audio books are a great way to pass the time and are something the whole family can enjoy. My kids love the Jonathan Park series and the Jim Weiss Audio Books. These CDs are interesting enough to keep mom and dad’s attention too. There are also the classic road trip games such as License-Plate Bingo, I Spy, or The Alphabet Game.

Enjoy the Road

For most families the road trip is a means to an end. It isn’t about enjoying your time in the car, it is about getting to your destination as fast as possible! If you can, enjoy your journey. Point out landmarks, stop along the way. Have a conversation with your kids. Sing songs, tell jokes, and remember to laugh. Some our best road trip memories were made because we took the extra time to stop and enjoy the road.

A Few Travel Resources

How to Prepare for Your Next Vacation: A day by day guide to help you get ready for your next trip.

Car Travel Activities for Kids: You can never have too many ideas for activities in the car. If you don’t use them on this trip, save them for next year.

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Cleaning Kid’s Dirty Fingernails

If your kids are like mine, they come in from playing outside and their hands are filthy! I don’t mind them getting dirty, but I do mind dirty hand prints on my walls and furniture. My kids do a pretty good job of washing their hands but they don’t do a great job of getting all the dirt out from under their fingernails.

I keep a cheap scrub brush next to the sink so the kids can scrub their little fingers when they come inside. This scrubber works great for adults too. When we had our garden I would use the scrubber to get all the dirt off my hands and fingernails as well. I think they cost less than a dollar and they last forever.

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Six Impossible Things and an Alice in Wonderland Giveaway

This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Mandy!

It has been many years since I read the book Alice in Wonderland, but I remember the story being full of talking animals, crazy queens, and a shrinking girl. As I child I loved the story of Alice and was curious to see Tim Burton’s take on the story.

The new movie Alice in Wonderland finds Alice, now 19, back in Wonderland. There is much debate by the characters in Wonderland if Alice is the real “Alice” and even Alice herself doesn’t seem to remember being there before. Once in Wonderland, Alice needs to rescue a myriad of characters from the Red Queen and keep herself from losing her own head.

My older children loved this movie as it was packed with action and adventure and is visually amazing. There are numerous scary scenes so I would not recommend it for young children unless you have previewed it first.

At one point Alice says, “Sometimes I believe in as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” I smiled when she said that line, as I tend to wake up believing each day will be a great day, even if that seems impossible!  I believe there will be no fighting between siblings,  no scraped knees or stubbed toes, everyone will remember to share, pick up their toys, and finish their school with a cheerful attitude. Some days we achieve the impossible, others we miss the mark, but I have faith for each day we are given.

Alice in Wonderland was released on DVD and Blu-ray June 1, 2010. Disney has given me an Alice In Wonderland Combo Pack, which includes the film on DVD, Blu-ray, and Digital Download to giveaway to one of my readers. To be entered to win leave a comment letting me know an impossible thing you believe before breakfast. This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian residents and ends June 9, 2010.

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Some Things Money Can’t Buy

I was watching this video my friend Jen posted this morning and it reminded me that there are some things money can’t buy.  In today’s society many people work very hard for their next raise, promotion, or opportunity. Obviously supporting a family should be a priority, but what our kids need most from us is not our money, it is our time.

A good way to find out what your kids think your priorities are is to ask them what they think you like to do the most. How would they answer that question: would it be talking on the phone, watching television, cooking, crafting, taking pictures, spending time on the computer, or would it be spending time with your family?

With some hesitation I decided to ask my children this question on camera. I didn’t tell them the question ahead of time, I just called them in the room and told them to be honest. This is what they said:

My littlest one said I like cleaning up the most. I will admit I definitely love a clean home, but I don’t want that to be what my daughter thinks is most important to me. Obviously I have some work to do is this area.

Time with your children is FREE. It costs nothing to read a book, play a game, take a walk, tell a story, color a picture, make a blanket fort, or look for bugs. The best part is that even though it is free, there is an amazing return on your investment. Ask your kids what they think is most important to you.  It might be time to diversify your investment.

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FuzziBunz Gift Pack Giveaway

The next giveaway is a FuzziBunz Gift Pack from Suburban Tree Hugger.

Before I get to the giveaway let me just say a little something about work at home moms. If you are going to buy something, and you have the option of purchasing it from a small mom owned company – do it! These moms are working hard to supplement their family’s income while they are at home with their kids. They are doing something they are passionate about, which I respect and want to support. So, if you are a cloth diaper user- check out Reesa’s selection. Her prices are competitive and you are helping out a fellow mom when you support these small business.

Reesa has donated an awesome FuzziBunz gift pack. If you aren’t familiar with FuzziBunz they are the cloth diapers I use for Cora. Here is a short description of FuzziBunz:

The FuzziBunz® ONE SIZE diaper is adjustable through adjustable elastic, NOT snap downs on the front of the diaper like most one size diapers on the market today. Similar to adjustable waistbands for children and maternity wear, the waist and legs have been made customizable through a button / elastic adjustment system. So instead of 3 length settings, you can set to 8+ very customizable sizes. Instead of NO waist settings, you have up to 4+. So you have a SUPER adjustable diaper without an excess of snaps. It may take a bit of “adjusting” to get to the right size, but when you find the right fit, you set it and forget it.

The giveaway includes a One Size diaper (choice of color), wetbag, and 10 cloth wipes.

To enter to win join the cloth diaper discussion in my BlogFrog Community.

Suburban Tree Hugger is an online retailer providing safe, planet friendly, and affordable products every family can use.  The store offers a wide variety of cloth diapers and accessories, stainless steel products, and BPA/PVC/Phthalate free toys.  The blog offers readers tips & deals for natural/organic products, monthly coupon match-ups for CAP co-op grocery stores across America, and a coupon database.  The owner, Reesa Woodman, runs Suburban Tree Hugger from her living room in Metro Atlanta.  She is a Christian, wife, and homeschooling Mom to three amazing children.

Don’t forget to visit my Mother’s Day Extravaganza partners to enter their great giveaways!

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Kelly Joy Boutique Giveaway

This giveaway is now closed. The winner is Amber. Please visit Kelly Joy Boutique for gorgeous handmade baby accessories.

From the moment I received the email about this giveaway I feel in love with these adorable handmade products!

Kelly Joy Boutique, founded by a mompreneur, is a shop where you can find handmade flair for girls of all ages. From various flower and hair bow styles to unique fabric pins, Kelly Joy Boutique specializes in custom boutique flair without the boutique price.

I am giving away a $15 worth of merchandise from Kelly Joy Boutique. To enter to win, head over to the Boutique and check out the adorable products. Then come back here and leave me a comment letting me know what you would choose if you won. My favorite, the large pink daisy… it’s my colors!

Giveaway endsMonday, May 10, 2010.

Don’t forget to visit my Mother’s Day Extravaganza partners to enter their great giveaways!

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Disney Fairies Pixie Hollow Giveaway

This giveaway is now closed. Jamie is our winner!

Do your little girls love the Disney Fairies. Mine sure do! They have the dolls, the dress-up clothes, and now they have the Disney Fairies Pixie Hollow game to play online. I love to find safe, fun, and educational games for my kids and Disney delivers with their Pixie Hollow game.

When you log on you create your fairy. Here’s mine!

You can create your own fairy, decorate your fairy home, and even hold parties!

One fun area on the site is Dulcie’s Kitchen where kids play games and make delicious treats. The games start easy but get harder as you earn more points. Kids can interact with other users on the site, but the chat is limited and there are parental control settings for the entire site.

My girls really enjoy this site, but it is geared more towards my six-year old, as my four-year old needs a little help with the games.

I am giving away a fun Disney Fairies Pixie Hollow gift bag filled with cooking items (aprons, pot holders, cookie cutters, and more) as well as a membership to the site.

To enter leave a comment telling me your favorite Disney character. Mine is Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Giveaway ends Monday, May 10, 2010.