Category Archives: New posts

3 Travel Accessories That Make Road Trips with Babies and Toddlers Easier!

April 13, 2012New postsAlicia

I have five year old and 12-year-old and I know that traveling with a toddler or baby can sometimes be more of an adventure than the trip itself. Summer vacation is a perfect time to take a road trip with the family and there are a few products available that I think will make travelling easy and enjoyable for everyone.

Cubbie Cup snack cup and juice cup — Cubbie Cup Snack and Juice Cup

Toddlers snacking in the backseat can be messy and inconvenient. Drink spills, dropped cups, and crushed animal crackers into the seats can set any parent on edge. However, stopping for just a snack is not always ideal, either. Cubbie cup has the perfect solution. It’s a spill proof sippy cup with an attached snack cup. The snack trap lid makes it easy for little hands to reach in to grab a treat, but won’t spill the treats if the cups are turned upside down. Bonus, the drink won’t leak either. The cup handles are easy to hold and pick up. While Cubbie Cup doesn’t fit in a standard car seat cup holder, I found that it fits in most pockets on car doors. Alternatively, it is easy to hold and my daughter doesn’t have any issues with holding it in her lap.
Cubbie Cup retails for $12.99 and is available for purchase on the Cubbie Cup website.

During long car rides kids will inevitably fall asleep. At least we hope they do, right? Don’t you hate the neck cricking positions toddlers have to endure while sleeping in a car? Enter Baby Moon Pillow! The Baby Moon Pillow is horseshoe shaped to comfortably fit around the base of the back of the neck. It provides support for the back of the head and a snuggly resting place for the ear to shoulder nod off. No more kinks and no more waking head jerks.
Baby Moon Pillow prices vary between $27 and $28 and can be purchased at ShopBabyMoon.com.

Lilicouture offers a baby wipe container that is both high quality and fashionable. It keeps wipes handy and moist. It’s also easy to spot in a diaper bag with their fashionable designs. Several different patterns are available to compliment any luggage. It holds a large amount of wipes, so no need to worry about using a few for a quick wipe down and clean up in the car.
Lilicouture’s baby wipe containers cost $25 and can be purchased on Lilicouture.com.

Road trips with the family are a great bonding experience and a few simple products can make the trip easier, keeping everyone happy and excited for the real adventures.

Disclosure: Rachel Florio PR facilitated the delivery of samples of each of the products featured above to me, for review purposes. All opinions are 100% my own and were not influenced in any way.

Choosing The Best Infant Car Seat For You and Your Baby

April 3, 2012Age 1-3, New posts, Pregnancybooster seat, Britax, chicco, infant car seat, Safety 1stAlicia

Choosing an infant car seat is one of the most important tasks of expectant and new parents. Researching infant car seats can be frustrating and overwhelming to some pregnant moms. With so many car seats on the market, how do parents know which infant car seat is right for their child? Below are some tips for buying a quality infant car seat.

New and expecting parents have asked me how I chose my kids car seats over the years. My answer.. I consulted Consumer Reports magazine and bought the car seat that was rated highest. I didn’t care about looks but was most focused on safety. Britax car seats have been very reliable for us and they have had fabulous safety ratings over the last 12 years that I’ve been buying car seats. I know that researching via Consumer Reports’ magazine or website might not be ideal for parents who don’t have a subscription though so I am sharing with you a few of my favorite tips and car seat options.

Research The Options

Parents shopping for an infant car seat should research the many options on the market. Expectant parents can research car seats on sites like ConsumerReports.org, which provides detailed car seat reviews. These car seat reviews are useful because they offer expectant parents a detailed account of what other consumers liked and hated about each specific infant car seat.

Consider These Infant Car Seat Choices

Parents who are up to date with reading car seat reviews will recognize the strong consumer following of these three seats.

1. Britax B-SAFE
The Britax B-SAFE is one of the top rated car seats on the market. Sold as a travel system or as just the infant car seat, this product is easy to take in and out of the car, making it a great option for parents on the go. The front harness adjuster allows for easy strap adjustments, and the high weight capacity makes this the perfect car seat for infants up to 30 pounds.

2. Chicco KeyFit 30
The best rated car seat by ConsumerReports.org, the Chicco KeyFit 30 holds babies from the tiniest to the heaviest weights approved for infant car seat use. Keeping babies safe from 4 pounds to 30 pounds, this car seat has one of the easiest adjustment systems available on the market and is compatible with a variety of strollers.

3. Safety 1st onBoard 35
The Safety 2st onBoard 35 is one of the most modestly priced car seats on the market with the ability to rear face up to 35 pounds. With front end harness adjustment, this seat makes it easy for parents to give their little ones a snug fit, keeping them safe and secure.

Car Seat Recalls

Parents should be sure to keep up with infant car seat recalls to make sure that their product remains safe even after purchase. Parents are encouraged to check for infant car seat, big kid car seat and booster seat recalls often. Aside from recalls, it is also important to research the crash protection of an infant car seat, its ease of use, and vehicle fit.

Good luck with your car seat shopping. Please ask questions or leave comments below!

Disclosure: I was not compensated by any of the brands featured in this article.

PBS Kids’ Martha Speaks and Arthur Celebrate National Poetry Month

March 30, 2012New posts, TelevisionArthur, Martha Speaks, National Poetry Month, PBS KidsAlicia

We are huge fans of PBS. We’ve been watching PBS for 11 years and I honestly don’t know what I would have done without it. I’m not just talking about the kid’s shows. We watch PBS nature shows and concerts too.

PBS Kids children's television

The Poetry Foundation and WGBH are teaming up to invite kids to celebrate National Poetry Month with Martha Speaksand Arthur. Tune in to PBS KIDS Monday, April 2, 2012 (check local listings) to join former United States Poet Laureate Billy Collins and inaugural Childrens Poet Laureate Jack Prelutsky in episodes highlighting poetry. Kids also are invited to create and publish their own poetry online with an all-new game, Marthas Rhyme Time at pbskids.org/martha and Fern’s Poetry Club at pbskids.org/arthur.

Martha Speaks and Arthur share a focus on literacy and actively encourage creativity and love of words, says Carol Greenwald, Senior Executive Producer atWGBH. Through this partnership with the Poetry Foundation, we hope to encourage and inspire the next generation of poetry readers and writers.

Children who are exposed to the joys of poetry at a young age are most likely to become lifelong readers of poetry as adults, adds Stephanie Hlywak, Media Director of the Poetry Foundation. How better to create a new generation of poetry lovers than to enlist the help of Martha, Arthur, Billy Collins, and Jack Prelutsky?

Airing Monday, April 2, 2012, PBS KIDS will premiere the brand-new Martha Speaks episode Billy Collins Speaks (check local listings). In this episode, Billy Collins writes great poems about dogs, and Martha thinks she knows why. Obviously, the former poet laureate must be a canine himself! When Martha meets Billy Collins, shes in for a few surprises…as is he. Tune in to learn words like poem, poet, prose, imposter, and metaphor. Then in the classic Arthur episode Im a Poet, Arthur and his friends are challenged to write a poem for a contestto be judged by inaugural Childrens Poet Laureate Jack Prelutsky. Though intimidated at first, everyone comes up with a poem that reflects his or her own unique approach.

Two new Martha Speaks episodes highlighting parts of speech and featuring a visit from the Bookbots air on PBS KIDS Tuesday and Wednesday, April 3-4, 2012 (check local listings). Additionally, past episodes of Arthur celebrating creative writing will air on PBS KIDS Tuesday-Friday, April 3-6, 2012 (check local listings).

New Games Highlight Poetry and Creative Writing Online at pbskids.org!

Kids are invited to read, write, and share poetry online with Marthas Rhyme Time at pbskids.org/martha and Fern’s Poetry Club at pbskids.org/arthur.

Martha’s Rhyme Time
In Marthas Rhyme Time, kids can create rhyming couplets for Martha to perform. Building each from six different sets of words, there aremathematically speakinga bazillion combinations to create. Kids also can customize the performance stage and create a printed version to color and stick on the fridge. And, of course, with Martha being Martha, she’ll introduce and explain many new vocabulary words along the way!

Fern’s Poetry Club
Ferns Poetry Club is a long-running, popular poetry feature on the Arthur website that encourages children to write and share their poems online. Fern’s Poetry Club contains information to help kids understand what poetry is, a description of different types of poems, and tips for kids on how to write their own poemsplus an archive of poems submitted to the site over the past 10 years. To celebrate National Poetry Month, new features will be added, including poetry-related video clips from Arthur. Kids will now see Fern, Arthur, and all their friends enjoying this wonderful form of expression!

Here is a cute video of Martha assuming that the real Billy Collins is a canine and causing some trouble.. as only Martha can.

Billy Collins writes great poems about dogs, and Martha thinks she knows why. Obviously, the former poet laureate must be a canine himself! When Martha meets Billy Collins she’s in for a few surprises…as is he. Don’t miss Martha Speaks, weekdays on PBS KIDS (check local listings). For more information, visit http://pbskids.org/martha.

Watch #HungerHitsHome, a New Documentary from @FoodNetwork

March 27, 2012Food and Drink, New postsAlicia

“We’re the richest country on the planet and we don’t have a single community that’s hunger free. We should be ashamed.”

– Jim McGovern, Congressman

You would never think that this statement would be spoken about our country. It should not be true but as heartbreaking as it is, it is true.

Hunger Hits Home — a new documentary about childhood hunger in America premiering April 14 at 8pm/7c on Food Network features real parents who you would not think were struggling to feed their family. Jeff Bridges, National Spokesperson for Share our Strength tells us that we can end child hunger by 2015.

Check out the trailer for Hunger Hits Home here.

The new documentary, “Hunger Hits Home,” takes a first-hand look at the crisis of childhood hunger in America through the eyes of the parents, children, anti-hunger activists, educators and politicians on the frontlines of the battle. The film is part of an ongoing partnership between Food Network and Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign to end childhood hunger in America by 2015.

For information about hosting your own viewing party, visit Foodnetwork.com/hungry and click on DOWNLOAD GUIDE under “See it.”

Change begins with you. See it. Share it. Support it.

For more information visit Foodnetwork.com/hungry.

Shaklee Get Clean® Review & Giveaway {Winner Announced}

March 27, 2012Cleaning & Cleaners, Contests, Giveaways, New postscleaning, ShakleeAlicia

What’s something we do everyday but don’t necessarily enjoy? If you said cleaning, you and I are on the same page.
When all is said and done I spend at least 2 hours a day cleaning. I spend time everyday cleaning the kitchen, the bathrooms, living room, and den, and a few days a week I mop the dirt from the kid’s shoes off the floor. On a typical day I use 2-3 different cleaners without even really thinking about it. I use cleaning wipes, all-purpose cleaning spray, and glass cleaner most days. A few days a week I use laundry and dishwasher detergent. I use dishwasher detergent 4-6 times a week. Using so many different cleaning products is all the more reason to make sure that the cleaning products I use are safe for our kids and home.

When I was presented with the question “What’s lurking under your kitchen sink?” I thought it surely couldn’t be that bad under my sink. I was wrong. I didn’t realize that out of the eight square feet of space under my kitchen sink, over half of that space was occupied by cleaners with chemicals that I couldn’t pronounce and quite frankly scared me. I was surprised to learn just how harmful the cleaners I had under my sink were, for my family and the planet. Some frightening chemicals I found in my cleaning supplies included hydrochloric acid, ammonia, and sulfuric acid. These are just a few chemicals that are harmful and are found in most common household cleaners. Don’t forget to look at your toilet bowl cleaner when challenging yourself to find out what’s lurking under your sink!

What's Lurking Under My Sink Before Shaklee Get Clean®

What’s great about Shaklee products is what you won’t find in them. Shaklee products have been reviewed and endorsed for their safety by Healthy Child Healthy World. Health isn’t just about what you put in your body; it’s about everything around you. Shaklee offers consumers a full line of natural and nontoxic cleaning choices that are Safe for You, Your Home, and Your Planet® called Get Clean®. I am a mild germaphobe so I regularly clean with anti-bacterial wipes or sprays. I learned that a spray doesn’t have to contain a lot of chemical ingeredients in order to kill germs. Shaklee’s Germ Off Disinfecting Wipes, for example, kill 99.9 % of common household bacteria* and are free from toxic chemicals. Shaklee claims all of its cleaning products contain at least 80 percent ‘All Natural’ ingredients and that their products are “Non-Toxic”. Shaklee’s natural cleaners which are free of hazardous fumes so you can rest assured your family can breathe easy when you clean with Shaklee’s natural cleaners.

Shaklee Get Clean® products under my sink — What's Lurking Under My Sink Now? Shaklee Get Clean® products!

The Get Clean® starter kit I received for review contains the following products:

Basic H²® Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate, 16 oz. (1)
Germ Off Disinfecting Wipes, 35 Wipes (1)
Nature Bright® Laundry Booster and Stain Remover, 32 oz. (1)
Dish Wash Concentrate, 16 oz. (1)
Dish Washer Automatic Concentrate, 32 oz. (1)
Fresh Laundry Concentrate HE Compatible, Regular Scent 32 oz. (Liquid) (1)
Soft Fabric Dryer Sheets, 80 sheets (1)
Dish Washer Automatic Concentrate Dispenser (empty) (1)
Nature Bright® Dispenser (empty) (1)

And these accessories were sent:

Organizer Caddy (1)
Spray Bottles (3)
- Windows and Mirrors
- All-Purpose
- Degreasing
Dropper Pipette (1)
1/4 oz. Dispenser Pump for 32 oz. Bottle (1)
Laundry Measuring cup (1)
Dual Measuring Spoon (1)
Cleaning Accessories (4)
- Super Microfiber Cleaning Cloth
- Super Microfiber Window Cloth
- Super Microfiber Dish Sponge
- Miracle Scrubber Pad

I love the Basic H2® Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate. It is 99.95% natural and contains naturally derived cleaning agents (corn- and coconut-based surfactant), natural thickener, biodegradable preservative, and water. The concentrate goes a long way. I call it my multi-tasking cleaner. You use the same concentrate to fill your Shaklee Windows, All-Purpose, and Degreasing spray bottles. I honestly was expecting to feel residue on my counters or see streaks on my glass with this cleaner but I didn’t. This is impressive stuff! You literally put just a few drops of Basic H2® Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate in 16 ounces of water to make the Window cleaning solution.

I know what you’re thinking. Get Clean® must be more expensive than the cleaning products I buy at the store, right? It’s not. The Get Clean® starter kit is about $120. According to Shaklee, you would spend $3400 for ready to use cleaners to get the same amount of clean found in the Get Clean Starter Kit!

The cost savings are incredible! Shaklee uses packing waste saved from the landfills. Why is this important? Using packaging waste from landfills results in the elimination 108 pounds of packaging waste from landfills and 248 pounds of greenhouse gas with just One Get Clean Kit! Passing on one Get Clean kit to a friend is the equivalent of planting 10 trees!

* Based on comparing number of uses as set forth on product labels of conventional, ready-to-use cleaners.

Visit the Shaklee website to purchase non-toxic, natural Get Clean® products.

Win a Shaklee Mini Household Kit! – Congratulations to the winner, Kelly T.!

We are giving one lucky reader a Shaklee Mini Household Kit {$46.95 retail value}.

To enter the giveaway look under your kitchen sink to see if you find any of these ingredients in your cleaning products: kerosene, phenols, cresol, lye, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, sulfuric acid, petroleum distillates, ammonia, sodium hydroxide, butyl cellosolve, phosphoric acid, formaldehyde, chlorine bleach, morpholine, and phthalates? Tell us which ingredients you found under your sink and why you need a green cleaning makeover, in the comments below then click the green “Do It” button to submit your entry and earn extra entries!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Official contest rules

Contest Rules:

Entries accepted through 11:59PM EST April 10th, 2012.
U.S. Residents only.
Ages 21+.
No P.O. Boxes
Winner must respond to our email within 24 hours to claim their prize.
Read The Mommy Insider’s Contest Rules here. By entering this contest you are agreeing to the rules.

Disclosure: This review and giveaway was made possible by the Shaklee Corporation & Mom Spark Media. Incentives, product and support were provided. Thoughts are my own.