Category Archives: Travel

Station Wagon buyers guide – Spring 2008

Travel

Best Family Station Wagons: A Buyer’s Guide By The Car Family

Starting from its humble beginnings carrying passengers and their luggage from railroad depots, the “station wagon” emerged as an incredibly versatile and easy to live with family vehicle. In recent years its status has diminished with the availability of cheap gas and drivers who chose to drive tipsy SUVs. Too bad. The station wagon offers much better fuel economy, is safer, is less costly to maintain and offers more usable family friendly cargo capacity.

Here is a review of all the station wagons we have tested and each one was a delight, unlike driving overweight, gas swilling SUVs that are so unsafe that the industry created a special safety category to evaluate them called rollover rate.

Continue reading Station Wagon buyers guide – Spring 2008 →

20Q the little round gadget that knows what you’re thinking

Age 7-10, Ages 10-13, Electronics, Fun stuff for parents, Gadgets, Games, Toys, Travel

20Q has been around for years and is now available in a smaller, smarter, pastel version.   20Q is an "artificial intelligence" game that tries to guess what you are thinking about by asking questions such as "is it alive", "does it make you feel good", and "is it hard". 
Much to my amazement, 20Q figured out what we were thinking 8 times out of 10.    How does it work, you ask?   By process of elimination.

I thought of an elephant, a balloon, and a piece of grass.  20Q guessed the elephant and balloon between the 15-20th guess but the closest 20Q got to guessing a piece of grass was guessing that I was thinking of a leaf.  That is still pretty good.  I was impressed. 

If 20Q doesn’t guess what you are thinking about (read your mind) by the 20th question, you win!
When 20Q asks the player a question, the player responds by pressing one of four buttons.  Yes, no, sometimes, or don’t know.  Based on your response 20Q asks the player another question.

20Q is a great game to take on vacation as it doesn’t blast annoying beeps and boings, nor does it take up much room being about the size of a child’s palm.  Recommended for ages 8 and up, 20Q is now available in spring colors.

Icon_website2   Learn more about 20Q or buy here

Oakley RAZRWIRE sunglasses

Dad, Fun stuff for parents, Gadgets, Travel

OakleyrazrwireWhat man doesn’t want a pair of Oakley’s?  When our testers put these on for the first time, I thought they all looked like spies.  It took me a while to get past the fact that they guys looked like 007 but once I did I realized that these are not only really great looking but they are also one of the coolest gadgets (for adults) that I’ve reviewed.

Oakley’s RAZRWIRE’s are the first ever eyewear to combine patented Oakley optics with Motorola wireless BLUETOOTH®  technology.  How gadgety does that sound?  A wearable link to your cellular phone, RAZRWIRE™
offers the freedom of mobile hands-free communication. The integrated
design frees you from cumbersome wires, allowing you to quickly answer
and place calls with the touch of a button.  RAZRWIRE’s detachable Motorola Bluetooth wireless headset lets active
and style conscious parents (and other consumers) experience hands-free, cable-free
communications which is a necessity when traveling to and from sports, ballet, school, and appointments. It is very important to use both hands when driving.

Our testers agreed that call clarity was not compromised nor was comfort.  RAZRWIRE sunglasses are not heavy and do not feel bulky said our testers.  The sunglasses proved to be comfortable for extended periods of time.

With RAZRWIRE™,
a hands-free link to your cellular phone is always at the ready, and
there’s no need to remove it between calls like a clumsy headset. The
technology you need is part of something you’re already wearing. RAZRWIRE™ is science wrapped in art that turns wireless mobility into fashion.

Thanks to Oakley, we are giving away a pair of RAZRWIRE’s to one lucky reader! Check back later  (April 1st 08) for details on how to enter to win.

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Oakley RAZRWIRE sunglasses

Stroller Snuggle Bag

Age 0-1 year, Age 1-3, Age 3-5, Strollers, Travel

SillybillyzstrollersnugglebagKeeping baby warm while out and about in the winter and on cool spring days can be a challenge.  Silly Billyz Stroller Snuggle Bag is a great solution for those times when you need to get out but it’s too cold for baby.  The Stroller Snuggle Bag gives you the motivation you might need to get your outdoor exercise in on those chilly mornings.

This wind and water resistant stroller Snuggle Bag will keep your little one cozy, warm
and dry while out. It has a fully removable zip front cover
and a nylon front and fleece or sherpa inside. The stroller Snuggle Bag
works with most 3 and 5 point harness systems and is generously sized
for babies and toddlers up to age 3.  The snuggle bag is machine washable and can be tumbled dried so there is no need to worry about messes.

The stroller snuggle bag is available in pink, blue and cinnamon to accommodate both boys and girls and those who prefer a gender neutral color will appreciate the cinnamon snuggle bag.  This makes a great baby shower or new baby gift. 

When not on her stroller, Madelyn often uses her stroller snuggle bag like a sleeping bag.  She slips inside and then places the zipper cover over herself and gets comfy.  Very cute!

Silly Billyz also sells play blankets that look super comfy, long sleeve bibs, biblets, and more.

We have two Silly Billyz Stroller Snuggle Bags to give away!
To enter:
– Email alicia @ themommyinsider.com
– Attach a photograph of your adorable 0-3 year old
– Tell us the name and child of the child in the photograph (first name only)
– Put "silly billyz stroller snuggle bag" in the subject line of the email
– I will choose a winner at random April 5th. 
– The winner will be notified by email so be sure to use an email address that you check often. 
– We are collecting photographs of our readers super cute children to be featured on The Mommy Insider so enter only if you are OK with your child’s photograph, first name and age being shown on the site.

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Silly Billyz Stroller Snuggle Bag

Chicco Hook-On Travel Seat

Age 1-3, Feeding - baby & kids, Travel

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Minimizing exposure to germs is an issue for most parents.  We are always washing little hands, wiping off shopping cart handles, and rubbing anti-bacterial solution on our kids hands. 

An easy way to limit the exposure to germs while eating out is by using a hook-on travel seat.  Using this type of seat in conjunction with a stick on place mat make a good germ free combination.

Besides having a relatively germ free dining experience, you will also feel confident that your child is safe and comfortable.  The three-point harness keeps the child in the seat while the padded seat
ensures that she is comfortable for a long sitting such as when eating
out.  The Chicco Hippo TravelSeat fits table tops with a table skirt up to 6" thick which is a pretty standard size. I have tried this seat on several different types of tables and haven’t had a problem hooking onto any of them including a round table. 

ChiccohookontravelseatI wasn’t going to use my daughter as a tester for the Chicco Hippo TravelSeat because she doesn’t like to be confined to a high chair and hasn’t used one for a while.  Much to my surprise though, she wanted to get in the seat and uses it often.  The Chicco Hippo TravelSeat allows toddlers to eat at the table with the rest of the family.  The padded seat is removable and machine washable which is much appreciated by a mom of a 22 month old who has mastered the art of making a mess of whatever she touches.  The rubberized arms firmly grip the table but will not leave marks or pinch little fingers.  The seat is simple to install and takes just seconds once you’ve done it a couple of times.

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Learn more about the Chicco Hippo TravelSeat here OR buy here.

Win a red Chicco Caddy Hook-On High Chair!
The Caddy is a little different than the one featured in this review. You can learn more about the Caddy here. 
Join our newsletter using the ‘Subscribe’ form on the right side of the page and I will announce a winner  April 15th.