Riding With No Hands

Safety is a cinch with SeatSnug

We moved Marsy to a booster seat a while back, mostly because it’s easier to move from car to car. In the back of my mind I felt guilty about it, especially when she would doze off and sway from side to side, or move forward suddenly due to a quick stop and the looseness of the seat belt.

Many kids can even undo their own seat belts, or pull the long part of the belt behind them. Marsy doesn’t do that, of course, because, as you know - she’s an angel, but I can see how having the seat belt tight around her hips is obviously so much safer. In fact, car accidents are one of  the leading causes of death and injury for children and the failure of seat belts to properly secure children is a leading factor. The solution for this dilemma is the SeatSnug Child Stability Device. It’s a revolutionary new product that will make riding in booster seats more comfortable and, more importantly, safer for children.

I installed the SeatSnug myself, because my hubby (like most men) refuses to read directions, and you really must do so to install it correctly. Basically, all you do is clip the SeatSnug device onto the car’s existing seat belt. The great part is that it’s practically impossible to remove! And that’s a good thing, because we all know how little hands like to take things apart. I can see the downside if the booster seat has to be moved often, so we’ll probably get a second one for our other car. You actually end up getting a better deal if you buy a two-pack anyway. It seems to be very sturdy, so no worries about it breaking or falling apart from frequent use.

I don’t let Marsy buckle herself in, because I want to make sure it’s always done right, although the SeatSnug is so easy to use that I’m sure she could if she tried. It has a handy  “on/off” function, that enables or disables it in case an adult is using the seat belt, and makes it easy to readjust the tightness.

You can watch this video to see exactly how SeatSnug improves the stability of a booster seat. Note that this video was done at ONLY parking lot speeds. Imagine the difference in more hazardous road conditions!

At just under $35, the SeatSnug may seem a little costly, but in my opinion is totally worth it. My daughter’s comfort and safety is priceless! To top it off, in the event a SeatSnug is in use in a car during an accident, the company, Lap Belt Cinch, Inc. will provide you with a free replacement.

Thank you to Mom Central and Lap Belt Cinch, Inc. for the opportunity to try this wonderful product!

November 21, 2008 | Product Review | Comments? 

Thanksgiving Tips

I was a guest at yet another Giant Food event last week. I’m so lucky to have an ongoing relationship with the grocery store chain. They really value mom-shoppers and it makes me feel so special to be a part of their ongoing improvements.

It was such a pleasure talking to Robin Michel, executive VP of Giant. She genuinely listens to what you have to say, be it positive feedback or not. It’s obvious how much she really cares and understands the needs and wants of moms. She’s been in the position for less than 6 months, but has done so much already! There’s a great Washington Post article about her here.

The purpose of the luncheon was to get some advice on how to save time, money, and our sanity this holiday season. I can’t believe Thanksgiving is really only a week away. Doesn’t it feel like Halloween was just yesterday?

Below are some pointers I garnered from last week’s luncheon. Hopefully this will help you in some way when you’re planning your dinner!

Thanksgiving Tips

  • Jot down your guest list, noting if anyone has allergies or dietary restrictions. This forms a basis for your shopping list, and can help you figure out what other guests should bring if you’re doing a potluck dinner.
  • Create your menu. Include your traditional recipes, but also search for a new recipe to try out. You might want to give it a trial run before the big night! ;)
  • Look at your dining table - will you need candles or a floral centerpiece? You can probably pick it up at the grocery store as well. A great idea is to create a fruit centerpiece; it can serve as dessert for those guests that don’t have much of a sweet-tooth.
  • Create a complete shopping list, dividing it into “anytime” items and “buy later” items.
  • Skip the peak shopping hours! Make your grocery run before 11am, between 2 and 4 in the afternoon, or after 8pm.
  • Purchase your “anytime” items now. Things like decorations, beverages, canned and frozen goods. Don’t forget the turkey! For everything else, wait until closer to Thanksgiving for optimum freshness.
  • The holidays are a great time to stock up! Buy an extra turkey; you won’t find a better value and it lasts 6-9 months in a deep freezer. Buy roasts, frozen veggies, butter, and enough maple syrup to last you all year. Fill your pantry with canned fruits and vegetables and your favorite cream soups. Your pocketbook will thank you next year!
  • Remember that a 20-25 pound turkey will take at least 4 days to defrost in the refrigerator. You can buy a fresh turkey up to a week ahead, but remember that the sell-by date should not be more than 2 days before the day you plan to cook it, and fresh turkeys are significantly more expensive than frozen.
  • Use a meat thermometer! It’s the best way to know exactly when the turkey is ready, without overcooking it or jeopardizing food safety. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, and remove the bird from the oven when it’s reached 160 degrees F.
  • If you have kids at home, have fun activities available for them. Coloring books, stickers, games, a new toy - all items you can pick up at the grocery store while you shop. I’ve already started recording Thanksgiving-themed cartoons on the DVR for the girls to watch that day.

Shortcuts / Time savers

  • Clean out the fridge ahead of time to make room for premade dishes, party platters, and leftovers from dinner.
  • Set up the buffet and dining tables in advance.
  • Use versatile cookware, like white Pyrex bakeware. You can cook the food ahead of time, reheat it, serve it, and store leftovers in the fridge - all using the same dish.
  • Prepare as much as you can before Thanksgiving day. Make the soup and desserts, chop the onions and celery, peel and cook the potatoes, etc.
  • Frozen vegetables can be easily dressed up by adding nuts, grated cheese, or a special sauce. I love green beans with toasted pecans and a drizzle of olive oil! Best thing? It’s ready in less than 10 minutes.
  • Purchase party platters for appetizers.
  • Serve store-bought pies, but make them your “own” by decorating with whipped cream, a sprinkle of nuts, or serve with ice cream.
  • Place a variety of beverages in a big tub so guests can serve themselves.
  • If you really want a stress-free Thanksgiving, order your entire meal from the grocery store! At Giant Food, you can get a 10-12 lb turkey, 2 tubs of mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, a dozen dinner rolls, and your choice of pie - all for under $50! Considering all the time saved, it really is a bargain.

I happen to have won a free Butterball turkey last week, so all I need is the sides to complete my dinner - and Giant has a solution for that as well, with their new “Meal Extras” package. I can get two side dishes, two large soups, a pie, and 12 rolls for $24.99. I’ll probably toss up a salad, and ta-da! Dinner is served. We’ve all been sick this past week, so I just want to relax for the next few days and not worry about the mad-rush at the grocery store. Oh, what the heck - I might even get it all delivered.

What are your plans for Thanksgiving?

November 20, 2008 | Mom Tips | 4 Comments 

Wordless Wednesday - Sisterly love

Wordless Wednesday - Sisters

November 19, 2008 | Love, Wordless Wednesday | 6 Comments 

A semi-homemade Christmas

Last year we spent Christmas at my mom’s house in Texas. Since we were flying in, taking a lot of gifts seemed impractical, and not within our budget anyway, so we chose to do a gift exchange instead. I was fine with that, but also thought it would be nice to give a little something to my other family members.

The handmade gifts that stand out from last year, I remember for their simplicity.

Spruce up plain glass ornamentsFor my mom, I bought a box of glass ornaments in a deep blue color, and had Marsy help me glue faux gems on them. Then I outlined the gems with gold glitter puffy paint. The entire process literally took minutes (not including drying time). The lights on my mom’s Christmas tree reflected against the ornaments beautifully. She loved them (but what else would a mother say!)

Two days before Christmas, I was looking through the photos on my digital camera, and came upon several that I didn’t take. I remembered that I had asked my little brother to hold my camera while I was taking care of the baby in church the previous Sunday, and figured he was the shutterbug behind those photos. Most of them were close-ups of his face, but one stuck out to me - that of a longhorn against what looked like leather. I later found out it was some kind of decal on the dashboard of a car he had been riding in that day. I uploaded the photo to a computer, turned it to black and white, and rushed to Wal-Mart that same day to pick it up. While waiting for the photo to be printed, I grabbed a $3 black frame with a white matting off a nearby display. The look on my brother’s face when he unwrapped his gift was priceless. His eyes just lit up when he recognized the photo. He now proudly hangs it in his room!

Gift idea - framed photo

I’m not sure what, if any, gifts I’ll make this year. I’m off to a late start, but just happened upon this activity book by Klutz that gives you step-by-step directions and all the supplies needed to make your own angel ornaments. Sounds like the perfect project for Marsy and I to work on during baby’s naptime!

The Parent Bloggers Network has teamed up with Klutz to provide you, my readers, with a special offer - free shipping and a free copy of the award-winning Activity Book (a $14.95 value) when you order $50 or more via this link. Just click it! And feel free to share it with your friends!

November 17, 2008 | Frugality, Holiday Gift Guide '08 | 5 Comments 

Visions of cold medicine dance in my head


First 20 Prints Free at SnapfishNot only do I have a cold, but I also seem to have caught a case of writer’s block. Or is it blogger’s block? Now that just sounds funny. I think my upcoming Holiday Gift Guide is to blame because that’s all I’ve been thinking about these past few days.

So since I can’t think of anything to write about at this point, I’m just going to share a great offer I just found out about.

Snapfish (via the Oprah show) is giving away a free* 8″ x 11″ custom-cover photo book. It’s valued at $29.99 and has 20 pages. Click on http://www.snapfish.com/info18 to be taken directly to the offer page. Act fast, though, because this deal ends this weekend!

The rules state:
Coupon dispersal ends at 11:59 p.m. PST Friday, November 14, 2008. Free photo book must be redeemed by 11:59 p.m. PST Sunday, November 16, 2008. Offer does not include customary shipping and handling changes or additional pages. Offer applies only to mail-order delivery to U.S. customers. Offer cannot be combined with other coupon codes. Coupon cannot be resold or otherwise transferred and is void on the earlier of redemption or the offer end date.

So create a Snapfish.com account now or log in to your existing account to receive this special offer!

* You do have to pay for shipping, which is $6.99 for standard. Not bad, in my opinion, for a high quality product.

I know exactly who I’m sending a book to. You know who you are :)

If you’re planning to act on this offer… what is your photo book going to be about?

November 14, 2008 | Contemplation, Frugality | 4 Comments 

Wordless Wednesday - Thursday edition

Marsy is getting better at controlling the mouse. This is her and a Panda friend.

November 13, 2008 | Wordless Wednesday | 4 Comments 

So much to learn!

I’ve decided to put my daily gift-guide postings on hold for a bit. Tomorrow I’ll be attending a teleclass run by Katja Presnal (Skimbaco Lifestyle Blog) and Christine Young (From the Dates to Diapers). I have so much to learn, and who better to teach me? They’ll be sharing all their best tricks and tips on how to make money with holiday guides, how to sign up with the appropriate affiliate programs, and help with promotion. Click here for more information about the teleclass and check back here on Friday to see what I learned set in motion.

On that note… I’m still accepting submissions for my holiday guide. ;)

November 13, 2008 | Uncategorized | Comments? 

Green Festival DC

I’m trying little by little to go green, so I thought what a better way to learn about this than to go to Green Festival this past Saturday! Green Festival is the world’s largest environmental expo, run by Co-op America and the Global Exchange. Featuring over 350 eco-friendly businesses, 125 speakers, countless workshops, films, kid’s activities, live music, and lots of good food, there is fun to be had by everyone!

Some highlights from the festival:

Chocolate

  • Chocolaterra was selling the cutest little caramel leaves. If I only hadn’t left my money at home…
  • Divine Chocolate is the first farmer-owned Fair Trade chocolate company, based in Ghana. The 70% Dark Chocolate was, well… divine. Marsy loved the milk chocolate so much she almost walked away with an entire bar of it, until I caught her out of the corner of my eye. She’s not a thief, she just loves chocolate.
  • Theo Chocolate was the first organic and Fair Trade certified cocoa bean roaster and chocolate maker in the United States. This was definitely the most unique of all my chocolate-tasting experiences. I tried the Venezuelan Dark Chocolate 91% cacao, Vanilla Milk Chocolate, Coconut Curry Milk Chocolate (spicy!), and Fig, Fennel & Almond Dark Chocolate. All soooo good.

Lots of snacks

  • LÄRABAR is a delicious blend of unsweetened fruits, nuts and spices - energy in its purest form. Made from 100% whole food, each flavor contains no more than six ingredients. The Pecan Pie bar was my favorite.
  • For over 30 years, Really Raw Honey has been packed straight from the hive. Never heated, filtered, or strained, it still contains pollen, propolis, and healthy live enzymes. It’s delicious spread on whole wheat crackers!
  • Sweet Haven Bakery is a 100% organic, 100% delicious wholesale bakery that just happens to be vegan. I shared a brownie with my sister, and it was absolutely delicious! Moist and chocolatey, the bakery describes it as “unsweetened chocolate gently mixed with passion and the finest flour to create a dense dessert.” HEAVEN!
  • Baby loved the new Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks (Berry Patch flavor) from Annie’s Homegrown. Certified organic, vegan, made with real fruit juice, and not containing anything artificial, this product isn’t only sold at Whole Foods. You can also find it at Giant, Harris Teeter, and MaGruder’s (at least in Northern Virginia).
  • Immaculate Baking Co. from North Carolina just launched their new Better Bakes ready to bake cookie dough made with organic ingredients. I tasted the Chocolate Chunk and had a bite of baby’s Oatmeal Raisin, and they were both yummy! The couple baking the cookies just couldn’t keep up with the crowd. I can’t even imagine how many cookies they baked over the two days of the festival!

So enough with the food, right?! There was also lots of neat stuff for sale:

  • Mr. Ellie Pooh is a new eco-friendly, innovative company (what a cute name, right?) that sells 100% handmade exotic gifts, stationery, office supplies and various grades of paper made from elephant dung, pulped to perfection by the elephants of Sri Lanka. All I came home with was a business card printed on elephant dung paper. Nope, it doesn’t smell (in case you’re wondering).
  • Naturally safe, fun, and thoughtfully-produced toys from ImagiPLAY. This company sets itself apart from the rest through its motto: “Toys with Integrity.”
  • I never even thought that something as simple as wrapping paper could be dangerous. Earth Presents produces 100% recycled and recyclable wrapping paper. I came home with a bunch of samples of the super-cute designs, which are inspired by the artwork of students with special needs. Even the matching gift tags, ribbon and bows are all 100% recycled.
  • The National Wildlife Federation is America’s largest conservation organization, working to educate, develop resources and promote practical solutions to protect wildlife for our children’s future. NWF publishes four award-winning magazines: Wild Animal Baby (ages 0-4), Your Big Backyard (ages 3-7), Ranger Rick (ages 7+), and National Wildlife (for adults).

There were many other vendors there that I’ll be featuring later on in my Gift Guide, so I won’t give them away quite yet. I do plan on going back to Green Festival next year. The only thing I’ll do differently is maybe take some more green in my pocket, if you know what I mean. ;) Green Fest San Francisco is coming up this weekend, with other major cities following suit early next year.

What are some of your favorite green products?

November 10, 2008 | Chocolate, Product Review, Washington DC | 2 Comments 

Good news… and no news

This weekend I will start unveiling my first annual Holiday Gift Guide. Yes, you heard it right. Annual. That means I’m not going anywhere for a very long time. I like this blogging thing. It’s fun. I just found out that the next BlogHer conference will be in Chicago and I’m seriously considering going. I’m certain I can find decent airfare, the only problem is who will take care of the girls? Making a vacation out of it might be the smart thing to do, if I can convince my dear husband that it’s a good idea. I have a few more months to figure this out, so no worries just yet! If anyone out there would want to sponsor me, though, I would be more than thankful! *wink wink*

But back to the Gift Guide! There will be several different themes, with a fun giveaway thrown in here or there to mix things up a bit.

  • Giving green
  • Buying gifts on a tight budget
  • Terrific toys
  • Gadgets galore
  • Stocking stuffers
  • Last minute gift ideas

Make sure to come back often, or better yet - sign up for my feed! I wouldn’t want you to miss anything.

On a personal note, some good news… I was just informed that I’ve been chosen to be one of ten Mom Bloggers Club Ambassadors. MBC is a community for mom bloggers with over 2200 members thus far. I’ll help moderate the site, encourage discussions in the forums, propose new ideas, and welcome new members, all while learning the ins and outs of running a successful social network. It’s a non-paying position, but I figure if I’m going to be hanging out at MBC anyway, it’s a great opportunity to meet wonderful people, learn something new and also give my blog more visibility.

And lastly, one topic I haven’t touched on in a while is that of the sale of our house. Why, you ask? Because there is nothing to talk about - NO news whatsoever. The 90-day mark has come and gone, and fewer and fewer people come to look at it as the weeks go by. We’re trying to decide whether to lower the price drastically so that it shows up on agents’ radar once more, or just take it off the market altogether and hope for the best (financially) this winter. The nice folks at Wachovia (can you sense the sarcastic tone there?) didn’t give us much hope; an attempt, on our part, to lower the interest rate on our mortgage was met with great rebuff. And that’s putting it lightly.

I know I’ve spared you most of the details, but I’ll pose the question nonetheless - what would you do in these circumstances? Do you think the housing situation will improve under our new President?

November 10, 2008 | Contemplation, Moving | 2 Comments 

A moment of timeless pleasure - Ghirardelli Luxe Milk Chocolate

Really good chocolate is hard to come by. The kind that you just savor bite by bite, and because of its richness, can just have a tiny square and be completely satisfied. Thanks to Mom Central, I was recently introduced to Ghirardelli’s new Luxe Milk line. Rich, creamy and all-natural, it’s that kind of chocolate!

There are 5 delicious flavors to choose from:

  • Milk - Creamy, melt-in-your-mouth milk chocolate. Simple, but full-bodied.
  • Hazelnut - Perfectly-roasted hazelnuts complement the milk chocolate perfectly.
  • Almond - Has just the right amount of toasted almonds.
  • Crisp - Densely packed with lightly toasted crisp rice.
  • Duet - Creamy milk chocolate and rich dark chocolate make the perfect duo.

When you take that first bite of a Luxe Milk chocolate bar, you notice that it has a nice snap to it. I like that it’s not too thick, and while some chocolates are greasy or gritty, this one is nothing but smooth and creamy in your mouth. I was pleasantly surprised to look at the ingredient list and not see any preservatives, other than soy lecithin which is used for emulsion.

I can’t decide on a favorite, though. Usually I tend to stick to dark chocolate, but all of these flavors are quite good! I guess it just depends on your mood. Marsy loved the Crisp; I found that to be the sweetest of them all, but much better quality than it’s Nestle equivalent. The Duet is the perfect combination of both milk and dark chocolate, with a layer of each. It’s great for someone that doesn’t like the bitterness of dark chocolate, but wants to try something a little more intense with a lingering flavor. The natural toasted flavor and aroma of the Hazelnut and Almond varieties is excellent. Your nose will thank you as soon as you tear open the foil wrapper!

After you’ve had your fill of chocolate, check out Ghirardelli’s Chocopedia to learn about the history of chocolate, how chocolate is made, and about the Ghirardelli Difference. I may be a chocolate connoisseur**, but even I learned something - did you know that, much like wine, dark chocolate improves with age? Now I have an excuse to stock up. :) And at just over $2 each, I think it’s feasible! I can see these bars as being great stocking stuffers. You can find Ghirardelli Luxe Milk Chocolate at your local Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Borders, and Linens N Things and they will soon be in Target, Blockbuster, and Cost Plus stores nationwide, or go to www.ghirardelli.com for more information.

What’s your favorite guilty pleasure?
______________________________

**No, I’m not a self-proclaimed chocolate connoisseur. Ghirardelli said so:

THE CHOCOLATE SOPHISTICATE
You’re a true connoisseur, and you like to back-up your preferences with knowledge and information. Let’s face it, you’re a bit of snob. But not in a bad way. You just know quality when you see it—and don’t see any reason to settle for anything less. You’re confident, self-possessed, entrepreneurial, and self-motivating. You like to know the percent of cacao solids in a chocolate before you eat it.

So there! Take the quiz yourself to see what your ‘chocolate personality’ is.

November 7, 2008 | Chocolate, Product Review | 7 Comments 

« Previous Page — Next Page »