Go Graham Go: Parenting | Recipes | DIY | Brand Ambassador | Product Reviews | NC Mom Blog

What are your breakfast rituals?  I can tell you that on the days I work Graham generally ends up eating his breakfast in the car.  We have to leave very early in the morning and I try to let him sleep in as late as possible.  So, this results in eating yogurt, bagels, or fruit bars while we are on the road.  Now that we are home for the summer, I do find myself spending more time on breakfast for him.

According to a recent report from the Pew Research Center, women now make up almost half of the U.S. work force, up from 38% in 1970.  A new survey recently released by Kellogg reveals that even though moms are playing a more dominant role in the work force, they are still in charge of getting breakfast on the table for their children.

• 90% of moms are in charge of preparing child’s breakfast compared to only 68% of dads.

• 1-in-4 children eat breakfast in transit while one-third of kids eat breakfast at school.

• 60% of moms make sure their children get breakfast every day.

• Working moms only spend about a minute less preparing their child’s breakfast than stay-at-home moms, and their children only spend about a minute less eating breakfast.

• Working moms rely more heavily on ready-to-eat cereal consumption to provide milk into their child’s daily diet.

What do you think?  Do you feel like stay at home moms have an advantage when it comes to preparing breakfast?  Also, remember that it is not too late to Share Your Breakfast to help other kids in need.

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Subscribe to Go Graham Go! by Email as well as follow us on Twitter!

Subscribe to Go Graham Go! by Email as well as follow us on Twitter!

Today was the craziest day of rounding up birth certificates from various locations around the world (ok.. i'm exaggerating, but it felt like I traveled the world) so that we can fly to the US Virgin Islands for my best friend's destination wedding in a few months.  In order to do this I had to meet my husband to gather up some change (for parking meters and sustenance if the time grew long).  Before he headed off he says, "By the way, we are going to have to buy new tires before our beach trip".  The beach trip is only a few short weeks away and buying new tires strikes fear in my heart.  Why?  Well, when is the last time you purchased new tires?  They cost just about as much as your car now (ok... exaggerating again... but they are pricey)!



$75 Back with Cooper Tires
All of that to say that Cooper Tires is holding a $75 Visa Prepaid Rebate Card event when you purchase 4 qualifying tires from now until June 31st.  Just knowing that we will receive some money back makes my heart beat a bit slower.  Make sure you head over to the rebate page to find out which tires qualify and to print out the rebate form.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Cooper Tires. All opinions are 100% mine. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.

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Just when I thought I had the perfect travel seat nailed down, I found this.  The Go Anywhere Booster far exceeds my previous top travel chair pick.  Hands down.



Meet your new best friend if you do any type of traveling.  The Go Anywhere Booster originated overseas and is now making it to the US thanks to A Parent Company.  This booster seat weighs only 1.5 pounds and can easily be cleaned with a damp cloth.  The bottom cushion can be zippered out for more thorough cleanings as well.  I love how securely it attaches to chairs.  There are three different straps so that you can be sure of a safe fit.  I also appreciate that the Go Anywhere Booster has a 5 point harness.  Perfect for my wiggly little guy!  When you are not using the seat, it folds up into its own bag shape complete with a carrying handle.





When you compare this to other popular brands that include bars that have to be folded or hard plastic, this really is a no brainer!  Honestly, I rarely give a gushing review, but I am so impressed with this travel booster on every level.  The only drawback I could see would be if you were sitting in a booth style seating area.

The Go Anywhere Booster is my number one pick for a travel booster and can be purchased online from BuyBuyBaby.com for $39.99.

This product was provided free of charge by A Parent Company. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
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Zing Toys recently sent us the Z-Curve Bow and Zing-Shot Launcher and Graham immediately wanted to play with them.  Though Graham had never seen a real bow and arrow or sling shot before, he proclaimed that he knew how to use them both.  A bit surprised, we asked him how do you shoot a bow and arrow and he showed us exactly how to use one.  We went outside and began to play with them, it took a little assistance at first, but before long Graham was running from one end of the yard to the other, shooting both the Z-Curve Bow and Zing-Shot Launcher.  He was so proud of himself for being able to use it without any help.


These products are made from hard plastic and foam and are lightweight and easy to use.  The bow has a large hand grip that is easy for a child to hold and the arrows have little tabs on the back that a child's fingers will fit perfectly making it easy to load and shoot.  The Zing-Shot also has a large hand grip and Zing's patented Quick-Zip load system that makes loading the soft foam ammo easy.

If you are looking for fun outdoor toys for your kids this summer try the Z-Curve Bow and Zing-Shot Launcher.  Both are available at Target, Toys R Us, Amazon and other local retailers.  The Z-Curve Bow retails for $19.99 and the Zing-Shot Launcher retails for $9.99, both are suggested for children ages 8+.








This product was provided free of charge by Zing Toys. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info. Subscribe to Go Graham Go! by Email as well as follow us on Twitter!

We headed out to Cars 2 on Saturday and had a great time.  While I don't think I like it as much as the first one (not as innocent), it was rather entertaining.  Some things to be aware of if you are taking your kids is that they do talk about "killing" a lot in the movie.  The entire movie is about secret agents.  Mater also is a huge part of the movie which is great for us!  We love Mater.  Once you leave the theaters there are going to be many choices in terms of Cars 2 toys.  Check out the line-up from Mattel:



Cars 2 Tokyo Spinout Track Set
Just place two of your favorite Cars 2 vehicles in this set and hit the launch button.  They zoom up the ramp and onto a launcher that sends them swirling and flying back down.  It took Graham a few tries to be able to operate this on his own.  The set includes a Lightening McQueen car, so you are going to want to make sure you have another car to go along with this.  It is geared towards children ages 3 + as younger kids would probably have a hard time operating the twisting launcher.  You can connect this track to other Cars 2 tracks sold separately in order to create a chain reaction.  The Cars 2 Tokyo Spinout Track Set retails for $32.99.



Lights and Sounds Die-Cast Assortment Cars
There are a lot of fun because they are your typical die-cast, except when you press the button on the top they have phrases from the movie!  Their headlights also light up and their engines roar!  Collect them all for about $8 a piece.



Cars 2 Secret Spy Attack Finn McMissile
Graham really enjoys playing with this one because it is so different from any other cars or toys he has.  This is the one that has me feeling a little uneasy only because as Graham plays he talks about shooting things with the missile's.  Granted, that is what this car is designed to do and all part of the movie, but I guess I am a bit over protective of his innocence.  Secret Spy Attack Finn McMissile talks and reveals his missiles once the button is pressed.  The missiles can then launch when you press a separate button.  Secret Spy Attack Finn McMissile retails for about $32.99.





This product was provided free of charge by Mattel. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info. Subscribe to Go Graham Go! by Email as well as follow us on Twitter!

We were so lucky that the first pacifiers we ever tried worked with Graham.  He used the MAM brand from day one until he was 2 years old.  So, when Davis came along, I didn't even bother purchasing any other brands.  We just stuck with what we knew.  Luckily, Davis also took to the MAM pacifiers and still uses them.  What is different is that now there are so many options in the MAM product line!



We were sent a sampling of the MAM products to try out with Davis a few weeks ago.  Now, I can't give you an accurate review of the two sippy cups because Davis is Mr. Picky about bottles and sippy cups and is refusing these.  What I can tell you is that they look very well made and come in options for beginners and transitioning.  The Trainer cup holds up to 7 oz and includes a soft spout and handles.  Davis seems to really like cups with handles.  If you have a baby that would do better without the handles, check out the Learn to Drink cup which also features a different type of soft spout.  Some moms have complained of leaking from the cups, but if you make sure you have them assembled correctly you should have no issues.  Both cups can be purchased for $5.99 a piece on Amazon right now.











The items we are getting the most use from are the pacifiers!  We have tried the MAM Perfect (supposed to be better on growing teeth).  Davis is not a huge fan of this one only because he is used to the others.  The middle of the MAM Perfect is thinner in order to help reduce the risk of misaligned teeth.  Davis prefers the original, thicker pacifiers.  He really loves the MAM Soft because of the teething edges.  MAM Air is also a great pick because it allows their skin to breathe.



Davis is also really enjoying the teething toys offered by MAM.  The Cooler is one of his favorites whether it is cool or regular temperature.  He can grip it easily and the Cooler reaches to his molars.  The Cooler retails for about $5.99.  Also, check out the Twister!  The four different teething parts rotate on the rattle.  Twister retails for about $7.99.

What type of pacifiers and teethers did you babies take?  It is always so interesting to me how different each baby can be.

This product was provided free of charge by MAM. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info. Subscribe to Go Graham Go! by Email as well as follow us on Twitter!

We are long time supporters of VTech and all of their wonderful learning products and toys.  If you have a Chuggington fan in your home, there is a new product straight from VTech that is worth taking a look at.



We were sent the VTech Chuggington Laptop for review as part of the Chuggington Conductor's program.  Once I got the laptop out of the box Graham turned it on and immediately began to play.  He had no questions for me on how to use it, so it is pretty intuitive for a four year old.  The VTech Chuggington Laptop features Wilson as your toggle switch for adventure.  You can choose from 5 different modes: Adventure, Exploration, Language, Numbers, and Games.  Adventure mode is where Graham spends most of his time.  This is where you learn about letters, numbers, and earn badges for correct answers.  If your child is still working on these concepts and needs to work at their own pace the Exploration mode would be a great fit.  There are 40 total activities included on this learning laptop for ages 3 and up.







The drawbacks I see in the VTech Chuggington Laptop is that the screen is pretty small compared to the large size of the laptop itself.  Also, if your child is used to the high tech graphics offered on other hand held devices, the black and white "computerized" images may be a downer.  All that being said, Graham loves the iPad (and you know how detailed that is), and he still really enjoys playing with the VTech Chuggington Laptop.  He has never mentioned the screen size or the graphics, but I felt like it was important to mention.



Overall, this is a great gift idea for $30.  With pricier versions of handheld devices for kids on the market, this is a good value.  If your child loves Chuggington they are really going to identify with the voices and familiar sayings of the characters as well.


This product was provided free of charge by VTech. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.

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Is anyone else headed to Cars 2 today?  Graham is so excited he can hardly stand it!  Ok, so maybe I am too.  Stay tuned, I'll be sharing with you some of the brand new toys available from Mattel just in time for the movie release.  You may have already seen some of them in stores!  In the meantime, Ka-Chow!

This product was provided free of charge by Mattel. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info. Subscribe to Go Graham Go! by Email as well as follow us on Twitter!

Having an active little boy can be exhausting, but it is always completely rewarding and fun!  Graham is so full of energy and I love that about him.  We try to get outdoors every day, multiple times a day to help him burn some of that energy and to get fresh air.  Because it is summer, we have to choose our times wisely as it starts to get warmer and warmer.  A lot of our outdoor time also happens in the evenings when their is a wonderful breeze and daddy is home!  Now we have found some fun items that enhance our outdoor fun from Backyard Safari!



We were sent several items to review a few weeks ago and Graham has been putting them to good use!  I have seen many of their products in some of our favorite stores (REI and Bass Pro Shops) and have always been intrigued with the thought behind them.  I think Graham is just now getting to the point where he is old enough for these things.  We set up the Base Camp Expedition one night by or fire pit and Graham had a blast pretending to camp out!  The mini shelter is perfect for play, but not for camping out (just FYI).  It is basically like a half tent that provides a fun place to play.  There are storage pockets on the inside so that your kids can store all of their gear.  It comes with a battery operated lantern that has become Graham's favorite to take to bed!  He keeps it by his bedside to read stories (so cute).  You will also receive a patch and a field guide.  Add the Camouflage to make this super exciting for kids.  Base Camp Expedition retails for $39.99 and the Camouflage can be purchased for $14.99.






If your little explorer plans on hiking this summer, make sure to check out the Hiking Stick!  It looks like a wood carved hiking stick that you would find on a seasoned hiker!  Too cute!  It measure 48" tall so it will work with your kids for a while.  Also, don't forget your Mega Magnifier!  This thing is super easy for preschoolers to manage because of its large size.  Not to mention, it floats so you can check out things on top of and under the water.  Perfect for our creeks.  The Hiking Stick and Mega Magnifier can be purchased for $14.99 a piece.

How about you?  Are your kids getting outdoors more now that the weather is warmer?  What do you all like to do together?

This product was provided free of charge by Backyard Safari. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
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Graham is at an age where he is starting to understand games and enjoy playing them.  The only problem we have is the "winning" part.  I know that developmentally he is at an age where it is hard to understand winning and loosing and what all it means exactly.  That is why I really love what Peaceable Kingdom is doing with their games.  They are creating cooperative play that is perfect for preschoolers.  No wonder they won a Parents' Choice Silver Honor as well as Major Fun Award for Hoot Owl Hoot!



We were sent Hoot Owl Hoot and Count Your Chickens for review and Graham has really caught onto the concept of the games.  I will admit that it takes some time to focus him and remind him of how the game is played each time, but he gets the hang of it as soon as we start the game.



In Hoot Owl Hoot the object is to get the baby owl's into the nest before the sun comes out.  Each player draws cards and takes turns making moves.  Players are encouraged to help each other come up with the best way to get the owl's to the nest the quickest.  This is a great way to enhance color learning and counting.



Count Your Chickens works in a similar way.  The baby chicks are out of the coop and the goal is to get them all back in.  Use the spinner to determine how many spaces you go (depending upon what animal it lands on).  However many spaces you go, you place that many chicks in the coop. Be careful!  If you land on a fox you have to take a chick out of the coop.  Players work together in order to get the chicks safely home.  Great for learning counting!



In a day and age of it being all about numero uno, I am glad to see that there are still companies out there who are trying to foster working together when it counts the most!  The preschool and early elementary years are so important for encouraging the idea that working together and collaboration beats out winning and loosing.  Don't get me wrong.  I believe that children need to learn the concept of not always winning, but I believe teaching cooperation is just as important.

You can purchase the Peaceable Kingdom games online through Amazon for about $14.99.  Definitely affordable and an excellent birthday gift idea.  Make sure to "like" them on Facebook to keep up with the latest news.

This product was provided free of charge by Peaceable Kingdom. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
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Subscribe to Go Graham Go! by Email as well as follow us on Twitter!

I posted a review of the new Dayspring Recordable Story Books on Sunday this week.  I am excited to let you know that I am also offering a giveaway to one lucky reader!  What a special gift for your child.  Some great ideas would be to send it to grandparents or family members who live far away to record.




This giveaway was provided free of charge by Dayspring. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info. Subscribe to Go Graham Go! by Email as well as follow us on Twitter!

Subscribe to Go Graham Go! by Email as well as follow us on Twitter!