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Taking your kids to Disney is something that most parents dream about.  Just seeing their eyes light up when they see their favorite Disney character is worth the trip.  I know I have talked about taking Graham when he gets a little older, old enough to enjoy that is.  Well, now I don't have to wait, and neither do you, thanks to a book that I was recently introduced to written by Lisa M. Battista called Beyond the Attractions: A Guide to Walt Disney World with Preschoolers.
 

This February, I will have the pleasure of attending a conference at Disney World in Orlando and my husband and son will be coming along for the ride.  My husband was trying to figure out what he and Graham will see and do while I am in the conference.  Thankfully, I was contacted about reviewing this book.  Now we have a guide of what to see and do while at Disney that's tailored for 2-5 year olds.   

Beyond the Attractions: A Guide to Walt Disney World with Preschoolers starts out with the basics of Disney Orlando discussing lodging on the resort, transportation to and from as well as in and around the resorts.  It also talks about the places to eat and the approximate costs for children and adults.  The book is laid out according to the different parks and things to do at each park paying careful attention to what your toddler will be most interested in.  

A lot of thought has been put into your toddlers Disney experience.  Some of the attractions may be shows or rides with dimmed lights and spooky characters that might scare your little one if they are not prepared.  I know Graham can get scared easily if he isn't prepared of an upcoming situation.  Whether your child is into rides, shows, or personal visits with their favorite Disney character, Disney has it and this book will prepare you for it.


We plan on taking our guide with us for the trip.  It is organized so well that we can turn to whatever we need and get an answer!  You can purchase Beyond the Attractions: A Guide to Walt Disney World with Preschoolers for $15.99 at Amazon.com or at BeyondtheAttractions.com.




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From December 1, 2009 through January 15, 2010, enter the Evenflo Home Safety Makeover Contest by telling your story, in 500 words or less, about how you can benefit from a Home Safety Makeover in the New Year at www.evenflo.com/homesafetymakeover.

The Grand Prize Winner will receive a home safety consultation with Alison Rhodes, Evenflo gates and other home safety products (valued at nearly $2,500) tailored to your home and family’s needs. Five lucky runners-up will receive an Evenflo Symphony65™ car seat, valued at $199, to help your baby stay safe on the road.

One of the many items you will find from Evenflo's collection of safety items is the Evenflo Memory Fit Gate.  I think this is a great choice for a gate because of how quick and simple it is.  When you are a busy mom you want to make sure you can get a gate up securely but in the quickest manner possible.

We were sent the Memory Fit Pressure Mount Gate by Evenflo for review.  What we had been using before this was the cheaper, wooden alternative.  It was quick, but not as sturdy and it was definitely easy for Graham to open.  The Memory Fit Gate actually has a secure lock that memorizes your doorway size so that you have a secure fit every single time.  It is also nice because it only requires one hand to operate.  The safety lock makes sure that little hands will not easily be escaping.  Because of the surface material, it is super easy for me to spray and wipe clean.

Before you buy, make sure it will fit your doorway.  The Memory Fit Gate expands from 27" to 42" wide and is 23.5" tall.  If you are still not sure what type of gate is good for your family, check out the Gate Shopping Guide on Evenflo.com.

This product was provided free of charge by Evenflo. 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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With the holidays usually comes travel. It is no mystery that during Thanksgiving and Christmas people are traveling more than normal and also take advantage of family get togethers. Some of these reunions involve visiting large places (theme parks, vacation rentals, etc) and can be quite dangerous for kids. So, what are you doing to make sure your child stays safe? One thing you can do is make sure they have some sort of identification on them.

Vital IDs from Belly Charms offers some really great options if you are looking for a place to start. They have the Kid's Safety Vital Id Wrist bands that your child will feel "cool" wearing! They come in 7 different colors and are Velcro. You simply hide the vital information out of site inside the Vital ID Wrist Band. It is 100% water proof so it will be just fine in the pool or ocean. It also contains no latex. The purchase of the Vital ID Wrist Band from Belly Charms comes with an extra ID card for easy updates. The size of the band is perfect for kids ages 3-9 years old.

If you are looking for an option for a younger child (ages 2-8) you might like to try the Kids Safe Club Safety ID Bracelets. They are a one time use bracelet that you can write your information in on with permanent marker. You can adjust the fit so that it is secure. The Kids Safe Club Safety ID Bracelets are also 100% waterproof! I love that even though this bracelet is disposable, it is still soft to the touch. That is important if you have a small child who is picky about things being on his or her wrist.

You can purchase the Vital ID Wrist Bands for $11.99 and the Kids Safe Club Safety IDs for $6.99 for a pack of 3.

This product was provided free of charge by Vital IDs. 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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Car seat shopping is not something to be taken lightly. Before we bought any of our seats I read the reviews and checked out the websites. I also spent a great deal of time talking to a close friend of ours who is a fire fighter and certified when it comes to car seats.

When Safety 1st contacted me about reviewing the brand new Air Protect Convertible Car Seat I was excited for the opportunity. We currently own the Alpha and Omega Elite car seat that is also a part of Safety 1st and have been completely satisfied with that purchase. We originally went with this seat because of leg room issues and a snug fit when the car seat was rear facing. The previous car seat (different brand) did not fit in my Subaru when it was rear facing. So, when I saw all the options the new Air Protect had to offer I was on board and they sent a sample over!

The Safety 1st Air Protect has taken into consideration the gravity of side impact crashes. Did you know that on average there is only 8 inches of steel protecting your child in the event of a side impact crash? While fatalities in front impact crashes have been going down, side impact fatalities have actually increased by 20%.
Air Protect works by focusing on the most vulnerable area, the head. There is a precise release of air that happens which allows there to be less movement of the head during a crash. You can watch a video of how it works below:



Overall, we have been extremely impressed with this seat! It fits well in our cars (forward facing) and seems to be a comfortable fit for Graham. We actually just took it on a 6 hour trip this weekend and he napped away in it for several hours each way. The Air Protect also has those nice features that makes getting the correct fit easy! This is important since Safe Kids reports that having a seat correctly installed and used reduces fatality rates by 71 percent! There is a quick fit harness that allows you to easily adjust the harness from the front and a one click latch system for easy installation. The harness will accommodate a child up to 50 pounds as well. Because it is a convertible car seat, you can use it forward (22-50lbs) or rear facing (5-40lbs). The one complaint that I have is that there are no shoulder strap covers to prevent the harness from rubbing your little one's neck. This is a quick and cheap fix though. We purchased some shoulder strap covers for a few bucks at Babies R Us.

You can purchase the Safety 1st Air Protect Convertible Car Seat for $249.99 from Babies R Us. There are two colors to choose from (McKenna and Harvest).



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About this time last year is when we started taking Graham to swimming lessons. They were extremely helpful and also gave us a great new experience as a family. Now, Graham is not completely ready for the waters alone, but there are some great products out there that can help your child be more successful and safe!

Swimways offers several different options for keeping your child safe and having fun in the pool. The Swim Steps products are great because all you need to do is look for your child's age in order to find the right product. Graham was sent the Step 3 Power Swimr vest. This vest is perfect for ages 3-6. It has rounded corners to make it comfortable and less bulky. The vest is simple to put on. Just step into it like pants and pull it underneath your child's arms. There is a strap that secures at the crotch in order to make it a snug fit. The sides are easily adjusted as well.

The Power Swimr is perfect for teaching your child to swim gradually because of the removable pads. As your child becomes more proficient, you can actually remove the pads one by one until you no longer need the Power Swimr! I love the fact that the Power Swimr is simple and not a lot to put on your child. Graham can become easily frustrated with a lot of "gear" so the simpler the better!

We were also sent the Fresh Catch Angel Fish from the Rainbow Reef collection. This little guy definitely helps to make those days after swim lessons more fun! He is battery operated and moves through the water on his own! You simply dunk him under and make sure he fills with water in order to maintain balance and then press the on button. His back fin moves him through the water. This would make an excellent swim reward for the little one who is feeling less than motivated about swimming! Just let the Fresh Catch Angel Fish go and watch your little one dig and kick to get to it!




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Here's another one of those, "I wish I owned this when Graham was an infant" products. I can remember the nights when Graham would be feverish and I would put him to bed and check on him a few hours later. I would tiptoe in, try to get his tiny arm out of the sleeve without waking him and as soon as that cold thermometer hit his arm pit he was awake (usually for the rest of the night). Now there are affordable options for more state of the art thermometers and I think it is about time!

I was sent the Temple Touch Thermometer. It works just like it says, with a touch! In 6 seconds you can have an accurate reading of your baby's temperature. The best part, it is non invasive and allows your sleeping child to rest (and possibly you too if you aren't trying to rock them back to sleep). It is simple to operate. Just press the on/off button once and release. Once you hear the unit beep twice you can place it on your child's temple. The next beep should come in about 6 seconds letting you know it is time to read the results. You also do not need tip covers like you do with some of the ear thermometers. There is also a memory recall built in.

The ReliOn Temple Touch works by using a unique sensor that takes readings from blood flow that travels through the blood vessels. This creates heat on the skins surface. You can also use the Temple Touch under the arms. The screen is back-lighted and very easy to read. I tested the Temple Touch against 2 other thermometers we own and they all gave the same reading. So, I am no scientist, but I would say that it stands to be accurate.

You can purchase the Temple Touch for about $9.94!



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Car seat safety is definitely not something to compromise on. We actually had the car seat conversation with some close friends of ours who were looking for a good option when their little girl out grew her infant car seat. There are so many choices out there that it can become overwhelming looking at the sea of car seats. There are also several great options to choose from depending on what is important to you. If you are looking for ease of use, style, and comfort Britax is a great option.

We were sent the Marathon CS to check out and love the roominess of it and all of the safety features! Here are some of the great features that the Marathon CS has to offer:

• Holds up to 65 lbs
• Energy absorbing base that deforms in the event of a crash
• Plush padding (softest car seat we have ever used)
• Small contoured base that makes installation easy
• Harness holders that keep straps to the side when putting child in seat (sanity saver)
  
• Built in Lock-offs (seat will not move more than an inch side to side or front to back)
• Harness Ultra Guard System that lessens forward head movement
• 5 point harness
• Forward or rear facing possibilities
• And so much more!

The thing that most impressed me about the Marathon CS is the fact that it was probably the easiest car seat we have ever installed. Because of the way the base is made, it will fit easily in more cars than some of the other car seats on the market. I will say that it is a rather large seat and Graham's feet can touch the back of my husband's seat in our Ford Expedition (he also has long legs so his seat is back further than mine). You may want to keep this in mind if you have a very small car. You may have to install the seat in the center rather than the sides.


Britax makes a great car seat because they take into consideration the little things. The fact that they are making it easy for anyone to install a car seat correctly speaks volumes. I love the Velcro on the sides that allow you to put a squirmy or sleeping toddler into the seat hassle free. The fact that the Lock Offs are built in also adds to the ease and safety factor.

The bottom line is, if you are looking for a car seat that is easy to install, safe, and goes the extra mile, the Marathon CS by Britax is definitely a wonderful choice. You can purchase this seat for about $299.99.




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When I was pregnant, my husband and I read all the books and attended all the classes. I remember reading all the horror stories about SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) and all the speculation behind what causes it. One of the speculations was room temperature. They say that room temperature should be between 61-67 degrees F to help reduce the risk.

Once we brought Graham home I would closely monitor the temperature on the thermostat, but never felt completely confident because every room in the house always felt different temperature wise. I wish I would have been introduced to the Grobag Egg back then!

The Grobag Egg by Keen Distribution is an innovative designed digital room thermometer. This clever device actually changes colors to alert you of your baby's safety. When the Grobag Egg turns blue you know that the temperature is too cold. Yellow is the recommended temperature, orange is warm, and red of course means too hot! A frowny face even shows up if the Grobag Egg Thermometer turns red.

This easy to use digital thermometer has such a soft glow that it can also act as a night light. We use this in Graham's room for that purpose now. I am impressed with the fact that this will tell you the true room temperature where your whole house thermostat may be off. You can rest easier knowing that you have a more accurate reading. The Grobag Egg comes with an AC adapter so that you do not have to worry with batteries.

Priced at $29.99, this would make an excellent shower gift!

Did you know that most of the UV damage we receive to our skin comes from those childhood sunburns? We recently have had a string of really warm days and it amazes me all the kids coming to school with sun burns! OUCH! Unfortunately for my family, we all have extremely fair skin and need to keep sunscreen on anytime we step out doors it seems! Graham also has extremely sensitive skin so we have to be careful about the things we use.

KINeSYS has an entire line of sunscreen products for kids! KINeSYS is paraben and preservative free. There are also no colorants, dairy, nuts, or gluten. They have tried to steer clear of common allergens for kids which is great! This 30 SPF comes in a spray bottle to make it easier to go on squirmy youngsters.

KINeSYS also has a special sunscreen just for girls with an added vanilla fragrance and Vitamin E to keep skin healthy! KINeSYS also has adults covered with fragrance free and sport sunscreen available.

Thanks to the Family Review Network for this opportunity.

Of course, The Parking Pal is no substitute for actual parental supervision! I would say that this would come in handy when you have more than one child and you need a safe place for a second while you are getting child #2 out of the car. Another concern would be that the magnet may get hot in the summer time. A suggestion would be to keep the magnet in your purse and put it up and take it down each time. NEVER LEAVE A CHILD UNATTENDED BY YOUR VEHICLE! On a side note, if you ever see this, please call 911 so that the situation can be assessed by local authority!

Enjoy FREE SHIPPING on Parking Pal with coupon code: gogo128

This giveaway has ended and a winner has been chosen.

SafetyTat was born of necessity one weekend at an amusement park. On Labor Day Weekend, Michele (creator of SafetyTat) and her husband, there with their three small children, felt out-numbered. To stave her panic, she quickly wrote her mobile phone number on each of their arms with a ballpoint pen. As she did this, she thoughtfully explained to each of them the importance of staying close to Mommy and Daddy. She also told them that if they were separated that the number on their arm was a way to reconnect with them. Throughout the day of fun, Michele had to rewrite the number several times as it smeared or washed off. Several parents in the park, stopped her to ask if that was her number on the kids' arms. Each time, they loved the idea. The day was a success and the idea for SafetyTat was born.