As soon as we had it figured out…Eric was offered a job (after having been unemployed for 4 months)!  So, this isn’t a bad thing, it’s just a delayed thing.  Since he’s starting his new job on the date we were to head west, our trip has been postponed.

Yes, we were both looking forward to getting away with our little family and driving across the country.  We had plans to stop by Mount Rushmore and show our girls the amazing Montana mountains and wildlife in Yellowstone.  I wanted to show you snippets of Hailey’s first time on skis, sporting her brand new Banz Ski Goggles and tell you how Avitae Caffeinated Water helped keep us alert on our long drive.

This water, tastes like, water.  It’s so strange and cool.  Every time I take a drink, I expect to taste something. Anything other than water but I don’t. I just taste water.  And that’s kind of great when you just want a pick-me-up and no sugar rotting away your teeth.  Definitely check out Avitae.

I even started Pinterest Boards for our trip about things like, travel apps we’d make use of along the way.  Pinterest is blowing up.  What do you use it for?

So, yeah, we’re disappointed that we couldn’t pull off this road trip but really overjoyed that we’re both employed again.  We’ll just be good and ready for next ski season and will have a lot more to talk about when we decide to road trip it again.

There has been much talk in my house lately about eating better and living a healthier lifestyle.  I have never been one to spend too much time focusing on my eating and exercise habits (or lack-thereof) and in the past few years, my figure has spilled the beans on that big secret.  I’ve always been a fair weather fan of exercising and still sneak the occasional pack of peanut butter M&M’s.  It’s not that I make completely bad choices in the food that I eat, but I really don’t have a set regimen.  However, it’s becoming more apparent that since there are now children involved, I possibly need one.  Read on.

I was going to ask Eric to write a post here about healthy eating and exercising but that’s silly because, he’s got an entire blog about it.  My husband is determined and very passionate about eating healthy and exercising.  The proof is in his rapid weight loss over the past 6 months.  It’s also obvious how badly he wants me and the kids to join him on his journey of eating and living primal/paleo.  But you wouldn’t know it when he brings home a tub of cookie dough for us. (Enabler!)  However, he redeemed himself this summer with his deck container-garden.  I was able to make plenty of my favorite Caprese salads with garden fresh basil and tomatoes.

I don’t disagree that his idea of healthy eating and weight loss isn’t a good one (because it’s obviously working for him), but I’m just not one of those people who can follow a specific plan or go on a “diet”.  In fact, I kind of hate that word and the idea behind it, so I try not to use it.  I am more of a go with the flow, take it as it comes kind of person and believe that we can make conscious decisions about the food we eat without too many crazy restrictions.  Thinking about following a specific plan just gets me all sorts of out of whack.  Also, I love ice cream.

At the same time, I realize that I cannot just think of my own health anymore.  I have a family and it’s up to me to make sure my kids are learning about being healthy and that we act on what we know and preach to them.  Admittedly, I struggle with feeding my kids super healthy food on a daily basis.  I could give you a slew of excuses for why that is.  I’m a big fan of quick and easy (no, not fast food all of the time, rarely ever actually).  So, I go with what we have in our house on any given day.  Luckily, my kids like fruit and “some” vegetables.  It’s tough with the soon-t0-be five year old, because she’s picky, like her mother.  However, she will sit and munch on red peppers and carrots as a snack.  We can give the toddler anything and she’ll eat it.  That can be good and bad at times.  My goal with the “second child” was to only feed her very healthy foods right from the start, so we don’t have the pickiness problem later on.  (It’s going to work, right?  RIGHT?)

My main problem is that I’m not overly creative in the kitchen.  Not that I don’t want to be, but I don’t have time each day, so if I don’t plan meals ahead, say on a Sunday, we fly by the seat of our pants on the weekdays.  My kids eat a lot of chicken and fish (of the frozen variety).  My toddler is obsessed with apples (there is a debate on whether or not that was her first word).  We don’t stay completely away from “junk” food but we’re careful not to get super junky food.  Like, snacks are mainly graham crackers and baked goldfish snacks.  We totally nosh on trail mix (yes, the kind with M&M’s, sue me) and yogurt with granola sprinkled on top.  Want to know what my father-in-law ate for a snack when he was a kid?  LARD.  That’s right.  So, I don’t think we’re doing all that terribly here.

Most importantly, we are conscious of our eating habits.  We don’t eat bad all of the time but we leave room for improvement.  In my opinion, this is something that will come with time.  Our kids are watching us and it’s important that we at least talk about it and teach them what healthy eating habits are.  It’s a learning experience for us all.

Don’t stop reading here.  Please take a look at what my Yahoo! Mother Board sisters have to say about healthy eating.

Jamba All Natural Smoothies

Add 8 0z. of apple juice and blend away.  Each pack contains enough fruit for 2 – 8 oz. smoothies.

No artificial flavors, no artificial colors and no preservatives.  Just a full serving of fruit, non-fat yogurt and Jamba’s antioxidant boost.

I love ‘em.  The kids love ‘em.  You can get them at these places.

By the way, have you heard about the new cheeseburger chill smoothie at Jamba Juice?  Mmm. Mmm. Mmm!

Here is a run-down of some fantastic products that are perfect for traveling with kids.  Whether we were gifted with some of the items or if we purchased them, the following are our own, honest opinions.  We hope you’ll find these products just as useful as we have.

Plum Tots

On my mission to find travel-friendly food items for the baby, I discovered Plum Organics.  I purchased about a dozen packs of Plum Tots fruit “mish mash” blends for our 11 month old.  Little did I know how handy these travel-friendly packs would be.  I threw these into the diaper bag, along with a disposable spoon and whenever we were at the pool for the afternoon or a not-so-kid-friendly restaurant, I squeezed some of the organic fruit puree onto the spoon and voila, the baby was a happy camper.

MD Moms Baby Silk Babysafe Sunscreen Towelettes – 30 SPF

These soft, sweat-proof sunscreen towelettes are a must-have.  There were so many instances on our two sunny vacations when we didn’t have one of our bottles or sticks of sunscreen readily available and we wanted to re-apply sunscreen.  These baby silk babysafe sunscreen towelettes were a godsend.  There is enough sunscreen in one wipe to completely cover a baby or kid from head-to-toe.  A big pat on the back for the MD Moms for these indispensable sunscreen wipes.

FruitziO

We love, love, love the new FruitziO freeze-dried fruit snacks from Crispy Green.  We brought several packs of these 100-calorie healthy snacks with us on our vacations and both the kids and adults enjoyed them immensely.  It was nice to have a handy, healthy snack along where it was quite easy to indulge in treats that are not-so-good for you (like those all-you-can-eat 24 hour buffets).

ColourCollection from Goody (new!)

If you have girls, then you already know that Goody products are a staple.  We were sent Goody’s new ColourCollection hair accessories and have been making extremely good use of them.  When we were in the Dominican Republic, the ouchless hair ties, Ribbon Weave Gentle Elastics and snap clips helped tame our humidity-struck locks.  In Florida, the above Goody products helped keep our hair up and out of the way as we braved the 100+ degree heat.

Trunki

I can’t tell you how many glances, giggles and compliments we have gotten about Trunki (and how many adults wish they could have ride-on luggage, too!).  That’s not the only reason we like her, she’s been an incredible  travel companion for our preschooler.  Inside of this kid-friendly luggage, we tucked everything she needed to feel safe and entertained away from home and we were able to pull her while she rode on Trunki through the airport.  We couldn’t have made a better decision in a carry-on for our little one.

Bendaroos

We were gifted with a box of “Fun Food” Bendaroos and admittedly, when I opened the box, I was unimpressed with this product.  I had different expectations on the quality of these bendable, wax-covered pieces of yarn BUT my 4-1/2 yr old LOVES THEM.  That, to me, is more important than my initial disappointment.  I like activities that the kids can do with their hands and minds.  They provide hours of entertainment for the kids and make a great travel activity.

Pipila

The Pipila, a portable pacifier (and nipple) sanitizer was a product that I used religiously on our trip to The Dominican Republic.  There were signs right on the faucet in our suite that read, “don’t drink the water”.  So, the last thing I wanted to do was wash the baby’s pacifiers or nipples with it.  I rinsed them a bit with bottled water and then 6 minutes in the Pipila and they were 99.9% sterilized.  This product worked like a charm.

butt-ums up baby Diaper Changing Pad

Now that I’ve been there, done that (ie: traveling via flights with kids), I can attest to the use one gets out of this product.  I would have been lost without the butt-ums up baby diaper changing pad.  I used it on the plane (in the bathroom and while in my seat!), at the pool, in the stroller and in many baby changing stations around Walt Disney World.

Baby Banz

This company knows all about warm weather.   Baby Banz is an Australian based company that specializes in UV protection for babies and kids.  We were gifted with the items pictured above.  The one piece, UV Banz swimwear is for babies 0-24 months, UPF 50+.  There is a front zipper and zipper closure on the leg inseam for easy diaper changes.  Baby Banz is known for their baby and kid’s sunglasses (and accessories).  Do not pass up this company when you’re shopping for sun protection for your kids.  We highly recommend Baby Banz.

SecuraTrac

We took the SecuraPAL (Personal Automated Locator) along with us on our trip to Disney World.  I will soon post my detailed review of how we used this GPS tracking device with our preschooler as we braved the crowds at the parks.  SecuraTrac offers a very smart, tech-savvy way to keep those you love from getting lost.  We also very highly recommend this product (SecuraPal) and service (SecuraTrac).  Check out a demonstration of this service.

Little Honey Bug Repellent Bands

These things are freaking awesome. We were surrounded by flying, blood-sucking insects while we were out of the country and then when we came back into the country.  When they started to attack, we just set out one of these 100% Natural Bug Repellent Bands near us and suddenly, our blood was of no interest.  We have many more summer nights where we’ll be prime targets for those nasty mosquitoes, therefore, we will have plenty more bug bands on hand.  It’s a no brainer.

Vincent Shoes

We’re long time fans of Vincent Shoes.  I have trusted the quality and durability of their kid’s shoes and they have not let me down.  Tor (pictured above) proved to be worthy of keeping my preschooler on her feet on wet, stamped concrete walkways and while running to and fro around Walt Disney World.  Did I mention they have ridiculously awesome sales all of the time?  Well, they do.  So check out Vincent Shoes.

Britax Blink Stroller

I can’t say enough good things about this lightweight stroller.  We take our Britax Blink everywhere with us.  This stroller has been through airports, checked at gates, folded and unfolded to transport on and off trams, through security, on bumpy, stamped-cement walkways, in and out of elevators, all over Disney World, etc.  No complaints from the 11 month old.  No complaints from the parents.  This stroller is a must-have.

We received the Mutsy growup! seat for review and we like it.  It’s “cushy” for lack of a better descriptive word.  So, it’s softer and seems more comfortable than some of the other plastic booster seats on the market.

Hailey is modeling the growup! below.  She’s 3 1/2, so she’s really just about too big for the seat but kids up to age 4 can use it.

Luckily, we will still get a lot of use out of this seat with our next baby.  We were always big fans of using a booster right at the table with Hailey instead of a highchair.  It saved us a lot of space in our small dining area.  We’re an on-the-go family, so the growup! will travel with us when baby is ready to sit up in a chair to eat.

Mutsy has been in business since 1937.  The company started under the name of “Mutsaerts”.  They have always manufactured pushchairs (buggies and strollers).  I have been watching the timeline slideshow of the company’s history and it’s pretty cool to see those old fashioned buggies from then and now.

Check out their line of strollers and (s)eating when you have a chance!

*If you’re interested in purchasing a growup!, you can do so and receive a 10% discount at Goore’s online store.  Enter code psphmu at checkout.

It’s my turn now!  :)

This is Squirt.  As soon as the yet-to-be-born, nameless baby girl is ready to start “eating” more solid foods, Squirt will come in handy.  I’m a mama on the go.  It’s just a given that this all-in-one feeding spoon will be a staple in the diaper bag.

Next up: Benders.  Those tiny hands are really going to dig these “adaptable utensils”.  She’ll start gaining her eating independence with the use of Boon’s Benders.

We dig Boon products because they are fresh and modern.  Many retail stores have picked up the brand, so you can generally find their products on store shelves or online.

I will just start out by saying nursing my first child was a big, BIG disappointment for me and I have regretted that it didn’t work out for us ever since.  It’s been three and a half years.  With baby number two on the way, I’m about to get my do-over.

My main focus this entire pregnancy has been on how I can be completely successful nursing this baby.  I even took a breastfeeding class.  When I think of breastfeeding products, Medela is the first company that comes to mind.  I knew right after I had my first daughter that Medela products were top of the line, unfortunately, I did not give them a fair chance.  I purchased an Ameda breastpump that I was completely unhappy with.  My daughter was a preemie and spent the first week of her life in the hospital NICU.  Luckily, I was able to test the hospital grade Medela breastpumps there and swore that after I had another baby, I would stick with Medela.

I have heard so many good things about the Medela Freestyle breastpump and I’m about ready to make my purchase.  Of course, this time around, we’re going to establish a good nursing routine before anything else is introduced.  I can’t afford not to.  So, within the next month, I will be stocking up on my nurisng gear.  Who do I turn to first?  Medela, of course.  They have a line of intimate apparel, specifically for maternity and nursing.

Medela recently sent me their new Nursing Camisole for consideration.  I’m having a mid-summer baby, so you can bet this camisole will get some good use!

The feel of the Cami is very soft and stretchy (and sturdy).  It’s made of a bamboo/cotton blend.  It has a drop-cup design and has an extra layer of fabric, where it counts the most.  The camisole also works with the Freestyle breastpump, so hopefully I’ll get my chance to try them out together.

Next on the list, of course, are bottles.  There will come a point where daddy and big sister want to help feed the baby and I don’t want to take that away from them.  I will gladly give them the chance to bond with our newest family member.  I have several Medela Breastmilk Bottle Sets on hand, including a few 5 oz. and 8 oz. bottles.  It’s no secret, Medela has always been BPA-free and this is something that I do take quite seriously.

So, when the time is right, I will put these bottles to good use.

I still feel like I have much to learn and research about the world of breastfeeding but honestly, I’m not as concerned about it this time.  I am crossing all of my T’s and dotting all of my I’s before the little one arrives and I know that things will work out swimmingly this time.