BP: Making The Commute A Little Better

Hooray for back-to-school! While I'm thankful to send my girls off to fill their brains with knowledge and let me get some sleep during the day, I'm less excited about the daily trips for preschool drop off and the increased traffic during morning and afternoon drive times.

I recently had the opportunity to attend an informational session with BP for their Commute Better program. Locals here in Columbus might have heard some of their commercials on the radio recently featuring tips on making the daily commute a little less painful as well as the Commute Better team out at local BP stations handing out commuter essentials.

A recent survey commissioned by BP said that eighty-six percent of Columbus drivers have a specific route they follow for their daily commute, even if construction leads to traffic jams on that route. I was a little surprised by that number, thinking these people must be recent immigrants to our fine city, because I was certain that most residents live by the rule that you need to know at least three ways to get anywhere in this city, since one of those routes will surely be closed or blocked.

Personally, I'm a master at alternate routes, making last minute decisions to take a side street or hop back onto the highway to avoid any stops in traffic. My husband is just as savvy - listening to us weigh the pros and cons of which route to take based on past history of traffic patterns and current traffic reports can be very amusing.

Tip: be flexible with your commute. Listen to the traffic report before you leave the house and plan accordingly. Leaving 15 minutes earlier than normal can sometimes make a big difference as well.

I also learned that not all gasoline is created equal, and that BP includes an additive called Invigorate that can help prevent damaging build-up in your engine or scrub away any current deposits that may be threatening the health of your vehicle. (And wallet.) Keeping your engine clean can lead to better gas mileage and fewer repairs.

Other useful commuting tips include mapping out your day to reduce the amount of driving between stops, avoiding school areas as much as possible during peak times, keeping your car maintained with regular oil and air filter changes, and keeping a basket of car toys to entertain your kids and reduce distractions.

My luncheon ended with receiving an awesome car organizer filled with everything I could think of to make my commute a little bit easier.

For more information on the BP Commute Better program, check out their website. Even if you're not in Columbus, the website has plenty of tips to make the drive easier regardless of location. 

Giveaway!

BP is sharing the love with one of you as well! I've got an extra car organizer available to give away to one lucky reader.

What's in it, you might ask? Well, beyond being the perfect size to place between two booster seats, this organizer has pockets to hold everything your kids might need, including drink holders! Also included is a travel coffee mug, a tumbler, umbrella, sunglasses, air freshener, tire gauge, hand wipes, sunscreen, band-aids, tissues, a flashlight, lotion, a notepad, pens, crayons and a coloring book. Oh, and a $10 BP gift card to help with gas while you're on-the-go.

To enter: you must leave a comment below sharing your best tip for keeping kids happy in the car on a long drive. How do you avoid the sibling fighting or the endless "are we there yet?" questions? Share your tip and be sure to leave an email address so I can contact you if you're the winner.

Entries will be accepted until September 1, 2011 at 11:59pm (Eastern Time). One winner will be randomly selected from all valid entries and contacted by email. Winner will have 3 days to confirm acceptance or a replacement winner will be chosen. US mailing addresses only.

Good luck, and stay safe out on the road!

Full disclosure: I was invited to a luncheon sponsored by BP and given a car organizer kit while there. I received no compensation for this post and giveaway, and no promise of a positive write-up was promised or expected. All opinions expressed here are my own honest opinions and, just because it's funny to say in a post about driving, your mileage may vary.

Lake Erie & Cedar Point, Day 2: A Getaway That Isn't So Far Away

Be sure to check out part 1 of our trip to Cedar Point and Lake Erie here!

While our trip to Cedar Point could have been a vacation in itself, we didn't want to waste our chance to see more of the area while at Lake Erie. So on Sunday we checked out of our hotel and took a short 20 minute drive to Port Clinton to see the African Safari Wildlife Park. This 100 acre park is home to more than 400 exotic animals that you can visit from the comfort of your own car. Never before have I been able to get this up close and personal with a wild animal!

This guy? LOVES carrots.

I've never been to a drive-thru wildlife park, so this was a new experience for all of us. At the gate we were given our free cup of food for the animals (you can also purchase more - trust me, you'll want to purchase more!) and instructions on how to feed them. The animals showed no fear and were happy to stick their heads into the car to check for more food.

 Hey there, got any food?

You have to have a firm grip on the feeding cups - some of the animals have learned the trick of pulling the cup out of your hands to get all the food for themselves.

Turns out, feeding the animals is a LOT of fun. How often can you say you had a bison's head in your car?

There's also a walking portion of the park, where kids can ride a pony or a camel, see a white alligator, and feed the fish. Educational animal shows are held daily as well.

Our next stop was the beach at East Harbor State Park. It was a gorgeous view. And thanks to Ohio weather, it was just as hot and humid as any Florida beach.

Cordy wanted to look for "treasure" so we spread out our blankets and walked along the shoreline, looking for anything that might wash up in front of us. The sand was amazingly soft and felt so good between our toes.

Beachcombers

The haul for their treasure hunt was a very shiny piece of a shell, two tiny round shells, a hard black rock that was either coal or petrified wood (I have no idea, really), and a small piece of "driftwood." Cordy declared the treasure hunt a success and we moved on to our next stop.

Cordy insisted I take a photo of the treasure.

Our final stop for the day was back in Sandusky at the Merry-Go-Round Museum. This museum houses an impressive collection of carousel horses and other animals, as well as an on site workshop for woodcarvers who specialize in making carousel animals.

Carousel cow, anyone?

Horses in various states of completion

All four of us enjoyed seeing the different types of animals that were created for carousel rides. Mira liked the cow and the lion. Cordy was a purist, preferring the horses. My favorite? The shark:

I bet the Old Spice guy chooses a shark when he takes a carousel ride.

A spin on the indoor merry-go-round was included with admission, and the girls loved one last ride before we needed to start the journey home.

She only looks nervous because I'm not holding on to her at the moment.

Our weekend vacation was just long enough for us to reconnect as a family and create some lovely memories without growing too tired of each other. More than once, Aaron looked at me and said, "I'm really glad we did this." So often we're all coming and going so quickly in our house that we forget to slow down and enjoy the company of our family.

I'm glad we took the time to get away without going too far away. Compared with a vacation to Florida or California, our trip to Lake Erie still contained all of the fun you'd find far away (beaches, amusement parks, etc) with less travel time and less expense. It was also fun to explore some of the exciting attractions we have right here in Ohio.

There were still more sights we wanted to see around Lake Erie, but that only gives us an excuse for a return trip, right?

Want to plan your own trip to Lake Erie? Visit the Lake Erie Shores & Islands website to start planning your own perfect vacation with lodging packages and discount savings available with the Shore Savings Card! When you're in the area, stop by one of the two Lake Erie Shores & Islands Welcome Centers for advice from their helpful staff, maps, brochures and discount coupons.

Another satisfied customer

Full disclosure: I was invited by Cedar Point and the Lake Erie Shores and Islands group to visit and experience all they had to offer. My family was provided complimentary tickets to Cedar Point, the African Safari Wildlife Tour and the Merry-Go-Round museum. All other expenses, including food, parking, gas, souvenirs, etc. were not included.

After Cedar Point, This Is Where You Want To Sleep

Our vacation to Lake Erie and Cedar Point was a two day affair, meaning we had to find somewhere to sleep for the night. I'm usually nervous when it comes to staying at a hotel with my children. Cordy is a poor sleeper, often waking for an hour or more in the middle of the night, while Mira is a light sleeper, waking to any little noise around her. There's a reason why they get their own bedrooms at home.

Cordy can also be very picky about her surroundings, feeling insecure and uneasy if a room doesn't feel "right" to her.

With help from the Lake Erie Shores & Islands group (thank you, Jill!), we were given a complimentary stay at the Best Western Plus Sandusky hotel on Milan Road. Built in 2005, it's one of the newest hotels in Sandusky and a short, easy drive from Cedar Point. It's near a large shopping area with plenty of restaurants to choose from, and several stores that carry whatever essential items you might need.

I've stayed in several Best Western hotels before, but none that had a lobby that looked this nice. I would love to steal this color scheme for my own living room.

All of the rooms are suites, with a microwave and tall mini-fridge, a flat panel TV with premium cable, and a work area that includes a desk, coffee table and sofa. Free wireless internet is also included - a must-have for someone like me!

Our room had two double beds with sheets that were perfectly white. I've seen a lot of hotel rooms, and I judge the quality of a hotel by the sheets. I was genuinely impressed with how new the sheets looked. I also appreciated that there was no giant comforter covering the whole bed - instead it was a thin comforter sandwiched between two sheets. Very warm, and more hygienic!

The whole room looked so clean, crisp and fresh...at least until my two girls jumped on the beds and got comfortable!

The bathroom was larger than I expected, with a beautiful countertop and large mirror.

Speaking of the bathroom, the only issue we had while there was in trying to figure out the shower. Look at this photo and tell me how you think you switch the water from the faucet to the shower:

The secret is pulling down on a ring around the faucet spout. It took a visit to the front desk for us to figure this out. Two higher ed degrees and I still can't figure out a shower! (Signs may be needed for this, in my opinion.)

We were exhausted from our day at Cedar Point, and quickly got ready for bed. Cordy appreciated the variety of TV programs available, and watched a little bit of Nickelodeon to help her feel at home. She liked the room and said the sheets felt so soft. It wasn't long before both girls were asleep. Cordy did wake up in the middle of the night, but other than Cordy's noise, we didn't hear anything from outside our own room. It was blissfully quiet and peaceful, which kept Mira asleep for most of the night.

In the morning, I went down to the breakfast room and was surprised at the large display that greeted me. Cereal, fruit, eggs, toast, waffles, biscuits and sausage gravy, cinnamon rolls and more were all available for us to choose from. We had a fantastic breakfast (try the cinnamon rolls - they're sooo yummy!) before checking out to continue our adventures around Lake Erie.

The Best Western Plus Sandusky is a 100% smoke-free facility with 89 guest rooms. The hotel includes a laundry and a game room. An indoor/outdoor pool is available for use at the adjacent Comfort Inn.

For the weary traveling family, this hotel offers ultimate comfort and style. The four of us had plenty of space in our room, comfortable beds, and the best hotel breakfast I've had in a long time. The next time we visit Lake Erie, we will certainly have this hotel at the top of our list for where to stay!

And the picky kid liked it, too.

Full disclosure: We received a complimentary stay at the Best Western Plus Sandusky in exchange for a review of their hotel. No further compensation was received. All thoughts shared here are my honest opinions, and as always, your mileage may vary.

Shopping & Train Rides at Lodi Station Outlets!

Growth spurt.

I hate those two words.

Anytime those two words enter my life, it means tearing through dressers and boxes of clothing to determine what still fits my two girls, followed by a list of what I need to go out and purchase for them.

Rarely am I ever given the time to shop on my own. If it's the weekend, I want to spend time with my family, so we all go shopping together. If you've seen us at the mall, you know that any shopping area must have a playground or kid-themed play area or else my two impatient daughters make everyone as miserable.

Given the choice, I love to shop outlet malls. I don't like to spend a lot of money on clothing for myself, so I certainly want a good deal when it comes to clothing my kids will outgrow the next time they ask for seconds at dinner.

Last weekend, I had the chance to check out the Lodi Station Outlets in Lodi, OH. Locals know that we have a lot of outlet malls here in Ohio, so it's no surprise that I had yet to make it to this one. I had driven past it several times - it's just off I-71 when driving towards Cleveland - but until last weekend didn't get the chance to check it out.

Here's where it gets awesome: not only is it an outlet mall, they also have a train you can ride! I don't mean an itty-bitty kids-only train, I mean an amusement-park-sized train for all to ride. My train-obsessed daughters were sure to love it.

When we arrived, we started our day by getting lunch at the Steam Cafe. There's a very nice food court at the center of the shops, which also serves as guest services and the station for purchasing train tickets. We ate lunch and the girls got to meet Chugga, the mall mascot.

We then decided it would be best to take a train ride next, as the girls were mesmerized by the train. We got our passes and jumped aboard with my friend Heather and her family.

Heather thought she was photobombing the kids - I think they were photobombing her instead.

The train ride takes about 15 minutes and is a lot of fun. You can purchase an individual ride pass, or an unlimited day pass for just fifty cents more. For the serious train riders, you can purchase a yearly pass that lets you ride as many times as you want for an entire year.

Once the train ride was over, my children wanted to go to the playground they spotted during the train ride. My husband then took the kids to the playground so I could get some shopping done.

Lodi Station Outlets has many of the brand names I like to buy. For the kids, there's Gymboree, Children's Place and Carter's. For me, there's the Lee outlet, Jockey, Gap, and Bath & Body Works. In two hours, I had amassed several bags of goodies, including several new outfits for the girls, a new pair of Lee jeans and 3 pairs of underwear for myself, and some hand sanitizer from Bath & Body Works. All that for under $100!

Along with the usual outlet store savings, you can also sign up for the Hot Ticket preferred member card which gives you additional savings in many of the stores. I was able to save an additional 20% in one store thanks to my card.

Best of all, I managed to get all of this shopping done with practically no whining from my children, because they were happily playing and taking train rides all afternoon. We ended the day with ice cream before heading home after a successful day of shopping.

Will I be going back? Absolutely. Simple entertainment for the kids plus good deals to be found equals a great shopping experience for me. Even my husband (who is often the one watching the kids while I shop) had a great time riding the train.

Full disclosure: I was invited to attend a bloggers' day out at Lodi Station Outlets. In return for my time, I was provided with a sample bag from some of the shops as well as coupons and additional compensation.

Smart Gloves For Your Smart Phone

I never thought I was going to become an iPhone junkie, but now that I've had it for over a year, I often wonder how I lived without it. That phone is my lifeline when I'm out of the house - anyone I could ever need to reach, in just about any method, is available to me at the touch of a finger.

Of course, winter in Ohio can make my love for my smart phone a little difficult. Anyone in cold weather has likely faced the dilemma of using their phone versus risking cold fingers. More than once last winter I was seen furiously trying to answer my phone with my gloves on, only to remember that the gloves block the ability for the phone to sense touch and so I had to quickly tear off my glove to answer the phone.

And don't get me started on those fingerless gloves for smart phone users. Of all parts of my hand, my fingers are precisely the parts most prone to cold and therefore what I want to keep warm the most!

I was recently made aware of a new product called Agloves, however, and it's like my blue-fingernail prayers have been answered.

Agloves make it possible to keep your gloves on and use a touch screen phone at the same time. These stretchy, knit gloves are made with silver-coated nylon thread throughout (hence the name - Ag is the elemental symbol for silver) to provide the connectivity needed to operate any touch screen.

I always thought that touch-sensitive screens were based on body heat, but actually they're made to react with the bioelectricity in your skin. Put a barrier between your skin and the phone, and those little ions can't flow the way they're supposed to. Agloves, however, allow those ions to flow freely thanks to the highly conductive silver thread.

Now, I know what you might be thinking: metal coated thread? Sounds uncomfortable, right? I can tell you that when I received a pair of these for review, the first thing I noticed was how soft they are. They feel just as soft as any knit gloves, and they are just as warm, too.

I'm really impressed with these gloves. I can use my iPhone without taking my gloves off, and the phone responds to my gloved finger just as well as it does when it's skin to glass. The gloves can get wet, are also washable, and the silver will not wash off or wear off. They're available in three sizes, with a sizing chart to help you pick the right fit.

Unlike other tech gloves on the market, these keep all of your fingers covered and warm while still providing full, 10-finger conductivity with your smart phone. (Some only provide conductivity with your index finger and thumb.) The black is stylish and looks great with winter sports wear as well as a formal wool coat. Cost-wise, these are extremely well-priced gloves, at $17.99 a pair.

And if you needed one more reason to love Agloves, consider that they were created by a "mom-preneur" looking for a solution for a common problem. Support your fellow mom-run small businesses!

Win a pair!

Agloves has graciously provided me with one pair of gloves to give to one lucky reader! The winner can choose which size works best for them.

To enter, leave a comment below telling me your favorite outdoor winter activity. (Mandatory entry.) Be sure to leave a valid e-mail address so I can contact you if you're selected as the winner.

For additional entries:

2. Follow me on Twitter @mommystory and tweet this contest leaving me a link here in the comments. (one entry)
3. Follow @TheAgloves on Twitter. (1 entry - leave a comment here with you link)
4. "Like" Agloves on Facebook. (1 entry - leave a comment here with your Facebook username)

One of each entry per person, US residents only.

Giveaway will close on Sunday, November 28 at 11:59pm ET. One winner will be selected by random drawing to win the pair of Agloves. Winner has three days after being contacted by e-mail to respond or another winner will be chosen in his or her place.

Get FREE SHIPPING on Agloves!

If you can't wait and want to get some of your holiday shopping done, Agloves has also provided readers of Mommy's Must Haves with a great promo code for free shipping on any order from Agloves. Simply enter the code mommusthave in the coupon code box to get free shipping on your order through December 15, 2010!

Full disclosure: I received a pair of Agloves to facilitate my review, and no further compensation was received. A positive review was not guaranteed - all thoughts are my honest opinions. You can bet I'll be taking advantage of that discount code, though - I've got a lot of holiday shopping left to do.

Twelve Weeks of Christmas: Travel Time

I think it's safe to say most of us travel for the holidays, whether across state lines or just across town. And if your car is looking like mine right now, it could probably use a little help before you hit the road this winter.

A few tips to get your vehicle travel-ready:

- Get any maintenance done now. Take your car for an oil change, make sure all of the lights are working, the battery is in good shape, and the antifreeze is doing...well...whatever exactly antifreeze does. This is also a good time to check your tire tread and replace any worn-down tires before driving on wintry roads.

- Clean out the clutter! Get rid of that newspaper you left on the floor, the empty soda bottle you forgot to take with you, and any excess toys hanging out in the backseat. After you've removed the clutter, give your car a quick vacuum to suck up crumbs and dirt.

- Don't forget to clean the inside of your windshield. We all know how to clean the outside of the windshield, but the inside is often neglected. A dirty windshield on the inside can increase glare and make it hard to see at night.

- Keep an emergency kit in the car. When cleaning out your trunk to pack as many presents in it as possible, make sure your emergency kit stays in the car. No one wants to be stuck on the side of the road, but if you are, an emergency roadside kit is a lifesaver to have.

And speaking of roadside emergency kits, be sure to visit Heather at Domestic Extraordinaire this week for your chance to win a 42 piece AAA roadside emergency kit!

PS - Congrats to my Week 2 winner, Shel! She won 3 bottles each of Tide with Acti-Lift and Ultra Downy in the new Sun Blossom scent! Happy laundry day, Shel!

Fresh, Fast Food With Noodles & Company

As a child, pasta was always a staple in my family. At any given moment, I could count on finding a Tupperware container full of cooked spaghetti in the fridge as a go-to meal. At least once a week, my mom would make mac and cheese - one of my favorite meals.

So it's no surprise that I love a little fast-casual restaurant called Noodles & Company. What do they serve there, you ask? Why, it's simple: pasta dishes, salad, soup, and a few sandwiches. But in that simple menu is a wealth of delicious pasta dishes, including Mediterranean, Asian, and American pasta selections.

Each dish is made to order with fresh ingredients - way better than fried fast food! You can choose which meat to add to your pasta dish, or you can go vegetarian. To drink, they have fountain soft drinks, along with organic milk and fruit juices. And if you have picky kids like mine, Noodles & Company still has the old favorite, mac and cheese, although it's made with fresh cream and real cheeses - no cheese powder here!

One thing I love about Noodles & Company is their commitment to using fresh, in-season ingredients. In honor of asparagus season, which runs from April to June in the U.S., Noodles & Company has introduced its new Asparagus & Lemon Linguine dish. Made with crisp, seasonal asparagus, snap peas, lemon juice, basil, red onions, mushrooms, and feta served over regular or whole wheat linguine.

On our recent trip to Noodles & Company, I got the chance to try the new Asparagus & Lemon Linguine. I added shrimp to mine. (I love shrimp in pasta.) This is what I was presented with:

And this is what I thought of it:

Yum! I wanted to lick the bowl.

Noodles & Company also has created a site dedicated to this popular vegetable that includes tips on how to select asparagus, cook asparagus, a recipe for you to prepare at home and other fun ideas.

My girls did try a bite of my asparagus, but in general stuck to their old favorite of mac and cheese. Still, you can't argue with this happy face:

If you like pasta and haven't had the chance to try Noodles & Company yet, you really should find your nearest location and check it out. And if you want to try the Asparagus & Lemon Linguine, get in before the end of June!

Full disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Noodles & Company and received five Noodles & Company bowl cards to facilitate my review. Mom Central also sent me a thank-you gift certificate.

All The Water Slide Fun, None Of The Sand in Your Suit

I love swimming. I love water slides. I love spending an afternoon drifting on an inner tube. Naturally you'd think I spend my summers at the pool and save all my pennies for winter trips to Florida, right?

Wrong. Why?

Because I hate sand. I hate greasy sunblock. And I hate the sun, or rather, it hates me.

And honestly, why would I need to travel south when we have a better option right here in Ohio that lets me swim year round free of sand and sunburns? If I feel a need to escape for a waterpark weekend, I only need to drive south to Cincinnati to spend a weekend at Great Wolf Lodge - King's Island.

I've been to Great Wolf before - Aaron and I went there for our anniversary two years ago. I remember how a warm indoor waterpark looked pretty good when we were trapped there by the great blizzard of '08:

We didn't take advantage of the outdoor balcony in '08, obviously.

Still, if you're going to be snowed in, what better place than an indoor waterpark resort, right?

Last month my family was invited to spend a night at Great Wolf Lodge for the grand opening of their new waterslide, The Triple Twist. (Along with a few other bloggers, including two of my favorite locals, Moosh in Indy and Momo Fali.) To celebrate, the Lodge left the Triple Twist waterslide open all night long for the great Slide-a-thon, attempting to break the world record for longest distance traveled on waterslides over a 24-hr period. OK, I'll admit I wasn't a 3am slider, but I had to deal with kids who woke up at 6am, so I feel justified in my decision.

This was our first time taking the girls, so I wasn't sure how they'd react. We were staying in a "Wolf Den" room - it had a queen bed for Aaron and I, and then a little brightly-painted enclosed room inside the room, which housed a set of bunk beds and a TV. The girls immediately ran for their little room. "Look, we have our own TV!" Cordy cheered. "I want the top bunk!" They still talk about their little den and how they miss it.

 This is what our room looked like - the bunk beds are inside the little room.

But the room is minor compared to all of the other exciting things to do at Great Wolf Lodge. First, there's the obvious gigantic indoor waterpark, complete with several waterslides, water activity areas for the kids, a wave pool and a lazy river. Cordy and Mira enjoyed the wave pool, and Cordy liked going down the kiddie waterslides. I got the chance to break away from the family pack to enjoy some of the bigger waterslides, and really felt like a kid again as I grabbed my inner tube and ran up the stairs to go down again and again.

Each night, the Lodge offers up a story time for the kids. We got the girls into pajamas and took them up to the story time. They enjoyed listening to the story with the other kids, and then Cordy asked to have a photo of her with the bear in the lobby.

The Lodge also has a kids club area where kids can do camp crafts (with adult supervision), and next to that is a gigantic arcade. There are also plenty of food options, from sit-down dining to a quick snack of yummy homemade fudge. If you have some time away from the kids, take advantage of the on-site spa - or bring your daughters along for their own kiddi mani/pedi. Older kids (and adults) will love the Magi Quest game the runs throughout the Lodge - watch out for small wizards waving wands!

With the current economy, vacations to Florida or the Bahamas are simply out of the question. We'd rather get more vacation for our money by staying close to home, and Great Wolf Lodge is an excellent option to get away from it all without going that far. The rooms are comfortable and fun, the waterpark is simply amazing, and even one night at the Lodge can leave you feeling recharged, with great family memories to cherish. (And a lot of begging from the children of "When can we go back?")

If you're looking for a local family getaway on those rainy spring days (or any kind of bad Ohio weather days), I highly recommend Great Wolf Lodge - King's Island. With or without kids, you won't be disappointed.

--
Full disclosure: I was provided with a one-night complementary stay at Great Wolf Lodge for the opening of their new Triple Twist waterslide. A positive review was neither promised nor expected for this stay, but after our experience, I couldn't find a bad thing to say!

BlogHer 09: The Recap

So I shared a few moments of BlogHer on my personal blog, but there were a lot of items I couldn't fully address due to issues with my advertising. I'm not allowed to discuss anything on that blog that I have been given for free, so specific swag, promotions, or sponsorships are out of the question. Instead, I thought I'd sum it all up right here and let you know what I thought of each sponsor that made an impression with me.

First off: getting to BlogHer 09

We drove to Chicago thanks to the GM Chevy Carpool. My group had the honor of driving the new Chevy Traverse, a crossover vehicle that seats seven.

Pros: It drove smoothly once you got used to the size. (I drive a much smaller car normally.) Visibility was great, the rear camera when backing up was extremely useful, and the front seats were amazingly comfortable and adjustable. Not only were there heated seats, but you could also have cooled seats - I cooled my butt for most of the drive into Chicago.

The XM radio is fun, and the OnStar service is easy to use. (We received a call during the drive, but sadly, there was no Gary with us in the car.) The car also has great acceleration and very sensitive brakes - I always felt safe while driving the Traverse.

Cons: While it seats seven, you'd better hope those seven people pack light. With five of us in the car, finding room for all of the luggage was a struggle. We also had a toddler on the drive, and while the Traverse has LATCH, we could only find one LATCH hook in the entire rear bench, so we had to settle for the seatbelt carseat installation instead.

The middle seats have a lever you pull to move them out of the way when getting people in and out of the back row, but that lever is a little too high-powered. My head was slightly in angle when pulling it once, and I got thwapped in the head so hard by the seat that I saw stars.

Overall: The Chevy Traverse is an easy car to drive, perfect for larger families to use on an everyday basis. For large families who like to travel, I might suggest a rooftop luggage carrier for extra storage. The extra features on this car put it above others I've seen in this class of vehicle.

What To Wear

I felt like a star going to the Oscars thanks to some amazing sponsorships I received for my BlogHer clothing. I was just waiting for Ryan Seacrest to pop out from the crowd and ask, "So, who are you wearing tonight?"

Lane Bryant gave me (along with several other bloggers) a $100 gift card and a $50 coupon to help outfit me for BlogHer this year. They understood that it's often harder to find nice clothing for those of us in the size 14 and up club. I've always considered their clothing to be some of the best "plus-size" fashion out there, and they didn't disappoint me this year. There were so many options, many of which I modeled in the dressing room. I love that their pants always fit like a dream, thanks to an understanding that women have smaller waists than hips. And while I often complain that many of the tops at Lane Bryant are made for bustier women, I still found several that worked for me.

On Friday I wore the Lane Bryant outfit I selected from several options: brown capris, a royal blue top with a ruffle down the center, and a bra that performed a miracle levitation act on my boobs. I felt comfortable and confident all day long in that outfit. Thank you, Lane Bryant, for making it a little eaiser to find something to wear to BlogHer.

(Photo of my LB outfit & Yummie Tummie courtesy of CityMama)

Also, that same day I wore my first Yummie Tummie. (Which I'm flashing in the photo above.) I was selected to be a "brand ambassador" for Yummie Tummie this year, getting the chance to try out their product at BlogHer and tell the world what I thought of it.

Now, I've been I loyal Spanx user for a couple of years. Other shapewear has attempted to lure me away before, but never performed to the level I expected. However, I was pleasantly surprised with Yummie Tummie - first off, this shapewear is like a tank top, not like underwear. There are no worries about how to go to the bathroom in it, and it doesn't flatten your boobs like other products out there.

When I noticed how long it is, I worried that it would roll up and create a big lump around my hips, making them look even larger. But it didn't - it stayed in place all day, with no rolling, no creeping. It doesn't hold me in as tight as Spanx, but instead provides gentle smoothing all around, creating a sleeker line along my midsection. But I could have the wrong size, too - I was between sizes when I measured myself, so maybe I'll pick the smaller of the two sizes next time.

Overall, I'm in love with Yummie Tummie and have already worn my two shapewear tops again since getting home from BlogHer! (Want one for yourself? A little birdie told me that you can get 30% off a Yummie Tummie if you use the code BLOGHER30 between now and 8/7.)

Some of you also remember JCPenney sending me that amazing green dress I drooled over on Twitter. I wore it on Thursday night, and it was a hit - so many people came up to tell me how good I looked in it, and what an amazing dress it was.

I was an idiot, of course, and didn't take any photos of me in the dress. All I can find are photos of just the top half - so if anyone has a pic of me wearing that dress, let me know!

(Photo courtesy of Stimey)

More to come in the weeks ahead, but I wanted to make sure I gave a big thank you to those companies who took the time and effort to reach out to this blogger. While a lot of the weekend was spent arguing about too much swag, sponsored bloggers who were too pushy, and overall bad behavior, I appreciated the relationships I started with these companies and feel that they got it right. I can only hope I got it right for them as well.

Chug-a-long With Thomas & Friends

Last week, my family had the chance to go see Thomas & Friends Live on Stage: A Circus Comes to Town. Both of my daughters love trains, and we have a small collection of Thomas trains that get a lot of attention in our house. I knew there was a strong chance that the girls would love seeing Thomas on stage - my only worry was that they wouldn't have the patience to sit through a full performance.

The queen of short-attention spans

The show started with some of the characters coming out into the audience and greeting the kids. Mira was interested, but Cordy was still fidgety in her seat. However, once the first train came onto the stage, both girls were mesmerized.

The premise of the show is a circus has come to the Island of Sodor, and they needed the engines to help pull the circus cars across the island so they can set up for their show. Thomas makes a big mistake, and it takes all of the engines working together (being really useful, of course) to guarantee a success for the circus. There are lessons in friendship, cooperation, and handling accidents, along with lots of upbeat music and exciting characters.


I remarked to my husband at intermission how amazed I was at the energy in this show. There wasn't a bad performance in the entire ensemble. Mira and Cordy loved the music, dancing and clapping along with each song.

The show ended with the circus performance, and while everyone loved the strong man, the acrobat, and the clown, it was the train engines who were still the stars of the show. Any time they came onto stage, Mira's face would light up and she would shout "woo-woo!" while pointing at Thomas, Percy and Gordon.


After an hour and a half of fun, the show was over, and Cordy's eyes filled with tears as she demanded more Thomas. We had to promise her that she would see Thomas at home to convince her to leave her seat. Half a week later, she's still asking when Thomas will bring the circus to her house.

We had so much fun watching Thomas & Friends Live on Stage: A Circus Comes to Town. Even Aaron and I enjoyed the show - it was funny, it was engaging, and I didn't feel silly dancing along. If Thomas & Friends comes to your town, I highly recommend checking out their show. You'll be chugga-chugga-chugging along for days to come!

Thanks to Mom Select for providing the tickets for our family to see this show!

Because You Know Cuts and Scrapes Are Going To Happen

The weather is finally warming up here, and that means my girls are already back outside playing in the backyard, at the playground or going for walks with us. And if your kids are like mine, you know that the incidence of scrapes, cuts, and general boo-boos will soon be on the rise, too.

I was invited by Mom Central to try out Neosporin and their new Neo To Go! antiseptic/pain relieving spray, and the first thing they asked me to do was take a look in my medicine cabinet at what I already had. Specifically, I was asked to examine the expiration dates. Oops. Turns out my tube of antiseptic cream expired at Christmas - in 2007. Many products lose their effectiveness after the expiration date, leading to thinking you're protected when you're not.

We've used Neosporin in our house before, usually applying it to any open wound to create a protective layer to keep out bacteria and prevent infection. Add a Dora bandaid, a hug and a kiss, and everything is all better again. I've never tried the Neosporin with pain relief, but after a small cut on my finger earlier this week I appreciated the pain relief part of it! The pain disappeared within a minute.

Quite possibly my new favorite product is the Neo To Go! spray. It's a travel-sized hard container of Neosporin antiseptic/pain reliever designed for one-handed use. I love how small it is - it takes up a tiny amount of space in my purse. And it's perfect for trips to the playground.

Cordy scraped her knee on a metal mesh walkway at the playground, and it was easy to whip the Neo To Go! spray out of my purse, spray the scrape, wait a minute for it to dry, and then let her go back to playing. She quickly forgot about it, and I knew the scrape was better protected against infection without having to go home immediately.

The Neo To Go! spray now has a regular place in my purse, right next to the hand sanitizer and tissues.

Plant A Seed To Bring New Life To Old Fields

When I was a kid, I played in our county's youth soccer program. There were several teams by age, and we all played on a couple of fields around town. If you didn't play in the field behind the church, surrounded on three sides by corn (and hope the ball didn't go into the corn), you played on the front lawn of a manufacturing plant, right next to a busy county road.

At the time, there were no other places to play soccer. Our local park had a baseball diamond, but it was often filled with adult softball leagues. There was no way the football players would let us use one of the school football fields either. So we had two poor excuses for sports fields to use, and no other choice. It took years before the community came together to create dedicated soccer fields for the kids to use.

However, many sports fields across the country are falling into disrepair, due to city budget cuts or lack of community involvement. In Columbus alone, numerous rec centers and pools are closing soon to save the city money. Who knows if the city fields will be kept up when outdoor sports begin in the spring?

To combat this national problem, Kellogg's Frosted Flakes Earn Your Stripes program has initiated a call-to-action for a national field renovation program that kicks off this coming Super Bowl Sunday with a commercial entitled "Plant a Seed."

The ad will focus on the role we all play in building stronger communities and making a difference in kids' lives. Because the Earn Your Stripes program is about inspiring kids to be their very best, "Plant a Seed" shows that before anyone can earn a single stripe, someone has to plant a seed and help give kids places to realize their promise and potential.

The field renovation initiative is currently accepting nominations for fields that need help. From this list, semifinalists will be chosen and then everyone can vote on which 30 will make the final cut. Through this program, fields will once again become central and vibrant places of activity and community in cities and towns across the country.

If there's a sports field in your city that could use some TLC, don't wait to nominate your local field for the Kellogg's Frosted Flakes Plant a Seed makeover. Your action could be the seed that revitalizes an entire neighborhood.

SeatSnug Makes Booster Car Seats Safer

When Cordy reached three years old, we realized she had outgrown most car seats. At 40" and 40 lbs, she was big enough for a booster seat. I really wasn't convinced she was ready for it, though. While she fit the size requirements, I worried that her tantrums and outbursts would pose a problem when she wasn't strapped into a 5-point harness.

While we bought a larger 5-pt. harness system for our SUV, our smaller sedan simply couldn't fit one of those monstrous seats. We bought a Graco TurboBooster instead, choosing to let Cordy slowly get used to it. But my worry has remained that she could too easily slip out of the seatbelt if something set her off into a meltdown, putting herself in a dangerous situation in a moving car. Thankfully, meltdowns are ver rare these days, and she has started to use her booster seat with few problems.

Mom Central recently offered me the chance to try out SeatSnug, a device that is placed on a seatbelt and keeps the lap portion from loosening during a drive. This not only prevents children from pulling on the seatbelt and loosening it, but it also stabilizes the booster seat, preventing it from shifting, rocking, or tipping from normal driving motions.

I'll start by saying this isn't the easiest device to install. The written directions weren't very clear, but the installation video on the SeatSnug website helped a lot. (Note: they're in the process of revising the written directions to make it clearer, but the video is extremely helpful.) So don't let your husband decide he doesn't need to see the video to install it, OK? Once the SeatSnug is on the seatbelt, it's practically impossible to get it off, so it's best to get it right the first time.

So how well does it work? This device lives up to its claims. Once on and in the locked position, you can't loosen the lap portion of the seatbelt, but the shoulder portion of the belt can still be loosened for comfort and movement. I didn't set the lap portion very tight - just enough to keep her secure. If you need to adjust the lap portion of the seatbelt, there is an "off" button that lets you adjust the belt, or you can leave it in the off position if you remove the booster seat for an adult.

Aside from the installation, we haven't had any problems with the SeatSnug. It makes me feel more secure in my decision to put my daughter in a booster seat, and she has no complaints about the lap belt remaining secure while in the car. I recommend this product, and I think once Mira is old enough for a booster, we'll be buying another one for her.

Lighting Up The Night

We have several friends who live about two hours away from us. Because they're all clustered in one area, we're often the ones driving to go visit all of them. We've done the drive so many times now, I think we could do it in our sleep. We often drive back at night, which leaves the passenger in the boring position of staring at the cars. Reading is difficult to do without distracting the driver or creating too much glare on the windshield. Our SUV has map lights in the ceiling, but those are too bright to the driver to use for any longer than a few minutes.

The Parent Bloggers Network sent me the Autolite Spotglo as an alternative to those dark, boring drives. It's a reading light that clips onto your seatbelt so that the light is only focused on your lap.

I like how small it is. The Spotglo stores easily in the glove compartment - even an overcrowded one like ours. It clips easily over the seatbelt and doesn't add a huge weight to the shoulder belt.

The light has two settings: low and high. Low was sufficient for me, but I used the high anyway to prevent any chance of eye strain. It's a bright, white light - I was impressed with the light strength.

The only problem I had with it was that it was hard to get the right angle on the light. While it works great for men and kids, it doesn't angle so well for women with anything over a B-cup. I had to hold it in the right position several times or lean forward slightly to get the best light. If they ever redesign it, I'd suggest having the light on a hinge so that it could move out and away from the main unit (even just an inch or two) for better positioning.

The warnings in the package say that this isn't to be used by the front-seat passenger, but since our back seat was filled with sleeping children, I wasn't able to use it any other way. It didn't distract my husband, though, so I would continue to use it in the front seat.

Cordy was a little too young and sleepy to try this out, but when she's older this will be perfect for her to read her books in the car on long drives. At that time I will probably be thankful this product can save me from countless refrains of, "Are we there yet?"

If you do a lot of driving at night, or long-distance driving, the Autolite Spotglo is a good product to have with you for your passenger, or your kids in the backseat. I think we'll be getting a lot of use from this on our long weekend drives.

Banish Burned Skin

If you've ever seen me in person, you know I'm quite pale. It should come as no surprise that I burn easily when out in the sunshine. Not quite spontaneous combustion, but without sunscreen it only takes ten minutes before I start to turn pink.

Now, if you've seen Cordy, you know she has my coloring, and is actually more pale than me. Sunscreen is a must for her, but trying to put something gooey or oily on a child who has sensory issues with anything like that touching her skin is not easy. I'd like to go play outside without going through a meltdown first.

So I was a little nervous when Parent Bloggers sent me samples of KINeSYS sunscreen. We were sent bottles of the spray-on sunscreen for adults and kids, a face stick, and a bottle of the lotion for kids. I knew the lotion wouldn't work for Cordy, so I tried the spray-on sunscreen.

Thank goodness the spray-on isn't aerosol. Cordy is afraid of aerosol cans, but only slightly perturbed by pump sprays. While she still whined while I applied it, she didn't freak out. The bottle said you didn't need to rub in the sunscreen, but I admit I did it anyway. Trying to spray an unwilling child means you probably miss a few spots, so rubbing just covered my bases. It dried in about three or four minutes - a little longer than they claim, but still acceptable.

I sprayed the adult sunscreen on myself, and didn't rub it in. Again, it took about three or four minutes to dry. It felt a little strange on my skin - silky or powdery is the best way I can describe it. That's still a huge improvement over the oily shell feel from most spray on sunscreens. The scent was light and pleasant.

Our first test was a cookout at a friend's house, out in the country. His backyard is full of toys, but not one tree, and it was a bright, sunny day. Amazingly, Cordy and I were burn-free after a full day of fun, with only one reapplication. Another test was our backyard on an oppressively hot day. I didn't sweat off the sunscreen, and Cordy's splashing in her pool didn't wash it off (sweat and water resistant). The result: no burn.

Probably the best part of the KINeSYS sunscreen is that it works for sensitive skin. It's free of any preservatives, PABA-free, oil-free, alcohol-free, and hypoallergenic. The kids sunscreen is also fragrance-free. Cordy and I both have sensitive skin, and this didn't bother our skin at all for regular use. Other sunscreens often cause Cordy's eczema to flare-up. The backs of her arms did get a little bumpy the one day I left the sunscreen on overnight, so if your child has sensitive skin, I'd recommend an early bath-time that night so it's not left on too long.

I also like the travel-size spray bottle, which is perfect to throw in the diaper bag so you're never without sunscreen.

So, to sum up the KINeSYS sunscreen: good sun protection, no greasy feel, easy application, good for sensitive skin, and doesn't freak out the kid with sensory issues. The only downside is the price: it's a little more expensive than your average sunscreen, but if you have sensitive skin and don't like oily sprays, I think it's worth it.

I have a feeling we'll be going outside more often now. Thanks to the Parent Bloggers Network for giving us the chance to try KINeSYS!