Travel season is upon us and I couldn’t be more excited. I’m dreaming of the open road and planning all sorts of fun adventures for the family. Now, all I have to do is figure out how to get me, hubby, baby and gear to all of our exciting destinations. Lucky for me, I didn’t have to waste much time figuring because Mountainsmith has already done the work for me. Their Modular Hauler sets are the perfect thing to help organize our adventures and make traveling with little ones as simple and organized as possible.
Before we found Mountainsmith, we would all pack in our own bags and then try and arrange it so that all our gear was easily accessible from the trunk. All sedan owners know that this feat is impossible – because something has to go in the back recesses of the trunk. Or, at least that used to be true. Now, with the Modular Hauler System, there is only one bag to put in that prime trunk-front real estate. Just one bag that contains everything you need to access while on the go in easy to identify colored compartments. Picture this: no more stacking, squishing and piling the bags in the trunk to fit everything in. No more digging through the car to find what you need only to have to repack the car once you find it. That’s right, it’s all the travel, none of the hassle.
It doesn’t seem possible, right? Something has to be stacked, squished or piled in order to get it all in there, doesn’t it? Are you sure that you’ll be able to find anything in that big ol’ bag? And possibly the most important question - will we still get in the road trip spirit if we don’t spend hours packing the trunk? Relax, naysayers. Meet Mountainsmith’s Modular Hauler Systems.
Mountainsmith Modular Haulers make this level of organization not only possible, they make it easy. They have 2, 3 and 4 cube Hauler Systems to organize any size family or vehicle as well as selling the Modular Cubes individually to fit just about any need. The Modular Hauler 3 System Deluxe works perfectly for our family and I have no doubt that it will continue to grow with us.
At the heart of the System are the Deluxe Cubes that fit perfectly into the Hauler and give you all the benefits of multiple bags but without all the trips. Since the 3 Deluxe Cubes are all fully functional bags on their own, when placed in the Hauler they are an organizer’s dream. Each Deluxe Cube is color coded for easy identification so you will always know which tote contains what with just a glance. If you do happen to forget that all the baby gear was in the red bag, Mountainsmith was clever enough to give the Deluxe Cubes laminated mesh tops, and even threw in a clear pocket for labeling or for small items that will remind you of the contents.
They don’t call these Deluxe Cubes for nothing, these little babies are tough-looking, rugged, reinforced gear haulers with triple layer construction and durability to spare. Made from 150d ripstop fabric with a thin foam structure that keeps the shape of the Deluxe Cube even when empty and makes for easy loading and unloading. Each Deluxe Cube has a flat front pocket for storage, tote handles for easy carrying as well as attachment points for shoulder straps or carabiners and loops for hanging. Hubby is absolutely convinced that if the need were to arise we could haul rocks in our Deluxe Cubes, but even I draw the line somewhere and will let you test that theory on your own.
Once placed in the 15” x 25” x 15” Modular Hauler, the whole system gets even more Deluxe. We’re talking waterproof rubber bottom, easy carry handles on all four sides, compression straps, and a reinforced folding internal structure. The rubber base allows you to set it down anywhere without worrying about what lies beneath, even in a good inch plus of water. The handles on every side insure that you will always have a place to grab or secure the Hauler if necessary, while the compression straps hold everything in place. And with the internal structure easily folding down when not in use, you won’t have a hard time storing the Modular Hauler in between trips.
Although I really can’t see storing it at all since it’s so useful for all sorts of applications, even just around the house. It would be perfect for sporting equipment, camping supplies, travel gear or even just organizing your closet contents. Perhaps even just for hauling large amounts of rocks…should the need arise.
Random Rave: All parts of the system can be used either independently or together, allowing for numerous configurations to fit whatever you’re hauling.
Price: 2 Cube Systems start at $59 and each additional Cube adds $20 to the price. The 3 Cube Deluxe model with the rubber base that was reviewed here sells for $129
Looks: Like a super rugged and organized version of whatever you’re hauling now
Overall: Perfect for small roadtrips, big camping trips or even just for organizing around the house
A big thank you to Mountainsmith for organizing all our gear for all our many activities
It’s oftentimes hard to predict what toys and games baby will take to and which will only hold her attention momentarily. When I was introduced to eebee’s adventures by Every Baby Company, I had my fingers crossed that she would think they were as cool as I did. Apparently not a concern in this case, as the eebee product line became some of baby’s favorite toys instantly.
Her absolute favorite is the If The Shape Fits eebee Playset that combines baby’s two very favorite things: wild hair and putting her toys in random places. The 12” eebee doll takes care of the wild hair portion and looks exactly as he does on the DVDs – cute, playful and cuddly, which just so happens to be baby’s exact requirements for playmates. He comes with four plush shapes that fit around his arms and legs and can be removed and placed on a surprisingly large number of things in an average household, which takes care of the random toy placement desire nicely.
The If The Shape Fits eebee Playset is designed as an alternative to the boring shape and stacking toys we had as kids and is one of the coolest toys I have seen in a long time. Since the shapes are expandable they not only fit around eebee’s arms and legs, they also fit around virtually anything under 12” in diameter, making for a game that changes depending on which room we’re playing in. Of course, baby’s absolute favorite place to put the shapes is on me because she knows it’s going to lead to kisses. It also happens to be my favorite as well because I know those kisses are going to elicit that beautiful belly laugh which is pretty much the goal of just about every game I play with her. Ahhh, a game that everyone wins.
Another favorite eebee toy is the Snuggle Time eebee Playset that includes a super soft blanket eebee with his signature wild hair and a cuddly blanket body that has even more eebee dreadlocks attached around the blanket trim for baby’s enjoyment. She absolutely loves carting the eebee Blankie around with her and dragging him along wherever she goes.
The Snuggle Time Playset includes a great little DVD called “Laundry List” which was the first show baby ever watched on T.V., thus beginning our eebee relationship. “Laundry List” absolutely captivates baby’s attention and even has been known to induce that adorable little belly laugh from time to time. I really didn’t expect the videos to be such a hit with her, considering she’s just barely one and hasn’t had any previous screen-time, but I think the slow pace of the film is geared right towards where she’s at. She will sit slack-jawed and stare at the screen when eebee is on as if her best friend is in the room with her, with her attention clearly focused on what is happening on screen.
I was completely surprised that eebee films were not the fast paced toddler cartoons I was used to, but rather a relaxed set of shots that were not story-line driven. Clearly baby is not old enough to appreciate storylines and plots at this time, so I was relieved that eebee was focused on small interactions instead of an actual story that you had to follow. Broken up into short segments that profile ways that you can engage your young child with every day objects and situations, the film is more about encouraging interaction than it is watching action. In fact, there is very little action on the screen at any one time and nearly no moving shots, which I thought was great because it didn’t over stimulate baby but kept her attention the whole time.
To me, one of the hardest facts of parenting has been that the only way to really tell if your child is ready for the next level of play is just by slowly introducing it and seeing how they do with it. There is no real list to follow for baby’s first year and no one to send you gentle reminders that baby should be playing “So Big” by now or is ready for more structured playtime. Oftentimes when I am sitting and playing with baby, I will fall back to the three stand-by games that every kid since 1801 has played with their parents and then draw a blank as to other ways I can encourage more interaction from baby.
I found the eebee adventures DVD to be something akin to introduction on how to play with your baby, which made me realize all the every day things that I really could be utilizing in order to encourage exploration. After watching “Laundry List” and the bonus feature on the DVD that talks to three experts about how children learn, I have realized that there is a whole level of play that I was really skipping over in my day-to-day interactions with baby. So, you ask, has eebee made me a better mom? While the jury is still out on that one, I do know that I have received 175% more belly laughs since introducing baby to eebee and that’s a percentage I can appreciate.
I started to write the TABY Tray review and two pages into it I realized that I could go on all day about all the things I love about having a portable tray when we’re on the go. So, I thought I would save you a few hours and give you the highlights instead. For your viewing pleasure, I give you the reasons why I love the TABY Tray:
Snack Time for Infants: I will never forget the day I realized baby could pick things up and put them in her mouth all by herself. How happy I was imagining a snack time that didn’t render me completely useless as I stopped to hand feed her every few seconds. My happiness at self feeding was short lived indeed when I realized that unless I was going to sprinkle food across the floor for her to find, I was still going to end up chasing her around to feed her. The day I realized I could hook the TABY Tray right around her infant seat and sprinkle food on the Tray for her to feed herself pretty much saved baby’s and my sanity.
Travel Tray for use in Automobiles: Perfect for making playtime portable and rides exponentially less fussy. Road trip season is here and with it comes the mad dash to find something, anything at all that can enable kids to endure long car trips with grace. Simply attach the TABY Tray under the car seat or booster seat and enjoy the sounds of {hopefully quiet} Tray time.
Stroller Tray: Most strollers come with a bar or tray that goes over your child’s lap and while they are great for holding a sippy cup or a handful of crackers, they are not useful for much else. If strollin’ is your thing, you will be just as pleased as I was to realize the TABY Tray is perfect for keeping your kids’ stuff within easy reach while they ride and allows them to play independently no matter where you are.
Craft Time: The TABY Tray makes a great craft tray for kiddos on the go. The small lip of the tray keeps smaller items contained and the molded cup holder is perfect for storing larger items. Crayons and markers can be collected in the cup holder and also stay contained on the Tray thanks to the lip on the perimeter of the TABY Tray should they roll away.
Portable Meals: Can’t bring your high chair with you when you go visiting? No problem. Just bring along your TABY Tray and hook it under the chair seat and over your child’s lap for a portable and easy high chair solution at grandma’s house or even at restaurants when the table top is nowhere near clean enough to eat off of.
For Adults, too: I have used the TABY Tray for working on art projects or even paperwork or laptop use when I needed something more stable than my lap or when I need a place to set all my small stuff. The lip of the Tray is nice so small items don’t roll off, and the cup holder is great for all sorts of things, including remote controls, craft supplies or actual beverages.
Clearly there are plenty more uses for a handy and portable Tray that can go just about anywhere, but I will let you brainstorm the rest. While the TABY Tray is lightweight, it is still very sturdy and stable for just about any use you can dream up. It should be noted that the TABY is not a cheap fold up Tray and therefore there is no assembly required before use, you just attach the strap and go. When not in use, the TABY was easy enough to store leaning against a wall or standing up in the closet, but it does require more room in the trunk, stroller, or playroom than the folded trays do. But, stability and durability make it well worth the space to store it.
To really minimize our need to store the Tray when not in use, we ended up making some minor modifications that increased the usefulness of the Tray and cemented the TABY Tray as one of the most useful on-the-go items. Since the TABY Tray is attached to seats, strollers and boosters by one single strap that connects underneath the seat base, sometimes the Tray can slip forward if jarred or lifted by anxious kiddos. To stabilize the TABY Tray even more, I really wish the Tray had two straps that could be placed strategically in either a pyramid shape along the base or with one strap behind the seatback to add extra security. Since we don’t have the ability to add another strap, we came up with the next best thing: carabiners. When attached around the TABY Tray strap they can then be hooked to the stroller or car seat to secure it in place and add another dimension of stability to Tray time. The carabiners are especially useful when the TABY Tray is attached to a seat that has an uneven bottom or rounded seat base. Two TABY straps would be far superior, but the clips ended up working surprisingly well and now stay attached to the TABY Tray straps for ease of connecting to odd shaped seats.*
I know all of you parents are concerned with the safety of your children while traveling, so you will be happy that the TABY Tray Company has passed independent laboratory crash testing according to the company representative I contacted. I have included the information that was forwarded on to me regarding TABY’s safety points.
TABY Tray Safety Considerations
Design: The tray was designed with both function and safety in mind. Functionally, the tray fits a variety of car seats and strollers because of the adjustable nylon web belt and fastening buckles. The tray can conveniently be installed and removed from either side of the tray which promotes proper installation.
Materials: The plastic material used for the tray is ABS plastic. This is the same sturdy plastic used for football helmets and other demanding applications. The material is hard, yet flexible. It can easily be kept clean. It is not brittle or subject to cracking. It will not warp in the heat of an enclosed parked car in the summer. And, the white plastic source is not hot to the touch as other interior car parts are when you first get into the car.
Testing: The TABY Tray has been tested by independent laboratories mechanical, flammability and crash situations. The following results were achieved: Mechanical - Impact ( 16 CFR 1500.51): PASSED Mechanical - Torque/Tension (16 CFR 1500.53): PASSED Mechanical - Sharp Points (16 CFR 1500.48): PASSED Mechanical - Sharp Edges (16 CFR 1500.49): PASSED Mechanical - Small Parts (16 CFR 1500.01): PASSED Flammability (16 CFR 1500.44): PASSED 30 Mile Per Hour Head-On Crash Test: PASSED
Overall: Highly recommended for traveling with kiddos, or even for household use.
A happy {whispered} thank you to TABY Tray for sending this Tray and making car rides and playtime a whole lot more enjoyable.
* Clearly, the safety considerations above were not done with our carabiner modifications in place. Extra caution should always be taken to follow the manufacturer’s instructions exactly when using the TABY Tray in moving vehicles to ensure your children are safe.
Forget movies - let’s pop some popcorn and watch baby sleep on the Remote Pan and Tilt Color Baby Monitor by 4UCam. We have drama (what happened to the pacifier?), we have suspense (is she waking up?) and we have comedy (how on earth did she get in that position?). For those of you who think I’m kidding, don’t bother coming over for movie night at my house.
When I was pregnant, hubby and I agreed on a sleep plan for our baby: first she would sleep in our room in a Pack ‘n Play and then we would move her to her crib when she was a few months old. And then this helpless baby was placed in my arms and all of a sudden her room down the hall seemed so far away. I’ll completely admit that it was me dragging my feet on moving baby down the hall, not the other way around. Adamant that she not sleep in our room past her first birthday, I made arrangements to move her a few months prior and was anticipating a gigantic fight. We were surprised to find that baby was quite the independent sleeper, but it was me that needed the constant reassurance that baby was okay.
I finally decided that baby could sleep in her bed alright, providing I could still see her whenever I wanted. No, I did not move into her room with her, taking up residence on her floor. Instead, I found 4UCam, a company that makes all sorts of video baby monitors that enable you to watch baby sleep from the comfort of your bed. I fell in love with the Pan and Tilt Camera and now enjoy watching baby sleep from all over the house - in the living room, or office, backyard and more. Even better, it allowed me to pan and tilt the camera around the room remotely as she slept. That means I can potentially keep an eye on two babies in one room or one extremely active one that flops around her crib as she sleeps remotely, not needing to get up and move the camera numerous times a night.
That first night baby crib-slept was pretty restless. I woke over a dozen times and grabbed the 4UCam video monitor waiting to see baby’s chest rise and fall. Assured that everything was fine, I would fall back asleep for another 45 minutes before I would awake suddenly, missing my baby again. As the days went on, I relied less and less on the monitor and only needed to check the screen periodically during the night. Though sometimes I still wake with a start and frantically reach for my 4UCam, I’ve finally gotten much more relaxed about checking on baby so frequently.
Knowing that I can see her at any time has almost had the opposite effect that I thought it would on my predisposition for nervousness. Whereas before we had the 4UCam I would continually tiptoe to the nursery at nap time and try and see her through the crack in the door. Oftentimes I would wake her with the motion in the hallway or when I accidentally stepped on the one creaky spot in the entire house that just so happens to be right outside baby’s door and then I would spend the rest of the hour with a fussy baby that just can’t comprehend why someone would wake them because they were being too quiet on the audio monitor.
Because the 4UCam has audio and visual capability in both daylight and in the dark, there is absolutely no doubt about how baby is doing at any given time. You can crank the volume up and bask in the sound of baby’s every breath or, you can lower the volume and just keep a watchful eye on your little one. We actually use our 4UCam Pan and Tilt Camera more often this way as the color image on the monitor is so detailed we find we can easily discern baby’s cuteness and breathing with just a glance and therefore can savor the silence with full peace of mind.
Having the sound turned down serves a dual purpose because in certain spots in our house we get interference that causes the audio to crackle a bit. This happens mostly when my blackberry or laptop is close by, but we haven’t been able to specifically narrow it down to either of those causes. Since neither the laptop or my phone are going anywhere any time soon, the sound on the monitor just had to go, which I didn’t mind a bit. We still get this interference every once in a while which causes the image on the monitor to fuzz and distort, but it usually only lasts a second or two and then the image comes back clearly. If they could find a way to improve upon the signal I would be thrilled, but it's honestly not that bad the way it stands. With the sound turned on, the interference was much more noticeable, and once that was gone the intermittent distortion wasn't as big of a bother.
The other improvement I could see on the 4UCam monitor would be to make it more portable for parents who aren't always in one room. Some ideas would be a clip to make carrying the parent’s monitor easier and extended battery life or a rechargeable battery option that would make the unit cheaper and more efficient to operate when you can't plug into a wall. The parent's monitor does comes with a metal fold out stand that works great keeping the monitor at whatever angle is the best for viewing while on flat surfaces, but it would be really cool to have a clip and extended battery life as well so I could attach it to my belt when I’m moving around the house and not worry about running through batteries.
Camera/Transmitter (860T) Imaging Sensor : CMOS CMOS Total Pixels : 510x492(NTSC) Horizontal Resolution: 380 TV Lines View Angle: 60 Degree Minimum Illumination: 0 Lux Transmission Frequency: ISM 2,400~2,483 MHz Transmission Power : 2mW/FCC Modulation Type: FM Bandwidth : 18 MHz Power Supply: +9 VDC Consumption Current : 600mA & 700mA(IR ON) Horizontal Rotating Angle: 270 Degree Vertical Rotating Angle: 120 Degree Unobstructed Effective Range : 330 feet (Min) Night Vision Range: 16 feet Dimensions(WxDxH): 104 x110 x124 mm Weight : 8 ozs. Operating Temperature : -10 ~ +50 (Degree C) / +14 ~ +122 (Degree F) Storage Temperature: -20 ~ +85 (Degree C) / -4 ~ +185 (Degree F) Operating Humidity: 85% RH
Monitor/Receiver LCD Size : 2.5 inch TFT LCD Resolution: 480 x 234 Receiving Frequency: ISM 2,400MHz~2,483MHz Demodulation Type: FM Receiving Sensitivity: <= -85dBm Power Supply: +9 VDC Consumption Current : 300mA Remote control transmission Frequency 315/433/868/915MHz Remote control transmission power: 14+/-1.5dBm Remote control Modulation Type: FSK Dimensions(WxDxH): 68 x 149 x 26 mm (Excluding Antenna) Weight : 6 ozs. Operating Temperature : 0 ~ +50 (Degree C) / +32 ~ +122 (Degree F) Storage Temperature: -20 ~ +80 (Degree C) / -4 ~ +176 (Degree F) Operating Humidity: 85% RH
Random Rave: Notice those little A/V Cables? That enables you to play the 4UCam camera outputs on your big screen or connect directly to a recording device, which is perfect for capturing all of baby's cuteness on film.
I have no plans to retire this little baby once I no longer have babies. The 4UCam will be perfect for keeping an eye on the kids in the yard or in the playroom because I can pan and tilt the camera to see large areas of ground. Obviously, I wouldn’t be going far away from the kiddos and wouldn’t use the 4UCam as a babysitter (baby’s future playmate’s parents all breathe a sigh of relief) but it would be nice to put dinner into the oven and then return without worrying they were climbing trees or walls unassisted.
This system is completely expandable and has the capability of controlling up to 3 cameras so you could potentially watch all your children in 3 separate rooms on one monitor. Cameras are sold separately on their website as well as full sets. I have dreams of eventually having three cameras on this system that would enable me to watch the nursery on one, the playroom on another and then another that I could take into work with me. I would only need to bring the handheld monitor with me and I would have a super sophisticated video setup wherever I go.
Click here to see a 4UCam in action:
Price: $169.95 for set with one camera and one monitor, with additional cameras available for $99.95 as well as a number of other accessories that help you expand this system to last for years.
Looks: Similar to a traditional audio monitor but so much cooler.
Overall: Gives you peace of mind and versatility for years of use.
A huge thank you to 4UCam for giving us new parents peace of mind - all day long.
I could spend hours at fabric stores going through the stacks of prints and rows of goodies, dreaming of the possibilities like a kid in a toy store. And now the same store that I adore can literally be a toy store for our little ones. JoAnn Fabrics and Michael's have introduced the new Smooshies line of stuffed friends that are sure to be a hit with your kiddos.
It makes sense that Smooshies are found in fabric and craft stores, a creative haven and place where the possibilities are endless. Smooshies are an imagination inspiring toy for kids of all ages, and just plain fun for kiddos. Kids can create any friend they can imagine using the Smooshie parts, and then switch up the pieces for creation of a new friend as many times as they’d like.
Simply select a Smooshie body in the shape you’d like to snuggle with and you can begin to create. You can choose between an assortment of arms, legs, hair, accessories and facial expressions and place them on the Smooshie body with the Velcro tabs attached to both. I found that the Velcro tabs held fairly well, but sometimes fell off when the kids were playing or really snuggling, which didn’t seem to matter to the kiddos and actually seemed amusing to them.
Rave and Review Tip: Make it known early and emphatically that just because you are at a fabric store doesn’t mean that you are going to be creating dozens of outfits for the kids’ Smooshies. Ideally, they will eventually come out with interchangeable clothing for the Smooshies line, but in the meantime they will have to be creative with the pieces provided. Unless of course, you’re looking for more projects.
Keeping a vehicle clean in the Pacific Northwest is an almost impossible task, especially if your “children” are of the four-legged variety. Finding any product that can help ease the stress of pet transportation is a welcome breath of fresh air. The Waterproof Hammock Seat Cover by Solvit Products, is definitely one of the things top on our list and something any pet owner should have if transportation by sedan or backseat is the way they roll.
The Waterproof Hammock Seat Cover is made of a khaki colored heavy duty fabric with a practical waterproof backing. The Solvit Hammock was clean and crisp looking straight out of the package, and actually looked quite nice once installed. We were incredibly surprised at how easy the installation of the Solvit Pet Hammock was, as anyone that has known us more than a few minutes knows we are not big on rolling out the instructions and going step by step. It installs in mere minutes, but saves you hours of cleaning your backseat which just so happens to be one of my least favorite tasks. We were very impressed with how easily we could remove the cover from the backseat if we need to cart around friends and family, and then just as quickly reinstall.
The cover is adjustable in a number of ways, starting with the width of seat to fit anywhere from a smaller to larger backseat. It is complete with 4 additional strap adjustments that slip over the headrests and allow for height adjustment of the cover. Each side of the cover resting against the driver and passenger seats has pockets for leashes, gear or puppy snacks with a button down flap to prevent things falling out. The cover comes with “Sta-Put” anchors that you place in between the seat and the seatback to help hold the Solvit Pet Hammock in place on the ride and keep your back seat as clean as possible.
Which is good, because playtime at the dog park means pups can get rather dirty and you will need all the help you can get keeping your car clean. But, even if the pups are filthy dirty, they can lie on the Solvit Seat Cover in the backseat without causing damage to the leather seats or upholstery. Being waterproof is another huge bonus because the pups can drink from a water bowl and spill a little (or a lot of) water without it soaking through to the leather below.
We don’t have the pleasure right now of having a station wagon or SUV to support the dogs in the rear of the vehicle so we rely solely on the backseat to transport the pups. With the Solvit Waterproof Hammock Seat Cover, we don’t have to worry about the pups making their way into the front seat or floor of the backseat while driving since the cover blocks the passage to the off limit areas and makes us far more relaxed when transporting. Another bonus was that when the Waterproof Pet Hammock is installed, you can still use the foot area of the backseat for storage without worrying that the pups will get at whatever you store there.
We found the “Sta-Put” anchors hold the majority of the Waterproof Pet Hammock in place even when the pups are most active, however the sides of the backseat can suffer a little as the cover doesn’t securely fasten to hold down the sides where the doors open. Such is the nature of a one size fits all product, and really didn’t end up limiting our use of the Solvit Hammock, especially with the generous 56 x 59 size. The only other downfall is the straps that wrap around the headrests can slip if the pups are extremely active, so you may find that adjustment is necessary on a long road trip or for frequent use. All in all, pretty minor complaints considering the Solvit Seat Cover saves you having to detail (and then re-detail) your car after every pet trip.
My husband and I are thrilled with this product and would recommend it to anyone who travels with pets, whether that is around town or cross country. Any problems we had with the product were extremely minor considering that it is saving our backseat from being destroyed by our pups.
It was somewhat akin to a pep rally, only on a much larger scale. I don’t think I’ve seen as much audience participation at a sporting event since my high school was state champions back in the late 90s, and I think there’s a good reason for that. In most cases, watching sporting events on TV gives you a much better shot of the action than when you’re actually at the game watching it. But no telecast could possibly have come close to the excitement in the last quarter at the Seattle Storm game on Wednesday.
There were Bam Bams/ThunderStix (much to the delight of the kiddos), there was cheering, chanting and singing, and I don’t think anyone in the crowd actually needed a seat for the last half of the 4th quarter. Normally, when I’m at a sporting event it will start to drag by the 3rd quarter and I’ll be checking the time and wondering when I will get home to finish off my to-do list, but I didn’t check my watch once during the night. In fact, it felt like the game was over quicker than normal, which it wasn’t. I guess that’s what happens when you are having fun.
And we all were having fun, as a family. Rare is the activity that can keep adults, almost-teens and babies entertained for almost two hours in plastic chairs, but I will definitely have to include Seattle Storm games in my entertainment arsenal from now on. For a few dollars more than you would spend on going out to a movie, you can take your kids to see a live basketball game and live entertainment to boot. In between quarters and during game breaks, they had numerous kids activities and entertainment, including the Seattle Storm Dance Troupe which was comprised of kids of various ages and was very cute to watch. They also had contests and trivia as well as shirts they sent out into the audience with a giant sling-shot. Beat that, local cinemas.
Not only are the games very kid-friendly and family-oriented, I don’t think there’s a bad seat in the Key Arena during a Seattle Storm game, which makes watching the game for kiddos so much more enjoyable. Even in the gigantic Key, it somehow still manages to feel intimate and the whole event seems really accessible. Partly that is due to the atmosphere of the arena and the very friendly nature of the Seattle Storm fanbase. They were a “no, after you” kind of group and the kind of folks that will hand you paper towels when they can see you have your hands full with two kids in the restroom.
Taking your kiddos to sporting events has been a long tradition in my family, but one that I really hadn’t put much thought into until last night’s Storm game. I guess I had thought that I would wait until baby was a bit older and able to appreciate it as much as the older kids, but I’m really glad I didn’t. I don’t think I have ever seen my daughter look this excited, ever. I think she thought the entire stadium was cheering for her and all her new moves, but I think it was just our section that was egging her on. I guess there’s just something extra adorable about a baby who will stand and cheer through an entire WNBA game, especially when that kid is having the time of her life.
We were lucky enough to score some tickets to the autograph event after the game, and went to take our place in the signing line after the game had ended. Unfortunately, we hadn’t thought much about what we were going to get signed until after we had already lined up. When we decided to get some basketballs for the kids and went to check out the merch booth just a few minutes after the game had ended, we were very disappointed to find that even though they had five people still in the booth, they were not able to let us purchase the basketballs. Next time we will know to get our merchandise sooner, and now so will you.
In the end the kids had each of their Bam Bams signed for posterity, or at least until they deflate. Ashley Walker (#44) and Sue Bird (#10) were on hand for the autograph session, and were very nice in the brief encounter. They liked baby’s Weezer onesie and were very gracious to all that had lined up to see them, thereby making me a much bigger fan than I had walked in as.
Speaking as one of Seattle Storm's newest fans, I have to say how impressed I was with the game, the entertainment and then the players. It’s hard to think of many good role models for young girls these days, but the WNBA is one of those organizations you can really get behind. Not only is their entertainment appropriate for all-ages, they pride themselves on their extensive charity programs and giving back to the community, which is something I can really get behind.
Here are a few of the programs the WNBA and the Seattle Storm participate in, as well as links to the websites where you can read more:
Overall: A fun and low-stress activity for adults and kids of all ages.
You can stay in the WNBA loop and befriend them on the following social networking sites, as well as get game stats and media spots online at the links below:
It’s finally beach season here in the Northwest and oh boy are we excited since we’re surrounded by miles and miles of coastline that’s only good for skipping stones most of the year. This long overdue heat means that everyone is flocking to the water park, coastline, or swimming pool to cool off and enjoy time with our kiddos. Unfortunately, with water comes the inevitable wet mess that follows families home after the water adventure ends. Generation Baby offers a hip, stylish and contained solution to corralling the wet mess and making water fun… more fun.
The Generation Baby line is all about functionality for parents on the go, and their Wet Sack is their crowing achievement. Made of durable and waterproof fabrics, the generous sized Wet Sack is the perfect summertime tool for containing wet clothing, diapers and more and keeping the rest of the diaper bag or suitcase clean and dry. It even comes with a clipped strap that can easily attach to strollers, backpacks and suitcases so your wet gear is easily accessible. When the Wet Sack gets dirty (and it will, or you’re not using it correctly) you can just throw it into the wash with the wet mess you’re laundering.
The Wet Sack is completely waterproof, but that should not be confused with water tight. I couldn’t get mine to leak while holding soiled of wet clothing, diapers or gear, but you should note that it is not designed for actually filling with water for transport. I filled mine to the top to see how it handled mass amounts of water and it actually performed pretty well, considering the seams are not sealed. Even full of water, all I could produce was a trickle of water from the corners. Not bad.
Features (From Generation Baby’s website): • Machine Washable/Dry on Low • Phthalate Free • Lead Free • Made with Organic Inks • Made in Canada • 12" x 13.5"
Random Rave: The Wet Sack can work conversely as well, offering a contained dry bag for when everything’s soggy, sandy or dirty and you need to keep a few things dry and clean. This is particularly useful for keeping a small change of clothing and a few diapers in for taking to the beach. When your little one is ready to go home, you simply change them into their clean clothing from the dry bag and then put the wet stuff inside - now becoming a Wet Sack!
The perfect solution for preserving your priceless memories
A few years ago, I got a frantic call from a friend who wanted me to come take pictures of her son immediately. It turned out her computer had crashed and with it was the first 3 months of her newborn son’s life. Of course, she had already deleted those pictures off her camera, never to be recovered again. With this story, I learned my lesson… sort of. I started making periodic backups of my pictures and spending a small fortune in burnable discs. Since the sheer volume of pictures I take monthly can fill up CDs and DVDs in no time, I ended up with huge stacks of discs of all of my pictures I backed up each month. I then had to figure out how to store those discs in the safest way without completely giving up my office. When one of those discs was horribly scratched and my pictures were unrecoverable, I learned my lesson again…sort of. It was then that I came up with the plan to just never delete my pictures off my memory cards in my cameras, a plan that hubby detests (loudly) every time he grabs one of my cameras and the memory card is inevitably full. Not only is it expensive to buy a ton of memory cards, I’m sure you can imagine that this is a pretty inconvenient plan for impromptu photo shoots.
And then I found Picture Keeper, a photo storage solution that both hubby and I can agree on wholeheartedly. My elation when I found Picture Keeper was only one notch below jubilant singing, and about 80,000 notches above how I (and hubby) felt about my previous picture backup system. Picture Keeper is a truly intelligent image storage device, and something that I think everyone with a digital camera (in other words, everyone but my dear sweet grandma) should own.
So, what is it, you ask? It is the roughly the size of a hair clip and looks just like a standard USB flash drive. But, what makes the Picture Keeper so cool, and why I’m absolutely raving about it, is how it works to save all your precious memories. Instead of putting in a USB drive and then digging through your photo folders to find all the pictures you have taken since your last backup, just hoping you don’t overlook any, the Picture Keeper automatically searches your computer for picture files and then securely saves them. Yes, automatically.
When the Picture Keeper arrived, I did absolutely zero reading of instructions, mostly because the little device simply doesn’t require any instruction at all. You simply plug it in and it does it all for you. The first time I connected it to my computer it had its work cut out for it, since it had to search through years and years of photos and files to find all of my images to save (see image on left of a portion of those files it preserved for me). It took a few hours for the device to pull them all and copy them to the Picture Keeper, which was fine because I had done it right before bed and I let it do its thing while I slept. When I woke up the next morning I saw the message that all my files had been successfully saved. Since I’m kind of a Nervous Nelly when it comes to irreplaceable files, I searched through the Picture Keeper device and was thrilled to see that every file was there (yes, I inventoried so you don’t have to). Then I simply unplugged it and put it in my purse - which is incredibly convenient because now I have the ability to bore just about anyone with my years worth of baby pictures or my trip to Spain, all on a moment's notice. Company beware.
Since the first download, I have done two other backups and am thrilled at the Picture Keeper service. All I do is plug in the little device and within minutes it has scoured my computer for image files that are new since the last backup and then it adds them to the Picture Keeper. No time lost going through files and folders searching for pictures, no worrying I missed important pictures, and no wondering if it was properly backed up because the Picture Keeper does all the work for me. They even have an email reminder service that sends you an optional message reminding you to back up, taking absolutely all of the guesswork out of saving your pictures.
Once the pictures are backed up on the Picture Keeper, they are easily accessible and organized in their original folders and subfolders. Genius, really. The Picture Keeper's file saving program is all run off the USB device, so there are no special programs to download in order for the backup to run. You can even use your Picture Keeper on multiple computers, which was great so I could collect all my pictures on my laptop and desktop and save them all onto the same Picture Keeper. I was even able to take my Picture Keeper to work with me and backup all the pictures I had stored on my work desktop throughout the years, all effortlessly and securely.
Random Rave: As cool as it is to save and store all your pictures, I found myself wishing that I had a Picture Keeper for backing up all my other files. I'm sort of an Excel junkie, and tend to create mass amounts of data sheets that are as near and dear to me as old friends. Imagine my excitement to find that the Picture Keeper can even be configured to save my entire collection of spreadsheets or word documents, just by changing the advanced settings on the back up. I'm. In. Love.
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Please leave a comment below for each of the extra entries On August 6th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email
Congratulations to Kiley, the lucky winner of the Picture Keeper storage device. Kiley said:
