friday fun finds: the amazing brica super scoop

when you have a kiddo you learn pretty fast that toys make bath time much, much easier.....however, the mess they create all over the bathtub is complete chaos.

when I had my first-born I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a certain amphibian looking bath toy organizer (you know which one I am talking about, right?!) i don't know how to put it any other way....it sucked. I don’t know if it is because I have beveled subway tiles in the boys bathroom or what, but the suction cups that were supposed to hold it to the wall failed again and again and it fell down almost daily. The only other option was to use an adhesive strip that comes with it, but that sounded awful to me (think a nightmare to clean and remove when done with the product).

along came the brica super scoop. it retails for only $14.99 and has a simple to use push-lock suction cup. not only has this product stayed put, but the mesh netting fabric of the basket is easy to clean, provides more breathable space so the toys dry and don't get stinky and plus it holds a *ton* of toys. in my opinion, there is no need to try another bath storage product--i have been using mine for over 6 months now and it has stood the test of time.....the super scoop is truly a *must have* product!

disclaimer: I was provided with a product sample from the amazing people at brica (thank you *so* much) but all opinions are solely mine.

have kids, will travel...the long plane ride

planning a cross country plane trip with five kids can be overwhelming. planning a trip with one kid is overwhelming. over the years and with numerous cross country and overseas trips with my kids, i've gained experience if nothing else. once you get the packing of the suitcases done, here's the next step.

the thought of spending five plus hours on a plane with five children is enough to send me into the fetal position in a corner. it is daunting. still, i have done it several times and have come out (almost) unscathed. 

here is how we managed. 

• prepare activity backpacks for older children (readers)  i pack a backpack for each child old enough to carry one. they are full of things to do on a plane ride. each kid has their summer "homework" book by grade, something to color, markers and pencils, books to read, flash cards and at least one electronic devise. this is my daughter's backpack and hers included a *ds* to play. each child also has their own chargers in case there are plugs under their seats as well as their own head phones in a plastic bag inside their backpacks. the head phones also work on flights that have individual tv screens for each passenger. we were fortunate to have one of those planes for one of the legs of our flight. these have kids choices for their viewing pleasure. i think i had "good luck, charlie" on one, "phineas and ferb" on another and, "mickey mouse clubhouse" on a third. that's heaven for at least an hour or so but you'll need those head phones.

• prepare activity backpacks for older non-readers. this was more challenging for me. i have one child that is just entering kindergarten this year and a two year old. for my older non-reader, i packed much of the same items that his older siblings enjoyed. he still has a school workbook to enjoy, i brought two smaller books for us to read to him, he had coloring books and markers and a leap pad to play on the plane. he had is own charger and headset as well. i wanted to find a book that he could enjoy while the other kids were reading. i was so happy to discover an old "where's waldo" book. this was fantastic! he spent a solid hour searching for things and the older kids even got involved to help in the search. cheap and easy enjoyment.

Wheres Waldo Now? By Handford, Martin/ Handford, Martin (ILT) (Google Affiliate Ad)

• prepare activity backpacks for toddlers. my two year old's backpack looked different than his siblings. here's what worked for him
• coloring books and crayons
• small toys: matchbox cars, play airplanes, etc.
• a toddler size head set (ear buds don't fit into toddler ears. buy kid-sized headphones)
• a leapster (ours is broken but still has the coloring function)
• flashcards for toddlers (these just are vocabulary building)
• a lift the flap book - this one was a life saver. it filled a really long time as he had to open each flap on each page. this one has 50 flaps. that's a lot for a two year old.

Road Trip (Google Affiliate Ad)

       the key for entertaining any of my kids in their toddler stage was 

       attention and a lot of changes in activities. my husband and i usually 

       trade off who sits with the two year old just to keep things moving. 

       i also use my iphone and ipod to help entertain him. i have downloaded 

       his favorite movies onto each. if one ran out of batteries and i wasn't 

       able to charge it, i could use the other. i also try to avoid even opening 

       the backpack until the plane is in the air. there is enough excitement just

       watching the plane take off. if you can just occupy air time, that's easier. 

       don't forget a favorite blanket or whatever will facilitate in a successful 

       nap time on the plane. nothing makes time fly faster than a toddler 

       napping. bring whatever will make this happen.

• car seats on the plane. we brought our car seat on the plane for our two year old. i've heard of people bringing car seats into movie theaters. this is sort of the same principle. the kids are used to sitting in car seats. they know when they are in them, they have to be seated and stay strapped in. besides just being safer, it eliminates the constant discussions about why a child has to stay in his or her seat. this worked wonders for us. we have a *brica* car seat transporter. it's like a dolly for your car seat. the seat straps onto the transporter and you lean back and go. we even used it to get around in the airport. here's my son's cute shoes poking out while he sits and waits for us to head to security. i can't tell you how many parents stopped me to ask where i had purchased mine. it made life *so* much easier.

so great, right?

in case you are looking for your own, here's where you can find one:

brica roll 'n go car seat transporter

• bring food! i packed a ziplock bag full of goodies for each child's backpack. frankly, if they snacked the whole trip and ruined their dinner that day, i didn't care. i like to pack things that take a little bit of time to eat. hey, anything that makes the flight move along faster is great by me! i also bring an empty water bottle for each child in the side pocket of his or her backpack. i fill these after going through security to make sure they have plenty to drink on the plane. i also pack peanut butter & jelly sandwiches. you can make these the night before and freeze them. on the morning of your trip, transfer them to a disposable plastic container and bring it along. it will thaw by lunch time. sometimes plane rides don't work around meal times. it's not fun to have hungry kids. here are some other great food items to pack:
• raisins
• goldfish
• fruit snacks
• lollipops 
• cheese & crackers
• applesauce in the squeeze packets
• trail mix

• dress warmer than you think. planes can be chilly. it's easier to take clothes off if you are hot than to find something to keep your kids warm. dress them in layers and let them peel them off if necessary. 

• bring any possible medicines you may need in case of an emergency. this one may sound extreme but we learned the hard way. we have a couple of kids with asthma and within the first hour of one of our flights, one of our boys had an asthma attack and all of our meds were packed in our suitcases under the plane. luckily, his attack wasn't severe so we just rode the rest of the trip out and then got the medicine and gave him a breathing treatment in the airport. it would have been a lot easier to have it on hand and eliminate the problem. better to be safe than sorry!

• bring all the infant care items...and then some. packing for an infant isn't that much different than packing diaper bag would be on a normal day. just pack extra. make sure you don't forget a change of clothes in case of a big baby poopy or spit-up. disposable bags for dirty diapers are also a must on long plane rides. i also do something crazy. i bring my boppy or "my breast friend" on the plane. babies that do not have their own seat are held...the whole, long plane ride. this is so much easier if there is something you can lay them on. it is also a life saver when they fall asleep. before i thought of bringing the pillow, my arm would fall asleep along with the baby and i'd have to shift which would inevitably wake the baby up. baby and mommy are so much more comfortable this way.

My Brest Friend Leaf Nursing Pillow (Google Affiliate Ad)

that's it! i hope this is helpful and that all your travels are good ones. the more prepared you are, the more relaxed you'll be once the plane takes off. don't worry. it's just one day. you've got this!

have kids, will travel...the packing experience

we have recently returned from a close to one month trip to california. yep...traveled with the masses. i traveled by plane with a nine year old, a six year old, a five year old, a two year old and a four month old. i'm no expert, but having lived overseas when the three older kids were born and taking many a trip across the u.s., i figure i can lend a hand in the packing process for anyone who may be a first timer.

here are my tips:

• get started early. as unsightly as it may be, lay out your suitcases in advance. try to cram the kids things into half a suitcase. for most airlines, it's $25.00 for the first checked bag per passenger. might as well save money when you're packing little people clothes. 
• pack by outfit. when i'm on vacation, the last thing i want to do is search through the luggage for my kids clothes each day. i pack their suitcases by outfit. for the boys, shorts go with matching top and into the suitcase they go. this gives me a clear idea of how many days worth i need. it also helps so that i don't over pack. as you are packing in advance, as soon as an outfit is clean sometime in the week before, pack it. there is nothing more miserable than trying to do laundry the night before a trip. if an outfit is in a suitcase, it for sure won't be worn in the days immediately before a trip.
• don't forget to pack the basics. make sure you have socks, underwear, shoes, swimsuits, hair bows, accessories, leggings and pajamas or each kid for each day. sometimes i get so excited packing the outfits, i forget some of the essentials. 
• purchase items upon arrival. don't waste space or weight bringing a giant pack of diapers when you travel within the u.s. wherever you are going, some place or another will have the basics. this is true of children's shampoo and body wash, wipes, formula, and baby food. take the items you need to get you through your flight and the first day or so. within that time, take 20 minutes out of your trip to make a quick run to the store. you will probably be there anyway as it's nearly impossible not to forget something.
• make a check off list for the night before. there are several items you can't pack until the night before. make a list and set it on the counter for the morning of your trip. these are items such as the favorite blankets my small ones like to sleep with, a night light from one of their bedrooms, medicine they might take in the morning, toothbrushes, etc.
• become familiar with your scale. suitcases need to weigh less than 50 pounds or you will get charged for the extra weight. make sure your suitcases fall within that 50 pound margin. if you are like we are when we travel and you end up purchasing things on your trip, aim for 40 pounds a suitcase so you have room to add up to 10 pounds for your return trip. if you are at the 50 pound margin for all of your bags, seriously consider packing a cloth duffle bag in one suitcase to fill for the trip home.

• don't forget your stroller and your car seats. with small kids, a stroller is a life saver in an airport. even if it becomes a catch all as you are going through the different gates, bring it along. you can wheel it right up to the gate and drop it off as you enter the plane. thanks to the little magic airplane fairies, it will be right outside your airplane door when you arrive. if you are renting a car, you can rent a car seat through the different car rental companies. if you are visiting family and using one of their cars or you don't want to rent a car seat, travel prepared. my family had extra booster seats but i brought my own car seats for my littlest kids. you can check your car seats when you check in your luggage without any extra charge. i have a car seat cover and i *love* it. not only does it protect my car seat through all the baggage check in and the claiming process, but it has wheels, straps to wear like a back pack, and a little zippered compartment to put last minute items you don't want to carry on the plane. if you are going to check your car seat, seriously consider getting a protective cover. car seats are too expensive to get damaged in baggage. 

here's my favorite protector:

brica coverguard car seat travel tote

• be realistic about transportation to and from the airport. there was no possible way we were going to get to the airport in one car. with five kids, adults, two car seats and two boosters, we were at capacity. make sure you have a way to get to the airport, both coming and going. we had great friends who drove their truck with all our bags to the airport while we drove our car. on the way back, due to a sickness my dad was recovering from as we were leaving, we were struggling to find a way to get to the airport, a two hour drive from my parent's home. no joke, this is how we got there.

totally ridiculous, right? still, cheaper than an airport shuttle, 

easier with all the kids and realistically about $50.00 

more than it would have cost my parents in gas to 

make the two hour trip with two cars, there and back again. 

a little embarrassing? you bet. a solution? without a doubt. 

this should get you packed so you can finally proceed to security. check back tomorrow for how i pack to survive a five hour plane ride with five kids. carry-ons...here we come! happy travels!

friday fun finds: two must-have essentials for the beach or park

living in sunny san diego means that you get *a lot* of visitors in the summer and you make many a trips to the beach. :-) there are two items that i truly don't think that i could survive without and i just have to share with all of you.....

jj cole essentials blanket -- $29.95

this waterproof outdoor blanket is *amazing*. it folds up and is easy to carry. it is big enough for the family to sit on for a picnic and when it gets spilled on or sandy you simply throw it into the wash. i have had mine for over 4 years and it is still in excellent condition despite years of abuse use. :-)

brica handy hook -- $7.99

not only do i use this hook to hold my purse onto the stroller or shopping cart on a regular basis, but it is *fantastic* to hold the buckets full of beach toys! love. love. love this product!

what are *your* favorite products for the beach?