Cardiff Travel Headrest

When I was approached to review Cardiff's Travel Headrest, my first question was about safety.  I know that it is not safe to have "extra" things in the car that could become dangerous in a crash, but I was assured that it meets the FMVSS213 and CMVSS213 standards.   

My kids definitely have a bobble head affect when they fall asleep in the car, and it looks so uncomfortable!

A three-way car nap is awesome, and this is how it starts with James.  A few more minutes and he's slumped over with his head hanging over the arm rest

Once assembled (I had a little trouble snapping the pieces together, but it's SOLID, high quality stuff), it was quick to install.  It can stay in the car all the time because the arms can swivel up and out of the way.  The arms of the headrest have soft, padded fabric sleeves that are removable and machine-washable for easy cleaning.
It didn't work with our high-back booster, but it was great with the BubbleBum.  I think I'll claim that seat on road trips so I can nap!

sweet dreams. no sore neck.

Here is JD with all three products from the giveaway: Cardiff Headrest, BubbleBum, and MyBuckleMate.

I'll be posting car-related posts all week, ending with one big giveaway of all the items, including the Cardiff Travel Headrest!  
a Rafflecopter giveaway

**Disclosure: Cardiff sent me a free product to review.  All opinions are my own.

MyBuckleMate

I'm continuing my week of car-related posts with MyBuckleMate.  Anyone with a kid in a 3rd row knows how important it is for that kid to be able to buckle themselves.  JD has been buckling himself in for a while now, but sometimes it takes a while, and time is precious in our morning routine!  After installing MyBuckleMate (which took seconds), he said that it was "easier because it doesn't move around as much".  It keeps the buckle propped up and easy to reach.  

This is how the buckles usually look.

This is how MyBuckleMate props it up.

It even fits in the tight place next to JD's booster.  

I'll be posting car-related posts all week, ending with one big giveaway of all the items, including MyBuckleMate!  Enter below and keep checking back all week for more posts & chances to win.
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**Disclosure: MyBuckleMate sent me a free product to review.  All opinions are my own.

BubbleBum Review & BIG car accessory giveaway

When I was pregnant with K3, Keith and I knew we would both need new cars to accommodate our growing family.  We looked at EVERY make and climbed into the back of EVERY model to assess how the car seat situation was going to work.  We settled on the Honda Odyssey for me, and that is the vehicle we do almost all our family travel in.  

One giant vehicle was enough, so Keith decided against a super-sized SUV with a third row and got a Jeep Grand Cherokee.  He keeps an infant base and a high-back booster latched in the backseat, but BubbleBum is what makes it possible for him to fit all three kids safely if he needs to. 

All 3 in the backseat!

BubbleBum is an inflatable booster seat for kids ages 4-11 and weighing 40-100 pounds.

With Little League season starting up, and two of our kids on two different teams, I see carpooling in our future.  I can send James with this if someone offers a ride, or keep it in the minivan for any extra kids we accumulate.  Deflated, it's also small enough to throw in my diaper bag for taxi rides in the city.  And because I'm always worried about car safety, I checked out its rating: the IIHS (Insurance Institute of Highway Safety) named it their “Best Bet” in their booster seat evaluation report.

I'll be posting car-related posts all week, ending with one big giveaway of all the items, including a BubbleBum inflatable seat!  Enter below and keep checking back all week for more posts & chances to win.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

**Disclosure: BubbleBum sent me a free product to review.  All opinions are my own.

Isabelle Grace Jewelry Review & Giveaway

When I was asked to choose a piece of Isabelle Grace Jewelry to review, I spent way too much time browsing their site and daydreaming about all the different ways I could personalize each piece, gifts I could give to my friends and friends' daughters, and the gifts I would like to receive.

I liked that each piece is meant to be an heirloom, and I could create a piece that tells my story.  Instead of using my boys' initials, I decided to tell my love story and get a piece with my and Keith's initials.  

As with all their pieces, the necklace I designed is handmade in the USA.  It arrived surprisingly quickly and beautifully packaged.

This is the Initial Bar necklace I chose.

I love the way it came out, and it's perfect for everyday wear.

It survived a lot of this!

Isabelle Grace is kindly offering another necklace for a lucky reader.  Use the easy entry below, and good luck!
If you're looking for more, check out Isabelle Grace Jewelry on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

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**Disclosure: Isabelle Grace Jewelry sent me a free product to review.  All opinions are my own.

March Update

We are STILL having snow days here, but hopefully I will be talking about SPRING in the next update.  Hopefully.

O had a special time at school as Star of the Week, and I was very happy to be able to visit his classroom. They were also celebrating Chinese New Year, so I read a book about what kindergarten is like in China and we practiced eating snack with chopsticks.  It was ADORABLE.

K3 passed his 6 month tests with flying colors- except for the hearing test because he didn't let them put the thing in his ear for long enough to get results.

The paper did not stand a chance.

The boys and I had a great February break from school, and although we didn't venture out in the cold often, we did visit the Cradle of Aviation Museum with my mom. 

All three boys continue to do well in their swimming lessons.  K3 is kicking on his own, O passed his level four test, and JD is getting more and more competitive.  

And just this past week, K3 turned 7 months!  He is silly and happy and curious and fast.  He is on the move and getting into things already. One of his favorite times is when I put him on the floor with a basket of toys that he can pull out and spread around.  

Yo!

A serious pose

As far as Keith and I, there are exactly 101 days until the wedding!!  We have a bunch of offers on our home, and we are house hunting like it's our job.  It's like we are doing every stressful thing all at once, and then the rest of our lives will be cake.  I can't wait!