The Goods: Summer Travel Must Haves for the Family

Summer is upon us and so is travel season. The biggest vacation stress for me is packing. And because of crazy-high baggage checking fees, I'm learning better ways to pack a carry-on bag and only bring what is necessary in order to save space. Here is a list of a few items that I don’t leave home without during our family vacations.

 

Now that you can't bring bottles of water through security the Bobble filtered water bottle is a must! You can just fill up the Bobble water bottle from the bathroom sink or drinking fountain and your water is filtered and tastes just like the fancy stuff. the water Bobble was also very handy when I was having to mix baby formal on long flights.

 

The Simple Sensitive Skin Expert Cleansing Wipes are perfect for travel because you don't have to worry about carry-on liquid allowances! These wipes remove everything (even waterproof mascara), always stay moist, and never dry out. They are also gentle and have no fragrance or harsh chemicals (perfect for sensitive skin).

When traveling and even for everyday use I am obsessed with dry shampoo and not the expensive salon stuff! I have been using Suave Dry Shampoo when needing a fast hair freshen up or when I don't have the time to take a shower (which is almost every other day as a new mom). Yes, it sprays on white but  once the shampoo absorbs the oils and is brushed through my hair it looks like normal (sometimes better than normal)!

My son is very curious and the first thing I have to do when we are in hotel rooms is to make sure it is baby proofed—using blue painter tape is my little trick! I use the tape to cover electrical outlets, tape back wires, tape closed cabinets or doors. I just keep a roll in my suitcase so it is never forgotten.

Snacks, snack, snacks! This is very important when traveling with a toddler, so I make sure to pack baby food pouches such as Ella's Kitchen and teething biscuits. The food pouches are great because I don't need to carry cutlery and the packaging is malleable so it doesn’t take up much space. I try to pack one pouch for every three hours of transit time plus one extra for unforeseen delays. The Earth’s Best Teething Biscuits make my son’s tears go away (don't tell him they are not cookies). He can chomp on one for almost five minutes which is necessary for traveling!

I also think it is very important to travel with a great umbrella stroller! One that is lightweight, easy to fold, and small enough to fit into the trunk of an economy sized rental car. I am currently using the Maclaren Volo stroller and love how it is very distinguishable from all the other strollers at gate-check.

Some additional travel must haves for a family this summer, especially if you have kids, are my fave Patemm Pad, the Melissa Doug Trunki and Mula stack & nest cups from IKEA.

What are your travel must haves or tips for traveling with kids?

~ Kristin Strange of My Strange Family

The Goods: An Honest Review of The Honest Company Products

Last week, I was invited by MomTrends to the launch party for The Honest Company. Jessica Alba and Christopher Gavigan joined us in New York City to talk about their newest eco-friendly, e-commerce venture and gave us samples to take home and try out on our own kids.
The Honest Company was founded by Jessica Alba and her business partner Christopher Gavigan, the author of Healthy Child Healthy World, because they wanted to create a safer, better world for their children and they realized they would have to do it themselves if they wanted to get it done and not take “no” for an answer. Based on this personal mission, all of The Honest Company’s products are free of harsh and synthetic chemicals and they are offered via an affordable-priced home delivery service so all moms across the U.S. can have convenient access without having to leave their home.

The first two products I tried out were The Honest Company diapers and wipes, which are 100% non-toxic, chlorine-free, sustainable, and made with plant-based materials. This is to make sure the baby is safe and not exposed to harsh or synthetic chemicals.

Diapers = 5 out of 5
The first thing I thought about the diapers was, “They are really, really cute but do they work?”

I have used:

• Pampers Swaddlers - They worked great but are only sold up to size 2/3, so I had to experiment with new diapers once my son was size 3. I am now scared to find out about all the chemicals in those that I was putting them on my newborn baby!
• Pampers Cruisers - I did not like these at all! They leaked and gave my son a rash.
• Huggies Little Movers, Huggies Snug and Dry - More diapers that I did not like. These did not leak as much but they still gave my son a rash!
• Huggies Pure and Natural - These are my go-to diapers right now but are hard to find in the stores and are not sold by the case, so I am paying a premium for these.

I have used The Honest Company diapers on my son for almost a week and they hold up just as well as the Huggies Pure and Natural over night (a few leaks at the top but my son sleeps 12+ hours); however, they are so much softer, cuter, cheaper, and easier to get because of the home delivery service (I don’t have to balance huge packages of diapers on my stroller anymore). My son has not acquired a rash and is totally intrigued by the playful designs saying “ooh” and “ah” when I put a new diaper on him.

Wipes = 3 out of 5
The wipes get the job done, but they are a bit too thin and have small hand coverage for those big messes. The scent is okay (it’s not the best scent of The Honest Company products), but it is better than the smell of the chemical-filled wipes I am currently using that I hate.

Despite the wipes having some room for improvement, I think the diapers are great (they're also offered in white) so I plan to subscribe to the service and try them out for an extended period of time.
The Honest Company currently carries nine bath and body products: shampoo & body wash, healing balm, conditioner, sunscreen, face & body lotion, hand sanitizer, bubble bath, body oil and hand soap. I was given a sample of four of these bath and body products and my review of each is below.

Shampoo & Body Wash = 5 out of 5
The shampoo & body wash combo is a tear-free, plant-based cleanser that safely and gently washes head-to-toe using organic and natural ingredients. I first tried the shampoo & body wash on my own hair and thought this shampoo does not lather. But after drying my hair and going through a normal day of being a mom chasing around a 1 year old and doing Pilates, my hair still looked good and the greasy build-up did not form around my crown like when I use other shampoos.

So then I thought, “Does shampoo need to lather to work when washing hair?” I did a Google search and learned that lather is created from adding sodium lauryl sulfate to the product and it is a common component of many domestic cleaning products (yuck!). It has been shown to irritate the skin on the face after prolonged and constant exposure. After learning this, I decided that I will never put a lathering shampoo with that chemical ingredient on my son again.

I also tried the shampoo on my son and two days later his hair still had the sweet scent of vanilla, looked clean, and was easy to brush through. His music teacher even commented on the nice smell of his hair.

Healing Balm = 4 out of 5
Made with organic plant extracts, the balm gently protects, reduces redness, and soothes even the most sensitive, dry, and allergy prone skin. I have mostly used the healing balm on my son’s cheeks. NYC has been lucky enough to have a snow-free season, but these last few days were blistering cold and windy. His whole body is nicely bundled up when walking around with the stroller but his face is still exposed, making his cheeks very red and chapped. The healing balm has worked nicely to lessen the redness and veiny look while moisturizing his skin. The only down side is the balm is a bit greasy and I needed to wipe my fingers after each use. But then if it was not greasy would it really work to soothe his cheeks?

Face & Body Lotion = 4 out of 5
The lotion is made of a rich blend of organic olive oil, shea butter, and organic aloe designed to naturally hydrate, nurture, and moisturize dry and sensitive skin. I really like this lotion and will probably use it everyday on myself. It is not greasy, rubs in well, and has a delicate rose scent. However, because of this rose scent, I will probably not be using it on my son (for myself and little girls the lotion is wonderful).   

Hand Soap = 4 out of 5
The liquid soap is made with plant-based ingredients that are effective, soothing, and non-drying. My hands feel so clean after I use this soap. It washes off easily not leaving a film on my hands and has a great grapefruit lemongrass scent. My hands did feel a bit dry after each use, so I had to follow up my hand washing with The Honest Company face & body lotion.

The Honest Company also has four household cleaning products: multi-surface cleaner, dish soap, auto dishwasher gel, and laundry detergent. I was given a sample of the laundry detergent.

Laundry Detergent = 5 out of 5
The laundry detergent is formulated to be the purest and most effective laundry detergent without using chemicals that can harm fabrics, irritate your skin, and the ecosystems. The detergent has no scent that I could detect when I used it on a mixed load of baby clothes, bed sheets, gym clothes, and “Raffi” my son’s beloved lovey. All dirty laundry smells and food crusties were removed. The fabrics felt soft even though I didn’t use any fabric softener or dryer sheets. I am very impressed with this formula and will be ordering more especially because my son has inherited his father’s sensitive skin.

What other eco-friendly, non-toxic products would you like to see The Honest Company create?

I would love to see a solid bar soap, a fabric softener that smells like the shampoo or hand soap, and some gender neutral diaper designs.

To learn more about The Honest Company and their home delivery service click here.

~ Kristin Strange of My Strange Family

I was not paid for this review. As mentioned above, I was given these free samples along with other mom bloggers by The Honest Company at the MomTrends launch party hosted at ABC Kitchen on January 17, 2012.

The Goods: War Horse {Movie Review}

My Husband and I love going to the movies. Date night always consists of going to a nice dinner then a show. When we saw the preview for War Horse he looked at me and shook his head “No.”  So, I knew that War Horse the movie (directed by Steven Spielberg) would never make it into our dinner and a movie date night rotation. However, last week I was lucky enough to receive an invitation to attend a private screening of War Horse and thought, “Perfect, I'll get to watch a movie that I wasn’t planing to see, and I get to see it three weeks before it’s released to the rest of the world!” Not too bad. Oh, and Emily Watson joined the sneak peek doing a Q&A about her experience working on the movie.

The movie follows the life of a horse and a young boy during World War I and all of their adventures with the different people they meet along the way. The horse brings hope into many peoples lives, as his story moves through war-torn Europe. I became instantly attached to each and every person the horse interacted with, not caring what side of the war they were on.

The War Horse is a love story between a boy and a horse, but Spielberg highlights the underlying story of how young boys truly were who were fighting on the frontline and man’s inhumanity towards each other. During the Q&A Emily Watson mentioned that everyone in Britain has a similar story and knows someone who was directly affected by the war—her own great uncle died in the trenches at the age 17. A whole generation of Europe was wiped out for nothing! I really enjoyed how Spielberg directed a great epic war movie with out showing extreme violence, blood, and gore.

There were many tears in the audience, so I wouldn’t recommend watching it on opening day, Christmas. While War Horse is PG-13, I think it would be okay for children 8 and up. If you like Spielberg, war movies, and horses, War Horse needs to be on the top of your movie list. I even liked the movie, and I typically do not enjoy war movies or stories about horses.

I was a guest of Moms and the City for the free War Horse screening. You can watch the Q&A with Emily Watson on YouTube.

~ Kristin Strange

The Goods: Children's Toys from IKEA

Kids are expensive! Based on the Baby Cost Calculator from Baby Center, disposable diapers cost $72 a month, formula $105, solid food $57, clothing $59, medicine $23, and toys $35! In addition to all of these “First Year” monthly costs, you also need to make numerous one-time purchases—stroller(s), car seat, nursery furniture, the list goes on and on. Gasp, my personal calculation was over $12,000 for the first year alone!

With the spiraling costs of raising a child and the holidays fast approaching, I want to highlight some great toys that I have purchased on the cheap and are probably the most used and loved items by my son. Don’t be scared, but all of these items come from IKEA! I know, I know, I would rather go to any Black Friday Sale or Disneyland on a Holiday before stepping foot into an IKEA, but if you make a plan, stick to it, and avoid weekends (if possible) IKEA is doable.

IKEA’s toys are great. They are simple, fun, and, most importantly, very inexpensive. The best part about their toys is they encourage creative open play. So many store shelves are lined with brightly colored, flashing electronic toys that promise to teach your kids to be ready for the Ivy League by just popping in a few batteries. However, after watching my son play everyday, I feel that he learns best from simple toys where he can direct the play and use his imagination to play with them.



The number one item from IKEA that my son plays with in multiple ways are the Mula stack & nest cups for $2.99! Not only does he stack and nest them, but he loves talking into them to amplify his voice. They nest up tightly so they can fit in the diaper bag when traveling. They are also great for bath time. I would recommend buying three sets one for the playroom, bathroom, and diaper bag—amazingly, the cost will still be less then $10.



When babies start crawling the Busa Play tunnel, $14.99, is so much fun for them to crawl back and forth through and it collapses flat for storage, perfect if you have a small apartment. Then when they start to walk the Ekorre toddle wagon/walker, $19.99, is great to help assist them in this new adventure. My son also loves to fill the wagon up with his favorite toys to push around.



The Lillabo Play mat (more like a small rug), $12.99, has a race track and parking lot printed as the design and works great with the Lillabo Cars, $9.99. The cars come in a set of three and are interchangeable to create numerous, fun combinations of play.



IKEA also has a great selection of soft toys like the Torva Broccoli, $7.99, Carrot, $7.99, and Strawberry, $4.99. The best part is for every soft toy or kid’s meal bought from IKEA between November 1st - December 24th, 2011, the IKEA Foundation will donate approximately $1.30 USD to be split between UNICEF and Save the Children to support the education of the most disadvantaged children. Click the link to learn more about the Soft Toys for Education program. You can even support this cause without having to step foot into an IKEA—a few of the soft toys can be purchased in the IKEA online shop.

~ Kristin Strange

*Photos are my own or from the IKEA Web site.

The Goods: Patemm Pad

My son was 8 pounds, 21 inches when he was born—not too big, not too small. However, he started to grow and he grew quite fast. By his three-month checkup, he had doubled his birth weight and was two feet long! Needless to say, diaper changing became a messy challenge when we were not at home or traveling to my family at Christmastime. I needed a quick fix because he had almost outgrown the free changing pad that came with my diaper bag 33 months too early (boys are potty trained by three, right? I hope so).



Around this time, I went to a new moms lunch hosted by Big City Moms and a few of the guests had babies lying on a circular mat. I learned that this mat was really a changing pad (a huge circular changing pad). This was the answer to my current diaper-changing prayers. At the end of the lunch, one lucky mom was given a similar pad for attending and I was green with envy that I was not that mom. So, the second I got home I went online and ordered my own patemm pad in Orange Signature Circles. See it here in comparison to the changing pad from my diaper bag—it's almost as big as a NYC apartment!



I really liked learning that the patemm pad is Mom invented, made in the USA, PVC, lead, phthalate, BPA, latex, and formaldehyde-free.  My favorite part about  the patemm pad is that it folds up square to fit under the stroller, in a large diaper bag, or you can use it in lieu of a diaper bag altogether! The round design has four large, cleverly placed inside pockets to accommodate diapers, wipes, and even an extra outfit for those unexpected messes. When these “messes” happen the pad can be cleaned with a damp cloth or tossed in the washing machine (a must for moms!); the Signature Circle that I purchased is also waterproof.



The patemm pad is 30 inches or 28 inches depending on the design, and my son—now a 24 pound, 31 inch one year old—still fits fine on the pad. The patemm pad is great as a changing pad, but I get the most use out of it when I am away from home and need a clean place to lay the baby while he plays (it also makes a great photo backdrop)!



Patemm pad also offers exclusive, limited edition prints to their Facebook fans: They are currently offering the WINTER COLLECTION at a special price of $50.00.

Patemm pads are available online at: patemm.com, giggle stores and giggle.com, and at select retailers across the USA, Japan, Canada, and Australia.

~ Kristin Strange

First image courtesy of patemm pad; all other images by Kristin.