Pack for a Purpose with the Sandals Foundation

Sandals Foundation breakfastOh, packing. Packing is usually my most dreaded part of traveling, especially now that I have young children I need to pack for and must anticipate all that they might possibly need in the length of time we will be away. But, this fall I was able to pack and make a difference when traveling to Beaches Turks & Caicos with Pack for a Purpose and that made packing fun and rewarding. Beaches Pack for a Purpose

Kindle Fire HD Kids Edition with FreeTime offers entertainment at home or on the road

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Blue-ket-slate-01-lg-02._V324000718_As someone who is on the go a lot with kiddos, one of the main things I get asked about from friends, family, and readers is about essential gear for family travel. And while my “essentials” list has changed based on the ages of my children, there are a few things that never change. One of those things is the prevalence of tech gadgets. It’s true that tech gadgets can change your life dramatically and make life easier, especially when traveling, but there are also some huge downfalls.

One major concern is being weighed down with technology instead of making life easier. When we’re talking DSLRs, laptops, smartphones, tablets, action cams, and more as well as all the accessories and gear that go along with all those tech accessories, you can easily fill up a suitcase – and that’s before you pack any toiletries, clothing, or footwear.

So, I always say that when traveling, less truly is more. If you can go without a full laptop simply by packing a small add-on keyboard to your tablet, you are going to be a whole lot happier when packing, lugging your tech bag through airports and onto airplanes, and going through airport security – especially when you’re also corralling kids. By pairing your tablet with lightweight accessories and gadgets as well as apps to make your tablet function like a laptop, you can truly ditch the extra weight and end up with a versatile go-to device for everything from reading by the pool to editing work documents.

For this reason I love the Kindle Fire HD Kids Edition that is an ideal tablet for kids but also packed with features to make it perfect for adults, too. A few weeks ago my son got to play with one of these awesome tablets at the TravelingMom-Techlicious Holiday Tech and Travel Show in Seattle #TNTSeattle and he was so sad to say goodbye to it when the time came. Amazon saved the day {and month, and year} by sending us home with one of our own to play with and both kids were quickly smitten.

Beat holiday weight gain with the Jawbone UP24 from AT&T

It’s only the first week of November and I already feel like hibernating for the remaining winter months. It's getting rainy and cold here in Seattle and my living room is feeling awfully cozy with the fire going, so it's easy to just close my eyes and curl up on the couch. But, the one thing that's keeping me going and staying active? It's my Jawbone UP24 from AT&T that helps keep me in line if I'm not meeting my step goal or I'm going over my calorie goal.     6a0105362badb1970b01a73ddc8c1c970d-800wiDid you know that AT&T carries a bunch of tech-savvy solutions for fighting off this season of eating more and exercising less? More than just phones these days, AT&T stores offer a variety of wearable technologies for consumers interested in health and fitness, such as the UP24 from Jawbone I was raving about earlier this year. With activity/sleep trackers, smart watches, pulse monitors, arm bands, scales and much more, AT&T has everything you need to stay within your fitness goals and beat this holiday weight gain. You can see their whole line by clicking here

Magicforest’s favorite European toys inspire play for all ages this holiday {Moulin Roty wooden toy box set review}

Sponsored postThey say that the best gift you can give your child is the gift of your time, and I wholeheartedly believe that is true. I give my children that gift in staying home with them so I can be with them all day long, in cooking for them, cleaning for them, packing their lunches, and trying to include them in many of the things that I do each day. But, the truth is that I could do better about stopping what I’m doing and taking a nature walk or two, swinging at the park, or starting projects with them that they are excited about, and my goal is to simply get better about playing with them at least a few times each day. SwingingIt’s for this reason that I love Moulin Roty, a French company that makes toys that will inspire kids and adults to play together. How could anyone not want to play with these shadow puppets and stage or these adorable Les Mask’ottes masks?

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Brought to the States by European toy importer, Magicforest, the Moulin Roty catalog is the kind of thing childhood dreams are made of. From pretend play and dress up to cuddly friends to snuggle with, as well as imagination inspiring toys that can teach everything from science to making your own toys, the Moulin Roty collection never disappoints.

Not just a toy car: introducing the awesomely customizable Modarri cars

Sponsored postMake way for ModarriI never, ever thought I would utter the words “we’re a car family”. But, with a husband who hasn’t missed a car show since he was a tiny boy and a son who simply asks for “any cars I don’t have” for Christmas and birthdays, it was bound to happen sooner or later. Obviously, my daughter and I were the holdouts, content to let the boys play with their cars – some toys, some very real that take up my whole driveway – and smile.

But, then we found the world of Modarri cars, and I think we all got a little giddy at all the possibilities for this amazing new take on the toy car. Modarri closeupPart build-it-yourself custom car model, part art to be displayed and enjoyed after building, and still 100% toy that can be played and raced with, the Modarri car line takes everything you thought about boring toy cars and flips it on its head. Although ours came assembled and ready for play, each Modarri model includes multiple different parts: a chassis, hood and windshield, seat pan, seat, fenders and frame, wheels with front and rear suspensions as well as a hex tool for building and rebuilding to your heart’s desire and traffic cones to contain the shenanigans.

New mom must-have: Corolle first dolls for babies

Sponsored postDo you have a baby in your life? There’s definitely something in the water because there are so many babies expected in the next few months. With my own babe’s arrival creeping closer and closer, I’m starting to think of everything that needs to be done to prepare for adding a baby to the family and I’ve already got quite a few things in the works.

Just like when we went from one child to two, we’re planning on doing a gift from the baby to the older siblings, but with one main difference. This time, the baby will get a present, too. Last time, my daughter opened a Corolle Emma doll at the hospital with a baby bath, but we didn’t even think about getting the new baby a gift like we should have. Feeding baby Emma

Be a brilliant gift-giver with Brilliant Sky Toys & Books

Sponsored postAre you as overwhelmed with toy shopping as I am? You’d think I would be good at it by this point considering I hear about toys even before they hit the market. But, sometimes even I have a child on my list that I have a really hard time buying for. Those times I’m very grateful for neighborhood toy stores with a diverse and eclectic mix of high quality toys that won’t be abandoned in just days for the next new fad.

Stores like Brilliant Sky Toys & Books offer that and more at their 17 locations {and counting}. By offering amazing and personalized service, and more than 10,000 high-quality specialty products, it allows you to “discover, experience, explore, interact, and enjoy” in a fun and relaxed environment. Store
But wait, before you get overwhelmed with the idea of 10,000 different products to choose from, you should know that Brilliant Sky understands how you feel. That’s why they announce their annual Brilliance Awards every year before the holiday season to make shopping that much easier for their guests.

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The 5th annual Brilliance Awards were just announced and again I’m wowed by the amazing BS_Winner Label_LRcollection of toys and more that they have chosen to highlight. In fact, we own many of their top  picks this year, and they are the ones we return to over and over again.

This year's 2014 award list features 12 products with price tags from $9.99 to $129.99 with most toys running about $24.99 to $29.99. And, with the exception of the Sphero 2.0, these picks are surprisingly low-tech and classic, which I know I appreciate. By using this brilliant list as a guide for all your holiday shopping you can be a brilliant gift-giver and do all your shopping quickly and easily.

Where we were: Beaches Turks & Caicos Caribbean

Were you one of the dozen people leaving messages and texting wondering where we were last week? Sorry about that, I must have forgotten to mention that we were IN THE CARIBBEAN. Beaches with hubbyThat’s right, while all our friends and family back home were braving high winds, record-breaking rainfall, and low temps, we were sitting in sundresses in the sand, swimming with fishes, partaking in exotic beverages and enjoying world class cuisine.

Oh, did I also forget to mention that our resort in the Caribbean wasn’t a quaint hotel or bungalow – we were enjoying the all-inclusive luxury that only a Sandals Resort can offer? Now, I’ve been wined and dined throughout the years with lavish parties at Sundance and BlogHer, but I have truly never experienced luxury quite like what we saw at the family-friendly Beaches Turks & Caicos. Beaches poolTo say that we were excited about this vacation is a huge understatement. We’ve been looking forward to October ever since last April when I got one of the best blogging emails I have ever gotten inviting me and my family to the Social Media on the Sand conference at Beaches Turks & Caicos. Well before the itinerary was released and plane tickets were purchased I was dreaming of white sand and crystal clear water and couldn’t wait for fall to arrive. Beaches Social Media on the SandCan you blame me? This is what was waiting for us after our international flights. Beaches sunset

Maleficent comes to DVD and Blu-ray November 4th {with Halloween villain fun downloads}

Sponsored postIn front of Sleeping Beauty castleEver since my childhood, I have been obsessed with all things Sleeping Beauty. I have definitely passed this love down to my children and there is nothing they love more than exploring Sleeping Beauty's castle in Disney Land, dressing up like Princess Aurora, or admiring my miniature model of the Wood Cutter's Cottage I've had since my teens.

How could you possibly resist the magic of the fairies, the beautiful scenery, and the amazing Sleeping Beauty castle? More importantly, how can you not love to hate Maleficent? I think we can all agree that she’s one of the best Disney villains of all time. Even though she made her debut decades ago, her role has proven to be timeless. So, isn't it time we learned her side of the story?

Surely she wasn't that distraught over not being invited to a baby shower…. right? So, why bestow such an awful gift on a helpless baby? Where does her hatred for Aurora come from? And why on Earth would she trust a crow to be her eyes and ears in going about her evil plans?Maleficent in DisneylandClearly, there is a lot more to know about about this ruthless villain, which is why I love the new Disney movie Maleficent and cannot wait for the DVD and Blu-ray release next week.

Travel must-have for kids: The LeapPad3 learning tablet

Sponsored post LeapPad travel must haveMy kids are pretty awesome travelers for the most part. They can handle short flights like pros and are the best road trip buddies on long car rides. But, as it turns out, they are pretty awful redeye international travelers. Go figure.  

When I look back now, I can’t help but ask myself what I was thinking taking two small kids on packed overnight flights that included 4 airports, long layovers, no meals, and a trip through customs. Oh, and did I mention I am very pregnant and have a hard time getting comfortable in even the plushest digs?

Seriously. What on earth was I thinking?! Having taken dozens of flights with them before, some of them international and some of them redeye in which they handled themselves perfectly, I was clearly going into things far too cocky considering the itinerary and their ages.

Thank goodness our friends over at LeapFrog realized that even good travelers could use something to pass 14+ hours of travel and they sent us their newest tablets, the LeapPad3 to use on our way to #BeachesMoms Social Media on the Sand conference. I spent the night before our big trip loading up on learning software, TV shows, and music to put on the tablets in addition to our collection of software cartridges from our original LeapPad, and I’m so glad I did. LeapPad 3 Rocking outThis awesome show? This was my view during one of our shorter flights. Would you believe that she is rocking out to the old classic "Do you Know the Muffin Man"? Someone download this girl the Frozen sing-a-long, stat.