Not just a toy car: introducing the awesomely customizable Modarri cars
I 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. 
Part 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
Do 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. 
Be a brilliant gift-giver with Brilliant Sky Toys & Books
Are 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. 
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. 
The 5th annual Brilliance Awards were just announced and again I’m wowed by the amazing 
collection 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. 
That’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. 
To 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. 
Can you blame me? This is what was waiting for us after our international flights. 
Maleficent comes to DVD and Blu-ray November 4th {with Halloween villain fun downloads}
Ever 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?
Clearly, 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
My 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. 
This 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.
Our Beaches Turks & Caicos Babymoon
I can’t even count how many people asked if our recent trip to Beaches Turks & Caicos was a “Babymoon”. Although I had heard of the idea of a Babymoon before, I honestly had no idea that they were such a well-known thing. As it turns out, Babymoons are a very big thing for the travel industry and many parents are using the opportunity score special packages and discounts to take one last big trip before baby.
In our case, our Babymoon happened by accident as our Turks & Caicos trip was planned mere days before we saw the positive pregnancy test. But while the pregnancy didn’t play much into the planning of the trip other than getting the okay from the doctor that travel during the 3rd trimester was fine, I’m still calling this a Babymoon.
And, why not? Babymoons are a relaxing time to reconnect as a family before sleeping in and diaper-free travel are a thing of the past. Of course, there were a few things I couldn't do while pregnant, like indulge in their adult beverages or go scuba diving, but I honestly didn't miss them with all the other amenities I could enjoy. For us, Beaches Resorts was a great way to celebrate as well as holding numerous luxuries I couldn’t have even dreamt up on my own. 
Amenities at Beaches resorts that pregnant moms will love:
Kiddy Cruiserfix Pro car seat offers safety and comfort to grow with your child
As a parent, I want to keep my kids as safe as humanly possible. That has meant extended rear facing, five point harnesses as long as they fit the weight/height maximums of their seats, and never allowing my children to just simply use adult belts because their peers are allowed to.
For us, graduating to a booster seat is a very big deal, and we took our time coming to the decision of when we would do it, which vehicle we would switch first, and what brand would help us make the leap. When I met Kiddy USA at The Baby Ladies BlogHer Baby Shower, I knew that this was a company that valued safety as much as I do, and I couldn't wait to work with them to help make our "big kid" transition from five point to the Kiddy Cruiserfix Pro seat. 
Just look at this happy "big girl" sitting in her new seat.
All the reasons I love the Ninja 3-in-1 Cooking System
Fall is by far my favorite season. It’s still hot enough here in the Pacific Northwest to wear skirts and sandals some days, but then it’s boots and sweaters the next, all under the gorgeous backdrop of changing leaves and fall colors. Just look at my happy harvester, collecting vegetables for the week. 
The one thing that isn’t awesome? Meal planning. With unpredictable weather and high temperatures nearly every afternoon, it makes it hard to plan what kind of meals to make that won’t leave the house sweltering at the end of the day.
When a friend suggested I try slow cooking instead of heating up the oven and making our house unbearably hot, I couldn’t believe how brilliant she was. It turns out I can still have the hearty meals I’ve been pinning, but without making us all miserable by simply using an appliance I typically reserve for winter meals.
Hello, Ninja 3-in-1 Cooking System! 
10 tips to keep your kids safe this Halloween
Did you know that Halloween night is one of the most dangerous nights of the year? In fact, kids are twice as likely to be hit by a car on Halloween over any other day of the year. With little kids in costume sharing the road with vehicles of all types and lights turned down low, it's really a recipe for disaster. 
While those are certainly sobering statistics, that doesn't mean you can't keep your kids as safe as possible this Halloween by planning ahead and helping teach your child basic safety rules before they head out hunting candy. 