I officially gained my “soccer mom” status this summer when we traded in my little blue SUV for a MINIVAN. And let me tell you, it was one of the best decisions I have ever made!! It’s true love. I knew I 
always wanted a minivan someday, because I grew up with my parents always having one, and it always just seemed like the most practical with kiddos. What I didn’t know is how much I would not miss my old car and absolutely love this van!
My husband I had been talking about them for a while and finally buckled down and started researching them after we had our second child. We were tired of not having a lot of room in the car especially if we needed to take any extra people anywhere. Two car seats take up a lot of space. We looked at several minivans on the market, but narrowed it down to the Toyota and Honda. We did have a rental Chrysler that we were happy with as well. After test driving, we were actually surprised at how easy the decision was with the Honda Odyssey. The vans were priced roughly the same, but the Honda just felt like it was made better. We didn’t dislike the Toyota (my hubby drives a Toyota Tundra), but the Honda was just better.
We waited several weeks for the specific model and color to come in that we wanted, but once it arrived, it was love at first sight. I was so anxious and excited that Saturday morning we were able to go and pick it up with the kids. Our 3 year old was excited for the “new van!” too. It was bittersweet leaving our old SUV, but there are new reasons every day why I am so thankful to be a minivan mama now . . .
Here’s a few of them . . .
1. The automatic sliding side doors… need I say more?! I don’t have to worry about my kids or I banging any cars parked next to us with our doors. You know how loading and unloading our kiddos goes, these door make it a dream come true!! Because of the sliding doors, the opening is so much bigger than an average car door – WONDERFUL! The doors also open and close by the simple push of a button from either the key fob, by the driver’s seat, or on the inside of the sliding doors themselves.
2. Not only is there more room in the doorways, there’s more room EVERYWHERE in this car. I can honestly say I’ve been a passenger in every seat and never once did I feel like I had no space to move. And if you need more room . . . You can MAKE more room . . .
3. . . . You can make that extra space because of the movable seats. I know this is typical with most minivans and vehicles with a third row of seats, but the way the Honda was set up was another big selling point for me. Our Odyssey has the option to have an eighth seat. All of the seats are removable (except the front), but with the Odyssey you can have an eighth seat in the middle of the second row. You can easily remove that middle seat of the second row to have 2 captains chairs and an aisle way to the back row, or you can leave it in place to complete the row and have an extra seat. The seat also folds down as an arm rest if it’s left in place. The third row of seats EASILY folds down into the trunk of the van. When we drove to the beach this summer, we opted to fold the third row down so we had TONS of room for luggage and could still see out the back window.
4. Handles on the high way – We drove the minivan on the West Virginia turnpike on our way to Myrtle Beach this past summer, and it handled so much better than my husband’s truck the year before. We could set the cruise control and not have to waver and hit the brake on those winding highway turns.
5. Good on gas – I know the gas tank in the minivan is bigger than my tank was in my SUV, but I swear still that the van gets better gas mileage. According to Honda, the Odyssey gets 19 mpg on city streets and 27 mpg highway. Either way, its way better on gas than a huge SUV would be!
6. Does NOT ride like a bus – I traded in a small SUV for my minivan. I had driven it for 5 years. I will say that I was the most anxious that the minivan was going to feel like I was driving a bus after driving my little SUV. I was so wrong. The van does not feel any bigger to me. I would say it sits up off the road the same height as my old car. Even though the van is significantly longer, I really haven’t noticed other than making sure I pull in the garage far enough. The back-up camera has made this easier as well!
7. Bang for the Buck – I’m telling you, you cannot beat a minivan. Even if you have a small family like we do, it is worth considering. For some reason, they get a bad rap, but I can’t think of one negative thing to say about mine. Maybe I don’t look the “coolest” driving the minivan around, but that is the last thing I’m worried about. Most companies offer all the bells and whistles you can find in luxury cars and SUVs, so don’t think those options aren’t available in a van. It’s convenient, affordable, and I know my kids are safe – that’s what matters to me.
If you’re thinking about getting a new vehicle for your new family, growing family, or just want more seats/space, take a look at a minivan. Check out all the options. Take them for a test drive. I think you’ll love it! And if you take the plunge like we did and buy one, you won’t regret it!
-Megan
My almost- 3 year old has never been a great sleeper. As an infant she had colic, cluster fed all night long, and refused to nap unless held. To this day I am really not sure how she survived on so little sleep, or how we did for that matter. From around 1- 2 years old she had mild bouts of waking in the middle of the night, but for the most part she slept through the night. When 2 years hit a switch flipped. She 
It was extremely easy to set up, and the directions were very clear and descriptive. You set a time like you would for an alarm, but instead of a noise going off the back light lights up green. The light is pretty dim, so if your child is still sleeping then it wont wake them. It is e
This system is amazing. Now don’t get me wrong, I had my issues with it and I will explain them in a second, but overall, fantastic! Is C 100% potty trained after a week with the system? No. Was there progress made? Yes.
Now, C peed in them the first time and realized that it was wet as it held the moisture in the underwear. We started bribing him with the stickers and he began going potty on the toilet. He kept them on during nap time and woke up soaking wet as they had leaked on the inner thighs. He had another accident in which they leaked in the inner thigh area too. We made due while at home, but I didn’t want to risk out in public with him in them if they were leaking. They do have a caveat on their site stating they may leak when sitting down, however, neither of the leaks were due to him sitting. But again, accidents happen. I think it has to do with the small gap between the fabric and the liner.
When you are a new mom, there are a lot of facts and products being shoved in your face. You really don’t even know where to begin, what advice is legit, and what products you actually need v. the products that people just loved but would be useless to you. When my doctor prescribed vitamin D drops and suggested probiotic drops (I was EBF my daughter), I followed her advice. But I quickly learned that there are so many options, not only that, but there are so many opinions on your options.
was created to help replenish beneficial bacteria and may help with occasional diarrhea. Antibiotic use may cause occasional diarrhea* and digestive upset.*
This is a pretty typical cream. I felt it was more of a lotion than a cream. It is pretty thin and absorbs fairly quickly. As all of the calendula products do, this smells amazing! It’s the perfect amount moisture to keep your little one’s skin nourished daily, but is rich enough that it soothes dry and irritated skin. I have really sensitive, dry, and eczema prone skin, so I was slathering it on and I really like it!
The face cream was just a little thicker than the body cream and it smelled exactly the same. My littles don’t really get dry skin on their face, but they had awful baby acne and flakey faces as infants so I am sure this would have a God send when they were tiny. There aren’t many lotions specifically for a baby’s face.
Merriam Webster defines vacation as “a period of time that a person spends away from home, school, or business usually in order to relax or travel.”
So here’s what I’m getting at: it’s okay to identify and acknowledge someone else’s struggle without being upset that they aren’t facing your exact struggle. Sometimes we all just need to talk about what’s going on to get through the day.
We love my daughter’s name, but I am starting to question if it was a good choice. It means “Queen” and good Lord, she definitely plays the part! I have accepted that tantrums are just part of our day for the next year or two from what I hear from other parents. She is almost two and a half and the power struggle seems never ending.
The logical part (frontal cortex) of our brain doesn’t fully develop until we are 25 years old. A toddler physically can’t reason and react appropriately without being taught (over and over). Furthermore, there is a great deal of research that shows it is completely normal for a toddler or any person to have an angry reaction to what they perceive as distress. 
It is so easy to take the angry road. Believe me, been there, done that. And I don’t always keep my cool! Count to 5. Take deep breathes. Do whatever you have to do to stay calm before you dissipate a tantrum. If it is the 314th tantrum today and you just can’t deal, then be sure your child is safe from harm and walk away for a few minutes. If you are at this point in a public place, find a restroom, dressing room, quiet corner and set your child down, turn around and clear your head for a minute. If you are angry, chances are you aren’t going to discipline your child the way you should. Not only that, but your child needs you “to be the calm in their storm.” If you are just thunder and lightning to their little rain storm, you are just going to make it 100 times worse. Angry actions are easier than calm ones.
of a year if I ordered from another store.
ubles
m and they have held up all this time. I could not wait to try their other products.
hours after bathtime. These products are free of phthalates, parabens, BPA, gluten and soy. Buy the lotion and body wash together on Amazon 
.
er. I may have to buy the 
in a 12 oz bottle for under $15.95.
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for less than 20 dollars also or you can get it bundled with the Hair + Body Wash.
‘s the perfect size for both my 3 year old and 1 year old. It keeps them dry, warm and is gentle to their skin. I don’t have to worry about it being too small like most hooded towels, but it’s not too bulky either. 
can be found on Amazon for $29.95.
lue), and some of the prints are perfect for gender neutral gifts. I know I
, pureWash recommends a water softener and the removal of chlorine will improve the unit’s performance.” pureWash also recommends consulting a water filtration expert if you have any concerns about the quality of your water (high iron content for example) while using the pureWash.”
. If you are unhappy with your pureWash after 30 days, they offer a money back guarantee if you are not 100% satisfied with it. Trust me, it’s definitely worth trying and you won’t want to send it back!
have always heard great things about 
y legs and arms (thanks to the summer sun) and I love how soft it makes my skin. It also has worked wonders on my rough feet, thanks to walking barefoot and not having time for a pedicure. That’s the mom life, I guess. 
and children. I am the same way, I want something that 
h his nighttime diaper. We use Huggies Snug and Dry during the day and Huggies Overnights at night, one size larger than he wears during the day.
two days later. The booster pads run $10 for a pack of 30. Essentially, they are just an extra layer of cotton that you’re placing in your baby or toddler’s diaper for extra absorption.
of their time lying on their backs, it can cause a flat head, also known as 
athable cotton spandex, the Lovenest is comfortable and adapts to all rockers, bouncers and swing. It can be used from birth, as baby’s head is supported so that its weight is spread out evenly, preventing it from being flattened. 
s getting a little flat, perhaps give the Lovenest a try to round it back out before it possibly gets worse and a helmet is needed. It’s also available in 3 beautiful colors: red, ivory and taupe and also comes with a lifetime warranty. 
Several weeks back I did a review of the 
So my dilemma: I bought MANY shoes, and couldn’t find any that were easy enough to get on and also comfortable/stylish. Thankfully, I was introduced to Keen and found some amazing, quality shoes for my guy. I ordered from Moosejaw, because their customer service is phenomenal and their selection is pretty vast.
ess you can find them on sale. But they are totally worth it, and I bought them in a size up so that Lucas has some room to grow. Great purchase, and I’ll be heading back to Keen for our next pair.
and all-in-one style diapers). We mostly use pre-folds and flour sack towels with covers and pocket diapers. I settled on the Snappi, but the Boingo was a close second.
became very constipated. For a week she would just lay down on the couch or her bed and wouldn’t move (I don’t blame her, ouch!). After that we decided to take a break, however we were desperate to get her trained because she was to start preschool that fall and had to be potty trained. So that August we started trying again but didn’t push the pooping part. She did 
aulina, leaves a gift for the potty training child ones he or she goes potty. The doll works as a sort potty buddy, helping your little one go potty, as she does in the book, hence the title “The Poo Poo Fairy”.
Paulina and her book are the reasons she even 
brands. You’ll see brands like Vera Bradley, Carters, Coach, Graco, Nike, Crocs, Burt’s Bees, and Aden and Anais are amongst the lengthy list. These brands and others open new “shops” of products that start up every morning, so there is always something new to see, which I LOVE. The catch is that these “shops” do not stay open for long. Most often, it’s only 48-72 hours, and then those items are gone; those “shops” are closed.
