L.L.Bean Deluxe Book Pack®

Right after my first child was born, my mother-in-law bought me a cutesy Vera Bradley diaper bag. I loved the girly flowers and fabric pattern! By my third child the straps were wearing thin and there wasn’t enough room to put all of “stuff” needed for each of my sweeties. I needed to find a bag that would hold everything but also be easy to use while trying care for my three little ones. As I looked around, I started to use my old L.L. Bean Deluxe Backpack from high school. Did you just say high school? Let me extol the virtues of this wonderful company that produces very well made items that literally stand the test of time and still remain. I also have to praise the L.L.Bean satisfaction guarantee. I don’t understand why more companies won’t follow L.L.Bean’s example and stand behind their products. Case in point, I always followed the wash instructions listed on the tag from the bag – never had a problem. All of sudden, the inner lining of the bag started to just flake apart. I started finding it randomly all over the house. My oldest child started bringing the pieces to me to throw out. So, I called L.L.Bean and asked if my bag would still be covered under their satisfaction guarantee. L.L.Bean said no problem and I now have a brand new backpack that I know will go the distance! You may pay a little more – but for the satisfaction guarantee – it’s worth it!

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/62852?feat=54554-app

Local Public Library

When I think of programs that have most benefitted my children - near the top of the list has been our local library reading program. After my first child was born, I sought an activity that would not only be educational but a lot of fun. I checked with my local library and found numerous activities held every week for children. At my local library, toddlers and preschoolers are read books, do a craft, little exercises, finger plays, and sing. Babies hear stories, listen to songs and nursery rhymes, and sing. There are programs for older children and adults as well. All programs are free (paid for through my state and local taxes of course) - but rival other playgroup/preschool programs that some people pay a lot more to attend. Children from a very early age learn to love reading and going to the library and the local library receives exposure and additional funding from increased participation - it works out well for everyone.

Please visit http://www.publiclibraries.com/ to find a local library near you!

Pinterest.com

Like you, I love to find great ideas that are simple and economical. I have recently discovered the website http://www.pinterest.com/. This site is basically a bulletin board of good ideas. People "pin/post" really anything that catches their eye: memorable meals, places to visit, or great shopping finds! I've been finding a lot of good recipes for appetizers and dinners on this site. In my mind anything that helps make meals easier is awesome. I hope that this site is helpful for you too!

Check out http://www.pinterest.com/!

Letter Factory DVD by Leap Frog

The Letter Factory DVD by Leap Frog is fantastic. If you have children that love to watch cartoons - why not be sneaky and make it educational as well! The Letter Factory DVD has not only taught my children each letter of the alphabet - but it has gone further by emphasizing each letter sound and detailing how to write each letter. Granted, I do work with them individually - but this video along with others in the series help reinforce key learning concepts. We have caught our 4-year old drilling our 2-year old with the information that they have learned from this video series. Please be warned that the song lyrics are very catchy – you may start humming them yourself! Highly recommend to any parent preparing their child for preschool and/or kindergarten!

http://shop.leapfrog.com/leapfrog/jump/Letter-Factory-DVD/productDetail/Learning-DVDs/lfprod21223/cat80050

Garage Sales

Take advantage of garage sales in your area. I have 3 rough and tough boys that easily destroy clothing and toys. I have found extremely inexpensive play clothes, jackets, dress shoes, and all types of toys visiting local garage sales. Some of the toys my boys play with the most have been garage sale finds. They are happy and I am able to use the money that I saved to purchase other things.

2005 Honda Odyssey

I never thought (my husband laughs) that I would own a minivan - let alone praise its virtues - but I have to say, "I love this van!"

We were running out of space in our sedan and knew that we needed a larger vehicle to tote around our 2 young children (1 on the way). So after much research, we found an amazing deal (at Keenan Honda in Doylestown, PA) on a used certified 2005 Honda Odyssey. This certification gave us peace of mind in buying a used vehicle knowing that if anything went wrong, the warranty would cover the repairs. The available space we have now is amazing. We've travelled to Florida (1,000 mile trip both ways) in extreme comfort and were able to pack all the stuff that young children need easily. We've had our van for over a year now and would gladly buy another. Highly recommend buying used certified with leather heated seats and power sunroof - saved thousands and it looks brand new! Love the automatic doors - a life-saver when it's raining and carrying small children!

http://automobiles.honda.com/odyssey/

Hairy Maclary Books by Lynley Dodd

Thanks to our friends from New Zealand, we were introduced to the wonderful literary world of Hairy Maclary by Lynley Dodd. Our children love the funny stories this little dog gets himself into. As parents, we love the strong use of vocabulary and beautiful illustrations that inspire their imaginative little minds.

Highly Reccommend:

1. Hairy Maclary and Zachery Quack

2. Hairy Maclary's Rumpus at the Vet

3. Hairy Maclary's Bone

4. Hairy Maclary Scattercat

5. Hairy Maclary's Caterwaul Caper

http://www.puffin.co.uk/nf/Author/AuthorPage/0,,1000023350,00.html

Maclaren Twin Techno Stroller

After the birth of our second child, we wanted to find a stroller that could comfortably hold our young children (at the time, ages 3 and 1). As we were researching strollers, our specific needs were:

1. Roomy enough to accommodate our incredibly tall toddler and be supportive enough for our infant. We especially were looking for special features like 5-point harness and adjustable seats.

2. Needed to be lightweight and compact when folded to fit in our sedan or van. We wanted to avoid the "battering-ram"-type strollers if at all possible.

3. Sought quality made construction that would hold through multiple children but not cost us a fortune. We didn't want to buy a piece of junk - but we didn't want to pay for a pricey fad either.

4. Needed to be easy to use and clean.

After reading countless consumer reviews, we decided to purchase this stroller to our complete satisfaction...and then some. Comes with a really cool rain cover and awesome under-stroller storage bins. With multiple children, we really like that this stroller can accommodate birth up to 55 lbs for each seat. Very sturdy and lightweight compared to other strollers on the market.

http://global.maclarenbaby.com/toddler-buggies/twin-techno?lang=en

L.L. Bean Stainless-Steel Vacuum Thermos

I can't speak higher about the L.L. Bean Stainless-Steel Vacuum Thermos. We had been looking for an easy way to warm our baby bottles quickly while on the road. We had tried a car-adapter plug-in bottle warmer that just did not work quickly enough. This thermos keeps water hot for almost 24-hours (without opening) and then keeps it warm for at least 48! It has been a life-saver to feed hungry babies while on the go! We take it everywhere. Plus with the L.L. Bean guarantee...Highly recommend! ** The only drawback is that the lid can be hard to remove when water is really hot and under pressure. To help with this, we always keep a rubber jar opener in our diaper bag.

** Update ** Thermos started leaking. Spoke with L.L. Bean and they replaced it with no hassle. I love L.L. Bean! The L.L. Bean Stainless-Steel Vacuum Thermos rocks!

http://reviews.llbean.com/1138/I-212463/stainless-steel-vacuum-bottle-48-oz-wide-mouth-reviews/reviews.htm

Phillips Avent Microwave Steam Sterilizer

We got tired of boiling the baby bottles and parts on the stovetop. In 4 minutes, you can have everything sterilized and ready to use for baby. Our third child developed thrush, this product came in very handy to quickly sterilize bottles and nipples. Very easy to use and clean - with 3 young children - that's awesome!

http://store.philips.com/store?Action=DisplayProductDetailsPage&Locale=en_US&SiteID=rpeusb2c&productID=123492200