Attention all passengers...

Remember a while back, I told you about a Flight Restraint System for children who have their own seat? It's called the CARES harness, and it is a great solution to lugging a car seat on a plane. But what about for children who don't have their own seat? I know Little AG is still under 2 years old, and the reason we can afford to go to some of the places that we do with her is because we don't have to purchase a seat for her, because she can ride as a lap child.

But what about restraints in the air? You wouldn't ride in a car without your child being restrained, so why should it be any different in the air? As a matter of fact, 90 percent of all injuries that happen on commercial flights are sustained while the plane is in the air. But what about your baby, your most precious cargo?

Baby B'Air makes a vest that essentially fits over your child, and then secures them to your lap belt. It isn't approved for take-off and landing, but it is meant to avoid those injuries that specifically can occur once the plane is airborne. It also helps to keep a wiggling child better restrained and out of the lap of the person next to you. (You may laugh, but Little AG has tried this before.) It is FAA approved too, so no snooty flight attendant can tell you that you aren't allowed to use it in-flight (my apologies to all of the non-snooty flight attendants out there - I realize it's not a characteristic of all of you!) Just keep the card that came with the vest with you when you fly, so that you can prove you are allowed to use it!

You can purchase the Baby B'Air online for $34.95. I truly feel that this is a must-have item for anyone who travels by air with their child on their lap. Plus, with the $200 or so that you save on a plane ticket, I really feel that the Baby B'Air is a minimal investment for the safety of your child, don't you agree?

What do you think? Do you travel frequently? Have you ever traveled with your baby on your lap? Do you think you would use the Baby B'Air?

CSC Review and Giveaway: Ju Ju Be "BeLight"

This contest has now ended. Please check out our contest page for our current contests and giveaways.

The search has ended. I've found IT. The queen of all diaper bags. The Big Kahuna. The whole enchilada. The...well, the other clever stuff I can't think of. You get the point.

This is it.

It's called the WannaBe, and frankly it's because all other diaper bags WannaBe just like it.

This is a diaper bag that seems like it is especially geared towards being at the beach or the pool, because it is totally summer inspired. There is a soft-lined iPod pocked with a little place for your headphones to stick out of without having to unzip the picket. There is a mini-cooler pocket that is fully insulated and is bigger than some those portable ice chests. There are two transparent zippered "mess shuttle" accessory bags to keep wet bathing suits in, and a pocket on the outside that is just perfect to carry a couple of magazines and a book.

You know, even if I didn't have a kiddo I would still rock this bag at the beach. It even has plush padded backpack straps (completely removable), a towel strap on the OUTSIDE of the bag (that way it doesn't take up precious interior room), plus, it has this really awesome Sand Trap™ at the bottom -- you unzip the solid bottom of the bag to reveal a second, mesh layered bottom where all of the sand (or cracker crumbs in our case) can fall through and be shaken out of the bottom WITHOUT having to take everything out.

That's my favorite part, actually. The Sand Trap. Wouldn't it be nice if every bag had those?

Is the WannaBe looking cool to you but maybe a bit too roomy? Check out the BeLight, the lightest diaper bag on the market -- weighing in at a mere 6.4 ounces. This is nice for those quick trips to a friends house or to a playdate where you don't need to bring the kitchen sink with you but still need a few important essentials. I especially like that the strap can be tied in different ways to make the bag longer or shorter depending on your preference. Don't worry though, at 6.4 ounces, it's still has it's own changing pad, a zippered pocket, a divided pocket, and is completely reversible!

These bags are both made by one of the coolest companies on the market, Ju Ju Be. They really make quality products (remember these really awesome stroller clips that I talked about in April?) that still have nice little touches. I love the rhinestones on the zipper pulls and on the buckles of the bag. As the expression goes, it's all in the details!

The WannaBe retails for $165 and the BeLight retails for $35.

Win it! Win your very own BeLight! To enter, follow the rules below!

(If you don't win the BeLight here on CSC, Ju Ju Be gives one away EACH week in their Pink Room, so head on over and check it out!)

• Go look at the different color options of the BeLight and come back here and leave a comment on this post telling me what color you would choose (OFFICIAL COLOR NAMES ONLY PLEASE)!
  
• Please leave a valid email address if you would like to be contacted if you win. Otherwise, winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch.
• If the winner does not respond within 72 hours I will choose a different winner.
• US entries only please!!!
• Earn extra credit! Choose one of the following for ONE extra credit entry. Any further attempts to woo me will be disqualified!
• Write about this giveaway and send me the link in a separate post.
• Subscribe to my feed and let me know about it in a separate post.

That's it! This contest will end at 11:59 pm on August 12th. Good luck!

CSC Giveaway: A Micralite FastFold Stroller!

This contest is now closed. Please check our Contests page for the most current giveaways!

Remember the Micralite Fastfold -- that really awesome stroller that I was just cooing and swooning over a mere two days ago?

You know -- this one?

(In case you don't remember, you can read my review of the FastFold here!)Well, I'm thrilled to announce that Chic Shopper Chick and Micralite have partnered to give one away to one lucky CSC reader! This is an awesome stroller that retails for $329.

The rules are a little different this time around, so read them carefully so that you can maximize your chances of winning!

To enter:

• Visit Micralite Stroller on the web and check out the Fastfold. Come back here and comment on this post -- telling me your favorite feature or thing you like most about the stroller. That will officially enter you to win.

Optional Entries -- 1 extra entry each:

• Subscribe to my RSS feed, and leave a separate comment telling me you did so. Please don't lie to me and say you did if you didn't -- I can tell with my Feedburner Pro account.
• Add the CSC button to your sidebar or link to me in your blogroll. Either (or both) will work! Leave me a separate comment telling me you did so.
  
• Write about this awesome stroller giveaway on YOUR blog and link it back to this post. Leave me a separate comment giving me the link.

Ready for the best part? If you do at least three of the four aforementioned things, you can then enter this contest as many times as you want. You can enter all day, every day, until August 29th in order to improve your chances of winning. Just please, don't copy and paste the same comment over and over again. I really read all of your comments, so I don't want to see "I wanna win." "I wanna win." over and over again. Kthxbai.

The winner, once drawn, will have 72 hours to respond. Please leave a valid email address either in the profile linked to your name or in your comment so that I can contact you if you win. Otherwise, the winner will be posted here on August 30th.

Oh, and if you are really interested in showing your love, you can also copy the code below for the banner advertising the contest and paste it in your sidebar. Thanks in advance for helping me to spread the word!




<p></p><center><a href="http://www.chicshopperchick.com/2008/08/micralite-fastfold-stroller-giveaway.html"><img src="http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b30/chanelpinkfashionista/Picture19.png" /></a></center><p></p>
Good Luck! This contest ends at 11:59 pm on August 29th, after which the winner will be drawn using Random.org.

I see London, I see France...

Steps. Europe has lots of STEPS. As in stairs. To climb. And, alright, I know that France and England were well established before good ole' Columbus had ever even THOUGHT about sailing the "ocean blue" but I mean, c'mon, haven't they every heard of elevators over there?

Steps aren't an issue for me, but of course, it was a new consideration with a 18 month old in tow. She would need a stroller, and it would have light enough to carry when needed, and need to fold up quickly and compactly. Lucky for me, I was aware of all of these things before I left and prepared accordingly.

We brought with us the Micralite Fastfold, a stroller that holds true to it's name -- it is small and light, and really does fold up quite quickly! It made our trip MUUUCCCHHHH easier, and we discussed several times how impossible it would have been had we been using another stroller.

Ok, so there is so much to say about this lean, mean, pushchair machine that it's easiest for me to make a list -- so read on to find out my loves and a few little nitpicky things that I would improve.

I love the Micralite Fastfold because:

1) At 16 lbs, it was light enough for me to physically pick up and carry for a short distance, if needed.
2) The larger back tires are filled with air, which made for a much smoother ride, and it made it easier to hop up over bumps by popping the stroller backwards.
3) The design is really cool -- it almost looks like it is in the shape of a triangle.
4) There is mesh at the back of the seat to keep air flowing through, which is really important in the summer especially -- so that Little AG wasn't sweating.
5) There are reflectors lining the edge of the entire stroller, which really messed up my pictures but was great for crossing streets at night, especially in London, where they drive on the wrong side of the road.
6) The handle for pushing goes all the way across AND it has two little sections on the side for both hands. This is convenient for one-handed pushing as well as using both hands.
7) It collapses and sets up in under 3 seconds. Yowza!
8) It came with an AWESOME raincover that would have been a lifesaver for us in London if I had only remembered to actually bring it with me from the hotel room. In all seriousness though, I did eventually get to use it and it rocked. Everyone in London had a raincover for their stroller. It was nice to blend-in and very functional.
9) Little AG was very comfortable in it -- it is almost like sitting in a hammock, the way it is designed.

The nitpicky stuff that I would change but wouldn't stop me from getting another one:

1) The front wheels aren't air-filled. I wish they all were, as it is a nice feature.
2) The sun canopy is miniature and does close to nothing for keeping the sun out of Little AG's eyes. However, I used the Protect A Bub Sunshade with it and it worked like a charm.
3) It's oddly shaped, making the front wheels of the stroller further apart than the back wheels, which causes problems when trying to squeeze through tight spaces.
4) You can't hook a diaper bag or even a small grocery bag to the back handles (which is stays very clearly in the instructions, for the record). This stroller is very back-heavy and when I took little AG out of the stroller, it would instantly flip backwards. Trust me, I broke a coffee mug in a souvenir shop by not remembering this very factoid. Slightly embarrassing, and I had a feeling they were muttering "stupid American girl" under their breath as I sheepishly offered to pay for it.
Places we maneuvered the Micralite Fastfold:

1) The wet, packed streets of London.
2) Through the overpriced department store of Harrods.
3) Up stairs in Tube and Metro stops.
4) Onto the Eurostar Train.
5) Through the cobblestone streets of Paris.
6) Through the Catacombs of Paris.
7) Up the Arc de Triomphe.
8) On the Metro (aka Subway).
9) On Escalators.
10) On the rocky beaches of Nice on the French Riviera.

Overall, the Micralite Fastfold ROCKS my world. Hubby and I both agree would couldn't have made it through Europe using our other stroller -- this one was a lifesaver. Did I mention how cute it is? We get compliments about it everywhere we go. The girl in London called it a "Posh Buggy" and I swooned. :)

The Micralite Fastfold is available in Red and Black. It holds up to 42 lbs.

Guest Post: Kristin from An Ordinary Life

Kristin and I became fast friends after I won one of her contests and a simple email of an address turned into back and forth emailing. We have so much in common and I love her site "An Ordinary Life" -- it's a daily read for me. Oh, and congrats are in order for Kristin -- she just recently got engaged! Read on to find out some great tips and products for traveling with kids, and be sure to visit her site "An Ordinary Life" when you're through.

With all the talk about summer travel my own family is in the midst of leaving for travel. We actually take off on Kai’s very first plane ride. I have compiled some items we think are essential for our summer travel.

Since we are also currently potty training (the training is done now it’s all about getting to the restroom on time) I highly recommend Potette on The Go Potty it can either be used as an actual potty with disposable bags. Or you can take it along like we are, with tiny baby butts one might fall through a toilet. So use it as an extra seat to keep them comfortable. Hey it sure beats holding them over the toilet and at an easy $10.00 it’s a great companion to keep in your car. We are easily taking it with us and folds up nice and small it fit nicely in our suitcase.

And every child needs their very own luggage. We love the Trunki Towgo from Tots on The Go. This luggage is perfect for the airport since your little one can jump on for a ride. It is lockable and comes in cute colors, plus it even has a teddy bear strap to keep your child’s favorite friend safe and sound. We wouldn’t be caught in the airport without our Trunki Towgo from Tots on The Go.

I have one of the best family friendly pieces of technology, you will find yourself playing in the doctors office, or while waiting in those long lines at the DMV. The Nintendo DS is one gadget you will fight with your children about. It’s portable entertainment for your children, or even yourself. Check out this article for more information.
Don’t forget about Chic Shopper Chicks own article all about the CARES Harness. We will bringing this item on the plane with us and we have heard nothing but great reviews about it.
Last but not least every trip needs heathly snacks, and carry them along with you to keep those kiddos full. Junk food only makes them more cranky, so remember drink lots of water and have fun healthy snacks along the way.

Do you have any tips or items you think are essential for travel? Tell me all about it!

I'm Flippin' -- are you?

Technology has really progressed since I was a kid.  My parents used to have a video camera that was as big as a suitcase that my dad would have to hoist up onto his shoulder to use.  Most birthday parties and holiday events were captured by setting up that ginormous camera on a tripod to catch one wide shot of the whole room, because it was the easiest way to do it without breaking your back.  

Not anymore.  As technology has moved along, so have those big clunkers of cameras.  Then we entered the digital age, and everything became more compact, even our computers!  It should be no surprise then, that someone would eventually make a very small and convenient to use video camera.

I recently had the opportunity to review the "Flip Ultra" digital video camera -- a product that the New York Times recently said was "One of the most significant electronic products of the year" and I agree!    I can see why so many people LOVE it.  I took it from the box to recording something in under 2 minutes, no exaggeration.  I kept checking the box to make sure I didn't miss anything.  It came with minimal literature (who really reads that stuff anyway?) which just proves that it really is dummy-proof.  

Now, I should warn you that these videos aren't intended to be extremely high-quality.  They are meant to be the type of video that you upload to YouTube or (as I did) email to your friends.  If you are looking for really high quality video, then you should turn to a regular video camera and not use the Flip.  But, I think that for what most of us are looking for, the Flip is perfect.  When we received the Flip Ultra, Little AG had just started walking, and our family members who live hundreds of miles away were just itching to see her walk.  So I took her to a park and let her go, while I recorded it on the Flip Ultra.  When I got home, I just "flipped" up the USB connect that is built into the Flip and plugged it into my MacBook.  I didn't have to preinstall any software before I plugged it in -- the Flip Ultra has the software that I needed installed on the camera itself.  When I plugged it into one of my USB ports, the Flip Ultra installed everything that I needed for me.  It was so easy -- I think that even the computer illiterate could figure it out.  

You can also edit your videos with ease once they are downloaded onto your computer, and it even gives you the option to capture still images from your videos.  I love that you can edit your movies and add music to make your own little video montage -- what a fun way to preserve your memories.    

The Flip Ultra is really fast, smart little camera.  The size of a bar of soap, it has the capability to start recording within 3 seconds of power up.  It holds 60 minutes of video in it's digital memory and runs on 2 double A batteries (with a pretty decent battery life, it seems -- I'm still using the same two batteries that came with the camera).  The color screen on the back allows you to watch video playback quickly, because you scroll through entire videos with one click.  If you don't like one of the videos that you have recorded, you can quickly and easily delete it -- much like using a digital camera.  

I received a Flip Ultra in Pink, and it's a darker pink, so it doesn't bother hubby much to use it either.  I like that you can choose the color of your Flip Ultra -- so that you can carry a camera that matches your personality.  Besides pink, they come in white, green, orange, and black.  It also came with a wrist strap and a soft velour storage pouch.  

Check out the pictures below of people that you might know using the Flip!

Hef and two of the Girls Next Door, Bridget and Kendra at a Lakers/Celtics game during the NBA playoffs record a few moments together with a Flip Ultra.

Joshua Jackson and Diane Kruger review a funny video that they captured on their Flip Ultra at an awards ceremony earlier this year.

Paris Hilton records the launch of her new clothing line using her Flip Ultra.

The final verdict:  Everyone should have a Flip.  The prices are VERY reasonable ($150 for a Flip Ultra!) and they have all kinds of cool accessories (you can purchase an underwater case for your Flip to make it waterproof for up to 30 feet -- take it to the pool, record your trip down a water slide, or go snorkeling with your Flip Ultra!) available to purchase.  You can purchase the Flip online from their website at www.theflip.com.

From Diapers to Diaper Bags

I've blogged before about my love of Seventh Generation products for baby (I use the wipes for Little AG) because they are all safe and non-toxic products that you can feel good about using around your children. Well, this time around, I'm experiencing a new level of love for the company because Seventh Generation has paired up with Healthy Child Healthy World and Rickshaw Bagworks to create Wee Generation Diaper Bags.

The designer fabric is created from post-consumer recycled plastic bottles, and it has all sorts of great features that you would want in a super organized, eco-chic diaper bag. All of the colors are gender-neutral, so no worries about a bag that is too girly or too masculine, either. It has lots of pockets for storage, a PVC-free liner, a waterproof bottom, and a comfy padded carrying strap.

My favorite part is that 100% of the profits from these bags (one hundred percent!!) go to non-profit Healthy Child Healthy World to teach children stay away from the toxic stuff that is all around us in our environment. You can buy a Wee Generation Diaper Bag from the Wee Generation website.

PS-- If you are thinking about buying it, go ahead and take the plunge now -- the first 500 bags sold will be chock full of goodies from Seventh Generation!

Classy Kid

How awesome are these "Keep Me Coloring" Placemats from Classy Kid? These cool placemats wrap around the table, and adhere to it, creating a waterproof eating surface that germs can't break through. Not only that, but it gives your kiddos something to do while you wait for the food (besides scream about how hungry they are). Even the crayons are neato -- they are triangular shaped so that they won't roll off the table. Even cooler -- they are what Classy Kid calls a "Clean and Green" product -- meaning they are completely biodegradable (made of 80% calcium) and will break down in a matter of months, not decades, while sitting in a landfill.

Another one of the "Clean and Green" products that I'm a fan of are the "Potty Protectors". They not only cover the top of the toilet seat but wrap around the sides (because honestly, the sides of the toilet gross me out more than the seat sometimes -- think about how rarely it is cleaned...) where kids hold on to the seat! They also have little grip strips to hold the protector in place.

Then today, when I was shopping in Target (I really like it there, I know, I know) I noticed this "Boo-Boo Rescue" First Aid Kit! It is packed with everything you need to handle all of those little boo boos that can happen around the house. It comes with a Bump Reliever Cold Pack , no-sting antiseptic wipes, antibiotic cream, a "magic" splinter remover, animal-shaped bandages, a gauze roll, wound cleaner, and even a toy Stethoscope so that your little one can "help" with the diagnosis.

You can buy all of these products by Classy Kid on Amazon.com.

Flying the safer skies!

Last week, Little AG and I were lucky enough to travel with hubby to Washington DC on business. Hubby and I were frequent travelers before Little AG was born, and once she came along she was quickly introduced to the world of traveling with us. The first time she flew was when she was barely 3 months old, and since then she has been on over 15 flights -- with no sign of slowing down (hubby and I are both aspiring pilots and we hope to be flying the friendly skies ourselves soon).

When Little AG was an infant, it was easy to bring her infant car seat on the plane with me and install it in a seat for her. When she graduated to her bigger car seat, a Britax Boulevard, we discovered after a one day trip down to Miami that itwasnotthatsimple. While we are happy with our choice of car seat for her, and our Britax is approved for air travel when installed correctly, IT IS HUGE. Even with two of us carrying all of the "stuff" that goes along with a baby, the car seat got to be a little much, and hubby all but broke his arms carrying it all through the (seemingly endless) trek through the terminal in Miami. We ended up carrying Little AG through the airport and letting the Britax ride in her stroller. It was the only sane option.

Louise Stoll, a grandmother of nine, watched a similar situation to the one that I described above happen with her pregnant daughter who was struggling to carry a toddler, diaper bag, and car seat off of a plane. She felt that there had to be a safe way for children to fly without lugging that ridiculously heavy car seat around the airport. With the help of her family and friends, she invented CARES -- a FAA approved harness designed specifically for aviation use for children ages 1-4 (who meet the weight and height requirements). It is made for children who are old enough to be in their own seat, but are too small to rely on the seat belt alone to protect them. CARES is a harness that works in conjunction with the airplane seat belt and provides children the same level of safety as a car seat.

So, now that you know a little about what CARES is, let me tell you about our experience using it. First of all, the CARES harness came with a DVD that explained more about how it works and shows parents how to correctly install the harness on the plane. I watched the DVD twice the night before we left to make sure that I would be able to install CARES quickly but efficiently once on the plane. The next day, we boarded our plane to Baltimore on Continental Airlines (more on our not very kid friendly experience with this airline later -- suffice it to say that I will avoid flying them again at most any cost) and I installed CARES in the middle seat between hubby and myself for Little AG. She was sitting there, tucked in with her Tigger (so cute!) rather proud of herself that she was sitting in a big girl seat. I was happy too -- because CARES was easy to install and I was still marveling at how it took up minimal room in my bag and saved us from lugging that car seat on the plane. (I should add that Little AG is 16 months old but weighs 25 lbs, so she is within the correct weight range)

Right before we took off, a flight attendant walked by, doing seatbelt checks, observed Little AG in her harness and said to my husband, "Just to let you know, it's safer for you to hold her in your lap during take-off and landing then to have her sit there." To this statement, I reply that the harness is FAA approved and that she meets the weight requirements to be in her own seat with this harness. She just said "Oh it is? Ok." and walked to the front of the plane. A minute later she's back, and she's brought company -- apparently she "told on us" to the senior flight attendant. The second flight attendant tells us (in no uncertain terms) that Little AG MAY NOT sit in that seat, with that harness, and that they do not allow harnesses to be used whatsoever on their airline. Since she was under 2 years old, we had to hold her, they said. I again told her that it was FAA approved that that we were allowed to use it, with her telling me that there was no such thing as an FAA approved harness (WRONG!) and that we were not allowed to use it. She wouldn't give me the chance to show her the documentation or take it any further, so it finally ended like this -- we were told that since we hadn't purchased a seat for her we had to hold her during takeoff and landing, even thought the plane was empty. ("She's a lap child since you don't have a seat for her, so she needs to be on your lap.") Honestly, it was a very dumb excuse, and we all knew it, but we weren't going to create a scene and continue to argue. Our words fell on deaf ears.

Towards the end of the flight, two flight attendants (the first flight attendant that we met and now a new girl) come bursting down the aisle together, excitedly asking if this was the CARES harness. I showed them the packaging (as well as the card that came with it, declaring that I have the right to carry it on and use this harness according to the FAA) feeling a mix of irritation and satisfaction all at the same time. They had gone and looked it up in their manual, and it said that the CARES harness is the only one approved by the FAA, therefore the only one that can be used. However, neither of these girls had ever seen one, so they didn't know any better. I honestly don't feel that being uneducated is an excuse for not allowing us to use it, but I did appreciate the fact that they admitted it. I was happy to be allowed to use it for Little AG for the rest of the flight and for landing.

We were advised later to let our flight attendants know ahead of time that we would be using the CARES harness and that it is the only one approved for aviation, and that would make life easier for all involved. (I can't resist adding that I feel like we tried to do that, but maybe we just weren't clear enough.) I highly recommend purchasing a CARES harness for your child, but you should be prepared to show documentation that it is FAA approved and fight for your right to use it should it be necessary. Your child is safer in a proper seat belt restraint than in your lap, and it is obvious that some airlines are not providing their flight attendants with the proper education to know that.

Overall, our experience using CARES was great. I felt safer having it for her, and we are planning on using it for our trip to Europe in a week -- it will be a lifesaver for the 9 hour flight. I encourage you to spread the word to all of your flying friends with young tots -- this is a really awesome product that provides great peace of mind and a lot more ease than using a car seat. You can purchase it directly from the CARES website for $74.95.

PS -- It is also approved for use in private aircraft!

Get 'em Talkin'!

When I was a kid, every night my mom made dinner and we sat around the dinner table and talked. My dad talked about his day at work, my mom talked about her day organizing the next school function or fundraiser, and I would tell them what I learned in school that day. For our family, talking was natural. However, some families are quieter than others, or need a little prompting to get a conversation going. If this sounds like your family, then Family Talk would be a great purchase for you. It gives you awesome, open ended questions that anyone could answer, and more importantly, it paves the way for more in-depth discussions. Questions like "What makes you feel most welcomed when you get home?", and "What worries you most?" are included in the stack. Plus, they are all connected on a really cool carabiner clip, so they can go anywhere you do! I'm planning on hooking them onto the backpack that I take with us to Europe -- it would provide a fun distraction in the airport or on the train for my students.

You can order Family Talk, Family Talk 2, or Grandparent Talk from Around the Table Games for $12.95. If you enter the code CSCFMT at checkout, you'll get Free Shipping!

Chic Shopper Chick -- Neat Solutions Giveaway

Not sure if I have mentioned this before, but I AM A GERM-A-PHOBE. Seriously. I won't even eat/drink after hubby, which he naturally finds ridiculous. I can't stand for things to seem germy. I won't cook in a kitchen unless I am confident that all of the pots, pans, and utensils were sufficiently cleaned, and sometimes I clean them again -- justincase. I carefully inspect restaurant glasses, plates, and utensils, and have to refrain from asking for my drink to be put in a to-go cup with no ice (ice machines have germs -- didn't you see that Oprah?) That's not to say that my house is even close to what you would call clean -- clutter can be everywhere, but the countertops MUST BE WIPED DOWN.

Yes I'm odd and quirky. I'll be the first to admit it. My own family makes fun of me.

Well, I may be extreme, but you don't have to be a germ-a-phobe to appreciate the products that Neat Solutions produces! For example -- when Little AG was old enough to sit in a high-chair in restaurants (that is a whole 'nother post that I promise to write in the future), I started having the problem of her touching all over the grimy table. Eww. We would wipe it down with Baby Wipes, but c'mon, those things aren't antibacterial. Neat Solutions knew there were moms like me out there freaking out about this type of thing, so they created their Table Toppers, that come in a variety of patterns (like Winnie the Pooh, and Baby Einstein). Table Toppers are disposable placemats that essentially stick in place on the table of the restaurant (or dining hall, like at the youth retreat I am currently helping at). We wrap ours on top but also along the side of the table, since Little AG likes to stick her hands all over the place. The best part is that we can pull apart a piece of bread or something, and put the pieces on the Table Topper so she can feed herself and we might be able to get more than one bite in at a time!

I also really like their XL changing pads -- the little one that came with my diaper bag never seems quite big enough to cover those gross public changing tables, but these do the trick. I like to slip the one from my diaper bag under it to give Little AG a little extra padding, and then place the Neat Solutions on top of that one.

What about public toilets? We are going to Europe this summer with our youth group, and I plan on taking the Potty Toppers with us to take care of those icky airport and public restrooms.

Taking your kiddo to visit your great-aunt who is fanatical about cleanliness and has her sofa from 1974 still covered in plastic? Bring along one of the Floor Toppers and stick it underneath the chair where you and the little one will be sitting. After the meal, you can make sure that any stray crumbs are safely picked up and not ground into the carpet.

I was watching Jon and Kate Plus 8 the other day, and I noticed that Kate had put these disposable bibs by Neat Solutions on the sextuplets when they were eating ice cream. We don't use bibs as much as we used to for Little AG, but sometimes, like for spaghetti dinners or any other rather messy food, these bibs are perfect. I can keep them in the diaper bag and just pull one out when I need it -- they don't take up a lot of room, so it's not a hassle to just keep them there.

Neat Solutions is just that, a neat solution for life's little messes, and you know a lot of them come with having children. You can check out Neat Solution's Website for info on where to buy their products at a major retailer near you.

Win It!!! Neat Solutions has generously offered a Neat Solutions prize package to one Chic Shopper Chick reader! This package includes one package of each of the following: disposable bibs, floor toppers, table toppers, potty toppers, multi-use pads, and XL Changing Pads!

To enter:

• Comment on this post with the name of the mom who invented Neat Solutions, as well as which Neat Solutions Product you like the most.
  
• Please leave a valid email address if you would like to be contacted if you win. Otherwise, winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch.
  
• If the winner does not respond within 72 hours I will choose a different winner.
  
• US AND CANADIAN entries. (Wooo hoo, Canada friends! Get your entry on!)
  
• Earn extra credit! Choose one of the following for ONE extra credit entry. Any further attempts to woo me will be disqualified!
  
• Write about this giveaway and send me the link in a separate post.
• Subscribe to my feed and let me know about it in a separate post.

This giveaway will end on June 10th, 2008 at midnight CST. Good luck!

PS -- Like free stuff? CSC just started running another giveaway today for a beautiful purse from The Kat Sak. Check it out!

Coloring and Cupcakes

I was browsing Etsy this morning when I happened upon these beautiful items from the storefront of ChichiBoulie. Based out of Lille, France, all of these exquisite pieces are hand drawn. Among my favorites are these adorable coloring books -- like this one for boys called "Le Mer" (the sea):They are 10 pages long and retail for $5.50. At 4 by 6 inches, they are the perfect size to slip into a travel bag for some quiet coloring time.

My other favorite items are these adorable gift tags -- you can get a set of 6 for $5. I like the cupcake style, but there are other designs as well, like Bridal Shower tags!

Check out these as well as the many other adorable designs at ChichiBoulie -- she also sells custom artwork and stationery, among other things!

Chic Shopper Chick Giveaway: Boon Snack Ball and Flo

I've already professed my love and admiration for every Boon Product that I have ever met -- like this super cool Frog Pod that hangs in Little AG's bathroom, and this way awesome Animal Bag that holds all of her stuffed animals in one place and functions as a soft seat when it's full. Well, I wanted to introduce you to two more of my favorite innovative products by Boon, so read on!

The Snack Ball

The first one is the Snack Ball! Before I say anything else, let me say that it is BPA Free, PVC Free, and phthalate-free! I know that most of you, like me, have major concerns over what toxic things the stuff we give our kids contains -- and things they eat out of are, naturally, of special concern. Aside from being free of all of that yucky stuff, it is way cool!

First of all, the two halves unscrew for you to clean, and I suppose to put in a small amount of snackable materials -- though I prefer to pour as many extra pieces as I can through the top to get the most mileage out of it! (A walk around my neighborhood is a good 2.5 miles -- I've gotta keep her quiet and happy somehow!) The little orange part at the top swivels open to reveal the snacks, and it's the perfect size for Little AG to fit her little fingers into. Plus, I can throw it in the diaper bag or under our stroller and not worry about crushing whatever is in there because the Snack Ball is "crush proof" -- which is a bonus in our house since I'm rather good at accidentally crushing or breaking things. I'm starting to think Boon made this product with me in mind! You can buy a Snack Ball on Boon's website for $6.49.

Flo

Flo is one nifty little invention, let me tell ya. First off, we had one of those faucet covers for the bathtub so little AG wouldn't bump her head. The problem was that anytime family came to visit and stayed over, they had to fight to pull the thing off so that they could get to the little switch to convert it from bath to shower. Flo has solved that problem right away. We have ditched our other faucet cover (sorry Mr. Froggie) in favor of Flo!

Secondly, we have one of those "rinsing" cups that is supposed to conform to Little AG's head so that when we wash the shampoo out of her hair it doesn't get in her eyes. M'kay -- in theory, that's fine and dandy. The thing I didn't think of was figuring out how to get her to look up and stay looking up while I rinsed her hair. Flo has again solved another problem for us -- the soft rubber piece on the bottom serves to deflect the stream of water to create a type of waterfall that gently sprays out instead of down. It's entertaining and useful -- especially when it comes to rinsing hair!

Lastly, the bottom part of Flo, as I mentioned above is a soft rubber, so it doesn't hurt if Little AG bumps her head on it. It was super easy to clamp on (I got it from the box to our faucet in under 30 seconds) and stays put very well thanks to some well-placed rubber grips on the inside. It also serves as a bubble bath dispenser, though we can't use bubble bath in our house because of sensitive skin. You can buy Flo on Boon's website for $14.99.

So -- want to win it? Boon has generously offered to giveaway a Snack Ball to one lucky CSC reader and a Flo to another lucky CSC reader! Check out the entry rules below!

• Visit Boon's website and leave a comment telling me one other product by Boon you think is cool and which prize you'd like.
  
• You must leave a valid email address to enter. I will not sell or use your email for anything other than contacting the winner. If your profile does not link to an email address where I can contact you, be sure to leave it in your comment.
• If the winner does not respond within 72 hours I will choose a different winner.
  
• US entries only.
• Earn extra credit! Choose one of the following for ONE extra credit entry. Any further attempts to woo me will be disqualified!
  
• Write about me and send me the link in a separate post.
• Subscribe to my feed and let me know about it in a separate post.
  

Contest ends May 20th at midnight CST. I will choose two winners at random -- the first number generated will have their choice, and then I will continue to generate numbers until I get someone who wanted the other option. http://www.random.org and will post and email the winner on May 21st, 2008! I will also be submitting the winner to Prizey Fetch, so you can check there to see if you've won! Best of luck!

Go, now, enter! Tell your friends! :)

Pretty Passport (gotcha covered!)

I happened upon the Etsy storefront of Revontulitikku (say wha?) and noticed this adorable passport cover! The front says "Bon Voyage" in a very chic cotton print and Japanese linen. Since we will be traveling abroad this summer, I was thinking that this might be a good way for us to distinguish between the 3 passports without having to open them. Laziness at it's finest, right folks? Plus, it's just an excuse to look cute -- like clothing for your passport! Check these out on Etsy for $14 each.

Car Valet

I have been scouring the web as of late for travel stuff to help with our trip across the pond this summer, and I came across this awesome Car Valet by Alex! It adjusts to fit over the back of a car seat and has the little fold down desk so your kids can draw, do homework, whatever! It has little detachable pouches to hold crayons and other safe art supplies, and you can store paper in it when it's not in use. Personally, I think this is very smart idea, and I can totally see it's value! Little AG is still to young to use this, but I still love it! You can purchase one at Madallie for $29.95.

Sippy Grip

Last night was a late night for me, though a fabulous one (NBA Playoffs from a Super Suite, need I say more?) but it involved putting my bedtime at somewhere close to 4 am. Of course, when I woke up this morning at 8 am with Little AG (who had a refreshing 12 hours of sleep) my eyes felt like they were glued shut. Of course, at breakfast, my darling 15 month old daughter delights in throwing her sippy cup off of the high chair tray (she claps when she puts it in the right place, and then *Whap!* knocks it right off onto the floor) and so this morning I was wondering (grumbling?) why someone hasn't come up with a way to make these stay put.

You see where I'm heading with this yet?

I found some! They're called the SippiGrip! They are adjustable in length up to 12 inches, and can fit high chairs, strollers, and car seats. I am totally ordering some of these for our trip this summer -- picking up sippy cups from the ground gets old, fast -- and our luck she will throw them under the Tube or in the street where they will be promptly run over. For all of your lovers of Blue and Red, I have good news -- you can get one of these SippiGrips for $6.99 on Amazon, but for you lovers of Black and Pink, I have better news -- how's $4.99 each sound?! Grab 'em while you can on Amazon!

Flying Fashion

As you know we are traveling to France and England this summer and I am starting the quest for all-things travel related. Little AG has no luggage of her own, and there certainly won't be enough room in mine for her stuff. So, while I'm still on the quest for the perfect (personalized) toddler luggage, I at least have found the perfect luggage tags. Of course I just love these Fairy Princess ID Luggage Tags from the Stationery Studio. You get 3 tags (the perfect amount) in any font you choose -- the name on the front, and 3 lines of text of your choosing on the back. (My choice for the 3 lines: Please return me ASAP/I am 17 months old and having a fit/because my Tigger is in here and not with me!) The tags are laminated and have a plastic strap to attach them to your bags.

Not into the fairy princess thing? Check out this slightly more grown-up tag or click around The Stationery Studio to find another one that you like! My other fave? The Bride and Groom luggage tags! What a great wedding shower gift!

Pacifier Pod

I don't know how some of you super moms always have a pacifier on hand. I can't even take a walk around my neighborhood with Little AG without losing at least one, and sometimes two. With that being said, I just saw these very smart JJ Cole Pacifier Pods and am planning on ordering two of them immediately. I currently have a stock of 7 pacifiers, thanks to my recent order of the Natursutten Pacifiers from Freckle Face, so this will be perfect. I can start keeping track of them right away, which is a nice thing since these new BPA free paci's are hard to come by in a pinch.

The specs on these holders say they are machine washable and dishwasher safe. Am I the only one who finds that part funny? Anyway, I think they are cute, stylish, and it says that you can hook them anywhere, on your belt loop (but, the fashionista in me feels the need to say: please don't), on the stroller, car seat, or diaper bag. Yes please! Pick up one of these Pacifier Pods in all sorts of cute patterns at Bloom Maternity for $7.95.

Piggy Packs

I know, I know, I've been talking about a lot of bags lately -- but I just can't resist these! You just know that if your kid(s) had one of these you would be stopped (and perhaps even chased down) by every mother in a 10 foot radius to ask "where you got it".

It's meant for ages 3-6 which is perfect for that age when they want to bring every toy they own with them. It also makes them feel special to have a bag of their own stuff that they can bring with them. Even better, you don't have to carry anything!

I really like that these backpacks have a collapsible handle so that they can roll it along behind them. Comes in duck, pig, frog, penguin, and ladybug. What a cute birthday gift! $24.95 at Calliope Boutique.


$24.95

Tiny Traveler

Little AG is, at the very least, what you could call "well-traveled" for a 14 month old. I was just saying to hubby the other day, as we prepped for yet another journey, that we should start writing down all the places that she has gone so that one day she could look back on them. So, when I was in one of my favorite ever places the other day, the bookstore, I spotted this adorable mini-journal for travelers. It is perfect for her, as each page has space to write: dates, destination, accommodations, traveling companions, and highlights. I plan to keep it up for her until she is old enough to do it for herself, with the hopes that she will have it completely filled up one day (it has room enough for 128 journeys!) Buy the Where I Went: Mini Journal for $8 on Amazon. I know you won't regret it! (CSC note: unfortunately, this is not the best picture of this product, it is much cuter and brighter in person, and it also has an elastic band to keep the book shut.)