The Mom Crowd

My family  just moved from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Dallas, Tx (for the summer) in a car and moving truck. That’s right,  21 hours of actual driving time.  In two days.  That made for long days  with pit stops.

To be fair, I have to admit that I did not make this trip with them.  I flew to Dallas with the 21 month old the same morning everyone else left Pittsburgh.  We thought that maybe it would be better for the toddler to not have to endure such a greuling road trip in a short amount of time.  My in-laws came up to help a few days before the big move day.  My husband planned on driving the moving truck while  my in-laws planned on driving the car with the kids in it.

My mother-in-law came up with a FABULOUS idea that I wanted to pass onto everyone.  She showed up with some plans in her road trip arsenol.  She bought some plastic gold coins and told the boys that they could earn the coins by doing special jobs around the house.  They each had a bag to put their collected coins in.  She told them that when they were on their big road trip they could spend their “money” at “Mimi’s store”.  Since we were still packing up for the move there were plenty of jobs to do around the house–especially since I’d been having some complications from the miscarriage and hadn’t been able to get as much done as I needed to.  The boys were excited to earn gold coins and were even more excited about being able to buy special treats from her store.

She also came with a DVD player, a borrowed Leapster, and Nintendo DS.  We let the boys pack their backpacks with toys and brought a basket of books to help with entertainment.

We were worried that the boys woulde be upset because they weren’t going to be riding in the moving truck with daddy.  Thankfully, Mimi’s Store was a HUGE hit.  What did Mimi have at her “store”?  She had some inexpensive toys like slinkys, stickers, and spray foam.  She had lots of food items like goldfish, cheese crackers, and cookies.  She also had pixie sticks, fruit rolls, and fruit chews.  It was an indulgence for sure–they don’t normally get a lot of those kind of snacks at home but we figured that being stuck in a car for 12+ hours a day for two days was a good reason to let them have some extra fun.

Her idea was genius because it helped on the front end with all the jobs and packing that needed to be done AND it helped to pass some of the long hours in the car.  Doing the extra jobs around the house also kept them occupied as more and more of their toys were packed on the truck and the house was being cleaned.

If you are planning a road trip (or even a plane trip) I think this is a great strategy to help pass the time.  So I pass it on to all you moms who are planning summer travels in hopes that you can use this to make your road trips more enjoyable!

Happy Travels!

*photo courtesy of spader

I happen to be one of those people who spend hours comparing prices in grocery circulars and clipping coupons twice a month. (Ok, so truth be told, I do coupons weekly!) I make an extensive list of meals that I can make for the following two weeks and shop only to that list and of course to the other little necessities that we use daily. I go to at least 4 different stores on my twice monthly grocery run and do my best to do it all very early on a Saturday morning when my husband is home to watch the kids. But there are just sometimes that early Saturday shopping trips just aren’t workable and I have to venture out during the week with my kids to do major shopping.

I’ve found that for short trips to places like Target or Wal-Mart, the kids do fairly well and are entertained as long as we stop by the dollar section or toy section first, even if just to browse, or if I promise that we will visit it within a few minutes of arrival. But on those occasions when I need to focus on my list and purchase more than just a handful of items, the following “survival tools” are essential! 

1. GET ORGANIZED BEFORE YOU GO! – If you are familiar with the store you are going to visit, write your list out in order of how you normally go up and down the aisles. Even if you aren’t 100% familiar with the store layout, you can organize your list by produce, meats, dairy, baby items, household goods and processed foods. The less time you take looking up and down the aisles for exactly what you need, the less time you have for your kids to act up.

2. GO EARLY! – don’t wait until naptime or right before to do your shopping with your kids if you can avoid it. Meltdowns are inevitable if you are pushing that threshold. All it takes is one “no” and you’ll have a screaming child for your entire trip!

3. TAKE A SNACK! – Who can be cranky when they have something to stuff in their mouths?! Bring along some Cheerios or fish crackers in a snack cup or give them a special treat and pick up a fun-sized box of their favorite snack food at the store. As long as you aren’t going through the do-it-yourself checkout lane, it won’t matter if they’ve eaten some or all their snack!

4. GET YOUR CHILD INVOLVED! – Go down each isle and have your child pick out 5 things with blue packaging, get them to help you find exactly what you are looking for (even if you know where it is), or have them count the items in your basket. If your kids are older, use the grocery store to teach them about nutrition facts by having them read and compare labels of their favorite foods. Another fun trick is to have them keep a tally of how much you have spent with a small calculator. It will help keep you in budget and will teach them basic math skills.

How do you manage shopping trips with your children? What tricks or tips do you have that help keep the peace?

Photo Courtesy of Joe Thorn

Several of my friends have been discussing with me how they are tightening up their monthly budgets.  We have been doing the same in our house.  We live in a pretty small house for having three children and I am happily trying to spend less money so we can move into a little larger home hopefully soon after the first of the year!  One area of our family’s budget which we have a lot of control over is our grocery bill.  We include diapers, toiletries, and cleaning items in our grocery bill and have budgeted about $500 a month on grocery items.  While that is not very much money for a family of five, with one on Pediasure, it’s a very doable number for our family.  However, I am trying to get that number even lower!

For the last two months, I have come in at $430 and $450 on our grocery bill-saving $80 and $50 dollars those months, which I think is great!  Both of those months, we had some unexpected expenses come up, so it was nice to have the cash already saved to spend on those unexpected expenses.  Here are some ways I’m lowering my grocery bill:

• Buy more generic.

I’ve always been a generic shopper, but there are some brand name items I prefer over generic.  On those items (like tomatoes, for instance), I’m halfing Hunts with generic and am not noticing the difference in the taste of my spaghetti sauce!

• Cook less meat.

There are a lot of great meals that do not require expensive beef and chicken.  For example, instead of taco night, I’m making bean and cheese chalupas.  We also ate a lot of chicken and rice and I have been replacing those meals with rice, bean, and vegetable varieties.  We still eat meat, but we’re just eating less of it.

• Try not to throw anything out.

I will typically buy fruits and vegetables and let them go bad in my refrigerator.  I am trying not to let that happen as often.

• Plan meals and shopping trips.

This is probably the hardest step for me, but it really makes a difference.  My grocery shopping time is Sunday nights now and I try to get everything I need for the entire week that night.  I find that I spend too much money on things we don’t need during my quick trips for milk or bread.  By eliminating those quick trips, I’m spending a lot less money!  I also have found that I spend less money when I don’t have the kids with me.

• Compare prices.

Bagged beans are way cheaper than canned beans and while they require a little more work, the little savings here and there make significant dents in your grocery bill.  Our grocery store has the price per ounce on the price sticker.  That is a very convenient tool to use when shopping.  Since some brands will package their items in different quantities, you can use this part of the price sticker to know if you are really saving any money by buying a little more bulkier of an item or a different brand.

These are just a few things that have helped me in my quest to lower my grocery bill.

Are you a coupon shopper?  What are some tricks/tips you have to save money on groceries?  How much does your family budget or spend each month on groceries?

Now that I have 2 children 22 months apart I have been pining for a double stroller. I have tried to get by without one for as long as I can with various strategies. One way is putting my 3-month-old son in a Baby Bjorn while pushing my 2-year-old girl in our huge Graco stroller or in an umbrella stroller. Another way is pushing my baby in his car seat on a travel frame stroller and chasing my daughter. Going out has been difficult! We had 3 different strollers in my car: 1 small umbrella stroller, the huge Graco travel system stroller, and the travel frame. I wanted to only have 1 stroller to fit my needs. I decided that it was time to put some cash down on a double stroller.

There are so many factors to consider before buying a double stroller. No double stroller is perfect. You just have to pick one that is closest to your needs.

New or Used?

Buying a used double stroller can be a great deal if you can find one that is in pristine condition. I had three friends tell me that they had bought used double strollers and found that the wheels stuck and didn’t ride smooth. I also searched Craigslist every day and even placed a “Want to Buy” ad, but never found what I was looking for. I could have bought a nice used one from Ebay, but we are going on a trip and I didn’t want to wait for it to be shipped.

A new double stroller is clean and has new wheels. I plan to use my stroller for a very long time, so I felt like I would get my money’s worth with a new one.

Side-by-side or Tandem?

My friend, McKenna, has used both a tandem and a side-by-side. She said that the child in back of the tandem couldn’t see and didn’t like sitting back there. Although, it was nice and compact. A side-by-side allows both children to see and be next to each other. I know that my daughter loves being next to her brother, so I felt like she would love it more than a tandem.

Jogging Style or Umbrella Style?

This is just a matter of preference. Where are you going to use it more? A jogging stroller is great for running, parks, the zoo, and amusement parks. Jogging strollers can also take up a lot of room in the truck and be heavy. An umbrella style is great for shopping and doctor office visits, but can also be used at parks and amusement parks. I didn’t want a huge jogging stroller and felt like I would get more use out of the umbrella style. I like the lightweight compactness of the umbrella style.

A Checklist to Consider When Shopping for Double Strollers

• How easy it can break down and set up
• The weight of the entire unit
• The room it will take up in your trunk
• The maximum weight the stroller can carry
• Storage pockets
• The number of sitting positions
• Durability. Does it have a good reputation for lasting a long time?
• Price

3 Strollers That I Considered Purchasing

Peg Perego Aria Twin Stroller – $339

A mom of two sets of twins in the store told me that she had used this stroller. The wheels got stuck often. Also the plastic piece that opens the stroller had broken off on a tarmac and airport staff had to find it. The sales guy at Babies R Us also immediately said that this was a horrible stroller, because it is made of cheap plastic and was not worth its expensive price tag.

Maclaren Twin Triumph Stroller – $265

The Mac Daddy of aluminum double strollers, this pricey double stroller is incredibly durable. It also has the smoothest ride of all umbrella double strollers. The 5-point harness is easy to snap together. Also the straps are made of a soft material  which is nice when rubbing against skin. The bottom strap is thin and while it held my 3 month old fine, it didn’t look very secure. The maximum weight is 110 lbs which means it could last a very long time as your children grow. The pockets in back are also nice, because they have a velcro lid to secure the contents in the pockets. One friend complained that it isn’t easy to set up, but you can get used to it. Also, I think you have to use your foot to pull up on a pedal to break it down, which may hurt your feet if you wear flip flops often. The sleek, simple design is nice.

Chicco Trevi Twin – $229

This stroller weighs 24 pounds (the weight of my toddler) and is easy to set up and break down. To break down you have to step down on a pedal and pull up two handles. The downside is that it only clicks together on one side when folded, so the other side hangs open a bit. This isn’t really a big deal, because the handle to carry it is on the side that clicks together. This stroller also has 4 adjustable positions. I liked that the bottom strap of the 5-point harness is very wide securing in a little baby. It also comes with a boot that folds out to give further security to holding a newborn. The shade doesn’t cover much. The pockets underneath and in the back are adequate. Also, the ride is smooth enough. It is quite comparable to the MacLaren Twin Triumph.

We ended up getting the Chicco Trevi Twin, because it was marked down to $169 from $229. We couldn’t justify spending almost $100 more on the MacLaren. We immediately used this stroller after purchasing it this weekend at an outdoor mall and got many looks and a compliment. It is so convenient to have them in one stroller! A bonus is that my husband likes to push it, because the handles are wide apart and they are comfortable for his broad shoulders and his height.  I am in love with my new double stroller.

Do you have a double stroller? Which one? Do you like it? What did you consider when purchasing a double stroller?

Please welcome our newest contributing author, Christy, to The Mom Crowd! I am super excited to hear her stories and insights into parenting. I have not seen Christy in person in 11 years. We became friends on Facebook and quickly became Facebook BFFs while commiserating about our kiddos. She did a guest post in March titled, “7 Things I Wish Everyone Knew About Type 1 (Juvenile) Diabetes.”

Here is Christy’s story:

I am a mom to two “medical marvels”, Andrew (4) and Catherine (18 months).  Told as a teenager that I would probably never have children, I never gave up the desire to be a mom.  Even after miscarriages and infertility issues, I was blessed with my beautiful babies!  My pregnancy with Andrew was incredibly difficult due to hyperemesis (excessive… and I do mean excessive vomiting) during my entire pregnancy and he was born by emergency c-section.  Crazy thing, I loved every minute of that pregnancy!  I was blessed to breastfed Andrew for 15 months and fell in love with that part of motherhood.  My pregnancy with Catherine was relatively normal compared to Andrew’s and she too was born by c-section and I breastfed her for 18 blissful months.  My favorite thing about being a mom has to be the reward of hugs and kisses!  I live for them!
In my free time, I enjoy reading, writing, going on play dates and most recently getting involved in my new church.   My days are full of refereeing, playing and managing Andrew’s diabetes.  I am truly blessed to have the life I have and love to share my experiences with others.

A big wide-open-arms welcome to you Christy! You can read her articles here on TMC every Wednesday.

In Other News…

Did you know that Dawn and I have started a fan blog for the show, So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD)? If you watch SYTYCD, please come share your thoughts over at SYTYCD The Blog. If you are a fan of the show, then there was a surprise this week and we’d love to hear what you thought of this week’s eliminations.

Finally…

Have a wonderful Father’s Day weekend honoring all the dads in our lives!