Hello, I’m so glad you stopped by! So, you’re going on a road trip? I love to travel and have since I was young; but, things change when you travel with kids. The thought of driving anywhere with children in the backseat for any extended period of time can be overwhelming, even for experienced travelers. There’s lots of activity ideas for kids to do in the car all across the web (here’s my car activities for toddlers), but have you made the planning and getting there part easier too? I’ve got 5 travel apps for you to put on your phone to help you get the most out of your next family road trip.

Want to share your summer road trips? Check out this Summer Road Trip Giveaway for a chance to win prizes worth over $3,400 in gift card packs!

GETTING THERE IS HALF THE FUN OF A ROAD TRIP

You might be wondering why you need these travel apps or how can some apps help you have a better trip. But, I speak from experience. We are road trip travelers. My boys have never been on a commercial flight in any of their short lives; but, they have countless thousands of miles logged on the highways and byways of the western U.S. Just last summer, we drove over 5000 miles and spent 6 weeks of our 8 week summer break traveling on the road. It was incredible and full of learning experiences.

Want to know the biggest thing I learned though? When getting there is part of the fun, the entire trip is more memorable. My boys were so busy having fun, talking about their many adventures, and reliving their favorite parts that they forgot to fight with each other!

DON’T FORGET THE ROAD TRIP SNACKS!

And snacks. In a car full of boys, you gotta have snacks. RITZ is a family favorite in our travel snacks and we love the RITZ Crisp&Thins. They are similar to potato chips, but are oven baked and have 50% less fat per serving than leading regular fried potato chips.

My boys favorites are Sour Patch Kids. They usually repeat “Sour. Sweet. Gone.” just about every time they eat some and we love sharing them. But, one of my favorite road trip snacks is Sunkist® Soda. That’s what my dad always drinks on road trips and it’s practically tradition. It’s just not a road trip without some Sunkist® Soda, so I was pretty excited to find the 12oz bottles in an 8 pack at Walmart. They are the perfect size for road trips!

TRAVEL APPS TO GET YOU WHERE YOU’RE GOING

There is nothing more frustrating than being somewhere you aren’t familiar with and having a backseat full of tired, whiny kids. The hustle and bustle of traffic buzzing around you while you try to navigate on foreign roadways doesn’t have to be stressful though. These travel apps will help you:

• Find your way with reliable maps and turn-by-turn directions.
• Make fuel stops quickly and efficiently without costing you extra money so your travel budget can go toward having fun!
• Discover attractions, landmarks, and other areas of interest you might have otherwise driven right past without even a passing glance.

Are you ready for a great road trip? Make sure these travel apps are loaded on your phone so you can have the best trip possible.

THE 5 TRAVEL APPS YOU NEED FOR AN UNFORGETTABLE ROAD TRIP

I know how frustrating it is to be in an unfamiliar location and your information is incorrect; however, no app is ever 100% perfect. In all of my experience, these are the travel apps I keep coming back to using over and over. Some of these travel apps have mobile websites that occasionally work better than just the app itself; so, if you’re having problems with the app, try the mobile website before you completely write it off. Ready? Let’s go!

EVERY TRAVELER NEEDS A GOOD MAP

1. Google Maps. My go-to app when I’m in a new place or even just trying to get to unfamiliar places in my hometown. Of all the map apps I’ve tried, this one has been the most comprehensive and reliable for me.

The turn-by-turn directions are super helpful when there’s kids in the backseat, traffic is unfamiliar and you don’t know where you’re going. Being able to download the maps in case you’ll be going somewhere without cell service is really a nice bonus too.

QUICK AND EFFICIENT AND BACK ON THE ROAD

2. GasBuddy. This is so, so helpful when looking to refuel quickly and get back on the road. There are lots of amazing things to see on a road trip, but I don’t consider gas stations to be one of them. And, as hard as I wish, I don’t have an endless trip budget which makes this travel app an essential for me.

With GasBuddy, it’s easy to quickly find a place to refuel close to the freeway and know that you’re not paying more than necessary so your  travel budget can be used for much more fun stops than gas stations. It’s easy to have a passenger look up fueling stations before you get there or use the option to find gas stations near your current location.

DON’T MISS ANY OF THE BEST STOPS

3. Roadtrippers. I stumbled across this travel app while I was planning our summer of road tripping last year and I’m so glad I did. Some of the reviews complain about glitches and problems, but I haven’t ever had any issues. However, I don’t use this app for mapping and navigating, only for planning so maybe that’s what makes the difference. This awesome travel app is like a map of the candy store – it shows you exactly where there are cool things to see, do, eat or even stay. We were able to see some really neat things that we would have driven right past otherwise.

Enter your route, choose your desired categories, the distance you’re willing to travel from your route and watch the magic happen. You’ll be presented with your specified points of interest all along your route. You can add them to your trip so you’ll have a list of all the cool places you are interested in seeing and can refer to it along your way.

GET OUT AND SEE WHERE YOU’RE AT

4. AllTrails. If you love hiking, you have got to install this app. Even if hiking isn’t your thing, download this one while you’re on the road. This is one I was introduced to recently and we have been loving it just for exploring around our area. While traveling this summer, we plan to use it to help the kids run off some energy without stopping at yet another fast food restaurant.

AllTrails will show you all the walking paths and hiking trails in your current local area or you can search any area and see what it has to offer. It’s easy to spot the difficulty rating of easy, moderate or hard. You’ll also find a star rating of how much other hikers have enjoyed that trail. You’ll find total distance, elevation increase and whether it’s a loop trail or one you hike in and back out and a brief trail description so you’ll know exactly what you’re getting into before you go. The perfect way to let the kids run off a little energy!

KEEP THE GOOD FEELINGS GOING

5. Spotify. Or another audio app that will help keep both the driver and passengers engaged. After research, trial and error, and weighing our options we decided Spotify is right for our family. There are lots of great apps out there though. Find something that will engage your family – whether it’s music, audio books, car games or maybe something else. When the seat belts get tight and tempers get short, change the whole mood of the car with your secret weapon – entertainment!

WHAT’S YOUR SECRET FOR THE GREATEST ROAD TRIP IN THE WORLD?

Do you have travel secrets that make your road trips absolutely amazing? Are you headed out on the open road this summer? We want to hear about it! Don’t forget, you can enter this giveaway for a chance to win over $3,400 in gift card prize packs! What are you waiting for?! Get over there and get your entry in today! And grab all your road trip treats at Walmart this summer.

The post 5 Travel Apps You Need for the Greatest Road Trip in the World appeared first on While He Was Napping.

While the initial cost was more than a bottle of sunscreen from the store, I had enough supplies to get my family of 5 through all of last summer – we spent 6 weeks of our 8 week summer traveling and were outside A LOT. I also only used a fraction of the ingredients, so I didn’t have to buy anything this year. Overall, it’s evened out to be comparable to the cost of sunscreen from the store and it’s actually good for your skin. If you don’t want to recoup your costs over time, this would be a great project to split with a friend or two.

DIY SUNSCREEN: PROTECTION WITHOUT THE CHEMICALS

I will let you do your own research on sunscreen because my goal here isn’t to try to convince you that homemade is right and wonderful and store bought is wrong and bad. We are actually a divided house on this matter. From personal experience, I prefer homemade sunscreen. My husband does not. We still use store bought sunscreen and our home is definitely not an organic, all-natural only home (she types as she sips her Vanilla Coke).

I simply want to offer another option to what’s out there. Using chemical-free sunscreen is an option. It’s relatively simple to make, it will protect your family and it is good for your skin. My favorite thing about DIY sunscreen is that it doesn’t make me feel oily and greasy. I hate feeling sweaty, which often happens when you’re out in the sun, and it is 100 times worse to have that feeling compounded by an oily lotion. That has been a huge complaint of mine since I was a child and this homemade version solves that problem for me. This DIY sunscreen feels like any other body lotion I routinely use.

DIY SUNSCREEN: THE PROS AND CONS

What’s the benefits of making your own sunscreen? Well, here’s what I discovered last year. The actual making part is relatively easy. However, not everyone loves homemade sunscreen. My husband prefers the stuff from the store, while I prefer the homemade stuff.

PROS:

• All natural ingredients – no allergic reactions to unknown chemicals
• Easy to make in small or large batches
• Protects as well as store bought sunscreen with no harsh chemicals
• Costs about as much per ounce as sunscreen from the store – if you want to off-set the initial cost, share ingredients with some friends.
• Doesn’t feel greasy after application

CONS:

• Slightly whitens skin – doesn’t bother me any, but this is a definite downside for my husband.
• Lower SPF – Did you know that an SPF 40 is not equivalent to 2x the strength of an SPF 20? A SPF 20 blocks about 94% of UVB rays, a 40 blocks around 98%. We’re so fair skinned that we reapply every couple hours and a lower SPF doesn’t make much of a difference for us.
• Takes a little longer to apply – This is the biggest reason my husband doesn’t like homemade sunscreen, however our leftovers from last year are spreading better now.

HOW TO MAKE DIY SUNSCREEN

Making your own sunscreen lotion is easy, once you find your ingredients. However, I’ve tried to make that super easy too. I’ve included links to the exact products I use in my sunscreen. I buy from Bulk Apothecary and have since 2011. I’ve always been happy with their products and their pricing is hard to beat (although shipping sometimes feels a little pricey). The only thing Bulk Apothecary doesn’t have is the Raspberry Seed Oil, which you can get on Amazon. You could probably find all the ingredients on Amazon, but it can be hard to know what quality you’re getting. I trust Bulk Apothecary.

I use this kitchen scale to measure out my ingredients and highly suggest this method if you can. You’ll get more precise ratios. I did include measurements in tea and tablespoons too, but your results will be more reliable if you use the weight measurements.

This sunscreen recipe has an approximate SPF 37. You can omit any of the ingredients and still create sunscreen, but it will change the SPF and possibly the physical make up of the lotion. I’ve included each ingredient’s purpose; so, if you do omit something, you’ll know what you’re losing. Okay, ready to protect your skin with all the good stuff?

The purpose of each ingredient:

Beeswax – makes the lotion waterproof, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial.
Coconut oil –  natural SPF of about 2-8, anti-bacterial, natural moisturizer, full of anti-oxidants
Jojoba oil – natural SPF 4, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal
Aloe vera – soothes skin irritations, anti-oxidants, anti-inflammatory, natural moisturizer, helps make sunscreen easier to spread
Unrefined shea butter –  natural SPF of 3-8, natural moisturizer, good source of vitamins for skin, anti-inflammatory
Zinc oxide – sun protectant, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging properties
Vitamin E – can extend life of the sunscreen, natural moisturizer, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory
Raspberry seed oil – natural SPF 30-40, anti-inflammatory, can substitute carrot seed oil; this is expensive, but you don’t use much and it’s worth the SPF protection – you could get 24 batches of sunscreen with a 2 oz bottle

Materials/Ingredients:

Makes enough lotion to fill a 3 oz cosmetic tube

• 10 grams (1 Tbsp + 1 tsp) white beeswax | Get it here
• 26 grams (1 Tbsp + 2 tsp) coconut oil | Get it here
• 10 grams (2 1/2 tsp) jojoba oil | Get it here
• 10 grams (2 tsp) 1x aloe vera Liquid | Get it here
• 15 grams (approx 1 Tbsp) Unrefined Shea Butter | Get it here
• 20 grams (4 slightly heaping Tbsp) non-nano zinc oxide powder | Get it here
• 1/4 tsp liquid vitamin E | Get it here
• 1/4 tsp raspberry seed oil | Get it on Amazon
• double broiler or a small pot and a glass jar (I use an old pot and a small measuring glass or a mason jar)
• wooden skewer or small spatula or whisk
• ziptop bags
• cosmetic tubes to put your lotion in (I found empty soft squeeze tubes at Walmart last year in their travel cosmetics, but when I looked this year, they didn’t have the same kind. I got what they did have and they are stiffer and harder to squeeze. I don’t like them as well; this is the kind I prefer.)

Instructions/Directions

SET UP YOUR DOUBLE BROILER

Step #1: If you’re using an actual double broiler, follow the directions it comes with. If you don’t have a double broiler, you can use a pot and glass jar. This is my method. Fill the pot with water until it is about 4 inches from the top. Place on the stove burner.

Step #2: Measure out all your ingredients with the kitchen scale and put them in the glass jar. Put the glass jar in the water on the stove and turn the stove on to low-medium heat. You want the water to come to a rolling boil. Once achieved, turn down the stove if you need to. You just want to maintain that rolling boil. Too rapid a boil can tip your jar and your sunscreen will be ruined.

MELT AND MIX YOUR SUNSCREEN

Step #3: Let the ingredients melt and liquefy. Stir with your skewer, spatula or whisk to thoroughly combine. It should be white in color and creamy in texture with no lumps. The bubbles will pop as the lotion cools.

Step #4: Remove from heat, turn off the stove, and remove the jar from the water. Be CAREFUL!! The jar will be VERY HOT! Let the lotion cool for several hours to room temperature, stirring occasionally to keep combined.

In the photo below, you’ll notice there is 3.5 oz of melted lotion in the measuring cup. You’ll lose some of the volume to the jar and zip bag when you transfer the lotion. It will also condense as it solidifies. A 3 oz cosmetic tube is the size you want.

Note: I actually tried pouring the hot lotion directly into the cosmetic tube and skipping the ziptop bag. It worked… alright. The tube didn’t melt like I worried it might, but it got pretty soft. This tube was a thicker plastic than the tubes I prefer, so a thinner tube may melt. The biggest issue though was mixing the lotion while it cooled. It’s really hard to mix anything well when there’s no room to stir it up. If you want a well mixed lotion, let it cool in the jar and use the ziptop bag.

FILL YOUR COSMETIC TUBES

Step #5: Using the skewer, spatula or whisk, scrape as much of the cooled lotion into a ziptop bag. Snip a small corner off the bottom of the bag.

Step #6: Carefully, fill the squeeze tubes with the lotion by squeezing it out of the bag and into the cosmetic tube. Squeeze the lotion to the bottom of the tube occasionally so you can fill the entire tube.

That’s it. You just made your very own sunscreen! Use and store as you would any other sunscreen lotion. The shortest shelf life of these ingredients is 1-2 years. The vitamin E may help extend that. You’ll know it’s gone bad if it has an acidic or rancid oil smell. If so, toss it and start over. The leftovers from the batch I made last year are still going strong though.

DIY SUNSCREEN THAT PROTECTS YOUR SKIN & YOUR FAMILY!

If you’ve been wanting a different option than all those brightly colored bottles lined up on the store at the shelves, something with ingredients you can pronounce, something that will protect your family’s skin without harsh chemicals, then making your own sunscreen is a great choice. You get to choose exactly what is in the sun protectant you’re putting on your skin.

I have loved making my DIY sunscreen over the past year. If I can do it, you can too. So, get out there and have a safe summer! Protect your skin with DIY Sunscreen!

The post How to make DIY Sunscreen that will protect your family appeared first on While He Was Napping.

KEEP THE KIDS FROM FIGHTING AND CREATE SOME AWESOME MEMORIES THIS SUMMER

If the thought of all your kids all together ALL SUMMER LONG makes you a little nervous, I get it. My boys have kicked their sibling rivalry into high gear lately and the idea of being with all of them all of the time for 8 weeks makes my eye twitch a little. While I’m a firm believer that kids shouldn’t be entertained all of the time, I also know from experience that bored kids are bickering kids. In order to keep the peace – and my sanity – I plan to have a few activities that I can turn to when things get a little too crazy.

These summer printables are perfect because they mean less work for me. Sure, I could design similar ones myself, but time is worth something to me. When all I have to do is print them out, some minor prep work and they are ready and waiting for when I need them most, I am willing to spend a few dollars. These are all printables offered by The Dating Divas so you know the quality is awesome, the designs are gorgeous and I love that I can save them on my computer and use them again and again.

SUMMER PRINTABLES THE WHOLE FAMILY WILL LOVE

These summer printables aren’t just for the stay-at-home mom who now has to fill day after day with memory-making activities. There are a huge variety of printables that will fit into just about every kind of summer plans you can imagine. Find the set – or sets – that best suit your family and make it a great summer! There’s something for:

• Stay-at-home moms and dads
• Family camping trips
• a Stay-cation you won’t soon forget
• anyone looking for a way to serve others and brighten someone else’s day
• families celebrating summer birthdays
• anyone looking to spend more time with their kids
• anyone wanting to make some great summer memories

9 SUMMER PRINTABLES YOU NEED TO ENJOY AN AMAZING SUMMER BREAK

Make this summer a summer of memories! All you have to do is download your favorite summer printables, save them to your computer, print them out and do some minor prep work and you’ll have a fun project waiting for you and your family to enjoy together. Click through on the images below to see complete details on what’s included in each printable pack. Ready to check these out?

SUMMER BOREDOM BUSTERS PACK

If you don’t know where to start, this is for you. This Summer Boredom Busters Pack has activity cards to keep that boredom monster at bay! Have a lemonade stand, do some random acts of kindness, or write letters to family and friends. There’s an adventure journal to keep track of all the awesome things you do this summer. Reading trackers, summer schedules, calendars, chore chart bingo and road trip games are some of the other great activities included in this pack. Beat the “I’m boooorreed” with these great summer printables. 

ROAD TRIP ADVENTURE PRINTABLE PACK

This was included in the Summer Printable Bundle and I am super excited to use it when we hit the road this summer. The Road Trip Adventure pack includes something for everyone in the car – yep, even the grown-ups! A new activity every hour will get you there before you know it. There’s games and printables for the kids and there are printables for your next getaway with your sweetie too!

FAMILY CAMPING ADVENTURE PACK

If you’re headed out camping, this fun kit will help keep everyone happy… and out of the fire pit! There’s some fun activities to help your family acclimate to life in the great outdoors. You’ll get a packing list and a to-do list to make sure you take everything you’ll need for an awesome adventure, a camping menu, camping games, scavenger hunt and a fun s’mores kit to make the best part of camping just a little bit better.

FAMILY STAY-CATION ADVENTURE PACK

If staying home is more your speed this summer, make your next staycation one for the books with this Family Staycation Adventure pack. Officially invite your family to your special family time with some fun invitations. There’s a fun bucket list and a customizable itinerary you can fill out together so you’ll be sure to make the most out of your vacation time. Activity ideas to help you make sure it feels like vacation, instead of being stuck at home will come in handy if you need some help coming up with ideas to keep everyone happy and entertained. Plus, there’s a little something special for you and your sweetie after the kids are in bed. Ooh-la-la!

BABYSITTER IN A BAG: COOKING ADVENTURE PACK

If you just need something to do for an evening, the Babysitter in a Bag ideas are perfect. While designed for you to leave with the kids and sitter while you go out, there’s no reason you can’t stay in and do it with the kids! I think I’d probably want to watch my kids enjoy these printables, they look like a ton of fun! The Cooking Adventure includes a kid’s recipe booklet, a DIY chef hat, printable games, activity place mat, a clean up list and more! Your kids will get to explore the kitchen while they learn and play! I am going to save this one for an afternoon and do it with my kids!

BABYSITTER IN A BAG: CAMPING ADVENTURE PACK

If actually going camping isn’t in your plans, bring the camping to you! Everyone will enjoy the best parts of camping and they will still sleep like little babies in their own beds with this Camping Adventure pack. Camping without my kids up at the crack of dawn? Yes, please! This pack includes scavenger hunt, games and other great camping ideas, plus a recipe for easy indoor s’mores. It’s the best of both the indoor and the outdoor worlds!

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION PACK

Do you have a summer birthday in your family? Celebrate in style with this fun Birthday Celebration pack. There are printables for both the kids and the grown-ups, so you’ll have what you need no matter what. You’ll get decor, activity ideas to fill the day with amazing memories, gift embellishments and fun photo booth props too! Everything you need for an unforgettable birthday!

CHEER UP PRINTABLE PACK

If you are looking for something nice to do, a way to pass a little bit of time doing something kind and productive, this Cheer Up pack is exactly what you need. It’s bright, fun, and happy and is sure to help you put a smile on someone’s face. You’ll get a card to put all your well wishes in, tags to fancy up any special goodies or treats you want to include, decor to make your box extra cheery and more! The best part is this is designed to go in a box, so it’s perfect for mailing if your recipient lives far away.

MINI MOM & DAD DATES PACK

My middle little guy asks me every so often, “Mom, when can you and me spend some time together? Just us.” It pulls at my heart strings every single time and that dreaded mommy guilt starts gnawing away. I try to make time for all my boys, but it can be hard when you’re outnumbered. That’s why I love this last pack.

If you want to spend quality time with your kids, this Mini Mom & Dad Dates pack will help you do just that. Make it a big deal and give your child an invitation to the date. Not sure what to do? There are mini questionnaires that will help you figure out what you child is most interested in. There’s tools and resources to help you plan your little dates and there’s even 5 ready-to-go mini dates to help you get started. Summer is the perfect chance to take a little extra one-on-one time with your kids and this printable pack will make it a snap!

GET YOUR SUMMER PRINTABLES NOW TO CREATE A SUMMER TO REMEMBER

There’s 9 ideas to help you keep the chaos under control and the memories sweet and happy all summer long. My boys laughing and giggling together is one of my favorite sounds in the whole wide world. I’m so excited for school to finally end so we can focus on playing together. It’s crazy how fast they grow up and I want to squeeze all the memories and fun in that I can while they are still little and want to spend time with me.

I know their bickering makes the days long, but they are numbered. I’m doing my best to make them count. And, yes, that even includes having memories prepped and ready to be made. I’m so glad these summer printables will be part of our summer break!

Which summer printables do you want to try first?

The post 9 Summer Printables You Need to Enjoy an Amazing Summer Break appeared first on While He Was Napping.

Hi there, friend! I’m so glad you’re here today. I’ve got a question for you. Are you ready?

Have you ever had an unexpected visit from dreaded Mother Nature, or Aunt Flo, or ‘that time of the month’ or whatever else you may call it? Yes, that’s right. Your period.

I know, you’re probably thinking we don’t know each other well enough for this conversation. But, hear me out.

There’s nothing quite like that unexpected surprise. You’re having a fine day and then WHAM! There it is. No warning, no nothin’! And those are your favorite panties, right?! Happens to the best of us, I promise.

But what’s worse than a surprise visit from every woman’s least favorite aunt? A surprise visit when you are out and about and completely unprepared! Maybe you’re even on vacation. Or out with your favorite girls.

But, don’t worry! There’s a way you can avoid that awkward situation! I’ve got exactly what you need: A period preparedness car kit.

Here’s what this kit can do for you:

• Enjoy your vacations, your shopping trips, your lunch dates or date night, your beach trips, and your girls’ nights out, even if your period interrupts you.
• Have the confidence that you can handle any situation Mother Nature might throw at you, even when you’re away from home.
• Never have to beg your girlfriends (or a stranger!) for feminine hygiene products again! You might even become the go-to hero among your girlfriends.

Do you want that confidence? Click that yellow next arrow to keep reading and I’ll tell you exactly what you need to do to stay confident and comfortable, no matter when your period strikes. And how U by Kotex® can help.

On the next page you’ll get the full supply list and directions on putting your Period Preparedness Car Kit ready to go.

The post Period Preparedness Car Kit appeared first on While He Was Napping.

I’m so glad you’re here! Have you ever needed to charge your cell phone somewhere than you normally do? Just wait until you see the Cell Phone Charging Station we’re going to make today!

But first, I have a couple questions for you…

• Do you reuse what you can?
• Do you like to recycle?
• Is it something you are teaching your kids to do?

We do recycle. But, we don’t spend a lot of time doing it. We have a recycle bin under our kitchen counter that collects tin and aluminium cans, glass and plastic containers. Every two weeks, we sort it into the recycle baskets and set it out with the trash. Mr. Napping takes our cardboard to work and recycles it there, since we can’t do that from our residence at this point. We spend less than 20 minutes a week in our recycling efforts, but we are still reducing waste that would otherwise end up in the landfill.

I also re-use empty containers and things around our home. Old spice bottles makes great maracas. Empty toilet paper tubes are fun to make into play binoculars, race cars and rain sticks. Empty, clean tin cans are great for organizing pens, pencils, crayons and other art supplies. Reusing these items are just as much for the sake of fun, and recycling is just a bonus!

There’s lots of things you can repurpose and reuse. And what you can’t reuse, you might be able to recycle. Most recycling is done in the kitchen. Have you ever thought about recycling in the bathroom?

WHERE DO YOU RECYCLE?

A 2016 consumer survey on in-home recycling habits, conducted in partnership with Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc., shows that 34% of regular recyclers admit that it never even occurred to them to recycle in the bathroom! They found one of the main reasons people don’t recycle personal care products in the bathroom is a lack of tools and resources; only one in five recyclers have a recycling bin in their bathroom. We don’t! Do you?

Here’s a couple recycling pointers you might not know:

• #1 and #2 plastics are the most widely accepted plastics in curbside and town recycling programs
• #5 plastic bottle collection is increasing, but it’s still not generally accepted in curbside and town programs
• Plastic tubes and plastic films are not accepted
• Plastic caps can be left in place
• Pumps need to be removed and discarded in the trash
• Rinsing the bottles before recycling is appreciated

Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. have created the Care To Recycle® program to encourage recycling of personal care product packaging and as a gentle reminder to extend your recycling habits outside your normal areas. Care To Recycle® wants to help parents extend recycling habits outside the kitchen and into the bathroom. We can involve our children in the fun and ease of recycling and reusing.

Here’s a fun, quick and easy little project that will help you reuse and recycle things you use in the bathroom.

RECYCLED DIY CELL PHONE CHARGING STATION

Materials:
– Empty plastic bottle large enough to hold your phone. I used an Aveeno lotion bottle. The stress relief lotion is amazing (because as a mom of three boys, I have stress. Lots and lots of it). The bottle is a great size for reusing. If you don’t want to reuse it, it is recyclable.
– Rubbing Alcohol and Cotton Balls
– Permanent Marker
– Scissors, Razor Blade and Craft Knife. You can get by with just one, but I ended up using all three of them.
– Washi Tape

Directions:
– Start by washing out your empty bottle. Get out all the gunk and goop. Keep rinsing…. Almost there. Great, it’s goop-free now.

Here’s a video of the next five steps. Watch me do this project in less than a minute and a half. Or read through the directions below. If you get confused, come back and watch the video.

That’s it. Your cell phone charging station is ready to use! What I really love about this is that there are so many possibilities! And, I turned the cut out part of the bottle into a sink spout extender in our bathroom so Little N can wash his hands without needing to be held! Double score!

Do you have any great repurposing hacks? Leave a comment and tell me about it!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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With my middle little one we started out in a two-bedroom apartment that was less than 1000 square feet and there was no need for monitors. You couldn’t get far enough away to not hear the baby. When he was three months old, we moved into our single-story home and we still didn’t need a monitor. He was (and still is!) such a restless sleeper that it was better if I didn’t have a monitor on him because every movement he made put me on edge… Is he getting up? Is he gonna cry? Should I go get him? We both slept better without a monitor – I wasn’t constantly hovering over him while he was trying to sleep. He expected me to be there every time he stirred and he was terrible at putting himself back to sleep because of it. It didn’t help that I need sleep or I am one grouchy momma. It really was better for both of us.

Between my middle baby and my youngest, my sister-in-law had their first baby. They went all out with the changing tables, video monitors, diaper pails and more. I thought it was a little unnecessary… Then we were at my grandma’s house with the whole family and it was loud! Both of my younger boys still napped. Our room was too close to the noise and kept them from getting a good nap unless we put them in the attached apartment my parents were staying in. But we had no easy way to make sure our kids were still sleeping, safe and sound. My brother’s video monitor suddenly seemed like more of a need than a want, or at the very least not unnecessary. We made do with some apps on our mobile devices and tablets, but it meant someone had to leave their device in with the sleeping kids and the apps chewed through the battery!

Enter Levana’s Ayden Baby Video Monitor. Even though my little Baby N is closer to being two than one, I am so excited to have this monitor now. I know it will be so useful while we are traveling next week! I absolutely love this thing. It has all kinds of features I am so excited about. The most important feature to me, though, was a secure signal – I want to be confident that I am the only one checking in on our children. The Ayden Baby Video Monitor offers Private ClearV­u® Digital Signal that is private, secure and interference-free from up to 750 feet away.

The picture quality is fantastic on the 3.5 inch screen and there is even an LED Night Vision option to give you a clearer picture of your baby in the darkness. This is amazing and essential for me, as our nursery is incredibly dark even during the day. I love being able to see my baby without having to shine a bunch of light in on him and worry about waking him. The actual picture clarity is even better than this photo.

Another feature I was very excited about was the option to use battery or wall power for both the monitor and video screen units. This means we can even take it camping! I am very excited about the freedom that will give me! You can turn on PEEP mode and your monitor and camera will enter sleep mode if it’s quiet. You see what you need to see when you need to see it and don’t use up lots of battery when there’s nothing to check on. This allows for up to 48 hours of battery life before you need to recharge.

3 TIMES I LOVE BEING ABLE TO USE MY LEVANA AYDEN BABY VIDEO MONITOR

1. When my Baby N finds himself overstimulated and tired. When this boy has had enough, he needs his space. Even momma is too much company. The worst case overstimulated scenario has the poor boy in hysterics and cuddles from momma or daddy just make it worse. I like being able to keep an eye on him while he calms himself enough for a snuggle before going to sleep. I don’t have to worry that he’s going to hurt himself or be naughty – he’s climbing all the things these days – while he’s alone in his crib.
2. To check on Baby N before I go to bed. You know what they say – Let the sleeping beast lie! Baby N regularly kicks his blankets off, but not all the time. I love being able to check and see if he needs to be tucked in again without entering the room and disturbing his slumber.
3. In the middle of the night. Baby N gets up usually once during the night, but he’s been sleeping all night more often lately. It’s really nice to be able to check on him when I first hear him fussing to see what he needs. Is he cold? Hungry? Did he just lose his pacifier? It helps me get him taken care of and back to bed faster.

The temperature monitoring is a nice feature. My youngest two boys kick the covers off all the time. With the Ayden Baby Video Monitor you can check on the temperature in their room and see if they need to be recovered without risking waking them up. There’s nothing worse than checking on them and them waking up just as I’m heading to bed. My boys have usually been asleep long enough they think it should be time to get up and play. Not what a tired momma wants!

The smart indicator ring was also something I thought was very cool. The ring around the directional pad will change colors according to the noise level in the baby’s room. You can keep an eye on your baby even when the sound is turned down. This would be a great option for times when your surroundings are loud already and for hearing-impaired parents and caregivers.

Two more features are a night light option and a lullaby option that you can turn off and on from the video screen menu. You don’t even have to go into the room. There are three lullaby options and the night light is a calming yellowy-orange color that comes from the top of the camera. There is a two-way communication feature that lets you talk to baby.

I am incredibly happy with this monitor. It’s feature-rich, I can keep eyes on my kiddo and I will be able to do more knowing my child is safe. That’s all this momma wants! Enter the giveaway below for a chance to win your own baby video monitor.

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Get more info and stay up with all the latest and greatest from Levana on their Facebook page. Or check out the Ayden Baby Video Monitor and get your own with the button below!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Levana. The opinions and text are all mine. Pinky Promise.

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I have put together a road trip snacks kit that is sure to save the day.  It’ll keep the whole car happy – and that means momma doesn’t have to spend the whole trip opening juice boxes and chucking bags of chips into the back seat.

ROAD TRIP SNACKS KIT

PUTTING YOUR SNACK KITS TOGETHER

This part is the most crucial part. But that’s ok, it’s important but it’s also pretty easy. You’re just dividing up snacks for each person – yes, like you do every day – but, today it’s for the entire day… at one time. You got this! It’s a little more work, but it will be worth it. Ready?

Materials for your road trips snacks kit:

– small baskets that are easy to see inside – it will be easier to find what you are looking for if you can see it.
– snack friendly foods – I’ll get more in-depth in just a second.  It’ll be worth it, promise.
– small containers or ziptop bags – consider serving sizes when selecting these.

Directions to put together a road trip snacks kit:

– Purchase or make your snack-friendly foods and divide your road trip snacks into single serving sizes.  Not single serving in terms of nutrition facts, but how much you want to consume (or to be consumed) at a single time.

– Fill your small containers with your single-serving sized road trip snacks.  Consider the age of the kit’s owner as to how much you put in each container.  For example, I wouldn’t give my husband and my three-year-old the same sized snacks.  There would be a mutiny on my hands.

– Store all road trip snacks inside the small baskets.  Each person gets their own basket.  Place the baskets within easy reach of each person’s seat.  If you will have to hand out snacks to the kids, make it so you can reach them.

– Depending on the length of your trip, you can decide if you will refill the road trip snacks baskets at a certain time or not.  On our nearly-900 mile trip, I will be refilling the baskets about every 200 miles.  This will help my family pace themselves in their snacking and, hopefully, help avoid any carsick episodes from overeating.

ROAD TRIP SNACK IDEAS

DISCLAIMER: These are just ideas. Depending on the age and diets of your travel companions, you may want to adjust this list and consider choking hazards. Choose foods your family enjoys and focus on your specific snacking needs. The kit I created was for me and it doesn’t include all the items listed. I would make adjustments to my kit for both my kids and my husband. Do what is best for each member of your family. That’s why everyone gets their own kit.

– licorice
– candies
– chips
– pretzels
– trail mix
– fruit cups
– granola bars
– applesauce
– dried apple slices
– dried apricots
– dried bananas
– dried mangos
– crackers
– string cheese
– cheese cubes
– raw almonds
– raw pecans
– pistachios
– peanuts
– grapes
– apple slices
– cucumber slices
– grape tomatoes
– baby carrots
– celery sticks
– jicama slices
– mango cubes
– fruit snacks or leather
– Water

ROAD TRIP BINGO!

I also made a little game up for my kids.  Because 900 miles is a long way.  And they are on a Bingo kick right now.  This is super simple to put together and it might help pass a few miles with out the “are we there yet?” version of 20 questions.  There are two ways to play.  You can mark off the boxes as you see the item in each box along the road.  Or you can print an extra Bingo card and make little cards out of them that you draw and then each player can mark off the picture on their game board.

Materials:
– The Road Trip Bingo game boards.  There are three versions of the boards.  All the boards have the same pictures, but in different spots.  Make prints of the same game board to see who is being the most observant and race each other to Bingo!  Or print off all three boards and see who can get Bingo first the traditional way.
– Laminator and laminating sheets (or contact paper will work too)
– Scissors

Directions:
– Download the game boards.  You’ll have to click each link to download and save it to your computer.
Version 1          Version 2          Version 3          
– Print the game boards.  If you opt to make a set of cards to draw and play that way, I would suggest printing at least the extra game board on card stock so you can’t see through the paper.  I didn’t even think about it and just used regular paper – so my cards are see through.  Do as I say, not as I do.  It’ll save you some paper and ink.  And time when you have to print and laminate them again.

– Laminate the boards.

– Cut the extra board apart on the black lines.

– Lay out the squares on a laminating sheet.  Make sure there’s enough space between each card.  Laminate the cards and cut them apart.

– I made a little pocket on the back of one of the game boards to hold the cards when they aren’t being played with.  I just took some duct tape and taped a ziptop bag onto the back of the board.  Totally optional and it doesn’t look real pretty, but it will help us keep from losing the pieces.

That’s it!  Super easy.  You can use a dry erase marker or pencil to mark off the boxes as you play.  If you put the pocket on the back of one of the game boards, you could store the dry erase markers in there too.  Or just use pieces of your road trip snacks kit to mark off the boxes.  First one to “Bingo!” gets to eat their board markers!

HAPPY ROAD TRIPPING!

AND HAPPY ROAD TRIPS SNACKS!

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