Things I Love Thursday: Family Adventures (Giveaway)
Disclosure: Evenflo provide me with a Ultimate Savvy Parent’s Car Kit to review. All the opinions in this post are mine, want to know more about how I facilitate reviews, view my full disclosure policy!
We are no stranger to traveling. And this summer I shared with you that having children hasn’t stopped us from traveling. In fact, I have always dreamed that there will be a Once A Month Mom Adventures section of this site as well. Because, frankly, that is as long as I want to wait between family adventures!
Yesterday began Baby Safety Month and this weekend is a big travel weekend for many families so what better time to talk one last time about traveling with young children? We love doing it and can’t wait for our next family adventure. We aren’t heading out this weekend as we have just returned from a fun-filled kid-free weekend in Seattle. However, we do love traveling with our kids and find it ESSENTIAL to not only be prepared to entertain them but also to keep them safe.
As summer is coming to an end (so, so sad about this) what have you found to be the most helpful things for handling your little ones when traveling? Any advice for those that are traveling behind you? Those who are just embarking on this crazy journey we call parenthood?
Contest CLOSED: Winner chosen: erinne Comment: i subscribe to you, too 
Evenflo’s Ultimate Savvy Parent’s Car Kit GIVEAWAY ($100 value) that includes:
- $25 Gas Gift Card, a little treat for mom and dad
- Moist Wipes, for quick car clean up
- Baby Mirror, to check out rear-facing baby while driving
- Soft Book, to secure safety of passengers when thrown during tantrum
- Kid/Parent Friendly CD, to inspire a family sign along
- Car Dust buster, for hunting down cheerios between seats
- Window Shade, to keep the hot summer sun out
- Animal Crackers and a Snack Trap, to carve cravings
- Car organizer, to keep it all arranged neatly!
So here is how you can enter to win an ultimate travel car kit for your family:
1. Leave a Comment telling me where your next family adventure will be taking you.
Additional ways to enter:
2. Tweet or Facebook this contest – use @onceamonthmom & @evenflobaby in your post. And don’t forget to leave a comment below stating you have done so.
3. Comment on the Evenflo Fan Page. Leave a comment below that you have done so or if you are already.
4. Become a Fan of Once A Month Mom Fan Page. Leave a comment below that you have done so or if you are already.
5. Subscribe to the Once A Month Mom blog via RSS or email. Let me know that you have done so. Of course, if you are already subscriber make sure you leave that too.
This giveaway ends Tuesday, September 7th at midnight (EST).
**Don’t forget the Frito-Lay Picnic Package Giveaway going on this week as well (ends 9/3/10).
This post is linked at Things I Love Thursday at Diaper Diaries.
If we don’t move, we will go to salt lake city for BIL’s graduation in May.
I sub via RSS.
We are going to go up to Mackinaw Island in October to see the fall colors. My husband is from Northen Michigan and he says the fall color are amazing. I can’t wait!
I am not sure it has been years, I am hoping to head to St. Louis to the free zoo, and museum also I think.
I am already a fan on your facebook page
We don’t have too many plans for upcoming road trips, but we are DC commuters, so we spend A LOT of time in the car! I would LOVE something to help keep our cars organized!
I am an RSS subscriber.
I am also a FB fan.
We are driving to St. Louis next weekend. So looking forward to visiting with friends.
I am a FB fan.
Subscribed by email.
We won’t be going anywhere but on my son’s first birthday we plan to fly out family members! That should be fun!
End of the month we are taking the kids camping about 2-3 hours from us. We are renting a cabin for less stress.
I subscribe through google reader.
I am a fan on facebook.
I left a comment on the EvenFlo fan page! (I entered Evenflo’s Ultimate Savvy Parent’s Car Kit GIVEAWAY at OAMM!)
I subscribe to your blog
I am a fan of YOU on FB!
I am now a fan of Evenflo on FB and I left a comment on their page telling them I love their product!
Our next adventure? Well, everyday in our family is an adventure, but as far as “plans” I’d have to say probably not until the holidays. We always go up to Dallas and spend time with my wonderful dear sweet grandparents and other family
I Tweeted! http://twitter.com/kiku1978/status/22794844527
I am a fan of OAMM on FB!
I subscribed to your email!
Our next family adventure will be taking place next month. My parents, sisters, their families, and us are renting a cabin in the mountains and spending the weekend together to celebrate my daughter’s first birthday! We are so excited!!
I love following you on Facebook!
Camping!
I follow you via RSS
I follow you on facebook.
Tweeted it! http://twitter.com/ShannonPerlow
We are heading to Nebraska soon!
I became a FB Fan!
I tweeted the contest.
I subscribe to your RSS feed!
I commented on evenflo’s facebook page!
We’re going to Vegas to help my mom and her husband move.
chellelee7{at}gmail{dot}com
I’m a fan of OAMM on FB
chellelee7{at}gmail{dot}com
I subscribe via RSS
chellelee7{at}gmail{dot}com
I am hoping to make it to the beach one last time this month!
I am a FB fan!
I subscribe to your blog!
Our next trip will probably be to Labor and Delivery since I’m due next Saturday. That totally counts, right?
Totally! You might even steal the animal crackers as a snack.
Good luck!
I subscribe RSS feed
We will be driving up 3 hours north of home to head to Grammy’s!
I am subbed to your feed!
We are headed up to my dad’s lake cabin tomorrow morning for a nice long weekend filled with grandpa time and beach time! My daughter absolutely LOVES the water so it will be a blast! (And thankfully it is only about a 4 hour drive so not too harrowing!)
tweet!
http://twitter.com/mommyericae/status/22800182646
I’m your fan on fb!
tweet
http://twitter.com/mommyericae/status/22800182646
i tweeted
I subscribe via rss
i’m a oamm fan.
I keep trying to leave a comment about my tweet and it won’t let me! I promise I tweeted!
@mommyericae
i subscribe to you, too
We are headin’ up to Lake Erie so I can photograph a family, but having fun at the same time!
I subscribe via RSS
Our next adventure is taking us to the mountains around Vegas for a camping trip! Horray!
I subscribe via google reader.
I am a fan on Facebook
I tweeted about the contest!
We’re driving 14 hours across the country to visit friends in Virginia. With my daughter. I’m scared…
Early October to Holiday World! Should be an adventure with my OCD and newest addition making us a family of 4! Will definetely be preparing meals to take with us!
We leave tomorrow for a trip north for Family Camp.
I subscribe via RSS.
Most of our travelling involves long car trips then staying with family. That makes a lot of things easier. We have learned a few things though. My boys are 2, 8, and 15. Our oldest is autistic, so that presents some other challenges.
We are lucky to have a dvd player in our vehicle, so the boys all get to pick a movie or two for the ride. Netflix helps a lot with this too. We always pack plenty of bottled water and snacks, colored pencils or crayons and notebooks. It makes a nice break from a noisy movie.
The most helpful thing we have learned is to stop at rest areas instead of gas stations whenever possible. We all get to stretch our legs and walk around a little. Rest stop bathrooms are invariably cleaner than gas stations. We bring a football, or frisbee, or bubbles, something that we can play with for a few minutes outdoors. A 10-15 minute stop to potty and play catch leaves us all feeling better.
It also helps to avoid the long gas stops with people begging for snacks. When we do need to stop for fuel, I have everybody get out of their seats and wiggle a little bit. It must look crazy to other cars around us, but its fun and keeps us happy.
We have made a few short trips with hotel stays. The best advice I have for that is *don’t overpack*. My boys each get a backpack of the stuff they deem essential, and it makes it easier to stay organized. Take a small baggie or travel bottle of detergent, and don’t be afraid to use the hotel laundry. If its only going to be a quick overnight sleep, it helps to pack a pair of pjs and toothbrush in the backpack so that all of the luggage doesn’t have to be dragged in and rummaged through.
The very last thing I can think of is to wear comfortable clothes for long car trips. I am normally a jeans and tshirt person, but they get very uncomfortable after hours and hours. Not to mention they take forever to dry if there is a spill. Khakis, yoga pants, even a long cotton skirt are easier. The kids all wear sweats or track pants. Keep the shoes easy too. When there is a potty emergency it can be tough to track down several pairs of shoes, untie knots, then retie before we can get out.
Happy Trails!
I subscribe with RSS
Hmmm next adventure will be somewhere for Thanksgiving to visit family…just don’t know where!
We will be going to Disney World in Novemeber!
I am a fan of once a month mom
We head to my husbands parents once every few months for a 3 hour drive.. could use this stuff for the 4yr old and 1 yr old for sure!! The baby does not travel well!! We are always feeding him and need to vacum out the van all the time from his crumbs!!
I commented on the evenflo fan page!
I HOPE our next adventure is to a cabin in the woods in Broken Bow, OK.
I’m subscribed on my iGoogle reader! Love your blog!
Our next family adventure will be sort of odd -> Mom in Vegas and Dad taking the girls to his folks in PA!!
Hopefully to the pa renaissance faire. i’ve never been but my husband has and he loved it. i can’t wait to see it.
i am a fan on fb
I subscribe via rss
I am a facebook fan
Our next trip is to go visit grandma and grandpa! (for Grandpa’s birthday…shhhh it’s a surprise!)
We always head to my parents’ house for Labor Day weekend. Lots of outside projects and fun.
I subscribe to the RSS feed.
We just welcomed baby #3, we aren’t traveling anywhere until Christmas, but it’ll be just a couple hours away to visit family
thanks!
fan of yours on fb
thanks!
I subscribe via google reader
thanks!
I will be traveling to the hospital to have a baby
After that I think we may try to go to TX for thanksgiving.
I am subscribed via RSS feed on Google.
I am also a fan on facebook.
We are going to drive from Houston to Salt Lake City next summer…with 3 kids…wish us luck!
I’m a FB fan
and I subscribe to your feed and love it! (I got 20 lb of hamburger so I’m going to start my cooking this afternoon)
We’re heading in to San Francisco this weekend!
I subscribe via RSS feed.
Thank you all for your information and comments Regards ….
My family is driving to Iowa for grandparents 60th wedding anniversary celebration this weekend.
My grandparents just celebrated their 60th this week too!
I subscribe via google reader. Thanks!
I am a FB fan.
I am a FB fan of Evenflo.
I shared the giveaway on FB.
I dont know where our travels will be taking us. We are the middle of a family crisis right now, but hoping God will restore what he’s called together.
I subscribe to your facebook
I subscribe to your emails
Were going to be going to NY in January to visit Grandma and Grandpa.
our next adventure will be deer camp!!
I’m an email subscriber!
I am a facebook fan
I get your email
Our next adventure will be to Kansas City – for my brother’s wedding…during winter!
I’m a FB fan!
I’m an e-mail subscriber.
Our next adventure is going to be local…we want to go see the Native American Mounds!!
We’re going to South Dakota and staying in a yurt!
We are going to our local zoo (at least an hour away)
Thanks!
I subscribe to the RSS feed.
I LIKE you on facebook!
dayton ohio!
We are talking about going digging for diamonds in Murfeesboro a dew hours away.
I subscribe via google reader.
We are going to travel to Maine next spring.
I am an email subscriber.
I am a fan of yours on facebook.
All the way to Atlanta for family get together!
I subscribe with my Google Reader.
My next trip will be home to visit my parents.
Here is a tip: Get a bunch of books from the library (with OUT taking your kids to help with them out) and suprise them with some fresh reading!
To the in laws this weekend
I subscribe w/ google reader
Facebook fan!
Wrote on evenflo’s facebook page
Tomorrow my family and I are headed from Dallas south to Wimberly,Texas. Deep in the heart of the Texas Hill Country!
Our next roadtrip will be this weekend to my sister’s wedding!
I’m an email subscriber!
Our next trip out will be to Edaville Railroad. Thanks for the chance.
I’m a google subscriber.
Our next trip will probably be Texas to vist family.
I am an email subscriber. Thanks!
Our local gardens….a favorite spot of ours in the summer!
Everyday is an adventure! We drove from Fl to PA in May for my dad’s 70th birthday – took part of the Blue Ridge Trail – definitely want to do that again, when the kids are older and we can take more time to explore. Our next adventure starts next week when our oldest son (age 3) starts preschool – a first for all of us!
Subsribe via email
Yellowstone, hopefully!
tweet.http://twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/22857330993
Commented on the Evenflo Fan Page@tcarolinep JessieKatie S
Fan of Once A Month Mom Fan Page@tcarolinep JessieKatie S
I’m a subscriber
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by JessieKatie, Chris Killingsworth. Chris Killingsworth said: @onceamonthmom @evenflobaby 4 great mommy picnic on the road! http://onceamonthmom.com/things-i-love-thursday-family-adventures-giveaway [...]
I would love to say that our next adventure will be going to Colorado or Florida to see friends and family, but it will probably be KY to visit my mother.
Spain, if I can get passports in time.
We’re going to Columbus, Indiana for a softball tournament.
We’re going to Congo River Adventure Golf.
I follow you on facebook.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Evenflo Company, Shannon Perlow. Shannon Perlow said: Evenflo’s Ultimate Savvy Parent’s Car Kit GIVEAWAY from @onceamonthmom & @evenflobaby http://bit.ly/adQQvR [...]
We are going camping !!!
I am a fan of OAMM
I subscribe to emails
Subscribe and love it!
I subscribe
We are headed to Disney in several months and so excited! We maybe taking a trip to the beach before then as well
I am a subscriber to your feed in my google feeder
Going to Yellowstone National park in Oct. Yay! Thanks for the giveaway.
RSS Subscriber to your blog.
Tweeted the giveaway: http://twitter.com/Thabal628/status/22914434999
We are going to Clearwater Lake in Manitoba. Can’t wait. This would be nice to win, since it is a LONG drive for us.
As far as I know, our next family adventure will not be until next September when we go to Bay City, TX (approximately 100 miles from here) for my friend’s wedding.
I tweeted the contest – http://twitter.com/deanna_j/statuses/22911346770
I commented on the Evenflo Fan Page (Deanna Devendorf McClellan).
I became a Fan of Once A Month Mom Fan Page (Deanna Devendorf McClellan).
I’m subscribed to the Once A Month Mom blog via email.
Next family adventure will be to Easton Town Center near Columbus Ohio. This would be great since we are taking grand-daughter with us.
Our next trip will probably be driving to San Deigo for Thanksgiving. I’d love to win, thanks!
We are actually taking a road trip with some friends later this month to Tennessee to stay in a cabin.
I tweeted about your giveaway
https://twitter.com/THRansom/status/22929960473
I follow and commented on the Evenflo Fan Page
(Heather Ransom)
I am a Fan of Once A Month Mom Fan Page
(Heather Ransom)
I am an email subscriber
We are going to Tennessee and staying in a log cabin near the Smokey Mountains.
I became a fan of Once A Month Mom on facebook.
I have subscribed via email.
[...] It has been a busy week but I have managed to keep up with my reader this week which is an added plus! Here is what I have been enjoying. I hope that you enjoyed all of the Labor Day week posts. And remember there is still a giveaway happening for the Ultimate Savvy Parents Car Kit from Evenflo. [...]
We’re heading to the beach in our pop up camper!
Our next big planned family adventure will be a road trip out west next summer to see Yellowstone, the Black Hills, etc. We will have a new little one by then too! We would love this car kit.
We are taking a day trip to St Louis Zoo later this month!
Facebook fan of OAMM
Subscriber via google rss feed
Our next family adventure will probably be up to Atlanta to visit family over the holidays.
I am a fan of OAMM facebook page.
I subscribe to OAMM newsletter.
Our next trip will be to Grammy’s and Papa’s for Thanksgiving.
We are going to Hocking Hills in the fall. We love the fall colors and enjoying the hot tub on cool evenings!
I have subscribed via email
I am a facebook fan
Our next family trip is to CA! We are going to see my family!
I’m an RSS subscriber!
Rhode Island to visit Grandma!
We’re going to Disneyland!!
)
Our next family adventure will be driving to Austin in October so I can go to Bloggy Bootcamp and the family can relax at the hotel. We are going down early to turn it into a family vacation.
I am a fan of the Once A Month Mom Fan page already!
Our next adventure is to visit the inlaws next month. Not a very exciting trip as they only live an hour and a half away but the break from home is always nice.
I subscribe via RSS.
Our next “adventure” will be another 9+ hour drive to the grandparents’ houses.
I’m hoping to the SC Aquarium. I’ve had it planned since lasr summer but stuff kept coming up. I’ll hopefully be purchasing our annual pass this month though.(fingers crossed)
Christine
dazed1821@aol.com
We are going to San Diego in February.
Thanks!
Email subscriber
Thanks!
Facebook fan
Thanks!
I am a Facebook fan.
I am an email subscriber, too.
The Milwaukee Zoo!
I am a fan on Facebook (Megan Zinser Allan).
I am an email subscriber.
i’m not sure…perhaps to visit my brother who lives away to attend school for the army
Central Oregon for a wedding next month
I subscribe
Our next family adventure will probably be to Chicago to see family
Subscribe to you via RSS