Like most families, we will be scaling back our holiday giving this year. Instead of mountains of new toys, we'll be looking for gifts that will last a long time, have lots of play value, and that are in keeping with our family's values. I always look for one or two things that help the kids expand their cultural horizons, I thought I would share some of our current favorites as well as the toys I'm considering for this year.
Easy-to-Weave Dream Catcher Kit
E has terrible nightmares, and though he doesn't always tell us about them, he is sometimes scared to go to sleep at night. We've developed a little ritual that seems to help (I sing bad dreams go away, to the tune of "rain rain go away") but still, I'd like to do more. I like the idea of hanging a Native American Dream Catcher over his bed. Native Americans believe that the web-like dream catcher protects it's owner from bad dreams by catching them in the web while allowing good dreams to pass through. The bad dreams evaporate in the light of day. These kits seem like a great way to go. He'll enjoy making his own dream catcher, and I'll have fun tying the project back to our experiences in Taos Pueblo this summer
Little Travelers DVD - Japan, Bali and British Isles
My kids love watching the adventures of the two sisters in the Little Travelers DVD explore the world, and these are among the few DVDs that I actually enjoy sitting down to watch with them. Over time, it's been really fun for me to watch the kids act out scenes from the movies. Their current favorite is pretending to make Mochi by pounding on the ground with sticks. I previously published a full review of Little Travelers Japan DVD.
World Map Wall Hanging We've hung various US and World maps in E's room, but somehow the kids always seem to love them to death after a few months. I'd love to invest in a high quality canvas map (like this one from IKEA for the whole family. As the kids grow, I know it will be a great way for us to learn about the places we're headed as well as places in the news.
Lego Taj Mahal We are a Lego family, and I have to admit that I'm a little obsessed with this Lego Taj Mahal set. It's way out of my price range, but I love the idea of building well known buildings like the Lego Make & Create Eiffel Tower 1:300 (on sale now for $159) or the Lego Sears Tower (just $20) or better yet, buy some Basic Lego Bricks and try to recreate some of your favorite buildings.
Middle Eastern Blocks
My kids have a set of basic wooden blocks that they come back to over and over again. The way they play with them changes over time, but they never seem to fall out of fashion. It would be fun to familiarize the kids with other architectural shapes, and I love this Middle Eastern Blocks from Haba. The company also makes a Russian House, Antiquity Architectural Blocks, Japanese House Building Blocks
and many other architecturally themed building blocks.
Wooden Sushi Set
We've had this sushi set in our car for over a year now, and we grab it each time we enter a restaurant with the kids. Of course it's especially fun when we happen to be eating Japanese food! The set is simple, but the kids like rearranging the blocks, sticking the sushi rolls together (each piece has velcro) and cutting them apart again. Pretending to eat each piece usually takes up enough time that they don't even notice the long wait for our food & we think there's nothing cuter than watching E dip his real sushi in the fake soy sauce.
This post is about a trip paid for by Disney. Disney did not express any expectation that I would express a particular viewpoint in my posts. I do not accept pay-per-post or pay-per-positive reviews, and on the rare occasion that I do accept a free service from a sponsor I will always let you know.
I was thrilled last week when I received email from Disney offering to fly my family in for a mom blogger's event at Disneyland. Not only did it sound like a lot of fun, but it also felt like a very tangible recognition DeliciousBaby.
I was also curious... what goes on at these things? What would be expected of me as a blogger? Who would be there?
You can imagine that my family was excited too. Once the plans were finalized, I told the kids that we were headed back to Disneyland, and from that day, E asked me every single morning whether it was "Disneyland Day." By the end of the week he had invited his teachers, most of his friends, and even a few complete strangers to join us.Our last trip must have made quite an impression. He told me that the thing he looked forward to most was meeting Mickey again, and in fact, now that our trip is over, he still maintains that seeing Mickey was the hi-light of his trip. It's fascinating to me that a child who has never watched a Mickey Mouse movie or owned a Mickey Mouse book has developed such a strong connection with the character after a single short meeting.
Our Journey
We woke up early on Friday morning and headed to the airport. According to my own, twisted brand of logic "it's a good thing our kids are used to traveling, because their comfort with the process makes short unexpected trips like this one possible." My thinking must be true to some extent. We tried to move the kids into the car without waking them, but as soon as their drowsy eyes edged open, they realized what was happening. At once, both children were fully awake and bubbling over with enthusiasm. They chattered happily all the way to the airport, and their cooperation was a dream-come-true as we slogged through security and onto the plane. Our single moment of drama came at landing when D literally arched her back and dug in her heels at getting her seatbelt on. Worried that we would single-handedly delay the landing, my husband desperately turned on and handed her his iPhone. The game-laden ruse worked, and somehow our eagle-eyed flight attendant (who certainly was just as worried as we were) "failed to notice" that it remained on until well after we landed.
The Disneyland Hotel, where we were hosted, is one of two hotels right on Disney property. The pictures online made it look dated, and a little motel-like, but we were pleasantly surprised when we checked in. Everything was spotless, and the kids were thrilled to see Goofy waiting outside the hotel for us. Our room was not huge, but had nice touches like free wifi (a must in our family) and a pack-and-play in the closet. Disney fans won't be surprised to hear that the room was filled with "hidden Mickeys" on the furniture, the bedding, and even the wallpaper and shampoo containers. I'm sure this is too-much-information, but little D was so awed by the Mickey Mouse wallpaper in the bathroom that she agreed to sit on a "big toilet" for the first time... a strangely proud moment in the life of any potty training mom. Best of all, when I needed to buy a park ticket for my Mother-in-Law, I was able to do it right in the hotel lobby instead of waiting in line at the park's main entrance. We also had access to the park an hour before the usual opening time and free parking . I imagine that guests pay a premium for all these services, and I'm not in a position to do the price comparison that would divine whether they were a good value, but they certainly did make our visit easier.
The Mom Blogger's Event
At five PM the doors opened to the Mom Blogger's event, and my kids were already amped after having explored the room, walked through Downtown Disney (an outdoor mall that connects the hotels with Disneyland), and entered the more luxurious Grand Californian Hotel. Nametags and sparkly pink wrist bands impressed my kids before they even walked in the door, but when the doors opened to reveal Minnie Mouse, they were floored. I expected shy-excitement, but instead the kids ran up to her, give her hugs and kisses and generally fawned over her. The actress paying Minnie was particularly sweet with the kids, dancing with them, giving them kisses, and hamming things up, and they returned to her (and all the characters) throughout the night. The small size of the party meant that they got lots of personal attention each time they visited one of the characters.
Crafts, face painting, the characters, and my husband entertained my kids as I visited booths set up for mom bloggers to learn more about Disney's merchandise, walking tours (did you know that there's a Segway tour of the park?), and the park's new Photo Passport service.
The Presentations
As the kids settled in to a kid-sized buffet (chicken fingers, mac-and-cheese, and applesauce all served in Mickey sized plates) I was escorted to a presentation area where we moms would learn more about Disneyland. After the welcome, Disney's head pastry chef and assistant pastry chef gave a presentation about the pastry served at the park, showing off the themed cookies, cakes and other baked goods available for the holidays. I had never given much thought to the sweets at Disneyland. I was particularly surprised to learn that 95% of the pastry is baked by Disney and that the pastry team is 45 members strong! It must be a huge effort to make enough croissants, cookies, churros and other sweets to feed everyone who visits the park each day. The sweets change seasonally, and Disney Annual Passport holders sometimes seek out particular seasonal treats.
The hi-light were pictures of the enormous gingerbread houses that Disneyland donates to the Children's Hospital of Orange County each year, followed by a live demonstration of how to make a Gingerbread house. Kids roamed in and out of the presentation area throughout the demonstration and many of the older kids stuck around to enjoy the demo too. Gingerbread house making isn't part of our family tradition, but my son was fascinated by the houses that sprung up in every Seattle bakery last year, and I'm inspired to give it a try. My favorite tip? Use melted white chocolate as the "glue" to hold the walls and roof on -- it dries much faster than the traditional frosting.
We also learned about Disney's new Photo Passport service, where Disney photographers stationed around the park will snap your photo and then make it available on a special Disney website where you can purchase prints or merchandise emblazoned with your photo and Disney art that you select. We had experienced this service first hand when the kids met Mickey at on our last trip. The staff photographer was ready and waiting to take a picture, but nobody discouraged me from posing the kids or taking my own shots in any way. When I was done, the photographer snapped her own (perfectly lighted and staged) shot, and handed me a card with a code I could use online to retrieve the photo. The same card can be used by any photographer in the park, meaning that you have only one code to enter when you are ready to view the pictures.
As a business person, I think this is an absolutely brilliant idea. We're pretty good at documenting our travels, but most people aren't great photographers. The opportunity to order greeting cards, a mug or a calendar with a professionally taken photograph must be appealing to many families, especially those for whom a trip to Disneyland is the travel-hilight of the year.
When the presentations were over, I ate my own dinner and hung out with the kids a bit more. My only regret was that I was so busy enjoying the party with my kids that I didn't do a better job of reaching out to the other great bloggers who were at the event.
The After Party
After the party ended, we were escorted to a private area to view the fireworks. Though they started long past the kids regular bedtimes, we decided to power through and enjoy the show. Definitely the right decision in retrospect. A little ice cream (certainly there's some child-development expert waiting in the wings to give me the parent-of-the-year award) and some colorful Mikey Mouse light-sabers gave the kids a second wind. Outside the roped-off plaza where we sat, it was insanely crowded, and each excursion to pick up ice cream or change a diaper was an adventure in its own right.
My kids have seen fireworks exactly twice, once through our hotel window in Portland on Fourth of July, and a second time as we left Disneyland on our last visit, so this was the first time we've had the true fireworks experience together as a family. The kids sat on our laps and literally oooh'd and aaaaawed at the music and fireworks show, and that was the moment when the "Disney Magic" finally hit me. You know that feeling, right? The mixture of inspiration and awe that only comes when you witness something that you hadn't quite considered possible? I know we all felt it right then, even my normally stoic husband was grinning from ear to ear, and for me that alone would have made the trip worthwhile...
A big part of me was tempted to end our second Disneyland experience right there, with that perfect moment, but we had promised the kids a full day of Disneyland on Saturday, so despite my worries about how we might fare (especially with children who finally fell asleep after 11pm) I knew that we'd rush to the park in the morning and enjoy it as much as possible until we all reached the point of exhaustion... because after all, isn't that what every American family aspires to do once they've crossed through Disneyland's magic gates?
This is a guest post from Robert Miller, an avid hiker who lives in Fort Collins, CO. He and his wife have hiked over 75 miles with his 20 month old daughter, and his blog, the Two Knobby Tires Guide to Colorado Hiking, Biking, and Camping is a great resource for families planning an outdoorsy trip to Colorado. I think you'll agree that his passion around hiking, biking and camping really shines through!
Family friendly hiking trails provide an excellent opportunity to get the whole family out of the house and away from the Internet, TV, and video games. There are a countless number of fun hiking trails along Colorado's northern Front Range, many of which are suitable for kids. The following are hikes I found to be fun and challenging for kids old enough to walk and/or for parents with a kid in a child carrier.
Bear Lake, Nymph Lake, and Dream Lake are three beautiful lakes less than a mile from Bear Lake trailhead in Rocky Mountain National Park. The trails are wide and the elevation climbs are gradual. Further, Dream Lake has good trout fishing for families with diversified interests. The only drawback is sharing the trail with lots of other people. The trailhead is located inside Rocky Mountain National Park, which requires an entrance fee.
Lily Lake and Lily Ridge Trails are conjoined trails that loop around Lily Lake. This is a destination for the whole family because it includes fishing, a perfectly flat trail, and an easy to moderate trail along a ridge. The trailhead is located 10 minutes outside Estes Park, CO and includes free parking.
Wild Loop Trail is 2.5 mile loop inside Devil's Backbone Open Space that includes a keyhole with a view to the west of Longs Peak. The trail is primarily flat with a couple moderate climbs. Many of Larimer County's free guided hikes and nature presentations take place here. The trailhead is 10 minutes outside of Loveland, CO and includes free parking.
Chautauqua Park has a myriad of interconnected trails with varying levels of length and elevation change. Similar to Bear Lake, this park's accessibility and beauty make it very popular and, thus, you will likely share the trail with many other hikers. Many of Boulder's free guided hikes and nature presentations take place here. The main trailhead is located 5 minutes west of Boulder, CO and includes free parking.
Ramsay-Shockey Open Space has two trails near Pinewood Reservoir. One trail has an elevation climb of 300 feet and the other is flat and follows the western shoreline of Pinewood Reservoir. In addition, Pinewood Reservoir is a popular fishing destination. The trailhead is located 30 minutes southwest of Loveland, CO and requires a parking permit or day pass.
Eagle's Nest Open Space trails are a hidden gem with their stunning scenery and limited park activity. There are five miles of trails with less than 200 feet in elevation change. The trailhead is thirty minutes northwest of Fort Collins and includes free parking.
Lake Estes Trail is a 4 mile, flat, paved trail that loops around Lake Estes. In September and October, Lake Estes trail is a must-visit destination because elk are roaming around the lake. Parking is free and located just east of downtown Estes Park, CO.
Gateway Natural Area has three trails positioned inside magnificent Poudre Canyon. One trail is a mile long, flat, and runs along the North Fork Cache La Poudre River. The proximity to the river makes it great for hiking/fishing hybrid families. The other two trails are steep but limited in distance at lengths of .25 miles and .75 miles. The trailhead is located 30 minutes northwest of Fort Collins, CO and requires a parking permit or day pass.
Bobcat Ridge Natural Area has a four mile loop with less than 300 feet in elevation change. The trailhead is located 30 minutes southwest of Fort Collins, CO and includes free parking.
Fossil Creek Open Space has three short and flat trails along the southern border of Fossil Creek Reservoir. Fossil Creek is an important bird sanctuary for several birds. It includes several information booths and, thus, is an ideal place for kids to learn about birds. Free guided bald eagle watches take place in November, December, and January. The trailhead is located 25 minutes southeast of Fort Collins, CO and includes free parking.
Most of these trails have very little shade so it is important to bring hats, sun tan lotion, and lots of water. To help make these hikes fun and educational for your kids, you can download and print our free PDFs: Poison Ivy Field Guide and Hiking Checklist for Kids. Robert Miller is an avid hiker who lives in Fort Collins, CO. He has a 20 month old daughter with which he and wife have hiked over 75 miles. He is co-founder of Two Knobby Tires, an online store for outdoor gear. In addition , he is a volunteer trail naturalist for Larimer County and a blog writer for Guide to Colorado Hiking, Biking, and Camping.
I want to thank everyone who has donated to Passports With Purpose or helped spread the word. Our first week was exhilarating, and it seemed like every one of my favorite travel-related blogs posted about the effort! After just one week, we have raised 2,155.00 for Heifer International, a healthy start towards our goal.
If you haven't donated yet, I hope you'll read my guest post at Get Rich Slowly about why charitable giving is even more important in an economic downturn will inspire you. This is truly a time when every dollar counts for a family in need, and if you choose not to donate to Heifer I hope you will make an effort to do a bit more for the charity of your choice this year.
Why I Care
All family members need proper nutrition and parents are better able to provide for their family when they are properly nourished. By giving families the means to provide their own food, Heifer helps address the impacts of poverty at their roots by feeding everyone and providing the means for the family to support itself. When the family can support itself children can go to school instead of heading to the fields to do backbreaking work.
This is not a small problem. In 2006, around the world, 9.7 million children died, many of them needlessly. It is, however, a problem where even a small amount of money helps. $20, the cost lunch in a restaurant can provide a flock of chicks that will produce both eggs and income to sustain a family that lives in poverty. This economic downturn is global, one way to offset the impact job loss is to give people without an income the means to support themselves.
Fabulous Prizes
If you haven't had a chance to check out the full prize list you should. There are some really impressive and generous prizes. Several new prizes have come in since we launched last Monday. Some of my favorites include hotel stays, camera gear, autographed books, a cooking class from a New York Chef, and even spa products and visits. In addition thought I'd share a few of the giveaways that might be particularly appealing to families with young children:
What Else Can You Do To Help
Please help us spread the world about Passports With Purpose. One easy way is to click the "ShareThis" button at the bottom of this post and email it to a friend or share it using your favorite social media website. If you have a blog, I'd be happy to send you Passports With Purpose badges you can use, and every post, even on a very small blog, helps bring in new donations. You can also become a fan of Passports With Purpose on Facebook.
If you are participating in Photo Friday this week, don't forget to enter the url for your Photo Friday post (not your blog's home page) in the Mr Linky so that readers can find your post weeks or months later!
We're flying down to Disneyland for a Mom Blogger's event today, so it seemed appropriate to share this photo of the kids at Toon Town on our last trip to Disneyland. I'm much more prepared this time, and the kids will walk through the gates with anticipation instead of skepticism... can't wait to report back next week on how it goes!
Photo Friday: Please Share Your Photos Too:
Share a favorite travel photo by adding your link below. First timers, here is
more Information about Photo Friday
Whenever we travel, I spend a lot of time trying to find activities, restaurants, and the "perfect" hotel. I take notes as I go, and when I return home, I put my favorite places into our city guides. My hope is that over time, will become the best online resource for planning a trip with kids, but I cannot possibly cover all the destinations I'd like to on my own.
Readers and other bloggers often take the time to contribute their own experiences and ideas, sometimes from their hometown, and sometimes from places they've visited. Each of these people, whether they give one recommendation or twenty is helping build a resource that we can all use when we plan our trips. I want to take a moment to recognize one of those contributions. Amie, the founder of Ciao Bambino took the time to enter a huge number of hotels into our City Guides.
Where did she get such a big list, you might wonder? Amie's company, Ciao Bambino specializes in reviewing and recommending family friendly hotels. The Ciao Bambino website is one of the resources I use when I am planning my own trips, especially in Europe where it can be difficult to find rooms that are large enough to accommodate a family of four. Each review is quite detailed, and includes information like whether cribs and highchairs are available and whether the property has a swimming pool or other family-friendly features.
The randomly selected winner was Christine who said:
We plan on taking the kids skiing for the first time in Wisconsin.
Christine, please email me your mailing address and I will send you your prize!
Didn't win this time? There are tons of great prizes (including Strollers, Baby Carriers and Car Seats) in our Passports With Purpose raffle for Heifer International.
I want to thank everyone who entered to win a Flip Ultra Video Camera. This was our most popular giveaway ever, with 1125 entries!
The randomly selected winner was Jennifer Kollmer who was kind enough to share several recommendations in our Kid Friendly City Guides. Her winning entry was this one: San Francisco: Food Court in the Westfield Shopping Center. What a great recommendation, upscale food courts are one of my favorite meal choices when we're with the kids, and having eaten at several of the San Francisco restaurants who have branches at this one, I can say with certainty that parents won't feel like they're missing out on San Francisco's great food!
Jennifer, please email me your mailing address and I will send you your prize!
Didn't win this time? There are tons of great prizes (including another Flip Video Camera) in our Passports With Purpose raffle for Heifer International.
I want to extend a huge "thank you" to Rebecca, a reader from Germany who generously offered to share her best tips about what to do in Berlin.
These tips are based on my experience as a resident of Berlin for 11 years. They have a definite bias toward the western part of the city, as this is where I lived. Before I get to the activities, I want to share two potential dangers to avoid in Berlin: dog poop and bikes. Hazards even for natives, they are particularly dangerous to unsuspecting tourists, especially for mini-tourists!
Bike lanes are generally found on the sidewalks, not on the streets. They are often – but not always – made of red bricks. Cyclists in Berlin believe that anyone standing in a bike lane has a death wish, and see it as their duty to fulfill this wish. Visitors should exercise particular caution when exiting vehicles: bike lanes are at the edge of the sidewalk closest to the road, which means that anyone getting out of a car or bus will find him- or herself in a bike lane. Check the bike lane for approaching cyclists while getting out of the vehicle and cross quickly over to the pedestrian walkway.
Despite pooper-scooper laws, dog poop is everywhere in Berlin. On a recent trip to Berlin, I wheeled a baby carriage through the dark streets in the early evening. Upon returning to my friend’s apartment, I discovered that I had rolled the carriage through poop. Yuck! Dog poop is particularly treacherous for toddlers, who obliviously run through it in the streets, sit in it in the sandbox or even stick their hands in it while picking up an interesting twig. To keep clean in Berlin, constant vigilance is unfortunately an absolute must.
Having issued these two warnings, I can assure you that Berlin is a wonderful city with a lot to offer for families with children. Here are some of my recommendations for fun and interesting places to go with kids.
Berlin Zoo
A huge, beautiful and well-maintained zoo near the Ku’damm shopping street. The current star of the zoo is of course Knut the polar bear. The Berlin Aquarium is next to the zoo and also worth a trip. You can buy a single ticket for both attractions.
Potsdamer Platz
Potsdamer Platz existed in no-man’s land during the post-war period, up until the fall of the Berlin Wall. Since then, it has been developed into a super-modern entertainment, business and shopping center. Highlights include the Sony Center: go after dark to appreciate its spectacular roof, which changes colors every minute or so. Kids will enjoy the IMAX movie theater and the whole family will appreciate the English-language movie showings on rainy days or when everyone needs a dose of home culture.
Berlin Wall
Although the Wall fell in 1989, several sections remain standing in Berlin (although I have the impression that they are still being surreptitiously chipped away). Older children might be interested in this glimpse of Berlin’s history. This web site offers an English-language overview of the history of the Wall and directs visitors to sections that are still standing.
Museum at Checkpoint Charlie
Checkpoint Charlie was one of the points at which one could officially cross from East to West. The spot is now home to a fascinating (although somewhat expensive and grubby) museum documenting the history of the Berlin Wall and detailing spectacular escapes from East Berlin. Exhibit items include cars, suitcases, parachutes and other equipment used in these flights from Communist Germany. The museum will only be interesting to older children.
Charlottchen
This restaurant is the place to go in the western part of the city for a meal with small children. Parents can sit and relax while their children have fun in the large play area, which is next to the tables, making it easy to keep an eye on the kids. The cleanliness of the place isn’t quite up to American standards, but it’s a Berlin institution and the food is generally tasty and reasonably priced. Staffing is through a program which integrates physically and mentally handicapped people into the work force.
Lakes and forests
Berlin is surprisingly green. The western part of the city is home to the Grunewald forest, which contains several beautiful lakes with reservoir-quality water. In the summer, the lakes offer a wonderful opportunity to take a refreshing swim; no admission is charged. The lake called Krumme Lanke is probably the most popular, as it features tiny "beaches" where it’s possible to stretch out on a towel in the sand (if you can find a free spot). Schlachtensee is more beautiful and quiet, but you will generally have to throw your towel over a tree branch; there are very few areas where it’s possible to sit. Grunewaldsee is nice for taking walks, but don’t swim in it: it’s where Berliners bring their dogs for a dip (and a fun place to go for dog-watching).
If you would like to share your favorite places in your city, or in a destination you have visited, please send me email: debbie at deliciousbaby dot com
Have you been to Berlin with kids? What were your favorite activities, restaurants and hotels? Let me know in comments.
The final raffle prize list for Passports With Purpose is complete now, and I am astounded at the generosity of each blogger and their sponsors. I hope you'll take a moment to check out the full prize list at Passports With Purpose. There are some great prizes here! Raffle tickets cost just $10, and the proceeds go to Heifer International.
Why Heifer
Before I unveil my own prize, I want to tell you why Heifer is such an important organization. Heifer seeks to relieve poverty around the world, not by giving one-time assistance, but by providing needy families with animals that can sustain them for a lifetime. Even a small donation can make a huge difference in the lives of malnourished children. For example, $20 (the cost of two raffle tickets) can buy a flock of chicks whose eggs provide both food and income for a needy family.
DeliciousBaby's Prize: An Ergo Hands Free Baby Carrier + An IPod Mini ERGObaby has generously provided a three piece "Hands Free System" that includes their ERGObaby Carrier, a Front Pouch and a Backpack. All three pieces together retail for $163 on the ERGObaby Website.
I have long been a fan of the Ergo's comfortable design (no aching shoulders here, thank you very much). Even now that D is two years old, I can comfortably carry her with the Ergo on my back, and she loves to nap in the Ergo.
The Backpack is designed to be used separately or snapped around the straps of the carrier for an all-in-one system. Though I haven't been able to give it a trial run, it seems like a good way to add some storage to the Ergo so that you are not carrying two bags.
The front pouch is a small "fanny pack" that can be attached to the ERGO or used separately as a purse. This system is a great way to get through the airport "hands free," and TSA will usually let you walk right through the metal detector with your baby in the Ergo.
I'm also including an IPod Shuffle. Use it to keep yourself occupied as you walk your baby to sleep in the Ergo, or use it to play soothing music for your tired toddler on your next flight. The controls are simple enough for even a toddler to use, and with any luck, they'll drift off to sleep...
How to Participate
There are more incredible prizes on the Passport With Purpose Prizes Page
Before you make your raffle donations, be sure to check out all the
other great stuff you can win.
Once you've selected your prize – or prizes – go to First Giving. For each ten dollar donation you make, you'll be
entered into the raffle for the prize you've selected. Be
sure to enter your email address and the prize you want to win in the
comments field, or we can't notify you if you win! Passports with
Purpose promises not to use your email for any other purpose than to
notify you if you've won. There's more information on the First Giving
page.
The deadline to purchase raffle tickets is 11:59pm PST on Dec 29. The founders will pull winners and notify them via email on December 30th. Want to know more? Visit Passports with Purpose
About Me I'm Debbie, mother of three delicious kids and I write about traveling with little kids. That's my daughter in the backpack and my son in Paris on Halloween.
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The Backpack is designed to be used separately or snapped around the straps of the carrier for an all-in-one system. Though I haven't been able to give it a trial run, it seems like a good way to add some storage to the Ergo so that you are not carrying two bags.
The front pouch is a small "fanny pack" that can be attached to the ERGO or used separately as a purse. This system is a great way to get through the airport "hands free," and TSA will usually let you walk right through the metal detector with your baby in the Ergo.
