The Trip: Play date  

The Bag: Envirosax Kids Reusable Bag At 17.7" x 15.6", these are great for toting everything your little one could possibly need for an afternoon of fun. The cool, kid friendly patterns attract the younger crowd and serve as a way to start talking about the importance of respecting the environment. Stick an extra rolled up bag inside, so if you need to stop at the store on the way home you're covered - each Envirosax bag holds as much as two conventional plastic grocery bags!

 

The Toys:   Little Chubbies from Viking Toys are perfect for little hands. The bright colors and easy push mean fun for kids, while the sturdy construction and durability (you can throw em' on the top rack of the dishwasher) mean less hassle for mom and dad. With a range sizes and vehicles, these are sure to be favorites for kiddies everywhere.

For Extra Fun:  This play mat by Alex Toys is the perfect companion to the Little Chubbies. Light weight, durable and easily cleaned, it can easily be folded up into a 12" square and tossed into the Envirosax. It is covered with roads, railroads, bridges and even a lake to maximize creativity. The added bonus?

Fuel the Fun: No play date would be complete without a snack to share between friends.  Healthy Handfuls come in a variety of flavors and are a snack you can feel good about feeding your child. Certified USDA organic and without GMO's, corn syrup, trans fats, or hydrogenated oils, Healthy Handfuls are a great treat. Just make sure you bring some extra for Mom, too.  

The Bottom Line: An afternoon of fun doesn't require a lot of fuss and elaborate planning. All you need is good company and a place to hang your hat. The rest is in the bag, 

Most camps want you to clearly label all your kid's possessions. Finding the right supplies can be tricky but we've had great success labelling our kid's possessions with custom labels from Mabel's labels. These are essential for camp but great for daycare kids and kids in elementary school as well - our motto is "label it or lose it" and given the many trips we have made to lost and found (finding our labelled goods) in the last few yrs, these labels have more than paid for themselves.

Watch the video for some pointers on how to get all your camp gear labelled and ready to go.And don't forget to order some stationary for those priceless letters home.

In California, driving with your pooch on your lap may become a thing of the past. There is a bill up for review that will criminalize driving this activity. Lap dog toting celebs - take note! Fines for the offense will run you $35 per occurance.

Tell us: Would you drive with a dog (or other pet) on your lap?

Are you looking for ways to save on gas, and help the environment?  It may be more of an option than you realize. Check out this news report from Florida on the Hydro 4000. Cleaner, greener and cheaper sounds promising to us.

Ok don't judge me. I don't like to give my kids candy. I want to be that "no food rewards ever" mom. But I just can't do it. I take comfort in the notion that even Mary Poppins subscribed to the "spoonful of sugar" school of discipline. And she's like the SUPER super nanny. Right?

My guilt load lightened up a tiny little bit when I discovered Yummy Earth Organic lollipops. These tiny little suckers now inhabit my glove compartment and my bag - ready to coerce my kids into doing my evil bidding. I myself feel like an evil genius, using a bribe on them that is vegan, kosher, dairy free, nut free, wheat free, and free of nasty corn syrup to boot.

Consider this twist, however. This morning en route to the grocery store I experienced a post venti americano caffiene crash, and at the same time my blood sugar took an unexpected dip. I was stuck in construction traffic, not a Starbucks in sight and on the verge of a massive mommy tantrum when I thought to myself, just be a good girl and get the grocery shopping done and you can have a lolly. So ten seconds later I dipped in to the dashboard stash and tried out a pomegrante pucker lollipop and all I can say is wow! It was seriously and truly the yummiest lollipop I have had in ages.

I'm almost tempted to have another. Just as soon as I take out the trash, put up dinner, and do a carpool run. Gotta love that the serving size on the package is listed as three lollipops. Yeah, they are that good. And a single serving is only 70 calories. Get Yummy Earth Lollipops at the Yummy Earth Website. They have 21 delicious flavors.