Traveling this Summer? Here are some Travel Safety Tips! #SafeliteSafe

In a few weeks the girls and I are going to head out on quite a long drive to Montana. I think that the total miles that will be driven (not including doing stuff while we are there) is somewhere around 2534 miles -- according to MapQuest! We will be spending a lot of time in the van. Thinking of the distance and time that we will be traveling, safety comes to mind.
I am going to share with you ten travel safety tips from me and a few from Safelite AutoGlass.
Here are some safety tips from me:
1. Make sure that your vehicle is all tuned up before you leave. If you need an oil change, go get one - or have your husband do it! :) This is also a great time to check all of your cars fluid levels and top off as needed. <-- I believe that if you get your oil changed at Jiffy Lube they will do this for you.
2. Plan your route ahead of time. Whether you are using MapQuest or some other online mapping site or a paper map, it is good to know the route you will take prior to leaving home. One of the reasons that I like using MapQuest is that some of the driving directions will tell you something like, "If you see Main Street you have gone about 0.1 miles too far." I also like to make sure that there are people who know what routes I am taking and where I plan on stopping - you can never be too safe!
3. When the car is on, wear a seat belt! This seems like such an obvious thing that I should not even bother to mention it, but there are so many people who don't wear their seat belts - it's scary. My philosophy on seat belts -- aside from if you don't wear them you can get a BIG ticket -- is that it is a simple way to ensure safety. I always make my girls buckle up and will continue to as they grow out of car seats, so I need to be a good example by always buckling up myself.
4. When you are traveling with children, PLEASE make sure their car seats fit them correctly. If your child is buckled into a car seat, you should expect that they are safe. However, if the child is not harnessed correctly, they could be very dangerous to the child. Every car seat and booster seat comes with installation and use directions - read them! The level of the straps in relation to the child's shoulders changes with the positioning of the seat - rear facing it should be at or below the shoulder level and at or above in forward facing car seats. The straps should be snug - two fingers should be all that fits between the child and the restraints. The chest clip needs to be at chest level. And a huge safety issue with car seats is that children should not wear jackets in their car seats, put the jacket or a blanket over them after they are buckled if necessary.
5. Be sure that the car seats are properly installed. Again, if the seat is not installed correctly it looses much of the safety value. The owner's manual should give instructions for proper installation. Most towns and cities have a service available to you where a person who is certified in car seat installation will either check the installation or will install the seat for you. Call you local fire department for more information, you can also check with your auto insurance carrier for locations.
6. Know how to change your tire. I hate this, but it is necessary. Even with roadside assistance, there is no guarantee that you will have reception for your cell phone - or what if the battery is dead, etc. Knowing how to change your tire will at least give you the peace of mind that if you need to you will be able to.
7. Keep your cell phone charged. In the event of an emergency (like the one above, or a real medical emergency) you will be able to call for help. Even if you have to keep driving to get reception, you will have the ability to call for help as soon as you get service.
8. Keep water, snacks and activities on hand for the kids and water and a snack for yourself. If you have to stop every time that you hear a little voice tell you that they are thirsty or are hungry or bored, your trip could take considerably longer -- trust me, I know! Keeping some water and maybe some juice and some healthy snacks within reach is always a good idea. For activities, I have a bag for each of the girls with a little bit of coloring activities and a book. Whatever makes life a little easier!
9. Plan on stopping to walk around at least every 4 hours. Getting the blood flowing through your legs and getting some fresh air are always good before getting back in the car. It definitely helps on longer trips.
10. Bring music! Relying on the radio can be ...well, unreliable. We like to listen to Christian music and there is not always a Christian station available. The kids have some CD's that they like and I have some, so bringing a variety keeps us all happy!

A little about Safelite AutoGlass Safelite AutoGlass:
Safelite AutoGlass® was founded in 1947. Throughout our more than 60 years of service, our company has grown from a single store in Wichita, Kansas, to a national auto glass provider, serving nearly 4 million customers per year.

Through industry-leading 24-hour instant scheduling, convenient in-shop or mobile service, top-of-the-line materials and SafeTech™ certified technicians, you'll find that Safelite AutoGlass offers superior customer service, value and quality.
More info: http://www.safelite.com
Follow Safelite on Twitter: @safelite
Safelite on Facebook

Some tips from Safelite AutoGlass:
* Think you can ignore a chip in your windshield? Think again! The windshield provides up to 30% of your vehicles structural integrity, and a chip smaller than 6 inches (or the size of a dollar bill) can easily be repaired by filling it with a special resin.

* With many insurance companies, there is no deductible for the repair.

* Safelite AutoGlass brings you peace of mind by emailing you a Technician Profile before your appointment, showing you a photograph and credentials of the technician coming to your home or place of business.

* Scheduling a windshield chip repair is easy! Companies like Safelite AutoGlass provide mobile service – wherever your car is – often within 24 hours of your initial call.



I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Safelite blogging program, for a gift card worth $30. For more information on how you can participate, click here

5 #GreatGetaways Every Kid Should Experience

It is almost Summer, schools are getting out for summer break, and it's time to have some fun! We love taking little trips in the summer -- and in the winter, spring, and fall :) There are so many things to see and do. I have compiled a list of 5 things/places every child should get to experience at least once. So, here it is:

5 Summer Getaways Every Kid Should Have -- at least once :)

* Disneyland *

We have never been able to go yet, but we are planning on going to Disneyland within the next couple of years! There is so much to do for even toddlers as young as two! Some examples of rides and areas a little kid-o would enjoy are It's a Small World (ride), Dumbo the Flying Elephant (ride), the Monorail (ride), Toontown (area), and Redwood Creek Challenge Trail (area.) For bigger kids and adults there is limitless fun to be had. I know that - with all girls - seeing the Disney Princesses is going to be high on the priority list when we get to Disneyland!

* Zoos  *

So far, we have only been to the Sacramento Zoo - a couple of times. The zoo is a great place to take kids - it is educational, exciting, and makes amazing memories! From a fairly young age my kids have been interested in different animals, they see them in stories, in cartoons, etc. Seeing them in a habitat like the ones they would be found in in nature is great for the kids to see. My daughters love the zoo, they could spend a whole day there...OK, my husband and I probably could too!

* Yellowstone National Park *

I have so many memories from my own childhood in Yellowstone National Park. There is so much to see, it is amazing! Old Faithful geyser is awesome - seriously, it inspires awe! As a child I remember standing there just watching it erupt, wanting to stay and watch it again. There are many other geysers in the park as well. The wildlife is beautiful - bison, elk, moose, bears, deer, big horn sheep, and more. I think it is good for children to experience things like this and see how amazing our natural world is!

* Museums *

It seems like almost every where there is a museum relatively close by. Museums offer a wealth of information on the past and on specific topics. There is fun, neat stuff to be seen. There are also children's museums which are tons of fun for the kids. They generally have things for the kids to do, play with, play on, make, etc.

* Ocean *

I think that everybody - child or adult - should go to the ocean, walk on the beach, see an endless expanse of ocean at least once. We love going to California and going to the ocean. One of our favorite things to do is go to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. You get to see so much ocean life, there are interactive exhibits, a kids zone and everything! We went out on the ocean last time we went for a whale watching cruise - what an experience! Can't wait to go again when it's a little warmer!! There is so much to do when you are at the ocean, it almost makes you want to pack up and move -- but for now it's just a great summer getaway!

What are some of the summer getaways that you and your family enjoy?

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Alamo blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here