Last summer I went on a car trip with a toddler and a newborn. Um, that was really fun! As you might imagine!

One thing that made a world of difference was the DVD player. Sweet, peaceful Steve bought us several happy hours during the day in the car, particularly toward the end of the day when traffic got bad and no one was in the mood for another car game or car song. I really, REALLY recommend an in-car DVD player of some sort (and a few fresh DVDs) if you are driving a long distance.

Toys for long trips are tricky. Ideally they should be hand-held, one-piece, non-messy, non-noisemaking, and long-entertaining. It’s hard to hit all those bases, but here are a few that came close. Read the rest of this entry »

Father’s Day is my least favorite holiday to buy for. Guys want boring stuff that is boring to shop for. Oh, not ALL guys: I’m sure SOME guys are like, “You know what I’d love for Father’s Day? New towels for the bathroom! And let’s go out for brunch!” But most of them want things that are expensive and who even knows what they are: Ooooo, a TI-nspire Cas! Whatever that is! And all the gift guides assume that dads drink beer and play golf. Sigh. Well, I have a few–A VERY FEW–Father’s Day gift ideas to make the process less painful: Read the rest of this entry »