Saturday, August 4, 2012

Peak Auto Travel Tips and Wiper Review - Road Trip


One of the most important (if not the very most) things on a Road Trip your car. This is going to be the form of transportation that gets you from point A to point B. Because we live in Washington and because it does still rain here in the Summer windshield wipers are very important. It seems like we go through them quiet often on our vehicles, replacing them almost yearly it seems like. With Peak Auto we were able to get new wiper blades on our minivan before we started on our journey.

My husband easily installed the Peak Optix Flat Blades on our Dodge with literally a snap. The instructions inside showed each type and you picked the right piece according to what your wiper looks like. So easy and so simple. He snapped it out and snapped it in! 

Taking off the old blade.
The simple pictured instructions.


Snapping the new blades on.



 About the Peak Optix Flat Blade-
  • Curved design hugs windshield to provide clean wipe in any weather
  • Blade lengths range from 15"-28"
  • New EZSNAP™ Multiple Connector System covers 98% of vehicle fitments
  • Aerodynamic spoiler reduces wind lift
  • Frameless technology prevents ice and snow buildup.

Ten Summer Travel Car Care and Gas Saving Tips:
Before you get on the road
1.    Get a Check-Up: Having your vehicle regularly serviced by a trusted technician is essential year-round. However, bringing your car in for a check-up before you take off for vacation could help identify any problems before they surface on a long trip.

2.    Check Your Tires:  Dealing with a flat tire while you’re on vacation can ruin a trip so remember to have your tires checked. If they need to be replaced, it is crucial to have this done.

3.    Check Your Windshield Wipers: Properly functioning windshield wipers are a fundamental part of traveling long distances by car. Even if you’ve checked the forecast (which is highly recommended), weather is ultimately unpredictable; you never know what road conditions you might run in to. PEAK offers high quality Flat Wiper Blades that are durable, and the installation is quick and simple.

4.    Focus on Driving: Be sure to have activities, books or games along to keep your kids occupied so that you can focus all of your attention to the road. 

5.    Don’t Forget Maps: Be prepared with maps – the old fashion kind. Electronics can malfunction and cell phones may lose their signal. Having a folding map along for the ride could prevent a disaster.

While you’re on the road
6.    Check Gas Levels: Always be aware of your gas level and where the next gas station is. If your tank drops below half-full and you’re not sure how far the next gas station is, save yourself the worry and fill up while you have the chance. 

7.    Bring a Power Inverter: Carry a power inverter to keep your electronics charged – most importantly, your cell phone. It’s imperative to have a mobile device fully charged in the event of an emergency on the road. PEAK offers a 150 Watt Power Cup Inverter that fits into your vehicle’s cup holder and provides two power outlets and two USB plug-ins.

8.    An Emergency Kit: Have an emergency kit handy. This kit should include flares and an emergency flashlight in the event that you have car trouble at night. It’s also important to have water, blankets, snacks, fresh batteries, a cell phone charger, a first aid kit and jumper cables. If you do have to jump start your car, PEAK’s portable power systems will do the work for you without the need of another vehicle.

Gas saving tips
9.    Make Sure Tires are Properly Inflated: Make sure tires are inflated to your car’s specifications, as underinflated tires will cause your car to waste gas. Specifications can be found on a sticker on the driver’s door or in a car manual. 

10.  Use Cruise Control:  Anytime you can avoid breaking and accelerating, will save you gas.

PEAK Automotive Products are sold at more than 20,000 retail outlets in the U.S., including Walgreens, Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, Advance Auto Parts, Pep Boys, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Sears, True Value Hardware, AutoZone and NAPA.

 For more PEAK news, DIY tips, and giveaways visit PEAK AUTO Shop Talk, the Facebook fan page at http://www.facebook.com/peakauto, or follow @PEAKAuto on Twitter. 


 *I was not paid or compensated for this post. The opinions in this post are 100% mine and may vary from other opinions. I was provided for free the product mentioned in this post for my review.
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Uncle Milton's Toys National Geographic Starry Night Lantern Review





Ever since I was a kid I have been a fan of National Geographic. The magazines, the VCR tapes (yes I dated myself lol) were my little peek into the rest of the world. I even said I wanted to be a Nat Geo photographer one day. Although that has yet to happen, but never say never!

I love that Uncle Milton carries National Geographic toys. I can share the adventuring spirit I have with my son in our home. My son and I  recently were able to play with the National Geographic Starry Night Lantern in our home. We built a sheet tent and took the lantern into his room and turned it on. It was so cool. He smiled and pointed out the stars on the sheet above us.

I am looking forward to using it on a real camping trip. For now we will put on our adventure hats, we have ones I call our Outback hats, and we will bring the dog for safety to explore the back yard!





National Geographic Starry Night Lantern Features:
  • 2-in-1 lantern and star projector
  • Projects a glowing field of stars.
  • Illuminated lantern
  • Explorer Activity Guide





You can learn more about Uncle Milton's Toys and the other National Geographic Toys by following them on Twitter and being a fan on Facebook.





*I was not paid or compensated for this post. The opinions in this post are 100% mine and may vary from other opinions. I was provided for free the product mentioned in this post for my review.
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Not so Homemade Homemade pizza

The boys getting ready to make dinner.


Making dinner almost every night can be daunting and tiresome. Sometimes it is nice to get a little break and let them make their own dinner. So every once in a while we bust out the pre-made pizza flats, cut up the meats and veggies and just let them go to town. I like to think they are also using their creativity and imaginations, every good mom wants their child to do that as much as possible right? ;) Fun for them and easy for us. A win win!!!!

Working so hard...

Love that you can add whatever makes you happy.... I love the green peppers. YUM!!

JJ's sausage and olive delight!



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Be a smart consumer when it comes to auto insurance



Lately I have been trying to come up with ways to save money in anyway I can. We are a one income family and I am ALWAYS on the hunt for a deal. It seems although the value of my house is not going up, and sometimes still going down, my property taxes are on the rise! It is always something isn't it?

One way to cut costs can be researching the right car insurance. Car insurance is a must in life (at least it is to my family) but at one point my little sister thought otherwise. My sister who was 17 years old at the time thought she couldn't afford car insurance. She was a student on a very small budget and thought not having car insurance would save her money. Well it did in the beginning she had no payments, well fast forward to about a year later and someone hit her car while it was parked! She was upset because the person left, without leaving a note or anything, she had no idea who had hit her poor car. So there she was with a dent in her car and nobody to pay for it. She had to decide if she wanted to pay out of her pocket or drive around with a big dent in the side of her car. It can be a tough choice on a small budget. She eventually saved the money and 9 months later she was able to fix her car. She was obviously upset and wished she had just sucked it up and made the payments for car insurance. One way to save is to look into cheap affordable car insurance to see how much you can really cut down your costs. There are ways out there to be able to cover your assets, you just have to do the research.

*This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own and may vary from your experience*
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ErgoBaby Review and Giveaway - Road Trip



We knew we were going to be so busy on our Road Trip and always on the go, we knew a great baby carrier was a must! My preference for this trip was the carriers made by Ergobaby. It was so great knowing that while we were on the go we still were close to our little ones with our Ergobaby original baby carrier. Ergobaby was created and designed for mobility and comfort for the parent and child in mind. This allows parents to keep your baby close while bonding with your little one and continuing your life without limits. 

Ashley and I waiting in the minivan for everyone else to get it together :)

Even at the end of a long day and into the evening we were still smiling!


The feeling and fit of the Original Carrier was great, my little one was snug as a bug the whole time whether she was awake soaking up all the fun or she was fast asleep while we enjoyed the sights on vacation. The Original Carrier was easy to snap, use and the neutral color of the Aussie Khaki "Outback" was a great choice so we could share the baby wearing duties. Not only did my 6 month old enjoy the ride, my 2 year old was just as happy to be toted around in the Ergobaby carrier. It can be worn in the front, back or hip position, and it supports babies up to 45 lbs. I wore it in the back like a backpack with my 2 year old son it in and life was good for both of us. Sometime strollers can be a hassle and many times too bulky, when you can "babywear" your little one it makes life a little easier. He loves to be close to us and to be held so this really left my hands free to do the many other things needed to be done throughout our time. Ergobaby also carriers a line of Carrier Accessories designed to make your baby carrying even easier and more convenient!


While the Ergobaby carriers are great for nice weather and vacations, I love the Lightweight Papoose Coat! This would really come in handy here in Washington and a few other places that get really cold as the weather changes.




Can't decide which Carrier you like best between the Original Carrier Collection, Sports Carrier Collection, Designer Collection , Organic Carrier Collection or any of the other Collections? Me either, they all have their purpose and would be a great choice!!  I just loved our vacation and loved having Ergobaby along for the ride!!

GIVEAWAY
 

 Win Original Collection  Aussie Khaki "Outback" ErgoBaby Carrier for your family.


To Enter This Giveaway: (mandatory entry before extra entries)


Which ErgoBaby Carrier is your favorite?



*Leave a comment answering the question and be sure to leave your email address if its not public in your Google account*

 
Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry. If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on.

-Like ErgoBaby on Facebook +1
-Follow ErgoBaby on Twitter +1

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-Like our new fan page on Facebook Frugal Family Tree +1
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-Share this giveaway on Facebook ONLY, using the Share Button at the bottom on this post. +1 for each share you do. (can be done once a day)

-Copy and Paste This Tweet on Twitter and leave me the link (to find the link click on the time stamp under your tweet. Can be done once a day for the duration of the giveaway)

#Win a Original Collection Baby Carrier from @ERGObaby at @FrugalFamTree #Giveaway ends 8/30 http://www.frugalfamilytree.com/2012/08/ergobaby-review-and-giveaway-road-trip.html
 
 
 *Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts August 4 2012 and ends on August 30, 2012 at midnight PST. Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. I was provided items in this post for free to review. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize
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