One thing that has been a constant since my daughter was born was her BOB Stroller. We have actually had a couple because of moves and have traveled with them to multiple countries. They hold everything and are perfect for all kinds of weather. They were originally a jogging stroller, but trust me, nothing is better for a long day at Disney or walking on cobblestone road. You feel secure that your child is safe. They are very stable. The tires are like bicycles and the amount of storage and accessories leaves your child riding in style and comfortable through kind of weather. The Revolution single jogging stroller has been our choice but there are duallie strollers (for two children) as well. Our favorite accessories have been the travel bag (especially if you intend to fly with it), handlebar console, and rain cover.
Here she is on one of our adventures. She chose her own outfit for our walk. 💕 Do your kids have any items they have to take with them when you travel or go out for the day? Let us know their favorites in the comments!
This last Summer when Delta had taken over and traveling internationally just wasn’t possible for us, my family decided do take a few trips right from our computer. I was offered a special deal to try out Amazon Explore and take my daughter on trips around the world daily – from home. We did this as sort of our Summer School. We would plan for what trip we were taking and what we were seeing there, then making dinners from that country and sometimes a fun craft as well. This has been happening for about 6 Months with Amazon and many of the sample trips we did in the beginning are no longer there and have been replaced with different ones.
It is a wonderful experience and almost all of the tour guides we had were amazing. We traveled to Paris, Japan, Barcelona, Madrid, Costa Rica, New Orleans, and so many more. Each tour was completely different depending on where it was, who was leading it and what you asked them to show you. You see and hear them and the area around them (most are walking tours) but they can only hear you (which must be very weird for them!). You can take photos as well which you can download and save of your trip. I have heard they are now doing group tours as well to cut costs but we didn’t experience any of those. There are many more we can’t wait to take. If you’re looking for a fun, cultural, educational experience for the whole family to make the world around them see a little more available right now, check out Amazon Explore.
I am a huge fan of subscription Beauty Boxes and have tried many different over the years. I love the idea of getting to try many new products every month that I may not have heard of or wanted to try but didn’t want to commit to buying a full size without knowing if I liked it. Many leave a lot to be desired when it comes to quality of the products, or the small trial size you recieve. It’s a lot of fluff in packaging but not much product. I recently tried a subscription to The Allure Beauty Box through Amazon. I discovered that Amazon has a significant amount of subscription boxes on their site and this was my first one to try.
When it arrived it was nicely packaged in the box it came in and items were wrapped in tissue paper. Not a lot of junk to throw away. Right off I knew 4 of the brands and am a big fan of two (Sunday Riley & Bliss in particular). As you can see from the photo 3 items are full size products (it seems you get 3 full size every month). I love that. No trial sizes here. The shipping is free (unlike other beauty box companies) and the box is $23.00 and you can cancel at anytime. Since it’s Amazon it’s really easy, unlike some others. I’m excited to try these fun products and I think this would make a great gift for any beauty lovers in your life (or yourself!). Click the photo below to check it out for yourself. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed!
Before I had a baby I wasn’t too excited about a Minivan. Recently at Walt Disney World that all changed. Together with Lyft Disney has created a very fun ride called the “Minnie Van”. It is a collaboration with the ride share service and available for guests of the resorts around the parks. You can arrange a ride in a private Disney car right from your phone. A Disney cast member drives you, so you know you’re in good hands, and they can take you anywhere around Walt Disney World Resort. The service holds up to 6 guest with two available car seats (versatile car seats that can be either forward or rear facing or even a booster seat) for little guests.
The Minnie Van on our most recent WDW trip
On our last two trips to Walt Disney World we have had the opportunity to try the Minnie Van. One time from the Caribbean Beach Resort and once from the Polynesian. If you currently use Lyft you probably know how it works but additionally we had to ask for an activation code at the front desk to use the Minnie Van service.
Gianna loving the Minnie Van at WDW
On both trips the Disney cast member drivers were wonderful and so helpful and accompanying. The ride is $25 flat for a one way trip. Although this seems a bit high compared to normal ride sharing apps or the free transportation options WDW offers, when you are pressed for time or don’t want to deal with the bus service or other options it is a great time saver! Also being provided by Disney there is a feeling of additional safety and the provided car seats make it great for families.
The Minnie Van drops you off right where you need to be at the parks!
For us, we had a half day after travel to spend at the park so the time saved was well worth it. Disney music was playing during the trip which my daughter loved and it was so much fun to see her light up as she recognized a song. Both of our drivers have been so helpful and knew answers to any questions we have had.
On each trip, our Minnie Van was equipped with Graco 4ever car seats and Gianna loved them so much that we ended up getting one ourselves as her new “big girl” car seat!
Her new “Big Girl” car seat at home
If you are staying at a WDW property and are looking for a way to add a little special touch to shorten your trip to the park or ease to your day, make sure you try a Minnie Van. Stay tuned for more tips and tricks from our adventures at Walt Disney World in upcoming posts and follow us on Instagram @ATinySuitcase!
We are huge Disney fans in our family. We love Disneyland and Walt Disney World visits and almost everything themed Disney. Here are a few of my favorite Finds for Disney Lovers.
I have found some wonderful makeup lately that not only achieve a great look easily but also save me time. With wearing masks and Zoom meetings the need to “glam up” has changed a bit but here are the new finds that I absolutely love. Most can be found on my Amazon list here but one that can’t is listed below it. With my link you will receive a $5 gift card to use at Static Nails. I really love their products because they are easy to use and made with great ingredients. I haven’t been disappointed with any of these things I’ve included and they make life in this crazy time feel a little more normal when you still want to feel a little pop of glamour.
During the pandemic many people starting working out at home that never tried it before. For some people, home workouts were common but for others it was new territory. So many new options emerged in the last few years from online phone apps, Apple Fitness+, Peloton and more.
I love working out at home because it gives you the freedom to do it at anytime of day or night, with little to no preparation and it is a fantastic option if you have children. It is a great way to break up your day and if you are fortunate enough to have the time, it can be a lot of fun. It’s not for everyone, as some just prefer a gym and/or the company of a group for their fitness activities. If you’re willing to try something new, there are many great at home fitness options for all fitness levels. Below are links to some of my favorites and a list of some great fitness items that make working out at home fun and easy.
Our family recently relocated to The Bahamas for my husband’s work. Although our extended family lives here and we have visited often, nothing compares to the new adventure we are on. Traveling (and moving) with a toddler is always challenging.
Being based in California, London and Las Vegas previously, the island life is something you see in movies and photos on social media or are lucky enough to experience on a vacation or cruise (my previous experiences). Although we will be back and forth, we will be spending quite a bit of time here and it is truly like a dream. Spending the Winter in a tropical location adds a very fun twist to the normal cold holiday season.
Within a day of arriving, my daughter found a coconut that had fallen from a tree, cracked it open and we drank the water. One of her favorite movies is Moana so you can imagine how excited she was!
She found a fallen coconut
Just like Moana!
Learning about coconuts
Drinking the coconut water
If you want to escape the cold Winter this is the place to do it! Check back often for more about our adventures in The Bahamas here or on our social media Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, & Pinterest
In our family we love to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and the culture of Ireland on March 17th. We have some Irish in our family heritage but it is a great day to learn more about the country, their history what the day stands for. Every year we make corned beef and cabbage and try to watch a fun movie about something to do with the day or the beautiful country of Ireland. Here is a list of great movies you may like for St. Patrick’s Day. ☘️
My daughter has loved Little Pim since she was born. Now she is a little older, she uses the website and asks me to watch the dvds and use the app on my iPad and phone. If you haven’t heard of Little Pim, it is amazing. It is a wonderful language program for children from birth to age 6. It was created by Julia Pimsleur. Her father, Dr. Paul Pimsleur created the Pimsleur Method of language learning.
Little Pim is a panda bear who teaches children many different language lessons through fun activities and songs. You choose the language you are looking to teach your children and there is a set for each. The videos have cartoons and live children and songs that she loves. In one video they whistle a song and through watching, she taught herself to do it before she was even 18 months old! She has been learning French and loves it. The program is from birth to age 6 (which is said to be the optimum time to learn new languages) and repetition is key.
With such a global world nowadays I’m so happy there is something to teach children to have an ear for languages and to learn about other cultures. There are 12 choices of languages and truly something for everyone from everywhere. Perfect for a bilingual family or a family wanting to be. It can be worked into your normal day and it’s fun for everyone in the family to learn something new.
Below is the cd of songs in French we started off with but you can get all of the dvds for every language they make.
car seats and Gianna loved them so much that we ended up getting one ourselves as her new “big girl” car seat!
by Jaimarie 