Collapsible, Portable Fun for Kids Everywhere: Packable Pails {Review & Giveaway — 2 winners!}

With the start of the next school year already in sight, my family is looking forward to giving summer a proper sendoff with our upcoming beach vacation. The sun, the sand, the ability to alternate between relaxing on a lounge chair and splashing around with my kids in the water... nothing beats the beach!

Even better, from an early age both of my girls have loved the water and have a great time swimming and playing around in the waves. Unlike so many other activities, they stay very content when running in and out of the water, digging monstrous holes, building sandcastles, collecting seashells or more. All that is required is a bucket and a shovel and they are just as happy as I am!

But... that's all fine when we are visiting family who have those buckets and shovels to lend or are staying in a rental home or resort that have a shelf of beach necessities. But if not? Then what? Take up half the suitcase trying to stuff clothing into a bucket that is then (maybe) crammed in? Hope for a store within walking distance of your hotel that doesn't charge an arm and a leg for beach toys?

Nah. That's all a thing of the past now that there is a much easier solution: Packable Pails!

Full sized collapsible beach pails available in four vibrant colors, Packable Pails are the new must-have beach accessory for families everywhere. Why spend money on items that you're going to leave behind when your vacation ends when you can bring along this versatile, unique award-winning pail instead?

From the moment I was introduced to Packable Pails, there was no doubt in my mind that the concept was genius. These great pails can be used at home in the sandbox, to collect Easter eggs or to hunt down interesting rocks and then fold down in a snap for easy storage. And, as mentioned, when traveling they're a must due to only taking up a few inches of space!

I had to see them in person to see if they were truly as brilliant as I thought!

Right out of the packaging and the answer was a resounding YES, these were just as incredible as I had hoped.

When condensed, Packable Pails only measure about 2" high (two stack together to only 3" high!), which is easily laid at the bottom of a suitcase, tucked into a beach bag or simply stowed under the seat of the car.

But then, voilà!

Any child can easily hold onto the rim with one hand and push down on the bottom of the pail with the other...

...while simultaneously being amazed that a full sized bucket then appears.

How incredibly cool is it to be able to pop open your pail when you reach the beach?!

Big Sister E and Little Sister B have been enthralled with their Packable Pails ever since they arrived and can't wait to bring them on our upcoming vacation.

For now, however, they have put them to use in a wide variety of places around our home and at nearby locations and have had a blast — there just isn't a place that these pails can't go!

When it's time to leave, of course, packing up our Packable Pails has been just as easy. Flip them over and gently press on the bottom (and tuck in any folds that need straightening) and it all condenses right back into its flattened state. I love not needing to devote a large portion of a bag to carrying extra bulk!

Whether filled with sand, water, rocks, food (these are food safe and great for toting snacks), seashells, dirt, other toys, utilized as a reusable gift container or many, many more, Packable Pails are the one-of-a-kind beach bucket that save time, money and hassle at home or on vacation!

Packable Pails retail for $14.99 and are available now at PackablePails.com and in retail locations throughout the United States and Canada. You can also stay up-to-date on what is going on with this innovative company by connecting with them on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Plus, thanks to the generosity of Packable Pails, two people will soon be fully prepared to head on their next trip to the beach without a worry about how to bring along the most iconic beach toy ever, because...

Two lucky people will win a Packable Pails gift set*!

*Gift set contains (1) Packable Pail in winner's choice of color, (1) shovel and (1) reusable tote bag. 

Entry-Form

A big thank you to Packable Pails for providing two pails and shovels for me to review as well as a gift set for two lucky giveaway winners. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.

Travel Stylishly Smart this Season with Lassig from HABA {Green Label Neckline Bag Review}

According to AAA, every year around 40 million Americans are expected to drive more than 50 miles to their Thanksgiving and/or Christmas destinations.

That's a whole lot of drive time! Then you factor in the flights, trains, buses and more and it is clear that traveling has become just as much a part of the holiday season as turkeys, twinkling lights, eggnog and wrapping presents.

And, when it comes to traveling, whether for the holidays or simply running to the grocery store, having high quality, stylish, versatile storage solutions can make a big difference. A cheap suitcase seems like a way to save money... but typically ends up with a lost wheel, broken zipper and not enough space. Similarly, a baby-themed diaper bag might work well when you have an infant, but ends up discarded once you've passed that stage.

Instead, it is easy to make traveling easy and extremely fashionable thanks to the wide range of travel solutions for the whole family from Lassig distributed by HABA!

With a goal to design beautiful and functional products and to manufacture them sustainably using non-toxic and environmentally-friendly components, Germany-based Lassig products are extremely stylish, easy to care for, durable and comfortable. They even utilize recycled and organic materials in many products, proudly combining innovation, fashion and safety.

Packing for a flight to Grandma's for a week? The rolling Wildlife Trolley from Lassig helps make things easier! Little ones will love venturing around the train station or airport with luggage just like the grown-ups, as this suitcase includes wheels, a telescoping pull handle, plenty of pockets, a carrying handle and more! Can these get much cuter?

Or maybe you're packing for a day trip and want to look good while on the go — who doesn't? Lassig's City Shopper Tote Bag provides tons of space (there are so many pockets, nooks and compartments) for organized storage while it can be carried easily over your shoulder or clipped right to a stroller.

At the same time that this tote works perfectly as a diaper bag (and comes with accessories such as a changing mat and insulated bottle holder), it clearly has a gorgeous sleek and stylish look that can be used long after the diapers are gone!

I love the idea of buying one unique, high quality, ultra-fashionable, extremely versatile handbag that can be used pre-baby, throughout childhood, and then beyond that essentially transforms to meet the needs of women through all of the stages of their life. Why get a diaper bag that screams Baby! when you're not going to want to carry it after your baby has grown up?

Instead, I'm thrilled to have been introduced to a diaper bag that not only has room for all of baby's needs but is also incredibly chic and even eco-friendly. Lassig's Green Label Neckline Bag has it all!

No matter if you're focused on form, function, ease of use or simply a modern, uncomplicated look, Lassig has managed to put all of that (plus more) into the Green Label Neckline Bag. Made out of recycled plastic bottles (how cool is that?!), this bag the perfect combination of stylishly eye-catching, lightweight durability, and attention to detail.

From the moment the Neckline Bag in the Black Melange color options (there are four total) arrived, I couldn't stop running my hands over it!

Gorgeous!

I adore the modern simplicity of this bag and, when it came to designing a way to travel fashionably smart, Lassig did just that. The Neckline Bag includes pockets galore, both inside and outside, that result in your possessions being easily accessible while still staying perfectly secure.

Even before I had unzipped the main compartment, I was admiring the large insulated outer pocket that would be great for keeping food items stored and the four 'bonus' compartments at the base of each handle. No more digging around for my sunglasses, keys, a pen, my phone or more with these pockets right there waiting for me!

However, as much as I was impressed with the outside of the Neckline Bag, then I opened it up and felt my love grow even further!

Lassig not only included great accessories (e.g. a water-repellent, padded changing mat; an insulated, removable bottle holder with clip; hooks to attach it directly to stroller handles; an additional, adjustable shoulder strap, and a removable zipper pouch)...

...but there is no shortage of storage space as well.

Need to stash a wet bathing suit after your trip to the beach? Use the water-repellent wet pocket. Want easy access to wet wipes to clean up all sorts of sticky messes while traveling? There is a dedicated compartment for baby wipes so you'll never search for them. There is even a removable compartment designed to hold baby food jars so that this bag can transition into soft foods right along with your little one!

All in all, I have yet to find a reason that the Green Label Neckline Bag wouldn't be the perfect travel bag.

While we've all seen handbags that have claimed to be multifunctional, this one truly conveys the concept of sustainability and, with its appealing unique shape, will easily transform to work for all of the different needs that women have and which role in our lives we are in. No matter if you're traveling near or far, Lassig has transformed what was once a mundane diaper bag into a chic and fashionable tote, whether you're using it with kids or not!

Although this bag does have a higher price tag than the diaper bags that you might find in the store (it retails for $169.99), it is clear that the Neckline Bag isn't just going to serve as a diaper bag but as a go-to bag for all occasions.

Plus, the high quality of Lassig items ensure that they are going to last a lifetime and the stylish convenience that they will add to your life (or that of your extremely lucky recipient, if given as a gift) is something you'll never want to live without.

It isn't any wonder to me that the one and only HABA would distribute this and all of Lassig's travel solutions to the U.S., as their eco-conscious approach to manufacturing and their focus on values, creative product design, and functional engineering make them a perfect pairing.

To find out more about all of Lassig's stylish travel options and to place your order today, visit HABAusa.com and connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

Other than the Lassig Green Label Neckline Bag that I was provided by HABA in order to facilitate my review, I was not compensated or enticed to do this post in any way. This review is solely my honest opinion about this company and product.

Completing the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration with Books, Food and runDisney! {#DisneySMMoms}

After spending time enjoying all of the magic of Disneyland Resort and being awestruck by the passion and inspiration of the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration speakers, what more could be added to make the weekend any better?

Still about 2,250 more events, people and activities, actually.

However, here are the highlights that helped make the rest of my first DisneySMMoms experience one that is incomparable to any other social media event for me...

On Saturday morning, after meeting Genevieve Goings of Choo Choo Soul and learning about Disney Junior's incredible new Give a Book, Get a Book program, the entire room gasped when we realized that none other than LeVar Burton was next on stage.

Anyone else grow up with Reading Rainbow? As well as being a wonderful speaker (and praising all of the hard work of mothers everywhere, including his own), LeVar brought me even further back to my childhood later in the morning when he read a story to all of the attendees and their families.

LeVar Burton! Just take a look, it's in a book, it's Reading Rainnnnnbow...

But far from being the only celebrity guest that morning, families were also treated to another book reading starring David Arquette (voice of Skully from Jake and the Neverland Pirates), Ariel Winter (voice of Princess Sofia from Sofia the First), and Tim Gunn (voice of Baileywick from Sofia the First).

My kids were amazed at seeing the voices of characters they knew come from real people and I was starstruck by Tim Gunn. He has always been a favorite of mine!

Later that evening, all of the attendees and families were treated to a special dinner sponsored by GoGo squeeZ inside Mickey's Toontown — we had that entire section of the park all to ourselves!

What better way spend our last evening of the conference than by eating tasty food, hanging out with our favorite characters and going on rides until after the sun went down?

However, staying up late didn't stop me from setting my alarm to be out of bed bright and early on Sunday morning so that I wouldn't miss the chance to take part in an incredible runDisney event.

While I have long known about runDisney's series of events (e.g. marathons, half-marathons, 5k runs, etc) that provide runners the unique opportunity to run through Disney Theme Parks in Florida as well as California, I never thought it would be an experience I could call my own.

Not to mention finding out so much more about the way that the runDisney community has changed the lives of so many and has inspired people across the country to get healthy, support one another, make new friends and accomplish feats that were previously only in their dreams. Pretty incredible, right?

Clad in my running shirt and new shoes from New Balance, I was ready to take on our DisneySMMoms 2-mile run (a short distance for veteran runners, a long distance for lazy folks like myself). Although the starting line was covered under a veil of darkness, it wasn't long before the sun was rising over the empty Disney Parks and we were making our way through the course to the sounds of clapping and cheering from various Disney team members that were preparing for the day.

Without a doubt, it was an amazing experience that I'll never forget — and I would love to participate in another runDisney event someday!

From start to finish, the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration was an affair unlike any other and I will be forever grateful that my family was able to attend. The laughter, the learning, the behind-the-scenes look into the people, values and hard work that come together to provide the magic of Disney for millions of visitors year after year...

These are the memories that will last a lifetime and I will treasure forever through photos, videos and simply in my heart. Thank you, Disney!

So what's next in my family's quest to keep the Disney love alive and make more magical dreams come true?

Now that we have visited Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort, it only makes sense to see the wonder and enchantment that Mickey Mouse can provide while on a floating castle, doesn't it?

Coming Summer 2014, we embark on our next adventure...

All aboard!

I was invited to attend the DSMM Celebration. I paid my own conference fees and received gifts during the conference. All opinions, experiences and thoughts are my own. Special thanks to Josh Hallett, the official DisneySMMoms photographer, for the use of many of his amazing photographs.

The Ultimate "Vary"able Stroller: Joovy Caboose VaryLight Stand-On Tandem Stroller {Review}

In the same way that a bewildered consumer has to decide between hundreds of different makes and models of cars when they are looking to purchase a vehicle, first-time parents have to somehow narrow down the endless number of strollers available.

From travel systems to umbrellas to joggers, the variety of options, sizes and accessories can easily make anyone wonder what makes one better than the others.

However, once you've made the leap, selected one and are (hopefully) happily using and enjoying it, the inevitable usually happens: Baby #2. Right back to where you started, now you're in the world of tandems and "in-line" models versus side-by-sides and trying to figure out just how much your toddler needs to ride or how far those little legs can walk.

Fortunately there are companies that combine innovation, quality and versatility and are dedicated to providing unique, high quality products that can be used from infancy long through childhood. One stroller that adapts to the number of children, their ages and their individual needs? It's all right here in the Joovy Caboose VaryLight Stand-On Tandem Stroller!

A U.S.-based company that manufactures premium family gear products, Joovy's goal is to design and offer items that are extremely useful, practical, good-looking and fun. All of their innovative products have top-of-the-line features and use vibrant, high quality fabrics and materials — aspects that parents everywhere can definitely appreciate.

And, considering that the Caboose VaryLight not only incorporates all that is amazing about Joovy products, but that it also can hold one or two children, one or two car seats and even change size depending on your personal needs, I just couldn't wait to see it in person.

Right out of the box, I found that the Caboose VaryLight and Caboose VaryLight Parent Organizer & Cup Holders required minimal assembly before they were constructed and ready to go.

Simply pop the wheels into place, attach the large canopy and, in around 10 minutes, we were ready to roll.

Taking the concept of the classic Joovy Caboose Stroller, which provides a seat in the front for a younger child (or place for a car seat) and a back portion that allows the older child to either sit or stand, the Caboose VaryLight is one step even further in variability.

The telescopic frame actually expands the stroller from a single (43½" long) to a full-size double (49¾" long) in seconds. That's right, the stroller can physically change sizes from more compact to more roomy!

And, let me tell you, the first time I realized that it took three steps and less than a minute to transform the Caboose VaryLight from a single to a double, my mind was blown.

There has never been a tandem stroller that expands and contracts the way the Caboose VaryLight does and I have been enamored with the way that it adapts to meet individual family needs right from the beginning!

In the compact, smaller position, the Caboose VaryLight can easily take on the roll of a single stroller using the provided, comfortable seat, or it can securely hold a newborn in an infant car seat (using the Caboose VaryLight Car Seat Adapters). At the same time, an older child still has room to stand on the rear platform or sit on the second seat.

But then, voilà! By extending the stroller, there is more room for the older child to sit on the rear seat, even if the front seat is fully reclined. Or, instead of one infant car seat, why not use a second adapter and twins are able to ride in style?

Essentially, this stroller that has so many riding configurations that you're getting the versatility of 10 all in one!

Love!!

But Joovy didn't stop at making the Caboose VaryLight convenient and comfortable in terms of size and variability. They stocked it full of comfort, safety, storage, durability and more that all come together to result in an exceptional stroller and ride!

I absolutely love the way that the huge storage compartment easily goes from being a full-length basket...

...to a more condensed, folded down version. In less than five seconds it is out of the way of the child who may want to sit or stand on the platform!

At the same time, the 5-point harness in the front and 3-point harness in the rear keeps both children fully buckled and safe, while the oversized canopy includes an extra sun visor extension for even more protection from the rays.

The front seat reclines to three positions quickly and easily by using the handle right on the back...

...and, for added convenience, Joovy not only included a swing-away tray that opens and closes easily, but it can also be moved and attached to either the front or the back seat!

While riders have a perfect place to store drinks and snacks, the addition of the Caboose VaryLight Parent Organizer proved to be fantastic for stashing my own water bottle, keys, phone and more...

...and the two cup holders that come with it are incredibly useful!

Not only can the cup holders be used in place of the swing-away tray on the front or back, but they can be used together at one seat or with one at each. No chance that the child in the back can complain that they don't have anywhere to place their drink when these can be popped on and off and moved so quickly and easily!

When it comes to storage or folding the Caboose VaryLight Stand-On Tandem Stroller for transport, Joovy made that just as simple and convenient.

Simply grasp the one-hand fold lever right on the handlebar, squeeze, and the entire thing folds down easily, no matter if it is in the single or the double, extended position. For such a large stroller, it really doesn't take up all that much space and can be stored horizontally or vertically (as it stands on its own)!

Even though we don't use a stroller around here nearly as much as we used to, the user-friendly, adaptability of the Caboose VaryLight still came very much in handy on our recent trip to Disneyland. Although I had pondered not bringing a stroller at all — or at least not one with a place for Big Sister E, as she is 7 — I am so thankful that we had the opportunity to try this one out!

Having a place for both kids to sit down when their legs couldn't take the miles upon miles of walking was invaluable and Little Sister B was able to close her eyes and easily take little naps during the day or at night after watching a show.

Not to mention that the large storage basket underneath was the perfect place to store our snacks, extra sweatshirts and more and that the whole thing was just so easy to maneuver with only one hand. The wheels on the Caboose VaryLight provide such smooth handling that we were able to go over pavement, over sand, on rocks, across grass and more and it conquered them all!

I would definitely not hesitate to bring the Caboose VaryLight on a future theme park vacation and would highly recommend it to others! It does weigh in at 33.95 lbs, so it is a bit heavy for any lifting, but the convenience that it provided in the airports (it was gate checked four times and came through without any damage) as well as throughout the trip was a complete lifesaver!

L-R: Joovy Caboose VaryLight, Joovy Scooter X2 and Joovy Qool!

Designed to carry a child in the front from 6 months (or birth with the car seat adapter) to 55 lbs and 40" in height and a child in the rear from 2½ years to 55 lbs and 44" height, the Caboose VaryLight is my new must-have stroller in terms of versatility and growth. You can literally use this stroller for years and years from the time your first child is a newborn through multiple siblings!

Retailing for $499.99 (the Parent Organizer & Cup Holders retail for $49.99, the Car Seat Adapters for $49.99 and a great Rain Cover for $79.99), the Joovy Caboose VaryLight Stand-On Tandem Stroller takes travel to an entirely new level. I wish I would have had this from the time I was pregnant with Big Sister E, as it would have saved me so many unnecessary (and not as high quality) strollers!

Find out much more about the Caboose VaryLight and all of Joovy's high quality products by visiting them at Joovy.com and connecting with them on Facebook and Twitter.

Other than the Caboose VaryLight Stroller that I received from Joovy in order to facilitate my review, I was not compensated or enticed to do this post in any way. This review is solely my honest opinion about this product.

An Abundance of Inspiration and Motivation at the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration 2014 {#DisneySMMoms}

Last week it took at least a dozen proofreads and edits for me to condense my thoughts on the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration 2014 (and the utter amazement I felt at being invited and having an incredible first day) into the resulting still-really-long post.

While I'm the first to admit that I'm a little long-winded and wordy to begin with, there seems to be no way to accurately convey my excitement at being able to attend this event without going on and on and on...

But there was so much more than our introduction to all things Disney and having the chance for my family to take our first visit to Disneyland Parks, ride rides and meet many characters. There was the conference itself!

The last time you attended a conference with a castle on stage was... never? Yeah, me neither.

While I've been a variety of blogging conferences and events over the years, I can honestly say that none have compared to DisneySMMoms. This event is so much more than a conference that I fully understand why they chose "Celebration" in its name instead.

Was it the special surprises throughout? The celebrity guests? The high quality speakers that spoke from their heart? The fact that my family was there with me to experience the magic of it all?

All of the above.

Plus more.

Throughout the day on Friday, the DisneySMMoms attendees were treated to delicious meals, fabulous sponsors such as Alamo and Hanes, and a wide variety of speakers that kept the audience riveted with laughter, tears and everything in between. This isn't even all of them, but here are my highlights...

We began with Tom Staggs, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, who got us excited about anything and everything Disney happening all over the world. New additions! Fantastic ride ideas! Awesome cruises! Disneeeeeey!

"When your job is about giving others happiness, you end up having lots of it yourself." – Tom Staggs

Tom was followed by Jay Ward, Creative Director of the Cars Franchise for Pixar Animation Studios, who gave us insight into Pixar's creative process and the geniuses that come up with the stories and products that we all love.

While I've always known that Disney is over-the-top when it comes to ensuring every detail (did you know there are no handles on gas pumps in the Cars movies? They don't have hands!), listening to Jay talk about their laser focus on quality, innovation and storytelling left me amazed. Pixar truly finds the design, personalities, language and more of their films and characters and takes them far beyond the next level!

After already being awed by Jay, his speech was followed up by Kathy Mangum, the Executive Producer and Vice President of Walt Disney Imagineering, who was equally as impressive!

All talks about Disney California Adventure lead to Cars Land and Kathy and her team were the ones who brought that 12-acre land and expansion to life in 2012 (after many years of researching, planning and building).

If you've been able to visit Cars Land, then you know just how incredible it is and the feeling of stepping into the movie it possesses. You're right there, seeing it all with Lightning McQueen and Mater right next to you!

Big Sister E is an especially big fan of Cars and Cars 2, so getting to see Radiator Springs come to life was a huge hit for her... and I loved seeing all of the work that Kathy and her team put in to making sure they stayed true to the scenery, people and essence of Route 66. The results are truly fantastic!

I knew in advance that the next speaker, Donald Driver (former Green Bay Packers player, former Super Bowl Champion, author of Quickie children's book series), was going to be a presenter at DisneySMMoms this year... but I had no idea that he was such an incredible, passionate speaker.

If every single person who ever talked to a group of people would speak as honestly, openly and from the heart as Donald did, then audiences would be much more apt to attend. We laughed, we cried (literally. The entire room was brought to tears), we hung on his every word, we gave him a standing ovation.

Thomas Smith, Disney Parks Social Media Director, was up next and, considering he was talking to a room of 'Social Media Moms,' it was great to hear his take on the way that Disney connects through this modern communication.

This isn't a standoffish brand that focuses only on getting their name out there and being noticed, no, this is Disney. When you're already known for being the Most Magical Place on Earth, you take the step up and take the social aspect of social media seriously.

"People connect with people, not logos." It's all about the experience with everything Disney. #disneysmmoms
— Xenia (@thxmailcarrier) April 11, 2014

Continuing on the topic of social media, Doug Bowman, Creative Director at Twitter, opened my eyes to the large number of ways that this media has changed our lives.

When people have asked me in the past what Twitter is or why people join, I've tended to see it in the light of "a roomful of people all talking at once," but Doug pointed out example after example of ways that Twitter has actually enriched our lives and helped information get around the world faster than ever possible before.

"Twitter gives us the ability to look at the collective pulse of humanity." Great insight from @stop! #disneysmmoms
— Xenia (@thxmailcarrier) April 11, 2014

In short, the day was full of inspiration, encouragement, motivation, creativity and wisdom — but not only the kind that you nod along to and then get up and leave. Instead, Disney did a fantastic job putting together a lineup of speakers that make you sit back and think about the world and your place in it. 

Do you know what your tweet or Facebook status or blog post (or spoken word, because us social media folks do talk to real people sometimes) might mean to someone else? What if you're making a bigger difference than you ever thought? What if you're not and have the chance to change that?

Because truly, whether you look at your role in your family or at your job or just as the person in the mirror, aren't you the only one who can accurately measure your own impact?

(If you thought I was done, there's still more to say! Stay tuned for more of our Disney Social Media Moms Celebration 2014 experience!)

I was invited to attend the DSMM Celebration. I paid my own conference fees and received gifts during the conference. All opinions, experiences and thoughts are my own. Special thanks to Josh Hallett, the official DisneySMMoms photographer, for the use of many of his amazing photographs.