Secret Santa

It's no secret that people are feeling the pinch of the economy this season. One organization has dedicated itself to providing toys for children at Christmas since 1947 - the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Foundation.

1-800 Flowers.com is supporting this worthy cause by donating 10% of the net proceeds from product orders from its Toys for Tots Holiday Collection to the foundation. In addition, they have developed a Secret Santa free application accessible on their Facebook page. Send a warm fuzzy gift to a friend (they find out who it came from on Reveal Day, December 21st). You and the recipient will receive a 15% off discount code for sending or opening your gifts as well.

1-800 Flowers.com will donate $5,000 to Toys for Tots if the warm fuzzy Secret Santa gift is sent 10,000 times.

Lets get the word out, send some warm fuzzies and help this very worthy cause!

Out and About - with Kids

Getting where you need to go with your kids can have all kinds of challenges - even just the car seat itself! We let the installation of our car seat go a little too long, and my hubby was faced with getting it properly in the car himself after Daniel was born. With half our extended family some 1,200 miles away we have busied ourselves with long car trips, as well as getting around town to our busy preschooler's many activities.

With the holiday season moving into full swing, families across the country are in the car and on the go. Whether you're driving across the country to visit family or across town to holiday shop, it is important that your child passengers are riding safely and that child safety seats are used correctly.

AAA estimates that 30 million people travelled this Thanksgiving holiday alone, and for many this is just the beginning of the holiday hustle and bustle. Now is the time to utilize the Child Car Safety tools provided by the US Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Ad Council to learn more about proper car seat use and installation. You will find informative resources that include instructional videos.

Have child passenger safety questions that you need answered before you travel over the river and through the woods to Grandma's? NHTSA is always available to answer your questions online through Facebook and Twitter. I wish I had found these resources years ago!