My Southwestern Club Sandwich Won!!!

I submitted my favorite sandwich recipe, a Southwestern Club Sandwich in the OutStandwich contest at
And Twins Make 5....and I WON!!  You can see her post here: http://andtwinsmake5.blogspot.com/2011/06/southwestern-club-sandwich-recipe.html.  Make sure you go check it out!!   I am so proud!

Photo courtesy of Stephanie at And Twins Make 5

I've borrowed the sandwich photo from And Twins Make 5!!  What do you all think?

You Can Catch a Movie and Save Money at the Same Time!

Do you love movies?  I can’t wait for all the new summer releases.   Seems like there are always some blockbuster films every year that make a ton of money.  I also have a Netflix subscription, so if I miss something at the theater, I can get it through the mail shortly after it leaves the theater or even better, get it to stream online.  If you don’t have a subscription, you can get Netflix Coupons from MyCoupons.com to save on your order.  Now, if you are thinking about going out to movies, here are some other online discounts I found on their site.  First, they have several Fandango Coupons to save money when you buy your tickets in advance online.  Another idea is to click the discounted gift cards tab on MyCoupons and you will find Regal Cinemas, AMC and Lowes gift cards for less than face value.  A quick example is a $25 AMC Theatres card for $21.25.  Perfect to save money instantly on a place you are already going to go.  With the high cost of doing about anything right now, you need to save anyway you can.   Check out their site and see what savings you can find. It is the best site to start on before you make a purchase, because if you can save $5 or 15%, why not?  It only takes a quick minute of your time and maybe you will find a new business to frequent.  Good luck online and have fun at the movies.  If you see anything good, make sure to comment with your recommendations. 

Monique Rowe is a guest writer for My Coupons.com and also loves to write about saving a dollar or two, on her own site, The One Income Dollar.




This is a sponsored post,and I was compensated for it, however, I would never post anything on my blog that I didn't think was true!!

SodaStream Review

For over a year, I entered every giveaway I could find trying to win a SodaStream Fountain Jet!  This one item had been on our family wish list for quite a while, and I was thrilled when I received the opportunity to review it!!

About SodaStream

SodaStream is the world's largest manufacturer, distributor and marketer of Home Carbonation Systems. Our brands are sold in over 40,000 retail stores in 41 countries including home & electrical appliance stores, hypermarkets, supermarkets, department stores, convenience stores, DIY, specialty and "green" stores, water specialists & dealers, as well as online and in catalogs.

Our long standing and deep heritage dates back to 1903, when we introduced innovative solutions to the beverage market. We continue to grow as market leaders in both technological advancements and the quality of our products.

The SodaStream system enables consumers to carbonate water and to flavor carbonated beverages at home as an alternative to purchasing pre-packed bottles or cans. This has many important benefits to the consumer including cost savings and no hassle with bottles.

The advantages of SodaStream's Home Carbonation System include:

• Convenience: No need to carry heavy bottles from the store. The SodaStream system is simple to use and requires no batteries or electricity.
• Environmentally-Friendly: SodaStream is an "Active Green" solution that minimizes the huge eco-footprint caused by the manufacture, transport and waste of plastic bottles.
• Variety: SodaStream offers over 100 flavors to suit everyone’s taste. Regular, diet, natural, fruity flavors, ice tea, energy drinks, sport drinks, tonic and many more.
• Space Saver: No need to store bottles of beverages or empty bottles for recycling in your home.
• Personalization: Make drinks just the way you love them… more bubbles, less bubbles, sweeter or lighter, even create your own flavor!
• Family Fun: The system is quick and easy to use. It's fun for everyone and kids just love it!
• Value for Money: Great savings compared to pre-packed carbonated water and beverages.
• Satisfaction Guaranteed: SodaStream drinks makers are of extremely high quality and include a money-back satisfaction guarantee.

There are so many flavor choices with SodaStream.  You can choose from over 100 SodaStream flavored syrups including regular and diet flavors. The range of flavors includes cola, root beer, lemon-lime, pink grapefruit, red berry mix, apple, orange, exotic fruit flavors, energy drinks, ice tea and cocktail mixers.
It is hard to go wrong when you can choose from these choices!!  You can buy a SodaStream machine and syrups online and also at thousands of retailers across the country!

My favorite flavors are the Ginger Ale and the Root Beer!  Future FBI preferred the Fountain Mist and the Cherry Cola.  Chefy loved the Pink Grapefruit and the Grape!

We knew we would like the SodaStream Fountain Jet, but we had no idea we would LOVE it!!  We have saved money and calories by using it, and there is no way we ever want to be without it again!!  The entire process is simple, the syrups are reasonably priced, and the taste is wonderful!

To find out more about them, you can follow SodaStreamUSA on twitter, or like SodaStream on Facebook!   This is one gift that really does keep on giving!



Disclosure: I was sent a SodaStream fountain jet and soda mixes for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. All view expressed are my own opinions.

Food Stories by Denny Stanz Review

 

I recently had the opportunity to review the book Food Stories-How Any Man Can Create an Easy Meal for any Situation by Denny Stanz..  Food Stories is a compilation of recipes and advice for handling different situations like any one of 21 situations he described. Imagine yourself as a Daddy hosting a sleep over for your kids, or imagine having friends over for dinner.  What are you going to make?  Food Stories offers some recipes and sage advice as to handle each situation.  The book is amusing at times, and I caught myself laughing at how much my life situations and the book were alike.  

The book is fairly short, and is a very easy read.  It is ideal for that Dad in your life who might need a little (or a lot) of help in the kitchen.  It will make you laugh, and it will give you a moment of realization that you are not the only person who struggles with dining ideas and recipes.  Food Stories would be a nice addition to any one's cookbook collection.  My hubby enjoyed reading the book, and so did I!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book to review at no charge.  All opinions are my own, or are those of my family.  No monetary compensation was received for this review!

NOVICA Review and Giveaway - Unique gifts for Fathers

Giveaway closed!! Thanks to all who entered!!



Father's Day is just around the corner, and every year, I find myself struggling to find something unique for my dad.  Shopping for another woman is easy for me, but I just have a hard time shopping for a man,  Recently, I heard of the perfect place to find unique gifts, Novica.com.  They have so very many interesting items to look at, and I found myself browsing for literally an hour!  The thing I love most about Novica.com is that this site sells products crafted by artisans from around the world.  Beautiful, hand-crafted items make outstanding gifts for everyone on your shopping list, and can be just perfect for that hard to buy for Dad!

I would love to get my dad this awesome hammock for Father's Day, but with his birthday coming up, it seems more like a birthday gift to me!  They also have cuff-links, leather accessories, sculptures, bar ware, paintings and more!!  I would really like to get my hubby one of these silver cross necklaces.  My favorite one is this one:

Now, you can become a Novica Live consultant. You can get a starter kit for only $199 and you will have over $400 worth of samples and $150 in business materials included.  As a Novica Live consultant, you get

to host parties and make money while you’re bringing fair trade, handcrafted treasures directly to customers. Visit www.novicalive.com for more information.

Giveaway:   Novica would like to offer one lucky Shelly's Bits and Pieces reader a $50 Gift Certificate to use at Novica.com.

To enter this giveaway, simply visit Novica.com and come back here and tell me what item you would love to buy.
This is mandatory for entry. All extra entries will be discarded if the first entry is not done.

Extra Entries: (please comment for the correct number of extra entries awarded per task)
Follow Novica on Twitter
Like Novica on Facebook
Follow Shelly's Bits & Pieces on twitter @sleatham1
Subscribe to Shelly's Bits & Pieces via email. (2 extra)
Subscribe to my RSS feed.
Add this giveaway to any giveaway linky, or blog about it. (5 extra)
Enter any of my other giveaways (2 extra)
Comment on any of my non-giveaway posts (2 extra)
Add my button to your sidebar (10 extra entries)

Vote for me by clicking where I'm on the fence...top right of blog! (2 extra daily)
Tweet:  I entered to win a $50 Novica GC at Shelly's Bits & Pieces @sleatham1 http://bit.ly/jNZxZe Ends 6/24!

Giveaway Open WORLDWIDE, age 18+  Ends 6/24/2011 11:59 PM EST

Disclosure:  I received a gift certificate which I used to purchase items to review.  All opinions are my own or those of my family!  No monetary compensation was received!

Nickelodeon-Colgate Spongebob Review

Getting your kids to brush their teeth is not always the easiest thing to do!  As a matter of fact, it can be a very stressful task for both you and your children.  Some toothbrushes are just too large for kids.  Some toothbrushes are not gentle enough.  Well, Colgate has just the right toothbrush for your kids.  Not only does the small rotating head clean teeth and gently sweep away plaque while the soft bristles help protect gums, but the brush itself has your kids favorite NICK character on it!  We received Spongebob to review and it 

received rave reviews!!

We also reviewed the Spongebob toothpaste.  The Colgate Kids toothpaste is specially designed for ages two and up!  Kids love the SpongeBob™ graphics in a convenient stand-up tube, and the Mild Bubble Fruit® flavor helps to strengthen and protect developing teeth.  Our Spongebob Squarepants fan was thrilled to have his very own Spongebob toothpaste and toothbrush.

Colgate Kids SpongeBob SquarePants Battery-Powered Toothbrushes

Colgate Kids SpongeBob SquarePants Anticavity Fluoride Toothpaste

 It can still be a challenge getting your kids to slow down enough to brush their teeth, but at least with these cool products, once they get there, the fight is over!


Disclosure:  I received these products to review at no charge.  I was not monetarily compensated for the review.  All opinions stated are my own, or are those of my family! 

Walgreen's Brand Health & Wellness Product Review

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Several weeks ago, I was lucky enough to try out one of Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products.  I tried out their Omeprazole and I was very pleased with it.  I had always taken the name brand stomach medicine before, and the price I was paying was a lot more than what Walgreens charges for their Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products.  With the economy being the way it is right now,a $2-$5 savings is greatly appreciated! 

Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products are a great value.  With the rising cost of health care, purchasing these products will allow people to afford the medicines they need, and still have money to live on!  Not only are the Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness products recommended by the Walgreens pharmacist, most contain the same active ingredients as the national brands and are 100% guaranteed!  You can visit http://www.walgreens.com/walgreensbrand to learn more about Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products and the Walgreens Way to Well Fund™. 

There are several bloggers are giving away some Walgreens Gift Cards! Check it out: http://socialspark.com/WalgreensBrandSweeps.  Stop by and enter one of their giveaways and you can have an opportunity to win one of twenty $50 Walgreens Brand Gift Cards. 

Recent winners

Congratulations to:
#52 Mandy who won my Luma Tweeze Giveaway
                                and
#144 Veronica who won my Chili's Giveaway!

Both winners have been notified and have responded!

Please continue to enter my giveaways!  The better my giveaways go, the better prizes you could win!

BIG MOMMA’S: LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON Review and Giveaway

Giveaway is over!  Tabatha is the winner!  Thanks for entering!

Father's Day is less than two weeks away, and if you are like me, you are still looking for just the right gift for Dad.  Well, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment has just the thing for you.  20th Century Fox Home Entertainment is releasing the movie Big Momma's: Like Father, Like Son on DVD and Blu-ray on June 14!  It is perfect for the man who loves comedies!  Still not sure what to get Dad?  In honor of the release of Big Momma's: Like Father, Like Son,  Fox has put together a Father's Day Gift Guide to give you some ideas!

Big Momma's Father's Day Gift Guide:

• Car Wash Kit - Give this along with some homemade coupons for a free car wash in the driveway
• BBQ Tools - These can be used during fun summer gatherings with friends and family
• Sports equipment - Whether your dad could spend all day out on the green, or loves the batting cages, some new athletic gear could be just the thing for active fathers 
•  Sports apparel -  Every dad loves to root for "his" team, and with some new team specific garments, he can really get into the spirit of the game!  Tickets to a game in your area would go great with this gift as well
•  New wallet - Since most dads carry theirs in their back pocket, wallets endure a lot of wear and tear. Provide your dad with a new one so he can keep all of his belongings safe

•  Home Entertainment - Gather some of the best new DVDs together, such as American Dad, Street Kings 2, and of course, Big Momma's House; Like Father Like Son, and combine them all together along with some popcorn to create a fun package for a family movie night on your couch

Want to know a bit about the DVD?  Well here goes...

 BIG MOMMA’S: LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON is the third installment in the Big Momma franchise starring Martin Lawrence as Big Momma and FBI agent Malcolm Turner and Brandon T. Jackson as Big Momma’s stepson Trent and grand-niece Charmaine.

After stints as an undercover grandmother and an undercover nanny, FBI agent Malcolm Turner (Martin Lawrence) adds “undercover housemother” to his resume in BIG MOMMA’S: LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON. In this hefty new comedy, Big Momma is hired to go deep undercover as the Headmistress of the Atlanta Girls’ School for the Arts attended by aspiring music student and leading love interest Haley (Jessica Lucas). Proving “like father, like son,” Turner brings along his stepson Trent (Brandon T. Jackson) to double as Big Momma’s grand-niece Charmaine and go undercover as a student in the school with hilarious results. The duo tries in vain to derail attempts by the school’s security guard (Faizon Love) to get control of the debauchery.

Want to win the movie?   All you have to do is enter is answer the mandatory question below!

Mandatory Entry:  What are you planning to do for that special man in your life for Father's Day?

Additional Entries:  (May be completed once the mandatory entry is posted.)  Please make sure you post the appropriate number of times.  If you earn 2 entries for something, post twice, etc!

• Follow me on Twitter as @sleatham1
• Subscribe to my blog via email or feed. (make sure you confirm your email addy and list it in the comment)
• Follow me on Google Friend Connect
• Vote for me...I'm on the fence! (Click the link on my sidebar)
• Comment on any non-giveaway post (unlimited for 2 entries each)
• Grab my button and post on your sidebar (5 extra entries)
• Add this to any giveaway linky or blog about it. (2 extra entries for each place)
• Tweet or post on Facebook (may be done 2x daily for 2 extra entries each): Win a Big Mommas: Like Father Like Son DVD from @sleatham1 at Shelly's Bits & Pieces http://bit.ly/j4rk9x

Disclosure: I did not receive monetary compensation for this post, but I will be receiving a copy of the DVD free of charge!. All product information is provided by ThinkJam/Fox Publicity and I have indicated it in italics. All opinions expressed are my own, or those of my family!  


Giveaway ends on June 19th at 11:00pm EST.  Open to US residents 18+.  Thanks

Chili's Triple Dipper Giveaway!

The winner has been notified, and this giveaway is closed!  Thank you!!

My hubby and I often indulge on appetizers as a main course, because we want something different.  Well, Chili's has come up with the perfect appetizer as a meal plan for us, the Triple Dipper Platter!  You get to choose 3 different appetizers, that come with dipping sauce, as your meal!  Woo Hoo!!  You get to choose from these yummy choices:

• NEW! Loaded Potato Skins
• NEW! Memphis BBQ Skins
• NEW! Honey-Chipotle Shrimp
• Big Mouth® Bites
• Boneless Buffalo Wings
• Southwestern Eggrolls
• Chicken Crispers®
• Wings Over Buffalo®
• Fried Cheese
• Hot Spinach & Artichoke Dip 

How can you go wrong?  My choices would be the Memphis BBQ Skins, Chicken Crispers and Fried Cheese.  My hubby would choose the Big Mouth Bites, Wings Over Buffalo, and the Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip!!  See, I have this figured out!  Since we are getting different foods, we share with each other and get to try more!  Talk about having choices!

Since we are on the Chili's subject, check out http://www.shoutouttoeatout.com/, where you could win a $20 gift card or even one of the $333 grand prizes!!  Entering is simple!  All you need to do is upload a photo of yourself, and insert it into one of their cute trios.

Want a chance to in a $20 Chili's gift card right now?

Mandatory Entry:  Simply click on here and fill out the form!  You are entering from Shelly's Bits & Pieces...make sure you let them know that!

Additional Entries:   Make sure you post for each item you do.  You get to post more than once for some thing you do!

• Subscribe to Shelly's Bits & Pieces via email or feed. (2 extra entries)
• Follow my blog on Google Friend Connect
• Follow me on Twitter as @sleatham1
• Follow @Chilis & @Shoutout2eatout onTwitter
• Tell me your favorite 3 foods you would like to have on one plate
• Create your terrific trio located on http://www.shoutouttoeatout.com and comment with the URL link
• Opt-In to Chili's email club here http://bit.ly/m6HYef (You'll receive a free appetizer certificate too!)
• Tweet this: "At @Chilis Good Things Come In 3's! Check out @2Wired2Tired http://bit.ly/linkyrave for 200 chances to win in the #tripledipper linky rave!” (daily tweet)
• Tweet this giveaway:  Enter to win a $20 Chili's gift card at Shelly's Bits & Pieces @sleatham1 http://bit.ly/lFYutc (daily tweet for 2 extra)

Disclosure:  A gift certificate was provided for me to be able to try out the new Triple Dipper Platter.  No money changed hands!  All opinions are those of my family or myself!

Giveaway ends June 12, 2011 at 11:59 pm ET.  Open to US residents , age 18+.

Prefense Review & Giveaway

When you have children, you worry about every little thing.  I always encourage my family to use hand sanitizer, and it never fails that I am bombarded with excuses as to why they don't want to use it.  I hear things like, "I don't like the smell, " or "The alcohol burns my hands."  Well, thanks to the product I just tried, there are no more excuses.  I received a 1.5 oz bottle of Prefense to try and my family loves it!

Here are a few facts about Prefense:

    •    No alcohol! Prefense is made of all-natural organic ingredients and has absolutely NO alcohol in it!  WooHoo!!!
    •    Our technology protects you for 24 hours or 10 hand washings!  Wonderful!!  Now I don't have to worry!
    •    Prefense is non-toxic and safe for kids! It will not hurt you if swallowed!  Thank Goodness!  Little Man has been known to ingest things he shouldn't!
    •    Prefense is silica based which means it doesn’t dry out your hands like traditional alcohol sanitizers.  It actually smooths and softens your hands. You can totally see this when you apply it!  This is great for Chefy, because he washes his hands so much during the way that it dries them out!
    •    Prefense protects against staph, strep, E.coli, drug resistant MRSA strains, and more. We fight germs that other hand sanitizers can’t.  WooHoo!  With all the superbugs out there, we need this!
    •    Because “one spray lasts all day” our 1.5 oz Prefense Foaming Hand Sanitizer offers 120 applications, costing only $.08 per day, compared to $1.20 per day with alcohol hand sanitizers.  Thank you!  One less thing to worry about in this crazy economy!

Our Verdict:  We love Prefense and it has become the one and ONLY hand sanitizer my family uses!  I've put the 1.5 oz bottle in my purse, and it goes everywhere with us!!  

Want to give this a try?

Ready to try Prefense for yourself?  One lucky Shelly's Bits and Pieces reader will win the 8 oz Prefense!!  Imagine how long that will last you, since the 1.5 oz offers 120 applications!!

Which benefit of Prefense Hand Sanitizer is most important to you?

U.S. Residents can answer that question below in my comments area before 11:00pm EST on June 20 and be entered to win!

Want more entries?  You can do any of  the following (be sure and leave a separate comment for each thing you do or already do!)

• Follow Prefense on Twitter
• Follow Prefense on Facebook
• Follow me on Twitter as @sleatham1
• Subscribe to my blog via email or feed. (make sure you confirm your email addy and list it in the comment)  
• Follow me on Google Friend Connect
• Vote for me...I'm on the fence!  (Click the link on my sidebar)
• Comment on any non-giveaway post (unlimited for 2 entries each)
• Grab my button and post on your sidebar (5 extra entries)
• Add this to any giveaway linky or blog about it.  (2 extra entries for each place)
• Tweet or post on Facebook (may be done 2x daily for 2 extra entries each):  Shelly's Bits & Pieces is giving away the ultimate in hand sanitizers, @Prefense @sleatham1 http://bit.ly/irynAU

Disclosure:  I received a 1.5 oz bottle of Prefense to review.  No monetary compensation occurred and all opinions stated belong to me and my family!

EdenFantasys Review

There comes a time in every married person's life when you want to add a spark to your marriage.  I love my husband, but sometimes we can get in a rut...romantically.  I found the perfect place to check out that offers bunches of products that can get you right out of that rut.  EdenFantasys is a very nice online shop where I can browse around from the comfort of my bed, desk, couch, or anywhere my laptop travels, and find lots of interesting goodies to share with my hubby.

I love the wonderful massage oils and the awesome mood setting candles that they offer.  They also carry lingerie that you can even get in plus sizes.  If you are looking for something to spice up your romantic life, or looking for that perfect give for a bridal shower, give EdenFantasys a look.  Don't be surprised if you have a hard time looking away!

Why My Family Would Love Verizon FiOS

My family is like the typical family!  We are constantly on the go and it seems like we never get a chance to watch an entire movie or TV show, and I rarely have a chance to make a real phone call!  Sometimes life just gets in the way!  One thing could help my family be able to keep our crazy schedule and still be able to do other things we love...that one thing would be Verizon FiOS for my internet and TV!!  Several of my friends have Verizon FiOS and I am beyond jealous!  They love to rub in all the wonderful benefits they receive from Verizon FiOS!

We do not have Verizon FiOS, but if we did, we could start watching a movie at home, and finish it later...even the next day, from our computer or cell phone!!!  Can you imagine watching your favorite movie from your cell phone while waiting to pick up your kids from school?  That sounds pretty awesome to me! 
With Flex View, you can buy, rent and watch on-demand video titles on your FiOS TV, on your computer or on your mobile phone.  How cool is that?  I love the fact that with Verizon FiOS TV, my family can watch what they want to watch, when they want to watch it!


Verizon FiOS internet would make my life so much easier by offering internet much faster than the "high speed" internet I currently have.  Super fast internet would be a dream come true for me!  No more waiting and praying for downloads and uploads!  This mom could breathe easier knowing that not only would my internet be fast, but it would also be safe with awesome anti-virus protection!


Did I mention FREE Video On Demand Children Shows! I'd be so thrilled to know that my daughter and little man could watch what they love on TV!  No more arguments about my daughter's favorite TV shows not being on.  No more crying because Dora has gone off!!  Peace at last!

With Verizon FiOS, my family would have the chance to play literally thousands of games!! Another PLUS!
I also love that I can DVR my favorite shows and watch them in another room!  Now I don't have to be stuck sitting in front of the TV when I need to be doing something else!  I can just record my show, and get back to it when the time is perfect for some ME time!

Another reason I would love to have Verizon FiOS is because right now I have satellite TV, and whenever it is stormy, rainy, windy, heck sometimes just cloudy, my satellite goes out and we are left with no TV service!! 
FiOS is more weather resistant and more durable than the copper phone lines or coaxial cable.  It never fails that when there is something I really do not want to miss, my satellite goes out!  Verizon FiOS would help put my mind at ease!


After reading everything about Verizon FiOS and all their great packages, I'm chomping at the bit for it to become available in my area!  I've got my fingers crossed and my eyes open for that opportunity!
What makes you interested in Verizon FiOS?

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Verizon FiOS blogging program for a gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

10 Tips for keeping your family safe on the road.

Nothing is more important to me than my family, so when the opportunity arose from SocialMoms and Safelite to write a post about 10 safety tips, I jumped at the chance!   I hope you will find some of my tips helpful!

1. Make sure your tires are in great shape and are filled with the appropriate amount of air.  Do not forget to check on the condition of your spare tire!  You want to make sure you will be able to use that tire if you need it.  This is a great time to make sure your jack and lug wrench are in your vehicle too!
2. Check your windshield for chips and cracks!!  A chip could turn into a crack at any time, often when you are least expecting it. Windshield repair is often a safe and economical alternative to a full windshield replacement.  Scheduling a windshield chip repair is easy! Companies like Safelite AutoGlass provide mobile service – wherever your car is – often within 24 hours of your initial call.  Remember that if something happens while you are on the road that Safelite AutoGlass brings you peace of mind by emailing you a Technician Profile before your appointment, showing you a photograph and credentials of the technician coming to your home or place of business.
3. Pack a travel safety kit!  Make sure you include a blanket, road flares, jumper cables, fix-a-flat, a first aid kit, some batteries, and any other things you think you might need!   Having these items on hand will not only save you money and time, they could save your vacation and even your life!
4. Take a cell phone for emergency use!  While I do not encourage or condone texting or talking on your cell phone while driving, I do think you should have one with you when you travel!   It is a great way to let someone know where you are during your trip, and to use to notify AAA or the authorities in case of an emergency!
5. Speaking of AAA, I feel like AAA is a much needed purchase that can keep your family safe during travel!  You not only have road side service with them, you can also find out about accommodations!  This is perfect when you are traveling to places you have never been!  You can find out about a hotel before you make a reservation!
6. Make sure you secure all your luggage!  All luggage on the roof needs to be securely strapped down with proper straps, and your luggage inside your car needs to be safely stowed as well.  If you have to slam on brakes, you do not want to take the chance of someone getting hurt from flying luggage!
7. Sleep before you leave home!  Do not start driving when you are tired!  Make sure you are well rested before you hit the road.  You are more likely to have an accident when you are tired and your reflexes are not in tip top shape!  My family is too important to me to take any chances!
8. Pack things to keep your kids entertained.  The more entertained your kids are, the less likely they are to distract you with complaints and arguments!!  When you are driving, 100% of your attention needs to be on the road and other drivers!  Books, travel games, stuffed animals, portable DVD players and hand held games can be life savers!!
9. Don't post your itinerary on the internet!  You can tell people about your vacation when you come home!!  You never know what kind of nuts are out there just waiting for the opportunity to do evil!  Don't give them the chance by telling them where you'll be!  Also warn your kids(and remember yourself) that not everyone is a nice, friendly person.  Remember it is OK to run away from a stranger!
10. Carry extra water with you!  Although food is important too, you can go longer without food than you can water!  If there is an emergency, you can stay hydrated, and also use the water to clean wounds if necessary!  

My last tip is to let someone know where you are going, how to get in touch with you, and when you are coming back!  If something does happen, you want someone to be able to alert authorities that something is wrong! 

About Safelite AutoGlass:
Safelite AutoGlass® was founded in 1947. Throughout our more than 60 years of service, our company has grown from a single store in Wichita, Kansas, to a national auto glass provider, serving nearly 4 million customers per year.

Through industry-leading 24-hour instant scheduling, convenient in-shop or mobile service, top-of-the-line materials and SafeTech™ certified technicians, you'll find that Safelite AutoGlass offers superior customer service, value and quality.
 
I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Safelite blogging program, for a gift card worth $30. For more information on how you can participate, click here.