A Stroller For a Growing Family (Evenflo Sibby Review)
This post was sponsored by Evenflo as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. I received the Evenflo Sibby Travel System to facilitate my review.
Most of you know that we recently added another member to our family. Now that I'm a mom of 5 children, I feel like I have a pretty good idea of what gear you need when you have a lot of young children!
In my opinion, a travel system is a must! There is always need for a stroller for the baby, and when you have a toddler in the mix, it's nice to be able to let both of them ride.
When I was given the opportunity to review the Evenflo Sibby Travel System, I was really excited to check it out.
At first glance, the thing that interested me the most was that it had space for both the baby and toddler to ride, yet it wouldn't take up nearly as much room in my trunk as a double stroller.
Other things I like about the Evenflo Sibby Travel System:
- Gender neutral, classic fabric
I thought the gray denim-like color was nice. Being a mom of multiple children, I really prefer a gender neutral fabric so that I can use the stroller and car seat over and over no matter what gender subsequent children are. It's also really nice to have something that is not too trendy so that it won't look weird in a few years. Although it has a denim look to it, the fabrice is actually very light and breathable. (There are other colors of fabric available as well.) - Comfortable handle height
This is another important feature in a stroller. You don't want to be stooped over as you push your little one around! - Smooth ride
I was very pleased with how smoothly the stroller rides and how easily the wheels swivel. I have used some strollers that are honestly hard to steer. It's embarrassing to be running a stroller into things because you can't get it to go where you want it to go! I didn't have any problems at all with the Evenflo Sibby. - Large storage basket
This is another must when you are a mom of multilple children. The amount of things you need to have with you requires a lot of space! I was happy with how large the basket under the Evenflo Sibby was. - Easy to adjust the seat up and down
Depending on which child is riding in the stroller, I need to adjust the seat frequently. A younger baby would be lying down more often, while a toddler will usually want to sit up but may get tired and need to lie back too. Just a quick pull on the cord on the back easily allows me to adjust the seat wherever it is needed. - Large canopy
I really love having so much shade over my child when we're out in the sun. If I'm using the car seat with the stroller, I can completely cover the baby by using the canopy from both the stroller and the car seat combined.
What I'd like a little better:
- Canopy does not adjust easily
The canopy does not pull up and down very easily. You have to wrestle with it a little bit to get it to go where you want it to go. This gets old really quick. - Ride Along Board should be larger
If the baby is lying back, there is no room at all for my toddler to ride. Even with the stroller seat adjusted up, there is not much room at all for her to stand. I think the ride along board should extend out a little further so that there is plenty of room to ride.
The Evenflo Sibby Travel System is available at Target. You can check it out and watch a short video here.
How I Get My Kids to Actually Stay Quiet During Afternoon Quiet Time
I am unashamedly an introvert mom.
That means I start getting a bit jittery in the afternoons. I have to have some quiet time without the constant “kid noise” in the background or I struggle to be sweet. I need some time to recharge my batteries so I can head into the evening calm and collected.
But the big question is:
How do I implement a quiet time for the kids that is actually quiet?
Usually I have the smallest ones take a nap while the older ones read in their rooms.
But often the ones who are not required to take naps will come out of their room approximately 800 times, thus ensuring that quiet time is not exactly relaxing for mama. They need a snack or have to go to the bathroom or have to tattle on a sibling about something.
Enter my latest lifesaver: Jonathan Park Audio Adventures
Jonathan Park audio adventures are so engaging for my kids that they don't want to get up from quiet time because they'll miss what happens next!
My oldest son (age 8) has been especially engrossed in the adventures. He talks about them non-stop and asks me several times a day if he may listen to the next episode. He's always trying to guess what is going to happen as he scours the descriptions on the backs of the cases to see if he can catch onto any clues about the next episode.
Why Mom Loves Jonathan Park Audio Adventures:
- Character building – my children are being encouraged through the example of their “peers” on the audios to develop numerous Godly character traits such as perseverance, selflessness, courage, and more!
- Teaches Biblical Creationism – a child may not be interested in a big term like “Apologetics”, but that is exactly what my children are learning through these exciting stories! They're not only learning the truth about our world and its Creator; they're learning how to defend that truth!
- All while keeping the kids quietly occupied! (And mom might secretly enjoy hearing the stories too when she's not busy catching a nap!)
What my kids think of Jonathan Park Audio Adventures:
I like it best when we get to the exciting parts where I wonder, “What's going to happen next?!!” -K. age 6
And I already mentioned how often my 8-year-old talks about the stories and how he asks several times a day if he may listen to the next episode. With a strongly distractable personality, the fact that he can sit still for an entire afternoon with his attention captivated by the stories is impressive! (Even if he does sit on my kitchen counters so he can be right next to the CD player!)
As he saw me composing this blog post, he said, “That's how you keep us quiet?” “Yes,” I answered. “It works!”
“Well, I like Jonathan Park! I'm going to save my money so I can buy another set!”
What are the adventures like?
Well…why don't you decide? Listen below to a trailer! The level of excitement you hear is exactly how the adventures are the entire way through!
Who are Jonathan Park Audio Adventures for?
The adventures were specifically designed for ages 7-13, although younger children all the way through adults will enjoy them!
Are you ready to bless your family with highly entertaining, faith-building audio adventures?
Click here to get your first Series Pack 1 – over five hours of action-packed fun that will equip, educate, and unlock your kids’ imaginations!!
Disclosure: I received product and/or payment to facilitate this review. As always, I only feature products our family personally uses and loves to share with my readers!
Help Your Child Develop Thinking Skills with Laser Maze Jr.
One thing I have been wanting to spend more time on in our homeschool is helping the kids to work on thinking skills.
I have one child in particular who will give up as soon as they have to think too hard about something.
I needed to figure out how to stretch this child's “thinking muscles” in a way that would not be a battle of the wills between us. I needed to help this child want to exercise those muscles.
I have moved all of my homeschooling posts to christianhomeschoolfamily.com. You can go here to read this post at the new site.”
3 Mistakes Homeschooling Parents Make When Teaching Handwriting
Handwriting is an essential part of what our children need to learn. They'll be writing every single day of their lives, and it's up to us to help them develop handwriting skills to make this essential life skill easier for them!
Many times I have seen homeschooled children struggle with handwriting. I have seen a lot of homeschoolers with very messy handwriting. There are plenty of children in “regular” schools with messy handwriting too, but here are some of the mistakes that seem to be specific to homeschooling families when it comes to teaching handwriting:
I have moved all of my homeschooling posts to christianhomeschoolfamily.com. You can go here to read this post at the new site.”
An Inexpensive Alternative to Norwex®
Do you use Norwex® and love it? Me too! I love how well I can get things clean without using chemicals!
To be honest, this post doesn't mean I'll be giving up Norwex. I'll still be purchasing Norwex products when the budget allows. Stating that there is an alternative doesn't mean I'm totally breaking up with Norwex.
But let me tell you about an alternative that works just as well and doesn't cost quite as much.
Update: I am noticing that a lot of people are landing on this post because they are searching for an alternative to Norwex detergent. Although I was originally writing this post about the cleaning cloths, I have added some information about a Norwex detergent alternative at the bottom of this post. I hope it's helpful!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
A while back I saw a blogger who was a former Norwex consultant talking about how she switched and started using eCloth instead. I was intrigued and purchased an eCloth microfiber cloth, but didn't have the chance to try it out.
Until today.
Today my toddler knocked a whole container of yogurt onto the floor as she was trying to get herself a snack. (I teach my kids to be independent, but I don't intend for them to be quite that independent when they're still toddlers!)
I grabbed my eCloth and was kind of excited about a great opportunity to really test it out. I love how absorbent my EnviroCloth is and I was curious if the eCloth would do that well too.
Here is the mess before I wiped it up (the cloth is covering up half the pile of yogurt.)
And after one swipe with the eCloth:
After 3 swipes an entire 16 ounce container of yogurt was almost completely wiped up.
And after 4 swipes, the yogurt was completely gone, the sticky was gone from the floor, and I had plenty of clean space left on the cloth to wipe up the splatters that had landed on the cabinet doors.
So here's why I will be using the eCloth, but not giving up Norwex either:
Pros:
- eCloth is roughly half the price of Norwex
- eCloth is just as absorbent as Norwex
- eCloth is proven to remove 99% of bacteria from hard surfaces
Cons:
As far as I know, the eCloth microfiber cloth does not boast the antimicrobial silver woven in that the Norwex cloths do. The silver does not actually remove more bacteria from the surface, but it does help repel bacteria from the cloth as it dries, meaning you can use it over and over again without washing it and it won't get slimy or mildewed or hold germs. (Obviously you will still wash it sometimes though!) eCloth says that the bacteria rinses right out of the fibers, so I'll be curious over time how well it compares as far as an unwashed cloth and whether it gets slimy or not.
Update: I have not had ANY problems whatsoever with the eCloth getting slimy. As long as I rinse it out after I use it, it is not at all slimy.
Both eCloth and Norwex both sell a variety of other products, but the general purpose cloth will be my most used item, so I will stick with eCloth for that because of the big price difference. I went back and ordered additional eCloths. I now have one for each room in the house and one for outside jobs. I also bought some Glass Cleaning Cloths that have been very handy for cleaning mirrors and windows.
Purchase E-Cloth Microfiber Cloths here
Purchase E-Cloth Glass Cleaning Cloths here
Update: Norwex Detergent Alternative
I have noticed that a lot of people visiting this post are actually searching for Norwex detergent alternatives. To be honest, I have never used the detergent from Norwex, so I just want you to know that upfront. I am, however, concerned about the purity of the household product I use, and have used natural, non-toxic detergents for a long while. I've tried a number of brands, and the one I like the best for both it's cost and for how happy I am with how it cleans my clothes is BioKleen. It has pure, plant-based ingredients, smells good, and does a good job cleaning my clothes. (Also, for what it's worth, I use it to wash my Norwex cloths and e-Cloths. 🙂 ) As you can tell from the reviews on Amazon, it works well for a whole lot of people!
Some items to note:
1. It IS safe for septic systems
2. It DOES work well with both hot and cold water.
3. It DOES work well to remove stains and odors (You can actually purchase a separate stain and odor remover here that works exceptionally well. One of my favorite household products ever! Basically just think of it like a spray and wash – when you have a bad stain it adds a little extra oomph. It's also very useful for carpet stains, etc.)
4. It's safe for all types of fabric (including your Norwex or eCloths!)
5. It's highly concentrated, meaning you use a very small amount, saving you money.
6. It's non-toxic, using plant-based surfactants and essential oil scents.
7. It comes in both powder or liquid forms, though I personally prefer the liquid.
You can purchase it through Amazon here.
Natural Makeup That Works For Me
I haven't worn makeup for almost 2 years.
When I was in high school or college I would have died to even go out of the house without makeup. Once I got married I relaxed a little bit, but I still would NEVER go to church without makeup.
Then when I began having all sorts of health issues (you can read a little bit about my journey in my book), I realized that I was having allergy type symptoms (sneezing, itchy, watery eyes, etc.), but only on Sundays.
I finally realized that the culprit was my makeup.
I stuck it out for a while, but the symptoms just kept getting worse. I was miserable any time I wore makeup.
I had already been eliminated as many toxins from my life as I could, and I knew this was one more step that I needed to take.
Since I didn't know of any natural makeup that would suit my needs, I was going everywhere with a completely bare face.
I never wore much makeup to begin with, but going with a completely bare face was making me feel so frumpy.
I really like the type of foundation that's like a cross between liquid and powder – like a cream foundation – but the only natural brands of makeup I could find only carried powder based foundations.
Finally I discovered Moody Sisters Skincare and they had exactly what I was looking for!
I wrote to them and asked if I could try out some of their makeup and blog about it, and they readily agreed.
They sent me some cream foundation, mascara, and lip gloss.
You can see the before and after results – nothing dramatic, but that is exactly how I like my makeup. Just enough to smooth out my face and give me some color.
(Looks like I had a little photo bomber!)
What I didn't like:
– The mascara will definitely run if you cry! There is really no way around that with a natural makeup, but it has a great consistency and offers really nice and even, non-clumpy coverage
– I had hoped to spread the foundation with a sponge, but since there are no preservatives in the makeup (that's a good thing!) the sponge molded overnight. I have found, though, that it's not bad at all to spread it with my fingers. It doesn't make my skin nasty and sticky and stain everything I touch afterward like conventional makeup would.
– The color of the lip gloss doesn't last terribly long, so I carry it in my purse to re-apply.
What I loved:
– The color of foundation was perfect, and the girls were so helpful at helping me pick a color that was just right. It goes on very smoothly and doesn't make my skin feel oily at all.
– The ingredients are all things I could eat if I wanted – no more sneezing and itching from toxic chemicals!
– Like I mentioned above, the consistency of the mascara is very nice. I would think that would be hard to do with natural ingredients, but they've done it!
– The lip gloss is also a nice consistency.
If you're looking for some makeup that doesn't contain toxic chemicals but that will still do a great job of offering coverage and color, you should check out Moody Sisters Skincare! They have lots of other products too that I haven't tried yet.
