Stressful but Vital: Picking a Nursing Home

I know this is off-topic for me and this blog, but having recently gone through this process, I thought this New York Times feature provided a very good overview.  Choosing long term care for an elderly family member can be so stressful and emotionally painful, and as the article says, a decision that often has to be made quickly. 

I wouldn't expect anyone to start making visits just for the "fun" of it (shudder), but it might help to keep your ears open if friends, family or colleagues mention they have relatives in long term care.  Just ask where their family member is, if they have ever been there, what it's like, etc.  Make a mental (or a real) note of the name.  Then, if you find yourself in a blur of confusion or a crisis situation, you'd at least have somewhere to start.  Every little bit of anchoring helps.

Also, the Medicare "Nursing Home Compare" tool was a terrific resource.  There is no substitute for an actual visit, but at least this tool can help you narrow down your list of facilities to tour.  My heart goes out to any of you who are facing these decisions.  Hope this helps.

Check out these old old car seats!

I was poking around the Cafe Mom car seat board and found this cool pictorial archive of car seats and boosters. 

Established in 1980,  SafetyBeltSafe is a national non-profit organization solely dedicated to child passenger safety.  This archive was created to help CPSTs identify old, expired and recalled seats that they may encounter during installation events.  Their terrific website has a wealth of information for parents, caregivers and CPSTs.

March Coupon: First 5 Orders Get $8 Off

From now through the end of March, the first 5 customers who use coupon code MARCH will save $8 off their total order.  This offer applies to all merchandise in the Car Seat Poncho store, including clearance items (prices start at $28.99). 

There are plenty of cold days left this season.  If you hurry, your kids can spend them safe and warm -- without a hassle!

Excited -- Just Signed Up For KIM (Kidz In Motion)!

I can't wait to go to the annual Kidz In Motion conference in August.  This conference is held each year in memory of Police Officer Kimberly Hassell-Bazoge, who passed away suddenly in June of 1999. 

There will be panel discussions, workshop sessions and manufacturers' exhibits -- all focused on child passenger safety.  Looking forward to meeting all the CPST's I've been working with all over the country, putting faces to familiar names, and seeing all the new seats from Chicco (conference sponsor), Britax, Graco and more. 

I've attended other safety conferences (LifeSavers, etc.), but always as an exhibitor -- which is hard on the feet, and does not allow access to the panels or workshops.  This time I'll be a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician -- seated and soaking up knowledge!

Knox and Vivienne Jolie-Pitt FF at 15 months

OK, I admit it, I will drop everything if there is news about Brangelina and/or Jennifer Aniston, so I clicked on this link promising photos of their youngest children.  When I saw this picture of the happy(?) couple loading their 15 month old twins into forward-facing car seats, I was disappointed.  Tsk, tsk.  They travel the world for human rights -- I wish they knew about the benefits of rear-facing.
 
For the record, I am on Team Aniston, but I don't know if she harnesses her dogs when she travels with them.

Check out the 2011 Toyota Sienna

Here is the photo gallery of the next model Toyota Sienna.  For me, personally, I don't know... aesthetically I'm not feeling it.

Relatedly, how do you guys feel about driving your Toyotas now? Our model year Sienna has not been on the recall list, but I am definitely not uneasy (i.e., not uneasy, but not easy either).

Click here for TOYOTA RECALL LIST (Not including new Prius recall)

KDMF Silent Auction: One of a Kind Poncho

I'm so proud to donate this one-of-a-kind Leopard & Black poncho to the Kyle David Miller Foundation Silent Auction.  It was created as a production sample -- which basically means I had several fabrics and colors and I wanted to see how they worked together in various combinations, so I had one of each combo sewn, and from these chose a "collection."  (How I love using Project Runway lingo!)  I loved this combo so much I ultimately decided to create it as a reversible, which makes this the original inspiration for one of our most popular styles. 

The winning bidder on this beauty will not only be safe, warm and chic, she will have the coveted position as the ONLY GIRL IN THE WORLD to wear this style.  No running into an accidental twin at Mommy & Me or the grocery store!

Take a look at all the great items also on display here.  All proceeds benefit KDMF in their missions to educate the public car seat safety – especially extended harnessing, and provide safe 5-point harness car seats to families who otherwise could not afford them.  The auction will be running for the month of February. In order to make a bid, please email the name of the item you are bidding on, your name, address and the amount you wish to bid to bombedier@hotmail.com.

Good luck to all.  Remember, bid early and often to help out a great cause!

Is Your Toyota On the Recall List?

In October, I blogged about Toyota's recall of selected models because accelerator pedals were getting stuck under floor mats, causing uncontrollable acceleration.  Yesterday, Toyota recalled and suspended the sale of the models after reports of sticking gas pedals that were causing unexpected acceleration. The company plans to suspend the sale of these vehicles, including the best-selling car in America, the Camry, to fix the sticking gas pedals.

Toyota's suspended models:

• 2009-2010 RAV4
• 2009-2010 Corolla
• 2007-2010 Camry
• 2009-2010 Matrix
• 2005-2010 Avalon
• 2010 Highlander
• 2007-2010 Tundra
• 2008-2010 Sequoia

Consumers who own one of these Toyota models or have questions can call the Toyota Customer Experience Center at (800) 331-4331 (AP).  Please check this list, and forward this information to anyone you know who might have any of the models in question.  Be safe!