We wanted to travel somewhere as a family during the big kid's spring break but weren't feeling ready to take all three kids on the airplane together just yet so we opted for getting some things done at home then venturing on a 3-day vacation in San Francisco. The only problem was that our kids have such different needs and interests due to their ages (newborn, 2 and 8) so I needed to plan a trip that would entertain all the kids. We're not big fans of crowds because it's harder to maneuver around with a stroller — or when chasing a runaway toddler — so we skipped things like Pier 39 and shopping in Union Square and went for a few of my favorite areas instead and some well-planned activities instead.

This post contains affiliate links. Mazda CX-9 and activities mentioned were provided for review. All opinions are mine alone.

Day 1: San Francisco Zoo and Presidio

We packed up the Mazda CX-9 I received to review, the luggage, stroller, car seats, and kids and spent most of our first day was spent driving to SF. It should take about 1.5 hours to get there, but thanks to lighter than normal traffic and our need to stop every 30 minutes so the baby could get a car break, it took 3 hours. Thankfully, we were in a clean and comfortable car that allowed the kids to sit together so that my big kid could help with entertaining the two littles. Otherwise, it would have taken 5 hours haha. My eldest's Bubblebum inflatable booster seat easily fit between the infant car seat and convertible car seat, which was huge, too. Once we arrived, the first thing we did was drop our luggage off at the hotel. After that important detour, it was off to the San Francisco Zoo!

Tip: Don't leave any luggage or bags in your car while in SF because car theft is on the rise. We saw a lot of “park at your own risk and take your valuables” signs as well as one that illustrated how it only takes a thief 30 seconds to break into your car. Plan out what you'll do with your bags while you're sightseeing ahead of time.

San Francisco Zoo

Before this trip, I'd never been to the SF Zoo but I'd heard only good things about it and drove by it nearly every weekend when I used to live in an apartment by the beach over there. This was a great activity for all three kiddos.

Kids' Experience: Our newborn and tot simply stared in awe at the animals and really enjoyed the carousel ($4 per ride), while the 8-year-old liked learning the facts about the animals. Both the 2-year-old and the 8-year-old had fun at the giant playground with different climate and creature sections. By the end of the day, our tot wanted more and the 8-year-old started saying she was bored.

Adult Experience: My husband and I enjoyed the walk around the zoo and appreciated the shady areas for when it gets too hot. We were really impressed with the food at the zoo's cafe — they had a great burger and some really tasty garlic fries done right. I would recommend packing your own lunch for the kiddos, though. It was about $9 for a kids meal consisting of applesauce or fruit, a drink and either Kraft mac & cheese or Smucker's Uncrustables.

Presidio

Presidio is one of my favorite places in San Francisco. My very first apartment was in the Presidio when I drove to Skywalker Ranch for work (and occasionally worked from the LucasArts building). In just that area alone, you can experience both woodland hiking and a sandy beach. I love the smell of the trees and all of the old buildings there. Every time I'm in SF, it's a must-stop spot for me. We park at LucasArts to visit one of the three Yoda statues originally created for George Lucas then get a Starbucks and take in the view. You can see (and easily walk to) the Palace of Fine Arts from this spot.

Kids' Experience: River loves water so he was really taken by the Yoda fountain. Both kids loved running through the courtyard to Starbucks and walking down to the little stream/pond area.

Day 2: Bay Area Discovery Museum and Exploratorium

Both the Bay Area Discovery Museum and Exploratorium moved locations in recent years and I've been meaning to check them out ever since. I went to the Exploratorium when it was at the Palace of Fine Arts and it was a lot of fun.

Bay Area Discovery Museum

Kids' Experience: The kids had a blast at this museum. There was a ton to do and so many fantastic outdoor experiences — bubbles, musical instruments, pirate ship wreckage, trails, a foam block pit. My 8-year-old really enjoyed all of the outdoor exploration activities as well as the art studio where she created her own zen garden then added her name to the wall in a room where anything and everything can be painted. Since she loves science, we also checked out the tech build areas but they seemed to be geared toward kids a bit younger than her at that time. River had a blast in the toddler soft play space and following his sister on the mini trail at the back of the museum space. Both kids loved the fun, tasty and decorative meals at the cafe —especially the veggie tots! Savannah had a butterfly-shaped turkey sandwich and River had a piano key sunflower butter and jelly sandwich. (Food prices were fantastic as well.)

Adult Experience: Seeing how the museum integrated education with play — like a soft paly/jumpy area with a water theme and fish in the ceiling or outdoor stream water play area complete with toy turtles and fish— made me so happy. Since my toddler is so into everything wherever we go it was great to go somewhere that he could be as curious as he needed to be without having to say “no” to him all the time. We really liked that the kids were so excited about their healthy meals at the museum too.

Exploratorium

Kids' Experience: The bulk of the Exploratorium was perfect for my 8-year-old, but my 2-year-old was really only happy with the last section of the museum where there's a tornado simulator and some neat water features. I think my tot was a bit too young but we all still had fun. My daughter is really interested in science so the different talks and experiments were perfect for her. We listened to a talk about a cow eye (with a real cow eye!) and got to see some very neat installations. The color experiments were her favorite.
Adult Experience: We really liked how there are so many different learning areas so that there's something for everyone.

Day 3: California Academy of Sciences

Kids' Experience: We happened to go to the California Academy of Sciences right at the start of Dino Days (ends May 5) where the courtyard is full of animatronic dinosaurs as well as dino-related activities and crafts. Savannah tried her hand at making a dinosaur puppet while River uncovered fossils in the sand pit. River was in major awe of the dinosaurs — especially the T-Rex and Savannah really liked seeing the butterflies in the Rainforest area.

Adult Experience: My husband was determined to check out the Planetarium because he's never been and was super excited to get to see it this visit. I liked that there were crafts for the kids inside and some fun hands-on activities outside for Dino Days. I did a sleepover at the museum with Savannah when she was about 4 and haven't been back since so it was great to see all the new things they have.

On day three we drove the Mazda CX-9 home and unpacked the car so it was ready for the next day's adventures (a Tinkergarten class).

For more details about the trip, check out my Instagram Story Highlights, here.

The post 3-Day Family Vacation to SF with Littles and a Big Kid appeared first on Navigating Parenthood.

Schools have been showing the balloon on the hair trick to teach students about static electricity for some time now. My daughter just learned it in her preschool's science class last year. But why stop with that and how different conductors can work? Why not show our kids how it can be applied in a creative sense to better the world? Keep reading for a few ways to teach your kids about power with the help of electric vehicles.

I have been given compensation for this post by Kia Motors. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Give Real Life Examples

One of the best ways to share how green power works is to show your kids electric power in action! Charge Across Town is celebrating EV (electric vehicle) Week from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Oct. 8-9 at Pier 27 in SF and the 100% electric Kia Soul EV will be present for families to check out. I test drove the Kia Soul last year and am so excited to see it be a part of such a great event. By getting a chance to see an EV in person and test it out your family will get a genuine real life look at how electric power can be used to better the world and save money (Kia Soul EV drivers get up to $7,500 in Federal Tax Credit).

Easier to Understand

I don't know about your family, but mine is far more interested in learning about science by checking out a car than staring at facts on the internet. Trying to grasp a concept that you can't see, hold and feel makes it seem abstract and hard to understand. But by taking the family out to look at an electric car and speak with a rep you're sharing a tangible example that's logically a bit easier to understand through visuals and hands-on experience.

Offer Critical Answers

By seeing an electric vehicle in person and learning about power through its use the family can get some critical answers about how things work. Create a few conversation starters and possible questions for the kids to ask about an electric vehicle, like “How long does the battery last” and “Does it take hours to charge?” The kids will be amazed to find that the Kia Soul EV battery is 80% charged in just 30 minutes (less time than it takes to get a pizza delivery), can connect to an outlet already in your home, and takes you 90 miles on a single charge. It's even the first vehicle to be manufactured with a true driver-only ventilation system to save energy! After all, why have vents on everywhere else in the car if it's just the driver? By going into the experience equipped with a few starter questions, the kids will have time to learn more about the concept and also think of more questions to ask as they hear the answers.

The post How Electric Vehicles Can Teach Kids About Power appeared first on Navigating Parenthood.

There's something calming about the beach — Kiddos play nicely, the sound of the waves sooth and you can kinda just be. There's definitely a reason I frequent beaches despite not being a great swimmer. I drove about 4-5 hours to Mendicino with my mom and kiddo for a few days away while test driving the Lexus RX 350 and we were all a bit sad for our 3 days, 2 nights to be over. Keep reading for things to do with the family when visiting Mendicino.

I test drove the RX 350 and stayed at Little River Inn to facilitate this review. All opinions are mine alone.

Getting There

You'd think that as your child gets older you'd have less luggage to bring for them, right? Well, not with my kiddo. She always has to pack her own luggage, and then another bag with activities and what not. Then I needed all our beach stuff, my mom's stuff, and my things. I'm a minimal idealist but by no means a minimalist. You won't see me carrying a carry on for a one-week trip. Um no. So I was very excited to have the 2016 Lexus RX 350 to test drive the week we went to Mendicino, CA for a few days.

It's been a while since I've driven a Lexus, and I've never driven a car this size before so it took me a bit to get adjusted, but with all the safety features it comes loaded with it was easy to feel comfortable with the drive. The built-in XM radio kept me alert while making turns on windy roads (and there are windy roads in the woods on the way to Mendicino), and the heated seats helped with my chronic back pain. The keyless start and easy push button closure for the hatch are always big winners for me, too.

Where to Stay

The first stop once nearing Mendicino? Litte River Inn in Little River (just 10 minutes from Mendocino). I've never stayed at an inn like this one, and neither has my mom. It's been around —and family owned— since 1939, and is now on to its' 5th generation inn keeper. We originally planned on going to the beach once we drove in, but I was tired of driving and we all needed time to settle in and unwind so we parked and got all the info for our stay. There's free designated room/cottage parking, free wifi, a free airport shuttle if you need one, a restaurant, tennis and golf, a great trail down to the beach or the neighboring state park, and a ton of cool old photos and original pieces from the inn's family. They even offer different packages/specials for your stay with girlfriends, pets and so on.

We stayed in an ocean view cottage with fireplace and steam shower, which is about $149/night in low season and $240/night in high season (not bad!). I'm pretty sure all of their rooms have some sort of amazing view if not ocean, though. But guess where the ocean view is?! It isn't out a side window or balcony, it's the whole entire front of the cottage! When you sit in bed you're looking at the view, and it's beautiful. Parking is free and designated by room, but Little River Inn also offers a free shuttle to/from the airport! I love that the inn is a non-smoking property with designated areas because I can't stand the smell of smoke and don't want my kiddo to get second-hand smoke. I opted not to bring our dog on this trip, though pets are OK with an additional $25/night and there are pet dining areas! When we got to our room a bottle of wine and the most amazing handmade truffles awaited us. I always do a mattress check when I stay somewhere and was super pleased with how clean the mattress was in our room.

Tasty Foods

Once settling in we walked over to Little River Inn's dining room. I ordered pine crusted salmon for dinner my mom ordered a vegetarian dish. Savannah's kids meal was huge! Definitely have kids share a meal (and they'll have to for breakfast since there isn't a kids meal option then). We were pretty happy dining there overall so aside from one morning of room service for breakfast, we ate in the dining room our entire trip. The Billionaires Bacon is a must-try, it totally lives up to the name! I just can't say enough about how delicious it is! The dining room is a great mix of casual and sophisticated so that all guests and diners are welcome, and I just love the garden view. There are a lot of chain restaurant options in Mendocino itself (yep, we made a Starbucks trip) and some other options in Little River as well, we just really liked the tast and convenience of the Little River Inn dining room.

Things to Do

The next day started with a delicious in-room breakfast (you just fill out the order form and leave it by your door the night before for someone to pick up at 6 a.m.) then headed out for a ride on the Skunk Train! Our 11 a.m. Pudding Creek Express train departed from Fort Bragg and took us on a 1-hour roundtrip ride through some beautiful greenery. We also learned a bit of history about Pudding Creek and the trees along the ride. S was super interested in the snack cart and *had to have her own skunk for the train ride so of course Nana got her one in the gift shop before we departed. It was the perfect amount of time for a train ride! There are longer nearly all-day rides with a picnic lunch for adults, but I definitely like the quicker train rides for the kiddos. It was fun for S to get her ticket punched before boarding too, just like on the Polar Express!

After the train ride it was time to check out the famous Glass Beach! There isn't much glass left anymore, so we were sure to explore without taking. S had a blast playing in the water, and it was kind of a fun hike to get down to the sort of cove area. It was harder for my mom to manage the terrain, though, and I saw quite a few people with walking sticks or canes to navigate.

We passed several more beach areas on between the Glass Beach and Little River Inn so the drive back after some beach time was just lovely. We stopped at the beach just below the inn to lay out and relax before dinner since the Glass Beach wasn't exactly best for that, and S got to build a few castles with her toys while Nana got to take a nap.

Our trip ended the next morning so we had another tasty breakfast (this time in the dining room at Little River Inn) with fresh-squeezed orange juice, scones, pancakes and fruit to eat later as a snack then started our trek home. Because there was a bit more traffic going back than coming, we made a detour to Abode Marin in Larkspur, CA so I could check out their brand new showroom — It's amazing. All of the companies they work with are sure to use responsibly sourced wood materials (they plant a tree if they cut one down), and owner/designer is so knowledgeable about every company and artist she chooses to work with and display in the space (which is set up with spaces you'd want to just take and put in your own home). I got to design my own custom pillow, too, which I'm excited about seeing in person and sharing on social media once it arrives!

I'd say it was a pretty successful family vacation filled with relaxation, fun and some “me time,” even! S was so wiped out by the end of each day that I could actually get a lot of work done at night during this trip! I recommend the area, and all the great stops you can make on the way to or from the location. The Lexus RX 350 handled all the turns, inclines and roads really well and it only took a full tank of gas to drive to Mendocino and back (but I still filled it at the halfway mark to be safe). On average, I got about 23 miles per gallon. We'll definitely take another trip out that way in the future!

Have you ever been to the Mendocino/Little River area?

The post Family Trips to Fun Places: Mendocino, CA appeared first on Navigating Parenthood.

Are you a fan of hybrids? I wasn't sure about them at first — The quiet drive and shape of most models was a bit off-putting — but now I adore them! You get used to not hearing anything when you're in Drive mode, tend to enjoy the benefits of a gas saving vehicle and there are so many body styles out now. The 2016 Toyota Avalon ($32K) completely surprised me with its luxury sedan look and style, so I'm excited to share this option with you in this month's Car in Review! I took the Avalon (in a pretty blue Night Pearl color) to Carmel-by-the-sea for a little “Me Time,” and also on trips with my grandma (who just moved out my way) during my week-long test drive. Keep reading for the “Oooh” and “Hmm” from my experience driving the 2016 Avalon.

The “Oooh!”

I like to be a bit surprised by a car before I test drive it, so though I had checked to be sure it wasn't a boat before I sent the OK for this review, I didn't know much about the look, feel and drive until it pulled up in my driveway the day of drop off — This way I learn about the car the same way you would on a test drive at the dealership, but also a bit more with the extended timeframe. It usually takes me a full day of a lot of driving to get used to a new car, or about two regular driving days. After that, I'm no longer wigging out about driving a different car and start honing on what I'd like in the car and what it already has. The Avalon surprised me with its lovely body style. It's long and sporty, but not too long that I felt intimidated driving it around and parking. The Night Pearl color (it comes in 8 other color options too) is super pretty — I even had a car stop by me just to ask about who makes the car and what the car color is called because they had been looking for a sort of midnight blue hybrid car. Did I mention it's hybrid? Yessss. OK, now for the easier to read bullet list of all the features that are a big win for this car.

Safety Features

Not only does this car have a backup camera, it also has so many more safety features any parent (or driver) would appreciate.

• Whiplash-Injury -Lessening Seats! (I was hit by a truck in December and let me tell you whiplash is a pain. I'm still feeling it. Love this feature!)
• Lane Departure Alerts With Steering Assist
• Auto High Beams
• Dynamic Radar Cruise Control
• Pre-Collision (Pedestrian) Detection!
• Multi-Informational Display (Meaning I knew everything and didn't have to look away from the road at some odd spot in the car!)
• Rain-Sensing Wipers (no more fumbling for the button when driving in bad weather)

Just Plain Cool Stuff

OK these are not all necessarily “needed” but these features are cool and quite frankly I want more of them.

• 3-Zone Automatic Climate Control
• Premium JBL Audio
• Touchscreen
• Smart Key System (I love not having to dig through the wasteland I call a purse to get the car keys and drive!)
• HD Predictive Traffic
• Alloy Wheels
• Comfy seats

The “Hmmm”

Overall, I was mostly just impressed with this car. I enjoyed how smooth the drive was and how it handled the steepest hill and windiest roads from Tracy, CA to Carmel, CA and then all around the Bay Area. The only major “hmmm” I had with this car was that there's some sort of buttons right under the steering wheel and they hit my hand, which was very annoying. The other thing that happened a few times is that I'd forget the parking brake was on and the car actually would drive a bit before the alarm went off to let me know I forgot the break (it shouldn't go anywhere). That's about it! It was a great drive.

The Low Down

MSRP: Starting at $32K

MPG: Toyota states 31/21 MPG. I drove just over 500 miles and maybe filled half a tank once.

For: The whole family, just the parents or even a teen (but a bit pricey for a first car unless you're loaded)

Car Seats: The hooks were a bit hard to get a hold of with the seat I was using, but all car seat installs are different based on the child seat you use.

Nice luxury hybrid for commutes, travel and day-to-day.

Have you driven a hybrid before? What's your favorite type?

*This is not a sponsored post. As always, opinions are mine alone and I drove this car for a week to facilitate the review.

The post Car in Review: 2016 Toyota Avalon appeared first on Navigating Parenthood.

School breaks are fun for the kids, but often leave parents wondering how to entertain the kids and still get some work done. Since my sitting at the computer searching for a logo update was making the kiddo a bit antsy, I decided to take the 2016 Camry SE (Starting at $23,840) I was reviewing during Christmas out for a little adventure to Coyote Hills Regional Park with my sister to keep our kiddos entertained.Keep reading for a recap of our day and my take on Camry's safe family “sport” car.

Coyote Hills Regional Park is a part of East Bay Parks in California and offers hiking, biking, naturalist programs, butterfly garden, wildlife refuge, and picnic fun. According to their site, there's about 979 acres of marshland and rolling grasslands, so we thought this would be a great sort of nature learning experience for the kids, too. When I was a kid I went to Coyote Hills and Don Edwards Bridge for field trips where we would dissect owl pellets. As I got older it was just a pretty place to walk and use as a backdrop for photos I took of families. I forgot about it for a bit and never took S here . . until now. Neither kiddo had ever heard of a marsh before, so they learned something when we went!

Getting There

Though it would take me about an hour to get there, Coyote Hills is just 20 minutes from my mom's house so I met my sister there so we could all go in one car and she could check out the Camry SE, too. I'll be honest . . . I've said in the past that I'm not a fan of the Toyota Camry, which is exactly why I'm glad I reviewed the 2016 Camry SE to change my opinion. Not only does this car look sporty, but the interior is a pretty blue and black to match the car's exterior Blue Streak Metallic color. It's fresh, comfortable, has great storage (did I mention I had this during Christmas and it carried my entire haul? The trunk is massive. I'm so impressed).

My favorite things about the car are the 25/35 mpg (it only cost me $30 to fill the tank!), the backup camera and the sporty feel. This is a super safe car, but it went in the mud, over hills, on long distance freeway drives (I live far from A LOT) with a little zip and smooth driving. Needless to say, getting to Coyote Hills wasn't an issue for this car, and the area made for a lovely backdrop in my car photos.

The Visitor Center

The Coyote Hills visitor center hosts a great photographic series highlighting the different indigenous tribes local to Ohlone with quotes about their ancestry. I'd love to get in touch with these tribes for a family series on Savvy Every Day, so I took some not-so-great pics of the series for my own contact reference later. The kids really enjoyed looking at the marshland inhabitants exhibit.

When S asked me what the rodent in the exhibit is called I was stumped for a good while since it looks a bit like the Rodents of Unusual Size from Princess Bride and a bit like a gopher. Fortunately my sister knew that it's a muskrat, and the exhibit's infographic verified this. My nephew was amazed by all the creatures that live in the marsh and S took her own version of notes in her little adventurers notebook (adorable!).

Navigating the Marsh

After the visitor center, we ventured toward the marshland to show the kids what it's like up close. There's a lovely bridge walkway through the marsh that I remember walking as a kid and wanted S to see how cool it is. It's so different now, though, super dry. S had fun charting out route in her notebook and leading the way with a map she had devised. Naturally, this later led to a temper tantrum when her cousin walked ahead of her instead of following her as she led the way with her map, so we needed to cool down for a bit a few times before we eventually had to walk back for potty breaks.

After my sister and nephew ran ahead to the restrooms S started to “fly” while she ran, which was just so awesome. I was so excited to see her enjoying the outdoors, enjoying the seemingly little but really big moments of childhood out in nature. She pointed at everything she saw and I did a Periscope (@savvyeveryday) on our walk back to the car that you can check out below for a better look at Coyote Hills in motion too (literally since I'm walking around holding my phone for the video). She got a little tired in the middle of my Periscope so I ended it for us to take a break on a bench and look out at the ducks in the water. It was a super fun and peaceful day — Just what we both needed.

Where did you spend the holiday break? Are there marshlands near you?
I was allowed to drive a 2016 Camry SE for a week to conduct this review. All opinions are my own. 

The post A Day at Coyote Hills in the 2016 Toyota Camry SE appeared first on Navigating Parenthood.

After having kids any dream of that cherry red sports car is out the window, right? Well not necessarily! Mazda has managed to marry a 5-passenger sedan with a sports car for a little zoom zoom that gives families a sense of safety and vroom. I took the 2016 Mazda6 (Starting at $22K) up to Truckee for Friendsgiving recently (yes, I've been going there a lot lately) to test out how it fares on suburban, rural and freeway roads with a kiddo and some Friendsgiving treats in the car. I was surprised by this car, for sure, and you wouldn't guess why! Keep reading for my “Ooh!” and “Hmm” family car breakdown on the Mazda6.

The “Ooh!”

Gorgeous Sport Car Look: I was both afraid and excited about the bright cherry red color of my review car. I didn't want to get pulled over on my trip (supposably red cars get pulled over more often than others so I drove fairly slowly in this) but this was the perfectly color for the Mazda6's sporty look. It's gorgeous.

i-ELOOP: Whenever you take your foot off the accelerator the engine's regenerative system stores that energy to power the electrical components in your car when it needs it!

Comfort: The driver's seat is incredibly comfortable, and my daughter's car seat seemed to fit super nicely in the car as well.

i-ACTIVSENSE: A lot of newer cars are adding safety features like an alert when you're about to be out of your lane or there's someone in your blindspot so I'm glad that these options are in the Mazda6, too. It also has smart city break support, radar cruise control, car distance recognition, rear cross-traffic alert, high beam control, and an adaptive front lighting system that allows the beams to turn with the car for better visibility around corners.

MPG: This 2.5L SKYACTIV-G gasoline engine gets about 40 MPG on the highway with 184 horsepower. It had no problem climbing the mountains and handling tight turns on the way to Truckee, plus I managed to spend the whole trip using the same tank of gas.

Great Tires: Gotta love 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheel tires. The all-season tires on the Mazda6 handled the icy roads to Truckee really well, too. I drove in just a few days after it had snowed so the roads were mostly clear but still icy.

Trunk Space: This trunk is massive! I brought an entire pantry shelf of ingredients for things I had to make once I got to my destination, a giant suitcase, a saucer, several shoe alternatives, toys and crafty kid subscription boxes to entertain S and her friend during the week and more. It all fit with room to spare! The only thing I couldn't fit in the trunk was a giant storage container that I brought. There was room in the trunk for it, but the container was too tall to fit in.

The “Hmm”

Top Dash Screen: I'm not a fan of the little plastic screen that pops up on the dash above the odometer with a digital reading of my current speed. It isn't adjustable so depending on how I sat in the car during my review period I couldn't even see the numbers. Fortunately, there's a regular odometer, too. It would have been nice to be able to have the option to adjust this piece for sitting position or close it so it's not a distraction, but it opens automatically when the car starts and you can't push it down.

Forward Headrests: A lot of cars are making headrests that push your head forward now and it's really annoying. Yes, your head should be close to the headrest, but when the headrest tilts forward it pushes your entire body forward to avoid the neck pain from the headrest (it also makes it difficult to wear your hair any way but down).

Large Front: The Mazda6 is extremely sporty so it has a long nose and felt a bit like I was driving a Ford Mustang because of that. I'm not as comfortable with sports cars with long noses as I am with a sedan so I didn't care for that almost boat feel. If you're used to this body style this won't be an issue, though.

Overall, this is a great option for a family of three or four who want a sports car but need to make a family car decision.

Have you ever driven the Mazda6, what was your impression?

I test drove the Mazda6 for one week to conduct this review. All opinions are my own.

The post Car in Review: 2016 Mazda6 appeared first on Navigating Parenthood.

Have you been to the Lake Tahoe/Truckee area? It's so nice. Every time I visit is literally and figuratively a breath of fresh air. Traffic isn't as crazy, there are still a lot but not a ton of people (at least when I go during off-season times), and there's so much to go do and explore. One of the recent spots I visited with S was Donner Lake. It's a relaxing spot with something for kids and parents alike, and super easy to get to. I was test driving the gas-efficient 2016 Mazda CX-5 (starting at $22K) during our trip, which made it easier to climb the hills and go on the 3-hour drive to get to the Truckee area for Donner Lake (plus hold all our stuff). Once there, I was really surprised by the lake — There are a few playgrounds right on the beach, several picnic areas with some grills and even benches directly in the sand itself. It's a peaceful and lovely place to visit. Keep reading for a few tips for your own adventure to the lake!

Pack Backup Clothes

Like San Francisco, you never know what weather you're going to get. Plus, you'll want to have a few clothing options to go from playing in the water and on the sand to in the tanbark on the playgrounds, or on a small hike. Be sure you both have closed-toe shoes in addition to and sandals since there is tanbark on the playground. If you're kiddo is under 3, chances are you already bring backup clothes, but those of us with kids over that age forget that there are still potty accidents at times, or that we just might need a spare outfit due to weather change or water play. I needed a lot of cargo space for all the bags and clothing changes so I'm glad I had the CX-5 on this trip (The trunk is ginormous and has a privacy screen).

Bring Lunch or Snacks

It's so peaceful and gorgeous at Donner lake that you're going to want to stay there a bit, so be sure to pack some snacks for your hungry kiddo, and maybe even pack a little picnic to share! Kids love to have little picnics, and this si the perfect setting! Not only is there a little picnic table right on the sand, but there are a few further back with a grill. We did encounter a few hornets hovering over the avocado rolls and chicken tuna salad we brought, so just be mindful of the food you bring and keep it covered.

Prepare For the Beach

Bring a Monkey Mat or some sort of blanket to lay on while you're there, and don't forget the sand toys! I did and it was a sad state. My daughter really enjoyed drawing the lake, though, so I suggest bringing some coloring supplies for your own kiddos to try their hand at drawing their surroundings, too! Sunscreen or a hat is always a must, whether it's sunny or overcast.

Have Fun

Play at the park, walk the beach and explore with your kiddo! Bring a camera for great photo moments and simply enjoy the day. It's such a lovely place to visit because you can splash in the water with the kiddo then lay out on the sand, make a castle, go to the park, and eat all in one place. The parking isn't plentiful, but not slim either. The spots are big enough for any size car (I fit the CX-5 CUV with a great cushion for opening the doors) and crowding isn't an issue during off-season.

Have you been to Donner Lake with your kids, what's your favorite part of the visit? Have you tried out the Mazda CX-5?

The post Making a Mother-Daughter Trip to Donner Lake appeared first on Navigating Parenthood.

If compact cars and typical crossover SUVs are a bit too small for your family but you aren't quite ready for a minivan or massive gas guzzler just yet, you're going to be enamored with September's Car in Review! The 2016 Kia Sorento is a crossover SUV with a similar size to other crossover SUVs but the luxury of a full-size SUV and intelligent design unlike any other crossover I've seen. So what are “Oooh” and “Hmm” bits about this vehicle? Keep reading for the details, and why I'm sad I had to return it after six days of testing.

Where The Sorento Took Me

The Sorento arrived for my six day test drive on my birthday so I had a lot of travel to do with it that week. I picked up my mom, sister and nephew for a ride to the beach in Alameda (near San Francisco) to eat avocado rolls on the sand for my birthday, then drove it to San Jose for my annual Benihana dinner, to Carmel Valley for a lovely overnight at Holman Ranch, to Stanford Hospital, horse riding lessons, and home. Basically, all over the greater Bay Area and then some for a total of close to 800 miles. Because I drove the Sorento in rural, highway, city, and beach environments I have a better understanding of how it can handle all the different hats families need their cars to wear, and hope that helps you in this review.

The “Ooh!”

Safety Features Galore

Some parents work nights, others just feel like they do because they're up all night with the kids, either way, if you happen to get a bit tired all of a sudden while driving (maybe it takes 30 minutes or more to get anywhere for you like it does me) then Kia has your safety covered. You can switch or on the lane indicator to notify you if you're getting too close to another lane and the blind spot indicator for all those sneaky cars that don't feel like speeding up or slowing down when you have your blinker on. The Sorento also has a rear backup camera with split screen that shows both what's behind your car from the rear camera and an animation of your car and what's really on the ground around you thanks to a camera under each side view mirror. This split screen is so nice for getting a better view of the area around you, and making sure the neighbor's pets or little kids aren't in harm's way.

Comfort for Everyone

The Sorento comfortably seats 7 without car seats, and 3-4 adults with a few car seats. My Cleck Foonf (a rather large convertible car seat) pushed the seat in the second row up a lot when it was installed in the third row, so no one could really sit there unless the seat in front went up quite a bit too. Definitely consider what car seats you need and are using when thinking about seating options. My daughter absolutely loved getting into her car seat from the trunk and thought she was getting away with something. The third row has air vents and air control on one side of the car (where her car seat was) as well, which I love since she's rear facing. She really enjoyed controlling her own temperature and actually feeling the air for once, too. She wasn't with me on this trip so I pile her little Kids Go Co ZoomKit on top of the seat for the photo. This is the cleanest I could keep the car the entire week I had it. Me? I love that the V6 Sorento has heated seats (plus the option to cool the seats!). I have a really bad back and this is always something I enjoy in a car. This vehicle even had the option of a heated steering wheel — perfect for snowy weather!

Design I Like

One of my biggest gripes with car companies is design. This Sorento is a gorgeous black and white/cream combo both inside and out (no stark white and brown with black here, thank goodness). There are USB plugs and 12v plugs both in the dash, in front of the second row passengers, and even in the back for the third row! This was the coolest thing to me, especially because as a family we all usually need the plug at the same time, and for it to reach my daughter. I also never have the 12v adapter so I really like that I can just plug in my USB instead to charge my phone (or play a song if I don't wan to connect it via Bluetooth). The V6 Sorento even has a panoramic moon roof like no other crossover SUV I've seen. It's glorious and has a little mesh that pops up to prevent the wind from messing with your hair or your ears too much.

Life, Simplified

I don't know bout you but I can never find my keys. I know they're somewhere in the pit that I call a purse, but have no clue where, so the key-free system Kia set up for the Sorento is a dream for me. As long as the keys are on you, the car doors allow you to press in a button to open the car or rear hatch that way. Then simply put your purse or bag on the seat next to you and you can start the car! Now that the test drive is over I'm really missing this feature. Like the other cars I've reviewed so far, the hatch also had a hands-full close button as I call it. I don't always have the ability to close the door completely, but I can find a way to press that button somehow when my hands are full with kiddo, bags, purse and so on. The car also had so many cup holders and places to store things. There were clips for notes and papers, even! The standard model doesn't come with all of the features I'm mentioning, which is why I'm using past tense about the car I drove in this instance, but it still has a lot of goodies that are listed online.

The “Hmm”

Air Circulation

As mentioned, I really like that the third row has air vents and one side has a control knob for the back, but I would prefer overhead air vents for the folks in the second row over the standard sedan-style shared foot vent coming out of the center console. No one gets air that way, especially if they're in a car seat. I would also like for both sides of the third row to have the ability to adjust air flow on their side, instead of one side getting to decide the flow for the back. I mean, think of the arguments kids would have over who has “the power” without two knobs and alternate flows.

In-Dash Quirks

Though the Sorento's built-in navigation system was able to get me to some main businesses, it said that both my home address and my mom's address didn't exist. But they do, and have for over a decade or more. So that was odd. The other major drawback I noticed was that when my phone was connected via USB and playing music and  I received an incoming call the music didn't stop, it just played in the background making it really hard to talk without allowing me an option to pause music (although I was driving so not really trying to mess with it too much). The hands-free Bluetooth calls works seamlessly with the radio and Sirus, however. It was be a quirk with using the USB cord as a connection.

Key Points

Best For: Families with two or more kids who often go on trips, carpool or carry a bunch of things for after-school activities. Moving? Skip the truck with this one!

Price Range: The standard model starts at about $22,000 (amazing!), but the fully-loaded V6 model I test drove for this review starts at about $42,000. Don't let that get you down, though, the standard actually comes with a ton of safety features and cool things that are more like luxury options in other cars I've looked at. Want to compare all your options and what you get with each price range? I love that Kia has it all online in an easy to read visual format, here.

Gas: This isn't a hybrid, so keep that in mind. It has about a 15 gallon tank (based on how much I filled it) and is said to get 21 mpg cit and 29 mpg highway.

Safety: I was thrilled to learn about how Kia has brought up their safety ratings to compete with Toyota, and the car quality is also very close (this one has similar features to a Toyota Highlander). The Kia Sorento received a 5-star rating in crash safety, and several awards for overall quality. The warranty and care put into service is comforting as well. Click here to learn more about their road side assistance program and warranty coverage.

Origin: Kia is a Korean company with manufacturing in Georgia. Check out the plant info, here.

Overall Savvy Rating: Well, as you see, the list of dislikes is pretty short on this one. It handles well on any road and stopped nicely, too! I give this a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

 I was lent a Kia Sorento for six days for this review. This is not a sponsored post and all opinions are my own.

The post Car in Review: 2016 Kia Sorento appeared first on Navigating Parenthood.

This month's Car in Review is a zippy compact car by Mitsubishi — the 2015 Mirage ES. With a starting price of just $14,295 (with manual transmission, $15,395 for CVT), an Eco mode and some nice little add-ons included, it was a fun ride to test out for a week-long experience with the family. Want to know what it's really like? Keep reading for my honest opinion about how this car handles, fits a family and who I think would fit it best.

The “Ooh!”

• 4-doors: Because getting a child car seat into a 2-door is a pain and the insurance is typically better due to higher safety records.
• Years of Warranties: The fact that this car comes with a 5-year or 60,000 mile Bumper to Bumper Warranty is grand, the 10-year/1000,000 mile Powertrain Warranty is a must, and the 7-year/100,000 mile Anti-Corrosion Warranty is a plus (new one to me) . . . but the fully transferable 5-year Unlimited Miles Roadside Assistance is exceptional. This is a huge plus in a first car for your teen, or for a parent with tots.
• Hatch and storage: I simply love hatchbacks. Mostly because they come with a rear windshield wiper, but they're also great for cargo storage. I really like how the hatch storage in the 17.2 cubic feet of storage in the Mirage is inset so my trunk items stay in place and aren't at level with the car seats.
• Power & Steering: Once in the 40-60 mph range this car does really well. The Mirage ES handles U-turns smoothly (the kind that require a 3-point turn in my crossover SUV and other sedan), and makes it simple to snag a last-minute parking spot without having to readjust your spacing at all.
• Design: This car is super cute — It's so sleek that it can get away with bright loud colors and still look ultra-hip. In fact, there's 8 gorgeous colors to choose from!

• Eco Mode: It's so great to have a car that's smart enough to know when efficiency is needed, and the gas saving is a plus. I started my week with a full tank and still needed to fill up twice, but I put 6515 miles on this car, so it did fairly well. The Mirage has a 37 mpg city and 44 mpg highway rating with an average of 40 mpg.
• In-Dash Navigation: We used to use Google Maps, then our phones . . . this is WAY better. The 7″ MMES navigation touchscreen with 3D mapping, speed limits and expanded points of interest interrupts any music or call to announce directions. It also shows the best route based on traffic and alternate routes! The nav also allows you to store destinations and keeps a history of previous destinations in case you have a repeat drive and don't want to retype all the info. Perfect for a teen figuring out how to drive to different locations, or anyone driving somewhere new.
• Hands-Free Phone: You can connect your phone to the car via Bluetooth, upload your address book and make calls simply by pressing a few buttons on the touch screen. The calls come in through the speakers and you're hands-free chatting! This is a great safety feature for teens and parents alike.
• Backup Camera: Once you've had one there's no way you would want to go back. Whether your neck can't turn that well or you simply forget to look sometimes, this camera saves you from hitting anything or anyone, and typically comes in higher priced vehicles.
• Rear Bench Seats: Need to bring something bigger? No problem! The 60/40 bench seats folds down for even more storage(47 cubic feet of space), and there are little slots inside the car for the seat belts to tuck in snuggly so they're out of the way when not in use.
• The Price: The Mitsubishi Mirage was named Most Affordable Vehicle by Cars.com, and so far I'd have to agree. It's rare to find a car with all of the above features and add-ons under the $17,000 starting range (and they're website says they're giving $1,200 back until July 31).

The “Hmm”

• Window Workings: The driver's window rolls all the way up with just one flick of the mirror button, but you have to hold the button the entire time for all the other windows.
• Seat Settings: Though easily adjustable, they could allow for more upright seating, and maybe use a motor to move the seat instead of a crank.
• Mirror Adjustments: You can't adjust the side mirrors unless the car is running. I think it would be a better safety feature and gas saver to allow use of this adjustment when the engine is off.
• Hatch Storage: This feature is on the plus side but also the minus side simply because if you're a mom uses a stroller it won't fit (though I didn't test an umbroller). If you're a babywearer then the hatch trunk space is perfect because it's covered (no fading fabrics) and inset (no flying around). Teens and college students will like that they have just enough room for a weekend away, dirty laundry on the down low, and maybe even a few bags of books.
• Power & Steering: Though it handles U-turns great, actual turns to the right or left felt a bit stiff (at least the first few days as I got used to the car and in comparison to the U-Turn ability). Since it isn't quite a 4 cylinder engine, I could hear it working double time any time I needed to accelerate onto a hill.
• Noise: If you don't have the air or music on the outside sounds of the road can be noisy. It's a bare bones compact car with add-on features at a budget price, so this makes sense.
• Power Plugs: There is just one adapter in the car, and it's in the front near the driver. Personally, I think two should be the standard in all cars since a person charging in the back can't reach their device unless they have a specially ordered longer cord. This may not be as a big of a deal with teens or single adults, but as a parent who always has a phone or device on the verge of running out of power while also having a child who I need to give some sort of device to in order for there to be peace on the drive it's important.

Perfect For

Teens, Single Parents, Families with 1-2 compact car seats (infant bucket seat or forward facing 5-point harness seat). Driving the Mirage reminded me of driving my first car as a teen. Even though I didn't have a car with higher power, it felt zippy and was fun to drive around (especially with last-minute turns). I think the great price, basic features with some added upgrades for safety and a parent's peace of mind (in-dash touchscreen navigation and a lot of great warranties) and cool design makes it an ideal car for first-time drivers/teens and college students. There's enough room to fit 4-5 teens for a day-long adventure, and it's dependable for the trip.

I wouldn't recommend this car for a family of more than 1-2 kids simply because of the space inside the car and the size of kiddo car seats. I put my daughter (4) in her forward facing spare car seat since our rear-facing Clek wouldn't have fit in the back, and even with her in the center of the seats we could feel her feet digging into our seats (though this isn't an issue if your kid doesn't do that). I think some bucket infant seats would fit the car easily, but you would have to test it first.

Have you ever driven a Mirage, what are your thoughts? Have any questions? Comment below!

A 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage was provided for one week to conduct this review. All opinions are my own.

The post Car in Review: 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage ES appeared first on Navigating Parenthood.

This post is about a month overdue. I tested out the Lexus RX 450h (starting at $48,000) shortly after the ES 300h, and it was fantastic. This is only the second car I've test driven for Savvy Every Day, and second Lexus I've ever driven, but it definitely had some winning points, as well as some pros and cons in comparison to the ES 300h. If you're deciding between a sedan or crossover  SUV, keep reading. Not looking for a car? Keep reading anyway and scroll through some lovely car shots.

Space

The RX 450h has no shortage of space . . . or cup holders! The distance between my head and the ceiling is perfect, the leg space is also great, and the car has a central cup area as well as cup holders in the side doors and a little pop out cup holder near the steering wheel for driver convenience. I wouldn't have thought that something this simple would make me so happy ,but it really does. I love that there are so many cup holders!

The trunk has a lot of room as well. My regular car is a Volkswagen Tiguan, which has a very small trunk, so it was exciting to fit so much of my junk in this hatch trunk. I also really like the rolling privacy shade over the items and fact that all the seats go down for even more space! During my time with this car I took my daughter to school, drove out of town to the beach with my mom, sister, daughter and nephew, drove to San Jose to visit friends, and packed it up with a bunch of groceries from Costco a few times. It fit it all!

Design

I'm a mom who take a shower then throws her hair in a bun . . . a lot . . . so I really dislike the headrests that slant forward and hurt your head unless your hair is down. The ES 300h was a bit like that, but I could actually wear my hair up in the RX 450h, it wasn't as bad! I did feel like there was a bit of a vision impairment when the middle seat was up (for me), so I had it down most of the time for extra storage and to see my rear window.

Other than these few quirks, this baby is beautifully designed. The steering wheel has all the buttons you would need while driving (and I love the wood finish and finger grooves!), and the car won't sink with your phone or put your seat into position until safety features are met. I've been in withdrawals since testing this car, actually because I really miss the trunk button — Simply press it and the trunk opens itself. All done? Press the button on the trunk for it to close itself. Such a help for a parent with 20 different things going on and their arms full of kids and groceries. I actually went to VW service asking for them to fix my car because I could've sworn my trunk button made the trunk pop (It doesn't).

Function

The car is quite functional — My daughter's car seat fits great, all seats fold and operate as they should, and the car handles great. I tested out the response to last-minute stops and in all the poor traffic of the Bay Area, and it passed. The biggest drawback for me is how this car functions on gas (28 mpg), it wasn't any better than my Tiguan, which isn't a hybrid. In the week that I had to fill up twice (and it arrived with a full tank). I did drive all over the Bay Area and to the beach, but my driving all over is a fairly typical week for me. (I rack up miles on my car a bit too quick.)

Comparison

Overall between the RX 450h and the ES 300h it's a tough call. They both have side view mirror indicator lights, they're both hybrids with upgrades, and they both drive nicely. But, the RX 450h is far more comfortable, I'd say the design is nicer, and it has an amazing hatchback with one-touch button closure. The ES 300h gets way better mileage (40 mpg rating) as far as hybrids go, though, so it depends on your needs. They both have decent trunk space and could fit a family.

Which one would you choose, the sedan or crossover SUV?

I was given a Lexus RX 450h to test drive for ones week to conduct this review. All opinions are my own, no compensation was given.

The post Car in Review: 2015 Lexus RX 450h appeared first on Navigating Parenthood.

Traveling with kids isn't easy. Not just because they're not always super cooperative with your travel plans, but it isn't always easy lugging around everything that comes with the kiddos. Mom Grainne Kelly was tired of of carrying giant boosters on her travels from one country to the next and came up with the idea of a portable booster seat — BubbleBum ($30)! It's brilliant and I had to try it. Here are some of the reasons I really like this seat (and how you can win one of your own).

1. Simplified Guest Pick Ups

There are times when my mom or I need to pick my nephew up from school or watch him and I thought this seat would be perfect — I can store it in my car without it taking up a ton of room and inflate it in under 20 seconds when needed! My sister can even roll the seat into it's carrying pouch and place it in his backpack for whoever picks him up that day to make things easier — no more wondering how we're going to get a car seat for his pick up (or ending up with a bunch of extra car seats taking up space). One thing I will add (since I'm a bit of a germaphobe) is that it would be great if BubbleBum sold silicone covers to go over the valve so that each person using the car seat could have their own designated (color coded) cover to use and disinfect with ease.

2. Easy to Use

All you need to do is open the booster seat air valve, blow into it until the seat is firm and fully inflated, close the valve, then attach the booster seat to the seat belt of the car. If your child needs you to add the seat belt positioning clip, the seat comes with this to use as well. (It's important that you clip the seat in for safety, like any car seat). I really like that this booster has that added safety feature, actually — most backless booster seats I see in stores just sit on the seat with the seat belt buckling as normal. The BubbleBum booster seat sits on the car seat and clips into the seat belt before buckling as normal. When you're done with the seat just deflate it and put it back in the bag (unless you're going to use it in the same car again).

3. Cute (and Safe) Stand Out Design

The BubbleBum booster is an award-winning seat that meets all safety requirements for seats in the U.S.! I especially love the black and white zig zag print with the pink and highlighter yellow lettering of the BubbleBum seat I picked out (called Neon Pink), it reminds me of the 80s in a super fun way. Both the booster seat and carrying bag have very bright colors, making them easy to find in a messy trunk, an overflowing backpack . . . or in your luggage! The seat is a lot smaller than typical booster seats, making fitting more seats simple, but also may not be best for long car rides if your kiddo needs a fuller seat. It would be fun to have a color your seat option, or label to write your information in case of loss in the future, but these seats are super cute as-is..

My daughter loves the colors and says that the pink really makes it hers. [Though this seat is rated for ages 4-11 and 40-100 pounds (up to 57″), my daughter is still in a rear facing car seat and I don't plan on using a backless booster for her until she's much older (which makes it perfect for my 7-year-old nephew), but she knows it's her future big girl car seat that she's letting others use for now.]

4. Efficient

Forget lugging your car seat across airport terminals, attempting to stack it on your pile of luggage to make it to the airplane or worrying about how baggage check may be treating your car seat behind the scenes — with a BubbleBum it simply fits in your carry on and is ready to use in the rental car or cab in under a minute after you get off the airplane. This booster also simplifies the car seat Tetris some families have to play since it's so small,  making three across a cinch.

Overall, this is a fantastic product that will likely have more new and exciting offerings in the future! Want to try it out for yourself? Enter to win one below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

BubbleBum sent me a Neon Pink booster seat for this review and is providing a seat for the giveaway. All opinions are my own, no other compensation given.

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