Must Have Monday’s 24

Welcome to Must Have Monday’s. Every Monday our reviewers will let you have a sneak peak into what we use in our homes and our lives. Here we will tell you about the things we can’t live without. If you have a “must have” item to pass along please e-mail us. We welcome contributions from our readers and are always looking for new reviewers.

This is an overdue prop for the must have product of all parents with small children (especially those with multiples). Step 2 makes a tandem train style Choo Choo Wagon so that each child has their own compartment. The bench has a seatbelt, cup holder and room for a child to sit comfortably when a stroller does not work anymore. This wagon is constructed of solid and sturdy plastic, and is modular with the ability to add more kids. Or you can the an additional orange trailer car for schlepping diaper bags and other heavy stuff.

Every time we use our wagon at the zoo or in a public park, we are thankful for the simplicity of the design. The colorful wagon glides easily through rough terrain and the orange car(s) detach individually. The empty wagon stacks and stores neatly in the cargo space of my van and reassembles in about 10 seconds. We just used the four car choo-choo this past weekend at the March of Dimes March for Babies, and we lost track of how many people wanted to know where we got our wagon. As the parent of four kids under three, this is one product I could not live without.

by Helene

Archer Farms has a new collection of cereal at the Target where I frequently buy groceries. It comes in a free standing box with a re-closeable lid instead of a box with a bag insert. There must have been at least 15 varieties on the shelf. I have tried four so far and have yet to be disappointed.

I can highly recommend the Pecan Sticky Bun Granola for a sweet snack and the Vanilla Spice Squares for breakfast. Our cupboards won’t be without this cereal again. Cereal isn’t just for breakfast anymore. This new line would be great for snacking too.

By Canape

We finally graduated from the high back car seat to a backless booster for our almost 6 year old son. It was apparent that he’d outgrown the Eddie Bauer seat we’d been using for a few years, when his head was above the top of the seat. I spent a lot of time researching booster seats and debated whether we needed one that would still securely attach to the latch metal clips in our cars. Finally, I choose a Graco Backless TurboBooster and so far I’m impressed.

It has a kid-friendly fabric that was easy to clean after our son spilled fruit punch and ice cream in his seat. In fact, it cleaned up easier than the stain resistant carpet we have in our house! Our son also stated that it was much more comfortable than his previous seat. It has the GracoPedic luxury foam that creates extra padding. The arm pads are height adjustable and I can see that being an issue for kids who aren’t quite tall enough for the standard size. Ethan has found that using the two cup holders which can hide inside the seat for toys and cups. For under $25 I give this booster seat big props for all the features.

by Emily