I can hardly wait until our annual summer road trip with the kids….NOT! The thought of being confined to the same closed space with my 6- and 2-year-old (and my husband) is enough to make my blood boil (OK, I’ll keep hubby out of my insane thoughts). If you’re like me, you’re desperate for any little thing that will make your family vacation a tad more enjoyable. Travel games that can fit in my pocket give me goosebumps. Pint-sized coloring book/crayon sets put a smile on my face. Imagine then what an all-inclusive road trip kit will do for my happiness quotient! In celebration of the season of traveling with the kids, Evenflo is offering the Ultimate Savvy Parent’s Car Kit, along with the release of its Momentum 65 DLX Convertible car seat. If you are admittedly one who always forgets something, then this is the treasure that will take the rage out of your road trip. Packaged in a portable pouch are:

• $25 gas gift card (a little treat for mom and dad)
• Moist wipes (for quick car clean-up)
• Baby mirror (to check out your rear-facing baby while driving)
• Soft book (to secure safety of passengers when thrown during tantrum)
• Kid/parent-friendly CD (to inspire a family sing-along–even during those “what-was-I-thinking-about-5-hours-in-the-car” moments)
• Car dustbuster (for hunting down Cheerios between seats)
• Window shade (to keep the hot summer sun out)
• Animal crackers and a snack trap, to curb cravings
• Car organizer (to keep it all arranged neatly!)

If this kit gets you as excited as a one-way ticket to Maui (sans kids), then send an e-mail to The Talking Walnut. Evenflo will provide a kit to the first parent who responds. Good luck, and happy trails to you…

When my sister had her first daughter nearly 16 years ago, she schlepped a quilted Winnie the Pooh bag to my parents’ house; I think even she’ll admit it was hardly a fashion statement. Today, there are so many versatile, stylish bags in which to tote baby belongings that I’m sure even my teenage niece would approve of them! One such line that recently caught my eye is ISOKI, which apparently comes from the African word meaning “beautiful gift.” Just take one look at these bags and you’ll agree that this name is an apt description. Looking more like weekender bags than ones holding diapers and wipes, you may easily mistake these for ones that belong at a Hamptons beach. What makes them stand out, though, are the extras: namely, a storage compartment underneath (great for when you’re fully packed and you realize you’ve forgotten to pack the diaper rash cream) and an insulated cooler (no need to throw in an extra bag for milk, juice or anything else that needs to keep cold…yes, even your iced coffee).

In a Nutshell: Unlike that bridesmaid dress that’s been hanging in your closet and promising to be worn again, this is a bag that has a life after diapers…and one that you’ll be proud to show off.

Back in the day, when I worked full-time and commuted to Manhattan, I remember toting around more luggage than I cared to admit. Sure, I traveled for business every now and then, but we’re talking packed bags–as in multiple–for just one day. And since I was doing my best to save my pennies, one of those bags was a brown one–as in my sorry-looking lunch. How many times it collapsed or fell apart due to my clumsy packing style or because it couldn’t bear the weight of–gasp!–a cup of yogurt would be too many to mention. How I wish I’d gotten my hands on the Laptop Lunches Bento System, a grown-up version of the organized lunchbox. This insulated bag may look like it contains a portable computer, but take a closer look inside. It includes 5 generously sized containers that can accommodate everything from sandwiches to fruit to salad dressing. And if that doesn’t make you feel adult enough, there’s a set of stainless-steel silverware–great for going green–and a water bottle (who needs that can of diet soda, anyway?) Now, if your cup of yogurt leaks, no one will know but you.

In a Nutshell: This reusable lunch bag may not eliminate the need for toting another bag to the office, but at least it’s one that stands up to spills and other food disasters. It even works well when you’re eating lunch al fresco at the park (yes, you can walk away from your desk every now and then…)

If your family’s kitchen is anything like mine, you make a concerted effort to stretch those meals into leftovers. Granted, I’m no hero–we love pizza night just like everyone else–but whenever possible, I do try to make more than one dish out a main ingredient. Think roasted chicken for Tuesday night’s dinner into Wednesday’s chicken salad for lunch…you get the picture. Because I can never seem to get my hands on enough reusable food containers–and always seem to forget to pick them up at the grocery store–I know I can’t go wrong with the 40-piece Fresh Keeper Set. Not only do the lids match their containers, so I can organize leftovers by color, but the included Lid Organizer lets me get my hands on the right pieces in a snap. What’s especially handy is the built-in date-set feature with a movable pointer that I can use to track just how long that batch of tomato sauce has been around; I don’t need to dig up any labels or write directly on the container, which always seems to fade away anyhow. Now there’s no question of whether or not something is edible…But I didn’t say anything about my cooking expertise…

In a Nutshell: Say “yes” to leftovers with this colorful, organized system that will make you feel more like Martha Stewart than the harried short-order cook that you really are.

As a mom, you know that pesky feeling of never being able to get your hands on what you need, exactly when you need it: a fresh wipe when your baby’s hands are covered with sand, a tissue when your toddler has burst into her latest crying fit…How refreshing it is to be able to tuck a Carabean into your bag and feel you can take on the challenges-with-child du jour. These clips will save the day when the sun is in your baby’s eyes (attach a blanket over her stroller, and you’ll got instant shade). Or when her favorite toy always seems to land on the car floor just when the light turns green (affix Teddy Bear to her car seat and voila!). The uses for this clever, why-didn’t-I-think-of-that gadget are so plentiful, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. The latest incarnation of the Carabean is Tent in a Bag, a handy tote that contains 4 clamps and a printed blanket that can become a makeshift fort when you’re at the park or stuck in a hotel room with the kids. Or on a rainy day like today here in the Northeast, this inventive product can be a godsend.

In a Nutshell: Motherhood can be messy. Cut yourself a little slack and stock up on some of these clips for whatever kid crisis comes your way. They make great baby shower gift toppers, or for bigger kids, the perfect anecdote to a dreary day.

Today, I hit the jackpot: I found the one thousandth crushed Cheerio in the bottom of my purse. (Frankly, after 5+ years of motherhood, I’m surprised there weren’t more!) If your bag has become a bottomless pit and plays home to one too many broken crayons, used tissues and lollipop wrappers, you know that trying to locate your car keys can sometimes become a game of hide-and-seek. The Ultimate Purse Organizer seeks to put an end to that type of frantic searching once and for all. Now before you say it’s not for me, consider this: this organizer is interchangeable and can be used to fit any medium- to large-sized handbag or tote. The six pockets provide ample room for your cellphone, keys, Chapstick and oh yes, a stash of lollipops. When you’re ready to change bags, simply remove it and pop it inside your new bag of choice. No need to weed through everything, and your necessities remain contained in the proper place.

In a Nutshell: This purse organizer will be the envy of your most anally retentive mommy friends. And now you’ll finally be able to get your hands on those gift cards before they expire.