Eddie Bauer Travel System {$249}, US Only, 10/27

Journeys of The Zoo has grown up with Eddie Bauer and Eddie Bauer has grown with The Zoo.

As a teen and young adult, I spent my summers at camp, in the outdoors. I needed good quality clothing that would withstand the elements so my friends and I outfitted ourselves in their canvas shorts and quick dry pants. Teva's were a staple.

As an adult, I found myself returning once again to dress significant others from head to toe in pants, button downs, sweaters, belts and even socks. They had everything.

Now that I'm a Mother, Eddie Bauer is there for me and my family once again with their Eddie Bauer Baby line for "...parents who want and expect the best for their little ones".

I am excited to offer you the chance to win their Eddie Bauer Trail Hiker 3-Wheel Travel System valued at $249.99!!

In case you're not familiar with the travel system, it includes the stroller and an infant car seat. Two in One! Eddie Bauer's website describes the product as follows:

Choose your own path with the Eddie Bauer Trail Hiker 3-Wheel Travel System. The 3-wheel design provides superior maneuverability around tight corners that will get you and your little adventurer around easily.

This travel system also features our Top Rated infant car seat with Side Impact Protection and an extended use range of 4-35 pounds for a safer and more comfortable ride, whether in your car or attached to the stroller for a walk in the great outdoors.

Some of the Stroller features include:

• 3-wheel design for superior maneuverability
• Multi-position seat recline
• 5-point harness
• One hand fold and stand
• Accommodates child up to 50 pounds

I really like the large storage basket because with kids, you always have tons of stuff and many baskets are small or difficult to get into. From the pictures, you can clearly see that this is not the case with the Eddie Bauer model.



Some of the features of the Infant Car Seat are: rear-facing from 4-35 pounds and up to 32" with side impact protection and meets or exceeds USA Federal Safety Standards.

I really like that the weight limit goes as low as 4 pounds because Max and Artemis were both under 5 pounds when they came home so we had to pad their seats with blankets. Not ideal. You never want to think about bringing home a small baby but it's better to be prepared.

Enter below for your change to Win!

Sorry Canadians, this is for our US Friends Only.
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Prize: Eddie Bauer Trail Hiker 3-Wheel Travel System (ARV $249.99). Winner gets their choice of colour: Grey, Red or Blue.
Eligibility: USA ONLY.
Duration: The contest will run from Sunday, September 30 until Saturday, October 27, 2012, inclusive.
Shipping: Included in the prize.
Entry Method: Rafflecopter Form.
Disclosure: Journeys of The Zoo did not receive any product in exchange for posting this giveaway.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you to A Hen's Nest for organizing and allowing Journeys of The Zoo to be a part of this fun giveaway.

This giveaway was posted to Blog Giveaways and Contest Canada.

Besos, The Zoo

Christmas in September with Thomas the Train!

If you've been following the blog at all, you know that for the past five years, Ed and I have spent Friday nights socializing at Finnerty's Auction.

Make that five years less one because Ed and I have only been there together, alone, once over the past year.

So sad.

Tonight, Ed was in town getting a new brake caliper for the van so he stopped by Finnerty's to see what they had.


Well, if they didn't have the one thing that we've been looking for since our return from Mexico in March.

Don't worry, I won't ruin the surprise, I'll let Max do that for you.

Let me set the stage.

Imagine that you're Two.

That you love Trains.

So much so that you sleep with one every.single.night and it's the first word you say in the morning.

And you wake up to this...

Then this would probably be your reaction too.

Christmas in September at The Zoo!

Tweet Christmas in September!

Note that due to the "I Don't Want to Get Sued Like a Lot of Other People" Debacle of 2012, I have been creating all my own graphics or taking my own photographs. Hard to believe huh!?

Besos, The Zoo

I Tore my Knee Cartilage Playing Chess Highjumping.

Way back when, I told you that I was going to post about my life as a Championship Downhill Skier.

Before you go and get all mad at me for misleading you, I want to state right from the get go that tearing my knee cartilage for the first time actually had nothing to do with Skiing.

Have no fear, I'll be all over the Slalom and Bevelled Edges in a bit but first I want to bore enlighten you with "The Time I Tore My Knee Cartilage Highjumping".

Highjumping is Dangerous.
Just like Chess.

Yes, you read that correctly. Chess is dangerous. Not that I'd know from experience as I don't actually play (not from lack of trying).

I imagine that if you pushed the timer button enough times, you could develop a blister on your finger.

Or, a flying rook could poke you in the eye (while it's not technically listed under chess etiquette, I imagine it's not cool to throw pieces at one another).

D.a.n.g.e.r.o.u.s.

Back to highjumping. One day in 1985, I threw caution to the wind (I've been known to try and show-off tilt at windmills), and decided to hurtle and not highjump the highjump.

I'm not sure whether I went over or under the bar but I do remember that I sailed full over the large mattress and right by the adult standing there to prevent such an occasion. I landed on the ground. On my knee. With nothing to slow me down.

It should come as no surprise that I hurt myself.

I ended up dislocating my knee.

I can't really remember whether it was the act of falling or the act of undislocating (or is that relocating) my knee that tore my cartilage but it wasn't good. Back to the hospital we went. A regular occurrence for the parents of a Championship Downhill Skiier. In the end, I had to have my first (of two) arthroscopic knee surgeries.

The worst part, I ended up having to miss the end-of-year school trip to Canada's Wonderland. The second worst part, this event happened the second last day of school. You'd have thought with any luck, this would have happened at the beginning of school.

What does any of this have to do with my being a Championship Skiier?

Nothing.

Originally, I think that I was going to segway into how I tore the nerves, muscles and veins in my face when I did a faceplant on 10 pieces of jagged wood and how I have a 2" scar on my face to prove it. But, that would make a lot of people squeamish so I won't even mention it.

Perhaps I was going to tell you about the second time I tore my knee cartilage (this time I actually was skiing) and had to take the red-eye home from Calgary and head straight to the hospital for a second knee surgery.

Or maybe the time that I.

I think I know what I wanted to write about... Skiing is Dangerous.

Ever Injured Yourself?

Tweet Share this with Your Friends.

Get Caught Up in the Series...
8. I Tore my Knee Cartilage Highjumping,
7. I Got a Migraine to Avoid Ballet,
6. I Cut off all my Hair and gave it to Barbie
5. I Got Kicked out of Brownies,
4. I Pooped My Pants
3. I Almost Sold my Brother for 25 Cents
2. I Was Adopted,
1. I Was Born.

Besos, The Zoo

Paying too much for Insurance? Check out Insurance Hunter.

This post brought to you by InsuranceHunter. All opinions are 100% mine.

Journeys of The Zoo spends close to six months a year on the road. That makes for a lot of driving. Almost all of the responsibility lies with Ed which means,

Over 10,000 Kilometres a Year!

I was concerned when I read a recent survey by Insurance Hunter that polled 1,003 Ontario parents and found that "One-Third of Men Polled Have Nodded Off Behind Wheel". I could hardly believe that the rates for Men were so high (30%) and especially in comparison to Women (only 14%)!

The survey also reveals that "young parents are more likely to drive tired than older counterparts". Statistically, Ed has a lower chance of nodding off (because while he's young at heart, he isn't young in age). However, that doesn't mean that it couldn't happen to Ed or another driver on the road.

I highly suggest that you to take a look at Insurance Hunter’s safety survey and see if you or your family are at risk and what to do to avoid any unnecessary accidents. I know that I learned a lot. 

I find that being organized, especially for our 5-day trip to Mexico helps minimize Ed's fatigue.  Yes, the entire Zoo (including two dogs and a cat) drive to Mexico. The survey also mentions some strategies that we implement such as; setting off at smart travel times (between 6 a.m. and noon) and ensure that the driver is well rested with plenty of planned breaks.

Until I found this survey, I hadn't actually heard of Insurance Hunter. In case you haven't either, their website states;

"Insurance Hunter is an online insurance brokerage that provides Ontario residents with hassle-free, online auto, home and travel insurance quotes from Ontario's leading insurance companies."

Their website also says that you can get three quotes in three minutes so I thought that I'd try it out. The application process took about three minutes, was predictable (I've received quotes before, not from Insurance Hunter) and all the information they asked for I had on hand. As advertised, my three auto insurance quotes were presented to me immediately on the screen and I found them to be competitive.

There's always something going on at The Zoo so when I'm presented with an easy and no-fuss way to ensure that we are properly insured at the best price possible, I'm interested in finding out more. I encourage you to visit their website (www.InsuranceHunter.ca) because you just might find that,

Insurance Hunter is for You.

Besos, The Zoo

Wordless Wednesday: Artemis The Fairy Princess

Besos, The Zoo