Preventing Backovers

Every week in the United States at least fifty children are victims of backovers. Most of these victims are one year olds. (Oh my heart! I have a one year old!) In 70% of these accidents, the drivers are relatives of the children.

 That's one of the reasons why I am enjoying the reverse camera on the Odyssey so much.



While it is estimated that 100 deaths and more than 8,300 injuries will be prevented each year due to cars having reverse cameras, it doesn't make up for the smartest safety feature in each car: THE DRIVER.

KidsAndCars.org recommendations to keep children safe include:

• Walk around and behind a vehicle prior to moving it.
• Know where your kids are. Make children move away from your vehicle to a place where they are in full view before moving the car and know that another adult is properly supervising children before moving your vehicle.
• Teach children that “parked” vehicles might move. Let them know that they can see the vehicle; but the driver might not be able to see them.
• Consider installing cross view mirrors, audible collision detectors, rear view video camera and/or some type of back up detection device.
• Measure the size of your blind zone (area) behind the vehicle(s) you drive. A 5-foot-1-inch driver in a pickup truck can have a rear blind zone of approximately 8 feet wide by 50 feet long.
• Be aware that steep inclines and large SUV’s, vans and trucks add to the difficulty of seeing behind a vehicle.
• Hold children’s hand when leaving the vehicle.
• Teach your children to never play in, around or behind a vehicle and always set the emergency brake.
• Keep toys and other sports equipment off the driveway.
• Homeowners should trim landscaping around the driveway to ensure they can see the sidewalk, street and pedestrians clearly when backing out of their driveway. Pedestrians also need to be able to see a vehicle pulling out of the driveway.
• Never leave children alone in or around cars; not even for a minute.
• Keep vehicles locked at all times; even in the garage or driveway.
• Keys and/or remote openers should never be left within reach of children.
• Make sure all child passengers have left the car after it is parked.
• Be especially careful about keeping children safe in and around cars during busy times, schedule changes and periods of crisis or holidays.

  These precautions can save lives. For additional information visit www.KidsAndCars.org

Follow Lindsey Redfern of The R House as she falls in love with the 2014 Honda Odyssey. A reformed SUV enthusiast, she has seen the light and is passing her excitement onto you in the form of really sweet deals. Get all the details on how she can save you $500 on a new, used, lease or trade in at Ken Garff Honda of Orem. 

The passenger seat is great for nappers.

Let's say that you and your family go on a road trip. Let's say that during this road trip you make many pit-stops ...you do have 3 kids after all. Let's say that you find yourself on the road later and later--much later than you had planned on. Your husband is a road warrior and can drive as the hours tick by. But you in the passenger seat are struggling. You know, head bobbing, pretending to be awake, the whole 9 yards.

Finally your beloved road warrior suggests that you just put the seat down and take a nap. "Brilliant," you think!

And so you put the seat back...



And to your extreme weary delight you rejoice that the seat goes all the way back! It's perfect for weary moms and nappers! Thank you, Honda. Thank you. Best car nap of my life.

Follow Lindsey Redfern of The R House as she falls in love with the 2014 Honda Odyssey. A reformed SUV enthusiast, she has seen the light and is passing her excitement onto you in the form of really sweet deals. Get all the details on how she can save you $500 on a new, used, lease or trade in at Ken Garff Honda of Orem. 

2014 Odyssey's Vacuum Option

I have three kids. We took a road trip to New Mexico as a family--that's like 20+ hours in the car. On the way home, I looked around...


We are pretty much the reason why the 2014 Honda Odyssey is now available with a built-in vacuum. That's right, this car has a vacuum. Watch animal crackers run for their lives-it's basically every mom's dream. I mean, what's next? A car that gives haircuts? Maybe...just maybe.

Follow Lindsey Redfern of The R House as she falls in love with the 2014 Honda Odyssey. A reformed SUV enthusiast, she has seen the light and is passing her excitement onto you in the form of really sweet deals. Get all the details on how she can save you $500 on a new, used, lease or trade in at Ken Garff Honda of Orem. 

2014 Odyssey Making Me a Better Driver

Two weeks ago my best friends and I took a trip to Vegas. I was the driver. I had just received the 2014 Honda Odyssey the night before and was still getting used to all the new bells and whistles. Literally.

I was impressed with the forward collision warning system that beeped when cars ahead of me were stopped. It was timely and really cool to feel like you were driving a car that was vocal about keeping you safe.

The 2014 also has a beeping Lane Departure Warning (LDW) system. If you change lanes without your blinker on or get too close to the lane lines, it will beep at you. So cool! It's like the car is thinking!

But, apparently I am a lane drifter. (I had no idea!) My friend Kim who sat in the back seat for most of the trip (she prefers the crazy amount of leg room available in that captain chair), actually kept track of how many times I set off the LDW. Um... yeah.

Driving home became a game of Operation for me. I was determined to stay within the lines and be a better driver.

Love this car that keeps me on my toes ...and inside the lines. ;)

Follow Lindsey Redfern of The R House as she falls in love with the 2014 Honda Odyssey. A reformed SUV enthusiast, she has seen the light and is passing her excitement onto you in the form of really sweet deals. Get all the details on how she can save you $500 on a new, used, lease or trade in at Ken Garff Honda of Orem. 

Who knew there was a better way to pump gas?

Last week my best friends and I took a trip to Vegas. While Kim was pumping gas for me in St George, she showed me how to use the fancy gas cap holder on the Honda Odyssey. Am I dumb for never figuring this out? It's so handy!

Here's what I am talking about? She's a genius!

 
 Even pumping gas is smarter with the 2014 Honda Odyssey.

Follow Lindsey Redfern of The R House as she falls in love with the 2014 Honda Odyssey. A reformed SUV enthusiast, she has seen the light and is passing her excitement onto you in the form of really sweet deals. Get all the details on how she can save you $500 on a new, used, lease or trade in at Ken Garff Honda of Orem. 

What a Pilot Does Best

Easier access to power outlets.



I'm a blogger. I often take my mobile hotspot with me to create Internet on the go. There's a place to plug it in that is right at my finger tips. It has has a power outlet for my camera battery charger (another blogging must!) and USB and AUX hookups for just about everything I need to write on the go. And all this is located inside the middle console.  

Better space for changing a diaper.

There's no mistaking that the Odyssey blows everything else out of the water when it comes to trunk space. But, all that space doesn't really help when you have a dirty diaper to change. With one of the back seats folded down in the Pilot, it creates the perfect little changing table!

^^^ And it's just the right height for me!

  What features do you look for when purchasing a car? See what my readers are looking for in a list on this post. You might be surprised!

Follow Lindsey Redfern of The R House as she falls in love with the 2013 Honda Odyssey. A reformed SUV enthusiast, she has seen the light and is passing her excitement onto you in the form of really sweet deals. Get all the details on how she can save you a little cash.

Odyssey vs. Pilot

We recently switched from an Odyssey to a Pilot.

There is no mistaking that the Pilot is a better looking vehicle, but I have to say ...even with all the bells and whistles Honda provides in each of their vehicles, I MISS MY MINIVAN!

I started to ponder, "What is it that I really love and look for in a vehicle?" I posed the questions to The R House Facebook crew and was met with a hearty response. I took their thoughts and organized them into this little graphic for myself (okay, and for you too) just to compare the Odyssey and the Pilot and which ones works best for my little family.



There really is no mistaking it, WE ARE A MINIVAN LOVIN' FAM.

Follow Lindsey Redfern of The R House as she falls in love with the 2013 Honda Odyssey. A reformed SUV enthusiast, she has seen the light and is passing her excitement onto you in the form of really sweet deals. Get all the details on how she can save you a little cash.

Earnin' Your Trust

We've all heard the stereotypes that people in the car business are shady and dishonest.

These feelings can make it really difficult to trust the person who is selling you a used car. No one wants to feel like they've be taken advantage of or swindled.

I sat down with Wendell Wood in his office and asked him what Ken Garff Honda of Orem is doing to combat all those negative stereotypes. What he told me surprised me.

Did you know that when you purchase a used Honda from a dealership you can expect a 150+ point inspection--that includes inside, outside, mechanical AND cosmetic? And even if you are purchasing a non-Honda used car from a Honda dealership (I didn't even know that was possible!), that car is subjected to a 120 point inspection. Dang!




One this is for sure: These guys want you to feel confident with the car you are purchasing and they will go to great lengths to make sure you feel that way.

Follow Lindsey Redfern of The R House as she falls in love with the 2013 Honda Odyssey. A reformed SUV enthusiast, she has seen the light and is passing her excitement onto you in the form of really sweet deals. Get all the details on how she can save you a little cash.

Because it is one billion degrees outside.

It is one billion degrees outside.

ONE BILLION.

You know what's awesome? Opening your minivan doors and trunk with your key fob and thereby cooling off your one billion+ degree minivan.

It is the. absolute. best. because it is one billion degrees outside and melting is so Wicked Witch of the West.

That is all.

Follow Lindsey Redfern of The R House as she falls in love with the 2013 Honda Odyssey. A reformed SUV enthusiast, she has seen the light and is passing her excitement onto you in the form of really sweet deals. Get all the details on how she can save you a little cash.

Minivan Moms Gone Wild (Honda of Orem Style)

Last week my besties and I randomly found ourselves test driving cars.

Minivans to be exact. Yes, minivans. We, three SUV enthusiasts, were ewwwing and ahhhhing over buttons that open automatic doors, shade screens that pull out of the doors and extensive trunk space. Who would have thought?!

When is the last time you test drove a car?


I mean, c'mon. It was so random, but so fun. We laughed and laughed and laughed. It was the kind of fun that you really can only have with your girlfriends--silly, a little bit annoying and we found ourselves asking way too many questions about the car as we forced our test driving chaperone to go through the drive thru with us (we needed drinks, it was a billion degrees).

Mike Johnson was kind enough to put up with our shenanigans, bless his heart, and when we were too scared to see what would happen if you left your hand in the automatic door's path, he took the bullet for us.

(Incidentally, it did not even come close to hurting him or crushing his hand. Totally safe for kids.) We thank him for being our crash test dummy. And for being so patient with us as we literally checkout out every square inch of the car, testing every button and inspecting all the gadgets.

(Doesn't Mike look terrified? I love it. Minivan Moms gone wild!)

In all seriousness though, I had no idea that you could just go test drive cars and ask a billion questions about them. My friend ended up buying one of the minivans we drove (she's a convert too!) and I was impressed with how real and down to earth Mike was. I have never had so much car shopping fun in my life! I was so glad that I could help her get $500 off.

You know about my sweet gig with Ken Garff Honda of Orem, right? Just mention my blog and they will give you $500 off (new, used, trade in, lease, whatever). And ask for Mike ...he is hilarious and I PROMISE YOU, compared to what we put him through, you cannot ask him too many questions. 

Thanks again Mike and Ken Garff Honda of Orem! It was a treat. A random, unplanned, spectacular treat!

Follow Lindsey Redfern of The R House as she falls in love with the 2013 Honda Odyssey. A reformed SUV enthusiast, she has seen the light and is passing her excitement onto you in the form of really sweet deals. Get the all details on how she can save you a little cash.

Safety First

When I was in high school, I was in a terrible rollover car accident.

The roof of the car essentially split the driver's seat head rest in two. I was pulled out of the car while hanging upside down by some people who saw the accident happen. Although it was 18 year ago, I can still picture their faces.

Having to call my parents from the ambulance was possibly one of the hardest things I have ever done. I was too shaken up and choked up to get the words out and the paramedic had to take over. I have no idea how I walked away with a minor concussion.

Since then, I have kind of hated driving. I drive slow anyway, but when our children came into our family ...I slowed down even more. Precious cargo! And my kids were all adopted so I know their birth families are counting on me too.

Driving a car that I feel safe in is one of the main things I look at when purchasing a new vehicle. And the Honda Odyssey has an incredible safety scorecard. U.S. News and World Report highlighted the best of the Odyssey's safety features and gave them an incredible numbers.

So, put your mind to rest when you are in behind the wheel of the Honda Odyssey. It is a beast in the safety department.

Follow Lindsey Redfern of The R House as she falls in love with the 2013 Honda Odyssey. A reformed SUV enthusiast, she has seen the light and is passing her excitement onto you in the form of really sweet deals. Get the all details on how she can save you a little cash.

The 3 Things I Love Most About the Honda Odyssey

I still feel new to this whole luxury minivan business.

Recently, a friend (and fellow Odyssey owner) asked me what I liked best about my van in comparison to my old SUV. I challenged myself to narrow it down to a soundbite, just three things. (For the record, I get asked this ALL THE TIME.)

Sliding Doors - There is something so magical about those doors. I can open and close them from my key fob, from my perch in the driver's seat, from the inside and the outside of each door. With these small kids, it makes a huge difference when it comes to getting in and out of the car. It just seems easier, smoother, the way driving should be.

No Climbing Over the Seats - Heaven help me, the climbing over the seats that happened in my SUV was driving me bonkers. With the seats that fold and move so easily even a kindergartener can do it or seats that can be removed altogether, no one is flinging their body over anything in the car. It's like my standard of living shot up overnight.

I alway bring my body guards when running errands. #momofboys

 

Storage Space - The Odyssey boasts a trunk that can fit my double stroller, an extra full-size car seat, bags of groceries and party supply items we picked up at the store, some weathered wood for an art project, 2 large drink dispensers for lemonade and 3 costume changes for the ninja superheros you see above ...and that was just from yesterday's stoppings. While the SUV I had been driving looks bigger, the actual space inside is much smaller.

What's your favorite feature?

Follow Lindsey Redfern of The R House as she falls in love with the 2013 Honda Odyssey. A reformed SUV enthusiast, she has seen the light and is passing her excitement onto you in the a form of really sweet deals. Get the all details on how she can save you a little cash.

Honda Odyssey: It practically cleans itself.

When I first test drove the Honda Odyssey, I was in awe of all the bells and whistles. I volunteered to drive everywhere so I could show it off to my friends and family. I am sure they got sick of my saying, "Check this out!"

After a long show and tell, I would conclude by proclaiming, "It practically does everything but clean itself!"

Then Honda announced that the 2014 model would include a vacuum.

<<<<<MIND EXPLOSION>>>>>

Although my 2013 doesn't have the ingenious vacuum feature (beware french fries of 2014, HondaVAC is looking at YOU), it does have all-weather mats which are equally as awesome.

Let's say you take a road trip and on the way home a certain kindergartener gets aggressive with dipping sauce for his drive-thru chicken. Let's say you look back in complete horror as the you see (almost in slow motion) the sauce drop from his darling hands and splatter on the floor of the car.

UGH. "Ain't nobody got time for that!"

And then I remembered the swanky mats I have covering the floor of the van! The All-Weather Mats that line the three passenger rows of my van (and I have the Trunk Tray too!), protected the car (and me) from extra clean up. It really is the car that cleans itself! Check this out, it's as easy as...

 

1. Pull the mat out of the car.
2. Spray with hose. Do not touch gross sauce with your finger.
3. Let dry in the sun while you water your flowers. (I should water my grass though, huh?)

  These All-Weather Mats are not just for the Odyssey ($205)--they are available for any Honda. Need them? (I personally think every mom should have one.) Just mention me ("Lindsey from The R House") and you will automatically receive 10% off. Use it to take your family through your favorite drive-thru ...and ask for extra sauce.

Follow Lindsey Redfern of The R House as she falls in love with the 2013 Honda Odyssey. A reformed SUV enthusiast, she has seen the light and is passing her excitement onto you in the a form of really sweet deals. Get the all details on how she can save you a little cash.

Mama Gets to Rock Out Too

 I love being a mom. Love it.

We had a hard time welcoming kids into our family as we battled the jungles of infertility. (It's National Infertility Awareness Week, by the way.) We were lucky and have been able to adopt three little boys.

Three little boys with big personalities. They are lovers of music, Star Wars junkies, Curious George enthusiasts, The Magic School Bus experts and everything in between.

Our old SUV didn't allow for mama to listen to her jams while the kids listened to theirs. And while I appreciate being able to quote you just about every line from Star Wars and sing along with Raffi's entire collection of songs, sometimes mama just needs to rock out on her own.

With the kids watching a show on the DVD Player of Awesomeness, I rocked out to some early 90's hip hop, of course. Those are my jams. I love that I only have to remember to bring my CDs in the car ONE TIME because the hard-drive loads my music and saves it in the music library.

  Since XM is available in the Odyssey as well, the husband and I love to reminisce those high school years with the 90's on 9. Something about those tunes bring out our own special kind of ridiculous...ly awesome!




Follow Lindsey Redfern of The R House as she falls in love with the 2013 Honda Odyssey. A reformed SUV enthusiast, she has seen the light and is passing her excitement onto you in the a form of really sweet deals. Get the all details on how she can save you a little cash.
      

She's Back! Top Utah Blogger Partner's with Honda of Orem

A Honda Odyssey is a heck of a minivan.  But we didn't know what to expect when, a die-hard SUV lover, Lindsey Redfern, tried it out for a week.  As one of Utah's top bloggers, (Mrs. R, yo, from The R House) she knows how to speak her mind.  But after driving around in the mother of all minivan's, Lindsey couldn't stop gushing.

"This car is brilliant."
"It was like the superhero in the Kindergarten pick up line."
"You can keep cool with a drink from the Cool Box."
"It has so much trunk space that my husband, the stroller and a full cart from Costco all fit nicely in the back."

(71% of these quotes are completely fabricated.  Go here to see what she actually said.)

She was converted.  She was fully invested.  Her heart only had room for an Odyssey.

So, it is our honor to announce the partnership of 

The R House and Ken Garff Honda of Orem. 

(Dreamy music playing)

Cleo (Lindsey and fam *named* the Odyssey) is back in her rightful home.  Lindsey's kids are jumping up and down.  And Lindsey's sweet little Kindergartener never has to struggle with the door again thanks to the power sliding doors of the Odyssey... I mean, Cleo.

For some of the most powerful and intimate writing I've seen (along with GORGEOUS photographs) read Lindsey's blog.  (This is one of the best, though most heart-wrenching, posts on her blog.)  Come along for the ride.  With adoptions, birth moms, cute kids and the Honda Odyssey, it will be fun to see what awaits Cleo and the R House.

Oh, and Lindsey will have a special--only for her readers--discount.  Watch for that, too.

Maybe We Are Minivan People--Honda Odyssey Test Drive

Lindsey Redfern from the R House was our third Blogger from the #HondaTestDrive.  She took the 2013 Honda Odyssey for a week.  Here is what she thought...

*****

Three years ago, we needed to purchase a new (to us) car.  

Because of my Infertility PTSD, we went with a Yukon even though Mr. R really wanted a minivan.  I just couldn't bring myself to purchase a minivan when I no idea if we'd ever be able to fill all those empty seats.  In my mind, those empty seats were less obvious in the Yukon.  Over the past 3 years, the third row of seats has been folded down most of the time.

Now, through some miracle of heaven, we have three children.  (Say whaaaaa? I still cannot believe it.)  We don't have very many empty seats any more ...and I am rethinking my stance on "not being minivan people."

Read the rest of Lindsey's post here.