Busy Mom Solution

Style Tips to Makeover Your Man – #MaLoUnderwear

“Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury.” – Coco Chanel… So, I love my mister. After almost 8 years together, I know his fabs, and his flaws. I accept ’em all, I love him no matter what… but that doesn’t mean that I don’t give him “encouragement” for changes once in awhile, lol. And one of those BIG encouragements come in the wardrobe department. When I met Mike, he was a pretty trendy guy. He was always really well put together, never one of those guys that needed a chick to tell him what matched. {I’ve known a LOT of those types of guys.} But, he’s suffered from the same problem I have over the past couple of years – as we both work from home, and it’s easy to get into a habit of sweats, tees, and other sloppy stuff. That’s ok – it’s comfy, it’s easy to chase a toddler in – but it’s not very stylish. And with a few big events on the horizon, I needed to upgrade us both to some new styles. If you have a mister in need of a mini-makeover, keep reading for a little inspiration…

“All it takes are a few simple outfits. And ther’s one secret – The Simpler The Better.” – CARY GRANT

This is what I’m working with now – All Carhartt shirts, all the time. Ok, he might mix it up once in awhile with a racing shirt from one of his events. But mostly it’s a Carhartt shirt in some shade of blue or gray. Matched with jeans or sweats. And since he works on race cars so often, most of these shirts are pretty beat up. I mean, it’s not horrible – I am a fan of Carhartt. But it’s not exactly the type of thing for dinner dates or a night out, you know?

“Delete the negative; accentuate the positive!” – Donna Karan

We headed to one of my fave stores to shop for Mike’s updates – Target. {See my shopping trip details on Google+.} I love Target fashion – a good mix of basics and trends, at super affordable prices. I picked up a couple of new summer dresses for myself, some cutie patootie shorts outfits for Abby, then we headed back to the Menswear section to get shopping for Mike. He HATES shopping, so I knew this was going to be a bit of a challenge…

MaLo Underwear for Men from Mario Lopez – Now at Target

You can’t build something great without the right foundation, right? So new undies and tee’s were at the top of my list! I’m sure that many of you ladies have men with closets like my Mister’s – the oldest, dingiest, most worn out undershirts, and boxers from 10 years ago. Seriously, why is it so hard for them to buy new ones?? Luckily there was a big selection of the gear I came looking for – the new MaLo line from Mario Lopez. {Remember him? Saved by the Bell, and Dancing with the Stars?} He is just the most adorable guy, and a great example of good style. So we picked up a pack of these for Mike – and he was actually excited to get them. Score!

“The well-dressed man is he whose clothes you never notice.” – William Somerset Maugham

This is the outfit I picked out for Mike… He gave me a big ol’ “HECK no!” when I asked if he’d model his new gear for a pic to share. He hates pictures! But – here’s one of the outfits he agreed to – simple, still comfy, but much upgraded from his usual look. Here are a few of my style tips for guys:

Flat front: Mike’s shorts are a clean flat-front khaki. Always get flat-front – please, oh please, do NOT get pleated pants or shorts. They add a ton of bulk, are not flattering, and make you look like an old college professor. Not a trendy look, guys.
Layered: A layered look is always a good choice. In the summer it’s too hot for a lot of layers – but a cotton button up over a tee is perfect. In fall, you could add a hoodie or jacket too.
Mix it up: When layering, don’t always grab the basic white tee. Try a bright pop of color for fun – or even just a new neutral, like grey or beige. There are some really great choices from MaLo too – in super soft fabrics!
Keep it updated: Anything with stains, holes, or underwear that are over 10 years – it needs to go, guys. I know – it’s a shirt from your high school football days and it still fits {kinda} and you just can’t bear to part with it! Take a pic, put it in a scrapbook, and move on.

Even the most style challenged guy can handle some simple updates, like new undies and tees, and a shirt or two with a collar. And make sure to check out the MaLo Underwear section at your local Target, to pick up some great new gear for your mister while your updating his look.

Makeover Your Man!

Use these style tips, the great new line from Mario Lopez, {see more on Twitter with the #MaLoUnderwear tag, or follow Mario Lopez} and the affordable gear at Target to give your man a mini-makeover too. You can make it a total one-stop-shop experience too – you can pick up razors and shave essentials, new hair products, shoes and other dude accessories like a new wallet or watch, and even a new cologne. Then grab a cute dress and heels for yourself, and plan that much-needed night out. You deserve it!

MaLo is a Much Better Sight on Laundry Day!

Now, even though I still have to wash and fold a million old Carhartt shirts that are so stained you can barely even tell that hey have been washed, {seriously, so bad…} – at least there are new underwear and basic tees that are clean, non-stained, and hole free. And that’s a start, right? {I’m thinking that this Christmas, the magical closet fairy is going to come in on Christmas Eve and replace all those old ripped up tees with brand new Carhartt gear. He can’t get too mad about me throwing them out if I replace them, right? And maybe I can even sneak in a couple more shirts with collars…. }

Look for the new #MaLoUnderwear line at Target today!

I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and MaLo#CBias #SocialFabric. All photos, opinions, and overuse of exclamation marks is 100% my own. We loved this new line from Mario Lopez, and I know you will too.

Posted by Meagan Paullin on July 22, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | 2 Comments

Enjoy #PlatesofPork This Summer {RSVP for the Twitter Party & Prizes!}

Join @AllAboutPork, @theMotherhood & Me – to discuss tasty slow cooker pulled pork, a great dish for summer picnics and potlucks, and win prizes!

What: I am co-hosting a Twitter party with the National Pork Board and The Motherhood! We’ll be talking about recipe ideas for pulled pork – a tasty and versatile summer staple for potlucks, picnics and group gatherings – and giving away great prizes.

When: Thursday, July 19, 7-8 p.m. ET

Where: The party will take place on Twitter, using the #PlatesofPork hashtag.

Who: The National Pork Board (@AllAboutPork) and The Motherhood (@theMotherhood) will be hosting. You must follow both Twitter handles to be eligible to win prizes.

Prizes: Five prize packs will be given away throughout the hour, based on responses to trivia questions. Each prize pack will contain a $20 Walmart gift card, slow cooker, cutting board, three-piece BBQ tool set and sauce bucket/brush. You can see the prizes and official rules here: http://bit.ly/MnjOWv

RSVP: Let us know if you’ll be there! Click this link and press the orange “count me in” button on the right-hand side –http://twtvite.com/platesofpork

Share the fun!

7/19 at 7p ET – join a #PlatesofPork Twitter party about pulled pork! Win a $20 Walmart gc, slow cooker & more! RSVP: sunshineandsippycups.com/2012/07/enjoy-…

— SunandSipCups (@SunandSipCups) July 19, 2012

It’s not just Baby Talk! #Mompact Twitter Party July 26 – Join US!

One of the most difficult times I had after my first daughter was born was a couple months in when the “new baby” novelty wore off. I was sleep deprived, stressed, and lonely from missing all the “adult” time I had been used to for so long. Are you feeling that need for more connection with other adults? Then join us for a #Mompact Twitter Party on Thursday, July 26 at 9pm ET. We’ll talk about babies, have prizes, connect with moms from all over, and focus on YOU too! Grab some wine, or tea, and tweet away with us.

We’ll be highlighting some great products for babies that were all invented by moms — regular moms like you who had a problem and discovered a solution.

It’s not just Baby Talk! #Mompact Twitter Party!

Date: Thursday, July 26th, 2012
Time: 9-10 PM ET
Moderator: @Mompact
Assistant Moderators:
@TheIQMom, @SunandSipCups, @HorridHousewife
Topic/Focus: Baby and Mom
Hashtag: #Mompact

Prizes: Baby Dipper Bowl, Sticky Bellies Milestone Stickers, Baby Fashion from Liv and Lily, DiaperBuds
PaciPlushies Universal Pacifier Plush Attachment, Babee Cover 6-in-1 Covee, and MORE to be announced soon!
Questions: Email Nicole at mompactpromo@gmail.com
Join Us: TweetGrid

Pre-Tweet to Win!

Join @Mompact for the #Mompact Twitter Party 7/26 at 9-10 PM EST for the chance to win Baby swag! sunshineandsippycups.com/2012/07/its-no…

— SunandSipCups (@SunandSipCups) July 19, 2012

Anyone who tweets this from now until the #Mompact Twitter Party will be eligible to win $10 Amazon gift card!

About the Party:

Check out our current giveaway which ends Sunday. You could win the whole bundle for baby including a CuddleCloth, HappiTummi, Appeteether, Babee Covee, PaciPlushies, and Bunvelope! Join us as we chat about our summer plans, great ideas for keeping kids entertained during those long summer days, and great products to help make it all easy!

RSVP NOW!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on July 19, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution, Blogging Events | No Comments

Potty Training Tips: Keeping It Going & Making it Fun

Potty Training: Phase 2, Keeping it Going… So, last month I told you guys about our start to this new adventure in Potty Training. And, while we haven’t seen as much success so far as I’d hoped – I have to remind myself, it’s only been about a month. SHE is ready. And I AM ready too. It’s just that potty training a toddler isn’t as simple as you both being ready – you also need a plan, the right gear and info, and some cool resources to make the whole process a little bit more fun.

The right gear for potty training a toddler

Part of having a good plan for potty training is to get the right gear. I totally advise having your little one help you pick out a potty chair, since that makes them more excited about using it. We LOVE ours from Munchkin – {disclaimer: We got this one free, since Abby was a member of the Munchkin Bunch.} It has a spot for flushable wipes, a deodorizer tablet that pops right in the lid, and will also work as a step stool once Abby moves to the big potty. Another great product to check out is Tidy Tots – this makes clean up when potty training amazingly simple, seriously. You can use the Potty Timer on the Pull-Ups site that I told you about last time to schedule in your plan – and it will give you a fun alert when it’s time to head to the potty again. Very helpful when you’re a busy mom trying to remember a million things each day! {For more potty training tips, see the infographic at the bottom of the post too.}

Disney Character Call makes Potty Training Fun!

I’d heard that having a “Character Call” from the Pull-Ups site was super helpful in keeping kids excited and motivated for potty training, so we scheduled one for ourselves. You have the choice to pick Cinderella, or Mater, from Cars. Since our DVD player still isn’t working, and Abby doesn’t know one of my favorite princesses, but she watches Cars all the time with her cousins – I chose to have Mater call her. And as you can see… She was super super surprised! She never gets to talk on the phone {we use Skype to keep in touch with our far away family} – so at first she was kind of confused as to why we were handing her the phone, lol. It cracks me up how worried she is for a minute… Then at the end, she realizes who it is, but she calls all of the cars on that show “McQueen.” She listened intently to the rest of the message, and finally got a smile. Then when it was over she was upset and wanted to call him again! She told us all night – “McQueen? Phone? Potty time?” We’ll have to try this again so she can hear the whole message – you can hear it yourself on the Pull-Ups Potty Break site – it gives kids a “Keep up the good work!” type of encouraging call to keep them excited about their progress. This is definitely a tool we’ll keep using!

Schedule your own Potty Break call with Cinderella or Mater today!

Browse more data visualizations.

Tell me, what are YOUR best potty training tips?

{Disclaimer: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Pull-Ups. I received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for participating. All video, opinions, and experiences shared here are 100% my own.}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on July 18, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | 8 Comments

Turn a Diaper Wipes Holder into a Cosmetics Bag for Mom

Chic and modern accessories created for women & babies. Mom-designed with today’s active lifestyle in mind…. Baby gear is cute, right? So darn cute actually, that you probably bought double the amount of baby stuff you actually needed when you were in those early days. I remember thinking that it seemed totally logical to have a fully stocked diaper bag for dad, and two for me – {a mini for quick trips out, and a full size for day trips} – even though we both work from home…. What was I thinking?? Lol. But it’s not totally your fault – it’s also partly due to the barrage of marketing that you face as a new mom – it can be super hard to wade through that and figure out exactly what it is you truly need. And that is why I’m here to share the first of a new series of posts to show you some great products that are worth your bucks – things that easily transition from baby, to toddler, and then into pieces that you can use yourself too! Ready? Ok – first product is from one of my FAVE brands: Buti-Bag.

The Bunvelope from Buti-Bag

This is such a smart solution – which is how you know it was invented by a mom, right? Yep, the Buti-Bag line of super trendy gear was started by a totally awesome chick named Nicole, {who I was lucky enough to get to meet and hang out with a bit at Reviewer’s Retreat recently} – read a little more about how her quest for a bag that could hold diaper essentials that was not only smart and versatile, but stylish too, led her to start her company. Love it. And I love all of her products too – here are a few reasons why:

Prints: Baby patterns and character designs are cute, but I’m more of a fan of modern prints. I had a super tough time finding gear to match the decor of my home, or diaper bag accessories that could transition to my purse without screaming “MOM OF A BABY” – which is why I absolutely adore all of the prints and materials that are used in all of Buti-Bag’s products.
USA: All Buti-Bag products are made right here in the USA. We all complain about how hard that is to find these days, so make sure to show this great company some support!
Multi-Taskers: I love, love, LOVE that since these don’t look like a baby product {although there are so many cute prints you’re sure to find the perfect one to match your theme} – so you can totally use them after that first year or two. They’re made so well that they last that long too!

So, well-made products created right here in the USA, in gorgeous fabrics and trims, that give you more than your money’s worth by pulling double duty after baby gets bigger? How much better can you get, honestly?

Trendy Diaper Wipes Case that looks sleek in your bag

Abby is almost 2, and we’ve started the potty training phase, but are still using Pull-Ups – which means I still haul a diaper bag with us when we’ll be away for more than a couple of hours. But I also like to have a stash of supplies in my regular purse – because as you know, an accident can happen even when you’re only out of the house for 5 minutes. But since I want something that can stay in my purse all the time, I want something that still looks cute – It’s embarrassing to finally get a girls night out, and have the waiter at a trendy new club see your nursery-rhyme covered wipes holder in your bag. Ugh. So I love that this just looks like a cute make-up bag or clutch.

Turn a Diaper Wipes Holder into a make-up bag for mom

As Abby gets bigger – I’ll be able to use this fun holder for my cosmetics… Which is what I’ve been doing when I travel. I love that I can have the wipes in the little resealable envelope – perfect for removing cosmetics – and it fits a surprisingly big selection of my fave pretty products. This makes it absolutely perfect for heading out to the gym, or traveling by plane. And – remember when I said it’s really well made? Well, the pics above were taken just a few days ago, but I’ve been using this bag for a few months. I throw it in my bag with TONS of other junk, toss it in the wash when needed, and it’s still looking new and crisp. This little Bunvelope rocks.

The Buti-Bag Co – Structure with Style

As you can see – the selection of prints and patterns is just perfect. The product line also includes the Bundle bag, super soft blankets, accessories like the Binkmeister, and the most stinkin’ adorable little iron-on bell bottoms you’ll ever find. {Stay tuned for Abby’s fashion shoot for back to school to show those off too!}

Shop the Buti-Bag selection of mom-designed modern accessories for moms and babies today – Sign up for their email to stay updated on new products and promotions too!

{Disclaimer: As a consultant working with Mompact.com to support women in business, I receive a complimentary sample from Buti-Bag to review and share with you. Only the best products make it onto this site. All photos, opinions, and over-use of the words like “amazing” and “awesome” are my own. Love this brand!}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on July 17, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | No Comments

How do you keep the love alive through the years? #HopeSprings

“It’s not too late for anyone who truly wants it and is willing to try.” – ‪#HopeSprings…‬ I don’t talk about my relationship much on this site. Mike’s kind of a private guy, so I try not to spill the beans on that part of my life too often. {Ok, maybe I share some secrets with my bestie girlfriends sometimes, even though I tell him I don’t. But that’s different… Lol.} But, to celebrate the launch of a seriously great new movie coming out that I’m pretty excited about, I agreed to do a few posts sharing a little more about us. So here goes…

Our Story…

I met Mike at the completely wrong time. I was just coming out of a bad breakup, and had no interest whatsoever in meeting anyone new. I went out with a girlfriend for drinks one night, and while I honestly almost never notice guys while I’m out {seriously, I don’t. I’m vary wary of guys I don’t know. There are just too many creeps out there.} – I did notice Mike. He’d walked by a couple of times, and it surprised me that I did notice him. He was cute. Nice eyes. But again – not interested. Not a good time. So when my best friend who worked at the bar came over to bring me a drink, and told me that Mr. Nice Eyes had bought it for me – I was a little thrown for a loop. Should I say hi? Invite him to join us since he was sitting alone? No, I didn’t want to meet anyone, right? So I ignored him.

Change of plans leads to change in my life…

20 minutes later my best friend came back and told me to get my booty over there and at least say thank you – that I wasn’t allowed to be rude to one of her favorite customers, lol. So… I get my courage, head over and ask him to join us, and guess what he says? He says, “No thanks. I’m just going to eat my nachos.” Ugh. And this is why I don’t talk to boys!! Turns out he was just embarrassed I’d ignored him, and wanted to quickly eat his food and leave. Poor guy. And lucky for me, he didn’t… He came to chat. We exchanged numbers. After a couple of lunch dates, we exchanged the best kiss I’d ever had – and I knew, this was the guy I’d been looking for. After an almost-disasterous first meeting, we’ve been together for almost 7 years now, and a beautiful little girl joined us 2 years ago. Expect the unexpected, right??

Celebrating Good times and bad

During those 7 years together, we’ve had tons of ups and downs. So I totally relate to this new Hope Springs movie coming out. It’s about an older married couple who have reached that point where the passion has kind of died down, that spark has dimmed, and uncertainty kind of sets in… Check out the clip, and I bet a lot of you ladies – even if you’re in the earlier stages of your relationship, can still relate to some of this –

Showing appreciation

To keep your relationship rockin’ – and not rocky – I think it’s super important to show your appreciation to each other as often as possible. I know that for us, he thinks I don’t notice the things that he does – like keep the pool clean, the car running smooth, and the house in great condition. But while he might fix the squeaky door or a broken cabinet, I feel like he doesn’t notice that I vacuum the room behind that door, or clean the dishes that go into that cabinet. So, while we work on remembering to say thank you daily for those basic little tasks – we also make sure to use holidays and anniversaries as a chance to give a big thank you to each other for all that we each contribute. And what bigger thank you date is there than your anniversary, right? {It’s September 27th honey, if you forgot….} And since we’re talking about celebrating the ups and downs, I’ll share my best – and worst! – gifts I’ve gotten these past 7 years:

Worst Anniversary Gift: Um, the year he forgot! That would definitely be the worst, lol. I had a really thoughful gift for him {I won’t mention it here, since there’s no need to brag. Let’s just say it was definitely awesome…} and I’d waited all day for him to bring up our anniversary, give me my card or gift, or invite me to dinner. Something. Anything. By 9pm that night I realized that there was no big surprise coming – tossed his gift bag at him and went to bed with a pout. I of course then felt like a meanie pants in the morning when I woke up to flowers and a beautiful card to start my day… He’d gotten the date wrong, and thought it was the 28th. All was forgiven :)
Best Anniversary Gift Ever: The first year we had Abby. He planned a special day for all three of us as a new little family – we got some professional pics done, which I’d been really wanting, I got a mani-pedi, a wonderful dinner for the 3 of us at my favorite restaurant – just perfect. He’s still a keeper.

Share some comments with me – what are your best and worst anniversary memories? Do you relate to the movie clip – trying to keep that first-met first-love type passion going in your relationship after real life settles in? I want to hear your thoughts…. And if you’d like to see more clips of the movie before it comes out next month – connect with them on Pinterest and Facebook too!

Sony Pictures Presents “Hope Springs”, A new comedy from the director of “The Devil Wears Prada” starring Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones, and Steve Carell. Watch the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-s22_Mvikl8.

{Disclosure: Compensation was provided by SONY via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of SONY.}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on July 16, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | No Comments

Design Trends: Black & White, Zebra, and Pretty Prints!

“Just because it’s practical doesn’t mean it can’t be cute!” – Laurie Noel Meek of Office Candy… As a professional organizer, Laurie Noel Meek had a super tough time finding a the type of fun, modern, and totally functional office and home products that she needed for her clients. So finally, she did what so many other women do when faced with a challenge that has no good solutions available – she started her own company! Office Candy has seriously cool gear that will liven up your office space, or any kids back-to-school supplies.

Hot this Fall: Zebra print supplies for home and office

How much do you LOVE this stuff, right? Black and white is always a winning color combo – every year, every season. And these fun zebra print accessories just give it a little more pizazz! I’m totally going to have to pick up one of these great file folders – such a sleek way to carry my files to meetings with clients, or even just to Starbucks to work {you know, without a bunch of kids running around the house wild while I’m trying to think….Lol}. And since I’m a bit of a clipboard junkie – I use ’em for so many things to organize our home! – the pretty selection on Office Candy makes my heart smile a bit.

Life is too short to be boring!

One of my fave products from Office Candy is this stinkin’ adorable iPhone cover from Lilly Pulitzer. I am SUCH a big fan of Lilly Pulitzer prints – so pretty and feminine, yet still modern and right on trend. I adore this preppy color combo for summer – the pink and green are just so bright and fun. And it wears well – My cell phone goes through a ton of abuse, being thrown in purses and diaper bags, traveling, and being chewed on periodically by a toddler. {And yes, I have been known to spill a drink or two on my iPhone before. I claim that my phone is lush, and does it on it’s own. But that’s another story…} A few of the “pretty” covers I’ve used ended up looking worn out really quickly, so I had to stick with my industrial looking black rubbery cover to protect it. But – I’m very excited about this one from Lilly Pulitzer. Two months in, still perfect. {The pic above is what it looks like TODAY, after two months of use.} Rockin’.

More Lilly Pulitzer Products

If you’re a big fan of Lilly Pulitzer too – check out some of the other fun supplies you can stock up on to make your office space a little prettier too! {And, wouldn’t a big basket of these goodies make an awesome gift for a new grad heading off to college this fall?} There are a couple of other prints to choose from too – all totally deliciously pretty like this.

For great tips on getting (and staying) organized, check out Laurie’s Blog, or sign up for her “Organizing Tip of the Day” weekly recap email on her Organizing site: www.LNMOrganizing.com. And you can stay updated on new products and promotions by following her on Facebook and Twitter too!

And for more awesome office inspiration and ideas – check out my board on Pinterest!

{Disclaimer: I was provided with a complimentary product from Celebrity Baby Trend Expert, Rachel Florio-Urso to evaluate for consideration on this site – Only the best products make it onto Sunshine and Sippy Cups! All opinions here are 100% my own.}