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How this service can help organize your life online

How to get organized, for moms

Organize Yourself Online is a comprehensive service designed to make it easier than ever for you to get yourself organized

Your personalized program offers unique tools and ideas to organize yourself when and where you need it most – right at your PC desktop.

What You’ll Get with this Program

This service is packed full of great tips, ideas, tools and helpful resources to help you finally get organized – and stay that way!

  1. Get updated information on organizing techniques that really work.
  2. Track daily progress toward your personal goals.
  3. Get support from others in the exclusive community discussions.
  4. Review your new skills with customized quizzes.
  5. Develop organizing strategies with your personal journal.
  6. Answer your toughest questions with access to the experts.

You’ll also get a FREE copy of their book, Discover 28 ways to avoid procrastinating filled with quick tips to help you get in gear, and get motivated to move forward towards your goals!

Do you need help getting your life organized?

This resource has helpful information sections to address all of the areas that busy moms need help with, including:

  • Office
  • Household
  • Children
  • Managing Time
  • Financial Records

The past year has been a whirlwind for me – Having a baby, moving to a bigger new home that needs a lot of work, having family move in with me, starting a blog and other online businesses – and I’m realizing that I need to bump all of my organization methods up to a new level. When you have so much to do, and juggle so many different roles and responsibilities, you have to have awesome organization systems or you just can’t keep up with it all. Being organized keeps can help you feel SO much less stressed – You know where things are, and how to find them. You know you’re keeping the right records and information on file. You know what tasks need to be accomplished each day, so you never miss a deadline.

If this all sounds great to you – Check out OrganizeYourself.com today!

And, for more great tips – Check out more of my Busy Mom Solution resources:

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Posted by on March 5, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution, Blogging Tools | 5 Comments

Did This Major Brand Steal a Mom Inventor’s Idea? You Decide

As a member of the Mompact consulting team, I’ve spent a lot of time over the past year getting to know some amazing mom inventors – Women who saw a challenge in their daily family life, and invented a solution to solve it. These women are regular moms, just like you and I. They spend countless hours researching and planning, just to get their idea off the ground. Many of them spend their entire savings, and even take out loans – all to see that big idea, and that dream, turn into reality. And the rest of us moms benefit from their hard work, as their amazingly helpful problem-solvers hit the market, and we have access to them to solve our own busy mom challenges. Sounds like a great American story, right? It is – until it goes wrong.

Aqueduct, Prince Lionheart

What do you think?

You can see the post that I got this photo from on the Mompact Facebook page. The products look like a pretty similar idea, right? The one on the left is the Aqueduck, the product invented by a mom, and sold by Peachy LLC. She has filed for a patent, but didn’t have the process completed yet. The second image is from major brand Prince Lionheart. Now, I’ve always been a huge fan of Prince Lionheart products. I was a fan of theirs on Facebook, entered many of their giveaways, and have been considering purchasing some of their potty products, since it’s almost that time in our home. When I first heard that they had come up with a product that was incredibly similar to the Aqueduck, I thought that it must just be a very unfortunate coincidence. It’s not impossible for two companies to come up with a similar idea totally independently of one another. And earlier today, Prince Lionheart released a statement on their Facebook page stating that this was all a big misunderstanding.

BUT – Then I saw the advertisement image that Prince Lionheart released. The one above.

Take a closer look – Not at the product, but at the child’s hands. Do you see what shocked me so much? They are the SAME set of children’s hands that appear in the Aquaduck ad. Same palm filled with bubbles. Same everything. Under a similar shaped faucet, featuring a similar product. And the logo – The put theirs in a white box, and placed it in the same spot. Hmmmm, it’s getting harder to believe that this was just a coincidence. So I went to the source – as I mentioned, Prince Lionheart had posted a statement about this controversy on their Facebook wall. So, I commented on that thread with a link to the graphic above, and said that while I wanted to believe that they had not copied the mom inventor’s product, I was concerned about the similar image. My comment was promptly deleted, I was removed as a fan, and blocked from commenting on their page again.

Wow. Didn’t see that coming.

Another fan left a comment on their wall, asking why they would delete the photo comparison. Prince Lionheart responded by stating that the issue was due to a graphic designer that they had hired – they had no idea that he had taken an image out of the original Aqueduck advertising, and pasted it into their own ads. I gave it a little thought – Ok, maybe it was a stock photo. It’s possible that when searching for “child washing hands”, two separate designers might come across the same image. The “coincidence” was now getting harder to believe, but still possible.

Aquaduck Product Image

Except that it wasn’t a stock photo.

It was a photo of the inventor’s son’s friend. At a private photo shoot, for her own advertisements. So – what do YOU think? Here’s what I’ve found today, while looking into this:

  • A major brand comes out with a product that is almost identical to one invented by a mom, before she is able to get her patent processed.
  • Their statement says that they were not aware of her product, and did not copy the idea from her at all – But they DID copy an image directly out of her own ad, and used it to promote their own version.
  • Instead of responding to questions about this issue, they monitored their Facebook wall, removing any comments that were NOT in support of their side. They said that this was to stop the controversy – yet they allowed a long string of extremely negative and condescending comments towards the mom inventor.

Unfortunately, I didn’t think to take a screenshot of their wall earlier today – Because it is now not available. I’m guessing that they would not go so far as to delete it, so perhaps it’s just been “un-published” for now, so that no one can see or comment on the issue.

Share Your Opinion

What do you think? What would you do if this was YOUR product? A major brand like Prince Lionheart knows that a mom inventor with a small company doesn’t have the resources to challenge them in court. But perhaps the court of public opinion can make them realize their mistake here. If you’d like more information on this – Rebecca, from Smart Seat Covers wrote a post today from the viewpoint of a mom-inventor. And she brings up a good point – if we let this happen, then what about other small businesses? Rebecca says, “And because of the way that the patent system is structured, she has no legal rights until the patent on her product is issued. Even then, the piece of paper is only as good as the resources that she has to enforce it. If that is the case, where does this leave little companies like hers (and mine) whose products may be knocked off by larger, more established companies under the assumption that there is really nothing that the smaller companies can do?” If corporate America can just swoop in and take an idea from a small, mom-run business, and profit from it – and she doesn’t have the resources to fight it – that is bad news for entrepreneurs everywhere.

Two Sides to Every Story

Even if I give them the benefit of the doubt, and try to believe that the development of their product was totally independent of the Aqueduck, and not based on her design and idea – Their handling of this is completely unacceptable. I deal with negative comments on my own Facebook wall, when people don’t agree with things that I post. When a comment is extremely inappropriate, or is someone just clearly trying to cause trouble, then yes – I will delete them. But when people disagree with me, I discuss it. I always welcome respectful disagreement. I would never simply erase anything that wasn’t supportive of me. And to do so while allowing people to bad mouth the awesome woman who invented the other product being discussed? Prince Lionheart is a family-run business, creating products to help moms and their families – I would never have expected them to do something like this. Not cool, Prince Lionheart. Not cool at all.


Want to show some support for this amazing mom inventor? Leave her a comment of encouragement on her Facebook wall – Peachy LLC. Visit her website at Peachyco.com. Or purchase your own Aqueduck Bathroom Faucet Extender from Amazon.com.

Prince Lionheart may be able to delete our Facebook comments, but they can’t delete our messages on Twitter. Please retweet if you agree that this is NOT the way to market your products to moms. 

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Posted by on March 2, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | 65 Comments

Finding Balance in the Mom Life #InspireGaiamTV

 

“Problems arise in that one has to find a balance between what people need from you and what you need for yourself.” – Jessye Norman

This quote describes motherhood perfectly. When we become moms, suddenly there is out own heart out there, walking around in the world. Infants are so tiny and need so much care, there really isn’t much choice whether we put off our own needs for awhile, to give them the 24 hour care that they need. It seems like we have a hard time realizing that we can let go a little bit as they get bigger. You seldom hear men talk about not getting enough “me” time, right? So why do we have such a tough time realizing that while ensuring that our kids are safe, healthy, and happy is indeed our goals as moms – we still need to remember that we’re a person too! You’re not just a mom, your a chick who needs a life too.

Motivational quotes

“Balance your thoughts with action. If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done.” – Bruce Lee

You’re tired. You’re grumpy. You’re just totally lacking motivation. You feel like you’re always running a little behind – but don’t know how to catch up. You’re not enjoying yourself each day – but you’re too busy to slow down and figure out how to enjoy things. Any of that sound familiar? If so – You, my friend, are unbalanced. But as always, I’ve found another “Busy Mom Solution” to help! Let me introduce Gaiam TV!

“Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.” – Thomas Merton

Gaiam is a company that totally understand this challenge – and is focused on helping you become balanced again. From their amazing work out videos {their maternity yoga videos were my very favorite, even after Abby was born} – to their inspirational documentaries, they are all about motivating you to think positively, finding easy solutions for healthy living, and sharing ways to renew your spirit. Pretty much, they’re like that one totally amazing girlfriend who always knows the right thing to say to keep you moving on a positive path in life.

What Inspires Me: No matter what they say, you can’t ever really do it all. But you can do it better. So my motivational motto is “Do your best, and forget the rest!”

They’ve always offered amazing videos and tools for wellness – and now they’ve put together a whole online television channel, devoted to YOU!

Gaiam TV, online television

What Will You Find on Gaiam TV?

You’ll find so many things to get you rockin’ a balanced life again  – from Inspirational Movies to booty-shakin’ workout videos, there’s something for every mom, every lifestyle, and every need.

Try Gaiam TV for FREE! Sign up for a 10-day, totally free trial today!

Gaiam TV streams to you anywhere – on your laptop, iPad, or smartphone. No more buying new workout videos all the time – just try a new one whenever your in the mood, at the touch of a button. There are no commercials, you can watch as much as you want with no limits, and there is no way you won’t see a difference in your life after bringing Gaiam TV into it!

Want to WIN your own awesome subscription? I’m giving one of you lucky readers a full 3-month free subsciption – Enter here today! {Until 3/9/2012}

{Disclosure: This promotional sponsored post was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Thoughts are my own. All prizing for MSM giveaways is handled by a third party unless otherwise noted. For this reason, prize fulfillment can take up to 90 days after the winners information is received.}

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Posted by on March 2, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | 15 Comments

Smart Solution: Seriously Simple Shared Schedules

Is the Mister going to be home for dinner? Does that business meeting conflict with basketball practice? Game night, girl’s night, date night… keeping everyone’s schedules straight in my work and family life is a herculean effort. To manage everyone’s coming and going, I need something more than just a place to jot things down (sorry, paper calendar). What I need is a system that truly supports me and helps me get through my day, one commitment at a time.

Google Calendar

That’s why I can’t live without Google Calendar. Let me count the ways I love it: I can use it anywhere (so every device I have gets me where I’m going), it’s easy to share schedules, so I can coordinate efforts with co-workers and significant others, aaaand it’s free.

Watch this week’s Twirl to learn to see why gCal and I have a standing appointment….

Um, can you say life changing??

Ok, maybe that sounds dramatic. But for me – it’s true. Let me tell you a little story about how I found out about Google Calendar…. I have an incredibly packed full calendar. Between my family, freelance work, my Examiner column, and work for this site – there are a lot of deadlines, appointments, and commitments to keep track of. I was struggling to keep it all straight – and had asked around for suggestions. Google Calendar sounded like the best fit for me, so one night I open it up, and add a couple of things to it to see how it worked. Seemed cool, figured I’d mess around with it later the next day, when I had some free time.

Technology is Freaky Smart

The next morning, an alarm went off on my iPhone, reminding me of a conference call I had in an hour. Whaaaat the? I did NOT add an alarm for that??!! Then I realized, I had put that on the gCal. How the heck did it sync itself to my phone? I have no idea. Seriously, I’m tech challenged like that. {Which is why the tips from Digitwirl are so perfect for me} – but now, I’ve been sloooowly learning how it all works, and I can’t believe how much more organized I am!

Are you a gCal girl?

I can’t wait until Digitwirl shares some user tips about gCal, to help me learn all of the cool tools better. Do you use it too? If you’ve got questions – Head over to their Facebook wall to post ’em up! They are SO great at helping me whenever I need a great product suggestion, or when I need help figuring something out. These ladies are total genius rockstars, no lie. Check them out – Digitwirl on Facebook.

Find more Smart Solutions for Busy Moms, and Tech Tips Made Simple on Pinterest!

Digitwirl.com, Carley KnoblochDigitwirl is the weekly web show that offers simple solutions to modern day problems. In 3 minutes, Digitwirl brings busy women the very best time, money, and sanity-saving technology, and then teaches them how to use it, step-by-step. Digitwirl was created by technology lifestyle expert Carley Knobloch, who uses lots of technology to manage her busy life as mom of two and entrepreneur. Become a subscriber to get weekly show alerts and exclusive deals at Digitwirl.com, or follow Digitwirl on Twitter at @digitwirl.

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Posted by on February 29, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | 12 Comments

Sunshine is on the Way: 3 Spring Looks for Busy Moms

I looooove warm weather fashions. As I told you before – I live in flip flops and sandals year round. Love ’em. And no, I don’t live somewhere sunny and warm like California… I’m actually a couple of states higher, up here in the Pacific Northwest. The part of Washington that I live in sees big snow all winter – but that still doesn’t stop me from wearing open-toed shoes even when everyone else has their toes bundled up in 3 pairs of socks and chunky boots. So, I’m excited for the sunshine to come back again and warm my poor frozen toes…. {So I’m a little quirky – aren’t we all?} I recently received a new pair of totally amazing sandals from Earth Footwear, and wanted to put together a few great looks to feature the shoes for spring….

Pretty Beachy


“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” – Coco Chanel

In my “old life”, pre-baby and blog, I used to work in Fashion Merchandising and Retail Management. While I don’t miss the long, unpredictable hours, or the high stress levels – I really do miss the creativity. Which is why Polyvore is one of my favorite new sites – It reminds me of putting together new fashions for display windows in the boutiques I used to work in. I used to LOVE dressing up each day – but as a busy work-at-home mom, that’s not exactly practical, right? {When will a designer make fashions that looks good with peanut butter and dried cheerios stuck on it?….} So I’m all about looks that are pretty, but still super easy to wear. This picture above perfectly captures how I feel about the warmer months – and features the super comfy Jacaranda sandals from Earth Footwear that I told you about! These shoes are a total shocker – they look like they’d be tough to wear, right? With the straps and heel and cut-outs? But they are one of THE most comfortable shoes I have ever worn, no joke. I love the way that they’re just dressy enough to work with the pretty accessory pieces to boost this casual denim short look up a notch. Love this.

Weekend Date Night


“While clothes may not make the woman, they certainly have a strong effect on her self-confidence — which, I believe, does make the woman.” – Mary Kay Ashe

I love how The Jacaranda works just as well with a dress as they do with cut-off denim shorts! The laser-cut design is so delicate that it makes it more of a dressy sandal – but it’s got awesome features like a cushioned footbed, padded heel area, and reinforced arch support which make them feel as good as your favorite sneaker. Seriously. This shoes comes in 3 other color choices too – Black, White, and Regal Red. But I’m lovin’ how this neutral color works SO well with everything for spring! A dress like this would be so simple to throw on for a night out – the ruffled neckline brings attention to your face and away from trouble spots, and the tie-waist will define your middle. The bright accessories add a pop of color, and make sure you don’t feel like a boring mom. And the shoes give you the comfort to dance all night – {Or, as long as the baby sitter is available. But you know what I mean.}

Spring Flowers


“A girl should be two things, classy and fabulous.” – Coco Chanel

Another perfect spring look that anyone can pull off – Can you believe how these great sandals from Earth’s Spring Collection work perfectly with this look too? Shorts, dresses, and now capris – these shoes work great with any spring length. They’d even work well with some skinny jeans or a long summer dress too. And – the best part about these sandals?  The Spring/Summer 2012 Earth Collection is all under $100!  Prices range from $79-$99, and you can check out the full collection here: Earth – Step into Wellness! A well-made pair of shoes that is this comfortable and versatile is well worth it – you can wear these all spring AND summer.

Perfect Way to Celebrate Springs Arrival – Spa Sweepstakes!

Earth Footwear would love to have you register as part of their Inner Circle – and you’ll be eligible to win various contests and prizes that they offer to their most loyal fans throughout the year. Don’t want to miss anything? Follow Earth Footwear on Facebook to learn about their latest contests and winners – and be the first to learn about new products and promotions. {Check out all of the comments from amazingly happy fans on their wall too – If I haven’t convinced you to get a pair of these shoes for spring, they will!}

Spa Sweepstakes – Enter to win a Trip to a Special Place on Earth!

What is YOUR favorite spring fashion?

Are you a sunshine girl like me – or do you prefer cozy sweaters and warm boots? Are there any other crazy ladies out there who wear flip flops in the snow too? What fashions are you most excited about this spring – Neutrals? Bright colors? Dresses and skirts – or cut-offs and swim-suits? Share in the comments – I love to hear from you guys! And to see more of my favorite Busy Mom Inspired Fashions, check out my board on Pinterest!

{Disclaimer: I was compensated by Global Influence as part of a Bookieboo LLC campaign w/ Earth Footwear. All opinions are 100% mine, and the spring looks created here are my own design. I really do love the heck out of these shoes, and I know you will too!}

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Posted by on February 28, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | 6 Comments

Moms & Money: Top 5 Free Tools to Make Finances Fabulous!

Moms and Money

Moms & Money

Moms are responsible for most of the household spending – from groceries, to school clothes, to new curtains, most of the family shopping is up to us. So why is that so many women don’t know much about financial tools and planning? Sure – we may be great at clipping coupons and sticking to a budget, but there are way too many women who don’t know enough about their personal finances, or have a plan for their future. After talking with some girl friends this weekend, I found that this is often because so many finance articles, books, and websites are written to target guys – making the info not relevant to us, or just plain boring. That led me to put together this list just for you ladies – I’ve rounded up some great tools and resources focused on moms and money that are all fun and simple to get started with.

My Top 5 Free Financial Tools for Moms

Whether you’re a busy stay-at-home mom, a mompreneur, a mom who commutes to the office each day, or even a single gal in need of some finance tips – I think you’ll find a few great tips here to help. And if you have some favorites that aren’t on this list, I’d love for you to share them in the comments, so everyone can benefit from your genius money tips too!

  1. Free Financial Bootcamp: Get a daily email for 10 days, with new daily to-do’s that will help you reach your financial goals. You’ll figure out where you’re overspending, create a budget you can actually stick to, and learn to dream big and plan for a fabulous future. This is one of my favorite sites, and is filled with info that makes finance fun and fashionable. I know you’ll love it too. Learn more and sign up here – Free Financial Bootcamp for Women.
  2. Free Book and Worksheets: Visit a totally fabulous site – Mainstream Mom – to get access to a huge resource of great $mart Mom Printables, from meal planning to paying off debt. And make sure to grab her free ebook too, 7 Simple Strategies to Take the Stress Out of Money Management. Between the website and the book, there is loads of amazingly helpful info here.
  3. TurboTax Free Tax Assistance: This is how I’ve done my taxes every year since I was 20 years old. It worked great for my simple returns then, and has worked just as great as I’ve gotten older, and had more complicated returns. This year, since it is my first year earning a business income from my blog and freelance work, I’ll have to get some help from a local accountant. But after that, I’m confident that I can go back to TurboTax – It’s such a great tool, and the perfect solution for people who want to do their taxes themselves.
  4. Free Workshop: This is only 30 minutes long, but it sounds like it’ll be packed full of great info! This webinar is a partnership between Daily Worth and Mint – both are a couple more awesome sites that I totally love. This event happens on a Thursday, March 8th, at 8pm EST. You can register here – Take Control of Your Finances– and learn how to better understand your money and make smarter choices every day. Daily Worth is a cool community of women who talk money advice – sign up for their daily updates for awesome info.
  5. Mint.com: Speaking of Mint… This is my FAVORITE tool for managing my money. It’s super simple {and free!} to get started, and very intuitive and easy to figure out. You can organize all of your spending – see all of your accounts in one place, set budgets, track your expenses, and more. This is a total must-have for busy moms, seriously.
  6. Mompreneur’s Challenge: Join the 30-day Mompreneur’s Challenge, and get a new challenge emailed to you each day. Business Among Moms describes it, “Our Challenge is a series of 30 tasks in the areas of marketing, budgeting, social networking, organization and networking that will allow you to re-focus, learn new things and move forward as a professional mompreneur!” I signed up today, and am excited to see how it goes. I’m always on a mission to learn new tips!

 

What do YOU think?

Do you have a favorite online tool that you use to track your spending, grow your business, or plan for the future? Do you have any great money tips for moms? I’d love for you to share in the comments! And if this post helped you out, make sure to give it a retweet, and share it with your own networks of busy moms too. I look forward to reading the tips that you guys have to share here – You have such great ideas!

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Posted by on February 27, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | 3 Comments

Working Together to Support Busy Moms

mom-owned business, shopping, moms, mom business“I not only use all the brains I have, but all I can borrow.” – Woodrow Wilson

I love this quote… And I think that it applies perfectly to the idea of being a Mompreneur. Being a mom is a busy job in itself. When you add in the housework, running kids around, meals, and time with your Mister – it starts to get a little stressful. When you add a full-time job on top of that – Whew! Life can get a little bit overwhelming, right? So, as busy moms, we need to support each other in every way that we can. Moms are smart, and when we work together, we can do some pretty great things! That’s my passion here with this site – finding and sharing the best Busy Mom Solutions – to help solve some of those challenges we all face. And as a mompreneur myself, I understand how tough it can be to run a business while also running a household, so I love to support other women in business. Which is why I am excited to introduce you to a couple of great sites today – Seed Mommy and The Mommy Shops!

Why these sites rock

The Mommy Shops is a unique marketplace featuring products made by, sold by and invented by Moms. As a Mompact consultant, I’ve seen how very hard mom business owners work to build their brands, market their companies, and balance it all while taking care of their family too. It is so very important that whenever we can, we moms shop other Mom Businesses.  We are helping them make ends meet for their family, keeping them home with their kids instead of working outside the home and helping them grow their business one sale at a time.  Target and Walmart won’t miss you. It can be so tough for smaller, mom-owned businesses to get their products marketed to a large audience, since they just can’t compete with the huge resources that the big brands have. So The Mommy Shops is a great solution that helps us all work together to support each other:

  • If you’re a mom with a business: It’s only $3.99 a month to feature your products with them in your own Mommy Shop, which is an amazing way to work together with other business-minded moms and boost your brand!
  • If you’re a mom who shops: And of course you are, right? We moms do the majority of the family shopping. You can visit one of the great shops on their site, and use your purchasing power to support other moms!

I love sites that make it easy for me to do something good – And using my dollars to support great women making great products is perfect. You know that when moms invent a product, it’s because they saw a challenge in their busy life, and wanted to solve it. And moms put so much heart into what they do – ensuring that get not only an awesome product, but also a wonderful experience too.

Seed Mommy – Your Mompreneur Resource

The Mommy Shops has a partner site too – SeedMommy.com is their advice site. There you’ll find resource info on how and where to market your Mom Owned Business, and tools to help it grow. They even have a great giveaway going on now – one lucky winner will receive a prize package that includes lots of free advertising, a brand makeover including new logo, SEO Services, PR services, and so much more. They’ll also share information on the fabulous services SeedMommy has used over the years to help them grow. This could be a great boost to your business – and you can enter until March 30th, 2012.

Enter The Mommy Business Makeover Contest!

While your there, check out the other great services that they offer, too. You can add your blog or business to their directory – it’s only $10 to join the SeedMommy Business Directory for a full year. That’s less than a $1 per month! And make sure to sign up for their newsletter, to stay updated on great new updates. Whether you’re a blogger, in direct sales, run an Etsy shop or sell your own invented products – SeedMommy can be a great resource for you.

Social Media Junkie?

I’m a total social media junkie – so I love to find great new companies to follow. It’s the easiest way for me to stay updated on things, since I’m always checking my profiles throughout the day! And you’re in luck – both SeedMommy and The Mommy Shops can be followed…

Find SeedMommy and The Mommy Shops on Facebook, and follow them on the fabulous Pinterest too!

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Posted by on February 27, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | 3 Comments
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