Busy Mom Solution

Busy Mom Solution: Forgot to Get a Gift? Fix it in Seconds!

No matter how organized you may be, everyone’s had that “Whoops! I forgot to get my (fill-in-the-blank) a gift!” Whether it’s the holidays, someone’s birthday or a baby shower, no one likes being empty handed and under the gun.

Giftzip.com

Which is why we suggest Giftzip.com–a site that features hundreds of e-gift cards from Amazon to Zappos. Select the card and then Giftzip zips you right to the gift card section of that merchant’s website where you choose the amount and delivery method.

A super helpful app!

And speaking of cards, it doesn’t get easier than the RedStamp app. Free customized e-cards for every occasion that you can send straight from your iPhone, iTouch or iPad via email, text, or even high-quality postcards.

Check out this Twirl to see how quick and easy sending last-minute gifts can be…..

What do you think?

I signed up for this app before I was even done watching the video, lol. Totally amazing, and oh-so-super helpful! There are SO many times that I’ve forgotten a friends birthday until I see it in my Facebook reminders – {oops!!} – But with this totally user-friendly and very fun app, I can “send” them a personalized card instantly, and they’re so cool, no one will ever have to know I forgot. {You won’t tell, right?} And how amazing is the ability to send out a gift card directly to the recipients cell phone? Now that is a great way to surprise the hard-to-impress teens in your life. As busy moms, it can be tough juggling all of the demands of your hectic days – which means birthdays, anniversaries, and other special events can slip your mind. Thank goodness the totally awesome ladies at Digitwirl are here to bring you new tips each week that seriously save the day!

Digitwirl 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.

Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 27, 2011 Filed Under: Holidays, Busy Mom Solution | No Comments

Favorite Quotes About Motherhood – #Heres2Mom

My Favorite Motherhood Quotes

“Making the decision to have a child – It’s momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.”
– Elizabeth Stone
“It’s not easy being a mother. If it were easy, fathers would do it.”
– The Golden Girls
“A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.” – Tenneva Jordan
“I want my children to have all the things I couldn’t afford. Then I want to move in with them.” – Phyllis Diller
“A mother never realizes that her children are no longer children.”
– James Agee
“Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother.”
– Lin Yutang
“A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child.”
– Sophia Loren
“The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new.” – Rajneesh

“All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.” – Abraham Lincoln

Who else loves their momma? I bet you’re nodding your head right now, saying, “Heck yes I love my momma!” – Moms make the world go ’round. I’ve realized how much I took for granted as a child – Becoming a mother myself made me finally truly appreciate everything that my mom did for me. So, if you’re a last minute shopper, and haven’t gotten that perfect gift yet for YOUR mom – I’m here to save the day! What’s better to send then gorgeous holiday flowers, and a heartfelt note in a card, right?

Beautiful fresh-from-the-field flowers from just $19.99. Plus you’ll receive a Free Vase with your order. Click Here to order yours NOW for Holiday Shipping!

Now you Need a Card too!

If running out to grab a card, get stamps, write a nice message, AND remembering to get it into the mailbox is too much for you during this last minute rush, no worries – Check out one of the great sites that can send a card for you! MoonPig.com lets you personalize any card with photos and text, Paperless Post lets you send some beautiful Online Cards – or just use the card option that comes along with the flowers! Whatever you decide to use, check out some of my VERY favorite quotes about moms above – feel free to use one of them, to show mom that you really do understand how hard she works, and how much you appreciate her.

Here’s To Mom Promotion!

Remember the cool promotion that I told you about, the Here’s to Mom Promotion from MasterCard? Spend $200 bucks online, by the end of this month, and you’ll get a totally FREE Gift Card back after the holidays – to spend on something nice, just for you. It’s just another way to reward yourself for all of the great things YOU do. Make sure to register your card – Here’s to Mom Sign Up – so you can earn towards your freebie when shop for cards and flowers!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 20, 2011 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution, Shopping, Holidays | 1 Comment

Celebrating Motherhood – MommyParties Sponsored by Pregnancy 2.0

“When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child.” – Sophia Loren

As moms, we always want the very best for our kids. Most of us are on tighter budgets than we were a few years ago, so finding the highest quality baby products, that can grow with our kids, and provide the best benefits – is so important. That’s why I was incredibly excited to be a part of the latest event from MommyParties – a party to celebrate Motherhood, sponsored by Pregnancy 2.0! I set a date, and invited a big group of my best mom – and momma-to-be! – friends, and eagerly awaited the products to arrive. Well, I was blown away by how amazing everything was! Check out the products that we tested at the party…

“Making the decision to have a child – It’s momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.”– Elizabeth Stone

A stroller and car seat are two of the most important purchases you make for a new baby. Safety is top priority, obviously. You also need products that are durable, since they get used daily. You need something that is easy to use – when you’ve got a fussy baby, you do NOT need any extra hassle. And something that looks good is of course a bonus, right? Well – the Britax B-Safe Infant Car Seat partnered with the Britax B-Ready Stroller are one of the best investments that you can make. I cannot say enough good things about these – this stroller is the best that I have ever tried. Like, way better.

“It’s not easy being a mother. If it were easy, fathers would do it.” – The Golden Girls

This stroller is a total Busy Mom Solution products, and I’ll do a full review on it soon. But here are the basics of what I love: It’s made of amazing material – looks great, and is really stain-resistant. It snaps together quickly – about 5 minutes from box to baby. It handles well – super smooth to keep baby comfortable and safe. And as you can see above – it’s totally innovative, and folds up quickly with one hand. It’s so small and easy to carry around when it’s folded up – surprisingly light for such a durable stroller! And the Britax B-Ready Car Seat snaps right onto it, easy peasy.

“A mother is she who can take the place of all others but whose place no one else can take.” – Cardinal Mermillod

Another awesome product that we were able to try on and test out, was the Britax Baby Carrier. I have used 4 different carriers with Abby – but this is by far the best. What I really like about is how easy it is to put on by myself – with other carriers I needed help getting them on and secure, or to get Abby into it. But this is very simple – you slip it over your head, put your arms through the openings, then latch it in the back. To put the baby in, there are two super easy clasps – to crazy buckles to fuss with when you’re trying to maneuver a baby. And, it comes with a little zip-in pouch inside, to hold an infant securely, and can zip out when baby gets bigger. There is also an extender you can purchase to help it be more comfortable for toddlers like Abby. I love products that can grow with baby like this.

“To a child’s ear, “mother” is magic in any language.” – Arlene Benedict

We tried out some other amazing products too – you can check out the rest of my party pics on Google+ –

Google+ MommyParties sponsored by Pregnancy 2.0 Party Album!

After having some time to try everything out, the guests all had a chance to fill out a Britax survey, to share their helpful feedback on the products. All of the surveys went into a bag, and one lucky winner got to take home a big prize from Xlear and Spry – {You may remember that I did a review of their products a few months ago. Love them!!} and a couple of other momma’s won super adorable Snuggle Buddies too – which Abby loved so much, I had to go and buy her one after the party.

“Only mothers can think of the future – because they give birth to it in their children.” – Maxim Gorky

I am so glad that I was able to check out all of these great products and great brands. It was awesome to get to share them with other moms who are in search of the best new items for their own babies – and I hope that some of this info helps you too. If you have used any of these products, I’d love for you to leave a comment with additional feedback, to help other moms who might be considering them. Or if you have a question – feel free to post it, and I’ll answer the best that I can. Investing in baby gear can be intimidating, and I totally understand how much work goes into finding the best fit for your family!

Thank you MommyParties and Pregnancy 2.0 for sponsoring this event!

Check out the full album of party pictures on Google+!

Follow MommyParties on Facebook to see more parties!

{Disclaimer: I was provided with complimentary products to evaluate, review, and share with friends. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 20, 2011 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | No Comments

Busy Mom Solution: STP Simplifies Car Care! #engineluv #CBias

“I drive way too fast to worry about cholesterol.” – Author Unknown

When I was approached about a new project to learn about the STP Multipurpose Motor Treatment, I knew that this one would have to involve Mike too – I don’t know much about car care at all. It turned out to be a great shopping experience – I learned a lot, and I’m excited to have him teach you some of the simple tips too! Who knew maintaining your car could be so easy?

“Driving a brand new car feels like driving around in an open billfold with the dollars flapping by your ears as they fly out the window.” – Grey Livingston

Mike – So many people make the big mistake of not doing regular maintenance on their vehicles. Even if you drive an older car, it’s still really important to take care of it. Changing your oil, using a good antifreeze, tire rotation – all important for keeping your vehicle running well. And a new product that I’m really impressed with that will help you out a lot is STP Multipurpose Motor Treatment. If you’re intimidated by car care – don’t be! This product is as easy as it gets – Step 1: Grab a bottle of the treatment at a local store like Walmart or Auto Zone, and open up your gas tank.

“Walking isn’t a lost art – one must, by some means, get to the garage.” – Evan Esar

Step 2: Pour it in your tank. I like to use a funnel, to minimize the chance of spilling, and to make the job faster. I prefer these big funnels, but any type will work fine. And you can just pour it in directly – it’ll work fine. Just pour it a little slower so you don’t get a mess.

“Leave sooner, drive slower, live longer.” – Author Unknown

Step 3: Pour it in! Yep, it’s really that simple – and you’ll be surprised at how effective such an easy treatment can be. Why should you use this STP Multipurpose Motor Treatment? Well, here are a few things that I think are really great:

It can be used a few different ways, to help prevent a lot of common problems people see in their cars.
It can clean the deposits and other junk out of the system – this makes the car run a little better, and can save on gas too.
Gas these days can contain a lot of water – in cold weather, that water can freeze, which clogs up your fuel-lines. STP Multipurpose Motor Treatment removes water, so you can prevent that problem from happening.
If you have a high-mileage car, using this treatment will help it run more efficiently, and can help extend the life of your vehicle.

“Money may not buy happiness, but I’d rather cry in a Jaguar than on a bus.” – Françoise Sagan

STP Multipurpose Motor Treatment works in many different ways to protect your vehicle – AND you can use it in many different things around your home! This is great for just about anything you’ve got with a motor – mowers, snow blowers, chain saws, leaf blowers – and if you’re a lucky guy and have a motorcycle, it will help keep that running great too. So – one product, easy to use, and works on everything you’ve got. I give STP Multipurpose Motor Treatment a thumbs up!

Remember:

Just like eating healthy and exercising can help keep your body running well, so that you can avoid trips to the doctors office – regular maintenance of your car at home can help you avoid expensive trips to see a mechanic.

Check out STP on Facebook for a great coupon, and follow them on Twitter too.

Learn more about the full line of great STP products on their site.

See the rest of our shopping trip on Google+.

{This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias All opinions, tips, and photos are 100% ours!}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 14, 2011 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | 1 Comment

Busy Mom Solution: Sili Squeeze takes the Mess out of Toddler Meals!

“A two-year old is kind of like having a blender, but you don’t have a top for it.” – Jerry Seinfeld

The Challenge: Feeding a toddler is a messy job. Your options – Serve her finger foods that she can pick up and feed herself. This is time-saving, and mostly un-messy, but they usually just throw all of their “bites” on the floor for the dog. You can feed them their dinner, bite by bite – but it’s possible that you’d like to eat your own meal too, right? Or, you can get brave and start letting them learn to use their own spoon…. But that can turn into a disaster pretty quickly. This was Abby’s first attempt at using a spoon. {FYI: Do not turn your back on a toddler with a cup of chocolate pudding even for a minute. Things can get out of hand so quickly….} There are lots of foods that she’s getting skilled at feeding herself – but things like yogurt, pudding, and applesauce are awfully tough for her to handle on her own.

“You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance.” – Franklin P. Jones

The Busy Mom Solution: The Sili Squeeze! Ohmyheck – I am simply in love with this totally genius idea. I can give Abby great snacks like pureed yogurt or applesauce – or even use the Baby Brezza to blend up some great purees of fruits and veggies – and she can use the Sili Squeeze to eat them all by herself, no mess! Read a little more…

“The Sili Squeeze™ was developed out of the desire to feed my growing baby nutritious food on the go whether in the car seat, stroller, or shopping cart. The squeeze is “mommy hands free”, so your little ones can squeeze themselves silly, without the mess and wastefulness of a disposable squeeze.”

“Even when freshly washed and relieved of all obvious confections, children tend to be sticky.” – Fran Lebowitz

There are a lot of products out there that are marketed as great toddler snacks, but not all of them are all that practical. We tried these applesauce pouches – I thought that they’d be a great on-the-go option. The older kiddo’s love ’em, but Abby squeezes all of the applesauce onto her shirt in about 60 seconds. As you can see, the Sili Squeeze is similar in size {just right for little hands} so I just add the applesauce into the Sili Squeeze instead. The difference? The Sili Squeeze works differently than anything you’ve seen – it’s got a totally spill-proof nipple. So, when your kiddo gums or pinches it, while squeezing at the same time, the food will come out. If they just squeeze it, nothing. It does take a couple of tries for them to “get” it, since they’re usually used to things coming out pretty easily. But once they do get it – they love it. Squeeze-controlled independent feeding! And unlike those store-bought pouches, these are reusable.

“There was never a child so lovely but his mother was glad to get him to sleep.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Sili Squeeze is great for babies too – You can give this super-helpful squeeze to babies starting at about 6 months. Fill it with baby food when you’re in need of a meal on the go, so baby can eat “Mommy-Hands Free!” And, they’ve got an awesome new product on the way – the Sili Squeeze with Eeeze, for ages 4+. It’s the same convenience and fun of the original, but with a free-flowing nipple valve. It’s no longer spill-proof, but at that age, they’re independent enough to handle that just fine.

The Sili Squeeze is easy to take care of –

The food-safe silicone body and nipple are naturally UV repellent so you don’t have to worry about the chemical breakdown of the Sili Squeeze if left in a car.
Because the Sili Squeeze is made of silicone, you can conveniently wash your Squeeze by hand or on the top rack of your dishwasher.
Coming soon – replacement nipple valve 2-packs! Available in early 2012. This is a great addition to their product line.

What do YOU think?

Are you excited to get one of these too? Imagine how great it will be to give your tiniest family members great snacks and meals filled with fruits, veggie’s, and yogurts – while you have your hands free to enjoy a great meal too, with no mess to clean up. Share your toddler meal-time challenges in the comments!

You can find order the Sili Squeeze online – either the 4 oz shown here, or the larger 6 oz size – Order Sili Squeeze Today!

I also recommend this book –The Best Homemade Baby Food on the Planet. There are over 60 super simple, super healthy, and super yummy, baby food puree’s in this book! This isn’t just for babies either – Abby loves to try new puree’s in her Sili Squeeze – and it’s such an easy way to get more fruits and veggie’s into her diet.

Connect with the Sili Squeeze makers online too – You can find them on Facebook and Twitter!

Want to WIN your own Sili Sippy? Head over to the giveaway page to enter to WIN one of your own!! Hurry – Giveaway ends on December 28th! Good luck!!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 14, 2011 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | 4 Comments

Busy Mom Solution: Silk Soy and Horizon!

“To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.” – La Rochefoucauld

The Challenge – The kids only want to drink soda, eat cookies and chips, and avoid their veggie’s like their life depends on it. You want to encourage them to prefer better snacks, and you want to make sure they’re getting loads of good vitamins, minerals, and healthy stuff in their little systems. You try to set a good example – but as a busy mom, you sometimes skip meals too. Or you grab a soda as a quick pick me up. Clearly – you need a new, easy to find, simple to grab, snack option. Well – you’re in luck! Keep reading to learn more about this Busy Mom Solution….

“Those who think they have no time for healthy eating will sooner or later have to find time for illness.” – Edward Stanley

Horizon Organic and Silk Soy both make super portable, super healthy, and super YUMMY single-serve drinks – and they are the perfect snack solution! Here are a few things that I love:

No artificial junk.
8 whole grams of protein in each serving – total wow!
Lots of great Calcium and Vitamin D in each box.

“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” – Jim Rohn

After I learned more about these single-serve shelf-stable boxes – I realized what a great addition they would be to our current snacks and drinks. I assumed they’d be in the dairy section, which is where I usually buy our other Horizon and Silk Soy products – so that was the first place that I headed.

“High-tech tomatoes. Mysterious milk. Supersquash. Are we supposed to eat this stuff? Or is it going to eat us?” – Annita Manning

Nope – these super convenient little boxes are not in the cooler section with the other dairy products – in both Walmart and Safeway {I checked both} they were located next to the other shelved beverages. I found them near the juice boxes and chocolate milk packs – they were BY FAR the healthiest option in the whole aisle! The fact that they’re shelf-stable means that they’re easier to stock up on, since you don’t have to find room in the fridge. And they’re perfect for lunch boxes, in the car, or on the go!

“Life is not merely being alive, but being well.” – Marcus Valerius Martialis

These easy to grab boxes are perfect for snacks – since they’re so packed full of good stuff, you feel great about serving them. And because they come in fun flavors like chocolate and strawberry, the kids feel great drinking them!

Learn More –

Now that you know how amazing these products are – {organically good for you and filled with vitamins and good stuff, convenient, and super yummy!} – I’m sure you want to learn more, right?

Check out my full shopping experience, and learn more about these great products – including more serving ideas, a fun giveaway, and a great opportunity to give back – in my Google+ Albums – Safeway and Walmart.

Connect with them on social media – Silk Soy Facebook, Horizon Facebook, and on Twitter, @WhiteWaveFoods.

{Disclosure: This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. All thoughts, photos, and overuse of exclamation points is totally my own!}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 12, 2011 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution, Reviews | 3 Comments

Holiday Entertaining & Giving Back – with Hickory Farms!

I love the holidays… You’ve probably noticed. And I love entertaining! So – I throw a lot of holiday parties. A party can be a ton of work, but you don’t want to allow your holiday parties to become too stressful. The whole point of holiday entertaining is to have fun and enjoy the season with your favorite faces! So, read on for a few tips and tricks, and learn how Hickory Farms {ohmyheck, my favorite!!} can help you save a little time and money – and gives you an easy peasy way to support a great cause.

“Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.” – Hamilton Wright Mabie

Ok – so you’ve got a party to prepare for. You’ve picked the date. You’ve invited friends, family, and maybe a crazy neighbor or two. First thing – do a quick clean up of the house. When I’m entertaining last minute, this is what I do to speed clean: Grab a laundry basket, and go through the house picking up things that are out of place, then stick the basket in a closet. {Speaking of closets, make sure your coat closet has enough room for guest’s jackets!} Now, no need to clean everything, stick to the stuff that makes a difference:

-Grab a canister of glass-cleaning wipes to make all of your mirrors and surfaces shine!
– Do a quick vacuum of all areas people will see.
-Fluff up throw pillows, and add a pretty blanket to the couch.
– Dim the lights a bit, and set out bunches of candles. This makes any space more festive.
– Remember, it’s the little details that people remember. The picture above is from HGTV.com – you can find more simple ideas like this there too. No one will remember your semi-clean bathroom tile, but they WILL remember special little things like this!

“Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.” –Calvin Coolidge

Now on to the most important part of any party – the food! Busy Mom Solution: Let Hickory Farm do some of the party prep for you this year! We all know that they have the best meats and cheeses, right? But they also have super yummy desserts, fruits and nuts, and more. Here are a few ideas on how Hickory Farm can come to your rescue for last minute parties –

Start with a great gift box like the Deluxe Smokehouse Collection. Now you’ve got 5 delicious meats, 5 cheese choices, and a couple of fun mustard jars for dipping! Start by using 2 of each, slice them, and arrange on a big holiday tray. Add some fruits like grapes or strawberries, and a few types of crackers. You’ve got a totally yummy appetizer tray!
Next, use your other 3 meats and 3 cheeses to make kabobs! These are super fun for kids, and easy for adults to eat while holding a drink and mingling. Just cut up your goodies into chunks, then thread them onto skewers – add cherry tomatoes for a pop of festive color if desired. Now spritz ’em with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with fresh herbs. Amazing, right?
Hickory Farms can even take care of your main dish! Have you ever tasted their Spiral Sliced Honeygold Ham? Mmmmm….. Now you’re ready to whip up a few desserts and side dishes of your own – or check out the Fruits & Sweets category on their site.

Now that was easy, right? For the selection, quality, and huge assortment of goodies that come in a Hickory Farms gift basket – they are so worth it! These also make the perfect hostess gifts, and they even ship to soldiers overseas. And I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love Hickory Farms!

“Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.” – Calvin Coolidge

Hickory Farms has partnered with NoKidHungry.org to make it incredibly easy for you to give back this season. No Kid Hungry is working to ensure that no kids in American have to miss meals, and it’s so easy to contribute – When you purchase the Signature Party Planner {shown in the pic}, Hickory Farms will donate $5 to the No Kid Hungry Campaign. You can also sign the No Kid Hungry pledge of support on Hickory Farms Facebook page. And make sure to tell your friends about Hickory Farms – they’re donating .10 cents for every new Facebook fan they get, until December 25th! Super easy way for you to help raise money for an important cause.

Learn more:

Use the store locator to find a Hickory Farms near you.

You can also shop online – they have an amazing $3 for 3-Day Shipping offer!

And don’t forget to visit them on Facebook to sign the pledge, and encourage your friends to “Like” their page to raise more donations!

{Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Hickory Farms and received a product sample to facilitate my review.}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 12, 2011 Filed Under: Holidays, Busy Mom Solution | No Comments