This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of DoraGymnastics for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

My favorite thing about Dora the Explorer is the little dance at the end, "I did it, I did it, I did it – Yay!" I love it because when Abby accomplishes something new – stacking all the blocks into one tower, helping mommy do the laundry, or finding a toy she's been searching for – she puts both little arms in the air and says, "I did it! YAY!" and it's one of the most adorable things. I think as moms, most of us would agree that one of the best parts of motherhood is watching your little one discover the world and learn new things, and seeing that glow when they're feeling proud of themselves. Always so priceless, right? So – I'm pretty excited about an event coming up at Walmart featuring the new line of Dora products, and think some of you moms might want to check it out too….

It's a party with Dora!

From September 20th through the 23rd, participating Walmart stores around the country will be hosting a fun event to kick of this new line of Dora products – Dora Gymnastics! {Click the link, and scroll down to type in your zipcode to see if there's a party happening near you.} Each party will be from 11AM-4PM, and on 9/23 there will be one from 1PM-6PM – The party will be held in front of the new Dora display in the toy aisle {watch for ribbons and fun signs!} – and there will be demos of the new Dora dolls, a chance to make your own gymnastics winner ribbon, and more. Love it, right? I know Abby is going to have a blast with all of the other kids.

Check it out – September 20-23. Click to learn more: Dora Gymnastics! Party at Walmart.

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Bulbs. Dig, Drop, Done. for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

"The earth laughs in flowers." – Ralph Waldo Emerson… Flowers in the garden make me happy. From my rainbow of tulips that are the first to bloom in the springtime, to the giant dalias and bushes of lilacs in the summer, all the way through my towering sunflowers that close out the fall – It just seriously makes me happy to work on my laptop out on the patio, and be able to look up to see color popping up all around. I'm always looking for new ideas to upgrade our space – We've only lived on this property for two years now, and there are still a LOT of areas that need some major work! So I loved watching the CurbsideChaos Makeover with Taniya Nayak – One lucky family won a $5,000 backyard makeover. Amazing, right? Check it out for a little inspiration…

What would you do with $5,000 for a backyard makeover?

We don't have much shade in our yard yet, since we've only just begun planting trees. I'm planning to build a pergola type cover near the pool next year, and another out by the swingset play area. And both of those spots definitely need to be filled with some new flowers too. If you're planning a backyard project or two {or ten, like me, lol} – you'll find some awesome tips online to help you start putting together next years projects now. 

• First, check out Curbside Chaos. You'll find a super helpful tool there on the lower left – First, choose whether you live in the US or Canada. Then find your city on the map, and click the little colored box that best matches your location. Next, it'll ask you a few questions, and then give you recommendations of what to plant, when to plant it, and even tips on planting it successfully. VERY cool. It gave me a couple of ideas I hadn't even thought about for our yard, because I didn't realize they were such a good match for the climate here in the valley. 
• And also make sure to visit www.digdropdone.com to learn more about creative outdoor projects. I LOVE that they put together some fun color combinations to plan for spring of 2013, mixing and matching different bulbs. And there are a ton of fun projects there too – things like simple painted planters you could use as gifts, holiday projects, and kids coloring sheets. You'll also find answers to any question that you might have about working with bulbs!

There are a couple of other cool things you'll find on Dig Drop Done – One is the three "faces" of the site, each one with a different style and tips to follow. I, of course, relate most to Marcy, the so-called Supermom, who's always looking for ways to simplify life with kids. {I love the video where her little girl keeps trying to cuddle with the fish. I've so been there…. Lol.} And – you'll find other smart ways to use bulbs in your life – outside of the garden. You can plant them indoors, they make great gifts along with a decorated pot and some soil, and the kids will love watching them grow roots if you plant them in a clear container with rocks – kind of like a mini-science project. 

Love it? Share it to Give Back!

For every tweet with the hashtag #CurbsideChaos, Dig Drop Done will donate a dollar to Rebuilding Together, one of the nation's leading non-profits, who are working to revitalize communities across the US! Share this post, tweet your support, or share something cool you find on one of the sites above – as long as you've got the hashtag, you're helping to support the work of Rebuilding Together!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Scotts Miracle-Gro for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Fall gardening tips… You know how much I love the outdoors. I'm still learning my way around the garden, but with the help of some smart garden tech, and my amazingly smart Master Gardner mother, my outdoor space is starting to look pretty darn good. Here in the Pacific Northwest, our weather is already getting colder, {temps at night are down into the 50's already} – but I found some fun Fall gardening tips that are helping me come up with some new ideas to keep my garden growing into the colder weather. Check out Find beauty in the Fall to get inspiration that's perfect for your part of the country too. Let me share a couple fun ideas that I'm working on to boost my fall garden, and the inspiration behind them….

Building a Pretty Garden Storage Shed

I just adore everything about this pretty garden shed – and can't wait to use some of these awesome ideas to upgrade my own storage for fall. Right now, I've got a small greenhouse, and a little covered spot to store gear right near-by. Here are a few of my fave ideas, that I'll be putting into action to make my own space more useful:

• Pegboards: Oh, how I love pegboards! I have them on the inside or closet doors, in my craft cubby, and in one of my bathroom cupboards. But for some reason, I'd never thought to use them out in my greenhouse! This would be perfect for hanging all of my tools. So simple, so smart.
• Paint: I really like the idea of using paint to section off portions of the pegboard, and make it look more organized. I also am in love with the use of so much bright bold color all through such a small space! I'm thinking I may go with some bright yellow with accessories in gray.
• Rolling Bins: These are super smart! I could totally use these to hold all of my Fall plant and feed bags, making it so much easier to pull them out for easy access {versus leaning into a dark cupboard to get what I need} – and I have a perfect spot that would be a great fit for this. 

I also love that you can see that the garden lover behind this storage spot is a lover of one of my own very favorite garden superheros – Miracle-Gro. I've told you guys about them before – how they're a perfect product for frugal gardners. They've got so many products to choose from, and they are so helpful in creating better soil, helping your plants grow bigger and stronger – which means you don't waste money on plantings that don't survive the season. I seriously couldn't do what I do in my garden without their products. 

{Photo Credit}

Unexpected Planters Bring Whimsy to your Fall Garden

How fun is this? Since most of my summer flower beds have been trimmed down now, after the last of my blooms have faded away – A quirky display of planters like this would bring a great pop of color to my garden! To make these, you'd just find a few old boots at yard sales, second hand shops – or even your own old & outgrown gear. Fill them with Miracle-Gro Flower & Vegetable Garden Soil, add a few pretty fall flowers, and hang anywhere you want to add some color. Guaranteed to make you smile each morning!

For more ideas, get  inspiration on my Outdoor Living Pinterest Board, and follow the Miracle-Gro Facebook page to stay updated on awesome new products and promotions!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Kmart for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Why Layaway rocks… Have you ever used Kmart’s layaway program? Not sure how it works, or what the big deal is? Well, lemme give you some basics on why it’s awesome, how I use it, and why it’s a super smart tool for busy moms, especially as we get closer to the crazy-busy holiday season.

Why would you want to use layaway?

Well, because you can avoid the wild crowds and long lines that’ll be filling the stores in a couple months. You can plan out your holiday shopping budget, pick out all of the holiday gifts you need, and have them set aside to pay off later. Then you get to have a stress-free holiday season, knowing your shopping is all finished up! And THAT is definitely a good thing.

What makes Kmart’s layaway the best?

So… What else can I even add to this? It’s pretty darn clear, when you compare the different layaway options available, that Kmart’s free layaway program is definitely the best, right? It’s the only place that I know of that offers such a full set of services, to make it super simple to start your holiday shopping now, and pay for it later.

Perfect holiday gifts from Kmart

We do a lot of shopping at Kmart, and I love all of the great services they offer, like the Shop Your Way Rewards, free layaway, and the awesome prices. And – I love, love, LOVE their selection of kids toys and gear for the holidays! How fun is this new collection from My First Kenmore? Most of the appliances are made of real wood, not plastic, which is so great when you’re wanting pieces that you can hand down later on. And – since I can’t afford to get all of the new Kenmore home gear that’s on MY wish list, I can at least get some of this fun stuff for Abby, and we can make our own little mini dream kitchen. And with layaway, I can grab all of these pieces at once while they’re on sale, and pay them off as the holidays approach. Awesome.

Win your whole holiday shopping list!

How cool is THIS? Everyone who sets up a new layaway at Kmart gets entered into Kmart’s Big Layaway Giveaway. {Get details by clicking the link, then click the lower red tab to read more about the giveaway!} That means, every week one amazingly lucky winner gets the whole remaining balance on their layaway totally paid off! There’s one layaway giveaway per store, per week, every single week from 9/9/12 through 11/17/12. That’s definitely a motivator for me to get my layaway set up as soon as possible, to have more chances to win this. Maybe I can WIN this whole line up of new Kenmore kitchen gear…..

Share your thoughts: Have you ever used layaway? Why or why not?