Uncategorized — Page 8

The Pain of Working from Home

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

Being able to have a job that I love, that also allows me to be here at home every day with my little girl, is an amazing thing. I woudn’t trade it for the world. But, there are a lot of “pains” that come along with the awesome parts….

The Pain of Working from Home

Some of the pains I deal with are due to the unpredictability of working online – things like an income that varies greatly from month to month, changes in social media or search results that can impact my traffic, and just keeping up with the ever-changing world of the web. There is also the pain of trying to balance both of my important jobs each day – the job of running and growing my online businesses, and the job of being a mom. But, there’s one pain that some of you probably share with me – the type of chronic pain that stops you from being able to live your life the way you’d like to. [Read more…]

Posted by Meagan Paullin on April 17, 2013 Filed Under: Uncategorized | No Comments

Never watch a mediocre movie again

I love family movie night. In our family, it’s me, the Mister, and my little girl who will be three in July. A toddler makes a family night out a little more challenging… She wants to climb over the table and dump the salt shaker onto the heads of the customers at the next table if we go to a restaurant. She has a hard time staying quiet or in one place in a big movie theater. She loves to dance – but I don’t think a nightclub is quite our style, lol. So, making special movie nights at home is one of our regular weekend rituals!

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Posted by Meagan Paullin on March 22, 2013 Filed Under: Fun Stuff, Uncategorized | No Comments

How to Make a Simple Shrimp Scampi – #3SI

I’m a busy mom, with a lot of chaos in my household. I’m the manager of so many things in my home – I manage my business, I manage the finances, and I {usually} manage to keep the house organized and clean. With all of the things going on each day, I totally rely on some great routines we have in place, to keep things as simple and streamlined as possible. And one of those routines ismeal planning – I like to plan meals out a week in advance, shop just once that week for everything we’ll need, and make sure that the recipes that I choose are quick and easy enough to be done even when I’m rushing to meet deadlines.

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Posted by Meagan Paullin on March 20, 2013 Filed Under: Uncategorized, Food | 8 Comments

Join Me for a Do-It-Herself Twitter Party with Home Depot! – #DIHWorkshop

Are you a “do-it-herself” type too?… I am such Home Depot junkie… Just like some girls can wander a shoe store for hours, I can browse the aisles and displays of a Home Depot for hours – shiny chandeliers and sparkly dresser knobs, sleek shower fixtures and funky new floor tiles – I love it all. And, while I’m super lucky to have an incredibly handy Mister around the house {he used to be a Construction Superintendent, and is a massively skilled carpenter} – I still love to be able to do complete projects on my own. Which is why I’m super excited about the expansion of their Do-It-Herself Workshops coming to more stores this year!

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Posted by Meagan Paullin on February 1, 2013 Filed Under: Uncategorized | No Comments

3 Must-Have Gadgets for Overworked Moms

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

Are you an overworked mom? Tired of picking Cheerios out of the carpet, and out of your hair? Sick of looking at that pile of laundry that sits in the corner, mocking you, when day after day you don't have time to wash it? Are your dust bunnies evolving into dust elephants? I know how you feel ladies! Whew, the past few months around here have been madness – Abby's seizures, and all of the travel to Seattle for appointments, partnered with the busy holiday season, and a very hetic blogging and business schedule – it all has combined to leave me super stressed out. So, join me in adding these three gadgets to your list to Santa, and look forward to some time to relax very soon….

Start your day with the soothing sounds of rainfall, or other theme of your choice – when you wake up with the Sound Soother as your new alarm clock! It has dual settings, an extra large display, and a brushed metal finish that looks sleek and modern in any bedroom. Much better than a blaring beep from a cell phone alarm, right?

During the day, when you need help staying centered, and in a good mood – even when the daily chaos gets into full swing – use your Bluetooth Speaker to wirelessly connect to your laptop, smartphone, or tablet – and listen to your favorite feel-good tunes while you tackle that pile of dishes, or mop the floors. Heck, even paying bills is a little better when you've got some rockin' tunes in the background, right?

Then, to relax at the end of the day, what's better than a Back Massager that fits onto your favorite chair, to give you Spot Shiatsu and soothing heat? All with an easy to use touchpad control. In my house, it's hard enough to get the Mister to take out the garbage each evening – good luck getting him to give me a back massage too! Lol. So this is definitely at the top of MY list this year.

What's on YOUR Christmas list this year?

Are you adding one of the great options to your list to Santa? What other cool gadgets help you keep your energy up to get through a hectic day? What helps you relax before bed? Share your favorite gift ideas with me in the comments!

{Are you a blogger who'd like to partner with great brands like this too? Join SocialSpark today!}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 21, 2012 Filed Under: Uncategorized | 42 Comments

Skylanders Giants for Nintendo Wii – #Giveaway

Hey peeps! Who’s kids are just dying for the new Skylanders Giants game for the Nintendo Wii??… I know the boys in my house both had it in on their Christmas list – and were crazy-excited when I got it for them early, a couple weeks ago. I played it a bit too – this is a super fun, totally addicting game! And… One of you are going to get it for free!

Welcome to the Skylanders Giants Giveaway Event!

This giveaway event is hosted by Freebie Spot and co-hosted by This Mama Loves Her Bargains! One lucky reader will win a Skylanders Giants Starter Pack for Nintendo Wii valued at $75. How fun!

The Skylanders Giants Story

Thousands of years ago, the Skylanders Giants fought epic battles in Skylands, but were banished to Earth. Now Kaos is back and with a new threat looming, it’s time to bring them back to join forces with the Skylanders. Only you can put them into the Portal of Power to unleash their strength in the ultimate battle to save Skylands. Are you ready to face Kaos?

The Skylanders Giants Starter Pack for Nintendo Wii includes: Video Game, Portal of Power, 3 Skylanders Figures, Character Collection Poster, 3 Sticker Sheets with Secret Codes, and 3 Trading Cards. Buy it at retailers everywhere! Don’t forget to check out Skylanders on Facebook and Twitter too!

Enter to Win!

Are you ready for your chance to win the Skylanders Giants Starter Pack for Nintendo Wii? You will make some lucky kid very happy! This giveaway is open to US residents age 18+ and ends on 12/18 at 11:59pm ET. To enter, just follow the instructions in the Giveaway Tools entry form below. Good luck and happy holidays!

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Please note: The attempt will be made to ship this to the winner by Christmas, but is not guaranteed. Freebie Spot is solely responsible for prize fulfillment. The Skylanders Giants Starter Pack for this giveaway was graciously provided by Activision.

Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 11, 2012 Filed Under: Giveaways, Uncategorized | 8 Comments

Surprising Style Tips for Busy Moms – #styleSURPRISE #Giveaway

What is your most surprising style tip? Is it that the amazing accessories you always wear are great pieces that you actually make yourself? Is that those gorgeous shades you’re always changing your hair to are actually from a box, that you do yourself at home? Or maybe you have a total knack for finding the best fashions on any clearance rack? Whatever YOUR surprising style tip is, you know that fashion is a great way to show the world who you are, and that great gear doesn’t have to break the bank….

#styleSurprise : The best-kept fashion secret

One great fashion secret that many of you might not know about is Sears. Sure – you think Sears, you think tools, or appliances, or lawn mowers. But there is SO much more – including some seriously stylin’ fashions at prices that fit into a real mom’s budget. And – as busy moms we’re not looking for crazy fashions that are only for 100 pound super models with a team of people to handle their daily tasks – No, we’re looking for stuff that’s wearable in the real world, in our real busy lives, right? And that’s what you’ll find at Sears.

Sears helps me stay out of frump mom mode

I used to manage retail stores, and worked in merchandising and visual fashion displays for years. I loved it. And I loved being surounded by the newest fashions, so that I always had great style inspiration to pull from. But then, life changed. I became a mom, I transitioned to working from home, and one day I realized that my closet had suddenly been taken over by sweatpants and hoodies. I knew that it was time to bust of of frump mom territory, but I still needed clothes that were comfy for working at home and chasing a toddler. Enter Sears – my #styleSurprise! They had an awesome selection to fit just what I was looking for. Want a few busy mom fashion tips to help you shop too?

Long Tops: These totally help cover trouble spots! Whether it’s a long, cozy sweater paired with a dark wash jean – or a great button up in a tunic length, they help hide that extra baggage that having kiddos often leaves behind.
Comfy AND Trendy: Sweat pants are comfy as heck, but don’t exactly scream “Pulled together,” right? But you still have an awesome option that’s just as comfortable – leggings! Pair them with a tall pair of boots to be right on trend, while still having your fab elastic waistband {perfect for overindulging in holiday cookies…}
Fun Accessories: Invest in some of the great basic pieces at Sears, and add some fun pops of color and personality to your wardrobe with affordable accessories. A bold bag, fun scarf, or sparkly bangle totally completes your look.

Ready to run out and shop for a bunch of new gear to upgrade your own “Busy Mom” style too? Well… you’re in luck! One of you amazingly lucky ladies is going to win a crazy-cool prize. Enter the Holiday #styleSurprise Sweepstakes to win $5k worth of SYW points!! {What’s SYW? Learn more about how Shop Your Way works, why it rocks, and all the freebies and features.}

Visit http://bit.ly/VqSD4J for more everyday fashion inspiration!

Ready to enter to win?? It’s easy peasy – Just log in and set up a quick account if you don’t have one already. Then enter to win the Holiday #styleSurprise Sweepstakes by simply following the directions here: http://bit.ly/VawhRe. Seriously, it takes like one minute to get your entry in. Then if you win – all those points will go towards helping you rock your new years wardrobe this winter too! Good luck!

{Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post, I am a Sears blogger, though all opinions are my own.}