Sunshine and Sippy Cups — Page 109 — Smart Solutions for Busy Moms!

How To Turn One Product Into 7 Meals

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

"You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give." – Winston Churchill… I often talk about how and why giving back is so important to me. When I was a little girl, we lived in pretty sever poverty for awhile – my dad lost his job unexpectedly, and my mom was at home with 4 kids under age 6. It was a really tough time for her – but she was so amazing that I really never knew that we were poor. {It helped that I went to a school where most of the kids were from lower-income families too, so I never felt like I didn't fit in.} My mother was incredibly resourceful – she could reuse anything, she grew a garden and canned fruits and veggies, she made all of the beautiful dresses for my second-hand Barbie dolls. But she also relied on the generosity of those in the community who are willing to help those who need a temporary bit of help. Since I know personally what a difference those programs can make, I am really passionate about supporting people who are doing great things. So I am very excited to share a new one with you – It's called Fighting Hunger Together, and it's a new campaign from some of your favorite family-essential brands to help fight hunger in American. Read on to learn how you can help – it's so easy, you can't NOT do it!

"You must be the change you want to see in the world." – Mahatma Gandhi

So many problems in the world seem so big, so overwhelming, so out of your hands. But there is always something that you can do to help, no matter how small. But with an amazing campaign like this one, it's simple for you to make a BIG difference! Here's how it works:

Until October 12th, purchase family favorites from brands like Kraft Foods, Unilever, General Mills, Kelloggs, and ConAgra foods at Walmart, then visit the hunger relief section of their website {or download the app!} to learn how to help.
For every blue fighting hunger code that you enter on the site, you'll be giving a .91 cent donation to Feeding America. Doesn't sound like much – But that's enough to help a food bank secure SEVEN meals to feed needy families! It's amazing what a small amount makes a difference, right? That one box of Cheerios that you buy for your kids can provide 7 healthy meals to help another mom feed her own children. Amazing.
You can also get entered into the Golden Spark promotion – This is a chance to win 50K for your community, to help start or expand a backpack program that sends meals and snacks home with kids to help feed them over the weekends when they don't have access to the free school meals.

I remember as a little girl, we had a program like this the last day of school. My mom cried when we showed up at home with the food – it's a big difference in your budget when the kids are home all day, versus when they get a free breakfast and lunch at school each day. I'm DEFINITELY excited for a chance to win this and give back in my own community!

What do you think?

Are you ready to join me in helping to fight hunger in our communities across the country? Remember – all you do is buy the products you love, like Hamburger Helper, Totinos Pizzas, Chef Boyardee, the list is endless! Then visit Fighting Hunger Together, and enter the codes from thost products. That's it! I don't care how busy you are – anyone can save up their codes and take a few minutes each week to enter them in.

Will you join me in helping to Fight Hunger together?

I'd love to hear from you guys… How has hunger affected your life too. Have you ever experienced it in your own family, or helped another family who needed it? Share your stories, to help everyone realize why this is such an important cause. Working together – we can make great things happen! Leave me some comments and share your stories and thoughts….

Posted by Meagan Paullin on September 29, 2012 Filed Under: Uncategorized | No Comments

How Hack Friendly is Your Password?

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

The wild, wild, web can be a dangerous place. I consider myself pretty tech savvy most of the time – But even I have to be super careful online each day. Hackers and sneaky-sneaks get smarter every day – every time you learn a new tip to keep your information and identity safe online, it seems like they learn a new way to steal it from you again. But, there are some basic steps you can take to keep yourself safe. And there is a site that’s kind of like an online superhero, working tirelessly to swoop in and save the day if you get into any type of trouble. Keep reading to learn more…

Are you safe from hackers?

Many of you might remember when my blog got hacked earlier this year. It was a DISASTER. It took a full week to get things all straightened out… I lost a week or revenue from my site, missed a ton of deadlines, and spent countless hours emailing and making phone calls, trying to find a solution to the mess. I’ve also had my PayPal account hacked into, and my email and Facebook have both suffered from mini-security lapses. I learned quickly that passwords are something not to be taken lightly! You never want to use things like 1234567, or ABC123, and please, oh please, do NOT tell me that any of you are still using “Password” as any of your passwords?? Do you know how fast a professional hacker can breach your password security?

If you have 6 characters in your password with no symbol, it only takes a pro hacker .000224 seconds.
If you have 10 characters and one symbol in your password, it takes up to 20 days for a pro to break in and steal your info.

What a HUGE difference that small change brings, right? So make sure to make things as safe as possible – use a mixture of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. To make it easier to remember, pick a word like “elephant.” But change the letters to numbers or symbols, so you have something like “El3ph@nt!” – much harder for someone to figure out. Learn more: How hack friendly is your password?

What you can do to stay safe online

Besides using better passwords, the best piece of advice is just to be smart – If a link looks suspicious, don’t click it. If you get an email that feels a little weird – do some research. Example: I’m pretty sure that my PayPal was hacked due to me clicking on a link in a fake PayPal email. It seriously looked amazingly real – but said that someone had returned a credit from a purchase to my account, click here for more info. That sounded odd, and I wanted to see what it was… Then gave my password to the fake PayPal site. Ugh. Instead – if something looks a little off, just type the website {like PayPal, or your bank} into your browser to visit it, so you can be sure. Another great way to keep yourself safe – especially when you’re a crazy-busy super-mom like me, is to use a site like LifeLock. Here are a few of the services you get on their basic plan – you can upgrade to get even more help!

Alerts of potential threats–both credit and noncredit related
Online access to a personalized dashboard showing current threats
Relentless identity monitoring for exposure of your personal information
Member services with local phone support—24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
Stolen or lost wallet remediation services to help cancel and replace credit and debit cards
Comprehensive recovery services if you become a victim of identity theft on our watch

Awesome, right? It’s like having a super cool super hero watching over your shoulder, protecting you from the bad guys of the web. You can learn more on their website – LifeLock.com, or check out LifeLock on Facebook to see what other real moms like you have to say about the service.

Let’s Chat: Have you ever been the victim of identity theft or hackers?

Posted by Meagan Paullin on September 28, 2012 Filed Under: Tech Tips | 1 Comment

How To Support Women with Breast Cancer

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month… I had a friend mention to me once that she thought it was silly to have “awareness months” about causes that we are all already aware of. I mean – who out there, if you mentioned breast cancer, would say, “hmmm, tell me more. I’m not aware of such a thing.” So I understood what she meant. But – Breast Cancer Awareness Month is about so much more than just the basic job of educating people about what breast cancer is, and how to prevent it. It’s a time to really focus on making a difference – By raising money, bringing attention to the research that’s being done to move towards a cure, and celebrating the stories of the women who are working towards beating this scary stuff. A couple weeks ago I told you the story of how breast cancer had touched my life, and why this is an important cause to me. Today, I have more info about a great way that you can help “make strides to save lives” too!

“Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict.” – William Channing

I’m sure that almost all of you ladies reading this have had your life touched in some way by breast cancer – whether it was an old high school friend who recently was diagnosed, or a family history of it, so many women are diagnosed with this cancer each year that most of us have a story to tell.

The chance of a woman having invasive breast cancer some time during her life is a little less 1 in 8. The chance of dying from breast cancer is about 1 in 36.

Those are some pretty scary statistics, right? The numbers are even higher than I had imagined. But, with new treatments and advances in technology being developed every day, thanks to funding form groups like The American Cancer Society and events like the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk, more people are able to beat the odds. There are more than 2½ million breast cancer survivors in the United States alone! So – what is this Making Strides walk? It’s a totally amazing way to show support, get support, and help raise money for a cure. Learn more…

“The future you see is the future you get.” – Robert G Allen

If you can picture a world without breast cancer – and with more birthdays! – then join me in supporting the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk and the American Cancer Society. You can visit their site and search for a walk in your city to sign up for, join a team, or even find a specific participant. If you aren’t able to walk, you can still help out – Even if you’re on a tight budget, anyone can skip tomorrow mornings cup of coffee to donate $5 bucks. Or – fill out a form on their site, and learn how your $25 donation can be doubled to $50 in a few simple steps! Or learn more about being a volunteer – there are loads of options and support.

One in every two women newly diagnosed with breast cancer reaches out to the American Cancer Society for help and support. We are in every community providing free information and services when and where people need it.

You can learn more about the million ways that The American Cancer Society is helping women across the country every day by visiting their How Donations Save Lives page. They help stay healthy by educating them about prevention, and offering free screenings. They are there to support women emotionally, whether it’s transportation assistance to doctor’s appointmens, or their free classes with beauty tips for cancer patients. And they help to raise money for ALL types of cancer research, not just breast cancer. Truly, they are an amazing group, and definitely deserve all of our support!

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer is the American Cancer Society’s nationwide series of walking events to raise funds and awareness to end breast cancer.

{Disclosure: Compensation was provided by the American Cancer Society (ACS) via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of the American Cancer Society (ACS). Photo credit: Obihave on Flickr.}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on September 27, 2012 Filed Under: Giving Back | No Comments

This Holiday Season – Shop the Meaningful Marketplace

“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.” – Muhammad Ali… It’s 13 weeks now until Christmas – Can you believe it? That means it’s time to start thinking about holiday shopping and budgeting for gifts. A couple of weeks ago I shared how I do the majority of my holiday shopping totally for free – which is amazing. But, one thing that is a big passion of mine is using my purchasing power to give back .When brands or sites use part of their profits to help make the world a little bit brighter and better, they are the type of people I want to support. This feels especially important during the holidays, when so many people are struggling to make ends meet – and it makes a gift more meaningful when you can tell the recipient the story behind it. So, I’m very excited to introduce you to a new site that I’ve fallen in love with: Patchwork Road, a Meaningful Marketplace.

About Patchwork Road

Patchwork Road is a Meaningful Marketplace: Shop exclusive products & deals you won’t find anywhere else. PLUS, Patchwork Road will donate at least 10% of the item’s price to a cause that you choose… every time you shop! This is perfect for gift shopping – Find a great item that’s perfect for someone special on your list. Then make it even better by choosing a charity that has meaning to the recipient. Love it, right? They have a huge selection – from gadgets to clothes, fitness to kids stuff, you’ll find the perfect pick for anyone on your list. {And don’t forget to pick up a gift – or two, or three – for yourself too!} Check out some of my favorites:

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” – Sir Winston Churchill

31 Bits: 31 uses fashion and design to empower women to rise above poverty. They purchase jewelry from 108 women in Gulu, Uganda, providing them with an immediate, consistent and fair income. Each piece of jewelry is handmade using 100% recycled paper and other local materials. The gorgeous, handmade pieces range from necklaces to bracelets to rings. This would pair great with a donation to the Precious Life Shelter – One purchase could help women and their families in both Uganda and here in the US!

“The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.” – William James

Grip Sense: An iPad case you won’t find anywhere else that’s perfect for both kids and adults. The case keeps the sleekness of the iPad, but protects against those accidental drops – because you KNOW they will happen! It also has an ergonomic grip to make holding your iPad while reading or watching movies that much easier. Learn more by visiting www.gripsense.com or watching how it’s used on YouTube.

“If you have much, give of your wealth; if you have little, give of your heart.” – Arabic Proverb

Holiday Silhouettes: These modern, indoor/outdoor Holiday Silhouettes feature a patented 3D design that will brighten your home this holiday season! Display them in your living room, dining room, hallway, fireplace, bedrooms, front door or windows. The remarkable Silhouette appearance is made possible through the use of 18 pre-assembled ultra-bright LED’s for high quality and long lasting brightness and shine. Finely crafted with durable, high quality EVA material that protects against sunlight and rain.

“For it is in giving that we receive.” – St. Francis of Assisi

Sugar Snap: You’ll never have to navigate the “Bermuda Triangle” diaper bag again! The Sugar Snap is a series of five lightweight, beautifully-designed smaller bags with tabs. Created to fit perfectly inside your existing diaper bag, purse, or tote, they make switching bags a snap. All of the files stay organized by snapping together with an innovative, patent-pending hook-and-ring system. The ring resembles a beautiful silver bracelet with the words “Go Play” imprinted on it, reminding us to play each day. I have this – and it is a LIFE SAVER! Car-Go is a compact, beautifully designed bin that fits perfectly in your car or SUV trunk, leaving plenty of space for a stroller, shopping bags and more, that holds your sugarSNAP files inside. This is on my “to-buy” list!

PATCHWORK ROAD WANTS YOU TO “GET FOR GIVING”!

They are having a fantastic giveaway event – One lucky winner will get a $500 PRIZE: $250 DONATED TO THE CAUSE OF YOUR CHOICE PLUS $250 FOR YOU TO HAVE A SHOPPING SPREE ON PATCHWORK ROAD! WHAT WOULD YOU DO? If you had $250 for your favorite cause, how would you spend it (blankets, clothing, food, supplies)? Enter here on Patchwork Road’s Facebook page – then leave a comment here and let me know what great things YOU would do if you won.

Learn more about Patchwork Road on their WebSite, and follow them on Facebook & Twitter for updates on new products and promotions!

{Disclaimer: I was compensated for my time in researching this site, sharing my opinions with you, and writing this post – compliments of Simply Sassy Media. But all opinions and ideas are 100% my own – Nobody can pay me to say nice things :) And only the best sites and services I review make it onto this site.}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on September 27, 2012 Filed Under: Giving Back, Shopping | 3 Comments

Giant Gift Basket Giveaway!!

Welcome to the Gourmet Gift Baskets Flash Giveaway! I am such a lover of gift baskets – I love getting to try a ton of new things – and it’s fun to open and discover all of the treats inside. Love it. So BIG thanks to our sponsor, Get Moving Supplies, LLC for sponsoring this event – Two lucky readers will each win a Gourmet Gift Basket filled with some delicious eats! Awesome, right?

The first winner will receive this delicious “Home Sweet Home” Gift Basket – Looks so good, right?

The second winner will win this, “Call It A New Home” Gourmet Gift Basket. Perfect to keep OR give as a sweet gift!

This giveaway is hosted by Mommy’s Memorandum and Clipping Money!

Giveaway Starts: 9/25 @ 7:00 PM EST

Giveaway Ends: 9/28 @ 11:59 PM EST

US ONLY

All you have to do is enter to win using the super simple Rafflecopter below and check your email Sunday morning to see if you won!

[Read more…]

Posted by Meagan Paullin on September 26, 2012 Filed Under: Giveaways | 42 Comments

Moms: Tip for Staying Healthy Even When You Get Sick!

Getting sick sucks. And getting sick gets way worse once you become a mom… It’s like everyone in the house forgets how you cooked them soup, spoon-fed them Jello-O, and soothed them patiently when they whined for the 17th time that they were simply dyyyyyying. {That’s usually the man of the house…} But you get sick, and everyone goes about their business. Ah, motherhood. This winter I ended up with a particularly nasty sickness – Whooping Cough. I’d been sick for over a week, and the coughing got crazy. I finally headed to the ER after a night where a coughing fit lasted over an hour… I found out that I’d even fractured a rib from the extreme coughs. Crazy, right? {Get your whooping cough booster shot if you haven’t yet – I didn’t even know about it!} So – Like many of the yucky sicknesses you get during the winter months, I had to take antibiotics. And the problem with antibiotics is that while they’re working to fight off those yucky dangerous bacteria, they can also kill off the GOOD bacteria in your system, the good guys that keep your system healthy and running in top shape. And for a lot of us, that can mean new problems, like new infections or tummy troubles. But – A simple remedy for that is to take a probiotic every time you take an antibiotic. I take them EVERY day too, keep reading to learn why…

Health Tip for Women: Stay Healthy this Winter Cold Season and Beyond

First – you might be wondering, “What the heck IS a probiotic??” Well, they’re live microorganisms that you take to benefit your health. You’ll find some yogurts that contain probiotics, but an easy way to get the right amount is take a supplement daily. There are quite a few on the market – but there’s one that I personally prefer, since it’s made just for women. It’s called Provella, and while it’s a great choice to take when you get sick and need to boost your system while you take a course of antibiotics – it’s also a seriously awesome way to keep your body healthy all year long.

Why Probiotics are an awesome choice for women

I started out by just taking probiotics when I’d get sick – I don’t tolerate antibiotics very well, and seemed to always end up feeling awful while I took them. My doctor had recommended that I try them, and I was amazed at what a difference it made. {TMI moment: Did you know that chicks are likely to get a yeast infection while or right after taking antibiotics? Again, from the antibiotics changing the balance of bacteria in your system. Probiotics help with this issue too – Especially Provella, since it’s a probiotic made specifically for women.}

Provella is designed for women to promote digestive, feminine, and immune health.

How to use it – take a pill once daily, for about two weeks. If you’re used to suffering from any type of tummy troubles like IBS, bloating and cramping, or other problems, you’ll seriously see a difference by that time. {I was diagnosed with IBS in my 20’s, and probiotics are the ONLY thing that ever helped.} Or – if you get sick this winter, when you head to the pharmacy to pick up your prescription for antibiotics, grab a box of Provella while you’re there – you can get it over-the-counter. I promise, you’ll thank me! I know several friends like me who have gotten sick from other problems while on antibiotics, who know SWEAR by taking probiotics at the same time. Or ask your doctor – I know they’ll agree. It’s a huge help!

Save $6 on Provella with this coupon – or find them on Drugstore.com!

{Disclaimer: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Provella. I received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for participating. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Photo Credit: Anna Gutermuth on Flickr.

Posted by Meagan Paullin on September 25, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | 2 Comments

One lucky family wins a Wii Gaming Package!!

The leading online moving supplies retailer, Get Moving Supplies, LLC knows that the weather is getting cooler and time outside is slowing down. To keep us active and entertained year round they’re offering a great prize… A free Wii Gaming Console Could Be Yours!

wii gaming console giveaway

Sponsored by:

Get Moving Supplies, LLC proudly serves over 300 cities nationwide and is ready for your moving boxes needs! They are locally owned, so every time you choose them, you’re supporting your local economy.

and the amazing

Bulu Box – the 1st vitamin and supplement nutrition sample box company. And, you don’t have to wait until this giveaways over to score big!!

Bulu Box is offering the first month’s box free. Just use the code: BLOGLOVE at check out and cancel at any time.

About the Giveaway

Mommy’s Memorandum, Pittsburgh Frugal Mom and a bunch more of my favorite bloggers have teamed together to bring you this awesomesauce giveaway where ONE LUCKY WINNER will receive a Wii Gaming System!!! So cool, right? All you have to do is enter to win using the super simple Rafflecopter below, and then check your email Friday morning to see if you won!