Sunshine and Sippy Cups — Page 113 — Smart Solutions for Busy Moms!

Learn how to finish all of your holiday shopping today

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.

my first kenmore collection - playing house for kids

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?

Posted by Meagan Paullin on September 13, 2012 Filed Under: Uncategorized | 1 Comment

For Everyone Who Ever Needed a Restart on Life

Wreck-It Ralph smashes into theaters everywhere on November 2nd…. Have you heard about this very cute new film from Disney? I love movies with a great message – and I’m really excited to watch this when it comes out, and talk to the kids about the ideas and emotions going on in this movie. It’s all about Ralph, who’s struggling with being stereotyped as a “Bad Guy” – when he just doesn’t feel like a bad guy. So he goes on a journey to try and discover who he really is – Not just who everyone else TELLS him he is. I think that this is an awesome message for kids – to not let outside voices make your choices for you. To always strive to be YOU. Love it. And – it’s totally silly and adorable as it tells the story. Get a peek here…

About Wreck-It Ralph

From Walt Disney Animation Studios and Emmy®-winning director Rich Moore comes “Wreck-It Ralph,” a hilarious, arcade-game-hopping adventure. For decades, Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) has been overshadowed by Fix-It Felix, Jr. (voice of Jack McBrayer), the good-guy star of their game who always gets to save the day.

Tired of playing the role of a bad guy, Ralph takes matters into his own massive hands and sets off on a journey across the arcade through multiple generations of video games to prove he’s got what it takes to be a hero.

On his quest, Ralph meets tough-as-nails Sergeant Calhoun (voice of Jane Lynch) from the first-person action game Hero’s Duty, and feisty misfit Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Sarah Silverman) from the candy-coated cart racing game, Sugar Rush, who may just be his first real friend. But everything changes when a deadly enemy is unleashed, threatening the entire arcade and Vanellope herself. Ralph finally gets his chance to save the day—but can he do it in time? “Wreck-It Ralph” crashes onto the big screen on November 2, 2012, in Disney Digital 3D™ in select theaters.

What do you think?

Have you ever struggled a bit with figuring out who you are, want you want, and where you fit into the world? I’m sure just about every kid goes through this as they grow up. But a lot of us go through this again as we become moms…. Maybe everyone expected you to become a stay at home mom, but you missed your previous identity at work. Or maybe you’re like me – I went from running retail stores, doing displays and merchandising displays, working hard and playing hard. I was well known locally, and recruited several times to come in and help save struggling stores. Then, I suddenly found myself at home, changing diapers, caring for my live-in nephews… And not really feeling very “important” anymore. I missed getting dressed in the newest fashions – You know, things that weren’t covered in baby spit up. But just like Ralph, I realized that with a little soul-searching, I could make a new identity for myself, that felt right, and made me happy. {Does this all seem like too deep of thinking for a cartoon? Lol.}

“Like” WRECK-IT RALPH on Facebook and”Follow” WRECK-IT Ralph on Twitter – to stay updated on new promotions and news. And check out the #WreckitRalph hashtag for more fun sneak peeks at the movie before it smashes into theaters everywhere on November 2nd! And enter the Play & Win Sweepstakes! Complete missions, earn coins, and get the chance to win a hero’s journey from Adventures by Disney: http://di.sn/k3h. Good luck!

{Disclaimer: I received no compensation for this post. I’m on the Disney Blogger list, and get fun updates to share. I love Disney, and love to share the inside scoop on the best new films for families – Hope you enjoy getting a peek at upcoming movies too!}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on September 13, 2012 Filed Under: Fun Stuff | 1 Comment

Bloggertunities

“If I’d observed all the rules, I’d never have got anywhere.” – Marilyn Monroe

When it comes to the wild, wild, web – there are a million rules. And most of them have reasons to be broken. It’s smart to study, read, and research – but just like when it comes to parenting advice, remember that your blog is unique, and what works/doesn’t work for someone else, may NOT be what’s right for you. And being as fully YOU as possible each week is the best way to be successful – for both your blog, and your own happiness! Enjoy the list this week of opps, leads, tips, and reads. Pick the ones that are best for you and your goals. And then be sure to leave your own helpers in the comments – event sign ups, linkys, hops, tips posts, fave affiliate links – whatever you think might help another blogger reading this post! Thanks for all you do – and have a great week!

Hey ladies – Want to win a full VIP Inner Circle Membership to the new Blogs to Riches Club? Enter to WIN today!

Networks and Linkys

Social Fabric: Many of you have probably heard about Collective Bias/Social Fabric – the’re the company that does the fun shopping trips and product post. Not really a typical review, and there are always tons of new projects to work on with them. They’re open to new sign ups again – the key to success with them is great quality photos, good content, and creativity. They have a really generous compensation plan, are very supportive of everyone in their community, and a great company to work with!Networks & Linkys to Join
Mommy Solutions: This is one of my favorite linkys to join each week. I get great traffic from it, I love that she features the previous week’s most popular posts to promote them, and whooooo boy – I find some awesome posts to check out each week when I go to link up! The Mommy Club: Share your resources and solutions!
POP Alerts: Sign up for these newsletters on the Mom Fuse site – Get POP Alerts – to get updates when there are new promotions, campaigns, review opps, and more. Mom Fuse POP (Post Our Pitch) alerts are targeted towards mom bloggers, but are diverse enough to work great for everyone.
She Heard: Are you a blogger looking to connect with brands for blogging opportunities like giveaways, reviews, sponsored posts & Twitter parties? Then sign up as a member of SheHeard today!

Freelance Writing

Social Media Direct: From their newsletter: “Do you have a social media tip you’d like to share? Or an online marketing strategy that worked for you? We’re looking for guest posts and would love to share your awesomeness on our site, promote your biz and show you off to our fans and followers as well! Just send in your guest post idea to prerna@socialmediadirectbiz.com and let’s get started!”
Examiner: I love the way that I’m able to use this local column to connect with cool local businesses. Everyone wants to be featured and promoted – it’s a great thing for those businesses to be able to share on their own social media – So I have so many people on my “To Cover” list, waiting to be posted about. It’s a super fun way to get to know people in your area, make new connections, and get fun freebies that help you write about local events. Find your favorite topic of expertise locally {I’m a Yakima Frugal Living Examiner} – then sign up to host your own column too.

Money to make

Business2Blogger: This is a great network filled with cool opps you can apply for – I was able to go on an all-expenses paid trip to Texas to work with an awesome company earlier this year, connected to me by an opp on this site. Very cool stuff. Blogger Outreach – Join today.
Monetize Your Blog: This is a post that I wrote a couple of months ago for the Bi-Annual Blogathon event. It’s my best tips on how to earn an income from your blog – most people can find at least one or two new ideas here. 5 Simple Ways to Monetize Your Blog.
Social Spark: Simple to complete campaigns, and really great payouts. Request a PayPal payment everytime you have $50 in your account {or pay a small fee if you have less but want your cash asap} – Love this site, especially during the holiday season. Join Social Spark.
Paper Coterie: I’ve told you before how much I adore this site… If you’d like to see their products yourself, and get pics to make it easier to promote their great stuff, get a FREE $40 worth of products until the end of the month. Seriously – $40 off a $40 purchase – how much more rockin’ can you get? If you love it, sign up as a member of their affiliate program too. You get free product codes monthly, access to great deals to promote, and more.
Escalate: This is one of the easiest affiliates to work with, and they have SUPER quick payouts each month, at only $25 minimum to get a check our PayPal payment. Sweet, right? Great offers for mom bloggers.
Logical: One of my fave things about Logical Media is that the offers they have available stay valid for a LONG time. So that I can get clicks and conversions on posts that I wrote a year ago, that still get random traffic. So great! Logical Media – Make Money!
Glam: This is my much-loved ad network. I do NOT suggest ever relying on Google Adsense, since they are known to strip people of their earnings at the drop of a hat {Happened to me, $11oo bucks. Ugh.} But a network like Glam does more than just provide you with ad codes to help you monetize your sidebars. They also have an amazing sponsored post program too. Apply to be a part of their network here {don’t let the huge traffic numbers scare you away- I didn’t meet that when I applied either!} – But do know that the biggest thing that Glam is looking for is bloggers with unique content.
Free Product: Ok, this isn’t a way to get paid cash {although one of the tips does include getting real checks…} – But, as a blogger, you have a huge network and sphere of influence. As a busy mom, you have a great eye for quality and what’s cool. As someone who’s online a LOT, you know a good deal when you see one. So combine those things, and use this list to share the best daily deals, and earn a TON of free credit to buy the things that your family wants most. 15 Awesome Ways to Shop for Free. I did this before I blogged, and have even more success now. I was able to do almost all of our holiday shopping last year {gifts, outfits, events and experiences, and food} for almost free, using these sites. LOVE.

Product opps

Sample Party: If you’re a member of Mom’s Meet {if you’re not, there’s a link to apply right in this survey} – apply to host a National Geographic Super Readers party for your moms group or playdate members. Learn more and fill out the survey to apply.
Twitter Tuesday: You definitely should subscribe to email updates on the Blogathon site – she posts tons of helpful content each week, and my favorite is this weekly Twitter Leads post.

Good reads, tools, resources

Affiliates: If you do any affiliate marketing – you might be interested in the new Affiliate Benchmark Survey results. It’s filled with best practices for making affiliate marketing work for you – Great info.
Blogging Checklist: This is a really solid basic checklist of things to check for on your blog, to ensure you’re successful. The Ultimate Blogging Checklist.
Website Down: Were you affected by the HUGE GoDaddy crash a few days ago? {I was. Ugh. So frustrating!} Young, Fabulous, and Self Employed has a great article with tips on what to do if your site goes down, and how to tell if it’s really down or not.
Facebook: Get 100 ideas to jumpstart your Facebook page – this list of 100 Facebook Page Posting ideas runs from basic to more creative – and will help you boost engagement with your fans by mixing up the way you share content there.
Smore: This is SUCH a cool site. I used it a couple of weeks ago to make an online flyer to promote my latest giveaways, and it got over 100 views in 3 hours. So cool. This free tool works great for so many things – school fundraisers, local events, birthdays, house parties, business promotions, sales, and so much more. Learn how to make a free online promotional flyer using Smore.com today.

Events & Giveaways:

Twitter Party: Join us for the Mompact party Thursday evening – we’re giving away some super fun swag to help make the fall season easier for busy moms! New to Twitter parties? Check out these great resources: TweetGrid tutorial video, and Twitter Party 101.
Christmas: This is a super fun giveaway event going up soon – Sign up to join today! Free Blogger Christmas Opp.
Facebook: Are you confused by the Facebook giveaway and promotion rules? Watch the video that explains it all, so you can be sure that you’re within the guidelines.

FOLLOW ME FOR NEW WEEKLY UPDATES!

You can sign up to get my daily email updates – up there in the sidebar – if you want to make sure you never miss a weekly Bloggertunities post. You can also browse through all of the good stuff in the past Bloggertunities posts, and check out my big Blogging & Social Media board on Pinterest too. Have a great week!

If you love it then you shoulda put a tweet on it….

Rock Ya Blog: Learn about the best new opps, tips, leads, and events for awesome women #blogging rockstars – sunshineandsippycups.com/2012/09/blogge…

— SunandSipCups (@SunandSipCups) September 13, 2012

Have a fab week ladies! And don’t forget to share your news/opps/events in the comments!

{Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. But all opps and leads listed are things that I trust, and have used myself. I only share what I love with ya’all! Photo Credit.}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on September 12, 2012 Filed Under: Blogging Resources, Weekly Opp's, Blogging Tools, Blogging Events | 6 Comments

15 Awesome Ways to Shop for Free

“Whoever said money can’t buy happiness simply didn’t know where to go shopping.” – Bo Derek… Yes, things aren’t what bring real happiness to our lives. But getting things that are fun, pretty, helpful, and needed – and getting them for cheap, or even FREE – does bring me some serious happiness. And, since I’ve learned quite a few savvy shopping tips over the past two years since becoming a momma on an incredibly tight budget {learn why our financial situation changed so drastically here}, I put together this awesome list of all of the sites that I use to shop for free. Seriously. Keep reading to learn my 15 ways to shop for free – this is especially helpful during the holiday season!

15 Awesome Ways to Shop for Free – Perfect for the holidays!

Ok – here’s how it works. All of these sites work really similarly, and I’ve given some details on each one listed. Each site finds new products, often designers and high-end brands, and offers a limited selection of those products at rock bottom prices. The brands benefit because they get their products seen by a ton of new people – and while they’re selling their products below cost, they’re hopefully reaching loyal new customers. You benefit because you get introduced to amazing new products and brands you might not have found on your own, and you get access to them at prices you can actually afford {versus the regular designer brand prices that most of us just can’t fit into our budget!} And…. You can share the awesomeness with your fave friends and family, and earn rewards for it. Every single one of these sites will give you free money to spend when you refer your friends to join.

I {obviously} love sharing cool things that I find

Whether it’s a super helpful product, a smart resource or site, or a fab deal, I’ve always been the social type that says, “I can’t just keep this to myself, this is too awesome.” It’s why I used to post stuff to my personal Facebook page like crazy, why I love having mommy parties at my house to share products, and why I started this site – To share those amazing finds with you ladies. Because as I always say – “Friends don’t let friends pay full price.” Right?

Love our Frugal tips? See my Awesome Tips for Frugal Moms board on Pinterest!

Avoid the Holiday Overspending Trap!

It’s hard to believe, but it’s just a little over a 100 days until Christmas! Crazy, right? {Today is September 12th, 2012, to put it into perspective whenever you might be stumbling across this post…} Using sweet deal sites like these listed is a great way to save a ton of money on holiday shopping on it’s own {plus, it helps you find more unique gift ideas then you’d come across at your local mall.} – But it can be a total LIFE SAVER when you have tons of free credits at each one, and use those to do almost all of your holiday shopping for FREE. For reals. Last year I hardly spent any money at all, and was still able to do gifts for my friends & family, host parties, and donate to non-profits in my area – without breaking our budget. If you’re ready to jump in and do the same, these links will get you rockin’ in no time. Yes, I’m a blogger, so I have a wider network than some, making it a little easier to share & earn. But honestly – I started doing this years ago before I had a blog, and was still able to get loads of amazing free stuff for my family. Enjoy!

The Mini Social: This site is totally focused on the best sample sales for everything baby, kid, and mom related. You’ll find really great boutique brands here – but the steep discounts means that sales sell out quick! Every time you share a deal with a friend who makes a purchase, you’ll get a free $10 credit to spend. There’s no limit. Join The Mini Social.
Treehouse Tykes: This site finds awesome children’s furniture, bedding, gear, accessories and apparel, then sells it at up to 70% off. Plus, 10% of net proceeds go to the school or charity of your choice, which is so great. At this site, you get to share a free $10 shopping credit with new friends who sign up {yep, you get it too when you click that link. Awesome, right?} – Plus, you get $10 in free credit too when they make their first purchase.
Plum District: This is one of my faves, and I shop here a lot. Great deals on a really wide variety of family products – and I like that the “fine print” is very easy to find and understand, with any limitations clearly stated, to make sure you’re getting exactly what you think you are. So helpful. Join today, and every time a friend you refer makes a purchase, you get a $5 credit to spend!
Zozi: Ok – this is a ROCKIN’ site. They have incredible deals on amazing adventure trips, and super sweet savings on local day trips, events, and attractions too. At Zozi, you get a $10 thank you gift credit when a friend or family member that you invite makes their first purchase. And your friends will LOVE you when they find out how cool these deals are.
Open Sky: This is a ROCKIN’ site – You choose which of your favorite designers, chefs, or celebrities you want to follow. Then each week you get to purchase their fave finds at a BIG discount. And – you get your own special invite link to share. When someone clicks it, they get a free $25 credit to Open Sky {Seriously, click it and get it added to your new account today!} – PLUS, you’ll get a free $25 credit as soon as they make their first purchase. Uh-MAY-zing.
Totsy: This one’s been around for a long time, so many of you are probably members already. If not – join today, and invite your friends! When their first order ships, you get a whopping $15 bucks in free credit to spend on your next Totsy shopping spree. Sweet.
Moolala: This site is a little different – in a good way! It has sweet daily deals {the iPhone accessories lately have been amazing!} – and you can easily share the direct links to those cool deals with your friends. As they sign up, they go into your “Pay Matrix.” As they invite their own friends, those peeps also go into your matrix. Then every time people make purchases, you earn a little percentage of that into your account. Then you can request a check anytime you’ve got more than $5 in your account {sweet} – or spend it on the Moolala site to get a bonus bit of cash back! So cool.
Spotted Fox: This is a really cool new site that I’ve been working with lately… I love that unlike most of the deal sites, this one actually has MY city available! They’re getting new smaller markets in all the time, so it’s a great one to sign up with and enjoy the cool “Everywhere” deals until your city becomes available. When you click this link, for a limited time you’ll get a free $5 credit when you sign up. Then get an extra $5 bucks in credit every time a friend you refer makes a purchase!
HomeSav: I’ve shared these amazing home deals with you guys a few times now – VERY cool stuff. They find seriously cool collections for every part of your home, and offer them to you in limited quantities at deep discounts. And you get bigger rewards the more people you share your fab finds with – 3 friends join, get $10 in free credit. Once 10 friends join the site, you’ll get another $15 bucks in credit. And if you reach 25 friends total who set up a free account on HomeSav to get access to the awesome buys, you’ll get ANOTHER bonus of $40 in free credit – for a total of $70 dollars in freebies. Sweet.
Bloom: Get $1 in free credit every single time a new friend you refer sets up a free page. What is Bloom.com? I’ll let them explain it: “A place where real women and beauty pros share visually-inspiring beauty trends, tag products they use to achieve those looks and solve beauty dilemmas. Finally, one unbiased source that makes beauty fun and simple.” Join me at the web’s biggest beauty social network today!
Sharing Spree: When you refer friends to this site and they make a purchase, you’ll get a free $10 credit to spend on one of their amazing daily deals. What’s even better than that? Well, every purchase made on Sharing Spree means a donation to a local non-profit! So far, they’ve raised $352,519 for great causes!
Daily Deals for Moms: This is exactly what it says it is – A fun site with new deals each day, targeted towards busy moms like us. Share the family-friendly sales with friends and get $10 bucks to spend for yourself!
Moo.com: Everyone knows that Moo makes the best business cards, right? I love their super fun inspiration in each email newsletter, and that they have so many cool tools and options available to help you create incredible cards to show off your business. But, did you know that you can earn free credit to spend there too? Refer friends to Moo.com, and get $7.50 in your account when they make a purchase! {Plus, they get a sweet 10% off on their purchase when they shop from your link} – And, you don’t need a business to benefit from their cool cards – use them as “Mommy Cards,” with your name, number and email to connect with other new moms you meet at the playground. Make emergency contact cards, to give to babysitters, daycares, or inside kiddo’s backpacks. They could be super fun little mini-invitations. With the gorgeous quality of Moo printing, you could even use them to make little “baby update” cards to send out monthly to friends and family – Pic of baby on the front, growth and milestone updates on the back. So fun!
Zulily: This is one of my personal favorites to shop at – For me! They have great sale events on shoes, fashions, and accessories for me. Love that. And – share your faves with your girlfriends, and get TWENTY BUCKS in free credit as soon as they make their own first order. Sah-WEET!
Adore Me: This is a super fun site – Showrooms filled with pretty new bras, undies, and sleepwear pieces at really affordable prices. I’ve been really happy with the quality of everything I’ve ordered, and I can be pretty picky about undergarments! Also, free shipping – BOTH ways, in case you need to return ’em. And get $10 in free credit when your friends join and shop too.

UPDATE: I’m adding more of these sites as I find {and/or} remember them! Everytime I come across a new site like this, I always join – it’s just such a simple way to share deals and earn freebies. Hope you enjoy them too!

HomeMint: Awesome and totally unique home goods and art, designed and curated by Justin Timberlake. Love it, right? Join HomeMint and earn a $50 credit when 5 friends make a purchase too! {Plus, you earn points for every single dollar you spend there too!}

What do you think? Are you crazy-super-excited to start earning free credits to shop for you and your family? Ready to do this year’s holiday shopping for almost FREE? Awesome, because I’m excited to SHARE this with you guys. I’ve been meaning to write this post for months – but when I realized how quick the holidays are approaching, I realized I needed to get on it asap. Because not only do I want you guys to be able to shop free this year, but I’m also excited for you to be able to share sweet deals with your friends, and help THEM shop for free too!

Because Friends Don’t Let Friends Pay Full Price…

Do you have any other sites to add to this list? If so, I’d LOVE to learn about them! Leave your referral link in the comments below, so that we can all sign up and get YOU some free stuff too! And, if you have any great tips, stories of how sites like this have helped you, or other info to share – please leave a comment. I’d love to feature some great stories on this site!

{Disclaimer: Post contains referral links, which means I earn the same credits that you can, when you use my links to join these sites. But they are all sites that I am personally an active member on, trust, and can honestly recommend. Photo credit: AntwerpenR.}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on September 12, 2012 Filed Under: Freebies, Shopping, Deals and Coupon Codes, Busy Mom Solution | 8 Comments

How to Get Free Amazon MP3 Credits All Month

Did you know you can get FREE MP3 credits for Amazon.com? Yep, until the end of the month of September, every time you redeem your Swagbucks points for a free Amazon.com gift card, you’ll also get a free MP3 credit as a bonus!

How to get free MP3 Credits on Amazon

When you snag an Amazon.com Gift Card during the month of September, you will be rewarded with a $1 promotional credit for Amazon MP3. With over 20 million songs, they’re sure to have that new song you’re lovin’ lately, an oldie you don’t already have in your collection, or your toddler’s favorite song that she loves to listen to 127 times in a row. Start earning reward points with Swagbucks.com today to snag your Amazon.com Gift Card and $1 Amazon MP3 promotional credit before Sept. 30th. Pretty sweet deal, right?

More ways to earn free Amazon gift cards

Watch the video to learn about another cool new way to earn Swagbucks – Shop & Earn! With the crazy-busy holiday season coming soon – You can save a ton of time and money by doing your fall shopping online. And if you shop through Swagbucks, you’ll also earn awesome free rewards too…

What are you waiting for? Join Swagbucks today!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on September 12, 2012 Filed Under: Freebies, Shopping | No Comments

Sh*tty Mom: The Parenting Guide for the Rest of Us

Are you a Sh*tty Mom?… If so, the authors of the new book, The Sh*tty Mom are here to tell you that it’s ok. No, they’re not advocating neglecting your kids or doing anything harmful – this is a tongue-in-cheek survival manual for all of us who are learning to embrace the fact that we’re not perfect moms – but we can still be pretty awesome moms. Sh*tty Mom: The Parenting Guide for the Rest of Us is a must-read for all of you tired mommas out there. Watch the video to get a glimpse of the funny ladies behind this book…

**The Sh*tty Mom: The Parenting Guide for the Rest of Us**

“Sh*tty Mom is the ultimate parenting guide, written by four moms who have seen it all. As hilarious as it is universal, each chapter presents a common parenting scenario with advice on how to get through it in the easiest and most efficient way possible. With chapters such as “How to Sleep Until 9 A.M. Every Weekend” and “When Seeing an Infant Triggers a Mental Illness That Makes You Want to Have Another Baby,” as well as a Sh*tty Mom quiz, this is a must-have, laugh-out-loud funny book for the sh*tty parent in all of us.” I seriously laughed out loud the whole time I read this book… It’s that good. Like, “be careful if you’re reading this alone at a coffee shop because you’ll look like a weirdo giggling away in the corner all alone” kind of good. Love it. And it’s 40% off on Amazon right now too – sweetness.

**If you’ve read Sh*tty Mom, or are a fan of their website already – I’d love to hear what you think too! Share some comments…**

And, check out a few more of my fave “not a perfect mom but I’m trying my best” style books below. Because we all need to take a deep breath, know we’re doing all that we can, and laugh as we realize that there are a million other moms out there who aren’t perfect too. “Do your best and forget the rest.” – That’s what my grandma always told us. It’s my parenting motto now. I should get it bedazzled onto a jacket or something….

Posted by Meagan Paullin on September 12, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | 1 Comment

Free Fisher Price Toys: How to Have a HouseParty

HouseParty.com – The budget hostesses best friend!… If you’ve never heard of House Party, you can read details here – How to host a House Party. The basics are just to sign up on their site, apply for parties you’re interested in, invite friends when you get approved, and party it up with your free party packs when they arrive. Totally simple, and totally awesome.

Why House Party Rocks

Ok, as a long-time member of HouseParty.com, I admit – the parties aren’t always as good as they used to be. If I could offer the brands that sponsor parties a word of advice, it would be to choose fewer hosts, and send those hosts bigger packages – instead of trying to send very bare-bones packages to a huge amount of people. It makes the hosts more excited to get a generous package that they feel good about inviting friends over to share, it makes them more likely to build buzz for your brand, and it just gives a positive vibe to a TON of people who received a sweet package from you. The whole point is to get people talking about you, spreading the word about new products, and building some great buzz for your brand, so you want to make sure the packages you send make people excited enough to do that. And…. One brand who clearly TOTALLY understands this is Fisher-Price – Check out the package that they sent us this weekend:

Fisher-Price Toddler House Party

Ok – this isn’t the greatest pic ever. We unloaded the GIANT box of free toys in the spare bedroom that’s still kind of a mess after my brother and the kids moved out – and it was getting late, which meant not a great amount of light. But neither Abby or I could wait until morning to check out this big ol’ package…. And ohmyHECK, we were not disappointed! Here’s what we received:

Fisher-Price Little People Disney Princess Songs Palace: We had to open this one early to check it out – and Abby absolutely adores it. There’s a little gadget to set the princesses on, and then you turn it back and forth to make them dance – that’s Abby’s favorite part. And it recognizes each different princess character figure, making each one sing a different song. Love it.
Fisher-Price Little People Disney 2 Pack: Belle and Beast: We also received a couple of extra princess character sets. This Beauty and the Beast due, plus Rapunzel and Tiana, which we were excited about since Tangled is Abby’s favorite movie right now!
Fisher-Price Servin’ Surprises Kitchen & Table: I am SO in love with this! Not only is it a super fun kitchen-themed play table, but it also can lose the accessories, and convert to a basic table for coloring and projects. Very cool. We also got 4 accessory packages to keep the play-food fun going…
Fisher-Price Servin’ Surprises Ice Cream Set: This set pairs well with the Servin’ Surprises Birthday Set, since everyone loves cake and ice cream together, right? They also included the Servin’ Surprises Grill Set set too.
Fisher-Price Servin’ Servin’ Surprises High Chair Set: Abby has a little Cailou doll who is the PERFECT fit to sit in this chair – and she loves feeding him his dinner. So cute.
Fisher-Price Servin’ Surprises Deluxe Tea Set: This is going to be a BIG hit with Abby too… She LOVES anything with teapots and cups, and sings the Little Teapot song all of the time. Now she can have some really awesome tea parties with this whole big set.
Fisher-Price Wheelies Loops ‘n Swoops Amusement Park: This super fun car set also came with an extra 12 individual play wheelies cars, one to put into each of the 12 goodie bags for kids at the party!

We still have one more shipment on the way, with all of the other goodie bag gear – Fisher Price coloring books, DVD’s, coupons, and more. So that if the kids find a new favorite while playing with this new fall line-up of fun toys, moms can save some bucks if they want to head out and purchase them too! Awesome, right?

Learn more about the upcoming Fisher Price House Parties by following #FisherPricePlaydate on Twitter – or check out @HousePartyFun for updates on upcoming parties you can apply for!

So – now that you know how awesome these packs from House Party can be – make sure to sign up for a free account today, to get updates on new parties to apply for over the holiday season. They have everything from food and wine, to basic household supplies like the new Kleenex hand towels – to totally fun party packs for holiday entertaining, like the Kmart Halloween party that’s open to applications now. So get signed up and apply to host some fun {and totally FREE!} parties today!