Sunshine and Sippy Cups

How to Prep for Holiday Guests in 30 Minutes or Less

This post brought to you by Bed Bath & Beyond. All opinions are 100% mine.

We’ve all been there. It’s the holiday season, and you find out on super short notice that you’ve got friends or family showing up. You not only need to round up some fun drinks and appetizers – maybe even dinner and dessert! – but you’ve also got to get the house presentable in a flash. Well, like a super hero who shows up right when you need saving – I’m here to help. Keep reading to get my best tips for hosting guests in 30 minutes or less.

First of all – automate and delegate everything that you can. If the kids are home, they can do a lot of simple tasks – wash windows and mirrors to make them sparkle, spray air freshener, replace candles in all of the holders, fluff throw pillows. So put ’em to work! Then automate other tasks – use life-saving gadgets like the Roomba to get to work vacuuming for you, to save you tons of time. [Read more…]

Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 11, 2013 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution, Homemaking | No Comments

25 Days & 25 Ways to Enjoy the Holidays

A few days ago I introduced you to a really fun way to help yourself remember to slow down and enjoy the holiday season. It’s a holiday countdown calendar, on Facebook, from Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery. I was already a fan of Chateau Ste. Michelle, since they’re located here in Washington Wine Country, in Woodinville, about a two-hour drive from where I live. I’ve been on a couple of wine tours here locally, and have Chateau Ste. Michelle on my “to-visit” list for this summer.

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Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 10, 2013 Filed Under: Holidays, Busy Mom Solution | No Comments

Smurf Cupcakes and Family Night Ideas!

As a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community, this family date night shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study to share fun dinner and movie night ideas using featuring Tyson Batter Tenders & Smurfs 2.

By now, you guys know I love any type of theme night, right? With some creativity, a bit of DIY skill, and just a little extra time, any mom can create a really fun family date night on a budget. And for me, the easiest way to put together an easy family day {whether dinner or playdate} is to base my theme around a super fun family movie. {A couple recent examples: Monsters U lunch, Little Mermaid crafting party} This week, I decided to do a fun movie date night featuring the new Smurfs 2, and those totally yummy Battered Chicken Tenders from Tyson. Some of you might remember me ~~whining~~ – er, mentioning – that I’ve had the flu for 3 days now. But even being under the weather, this was an easy little evening to put together, and the kiddos had a blast. I think I’m feeling better already… :)

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Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 10, 2013 Filed Under: Entertainment, Theme Parties, Food | 5 Comments

What Does it Mean to be Carton Smart?

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

Imagine if everyone made one small, smart decision a day. Swapping something bad for something good. Imagine how that would add up. There are a million ways to do that, but I’m going to talk to you about one you probably haven’t ever thought of – Cooking from cartons.

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Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 10, 2013 Filed Under: Food | 11 Comments

Choosing Magical Holiday Gifts for Little Girls

It can be hard to pick out the perfect gifts during the holidays. Seriously – whether you’re staring down the crazy-full aisles of toys in the store, or trying to find your way through the overwhelming selection on huge online stores, there are so many choices it can make your head spin. Which is why I’m here to share another of my fave holiday toy picks with you guys.

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Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 10, 2013 Filed Under: Shopping, Holidays | 4 Comments

Zymbol Leather Wrap Bracelet Giveaway!

I’m very excited to bring you another fun holiday giveaway – and this one comes with a ton of meaning. I’d actually been looking for something like this a few years ago, and wish I could have found this company back then. Check it out, share it with friends – and then enter to win…

Welcome to the Zymbol Leather Wrap Bracelet Giveaway!

Sponsored by: Zymbol, and Hosted by: Savory Savings

Many times, when someone wears a symbolic piece of jewelry, it is a deeply personal thing that they may or may not want to talk about. The thing is, some of those pieces of jewelry are very easy to pin point what they mean – mother necklaces with certain symbols representing the loss of a child, charm bracelets with ribbons representing illnesses that have taken our loved ones or any number of things. Zymbol, an inspirational jewelry company, brings to the table a beautiful and unique design that can mean and represent your special message and maybe that message shifts each time you wear it! Krista at Savory Savings recently had the chance to check out the Zymbol women’s pendant necklace and shared her thoughts in this review, as well as what the special meaning she found in her Zymbol necklace. [Read more…]

Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 9, 2013 Filed Under: Giveaways | 4 Comments

How Do You Slow Down and Enjoy the Holidays?

What does the holiday season mean to you? For me – and probably most of you – it’s all about friends and family, and celebrating. We love to entertain, and nothing makes me happier than having all of my favorite people together in one place – filling the house with good food, lots of laughter, and creating great memories. I get so excited to shop for presents to make the kid’s faces light up on Christmas morning. I love to make handmade gifts and cards, I have tons of fun decorating the house, and it’s a great excuse to bake too many treats. But on top of all of that joy and celebration – there can also be a big layer of stress. Whether it’s due to tight budgets, overly-busy schedules, or family conflict – it’s so important to slow down, savor the moment, and appreciate the joy of the season. And I’ve got a great way to help you do just that… Let me introduce you to #MyChateau…

The MY CHATEAU Holiday Calendar

What is My Chateau? It’s a place where it’s all about you. And Chateau Ste. Michelle wants to help you take daily breaks to shake off the holiday stress and find a way to enjoy more of the season. Every day leading up to Christmas, you can visit their online virtual Advent calendar to get a fun daily tip – just a small bite-sized action, perfect to fit into any woman’s busy schedule. Want to see my favorite tip so far? [Read more…]

Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 5, 2013 Filed Under: Holidays, Busy Mom Solution | 1 Comment