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Favorite Quotes About Motherhood – #Heres2Mom

 

 

Christmas Flowers

My Favorite Motherhood Quotes

  • “Making the decision to have a child – It’s momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.”
  • – Elizabeth Stone
  • “It’s not easy being a mother. If it were easy, fathers would do it.”
  • – The Golden Girls
  • “A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.” – Tenneva Jordan
  • “I want my children to have all the things I couldn’t afford. Then I want to move in with them.” – Phyllis Diller
  • “A mother never realizes that her children are no longer children.”
  • – James Agee
  • “Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother.”
  • – Lin Yutang
  • “A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child.”
  • – Sophia Loren
  • “The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new.” – Rajneesh

“All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.” – Abraham Lincoln

Who else loves their momma? I bet you’re nodding your head right now, saying, “Heck yes I love my momma!” – Moms make the world go ’round. I’ve realized how much I took for granted as a child – Becoming a mother myself made me finally truly appreciate everything that my mom did for me. So, if you’re a last minute shopper, and haven’t gotten that perfect gift yet for YOUR mom – I’m here to save the day! What’s better to send then gorgeous holiday flowers, and a heartfelt note in a card, right?

Beautiful fresh-from-the-field flowers from just $19.99. Plus you’ll receive a Free Vase with your order. Click Here to order yours NOW for Holiday Shipping!

Now you Need a Card too!

If running out to grab a card, get stamps, write a nice message, AND remembering to get it into the mailbox is too much for you during this last minute rush, no worries – Check out one of the great sites that can send a card for you! MoonPig.com lets you personalize any card with photos and text, Paperless Post lets you send some beautiful Online Cards – or just use the card option that comes along with the flowers! Whatever you decide to use, check out some of my VERY favorite quotes about moms above – feel free to use one of them, to show mom that you really do understand how hard she works, and how much you appreciate her.

Here’s To Mom Promotion!

Remember the cool promotion that I told you about, the Here’s to Mom Promotion from MasterCard? Spend $200 bucks online, by the end of this month, and you’ll get a totally FREE Gift Card back after the holidays – to spend on something nice, just for you. It’s just another way to reward yourself for all of the great things YOU do. Make sure to register your card – Here’s to Mom Sign Up – so you can earn towards your freebie when shop for cards and flowers!

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Gift it Forward: Puppy Prep Kit {Part 2} – Donation Time! #ILoveMyK9 #CBias

Milk Bone Puppy Prep Products

“There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.” – Ben Williams

A couple of weeks ago I told you guys about a fun project that I was involved in, to put together a New Puppy Prep Gift Basket, filled with great products we got at Walmart, and then “Gift it Forward” as a surprise donation to a lucky pet owner. So, now I’ll show you how we used all that fun stuff to put the basket together, and you can learn who the surprise recipient was!

Puppy Products

“I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love.  For me they are the role model for being alive.” – Gilda Radner

We got tons of yummy puppy treats and snacks – plus lots of fun toys! I also grabbed a great collar and leash set that’s adjustable to fit just about any size dog – It’s red and silver, for the holidays. I used the dog dish that we purchased as a base, and used holiday tissue to help the products stay in place. I also grabbed a pack of cello bags from Walmart – they’re my total must-have product when making gift baskets!

Puppy Holiday Gift Basket

“If you think dogs can’t count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then giving Fido only two of them.” – Phil Pastoret

Here’s the finished basket – so much fun! We packed it full of as much as I could fit – including Pup Peroni snacks, Milk Bones, and Milo’s Kitchen treats. There were over 10 new doggy toys included, plus the snazzy new collar and leash, more treats, a brush, and more. The only thing I wish I’d remembered to get was a fleece blanket – since new puppies, like new babies, can never have too many blankets. But – it’s filled with some great stuff, and I was super excited to give it away!

“My goal in life is to be as good of a person my dog already thinks I am.” – Author Unknown

Since we don’t have any puppies in our home, and I didn’t know of anyone who was getting a new puppy for Christmas – I wanted to donate our basket of gifts to an animal rescue group. When I found out that one of my moms coworkers volunteers for a really great local group – I knew I’d found the perfect person for this! She volunteers for K9 & Kitty Land Rescue – the rescue abused and abandoned animals, and take them into their own homes until they’re adopted. How great is that, right? So I knew that she’d be able to put all of these great products to good use! {And if you’d like to help too – visit their site to learn more. You can even make a PayPal donation, to directly support some of these animals and their vet bills.} She was so excited and surprised by this – and it totally made my day to get to do something to help their amazing group!

“Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.” – Roger Caras

This little guys name is Opie – He was found when a trucker threw him out and abandoned him at a rest area, and a little girl grabbed him before he ended up in the traffic of the near-by freeway. {Read the rest of his story here – Opie’s Story.} How can you not love a group that takes care of little guys like him? Many of the animals that they take in have been hurt, or are sick, or malnourished. So every donation helps to cover the vet bills and other costs associated with caring for the cats and dogs until they find their “Forever Homes”. Donate today on their website – or if you’re local, email to learn how to drop off some donations of your own!

Check out the rest of our surprise donation trip on Google+!

Happy Holidays!


{Disclaimer: This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias.}

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MasterCard wants to Reward YOU this Season! #Heres2Mom #CBias

Wrapped presents

“There is no way to be a perfect mother, and a million ways to be a good one.” – Jill Churchill

Moms: You do so much for everyone else – year ’round, and especially at the holidays. So, MasterCard decided you deserve to get a little something nice too! Their Here’s to Mom promotion is a quick and easy way to get rewarded for all of the nice things you’re already doing this holiday season – Keep reading for the details!

Here's to Mom MasterCard promotion

“It’s not easy being a mother. If it were easy, fathers would do it.” – The Golden Girls

Here’s how it works – If you’re like me, you probably love doing as much shopping as you can online, to avoid the crowds, the cold, and the crazy! And now, when you shop for your families gifts online with your MasterCard, you can earn a free bonus just for you! Yep, when you spend $200 or more online with your MasterCard, they’ll send you a $20 Gift Card that you can spend on a little something nice for yourself. Super fun, right?

MasterCard logo

“I know how to do anything – I’m a Mom.” – Roseanne Barr

How to Get Started: You have to register your card first, before your spending can count towards the $200. To register, simply go to their website – Here’s to Mom MasterCard Promotion – Add your info and card number, submit, done! It’s seriously so quick and easy. You can shop anywhere online that MasterCard is accepted, and spend any way you want – One BIG purchase, or a ton of little ones – and as soon as your total reaches $200, you’ve earned your freebie. This promotion is valid until December 31, 2011 – so you can earn with your post-holiday clearance purchases too!

Baby in Bouncy Car

“Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.” – Hamilton Wright Mabie

My very favorite part of the holidays is getting those perfect gifts that make the kids light up when they open them. Last year was Abby’s first Christmas – and we got her this amazing bouncy car. Daddy cut custom-made vinyl to add her name to the bumper too. She totally squealed with little-baby excitement when she saw it!! That was the very best part of my entire day. So this year, Grandma got her a super cute pink-plush rocking horse, that makes horsey sounds – and we got her a Tricycoo, that she can use now and grow into over the next year. I can’t wait until Christmas morning – and it’s awesome that our holiday toy spending can earn me a free gift card too!

Remember –

Register your MasterCard today! This offer is valid until 12/31/11.

{This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. All opinions, ideas, and photos are totally mine – Happy Holidays!}

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Tech the Halls! Great Gadget Gifts for Every Budget #digitwirl

“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” – Arthur C. Clarke

I’m surprisingly tech-challenged for a blogger – You’d think that since I spend my whole days on this darn computer – I create posts filled with links and graphics and codes. I’m a master of social media with accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, YouTube, LinkedIn and more. I run campaigns for great companies, build brand awareness with product ambassadorships, run successful giveaways, and promote great businesswomen in my Directory. Yet still – technology can be a challenge for me. That’s why I love Digitwirl!!

Digitwirl Rocks My Socks!

The amazing ladies at Digitwirl search out the VERY best techy gadgets, services, and websites with one goal in mind – to make YOUR life easier! Their weekly Twirls explain things in a way that even I can “get” it – which makes me feel just that little bit smarter and more tech-savvy.  This year they’ve put together the coolest collection of totally fun items for everyone on your list – from foodie to photographer, you’ll find the perfect gifts at every price point. What are you waiting for? Check it out…

“The technologies which have had the most profound effects on human life are usually simple.” – Freeman Dyson

Digitwirl says: ” Ready, set, shop! The holidays are upon us and it’s time to get in gear and start finding the perfect gift for everyone on your list. No pressure, right? Well, don’t stress, Twirlers— if there’s one thing we know for sure here at Digitwirl, it’s that tech can help make anyone’s spirit a little brighter!” – They’ve scoured scoured the tech universe to find you the best gift options for everyone you have to shop for. I love that all of the items they include are so innovative – and they’re all perfect “Busy Mom Solutions!!” Love it. If you saw some great gifts for the amazing people on your list – you can learn more about each product and how to buy them on the Digitwirl site. Here are a few of my very favorite picks –

My Favorite Digitwirl Picks:

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  • The Nintendo DSi – I looove this! I would never have even guessed that this kids gadget had great games for grown-up girls! And here’s the fun cooking game they showed you: America’s Test Kitchen: Let’s Get Cooking.
  • Belkin Kitchen Stand and Wand for Tablets– I don’t have a tablet yet, but myohmy, this is SUCH a great idea! You know I’m all about finding great products that are “Busy Mom Solutions” – things that make you think, “Why didn’t I know about this??!! What a simple solution!” And that’s exactly what this is.
  • Samsung Laptop – Boyohboy – you guys KNOW I am in need of a laptop!! I work so much, and it would be amazing to be able to bring my work with me, instead of being stuck here at my desktop. I’ve been trying to decide on a good one, so that when my budget has some room I can finally get one – And if the Digitwirl gals give this their seal of approval, then I’m sure I’ll love it!
  • Nikon Digital Camera System – This is uh-MAY-zing! I love it in white – super chic and modern. I got a new camera last year, and while it’s doing a great job, it’s just a basic, solid, camera. I miss when I used to take photography classes in school – I’d love to have a really great camera like this again for my photography. Totally cool.
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“Technology has a great advantage in that we are capable of creating dinosaurs and showing them on the screen even though they are extinct 65 million years. All of a sudden, we have a fantastic tool that is as good as dreams are.” – Werner Herzog

Digitwirl is the weekly web show that offers simple solutions to modern day problems. In 3 minutes, Digitwirl brings busy women the very best time, money, and sanity-saving technology, and then teaches them how to use it, step-by-step. Digitwirl was created by technology lifestyle expert Carley Knobloch, who uses lots of technology to manage her busy life as mom of two and entrepreneur. Become a subscriber to get weekly show alerts and exclusive deals at Digitwirl.com, or follow Digitwirl on Twitter at @digitwirl.

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Party Time with Thomas & Friends! #Megabloksparty

Thomas Mega Bloks

‘Play is the highest form of research.’ – Albert Einstein

Thomas & Friends + Mega Bloks = Another super fun event from MommyParties! We received a ton of awesome stuff to host a great party for the kiddo’s, their friends, and my mommy friends too. We’ve actually never played with any of the Mega Bloks sets before, so I was super excited to check ’em out – And I’m definitely impressed! I had pictures Mega Bloks as more of a “Little Kid” type toy – but these were fun for ALL of the kids, from 16 months to 9 years old. I love how easy it was for the kids to follow the directions, and they loved that they could create the set on their own. Keep reading to learn more about these super cool toys, plus some ideas you can use for your own party.

Playing with toy train set

‘Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity.’ – Kay Redfield Jamison

Each of the kids got to pick a new toy – They could choose from Mega Bloks Diesel Works Set, or the Mega Bloks Thomas Set – both are super cool. The box that they blocks are in opens up, and flips over, to become a little ramp for the train to cruise down… And Abby thought this was the COOLEST thing ever! She says, “Chooo Chooo!” and runs to chase it after it rolls away. The bigger kids set theirs all up in a row, and had races to see who’s train could go the farthest. The moms all loved that this was a great travel set.

Thomas & Friends Mega Bloks set

“The most effective kind of education is that a child should play amongst lovely things.” – Plato

We also got one “Big” set for the kids to check out – Megabloks “Day at the Dieselworks” – and it was definitely a hit with both the kids and the moms. While lego sets can be a challenge even for some of the bigger kiddo’s, this Mega Bloks set was perfect – the older boys helped to guide the little one’s, and while they could put the whole thing together without any help from the grown up’s, it was just challenging enough to make them feel really accomplished when they finished it!

Thomas Mega Bloks toy sets

“Make each day your masterpiece.” – John Wooden

Another thing I thought was pretty cool about these toy sets is that they all fit together. So, if you’re little one is going to a playdate, they can bring along one of the smaller toy sets, and it’ll hook right up to the bigger toy sets, as you see in the picture. This would be a great way to set up a Mommy Group playdate, or birthday party… Have each of the kids bring their own Thomas toys in a smaller travel case set, and they can all hook ’em up to play together! Here are a few other ideas you can use to host your own party:

Thomas-Inspired Snack ideas:

  • Chugga, Chugga, Choo-Choo Chocolate Cups: We made these Dirt & Worm style, which you’ve probably made before. Very simple, but always entertaining – especially if you’ve got little boys at the party!
  • Railway Trail Mix: Any type of Chex Mix would work great for this – find a ton of different varieties here: Chex Mix Recipes.
  • Steamin’ Engine Fuel Punch: Pour 2 64-oz. bottles of fruit punch into a big bowl. Add a 16-oz. can of frozen OJ, and stir until it’s mostly melted. Then add half of a 64-oz bottle of pineapple juice. Right before the party, add in 2 bottles of ginger ale, add ice and some sliced oranges on top – stir and enjoy!

 

“It is in playing, and only in playing, that the child is able to be creative and to use the whole personality, and it is only in being creative that the individual discovers the self.” – D.W. Winnicott

  • Check out my Google+ Album for the rest of the party pictures, or check them out on Facebook.
  • Sign up for the Mega Bloks Newsletter for fun product updates, and promotions.
  • Check out the other amazing parties on the MommyParties Facebook page.

{Disclaimer: Thank you to MommyParties and Mega Bloks for providing us with some super cool new toys, ideas, and party materials for this event! All photo’s and opinions are 100% my own!}

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{Guide to Great Gifts!} Gifts for the Fashionista!

Straightening Iron

“The difference between style and fashion is quality.” – Giorgio Armani

Do you have a total fashionista to shop for this year? Would you love to buy a gift for the teenager in your life that will make her consider you to be “Cool” again, at least momentarily? {Teenagers are a fickle bunch, aren’t they?} Well, if you need a gift that’s guaranteed to impress, I have a couple favorites to share with you!

“I don’t understand how a woman can leave the house without fixing herself up a little – if only out of politeness. And then, you never know, maybe that’s the day she has a date with destiny. And it’s best to be as pretty as possible for destiny.” – Coco Chanel

Remember my No More Frump Mom Challenge?” Well, I have not been as successful as I had planned. That’s putting it nicely, lol. But, I’m still working on it – and as I have been putting together some New Years Resolutions {both personal and business} – I asked for some tips from the smart women I know. Based on their tips, I knew that one thing I really needed to invest in were some new style tools. So, as after researching a couple that I think are totally awesome, I wanted to share them with you too! These are both amazing gadgets to invest in for yourself – and would also be perfect gifts for any women on your list! {How excited would one of your girlfriends be to get a gift to help HER out of the frump mom slump too?}

  • This ceramic hair flat iron by Karmin is a voters favorite, and has a ton of really cool features – it heats up super fast, so you can style in a hurry on busy mornings. It’s made of a totally cutting-edge ceramic, which leaves your hair smooth and super shiny. And it’s got a curved edge, which means you can use this to curl and flip too!
  • The best hair blow dryer ever – this one has ceramic coils and an ionic technology, which means you get a totally frizz-free experience! I’ve been told that investing in a really good quality blow-dryer is going to totally change my life {and they promise that this is not an exaggeration!} so I’m going to give this one a try.

What do you think?

Do you have a little diva to shop for this year? Or maybe another super-busy-mom friend who totally needs these tools? What are some other great gift ideas? And what are your biggest challenges in staying out of the “Frump Mom Slump?” Let’s chat in the comments!

{Disclaimer: I received a complimentary compensation in exchange for sharing my honest opinions and favorite products – as always, all opinions are 100% my own! I’m totally lovin’ both of these products, and think you will too!}

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Mystery Box Sale: Only $9.99 {Limited Amount Available}

Mystery Box

Mystery Boxes Available Again from Graveyard Mall!

I first found Graveyard Mall this summer… And I have been totally hooked ever since. They have tons of truly amazing deals – not just a great price on an item, but really cool package deals that you’re not going to find anywhere else.

Here are a couple examples of what you’ll find there:

  • Get 10 Lubies at one great low price! Get a huge assortment of the adorable Lubies plush toys for only $19.99 – this is a $99 value!!! Lubies Giant Assortment Package.
  • Comic Book Collectors Edition, 25 Comics Shipped Free! Includes The Green Hornet, Kato, and more. All unread copies in Mint or Near Mint condition. Included in this mix is the Winx Club Debut Issue which consistantly sells on Ebay for $6.00 shipped by itself. Comic Book Collection – 25 – Shipped Free. Great gift for the collector on your list – or at this price, it’d make cool stocking stuffers too!
  • Women’s Luxury Gift Set: There is a ton of amazing stuff included in this Women’s Luxury Git Set package – Gift set of 3 Lauren by Ralph Lauren Spaghetti Strap Camisoles in white, great for layering. Plus a Flat Iron Kit: Conair Infiniti Infrared Nano Tourmaline Ceramic Flat Iron, heat resistant storage mat, handheld styling mirror, brush, combs, clips, and headbands. The regular price for all of this would be $212, but you get it for just $29.99!!!

Women’s Guaranteed Gift Mystery Boxes!!

Now to the part I’m most excited about – the Mystery Boxes!! These are limited to only ONE per household – and they are totally GUARANTEED. If you’re unhappy with your package when it arrives, they’ll refund the price plus the shipping for both ways! Awesome, right?  You can see in the pictures above what I got in one of my past boxes – it was PACKED FULL of stuff – all of those pictures are from just the one package. The one above was a different type of box – it was the regular Mystery Box, which usually run around $30. As you can see, this has a value WAAAY over $30 bucks, so these Mystery packages are a great deal. Every Mystery Box of any kind that I’ve bought this year have been seriously amazing. And this Women’s Box that’s available now is only $9.99!!!

Read more about it…

“We’ve sold a lot of gift baskets and we have a lot of odds and ends left over that we’ll mix into this gift basket.  Lotions and candles mostly. We’ll put a bunch of them together along with other goodies in the bed / bath category that are meant for women and include them in the basket.  All you have to do is put the thing together and make it look great.”

The Women’s Mystery Gift Box – Get it now – $9.99!!!

The only complaint that I’ve ever had when ordering through Graveyard Mall is that the shipping is longer than a lot of other places – but I usually order the regular Mystery Boxes, where you let them know what types of things that you like, and they hand make each box. These Women’s Mystery Gift Boxes will be put together quicker, to make sure they reach you by the holidays. Mystery Boxes of any type always sell out really quick – so you’d better hurry. And remember – they’re guaranteed, so there’s no risk!!

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