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« Previous EntriesPhoto Gifts for Mother’s Day
Sunday, April 15th, 2012Mother’s Day is coming and TechyDad keeps asking me what I would like. To be honest, a nice quiet day with the boys is what I would really enjoy. Just doing something special that does not involve the circus like last year (we literally went to the circus). Of course, I know that we are trying to show the boys that we give some gifts to each other and they are not the only gift receivers. Two items that I have been thinking of were personalized cell phone case or a photo mug.
Thanks to a campaign from Global Influence, I now have a few new items that may be on my list. Shutterfly’s collection of photo gifts has really grown. Of course, they have a great selection of mugs that you can personalize like this tiled one below. They also have a nice selection of iPhone cases, but nothing that will work with my Droid Bionic. Perhaps they would be good options for Father’s Day for Papa.
What I was not expecting were fun new bags, different wall art options, fleece blankets, personalized puzzles, and many other items. The new items within the photo gift section of their website has grown a lot in recent months.
With all of the sales right now, these photo gifts would not only make great Mother’s Day presents, but also nice items to put away for Father’s Day, graduation presents, birthdays, and beyond. To keep up on all that Shutterfly has to offer be sure to follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
So, what are you asking your family to get you for Mother’s Day? I would love to know what you have in mind. I think I am going to go for a fun new mug with photos from our upcoming trip to Disney World!
Disclosure: I wrote this post as part of a compensated Global Influence campaign. As someone who enjoys finding unique gifts for family and friends, I love the new selection of items that I will be able to pick from with my Shutterfly gift certificate.
The Together Counts Pledge
Monday, April 2nd, 2012Living in the snow region of the country, we have to be creative in getting active as a family. Now that it is spring, it is a lot easier. The kids love to head to the park with us. We wander around the playground, head onto trails, wander in the hedge mazes and more. 
NHL is 8 and is much more aware of being active, eating healthy foods, and junk foods in moderation. He actually started going to his school’s Just Run club. The kids also know that I wear a pedometer to try to track my activity. Both of the boys think it is a lot of fun to compete with our walks and see if we can beat our last pedometer adventure. This summer, I am sure we will be doing even more treks to try to visit places and save money on gas for the car.
Together Counts is a program for everyone. The goal is to help to inspire families to lead healthy and active lives. Energy Balance is a key element and major principle of the program. Quite simply, this means that the calories that we eat are the ones that we burn. Together Counts brings together 195 retailers, food/beverage manufacturers, restaurants, sporting goods stores, insurance companies, non-governmental organizations, and professional sports organizations to get the message across. For additional information, head to the Together Counts website learn more and take their pledge on finding balance and moderation.
Together Counts is having a sweepstakes right now on their Facebook page to celebrate their first anniversary. Prizes include gift cards, George Foreman Grills, and a membership to Anytime Fitness. Of course, Together Counts is also on Twitter and Pinterest. Tomorrow evening, April 3, be sure to join Together Counts as they celebrate Child Nutrition Month during a Twitter party from 8-9 EST. Prizes include $50 same-as-cash gift cards. There is more information and to RSVP over at Resourceful Mommy.
So have you made the Together Counts pledge yet? If not, what are you waiting for?
Disclosure: I wrote this post as part of a compensated Global Influence campaign. As someone who strives to find balance, I love the principles behind Together Counts and am happy to share this with my readers.
Neosporin’s New Eczema Essentials and Coupon
Sunday, February 26th, 2012The winter weather may have been nice to us this year, but the dryness has been harsh at best. With the heat pulling the moisture out of the house, our sensitive skin suffers a lot. My kids and I often are the lucky recipients of eczema during these long, cold months of the year.
Over break, my oldest has been complaining a lot about his back being itchy. Sure enough, I pulled his shirt up and saw what I feared. Red, scaly, itchy, dry patches = eczema back. He seems to get it on his back, my youngest on his legs, and my poor hands are a mess – which makes typing/knitting/crafting hard to do at times. We have a large collection of Eczema creams, moisturizer lotions, and more.
A few weeks ago, I saw an ad for a new eczema product that caught my eye. Then, I had the opportunity to participate in a campaign for the product and share a high value coupon. Yes, the makers of Neosporin – who I have trusted to help stop infections from cuts and scraps now have a line of products to help with eczema.
Thanks to this coupon, I am heading out this weekend to get some of the cream to try on my kids. I trust the Neosporin name, like that it says it will help quickly, is a good daily moisturizer, and is unscented. More information about the new line of Neosporin Eczema Essentials Products:
When children have eczema, its negative effects are not felt by the child but by the entire family. Parents want to be the hero and bring relief to this popular skin problem so Neosporin has come out with a line of products to bring relief to the skin and the entire family overall.
#1 Daily Body Wash
• Proven gentle and non-irritating, even on eczema-prone skin
• Fragrance-free, soap-free
• Gentle enough for everyday use#2 Daily Moisturizing Cream
• Deeply moisturizes
• Relieves itch on contact and irritation due to eczema
• Helps strengthen and restore the skin’s natural barrier function
• Fragrance and steroid-free#3 Anti-Itch Cream
• Clinically shown to improve dryness, flaking and appearance of redness
• Maximum strength of itch relief
• For occasional use
I will keep you posted once we try the cream. I have my high value coupon (link above) and will be heading to Walmart or another retailer’s first-aid aisle to find this to test out on our dry winter skin and see how it calms our eczema symptoms.
Disclosure: I wrote this post as part of a compensated Global Influence campaign. As someone who has eczema and two young boys with it, it was my pleasure to share information and a coupon about this new product that we hope to try. As mentioned, we have not used this yet, but Neosporin is a brand that we know and trust.
Disclaimer: This post is not meant to be taken as medical advice. If you are worried about eczema, please consult your doctor to ask question and get additional information from them.
National Diabetes Awareness Month
Thursday, November 10th, 2011
In 1980, the world changed for my family. Not only was it the time that my mother was pregnant with my little brother, it was also when she was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. For most women, the diabetes story ends once they deliver their baby. Yes, they are more at risk for developing adult onset later on, but it is something they just monitor. My mother was not as lucky. Her sugar remained high. She was put on a low dose pill and for years and years it kept everything in check.
Many years later, my mother’s sugar spiraled out of control. She started to see an endocrinologist and was put on insulin, told to monitor her blood levels multiple times a day, and to change her diet. I am happy to report that with diet changes, doctor monitoring, and new advances in medicine, my mother is no longer insulin dependent.
TechyDad and I worry about diabetes. It is a factor that both of us need to think about. You see both of our mothers are diabetic. Watching my mother’s battle with diabetes has inspired us to watch our carbohydrate intake, increase multigrain products, and use different sources of protein in our diets (egg whites, quinoa, tofu, and others). A staple in our house are packages of egg whites. Thanks to a fantastic little steamer, we can make omelets in the microwave using All Whites in less than a minute. We simply pour the number of ounces that we want into the steamer and place it in the microwave. If we want to be fancy, we add in fresh vegetables and/or soy bacon.
November is National Diabetes Awareness Month. As a member of Global Influence, I am participating in a sponsored Fit2Fight Campaign from Better’n Eggs to get the word out. As you can see, diabetes is part of my world and we try to make healthier eating choices. Here is a new recipe courtesy of All Whites that I hope to try one day soon that would make a great diabetes friendly option with lots of protein and vegetables.
Vegetable & Grain Quiche
Nutritional Information can be found on the All Whites website.
Preparation: 15 minutes
Baking: 55 minutes
Time-To-Table: 1 hour 10 minutes
Serves: 6
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- 1/4 cup sliced green onion
- 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour
- 2 cups frozen broccoli cuts, thawed, drained
- 1 small red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
- 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup (8 ounces) Better’n Eggs®
- 1 cup skim milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
- 1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
2. Combine rice, green onion and flour in medium bowl. Spread over bottom of pie pan. Top with broccoli, red peppers and mushrooms.
3. In medium bowl stir together Better’n Eggs, milk, salt, hot pepper sauce, basil and pepper. Pour over vegetables. Top with cheese.
4. Bake, uncovered, 50 to 55 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serve immediately.
To learn more about the Fit2Fight Campaign, please join the #betterneggs Twitter party with Bob Greene on November 16 from 8-10 EST. Yes, Bob Green is Oprah’s personal trainer and health and wellness expert. For more information about the party, head over to Mamavation to get all of the details, including all of the amazing prizes that night.
Remember that diabetes is something that all of us need to think about. By living healthier lifestyles and picking better food options, we will help the battle. The reality is that Type II diabetes is a preventable disease that affects 25.8 million children and adults in the United States. So take a stand and help spread the word.
How has Type II diabetes affected your life? I would love to take the time to share those that we know who have had this disease in their world.
Disclosure: I wrote this post as part of a compensated Global Influence campaign. As someone who has many family members with Type II diabetes, it was my pleasure to share information about this cause with my readers.
Disclaimer: This post is not meant to be taken as medical advice. If you are worried about Type II diabetes please consult your doctor to ask question and get additional information from them.
Family Photo Day Fun
Thursday, November 3rd, 2011
November is here and suddenly a slight sinking feeling goes into my stomach. Yes, the thought of creating a holiday card to send to family and friends hits. Since we celebrate Chanukah, we do not send Christmas Cards. Rather than do some for each holiday, we pick out New Year Cards. Now that we have kids, we like to do a card with photos. Thanks to a Global Influence Campaign, I am now more familiar with Shutterfly and their large selection of holiday cards and other photo gifts.
We used to sit and try to come up with that one perfect photo of the boys or all of us. Reality check. That just does not work. Instead, it usually results in a comedy of errors of funny shots like this one from Halloween:
Now, there are holiday cards that allow us to pick out multiple photos to represent the fun and exciting things that have happened over the past year. So we can skip these hijinks and use one with the boys in their Darth Vader and Jedi Tigger costumes. Of course, I also want to include a group family shot. These are rare since TechyDad or I are almost always behind the camera. Lucky for us, one of my favorite photos from this year is with all of us. We are in the United Kingdom at Epcot visiting with Tigger and Pooh. It may not be the best, but it is my favorite. It shows us in our happy place, together, and having fun.
I know that over the next few weeks, I will be using the tools, resources, and ideas on Shutterfly’s Family Photo Day website. They will help me to make our perfect holiday card to send to family and friends to welcome in 2012. In addition to this, I would love to plan a Family Photo Day with other local friends. The idea behind this is to gather together, be spontaneous, fun, silly, and capture moments for each other that may be tricky to do for your own family. I love the idea and how it is explained in this video:
So what do you think? Could you see the benefits of a Family Photo Day with a larger group of family? I think it would take the pressure off and make something that can often be stressful more fun and creative.
Disclosure: I wrote this post as part of a Global Influence campaign for Shutterfly. By sharing this information with my readers, I will also receive 50 free cards to thank me for my participation. No other compensation has been given and all opinions are mine.
A Back to School Milestone
Monday, August 22nd, 2011Back to school in our area does not officially begin until after Labor Day. The day after Labor Day, NHL goes back to school. He will be a third grader this year. It is a big day for him because he has never done a back to school in this building yet. Last year, NHL switched schools at the end of the year. He did this with grace and adored the new school.
For the first time since JSL was born, I will have me time five days a week. JSL will be in preschool Monday to Friday. For 20 hours each week I will be able to devote time to my new business, my writing, cleaning, and ME! Yes, I will miss the boys, but it will be nice to get things accomplished without interruptions. Of course, next year when JSL heads to kindergarten for full days – I will likely be in tears.
As a former teacher, it is strange not sitting at home working on seating charts, lesson plans, and letters to parents and students. It is still nerve wracking to be on the flip side and wonder how the school year will be for both of my boys.
Back to school season is the perfect time to start thinking about items for the teachers in your life. Think about it, they spend a large amount of time in the classroom with your child. The reality is a school family is formed for those 10 months. I know during this time I would look for cards to use to write notes to parents, or for thank you notes when people would volunteer in my room or go on a fieldtrip with us.
So what is a back to school milestone that you remember from your childhood, as a teacher, or with your own children?
Now please excuse me, I am off to make more magical memories before Summer 2011 is over and the 2011-2012 school year rush begins. Oh and when I have time, I will be checking out the lunch notes and other items to surprise kids with from Tiny Prints.
Disclosure: I wrote this post as part of a Global Influence campaign for Tiny Prints. By sharing this information with my readers, I will also receive a Tiny Prints gift code to thank me for my participation. No other compensation has been given.
Getting Ready For the Holidays in July
Thursday, July 7th, 2011As I mentioned the other day, we often try to get my niece, nephew, and two boys for a photo together for our family members. As you know, that quest is often a comedy of errors. You would think that it would get easier, when you are trying to do this with only two children.
Insert extreme laughter, sarcasm, and rolling eyes here!
Yes, I will admit it. Since we had the kids, we actually start to think about Christmas cards long before December hits. When Global Influence and Storkie asked me to participate in a post about Christmas in July, it made me laugh. By Halloween, we begin to talk about a photo shoot with the kids. What should they wear, when should we do it, and the list of options goes on.
Then, we inevitably forget about time and it is nearly Thanksgiving. TechyDad and I start to talk about things, we agree to photo cards.
The clock is ticking as December is suddenly here. Some years, Chanukah has already begun before my birthday which is early in the month. This is about when we really start to panic. Yes, we need to get cracking. Photos must be taken, cards ordered, and then ship them out.
The photo shoot itself is usually full of stressful, but fun laughter. The boys get silly and we keep snapping away until we hope that we have at least one photo to work.
Once the kids are asleep, TechyDad and I sit at the computer and toss out a lot of the pictures. Once we find THE one, we have to agree on a card. Since we are Jewish and a lot of friends celebrate Christmas, we opt to make New Years cards. This is also a nice way of being able to drag out the process a little longer and not being late.
So, admission time here. How are you about getting your holiday cards ready to send to family and friends? It may only be July now, but before you know it the holidays will be here.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post from Global Influence and Storkie. For sharing this information, I will be receiving compensation. All content and opinions are my own.
Blogging Conference Advice
Monday, June 6th, 2011Once again, there are a bounty of blogging conferences coming up. Whether you are going to TypeACon (may cry since I will not be there in a few short weeks), BlogHer, SheStreams, or another in the months ahead if this is your first experience going to one it can be nerve wracking.
In February 2010, I was heading to Disney Social Media Moms for my first conference experience. I did not know what to expect since it was the first ever at Disney, but looked to my peers for some advice. In August, I went to BlogHer 2010 in New York City. This conference scared me a lot more. It was a much larger scale, many more people, and SO many things going on all at once. I have now been to three conference, and have this bit of advice for you:
BE YOURSELF!
The weeks before a conference people will be stressing over a myriad of things. These are a few items I worried about and my thoughts.
- Clothes to wear for sessions and parties –> Take it from me, it is important to be comfortable in a professional way. No need to be too dressy if you will not be happy. People dress in jeans, others will wear cocktail dresses to some of the parties. Do what works best for you.
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Techy gadgets to bring –> Take items that you are comfortable working with. Some people will work only on their iPad, others will have laptops, cameras, Flip Cameras, and then some. Only you know what you will use and want to have on hand for live blogging, or networking while there.
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Business cards and what to put on them –> Give as much or as little information as you are comfortable with. Your name, blog name, Website address, FB/Twitter pages, phone number, e-mail address are all great starts. I also put my photo on mine. Along with my Angel logo, I have a small photo of myself. This helps people to put a face to my blog after chatting.
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Making a schedule –> Do not stress over this. There is so much going on. Have a general plan, do not over book yourself, and go with the flow. As a Type A personality this is tough for me, but I learned the hard way at BlogHer that you can not be in three places at one time.
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What sessions should you go to?! –> Only you know what your goals are. If there are a lot of choices at the same time, go to what is best for your future. Sure, your friends may be going to another location, but you will learn the most in a place where you need to be.
My biggest mistake time and time again – not taking enough photos at conferences with my friends. Each time I promise I will do better, and I forget. Do not make this mistake. Pull out your camera and capture these memories. They are well worth the moment to pause and pose.
If you are getting ready for a blogging conference, Tiny Prints would like you to know that they have business cards that you can customize. Their business card selection allow you to add photos, logos and design accents to a variety of formats.
When you go to your first, or subsequent conference enjoy the time, network, learn, have fun, and like I said be yourself! If you have been to a conference – what advice do you have? If you have never been an have any question, please feel free to leave them below.
Disclosure: I wrote this post as part of a Global Influence campaign for Tiny Prints. By sharing this information with my readers, I will receive 50 free business cards to thank me for my participation. No other compensation has been given.
Graduations From My Past
Monday, May 2nd, 2011I have a little secret. I never went to my two college graduations. As a transfer student planning a wedding, I had other items to occupy my time when I was finishing my undergraduate degree. When it was time for my graduate school ceremony, I was frugal and wanted to save the money for a fun vacation with my new husband.
Parents always think ahead about graduation moments for their children. I am no different. I dream about watching my boys in a cap and gown at the end of high school, but also college and beyond. My boys are young, so we have time to prepare for these bigger days. Still, kindergarten was a milestone for NHL. Just a few years ago, TechyDad and I sat in the school cafeteria to watch our oldest son finish his first year at elementary school. Some people may have cried as they walked their child into kindergarten the first time, I was more emotional at graduation.
I spent all that year calling NHL my Kindergarten Kid – and suddenly it was over. He was moving onto first grade and the more real side of elementary learning. He could read, write, and was learning about so many things. I even wrote about the poem that made me cry. To me, it symbolized the last day he was a little kid, he was moving up in the world.
May means that people are starting to think about graduations. College students are finishing up their tenure, high schools are starting to practice their ceremonies, and younger children will be moving from one school milestone to another. Although I do not need any graduation cards this year, many other may need some.
Now it is time to go. I need to cherish these moments with my children. Before I know it – they will be off to college and beyond!
Disclosure: I wrote this post as part of a Global Influence campaign for Tiny Prints. By sharing this information with my readers, I will also receive a Tiny Prints gift code to thank me for my participation. No other compensation has been given.
Memories From Mother’s Day
Thursday, April 7th, 2011This year, I will be celebrating Mother’s Day as a mother with a kiddo for the seventh time. My thoughts and feelings about the holiday have changed over the years. It used to be a day to gather with extended family for a nice brunch. Then, it became a day to spend quiet time with my family enjoying each other. It changed some in recent years because my little guy’s birthday is very close to Mother’s Day and we have had a family celebration on Mother’s Day at least once. This can easily make the day stressful.
Looking back, it is pretty easy for me to pick out the Mother’s Day that was the most special to me. It was two years ago and this photo is my favorite from the day:
In May 2099, we took our boys to Walt Disney World for the first time. Making it extra special, my parents decided to experience the magic with us. We arrived the day before Mother’s Day, making that Sunday our first full day at Walt Disney World. We woke up that morning and went to Disney Hollywood Studios. It was a magical day with my boys and my parents. Even though my glasses broke, it could not ruin the day. It was filled with laughter, smiles, memories, and milestones for my kiddos. It was also the day that both of my boys were likely bitten by the Disney bug and joined the ranks with the rest of our family.
No matter how our Mother’s Day celebration changes over the years, one thing stays constant. It is a day where we make sure to thank the mothers in our lives. This includes not only my mother and TechyDad’s mother, but my grandmother, sister-in-laws, aunts, and friends who are mothers. Now time to admit something, I am sick of going to stores to fight for a spot in a small display to pick our greeting cards to send people. This year, I plan on sending long distance cards via Tiny Prints.
Tiny Prints provides simple, modern and unique stationery from Fathers Day Cards to personalized greeting cards to thank you cards, business cards, and even custom wedding invitations or photo birth announcements. Offering exclusive designs from the nation’s top designers, easy card personalization, a powerful preview engine and top-notch customer service and paper quality, their designs have been lauded by numerous television networks, publications and celebrities. With Tiny Prints by your side, commemorating every holiday and momentous occasion is a cinch! They offer perfect party invitations for every occasion and memorable personalized photo-gifts like notebooks, photo books and calendars to commemorate the event.
Now, I best be off. I need to start my list of cards to make for special women in our lives for Mother’s Day 2011.
Disclosure: I wrote this post as part of a Global Influence campaign for Tiny Prints. By sharing this information with my readers, I will also receive a Tiny Prints gift code to thank me for my participation. No other compensation has been given.
