This one is for the boys.
Though I imagine it’s more the ladies reading it. And ladies, if you didn’t start singing the Spice Girls song as you read this then I don’t know if we can be friends any longer.
What Your Wife REALLY Wants for Mother’s Day
May 10, 2013 By 1 Comment
Want, Wear, Read, Need : 4/25
April 25, 2013 By 2 Comments
Want: Ticket to BlogHer’s Pathfinder day
Wear: Mightee Kids TShirt
Read: Chanel Bonfire: A Memoir
Need: Capabunga
Click through to find out more about this week’s choices!
(This new blogging series is inspired by this SimpleKids post. This post contains affiliate links.)
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Little Luxuries : Ecigarettes
March 28, 2013 By 8 Comments
Recently while at True/False, my friend asked us to head outside to smoke. I was a little flabbergasted, especially considering our third friend was pregnant, until she whipped out an electronic cigarette. I know how addictive smoking can be. And it’s not just the nicotine. My friend actually has more of an addiction to oral (sounds dirty doesn’t it?) I get it because my daughter is the same way; her nervous tics make her want to chew on things.
After talking to her and learning more about e-cigarettes, I decided to partner with V2 Cigs for my little luxuries series. I love that there is a product that can make a bad habit less harmful.
Electronic cigarettes are an alternative nicotine delivery system. The idea is to take out the ingredients which cause smoking-related illnesses like tar, carbon monoxide, arsenic, formaldehyde and carcinogens. Of course you are still inhaling nicotine so it’s not like they are risk free! The major plus in my opinion is that they do not release smoke so you are not harming those around you.
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Farfaria StoryTelling App
March 18, 2013 By 6 Comments
Recently I was give the chance to review the Farfaria iPad storytelling app. http://www.farfaria.com/. My kids were instantly addicted. And it’s an addiction I totally support. Who doesn’t want their kids to read more? I love how the app encourages them to read books by exploring different worlds. Plus as they explore they are learning classification of literary styles. Sneaky Farfaria, very sneaky!
Some of the things I, as a parent, love about the app:
-There are no purchase prompts so my kids aren’t frustrated by a dead end and I am not hit up for extra costs
-The map layout makes it easy to explore and allows my kids to take charge (and yes, gives me more free time!)
-Exclusive content means that my kids aren’t seeing the same old, same old… instead there are tons of new books to explore
-All stories can be read in offline mode. We’re Luddites with our wifi only iPad so this feature is SUPER important, especially when we’re using the iPad as a babysitter at doctor appointment, dinners out, or (cough) business meetings (hey a mom has got to do what a mom has got to do)
Looking for an out of the box gift option? A FarFaria Subscription e-gift card is something you know will get used and not tossed aside in a day or two. A 6-Month Gift Subscription is $21.99 and a 12- Month Gift Subscription is $39.99.
Buy Here: http://bit.ly/WCUphA
You can also download the app and get a free 15 day trial to check it out!
Want to know more?
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/FarFaria
Twitter: http://twitter.com/FarFaria
Blog: http://blog.farfaria.com/
Friday Five : Green Gifts Guide
November 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment
In the interest of sharing lots of different ideas this holiday season, I wanted to share the Green Bride Guide’s FIVE GREEN HOLIDAY GIFTS UNDER $25. You can go green and stay under budget! Click through for the choices!
The Green Bride Guide, the nation’s leading resource for eco-friendly wedding ideas, product and services, offers five great green gift ideas for under $25.
The Green Bride Guide website was launched in 2009 by environmental lawyer Kate Harrison after her book, Green Bride Guide
Five Green Gifts!
1) HAPPINESS WOODEN COASTER SET
Price: $24.95 for a set of four
Description: This set of four coasters is handmade from the branch of a fallen maple tree, making them a unique and eco-friendly gift or decor piece. The coasters are kept as natural as possible. The bark has been removed and each one has been sanded smooth on all sides. Each coaster is finished with 2 coats of water based polyurethane that is traditionally used to seal hardwood floors. You will receive the 4 coasters that will look very similar to the photo.
2)Hand & Foot Care Gift Set: Refresh
Price: $20.00 Includes:
· 1/2 oz bottle of Aromatherapy Hand & Body Lotion
· 1/2 oz bottle of Gentle Cleansing Body Wash
· 1/2 oz bottle of Certified Organic Moisturizing Body Oil
· 3 oz bag of Aromatic Bath Salts
· Wooden foot or nail brush made with natural bristles
Description: Want to give someone a special gift? Give them the gift of touch. What better way to give a memorable gift than by giving someone a neck and shoulder massage, a hand or foot massage, maybe a mani-pedi, or all the above. Incorporate a little aromatherapy and you have the perfect formula for putting them into a state of bliss. This little Hand & Foot Care aromatherapy gift set keeps hands and feet in tip-top shape and smelling great.
3) BEACHWOOD BIRD KITCHEN UTENSILS
Price: $16
Description: Liven up your kitchen this holiday season with this gorgeous set of whimsical beechwood bird kitchen utensils. These sensational spoons are laser-engraved to ensure the images will not fade, they won’t scratch or damage non-stick cookware, and they do not impart any flavor.
Price: $25
Description: These amazing eco friendly rings are created from the antique glass reclaimed throughout the wooded habitats in the Pennsylvania Amish Country. The glass from vintage mason jars are hand cut and fired, producing tons of beautiful seed bubbles in the glass, then and mounted on a sterling plated platinum ring. The silver back reflects the light through the pretty transparent glass giving the look of a constant glow. Band is fully adjustable to fit everyone with a comfortable fit.
5) PEARLESCENT SALT AND PEPPER SHAKERS
Price: $25
Description: Indonesian artistry is showcased in the opalescent mother of pearl with Pearlescent Salt and Pepper Shakers. These elegant serving accessories includes one of nature’s most beautiful offerings from a fully sustainable source.
About The Green Bride Guide™
The Green Bride Guide has everything you need to plan a green wedding. The site is the leading resource for eco-friendly wedding ideas, product and services. The Green Bride Guide directory has over 1,500 green wedding service providers, such as restaurants that serve local, organic food and limousine companies that use hybrid vehicles. Its Green Wedding Shop has a large selection of eco-friendly wedding invitations, favors, and reception decor and the site’s Green Wedding Gift Shop & Registry has over a thousand home goods hand selected for their quality and environmental savings. For further information visit www.greenbrideguide.com.
SnowMee, ShowMee, That You LoveMee
July 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment
So last weekend the girls were SO excited when I woke up on Saturday morning. They told me they had a present for me. Usually their presents consist or a random toy wrapped up in a drawing so I wasn’t too excited.
But this time they were not kidding around.
They excitedly brought me a beautiful black box tied with a ribbon. When I opened it, I found a cute purple snow globe nestled inside. My Snomee had arrived for review!
What is Snomee? It’s a creative, fun way to package gift cards. I personally love giving gift cards but I struggle with the right way to package them. I love to express that I was thinking of them, not convenience, when I got the gift card. But most gift card packaging is as impersonal as the gift card. Snomee takes it to a new level by making the packaging part of the gift and making the gift card a fun surprise inside of it. And you can write a personal note that they see when they take the gift card out.
See it in action!
Snomee will be rolling out in time for the 2012 holiday season. You can email them at hello@snomee.com to find out when or check out their website.
Disclosure: I was given a Snomee and a$25 gift card in order to facilitate this review. I was asked to, and did, give my honest opinion.
The Perfect Mother’s Day Gift, To Buy For Yourself
May 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment
As a blogger, I get a lot of press releases and invitations to review random items. Most of them I turn down since I don’t consider myself a review blogger. But something made me say yes when the offer to review a new journal for moms landed in my inbox.
And boy am I glad I did.
For My Children: A Mother’s Journal of Memories, Wishes and Wisdom
As I write, I picture my girls reading this when they are mothers themselves and learning about a new side of me. I hope that it will inspire them to write down their own memories.
Here’s a photo of the cover:
And the description from Amazon:
“As a mother ages and sees her children go off into the world, she begins reflecting on her time as a mom and yearns to share memories with her kids. Beautifully designed and illustrated, this perfect gift contains creative prompts that spark Mom’s recollections of fun family vacations, favorite childhood games, and special holidays. The thought-provoking queries allow Mom to delve into her own lifetime of experiences — her childhood and school years, falling in love and getting married, and, most of all, having and raising children. This collection of fill-in-the-blank lists is the easiest way for a mother to record on paper answers to the questions her children never thought to ask but will love to discover.”
I originally conceived this book as part of a Mother’s Day Gift Guide but I feel that this book is more a gift from a mom to herself. It allows you to clear your head and capture those small moments that make motherhood so sweet. Do yourself a favor and order one today.
Take That Allergies : Relieving Sinus Pressure With SinuSense
March 20, 2012 By 4 Comments
You know spring has sprung when I wake up hacking and have to sleep sitting up on the couch so I don’t choke to death on cough drops (or die from smothering from a husband sick of snoring.
It’s a pity really, March 20th should be an exciting day for us. We got engaged on the first day of Spring and while I am not a huge celebrator of small anniversaries like that. But it would be nice to memorialize the day with something besides sneezing for once.
And this year, I kind of got to! I haven’t found the miracle cure or anything, I am still sneezing up a storm, but the hacking and sore throat that usually keep me up (and almost always develop into a sinus infection) are not with me this year. I finally kicked them to the curb with Waterpik’s SinuSense.
I have to admit that I was dubious when I was asked to review it. It’s not that I don’t think sinus rinsing works, I know it is a great natural remedy for allergies. It was more that I didn’t think I needed a Waterpik branded one. After all, I have a perfectly lovely neti pot in my cabinet as well as a few other nasal washes knocking around the house.
Why add one more?
What made the difference?
You might know after looking at the picture:
It was so easy that I actually DID it every night. Turns out nasal washing works a lot better when you actually made a habit of doing it. I am loving Spring this year and happy to celebrate this special day with something other than a red nose. And the SinuSense has inspired me to keep up with my other natural remedies for allergies, like eating local honey.
Want to know more? You can check out a video of it in action here. The Facebook page has some great info too. SinuSense is also on Twitter. Their website also has some greta coupons if you want to try it out for yourself. SinuSense by WaterPik– retails for $29.99.
Disclosure: In addition to the product, I was compensated for my time.
LiveOn at SXSWi : Go Midwest!
March 16, 2012 By 2 Comments
Wow, SXSW Interactive. That was intense man. I kept thinking the entire time I was there that I couldn’t wait to get home and write about it. It’s just such a different experience than the blogging and marketing conferences I have gone to. The conference basically takes over that section of Austin and there is an event or session for almost any thing you can think of. Even five days wasn’t enough to take it all in.
I’ve decided that it will probably take five days to really do it justice so I have been working on posts to post all next week. But I couldn’t resist sneaking in a post about LiveOn. I am currently an ambassador for them and was so excited when my husband and business partner met them out one night. It was like they had a brush with a real life celebrity. I begged my business partner to dig up the card and email them but, perhaps put off by my stalker like enthusiasm, he refused.
So I didn’t get to meet them in person but I was thrilled that I could cheer for them at the Interactive Awards. They were a finalist in the Technical Achievement category. SXSWi describes this sites/companies in this category as…
These are the projects that are re-inventing and re-defining the technical parameters of our online experience.
And to that I give a big ole HELL YES. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to play around with LiveOn as much as I would like because I’ve been dragging my heels on my conversion kit (they scan all your photos for you, yeeha!) because due to moving and an unfortunate incident where my husband threw out a bag of photos, I don’t have that many actual photos. So my mom just brought me a bunch from home and soon I will send them off and regale my followers and friends with pictures of me as an akward girl scout.
Holy tangent there.
Anyway, as I was saying, I totally get why LiveOn was nominated in the technical achievement category because they have totally taken the online photo album idea to a whole new level. It’s more like a newfangled scrapbook. Without the rick rack of course because mama likes rick rack on her dresses, not on her photos.
They do this whole interactive time capsule thing where you can add in memories and thoughts and audio clips, etc. etc. so it’s like diving into a memory. It will make you want to share those awkward photos too. I promise.
The best part? They are based in KC (Kansas City) so take that coast cities. We’ve got a whole bunch of awesomeness going on in the Midwest. We’re not just the fly overs anymore.
Staying Healthy on the Road with #InspireGaiamTV
March 8, 2012 By 11 Comments
We’re on day six of our SXSW Interactive trip! Today we finally check into our conference hotel for six nights and five days of full on technology goodness. Can’t wait! I really love conferences and how energized I get from them. What I don’t love is how run down I get from staying up too late and eating sporadically (and drinking too much.)
Luckily right before I left on the trip, I was given a month’s membership to GaiamTV from Mom Spark Media. I’ve been using it to exercise in my hotel room. It has all kind of fitness videos including yoga videos and exercise videos. Plus there are wellness videos that help me my spirit and body healthy. I even watched a few of the inspirational movies during the plane ride.
Here’s my own inspiration quote:
Giveaway: Want to give the fitness videos and workout videos a try and get healthy where ever you are? I am giving away a 3 month’s subscription to the Gaiam TV site (a $30.00 value) to one reader. To enter comment below with your favorite healthy tip; winner will be chose at random (U.S. only please.) For one more entry, tweet out your tip on Twitter with the hashtag #InspireGaiamTV and @guavalicious. Just leave a comment with the link to your tweet for the extra entry. This giveaway closes April 1st. Good luck!
Disclosure: This promotional sponsored post was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Thoughts are my own. All prizing for MSM giveaways is handled by a third party unless otherwise noted. For this reason, prize fulfillment can take up to 90 days after the winners information is received.
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