P&G Media Event: “Have You Tried This Yet?” Hosted by Celebrity Stylist Irma Martinez

I grew up with P&G.  When my mom used to tuck me in….  I could smell her enter the room.  The last thing she did before she went to bed each night was cover her face in what was then Oil of Olay – now just Olay.  I could still pick the scent out of a line-up if asked to try.  It just smells like home to me.  I now use the same cream, though an updated version and I wonder if my sweet girl will have the same association.  I bet she will.

I also bet she will automatically reach for Tide and Charmin, for Crest and Vicks, for Cascade and Pampers.  All of the brands I gravitated towards long before I knew they were P&G.  I brought them into my home because they WERE home to me.  I grew up with them, I trusted them and knew they did everything I expected, from cleaning my clothes to whitening my teeth to fighting my cough.

This past week, I spent a little time in Miami with P&G learning even more about these brands.  I know…. MIAMI.  I do so love it there…. (what’s NOT to love?? and yes it was 80 degrees the entire time!)

20120129-210856.jpg

20120129-210928.jpgI digress….  I wasn’t there for the scenery….. though I did have some beautiful time to reflect.  The purpose of my trip was a P&G event called, “Have You Tried This Yet?” Hosted by Celebrity Stylist, Irma Martinez, I, along with media and a handful of other fabulous bloggers (Audrey McClelland, Vera Sweeney, Coleen Padilla and Ashley Nuzzo) spent one full evening being treated to demonstrations of the newest P&G products.

20120129-210820.jpg

Let me take you there….

 

[Read more...]

The Mom’s Home Office: 3 Steps To Creating A Room of Your Own

Working from home isn’t easy when you AREN’T a mom, but when you add MOM to the mix… it is a whole new juggle.

It requires a special level of patience, an ability to compartmentalize and don’t forget – you must become a master at organization. (do as I say….not as I do….  Just ask my husband!  he is still waiting for me to master organization!)

Also: make sure to sit down with your family before you begin your work-at-home journey.  It is best for both YOU and your family (your significant other and your children) to understand how this is going to work and what to expect.  The fewer surprises along the way, the better for everyone involved!

Aliza and I talked about this in Mom, Incorporated and I was delighted to join one of my favorite anchors, Virginia Kerr, on Great Day St. Louis (KMOV) this morning to talk about tips to creating that Home Office Space and truly creating a room of your own.

[Read more...]

My 7 Year Old Conquers Her Fear and Sings Seasons of Love

This will be the year of conquering fears, I can feel it.

I already went ice skating.  And that was huge. I was certain I was going to break a hip.  And not only did I MANAGE, I actually had fun.  Turns out my small girl was scared too.

We helped each other.

One of my favorite quotes of all time is this one by Eleanor Roosevelt.  I see it on my fridge every day.  To my sweet 7 year old, the quote itself is scary.  Do something every day that is scary?  No. Thankyouverymuch.

But I believe it is good for the soul.  So I am trying.  And I encourage her every chance I get.

Though, to be fair, when you are seven, it is easy to be scared of being scared every day…. so I’m not pushing.  But this?  Her allowing me to post this video her singing?  Well, it is big.  Huge.  Monstrous.  Initially she didn’t even want to let me video her while she sang.  And then she relented.  Because she knows listening to her (over and over again) brings me joy.  And I think she was smart enough to realize if I had her on video, I might not request her in person quite as often.  Knowing her hesitations about singing ‘in front of people’, I didn’t even ask her about putting it online.

I waited.

And then SHE came to ME.

Just an offhand comment.

“Mommy… you can put my video on YouTube if you want…”

Here she is.

[Read more...]

Five Tips for Keeping A Holiday Budget

Staying on Budget over the Holidays is H-A-R-D…. I was recently asked to share a few tips on KMOV Great Day St. Louis…

Here are my suggestions for getting the most out of your holiday cash (and staying on track!)

 

5 Tips for Keeping a Holiday Budget

[Read more...]

Make Money On eBay with ‘Money Maker’, Tristen O’Brien

I get it.  You might think eBay is too…. (fill in the blank)…

Much Work. Hard. Time Consuming. Expensive. Much effort for not enough reward.

But what if you just didn’t know the secrets… the keys… the tricks to making it work?  And what if I could introduce you to someone who just might be willing to share that kind of knowledge?  Someone who has actually made a full income by maximizing the potential of eBay….

Meet Tristen O’Brien… Father, Husband, eBay Money Maker.

[Read more...]

Givit To the People You Love On Video

My daughter can sing.

And by sing… I mean SING! Sure, I’m her mom.  Sure, I’m biased.  I’m happy to own up to it.  But given the opportunity, I also want the world to hear it.  Because I think she is that good.

One of my favorite songs of all time is Seasons of Love from the musical (and movie) Rent.  When she sings it, I lose all sense of time.  I’ve been known to bribe her with candy just to get her to sing it again and again.  But, the truth is, she is shy.  And though she sings easily as much as she talks, the second you notice her singing, or bring any attention to the beauty of her voice, she stops….she hides, she pretends she has lost the ability to sing.

Last week, I asked her if I could record her singing.  I wanted the people I love – my parents, my in-laws, her god-parents and some of my close friends to hear the magic in her voice.  I will confess… I might have begged a little. At first, she said no, but eventually acquiesced.

At the time, her daddy was out of town.

The recording is glorious.  When she finished….her little brother clapped and whispered to me, ‘that’s my girl!”.

But, she wasn’t willing to let me share it with everyone…. so, how to get this magic in front of the people I love.

My friends at 5Minutes for Mom gave me just the solution I needed…. they asked me to check out a new private video sharing service called Givit.  I shoot it.  Upload the video and share it with as many or as few people as I choose.  Easy and private.  Just the way my small girl likes it.

I win.  I can share Delaney with SOME.  Delaney wins, I haven’t exposed her beautiful vocals to everyone without her permission.  At least until she tells me otherwise.

I listen to it at least 12 times a day.  Her voice makes me that happy.  I promise to share her with you as soon as she will allow me.

This post is part of a sponsored campaign with my friends at 5MinutesForMom.  As always, all opinions and experiences are mine.

American Girl Launches Two New Dolls with Harry Connick, Jr (And Giveaway)

 

Update 11/1: Winners posted here

UPDATE 10/22 8pmCST: Contest is CLOSED.  Delaney and I are reading through these amazing entries.  Thank you for sharing your heart.  A winner will be chosen soon. We will have something extra exciting to share so please be patient.

I will admit it. In 2007, when my sweet girl was but one year old, I had never heard of the phenomenon that is the American Girl.  But my mother-in-law had.  And she was thrilled to open both Delaney and I up to the experience. And when Delaney was only a year and half (Fall 2007) we began what is now an annual tradition of heading to Chicago to visit the American Girl Doll Store every November.

When the introductions were first made, I was floored by the culture – the clothes, the hair-stying, the boutique and restaurant, but taken by the stories and history that accompany each doll.  This shared love of these dolls bonded granddaughter to grandmother.

Now, you may already know this – but for the first time ever, American Girl has launched two new dolls together: Cecile and Marie-Grace… as their stories – based in the 1850′s in New Orleasns go hand-in-hand.  Literally.

 

[Read more...]