Get Organized For Back-To-School or Work: Busy Body Book – Personal & Family Organizers – Review and Giveaway

Organize Your Life

Personal and Family Grid Organizer

You would think that although my kids are grown, I no longer have to keep track of dance lessons, lacrosse or soccer games, cross-country meets and other school activities.

As chief mom (and grandmom!) around here, there’s still plenty of organizing to do.

I make notes of what days I have to pick up the grandkids from daycare; what day grandmom’s on-call to babysit when the kids go out on those Saturday night date nights; birthdays, anniversaries – you know how it goes!

Sometimes I even manage to fit in some personal time for hair appointments, manicures & pedicures!

Now that I blog , I still have to keep up with all the product review and contest giveaway schedules.

While there are pros and cons to digital organizers, in previous posts here I’ve dicussed under my work-at-home section of this blog the benefits of returning to good old-fashioned pen and paper as a means of keeping myself organized.

I’ve recently had the opportunity to review Busy Body Book planners and organizers which contain a weekly GRID format to make  managing your time is a breeze!

The most efficient solution to every Mom’s scheduling chaos! Each family member, with their own personal column, can plan and track their activities while they organize and coordinate with one another “side by side.”

This organizer certainly would have come in handy when I was taking the girls to visit colleges during their junior year of high school!

Features that I like include:

• 2 Monthly Planners

• Months-at-a-glance -An overview to help plan ahead for the holidays, vacations, or special events.

• Key contact pages -2 Pages for your emergency contact information, doctors, coaches, babysitters…

• Removable shopping lists – Perforated pages for creating handy grocery or gift lists.

• 2 Pockets – Inside front & back covers provide a deep pocket to hold important papers, receipts, coupons…

• Bookmark – Easily flip to the current week with this unique bookmark that grabs the spiral.

• Notes – A full page each week for notes, to do’s, lists, or alerts. Plenty of notes pages in back of BBB too to record and keep important information.

Plus there’s a sturdy, clear plastic cover to keep it all protected!

Whether your kids are going Back-to-School or you homeschool, or you’re trying to organize and simplify your busy Work-at-Home Mom business, see how this organizer can help you save your sanity!

For More Information Visit: Busy Body Book

Moomette’s Magnificents is hosting a Giveaway Contest! For a chance to win, there will be one (1) winner of a Busy Body Book Personal and Family Grid Organizer.

Please include a way of contacting you. Should you be the contest winner, this information may be shared with the contest sponsor in order to send your prize.

Main Rule:   (remember if this rule is not followed then no others will count)
a) Sign up for my free Newsletter Updates to my blog through my e-mail Feedblitz link (on the top of my right column or let me know if you already are, in a separate comment) AND

b) Visit Busy Body Book and leave a comment about another fact that wasn’t mentioned in this post and why you’d like to win this contest.

This contest will run until August 6, 2009 at 11:00 pm. EDT

For Additional Entries, check out my Contest Entry Rules.

Copyright 2010 Moomette’s Magnificents – All Rights Reserved

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Tips For Buying Childrens School Shoes: Back to School Shopping –

School Days

Back to School Shopping – Childrens School Shoes

One of my designated duties as a grandmom is to pick up the grandkids after daycare I’m grateful that I get to seem them on a daily basis.  My charming son-in-law is from Vermont, so the grandkids don’t get to see his parents as frequently.

My own mother-in-law lived just around the block from us, and was over visiting everyday, so my girls, ages 22 and 26, were fortunate that they got to visit with their grandmom often.

One of my fondest memories is that from the time the girls were little, Gram always would take them out for back-to-school shopping and buy a pair of shoes for school each year.  Gram didn’t like to see the little ones go barefoot at all.  We all know how quickly kids feet grow – the average pair of shoes lasts about three months.

Well, now the “shoe is on the other foot” and my husband and I are the ones buying shoes for the grandkids.  It makes us feel good to be helping out my daughter and her husband, and my daughter has fond memories of her gram doing the same thing for her.

If you’re a mom or grandmom looking for some parenting advice on baby’s first pair of shoes, Start-Rite just launched a new social community. It has some really neat articles about what to look for in first shoes, walking, along with videos on how to measure a child’s foot for a proper fit.

Copyright 2010 Moomette’s Magnificents – All Rights Reserved

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Ode To BlogHer 2009 – And That’s The Way It Was (So I Heard)

Ode to BlogHer09

BlogHer09

After reading all the #blogher09 hashtags on Twitter,  I still want to try to get to BlogHer10 conference in NYC next year!

Enough Said!

Hat Tip to Telling Dad

Copyright 2010 Moomette’s Magnificents – All Rights Reserved

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Sunset at the Mouth of the Connecticut River – Wordless Wednesday

Old Lyme, Connecticut

One of our favorite things to do on steamy, sultry weekend nights in the summer is to drive down to the beach and have a leisurely dinner out at the local Connecticut shoreline restaurants.

We know all the local favorite dining spots, far off the beaten tourist path, many with either direct waterfront views, or views of the beautiful salt marshes and birding wildlife refuges.

Saturday night found us in Old Lyme, Connecticut and afterwards we know where the best scenic vistas are for taking in the sunset.

This photo is from the Old Lyme side of the mouth of theConnecticut River, looking towards Old Saybrook and the marinas (think of the late actress Katherine Hepburn and Cornfield Point.)

I can still smell the salt air!  Happy Wordless Wednesday!

Copyright 2010 Moomette’s Magnificents – All Rights Reserved

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Big Sky Country – Real Country Living – WAHM Guest Post

Meet My Friend

Real Country Living

Long before I became a blogger, I was a Power Seller on eBay.  Although I no longer have a store, I still continue to sell on the auction site. I was also a Moderator on an eBay forum, where I met many wonderful people. Most of the members of the forum had eBay stores, so we shared a commonality.

If you’ve ever spent any amount of time on forums, you’ll know that sometimes you just “click” and hit it off with certain members.

In the past, I’ve touched on topics about tapping into your interests and hidden talent, and parlaying them into a career where you turn your interests into  a business.  Many readers or their families have become  victims of the current recession, and are actively seeking gainful employment.  Some, like me, are considering either retiring, or trying to determine a move to another career that will spark our interest – whether it  be something entirely different from what we’ve been doing in the past, or entirely new venture.

Perhaps you are off-ramping from corporate life to take time out to raise your children.

I have been inviting bloggers and writers on my Meet My Friend meme to share their ideas and experiences with my readers who are interested in becoming a mompreneur.

If you have a WAHM or Momepreneur topic of interest that you’d like to share and be a Guest Blogger on Moomette’s Magnificents, please contact me (see Contact tab above).

I’d like you to Meet My Friend -  Deena, from Real Country Living,  a work-at-home mom of 5 – although I no longer have an Ebay store, we still keep in contact, and both have become avid bloggers!

What amazed me about Deena is that she spoke so candidly of living out yonder in Montana – Big Sky Country! I like to think that I’m the City Mouse, and Deena is the Country Mouse!

On the forum, we discussed how easily it was for us “city folks” to find inventory, and Deena would speak as to how she would have to drive for miles on end and make a whole day excursion to locate inventory for her store!

I’ve never been farther west than Chicago, and just marvel at the photos that Deena shares of her lifestyle and beautiful part of the country!  You just have to go visit and see for yourself!  Follow Deena on Twitter @RealCountryGal

Thanks Deena for sharing with my readers

Hello and thank you to Cindi for inviting me to do a guest post here on the fabulous Moomette’s Magnificents!

My name is Deena and I am happily married to Wade, my husband and partner of almost 27 years now. We are blessed with five children; three boys and two girls.

After growing up in a number of cities throughout most of my childhood, I met and married my cowboy husband here in the heart of Montana. Wade was raised on the cattle ranch that we now own and operate.

Morphing from city girl into a country gal has been such an interesting and exciting journey. Being a mother and homemaker has been the most important and fulfilling job I could have asked for. I am also the Financial Specialist for the ranch and of these titles come with a ‘room and board’ salary!

Over the years I have searched for ways to contribute financially to our family and the ranch, but living 60 miles from town makes employment outside the home impractical and surely not profitable.

In my effort to earn money I’ve sold hand-crafted knitted and sewn items, taught piano lessons for 16 years and recently opened an eBay store, Mudder’s Little Spudders.  My passion though, is my website, Real Country Living, where we share the reality of our way of life to the world. RCL is very much an infant and has not quite reached its first birthday. There is much to do and more content to add, so this project will keep me very busy and happy for a long time!

I stumbled onto the idea of becoming a webmaster quite by accident and had no idea that l’il old me could pull this off with no training whatsoever. I love to tell about how I built my website, so pop on over if you’d like to hear more. Not only do I get to share my love of country living to anyone who wants to take part, but this website has also become an additional income source for my family. Doing something I adore, from my own home…sometimes in my PJ’s…is a dream come true!

Our eBay store is soon to be a standalone shop which branches from  RCL, so because of the impending transition, Mudder’s isn’t very stocked at the moment. The new e-store is in the works and will specialize in western wear old and new~ natural decorating elements like real Montana pine cones and wheat~along with a plethora of other country goodies.

Our new store name is the Montana Mercantile. Maybe Cindi will post an update when it is functional so you all can visit!

I’d love to hear from you, so use the ‘contact us’ form on Real Country Living to ask me questions or just let me know where you call home and what you’re doing! May my website provide pieces of country living that can be arranged into your own version of bliss!

And again, thank you, Cindi! You are an inspiration to all of us who are working hard to fulfill our dreams!

Copyright 2010 Moomette’s Magnificents – All Rights Reserved

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Jim Henson’s Dinosaur Train Premiering on PBS Kids

Dinosaur Train

Jim Henson’s Dinosaur Train

My girls were born in the 1980s and have always enjoyed watching television shows such as The Muppets, created by Jim Henson.

I wanted to share the news that the Jim Henson Company is excited to announce the launch of their new series, “Dinosaur Train.”

Dinosaur Train combines the two things kids love most: dinosaurs & trains and was created by Craig Bartlett , one of animation’s most successful producers of “Hey Arnold. “

The new series features Buddy, who’s an adorable preschool age Tyrannosaurus Rex. Each 40 half-hour episodes include two 11-minute animated segments.  They follow Buddy and his adoptive Pteranodon family on their adventures.  There’s all kinds of dinosaurs, creatures and reptiles.

Dinosaur Train begins when Buddy, an adorable and huggable T-Rex, is adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Pteranodon and brought to their nest to hatch at the same time as his new siblings, Tiny, Shiny and Don. Buddy and his new family have an insatiable desire to learn all about the different types of dinosaurs, so they board the wondrous Dinosaur Train, which allows them to travel and explore the world inhabited by these amazing creatures.

Young viewers will join the travelers on a whimsical journey through prehistoric jungles, swamps, volcanoes and oceans as they learn how to compare and contrast different dinosaurs.

If you have kids, grandkids, homeschool or operate a daycare, be sure to watch for the premier of this entertaining series!

The new CGI-animated series premiers on Monday, September 7, 2009 on PBS KIDS. (check local listings).

For More Information Visit PBS

Copyright 2010 Moomette’s Magnificents – All Rights Reserved

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McKLinky Weekly Blog Hop – Favorite Kid Photo 7/28

MckLinky Blog Hop

‘Lil Moomette visits Mystic Seasport

This week’s Blog Hop theme is Favorite Kid Photos. You can have one or more of your favorite photos your kids, grandkids, someone else’s kid or even YOU when you were a kid. Funny, precious, heartwarming… your favorite!

The Connecticut shoreline is wonderful to visit any time of the year.  In the past, while they were little and well into high school, we’ve taken our daughters, niece and friends to  Mystic Seaport “The Museum of America and the Sea”.  Each visit was an adventure and trip back into New England maritime history.  Apparently those visits made an impression on my oldest daughter, as you can just see that my granddaughter,  ‘Lil Moomette, is enjoying the sites and huge sea anchor and schooners!

Click here to enter your link in the blog hop and view the entire list of entered links…

SPONSORS of this blog hop:
*  Fairy Wonderful Prize * Avon – Elana Kahn Prize Moomette’s Magnificents – Sponsor.. Please visit them and say thank you. Sponsors make this whole thing possible. 

If you would like to do a $20 or $100 Sponsorship for the next blog hop and have hundreds of blog owners see your link or ad‚ more information here.

Copyright 2010 Moomette’s Magnificents – All Rights Reserved

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Thomas & Friends Preschool Play Pack – Review and Giveaway

Thomas & Friends

Thomas & Friends Preschool Play Pack

It’s really amazing how time passes so quickly!  My first and only grandson, Slugger will be turning one in another week!

As the mom of two daughters and grandmom of one granddaughter, ‘Lil Moomette, I really hadn’t been paying that much attention to anything remotely having to do with boy toys.

But all that’s changed now that Slugger is in the picture.

Sure, I have a slew of nephews, but I also have many nieces.  The boys just mostly kept to themselves and did well, whatever it was that boys do when they play.  My daughters were always busy playing with dress-up, arts and crafts and sometimes, dolls with their girl cousins.

So, walking into a toy store and having to look for boy toys was like landing on another planet for me.  Of course, I’d ask my husband to come along for his expert advice.

Already I can tell that Slugger is “all boy” – he bulldozes over anything and everything in his way!

I’m delighted to have the opportunity to review some really exciting toys from Thomas & Friends TrackMaster line of engines for little engineers. The Hit Toy Company is known for creating rugged yet detailed engines, track and accessories of the Thomas & Friends TrackMaster Railway System.
As a special treat, the folks at Hit Toy Company have gathered some of their favorite toddler and preschool toys for younger children into this Preschool Play Pack and is offering a special Giveaway to my readers.

Thomas Rock ‘n Roll Guitar

The Thomas Rock ‘n Roll Guitar proved to definitely be a hit with Slugger. As a little musician, he really gets his “groove” on, even at one, with a rockin’ guitar that’s just the right size for him. It plays six tunes, and has a signal whammy bar and Percy slide that creates really cool sound effects. Plus, there’s flashing lights adding to the fun, and really captures and holds his attention!

*Recommended for Ages 18 mos. and up

Another cute preschool toy that’s sure to become a favorite, also part of the Preschool Play Pack is

Remote Control Thomas

Children ages 24 months and up can send Thomas on really useful adventures with this kid-friendly remote control engine. A push of a button moves Thomas forward and backward with fun sound effects and the Thomas & Friends theme song.

I can see how easily Mom, Dad or older sibling can get carried away trying to help the wee ones get the concept of pusing the buttons on this one!

Finally,

Musical Pop-Up Pals

Oftentimes it’s the simplest actions that yield the biggest results.   When children press, spin, switch and pull the chunky, brightly colored buttons and handles they’ll get special musical surprises from Thomas, Percy, Harold or Toby! *Ages 12 mos. and up

As a grandmom, I think these are great activity toys to have on-hand to keep the grandkids busy and stimulated.

Whether you have upcoming birthdays, are starting your holiday shopping list, homeschool or operate a daycare, look into Thomas & Friends.

For More Information Visit: Thomas & Friends Trackmaster

Moomette’s Magnificents  is hosting a Giveaway Contest! For a chance to win, there will be one (1) winner of the Thomas & Friends Preschool Play Pack! (total MSRP $55)

Please include a way of contacting you. Should you be the contest winner, this information may be shared with the contest sponsor in order to send your prize.

Main Rule:   (remember if this rule is not followed then no others will count)

a) Sign up for my free Newsletter Updates to my blog through my e-mail Feedblitz link (on the top of my right column or let me know if you already are, in a separate comment) AND

b) Visit Thomas & Friends Trackmaster and leave a comment about another fact that wasn’t mentioned in this post and another product you’d like to try.

This contest will run until August 3, 2009 at approximately 11:00 pm.

For Additional Entries, check out my Contest Entry Rules.

Copyright 2010 Moomette’s Magnificents – All Rights Reserved

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@Moomettes

Photo Print Poster Giveaway Contest from Digital Room

Endless Summer

Digital Room Poster Print Giveaway

Recently I’ve been very much into photography – my inspiration is my brother, who’s a professional photojournalist.  Although his talent didn’t quite rub off on me, now that I have grandkids I’ve been trying to take more photos.

I’m also interested in scenic photography – it drives my family crazy when I say “stop the car” or we are out for a hike, and I often lag behind to take some pictures!

The photo on this post has become one of my favorites, and was taken over the 4th of July when we were camping in Connecticut with my daughter and her husband, along with the grandkids.  It was one of the few weekends that has been sunny here in New England this summer.

Digital Room is the online printing website that offers Poster Prints and will be hosting this week’s giveaway

Digital Room will be offering a free High-gloss or Semi-gloss 18×24″ Digitally Printed Posters as a Giveaway to one of my readers at Moomette’s Magnificents.

It’s a great opportunity for you to start thinking about custom poster printing for all your favorite photos from family birthdays, new babies, weddings, anniversaries, graduations or other special occasions!. Now is your chance to enlarge that special photo you’ve been wanting to display. The photo can be of anything you want, as long it will make you happy to see it enlarged!

For a chance to win this Giveaway Contest,  there will be one (1) winner of a High-gloss or Semi-gloss 18×24″ Digitally Printed Poster.

Please include a way of contacting you. Should you be the contest winner, this information may be shared with the contest sponsor in order to send your prize.

Main Rule:   (remember if this rule is not followed then no others will count)

a) Sign up for my free Newsletter Updates to my blog through my e-mail Feedblitz link (on the top of my right column or let me know if you already are, in a separate comment) AND

b) Leave a comment on this post describing what favorite photo of yours that you would have printed up as a poster printing.

Now for extra entries (each task will get you 1 extra entry):

~One Extra Entry: Add my banner button to your sidebar or add me to your blogroll, and come back here and leave the link (I will be checking)

~ One Extra Entry: Become a Fan of Moomettesgram on Facebook and let me know your name in a separate comment.

~ One Extra Entry: Follow Me on Google Friend Connect (right sidebar) and leave your name in a separate comment.

~ One Extra Entry: Follow Me on Networked Blogs (right sidebar) and leave your name in a separate comment.

~One Extra Entry: Comment on any non-giveaway post on my blog and leave your name a separate comment letting me know which post you commented on

~ One Extra Entry: Follow Me on Twitter and let me know your Twitter name in a separate comment

~One Extra Entry: Tweet about this contest (Retweet button at bottom of post), and come back to this post and leave the URL link to the Tweet so I can check. You may Retweet once per day until the end of the contest, but please leave a separate comment for each Retweet, along with the permalink

~One Extra Entry: Blog about the contest on your blog linking to my blog and the site

~One Extra Entry: Favorite Moomette’s Magnificents in Technorati and leave your name (I will be checking) in a separate comment  (the link is on my right sidebar).

Make sure you comment separately for each task after the required entry task so you will get credit for each one ~ and leave your e-mail where you can be contacted.

This contest will run until August 4, 2009 at approximately 11:00 pm.

Winners are chosen by Random.Org, if you want all your chances counted, make sure you leave individual comments, not all of them in one!

*Winner has 48 hours to contact me or another name will be chosen.

*Include your email if it’s not enabled.

*Giveaway is open to US/CANADA residents. Ground shipping of prizes is free, but there is a $5 handling fee that must be paid by winner. Digital Room reserves the right not to print obscene or offensive materials.

All designs submitted in the form of a giveaway may be used by Digital Room for online marketing and promotional uses. The designs will be used solely as examples and will not be printed or commercially distributed.

*Rules for each entry must be followed to be valid.

Copyright 2010 Moomette’s Magnificents – All Rights Reserved

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@Moomettes

Ideal No Calorie Sweetner – For a Healthier Lifestyle: Review and Giveaway

Healthier Lifestyle Choices

Ideal No Calorie Sweetner

Earlier this spring I was all about dusting off my treadmill and getting ready for Summer  and bikini season.  Perhaps my days of wearing a bikini may be over, but my swimwear of choice has become the tankini.

If you’re a regular reader, you’ll know I really enjoy going to the beach, and recently spent 5 days camping with my grandkids.  We have another camping trip coming up, as well as a weekend trip planned to Ogunquit, Maine.

We took plenty of pictures while at the seashore, and that was reason enough for me to become determined to try to become healthier, and perhaps lose 5 more pounds before the Maine trip!

I recently had the opportunity through Mom Fuse to review Ideal No Calorie Sweetner.

It’s been several years since I’ve used sugar in my coffee or tea, and when I’m dining out in restaurants normally grab for those pink, blue or yellow sweetner packets.

In independent university taste tests, Ideal was preferred over sugar for sweetness, flavor, and overall liking!   Ideal No Calorie Sweetner is more than 99% natural, and is

• made with xylitol, which is known for its health benefits
• Measures cup-for-cup like sugar when baking
• FDA approved!

Some of those health benefits include:

• preventing tooth decay,
• reducing ear infections,
• reducing the buildup of plaque on teeth (all of which are important to moms!).

Ideal is also suitable for diabetics, pregnant women, and kids and a delicious way for anyone to cut sugar and calories from their diet.

I really enjoyed the more natural taste of Ideal and use it in my morning breakfast cereal and coffee.  Now I keep my own box in my desk at the office.

The corporate lunch room has a coffee station, but doesn’t stock any Ideal No Calorie Sweetner yet.  I’m going to suggest to the Coffee Fund Chairperson that they try it, and start stocking it.

For More Information Visit: Ideal No Calorie Sweetner

Moomette’s Magnificents  is hosting a Giveaway Contest! For a chance to win, there will be one (3) winners of one (1) set each of 50-count box of Ideal packets, a 10.6 ounce baking bag of Ideal and coupons.

Please include a way of contacting you. Should you be the contest winner, this information may be shared with the contest sponsor in order to send your prize.

Main Rule:   (remember if this rule is not followed then no others will count)
a) Sign up for my free Newsletter Updates to my blog through my e-mail Feedblitz link (on the top of my right column or let me know if you already are, in a separate comment) AND

b) Visit Ideal No Calorie Sweetner and leave a comment about another fact not mentioned in this post, and why you’d like to try the product.

Now for extra entries (each task will get you 1 extra entry):

~One Extra Entry: Add my banner button to your sidebar or add me to your blogroll, and come back here and leave the link (I will be checking)

~ One Extra Entry: Become a Fan of Moomettesgram on Facebook and let me know your name in a separate comment.

~ One Extra Entry: Follow Me on Google Friend Connect (right sidebar) and leave your name in a separate comment.

~ One Extra Entry: Follow Me on Networked Blogs (right sidebar) and leave your name in a separate comment.

~One Extra Entry: Comment on any non-giveaway article and leave your name a separate comment letting me know which post you commented on

~ One Extra Entry: Follow Me on Twitter and let me know your Twitter name in a separate comment.

~One Extra Entry: Tweet about this contest (Retweet button at bottom of post), and come back to this post and leave the URL link to the Tweet so I can check. You may Retweet once per day until the end of the contest, but please leave a separate comment for each Retweet, along with the permalink

~One Extra Entry: Blog about the contest on your blog linking to my blog and the site

~One Extra Entry: Favorite Moomette’s Magnificents in Technorati and leave your name (I will be checking) in a separate comment  (the link is on my right sidebar).

Make sure you comment separately for each task after the required entry task so you will get credit for each one ~ and leave your e-mail where you can be contacted.

This contest will run until July 29, 2009 at approximately 11:00 pm.

Winners are chosen by Random.Org, if you want all your chances counted, make sure you leave individual comments, not all of them in one!

*Winner has 48 hours to contact me or another name will be chosen.

*Include your email if it’s not enabled.
*Open to USA and Canada Only
*Rules for each entry must be followed to be valid.

july

Copyright 2010 Moomette’s Magnificents – All Rights Reserved

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@Moomettes

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