None Found

2. Re-gifting is fine. Until you forget to remove the tag with your name on it.

3. It is totally OK to use that whole “Santa is watching” thing one last time, and send the kids to bed early on Christmas Eve. They’ll be up at 4 a.m. anyway.

4. Prepare yourself for that one really awful gift by memorizing this phrase, “Oh, I don’t have anything like it. It’s so unique!” Then practice saying it to yourself in the mirror until you sound sincere.

5. No matter what you get your toddler, she’ll find the box more interesting than the gift that came in it.

6. When removing children’s toys from the packaging, wire cutters and a blowtorch come in handy.

7. Beware who’s around before you get caught standing underneath the mistletoe.

8. Play nice. Share the new video game console with the kiddos. Yeah, you know who you are.

9. Keep the Zhu Zhu Pets away from the cat. I’m just sayin’…

10. Turn off that silly computer, and go spend some time with your family!Similar Posts:

None Found

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• Wordless Wednesday – A Walk In The Park
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That rant aside, there are some great pluses to the frosty season. And reasons for the Southern Mommies to be jealous:

• We can leave milk in the car while running errands and not have to worry about it spoiling.
• We get to eat all the holiday sweets we want because we can hide all the extra poundage under big warm sweaters!
• Drinking hot chocolate tastes so good and warms you to the core- yeah, you warm weather Mammas can have hot chocolate too, but when we drink it it makes sense!
• We get to build snowman with our kids.
• Water fights are fun but nothing beats a snow ball fight!
• Large bulky sweaters not only look good but cover the extra bulge from all the fruitcake!
• Cuddling under blankets during story time in front of the fire. Tell the truth warm weather moms- you would have to turn on the AC to do that comfortably!
• Warm winter hats to cover a bad hair day!
• Holiday photo cards that look snowy and festive.
• The natural flushed blush look you get from being in the cold.
• The cute winter accessories: mittens, snow boots, warm scarves, hats (or tuques for you Canadians)!
• Did I mention hiding the winter weight under big sweaters?!
• And finally and probably the best part of being up in the great white North, Snow Days!

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I just selected our winner, and it’s…..

KIMBERLY, comment number 1344, who said, “This HP pavillion laptop would brighten my holiday season by making it easier for me to take and share pictures. My ancient lap top is FULL and the lack of available memory is making it near impossible to share pictures.”

Congrats, Kimberly!  I will be emailing you shortly!

Here is how our winner was chosen:

• I went through all of the comments, weeded out duplicates, spam, illegal entries, and late entries.  Final count of comments was 2,185.
• I then chose a random number, between 1 & 2185 using Random.org.  I was given number 1344.
• My template doesn’t show numbers with comments, but they are numbered in sequential order.  I order to see these numbers, I have to copy & paste into a word processing program.
• Number 1344 belonged to Kimberly (no last name or blog mentioned).
• See images below for more.

___________________________________________________________________________Similar Posts:

• VTech Phone Review & Giveaway {GIVEAWAY CLOSED}
• HP Pavilion dm3 Laptop Giveaway {GIVEAWAY CLOSED}
• Taking a Family Road Trip? Win a Subway Car Kit! {GIVEAWAY CLOSED}
• Rock of Ages Review & Giveaway {GIVEAWAY CLOSED}
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TOTAL INCHES LOST:
WAIST: 2″
HIPS: 4″Similar Posts:

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Welcome to the fourth & final part of the Dinner Party Must Haves series! Our finale is all about showing your love to the host — even if sometimes that host just happens to be you! It’s a classy touch to bring a little token to say thank you for all of the hard work that your hosts & hostesses put into their soirées. Here are just a few little ideas to get you started! Enjoy & happy holidays!

01. Mini Diary via The Mini Mart

02. Cozy Cable Sweater Wine Bag via Silver Sage Crafts

03. Beeswax Ornaments via Lucy & Amelia Candle Co.

04. Daniel Craig Tea Towel via Emma Bridgewater (Spotted on A CUP OF JO!)

05. Gigi French Toile Apron via Jessie Steele

06. Fabric Storage Basket via JezzePrints

I hope you all enjoyed this four part series & that all of your festive celebrations go off without a hitch! Happy holidays!

In case you missed it – Part 1: Places, Please, Part 2: It’s All About The Ambiance, Part 3: Dessert DecadenceSimilar Posts:

• Cool Finds: Dinner Party Must Haves, Part 2: It’s All About The Ambiance
• Cool Finds: Dinner Party Must Haves, Part 1: Places, Please
• Cool Finds: An Ode To Autumn
• The Gathering of Friends Cookbook Review & Giveaway {GIVEAWAY CLOSED}
• Cool Finds: Nifty Nursery Decor

The holidays are all about giving and BOY do we have the ultimate gift to give to you this week!  We are giving away a thin and sleek HP Pavilion dm3 Notebook PC, which is perfect for the on-the-go media experience. The dm3 includes a 13.3″ diagonal 16:9 BrightView LED display and only weighs 4.2 lbs, which makes it possible to take anywhere.

Here are some more deets:

• HP Pavilion dm3 offers an ideal balance of performance, mobility and affordability in a 1” thin, sleek design that features a meticulously clean design and iconic keyboard enhanced by a brushed aluminum-magnesium alloy case.

• Features like snap, pin, shake, and peak in Windows 7 make day-to-day tasks a breeze on dm3.

• Windows 7 Jump Lists and improved taskbar previews help you more quickly find documents, pictures, music and websites. To open a Jump List, just right-click a program icon on the Windows7 taskbar.

• Great features like HomeGroup sharing music, pictures, videos, and document
• The dm3’s HP MediaSmart along with its BrightView LED display, SRS Premium Sound and Altec Lansing speakers with the option to connect to your HD TV via the HDMI port make the device ideal for experiencing music and video.
• Windows 7 enhances that experience with features like Play To, which allows users to play media through a home video/audio system, and with Windows Media Center which enables users to watch Internet TV and record TV for playback.
• Ultra-low voltage processors and other features give the dm3 up to 10 hours of battery life, letting users go where they need to without having to find a plug.
• Windows 7 power management contributes to battery longevity by running fewer background activities, automatic screen dimming, powering off unused ports and more.

Learn more about the HP Pavilion dm3 Notebook PC HERE, and Windows 7 HERE.

::GIVEAWAY::

We have on HP Pavilion dm3 Notebook PC to give to one lucky winner!  Valued over $500!

::HOW TO ENTER::

• To enter this giveaway, please leave us a comment, telling us why the HP Pavilion dm3 would enhance your holiday this seaon.  Earn extra entries below! Giveaway ends Friday, December 18th 2009, so please get your entries in now!  Good luck!

::EARN UP TO NINE EXTRA ENTRIES::

You can earn extra entries by doing the following, leaving a comment for each:

• Follow HP on Facebook.
• Follow @HP_PC on Twitter.
• Follow @MomSpark on Twitter.
• Follow Mom Spark on Facebook.
• Blog about this giveaway. (put link in comment)
• Become a subscriber of Mom Spark. Subscribe here. (mention in comment)
• Follow Mom Spark on Google Friend Connect. (see sidebar)
• Become a forum member. (mention in comment)
• Tweet about this giveaway:

I just entered to win an HP Pavilion dm3 Laptop on @MomSpark! Come enter, too: http://clicky.me/5tD #giveaway #contest

Contest ends Friday, December 18, 2009 at midnight CST.  USA residents only, please.  Good luck!

DISCLOSURE – I was NOT given product or compensation for this giveaway and promotion.  My reviews and recommendations are always honest and true. Read Mom Spark’s full disclosure here.

______________________________________________________________________

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Guest post by Sue at My Party of 6.

You will need:

1 butternut squash
2 apples – whatever variety you like
1/3 cup of brown sugar, packed
3 Tablespoons of cold butter
1 Tablespoon of flour
1 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Then, slice the squash in half, scoop and discard the seeds, peel and dice it. (If you are going to be in a rush, you can also buy the already prepared chunks in your produce section.)

Core and dice the apples, skin on.

Toss the apple and squash together in a baking dish.

Slice off little slivers of the butter and distribute around the apple and squash. (I couldn’t get a good picture of this.)

Combine the remaining ingredients and sprinkle on top of apple, squash and butter.

Cover and bake for 45 – 50 minutes.

Serves 6 – 8. (Unless you invite me and then I will eat the entire thing by myself!)Similar Posts:

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Your baby can do no wrong.  He can be covered in spaghetti sauce from head to toe, and you would just smile and laugh.  You would even take a photo of it.  Anyone else engaging in this type behavior would not be as easily forgiven.  Let’s face it, babies are cute-even when messy.

BabyGanics, a maker of natural, safe, and effective household cleaning solutions, has created a “Messiest Mess Maker” photo contest where only the messiest (and cutest) babies can win!  The contest starts today, December 14, and runs until January 14, so keep your camera nearby for the next inevitable mess to him, you, or the house.  Chances are you already have a few from last week.

Here are the deets:

• Must live in the United States and child must be 6 years old or younger.  Only 1 picture per kid, please!

• The first 150 people to submit a valid Messiest Mess Makers photo will receive free samples of The Germinator Hand Sanitizer, an alcohol- and fragrance-free hand sanitizer that is tough on germs but is not harmful for little (and big!) hands.

• All entries will be displayed in a special Mess Makers page after approval. A poll will be conducted so users can select the messiest and cutest of them all.

• The top five Mess Makers will receive BabyGanics gift sets. The child with the most votes will receive a month’s supply of BabyGanics products and the title of Messiest Mess Maker.

So, how do you enter?  Just take a photo of him doing his bit and upload the picture at BabyGanics.com‘s Messiest Mess Makers page.  It couldn’t be easier or more fun to win fabulous prizes from America’s best makers of safe, effective and natural household cleaning solutions.

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According to my little Twitter poll 62% of  you moms do it every single day.

23% of you do it every other day.

Just 16% of you admitted to doing it less than every three days.

I really want to do it every day. I try to do it every day.

I don’t always get to.

I takes a lot of planning to make it happen. Often it’s a 10 minute quickie when the kids are napping.

But when it does happen?

Oh, it feels SO GOOD.

The few minutes of solitude. The quiet rush. The warmth.

Yeah, yeah. It’s not what you’re thinking. In fact this is kinda like a prerequisite for that.

I’m talking about that Holy Grail of motherhood, the Long Hot Shower.

There are different stages of motherhood when the shower is less attainable than others.

Like when you have a newborn.

The baby won’t let you put her down. She won’t stop crying. She only naps in five minutes increments. Or you’re just plain too tired from being up all night that you don’t have the strength to turn the faucet on. And, heck, if you do get 10 minutes of peace, you’re sleeping, not worrying about how greasy your hair is.

If you have a newborn it is a perfectly acceptable practice to wipe yourself down with baby wipes and call it good.

Then there is the menacing toddler stage.

You don’t dare leave him alone while you shower. Unless you want to emerge damp and smelling ever so delicately of cherry blossoms only to find abstract crayon art all over the living room wall.

I haven’t reached this stage yet, but I imagine there is one coming when there isn’t enough time for me to shower and get everyone ready for school and there on time.

The stage I’ve got going on in my house right now is the I’m-afraid-to-leave-the-baby-alone-with-the-four-year-old stage.

Wade, the baby, is pretty easy going. Now that he’s seven months old I could probably plunk him down in the Exersaucer or lay him in his crib with a safe toy while I jump in the shower for a few minutes.

If it were just him.

David, my four year old, is really a good kid. I could probably leave him in front of the TV with a movie on while I bathed.

If it were just him.

David wouldn’t intentionally put Wade in harms way. But he would try to pick Wade up if he cried. Then just let go because Wade was too heavy.

David would try to feed Wade to quiet him down. With a stale bottle that sat on the counter all night.

David would think giving Wade a ride by pulling him all over the house in the Exersaucer was lots of fun.

There are really only three options if I want to take a shower. One, tie David up. But I don’t think that would go over so well with Social Services.

Two, wait until both boys are napping. I take the baby monitor in the bathroom with me, and turn it up as loud as it will go so I can hear in case they wake up and the shenanigans start.

Three, I wait and shower when my husband can supervise the boys. He is usually willing since it means I’ll be clean for that later.

But there are the days when I’m just too busy. Or the boys don’t both nap at the same time. Or my husband is busy with work.

Sometimes it’s after dinner before I can get in the shower. Then I think, “Why bother? I’m tired. And I’m way too tired for that anyway.”

So I put on my comfy PJs, pull the covers up over my messy hair, and fantasize about the good hair day and the smooth legs I’ll have tomorrow. When I get that shower.

Now that’s hot.Similar Posts:

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The Blue Sky Collection is an online store that sells unique gifts and accessories for children, home, pets and weddings.  Their products include Eco-Friendly baby items, stylish home decor, organic totes, and more.  Blue Sky Collection covers all price points, which is necessary in this economy.

I received the TuckerBags Floral Combo Eco-Friendly Shopping Bags to test out and fell in love with them right away.  I have been wanting to buy some reusable shopping bags for some time now, so I was happy to finally try some.  The  shopping bags are 19×16 inches (equal to 2 plastic bags) and can hold up to 35 pounds.  They are lightweight enough to fold back down and stuff into the matching pouch it is attached to.  I used one of the bags while picking up a few groceries and it worked like a charm!  I felt awesome carrying it around, too.

Shop at the Blue Sky Collection by visiting www.blueskycollection.com.

::GIVEAWAY::

We are giving away a set of TuckerBags Floral Combo Eco-Friendly Shopping Bags to one lucky winner!  This set includes Tuckerbags green roses, blue gardenia, and red hibiscus designs each with a matching pouch.

::HOW TO ENTER::

• To enter this giveaway, please leave us a comment, telling us why these Eco-Friendly Shopping Bags would make a great addition to your family!

::EARN UP TO SIX EXTRA ENTRIES::

You can earn extra entries by doing the following, leaving a comment for each:

• Follow Blue Sky Collection on Facebook.
• Follow @MomSpark on Twitter.
• Blog about this giveaway. (put link in comment)
• Become a subscriber of Mom Spark. Subscribe here. (mention in comment)
• Follow Mom Spark on Google Friend Connect. (see sidebar)
• Tweet about this giveaway:

I just entered to win Eco-Friendly Shopping Bags on @MomSpark! Come enter, too: http://clicky.me/5Kz #giveaway #contest

Contest ends December 19, 2009 at midnight CST.  USA & Canada residents only, please.  Good luck!

DISCLOSURE – I was given a set of TuckerBags Floral Combo Eco-Friendly Shopping Bags and financial compensation in return for this review, giveaway and promotion.  My reviews and recommendations are always honest and true. Read Mom Spark’s full disclosure here.

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I lost another inch in my waist & hips this week!

TOTAL INCHES LOST:
WAIST: 2″
HIPS: 4″Similar Posts:

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If you have a sweet tooth, then you’re in for a real treat – part 3 of this 4 part series is all about desserts! At the end of your tasty, savoury holiday feast, it’s time to relax, enjoy a coffee or a tea & nibble on something sweet & delectable. To me, holiday desserts should be elegant in presentation, not to difficult to prepare & of course, just sweet enough – a delightful way to top off your fabulous dinner party. Here a just a few of my favourite festive dessert ideas:

01. Gingerbread Apple Upside-Down Cake via Smitten Kitchen

02. Poached Pears via David Lebovitz

03. Chocolate And Roasted Beet Pudding Cakes via Cannelle Et Vanille

03. Linzer Sandwiches via Martha Stewart

04. Alton Brown’s Super Apple Pie via Food Network

05. Slow Cooker Rice Pudding via A Year Of Slow Cooking

I am now absolutely drooling & so excited for the next time I can break out one of these fantastic recipes! Happy savoring!

Stay tuned for Part 4: Toast Your Host!

In case you missed it – Part 1: Places, Please, Part 2: It’s All About The AmbianceSimilar Posts:

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• No-brainer Recipe: Chocolate Eclair Cake

It’s easy and painless to join the group HERE.

We’ll be discussing marketing, social media building, working from home, working outside the home, etc. Everyone is welcome, not just parents, so pass the word on! If you haven’t started your biz yet, but need ideas, this would be great for you as well. Our main goal is to support one another in this crazy journey we call business.

I would love to have you, please consider joining us! If anything, you’ll love the Savvy Source website anyway, so win-win.

Again, you can join my Moms in Business group HERE. See you there!Similar Posts:

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1.  I wore glasses for years.  Had lasik eye surgery in 2006.

2. I used to sing and play bass guitar in a rock band.  I was terrible, but met my husband this way.

3. I’m married to a jingle writer.  He is also a video producer and co-hosts a local television program.

4. I love Converse.  They are my favorite shoes, and have been for years.

5.  I play World of Warcraft.  By far, the best online game on the planet.

Similar Posts:

• Contributors
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“When someone comes to your home and sits at your table and breaks bread with you, your relationship is forever changed.” -The Gathering of Friends, Volume One

I love that quote.  It seems as if we have forgotten the beauty and importance of having meals together with family and friends, and The Gathering of Friends, Volume One and Two has reconfirmed my love of gatherings.

The Gathering of Friends Volume One,  by Michelle Huxtable and  Alyse Christensen, shares delicious recipes as well as ideas on decorating and shopping for successful breakfast, lunch or dinner gatherings.  Different themed parties are organized throughout the book with ideas including “An Enchanted Evening”, “Autumn Gathering”, “Supper with Friends”, “An Afternoon with Friends” and “Cookie Friendz”.  The decor and cuisine remind me of the ambiance of a bed and breakfast, which is warm and comforting.  After each gathering theme there is a shopping list already provided!  How nice is that?  The book is also rectangular and spiral bound, so it’s perfect for putting for guests to sign and leave comments during the gathering!

The Gathering of Friends Volume Two, by Michelle Huxtable, is organized by weekly gatherings that suggests meals for each night of the week.  As in the Volume One, the images are full of dressed up and plated tables with delicious recipes.  In addition to the weekly gathering plans, The book also includes “Effortless Dishes”, “Savory Beginnings”, “Wholesome Soups from the Kitchen” and more.  Some of my favorite recipes from this volume include Ginger Glazed Salmon, Sweet & Sour Chicken, and Potato Bacon Soup.  After each week’s suggestions, a shopping list is included.  I love that these books do the lists for us!

Please see my video so you can take a peek into the book yourself!

The Gathering of Friends, Volumes One & Two from Mom Spark on Vimeo.

The Gathering of Friends Volume One and Two are available at $29.95 each and would make a great holiday gift this year!  You can purchase your copies at www.thegatheringoffriends.com.  There is a special going on right now – buy three books and get one free!

I have also created a whrrl story that you can view here!

::GIVEAWAY::

We are giving away The Gathering of Friends Volumes 1 & 2 to one lucky winner!  That’s right, two books to one winner!

::HOW TO ENTER::

• To enter this giveaway, please leave us a comment, telling us why sharing a meal with others is so important.  Maybe share some of your special traditions or favorite meals to serve.

::EARN EXTRA ENTRIES::

You can earn extra entries by doing any or all of the following, leaving a comment for each:

• Become a subscriber of Mom Spark. Subscribe here. (mention in comment)
• Follow @MomSpark on Twitter.
• Leave a comment in our whrrl story. (mention in comment)
• Blog about this giveaway. (put link in comment)
• Tweet about this giveaway:

Just entered to win 2 The Gathering of Friends cookbooks, you should enter, too! http://clicky.me/4fs #giveaway #contest

Contest ends December 14, 2009 at midnight CST.  USA & Canada residents only, please.  Good luck!

DISCLOSURE – I was given The Gathering of Friends Volumes One & Two and financial compensation in return for this review, giveaway and promotion.  My reviews and recommendations are always honest and true. Read Mom Spark’s full disclosure here.

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Johnny Apple-Cider-Seed Mocktail
Makes 1-2 servings

1 scoop vanilla ice cream
Splash of OJ
7 Up or similar soda (to thin drink to your consistency liking)
Apple Cider

1. Mix ingredients in a blender. Adjust according to your tastes. I added more than just a splash of OJ, and thinned the mixture out with apple cider and soda until it was satisfactory. YUM!

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• No-brainer Recipe: Marshmallow Fruit Salad