GO MOM!

Organizing Old Greeting Cards {May Memorabilia}

admin — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:39:12 +0000

Today we are talking about Organizing Greeting Cards. Part of our year long series, GO MOM! Organizing Tips, this month we are focused on Memorabilia. Did you happen to get a stack of cards for Mother’s Day? I sure hope you did! But if you are anything like me, after they’ve been displayed on a mantle or in a nook in the kitchen, what are you going to do with them once that occasion is long gone and it’s really not appropriate to have them out anymore? Check out these tips to help you while you are organizing old greeting cards.

Binder

You know how I love my binders! Get a fun decorative binder to catalog every card your family shares. Use slash pocket tabs or page slicks, just drop in the card, and then label it as you choose. You can organize by person, by holiday, or by year. I love organizing by person because down the road, you could use these cards and their sentiments to make an amazing graduation or new mother gift for your children when they are grown.

Magazine Box

If you are looking for something really easy, just grab a magazine storage box you can label by year and then feel free to add cards as often and as many as you like. Its not complicated, will look great on a shelf in the kitchen at your command center right where everything happens.

Covered Letter Box

I love having a special box just for me where overtime with each and every card, I can add it in easily and create a wonderful collection. This can be so easily stored out in plain view but over the years, your kids may never know what’s in there and when you do bring it out, they will be amazed at what they find!

The key is knowing if your sentiment level. Do you want to keep cards with those special sayings, signatures and personal notes or could you care less? Its all about you and for me, I love having a lovely way to store them. So tell me…

If you save them, what are your organizing tips for old greeting cards?

Please make sure to check out this fun year long series including all that May has to offer and if you are looking for more, our Memorabilia Pinterest Board is full of fabulous ideas from all over the web!

Thanks so much for stopping by ~ we’ll see you next time!

Molly

Happy Mother’s Day from Monsters University!

admin — Thu, 09 May 2013 15:08:34 +0000

Happy Mother’s Day! Does this scene look familiar?

While you might not be Ms. Squibbles and have a car full of Monsters, literally, you are definitely a Mom with your own little Monsters. With so much excitement brewing for the release of Monsters University next month, I couldn’t help but share this fun Mother’s Day wish with you! Hope your Mother’s Day weekend is amazing with the little Monsters in your life that make you the Mom you are today! And for the record? Ms. Squibbles is the bomb!

Straight from the source, check out the official release information from the team at Walt Disney Studios Disney-Pixar:

Ever since college-bound Mike Wazowski (voice of Billy Crystal) was a little monster, he has dreamed of becoming a Scarer—and he knows better than anyone that the best Scarers come from Monsters University (MU). But during his first semester at MU, Mike’s plans are derailed when he crosses paths with hotshot James P. Sullivan, “Sulley” (voice of John Goodman), a natural-born Scarer. The pair’s out-of-control competitive spirit gets them both kicked out of the University’s elite Scare Program. To make matters worse, they realize they will have to work together, along with an odd bunch of misfit monsters, if they ever hope to make things right. Screaming with laughter and oozing with heart, Disney•Pixar’s “Monsters University” is directed by Dan Scanlon (“Cars,” “Mater and the Ghostlight,” “Tracy”), produced by Kori Rae (“Up,” “The Incredibles,” “Monsters, Inc.”) and features music from future Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and award-winning composer Randy Newman (“Monsters, Inc.,” “Toy Story 3”). For more information, like us at facebook.com/PixarMonstersUniversity, and follow us on twitter.com/disneypixar. The film opens in U.S. theaters on June 21, 2013, and will be shown in 3D in select theaters. For more information, check out disney.com/MonstersU.

Disclosure: Special thanks to Disney Pixar Public Relations for sharing this video trailer with me. My choice to share and all opinions are entirely my own.

7 Tips for Prom Night

admin — Sat, 04 May 2013 03:42:25 +0000

Streamers and Confetti
Photo Credit
FreeDigitalPhotos.Net

May means prom night is here and in many cities almost every Friday or Saturday night, one or more high school communities is celebrating this special event for juniors and seniors. Our oldest is attending his first prom this weekend and as we worked to help him organize his plans, you had to know there was soon to be a video sharing our process not far behind. Check out my 7 tips for prom night and how you can guide your child through making those plans on his or her own with their friends while you coach them from the sidelines.

1. Choose an outfit.
2. Order a corsage and boutineer.
3. Make a date or gather a crowd.
4. Plan for dinner.
5. Arrange for a ride.
6. Make time for pre-prom group pictures.
7. Decide on after prom party plans…or not.

So there you go! We are so excited for the kids to have a fabulous time and looking forward to all the special events that are ahead as our oldest turns the corner on his senior year. This stage of motherhood is a blessed mix of guidance and letting go, continuing to teach independence while knowing it can only be learned on the job. Its also surreal because for so many years, things like prom and graduation were things those Moms of older kids talked about, not me. Well here we are and we couldn’t be more proud. Tell me…

How do you guide your kids through special events without taking control?

Thanks so much for stopping by ~ we’ll see you next time!

Molly

Teacher Appreciation Week Activities and Gifts

admin — Thu, 02 May 2013 12:00:32 +0000

Next week is the National Education Associations’ Teacher Appreciation Week. That means Room Moms far and wide will be all hands on deck making sure to help their child’s class show the gratitude their teachers deserve through small gestures and acts of kindness. Most PTAs provide guidelines about required activities and in some schools, this can last all week long. A few years ago, my daughter’s school decided to mix things up and make Teacher Appreciation Week happen in just one day. Why? Because all the daily activity was so disruptive that it made for more mayhem than blessing and that wasn’t the goal. Here is what we do:

Teacher Appreciation Week Door Sign
Copyright 2013 Molly Gold

Door Decor

Room parents are asked to decorate classroom doors enlisting the children’s assistance in some element of the design. The school is transformed with all kinds of colorful and creative designs and everyone enjoys such glorious displays of thanks.

Lunch

The PTA provides the teachers with a lovely catered lunch. To make it easy for them to enjoy as they wish, room parents and volunteers take each class to lunch and then return with the children to the classroom and spend 30 minutes enlisting their help for the door decoration and playing games or reading books to entertain them during free time. Ask any teacher in that building and its that time eating lunch with their colleagues and not in the lunch room with 300 children that is the most cherished gift of the day!

Gifts

Because the end of the year is always so near, Teacher Appreciation Gifts are left to each individual family to share as they might see fit. Because my daughter and I always love a reason to get crafty, check out the adorable “Thanks for making me so sharp and for being so sweet!” jars. Variations of this craft are readily found on Pinterest and for our twist, we simply wanted to do something that was a small gesture that was easily done almost entirely by my elementary aged daughter. Here’s what it took to make gifts for 12 school staff members ~ we love to give ~ what can we say?

Teacher Appreciation Week
Smartie Sharpie Craft Supplies
Copyright 2013 Molly Gold

Supplies

1 dozen small Ball Canning Jars

3 Bags of Smarties

1 Package of Sharpies

18 feet of Polka Dot Ribbon

Assemble

Smartie Sharpie Craft
Teacher Appreciation Week
Copyright 2013 Molly Gold

Fill each jar with even amounts of Smarties.

Smartie Sharpie Craft
Teacher Appreciation Week
Copyright 2013 Molly Gold

Tie a bow around the closed jar.

Teacher Appreciation Gifts
Smartie Sharpie Candy Jars
Copyright 2013 Molly Gold

Add a Sharpie of your choice to the bow, slipping it onto the ribbon close to the bow.

Super easy and something your child can easily do with little or no help ~ in my book that’s craft heaven! We personalized these with a thank you message and my daughter’s signature by adding a construction paper circle cut out dot placed on the top of the lid to fit the natural circle the metal makes. That way if a teacher or staff member was not present when she stopped by to share her gift, she could easily leave it on their desk to surprise them when they returned. This was a huge hit this year both at home and at school and I’m thrilled with how much ownership my daughter had of the total process. It also really didn’t take us much time or incur a noticeable expense ~ that always works for me!

These are just a few thoughts about what we do here in our school community. To jumpstart your creative juices and find some inspiration for what you might do next week, check out our Teacher Gifts and More Pinterest Board. And tell me…

How do you recognize your child’s educators during Teacher Appreciation Week?

Thanks so much for stopping by ~ see you next time!

Molly

Raising Digital Families for Dummies {Review}

admin — Wed, 01 May 2013 21:08:44 +0000

Raising Digital Families for Dummies by Amy Lupold Bair
Copyright 2013 Molly Gold

I”m excited to share some great wisdom from Raising Digital Families for Dummies by Amy Lupold Bair. Amy just happens to be a digital genius, yes she’s the founder of the Twitter Party concept, a master’s degreed educator, and a busy Mom of 2 curious and digital kids. So when she let her friends know she was writing this book, I couldn’t wait to get a copy, but not just for myself. I have teenagers and I want to share the book with them. Why? Because its full of great insights written not just from the parents perspective but from an educator’s frame of mind. That way that teaches us our options, what the tools are, what’s out there, how to best use them for our family, and then be aware of how to protect ourselves and our children as they grow. Finally there is a book for parents that doesn’t say, “I’m not going to let you do this!”, but instead says lets learn about this together. Here are the 5 things that really jumped out to me as oh so valuable and all kinds of awesome!

So there you have it! I loved discovering all these golden nuggets, and am so glad Amy wrote a book that isn’t just for the parents but worthy of sharing with your kids as they get older, reading it together and learning as you go. If you are looking for a perfect resource to help you as you raise your kids in a digital age, consider snagging a copy on Amazon of Raising Digital Families for Dummies by Amy Lupold Bair. I’d love to know…

How are you raising your digital family? Are you reading and sharing?

Are you going with your gut?

Or are you an ostrich in the sand?

Thanks so much for stopping by ~ we’ll see you next time!

Molly

Special thanks to Resourceful Mommy Media for sending me a copy of this book for review. All opinions are entirely my own.

How to Take Prom Pictures

admin — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 02:28:42 +0000

The Big Party
Photo Credit FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Prom Pictures are a key memento for a night that is surely to be a very special time for your high school junior or senior. This is our first year guiding one of our children through prom and after offering to host a group of great kids and their proud parents for prom pictures, it occurred to me that we might have a few things to consider about where to actually stage the kids. Take a look at my musings about how to take prom pictures when it comes to location in my backyard.

So there you have it. We’ll have a lovely group of bright and beautiful kids here in exactly one week and as the hostess, I’ve just got to decide where we should stage the kids in my backyard so the most natural and lovely prom pictures possible will happen.

Prom Pictures in the Backyard
Copyright 2013 Molly Gold

My friend Jenn Hethcoat is a brilliant photographer and if she lived anywhere near North Carolina, I’d beg her to come in a heartbeat. Her advice to remember to focus on the faces so the background is more subtle is wise and I hope I’ll do her proud wrangling my Canon T3i that I am so glad to have but so inept at using just yet. Tell me…

After getting a glance at our backyard, what do you think is the best spot for us to stage prom pictures?

Thanks so much for stopping by ~ we’ll see you next time!

Molly

April Beauty Tips ~ Shortcuts for Hair

admin — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 18:12:58 +0000

Beauty tips for April always have me thinking about hair. Thanks to a cooler than usual Spring, its not too humid yet but my days are numbered before the frizzy hair returns! Its week 2 in our GO MOM! Organizing Tips series for April with an entirely different twist ~ this month we are talking about beauty and shortcuts and this week its about your hair. I have naturally curly hair, you’d never know that today based on how its styled, but there are a few shortcuts and secrets that make sure your organized beauty routine works for you. I have no relationship with any of the product makers shown here yet they all demonstrate an important shortcut. April is the time when the seasons change and a perfect time to take a look at your hair care while you get ready for some fresh weather. Check out my tips below!

Beauty Tip #1 Clean or replace your hair brush.

When is the last time you cleaned or replaced your hairbrush? This is so important ~ make sure to get all the hair out and wash it with a little shampoo and if its really bad, you might consider using some alcohol too. But how do you know when it needs to be replaced? When it comes to a paddle brush, check the tips to make sure they aren’t worn because if they are, that means its time to replace it. Soft bristle brushes are different so know the process.

Beauty Tip #2 Use products that double dip to control your hair.

What kind of product do you need to make sure to use? When I wear my hair curly, I choose different products than when I wear it straight and both need to work overtime to keep my locks in place. Chose products that will double dip, both controlling while offering shine to give you your best finished look.

Beauty Tip #3 Use anti-humidity finishing sprays.

Consider the last step before you leave the house to keep your hair looking great. Here in Raleigh April means the return of humidity isn’t far away so I need a finishing spray that will keep the frizz away and keep my hair looking great. It won’t belong before I’m in a ponytail every day thanks to my time at the pool, in the sun, or under a baseball cap while out at my kids summer sports activities but before that happens, I want my hair to look great.

Beauty Tip #4 Use the best styling appliances you can afford.

When it comes to choosing a flat iron or curler, make sure to invest in a tool that will be the most efficient styling your hair as fast as is possible, and will help it hold the style as best it can. But of equal importance is making sure to choose a styling tool with the best warranty you can find. If you are going to use it every day, your investment should last.

A change of seasons is a great time to take a second look at your hair care routine and clean off those styling tools, those brushes, bring in some new hair products for the season, and make sure the final touch gives you a look that will last all day long. These are my beauty tips and hair care shortcuts for our April Organizing tips Series and I’d love to know…

What are your best beauty tips for hair care shortcuts? What are your favorite products?

Keep in mind this series is designed to help you live like your moving so if your house is on the market, your wouldn’t want to anyone to see that dirty hair brush and you should use it that way either! Make sure you stop by our Beauty Tips Pinterest Board for all kinds of pins including some from my favorite Mom Beauty Experts, Nicole, Vera, and Audrey. They are all about the latest trends and products that will raise your beauty bar. My hope is to simply show you how you can make choices about products and processes that will save you time.

Thanks so much for stopping by ~ we’ll see you next time!

Molly

Disney’s Yacht Club Resort ~ Disney Tips

admin — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:00:02 +0000

Disney’s Yacht Club Resort and Dock
Photo Credit WDWNews.com

When it comes to Walt Disney World Resorts, Disney’s Yacht Club Resort is a very special place. We were blessed to stay there for the 2012 Disney Social Media Moms Celebration and I was delighted to discover all the wonderful amenities and surprises it had in store. Because our family loves Epcot Center and my love runs deep thanks to my Walt Disney World College Program Internship at the Universe of Energy, the best perk of all has to be location. Much to our delight, we were able to walk right up to the back gates of Epcot Center, entering between England and France.

As in all things Disney, the theming left no detail unturned. The resort is detailed with an 1890s influence including fancy-cut shingles, French doors, and more details that truly transform the complex into a seaside getaway. It sits on Crescent Lake, designed by architect Robert A.M. Stern, acclaimed for his incredible East Coast seaside home designs.

Disney’s Yacht Club Resort Captain
Copyright 2013 Molly Gold

Not without a captain at the helm, the cast members at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort make sure you feel welcome at every turn. The Lobby is so elegant, outfitted with antique chandeliers, rich millwork and brass to set the stage and transport you to a New England frame of mind.

Disney’s Yacht Club Resort Stormalong Bay
Copyright 2013 Molly Gold

Another wonderful surprise was discovering Stormalong Bay. Hands down the most water-park like hotel pool we’ve ever enjoyed, its a 3-acre facility designed to look and feel like a Nantucket beach with a life sized shipwreck. Only better because it includes water slides, snorkeling, and a lazy river among multiple swimming areas.

Disney’s Yacht Club Resort Room
Photo Credit WDWNews

Every room captures the essence of your own private state room on a yacht with all the pixie dust only Disney can provide. Each of the 621 very luxurious rooms and suites are decorated in signature nautical colors of blue and white with yacht like details everywhere you turn. Rooms start at just under $400.

Disney’s Yacht Club Resort Balcony
Photo Credit WDWNews

Every hotel room has a balcony with French doors, and as you can see from the picture above, the styling of the balcony railings just ads to the sense that you’ve stepped into a seaside resort.

Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
Copyright 2013 Molly Gold

I loved stepping out of my room each morning to travel the boardwalk to our daily events and while I captured this quiet moment, it was often full of early morning runners making the most of this incredibly magical time of day.

Disney’s Yacht Club Resort Pool at Night
Copyright 2013 Molly Gold

Stormalong Bay at night is a treat without measure. Show me a child (or grownup) who doesn’t love swimming at night while the pool is lit with the soft glow of lights and the stars take their place in the night sky. For the days where we were able, this was the best reward we could offer for good behavior and well worth the earning for kids and grown ups alike. When we checked into Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, I had no idea what to expect and it I can honestly say its a treasure, especially if your favorite park is Epcot Center. Tell me…

Are you planning a trip to Walt Disney World soon? Where do you plan to stay?

We’ve got a wonderful library of posts about Disney Social Media Moms Celebrations and a fun Disney Tips Pinterest Board to keep you pin happy too! Check out our Disney Social Media Moms Photo Albums loaded to our GO MOM! Facebook Fan page, and our Disney Social Media Moms Playlist on YouTube (You’ll also find our Disney Vacation Planning Tips playlist there too!)

Thanks so much for stopping by ~ we’ll see you next time!

Molly

Disclosure: Special thanks to Disney Social Media and PR for inviting me to attend the New Fantasyland Media Event. I was not asked to post and all opinions are entirely my own.

Container Garden Ideas Inspired by Epcot Center

admin — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:00:54 +0000

Container Gardens at Epcot Center
Copyright 2013 Molly Gold

Today I’ve got a quick tip for you about container garden ideas inspired by Epcot Center. Consider buying your plants in larger potted containers with multiple individual plants inside. Then simply gently separate them into smaller pots just like this wonderful offering from Disney Consumer Products thanks to MomTV. Its a great way to bring the magic of Disney home to my garden all year long. As well, with Mother’s Day and end of the school year gifts not far away, you’ll have plenty of opportunities this Spring for little hands to help you in a very special way.

If you’ve ever wanted to visit Disney I’m incredibly biased but I do believe that the Spring, from March to mid-May, is truly one of Disney Parks best times of the year. Why? Because this is when the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival occurs. Sponsored by HGTV (need I say more?) its simply amazing! We’d love for you to check out all of our videos, posts, and pictures shared through our Disney Tips Pinterest Board, on our GO MOM! Facebook Fan Page Photo Albums, and on our YouTube Channel Playlists sharing the many sites and sounds of the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival as seen during the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration which has occurred for each of the last three years during this very special time of year.

My favorite thing about Epcot Center is not only how the park is transformed during this time, but also that it is full of unique ways to encourage you, the everyday gardener to bring the magic home and harness that pixie dust for your family all year long.

I love the many temporary gardens that appear in the most unexpected places giving families with young children an opportunity to just hang out and play or learn by doing, something Epcot Center is clearly world famous for.

The Butterfly Garden is one of my favorites, not only beautiful but educational about how to invite butterfulies into your garden at home.

And we could not have loved Tinkerbell’s garden more! It was complete with a play area for the little ones and in 2011, special guest appearances by all the fairies just around the corner and so much fun!

My favorite topiary for gardening at home of all time has to be the oh so friendly Mickey and Minnie. I wish to this day I would have scooped them up to bring home to my porch to welcome our family and friends all Spring long.

If you are looking for some gardening inspiration, check out the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival sponsored by HGTV. If you are thinking about planning a trip to Walt Disney World and Disney Parks, I encourage you to plan ahead now for a visit next year during the Spring. You will love being there at this time of year ~ its such a special time and the park just simply doesn’t look like this all year long. Its 3 months of incredible horticultural glory with amazing sponsored gardens throughout the park that envelope you in the beauty that is nature.

Does it really get any better than that? Let me know…

What do you do to bring the magic of Epcot Center home to your everyday garden?

Thanks so much for stopping by ~ we so appreciate you being here ~ see you next time!

Molly

Disclosure: Special Thanks to MomTV for engaging me to share this video and highlight the product provided. I was compensated yet thanks to my lifelong love of all things Disney, my magical opinions are entirely my own.

Disney’s Art of Animation Resort ~ Cars

admin — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:00:54 +0000

The Art of Animation at Walt Disney World Resort is where animation meets real life making memories you just can’t beat! In just a few short weeks, some of my dearest friends and oh so talented colleagues will be attending the 2013 Disney Social Media Moms Celebration and I can’t wait to follow their magic. The conference will be hosted at The Contemporary Resort and as in years past, many families will choose to extend their stay at another Disney property and in my opinion, some of the luckiest will visit the amazing Art of Animation Resort Cars and experience Radiator Springs. With 480 suites big enough for a family of 6, Cars won my family’s heart during our recent stay as part of the New Fantasyland Media Event. While attending the 2012 Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, we got a pre-opening sneak peek of the Nemo wing and its amazing pool. I couldn’t wait to come back and experience the resort and I promise you, it doesn’t disappoint!

The Facts

Cars = 480 Suites

Finding Nemo = 320 Suites
The Lion king = 320 Suites
The Little Mermaid = 864 Standard Guest Rooms in a Motel Design
Animation Hall Lobby = 77 animation storyboards including early sketches to finished images

Rooms = $248 per night and up for family suites
Family Suites = 1,120 include two bathrooms, a kitchenette and three separate sleeping areas that can sleep up to six.

Disney Perks = Complimentary Transportation, Extra Magic Hours, and other benefits extended to Disney Resort Guests.

While they look glamorous, media events are hard work. My family had more time at the hotel than I and thoroughly enjoyed the pool, the game room, and most especially the spacious room to relax and recharge. With 2 teenagers towering over my husband and myself, the reality is we need a room that can comfortably fit 4 adults and 1 child. The suite full of traveling amenities like a small kitchenette, 2 bathrooms, and lets face it 2 TVs, was very accommodating and a blessing to us all.

On our last official New Fantasyland Media Event morning, I was out early to scoot over to Splitsville and was in awe of how magical the Cars Wing was in the early morning light.

The sidewalks are more like a freshly paved road that winds through Radiator Springs leading guest to the Cozy Cone Motel complete with a Cozy Cone pool and cone-shaped cabanas.

Leaving no detail left untouched, through the windows of the Cozy Cone hotel you’ll find postcards…

…and even a touch of Radiator Springs custom decor!

I was tickled to see Luigis Casa Della Tires!

And the kids got a big kick staying in the Wheel Well Motel. Not only were Mater and Flo there to greet us day and night, once on the complex you had the sheer delight to wander the roads of Radiator Springs every time you enter or leave, enjoying every aspect of the characters to the tiniest themed detail. As expected, we found Cars to be a perfect fit for our family’s needs and without exception, Walt Disney World Resort continues to prove its core commitment to make sure busy families just like yours and mine truly do have the chance to make memories that will last a lifetime. Tell me…

Are you planning a trip to Walt Disney World soon? Where do you plan to stay?

Looking for more about all the grand openings during the New Fantasyland Media Event? Check out our Disney Tips Pinterest Board, New Fantasyland Photo Albums loaded to our GO MOM! Facebook Fan page, and our New Fantasyland Playlist on YouTube (You’ll also find our Disney Vacation Planning Tips playlist there too!)

Thanks so much for stopping by ~ we’ll see you next time!

Molly

Disclosure: Special thanks to Disney Social Media and PR for inviting me to attend the New Fantasyland Media Event. I was not asked to post and all opinions are entirely my own.