Celebrity event planner turned author, Ava Carroll-Brown presents to us “Where IS Your Mother?: A Simple And Suggestive Guide To The Basics of Proper Etiquette and Simple Grace” (Amazon.com).

At first glance to the title of the book, I was not sure how it read, but after reading cover to cover I now know that Where IS Your Mother? is something that you hear yourself asking a toddler with conviction.  Its normally a question asked when a child is acting out of hand or is rude to his/her peers and adults.  So, if you ever wondered if there was a book to raising the perfect child, then look no further, this is the book for you. By following the basic etiquette mentioned by the author your child will get noticed…in a good way.  

What I love about Carroll-Brown’s guide is that it is geared towards young, old, children, teen and adults. She reminds you of basic day-to-day etiquette tips, such as, the proper way to setting a table, what to do with your napkin, when one should bring a gift and how to get children to behave at dinner.

Did you know that it is not appropriate to light a candle before 6pm?  Carrol-Brown tells you why in one of my favorite chapters titled “The Six O’Clock Candle Rule.”  The author also reminds us in the chapter titled “Table Taboos” the “no sharing at the dinner table” policy, this is something that we see displayed commonly in our home and in restaurants, but its clearly a big no-no.  This guide is a great go-to reference for “all ages and all walks of life.”   View Post

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I know that it might sound crazy to be talking about back-to-school season, but with summer almost over (sniff sniff) I don’t want you to be left behind and not get in on the great deals being offered on school supplies…especially the one that I about to brag about!

I’ve been lucky enough to get my hands on a great collection that has been keeping me organized and maintaining my POSHness.  Seriously.  This new line of calendars (from desk pads to family calendars), planners, Shopping notes, Door Notes, Memo Notes and Grocery Checklist Pads are must-haves for your back to school planning and everyday use of your busy lifestyle!  Created by Blue Sky, a leading maker of dated planners and calendars, has partnered with notable paper designer Susan Connor of Susy Jack* Contemporary Paper.

“But I have an app for that!” you say, well, yes, while smart phones are also a must have for every busy mom, paper-based planners and calendars remain central to family organization.  Paper-based calendars are centrally located within a home/office with no technical expertise needed and will never crash due to a virus!

I immediately feel in love with the colorful designs and crisp, modern style.  The Blue Sky Home Series offers 14 different products, all under $10.

Now for more good news! A GIVEAWAY! Blue Sky has generously donated a set of these great planners and calendars for one lucky winner. See below on how to enter:

MANDATORY ENTRY:

  • Leave a comment below telling me why you would like to win this fab organization system
  • Follow me on Twitter and tell me about your entry
  • If you LIKE Blue Sky on Facebook, you’ll have another chance to win.

**winner will be chosen using Random.org on Tuesday, August 9 — giveaway is open until midnight on monday**

**Giveaway closed – winner has been announced**

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Over the weekend I traveled – ONLINE  (yes online!) – for the first annual 2011 Lady Blogger Social Online Conference, organized by Stefanie Cuevas, the founder and editor of TheLadyBloggers.com.

In the comfort of my home and sometime still in PJs, I was able to network, participate and listen to great speakers. Not every blogger can afford or can fit in a getaway in their busy schedules, so the idea of this blog conference coming to you live via UStream TV was a huge success and being able to watch the recorded sessions, in case I missed a session, was ideal.   Aside from a few technical difficulties – that was to be expected – this was an ideal way to connect with my fellow bloggers and to discuss my PASSION – blogging!

The 3-day online conference had over 10 speakers with a phletra of knowledge, from all areas of expertise, such as Branding Your Blog, Designing your Blog, How To Come Up With Content to Growing Your Readership, just to name a few.

Sheri McConnell, CEO of Smart Women’s Institute of Entrepreneurial Learning kicked off the conference, followed by Caitie Ramsburg, Brand Account Manager at BlogFrog, Holly Homer, founding partner of Business 2 Blogger, and Jeanette Thwing from J’s Everyday Fashion.

As you may know, blog conferences can be incredibly helpful so if you are a blogger, you must attend at least ONE.  I was able to take away tips and advice on how I can do better by you, my readers.  So I have a plan, by meeting other bloggers, listening to my readers and practicing my craft, my passion for blogging will show even more. So stay tuned and witness my evolution.  New and exciting features will be added to this site shortly.

Have you written a Lady Blogger Online Conference recap post? I’d love to see it! Link up here and I will stop by for a visit.

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Waking up in the wee hours of the morning and entertaining my active Toddler with daily activities can definitely cause sleep deprivation or “mommy brain” aka forgetfulness, so by mid-morning, mid-afternoon and sometimes even mid-evening you will find me over at my local Starbucks Coffee house for a quick pick me up with baby in tow.  Mmmm, did someone say Venti Iced Chai Latte???!!

So when my friends over at Social Moms reached out to me about the new Starbucks Card Mobile App I was giddy with anticipation and couldn’t wait to download it on my iPhone.

With Starbucks Card Mobile App you can use select your smartphone devices to pay for your Starbucks purchases, allowing you to experience the fastest way to pay.  By offering the fastest way to pay in stores, Starbucks is making your morning coffee run even more convenient, giving you more time to get on with your busy day!

Starbucks for Android™ and the Starbucks Card Mobile App for BlackBerry®, iPhone® or iPod® Touch have five core features:

  • Pay with your phone: Enjoy the fastest, more convenient way to pay at nearly 9,000 Starbucks locations.  Just download the app, enter your Starbucks Card number, scan and go.
  • Manage your card account: Access your Starbucks Card balance directly from your phone.
  • Reload your card balance: Use your smartphone to reload your Starbucks Card using any major credit card.
  • Check your My Starbucks Rewards status: Find out how close you are to earning your next free drink.
  • Find nearby Starbucks stores: Save time by finding a Starbucks store near you

So now that you have downloaded this cool feature here are few tips that I have learned along the way on how to keep my sanity – for the sake of my family and especially myself:

1.  Keep a journal:  A to-do list is the best way to keep track of your daily activities.  My “mommy brain” still creeps up on me, which I thought was a myth during pregnancy, but geez how its still so easy to forget things.  So by keeping a journal and to-do list makes it easy for my sanity.

2. Ask for help: Yes, its ok to ask for a mommy-helper, its doesn’t mean that we can’t do it all.  Have an emergency babysitter picked out in advance. Always have at least two go-to people than can bail you out if baby needs to come home, but you can’t.

3. Plan date night: You and you partner both need time to recharge your batteries.  Whether its going to the local pizza parlour or catching a flick makes energizing your libidos.

4. Let it go: Moms its ok if you don’t fold your clothes right after it comes out the dryer.  Its clean right?

5. When he/she sleeps, you sleep: I know that its easier than it sounds, but taking an hour or 15 minutes can make you feel great.

6. Pay bills online: In this day of technology, everything can be done online.  Paying bills and even purchasing clothes.

7. Get a pick-me-up:  This is where the #Starbucks App comes in handy, by ordering your items beforehand makes things easy for you.

8. Schedule Mom “me” time: Schedule that mani and pedi – NOW!

9. Pass it along: To Daddy that is!  Its his way of chipping in so why not give him a to-do list.

10. Don’t Stress:  Its easy as a first time to stress the small stuff, but you are not alone.  By reaching out to other moms your realize that you too share the same things.

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Disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Starbucks blogging program, for a gift card worth $30. For more information on how you can participate, click here

About Starbucks:

Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting the highest-quality arabica coffee in the world. Today, with stores around the globe, the company is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit us in our stores or online at www.starbucks.com. Download the Starbucks Card Mobile App Today!

Starbucks on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Starbucks

Follow @starbucks on Twitter

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So in honor of my husband’s second Father’s Day we had a fun, filled weekend of…R&R and enjoyed breakfast, lunch and diner at a very exclusive restaurant called “a la casa” yep, instead of beating the crowd at our local restaurants we decided to take advantage of the beautiful NYC weather and ended up having a family BBQ, swimming at Grandpa’s pool and kicking back and enjoying a few beers…ahh pure happiness and definitely relaxation.

After much consideration of what to get my husband and what Lil B should get his dad, I came across the perfect gift online and what better way to say I LOVE DAD but a tee shirt that says it. Simply put and appropriate for all occasions.

This cute baby I love Dad Onesie ($15) was a great addition to my son’s attire after much internet browsing.  The perfect gift came from the the cool collection of  Seraya Sunshine located on etsy.com (the home for handmade designs and such).

After my tee was ordered, the Designer kindly reached out to me and offered me a better option since considering my son’s age and weight.  What great customer service thus far. Usually when you order a product online you aren’t sure if the item will look good or even fit so when the designer reached out to me with her options, I felt like I was working with a friend. The designer behind Seraya was not aware that I was a mommy blogger and wasn’t aware (until now) that I was going to do this write up.  But what kind of mommy blogger would I be without giving my readers to the inside scoop on what’s great.

So if you looking for a cute and creative gift with great customer service for both boys and girls..check out Seraya Sunshine’s site on etsy.com. Her items will be perfect for your little one to wear year round.

*Disclaimer: This was not a paid advertisement*

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