12 Days of Junkie starts Monday!!

November 8, 2009 Laurie1 Comment

I have organized some amazing upcoming events for just for Tip Junkies! It’s my way of saying “Thank You” for an incredible year of fabulous ideas and lots of new readers and friendships.

Mark your calendars and tell all your blogging buddies. Believe me, you won’t want to miss out on any of the amazing ideas or free goodies.

1. To help promote & feature some of the amazing women who have joined the Mom-preneur Shop-a-thon, I have set up the 12 Days of Christmas, um I mean Junkie! It will start tomorrow, Monday November 9th.

It will run similar to the Birthday Bash back in June; where each giveaway will last only 24 hours and a winner will be picked each morning. There will be two winners each day!

This HUGE giveaway has 2 purposes:

1. To spotlight women’s products in hopes that you’ll find something you love and then buy or barter for it.
2. To give away products for you to use at home or save some cash and give as a gift.

Other events coming up:

2. Christmas Card Challenge: November 17th (3 winners)
3. Christmas Tree Contest: December 8th (3 winners)

I hope you’ll come on over to Tip Junkie to check out these fabulous Mom-preneur products and hopefully win some fabulous prizes!

Laurie
www.tipjunkie.com

P.S. Tip Junkie is your hook up for creative Christmas tutorials and handmade gift ideas. As well as fabulous Thanksgiving DIY and tutorials!!

Mother of Boys

Attention Grandparents – Christmas Wish Lists

November 4, 2009 Laurie2 Comments

Skate Rail Grind

I’m in complete denial that it’s already November and time to get my hiney in gear and get my Christmas shopping done. Usually, I’m much more organized but this year I have a new attitude and I’m just rolling with the punches and keeping things easy.

I’ve been getting requests from Grandparents to get the boys Christmas gift lists ready. Honestly, I have no idea what they want. The boys are getting older and their interests are changing. So I packed up all the kids, grabbed Lisa as my wing man, and we headed on over to Toys R Us.

Since I couldn’t be with the older boys I took an easy approach and handed them my camera and told them to take pictures of what they want for Christmas! This way I could focus on Drake and figure out his list.

Davis’ Wish List:

Glow in the Dark Nerf

Geeze these kids are cheesy! {{I have no idea where they get it from}} I came home to discover some pretty funny pictures. Leave it to my boys to make a Christmas gift list and event. {{giggle}}

Skate Insane Air Sick Tricks

Vulcan Nerf

Electronic Command Helmet – please don’t get him this {{yuck}}

Dylan’s Wish List:

Any kind of spy gear – Satellite Listener

Automatic Tommy 20 gun

New Bike – Santa will take care of this one. 😉

Drake’s Wish List:

Once Drake saw the Disney Cars Geo Trax the shopping trip was over. He couldn’t focus on anything else. Santa will hook him up with this one. 🙂

Drake is addicted to anything Disney Cars, cars that move (battery operated), or anything with a remote control.

Drake only gave this toy up because the sweet sales Lady promised to give it to Santa for him for Christmas. He was so grateful he gave her a hug and kiss. {{Mean mommy wouldn’t buy it for him.}}

Mac Car Carrier

Yep – that’s it. This is what an hour in the toy store produced. Talk about unproductive. I expected there to be a LOT more pictures. It looks like we’ll have to do another trip or just browse online. Not that they’re going to get a lot this year, we have a budget. I just want more options to consider as some of these I’m not that excited about.

I usually like to make sure they get something to build, a video game to play, something for their imagination, one item to build on whatever they are collecting or really into currently, and then a big gift from Santa.

My philosophy is few gifts (3-6 depending on cost) but good quality so nothing breaks and in a variety so there’s plenty to do Christmas day an no one is disappointed.

What’s your Christmas gift philosophy for your kiddos?

Girly Girl

My Favorite Mom-preneurs

November 3, 2009 Laurie2 Comments

For Talk to Me Tuesday over on Tip Junkie, we’re featuring our favorite blogger’s or Mom-preneur products. These are some of my favorite products that I have either purchased or bartered for:

I just LOVE my beaded watch band from A Time for Beads. I wear it all the time and love coordinating it with my outfit.

Recently, I’ve also been wearing my crocheted flower headband from Taylor Tengelsen a lot. I think it’s such a fun twist on the flower.

I just adore Madison Reece Designs and have been giving out her scrabble pendant necklaces as gifts to my dear friends. They have each loved them.

For Mother’s Day, I have my MIL an apron from Sugar Pie Chic. I think it makes the coolest gift.

I still imagine myself baking cookies, wearing a darling apron, and greeting my children when they come home from school. Yeah, it’s not going to happen but a girl can dream. Now, I need to get one for myself. 😉

I’ve also given away these darling stamped pendant necklaces from the Vintage Pearl. My goodness they are gorgeous and make a more personalized gift.

My lastest obscession has been with Hello Robertson and her fabulous headbands. Yes, I imagine myself as Gossip Girl actress flashing beauty in my locks. I wore one of them to my SITScation conference and felt 30, flirty, and fabulous in it. {{love her}}

I hope you’ll all post about your favorite Mom-preneur products to help get the word out about these talented women.

Buy From Women this Holiday Season!

Where every penny goes to another mother and her family. We can make a difference in the Mom Made Economy by each purchasing at least 1 item from another blogger or Mom-preneur.

If you need some Mom-preneur inspiration, there’s about 3 days worth of shopping over on the Tip Junkie Mom-preneur Shops. You will be seriously impressed with the quality and creative gift ideas you’ll find.

You can also check out my Whrrl Mom-preneur Shop-a-thon Gift Guides for easy shopping under specific categories.

Girly Girl

Fabulous Friends

November 3, 2009 Laurie1 Comment

My darling friend Christina celebrated her 30th birthday with a big shin dig over at the club house. She’s not only both of my boys 3rd grade teacher – she’s a dear friend.

Christina has the biggest heart and it completely shows by the people who attended her party. There were fellow teachers, parents of previous students, and long time friends who flew in from California to help her celebrate. One of her old co-workers drove 4 hours from Houston to party with her on her big day. Seriously so cool!

Christina’s son has autism and many of her friends there also either had children of their own or work with children with special needs. It was a room full of people who get each other, appreciate each other, and just adore Christina.

I was honored to be in attendance and celebrate such a cool milestone in her life. She completely rocks and I love our time together.

A couple days later I met up with Alyssa from Keeping the Kingdom First blog. We met at the Dallas girls night out and it turns out our kids go to the same school! Very cool.

We had lunch at Jasons Deli and chatted about everything: motherhood, blogging, conferences, coupons, etc. She’s darling and I’m stoked that we live so close to each other. We might even travel to Blissdom ’10 together. Whoohoo! {{finger crossed}}

Blogger

My 1st Speaking Gig – SITScation

November 2, 2009 Laurie6 Comments

I got the opportunity a couple weekends ago to speak at a blogging conference, SITScation in Las Vegas. I was stoked when Tiffany first asked me and felt honored to be included with the other experienced speakers.

Since I was unfamiliar with other speakers I Googled them and found some controversial stuff about 2 of them and had read some of their more colorful Twitter messages. I e-mailed Tiffany back to make sure that I would be a good fit at the conference. As you know, I am a conservative and a optimistic person. Ok let’s face it – I’m an ultra positive person. You won’t find f-bombs and twitter fighting from the Tip Junkie. My message is to lift people up – not drag them through the mud.

At any rate – Tiffany assured me that I would be a great fit at the conference and those women would tone it down and most certainly speak to this more conservative audience. And they did! It was a weekend full of girl power, positive messages, and powerful networking.

I was most surprised at how connected I felt to these women I had never met before. Since the conference was hosted by the SITSgirls – it was their readership that attended. However, I was familiar with most of the women and we all bonded immediately!

We walked the red carpet, danced at the cocktail party, took tons of pictures, and enjoyed meeting each other. This was my first blogging conference to attend and I most certainly exceeded my expectations. I can’t wait for the next one in Nashville, Blissdom ’10 here I come! {{giggle}}

Some of you have stroked my ego a little and have asked if could post my presentation. The full version is really long – over 40 minutes. So, here’s a short blurb of my speech for SITScation. Basically, I spoke about 6 tips and incorporated stories and analogies, then I spotlighted someone in the audience who I felt has incorporated that tip into their blog, Tip Junkie style. It turned out really cool.

Yes, I made Leah cry as she was stunned with the recognition. She’s absolutely adorable and is an inspiration in her own right.

Drake’s Preschool Parade

November 1, 2009 LaurieLeave a comment

Drake is finally loving his “little school” and was stoked about his pre-school Halloween parade. He’s really into Halloween this year which is fun to see. He picked out his costume and he’s going as Lightening McQueen’s pit crew chief. It’s perfect as he’s addicted to the Disney Cars movie and toys.

He did such a good job of staying in line during the parade and waving HI to everyone. It was a proud moment. {{snif snif}}

Mother of Boys

Our Pumpkin Carving Contest

October 31, 2009 LaurieLeave a comment

Drake has thoroughly enjoyed his Halloween cupcakes this week. Can you tell?!?

Lisa had us all over to her house for a pumpkin carving contest for family home evening.

She was REALLY into it as this is the first year she carved a pumpkin.

I on the other hand, am on my 11th year of this gig and I know the drill – pick the easiest template and getter done quick.

Lisa took a completely different approach.

I’m quite sure she was carving that thing all night! It turned out amazing but Geeze Louise. {{competitive much?}}

Mother of Boys

Haunted Gingerbread House

October 30, 2009 Laurie2 Comments

Another family tradition we have during Halloween is making the haunted gingerbread house. I just buy the kit, open up the packages, and let the kids go at it!

Davis takes this annual event very seriously. His little engineering mind takes over and he builds a sound house to decorate.

Drake on the other hand is just stoked to eat all different colors of candy.

This family tradition has gotten so much easier over the years now that the boys are getting older. It was so enjoyable watching them collaborate on this project. It amazes me how well they all get a long.

Family Cruise Director

Dude – Time Flies

October 30, 2009 Laurie1 Comment

Time is seriously flying by at the speed of light. Thank heaven I blog so I at least have something to show for it. Jason has taken 2 trips to Russia for work. The Russians are building their own airliner and his company has been contracted to design the hydralics for it. Super cool.

We’re finishing up Davis Weblow’s scouting badge and so Jason took the older boys camping. Um no, I didn’t go. It was raining and like 40 degrees. Drakie and I stayed home and slept in our warm beds. {{evil laugh}}

Dylan had his 3rd grade concert and had a solo in the program. He did an amazing job! I was so proud of him. I guess those days of silly faces and playing with the kids next to him are over. My little guy is growing up.

Where do the days go?

Mother of Boys

How to Boo your Friends

October 30, 2009 LaurieLeave a comment

One of our family traditions for Halloween is go be the Phantom or Boo our friends. Which means we ring & run and leave goodies at the door.

Wondering how to Boo your friends? First print out the poem then make a goodie bag or plate with yummy Halloween themed treats.

Getting out of the car w/ treats in tact is always the trickiest part. That pink cupcake kissed the ground. Which is why I always plan on incidentals and bring extras. {{no worries}}

(Actually I usually try to cover our goodie plates but this year it was too messy.)