Butterviews

In my school district, the parents provide most (sometimes all) of the supplies necessary.  And frankly – that’s been a hardship to us due to my husband being underemployed and unemployed.  We’ve pulled it off each year, but this year is a tough one.  We’ll make do, like we always manage, but some families can’t make do.  While you are school shopping this season, why not help a student in need?

In comes Elmer’s Bag It Forward! While, you are shopping for your supplies pick up a few extra for someone who can’t buy supplies for their children. If you are looking to get the most for your donation, Walmart is a great place to start! They have amazing back to school prices on supplies that last from now until school begins! No need to wait for a sale with Walmart’s roll back pricing.

Helping classrooms in need this back to school season is as easy as 1 – 2 – 3

1. Write a post about this charity blog meme

2. Send a virtual bag of school supplies to another blogger and challenge them to join the #bagitforward movement

3. Link up your post at BagItForward.org

Easy peasy! Elmer’s just donated $10 for your post to Adopt-A-Classroom!

Here are the details of the program:

Elmer’s will donate up to $10,000 to Adopt-A-Classroom with your participation. Join now!

The Elmer’s Virtual Bag It Forward is charity blog meme, bloggers are able to raise $10 per blog post for Adopt-A-Classroom by writing a blog post and donating a virtual bag of school supplies. Elmer’s will donate $10 per each post written to Adopt-A-Classroom, up to $10,000.

HOW CAN YOU JOIN? It’s easy.

Participate in the Elmer’s Virtual Bag It Forward and by giving away a virtual bag of school supplies and creating a blog post or Facebook note (make sure you make your Facebook note public) with specific rules described below.

Elmer’s will donate up to $10,000 to Adopt-A-Classroom.

You can give as many virtual bags as you want.

The Elmer’s Virtual Bag It Forward will officially begin at 12 AM EST on July 22, 2010 and end at 12 PM EST on August 12, 2010. Blog posts submitted to us before or after that time period will not be counted.

The blog post link has to be submitted in the comment section below for your participation to be counted.

In addition copy and paste the following text into your blog post:

ELMER’S VIRTUAL BAG IT FORWARD RULES

* Copy and paste these rules into your blog post.
* Create a blog post giving a “virtual bag of school supplies” to other bloggers or write about your Back to School shopping trip at Walmart.
* Link back to the person who gave you a bag of school supplies.
* Let each person you are giving a virtual bag of school supplies know you have given them a bag.
* Leave your link in the Elmer’s Virtual Bag It Forward comment section. You can also find the official rules of this virtual #bagitforward program there.
* Elmer’s is donating $10 for each blog participating in the Virtual Bag It Forward Donation to Adopt-A-Classroom (up to total of $10,000 for blog posts written by September 10, 2010).
* Please note that only one blog post per blog url will count towards the donation.

I’m sending my Virtual Bag to Kendra of Headless Mom fame, challenging her to #bagitforward with Elmer’s!

This is sponsored content from BlogHer and Home Instead Senior Care.

I have broad shoulders. I always have. It seems I keep the world on them.

I have been married for 12 years. Of course, it takes work, consideration, communication, compromise. And sex. It’s a relationship that needs to be cultivated.

I have two sons, both with very different special needs. I need to care for them in the parental sense, plus advocate for them out in the world of therapists, diagnoses, doctors, specialists, and schools.

I own my own business.

Mom and Me, 2010

I live next door to my aging parents. Next year, my mom will turn 80. She’s not well, and my father is relying on me more and more to help. Lately he’s been freezing up when certain decisions have to be made. He’s relying on me to make those decisions. Frankly, I think he’s just plumb wore out and I need to step in. One can only take those middle of the night “she’s not going to last the night” phone calls so often.

I have a couple of ulcers. I tested negative for the bacteria that causes them. Which means I got them through stress, baby.

Caregiving is hard. It’s demanding, stressful, depressing, and heartbreaking. Yet, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Caregiver is the perfect word. You give of yourself to these people in your life because you care. You love. You worry. But you know that you wouldn’t want anyone else to do it – that you need to do it. I could encourage my dad to get some help at home. And I would, if mom’s care needed some more technical medical expertise. But right now, between the two of us, we can handle it. That means she’s cared for by people who love her – and who can kick her in the ass when it’s necessary. I could hire a nanny to take the kids to all their appointments… I have a business to run after all. But I’ve seen their faces when I’m there. They need me. They have enough uncertainty and pain in their lives without my delegating it all away. I need to know what’s going on. They need me to take action.

I’ve had some people try to intervene for me. They say I’m taking on too much. I can’t do it all. Well, of course I can’t! That’s why I started my business. I could no longer manage everyone’s care by being away from the home 11 hours a day. So, I quit my lucrative job with a well respected studio in order to earn less than half on my own in order to just be there. It came to a point in which I needed to take stock of my priorities. Ultimately – that’s what caregiving is. Being there. Always. No matter what.

To every thing there is a season. This is the season I am in. It won’t always be this way. It won’t always be so hard. Until it gets easier, though, my parents, children, and husband know they can rely on me to care for them and be there to the best of my ability.

This post is part of a larger congregation of posts over at BlogHer.  To see the Round-Up page go to BlogHer.com CLB exclusive offers page. There’s even a Cruise you can enter a contest for!

The publishers of The Ultimate Mom by Maria Bailey sent me a copy of the book for review.

EQUATION: The Ultimate Mom; uplifting stories, endearing photos, and the best experts’ tips on the toughest job you’ll ever love is just that. They’re rather specific on the cover!  Personal essays interspersed with photographs, and an appendix of tips.  From the publisher:

Whether you become a mom through adoption, by giving birth, or through marriage, your heart is never completely your own again . . . and that is one of the miracles of being a mom.

Just as no two women are the same, the experience of being a mom is different for each of us. In The Ultimate Mom, you’ll follow the journeys of mothers through a diverse collection of stories about this rewarding and challenging job. While some stories are humorous, some are inspirational, and others are poignant, all are filled with the passion, devotion, and dedication every mother feels toward her child.

Words may paint a picture, but photos tell their own story, too. The Ultimate Mom is filled with eye-catching photo of moms and their children celebrating life’s events, both big and small. You’ll also find expert advice from moms in the trenches about finding ‘me’ time, dealing with sibling rivalry, parenting a spirited child, achieving a healthy life balance, and many more timely and provocative subjects.

Join in the celebration of mothers with The Ultimate Mom.

PLUS: I’ll be honest with you.  I wasn’t looking forward to this one.  Books about motherhood – especially essays – have a tendency towards being mushy and sentimental.  I’m not exactly mushy.  I love my kids.  I’m a good mother.  I’m loving and affectionate with them.  But when people wax poetic about motherhood, it makes me cringe.  I was extremely pleasantly surprised.  The essays are simply wonderful.  They capture the good and bad, the wonderful and the grievous.  I really enjoyed reading them.  I was glad to be exposed to these particular writers as well; most of them were new to me.

MINUS: The photographs are all well done.  But I would have loved the photographs to be of the individuals in the essays.  They definitely are not.  The other minus is the appendix of experts.  While it says they are there right in the title, they are more clinical in nature, and a bit jarring when you jump into them after the essays.

EQUALS: A positive review.  The essays are so well done, and – especially if you’re a mother- relatable.  I would definitely recommend this book to other moms.

The opinions of this review are all mine.  The book was given to me gratis.

Holiday shopping season is here again and the Global Influence network has some great gift ideas for you, tried and tested by real moms. Click on the links to check out what our team of reviewers had to say about each of these gift ideas, and then take a moment to enter our fun giveaway and take a chance at winning some of these fabulous products.

Featured Reviews

Pouchees -

Busy moms need all the help they can get to stay organized and keep life as simple as possible. The Pouchee is the perfect solution to keeping all those little things together, putting everything you need, right at your fingertips.

Duck Hunter -

Duck Hunter turns the excitement of the hunt into an activity the whole family can enjoy. Launch the duck in the air and try to hunt it down with the toy shooter as it flies freely in the air. A fun choice for those who love outdoor sporting.

CardStore cards

-Personalized holiday cards are an important item on everyone’s to-do list and often a hassle to create and print. Cardstore.com has everything from family photo cards to invitations for your big holiday party, simplifying your holiday season.

Great Holiday Gift Ideas

Things Remembered Custom Couture Jewelry

Just Elfin’ Around

Card Cubby

Harumika By Bandai

Harumika Runway Showstopper

Harumika Style Starter

Baby Alive Whoopsie Doo

Strawberry Shortcake Playset

Kota Monty Rex

Wall to Wall Basketball

Nerf Pocket Vortex

Busy Ball Popper

Talking Chuck Truck Leapfrog

My Pal Scout Leapfrog

Tag Jr Leapfrog

Scribble and Write

Animal Planet Polar Land Playset

Animal Planet Dinosaur Playmat

Onionhead Adult/Teen Feelings Pack

OnionHead Children’s Feelings Pack

Onionhead A-Z Feelings Magnet Set

FotoboxPlus

MeTime Tees

Fun Holiday Giveaway! For this holiday guide, we want to share the love with the blogosphere! Some of our generous sponsors have donated prizes to be given away to lucky readers! To enter to win one of the following fabulous prizes, simply fill out the form here: http://tinyurl.com/y8t92rw Prizes include:

Things Remembered Custom Couture Jewelry

Pouchee

Elfing Around

Harumika

Onionhead Feelings Pack

Nerf Wall to Wall Basketball

Baby Alive Whoopsie Doo

MeTime T-shirt

Entries will close on December 6, 2009 at 11:59 PM EST. Winners will be contacted by email after the close of the contest.

Global Influence Member Guides Need more ideas for this holiday season? Check out the guides that some of our Global Influence members have put together on their own sites!

Thrifty Jinxy, Happy Healthy Hip , And Twins Make Five , Because Two People Fell In Love, Mommy Musings , Lipstick to Crayons , Bargain Briana , Mommy PR , Shop With Me Mama, Santa Picks, Rave and Review, Connected 2 Christ , 3 Boys and a Dog, The Classy Closet , Contest Corner, Lisa Reviews , A Giveaway Every Day, HulaHoopinMom, Spalibrations, High Impact Mom, From Cribs to Car Keys

All reviews listed in the Global Influence gift guide were product provided. Featured positions were purchased by sponsors. Member gift guides are not affiliated with Global Influence.

A book that pays for itself! The creator of CouponMom.com, with over 2 million members, shares her strategic money-saving techniques for saving big while living well

Americans are hungry for bargains these days, but one woman has developed the ultimate strategy for enjoying a feast of savings. Taking the nation by storm, with appearances ranging from The Oprah Winfrey Show, Stephanie Nelson has shown countless women and men how to save thousands of dollars by becoming savvy coupon clippers-without sacrificing nutrition or quality.

Now, in The Coupon Mom’s Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half, Nelson demonstrates all of the tricks of the trade-beyond coupons and tailor-made for a variety of shopper lifestyles. Whether you’re a “busy” shopper and have only a small amount of time each week to devote to finding the best deal; a “rookie” shopper who is ready to put more effort into cutting bills; or a seasoned “varsity” shopper who is looking for new ways to get the deepest discounts possible, this book offers techniques that will make it easy to save money at any level and on any timetable.

Extending her Strategic Shopping protocols to mass merchandisers, wholesale clubs, natural-food stores, drugstores, and other retailers, Nelson proves that value and variety can go hand in hand. With meal- planning tips, recipes, and cost-comparison guides, as well as inspiring real-life stories from the phenomenal Coupon Mom movement, this is a priceless guide to turning the checkout lane into a road of riches.

Check out the Video!

Check out the Book!

This is not a book review.  I have not yet read the book, however, I will be sent the book gratis.  I just feel so strongly in saving money at the grocery store that for once, I thought a press release to be an important addition here.

We have  winner for the Five for Fighting Giveaway!

Theresa, you’re the winner!  I’ve emailed you to get your contact information for the CD.

Thank you for playing!

Quick reminder!  The Five for Fighting autographed CD giveaway ends tomorrow!

EQUATION: The Momfluence Network sent me a Nerf Pocket Vortex flying football for their upcoming gift guide for review.  The particular one sent was branded for the Steelers.  The label says “Pocket-Sized Football Fun!  The Farthest Flying Footballs!”  I, alas, do not play with footballs.  So, I tasked the usage to my sons.  Or tried to, anyway – my husband took over instead, and allowed them to play with him.

PLUS: According to my son, Joseph, the football is “Great!  Incredibly awesome!  And I got bonked in the head and it didn’t hurt!”  According to my husband, it turns “awesome,” is easy to throw, and corrects itself.  He also mentioned that when it hits the ground, it flies straight up first, making it easy to retrieve.

MINUS: My son didn’t have any negatives.  My husband said that it could be bigger, to which I replied, “Honey, it’s not made for adults.”  He poo-pooed that notion.

EQUALS: A positive review!  It’s a welcome addition to the outside toys.  My husband enjoyed playing catch with it with the kids – and the kids enjoyed playing with it.  At only $3.99 at Amazon – you cannot go wrong.

This giveaway is now closed, with a winner chosen.

The One2One Network sent me a download of the brand new Five for Fighting album, Slice, which was released October 12th. Keep reading for a giveaway opportunity!

I’m a fan of Five for Fighting and John Ondrasik, so I was looking forward to hearing the new stuff.

So – what are my impressions?  As a whole, very positive.  Catchy stuff that kind of gets into your head and you want to sing along (an example is Slice for that.)  Tuesday sort of reminds me (and this is a compliment, so if you’re like my husband, hush!) of a mixed song of Barry Manilow and Neil Diamond.  It has that feel of a song that might not be that popular now, but endures for years to come.  It’s just lovely.  The melodies through the album really feel good.  I didn’t love Above the Timberline – but I can’t quite put my finger on why.  I think it has to do with the falsetto used.  Transfer is such a rich song, I loved that one – I really want you to take a listen to that one.  The album as a whole is one you should buy.  I love it, and will add all the songs (except Above the Timberline) to my iPod.

The Giveaway! An autographed CD of Five for Fighting’s Slice!  To enter, it’s very very simple.  Comment here.  That’s it.  One per person, please -  Duplicate entries will be deleted.  Deadline is 11:59pm Pacific, Wednesday, November 11th.  I’ll post the winner and I’ll send the winner an email (so make sure you enter with the correct one!)  That person will have 24 hours to get back to me with their address or I choose a new winner.  I’ll pass that info on to the One2One Network to send the winning (autographed) music your way.

Links to Take you Away:

Five for Fighting Website

Follow John on Twitter

Five for Fighting’s YouTube Channel

Become a fan on Facebook

Buy the new Album!!

Album Tracklisting:
1. Slice
2. Note To The Unknown Soldier
3. Tuesday
4. Chances
5. This Dance
6. Above The Timberline
7. Transfer
8. Hope
9. Story Of Your Life
10. Love Can’t Change The Weather
11. Augie Nieto

Out of the Box Publishing sent me Back Seat Drawing Junior to review with my kids.

EQUATION:  Out of the Box Publishing creates innovative party, card and board games that provide fresh, fun and engaging ways to enjoy time with friends and family. Games that:

* can be learned in minutes.
* are colorfully illustrated and fun to play.
* can easily be played in less than an hour.
* are efficiently designed in smart packaging.
* feature dynamic player interaction from start to finish.

In Back Seat Drawing Junior Players race to identify a drawing done by the “artist”— but the artist doesn’t know what he or she is drawing!  It’s up to the “director” to tell the artist how to draw the picture without giving away the name of the item shown on the picture card.

My kids, husband, and I sat down and played two games worth.

PLUS:  The kids “got it” immediately, once explained to them.  It was extremely interesting to see their thought process as they explained what to draw as the director.  One son, I noticed, was very general in his descriptions and would get frustrated with the artist when they didn’t draw what they had in their head.  The other son was extremely precise.  “Draw one line straight up.  A little shorter.  Good job, that’s perfect.  Now draw another line from the top pointing right.  Exactly.  Now…”  It was hysterical watching him, and his little signs.  They weren’t, however, so good at guessing what was being drawn – but they were trying.

MINUS:  The games were very short.  Probably great if it’s just kids (as it’s intended for.)  The scoring system is such that one person can win in a very short amount of time.  Also, we had a little trouble with the dry-erase markers deciding not to draw if the lid was off for a bit (such as when listening to the Director explain what they want drawn.)

EQUALS:  A positive review.  The kids had a great time, and vociferously demanded we play again.  Of course, it’s too easy for my husband and I, but for the kids, it’s great.  Pictionary fans would probably love this game.  It kept my kids engaged.  It moved fast.  It was understandable for the kids.  I would definitely recommend this one for some good old fashioned family time.  Also – would probably be a great thing to do while waiting on other stuff – for dinner to come out of the oven, that sort of thing.

This opinions in this review are my own.  I was sent the game gratis.