Kmart Now Has Online Layaway

Christmas is so close I don’t even want to think about it. Once Halloween hits, it’s all downhill from there. If you’re a procrastinator like me it takes a lot of planning beforehand to make sure the holidays are memorable. Bad thing is I don’t even know where I’ll get the necessary energy to do it. I have a few weeks to get renewed and pumped up for the holidays before it’s too late.

One company is making it easier to get prepared for the holidays, at least the shopping part. Starting today you can put items on layaway at Kmart.com. I love the convenience of shopping online and then making payments on your purchases.

On the Net: www.kmart.com

Make Monday Memorable

If there is one thing I’ve learned it’s this: Everyone needs to start their week off beautifully in order for the rest of the week to fall into place. Here are some tips to rejuvenate before the hustle and bustle ensues.

Get Grounded: On your commute to work or as you are working at home listen to Sten Hansen’s powerful podcasts about thought renewal. At MyThoughtCoach.com, you will find a plethora of podcasts that do nothing more than help you remember the key lessons in life: always be mindful of your breathing, remember who you are, abundance is all around us, and love yourself.

Drink Plenty of Water: Try to go the entire day without consuming any sugary drinks like southern sweet tea, soda, juice, or coffee and see how much better you feel at the end of the day. Drinking water is a natural and inexpensive way to instantly lift your spirits.

Move: It’s amazing how at least 15 minutes devoted to moving your body will translate to a clearer mind and a fresher outlook. It’s important to get at least an hour of exercise in at least three days a week, but if you’re finding it difficult to schedule in time to exercise, at least allot 15 minutes each day at first to allow your body to move and your blood to circulate. After a while your body will crave longer exercise sessions.

Stand in your mirror and stretch your arms, legs, back and neck. Learn more tips for a fabulous 15-minute workout at Natural Health magazine.

Silence: Allow yourself to thrive in silence on Monday morning. That is, don’t turn on the television or radio, but instead listen to the birds outside your window or sounds of your early morning routine. Be mindful of where you are and give yourself a chance to calm yourself and find peace.

Scents: Infuse your home with some of your favorite scents. It may be an aromatherapy candle or your favorite incense. Allow yourself to enjoy the smells around you. Breathe them in and relax.

Enjoy your week!

Love This! Obama Mama Gear

If you consider yourself an Obama Mama then you may want to grab some gear, especially as this election heats up and moves forward. One of our my favorite sites, Mamazine, has created an Obama Mama tote and tee.

Mamazine will donate all proceeds from sales made before November 4, 2008, directly to the Obama for America campaign.

Buy some gear today, make your favorite OBAMA mama happy, and help spread the word!

LaLa Baby Boutique

I am always looking online for unique baby boutiques because invariably someone I know is always pregnant whether it is a family member (of whom I have many) or a colleague or one of my neighbors down the street. I have two daughters (ten and seven) and two of the most memorable times in my life were when I was pregnant with them. I sometimes want another baby even though I had my youngest seven years ago! Then I snap back to reality, remember the great times of watching my belly grow and leave it at that. As hard as it is to accept, my pregnancy days are over! Sniff.

Pregnancy and babies is such a fun time for everyone and it is always nice to buy great products to help a mom and her family celebrate the impending birth of a new member of the family.

There’s a mom-owned baby boutique called Lala Baby Boutique that I think is fantastic! Not only does it have a full range of everything babies need, but they carry a wide selection of products for moms as well. Buying from mom-owned stores gives me great joy because I know I am helping to make another mom successful and that is important to me.

I am partial to buying products that will make a mom’s life easier when she ultimately delivers. Organic baby products are high on my priority list because these days there is no reason to buy products that have the potential to harm a baby’s body with harmful chemicals, especially since organic products are guaranteed to be free from pesticides. I know, organic can sometimes be a wee bit more expensive, but babies are worth it, don’t you think?

When I had babies, it was always wonderful when I received a really, really nice diaper bag. Raise your hand if you’re fickle about diaper bags! For me, the diaper bag always had to have the right combination of plenty of pockets and lots of space, but not be too bulky and unfashionable. Lala Baby Boutique carries a nice selection of diaper bags from the Escape Pod from Fleurville (love Fleurville!) to the Tote Diaper Bag from Posh Mom. I’m so glad companies realized that diaper bags do not need to be dowdy and unattractive. Moms want to look great carrying a nice-looking diaper bag, not frumpy and old-fashioned, so I’m glad designers got with the program on that.

The Mommy Apron

All of us can probably claim ownership of a hideous apron with kitchen prints all over it. In fact, the “hideous apron” is probably a household staple in all moms’ kitchens. Now, though, you can wear an apron that is fashionable, functional, and practical and throw the horrible one away once and for all.

The Mommy Apron is a versatile piece that can be used as a cooking apron, art smock, or even garden apron. Made with Nano-Tex fabric and fashioned in a dark indigo denim, the Mommy Apron was specially designed to resist stains, clean easily, and be fashionable to wear.

The Mommy Apron retails for $35.

On the Net: www.themommyapron.com

Baby Shower Extravaganza

Even if you are not having a baby yourself, chances are you know someone who is. If so, it’s time to start looking for great baby gifts now.

All veteran moms know that new moms need diapers! Babies go through them in record speed and they are also an added expense to any family’s budget. If you want to be a hit at any baby shower think diaper cakes. Diaper cakes are stacked tiers of diapers made to look like a cake. It is truly an ingenious idea! You can purchase diaper cakes in various sizes and with sundry creative additions, like diaper wipes and baby soaps, balms, and combs. And you can even buy them designed for boys or girls and with various characters to make the diaper cake a delight to receive.

Lil Baby Cakes, a mom-owned and created company, specializes in baby shower gifts. And, who doesn’t like supporting fellow moms, right? Plus, it’s wonderful purchasing from a mom who knows her stuff and understands what will become a great gift for other moms.

Lil Baby Cakes carries everything from classic baby gifts like stuffed animals and photo albums to fabulously-designed diaper cakes and baby gift baskets. My favorites, though, are the diaper cakes. I think it’s because above all else the best gift I ever received at a baby shower was a basket of diapers. Onesies are great. Bassinets are fabulous as well. But, it’s the diapers that do it every time.

Each diaper cake at Lil Baby Cakes is made from scratch (love that!) in a pet-free, smoke-free, clean environment and comes is a choice of three sizes, three, four or five layers.

One of my favorite diaper cakes from Lil Baby Cakes is their 4 Tier Pink Contemporary Diaper Cake and it’s easy to know why. Not only has it has been featured in Better Homes and Garden magazine and the Source Book for Parents, but it is a hit among their customers as well.

The 4 Tier Pink Contemporary Diaper Cake comes with 70 Pampers diapers, a plush teddy bear, two luxury burp clothes, slippers, Burt’s Bee premium brand baby lotions and balms, and a beautiful polka dot ribbon.

You really can’t go wrong with a diaper cake for a baby shower. All of Lil Baby Cakes diaper cakes are beautifully made and will be an instant hit for any mom who is about to be busy with a brand-new baby.

Are you a Co-Sleeper or Thinking About It?

Even though many allopathic doctors warn against co-sleeping I believe there is no better gift than sleeping with your baby, especially if you are breastfeeding.

I breastfed and slept with both of my daughters. Not only did I never miss a wink of sleep, we had a nurturing and bonding sleeping experience as well.

Mothering magazine is hosting a free webinar all about co-sleeping. If you are a co-sleeper or thinking about it, I highly recommend learning about the benefits of sleeping with your baby from those who know.

On the Prowl For New Office Furniture

I’ve always been a sucker for really great office furniture. It can be anything from a well-suited, ergonomic chair to a beautifully fashioned modern desk. Whatever it is, I want it! Since I do so much work in my home office, I rely on well-designed office chairs to keep my work pleasant and productive. Some chairs are certainly more pleasant to sit in than others, to say the least.

As a work-at-home mom I spend countless hours scouring the Net, updating my Web sites, blogging, calling other moms, and scheduling conference calls. It is imperative, then, that I have the most comfortable office furniture around. That also includes really great office desks that are functional and practical and have enough storage space including deep drawers and a long desk drawer where I have instant access to my pens, planner, and paper. And since my children are homeschooled I also have to keep in mind how much they need comfortable and stable desks and chairs as well.

After having moved a few weeks ago I have my eyes set on redoing my entire office and why not? I have a beautiful, huge window where the sun streams in every single day and I want to feel like I am really in an entirely new environment. Changing environments is a great way to change how productive you are in your life and buying a new chair, desk, storage solutions, or even a new rug can usually jump-start forward thinking and creativity in your life.

I think I will begin slowly instead of refurnishing my office all at once. I will begin first with a new office chair because comfort is key! It won’t be anything fancy and it certainly won’t cost me a fortune, but it will definitely do its job well. Then I will move to picking out a new desk, even though I am a little wedded to the one I currently have. It is definitely a nice desk, but I want something a little more modern with simple lines and creative storage space. In fact, I am looking for a lot of storage in a relatively small space. Anybody else have that criterion for a desk? That’s not too much to ask, is it? I want enough storage space so I don’t have to purchase a file cabinet to boot. Wait. Maybe I just need to throw out all my unnecessary junk. Sounds like a plan.

Weight Matters, Multivitamins for Expectant Moms, Postpartum Depression,

Did you know that how you look determines how much you’ll earn? Find out why it’s important to look your best.  

What’s New Today on MommyToo.com

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• Save a Gaiam, the marketplace for all natural products.

Go Veggie

With the largest beef recall in American history making news today we’re thinking hard about going veggie once and for all because we know meat isn’t optimal for great health, plus how can we trust meat suppliers who slaughter cows that can’t walk. If you’re already a vegetarian or vegan, how did you do it?