Mom Caboodle

Elaine Mingus’ ”Thriving the First Days of Becoming Mommy” ebook will
be FREE on Amazon this Tuesday (1/14/14) through Thursday (1/16/14)

No one warns us about motherhood. Or maybe they do and we just weren’t listening. Thriving the First Days of Becoming Mommy acknowledges that moms spend most of their time keeping up with the new task of caring for a new baby and that their Bibles always seem to sit out of arm’s reach. It includes a month of short devotionals new moms can digest while tackling nursing, diapering and the whole new world of motherhood. With uplifting and humorous stories, the author, Elaine Mingus, explores her first days of becoming a mommy with the wisdom that comes from having six children. It functions as a gateway back into the swing of having a quiet time with the Lord, despite being busy with a new baby.

Dishwashers: Integral to Family Life?

We all know that dishwashers are useful appliances that handle tasks like cleaning utensils, dishes, silverware, and glassware. The commodities have become almost essential in today’s society when everyone is always on the go. Technology has drastically changed the way we do things and it impacts on our daily lives in innumerable ways. So, has the dishwasher become integral to family life? Or is it still quicker just to fire a few dishes into the sink with some washing up liquid? Below are some of the pros and cons.

Save the environment

In addition to saving time and effort, using dishwashers can help save the environment. Here’s how: compared to hand washing, dishwashers utilize less water since they recycle it and filter small amounts during the cleaning process.

By cutting down on water use, less water will be diverted from the Earth’s rivers and oceans. In turn, this will help keep the environment healthy, maintaining it for your kids and allowing you to teach them about the importance of being greener.

Achieve better hygiene

Bear in mind that bacteria, germs, and other disease-causing microorganisms can accumulate in sponges, dishcloths, hand towels, and other cleaning materials. Since dishwashers do not use the abovementioned during the cleaning process, investing in them can go a very long way when it comes to taking care of the family’s overall health and well-being. If you have young kids they may end up putting their hands on the dishes and generally getting in a mess so it’s vital that you have an efficient cleaning system.

Reduce domestic altercations

In some cases, simple tasks such as washing the dishes can cause disarray in a home. This is because arguments may arise over whose turn it is to do the task. Dishwashers can reduce domestic altercations, however they also mean that your children do not learn the importance of keeping on top of chores. If you had a washing up rota for your kids instead, they would value their free time more and appreciate that taking the easy route isn’t always best in life. You could of course implement a rota for loading and unloading the dishwasher instead, but the effort required for this is minimal.

Number of Dishes

Purchasing an integrated dishwasher inevitably means that you have to have plenty of dishes. For a family of four you may use four plates or bowls with each meal plus cutlery, glasses and pans. This all adds up and if you don’t have enough crockery a dishwasher may not be a practical solution as you will end up putting many small loads on which becomes less economical.

Overall then dishwashers could be seen as integral when it comes to family life because of the wide array of benefits that they bring. Take note that those mentioned above are only some of the few things that you can enjoy if you invest in the appliances.

If you’re already contemplating buying one, bear in mind that the best time to purchase a dishwasher and other large appliances is between the months of September and October. During these months, manufacturers release newer and more sophisticated models.

Disclaimer: This is a guest post

Discover your Disney Side, and you could win a Disney Parks vacation from American Tourister!

Enter to win a Disney Parks vacation and luggage from American Tourister as well as weekly giveaways that will be announced on American Tourister’s Facebook page.

To discover your Disney Side and enter to win, click HERE

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BUNDLE UP WITH RESTAURANT.COM’S HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

DELICIOUS IDEAS FOR EVERY BUDGET!

At Restaurant.com, the nation’s largest dining deals site, we love surprising our diners with fun ways to save.  This holiday season, we’ve handpicked delicious dining experiences and gift ideas for every budget and compiled them into an exclusive Restaurant.com Holiday Gift Guide.  Simply pair any Restaurant.com Gift Card with one of these gift bundle ideas below for the ultimate dining experience and holiday treat:

1.      The Movie Buff: For the movie-quoting, obsessed friend, surprise them with two tickets to a movie on their must-see “Oscar” list and a $25 Restaurant.com Gift Card. Enjoy a night of appetizers and plot-dissecting debates! Ready to splurge? Stop at the concession stand for some candy, drinks, and a jumbo popcorn to share! Create your own >

2.      The Workaholic: To help someone on your list find much needed tranquility, pair a $100 Restaurant.com Gift Card with soothing bath salts, lavender mist, and a face mask to create an affordable, at-home spa treatment. Ready to splurge? Add a spa gift card and make Dinner reservations for a nice, relaxing evening post-massage.Create your own >>

3.      The Wine Fanatic: Bring Napa Valley to every wine lover on your list! Pair their favorite wine with decadent cheeses, crackers, and of course chocolate. Then, cleanse their palate with some late night dessert and a $25 Restaurant.com Gift Card. Ready to splurge? Instead of dessert, make it dinner and BYOB at thousands of Restaurants nearby! Create your own >>

4.      The Romantic: Add some romance into your holiday with a $50 Restaurant.com Gift Card, bouquet of roses, some irresistible chocolate covered strawberries, and a candlelit dinner for two. Ready to splurge? Pick up some bubbly on the way home for a classy touch. Create your own >>

5.      The Theatre Lover: Add some dramatic flair to the holidays with two tickets to their must-see show and end the evening with our $100 Restaurant.com Gift Card – perfect for dinner and dessert. Ready to splurge? Buy them a memento from the show and two drinks during intermission! Create your own >>

Links / URLs:

• Sweepstakes Giveaway Details: http://thedish.restaurant.com/holiday-bundle-up-giveaway
  • Five (5) lucky Facebook fans will have a chance to win one of the gifts featured in our gift guide every Wednesday beginning November 20, 2013 and endingDecember 18, 2013
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Restaurant_com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/restaurantcom
• Blog post: http://thedish.restaurant.com
• Google+: +restaurantcom

A week and a half ago, my husband and I were in Key West on a long overdue Honeymoon (After fourteen years of marriage). We have been on many vacations just not any that are kid free. We had an amazing time in Key West but the main highlight of the trip was our trip 70 miles out into the Gulf of Mexico to the Dry Tortugas National Park!  It was so beautiful and the snorkeling was awesome! Sorry about so many photos this Wordless Wednesday….I just had to share!

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I love taking pictures of insects. I think it’s amazing to see them close up. Most of the time, we never give it a thought about what they really looks like. Can you imagine if insects were our size? They would be monsters!

(You can click on each image for a larger view)

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Our newest addition:

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Every year I have a hard time trying to decide what to get my mother for Mother’s Day. I always want to find the most unique gifts but seem to have trouble finding something we all haven’t seen before. I think we have all seen the photo mugs, calendars, and blankets by now and quite frankly, I think they are a little boring! Read the rest of this entry »

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored campaign from Momselect. All Opinions are my own.

Being a mother of several boys, one thing I have learned is they all want to be some sort of Super Hero! Most of them want to wear a cape  and mask and have things shoot from their fingertips. Believe me,  I have made many capes out of towels over the years!!

Secretly, I don’t think they ever outgrow it! My oldest son who is 28 years old still has Batman pajama pants!

This is a recent picture of my little super hero, Suplex Man!

This year, Matchbox turns 60!  To celebrate its 60 year anniversary, Matchbox is having a Matchbox Heroes Wanted Sweepstakes to honor heroes-in-training – the children who play with, and inspire, Matchbox. One lucky Super Hero will win a $60,000 college scholarship!! Plus, Matchbox is giving away 60 prizes every week!

“Since its launch, Matchbox has enabled kids to live out their own adventures with inspiration from the many community heroes they see and interact with every day,” said Matt Petersen, vice president of North America boys marketing, Mattel. “Sixty years later, Matchbox continues to fuel the imagination of kids around the world through heroic vehicle play.”

Entering is easy! Just take a picture of your little super hero and submit it with a caption explaining why they are a true Matchbox® hero. Be sure to get your entry submitted into the sweepstakes before May 13th, 2013.

You can check out submissions on the  Matchbox Heroes Wanted Facebook page.

The Matchbox® Heroes Wanted™ Sweepstakes calls on parents to celebrate the heroic attributes of their children by submitting a picture and caption of their hero-in-training dressed as their favorite real-life icon. Submissions will be showcased on the Matchbox® Heroes Wanted™ Facebook gallery and are automatically entered to win the grand prize – a $60,000 college scholarship. Parents with children between three and 10 years old can enter the contest now through May 13, 2013. Sixty prize pack giveaways will be awarded weekly consisting of a Matchbox® branded gift box, a personalized photo-frame thank you card and four heroic Matchbox® vehicles. To learn more about the contest and read stories from the heroes that inspired Matchbox® vehicles, visit www.Matchbox.com/Heroes.

Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival 2013

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