See Kai Run Winners

Stop MRSA Now

MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is a type of Staph bacteria found on the skin and in the nose that is resistant to antibiotics. More than 90,000 Americans get potentially deadly MRSA infections every year and in 2005, nearly 19,000 Americans died from MRSA infections. More deaths are linked to MRSA infections than AIDS.

There are two known types of MRSA. You may have heard of Healthcare-Associated (HA-MRSA), which occurs in hospitals and nursing homes, but a newer type of MRSA is Community-Associated (CA-MRSA), which has recently begun to spread in public settings like gyms, locker rooms, households and schools.

People can carry MRSA and not have any symptoms. These "carriers" can also transmit the bacteria to other people. MRSA can be easily spread through skin-to-skin contact and by touching contaminated items. This is why it is crucial to take measures to help reduce the spread of MRSA using these practical steps.

Scrub up - Wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water for at least 15 seconds - the time it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice - or use an alcohol-based hand rub sanitizer.
Wipe it down - Use a disinfecting bleach solution to wipe down and disinfect hard surfaces. Make sure to use clean cloths to avoid spreading MRSA from one surface to another. (1 tablespoon of disinfecting bleach diluted in 1 quart of water)
Cover your cuts - Keep any nicks or wounds covered with a clean, dry bandage until healed.
Keep to yourself - Do not share personal items, like towels or razors, that come into contact with bare skin.
Use a barrier - Keep a towel or clothing between skin and shared equipment.

MRSA, like other staph bacteria, can cause a skin infection such as pimples, rashes, abscesses, boils or what can look like a spider bite. These infections are usually warm, painful, red or swollen.

If you think that you or anyone in your family may have a MRSA infection, contact a licensed health care professional, especially if the infection is large, painful, warm to the touch, or does not heal by itself.

For more information on MRSA and steps you can take to help reduce the spread of the bacteria, download our STOP MRSA Now Playbook here.

Christmas "Must Have" Event

Announcing our Lands End Winner

The winner of our Lands End Contest is Teresa - Congratulations!

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:
2
Timestamp: 2008-11-19 17:46:51 UTC

Thanks to all those who entered, please also check out our See Kai Run Giveaway. More great giveaways coming soon!

Littlest Pet Shop

The Littlest Pet Shop is a Must Have Christmas Gift. They have a huge range of gifts to choose from so you can find something for even the most hard to buy for girls! From Wii games, Planners, Portable Pets and Puzzles to Party and School Supplies, they truly have a great selection.

See Kai Run Giveaway

As many of you know I am a huge fan of See Kai Run Shoes. Alex has quite a few pairs and I love them. They really are great shoes for little feet. I constantly recommend them to everyone I see. See Kai Run (for Toddlers) and Smaller (for Babies) promote healthy development of babies' and children's feet with their ultra-flexible soles, soft leather and wide toe box. The designs are all super cute too. We recently got the chance to check out a pair of Smaller Shoes and let me tell you how cute they are! These are a must have for any new baby - so soft, super high quality and adorable too - what more could any stylin' little one need!



The very generous folks at See Kai Run have given us three pairs of Smaller and three pairs of See Kai Run to giveaway to our lucky readers.



So here's what we have:



Smaller Jake 9-12 months (Boys Trainer)

Smaller Monica 9-12 months (Girls Mary Janes)

Smaller item of your choice (http://www.seekairun.com/)

See Kai Run Julie Size 4 (Girls Boots)

See Kai Run Paul Size 5 (Boys Trainer)

See Kai Run Marley Size 7 (Boys Shoes)



Please leave me a comment letting me know which item you would like to win, you will have to visit their site at http://www.seekairun.com/ to check out each of the designs. Please remember to include your email address so we can contact you.

Welcome to My Newly Designed Site!

I would like to welcome you all to my newly designed site. After Stresses on Saturday Night (see post below) and lots more work on Sunday, I got as far as I could on my own. Luckily I found Lindsay at Splat Designs. I've worked with Lindsay before and she has done other sites I know and visit. In one day she fixed everything I messed up, gave me a new header, button, navbar and sidebar and really spruced everything up.

So I would like to say - Thank you Lindsay!

Check out her site - www.designsbysplat.com

Saturday Night Stresses

So, as many of you will notice, I tried to re-design my site. I wanted a new look as I am sat here on a cold and wet fall day in Michigan, the Beach Theme just wasn't working. I backed up my template, then tried a few new things. In doing so I managed to loose everything, all my links, buttons, etc. I went back to re-load my old template and it's gone.

So now I'm done for the evening, I will sit down and have a drink and worry about it all tomorrow!

If anyone has any tips to help please please please let me know!!!!!!

Win a Wii!

Check out this contest we found!


The Nintendo Wii is one of this year's hottest items. And if you're lucky you might be able to get your hands on one. That is as long as you don't mind standing in line before the stores open praying they won't sell out before you reach the front of the line. A perfect gift for the family this holiday season (valued at $250)

Noobie is giving away a brand-new Nintendo Wii, valued at $250, this holiday season as part of Noobie's "I want a Wii" contest. All you need to do is fill out the form for your chance to win.

To enter, simply fill out the form here.

Noobie's "I want a Wii" contest will end on December 12th, 2008 at 11:59 P.M. ET. The drawing for the Nintendo Wii will take place on or about December 14th, 2008

How much TV is too much?

Holiday Tips from Buttoned Up Inc

The holidays are always crazy and chaotic, coordinating schedules, buying gifts, planning the family holidays, and attempting to stay on top of it all can be a full time job. The co-founders of Buttoned Up and authors of an authors of Everything (almost) in its Place (2008, St. Martin’s Press) are two working moms who understand the difficulty of "doing it all" and staying organized, can provide tips and solutions that help us all get over "organizational inertia" that stops us in our well-meaning tracks. Three basic tips will help you get thru the holiday season, and their newest products from Buttoned Up will be the perfect stocking stuffers, hostess gift or present for a colleague, friend or family member who has chosen this year’s New Year’s resolution to get organized.

Stay Buttoned Up this holiday season with these three tips:

#1: Don’t Forget Yourself

Despite the gifts you have to wrap, the meals you have to plan, and the parties you have to attend, don’t forget to take care of a very important person– yourself! Just because the holidays are a time for giving, doesn’t mean you have to neglect your own personal needs. So this holiday season make it a habit to do one nice thing for yourself. And if you have the need to give as well as receive, invite a few close friends along for the treat as well. Chances are, they will need a little bit of pampering just like you do!

#2: De-stress for Success

Even though the holidays are the most joyous time of the year, they can sometimes leave even the best of us a little frazzled. So this year, while you are caught up in holiday cheer, give yourself a few minutes each day to de-stress. Whether it be a five minute walk, calling up an old friend, or simply giving a giant hug to a loved one, do one thing each day that will leave you feeling stress free and content. By doing so, it will sure help to balance the rest of your day, no matter how long you will have on those lines at the mall.

#3: A Note (Or Two) of Thanks

Before we can bring in the New Year cheer, there is one last holiday component everyone must take care of – saying thanks! Instead of waiting until well after the gifts have been opened, and getting stuck with a store’s last licks, pick up a few boxes of thank you cards while you are out purchasing your holiday gifts. Having the cards on hand will keep you motivated to take care of them sooner than later; something you’ll surely thank yourself for once they are signed, sealed, and delivered.

Lands End - Contest!

My Baby - Nintendo DS

Check out the latest game for the ever popular Nintendo DS, MY BABY BOY and MY BABY GIRL. These games are not only great for younger kids into pretend play, they are also great for teens to introduce them to the work involved in raising a baby.




As you are aware, the choices children make during their play time can have significant developmental benefits. Pretend play with dolls is known to improve a variety of early skills including language, communication, problem solving, social and motor skills. Next month, SouthPeak Games will introduce the 21st century baby doll with the new My Baby Girl and My Baby Boy series for Nintendo DS. The new baby doll is designed to allow children to nurture, engage and raise their baby at their own pace with their own sensitivities, instincts and style. How they raise and relate to their baby will be their very own personal experience.Players begin by choosing a name, ethnicity and eye-color for their baby. From baby's first smile, to her first steps players learn how to help their baby grow physically and emotionally. Along the way, players get help from a pediatrician who offers advice on caring for the baby. From how to change a diaper to how to hold a bottle, children learn all the ways they can keep their baby healthy and grow. As the baby meets certain developmental milestones, new age appropriate activities get unlocked. My Baby Girl and My Baby Boy are suitable for children ages three years and older and will be available starting November 10, 2008. (Beyond Pr) http://www.mybabyvillage.com/

See Kai Run Helps Kids in Need

See Kai Run® Donation to Match All Online Sales Made During November and December

Slentertone Enervive

We recently had the chance to review the Slendertone EnerVive which is intended to improve muscle performance. It is a simple and safe way to use a muscle conditioning system that uses electro-muscle stimulation (EMS) technology to enhance muscle performance. Clinical studies have shown that EMS technology can increase muscle strength, improve muscle endurance and speed up muscle recovery after workouts or daily activities.



I use mine when I blog and when I sit down to fold the mountains of laundry that I'm sure all Mom's have with little ones in the house.


It offers 6 Programs for muscle warm up, improved muscle endurance, increased muscle strength and muscle recovery.

At first I was worried it would be uncomfortable but it is actually really comfortable and easy to use. A great product for anyone looking to improve muscle performance or relax their muscles.

Bits from a Brit & Parents with Style in the Grand Rapids Press & MLive

Thanks Grand Rapids Press and MLIVE.com for this feature story on us!!!

Official Link

Two generations ago, when moms got their kids on the school bus for the day, they gathered for coffee from 9-11 a.m.Today their granddaughters are tucking their kids in bed, and then firing up their laptops for mom blogging from 9-11 p.m.

They're still solving all the mom problems, though."I think it's our way of socializing," said local up-and-coming blogger, Shanda Bauman, of Wyoming.

Her year-old blog, Parents with Style (parentswithstyle.blogspot.com), is part of two elite groups. The first is Mommies United, a consortium of four moms who review parenting and children's products. She also is listed as a favorite on Role Mommy, a New York City-based blog frequently tapped by journalists looking for a mom's point of view.The blogging women Bauman works with are some of her dearest friends, although not your typical close friend. "I have never met them except for e-mail and by phone," she pointed out.Bauman, whose day job is with Ryerson Metal Sales, gets daughter Nevaeh, 3, and son Korbyn, 1, in bed and then puts in a couple of more hours writing about products manufacturers have sent her to try for free."It is fun, and it is addicting but I'm not going out, and I'm earning a little bit of money," she said.

Like Bauman, Claire Roys works at Ryerson during the day and blogs at night."I work to pay the bills. I do enjoy it, but I do the blog for me. And for Alex. She loves it when things arrive in the mail," Roys said.Roys' blog, Bits from a Brit, (bitsfromabrit.blogspot.com) has the attention of manufacturers who send her things to test, usually involving husband, Steven, and 18-month-old daughter, Alexandria. Roys, who is from England, has a built-in audience in Europe and Australia.

Manufacturers have discovered blogs are a good form of advertising and marketing, said Role Mommy creator Beth Feldman, whose company BeyondPR, links journalists with the best mom bloggers out there.Bauman and Roys "are really talented and write really well," she said.While Feldman was a vice president for marketing for CBS, she convinced the network to bring in mom bloggers to screen "The New Adventures of the Old Christine." Word of blog was a key to launching the show.Women don't mind writing in exchange for samples, and the companies are quick to dole out products -- including electronics -- if the blog is influential enough.For the moms who write "it's the freedom of being able to write what you want to write in your own way," Feldman said. "If you have a client, you have to write what they want you to write. But if they're writing as a mom blogger, they're writing from their heart. That's what manufacturers hope for."The consumer-based blogs are a small part of the mom blogging trend."That's the beautiful thing about mom bloggers," Feldman said. "You have moms writing about politics, moms writing about products, moms writing about celebrity babies, moms writing about health and fitness," she said.

Mom bloggers also are seeing the value of philanthropic work online. Many sites feature virtual fundraisers and charity work. Roys said that's a key to her enjoyment of her fellow bloggers work."I love it when I see someone else doing it," said Roys, whose own site promotes the Gal to Gal Foundation to aid women with Stage IV breast cancer. "You want to go the extra mile for them."

Even if they're just a click away.

Huggies Video Contest

This fall, Huggies is celebrating 30 years of helping moms and their babies right from newborn stages on through potty training. Today's moms were among the first generation to ever wear Huggies. Today, Huggies stands as proud grandparents having guided the cycle of generations with a product that has, over the years, modernized and evolved just as the role and definition of being a mom has. We are a big Huggies lovers these are the only Diapers Alex has worn. If you love Huggies like we do and want to help them celebrate 30 years, you can be a part of the celebration yourself.

Mom Central has partnered with Huggies to share in the celebration and help spread the word among moms about the Generation Huggies video contest as well as the Generation Huggies Sweepstakes. Huggies is currently touring through major cities where moms will be able to create their own video at designated Video Creation Stations for a chance to be part of our national ad campaign. Moms can also join the Huggies Baby Network where they will be the first to learn about new Huggies product information, mom-to-mom tips, fun activities and games, message boards, expert advice and special offers.

Here are a few details of the video contest and sweepstakes:

About Generation Huggies:

Now through November 20, 2008, there are two ways for moms to create a video reflecting on "What Motherhood Means to Me."
1. Videos can be uploaded to www.GenerationHuggies.com
2. Alternatively, moms can create a video on-site when they visit a local Generation Huggies event.
3. Videos should be no longer than 60 seconds in length and no larger than 5MB.
4. Everyone can participate by giving a hug, or vote, to their favorite video through November 30, 2008.
5. Judging ends November 30, 2008.
Anyone can enter the Generation Huggies Sweepstakes for a chance to win $30,000.See the official site for rules and reglations!Entry is limited to one per day per person or e-mail address during the Sweepstakes Period.