Category: Being a Mom

Technically speaking, I’ve been a mom for more than six years now. Theoretically. I mean, Kate is six years old… and she is my kid. So I guess all the evidence points to that statement being true.

But I’ve got to say – I don’t feel like I’ve got this mom thing down yet.

I don’t know why, exactly, but I just don’t feel like the “mom” part of my brain – supposing, of course, that it is there at all – has been switched on yet.

I rarely think to remind the kids to potty before we leave the house. Which is a problem, because I also never have a spare pull-up (let alone wipes) with me. I’ve had to stop and buy a new pack of diapers because I needed one, on more than one occasion.

I don’t carry hand sanitizer around in my purse, which, again, is unfortunate because I rarely remember the hand-washing part of daily activities either. And tissues? I don’t even have them in my house, let alone my purse.

I’m not the mom with the fully-stocked cooler and picnic blankets and fresh-squeezed lemonade at t-ball games or at the pool. I’m the one with the zip-loc bag of cheerios who’s digging around for quarters to buy crap at the concession stand.

This is something that really bothers me, but I’m not sure what to do about it. Other than, you know, get my shit together. But I don’t know how to start thinking this way automatically. I don’t know how to do any of it, really.

Maybe someday I’ll figure it out and be a real mom. Probably right about the time my kids graduate from college.

Until then, humor me – what are some of the “mom” things you forget to do?

Listen up, men! (And by men, I mean UP & Mr. Mommysnacks, both of our our male readers). Jenny and I have all you need to know about Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 9th, in case you were wondering) presents this year. Whether you are looking for a way to pamper the mom in your life or trying to find the latest-and-greatest gadget for the techie you love, we’ve got the perfect present for you. We’ve had the opportunity to check out the products below, and we’re confident they’ll be a hit!

Oh, and we’ve got some great giveaways! Instructions on how to enter are at the end. So here we go!

Classic Mother’s Day Gifts

Breakfast in Bed from Whole Foods
Surprise Mom with a delicious (and healthy) breakfast in bed! (That is, after you let her sleep in. If you learn nothing else from this gift guide, let it be this – let her sleep in!). Whole Foods has everything you need – from their 365 Everyday Value Pancake Mix to their Allegro Breakfast Blend, you can pick up everything you need from Whole Foods. And since it’s all organic, it will be a meal you’ll feel great about serving to Mom and the kids!
Find them on Facebook and Twitter.

Charm Factory Bracelets

Sometimes it’s good to stick with the tried-and-true gifts – and really, you can’t go wrong with jewelry! Charm bracelets are a fun way to celebrate what’s meaningful to moms, and the Charm Factory has just about everything you can think of! From birthstones to basketballs, they’ve got a charm for everything. They even have one that says “I love to blog” – I might have to look into that! The bracelet I have displays the teal crystal ribbon, which signifies my support of ovarian cancer awareness. Love it! The nice people at the Charm Factory want to send one lucky winner the bracelet of her choice – find out how to enter to win it below!
Find Charm Factory on Facebook and Twitter.

Flowers from Teleflora

Who doesn’t love getting flowers? I know I do! I was just thinking this morning about the flower deliveries I got (one from Jenny, one from my husband and kids) on my 30th birthday last year – it was such a fun surprise in the middle of the work day! (Coincidentally my birthday is coming up next month *ahem*). Teleflora has an entire Mother’s Day lineup (omg I’m drooling just looking at these! Beautiful!), starting at just $29.99, there’s something for every budget. The best part? Teleflora is going to send the winner of our giveaway her choice of the bouquets pictured above!
Find Teleflora on Facebook and Twitter.

Gifts for the Techie Mom

ThermaPAK Laptop Cooler

(Here’s Jenny to tell you about this gift idea!) I am super-exited to tell you about the HeatShift laptop cooling pad by ThermaPak because a) it was a product I really needed that I had no idea actually existed and b) it really works and c) it is all that and a bag of chips! Seriously, this little pad is just what I needed. My laptop would sometimes get SOOOO hot it was uncomfortable. I was a little skeptical about how well the ThermaPak would work, because it’s so lightweight and SIMPLE. But it works AMAZINGLY well. There are crystals inside it that immediately dissipate heat from your laptop. These babies turn from a solid to a gel-like state when they get hot and they do it fast! I was amazed at how quickly it worked the first time I used it! The ThermaPak has kept my laptop (and my lap, therefore) cool every single time I’ve needed it, for as long as I’ve needed it to, and I’ve been using it several times a day for the past couple of weeks. I highly recommend this as a gift for any laptop-toting mom!
Find TheremaPAK on Facebook and Twitter.

MIMOBOT Designer USB Flash Drives

Combining fun and functional, these fast, highly-rated flash drives come in all sorts of fun designs – from Hello Kitty to Star Wars (note to self for Father’s Day!). These are perfect for any mom to throw in her purse to make sure she’s always got the files she needs. I used mine this week to start a file for my master’s thesis, so that no matter what computer I’m using, I’ve got all my stuff with me. Want to make this an even cuter Mother’s Day gift? Let your kids load it with their favorite pictures, music and videos before giving it to Mom – like a modern mix tape. Love it!
Find Mimoco on Facebook and Twitter.

FOXY Card Cases

I don’t know about you, but I am terrible about carrying business cards with me. I never have them around when I need them – in fact I forgot to bring them to Blissdom, where they’re pretty much required currency! I think I’ve probably handed out about eight business cards in the six years I’ve worked at my current job, because I just never have them around. And when I do happen to have one, it’s likely to have crayon marks and chewing gum on it because it’s been rolling around in the bottom of my purse. Not any more, though! Now they’ll always be right where I need them (and clean!) – in this sweet case from FOXY Fusions! These business card cases are trendy and unique. They’re handmade out of fused glass, and they are gorgeous. I love mine, and we’ve got one to giveaway as well!
Find Foxy Fusions on Facebook and Twitter.

Roku Media Player

The Roku Media Player was something that was new to me before creating this gift guide, but I think it is a great idea! Roku is an easy and affordable way to have instant access to Netflix, Amazon, Pandora and more. It’s got built-in wifi and works with all TVs. Just plug it in, and you can watch anything in your Netflix queue without waiting for it to be delivered through the mail, listen to your favorite music through Pandora, etc. You can even access your Flickr account, which would be fun to have scrolling across your TV during your kids’ birthday parties or any other family gathering. Best of all, it starts at just $79.99… and we’ve got one to give away!
Find Roku on Facebook and Twitter.

Corel Digital Studio

This makes a great gift for mom because it is a software that really multi-tasks! I love how you can edit photos and video in a common workspace – it makes getting the hang of the program that much easier. With Digital Studio you can make movies, burn discs, organize, edit & view your photos and videos, and even make photo books and calendars. It lets you be creative but it’s a practical way to organize your memories, too! And we have a copy for you to win!
Find Corel on Facebook and Twitter.

Pampering Gifts for Mom

Remington Wet 2 Straight Iron

Moms are always looking for ways to save time in the morning while still looking great, and the Remington Wet 2 Straight allows you to do just that. It dries and straightens hair in just one step! I have to say, I was a little skeptical about this product, but I have been using it every day since I got it! I love that it saves me the time of blow drying, and I like the beach-y look it gives my hair. It also works on dry hair, too, which is also convenient. (As an aside, I thought I would be super smart and take it to the gym with me and use it to dry the sweat out of my hair. Brilliant, right? In case you were wondering, steam-dried sweat has pretty much the same effect as the hair styling products featured in “Something About Mary.”)
Find Remington Hair Care on Facebook and Twitter.

Lady Cremo Shave Cream

Lady Cremo claims to be “astonishingly superior shave cream,” which is a pretty lofty declaration… but it is really, really good stuff. I was amazed at how smooth my legs were after using it, honestly! Unlike most shave creams, Lady Cremo doesn’t contain any air – it’s very rich and concentrated. You just have to use a tiny amount so a bottle (which only costs $7.99) will last a really long time!
Find Lady Cremo on Facebook and Twitter.

80s Tees

OMG. I am IN LOVE with this website. When the people from 80s Tees offered to send me the shirt of my choice to check out for the gift guide, I think I probably spent two hours trying to decide which one I wanted, because they have so. many. good ones. 80s Tees offers shirts with everything you can think of from childhood – from Strawberry Shortcake and Rainbow Bright to 16 Candles and the Breakfast Club. Some of them have the movie’s logo, but others have random obscure quotes that you’d only get if you were cool enough to grow up in the 80s, like “I carried a watermelon” and “Bayside High.” I just saw one that has Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory on it with the word “Bazinga!” I know what Andy’s getting for Father’s Day! Anyway, I eventually landed on the Back to the Future shirt above, and I have worn it a ton already. You can order shirts in “mens” or “ladies” styles, which is a nice touch. I love, love, love these shirts. Check them out, you’ll crack up!
Find 80s Tees on Facebook and Twitter.

OKAb Sandals

Have you ever thought about recycling your sandals? Yeah, well, me either. But when you think about it, it makes sense – imagine all the landfill space that’s going to be taken up with plastic shoes for zillions and zillions of years. So. These will not be rotting in landfills – they are recyclable!They are super cute, and also very comfortable (I think. The size we got for review fits Jenny and not me, but I managed to wedge my foot in them long enough for Kate to tell me to get over it, they were too small). They’d make a great Mother’s Day gift (preferably with a gift certificate for a pedicure tucked inside!). You know what I love most about this brand? They have a bridal line! Is that smart thinking or what?
Find OKAb on Facebook and Twitter.

Shaka Laka Lip Blaka

They had me at the name, really. But seriously, I am always, always on the lookout for great lip sunblock, because when my lips get sunburned I get fun little excruciating and disgusting cold sores. Ugh, they are the worst. So, I was happy to try out Shaka Laka Lip Blaka because it’s fun to say they’re highly flavored and SPF 30. And also the press release promised I’d experience tongue and lip euphoria. I’ll get back with you on that one.
Find Shaka Laka Lip Blaka on Facebook and Twitter.

AYA Sunglasses

AYA sunglasses feature the art of Corrine Hunt, who also designed the medals for the 2010 Olympic games. How fun is that? They protect your eyes from harmful UVA and B rays, which is always important – I’ve heard sunglasses referred to as sunscreen for the eyes! A pair of these would be a fun start to summer for any mom – there’s a color for everyone! I have the ones pictured above, and I love them. They’re sturdy and comfortable, and the first thing I noticed is that they’re wide enough for my gianormous head, which is never the case for me! Anyway, we’ve got a pair of these to give away – winner gets to pick the style!

So there you have it! Plenty of Mother’s Day gift ideas for any of the moms or special women in your life.

And the info you’ve been waiting for – Giveaway details!

We’ll have one winner for each category (Traditional – bouquet from Teleflora and Charm Factory bracelet; Techie – Corel Digital Studio, Foxy Card Case and Ruku Media Player; Beauty – AYA sunglasses).

The contest will end Monday, May 3. Good luck!

**This giveaway is closed. Congratulations to our winners – Diane, Emily and Beth!**