I heart MOO.com. No, really, I’m not just saying that! They make it so easy to create wonderful little cards to promote your business, share your Flickr photos, give your email address to new friends on the playground, create unique birthday invitations and more. As they say, the only limit is your imagination.

Not feeling particularly talented design-wise? No problem. They have hundreds of images to choose from. You can also use your own Flickr account as an image source!

Maybe you’re quite the artiste? That’s no problem either. You get lots of flexibility in selecting and positioning artwork, and even control-freaks (like me!) are able to come away with satisfying results.

I went to a blogging conference this past summer, and I made up some funny little MOO cards to hand out to other bloggers I met. The size is unusual, the paper stock is beyond sturdy, and they were a big hit.

I can hook you up with a discount!

As further proof of my undying love for you, my loyal readers, I have a great coupon code for you to use to get a free third set of MOO MiniCards when you buy 2. Just put 3 sets of cards in your cart and use MOO coupon code H7V7BK by November 30, 2007. Simple!

The amazing MOO cards are only available at MOO.com — and they have lots of suggestions for ways to use their products. Halloween themes, weddings, gift tags, product labels, birth announcements… Just head over there and check it out!

Popularity: 22% [?]

Comments: 1 Comment

I’ve got a great prize pack for your family today: something for you AND fun stuff for your kid!

For you I have a funny new memoir from Wade Rouse.

When Wade Rouse—a rural, public school graduate who grew up more Hee Haw than Dynasty—was hired as the director of publicity at the prestigious Tate Academy, he quickly discovered his real job was to make a few of the very pretty, very rich, very mean mommies of the elite students happy. Enter former Tate beauty queen and sports star Katherine Isabelle Ludington—Kitsy to her friends—who went to an Ivy, married an Ivy, and made a lot of money. Now, she is Wade’s VIP volunteer and a perfectly coiffed nightmare. In between designing Louis Vuitton–inspired reunion invitations, dressing as Ronald Reagan for Halloween, and surviving surprise Botox parties, Wade tries to tame Kitsy and her pink Lilly Pulitzer–clad posse while reclaiming his self-esteem. Following a year in the life of the super rich and super spoiled, Confessions of a Prep School Mommy Handler is hilarious, heartbreaking, and deliciously catty.

And to give you time to read this book, I’ll throw in a copy of the new Jack’s Big Music Show DVD “Let’s Rock.”

Groundhog Day with Jon Stewart: “Hip hip hooray, it’s Ground Hog Day!” Jack is so excited for his favorite holiday and can’t wait to find out if the ground hog will see her shadow or not! But he might not find out because a scared Gertrude the Ground Hog runs into the clubhouse and nervously peeks out the window, “Are they out there yet? Are they?” Jack and the gang learn that today is Gertrude’s first Ground Hog Day as the ground hog (the one who everyone gathers around to find out if it sees its own shadow). But Gertrude can’t do it, she doesn’t want to be the center of attention, she’s too shy to face all the people and cameras! Gertrude is not going out there! What will happen to Ground Hog Day?!

Jack and the Bean Stalk: Jack finds some magic beans, which promptly grow into a huge beanstalk, breaking through the clubhouse ceiling, straight up into the clouds. Jack and the gang climb up to investigate and find themselves at the enormous door of a beautiful kingdom high above the clouds. It is here Jack, Mary and Mel meet the Giant, who is very sad. The Giant explains that he just doesn’t know what to get his wife for her birthday. All he has given her in the past are golden eggs, and she’s had enough of them. After trying out some gift ideas, the gang decides that the Giant should give his wife the gift of song. But what song will he sing?

How Mel Got His Groove Back: Today, the clubhouse is rocking big-time! Mel gets a little carried away with his drum solo and accidentally sends a drum flipping through the air. The drum lands right on Mel and bonks him on the head. We soon discover Mel the dog thinks he’s a cat! Jack tries to bring back Mel’s “dog-gone” memory with his favorite dog toys and treats. Luckily, our good friend Cathy stops by and teaches us a song that gets Mel’s doggie groove back! What a day!

Little Bad Wolf: Hold on to your musical instruments. Jack, Mary and Mel get a visit from The Little Bad Wolf, the Big Bad Wolf’s brother. He huffs and puffs and blows the instruments all over the place making piles of musical messes. How can we get The Little Bad Wolf to stop blowing down the clubhouse? We can teach him how to play the perfect instrument for a wolf full of hot air. He learns how to blow a tuba! The Little Bad Wolf helps us rock the clubhouse and we all make marvelous music together. What a day!

And just in time for Thanksgiving travel season, I’ve got a great read-along from Scholastic. Think “books on tape” for the kindergarten set. And this is the classic story of the yummy boy made out of cookies :) I think this is a fabulous idea, and it is especially good for kids who are at the age where they want to learn how to read. They can follow along with the story and pick out letters and words as the CD reads it to them.

Then when you get to where you’re spending Thanksgiving, after a lovely time spent in the car with your quietly occupied child, you can whip out the Rock N Learn “Telling Time” DVD and let your child have some down-time while they learn a valuable new skill.

How to enter

Just leave a comment on this post by 5pm Pacific, Wednesday, November 14th and you’re entered! There will be FIVE WINNERS!

Prize package valued at approximately $71. Open to legal residents of the United States 18 years of age and older. No purchase required. One entry per person. Void where prohibited by law. Important contest rules and details. Effective November 17, 2007: By submitting your Name and Email address, you agree to receive relevant promotional emails and contest follow up communications from Momsational and eMoms at Home, in compliance with our strict privacy policy and contest rules. Your information will never be rented or sold to third parties.

(Happy Halloween!)

This contest is now closed. “Did I Win??“

Popularity: 60% [?]

Comments: 330 Comments

I love Thanksgiving. The smell of roasting turkey, arguing over what kind of stuffing to make this year, forgetting to take the rolls out of the oven, chaos at the kids table, debating cranberry sauce from a can or homemade…

With all the family milling about and everyone impatient for the food to be served, I find it especially important to have the right cooking equipment on hand. Here’s some of what we use and some of what we wish we had. PLUS how to get it all at the best price!

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Calphalon 16×13x3-in. Nonstick Contemporary Nonstick Roasting Set

Gorgeous! We have an older version of this roaster with handles that are really tricky to grab out of a hot oven. These improved handles are really handy for making sure your turkey doesn’t end up on the floor. See More…

“New looks from Calphalon’s Contemporary Nonstick line. The stainless handles are slim and flared and are multi-riveted for added strength. Made of hard-anodized aluminum with a nonstick interior, this new roaster heats evenly and quickly and comes with a removable, nonstick rack that holds up to a 25-lb. Turkey. It’s also ideal for chicken, pork or beef tenderloins. As your main course browns and glistens, vegetables roast and caramelize at the bottom of the pan.”

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Emile Henry Couleurs Pie Dishes

All pies taste even better from beautiful Emile Henry pie dishes. Their heft is satisfying, and you can find a color to match every holiday. (Treat yourself to some of their coffee mugs as long as you’re there. I have my coffee in an eggplant colored-one every morning, and they are wonderful.) See More…

“Present your best cherry, pumpkin or fresh strawberry pie in this stylish & sturdy pie dish. It is handcrafted of Burgundy clay that offers excellent heat conduction and retention, so pies bake and brown evenly. The rich glaze, applied by hand, makes each piece unique and provides a scratch-resistant surface that cleans up easily. Ridges on the rim produce a fluted-edge piecrust. About Emile Henry… In the Burgundy region of France is the legendary maker of fine French cookware named Emile Henry. There, potters still hand craft each piece from the local Burgundy Clay - one of the purest of clays, and finish each one with a process known as CERADON, which makes them extremely solid and durable. Containing no lead or cadmium, the clay is one of the best materials for baking and serving.”

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Polder 36-in. Preprogrammed Thermometer

This thermometer won’t let you overcook your turkey! Set it to the temperature you want and it will monitor the turkey in the oven — and this is the best part — it will sound an alarm when it is time to take out the bird! See More…

“Insert the cooking probe of this Thermometer into your meat, and monitor the inner temperature as it cooks in the oven. A digital readout displays the cooking temperature as the meat cooks and an alarm sounds when the desired temperature is met. There’s a setting for beef, lamb, veal, pork, turkey and chicken with a well done, medium and medium rare choice. There is also an option to manually program the desired temperature (from 32 to 392 degrees Fahrenheit). The probe and wire measure 3 feet, and the monitor lays flat or tilts up for an easier read. The thermometer has an On-Off switch and is powered by one AAA battery.”

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Pfaltzgraff Napoli Bread Basket with Warming Stone

Maybe getting a nice, new bread basket will help you remember to put the rolls on the table? (Or is it just me who always forgets to do that?) And the bread will stay nice and toasty on the table when you use the included warming stone. See More…

“Napoli is a subtly decorated, hand-painted collection that evokes the light and colors of the coast of Italy. Napoli’s soft palette of pale orange, rose, varying shades of blue and light green creates a bright, cheerful setting for any meal. Each piece in Napoli’s broad range of items is individually styled, yet the entire collection works together through the repetition of an elegant vine motif and whimsical hand painted floral renderings. Bread Basket with warming stone.”

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VillaWare Chromed Cast Iron Apple Corer and Potato Peeler

Your kids will love to help in the kitchen when you use one of these clever gizmos to peel apples. Make a pile of pies in a snap, and your kitchen will smell wonderful too. See More…

“During the nineteenth century, American inventors came up with dozens of designs for removing the skin from an apple. This device, which not only peels but slices and cores apples, is the direct descendant of those contraptions; the suction-cup base is its only modern element. You spear the apple (or potato) on the three-tined fork and turn the crank. This spirals the fruit past a little spring-mounted blade that does the peeling. You can also attach the corer-slicer to turn the apple into a perfect spiral with the core removed.”

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And as a special surprise for those of you who read all the way to the bottom of this post, I have found some really great coupon codes for Cooking.com — a great place to stock up on kitchen supplies at outlet prices.

Sweet!

Popularity: 24% [?]

Comments: 6 Comments

One thing I worried about when my kids were babies was: do they really need to wear shoes? I know once you have a toddler they need foot-coverings, but in warm weather I never bothered with shoes.

I’m so fortunate that I found Robeez baby shoes. They come in sizes to fit kids from birth to age 4, but the only size I ever used was 6-12 months.

These don’t fall off!

The 6-12 months size is perfect because before that your baby isn’t moving around enough to warrant shoes — and why would you want to cover up adorable baby toes anyway? And after they grew out of this size, I found that my kids were so active that they really needed soled shoes.

The soft, comfy, never-fall-off shoes are also adorable! They have girly-girl, very boy, and everything in between. I give them as gifts all the time and I’m always able to find a style that fits the child’s personality.

They’re machine washable, and did I mention they’re really soft? Plus, just in time for my last child they came out with adorable boots. Everyone called them Chip’s “Uggs” which I thought was hilarious. He loved putting his tootsies into the fluffy-lined boots, they never came off him, and they were light and smooth enough to not trip him up when learning to walk.

Free Shipping

Plus if you order by October 31 and pay with PayPal you get free shipping — sweet! (Don’t have a PayPal account? It is safe, fast and free to sign up.) To get Free Shipping, just use promo code paypal.

Popularity: 25% [?]

Comments: 4 Comments

Are you looking for something special and fantastic for your child’s next birthday party? Here’s something cool that is perfect for those kids whose birthdays are in the cold part of the year. My three kids all have winter birthdays, and coming up with something interesting when you can’t take the rugrats outside can be a challenge.

How about a movie birthday party?

Throw a sheet on the wall and hook a portable projector up to your computer or DVD player and you’ve got your own movie theater!

Projector123.com rents these projectors and it couldn’t be simpler. You just make your reservation online, they ship the projector to you the day before you need it, and then you give it to the FedEx guy the day after your party. Easy peasy.

But wait, you say, you also want some cool movies to show? No problem. How about “Meet the Robinsons” — released on DVD October 23 — it would be a bit party hit.

I’ll also throw in “Shrek 3.” It comes out on DVD November 13 and would be a hilarious addition to your party.

But what to do after the kids have eaten a pile of cake and ice cream as big as their head? Give them something new and fun to play with, of course.

This fun set of 24 Gorilla Blocks will let the kids get their ya-yas out while not causing tears from clonked heads or broken furniture.

And if all that doesn’t make for a great party, I’ll eat the Gorilla Blocks!

What. You want more? OK, how about lots of winners!

First prize:

• Weekend projector rental
• 24 piece set of Gorilla Blocks
• Meet the Robinsons DVD
• Shrek 3 DVD

Second prize:

• 24 piece set of Gorilla Blocks
• Meet the Robinsons DVD
• Shrek 3 DVD

Third prize:

• Meet the Robinsons DVD
• Shrek 3 DVD

Awe-some, no?

Where to buy

Do you just want to get the loot right now instead of waiting until the end of the contest? I understand.

Projector123.com will be more than happy to rent you a projector for your party. Head on over and see how easy it is to get started.

You can find Meet the Robinsons at Amazon for $17, and they also have Shrek 3 for just $16.

Foamy, kid-friendly Gorilla Blocks from JAKKS Pacific are available at Amazon. Grab a bunch of sets and build yourself a village.

How to enter the contest

Just leave a comment on this post by 5pm Pacific, November 9th — my middle child’s 5th birthday :) — and you’re entered!

Approximate prize values: Weekend projector rental: $100-150. DVDS: $60. Blocks: $30. Open to legal residents of the United States 18 years of age and older. No purchase required. One entry per person. Void where prohibited by law. Important contest rules and details.

This contest is now closed. “Did I Win??“

Popularity: 89% [?]

Comments: 557 Comments

I know it isn’t even Halloween yet, but if your family likes to celebrate the days leading to Christmas with an Advent Calendar, now is the time to make sure you’re ready.

If you’re lucky enough to have a traditional Advent Calendar socked away in the attic, now is the time to pull it out and make sure you have all the pieces and that everything is nice and clean. I’ve spent a few late November evenings ransacking the garage to find where I put it all away last year, but if you start now you’ll have plenty of time to do this and be reasonably stress-free.

If, however, you’re looking for something new to try this year, I have found some great Advent Calendars for you to check out.

1. The Advent Calendar that will make me Mother of the Year

This is what I got for my 3 boys and I guarantee they will lose their minds when I bring it out. Every day the 2 oldest spend several hours doing Legos, and this is going to be fantastic. (The Lego Advent Calendar is also available at Amazon.)

They make a girl version in the Belville line, but I don’t know… Do girls like Belville, or do they like the “regular” Legos instead? You be the judge. (The Lego Belville Advent Calendar is also available at Amazon.)

You say your kids aren’t Lego fans? How about Playmobil! (The Playmobil Advent Calendar is also available at Amazon.)

2. Paper Die Cut Advent Calendars

This is the style I grew up with. It was always so much fun to open a door every day and see what was behind it! (The Disney Princess Advent Calendar and Cars Advent Calendar are available at Calendars.com.)

And of course there are always the Chocolate-filled Advent Calendars. Yum!

You can get both the Santa Chocolate Advent Calendar and the Christmas Tree Chocolate Advent Calendar at Amazon.

3. Make your own Advent Calendar

And as long as I’m doing this post in October, I’ll mention that you do have time if you’d like to make your own Advent Calendar. Aren’t those cute? And since they’re not ginormous projects you actually have some hope of finishing them in time. (The Dimensions Snow Friends Advent Calendar Felt Applique Kit and Bucilla Santa’s Toy Shop Advent Calendar Felt Applique Kit are both available at Joann.com)

4. Fabric Advent Calendars

This is the kind of calendar we have had until this year. I think they are very sweet, and absolutely perfect for small kids. Every day they just take a small, stuffed decoration from one of the numbered pouches and stick it onto the tree with the velcro fasteners. Nothing can break, if they put it in their mouth it isn’t a big deal, and if they manage to get it off the wall when you’re not looking the mess is minimal. Ask me how I know this! (The Cutout Christmas Tree Advent Calendar and Christmas Tree Advent Calendar are available at Shop.com.)

5. Unique Wood Advent Calendars

Isn’t this gorgeous? The wood pieces are held in place by magnets so even small kids will have sucess when it is their turn to choose the piece for the day. (The Wood and Magnet Advent Calendar is available at Bellacor.)

This beautiful Kurt Adler Nativity Advent also has magnetic doors and beautiful features. It is available at Amazon.

So there you have five great kinds of Advent Calendars that will work in families with kids. I hope you like them!

Popularity: 79% [?]

Comments: 9 Comments

You can’t say I don’t love you, because looky here:

Color printing on-the-go — it even has a handle! This also means it is more likely to get put away when you’re done using it thereby giving you one less thing to clutter up your house. This is very clever. But you don’t have to take my word for it, check out the full specs.

The Epson PictureMate Dash Photo Printer makes it easy for consumers to print photos - just simply insert a memory card, choose a photo and press print. Additional features include:

• Print durability: PictureMate prints resist fading up to 96 years in a glass frame and about 200 years in an album; prints also resist smudges, scratches, water, and fingerprints.
• Fast print speeds: The PictureMate Dash produces a borderless 4″x6″ print in as fast as 37 seconds.
• LCD: PictureMate Dash features a large 3.6″ adjustable tilt LCD making it easy to view, select, crop, and edit photos, as well as watch slideshows.
• Auto Photo Correction: PictureMate Dash automatically adjusts photos to correct improperly lit images - allowing you to get the best print possible, even from a bad picture.
• Easy to use: PictureMate Dash is created to make everything easy - from cropping photos using the LCD to selecting one of 18 different layouts to removing red eye and adding color effects.

How to enter

Just leave a comment on this post by 5pm Pacific, Thursday, November 1 and you’re entered to win this great printer!

Prize valued at approximately $100. Open to legal residents of the United States 18 years of age and older. No purchase required. One entry per person. Void where prohibited by law. Important contest rules and details.

This contest is now closed. “Did I Win??“

Popularity: 86% [?]

Comments: 629 Comments

ColorMeFamily has a cute idea: address labels with cartoons of your family on them. Sweet!

You can customize things like hair color, skin color, add Santa hats, different backgrounds and more. What a cute way to label Christmas gifts, add to your Christmas cards, or label your child’s belongings.

Christmas card time is fast approaching

I hate to be like those stores that start playing Christmas music before Halloween, but the truth is that this is a great time to start getting ready to send your Christmas cards. If you place your order now you’ll have plenty of time :) Note that if you order now and then win this contest, ColorMeFamily will reimburse you on your order. So there is really no reason to wait.

How to get in on this contest

Just leave a comment on this post by 5pm Pacific, Tuesday, October 30th and you’re entered!

Prize valued at approximately $20. Open to legal residents of the United States 18 years of age and older. No purchase required. One entry per person. Void where prohibited by law. Important contest rules and details.

This contest is now closed. “Did I Win??“

Popularity: 53% [?]

Comments: 287 Comments