How Can You Create a Giving Attitude With Your Children?

January 30, 2009 by jyl johnson pattee · Leave a Comment 

LaSara Firefox guest posts today for Mom It Forward, she is a MPNLP, coach, trainer, and author. Through her website, LaSarafirefox.com, She helps clients find balance in their lives, and alignment with their personal and family-held values. She’s wife to an outstanding man, and mom to two brilliant girls. (This article is an excerpt, you can read it in it’s entirety.)

Even when funds are tight, giving reminds us of how much we have, and how fortunate we are.

While coming face to face with money-problems can be a challenging experience, being able to do something about it is a saving grace.
With our nation in the grasp of some hard financial times, many of us are holding back on the consumptive aspect of the season. What better way than giving, to remind us what we’ve got?

1. Cull/weed household belongings and take them to the local shelter or women’s center.
An easy starting point is to cull or weed your household goods. While you’re at it, you can suggest that your kids do the same, and have them decide what they’re willing to part with to help a kid in need.
If your kids are ready for the experience, they may want to participate in the delivery of items, too. My older daughter who’s 11 asked to come along on the next drop off.

2. Host a Potlatch and take all left-over items to the charity or service of your choice.
The potlatch ceremony is also called a give-away. Potlatch comes from the indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest coastline. In a potlatch, you give away your belongings as a celebration of your abundance. In north-western native culture, the potlatch consisted of every home in the village putting belongings outside for the the taking. The one who gave the most, as opposed to the family who HAD the most, gained the highest status.Invite your friends to bring belongings to offer, and to take what they need from what others are giving away. At the end of the potlatch, invite your friends to leave all extra items, and take them to your local shelter or favorite charity.

3. Help your kid come up with ways to help humanity.
Food drives, clothing drives, penny drives, quilt drives, coat drives, and more. There are so many ways to help. What are some creative ways your child can brainstorm to gather resources together and offer them to those less-fortunate? For maximum impact on your kids sense of service, allow him or her to offer ideas, and do your best to support them. The more empowered your kid is to participate in grateful giving, the more organic and integrated the experience becomes.
Recently, my 11 year old decided to bring her change jar – a huge pickle jar with a good start on coins – to her classroom for a change drive. It was fully her idea, start to finish.

4. Offer service at your local soup kitchen.
Our local soup kitchen offers a family lunch service before the general lunch service. While the general service might be a little risky to take kids to, the family service is a great way for kids to come face to face with those they are helping.
Ask the kitchen if you can bring a dish, or home made cookies or something easy. Your child’s sense of accomplishment and generosity will be even larger if they have had a hand in creating the food they’re offering out.

5. Want to make it international, yet very personal? Microfinancing is a great option!
Microfinancing is a great way to involve your family in the international picture of wealth distribution, resources, and generosity. Getting into microfinancing is a great opportunity to talk to your kids about currencies, and how an American dollar goes a lot farther in a third-world country. It’s also a great opportunity to illustrate the dire financial conditions in other countries, while still illustrating the fact that we are not powerless to create change. For example, $150 goes a long way in the Philippines. The listing below is from Kiva.org:

“Vicenta Duron is 52 years old … She tills a small parcel of land, which she inherited from her father. Her life is in farming and she loves growing crops, especially rice. …Vicenta needs a loan of $125 to purchase sacks of certified seed and fertilizers. She also plans to open a store where she can sell her farm produce, and increase her profits to support her family.”
-Kiva.org loan request

For additional information see: www.microfinancegateway.org.


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When Others Rely on You, How Do You Strengthen Yourself?

January 29, 2009 by jyl johnson pattee · 2 Comments 

Tara McCausland our Mom It Forward guest author, has been in the business of teaching, training and coaching for 5 years and is the owner of Joy Quest Coaching. She has been married for four blissful years and is the mother of a hyperactive bundle of boy joy.

Do you remember Stuart Smalley from Saturday Night Live?

You know, he wore those tacky 80’s sweaters and at the beginning and ending of each segment he would look himself in the mirror and say, “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and – doggonit – people like me.” As a youngster, I remember thinking this was just downright silly. But now, twenty plus years later, I am recognizing more and more how important this “self love” is to our personal well-being. As women, with so many voices swirling around us saying that we are not good enough, not skinny enough, not capable enough – believing in our innate value and treating ourselves with care is imperative.

Here are 4 things we can each do to treat ourselves right so that we can maintain a healthy self-image and, most importantly, be happy.

Invest in Yourself: Imagine yourself as a walking cash box and each day, people are taking out withdrawals (i.e. your 3 yr old flips out in the grocery store, your co-worker needs a pep talk, etc). Withdrawals take time and energy. So, if you are not consciously putting something back into that box, what will eventually happen? Sooner or later you will have nothing left to give and it is near impossible to feel good about girl ponder yourself when you are running on empty. Make self investing a priority and recognize that in order to be the best you can be – you need to invest in your physical, mental, social/emotional, and spiritual self. This needs to be a daily, weekly ritual. When you block out some time to exercise, brush up on a skill, spend time with friends/family, and ponder what is important to you – you will feel good about yourself and have the energy and desire to then give to those around you.

Stick to your Guns: It seems the world has gone a little topsey turvey where in some cases good is labeled as bad and bad celebrated as good. Regardless of our race or creed, we all have an inner voice that warns us when something is amiss. If you encounter a trend or belief system that does not resonate with you, be courageous, stick to your guns, and live with integrity. Do not fret if you appear to be the only one that possesses that value. Chances are there are others like you around the world carrying a similar banner. When we stand up for what we believe in, this – more than any thing else – will help us maintain self-respect and allow us to hold our head high in any company.

Dream BIGGEST: Often we put ourselves in an invisible box, limiting us to what we think we should or should not do, or worse, what we can or cannot do. Do not allow fear of failure or pressure to fit a perceived mold hold you back from living your dreams. You may be a busy wife and/or mother (or you may not be). But whatever you are, if you love to bake, bake. If you love to write, write. If you love to ski, ski. In every case, I believe there is a way to live your dreams without losing sight of what is most important. Living with passion is what keeps life novel and exciting. Without it, our days can feel joyless and mundane. Contributing something unique to the world is a great source of fulfillment and self-confidence.

Eliminate Guilt: Finally, gavelself-judgment ain’t on the to do list. Throw away the gavel! Constantly putting ourselves down only zaps our confidence and rips the beauty out of every life experience. Instead, simply do the best you can and then give your self special permission to be satisfied with that. Remember, it is not what we do that makes us valuable. We are valuable simply because we are!

Like Mr. Smalley said, you are good enough and smart enough so do yourself a favor and treat you right. It is the key to living confidently, successfully, and joyfully!

Like this article?

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How Can You Develop Stronger Relationships With Your Kids Through Crafts?

January 28, 2009 by jyl johnson pattee · 3 Comments 

Marie, today’s guest post author, is a mother of 3 and the founder of Make and Takes, a place for ideas and crafty tidbits for home, family, and fun. She is the channel editor of Blissful Kids at Blissfully Domestic and also can be seen on Alpha Mom – Holidays.

Even though we’re busy with our kids all day, sometimes we miss the opportunities to just ‘be’ with them, developing the relationship. With work, school, play dates, meals, and bed times, we can sometimes over look the need to strengthen our relationships with our kids. Crafting can be a great way for you to develop your relationship with your child in a fun and encouraging way.

Crafting With Kids

Here’s 3 ways to develop your relationship with your kids through crafts!

  1. One-on-One Attention - Kids love attention and they need it from loved ones. Doing crafts or projects together with your kids can let them know you care. Even if you’re just sitting in a chair next to them while they construct a tower or a flower, they love to know you’re there.
  2. Problem Solve Together - If your toddler is ready to use scissors, your 1st grader trying to read instructions, or your teenager is beading a bracelet, you can use this time with your child to see how they work. While crafting or completing a project, we can see what skills they’re using and what skills they can better develop.
  3. Just Talk – Creating a friendly and fun environment can lead to open communication with your child. If you’re sitting side by side together working on a project, ask them about their day, about school, about friends, and just talk. See what’s on their minds, what’s bothering them, what their needs are. This can be a great way to get to know them better, finding out more of their interests.

Check out these fun features from Marie’s Crafts and Activities to help you develop your relationships with kids:

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How Can You Build a Strong, Healthy Relationship With Your Teenager?

January 27, 2009 by jyl johnson pattee · 7 Comments 


Guest post author Elizabeth Donovan is a psychotherapist, mom to three little girls, freelance writer, and owner of ParentingPink.com, a parenting site dedicated to raising strong, resilient girls.

“Mom, you are so lame! I hate you!”

Sound familiar?

Raising a teenager is difficult. Maintaining a strong relationship in the midst of raging hormones and endless arguing can be one of the most difficult challenges of parenthood.

teen-age-fan-club

I have listened to parents struggling with their teens express a heartfelt desire to build a better relationship, but often they have no idea where to begin. Good communication is an essential building block to a strong relationship between parents and teens. Learning how to talk to your teen will open doors for both of you and serve to strengthen your relationship.

    • Listen “Actively.” One of the key components to developing a healthy relationship with your teen is to actively listen to what they say.
    • Stop what you are doing.
    • Look directly at your teen and give her your full attention.
    • Listen carefully to what she is saying and comment on what you think you heard. You might do this by rephrasing what was said to you.
    • Be sure to give your teenager an answer or ask her to repeat herself if you don’t understand what she is trying to say.
    • Be respectful. Treat your teen the same way you would like to be treated.

    · Keep your anger and frustration to a minimum. Try to be responsive, not reactive. This may be difficult when your teen is asking you for something you disagree with, but the key is for parents to take their emotional responses out of the equation. It’s better to take a break than to say something impulsive and risk damaging your relationship.

    · Give your teen ownership of the problem. Often, parents want to fix their teen’s problem. Unfortunately, that response can be self-serving. When your daughter gets a D on her report card, whose problem is it? Your response should be brief and to-the-point: ask her how she’s going to manage it, give consequences, and be done with it. The more worked-up you get, the less likely she will attempt to resolve it herself.

    · Get it in writing. Often, good communication fails because there is a genuine misunderstanding among parents and teenagers. You said, “Be home by midnight,” but your teen heard “Be home ‘around’ midnight.” It’s a good idea to write down rules to minimize misunderstandings.

    · Role model. Though they often won’t admit it, teenagers scrutinize your “every” move. If they see you break rules, they’ll believe its ok for them to do the same.

    · Reserve one-on-one time. Once children reach adolescence, parents often think that doing things together is less important. After all, don’t teenagers really want to be with their friends all the time? The truth is that most adolescents long for time with their family or going to the mall with mom, but are afraid to ask for it. So, offer your teen special time with you. It can provide fun conversations and important memories.

    Mother ?

    · Give praise and reframe statements. Its human nature to point out the negatives, but often takes an act of courage to say what’s right. Pay attention to the things your teenager does that are worthy of praise. If you have a complaint, try to positively reframe it. For example, “I appreciate it when you pick your clothes up off the floor” rather than, “Pick your clothes up or else you’re on restriction this weekend”.

    · Share your feelings. When you share your genuine feelings about an issue, your teen may be less resistant. For example, “I worry when I can’t get hold of you on your cell” allows your teen to understand your perspective.

    · Never reject your teen. There are many times parents get so frustrated and overwhelmed by their teenagers behavior that they shut them out. Walking away from your teen or refusing to talk with her will only serve to drive a damaging wedge in your relationship. Parental rejection is often the root of more severe behavioral problems in teens. If you feel you absolutely cannot deal with your teenager, it’s best to contact a mental health professional to help sort things out.mother & daughter

    And remember, the key to any lasting, loving relationship is good communication and mutual respect.

    Photo credits Bass_NRoll, rentamoose, mafleen

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    Announcing MomIF’s First Gab & Give of 2009!

    January 25, 2009 by jyl johnson pattee · 11 Comments 

    Enter for a Chance to Serve & Score!

    Four Different Giveaways.
    Five Amazing Prizes.
    Thirteen Winners.
    Four Ways to Enter: Vlog, Blog, Photo, or Comment.
    One Great Purpose: To Mom It Forward!

    Introducing Mom It Forward’s #GNO Gab & Give Event. In celebration, we are having 4 different giveaways. You may enter all of them, but you may only win once.

    Hint! This giveaway is all about promoting service—the mission behind Mom It Forward. We are partial to those that truly embrace the spirit of Mom It Forward and help others catch sight of the vision as well.

    Click on the links and images below to learn the entry requirements, see the specs for each prize, and find where to enter each giveaway. Please do not enter in this post.


    Vlogging Giveaway 1
    HP Mini 1535NR Laptop Specs
    Click Here to Enter
    Deadline: Saturday, February 14

    Blogging Giveaway 2
    HP Photosmart 6380 All-in-One Printer Specs
    Click Here to Enter
    Deadline: Saturday, February 7


    Photogging Giveaway 3
    Muvee Reveal Movie Editing Software Package Specs
    Click Here to Enter
    Deadline: Monday, February 2


    Giveaway 4
    He’s Just Not That Into You
    Movie Soundtrack CD or Hoodie

    Click Here to Enter
    Deadline: Tuesday, January 27 (10 p.m. EST)

    Thanks to Sugar Jones from Living In Theory for awarding us winners of the HP Magic Giveaway. Giveaways 1 and 2 include prizes from that contest and these giveaways are an effort to spread the HP Magic even further.

    RSVP Here for #GNO Party!

    RSVP below using Mr. Linky. Simply enter the twitter URL and your twitter ID (e.g., http://twitter.com/jyl_momIF).

    Note: This does not enter you for the giveaways.

    Vlogging Giveaway 1………. HP Mini 1034NR Laptop

    January 25, 2009 by jyl johnson pattee · 14 Comments 

    Giveaway Details
    Thanks to
    Sugar Jones from Living In Theory for awarding Mom It Forward winners of the HP Magic Giveaway. The HP Mini 1034NR Laptop is part of that package and this giveaway is an effort to spread the HP Magic and the spirit of service and giving even further.

    One lucky winner will receive the HP Mini 1034NR Laptop and two runners up will receive Muvee Reveal movie editing software. Winners will be announced during #gno on twitter and on this blog Tuesday, February 24 at 10 p.m. EST (7 p.m. PST). Please see “Giveaway Entry Rules” and “Service Project/Video Hints & Tips” sections for more details.

    Giveaway Entry Rules
    1. Serve: Plan and carry out a service project or random act of kindness (see criteria below).
    2. Vlog: Video record either the project itself or a summary of the event.*
    3. Share: Upload your vlog to the Mom It Forward YouTube Group.*
    4. Tweet about the giveaway using this link:
    Mom It Forward Giveaway.**
    5. Post the button below on your blog either in the sidebar or in a post.
    6. Join: Join the
    Mom It Forward Facebook Fan Page and Mom It Forward Facebook Group.**
    7. Enter to Win: Submit a comment here by Saturday, February 21 at midnight EST (9 p.m. PST), letting us know when you have completed steps 1-6, including links to your tweet(s) and blog.***

    Note: To be considered for the contest, you must complete all of the above-listed steps.

    Service Project/Video Hints & Tips
    PhotobucketThe giveaway winner will be chosen by a panel. We are looking for someone who embraces the Mom It Forward spirit and helps others catch the vision as well. Hint! The winning video will be chosen based on, but not limited to, the following criteria. Consider a service project or random act of kindness that involves:

    • Creativity—Fun, unusual, or unique ways to meet a need.
    • Reach—Involves a lot of people or helps a lot of people.
    • Meaning—Touches someone in a big way or meets a big need.
    • Sharing—Helps spread the Mom It Forward movement by getting the Mom It Forward word out in a big way!
    • Inspiring—Helps others catch the vision of your project in a well put together video that showcases how you met the above-listed criteria.


    The Finer Print

    *Sorry! Blogs cannot be accepted in place of vlogs. This is a vlog contest only!
    **If you do not have a facebook or twitter account but would like to participate, you may write a blog entry, incorporating the HP and Mom It Forward logos. While all entrants are welcome to blog about this giveaway, using your blog post in lieu of steps 4 and/or 5 only applies to people that are not currently on Facebook or Twitter.

    ***Due to shipping costs, only applicants in the continental US will be considered.
    ****One winner will receive the grand prize and two runners up will be awarded the Muvee Reveal movie editing software.


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    Blogging Giveaway 2………. HP Photosmart C3680 Printer

    January 25, 2009 by jyl johnson pattee · 6 Comments 

    Giveaway Details
    Thanks to Sugar Jones from Living In Theory for awarding Mom It Forward winners of the HP Magic Giveaway. The HP Photsmart C3680 Printer All-in-One Printer, Scanner, Copier is part of that package and this giveaway is an effort to spread the HP Magic and the spirit of service and giving even further.

    One lucky winner will receive the HP Photosmart C3680 Printer All-in-One and two runners up will receive Muvee Reveal movie editing software. Winners will be announced during #gno on twitter and on this blog Tuesday, February 24 at 10 p.m. EST (7 p.m. PST). Please see “Giveaway Entry Rules” and “Service Project/Post Hints & Tips” sections for more details.

    Giveaway Entry Rules
    1.
    Serve: Plan and carry out a service project or random act of kindness (see criteria below).
    2. Blog: Write in 500 words or less about your experience and post it on your blog.*
    3. Share: Tweet about the giveaway, including a link to your blog post and this link: Mom It Forward Giveaway.
    4. Post the button below on your blog either in the sidebar or in your post.
    5. Join: Join the Mom It Forward Facebook Fan Page and Mom It Forward Facebook Group.
    6. Enter to Win: Submit a comment here by Saturday, February 21 at midnight EST (9 p.m. PST), letting us know when you have completed steps 1-5, including links to your tweet(s) and blog.**

    Note: To be considered for the contest, you must complete all of the above-listed steps.


    Service Project/Post Hints & Tips
    The giveaway winner will be chosen by a panel. We are looking for someone who embraces the Mom It Forward spirit and helps others catch the vision as well. Hint! The winning blog post will be chosen based on, but not limited to, the following criteria. Consider a service project or random act of kindness that involves:

    • Creativity—Fun, unusual, or unique ways to meet a need.
    • Reach—Involves a lot of people or helps a lot of people.
    • Meaning—Touches someone in a big way or meets a big need.
    • Sharing—Helps spread the Mom It Forward movement by getting the Mom It Forward word out in a big way!
    • Inspiring—Helps others catch the vision of your project in a creative post that showcases how you met the above-listed criteria.


    The Finer Print

    *Sorry! Blog posts over 500 words will not be considered. Pictures are allowed and encouraged.
    **Due to shipping costs, only applicants in the continental US will be considered.
    ***One winner will receive the grand prize and two runners up will be awarded the Muvee Reveal movie editing software.


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    Photogging Giveaway 3 Muvee Reveal Software

    January 25, 2009 by jyl johnson pattee · 3 Comments 


    Giveaway Details
    Dying for some great movie editing software? Then this Muvee Reveal giveaway is for you! Check out Carissa’s review of the software here to learn more.

    Not one, but five lucky winners will receive a Muvee Reveal software package which retails for nearly $80. Winners will be announced during #gno on twitter and on this blog Tuesday, February 3 at 10 p.m. EST (7 p.m. PST). All entries must be received by Monday, February 2 at midnight EST (9 p.m. PST). Please see “Giveaway Entry Rules” and “Service Project/Photo Hints & Tips” sections for more details.

    Note: Nine people will win the Muvee Reveal software: 5 winners from this giveaway, 2 runners up from the blogging giveaway, and 2 runners up from the vlogging giveaway.

    Giveaway Entry Rules
    1. Serve: Plan and carry out a service project or random act of kindness (see criteria below).
    2. Photog: Take a picture of your experience and upload it to the Mom It Forward Flickr Group.*
    3. Share:

    a. Create a flickr account if don’t have one.
    b. Upload photo to your own flickr account.
    c. Join the Mom It Forward Flickr Group.
    d. Choose “add photo” on Mom It Forward Flickr Group
    and upload one photo for your entry.


    4. Tweet about the giveaway, including this link: Mom It Forward Giveaway.
    5. OPTIONAL: Share your photo on twitter using Twit Pics.
    6. Post the button below on your blog either in the sidebar or in a post.
    7. Join: Join the Mom It Forward Facebook Fan Page and Mom It Forward Facebook Group.
    8. Enter to Win: Submit a comment here by Monday, February 2 at midnight EST (9 p.m. PST), letting us know when you have completed steps 1-7, including links to your tweet(s) and blog.**

    Note: To be considered for the contest, you must complete all of the above-listed steps.


    Service Project/Post Hints & Tips
    The giveaway winner will be chosen by a panel. We are looking for someone who embraces the Mom It Forward spirit and helps others catch the vision as well. Hint! The winning photo will be chosen based on, but not limited to, the following criteria. Consider a service project or random act of kindness that involves:

    • Creativity—Fun, unusual, or unique ways to meet a need.
    • Reach—Involves a lot of people or helps a lot of people.
    • Meaning—Touches someone in a big way or meets a big need.
    • Sharing—Helps spread the Mom It Forward movement by getting the Mom It Forward word out in a big way!
    • Inspiring—Helps others catch the vision of your project in a creative photo that showcases how you met the above-listed criteria.


    The Finer Print

    *Sorry! Only one photo entry per person.
    **Due to shipping costs, only applicants in North America will be considered.

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    Giveaway 4: Movie Sountrack CD or Hoodie

    January 25, 2009 by jyl johnson pattee · 16 Comments 

    Giveaway Details
    Remember those audio tapes you used to put together for the guy you were “going with”—you know, the total babe you just knew was “the one”? Or better yet, remember getting a tape from him? Yah! Those were the days! The only downside was actually making the thing. It took forever.

    The great thing about the new He’s Just Not That Into You soundtrack is that it is the equivalent of the relationship soundtracks from back in the day. (Come on, admit it, you made one, or wanted to!). The good news? This one is made for you. Not only that, but it includes some of the hottest artists varying from classic bands like REM and The Cure and popular music from Maroon 5 and Keane to new hits by The Ting Tings and Erin McCarley. And, if you’re a Scarlett Johannson fan, check out her new cover of Last Goodbye. Two lucky winners will receive prizes from this giveaway. One will receive a He’s Just Not That Into You movie soundtrack CD and the other will win this awesome ladie’s hoodie.*

    Giveaway Entry Rules
    1. Serve: Perform a random act of kindness of your choice.
    2.
    Share: Tweet about the giveaway using this link: Mom It Forward Giveaway.
    3. Post the button below on your blog either in the sidebar or in a post.
    4.
    Join: Join the Mom It Forward Facebook Fan Page and Mom It Forward Facebook Group.
    5. Enter to Win: Submit a comment here by Tuesday, January 27 no later than 10 p.m. EST (7 p.m. PST), letting us know when you have completed steps 1-4. Be sure to include a description of your random act of kindness and links to your tweet(s) and blog.**

    Note: To be considered for the contest, you must complete all of the above-listed steps.The giveaway winner will be chosen by a random generator from a list of people that have completed all of the above-listed steps.

    The Finer Print
    *Mom It Forward will choose which winner receives the CD and which winner receives the hoodie.
    **Due to shipping costs, only applicants in North America will be considered.

    Make Movies in Minutes With Muvee Reveal

    January 25, 2009 by jyl johnson pattee · 1 Comment 

    Carissa had the opportunity to use and review the software featured in one of the Mom It Forward’s Gab & Give giveaways.

    Muvee Reveal.
    Make Home Movies in Minutes.

    Look how much fun I had creating this video!

    I downloaded the software directly from the Muvee.com site. (The download was very long, nearly 45 minutes.. so either choose the CD-Rom option, or make sure your kids don’t need Webkinz for a whole hour!)

    The installation was seriously quick and painless. I had it figured out in minutes! It was unbelievably easy to navigate the program and beyond user friendly. I created my muvee in 3 easy steps.

    • Add photos and videos (a fast and easy browse feature or dragging and dropping worked as well!)
    • Choose a style for your video, it comes with 8 different styles and each style has multiple options like changing the speed, or the background, or the colors
    • Choose music from your own library! Muvee=music video!

    Once those three steps were complete… I previewed my magic muvee and hit SHARE.

    How can you share it?

    7 different ways.

    1. upload to Shwup.com (a site where you have a private place to invite friends and family to view your video–and then directly sharing on your blog or facebook!)
    2. burn directly to DVD
    3. save to your hard drive
    4. save in high definition format
    5. save to your cell phone
    6. save to your iPod
    7. save to your PSP (Sony)

    Yes there are “free” options online to create slideshows from your photos and videos creating multiple media videos, but I’ve used a couple they take much longer to work through online and you have to pay to download it to your hard drive in order to burn a DVD. Plus any extra options are not available for free. So much for free?


    Additional Reasons I Loved this product:

    Clean interface. The whole product is laid out very clear and simple. Making it easy to navigate.

    Video editing. When you add a video from your own collection you can easily split up the video into several shorter clips, only keeping the best parts (which is great when you have a really long video ofyour kid’s preschool gradutaion, but only a few seconds of cuteness!)

    I’m all about uploading to various Social Media sites! There are 22 ways to share your video with the social media world once uploaded to shwup.com , including directly to blogger, Typepad and Facebook, WordPress and YouTube were missing from the list, but the embedding code was easy to access instead. (And later I was able to upload the movie file directly to YouTube.com instead since I had it saved to my hard drive.)

    Cost. Muvee Reveal is only $79.99. I once used a digital video editing product that cost way more money and was much more cumbersome to use. Plus there are a ton of additional styles and backgrounds you can add to your creative video arsenal… if you digital scrapbook, you’ll love these features!

    If you are looking for an easy way to create high quality home videos from your photos and videos, set to music, for your blog or to share with grandma, you’ll love Muvee Reveal.

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