Mom Encourages Others to Be Their Best
July 30, 2009 by Danielle Smith · 4 Comments
The word infectious comes to mind when you think Sugar Jones.
Not because she loves to laugh. Though she does. Not because she is a consummate hugger. Though she is.
Simply because her infectiousness is truly contagious – and she wants it that way.
This homeschooling mother of four, Blog Talk Radio Show Host, blogger, wife, and website owner wants you to catch on – she wants you to join her on an amazing journey – she wants to help you learn, to create a pathway to your success.
This is what makes her unique. This is what makes her Sugar.
She puts her family first – she chooses to home school because she thinks it is the best option for her children. She balances home and work while acknowledging that it is hard. And she considers the best thing about parenting to be “reliving your childhood through the eyes of your children – everything is new and amazing again”. She manages to put herself in her kids shoes – and EXPERIENCE.
Knowing she isn’t perfect allows her to empathize with the less-than-wonderful experiences of other mothers. She understand what it is like to feel mommy-guilt.
There are 10 years between Sugar’s oldest daughters, Jasmine and Lauren and her two younger children – Hannah and Ryan. That time has given Sugar a chance to evolve as a parent, “I’m not parenting from a place of fear anymore. I’m trusting myself more and listening to others less. I never even pretend to have this parenting thing down. I love being the mom that says this is a tough job that isn’t always fun. I think it gives moms permission to do the same”.
Once moms have that ‘permission’ they open themselves to new and amazing possibilities. They stop focusing on what they aren’t doing and begin to set their sights on what they could be doing.
And it is at this moment that Sugar reaches out to pull you along – encouraging you to write, speak, and follow your dreams.
We could all use a little Sugar in our lives.
About the Author: Danielle Smith is a mommy to two smart and sassy small people, as well as the founder and primary author of ExtraordinaryMommy.com. You can catch her hosting a brand new live show, The Spin Cycle, on MomTV.com every Wednesday at 9pmEST. She also hosts a show on Blog Talk Radio and contributes to WhyMomsMatter. Danielle is thrilled to be contributing to MomItForward as ‘giving back’ has always been an important part of who she is and what she hopes to teach her children.
RSVP for #GNO for a Colorful Chat on Creativity & Kids Crafts Tuesday on Twitter
July 27, 2009 by Jyl Johnson Pattee · 118 Comments
Want some tips on how to survive the season and create your own affordable fun to fire up kids’ imaginations before they head back to class? Then tweet the night away with other Mom It Forward gals at #gno this Tuesday on Twitter.
- What: Crayola Creativitycast on #gno (Click here to learn more about #gno!)
- When: Tuesday, July 28, 9-11 p.m. EST
- Where: Tweetgrid (Use hashtags #gno & #crayola.)
- Topic: Affordable Fun 101
- Who: @ajpassey from Because Babies Grow Up, @cerisecheri from Crayola, @cindyhopper from Skip to My Lou, @emom from Woo! Jr., @makeandtakes from Make and Takes, @razzmatazzrob from Crayola, @skybluestacy from Crayola, @youcanmakethis from You Can Make This
- Party Favors: Click here to check out this week’s giveaway sponsored by Crayola.
- RSVP: The link list is not working this week, so please leave your Twitter ID in the comments.
Join in the Creative Conversation With Crayola and Get Prepared for Back to School!
July 26, 2009 by Jyl Johnson Pattee · 16 Comments
With back to school just around the corner, Crayola wants to help women—whether you are teachers, moms, artists, lovers of all things creative, or allof the above—get ready with tips and creative ideas to make the back to school season less stressful and more fun! Starting July 28 and every Tuesday night (9 pm Eastern) through the month of August, Crayola is sponsoring “Girls Night Out” on Twitter. The weekly Crayola Creativitycast will feature a new topic each week, like Affordable Fun 101 and Back to School Survival Guide, to help you better prepare for the best back to school ever. Tweet the night away with other women and moms, Crayola creativity experts, and noted women and mommy bloggers, and get great ideas to help you prepare for back to school!
Here’s how it works:
Every Sunday through Tuesday, you can RSVP for the party by clicking on the RSVP post here on MomItForward.com. You can include your Twitter URL in the link list and see the list of others that plan to participate in the GNO party on Twitter. (In the event that Mr. Linky is not showing up in the RSVP post, please leave your Twitter URLs in the comments, this will allow everyone to know who is participating and follow them.)
Visit http://momitforward.com each Monday for more information and a custom Tweet Grid for that week´s event.
On Tuesday nights, starting at 9pm Eastern, tweet using the hashtag #gno and chat away.
Click on the giveaways chat bubble in the righthand column to check out the amazing weekly prizes all Mom It Forward and #gno gals can take advantage of. In addition to the prizes that will be awarded during the weekly #gno party on Twitter, many bloggers will be hosting weekly giveaways for Crayola Creativity Packs following the Crayola #gno on Twitter. That’s four winners per blog over the next month.
In the Creativity Pack you will find things like…
- 24 pack crayons
- 10 ct. crayola markers
- 12 ct. crayola colored pencils
- Crayola pip – squeaks colored pencils and glitter glue
- Crayola window crayons
- Tadoodles washable crayon Buddies
- Crayola color explosion black surprises
- Crayola Color Switchers
Sound like fun? Hope to see you Tuesdays from now til September for some creative conversation!
Giveaway Winner—Blog World Expo Full Access Pass
July 26, 2009 by Jyl Johnson Pattee · Leave a Comment
Congratulations to @babybam! The giveaway for the Blog World Expo full access pass was meant for the 500th tweet. Since only 242 people tweeted about it, I selected a winner using random.org, number 37!
You have 24 hours to claim your prize by e-mailing me at momitforward [at] gmail [dot] com.
Giveaway—Crayola Color Wonder Gift Package ($200 Retail Value)
July 26, 2009 by Jyl Johnson Pattee · 450 Comments
Do you and your kids love art, creativity, and all things Crayola? Then this giveaway is for you, because Crayola is excited to reward one winner with an amazing Crayola Creativitycast gift package, including tons of classic as well as new products, perfect for arts and crafts and back to school.
Prize
This week, everyone’s a winner. Whether you win the grand prize or not, you can enjoy a discount toward Crayola products by downloading a Crayola coupon here (good through August 31).
One grand-prize winner will receive the following products in a Crayola Color Wonder gift pack (approximate retail value: $200).
- Color Wonder (CW) Coloring and Fingerpaint Art Set (Dora the Explorer)
- CW 3-D Glitter Kit
- CW Magic Light Brush
- CW Glitter Paint
- CW Stow & Go Studio
- 2 30-page Drawing Tablets
- CW Fingerpaints & Paper
- CW Large Paper
- CW Twist-Up Crayons & Coloring Pad
- CW Markers & Coloring Pad (Disney-Pixar Cars)
- CW Markers & Coloring Pad (Disney)
- CW 6 Mess-Free Markers & Coloring Pad (Disney-Pixar Finding Nemo)
- CW 6 Mess-Free Markers & Coloring Pad (Disney My Friends Tigger & Pooh)
- CW Learning Book (Numbers)
- CW Watercolor Paint Set
- CW Markers & Paper
- CW Glitter Paint Set (TinkerBell)
- CW Glitter Paper Set (Disney Princess)
- CW Markers & Coloring Pad (Disney Princess—Sleeping Beauty)
- CW Mess-Free Paint (2 Paint-filled brushes)
- CW Mess-Free Soft Sticks
- CW Watercolor Paint Brushes
- CW 10-ct. Markers
Entry Requirements
To enter for a chance to win, you are required to do three things:
- Leave a comment on this post, including your e-mail address.
- Join the new Crayola Facebook Page.
- Post these messages on Facebook and on Twitter and leave comments here, linking to your messages:
Talk affordable fun 101 (kids arts & crafts) Tues on #gno w/ #Crayola 9-11 ET. RSVP: http://bit.ly/IrbM8
Enter to Win @Crayola’s Color Wonder gift package @ http://bit.ly/INj9Q (ret val $200) PLS RT
Extra Entries
Take advantage of all the many fun ways to earn extra entries this week. Leave an additional comment for each.
- Tweet and/or Facebook the following:
- Love Crayola? Become a Fan of the brand new Crayola Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/Crayola.
- Post something you learned during #gno this week on the Crayola Facebook Page wall.
- Take the Summer of Service Challenge this week and comment on that post.
The Fine Print
No purchase necessary to enter. Winners will be selected randomly through http://random.org. Crayola and Mom It Forward employees are ineligible to participate. All entries received after Sunday, August 2 at midnight PDT will not be considered. Entries that do not follow all of the entry requirements will not be considered.
Party With Mom It Forward’s #GNO This Week at BlogHer!
July 21, 2009 by Jyl Johnson Pattee · Leave a Comment
For those of you who know me, you know when I say I am an extrovert it is no overstatement or exaggeration. People, parties, and more people energize me like nothing else can. So, while I am thrilled at the opportunity to learn from all of the amazing BlogHer key notes and break out sessions, I am looking forward in an even bigger way to spending more than 3 days re-energizing while meeting so many of you! I apologize in advance if I don’t recognize you at first glance. Your avatars are so teeny on Twitter! 
Almost as fun as attending parties is my love of planning them. So, what would BlogHer party central be for me without being on an organizing committee?
BowlHer ‘09
In partnership with Collective Bias and One2One Network, I am organizing a party that takes me back to summers in the 80s spent with my cousins watching Grease 2. Sing it with me: “Let’s Bowl! Let’s Bowl! Let’s Rock and Roll!” Come on, tell me you loved it too! And you guessed it, the great news is: You’re all invited!
Whether you’ll be in Chicago or not, you’re invited, because this party is the first-ever interactive BlogHer party. We’ll be partying live in Chicago, partying at locations from Connecticut to Seattle and several places in between. We’ll be streaming and on the radio. And, as if we’d forget, we’ll be tweeting all night long! Here’s where you can go to get all the latest details:
- Check out the BowlHer party details here: http://bowlher.com.
- Join the BowlHer Facebook Page: http://facebook.com/bowlher.
- Follow @BowlHer on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/bowlher.
- Stream live with us here: http://momtv.com/bowlher09.html.
- Listen on Blog Talk Radio here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/BowlHer.
- RSVP for the Chicago party here: http://bowlher.eventbrite.com.
- RSVP for the Connecticut party here: http://bowlherct.eventbrite.com.
- RSVP for the Denver party here: http://bowlherdenver.eventbrite.com.
- RSVP for the Salt Lake City party here: http://bowlherslc.eventbrite.com.
- RSVP for the Seattle party here: http://blogherseattle.eventbrite.com.
- RSVP for the St. Louis party here: http://swirl.eventbrite.com.
Lifetime’s “Project Runway” Design Challenge
This event isn’t just about strikes and gutterballs; it’s also about showing off your fashion sense in Lifetime’s “Project Runway” design challenge. As you plan your wardrobe for Chicago, pack something that’s bowling-chic. Or put together an old-school glamorous look like the stars of yesteryear who bowled at Hollywood Star Lanes. Whichever style you choose, this is your chance to pose for the “paparazzi.”
The two who make it work the best can each win a fabulous trip to a private “Project Runway” Party in NYC this September.* See you on the red carpet at 7:30 at Lucky Strike Lanes located at 322 E. Illinois St. Chicago , IL 60611
*Open to attendees of the BowlHer! event at the Lucky Strikes Lane that arrive between 7:30 PM CST and 9:15 PM CST on July 25, 2009 and enter Lifetime’s “Project Runway” design challenge. For entry instructions and details, please see official rules at http://www.mylifetime.com/fun-games/sweeps/lifetimes-project-runway-design-challenge-contest.The Other Parties
If you haven’t already checked out the Kirtsy Alertsy to see all the other super soirees, click here for a one-stop shop for BlogHer party central. And, if you don’t want to siesta during an awesome fiesta, print this party planner and take it with you to BlogHer.
Is Service Sexy? Take This Week’s SOS Challenge and See!
July 19, 2009 by Jyl Johnson Pattee · 17 Comments
10 Fashionable Ways to Make a Difference This Week
Service doesn’t have to be stodgy! Make service sexy and “in” by taking on this week’s Summer of Service challenge, sponsorsed by Lifetime TV. How? By doing one or more of the 10 ideas listed below!
- Buying or making some beautiful stationary and writing a thank-you note, congratulations card, birthday greeting, get-well wishes, or other thoughtful sentiment and delivering it to a friend or family member.
- Planning a date for your significant other and getting all dressed up for it.
- Taking care of yourself inside and out: Treat yourself to a new hair-do, mani/pedi, spa treatment, or makeover. Pay attention to your overall health and well being.
- Have your family pictures taken.
- Treat your daughter(s) to a spa day. Paint their nails for them, wash their hair, help them try on different outfits, and have a special luncheon just for them
- Decorate the table beautifully for a special family dinner you plan.
- Go through all of your closets and give any old or unused clothing to charity.
- Comment to one person each day during this week’s challenge on how beautiful he or she looks. Watch the difference it makes in their countenance.
- Have a family activity where you share the things that make each of you beautiful on the inside. Share with your family the importance of internal and external beauty.
- Encourage your children to take care of their outward beauty by eating well, exercising, getting enough sleep, and taking care of their health!
How Will You Give to Others This Week?
- What other ideas do you have for serving in style this week?
- How has serving in style made a meaningful difference this week for you? For others?
How Else Can You Make a Difference This Summer?
Make a meaningful difference this summer by taking the Summer of Service (SOS) Challenge. Here’s how you can participate:
- Commit to do one act of kindness/service based on the week’s challenge.
- Leave a comment with ideas relating to the week’s challenge as well as your experience(s) performing it.
- Grab the SOS button in the sidebar and put it on your blog or social networking site.
- Enter to win each week’s giveaway. Check out this week’s prize from Lifetime TV.
- Join #gno this Tuesday on Twitter to connect with other Mom It Forward moms about the challenge.
RSVP—Get Stylish With Us This Week at #GNO on Twitter!
July 19, 2009 by jyl johnson pattee · 44 Comments
Love to chat about all things fashion? Heading to BlogHer next week? Wondering what to pack? With all the parties going on, I know I have wondered more than once what makes the perfect fashion sense for the cocktail party that is followed by the bowling party that is followed by the cheeseburger party that is followed by the picture party and more.
Whether you’ll be going to BlogHer or not, Join #GNO this Tuesday where experts from Lifetime TV and Twitter fashionistas will share their best tips for style success and fashion faux pas in 140 characters or less.
- What: Girl’s Night Out (What’s GNO? Click to find out!)
- When: Tuesday, July 21, 9-11 p.m. EDT
- Where: Party with us on our very own Custom Tweetgrid! (Use hashtag #gno.)
- Topic: Fashion!
- Who: @audreymcclellan, @bowlher, @erikalehmann, @fashiongrail, @lifetimetv
- Party Favors: Remember to check out this week’s giveaway sponsored by Lifetime.
- RSVP: Enter your twitter URL/ID in the list below (e.g., http://twitter.com/jylmomIF).
Mr. Linky not showing up? Go ahead and leave your Twitter URL in the comments. This offers #gno gals the opportunity to follow and be followed all in one place!
Also, make sure to check out the details for the BlogHer party that is sure to be a ball: BowlHer ‘09!
Photo used with permission from my baby sis: Brooke Johnson. Isn’t she amazing?Mom It Forward & BowlHer ‘09 Present Lifetime’s Summer Giveaway Sweepstakes!
July 19, 2009 by jyl johnson pattee · 244 Comments
Lifetime is excited to help you have a stylin’ and rockin’ rest of your summer. Enter here for a chance to win a sleek purple Lifetime edition 8 GB iPod Nano with Lifetime Digital engraved on the back. See The Fine Print section below for official Lifetime’s Summer Giveaway Sweepstakes rules.
Entry Requirements
To enter, you are required to do two things:
- Leave a comment, including your e-mail address.
- Post these messages on Facebook and on Twitter:
Going 2 @BlogHer in Chicago? RSVP 4 @BowlHer ‘09 party—Sat 7/25, 8 pm @ http://bowlher.com. PLS RT
Enter to Win @lifetimetv’s Summer GIVEAWAY Sweepstakes @ http://bit.ly/LcXKd PLS RT
Extra Entries
Take advantage of all the many fun ways to earn extra entries this week. Leave an additional comment for each.
- Join the BowlHer ‘09 Facebook Fan Page!
- Subscribe to the Mom It Forward Newsletter.
- Join the Mom It Forward Friend Connect (in right sidebar).
- Join the Mom It Forward Flickr Group.
- Join the Mom It Forward Facebook Group!
- Click here to join the Mom It Forward Facebook Page. (This is different than the group!)
- Request an Invite to the Mom It Forward Linkedin Group.
- Take the Summer of Service Challenge this week and comment on that post.
The Fine Print
Photo used with permission from Flickr. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER. Void where prohibited. Lifetime’s Summer Giveaway is sponsored by Lifetime Entertainment Services. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. states & D.C. who are 18 or older. Sweepstakes begins 7/19/09 at 8:00 AM PST and ends 7/26/09 at 11:59:59 PM PST. All entries received after 7/26/09 at 11:59:59 PM PST will not be accepted. For full official rules and prize details, go to http://www.mylifetime.com/fun-games/sweeps/lifetimes-summer-giveaway-sweepstakes.Using ‘Mamavation’ to get Moms Moving Towards Healthy Living
July 18, 2009 by Danielle Smith · 1 Comment
Sometimes you make a change in your life that is so monumental you just can’t resist the urge to help others to do the same.
Such is the case with Leah Segedie and her Internet-wide movement, Mamavation.
Until July 21, moms can fill out applications explaining their desire to lose weight and adopt a healthy lifestyle. On July 22, four moms will be chosen as finalists and the world wide web gets to vote. On July 30, the winner will be announced. That winner, that mom, will be treated like a weight loss all-star, complete with a virtual team who will design an exercise regime, a new diet, and provide all the coaching she needs to reach her goals in a 2-month period. And don’t even get us started on the goodies the chosen mom will receive.
Working with one ‘Mamavation Mom’ at a time, Leah hopes to teach moms how wonderful life can be when you have the energy to keep up with your kids and are setting a healthy example for your family.
Before Leah began this campaign, she motivated moms virtually on Bookieboo, a site she created as a go-to place where moms could share their struggles staying or getting into shape. Leah knows just how difficult the journey can be.
Three years ago, when Leah gave birth to her first child, a son, she weighed 253 pounds. While she was pregnant, her father was diagnosed with cancer and given only 6 months to live. Five days a week, Leah helped her mother to care for her dying father. Watching him suffer was tremendously painful and Leah found solace in food.
Like so many of us, she believed the weight would come off after she had the baby. But, also like many of us, that wasn’t the case.
When her newborn son was only 3 months old, Leah’s father lost his battle with cancer. Though she had prayed for an end to his suffering, she was devastated.
But with the devastation came a ‘moment of clarity,’ as she calls it. She didn’t want to be the ‘fat mom.’ She wanted to ‘model healthy behavior’ for her family. In that moment, Leah decided to make a change. So, she stood up and started walking. At first it was once a day and then twice. She joined Curves and began to practice Taebo. Five pounds at a time, Leah began to see a difference.
Working at a healthy lifestyle the traditional way, with diet and exercise, Leah lost over 100 pounds.
After losing the weight, Leah decided to start Bookieboo.com (named after her son). The site has over 40 contributors, many are certified personal trainers, but all are moms.
Knowing how tough it can be to balance being a mom with taking care of yourself, Leah is reaching out, hoping to give a little extra resolve to one mom at a time. Having recently had a second son, Leah is on the ball with getting back into shape one more time , and she has the support of whole bunch of moms on Bookieboo who are doing the exact same thing.
And, she will soon have the pleasure of changing one mom’s life for good. If you know someone looking to make a major weight loss/life change, there is still time to apply. Head to Mamavation.com to learn the details.
With her ‘one mom at a time’ philosophy, Leah looks forward to working with many Mamavation Moms in the future.
About the Author: Danielle Smith is a mommy to two smart and sassy small people, as well as the founder and primary author of ExtraordinaryMommy.com. You can catch her hosting a brand new live show, The Spin Cycle, on MomTV.com every Wednesday at 9pmEST. She also hosts a show on Blog Talk Radio and contributes to WhyMomsMatter. Danielle is thrilled to be contributing to MomItForward as ‘giving back’ has always been an important part of who she is and what she hopes to teach her children.
