Summer Fun!

As a mom of a 6 year old daughter & 3 year old son, I know how tough it can be sometimes to keep the kids entertained, while still maintaining my sanity. Especially during what "seems like" a super long summer break.

So below is a list of things I've researched, found, heard of, etc. that we plan on exploring during the next couple of months, until school starts.

Enjoy!
Gail
the MicroBlogginMom



Local Happenings:

• Music in the Park at Downtown San Jose - Thursday Nights
  
• Music in the Plaza at Evergreen Village Square - Friday Nights
  
• Farmer's Market at Evergreen Village Square - Wednesdays & Sundays 9am-1pm
  
• Movies Under the Stars at Evergreen Village Square - June 25, July 23, & August 20
  
• San Jose Japantown Obon Festival - July 10, Noon-10pm & July 11 Noon-8pm

Local Parks & Places:

• Happy Hollow Park & Zoo
  
• San Jose City Swim Centers
  
• San Jose Public Library - Evergreen Branch
  
• Fowler Creek Park - at Altia & Cortona
  
• Evergreen Park - at Yerba Buena Road & San Felipe Road
  
• Lincoln Glen Park - at Radio Ave & Curtner Ave
  
• Aborn Park - at Renfield Way & Pentland Way (New opening this summer)
• San Jose City Dog Parks
  

Staycations:

• Del Valle Campground
  
• Santa Cruz Beach & Boardwalk
  
• Raging Waters
• Gilroy Gardens
  

Cheerleading:

• Cambrian Valley Longhorns Youth Football & Cheer
  
• Peninsula Pop Warner Youth Football & Cheerleading League
  
• Pop Warner Little Scholars
  
• JAMZ Cheer Camp
  

Rest & Relaxation:

• BluCocoon Medspa
  
• Bikram Yoga at Balance Yoga Center
  
• Burke Williams Day Spa - at Santana Row
• Lavande Nail Spa - Santana Row
  

I love Stuck on You!

If you know me, I am notorious for labeling our belongings, especially the kids stuff. So a couple of years back I was in search of durable labels. And I mean DURABLE iron-on clothing labels that withstand wash after wash and stick-on vinyl labels that are dishwasher & microwave safe. With a quick google search, I found several options, which I blogged about HERE. I purchased a couple of different kinds from different companies and appropriately named, Stuck on You are the labels I love the most!

Recently, I entered a contest to share my story...

I Was Lost & Now I'm Found!
This year my daughter started kindergarten at a private school, where they wear uniforms, including a very nice cardigan sweater. My daughter is usually very good about keeping tabs on her stuff, but one day she was really hot while outside on the playground and removed her cardigan and forgot to grab it on her way back to class. When I picked her up from school, she told me she left it on the playground, so off we went to check the playground, then the lost and found area. Sadly, nothing. Read More...

I was thrilled to be informed of winning the contest in this category and I am even more thrilled to share the news of Stuck On You continuing their 10-year Birthday Celebration where you [the readers, fans, etc.] GET the GIFTS! So I highly encourage you to check out the amazing products that Stuck on You USA has to offer, enter their contest, follow @stuckonyouusa on twitter, be a Facebook Fan, etc.

Enjoy!
Gail
the MicroBlogginMom

Disneyland Resort: Holiday Parent Blogger Event

Ahhh... the magic of Disney!

About 2 weeks ago, I received an email invitation from Disneyland Resort Public Relations detailing the Disney Holiday trip I won from Xiaolin Mama, which included:

• Roundtrip flights between SJC & LAX for me & my family, provided via United Airlines
• Shuttle Transportation between the Disneyland Resort and LAX Airport, provided via the Disneyland Resort Express operated by Gray Line
  
• 2 nights accommodations at the Disney Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
• 3-day park hopper tickets for me & my family

Exclusively for the Holiday Parent Blogger Event:

• Special reserved viewing of the new show, “Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee”
• Priority boarding for “It’s a Small World” holiday
• Private Holiday VIP Reception on Saturday, November 21. Which includes buffet dinner, Disney characters, tons of activities, etc.
• Special reserved viewing of the Disneyland Resort “Believe in Holiday Magic” fireworks show.
  

It’s no secret that I absolutely LOVE Disneyland. And I love it even more when my family & I get the VIP treatment to experience the Disney magic in style! Our experience last week was absolutely magical. The Disneyland resort, including Disneyland, California Adventure, Downtown Disney District, & the Disney hotels, were all decked out for the Holidays!

So much to say & even more to see during our jam-packed 3-day holiday at the Disneyland Resort for the Holiday Parent Blogger Event sponsored by Disneyland Resort Public Relations.

See our magical story on whrrl.

More stories at Disneyland & California Adventure

Powered by Whrrl

My husband & I are still in awe and can’t stop talking about the magical time our family had at Disneyland as well as the very swanky Private Holiday VIP Reception. That evening Parent Bloggers (like Xiaolin Mama) & their guests (like me) got to hang out with Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Princess Tiana, & Mrs. Clause while being treated to a delicious buffet dinner, & activities like cookie decorating, face painting, Studio Disney 365 makeovers, and more.

To cap off the evening, we enjoyed reserved viewing of the Disneyland Resort “Believe in Holiday Magic” fireworks show. This is a “must see” magical experience & Disney does not disappoint with this fireworks spectacular above Sleeping Beauty’s Castle & surprising the crowd with a spray of “snow” that covered Main Street as the fireworks show ended.

Simply put, we had a magical time!

Happy Holidays from my family to yours!



FULL DISCLOSURE: I won this trip from a contest hosted by Xiaolin Mama & sponsored by Disneyland Resort Public Relations. I was not paid to do this review… I just absolutely LOVE Disneyland! Thank you Disneyland Resort cast & crew for hosting this VIP Parent Blogger event that made our Disney Holiday trip possible.

Christmas wishes really do come true

This past summer we vacationed in Southern California and of course, the trip would not have been complete without a visit to the Disneyland Resort. Being that my kids are little and we are a family of Disney fanatics, I definitely hope to see many more visits to Disneyland in our future. However, one thing I kept thinking about after this last summer trip was how cool it would be to visit Disneyland during a different part of the year, besides summer. So I was thinking, with a little saving of $$$, maybe next year instead of a summer trip we could visit Mickey during the Halloween or Holiday season since that’s a Disney experience we have yet to encounter. And honestly with the kids only getting older, vacations during the school season will only get trickier.

So in October, while I was checking out Twitter & Facebook updates, I stumbled upon and entered a contest from Northern California Bay Area local blogger Xiaolin Mama. On her review blog Xiaolin Mama Reviews she blogged about her Disney Halloween Experience & hosted a Disneyland Trip Giveaway. Was I surprised when I received an email from fellow blogger & twitter friend @xiaolinmama herself just days before Halloween, informing me that I won “the trip to DISNEYLAND!” I guess you could say that, Christmas wishes really do come true, since this year my family is getting the best gift ever… A Disneyland Holiday Celebration!

Kids just found out that Mommy won a trip to Disneyland!

Stay tuned, as I will most definitely be blogging about our magical Disneyland Holiday!

*** UPDATED: Here's a direct link to our magical Disneyland Holiday!

I'm a Purex Insider!

A few weeks ago a mystery package came in the mail and I found out I was accepted to be one of 200 Purex Insiders.

When I originally signed up, I wasn't even really sure what a Purex Insider meant. Well I soon learned that as a Purex Insider I am one of the first consumers to try their new Purex® Complete 3-in-1™ Laundry Sheets and have been asked to tell them what I think about it. I'll also have a chance to share money saving coupons with friends.

The mystery package came with a sample of their new revolutionary product. At first glance, I was quite impressed with their concept of “3 laundry products in 1.” Heck, no more heavy bottles of laundry supplies. No more measuring. No more forgetting to put the fabric softener in during the rinse cycle. No more forgetting to put in the dryer sheet.

Taken from a press release, PUREX® BRAND REVOLUTIONIZES THE LAUNDRY CATEGORY!, Purex describes their new product as follows:

Purex® Complete 3-in-1™ laundry sheets are thin, lightweight and sturdy, and formulated with the perfect amount of detergent, softening and anti-static ingredients for a single load of wash. Simply toss a laundry sheet into your washing machine along with each load, and the blue detergent portion releases during the wash cycle. When the wash cycle is complete, simply transfer the laundry sheet to the dryer along with the wash load. The heat of the dryer activates the softening and anti-static ingredients, leaving laundry clean, soft and freshly scented. It’s that simple. The days of waiting for the rinse cycle are now over.

For me, laundry is not so fun. For my daughter, anything she can do to help… is fun. And surprise, surprise, she loves to help me with laundry. And now with Purex® Complete 3-in-1™ laundry sheets being so simple & easy to use, even a little 5 year old can have some fun while helping out with doing laundry! =)

Overall, I'm quite impressed with this new product. I would definitely recommend giving it a try.

Now if only my laundry could magically transport itself from the washer to the dryer!

More FUMI & Scarlett reviews/giveaways

Although my Mother's Day promo of the FUMI & Scarlett giveaway is now closed, I've found others who LOVE the FUMI and the Scarlett as much as I do. So I wanted to share with you more reviews of these awesome Je'Marie Products as well as these blog giveaways you might want to take a chance at!

• Fashion Grail
• Lollie Shopping
• Fairy Blog Mother
• Mommy Loves It
• The Bobby Pin
• Shoe Smitten
• Coupon Queens of Laurel Run
  

Enjoy!




P.S. If you are a blogger and running a review/giveaway for a Je'Marie Product during the month of May, post a comment HERE or email me. I would be more than happy to add a link to your review and/or blog giveaway.

Aahhh... Scarlett!

A very chic & cost savings find from MicroBlogginMom!

Today's review is for the Scarlett by Je'Marie.

Aahhh, I discovered the Scarlett during my cyber shopping/surfing for the FUMI purse hook and what a goodie it was to discover the very chic Scarlett.

Take a tip from the celebs out there accessorizing their purse. In this tight economy it's all about making your dollar count! One way for me is to get more use out of my favorite COACH “mommy purse” & the Scarlett is a great way to enhance the look. With a simple clip the Scarlett instantly adds a new & very chic look to my purse without over accessorizing, which makes it a very chic & inexpensive accessory to dress up any purse.

Scarletts extend your bag’s life all year long – just accessorize with a different Scarlett during each season! Spring says florals and light patterns, Summer is bold yet very classic!

Not a celebrity endorsement

Want a Scarlett? Here are two simple ways to get it.

(1) The Scarlett is available online. Priced at $19.95 each there are currently 15 different patterns to choose from. The Scarlett is made of the highest quality poly-lycra fabulously printed on both sides. Pair your Scarlett with a FUMI or accent it with a charm also available online. Also as a Mother's Day treat, enjoy free shipping Monday May 4 - Friday May 8 using the code FRESHIP0509 at checkout. What are you waiting for, start shopping today!

(2) In celebration of Mother's Day, I have the honor of giving away a Scarlett to one of my lucky readers this week. You won't want to miss this. Details for the FUMI & Scarlett Package Giveaway HERE!

Ohhhh... FUMI!

A very chic & smart find from MicroBlogginMom!

First off, some good & bad news. The bad, I was very ill last week, sicker than I've ever been with a high fever, chills, body aches/pains, congestion, you name it …I've been feeling it. The good, lucky me it's not Swine Flu! =)

Now that I'm better, I am eager to finally post several reviews for some very chic and what I feel very "mom essential" items that would be perfect for mom, or any special lady in your life this coming mother's day, graduation, etc.

Today's review is for the FUMI by Je'Marie.

"The What?" you ask? Ohhhh, let me tell you, the FUMI is a purse hook, purse accessory, AND a bracelet all in one. Basically, the FUMI is a purse hook that can hang on the outside of your handbag as an accessory or can be worn as a bracelet!

My sister gave me a purse hook a couple of years ago for Christmas. When I got it, I thought cool, at restaurants I can hang my purse next to me, right off the table. No longer is my purse on the floor (ewe germs) and I no longer am I awkwardly leaning back against it behind my back on the chair. Well this novelty lasted for maybe a month. Very soon, I diverted back to my old habits because I was too lazy to dig through my purse, to search for that little purse hook that seemed to always find its way to the bottom of my purse.

Then while cyber shopping/surfing, I discovered the FUMI and thought genius! The FUMI stands for Fashionable, Unique, Multi-purpose, & Innovation... so I was quite eager to check it out for myself.



I was really excited when the package arrived and tested out the FUMI immediately. I got the silver "Charming" FUMI which goes perfectly with my COACH purse. This is my everyday handbag which my friends teasingly call the "mommy purse" because it probably weighs as much as a full size diaper bag. My purse is always stocked with the essentials: Pull Ups, baby wipes, pocket snacks, wallet, checkbook, make-up bag, mini 1st aid kit, camera, VADO digital cam, sunglasses, keys, iphone, the works. This makes my purse pretty darn heavy so I was quite impressed with how the FUMI kept it all in check, balancing perfectly on the edge of the table keeping my purse up and off the floor with ease. Even better, when I walked into a bathroom stall and found no hook. The FUMI hangs nicely over the stall, keeping my purse germ free. The FUMI now has a permanent home, stylishly clipped to the outside of my purse so that I always have it. I love how the FUMI is light enough to wear on my wrist as a bracelet, yet strong enough to keep my heavy "mommy purse" hooked-up and off the floor.
Whether you carry a tiny handbag or a mega "mommy purse" like me, the FUMI is a must have! Trust me, if one of your girlfriends catches you with a FUMI, they will wonder in awe... then beg to know how they can get their hot little hands on a FUMI for themselves.

Simple, smart, and yet so very chic looking, the FUMI is the perfect gift for Mom, Grandma, your favorite Aunt, the graduating Niece, your Girlfriend, showing that Teacher your appreciation... or for yourself.

Now that I have your attention... want a FUMI? Here are two simple ways to get your hands on your own FUMI.

(1) The FUMI is available online. Priced at $24.95 each there are currently 6 different styles to choose from. The FUMI is made of recycled metal alloy and is very eco friendly. Also available online are other fun goodies like charms, key finders, and the Scarlett. Also as a Mother's Day treat, enjoy free shipping Monday May 4 - Friday May 8 using the code FRESHIP0509 at checkout. What are you waiting for, start shopping today!

(2) In celebration of Mother's Day, I have the honor of giving away a FUMI to one of my lucky readers this week. You won't want to miss this. Details for the FUMI & Scarlett Package Giveaway HERE!

Celebrate Mother's Day with MicroBlogginMom!

5 years ago, with the birth of my little princess in the month of May... I became a mom. So, in celebration of Mother's Day, I have partnered with the wonderful ladies at ChicExecs and ChicBlvd to feature reviews and giveaways of various products, which I feel are perfect for today's mom (or any special lady in your life). Since I love to talk & tweet about the cool things I find, I am extremely excited about the products that will be arriving in my mailbox.

ChicExces has over 50+ clients and above shows just a "taste" of some of their clients' products I plan to review in the coming weeks, leading up to Mother's Day. So if you don't already, be sure you subscribe to my blog in your favorite reader or via email (see top right corner) and follow me on twitter @MicroBlogginMom. These are some very chic, savvy, & unique items you won't want to miss.

And if you need a jump-start in getting your own product or business noticed, I highly encourage you to check out ChicExecs P.R. and their unique "Out of the Box" public relations services. ChicExces P.R. has a database of over 2000 media contacts and their team is uniquely qualified with over 25 years of collective experience in the industry. For more information or to personally discuss your product & business goals contact ChicExces at media@chicexecs.com or 760-992-9113. Be sure to reference MicroBlogginMom for a 10% discount off their services.

Hip... Hip... Hip Hop... Baby!

Another great blog giveaway from MicroBlogginMom.




Last month, I discovered "It’s Hip Hop, Baby!" created by Candi Carter [fellow mother of two]. These DVDs & CDs teach children to experience the joys of learning their ABC's, numbers, body parts, and more through very "hip" music & dance. Celebrities such as Justin Chambers [from the hit ABC show, Grey's Anatomy], Actress Holly Robinson Peete, Access Hollywood's Shaun Robinson, & more are raving about "It's Hip Hop, Baby!"

Winner of the iParenting Media Award, three new titles of "It's Hip Hop, Baby!" are being released this Tuesday, March 17th. You can check them out and order on Amazon.com.

My kids LOVE to dance. No exaggeration there. My 4.5YO daughter mostly grooves to Hannah Montana, High School Musical, & more. My 2YO son on the other hand loves to groove to anything with a "hip" beat. So when I got my hands on "It’s Hip Hop, Baby!"... I immediately popped it into my DVD player and watched the entertainment begin.

It was hilarious to see how quickly & easily my son focused his attention to the TV. He especially loved watching [and following] kids like him dance & grove to "Head, Shoulders, Knees, & Toes." What shocked me even more, was when it actually captured my daughter's attention as well. How cool is that... a musical DVD that can capture the attention of a toddler as well as a preschooler.

"It's Hip Hop, Baby!" is truly Education and Fun all wrapped up into one!


Giveaway! Giveaway! Giveaway!

So, to celebrate the availability of "It’s Hip Hop, Baby!" and to share the love... I am giving away a DVD & CD combo of "It's Hip Hop, Baby!" Here are 5 easy ways to win. Receive one entry for each [any] of the following:

1. Post a comment letting me know "your" favorite childhood song.

2. Post a comment including a link to a video of your little one(s) dancing or singing.

3. Copy/Paste & tweet this on Twitter: “Do your kids want to Hip, Hip, Hip Hop, Baby!? @MicroBlogginMom has a hip giveaway your kids will love. http://tinyurl.com/48krph”. Then come back here and post a comment letting me know that you tweeted. Be sure to provide your Twitter ID.

4. Visit the "It’s Hip Hop, Baby!" website and read the celebrity reviews. Then come back here and post a comment letting me know which celebrity review “speaks” to you most.

5. Blog about this giveaway on your own personal blog. Then come back here and post a comment with a link to your blog post.

For your entry to be valid, be sure to come back here and post a comment, letting me know what you did. You can enter as many times as you want since you get one entry for each comment. Be sure to include your email address so that I can contact you if you win. Giveaway is open, only to residents within the continental U.S.

Giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on Tuesday, March 31, 2009. A winner will be drawn at random from all qualified entries [posted comments]. Winner will be notified after April 1st via email. For winner to receive their prize they must reply within 3 days of being notified & provide a valid mailing address within the continental U.S.

Best of Luck!



***** UPDATE *****

Wednesday 04/01/2009
This giveaway is now closed.

The winner of the DVD & CD combo of "It's Hip Hop, Baby!"will be contacted via email. Congratulations!!!

Remember, "It's Hip Hop, Baby!" is available for purchase on amazon.com.

Essential & Fun iPhone Apps for MOM!

A great blog giveaway from MicroBlogginMom with sponsorship from DoubleTapApps.

Last month, while wandering the wonderful world of twitter this @MicroBlogginMom discovered @shonak of DoubleTapApps. DoubleTapApps provides a variety of iPhone & iPod Touch applications. Being that this MicroBlogginMom LOVES her iPhone I was very eager to check out what I call the “MOM” essential apps.

I had the opportunity to try out Parent I-C-E (In Case of Emergency). In this cool & handy little app, I can store emergency contacts along with medical conditions, allergies, etc. for me, my spouse, and both of my children. Being the first app on my iPhone home page, this app makes it easy for any person attending to me or my family in an emergency, to easily locate our medical information as well as "speed dial" our emergency contacts. Now, although I hope to never have a major emergency… just having this app on my iPhone gives me peace of mind and that alone is well worth the $2.99.


Do you have an iPhone or iPod Touch? Would you like the Parent I-C-E app for free? Well here’s your chance. DoubleTapApps has given me the opportunity to give-a-way the Parent I-C-E app for FREE to THREE of my lucky readers.

Receive one entry for each of the following:

1. Visit the DoubleTapApps website and check out the variety of apps. Then come back here and post a comment letting me know what app you like best and/or would want for yourself.
2. Download and try one of the free apps offered by DoubleTapApps. Then come back here and post a comment with a short review of the app. Each comment/review counts as one entry.
3. Blog about this giveaway on your own personal blog. Then come back here and post a comment with a link to your blog post.
4. Tweet this on Twitter: “Want a free iPhone/iPod Touch App? @MicroBlogginMom is giving away one of her favorite apps at http://adjix.com/dnbq”. Then come back here and post a comment letting me know that you did.
5. Follow me on Twitter @MicroBlogginMom. Then come back here and post a comment letting me know that you did. Be sure to provide your twitter ID.
6. Follow DoubleTapApps on Twitter @shonak. Then come back here and post a comment letting me know that you did. Be sure to provide your twitter ID.

For your entry to be valid, be sure to come back here and click on "comments" below to post a comment, letting me know what you did. You can enter as many times as you want since you get one entry for each comment. Be sure to include your name & email address so that I can contact you with the iTunes app download code if you win.

Giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on Sunday, March 15. Random.org will be used to generate a winner from all qualified entries. Winner will be notified the week of March 16.

Best of Luck!



***** UPDATE *****
Monday 03/15/2009
This giveaway is now closed.

The winners of the Parent I-C-E iPhone app will be contacted via email. Congratulations!!!

Be sure to check out DoubleTapApps and the wide variety of iPhone apps they have available.

Twilight has "sucked" me in!

What is all the fuss about Twilight?

I became intrigued when several of my mommy girlfriends spent their holidays this past year with maybe 4 hours or less of sleep per night. The sleep deprivation was not even related to any of their kids. Not the newborn who constantly wants to nurse or the toddler who might have woken up from a bad dream.

It was because they would rather read Twilight, than sleep! I could not understand why they would subject themselves to such sleep deprivation. I relish any chance I can get to sleep.

So at the recommendation of several girlfriends, I thought I would go ahead and pick up the novel Twilight by Stephanie Meyer. I figure, heck, I haven't read a fiction novel (especially a good one) since I was probably in high school or college anyway. Sad, I know.

After the first 3 chapters or so, at first I still could not figure out what all the fuss was about. It's just a book about vampires and I'm not even into those types of books. Then halfway through the book, instantly I got sucked in! No pun intended. I could not put it down. I just had to finish it. So, here I was... sleep deprived so that I could finish this amazing novel in 3 nights. My girlfriends were right!

It's now become an obsession and I am almost finished with reading New Moon, book 2 of the Twilight saga.

To top it off, over the weekend I just had to see the movie, Twilight on the big screen, before it was no longer in Theaters.

Didn't think it could happen to me, but yes I now understand the euphoria and I too have suddenly gotten this surge of adrenaline to get through all of the novels that complete the Twilight saga. I'm picking up Eclipse & Breaking Dawn at the bookstore during lunch today.

AND as you can see from the counter below, I am also anxiously looking forward to New Moon in Theaters, later this year.




*** UPDATE ***

02/25/09 - Official Movie Logo & Release Date Announced!

BLING BLING Holiday Giveaway!

Welcome to this MicroBlogginMom’s FIRST blog giveaway!
chicBuds Swarovski Crystal Earphones (retail value $49)


-----------------------------------------------------------------

***** UPDATE *****
Sunday 11/30/08
This giveaway is now closed.


The winner of the chicBuds Swarovski Crystal Earphones is… Karen Hartzell. Congratulations!!!

But wait… in the spirit of giving, and since I am so giddy that I got to do my very first giveaway… I get to make you all winners! chicBuds/ChicBlvd is letting me offer you $5 OFF a pair of chicBuds or any purchase over $25 from ChicBlvd. Use offer code: MICROBLOGGINMOM. Offer good until Friday Dec 5, 2008. NEW!!! for an even better deal on a pair of chicBuds use code CHICBUDS30 for 30% OFF, but you have to act fast, this code is only good until Wednesday Dec 3, 2008.

Enjoy Cyber Monday and Happy Shopping!

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Last month, while surfing CyberSpace and TwitterUniverse this MicroBlogginMom found some much needed BLING! This week, the chicBuds I ordered arrived. First impression, out of the box... so cute and very chic... I LOVE IT! I use it with my iPod and my computer at work. I recently used it with my iPhone, when I forget to charge my Bluetooth headset. I have them with me pretty much all the time now and I have received several complements at work & from friends. My 4 year old daughter saw it and said… Mommy I love your sparkles!

I think every woman deserves a little bling now and then, so I am so excited because thanks to the sponsorship of chicBuds & ChicBlvd, I get to award one lucky winner with a pair of chicBuds.


Chic features include:

• Bling-Bling - nearly 100 genuine Swarovski crystal pieces
• Built-in retractor keeps the cords from tangling – no more tangled cords in your purse.
• Built-in retractor allows you to adjust the cord to 5 various lengths – perfect for any activity
• The fastening clip allows you to clip on the buds so the cords don't bounce around or clip them to your purse so you don’t loose them.
• Compatible with iPods, iPhones, MP3 players, DVD players, airplane connectors...basically almost any listening device.
• Top top it off, these very chic earphones are popping up in all of the cool magazines as a “hot” holiday gift. Check them out on Us Magazine & Cosmopolitan.

Impressed! Okay, to win your own pair of chicBuds… do any or all of the following:

1. Follow on Twitter @MicroBlogginMom, @chicBuds, @chicBlvd, AND @chicExecs. Then let me know that you did.
2. Give thanks & share the BLING by asking your friends to tweet the following quote on Twitter: “I entered to win a pair of @chicBuds from @MicroBlogginMom because of [INSERT YOUR @TWITTERNAME] . You can enter to win too at http://tinyurl.com/58z44k.” You AND your friend will each get ONE entry.
3. Blog about this giveaway on your own personal blog & include links to both chicBuds and MicroBlogginMom. Then come back here and post a comment with a link to your blog post. This is worth FIVE entries.
4. For those who don’t blog or tweet: Visit the chicBuds website. Then let me know which chicBuds you want (if you win) by sending me an email at adiwaly (at) gmail (dot) com or by posting a comment here.
5. BONUS: Search for chicBuds in retail stores – Dillards, Fred Meyer, boutique stores, etc. Take a photo of yourself holding chicBuds with the cute candy-like packaging & email it to me at adiwaly (at) gmail (dot) com so I can post it on my blog. This is worth FIVE entries.

Easy enough, Great! I entered the contest… now what?

• Giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on Saturday, November 29. Random.org will be used to generate a winner from all qualified entries.
• Come back here on Sunday, November 30 to see who the lucky winner is… it could be you!
  

In the meantime:

• Visit chicBuds & ChicBlvd for other very chic holiday gift ideas
• Subscribe to ChicMail – to keep up with the “Girlfriend’s guide to the road of life”
• Subscribe to my Blog feed – to stay up to date with MicroBlogginMom’s “tidbits” “tweets” “links” “cool finds” “short stories” and more
  

Best of Luck!
Gail

Even techie girls want a little BLING!

This MicroBlogginMom just found some much needed BLING this week!Check out chicBuds with genuine Swarovski Crystals! Just ordered mine (black & watermelon pink) and one for my sister (black & grape). I already know she will be jealous when she sees mine, so I decided to get her one too... which I plan to surprise her with for Christmas!

So if you are (or know someone who is) in desperate need of a little chic sparkly bling-bling I encourage you to get it today!

Fabulous deal is to buy them direct at chicBuds. AND if you subscribe to the ChicBlvd newsletter you can save $10 off your order!

Other sites that showcase and/or sell these cool chicBuds: geeksuguar, Charming Chick, & kolobags. I little tweetie also mentioned that these chicBuds can be found at Dillard's retail stores nationwide.

Don't be left out, chicBuds are going to be the must-have girlie girl techie accessory this holiday season.

Fabulous Find… Labels… Labels… Labels!

I’m the type of person who labels everything. I can’t help it, it’s pretty much in my nature. I mostly use a permanent marker on masking tape. And I’ve been known to even write directly on the back of my children’s clothing tags.

When my children started daycare and preschool we were asked to label all of their belongings (and for good reason). I definitely wanted to be sure I got the jacket back that I sent my daughter to school with.

Frustrated with ink washing off & tape peeling I did a quick search on the internet and what I found, I soon fell in love with… great looking, fun, and very durable labels!

• Vinyl stick-on labels that are dishwasher & microwave safe in several sizes. Perfect for bottles, sippy cups, toys, toothbrushes, and more.
• Iron-on labels that withstand extensive machine washing & drying. Perfect for jackets, sweaters, blankets, and more.
• Extra tough stick-on shoe labels. Perfect for my daughters ballet & tap shoes which are identical to the other 12 pairs of dance shoes in her dance class.

So if you are obsessed with labeling, frustrated with losing your child’s jacket, or just want to be able to identify what belongs to your child, then these websites are a must to check out.

• Stuck on You
• Loveable Labels
• Mabel’s Labels

If you know of other online websites or brick & mortar stores where you can purchase quality stick-on or iron-on labels…PLEASE share!