By the way… if you haven’t yet, RSVP now for our live video Spreecast we’re running in the Microsoft Suite at BlissDom’12. We are giving away some incredible prizes, including a Windows LAPTOP!!!

Mom Bloggers (and Dad Bloggers too!) post a photo on your site, link up and find others… Wordless Wednesday is tons of fun. (And I know it says “wordless” but I just can’t bear to not write anything! If I had created it, I probably would have named it something different! LOL So feel to link up your word-full or word-less Wednesday photos!)

Leave the URL to your photo (clearly mine are never truly “wordless”) and then visit others!

Here is a fun thumbnail linky:

 

And here is a basic linky if you prefer your linkies the good old fashioned way!

 

Thanks to Uisce for creating Wordless Wednesday.

Written by Janice, co-founder of this Mom Blog 5 Minutes for Mom

If you like this post, we would love it if you gave it a Stumble, Tweet, Pin, or Facebook Like. Thanks so much! We really appreciate your support of 5 Minutes for Mom.

Did you notice the “My Moodies” link in the navigation bar on the site? 5 Minutes for Mom is partnering with My Moodies to bring you animated content for both moms and daughters.

What is My Moodies?

From Reginald Morris
Creator/Executive Producer
MyMoodiesTV:

My Moodies is a website that was created for moms and daughters. When they wrote the pilot episode of My Moodies they did so desiring to help individuals who find themselves the target of bullying. Creators had the main character, Ragena triumphantly face her school bully, Korrie Frost and put her in her place. Do you think this character’s example could be enough to cause other kids who are contemplating taking their life to have a different thought. Maybe this will inspire them to reach out to a teacher or speak to a parent instead of choosing a scarf to end their life.

To watch the first episode, just visit the My Moodies page. While you are there, be sure to click around and look at the other cool stuff available.

• Ragena wear from the My Moodies store
• Grab a free subscription to Tween Mom Magazine
• and more

New episodes of My Moodies are posted on Mondays so be sure and watch each week to see the latest episode.

This is part of a paid promotional campaign for My Moodies. All opinions listed are our own.

My favorite gift to give children is always the gift of reading. A lifelong bookworm myself, I find a particular joy in matching titles to the interests of the child- hoping that they will fall in love with the images and story, and take comfort rereading the pages within again and again.

Books can be a tricky gift to give, though. You never really know which ones the recipient already owns (or might receive at any given gift-giving occasion). And a kid who’s all about dinosaurs today might decide tomorrow that trains are his latest obsession.

But a story that’s all about THEM? That mentions their name and little customized details about their own life story? You can be sure that a personalized book with a child’s name in print will catch and hold their attention, and that there will be no duplicates on their bookshelf.

I See Me!’s award-winning personalized children’s books are as unique as the child that receives them. Offering selections for boys and girls ages 0-12, these customized books would make great gifts for birthdays, holidays and baby showers; for newborns and new big brothers or sisters.

For my own niece, Eva, I received a board book celebrating her 2nd birthday later this year (I have no willpower; Eva got it early). The book is exactly the right size for her little hands to hold, and the pages are nice and sturdy. I fully expect that it will hold up to the intense love that a toddler can give.

I love the artwork, which is bright and whimsical and cheery without being cheesy, and the story is adorable: woodland creatures are all atwitter, preparing for Eva’s birthday party. It’s engaging and fun to read aloud- and at this age, when the same stories tend to get read out loud A LOT, that’s an important factor. There’s nothing worse than reading a boring book aloud a mind-numbing number of times.

Even my decidedly not-bookish husband was chuckling and nodding approvingly at the cuteness of the graphics and plotline.

I can’t bring myself to write inside books, so my preference has been to paste bookplates into gifted titles as a personal touch; a practice that is admittedly pretty antiquated but means a lot to me. I do know younger kids just can’t resist tugging at them. Eva’s board book brilliantly has a dedication printed directly onto the inside cover which reads,  This book was made especially for Eva Marie who arrived on September 14, 2010.

You can have the gift-giver’s name inscribed as well, along with the year the book was given. This little detail- the permanent “bookplate”- is absolutely my favorite feature of I See Me!’s customized books.

I See Me!’s selection of high-quality, durable storybooks (including pirate tales and fairy tales) can be customized starting at $24.95. They also carry gift sets (books paired with stuffed animals or t-shirts), personalized floor puzzles and a My Very Own Name app for the iPad. Any of these gifts are sure to put a smile on a kid’s face, and be a gift they’ll reach for again and again.

Enter to win

One 5 Minutes for Mom reader is going to get her very own copy of an I See Me book. To enter, visit the site and then come back here and leave a comment letting us know which book you would choose.

This giveaway will end on March 4th and a winner will be chosen by random.org and announced in the weekly Around the Blogosphere post.

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of a I See Me Book to review. All opinions listed are my own.

Robin Elton is a real food advocate, wilderness champion, general loudmouth and Honey Badger Mom to three backyard naturalists. Community Manager for Fitfluential LLC, she is the Twitterific day-to-day voice of @FitFluential. Robin writes about the non-toxic healthy lifestyle, the restorative benefits of the outdoors, and the power of play at simple. green. organic. happy.

Robin Elton is a real food advocate, wilderness champion, general loudmouth and Honey Badger Mom to three backyard naturalists. Community Manager for Fitfluential LLC, she is the Twitterific day-to-day voice of @FitFluential. Robin writes about the non-toxic healthy lifestyle, the restorative benefits of the outdoors, and the power of play atsimple. green. organic. happy.

Friday, February 24th 11am PT/2pm ET, Microsoft Office and Windows will be with 5 Minutes for Mom LIVE from the Microsoft booth at BLISSDOM for a Spreecast!

We will be chatting via web cast with you and other Windows Champion bloggers about life online as a blogger and a parent and how Windows products can help meet your needs. We will be discussing the Windows products that Microsoft is featuring at Blissdom, answering your questions, AND giving away some FABULOUS prizes to the attendees of the Spreecast, including a Windows Laptop!

As the #Blissdom tweets pepper your Twitter stream, and you find yourself wishing that you were boarding a plane and heading to Nashville too, we have some GOOD NEWS for YOU!

We are bringing some Blissdom fun LIVE from Nashville right to YOU with a very exciting Spreecast sponsored by Microsoft.

YES — during this Spreecast, we will be giving away a copy of Microsoft Office Home and Business, a World-Class HD Optics web cam, an Arc Touch Mouse, AND, Acer’s most mobile and responsive notebook ever, an Aspire S Ultrabook™ Windows PC!

Enter to Win One of These Fabulous Prizes

During the live Spreecast with Microsoft Office and Windows, we will be giving away the following prizes:

GRAND PRIZE:

Acer Aspire S

Enjoy life on the go in an instant with the Aspire S Ultrabook™ — Acer’s most mobile and responsive notebook ever. This techno-wonder comes in an ultra-aerodynamic, super-slim design, yet delivers everything you expect from a standard-size notebook.

 
PRIZES:

Microsoft Office Home and Business 2010

Microsoft Office Home and Business helps you stay connected and productive — at home, at the office, and on the road.

I can’t work without Microsoft Office on my machines! Every PC I ever use has to have Microsoft Office Home and Business on it. Love it!

Microsoft LifeCam Show

World-Class HD Optics with a glass element lens provides vibrant, rich video quality that is always focused-even in dim lighting.

I haven’t had a chance to try out this fabulous camera — but oh I want to! This ultra-thin web cam has a 2.0 megapixel sensor, a focus depth of field from 21” to 60”, video effects and a noise-cancelling Microphone. Sounds incredible!

Arc Mouse

Arc Touch Mouse’s innovative design allows for quick use and storage. Curve it comfortably to get started. Then smoothly glide your finger up or down the scroll pad. Arc Touch Mouse responds precisely to the speed of your finger movement, using Haptic feedback (light vibration that signals scrolling speed) to scan through documents or web pages as quickly—or as cautiously—as needed, entirely by feel.

How to Win…

In order to enter to win, simply join the Spreecast and winners will be chosen from the attendees section. (If you are attending Blissdom, come join us at the Microsoft booth in Cheekwood B during the live webcast.)

So JOIN US, Friday, February 24th, at 2pm Eastern/ 11am Pacific for our special Spreecast with Microsoft and Windows. You can ask questions live via chat OR choose to come on camera yourself to talk!

(Open to US and Canadian shipping addresses. Please see our terms and conditions for more contest information. This giveaway is void where prohibited.)

Please RSVP here for a reminder to join the web cast: http://www.spreecast.com/events/5m4m-live-w-microsoft-from-blissdom-2012 and let me know if you have any questions before the Spreecast! Hope to see you online then!

5 Minutes for Mom’s Upcoming Spreecast:

Live With Microsoft at Blissdom 2012

Friday, February 24th, 2 pm ET/ 11 am PT

RSVP for reminder: http://www.spreecast.com/events/5m4m-live-w-microsoft-from-blissdom-2012

Feel free to spread the word! *smile* We would love it if you tweeted or Facebooked about this upcoming Spreecast.

Thanks so much! We really appreciate your support of 5 Minutes for Mom.

P.S. Leave your Microsoft Windows and Office related questions below in the comment section or tweet them to us with the #MSFTBlissdom hashtag. We want to make sure we get to your question!

Written by Janice Croze, co-founder of 5 Minutes for Mom.

We want to get to know you better — Tweet with us: @5minutesformom, find us on Facebook: Facebook.com/5minutesformom, or join our newsletter list.

Please Note: We are Windows Champion Bloggers and Office Ambassadors. Microsoft is sponsoring this webcast. As always, our opinions are 100% our own.

Lolli here…My family lives near Washington DC, so we often take day trips down to the Capitol, despite the fact that I know that sight seeing is a challenge with a bunch of kids in tow.

This past weekend, however, I decided to branch out beyond Washington DC and introduce my kids to the wonders of New York City. I have had the chance to take the train from Maryland to New York several times, and I adore the city. I figured that the train ride would be an adventure by itself for my kids (who usually only travel by car or metro), and the day in New York would be the icing on the cake.
 

On the ferry to see the Statue of Liberty

Tips to make a family day trip more enjoyable

After 14 years of taking my big family on day trips (between Pennsylvania and Virginia), I’ve come up with a few tips and tricks to make the most out of the day.

Plan, plan, plan. Map out a route. Know where you want to go and how long each activity will take. Definitely check ahead to make sure everything is open and double check closing times. There’s nothing quite as disappointing as arriving at a location just to find out that they are closed for the season…or that they just closed 30 minutes ago.

We didn't anticipate all of the lines and almost missed seeing the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

Pack plenty of snacks and water. Packing a lunch can be a huge money-saver, but even if I plan on eating out, I have found that a bag of snacks can be a life-saver. A bag of twizzlers or a few fruit snacks can calm a kid who has had “enough” and a little snack helps to pass the time while waiting in a long line.

Schedule wisely. I’ve found that it’s usually best to schedule the most active things when the kids are the most fresh and energetic….either in the morning or right after they’ve eaten a good lunch.

Schedule some down-time, too. I try to remember that as much as my feet hurt when I’m walking all over town, my kids are going to feel 10 times worse. Or else they’re just less likely to hide their fatigue and soreness. Spending some time at a park where they can run around care-free or lay down on a picnic blanket, or scheduling a movie where they can relax in the dark can give kids a boost to keep going. Sometimes a train or metro ride is just what the doctor ordered.

Dress everyone in bright colors. I can’t tell you how many times my son’s red baseball cap or my daughter’s bright blue jacket have come in handy for keeping track of my brood.

Remember that your kids might not love everything you think is cool. Sometimes there will be duds. Just chalk those experiences up to learning, and get a feel for those activities that your kids enjoy the most.

Not everyone was thrilled with the Statue of Liberty

What are your best tips for tackling a family day trip?
 

Calling All Tacklers!

We’re looking for YOU – guest bloggers to post about your own tackles right here. If you are interested in showing off your tackles (we all need some tips and ideas!) then send a quick email to lolli.5m4m at gmail (link in the About Lolli section at the bottom of the post). Thanks for your inspiring tackles!!

Mom Bloggers — what are you tackling this week?

Link up your Tackle it Tuesday post…

Tell us what you’re up to with all your other tackles… housework and otherwise… add your link to your tackle in the Linky below!

We are Tackling Our To-Do Lists Together and making housework bloggable — Each week on Tuesday, we are posting before and after pictures of a project or trouble area that we tackled this week.

Find out more about how Tackle It Tuesday began.
The project can be little or big – whatever you want.

Basically, Tackle It Tuesday is about giving ourselves incentive, deadlines and satisfaction in tackling all our tasks — whether household or otherwise.

If you tackled a project this week, just add a comment and add your link below.

Written by 5 Minutes for Mom managing editor, Lolli. You can find me blogging at Better in Bulk and tweeting at @1momof5.

Are you excited to see the new movie adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax? We absolutely love Dr. Seuss in in our house and I for one am anxiously awaiting the newest movie. Of course movies are fun but nothing compares to the books. Our current favorite is the original Cat in the Hat book. In fact my 3 year old can recite it from memory. It’s so fun to watch him read and love some of my old favorites.

The folks at Target are also excited about Dr. Seuss and reading! This Saturday, Target stores are hosting free in-store reading events in celebration of the National Education Association’s (NEA’s) Read Across America program.

Each event will include a reading nook inspired by Dr. Seuss’ “The Lorax,” a reusable Target bag filled with activities for children, readings by Target team members, and more. The event will be from 9-11am this Saturday, February 25th!

Read Across America is also encouraging families to read together on (or around) March 2nd to celebrate the birthday of our beloved Dr. Seuss.

Find your local Target here and check out this exciting event on Saturday!

Enter to win One of Five Prize Packs

If you can’t make it to your local Target this Saturday, you also have a chance to win one of five price packs including    Dr. Seuss books and one reusable Target bag right here on 5 minutes for Mom! To enter the contest, Just share your favorite Dr. Seuss book in the comments to enter! 

This giveaway will end February 26th and winners will be announced in our weekly Around the Blogosphere post.

Target provided me with these giveaway packages to share with my readers at no cost.

Written by 5 Minutes for Mom Contributor, Andrea Updyke. You can find me blogging at Lil-Kid-Things and tweeting at @AndreaUpdyke.

Although All That I Am by Anna Funder is a novel, it is based on the true story of four young Germans (Ruth, Dora, Hans, and Ernst Toller) who fled their country in order to keep raising the alarm about what was happening in their homeland as Adolf Hitler came to power.

Ultimately, it is the story of how an entire world can close their eyes and ears to oppression and danger.

The book opens in 2001 in Australia, where Ruth is living out her days alone. As she faces the approaching end of her life, she is remembering the past more and more. When her doctor tells her she may be losing her sight, she ruminates:

I had very good eyes once. It is another thing to say what I saw. In my experience, it is entirely possible to watch something happen and not to see it at all.

Ernst Toller was a Prussian Jew who fought in WWI, suffered a complete breakdown due to the experience, and later was imprisoned for several years for leading a socialist revolution. In All That I Am, Funder shows him in New York in 1939, where he continued to campaign against the Nazi regime. Despite this outspokenness, there were times in his life when Toller was rendered virtually mute by all that he had seen and heard. Toller says of a fellow resident from the psychiatric hospital, “He addresses me without waiting for an answer, as if being mute were an entirely appropriate reaction to this world.”

We learn about Dora and Hans’ lives through Ruth and Toller, perhaps giving us an idea of how their stories might end. We see the love between Ruth and Hans, and between Dora and Toller, although their natures and their ideals make the relationships less than traditional.

As Toller recalls his complicated affair with Dora, he reflects, “Our love was like a carpenter’s spirit level, each of us holding an end up so hard, fighting to keep that trembling bubble in sight.” Hans and Ruth seemed to be a bit more stable, although they all had their secrets.

This book is, first and foremost, a beautifully written novel which draws us in to the hearts and lives of people who lived and loved amidst some of the most horrific circumstances in recent history. It is also an exploration of how a world can avoid seeing or hearing what is happening until it is almost too late to do anything about it.

The exceptional way in which Funder has produced an amazing novel while also opening our eyes and ears to the world of pre-WWII Germany is why I am calling All That I Am a 5-Star Read, just as fellow 5 Minutes for Books reviewer Elizabeth did in her recent review of the nonfiction book Stasiland: Stories from Behind the Berlin Wall by the same author.

We have 3 copies of All That I Am to share with our readers. To enter, simply leave a comment below. We’ll announce the winners in this column on March 5th.

• The Girl Who Was on Fire, Hunger Games Movie edition winner is #21 Kate, The Parchment Girl.

A review copy of this book was provided by HarperCollins. 5 Minutes for Books reviewer Trish blogs about autism, books and daily life at In So Many Words.

Do you love beautiful designs? Or simple everyday finds that just make you feel good?

Then JJasmin Interiors is the site to visit! Whether you are looking for an interior designer or wanting to do it yourself with some awesome ideas – her blog has it all.

Filled with wonderful ideas and ways to repurpose unused items you are sure to find something for you.

Right now JJasmin Interiors is having a Friend It Forward Giveaway as a way to gain more followers. And let me tell you it is one incredible giveaway! One winner will receive a $150 gift card to Williams-Sonoma, along with the cookbook entitled “Cooking for Friends” from Williams-Sonoma. Entering is very simple, all you have to do is follow the blog and leave a comment.

You can follow JJasmin Interiors by clicking here. JJasmin Interiors can also be found on Facebook and Pinterest.

This post is part of a paid promotion from JJasmin Interiors. All opinions are our own.

OH shoes. How I do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

Shoes are the perfect accessory. They are for everyone. It doesn’t matter if I am in my fat pants or slimmer than ever, shoes always take my fashion mood to the next level.

This season, as a mom of two boys I need comfort. I am often baby-wearing my 6 month old so I need to be able to be surefooted and stable. But that doesn’t mean I can’t look cute! I jumped at the chance to try out some adorable leopard print flats from the new CL by Laundry line and I can’t wait to tell you all about them!

Quality

These flats are sturdy and built to last. The materials are soft yet stable and I love that they are satin lined. I also really like the rubber soles so I don’t slip.

Price

At just $44.99 these shoes are a steal! Honestly, for the quality I feel that they are definitely reasonably priced. And this is coming from someone who more often than not shops at chain stores that may or may not also sell bananas.

Style

Like I said, my life is very much based in function right now. I am ok with that, but I instantly get a boost when I wear leopard print. And it doesn’t matter that I am not yet at my pre-pregnancy weight. My shoes will always fit.

Fit

The fit of these shoes is great. They are very comfortable and fit well. I like the little bit of elastic on the sides because I have high arches and sometimes they not play well with flat shoes. My only complaint is the slight rubbing on the back of my heel that sometimes happens with new shoes. I have no doubt that this will go away once I break them in more.

Be sure to check out the other new arrivals from Chinese Laundry and score a couple new styles for Spring!

Win a pair! 

One 5 Minutes for Mom reader is going to get her chance to win a pair of shoes from Chinese Laundry. To enter, leave a comment here letting us know which pair you would love to win.

This giveaway will end on March 4th and a winner will be chosen by Random.org and announced in our weekly Around the Blogosphere post.

Disclosure: I received a pair of flats from Chinese Laundry in order to write my review. All opinions stated are my own.

Written by 5 Minutes for Mom Contributor, Andrea Updyke. You can find me blogging at Lil-Kid-Things and tweeting at @AndreaUpdyke.

Welcome to our weekly roundup here at 5 Minutes Around the Blogosphere.

As you know, you can come back all week and add a post or giveaway to our Linky. Be sure to check back often, as new links will be added daily. You don’t want to miss out on something fun.

What’s been going on at 5 Minutes for Mom?

• Quality Content Can’t Be Free …Why Advertisers are Good For Blogs
• How Mom Bloggers Can “Get It All Done”
• Prevent Medicine Abuse In Your Home in Five Steps
• The Dish. . What’s For Dinner?
• Turn Spelling Homework Into a Valentine’s Day Activity
• Kiddieo Mall-A Place to Sell Your Kids Clothing
• Family Favorite Whole Wheat Pizza Rolls
• Do You Wish You Were In Better Shape?
• Checking in With the Sisters-Be My Valentine
• Pan Am: Sneak Peak at the Season Finale
• The Best Local Deals Can Be Found With Daily Scoup
• Best Kid Alternatives to Grown Up Gadgets
• Have you checked out the current deals featured at 5 Minutes for Deals?

Giveaways at 5 Minutes for Mom

• Day 2 Day Printing 1,000 business cards (2/20)
• Clearly Fresh Bags (2/23)
• Sons of Grace (10 winners) (2/24)
• Safe Sleep by Halo (2/24)
• From Blah to Awe: Shaking Up A Boring Faith (2/27)
• $150 Craftastic Giveaway from Hygloss (2/29)
• Soothe N Groove Mobile from Tiny Love (3/1)
• Jamm Products Door Jamb (25 Winners) (3/3)

Giveaway Winners Announced!

Giveaways galore! We’ve got more winners to announce for giveaways that ended this past week. Congratulations to all our winners! Emails have been sent…

The winner of the  Bible 360 Review and Giveaway is comment #12 Randy.

The winner of the T-Tap Program is comment #8 Stacie Fontinell.

The winner of the Office Program for PC is comment #52 Giant Sis.

Please note: all giveaway winners were selected using random.org.

Giveaways Around the Blogosphere

Would you like to share a fun giveaway? Please add it to the Linky below. You can come here any time this week to add in your link. Don’t miss out on the fun. Be sure to visit throughout the week as the linky grows, and more sites are added.

Or if you prefer the traditional linky….

Written by 5 Minutes for Mom Advertising and Communications contact, Jennifer. You can find me blogging at For Such a Time as This and tweeting at @jennifer_sikora.