Mommies With Style

I picked up the Palm® Pre Plus last week at the Verizon Store and was really wowed. I am taking part in the  Verizon Palm® Pre™ Plus Mommy Blogger Program and will be testing out the phone for the next month for Mommies With Style. While the phone is terrific, I admit I’m little overwhelmed.

They’re called smartphones for a reason — and I was so excited I was able to turn my phone on and automatically see my missed calls, email, twitter and Facebook notifications at the bottom of my screen. It makes this SAHM feel in touch with the world!  I love the touchscreen and also like that it also has a slide out keyboard. It also features multiple calendar syncing and a 3 mega-pixel camera with a flash.

Phone: I was impressed with the quality of the sound. It was much better than my basic Motorola Flip Phone model. The speakerphone can be accessed right from the touchscreen. In future posts, I will test it out with a bluetooth headset.

Use the touchscreen to select your contacts and to dial numbers. The cool thing is when you take the phone from your ear to hang up, the screen lights up and you can touch the screen to end your call. The phone locks when it’s not in use, so when you get a call, slide your finger up the touchscreen to unlock and answer.
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I’m very excited to announce that I have been chosen as a Verizon Palm® Pre™ Plus Mommy Blogger. I’ll be testing out the new Verizon Palm Pre Plus and blogging/vlogging about my experiences with it from now until the end of March.

The Palm Pre Plus is wonderful for moms (and dads) on the go! It features multiple calendar syncing, a notification panel right on the main screen that will let me know if I missed a call, or have a voicemail or text message. I’ll also be able to add my two email accounts, surf the web AND check my Facebook and Twitter (I’m Nancy_Horn on Twitter).  I spent a lot of time ferrying my four year old to school and to OT and PT — so having a second to check my email/FB/Twitter while I’m waiting for him will be terrific! The Palm Pre Plus also has a great 3 megapixel camera with a flash built in –think of all the great pics I can upload to Mommies With Style!

Click here to see a demo of the Palm Pre Plus. There are a lot more terrific features on this phone — stay tuned for more info!

Verizon supplied me with the new Palm Pre Plus and are paying for 1 month of service, including internet access. No other compensation was received. All opinions expressed are my own.

For him: My husband tells me a good pen not only looks the part, but feels the part. And he’ll look like a stud in the boardroom wtih a Faber-Castell Mondoro Pen. With a barrel made of polished precious resin and the cap and ends created of polished and chrome-plated metal, this masculine pen is a gift to write home about (and he will. With a pen.)

For the techie: The ridiculous amount of wires gathering around our charging station was overwhelming my kitchen, so it was a huge relief to get to test the Powermat, a mat that allows many electronics to charge wirelessly. The pad comes with attachements for cell phones (check yours on the list before buying), ipods, Nintendo DS’ and more. But if you want to lay your electronic device flat on the pad, you’ll need to buy additional attachments that will allow them to charge without a wire. Its a bit of an investment, but so worth it if the wires are making you batty. And for the traveling techie, Powermat released a travel item that folds up and takes up much less space. (By-the-way, you’ll still need to plug the mats in to an outlet.)

For your tween: If she has a DS, then run, run, run to the store and grab her one of the Style Lab games by Ubisoft. It is just so fun to apply and reapply make up with Makeover and to create jewelry in their Jewelry Design game. If she’d prefer a game a little less Diva, try out Ubisoft’s Imagine series which includes games like Zookeeper and Soccer Captain.

For your 5ish-year-old: While my 6-year-old still hasn’t lost a tooth, he’ll be prepared to lose one because he’s getting a pillow from The Wiggly Tooth Factory. Its an adorable mini-pillow-sized tooth with a pocket, available in fun fabrics with a so cute face. Someday (and likely, his dentist predicts, close to his 7th birthday) he’ll hide his tooth in the pocket to be replaced by a magical toothfairy (who already has a stack of golden dollars, hidden away.) Anyway, I know its a little close to Valentine’s Day, but this one is so cute that I had to mention it. So order now. Because even if you don’t gift on Valentine’s Day, you just never know when you’re going to need a Tooth Fairy Pillow, and you don’t want to be without!

For your Mother-in-Law: We gave my MIL a Reisenthel Shopper e2 bag for Christmas this year (and kept another for us.) She just melted over this bag. Its perfect for the weekend traveler, the shopper and, well, the bag lady. This bag expands, bottoms up, allowing for you to fill your bag more than you planned. Which you know your Mother-in-Law is likely to do.

For your Preschooler: My 4-year-old grabbed the Yubo lunchbox as soon as he saw it. He loves pretend-play and the box looks like a little piece of fancy luggage. So when he opened it and realized he could fit a sandwich and two snacks inside, he was in heaven. (It comes with containers). Plus, it comes with a freezer pack made to fit inside perfectly. All the pieces fit perfectly inside and the lid slides right on. The bonus feature: you can change the look with interchangable faceplates.

For baby: California Baby’s I Love You! Collection offers massage oil, spritzer and bubble bath made with all-natural, organic aromatherapeutic products specially blended to encourage relaxation and relieve tension. Baby will love the attention. And afterhours you and hubby may want to borrow it.

 We wish you all special time with your loved ones this Valentine’s Day!

Thanks to California Baby, Yubo, Reisenthel, Wiggly Tooth Factory, Ubisoft, Faber-Castell, Powermat and their agents for providing samples for Mommies with Style.

My husband’s reaction when he checked out his latest shirt from Marine Layer? 

“I want to be that guy in the hammock.”  Marine Layer’s logo of a guy hanging out in a hammock epitomizes what most guys (at least my guy, and most that I know) want to be doing at any given moment – relaxing.  And their clothing reflects the feel of the logo – chill and comfortable.  From classy polos to stylish tees, there’s something for every guy at Marine Layer.

Use coupon code stylish daddy to receive 15% off plus free shipping on your order.

I don’t know about you, but I always have a tough time shopping for the men in my life.  If you’re struggling to find a gift for an expectant dad this holiday season, here are a few ideas to get you started.

Kalencom Daddy Diaper Bags – The “man bag” has been given a bad rap.  But when it comes down to it, a new dad planning any type of excursion with his newborn baby needs some way of transporting all the necessities.  Kalencom has some great daddy diaper bags that look like something he’d carry his laptop in.  In fact, unless you opened the bag and saw the contents, no one would ever know it was a diaper bag.  My daddy-to-be will be sporting Kalencom’s Urban Sling when our little one arrives next year…and he’s kind of excited about it!  Kalencom is offering a special 15% off discount for the next week.  Just enter coupon code STYLE4MOM at checkout.

+ECO Clima Control – For the gadget guy in your life, Oregon Scientific’s +ECO Clima Control would make a great gift.  This environment-friendly, weather-monitoring clock converts solar energy into its source of power.  The sleek design of this “weather station” is made up mostly of a large LCD display showing time and date, outside temperature and humidity, inside temperature and humidity for up to three separate rooms, and (my favorite) the weather forecast for the next 12-24 hours.  This device is extremely convenient for a variety of reasons.  1) It doesn’t need to be plugged in.  2) I know the outside temperature without stepping outside.  3) I can plan how to dress myself (and the baby) for the day based on the forecast.  4) I’ll be able to always know the exact temperature in the nursery without opening the door.  That’s a definite plus!  The +ECO Clima Control retails for $119.99 and comes with the base unit which is a sensor, an outside sensor as well as one additional sensor for another room. 

What to Expect When You’re Expected: A Fetus’s Guide to the First Three Trimesters - Most guys appreciate a good laugh.  And I’m pretty certain that all guys would prefer some good comedy over reading an informational guide to pregnancy.  What to Expect When You’re Expected: A Fetus’s Guide to the First Three Trimesters isn’t going to give dads-to-be much medical information or the science behind what’s going on inside your body.  It does however provide a very entertaining and often times jaw-dropping guide to pregnancy… for the baby.  Written by The Daily Show’s producer David Javerbaum, this book opens with a foreward by the Stork and answers such pressing questions as, “My mother just took a sip of white wine.  Am I going to end up looking like some Chernobyl baby now?” and “I know I live in mommy, but am I in one of her nicer neighborhoods?”  Sprinkled with totally irrelevant charts, statistics and photos of Antonio Banderas (strange, I know), this book is a hilarious and quick read – though only for those with a great sense of humor.

Rebel Ink Baby - New dads love trying to make their kids look cool.  And for those of you who have seen “The Hangover”, Carlos is all I can picture as I’m writing this.  This year, if there’s an expectant dad on your gift-giving list, help him out with a newborn onesie from Rebel Ink Baby.  Their collection of classic black and white onesies and tees sport sassy expressions like, “Beastie Babies – Fight for Your Right to Potty”, “For Those About to Walk, We Salute You”, and “Party Tonight My Crib 3am”.  Rebel Ink Baby’s stylish tees are 100% super soft cotton and available in a short-sleeved snapsuit or a long-sleeved tee and come in sizes 0-24 months and toddler tee sizes 2T-5T.  There are also pants, hats and pacifiers to match!  Unleash your baby’s (or daddy’s) inner rocker today!  Enter code MOM15 at checkout to receive 15% off.  Offer is good through 2/28/10.

These companies provided samples of their products for review on MWS.

Since the week before I even knew I was pregnant, I’ve been hungry.  I’ll never forget begging my mom to take me to a diner the day before I took my pregnancy test.  After inhaling my meal and part of hers, she was convinced that I was “with child”.  She was right…and I haven’t stopped eating since.

For someone who has always had a small appetite, I’ve had a lot of fun eating while pregnant.  However, it has been a challenge to answer my cravings while simutaneously fulfilling all the nutritional requirements of growing a baby.

Recently, I was sent a free copy of Feed the Belly: The Pregnant Mom’s Healthy Eating Guide, and man…I wish someone had handed me this book months ago!  Frances Largeman-Roth, RD – a dietician, mom, and Health magazine editor – wrote the book so that it was completely understandable, totally skim-able, and well worth the read.  It covers everything from what nutrients a pregnant woman needs to how to combat a caffeine addiction.  The book discusses the best diet for morning sickness and the healthiest options for dining out.  The guide also includes:

• a 7-day tear-out eating plan
• stay-fit secrets with yoga poses
• pointers on when to choose organic
• advice on the safest seafood selections
• how to pick foods to get the nutrients you need most

My favorite part of the book is the last section – 65 mouthwatering recipes organized by the cravings a typcial pregnant woman has: Sweet, Meaty, Salty/Savory, Spicy, and Thirst-Quenching.

My tastebuds have been screaming for “sweet” since the end of the first month.  So, the first recipe on my list to try was Chunky Monkey Muffins.  They certainly did not disappoint!  How could you go wrong with a chocolately banana and peanut butter muffin?  As an added bonus, the muffins are loaded with protein, fiber, and also pack in some omega-3’s.  The Peach and Blackberry Crumble is next up in my kitchen.

If you’ve got a bun in the oven, Feed the Belly is the only healthy eating guidebook that you may need.  It would also be a great read for any dad who enjoys cooking…or better yet, enjoys having a happy wife.

Dad’s-to-be shouldn’t have to endure the “pains” of wearing uncomfortable street clothes while comforting a wife in labor.  That was Robert Nickell’s philosophy behind the creation of DaddyScrubs. 

Anyone who has ever owned a pair of scrubs can attest to their comfort.  And when I received a pair from DaddyScrubs, my husband immediately disrobed and jumped into them.  He spent the rest of the day with “I’m the Daddy” emblazoned on his back.

With these DaddyScrubs there will be no mistaking who’s the daddy in the delivery room.  Needless to say, my husband’s DaddyScrubs are the first item on our list of what to pack in the hospital bag. 

With all the well-wishes and gifts a mom-to-be can receive, I know that sometimes dad can feel left out.  DaddyScrubs, priced at $39.95 per set, are a great gift for dad providing both comfort and pride!  And when scrubs aren’t appropriate attire, you can also buy “I’m the Daddy” t-shirts for $19.95. 

Enter Coupon Code FSG1 at checkout to receive free shipping!

When I was offered the opportunity for Heart & Stone Jewelry to create a piece of jewelry just for me, I was so touched and ecstatic. I was so excited because their handmade pieces are truly works of art. When I took a look at their Gallery, I was literally in awe over their jewelry. They create such unique, beautiful pieces that are meaningful and stylish that you’ll want to wear your special piece everyday.

When I received my Custom Charm Necklace, I was flabbergasted! My work of art consisted of a beautiful rectangular shaped charm with my son’s name on it, an oval shaped charm with my daughter’s name on it and their birth dates inscribed on the back of each piece which was so special to me. I love how the edges on each of the charms have a groove around them.  Also attached to the necklace was a Gemstone Drop to represent my husbands birthstone and Peace and Heart Symbol Charms to represent what I love. I literally have worn it a dozen times and have yet to not receive a compliment on the days that I’ve worn it. It is truly so meaningful to me and I love wearing it close to my heart. I will treasure it forever. The quality of each charm is superior (made from 100% Recycled Silver) and is sturdy and unique.

Take a look at creating a Custom Charm Necklace for yourself or someone you love. Start by selecting a sterling chain in any length and then add as many charms as you like. Charms and Gems can be added, removed and rearranged. They can be added all at once or over time. This is fabulous if you want to create a different look every time you wear your piece or if you add a new addition to your family! You can create your own meaningful, personalized jewelry by adding a name, word, initial or date to be imprinted on the front and the back can be personalized as well. Symbol, Birthstone and Mini Tag charms can be added, as well as precious and semi-precious Gemstone Drops to add color & sparkle. They also create other unique pieces as well: Women’s Stacking Rivet Rings, Men’s Rivet Rings, Men’s Custom Necklaces, “Be the Change” Charm Necklace (25% of the sale price will be donated to America’s Promise Alliance Organization) and Autism Awareness “Solve the Puzzle” Necklace (25% of the sale price will be donated to Autism Awareness Charities). Whichever piece you choose, it will arrive in their pretty custom gift box made from environmentally friendly sources and packaged with eco-friendly materials.

Heart & Stone’s handmade Custom Charm Necklaces offer endless possibilities. Make it your own by creating a personalized, meaningful piece that you or someone you love will treasure forever; something you’ll want to wear everyday; something you can add to over time. Hint to your husband for the holidays or create one for him!  This is the one gift you both will cherish for a lifetime.

Use code MWS at checkout to save 10% off of your purchase until November 15th, 2009. In order to guarantee delivery before December 24th, all orders must be placed by December 1st, 2009.

The final tallies of Weight Watchers‘ Lose-A-Palooza are in!  Lose-A-Palooza, held on September 15, was a one day Social Networking event about spreading the word about the Lose For Good™ campaign. Weight Watchers will donating $23,530 to their charitable partners – Share Our Strength and Action Against Hunger.  For more information about Lose For Good and ways you can still get involved visit weightwatchers.com/loseforgood. Lose for Good ends on October 17th, but you can still donate food to Weight Watchers locations or your local food bank.

The Big Apple Circus is coming to NYC! While you can’t run away to join it,  you can enter our Big Apple Circus Giveaway! This year’s show is called “Bello is Back”.

We are giving away one Family 4 Pack of tickets with Mezzanine seats (No seat is more than 50 feet away from the main stage).

The Big Apple Circus will be held Oct. 22- Jan 18, 2010, under the Big Top in Damrosh Park (near Lincoln Center).
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