Blogging Archives - The Mom Maven

Focus at Will the Productivity App You’ve Been Looking For

cindy — Tue, 26 Jan 2016 11:00:37 +0000

Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers.”Sometimes, when you come across a product that improves your work flow, you just need to tell everyone about it! Last year, I was listening to some old episodes of the Go to Girl Social Media & Networking - Natalie Cutler-Welsh" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Go To Girl Podcast, someone mentioned the app Focus at Will. As a music educator I understand some of the ways music effects our brain, learning, concentration and comprehension. Also as a musician and vocalist I cannot work with my favorite music playing. If it has lyrics or if it is a familiar song because I end up singing along and not getting my work done. When I heard about Focus at Will, I knew I had to give it a try.

About Focus at Will

Focus@will is a new neuroscience based music service that helps you focus, reduce distractions and retain information when working, studying, writing and reading. The technology is based on hard science and proven to be extremely effective at extending your attention span. Focus@Will has a unique library of instrumental music that you won’t find anywhere else. Every track has been remixed, re-edited and scientifically remastered specifically for focus enhancement. We’re soothing your fight or flight mechanism, engaging your brain’s limbic system, to increase your attention span and general concentration.

Developed in partnership with leading neuroscientists Dr. Evian Gordon, Dr. Stephen Sideroff (UCLA Professor of Psychology) and ADHD expert and best selling author Dr Ned Hallowell. Trials show typical 12-15% positive increase in focus bio-marker and up to 400% extended session time.

Mom Maven’s Thoughts on Focus at Will

I have been using the service for several months now and I love it! I don’t use it everyday. I use it on days when I have a lot of writing to do or when I am finding myself having trouble concentrating on the task at hand, I go to my Focus at Will app, and get to work. There are many music channels and styles in the app. I have tried several of them. I have found Baroque Piano Beta to be my favorite. Other styles you can choose from are:

Classical
Focus Spa
Up Tempo
Alpha Chill
Classical Piano
Acoustical
Cinematic
Ambient
Water
ADHD Type 1
Oct Beta Test
Cafe Focus Beta
Cafe Creative Beta
Drums and Hums Beta
Drums and Hums Turbo Beta
Drum Zone Turbo Beta
Hand Drums and Hums Beta
Kora Beta
Kora Beta with Entrainment

As you can see, there is a musical style for just about everyone on the Focus at Will app. Also, looking at the screenshots above you have your main screen where you can set your musical style, timer and even skip tracks. Next is the productivity log which shows up when you finish a work session. Third is the graph of how productive your sessions have been. I’m a data nerd so I love this kind of stuff.

Of course, an awesome app like Focus at Will has a subscription fee. BUT, if you click any of the links in this post you will get a FREE 15 day trial first. This way you can kick the tires, test it out and see for yourself how much this app helps you increase your productivity.

Have you tried Focus at Will? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this helpful app.

The post Focus at Will the Productivity App You’ve Been Looking For appeared first on The Mom Maven.

Turn it Up Tuesday 119

cindy — Tue, 29 Dec 2015 01:00:46 +0000

Hello! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and are now gearing up for the new year. I am in full on planning and organizing mode and I hope to accomplish a lot before 2016 rolls in.

I want to let you all know how much I appreciate all of you who take part each week in the Turn it Up Tuesday linky party. I truly enjoy partying with you. I will no longer be hosting the party in 2016 though. I’m sure I’ll still come play with you but you will have to find the linky on one of the other host’s pages from now on. Let’s get to the party!

New Years is only a few days away…can you believe it??!!

What do you plan to do with the remainder of the Holiday season? What are you planning to accomplish in 2016? What are your resolutions? Share all of your amazing posts with us!

And this is the time of the year to share your year-in-review posts…feel free to share them with us! We can’t wait to check them out!

Welcome to the 119th week of Turn It Up Tuesday! Thank you for stopping by and linking up with us this week, and every week, as we have some fun linking up and getting to know each other! We had quite an amazing week last week, and it’s because of all of you! We are so happy to have you all join us for another amazing week!

Turn It Up Tuesdays is all about being happy, excited, energetic…and having fun! Link up all of your favorite posts (old or new) and meet some awesome bloggers in return! Link up your funny stories, DIY posts, recipes, mommy moments — anything at all. We want to laugh, be entertained, be inspired, and have a good time! Thanks so much to everyone that joins us each week and makes this link party the best that it could be!

SPONSOR OF THE MONTH

Our sponsor for December is Laina Turner, as she promotes her new book —
PLAN FOR SUCCESS: A Business Planning Toolkit for Bloggers and Authors.

Do you want to turn your blogging or writing hobby into a business? Do you wish you had a step-by-step guide to making your blog profitable? It starts with a business plan to outline the goals of your blog and the actions to achieve those goals.

Planning for Success: A Business Planning Toolkit for Bloggers and Authors will walk you through each step needed to build a business plan that works. The eBook and companion workbook will give you exercises on each of the important elements in a business plan so when you finish you will have a completed plan for success.

We’re looking for sponsors for 2016! Be sure to sign up, and sponsor us for a month!
Click here to sign up for a month, or two!

Welcome the lovely ladies of Turn It Up Tuesday!

(from the top – left to right)

And welcome our awesome guest hosts for December!

(from the top – left to right)

Maria from Pastels & Macarons | Chris from Sweet Mornings

Interested in being a guest host for the month or becoming a permanent co-host?

Complete the form here! Monthly guest hosts will be chosen on a first come first-serve basis.

Here are the Featured posts from last week!

Mari chose Peppermint & Whipped Vodka Hot Chocolate Recipe from Home Cooking Memories. “This looks tasty like it has just the right amount of kick lol thanks Brandie for the share.”

Mari chose Gooey Peppermint Smore Cookies from Busy Being Jennifer. “I enjoyed Jennifer’s s’mores share I always love to try new ways of this delish treat :)”

Tiffany chose The Best Fried Chicken Sandwich from Happy Valley Chow. “I am definitely missing out on something because I need this sandwich in my life. It looks absolutely amazing – and delicious! Perfect easy dinner or lunch.”

Tiffany chose A Star Wars review for geeks, from an obsessive fan (SPOILERS) from Domestic Bliss Squared. “Because Star Wars. I got to see it on Premier Day and I’m already planning another movie trip to see it again! Yes Please!”

Chris chose Winter Sangria Recipe from A Pretty Life. “Love sangria & this looks perfect for a winter party.”

Chris chose New Year’s Eve Party: Pineapple Champagne Punch Recipe from Lipgloss and Crayons. “With New Years Eve just around the corner champagne punch is a must!”

Kimberly (Being a Wordsmith) chose 5 Tips for Buying Christmas Gifts at the Last Minute from Ramblings of a (Bad) Domestic Goddess. “Elaine taps into a real conundrum for procrastinating folks like me. She gives some great tips on what to buy when you are late in crossing everything off your Christmas list!”

Kimberly (Being a Wordsmith) chose How To Create The Perfect Pinnable Image from DIY Crush. “I am a big fan of Pinterest and PicMonkey, so Denise at DIY Crush’s post gave me just the info that I needed. Check out her advice on making your pins more pinnable!”

Tina chose Peanut Butter Whirligig Cookies from Sweet Mornings. “Peanut Butter Whirligigs?What a lovely idea, I’ve never seen anything similar. Thanks so much for sharing your recipe with us.”

Tina chose Pomegranate Lemon Cupcakes from Lou Lou Girls. “Very interesting recipe,l’ve never tried this combination and I certainly want to try this. Thanks so much for sharing your recipe with us.”

Natasha chose Non-Toy Gifts for Little Kids from Love My Messy Messy Mess. “It’s so true – sometimes we are so focused on only buying toys for our kids, but we have to take a step back and buy more useful gifts. This a great list of non-toy gifts. Thanks for sharing!”

Natasha chose Why I Promote My Own Blog Posts from MBSANOK on BlogHer. “Great post! As a blogger, sometimes it becomes too much to do it all on your own. But it is so important to promote yourself! Only you know what’s best for you and your blog, so it makes sense to make the time to promote yourself. Thanks for sharing!”

The post with the most views last week is How I’m Getting Financially Fit in 2016 from Stay at Home Yogi.

Stop by and show some love to our featured bloggers this week! I’m sure they’d all appreciate it!

If you were featured above, feel free to share the badge below with pride on your blog or website!

<div align="center"><a href="http://epicmommyadventures.com" rel="nofollow" title="Epic Mommy Adventures"></a></div>

And the Best of the Best goes to…

Peppermint & Whipped Vodka Hot Chocolate Recipe from Home Cooking Memories

The Best Fried Chicken Sandwich from Happy Valley Chow

Show some love to our Best of the Best blogger this week!!!!

Best of the Best Bloggers – make sure to showcase the button below on your blog!

<div align="center"><a href="http://epicmommyadventures.com" rel="nofollow" title="Epic Mommy Adventures"></a></div>

So now that you’ve seen all that we have to offer in this week’s Turn It Up Tuesday,

let’s get started!

– Show some love to your hosts and co-hosts simply by following them on social media and leaving a comment so they can follow you back.

– Link up as many posts as you’d like! The more, the merrier!

– Check out some of the other posts and make some new friends!

– Grab the button below and showcase on your sidebar! Invite your fellow bloggers to join the fun!

<div align="center"><a href="http://epicmommyadventures.com" rel="nofollow" title="Epic Mommy Adventures"></a></div>

Link up your posts, make some friends, and earn the chance to be featured or become the Best of the Best on Turn It Up Tuesday! We will feature the favorite posts each week! **Disclaimer: Adding your link to this link party gives permission to Epic Mommy Adventures, along with co-hosts, guest hosts, and participants of Turn It Up Tuesday, to share your posts and pictures via social media and as features, roundups, etc. with an explicit link back to the original source.**

An InLinkz Link-up

Interested in reading all of our favorite posts on Turn It Up Tuesdays – past or present? Or do want to know if your post was featured before we go live next week? Follow Natasha Peter’s board Featured on Turn It Up Tuesdays! on Pinterest.

The post Turn it Up Tuesday 119 appeared first on The Mom Maven.

Turn it Up Tuesday 118

cindy — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 01:00:21 +0000

Merry Christmas! I hope you are all ready for your Christmas celebrations. I’m almost done shopping, just a few last minute things to pick up now that hubby got paid. Wednesday is baking and wrapping day. Thursday I’m singing at our church’s 3:30pm Sensory Friendly Christmas Ever Service and then again at our 5:30pm Candlelight Christmas Eve Service. Then we all had to my in-laws for our Christmas celebration. We will eat dinner, open gifts and play games. I’ll crawl into bed and watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” before drifting off to sleep and dreaming of sugar plums.

Christmas Day we head to my mom’s house. This will be our first Christmas without my daddy so things will be different. All 10 of us will be together and since it will be the last Christmas, our 35th in mom’s house, it will be bittersweet. Our temps are supposed to be in the mid 80s so there is a good chance some of us will end up in the pool before the holiday is over. I hope your Christmas is filled with love and family!

With Christmas only a few days away, we’d like to wish you all an amazingly happy holidays!
Hope you have a great time with loved ones!

Be sure to share your Holiday-themed posts with us! We can’t wait to check them out!

Welcome to the 118th week of Turn It Up Tuesday! Thank you for stopping by and linking up with us this week, and every week, as we have some fun linking up and getting to know each other! We had quite an amazing week last week, and it’s because of all of you! We are so happy to have you all join us for another amazing week!

SPONSOR OF THE MONTH

Our sponsor for December is Laina Turner, as she promotes her new book —
PLAN FOR SUCCESS: A Business Planning Toolkit for Bloggers and Authors.

We’re looking for sponsors for 2016! Be sure to sign up, and sponsor us for a month!
Click here to sign up for a month, or two!

Welcome the lovely ladies of Turn It Up Tuesday!

(from the top – left to right)

And welcome our awesome guest hosts for December!

(from the top – left to right)

Maria from Pastels & Macarons | Chris from Sweet Mornings

Interested in being a guest host for the month or becoming a permanent co-host?

Complete the form here! Monthly guest hosts will be chosen on a first come first-serve basis.

Here are the Featured posts from last week!

Ginger chose Pesto Provolone Stackers from A Sprinkle of This and That. “I love anything that includes pest! These look simple and delicious.”

Ginger chose Six easy-to-make Scrubs from Alba Rose Artisan Soap & More. “This is a great resource for anyone looking to make some scrubs either for a gift or for themselves. I will definitely be using some of these recipes.”

Chris chose Raspberry Peppermint Fizz from Hairspray & Highheels. “Champagne and peppermint, yum!!! Perfect seasonal drink!!”

Chris chose DIY Candy Cane Peppermint Candle from Living La Vida Holoka. “Simple DIY candle that is easy to make for the craft challenged, seasonal and pretty.”

Bev chose Why I Buy My Kids Teachers AND Bus Drivers Gifts from Giveaways 4 Mom. “I think that it is great that you buy gifts for teachers and the bus drivers. They take care of our children and grand children all day and nurture their minds. You have to respect them for that.”

Bev chose Re purposed Christmas Decorations! from Lou Lou Girls. “What great ways to re-purpose Christmas items and make beautiful new decorations. You have to check out the wreath.”

Mari chose Eggnog Fudge from Annie’s Noms. “I love Annie’s treat because I love Eggnog!!!! I totally want to try this as soon as I visit my dentist lol.”

Mari chose Sweet Cranberry Cupcakes from Lou Lou Girls. “All things cupcakes are nice portion size treats so this goodie from my girls was nice come across.”

Stacey chose Ode to the Sears Catalog : Losses of the Digital Age from Our Peaceful Planet. “Oh the hours spent pouring through the pages of the Sears catalog! It didn’t even have to be Christmas time and I would continue to leaf through the pages full of dreams! Thank you so much for the kick of nostalgia!”

Stacey chose The Best Homemade Food Gifts for the Holidays from Healthy Helper. “I love giving homemade baked treats for holiday presents. I love some of these amazing ideas. Thank you so much for sharing!”

Tina chose DIY Rustic Wood Christmas Wreath from Pastels & Macarons. “I absolutely love this project. Looks so elegant and pretty, rustic simplicity at its best. Thanks for sharing your creativity with us.”

Tina chose DIY Christmas Card Display from Designer Trapped in a Lawyer’s Body. “What a simple but beautiful way to display your Christmas cards. Love it. Thanks for sharing your creativity with us.”

Natasha chose 5 Things That Stopped Annoying Me When I Became a Parent from Fun Money Mom. “I agree, we are so different until we become parents. But motherhood makes you into a completely different. Great share!”

Natasha chose Practical Tips for Busy Moms Around the Holidays from Gym, Craft, Laundry. “These are definitely some great tips! As I continuously stay busy, it is always great to have tips to manage the holidays. Thanks for sharing, Herchel!”

The post with the most views is 6 Handmade Gifts to Start Making Today and $1500 Paypal Cash Giveaway from Pastels & Macarons.

Stop by and show some love to our featured bloggers this week! I’m sure they’d all appreciate it!

If you were featured above, feel free to share the badge below with pride on your blog or website!

<div align="center"><a href="http://epicmommyadventures.com" rel="nofollow" title="Epic Mommy Adventures"></a></div>

And the Best of the Best goes to…

Sweet Cranberry Cupcakes from Lou Lou Girls

Raspberry Peppermint Fizz from Hairspray & Highheels

Show some love to our Best of the Best blogger this week!!!!

Best of the Best Bloggers – make sure to showcase the button below on your blog!

<div align="center"><a href="http://epicmommyadventures.com" rel="nofollow" title="Epic Mommy Adventures"></a></div>

So now that you’ve seen all that we have to offer in this week’s Turn It Up Tuesday,

let’s get started!

– Show some love to your hosts and co-hosts simply by following them on social media and leaving a comment so they can follow you back.

– Link up as many posts as you’d like! The more, the merrier!

– Check out some of the other posts and make some new friends!

– Grab the button below and showcase on your sidebar! Invite your fellow bloggers to join the fun!

<div align="center"><a href="http://epicmommyadventures.com" rel="nofollow" title="Epic Mommy Adventures"></a></div>

An InLinkz Link-up

The post Turn it Up Tuesday 118 appeared first on The Mom Maven.

Turn it Up Tuesday 117

cindy — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 01:00:33 +0000

Can you believe Christmas is less than 2 weeks away? Is your shopping done? Mine is about 1/3 done. Are your decorations up? Hubby put the lights up on the house yesterday and we have decided not to decorate inside the house at this late date. I still need to decide what treats I am baking this year but I do know I am cutting waaay back. This year I’m not making treat plates for all of my friends, I just don’t have the time or the funds. My Christmas cards arrived on Saturday so I need to get those addressed and in the mail too.

Phew! There is so much to do this time of year. I hope that the real reason of the season doesn’t get lost in the busyness. I’ve be reading some wonderful Advent devotionals on YouVersion.com. So far my favorite has been Louie Giglio’s, “Waiting Here for You, An Advent Journey of Hope.” It is a 7 day devotional so you have plenty of time before Christmas to complete it! I promise it will really help you focus on keeping Christ in CHRISTmas.

Welcome to the 117th week of Turn It Up Tuesday! Thank you for stopping by and linking up with us this week, and every week, as we have some fun linking up and getting to know each other! We had quite an amazing week last week, and it’s because of all of you! We are so happy to have you all join us for another amazing week!

SPONSOR OF THE MONTH

Our sponsor for December is Laina Turner, as she promotes her new book —
PLAN FOR SUCCESS: A Business Planning Toolkit for Bloggers and Authors.

We’re looking for sponsors for 2016! Be sure to sign up, and sponsor us for a month!
Click here to sign up for a month, or two!

Welcome the lovely ladies of Turn It Up Tuesday!

(from the top – left to right)

And welcome our awesome guest hosts for December!

(from the top – left to right)

Maria from Pastels & Macarons | Chris from Sweet Mornings

Interested in being a guest host for the month or becoming a permanent co-host?

Complete the form here! Monthly guest hosts will be chosen on a first come first-serve basis.

Here are the Featured posts from last week!

Elaine chose Salted Caramel Pecan Log Recipe from Growing Up Gabel. “This is my favorite special candy treat. It reminds me of family trips and stopping at Stuckey’s.”

Stacey also chose this post. “I have always loved pecan logs and these look amazing and so easy! I hope to make them this holiday season. Thanks so much for sharing!”

Elaine chose No Bake Eggnog Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust from The Gold Lining Girl. “I love all things eggnog and combining it with cheesecake and gingersnaps is a win-win-win.”

Chris chose Melted Wax Heart Ornaments from Raising Fairies and Knights. “I love heart ornaments and am always looking for different and unique ones. Being able to personalize it with color combinations is wonderful.”

Chris chose DIY Cork Christmas Tree! from Arrows & Awe. “Simple repurposing craft that is adorable and easy! I have LOTS of wine corks and scrapbook paper so its something I could do without having to invest a lot of money and its cute.”

Mari chose Moms: Do You Encourage Your Son To Put His Wife First? from Practicing Motherhood. “I loved this share it rang so true, unfortunately I had a terrible mom in law with my daughter’s grandmother. Everything was a competition and it caused my X to feel trapped in the middle. A recipe for failure indeed.”

Mari chose Cranberry Bliss Fudge from Delightful E Made. “I loved Erin’s combo and hopefully once the trauma of my cold a food poisoning are history I can try it at home lol”

Stacey chose Penguin Cookies – The Perfect Holiday Recipe! from Delightful E Made. “These are absolutely adorable! I may have to make them this holiday season, because my lil man loves penguins…and peanut butter…and chocolate! Thank you so much for sharing!”

Maria chose Mocha Mint Coffee Cocktail from Krystal’s Kitsch. “This sounds delicious and like the perfect Christmas Cocktail! Thank you for sharing with us!”

Maria chose Gingerbread Reindeer Cookies from Always Made with Love. “Oh these cookies are adorable. The perfect treat for kids and the whole family. Thanks for sharing such a yummy recipe!”

Tiffany chose Ornament Exchange Party from Julie is Coco and Cocoa. “I absolutely love this idea! I have hosted a cookie exchange and of course the standard Secret Santa themed parties but this definitely sounds like a great new way to gather friends for the Holidays.”

Tina chose Snowman Gift Jars from The Scrap Shoppe Blog. “A fun, easy to make craft, adorable!Great as decorations or as gift jars.Thanks for sharing.”

Tina chose DIY Christmas Sock Snowman from Busy Being Jennifer. “Wonderful Christmas project. So cute and simple.Love it, thanks for sharing.”

Bev chose Dipped Chocolate Chip Pizzelle Cookies from Summer Scraps. “Love this great new take on pizzelle cookies. Adding the chocolate chips and then dipping them in chocolate and nuts, just doesn’t get any better.”

Bev chose Retro Christmas Craft : Soda Can Angels from Our Peaceful Planet. “What a clever use of soda cans. Who would have thought they could become angels.”

Natasha chose To Blog or Not To Blog? ~ Confessions of a Blogaholic from The Nitty Gritty Mom. “Sometimes you have to take a step back from blogging when you realize that you’re not focusing on your initial goals. Lindsey helped me to remember that I need to find my true love for blogging again. Thanks for the great share!”

Natasha chose Pre-Christmas Purge (For Kids!) + A Giveaway from Grounded and Surrounded. “My son and I usually do a purge of his toys and clothes at least twice a year. It is especially important to do so now before the holidays. There is so much junk that accumulates in a couple of months! Thanks so much for this great share – it reminded me why it should be done!”

The post with the most views is Peppermint Bark Popcorn from The Mom Maven.

Stop by and show some love to our featured bloggers this week! I’m sure they’d all appreciate it!

If you were featured above, feel free to share the badge below with pride on your blog or website!

<div align="center"><a href="http://epicmommyadventures.com" rel="nofollow" title="Epic Mommy Adventures"></a></div>

And the Best of the Best goes to…

Retro Christmas Craft : Soda Can Angels from Our Peaceful Planet

No Bake Eggnog Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust from The Gold Lining Girl

Show some love to our Best of the Best blogger this week!!!!

Best of the Best Bloggers – make sure to showcase the button below on your blog!

<div align="center"><a href="http://epicmommyadventures.com" rel="nofollow" title="Epic Mommy Adventures"></a></div>

So now that you’ve seen all that we have to offer in this week’s Turn It Up Tuesday,

let’s get started!

– Show some love to your hosts and co-hosts simply by following them on social media and leaving a comment so they can follow you back.

– Link up as many posts as you’d like! The more, the merrier!

– Check out some of the other posts and make some new friends!

– Grab the button below and showcase on your sidebar! Invite your fellow bloggers to join the fun!

<div align="center"><a href="http://epicmommyadventures.com" rel="nofollow" title="Epic Mommy Adventures"></a></div>

An InLinkz Link-up

The post Turn it Up Tuesday 117 appeared first on The Mom Maven.

Turn it Up Tuesday 116

cindy — Tue, 08 Dec 2015 01:00:33 +0000

Hello! We got back from our annual Christmas Disney family vacation last night. I came back sick. This morning I went to the doctor and found out I have a sinus infection and an ear infection. Just what I needed right? Anyway, life goes on even when we are sick. I will be doing just the minimum for a few days, taking my meds and drinking lots of water while watching Hallmark Christmas movies I hope your week is off to a better start than mine!

Welcome to the 116th week of Turn It Up Tuesday! Thank you for stopping by and linking up with us last week, and every week, as we have some fun linking up and getting to know each other! We had quite an amazing week last week, and it’s because of all of you! We are so happy to have you all join us for another amazing week!

SPONSOR OF THE MONTH

Our sponsor for December is Laina Turner, as she promotes her new book —
PLAN FOR SUCCESS: A Business Planning Toolkit for Bloggers and Authors.

We’re looking for sponsors for 2016! Be sure to sign up, and sponsor us for a month!
Click here to sign up for a month, or two!

Welcome the lovely ladies of Turn It Up Tuesday!

(from the top – left to right)

And welcome our awesome guest hosts for December!

(from the top – left to right)

Maria from Pastels & Macarons | Chris from Sweet Mornings

Interested in being a guest host for the month or becoming a permanent co-host?

Complete the form here! Monthly guest hosts will be chosen on a first come first-serve basis.

Here are the Featured posts from last week!

Maria chose Easy Macaroon Cookie Recipe from Slick Housewives. “What a fabulous gift idea and those macarons sounds divine!! Thank you so much for sharing, will be giving your recipe a try.”

Tina also chose this post. “These cookies look so beautiful and delicious.I just want to look at them!Thanks so much for sharing this recipe with us.”

Maria chose Plaid and Yarn Faux Deer Head from MadeInADay. “I can’t even begin to explain how much I LOVE this simple DIY! What a fabulous idea. Thank you so much for sharing with us.”

Lyn also chose this post. “This decor is adorable!”

Bev chose Snowflake Silverware Holder from Crafty Journal. “Love these silverware holders. They would look so lovely on the table or on your side table. I need to make some of these.”

Lyn also chose this post. “I like how this gift is practical and cute.”

Silvie also chose this post. “I just bought a few of these pot holders from the Dollar Tree and was thinking about what to do with them. This idea is absolutely perfect! Thanks for sharing.”

Bev chose Sweet and Sour Pomegranate Thai Chicken Enchiladas from Fitness Food Diva. “These sweet and sour pomegranate enchiladas look amazing and so delicious. You had me at pomegranates. I love them and then there was the avocado, that was all I needed.”

Hilary chose The Best Gifts for Crafters from Decor by the Seashore.

Angie chose 9 Creative Ways to Give This Christmas from Eagle Soaring Higher. “This is an absolutely fantastic post! Our society is so materialistic & this post details 9 amazing tips on giving this Christmas.”

Angie chose Over 80 Ways To Teach Kids The TRUE Meaning of Christmas from Mama of Many Blessings. “I wish I was a child again – so many wonderful resources on teaching the true meaning of Christmas.”

Stacey chose Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments from Nancy on the Home Front. “I just bought the ingredients to make these with the kiddos, for Christmas, and I am so excited! Thank you so much for sharing!”

Stacey chose Quadruple Chocolate Cookies from Goodlicious. “As a huge chocoholic, these sound amazing! We may have to add these to our holiday baking, this year. Thanks for sharing!”
Mari chose DIY Air Dry Clay Woven Bowl from Bisozozo. “I thought this was a great share by Zografia it’s very pretty and personal and it means you put some thought and time into gifting a special someone this dish.”

Tina also chose this post. “Beautiful transformation,I wish my grandmother had something similar!I love the color, I’ll definitely try this type of paint.Thanks so much for sharing your creativity with us.”

Mari chose Nap Time Craft: Cake Stand Tutorial from Reviews, Chews, & How-Tos. “I found Patricia’s share also great and very useful. I have seen cake trays so outrageous prices and to be able to create something so great looking for less wins me over every time.”

Silvie chose Filipino Pork Kebabs (Pinoy) from Don’t Sweat the Recipe. “I tried these at a restaurant before and have always wanted to get the recipe for them. I am thrilled that now I can make these at home.”

Natasha chose 12 Tips To Avoid Overeating During The Holidays from Making More… “I have been working on cutting back on my eating, but it is so hard during the holidays. There are just soooo many goodies to partake in! These are definitely so many great tips shared to avoid overeating. Thanks for sharing!”

Natasha chose The Word My Son Taught Me to Eliminate From My Vocabulary from Reviews, Chews, & How-Tos. “I find myself using the word “hurry” regularly to my son, and sometimes I have to learn how to take a step back and just enjoy the moment. Even when we are strapped for time, I enjoy those moments. Great share, Vanessa!”

The post with the most views was 10 Ways to Stretch Your Dollar This Christmas from Pretty Simple Ideas.

Stop by and show some love to our featured bloggers this week! I’m sure they’d all appreciate it!

If you were featured above, feel free to share the badge below with pride on your blog or website!

<div align="center"><a href="http://epicmommyadventures.com" rel="nofollow" title="Epic Mommy Adventures"></a></div>

And the Best of the Best goes to…

Snowflake Silverware Holder from Crafty Journal

DIY Air Dry Clay Woven Bowl from Bisozozo

Show some love to our Best of the Best blogger this week!!!!

Best of the Best Bloggers – make sure to showcase the button below on your blog!

<div align="center"><a href="http://epicmommyadventures.com" rel="nofollow" title="Epic Mommy Adventures"></a></div>

So now that you’ve seen all that we have to offer in this week’s Turn It Up Tuesday,

let’s get started!

– Show some love to your hosts and co-hosts simply by following them on social media and leaving a comment so they can follow you back.

– Link up as many posts as you’d like! The more, the merrier!

– Check out some of the other posts and make some new friends!

– Grab the button below and showcase on your sidebar! Invite your fellow bloggers to join the fun!

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An InLinkz Link-up

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Goals for December 2015

cindy — Tue, 01 Dec 2015 19:00:07 +0000

November didn’t go at all as I had planned it. I didn’t plan on my dad spending 9 days in the hospital. I didn’t plan on my dad passing away on November 17th and I didn’t plan on having his memorial service on the 20th. I didn’t plan to spend Thanksgiving without my dad or to skip our annual tradition of Black Friday shopping and our daddy-daughter breakfast date. I didn’t plan any of it. I do know that God had it planned, and as hard as it is to accept sometimes, I rest in the fact that daddy’s name was written in the Lamb’s Book of Life and he is now breathing freely again in heaven.

I almost didn’t write this post because I missed most of my goals for November but, I made a commitment to myself to document my goals, successes and failures for a year so, here it is.

Review of November Goals

Business

Pageviews to 15,000 and uniques to 13,000. I don’t know how, but I did it! Pageviews 18,762 and Uniques 16,254. My best month this year!
Book 3 vacations. It’s not too late to plan a Cruise or Disney vacation for the holidays!-I quoted a few vacations but no one booked
Sign 2 new Plexus Ambassadors and find 5 new customers.-nothing

Personal

Walk 5000 steps a day. I’m doing a 21 day walking challenge with Leslie Sansone’s Walk at Home program.-Nope
Drink 100 oz of water a day.-no
Lose 5 pounds-I haven’t gotten on the scale.

Spiritual

Work through Good or God?: Why Good Without God Isn’t Enough by John Bevere. This may take more than a month.-I haven’t started this book yet.

Household

Menu plan-Already done!
Daily Chores-I’m trying a new way to organize these.-New plan didn’t work
Decorate for Christmas the week before Thanksgiving!-Didn’t get done

December 2015 Goals

Business

Pageviews to 20,000 and uniques to 18,000.
Book 3 vacations. It’s time to plan your spring getaway!
Sign 2 new Plexus Ambassadors and find 5 new customers.

Personal

Walk 5000 steps a day.
Drink 100 oz of water a day.
Lose 5 pounds

Spiritual

31 Day Christmas Scripture Writing Plan
Advent/Christmas Devotionals on the YouVersion App

Household

Menu plan-Already done!
Daily Chores-Trying a 3 a day method this month

I’m praying December goes a little more as I have it planned than November did. If you blog your goals, please add your post to our linky!

An InLinkz Link-up

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Turn it Up Tuesday Linky 115

cindy — Tue, 01 Dec 2015 01:00:04 +0000

It is officially the Christmas season! My favorite radio station is playing Christmas music 24/7 I’ve loaded all of my personal Christmas music onto my iPhone so I can listen to it where ever I go. It looks like the inside of my house may not be getting decorated again this year The boys will get the outside done next week since they are busy building a float for the Christmas parade the beginning of this week and we go on our annual Christmas Disney vacation at the end of this week. However you are celebrating, I pray that the joy of the season dwells in your heart!

Welcome to the 115th week of Turn It Up Tuesday! We thank you for joining us last week for our Thanksgiving edition, and every week, as we have some fun linking up and getting to know each other! We had quite an amazing week last week, and it’s because of all of you! We are so happy to have you all join us for another amazing week!

SPONSOR OF THE MONTH

Our sponsor for November is Two Chicks and a Mom.

Two Chicks and a Mom is a fun blog by a mom and her two “chicks”– a newlywed college student and a high school student. Crafts, travel, recipes, and family life are what she write about–with a dash of humor, too. Be sure to check out her fun blog all month!

Are you looking to get your blog or website in front of numerous people per week? Do you enjoy Turn It Up Tuesdays? Interested in having your blog or website featured for an entire month? Then, sponsor Turn It Up Tuesday for a month by clicking here!

Welcome the lovely ladies of Turn It Up Tuesday!

(from the top – left to right)

And welcome our awesome guest hosts for November!

(from the top – left to right)

Donna from Two Chicks and a Mom | Angie from God’s Growing Garden | Lyn from Mid Michigan Mom | Glenda from Mommies Point of View | Jenessa from Mothering {In Real Life} | Maria from Pastels & Macarons | Hilary from Raising Fairies and Knights

(not pictured)

Ritu from Rocket Looks

Interested in being a guest host for the month or becoming a permanent co-host?

Complete the form here! Monthly guest hosts will be chosen on a first come first-serve basis.

Here are the Featured posts from last week!

Elaine chose Pesto and Goat Cheese Pizza from I Say Nomato. “Since I am still in a turkey coma this sound so good.”

Elaine chose Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Fudge from Sweet C’s Designs. ” 5 words Chocolate chip cookie dough fudge. What’s not to love?”

Lyn chose Apple Caramel Cheesecake Recipe – Mason Jar Desserts from All She Cooks. “Apple + Caramel + Cheesecake =I can’t resist!”

Mari also chose this post. “I love Jessica’s combo!!! I want to try that for Christmas.”

Angie chose Rustic Wood Candle Holders from Marty’s Musings. “I love anything rustic & in my opinion these would be perfect as a center piece at any Christmas gathering!”

Angie chose Sugared Cranberries from Morsels of Life. “I have heard about this but have never tried them before – I plan on making them soon! Delicious & festive looking!”

Mari chose Easy Cinnamon Roll Recipe for Christmas from Marty’s Musings. “This looks so moist and yummy I love cinnamon rolls!”

Hilary chose Cinnamon Star Ornaments from A Pretty Life in the Suburbs. “I love the simplicity of this ornament. Great to provide a nice cinnamon smell on your tree, and a fun way to incorporate a pentacle on your Yule tree!”

Stacey also chose this post. “These are great! What a wonderful smell they would leave off, too. Thank you so much for sharing!”

Hilary chose My Christmas Five Senses Book: Free Printable from Life Over C’s. “This is such a cute fun craft to make for baby. Every Yule my family exchanges home-made gifts and this would be perfect to make for my son.”

Dawn chose Caramel-Chocolate Chip Cookies: A delicious treat for the holidays! from Reviews, Chews, and How-Tos. “Wow, awesome recipe. I would love to make these cookies and give them away as presents, although i think i would problem eat them all before giving them. Thanks for sharing!”

Dawn chose Peppermint Sugar Scrub Hand Wash Recipe from H20 Bungalow. “I love home made scrubs and creams, and there is nothing more refreshing than a peppermint scrub. Thanks for sharing!”

Maria chose Christmas Crafting Cocoa Party from Lemon Thistle. “I LOVE this beautiful Christmas Party! What a fabulous idea for a Christmas party AND I love that Colleen has included a free party plaining printable and give lots of handy tips to planning a stress free party. Thank you so much for sharing this!”

Maria chose Winter Wonderland Vignette from AttaGirlSays. “I’m so in the Christmas spirit so anything and everything Christmas is it for me but this gorgeous vignette tops it for me. How STUNNING! I love the colours and the beautiful details! Thank you for sharing such gorgeousness with us. I feel so inspired.”

Bev chose Eggnog Bundt Cake with Eggnog Sugar Glaze from A Pretty Life in the Suburbs. “Love the idea of making an eggnog cake. So great to serve for the holidays.”

Bev chose 24 Gift Wrapping Ideas from C.R.A.F.T. “This is a great idea for wrapping paper to do with the kids. Cheap and adorable. They can customize each package.”

Stacey chose 35+ holiday cookie swap recipe ideas from Dreaming of Leaving. “Baking cookies at Christmas time is one of my favorite things, Maybe I will be able to add a few of these to the treats menu, this year. Thanks for sharing!”

Natasha chose 10 Easy Ways to Get Your Kids to Eat Their Veggies from Fun Money Mom. “With a picky preschooler in my household who refuses to eat any veggies, this is a great list that I will refer to when needed! Thanks for sharing!”

Natasha chose Life Anchored 2015 Holiday Gift Guide for Toddlers from Life Anchored. “Thanks for this great share! These gifts ar right on target with what I would give to my child when he was that age.”
The post with the most views is 3 Shortcuts for Writing Your Blog Post in Less Time from Giftie Etcetera.

Stop by and show some love to our featured bloggers this week! I’m sure they’d all appreciate it!

If you were featured above, feel free to share the badge below with pride on your blog or website!

<div align="center"><a href="http://epicmommyadventures.com" rel="nofollow" title="Epic Mommy Adventures"></a></div>

And the Best of the Best goes to…

Eggnog Bundt Cake with Eggnog Sugar Glaze from A Pretty Life in the Suburbs

Cinnamon Star Ornaments from A Pretty Life in the Suburbs

Show some love to our Best of the Best blogger this week!!!!

Best of the Best Bloggers – make sure to showcase the button below on your blog!

<div align="center"><a href="http://epicmommyadventures.com" rel="nofollow" title="Epic Mommy Adventures"></a></div>

So now that you’ve seen all that we have to offer in this week’s Turn It Up Tuesday,

let’s get started!

– Show some love to your hosts and co-hosts simply by following them on social media and leaving a comment so they can follow you back.

– Link up as many posts as you’d like! The more, the merrier!

– Check out some of the other posts and make some new friends!

– Grab the button below and showcase on your sidebar! Invite your fellow bloggers to join the fun!

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An InLinkz Link-up

The post Turn it Up Tuesday Linky 115 appeared first on The Mom Maven.

Turn it Up Tuesday 113

cindy — Tue, 17 Nov 2015 01:00:18 +0000

“The Good Dinosaur” asks the question: What if the asteroid that forever changed life on Earth missed the planet completely and giant dinosaurs never became extinct? Pixar Animation Studios takes you on an epic journey into the world of dinosaurs where an Apatosaurus named Arlo (voice of Raymond Ochoa) makes an unlikely human friend. While traveling through a harsh and mysterious landscape, Arlo learns the power of confronting his fears and discovers what he is truly capable of. Directed by Peter Sohn and produced by Denise Ream (“Cars 2”), Disney•Pixar’s “The Good Dinosaur” opens in theaters on Nov. 25, 2015. Download a FREE “The Good Dinosaur” Activity Kit by clicking the link.

Welcome to the 113th week of Turn It Up Tuesday! We thank you for joining us this week, and every week, as we have some fun linking up and getting to know each other! We had quite an amazing week last week, and it’s because of all of you! We are so happy to have you all join us for another amazing week!

SPONSOR OF THE MONTH

Our sponsor for November is Two Chicks and a Mom.

Welcome the lovely ladies of Turn It Up Tuesday!

(from the top – left to right)

And welcome our awesome guest hosts for November!

(from the top – left to right)

(not pictured)

Ritu from Rocket Looks

Interested in being a guest host for the month or becoming a permanent co-host?

Complete the form here! Monthly guest hosts will be chosen on a first come first-serve basis.

Here are the Featured posts from last week!

Angie chose Little Village Houses Big Holiday Messes from Fynes Designs. “I absolutely love this little cardboard village- Place those cardboard buildings under the Christmas tree & I could stare at that little town for hours!”

Angie chose Decorazioni natalizie from Hobby e Creativita’. “These beautiful yet simple ornaments remind me of my childhood – my Oma & Opa (Grandma & Grandpa in German) used to have ornaments similar on their tree.”

Tina chose Ikea Frosta Stool Makeover from Pastels & Macarons. “I love this makeover, What a transformation!!Makes me want to experiment with this technique.Beautiful stool. Thanks for sharing.”

Tina chose A Simple Butter Cake from Always Made with Love. “A Simple yummy classic butter cake recipe. I love the decoration, I wish I could do it! Thanks for sharing your recipe with us.”

Hilary chose Maternal Mortality: A Fatal Error…one too many from The Ramblings of a Momaholic. “I nominated this post because it hits close to home for me. Complications with child birth are terrifying, any pregnant mother experiences the fears of them at some point. For us in North America we at least know that we will be receiving the best medical care we can. But for those in other places, this is not the case. I lived in Malawi for a month and reading this brought back a lot of memories on things I learned while there.”

Hilary chose Hummus Roasted Potatoes Recipe from Lemons for Lulu. “My family is vegetarian so we eat a lot of potatoes, chick peas and hummus, I was thrilled to find this recipe that combines them. Seriously I am making this tonight!”

Dawn chose How to Handle the Terrible Twos from Medium Sized Family. “I loved this article, i shared it with my daughter, as her son is turning two in December. I am a big believer in re-directing their attention, its such an easy way to deal with the child – works much better than just saying no, or shouting at them. Thank you for sharing.”

Dawn chose Oatmeal Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars from Sweet Mornings. “Chris I have one word to say to you “YUMMY”… I defy anyone to say they would not love to have a try of these. Thank you for sharing.”

Mari chose Roasted Vegetable Stuffed Shells from Sweet Mornings. “This came just in time my daughter loves stuffed shells and I am always looking for new things to stuff in them so this treat will be in our menu very soon, thanks Chris”

Mari chose Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookie Dough Ice Cream from Frugal Foodie Mama. “I loved Carrie’s ice cream combo another treat I will be trying soon.”

Donna chose 3 Things You Should Be Tracking in a Day Planner from Giftie Etcetera. “This is a helpful post for those of us who would like to be more organized!”

Donna chose Thanksgiving Turkey Apron from A Mother’s Shadow. “This is such a cute, easy project and a great keepsake!”

Bev chose Holiday Gnomes from MadeInADay. “Love these little gnomes. Great tutorial on how to make them. We could have a gnome village.”

Bev chose Salted Caramel Apple Hand Pies from Annie’s Noms. “These salted apple hand pies make me drool. They look so good and not hard to make. What a great dessert.”

Stacey chose Halloween Stash Devil’s Food Cookies from Frugal Foodie Mama. “Oh these look wonderful! I would probably have to fight the kids for a few! Thank you so much for sharing!”

Stacey chose 25 Delicious Homemade Bread Recipes from Crystal & Co. “I keep telling myself that I am going to get over my fear of baking bread, and just do it one of these days. I will have to try one of these. Thanks for sharing!”

Lyn chose DIY: Christmas Advent Calendar from Inspiration for Moms. “This is much more attractive than the cheesy looking versions that can be bought at the store.”

Maria also chose this post. “Love this advent calendar and the fact it comes with a printable just makes this project so easy to make!”

Lyn chose How to Make a Christmas Reindeer From Logs from Designer Trapped in a Lawyer’s Body. “This log Reindeer is so cute! I can see it covered in snow and adding to the Christmas feel.”

April chose Easiest DIY Gift Ideas Ever! from Pragmatic Mom. “With the holidays coming up, I’m looking for ways to slash the budget and up the number of gifts. This post from Mia Pragmatic Mom really fits the bill.”

April chose No clutter in 2015 – How the Holidays can help you declutter! from Keeping It Real. “I’m on a mission to declutter my house, and I’m glad that I came across these tips by Teresa at Keeping it Real”

Maria chose DIY Vantage-Inspired Toolbox | Tutorial from Ella Claire. “This tutorial is fabulous and the gorgeous photos of a beautiful vintage tool box just made my day. Simply stunning!”

Tiffany chose 5 Blogger Styles – Where do you fit? from Building Blocks Blog. “I love this way to look at Bloggers from Kathleen. I think I may be a combination of a 3 and a 4…which are you?”

Natasha also chose this post. “In any given week, I am probably a combination of all of these styles. Thanks for this great share!”

Tiffany chose Five Tips for Managing Your Blog(s) from SaganMorrow.com. “Sagan gives some really great way to help a Blogger stay organized and I think the last one is so important. If you want people enjoy what you do then you must enjoy what you do.”

Natasha also chose this post. “These are some great tips for managing your blog. Thanks for sharing!”

The post with the most views is How to Clean a Dishwasher from Pastels & Macarons.

Stop by and show some love to our featured bloggers this week! I’m sure they’d all appreciate it!

If you were featured above, feel free to share the badge below with pride on your blog or website!

<div align="center"><a href="http://epicmommyadventures.com" rel="nofollow" title="Epic Mommy Adventures"></a></div>

And the Best of the Best goes to…

Oatmeal Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars from Sweet Mornings

Salted Caramel Apple Hand Pies from Annie’s Noms

Show some love to our Best of the Best bloggers this week!!!!

Best of the Best Bloggers – make sure to showcase the button below on your blog!

<div align="center"><a href="http://epicmommyadventures.com" rel="nofollow" title="Epic Mommy Adventures"></a></div>

So now that you’ve seen all that we have to offer in this week’s Turn It Up Tuesday,

let’s get started!

– Show some love to your hosts and co-hosts simply by following them on social media and leaving a comment so they can follow you back.

– Link up as many posts as you’d like! The more, the merrier!

– Check out some of the other posts and make some new friends!

– Grab the button below and showcase on your sidebar! Invite your fellow bloggers to join the fun!

<div align="center"><a href="http://epicmommyadventures.com" rel="nofollow" title="Epic Mommy Adventures"></a></div>

An InLinkz Link-up

The post Turn it Up Tuesday 113 appeared first on The Mom Maven.

Turn it Up Tuesday 112

cindy — Tue, 10 Nov 2015 01:00:53 +0000

Can you believe there are only two and a half weeks til Thanksgiving? My schedule is kind of busy between now and then. Currently my dad is in the hospital having some breathing problems so please say a prayer that they will get things sorted out. We also have 3 Disney days coming up! This Friday evening we will be covering Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom. Then next week we pop over to Epcot on Tuesday to spend time with our friend from Philadelphia who will be visiting with his family. On Saturday we go back to the Magic Kingdom to hang with our Canadian friends! Yes, it was much easier when we all coordinated our vacation times but I am happy just to get to spend time with my friends. In the middle of all of that Jordan comes home from the mission field…and he is staying home. He has accepted a tech internship at a local church and he will be going back to college, so my nest won’t be empty any more

Welcome to the 112nd week of Turn It Up Tuesday! We had quite an amazing week last week, and it’s because of all of you! We are so happy to have you all join us for another amazing week!

SPONSOR OF THE MONTH

Our sponsor for November is Two Chicks and a Mom.

Welcome the lovely ladies of Turn It Up Tuesday!

(from the top – left to right)

And welcome our awesome guest hosts for November!

(from the top – left to right)

(not pictured)

Ritu from Rocket Looks

Interested in being a guest host for the month or becoming a permanent co-host?

Complete the form here! Monthly guest hosts will be chosen on a first come first-serve basis.

Here are the Featured posts from last week!

Bev chose Cheese Steak Appetizers from A Party of Four. “I am always looking for wonderful appetizers for parties and these will be served at my next party. How can you go wrong with cheese steak appetizers?”

Bev chose Hedgehog Cookies from All That’s Jas. “We have seen a large variety of special cookies for Halloween recently, but these little hedgehogs are just too adorable. Not sure if I could eat one of the cute little guys.”

Angie also chose this post. “These are the cutest little cookies that I’ve ever seen & they look very simple and fun to make!”

April chose 8 Tips for Kindergarten at Home from The End in Mind with Lori Lane. “As a mother who’s homeschooling her preschoolers, these tips are great to make sure that my children are ready to start kindergarten.”

April chose 7 Business Blogging Tips You Can’t Afford To Ignore from Creative Rebel Designs. “I’ve been blogging for a while, but I always love to keep my mind set on making sure that I’m successful as a blogger. I love this post because it refocuses me on the write things.”

Hilary chose 20 Star Wars Stocking Stuffers and Christmas Gifts from Earning & Saving with Sarah Fuller.

Hilary chose 10 Things You Can Do to Help A Mum with a Newborn from Pastels & Macarons.

This post also received the most views this week.

Elaine chose Cranberry Apple Coffee Cake from A Sprinkle of This and That. “My current addiction to cranberries just found a great new way to enjoy them.”

Kori chose How I Reached 10,000+ Pageviews Last Month on the Blog from The Resourceful Mama. “I chose this one because I love seeing what works for other bloggers.”

Kori chose How to Talk to Family About Being Self Employed from My Urban Family. “I chose this one because this is a conversation that I need to have with my family. I was on the college path and had intended to pursue graduate work in Psychology, but then I discovered blogging and wanted to do something that would allow me to stay at home full time.”

Dawn chose How to Make a Pine Cone Owl from About Family Crafts. “OMG, this is just too cute… I think the kids will love making these this christmas…. Score 1 for coolest mum around.”

Lyn also chose this post. “This looks like such a fun craft to do with the kids!”

Tina also chose this post. “Wonderful creation, I love this idea because it looks so natural, great tutorial. Thanks for sharing.”

Dawn chose All the Tips to Transforming an Old Meat Safe! from Sparkles in the Everyday. “What a lovely piece of furniture, looks like it should have been like that from the beginning. You have done amazingly well transforming it. I love refurbished furniture, I have a (potential to be) beautitul bureaux which i found at a car boot sale. May have just found the inspiration i needed to tackle it…. Thank you xx”

Mari chose Caramel Macchiato French Toast Cups from Delightful E Made. “I found Erin’s treat to look super gooey and yummy.”

Mari chose I Only Shop Second Hand {And Why You Should, Too} from Cow Country Housewife. “I loved Caroline’s share because I find we are a wasteful nation and I too have found a new love in thrifting etc… You find awesome stuff some with price tags still on them. I also enjoy online spots like Thredup. Another reason I had to stop here was because of her blog name hilarious. Thanks for share doll :)”

Stacey also chose this post. “I absolutely love to shop at thrift stores, and with two rapidly growing children and a one income family, this is the best option for our family. I have found adorable furniture pieces and cute clothes and I don’t stress out so much when the kids outgrow them before they are used up. Thanks so much for sharing!”

Lyn chose DIY Play Food: Felt Cupcakes from Keeping It Real. “I’m intimidated with any crafts dealing with sewing, but these are too cute to pass up. Any little girl would adore this for tea time. These would also make a fun gift for Christmas or a Birthday.”

Donna chose Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bars from A Mother’s Shadow.

Donna chose Baked Pumpkin French Toast from Lou Lou Girls.

Angie chose Naturally Fight Fall Allergies in Your Home from The Jenny Evolution. “Autumn always seems to be a terrible allergy season for me and I found this post very interesting and helpful.”

Stacey chose Earn Extra Money For Christmas NOW from Cow Country Housewife. “I am always looking for ways to make a few extra bucks to add to the family coffers, especially with Christmas right around the corner. Thank you so much for sharing these wonderful tips.”

Tina chose DIY Air Dry Clay Jewellry Bowls from Pastels & Macarons. “Love these bowls.They look gorgeous,this project is great. Thanks for sharing.”

Tiffany chose 7 Smart Ways to Attract Readers to Old Blog Posts from Giftie Etcetera. “I’ve always loved finding a way to repurpose evergreen content and these are definitely 7 ways to help make that easier and more effective!”

Tiffany chose 48 Awesome Fall Crafts for Kids from One Little Project at a Time… “I don’t know about your Kiddies but waiting for the food to be ready on Thanksgiving seems to be the most difficult thing for them in life! LOL…so I know that these amazing crafts will help me keep my sanity throughout the day and keep them occupied.”

Natasha chose How I Branded My Own Blog from Classy Yet Trendy. “Sometimes we get caught up in the ornate and complicated as a blogger, but it is important to understand that there are simple and easy ways to do things on your blog. This post proves this…thanks for sharing!”

Natasha chose 18 Areas to Simplify in Life from Just Only Home. “Recently, I have been on the path to simplify my life, and these are some great tips to do just that. Great post…thanks for sharing!”

Stop by and show some love to our featured bloggers this week! I’m sure they’d all appreciate it!

If you were featured above, feel free to share the badge below with pride on your blog or website!

<div align="center"><a href="http://epicmommyadventures.com" rel="nofollow" title="Epic Mommy Adventures"></a></div>

And the Best of the Best goes to…

Hedgehog Cookies from All That’s Jas

How to Make a Pine Cone Owl from About Family Crafts

Show some love to our Best of the Best bloggers this week!!!!

Best of the Best Bloggers – make sure to showcase the button below on your blog!

<div align="center"><a href="http://epicmommyadventures.com" rel="nofollow" title="Epic Mommy Adventures"></a></div>

So now that you’ve seen all that we have to offer in this week’s Turn It Up Tuesday,

let’s get started!

– Show some love to your hosts and co-hosts simply by following them on social media and leaving a comment so they can follow you back.

– Link up as many posts as you’d like! The more, the merrier!

– Check out some of the other posts and make some new friends!

– Grab the button below and showcase on your sidebar! Invite your fellow bloggers to join the fun!

<div align="center"><a href="http://epicmommyadventures.com" rel="nofollow" title="Epic Mommy Adventures"></a></div>

An InLinkz Link-up

The post Turn it Up Tuesday 112 appeared first on The Mom Maven.

Turn it Up Tuesday 111

cindy — Tue, 03 Nov 2015 01:00:56 +0000

Happy November! It is November right cause, the Florida weather forgot to notice. Today’s high is 88 with a feels like temp of 96! I signed up to do a 21 day pre-Thanksgiving walking challenge to get me moving more in the cooler months, but it hasn’t cooled off yet! This morning the weatherman said we are having typical August temps, Ugh! I am so ready for fall, and cooler temps, and lower electricity bills. It will come…eventually. How’s the weather where you are?

Welcome to the 111st week of Turn It Up Tuesday! We are so happy to have you all join us for another amazing week!

SPONSOR OF THE MONTH

Our sponsor for November is Two Chicks and a Mom.

Welcome the lovely ladies of Turn It Up Tuesday!

(from the top – left to right)

And welcome our awesome guest hosts for November!

(from the top – left to right)

Donna from Two Chicks and a Mom | Angie from God’s Growing Garden | Jenessa from Mothering {In Real Life} | Lyn from Mid Michigan Mom | Glenda from Mommies Point of View

(not pictured)

Maria from Pastels & Macarons | Hilary from Raising Fairies and Knights | Ritu from Rocket Looks

Interested in being a guest host for the month or becoming a permanent co-host?

Complete the form here! Monthly guest hosts will be chosen on a first come first-serve basis.

Here are the Featured posts from last week!

Elaine chose Pumpkin Pie Phyllo Cups from A Party of Four. “A nice alternative to traditional pumpkin pie.”

Elaine chose Pan-Cooked Apple and Pears with Maple Sauce from The Briny Lemon. “I love warm fruit in the Fall.”

Kayla chose Magnificent Music: Itsy Bitsy Spider Video + Printable from Chirpy Chatterbox. “Itsy Bitsy Spider is my daughters favorite song! This printable is great!”

Kayla chose 10 Quick & Easy Halloween Crafts from An Aiming High Wife. “Easy Crafts to do yourself or with the kids! Love It!”

Dawn chose Peanut Butter Apple Doggy Cake from Arrows & Awe. “I love finding recipes for pets, i know my 2 Yorkies (Jack & Jill) will love me for this. Thank you for sharing Tiffany.”

Dawn chose 30 Things You May Want to Know About Spiders from Ask Latisha. “I don’t like spiders, but i just had to look at this post – the pictures freaked me out, but i feel like i now know more about the little creepy crawlers. My kids loved the spider facts though. Thank you for sharing Latisha.”

Bev chose Spicy Pumpkin Soup with Polenta Cakes from Living the Gourmet. “Love this luscious fall pumpkin soup with the fried polenta. What a great way to warm up those chilly days.”

Bev chose Halloween Bone Necklace from ArtClubBlog. “Need a Halloween costume? Why not make these great bone necklaces. All you need is some chicken bones. You will be the talk of the party.”

Donna chose 15 Terrific Southern Gifts Under $20 from Earning & Saving with Sarah Fuller. “I am originally from the South and this interesting post sure caught my eye. Great gift ideas are a treat!”

Donna chose Cozy Christmas from Paper Seedlings. “I am a scrapbook fan and occasionally make cards. I love the quilted look of this cheery card!”

Stacey chose How to Create a Positive Self-Image In Children from Ramblings of a (Bad) Domestic Goddess. “A wonderful post! It is so important to teach our children how to have a positive self image, and it is difficult with so many negative factors in play. Thank you for sharing these amazing tips!”

Stacey chose Chocolate Upside Down Cake from Jenn’s Random Scraps. “Oh yummo! This reminds me so much of the hot fudge sundae cake that I love! I can’t wait to give this one a try. Thanks for sharing!”

Mari chose How and When to Re-pot Your House Plants from Love My Big Happy Family. “I love house plants so this post was great to see and I love repotting my plants I find it very soothing and peaceful, thanks Lori!”

Mari chose Easy How-To Make: Pumpkin & Caramel Cheesecake Bites from Play Dough & Popsicles. “I love all things caramel!!! This is another good treat to use for Thanksgiving too!!!”

April chose Philly Cheesesteak Empanadas from A Sprinkle of This and That. “How can you not love combining two awesome foods? I love cheesesteak and I love empanadas.”

April chose Five on Friday: What Rejection Taught Me from Currently, Kelsie. “Rejection is hard and causes a lot of self-doubt. Overcoming that means that you can move on with your life. That’s why I love this post.”

Tina chose DIY Staircase Wall from Kreativ K. “What a beautiful staircase wall.With wonderful step by step instructions this lady proves that you can do wonderful things by yourself. Thanks so much for sharing your creativity with us.”

Tina chose Peanut Butter Chocolate Explosion Mug Cake from Everyday Made Fresh. “I couldn’t resist to this peanut butter chocolate cake explosion.My favorite flavours are there and in a mug? Fantastic!!Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe with us.”

Lyn chose Recycled Soda Can Wall Art from Purple Hues and Me. “I appreciate how she turns a recycled can into art.”

Lyn chose Teacher Appreciation Gifts: Let Little Kids add their Personal Touch from The Practical Mom. “These Teacher appreciation gifts are adorable. I also like how the student can help decorate them. Love!”

Natasha chose Last Minute Halloween Costumes for the Procrastinating Mom from Fun Money Mom. “Normally, I procrastinate with everything; but this year, I was surprisingly ready for Halloween. I got my son’s costume early this year, but it was great to find out about some options just in case Plan A didn’t work out.”

Natasha chose 30 Things You May Want To Know About Halloween from Ask Latisha. “These are definitely some interesting facts about Halloween. Thanks for sharing Latisha!”

The post with the most clicks is Quick Apple Sweet Potato Hash from Pancake Warriors.

Stop by and show some love to our featured bloggers this week! I’m sure they’d all appreciate it!

If you were featured above, feel free to share the badge below with pride on your blog or website!

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And the Best of the Best goes to…

Easy How-To Make: Pumpkin & Caramel Cheesecake Bites from Play Dough & Popsicles

Philly Cheesesteak Empanadas from A Sprinkle of This and That

Show some love to our Best of the Best bloggers this week!!!!

Best of the Best Bloggers – make sure to showcase the button below on your blog!

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So now that you’ve seen all that we have to offer in this week’s Turn It Up Tuesday,

let’s get started!

– Show some love to your hosts and co-hosts simply by following them on social media and leaving a comment so they can follow you back.

– Link up as many posts as you’d like! The more, the merrier!

– Check out some of the other posts and make some new friends!

– Grab the button below and showcase on your sidebar! Invite your fellow bloggers to join the fun!

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An InLinkz Link-up

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