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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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Goals for October 2015

cindy — Tue, 06 Oct 2015 18:00:12 +0000

I said last month that my goal should be “Don’t go Insane.” I am proud to say, I achieved that goal! Thanks to the fact that I am a super planner and organizer I was able to volunteer at Sharathon and prepare for and enjoy our cruise without a lot of stress.

Review of September Goals

Business

Pageviews to 15,000 and uniques to 13,000.-I did 13,000 and 11,000 which is fine for being away from the computer for about 2 weeks.
Book 3 vacations.-I didn’t book any
Sign 2 new Plexus Ambassadors and find 5 new customers.-I got 4 new customers

Personal

Walk 5000 steps a day.-If I average out the month I did well, thanks to the cruise!
Drink 100 oz of water a day.-I did great until the cruise. The bottled water available on the cruise was horrible and metallic tasting so I didn’t drink nearly what I should have.
Lose 5 pounds-I lost 2.2 pounds while on the cruise!

Spiritual

Continue with my “Believing God Bible Study”-continued
Begin to read “Good or God” by John Bevere-started

Household

Menu plan-done
Daily Chores- sort of done

October Goals

Business

Pageviews to 15,000 and uniques to 13,000.
Book 3 vacations. It is National Plan a Cruise Month! Who is ready to plan a cruise?
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

Finish my “Believing God Bible Study”
Continue to read “Good or God” by John Bevere

Household

Menu plan
Daily Chores-I’m trying a new way to organize these, I’ll let you know how it goes!

An InLinkz Link-up

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Turn it Up Tuesday 93

cindy — Tue, 30 Jun 2015 00:00:06 +0000

It’s Independence Day week! How did that happen? Do you have any exciting plans for the holiday weekend? Ron and I will be spending the day relaxing by the pool at my parent’s house but that is all we have planned. If you are looking for creative ideas, I am sure there will be plenty on this week’s linky!

I have had a few non-bloggers tell me they don’t know how to use this linky so here is a quick tutorial. Scroll through the links (little square boxes at the bottom with pictures and titles). If anything interests you, click on the title and it will open that article in a different tab on your browser. Then you can just go to that tab to read the article, simple huh? These linkys are for everyone, not just the bloggers who share their posts so come have fun!

Welcome to the 93rd week of Turn It Up Tuesday! We’d like to thank each and every one of you for making every week so amazing! Keep stopping by, linking up, and sharing your amazing posts with us here on Turn It Up Tuesday!

Turn It Up Tuesdays is all about being happy, excited, energetic…and having fun! Link up 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 June is Five Star Coffee.

At FIVE STAR COFFEE, it’s not about us … It is about YOU. Offering you exclusive, healthy products that are sure to provide WORLD CLASS TASTE EXPERIENCES is the first step toward fulfilling OUR MISSION. IT IS ALSO GRATIFYING to know that our environmentally sensitive, coffee farmers, small batch roasters and dedicated producers of artisan grade oats, pancake mixes, maple syrups and chocolates benefit as well.

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 June!

(from the top – left to right)

Beverly from Eclectic Red Barn | Sofia from Fun with a Message | Dawn from Pretty Shabby UK | Heidi from Heidi’s Wanderings

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!

Silvie chose The Diva 100 Calorie Workout from Divas Run for Bling. “I chose this post because I honestly had no idea I could burn 100 calories in just 10 minutes!!! There really is no excuse to be and stay fit. Thanks for the awesome post. “

Heidi chose Patriotic S’mores Bar and Caramel Macchiato Spread #LetsMakeSmores from Logan Can… “Who doesn’t love S’mores?”

Heidi chose Blueberry Gelato from Best of Long Island and Central Florida. “I love blueberries!”

Kori chose Cuban Style Empanadas from A Sprinkle of This and That. “We went to a great Cuban restaurant in Westchester and they had the most amazing empanadas. I’ve been looking for a recipe to try at home and I think this one may be it!”

Kori chose Recipe Round-Up for Paleo Newbies from Adventures of a Cavemom. “I’ve always been interested in trying a Paleo diet so it’s nice to have a list of recipes in one place.”

Cindy chose Mickey Mouse String Art from Albion Gould. “I am a Disney-phile and a Disney travel agent so I love all things Disney. I want to make this for my office. I think I’ll paint the board red!”

Cindy chose Things That Bring Back Memories #MondayMemories from Tiger Strypes. “I love reminiscing about and watching old television shows. We watch more TV from the 70s and 80s than we do current stuff because we don’t have to worry about offensive content. BJ and the Bear was a great show and let’s face it, Greg Evigan was a hottie!”

Elaine chose Top 25 Essential Oil DIY Recipes & Projects from Painted Teacup. “I have just joined the essential oils bandwagon and was happy to find these great recipes.”

Elaine chose Customers Demand GMO Labeling…And So Should You from Little Blog on the Homestead. “GMO labeling is needed and when the TPP act passes Congress, not only will it not allow GMO labeling it will also deny us the right to know where our food and all goods we purchase are made. The country of origin label will no longer be required. This is an issue that consumers need to understand.”

Bev chose Make the Most of Link Parties from Snippets of Inspiration. “Great ideas for growing your blog with linky parties and how to do it effectively.”

Bev chose Wine Cork Garden Markers from TexMex Crafting. “What a great upcycle! Turn those old mismatch forks into plant makers by adding a wine cork that is labeled.”

Amy chose Dry Erase Road Trip Games + Kids Travel Kit from Simply Designing. “Long road trips can be so tough with little ones. That’s why I love this road trip kit with super cute printables for the kids to enjoy in the back for hours! This will definitely make the trip so much more fun for everyone!”

Amy chose No Bake Cookies and Cream Slice from Treat Yourself Sweeter. “Dessert, check. No bake, CHECK! I love shortcuts, so this super simple delicious no bake Cookies and Cream Slice recipe is exactly the type of dessert I’m looking for!”

Mari chose Easy DIY Texture Wall Art Tutorial from My Husband Has Too Many Hobbies. “I loved Laurie’s wall art. It was unique, it looked beautiful and stylish and something I would definitely put up on my wall. Very eye catching!”

Mari chose Roasted Eggplant Fan from All That’s Jas. “My love for the many things Eggplant bought me to stop over at Jas’s share. Omg looks wonderful and tasty and healthy. Loved it!!!”

Free chose Why Design Matters | May Blog Review & Feedback from our very own Tenns from Bliss & Faith. “I think that there are things we all can do to improve our site and become more better blogger. Getting a review of my site is very helpful and will help me grow as a blogger.”

Zografia chose Easy Home Decorating Tips from The Organized Dream. “These tips are easy to follow! Makes decorating easier!”

Zografia chose How to Use Reddit to Increase Traffic from Just Another Mom. “Are you on Reddit? I’ll give it a try! Sounds great!”

Natasha also chose this post. “I haven’t really used Reddit at all. It will be great to try it out as another tool to increase traffic to my blog.”

Tina chose Painting with Bubbles from Letters in the Sand. “What at a fun way to paint!!!Kids love bubbles and I’m sure they’ll love this idea! I’m going to try this! What a fun and creative outdoor activity,thanks for sharing!”

Tina chose Vaso Decorato from Hobby e Creativita’. “Beautiful upcycling project, love the result! Thanks for sharing this idea with us!”

The post with the most clicks is Old Factory Candles from Eclectic Red Barn.

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!

And the Best of the Best is…

Blueberry Gelato from Best of Long Island and Central Florida

No Bake Cookies and Cream Slice from Treat Yourself Sweeter

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! And you’ve won free ad space on Epic Mommy Adventures for 30 days – just e-mail Natasha at 1epicmommy@gmail.com for more details!

This week, we’re introducing a great giveaway…celebrating fellow blogger the 4th blogiversary of fellow blogger, Angie from God’s Growing Garden. Help celebrate by entering to win the Fun with Four Blogiversary Giveaway.

Click on the giveaway graphic above or click here to go to the giveaway page!

Four winners will be chosen to win one of the four prize packs!

So now that you’ve met our Sponsor for the month, our hosts and guest hosts, our Featured, and the Best of the Best, and our special giveaway,

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!

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 93 appeared first on The Mom Maven.

Goals for June 2015

cindy — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 18:00:10 +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.”For the month of May I cut back to 2 goals for each area of my life. This helped me be more focused and have a bit more success in reaching my goals.

Review of May Goals

Business

Unique Pageviews to 12,500-I’m just over 10,000
Begin to Build my Young Living Essential Oils Business-I have done a lot of learning and made some strides forward.

Personal

5000 steps a day-I reached that 4 days this month!
64oz water a day-Oh…I was supposed to drink water?

Spiritual

Read “Thrive: Digging Deep, Reaching Out“-I am in the middle of the book. I liked it so much I ordered several copies for high school graduation gifts.
Complete a YouVersion Daily Devotional-I did the Align:Godly Character Study

Household

Menu Plan-I completed the menu plan and we have stuck to it all month! This has been our best menu plan month ever.
Daily Chores-I did much better with daily chores during the month of May. I just really wish the kitchen fairy would show up after dinner and clean up so I didn’t have to.

Goals for June 2015

Business

12,500 Unique Pageviews on the blog
2 new Young Living Team Members
Complete my Travel Agent training

Personal

5,000 steps a day
64oz water a day

Spiritual

Finish reading “Thrive”
Begin the Beth Moore-Breath, the Life of God in Us Bible study with some friends from church.

Household

Menu Plan
Daily Chores

Thanks for letting me put these goals out in public. It really does help me to be more accountable. If you blog your monthly goals please add your post to our linky!

An InLinkz Link-up

The post Goals for June 2015 appeared first on The Mom Maven.

Turn it Up Tuesday 87

cindy — Tue, 19 May 2015 00:00:22 +0000

Hi! I hope you had an awesome weekend. I spent Friday in Ft Myers at the inaugural Florida Sun Con blogging conference. It was a one-day intimate conference for Florida bloggers. I had a great time, saw some old friends and made some new ones. I also learned a few things along the way. It is so important to always be honing our craft, whatever that may be. Never stop learning!

Welcome to the 87th week here at Turn It Up Tuesday! Last week, we had an awesome time on Turn It Up Tuesday with 404 links – another amazing week! We’d like to thank each and every one of you for making every week so amazing! Keep sharing your amazing posts with us here on Turn It Up Tuesday!

Thanks so much to everyone that joins us each week and makes this blog hop the best that it could be!

SPONSOR OF THE MONTH

Our sponsor for May is Dolled Up Spa Boutique.

We are 2 sisters who wanted to inspire and encourage all the beautiful young girls in our lives. We wanted to pamper them and give them confidence all while having fun. So we started doing Spa parties and events, everything from manicures, pedicures, facials, hair and make up. Then we started making accessories, spa products, tutus and now clothing.We started off by doing it for the girls we know, then we started going to our local street fair and then we decided to open up our very own boutique. We love what we do and we love to create unique one of a kind items, just like these precious little girls. After all playing dress up, putting on jewelry, doing your hair and make up never goes out of style. We say the fluffier the better, there is never too much sparkle and glitter you say….Yes please!! We hope that you like what we have created.

Welcome the lovely ladies of Turn It Up Tuesday!

(from the top – left to right)

And welcome our awesome guest hosts for May!

(from the top – left to right)

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!

Jody chose Angel Food French Toast with Fresh Strawberries from our very Cathy from A Peek Into My Paradise. “I love french toast and strawberries! So does my whole family. I can’t wait to make these!”

Elaine also chose this post. “First time I have seen French toast made with angel food cake. Looks YUMMY!”

Jody chose Top Fitness Apps To Motivate You from The Organized Dream. “I’m on my own weight loss journey. These are really going to help. Which is something I really need!”

Marina also chose this post. “I chose this post because I needed something to motivate me to exercise and keep balance diet. It seems like it’s easier for me to do that with some apps, and here I found few really interesting ones.”

Marina chose 40+ DIY Car Games for Kids from One Little Project At a Time. “Some great ideas here that I didn’t even think about. I am sure our next road trip will be much easier now when I have this car games cheat sheet!”

Kori chose Twix Cookies from Lou Lou Girls. “I absolutely love Twix cookies but I gave them up earlier this year as I’m trying to cut down on processed sugar. So, to see them in a cookie form? Love it!”

Giselle also chose this post. “Anything involving chocolate takes top of the line! These look absolutely amazing and easy enough to make!”

Kori chose What Does Your About Page Say About You? from our very own Tenns from Bliss and Faith. “I love this post because my About page is something that I still need to work on. I’ve been trying to refine it for a few months and this post offers some great advice.”

Free also chose this post. “I’m redoing my site and my about me page is something I’m struggling with. These tips will help me create a great about me page.”

This post also received the most clicks.

Amy chose Instagram Tips for Blogging – A Guest Post from Dreaming of Leaving. “I just signed up for Instagram and have no idea what I’m doing. I didn’t realize how powerful a tool Instagram could be. This post has some great tips on how to use Instagram to promote my blog and it doesn’t seem to be as scary as I thought it was!”

Amy chose Be Allergy Aware: What Moms Want You to Know from Mom on a Plan. “Being a person with dietary restrictions I could relate to this article. Some people really have a hard time understanding allergies and don’t know how to handle it when dealing with someone who struggles with it. This post will provide greater insight in to what parents with kids with allergies have to deal with and what you can do to help.”

Stacey chose 5 Tips for Homeschooling Multiple Ages from Learning 2 Walk. “I sometimes struggle with homeschooling a high schooler and a grade schooler, getting somewhat overwhelmed at times. Thank you so much for sharing these tips!”

Stacey chose An Open Heart And An Open Mind from All My Kids in a Row. “Such a beautiful post! Being the proud parent of a homosexual child, I have grown in my own open mindedness and tolerance of all people, and have taken great care in trying to guide my two younger children in their growth as well. Thank you so much for sharing!”

Rachel chose Lemon Sour Cream Bundt Cakes from A Sprinkle of This and That. “These bundt cakes looks so yummy. My lemons are starting to grow so this would be a perfect recipe!”

Rachel chose The Power of Writing It Down from our very own Kori from Just Another Mom. “Kori suggests creating a contract with yourself. I think that’s great advice to really narrow down the priorities and promise to get those done. I also like to write things down so that I can see and not forget everything that needs to be done.”

Elaine chose Bacon – Getting It Out Of The Package from Ducks ‘n a Row. “Always looking for new tips. I did not know this one and am looking forward to trying it out.”

Free chose How To Be Sure Your Business Cards Work For You Not Against You from our very own Tiffany from MrsTeeLoveLifeLaughter. “I’m going to be attending my first blog conference and I want to leave a lasting impression on everyone I meet.”

Zografia chose How to Edit Your Own Photos for Free Using PicMonkey from The Princess & Her Cowboys. “I use PicMonkey for my photos too. That’s a great tutorial. The colorful pillow is ideal for showing us the differences during the editing.”

Zografia chose Blogging Tips From Pro Bloggers – On The Scene With Mrs. Kathy King #BloggerInterviews from our very own Rhonda from Mother 2 Mother. “I am keeping this post in my bookmarks! Advice from pro bloggers is valuable! I am looking forward to the next post in the interview series!”

Tina chose Chocolate Dipped Rice Crispy Treat Pops from Simply Designing. “What a cute and super easy treat!Great for parties! I love the bakers twine and the decoration!Thanks for sharing.”

Tina chose To All Mother’s With Love from Chic by Tab. “I love this vintage style soda crate!Great DIY and it’s cheaper than buying the original !!A beautiful and creative idea!Thanks for sharing.”

Ginger chose When Is a Gift Not a Gift? from Chronicles from a Lumpy Person. “It’s great to read this perspective on chronic illness/disease/disorders and cancer. As someone with a chronic disease this post really put into words some of what I feel.”

Ginger chose Don’ts of Blog Photography from Busy Being Jennifer. “I’m trying to up my photog skills and this post gave me some actual tips to do this. It also links to a few other posts with things I can do to make my photos look good.”

Tiffany also chose this post. “This post is a great reminder of how important imagery is within your Blog Posts. I have looked back at older posts and been appalled by the photos I used. Thank goodness for editing!”

Tiffany chose #ThurstyThursday Throwback: Princess Peach from Hopelessly Ever After. “This drink is just calling my name right off the page. I love refreshing and fruity drinks and this is just that!”

Mari chose Finding New Roads To The New Me from our very own Tiffany from MrsTeeLoveLifeLaughter. “Tiffany’s share touched me because I always feel that a lot of women due to circumstances in their lives lose who they are and sometimes don’t even know it so for her to share her journey it was inspiring.”

Natasha also chose this post. “Being a former military spouse, I can completely relate to Tiffany’s touching story. It is so easy to lose yourself but so much harder to finding yourself again.”

Mari chose 20 Strawberry Recipes from Summer Scraps. “Summer’s share just made me happy all around. Strawberries! All those options, omg…”

Rebekah chose Paleo Chocolate Cake in a Mug Recipe from Blogging Mom of 4. “I love this post since she uses the exact ingredients our daughters have to eat. Our daughters have been craving Chocolate Cake but I haven’t been able to find a recipe that doesn’t use flour or sugar. I am so excited this recipe was posted!”

Rebekah chose Super Tough Disposable Disinfecting DIY Wipes from Gym. Craft. Laundry. “I am so glad I saw this post. It looks like she uses both hydrogen peroxide as well as essential oils. I like it because she uses pictures to explain each step as she is making the wipes.”

Giselle chose Pink Prom Makeup! from Zoe Mountford. “I absolutely love this look! The lip color and eye liner are great.”

Natasha chose Why We Should Date Our Children and Six No Cost Date Ideas from Kiddie Matters. “I love these simple no-cost date ideas…you can enjoy the quality time with your kids while doing something fun and simple.”

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!

And the Best of the Best is…

An Open Heart And An Open Mind from All My Kids in a Row

Don’ts of Blog Photography from Busy Being Jennifer

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!

So now that you’ve met our Sponsor for the month, our hosts and guest hosts, our Featured, and the Best of the Best, ,

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!

An InLinkz Link-up

The post Turn it Up Tuesday 87 appeared first on The Mom Maven.

Turn it Up Tuesday 86

cindy — Tue, 12 May 2015 00:00:16 +0000

I hope you all had a great Mother’s Day weekend. Mine was different this year, but I still enjoyed myself. Saturday, my sister, our mom, and I went out to lunch at a new restaurant on the Intercoastal Waterway in Venice, FL. The food was delicious, the service and location were great and the company was the best.

Sunday hubby and I went to church and then we headed to the Magic Kingdom for the day. During the day I received messages from Summer, Aaron and Jordan, though I didn’t get to talk to or see any of them Of course, Jordan is on the mission field in Arkansas and yesterday was their last ministry day there so he was very busy. Aaron had to work a 12 hour day running sound for 2 different bands and 3 play rehearsals (who is the fool who schedules rehearsals on Mother’s Day afternoon…at a church?!?) Anyway, I’m hoping to FaceTime with Jordan soon and get together with Aaron and Summer later this week. This is what happens when kids grow up! I am so proud of them all for the work that they do.

Welcome to the 86th week here at Turn It Up Tuesday! Hope all of the mothers out there had an amazing Mother’s Day!!!

Last week, we had an awesome time on Turn It Up Tuesday with 361 links – another amazing week! We’d like to thank each and every one of you for making every week so amazing! Keep sharing your amazing posts with us here on Turn It Up Tuesday!

Thanks so much to everyone that joins us each week and makes this blog hop the best that it could be!

SPONSOR OF THE MONTH

Our sponsor for May is Dolled Up Spa Boutique.

Welcome the lovely ladies of Turn It Up Tuesday!

(from the top – left to right)

And welcome our awesome guest hosts for May!

(from the top – left to right)

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!

Lisa chose Homemade Strawberry Kiwi Spritzer Popsicle Recipe from The Jenny Evolution. “This is great! Homemade popsicles that aren’t filled with sugar. Healthy and so many choices to make them other than strawberry-kiwi (though that is my favorite fruit combination)!”

Lisa chose How to make a Blog Editorial Calendar from illistyle. “To be honest, I had never even thought to use Google Calendar but after reading this post, I can’t believe I haven’t used it! It’s just what I need not just for blogging but for my classes!”

Jillian also chose this post. “I chose this post because I feel like my editorial calendar is a constant struggle. I start one, then stop because I don’t find it convenient enough. Having it online, with google Docs, would likely lead to more organization and consistency.”

Cindy chose DIY Seed Bombs from Hello Nature. “I chose this post because I actually used some commercial seed bombs last week and I love knowing that I can make my own from now on. The process seems simple and it would also make a nice gift.”

Cindy chose 8 Ways Pinterest Changed Parenting Forever from Unremarkable Files. “I am so glad my kids were grown when Pinterest came around. So far my daughter-in-law isn’t interested in Pinterest so maybe I’ll be the only Pinterest crazed one when the grandkids start coming.”

Rachel chose DIY Moisturizing Hair Mask from Hairspray & High Heels. “My hair is typically dry and this moisturizer looks like something my hair strands would soak up! Having a homemade hair mask is a great idea because I can whip it up anytime I need it!”

Rachel chose Missing My Blue Bell Ice Cream from Pastries Pumps and Pi. “I miss Blue Bell too! If you’ve never tasted it, it’s only one of the creamiest and softest ice creams around. But there has been a major recall and Tameka explains the precautions very well here. I too love when companies are proactive about the quality and safety of their products.”

Amy chose Homemade Pedicure Kit from View from the Fridge. “What a great gift for Mother’s Day or any other occasion. It just reminds me of how badly I need a spa day but nice to know that I can enjoy something like that in my own home.”

Amy chose Dreams Can Change in Your 30’s from Mommy In Sports. “Having recently celebrated my 33rd birthday, this post has made me reflect on all the wonderful experiences and surprises I’ve had in my life and how that has changed my definition of success.”

Giselle chose Peach Mojito from Lipgloss and Crayons. “I love how simple the recipe was and it looks absolutely delicious. I’ll have to give this a try!”

Giselle chose Makeup Habits To Break from The Organized Dream. “As a makeup artist and makeup junkie I love these tips. It’s so easy for people to bypass them, but they are very important to follow.”

Mari chose Shrimp Cobb Salad from Fitness Food Diva. “I loved Shannon’s salad, it mixed two of my favs together Cobb Salad & Shrimp! Look firward to trying it out.”

Mari chose 12 #BaltimoreRiots “Twitter” Reflections You Won’t See in The Media from AfroChic Mompreneur. “My other fav was something I think every mom blogger should have been speaking about because it efforts the world our children are growing up in. We are all the same…thank you Nancy for sharing this eye opening peace. If we don’t stand for something we end up standing for nothing.”

Stacey chose Self Defence – Should We Be Teaching Our Girls? from Barbie Bieber and Beyond. “Such a great post! I think self-defense classes are great for kids in general, especially in today’s society. I always wanted to take them growing up as a child in the 80’s. Thank you so much for sharing!”

Zografia chose Vinyl Cross-Stitch Wall Art from The Scrap Shoppe Blog. “That’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it! Great idea!”

Zografia chose Not-Your-Usual Malta Destination Guide from Urban Naturale. “Malta is one of the places i want to visit! I’ll keep these suggestions in mind!”

Jody chose 18 no bake sweet treats from Dreaming of Leaving. “I love this No Bake Sweets Pin. There’s a bunch of them. They look so good and they’re No Bake , which I think we all love!”

Jody chose How to Declutter: Conquering Decluttering Paralysis from Clean & Scentsible. “I love this next post and I think a lot of people will. Decluttering is hard for all of us, I guess. Now I’m going to use these tips.”

Rebekah also chose this post. “I hope these were long enough explanations as to why I chose both of these links. There were so many great links but these two seem to inspire me the most.”

Kimberly (Being a Wordsmith) chose Dear Mom who has recently miscarried from Gym. Craft. Laundry. “An open and honest letter to women who have miscarried. As someone who experienced this loss many years ago, I still have the same thoughts that she wrote about.”

Kimberly (Being a Wordsmith) chose You Do WHAT for a Living? from Earning & Saving with Sarah Fuller. “This post made me think about all the odd looks I get from people when I tell them I am a blogger. Can you imagine what face they would make if I told them I was a snake milker or a roadkill collector? Check out this post to read about more unique occupations.”

Tina chose Posterized Native American Washi Tape Art from illistyle. “What an amazing artwork,an ode to Gregg Deal. I absolutely love this washi tape art. Thanks so much for sharing.”

Tina chose Flourless Mexican Brownies from Spoonful of Flavor. “Yummy no flour mexican brownies with frosting?Yes please,they look delicious.Thanks for sharing.”

Ginger chose Cocktail: Strawberry Shortcake Moonshine from Pink Heels Pink Truck. “Everyone in my family loves strawberry’s so I loved this recipe.It will be the perfect barbecue cocktail this summer.”

Ginger chose Sweet & Spicy Baby Back Ribs {#PasstheCookbook} from Juggling Act Mama. “I am in full summer barbecue mode so this caught my eye. It sounds like a delicious recipe that I am excited to try this summer.”

Jillian chose 10 Amazing Perks of Having an Only Child from MBA SAHM. “I chose this post because my husband and I currently have one child, and I’ve gone back and forth with having another and whether we should or not. My son is my world and I am so happy for that – this post reminds that having only 1 child is A-OK!”

Fresh raw chicken fillet and vegetables prepared for cooking

Rebekah chose Save Money on Your Grocery Budget By Ordering Fresh Meat in Bulk from Practical Mommy. “I chose this second link because she explains in detail about how we can be psychologically paralyzed while trying to make decisions in decluttering our house. This is a problem so many of us have – we want a clean house but where do we start? We want the clutter to be gone but which part do we recycle?”

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!

And the Best of the Best is…

Dreams Can Change in Your 30’s from Mommy In Sports

How to Declutter: Conquering Decluttering Paralysis from Clean & Scentsible

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!

So now that you’ve met our Sponsor for the month, our hosts and guest hosts, our Featured, and the Best of the Best, ,

let’s get started!

An InLinkz Link-up

The post Turn it Up Tuesday 86 appeared first on The Mom Maven.

Turn it Up Tuesday 85

cindy — Tue, 05 May 2015 00:00:23 +0000

It was a quiet weekend around here. (Yay!) I was excited on Saturday when my Erin Condren planner arrived. I am a planner addict but this year I couldn’t decide which planner I wanted. I was also strapped for cash so investing in an expensive planner just wasn’t going to happen. Now that we are almost 1/2 way through the year, the 2015 Erin Condren Life planners are 40%off! On top of that great discount, if you are a new customer, you can use my referral link and get an additional $10 off! That is how I got mine, I used a friend’s referral link. So far, it is working for me. I have customized this week’s pages, instead of the “morning”, “day” and “night” divisions I have “personal”, “blog” and “Young Living” areas. I’m sure I’ll tweak it as I go along abut this deal was too good to pass up!

Welcome to the 85th week here at Turn It Up Tuesday! We had an amazing April…thank you so much for linking up with us and entering to win the Just to Say Thank You Giveaway!!!!

Last week, we had an awesome time on Turn It Up Tuesday with 392 links – another amazing week! We’d like to thank each and every one of you for making every week so amazing! Keep sharing your amazing posts with us here on Turn It Up Tuesday!

Thanks so much to everyone that joins us each week and makes this blog hop the best that it could be!

SPONSOR OF THE MONTH

Our sponsor for May is Dolled Up Spa Boutique.

Welcome the lovely ladies of Turn It Up Tuesday!

(from the top – left to right)

And welcome our awesome guest hosts for May!

(from the top – left to right)

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!

Rachel chose How to Grow Pineapples from Olives-n-Okra. “I’ve been wanting to try this method to grow pineapples now that we have a backyard with a ton of sun. This looks really easy and I figure it’s worth a try since I have a pineapple at home right now!”

Rachel chose Rustic Chocolate Pecan Pie from A Sprinkle of This and That. “I had a dessert like this at my birthday dinner earlier this year. Seeing this recipe makes me want to recreate it at home.”

Kori chose How to Add More Blogging Time to Your Day from our very own Kimberly from Being a Wordsmith. “I chose this one because it’s something that I seem to struggle with daily. Though I’m not really a morning person and I prefer to use my nights otherwise, I can definitely see the benefit of staying up late to work or getting up early to work.”

Kori chose Blog Design Tips You’ll Love from The Organized Dream. “I chose this one because I’m always looking for new blog design tips. A few I had tried previously and they just didn’t work for me but that’s not to say that they wouldn’t work for someone else.”

Zografia chose How To Promote Your Business Spending 30 Minutes A Day? from our very own Nancy from Afro Chic Mompreneur. “This great post makes things easier. An easy schedule for everyone!”

Zografia chose Do you have the Courage to be a Blogger? from Frugal & Coupon Crazy. “There are these days. When i do not have the courage. But i get myself together and go on.”

Mari chose Creamy Avocado Zoodles with Chipotle Lime Shrimp from Dizzy Busy & Hungry. “Kristin’s share looked so creamy and delish. I am not a big fan of chipotle stuff but I would def give this a try.”

Mari chose Mac & Cheese RITZ® Bites from Mom’s Messy Miracles. “I loved Christina’s ritz treats. I always by a box to keep handy for whatever may come up and this is one of those things I must try!”

Tina chose Froggie Baseball Cap from Pretty & Shabby UK. “A super cute froggie baseball cap. Very creative and money saving idea!!Thanks so much for sharing!”

Tina chose Baked Chocolate Donuts with Peanut Butter Glaze and Reese’s Cups from The Gold Lining Girl. “Chocolate and peanut butter is a win win for me. What a yummy recipe and so easy to follow. I’m making more tomorrow!!!Thanks so much for sharing!”

Elaine chose Tea Recipes for 12 Everyday Illnesses from Happy Cortex. ” I am always looking for great new healthy recipes and this fits the bill.”

Elaine chose Shrimp Avocado Tostadas from A Sprinkle of This and That. “I am always looking for great new healthy recipes and this fits the bill.”

Tiffany chose The Difference Between a Graphic Designer and Brand Designer from our very own Tenns from Bliss and Faith. “I picked this post because honestly it taught me something. I had never truly realized that simply a change title could be such a big difference in purpose. Knowing what you need is definitely a big help to getting it right the first time.”

The little princess looks in the mirror

Tiffany chose Don’t be that girl, little one. Just don’t. from Gym. Craft. Laundry. “As the mother of 2 girls I know that protecting from mean girls is important but being certain that mean girl isn’t them is just as important.”

Lisa chose Easy Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream from Memories by the Mile. “Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream is my number one favorite so I am excited about trying this recipe! Especially since it doesn’t require churning in an ice cream machine since I haven’t made that investment.”

Lisa chose Thrillin’ Grillin’- Grilled Chicken & Vegetable Kebabs from The Wilderness Wife. “Oh my gosh, these Grilled Chicken Veggie Kebabs look amazing. The marinade sounds delicious and I love all the tips to making perfect kebabs!”

Stacey chose Fresh Fruit Tropical Punch Popsicles from Lemons and Laughs. “These look wonderful and would be an amazing afternoon treat in the heat of summer, that my daughter would absolutely love. Thank you so much for sharing!”

Rhonda chose The Importance of Having a Will from Confessions of a Ninja Mom. “If you want to ensure that your last wishes are carried out without incident, you must have a will. I have one, and I’m so glad that I finally took the step to put everything in writing.”

Rhonda chose How To Make a Succulent Birdcage Wreath from Thrifty Artsy Girl. “I love the idea of having a bird cage as a wreath on the front door. It’s a unique idea to welcome guests.”

Kimberly (Being a Wordsmith) chose Things I Hate About the Internet from The Lady Errant.. “So true! I spend a lot of time on the internet because I love it. But there are just certain things that get on my last nerve in regards to it. Kelly points those things out in her post.”

Kimberly chose 5 Reasons You Should NOT Pay Off Your Mortgage from MBA SAHM. “My husband is a Financial Advisor and he is always giving people this bit of advice. I think it is so important that people know they don’t have to pay off their mortgage early. Nikki breaks down the reasons for you.”

Ginger chose The Best Twist Out Ever from Red Lipstick & Champagne Dreams. “I love her hair and now I have a fabulous new blog to follow!”

Ginger chose DIY . all natural remineralizing toothpaste from te amo too. ” I have been thinking about trying my own toothpaste and this recipe came along at the perfect time.”

Natasha chose Embracing My Post Baby Body from All of Life’s Little Adventures. “It is so amazingly important to embrace the changes that your body experiences after having a child. This post really helps to put that into perspective. Great post!”

Natasha chose This Is Not Why You’re Alive from Happy Cortex. “It’s so easy to fall into the everyday, mundane routine. But it’s good to take a step back and realize that we need to be doing more with our lives, and finding ways to enhance life. Thanks for the wake-up call – great post!”

The post with the most clicks is How to Monetize Your Blog with ShareASale | Commissions, Sponsored Posts, Review Opps & More from So Simply Stephanie.

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!

And the Best of the Best is…

Blog Design Tips You’ll Love from The Organized Dream

How To Promote Your Business Spending 30 Minutes A Day? from our very own Nancy from Afro Chic Mompreneur

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!

Giveaways!

The winners from the Just to Say Thank You Giveaway have been announced!

Week 1 Winner: Kelly L.

Week 2 Winner: Carrie from The Frugal Foodie Mama

Week 3 Winner: Stephanie K.

Week 4 Winner: Stephanie P.

So now that you’ve met our Sponsor for the month, our hosts and guest hosts, our Featured, the Best of the Best, and checked out our Thank You $50 Paypal Cash Giveaway,

let’s get started!

An InLinkz Link-up

The post Turn it Up Tuesday 85 appeared first on The Mom Maven.

I am an Official Conference Partner for Type-A Parent Conference

cindy — Fri, 03 Apr 2015 18:00:39 +0000

Disclosure of Material Connection: 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. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”I have been blogging for almost 7 years , while you can learn a lot about this industry online, I feel the best learning is done offline. A lot of my best learning has happened at Type-A Parent conferences. I have attended 4 of their annual conferences 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and one bootcamp Type-A WDW in 2014. I had to miss the 2014 annual conference due to a family wedding and I already have my ticket for the 2015 annual conference in Atlanta.

I have attended other blogging conferences over the years, and they are all different. Type-A Parent Conference is the perfect blend of fun and learning. The sessions at Type-A are relevant to what is going on now in the blogosphere. Kelby and her team work hard to have a mixture of topics for both new and seasoned bloggers. The overarching vibe at Type-A is helpfulness. If you have a question about anything blogging/social media someone there has the answer AND they are willing to help you. This is not true of every conference I have attended.

I said Type-A was fun too and Kelby throws the best parties! I am a sucker for themed parties and the ones at Type-A are so much fun. I have been a part of some 80’s dance parties, a Star Wars party, an awesome game night, a British party and many more. Type-A is also about friendships. I have had the opportunity to meet many of my online friends in person at Type-A events. I have even had the pleasure of meeting up with some of them when they are here in Florida on family vacations!

If you would like to read some of my Type-A wrap-up posts from past years just click the link. Those posts are written when I return home from these amazing events and I think they really convey all that Type-A is to me.

I am so excited to have been chosen to be an Official Conference Partner for Type-A Parent Conference. Type-A has its Annual Conference in Atlanta October 8-10, 2015 and a Bootcamp in New York City 8/1/15. I’ll be in Atlanta and i hope to see you there! I am offering a 20% discount on conference passes through 4/10/15 if you use code PARTNERSPECIAL when registering for either the Annual or the NYC Bootcamp Type-A Parent conferences. if you have any questions about the conference, please don’t hesitate to ask, I am here to help!

The post I am an Official Conference Partner for Type-A Parent Conference appeared first on The Mom Maven.

Goals for February 2015

cindy — Fri, 30 Jan 2015 19:00:09 +0000

Disclosure of Material Connection: 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. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”The first month of 2015 is coming to an end. It is time to evaluate the goals I set for January and continue with some of them and add new ones where needed. For me, January was a month of putting old procedures back in place and creating some new ones. My office is still not nearly completed but I have been working from there anyway for the past few weeks. It really does make a difference having a dedicated work space. This has pushed me forward into working harder to get this room completed.

Review of January Goals

Business

I completed Content Brew! This course is a wonderful way to fill up your editorial calendar and start thinking creatively about upcoming blog content. If you are a blogger and haven’t taken this course, I highly recommend it. It is self-paced so you can start any time! I am participating in the Type-A Parent 2015 Next Level Blog Challenge and I completed the January Challenge. I am in the middle of the Media Kit Smash class, it runs through February 6th. Soon this will be available as a self-paced class as well. Make sure you are following my Facebook page so that you can know when that happens. Unfortunately, my pageviews are way down for January

Personal

I did pretty well at going to bed by 11pm most nights. I was horrible at drinking my water, I have done better with it now that I am sitting at my desk and I keep my water glass with me. I set a low goal for steps and I still failed miserably. Two days I forgot to wear my Fitbit! Two days I reached my goal one of those was a Disney day and the other was when we went to Monster Jam. I will do better in February because I have signed up for the Vionic Walkabout. This will help be be even more accountable. Have you signed up for the Walkabout, it starts February 1st!

Spiritual

I did much better, reading my Bible and praying at least 5 days a week. I am also loving the online Bible study I am currently in.

Household

I did meal plan for January and we actually stuck to the plan about 75% of the time. Daily house cleaning was hit or miss. I never found another decluttering challenge that suited me but I have been focusing on one area of the house a week to declutter and progress is being made.

February Goals

Business

Participate in the Type-A Parent 2015 Next Level Blog Challenge and complete the February Challenge.
Complete the January/February Media Kit Smash class and finally have a professional media kit!
Increase my pageviews by 10%, you can help by sharing my blog posts on your social media!
Create a weekly newsletter.
Start writing my first eBook

Personal

Drink at least 64oz of water a day and log it
Get in at least 5,000 steps a day-this will be easier with the Walkabout-I hope!
Spend one evening a week with all 5 of us together-getting on Aaron Summer’s schedule has proven to be difficult.
Read one chapter a day in a book for pleasure.

Spiritual

Read my Bible daily
Spend time in prayer daily
Take part in a Bible Study-There are 5 weeks left in my online Bible study

Household

Meal planning-keep it up
Daily cleaning-get back on schedule
Declutter living room (media corner-end tables-misc junk)
Clean and declutter the game closet
Put dresser in office and re-organize

You may remember, I am part of a Facebook group that encourages each other as we set and work towards our goals. We have created this linky so that we can share these goals. If you write about your goals, please feel free to link up with us!

An InLinkz Link-up

The post Goals for February 2015 appeared first on The Mom Maven.

blogging Archives - The Mom Maven

Goals for December 2015

Review of November Goals

Business

Personal

Spiritual

Household

December 2015 Goals

Business

Personal

Spiritual

Household

Goals for October 2015

Review of September Goals

Business

Personal

Spiritual

Household

October Goals

Business

Personal

Spiritual

Household

Turn it Up Tuesday 93

SPONSOR OF THE MONTH

Welcome the lovely ladies of Turn It Up Tuesday!

And welcome our awesome guest hosts for June!

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

Here are the Featured posts from last week!

And the Best of the Best is…

let’s get started!

Goals for June 2015

Review of May Goals

Business

Personal

Spiritual

Household

Goals for June 2015

Business

Personal

Spiritual

Household

Turn it Up Tuesday 87

SPONSOR OF THE MONTH

Welcome the lovely ladies of Turn It Up Tuesday!

And welcome our awesome guest hosts for May!

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

Here are the Featured posts from last week!

And the Best of the Best is…

let’s get started!

Turn it Up Tuesday 86

SPONSOR OF THE MONTH

Welcome the lovely ladies of Turn It Up Tuesday!

And welcome our awesome guest hosts for May!

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

Here are the Featured posts from last week!

And the Best of the Best is…

let’s get started!

Turn it Up Tuesday 85

SPONSOR OF THE MONTH

Welcome the lovely ladies of Turn It Up Tuesday!

And welcome our awesome guest hosts for May!

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

Here are the Featured posts from last week!

And the Best of the Best is…

Giveaways!

let’s get started!

I am an Official Conference Partner for Type-A Parent Conference

Goals for February 2015

Review of January Goals

February Goals

Business

Personal

Spiritual

Household

Top 5 Social Media Posts of 2014

#5 Time Management for Bloggers Part 3-Household Responsibilities

#4 Time Management for Bloggers Part 2-Social Media

#3 Printable Social Media Checklist

#2 Your Blog Needs Social Sharing Buttons