A little aloha music for you...take a break and listen

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Spread The Aloha Award!

There's a new award being sent out over the blogosphere! 
And it's all about spreading the Aloha! 

If you've received this award it's because someone thinks you are part of their Ohana (community or family). You exude the spirit of aloha...you are friendly, full of love, sharing and have a helping attitude.

Photobucket

What to do:
First, answer this qustion...
If you were stuck on an island, what 5 things would you want to have with you?

Then, spread the Aloha! 
Send this award to 5 other people and let them know they've been given The Aloha Award!

That's it, easy peasy! 
Keep the chain going and spread the aloha all over the blogospshere! (be sure to link to the person that sent you the award...so we can keep the linky love going!)


Since I'm starting...My 5 things I'd want if I was stuck on an island...
1. My family 
2. Water
3. Music
4. A lighter
5. An airplane to get off the island...eventually (after a long, long vacation! ;) )

I am spreading the aloha and giving this to some of my bloggy Ohana ...
1. Erin at The Mom Buzz
2. Carole at Hippos Toes
4.  Cat at 3KidsNUs!
5.  Julie at Cool Mom Guide

Photobucket

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Turn Your Photos Into Goosie Cards (Giveaway!)



Goosie cards aren't just your average flash cards. Oh no. These cards are so so much more. My absolute favorite thing about them, other than their superior quality, is that you can create your own flash cards, with your own pictures and own words on them. I think this is fantastic! Not only will my keiki learn words but they will learn words of things actually in their own personal world or names and faces of family and friends that may live far away.

Which is exactly what I am going to do to for Christmas this year. (Auntie Lala and Uncle E...stop reading right now, as I don't want to spoil the surprise...). I have three nephews, two far away in California and one way way far away in Michigan. Sadly I don't get to see them as often as if we lived closer. But I want them to know their Auntie and their cousins in Hawaii-land. So I am planning on making it so that they can learn their numbers or alphabet all while seeing pictures of their family.

For Winston, who is 20 months, I plan on sending him a pack of ten Goosie cards. Each one will be numbered 1-10. And on each of them I will have a picture of family members to correspond with that number . For example, for the #1 it will be a big family picture of all of us and say "One (1) Family" Two will have a picture of the two grandpas and say "Two Grandpas". This way Winston gets to "know" all of us and his numbers all at the same time. Genius!

Custom Goosie cards can be made right through their web site, www.goosiecards.com. It seems easy enough. Simply upload your picture and add the caption and voula!  Three days later you should have your own personalized flash cards.  They come in sets of 10, 20 or 26 cards (perfect for learning their A-B-Cs!) with prices starting at $28. They also have gift certificates available so that the receiver can create their own custom cards.


Also available, are a selection of pre-made flash cards.  My son loves his set of trucks and tractors. He takes them, lays them all out on the floor in a line and goes through them, calling teach vehicle by name. It's pretty cool. And it took no time for him to learn new ones that he didn't know before, all because of picture recognition (and I think now he starting letter recognition). Some other pre-mades from Goosie Cards include...shapes, sign language, colors, head to toe, favorite foods, animals, clothes and mix n' match.

Everything about Goosie Cards is a class act. From the quality, to the packaging, to the customer service, it's fantastic! 


SAVE! Receive FREE shipping now thru 12/31/08 when you enter the code freeship08

GIVEAWAY! Goosie Cards is sponsoring a giveaway for a custom 10 card set (a $34 value!). You could either keep them or give them as a gift.

How to Enter: First, go check out Goosie Cards...Then come back and tell us how you would use your gift certificate. Would you create family flashcards, maybe numbers using objects around your house? Share with us by leaving a comment. Be sure to leave an email address so that we may contact you should you win.

Extra Entries: (leave a new comment for each that you do)
  • Blog about this giveaway with a link to Ohana Mama and Goosie Cards
  • Tweet about this on Twitter
  • Grab our button and put it on your site
Deadline: 11/26 at 11:59 Hawaii time

US residents only

Mahalo to Goosie Cards for this great product and giveaway!

<span class=
as seen in Peekaboo Picks banner

Continuing the Conversation Working Mom Guilt...Do you have it?

I am a huge fan of the new momversation site - where moms talk to one another about real-life issues we moms are facing.  Their recent momversation (you can actually watch it right here on Ohana Mama in my sidebar) was about the guilt we have when we try to juggle being a mom and being a working woman.  This is an ongoing struggle for me.

When I first had my son, four years ago, I was "blessed" to go from being in outside sales to a working from home mom...full time, 40 hours a week.  Looking back, it was nuts!  What was I thinking?  What most would think to be the best situation, I soon realized that it could possibly be the worse situation for a Mama.  I mean, you don't "get" to leave the house and go to work.  You instead sit in your house AND take care of your child AND since you are home, your hubby just might think that you should be able to have dinner ready and clothes cleaned and put away..I mean you are home all day, right?

WRONG! Soon I found that I was feeling like a failure at everything.  Something had to change.  Well luck have it, I got laid off due to the downturn in the real estate market.  Yes, I said luck.  After all this meant I had to be a full time mom.  I had to focus on my son (and thankfully my unemployment check allowed us to have some money coming in, albeit for a short while).

Well, 2.5 years later, and I am currently back to being a working mom - yes from the home (I know, I know, what am I thinking?!) Well, I am back to thinking, "this is crazy!"  BUT, thankfully I landed a PART-TIME job from www.hiremymom.com. This meant that the person doing the hiring automatically knows that I am a M.O.M.  Just to know that my boss knows this, is a relief for some reason.  No hiding in my closet to make a phone call, scared the caller may hear a babble or cry from my bambina. (although I do try and set up all calls when I know nap time should be happening).

But still, I carry guilt.  Even though I am in the same room as my kids, am I really "here?" I try to do work mostly when my daughter takes naps and my son is at preschool.  I try to really "be on it" on those days when I am just juggling one child.  The other days I am available but I do have to share myself more with my family.  They are first.  But Mama needs money for them and well, we all have to sacrifice, including my kids (however sad that sounds...they will be ok, I promise)

So let's continue the convo...are you a working mom...either for yourself or for someone else?  I know there are a ton of mom's starting businesses out there (we feature them all right here on Ohana Mama!).  And while being a mom-entrepreneur sounds awesome, in reality it means late nights, juggling what seems like swords and flames, and being a little nutty while doing it all.
How are you coping?  Do you get a mommy's helper to watch or play with your kids while you work?  Do you send your kids to preschool for a few hours a day?  What do you do to combat the working mom guilt?

Leave a comment and share with us...after all, we're all in this together!
<span class=

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Bumkins: Keeping the keiki adorable!

Bumkins makes all sorts of great finds to keep our keiki cute, clean and warm! And this holiday season it's no different! This adorable coverall suit is perfect for cool nights. It's super soft, thick and seems just the right amount of cozy for your keiki. The best part is it has Thing 1 and Thing 2 from Dr. Suess on it, so your child is sure to love to wear it...afterall he'll have his "friends" with him always. The adorable striped pockets on the booty are too too cute! I think this would be the perfect outfit for your little one to wear on Christmas morning as they open presents.



And to keep them clean as you eat your Christmas breakfast, put on this great waterproof bib with the Grinch on it. It's easily cleaned by simply wiping off with a damp sponge. Gotta love that!

Bumkins Grinchmas Gift and Contest! With any Bumkins Dr. Seuss Purchase receive Free Grinch Superbib and automatically be entered to win a four pack of Dr.Seuss How the Grinch Stole Christmas Ornaments! Just enter grinch08 at checkout to receive your complimentary bib. Visit http://www.bumkins.com

For this and other great mommy reviews head on over to The Mom Bloggers Club! http://www.mombloggersclub.com

Photobucket

Clicky Web Analytics