Wait, what’s that noise you’re hearing? That would be the sound of “cha-ching” from Burberry, because they get to dress another designer-clad munchkin. Score!

Isn’t it interesting how well-timed her baby news is? It’s almost like her new pregnancy is part of the grand Kardashian marketing plan since she just launched a mom focused web series called Kourtney’s Mommy Blog at E! Online (the very company people have been petitioning to drop Kardashian nonsense.) I guess you aren’t a legit mommy unless you have multiple kids…

Get the full scoop on HLNTV.com

Image: HLNTV.com

We hosted an amazing party in October to celebrate our HGTV episode and had a blast showing off our awesomely renovated rooms to our friends and neighbors.

We had a delish gorgeous cake from Rise and Shine Bakery, food from Mandola’s, beer from Thirsty Planet and to make the par-tay complete and enhance the uniqueness of the experience, we served a variety of Gilgal wines from the Golan Heights Winery – the Vinexpo grand medalla de oro 2011 – Chardonnay, Cabernet and Merlot a la Fleischer Wines. Needless to say, every sip was savored.  If you haven’t heard about Fleischer Wines, let me enlighten you.

Fleischer Wines was founded in 2000, by the Fleischer brothers of Houston, who are originally from Santiago Chile. Roberto and Miguel set high goals for themselves when it came to starting their business: excellence in wine making, consistency from year to year, appropriate quality-price relationship, and a level of service that would allow them continuous provision of fine wines to quality restaurants and liquor stores.

Fleischer Wines imports and distributes wines from many different regions in Europe, Middle East and the Americas. They offer an amazing selection of Israeli and kosher wines, both mevushal an

d non-mevushal. As any Jewish gal knows, this ain’t no Manachevitz! The Gilgal wines I mentioned above are exclusive to Spec’s and the Gilgal Cabernet is their top seller, all sold under $20.00. Specs sells it for $18.99.

Fleicher Wines is an award-winning name you should know. (Yes, I’m talking to you my wine snob friends.) It was a fantastic night and so much fun to relive the excitement of being HGTV’d. Hugs and kisses to Thom FIlicia and the HGTV crew for giving us the opportunity to be part of such a wild ride.

Read more about my HGTV’d experience here:

Part I: Truck Arrives & Demo Begins!

Part II: How It Happens & The Cool Local Business Involved

Before my husband and I had kids, we were cool.  We ran together daily on Town Lake, we went antiquing on South Congress, we drank at local dives and ate buttermilk pancakes at Magnolia Café every weekend. We were hipsters.  Our motto was if you don’t live in the 78704, you’re utterly lame and you don’t really qualify as being an Austinite. When we renovated our home on South 2^nd Street back in 2003, we purposely designed it to look weird. We didn’t care. It was South Austin. The weirder, the better.

One marriage and two kids later, I find myself puttering around Lakeway in our champagne-colored Tahoe like 98% of the suburbanites out here, rarely going downtown, because it’s “just too far away.” Oh how I miss being cool. And being in the “04.”

Sola City Homes

Did you know the Austin rental market nears 95 percent occupancy? South Austin is beyond cool now and new developments like Sola City Homes and The Sycamore are delivering unprecedented value in one of the most coveted neighborhoods in town – the “golden rectangle.”  I toured these two properties and was shocked that there was such unbelievable value. The developers bought band foreclosures at a discount and then dropped the market price to sell the properties fast.

The Sycamore

These new Austin real estate gems allow buyers to live the legendary Austin lifestyle at a wholesale price of 25 percent below market value, and a mere 3 miles from downtown in 78704. Buyers can realize equity when they move in as the houses are being appraised at $81K-82K higher than the offering. What truly sets these properties apart is that regardless of the overall market conditions of the last few years, their customers are buying because they are shown real value. With these new properties, they’re able to pass on the savings to the public, and buyers immediately recognize the value.  How sweet is that?

Central Austin properties like Sola and Sycamore are spacious and comfortable and close to everything that people love about central Austin living – music, history, culture, food and entertainment. In fact, some of the best restaurants and music venues are located just blocks from these communities.

Sola City Homes are newly constructed town home-style condos located off of South Lamar, and boast sustainable architecture and simple designs. These unique offerings allow home buyers to compare the $140 per square foot to the $200+ per square foot 78704 area average pricing. Residents also appreciate their spacious 2,000+ SF floor plans and 10 ft. ceilings

The Sycamore is a private, gated community in South Austin near South Congress that boasts detached, contemporary town homes. The Sycamore features energy-efficient and technological amenities mixed with bold designs, a 2-car garage and private yards. The Sycamore features energy-efficient and technological amenities mixed with bold designs, 2-car garage and private yards. Units are 1,500 sq. ft., 2 Bedrooms, 2.5 baths with a study and garage, starting at $240,000.

Barton Creek Capital has sold 140 homes with the average days on market to contract of less than 3 days, and they are the largest, and arguably the only, wholesaler of condos in the desirable 78704 zip code. These new developments have opened up new options for living near downtown with pricing that beats rental rates by wholesaling condos and town homes and returning real value.

This year, the Greater Austin Walk Now for Autism Speaks attracted over 3,356 walkers and raised over $139,000 for autism.  My family joined the fun and together with Michele Utt from MK Events, MommyQ’s team raised over $3,000.

It was surreal to see all of the families like ours unite for such an important organization. Autism Speaks did a wonderful job organizing the event and the sponsors did a great job making the day extra-special. My boys loved the Home Depot workshop where they got to swing hammers to create wooden keepsakes crafts like toolboxes, boats and cars.  My little guy managed to sweet talk a lady working the Home Depot area into giving him the demo Joey Logano car with the pristine paint job. Go figure, right?

I’m already looking forward to next year and brainstorming themes for our big pre-event cocktail party. Drop me a line if you have ideas. A special thanks to Michael Gardner Photography at www.Homeandgardners.com for sharing his wonderful photos with me. His photos are watermarked. The rest are mine. Not as good, but they do have heart!

When the fabulous Michele Utt of MK Events asked me to partner with her to throw The Bachelorette Watch Party, I was intrigued. When she mentioned this amazing party would also serve as a fundraiser, I was impressed. When we decided it would benefit Autism Speaks, I was ecstatic. My happy heart (in combination with my inner party diva) is thrilled to announce The Bachelorette Season Finale Watch Party, August 1st from 6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.  Proceeds will benefit Walk Now for Autism Speaks in Austin. Tickets to the event can be purchased online for $40.

This event is shaping up to be one of the best Girls Night Out parties ever held in the great state of Texas.  The swag bags and silent auctions items alone are making us swoon. Plus, we’re adding new ones even as I type. Take a look at ALL of the AMAZING people & companies who are involved. They deserve a mega-shout out! Woo Hoo.

Why Autism Speaks? My readers know autism is close to my heart, because my oldest son was diagnosed when he was three. The biggest thing we need as parents and as a society is access to critical data about autism and more resources for families struggling to understand it. All of these autistic youngsters will be adults one day. Who will support them? How will they lend their special vision, talents and skills to society?  They need to thrive! Lastly, let’s figure out what causes it. There are too many unsubstantiated theories. We need answers!

Okay, stepping off of my platform now…

-  A special thank you goes out to our sponsors: Baldwin Beauty School (thank you, Wendi!), Premier Data Com and Warren Kull with www.yourlaketravishome.com, for supporting our event and compassion towards the cause.

- Enjoy complimentary appetizers by Mandola’s, wine by Flat Creek Winery, cocktails courtesy of Treaty Oak Rum and Graham’s Texas Tea and dessert a la Michelle’s Patisserie.  Bouquets of red roses fill the room courtesy of Flowers By Nancy.

- Chef Paul Peterson, (www.chefpaulpetersen.com) who was featured on TLC’s BBQ Pitmasters and is currently the executive chef at Austin’s favorite Tex-Mex Restaurant, Vivo. will be firing up the kitchen and serving some tasty eats!

Swag Bags valued at over $700 and are yours to take home!
Swag Bags Sponsored By:
~Bettysport
~Oak Haven Massage
~BASE Personal Training
~Kendra Scott Jewelry
~Shandi Nichelle Co.
~Vitamin Water
~Don Rogers Photography
~Dermalogica
~Dream Water
~360 Tans
~Creative People Marketing & Design
~Hill Country Galleria
~Bee Waxed

Silent Auction Items Include:
~Zoom Whitening by Lakeway Smiles
~$300 in Kendra Scott Jewelry
~Gift Certificate to Spa at the Lake
~Spray Tan by 360 Tans
~Gift Basket by Blue Avocado

If you haven’t heard the buzz about this new doll, I’ll break it down for you. Breast Milk Baby is a doll that allows little girls to simulate the act of breast-feeding. And as you can imagine, this toy is creating waves of controversy as it will soon be available in the US. So what’s the big deal about another doll? I mean, we already have plenty of dollies that eat, pee and poop. Well, it could be the vest with sensors to trigger nursing or the suckling sounds or the fact that little girl can loosely experience latching. Pick one. Here’s a recent article from ABC News.

Today, I spoke with FOX 7 about it and shared my thoughts as not only a mother, but a mother who happens to know a lot about baby products. I even posted something on Facebook about my impending interview, which created its own little swirl of debate. This is a controversial doll for many reasons. Instead of exploring the obvious, I thought it was far more interesting to hear reactions about the doll from dads. After all, dads shower their daughters with gifts. Will they buy Breast Milk Baby for their daughters? One dad added his two cents to my lively Facebook discussion by posting the following:

“Don’t want to drag another ‘party’ to the discussion unknowingly… But having had this very discussion today…. It’s not about sexuality or nourishment as much as it seems to be about the publicity of it. Should be private and between a mom and child, not public and out for display for everyone to share. I think public display kind of sensationalizes it. Back to the doll – is that the right WAY to send the message or teach our children? My girls will never own one of these, but you can bet they will know everything they want and need to about breastfeeding and discretion.”

Bravo, daddy! I think he illustrates great points and let’s face it, dads are an integral part of parenting, so why dismiss their feelings? Many dads seem to be annoyed by the doll, because they feel young girls don’t need to experience something reserved for grown women. It’s simply too much, too soon. Other dads think there is a shady sexual undertone that just makes them feel slightly ill. Loving daddies might not want to imagine their sweet little girls as mothers quite yet, especially with all of the valid fears of teenage pregnancies.

Weigh in, dads! What do you think about this doll? Will you buy it for your daughter?

Evening and bridal gown designer Liz Fields, who is based in New York, is hosting her 1st Annual Military Gala, a launch extravaganza that will kick off an effort across the country to give away gowns to women within the military family. The gala will be the perfect setting for Liz to showcase her new collection of bridal gowns, destination wedding dresses, special occasions niche designs and evening gowns. But, part of her dream to make military ladies’ dreams come true too.

At the heart of the gala will be military couples which run the spectrum of boyfriend-girlfriend, engaged, and married couples. They will celebrated and treated to a memorable evening of food, drinks, dancing, entertainment, prizes, giveaways and unbelievable surprises. Liz Fields is happy to partner with amazing sponsors like Lacy Pool, the stylist and buyer for Serendipity Bridal, who has teamed up with Kendra Scott and Toni Federici to create the looks. Additional sponsors include the Army Wife Network and Silver Eagle Distributors/Anheuser Busch.

I can’t let the cat out of the bag, but I’ve heard an American Idol Finalist will be performing and my beautiful friend Holly Mills-Gardner, a former Miss Texas, will be emceeing the fashion show and festivities as they unfold. Plus, the entire show will be televised on CMT in the Fall. How fun is that?!

The dust has been vacuumed, the dumpster has been removed, our POD has left the driveway and all of our new pals at HGTV’d have moved on to their next project. I hope it involves a few naps, because those folks are worn out! The BIG REVEAL was this past Sunday and my head is still spinning! I keep walking into my ultra-fabulous, posh, functional and sparkling, new rooms and wonder, “Whose house is this?!? It certainly isn’t mine!” I’m still not touching anything out of fear that I may mess up something. Although the fresh flowers are starting to wilt, so I’m going to have to replace them. Even the flowers are cool. I mean, really? These folks are goooood.

I’d like to give a special thanks to four local companies who helped us survive and enjoy this surreal experience:

#1 – Austin Paperhanging for the stunning, precise and perfect job they did hanging all of our new wallpaper.  You won’t fully understand until you see the room in person. It’s a HUGE area and DIFFICULT job and they did SUPERBLY. It’s mind boggling.

#2 - Aero Designed Systems who installed our brand new AC unit. Yep, our AC broke right in the middle of filming our episode of HGTV’d. It was about 103 degrees outside too. Aero worked quickly and the customer service was outstanding.

#3 – Let Us Do The Cooking was possibly the highlight of each day. This is a catering company located in Killeen, TX, and they brought us the most mouth-watering, fantastic food I’ve ever eaten. Yes, ever.  (Sorry, mom!) The corn casserole was stupendous, the green bean casserole was heavenly, the desserts were insane, the entrees were perfection, etc.

#4 – Central Market made the most beautiful & tasty HGTV’d cake. I had to print the logo from the hotel’s black & white printer, but Central Market was like, we’re so awesome, we’re going to do it with all of the red shades anyway! Not only was it pretty, but also yummy! We walked around with red lips all day and didn’t even care.

Here's a pic of the old chandelier coming down. You should've seen how high they had to go to make this happen. My knees were weak!

Here's a shot of David with Austin Paperhanging doing what he does best. You should've seen the precision. If you ever decide to this, leave it to the pros.

We took a million pics in front of that truck. We also saw various neighbors posing it with as they walked by...

Another shot of the gorgeous cake. Central Market knows dessert!

This pic was taken on my way out of the hotel on reveal day! I was a nervous, excited wreck. This is my annoying thumbs-up pose that I did repeatedly. Yes, that's gonna be a pleasure to watch on TV. Oy!

I’m not able to post pics of the finished rooms, but tune in for my next post when I finally reveal our celebrity designer.

Did ya miss something? Wanna know where to submit your casting video? Here’s MommyQ is Getting HGTV’d: Part One

What do you think? Do you have the guts to be HGTV’d????

Have you ever wondered what’s it’s like to be HGTV’d? I can pretty much sum it up in one word, AWESOME. For the past five days, my family has been taking an exciting, unbelievable, unpredictable, loud, consuming and mind-boggling journey with HGTV as they redo our multiple areas in our home for the new show, HGTV’d. I can’t give away all of the juicy details, but I can give you a little sneak peek. First, a few FAQs…

How did we get on the show? We submitted a video just like everyone else.  Go do it now! They’re casting in DC/Virginia, Miami and Chicago, people! Why did we get picked? Honestly, I have no idea. We’re totally nuts and fearless? Perhaps. The producers told me we were fun and open to wild ideas and our house had good “bones.” Are the homeowners totally in the dark about knowing who their designer is? Absolutely! We had no clue who our designer was until Tanika Ray opened the truck door.

It’s a totally once-in-a-lifetime type of surreal experience. The demolition was one of the wildest aspects. It’s pretty wild to have parts of your house torn apart when you know what’s going to happen. Imagine how crazy it is when you DON’T know what they’re going to tear down. I’m in awe of the entire team, because they are incredibly respectful of us and our home, not to mention how much thought and effort they put into each design idea. I encourage you to submit a video and see what happens. Trust me, it’s an experience you will never forget.

I’ll be dishing about it for the next few days, so stay tuned. Well, I gotta be sequestered. I’ve been kicked out and the big reveal is tomorrow!!!!

They tore out useless walls. We didn't realize they were useless, but we learned...Ha!

The noise was insane! The buzzing, whirling & hammering. The kids were troopers!

Our home was transformed into a fully functional TV set. Our kitchen was a huge work station, our yard housed a tent for meals and carpentry and our guest room was the make-up room. Yeah, you know I loved that part!

Get a load of this banister. You'll understand more about this when the episode airs, but OMG...I love what I'm seeing thus far!

Stay tuned for Part Two! I’ll talk about our TOTALLY RAD designer and what it’s like to work with ridiculously talented and funny peeps.

If you haven’t met Martha yet, this is a great opportunity to introduce your children to this clever and well-spoken canine. This week will feature new episodes of Martha enjoying outdoor activities like camping, canoeing and watching fireworks with her friends. We got to see Martha’s Slumber Party of the Weird and The Long Rotten Summer/The Case of the Shattered Vase. In addition to the entertaining stories and great vocabulary words, kids also learn why they shouldn’t watch scary movies right before going to bed. (A lesson I should revisit myself.) Look at those cuties playing with their new plush Martha pups!

Summer Fun Week:
Monday, June 27th – Martha’s Slumber Party of the Weird (2 parts)
Tuesday, June 28th – Martha puts Out the Lights (2 parts)
Wednesday, June 29th – Escape from Flea Island/ No Dogs Allowed
Thursday, June 30th – Martha in the Hold/Get Along, Little Doggies!
Friday, July1st – The Long Rotten Summer/The Case of the Shattered Vase

Click, click, click:
- Don’t forget to visit Martha Speaks online for terrific games. My son’s new favorite? Make The Band. It’s hilarious!
- Watch my son’s impromptu interview about why he loves Martha Speaks.
- Martha has gone mobile! You can download Martha Speaks Dog Party App.

Disclaimer: PBS did supply me with a DVD of the new episodes and 10 swag bags. My opinions are my own. If I didn’t personally love this talkative pup, I wouldn’t write about it. Promise.

If you give a mom a microphone, she’ll ask for a stage to go with it. When you give her the stage, she’ll ask if it makes her butt look big. Worrying about her big butt will make her change outfits, so you’ll need to get her a glass of wine to calm her nerves…

What happens when you throw 15 moms together and give them a microphone? Well, they talk your ears off about motherhood, of course.  The good, the bad, the exhausted, the sedated. It’s a job rich in laughter, marinated in pee, sprinkled with sticky candy and sauteed in a mixture of smeared mascara, laundry detergent and breast milk. Yummy, right? Much like Gefilte fish, motherhood is a delicacy not intended for the faint of heart.

On April 30th, grab your hubby, your mom, your grandma, your girlfriends, your overweight cat, a box of Puffs and join us at a pre-Mother’s Day celebration, the “Listen To Your Mother Austin” show. In fact, you can read more about it in the Statesman’s Mama Drama blog.

All of the fab mamas, myself included, will read a short original essay about motherhood. After our first rehearsal, I was so amazed at each and every story. This is NOT a sappy, cliche, poetry reading involving tambourines, Birkenstocks, awkward pauses and weeping. The pieces are smart, sassy, creative, thought-provoking and highly entertaining – just like the moms who wrote them.

This year’s Austin cast includes: Kristin Armstrong, Kimberly Cockrill, Julie Coombes, Jenny Lawson, Cathy Hale (that’s me!), Kathryn Harrison, Diane LeBleu, Blythe Jewell, Krystin Crain Johnson, Esther Mizrachi Moritz, Elizabeth McGuire, Jennifer Newcomb Marine and Gigi Ross.  Show producers Wendi Aarons and Jennifer Sutton will emcee and read at the event as well. (If you aren’t following @WendiAarons on Twitter, you should be beaten with wet diapers. She’s a freakin’ riot.)

“Listen to Your Mother Austin” will be performed April 30 at 1 p.m. at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center, 1900 University Ave. Tickets are $14 and available online at http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1468976749. Proceeds from the event (after costs are covered) will be donated to Any Baby Can.

Valentine’s Day may be over now, but you can still embrace that lovin’ feeling. And it may be as easy as sipping a glass of juice…

As a Genesis Today Ambassador, I get to try new products from Genesis Today. For Valentine’s Day, they sent me a little ‘Getting It On with Goji’ treat – Cranberry Goji Juice. I’m not a big juice fan, but it was surprisingly awesome. It tastes great and offers the perfect marriage of sweet & tart. What’s great about the combo of cranberries and goji berries is blatter & kidney health, mood & antioxidant support and a little libido boost.

It’s easy to have a frisky February. In fact, there are plenty of natural things that boost your libido:

- Goji berries
- Maca Root
- Asparagus
- Oysters
- Chillis
- Dark chocolate
- Sleep
- Exercise
- $2,000 & a fab goody basket

Considering everything on the list, I’ll be choosing Goji berries over oysters any day! Of course, $2,000 sounds great too…

WIN IT! Want to win $2,000 for a romantic adventure and a wonderful goody basket? Enter the Genesis Today Lover’s Getaway. Just visit the Genesis Today Facebook Page for a chance to win a $2,000 cash prize and a gift basket filled with Goji goodies, steaks from Snake River Farms & champagne. Ooh la la!

1. – Like Genesis Today on Facebook
2. – Upload of photo of you enjoying Cranberry Goji juice
3. – Tell Genesis Today what you love the most about your partner

Last day to enter is 2/21/11

It was so much fun to meet anchor, Sally Hernandez, and be a guest on the KXAN News at Noon show today. Sally is a smart and sweet and funny gal. It was a great interview and I owe a lot of that her. She’s the mom of a youngster herself, so I think she really understands and appreciates the power of mom blogs.

I talked to Sally about my blog and then gave a few tips for moms who would like to start a blog. I mentioned getting your feet wet on large blogging communities like Blogher and Yahoo!Shine. These are my two favorites online communities and I actually post on both of them. The larger blogs I write for, Babble and BettyConfidential, also use Yahoo!Shine to promote their blog posts. It has a tremendous reach due to the sheer amount of readers.

As I mentioned in the interview, there are many Do’s and Don’ts when it comes to blogging. Here are my top three:

DO

1 – Identify the goals of your blog. Take some time to think about what you want your blog to accomplish. Are you writing it so family members who don’t live nearby can keep up? Are you going to use your blog as a stepping stone into a writing career? Are you wanting to make money with it? There are lots of great reasons, and figuring out what they are will help you create your blog in a way that best fits your goals.

2 – Share! Share! Share! When you do start blogging, share your posts on social media sites. That’s exactly why they exist. Use Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon, LinkedIn or any of your favorites to share your posts. This is what you need to do to engage with your readers and start conversations. My friends & family are my biggest fans, so I encourage you to bombard them constantly.

3 – Write about stuff you like. Yeah, that seems pretty obvious, but it’s true. If your write about topics you like, in additional to your fabulous kiddos, you’re more likely to keep writing. Let’s face it, you can only write about picky eaters and colds and diaper fiascoes to a degree. Pepper in the things you love and your passion will shine through in your writing.

DON’T

1 – Too much information! Be careful about the amount of info your share in your blog. As mom bloggers, we’re always chatting about our kids. That doesn’t mean you should list their full names, where they attend school or daycare, etc. It’s possible to tell compelling and true stories without giving every little detail. Protect yourself and your children.

2 – Never blog angry. The rush of having your own slice of the Internet can be intoxicating, but don’t abandon all of your manners as a result. (And speaking of intoxicating, don’t blog drunk either.) If you have a bad experience somewhere or buy a product you don’t like, don’t go off about it in your blog. That stuff will come back to haunt you. If you read a post and your gut instinct tells you not to publish it, listen to your gut. Better safe than sorry.

3 – Embrace negative feedback. - Don’t spend time worrying about how your posts will be received. You WILL GET negative feedback and some of it won’t be pretty. Take it for what’s it worth and don’t get discouraged. If you have the freedom to voice your option, other people are entitled to do the same thing. That’s the beauty of this highly interactive world we live in!

Plus, learn more about BlogathonATX: Part Deux and find out why you should’ve already bought your ticket. Shame on you!

In 2010, I went on my first movie adventure in Portland, OR. Walmart and P&G invited me to experience a real behind-the-scenes experience at the filming of A Walk in My Shoes. It’s part of their initiative for better family entertainment. How could I say no? Here I am talking about my experience. (Yes, I’m doing vids this year – look out!)

Added bonus? During the trip I got to meet some phenomenal women: @MomStart @mamsphor @eightymphmom @BettyBuzz @OurOrdinaryLife – funny, fantastic, outspoken and talented. In fact, I actively follow these moms on Twitter today and do guest blogging for Betty Confidential.

As we embark on 2011, my advice for you is TAKE CHANCES. In my normal mommy mode, leaving the family for a few days to travel to a movie set was something I’d normally pass up. It required planning and rearranging of schedules and a few other hassles. Instead of being my normal “no thanks” self, I ditched my comfort zone and went. I’m so glad I did! It was an amazing experience for so many reasons. My point? Let’s keep pushing ourselves to take chances, okay? Deal? Deal.

Every so often, something special comes along and it’s just too fun not to share. That’s how I feel about the Heart Designer Ornaments at HSN. Yes, HSN.  Have you ever gotten stuck on the HSN channel? I got sucked in one night and watched it for about 2 hours. It was quite mesmerizing. Anyway, they launched a new collection of Christmas ornaments featuring designs from celebs like Sarah Jessica Parker, Gwen Stefani, Tori Spelling, Molly Sims, Sly Stallone and many more. The above is Sarah Jessica Parker’s colorful creation. So Carrie Bradshaw!

Now you can shop and actually feel good about it, because 100 percent of the profits, no less than 30 percent of the purchase price of each ornament, will be donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and its on-going efforts to finding cures and save children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. As a parent, you’ve gotta feel good about that.

Here are a few of my fave ornaments. Which one do you like the best?

Gwen Stefani continues her Japanese-inspired quirkiness.

Tori Spelling’s design is clean and sophisticated, yet still festive.

Molly Sims opts for gold bling with a pop of color.

Sly Stallone got some creative help from his wife, Jennifer Flavin.

Feeling splurgy? Check out the $1 million Advent from Porsche. Looking for an eco-friendly Advent this year? Take a look at all of the beautifully crafted Advents from the most creative Etsy sellers ever! The categories are Luxury, Traditional, Modern, Candy and DIY. You’d better get started because these cute Advents gotta be ready to go on December 1st! Here’s a little taste:

A friend of mine told me about CraftGossip a few months ago, and today it’s one of my all-time favorite websites. From edible crafts to felting to needlework and sewing, this blog is full of unique, creative and fun ways to make everything under the sun. And I mean everything!

Just in time for Halloween, CraftGossip is featuring all kinds of awesome ideas for the spookiest time of the year. The Bat Softie Mobile (Sew4Home) is so cute, the Tulle Pumpkin Dress costume (a la Craft Passion) is divine and the Spooky Lollipops are amazing (Ohdeedoh).

What’s great about CraftGossip is there are plenty of neat projects you can do with minimal expertise. For people like me, it’s golden. I think it’s eye candy for the soul. I just love the way the main blog is separated into sub-blogs too. You can hone in on your favorite kind of crafty fun and get loads of inspiration. If you start reading the bios for the Craft Gossip editors, you’ll quickly see why it’s so darn cool.

Get even more H’ween ideas by clicking here! Enjoy!

“Dad, tell the one about bonking that kid in the head with your toy train.” “Dad, tell the one about running from the neighborhood bullies.” “Honey, tell the one about passing out in the park.” That’s the way most of our family get-togethers end. Whether it’s sitting around the table with half-eaten pieces of birthday cake on car-themed paper plates scattered about or sipping coffee together, stuffed from a delicious Thanksgiving turkey, the best part of every family gathering is the laughter.

After the last bite of food has been taken and our rambunctious, young kiddos have retired to the playroom, the adults sit around the table and retell funny stories we’ve heard a million times.  Certain topics never seem to get old like my dad’s rebellious childhood or my husband’s PG-rated college adventures involving alcohol-related stupidity. My sister and I tend to tell the same stories from our childhood about goofy Barbie antics and high school shenanigans.

No matter what life hands us over the years, laughter always proves to be the best medicine in my family. It’s affordable, easy to find and doesn’t require planning.  As far as family traditions go, it’s a no brainer.

And what’s with “predictive” searches? Well, it seems this type of search shows you results before you finish typing. In other words, it’s psychic. Great. Now I have someone else telling me what I want. The kids, my husband and my laptop. Super.

I’m not sure why this Google Instant concept is so newsworthy because 2-5 seconds isn’t a big thing to me. If I didn’t have to type at all  – now that would be exciting. It would save my back from the pain of sitting, typing and slouching all day. I wouldn’t have to deal with sticky keyboard keys or pieces of cookies getting lodged under the cracks by the space bar or my missing Alt key. Why not ditch the keyboard all together, Google? Let’s go ahead and take it to the psychic level now. We know you’ve got the technology tucked away in a tin Sucrets box.

I guess you save precious time by not clicking the Enter key? Sure, pick on the poor soon-to-be obsolete Enter key by making it an outcast. I happen to like the Enter key because it does good things. I’m done. I hit Enter. I get closure. Without the Enter, there is no closure and you know how much humans need that. How do I know my search is over? Enter key. How do I know things are in motion? Enter key.

Maybe the next Google announcement will be about psychic searches and they will call it Google World Domination. I would totally read about that.

On Monday night, MommyQ attended the Hair Affair Fashion Show and it was totally intriguing. From the moment I walked behind the red velvet curtains to conduct my interviews and take pictures, I was in eye candy heaven. The 18th Century French inspiration was vivid enough to make Marie Antoinette order a French Cosmso (3 oz. pineapple juice, 1 1/2 oz. vodka, 1/2 oz. cassis, garnish with pineapple slice or leaf) and party like a rockstar.

Waterstone Aesthetics and LegitArt Entertainment came together to oragnize the event and it was magnificent. Not to mention, 100% of the proceeds benefited Locks of Love, a non-profit for children under the age of 18 who suffer from long-term medical hair loss.

The wigs and hair pieces for the runway show were jaw-dropping. You must see the pics to truly understand how grand they were. I spent mots of my time backstage, watching the model prepare and get final touches on hair and makeup. I was totally impressed with how calm the folks running the show remained, even three minutes prior to the opening of the curtains. The models did a wonderful job bringing personality to all of the outfits. It was also great to see the look of satisfaction on the stylists’ faces when their model’s look came together. Pay special attention to the model with the birdcage on her head.

Experience the full story on News 8 Austin and visit Austin Eavesdropper for even more info, pics and goodies. Plus, find out which Texas model is destined for greatness on the reality show America’s Next Top Model.

Last weekend, the second annual Austin Fashion Week began with a huge party and fashion show at Idea City, the place GSD&M calls home. Partygoers and fashionistas did their best to beat the heat and as the sun went down and a cool breeze entered the equation, it was time to get serious about style.

What Bloggers are Saying:
You can see what local fashion bloggers like Indiana Adams (AdoredAustin), Joanna Wilkinson (KeepAustinStylish) and Tiffany Diane (AustinIsBuning) had to say about the runway show and Austin’s unique aesthetic in a News 8 Austin blog complete with video.

80s Pop Star, Tiffany
One of the hightlights of the evening was definitely 80s pop star, Tiffany, belting out her famous tunes. Part of me was expecting to see a redheaded teenager in an acid-washed denim jacket and big hair walk out on stage.  No, Tiffany is all grown up like the rest of us now. But she did an amazing job and really engaged the crowd. It was impossible not to sing along when she sang ‘I Think We’re Along Now.” See how Tiffany dazzled the crowd on News 8 Austin.

Austin’s Fashion Talent
A Project Runway contestant who competed in Season 6 , Louise Black, is participating in Austin Fashion Week this year. You can read about more of Austin’s notables on News 8 Austin.

My Fashion Blunder…
I have to tell a quick personal story, because it’s just to hilarious not to share. I wore a totally unique dress to this event – a Marc by Marc Jacobs red-striped linen dress. After the fashion show, we went to grab a drink at a local bar called Townhouse. After we walked in, we realized my dress matched the red striped fabric on the furniture exactly.  What are the odds of that? It was hilarious and just goes to show fashion is totally unpredictable.

Here are a few pics from the evening:

MommyQ is a bona fide fashionista. Well, at least for a while. I’m excited to report I will be a contributing fashion blogger for News 8 Austin this year during Austin Fashion Week, August 14- 21, 2010.  This is my first year involved in Austin Fashion Week and although it hasn’t officially begun yet, I’m already thoroughly excited.

My first blog post is about the fabulously talented Lisa Kennedy, an Austin-based fashion stylist and hairstylist. She has been helping me rediscover my own style, which has been slightly derailed by two pregnancies. Seriously, during my style consultation she pointed out the obvious. I own a ridiculous amount of black shirts. Lisa and I were standing in my closet together and I was like, “Oops. How did that happen?”  Find out exactly what a stylist can do for you and why you don’t have to be a celebrity to have one by clicking here.

What keeps Austin so stylish? It is the eco-fashion? The thirst for individuality? The cowboy boots?  Nope, it’s the people. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many of the women (and men) responsible for keeping Austinites informed and stylish. Get a fresh perspective from:

- Fashionably Austin keeps you fashionably connected to local fashion, as well as fashion catwalks around the globe.  My new friend and part of the dynamic duo behind this online fashion community, Cheryly Bemis, will be reporting from these events. It’s always fun to follow Cheryl!

- Austin Slave to Fashion is shopping and styling in the ATX. She loves all things fashion and thinks everyone deserves to feel good and look good in what they wear.

- Keep Austin Stylish keeps you up-to-date with the latest fashion news and trends in the most casually chic city in Texas.

- Let your imagination run wild with Colours Marie. Go ahead, colour outside the lines.

- Austin Eavesdropper covers music, fashion, food and all things fabulous. You’re all invited to “dork out” with her and celebrate the coolness of Austin.

Get your fashion fix on Twitter: @coloursmarie, @austinstylish, @slavetofashion, @webanna, @TollyM, @ATXfashionweek, @FashionablyATX -  and don’t forget me @MommyQ

Earlier this week, my first guest blog appeared on Betty Confidential. I read an article about Angelina Jolie’s parenting style and it made me wonder if I were really ridiculously wealthy, would I be a different kind of mom? Enjoy!

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A few weeks ago I was at the nail salon flipping through a tabloid. The story that caught my eye was about Angelina Jolie and her mother-in-law, Jane Pitt. The two weren’t getting along so well because Brad’s mom was annoyed at Angelina’s overly relaxed parenting style. She worries that the nannies are too involved and that Angelina doesn’t provide them with enough discipline. According to Brad’s mom, the kids stay up late all of the time, they eat lots of junk food, go out in public looking unkempt. Brad’s mom believes young children need a more structured upbringing.

I’m a stay-at-home, work-from-home mom, so I’m knee-deep in kiddos every day. As I was about to knock Angelina for her mommy style, I couldn’t help but entertain the scenario in my head. “What kind of mom would I be if I were super-rich like Angelina?”

If we had ridiculous amounts of disposable income, would I be a different mother? Would I invest in more “we” time or more “me” time? Would I choose to spend more quality time with my children or with myself? Would I throw caution to the wind? Would I let my children stay up late munching Cheetos, knowing that I didn’t have to deal with the orange handprints all over the sofa? My housekeeper would handle that. When the boys start to slap, pinch, shove and wrestle for toys around 5:30 p.m., would I just let the nanny figure out how to intervene? Or would I even be at home? Maybe I’d be at the gym or shopping or – gasp! – getting my weekly massage. Would I be constantly running out of the door, kissing my kids on the cheeks and yelling last-minute directions to my nannies on the way out?

Read my final thoughts about it by clicking here!

Image: BettyConfidential.com

Who is MommyQ? My two-year-old blog, MommyQ, is fueled by coffee and cynicism. I like to call it a parenting blog with a dash of celebrity gossip and a sprinkle of fashion advice. Over the years, MommyQ, has become my aspirational, online persona and she is all about eye-candy, fun and functionality. MommyQ might buy a pair of pair of $300 Tory Burch clogs, but I probably wouldn’t. In today’s economy where many folks are trying to help other families find deals and cut costs, I blog about upscale bathing suits for toddlers or the cool baby clothes Sandra Bullock bought for Louis. My blog is supposed to be a departure from reality in many ways – yet still honest & helpful – because life as a mother is stressful enough.

Who is the real MommyQ? I’m the quintessential mom balancing work and life and buying lots of stuff along the way. I’m an English major with an affinity for marketing and writing. I’ve always aspired to be a professional writer, but nothing motivated me enough to pursue that dream. All of that changed after I became a mother. Who knew having children could change you so completely.

Suddenly, I had endless amounts of thoughts, musings and experiences that I was truly passionate about and an engaged audience who shared my journey. I’m a self-taught WordPress junkie and social media guru, so my entry into the mom blogosphere in 2008 was a bit rocky. After a few weeks, I was hooked. I’ve been blogging, tweeting and trying to figure out the dreaded Google algorithm ever since.

Mere months before I started blogging, we got a devastating autism diagnosis for my oldest son who was three at the time. I harnessed my emotions and decided to blog about it a few months later. I cried through the entire post, but I wrote it and it was beautiful. At that moment, I realized how much my experience raising and Autism Spectrum Disorder child might help other parents struggling with the same situation. The reality of autism is not easy to talk about, so I don’t write about most of the time. When I feel strong enough to discuss it, I write a heartfelt post and hope others will gain inspiration from it.

There’s something unbelievably amazing about being a mom blogger. No matter where you are in your life, you’re always connected. It will be my legacy to my children, even if I have to beg, borrow and steal for it. I’m entering a very exciting phase of my life as a blogger because promising things are happening. It’s a huge balancing act, but it’s totally worth it. Besides there’s always Botox to help ease the permanent stress lines. As soon as my youngest is out of diapers, maybe I’ll be able to afford it.

Have you ever felt like the “professional you” needs to be more productive?  I’d like to step away from my normal blog posts about baby gear and celeb gossip for a moment to share a cool project management tool with you. Like me, I know many of you are desperately trying to juggle family life and professional life. It’s not easy because we never seem to have enough time. For the past year I’ve been using Teamwork Project Management and it is a lifesaver.

If you think your business is too small to organize, you’re wrong. I always assumed project management tools were for big companies, but that’s not necessarily true. Yes, it certainly works for large corporations, but small companies can work much more efficiently if you can work together.

Teamwork  is actually based in Cork, Ireland (my husband’s favorite place to play golf!) but they take customer support queries faster than companies in my own backyard.  You can get customer support online and they do respond very fast.  The interface is fast and friendly – dare I say, perfect. It won’t take you long to figure out how to use all of the features, so there’s no lengthy learning curve. The pricing structure is extremely affordable which means no matter how big or small your company may be, you can afford this.

Here are a few other things I like:

- Create task lists, add and delegate tasks to ensure you meet your milestone goals.

- Never miss a deadline! Schedule milestones in a project to set a target on upcoming deadlines to make sure they are met.

- You can keep track of team messages by grouping them in specific categories to find them fast.

- Never go above your set hours for a client! You can easily track both normal and billable time on all projects. It also has a nifty timer.

If you haven’t entertained the idea of using project management software, maybe it’s time to give it a whirl. You can do a FREE 30 day  trial of all the paid plans and there is also a full free version as well, to see if it’s helpful.

Last week MommyQ was lucky enough to take a trip to Portland, Oregon, to witness a “behind-the-scenes” movie experience.  Walmart and P&G invited me to attend, so I could see the guts and the glory it takes to produce a television movie. The movie, “In My Shoes,” is a clever, compassionate and family-friendly project that proves the notion of family movie night is not forgotten.

When I was a kid, I remember sitting with my parents and my sister once a week, usually Friday night, to watch television together. I have to admit, I don’t remember exact titles of the movies we watched, but I do recall the laughter, giggles, communal popcorn tub and the fun. I also know my parents didn’t have to jump up and run to the TV (we didn’t have remotes back then) to change the station because something non kid-friendly was interrupting our viewing pleasure.

From the wonderful folks at P&G and Walmart to the producers to the actors, EVERYONE working on this project is totally aware of the need for family-friendly television entertainment. Even the youngest actor on the set, 11-year-old Jackson Pace, mentioned how important it is to be able to watch television together as a family. (BTW, what a cute little guy.)

I also got to meet some phenomenal women/mothers/entreprenuers as in @MomStart @mamaspohr @eightymphmom @BettyBuzz @OurOrdinaryLife – funny, fantastic and talented, who could ask for more?

Get a taste of what the new and improved family movie night is by watching The Jenson Project on July 19th on NBC. And if you haven’t seen Secrets of the Mountain, you’d better get to watchin’ because it was incredible. Stay tuned!

I had a Swedish Massage there today with a sprinkle of Deep Tissue. My massage therapist, Colleen (who has many clients who are professional hockey players) did a fabulous job. It’s an upscale massage spa with affordable prices. The rooms are small, but clean and comfortable. I love the heated massage tables.

If you prefer a different style of massage, they have that too. They even offer Ashiatsu Bar Therapy and pregnancy massages. You can see of their services by clicking here.  Massage Harmony has two locations in Austin — one on S. Lamar and the other in Westlake. If you go to Westlake, I highly recommend Colleen. Okay, enough reading. Go book your massage today and for goodness sake, RELAX!

I’ve been a big fan of Craigslist for many years. Yet sometimes there are things about Senior Craig that I don’t like. Let’s say I’m trying to sell a baby stroller. By the time I get my ad posted, 20 more stroller are already ahead of mine in about 24 hours. Not to mention, I’m not a huge fan of how the ads look and the time it takes to create them. Don’t get me started on the shady personals. Ew.

I’ve heard friends talk about Adbirds which is like Craigslist, but it has many more capabilities. I checked it out today and I’m hooked! I created a few free ads and it was such a breeze. The interface is fast, easy and sophisticated. You can add lots of pictures, links, video clips – whatever you want – and it’s seriously simple. As a mommy, I appreciate the ability to do stuff online as quickly as possible. I’ll have to be changing a diaper, reading a story or wiping crayons off the walls any minute.

I’m going to do more research on Adbirds to figure out all of the neat stuff it does. They have an affiliate program and from what I’m hearing, it ROCKS. Adbirds is also extremely eco-conscious as the company is all about local shopping, community and saving everyone gas. Think of it as more money in your pocket for diapers, formula and wipes! The company tagline is “Better Online Advertising” and they speak the truth.

Drop me a comment if you’ve already discovered Adbirds and let me know what you think. I’m an instant fan and excited to learn more. Click here to post an ad and see for yourself!

I know breakfast seems like a no-brainer, but what if you’ve blessed with picky eaters? My kiddos don’t like milk or eggs, so cereal and scrambled eggs don’t work in my house. Here are a few tips from Connie Evers, M.S., R.D., nutrition expert and mother of three:

1. – Get up & eat! – Get the kids up earlier on weekdays to spend time together and eat a proper breakfast.

2. – Be a role model – Moms who eat a balanced morning meal benefit and set a great example.

3. – Provide small portions – If your kiddo claims to not be hungry in the morning, offer a smaller breakfast and pack a snack.

4. – Get organized – Keep your kitchen stocked with “grab and go” foods like yogurt, bananas, grapes, juice boxes, whole grain English muffins, pita bread and Nutella. Even on the most rushed days, you can send them out the door with a balanced meal!

5. – How can Nutella be part of a balanced meal? Spread it on whole grain toast and serve it with fresh fruit. Just make sure you don’t go crazy on the portions. Eating an entire jar of Nutella in one sitting isn’t really part of the plan.

I’m excited to announce a Nutella Giveaway on Droolicious! The contest will go live in the morning and the lucky winner will get THREE FREE JARS of Nutella. Click here to find the post.

Today MommyQ was featured on The Stir, a CafeMom blog! What are my secrets to a good night of sleep? What do I dream about? Am I really psychic? Are my cats really that ridiculously overweight? Get the answers to your most pressing questions by reading “Cats Who Steal the Covers, Psychic Dreams: Sleep Secrets” by the talented and anti-appliqued sweater-New-York-living mom & writer, Jeanne Sager.

CafeMom is an online community where millions of moms meet each day to talk, share advice, make new friends and play games. It’s fun, it’s free, and it’s for moms only.

Yes, that’s my little logo. MommyQ is sponsoring this event with a bunch of other great businesses and I can assure it will be AWESOME. We scouted out the location and discussed details today. I was excited about it before, but I’m even more excited about it now. Details about the scrumptious menu will be coming soon.  Also, if you’re a mom here in Austin and you haven’t been to Underwear yet, shame on you! This shop is a little slice of heaven!

Go ahead and buy your tickets to Star Light, Star Night today before they’re gone.

It comes as no surprise that Lourdes, Madonna’s 13-year-old daughter, is now dipping a toe into the fame pool. She has been dabbling in acting, fashion design, dancing & singing. And why not? If Madonna was my mommy, I’d be all over that stuff too. But Madonna is one smart lady and has been taking every exciting step with Lourdes, serving as the ultimate stage mom.

I chatted with Paul Harris, a reporter for The Examiner, on Sunday about Madonna’s choices for her daughter. My main feeling (as the biggest non-celebrity ever) is Madonna cares deeply about Lourdes and her safety. Being thrust into the spotlight is one thing, but growing up in it is quite different. I think Lourdes already knows a lot about what to do and what not to do — much more so than many new actors twice her age. Madonna is watching over her like a hawk and that’s just what any good mother should do.

My quotes in the article is, “At the end of the day, if you are Madonna or any other parent, you are still all dealing with diapers and kids falling down and scraping their knees.” Okay, so maybe Madonna didn’t change diapers back in the day or put Snoopy Band-aids on boo-boos, but maybe she did. My point is all moms (and parents for that matter), deal with the same issues whether you’re famous or not. We worry, support, laugh, cry, comfort, help, nurture and protect. Madonna wants the best for her daughter and we can all relate to that.

Read the full article here. Image: Matt Baron/BEI / Rex Features

Tomorrow my family will be wearing blue – will PROUDLY be wearing blue. Myself, my husband and our two children will help promote the incredible, international, Light It Up Blue campaign that kicks off World Autism Awareness Day and Autism Awareness Month.

Iconic landmarks around the globe – including the Empire State Building in New York City and Willis Tower in Chicago along with the CN Tower in Toronto and Kingdom Tower in Saudi Arabia – as well as airports, bridges, museums, concert halls, restaurants, and retail stores, are among more than 100 structures in over 16 U.S. cities and nine countries around the world that will light up in bright blue tonight.

As the parent of a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder, I cannot express how much this campaign means to me personally. I would wear blue every day of the year if it would help promote autism awareness! To me, the reason autism is so tricky is because we get a diagnosis of it and advice about  improving it, but we get nothing solid about what it means for the future.  People ask me how we deal with it and I always explain we take it one day at a time. If we sat around and worried about what the future may hold, we’d drive ourselves crazy.

On the bright side, things like speech therapy, OT therapy, family support, patient parents and loving teachers make it all better. Our autistic children make huge strides forward every single minute of the day. My heart goes out to the undiagnosed children who are struggling, the families who can’t afford the help they need and the “distracted ducks” that are living in an odd, isolated world.

Autism Speaks, North America’s largest autism science and advocacy organization, is launching this campaign. Since its inception only five short years ago, Autism Speaks has made enormous strides, committing over $142.5 million to research and developing innovative new resources for families through 2014. The organization is dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families.

What can you do? How can you make a difference? Wear blue with pride tomorrow.

Read more about MommyQ’s life with autistic child:

- Living with Autism Diagnosis: One Year Later

- Autism Rides Off Into The Sunset

I’ve been wanting to sponsor an event in Austin for a while, but none have been a great fit for me. Then my wonderful friend at Hosteria Verde Supper Club & Catering told me about her “Star Light, Star Night” fundraiser and I was hooked. “Star Light, Star Night” will be granting your party wishes under a starry sky! MommyQ is so excited to participate in it. I encourage all moms to incorporate this event into their Mother’s Day celebration.

This is more than just a fundraiser, it is a night of eye candy for the senses. The evening will feature models in Stella McCartney lingerie from Underwear boutique and amazing jewelry from Limbo Jewelry Design’s newest summer collection. Guests will enjoy fabulous food, yummy cocktails, a DJ, live music and a silent auction. In addition to all of these goodies for mom, there will be a spectacular aerial dance performance by Blue Lapis Light, an aerial site-specific dance company. The proceeds of this event will benefit Blue Lapis Light, a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring innovative forms of expression, inspiring and elucidating performers and audience members.

The pre-Mother’s Day event takes place on Saturday, May 8, 2010, from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 pm at the Spring Condominiums in downtown Austin. The event will be held poolside on the fifth floor of the tower overlooking Lady Bird Lake. It is truly an evening under the stars!

You can buy tickets online for $45 at HosteriaVerde.com. I encourage all moms to be there. Start off your special day with fabulous food, sexy style and a dash of aerial thrills. Drop me an email if you’d like to donate an item for the silent auction.

Image: Blue Lapis Light

I’m not joking. You know vampires really do rule the world when you see charity events like this – Celebrity Vampire Baseball ™ to be held in New Orleans on March 20th. You can meet Twilight, New Moon and True Blood fang-faves, as well as other athletes, actors and randoms. My outspoken, gold-pants-wearing boy, Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) will be playing too!

The event is brought to you  by Twilight Fan Trips and yes, that’s real too.  Highlights of this unique baseball adventure include watching an exhibition game, getting autographs and photos with the stars, meet and greets, and an exciting after-party and concert. 25% of net proceeds from each celebrity baseball ticket sale will go towards Haitian Relief organizations to support their ongoing efforts to rebuild lives destroyed by this disaster.

This is my favorite part for sure. A portion of proceeds will also be used to support New Orleans non-profit organizations such as The Blood Center, which will host an on-site blood drive. Yummy.

It’s official! MommyQ will be getting a makeover in 2010. Well, not really a makeover. It’s more like a bloggy face lift.

I’ve discovered that I have a variety of audiences who like different parts of my blog. Some of my mommy friends are all about the baby gear and children’s clothes, while others are only interested in the eco-friendly finds. And then there’s my favorite audience – the gossipmongers! Believe it or not, some of my readers just want to dish about celebs and indulge into my mommy musings. How fabulous!

You will no longer have to scroll and scroll and scroll. (Of course, you can just use the “search” box to find what you want.) Topics will be listed in nice little categories on the homepage. MommyQ is getting organized in ’10.

I don’t know exactly when the makeover will take place, but I’ll keep you posted. If there are any topics you want to see more of or less of, now is the time to leave a comment!

I know you can easily walk yourself thinner, but are you doing it by simply existing in Skechers Shape-Ups? If so, leave me a comment.

I’m sure you’ve seen the enticing ad, “Get a better butt and better legs with every step!” That’s what the Reebok EasyTone advertisement says. I’d say the EasyTone is just like the Shape-Ups. A weird looking show with magical powers. Perhaps. I know it looks like a very interesting concept.

Have you tried them? Don’t be shy. I know they sold a bunch of them during the holidays, so someone is wearing them at the grocery store right now. My main complaint is they are obviously different from a regular tennis shoe, even to non-fitness folks. Do you really want people to know you’re trying to improve your glutes while purchasing a bag of Galas or sipping your French Roast?

Let me know what you think.  I’d love to hear about your experience.

Hop on over to Droolicious and enter to win a Plum Start Kit from Blue Avocado worth $30. These are not your typical reusable totes. They are stylish and functional and they fold into themselves for easy storage. Don’t delay. Enter today! Give green a try in 2010.

For ALL orders over $75 placed by end of day WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 16th,  get  a FREE Charcoal (or Raspberry) Starter Kit (charcoal available while supplies last). Kits will be included from our warehouse so no promo code needed.  Finish your Christmas shopping with style!! Take part while while supplies last. Shop now!

Want to learn more this awesome Avocado? Read my previous posts. I’ll also be announcing a terrific BlueAvocado giveaway over at Droolicious soon. Stay tuned!

This has got to be something all of us Facebooking moms & dads thinks about. Am I an annoying Facebook parent? Nobody wants to be that parent – the one that boasts too much, or posts too many pics or gripes too much. Then again, we’re proud of our cute kiddos and the funny/silly/irritating things they do. Isn’t Facebook is the perfect place to share?

I’m writing this post because I came across an amusing article on Babble, “Facebook’s Five Most Annoying Parents.” It goes on to explain the personalities that make us cringe – the Bragger Parent, the Whiner Parent, the Cool Parent, the Obsessed Parent and the Zen Parent. All five perfectly illustrate why these types of parents tick us off.

My favorite quotes include this one about the Cool Parent, “While many parents have changed their wild ways with the arrival of their precious, others refuse to alter their lifestyle or sacrifice their hipness, using Facebook to affirm their undying alternative ways… And while these parents may in fact be having fun, they’re really not fooling anyone.”

My second fave quote is about the Zen Parent, “Common posts include pithy aphorisms about the joys of parenting and the general beauty of the world… Bleary-eyed parents with spit up on your shirts take note: Their babies are probably pooping their pants even as you read.”

It’s not easy to find a happy place as a parent on Facebook, because we all fit one of the above mentioned categories at some point. At times I brag, while other times I complain and I always pepper my albums with enough party pics to make me seem like I’m as fun as a barrel of monkeys. Due to the nature of my profession – writing about baby products for a living – I know I bombard my FB friends with too much ga-ga goodness. But if they’re really my friends, won’t they forgive me? And if not, can’t they just skip my post?

Ok, back to the article for a minute. If those five parents ARE annoying on Facebook, which type of parents aren’t???

Image: Jerkass Clothing

‘Tis the season for giving thanks, attending parties and receiving gorgeous bling! Celebrate with Austin’s All About Diamonds and brighten your holiday in a sparkly kind of way. If you shop at the store on Bee Caves – starting today! – the first person to mention MommyQ’s blog in the store wins a $100 Gift Certificate. Come on moms, I know you want to grab that!

If you live in Austin, TX, join All About Diamonds for their Jude Frances and Philip Stein Trunk Show & Viewing Party:

December 4, 10am-4pm
Philip Stein & Jude Frances Trunk Show
Enter to Win a Philip Stein Wine Wand ($325 value)
Gift Bags and $100 Gift Certificates from All About Diamonds for all guests!

December 4, 4pm-7pm
Philip Stein & Jude Frances Viewing Party
Hosted by All About Diamonds and Hall Plastic Surgery & Rejuvenation Center
Enjoy Champagne and Chocolate Truffles
Hourly Giveaways for Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaners
Win a pair of Jude Frances Diamond Ear Hoops ($480 value)
$100 gift Certificate from All About Diamonds for all guests!

December 5, 10am – 5pm
Jude Francis Showcase
Win Jude Francis Diamond Ear Hoops ($480 value)
Gift bags and $100 gift Certificates from All About Diamonds for all guests!

“Are you one of those crazies who get up at the crack of dawn to haul out for Black Friday shopping? Honestly, we’re more the online shopping types — fewer black eyes, more time spent in PJs. But leave it to the new Ritz-Carlton Charlotte to make even that sound luxe.”

She had me at hello. It’s truth in advertising at its finest. Funny thing is, I just mentioned “crazies” on my Facebook status because I saw the trailer for The Crazies and it scared the living you know what outta me. But she’s got something here because if you get up at 5 a.m. to shop, you’re a wacko. Seriously, if you think you can buy something at a significant savings at 5 a.m., but not at 1:00 p.m. the same day, you’re delusional.

Anyway, it’s a funny write up at HotelChatter and I like the way KatieK takes care of business. If you’re in Charlotte, you just might wanna check out the Ritz. “Laptops, Lounging and Libations” offers a wrist massage and lots of cocktails. And we all know how much fun drunk online shopping can be….

MommyQ’s Inbox is always overflowing with information. Sales, grand openings, new products, special events, community giving and more. Seriously, I have 125 unread messages and they ALL pertain to motherhood. I never knew it was such an email-intensive job. Here are some of the highlights so you don’t miss out on something special or as my two-year-old says, “sumpin peshal.”

Kirsten James Handbags Holiday Sale
I LOVE these diaper bags. I have one and use it all of the time. These bags are a great gift idea for any gal on your shopping list. Order your custom bag now and get 10% off your entire purchase. Plus, you’ll receive it just in time for Christmas.  Spend $250 or more and receive 15% off your purchase! (Remember, this company give 5% of the amount you spend to their non-profit too.)

You can receive your discount by using promo code “KJ Holiday Sale” in the message to seller box at time of purchase (your discount will be refunded thru paypal within 24 hours of order). Sale ends on November 30th. Visit Kirsten James today!

Four Days of Feasting in Austin
If you’re going to be spending the Thanksgiving holiday in Austin, you must attend these events. Hosteria Verde, owned by the fabulous foodie Anne Rutt-Enriquez, is teaming up with FLAVORS of Austin to present four consecutive days of unique dining events. You can get all of the details at Hosteria Verde. Buy your tickets today and invite your friends to join you. Trust me, you don’t want to miss out on this tasty fun.

The Brand New LK Stationery Company
Welcome to the BRAND NEW LK Stationery Company, proudly offering new designs by artist Laura Kelly. Welcome to the bright, fun, and whimsical world of Laura Kelly. We look forward to offering you happy and artistic designs on stationery items. From mini memos to note cards to placemats, if you can write on it – they’ve got it! Shop until your heart’s content at LK Stationary.

Skip the turkey swimming in gravy and opt for something a bit more unique. A bit more Austin. A bit more weird…

If you’re staying in Austin for the Thanksgiving holiday, you’re in luck! Thanks to Hosteria Verde Supper Club & Catering and FLAVORS of Austin, you can experience four consecutive days of foodie delights. Plus, proceeds benefit the Sustainable Food Center so you can feel good about giving back to your community too.

Anne Rutt-Enriquez, owner of Hosteria Verde, promises great food, countless cocktails, divine entertainment and the coolest vibe Austin has to offer. The event date are November 29 – December 2, 2009.

The kick-off event is a lobster brunch with plenty of Tito’s Handmade Vodka. Then you can gamble your holiday stress away playing casino games and enjoying the soothing sounds of one of the city’s most fab lounge singers at the ‘Old School Las Vegas’ event. Next up is ‘Arabian Nights’ complete with belly dancers. The festivities end the following night with a salute to Mexican cuisine. And yes, Austin’s QVC Lucha Libre Team wrestlers will be providing serious entertainment.

You can buy tickets now at Hosteria Verde for $85 per person. Get your tickets soon because seating is limited! Get connected online at Flickr.com/HosteriaVerdeAustin and Twitter.com/HosteriaVerde

I’ve always been enamored with writing ever since I can remember. When I was little, I wrote stories about my Barbies and movie scripts for my Barbies. Yep, I’ve always enjoyed it. Writing was never a bad thing to me. In high school, my friends would moan & groan about writing papers and I loved writing papers. I’m an English major – sue me.

Throughout the years my biggest issue has been what do I write about. I’ve been minimally interested in so many different hobbies that none stood out. Then I became a mom about five years ago and everything changed. Blogging was the wave of the social media moment and motherhood was ruling my life. Writing and motherhood. Writing and motherhood. Computer keys and baby bottles. Sleepless nights and too many ideas. Of course! I will be a mom blogger. In 2008, MommyQ was born and it has been a blast!

And what stands in the way of blogging daily and turning a simple WordPress site into a magical fantasy world of revenue and recognition? Your children! I have lots of ideas for blog posts that never get written. Why? Being a mom takes priority. I, like most mom bloggers, have discovered irony is a funny little beast. So you see, my first comment is totally accurate. What makes you great can easily stand in the way of your greatness. I gotta run now…my baby is climbing the bookcase…again…

MommyQ is pleased to announce a glamtastic giveaway, thanks to the fine folks at Gallery Direct.  One lucky winner will receive a 36” x 48” piece of artwork, Aix Les Bains, by artist Leonetto Cappiello. Retail value is $200!  The print will be a Canvas Gallery Wrap which means the image wraps all the way around the mounted canvas. No frame necessary for this retrolicious look. Add a splash of whimsy and color to any room in your home!

If you have not heard of Cappiello, he is famous for being a self-taught advertising genius. For example, this bright and brilliant piece is actually selling a wonderful little town in France, Aix les Bains. You see, Cappiello created bold figures popping out of black backgrounds, which was a startling contrast to the artwork being painted at that time. He is known as “the father of modern advertising” and produced more than 530 posters in his lifetime.

To participate in this giveaway, follow this link over to the Gallery Direct website. Enter your information in the form on the “Request a Catalog” page and you will automatically be entered. A winner will be chosen at random on Monday, November 16, 2009. Good luck!

I like to keep mommies in the loop about cool baby stuff, so I have to blog about a great giveaway happening over at Droolicious on Babble.com.

An online gallery featuring customizable fine art, Gallery Direct, is giving away two contemporary pieces that would look great in a nursery or child’s room. Both paintings will be a Canvas Gallery Wrap, which means the image wraps all the way around the edges of the mounted canvas, so you can hang them with or without a frame. Each piece measures 30 x 30 and will be shipped to you free of charge. Retail value for the pair is $400!

Click here to go to Droolicious and find out how to register. Good luck! Again, here is the pair but they won’t be framed.

As I sit here at my computer, enjoying the end of a much-needed rainy day, my thoughts turn to the picture perfect day that turned out to be one of the most tragic days in our lives, 9/11.

It seems almost inconsiderate to mention how beautifully 9/11/2001 began. I was living in a duplex at that time and my bedroom window was positioned in such a way that it gave me a wonderful view of the sunrise. I only had to open one eye to see the bright, orange, ball slowly lift up beyond the daybreak.

I remember every aspect of that morning perfectly, as most people do. Instead of waking up and tuning into Matt and Katie playfully banter about current issues, I focused my energy on sending out resumes. I was unemployed at the time. I was frustrated at my slow computer and almost ignored the telephone completely, because I was in no mood to be chatty. I picked up the phone on the final ring. It was my mother and she was frantic. She said something about terrorists, a bomb, a plane and attacks. I dropped the phone and ran to turn on the television. I don’t think I turned off the television for about two weeks.

I started watching the TODAY Show right before the second plane crashed into the tower. It was unbelievable. Watching the events unfold and getting snippets of information here and there was surreal. What was happening? None of it made sense. When the first building unexpectedly collapsed, I felt as if I were watching a special effect in a movie. It wasn’t real. It couldn’t be. Were there people in that building? No…I’m sure they all escaped. It’s funny how your mind works when something like that happens. Denial seems to be the first emotion. No, this can’t be…

As the reality set in and I began to realize what was happening, it was like all of the air was suddenly sucked out of the room. I sat in front of the television for hours, glued to every shred of every detail. I called relatives and friends along the way for comfort. And then the tears began to fall.

I will never forget the stories. The firemen who rushed up the stairs bravely as people ran down them to safety. The helpless people in wheelchairs who were stranded in the stairwells, waiting for a stranger to help. The people who had to jump or be engulfed by flames. The people who could not escape. I cried and cried for them and their families. Each story was more heartbreaking than the next. Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, children, friends and co-workers. Nobody was safe and everyone was affected.

We lost more than loved ones that fateful day. We lost our security and the peace of mind we felt in our day-to-day lives. City skylines we once marveled at became terrifying, airports became targets and we were all scared to live our lives. We were all thrust, unwillingly, into a harsh new reality and it was shocking and scary. Yet, a funny thing happened for days, weeks and even months after 9/11. We found comfort in each other and a nation united.

We rallied to find strength, hope and fight for our freedom. Maybe it was getting a red, white and blue bumper sticker or being just bit more kind to strangers, but we all tried a little harder to be better people. We were sad, hurt, horrified and broken, but we persevered. I’d like to think that is the silver lining in all of this. Those events, no matter how unnecessary and cruel, united a divided nation. Even if it was fleeting, that’s no small feat.

I hope everyone tries to revisit those feelings of unity tomorrow as we mourn. My thoughts and prayers are with every family, friend and colleague who lost someone special that day. It is a day I will always remember and hope none of us ever forget.

Image: National Geographic

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