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?!

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.

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!

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.

Tired of the non-stop tossing of the baby bottle and/or sippy cup? If so, head over to Droolicious and enter to win NoThrow.  This product has been designed especially for babies over three months old who have mastered the I-will-throw-this-and-you-will-pick-it-up game. It’s a nifty product and perfect for 99.9% of all babies (and mommies!). Get to know NoThrow and enter for your chance to win!

Say goodbye to reusable totes blues and hello to stylish eco-friendliness! In March 2009, I blogged about BlueAvocado – their cool company story and innovative products. Last week, we did a Starter Kit giveaway over at Babble (on Droolicious) and it was a HUGE success! One lucky winner snagged this groovy Starter Kit, a $30 value.

Moms were going nuts over these cool reusable bags. The whole system is just perfectly smart and sensible. Congrats to the winner and best wishes for continued success to BlueAvocado!

Click here to enter the Milkscreen Giveaway on Babble! Contest ends on Wednesday, April 22, 2009. Good luck!

Walking Wings help your child improve balance organically, because you can support them in a unique hands-free way.  That means you can protect them from falling, yet you won’t impede their natural development. The improved design offers more support for baby and increased control for parents.

Want to give it a try for free? Enter MommyQ’s Walking Wings Giveaway by emailing your name, mailing address and whether you have a boy or girl to: 

A winner will be randomly selected on Wednesday, April 22, 2009. Good luck and tell your friends! If you’d like the opportunity to win another fabulous product from UpSpring Baby, milkscreen, click here to enter the Droolicious giveaway!

Click here to visit Babble.com and read about the Snack Ball-A-Day giveaway. You simply email your name and email address to enter. We’re giving away five total, one-a-day, until Sunday, January 18th. Enter today!

To kick off 2009 with a bang, MommyQ is entering the wild world of giveaways. I’m so excited! My first item up for grabs is one of my most favorite baby products EVER.  I’ve blogged about it and bought lots of them. I am so excited to give moms the chance to get one for FREE! Here’s a clue….Boon.

Do you know what it is? Leave me a comment with your guess and you could win the first one! I’m giving away seven total starting next week. Make sure you enter your email address so I can get in touch with you if you win. Let the chaos begin!