mom

Advanced Opinions is Recruiting for Two Studies!

Abby H.

 Advanced Opinions (A market research firm located in New York) is recruiting for two upcoming Online Projects.

 

The first Study topic: Baby Food.

To be considered for this project, please complete the screener questionnaire here.

Compensation: $175 (if chosen)
Open to: Moms 18-40 years old
You must join 15 minutes early – please adjust for your specific time zone.
Study dates include: Monday October 21st or Tuesday, October 22nd: 2-hrs  via Desktop/Laptop  using High-Speed Internet – 12:00-2:00pm ET or 2:30-4:30pm ET

The second study topic is Protein.

To be considered for this project, please complete the screener questionnaire here. 
Compensation: $150 (if chosen)
Open to: 18-50 year olds
Must join 15 minutes early.
Thursday, October 3rd, Friday, October 4th, or Monday, October 7th, 2024 at various times.

How to prepare when Mom needs surgery

Abby H.

I will be having surgery next month, for the first time since I’ve had kids, and that’s 13 years.

I am excited because I need the surgery, but I know it’s gonna come with some downtime. I’ve been doing some research and I thought I would share some ways that I’m getting everybody and our house ready, so it doesn’t fall apart when I am incapacitated after surgery.

The Month before:

1. Talk to your insurance carrier to confirm co-pays, and work out a payment plan or apply for financial aid if needed.

2. Post Op snacks.  I will be doing some shopping over the next month and squirrel away good snacks I find on sale and putting them out the day before I head out for surgery. Snacks will be shelf stable, or things that require no preparation other than opening a package or putting it on a plate or bowl.

3. Make sure all of the bills are set up on auto-pay during the month I’ll be recovering.

4. Make some freezer meals, or set up a meal train (lean on your village if you have one). Not everyone has a village to lean on, and in that case, I suggest Dream Dinners. They have meals that need to go into the oven- perfect for post surgery dinners.

The Week Of:

5. Clean house! I don’t want to recuperate in a messy, dusty, cluttered house. In the month leading up to surgery, I am organizing the house, putting unneeded stuff away, or giving it away. The problem I’m running into is that our house is still in an active construction zone because of the water loss we sustained in January. As soon as our kitchen is done, I will have less of an issue with that.

5. Clean off the nightstand: Clean it off, declutter, and change the lightbulb in my bedside lamp- just in case.

6. Pick up your post-surgery medications if possible. If not, have them filled at the hospital pharmacy and pick them up before checking out of the hospital. Fill up your weekly medication pill boxes (if you use them). Ditto for any kiddo meds.

The Night Before:

7. Clean Bedding: In the days before, I will put clean sheets on the bed, wash the blankets, and fresh pillowcases.

8. Take an everything shower. Don’t forget any pre-op body wash that is prescribed.

9. Follow your doctor’s orders for eating and drinking.

10. Get a Good night’s rest. Aim for 8-10 hours.

The Morning of:

11. Take any pre-op shower with body wash that is prescribed.

12. Check into the hospital at the time requested- Don’t be late!

 

And finally- have comfy easy-on/easy-off clothes for after your surgery, that won’t aggravate any incisions or bruising.

 

Top 4 Ways to Take Care of Parents When They are Sick!

Abby H.

Parents get sick, it’s a fact of life. I’ve been working at a school for two years, and it’s really the first time I’ve been SICK. Like capitalized SICK.

Here are a few easy ways that others can support a sick friend or family member:

  1. Pick up their Target Order. Did you know that you can add people as authorized pick-up folks on your Target app or Target.com? If your sick friend/family member can’t drive, you can still have someone pick it up and drop it at your doorstep without spending extra on Shipit or Uber Eats. I was so dizzy yesterday, I was afraid to drive.
  2. They aren’t a Target Shopper? Text them and ask what kinds of medicines or comfort foods they need, and if it’s within your means, make a quick shopping trip. My mom brought my cough drops (for me) and croissants (for Bitty Bird) this morning.
  3. If you live with someone who is sick- whether it is a roommate, spouse, or family remember HYGIENE is the best way to keep the germs at bay. That means everyone needs to mask up in common areas (both sick and well folks), wash your hands frequently, and use hand sanitizer between hand washings. I also use a disinfecting room spray too. Microban is my favorite.
  4. Take it Easy- This is both for you as the helper and the sick person. You can’t fill a broken glass. When your body is sick, it’s broken, and it needs time to heal. Dishes and laundry can wait. No one expects a sick person to make gourmet meals for their family while they recover. Offer to help, but sick people often want/need rest and solitude.

And not a specific hint, if you have a sore throat, I recommend this Honey Citrus Mint Tea Copycat recipe. It’s amazing. Right now I’m drinking Bigelow Lemon Ginger Tea with Honey and lemon juice.

Summer Stuff I love (Grown Up Edition)

Abby H.

Friends- I’ve been working on this post for a few days. I’m not feeling especially summery today (and wasn’t yesterday afternoon either), but I’m hoping to distract you over the weekend, so on Monday we can come together and help our friends and family who will need us in the coming months. I’m spending the afternoon crunching on Sonic ice cubes!

It’s summer, and that means for most parents keeping the kids entertained (or letting them get bored), constantly filling the snack box/drawer, and looking for ways to make sure everyone makes it through the 12 weeks of Summer “vacation” without injury. I use vacation in quotes because it’s not a fun, leisure-filled 12 weeks. Most of us have to work, in addition to balancing all of… this.

BUT- That doesn’t mean that parents can’t have fun or enjoy their time in the summer sun. Here are a few things that I have recently come to love:

Sonic Ice Cubes. They are the little pebble ice cubes. If you don’t have a Sonic near you, or if you are looking for a way to make the perfect Sonic type ice at home, look for a Nugget or Pebble ice maker or ice tray. Walmart has a table top nugget ice maker here.

Electrolyte drinks. Not Gatorade, something better. I know a lot of people like Liquid IV, but this frugal lady likes Hydramate from Dollar Tree and Key Nutrients Lemonade flavor from Amazon. These newer electroylte drinks also have vitamins and other key nutrients that we can sometimes miss out on.

I made a list on Amazon of some of my other favorite things this summer:

  • Good SPF- Gotta take care of your skin. You only get one body!
  • Speaking of SPF, a Long sleeve 1/2 zip swim shirt. They are amazing.
  • Reusable cups with lids – I like the color changing cups.
  • Yoga strap for stretching- especially good after a long day behind the week (or a long day sitting on the floor building legos).
  • After Sun lotion- even if you wear a good SPF, the sun and the sea/pool water can dehydrate your skin.
  • Compression socks- seriously. We walk a lot in the summer, and wearing compression socks has really helped my feet and legs from getting so heavy and tired.
  • These sweet kicks from New Balance. They are my go to shoe for a day full of walking.
  • Beach Towels– JCPenney has a great selection and they are on sale!
  • Cuticle oil. The summer sun is rough on your hands, especially your cuticles. Give them some love.
  • Bermuda Shorts. I’m pale, I’m plus size, and I am not a fan of short shorts. Bermuda shorts cover all of my pale parts. And they make me happy because htey have decent sized pockets.
  • Character popsicles. There are a couiple places in San Diego where you can buy the popsicles that the ice cream man sells in bulk or at a discount. California Ice Cream and Candy in Lakeside (that’s near my house), and Circus Man Ice Cream in National City.  The kids and I hit up our local store each week and drop $20 on Spongebob, TMNT, Tweety Bird, and other popsicles. That’s about 13 or so, and that lasts us about a week! I personally love the Powerpuff Girl ones, they are orange and cherry flavored.

Talk Back: What are your favorite summer essentials?

Host a Paint Night Party on a Budget with Dollar Tree!

Abby H.

Looking for a fun, frugal night in?

Check out this great idea from our friends at Dollar Tree!

Host a Paint Night Party- Dollar Tree has everything you need (except the wine!) to host a sip and paint.

Shop in-store or online- You can order online and have it shipped to the store for free (hooray for saving money on shipping).

 

Free Donuts from Mary’s Donuts For Moms!

Abby H.

Hey moms! Do you like donuts? If you nodded your head or screamed out, “HELL YES!” This awesome deal is for you!

If you’ve read my past Birthday Freebie posts (the 2021 one can be found here), you’ve seen that I’ve posted birthday freebies from Birthday Club Hub, which works with businesses in eight states to disseminate birthday freebies and other freebies throughout the year to club members (BTW- it’s free to join).

Mary’s Donuts is part of the Birthday Club Hub, and they send out a free offer for moms.

Score a free donut on May 9, 2021 at either their Santee or Lakeside Location. Simply show the email to the cashier/friendly donut seller.

I’ll report back if I find any more Mother’s Day Freebies. And I’ll post a photo of my free donut on Instagram for sure.

 

New or Expecting Mom? Check Out This Virtual Event-Bloom!

Abby H.

 

 

 

The folks over at San Diego Moms aren’t letting a little social distancing get in the way of helping education new and expecting moms!

Their conference called Bloom is going virtual, and it’s free to attend! There will be a grip of great speakers- Doctors, Dentists, lactation consultants, and more!

The VIRTUAL BLOOM event will take place on Saturday, November 7th from 10-1pm and it is completely FREE for all new and expecting mamas to attend the virtual event (upgraded ticket options that includes swag bags!). The pandemic has changed how we might do things, but it will not change the experience that we have brought to San Diego year over year!
This exclusive event is designed to bring new and expecting moms the latest must-have products as well as the newest information possible from local experts. BLOOM is presented by Children’s Primary Care Medical Group, the largest pediatric primary care group in San Diego and Southwest Riverside counties.
If you want to snag a free ticket, click here.

Moms To Be: Free Breast Pump Resource!

Abby H.

I came across this yesterday, and thought I would share. Most (if not all) insurance companies provide free breast pumps to mom to be, but navigating the insurance system to get one can be daunting.

Aeroflow Breast Pumps is here to help! Sign up and receive FREE Aerohead Breast Pump through your insurance.

It’s super easy:

  • Provide your insurance information to discover breast pump coverage.
  • Aeroflow verifies coverage and submits required paperwork.
  • Pick a Top of the Line Breast Pump.

That’s it! Pretty Sweet, right?

To get started, click here.  And if you know any mamas to be, please share this post with them!

BLOOM: An Event for New and Expecting Moms

Abby H.
close up of hands holding baby feet
Photo by Rene Asmussen on Pexels.com

Are you currently expecting a baby? Have you had a baby within the past year? Are you planning to grow your family soon? If so, this BLOOM event is for YOU!

In partnership with their national network, City Mom Collective, they will be hosting BLOOM: an event for new and expecting moms on Sunday, April 26th from 9am-12pm at the beautiful Bahia Resort Hotel in Mission Bay.  This exclusive event is designed to bring new and expecting moms the latest must-have products as well as the newest information possible from local experts.  BLOOM is presented by Children’s Primary Care Medical Group, the largest pediatric primary care group in San Diego and Southwest Riverside counties.

I really wish there were more events like this when I was still having babies! I love the camaraderie and friendship that these types of events have. It’s so empowering to meet other moms and learn and grow. And also have brunch without having to share! Today until NOON, there is a 40% off sale!

FLASH SALE 40% OFF Tickets
BLOOM: An Event for New and Expecting Moms!
Sunday, April 26th from 9:00 AM-12:00 PM
at the beautiful Bahia Resort Hotel

Code FLASH40 (Sale ends TODAY at NOON)

Early Bird BLOOM VIP Ticket
40% OFF – $58  (Regular Price $95)
Includes a VIP swag bag {valued at $400+}, a welcome mimosa or mocktail, Access to VIP brunch and lounge, refreshments, early entrance from 9am-10am and your choice of a mini maternity or mommy & me session with a professional photographer and 2 digital photographs {valued at $200+}, with the option to purchase additional photos at a discounted rate.  A total value of $600+. VIP ticket holders will receive 12 raffle tickets.

Early Bird BLOOM Premier Ticket
40% OFF – $24 (Regular Price – $40)
Includes a swag bag with high quality product samples {valued at $100+}, a welcome mimosa or mocktail, light brunch, refreshments and access to all vendors and special speakers from 10am-12pm. Premier ticket holders will receive 6 raffle tickets.

NYC Area Moms- Baby Gear Reviewer Wanted!

Abby H.

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I received this in my email this morning and I thought I’d share! Please pass along to any moms you may know in the area!

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No Experience Necessary- You Just Have to Be a Mom!

Are you the next Baby Gear Reviewer for Toys, Tots, Pets, & More?

  • Do you (or someone you know) live in the New York City metropolitan area?
  • Are you looking to make some extra $$?
  • Would you like some free baby gear?
  • Be available for 2-5 reviews a week?

If you answered YES to all of the above then send an email to BrilliantMinds@BrilliantPRM.com and include 2-3 recent photos of yourself and if you have any videos of you reviewing/talking about products we would love to see those as well!

Want more info? Check out the video review below or check out even more reviews at TTPM.com. While you’re there join their website so you can be in the know about all the hottest products!

Applicants must live in the greater NYC area as filming is in the city. Each Review takes approximately 1 hour. Weekly quantity of reviews typically done at the same time.