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Theta Mom®

Redefining Motherhood

Desktop Planner by momAgenda® Review & Giveaway

The company momAgenda® was founded by former Colgate University graduate Nina Restieri. As a busy mom of four children and a former ad executive, she was always in need of organizing her busy schedule. Since its launch in 2005, momAgenda® offers a wide range of products to help moms organize their daily lives.

“Nina gets immense joy out of helping the pieces of everyone’s personal puzzle – family, career, home and social life – come together.” –momagenda.com

Well, it’s that magical time of year friends. It’s the time we start adding a little skip in our step as we dance through the aisles to purchase the required back-to-school supplies and plan for a new school year. As the Brand Ambassador for momAgenda® and leader of the Council of Media Moms, you know I am an absolute organizational freak. I could not imagine my life without the daily planning, resources and products from this company.

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I reviewed the 2014-2015 momAgenda® desktop in a vibrant violet shade. For me, this product is the perfect size. Each week is sectioned off with daily notes in the margin yet also provides ample pages for music, fashion, fitness, entertaining resources and even vacation planning!  As women, we are always scheduling appointments for ourselves and those in our family. I can effectively fit all of this information easily within the desktop and the best part is that all of these important dates, appointments and notes are in one place.

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You can purchase the momAgenda Desktop for $43 and be sure to follow momAgenda® on Twitter and Facebook to stay up to date on new products and deals. You can also follow the COMM Team and the momAgenda® Blog for the latest community news.

We are quickly approaching the Back-to-School season and we know you Theta Moms are in need of organization this time of year, so the COMM Team is launching a series of giveaways that will run now through September to get you ready! Enter to win because momAgenda® is giving one lucky Theta Mom® reader her very own Desktop!!! 

***This contest is now closed. Congratulations Diana! An email has been sent.***

GIVEAWAY RULES:

Visit momAgenda and leave a comment telling me the name of the momAgenda® product that’s on YOUR wish list this Back-to-School season. Be sure to tweet the following as an extra entry:

I’m getting organized with @momAgenda for Back-to-School! I just entered the #giveaway @ThetaMom http://www.thetamom.com/2014/08/desktop-planner-by-momagenda-review-giveaway/ #momAgendaCOMM

This contest is open to US and Canada residents, ages 18+ and will close on Monday, August 11th. A winner will be selected via random.org. {The winner must have a valid email address and claim the prize within 48 hours. Otherwise, another winner will be chosen}.

Theta Mom® abides by word of mouth marketing standards and believes in honesty of relationship, opinion and identity. As the Brand Ambassador for momAgenda® and the Leader of COMM: Council of Media Moms, I am compensated for the work I perform including posts such as this. In addition, I received a Desktop planner to facilitate this review. However, all opinions expressed are purely my own and the content of this post was not influenced in any way.

Back-to-School with Lunchbox Love®

The company Say Please, Inc. was founded by a mom of two and licensed psychotherapist, Judi Willard. She developed a product line embedded with positive messaging to help boost children’s self-esteem. Who doesn’t love the idea of sending their child off to school with words of encouragement and praise?

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Lunchbox Love® has been seen on Good Morning America, The Today Show, and The Wall Street Journal serving a huge purpose that goes far beyond the lunchbox. I’ve been using Lunchbox Love® with my children since I partnered with the brand serving as the Brand Ambassador leading the Lunchbox Love® Mom Panel.

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If you haven’t seen the new line of Lunchbox Love® products yet, be sure to check out the full site. There are so many fun new products to smile at, a line of Strength and Hope to share with a loved one dealing with a loss, and even products to encourage, inspire and life you up – such as my new favorite, Never Give Up. There’s a Lunchbox Love® note for anyone in your life! And even more exciting, the brand just launched a whole new website making your browsing and shopping experience even easier than before – and who could forget about the new company blog? There is so much great advice offered, simple recipes to try and so much more!

You can purchase Lunchbox® Love directly from the company site and use the code: THETA to receive 15% OFF your order.  Stay updated on the latest Lunchbox Love® news and promos on Twitter and Facebook. You can also follow the brand along on IG and Pinterest.

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Since we are quickly approaching the Back-to-School season, wouldn’t you love some Lunchbox Love® this school year? The Mom Panel is hosting giveaways all month long to kick off Back-to-School. Say Please, Inc. will be giving away volumes of Lunchbox Love® to some lucky followers – so follow the hashtag #LBLmoms to enter the contests as they go live and good luck!

Theta Mom® abides by word of mouth marketing standards and believes in honesty of relationship, opinion and identity. As the Brand Ambassador for Say Please, Inc., I am compensated for the work I perform including posts such as this. In addition, I received Lunchbox Love® to facilitate this review. However, all opinions expressed are purely my own and the content of this post was not influenced in any way.

MyChronicleBooks: Personalized Books for Children

Are you running out of unique ideas on what to give your child for an upcoming birthday or holiday? Are you looking for the perfect gift for a special child in your life or maybe you’re on a quest to find an affordable gift that a child will treasure forever?

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Meet MyChronicleBooks, a publishing company originally founded in San Francisco in 1967. Twenty years later, the company launched its first children’s list and today, it publishes over 300 books, stationary and journals each year. However, this company does more than simply publish books. MyChronicleBooks also offers complete personalization providing you and your child a wonderful reading experience. The company states:

ChronicleBooks_QuoteMyChronicleBooks carries a variety of children’s titles to choose from offering distinct personalization based on the unique characteristics of your child.

chroniclebooks_princessI chose to review Princess: The Day in the Life of a Princess  which presents a classic tale that every girl adores. The personalization process allows your daughter (or special little girl in your life) to share in the majestic dream by incorporating her very own name, skin tone, hair color, photo, hometown, date of birth and favorite color throughout the entire story. Your little girl’s name will also be inserted onto the front cover (as seen in the photo to the left) and on pages throughout the story, making this unique princess book a one-of-kind treasure!  You can imagine the joy and excitement shown on the faces of little girls everywhere as they see their name and hometown printed in the book.

Do you have a special little boy in your life? Well, fear not – there are an array of titles to choose from that your son would adore – and of course, full personalization is available. Additionally, the company also offers a number of companion products based on the book themes that can be personalized for children as well.

Book1The fully personalized book process (which is so easy to navigate on the site) even allows you to upload your child’s photo to make the book even more individualized. You can also select options to incorporate additional unique elements throughout the story. I was also able to add in some personal text, sharing a special message with my daughter that was printed in the book. This added personalization is the perfect addition for any parent or loved one to give to a child as a gift – whether it’s celebrating a birthday, special occasion, or holiday, the possibilities are endless. These preferences made available through MyChronicle Books truly make this book a one-of-a-kind.

My daughter absolutely loved seeing her name in print and reading about her adventure as the main character in the story. What little girl wouldn’t love seeing herself as the princess in her very own princess book? It was a magical moment to watch my child read her name in print as she read the story for the very first time – and aren’t these the kind of moments we want to create for our kids? You can see for yourself the magic of MyChronicle Books in this short clip:

chroniclebooks_princessnotecardThis special book, coordinating growth chart and notecard by MyChronicleBooks are things my daughter will remember for a long time; they are special gifts that she will always keep and hopefully, share with her own child one day. It’s the kind of experience that is making a precious memory for her – and for me!

Shop MyChronicleBooks and the full line of companion products that coordinate perfectly with specially selected scenes from the original storybook. Some of these products include a personalized Placemat, Lunch Box, Growth Chart, Wall Art, Gift Cards and more!

***Theta Mom® readers receive 25% OFF all personalized items at MyChronicleBooks! Use discount code MYCB-SAVE25 at checkout. {Offer ends 7/31/14}

Join over 54,000 others and follow MyChronicleBooks on Twitter . You can also follow along with over 51,000 others on Facebook to stay updated on the latest promotions, news and information.

Theta Mom® abides by word of mouth marketing standards and believes in honesty of relationship, opinion and identity. I was provided a personalized princess book, growth chart  and notecard via MyChronicleBooks for review. However, all opinions expressed are my own and the content of this post was not influenced. 

Luxor Linens Review: A Leading Provider of Luxury Linens

If you’re a fellow Theta Mom® then you are constantly dreaming of getting a good night’s sleep. We know about the important things in life – like shopping for that perfect mattress, comfortable bedding and soft sheets. We also know you can’t really put a price tag on a well rested night’s sleep because while raising kids, that’s often hard to come by…unless you’re sleeping on sheets made by the purveyor of fine linens.

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Meet Luxor Linens – a leading provider of fine, luxurious linens. This brand provides linens to the finest hotels and homes around the world. The company offers an exclusive collection of world-class Egyptian cotton sheets, Egyptian cotton towels, and home accessories for the bed and bath. Most products can be customized as well including color preference and monogramming.

LuxorLinens_weddingWhether you’re looking to purchase an exclusive gift to give to a loved one for a special occasion or treat yourself to a brand new luxurious sheet set, Luxor Linens has many options to choose from. I especially love their monogramming service as this really gives the product a luxurious look and feel. Hanging monogrammed towels in a guest bathroom, for example, is such an easy way to add quality and style to any décor.

I reviewed the Valentino Egyptian Cotton Sheets from the Signature Collection. Here are the details about these luxury sheets (with many different colors and sizes to choose from) that contain one flat sheet, one fitted sheet and two matching pillow cases:

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  • 1200 Thread Count
  • 100% Egyptian Cotton
  • Machine wash and dry
  • Properly fits mattresses up to 19″
  • Fitted sheet features all around elastic band
  • Custom tailored upon request
  • Personalization available with Signature Monogramming service.

The Valentino sheet set arrived in a gorgeous black box with a satin ribbon. Inside, the Egyptian Cotton Sheets were wrapped in tissue paper stamped with the brand’s logo. Once I removed the lid and tissue paper, I was pleased with the presentation of this product including the monogramming on the pillow cases – but I was even more impressed when I ultimately slept on them for the first time!

LuxorLinensBOXI am a big believer in owning a white sheet set because I feel like no matter how many times white sheets get washed, the color never seems to fade. In my opinion, there’s nothing more clean and crisp than a properly fitted white sheet set. As I mentioned before, moms are always looking for a comfortable, good night’s sleep and although I can’t guarantee an uninterrupted sleep, I can tell you that these sheets are extremely soft and comfortable – and the monogramming gives it a real polished look.

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**Luxor Linens is offering a special discount to Theta Mom® readers! Enjoy a 25% discount on ANY order using the code: ThetaMomVIP at checkout. Shop the Valentino Sheet Set and the full line of Luxor Linens products.  Follow Luxor Linens on Twitter and Facebook to stay updated on the latest discount, news and information.

Theta Mom® abides by word of mouth marketing standards and believes in honesty of relationship, opinion and identity. I was provided a Valentino Sheet Set via Luxor Linens for review. However, all opinions expressed are my own and the content of this post was not influenced. 

GoldieBlox™ – Inspiring a Future Generation of Female Engineers

As a Theta Mom® of two, I am always trying to get my hands on innovative toys and the kind of technology that encourages creative thinking and problem solving. I am thrilled when I find products or toys that have been designed to introduce my children to something new – a chance for them to explore different concepts and ideas; the kind of company that is developing toys which provide strong educational value.

As you learned from my last post that Kids are Learning How to Code, it’s no surprise that kids (especially girls) are seriously tapping into their STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) skills. Well, move over boys. Girls are finally getting the chance to show the world what they’re made of. This has been made possible with the help of strong female leadership, those like the creator of an innovative toy company that is disrupting the pink aisle.

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Meet Debbie Sterling, the founder and CEO of GoldieBlox. Debbie grew up in a small town in Rhode Island and didn’t know about engineering until her senior year of high school. Four years later, she graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and Product Design from Stanford University. However, she was always concerned there were such few women in her program so she decided to do something about it. Debbie started a toy company that introduces girls to engineering at a young age.

Debbie spent a year researching gender differences to develop a construction toy that went deeper than simply changing the color or “making it pink” to appeal to girls like many other toy companies do. She interviewed numerous educators, neuroscientists, parents and STEM experts and also tested her prototype with over one hundred children. She realized that girls love reading and boys love building so she invented construction toys that would contain both of those elements, appealing to girls and making it fun.

Here is a short video of Debbie and her start-up story. If you are a mother of a young girl, you need to watch this video.

GoldieBlox2I began using GoldieBlox with my Kindergartener. I sat with her and we read the Dunk Tank story together. We then looked at the instructions and started to build step-by-step.

My daughter LOVES it. She definitely needed help building the structure, but after we did it several times together, she was confident to begin creating on her own. I saw the joy and excitement that beamed from her each time she placed the tools together to make her creation come to life. I also saw times when she was challenged – when something didn’t fit properly or when she needed to make adjustments. I watched her go back to the instructions to see where she needed to make changes to her design. All of this was happening and as a mother, I couldn’t be more thrilled to introduce my young daughter to the kind of product that fosters a love for science, simple machines, and engineering. She’s already asking what we can build next!

GoldieBlox1Our young girls can be anything they want to be – and they are so much more than a princess as this company proclaims. Like the next mom, I also love pink and all things girlie but I know my daughter has so much more potential than to be another pretty face. Our girls are smart, innovative and strong – and this is the very message I want to instill in my daughter. GoldieBlox helps to cultivate that message. The main goal of this toy company is to get girls thinking and building, giving young inventors the tools they need to create amazing things.

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“In a world where men largely outnumber women in science, technology, engineering and math…and girls lose interest in these subjects as early as age 8, GoldieBlox™ is determined to change the equation. By designing a construction toy from the female perspective, we aim to disrupt the pink aisle and inspire the future generation of female engineers. We believe there are a million girls out there who are engineers. They just might not know it yet. We think GoldieBlox can show them the way.” -GoldieBlox.com 

Need more inspiration? Check this video out for yourself. You’ll see the power of young girls hard at work. This is Your Brain on Engineering:

You can purchase the GoldieBlox Dunk Tank and also shop the full line of GoldieBlox products.  Follow GoldieBlox on Twitter and Facebook to stay updated on the latest GoldieBlox news and information.

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Lastly, don’t ever underestimate the power of girls – they are more than just a princess, they are smart and innovative with the kind of influence to change the world. And I am proud to say I am a mother of one of them.

Theta Mom® abides by word of mouth marketing standards and believes in honesty of relationship, opinion and identity. I was provided a GoldieBlox™ Dunk Tank kit for review. However, all opinions expressed are my own and the content of this post was not influenced.