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Theta Mom®

Redefining Motherhood

Barbar Review and Giveaway

***This contest is now closed. Thank you to all who entered – this was an amazing turnout! Congratulations Kati! An email has been sent. ***

Barbar was founded by Dominic Barbar, a former stylist that created this company based on twenty years of experience in the industry. Barbar was established in 2000 and is based out of Beverly Hills, California. Barbar’s philosophy is “to provide the stylist and consumer with incomparable quality products and customer service at the best available price.” This company continues to create safe products that are integrated with the latest technology to bring hair tools to a whole new level. I reviewed the Barbar ECO 8000 Professional Eco Friendly Blow Dryer.

I can’t tell you how perfect the timing was to review this product. I have been known to purchase the “cheaper” brand blow dryer/hair tool that you will find at your local drug store. I eventually find myself at the same local drug store purchasing another cheap product because the previous one either malfunctioned or quickly died. Just when I was about to make another trip out to the drug store, I was introduced to Barbar.

What I absolutely love about this product is that it is not only extremely efficient as it dries my hair, but this product is eco-friendly! The ceramic heating element inside the dryer actually saves electricity and minimizes the harmful effects of radiation. It also blows clean heat causing less damage to your hair and uses an AC motor which generates more power in the process. This modern technology is simply amazing! This particular blow dryer has multiple heat and speed settings and is completely lightweight. Each time I use this blow dryer, I know I am getting fantastic results and I am not harming the environment! How awesome is that? I know this is the kind of hair product that will last a very long time.

By using this model you can actually have the best of both worlds by protecting your hair and the environment at the same time! The Barbar site offers a wonderful short video clip of the ECO 8000 blow dryer which you can check out here. In fact, you can check out all of the blow dryers that Barbar offers here as well as their full website for all of your hair tool needs.

You can purchase the Barbar Ceramic ECO 8000 Blow Dryer for $150 here or you can enter to win because Barbar is giving one lucky Theta Mom reader the chance to win her very own Ceramic ECO 8000 Blow Dryer! Is this an amazing giveaway or what?

How to Enter The Barbar Giveaway:

****Required Entry: Follow my blog publicly and tell me you are.

Extra Entries: (You must leave a separate entry for each extra entry to count and extra entries won’t count unless the required entry is done)


1. Follow Theta Mom on Twitter here and leave me your twitter name. (1 entry)

2. Become a Fan of Theta Mom on Facebook here and leave me your FB name. (1 entry)

3. Subscribe to Theta Mom via email. You must activate the subscription for this entry to count. (2 entries)

4. Subscribe to Theta Mom any other way. (1 entry)

5. Grab one of my cute buttons and add it to your website. (2 entries per button)

6. Click to vote for me at Top Mommy Blogs. Just click the banner on the right side bar and tell me you clicked. (1 entry per click-can click up to 3x)

7. Tweet this giveaway! Just copy/paste the following: Your chance to win a $150 Barbar Blow Dryer! Enter the #giveaway to win @ThetaMom  http://bit.ly/bVDK0W Please RT  (1 entry per daily tweet)

8. Post about this giveaway on your blog and link back to me. Leave me your link to show the post. (2 entries)

9. Add Theta Mom to your blogroll. (2 entries)

Giveaway Rules:

This giveaway is open to US residents only. It begins on March 27, 2010 and will end on April 8, 2010 at 9 pm. One winner with a valid entry will be selected at random using random.org. The winner will be announced and must respond with a current email address within 48 hours to claim. Otherwise, another eligible entry will be chosen. Enter as many extra entries as you would like Theta Moms and good luck!

I was provided a ECO 8000 Blow Dryer from Barbar. I was not compensated for this review. These are my own honest opinions and experience with the product.

A Little House Cleaning

I have to share some bloggy news that I am excited about. It’s so funny how sometimes just the little things in life get me excited, like a little WordPress plug-in called Threaded Comments. You see, now when you leave a comment at Theta Mom, I am able to reply to your comment (which will be embedded in the comments) and it will automatically send a direct email to you! I was finding that so often I was responding to comments, but I know many of you do not have the time to come back and check for replies so by using this plug-in, we can continue the conversation so easily. I know this is not earth-shattering news and a million other WordPress blogs already use this or something similar, but just like new apps for your phone, I am so excited about it! So be sure to leave a comment and tell me that you stopped by so I can send you a reply and use my new app! Yay!

I also just finished a post scheduled to go live on Monday (it is such a hot topic) that I can’t wait to share with you. In fact, it will be so perfect to have these threaded comments for this post because I really think this post will ignite much reaction and discussion.

And tomorrow? Probably one of the most exciting giveaways I have performed at Theta Mom to date…and I’ve had some good ones so be sure to check that out as well.

Finally, I wanted to share some thoughts about TMC. Honestly, I am blown away. Over 200 bloggers have joined in less than three weeks of the launch and we still continue to grow. I can’t tell you how many emails and tweets I’ve received, telling me how much you are loving TMC and that you’ve found so many new readers. THAT is what’s it’s all about! And now with the threaded comments added, the TMC Network will also have a more fluid discussion because you each can reply as well – how awesome is that? And if you haven’t joined yet, we love new members so get on board the TMC train!

And before I end this house cleaning, I have a little shameless self-promotion request: Please click for me at Top Mommy Blogs HERE and help me get into the Top #10. As always, I really appreciate your support.

I’ll say it again as I always do, I have the BEST followers. Ever.

That is all.

xoxo

Time Out for Theta Mom Thursday

Time Out for Theta Mom Thursday is back and I am hosting this party once a month! For those of you visiting for the first time, the goal is to grab one hour of time within one month to do whatever you want…without the kids. It’s such an amazing proposition, I know! On the last Thursday of each month, post how you spent your time out (add my button from the right side bar or link to me) and be sure to stop here to link up and meet other Theta Moms to see how they spent their time out!

 

My hubby and I recently took a trip with the kids down to Florida for which I don’t really call a vacation but rather a kidcation. If you missed that fabulous trip down memory lane you can check out that post here. Aside from the drama performed by my daughter (Miss Cranky Pants) throughout the duration of the trip, I actually did manage to squeeze in some “me” time. You see, my parents actually met us down in Florida for part of the week. So having a built-in babysitter was clutch for us, especially for how things were going at the time. My kids absolutely adore their grandparents so it really was a win-win for everyone.

My parents planned to watch the kids one night so that my husband and I could grab a few drinks together…alone. Moreover, my parents recently bought a brand new convertible (they actually drove to Florida) so my hubby and I felt like two teenage kids driving around Kissimmee with the top down! We were kid free in a convertible on a gorgeous Floridian night, barely knowing where to go first since we were so excited! When my father handed my husband the keys to the car, I really felt like I was 16 and he was giving my boyfriend permission to take me out in his fancy new wheels.

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So after joy-riding around town, we landed in a nice bar/restaurant and had a few drinks. Just like my last time out, my hubby and I laughed, talked and laughed some more. It was the BEST feeling to know I did not have a sippy cup falling out of my bag or a dirty diaper waiting to be changed. It was just time to be together – along with a few cocktails and the open road in a fabulous new convertible.

Now I can’t wait to read your blogs! How did you spend your one hour this month? If you are participating in Theta Mom Thursday, link up and share your time out and be sure to visit some other Theta Moms as well!

Featured TMC Blogger: I’m Living Proof That God Has a Sense of Humor

I am so excited to feature I’m Living Proof that God Has a Sense of Humor today because Helene has actually followed Theta Mom since its inception. Helene was one of the very first bloggers I had an instant connection with and we have been blogging together ever since. What immediately drew me into her blog was her honest take on motherhood, raising not one but TWO sets of twins! She is an excellent writer, one who integrates humor into every post. I always leave her blog with a smile on my face.

 I'm Living Proof That God has a Sense of Humor

In her own words, this is how Helene describes her blog: “I’m a stay-at-mom of two sets of twins.  Yes, I did say TWO sets of TWINS, ages 5 and ages 3.  Your eyes are not playing tricks on you.  Now that we have that out of the way…I started my blog in 2007, when I was still pregnant with our 2nd set of twins.  It was merely a way to keep friends and family up to date on the pregnancy.  At some point in time, it morphed into what it is today and has become a passion of mine. 

Helene

In general, I write about life’s ups and downs, as it pertains to parenthood, marriage, friendships and the perpetual struggle to look as if I’m pulling it all off successfully, when in reality, I’m falling apart most of the time.  Aren’t we all?   Here’s the thing, though…having a wonderful sense of humor is key.  Life is too short to be taken seriously all the time…we have to be able to laugh at the little things.  So while I may write about somewhat serious topics, there is humor and sarcasm aplenty sprinkled in to the mix, whether it’s about the top 10 white lies I’ve told my children or renegotiating my marriage contract.  Ultimately, I hope my readers find my blog to be entertaining, relatable, humorous and REAL.”

So be sure to check out her blog and show her some TMC love!

The Perils of Parenthood on Vacation

Preparing for a trip with children can be easily deemed as a monumental task. The packing and unpacking to the repacking and unpacking again can be such a chore. And the planning and organization needed for a mere plane ride with a 17 month-old can be especially time consuming.

After all of the vacation planning was in place and we finally reached our destination, I began to wonder why I made these plans in the first place. Have you ever felt like this before? Vacations are supposed to be a time of relaxation in a stress free environment, a time to forget about work and just play. It’s a time to do what you wish because you are free from most responsibilities.

But when you are away with kids? It’s really not a vacation. I like to call it a kidcation because that stress free environment does not really occur when you are traveling with children, or at least in my experience.

Maybe it was the fact that my baby girl would not cooperate on the plane. At 17 months, she wants to be mobile every second of the day so keeping her constrained on my lap was nothing short of difficult for me. I was battling with the constant screaming, crying, arms flying and legs kicking. It wasn’t until thirty minutes into the flight that she finally settled down and eventually fell asleep in my arms but by that point, I think everyone on the plane hated me. Can you say kidcation?

Maybe it was the fact that my baby girl who is normally an amazing sleeper kept me up every night on the trip because she could not sleep one full night in that rental crib. Or perhaps it was the day we were driving in the rental car in search of a walk-in clinic, for she had a nasty sinus and ear infection and needed some good old antibiotics. The last thing I expected to do was spend my day in search for a local doctor and sit in a waiting room all afternoon full of sick individuals, many of whom had the stomach bug. Vacation? No, kidcation.

Actually, maybe it was standing in line for 45 minutes at Disney to get a mere 15 seconds with the famed Lightning McQueen…only to find out later that my kid was not even smiling for the photo.

Kidcation5

Maybe it was the fact that at the Character Breakfast at Hollywood (which we reserved five months in advance) wasn’t all that we thought it would be. When we arrived, only two of the six characters were there and we were told the others were “sleeping in.” Once the others finally showed their faces, we already finished eating and were about to leave when my son eagerly ran up to June from the Little Einsteins to get her autograph…

Kidcation3

In the midst of his plight, I was stopped by one of the managers and she said to me in a nasty tone, “The characters will come around to the tables. Please tell your child and find your seat.” Ummm, right lady – considering I just spent $89 on some frosted flakes and pancakes, I think my kid can ask for a friggin autograph. Kidcation?

Or maybe it was the fact that I am looking for relaxation and a stress free environment and when you have children this really isn’t possible, not at this age anyway. It was the kind of thing like getting my daughter suited up for the pool, only to find out she would only stay in the water for ten minutes. Then, it was the drama of pulling off her wet bathing suit and changing her diaper in the hot sun. Or perhaps it was settling down to give her a snack, only to find out Miss Cranky Pants would rather run toward the edge of the pool, so I was always the mean Theta Mom keeping her strapped in her stroller. Kid-cation!

So although this may sound like one big complaint (which in part I will admit it absolutely is) I really did try to make the best of my kidcation…like actually getting a decent photo with my son at Disney…

Kidcation6

Or watching my kids enjoy the soft sand, sunlit sky and fresh air; a true escape from the monotony of the daily grind.

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Yes, these are the moments I would like to remember from my kidcation.

Kidacation2

And ladies, don’t forget this Thursday is Time Out for Theta Mom! Believe it or not, I did get a chance to get some alone time on this trip, so be sure to join me on Thursday and link up! If you are new to Theta Mom Thursday, check out the details here and I look forward to seeing what you’ve been up to!