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Theta Mom®

Redefining Motherhood

Featured TMC Blogger: The Confused Homemaker

It is an honor to introduce TMC Members to our very first Featured Blogger! Beth, a.k.a. The Confused Homemaker, actually began blogging around the same time I launched Theta Mom in the summer of 2009. She is a fantastic writer and I enjoy her posts which span from anything and everything about the craziness of motherhood to pop culture and the media. In her own words, here is a brief summary that best explains The Confused Homemaker:

BethConfused

“Beth is a newly thir­ty-some­thing wife & a momma to 4 rabble-rousers. In the mix are 3 boys and 1 girl; known as: Mr. J, Mr. G, Mamacita, & D-man, all were born while she was in grad­u­ate school.  She & her husband always planned to travel, move some­where else, and explore the whole “big­ger, bet­ter” world out there. Instead, their first child came along dur­ing Beth’s Master’s pro­gram, right after she started prepar­ing appli­ca­tions for Ph.D. pro­grams out­side the great state of Michi­gan, & plans changed. Beth started her blog dur­ing the sum­mer of 2009. At the time she was in the final throes of grad­u­ate school, writ­ing what seemed like an end­less dis­ser­ta­tion on student-mothers. Since then she’s fin­ished her PhD in soci­ol­ogy and grad­u­ated, but still have no idea what she wants to be when she grows up. Other things about Beth are that she:  loves hear­ing the pitter patter of feet, is los­ing the bat­tle against a wry sense of humor and believes water should never be added to whiskey.  Beth blogs about a love of food, life, home-making & design, work, pop cul­ture and the media.”

So be sure to show Beth some TMC love by visiting her blog and you can also follow her on Twitter.

The Vintage Pearl Review and Giveaway

***This contest is now closed. Congrats to Jennifer! An email has been sent. ***

The Vintage Pearl began in 2007 starting out as a small business. However, when you discover and wear a piece of jewelry from The Vintage Pearl, you will immediately understand why this business has grown immensely over the last three years. The Vintage Pearl only uses the finest materials to complete their designs. Every piece is made entirely from sterling silver. You will find this throughout the chains, rings, and other designs offered unless it is noted in the description of the piece on the website. I reviewed the Square Names on a Chain:

 Vintagepearlnecklace

I was immediately in love with the way in which this design captures my children’s names with a delicate pearl hanging in the middle. The two sterling silver squares are tightly secured and dangle from a beautiful 18 inch sterling silver ball chain that fits perfectly around my neck. It’s the kind of jewelry that is special, one that I will cherish forever. It’s also the kind of jewelry that becomes a keepsake because it is personalized. Especially as a Theta Mom, I love wearing this necklace. Pleae note, I would share a photo of my actual necklace but I do not publicly share the names of my children, so I am using the photo taken directly from The Vintage Pearl site. You can find out all the details for the square names on a chain here.

Be sure to check out their full website, as they offer everything from keepsakes to gorgeous bracelets. You can also follow The Vintage Pearl on the blog and follow on Twitter.

You can purchase the Square Names on a Chain (2 squares) for $45 here  or you can enter to win because The Vintage Pearl is giving one lucky Theta Mom reader to chance to shop with a $50 gift certificate! How awesome is that?

How to Enter The Vintage Pearl 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:
Great #giveaway for jewelry @TheVintagePearl Enter to win a $50 gift certificate to The Vintage Pearl @ThetaMom  http://is.gd/9YcL7 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 8, 2010 and will end on March 21, 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 ‘Square Names on a Chain’ necklace with two squares from The Vintage Pearl. I was not compensated for this review. These are my own honest opinions and experience with the product.

Parent FAIL: What I Choose to Forget

While driving in the car with my four year-old son the other day I had an eye-opening conversation. Out of nowhere he said to me, “Mommy, I miss Nana. Why did she have to go to heaven? When will I see her again?”

It wasn’t until I realized that we were passing the cemetery on the way to school as he was pointing out the window and remembering. He recollected everything about the day we buried her like it was yesterday and he was only three at the time. He remembered the music at the church, the tears at the service and the flowers throughout the burial. I was so taken back at his ability to articulate so many details from that day.

We briefly talked about Nana and heaven, and since he had so many clear memories of this I decided to ask him about some other moments we have shared as a family, more of happier times by trying to make the conversation a bit lighter (especially right before dropping him off at school). I said to him, “Remember before the weather got cooler, Daddy and I took you to the zoo and you got to see all the animals?”

“No.”

“You don’t remember walking through the gates to see the pigs, alligators and even a snake?”

“No. When did we go there?”

I couldn’t believe it. I continued, “You seriously don’t remember our trip to the zoo? It wasn’t even that long ago!”

“No, I don’t.”

“Well then, what do you remember?”

“I remember that you yelled at me last night because I didn’t eat my dinner.”

The car slowly came to a halt and my heart sank. My son, the child who remembers every vivid detail of my Nana’s passing – the same child who has not one memory of the happy trip to the zoo, DOES indeed remember the tone of my voice that evening and that I was angry with him.

Parent FAIL.

Obviously, this is not what I want my child to remember. I have no control on what my son does and does not remember. However, I am choosing to forget the moment in which I yelled at him the night before while losing my patience; for snapping, barking, and bickering over a silly plate of uneaten food.

Is this what I want my child to reflect on as he thinks of his own childhood? The moments that I have been a mother low on patience with a voice that sometimes reflects resentment, stress and sheer tiredness?

No, which is why I am grateful I do get another chance to make this right. I am given a new day to try harder, learn from my mistakes and ultimately, become a better mother in the process.

Because my son certainly deserves it and so do I, even in the midst of a pile of ketchup and uneaten chicken fingers.

The Launch of TMC: Theta Mom Community

It is with great honor that I officially welcome you to Theta Mom Community, a space that encourages social networking and fosters the support of bloggers through a community all its own. TMC, the cornerstone that brings bloggers together and reinforces the idea that successful blogging is based on a solid foundation of a supportive network.

TMC would not be possible without your support. I can’t thank each of you enough for welcoming me into your life these last eight months. I look forward to continuing the journey with you because it has only just begun.

*Enter Theta Mom Community on the navigation bar or just click here.

The Milkdot Stoh Tote Review and Giveaway

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

Milkdot is lead by founder and creative director, Janet Cho who is also a mother of one. As a parent with an extensive background in design, Janet was on a quest to create safe, functional and reusable products that mirror a clean and modern design. Moreover, she wanted to ensure that she was producing a product that would provide parents the assurance that what they were purchasing was absolutely safe.

Taken directly from the Milkdot website Janet explains, “Like many parents, I had vaguely heard of PVC but never really knew what it was. Disturbingly, PVC (polyvinyl chloride) also known as the “poison plastic” is still used in many products. And in lunch bags, specifically, it can be found in the lining (which can have direct contact with food) and it is often used as a coating on polyester or nylon fabrics for durability. PVC is extremely harmful to our health and the environment, releasing poisonous chemicals linked to cancer and birth defects. Every Milkdot product goes through complete testing for lead and is lead-safe, PVC-free and BPA-free.” I have to say as a Theta Mom, this gives me the peace of mind that when I use a Milkdot product, I know it is one of the safest on the market. I reviewed the Stoh Lunch Tote in pink:

 Milkdot1

It is such a modern and stylish lunch bag that is also fully functional. There are so many times I am in need of a lunch tote with some kind of lining inside to keep juice, milk and other drinks and food cold. This tote is perfect for me when I take the kids out for a full day or even if it’s just for a few hours. All necessary food and drinks are kept cool and organized in mesh pockets inside the tote and extra snacks fit perfectly in the little compartment at the back of the bag. I think my favorite design element of this tote is the magnetic closure at the top which keeps the handles together. The Stoh Tote by Milkdot is so chic and would also be perfect for a new mom that needs to keep formula cool, a busy working mom that wants fashion and functionality when carrying a lunch to work, or the busy stay-at-home mom that packs this tote for a day with the kids. The tote also comes in blue and would be perfect for children as well. You can get the full details of this tote here.

 Milkdotfront

You can become a fan of Milkdot on Facebook here and follow Milkdot on Twitter here. You can purchase the Milkdot Stoh Lunch tote for $25 here or you can enter to win because Milkdot is giving one lucky Theta Mom reader a Stoh Tote!

How to Enter The Milkdot 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: Great #giveaway for any busy mom! Enter to win a Stoh Tote from Milkdot @ThetaMom http://bit.ly/c8QRZd 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 February 28, 2010 and will end on March 11, 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 stoh lunch tote in pink from Milkdot. I was not compensated for this review. These are my own honest opinions and experience with the product.