Delicious Dairy Twitter Party Monday

Who knows more about delivering dairy goodness than dairy farm moms? This holiday season, Monday's event sponsor Midwest Dairy Council wants to help moms on a mission save money without sacrificing nutrition. It is possible to get a better bang for your holiday entertaining buck by preparing more dairy-packed meals and snacks for your crowd.

No one knows this better than Midwestern dairy farm moms, one of whom will join us to share her own recipes and entertaining tips that will help you fill your table with money-smart, nutrient-rich dishes, without skimping on flavor. Plus, a registered dietitian will share nutrition knowledge and answer questions to help moms everywhere consider easy ways to get the most from the superior nutrition and economic value of milk, cheese and yogurt.

Join us on November 23 at 8:00 p.m. CST/9:00 p.m. EST and tweet your own holiday entertaining tips and recipes that maximize dairy’s nutritional and economic value and win prizes! We will be joined by dairy farm mom Shannon Squibb (@topwindsdairy) and registered dietitian Steph Cundith (@scundith), tweeting live with us as we take a moment to collectively prepare our shopping lists and meal plans for the holiday seasons … don’t miss it!

Be sure to RSVP and participate in Monday's party with the #dairymom hashtag in order to win one of the following prizes:

- three $100 grocery gift cards

- 6 giveaway bundles with full value coupons and items to help you out in the kitchen this holiday season

RSVP Here:

Build-a-Bear Workshop Party with MomSelect Monday

It's time for another awesome Twitter Party with MomSelect!This party is brought to you by one of our every kids' favorite brands- Build-A-Bear Workshop®! They are in the holiday spirit and are bringing you a fantastic animated television special to celebrate the season.

Join us as we anticipate the movie premiere debut of Holly and Hal Moose™- the antlered duo that are sure to be the hit of the holiday season. Their television special, “Holly and Hal MooseTM: Our Uplifting Christmas Adventure,” airs nationwide on ABC Family on Tuesday, Nov. 24 at 7:00 PM ET/PT.

Before you get to know them on your TV screen, party with them in the Twitterverse! This is a kid-friendly Twitter party so let your little ones in on the fun!

Holly and Hal Moose™/MomSelect Twitter Party

Date: Monday, November 23, 2009

Time: 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. EST

Location: #HollyandHal

Host: @MomTalkRadio (Maria Bailey, Founder of MomSelect)

This festive party includes lots of opportunities to win great prizes, from Holly and Hal themselves to Build-A-Bear Workshop® gift cards! Grab the kids and join us at #HollyandHal for a little holiday “hoofla”.

And as usual, we have ways to win long before the party even starts. Enter to win a $25 Build-A-Bear Workshop® gift card by:

- Clicking HERE to register
- Tweeting the details of the party between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

As always, be sure to follow @ResourcefulMom and @MomTalkRadio throughout the evening for updates, prize information and contest details.

Tweet you there!

When the World Turns Upside Down...

I am an incredibly visual person, and memories play back for me like movies, miniature recordings of movement, sound, smell, feeling, rather than snapshots. They are vivid. Bright colors. Intense emotion. Detail.

I remember the day my world turned upside down, never again to right itself. I was 13. It was the summer before ninth grade, and I was feeling confident, indestructible. That morning at church I had heard whispers from the gossipy ladies in the vestibule about my friend Krista. She was sick again. It wasn't good. Krista was one of those girls who never seemed as healthy as the rest of us. She suffered migraines in elementary school that made her leave our classroom in tears, shaking. One moment we'd be riding bikes at a friend's birthday party. The next moment she'd have appendicitis, or need her gall bladder removed. But this was different. One woman was crying.

In my memory I am in "my chair" in our kitchen, but it is pushed out of the way, up against a wall with the cold cellar door next to me. My mom is all the way across the room stirring whatever she is making for dinner and I can still see the steam rising out of the large pot. There is a world between us. I am hiding in my big chair, legs curled up in front of me, and I know I can ask from here.

"Will Krista be okay? I mean, they can give her chemo and stuff, right?"

"I don't know, Amy. It really doesn't look good. They can't always do something."

And my world turned upside down...

My mother is a doctor and I was raised to believe in the healing power of medicine. Yes, my mom's patients sometimes died, but they were old, sickly men and women in dark, stale smelling houses that we visited together when she made house calls in the evenings and weekends. To hear her admit that perhaps the doctors could not save my friend, this fourteen year old girl full of life and laughter, well...it shook something at my core. Something came undone.

Krista died two short months later. I was on a field trip the day she died, and as the bus pulled into the parking lot, the principal boarded before we were dismissed. He asked me, my friend Kim, and our other friend Jill, to come with him, and he walked us into the athletic director's office just inside the door. I realize now that he probably was unable to make the walk all the way across the school to his own office. And that's when he told us that she died that morning in her father's arms. We said goodbye to her on a rainy November day, just one week before I turned fourteen. I wore a pink fuzzy sweater with a black skirt. All black didn't seem right in a church full of children, many seated in the choir loft or standing in the aisles because the pews could not hold the number of people who loved her.

A lifetime of happiness and joyous, fortunate living does a lot to set things right after you suffer such tragic, unexplainable loss. There was more loss....Dia who died in her sleep on Easter morning, Danny so insanely ripped from us at the hands of a gun-toting friend, Alison who chose herself to no longer live in this world...but there was also beauty. Graduations. Weddings. Births. Life.

When I read Tuesday that our friend and online co-worker Anissa was lying in a hospital bed, fighting for her life, I suddenly was back in that kitchen. I wanted my mom to tell me this time that everything will be okay. She will wake up, speak, hold her kids again. She will go home to her husband and raise the children she fought so hard to have, so hard to keep.

But my world is upside down. I know what I have known since those cold days before my fourteenth birthday, that what is right does not always come to be. And so we pray. Please help me pray for Anissa.

Sitewarming Friday: Party with #LittleMusicLovers

Just in time for the holidays, Universal Music Classical has released a four CD set for children - Little Music Lovers.

What does music mean in your life? In the life of your child?

Some of my earliest memories are forever ingrained in my mind because of the music that accompanied them. My memories of my first trip to Walt Disney World are set to the music from the original Electric Light Parade. I will forever remember dance class and tapping my little cane to "Puttin' On The Ritz." I can still feel myself doing back flips off of my parent's piano bench where I sat to take lessons from the age of three.

My earliest memories as a parent are also framed by the music in my life: The music that played in the nursery during the precious moments that my preemie was allowed out of her incubator; the lullabies I sang to soothe her when she was colicky; the songs that we rock out to in those long afternoon hours.

Because of my life long love for music, one of the first things in my daughter's room was an old tape player, and in my sons, the CD player from my classroom. Little Music Lovers is a welcome addition to the music parents love to share with their littlest loves. The music collections provide parents with an opportunity to introduce their babies and toddlers to the world around them by incorporating beautiful, thought-provoking music from the famous Decca catalog.

The musical pieces found in the Little Music Lovers collection were carefully selected for their melodic content, as well as their impact in enhancing early childhood development. Children will learn from the series, while parents can enjoy many hours of beautiful music.

Join us tomorrow, Friday the 20th, as we welcome Little Music Lovers to the important world of children's music. We will share our own stories of the importance of music in our lives and the lives of our children. To join us please tweet with the hashtag #LittleMusicLovers from 9:00 to 10:00 p.m. EST on Twitter. New to Twitter parties? Try Tweetchat.com for a cozy chat room feel.

How has music been pivotal in your life? How has music played a role in the lives of your kids?

And of course....there will be prizes!

1. Little Music Lovers CD's

2. Andrea Bocelli's My Christmas - three winners

3. Sting's If On a Winter's Night - three winners

To Enter to Win: Please take one or more of the following steps and then comment on this post.

1. Visit Little Music Lovers and come back and tell me your favorite song.

2. Subscribe to the Little Music Lovers newsletter. (bottom of the page at http://littlemusiclovers.com/)

3. Tweet using the hashtag #LittleMusicLovers during the event

4. Answer a trivia question during the event.

5. RSVP here.

RSVP: (you do not need to RSVP to participate)

This contest ends Friday, November 20th at 10:00 p.m. EST.

Holiday Recommendation and Giveaway! Great Gifts for Girls from Hasbro

While my children and I love to find new toy companies and products, one brand that we continue to stay loyal to is Hasbro. Hasbro not only introduces innovative toys each season, but they also offer some of my favorites from my own childhood. My daughter is nearly six and loves to hear about my favorite Strawberry Shortcake memories and even plays with my old My Little Ponies. They're the matriarchs of her own growing herd.

This holiday season Hasbro has pulled out all the stops for little girls. I've sorted my favorite by age above starting with toys appropriate for ages three years and up all the way to the Easy Bake Oven recommended for the more savvy eight and up age group.

1. Baby Alive Whoopsie Doo - ($34.99) Baby Alive continues to be everyone's favorite baby doll. The Whoopsie Doo edition "drinks" her "juice" and needs your little one to change her diaper just like a mommy with her baby. When she needs to go, she'll cry out and wriggle her arms to let you know she's ready for a change! Once she's clean and dry, she is ready to play with her teddy bear rattle and makes happy cooing sounds.

*GIVEAWAY* 2. My Little Pony, Pony Friends Assortment - *Stocking Stuffer Alert* ($5.99) My Little Pony has a whole new look this holiday season! Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Toola-Roola, Starsong, Sweetie Belle, Cheerilee, and Scootaloo all feature bright colors, fun-filled hairstyles, and new sizes that reflect their age. Sweetie Belle is the youngest and the smallest, while some older members in the assortment come in large sizes. Each figure comes with her own activity book to introduce her to your girl. Each pony is sold separately.

3. Strawberry Shortcake Berry Cafe Playset - ($34.99) This wins major nostalgia points from me. I used to store my Strawberry Shortcake figures in a similar berry! Now the Strawberry Shortcake Berry Cafe playset is a place for the Strawberry Shortcake mini dolls to hang out (one figure with removable fashion included). This playset also comes with fun accessories such as furniture and pretend food. Additional Strawberry Shortcake mini dolls (great stocking stuffers!) are sold separately. I love this trend towards smaller dolls....perfect for my daughter's smaller bedroom. :)

4. FurReal Friends: Lulu, My Cuddlin' Kitty - ($54.99) *My Number One Pick* My children love the FurReal Friends line of toys, so it's no surprise that Lulu is at the top of my daughter's list. I previously wrote about Lulu during a Wordless Wednesday - see Lulu in action! Lulu features soft white and marmalade fur and she preens, cuddles, and mews just like a real cat. What I am most impressed with is how cuddly Lulu is. Many toys with moving parts are never quite as snuggly as hoped, but Lulu truly doesn't disappoint.

5. Littlest Pet Shop Cozy Care Adoption Center - ($39.99) My first exposure to the Littlest Pet Shop toys actually came through a meal toy. My daughter loved the little figurines, but it was not until we began playing with the other toys that I realized how much more there is to the collection. The Cozy Care Adoption Center gives kids a place to feed, groom, and dress their LPS pets. Try out the activities in the center including an exciting training course perfect for a run or a fun-filled spin in the rotating playpen. The Cozy Care Adoption Center also comes with over thirty cool accessories, storage space, and an exclusive dog and puppy pet.

6. Easy Bake Oven & Snack Center - ($29.99) The original aqua colored Easy Bake Oven and Snack Center has been a favorite for years. The side-loading oven still allows the littlest bakers to create their treats using a light bulb. Each oven comes with three different mixes, two baking pans, two utensils, a pan pusher, two warming cups, and recipes/instructions.

*GIVEAWAY* 7. i-Dog Soft Speaker - ($34.99) Little girls everywhere will love to cuddle up to this soft puppy and rock out to their favorite songs! Available in a variety of colors, girls can simply plug an MP3 player directly into this dog and music will broadcast through a built-in speaker. Just like the original i-Dog, this soft puppy features the signature array of colorful LED's located on its face which will light up as the i-Dog speaker plays.

One winner will receive an i-Dog Soft Speaker and two winners will each receive one My Little Pony, Pony Friend.

To Enter: complete any or all of the following steps and leave a comment.

1. Become a fan of Hasbro on Facebook.

2. Become a fan of Resourceful Mommy on Facebook

3. Subscribe to Resourceful Mommy in e-mail or RSS Feed.

This contest will run until November 27th at 11:59 p.m. EST. Good luck!

Party with Me Tonight

Need to escape for a couple hours? (yes, please!) Join us tonight for two Twitter parties.

First, we will be tweeting with registered dieticians about #ChocolateMilk at 8:00 p.m. ET and sharing our own experiences with our kids and chocolate milk.

Then at 9:00 p.m. ET join me as I visit with @TheOnlineMom for her weekly #TheOnlineMom chat. She is continuing her discussion of ESRB ratings, particularly how it relates to recent highly anticipated game releases.

You will learn important information! (I promise) You will have much deserved fun tweeting with friends! (guaranteed) You will win great prizes! (well, cross your fingers)

To learn more and RSVP to #ChocolateMilk go to the party post.

To learn more including how to RSVP to #TheOnlineMom, check out this information.

Praying for Anissa

This is Anissa. If you're meeting her for the first time here, then you are most likely not a mom blogger. If you have not yet met her in person, then you are missing a special moment in your life and I pray that God allows more moments with Anissa for all of us...

Let me share my meeting Anissa story...

In February of this year I travelled to Nashville to speak at the Blissdom Conference. I had never been to a blog conference before, and I was unprepared for being accosted almost immediately upon entering the hotel. Two fellow bloggers recognized me and yelled, "Resourceful Mommy is here!" then ran across the lobby to hug me. It took me awhile to figure out who they were and recover from the fact that they immediately knew me. Eventually I was able to place them, but I was happy that they helped me out.

Later that day I met Anissa. After hours of people saying, "Hey, you might not know me, here's who I am on Twitter, my avatar is on my business card, I don't know if you follow me back...." Anissa marched right up to me and said, "Hey, Amy, so great to finally meet you in person!" gave me a big hug, then said, "It's Anissa, of course."

I didn't know her. I don't know how I didn't know her....but I didn't. I don't think I was following her yet on Twitter, and I didn't read her blog. But after meeting such a dynamic woman, you just don't admit such a thing, so from that day on, Anissa and I have been friends. I never once said, "Tell me again where you blog..." or "What is your Twitter ID..." I just made sure I knew, because clearly these were things I should know.

This is Anissa. Watch out, world.

I have made Anissa admiring a bit of a past time of mine in the last couple of months. Some time ago we had a little spat over e-mail regarding business, and it immediately went away. This is Anissa. Once that passed I found applauding and supporting Anissa to be even more rewarding than it was before because I saw a side of her that I didn't know before - the crazy smart business woman side. This is Anissa. Despite the bump in our friendship, seeing her at the Type-A Mom Conference felt exactly the same as seeing her two months before at BlogHer. No hard feelings. No resentment. Just love, fun, sharing. This is Anissa. And I admire her immensely.

Yesterday her husband updated her Facebook status from her bedside in the ICU of an Atlanta hospital. She had suffered a stroke. Anissa and I never talked health. Business, sex, fun, kids...sure. But unloading tons of really personal health information....well, that does not seem to be Anissa.

And now we pray. Please join all of us in the online community, Anissa's offline friends, her family, as we keep a constant prayer vigil for her and for her husband and three children. If you are able to give more than your prayers, please click the button at the top of this post.

I have one more thing to share for those of you who have not yet had the pleasure of meeting Anissa. This picture was taken at BlogHer when Anissa allowed me to temporary tattoo her boobs.

This is Anissa.