We need to love ourselves.

I wanted to take the time to send kind of a personal message to all of you, from me. As moms, as women, as people, sometimes it's so easy to get so wrapped up in taking care of and loving everyone else, making sure all of their needs are met, and making them feel loved that we neglect someone very important, and that's ourselves. I am SO guilty of this.

These past couple of days, I have come to the realization in my own life, that my low self-esteem is my biggest problem. It is far worse than any of the things causing it, to the point of getting myself into trouble sometimes. My husband tells me all the time how beautiful he thinks I am, and yet, when I'm looking in the mirror, stepping on the scale, or just having a bad day, that is not what I'm telling myself. Are you guilty of this?

When my daughter gets into trouble, I am always using phrases like "you're so smart, that's how I know that you know better than this (I say this when I know that she really does know better), or "you're such a sweet girl, I know it and I see it, now why don't you share your toys so that others can see how nice you are like I do".. I want to make sure that even when my daughter isn't behaving the way she should, that she still knows that she is a wonderful girl. She still feels good about herself. When she's over tired, or grouchy, I tell her "you're really pretty even when you're sad, but when you're smiling you're beautiful."

I always make sure to show and tell my husband that I love him, that he's handsome and sexy to me, and that I appreciate how he goes to work every day to earn a living for us, when he does yard work and makes it beautiful outside, when he makes me feel loved, when he's being a great dad, everything.

When it comes to me, I'm noticing my flaws, and the things that I haven't accomplished yet that day that I need to, and the things I should have said that I didn't.

You all probably do a lot of the same things, build up your children and spouse/significant others, get everything done, and make sure everyone is happy. But my question for you, is what are you doing for yourselves? What are you doing to make sure that you're happy and taken care of? Are you reminding yourselves of the people that love and care about you, and how important everything you're doing is? When you do your hair and make up, are you doing it for everyone else? Or are you doing it for you? These are all questions that I have asked myself over these past couple of days, and I'm guilty of having the wrong answer to every one of them. When I look in the mirror, I see fat that shouldn't be there, blemishes on my face, and then my eyes always go to the one patch of hair where there are more grays than I would prefer (if I can see it, but if not, I'm noticing my frumpy bun that covers it up back there).

My challenge to you, is to look at how you feel about yourself, and do whatever you can to make sure that you're seeing in you, what everyone who loves you sees. (And once you truly figure out how to see all of the wonderful things about you, come back here and let me know how you did it! Because this is a challenge I have been facing for just about always.)

Final thought: This blog is something that I've really started tackling head on, in part because it is something that I wanted to do for myself. This, in a way, is a small bit of "me time" that I am spending with you all every day. I appreciate all of you for reading, and I genuinely hope that you all love yourselves. This post was in part inspired by one of the facebook comments that I received on my page about how moms really need other adults to talk to. She was so right, we all need people to talk to and relate to. That's part of the reason that, in between giveaways, and links, I will "talk" to all of you. Because this is especially true for those of us who stay at home with our children all day. And if you are one of those moms who really needs more adults to talk to, I would LOVE to see more interaction over on facebook, (www.facebook.com/themomshow) I will do my best to personally answer comments and posts there when I can. I hope you all have a wonderful night!

Before I go, I just want to remind you all of my appreciation giveaway! http://themomshow.blogspot.com/2012/03/we-hit-300-likes-giveaway-time.html





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Date night giveaway from Bay Area Mommy!

Promoting a giveaway that someone else is about start up. This is a great one though.. Who wouldn't love a date night!! I am going to be a little envious of whomever wins this actually!! This one starts at midnight so check back then or tomorrow!


Bay Area Mommy is giving away a $25 Regal Cinemas gift card! Perfect for those of you who are planning a date night with your loved one!

Click here to find the nearest Regal Cinema in your area. The gift card
- is honored, just like cash, at the box office or concessions.
- is welcome to be redeemed for advance ticket purchases - at the Theatre Box Office.
- cannot be redeemed online at REGmovies.com, CorporateBoxOffice.com or Fandango.com.
- cannot be redeemed for cash unless required by law.
- has no expiration date or dormancy fees.
- cannot be applied toward the purchase of Super Saver tickets (VIP, Premiere or Ultimate Movie Packs)
- redeemable at any Regal Entertainment Group location nationwide (Regal Cinemas, Edwards Theatres or United Artists Theatres).

Giveaway will accept entries until April 3. 18+, US only. Good luck!

WE HIT 300 LIKES!! Giveaway time!!

Thank you all! We have hit 300 likes.. (I actually think we're at 304 now..)

Time to giveaway a $5 Amazon gift code! Enter below!

11 more likes until we hit 300!!

Okay, I told you all once I hit 300 likes on Facebook, that I was going to do a jewelry giveaway. I have good and bad news about this.


The bad news: I was intending on giving away half of the jewelry that I received from copious, and intended on keeping half of it. The half I decided to keep turned my skin green!!!! Yuck! So, I really can't, in good conscience give away the other half.

The good news.. I'm still going to show you all some love! Once I get to 300 likes on facebook, I am going to give away a code for a $5.00 Amazon.com gift card!!

So, go to www.facebook.com/themomshow, and send your friends so we can get to 300!!

FREE customizable placemat!!

These are great! You just pay $3.99 shipping, and you get this placemat (which is valued at $8.99).. I just ordered one for my daughter!

How is your day going?

My daughter was BEGGING me to do a "project" all morning, so finally I pulled out my bag of craft supplies, and I got out three pipe cleaners. that's it, (well, I pulled them all out and had her choose three colors)

We braided the three pipe cleaners, and then put them together at the ends around her wrist. Quick and easy project.

If you're looking for craft ideas for your children, I suggest starting with some pipe cleaners. There are TONS of things you can do with them!



Also--random: but if you like saving money, you should join Right At Home, I get coupons and money saving opportunities, as well as occasional free samples from them. So I figured I would share them with you also!

Mommy and baby giveaway event! Join in!

Here is a giveaway for our kids! How awesome is that! There are going to be six winners for this one! I am promoting this for a friend of mine.

Good luck!!

GIVEAWAY WINNER!!

So the winner of my envelope full of coupons is......



MARCIA GAUER!!


Please email me at april.wheelis1@gmail.com with your mailing address and I'll send them out today or first thing in the morning!!

Congratulations!!

Now I want Brownies!!

I just saw this offer for a FREE brownie recipe e-book, and now I want some brownies.. About to download, and then off to the kitchen I go!

Another giveaway coming up!

There's another giveaway from someone else that I want to share with you that's coming up soon, so I'm letting you know now!

The prize is AWESOME! $100 PAYPAL CASH!! Who couldn't use that?!

Here's the link!


[Sign up HERE!]

Pet prescription plan!!

I didn't know such a thing existed so I figured I'd share this with you. Flea medications, worms and other ailments, can get expensive for our pets! I had never seen a pet prescription plan before. I will use this, hopefully there's someone out there that can use this as well!

My daughter is so cute!

Probably boring to all of you, but my daughter decided that she wanted to draw a picture.. she decided that she was going to make a family of circles.. I thought that was a cute idea, so I said go for it, and I was taken by surprise at her detail.. (not in the circles themselves, but her thoughts behind them) there was a mommy circle, a daddy circle, an "uncle jon" circle, an uncie circle, auntie circle, a couple of cousin circles.. grandma, papa, mimi, other papa.. I just thought it was so cool.

Like I said.. boring post, but I just wanted to share..

Have a great movie night with these great coupons!!!

Hey guys, I have some printable coupons for movies, you can print them off and save money on a family movie night (or just to add to your movie collection!).. check them out!

















Who remembers these movies?

and


I kind of want to see this movie so I'm excited about this coupon:

Here are a couple of kids DVDs.. I know my daughter will LOVE these in her Easter basket!

and


I have heard a lot of good things about this show but I've never actually seen it.. But here's a coupon for seasons 1-4:



A lot of people would rather not have or would like less candy in their Easter baskets, and DVDs are one of those things that fit really well and make a good (though sometimes expensive which is why coupons are always good!) alternative. I hope you are able to get something out of this!

New Giveaway from Sweet Pea Savings!!!

ok, so just one more thing before I'm all done for the night! I just wanted to make sure I share this new giveaway from Sweet Pea Savings!

 Sweet Pea Savings Has Teamed Up With Some Amazing Bloggers To Celebrate her son Cooper's 3rd Birthday! There are some pretty great prizes and and some great sponsors!  Enter below for your chance to win!

 (make sure your entering with an email that you check daily)

Winners will be chosen on April 5th

Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hit over 50 likes!

I know this is a teeny tiny milestone, but I am at 55 likes now on facebook, and just starting out, I was so excited. I know a lot of people came from Sweet Pea Savings, as she asked. I just hope that you all enjoy reading and that you'll stay to hear what I have to say or share with you next!! For those of you who haven't seen her yet, please check out http://www.sweetpeasaving.com. She has a TON of savings, and she does some really great giveaways also. She's also teaching me a lot as I begin this venture.

Again, thank you all for reading! I think that I am probably going to be done tonight (or not, never know..) but I will be back in the morning :) Have a great day!

Also, I just really want to remind you all of the deal I posted here: http://themomshow.blogspot.com/2012/03/canvas-print-just-pay-shipping-these.html

With Mothers Day and then Fathers day, these seriously make the BEST gifts.

Also, don't forget my coupon giveaway! About another day left on that, so please go check it out. Look out for more giveaways also

Sharing a giveaway!!!

Come check out this awesome giveaway for laundry soap by a friend of mine :) There will be more to come so check back!!!

Melissa and Doug $500 shopping spree. GREAT GIVEAWAY!!!!!

This is a great giveaway! Enter using the link below to earn a $500 shopping spree for Melissa and Doug toys. I can tell you, my daughter LOVES the Melissa and Doug toys she has, and they're high quality and great! I would love to win something like this! Good luck!!




Also, this one's not as great, but don't forget about my own coupon giveaway a few posts down, so far NO ONE has entered! I don't mind keeping my coupons, but I REALLY want to share!!

hmm... think I'm gonna craft with my little one

Hmm.. today, I think I'm going to do what I like to call a "pot luck craft" with my little one.. I'm basically going to go through all I have in my arsenal of crafting supplies and take a little bit of all I have and we're going to create.....something.. should be interesting! And fun, I highly recommend it.. the things kids (even really young ones) can come up with using their own creativity amazes me sometimes..


I just started a giveaway, it's small, just an envelope of coupons, but even if you don't use coupons all the time, who couldn't stand to save a few bucks here and there when the opportunity strikes? Please enter.. I promise there will be more in the future!

http://themomshow.blogspot.com/2012/03/coupon-giveaway.html

coupon giveaway

Okay, so I have a TON of coupons right now that are in need of organizing. I also am trying to grow and improve this blog, so, I think right now, I'm going to do a coupon envelope giveaway or two. This giveaway will be for an envelope full of coupons. It will end in 48 hours.

Free Baby Magazines!!!

Good morning!! I hope you're all having a GREAT day!! I read both of these magazines when my daughter was really young.. and I still order them whenever they're free now (I still do read through them, and then, magazines are GREAT to use for collage stuff after they're read.)



American Baby is published by Parents Magazine. I started reading this while I was still pregnant, as someone surprised me with a subscription. I think it's awesome that high quality magazines like these are offered for free!



This is another one that I started reading while I was pregnant and usually get again whenever my subscription runs out. Just a word to the wise, however, don't pay to renew these subscriptions, you may want to, but they offer free subscriptions frequently.

2:30 am...

Quick question... Technically... if I am still up at 2:30 AM... would I be considered a night owl or an early bird?? Inquiring minds (mainly mine..) would like to know.

Canvas print-- Just pay shipping! These are AWESOME

I took a picture of my husband and daughter that he loves, and made one of these last year with this same deal. (It only cost $15 for shipping! The 8x10s normally sell for around $50 +shipping) and he LOVED it. They really do great work.

You can choose to take the free 8x10, or they will take $35 off of any size print. Don't miss this deal, these make AWESOME gifts.

Bad dreams!!

My daughter hit the age not too long ago, where she has started to have bad dreams at night, and has found a fear of monsters... It kills me when my child wakes up in the middle of the night of nap crying because she's afraid. It makes me feel terrible!!

So.. I decided that when this happens, it's time to empower her, and make her feel brave, and help her realize that there's nothing to be afraid of. I calm her down, while explaining what dreams are and how they're not real. Then, the fun part. I have her kind of "yell" at her dreams a little bit. Telling them she doesn't want them in her room anymore. It sounds silly, and it is.. silly enough that it gets the stress of the dream out, and has her giggling instead. Then, I have her say a few times that her room is a safe place, and a happy place.

Like I said, I know it seems silly.... but it works for us.

Bloom/Food Lion

The Bloom store near where I live is soon changing to Food Lion. I have heard that this is true of a lot or maybe all (?) of them.. I just wanted to throw it out there, that because of this, I have found some REALLY great deals in my local store. I have gotten a lot of free things lately. Noodles, snacks, chips, etc. Meat and produce haven't been on sale because they're just slowly switching them to Food Lion brands, but other things are extremely cheap.. Check it out!

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Just a reminder--giveaway coming!

I just wanted to remind you all that once I get 30 likes on my facebook page (www.facebook.com/themomshow) I will be doing a jewelry giveaway! (necklace, earrings and three bracelets)

I WANT to give these things away, so let's do it!

Printable coupons!

I told you all that I loved coupons, but I am also determined to make my blog about a lot more than saving money (even though it is something that's very important to me..) However, I have found a way to share printable coupons with you (coupons that you should hopefully be able to print from right here, so every so often, I'll share a post with printable coupons.. Here goes. There are tons of different kinds of coupons here. Print what you'd like, and enjoy! I am thinking that I will do this once a week or so, if you want it more or less often.. comment!!