Mom Corps YOU: Career and Freelance Tools & Training + Special Discount #MC

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As a work-from-home freelancer and blogger, I’m participating in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting (#MC) for Mom Corps YOU. I received a free trial subscription to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for my time. All opinions are 100% my own.

momcorps tools

If you’re reading this, then you’ve probably already figured out that I’m a blogger, but you might not know that I also do freelance work from home to help pay the bills. It all began shortly after I was laid off from my full-time corporate marketing job a few years ago. It had been years since I’d even updated my resume! I’d been in the same career and industry for so long, and there were so many people out of work at the time, that I found it very difficult to find a new full-time job, and decided to try working for myself.

Little by little, I’ve been building up my own business, helping brands and other small businesses to promote their products and services with online marketing and social media. I love the flexibility and freedom that freelancing offers, but it was really tough figuring out how to get started,

I didn’t have access to a lot of resources or support, which is why I was super excited when I was recently invited to try out Mom Corps YOU — an online community designed to help women with professional development, start a new business and lots more! Mom Corps believes that work-life satisfaction is best achieved when you can take ownership of several key areas of your life, including career, finances and health & wellness, and this subscription-based community provides education, resources and tools to help you do just that.

momcorps you

I’ve been using the tools and resources at Mom Corp YOU and am really impressed with the range of webinars, articles, templates and checklists available. Whether you’re a mom who is looking to return to the workforce, someone who’s always wanted to start her own business, want help learning to better manage household finances, or need to develop more work-life balance, there’s something for everyone! They’ve also got forums so you can chat with other members, and Live Chat to connect you with a Mom Corp Recruiter.

Another thing I love is that it’s designed to be flexible, so you can take advantage of most of the resources on your own schedule using your laptop, iPad or pretty much any device that can browse the web. I recently enjoyed a Mom Corps presentation on Freelancing and got some great tips and new ideas.

mom freelance class

Right now, Mom Corps is giving our readers access to a very special offer so that you can try out Mom Corps YOU for yourself. Go HERE to sign up for an annual introductory subscription for $99.99 ($149.99 reg) or $19.99/month. You’ll get full access to everything including Mom Corps Job Recruiters, help with resumes & interview questions, how to use LinkedIn for networking, templates for business plans, and lots more. Be sure to check out the new course Resumes that Get Results Webinar on Tuesday, February 11th!

Making Dairy-Free Frozen Treats for Pets & People with Yonanas

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DIY Dairy-Free Frozen Dog Treats

If you follow us on Instagram, you probably already got a peek at how excited Daisy and I were when our Yonanas Dessert Maker arrived recently! We’ve been putting it to good use, making frozen desserts for Woof Woof Papa and ourselves.

If you haven’t already heard about it, Yonanas is a super easy to use machine that makes Dairy-Free frozen treats and desserts using only frozen bananas and other frozen fruits. You can add chocolate, cookies, nuts and other stuff if you want to get creative, but if you want to share with your dog just stick to fruit you know they can eat and do NOT add all the other stuff. Save that for the humans! Here’s a quick demo video on how it works, since I couldn’t use it and film my own at the same time LOL:

As you can see, it’s really easy. And I also like that cleanup is a breeze. When I’m done I take it apart (also super easy) and either rinse it in the sink or put the parts in the top shelf of the dishwasher. It’s very similar in design to a juicer, but way easier to clean and faster to take apart and put back together, in my experience!

easy yonanas cleanup

To make sure we’re always stocked up on frozen bananas, I buy large bunches so there will always be enough to eat AND some to freeze when they get spotted. And then when the freezer starts to get full, I like to make a big batch of Yonanas all at once. Usually Woof Woof Papa and I enjoy some while we watch a movie, and Daisy also gets a little cup for herself…but not too much at once! Most dogs do fine with small amounts of fruit but take it easy. We usually stick with just banana, or banana with a little frozen mango since that’s our favorite, but you can get creative depending on what you and your pup like! If you have human kids, they will love helping out and creating new flavor combinations, too!

To make sure I always have some frozen treats on hand, I take about half of whatever I make and put it into freezer molds so that Daisy can enjoy a tiny treat from time to time without over-indulging or having to wait til we have enough bananas to make a new batch. I like using these paw shaped molds but you can use ice cube trays or anything else you like!

Hurry up and freeze already!

Since I cannot resist that FACE, I usually let her lick the bowl too. I’m sure she likes to think of it as “helping” clean up!

lick the bowl

Besides serving Yonanas frozen desserts in a bowl or freezer mold, you can also make popsicles, creamy cold cantaloupe “soup” and loads of other healthy, non-dairy treats and dishes.

Do you and your dog love frozen bananas and other frozen treats? Want a deal on a Yonanas Machine? Check out the options on sale at Amazon.com!

frozen paw

Paw Shaped Silicone Molds for food and treats

Help Purex Support Make-A-Wish + WIN Free Laundry Detergent!

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make a wish purex

We’ve been using Purex for quite some time now and are super excited to help spread the word about a great new initiative they’re involved in to help kids! The Purex brand is teaming up with Make-A-Wish to bring bright wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions.

Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Kids say wishes give them renewed strength to fight their illnesses, and their parents say these experiences help strengthen the entire family.

Purex will pay a minimum guarantee of $250,000 to Make-A-Wish, but you can help make a difference and get the payment up to $400,000 by purchasing Purex liquid detergent or liquid fabric softener between February 1st 2014 and February 28th 2014.

Be sure to stock up on Purex during the month of February as every bottle helps in the effort to support this great cause. Learn more about Purex and Make-A-Wish and show your support by spreading the word – share this post with friends and family to help make wishes come true! And make sure to LIKE Purex on Facebook to keep up with the latest Purex promotions and access exclusive savings.

Purex Mountain Breeze Giveaway

To thank us for helping to spread the word about this great cause, Purex is sponsoring a giveaway for our readers! Just enter on the Rafflecopter below and 3 lucky people will each WIN a FREE bottle of Purex Mountain Breeze detergent. You must be a US resident, age 18+ to enter. Good Luck everybody!

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New Thinksport 17oz Insulated Sports Bottle Fits All Car Cupholders!

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Long-time readers may recall that a while back, I told you about the most amazing super insulated water bottle I’d discovered thanks to ThinkSport. I’ve been such a fan that I’ve raved about it to friends and neighbors and even giving them as gifts! I always thought it was just the most perfect water bottle, being free of BPA, lead and all other toxic chemicals and so great for both hot and cold drinks. It never sweats and even has a mesh filter to keep the loose tea and ice cubes in the bottle when you drink or pour from it.

There was just one tiny thing that bugged me and that was that I’ve got a really tiny cup holder in my car and it didn’t fit. I always take water for Daisy & me when we are on the go, and had gotten used to our big 25oz water bottle rolling around on the passenger side floor, or wedging it between the passenger seat and door, but I really did the happy dance last week when I noticed that ThinkSport now makes the same bottle in a new 17oz size that is designed to fit all car cupholders!

Daisy with my thinksport purple water bottle

Of course I had to get one ASAP and it arrived really quickly so I can already tell you all about it! We got metallic purple because Daisy and I just LOVE anything purple, but it also is available in silver, metallic green and metallic blue.

If you missed the details in our previous review, here’s why we think it’s so great:

  • Double-walled and vacuum-sealed stainless steel – keeps contents hot or cold for hours
  • Does not sweat (for cold contents) or burn your hand (for hot contents)
  • Shape makes the bottle easy to hold and cooler-looking than straight-walled bottles
  • Removable mesh filter keeps ice from blocking the drinking spout
  • Convenient for brewing tea on the go
  • Rigorous chemical and biologic testing to insure products do not contain toxic chemicals

new sports bottle

I know we’ll still enjoy using the 25oz bottle when we go to the beach or park for the day with Woof Woof Papa, since it really does keep cold drinks cold for hours! But I’m so happy to have a smaller version that fits more easily in my bag and cupholder when Daisy and I are out and about for our walks or errands. Be sure to check out ThinkSport to get your own insulated sports bottle, safer sunscreen, natural shampoo & conditioner plus products for baby, yoga gear and more!

Get Healthy, Stay Healthy with CVS MinuteClinic #MC

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Since I know we are all trying to make healthy changes and keep our families well, I’m participating in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for CVS/pharmacy MinuteClinic to help spread the word about their programs and services to help you get healthy and stay healthy. I received promotional items as a thank you for participating.

cvs weight loss

How are YOU doing with your New Year’s resolution so far? This year, the hubby and I resolved to continue our healthy eating, keep up the exercise and look for some new hobbies and activities to join. It’s going pretty well so far, but I remember how hard it was back a few years ago when we both started to think about making serious changes to our lifestyle. We were lucky that we had each other, as well as the support of great doctors to encourage us and provide us the tools we needed to both get serious about weight loss AND to quit smoking. It’s been over 4 years now since we quit smoking (after many previous attempts) and I still remember how tough it was even with professional help! And the battle with weight and healthy eating is an ongoing challenge for us and many other people we know.

That’s why, when I heard about the new Weight Loss Program and Quit Smoking Program offered at CVS MinuteClinic, I jumped at the chance to help spread the word!

The Weight Loss Program at MinuteClinic is personalized, provides ongoing coaching and medical supervision. The program is easy to follow, focuses on healthy eating and is clinically proven to promote weight loss. It also has the added benefit of lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. With your initial assessment, you’ll receive membership to DASH for Health™, a great online resource to help you stay on course between visits to MinuteClinic. The Weight Loss Program is covered by most insurance plans, but contact your insurance company prior to visiting MinuteClinic to verify coverage as well as any copays, co-insurance or deductibles.

Want help quitting smoking? Studies show that smokers assisted by a health care provider have a greater chance of kicking the habit. MinuteClinic created this program that’s covered by most insurance plans to help those over 18(and you don’t even need to make an appointment). The program includes one-on-one consultation with a practitioner, including a nicotine dependence assessment. You’ll get an individualized smoking cessation plan and education based on your needs and goals, ongoing coaching and support in your efforts to quit smoking, plus Nicotine-replacement recommendations or prescriptions, based on what’s appropriate for your needs and situation.

stay healthy with CVS screenings

Want other help keeping yourself and your family healthy? In addition to weight loss and smoking cessation, MinuteClinic has a series of wellness services designed to help you identify lifestyle changes needed to improve your current and future health, including screenings and monitoring for diabetes, blood pressure and high cholesterol.

MinuteClinic is also there to help you with year-round common family illnesses such as strep throat and ear, eye, sinus, bladder and bronchial infections. Minor wounds, abrasions, skin conditions and joint sprains are treated, along with common vaccinations and walk-in camp, sports and school physicals are available.

Whatever you need to get healthy and stay healthy, MinuteClinic walk-in medical clinics, located inside more than 800 CVS/pharmacy stores nationwide, are there to help you stay on track with inspiration and support along the way! They are open 7 days a week with evening hours and you don’t need to make an appointment. Go HERE to learn more & find your nearest CVS MinuteClinic location.