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Although Earth Day is the most celebrated, it is most certainly not the only holiday intended to honor Mother Nature.  A quick search online brought me to United Nation’s list of the 13 different “environmental” holidays. 

February 2: Wetlands Day
March 21: World Forestry Day
March 22: World Water Day
March 23: World Meteorological Day
April 18: World Heritage Day
April 22: Earth Day
May 22: International Day for Biological Diversity
June 5: World Environment Day
June 17: World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
July 11: World Population Day
September 16: International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer (World Ozone Day)
September 28: Green Consumer Day
October 1-7: World Wildlife Week

That’s an impressive list. I’ve heard of three and celebrate just one, Earth Day. You?
Schools, families and communities are finding ways to celebrate Earth Day each year and now more than ever, every day. It’s impressive the creativity that is shown by these groups. …

If it’s priced right it will sell. We hear that advice from selling a house, to a car to anything on EBAY.
Determining the right price for selling on EBAY is best done through completed listings in the advanced search. Through the complete listings, you learn the history of items similar to your item. You learn how they were listed, how they sold and much, much more.
Completed listings information is powerful for top EBAY sellers, believe me, it’s what the EBAY Money Makers are using.  Tristan, founder of TheEbayEntrepeneur.com, considers using the completed listing as his #1 selling tool. “Completed listing are a must-have for me. I faithfully use that feature on the EBAY mobile app when shopping for items to sell,” explained Windy, an EBAY Money Maker and blogger at WindyLou.com. …

The Crock Country Chronicles (say that 3xs fast) is getting “smarter” with its newest correspondent, Smarty Pants Mama! Yes, Crock Country Chronicles, Country Crock’s online newspaper will get a dose of my ideas each month! The newspaper is full of creativity, recipes and more to make meal time – especially veggie eating time – a more positive, successful experience in your home. I will regularly post articles on the chronicle and here about veggie eating successes in my home. I look forward to you sharing your experiences, too!
Earlier this month I joined three other fantastic moms, Laura of RealMomKitchen.com, Toni of TheHappyHousewife.com and Anne of CookingWithAnne.com in New York City for a Very Veggie World event by Country Crock. The few days were filled with loads of great conversation and delicious dining …

South Floridians drive to Orlando regularly, it’s understandable. Our family has done it nearly a dozen times in the last 5 years. Visiting Disney World or other amusement parks, with just a 3-4 hour drive is manageable, especially when traveling with the family. One of our more more memorable drives up was when we took Route 27 from Miami to Disney. 
This drive, mostly a divided highway with traffic lights, is a sharp difference from the dull drive of the Florida Turnpike or I95. Although longer because of the lights, the Route 27 drive is far more scenic as it takes you through the “countryside” of Florida, passing through the towns of Clewiston, Moore Haven, Lake Placid and Lake Harbor, often right alongside Lake …

Burst.It is Bursting with Simplicity in Sharing Videos & Photos to Groups 
Simple, efficient technology is a Smart Mama need. Burst.It knows that and has made an app and website for busy moms. Using basic one-touch technology a mom can send multiple photos and videos to an individual or a group. All media is instantly stored in the cloud, meaning days of back ups are over. Download the Burst.It app onto your phone to get started taking photos/video. Join the site and begin recommending to it others. You’ll be thrilled with the ease and functionality of the application.
The Soccer Mom Scenario
At the soccer game you take several photos and videos of the kids. You want to get them out to the team moms.

Traditional Texting:
Picture by picture and video by video you go through and text each to the moms you select in …

Eyes wide open. See the sites. The weather is gorgeous. There is so much to enjoy in and around Miami.
The year at the infamous Great Taste of the Grove, Transition Lenses will help you keep those sightseeing eyes in check with a FREE vision screening and more!
The Sights of Miami
Miami is filled with some of the most beautiful attractions. The sights are breathtaking. As a tourist or resident, a camera on hand is always necessary when visiting the Miami area. Three sights that have caught my eye and camera are Ocean Drive, the Everglades and the Deering Estate. Here’s why…

Breathtaking views of the of the art deco architecture as you stroll down Ocean Drive in South Beach is always a must. It is one of the most popular attractions in this area and you understand why at first glance.The classic architecture melded with the …

We’re moms. Busy moms. Any moment we have to entertain, we’ll take. Often those moments are as simple and casual as having friends over, with kids, to kick back a relax. A parent playdate includes serving bite sized appetizers, opening a bottle of wine and letting the kids reek havoc in the playroom or run loose in the backyard, all without the need of babysitters or any formal planning. I love all of it! Parents need a playdate just like kids!
How often to do you do it? I’m sure not often enough. Make an attempt this month to invite friends over. Make it casual. Maybe turn on the BBQ if the weather allows. Invite the kids too so that no one needs to worry about babysitters!
Before the parent playdate, get these 3 things on hand to add a little heat and have a whole lot of fun!

Get …

Rearranging your office can happen on a whim and other times forced. Whether you just get in that mood to rearrange everything – we’ve all been there – or you’re getting new office furniture, the opportunity to make some easy changes to the room you spend much time in can be very helpful.
Wireless is an Extra
A hard connection, using an ethernet cable, is the preferred method of accessing your network. We all love and depend on wireless but when at home and at your desk, it is ideal to have your router nearby so you can connect your desktop or laptop via ethernet. This is especially important when uploading/downloading large files where optimal speed is in need!
The router will serve as the “home base” of your network, allowing you to connect via ethernet or wirelessly as many components as you need. Both my router and modem sit …

Shipping on EBAY can be intimidating. Believe me, I’ve been intimidated. With the right tools you’ll be set to correctly asses the shipping costs for an item you intend to list.  Watch and listen to my EBAY shipping essentials.

You may already have many of these items. Do you? Many of them are reusable from items you have received in the mail. You’ll start looking at packages that you receive as potential shipping tools for future EBAY shipments! Have you recently received packaging materials that can be reused?
A good shipping scale is the most important. They are relatively inexpensive and can save you a lot of money if you appropriately pre-pack and weigh the package ahead of time.  I’ve learned that the hard way. I’ve previously assumed the weight was such and such, the buyer paid the shipping based on my …

The content was amazing! I asked a million questions. I came back from the EBAY Parent Panel Summit in San Jose, California pumped to sell my treasures on EBAY! I have bags of clothing, stacks of plates, boxes of shoes and boxes of old random AV cords that will make me money when I sell them all on EBAY!

Are you excited? Have something you’re anxious to get out of your house and bring cash into your pocket?
Disclosure: This post has been created in connection with my appointment as an EBAY Parent Panel Ambassador.

Show Team Spirit with Your Snack Foods on Game Day
I’m going green. I’m actually going green and grey. My alma mater, Loyola University Maryland, has made it to the big dance for the 2nd time in its basketball history. The 1st time was my freshman year in college. I’m beyond ecstatic and proud.
Showing my team spirit won’t just be wearing green and grey for the Loyola Greyhounds as they take on Ohio State. We’re going green on game day when we snack on a bowl full of guacamole, Wholly Guacamole of course! Alongside a big bag of tortilla chips, guacamole makes a perfect Go Hounds snack to have while watching the game!  I also have their great 100-calorie snack packs that makes portion control much easier! Guacamole is a yummy, chock full of nutrition …

Ebay can not only help you make money, but help you be a smarter wife and mom!
A Smart Mama not only knows the resources available to help her, she uses them too!  Try any or all of these ways to be a Smarter Mama through EBAY!

Support your family’s finances by earning a few dollars, a few hundred or even a few thousand, by selling items you no longer need. Cleaning out the basement and hitting up garage sales and thrift stores, a Smart Mama can make her EBAY inventory. The PayPal account receiving your payments will soon fill with dollars and cents to use for family financial obligations or even a fun vacation! EBAY pro Tristan O’Brien shared his remarkable story in the Ebay Money Makers video. He could do it, so can you!
Memorabilia galore! You can find …

Need a Kleenex? A sneeze, a cough, a smear of something on the face, all instigate the automatic Kleenex offering. We share all sorts of things like clothes, toys, ideas, and Kleenex! Over these last few months I have witnessed unbelievable sharing in my home.  From the 1st day home from the hospital, Isabella has wanted to share anything and everything with her baby sister.  It makes my heart melt to see her be such a warm, loving sister to Cecilia.
I took my story to the Momversation camera recently, to share the warm, feeling I get when we share in our home.

We started a sharing chain at Kleenex.com by sending a box of tissues to Isa’s friend! You can do the same!
 

From Kleenex to baby dolls our home is a sharing home! Do you celebrate sharing in your home?
 
 
Disclosure: Compensation …

The Super Bowl is approaching, and March Madness will be here before you know it.  Chips and dips will be covering our coffee tables as we feed the sports fanatics in our homes.  Using a large can of chopped chicken, such as the Hormel Chunk Chicken (a pantry staple in our home,) plus a few additional ingredients you can easy have a crowd pleaser, even if their favorite team is losing. Try adding it to a spinach artichoke dip or a Mexican Layer Dip. Delicious!

This spread is a sport fan favorite.  It was originally shared to me by my cousin, who had adapted it from another cousin.  Yes, it’s one of those that’s been around the block and keeps getting better! When I 1st had it at her home a few months ago, I was so excited to make it myself.  It was one of those dips that I want …

The greenest product is one that already exists. A pre-owned find has history. By bringing it home, you extend its useful life, keep it out of the landfill, and prevent the environmental impact of producing something new. – EBAY Green Team (green.ebay.com)

Had you realized how GREEN you can be by buying gently worn clothing?  Or that your closets and drawers are probably filled with clothing that can be sold to another family rather than tossed in the garbage & ending in a landfill?  As Smart Mamas we strive to live a greener, healthier lifestyle.  Using cleaning products with zero harmful chemicals, cloth diapers for the babies and reusable water containers on hot days, we each find methods to minimize our carbon footprint.
The recently launched EBAY Green page (green.ebay.com) is a marketplace and resource guide for moms (and dads) looking to be more GREEN.  As …

The Hormel Extended Blogger Family program has inspired me to share my New Year’s resolution progress!  I’m eager to hear about your’s!
We are half way through the 1st month of the year.  How are you doing on your New Year’s resolutions!? Be honest!  This is a fantastic time to reflect on your accomplishments and rework how you will meet the resolutions that may have been a bit more difficult to stick with.

I pat myself on the back for a job well done with:

Eating healthier!
Drinking more water!
Picking up the house more often!
Saying HI to more people!
Drinking green tea daily!

 
Still Need to Work On

Exercising 3xs a week!
Cleaning up my desk every few days! (You don’t even want to look at it now!)
Going to bed earlier! (Let’s just say I watched part of the end of Letterman last night!)
Getting up earlier! (Woops, forgot to set the alarm this morning! Thankful for …

Going beyond the standard chips & dips for an upcoming gathering such as New Year’s Eve is easier than you think!  Make a beautiful dish of olives, cheeses, roasted pepper slices, meat slices and gourmet crackers instead.  A festive platter, delicious finger foods and a handful of cocktail napkins and you’re all set!  It makes an attractive presentation, which is certainly yummy!
Secondly, if you’re transporting the appetizer to a party, you’ll just need to fill your bag with a jar or two of olives & peppers, a box of sliced meat, sliced cheese, a platter and a box of crackers and you’re set!  No more dip leaking out the side or something that needs to be heated up or requires extensive cleaning! Keep the chips and dip for the backyard parties and bring out the yummy meats, cheeses and olives instead!
Next time you’re at your grocery store take a look …

Would you throw away a 5 dollar bill?
I found one under my kitchen sink and my husband wanted me to throw it away.  You see the bill was in the form of 2 unopened Brita water filters. We were cleaning out the cabinets under the kitchen sink and found all sorts of things, like the random half-used bottle of window cleaner, ½ dozen sponges and a pair of ripped gloves.  Most importantly, I found two brand new packages of water filters to use with a Brita water pitcher – a pitcher we no longer use or even own. So what to do with these filters?  Guess what Tom’s immediate thought was?  Yep, throw them away, we don’t need them.   But I thought, I don’t know, these are brand new, there’s got to be someone who could use them.  That’s when my ebay lightbulb went on!  Yes, I …

Last month our church provided a list outlining the specific food needs of typical migrant families in South Florida.  The church provides the food to a local mission who distributes the bags of food to the migrant families in need. When I saw the list in the back of the Sunday bulletin, including a basic photo of each item, I knew that it was something we could do.  I also knew that I would be teaching my daughter the importance of providing for others in need.

I kept the bulletin in my purse until my next trip to Publix.  Armed with my daughter, we went up and down the aisles with our cart and the list.  She would, very happily, put the items in the cart as we found them.  It really was exciting, especially to see her smile as she would say things like, “Wow, mom I’m …

eBay Lemonade Made by Tristan O’Brien – An eBay Money Maker Story
When all else fails, when you’ve lost your job, wife just gave birth and you’re essentially living in a new city with very limited support, what do you do?  Tristan O’Brien, of Westfield, Indiana, took his HUGE bowl of lemons and made a big glass of lemonade, eBay style of course!
If you take a moment and look around your home you will notice the many items you have are out of true desire not need.  Tristan did just that.  Along with his wife, he found numerous items, including an enormous big screen TV that wasn’t necessary in their home.  They took these items and listed them at auction on eBay.  They needed the money in their wallets more than hanging in their family room!
Before they knew it the items began to sell and sell – the …

Black beans and rice is one of the most served dishes in this house.  Whether its canned black beans or made from scratch, our tummies love it!
I am a 1st generation Cuban-American.  I was raised in a bilingual home with a ton of Cuban influence through food and tradition.  Our weeknight dinners were full of meals like bistec, picadillo and typically a serving of rice and black beans.

Fast forward a few decades and I am now responsible for the meals of my ½ Cuban-American home.  Tom is predominantly Italian with a little Irish thrown in!  In our home we enjoy Cuban, Italian and a few Irish meals!
There are a few “international” dishes that are certain to put smiles on all members of the family.  Black beans and rice is one.  It is one of the dishes, particularly the black beans, which my older daughter has always been fond of.
My favorite recipe can …

Sticky fingers? Crumbs, big & small, on the floor?  Spilt milk?  Does your dinnertime resemble this?
Ok, it’s not thaaaaaaat bad here.  Well, now with Baby C on solids, she’s pretty much a disaster at dinner.  Although I must say that it’s pretty darn cute!

Dinnertime, just like any other time in our homes, is a time when Smart Mamas must pick our battles.  If your daughter has the asparagus on her fork, are you really going to remind her that her elbows are on the table?
Or the meltdown (yes, we have many of those) when she refuses to try the delicious pork that you made…does it warrant a full of World War 3 on your end?
So what is dinner like at your house?  Battles, harmony or a little in between?
I’ve been inspired by Ragu® Mom’s the Word’s latest conversation!  Join me!  Visit Facebook.com/ragusauce and comment …

Silly Pasta Shapes – Become a pasta designer! Win a $100 AMEX card!
I get so excited when I hear, “Mom, can we have pasta and sauce for dinner?”  I honestly feel like it’s a special gift from someone upabove who is trying to cut me some slack after a chaotic day.

 
My husband is more often than not, not home for dinner these days – he works long hours.  With a preschooler and infant at home, well, you can just imagine what the witching hour (5-7PM) can be like around here!
I like love to cook, but have given up on complicated yummy recipes for nights when I’m the only adult eating.  Don’t get me wrong, I do make good, yummy dinner for me and the preschooler, but they do tend to be less complicated.
I have found that a jar of sauce and a box of pasta can be a busy mom’s …

Thank you to Kingston for sponsoring this review. Please click here to learn more about Kingston. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions are my own.
Kingston has brought the thumb drive to a whole new level with the Kingston Technology DataTraveler urDrive.
A thumb drive, a USB drive, flash drive…whatever you have called it, it has been what we have all relied on since the day the 3 ¼ inch discs started to bite the dust in the early 2000s.  These drives are typically removable and rewriteable and are a lifesaver for anyone on the go….Smart Moms, that’s you!
A thumb drive can be your personal backup “filing” system.  You can easily import/copy files from your computer to your drive and then easily bring your files to another location. Fantastic for moms, but with the …

Sequins are the latest fashion trend. Layering with sequins an easy way to glam-up a mom’s wardrobe. A stunning Baby Phat jacket was shown on the Today show as a way to be Sexier in Seconds….sequins were the top accessory for that! Time to dig out the sequins!

Trash or Treasure? – With tags or gently used, it’s ready for you to buy or sell!
Don’t have any sequin tops stashed in the back of your closet? Not all of us do. Before you pay near $100 for the Baby Phat jacket, you need to 1st check out eBay. Remember the old saying, “one person’s trash, is another person’s treasure.” Looking for a classic comeback fashion trend, like sequins, is perfect for the eBay shopper. While you may be 1st in line to buy a new sequin top, someone else might be anxious to get rid …

Buffalo Chicken Dip and Ways to Spookify your Dishes for Halloween
Tis the season for chips and dips!  Football season means easy foods to munch on as you’re watching the college game on Saturday or the Pro on Sunday!  I have some favorites, including the Mexi-Melt of Beans – my father-in-laws favorite!  Here’s another one that will have you wanting to lick the bowl!
Hormel Buffalo Chicken Dip
Ingredients

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup ranch salad dressing
3/4 cup hot wing sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
2 (12.5-ounce) cans Hormel® Chunk Breast of Chicken, drained
Crackers, tortilla chips and celery sticks

Directions

Heat oven to 400°F. In large bowl, combine cream cheese, dressing, hot wing sauce and shredded cheese until well blended. Gently stir in chicken.
Spoon mixture into 2-quart casserole. Bake 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve with crackers, tortilla chips and celery sticks for dipping.

Kicking it Up a Notch …