Busy Mom Reviews

I love, love, love paper places and Paper Source is a specialty paper store (new to me) and they have some great papers, invitations, crafts, stationery, planners, gift wraps, scrapbooking items and more.

I received some sample items to review, and I love them. They have so many cute things and many products feature original designs developed exclusively by Paper Source. Do check them out!

You can purchase their products online or at one of 47 Paper Source locations.

Paper Source is opening a store in Nashville, TN on Friday, August 5, 2011. Be sure to check it out in the Hill Center Green Hills, 4017 Hillsboro Pike, Ste. 307 37215!

Be sure to follow Paper Source on Facebook and Paper Source on Twitter and check out the Paper Source Blog for ideas and inspiration.

I received a sample selection of items from Paper Source to facilitate my review.

Longtime readers know that each year I take a girls trip to the beach with my friends.

The drive takes from 8-10 hours, and over the past few years, we've started getting on the road in the late afternoon and driving at night in order to maximize our vacation time.

I usually drive one of the cars, and (thanks to truck stop coffee) it all works out very nicely.

After 12 years running, we've been fortunate to have avoided any road mishaps, but you just never know.

While we are all strong and capable, it's entirely possible that something odd could happen to one of the cars along the way, and it might be an issue since we're traveling at night in some very small coastal towns where you sometimes wonder if there's any way to get automotive help during the day, much less in the middle of the night.

Allstate's Good Hands Roadside Assistance is a great way to have some piece of mind on trips like these.

It's a pay as you go roadside assistance program that you can use it no matter what insurance you have, and you only pay when you use it!

Check it out, or sign up right here:

Allstate Good Hands Roadside Assistance Features:

* Open to anyone in the U.S. whether you have coverage through Allstate or not
* You only pay when you use it, there are no monthly fees
* Anyone can call at any time to use this service when needed by dialing a 1-800 # and asking for roadside assistance
* You can have a total of 5 drivers on your account, making this a great service for families with teen drivers

Services include: towing, tire change, lockouts, jump-starts, refueling, (in most cases it costs about $75 per tow and $50 per other service.)

If you wish (but not required), when you register for Good Hands Roadside Assistance, you can add up to 4 additional drivers to your account and provide a credit card number up front, then at time of service you can simply charge the expense to the credit card number on file (valid ID needed).

Pre-registering for Good Hands Roadside Assistance provides faster service if and when you need help on the road, and you’ll also receive a welcome kit in the mail containing a wallet card, a key fob and a window cling with the phone number for roadside help.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post from Allstate, but I think it's a great idea. The opinions expressed are my own, and you should totally come on the trip with us.

I attended the BlogHer Conference in San Diego last week, and among my favorite places to visit at the Expo Hall was the Hillshire Farm booth.

"Why?" You may ask...

Besides being full of nice people, they featured the So Good Bistro where you could order actual, full-sized food featuring Hillshire Farm products. It was the only pop-up eatery there, and it was both welcomed and "so good" during the long days!

The booth at BlogHer also featured a chance to meet Wendi McLendon-Covey (recently in “Bridesmaids”) who is the star of the Hillshire Farm “So Good. They’ll Think It’s For Them” campaign. She signed autographs and even gave blogger interviews.

In addition, they had a video booth where you could share the extras you get when you create a fantastic meal and it could be uploaded directly to your blog.

They also sponsored the Hillshire Farm Food Photography and Styling Workshop featuring chefs, food stylist and editors where you could learn how to feature your great meals in photos.

I really enjoyed my time at BlogHer, and how Hillshire Farm was active and engaged with ideas for creating and sharing great meals!

This is a sponsored campaign from Hillshire Farm and One2One Media.

I returned from BlogHer to find my family well-fed and they ate the things I left for them, though I'm not sure if my mother-in-law was impressed, it's sort of hard to tell.

I thought I did rather well keeping my inner voice from becoming my outer voice when the kitchen topic came up:

MIL: "I saw that you left this casserole thing here. We tried to do something with it, I hope that was OK"

My Inner Voice: "The 'casserole thing' was lasagna. The same lasagna I showed you that I made for y'all before I left. The directions were: "Heat it up."

MIL: "I got this iced tea at the store, I only drink unsweetened."
My Inner Voice: "You just gestured past the unopened gallon of unsweetened tea I went to the store and bought for you right before I left. Really?"

MIL: "I left these dishes out, I didn't know where they went."
My Inner Voice: "If only there had been someone else here with you in the house to ask..."

I know, I know..I am very grateful that she came to help us out while I was gone to BlogHer. We get along well enough, but we're just different people, and I'm (usually) only that obnoxious in my head.

Then again, I wonder if she had an ulterior motive for coming up? To spend time with Busy Dad and the kids while I was gone? Maybe.

Fair enough, I cooked things before I left town not only to make sure my family had good things to eat and to take some of the burden off Busy Dad, but to make sure she didn't have fodder for acting like I ran off and left them hungry or something.

Either way, I got to have a nice time with one less thing to worry about, my family ate some good food and got spent time with her, so it's a win-win for everyone!

It was hard to come back and not have the So Good Bistro ready to make me a sandwich at my leisure, though:

Inner (and sometimes outer, always unanswered voice) at home: "Somebody make me a sandwich."

Speaking of things at BlogHer, Wendi McLendon-Covey, star of Hillshire Farm's "So Good, they'll think it's for them" campaign was at BlogHer.

My schedule didn't allow me to meet her, but other people did. Be sure to check out her interview over at GenConnect: "The Truth is Always Funny" where she even says she's been inspired to start a blog!

Don't forget to follow Hillshire Farm on Facebook and be sure to check out the Hillshire Farm website for "so good" recipes for appetizers, soups meals are more!

This is a sponsored campaign from Hillshire Farm and One2One Media.

During BlogHer this year, I had the distinct pleasure of attending a party and dinner hosted by Sony Pictures and One2One Network where we were treated to a screening of ABC's upcoming series Pan Am (premiering Sunday, September 25th, 2011 10/9c).

On Saturday evening during BlogHer, we gathered at The University Club at the top of Symphony Towers in San Diego where we were treated to delicious hors d'oeuvres, an amazing dinner, beautiful views and the first episode of Pan Am.

Pan Am stars Christina Ricci, and is set in the 60's at the height of the Jet Age:

Passion, jealousy and espionage... They do it all – and they do it at 30,000 feet. The style of the 1960s, the energy and excitement of the Jet Age and a drama full of sexy entanglements deliciously mesh in this thrilling and highly-original new series.

In this modern world, air travel represents the height of luxury and Pan Am is the biggest name in the business. The planes are glamorous, the pilots are rock stars and the stewardesses are the most desirable women in the world. Not only are these flyboys and girls young and good looking, but to represent Pan Am they also have to be educated, cultured and refined. They're trained to handle everything from in-air emergencies to unwanted advances – all without rumpling their pristine uniforms or mussing their hair.

Air travel was a treat back then (I remember some of this), and Pan Am captures the excitement and glamour. It also has drama and and some unexpected plot turns to make you stick around to see what happens next.

Check it out beginning Sundays on September 25, 2011 on ABC.

Be sure to follow @PanAmABC on Twitter for information, photos and more!

Disclosure: I enjoyed the screening, a dinner and we received a Pan Am gift bag. I am under no obligation to write anything about the event or the show. I just thought you might like to know about it.

This is a sponsored post from BlogHer and MinuteClinic. I was compensated to participate in a video and share what I learned about how MinuteClinic can help people easily get a flu shot.

While I was at BlogHer, I had a chance to talk to the good folks from MinuteClinic, the medical clinic located inside select CVS/pharmacy stores in 26 states and the District of Columbia.

Did you know?

- MinuteClinics are staffed by nurse practitioners and physician assistants who offer expert medical care and are able to diagnose, treat and prescribe
· They are open 7 days a week
· No appointment needed
· Most insurance plans accepted

MinuteClinics offer a variety of services such as treatment for common illnesses such as strep throat, ear, nose, eye, bladder and bronchial infections. In addition, MinuteClinic offers a number of common vaccines such as flu shots and tetanus as well as wellness and prevention services and physicals for college, camp and sports activities.

As kids get back to school, and we head into fall, flu season is on the horizon.

Influenza ("the flu") is a contagious respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus that can cause mild to severe illness,

I'm a nurse, and it's important to me that people understand how to prevent the flu, and the best way is to get the seasonal flu vaccine every year, and I enjoyed talking to everyone about how MinuteClinic can help:

The CDC recommends everyone aged 6 months and older get a flu shot; MinuteClinic immunizes patients 18 months and older (24 months and older in MASS)

No appointment is necessary, and it’s best to get your seasonal flu vaccination as soon as it becomes available

The vaccinations are $29.99 and are covered by most insurance plans. Customers will
receive a $5 CVS gift card if any part of their cost of a flu shot is not covered by
insurance.*(excludes MA, NY and NJ)

MinuteClinic practitioners are able to answer questions about seasonal flu prevention, warning signs and treatment including antiviral medication and over the counter relief products.

So, put the flu shot on your agenda in the next few weeks, and see if one of the nearly 600 MinuteClinic locations can help you get it done and stay healthy this season!

Looking for a MinuteClinic? Check out the MinuteClinic locations or use the handy MinuteClinic Mobile app to find a location near you.

Be sure to check out all the MinuteClinic Reviews for Back To School , as well as MinuteClinic on Facebook.

There's also a monthly MinuteClinic newsletter

What will you do to stay healthy as we head into the flu season?

We are very hard on appliances around here, so when I was given the opportunity to review an Electrolux Nimble vacuum cleaner, I was very excited to put it to the test.

We live in an old house, so the rooms aren't huge and we have some wood flooring. I was interested in this particular vacuum because it touts "more swivel, less struggle", and it also easily switches between cleaning carpets and bare floors.

Some features of the Nimble:

- Smooth swivel steering makes cleaning around furniture easy.
- Powerful 12amp cyclonic technology provides a deep clean and provides no loss of suction!
- Unique VersaTool 3-in-1 tool cleans stairs and crevices with ease.
- Cleans carpet and bare floors faster than ever with the one-touch floor selector.

It's a bagless upright with a washable HEPA filter. It has a 30 ft long cord and weighs about 18 pounds.

The first thing we noticed is that the Electrolux Nimble is nearly ready to use right out of the box, you just snap a couple of things in and go.

Next, it really is "nimble". There's a swivel action at the base that allows you to change direction smoothly with less pulling back and forth, and you can get to hard to reach places.

And, it's (relatively) quiet! I was expecting something of this size to make a lot of noise, but it doesn't.

The wand attachment is really easy to use and releases quickly. It comes with 2 attachments. The 3-in-1 tool, the VersaTool changes shape to clean different surfaces, and a brush attachment. We do find we use the brush attachment a little more, but that may be just due to our particular needs. Also, there's built in edge/baseboard suction that really gets things clean up close.

But, what you probably really want to know is, "Does it have power"?

Yes, we've been very pleased. With pets and kids and different floor surfaces, we can really dish out the debris, and the Nimble has really handled it with a lot of power.

Be sure to check out the Electrolux Facebook page!

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Would you like one, too? Enter for a chance to win!

Prize: 1 winner will receive 1 Electrolux Nimble vacuum cleaner (Value: $299)

1. (Required): Tell us (leave a comment below) what features on the Electrolux Nimble would be the most helpful to you.

2. For an extra entry: Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter (I'm @busymom)

Be sure to leave a separate comment telling me you've done so.

3. One (1) winner will be picked randomly via Random.org from the comments.

4. Contest is open to all U.S. and Canada residents 18 years or older

5. Winner has 48 hours to get back to me, otherwise another winner will be drawn.

6. Hurry! Ends August 30, 2011 at 10 pm CST

Disclosure: Electrolux provided me a vacuum cleaner for review and is providing one to give away.

With school back in session, I've already received an onslaught of important papers, schedules and notes.

There are only so many fridge magnets, and when you live in a house with kids, there's never any tape, so things we should probably hang up end up relegated to piles on the kitchen counter where we risk never seeing them again.

And, for some reason, my kids insist on taping things to bulletin boards, too.

In the event we do have tape in the house, it ends up all over the walls, and when you live in an old house with plaster walls, that can be really damaging.

The fine folks from Scotch Brand Products have introduced a line of restickable products including Restickable Shapes, Restickable Tabs and Restickable Strips

They hold up to 3/4 lb. and stick to lots of surfaces such as stainless steel, plastic, concrete, wood, glass and painted walls.

They come in fun shapes and pink, blue, and orange colors.

They've been great for reminders and memos:

The kids like to put up signs for family birthdays, and they're usually taped to the walls all over the house, so Restickable Strips have been great for that, and they don't leave any residue or spots, and they stick to the pesky textured door on the pantry in the kitchen (A favorite sign spot).

3M Scotch Restickable products have been great for us, we're still finding lots of uses for them. They hold well, they don't leave marks and can be used again (when I can get the kids to return them to the box). Parents especially will find them awesome, and you know who you are if you regularly have to peel tape off walls!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Scotch and received Scotch Restickable products to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Over the years, I’ve had some great opportunities as a result of my blogging, and some parts of my hobby have become actual steps toward a small business. I learn something new nearly every day, and someday I hope to have the time to put into it and really develop some ideas I have.

In the meantime, I’ll keep my day job in health care, and fantasize about that the other business I’d like to start, someday. Don’t laugh, but I’d love to start some sort of “Party Pod” business near kids sports venues. A large building of party rooms centered around an indoor activity floor with video games, a playground etc. that could handle team parties and meetings.

I’d also include a parent lounge because I’ve been stuck many a time after taking a kid to practice: I’m too far away to go home and come back, but I really don’t have anywhere I need to go. Also, some tournaments can get really, really long, and people would be knocking themselves out to have a place to relax.

Yeah, I haven’t quite thought it all the way through, but judging by area restaurants, I think there’d be a future in it, somehow. Even though I'm being a little silly, community gathering places are very much needed in our city.

That may be a fantasy of mine, but there are real local business owners in your community and mine who are actively making their dreams come true with a lot of hard work, endurance and skill. They need our business to survive, and when they are strong, your community is strong.

Now, here’s another way you can help your favorite local business: Intuit, the maker of popular business products such as Quicken, Quick Books and Turbo Tax is awarding over $1 Million in small business grants. Each month they’re giving away $25,000 to a deserving local business, and in August, 2011, they are awarding $50,000 in grants to businesses in the two cities you love the most! (the ones with the highest number of unique businesses nominated)

The more votes a business has the more chances they have to win. So, be sure to nominate your favorite local business in their Love a Local Business campaign. Or, you can nominate yourself or your favorite business and spread the word for all your friends to vote for you!

I have big fantasies about starting my own business, so I’m curious to know: What dream business would you love to start?

By replying you will be entered to win an iPad 2!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Intuit’s Love A Local Business competition. The opinions and text are all mine. Contest runs August 10 to September 1, 2011. A random winner will be announced by September 6, 2011. Official Contest Rules