Mom Blog Work

We are so excited to announce the launch of mama mantras™, the big project that has been keeping us so busy. We're so happy to finally be able to share it with everybody. Didn't they turn out great? Don't you want your own set? We're giving one away for Mother's Day so enter to win! See the giveaway details at the end of this post.

mama mantras™

We've all been there. Your big kid just spilled juice all over, work has been crazy all week, your husband is wondering what he should make for dinner and your little one is having a complete meltdown. You feel like you're about to tear out all of your hair, scream at everybody and burst into tears all at the same time. You need a minute to refocus, to take a breath and gather yourself.

mama mantras™ are for moments like this. Sixteen cards in a slide-top tin - each one with a saying, quote or phrase to help you focus and pull it together. Keep them in your purse, on your bedside table, post your favorite on the fridge or your bathroom mirror or put them all in a jar and draw from it when you need inspiration. However you use them, they will provide you with focus for for those tough mama moments.

Check out the website - http://www.mamamantras.com. We're also on Facebook and Twitter and would love if you'd join us!

Mother's Day Giveaway

Want to get your hands on one of the first sets of mama mantras? We're giving away a set to one of our lucky fans!

To enter the giveaway, do any (or all) of the following:

1. "Like" mama mantras on Facebook
2. Follow @mamamantras on Twitter and tweet "I just entered the @mamamantras Mother's Day giveaway! http://www.mamamantras.com"
3. Leave a comment on this post and tell us what you think.

The deadline for entry is Saturday, May 8th at noon (12:00 PM) PDT. We'll be using randomizer.org to choose the winners and will announce them here, on Twitter and Facebook on Sunday, 5/9. The giveaway is open to U.S. and Canada residents only. Good luck!

Tonight, it was the overturned trash can. I walked in my bedroom to see that our lovely dog Lucy had apparently gotten into the trash, knocking it over and strewing trash around the room. Normally, this would merely be an annoyance, another reminder that we should give her more attention and maybe some behavior classes. Some exercise would be nice too; she's um...portly. Tonight, though, it could have been the tipping point.

Overextended: this almost defines me at the moment.

Like most working moms, I've got a million balls in the air at one time. Usually, this isn't really a big deal; in fact, I thrive best in this situation. But, there are times, when multiple things hit at once, that I find myself overwhelmed, stressed and desperately in need of a mental health day or two.

There are projects I have to do, projects I want to do but can't, projects I'd rather not work on at all. Meals that need prepped, kids that need fed, dogs that need to learn to not eat the trash. Doctor appointments, dentist appointments, customer meetings, bills to pay, clothes to wash. Products to launch, websites to finish, apps to start. Gah. It's all too much right now.

Thankfully, I've gotten to a good point in my life where I can identify when I'm heading to That Place. That irrationally stressed, overwhelmed Pit of Crappiness we all find ourselves in at one time or another. When I walked in on that overturned trash can, I knew that could be the straw that broke the camel's back. Sometimes it's something so small and seemingly inconsequential that sends you over the edge. Tonight, I immediately walked out, asked my husband to come in and take care of the mess, so that this one little issue would not topple the precarious tower of obligations I've built right now. Thank god for a great husband...picking up half-eaten diapers is not fun for anyone. (Gross - seriously, dogs LOOOOOVE diapers. WTF??)

And, on that note, I better get back to dismantling that very tall, very wobbly tower. One project meeting tonight, then prep for tomorrow's meeting and maybe, just maybe, a brief American Idol viewing to help balance things out. 'Cause, you know, I've gotta have some down time in there somewhere!

Is this how you usually feel on Monday mornings? Us too. So, we thought we'd kick off the week with a list of reasons why we can all be glad it's Monday:

1. You don't have to worry about baby snot or drool on your shirt until 5pm, assuming you made it out the door with a clean shirt
2. Your coworkers probably don't need help eating during lunch
3. You have time to catch up on blogs, er, industry news
4. You get more than 7 minutes at a time to focus
5. A chance to discuss topics other than sharks, dinos, Diego, Dora or Sleeping Beauty
6. Everybody around you knows what sound "B" makes without prompting
7. A chance to share the weekend's poop-related stories with your poor coworkers
8. A short break from the chicken nugget requests
9. Another "opportunity" to beat your inbox into submission - Inbox Zero FTW!
10. And, finally, we are all one day closer to Friday!

Have a great week, everybody!