This morning I went for my typical morning walk for the first time after being away for over a week and realized something…summer is almost here!  From the thick foliage in the trees to the smell of honeysuckle, the signs are everywhere.  It’s time to start the summer celebration season, and we’re kicking things off with Libby’s at the Libby’s Summer Twitter Party!  Join us as we chat about everything from summer recipes to favorite family activities while awarding delicious prizes.  I hope to see you at the…

Libby’s Summer Twitter Party

When: Tuesday, May 22nd from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. ET

Where: #LibbysSummer

How: To participate, follow sponsor @LibbysTable and host @ResourcefulMom.  Learn more abouthow to participate in Twitter Parties.  You can also visit Libby’s Table on Facebook and connect with Libby’s at Get Back to the Table (don’t miss the recipes!)

Prizes

3 (three) winners will each receive a Libby’s Summer Prize Pack, which includes the following: 

• Charcoal Companion BBQ Tool Set, 3 Piece Vineyard Rosewood (ARV: $50)
• Assorted Libby’s Product

1 (one) Grand Prize winner will receive the following Libby’s Summer Grand Prize Pack:

• Cuisinart CGG-180T Tabletop Gas Grill, Petit Gourmet (ARV: $140)
• Assorted Libby’s Product

This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

RSVP

About Libby’s Get Back to the Table

Since its launch, the Libby’s jingle has reminded families about the joys of gathering around the dinner table for good conversation, good times and good food. The brand’s passion for helping busy families continues today as Libby’s inspires a new generation of mothers to gather their families around the dinner table through GetBacktotheTable.com – an online space where busy moms can get quick, convenient recipes and sound advice about how to feed a family on a budget.

Their Web site features recipes, tips and information for getting the most out of your grocery dollar to create delicious meals the whole family can enjoy together all year long!

I spent last week sharing just some of the incredible stories of the people I met during my time in Tanzania with Compassion International, but I wanted to also share the beauty of the country…

There are no trees like this in my backyard…

Flamingos, visible from miles away like pink flower petals floating on the water…

Mount Meru…

A friendly baboon…

What coffee looks like before it gets to Starbucks…

Ain’t nothing but a chicken wing…okay, and a Blue Monkey… (yes, they stole our lunches)

Zebras in Arusha National Park…

I know that termites are gross, but somehow this is still incredibly beautiful…

Mama giraffe, the perfect neck scratching post…

Mount Kilimanjaro as seen from my plane window…

Wordless Wednesday

Want more Wordless Wednesday?  Check out:  The Bonafide Life, Better in Bulk, Shanamama, From Dates to Diapers, Not Your Momblog, The Divine Miss Mommy, Colorado Moms, Rajean Blomquist, Brain Foggles, Lil Kid Things, The Centsible Life, Rachel Ferruci, and Zensible Mama. Don’t forget to link your own photos below!

During my time in Tanzania with Compassion International, I would like to share some of my favorite posts from the past.

~Originally posted 10/24/10~

And you won’t believe where we’re going…

A year ago I reviewed a book called Spilt Milk, and while I enjoyed the entire book, there was one passage in particular that never left my heart.  Author Linda Vujnov writes:

“‘All men are idiots, and I married the king of them.’ I was stunned as I read the license plate frame while leaving the grocery store.  Although I had a few ideas of my own for a personal license plate frame, this one wouldn’t have made the list of options.  The disrespect was pooling in the parking lot stall…When we find a man who becomes our husband, wonderful things transpire.  Not only does this man acquire new titles like husband, lover, and dad; he no doubt becomes our rock of Gibraltar, protector, best friend, and biggest fan.  As wives, the importance of encouragement, respect, and support for these men whom we love should be forefront.  Equally important is reminding them how much we love and need them.”

I promise we’re heading to the hotel room now…

A week ago I flew to Las Vegas to speak at BlogWorld and New Media Expo.  I enjoy speaking at various conferences around the country partly because it is my only chance to spend time with blogging and social media colleagues, and BWE is uniquely enjoyable because the crowd of 4,000 attendees is far more diverse than many of the other events I attend.  I especially was looking forward to hanging out with a dad blogging buddy this year and also had the pleasure of getting to know three of his colleagues during our whirlwind night after a long day of networking and learning at the conference.  During some downtime between evening events, the five of us crashed in one blogger’s room and chatted for about an hour.  I was struck by the fact that I suddenly had this unique window into the mind of dads other than those in my own family, and what was most compelling was how different they were from my own husband.

Continue reading…

Summer is almost here, and like every other parent, I’ve already begun to think of ways to entertain my family without breaking the bank.  There will be a couple of days at the lake with my parents, frequent trips to the park, time at the community pool, and some morning camps.  Rayovac knows that parents are trying to make summer fun on a budget, and they’re powering up an opportunity to do just that with their Six Flags Sweepstakes.  Now through May 30th, visit Rayovac’s Facebook page to enter for a chance to win a Family Fun Pack, which includes 4 general admission tickets, a regular Flash Pass for 4, one Family Meal Pack along with free parking to a location of the winner’s choice!

While you’re out and about this summer everywhere from your local playground to your day at Six Flags, stay charged up with Rayovac’s newest Portable Power product, the keychain On-The-Go Charger.  You can use the On-The-Go Charger to keep your Apple or micro-USB device charged.  Just put the charger in your purse or on your keychain and you’ve got a recharging opportunity at your finger tips.  Each On-The-Go Charger includes the following:

• Includes 2 adaptors: detachable micro-USB and built-in apple device connector
• Powerful 400mA Lithium Ion rechargeable battery
• Charge your device for an additional 45 minutes of additional talk time
• Use and recharge 100s of times
• Holds a charge up to 12 months
• LED light indicates charging
• Keychain attached for a portable and convenient instant power solution
• No cords needed

Embarrassingly, I am the queen of the dead cell phone.  My phone of choice does not have a very long-lasting battery, and I use my phone throughout the day to do everything from tweet to email to text to take client phone calls.  During the summer my phone is my lifeline when I am out with the kids, calling ahead to restaurants, searching for driving directions, texting to plan park playdates.  The On-The-Go Charger is now happily situated on my keychain, ready to save me from that sad moment when the last little bit of battery disappears and my phone screen turns black.

Enter to Win

Not only can Resourceful Mommy readers enter to win the Rayovac Six Flags Sweepstakes on Rayovac’s Facebook page, but one reader will receive a four pack of Six Flags tickets from me!  To enter to win, tell me what you do to keep your family powered up this summer, charged and ready for fun.

This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and ends Monday, May 21st at 11:59 p.m. ET.  I am a Rayovac sponsored Blogger.  As part of this program I have received product and monetary compensation.

It’s time for another delicious Twitter Party with one of our favorite sponsors, Boar’s Head!  Please join us as we celebrate the Boar’s Head new product line, which includes Jerk Turkey Breast, Chipotle Chicken Breast, 3 Pepper Colby Jack Cheese and Chipotle Gouda,  inspired by the cuisines and flavors of the exotic locales of Jamaica, the Baja peninsula, Brazil and Veracruz, Mexico.. This new line draws on global tastes from around the world – truly taking your taste buds on a journey of bold flavor. With Boar’s Head Bold, those looking to embark on a flavor journey need to look no further than their local deli or store, finding a delicious way to discover a world of flavors right at home.  I hope to see you at the spicy and flavorful…

Boar’s Head Bold Twitter Party

When: Monday, May 21st from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. ET

Where: #BHBold tag on Twitter

How: To participate follow host @ResourcefulMom, sponsor @Boars_Head and use the tag during the party hour.  New to Twitter Parties? Learn more about How to Participate in a Twitter Party.

Prizes

15 (fifteen) participants will each receive a $25 American Express gift card to use to add the new Bold Boar’s Head flavor to their lunch!

1 (one) Grand Prize winner will receive a $100 American Express gift card to purchase plenty of Boar’s Head Bold to spice up their month!

RSVP

Planning on joining us?  Let us know here by adding your Twitter URL (http://twitter.com/username).  An RSVP is not required to participate or to be entered to win.

During my time in Tanzania with Compassion International, I would like to share some of my favorite posts from the past.

~Originally posted 12/9/10~

I need a place where I can hide,
Where no one sees my life inside,
Where I can make my plans, and write them down
So I can read them.

- “The Girl I Mean to Be” from The Secret Garden

During my junior year of college I studied in London for one semester.  While just about every student at my college here in the states had a computer to write all of their papers, in London we had to write our papers by hand, pen and paper.  This meant spending hours brainstorming, writing, and then rewriting a final copy, but it also allowed me the freedom to write anywhere in the city long before people carried around tiny laptops or tapped into coffee shop WiFi service.

My absolute favorite place to write was on a leather bench in front of The Bronte Sisters, a portrait by Patrick Branwell Bronte that hangs in The National Portrait Gallery. A framed print of this painting hangs in my own house, a reminder of a special time in my life and that bench in room twenty-four where I not only wrote essays critiquing the latest play to open in London’s West End, but wondered what my future held.

When I became a mother, my priorities radically shifted as well they should.  Continue reading…

Happy Mother’s Day to all of the amazing mothers and grandmothers I met last week…

Thank you to Keely Marie, who took many of these photos and many of the other amazing photos featured in last week’s Compassion International trip images.

Chores, work, technology – we all have a laundry list of things that keeps us indoors. Of course, we know how important it is for our kids to get outside, but it can be tough to make that happen for ourselves. BabyCenter wants to change that on Saturday, May 19th with their annual Big Day Out! All week long, BabyCenter will be sharing ideas for outdoor fun and celebrating within their community, culminating in a Big Day Out Twitter party on Friday night before we all head outside with our kids on Saturday.

In addition to the fun of BabyCenter’s Big Day Out, BabyCenter is also asking participants to take the Let’s Play pledge. Through the Let’s Play program, sponsored by Dr Pepper Snapple Group, parents can pledge play time with their kids, participate in the Let’s Play community or apply for a grant to build or improve play space in their own neighborhood.

Put on your play clothes and join us for the…

BabyCenter Big Day Out Twitter Party

When: Friday, May 18th from 9:00 to 10:00 p.m. ET

Where: The #BigDayOut tag on Twitter

How: To participate be sure to follow @BabyCenter and @ResourcefulMom and tweet with the tag during the party hour.

Prizes

Participants will be eligible to win the following amazing prizes – keep checking back for updates to the prize list:

• BOB Revolution stroller
• Ergo Baby Carrier
• More great prizes to come….

RSVP

They’re windows to your overall health; they contain more than two million working
parts; they can distinguish 500 shades of gray and provide a fun and functional
opportunity to show your personal style. That’s right…we’re talking about your eyes!
Please join me as we test your “Eye” Q and give away chic shades and other accessories
at the….

VSP.com and Nine West “Eye” Q Twitter Party

About VSP

VSP Vision Care is the nation’s largest not-for-profit vision benefits provider helping its
more than 57 million members save money, be healthy, and look great. Learn more at
www.VSP.com

When: Wednesday, May 16th from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. EST/5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. PST

Where: #VSPEyeQ tag on Twitter

How: Follow party host @ResourcefulMom and sponsor @VSPVisionCare and tweet with the tag to participate

Prizes:

• Eight (8) pairs of Nine West sunglasses
• One (1) Grand Prize: A pair of Nine West sunglasses, a Nine West handbag and Nine West watch

RSVP

Jolanthe at Homeschool Creations:

I have been a Compassion sponsor for three years, and yet this week the phrase I have said more than anything is “I didn’t realize that!” Jolanthe has been something of a sponsorship mentor for me this week, and yesterday she wrote a great post on the third day of our trip about the difference a family gift can make in the life of a Compassion child’s family.  This post is especially compelling to families who already sponsor a child because it shows the possibilities for sponsors to help their sponsored child beyond the monthly contribution and letters.

Kelli at Minivans are Hot:

Kelli won’t admit this, but she has an amazing gift for words. AMAZING.  She has a way of making the people around her feel what she is feeling and she finds a way to put to words the emotions that we cannot express.  Yesterday when we got to the Compassion offices in Arusha, Tanzania, we had the opportunity to worship with the staff, praying, and singing songs.  We were all moved by the experience, but Kelli captured the overall feeling in her post “Miracles So Great.”

Scott at Big is the New Small:

Every time Scott speaks, something deep inside of me is ready to go to church.  He is a pastor and has a way of moving people through prayer that is a gift straight from God.  Today I witnessed a Masai woman praying feverishly next to him in her native tongue while he prayed in English, holding her hand, the pace and the fervor of his words picking up in speed, her words hanging right with him.  It was so unbelievably powerful.  Scott also has a wonderful way of summarizing information in a clear and concise way. I’d love for you to check out his post “Where There Is No Vision The People Perish.”

Nester at The Nester:

The size of Nester’s laugh is surpassed only by the size of her heart, which is so full of love and a calling to give that you can feel it the moment you meet her.  Hers was the face that immediately made me feel at ease when our group met at the airport in Detroit, and her words have shored me up throughout our trip.  I was so privileged to have her by my side as I spent the day with my sponsored child, Mektrida, meeting her family, seeing her home, getting to know her.  I was nervous, but Nester’s presence was calming.  Please read her beautiful perspective of our time together at “Nail Polish, Bubbles, and $38.”

Maggie at Gussy Sews:

You know that friend who is cool in the way you wish you could be cool and yet is still your friend? That’s Maggie. And when the Compassion children see her they all immediately want to be her friend, holding her hand, wrapping her in their arms, playing with her hair.  She has brought such a uniqueness to this experience, not just because of her infectious personality, but also because of her blogging background.  Maggie is the owner of Gussy Sews, part blog, part tutorial, and part store front.  This has allowed her to have an interesting perspective on what we are doing here, and I’d love for you to hear her powerful voice in her post “What I Found at the Market.”

Read more of the Compassion blogging team’s posts at the Compassion Bloggers Tanzania page.

Sponsor a Compassion child in Tanzania at Compassion.com.