Hip Mama Blog

RSS Feed Homepage

Articles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Wordless Wednesday
2008-05-14 21:47:00
*Jaden's 1st Birthday *Gabriel's 2nd Birthday
More About: Wednesday

Lawn Tennis
2008-05-14 21:34:00
I've always loved the game of lawn tennis even as a kid. When I was little, we used to live close to a tennis tournament club where my parents would take us to watch lawn tennis games. I even dreamed of becoming one when I grow up. Of course, that didn't happen. I only went so far as to getting a beginner's class when I was in college, which I did not follow through and now I completely forgot all the moves and tricks. Then when I dated my husband, he got me into it again so we went out to play it a few times. That was about five years ago!Anyways, I'm talking about tennis because I saw an article online about the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Tournament happening on June 23rd-July 6th in Wimbledon, England. Wow, if we could only afford to get Wimbledon tickets, I would love to be there and see the whole action! Of course, I would love to have tickets that would seat us close to the courts. That would be really fantastic!One thing that also intrigued me about the Wimbledon Tennis Tourna...

New Giveaways on Hip Mama's Place!
2008-05-13 20:41:00
Hello mommies,Hip Mama's Place has got two new fabulous giveaways this week- stuff that you can really use anytime! :)Check it out:$30 Gift Certificate from Announcements Galore!A Colorful, Fun Ribbon Belt For Your Baby or Toddler, Valued @ $12!So what are you waiting on? Enter to win now at Hip Mama's Place!Thanks and I hope you're all having a great Tuesday!
More About: Giveaways

Internet Marketing Services
2008-05-12 18:15:00
When a business tries to establish its presence online to drive traffic and sales, they turn to internet marketing services companies for assistance. Global Directive Marketing Initiatives has been in the business of helping websites of major global brands and start-ups alike get their share of incremental sales opportunities to the doorways, telephones and (in the new millennium). GDMI seeks to monitor, understand and leverage consumer use of pre-selected media during the shopping and buying process through a new division they created to translate this insight into online retail, commercial and industrial traffic for businesses across the globe. A Chicago contextual advertising company, GDMI's fundamental marketing approach is to bring buyers and sellers together through the Internet medium. They will help identify your target audience, craft a relevant message that compels action and fulfilling on the promise of satisfying a potential customer?s need.Their comprehensive menu of i...
More About: Services , Internet Marketing

How Was Mother's Day For You?
2008-05-12 02:02:00
Mine went nice. This morning, my husband treated me (well, us) to a McGriddle's sandwich from McDonald's for breakfast. No, we didn't go to McDonald's. He went out and brought breakfast home for me, himself and our toddler. I told him to also stop by the store to get some milk for the boys and while he was at the store, he got me a small bouquet of flowers too. Later in the afternoon, him and I were talking about crabs so we decided to go to Joe's Crab Shack instead of trying a new place like we planned earlier, for my MD dinner treat. We each had the East Coast plate, which consisted of crab-stuffed shrimp, Maryland crabcakes, fish and french fries with two dips. Then I had a mango-peach smoothie for a drink. He had a titanic tea. We sat outside where we could be close to the indoor little play area where our toddler can play. He had a blast playing with the other kids. Our little Jaden was sleeping in his stroller when we got there but woke up when we were almost leaving the ...
More About: Mother

About Mother's Day
2008-05-11 03:25:00
My dear hubby just told me earlier this afternoon that he wants to take me and the kids for dinner out tomorrow to celebrate me- Mother 's Day. :)So now I am thinking of a place I want to try. You know when you have small ones, you don't think much about yourself anymore. So I'm thinking of a laidback place, where my kids can make noise and it's okay. Not the romantic, quite place that we used to go to before my hubby and I had our beautiful little angels. :)Happy Mother's Day, everyone! :)

Exercise Thoughts
2008-05-11 02:51:00
I'm really trying to lose some more weight. For the past month, I've lost two pounds already but I need to lose at least eight pounds more. I've been doing my home video exercises, but sometimes it gets a little boring. Hmmm, if I could be doing a more rigid type of exercise..maybe like Jung SuWon, a gentler type of Korean martial art taekwondo. Wouldn't that be something? :)
More About: Exercise , Thoughts

The Deadline is TODAY!
2008-05-09 20:21:00
Hello mommas,Just want to remind everyone- today is the deadline to enter the Mother 's Day Giveaway Event on Hip Mama's Place.If you live in the US or Canada and you are a mom, then you are eligible to enter this contest. Look at the fabulous prizes!Amy Butler design Purse from LooseCabooseDesigns, valued @ $37Noodle & Boo Glowology Sugar Mama Honey Scrub from Mother Earth and Baby, valued @ $26All Day Moisture Body Lotion by Belli Skin Care, valued @ $25Chloe Retro Blue Cherry Apron from Boojiboo, valued @ $28.75Frankincense Toning Body Cream by Neal's Yard Remedies, valued @ $60Vitamin E & Avocado Night Cream by Neal's Yard Remedies, valued @ $29Spring Fling Earrings from Ten Digit Creations, valued @ $12Carney Silver Necklace from Style Patch, valued @ $15Sara Moulton Cooks At Home Cookbook, valued @ $20Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Luminous Shadow in Copper Feel and Lip Gloss in My Cherry Amour, with a Vintage Wall Paper Pocket Mirror from PaperHill, total value @ $18So wha...
More About: Today , Deadline

Jason Castro Eliminated On American Idol!
2008-05-08 16:18:00
My boyfriend Jason Castro , who happens to be from my very own Dallas, Texas, got booted off last night at American Idol 's elimination round. I'll be honest though. He was good in past performances, but I wasn't crazy about his "I Shot the Sheriff" version. That's one of the classic songs by Bob Marley that I like by the way, but his own rendition didn't really do justice to the classic-ness of this song. Oh well... I do love the guy for his cuteness and laid-backness. I saw him on my local Fox TV news this morning and he's so like, "Yeah, whatever", when asked if he was okay being eliminated. He's just so adorable! :)Alright now, here's a YouTube video of his elimination last night. Bye, bye Jason! Hope to see you around even after Idol. :)

Looking To Create Your Own Website?
2008-05-08 01:07:00
Most businesses today, whether operating a storefront or just an online store or business, need a website to have a successful business. Having a business website also increases a business' reach- when buyers can't really shop a store physically they can just go to the store's website and buy whatever they need. Not only businesses benefit from having a website. People create personal websites also to have a quicker, cheaper way to communicate with families and friends who may be in a different part of the country or in a foreign country and talking long-distance on the phone is an expensive option to communicate.Well, most people think that creating websites can be a lot of work and are too expensive to begin and maintain. Vista Print, known as an online store that offers all types of products for your printing needs, now offers a service to help you create your websites as easy as 1-2-3. They even offer a one month free trial. How does it work? Build and customize your own prof...
More About: Website , Create

Sugary Sweet Facts
2008-05-07 22:02:00
I came across an article recently about sugar production and I thought it was interesting to share. Do you know that Brazil is currently the largest sugar producing nation in the world? Here are some facts about Sugar from Brazil: In 2006 it produced thirty million tonnes of sugar, which made up 20% of the world?s total sugar production. Of that 30 million tonnes of sugar, Brazil exported 17.7 million tonnes of sugar to other nations, which comprised almost 40% of the sugar traded in the world that year. So if Brazil experiences fluctuations of sugar production, it can affect world sugar prices substantially. In 2002, Brazil?s bumper sugar crop sent world prices plummeting to below five cents per pound.
More About: Facts , Sweet

Not Nice
2008-05-07 21:48:00
I'm sick as a dog today. Ugh. I woke up with a big, mean headache, took some aspirin and it still won't go away. My daily planner is screaming for attention (for errands to do, tons of reviews to write, etc) but it's got to be put on hold for today. I'm glad my hubby's coming home early tonight. I told him when he gets home, I will need my 'time out'- go to the spare room upstairs and sleep with no interruption from him and the boys. I think I'll feel better after a good long, uninterrupted sleep. Hopefully in the morning I'll be back to being the supermom and wife again! :)
More About: Nice

Have You Joined Social Spark Yet?
2008-05-06 23:52:00
A new offering from IZEA called Social Spark is now live. I actually just registered today and it looks like a great place for bloggers to hang out and earn extra cash.So how does SocialSpark work? Basically works the same as Payperpost, it's a social media marketing network and marketplace for bloggers and advertisers alike- the only significant difference is that it also works as a place to advertise your own blog by having other bloggers write a post about your own blog. Sounds great to me. This site connects advertisers and bloggers through an online advertising marketplace and based on converstional topics, advertisers are able to target blogs where they offer cash sponsorship to the bloggers who publish them. Bloggers then make money by either placing display advertisements on their blog or by writing sponsored content for advertisers. The sponsorships offered through the SocialSpark marketplace allow advertisers to build buzz, generate traffic and maximize social media expos...

My Little Jaden Is Walking Now!
2008-05-06 20:49:00
*At four months oldIt seems only yesterday when I had my baby Jaden. He was born March 2nd, 2007. Now he's 14 months old and has just started taking his first steps a week ago! I can't help feeling so excited looking at him stand up and struggle to walk and then fall, only to try again. He's so adorable right now that this morning I asked dear hubby to show me how to use our video camera again. I totally forgot how to use it! Must have been a year since I haven't used it myself. I've just been so pre-occupied with a lot of things lately that I almost ignored the fact that my kids will appreciate the video library of their childhood when they grow up. So yes, I am going to start taking videos of my kids again. :) *At twelve months oldAnyways, here are a few cute shots of when Jaden is still a baby up to the present. :) *What a pout! LOL. (Taken recently at a friend's party. Thanks again, Liza- for this beautiful picture).
More About: Walking

NYC Castings For Talents
2008-05-06 20:45:00
My hubby's niece from Los Angeles, California is into showbiz, mostly dancing for big stars and modelling for cosmetic ads. Now she is into trying to get a few acting assignments. She must have used a talent service agency like www.NYCastings.com to get a real paying work acting or modelling for various on-camera, print, voice-over & live projects that she said she has made good money at.
More About: Talents

Mocobabies Signing With Baby Set Winner!
2008-05-05 22:45:00
Last week, Hip Mama Blog participated in the Bloggy Giveaways Carnival and gave away a set of Mocobabies Signing With Baby Flashcards and Placemat Set to one lucky winner.I just wanted to post it here that the winner is Julie D, from the blog Mom Two Ways. Congratulations, Julie!
More About: Winner

Blog Design Makeover
2008-05-05 18:39:00
Hello dear blogging friends, how are you all this beautiful Monday morning?It seems like the weekend just went by fast, didn't it?Anyways, I'm playing around with my blog design right now- backgrounds and such, so if you see it look a little crazy here and there it's because I'm still trying to find what I'm looking for. Making it a little more fun and reflecting more of my style and something that will go with the current season. If you have any suggestions or comments, feel free to leave a comment here. Happy blogging y'all! :)
More About: Design , Blogging , Blog , Makeover

Re-decorating Our Master Bedroom
2008-05-05 18:37:00
I really want to re-decorate our master bedroom right now. The only problem is that we might be moving again soon, so it might not be a very good idea. I was looking online at BEDROOM SETS lately and drooling over them. I could really use a new one right now. Hmmm, might be a great idea for a gift to ask my dear hubs. :)
More About: Bedroom , Master

Great News For Moms This Mother's Day!
2008-05-03 20:59:00
I have made it easier for you all to enter the Mother's Day Giveaway Event over at Hip Mama's Place so all of you moms can join in the fun! I hope to see all of you join- just post a comment with your three choices of prizes, add your name to Mr Linky's and walah, you're done!Prizes include: a beautiful handmade Spring purse, a pair of Spring earrings, designer skin care, Vicroria's Secret beauty products, Sara Moulton cookbook, and many more!Contest open to all moms from the US and Canada and will close May 9th, 12MN, CST. So what are you waiting on? Hurry and join in the fun!Have a great weekend, hip mamas!
More About: News , Great , Moms

Travelling Out of Town
2008-05-01 23:44:00
Whenever my husband and I travel out of town, or out of state, 90% of the time we just use a car rental service rather than use our own car. I think that it's easier on our car, especially if we're travelling for days. Like, our last travel to Fort Lauderdale, Florida from Dallas, Texas we just rented a car.With two small kids, we find it easier to travel by car than by plane and in order to rent a car cheap, we usually check out special offers and discounts like the ones offered by Advantage.
More About: Travelling , Town

Mother's Day Giveaway Event!
2008-05-01 18:24:00
Hello dear mom blogging friends,How are you all this beautiful Thursday morning? I hope everyone is doing great!I just want to tell you all about the Mother's Day Giveaway Event I'm currently hosting on Hip Mama's Place. I got lots of special treats to pamper you all dear mom blogging friends. I'm hoping you could help me spread the word by participating in this event/contest.For more details, please click the logo above or just go to: Hip Mama's PlaceThank you all!

Have You Been to W.H. Stark House?
2008-04-29 23:59:00
Have you been to or heard of W.H. Stark House in Orange, Texas? I live in Texas and have heard about this tourist attraction. But here's what I found about this famous Victorian landmark in Orange, Texas.The W.H. Stark House is a 14,000 square-foot home built in 1894 in Orange, Texas, by William Henry Stark and his wife, Miriam M. Lutcher Stark, prominent philanthropists who occupied the home until 1936. Designed in the Queen Anne architectural style, the house features a distinctive turret, stained glass windows, and ornate woodwork in cypress and long leaf yellow pine. The home remained vacant until 1971, at which time a major ten-year restoration was commenced. The restored Stark House opened for public tours on February 10, 1981, and it remains open currently for public tours, allowing visitors to view the Stark family?s original furnishings and personal effects, as well as rare 18th and 19th century decorative arts. As the only surviving structure of many that once lined the t...

Who's Your Favorite Celebrity Chef?
2008-04-29 23:48:00
Who is not a fan of the Food Network? Even if you don't cook a lot, don't you just like to watch the celebrity chefs cookin' and bakin' to their hearts' delights? :)My favorite celebrity chefs are Sara Moulton and Rachel Ray. I own two of each of their cook books. I still use the cook books whenever I need to cook something different than what I already cook, or something special and on special occassions. Who is your favorite celebrity chef and why?
More About: Celebrity , Chef , Favorite

It's ABout Time
2008-04-29 23:02:00
Mother's Day, Father's Day, birthdays or any occassion- it seems like watches are one of the most thought of item for gift-giving. Last two Christmases ago, I gave my hubby a gold-tone classic Movado watch. He loved it! Now I'm thinking, I might get my mother in-law a watch for Mother's Day.I'm looking at this online store called TheWatchery.com. They got all kinds of luxury watches you can imagine- at a fraction of the cost that you pay at retail stores. They even offer free watches with almost all of their customers' purchases. And the 80% off MSRP can't be beat too!Hmm, now I'm psyched to buy my mom on law a watch. I'm looking at all the beautiful pieces they offer. This discounted store is just great! I could even search based on brand, gender of the person I'm buying it for, and price. What a convenient way to look for what I want!I like the Tag watches they offer too- something to come back to when I'm ready to buy for myself as well.
More About: Time

Just Came Back
2008-04-29 23:01:00
So most of this morning was spent running errands. My kids and I had a wonderful time at the mall playground too, and mommy got to shop a little bit as well. :)I went to this discount boutique store that sells handbags that look nice and cheap, LOL. I got me a handbag that's a little over-sized, not the everyday type of bag. But I will be travelling out of the country in a couple months so I figured this bag seem the perfect size to use as a carry-all for my basic things, and a bit of the kiddos' things. I'm sure I will probably have at least two carry-alls, since I will be having my two kiddos with me too. Ahhh..I can't wait to see my siblings again. It's been almost three years since I was home. This travel is still in planning though, no final date or schedule yet. But it's going to happen definitely this year.
More About: Back

Bothersome Phone Calls
2008-04-29 16:18:00
I'm sure I'm not the only one who gets these bothersome calls on my cell phone from time to time. So reently I just registered mine on the National No Call Registry list. I've read though that sometimes those annoying calls still come through even then, so I was also looking into this new service called the Reverse Cell Phone Lookup service.
More About: Calls , Phone Calls

Errands, Errands, More Errands
2008-04-29 15:49:00
Today is going to be my errands day- I gotta go get a few grocery items, stop by the post office, take the kids out playing at the mall playground. The last one is fun- as it's always fun to see my kids having fun!After that I'm also checking out the local library. I've been meaning to do that for a while. Today is just the day! :) So how is your Tuesday going to be?

Have You Heard about Infinity Shoes?
2008-04-29 00:20:00
People who really know me knows that I'm a bit of a shoe addict, so when I heard about the new shoe online store Infinity Shoes , I immediately checked it out. Hmm, now that Mother's Day is comin' up (hint, hint)... :)Okay, so if you haven't heard about it yet- this store sells name brand shoes for women at affordable prices- think of famous shoe brands like Dr Martens, Michele, Birkenstock, Ed Hardy, etc- so cool! They even got the tsubo shoes too!Since my younger sister is coming to visit me here in the US, I'd love to surprise her with a present (maybe a welcome gift) when she arrives. I'm thinking, she is stylish and yet she loves simple designs and little heels to add to her height, so the wedges from Miz Mooz Collection would really be great for her- I love either the Aer or the Ginger for her! I'm also eyeing the seychelles shoes and the minnetonka boots. Hmm, something to come back to again and agin, when I get a crave for new, stylish shoes! :)

Brain Candy DVD's
2008-04-29 00:01:00
My two little boys are loving the new set of Brain candy DVD's that we received this weekend to sample and review. Gabriel loves and giggles every time the big mouth character talks, but I can say all the characters are all fun and equally wacky!Watch out for a more detailed review of Brain Candy products on Hip Mama's Place, coming very soon! :)

Check Out The Pearl Outlet
2008-04-28 17:49:00
I've always been fond of pearl jewelry since I can remember. My mom used to own a pair of pearl earrings and pearl rings and a pearl pendant that I loved seeing on her when I was little.This Mother 's Day, I'm hinting to my husband that I would love to have something in the 'pearl jewelry department' for my gift, LOL. I hope he knows that I love pearls!Anyways, if you're in the lookout for a Mother's Day gift for a special mother in your life, check out this online discount store: ThePearl Outlet .com. They got all kinds of pearls like Akoya, South Sea, Freshwater and Tahitian pearl jewelry. I was amazed by the selections they have. They even got pearl sets, so it's perfect for gift-giving! And the prices are very reasonable for the quality and beauty.Pearls are the perfect gift for any special occasion, but buying and choosing the right quality pearls can be a little intimidating sometimes. So the best way to buy is to find a reputable retailer who will provide all the right, ...
More About: Check