SocialMoms Network - Where Influential Women Connect» MeganCalhoun

Baby Monitoring Peace of Mind #motorolababymonitors

MeganCalhoun — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 19:45:03 +0000

When my children were younger I was always concerned about their safety. Whether it was gates on the stairs or locks on all the cabinets – babyproofing was a big focus of mine. I also liked to keep an eye on them when they napped. Thank goodness for baby monitors! Whether it was an audio one on my hip while I did dishes or other chores, or a video monitor at my desk so I could look for restless signs of waking, I always seemed to have a monitor around. Motorola is known for their innovative technology and sophisticated products – especially with baby monitors. Their MBP 36 monitor is full of amazing features I wish I’d had!

Audio features include a high sensitivity microphone, two-way communication, and even pre-recorded lullabies (no need for a sound machine!)
The video monitor has a 3.5″ LCD color screen and a night vision camera with pan tilt and zoom.
The monitor works up to 590 feet and allows you to add up to four cameras. It’s also equipped with digital technology for secure signals.

What more can you ask for? You can find addition information on Motorola baby monitors on their website, and make sure to enter our contest to win a $100 Babies R Us gift card! All you have to do is comment below, telling us your favorite feature on the Motorola monitors. (See official rules)

Join SocialMoms.com Today!

MeganCalhoun — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 22:46:31 +0000

Welcome! We’re glad you’re here, and invite you to become a part of our fast-growing community of women who are active in social media. You’ll earn My SocialMoms Rewards Points you can redeem for great stuff, like Amazon.com Gift Cards, spa treatments, charitable donations and an expanding list of great, new stuff for moms like you from brands you know and trust.

Get 250 My SocialMoms Rewards Points TODAY!

Use the “Login With Facebook” button in the right sidebar to take us up on this offer
Follow the standard Facebook prompts to join SocialMoms.com
Take 30 seconds to enroll your account in our rewards program. That’s it!

By joining, you’ll be a part of our great community and earning points within minutes! You’ll be invited to earn more points through two to four special e-mails per week just for being social: earn points for sharing articles, giving your opinion in the form of comments, enter contests, watch videos, and a host of other fun and easy online social activities.

Want more points? Write for us! We’re always looking for high quality articles on topics moms like you are passionate about. So what are you waiting for? Join us today!

SocialMoms.com has been around since 2008, and is dedicated to helping women in social media connect and grow. Every day, our moms write great articles to inform and entertain you, and we present you with opportunities to share great content with your friends and engage with brands in new ways.

Your My SocialMoms Rewards points can be redeemed any time for these items and more!

STUDY: MOMS CHOOSE SEX OVER FACEBOOK THIS VALENTINE’S DAY

MeganCalhoun — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:23:41 +0000

We had a blast with our recent Valentine’s Day survey. More than 800 SocialMoms participated, and what we found caught us a little off guard.

It turns out that most of us — some of the most connected, active women in social media — prefer good old fashioned human connections to the virtual ones we cultivate every day. For example, given the choice to go without one thing for Valentine’s Day, 76% of you chose to give up Facebook over sex with your spouse or partner. And when asked what gift they would want for Valentine’s Day, 57% of you said a romantic night on the town with your spouse or partner — trumping tech favorites, like the Apple iPad 2 (28%), and Kindle Fire (12%). Just 2% of you indicated a desire to get lingerie this Valentine’s Day. Guys, take note.

When survey participants were asked how they will use social media this Valentine’s Day, the top answers included “Wish my friends a happy Valentine’s Day on Facebook, Twitter, etc.” (37%), “Integrate Valentine’s Day into a blog post or status update” (28%), “Check out Pinterest for inspiration and ideas” (20%), and “Share pics via Instagram” (5%). A bunch of you said it would be just like any other day.

The SocialMoms 2012 Valentine’s Day Poll surveyed more than 800 women on SocialMoms.com from Feb. 7-12, 2012.

Other survey findings include:

About 30% of SocialMoms members will spend up to $25 this Valentine’s Day, while 26% will spend $25-50 dollars. Almost one in five (20%) won’t spend a dime.
A majority of the SocialMoms audience have 2 children (44%), while 27% have just one child; about one in five moms surveyed had 3 children (20%) in her household
Most of the SocialMoms members consider themselves “Suburbanite” (55%), while others considered themselves “Rural Americans” (24%) or “City Dwellers” (21%).

We hope you had as much fun with this as we did. What are your plans for Valentine’s Day? Tell us in the comments below! When you log in and leave a comment below by 11:59 PM PST on 2/15/12, you’ll be entered for a chance to win a $100 gift card! (See Official Rules)

Weekly Commenting Contest – What is your biggest parenting challenge?

MeganCalhoun — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 21:26:34 +0000

The rewards of being a parent are priceless. And for many people, being a parent creates a purpose in life. But anything that is rewarding can also be challenging. And parenting it definitely one of those things that is challenging at times.

As much as you love your child, you are also faced with challenges. Tell us what some of your biggest parenting challenges are below in the comments sections for this week’s Weekly Commenting Contest.

Here are a few that other parents experience:

Letting go of fear
Trusting your child will be safe
Over-parenting
Interrupted sleep
Setting parameters for acceptable behavior

By submitting a comment on this page, you will be automatically entered to win a $100 Amazon.com gift card! Have fun! Submit your comments by 11:59pm PST on 1/26/12 to be entered for a chance to win! The winner will be announced in the next newsletter.

See Official Rules

Congratulations to last week’s Weekly Commenting Contest random winner: Nicki Bradley.

Weekly Commenting Contest – What is your favorite winter activity?

MeganCalhoun — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 00:07:45 +0000

Do you like to ski or snowboard? How about sledding or making snowmen? Outdoor winter activities are fun, but what do you do when it’s too cold and your kids want to play inside? Share an indoor or outdoor activity to keep kids entertained throughout the winter season.

Here are a few fun activity ideas:

Ice skating
Arts and crafts
Watch a movie
Bake cookies
Play board games

Tell us about your favorite winter activity below. By submitting a comment on this page, you will be automatically entered to win a $100 Amazon.com gift card! Have fun! Submit your comments by 11:59pm PST on 1/19/12 to be entered for a chance to win! The winner will be announced in the next newsletter.

See Official Rules

Congratulations to the random winner: Nicki Bradley

Weekly Commenting Contest – What is Your New Year’s Resolution?

MeganCalhoun — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 22:32:43 +0000

It’s that time of year again when we all set a resolution for the New Year. Most of us set goals to eat healthier, exercise more, or improve finances. Do you follow this tradition? If so, what’s your New Year’s Resolution for 2012?

Here are some of the most popular New Year’s Resolution.

Spend more time with family and friends
Exercise more
Quit smoking
Quit drinking
Improve finances
Learn something new
Help others
Get organized
Take a vacation
Enjoy life more

Tell us about your New Year’s resolution below. By submitting a comment on this page, you will be automatically entered to win a $100 Amazon.com gift card! Have fun! Submit your comments by 11:59pm on 1/12/12 to be entered for a chance to win! The winner will be announced in the next newsletter.

See Official Rules

Congratulations to the random winner of this commenting contest -Angela Polenz!

Weekly Commenting Contest – What are Your Favorite Holiday Movie Traditions?

MeganCalhoun — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 23:12:17 +0000

Soon after Thanksgiving, many old favorites like “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Charlie Brown Christmas” and “Dr. Suess’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” begin to air on various TV channels. That’s one, of many, sure signs that the holidays are here.

It’s great to be able to still see movies such as these that can so easily bring you back to your childhood. What fond memories do you have of these movies? Do you share any traditions with your children watching these or any other holiday films?

By submitting a comment on this page, you will be automatically entered to win a $100 Amazon.com gift card! Have fun! Submit your comments by 11:59pm on 12/22/11 to be entered for a chance to win! The winner will be announced in the next newsletter.

See Official Rules

Congratulations to the random winner of this commenting contest - Sandy Denman!

Join @ApplegateFarms: Learn more about the #StopSuperbugs petition to end the misuse of antibiotics in food production

MeganCalhoun — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 21:02:12 +0000

Recently Applegate joined forces with STOP Foodborne Illness to form Citizens Against Superbugs– a grassroots campaign designed to raise awareness about the overuse of antibiotics on industrial farms and its link to antibiotic resistant bacteria or superbugs. Eighty percent of the antibiotics sold in the U.S. are used in animal agriculture. The vast majority are for non-therapeutic purposes, such as promoting growth and compensating for the effects of unsanitary and overcrowded conditions. This is four times the amount of antibiotics used to treat human illness.

Click to Tweet a message to your followers to help the cause.

How to Get Involved: Sign the Petition
Please help us keep the momentum going by sharing this important issue with your network. When you sign the petition, be sure to click “share” on the Citizens Against Superbugs Facebook page.

Did You Know? Nearly eight in ten parents favor government restrictions on use of antibiotics and seven in ten go one step further to agree that such restrictions are worth an up charge on meat and poultry of less than $1 per month.

For more than 20 years, Applegate has been producing high-quality organic and natural hot dogs, bacon, sausages, deli meats, cheese and frozen products. You can be guaranteed that:

Applegate animals are raised without antibiotics or hormones
All animals are treated with humane animal standards
Applegate products are free of chemical nitrites or nitrates
Applegate products are also free of artificial ingredients or preservatives and fillers

Since Applegate’s start in 1987, it has supported sustainable agricultural practices and the humane treatment of livestock, which includes raising animals without antibiotics. Applegate believes that antibiotics should only be administered to animals for the purpose of treating disease and should never be used on a non-therapeutic basis to prevent illness, promote growth or compensate for the effects of overcrowded and unsanitary conditions.

Applegate feels strongly that the need for antibiotics can be eliminated by employing farming practices that promote health in animals, such as feeding them a nutrient-rich vegetarian diet, allowing them to grow at their natural rate and raising them in a clean environment where they can engage in instinctive behaviors such as rooting and pecking. Applegate currently works with a growing network of more than 1000 family farmers who farm this way.

Give us your thoughts in the comments section below if you support the movement to stop the misuse of antibiotics in food animal production. By sharing your comments via Facebook, you’ll help us raise awareness about the overuse of antibiotics on industrial farms and its link to antibiotic resistant bacteria or superbugs.

The Ultimate List of Holiday Nightmares #HolidayNightmares

MeganCalhoun — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 23:12:24 +0000

We’re compiling the ultimate list of holiday nightmares. And we would love to hear your biggest holiday nightmares!

The holidays can be the most wonderful time of the year with family gatherings, gift-giving and more. But, unfortunately, they can also be the most stressful time of the year. From visiting relatives to being overbooked to crowded grocery stores, the nightmares of this time of year can be endless. And exhausting.

We all look forward to this time of year but we also realize there are frustrations along the way. Check out our list below and what others have to say. Then share with us your worse nightmare during this busy season. Feel free to Like this post or leave a comment to share this post with your friends in your feed.

To get you thinking, here’s a list of some of our top holiday nightmares in no particular order:

Relatives that don’t leave
Grocery stores with empty shelves
Airline tickets that cost you your first child
Crazy shoppers at the stores
Creepy guy at the holiday office party
Aunt Pat’s mystery jello dessert
Finding a gift for that super picky person
Lost luggage

Despite the frustrations that come along with this time of year, there are many ways to keep your sanity. And SocialMoms can help you do just that. Planning to host a holiday party this season? If so, check out our post on Easy Holiday Hosting and Entertaining. Or are you still searching for that perfect gift that’s within your budget? Let us teach you how to Score Holiday Presents for Little Money with this post. And we all now it’s easy to get sick this time of year, so be sure to avoid a cold or the flu with these tips.

Here’s to surviving the holidays and having a little fun while you’re at it! Wishing you a very happy holiday to your family from ours!

Save $100 Instantly on #OnStarFMV. Give the Gift of Safety, Navigation and more this Holiday

MeganCalhoun — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 23:39:47 +0000

The holidays are approaching, and our friends at OnStar asked us to help spread the word about the new OnStar FMV (For My Vehicle) mirror available at a special reduced price for a limited time. Now you can add the safety and security of OnStar to any car, and connect to all the easy-to-use OnStar services. At just $199 (after an instant rebate – save $100 off MSRP*), there’s never been a better time to give OnStar FMV to your holiday sweethearts. Just visit your local retailer to get in on the deal.

We like the fact that you can now add most of OnStar’s key safety and security features to your existing vehicle with OnStar FMV, including:

Automatic Crash Response
Turn-by-Turn Navigation
Stolen Vehicle Assistance
One-button access to Emergency Services, Roadside Assistance and Hands-Free Calling

OnStar FMV also includes built-in Bluetooth® wireless connectivity. Still curious? See what others have to say about their experience with OnStar FMV.

OnStar FMV was recently awarded the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. According to the Good Housekeeping Consumers’ Policy, if a product that bears the Seal proves to be defective within two years of purchase, Good Housekeeping will replace or repair the product, or refund the purchase price.

Tell us in the comments below if you’d like to get an OnStar FMV as a gift this holiday season, or what you find most appealing about the product.

*MSRP less instant rebate at participating retailers only. Tax, installation, and OnStar subscription extra. Visit onstar.com for availability, limitations and details. Offer ends 12/31/11. This post is part of a SocialMoms promotion.