Everyone loves their mom and always wants to find the best gift to make her feel loved and appreciated. These are the gifts I have found and would love to share with you. After you enter my giveaway head over to Makobi Scribe to see her mothers day gift ideas worth over $3000. Then enter the grand prize drawing of a $1000 worth of Karina Dresses.

So what can you win here? Well I have a couple of fabulous prizes lined up that are sure to make any Mom happy this Mother's Day!

First, I have an authentic, Juicy Couture handbag. This is BRAND NEW, with tags, and the handles are still wrapped in their original plastic coverings. This was purchased at an outlet store and has a retail value of $200. (No, that's not what I paid for it! I got a heck of a deal!)

Throughout 2013, My Gym locations across North America will celebrate thirty years of providing fitness and fun to families by offering money saving membership and class discounts, conducting a search tocrown My Gym’s Fit & Healthy Family and hosting fun and fitness-filled My Gym 30th Birthday party/ Open Houses.

• Offered April 1 through June 30, the My Gym discounts include free membership to families signing on for the first time and 30% off for four weeks of classes at participating locations.
  
  
• Also taking place April 1 through June 30, My Gym’s 30th anniversary Fit & Healthy Family Contest is a initiative designed to encourage families to demonstrate how they have made fitness a key part of their family’s lifestyle and share their own family fitness tips with families everywhere through the My Gym contest’s social media. www.facebook.com/mygymfun
  
  
• In August, participating My Gym locations throughout the North America will open their doors for free-to-the-public 30th birthday party/open houses – My Gym style.
  
  

Open to families in North America, the My Gym Fit & Healthy Family Contest invites families with at least two members in the same household (and one member a child under the age of ten) to enter by submitting a photo of their family engaged in physical activity along with 100-200 words sharing their favorite family fitness tip(s). The photos and accompanying tips will be posted on My Gym’s Official Facebook Page for the public to vote for their favorite entry. Families receiving the most votes will become among the 30 semi-finalists from which the Grand Prize winner will be chosen. Semi-finalists will win prizes from My Gym's official cleaning sponsor BabyGanics (babyganics.com), the leading provider of household and personal care products for every touch point in a baby's life; DVD’s of the popular children’s animated series Chuggington (chuggington.com); a prestigious Recognition Certificate from the President's Council on Fitness Sports and Nutrition (fitness.gov); and a specially-designed My Gym prize pack. The grand prize family will win the acclaimed sports activity toy line from Little Tikes (littletikes.com) along with a year free of My Gym classes and a birthday party



To download the discount coupon, to electronically enter the contest and for all details and rules, please visit www.facebook.com/mygymfun

It seems like everyone nowadays has a smart phone. I was a bit late to get on the bandwagon, but last year for my birthday, my Dad got me an iPhone 4 for my birthday. (Great present, isn't it?!) I know that he did it because it comes in handy to have a cell, especially for emergencies. God forbid something bad were to happen while I am out and about with my babies, and I couldn't call for help.

In the year I have had my iPhone, I have found that I rely on it for so much more than just phone calls and texts. I can shop, do mobile deposits to our bank account, and I take lots and lots of photos. I also use it for social media updating, which as a blogger, is super important. As a matter of fact ALL of my photos and tweets from the Iron Man 3 premiere in Hollywood last week came from my trusty iPhone.

Since I use my phone in so many ways, I know the value of having a good case to protect it. One company that offers several tech cases is Uncommon. They have so many to choose from, and their cases can even be customized with photos, text, logos, or anything else you can dream up!

So I don't know about you all, but I am literally counting down the days until Monsters University hits theaters. Not only is it being released very close to my birthday, I also have many fond memories of the first movie, Monsters, Inc. You see, when my oldest child was a toddler, he was absolutely obsessed with this movie. He ran around yelling "Mike-A-Zowkski" (He couldn't say "Wazowski") and he said he wanted to be a "scarer" like Sully when he grew up. So needless to say, I have seen the first Monsters movie about 4.5 billion, trillion times. And my toddlers, Sophie and Xander, seem to love these fun characters just as much as Kyle did.

So what happens in the NEW movie? Well, we will have to wait till June 21, 2013 to be sure. But here is the official boilerplate, straight from the folks at Disney :

Ever since college-bound Mike Wazowski (voice of Billy Crystal) was a little monster, he has dreamed of becoming a Scarer—and he knows better than anyone that the best Scarers come from Monsters University (MU). But during his first semester at MU, Mike’s plans are derailed when he crosses paths with hotshot James P. Sullivan, “Sulley” (voice of John Goodman), a natural-born Scarer.  The pair’s out-of-control competitive spirit gets them both kicked out of the University’s elite Scare Program. To make matters worse, they realize they will have to work together, along with an odd bunch of misfit monsters, if they ever hope to make things right. Screaming with laughter and oozing with heart, Disney•Pixar’s “Monsters University” is directed by Dan Scanlon (“Cars,” “Mater and the Ghostlight,” “Tracy”), produced by Kori Rae (“Up,” “The Incredibles,” “Monsters, Inc.”) and features music from future Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and award-winning composer Randy Newman (“Monsters, Inc.,” “Toy Story 3”). For more information, like us at facebook.com/PixarMonstersUniversity, and follow us on twitter.com/disneypixar. The film opens in U.S. theaters on June 21, 2013, and will be shown in 3D in select theaters. For more information, check out disney.com/MonstersU.

Doesn't this sound like tons of fun?! We all know that Mike and Sully are awesome adults, but I cannot wait to see how they were as young college students!

Check out this brand new trailer from Monsters University! And remember to mark your calendars because this film will be taking the big screen by storm on June 21, 2013!

Mother's Day is May 12th....Are you ready? I know I am! Of course, since I am Mom, I am the one who gets showered with affection and gifts, so of course I'm not complaining! This year, I am pretty sure we're going out to eat somewhere nice, and my kids will be cared for by Daddy so I can relax...Or blog...Probably blog. But hey, any uninterrupted time at all is a rarity in my home!

Since Mother's Day is clearly on the mind of so many, I wanted to let you all know that one of my favorite retailers, Novica, has some unique gifts for mom. All of the products on Novica's website are lovingly handmade by skilled artisans all over the world. If Mom loves styles of the Orient, there is a lot to choose from. There are also amazing pieces from Mexico, South and Central America, India, Africa, and so many more places. Some of the things you'll find at Novica include tablewear, home decor, jewelry, accessories, handbags, clothing, and even games. Yes, there truly is something for everyone, and in every budget.

See that beautiful handblown glass pitcher? That is made in Mexico, by the talented Javier and Efren. Their work is amazing! We have some wine goblets and  some Margarita glasses by this maker, and I always get compliments on them. Since they're hand-blown, they are unique and no 2 glasses are exactly alike. That, in my opinion, is part of the charm!

Ever since I was a little girl, I have been awe-struck by the glitz and glamour of the red carpet. I remember watching the television with stars in my eyes, wondering what it would be like to be right in the middle of all the action. Seeing celebrities all dolled-up, fans screaming in the sidelines, and of course witnessing all of the movie stars being interviewed and posing for photo opportunities. However, this gal is a mid-western girl from Ohio, so I always just daydreamed, assuming the bright lights of Hollywood were out of my reach.

Well, as they say, in Hollywood, everyone's got a dream, and mine just came true. I was invited to Hollywood by Disney and Marvel to attend the red carpet premiere of the much anticipated Iron Man 3. (Yes...That Iron Man...Robert Downey Jr.  Gwyneth Paltrow. Are you swooning yet?! I know I did!)

So here I am, back from Hollywood, and I have about a zillion things that I should be doing right now....Blog posts, housework, playing with my kids...But I feel compelled to write this post to share my absolute disgust about a situation that is taking the internet by storm right now.

As many of you know, I was recently Disney and Marvel's guest for the Iron Man 3 red carpet premiere. (Ah-MAZING film, by the way! Seriously...Go see it!) I had a wonderful time, and got to experience a ton of the magic that Hollywood has to offer. I ate at the Saddle Ranch at Universal Studios, I got to interview Ty Simpkins and Gwyneth Paltrow, I walked the red carpet with the stars, and I even got to eat at the famous Mel's Drive In. One of the other things we did was visit Madame Tussauds Wax Museum.

This is where "the incident" happened. For anyone who has been to Madame Tussauds, you know that it is not only fun to take silly photos, it's encouraged. Our group of bloggers did just that. We had a blast, and it was all in good fun. There was one photo in particular that caused an uproar. Our fun-loving Disney rep, Marshall Weinbaum, posed with a group of bloggers in a photo that was meant to spoof the National Lampoon Vacation movie poster. I was there when the photo was taken, and it was all in good fun between friends. Marshall posted this fun pic on his Facebook page, and then it happened....

A few very childish and presumably jealous bloggers caused an uproar over this photo, and even took it without permission and made edits to it to make it appear sexist and crude. They implied that the Disney bloggers basically worship Marshall and are willing to do anything...and I do mean ANYTHING....to work with the brand. They called him horrible names like "raging douche-bag" and even attacked his character. This spread like wildfire, and is still causing quite the stir online.

I WILL NOT PROVIDE LINKS TO THESE POSTS....These women seriously do not deserve the added attention or page views. I won't post the photo, either, out of respect for Marshall who has elected to remove the photo from his Facebook page.

Clearly, the women who wrote these defaming articles do not know Marshall. If they did, they would not make such accusations. I have been working with Marshall for a couple of years now. He is honestly one of my absolute sweetest, most genuine people I have ever met. He is kind, caring, and genuinely gives a damn about the moms and dads he works with. I am proud to call him a friend. Marshall is the true definition of good character, and he does not deserve this type of bullying.

This is serious, folks....A man's good name is being drug through the mud for no good reason. His reputation is at stake. All because someone made assumptions and took offense to something without even knowing the story behind it.

This is damaging not only to Marshall, but to the bloggers he works with. Claiming any blogger who defends Marshall is in Disney's pocket is slanderous and could damage a blogger's reputation as well. As bloggers, we work hard to build good relationships with our readers as well as with brands. These relationships are based strongly on honesty and trust. To imply that we can be "bought" in any way is highly offensive.

I am going to be real here...Yes, I have been blessed enough to have gone on 2 Disney press trips. But I assure you, I didn't have to jump through hoops to get invited. Nor have I ever asked Marshall for anything, or expected it. When I share Disney related news, it's because I am enthusiastic about the brand and genuinely WANT to share. Yes, the trips are nice. Fantastic, even. But they are never expected.

This situation hurts me on so many levels....I am sad that someone would stoop as low as to post such hatred about someone they don't know personally. This is bullying, plain and simple. As adults, we should know better. Words DO hurt. REAL  lives are affected by bullying. It seems to me that people tend to forget that those they interact with online are REAL people with REAL feelings.
They have careers, they have families, they have friends....They have pasts that you might know nothing about. That person you bully online might have been bullied as a child. That is not something you ever fully get over. The memories are painful, and when bullying happens, one is taken back to that place of fear and insecurity. BULLYING HURTS!

True story (and this gets personal):  I was never bullied in school, thankfully. But, I did have an incredibly abusive first marriage. When I was very young, I married a man who was not very nice to me, to say the least. I was hurt physically, sexually, verbally, and emotionally. I was not allowed to have friends. I was isolated. I was not allowed to be or think for myself. I was told on a daily basis that I was worthless and would never amount to anything. I was told I was basically unworthy of love or kindness. I became timid, meek, and self-loathing. I also developed social anxiety and was bulimic for years. I did damage to my body that I have to live with every day of my life. Hopefully one day I will be able to afford to address these issues, but for now, I have to live with it.

Other things I have to live with are extreme shyness, social anxiety, fear of meeting new people, and low self-esteem. (These things are getting better everyday.)  Even though this bullying and abuse ended years and years ago and I am in a great place in my life right now. I have 3 beautiful children, a husband who treats me like gold, and I own my own Mercedes and house in full. (What 31 year old can say that?!) Even though life is wonderful, all it takes is one unkind remark to take me back to that place I was in when I was being put down. This is how bullying affects REAL lives. WORDS HURT....

I am also the parent of a gay teen. I have seen him terrorized at school, and it broke my heart. He was depressed, timid, and didn't have any friends to speak of. A good part of the reason we moved to Ohio was to give him a fresh start away from his tormentors. Thank God, the bullying has stopped. He now has tons of friends, is an honor roll student, and is a different kid.

Okay, so I have totally veered off topic here, but I wanted to explain first-hand how bullying has affected MY life, and why I am so passionate about putting an end to it. When I see people I care about being hurt by the words and actions of others, it makes me sad and it makes me angry. No one deserves this kind of treatment.

Marshall Weinbaum is someone I genuinely care about. He is a wonderful human being, not just a faceless guy behind a desk that can "do" something for me. He has an amazing sense of humor, a big heart, and is a joy to know. He truly gives so much of himself to the blogging community. (And no, I don't mean the trips, either.) He interacts with us. He jokes with us. He asks how we're doing. He gets to know us as people. I think that people forget that when you deal with someone on the internet, you're dealing with a real human being.


So seeing my FRIEND Marshall being slandered and crucified the way he is breaks my heart. As adults, we should know better than to feed into online drama and bullying. We should know better than to behave like catty high-school kids. These women had no right to steal a photo that was taken in jest and make it something crude and ugly. They had no right to attack the character of a man they have never met. They had no right to attack the bloggers who have grown to love him as a friend. They had no right to bully.

The important thing to think about is the fact that we're parents....If we want to raise a generation of children who are kind and have empathy and tolerance for others, we need to lead by example. "Do as I say, not as I do" simply doesn't cut it. Kids learn what they live. Let's take a stand, be supportive of those who are bullied, and act out of kindness. If not for ourselves, for our kids. For their futures.

 I would absolutely love it, and take it as a personal favor, if each and every one of you could leave something positive on any negative posts you see about my friend, Marshall. Heck, on anything you see about anyone who is being put down. Marshall is a strong person, so while I know he's hurt by this whole fiasco, he will pull through and he will be okay. He has a TON of supporters and friends who love him.

But please...As parents and human beings, let's make it a point to lead by example and show the bullies that love really is stronger than hate. 

I just got back from the Hollywood premiere of Iron Man 3. Let me tell you, it was a fantastic movie! I thought it was better than the first 2 installments, if that's even possible! (Look for a full movie review and red carpet highlights soon!)

So all I can say for now is that you HAVE to see this movie...Yes, you...Even if you thought you didn't like superhero movies. It's SO much more than that!

Anyway, here is a brand new clip for you to enjoy. This is just a tiny taste of the awesomeness that is Iron Man 3.

So be sure to go see Iron Man 3 in theaters on May 3, 2013. Also, you can join in the fun by following my red carpet experience on twitter using hashtag #IronMan3Event 

“Like” IRON MAN 3 on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ironman
“Follow” IRON MAN 3 on Twitter: @Iron_Man
Visit the website: http://marvel.com/ironman3

IRON MAN 3 releases in theaters on May 3rd!