5 Secrets to Stress-Free Traveling

Traveling can be stressful, but with some careful planning and the right mindset, you can have a great time on your journey—wherever you go. Here are 5 tips for stress-free travel.

1. Check The Weather: Do you know what the weather will be like at home and when you arrive to your destination? A quick look at your weather app, Android and iPhone are both capable of downloading a variety of weather apps that will let you know what the weather will be like before you leave. If you’re flying, a quick look at local radar weather will let you know what to expect before you get off the plane.

2. Make a List: Before you pack, make a list of everything that you need to bring. This will ensure that you don’t forget any essentials. You can also make sure that you won’t be facing allergies by checking your accurate weather app. Android models, and any smartphone, will allow you to download the pollen count widget to help you gauge how much medicine you need to pack.

3. Incorporate Fun: Whether you are flying or driving, incorporate something fun into your journey. Grab a book, a gossip magazine, or create a travel mix on your iPod before your trip. This will give you something to look forward to while you are in transit. Remember to account for the time it takes to get to your destination and to get home.

4. Bring Snacks or Plan To Spend Extra Money: Airport food is expensive, so if you are on a strict budget, you should bring plenty of snacks for your trip. Be sure to allocate your spending money for coffee and water.

5. Give Yourself Time: Give yourself extra time to travel, get to your hotel, and recover from your journey. This will prevent stress in case of delays, and it will give you extra time to unwind if everything goes as planned.

The most important aspect of traveling stress-free is to enjoy the journey. If you consider it an adventure, something that is a part of your trip, rather than a nuisance, you’re sure to have a great time.

 

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#MotivationMonday 11.28.16

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CardsDirect:: A Plethora of Holiday Card Options

CardsDirect recently reached out to me and asked if I would like to review some of their holiday card designs. I always love sharing things with my mom business owner friends that I think will make their lives simpler, so I agreed! When it comes to Christmas cards, everyone wants something attractive, high quality, yet easy. CardsDirect has plenty of options to help with just that!

They sent me a variety of cards. Some folded, some flat, some personalized, some not. Each was made from high quality cardstock paper, was beautiful to look at and had unique features. Sending out the same holiday card as your neighbor is almost the equivalent of showing up at the prom in the same dress. Everyone wants unique cards and CardsDirect has plenty to choose from.

Some of the features that make their cards unique are die cut, foil, calendar and photo options. All of which can help your card stand out.

Of the cards I was sent, a flat Ice Pearl Metallic photo card stood out as my favorite. It immediately caught my attention and I loved the beautiful paper. The photo here doesn’t really do it justice. There are several cards that can be ordered in this spectacular paper, this was just one option. The glittery feel is elegant!

The easy-to-use websites gives suggestions on paper based on each different design. Many cards have size and fold options as well. It’s simple to customize your card to meet your specific likes. I also received some embossed cards and always love the look and feel of those. It really makes your card so much more dignified.

One thing I really love is photo cards. It is a great time of year to showcase your family, show how much your kids have grown, etc. CardsDirect offers more than 490 photo card options! That is amazing! If you aren’t sure which to choose, you can request some samples before making your final decision. This is a very convenient option.

Cards also include envelopes and there are several options to choose from. There are color, paper and lining options to choose from. Card prices start around $1 each, which is very reasonable for the high quality product offered. Combined with the number of customization choices, you really can’t go wrong ordering your holiday cards from CardsDirect!

Be sure to visit their website, and follow them on Facebook, for upcoming holiday specials!

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Introducing: CALZICO, a clothing collection for tween girls

I am beyond excited to say that Market Mommy is among the first in the blogosphere to review clothing pieces from the soon to launch CALZICO clothing line! What an honor! If you have tween girls, this is definitely something you should sit down and pay attention to!! CALZICO is globally inspired, versatile clothing for tweens with reversible and convertible features. “So many ways, she’ll have outfits for days.”

My daughter was thrilled when our package arrived and immediately loved the look and the feel of the clothes. Shannon, the company’s founder, graciously sent us a signature ‘zipskirt’ and jacket to try. The skirt has a removable layer revealing shorts underneath for two ways to wear it. The jacket can be worn four (YES 4!) ways. We show it here closed; using interior and exterior buttons, but it can be worn open as a cardigan and then reversed to wear both ways again!

The fabric and pattern were beautiful and the clothing had a soft, luxurious feel to it. If you’re like me, you struggle to find appropriate clothing for your tween daughters. Not only is my daughter on the shorter side, making clothes often disproportioned, she’s quite picky! I often find that clothes in her size range fit poorly and are sometimes too mature. So, when I discovered CALZICO and their concept, I was thrilled.

According to Shannon, , the CALZICO collection is for Tween girls, ages 6 to 14 years and is specifically designed for that in-between stage. She says that during the construction of each piece, consideration is given to how it will give tweens a boost of self-confidence. This is so critical at such a crucial age!

One of the strongest strengths of CALZICO clothing is its versatility. It can be worn multiple ways and multiple styles. You can see that in the two pieces we reviewed. All pieces of the collection are able to be flipped, zipped or layered to create multiple looks. This gives girls even more ways to express themselves, which is a definite plus at any age!

CALZICO is officially launching this December and its first season will feature six pieces. The collection includes reversible items, the skirt we reviewed (which converts to shorts) and other pieces, all of which are responsibly made right in North Carolina. CALZICO is cut and sewn in NC using textiles from the US, West and South Africa, Australia, Canada, and Indonesia that celebrate world diversity while aligning with others who empower locally.

The good news is that you don’t have to wait until December! You can pre-order during CALZICO’s special Kickstarter campaign that was just launched this week. Check out all of the great information and pre-order options by clicking here now!

This isn’t the only way you can help to support this brand new mom-owned business. You can like them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter and Instagram, and sign up for their e-mail updates. This way, you won’t miss a single announcement about their exciting new products! I can say that I am hooked and am personally so excited to see them unveil their entire line. Market Mommy is thrilled to be partnered with CALZICO and look forward to bringing you lots of information and product insights in the future!

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#MotivationMonday 11.14.16

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Black Friday Advertising Special

2016 Black Friday Thru Cyber Monday
*A strict deadline for materials is set for Nov. 21!

Option 1:: $39

  • 4 Facebook Posts
  • 4 Twitter Posts
  • Image, link in dedicated newsletter

Option 2:: $69

  • 4 Facebook Posts
  • 16 Twitter Posts
  • Image, link & Text description in dedicated newsletter


Options




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‘How To’ Make Your Busy Mom Life Simpler

If you are like me, you never feel like you have a free moment. Between being a mom, running a business, taking care of a home and the million other responsibilities you have, there isn’t much time for anything else. That’s why I find ‘how-to’ articles so helpful!

Tutorials online definitely make my life a little simpler. From learning how to properly deep clean my makeup brushes (there’s a useful guide here), or how to make a sweet treat for my son’s upcoming basketball themed party, the possibilities are endless!

And, thankfully, there’s no shortage of these guides out there. You can find some awesome images on Pinterest or Google, but if you want to take it a step further, you can visit sites like How Does She or Lifehack.org.

What is it that you need help with most often? Cleaning tips? Beauty tips? Recipes? I am not really sure how we ever functioned before the explosion of apps and websites that offer great hands on advice and detailed tutorials.

And, then there’s YouTube. How frequently do you watch videos when you need a little extra help with a task? Just the other day I needed to fix something on my iPhone and couldn’t figure it out. YouTube saved the day with a great, short, video. What could have taken me hours to figure out on my own was solved in just a few minutes with a quick search and swipe of my finger.

Tell us where you go most frequently for how-to help!

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The Boy’s Store :: HGG 2016

If you have a son, nephew or grandson, you know how hard it is to find boy clothes that are both durable and stylish. We are so excited to have The Boy’s Store as a platinum sponsor again this year in our Holiday Gift Guide! They offer a wide variety of fashionable and stylish clothing for all of the boys on your shopping list. 

Their sizes range from six months to junior and they carry brands like: Appaman, Dogwood, Knuckleheads, Mulberribush and Wes and Willy. They are offering a spectacular deal to Market Mommy readers this year! If you use code MMGiftGuide2016 at checkout, you will save a whopping 25% off of your order!

he Boys Store offers everything you need for the boy in your life. Their store is literally loaded with great clothing and accessories. The Boys Store offers a little bit of everything. They have dress clothes, t-shirts, hats, socks, sleepwear, outerwear and everything in between.

In addition to their website, The Boys Store can be found on Facebook and Twitter.

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Beads-N-Style :: HGG 2016

We are thrilled to have Beads-N-Style featured in our 2016 Holiday Gift Guide! The shop offers therapeutic magnetic and aromatherapy jewelry. Since 2007, they’ve been offering beautiful pieces that also have health benefits.

Owner, Melanie, has been experimenting and growing her jewelry making skills ever since 2007, but recently, her business has expanded to include essential oils.

“Over the last year or so, I began using essential oils and found their benefits to be great, as well. I have a friend that is working towards a certification in the use of essential oils, and it was at her suggestion that I added aromatherapy jewelry to my shop. Just one drop of your favorite essential oil or aromatherapy blend on the terracotta bead or natural lava stone and you can carry the benefits with you all day long!” Melanie said.

As an added bonus to Market Mommy readers, you can save while making your holiday pruchases at Beads-N-Style! Orders over $50 ship free and if you use code SAVE10, they will take an additional 10% off of your order! Happy shopping!

To learn more about the benefits of therapeutic magnetic and aromatherapy jewelry, please read through the Beads-N-Style Frequently Asked Questions. If you have any additional questions or comments, please feel free to contact their shop! In addition to the Beads-N-Style website, you can reach them on Twitter and Facebook.  

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#MotivationMonday 11.7.16

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