Work From The Nest

FyrFlyz Pary - We Own(ed) That Night!

2011-11-03T07:46:00.000-07:00

5 rambunctious boys + 10 FyrFlyz + Lots of food + One Saturday Night = A BLAST! Rain couldn't stop the fun, laugher, shouts of booyah! and look at this cool move I just did! as the crew of little men twirled, swung, and figured out different tricks with the gadgets.


Can't have a party without yummy food, right?

Gotta eat!

And then the fun began. In wild motions of swinging, twisting, and looping the FyrFlyz around their bodies, the little men figured out different ways to may toys make unique light tricks.

Look at 'em going at it! They were having a blast!

Dude, check me out!

Looks like they owned the night to me. Whatcha think? Pretty cool light show, eh.

The fun-filled night ended with delicious warm chocolate brownies with ice cream.

These darling little guys aren't the only ones who can own the night. You sweet boys and girls can too.

Fyrflyzare available nationwide at Toys 'R Us, CVS, Rite Aid and selectspecialty retailers now. You can also check out the website at fyrflyz.com to learn more about all the cool tricks you can do when you spin your Fyrflyz!

Disclaimer: I received FyrFlyr kits for the party. No other compensation was received.Views expressed are always 100% my own.

Winner of the REAL STEEL Prize Pack

2011-10-18T20:55:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Ellie! You are participant #16 and your number was selected by Random.org! An email has been sent to you. Please claim your prize within 48 hours.

HSingMama says:

October 17, 2011 5:53 PM

I would like to win this for my husband and kids.
thefaulks5 at verizon dot net

Personalized Pens Giveaway

2011-10-13T12:58:00.000-07:00

Work From The Nest has teamed up with Amsterdamprinting.com for a phenomenal giveaway. We are sponsoring a Personalized Pens Giveaway from this popular promotional pens website. We’re giving away 50 Inspire pens, worth $149.95, absolutely free to one luck winner.

HERE'S HOW TO ENTER:
(1) Mandatory Entry: In the comments section, tell us how you will use your personalized pens for your business, organization, or personal use.

For additional entries you can do the following:
(2) "Like" Work From The Nest Fan Page
(3) "Like" Amsterdamprinting Fan Page
(4) Follow @workfromthenest on twitter
(5) Become a Google Friend Follower
(6) Tweet about this giveaway with the information below and please leave the URL of your tweet in the comment section:

I've entered @workfromthenest 50 Personalized Pens Giveaway! #Giveaway ~ http://ht.ly/6WHrs ~ RT to enter

THE RULES:
Winnerwill be selected by random.org on or shortly after October 28, 2011.Each entry must be completed as a separate comment. All entries must have a valid email address.Winner will be contacted by email and must respond within 48 hours or anew winner will be selected. Open to residents of the U.S. only with a validstreet address.

Work At Home Job Leads

2011-10-11T21:34:00.000-07:00

My hope is that you will win the work at home job of your dream and you too can say "I Won!" Best of luck!

Site: Kore One Technologies
Positions: Remote Internet Marketing Specialist
Description: Internet Marketing Specialist needed to work on current and upcomingprojects. Primarily consists of managing and implementing websitechanges and updates. As well as, content writing and article submissiontactics to improve search engine rankings.
How to Apply: Click here to be taken to the online application.

Site: On Point @ Home
Positions: Writers and Web Designers
Description: OnPoint Advocacy retains freelance writers and designers to support ourbroad range of bipartisan, issue-based creative needs. Our clientsinclude Fortune-ranked corporations, leading associations, and topinterest groups, and we work with them to foster grassroots-leveladvocacy on bipartisan issues.
How to Apply: If you are interested in these position apply to here.

Site: Cash Flights
Positions: A variety of virtual positions are available
Description: All applicants must be authorized to work in the US. Current positions available are Social Media Facebook Manager, Travel Content Editor Manager, Travel Vacation Review Liaison, and Travel Survey Beta Testers.
How to Apply: Check out all their work at home positions here.

Site: ETS
Positions: Various Virtual Scoring Raters Positions
Description: Research project consist the viewing and coding of video footage ofschool classroom instruction. Raters will be required to complete online training and pass a certification test. Training will take placein December and include instruction on how to use the coding protocoland enter data. Coding will start in early January 2011 and continuethrough June 2011. Raters will commit to a minimum of 16 hours and to amaximum of 40 hours per week and will have a fixed schedule for theduration of their employment. They offer 4 hour and 8 hour shifts 7 daysa week that are expected to be between the hours of 8:30am and 10:00pmEST Monday through Friday, and 8:30am to 8:00pm EST Saturday andSunday. Coding can be done athome on your personal computer. No previous experience in classroomobservation coding necessary.
How to apply: You can apply to this site here.

Site: Craigslist.com
Positions: Facebook/Social Media Manager
Description: We are a retail jeweler that is looking for someone to manage our Facebook, Twitter, Social Media needs.
How to apply: You can apply to this site here.

Site: ProBlogger
Positions: Facebook Games blog requires opinionated, passionate writers
Description: We are looking for writers who understand the Facebook game industryand have an active interest in the new games which are being developedfor Facebook.
How to apply: You can apply to this site here.

Site: ING Financial
Positions: Various - Underwriting, Sales, & Account Management
Description: Varied
How to apply: You can apply for their various positions here.

Site: MTV Networks (Nickelodeon)
Positions: Virtual Site Monitors/CSR (Bilingual Spanish/English)
Description: They are searching for a talented and experienced individual to providemonitoring and customer support to all of Nickelodeon Virtual Worldsproducts (presently Neopets, Petpet Park and Monkey Quest). This is awork from home position that can be performed from anywhere in the US.Monitoring responsibilities include working in our variousadministrative filters which flag inappropriate content and takingaction as needed. The Site Monitor/CSA, Spanish will also be expectedto provide site support in the most efficient manner possible whilemaintaining the highest level of customer service.
How to apply: You can apply to this site here.

Site: Alpine Access
Positions: English & Bilingual CSR
Description: Minimum 1 year of customer care experience required. Ability to navigate multiple windows and multi-task required. Previous call center experience desired. Work from home experience desired
How to apply: You can apply to this site here.

Site: Live World
Positions: Online Site Moderator
Description: LiveWorld is hiring a moderator. This is a part time, work-at-home position. The position will include: Reviewing user content, tracking user content, taking action on content (such as hiding, deletion, user response, or escalation), tagging user-generated content and other responsibilities.
How to apply: You can apply to this site here.

Site: Talk2Rep
Positions: Call Agents
Description: Talk2Rep just announced on PRNewswire that they have plans tohire 500 new work-at-home reps. Pay is competitive at $11 to $15 perhour, with sales reps making $20 per hour and more.
How to apply: You can apply to this site here.

If you are a site/company with alegitimate work at home job or opportunity that you would like postedon this blog, feel free to contact me at quiskaeya[at]gmail[dot]com.

Disclaimer: I believe every job posted on this site to be legitimate. I try my best to thoroughly research each position and company. I can not be held liable for any issues regarding applying,hiring, working, and/or any misrepresentation made by the companies about their jobs. Please conduct your own research before considering a work at home job.

Can You Really Make Money Blogging? (Part I)

2011-10-11T12:49:00.000-07:00

This question, quite possibly, might be the most widely asked question from moms who get into blogging. This may not be the first question that they ask, but at some point moms want to know if it's really possible to monetize their blogs. It's a question I began to ask within a couple of years of blogging.

Tell us how we can blog for money, Ana!

When I initially started blogging it was merely to provide myself with a creative outlet to express my thoughts. Writing has always been a passion of mine and since I had loads of time on my hands at that time - I was bedridden due to pregnancy - I decided to carve out a place in blogosphere where I could empty my brain of all the many thoughts running through it. It never dawned on me that other bloggers would find my writings interesting. Come to think about it, my ramblings were a collection of eclectic posts from a hormonal pregnant woman. How intriguing could that be?

Because I am an ~~extremely nosy~~ inquisitive person, shortly after beginning my blogging adventure, I became curious about the writing of other bloggers in the vast universe of blogs. It took only about an hour of traipsing around blogosphere to discover that this new world was immense and diverse and this completely intrigued me about its presence. I became hooked to blog hopping from this point on and within time I even courageously left comments, which lead other people to my blog.

So, your blogging story was cute, but what about making money??

I know you want to know the nitty-gritty and I'm going to get there. The truth is the answer to this question is multifaceted. Back to my personal blogging story: After becoming an active participant in blogosphere, I started noticing that people hinted at making money blogging. Of course this tickled my ear. What! I could do something I loved and get paid too?! Sign me up for this gig quick and I'll take that paycheck with at least 3 zeros on the end of it!

I began paying close attention each time I heard a whispering voice about mom bloggers making money. But soon discovered that those blogs that were making money had something big that mine didn't have - huge followings. Despite the fact that my blog lacked the necessary traffic, I still didn't loose hope in finding ways to monetize my blog. However, in time I realized that it wasn't so important to concentrate on making money on my blog, but instead it was more important to concentrate on content and defining my brand. Defining your brand? What do you mean by that, you may be asking?

Content, brand...yeah it sounds good. But are you saying you can't make money in blogging?

No, not exactly. Actually, I'm not saying that at all. Since I'm sure you're dying to know, I have made money blogging. What I brought home certainly didn't put me in the ranks of top mom bloggers - far from that. However, in the best case scenarios I brought home enough to pay a car note - say around $200 a month. Here's the really kicker though... In my most profitable times (and I say that loosely since I never made enough to call myself a professional blogger) my focus was on defining my niche and honing in on content. Moms, the truth is you have to have a solid voice that is compelling and different to stand out. It doesn't mean that you have to talk about a topic no one else is talking about (Although, why not? There are loads of subjects to choose from.) However, whatever it is that you blog about make it "uniquely you". Share your about your passions, your experiences, your view and it doesn't matter if another blogger has shared something similar, we aren't carbon copies so if you speak from your experience it immediately becomes exclusive. You don't have to write like a Huffington Post editor, but at least proofread your work and gosh-darn-it use spell check. Ok. Ok. Ok. So I need to take my own advice on the last two. *jotting note to self*

Since the title says "Part I", I guess we won't find out the good stuff until "Part II"?

Patience, my readers. In part two of Can You Really Make Money Blogging? I'll share honest, tried and true methods that I've utilized in the past to make money on my blogs.

Work At Home Job Leads

2011-10-04T21:55:00.000-07:00

My hope is that you will win the work at home job of your dream and you too can say "I Won!" Best of luck!

Site: Market Launcher
Positions: Telecommuting Market Research Specialist
Description: Market Launcher is looking for experienced marketing and sales executives to join their team and play a key role in the execution of programs on behalf of our clients. Some task you maybe expected to perform are: Researching target companies to identify the ones that meet specific parameters for an assigned project; and placing calls to target companies to identify appropriate decision makers and other key influencers within the organization.
How to Apply: Click here to be taken to the online application.

Site: On Point @ Home
Positions: Writers and Web Designers
Description: OnPoint Advocacy retains freelance writers and designers to support ourbroad range of bipartisan, issue-based creative needs. Our clientsinclude Fortune-ranked corporations, leading associations, and topinterest groups, and we work with them to foster grassroots-leveladvocacy on bipartisan issues.
How to Apply: If you are interested in these position apply to here.

Site: Cash Flights
Positions: A variety of virtual positions are available
Description: All applicants must be authorized to work in the US. Current positions available are Social Media Facebook Manager, Travel Content Editor Manager, Travel Vacation Review Liaison, and Travel Survey Beta Testers.
How to Apply: Check out all their work at home positions here.

Site: ETS
Positions: Various Virtual Scoring Raters Positions
Description: Research project consist the viewing and coding of video footage ofschool classroom instruction. Raters will be required to complete online training and pass a certification test. Training will take placein December and include instruction on how to use the coding protocoland enter data. Coding will start in early January 2011 and continuethrough June 2011. Raters will commit to a minimum of 16 hours and to amaximum of 40 hours per week and will have a fixed schedule for theduration of their employment. They offer 4 hour and 8 hour shifts 7 daysa week that are expected to be between the hours of 8:30am and 10:00pmEST Monday through Friday, and 8:30am to 8:00pm EST Saturday andSunday. Coding can be done athome on your personal computer. No previous experience in classroomobservation coding necessary.
How to apply: You can apply to this site here.

Site: CareerBuilder (VistaPrint)
Positions: Graphic Designer / Graphic Design Sales Rep
Description: VistaPrint is currently looking for a creative, innovative,self-starting Graphic Designer who is looking to sell their designs ona variety of products! The Graphic Designer will be responsible fordesigning and selling inventory using VistaPrint products.
How to apply: You can apply to this site here.

Site: ProBlogger
Positions: US Writers
Description: Seeking experienced and talented writers to add to myteam - long term. Applicants can be from anywhere within the UnitedStates as this is a telecommuter (work at home) position, but must benative English speaking.
How to apply: You can apply to this site here.

Site: Blue Mountain Arts
Positions: Greet Card Writer
Description: Blue Mountain Arts is interested in reviewing writings suitable forpublication on greeting cards. They are looking for highly original andcreative submissions on friendship, family, special occasions, positiveliving, and other topics one person might want to share with anotherperson. They pay $300 per poem for all rights to publish it on a greeting card and $50 if your poem is used only in an anthology.
How to apply: To request a copy of our writer’s guidelines (which include contact/submission information), please send a blank e-mail to writings@sps.comwith “Send Me Guidelines” in the subject line, or write us at: BlueMountain Arts, Inc. Editorial Department P.O. Box 1007 Boulder, CO80306.

Site: MTV Networks (Nickelodeon)
Positions: Virtual Site Monitors/CSR (Bilingual Spanish/English)
Description: They are searching for a talented and experienced individual to providemonitoring and customer support to all of Nickelodeon Virtual Worldsproducts (presently Neopets, Petpet Park and Monkey Quest). This is awork from home position that can be performed from anywhere in the US.Monitoring responsibilities include working in our variousadministrative filters which flag inappropriate content and takingaction as needed. The Site Monitor/CSA, Spanish will also be expectedto provide site support in the most efficient manner possible whilemaintaining the highest level of customer service.
How to apply: You can apply to this site here.

Site: ProBlogger
Positions: Beauty Blogger
Description: We are looking for creative, young and communicative lady to join our team as beauty blogger on allwomenstalk.com. Please check out website to see what kind of articles we expect youto write (or even better;) and our Facebook to see how is our audience.
How to apply: You can apply to this site here.

Site: Live World
Positions: Online Site Moderator
Description: LiveWorld is hiring a moderator. This is a part time, work-at-home position. The position will include: Reviewing user content, tracking user content, taking action on content (such as hiding, deletion, user response, or escalation), tagging user-generated content and other responsibilities.
How to apply: You can apply to this site here.

If you are a site/company with alegitimate work at home job or opportunity that you would like postedon this blog, feel free to contact me at quiskaeya[at]gmail[dot]com.

Disclaimer: I believe every job posted on this site to be legitimate. I try my best to thoroughly research each position and company. I can not be held liable for any issues regarding applying,hiring, working, and/or any misrepresentation made by the companies about their jobs. Please conduct your own research before considering a work at home job.

REAL STEEL Prize Pack Giveaway (CLOSED)

2011-10-04T17:34:00.000-07:00

In DreamWorks Pictures’ gritty, white-knuckle action ride “Real Steel,” Hugh Jackman stars as Charlie Kenton, a washed-up boxer in the near future who, because his sport has been taken over by 8-foot steel robots, now lives in a world where he doesn’t fit in. With no fights and no prospects, Charlie is forced to hustle as a small-time robot fight promoter. He earns just enough money to survive by piecing together low-end “bots” and traveling from one seamy underground boxing venue to the next for whatever prizefight he can wrangle for his automatons. Just when things can’t become any more desperate and complicated, his estranged, tough-beyond-his-yearsson Max (Dakota Goyo) suddenly and unwillingly comes back into his life.

“Real Steel” is an underdog story with cinematic scope and a unique premise that offerssurprises along the way. The film combines the best of grand spectacle with relatable,grounded storytelling. “Real Steel” director Shawn Levy experienced the story as a tale ofredemption for three lost and forgotten souls. “The main characters––a father, his son anda machine––are each abandoned beings,” Levy says. “All three of them have been cast asideand forgotten. The substance of the story is about how this trinity has a chance of returningto grace.”

"Real Steel" releases in theatres around the nation on October 7. In celebration of it's upcoming release I'm giving away a prize pack of some fun promotional items!

You could WIN:

REAL STEEL t-shirt in adult sizes of S, M, L, XL
REAL STEEL bottle opener
REAL STEEL stickers
REAL STEEL temporary tattoos

WAYS TO ENTER:
(1)Mandatory Entry: Leave a comment telling me who you would love to win this prize pack for?
For additional entries you can do the following:
(2) "Like" Work From The Nest Fan Page
(3) "Like" REAL STEEL Fan Page
(4) Follow @workfromthenest on twitter
(5) Tweet about this giveaway with the information below and please leave the URL of your tweet in the comment section:

I'm entering to win @workfromthenest REAL STEEL prize pack! #Giveaway ~ http://tinyurl.com/3qqfh97 ~ RT to enter

NOW THE RULES:
Winnerwill be selected by random.org on or shortly after October 18, 2011.Each entry must be completed as a separate comment.Winner will be contacted by email and must respond within 48 hours or anew winner will be selected. Open to residents of the U.S. and Canada with a validstreet address.

5 Easy Steps To Improve Your Productivity

2011-10-04T12:34:00.000-07:00

Being a work at home mom (WAHM) isn't easy. It's a constant challenge to juggle home and work since both happen in the same place - home. Reaching the ultimate work-life balance requires dedicated and persistent effort. In many ways work-life balance may be a greater undertaking for WAHMs than moms who work outside the home. Moms who work outside of the home have the advantage of leaving their work at their jobs. Learning to effectively separate work and family is vital to improving productivity.If you can boost the effectiveness and production of your work,it frees up time to spend with your family and it will also maximize yourbottom line. If you need help improving your productivity, follow these 5 simply steps:
Step 1: If Procrastination was a Money Maker We'd All be RICH!
It doesn't take effort to waste time. If procrastination was a money maker, we'd all be millionaires. Unfortunately, procrastination doesn't "a rich woman make" (and can actually put her in the poor house if she's not cautious). Therefore, the best way to combat a wasted day is with a well organized plan. I'm a huge fan of to-do lists and highly recommend starting your day with a to-do list that was created at the end of the previous day. I'll go into further details about that later on.
Step 2: I Bet You'll Find Some Lost Time on Facebook
Once you have laid out your plan for the day and you have determined what you need to accomplish, it's essential to remove distractions as much as possible. If your children are at home, this step will undoubtedly require thinking outside the box. For example: work when your kids are napping or during scheduled t.v. and/or computer time. Sometimes, you may need to rise early in morning before the kids are up to accomplish projects. If you are a night-owl, like I am, work can be done when the kids are in bed. Minimizing distractions with kids around requires creativity and forethought, but with a to-do list and a schedule you can manage your distractions. I'll bet you'll find a lot of your lost time in your Facebook, Twitter, andemail accounts. I certainly did! Log out of your social media profiles, turn off Skype, and put your cell phone vibrate. It's amazing how much you'll accomplish when you decrease social media distractions.
Step 3: Get to Work! You're On the Clock!
Now that your distractions are under control, commit a certain amount of time to completing each assignment. A great way to monitor how much time you spend on a particular task is with a timer. If you've determined that you want to work one hours on a specific duty, set a kitchen timer for one hour so that you don't spend more time on that duty than you want to. There's something energizing about forcing a time limit on a task - it gets the creative juices flowing and helps keep you on track so time doesn't fly away leaving you wondering where it was went.
Step 4: Deeeep Breaths In, Now Exhale
The flip side of procrastination is overworking yourself to the point of exhaustion. You do need to come up for air, take deep breaths in and exhale. Studies show that regular breaks are crucial tomaintaining productivity. If you are too tired, mistakes happen more frequently, your concentration level is much lower, and your overall production significantly decreases. There is nothing to be praised in missing breaks and lunch. While you may think you're superwoman for being able to go the whole day with no downtime, eventually your body will let you know that there isn't any glory in being burnt out.
Step 5: Close the Day Preparing for Tomorrow
As I mentioned in step one, I'm a big fan of to-do list. The last 10-15 minutes of your day should be spent in reviewing what you've accomplished and creating a new to-do list for the following day. If you create the to-do list in the process of analyzing what you did and did not completed that day, you'll have a more accurate to-do list for the next day. Doing this serves two purposes: first, it helps you to wind down your day and allows you to shed your work-mode so that you can get back to being Mom. It also helps you get a jump start on your work the following day. No need to putter around trying to figure out what needs to be accomplished - you've already predetermined that the day before.

As a WAHM I'm sure you've felt overwhelmed at times, downing yourself for not being able to figure out the tricky balance between family and work. However, if you canmaximize your productivity when you work, then when it's time to leave the work behind and switch your mind to family, it will be much easier to give your family the undivided attention they deserve.

Work At Home Job Leads

2011-09-28T08:53:00.000-07:00

My hope is that you will win the work at home job of your dream and you too can say "I Won!" Best of luck!

Site: Craiglist.org
Positions:Virtual Travel Consultants
Description: The Globus family of brands is the leader in escorted travel packages and they are looking to hire remote (online) Travel Consultants for their Customer Care team, to start on October 31, 2011. Selected individuals will begin an extensive three-week training classfrom 8:00am - 5:00pm, Monday through Friday, which must be attended inits entirety.
How to Apply: Click here to be taken to their job board.

Site: ProBlogger
Positions: P/T Editor for Astrology Website
Description: Editor will be responsible for editing and publishing one guest blogpost per week in the Sex & Relationships category. She willactively recruit new guest bloggers, work with current guest bloggers,and look for quality content on other blogs that can be republishedwith permission.
How to Apply: Apply to the job here.

Site: JobFox
Positions: Project Manager - telecommute
Description: 6 - 12 months assignment to start ASAP, to work out ofcandidate's home office and support customer projects as assigned. Provide Data Center related project management services to variouscustomer organizations. Tasks will include lead migration ofhardware and applications from a current data center to a new datacenter location.
How to Apply: Check out this project manager position on Jobfox here.

Site: JournalismJobs
Positions: Content Writers
Description: Demand Media Studiosis seeking writers and experts for one of the top Home and Gardenwebsites in America, eHow Home. The writing assignments cover a varietyof topics in the home and garden space including Do-It-Yourselfprojects and home decor. We are looking for experts who can translatethese topics into consumer friendly articles.
How to apply: You can apply to this site here.

Site: UnitedHealth Group
Positions: Accounting Clerks (US)
Description: UnitedHealth Group is seeking work-at-home accounting clerks acrossthe U.S. You must have a bachelor’s degree, or a high school diplomaor GED and 5+ years of work experience.
You must also have two or more years of experience posting payments,performing daily reconciliations, and resolving customer issues anddisbursements. How to apply: You can apply to this site here.

Site: Hallmark
Positions: Work at Home Field Merchandisers (US)

Description: Hallmark is seeking work-from-home retail fieldmerchandisers in the following states: AL AK AR AZ CA CO CT DC DE FL GAHI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NJ NM NY NV NH NC NDOH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY.
You will be restocking, ordering, straightening, and organizingproducts and displays. You must be a quick learner, and you must beable to work independently in a busy retail environment.
How to apply: You can apply to this site here.

If you are a site/company with alegitimate work at home job or opportunity that you would like postedon this blog, feel free to contact me at quiskaeya[at]gmail[dot]com.

Disclaimer: I try my best to postonly legitimate opportunities that I have personally worked, that Iknow of people who have worked these opportunities or that I haveresearched. I can not be held liable for any issues regarding applying,hiring and working for any of the sites/companies mentioned. Use thisinformation at your discretion.

VeggieTales Bob Lends A Helping Hand & Larry Learns To Listen Giveaway (CLOSED)

2011-09-28T07:34:00.000-07:00

About VeggieTales Larry Learns to Listen
When Larry's new Space Squadron game finally arrives, he's so anxious to play that he forgets to read the directions. When his friends do their best to tell him, Larry refuses to listen! What happens? His game goes 'KERPOW!' That's when Larry learns a valuable lesson in listening as his friends come to the rescue. Kids will discover, right along with Larry, that God gave friends and family to help us through each day---so when we listen we don't miss what others have to say! Also includes two classic shows: "Pistachio” and "Josh and the Big Wall."

About VeggieTales Bob Lends a Helping HandWhen Joe's mom breaks her big left toe, Bob the Tomato decides to help. Larry and Joe offer their 'superhero' help, too, but that's not exactly what Bob has in mind. Kids will discover right along with Larry and Joe that everyone can be a superhero if you lend a helping hand! Also includes two classic shows, "Tomato Sawyer and Huckleberry Larry's Big River Rescue" and "Lyle the Kindly Viking."

Would you like to watch these two VeggieTales® DVD's with your family? Then enter this giveaway!

VeggieTales® Larry Learns to Listen
VeggieTales® Bob Lends a Helping Hand

WAYS TO ENTER:
(1)Mandatory Entry: Leave a comment telling me who you would love to win these DVDs for?

For additional entries you can do the following:
(2) Join Work From The Nest Fan Page on facebook
(3) Follow @workfromthenest on twitter
(4) Tweet about this giveaway with the information below and please leave the URL of your tweet in the comment section:

I'm entering to win @workfromthenest Veggie Tales Kids DVD's #Giveaway ~ http://ht.ly/6HF6N ~ RT to enter

NOW THE RULES:
Winner will be selected by random.org on or shortly after October 12, 2011. Each entry must be completed as a separate comment.Winner will be contacted by email and must respond within 48 hours or a new winner will be selected. Open to residents of the U.S. with a valid street address.

Disclaimer: I received separate copies of the DVDs mentioned above. No other compensation was received. Views expressed are always 100% my own.

How To Convince Your Employer To Let You Work From Home

2011-09-27T10:26:00.000-07:00

The Gallup's annual Work and Education survey done in 2007 found that American workersreported spending an average of 46 minutes commuting to and from work ina typical day. According to their study, that means US employees were spending approximately 92 minutes per day round trip on the road and 460 minutes a week in commuting to work. That's 7 hours of commute time a week! And then we wonder why we never have enough time - it's being lost in trying to get to and from work! At times, all of us have dreamed of working from home. Aw the glorious thoughts of working in jammies, with a lap top resting on our laps, while lounge in bed. *deep sign*

In reality there are certain steps you can take to convince your employer to allow you take your position home. Let's look at the most essential steps:

Step 1: Be Certain that You Can Work Remotely

First and foremost you must determine if your position can effectively be done from home.
If your position in its current state is not be a good fit for working at home, can it be restructured to allow you to work from home?
Of course you need to analyze yourself to see if you have the self-discipline to work from home.
You must consider if you will permanently work from home or if you will only work at home a certain number of days.

Step 2: Acquire All Your Work from Home Facts

Research to see if a work at home program already exist within your company. Contact human resources to check into this.
Find out if there are other employees that work from home and get in touch with them. Discover how the began working from home and get tips and advice on how you can do the same.
Assemble facts about you and your position that will make a compelling argument of your trustworthy andself discipline to work remotely. Include facts about your performance reviews, how you will continue to positively impact your team, and what can you do to preventproblems.
Compile facts about your employer and your industry. Offer suggestions on how allowing you to work from home will save your employer money.

Step 3: Create and Write a Work from Home Proposal

You must have strong evidence on how allowing you to work from home will benefit the company- (e.g. increased productivity, cost savings, etc)
What makes you qualified to work from home: your motivations, organizational skills, employment past, reliability, etc. How will telecommuting make you a better employee?.
Show that you have thoroughly researched the advantages of allowing you to work from home. Include reports that demonstrate how allowing employees to work remotely make them more productive or how it saves companies money.
Expect objections and concerns; be prepared for them. Concerns such as the security of your computersystem, (anti-virus software, etc), other people having access to your computer, confidentiality of work information, distractions at home, being reachable for meetings or calls, may be raised by your employer.
Provide the option of working from home temporarily, on a trial basic, so that your employer can monitor if this is a good solution.

While the idea of working from home is very enticing, not everyone is cut out for challenges of doing so. Before, making that leap to sell the idea to your employer, be sure you have a strong argument for your case. Simply using reasons such as long commute time will not be adequate. You knew when you took the job how long it would take you to get to work and back. It is not your employer's responsibility to accommodate you for this burden. However, if you can make a compelling case about increased productivity and cost-savings, then you may have a very strong case. Good luck in your efforts to take your job home!

The Real Women of PHILADELPHIA

2011-09-16T10:59:00.000-07:00

With school starting again, sports practices and work, September is a busy time for Mom! To help in the kitchen, Kraft and Paula Deen’s Real Women of Philadelphia online community have shared some of their favorite quick and easy recipes with Philadelphia Cream Cheese to cook a delicious meal in less than 30 minutes.

Quick and easy recipes include:

· Sante Fe Chicken Tacos with Avocado Creme

· Hidden Veggie Garlic and Bacon Pasta

· Easy Chicken Flautas

· Cheesie Beef and Potatoes

More delicious and easy-to-prepare dishes like these are featured on Paula Deen and Kraft Foods’ online community – Real Women of Philadelphia and in their cookbook Real Women of Philadelphia: The Cookbook which can be purchased online at Lulu.com.

Need Extra Money? Lease out your ride!

2011-09-14T21:36:00.000-07:00

Do you think this car would qualify for renting? lol

It's become a popular way for car owners to make extra money. And judging by the increase in demand and the number of new companies taking on this venture, automobile owners leasing their personal vehicles is a rising business. Spride Share, an individual car-sharing network, began operations in San Francisco in January 2011. After a pilot period with this program, Spride Share went into full blown operations because this creative idea became popular among car owners wanting to help pay for the high price of vehicle ownership in the Bay Area.

Stride Share has partnered with City CarShare, thus making their cars available to over 13,000 screenedCity CarShare members. Hardware is installed in each vehicle that monitors usage andallows renters access through an electronic key fob. Each owner can determine whenhis/her vehicle is available. Rates are designated based on the vehicle: economy,premium, specialty, luxury. Beaters are not allowed.

A Honda Pilot SUV might garner $9/hr, while a current model Toyotal Corollacould lease for approximately $7/hr.Owners will walk away with about 40% of the leasing charges. Spride Share estimates thatsedan owners leasing their vehicles for about 15 hours weekly could typically earn approximately$2,200 yearly; with premium car owners earning about $2,800 yearly.

Another car-sharing company, Zipcar, boasts over 500,000 members and cars in 28 states and the UK. The biggest difference between Spride Share and Zipcar is Zipcar owns its 8,000 cars, but parks its vehicles in the neighborhoods and rents out tonearby members. RelayRides, has only been in business since June 2011 in Cambridge, Mass. Owners dictate theirown rates, although RelayRides suggests $8/hr for a current Civic, and up to $12 for an SUV. Relay gets 15% off the top, and also charges 20% for insurance.

Insurance is vital

Proper insurance is absolutely vital in car-sharing networks. Spride, RelayRides and Getaround provide additional coverage through national providers, that insures the vehicles and ownerin case of accidents. Renters are covered after a $500 deductible.

In many situations, owning a vehicle out right, as in having the vehicle paid off, is not necessary to leasing the vehicle out. Just an FYI: the income earned is taxable.

Should YOU lease your vehicle?

If you can overcome the fear of renting your vehicle to a complete stranger, then perhaps it would be a good consideration. Relay claims its top earners earn more than $600 a month. That's not bad pocket change for a vehicle that could be sitting there collecting dust and rusting. All members who rent in the car-sharing network are screened, and their driving records throughly checked. Addtional fees are assessed on cars that are returned late or dirty. Another great feature is the feedback system that permits owners to rate renters. After considering these things, if you still feel uncomfortable with renting to strangers, you can choose to only rent to friends and family. Most renters, lease cars for in-town errands and don't rent the vehicle for more than a few hours.

So, what say you? What are your thoughts about renting a personal vehicle out?
.

Work at Home Jobs Lead

2011-09-14T19:57:00.000-07:00

My hope is that you will win the work at home job of your dream and you too can say "I Won!" Best of luck!

Site: CashFlights.com
Positions: Social Media Manager
Description: At Home Position must be authorized to work in the USA. This position is multi-faceted and requires atalented generalist who can help us with everything from marketresearch to media outreach to blog/social media management to datacollection to basic visual & interaction design.
How to Apply: Click here to be taken to their job board.

Site: ProBlogger
Positions: College Student Blogger
Description: TheGoodLifeOnCampus.com is looking for a fun, quirky, creative bloggerto regularly post on their blog about college life, dorm decor, productreviews, recommendations, etc. We also wish for the candidate to post avideo post on a weekly basis. Pay based onexperience, readership as well as on- camerapresence.
How to Apply: If you are interested in this position apply to Marketing@TheGoodLifeOnCampus.com.

Site: Craiglist
Positions: Web Content Writer / Customer Service (work from home in CA only)
Description: Family owned small business is looking for a self-motivated individualto work as web-content writer / customer relations representative. Youmust be highly flexible with your time and have the ability to createbasic, but effective website copy on a directed basis. This mostly"work-from-home" position allows the candidate to live anywhere in thestate of California.
How to Apply: Check out this writing position on Craiglist here.

Site: LionBridge Technologies
Positions: Content Writers
Description: As a Social Media Search Consultant your ultimate goal will be tocontribute towards making internet search more exciting, relevant andinteresting for all end users in the United States. We are looking for creative thinkers who enjoy browsing the internetand would like to express their opinion on the quality and content ofwhat is currently out there on the web. You will be provided withguidelines and scoring criteria on how best to evaluate an internetsearch result.
How to apply: You can apply to this site here.

Site: Leapforce
Positions: Search Engine Evaluator - English (United States)
Description: Leapforce is looking for highly educated individuals for an excitingwork from home opportunity. Applicants must be self motivated andinternet savvy. This is an opportunity to evaluate and improve searchengine results for one of the world's largest internet search enginecompanies.
How to apply: You can apply to this site here.

If you are a site/company with alegitimate work at home job or opportunity that you would like postedon this blog, feel free to contact me at quiskaeya[at]gmail[dot]com.

Disclaimer: I try my best to postonly legitimate opportunities that I have personally worked, that Iknow of people who have worked these opportunities or that I haveresearched. I can not be held liable for any issues regarding applying,hiring and working for any of the sites/companies mentioned. Use thisinformation at your discretion.

And the Winners of the "I Don't Know How She Does It" Giveaway Are...

2011-09-14T05:30:00.000-07:00

Drumroll please....!!!

The winners are:

1) slb3334
2) Shel
3) clc408
4) Diane52
5) imaclutz89
6) Kellie Conklin
7) slehan

So basically everyone is a winner!! IMPORTANT: Email me your name and address TODAY to quiskaeya [at] gmail [dot] com. I want you to get your tickets in time for the debut on Friday, September 16, 2011.

Thank you so much for participating and visit often for other giveaways, work at home jobs, and other great information!

Pardon Our Dust

2011-09-13T06:25:00.000-07:00

Hi faithful friends,

If it's been awhile since you've stopped by here, you might not recognize the place. No worries. It's the same place, just a new look (in progress). That's right, Work from the Nest is getting a make over; which will hopefully make it more user friendly and inviting. While I figure out how to make edits, and tap into the other 90% of my brain (html is definitely not my thing), it's going to look a little...err...A LOT crazy around here. But I promise you (God willing) once I'm done, it will all be worth the wait ;-)

Here are some things to look forward to:

1) New update on work at home opportunities, jobs, and business ventures.
2) Tips on how to find work at home jobs.
3) Tips on how to become successful working from home.
4) Parenting tips
5) Product reviews and giveaways
6) Interviews from work at home moms/dads
7) Keeping healthy and green
8) ....and anything else that I can thing of.

I hope you stop in often and please feel free to provide your feedback on what you see around here. I'm always open to suggestions on how to make the site more effective for you.

American Hustlers: Finding Ways to Make Extra Cash

2011-09-09T08:39:00.000-07:00

Jessica Dickler
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Like many Americans these days, these seven people are doing whatever they can to make extra money.
Sizes Up Stores as a Mystery Shopper
Name: Sherrie Tennessee
Age: 37
Hometown: Miami
Day job: Customer service associate
Moneymaking gig: Mystery shopper
I've been doing this since 2007 and I love it. It's a great way to make a little bit of cash.

Photo: Sherrie Tennessee

Sherrie Tennessee earns her gas money as a secret shopper.

My friend was a mystery shopper and she told me about it, but you have to be careful because there are a lot of scams.
Itry to do one at least once a week. My favorites are the LeslieSwimming Pool Shops. I observe the outside, make sure there's no trashor debris and the sign is straight, then go inside and listen for musicand note how the store looks. It's the easiest $20 to $30 you can make.That's gas money.
I did another at a Dairy Queen where I got free ice cream and got paid, so you can't beat that.
Flips Art on Craigslist and eBay
Name: Aaron LaPedis
Age: 45
Hometown: Denver
Day job: Gallery owner
Moneymaking gig: Flipping art and memorabilia on Craigslist and eBay

Photo: Aaron LaPedis

Aaron LaPedis has honed his craiglist and eBay skills into a lucrative second job.

I got started when I was seven. When my mother and I put on our first garage sale, I got the bug.
Acouple of years ago when my art gallery wasn't doing well, I went backto what I knew. Now I go to secondhand stores like the Salvation Army,estate sales and garage sales looking for things I can sell.
Ilove art and presidential memorabilia. I'm on eBay and Craigslisteveryday selling stuff and buying stuff. Just the other day, I bought apiece of art and the description was wrong — they didn't say it wassigned by the artist but I knew it was signed. They were selling it for$400, but I will probably re-list it for $3,200.
If people don'tknow what it is, or they are in trouble and need the money, then youare going to get a good deal. Because I do it all the time, I probablymake half a million dollars a year.
Donates Plasma

Photo: Monique Harps

Monique Harps (left), with her brother Byron, donates plasma twice a week.

Name: Monique Harps
Age: 30
Hometown: Tulsa, Okla.
Day job: Supply chain project manager at American Airline
Moneymaking gig: Plasma donor
Idonate plasma twice a week. I'm a regular. I go every Wednesday andFriday at 6:30 a.m. before work. I've been doing that since May. Andnow I know all the names of the phlebotomists. I walk in and they say:'Hey Monique!'
I make sure I have a protein-rich diet and drink alot of fluids and, a few hours later, I'm fine. Right now I get paid$55 a week, but in September it's going to be $60 — like getting araise.
For me, it's just for the money. I've been trying to paydown my debt. I had $105,000 in student loans, but now I'm down to$36,000. I'll stop donating once all the debts are paid.
Plays Music at Bars and Conventions

Photo: Nicholas Rebhan

Clay Howard performs '60s cover songs.

Name: Clay Howard
Age: 42
Hometown: Greensboro, N.C.
Day job: Office manager
Moneymaking gig: Musician at parties
(Duringthe day) I do all the accounting, PR and marketing for a businessincubator in Greensboro. Our mission is to help create jobs and we havea three-person staff, so I haven't had a raise in three years. Plus, Ihave four kids and they get more expensive the bigger they get.
I'vealways been in bands but they don't make any money. I started callingbars and found out you could make a couple hundred bucks per show. NowI play about 100 shows a year. It's definitely helped make up thedifference.
I've played everything from the North Carolinabiotech conference to regular gigs in wine bars. My minimum is $200 andif they'll pay me, I'll play it. I play lots of classic rock coversfrom the '60s. You can always count on CCR (Creedence ClearwaterRevival). There are those nights in a sports bar when you wonder ifit's worth it, but you really can't make money as easily as that.
Types in Foreclosure Data

Photo: Bonnie Wnenkowski

It may not make her feel good, but Bonnie Wnenkowsk, here with a friend, types up lists of local foreclosures for extra cash.

Name: Bonnie Wnenkowski
Age: 60
Hometown: Moody, Texas
Day job: Retired
Moneymaking gig: Data entry for a foreclosure listing agency
I work for a foreclosure listing agency and type up lists of local foreclosures every week.
Theypay us $10 an hour and I just take what I can. My unemployment is goneso that is it. It's saddening because you don't want to see anyone losetheir home, but it's also really interesting because I've learned a lotabout the mortgage business. But there were a couple of times therewere names that I recognized, and I was like 'oh my gosh!'
Themost heartbreaking for me was a foreclosure on a house owned by a momwith three kids who had not received her child support payments — thatwas awful. I just wanted to call her but there's nothing you can do.
Sells Her Old Clothes

Photo: Allie Rosenberg

Allie Rosenberg regularly sorts through her closet looking for items to sell.

Allie Rosenberg regularly sorts through her closet looking for items to sell.
Name: Allie Rosenberg
Age: 23
Hometown: San Francisco
Day job: Account manager
Moneymaking gig: Selling old clothes
Ijust moved to San Francisco and got a new job at a tech [publicrelations] firm. I just don't have time to get a second job, but I livea block away from a Buffalo Exchange. They give you cash right on thespot for used clothing.
I have a lot of winter clothes fromliving on the East coast and they actually gave me a lot of money forclothes I wasn't going to wear anymore. It's been a great way to make alittle extra money and create some closet space as well.
Now, Iperiodically bring things over there and it's nice to have the pocketcash. Last time I made $40. If I go every two weeks I can have someextra cash to put towards groceries or bills.
Teaches Classes at Night

Photo: John Herndon

John Herndon sacrifices time with his family to teach classes at night.

Name: John Herndon
Age: 42
Hometown: Livermore, Calif.
Day job: Consultant
Moneymaking gig: Teaching classes
Iam the epitome of the word 'hustle' in today's working environment. Wehave three kids here at home so my wife and I both have to work. Iconsult with clients during the day and I teach three classes at alocal university at night — two business law classes and one corporatefinance class.
I really enjoy teaching. I get paid for it, but Ido it because the texts are written so dryly and I like to give thestudents something real. But sometimes, I don't get home from classuntil 11pm at night and that's hard. You spend all week trying tosupport your family but by the time you get home, they're in bed.
Still, when you have a family to provide for, you have to make sacrifices and you damn well better do it.

This article is part of a series related to being Financially Fit on Yahoo!

"I Don't Know How She Do It" Movie Giveaway! (CLOSED)

2011-09-08T17:09:00.000-07:00

Sarah Jessica Parker is the embodiment of a working mom, juggling many different roles. Thisglamorous gal, puts a new spin on multi-tasking with her ability to balance motherhood, along-term relationship and kids, being a UNICEF Goodwill ambassador,and a stand-out member of Hollywood's Women's Political Committee. Despite all on her plate, she still manages to throw in some blockbuster movies in the mix.

With all she does off-screen, it makes complete sense that on-screen she would be the perfect choice for the upcoming movie I Don't Know How She Does It.Based on Allison Pearson's bestseller, the movie casts Parker as ahigh-powered breadwinner with an good guy husband and two kids. Can Parker have it all? Will she successfully juggle the many roles of a working mom - throw the perfect birthday party and be the ultimate lover to her husband - while climbing the corporate ladder? You'll have to check out the movie when it premiers on September 16 to know how well she does! Good thing she has actors like ChristinaHendricks, Seth Meyers, and Busy Phillips as backup.

You can win tickets to see I Don't Know How She Does It when it comes out on September 16! There will be 10 (ten) lucky winners! Contest ends 09/13/2011.

Rules:
   1) Share in the comment section some of the roles that you juggle in your given day.
     2) "Like" I Don't Know How She Does It Fan page
     3)   Become a Follower of Work From The Nest
   4) Follow Work From The Nest on twitter (@workfromthenest)
   5) Tweet this giveaway and post the URL to your tweet in the comment section.
            Your tweet should say:

Enter to win a movie ticket to "I Don't Know How She Does It" on @Workfromthenest
http://ht.ly/6pplI! @idkhowshedoesit

This giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on September 13,2011 at 9:00 pm EST. Ten (10) winner will be chosen at random and contactedvia email. Please leave your email address in your comment if you donot have a Blogger Profile. Good luck!

Disclosure: I was provided with complimentary tickets to see "I Don't Know How She Does It" in exchange for my review and posting of this giveaway. My comprehensive review will be forthcoming new week.

Frugal Fashionistas Need To Know About BigWardrobe.com

2011-09-07T18:19:00.000-07:00

Fashionable frugalistas take note: British website Bigwardrobe.com, the Internet’s No. 1 clothes swapping website, is launching in North America with a US office. The website brims with a huge mix of labels, including Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Vivienne Westwood, DKNY, Chanel, Marc Jacobs, Stella McCartney, Miss Sixty, Topshop and Diesel, demonstrating that you don’t have to travel to a fashion capital – or even spend a cent – to be 100% on-trend.

As addictive as Facebook and with a more intuitive interface than eBay, Bigwardrobe.com is at the forefront of the worldwide movement to recycle clothes. The continuing global recession means it’s now fashionable to be thrifty, using your clothing as credit-crunch currency to swap for other people’s pre-loved fashion. As soon as you add your items to Bigwardrobe.com, you start to receive offers from other members to swap unwanted clothes, bags, shoes and accessories for others, sell them, or use a combination of the two.

“Even a global fashion icon like Michelle Obama is clothes swapping,” says Jamie Hutchinson, co-founder of Bigwardrobe.com, referring to a swap party the First Lady organized in New York City during her husband’s presidential campaign. “Based on our success in the UK, we are certain the US consumer will embrace this new and fun way to shop – and save money at the same time.” The average US consumer has $300 worth of unused clothing sitting in their wardrobe.

Started in May 2008, Bigwardrobe.com has in two years gained 35,000 members (and 35,000 new wardrobes for them to plunder), over 80,000 listed items, 5,000 new items added per week, and 300 swap offers per day – offering the convenience of swapping things you don’t wear for things you will, or turning your unwanted clothes back to cash. In these cost-conscious times, Bigwardrobe.com is an affordable substitute for shopping and entertainment.

The ‘Bottom Drawer’ section of the site allows entertainment items – such as books, DVD’s, toys, iPods, mobile phones, cameras, and CDs – that may be lurking unloved in your wardrobe (or under the bed) to be redistributed online instead of thrown away. Bigwardrobe.com’s popularity with celebrities means that if you fancy owning a pair of Russell Brand’s skinny jeans, you can buy celebrity threads on the site for a cause. There’s even a vintage area for those whose style transcends time.

New members to Bigwardrobe.com can avail of two options: they can join for free with limited functionality, or they can pay a small annual subscription of $18 to become a ‘Friend of Bigwardrobe’ and benefit from many extra features. Bigwardrobe.com is not aimed only at people with premium brands or vintage items, nor is it just aimed just at women. Men, women and kids alike can find a new home for their unwanted clothing on Bigwardrobe.com, and find apparel for all ages, shapes, and sizes there.

Imagine opening your closet and choosing from 100 million outfits. Welcome to the future of online retail. Welcome to Bigwardrobe.com.

Heelys Loves Bloggers

2011-09-01T07:20:00.000-07:00

If your kids are anything like mine, they probably LOVE their Heelys shoes.

The folks at Heelysvalue you and want to offer a special discount justto YOU!. They are providing your with a free shipping code HeelysLovesBloggers good from 12 AM (CDT) Friday, September 2, 2011, through11:59 PM (CDT) Monday, September 5, 2011 on http://shop.heeys.com.

Afteryou have selected your two pair of Heelys, you will thenview your cart. At the top of the cart is a place to enter the discount code. Select apply coupon.

Have a great and safe holiday weekend.

Make Heelys Part of Your Back-to-School Shopping with the Labor Day Sale – Buy One Pair of Heelys, Get the Second Pair for $30

As summer winds down, it’s time to focus on getting ready to go back to school. Don’t forget to include Heelys (NASDAQ: HLYS) on your shopping list. To help get kids into new pairs of Heelys, or to replace Heelys worn out from constant summer use, Heelys is having a Labor Day sale: buy one pair of Heelys from the Heelys shop, http://shop.heelys.com, and get a second pair for $30. The least expensive pair of Heelys in the shopping cart will be discounted. This offer is good for U.S. customers only.

WHEN: 12:00 AM (CDT) Friday, September 2, 2011, through 11:59 PM (CDT) Monday, September 5, 2011.

WHERE: Heelys Shop - http://shop.heelys.com/

DETAILS: Buy one pair of Heelys from the Heelys shop, http://shop.heelys.com, and get a second pair for $30. The least expensive pair of Heelys in the shopping cart will be discounted. This offer is good for U.S. customers only.

No Wedding No Womb

2010-09-20T08:42:00.001-07:00

It's ONE voice but many, many bloggers banding together to say that we do not support the baby-mama/daddy syndrome that has reached epidemic proportions in the black community. This cause called No Wedding No Womb was spearheaded by the phenomenal Christelyn Karazin of Beyond Black & White.

This movement is not just for black blogger - all bloggers who would like to show support are absolutely welcome. The fact is the 72% out of wedlock births with in the black community is a problem that is affecting all Americans. Will you raise your voice in support with us on September 22 to say children deserve both a mother and a father?

Hampton Chain of Friends Sweepstake

2010-09-03T20:55:00.000-07:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Hampton Hotels. All opinions are 100% mine.

As we near the end of summer I find myself feeling a bit of nostalgia for different moments passed that summed up summer for me. Long sunny days at the beach filled with sand underfoot; the taste of salt water on the lips; wind blowing through the hair – these are just a few moments that immediately come to mind. None of these moments would have touched me so incredibly had it not been for the people dearest to my heart that were with me. Isn't that what precious moments in our lives are all about - people?

This summer the Hampton hotel chain is providing a wonderful way for you to make lasting memories with your friends and family with their Hampton Chain of Friends Sweepstakes. The grand prize winner will win an entire hotel for a weekend! That's 100 rooms to spend with people of your choosing at the Hampton for one weekend. Additionally, the winner will receive $5000 to help pay the tax for the weekend! I can think of tons of people I'd bring along...and OH! the stuff we would do! Can someone say room service, late nights chatting, yea, there would be some bubbly stuff flowing too - with in reason of course. Really, the most enjoyable part of it all would be having the people I love surrounding me. That alone would make the weekend unforgettable.

Now I know you are curious as to how you can have a chance at this amazing prize. Simply enter the Hampton Chain of Friends Sweepstakes by booking a room and entering "FRIEND" in the promotion/offer code sections OR you can go directly to the Hampton sweepstake site to enter. NO purchase is necessary. The sweepstake ends 9/4/10 at 11:59pm CT so enter NOW before time runs out. The sweepstakes is open to everyone, not just those that are Hilton Honors members or those that have previously stayed at a Hampton.

Summer: The Season for Reading

2010-05-27T10:58:00.000-07:00

Summer’s here and you’ve started making your annual checklist: Sunscreen? Check. Sandals? Check. Beach towels? Got ‘em. But while you’re going over the must-haves for the season, don’t forget the single most important thing your kids will need: something really great to read.

While relaxing on the beach with a good book is one of life’s most delicious pleasures, study after study has shown that reading is one of the most essential things that kids can do when school’s out. A 2002 report from National Summer Learning Association states that children lose approximately two months of learning over the summer, meaning that come September, teachers will spend those first few weeks re-teaching kids what they already learned the year before.

“Motivating children to read throughout the summer is essential to building lifelong readers,” says Carol H. Rasco, president and CEO of Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), the nation’s largest children’s literacy nonprofit. “And reading is the doorway to all other learning.” With that in mind, how do you convince your kids to build reading time into their summer plans? Fortunately, RIF has come up with a number of ideas to help you make this summer a season of reading.

· Combine activities with books. Going to a baseball game? Head to the library and check out a biography about your child’s favorite player. Is summer camp on the agenda? See if the camp has a blog you can follow.

· Lead by example. Show kids that you love to read by picking up the newspaper each morning or sharing about something you’ve read, and they’ll understand that reading is important to everyone.

· Relax the rules. Summer is a time when children can read what, when, and how they please. Don’t set any requirements, and don’t force kids to read something they’re not interested in.

· Visit the library. It’s got thousands of books and audiobooks to borrow, computers to use, and magazines to leaf through. Make the library your “go-to” destination for the summer.

· Think outside the book. Recognize that reading can happen in many formats, from eBooks to magazines to online read-along stories. Check out www.rif.org/kids for great read-alongs and other fun games and activities designed to keep kids reading.

At the end of the day, it all boils down to this: read. Read together, read separately, read anywhere, read everywhere. It’s the surest way to make certain that your kids will start the school year off right.

’20 in 20’ Campaign Sets Out to Raise Money for Hunger

2010-05-21T11:51:00.000-07:00

Taste of the NFL has announced its newest initiative to kick hunger in the United States – its ’20 in 20’ campaign. As a launching pad for its 20th season, TNFL is asking people to go online (www.TasteoftheNFL.com) by May 31 and make a donation to combat this serious issue facing millions in our country. The goal: generate 20,000 donations in 20 days that can be immediately disbursed to help feed Americans who have turned to their local food shelves for assistance.

According to the national office of Feeding America, donations to this initiative have multiplying effects. Every $1 donated helps provide seven meals for men, women and children.
“Hunger statistics are alarming in our country,” said Wayne Kostroski, TNFL’s founder. “Approximately 38% of all current food bank patrons are first-time visitors, which is a direct reflection of the recent economic conditions. They’re like many Americans – one hardship away from needing public assistance.”

TNFL’s ’20 in 20’ campaign will accept donations through May 31 at www.TasteoftheNFL.com.

About the Taste of the NFL
The Taste of the NFL (TNFL) is a 501c3 that exists to raise awareness and dollars for hunger relief organizations involved in tackling hunger in America. Proudly celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2011, the organization conducts national and local fund raising events throughout the year to raise money to combat hunger issues facing millions of Americans. Within its 20 years, Minneapolis-based Taste of the NFL has raised more than $10 million for this critically important cause and is looking forward to its national event on the eve of Super Bowl XLV in North Texas. For more information, visit www.TasteoftheNFL.com.

image: Flickr

Free Entertainment for Kids During the Summer Break

2010-05-20T10:49:00.000-07:00

Free Entertainment for Kids on Summer Break “Stay-cation”  10 Web Sites to Keep Your Kids Entertained and Safe

In these tough times, a lot of families are opting for Summer break “stay-cations” instead of big summer trips. But if you’re staying home, it can be hard to keep the kids entertained and out of trouble. Many parents are naturally cautious about letting their kids loose on the Internet, but there is a lot of good, free, appropriate content available online – if you know where to look. Here’s a list of 10 web sites to bookmark that can help your kids beat Spring Break boredom if they’re staying home.

Best Set-and-Forget Web Environment for Kids

· KidZui – KidZui is actually not a Web site at all – it’s the Internet made just for kids. It gives kids access to millions of Web sites (including all of the below), YouTube videos, games and photos that have been vetted by a team of parents and teachers. Kids love the cute little avatars they can create and the safe social networking features, and parents love the fact that there’s no chance of enquiring minds stumbling across anything inappropriate.

Best Web Sites for Kids

· Club Penguin – A snow-covered virtual world where children play games and interact with friends in the guise of colorful penguin avatars.

· Lego.com – Ideal for the Lego fan, your child can watch Lego comics and movies, play games and construct their own Web page to show off their creativity.

· Nick.com – Your child can pledge to save the world, play games, check out the latest news on SpongeBob or create a virtual life on Nicktropolis.

· PBSKids.com – With games themed around Sesame Street, Clifford, Curious George, Arthur, Barney and other kid classics, your kids will have fun "interacting" with their favorite characters.

· Poptropica – This virtual online world lets kids create a character, play games, compete with other kids and travel between islands on a blimp to explore new areas.  

Best Online Game Sites for Kids

· Cartoon Network Games – With more than 200 games featuring favorite cartoon characters, your kids can hunt monsters with Scooby-Doo, play Ninja Survival or follow the Path of a Jedi.

· Funbrain – Part of the Family Education Network, the site provides educational activities for parents and teachers, as well as interactive games to help your kids with math and reading.

· Funschool – This site, provided by Kaboose, is designed for elementary-age kids and offers free educational games as well as printable activities, coloring sheets and craft projects that will help your kids learn while having fun.

· Hot Wheels Games – For car fans, Hot Wheels has dozens of vehicle-related games that let kids drive through mazes, race friends and solve puzzles.

KidZui’s Cliff Boro believes that parents needn’t be afraid of letting their kids use the Internet. “The Internet is a wonderful tool that, when used appropriately, provides endless hours of free entertainment for the whole family,” he says. “And more than that, it’s a great way for kids to learn and discover new things without even realizing it!”

image: Flickr