C. Raysor Photography- Hot Deal!

Chrissie Raysor from C. Raysor Photography got in touch with us to let us know that she is offering a special sale just for the readers of the Chester County Mom's blog! Contact her before Sept 15, 2008 to book a session, mention the Chester County Moms site, and you'll get half off the session fee AND a $25 print credit to use with your order! Your session doesn't have to happen by Sept 15, you just have to contact her by then! Email her at info@craysor.com to schedule a photo shoot!"

Back To School Tips

It's that time of year again -- back to school! If you've got a house full of moans and groans over the prospect, try using some of these great tips for making the transition for sleepy summers smooth.

Two weeks before school starts

• Get your child to open up about his expectations for school. Ask him if he feels excited, anxious, or a little bit of both. Talk with him about specific worries he has for the upcoming year.
• Explain the upcoming school routine in detail. Go over your child’s schedule, including the times by which he’ll need to wake up, eat breakfast, and be ready to leave the house. Have a couple practice runs beforehand.
  
• Make the transition from summer to school bedtimes by starting your kids going to bed fifteen minutes earlier each night about two weeks before school, with no more staying up until ten or eleven o’clock at night.
• With your child’s help, brainstorm and come up with a list of his favorite lunches and snacks to pack for school in order to make grocery shopping easier and for quick reference on school nights.

A Week Before School Starts

• Make sure your child feels comfortable with how he will be getting to school. Drive the bus route with him, walk with him to school the first week, or find an older child to walk with him. Review safety precautions regarding traffic and strangers.
• Make back-to-school shopping into a special outing that includes lunch for just the two of you.
• Store out-of-season and dress clothes where your child doesn’t see them to avoid fights over wearing a party dress to school or a bathing suit all day.
• Put away your child’s clothes in matching sets, and let him have the independence of choosing which set he’ll wear that day.
• Make sure your child is comfortable using the school’s bathrooms by himself, and choose school clothes that are easy for your child to pull on and off himself. Opt for elastic waists over zippers or snaps.

The Night Before/First Day of School

• Take pictures, and pick one spot to do this each year, such as the front porch or steps.
• Make a big family sit-down dinner the night before or after the first day. Talk through some of the highlights of the summer and state one goal for the coming school year.
• Pack all the items you and your child need for work, school, or day care and load the car. If that’s not feasible, place coats, bags, and lunch boxes by the door.
• Pack lunches and refrigerate sandwiches — sometimes this is easiest to do while making dinner. Put your car keys with the sandwiches if it helps your remember to add the sandwiches to lunch boxes in the morning, or put a note on the lunch box to remind you.
• Start the school year off right by making the first day something to celebrate. Have a big breakfast, decorate the kitchen, serve a favorite meal, and hand out new lunch boxes or school supplies.
• Bake your child a batch of his favorite cookies as something to look forward to after the stress of the first day.
• Pack something familiar in your child’s backpack to make him feel more comfortable, and something new to make him feel special.
• Make up a goodbye ritual. Don’t sneak away, even if you’re tempted to avoid a big teary scene. Give a hug, a kiss, and a warm but firm goodbye. Don’t ask for your child’s permission to leave, return after you’ve left if you hear your child cry, or bribe your child into letting you leave.
• Tape a picture of yourself and your partner near your child’s coat hook or cubby area. Your child will be able to take a peek at Mom and Dad whenever she likes.

It's Cake Time!

I would like to give a big Thank You to Cake Time, for the delicious ice cream cake for my sons jungle themed first birthday.

What is Cake Time? Cake Time is a site developed for parents by parents to help ease the stress of planning and organizing parties and activities so that you can...

• Search for venues that can host your party!
• Have a cake delivered to any location -- your home, your workplace or any party venue!
• Submit a review of places you've been to help build our party planning resource!

Click Here to be directed to Cake Time or visit them at www.caketime.com

Powder Hour at Plain Jane in West Chester

Mark your calendar ladies...August 27th... Plain Jane Powder Hour is Back!

From 6 - 8PM at Plain Jane located at 128 E Gay St, West Chester, PA...
Free makeovers and champagne! What a fun girls night out! Get all glammed up then hit the town and go out for dinner.

Remember you can always book your own girl's night "powder hour" by calling 610-918-2030

Save The Date...

Chester County Moms has partnered with Elite Personal Training Studio for a "Sweat & Swag" event on Saturday, September 6th. Join us for a FREE Boot Camp work out from 8am - 9am. Elite Personal Training Center is located at 571 West Uwchlan Avenue (Rt. 113), Exton, PA.

Elite Personal Training hosts a Boot Camp work out EVERY Saturday morning... a perfect playgroup "Mommy Only" event. (hint, hint). All profits are donated to Alex's Lemonade Stand. The work out is FREE but a $5 donation to Alex's Lemonade Stand is encouraged.

The first 30 people to register will receive a Boot camp T-shirt and a "swag" bag full of coupons and goodies from Chester County businesses.... Elite Personal Training Studio, My Gym Children's Center, Wegman's, and Classy Mommy... just to name a few.

We are also going to raffle off a Graco Enzo Compact Stroller as well as several other goodies. So mark your calendar and come out and sweat the morning away with us and support Alex's Lemonade Stand.

To register please email sweatandswag@gmail.com. Register today to secure your swag!


**If you are a business owner and interested in donating a raffle item or coupon to your business for the swag bags please email jenn@chstercountymoms.com

Musings From A Housewife Give Away

Jo-Lynne at Musings of a Housewife has an awesome give away going on for a handcrafted piece of jewelry from Swede at Heart.
She is picking a winner on Thursday so head on over to her blog and enter today.

Shore Shot Photo Contest

So...you have done the family vacation to the shore.. Submit your "Shore Shot" photos to NBC 10 and enter to win a free gas card and a two night stay in an Atlantic City hotel and go on a "Mom-cation".

NBC 10 is looking for the most creative and clearest photos, so send in your best! One winner will be chosen each week.

Click here to see the official contest rules and submit your "Shore Shot" photo.

NBC 10 - All That & More Sweepstakes

All That & More has some great prizes to give away for parents and their kids. Are you looking for tickets to see The Wiggles, tickets to Sesame Place, and stuffed animals for the kids? Or maybe you just had a baby and need a diaper bag or baby carrier. Well... you can win some of these fabulous prizes on All That & More. The Kidz Sweepstakes runs until August 26th!
Click here to enter and remember, you can enter once a day to better your chances of winning!

I entered the Kidz Sweepstakes Contest on NBC 10's All That & More Website yesterday for Wiggle's tickets and just received a call saying we won! Woo-hoo! I won 4 tickets to the show tomorrow night...the hottest ticket in town! I am so excited! Stay tuned for pictures.
Thank You.. NBC 10 & All That & More!


Besides the awesome Kidz Sweepstakes going on right now there is lots of important consumer information on the All That & More web page.....Information regarding, the mortgage crisis. The probelm was so bad last month that, the president signed legislation aimed at helping struggling homeowners who find themselves trapped in the foreclosure process. It's also providing free help. Click here for tips on facing and surviving foreclosure, housing agency contact information, and more.

There is a 4 minute workout that some say can reverse scoliosis in children, which is a condition that causes a young person's spine to curve. Click here for complete info.

Classy Mommy Weekly Giveaway Round-Up

Thanks to the Chester County Moms for letting Classy Mommy share our fantastic giveaways with our local neighbors!

We've got a ton of DVD's this week. Enter to win Smart People and Backyardigans DVDs here. Classy Mommy has daily entry giveaways so you can increase your chance of winning by visiting more often. You'll also find these giveaways still open: a cheeky modern monkey Dante Beatrix backpack, Strawberry Shortcake DVD, and Thomas & Friends The Great Discovery DVD.


Good Luck!

FREE Boot Camp Workout

Looking to shed the last of your "baby weight"? Join Matt Sgro, the owner of Elite Personal Training in Lionville for a FREE outdoor workout this Saturday morning from 8-9am at Elite Personal Training Studio, 571 W. Uwchlan Ave.(Route 113) Exton, PA 19341. The workout is "Boot Camp" style but, don't worry Matt, promises no in your face yelling just great trainers dedicated to getting you back in shape.

Roll out of bed, come as you are and get a great FREE workout to start off your Saturday. Everyone that participates recieves a FREE Boot Camp T-shirt and can enter to win 1 FREE 1/2 hour personal training session with one of the Elite Personal Training Studio trainers. How cool is that?!?

The Elite Personal Training Studio's Boot Camp with a Purpose donates ALL profits to one of our favorite charities...

The workout is FREE but a $5 donation to Alex's Lemonade Stand is encouraged.


The Chester County Moms team is very excited about the partnership with Elite Personal Training Studio and is putting together a "Sweat & Swag" event on September 6th. You know when we do swag.. we do it big!

Click here to link to the Elite Personal Training Studio Blog.

Hope to see you on Saturday morning...

Tales & Toys Tuesday

My little guys 1st Birthday is coming up so we took a trip to our favorite local toy store, Tales & Toys for him to pick out some toys that he liked for his very own Tales & Toys "Birthday Bin".

What is a "Birthday Bin"? The Birthday Kid gets a "Birthday Bin" with their name written on it and they ( or Mom and Dad) get to go around the store picking gifts for party goers to come in and purchase. When the bin is full it stays at the store and as your party guests come in to shop they are directed to your bin. It takes the guess work out of gift giving. You know that if your child has a "Birthday Bucket" at Tales & Toys they will receive gifts that they really wanted.

100 Ridge Road, Suite 15 • Chadds Ford, PA 19317

610-358-1954

Celebrity spotting in Exton...

Actress Danica McKeller, otherwise known as Winnie Cooper from the Wonder Years, will be holding a book signing starting at 7 pm at the Barnes & Noble in Main Street at Exton tonight promoting her new book, Kiss My Math: Showing Pre-Algebra Who's Boss.

Last year, actress and math genius Danica made waves nationwide, challenging the “math nerd” stereotype and giving girls the tools to ace tests and homework in her unique just-us-girls style. Now, in Kiss My Math, McKellar empowers a new crop of girls—7th to 9th graders—taking on the next level of mathematics: pre-Algebra.

Lands' End Holiday Art Work Contest

Chester County Moms received an email about this really fun contest and we love to share great opportunities with you! So here's another one from one of our favorite brands. This project is both fun for you and your kids and will have you all smiling through the holidays!

It's the Lands' End Holiday Art Contest! This year's theme is "Holiday Fun." What do you do to make it special? Go sledding? Decorate cookies? Trim the tree? Send Lands' End your best holiday drawing and your art could go from your refrigerator to their catalog.

*Artwork must be done vertically on a single 8½" x 11" piece of paper
(no matting).
*Entrants must be 12 years old or younger as of August 14, 2008.
*One entry per child.
*Entries must be postmarked by August 14, 2008.

Winning drawings may be published in the Lands' End Holiday 2008 issue or on the Lands' End Web site. Three prizes will be awarded in each age group: 1 to 6, 7 to 9 and 10 to 12.

The selected artists will receive:
FIRST PRIZE: $500 Lands' End Gift Card
SECOND PRIZE: $250 Lands' End Gift Card
THIRD PRIZE: $100 Lands' End Gift Card

Send artwork and entry form (found at landsend.com/rules) or a 3½" x 5" card with child's name, date of birth, address, telephone number and signature of parent/guardian. Entry form or index card must be signed by a parent or guardian.

Send to:
Lands' End Kids' Art Contest
1 Lands' End Lane
Dodgeville, WI 53595

For a complete set of rules, visit landsend.com/rules. Hope you and your kids enjoy this project and contest!

If Moms Ruled the World...

If Moms Ruled the World There Would Be a Lot Less Bellyaching!
by guest poster YK Wright

I came across and article yesterday about how a recent CareerBuilder.com poll showed that 78 percent of workers feel burned out at work, and it got me thinking. The article notes that 46 percent of workers say their workload has increased over the last six months and approximately the same percentage describe their current workload as heavy or too heavy. I’d argue that my workload has increase over the past six months since having another child. For starters, I now have to do at least one extra load of laundry each week. This includes sorting, folding and putting away. I have an extra bedroom to clean, I wash far more dishes now that we have four mouths eating at each meal, I have more places that I have to take my three-year-old to keep her busy which means more hauling of a 14-month-old, I have one more person who I have to make happy during each waking hour, I have more toys to clean up off the floor, I have double the kisses, hugs, stories and prayers to say each night, there are bigger boo-boos to kiss, more reasoning to be done on a daily basis with people who don’t want to listen to me, and more weight to carry on each arm when getting in and out of the car (36, and 20lbs, respectively).So, do I get a vacation away from my “coworkers” or “employees”? Let me check my calendar. Oh why waste my time. The answer is no. Should I expect more pay? Oh, silly question. So, what does a burned out mom do to stay sane?Actually, I have to admit that I think I am lucky to have an outlet by going to work a few days a week. Others may have differing opinions. When I go to work I get to dress in something other than my usual stained t-shirt and jeans, drink coffee in front of my computer without the fear of second- or third- degree burns occurring at the hand of a 14-month-old, see and speak to other like-minded adults and eat lunch without having to stop 12 times a minute to get a napkin for someone else, wipe their butt after using the potty, refill a sippy cup, cut up more grapes, or wipe up the spilled jelly on the floor. But the bottom line is that I’m still a mom, and there is no escaping that. You get burned out and you have to deal with it. You “rise to the occasion,” do what you have to without complaint and manage as best as you can. We cant just quit. We’re moms and we’re truly blessed by the beautiful gift of of children.The article does offer some advise, however, that applies to all working people; and we all know raising kids is one hell of a job! Here are a few tips which we all can apply to our daily lives:

*Learn to say no. Reduce your commitments both at work and home.

*Get organized. Create a checklist of things that need to be addressed for that day and focus on those tasks only.

*Get plenty of rest, eat a healthy diet and remember to exercise. Working out can significantly reduce stress levels.

*Finally, give yourself a break.So, if life gives you lemons, make lemonade. And P.S. I won’t tell if you add a splash of vodka!

Pictures From The Launch Party

Below are a few pictures from the Chester County Moms Launch Party in West Chester on Swingin" Thursday, August 7th. If you have pictures...we would love to add them to this post. Please email them to Jenn@chestercountymoms.com.

Inside Plain Jane before the party

QVC Personality Diana Urbine and family

The Give - Aways

FREE Art Classes at Exton Square

The Chester County Art Association will hold FREE art classes in their Exton Square Mall Studio during the month of August. The studio is located on the Lower Level near H&M. The August schedule is as follows:

Wednesday, August 6
11:00-12:00 Mommy&Me Houses 5 & Under
12:30-1:30 Tubular Designs 9 & Under
2:00-3:00 Twisted Metal 10 & Older
4:00-6:00 Silk Scarf Painting Adult
(Limited to 12 Students)

Mommy tip... The art classes are lots of fun and the kids get to take home their creations. Get there a few minutes early, space is limited.

Thursday Thirteen Cookie Magazine Gift Basket Give Away

And the winner is.... Lila! Thank you for visiting Chester County Moms. We hope you enjoy your fabulous Elizabeth Grant swag!


This Thursday Thirteen is all about your Favorite Thirteen Online Boutiques and courtesy of Cookie Magazine one lucky Chester County Moms reader will win a fabulous Elizabeth Grant gift basket.

Elizabeth Grant is a highly advanced luxury skin care line for women of all ages and skin types. Celebrities like Brooke Shields, Ivana Trump, Jennifer Lopez (she loves the caviar eye pads)and Minnie Driver are all fans of the products. Each Elizabeth Grant product contains the company's exclusive compound, Torricelumn™ - a blend of vitamins, proteins, botanicals and anti-oxidants that penetrate deep into the skin helping to restore skin's essential moisture, stimulate Collagen and Elastin production and repair damaged skin. Elizabeth Grant products are NOT tested on animals and Elizabeth Grant supports several women's, diabetic and cancer research charities.

On August 2nd Elizabeth Grant products will be featured on Shop NBC.



This Elizabeth Grant gift basket includes: 1 Vitamin C Night Treatment, 1 Vitamin C Body Lotion, 1 Vitamin C Day Treatment, 1 Lip Gloss, 1 Bio Collasis Eye Cream, 1 24 Hour Hand Cream, 2 Caviar Eye Pads


The Moms at Chester County Moms LOVE Cookie Magazine... Click here to order your RISK - FREE trial issue of Cookie and receive a FREE tote bag.





Contest Rules...You MUST list your thirteen favorite online boutiques as a comment to enter this contest. Please don't copy another persons entry. The purpose of this contest is to learn about new online boutiques. Make sure you include your email address if you you are not linking back to your blog. The winner of this contest will be picked electronically at random and notified via email. Email only entries are NOT accepted for this contest. Only 1 entry per blog/email please. The winner must be at least 18 years old and a Chester County, PA resident. CCM writers and family members are not eligible to win this contest. Not sure how to leave a comment.. click here or email sarah@chestercountymoms.com
Good Luck!

Great Sites

Info on these great sites came in from a Chester County Dad... Thanks for the tips!


Momsview.com - A website offering coupons and sales information for many different stores including Best Buy, Home Depot, Gap, Babies R Us, etc.

ebates.com - An affiliate site that offers cash back (and it works, as I've gotten over $50 back from them). How it works is you go to their web site, click on a link to go to another web site (e.g. Borders.com) and make a purchase. Border's offers 4% cash back through eBates, so 4% of your purchase gets added to your eBates account. Every three months if you've earned over $5, they'll cut you a check. If you have earned less than $5, the money in your account carries over to the next period. The cash back is usually between 1 and 5%, but still something.

If you know of any websites that you would like to share with the Chester County Mom readers please email jenn@chestercountymoms.com

FREE Zagat guide for Allergy Sufferers

Chester County Readers... we are excited to share information about a new exclusive
Zagat Guide: Out & About with Allergies: An Insider's Guide to Enjoying the City!

Over 40 million Americans suffer from nasal allergies, and find their
symptoms a hassle during the peak seasons. Their biggest complaint:
simply not being able to enjoy the outdoors when nasal and eye
symptoms become severe. A key for nasal allergy sufferers is to talk with their doctors to get their symptoms under control so they can truly enjoy the outdoors and fun activities like dining alfresco or visiting a park.

That's why Zagat Survey® and GlaxoSmithKline, a leader in developing
allergy medicines, came together to launch Out & About with Allergies: An Insider's Guide to Enjoying the City. This cool, complimentary guide showcases chic restaurants, rooftop bars, and outdoor attractions in 20
cities across the country. Each destination is reviewed in the unique Zagat style, featuring input from people who have actually been there. The guide also includes simple tips that can make spending time in the fresh air easier for adults and children with nasal allergies

Seasonal allergy sufferer and outdoor enthusiast James Denton of Desperate Housewives authors the foreward of the guide, which is available free at www.outandaboutwithallergies.com.

Click here to sign up now for your FREE copy of Zagat Guide: Out & About with Allergies: An Insider's Guide to Enjoying the City!

Remembering Randy Pausch

Randy Pausch, the Carnegie Mellon(my mom is a Carnegie Mellon Alum) professor who became a "You Tube" phenomenon with his "Last Lecture," died today of complications from pancreatic cancer. He was 47. He died at his home in southern Virginia.
He was a truly inspirational man, father, teacher, and author. I watched a Dateline NBC special a few weeks ago and have been in awe of him ever since. His last lecture was made into a book. You can purchase it by clicking on this link. I just bought it and looking forward to reading all that he had to say.

Below are a few statements from RANDY PAUSCH'S 'LAST LECTURE'

-Never underestimate the importance of having fun. I'm dying and I'm having fun. And I'm going to keep having fun every day because there's no other way to play it.

-Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted.

-No one is pure evil. Find the best in everybody. Wait long enough and people will surprise and impress you.

-Brick walls are there for a reason. They are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. The brick walls are there to stop people who don't want it badly enough.

-It is not about achieving your dreams but living your life. If you lead your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself. The dreams will come to you.

-We can't change the cards we're dealt, just how we play the hand. If I'm not as depressed as you think I should be, I'm sorry to disappoint you.

Below is his now famous "You Tube" lecture...it is a long video but SO worth it to watch.