The Go To Mommy

The Place For Answers

Best First Birthday Gifts For Girls

by

A beautiful First Birthday Present for girls can really make her happy. She will certainly look forward to getting gifts and being showered with gifts. You may have this thought in your mind but just when you are about to buy the things to give to the little girl, suddenly you stop because you are worried that she might hate them. Well, a beautiful birthday cake in a girl’s birthday party is definitely a must! Just like you are celebrating a girl’s 1st birthday, you may consider decorating the entire cake with white buttercream or pink fondant. It will definitely look absolutely beautiful.

When you want to get her the most perfect first birthday presents, what you need to do is to think of the things that she will appreciate. Your baby girl will surely love any item that is personalized or reflects the name of the person who is celebrating her 1st birthday. These are some ideas that you may consider for the one-year old girl’s First Birthday Party:

If you are looking for first birthday present for a young woman, there are lots of gift ideas that you can consider. first birthday gifts for girls can be anything from jewelry to books to games. Whatever you will choose, one thing that you should consider is the gender of the recipient. So if you are looking for First Birthday Presents for a young lady, it will be best to choose the gifts that are suitable for her.

If you will look closely, most one-year-olds appreciate a lot of attention. So if you want to give the best First Birthday Presents to your little girl, make sure that you will plan a great and memorable party for her. Here are some birthday party ideas that you may consider:

One of the best first birthday gifts that you can give to a one-year old girl is a baby book that she can keep as a memory of the birthday. There are lots of baby books to choose from, and you can find lots of useful baby books online. So if you are looking for some great first birthday presents for a young lady, then consider giving her a nice baby book.

Another one of the best first birthday presents for girls is an outfit that can make her happy on her special day. You may consider purchasing a cute princess dress for your one-year-old girl. This dress will definitely make her happy because it allows her to feel like a real princess on her big day. The best part is that this outfit is very inexpensive, so you can easily purchase one for your little girl.

If you want to give your little girl a more memorable gift, then you may want to consider her favorite food or drink. One of the best 1st birthday presents for girls is a cute little glass serving tray with a heart design on it. This design is very unique, and your baby girl will surely love it. You may place this trays at her table during the party and make sure that it will be the envy of everyone else at the party.

Among the most popular among first birthday ideas for girls are stickers that you can buy for your baby’s room. You can buy cute stickers that are suitable to the season in which she was born. Stickers are among the most popular present that you can give to your one-year-old girl. Aside from being cute, these little gift tags are very functional, and your baby will definitely love having them around. You can also customize the stickers to have a picture of your baby on them, and if you want to give her a really cute sticker, then you may use stickers that were made especially for infants.

A River Cottage Family Cookbook Will Help Kids Become More Involved In the Kitchen

by

If you have kids, cooking can be a family affair. Anyone anywhere can create a family cookbook with very little, if any, cash, if you’re an adult and you’re searching for that glue, maybe you’re too far away from the people you love and you’re still feeling distant from those you adore. Perhaps, it’s just too much effort. No matter your reasons for wanting to learn how to cook, learning to cook a dinner for a family of friends is a great way to spend time together. You will create memories that will last forever.

The best cookbooks provide recipes for almost everything, but most will also provide some sort of dinner planning tips. Many include easy-to-follow instructions for making just about everything from soup and salad to main dish and dessert. You can get cookbooks on just about anything, actually. You can find cookbooks on the best ways to prepare all kinds of meals, from quick and easy appetizers to quick and easy dinners.

The great thing about cookbooks like these is that they are very inclusive and detailed. There are detailed descriptions of ingredients, cooking techniques and ingredients. You don’t have to wonder what is inside a can of beans or what kind of spices a recipe requires because most cookbooks will list exactly what is needed and used for each recipe. In fact, sometimes they will include an ingredient list that has been compiled by a professional chef, which can be extremely helpful for those who don’t know the exact ingredients needed for a particular recipe. This can be extremely helpful if you’re preparing a dish that is very specific and different from the rest of your family’s dishes.

In addition to listing ingredients, you’ll also find cookbooks that include side dishes and recipes for desserts. Most families have a favorite sweet potato recipe, so having a family cookbook that includes delicious meals made with sweet potatoes is a must. Not only will you enjoy the delicious meals, but your children will love having new foods to try out as well. You can often find cookbooks that include both versions of a recipe, so you can choose to use one or not. If you cook a lot of sweet potato recipes, you may want to start adding some to your collection.

One of the things that make a great family cookbook is that it usually contains lots of creative cooking techniques for you to try. Even if you’re not a professional cook, many of the recipes offered in these books are really fun to experiment with. You can also learn how to make new recipes that you can incorporate into your daily cooking and have fun doing it as well. Many cookbooks also come with some simple exercise plans or fun ways to make cooking more fun, such as roasting marshmallows. When you have a fun cookbook, you will be more likely to stick with your eating plan and actually stick to your healthy diet.

A good family cookbook is designed to encourage kids to become more involved in the kitchen, and develop a sense of responsibility and their own tastes. There are some kid-friendly recipes available, but don’t let that make the cookbook title and pages any less appealing. The recipes themselves should be appealing enough on their own to encourage you to read through them, and then to put them to use at home. Look for a cookbook that will appeal to the tastes of all your children, and you can be assured that you will get a lot of use out of it.

Couponing: Part 1… of Many!

by

So y’all remember in my 2012 goals that I said I want to do more couponing. 

Lame, I know, but I have received approximately 4 papers thus far, pulled out all the coupon inserts as well as advertisements from the local stores. (I thought that was overwhelming!) I have been told that I clip all coupons; I have been told to clip only the coupons I use and save the inserts. I think I am going to clip all coupons and set aside ones that I do not use for others who may want them.

So my next step is to actually cut them out. I am trying to figure this all out step by step because anything with the word “coupon” really gets me anxious. So I am eager to see what happens. I am following Rayven’s workbook that goes with the videos; I am reading blogs on couponing; and I am hoping y’all will join me on my journey through couponing!

PS: If you have any tips, pointers, or suggestions, I would love to hear them!

Jumping Off the Wagon

by

At the beginning of the year, I joined a group to “Build a Better Blog in 2012″. I did Day 1 and Day 2. Day 1 I was very eager to “build a better blog in 2012″. Day 2… I started pulling back. Day 3… I’m over it. I am jumping off the wagon.

I read the notes from Day 3 and I just feel like I am putting more time into planning my blog than I am putting into my blog. I am not a planner that sits here and develops. I am spontaneous. That is me. If I sit here and plan each and ever piece of my blog for the next year- it’s not going to be me. It’s going to be robot me and that is not who I want you to see. I want you to see me. I want you to be a part of the funny or the sad or the happy that is occurring in our life. I don’t want to have to plan what I am going to share with you. I want to be able to write as it comes.

So, as of today, I am jumping off the bandwagon of “building a better blog in 2012″. Don’t get me wrong, I am still going to strive to build my blog and make my blog better, but it is not going to entail days worth of planning my content and see what happens. Maybe I’ll jump back on when we move past the first week of developing a blog… hmmm….

Building a Better Blog in 2012: Day 1 (A Day Late!)

by

I am working with some wonderful bloggers in a building a better blog in 2012. I am very excited to take part in this group and build my blog and make it better for you- my readers.

The first day (which was yesterday and I of course am behind, what’s new right?) was from Chapter 1 of the ProBlogger’s Guide to your First Week of Blogging e-book.

CEO of Me Inc. did a fabulous break down of Chapter 1 and I will be using her blog post as a reference point for this post. So… here we go with Day 1 of Building a Better Blog in 2012.

The key points from Chapter 1 revolve around setting a solid foundation (oh boy!). I need to develop a main topic or niche. Now, if you are a long time reader, you may see that there is some randomness to my blog. I do a little bit of everything because well, I am random! BUT, after careful thought, I think my main topic/niche is family. When it comes down to it, my blog is about me and my family. I do reviews and giveaways (which are fun), but even then, my reviews are around things that are good for me and my family (and well, giveaways are just plain ol’ fun!). So, for 2012, I am a family blogger (which really should have been a ‘duh’ for me since the blog title really is The Go To Mommy who is me!)

Next CEO of Me Inc. listed the 5 Foundational Steps to get started:

1. Set up an Ideas Folder- essentially a folder of ideas for post topics
Mine is not really a folder, per se. I have a pink journal I got for Christmas a couple of years ago that has been deemed my “blog journal”. I use it to keep notes, ideas, etc. I carry it with me at all times because you never know when an idea will strike.

2. Brainstorm Ideas Around your Topic- coming up with ideas and topics to put in the Ideas Folder. CEO of Me Inc. goes on to state that “After you have some basic ?’s your blog should answer written down, list out at least 5 things that you believe your audience must know about your blog’s topic. Take 1 of those things and create a “mind map” for it. Basically you are going to brainstorm additional ideas that branch off of & relate to that main idea. You should have at least 10 ideas for posts now for your Post Ideas folder.”

3. Choose a Posting Rhythm- schedule a time to write the posts. Literally, write out a schedule with a time for you to blog.

4. Plan your first week of Content- using said schedule mentioned above, pick out the topics you will write during the times you allotted for your blogging.

5. Write Your Launch Post- An introduction to your blog, why you created your blog, identify the topics of your blog, how the topics will help the reader and/or the purpose the topics will serve.

Now… I am off to complete steps 2-5 so I can move forward to Day 2 in an attempt to stay on track (maybe that should be a goal of 2012!)

The New 2012 Go To Mommy!

by

2012 is full of goals and big changes for me and my blog (hopefully!). And what better way to start 2012, than to start of fresh with my blog!

I started blogging in July of last year (2011) as a social media outlet for a work at home business I was doing. Needless to say, I got so enveloped in the blogging aspect, that I became a more serious blogger a few months later. I have been blogging steadily since August, but was very random in what I was blogging about. So… starting today is the start of a new blog theme.

I really needed to develop a niche for this year and really felt the forehead smack. The name of my blog is The Go To Mommy… a lot of- if not 99%- of my blog content is family related. I am a family themed blog! Duh! How could I be so naive (I’m blonde, does that count!?)

I, Leila, The Go To Mommy, will be focusing on family themes in the year 2012 to hopefully bring you some laughs, pointers, stories (and of course giveaways for fun) surrounding family- whether it be mine, yours or the weirdo down the street (I don’t have one of those that I know of you, but you might!)

So, welcome to 2012 and get ready for some fun!

2012 Goals (NOT Resolutions!)

by

Darcy over at Tales From the Nursery wrote this great post about Why You Should Set Goals, Not Resolutions for 2012. It really got me thinking about what I wanted to do as my 2012 resolutions, but that really, I should make goals instead. So here are my 2012 goals:

– Lose 70 pounds by January 1st 2013. And to break that down further, my goal is to lose 1.5 pounds per week, every week, for the next year.

– Quit smoking tobacco cigarettes by my birthday (January 28th) and be altogether done smoking (vapors or tobacco) by hubby’s birthday (March 23rd)

– Save money by couponing. Thanks to Rayven and her Coupon Video Course, I am going to try to start couponing.

– Make my blog bigger and better by remembering important details in my posts (tags, labels, etc.) and to spend at least one hour per day on my blog!

I will be blogging my progress for all of my goals to keep me on track and to display my progress!

What are YOUR goals for 2012?

Day Zero Project

by

My gals at ShePromotes have an awesome blog hop going on and I love checking out my fellow bloggers blogs. (I don’t just write my own blog, but I thoroughly enjoy visiting other blogs and getting to know my fellow bloggers!)

One of my fellow bloggers over at Nap Time is My Time is doing the Day Zero Project. If you check out Nap Time is My Time you can see that you list 101 things you want to complete in 1001 days. Heck, why not! So here goes my list:

1. Pay off our car.
2. Pay enough on our van to refinance that stupid thing.
3. Stash away $10 per goal completed (stole this fab idea from Nap Time is My Time)
4. Clean the garage!

5. Quit smoking.
6. Lose 80 pounds.
7. Re-tile the entryway of our current home.
8. Re-do the entire kitchen area.
9. Re-tile the kitchen area.
10. Re-carpet the living room.
11. Re-do the floors in the dining room.
12. Buy a home… preferably this home.
13. Take the kids to the ocean (preferably NOT in January).
14. Finish painting the kids’ bathroom.
15. Write letters to each of my kids to read later in life.
16. Pay off my debt to my mother.
17. Pay off my debt to my father in law.
18. Go home for a vacation (not a wedding or funeral).
19. Get my Alexa rating under 100K.
20. Take the Christmas decorations down.
21. Get the dog spayed.
22. Lawn work to the backyard.
23. Get a new vacuum.
24. Get a massage!
25. Create a reward system for the kids.

On the 5th Day of Christmas… ‘Tis the Season to be Giving

by

I think over the years, people have lost sight of what Christmas should be about. It has gotten very commercialized. I don’t want my kids growing up expecting fancy expensive gifts. I want my children to grow up and be thankful for all that they have and help others by giving to those who need it more than we do. For the past couple of years, we have made our own Christmas presents for people. So… if you still have some last minute Christmas shopping to be done, forget the craziness of the stores and make some of these ideas (my own and ones that I found!)

– Making jewelry. I am a “pro” at plain beaded bracelets and have made handmade bracelets for several family members. (And it’s a very calming process as well!)

– Hand painted picture frames are another fun project!

– Handmade cook book. I did this for my sister in law one year. I used a photo album, decorated it all neat, and printed off a bunch of recipes to put inside. Plus I left some blank pages for her to add her own.

– The no sew blanket! You can find directions here: No Sew Blanket

– A great one I have found this year is a cookie in a jar! (While I have received or made the other ideas on this list- I have not done this one… YET!) Essentially, you layer the dry ingredients of your favorite cookie recipe in a mason jar, screw on the lid and attach a note card with the cookie recipe to the jar with some pretty ribbon!

– Themed gift baskets are always a fun one too. One year I did a bath product one for my sister in law. I got a basket and loaded it up with pedicure tools, lotions, body washes, etc. It can easily be customized for any person with any theme. I am doing another one this year, but I am not sure who reads this so I can’t list what it is until after Christmas!

– Handmade personalized calendars. One year before Christmas, my sisters and I got all dressed up and did our own little photo shoot. I developed the pictures and then used them to create a personalized calendar for my mom for Christmas. Great affordable gift!

– Personalized journals. One of my favorite gits last year was from my sister in law. She used construction paper to decorate the front of a spiral journal and then modge podged it! It keeps and is a great personalized journal made just for me!

What cool handmade gifts have you given or received?

Day 30 of the 30 Day Challenge

by

It is the final day of my 30 day challenge! On one hand, I am grateful because really, these can be tough! On the other hand, I am saddened, but on my third hand (hey, I’m a mom!) I am feeling challenged because now I have to find other things to write about than just myself (and I am sure my readers will be grateful for that! LOL).

So, the last day… my goals for the next 30 days.

– I am leaving the MLM world to try something different and hope to be massively successful in less than the next 30 days which includes a few promotions here and there!
– I am hope to make a difference in my financial status and stop living pay check to pay check.
– I have a final at the end of the month that I hope to pass with an ‘A’ grade rather than the ‘B’ grade I got on my mid-term.
– Get an ‘A’ grade on my first paper due in a week (oops, should probably start writing that soon!)
– Increase my GFC followers (readers!)
– Challenge myself to write something else (not me related) every day for the next 30 days!

What are your goals for the next 30 days???