So many of us wish we knew how to be more organized, save money, and do better for our families.  Good news--right now I know of a great deal on something that will help you do a

One of my favorite ways to save money and be more organized is to plan my menus.  Food is one of the highest expenses, but is fortunately also one that we can control in some wa

If you're too busy to plan menus, or just don't know how, have I got a deal for you!  The owner of Dine Without Whine is now offering 20% off of her menu-planning service!

To check it out or get started, just go to:

From there you just choose from the 3, 6, or 12-month subscription option.  When you're checking out, enter

this code: 04AO (The first digit is a zero and the last is an uppercase
letter "O".) and you'll save 20% instantly.

Many of us have good intentions but don't have the skills or tools to follow through on our goals.  Dine Without Whine is a great tool that can make it super-easy for you to have success in this area!  Give it a try--I think you'll like it.

~Erica

Anybody want to go shopping at my baby boutique? This week you have the chance to win a $30 gift certificate here. Spread the word and have fun!

Hey gals!

Today I wanted to let you know about a really great deal that’s going on now.

For quite awhile now I have been getting a free weekly email from HomeschoolRadioShows.com. Each week I get a free mp3 download of some good story for kids and families. I like to download these and then burn them onto CD and give them to my kids to listen to for bedtime stories. The kids love the stories, and you don’t have to be homeschoolers to appreciate it!

Well, the same folks that send me those downloads each week are celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary with a huge collection of 70 different ebooks, mp3 stories, and so on. It’s only $25 (including shipping!) for the whole collection! Mine arrived the other day and I am really pleased with it. I have already made a whole bunch of CDs for the kids and they have loved their new stories.

You can go read all about it and get your 25th anniversary collection here. This deal is good for the whole month of April.

Jamie Bird is the sweetie that donated one of her awesome Wet Bags for our Spring Fling giveaway! This innovative new product is SO smart and well made–I am very impressed. After years of dragging around wet diapers, clothing, and swimsuits in Walmart bags or ziploc bags that always burst open, the Wet Bag is a welcome, and stylish alternative.

Let’s get to know Jamie a little better, shall we?!

Tell us a little about yourself-

My name is Jamie Bird, and I run an online boutique
specializing in personalized, handmade baby products. About four years ago, I
told my husband I wanted to learn how to sew. I lugged my mom’s 30-year-old
sewing machine through the airport from Michigan to California, and went to
the library in search of a good HOW To book. I started sewing a few baby
items, and haven’t stopped since. Two new sewing machines and thousands of
hours later, sewing is my life’s work.

How did you get the idea for your product?

Actually, a friend suggested the idea for the wetbags. She is a connoisseur
of baby products, and together we knew it would be a must have for any mom.
From diapers to wet swimming suits to a cosmetics bag, it is a stylish and
affordable product considering how much use you will get out of it.

How is your business going?

Almost one year ago, I had my first online order. I am a relatively new
boutique, and have been really blessed this first year. I just hired another
mompreneur to help me out so I can spend more time with my family and
developing new products. It is a constant struggle to find balance between
work and family time. I am working on setting hours that I work each day,
and that helps me put less pressure on myself to “get it all done”.

What future plans do you have for your business?

I would love to continue making products that I find useful and unique. I
love babies, and hope that my products will be cherished gifts- treasures
that will make mom’s life easier. My long range goal is to have products
available in boutiques nationwide.

What advice would you have for someone that is interested in starting their
own business?

I have two- Initiative and Perserverence! I meet so many moms
that want to own their own business, but it seems overwhelming so they never
even try. A business takes time to grow, and small steps to make it
successful. There have been many days I would have loved to give up, but my
desire and love for this business won’t let me. If it is a true passion of
yours, go for it-and continue doing it even when things get tough. At the
end of the day, it will be worth all the hard work. I love that I get to
spend each day with my son, and I the many people I meet that make it so
worthwhile.

As a mom who has experienced the sadness of having to leave a premature baby in their NICU isolette day after day, always wondering if he would get enough snuggles and love while I was away, I truly appreciate the Zaky Hand Pillow.

Zakeez are not meant to be used when you do have the option of being in physical contact with your baby–they are a helpful way to provide extra contact, security, and bonding for your baby when you are unable to be there. Whether it be because of prematurity or other hospitalization issues, separation of some sort, or maybe because you have twins and simply can’t be in all places at all times, the Zaky has the potential to be the helping hand you always wished for!

In 2001 Yamile Jackson had a medically fragile baby boy named Zachary. He only weighed 1lb 15 oz at birth. Zachary spent 5 long months in the hospital while he battled medical problems and survived against incredible odds.

While Yamile spent so much time in the NICU she noticed the many innovative ways the nurses used rolled up blankets to try to create soft barriers for these tiny babies, as a way to help the feel more secure and rest better. She started thinking of a product that would meet this need while also carrying the scent of the parent, be fully washable, be easily portable, and so on. The Zaky pillow was born.

Yamile was kind enough to answer some questions when I interviewed her:

Tell me how you got to the point where you were selling your product.

As I had developed a positioning and bonding pillow for my son Zachary,
when he was in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), a few months later
the nurses requested me to create the same pillow for the other babies in
the NICU. So that´s how we started to sell the Zakys.

How is your business going?

Our business is doing great! And we are entering in new markets
worldwide, last week a new store started to carry the Zaky in Middle East!
We are not only helping preemies but also kids with special needs, sick
kids, withdrawn babies, healthy kids who miss dad or mom while they work or
travel, newborn, etc.!

How do you juggle your business with the rest of your life?

It is just a matter of equilibrium and also having the right people at
the right time in the right place. Fortunately I have a great staff at
Zakeez Inc. who are all committed with the company and its vision, so we
work together as a team and that allows me to enjoy my life at work as well
as my personal life. Also for me has been very important the support of my
husband.

What future plans do you have for your business?

Continue to research and develop products to improve the quality of life
of children especially those born prematurely and sick kids.

What advice would you have for someone that is interested in starting
their own business?

To remember that if it was easy everybody would do it. So be prepared for
hard times.