I’m going to do a dual purpose post here, being that it’s Thanksgiving Eve and my kitchen is already buzzing with activity.

First, I want to wish all of my friends and family a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving. I am truly thankful to be surrounded by so many loving and supportive people, both online and off. Each day I thank God that you are a part of my life.

Second, while I have your attention, I wanted to remind you all that an important part of being safe this holiday season is making sure that you and your guests stay smart and sober while driving this weekend. In 2009, there were 411 motor vehicle traffic fatalities on our nation’s highways during the Thanksgiving holiday.

Take a moment to watch this video and see just how one poor decision can change many lives.

Take the pledge at the Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving website and ask your friends and loved ones to do the same. You’ll be thankful that you did.

Happy Halloween! We hope that you and your trick or treaters have a safe night out! Please remember that Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving this (and every) evening, so be sure to designate a driver if you are attending a party or event where alcohol is being served.

If you’re holding an event where you will be serving drinks to your guests, make sure that you have some non-alcoholic options on hand for those who must drive. The Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving Facebook page has collected some fun drink recipes that you can try. You can also find alternative ride services to help your guests who might have had a bit more than they should to find a safe way home!

Please join us in taking the pledge never to drive buzzed at the Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving website and spread the word to your friends and family to take the pledge, as well. You could be saving the life of someone you love!

Congratulations on your first 5K!!!

This post is part of the BlogHop Blog Conference at Home. To see the full agenda of learning sessions visit Blog Conference Newbie.

Blog Opps  – pretty much every blogger whose contact information is on their site gets offers for reviews, giveaways and even more often, informational press releases without a bottom line. So how do you take all of these offers of information, product and sometimes cash and decide which ones are right for you?

When you first start out and even sometimes along the way, it’s so tempting to snatch up every opportunity that comes along or to jump at an offer that’s not exactly a good fit, simply because the compensation is amazing. I mean, these companies want to give you something or send you on a fabulous trip! How can you say no?

But sometimes, you just need to say thanks, but no thanks. This won’t work for me.

How do you decide whether an opportunity is right for you? Ask yourself a few important questions before you say “YES!”

Does the product/company fit my brand?

Take a long, hard look at the product or service and the company behind it. Are you interested in the product? Will your readers care what you think about the product? Does it fit in with the other topics that you post about on your site? Is the company behind it someone that you want your name affiliated with? Those are all questions that you need to have resounding yeses to before accepting an offer.

Recently, I noticed Molly Gold of GoMomInc partnering with the Stow Company.  The main focus of Molly’s brand is organization; Stow offers organizational products. Molly is working with a company that offers products that her readers will naturally be drawn to solely by their purpose for visiting her site and Stow gets the benefit of a trusted voice in the blogging community endorsing their products. Win-win!

So what’s the non-niche blogger to do? Those whose blog has a specific focus, whether it be organization, infancy, green, food or any other topic, have it a little easier when it comes to deciding whether a sponsor is a natural fit their blog. The rest of us have our work cut out for us. We need to carefully analyze each offer and decide if it makes sense for both ourselves and our readers. If it doesn’t, we need to step away and wait for something that does. Our personal integrity depends on it. The level of trust we need to keep our readers coming back can be compromised when we start endorsing companies that simply don’t make sense, just to get the perks they’re offering.

Do I have time and resources to meet the requirements?

Be honest with yourself about your limitations. There is nothing worse than taking on too much and burning out on writing for others on your own site. Trust me. I’ve done it. Deadlines will start to slip past and be forgotten, review items will end up hidden in the closet for “later” and the things you do post will be rushed and low-quality. Or you’ll lose sleep to make sure that it all does get done, and other things in your life will suffer.

When choosing opportunities, think of your blog as a job. If you have only 10 available hours in the week to work on your blog, don’t schedule 20 hours worth of work. You aren’t going to get time and a half for those extra hours, you’re just going to get frustrated.

Look carefully at what they’re asking for, as well. Campaigns are often more than just a quick post or review. Sometimes there is a giveaway component or they might be requesting a vlog, which might require several takes and a quiet house. There could be a shop involved at a store that’s an hour away. All of that needs to factor in to your decision to sign on. Do you have the time to do the job and do it right?

Is the compensation worth my time?

There are ongoing discussions in the blogosphere about compensation levels and “selling out.” People are constantly taken aback by the decisions of some bloggers to “write for cupcakes”(hat tip to Christina Gleason at the first Type-A Town Hall for that phrase) while others are crying in their cornflakes that they didn’t even get offered a lick of icing for the time they spent crafting a post. No matter what the rest of the world thinks, the only thing that matters is whether you feel fairly compensated. What might be a fabulous opportunity to you, sounds like a company trying to get something for nothing to the next person.

Disagree? Put yourself in the shoes of the SAHM blogger whose husband was just laid off from his job. When Bob’s Burger Barn comes to her with a $25 gift card that will let her take her family out to eat, in exchange for the hour it takes her to write a sponsored post, that sounds like heaven! Should she turn down that offer so that Bob will get the picture and offer more for the rest of us the next time around or should she jump at the chance and make her family happy for a night?

Deciding whether the compensation is worth your time is completely personal. There may even be cases where you believe in a cause or a product so much that you feel that it would be a great fit and worth it to you to write without any compensation. And that’s OKAY! It’s your space – Own it and be happy with what you’re accepting!

Also, don’t be afraid to ask for more from a company than what is initially offered, if it’s simply not enough. Reply back that you’re interested in working with them and offer them your personal rates and requirements. The worst they can say is no.

Will my involvement benefit the company?

As much as we like to think that pitches and blog opps are all about us, we do need to take into consideration how our involvement in a campaign will benefit its sponsor.  If you look at a pitch and think to yourself “I can really use that $100 and I do like the products, but none of my readers are going to click that link (or like that page or enter this giveaway),” it’s probably a good idea to turn it down.

While lining your pockets is a huge priority to you, it’s also about bottom-line for the sponsors as well. If they have to report back to their supervisors that the campaign they just spent thousands of dollars on was a total flop, they’re not going to get budget to come back for more. When you take on campaigns that you know won’t do well, you might get a few bucks in your pocket or a fun product, but you could be taking away that opportunity for other bloggers in the future.

There are no set in stone parameters for what makes a good blog opportunity. What works for me and my readers, might not sound so great to you and yours. It’s up to each of us to take responsibility for our own decisions and decide what fits best. Choose the opportunities that make sense to you personally, editorially and financially and leave the rest on the table for someone who would fit them better.

How do you decide which opportunities to accept?

I admit it, I’m jumping on the bandwagon here. It seems everyone is posting their best advice for dealing with the overwhelming days and jam-packed nights of Blogher ’10 and I would throw a little something together, too.

Last year was my first Blogher experience and it was my first ever blogging conference. While it was simply one of the most amazing experiences of my life and I came home with even closer relationships with some of my favorite people online, I know I made some major rookie mistakes that if I had been able to avoid, it would have been even better.

Make plans with friends. My first mistake last year was thinking “Oh, we’re all going to be in the same place. I’ll be able to find all of my friends and chat, no problem!” WRONG!!! Blogher. Is. HUGE. There are a couple thousand people milling around. While I got the chance to hang out and say hi to many of my friends, there were some that I never even laid eyes on the entire weekend. Make a list of your must-see people, get their cell numbers and text or call them while you’re there to make sure that you don’t miss the connection. (I still need to do that for this year…if you want to catch up with me, please email me your cell!)

Make a tentative schedule but be flexible. I think this has been one of the points I have heard reiterated by everyone who has written a Blogher prep post and likely one of the most important. Blogher is a whirlwind of activity, from sessions to official events to off-site, unofficial parties. Anyone, whether on the big time invite lists or not, can create a schedule that will keep them busy from sun up until the wee hours of the morning. Scheduling is a GOOD thing, but be prepared to ditch the master plan in favor of some downtime with an old (or new) friend. You’ll thank yourself for it later.

Don’t even TRY to do everything you schedule. I already know I have planned more than I will be able to do. I’m going to try to do everything that I really want to, but am also going to be on the lookout for my body’s signals telling me that I’m about to hit a wall and stop for some downtime. You aren’t going to end up on anyone’s blacklist if you’re just too tired to attend another party or if you skip a session or two. One of my favorite times from last year was when I simply got overwhelmed and found a good friend or two to go and have dinner with. It gave me a few minutes to process everything that was going on, recharge my batteries and simply enjoy good company.

Stop worrying. While I am sure there are a handful of judgmental people who are sitting around analyzing the fact that I am wearing a pair of cute flip flops with my jeans during the day, the people who really matter are the friends who I am going to Blogher to connect with. They would rather see me smiling in flip flops than hobbling around in pain because the plates in my ankle can’t take stilettos. Your friends won’t be judgy and if they are? Maybe it’s time to reconsider who you’re hanging with…come hang with me. I honestly don’t care whether you had time for a haircut or if all your “good” clothes have spit-up stains.

Don’t overanalyze things, yourself. I don’t think anyone has made this point better than Cecily. It’s not always about YOU. The Blogher experience can be overwhelming for anyone, people still have bad days, social issues and other things that could easily create hurt feelings by someone overanalyzing their reactions. If you have a poor interaction, chalk it up to someone having an off moment and move on. For instance, if you talk to me regularly and I have to read your badge to figure out who you are, please don’t be offended. In a situation as big as Blogher, I am out of my element and occasionally a little distant and foggy-brained. I don’t love you any less, my thoughts are just in six places at once – trying to file information from sessions, thinking about what my kids are doing and missing them, trying to figure out where I’m headed next, trying to remember what I know I am forgetting to do…

Above all else, don’t let one incident define your entire experience. Yeah, last year there were loads of negative comments and posts about party crashers, swag whores and other unsavory things. Did these things happen? Yes. Did it ruin the experience for some? Unfortunately. But it doesn’t have to, even if something similar were to occur again. Focus on all the positive things that you are bound to experience and all of those faux pas will seem so trivial by comparison.

So tell me, will I be seeing you in NYC?

Sitting in the house playing board games and watching TV sounds perfectly acceptable to me on a rainy day, however with two rambunctious little boys to keep entertained, that’s a recipe for wall climbing more often than not. We have to find things to do that will keep them busy, both physically and mentally.

Here are a few of our favorite things to do to keep moving, indoors:

Dance Party!! – My boys take after their mama and they just love to dance. Sometimes I’ll turn on one of the digital music stations on the TV, pick something fun on Pandora, or I might just play DJ on Blip.fm . We crank up the tunes and dance till we collapse!

Bowling – We finally got a Wii this Christmas, so we love to use the bowling game there, but there are loads of other ways to bowl inside. Even if you don’t have an actual indoor bowling game, all it takes is a little creativity to come up with your own. Use any ball that has a bit of weight to it and create pins out of bottles, cups or even stuffed animals. This can be hours of fun, especially for little ones.

Hide and Go Seek – We have a small house, so playing a traditional game of hide and seek is nearly impossible. Instead of letting the kids hide, I take favorite toys and hide them around the house. Currently, we spend our time searching for Woody and Buzz. The boys have a great time figuring out where their buddies are hiding, and even like to get in on the act and hide things for each other.

Swimming Pool – In the summer, I’ve been known to create a swimming pool in the bathtub. I fill up my big corner tub, put the boys in their swimsuits and let them go to town. Once in awhile, I’ll even blow up the water wings to make it even more authentic. One cautionary note – make sure you have plenty of towels on hand. Pool splashes are a bit more overzealous than regular tub splashes.

What kinds of physical games and activities do you and your children do when the weather isn’t the best?

Rain is one of the most dreaded things around my house. My energetic little boys simply adore being outside and when they are forced inside from a nasty turn in the weather, things can get ugly FAST. Boredom sets in quickly and before long, my house is turned into a disaster area from their escapades of trying to find something to do. It’s exhausting.

During our last annoyingly long period of rain, I had a burst of inspiration. Why not use the next rainy period to share some tips and ideas of things to keep the kids happy and mom sane when faced with a rain day or two…or three. Well, it’s here and so am I!

This week, I’ll be posting some fun tips on indoor entertainment ideas, particularly for the littler guys, plus a few reviews of a few toys that will be great for rainy days. Later in the week, I’ll have a guest post from the toy experts at Time To Play Magazine, with some of their best ideas for keeping everyone happy and busy when the weather isn’t the greatest.

I hope you enjoy the week of posts! Watch for my first post later this evening and more to come every day this week! For now, I’m off to entertain the crew and do a little more “research” before my house is a disaster area!

Image courtesy Vizzzual.com on Flickr

This week’s weather has drug me into a funk that just won’t quit. The non-stop rain and wind are getting to be unbearable.  As I was sitting here, in between snatching back the bottle of mustard that the kids were trying to drink from and answering work emails, I decided that a rainy day fun guide was in order.

Watch over the next few weeks for activity ideas, tips and maybe even some fun product reviews and a giveaway or two.  My insanity could make for some fun around your house on the next rainy day!

Awhile back we helped to roll out the new Disney show, Chuggington. The boys have decided that it’s one of their must-watch shows every day and I don’t see that one disappearing from our lineup anytime soon. We’ve been invited to become Chuggington Conductors, so keep an eye out for all the latest Chugginton info and fun! It sounds like they have some traintastic things in store for all of us!

I’m also excited about a new project that I’m working on with Mel. We’re still in the hush-hush planning stages, but I promise that as soon as I can let the cat out of the bag, you’ll know!

Stay tuned for loads of goodies coming up, plus more of our family adventures.

Every child loves a good game of hide and seek. There are the fun butterflies they get in their tummies when they’re waiting to be discovered and the pride they feel when they’re able to count to ten and then yelling, “Ready or not, here I come!”

But children who are hidden from the U.S. Census counts (taken only once every 10 years) are not a laughing matter. So, ready or not, here comes 2010 Census … and you have an important role to play!

Many parents may not realize the importance of accurately reporting the number of children in their family, including newborns. The truth is that the undercount of children means that we do not get a true picture of our nation and our communities do not get their rightful share of public funds.

Why Children Count Too

Children have been undercounted in every census since the first one in 1790. Local communities rely on census information in planning for schools, child care, health and other critical services. Babies need to be counted today, so they can benefit tomorrow from community services.

Census counts are used, in whole or in part, for more than 140 programs that distribute more than $400 billion of federal funds to states and localities, including such child-focused programs as:

• Special Education Grants to states ($10.8 billion)
• Head Start ($6.9 billion)
• State Children’s Health Insurance Program ($5.9 billion)
• Foster Care Title IV-E ($4.7 billion)
• Improving Teacher Quality State Grants ($2.9 billion)

Unlike adults, who may bear some responsibility for making sure they are counted in the Census, children are dependent on others to make sure they are included. Yet in 1980, 1990, and 2000, Census Bureau data show children, particularly young children, are one of the groups most likely to be missed in the Census. In fact, in the 2000 Census, there was a net undercount of more than 1 million children under age 10.

When playing hide and seek your children have the opportunity to be found after ten seconds.

The Census only comes around every ten years. So when you receive your Census form in mid-March, make sure your child (no matter how old) is counted!

Posted as part of the Global Influence Network.

I’m going to take the broken record route and say again that K and D are total train freaks. Not a day goes by that we don’t have at least one track set up, be it Thomas, GeoTrax, or some other random set. On trips through town, we have to run down the side streets and see the engines and train cars that are parked on the siding. It’s more than just a love for these two, it’s an obsession.

Last week, I was lucky enough to have received a preview DVD of Chuggington, the new show premiering on Monday, January 18^th on Playhouse Disney. The boys had seen the commercials on the Disney Channel already, and immediately recognized the image on the DVD and asked to watch the show by name.

Both were totally entranced by the show. Watching with them, it reminded me of a more futuristic version of Thomas the Tank Engine (only with fewer derailments). The characters are loveable and fun and the kids already know them by name in just a couple of days.

There’s the speedy Koko, the dependable Brewster, the enthusiastic Wilson and many more new friends. The trains go on lots of fun adventures that always seem to have a valuable life lesson built in.

Chuggington has been a big hit so far in our house and I have a feeling it will be a favorite for some time to come! I think any little train lover will certainly enjoy this show!

Tonight, Friday January 15^th, there will be a Twitter Sitewarming Party to introduce Chuggington! Join @ResourcefulMom and @Chuggington to find out more about this adorable show, see a sneak peek of the premiere episode, and win some fabulous prizes! RSVP here and find out how to participate.

Don’t forget to check our Chuggington’s Playhouse Disney premiere on Monday, January 18^th at 10:30 AM ET/PT and stop by http://chuggington.com for fun, games and videos!

Disclosure: I received a preview DVD from Chuggington and work for Resourceful Mommy Media, host of the Sitewarming party.