Weblogs Inc : Tag mothers-day

Breakfast Topic: Mothers' Day edition

I know you're out there! WoW moms, like me, getting your Azeroth fix in when not making meals, reading stories and otherwise performing all of your maternal duties. Hopefully you are enjoying a nice sleep-in right now, maybe some breakfast in bed. May your day be filled with flowers, candy, jewelry and/or clay-blobs that are supposed to be frogs, hearts or whatever they are making these days instead of ashtrays. Enjoy your day and I know you'll make sure your mom is appreciated today, too.

To all you non-maternal Azerothians: after taking care of orphans for a week, or subjecting them to atrocities, whichever... perhaps you have more of an appreciation of what motherhood is about? Or not. But still, today is the day to show your mom that you appreciate her (or remember her fondly if she is no longer with us). Even if she isn't the greatest, she is still responsible for your existence, if not your monthly payment to Blizzard. So, give a call/flowers/chocolates or, if you can afford it, a nice computer with a copy of WoW on it. If you are separated by distance, weekly visits on a nice, quiet PvE server can be a whole lot of fun.

Are you a WoW mom? Does your mom play WoW? Are you part of one of the many families who game together? Tell us your stories!

Beautiful Foods, Flat Bellies and Omega-3s - Week in Review - May 4 to May 10

Money stressing you out? Relax. Exercise will make you feel better, and you don't need big bucks to get fit. Let Fitz teach you how to get a flat belly on a budget.

Omega-3s are great for your heart, but they might help you lose weight by controlling inflammation in the body. Jonny's got the scoop.

French women think they're fat, even if the rest of the world doesn't. Do you compare yourself to your peers when judging your body size?

Looking to change up your beauty routine? Instead of shopping the makeup aisle, head to the produce section for antioxidant-rich foods.

Popular cooking show "Cook Yourself Thin" is now a #1 selling book on Amazon. Home-cooked meals are usually more healthy than restaurant versions. Could this be your weight-loss solution?

Remember when you used to make Mom breakfast in bed? You can still treat her to a Mother's Day brunch. Kristen's got ideas that are tasty and nutritious, but healthy too.

Whole wheat is a great source of whole grain, but it's definitely not the only one. Bev and Maggie have tips trying out some nutritious but less well known whole grains.

Are you a sucker for a dollar menu? Then make your own value snacks at home, without all the fat, sugar and salt.

High heels might make your legs look sexier, but exercising in them? That's a new one for me! Check out the high heel workout and see if it sounds like something you'd like to try.

Tired of your current workout playlist? Check out ours! Jacki pulled together some of our favorite workout songs for a little motivation. Share your favorite with us in comments!

Fit Moms Lead By Example

Mother's Day is nearly here, and I'd like to thank my mom for never teaching me the word 'diet.'

When I was a kid, my mom typically served a balanced, healthy dinner and we had to eat our vegetables. She ate reasonable portions slowly, savoring her food. As a teen, I analyzed her eating style once and realized she finished dinner last for a reason -- her boisterous mealtime chatter meant food slid unknowingly off her fork and back onto her plate. Mom expected us to show up faithfully for dinner at 5:30 p.m., an oasis where we focused more on sharing the day's events than the spinach lasagna.

My mom never talked about dieting, losing weight, looking good in clothes or body genetics. There was a scale in the bathroom, but she never discussed numbers. She just made healthy dinners, threw in some chocolate (she loves chocolate) and sent us back out to play. Then she dashed off to play tennis on those long, lean legs of hers.

Your mom wants a new lime green DS bundle

Your mom's cool, right? Of course she is. So this Mother's Day, don't give her that awful birdhouse you made for her in shop class (seriously man, just buy a level already). Why not go ahead and spring for this brand new lime green DS bundle, complete with adorable case and Personal Trainer: Cooking, available on May 3?

How much is it, you ask? Oh, we didn't know you could put a price on your mother's love. ... Also, we don't know how much it is. Sorry, we'll find out.

[Via Engadget]

Gifts to Make Mom's Life Easier

Shopping for the perfect Mother's Day gift is never easy. How do you pick out something just right for the person who has dedicated a lifetime to providing for you? Most of us will never be able to adequately express all the appreciation our dear mothers deserve, but a thoughtful Mother's Day gift is a good start.

You can almost never go wrong with classic gifts like jewelry and flowers, but this Mother's Day, why not get your mom something that will make her life a little easier? That's a good way to start giving back for her patience with all the times you made her life harder when you were growing up. Here are some gift ideas that say, "Mom, thanks for all you've done for me. You deserve to relax now."

Must Haves for your Baby Registry

Meg Massie - AOL Shopping

If you're expecting your first child, congratulations! You can fill the anxious months leading up to your baby's arrival by shopping and preparing, and enjoying baby showers to share your joy with friends and family. There are probably things you need for your baby that you didn't even know existed before your pregnancy -- or maybe not even until some helpful sales clerk asked you if you had one on your baby registry yet.

Mother's Day Gifts: 20 under $20

By Genevieve Cruz - AOL

Who says you can't find a genius gift for half the price? We found plenty of cheap thrills that any Mom would love -- 20 under $20! From whimsical finds to the season's stylish must-haves, you won't be disappointed with our list. Don't forget Mother's Day is Sunday, May 10.

Mother Jewelry - Birthstone Gift Ideas for Mom

Meg Massie - AOL Shopping

Jewelry is never a bad gift for any occasion, and it's getting easier and easier to shop for your mom, or any mother for that matter. Mother jewelry has really exploded in popularity in the last few years, and as such, there is a huge variety of mother jewelry to choose from and customize for the mother you love.

The idea behind mother jewelry is that you give her something with all her children's birthstones in it, and sometimes her own as well. Because every month has a different stone, pieces like this can be very colorful, and each piece of mother jewelry is unique to the mom who wears it.

It came from the Blog: Revenge of the Orc-Moms

Last Sunday, It came from the Blog celebrated Mother's Day by taking a bunch of female Orcs to the Barrens and telling "Your Mom" jokes. I had a lot of fun and discovered that my ICFTB guildies were very creative. Daniel Whitcomb also joined us with Okasama, his Orc-Mom.

On Saturday, I was on the WoW Insider Show with Mike, Turpster, Amanda Dean and her mom, Linda Emrys and we discussed what we would be doing for the event. Turpster joked that we would be telling jokes such as "Your Mom is so supportive, she's like a suspension bridge." I contradicted him on the show, but he ended up being right to a point. Many of the jokes did begin "Your Mom is so cool..." and "Your Mom is so hot...", but there were of course plenty of "Yo mama is so fat..." and the like, as well.

WoW Insider Show Episode 37: Happy Mother's Day

This last week on the WoW Insider Show, which is now available for listening on WoW Radio, we celebrated Mother's Day by inviting on both Amanda Dean, and her mother Linda Emrys, who is herself a WoW player. We also had Robin Torres on, who not only writes for us here at WoW Insider, but also is the mother of a two-and-a-half year old. Turpster and I were both on, but we didn't do much more than ask questions this time around -- the ladies got in some good discussion about what it's like to play WoW as a mother, how this game might actually help you raise children, and what it's like coming to WoW as someone who doesn't have a lot of gaming experience. If you're a casual gamer (or just know someone who is), the show should be really interesting to you.

And even if not, we were able to squeeze some great Wrath of the Lich King discussion in there after all of Friday's revelations, including what's up with the Death Knights, how 10/25 man raiding will change, and all of the other zone information we heard on Friday, from Dragonblight to Grizzly Hills to how what we see in the Borean Tundra gives us clues about what the next expansion might be.

I thought it was a pretty good show, but if you have other opinions (or any opinions, really), feel free to share them by emailing us at theshow@wow.com. And don't forget that while you can listen to the show either in WoW Radio's archives or on iTunes, you can also hear us live every Saturday afternoon at 3:30pm EST/8:30pm GMT.

Hope your Mother's Day was excellent, and enjoy the podcast!

Pregnancy tips all moms can use

Hey, it's Mother's Day. Just because you're not a mommy yet doesn't mean you shouldn't take care of yourself like one. I can tell you from past experience, how you treat yourself while you're pregnant will very much impact how you take care of yourself (or don't) when you're a mom. And, take it from me, it's important to do both. It will make you a happier person and probably a better mom to do so.

MSN offers several keen suggestions for moms to be to make it through the day and keep on track. even if you're not a mom to be, and are already a mom (or not!) I think there is something in this list of suggestions that would benefit us all. So, if you have time after your Mother's Day brunch, check out these tips and see which ones you might like to give a whirl.

I myself am partial to the one regarding taking naps at lunch. I don't know how well this would fly at my office or anyone else's, but if you have the ability, I say go for it. Sleep during pregnancy is of the utmost importance. After you become a mom, it's downright essential. And it seems none of us parents ever gets enough. Heaven forbid those of us without TiVo stay up late enough to watch the latest episode of Lost!

Spend Mother's Day playing games with mom

Don't panic: It's Mother's Day today in North America. We know it crept up on you, overshadowed by more significant holidays like Gears of War 2 Gameplay Footage Day and GTAIV ~~Day~~ Month. Luckily, Susan Arendt over at Game|Life has your back, with a list of excellent gaming gifts for moms of all types (or at least, all gaming types).

Does your mom miss those classic card game nights around the kitchen table? Fire up UNO on Xbox Live Arcade. Is she a tad overprotective of her offspring? She might relate to BioShock's Big Daddies (yes, we get the irony). Does she dig cooking and adorably mispronounced English? Then it's Cooking Mama all the way.

Of course, for moms who are less than avid gamers, there are also a plethora of excellent casual games out there. Titles like Peggle, Diner Dash, and Puzzle Pirates could prove to be perfect distractions for the mom with a lot on her plate. Happy Mother's Day to all the Joystiq-reading maternal units.

The Daily Grind: Gaming moms are win!

We'd like to take this morning to /salute the gaming moms (and grandmas) out there. From some members of our staff who have gaming moms, to other members of the staff who are gaming moms, they are becoming more and more common in the MMOG/VW landscape. We know moms who run guilds in EverQuest, raids in World of Warcraft, create beautiful virtual world content in Second Life, mod large gaming forums, theorycraft, and everything in between!

Today, we'd love to hear about any gaming moms you know; friends, guildmates or family! Do the gaming moms in your circle rock the arena? Are they the awesome guild moms who help new players out? Perhaps you are a mom who can tell us about your gaming life as a mom. Whatever the flavor, we here at Massively hope all the moms out there enjoy a day full of epic loot, good times, and lots of pampering! (Also, if you forgot it was Mother's Day in the US and Canada, you still have time to get to the store and get a card!)

Manbaby photos hit the web

Are they funny? Are they creepy? Are they a little bit of both? Yeah--that last one. Pictures of manbabies have surfaced on the web, and they're a hit. Ah, what will they think of next?

This is the kind of thing that, when I see it, gives me a chuckle but also lets me know I have too much free internet surfing time on my hands. Still, these pics are pretty funny and perhaps worth a look. The idea is to take a picture of a man and his baby and switch their heads. The head of the baby is made bigger and the head of the man is made smaller to match the body sizes of both. Weird but true!

PopSugar was the first I've seen to get hold of the photos, which you can check out in a slideshow here. Want to get in on the action? All you have to do is provide your own family photo. While this seems more appropriate for Father's Day than the impending Mother's Day holiday, I thought it best to alert you to this site for your viewing enjoyment asap. ENJOY! Or, should I say, "Manjoy?"

And, yes, that is a normal picture of a man and his baby. You'll have to check out the ManBabies website if you want the real thing.

WoW Insider Show: Mother's Day edition live tomorrow

For tomorrow's WoW Insider Show (which you can hear live at 3:30pm EST on WoW Radio), we're doing something a little special for Mother's Day: we've got mothers! Amanda Dean is actually bringing her mother on the show, and Ms. Emrys, (aka SpaceLady) is a WoW player herself, so we'll chat with her about what it's like to come to games via World of Warcraft. Robin Torres will also be joining us, and she's got little ones of her own, so she'll tell us what it's like to be a WoW player while also running your own little "guild" in real life. And Turpster will return after his absence last week -- all we can say about him is that he's a bad mother... shut yo' mouth.

Plus, we definitely can't ignore all the Wrath of the Lich King info that dropped last night, so we'll definitely be talking about vehicles, Death Knights, the 10/25 man instances, and all of the other huge information that Blizzard dropped on us like a ton of level 80 bricks. And as usual (as if all that wasn't enough), we'll have reader mail, which you can send to us at theshow@wow.com, and we'll be chatting in IRC as well at irc.mmoirc.com in the #wowradio channel.

Whew! It's a mother of a show. Make sure to tune in tomorrow afternoon, Saturday, at 3:30pm EST over on WoW Radio. See you there.

Clay spoon rests make unique gifts

In this age of doing-it-yourself, handmade gifts are becoming more and more popular. The trouble with that is making sure your gifts are original and unique.

Making a spoon rest out of clay can be as one-of-a-kind as you want it to be, or you can make it simple and use a cookie cutter so your kids can help with the project. The article suggests making a heart spoon rest, but you could make anything you wanted to -- freehand, or use a cookie cutter or stencil of your choice.

You'll need air-drying clay, acrylic paint, both in colors and clear, and any tools you will want to use to work the clay. Suggestions about how to make hole to hang the spoon rest and how to make it rest on a flat surface easily are included in the instructions. You can paint it when it is dry and even put felt on the bottom for a nice base.

If your kids -- or you! -- know your way around a can of Play Doh, you can easily make a clay spoon rest as a keepsake gift for any occasion.

Four romantic ways to spoil her this Mother's Day

Attention, husbands: If you're just planning Mother's Day now, I won't scold you, but I will save you from the wrath you're about to experience if you don't get things together quickly.

Before you move on to showing her your personal appreciation, you'll want to make sure you've arranged something special from your children. If you're in a hurry, here are some quick and easy Mother's Day projects. You can also help them make this precious card, telling Mom just how much they love her.

Some suggest giving Mom a day without the kids, but personally that isn't what I would want. Mother's Day should be celebrated as a family, but once they've served her breakfast in bed, and spent the day honoring her in clever ways, the two of you can tuck in those sweet little ones and get on with some romantic appreciation.

If you're looking for a way to spoil her, follow me through the break, and we'll discuss how you can shower her with appreciation for little or no cost, and with little preparation (yes, you can pull all of these off before Sunday!).

Mother's Day gifts by zodiac sign

Don't have your mother's day gift quite yet? Naughty, naughty child! Well, if you're like me and forever trying to pick out the perfect gift yet always feel like you're coming up short, why not try a different approach?

MSN's astrology website offers gift suggestions for mom based on her astrological--or zodiac--sign. If you can remember your mother's birthday, you're in luck. Suggestions run from the usual, such as brunch for the Taurus mom or hanging out with the family for the Cancer mom, to the very, er, unusual--such as skydiving for an Aries mom!

I don't know enough about the different personality traits to say whether or not the suggestions are accurate. It did seem to me, though, that the traits discussed for each sign were the kinds of things we'd like to see in any mom, regardless of her birthday. So, for ideas when you're stumped, for perhaps something different or something traditional you hadn't considered, or just to have fun, why not see what works for a mom based on her astrological sign? Still stuck? Well, maybe you should consult your magic eight ball. That always works for me!

Avant Yard: Mother's Day--10 gifts under $20!

Don't have anything lined up for Mother's Day yet? Feel bad 'cause your tight budget won't stretch to that mega-bunch of roses? Well, here's a suggestion: if your mom's into gardening, run out this weekend and pick up a yard-related gift. Wrap it up nice and pretty and give her that, alone, or pair it with a nice little box of chocolates or a few fresh flowers. She'll love it...and it won't break the bank!

Here are my top ten budget Mother's Day gift ideas for gardening moms. All of my suggestions are $20 or less--making them perfect for kids, grandkids, or big kids on a budget! Although it may be too late to have these items shipped, your local stores carry variations of nearly all of these items. Oh, and if you're open to slightly pricier ideas, check out last week's gift ideas post!

1. LL Bean Go-Anywhere Flexible Tote, $16.50
This soft, yet very sturdy, LLBean tote comes in a range of fabulous colors, including perfect-for-Mother's-Day bright pink. Also available in more practical hues, like dark green. Use it for anything outdoors-related: mix soil in it, haul tools or clippings in it, etc. This 11-gallon tote is built to last: it is UV-resistant and has reinforced handles.

Postcards from Yo Momma blog

Nearly everyone who has a mother with a working computer has received some unintentionally funny emails from her at one point or another. Whether it's an update on the health prognosis of someone don't know and have never met (your cousin's ex-husband's barber's neighbor who was recently diagnosed with cancer of the toe, for example) or the latest warnings on the dangers of toilet spiders, technology and moms can be a pretty funny mix.

Instead of just forwarding these e-mails to girlfriends to enjoy and/or commiserate over, Jessica Grose and Doree Shafrir launched Postcards from Yo Momma, a blog with the tagline: A repository of modern day maternal correspondence. The idea was so great and the letter so brilliant, they've even been offered a book contract. Love, Mom will be released in April 2009.

"We started it on a lark," says Grose. "We never thought people would get so excited." Some of my favorite entries: