Thursday, April 12, 2012

Mom Blogger Buzz Has a New Home on WordPress

WordPress
WordPress (Photo credit: Adriano Gasparri)
We have moved! We have officially moved over to WordPress. You can find us at Mom Blogger Buzz (dot) com! So please excuse the mess until we are completely moved over!

Thank you for supporting us here on Blogger!  See you on the other side!
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Sunday, April 8, 2012

We Are Giving Away a Kindle Fire! April 9th-22nd

Kindle Fire Giveaway Event
  Welcome to the Kindle Fire Giveaway hosted by Giveaway Promote and U.S. Coupons and Deals.   We've joined a fantastic group of bloggers to give away a Kindle Fire to one lucky person. Just complete the tasks below to earn entries into this giveaway. One winner will be chosen at random from all valid entries.   Bloggers, join us in an upcoming giveaway event! Sign up and we'll keep you posted about future group events, like this one, hosted by Giveaway Promote. If you'd also like to hear about all other events currently open for blogger sign-ups, subscribe to Giveaway Promote's weekly group giveaway events and hops newsletter.  
This giveaway is open in the United States and Canada.
It will end at 11:59pm EST on April 22nd, 2012.

Easter Sunday in Pisa, Italy

Cathedral of Pisa (Duomo di Pisa), Pisa, Italy
Cathedral of Pisa (Duomo di Pisa), Pisa, Italy (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I have spoken about Easter week 2007 before.  It will always be in my memory as one of the best trips we have ever taken.

First of all the entire trip to Europe was a blessing. For years my dreams of visiting Italy and Sicily would seem to consume my thoughts!

I hadn't told my husband that I wanted to go to Europe, especially Italy and Sicily where my family is from. However, one day he announced that he had purchased the tickets and that we were leaving on my dream trip in two weeks!

After the cruise around the Mediterranean we arrived back in Italy on Easter Sunday. I was worried because I didn't want to miss Easter Mass. We docked in Savona, took a quick bus ride to our rental car and started our first leg of our journey back to Rome. He had booked a Bed and Breakfast in Pisa for the night.

We had never driven in Italy before so it was quite the adventure. Thankfully I have some map skills as a backseat driver! Which I guess helped making our way to Pisa somewhat easier!

My husband knew I was stressing and I think that made matters worse. I thought that we would be able to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa from the main road to get our bearings where we were. However the tall buildings that surrounded the town protected the view.

We finally found the Bed and Breakfast and made it up to our room. It was wonderful. We had a balcony overlooking the garden. We got changed and ran down to the front desk. The gentleman kindly told us that it was just a short walk to the Tower.

Hand in hand we started our short journey through the ancient streets of Pisa.

We crossed over the Arno River where Pisa seems to be cut right in half with wonderful old shops and buildings on either side.

I still couldn't see the Tower! We continued to walk a block or so and then there it was, as if by magic in all its glory.  Looking down as if saying, "oh ye of little faith!" It actually took my breath away. I had seen it so many times in photos that it was as if I was looking at a poster.



It was such a beautiful sunny day. We were able to spend some time just enjoying the view on the grass and then took some time learning a little bit of history.  

Then we noticed that the last Mass of the day was at 6 pm. We were still going to be able to have Easter Sunday Service at the Cathedral or Duomo di Pisa.


The service of course was in Italian and I felt so blessed and grateful to be there. That Easter Sunday will never be forgotten and is forever etched in my memory.

Thank you for taking this trip down Memory Lane with me! I am wishing for all of you a Blessed Easter and Passover week.
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Saturday, April 7, 2012

Join in on the Big Mother's Day Bash!





Just in time for Mother's Day! All mothers deserve the very best. That's why this year, voiceBoks, Planet Weidknecht, Good Steward Savers, Terri's Little Haven, and About a Mom Blog are throwing a BIG Mother’s Day Bash Event! Enter for your chance to win!


This year’s Event features 3 Prizes!

1) The First Place Prize will feature will be $600 Paypal CASH Prize for you splurge on your mom.
2) The Second Place Prize will be a Spa Perfect Relax & Rejuvinate Tote worth over $100 from
Bea's Gift Baskets and Gifts
3) The Third Place Prize will be a 3D Family Portrait on Canvas made by Emsheldesigns.


3 WINNERS FOR 3 CHANCES TO WIN!
There are plenty of points and opportunities below to win the big prize!
Good Luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway


This giveaway was made possible by the following sponsors:

Spilled Milkshake | Cute-Ecakes | Insights By April | Mommy's Memorandum | Military Wives Saving | Sister's Saving Cents | Couponing From Florida to Michigan | This Mama Loves Her Bargains | Angela Calavicci | Crazy Life of a Writing Mom | Mom Blogger Buzz | Frugal Fanatic | Mommy LaDy Club | Powered by Mom | Peanut Butter and Whine | Racing and Saving Mama | Mark Your Savings | The Kid's Fun Reviewed | Mommy Writes | Frugal Friends Network | Baxtron{Life} | November Sunflower | The Mommy Bunch | Mommy Blog Designs | Giveaway Promote | A Living Homeschool | From City Corporate to Suburb Mama | Sweeping The USA | The Frugal Freeloader | Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks | The Epic Adventures of a Modern Mom | Simple-Homemaking | Like a Bump on a Blog | the Crazy Nuts Mom | Debbie Does Coupons | JadeLouise Designs | Diary of a Working Mom | Giveaway Bandit | Clipping Money | D.S. White | Connecting Piece by Piece | Shootie Girl™ Custom Rhinestone Apparel & Blog | Super Blake Books | Work, Interrupted | Coupons For Wisconsin | Adventures of a Maui Mompreneur | The Penny Hoarder | A Thrifty Diva Surviving Mommy Hood | Cyns Coupons 4U | GiaVanne's Gems | Roscoe Ramblings | Its the Simple Things | Grandma Bonnie's Closet | The Frugal Free Gal | Spinning Meals | Dawns Delights Art | CountryLife4Me | Latina Reddick (NaturalHairLatina) | A Happy Hippy Mom | Savior Cents | Our Full House | Wrinkled Mommy | Great Beauty Buys | Gay NYC Dad | The Life of a Not So Ordinary Wife | Single Mom Saving Money | My Side Of Life | Cocoons 2 Butterflies | Linkie's Contest Linkies

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Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Living Life from the Inside Out by Troy Myree Sr.

Living Life from the Inside Out by Troy Myree Sr., is the story of the author's journey when his life began to spiral out of control financially and personally to now living a life full of joy and peace. It is a story of perseverance and faith.

The situations that he found himself are not unlike what many are dealing with in our current economy today. However, sadly not everyone handles these trials the same.

During that trying time in his life he kept focusing on not what was currently happening but how he wanted his life to become.  When anxiety would try to knock on the door of his psyche, he would repeat over and over an affirmation by Charles Haanel, "I AM Whole, Perfect, Strong, Powerful, Loving, Harmonious and Happy."

He also took this quote by Robert Collier to heart, "The spiritual substance from which all wealth is obtained is never depleted but is with you always and responds to your faith in it and your demands on it."

As he did this his mind began to open to all kinds of opportunities. His vision for helping others experiencing difficulties in their lives became a reality and Serious Encouragement.com An Inspirational Stop on the Information Highway™ was born!

You can also find SeriousEncouragement.com on Facebook and Twitter!

The writer shows us that you have two choices when dealing with difficulties in life; You can either wallow in self pity, continuing down the same path or know that this too shall pass and you can make it to the other side and be a better person for it!

God is a loving God and the author's faith in Him never wavered. How have you handled a difficult time in your life? Did you learn anything about yourself in the process?

"I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position one has reached in life as by the obstacles which one has overcome while trying to succeed." Booker T. Washington

Sunday, April 1, 2012

California Fashion to Resort Wear-Fresh Produce

Recently I have been noticing many advertisements for the Fresh Produce clothing line.  Now that Spring is here the bright colors of their clothes is a breath of fresh air! 

When I was approached by the company to write a review I was really excited. There are so many beautiful pieces to choose from!

Since I live in the Pacific Northwest I decided that I should choose something with long sleeves.  I wanted to be able to start wearing it as soon as  possible! This was not an easy task, there were so many great choices!

I finally selected the Oxford Shirt and I love the color Sunrise. There are numerous colors to choose from. You will have your choice of what seems like all the colors of the rainbow, including white and black too!


Fresh Produce is primarily Made in the U.S.A. and now ships to over 200 countries, "so women outside of the U.S. can enjoy the colorful styles too!"

From California Fashion to Resort Wear you will find what you need for both women and children.

Fresh Produce can be found in Nordstrom and over 500 specialty boutiques and resort retailers around the globe.

The package arrived today and I was struck with the quality of the fabric, color and craftsmanship.  I am glad that I chose a size Medium because they do run large.

We have been waiting for the sun to shine to be able to take a picture of me wearing the blouse. Living in Seattle can be a challenge to find that perfect day! Despite the rain we finally made it out!

It is so comfortable and I can't wait until it gets warmer to be able to wear it with my white Capri pants!

Today April 1st Fresh Produce is having a 25% One Day Sale on their website. I will be shopping for more of these great clothes!

Don't forget to check out Find Fresh Produce Clothing on Facebook and on Twitter too!

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Disclaimer: I received the blouse from the company in order to write this review.  I did not receive any monetary compensation. The views and opinions about this product are purely my own. 
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Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Empire Avenue-The Man Cave No More!

A couple of months ago someone introduced me to Empire Avenue! At first I thought this is a game, I don't get it and how in the heck am I going to figure this out! Should I even care to and do I have the time? Not another social networking site!


Quickly I started to see the benefits. Not only did I start to notice an increase in followers on all of my Social Networking sites, but I also started to establish relationships and find quality products, companies and bloggers.


Empire Avenue is another Social Networking tool.  The more you invest, follow, endorse, complete missions and connect with other members the sooner you will start to see an increase in value but more importantly an increase in engagement. 

Mom Bloggers CommunityI noticed that there were many men on this site too.  So naturally I wanted to mix up the blue with some pink so I started to invite some women and mom bloggers.  Lisa Cash Hanson was one of those great ladies.


That is how the Mom Bloggers Community on Empire Avenue got started. Everyone that joins our community is also pinned on our Pinterest Board. Their pins direct people to their profile on Empire Avenue. Our Board's description says, "The Mom Bloggers Community on Empire Avenue is open to all women.  We are #SMRocketFuel Divas! Building a strong community of Savvy Investors on #EAv!"


Another one of our goals in creating this community was to let women start to have a larger presence on Empire Avenue. We were hearing from some that they didn't understand it, were a little overwhelmed and really were missing out on the benefits. Therefore our community has tutorials, videos and tips to increase longevity and decrease user frustration.


Like with all Social Networking sites, as soon as you join add your picture and Bio. Then connect your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Flickr, Foursquare, WordPress, Google Plus and Blog accounts.


Just enjoy and be sure to check out Mom Bloggers Community on EA!

Related articles


Lisa Ladrido is an R.N. Mom Blogger who is passionate about Social MediaPersonal Development and Health and Wellness.

She has 5 sons and lives in Washington State with her husband and their furry four legged children!

My blog: Mom Blogger Buzz: Can One Smile Change the World?

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Monday, March 19, 2012

Opportunity for Bloggers-Sign up by April 6-7th!

Here are two upcoming Giveaways that everyone can join in and participate. The sign-up deadline is April 6th for the Mother's Day Giveaway and April 7th for the Raining Cash Giveaway!


It's Raining Cash Giveaway Event


Raining Cash
Are you a blogger looking to increase your social media exposure?  Join our upcoming cash giveaway event! This event will be held from April 16th through April 29th.  Sign-ups end on April 7th. 

Our most recent cash giveaway event, the $700 Winter Blast of Cash Giveaway, had an incredible turnout with over 120 participating blogs and 275,000+ entries.  Participants in that event gained hundreds and even thousands of new followers! 

We would love for you to join us in the next big event! Complete your information on the sign-up form Here by April 7th!  There will also be a cash prize for the participating blogger who refers the most people to the giveaway! 

Mother's Day Giveaway Event



You are also welcome to visit VoiceBoks and sign up for the Mother's Day Giveaway. 


Please let them know that Lisa Ladrido sent you! Thank you. 


You must sign up for this Giveaway by April 6thEnjoy these opportunities!





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Thursday, March 15, 2012

Is Pinterest's Popularity Due to Science?

Those of you not on Pinterest may be asking, since there are so many other Social Networking and Bookmarking sites already, why should I join Pinterest?


I agree there are many sites out there. However, when you look at the Infographic below you may start to see why you should join! If you own a business it is even more important that you see the benefits of this relatively new and popular site. 



Here is one of the reasons I feel Pinterest has become so popular. There are three types of Learning StylesVisual Learners, Auditory Learners and Kinesthetic Learners (big word for Tactile)! 


Did you know that 65% of the population are Visual Learners?  Compared to 30% who are Auditory and only 5% are Kinesthetic Learners, according to Learning Styles Assessment-TRIO.  Does this have anything to do with its popularity? If so, did Pinterest take this into consideration when creating their site?  


I would love to hear why you think Pinterest has become so popular so quickly! 

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Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Enter for a Spring Surprise!

Spring is in the air! And as the flowers start to bloom and the world is filled with colors, I start to see GREEN! Because I always want to do little things in the Spring that cost money - like getting a fabulous new outfit, or fixing up the front yard. Soooo, I thought it would be great to give you a way to get a little Spring Surprise for yourself! I teamed up with some of my great bloggy friends and we want to give YOU $100 in Paypal cash to spend any way you want! What will you buy? That fab new dress? Flowers for the front yard? A day at the spa? The possibilities are endless! But only if you enter to win this Spring Surprise!
So, here's how it works. Entry is super easy thanks to Rafflecopter! You simply have to answer one question - What would you do with this awesome Spring Surprise? That's it - you're entered! But wait! Since I'm sure you want even better chances of winning (it's 100 bucks!), you can earn extra entries in several ways. You can like the sponsoring blogs Facebook Fan Pages, follow them on Twitter, add them to your circles on Google+ or enter other contest and leave comments on great posts! How much or how little you do is up to you! But remember, the more entries you complete, the better your chances are to win!
So are you ready? Do you know what you'll spend your Spring Surprise on? Then enter away!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
The blogs participating in this event are:
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Friday, March 9, 2012

My Top 7 Favorite Tools

In my search to create a fun and engaging Facebook Fan Page, increase my reach on Twitter and exposure to my Blog, I have found some great applications, tools and communities to help me get there. Here are my Top 7 Tools that have helped me with all of my goals, in no particular order. 


Triberr has to be included in my Top 7!  Not only has it contributed to my increased Twitter reach, followers,  and Klout score, but I have met some incredible bloggers along the way. Dino Dogan and Dan Cristo are the brains behind Triberr.  They have hit the nail on the head so to speak when it comes to creating a community and tool that is based on sharing.  Most bloggers love to share content of other bloggers. 


Once you belong to a tribe on Triberr, it just takes a few clicks and the blog posts are shared to Twitter, Facebook, Google+, StumbleUpon and LinkedIn and coming soon Pinterest too! According to Dino, "So far, Triberr has imported close to one million blog posts, and has handled the sharing of 10 million tweets.  And the "10 million" figure doesn't even include posts that are shared via other social channels like Facebook, LinkedIn, StumbleUpon and G+."  


I had been stuck for months around 2000 followers on Twitter.  As soon as I joined Triberr my followers started to increase rapidly to over 3000 and my reach is now over 2.9 million because of the great tribes that I belong to. This is without using any automated tools. 


When you join Triberr don't hesitate to visit their great Tutorials on All Triberr, this will save you so much time!

I like Buffer for many reasons, but mostly because it gives me additional leeway to edit my re-tweets directly on Twitter. If you are using either Chrome, Safari or Firefox you will be able to install the Buffer buttons so that you can share any page quickly and easily! You will have to check out my post regarding Buffer when you get a chance. Don't forget to visit their Blog, which is another extension to this great tool!

Most of us have heard of Blog Hops and there are a few tools that you can use to create a Blog Hop but I continue to be loyal to Linky Tools.  Since I love Blog Hopping I thought there must be a way to do Facebook Fan Page "Like" Hopping. So once I figured it out I wrote a blog post tutorial on creating your very own Facebook Like Hop right on Facebook! 


You are welcome to join the Facebook Hop we have going on at Women Entrepreneurs too! What better way to Hop around all the Facebook Fan Pages and Blogs while you are on Facebook! 


Mr. Brent Riggs has also created the Linky Followers Tool, which as rumors have it, Google Friend Connect may be going away, so this will be a great substitute. 

I have really enjoyed using RSS Graffiti on my Facebook Fan Page. All of our members love that their blog posts are being pulled and showcased on our Page! I was looking high and low for an application that could do this automatically. I wanted to be able to post unlimited RSS feeds and then I found RSS Graffiti! I was ecstatic!


If I could remember who invited me to Empire Avenue. I would like to give them a big thank you! At first sight I thought, oh no is this a game?! How naive I was! "Social Media Rocket Fuel" is right!! You can build and join Communities, start Missions, Network with other members, Increase your Klout, Twitter followers, Blog Endorsements and Facebook Likes all in one place!  


First things first, like with all Social Networking sites add your picture and Bio. Then connect your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Flickr, Foursquare, WordPress, Google and Blog accounts. 


Then you can start "buying stock" (with virtual money called Eaves) and networking with other members and watch your share price go up and your following increase!

As a Mom Blogger I love to support other women in the blogging community. I was given the opportunity to review an eBook and I truly recommend it to all women bloggers out there. Get Famous is full of blogging tips for the new and seasoned blogger. 

Pinterest is the fastest growing site out there today. I personally love photography, pets and travel.  However, if you have a business I truly recommend that you join. You are able to pin directly from your website or blog and create Boards in categories. If you were to have an Etsy shop for example and you add prices to your pin, your price will automatically be included on a banner across your pin. There are many benefits when using Pinterest, too numerous to outline here in this small post. 


These are my favorites for now. As you know new ones will be added what seems like daily! With every Social Networking site, you need to be social and of course network! It really is that simple. Enjoy!



Related Articles
Did Triberr Give Me Klout? (mombloggerbuzz.com)
How I Use Pinterest (mompreneurmogul.com)
How to Make Money Blogging-Get Famous (mombloggerbuzz.com)




Lisa Ladrido is an R.N. Mom Blogger who is passionate about Social MediaPersonal Development and Health and Wellness.

She has 5 sons and lives in Washington State with her husband and their furry four legged children!

My blog: Mom Blogger Buzz: Can One Smile Change the World?



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Sunday, March 4, 2012

How One Mom Blogger Went From No Visitors To Over 17,000 In One Month and So Can You

I first wrote about Lisa Cash Hanson a.k.a. Mompreneur Mogul on  Our Featured Mom Series.  It was right after her appearance on Shine from Yahoo®!


At the time she was finishing up her new eBook, "Get Famous-The Most Amazing Mom Blogger's Resource on the Planet".  I was honored when she asked me to write a review of her new book.


Here is what I initially wrote for her sales page, "Get Famous is full of great tips, tools and resources, for both the new and experienced blogger.


Lisa shares with her readers the pitch she used to land a major interview with Yahoo Finance, just months after starting her blog! 


You will find tutorials and even how to get media exposure despite not having a high Google Ranking. There are too many Golden Nugget(s) in this book to mention in just a few sentences! Get Famous gives you all of the resources anyone would ever need to have the most Amazing Blog on the Planet!"

Of course I am right, there are too many "Golden Nuggets" to write in a few short sentences! You will want this book if you want to find real ways to make money with your blog, it will be a valuable addition to your blogging arsenal!


I have read many "How to Make Money from Your Blog" books from all the leading male "gurus". I find them repetitious and boring, however they are making tons of money!! So Kudos to the men making all the money! 


On the other hand Lisa's book is from a woman with a stay at home mom's perspective.  It is refreshing, easy to read and she has already invested hours finding the most powerful resources so you don't have to! I use it daily when I want to find out how to pitch the media, ways to promote my blog and companies that will pay for my reviews.


Why does that matter to you? She shows YOU how her traffic jumped from 700 visitors to over 17,686 in just one month!  There are over 100 major resources to help you increase your traffic, make money blogging and get companies to chase you down to review their products.


Click here to learn more! You have to check it out!
Disclaimer: I did not receive any monetary compensation for this book review.  I received a copy of this book to facilitate the review process. 

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How to Make Money Blogging (mompreneurmogul.com)



Lisa Ladrido is an R.N. Mom Blogger who is passionate about Social Media, Personal Development and Health and Wellness.

She has 5 sons and lives in Washington State with her husband and their furry four legged children!

My blog: I am all a twitter about life! Can One Smile Change the World?

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Saturday, February 25, 2012

Six Degrees of Separation: Mentionmapp & Twitter

Six degrees of separation.
Image via Wikipedia
Everything about Blogging and Social Media fascinates me. Not only the relationships we establish but also the new tools and gadgets created, what seems like everyday! Today I was introduced to another one by my Twitter friend, Abel.

The tool, is called Mentionmapp.  It reminded me of Six Degrees of Separation. If you haven't heard of this term, according to Wikipedia, "refers to the idea that everyone is on average approximately six steps away, by way of introduction, from any other person on Earth." Which of course includes Twitter too!!

Visit and read Abel's post about Mentionmapp on his website, AIGEN Digital Marketing.  See who is connected to him, who are his "opinion leaders" and how do their messages connect and interrelate with each other.

Therefore, I will not go into detail on how to create your own. It is super easy! Just enter your Twitter handle and it will create a map from your most recent tweets, of who is connected to you along with your Hashtags!




I would love to hear who you are connected to and who is in your Twitter Community!


Lisa Ladrido is an R.N. Mom Blogger who is passionate about Social Media, Personal Development and Health and Wellness.

She has 5 sons and lives in Washington State with her husband and their furry four legged children!

My blog: I am all a twitter about life! Can One Smile Change the World?

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Sunday, February 19, 2012

Can One Smile Change the World?

A few years ago I was in NYC for business.  While I was making my way from my hotel to the Empire State Building I noticed something disturbing.  People were head down, briskly walking to their destinations, barely making any eye contact.  As I continued to walk this started to bother me. I began to think, what would happen if I were to smile and make a comment to them?

Validation
Validation (Photo credit: splorp)
So I started my little experiment. At first I was trying to make eye contact before I spoke.  That wasn't working.  People were rushing by me as fast as they could! As you may know there are moments that people start to slow down at each street corner, either waiting for that crazy erratic taxi to drive through the crowds or at a street light. This is where I decided to re-start my experiment!


I began to make eye contact and tell them, "Good Morning" with a smile. I would change it up a bit, by saying, "Hope you have a great day today"!  There were those that actually responded!  At first they looked somewhat startled, "You talkin' to me?"! Kidding no one said that! Startled that someone was actually speaking to them. Some smiled back, some even said, "Thank you, same to you!"


Maybe only one smile will not change the world, but what if one smile or one kind action created a butterfly effect? I started to notice that as I walked, a feeling of happiness came over me. There was even a hop in my steps. I no longer felt alone in that big city. I continued to do this until I reached my destination.


Of course I am not sure if the same feelings came over those that actually responded to me, or if they continued to do the same as they made their walk that morning. Something inside of me changed that day. I realized that a small gesture could actually affect someone's day and make it a better one.


In the end we all want to be validated, but what has stopped us from validating others?  Today I was introduced to this video, "Validation", which has won several Short Film Awards.  Which validates my point!




It proved to me, that although we may not be able to see the results of our actions, we can help change this world one smile at a time! Have a great week, you are Awesome!

Lisa Ladrido is an R.N. Mom Blogger who is passionate about Social Media, Personal Development and Health and Wellness.

She has 5 sons and lives in Washington State with her husband and their furry four legged children!

Previous Blog Post: I am all a twitter about life! Toe Tapping Fun for the Entire Family!    

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