The other day I received a package from Tamara of The Spoiled Mama. The San Francisco entrepreneur mom started the popular line of lotions, potions, scrubs and more to pamper mom & baby like they’ve never been pampered before.

The first thing I noticed about The Spoiled Mama was the packaging. The spoiling starts right away apparently! Simply gorgeous. No need to worry about ordering this is a gift first and then wrapping. Just send it right to the mama you want spoiled.

I’ve never been one known for my patience and immediately ripped open the box to find pieces from The Pregnancy Collection. The Sugar Scrub, made with all natural ingredients, smelled so delicious that I wanted to taste it. So I did. Honestly, I could have eaten it on toast, it tasted like Nutella’s crunchy cousin.

The Tummy Butter is so thick and luxurious, not at all greasy. I’ve been using it on my spoiled toddler after her bath. Just one of the many ways I say “I love you” to my diva of a 2-year old.

The Extreme Mama Cream forever has a place in my purse. I love it. No generic chemical laden lotion for these hard working hands.

Now, I’ve saved something super cool for last. I LOVE oils. Especially during the winter. This one gets bonus points because it promises to reduce or prevent stretch marks! The Bump Gloss Stretch Mark oil gets two manicured thumbs up for being yummy smelling and feeling SO good on the skin.

Thank you Tamara for creating such an amazing line for moms! Only another mom could have done it. I’m meeting up with Tam (that’s my nickname because we’re so close now. bonded over my love of things that pamper me…) in San Francisco in a couple of weeks. I’ll report back with what she’s working on next!

xo One Crazy Mother

PS. She has boxed set specials starting at $23 bucks so get out there. Do something special for yourself.

When I started this blog, being a “crazy mother” had to do with being frazzled and busy, true Desperate Housewives-style. After launching my business, reading the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People and E-Myth, I decided frazzled wasn’t the look for me and “crazy” evolved into something more hilarious and lighthearted.

Little did I know, what it means to be One Crazy  Mother would evolve yet again into something new. Today I received an email from a good friend of mine who, like me, is an entrepreneur and definitely marches to the beat of her own drum. She sent me a beautiful description of the home birth she had in the wee hours of the  morning. Three years ago the idea of a home birth would left me with a blank stare, my left hand slowly creeping towards my cell phone in hopes of dialing the proper authorities without spooking anyone. Today, amidst the movement of moms to do their research and making choices that are best for them and their families, I couldn’t be prouder of her.

We’re not our mother’s mothers. We don’t think we have to choose between a career and family life, but don’t feel the need to “have it all” either. We don’t care about keeping up with the Joneses (unless the Joneses have solar panels on their roof). We’re the first generation of mothers to actually see the local and global impact of our shopping list. We’re as committed to having fun as we are to making a difference; never valuing one over the other.

In about an hour I’d heading out to Starbucks to meet with a mom who owns a retail and online store that carries mostly European made toys (all the rage). She’s flying through Friday, duck-out-of-work-at-4pm traffic so that I can help her put together a strategy for creating relationships with local mom’s groups. Before she arrives and while my two-year old sleeps, I’m finishing up some work for a national line of organic baby food, run by two moms who who jumped on the organic foods stage with more enthusiasm than I’d ever seen. These moms are busy, but they are leading lives of passion, creating the businesses and organizations that they’d always to be a part of.

This is the new crazy mother. She’s doing it her way without an apology or explanation. I’m glad to be in her company.

One of my favorite mom-owned businesses is Tiny Revolutionary, a line of kid’s and adult’s clothing. The messages that run across the chest of their ultra-soft cotton are controversial, poignant, and oftentimes, hilarious. The LA  company makes more than just t-shirts, they’re working on changing the world one thread at a time.  They were kind enough to send my toddler a very special item that they’re working on. More below.

From the website:

Through an extraordinary partnership with Africa Aid, a t-shirt is being elevated to its highest call yet - life saver. With the purchase of each THIS SHIRT SAVED A LIFE tee from Tiny Revolutionary, $20 will be donated directly to Africa Aid to fund a child in their school lunch program in the Buduburam Refugee Settlement in Ghana for an entire year. To learn more about Africa Aid, visit www.africaaid.org today!

Printed on a 100% Cotton buttery soft vintage black tee with innovative new, non-toxic inks. Each tee has an inside print explaining the program and is HAND-NUMBERED prior to shipping for a true one-of-a-kind mark of distinction.

Check out the website: http://www.tinyrevolutionary.com

Winners were picked and notified for the OnTrack and Bouquet of Fruits giveaways!!

More contests coming…

PS. Why is Sephora popular? Their nail polish dissapoints.

I know, I know I haven’t blogged in forever. In my defense, I run two other blogs, a business and have a kid in preschool. Having the kid gone four hours a day (and then sleep another 2.5) might seem like it makes life easier but in a way it makes it harder. Packing lunches, remembering my snack day, finding places for all of those gorgeous but rapidly adding up art projects she does all day is time consuming.

Being a crazy mother is fabulous though, I can’t really complain. The Cleaning Green Challenge (look it up, no time to find a link) was so much fun. I still have 3/4 full bottles of natural cleaner if anyone wants some. I met the marketing manager of Bouquet of Fruits, the people who did the wonderful caramel apple giveaway last weekend. She was so sweet and gave me about 50lbs of chocolate including a gigantic coconut caramel apple!!! Yikes! Their wine-filled chocolates are simply incredible. I never use the i-word so take it seriously.

Ok, more giveaways and interview coming up…stay tuned.

xxoxo OCM

Bouquet of Fruits Wine-Filled Chocolates

Melissa from California is our Elephants on the Wall winner! This is what she had to say when she found out she’d won:

“Thank you so much!! I have been following EOTW since I saw their product a few years ago at a baby expo in Long Beach CA. I was so impressed with how easy it seemed. I am pretty crafty but when it came to painting my kids rooms I got a little scared. When I saw the Pirate Mural I knew that was what I wanted to do for my Son’s room. I can’t wait to get started!!”

How sweet! Melissa picked out this mural:

Send us photos when you’re done!

Here is Melissa with her two little ones!

So adorable! Congratulations! Thanks Elephants on the Wall for making her mural aspirations come true!

www.elephantsonthewall.com

New pirate murals! http://www.elephantsonthewall.com/proddetail.php?prod=575

I’m sad that all of my OnTrack bars are gone. Seriously. The past few days I’ve been eating a lot of Kix cereal for snack (so not Atkins approved). I think it’s time to order on line or storm headquarters…

There have been 12 entries in comments and 9 to onecrazymother@gmail.com.

You still have time! Just answer “What would you do with more energy” and get an OnTrack prize pack!! Then send me half of your bars…just kidding!

Some of the entries:

If I had more energy, I would clean out my garage! I can’t even park a car in there!

I need more energy to keep up with my new puppy. He has more energy than my kids.

I’d try to de-clutter my house a bit. I’ve got so many things, but nowhere to put them all. I need to go through them and get them ready for a garage sale…but I don’t have the energy

If i had a little more energy i’d probably exercise or clean, or exercise while cleaning, ooooo! hahahah!

Good luck!! Read more entries and comment here

http://onecrazymother.com/blog/?p=50

OnTrack’s parent company Bouquet of Fruits also makes fancy, fancy caramel apples!

Win one here

http://onecrazymother.com/blog/?p=56

Have you been following Emily’s journey? She’s been doing a great job using the template from Elephants on the Wall. Her pirate mural is looking amazing!

Want to win an Elephants on the Wall mural of your own? Just count the number of times the word “pirate” appears in her posts- from beginning to the end next week. Or…either comment or email onecrazymother@gmail.com with why your kids’ room needs spicing up (I don’t have the patience to count, you may not either).

Elephants on the Wall just added more pirate themes! Check them out

Dinner is a pain in the ass to get on the table for me at least 3 nights out of 7. After spending time washing and simmering it’s almost a guarantee that my 2 year-old will reject my feast and ask for goldfish crackers or a slice of plain bread.

Victoria (SavvyMommy.com) is giving away frozen, natural Wolfgang Puck Pizza! Just go to her blog and post a comment about your funniest supermarket experience to win 1 of 10 pies. There is nothing better than a meal that comes out of the oven with no prep work by mama.

Most of the “funny” grocery shopping stories I have are only giggle-worthy in hindsight. One time my kid thought it would be hilarious to ask, “Dada?” to every male in sight- maybe she thought making it look like she didn’t know who her father was would result in some gummi worms thrown her way.

Go to the contest. Win some dinner on Savvy. Click here.

Daphne Brogdon is one crazy mother. When she’s not washing sippy cups, chasing a toddler, or trying to remember what pre-baby life was like, she’s a comedian who hosts TV Guide Channel’s weekly series, THE FASHION TEAM and contributor to many television and print media.

I talked to Daphne last week when I saw that she’d recently launched a blog called Cool Mom. Her candid, honest, nothing-held-back videos will resonate with overtired, overworked, and largely malnourished (Diet Coke is not a meal) moms everywhere. We’re all running on fumes, Daphne articulates the “mom lifestyle” perfectly.

Some of Daphne’s neurosis can be attributed to the fact that she, like me, lives in southern California (where if you want clean air, go to an oxygen bar). The rest come from the everyday issues of raising young; think first day of preschool.

Must read:
Preschool Day One Report: Stress
http://coolmom.com/2008/07/15/preschool-day-one-report-stress/

Mommy Math
http://coolmom.com/2008/06/04/mom-math/