We at 30Second Mom are beside ourselves with excitement that Mother’s Day is nearly upon us, and we want to share it with you! So we’re introducing the 30Second Mom Most Memorable Mother’s Day MoMents Contest!

It’s hard to believe that only seven months have passed since we first introduced 30Second Mom to you. We are so grateful for your unbelievable support, and we want to get to know more about you! And in the spirit of gratitude, we’re giving out fabulous prizes from the 30Second Mom contributor team!

To get you inspired, I’ll tell you that my most memorable Mother’s Day MoMent was my very first one, when my son was only 3 days old. Being a new mom with a newborn baby in my arms was incredibly special, and he was the best gift ever! Now that I have three teens (where does the time go?!), I treasure every single Mother’s Day with them. What’s your Most Memorable Mother’s Day MoMent? We want to know!

Here’s how to enter:

- If you haven’t already, register for a free 30Second Mom account by visiting the website at www.30secondmom.com or downloading the iPhone or Android app and registering for an account right from the app.

- Record a 30Second video telling us about your Most Memorable Mother’s Day MoMent. Each video should be no more than 30 seconds long. Have fun with it and above all, just be you! Check out Jennifer Pereyra’s video or Mindy Hudon’s video for examples.

- Send your video via email as a .mp4 or .mov file, along with your contact information including name, email address, snail mail address, phone number & Twitter handle (if applicable) to [elisa at 30secondmom.com].

- Once your video has been posted to the 30Second Mom website, you will receive a link to share with your friends and family.

Here’s how you may win:

- The participant whose valid entry receives the greatest total number of +1s, Likes and Comments by 10 p.m. on Sunday, May 13, will win the grand prize pack consisting of a $50 Visa gift card, a 30Second Mom mug and/or car magnet, an autographed copy of Real Moms Love to Eat by 30Second Mom contributor Beth Aldrich, an autographed copy of All The Difference, the new novel by 30Second Mom contributor Kaira Rouda, an autographed copy of Mommy and Daddy Work to Make Some Dough by 30Second Mom contributor Jennifer Pereyra, and a SpecialEd Smart consultation with 30Second Mom contributor Amanda Heyser!

- The participant whose valid entry receives the second greatest total number of +1s, Likes and Comments by 10 p.m. on Sunday, May 13, will win the runner-up prize pack consisting of a $50 Visa gift card, a 30Second Mom mug and/or car magnet, an autographed copy of Real Moms Love to Eat by 30Second Mom contributor Beth Aldrich, and an autographed copy of Here, Home, Hope – a novel by 30Second Mom contributor Kaira Rouda!

- The participant whose valid entry receives the third greatest total number of +1s, Likes and Comments by 10 p.m. on Sunday, May 13, will win the third place prize pack consisting of a $25 Visa gift card, a 30Second Mom mug and/or car magnet, an autographed copy of Real Moms Love to Eat by 30Second Mom contributor Beth Aldrich, and a digital copy of A Mother’s Day, a novella by 30Second Mom contributor Kaira Rouda!

- The participant whose valid entry receives the fourth greatest total number of +1s, Likes and Comments by 10 p.m. on Sunday, May 13, will win the fourth place prize pack consisting of a $25 Visa gift card, a 30Second Mom mug and/or car magnet, an autographed copy of Real Moms Love to Eat by 30Second Mom contributor Beth Aldrich, and a digital copy of Real You Incorporated by 30Second Mom contributor Kaira Rouda!

We’re so excited to see your videos and can’t wait to get to know more about each and every one of you! Get recording and let us know if you have any questions.

Note: We reserve the right to choose which entries to publish based on quality and content. Videos should be in line with the quality and positive nature of the other content on 30Second Mom. By sending in a submission, you agree to our Terms of Service and Official Contest Rules. Please be sure to review our Privacy Policy.

Many of you know that I’m a founding member of Friends of Ricki, the groundbreaking social/TV community for Ricki Lake’s new television show, launching in September. I recently had the opportunity to attend some Friends of Ricki events in Los Angeles, where I met many friends and fellow members for the first time IRL (in real life) – wow!

Meeting Britt Michaelian and Dabney Porte at the spa of the Montage Beverly Hills felt like having a girls’ weekend with dear friends. I can’t quite explain the heartwarming feeling I had hugging them for the first time, but I think this photo Britt took of Dabney and I does a pretty good job of capturing the emotion on my face!

The Social Media Girlfriends meet-up was so much fun! I met so many wonderful people, including the ones in this photo: Julie Spira, Jeryl Jagoda, Amanda Greene, Dabney Porte, Heather Frey and Yvonne Chase. I also got to meet the sensational Stephen Dimmick that night, who I simply adore.

The next day, I attended the Ricki Lake Show production meeting poolside with the lovely Lori Moreno and Jeanette Joy. That night, I was thrilled I got to spend time with the wonderful Bryan Moore of the Ricki Lake Show, and I was able to shoot some promos for the show, which was so fun.

Meeting Ricki herself was absolutely amazing! She is such a down-to-earth, charming person. She made me, and everyone, feel so welcome – it was clear we were among friends. She had just come from watching her son’s baseball practice, which she left work a few minutes early to attend. There wasn’t a parent in that room who didn’t relate to her and the balancing act it takes to make it all happen. She’s simply the real deal, and I’m so excited for the launch of her show. America needs a favorite girlfriend, and Ricki truly embodies her!

I participated in the Friends of Ricki weekly chat on Friday at 12pm CT with Britt, Dabney, Bryan and Lisa Kridos, executive producer of the Ricki Lake Show. She is a brilliant mastermind (and another amazing working mom), and it was so awesome to spend time with her!

If you aren’t already participating in the Friends of Ricki community, I would encourage you to do so. It’s very easy – and so much fun! Join the inspirational conversation any time on the Friends of Ricki Facebook page, or jump into the Twitter stream at #FriendsofRicki. Every Friday at 12pm CT, there’s a Friends of Ricki chat, where you can hear from TV show staff about behind-the-scenes stuff and also the Friend of the Week (I had so much fun when it was my turn). There’s also a new magazine to check out! Watch this quick video I made about Friends of Ricki to learn more.

You’ll be hearing lots more about the Ricki Lake Show and Friends of Ricki community in the coming weeks and months, so take a look and get involved. I’m sure you’ll love it as much as I do. See you on Friends of Ricki!

30Second Mom had an amazingly delicious day yesterday. In honor of Earth Day, we had an incredibly informational (and fun!) chat, featuring eco-friendly tips from our resident green mom Margaret Steck. We also welcomed several new contributors in the last few days. I hope you will look over our growing team on the left-hand side of the site and add some new faces (and voices) to your tip stream.

And perhaps the cherry on top of our very yummy sundae was being selected as one of the “5 Hottest Start-ups in Chicago” by The Digital Collective. When you’re really passionate about something, the way I am about 30Second Mom, what you do doesn’t really feel like work. What I do feels like a labor of love. That’s why being recognized by a group of top digital executives from leading companies was incredibly humbling and wonderful. I am so grateful that they see the power of the content and community we’re building here at 30Second Mom.

I want to thank you, the members of our community, for helping us make it so strong. We love creating for you, and sharing with you. You are who inspires us every day to invent, redefine and grow. Thank you for reading/watching our tips and sharing them with your family and friends. We love your feedback, and the highest compliment we get is when you recommend us to those in your circles. We appreciate you so much!

Thank you for including us in your very busy lives. As busy moms ourselves, we know how much you have to do, and we love being right there with you as you do it. We look forward to continuing to grow with you throughout your life as a mom – and beyond! Sending gratitude and love, always. xoxo!

If you’re like me, you may wonder what you did before the advent of technology. Smartphones, tablets and apps help make parenting so much more manageable for us mobile mamas. That being said, it’s still a challenge sometimes, and the 30Second Mom team and I are always on the lookout for great ways to merge technology with our busy schedules. Kids, family, home, work and everything else is a lot to handle, so help is appreciated!

We’re not alone in our love of technology. That’s why we’re so excited to be attending the SheStreams conference in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., this coming Friday and Saturday (March 30th and 31st). SheStreams is a conference that takes the use of technology to the next level, and isn’t that what we mobile moms are looking for?

A number of my 30Second Mom contributor chicas will be attending – Samantha Kemp-Jackson, Jennifer Pereyra, Amanda Heyser, Annette Jett, Joani Plenty and Bernice Wood – and I’m so excited to be there with them. We will be learning and sharing knowledge about how we can use technology to help us in our personal and professional lives.

With all this talk about women and tech, it seemed to be the perfect subject for our weekly Wednesday night Twitter chat! That’s right: Tonight we’ll be gearing up for the SheStreams conference and chatting about everything tech. What works, what doesn’t, learning and sharing – because that’s what 30Second Mom is all about. Don’t forget to register for the chat to be eligible for prizes!

To get us into the groove for the discussion, I chatted with two 30Second Mom featured contributors, Jennifer Pereyra and Samantha Kemp-Jackson. These moms are pretty tech and social-media savvy, so who better than to share some advice and tips?

Here are some quick Q&As they provided on the topic of moms, technology and how the two can work together:

Elisa: You’re both very busy working moms. What are some of your favorite ways of making technology work for you in your day-to-day lives?

Jennifer: You’ve got that right! Life is hectic much of the time, so I make the most of every spare moment I can by using technology whenever I can. One thing that really works for me is to use my smartphone when there are homework or school-related issues. Just having a portable camera ready makes it so much easier to help my daughter get organized with her schoolwork. I wrote a 30Second Mom tip about it because I do it so often!

Samantha: I’m a geek supremo and I am unabashedly in love with my smartphone! I don’t know what I’d do without it because as much as I’m a tech nerd, I’m also pretty scatterbrained and my smartphone is my go-to item for scheduling, organization and so much more. It’s even saved me from being lost in an unfamiliar parking lot on more than one occasion!

Elisa: Many moms would love to use technology but are not convinced that it can really make their busy lives easier. How would you convince them that technology can be a timesaver?

Jennifer: By using technology, moms will not only save time but money as well! There are so many instances and examples of how a smartphone can provide not only tips (such as those found on www.30secondmom.com) but discounts and more. For example, I use my smartphone to find discounts, coupons and deals all the time, and it’s often on the spot, at the spur of the moment. Use technology to your advantage and you’ll definitely come out ahead!

Samantha: My smartphone is my calendar, organizer, schedule and so much more. I make lists on my phone, make notes, text my husband with dinner plans and send pictures of the kids to my friends and family. Those are just some of the things that the phone can do. There are some other pretty nifty tricks that I’ve figured out as well. I couldn’t do without technology in my everyday life.

Elisa: What’s your best advice for moms who would like to embrace technology but are not sure where to start?

Jennifer: I would say “just go for it!” It may seem daunting and overwhelming at first, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll never turn back! There are also so many online supports and tips that you can find that will help you along the way, such as 30Second Mom!

Samantha: I would say that having a close friend who can help you through the steps to your feeling comfortable will really help you towards having a positive experience with technology. As well, finding a supportive group or site online for like-minded moms really helps. Of course, I would also suggest 30Second Mom! It’s a great place for connecting with other moms just like yourself who have found simple and workable solutions to a number of topics.

Thanks so much to Jennifer and Samantha for giving me a flavor of what the Twitter chat will be about tonight! I’m so looking forward to chatting with everyone about women, mom, technology and SheStreams, where all of these topics and more will come together. I also hope you will join us on Friday night, when 30Second Mom will be sponsoring the cocktail party/Twitter party at SheStreams! Even if you can’t be with us in person, you can join us live for conversation, prizes and fun live from Fort Lauderdale!

Join us for the chat tonight and every Wednesday at 8pm CDT, 9pm EDT. By registering for the chat, you can be eligible to win one of the weekly prizes! See you tonight, and see you Friday live from SheStreams!

This post is about gratitude. I am so grateful for the amazing contributors to 30Second Mom! Have you ever met someone in real life that you had only known online? What was it like?

Today, I had a coffee meet-up with four 30Second Mom contributors (left to right): Jan Mostrom, Shannon Guernsey, (Elisa All), Meredith Sinclair and Cheryl Leahy (with her beautiful baby). I had met two of them before (Jan and Meredith), and I met two of them for the first time (Cheryl and Shannon). Ironically, the two that were there already when I walked in were the two I hadn’t met before. And yet, I walked right up to each and gave them hugs. Seeing their faces, I felt like I knew them already. It’s such an interesting, and wonderful, phenomenon!

Without missing a beat, we started catching up like old friends. It felt like we were closing a loop on the full picture, making the connection even deeper. I love how social media brought us together, drawn to each other by similar interests and a passion for moms and kids. I love how they joined the 30Second Mom contributor team based on their faith in something they believe in, led by a person they had never met IRL, until today.

So I want to say thank you to the 30Second Mom contributors who are sharing this amazing journey with me. I am grateful to those of you who hopped on board based on what you saw online and in social media. Thanks for believing and contributing to the 30Second Mom vision. And I am grateful to those of you who did know me before and are contributing because of our past experiences together. Your continued support is appreciated so much!

Please share your own experiences with meeting an online friend/colleague in real life. We would love to hear it!

It’s time to party! The weekly #30SecondMom Twitter party, that is. And this week, we’re talking travel with kids with our own Samantha Kemp-Jackson, a rock star 30Second Mom contributor, blogger (and mom of many)! Here’s a guest post by Sam. Enjoy, and see you at the chat tomorrow! (Don’t forget to register to be eligible to win prizes!)

Talking Travel by Samantha Kemp-Jackson

I’m so excited to be the featured Subject Matter Expert for the weekly 30Second Mom Twitter party this week. As an avid fan of the Wednesday night chats, I’m thrilled and honored to be allowed the opportunity to lead the chat tomorrow. Being the parent of many, I can relate first-hand to the stresses of parenting, a topic that I discuss at length on my blog as well as many other media outlets. Parenting is a gift that keeps on giving, in a manner of speaking. There are times when it’s great and a wonderful surprise, there are other times that it’s, well…just surprising. Which brings us to the topic of this week’s chat.

The Twitter Party discussion will be about travel with kids. That’s right, folks – traveling with the little ones can be done. I just came back from Orlando, Fla, where I had a fabulous time with my family. All four of my kids made the jaunt and my youngest two – identical twin toddler boys – were surprisingly well-behaved on the plane and otherwise. Of course there were some tips and tricks that I employed in order to keep them quiet, both on the plane and on the ground, and I’m looking forward to sharing these tips on the Twitter chat. As well, I know that so many of you have additional tips and advice about what to do when you’re vacationing with the family so I’m hoping to hear all about your best strategies for family travel as well.

Why should you log on for the Wednesday night 30Second Mom chat? Well, there are so many reasons. First off, we’re in spring break season, and so many of us are planning jaunts across the country or further, with our families in tow. Some of us as well will be feeling a bit of anxiety about what the journey may bring, so being able to connect with other parents about what works and what doesn’t is a huge relief.

Let’s not forget about the fact that the 30Second Moms are a diverse group with a wealth of information and experience. There will be no question that they will have answers and solutions that are not only helpful, but unique and easy to do, as well.

Like with all other 30Second Mom Twitter Parties, there will be prizes to be awarded – Woot! We’ll be giving away three Starbucks gift cards of $15 each (get yourself some breakfast or treat your kids to a snack)! But in order to be eligible for prizes, you have to register!

The Wednesday night 30Second Mom Twitter parties start at 8pm CT, 9pm ET and is always a good time – guaranteed!

If you’re new to Twitter or have never participated in a Twitter Party/Chat, send me a tweet and I’d be happy to get back to you with some pointers. The party starts at 8pmCT/9pmET tomorrow (Wednesday, March 14) and look for the hashtag #30secondmom. Start tweeting and use the #30secondmom hashtag somewhere in your tweets so everyone participating can see and interact with you.

Hope to see you there!

Samantha (aka Multiple Mayhem Mamma)

I met the fabulous Stephen Dimmick on Twitter, and I felt an immediate connection to this superstar Aussie makeup artist. He’s so warm and engaging, and has a positive energy that just makes you feel good. So when we were both invited to be founding members of the Friends of Ricki community, I was excited to get to know him better.

Based in New York City, Stephen has worked with “A-list” celebrities like Cate Blanchett and Toni Collette, and his runway credits include Christian Dior, Valentino, Calvin Klein, Marc Jacobs and more. He also blogs/vlogs on his website, DailyDimmick.com, where he dishes a “daily dose of gorgeous.” Make sure to check it out for great ideas and inspiration.

Stephen took some time to share his tips with 30Second Mom for making moms look great on the go.

EA: Stephen, you always look so put together. But today’s moms are so busy. How can we get out the door quickly and still put our best face forward?

SD: Spot conceal, curl lashes, add mascara and a yummy vivid lip. Try fuchsia. Deliciousness abounds!

EA: Sounds fab! How can we achieve a more natural look yet cover all our flaws (age spots, blemishes, etc)?

SD: Using a primer on your skin first will give grip to the concealer. Foundation will not cover blemishes, and nothing will cover a pimple you’ve popped sistahs!

EA: Understood! What about wrinkles (sigh). Anti-aging is a big topic these days. Do you recommend anti-aging products? Is there a key ingredient to look for?

SD: First of all, it’s important to know nothing you use topically will permanently change your skin. The effects of topical treatments wear off when you stop using. My favorite products to use to keep your skin at its peak are Tretinoin cream (Retin A) and sunscreen. Tretinoin can only be obtained through a dermatologist if you are acquiring it, otherwise be VERY careful.

EA: Noted! OK, so it’s date night. How can we pump up the glam but still look like ourselves and not like we’re trying too hard? Smoky eye, false eyelashes – just for celebrities? Or can moms rock this look?

SD: My fave thing to do to elevate a daytime look into night is to really go for it with the eyeliner top and bottom, and on the waterline, too. GO FOR BROKE and bring on the smoke. After all, where there’s smoke there’s fire, sistah! Use a Q-tip to smudge the outer edges so it’s not a hard line, or blend it down with a lighter eye shadow. I think anyone can rock this look. Celebrities and models are there to get inspired by. GO FOR IT!

EA: Wow, that’s hot! I’m inspired. But moms don’t sleep much and often have the dark circles to prove it. Any suggestions for looking less tired?

SD: Dehydration is actually the No. 1 cause of darkness. When we wake up puffy, it’s usually the body holding on to excess fluid because we don’t have enough. Use concealer between the nose and the eyes. This is usually the most impacting place to put concealer.

A lot of mums also look at themselves in the mirror with horrendous lighting. NO ONE looks good in bad light. Also, a lot of women tilt their chins down when they look in the mirror. You are merely looking for the worst. Give yourself good, even light, not from above, and don’t tilt your chin down.

EA: Thank you for the great tips! Feeling more glam already! Follow Stephen on Twitter: @DailyDimmick

So excited to welcome a guest blog post by 30Second Mom contributor Jennifer Pereyra! Jen is a full-time working mom who also authored the children’s book Mommy & Daddy Work to Make Some Dough. Jen will be our featured “subject matter expert” for our 30Second Mom chat Wednesday, March 7, 8pm CST. Please register to be eligible to win an autographed copy of Jennifer’s book! We hope to see you there!

Achieving Balance by Learning to Train Your Hubby/Partner, by Jennifer Pereyra

My week to speak my mind as a featured Subject Matter Expert for the 30Second Mom Twitter Party is here, and I couldn’t be more excited! It’s not the “speaking my mind” part of it that excites me. Rather, it’s the opportunity to get to learn quick tips from other moms and make even more connections with people that I may not have otherwise met.

This week we will be talking about “Achieving Balance by Learning to Train Your Hubby/Partner.” Yes, folks, I said it! The fact of the matter is, it’s really less about training and more about communication. However, where the training part comes into play is that many of the issues we face as mothers are not entirely understood by our partners in life; so there is a certain amount of training/coaching/teaching that needs to take place. Also, keep in mind that my background in corporate America is wrought with experiences in training and development so the lingo just seemed to work.

So what’s in it for you? Why should you take an hour out of your evening to hang out online with me and the 30Second Mom crew? Whether you’re a work-at-home mom, work-from-home mom, stay-at-home mom, or working mom (gosh, that’s a lot of different definitions of moms!), I promise that you will take away at least one tip that you can put into action in your own life. (Oh, before I forget: Full disclosure, the only degree I hold in relationship management or life skills was earned at the prestigious School of Hard Knocks.)

In addition to connecting with some awesome tweeps, I’ll be giving away four personalized autographed copies of my book, Mommy & Daddy Work to Make Some Dough, a story I wrote to help explain to my own young daughter why my husband and I can’t stay home and play with her and her little sister all day. Make sure you register here to be eligible!

Oh, one more thing. If you’re new to Twitter or have never participated in a Twitter Party/Chat, send me a tweet and I promise to get back to you with some pointers! If you’re still reading this that means you’re probably interested in joining us, so here are the deets: Hop on to Twitter at 8pmCT/9pmET tomorrow (Wednesday, March 7 – felt like I should specify that in case you’re like me and lose track of the days every now and again) and look for the hashtag #30secondmom. Just jump right in to the convo by making sure you type #30secondmom somewhere in your tweets so everyone participating can see and interact with you.

See you then!

I’m so excited about our Twitter party chats! We’ve been hosting a chat on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8pm CST/9pm EST. To join us, all you have to do is go to the hashtag #30secondmom. There, you will see every single tweet that is part of our chat, and you can interact with us by using that hashtag on your tweets.

Each week, we feature a “subject matter expert” on any topic you can think of – from food to relationships to saving money, time and more. The exchange of ideas is just amazing! I learn something new every single chat, not only from my fellow 30Second Mom contributors, but also from moms, dads, aunts, uncles, grandparents and more who join us! While the subject matter expert always has valuable information, everyone else chimes in and shares, too, making for a broad range of opinions and ideas exchanged in just one hour (and the time sure flies)!

Oh, and did I mention the prizes? Let’s call them the icing on the cake! Our subject matter experts have been sharing their amazing books, fantastic products and deep discounts to several lucky winners during each chat. You won’t want to miss your chance to be eligible to win! All you have to do is register here so we can use Random.org to draw our lucky winners!

So please register for tonight’s chat – which is all about strollers and must-have parenting gadgets – featuring the amazing founder of the award-winning Tray Vous accessory for the Bugaboo stroller! Lauren Moore will be on hand to share her tips on everything you need to know about strollers and more. Plus, we want to know what products make your life easier!

Nest week, we’re featuring Dr. Rosina McAlpine, author and founder of Inspired Children! Make sure to mark your calendars for that chat, too: Wednesday, February 29 at 8pm CST! Dr. Rosina will be joining us from “down under,” yes, Australia! We love the power of technology!

Thanks for being part of 30Second Mom. We so enjoy sharing with you!