CVS Caremark All Kids Can Baseball Camp

The CVS Caremark All Kids Can Baseball Camp is currently looking for baseball teams with kids who have diabilities to participate in one of nine FREE CAMPS being offered this season at Fenway Park in Boston, MA. This is a wonderful chance for New England children with disabilities to play baseball where the pros play at Fenway! Each camp provides New England children with disabilities an action-packed, dream-fulfilling experience playing ball and getting batting tips from Batting Coach Dave Magadan. It’s not to be missed!

From CVS Caremark All Kids Can -You can nominate your own team for a spot at one of the camps or you can nominate another team for a camp. If you have previously participated in an All Kids Can Baseball Camp at Fenway Park, you are encouraged to nominate another team. Coaches who nominate another team for a camp will receive a $50 CVS/pharmacy gift card to use for their teams. Coaches are only allowed to nominate one team, one time. Each team that is selected for a camp will receive the following for a total of 20 participants:

· Hitting tips and instruction in the batting tunnel with Batting Coach Dave Magadan
· On-field batting practice with Coach Magadan
· A walk around the Warning Track for a team photo with Coach Magadan in front of The Green Monster
· Photo and autograph opportunity with Coach Magadan in the Fenway dugout
· Boxed lunches and gift bags in the dugout · A VIP tour of Fenway Park
· Early entry to pre-game batting practice
· Tickets to game in the CVS/pharmacy Family section

Please Note: Transportation and lodging are not provided

The 2010 CVS Caremark All Kids Can Baseball Camps are scheduled for the following dates:
· Friday, June 18
· Wednesday, June 30
· Friday, July 16
· Saturday, July 17
· Saturday, July 31
· Tuesday, August 3
· Wednesday, August 4
· Wednesday, August 18
· Tuesday, August 24

Help CVS Caremark All Kids Can Baseball Camp spread the word about this wonderful opportunity. Click here to find out how you can nominate a team!

I wrote this post while participating in a blog campaign by Twitter Moms on behalf of CVS Caremark All Kids Can. Twitter Moms MAY send me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate otherwise no monetary compensation was received for this post.

Our Impossible Dream – Selling Our House

Today was a first. Not only did we entice one potential buyer to come and look at our house, but we managed to get two interested buyers to take a tour of our four bedroom two bath, w/ garage, w/ pergola, w/ privacy home at exactly the same time! This alone is nothing short of a miracle. I can hardly wait to get the feedback from my real estate agent. Actually, I am wondering what new reasons these buyers will come up with for not liking our house.

Our for sale sign says, “impressive” - but so far, no one has really been too impressed with our impressive house. After three seasons on the market, I am starting to take offense with what some of these buyers are saying. In this crazy real estate market, buyers expect perfection at bargain prices. Sellers like us might as well be wearing a big "L" for loser on our foreheads.

Last summer, we finished our basement adding a bathroom and a fourth bedroom – no not for us, for the buyer! We also finished our laundry room and finished a little workshop area that is attached to the garage. One buyer liked our open concept upstairs but didn’t like the downstairs. She expected more of the same open concept as we have upstairs. My advice to her is this - Bedrooms and a bathroom don’t lend themselves to the open concept concept. Impossible. Next!

One couple was divided over our house. She really loved it - loved the yard, loved the layout of the house – loved it, loved it, loved it! We made special arrangements (special arrangements!) to be out of the house that evening so she could bring her boyfriend for a second showing. According to my real estate agent, “He did not like the house at all.” Apparently, when they left the girlfriend was sulking. My advice to her is this - Girl, it’s all about you and what you want and if you’re not getting what you want then kick him to the curb. Next!

One older gentleman, who recently had a hip operation, came for a tour of our house. He and his wife would like to move to Ashburnham to be in the same town as their grandchildren. Awe! How nice! It sounds perfect doesn’t it? It turns out because of his “bad hip” he doesn’t feel he could manage to get up the driveway and up the stairs into our raised-ranch (code for split level). My advice to him is this - Well sir, you drove by so you knew about our driveway, and you’ve seen pictures, so you knew about the stairs to get into the house. Next time, try to make your decision based on this type of criteria before you waste my time! Getting this place ready for a showing is torture! Next!

One single mom came for a house showing a few weeks ago and really liked the house! She liked the upstairs. She liked the downstairs. She had no hip issues so getting into the house is not a problem. Here’s the big but. B-U-T…. she felt the house location is too remote. Hello? This is our major selling point! (Or so we thought.) Privacy! My advice to her is this - You can run outside buck-naked and no one would see you! My husband did it! I’m not kidding! Don’t you want to be able to do that? Next!

We thought we would sell this house easily. We’ve had the house staged and we finished our basement. What is left?

I think only Oprah can help us now. She could ask Nate Berkus to do a total interior re-design. People would flock for miles just to see our home. We would have bidding wars! I would have all of these buyers on the hook and I would tell my real estate agent, “Sorry, we decided to keep the house!”

(Oprah, if your reading this, I’m kidding. We would still sell the house and hopefully be able to borrow Nate to help us design the interior of our new house. Our lot is right next-door, so it would be pretty convenient. Thanks!)

Update! Just heard from our real estate agent. One of the two buyers canceled. I knew it was too good to be true. The good news, that one buyer did like our house, but I'm not holding my breath....yet.

Feel free to tweet this post with "Oprah she needs your help to sell her house."

A Day at the Boston Children's Musuem

If you are visiting the city of Boston with your young children, a trip to the Boston Children's Museum is a great way to spend your day. The museum is a private, nonprofit educational institution that has been entertaining and teaching children for over 90 years. It is located on Children's Warf, 308 Congress Street, Boston and is open every day from 10-5 (and until 9:00 pm on Fridays). We spent Tuesday of our April vacation exploring all of the interesting exhibits.

There is nothing like having an entire area devoted to making bubbles and the wetter, soapier and messier, the better! The boys tried to make a huge bubble by standing inside a ring, that was dipped in bubble solution, and hoisting up the ring by a pulley. No boy in the bubble here, it was harder than it looked! They had a blast using the large rings to make enormous bubbles. James was proud of his gigantic bubble that I caught in a picture moments before it met its demise.

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Wordless Wednesday Signs of Spring in New England

I am always amazed that my perennial plants and shrubs are able to survive our tough New England winters. Seeing the signs of new life is just as amazing to me as seeing the plant in full bloom. 


I actually thought my Peony plant didn't make it. I brushed aside some bark mulch and this is what I found. 


Last season, I added this Honeysuckle plant to one of the planters on my deck. I am thrilled to see signs of new life here! 


And here we have my American Bittersweet - nothing short of a nuclear disaster would take the life of this hearty plant! You've gotta love perennials! Happy Spring!

A Winter Activity for Kids- The Children's Museum of New Hampshire

Well, we didn't make it to Disney World this February vacation (we haven't gone as a family yet) but our day trip to the Children's Museum of New Hampshire was a lot of fun. The museum was chock-full of kid games and activities and proved to be a great winter activity for kids. New Hampshire schools actually schedule their February vacation next week, so it wasn't very busy, which made our visit really enjoyable.



We stopped by the World Cultures Exhibit and had some fun trying on masks from Mexico, Africa and Indonesia. We learned how wooden masks are constructed and had a chance to beat on a variety of African drums.



The Yellow Submarine is one of the museum's newer exhibits. After James took his shift at the wheel, they both took their nap in the bunk beds. (James is a little too big for his tiny bunk!) In the submarine, the kids could operate the periscope to search the museum above, identify mysterious deep-sea sounds at the listening station, and use sonar to measure the distance from objects.



We visited the project area, which is a great place for crafts and activities. The kids could make a collage, play with magnet exhibits and make snowflakes using patterns provided by the museum. The table with the Lokon pieces was a big hit. We have never seen these before! They are a lot of fun to build with!



The kids had a chance to become paleontologists! At this exhibit, you "climb" into a mountainside dig site and help unearth Triceratops fossils. Next you take part in the scientific process as you compare its jaws, claws and vertebrae to those of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Here the kids (and Dad) are making rubbings of ammonite fossils.

This is just a glmpse of our day. There were so many great exhibits that we enjoyed, like the "Build It Fly It", the "Chocecosystem" and the "First Impressions." The museum will host your child's birthday party and offers programs like science classes and overnights for children ranging from preschool through middle school. It certainly is a great place for kids my age. When I asked the kids if they would like to go back to the museum someday, they both replied, "SURE! Sure, Sure, Sure." I guess that's a yes.

Chococoa Baking Company Mini-Whoopie Pie Review and Giveaway

This giveaway is now closed! Thanks for stopping by!

A local Massachusetts bakery called the Chococoa Baking Company has come up with a twist on the classic whoopie pie. They call it "the Whoopie." This bite-size treat comes in a variety of flavors. Thank you Julie for sending me five types of mini-whoopie pies for this review.

From Chococoa: I spoke with Julie at the Chococoa Baking company and she described "the Whoopie" with great pride. Each 2" pie is lovingly made with farm-fresh local ingredients and all natural products like free range chicken eggs, organic butters and a combination of three different chocolates (including Dutch-process cocoa, dark chocolate and sweet chocolate). Organic (healthy) essential oils like peppermint, vanilla and ginger are used in place of extracts. The essential oils create a softer flavor.

According to Epicurious food trends, the mini-whoopie pie has been named one of the top ten dessert food trends for 2010! Julie said that "The whoopie" is being ordered for weddings (as an economic alternative to wedding cakes) and for baby showers, made-to-order with pink or blue cream centers. The mini-sized treats have gained popularity with local New England catering companies as well, keeping the Chococoa Baking company very busy.

The Review: I received five types of mini-whoppies, 3 ea. per pacakge:

vanilla cream
peppermint cream
pumpkin ginger cream
rasberry cream
espresso cream

Shipping: The mini-whoopie pies were shipped refrigerated in insulated packaging and arrived semi-frozen. The Whoopie pies taste best at room temperature. Although it was difficult, we waited 15 minutes for them to "warm up" to room temperature.

Size: Each mini-whoopie pie is 2" in diameter and about 1.5 ounces each. (Traditional whoopie pies are at least twice as big with twice the fat and calories!)

Taste: My mom used to bake whoopie pies growing up and I remember their taste fondly. When I took a bite into the vanilla cream mini-whoopie, well, shucks, it reminded me of the whoopie pies I used to stuff my face with as a kid!

But "the Whoopie" is meant to be savored. The cake was rich, moist and had a hint of dark chocolate flavor. The fresh cream filling tasted just like my mom's homemade butter cream frosting. This is what I expected when I read that "the whoopie" was made with farm fresh all natural ingredients.

And the best part? I just ate this satisfying mini-chocolate treat and I didn't blow my diet! It was no surprise that my kids gobbled up the other two vanilla cream frosted whoopies and they said, "Yes!" when I asked them if they liked them.

I also tried the pumpkin ginger cream whoopie pie. The best way to describe the flavor is an appetizing fresh ginger pumpkin combination with a sweet butter cream frosting. We are not fans of peppermint and so we plan to share the peppermint cream whoopie pies with Grant's family.

The espresso cream and rasberry cream whoopie pies were also a hit. As a small supplement to the review, we made this fun video. Check out my husband Grant's reaction when he takes a bite into the espresso cream whoopie pie. (I think I need to clarify that he is imitating Patrick from the cartoon Spongebob.)






Buy It: "The Whoopies" are available for purchase ($4.95 for a pkg. 3) at several New England locations (listed on their website) and orders may be placed by visiting the Chocococa Baking company website.

Win It: The Chococoa Baking Company is offering a gift of five packages of "the whoopie" mini-whoopies for two of my readers. Winners will decide which flavors they would like! Thank you to Alan and Julie for this generous giveaway.

This giveaway is now closed! Thanks for stopping by!

To enter is easy! Just one mandatory entry:

1. Mandatory entry - Comment on which flavor of "the whoopie" that you would like to try. Check under the Review section above for the different flavors.
(1 entry).

Extra entries -

2. Follow my blog. (2 entries)
3. Grab my button and put it on your site and add a link in your comment telling me where it is. (3 entries)
4. Tweet about this giveaway and leave the Tweet URL in a comment. (2 entries)
5. Subscribe via email. (3 entries)
6. Sign up for Networked Blogs (Facebook - located on the right side) (2 entries)

This Giveaway is open to U.S. only and will end on Friday, 3/5/10 at 12:00 pm EST. Please include your email address in all comments. The winner will be selected using Random.org and I will post the winners names by 5:00 pm EST on Friday 3/5/10. Thank you to all who enter and good luck!

This giveaway is now closed! Thanks for stopping by!



The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

Going Green - A Recycled Juice Bags Tote Review and Giveaway

This giveaway is now closed and a winner will be announced momentarily. Thanks to all who entered!

If you have kids in grade school like me, you’ve probably bought hundreds of them: Capri Sun and Kool Aide juice pouches, box after box. While some schools do recycle the juice bags for fundraisers, some creative moms, like Gisele at RebaggingIt (her Etsy Shop) are recycling and sewing the bags together into some very clever items. Thank you Gisele for sponsoring this review and giveaway of the recycled (Capri Sun) juice bag, multi tote shown above!

This multi tote is made of recycled (fruit punch) Capri Sun juice pouches. The bag measures: height-13”, length-13”, width-3”. The handles measure 11” to the center point. The side pocket between the straps has multi-colored polka dot trim and fits a cell phone, keys or papers. The tote is water resistant, and will wipe clean with warm, soapy water.

The Review: The bags are carefully washed/sanitized and I was impressed at how super clean the tote is inside. This tote is a great size for schoolbooks, papers and even several grocery items. The bold red, blue and green colors are eye-catching and vibrant. The straps are made from a strong nylon strap material and are sewn with an X-box stitch reinforcement, which confirms that this tote can handle the weight of several books easily.

During the summer months, I plan to use mine as a beach tote - it’s the perfect size for a towel, sun-screen and a book! In the case of bad weather, the bag is water resistant too. This unique bag is definitely a conversation starter. The tote is an eco-friendly product that makes a statement about green living. I appreciate and value that!

But it: This multi tote bag is selling for $30 at RebaggingIt’s Shop at Etsy.com.

Giveaway: Win this recycled juice bag tote! To enter is easy!

1. Mandatory entry –Visit Gisele's RebaggingIt Shop, check out the other items made from recycled juice bags and comment on which item(s) you like. Please leave your email address in your comment.

Please leave comments w/ your email for all additional entries:

2. Follow my blog. (2 entries)
3. Grab my button and put it on your site and add a link in your comment telling me where it is. (3 entries)
4. Tweet about this giveaway and leave the Tweet URL in a comment. (2 entries)
5. Subscribe via email. (3 entries)
6. Sign up for Networked Blogs (Facebook - located on the right side) (2 entries)

This Giveaway is open to U.S. and Canada and will end on 12/23. Please include your email address in all comments. Thank you to all who enter and good luck!

This giveaway is now closed and a winner will be announced momentarily. Thanks to all who entered!

A New Christmas Tradition - The Enchanted Village at Jordan's Furniture

My family and I spent Black Friday in a furniture store- which sounds silly doesn’t it? Let me explain. Jordan’s Furniture in Avon, MA, is now the proud host of the Enchanted Village, “a true New England tradition.” While most people were out shopping, we hiked to Avon, to see the Enchanted Village, the Laser Lite Show and the 4-D MOM (Motion Odyssey Movie Ride) The Polar Express all showing at .....ummm.....a furniture store.

History

The Enchanted Village of St. Nicholas is the original holiday exhibit created in 1958 that was once displayed at Jordan Marsh. The Jordan Marsh Company commissioned a Bavarian toy maker to create 28 fully decorated holiday scenes with 250 “magically” animated figures.

Jordan Marsh displayed the Enchanted Village in its Downtown Crossing store throughout the 1960’s and 1970’s. The display became an integral part of New England’s seasonal celebrations. In 1972, Jordan Marsh closed the display, ending the traditional trip to the village.

The village was reopened at Jordan Marsh in 1990 for eight years, until 1998 when the village was sold to the City of Boston for a City Hall Plaza display. Eventually it was the lack of funding that forced the auction of the Enchanted Village in 2009.


The Enchanted Village at Jordan’s Furniture

Jordan’s Furniture purchased the surviving pieces of the village and restored the collection. The village is now on permanent display at Jordan's in Avon, MA and is open (free-of-charge) for all to see during the holiday season.

The “old” Enchanted Village still has that magical Christmas charm. The scenes came to life with moving adults, children and even toys. A bakery, a general store, and a cozy view of a mom reading to her kids by the fire, were just a few of the many displays. My kids enjoyed the bursts of “snow” that would come down (every five minutes or so). We all felt the Christmas spirit as we enjoyed our walk through the Enchanted Village.











Lite Show

The Laser Imagination Theater Experience or Lite show was worth the forty-five minute wait. With the help of experts in laser technology, Jordan’s Furniture developed a “one-of-a-kind arrangement of high-powered, solid state lasers and Hollywood-style special effects,” set to a musical tribute of Christmas songs.

The colorful lasers, shot from each side of the theater and projected onto the ceiling and wall, were in perfect sync with each song’s tempo. The result was a pretty amazing show.


Eliot Tatelman

If you are from New England, you have probably seen the TV ads for Jordan’s Furniture. Eliot Tatelman is the “famous” white-haired, pony-tailed owner seen in the commercials. He was all over the place that day! We saw him at the Enchanted Village, and there he was, greeting us as we walked into the Lite Show Theater. Even though no one else seemed to be awe struck at the sight of Eliot like we were, I still thought it was great to see him- like a thank you for choosing to spend our time at Jordan’s Furniture on Black Friday.



MOM - The Polar Express
THE MOTION ODYSSEY MOVIE (MOM) RIDE is the four dimensional movie that “engages all of the senses.” Each MOM rider gets a pair of 3-D glasses and is seated in a theater seat that actually moves. The movie is actually a condensed 20 minute version of some of the most exciting scenes.
There is one scene where a herd of caribou are blocking the train tracks. The lead caribou snorts in protest and we felt a mist in the air, as if being sprayed with caribou snot. My kids roared with laughter, they really got a kick out of that.
At one point the train is out of control, shooting down the steep track at high speed…I admit I screeched like a little girl! I wanted more, but the movie ended (much too soon) with the little boy hearing the ring of his sleigh bell (yeah!) and Santa taking off at midnight.

Before the mad Christmas rush that seems to happen earlier and earlier each year, it was nice to leave the shopping lists behind and to get a dose of the Christmas spirit at Jordan's Furniture. My kids are at that tender age where they still believe, which makes Christmas so much fun not only for them but for us too!

Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms Cookbook Review and Giveaway

I am honored to announce that my very first give-away is the cookbook Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms by Jane Doiron.

Let me start by saying that Jane and I are friends. Our husbands have worked together at the same company for several years. She asked me back in April of 2009, if I would help to market her new cookbook. I am so glad that she did. I have learned so much from Jane. She is a full time elementary school teacher and the author of this amazing cookbook. She is an inspiration to me!

So, you may be thinking, well how honest will she be if she actually helped to market this cookbook? Well, let me just tell you that Jane’s cookbook has honestly changed the way that I cook!

Make-ahead meals can be frozen ahead, assembled ahead, or cooked ahead and reheated! The recipes in this book are a combination of all three. From Jane’s cookbook, I have tried many recipes, including the teriyaki chicken and the marinated steak. I opt to grille often, as it is a healthy way to cook, and these are flavorful, healthy recipes that I make again and again.

My sons are fussy eaters that usually stick to pizza, pasta and chicken nuggets. I was thrilled when they both gobbled up their tacos. The seasonings deliver an authentic Mexican flavor. I don’t buy the pre-packaged seasonings anymore- these don’t compare to the flavor of Jane’s taco recipe.

Helpful Tips

Jane suggests buying sale items in bulk in the helpful tips section of Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms. I now buy meats in bulk, when on sale and double the recipes. I freeze extra meals (like these marinated meats) so that I have them on-hand, ready for the grille when we are. I also buy the 93% lean hamburger meat in the big “log” (it really is cheaper than the pre-made patties). I make patties, placing waxed paper in between each patty and freeze them for future meals. This section of the cookbook has many more helpful tips for making meals ahead - like using the Reynold's Vacuum Sealer for sealing meals. I bought one and use it all the time now. It makes a noticable difference, keeping frozen meals looking and tasting great.

Review

I made the Italian Restaurant Chicken recipe shown on the cover of Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms. While it may look intimidating and difficult to make, I was surprised how easy it really was.

The recipe calls for a few simple ingredients. Jane recommends using Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for this recipe and conveniently provides instructions for making a portion of the recipe a day ahead.

First, I browned the seasoned chicken tenders and then transferred the chicken to a large sheet pan and cooked at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, I cooked the farfalle pasta as directed.

In the same skillet, I cooked the garlic and tomatoes for about one minute. I added the flour, wine and spinach according to the directions. Once the spinach was wilted, I warmed the light cream in the microwave and added it to the skillet. Next, I added the cheese and mixed well. I took the chicken out of the oven and added it to the skillet- so easy! From start to finish, I made the recipe in under 45 minutes. Note-it would have taken even less time, if I made a portion of the recipe the day before!

I was visiting my sister and her family that evening so I packed up this meal and brought it over for dinner. I typically don’t make recipes that are this rich - and I had a hunch this was going to be quite a treat. The Italian restaurant chicken was served over the farfalle pasta. It was no surprise to me that my sister, her husband and I all thought the meal was delicious. The cream sauce was divine! I happen to love spinach and the sun-dried tomatoes really gave the meal a gourmet flavor. We really enjoyed this meal that lives up to its Italian "Restaurant" Chicken name.

These pictures show the process of making Italian Restaurant Chicken:



Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms contains recipes for every meal of the day. You will find appetizers, brunch, desserts, sides and soups, in addition to main dishes.

More than just a cookbook, Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms gives moms a new approach to cooking that will save time, money and the stress about what to have for dinner night after night. You will forget about take-out, which does not compare to Jane’s healthy, home-cooked, make-ahead meals. With the variety of 140 recipes, there is truly something for everyone’s taste in this make-ahead cookbook and I know it will change the way you cook too!

Make-Ahead Meals For Busy Moms is available on Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com.

The Contest Rules

Just one E-A-S-Y requirement for 3 entries!!
1. Go to the table of contents page at Jane's website and find one meal that your family would love. Write the recipe name in your comment. Please comment 3 times. (3 entries)

Bonus entries!!
2. Sign up for Jane's newsletter (1 entry)
3. Follow Jane's blog (1 entry)
4. Grab Jane's button and add it to your blog (give me a link in your comment telling me where it is). (3 entries)
5. Follow my blog (1 entry)
6. Grab my button and add it to your blog (give me a link in your comment telling
me where it is). (3 entries)
7. Follow me on Twitter (1 entry)
8. Follow me on Facebook Networked Blogs (on the lower sidebar) (1 entry)
9. Post on your blog about the giveaway and comment with the link to your blog (3 entries)
10. Tweet the following: -"Enter to win the Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms Cookbook" http://kristimaloneyblog.blogspot.com/2009/10/blog-post.html- may be done once daily - 1 entry (leave direct url to tweet)

PLEASE LEAVE YOUR EMAIL IN YOUR COMMENT SO I CAN REACH YOU IF YOU WIN!

Giveaway will end on Tuesday, December 1. I will be using random.org to pick the winner and will post the name by noon on Dec. 1. The winner will have 48 hours to get back to me otherwise a new winner will be chosen. U.S. & Canadian entrants only. Many thanks to Jane Doiron for this review and giveaway opportunity and Good luck!!!

Help for Selling Your House - Tax Credit Deadline Causing Home Buyer Frenzy

Are you selling your house? Were you thinking of taking it off the market for the winter? You should wait until November 30th. Why? According to Massachusetts real estate agents, first time home buyers are anxious to take advantage of an $8,000 tax credit scheduled to expire next month. (November 2009). Under the gun, many first time home buyers are actually creating bidding wars on lower-priced homes!


We aren’t holding our breath for a bidding war on our lower-priced Massachusetts home (on the market since May) but we have decided to keep it listed until mid November because of this tax credit. The tax credit incentive is a faint light of hope at the end of what has been an extremely dark housing market tunnel. This may be just enough of a boost for selling your house too.


Click here to read the full article.

Kristi is a Freelance Writer specializing in online marketing communications. She writes press releases, web articles, media kits, brochures, web content and more. Please visit www.kristimaloney.com for more information.