#4 $50 to Pampered Chef from Single Mom Sanctuary

Who loves to cook?

Not me.

Who loves to have handy gadgets and adorable accessories in their kitchen?

Me Me Me Me Me Me!!!

Michelle over at Single Mom Sanctuary is hosting today's Birthday Bash Giveaway of $50 toward Pampered Chef!!

$50!?!?!

Yep you read that correctly $50!!!!!

I met Michelle at the OC Blogger's Ball and we had an awesome chat! She is so easy to talk to, super upbeat and has LOADS of energy (with all she has on her plate I have no clue how).

Here's how you win...

Main entry (mandatory): Go to Single Mom Sanctuary and leave a comment on her top post titled "Giveaway from Eli's Lids!"

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In addition to the main entry you can get loads of extra entries if you...

~Follow Michelle on Twitter here. (2 entries)

~Follow the Single Mon Sanctuary blog. Scroll to the very bottom of SMS to follow. (2 entries)

~Subscribe to Single Mom's Sanctuary's RSS Feed. Scroll to the very bottom of SMS to subscribe. (2 entries)

~Add the "Eli's Lids Giveaway" button in our sidebar to your blog or let me know you already did (2 entries per blog)

~Subscribe to the Eli's Lids RSS Feed or let me know you already do (2 entries)

~Follow Eli's Lids on Twitter, leave your Twitter ID in the comment or let me know you already do (1 entry)

~Tweet about the giveaway, can be done daily (1 entry per day)

For every extra entry, be sure to leave a separate comment on this post!***Giveaway open one week! Ends Tuesday September 15th 9:00pm PST***

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Meet Michelle as she shares the triumphs and joys of being a single mom!

Tell us a bit about your family...
I live with my 5-year-old daughter, my mom and dad. My sister and her husband live in OrangeCounty too and they come over for dinner or go to Disneyland with us many times a month. My dad's parents also live in OrangeCounty and we all attend the same church; 4 generations in one pew! My daughter starts Kindergarten this year - she's very excited. She takes dance lessons at the studio I used when I was younger, and she is also enrolled in swim classes. Both my daughter and I have Annual Passports to Disneyland and enjoy hanging out there a few times a month. Sometimes it's just the two of us, and sometimes it's a big group of family and friends from church! She's always looking for a new victim friend to take on Tower of Terror with her. My parents go camping at local state beaches once a month, and my daughter and I love to go with them. We don't "rough it" in tents, but we do relax in their trailer for the weekend, enjoying the sand and playing card games. I love my family, and I owe a lot to my parents for allowing my daughter and I to live with them after my divorce.
What will readers find at your blog?
My blog is about the difficulties and joys of being a parent, usually more focused on the "single" side of parenting. I know that I have it easier than other single parents, given that I live in my parents' house until I can afford my own place, but I know a lot of other parents and potential parents who have told me they enjoy knowing that they're not alone in the struggle to raise good kids without driving themselves crazy, no matter their relationship status. Some of my posts are about dating (or lack thereof), a LOT of posts are about how I raise my daughter, and other posts I admit are gripes about dealing with custody issues.
What is the most challenging thing about being a Working Mom?
For me, the most challenging issue I try to deal with is managing "me" time. I take my daughter to school in the morning, work for 8 hours, and then try to find time to play with my daughter, get her fed, cleaned, and ready for the next day. I've yet to find a good time to exercise that doesn't conflict with my one-on-one time with my daughter (I'm so not a morning person, so 6:00 am workouts are OUT). I've recently started dating a wonderful man, but now that my mom is my daughter's after-school caregiver, I don't feel comfortable asking Mom to be responsible for my little one the rest of the evening while I go out and see a movie with my date. My guy and I actually share a Google calendar so we can effectively plan our time together.
3 stay sane tips for Work Outside of the Home Moms... besides reading your blog, of course?
1. Don't feel guilty about needing "you" time. It's like the old saying, "If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." Get a good network of friends; people you can call to watch your kids when you just need OUT of the house for a couple of hours, or who can come over and have a glass of wine with you when the kids are in bed. You absolutely need someone you can gripe to so that your head doesn't explode. Don't get me wrong, I love being a parent, and I love my daughter, but sometimes I have to take care of the person that is me.
2. Some people try to keep their work and personal life separate, but I think there has to be a compromise. Be upfront with your supervisor about your role in your child's life. Let him/her know that you value the company's time (and theirs) and so you want to feel comfortable talking to them when you need a day off for your child's dance recital/soccer championship/flu symptoms. Don't throw it in their face that you have a life outside of work, but if they are aware that you have other obligations as well it can help your relationship with your boss.
3. Give yourself a break. Parenting is hard work, whether you are a stay-at-home parent or you work outside of the home. I've done both, and they each have their ups and downs. Try to focus on the fun times with your kids (and spouse if you're married), let little setbacks slide off your back (like Jr. needing to sleep with a blanket again), and just enjoy parenthood. It's very easy to slip into a resentful attitude when things don't seem to go the way you planned. Take a deep breath, or send the kids outside with bubbles so you can relax if just for 5 minutes. If your kids are alive and thriving, you're doing a great job, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

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Don't forget to enter our other Birthday Bash Giveaways......

...a Rock n' Roll Lid and an iPod shuffle here! Ends TODAY 9:00pm PST

...a vintage inspired cartoon tee shirt here! Ends 9/10

...2 adorable onsies: a pink one that says 'Blessed' a blue one that says 'I'm the answer to prayer' size 3-6 months. Here! Ends 9/13

See the full list of giveaways coming the next 2 months here! (15+)