Month: March 2017

Recently a friend mentioned to me that I travel with my parents a lot. The truth is I travel with them any chance I can get. First of all, time is precious as we all know, and when you have parents who adore your children, you want them to share in every moment possible. I also travel with my folks all the time because we don’t live in the same city.

Any school break or vacation we have, we all just want to be together. We met my parents, and sister’s family down in Riviera Maya last month at Generations by Karisma. The kids had off for February break and we decided to all meet in Mexico. I had never been to a Karisma property and I was excited to explore all of their offerings.

One of my favorite things about Generations is that it feels like a boutique hotel. It is an all-inclusive resort that feels private and secluded. You don’t have to walk miles to get to the beach it is literally steps away from your room. You don’t have to race to get chairs at the pool, there are plenty and you don’t feel crowds of people. This is because there are only 144 rooms that are oversized ocean front suites and they include Butler service.

Vacations mean something different to everyone. My work wife, Denise Albert craves action. She is looking for every water slide she can get her body onto and every zip line out there. I on the other hand want relaxation and that is exactly what we did. Our group plopped ourselves on the beach in a cabana and read, swam, walked the beach for shells and snorkeled. We never left the property (found no reason to do so) and we just took in the scenery and loved the quiet.

Now there are incredible activities to be found at Generations. Our son joined a cooking class, played beach volleyball daily and basketball poolside. There is also a Kids Club, if you want to duck into the Spa, which is exactly what we did. Giving your kids something to do when you want a quiet day is as easy as putting some kids story videos in front of them. We had the most magnificent massages on the beach!

But one, of the most unexpected highlights of the trip was the entertainment at night. We were blown away by the Brazilian performance group that got us up and out of our seats dancing as well as the Casino night for families. To get your practice in for casino night, perhaps engage in some online omi88 live casino to ensure you’ll be the one winning the grand prizes!

Casino nights are always so much fun! I love any opportunity to play the slots. In fact, recently I have started to get a lot more into online casinos. Although I will never turn down the chance to go to a casino night, it is so convenient to be able to play casino games like slots from your own computer or smartphone using an app! Moreover, if you would like to learn more about how to play online casino games, you can visit official website here where you can find plenty of useful resources.

What do you prefer? Casino nights or online gambling? Let me know your thoughts!

This is a tough question if you ask me. You see, casino nights give you the opportunity to mix with different groups of people and make a lifetime worth of memories, whereas online gambling can broaden your horizons to the number of games out there, and which countries you can play from. For example, online casinos are becoming more popular in countries like New Zealand, and they even give you free spins with no deposit. Can you get this bonus at a casino night? Who knows.

But one thing is for sure. You can’t go wrong with either option, as they can both be as good as the other. So, please. I would love to hear what you think.

Anyway, Generations made our multi generational get away relaxing, extra easy and extra luxurious. The bonus of traveling with your parents is that mom and dad (aka us, the parents) get a vacation too.

The MOMS hosted a Mamarazzi event with Andrew McCarthy to discuss his new novel #JustFlyAway, at Kmart where Life is Ridiculously Awesome!

Take a look at some shots from the event where our guests had the opportunity to meet Andrew McCarthy and receive an autographed copy of Just Fly Away!

Just Fly Away is available now via AndrewMcCarthy.com.

We have been hosting and producing our Mamarazzi events since 2012! This has included work with all the major film studios, publishing houses and celebrities such as Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Jen Garner, Pitbull and so many more!  We are coming up on a major celebration and announcement with our Mamarazzi events that we cannot wait to share.

In the meantime, we have put together a “behind the scenes” of what goes on.  There are so many factors that make an event come together for us.  We work around a celebrity’s schedule, a film release and our Moms schedules and take it from there.  We often pray for good weather and no traffic on the day of our event.  We have a “Run of Show” that we have to stick with and if one thing goes wrong it can impact many things.  That’s when we just smile and dance and put on our best show.  Someone once told us that “it’s PR not ER” and that has forever stuck.

For those of you who are new to our community and our Mamarazzi events, take a look at behind the scenes and stay tuned because you will get to experience them in a whole new way very soon.

We’ve had very different journeys, but both of us wanted to show our kids that Mom is a fighter.

One year ago, one of my best friends was diagnosed with breast cancer — just a month after my diagnosis. Our journey’s would be so different. She celebrated at my pre-chemo party with me (above, right) and the next day told me of her own diagnosis. We wrote this piece together shortly afterward, but she wasn’t ready to share her story. Now she is. Now, just a year after her double mastectomy, Ashley Phillips is not only ready to share her journey, she’s also an inspiration to me and will be to so many others when you read what she just did!

Read the Full story at GoodHousekeeping.com.

I have lots of crushes. But today on #WCW (women crush Wednesday) I want to intro you to masbisjoux and Morgan, the mom of 3 behind it.

Morgan read about my #FutureCancerSurvivor Journey and wanted to send me some magic with her necklace. She told me “It’s everything to me. Hope and Magic. I believe it brings love into my mind body and soul and beams love out to others. I often wonder, how a piece of jewelry can bring so much of emotions in me. Sometimes, this joy is felt in wearing a wedding ring, personalized necklace with name, customized bracelet, and similar other jewelry. I may not fully know the reason why, but I do love these feelings! In a way, it often reminds me of all of our childhood innocence where we learned that despite race, religion, and culture, we all are born pure, and we are all sisters and brothers on this earth, and we all need to believe and come together. It reminds me of my late incredible mother who passed away but is still with me every day, when I think of her I touch my necklace and am reminded of the Magic she shines on me always. Because magic never ends, and neither does love.” Now I proudly wear this little piece of magic from my new friend. We all need magic. We all need love. We all need support. I hope you support this entrepreneurial mom who hopes to get her line into more stores and give back to charity with each sale! Charity organizations prove to play a vital role in building our society and most importantly bring out our philanthropic side. Proving to the world that one could make an impact on someone else’s life is a feeling of pure, unadulterated joy. These organizations or trusts tend to have office spaces (like Ethical Property’s office space in sheffield) which not only prove true to their venture, but also serve as a medium of clear and open communication with the community as a whole. I love how you can just spread love in any way possible, and even though my contribution to everything is too small, I am glad I could do my part!

For now, I’m definitely going to buy one as it matches some gold bangles that I already own perfectly. I seriously love gold jewelry and it’s even better that some of the profits will go to a good cause. She looks so fantastic in the modeling photos and she’s really rocking the necklace! If you’re looking for a gift to buy for a special lady in your life, this is the perfect thing to buy!

Visit masbisjoux to shop the collection and use promo code The MOMS and 10% of each sale will go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

#moms #love #charity#unicorns #magic #friendship #survivor #cancer #LiveLaughLove by @photos_by_jb

When I decided to go for a blow out yesterday for the first time since chemo …it was right before I had to pick up my boys from school. I didn’t have my video rolling initially but I had my hood up and right away Jaylan said, “Mom, you aren’t wearing you wig!”

Take a look for the rest! I’m so proud of these two. They have been through so much and are my strength if you can believe that of an 8 and 12 year old!

This is a BIG deal.  Almost 1 year ago today (March 15th), I shaved my head.  I had my 2nd chemo treatment for Breast Cancer and woke up to most of my hair on my pillow case.

I shaved my head at Bitz & Pieces, put my wig on and went right to work at our Mamarazzi event with Jennifer Garner.

Today, I was working with Melissa and for some reason decided to go for a blowout…..

by Denise Albert

Here’s my top 5:

• Inclusive. The bills and meals add up otherwise
• Weather. It’s never a guarantee, but certain places have better odds than others.
• Convenient to get to. A few hours on the plane, then a short drive always makes it best when traveling with kids.
• Continual Options for Activities for the kids, for me and for us together.
• Luxury Property and nice rooms.

Luxury Bahia Principe Fantasia in Punta Cana

Luxury Bahia Principe Fantasia in Punta Cana

My recent trip to the Luxury Bahia Principe Fantasia in Punta Cana with my boys and extended family excelled in all of those! Everything on site was included! The weather was dreamy. It was a 3 1/2 hour plane ride from NY and less than 30 minutes in a taxi once we arrived. We were at the pool an hour after we landed. And they even had a separate check-in for my boys which was such a special experience. The Fantasia property has guest rooms with the ability to accommodate families of up to five people, allowing for larger families to stay together and save even more. Of course, before booking a resort so far away, I did use a site like https://www.kcssonline.org/tips-for-traveling-with-kids/ to find some helpful tips on traveling with kids. You see, we adults understand waiting for flights, transfers, check-in details, but kids don’t. All they want is to be in the pool splashing about you have to take into consideration their needs.

The activities were endless. I did a yoga class by the pool. It was very relaxing, and the yoga instructor was so nice. After the class, I got chatting to some of the other class members and one lady told me all about how she had recently completed her yoga training in Goa. I felt so inspired by her story that I am now contemplating taking yoga further myself. Although that would mean me researching further about what it would mean to take a yoga class, and what are the things that I would need to do and get for myself to get started. Yes, that would definitely entail proper research and thought about the yoga equipment I would buy, the dress I would need, or the additional tools I would require to attain an ambiance of peace and calm that would help me achieve the complete benefits of the asanas I practice. I have heard about some Himalayan Lamps whose warm glow can help create a relaxing atmosphere. Probably lighting a Trustworthy one would be effective during my yoga practice as well. However, that is a thought I would keep for later. As for everyone else, my entire family took a water aerobics class together. My kids participated in so many other activities that just popped up throughout the day in the pool. From a fun course to water polo. It was a beautiful short walk to the beach, kids and teen club and the night entertainment at the theater was a perfect way to relax after our full days. There was never a moment to be bored and I got to just chill and watch in the fun. The Luxury Bahia Principe Fantasia is a new concept for the brand, having a luxury all-inclusive offering in a family setting that is suited for the whole family.

Luxury Bahia Principe Fantasia in Punta Cana

Luxury Bahia Principe Fantasia in Punta Cana

Luxury Bahia Principe Fantasia in Punta Cana

We took a chocolate making class at the Grand Bahia Principe Bavaro. We tried this on-site rope course. We relaxed on the beach. We did it all. In a close, beautiful, luxurious way without breaking the bank.

Luxury Bahia Principe Fantasia in Punta Cana

Luxury Bahia Principe Fantasia in Punta Cana

Luxury Bahia Principe Fantasia in Punta Cana

Since my diagnosis, I embraced life more fully than ever before.

You only live once. 

Life is short. 

Live life to the fullest.

I want to believe that I have always lived this way; but I probably didn’t. After a year in treatment for breast cancer, though, I can now say all of these sayings and really mean it. It was a long year. It was my worst year. But it may have also been my best year.

Read the Full story at GoodHousekeeping.com.

Working from home has its challenges. Some people are lucky enough to have an office space purely dedicated to working where they have their work documents, computer, desk, and they may even get modern office art at Bumblejax to make sure the home office doesn’t look too drab or boring. However, some people don’t have a spare room to do this in and I’m one of them! I work out of my Boffice aka, the bedroom and office. There are many pros and also cons to this. Everyone’s situation is different. For me, it allows me to be more present with my children every day. It allows me to be there when they get home from school, it allows me to run to school pick up my little one so it’s no wonder that the amount of people working from home is increasing (as these working from home statistics suggest). I love the flexibility and I even find that I’m more productive whilst working at home too!

Plus, our company makes use of a virtual office set up so working from home suits most of our employees pretty well. In case you were not already aware, a virtual office is a service that enables employees and business owners to work remotely by providing a range of business functions accessible through the internet. Virtual offices also enable organizations to create and maintain a presence in a desirable location without the need to pay rent for an actual space. You can learn about the benefits of setting up a virtual office by heading to the website for Your Virtual Office London.

However, that being said, working from home does have a few downsides. I hate when the family is at home and I am stuck on calls in another room and I hate when I have to shove them aside while focused on work. I guess I don’t like that they have to see that. I want to give them all my attention when they want it. On the other hand, I love that they see a hard working mom, who is trying to do it all.

Today I have found the balance while working from home. It could possibly be because my children are older now and more independent. It could be that they are more self sufficient. It could be that I am out at meetings most of the day, so not constantly at home. It could be that I own a company called The MOMS, and people are more undestanding given the nature of our business.

There have been those moments, where you go on mute during a call and tell your kids to shut up nicely or where you go on mute while cooking dinner and cleaning dishes so your clients dont hear the pots and pans and water. It is almost quite comical sometimes all the chaos, but that is also parenting.

I think the bottom line is that we are just trying to do the best that we can as working parents, and we are now blessed and cursed with devices that allow to us work from really anywhere. Just remember to Set aside a separate space for work, you need that disconnect, otherwise, you’ll become consumed with what is around you and get in a tizzy which is what you don’t need!

So, on that note, this video just made our day over here at The MOMS.

Take a look…..

Thank YOU! I wouldn’t wish Cancer on anyone. But since I didn’t have a choice, I wanted to make a difference. When I attended this event last year when Sandra Lee received this award, I was nervous, in the midst of chemo, and honored to have been invited. Now, apparently, Susan G. Komen Greater NYC thinks I’m making an impact. I’m incredibly honored and humbled to be the recipient of their Surviving With Impact Award on May 23rd, 2017. I have so many people to thank including each and every one of YOU for your love, support, likes, and shares to allow me to try to make an impact. Thanks to my #workwife Melissa Musen Gerstein for her partnership with me in The Moms which allowed me to have this voice, my parents Benita Caress Albert Oberlander and social-media shy Marv, my boys, family and friends for everything. I’m one lucky Surviving (#FutureCancerSurvivor) Mom. If you can join us, please do. If not, please continue to share so we can do our best to fight breast cancer! CLICK HERE www.komennyc.org/impactawards for tickets and donations!

The MOMS hosted a Mamarazzi event with Danica McKellar for her new book, Goodnight Numbers with Mathnasium at The National Museum of Mathematics.

She may be best known as Winnie Cooper but Danica as a mom is best known as a math whiz and she wants to teach your kids. Is her son good at math? How does she discipline?
https://themoms.com/minute-moms-danica-mckellar/

Photo Credit Photos by Jon B

It’s the time of year where parents are often challenged on what to do when their kids are home. Check out some of Denise’s creative ideas on GMA.