Adventures With Mother's Day and megabus.com

The best Mother's Day present I ever received was my daughter, Sage, who was actually born on Mother's Day 2003! This happy coincidence comes with an added bonus. My parents want to spend the kids' birthdays with them, so for the past five years they've been booking travel with megabus.com and coming to Chicago for visits every March and May. In fact, they're coming again in a few days! I'm lucky to get to celebrate Mother's Day in person with both my mom and my kids, so I was thrilled when megabus.com asked me to partner up with them on a sponsored post for Mother's day 2016 and their 10th anniversary.

It's amazing megabus.com is celebrating their 10 year anniversary this year and my parents have been making multiple megabus.com trips for half that time now. They've actually befriended other passengers that they have stayed in touch with for years. They love the free wifi, affordable tickets, and the ease of booking and travel. To me, one of the best benefits of megabus.com is the peace of mind I feel knowing my parents aren't alone, weaving around speeding semi trucks on a 6 hour drive. They're traveling in comfort and leaving the driving to the pros. 

They've even taken my son home with them, for a multigenerational vacation. A trip with megabus.com is an adventure for accompanied kids. The grandparents and my son could relax and read books and play games together instead of negotiating traffic. My parents said all their drivers have been friendly and professional and some are comedians with witty one liners that had the whole bus laughing. 

Over the years, for Mother's Day, I've given and received jewelry, handmade art, spa visits, flowers and more. It's great to feel appreciated and pampered. Still, the things I adore most are travel and spending time with my family and friends. 

Mother's Day is a time for many wistful long distance calls from kids scattered across the country. In a survey megabus.com did, it's not surprising a majority of megabus.com customers miss their moms (64%). Many say mom would cry tears of joy if they surprised her with a trip (53%) or an unannounced visit (46%). We've never popped in unannounced, but some of the best trips we've had have been 3 generation vacations where we traveled with my parents and kids. 

Sometime the best present is your presence! According to the megabus.com survey, more people are planning to go home for Mother’s Day, over a spa or the beach. Book your own trip home to surprise your mom, or take her with you on a fun getaway. It's an eco-friendly way to travel that's easy on the earth and easy on your wallet. You'll stress less when you book travel with megabus.com. Read more about their history and 10 year anniversary right here.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of megabus.com . The opinions and text are all mine.

Comments submitted may be displayed on other websites owned by the sponsoring brand.

NEW Modal Concept Tote Bag's A Best Bet for Mother's Day at @Best Buy #modal #AD

Got a multitasking Mama? Who doesn't?! This year, think beyond flowers and get the moms you know and love something they can use on a daily basis. The NEW Modal Concept Tote Bag, available at Best Buy, is a convenient, portable bag that can go from the gym to the office with ease. And your mom/mother figure/mom friends you adore may think of YOU fondly whenever they pick up this colorful, stylin' bag. 



Bright ideas in even brighter colors!

Here at ChiIL Mama, they sent me a bright purple Modal Concept Tote Bag to review, and it's a freelancer's dream. Happy Mother's Day to ME! I tend to hit the gym in the morning after I drop my kids at 2 different schools at 7:30 & 8:30am. After an hour work out, I sometimes have meetings, or events to shoot, or I grab some quality writing time at a local coffee house. With the Modal Concept Tote Bag I'm good to go for whatever the day may bring. 

This playful bag makes me happy just looking at it. There's plenty of room for my computer, pad, camera, smartphone, gym clothes, towel, makeup, hairdryer, and shoes. And best of all--my laptop doesn't smell like feet. That's truly a gift!




               

Disclaimer: Here at ChiIL Mama we're elated to be chosen as part of the Best Buy Blogger Network for the 3rd year now. The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.

This Modal Concept Tote Bag (Retail value of $ 59.99) is a terrific Mother’s Day gift for the busy mom on the go. There's a pocket for everything--even hot hair tools or hot lunch items. Your stinky gym shoes and towel can hang out together in their own vented pocket AWAY from your laptop, phone and tablet. And there's even a designated yoga mat strap on the back. I hate carrying a zillion different straps on my shoulder and with the Modal Concept Tote Bag I don't have to. 

The Modal brand focuses on helping make life easier through cleverly designed products that feature surprising functionality.

The Modal Concept Tote is designed to carry all your essentials in style. Store your wallet and other valuables in discreet, water-resistant pockets. 

• Laptop Storage--Dedicated, secure and padded sleeves for both laptop and tablet storage with quilted soft-touch lining

• Fitness Gear--Heavy duty, moisture-resistant fitness pocket has plenty of room for your workout clothes, including shoes, and is vented to promote air circulation along with straps for a towel or yoga mat.

• Thermo Pocket--There’s even space to store warm hairstyling tools. It’s all together in a convenient, portable bag that can go from the gym to the office. With functionality unlike any other, this bag would make a terrific Mother’s Day gift for the busy mom that hits the gym before or after work.

Click here to order yours!

Best Buy Shipping and Store Pick Up Make Gifting Super Simple For Moms Near and Far

Free Shipping on orders $35 and up.

Free Store Pickup

Pick up your order in as little as 45 minutes. 

Disclaimer: Once again, here at ChiIL Mama we're elated to be chosen as part of the Best Buy Blogger Network for the 3rd year now. the reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.

This Mother's Day Go Beyond Macaroni Art At Best Buy #GreatestMom #MothersDay #ad

Yay! Mother's Day is nearly upon us. You know... that holiday where moms the world over say "I don't need a thing. Just make me something." And hapless husbands and clueless kids take them at their word. Don't get me wrong. I adore my kids' art works and have drawers overflowing with them. But... a macaroni duck is appreciated SO much more when it's sitting on top of something awesome from Best Buy! 

Disclaimer:  ChiIL Mama is elated to be a WOLF (Women's Leadership Forum) Blogger for Best Buy. The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free for sharing this promotion with our readers.

I know, it's generally mom who handles the family gift buying, which is why many moms get stiffed on Mother's Day. But you can handle this. It's familiar Best Buy... not a perfume counter. You've got this! Go beyond bouquets and make this Mother's Day the greatest with a gift that will last past breakfast in bed.

Dads, your kids' mom is pretty awesome... all of us are.  And kids, you owe your very existence to your mom! And generally you owe your mom thanks for your transportation, food, emotional-physical-financial support, and a good chunk of your education, too.

I'll admit... I'm one of those "I don't need a thing" mamas, guilty of telling my husband and kids not to get me anything. Some past Mother's Days, that's exactly what I got! And I'll admit, deep down I was a little let down about it. Don't let that happen to your mom.  Click here for Best Buy's Mother's Day Gift Center.

Here's a cool coupon to get you started:

Click here for 20% off any Misfit Shine products

Why is Best Buy a best bet for great Mother's Day gifts?

Low-price guarantee   

free shipping with qualified purchase

Twitter Party to WIN:
Best Buy is hosting two Mother's Day Twitter Parties on Friday May 2nd at 12:00pm CST and Wednesday May 7th at 7pm CST. Feel free to join one or both of these parties for a chance to receive Best Buy gift cards and other great products. 

Search #GreatestMom to follow along and Tweet with your favorite Mother's Day Gift ideas from Best Buy.

Do you relate to any of these personas? 

Can your mom cook a celebrity chef under the table?  Is your mom always On-The-Go?   Did your mom close a deal, sign a new client and make it to soccer by 5:00? Does your mom have the traveling bug; always looking for a great family adventure?  Is your mom the hostess with the mostess who loves entertaining?  

Check out the top picks for all types of moms at the bottom of this post & right here at Best Buy's Mother's Day Gift Center. 

Make some fridge art, kids, and stick it on TOP of one of these ChiIL picks for the Greatest Mom ever... YOURS:

Here at ChiIL Mama we were thrilled to be chosen to share Best Buy's top picks for all types of moms.  In fact, we related to so many of the types it was hard to pick just one. Most moms wear a LOT of hats, and I'd be elated to wake up on Mother's Day to breakfast in bed and just about any of these gifts below!  

Still, travel and photography are my first loves, so I've gotta go with Adventure Mom for my top pick. I shoot rock bands, music fests, and exotic locals. I even interview famous people, so I have to have gear that works well, sometimes in tough shooting conditions. 


I have a great DSLR camera, but I've been dying for a GoPro. It would have been a hoot last year to use it in Vail, CO white water rafting and zip lining, not to mention at the music fests we covered including Lollapalooza, Riot Fest, Summer Camp Music Festival, and North Coast Music Fest.

Adventure Mom Gift List:

GoPro Hero 3+ Black Action Camcorder

Nikon D5300

Nikon AW120 Waterproof Camera

Samsung Galaxy S® 5

*Canon Selphy CP910 Wireless Compact Photo Printer

Canon R50 HD Camcorder

Google Nexus LTE (Connected) tablet

Samsung GS5 Otterbox Defender Case

*juice pack air Charging Case for Apple iPhone 5/5s

Lenovo Yoga 2

*Lowepro Photo Traveler 150 Bag

*LifeProof - frē Case for Apple® iPhone® 5 and 5s

iPad Mini Defender

*Dynex™ - External Battery

LG Tone Pro

"Logitech® Ultimate Ears BOOM Wireless Bluetooth® Speaker

Slingbox 350

(*ChiIL Mama's favorite gifts under $100 won't break the bank.) 

Fitness Mom:

Samsung Galaxy S® 5

Small UP24

Samsung Galaxy Gear Fit

Fitbit Flex Topaz

Belkin Sportfit Armband

Speck iPhone 5c candyshell + faceplate

Otterbox Commuter for GS4

Xbox One Console

Mega kitchen system

Breville Juicer

Polar FT4 Women's Heart Rate Monitor

Neon Pink Powerbeats

iPod

iTunes card  $25

Fitbit Aria Wifi Smart Scale Black

MisFit Shine

Foodie Mom:

Galaxy Tab 4 10.1 16GB

Mini Jambox Wireless Speaker

iPad Air Defender Papaya

KitchenAid Ultra Power Tilt-Head Stand Mixer

Cuisinart Griddler

Smart Oven Convection Toaster/Pizza Oven

Oster Waffle Maker

Hamilton Beach set and forget slow cooker

Cuisinart Food Processor

8 bottle wine chiller

Ninja Blender

Breville Juicer

Samsung 22" Class LED 1080p HDTV

Cuisinart Smart Stick 2-Speed Hand Blender

Keurig special edition

Rocketfish Under-Cabinet Mount For Most 13" - 22" Flat-Panel TVs

Dash Greek Yogurt Maker

On-The-Go-Mom:

Samsung Galaxy 5

Lenovo Yoga 2 13

Plantronics Voyager Edge

SONOS Play: 3 Wireless Speaker

Bose® - QuietComfort® 20i Acoustic Noise Cancelling® Earbud Headphones

HP 14" Chromebook

Studio C Mint to Be Ladies Laptop Tote

mophie juice pack powerstation

Otterbox Symmetry Case for iPhone 5s/5

HP® ENVY Wireless e-All-In-One Printer

Microsoft Touch Cover for Surface

Samsung GS4 Case-Mate Glam Case

e-Reader Kindle Paperwhite

mophie juice pack air Charging Case for Apple iPhone 5/5s

Samsung Gear 2 Metallic

Disclaimer:  Once again, ChiIL Mama is elated to be a WOLF (Women's Leadership Forum) Blogger for Best Buy. The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free for sharing this promotion with our readers.

ChiIL Picks for Mother Day: Pretty Muddy Women's 5K Discount Code & Giveaway #prettymuddy

Moms run schedules, run businesses, run families, and run 5Ks.   Want a creative, healthy, and fun gift for your mom?   Give her a day to act like a kid, instead of watching over the kids with a Pretty Muddy entry.

This weekend through Sunday 5/12, Pretty Muddy will be offering a $15 OFF discount when you register you and your Mom for a Pretty Muddy race. Use the code: MUDDYMOMMA. This is the perfect way to treat your Mom, and the perfect last minute Mother’s Day gift!

Also, they are running a contest on Facebook right now where they are giving away 2 free entries into each one of our 8 events for 1 mother-daughter duo.  You can check out the contest here: https://www.facebook.com/PrettyMuddy . All we ask is that you share with us how your Mom has inspired your fitness goals. Pretty simple! 

A Kendama For Your Mama? #toyreview #skilltoys #sponsored

If you're still looking for a unique Mother's Day gift, that outlasts cut flowers, think about a fun game or skill toy!

Thanks to our friends over at Cat & Mouse Game Store we get to check out a cool, green Kendama (both of my kids' favorite color)!   What's a Kendama?   Glad you asked.   The Japanese invented it ages ago, and it's still in play today.   This toy's got staying power. 




  

As a Montessori family and a circus arts family, we're particularly fond of wooden toys and low tech, high skill games.   This one is easy to start with and challenging to master.   We'll have a personal video & pixs once my kids get a bit better at it.   So far, the only drawback for beginners is the ball is pretty solid and heavy.  My youngest got overzealous and went a bit gonzo with it and got a bruise on her hand.   So it can be a bit painful to miss.   If you have tots in the house, any toy with a wooden spike on it is probably not a stellar plan.   Other than that, my 9 & 12 year old kids think it rocks!  

Cat & Mouse has a good range of gorgeous wooden Kendamas in an array of colors for spring.   Pick one while you can!



Click here for more of ChiIL Mama's past, photo filled Cat & Mouse Game Store coverage.

Here at ChiIL Mama we dig Cat & Mouse Game Store for those hard to shop for tweens & teens.   Sure they carry merch for little kids through adults, but most of the other small, local toy stores are far more tot centric.   Cat & Mouse is the big cheese of the non chain, indie toy stores, for skill toys, brain building games, roleplaying games, and other fun stuff.   They also have an on line site, so even if you're not in Chi-town, you're still in luck.



This was my go to spot when my son turned 12 in March and said "surprise me".   Store owner, Linda, was helpful and knowledgable in pointing out a plethora of possibilities, so surprise me didn't turn into disappoint me.   

We bought him a new, fast spinning diablo and some better sticks, and an awesome cooperative fantasy game, Castle Panic.



Here are a few of our family favs we've either bought, won, or gotten at ChiTAG to review over the years:

Spot It
Set
Chocolate Fix
Perplexus
Pentominos
Bananagrams (and their whole line)
Top Trumps


We highly recommend checking out Cat & Mouse's free, weekly workshops.   Here's the scoop on their regulars.    Check their website for special events and more.

YoYo University with Ben Conde (all skill levels)

Every Friday, 4-6pm

We're so happy to welcome YoYoJam team leader Ben Conde to Cat & Mouse, where he offers yo-yo lessons every Friday afternoon from 4-6pm.  Ben is one of the most talented offstring players around, and brings a lot of style and energy to his performances and competitions.  Whether you're completely new to yo-yoing or an advanced player who wants to work on some skills, Ben will be able to help you out.  Just stop by the store any Friday afternoon to get schooled in the art of yo!

YoYo University (beginner and intermediate levels)
Every Saturday, 11am-12:30pm

Join us every Saturday morning when one of our yoyo experts (Ben Conde and Mikayla) will be on hand to give lessons to beginning and intermediate players.  There's no need to RSVP and no charge for the lessons.  Just drop by any time during the session and we'll have you throwing like a pro in no time!  If you don't have a yoyo yet, don't worry.  We sell many different styles of yoyos in all price ranges, and we'll be happy to recommend one that's just right for you.

YoYo University Incentive Program

Ben Conde and Cat & Mouse have teamed up to create a yoyo educational program that will help players of all levels advance their skills.  >> Find Out More!

Monthly - Chicago YoYo Club

Cat & Mouse is happy to support the Chicago YoYo Club, a group of players who meet mothly at the Bucktown-Wicker Park Library

Over the past 80 years yoyo play has progressed to a level never imagined, and Cat & Mouse Game Store is happy to support a variety of events for yoyo enthusiasts.  All ages and skill levels are always welcome; whether you're just learning the basics or progressing to advanced tricks, our gatherings are a fun way to get to know other players and learn something new.  We hope you can join us for these fun events!

Join the Chicago YoYoers on Facebook for event reminders and announcements.

Weekly Events

Tuesdays - Game Night, 6:30-10 pm

Fridays - YoYo University with Ben Conde, 4-6 pm

Saturdays - YoYo University for Beginners, 11 am-12:30 pm

Upcoming Events

5/18 - D&D for Kids, 3-5 pm > details

5/19 - Netrunner League, 1-5 pm > details

6/1-6/2 - OFFSITE - YoYo Fun at Do Division > details

Disclaimer:   Thanks to Cat & Mouse for giving us a Kendama to review.   All opinions are our own.