This month happens to probably be one of the busiest months of the year from me. Not only do I have a ton of things on my “To Do List” for my business, I also have to shop for gifts for my family, attend holiday events, bake holiday treats and so much more.  When you have 4 kids living at home, things can be a little hectic.

One thing that can be frustrating during this time of year is STAINS. I don’t know a single person that enjoys getting a stain on their clothes, especially if it is something they really enjoy wearing. One thing you will want to always remember when it comes to stains is to READ the LABEL. You will want to always read the care instructions on your garments before you try to remove a stain or put it in the washing machine. If you have a stain you really want to get rid of, be sure to avoid the dryer until the stain is removed otherwise the heat will set it in. Most stains can be removed, or at least greatly minimized if you can get to it quickly.

One thing I know removes stains well is Dawn. I know it doesn’t work for everything, but it does help to remove a large amount of stains if you use a little elbow grease. If you have a stain you don’t know how to remove, be sure to visit Whirlpool’s Stain Assist to help find tips on how to remove your stain. For those that tend to get messy during the holidays, here are a few stain fighting tips you might want to remember:

• Cranberry sauce slip off the spoon? Remove any excess fruit from the cotton and run the fabric under cold water to prevent oxidation. Wash the garment in the warmest water safe for it. Use your bleach dispenser or add liquid chlorine bleach or color-safe bleach during the rinse cycle, after your detergent has done its job.
• Turkey a bit too juicy? Apply a pretreat to the oily stain, or rub liquid detergent directly into it. Wash the garment in the hottest water safe for the fabric, then air dry and check it for any remaining stain. If necessary, repeat the procedure before placing the clothing in the dryer.
• Overflow from the gravy boat? Scrape off any remaining gravy with a spoon or back of a butter knife. If it has already dried, brush off the residue. Rub in liquid detergent and then soak the fabric in a mixture of detergent and water for up to 30 minutes. Finish by washing the garment in the warmest water safe for it.

Here are some other tips for the holiday that you might want to use:

• Wax drip on your candle holders? In order to remove the wax, simply dip the item in boiling water to help soften the wax, remove what you can, and then repeat the process until all wax is removed. Place the washable candle holders in the dishwasher for cleaning and to get that final sparkle!
• If you haven’t used your holiday dishes since last year, take advantage of the rinse cycle on your dishwasher to refresh your holiday dishes once they have been pulled out of storage.
• Using some winter squash in your recipes? To make it easier to cut in half, place in the microwave and heat for about 2 minutes on high power on each side. To continue cooking in the microwave, scoop out the seeds. Place 1 tablespoon of water into the space where the seeds were. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the oven. Cook for 10-12 minutes on high, depending on size. Let stand 2-3 minutes.

Got some stain removal or holiday tips you want to share? Leave me a comment below:

“I wrote this review while participating in a Blog Tour for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Whirlpool. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.”

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sharper Image for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I remember on the weekends when I was little spending time at my grandparents if there wasn't something to watch on the TV set, I would look through my grandpa's newspapers and magazines. I remember that I used to LOVE to look at his Sharper Image catalog. I remember I would flip through the pages looking at all the new products that they had that were always so unique an different from anything I had seen before. When I thought of the brand Sharper Image, I always used to think of cool and new tech stuff.

I then remember window shopping with my mom in Carmel, CA when I was about 10 and seeing a Sharper Image store. I remember looking in the window in awe thinking of how I wanted to get something but didn't dare ask my mom. Now that I am not a little kid anymore, there are actual Sharper Image products that I own and there are some things I would LOVE to have.

Here are a few Must Have Gifts from Sharper Image you might want to add to your shopping list:

Bluetooth Speaker – Big enough for a great sound yet small enough to take on the go, this wireless speaker from The Sharper Image ensures you never have to be without your tunes.

Back Massager– Use this massager on any standard chair to experience deep-kneading shiatsu or rolling massage as four independent rollers travel up and down your back

Sound Soother – Would you like to wake up to the sound of rain, or a bustling city? With dual alarm settings, the Sound Soother® can also be your alarm clock.

These are just a few of the cool things I seen on the Sharper Image website that would make a great gift.

For me, here are a few things I want from the Sharper Image website I would like to have.

• Adjustable Tablet Stand
• Frozen Treat Maker
• Touch Free Faucet

Which items from Sharper Image would you like to have?

If you have children then you know just how many messes can happen every single day at any minute. Think about when you have 4 kids in a small house! I sometimes feel that I am always picking up messes and am thankful that there are products like the Wet Ones to help cleanup a little easier.

The Wet Ones really do come in handy. I keep a tub in the kitchen and some of the other Wet One products in my car and in my purse. You just never know when one will come in handy. For example last night when I took the kids to see Santa at the mall, since I was paying almost $20 for a picture, I wanted to make sure they had clean faces. They might not like the Wet Ones as much as mom does, but oh well.

There is a fun contest, the Sticky Situations Contest that you might might just want to enter if you have a photo of a funny mess. Mom Central and Wet Ones have partnered and are looking for the most helpful, funniest or creative ways that you deal with all of your ‘sticky situations’. You can submit your ideas for an opportunity to be included in an e-book distributed by Wet Ones® Hand Wipes in 2013. The submissions with the most votes will win the following prizes:

• Grand Prize –  iPad Mini (valued at $300)
• 3 runners up – 4 Pack tickets to Six Flags

I have a very active little boy that LOVES to make messes. I sometimes am lucky and will catch a funny picture of the mess before I have time to clean him up. I decided to share a picture of my son I took a couple years ago that I thought was pretty funny! My submission is titled “What Happens When Mom Isn’t Looking“. If you have a few seconds, I would love your votes. 🙂

This contest ends on December 28th so there is still time to enter. To submit your entry please visit: https://apps.facebook.com/wetonesstickysituati/contests/299787

“I wrote this review while participating in an Ambassador Program for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Wet Ones and received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

We made it to the mall last night to take a picture with Santa and of course my youngest got to tell Santa what they want this year!

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