1. Preregister for the Show: This will only take you a few moments to do online, but could be a long wait at the show to fill out a form.

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2. Know Your Budget: Don’t waste your time pining for things you can’t afford. Know what you can cross off your list to make decisions easier and your bank account easier.

3. Divide and Conquer: Bring a friend or two and divide your responsibilities. There won’t be time to speak with every florist, every band, and every planner, but with a little help, you can cover more ground.

4. Arrive Early: Beat the rush and get a leg up on free swag!

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5. Bring Your Calendar: Know your schedule so you can make follow-up appointments with vendors and take notes on what you like best.

6. Bring a Camera: Sometimes your memory just isn’t enough! Snap pictures of your favorite vendors so you can remember what you loved.

7. Do Your Research: Scout out the vendors before hand and know which ones really interest you, so you can focus your efforts on the ones you really like once you’re there.

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But there is one gift that everyone wants – cash! With gift money in-hand, you can get exactly what you need to transition into the real world or celebrate your graduation exactly the way you want. Of course, you can’t just send out a “MONEY PLEASE” email blast to your nearest and dearest. That’s tactless on more than one level. Luckily, we’re in the age of technology and Deposit a Gift here to save the day. Create your registry and share with friends so they can help contribute to life in the Real World. It’s easy to set up and something that your parents can politely circulate on your behalf anytime someone inquires about a gift for you.

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So before you end up with more university blankets and picture frames than you can count, just think about all the ways a higher balance in your bank account can help you get a leg up in life:

1. Set up your first apartment
2. Two words: School Loans
3. Travel: the open road is calling your name
4. You’ve got an idea for a start-up…consider this your first round of funding!
5. Groceries

Money is the most flexible, useful gift, and for grads, now more than ever, it’s essential to get practical gifts that we can spend exactly as we see fit. The next year is a big one for us and a few extra dollars in the bank is the best possible gift to help pave the way to a bright post-college future.

1. Simple Precautions. If weight training is already part of your exercise routine, there’s no reason to stop if your program:

• Emphasize low-weight
• Focuses on maintaining proper form
• Focuses on maintaining good posture

Free weights, weight machines, resistance bands are all great methods of weight training during pregnancy.  Perform 10-15 reps for 2-3 sets for each muscle group or exercise, taking a 30-second or more rest in between each exercise.

Focus on exercises such as bicep curls, side arm raises, and standard military presses for your shoulders and arm strength, 2-3 times per week.

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2. Modify your fitness routine from trimester to trimester. During pregnancy you may find that your balance and coordination are more challenged while doing exercises standing up, as your center of gravity actually shifts during pregnancy due to the extra weight in the front of your body.  If you feel unstable while working out:

• Decrease the amount of weight you are lifting
• Sit rather than stand while lifting weights
• Limit your range of motion and intensity

3. Avoid lying on your back. Once you reach the second trimester, ACOG recommends avoiding exercises in the supine position (lying flat on your back) as in this position the growing uterus and fetus can compress the blood vessels running to and from your heart.  An easy fix is to switch from using a flat bench to an incline bench.

4. Listen to your body. As important as it is to exercise for both mother and baby, terminate exercise immediately and contact your physician if you experience unusual symptoms such as vaginal bleeding, dizziness, or any type of pain.

Pre-natal Exercise:

Try this excellent pre-natal exercise at home in front of the TV, or at your local gym. After starting with a 5-10-minute warm-up, perform 10-15 reps for 2-3 sets.

Backside Burner

1. Start in quadruped (on all fours) with one dumbbell in right hand
2. Extend left leg back and squeeze glute as you reach right arm out to side in line with your shoulder, palm down
3. Return to start.  Perform 10-15 reps
4. Repeat on other side

Tips for Second- & Third-Trimester: Do the arm reach without the dumbbell.  Do the side arm raise and the leg movement separately.

Healthy Mom = Healthy Baby!

While it may be tempting to veg out for the next 9-months, sitting around won’t give you the same benefits as staying active can.  With exercise helping reduce recovery time after labor and delivery, and even helping reduce pregnancy discomforts such as backaches and fatigue, pregnancy can be a great time to get active – just remember, listen to your body and give yourself permission to rest when needed.

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Laura Foss is a certified personal trainer based in New York City.  Laura specializes in pre-wedding training and prenatal/postpartum training.  With over 9 years of experience with clients in both Australia and New York City, Laura’s dedication to health and well-being translates into extraordinary results for each and every one of her clients.  Please contact Laura via her website.  You can also visit her blog, and follow her on Twitter.

Fish Hats

I’m a bit knitting-obsessed, but these are an easy and fairly doable project for the beginning knitter.  My son loves his fish hat, which we call his “Swallowed by a Fish” hat, and so far I’ve made five of them for his buddies, so we now have a school of fish! I decided to use buttons for eyes rather than felt, which for a 4-year-old seemed more appropriate to me than the “dead” fish in the pattern.

Hair Clip Holder

While my daughter, Lila, doesn’t have much hair to speak of yet, I am loving putting the little bows in what little she does have and adding that girly touch to her ‘do!  I found myself wondering what to do with all of those tiny little clips until I found this on Pinterest:

Here’s my version!  You could do any color you want to match your room décor.

Button Monogram

My son has his name on the front of his bedroom door in funky wooden letters. I wanted to have something on my daughter, Lila’s, bedroom door as well, so I found this button monogram craft, and with the help of my glue gun and a ton of random buttons I’ve been collecting I came up with a cute buttoned letter “L” for her door.

What have you been crafting lately?  Any DIY finds on Pinterest you recommend to feed my obsession?

For more DIY ideas, check out our Deposit a Gift Pinterest page!

Bet your mom doesn’t already have one of these hanging recycled-glass terrariums!

How cool are these personalized necklaces? Room for 2 names and 2 birthstones – beautiful way to keep the kids close to mom’s heart.

Put a vintage twist on the standard coffee mugs for something a little different!

For moms with a sweet tooth, these colorful cookies are tops!

What will you be getting your mom? Etsy is a great place to start!

If you’re still looking for that special someone, then you’re gonna love today’s giveaway – an online dating profile expertly crafted by whizzes at eFlirt Expert! Online dating is all about marketing, and these pros know their stuff! By considering a dater’s target demographic, key messages and how best to attract an ideal match, they’ll help you get that elusive first date and beyond.

The Winner Gets…

A Profile from Scratch – an eFlirt Expert will create an entirely new online dating profile for you.  Certified eFlirters will write the whole thing for you, choose photos and even advise you on which site to join.

The package includes a one-on-one meeting with a Certified eFlirter (or a phone call or Skype session), writing of the profile itself, username creation, photo selection, dating site suggestions, advice for first timers and one round of tweaks to your brand new profile – A $149 value, totally free!

TO ENTER…

Comment on our wall. Tell us — What’s your perfect first date?

Want to be entered twice? After you comment on our wall, find the original FB post about the giveaway that links to this article, and click on ‘Share’ to re-post it to your wall and share with ALL your friends. That’s right, a double entry, just for sharing! Contest ends Tuesday, May 8 at 11:59 pm PST. We’ll announce the two winners on our page Wednesday the 9th and share your prize with you in no time. So be on the lookout to see if you’ve won. The prize must be claimed by Friday, May 11th or we’ll contact the runner-up.

About Eflirt Expert

eFlirt Expert is an online dating consultancy. Founded in 2009, the company helps singles navigate the vast and often confusing intersection of dating and technology. Through one-on-one services, Certified eFlirters writes singles’ online dating profiles, decodes their date’s text messages, school them in Facebook flirting and inspire them to utilize new technology. The company works with singles of all sexual orientations and ages. Creating a truly personal experience, advice and support is always specific to the client and their dating goals. Learn more on Facebook and Twitter.

Six years ago I had one of the most meaningful travel experiences of my life when I volunteered with American Jewish World Service (AJWS) in Muchucuxcah, Mexico. Living in this rural Mayan village and working alongside the locals made a profound impact on me and how I view my role and responsibility as a global citizen.

I’ve gotten very involved with AJWS’s Global Circle because I feel very strongly about their mission of promoting health, education, economic development, disaster relief, and social and political change in developing countries, regardless of race, religion or nationality.

In a little over a month I am going to volunteer with AJWS again and this time I’m off to Uganda. We’ll work with their grantees who are making a major difference in their own communities around the issues of women’s and LGBT rights, HIV/AIDS, child development and peace-making. I am so inspired by these amazing change-makers and can’t wait to work alongside them, hear their stories and help in any way I can.

When friends learned about my volunteer trip, they kindly asked how they could get involved and support my trip without actually getting on a plane to Uganda. I was so touched that I wanted to find a way to make sure they felt that they were giving in a meaningful and specific way. I set up a Deposit a Gift registry to allow people to choose exactly how their money will be used, from helping with malaria pills, vaccinations, mosquito repellent, air fare, a first aid kit, etc. The site has given me a wonderful forum to share information about the trip, the grantees we’re working with and why AJWS is so meaningful to me and people around the world. Friends near and far have been incredibly generous and knowing that I have their support on this trip is the most makes it all the more meaningful and fulfilling.

We couldn’t be more impressed by Cheryl’s volunteerism and spirit. We’re so proud that Deposit a Gift can be involved with her inspiring trip to Uganda! For more on Cheryl and to donate to her cause, stop by her Fundraising Registry here!

It’s widely accepted that working out during pregnancy is beneficial for most healthy women.  Countless moms-to-be are running, swimming or lifting weights, as not only can exercise help you stay in shape during pregnancy but it also brings added benefits such as:

• Increased energy levels
• Keeping weight gain within normal healthy ranges
• Decreases risk of gestational diabetes or pregnancy-induced hypertension
• Reduces recovery time after labor and delivery
• Improving fitness after giving birth

Baby Steps

As long as there no contraindications to exercise during pregnancy, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends becoming active and exercising at least 30 minutes on most, if not all, days of the week.

If it’s been a while since you’ve stepped foot into a gym, start out with as little as 5-minutes of exercise a day.  Each week add on an additional 5-minutes of exercise until you have built up to 30 minutes of physical activity a day. If you’re a fitness fanatic it’s important to remember that this is a time to maintain your pre-pregnancy fitness levels, not sign up for your first marathon. Before you start a pre-natal exercise program it’s important to consult your physician to make sure the activities you participate in are safe during pregnancy.

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Best Cardio Exercises

There are many great exercises, even for beginners that can be performed safely during pregnancy:

• Walking is a safe exercise to perform throughout the entire pregnancy.  It will help you stay aerobically strong without putting excess stress on your knees and ankles.
• Swimming provides moderate aerobic conditioning while exercising both the upper and lower body – To avoid overheating stay away from very warm pools.
• Cardiovascular Machines like treadmills, elliptical trainers, and stationary bikes are great because they provide a good aerobic workout and keep your heart and lungs strong.

Be sure to warm-up and cool down after each workout and remember to maintain exercise at a moderate level, meaning you should always be able to carry out a conversation while exercising, never push yourself to the point of exhaustion.

Avoid outdoor activities when it’s hot and humid, and always drink lots of fluids-before, during and after exercising to make sure you stay hydrated.

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Just remember, as long as you are feeling well – some exercise is always better than none.  Even a 10-minute walk can help you stay in shape and prepare you for labor.

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Laura Foss is a certified personal trainer based in New York City.  Laura specializes in pre-wedding training and prenatal/postpartum training.  With over 9 years of experience with clients in both Australia and New York City, Laura’s dedication to health and well-being translates into extraordinary results for each and every one of her clients.  Please contact Laura via her website.  You can also visit her blog, and follow her on Twitter.

Desserts

I’m not a baking whiz, but I decided upon a mixture of chocolate and vanilla cupcakes, and then spiced them up with the help of some handmade cupcake toppers and some colorful gummy candy flowers from my local candy store.  Whether it’s cupcakes, cakes, fruit—or all of them!—you can always add a pop of personality to them.  Pinterest has a ton of ideas for making your own cupcake toppers, as well as the cupcakes themselves if you wanted to!  To make your own toppers like the ones pictured, all you need is some scrapbook paper, some round Avery labels, a handful of toothpicks, a glue gun, and a scalloped puncher.

Food

At a 1^st birthday party, there will most likely be adults as well as kids of all ages.  I wanted a menu that would accommodate everyone, with a lot of finger foods and easy bites so our guests could eat and chat at the same time.  This adorable Very Hungry Caterpillar menu was inspired by the favorite Eric Carle book, and by using this and other ideas from Pinterest, I was able to come up with a delicious brunch menu for Lila’s party.

Decorations

To spice up some plain cups and napkins that I picked up at the Dollar Tree, I added Lila’s face to them.  You can get creative and add that adorable grin to anything you want!

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There are so many other ideas on Pinterest just waiting to be discovered for your baby’s big day!  This birthday banner would add a fun touch of cute to any party.

Lila loved her first taste of chocolate, and we loved having our friends and family there with us to celebrate.  Whatever you end up doing, HAVE FUN with it, and snap a ton of pictures to remember the special day!  After all, they only turn 1 once!

For more ideas on planning your child’s birthday party, check out our Deposit a Gift Pinterest page!

]]> http://www.depositagift.com/blog/babies/throw-a-1st-birthday-party-with-pinterest/feed/ 0 http://www.depositagift.com/blog/news/deposit-a-gift-is-on-pinterest/ http://www.depositagift.com/blog/news/deposit-a-gift-is-on-pinterest/#comments Wed, 02 May 2012 21:41:05 +0000 Dana http://www.depositagift.com/blog/?p=7940 We are absolutely LOVING Pinterest lately! How about you? It’s such a fantastic way to brainstorm everything from your honeymoon to your baby’s nursery – fabulous for your Deposit a Gift registry inspiration. We’ve been pinning like crazy lately, and we’re so excited to introduce you to our resident Pinterest expert, Allison.

Allison will be joining the Deposit a Gift blog team, sharing her Pinterest inspiration every week. Look forward to DIY projects, planning events, and ideas for everything from bridesmaids and bouquets to backyards and travel! Check back tomorrow for Allison’s kick-off post.

Cheers and Happy Pinning!

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