Susan Merrill's Blog, page 37

The Passionate Mom T-shirt

The Passionate Mom T-shirt is a newly designed Russell Athletic shirt. The fit is a little longer and slimmer. The tee is made of 60% cotton and 40% polyester for a light stretchy feel. If you prefer your tees to be loose rather than fitted, we highly recommend going up a size. If you are ordering internationally, then please contact me.

Shipping is FREE!

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3 Questions to Ask to Find Your Purpose as a Mother

I believe that visionary moms are guided by core values and a sense of purpose beyond just worldly success. Their deeply held core ideology gives their families a strong sense of identity and a thread of continuity that holds them together in the face of change and even trials and tribulations. If a mom wants to drive for progress in her parenting, she needs to know her purpose and how to hit that clearly defined target that she is shooting for.(click to tweet) What is it that you want? What...

Tips For Helping Your Child Get a Summer Job

It is not easy to find those summer jobs. My kids have had lots of different jobs including babysitting, coaching swimming, JCrew sales associate, Publix bag boy, Chick fil A counter server, Kanakuk Camp Counselor, appliance delivery boy and construction worker. My oldest also had two different summer internships, one with Chick Fil A Corporate and one with NBC.

Whether your child finds a job or not this summer, the process itself is a lesson worth learning. It will teach your child to value a...

It’s Never Too Late to Bond With Your Teen

Last summer we lost Gidget, the only dog my children have ever known. She died like she lived always trying to please all of us. She waited for Megan and Grant to get home and with the whole family gathered around her, we watched her leave. It was the sweetest thing, we loved her so and she so faithfully loved us.

None of us could stand it. Something was missing in our home. But, Mark, refused to allow us to get another dog. He wouldn’t even talk about it. We were traveling more with two child...

Pray or Panic? What Do You Do?

Confession…

My go-to answer is panic, not prayer. In a tough situation, I’ll have a good cry, but then, as the tears subside, my mind takes off as if it’s in a NASCAR race, around and around and around, but not in a good way.(click to tweet) Every circle around the track is a different scenario of the situation, in a thousand shades of depressing gray. I overreact in fear.

Fear, worry, anxiety and panic are not the solution, but prayer is. Prayer is the only guaranteed panic prevention. It is O...

The Passionate Mom GiveAway Winners

What a joy it is to GIVE! It totally makes my day to give a few of my favorite things to our Passionate Mom winners. If you see your name below and have not received an email from us please email madison@familyfirst.net from the email address from which you entered the giveaway with full name, your address and phone number!

SO…The winners are:

Thank you for helping us celebrate The Passionate Mom book launch!

GiveAway: iPad Mini and Target

Today’s give away is a boost to every mom who fights to stay ahead of their child in technology! I am hoping this iPad Mini conveniently housed in your purse will give you easy access to a plethora of information as you patiently sit in the car pool line, at a dance lesson, in the dentist office or anywhere else you happen to have to go on your mission of motherhood!

The inspiration for this giveaway comes from an excerpt about guarding the gate to electronics. To guard the gates you are going...

GiveAway: Happy Everything Plate/Cookbook & Name Necklace

Do you have friends? Really good friends? I ask because every mom needs friends for so many reasons. Today’s giveaway was donated by two of my good friends, Marcie and Debbie. Marcie and her sister, Laura, are the dynamic duo behind Coton Colors. Their handcrafted pottery and creative giftware have a “happy everything” presence in my house. Debbie is the owner of the Merrill girl’s favorite store DKM Accessories. If it is trending in fashion we know that Debbie will have it in her store, firs...

Give A Little Bit

I saw this and thought of you.

So many of you have “given a little bit of your life” for me andThe Passionate Mombook launch. It is not over, but I have to say thank you, now, because my heart is overwhelmed by your response. Thank you for sharing with your friends, buying books, giving books, posting, pinning, instagramming, tweeting and so many inspired ideas that I never would have thought of. I only wish I could see it all unfold. I wish I could see the doors He is opening so that you can...

GiveAway: Kitchen Aid Mixer and eMeals

This giveaway was inspired by my love for food and my belief that food spells love.(click to tweet) I have a friend with a similar passion, her name is Jane Delaney. Jane is the President and Founder of eMeals. Her passion is to help moms make dinner because she believes family dinners strengthen families. I couldn’t agree more. So this Passionate Mom giveaway seeks to provide a little cooking inspiration–with a mixer in my favorite color and a year of menu plans from eMeals.

Whether it is for...