Still on the fence about @Klout? Measuring Influence by Engagement

Check out this awesome infographic - and then join me on Klout!

via OnlineClasses.org

PLEASE PROVIDE ATTRIBUTION TO ONLINECLASSES.ORG WITH THIS CONTENT!

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Reasons I Love NYC vol.1 Welcome to Link & Mingle!

Before you jump into the Link & Mingle, I just thought I'd share one of my favorite things about living in New York City - the chance encounters with exceptionally talented street performers.  In this case, Zion and I happened upon this duo on our way home from the MOPS group I lead near Columbus Circle.  Wish I knew who they were so I could give them the mad credit they deserve!  Enjoy!

The long of it is, the "Link and Mingle: Sisters in Blogging Social Media Linkup". The short is, the "Link & Mingle". Call it what you wish. :)

Meet our weekly hosts!

Shaylee Ann | Mother {at} Heart

Kim | Singledou[b]t
Kendra | Adventures of Brad & Kendra
Courtney | Thoughts From the Birdhouse
Britt | Yellow Umbrella
Courtney | Baxtron{Life}
April | Dimples and Delights

and for this week's co-host, we have
Joanna | Jo Finds Joy

Thank you, ladies!

The "rules" are thus:
visit/follow/like as many links as you can,

link up to as many social media sites that apply to you (please link up only links that apply - blog posts and other links that do not apply will be removed),

share, tweet, and blog about this link party if you so wish,

grab the button {below},

and have fun meeting new people!

Links are connected to each header, to show you just what you should link up. :)

We would love it if you followed all of your hosts and co-hosts, but that's not mandatory. Just have fun! :)

If you would be interested in co-hosting this party periodically, send an email to {shaylee.motheratheart@gmail.com}.

Want to have this blog hop on your site? Click the URL at the bottom of each linkup to get the code. Tweet #link&mingle if you post the hop!

Alright, ladies! Button-up, link-up, and meet-up! :)

Tweet

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<center> <a href="http://www.mother-at-heart.com/search/label/Link%20and%20Mingle" target="_blank"><img alt="Mother {at} Heart" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Bz6_3z-Jrsg/UBsXYDz8iCI/AAAAAAAABcQ/hNRvF3V2RSk/s487/button.png" width="250"/></a></center>

Thank you for linking up!

Come back next Thursday for another round of the Link & Mingle!

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Link & Mingle

Since I am out with a cold this week - I'll continue my series on Social Media optimization next week! Have a specific social media you want me to address?  Leave a comment below! <3 <3

The long of it is, the "Link and Mingle: Sisters in Blogging Social Media Linkup". The short is, the "Link & Mingle". Call it what you wish. :)

Meet our weekly hosts!

Shaylee Ann | Mother {at} Heart

Kim | Singledou[b]t
Kendra | Adventures of Brad & Kendra
Courtney | Thoughts From the Birdhouse
Britt | Yellow Umbrella
Courtney | Baxtron{Life}
April | Dimples and Delights

and for this week's co-hosts, we have
Faith | The Life of Faith

Pippa | Shop with Pippa
Kimberly | Making Pinterest My Reality

Thank you, ladies!

Links are connected to each header, to show you just what you should link up. :)

The "rules" are thus:
visit/follow/like as many links as you can,

link up to as many social media sites that apply to you (please link up only links that apply - blog posts and other links that do not apply will be removed),

share, tweet, and blog about this link party if you so wish,

grab the button {below},

and have fun meeting new people!

Links are connected to each header, to show you just what you should link up. :)

We would love it if you followed all of your hosts and co-hosts, but that's not mandatory. Just have fun! :)

If you would be interested in co-hosting this party periodically, send an email to {shaylee.motheratheart@gmail.com}.

Alright, ladies! Button-up, link-up, and meet-up! :)

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<center> <a href="http://www.mother-at-heart.com/search/label/Link%20and%20Mingle" target="_blank"><img alt="Mother {at} Heart" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Bz6_3z-Jrsg/UBsXYDz8iCI/AAAAAAAABcQ/hNRvF3V2RSk/s487/button.png" width="250"/></a></center>

Thank you for linking up!

Come back next Thursday for another round of the Link & Mingle!

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Social Media - Why You Should & Introducing Link & Mingle

Starting today and going forward you can come link-up any and all of your social media platforms that you'd like to grow.  Each week (starting next week) I will focus on one social media below and tell you my tips for optimizing it!  Grab the button and spread the word!  If you are interested in co-hosting in the future - definitely email Shaylee (email below).  Can't wait to network with you! 

Meet our weekly hosts!

Shaylee Ann | Mother {at} Heart

Kim | Singledou[b]t
Kendra | Adventures of Brad & Kendra
Courtney | Thoughts From the Birdhouse
Britt | Yellow Umbrella
Courtney | Baxtron{Life}
April | Dimples and Delights

and for this week's co-hosts, we have
Molly | still being [Molly]

Kelly | The Houtz House Party

Kelly | The Whimsical Wifey

Thank you, ladies!

The rules are thus:
follow your hosts and co-hosts via GFC and all other social media sites that they have linked up,
visit/follow/like as many links as you can,

link up to as many social media sites that apply to you,

share, tweet, and blog about this link party if you so wish,

grab the button {below},

and have fun meeting new people!

If you would be interested in hosting this party permanently, or co-hosting it periodically, send an email to {shaylee.motheratheart@gmail.com}. Anyone is accepted - there's no limit to the hosts. :)

If you think of another site that you would like to see in this linkup, leave a comment and tell us!

Alright, ladies! Button-up, link-up, and meet-up! :)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

<center> <a href="http://www.mother-at-heart.com/search/label/Link%20and%20Mingle" target="_blank"><img alt="Mother {at} Heart" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Bz6_3z-Jrsg/UBsXYDz8iCI/AAAAAAAABcQ/hNRvF3V2RSk/s487/button.png" width="250"/></a></center>

Come back next Thursday for another round of the Link & Mingle!!

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Enter the Giveaway!

Groupstance / Mom Central Station: {Moms You Trust + Experts = Best Recommendations}

Hey Mamas!  I am so enthused to share with you today!!  Mom Central Station is a unique project I've had the awesome privilege of contributing to over the last several weeks as a part of their NYC Advisory Board!  Watch this quick video, and see if you relate:



Starting April 29th, for ten weeks, 1000 New York City Mamas are going to have the awesome opportunity to contribute and collect recommendations specific to ten themes:

Have you ever searched reviews on Yelp, asked a question via Google, or sought help finding something via Facebook or Twitter?

While these sources are full of information, it can take hours to sort through them to find what you are actually looking for, and then, how do you know that you've found a reliable source or information?

Mom Central Station changes everything!  You connect with other Moms and experts that you trust, to ask for specific recommendations or information that you are seeking.  Likewise, you can help other moms in your network by providing your own recommendations and suggestions to their specific requests!

Imagine having a couple of friends from your weekly play group, a couple of mom bloggers you are fond of, a few church friends and then a couple well known experts all connected to you and able to give you specific information when you ask a question! 

And even better, the information is kept private and secure…only exchanged between you and those you chose to include in your request. 

Perhaps best of all, the information and recommendations you gather are stored for you, so you can access them any time you want or need to, in a very modern, streamlined database.

Did I mention that Mom Central Station is completely free to use?

Sounds amazing doesn't it!!!  If you are a NYC Mom, I highly encourage you get involved with this event!  Sign-up now to reserve your spot!!  The event is exclusively by referral, so make sure you tell them I sent you!

Lovely Sponsors {part 1} + Ad Space Giveaway!

I'd like to introduce you to my friends and sponsors for January!  This month, I asked these ladies a difficult question,

"If you could sit down for dinner with any three people {past, present or future?} who would you choose and why?"  

I asked this question because it is the most interesting question I have ever been asked on a job interview.  When I asked why the interviewer had asked me it, he explained that you can learn a lot about a person's character, interests and heart by the answer to the question.  I think you will find that reading their answers with this in mind will be very insightful!

Connect with Kristina here:

Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest ~ Email

When Courtney asked me this question, my mind immediately went to my grandma. She died when I was 11 years old, of Lung Cancer, from second hand smoke inhalation, while working at the VA as a nurse. She was 56 years old. Since that time, there have been countless times I've wished I could see her and talk to her or have her share a bit of my life. When I graduated from high school, when I went to college in the next town over from where she and my grandpa used to live, when I got married and with the birth of each of my children. I'd also love for her to see how much her family has grown! I've longed to share these moments with her and hear her perspective on my life and the choices I've made. I miss her, and with each passing year, I wish more that I had known her for more than 11 years. She is the person I would love to have a meal with. Outside of my immediate family, she is the one that I remember most as having a good understanding of who I was and what made me tick. I treasure all my grandparents and am so thankful for the fact that I'm blessed to know them as an adult, but somehow I feel I was cheated with the time I had with my Grandma Wiley. 

I know Courtney asked about three people, but honestly, other than maybe great people like Mother Theresa or Mary Magdalene (I would love to hear more about her life and her perspective and story of Jesus!) my grandma is the one I want dinner with the most! I'm so thankful that we both shared that hope in Jesus and one day, I will be able to have that dinner with her! I hope she's cooking, too! 

Connect with Ronni here:

Blog ~ Disney Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Email ~ Pinterest ~ BlogLovin

Matt Smith. He plays the current incarnation of The Doctor on Doctor Who. I'd love to pick his head regarding his experiences on that show and others. OR David Tennant, who played the 10th Doctor on Doctor Who. He'd been a Doctor Who geek all his life. He seems fun and silly and an awesome dinner companion.

Michael Jackson. He was SO talented and larger-than-life, but he was also silly and seemed like a lot of fun to be around. I think having him at the table would keep us in stitches and also keep any awkwardness at bay.

Sarah Dessen. She's my favorite author. I want to be like her. Her books capture the heart of teens in contemporary settings (no vampires in her novels!), and what I love about her is that she is down to earth and not afraid to share her insecurities with her readers. She has no problems telling us that she wonders if she's a hack. But she isn't. She's a great author and I love her books.

Connect with Jo here:

Blog ~ Etsy ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest

Audrey Hepburn, Amelia Earhart and my daughters great-grandmother.  They are all three remarkable women and it would be an evening full of questions.

Connect with Joanna here:

Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest 

1. John F. Kennedy - mainly because it'd be kinda cool to meet a president. And if I were gonna meet one, I'd want it to be him. (runners up: Bill Clinton, Barack Obama)

2. Bettie Page - because I used to be obsessed with her back in the day and her story is pretty cray!

3. Tina Fey - because she is smart, talented and most importantly, funny! I'm in the middle of reading her book, Bossypants, right now and it's high-larious!

Such different answers right!? Can't wait to share part 2!

Before I go, I thought it would be fun to share the answer that I gave during the interview:

"Madonna, because she is a pop culture icon, and I wanted to be her when I was younger.  Abraham Lincoln, because of his courage to go against the popular culture and stand up for what was right.  And lastly, my Grandma Kris, {she died two weeks before my train was to depart for a long overdue visit to her in California} so that I could just spend one last time enjoying her company."

My answers are different now though!  :)  I'll share them with you in part 2!!  Hey guess what!? It's that time again!!  Anybody feel like having a nice shiny 200x300 button featured on the top right corner of my blog?!  Well, you can win it, by entering below!!  Good luck!


[You need to view this post on www.baxtronlife.com in order to enter the giveaway! Thanks!] a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sneak Preview Saturday!

Hey friends! I've been shopping all day and I'm exhausted!  As you might have guessed - real life has been busy for me, so I've been spending a lot of quality time with friends and family and not a lot of time writing…but it is only because I know that this coming couple of weeks will be the final push to implement all of my design changes!  :)

You've probably noticed things look a little bit different around here right now! Here is another sneak peek and a call for January Sponsors.  If you are interested shoot me an email! Or click one of the buttons below! :)