My Media Kit

Hello and welcome,

My name is Maria. I am a full time mom of two who enjoys networking, photography, jewelry making, scrap-booking, reading and writing for Maria's Space and substituting as a teachers aide with K-8th grade students as well as working part time in a daycare with toddlers. It is a busy, busy life. 

If you are a company or a PR person, please feel free to contact me directly for any networking opportunities.

Would you like a review on your product, service, website? I love reviewing products and sharing, especially if the product works, makes life easier, is fun, tastes good, or is just pretty.  I enjoy trying new products and giving my readers my honest opinion.

My Review Guidelines

Maria's Space is open to all reviews.

My review process features your company name or logo, text links and product photos and descriptions. You will also be added to my "Sponsors" button featured on my home page.

• Please email me at: ree026@optonline.net
• Review of your product will be posted within 2 weeks of receiving with a link sent to you.
• Please let me know if you want the review sent to you before it goes live.
• If you are running a promotion, please let me know ahead of time so I can include that information in my review
• Sponsorships ARE always appreciated! If possible, please include two products so that I can offer a giveaway to readers. Giveaways are a great opportunity to increase exposure to your product.
• All giveaways link back to you. Great advertisement since I post the giveaway on various giveaway sites, my entertainment blog and my RSS feed goes to 10 separate locations.
• Giveaways usually run for 2 weeks with the hopes of bringing as many people to your site.
• Please provide if possible a 125 x 125 (or smaller) button which will be in the sidebar for the duration of your campaign.
• A winner will be chosen using Random.org and will be notified of the win within 1-3 days. They have 48 hours to claim their prize or another winner will be chosen.
• If you are mailing out the giveaway, I will email the address to you for shipping within a day of receiving from the winner.
• Once the campaign is completed, you may use portions of the reviews on your site (with appropriate linkbacks where applicable).
•  

We are experienced at reviewing books, DVDs, toys, games, food, health care items, clothing and accessories, organizational products, house and home products, websites, software, and more.

WANT YOUR PRODUCT REVIEWED??

• Please email me at: ree026 (at) optonline.net.com
• There are no charges or fees associated with our review process. Please try to include some marketing material so that I can do a thorough review
• Review of your product will be posted within 2 weeks of receiving with a link sent to you.
• Please let me know if you want the review sent to you before it goes live.
• If you are running a promotion, please let me know ahead of time so I can include that information in my review
• Sponsorships ARE always appreciated! If possible, please include two products so that I can offer a giveaway to readers. Giveaways are a great opportunity to increase exposure to your product.
• All giveaways link back to you. Great advertisement since I post the giveaway on various giveaway sites, my entertainment blog and my RSS feed goes to 5 separate locations.
• Giveaways usually run for 2 weeks with the hopes of bringing as many people to your site.
• Please provide if possible a 125 x 125 (or smaller) button which will be in the sidebar for the duration of your campaign.
• A winner will be chosen using Giveaway Tools and will be notified of the win within 1-3 days. They have 3 days to claim their prize or another winner will be chosen.
• If you are mailing out the giveaway, I will email the address to you for shipping within a day of receiving from the winner.
• Once the campaign is completed, you may use portions of the reviews on your site (with appropriate linkbacks where applicable).

Sponsored Content

Written sponsored posts are currently $20.00 per post deposited into Paypal (ree026@optonline.net). All content to be approved by Maria Gagliano.

Don’t see what you were looking for? Email me at ree026 (at) optonline.net


Maria’s Space is a personal mixed blog. All posts are written and edited by me. 

I look forward to networking with you! 

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Advertising On Maria's Space

Advertising Information:

• All ads will appear in the far right sidebar.
• A text-link costs $20/month or $150 for the year.
• A 125×125 logo or button costs $10/month
• All ads are subject to approval and ad space availability.

———————————————————————————–
Contact me about advertising:
Maria Gagliano (ree026 (at) optonline.net )

New Blog at WordPress

I will probably keep the two of them up for now but I think I am heading over to Wordpress.

My new blog is In the Blink of an Eye can be found here

If you have a chance, let me know what you think.

Thanks...Mwaaahhh

Tribute and Easter Post

Tonight as I do on every April 7th since 1978 I think about my mom. She will be dead 29 years this year, that seems so ridiculous. It is a life time ago and yesterday.

I was 12 when she passed away from Cancer. It is amazing how the lose of such an integral part of your core makes life so complicated. There is not a day that goes by that I am not affected by the loss of my mother. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t wonder how my life would have turned out had she not died. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t wish that my children were able to feel her arms around them to see her joy in knowing and loving them.

There will never be a day that I don’t miss her with every single fiber in my soul.
As I sit here with tears streaming down my face wishing I could feel her, hear her, smell her, touch her once again I am so thankful for everything that is my life but I can’t help but wonder why. Why, she was taken from me. Why she had to suffer. Why I had to see so much. Why my babies will never know their grandmother.


Last year I wrote about my mom and my grandmother and how they share the same birth and death date. I believe that everything happens for a reason however I would love to know the reason. I have always felt that the reason for them to have the same dates was to prove to me and anyone who cared to believe that there was something bigger than all of us. Fate? Maybe. Coincidence? Maybe.


Last years post with more detail can be found here.

The love I feel for these two pivotal people in my life is still as strong as the last time we drew breath together.


I love and miss you Mommy and Grandma and I think and pray for you every night.

As for Easter….

Today, the kids and I colored eggs (sort of). They colored their hands, the tray that had the dye for the eggs and that is about it. The Hoff took pictures (Thanks Honey) which is really nice since I am usually the one with the camera so all my pictures with the kids are staged using my timer.

Tonight I put their Easter Baskets together and can’t wait for them to see them. I loved Easter when I was a kid. I hope that I can make their Easter as special as I felt it was.

Potty Training is going to be the Death Of Me

So I am undertaking the humungo, painful task of training my soon to be 4 year old. I had vowed to myself.. that he would not turn 1 with a bottle, 3 with a pacifier and 4 in diapers. The bottle and pacifier are long forgotten but the diapers are another story. We have gone done this road before (and here) but he was never really ready. I truly think he isn’t sure if he wants to be a big kid yet. I think I have to make the whole idea of being a big kid very exciting. We’ll see how it goes.

I went out on Sunday to purchase a bazillion pairs of underwear. When I got home I handed him the bag. He took it and said, ”for me?” I told him, “yes, they are for you. Here are your big boy underwear.”

Monday, I asked him if he wanted to put them on he said no! Very firmly I might add. I didn’t push it figuring I would try again tomorrow (Tuesday).

Tuesday I took a different approach; as I was dressing him for the day I put the underwear on instead of diapers. I told him that he was getting to be such a big boy and that it was time to start going to the bathroom like Mommy and Daddy. He started his mantra, he has been saying it for about three months now, “Mommies, go potty, Daddy’s go potty, Nicholas goes potty, the Wiggles go potty, hippopotamuses go potty.” I always follow with “yes, everyone goes potty and soon you will too.”

Tuesday being our first official day of potty training. We had two accidents. Why, well mostly because the damn kid flat out refuses to sit on the toilet. How can I get him to potty train if he doesn’t sit on the damn toilet? When he did he gave me about a teaspoon of urine before he said he was done. I think he was just freaked out about seeing it happen. He held out for 6 hours without going and finally the flood gates let loose and he soaked himself and everything around him. He was literally dripping from his pants as he cried in actual pain. He has severe excemza and has a lot of open sores on his legs from scratching himself until he bleeds. We cleaned him up and told him he just has to tell us he wants to go and we will take him.

He sat on the potty Wednesday, we had 2 pee accidents and 1 poop accident. He did sit on the toilet three times but never did go. I haven’t rushed t0 clean him when he has an accident. I know it hurts his legs. He cries in pain and as much as it pains me, I am hoping that he associates not going on the potty with pain. I don’t leave him long probably about 2 minutes instead of immediately.

Thursday, yesterday we had 2 more pee accidents and 1 poop accident. Oh well, it’s only the third day right? This is going to take a while and patience is very necessary.
Today, he sat on the toilet in the morning. Nothing. He had an accident about an hour later. He sat on the toilet about 2 times between the hours of 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Around 11:00 a.m. he asked to go downstairs. I told him that he could go if he went to the bathroom first. He did and peed about a tablespoon of urine. I high fived, low fived, middle fived, foot fived. Jumped up and down and stood on my head celebrated. I was thrilled. I told him he was a big boy and told him he could go downstairs. He cried out 2 minutes later that he was wet. Another accident. What the F man!?

He sat down 2 times after and did pee on the toilet. I am so happy. I can’t even explain how proud I am. I know that I will be cleaning up a lot of accidents in the next few weeks but I am hoping to have this thing down by the end of the summer.

Looking on the bright side…I am just thrilled that after 2 days I can finally get him on the toilet without a tantrum.

Jesse, you are such a big boy, getting bigger everyday. I am so proud of you. You are the sweetest boy, so spirited and funny. How did I ever get so lucky to be chosen as your momma? I love you sweet baby boy. You are my heart on legs and I couldn’t breathe without you. I love how you hug me and caress my face. I love how you ask me if I want to read (be still my heart). I love how you look for your sister when she isn’t in view. I love to hear you sing. Your sweet little voice makes me smile from ear to ear. I love everything about you sweetie. Love, Mommy

Two heads are better than one

Two heads are better than one
Originally uploaded by on_angel_wings2001.

I love when they sit together

Cheese cake pose

Cheese cake pose
Originally uploaded by on_angel_wings2001.

Sup with this cheeky pose?

My Old Man

Last week was my husband's 36th birthday. It is crazy to me how long I know him. I met him two months after his 20th birthday. 16 years have flown by! Christ where did it go? 1 house and 2 kids later, but it still seems like yesterday. I can remember our first meeting and everything after as if it just happened. He's a difficult man but a good man. A complicated dude but a fair man. Sensitivity isn't in his personality. He is a solid man. I never feel unsafe. I know that he will do what he has to do to take care of his family. He is not for the faint at heart. You need a backbone to be in his life and you can't take yourself too seriously he wouldn't dream of letting you. He is smart, calculated, hard to read, funny, likable, opinionated, chauvinistic and a smart ass but he's my smart ass and I love him.




This year is the first year that my kids are excited and understand what parties are so the days leading up to my husband's birthday on March 22nd were spent saying, "not today; Daddy's birthday is in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, day/days." I am not sure what they expected but after cake and presents they still were asking when the party was.




















Written in the card from the kids I wrote:



Dear Daddy,

You are tons of fun whether in the sun or playing in the water.
So it’s on the deck what the heck it’s with your son and daughter.

We sit and wait, investigate the sounds outside the window, the van pulls up, Daddy’s home let’s play you’re tired but you do anyway.

Day is done, one goes to bed with a weary head while you play the other’s cradle.

The bed is packed, mom’s neck is whacked and that’s a fact but what can you do? We stick to you two like glue.

We love you Daddy, mom does too can we play more games with you?

Love, J&S

Webkinz Stole My Life

Where have I been? I was just thinking it has been forever since I blogged and I have so much to write about.

I got myself involved in Webkinz World.

If you don't know what it is..check it. You get a stuffed animal with a code that gets entered onto the website and low and behold your pet online. Cuuutee. Then you get it a house, furnish it, feed it, make sure it is happy and healthy, play games to make more kinzcash for more fun and exciting stuff for your pet. Come to think of it, if you are a parent this would probably be redundant.

Fun, safe, educational environment for your kiddies. My kids love it.

If you end up getting a cyber pet, let me know. Maybe our pets could chill at each others house one day, play a game, catch a snooze, or whatever.

Child Chatter

Idea stolen from the beautiful and talented Holli



Driving back from the supermarket on Sunday I caught my son's eyes in the rear view mirror.


Son - You smiling Mom?


Me - Yes, baby! I am smiling.


Son - We have fun times Mommy.


Me - (Heart swelling out of my chest) Yes, sweetie, we DO have fun times.



Changing my son's diaper this morning...


Son - Change my diaper?


Me - Ok, lie down


Son - I've got a big butt


Me - No honey, you have a little butt. Where do you get this stuff from?


Son - You've got a big butt mommy?


Me - (inside my head; "You've got that straight!") No honey. We don't go around telling people they have big butts.


Son - You have a small butt mommy?


Me - Yup, honey I do but we don't go around talking about people's butts. Ok?



Driving my son to school this morning, I listened to him talk with his sister. He says words and then she says the same word back.


Son - Lake


Baby girl - Wake


Son- Cat-eh-pill-ah


Baby girl - catefiler


Son - Sun


Baby girl - Sun


Son- Dog


Baby girl - Dog


Son - Cow


Baby girl - Cow, moo moo


Son - Very good, well done. Awesome job. You are a big boy


Me - Very nice. Thanks for being so encouraging but she is a girl

50 Random Questions

1. What Curse Word Do You Use The Most? Fuck! There I said it. Fuck, fuck, fuck...I love that word.

2. Do You Own An iPod? Nope

3. What Person On Your Top 8 Do You Talk To The Most? Susan

4. What Time Is Your Alarm Clock Set To? Clock? I have toddlers who needs a friggin clock?

5. Do You Want To Fall In Love? Ok?!

6. Do You Wear Flip-Flops When It's Cold? Yup but not outside duh!

7. Would You Rather Take The Picture Or Be In The Picture? I love taking pictures but I also would love to once in a while be in a picture not just on self timer.

8. What Was The Last Movie You Watched? Some sucky movie called Stay Alive.

9. Do Any Of Your Friends Have Children? Most of them

10. Has Anyone Ever Called You Lazy? Nope

11. Do You Ever Take Medication To Help You Fall Asleep? Nope....I have 2 kids who never let me sleep but I would never take something that would help me sleep. I am jealous of those Lunesta commercials. Everyone looks so damn comfy.

12. What CD is currently in your c.d. player? Melissa Etheridge Greatest Hits.

13. Do You Prefer Regular Or Chocolate Milk? Either; regular is great. I love chocolate too.

14. Has anyone told you a secret this week? It sounds so juvenille but yes.

15. When Was The Last Time You Had Starbucks? Last week. Love me some Starbucks

16. Can You Whistle? Nope

WHAT HAPPENED TO 17?

18. Do You Think People Talk About You Behind Your Back? Nope..but if they did I could care less. I spent years worrying about what people think of me.

19. Did you ever watch cartoons as a child? Yup.

20. What Movie Do You Know Every Line to? I don't think there is a movie I know every line to. I know every line to every Wiggle video tape we own but not a movie. I know tons of lines from History of the World and Young Frankenstein though.

21. Have You Ever Done The Dirty In A Field? Nope

23. Do You Own Any Band T-Shirts? Yup.

24. What Is Your Favorite Salad Dressing? I like oil and vinegar

25. Is Anyone In Love With You? I hope my husband is but I know my kids are

26. Do You Do Your Own Dishes? Ain't no one else going to.

27. Ever Cry In Public? Yup.

28. Are You On A Desktop Computer Or A Laptop? Laptop

29. Are You Currently Wanting Any Piercing Or Tattoos? Nope

30. What’s The Weather Like? It's bloody cold mate.

31. Would You Ever Date Anyone Covered In Tattoos? Yummy. I totally am into tats and piercings

32. What Did You Do Before This? Feed the natives

33. When Was The Last Time You Slept On The Floor? Ummm...is this something people do often?

34. How Many Hours Of Sleep Do You Need To Function? Don't know since I haven't functioned or slept since having my kids. I get about 3-6 broken hours of sleep a night.

35. Do You Eat Breakfast Daily? Yes, it's my favorite meal

36. Are Your Days Full And Fast Paced? Yup, except today I was leisurely lazy

37. Do You Pay Attention To The Calories In The Package/Box? Sometimes

38. Do You Use Sarcasm? Sometimes because it never works for me. People take me too seriously my delivery must suck or something

40. Are You Picky About Spelling And Grammar? More than I deserve to be

41. Have You Ever Been To Six Flags? Great Adventure? Sure

43. Do You Get Along Better With The Same Sex Or The Opposite? Either.

44. Do You Like Mustard? Yes

45. Do You Sleep On Your Side, Stomach Or Back? Used to be my back. Now I am nursing or hugging a toddler so I sleep however I get it.

46. Do You Watch The News? Nightly

47. How Did You Get One Of Your Scars? Removal of a precancerous problem

48. Who Was The Last Person To Make You Mad? My husband

49. Do You Like Anybody?

50. What Is The Last Thing You Purchased?

Create a Connection - Getting to know you

Here is the questionnaire Swampgirl posted on Create A Connection for today. If you play along, please let me know. I would love to read yours.



1a. What is one thing about your body that you hate, deny, talk trash about?
Well, I don't hate anything about my body but there are a few things that aren't the same as they were before. I could say I hate my stomach pouch, (I always had a flat belly until kids), but carrying my big babies while pregnant did that to me (1 was 9.5 lbs, the other 7.5 lbs). I could also say I hate my c-section scar, but my babies entered the world through there. I could also hate my not so perky boobs, but they feed 2 babies (still nursing one). I could hate the lines around my eyes, mouth and forehead but you know what I got those from laughing. My grey hairs, well I was lucky they didn't come until I was 35 and pregnant with my 1st. My mom and sisters were grey in their 20s. I could hate the scar on my breast where a precancerous cell was removed but I prefer the scar over the cancer...basically I love it all!


2a. What is one thing about your home that doesn't feel good? My kitchen! I love cooking and spend a lot of time in there. It is a large room but not very functional. My counter space is only about 12" x 16" what can you do with that? The cabinets are ugly, the walls need paint, the counter top put the Ug in ugly and the stove top works when it wants to.


2b. What is one thing you can do to change that? Well, lets see...win the lottery! No, actually I intend to make a change very soon by painting the cabinets and the walls. It is the easiest, cheapest change I can make right now.

3a. Is there a relationship that you have difficulty with? I guess the relationship with my husband is the most difficult right now. We have different priorities at the moment and I have moved quite a few rungs down the ladder of importancy in his life at the moment. I am a sensitive women who feels things very deeply and he is the kind of man who is very literal and has no time for long talks about what I need right now. Nothing against him and I am not looking for suggestions on how to make things work because there is not a relationship problem there is a priority problem. I have not blogged about it and probably won't.

3b. What is something small you can do to either salvage it or come to terms with the way it is now?
Nothing at the moment. I am doing everything I can and so is he. I have come to terms with it. I think in any relationship, you have to decide what you can live with for the rest of your life and not everything is going to be perfect.


4a. Is there something you are afraid to do, but would like to try it? I am afraid to sing in front of people. I don't know when that happened because I used to be a big karaoke singer in my early 20s. When there was a loll in participation the host would hand me and my friend the mic and we would sing until someone else wanted to. I would love to get up on stage and belt out a song.


4b. What can you do to begin a plan to try it? At the moment I will continue singing for my children and if the time, place, feeling is right who knows...

Photo Thursday

Yesterday was Tammy's last day to host Photo Thursday at Creative Connections.

The theme she chose is Fun.

The things I do for fun I couldn't possibly post on my blog for the world to see.

Mostly what I do for fun is play with my kids. I love playing with them. Singing, Dancing, Pony rides, 100 rounds of Ring O Round the Rosy, and then some. I also love taking tons and tons of pictures of them and playing with Photoshop. I hold a few photo sessions a month and just snap away.

Here are some pictures of the kids and some Photoshop Pictures that I think are fun.