Despite not eating red meat from the age of 16 to 28 or so, I am now a steak monster. My husband says he doesn’t even know who I am anymore. Last year at Type A Mom Con, I met Gary Whetstone from Chef’s Requested. I liked Gary right away, not just because he worked for a company that produces steaks but also because he was there, paying attention to what bloggers were saying.

Fast forward a year. My family has eaten a ton of Chef’s Requested 100 calorie steaks and bacon wrapped filets. So it was a natural fit for the company to sponsor me to attend Type A Mom again this year. Talk about steak? Yes, please!

So thank you to Gary and Chef’s Requested for helping me get to Asheville for this amazing conference. And if you’ll be at the conference, leave a comment, and find me so I can give you some steak freebies (not actual steak. I don’t carry them in my pocket. Often).

I’m really excited about an event I’m co-hosting through GiveDaddy with my client, Inspired Gifts. It’s called Girls’ Night In, and it’s June 10, from 5 pm to 8 pm Pacific time.

Where is it? At your house. And mine. We’ll be joining up from our homes across the country to hang out, have a few laughs, and make Inspired Gifts for Father’s Day. Oh, and we’ll be giving away some really cool prizes from companies like Montagne Jeunesse, Village Naturals, e.l.f, Prana, and, of course, Inspired Gifts.

Inspired Gifts provides unique photo gifts you can customize to help commemorate special occasions. Join us and you can save 20% on custom photo books, banners, canvas prints, playing cards and dry erase boards that make fantastic gifts for Dad.

Ten bloggers across the country will be hosting their own Girls’ Night In parties. We’ll be broadcasting from Justin.tv so you can meet them and some of the ladies behind Inspired Gifts.

I hope you will be there! All you need to do is RSVP (it’s free) and show up with a glass of wine!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Dove Ice Cream. All opinions are 100% mine.

I often talk about how important it is to do things for yourself, be it get a massage, get a pedicure, take yoga or just get out of the house. Dove Ice Cream Miniatures agrees with me. The company conducted a survey of over 400 mothers and 70 percent  are taking time for themselves each day.

That’s good news. I meet so many moms that fear leaving their kids with their husbands (c’mon! They’re parents too!) to go out for a drink. I am 100% in favor of taking mini moments. Even if you can’t get the hub to watch the kid, take 15 minutes to read a book or something!

DOVE®’s “My Mini Moment” contest is pretty cool, so I wanted to share it with you.  DOVE® Ice Cream is asking women to share their favorite mini moment of escape and one lucky winner could win one of 3 sensational mini-grand prizes:

• a mini-getaway to Napa Valley
• Spa services for a year
• A mini-home makeover

All you have to do is submit a photo and short essay at DoveIceCream.com/myminimoment by June 7, 2010. I entered and have my eye on the Napa trip. Love me some wine.

The contest is sponsored by the new DOVE® Ice Cream Miniatures. They’re only 70 calories! I haven’t tried them yet, but the  Café Collection, which features Java Chip and Cappuccino Flavors, sounds really yummy. The older I get, the more I realize I just need a little sweet or chocolate to fulfill my taste. For years I’d eat an entire candy bar when all I really needed was a tiny taste. These seem perfect for getting your sweet tooth satisfied without packing on the pounds. And with summer coming, the fact that they’re ice cream is perfect!