2011 Mom Makeover Winner!

The 2011 Mom Makeover Winner is Nikki Cihi of Peoria!(on the left)

Nikki will be enjoying:

1. Enjoy at Half Day of Beauty, 3 ½ hours worth of pampering, at Skin Dimensions Day Spa. This package ($170 value) includes:

* Custom Facial

* 30 Minute Massage

* Spa Manicure & Pedicure

* Makeup Application
2. Hair Cut, Color and Style by Melinda Stoneking: Melinda styles hair at her salon Silver Couture at 4609 North Prospect, Peoria Heights 61616.

3. The winning mom will get a personal shopper to help her find a new outfit! Belle Mie was created to bring the ladies of Peoria fashionable clothing by designers that Peoria has never seen! With impeccable customer service and personal shopper assistance available, Belle Mie customers are happy to shop and feel good about getting dressed! Fashion for the clothes minded is what Belle Mie is all about!!

4. OSF Saint Francis Women's Services is proud to help women take good care of themselves. They are giving out a 3-month RiverPlex membership to the lucky winner! OSF Saint Francis Medical Center is proud to be part of RiverPlex. a state of the art Wellness and Recreation center located on the beautiful riverfront in downtown Peoria. In collaboration with the Peoria Park District(PPD)this facility offers the community unsurpassed opportunity to improve health and well being in medically based fitness center.

Nikki was nominated by her friend, Ann, wrote:

My name is Ann, and I would like to nominate my closest friend, Nikki for the makeover contest. Nikki is a caring, selfless, and supportive mom and daughter. She is currently is not only the mother of two kids, but she is also the primary care giver for her dad who has had a stroke and is no longer able to completely care for himself. Nikki is one of those people that I can rely on any time, any day and if it is within her power, she is always there to support me in any way. The last few years have been hard on her, not only did her dad suffer the stroke, but her son was a St. Jude patient (who is now in remission).

Thank you to our sponsors and this year's judges!

What are you doing this weekend?

I am going to be handing out DNA safety kits this Saturday for the Peoria Playhouse Event. There will be activities for the little ones like games, prizes face painting and balloon sculptures.

From the Peoria Playhouse website: There's something for everyone, ages birth through age 12. Kids will love to experiment, play and learn with different activity stations all developed around water, inspired by one of the future galleries in The Peoria PlayHouse named, "By Your River Gently Flowing, Illinois." And the child in all of us will love taking a Spotted Cow ice cream break (make sure to bring along a few dollars. One hundred percent of the Spotted Cow proceeds will be generously donated to The Peoria PlayHouse). There will be raffle items, helium balloons, face painting and more!

What is the Peoria Playhouse?

The Peoria PlayHouse will prepare every young child to learn by offering the hands-on experiences essential for healthy brain development. It will feature interactive exhibits and programs that strengthen families and complement formal education. These positive experiences will instill in our children a lifelong love of learning, and encourage an appreciation of museums as they mature.

If you get a chance, the event is from 10am-1pm at Talbots, across from the Metro Center on University Avenue in Peoria. I hope to see you there!

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Methodist Medical Center's new online healthcare program, MyMethodist eHealth, is a proud sponsor of this blog post. MyMethodist eHealth is the secure link to your doctor's office that lets you request appointments, order prescription refills, update your personal health record, and more. Sign up for MyMethodist eHealth here.

Marriage Advice

I Emceed the Wedding Showcase this weekend at Weaver Ridge Country Club in Peoria, Illinois and talked to the brides about marriage. It was a nice event with a good showing.

Marc Lester from Marc Lester Photography took the pictures that are on this blog post. He was nice enough to send them to me free of charge.

I got an email yesterday saying my blog was getting depressing because I am covering such big topics. So, here are some trivia questions I found from The National Association of Wedding Ministries I thought you might find interesting.(The right answers are in the post underneath this one.)

The average American engagement is:

1. 9 Months


2. 11 Months


3. 16 Months

The average age for first time brides:

1. 23 years-old


2. 24 years-old


3. 25 years-old

The average age for first time grooms:

1. 26 years-old


2. 27 years-old


3. 28 years-old

The average household income of a newly married couple:

1. $60,000/year


2. $68,000/year


3. $75,000/year

The average size of a wedding party:

1. 10


2. 12


3. 14

The average amount spent on a traditional wedding:

1. $12,000


2. $16,000


3. $22,000

The average amount spent on a bridal gown:

1. $800


2. $900


3. $1,000

What is more popular:

1. Sit-down dinner


2. Buffet


3. Cake & Punch

The brides need your help. My marriage advice is to compromise. About.com has some more tips for soon-to-be newlyweds and those of us who have been married for ages.

What's yours advice for your couples?

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Marriage Trivia Answers

Here are the answers to yesterday's trivia questions:

The average American Engagement is: 16 months

1. 9 Months
2. 11 Months
3. 16 Months

The average age for first time brides: 25 years-old

1. 23 years-old
2. 24 years-old
3. 25 years-old

The average age for first time grooms: 27 years -old

1. 26 years-old
2. 27 years-old
3. 28 years-old

The average household income of a newly married couple: $60,000

1. $60,000/year
2. $68,000/year
3. $75,000/year

The average size of a wedding party: 12

1. 10
2. 12
3. 14

The average amount spent on a traditional wedding: $22,000

1. $12,000
2. $16,000
3. $22,000

The average amount spent on a bridal gown:

1. $800
2. $900
3. $1,000

What is more popular:

1. Sit-down dinner(34%)
2. Buffet(38%)
3. Cake & Punch (28%)

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Welcome

You know how it is being a mom.

You no longer need an alarm clock because your kids get up at 7:04 a.m. everyday no matter what time they go to bed.

They always come to your side of the bed first because you're the mom. You look over at your husband, jealous that he is such a sound sleeper. Why can't I be the one who doesn't hear the kids in the middle of the night?

Then, you crawl out of bed, make breakfast, get the kids dressed, change a diaper, take them to school and hope you have 15 minutes at some point to take a shower. Sound familiar?

So how do you have time to find out if the toy your child is playing with has lead paint or if there's some new warning about kid's toothpaste?

I have the answer. As a television anchor for WHOI (the ABC affiliate in Peoria, IL), I have to know these things anyway. So I decided I might as well blog about the important topics for us moms so you don't have to spend an hour searching for things like "treating pink eye" as your kids chase you around the house.

NewsAnchorMom.com is the place for you to find accurate information about topics that truly impact your life. Make your life easier by visiting this site. You might also meet some other moms just like you.

Take a look around the site.

Feel free to e-mail me at newsanchormom [at] gmail [dot] com with any suggestions or questions. Thanks for visiting!

-NewsAnchorMom Jen