For most of us, cuts, scrapes and bruises are a part of growing up and learning the basic idea of gravity when we are young kids. And for some, this continues into adulthood.

The awesome Samantha (a coworker of mine) came into the office this morning with a fun story of how she took her two dogs for a walk and tripped over the leash, only to end up with cuts and bruises all over her knees and hands.

She described it as if it were a cartoon: Her feet got swept from under her and she landed painfully on her knee. Luckily, we were able to find a promotional first aid kit for her scrapes and scratches so that she was no longer hobbling through the office and, most importantly, no infection!

May 8th and May 9th is the ASI Show in New York at the Javits Center! For those of you that do not know what ASI is, it stands for Advertising Specialty Institute, or as we call it promotional products heaven!

Our office split into two groups and took a bus to attend the show to see what new promotional products are in the market. Everybody has a great time walking the show and picking up all the free samples that are given out. My favorite giveaway at the shows is the little hot dogs!

When everyone came back to the office today with their goody bags, my favorite item was a bag that Adam picked up for himself (see below). I can't wait to attend the show tomorrow and pick up a sample for myself! 

Looking for a perfect giveway for the summer season? Look no further! Motivators offers many products to keep you cool and comfortable this summer. Some great ideas include; koozies, coolers, water bottles, and sun umbrellas. My favorite is the custom iced tea bottle drinks, which are tasty and perfect for a hot summer day. These are great for trade shows during the summer, bbq, picnics and outdoor weddings. The label offers lots of room for printing and since these can be digitally printed, most logo's/images would work.

Who doesn't love free food? I am sure everyone grabs at free things; I know I do (and so does my co-worker Adam).

I don't really go food shopping, since I still live at home and my parents take care of all that stuff. But, when my parents do go food shopping, my favorite place to go with them is Costco!

Why you might ask? Because I love the food samples that they hand out.

Custom food products also make for great giveaways at tradeshows. What a fantastic way to be remembered! 

For many people, a bag is just a bag -- something that is used to store/carry all of your items. For all the fashion forward folks out there a bag is more than just bag; it's an accessory, trend or an expression of culture.

Promotional totes have been hitting the fashion and Hollywood scene for quite some time. Think about that promotional tote filled with goodies you got for free when you purchased your last bottle of perfume or cologne. Let's be honest: Sometimes what gets us to purchase the product is the free gift we get along with it!

I just came across the convertible sneaker tote, which is very hip and versatile. It folds into a pouch to save space when not in use. It makes a great trade show giveaway, and can also be distributed at fairs, gyms and school events. Would you rock this tote?

My choice of drink for the day is lemon/ginger tea. This drink may fall under the category of teas, but all it requires is boiled ginger and a few lemon drops. These two ingredients are recognized to be a few of the most natural herbs available to us. They offer us a variety of treatments to common colds, sore throat, and nausea. Other benefits may include reducing inflammation, stomach problems, dizziness, and it is a great source of vitamin C. Next time when you are feeling under the weather, try one of natures best medicines that offers no side affects and is cheaper than a drug store.

I have outdone myself this weekend with delicious new recipes and tons of leftovers. My chicken bruschetta was a big hit! Despite all the delicous food, there were plenty left overs and had to be stored in my freeze-n-go lunch containers for this week. This really made my week super easy and relaxing since the dinners/lunches were all cooked. These lunch containers are lifesavers, you pack just enough in each for one serving size (lunch or dinner). Even the laziest of husbands should not have a problem heating this meal!

Staying healthy is/should be on the top of everyone's list! In the past few years, I have been slowly trying to eat healthier and buy super foods, which I can say is definitely paying off.

This is not an easy thing to do since most "healthy" foods are boring and not as delicious as the junk we all love. Ozlem, my co-worker, found a great recipe for a strawberry/lime smoothie. It's very simple and tastes delicious. Most of the ingredients you can find right in your kitchen and it makes for an easy super food drink.

Grab a mason drinking jar and a straw and you are ready to celebrate spring with a kick of health!

Me being the spontaneous and crazy person that I am, I have decided to tackle on cooking fish. As much as I love cooking and trying new things, fish was never on the top of my list. I finally started to think about what recipes I can come up with and honestly I can say, "I got nothing!" I got in my car and went to my mom's house (isn't that what we all do when you move out and aren't sure how to do something?!!). She gave me some great tips and recipes that I was able to write down in my Hampton notebook jotter and I even did a little food shopping in my mom's kitchen. It's like going to the supermarket without paying. I love my mom!!!

So this is it! My last week of work before maternity leave. I will be gone until June, and am both excited and scared to be out of the office for such a long time! I am lucky enough to say with 100% honesty that I really like my job, and love my co-workers...my family. I am sure they will visit, and that I will bring our new addition into the office to say hi, but I will miss them and the day to day banter.

My other concern about being out of the office, is missing out on all of the new Spring/Summer products that get introduced. I will have to catch up on all of the new promotional products we offer so that I can better assist my customers for their events. From beach balls to bags, I will need to be updated on all of our new exciting items! Luckily I know my sales team will help me get caught up.

So this is the last blog for some time. I will be back in time to help place those 4th of July orders!