Trying New Products

Esurance Insures Safe Drivers

2012-01-25T13:17:00.003-06:00

I am a member of socialmoms and they have teamed up with Esurance for this fun and informative blogging program. You may read more about that request here.

I am a mom who is always on the go. I drive my children to school and pick them up daily. I also take them to sporting events and we often travel to the stores that are 30 miles away from home a few times a week. I am a very cautious driver and do my best to avoid accidents, especially when my children are with me in the car. This is why I have found the information from Esurance so important and I have decided to help pass it on to you.

I am happy to have found out that Esurance, an Allstate Insurance, has a blog that has driving tips for moms who want to drive safely. On the esuranceblog you will find some of the following tips that maybe you can put in place while you are driving too.

1. Buckle up: My children are 7 and 12 years old now and they have never ridden in a car with me, with out a seat belt on. It is best to always buckle your seat belt before you even start your car engine. For me this is a habit and I also make sure that my passengers are buckled up too.

I remember that when I was a child seat belts were an option and sometimes they weren't even installed in a car. Well now it's 2012 and we don't have any excuses to not buckle up. It's the law, at least in Texas. The last few cars that I have owned even have a little seat belt light on the dashboard and an annoying bell will ding continuously if a seat belt isn't buckled correctly. So let's all buckle up for safety and avoid any unnecessary traffic tickets.

2. Drive the speed limit: I am cautious when I drive and I try to obey all speed limit signs. I watch for flashing lights that may signal that either a school zone or work area is ahead. If I happen to be driving with my GPS, I will pay attention to it also. Not only does my GPS give me driving directions but it will tell me the speed limit that I am traveling and it will notify me of the speed limit in the area that I am traveling in. If I happen to go over the speed limit, my speed on there will turn red and flash, signaling me to slow down.

3. Take caution to the weather while you are driving: If you are driving in less than desirable conditions, you will want to slow down and watch the roads. If it is raining and the roads are wet then I always turn off my cruise control. I don't want to hydroplane and cause an accident. I also find that my stress level also reduces as I reduce my speed in bad weather. I seem to turn off the radio and stay more alert to the road conditions.

4. Take a defensive driving class: Not only will be learn the most up to date driving safety techniques but you may also get a discount on your car insurance after you complete the course. You may be able to find a local defensive driving class in your town or online. A few hours taking this class, could save you and your loved ones their life.

5. Be sure to keep your distance from other cars at safe range: I find that if I am following too close to another car they may stop or turn suddenly and I am left with very little time to react. I like to leave several car lengths in distance between me and them so that I can avoid an accident.

You may check out the esurance blog if you find these tips helpful. Esurance is also on facebook. Here you can get a quick auto insurance quote for free. You may also read about the experiences that others have with Esurance also. I am told that you will find both good and negative customer responses on their facebook page. Even negative feedback will be left on the page as long as it is compliance with the page’s Wall Etiquette, contributes to the conversation and provides Esurance with an opportunity to learn how to improve their products and service.

Disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Esurance blogging program for 8,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Money Saving Coupon Alert

2012-01-24T09:44:00.004-06:00

I am a member of myblogspark and they have asked me to share a money saving coupon with you. Go here to download a printable *coupon for $1.10 off when you buy THREE of any size/variety of Refrigerated Pillsbury® Grands!® Biscuits, Crescent Dinner Rolls, Ready To Bake! Cookies, Sweet Rolls OR Grands!® Sweet Rolls.

Be sure to visit Pillsbury.com to find convenient, delicious recipes too.

Disclosure: I have received this information and the coupon offer from Pillsbury through MyBlogSpark. No compensation was exchanged.

Purex + Jockey = Giveaway

2012-01-15T18:06:00.001-06:00

I am a Purex Insiders member and they have partnered up with Jockey® for this exciting opportunity. I have had the chance to sample both Jockey's innovative women’s activewear and Purex Crystals Tropical Splash at the same time. One of my readers who enters the giveaway through the rafflecopter form at the bottom of this post will be able to sample these two goodies also. Yay!

My favorite part about Purex Crystals are that they smell great, leave my clothes feeling soft, and they are made of 92% natural crystals. These 92% natural crystals infuse a long-lasting freshness into the fabric fibers of my clothing without harming the garments. I can rest assured that even my activewear, like Jockey®’s sports bras, are still able to do their job without the active wear’s moisture wicking ability being harmed. I also love that Purex Crystals work to create a continuous long-lasting freshness that eliminates the body odor that can get embedded in workout clothing.

I have received one Jockey Sports bra and one full-sized bottle of Purex Crystals in the Tropical Splash scent so that I may put this theory to the test. I will say that the Jockey Sports bra is made of great quality and that I would have loved to been able to wear it for this review; however, the sizes do run small and mine didn't fit. With this being said, I am still amazed by the Purex Crystals. I enjoy the Tropical Splash scent and my clothes and bedding appreciate it too! My favorite thing to wash with the Purex Crystals is my son's gym wear. Not only do they smell better after using the crystals but I am assured that the moisture wicking elements of his clothing isn't harmed during the washing process.

If you would like to try Jockey please go here for a 20% off discount coupon.

Giveaway Time: One of my readers who enters this giveaway through the rafflecopter form below will receive one Jockey Sports bra and one full-sized bottle of Purex Crystals in the Tropical Splash scent so that they may put this theory to the test also.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I have received one Jockey Sports bra and one full-sized bottle of Purex Crystals in the Tropical Splash scent so that I may complete an honest review of the product. No other compensation was exchanged.

My Top Healthy Snacking Tips

2012-01-13T18:56:00.001-06:00

I am a member of socialmoms and this time they have teamed up with Snyder’s of Hanover for this fun new blogging program. They have asked me to share my healthy snaking tips and a delicious recipe that includes pretzels as an ingredient with you so this should be fun!

For me, the New Year always brings resolutions with it. I always strive to be healthy and to exercise but I really do focus on those aspects of life especially at the beginning of a New Year. I am a mom and I am responsible for my whole families eating, not just mine. I try to provide healthy snacks and lunch box fillers for my children while yet still being creative so that they don't get bored with their food options. One of the ways that I do this is to make what we like to call hodge podge mix.

Hodge Podge Mix:

1/4 of a cup of small dried fruit (raisins, blue berries, or cranberries)
1/4 of a cup of cocoa flavored almonds
1/4 of a cup of marshmallows
1 cup of pretzels (Snyder’s of Hanover are our favorites)

You simply add these items together in a small bowl and mix them together. You may give or take on the serving size but the outcome should be the same. This is a fun snack that your children might enjoy too. Not only does this little recipe provide a healthy sweet and salty snack but it does so without a lot of fat!

When it comes to eating healthy, I find that my children enjoy a wide variety of foods and they generally don't complain about what is being served as long as they have some choice in the matter. My children are 7 and 11 and I usually ask them if they would like a hot or cold drink when they come in from school. This allows me to provide them a choice and I don't have to ask them for a specific drink that they want. I like that I can decide what actually goes into their cup. Today they both choose hot drink and I made them a nice hot cocoa with warmed skim milk and they enjoyed it.

I also might ask my children if they would like a sweet or salty snack with their drink. If they choose salty, then they usually get low fat air popped popcorn or a hodge podge mix. If they choose sweet then they will usually get fresh fruit topped with a low fat yogurt or peanut butter. I also like to serve fresh fruits and vegetables paired up with a low fat dip for afternoon snack times and these fair well in lunch boxes too as long as you throw an ice pack in with them.

While I like to snack, I try to do so in moderation. I am aware of the calorie content as well as health benefit from the foods that I choose for both me and my family. A few healthy items that we use to make healthy snacking fun may include: fresh fruits, fresh cut veggies, low fat cheeses, low fat dips, air popped popcorn, pretzels, dry cereals, dried fruit and tree nuts.

I would love any comments on how you include healthy snacks in to your daily routine.

Disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Snyder’s of Hanover blogging program, for 6,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

$1.00 off Yoplait Chocolate Banana Smoothie Coupon

2012-01-13T18:11:00.001-06:00

I am a member of myblogspark and they have teamed up with Yoplait for this money saving opportunity.

You may click here to download a printable *coupon for $1.00 off one package of Yoplait® Frozen Smoothies. *This coupon offer is not valid in the following states: including California, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota and Tennessee.

Disclosure: I have received this information and the coupon offer from Yoplait through MyBlogSpark. No compensation was exchanged.

Walgreens and Prescription Savings

2012-01-12T15:02:00.001-06:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am a member of SocialSpark and they have teamed up with Walgreens for this informative blogging event. I am a Walgreens customer and I know that many of my readers are too so I thought that this information could be useful to some of you. Also, please continue to read this post if you are military and use Tricare as this information may be helpful to you as well.

Do you currently get your prescriptions filled at Walgreens? If so, you may be in for a big change if you use Walgreens and Express Scripts for your prescription needs. Walgreens knew that their contract was up with Express Scripts on December the 31st, 2011. They had been working hard to come to an agreement for a new contract and the companies failed to reach a happy medium. The result in this is that Walgreens is no longer a part of Express Scripts' pharmacy provider network as of January the 1st, 2012. If you are a patient of the Express Scripts' pharmacy provider network, you may find yourself trying to find a new pharmacist and may even have to drive further to a pharmacy who can fill the prescriptions that you need. To find out if you are effected by this change, please check the back of your prescription insurance card. If it says Express Scripts on there, you may ask your Walgreens pharmacist if you are directly effected and how they can help you through this change.

If you are effected by this change, Walgreens is trying to help you by offering you a special discount on their Prescription Savings Club at Walgreens annual membership. During the month of January, an annual family membership is only $10 and an individual membership is only $5. The Walgreens Prescription Savings Club Membership offers you savings on over 8,000 brand name and generic medications.

For more information on these changes you may visit Walgreens at http://www.walgreens.com/pharmacy/psc/psc_overview_page.jsp. You may also find Walgreens on Twitter and Walgreens on Facebook.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me for Walgreens through Socialspark. The opinions are my own.

Progresso Souper You Contest And A Giveaway

2012-01-11T21:53:00.000-06:00

I am a member of myblogspark and they have teamed up with Progresso for this great review and giveaway opportunity. For sharing this information with you I have received a prize pack that contains: 5 varieties of Progresso Soup and 1 copy of “The Biggest Loser” Workout DVD. One of my readers who enters this giveaway through the rafflecopter form below will receive a similar prize pack that contains: 2 VIP Coupons for Progresso Soup and 1 copy of “The Biggest Loser” Workout DVD. Yay!

Have you made any New Year resolutions this year that involve healthy eating or fitness? If so, you may be interested in the Progresso Souper You Contest. You may enter by submitting your photo at www.SouperYou.com and telling Progresso why you deserve a makeover and what you love about their soup. This will give you the chance to win an incredible makeover experience in Hollywood this Spring. You need to have your entry in no later than February the 22nd and you may check back on March the 12th for the announcement of the top ten finalists. Once the top 10 finalists are announced, you may vote for your favorite finalist until March 25th. Three lucky winners will win an ultimate makeover experience in Hollywood. This makeover experience includes a trip for 2 to Los Angeles, California where the winner will receive a head-to-toe makeover that includes hair and makeup plus a guided shopping spree with a $1,000 fashion retailer gift card, $1,000 spending money and 2 tickets to this season’s live finale of NBC’s The Biggest Loser. How great is that!

I have made commitments to myself to get healthier this year. I have a plan that involves small, low calorie meals during the day. I am excited to have found Progresso Soup for this reason. I love that Progresso offers 40 delicious soups with 100 calories or less per serving. With the many varieties that Progresso Soup offers, I will be able to stay on track and not get bored of the same daily meals. Progresso soup taste great to me and it fills me up so that I am not left feeling hungry or deprived. Progresso soups are packed with hearty ingredients like pasta, beans, rice, meat and vegetables. These foods satisfy my taste buds and make me feel good about including it in my meal choices. Progresso will help me stick to my eating plan so that I can make lifestyle changes along the way.

If you would like a coupon for Progresso please go to http://bit.ly/ProgressoCoup to download a printable coupon for $1.25 off the purchase of four (4) cans of Progresso Soup. Don't forget to tune into The Biggest Loser on NBC Tuesdays at 8/7c.

Giveaway Time: One of my readers who enters this giveaway through the rafflecopter form below will receive a prize pack that contains: 2 VIP Coupons for Progresso Soup and 1 copy of “The Biggest Loser” Workout DVD.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: The Progresso® Souper You® prize pack, information, coupon, and giveaway have been provided by Progresso through MyBlogSpark.

Introducing: NEW Purex Triple Action UltraPacks (Giveaway) CLOSED

2012-01-06T12:10:00.002-06:00

I love being a Purex Insiders member because we get to introduce new products to our readers. Today I am sharing the news of the NEW Purex Triple Action UltraPacks with everyone.

I am excited to let you in on the secret that Purex has simplified laundry yet again. They have combined their great triple action laundry detergent with double cleaning power and put them in a handy little pre-dosed liquid detergent pack. These pre-measured packs are easy to carry home from the store and they are convenient to use too. I love that there are no more heavy jugs to lift and no more messy measuring to do either. With the NEW Purex Triple Action UltraPacks you are still assured to get triple action performance in every load of laundry that you do.

I can appreciate that the laundry detergent packets are easy to use. You toss one into your washing machine, add the dirty laundry and then fill your machine with water. The pre-dosed liquid detergent pack will dissolve quickly on its own even in cold water. The best part is that this new pack contains a low sudsing formula that will rinse clean during the washing cycles. No irritating residue should be left behind.

While I have received a sample product to try, these won't be released to the market until February 2012. They will be available in Mountain Breeze and Free & Clear. For review purposes, I have received a 10.8 fluid ounce package of the NEW Purex Triple Action UltraPacks in the Mountain Breeze scent. I love the way that this Purex Laundry Detergent works and it leaves my clothes smelling fresh all day long. I can also appreciate that you can get an amazing 18 loads of laundry out of this small and light weight package. My favorite part is that the NEW Purex Triple Action UltraPacks is safe for all machines including HE, so that means that we all pay the same low price for our laundry detergent. To sum it up nicely I would say that the NEW Purex Triple Action UltraPacks liquid laundry detergent leaves my clothes smelling nice, looking bright and it is budget friendly.

Giveaway Time: One of my readers who enters this giveaway though the rafflecopter form below will be able to try the NEW Purex Triple Action UltraPacks too. Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: Purex has provide me with a free sample of their UltraPacks laundry detergent so that I could write an honest review of their product. All of the opinions are mine. No other compensation was exchanged.

Alpha Hydrox Skin Care Review

2012-01-06T10:54:00.001-06:00

I am a member of tomoson and they have teamed up with Alpha Hydrox Skin Care for this great review opportunity. I have received two of their most popular products so that I can deliver an honest review of how their products work for me.

I am 40 years old and now is the time for me to start using anti aging skin care products. I have started to notice a few fine lines and wrinkles around my eyes and mouth and I am not liking what I see. I am going to fight the signs of aging with full force and I am going to use Alpha Hydrox to help me. I have been using their foaming face wash and enhanced lotion 10% Glycolic AHA for the past week and I am loving my results.

I use my Alpha Hydrox foaming face wash in the shower each morning. I can appreciate that it is safe for all skin types, soap free, fragrance free, pH balanced and oil free. The foaming face wash gently cleanses my skin while still maintaining the proper moisture level of my skin. I enjoy the rich foaming lather of the foaming face wash. The foaming action assures me that all of the impurities and environmental pollutants (including eye makeup) are removed from my skin and that no residue is left as I wash it away. The Alpha Hydrox foaming face wash leaves my skin feeling soft, fresh, smooth and hydrated.

After my shower, I apply the enhanced lotion to my face and neck. As this lotion gently exfoliates the dead skin cells from my skin it also renews moisture and refines the texture and elasticity of my skin as it improves my skin tone. I can feel my skin being restored back to its healthy, youthful appearance of my younger years.

Since the Alpha Hydrox skin care line works on all skin types and all ages, I didn't have to worry about which formula to choose. I love that the products contain alpha hydroxy acids which exfoliate my skin and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles as I use it. It also evens out my skin tone and texture while unclogging my pores. As amazing as it sounds, the Alpha Hydrox skin care line is affordable and it yet it still contains the highest percentage of AHA's available without a prescription.

Although I am not offering a giveaway attached to this review, you may still enter a great giveaway on facebook through the Alpha Hydrox skin care facebook link. All readers that "Like" the Alpha Hydrox skin care page on facebook by midnight (MST) on January 31, 2012, can be entered to win a $500 cash prize. (Dang, blog reviewers are not eligible to win the $500 cash) This January promotion is in partnership with the Denver Radio Station KOSI 101.5 and it is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by or associated with Facebook. You may also find Alpha Hydrox skin care on twitter at @alphahydrox.

I have found a special on the Alpha Hydrox products for you in case you would like to try them out too. Right now on their website they are offering a special buy 2 get 1 free on select products.

Disclosure: I have received 2 free products from Alpha Hydrox Skin Care for review purposes. The opinions are my own. No other compensation was exchanged.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Just Eyewear Review and Giveaway CLOSED

2012-01-05T22:58:00.003-06:00

I am a member of tomoson and they have teamed up with Just Eyewear for this great review and giveaway opportunity. I have received a $50 credit to Just Eyewear so that I could choose a new pair of prescription glasses for this review. One of my readers will also receive the chance to try out Just Eyewear and they get to order a pair of prescription glasses valued at $50 or less from them too. Yay!

I have worn glasses since I was in first grade. Through the years, I have visited many places that sell prescription glasses and I find that normally prices are very high for a new pair of glasses. I also find that I get overwhelmed at the many different frames to choose from in the store. I have often felt pressured to look at the more expensive, name brand, frames when someone is trying to sell me glasses face to face. This is why I am happy to have found Just Eyewear. With Just Eyewear, you can shop in the comfort and privacy of your own home. You may see the prices up front and not have to worry about offending a sales person if you don't like their recommendations.

I love the convenience of shopping online, and choosing my new frames at Just Eyewear was quick, easy, and no sales pressure was involved. I appreciate that Just Eyewear has over 900 different styles to choose from. They have styles that include big plastic frames, flex titanium frames, progressive lenses, and even transitions. They also offer frames with non prescription lenses. So if you just want a stylish pair of glasses to change up your look then you can have that at Just Eyewear. I like that Just Eyewear is affordable and that they use top notch quality products. The best part is that they are made in the United States. As an added bonus with each order you get free scratch coating, free UV coating, a free hard case to store your glasses in, and a free microfiber cloth to clean your lenses with. Just Eyewear even offers the 100% money back guarantee. If for any reason you are not happy with your order, they will give you a 100% refund with no questions asked.

Giveaway Time: One of my readers who enters this giveaway through the rafflecopter form below will be able to choose any pair of glasses in the Just Eyewear catalog up to $50 in value. Sponsored by Tomoson.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I have received a pair of prescription glasses from Just Eyewear so that I may complete an honest review of their product. The opinions are my own. No other compensation was exchanged.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Grand Pop To The Rescue Has His First Giveaway

2012-01-02T15:49:00.000-06:00

A good friend of mine has started a new blog: Grand Pop To The Rescue and I would love for you to help me welcome him to the blogging world. He has his very first giveaway up and it sure could use some comments and entry love. Please stop by and enter it if you would like to try Tyler's Coffee. Good Luck!

Ocean Spray Fruit Flavored Snacks 6 Pack Giveaway (4 Winners) CLOSED

2011-12-29T18:17:00.002-06:00

I am a member of myblogspark and they have teamed up with Ocean Spray Fruit Flavored Snacks for this fun review and giveaway opportunity. I will be receiving 6 boxes (3 of each variety) of Ocean Spray® Fruit Flavored Snacks for my family to try. I am also able to choose 4 (yes 4!) winners to receive this same prize pack that I have received. Yay!

The holidays are coming to a close and it's time to return back to the school time routine. This means that I need to start thinking about healthy lunch box fillers and after school snacks for my children. I am excited to try the new Ocean Spray® Fruit Flavored Snacks. Not only will my kids love them but I can feel good about buying them too.

The new Ocean Spray Fruit Flavored Snacks are available in two delicious varieties and they are made with real fruit juice, natural colors, and flavors. I love that there are only 80 calories in each gluten free serving and they contain 100% of the daily value of Vitamin C too. One bonus about the new Ocean Spray Fruit Flavored Snacks is that they are available with year round Double Box Tops and this means more money for your school of choice.

If you would like to try the new Ocean Spray Fruit Flavored snacks, you may click here to download a printable coupon for $1.10 off of the purchase of two (2) products. You may find Ocean Spray on their website and on facebook too.

Giveaway time: 4 of my readers who enters this giveaway on the Rafflecopter form will receive 6 boxes (3 of each variety) of Ocean Spray® Fruit Flavored Snacks so that they may try them too.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: Ocean Spray® Fruit Flavored Snacks, information, and giveaway have been provided by Ocean Spray® through MyBlogSpark. The opinions are my own. No other compensation was exchanged.

Introducing NEW Purex Triple Action Laundry Detergent Review and Giveaway CLOSED

2011-12-28T19:50:00.002-06:00

I am a Purex Insiders member and one of the special perks that we get is that we are able to try new products before they reach the store shelves and we get to share those products with you.

This time, I am excited to be able to share the NEW Purex Triple Action laundry detergent with you. Purex is rolling out a new Triple Action formula this winter. This new Purex Laundry Detergent is across their entire liquid detergent line. It has a new and improved Triple Action formula and it delivers Purex’s promise to always leave your clothes bright, white, and clean. Not only is this liquid formula new and improved but the bottle designs have all received an updated look too.

For review purposes, I have received a 50 fluid ounce bottle of the New and Improved Purex Triple Action Laundry Detergent in the Mountain Breeze scent. I love the way that this Purex Laundry Detergent works and it leaves my clothes smelling fresh all day long. I can also appreciate that you can get 33 loads of laundry out of this small of a bottle. My favorite part is that the NEW Purex Triple Action Laundry Detergent is safe for all machines including HE, so that means that we all pay the same low price for our liquid detergent. To sum it all up nicely I would say that the NEW Purex Triple Action Laundry Detergent leaves my clothes smelling nice, looking bright and it is budget friendly.

Giveaway time: One of my readers who enters this giveaway on the Rafflecopter form will receive a coupon so that they may try the New and Improved Purex Triple Action Laundry Detergent for themself. Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: Purex has provided me with a free sample of their Triple Action laundry detergent so that I may write an honest review of their product. All of the opinions are my own. No other compensation was exchanged.

Sam's Club Return To School Giveaway CLOSED

2011-12-28T16:53:00.001-06:00

I am a member of myblogspark and they have teamed up with Sam's Club for this great giveaway opportunity. I will be receiving a $25 Sam's Club gift card for sharing this information with you and one of my readers who enters this giveaway will receive one too. Yay!

The holidays are comming to a close and that means that it's return to school time again. While the children are busy planning out which new outfit to wear on their first day back to school, the moms are thinking about what to pack in their lunch box and what school supplies may be needed. Whether you need groceries, computers, or even notebooks, Sam’s Club makes shopping for all of your return to school needs easier. This January, be sure to visit your local Sam’s Club to find all your return to school necessities in one place.

While you are out shopping for those lunch box and snack time must haves, Sam’s Club wants to remind you to continue to collect Box Tops to help the school of your choice. Sam’s Club and Box Tops for Education want to help make your life as easy as possible by heading into the New Year with a few great return to school deals and promotions.

While you are purchasing some of your favorite General Mills products at Sam's Club, you may earn more cash for your school with the Sam’s Club “6 Box Tops on a Pack” promotion. With this promotion, there will be at least 6 Bonus Box Tops located on your favorite return to school brands such as: Nature Valley Oats 'N Honey Crunchy Granola Bars, Yoplait and Progresso.

To learn more about the Box Tops for Education Program and how you can help contribute to your school, visit www.BoxTops4Education.com. You may find Sam's Club on their website, facebook and on twitter.

Giveaway time: One of my readers who enters this giveaway on the Rafflecopter form below will win a $25 Sam's Club gift card. Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: The Sam’s Club gift card, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

NEW Frosted Toast Crunch Giveaway CLOSED

2011-12-28T16:02:00.003-06:00

I am a member of myblogspark and they have teamed up with General Mills for this fun review and giveaway opportunity. They have asked me to introduce the NEW Frosted Toast Crunch to you. For hosting this review and giveaway I have received a prize package that contains: a Spilt milk bowl, a Lickety spoon, a Frosted pitcher and Frosted Toast Crunch cereal. One of my lucky readers who enters this giveaway will receive the same prize package that I received. Yay!

My family and I enjoy having cereal for breakfast, especially on school mornings. I like that cereal is quick to fix and if we are in a pinch for time, the kids can eat it dry on the way to school or even put a baggie of it in their backpack for morning break in their classroom. Cereal is fun to eat and it gives them the boost that they need to keep on going.

I am excited about the NEW Frosted Toast Crunch. It has a delicious taste of frosted vanilla (frosted vanilla coating is artificially flavored) which makes it totally irresistible in my book. One bite of the new Frosted Toast Crunch will have you and your kids asking for more. Each crunch square is baked with the great taste of frosted vanilla (frosted vanilla coating is artificially flavored) and they are dusted with a delicious dash of cinnamon. My favorite part is that each serving of Frosted Toast Crunch has 11 grams of whole grain, 9 grams of sugar and it's a good source of calcium. Not only does it taste great but it is good for you. You may not see the NEW Frosted Toast Crunch in your store today but look for it in early January.

Giveaway time: One of my readers who enters this giveaway through the Rafflecopter form below will win a prize pack that contains: a Spilt milk bowl, a Lickety spoon, a Frosted pitcher and Frosted Toast Crunch cereal. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: The Frosted Toast Crunch, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark. The opinions are my own. No other compensation was exchanged.

Spongeables PEDI SCRUB Review And Giveaway CLOSED

2011-12-27T15:32:00.007-06:00

I am a member of tomoson and they have teamed up with Spongeables PEDI SCRUB for this fun review and giveaway opportunity. I enjoy trying new products and I wanted to share this one with you.

Do you have tired, achy or less than pretty feet? If so, then you may want to try out the new Spongeables PEDI SCRUB. Spongeables® Pedi-Scrub™ is a mini spa for your feet and the best part is is that you can enjoy this affordable treatment at home over and over again.

One side of the Spongeables PEDI SCRUB foot buffer is soft and gentle. It is infused with soap and aromatic botanicals that will leave your feet feeling clean, soft and smelling nice too. The other side of the buffer is where the working action takes place. It is pure bliss as you use it and it makes your feet do the happy dance when you are finished. This side of the buffer is made to buff away dry and rough skin on your heels, toes and soles. It even shines up the toenails and exfoliates dry skin away while you use it. Pedi-Scrub’s scrubbing texture even provides a stimulating massage while it revives tired feet and leaves them feeling tingling all over. The best part is that the buffer may be used for 20+ washes making this at home spa treatment very affordable.

The Spongeables PEDI SCRUB come in two appealing fragrance choices: aromatic Lavender & Tea Tree Oil (pink), or revitalizing Citron-Eucalyptus (green). I have received the green Citron-Eucalyptus Aromatherapy 4 in 1 Spongeables PEDI SCRUB foot buffer for this review. I love that it can cleanse, exfoliate, massage and moisturize all at the same time. This buffer uses glycerin, olive oil, shea butter and eucalyptus extract to work its magic. After one use I can tell a difference in my feet. They are softer, smoother and feel rejuvenated now. I love that the buffer is specially formulated to gently remove hard skin without having to cut it or file it down and it also deodorizes stinky feet while being gentle enough to use daily. Pedi-Scrubs™ are available at drug, discount and chain stores around the world (MSR $6.99) or you may visit their website at www.spongeables.com. I can see that I need to buy 3 more Spongeables PEDI SCRUBS for the rest of my family.

Giveaway time: One winner who enters this giveaway on the Rafflecopter form will win their choice of one Pedi Scrub. They may choose from Lavender (pink)or Eucalyptus(green). Good Luck! Sponsored by Tomoson.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I have received one Spongeables PEDI SCRUB foot buffer through tomoson so that I may complete an honest review of this product. No other compensation was exchanged. The opinions are my own.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Tylers Coffee Review And Giveaway CLOSED

2011-12-27T13:40:00.008-06:00

I am a member of Tomoson and they have teamed up with Tyler's Coffee for this review opportunity. I am an avid coffee drinker and I always love to try new brands and share them with you. I have received a 2 oz "Perk Pack" of Tyler's Coffee to try.

You may be asking "Why is Tyler's Coffee different and why should I buy it instead of my current brand?" I would answer that by saying, Tyler’s Coffee is unique as it uses a “Z-Roasting” process that optimizes the time that the coffee beans are cooked. The result in using this roasting method is that it produces a coffee with high levels of caffeine and the coffee is free of acid. There are health benefits of using an acid free coffee too. Your tooth enamel is protected and your teeth are stronger which leads to fewer cavities. Also a little cup of coffee can mean big problems for people with sensitive stomachs. The acid levels in regular coffee may upset the digestive tract for some people and Tyler's Coffee says that their customers with sensitive stomachs are relieved to learn that they can still continue enjoying a great cup of coffee whenever they want, without the worry of their stomachs paying for it later.

Since Tyler's Coffee is acid free, they advise you to use purified water to brew Tylers Coffee. This will give the coffee a truer, cleaner taste. The best part is that you can use a traditional drip coffee maker to prepare your coffee in. There are no special machines needed.

Giveaway Time: One person who enters this giveaway will win a package from Tyler's Coffee. Please enter this giveaway on the rafflecopter form below. Good luck! Sponsored by Tomoson.com

Disclosure: I have received a 2 oz sample sized "Perk Pack" of Tyler's Coffee to try through Tomoson. The opinions are my own. No other compensation was exchanged.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Introducing: Pimp My Cube Contest

2011-12-24T00:01:00.001-06:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Contest Factory for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am a member of SocialSpark and they have asked me to share the Pimp My Cube Contest with you.

Have you ever been embarrassed by your messy work cubicle or office space? Have you ever thought that your office has to be the darkest, dingiest and most pathetic ever? Maybe your technology is from the ice age or your furniture is broken down and ready for the city dump. If so, then you will be happy to hear about this great new contest. The Pimp My Cube Contest is looking for the absolute worst office space with the messiest desk area and the worst broken down furniture that there is. The grand prize is approximately $1200 in value and the winner will be able to update their office, workspace or cube with one of three prize packages:

o New high end computer system
o New Desk, Chair and Decorations
o New Entertainment Package with high end stereo, espresso machine etc.

A second sweepstakes prize of one $200 gift card will be awarded to one registered user chosen by a random drawing at the end of the contest period. The contest period runs from 12/5/11 at 12:00 PM through 1/31/12 at 12:00 PM. Be sure and get your entry in before this contest is over.

To enter the Pimp My Cube Contest you simply upload a video showing your cubicle, office or workspace and explain the details about why it is so horrible and why it is important that Contest Factory come in and ‘Pimp’ your cube. Be sure to add in all of the funny and awful little details about your office and don't miss a thing while you are taking your video footage.

Once your contest video has been entered, you may then invite your friends, family and coworkers to vote for your video. You earn sweepstakes entry points for registering, voting, commenting and inviting others to register for the contest. All of the entry points will add up so be sure to market your video entry as much as you can. The grand prize winner of your cube being ‘pimped’ will be selected by CF judges based on various criteria that includes: the most votes, best (really worst) video and most compelling story.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for Pimp My Cube Contest through SocialSpark. The opinions are my own.

Gift Cards Make Great Gifts

2011-12-21T20:19:00.007-06:00

I am a member of SocialMoms and they have teamed up with Gift Cards Rock for this great posting opportunity.

If you are like me then you are sure to have a few people on your gift list who are hard to buy for or seem to have everything. This is when I turn to the handy dandy gift card and use them as a gift. Personally, I like to give gift cards because the recipient can then choose what they would like to get with the money and you are able to please them and stay on budget at the same time. For one thing, gift cards are a perfect "one size fits all" gift. You don't have to worry about it being the right color, style or size. The only thing that you might think about is what type of gift card to give them. Would you like to send the recipient to the store on a shopping trip or out to eat for a nice meal out? I love to cook but I really do appreciate a restaurant gift card. To me, this means no cooking, no cleaning up and no mess. I simply get to enjoy my meal and relax while someone else caters to me, and to me, that's priceless when you are "the mom".

Gift cards are my favorite gift to receive. When I receive gift cards, I tend to save them for a rainy day and use them for something special that is just for me. Gift cards are small and easy to tuck away until they are needed. I like to give gift cards in Christmas stockings or in a gift card. Once I even gave my mom a gift card that was attached to a card on a miniature rose bush. The gift card was for Mother's Day and she was able to use it to buy her spring flowers and gardening equipment for the outside of her home that year.

To me gift cards are a way of saying "I really do want you to be happy with your gift so I am letting you choose it for yourself." Gift cards can be personalized when you put them in with a heart felt note inside of a greeting card. I like to write the dollar amount on the gift cards that I give. This may seem a little impersonal but I like the recipient to know exactly what they have in their hand, before they get to the check out.

Either way you go, whether you choose to give a restaurant gift card or a shopping gift card, I believe that your gift will be appreciated and used on something that won't be returned back to the store.

Disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Gift Cards Rock blogging program, for 6,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Showing Soon: Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol in IMAX theatres

2011-12-20T12:03:00.000-06:00

I am a member of myblogspark and they have asked me to share this exciting news with you. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol will be showing in IMAX theatres soon.

Starting this December the 16th, a full five days before their North American premier, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol will be shown in a mind-blowing IMAX experience in 300 theatres across the country. You can join Ethan Hunt and his team of rogue IMF agents, in this way awesome spy adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat from the start to the finish of the movie. There are 30-minutes of scenes shot with IMAX cameras and fans will be able to enjoy certain sequences of the movie in larger than life proportions. You will feel right in the middle of the action as Ethan Hunt (played by Tom Cruise) scales the world’s tallest building and the Burk Khalifa Tower in Dubai. This and other thrilling moments expand to fit the entire huge IMAX screen. As an added bonus, IMAX will even offer the first previews of the upcoming Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises, prior to Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol.

Feel free to "Like" IMAX's Facebook page and find out more about this exciting experience.

Disclosure: This information was provided to me by IMAX through MyBlogSpark. For sharing this post with you, I am entered in a sweepstakes to win one of ten exclusive 4-pack of tickets to see Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol at my local IMAX theatre.

Kool-Aid

2011-12-19T14:00:00.001-06:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Kool Aid for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am a member of SocialSpark and they have teamed up with Kool-Aid for this fun posting opportunity. My family and I enjoy Kool-Aid and I thought that this would be a fun post to share with you.

Tonight while my seven year old daughter and I were watching television, I asked her "What do you think about Kool-Aid?" Her response was "Kool-Aid is fun to drink. It taste good and I like it." I said, "Yes, I like it too." As an adult I like Kool-Aid because it is water based and it helps our children to get their daily water intake in. I also like Kool-Aid because it is easy to make, inexpensive and has many flavors to choose from. As a child, I liked Kool-Aid because it was fun too. I can remember my mom making us Kool-Aid pops to enjoy during the summer. We would always use my favorite flavor, the cherry red Kool-Aid, and pour it in the little bathroom sized paper cups and stick a popsicle stick in them when they were half way frozen. After hours and hours, or so it seemed, the popsicles would be frozen solid enough for us to enjoy them. Believe me, I was the coolest kid on the block when I brought the Kool-Aid pops outside. Everyone became my best friend because I shared. Sharing is fun, especially when Kool-Aid is involved.

For more Kook-Aid fun, you can visit their facebook fan page and download a money saving coupon. You click on the tab that says "Noches de PeliKoola" for a sweet Kool-Aid savings. If you don't speak Spanish, then you may find it easier to click the button with the $ money sign that says "Quiero Mi Cupón" meaning I Want My Coupon. You may also visit the "Bingo Card" feature on the "Noches de PeliKoola" tab. Each movie specific bingo card can be played during the Sunday night movie and it has a fun Kool-Aid recipe for you to try. You might even decide to make a fun, family friendly Kool-Aid recipe and enjoy your treat while watching "Noches de Pelicula" on Telemundo with your family.

Don't forget to check out the Kool-Aid website for some great recipes. I am excited to the Super Fruity Kool Kubes, and Double-Berry Smoothies with my children and husband. Do you see any recipes that you would like to try? I would love it if you would share your fun Kool-Aid moments with me in a comment.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me through SocialSpark for Kool-Aid. The opinions are my own.

Introducing LG DoublePlay

2011-12-16T16:00:00.001-06:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of LG DoublePlay™ for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am a member of SocialSpark and they have teamed up with LG DoublePlay™ for this informative posting opportunity.

Are you looking for a great last minute gift for the techie on your list? If so, the LG DoublePlay™ just may be your answer! The LG DoublePlay comes with a dual customizable touch screen and a full slide out QWERTY keyboard. This phone even has Swype for easy texting and it allows you to perform several tasks at once. These features make it possible to update your facebook page, surf the web, check emails and even text all at once! The LG DoublePlay™ also comes with a built in 5 megapixel camera with LED flash and 720 p HD video recorder which allows you to take pictures and share them on your social networking sites as well. These features will definitely make it easier and quicker for you to stay connected to the world.

One of the best features of the LG DoublePlay™ phone is that it offers multiple texting options. You can choose to use cloud text or group text so that you may send or receive messages from a PC or tablet or create group chats on the go which allows for faster, more efficient content sharing with those who are important to you.

I am a heavy social media user and I can see the LG DoublePlay phone being an asset to me. I am a blogger and I often find that I need a picture for a post and it's a hassle to get out my camera, take a picture and then load it on my computer. It would be so much easier to grab my phone and take a shot and have it automatically set to post to facebook or twitter. Also, when I am on the go, there are many times that I wish that I could post to twitter or facebook. The LG DoublePlay could make this wish come true.

Do you see any ways that the LG DoublePlay could help simplify your life? Do you spend many hours texting or on a social media website and wish that you could make this process easier? If so and if you are thinking that the LG DoublePlay is for you then I encourage you to check it out. The LG DoublePlay™ is available exclusively through T-Mobile.

Disclosure: I am a member of SocialSpark and they have teamed up with LG DoublePlay for this sponsored post. I am receiving compensation for sharing this information with you however the opinions and wording is my own.

Seventh Generation Free Wipes Sample

2011-12-16T12:38:00.001-06:00

I am a member of SocialMoms and they have teamed up with Seventh Generation for this quick posting opportunity.

300 readers from my blog will be able to register for free samples of Seventh Generation Wipes. First you will need to log in or sign up for the Seventh Generation Rewards Program. Once this is done you will fill out a form with your mailing information and then you will receive 2 samples from Seventh Generation in the mail. One sample is for you, and you may give the other sample to give to a friend. Please remember, registrants must have a valid US address to redeem the sample request (no PO boxes).

Request your Seventh Generation free wipes sample here.

Disclosure: This post is in conjunction with a sponsored post for Seventh Generation through SocialMoms. The opinions are my own.

Charm Factory Review And Giveaway CLOSED

2011-12-14T11:43:00.014-06:00

I have always loved the look of the more expensive European style bracelets and have been unable to afford them until now. This is why I am so happy to have found the new European Style Bracelets and Beads from the Charm Factory. The Charm Factory uses silver plated brass, lead free pewter and glass to make these lovely beaded bracelets that are assembled right here in the USA. You may choose your bracelet from the premade designs on their site or you may use the individual silver tone Luv Link beads, Murano glass beads and bracelets to create your own personalized piece of jewelry. Either way you go, the results will be beautiful.

For my review, I had a hard time choosing my favorite bracelet so I decided to
choose the Cross Bracelet for my daughter. I love the contrast of the pink and blue glass beads and I adore the cross that gently embellishes it. I am most fond of the fact that this bracelet is not only safe but it was also made here in the USA. This is a beautiful gift that is stylish, has meaning and will be cherished for years to come. My daughter is only 7 now but I can see her wearing this bracelet well through her teen years.

Christmas is only 11 days away. Have you finished all of your shopping or do you still need a few special items? If you answered yes to needing a few more items then you may be interested in taking a look at the Charm Factory to see what they have to offer. Right now the beaded bracelets are on sale which makes them even more affordable. The sale prices range from $10.99 to $14.99 for the premade bracelets. They have many color options to choose from and you may choose the size of bracelet that you need also. If you have any questions while you shop, the Charm Factory even has live online support to help you.

If you would like for your order to arrive before Christmas, the last day to use Priority Mail as the shipping option is December the 20th. Priority Mail is only $5.95, however, if the delivery date isn't a concern for you, they have free shipping on US orders over $25.

For more information, you may find the Charm Factory on facebook, twitter, or on their website.

Giveaway Time: One of my readers who enters this giveaway will win their choice of Charm Factory bracelets found here. Please enter this giveaway on the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I have received a beaded bracelet from the Charm Factory so that I may complete an honest review of their product. The opinions are my own. No other compensation was exchanged.

Victoria's Secret: Hot Bargain

2011-12-12T10:14:00.003-06:00

Were you lucky enough to grab one of the Victoria's Secret Reward Cards from their facebook promotion? If so, here is a bargain for you! You may get a $12.99 Victoria's Secret cami and $39 perfume set for $2.99 plus tax shipped!

Either sign in or sign up and shop through Ebates so that you may earn cash back for your purchase.
On Ebates, enter Victoria’s Secret in their search box on the far right of their page. Their name will pop up and click on it to go to their website.
On the VS website, search for item number SG-277-475 to find the camis. Choose a cami in the color and size that you want. Add your cami to your shopping bag.
Next we will check out. Be sure to click the offer codes box saying that you have a promotional code to enter.
Enter the promo code PERFUME and a $39 perfume set will be added to your bag for FREE! Then enter the promo code VSFREE for FREE shipping with no minimum purchase required!
Continue to checkout and enter your VS Rewards Card number in (minimum of $10) Your order will be $2.99 plus tax shipped for a new VS cami and perfume set.

If you haven't won a rewards card yet, you still have a chance to try to win a Victoria's Secret gift card this Tuesday and Wednesday morning at 9 AM Eastern. Just check here to see if there are any still available. The random gift cards will range from $10 to $500 in value. You will need to check the value of your gift card on the website after you get it. Good Luck!

Disclosure: I am passing on a good deal to my readers. No compensation was exchanged. These opinions are my own.

Introducing Norton Small Business By Symantec

2011-12-09T00:00:00.001-06:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Norton Small Business by Symantec for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am a member of SocialSpark and they have teamed up with Norton Small Business by Symantec for this posting opportunity. I chose to take on this blogging project because we are in the market for a new lap top which will need a security system and our older pc is in need of protection also.

Are you a small business owner who is in the need of computer protection? Or maybe you have a home office that is in need of protection? If so, you may be happy to know that the 2012 Norton Small Business products now available for 30% off of regular price.

Norton understands that small business owners work hard to get where they are today and they want to help you to protect your business. They understand that technology is the backbone of any small business and that small businesses need a sense of security at all times. Norton is pleased to be able to help you protect your computer and business while offering you their products, mainly the 5U/10U items, at a discount rate.

As a consumer, I understand that computer protection is necessary in this age of technology use. I can only imagine how vital that sense of security is for small businesses also. Customers share so much private information such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, etc over the internet and it's the businesses job to keep that information safe. One bad hack could put both the business and customer in jeopardy and I believe that Norton understand this and wants to protect both parties from malware. This is where the Norton 360 comes in handy. The Norton 360 checks where files come from and helps to identify and stop crimeware before it attacks your computer. It also provides fast protection while it doesn't slow down your computers performance. The Norton 360 even automatically backs up files to disk, usb, or secure Norton online data centers. It amazes me that you get all of these items in one product.

Magazine Subscription Giveaway Alert

2011-12-07T21:06:00.002-06:00

I am a purex insider and they have asked me to share this exciting news with you. You may enter to win 1 of 20,000 1 year magazine subscriptions to Better Homes and Gardens by entering at http://www.purex.com/bhg . Be sure to enter before December 20th for your chance to win. See complete Terms & Conditions here.

I also have 3 giveaways up on my blog right now. Please stop by and enter them if the prizes interest you. Good Luck!
Natural House Probiotic Cleaning Products Giveaway ends 12/11/11
Prefense Non-Alcohol Hand Santizer Giveaway ends 12/12/11
Crayola Innovative Holiday Prize Pack Giveaway ends 12/18/11

Disclosure: I have not received any compensation for sharing this information with my readers.

Crayola Innovative Holiday Prize Pack Giveaway CLOSED

2011-12-02T11:07:00.007-06:00

I am a member of myblogspark and they have teamed up with Crayola for this fun review and giveaway opportunity. For participating, I have received a 4 pack of wonderful Crayola products to review and one of my readers who enters this giveaway will receive the same products that I have received. Yay!

The holidays are already here and the Crayola Holiday Gift Guide is a great place to look when shopping for gifts for children. The holiday gift guide has colorful gift suggestions for children ages 3 and up. I love the Crayola brand because they inspire creativity and spur imaginations with their products. Their gifts are affordable too and come in many different price ranges.

With this review, I was happy to learn that I would be trying the Jewelry Boutique, Glow Book, 150-ct Crayon Tower and the Ultimate Art Supplies case. My daughter is 7 and very creative. She was happy to try these out for me.

The Crayola Jewelry Boutique comes with a Jewelry Spinner that turns small amounts of Crayola Model Magic into unique swirled beads. The beads that you make allow you and your child to create fun and fabulous accessories on your own. You can make items such as bracelets, necklaces, earrings, pins and more with the Crayola Jewelry Boutique. My daughter loved that she could use her unique sense of style to create her own jewelry to wear. She was able to choose the colors of her beads and how she combined them to create her own customized accessories. My daughter was so proud of herself that she plans on using a few of her finished pieces as gifts for her friends.

The Crayola Glow Book is fun also. It uses special glowing-ink markers, tracing guides and clear pages to help your child create moving, glowing art. Your child can either use the tracing guides or draw a picture of their own for a one of a kind personalized design. Once the artwork is complete, they can turn the lights out and watch their art come alive on each page. My daughter enjoyed her Glow Book and was amazed at how her creations came to life and moved. I enjoyed the Glow Book because it gave my daughter hours of enjoyment and she was able to use it on her own.

Crayola’s Telescoping Crayon Tower and Ultimate Art Supply Case were my daughters dream come true! She loves to color and the 150 count Crayola Crayons - The Telescoping Crayon Tower™ allows her to store her crayons nicely and it even comes with a built-in sharpener. The Ultimate Art Supply Case is filled with crayons and all of the classic art tools for drawing, painting and creating. Kids can share their creativity through colorful works of art and even use it to make gifts for others this holiday season. I like that this kit contains crayons, washable broad line markers, colored pencils, washable watercolors, a paint brush, school glue, scissors, and colored paper. I can see my daughter using these items to make her own Christmas cards this year.

Giveaway Time: One of my readers who enters this giveaway will receive the same 4 Crayola items that I have received: a Jewelry Boutique, a Glow Book, a 150-ct Crayon Tower and an Ultimate Art Supplies Case. Please enter this giveaway by filling out the information requested on the Rafflecopter form.

Disclosure: The Crayola Innovative Holiday prize pack, product information and prize pack for giveaway have been provided by Crayola through MyBlogSpark.

Prefense Non-Alcohol Hand Santizer Review and Giveaway CLOSED

2011-12-02T10:03:00.008-06:00

I am a member of tomoson and they have teamed up with Prefense Non-Alcohol Hand Santizer for this review and giveaway opportunity. I have received a 1.5 fluid ounce sample of their product so that I may try it for myself and provide an honest review for you. One of my readers who enters this giveaway will receive a big 8 ounce bottle of Prefense so that they may try it out too.

I like that Prefense contains all natural ingredients and that there is no alcohol in it. To me, this means that Prefense is safe and non-toxic for kids. I also like that I don't have to worry about traditional hand sanatizers that dry out my children's delicate skin because Prefense is silica based. Prefense smooths and softens while protecting your skin at the same time. I can appreciate that a single use of Prefense protects me and my children for 24 hours or equal to 10 hand washings. I feel good knowing that Prefense can be applied to my childrens hands when they wake up in the morning and the protection will last all day. They are protected from germs even when they are at school and away from me. The best part is that Prefense protects us against staph, strep, E.coli, drug resistant MRSA strains, and more. As a mom, this is a reassurance that I need especially during cold and flu season.

If you would like to try Prefense you may find it on their website. The cost is lower here than it would be in other retail stores. Prefense is sold on amazon too. You may also find Prefense on facebook and on twitter.

Please enter this giveaway through the Rafflecopter form below. Sponsored by Tomoson.com

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Natural House Probiotic Cleaning Products Giveaway CLOSED

2011-11-27T15:26:00.009-06:00

I am a member of tomoson and they have teamed up with Natural House Probiotic Cleaning Products for this review and giveaway opportunity.

For this review, I have received a 30 day supply of the first three Natural House products: Flushy, Trashy, and Sinky. Not only do I love these natural household cleaning products names but I love how they work and what they stand for.

As you may have guessed, Trashy is a natural trash can deodorizer and scrubber. It uses a natural probiotic action to dissolve odors and grime at their source. You may use Trashy in your indoor or outdoor garbage containers to dissolve grease, food scraps and unwanted odors. I enjoyed the fresh wintergreen scent that I received and I like that you may even use it in diaper pails too.

My next natural household cleaning product to try was Sinky. Sinky is a natural disposal scrubber and drain maintenance cleaning product. It uses a natural probiotic action to digest odors and scour pipe build-up by breaking down grease and food scraps which will help prevent sink clogs and slow drains. By using this fresh citrus scented natural household cleaning product weekly, Sinky will scour your drain and disposal driving out odors at their source.

The last Natural House product that I tried was Flushy. Flushy is a powerful toilet bowl cleaner and a drain / septic treatment product all in one. The natural probiotic action in Flushy cuts through stains while it scours pipe build-up and allows for a healthy septic system. Their professional strength formula even cuts through hard water and calcium deposits that are in the toilet bowl. The probiotics also consume toilet paper and waste build up in the p-trap, drain and pipes while maintaining the health of your septic system.

I found that all of these products are easy to use and smell nice unlike traditional chemical cleaners. The products come with easy to follow directions on the back of each package and I did learn that the key to the action is in the foam. When using Natural House products be sure and let it foam first to release the cleaning agents and then go on to the next step on the package directions. Remember to treat your home weekly so that the probiotics can work correctly for you.

You may purchase Natural House products directly on their website or on Amazon. You may also find Natural House Probiotic Cleaning Products on facebook and on twitter too.

Giveaway time:
One of my lucky US readers will win a 30 day supply of Natural House Probiotic Cleaning Products so that they may try them too. Please enter this giveaway on the rafflecopter form below. Sponsored by Tomoson.com

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

QwikShower Big Wet Wipes Giveaway CLOSED

2011-11-27T14:06:00.007-06:00

I am a member of tomoson and they have teamed up with QwikShower Big Wet Wipes for this fun review and giveaway opportunity.

My son is 11 years old and active in sports. There are a lot of times when he needs to freshen up after a work out or game and he just doesn't have time for a shower. That is why I am glad to have found QwikShower Big Wet Wipes. These wipes are large enough to wipe down your whole body and to leave you refreshingly clean.

You may be asking what exactly is a QwikShower Big Wet Wipe? Well, originally QwikShower Gym Class Wipes were a big hit on the internet. Now the same company has developed the QwikShower Big Wet Wipes and soon they will be available everywhere. These are individually wrapped 10x12 thick moist wet wipes that have a fresh scent and cleaning power built in it. The wipes are portable and you may keep them in your purse, gym locker, car or even in your gym bag so that they are handy to use at anytime. These are definitely not your average tiny little wipes. They are big and thick like a wash cloth. Not only will you smell clean but you will feel clean as well. The QwikShower Big Wet Wipes are also great for freshening up after a walk, workout, bike ride or even after a fishing trip.

Giveaway time: One of my readers who enters this giveaway will receive a set of QwikShower Big Wet Wipes so that they may try the product out for themself. Please enter this giveaway through the rafflecopter form below. Sponsored by Tomoson.com

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Helping Spread Holiday Cheer

2011-11-16T17:49:00.011-06:00

I am a member of SocialMoms and they have teamed up with Hasbro for this fun blogging opportunity. You may read more about their request here.

As we all know the holidays are near and it is time to start putting together our gift shopping list. My children are 7 and 11 years old and I am excited to learn about the new KRE-O building sets by Hasbro. Have you seen the new KRE-O building sets yet? They are the newest transformers by Hasbro. There are twelve KRE-O Transformers sets available right now. The sets range from basic sets for beginner builders to deluxe sets for the pros. This new toy line may be found in the construction toy aisle at stores that carry Hasbro toys. This year, KRE-O is definitely a standout gift for both Transformer and building fans ages 6 years old and up.

I love that you may use Kreons in either a vehicle or robot mode. This leaves room for a lot of imaginitive play. Kreons look like they would be fun for both children and adults to construct together. I think that these would be fun to use for a friendly brother, sister transformer battle. I love that KRE-O comes in different forms and colors, they would be great for collecting as well as playing with. I see the KRE-O product as being both fun and versitile. It also allows children to use their imagination while playing with them. I can appreciate that KRE-O bricks are compatible with other leading brick based sets that are currently on the market. This way you do not have to invest in a new brick system or worry about mixing up bricks and blocks.

While I am thinking of adding KRE-O building sets to my holiday list, I am also thinking about the other fun festivities that are around the corner. My family and I enjoy putting up our Christmas tree each year. As a family, we usually put it up after Thanksgiving weekend. While dad sets up the tree, the kids and I sort through the colored balls and choose the ones that we want to put on the tree. After the tree is finished we will string our bright lights outside. The kids and I enjoy walking up and down our street in the dark after the lights are in place and turned on. We get to see our home all lit up for the first time in a year. We will turn our lights on nightly and admire them when we pull up in the driveway after being out. But overall, I think that my favorite part of decorating for the holidays is hanging our stockings over the fireplace. We want to make sure that they are hung with care so that Santa will fill them on Christmas Eve night. This alone is enough to bring holiday cheer to our family. We all love the anticipation of what gifts will come.

Are you ready for the holidays yet? How do you celebrate?

Disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Hasbro blogging program, for 8,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points and a KRE-O gift. The opinions expressed in this post are mine and don’t necessarily reflect the opinions of SocialMoms or Hasbro. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

$25 BURGER KING Crown Card Promotion And Giveaway CLOSED

2011-11-15T08:37:00.029-06:00

I am a member of myblogspark and they have teamed up with Burger King for this fun blogging opportunity. I have been asked to share the BURGER KING® Crown Card Progam with you and I have received a $25 BURGER KING® Crown Card so that I may try the program for myself. Burger King is also also offering a $25 BURGER KING® Crown Card for one of my readers through myblogspark so that one of you may try the new program out also. How cool is that!

At Burger King, Imagination is king. The new BK CROWNTM/MC Program is built to inspire every child’s imagination and to encourage them to help choose how Burger King gives back. They are hoping that this new program will bring families together to not only enjoy a meal but to enjoy the whole mealtime experience together.

Burger King Corporation is inviting kids to tell them what matters to them most through the BK CROWNTM/MC Program. BKC has established a fund to help support the Wildlife Conservation Society, National Parks Conservation Association, DonorsChoose.org and Have It Your Way™ Foundation. You and your child may visit www.BKCrown.com where you may enter BK CROWNTM/MC Codes, place your vote for how BKC should give back, as well as find more games, win prizes and enjoy interactive play together.

My family enjoys the BK CROWNTM/MC Program because it is fun. It comes in a fully interactive Kids Meal box and on top of each kids meal box is a redesigned BURGER KING® crown. I like that children can dive into their meal box and take it apart to play the games and activities if they would like. These games and activities challenge their mind and inspire imagination while engaging with the rest of the family at the same time. I found that the crown, games, and activities also kept my children busy and happy while my husband and I finished enjoying our meal. We didn't hear the normal "Can I go play yet?" "I am bored." Instead we had a happy converation about the information that they were learning from the meal box. I also appreciate the new “BK™ Family Bundle” meal special which includes a WHOPPER® sandwich, WHOPPER JR.® sandwich., two small fries, two small soft drinks and a Kids Meal for only $9.99. Now our family can afford to eat out more often and the age old question of "What would you like to order?" has been taken away and our ordering process will be made simplier also. (Limited time only. Price and participation vary. Prices higher in HI.)

You may find Burger King online here, on Facebook and on Twitter. For more information on the BK CROWNTM/MC Program look here.

Giveaway Time: One person who enters this giveaway through the rafflecopter form will receive a $25 BURGER KING Crown Card. This giveaway will end on November the 27th at 11:59 pm eastern time. The winner will have 48 hours to claim their prize or another winner will be chosen. Thank you taking the time out to enter my giveaway and Good Luck!

Disclosure: Disclosure: The BK CROWNTM/MC Program prize pack, information and coupon have been provided by Burger King Corporation through MyBlogSpark.

Introducing Torani Holiday Flavors

2011-11-14T10:59:00.006-06:00

I am a member of SheSpeaks and they have teamed up with Torani Flavored Syrups for this fun Torani's Authentic Coffeehouse Flavor Program and blogging event. I am an avid coffee drinker and I enjoy adding Torani Flavored Syrup to my morning cups of coffee so I have decided to participate in this campaign and share this information with you.

I was sent 2 bottles of Torani Flavored Syrup so that I may try them for the Torani's Authentic Coffeehouse Flavor Program. My first syrup to try was the sugar free pumpkin pie and it is amazing! I love that this syrup is sugar free and that I can add as much or as little that I want to my coffee and I don't have any guilt over it. I am a diabetic and I can truely appreciate Torani for adding a huge line of sugar free syrups to their flavor lineup. You may see my review about the Torani sugar free pumpkin pie flavored syrup on SheSpeaks if you would like.

My second flavor of the Torani flavored syrups that I tried was the Hazelnut. This flavor wasn't sugar free so I had to carefully measure out my servings so that I could count my carbs. I enjoy Hazelnut flavors and I will be purchasing the sugar free Hazelnut in the future. I plan on sharing the rest of my Hazelnut Torani Flavored Syrup with my relatives at our Thanksgiving dinner. I believe that this flavored syrup will go nicely with our after dinner and dessert cup of coffee.

I have been asked to share the Torani #HolidayFlavors #sstorani twitter party with you. The twitter party will be on November the 17th at 9:00 PM eastern time. They will be sharing their favorite holiday drinks and tasty holiday desserts with the party goers. There will also be some incredible prizes given away. In order to win prizes at this twitter party, you need to be a SheSpeaks member and then you need to rsvp on their website.

Right now there is a pre-twitter party contest going on too. From November the 14th until November the 17th, SheSpeaks and Torani will be giving away a free bottle of Torani flavored syrups for a total of 12 prizes! To enter, watch for a tweet out with a Torani question from @shespeaksup beginning at 7:30am ET. They will be selecting THREE WINNERS a day to each win a free bottle of Torani Flavored Syrup. The winners will be chosen and announced via Twitter at 12pm ET, 3pm ET, and 5pm ET on Monday (11/14), Tuesday (11/15), Wednesday (11/16), and Thursday (11/17). The lucky winners will receive a coupon for a free bottle of Torani in the mail.
To be eligible to win, your tweet must answer the Torani question of the day, include the hashtags #holidayflavors AND #sstorani and also mention @shespeaksup AND @_Torani_.

If you are interested in purchasing Torani online, you may use the code shespeaks for 10% off of your order.

Disclosure: I have received 2 bottles of Torani Flavored Syrup and 5 coupons for a free Torani product so that I may review them participate in this program. The opinions are my own. No other compensation was exchanged.

Seventh Generation: Nature Makes Perfect Scents

2011-11-13T13:22:00.007-06:00

I am a member of SocialMoms and they have teamed up with Seventh Generation for this fun and informative blogging opportunity. They have asked me to share a sweepstakes that is sponsored by Seventh Generation with you. I have also been asked to share Seventh Generation's new product line with you too. I am a contest entering, scent loving type of girl so I have decided to take them up on this opportunity. You may read more about their request here.

Did you know that Seventh Generation has created a line of dish liquids that features natural scents from real lemons, clementines and lavender. Seventh Generation’s Natural Dish Liquid scents come from the fields not from factories. These scents also honor the careful hands that help cultivate them. I love this concept for dish washing liquids because scents are powerful. Sometimes scents can take you back to a place of happiness in your past. Scents may remind you of a loved one who is not near or even brings back a feeling of love, comfort and joy. Scents are good and I use them in my every day life at home and sometimes without even relizing it. Scents become a part of me.

When I think of lemons, I can smell and taste my Aunt Lori's lemon chess pie. I can smell sharp and crisp citrus scent even now as I think about it. I am glad that Thanksgiving is almost here. I hope my Aunt Lori brings her lemon chess pie to our family dinner. Whenever I think of clementines, I think of my children. They love to have clementines in their lunch boxes for school and even as a snack at home. We love that clementines are easy to open and smell fresh and are invigorating to the senses. The tangy fruit is sweet, juicy and satisfies a sweet tooth in a light way. Clementines make me smile because I know that they are good for you and fun to eat. Plus Clementines make my children smile when they see them in their lunch box. When my children smile, I smile.

Seventh Generation is sponsoring a "Nature Makes Perfect Scents" sweepstakes. In this sweepstakes, you may enter to win a trip for 2 to one of the regions where lemons, clementines and lavender grow. These trip destinations may even include France and Italy or even Vermont which is Seventh Generation’s home state and the inspiration for its Free & Clear line. The winner gets to choose the region for their trip. This is very exciting and you can only win if you enter the sweepstakes. Please visit the Seventh Generation website to find out more about their new product line and to enter the sweepstakes for yourself.

Seventh Generation knows that nature makes perfect scents. I look forward to entering their sweepstakes and to trying their new product line. Will you enter the sweepstakes too? You have to be in it to win it. Good luck!

Disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Seventh Generation blogging program, for a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Introducing Party Beans Products

2011-11-11T11:01:00.006-06:00

I am a member of tomoson and they have teamed up with Party Beans Products for this fun review opportunity. I thought that this would be a fun product to review and hopefully some of my readers will enjoy it too.

Party Beans Products are easy to create and fun to give. This is a great way to send a personalized and thoughtful gift to anyone on your list. Party Beans Products are also great for wedding favors, bridal shower favors, and baby favors. I would think that customized favors are great for any occassion when party favors are required.

My first step to creating my custom favors was to go to their website http://www.partybeans.com/ and decide which type of personalized favors that I wanted to create. You can see all of the types of favors that are available by putting your mouse on the word "shop" at the top of the page. Find the favor that you wish to create on the list and click on it. I chose to go with birthday favors for this review and once the page loaded, I clicked on "create it". On this page you will see a number system that will lead you through the product making process.

Step 1 Pick a Product: This is a sliding bar line of the Party Bean Products that are available for customization. You simply slide the bar under the products to see what is available in the category that you chose. When you see a design that you like, you click on its picture to see the pricing information. You will see that the higher quantity that you purchase, the lower the price will be. In this step you will enter the total number of the items that you will need.

Step 2 Customize It: To me, this was the most fun step of the ordering process. It was quick and user friendly. When I customized my favors, I started with the candy selection first. Once you click on the word "candy" you will see a drop down box. Here you may choose from m&ms, mints, jelly belly, or even no candy. After the candy selection was made, I went over to the "background" button. This is where you choose the theme, texture, color and gradient of your personalized favor design. Again, they use a sliding bar to view all of the backgrounds that are available. Once you find one that you like, click on it and it will be applied to your favor. Next we click on the word "image". Here you may choose your occassion and either use a clipart image that they provide or upload your own picture to use on the favor. Once your image is on the favor you may click on the word "text". As you type your text, it will be displayed on the favor image that you have already created. You will be able to automatically see what the finished product will look like as you create it. This will allow for less error and you will be happier with your finalized product because you can make changes as you go. Once you are happy with your product, you click "add to cart". On the next page you will fill out your billing information and payment options. They even take paypal. Yay!

I can appreciate that Party Beans Products are easy and fun to create. Their website is very user friendly and they provide excellent customer service and shipping. I love that there are no order minimums and I can see me using this service for stocking stuffers this holiday season. Although this didn't happen to me, I am told that if the picture resolution or text that you choose for your favors aren't a good match for the product, that they will contact you before your product is printed.

For my review I chose to use pictures of my children from our football season this year. My products came out very nice and clear. I am sorry that my review photos don't reflect the true quality of the items that I received. If my picture were clearer, you would be able to see that I also added text to make my Party Beans Products even more personalized. My children were so excited when they received their tin. My son wanted to take his to school and show everyone and my 7 year old daughter ate all of her jelly bellies in one sitting so that she could use her tin for coins.

You may find Party Beans Products on their website, on facebook and even on twitter.

Disclosure: Through Tomoson, I have received a $25 gift card to Party Beans Products so that I may review their ordering process, products, and shipping service. The opinions are my own. No other compensation took place. I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Introducing Weight Watchers Smart Ones Satisfying Selections

2011-11-10T19:13:00.004-06:00

I am a member of SocialMoms and they have teamed up with Weight Watchers® Smart Ones® Satisfying Selections for this review opportunity. I am a weight conscious mom who likes to eat hot and healthy meals so I have decided to try the Weight Watchers Smart Ones Satisfying Selections for myself.

Although Weight Watchers Smart Ones Satisfying Selections were introduced to the market in August 2011, they are new to me. I was excited to learn that there are five flavors of the Satisfying Selections to try. Those flavor choices are Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo, Chicken with Broccoli & Cheese, Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry, Sesame Chicken, and Ziti with Meatballs & Cheese. I must say that all of these varieties sound mouth wateringly wonderful and it was a hard decision to just choose 2 flavors to try.

I decided to try the Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry Satisfying Selections first. I was pleased with the generous chunks of white meat chicken in this meal. They were very savory and tender. This hearty meal also came with brown rice and plenty of Asian-style vegetables that were marinated in Teriyaki sauce. Since there are only 9 Weight Watchers PointsPlus in this meal, I was able to enjoy this quick to prepare, healthy meal, without any guilt. Plus there were only 340 calories in my meal, 6 total fat grams and a whopping 25 grams of protein! This filling meal left me satisfied and tied over until bedtime.

My second Weight Watchers Smart Ones Satisfying Selections to try was the Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo. Again I was very pleased with the amount of white meat chicken that was included in this meal. There were plentiful chunks of broccoli and pasta covered in alfredo sauce too. I can appreciate that this hearty meal was only 300 calories, 8 PointsPlus Value, 4 grams of fat and yet had 28 grams of protein. I think that this meal was my favorite of the 2. I will definitely be buying this one again, soon!

While my meal was cooking, I looked at the bag of the Weight Watchers Smart Ones Satisfying Selections and noticed that this new line of Weight Watchers meals offers 30% larger portions than the other tray styled frozen meals. I found that these meals are complete and that they are designed to offer a satisfying lunch or dinner with less than 400 calories per serving. I also found that each serving only has 8 to 10 Weight Watchers PointsPlus and they have 25 grams or more of protein in each serving.

Overall, I am amazed by how easy these meals are to prepare and how delicious they taste. You may prepare them in the microwave or on the stove top in less than 10 minutes tops. I can see this being a quick to prepare, healthy meal that even Dad can make.

Disclosure: This post is part of a SocialMoms product evaluation, for which I’ve been selected. I’ve been compensated for my time with 6,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. The opinions expressed in this post are mine and don’t necessarily reflect the opinions of SocialMoms or Heinz.

Kroger Milk Promotion and $25 Gift Card Giveaway CLOSED

2011-11-08T10:28:00.017-06:00

I am a member of myblogspark and they have teamed up with Kroger for this great review and giveaway opportunity. My family and I are already Kroger shoppers so I am happy to share this information with you.

Starting November the 13th through November the 26th, you will have the opportunity to receive either free milk (up to $3; limit of 2) or $3 off your shopping order when you purchase of any four participating General Mills products. Some of the participating General Mills products are Cheerios, Pillsbury Ready to Bake Cookies, Nature Valley Bars and Fiber One Bars. This promotion will vary in different locations. Please be sure to check your local Kroger Co. Family of Stores for specific deals and offers. These stores include Kroger, Ralphs, King Scoopers, City Market, Dillons, Smith’s, Fry’s, QFC, Baker’s, Owen’s, Jay C Food Stores, Hilander, Gerbes, Food4Less, Fred Meyer, Pay Less Supermarkets and Scott’s Food & Pharmacy.

Giveaway Time: I have received a $25 Kroger gift card so that I may participate in this milk promotion. One of my readers will receive a $25 Kroger family of stores gift card so that they may do the same. This giveaway will end November the 20th. I will be using the rafflecopter form for my first time on this giveaway. Good luck to both of us!

Disclosure: The Kroger gift card, information, and giveaway have been provided by Kroger and General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

Introducing The Slice™ Safety Cutter

2011-11-08T09:29:00.003-06:00

I am a member of Tomoson and they have teamed up with The Slice™ Safety Cutter for this review opportunity. Since I am an avid coupon clipper I have decided to participate in this review opportunity and try this new product for myself.

When I go shopping, I always look at the stores sale paper. Sometimes they will have coupons in the add and I normally tear them out and use them. I have always felt awkward about the tattered piece of paper that I hand the cashier and now that I have found Slice™ Safety Cutter - Great for couponers I won't have to do that anymore. I am putting my Slice Safety Cutter in my purse so that I may have it when I need it. Not only will I be able to use my safety cutter at home but I will be able to use it on the go also. I had been looking for a safe and quick way to clip my coupons and I have found it.

I like that Slice™ Safety Cutter - Great for couponers is also great for scrapbooking and it is safe for the kids to help you with it. I will be using my new Slice Safety Cutter during the holiday gift wrapping season also. It will be fun for the kids, they will be able to help cut our paper and I won't have to worry about them hurting theirself.

I like that The Slice™ Safety Cutter has a unique finger friendly, rubberized finish design which allows you to hold the product comfortably. Unlike with traditional scissors, there are no finger holes to worry about fitting in to. There is a safety clip on the cutter that cuts and opens as you use it. The ceramic blade stays sharp and it never rusts. The blade is so tiny that you can barely see it or feel it when you look at it. I like that The Slice™ Safety Cutter is easy to store, it has a built in magnet that will allow you to store it on your fridge or it has a key ring hole that would allow you to put it on your keyring so that you always carry it with you.

Disclosure: I have received one The Slice™ Safety Cutter product so that I may try their product and provide an honest review on it. No other compensation was exchanged. The opinion is my own. I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Basa Body, Coconut Oil Body Lotion Giveaway Winner Announcement

2011-11-07T23:57:00.003-06:00

Thank you to everyone who took the time out to enter my Basa Body, Coconut Oil Body Lotion Giveaway that ended on 11/06/11. We had 230 entries and I have used randomizer to choose our winner which is lucky number 28, Shannon Egan. They have been emailed and have 48 hours to claim their prize.

Totino's Fun Friday Nights Giveaway Winner Announcement

2011-10-31T10:52:00.003-05:00

Thank you to everyone who took the time out to enter my Totino's Fun Friday Nights Giveaway that ended on 10/30/11. This giveaways was sponsored by Totino's through myblogspark. We had 234 qualifying entries and I have used randomizer to pull our winning number. Lucky # 17 debijackson is our winner. They have been emailed and have 48 hours to claim their prize.

Please stop by and enter my Basa Body, Coconut Oil Body Lotion Giveaway that ends on 11/06/11 if you would like.

Introducing The Net 10 Unlimited Plan

2011-10-30T09:01:00.000-05:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Net10 for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am a member of SocialSpark and they have teamed up with Net 10 for this informative blogging opportunity about their Net 10 Unlimited Plan.

I found out that the Net 10 Unlimited Plan is a good deal. You can get nationwide coverage with excellent connection and unlimited text, talk, and data for only $50 a month. I also found out that you can get a good cell phone plan with out the dreaded service contract. With the Net 10 Unlimited Plan, there are no surprise bills or credit checks involved. To make this deal even sweeter, Net 10 only uses trusted phone manufactures such as Nokia, L.G. Motorola, Kyocera, and Samsung. You may choose a simple phone for your every day texting and calling needs for under $15. They also offer phones with essential features like camera, video recorder, blue tooth capabilities and even web access for under $40. If you would like a full QWERTY keyboard phone, slider phone, or touch screen phone with all of the basics that include great app capabilities, camera and video recorder, and web access etc then you may get one for under $60. You should be able to find a phone with features that you desire and with prices that fit in your budget plan.

Net 10 also offers an Easy Minutes Plus Plan. The Easy Minutes Plus plan offers plans that start at $15 for 200 minutes. This would be a great plan for students or for anyone who needs a cell phone for emergency use only. With the pay as you go plans, your minutes will carry over to the next month as long as your service remains active. Air time can be purchased online, at a near by store, or even from your own phone. Not only is this cost efficient but it is also convenient. The best part about the Net 10 Plan is that you may switch between the plans each month, based on your current budget and airtime needs. There is no penalty or fees for changing plans.

To find our more about Net 10, you may check them out on twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/Net10_Wireless or on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NET10Wireless The Net 10 website is: http://www.net10.com/ . You might also like to see What Rob has to say about Net 10 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hf2ulhf9jbc&NR=1 .

I also found a Net 10 commercial from a

Real NET10 customer that I would like to share with you . Feel free to check it out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWev3ZyAOeY&NR=1

Basa Body Coconut Oil Body Lotion Review & Giveaway CLOSED

2011-10-24T10:00:00.008-05:00

I am a member of tomoson and they have teamed up with Basa Body for this product review and giveaway.

I have received a sample of Basa Body Coconut Oil Body Lotion and I must say that I am enjoying it. I love the coconut scent of the product and it is thick and leaves your skin shiny but not greasy feeling. While trying their product I have learned that Basa Body products are made with Virgin Organic Coconut Oil. This oil is easily absorbed into the skin and contains natural antioxidants that are both antimicrobial, antibacterial, and antifungal. Basa Body products also help promote healing while giving your skin a healthier, youthful appearance. I can appreciate that the products contain no parabens, no artificial fragrances, no artificial preservatives and no harsh irritating chemicals. At Basa Body, high quality and superior body lotion is only part of their story.

The Basa Body story began years ago with a single trip to Kenya. They connected with wonderful, intelligent women who were working hard to feed their families. Their small scale enterprise was called Coast Coconut Farms. There at Coast Coconut Farms they produced virgin organic coconut oil by hand.

Basa Body was intrigued by the womens commitment, skill, and entrepreneurial spirit. Basa Body was determined to help those women tell their story and to grow their business. The result is BasaBody, named after the women of Mombasa, Kenya, where Basa's coconut oil is produced.

Basa Body is growing in the United States as well and they say they are creating jobs here too.

Giveaway time: One of you who enters this giveaway will win a full sized Basa Body Coconut Oil Body Lotion. The retail value of this is $13.95. Sponsored by Tomoson.com

Mandatory Entry:
Follow my blog publicly with google friends connect. Please leave a comment below and include your email address in the comment so that I may contact you if you are the lucky winner.

Extra Entries:
1 extra entry: Like Basa Body on facebook and comment below with your facebook user name.
1 extra entry: Follow Basa Body on twitter and comment below with your twitter user name.
1 extra entry: Click the +1 button below this post and leave a comment saying you did this.
3 extra entries: Tweet this " #win a Basa Body Coconut Oil, Body Lotion #Giveaway http://tryingnewproducts.blogspot.com/2011/10/basa-body-coconut-oil-body-lotion.html?spref=tw " This may be done daily. Please leave a link to your tweet in your 3 comments below.
3 extra entries: Subscribe to my email. Current email subscriptions count too! Please leave your 3 comments below.
5 extra entries: Like my new facebook page.
5 extra entries: Post this giveaway on your blog or in a mclinky and leave a link to your post in your 5 additional comments below.

Thank you for visiting my blog! This giveaway will end on November the 6th, 2011 at 11:59 pm central time. I will choose a winner shortly after that and notify them by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email notification. If they fail to claim the prize in that time frame then I will choose another winner.

Disclosure: I have received a small sample of Basa Body Coconut Oil Body Lotion so that I may create an honest review of their product. No other compensation was exchanged. The product opinions are my own.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Introducing: Groove Kid Nation "Music in Motion" -- Children's Music CD

2011-10-24T09:07:00.004-05:00

I am a member of tomoson and they have teamed up with Groove Kid Nation "Music in Motion" -- Children's Music CD for this fun review. Since I am a mom of 2 school aged children who enjoy music and dancing, I took them up on this great opportunity.

Groove Kid Nation "Music in Motion" offers a great collection of kids songs. The first Groove Kid Nation release was the "Wheels on the Bus" album and the "Music in Motion" album that I am reviewing is their second release. The "Music in Motion" album contains an entirely new band of felines called the Kool Katz. While enjoying the tunes, the Kool Katz guide you and help your children to have more fun while experiencing the music.

The "Music in Motion" songs are mostly original and are all about getting children to interact with the music by drawing them into the action with the help of the Kool Katz. I love that each CD includes a 10 page illustrated booklet that features the characters from the songs and the instruments that they are playing. This illustration allows children to get more involved with the music that they hear. They can actually visualize each of the Kool Katz and pick out the instruments that they hear and place them with the character playing it. The booklet also offers a guide on what to do from silly dances, to playing air guitar or to simply nodding their heads to the beat. This added feature allows for both creativity and learning making listening to "Music in Motion" educational fun!

My children and I loved the fun and funky upbeat music of "Music in Motion". As we listened to the first song we looked at the 10 page illustrated instruction booklet that was included with our cd. Here we learned about the Kool Katz band and we picked up a few fun dance moves. As we listened to the next few songs we practiced what we learned and had a lot of fun giggly and spending quality time together.

If you would like more information on this cd, feel free to visit the Groove Kid Nation website and look around. Here you will find musical samples from the kids songs on both the "Wheels on the Bus" and "Music in Motion" releases. You may also meet Rodney Lee and his top L.A. musicians on the site as well. If you would like to purchase a "Music in Motion" cd you may do that on the website and ten percent of the wholesale price of will be donated to CARE, a leading humanitarian organization fighting poverty.

Disclosure: I have received a Groove Kid Nation "Music in Motion" -- Children's Music CD so that I may listen to it and provide an honest review of their product. No other compensation was exchanged. The opinions are my own.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Renuzit Holiday Fresh Accents Winner Announcement

2011-10-24T08:47:00.002-05:00

Thank you to everyone who entered my Renuzit Holiday Fresh Accents Giveaway that ended on 10/23/11. We had 199 entries and randomizer choose entry #148 Angela H as our winner. They have been emailed and have 48 hours to claim their prize.

I do have another giveaway up right now if you would like to enter it:
Totino's Fun Friday Nights Giveaway ends 10/30/11.

General Mills Pink Together Winner Announcement

2011-10-17T10:24:00.003-05:00

Thank you to everyone who took the time out to enter my General Mills Pink Together Giveaway that ended on 10/16/11. This giveaway was sponsored by General Mills through MyBlogSpark. We had 294 entries and I have used randomizer to choose our winner. Lucky #220 EmmaPeel is our winner. They have been contacted by email and have 48 hours to claim their prize or another winner will be chosen.

I do have 2 more giveaways up right now. Please stop by and enter them if the prize interests you:
Renuzit Holiday Fresh Accents Giveaway ends 10/23/11
Totino's Fun Friday Nights Giveaway ends 10/30/11.

My Top 10 Holiday Planning Tips

2011-10-14T14:26:00.003-05:00

Can you believe it? It is already October and the Holidays are sneaking up on us! Christmas will be here before we know it. For me that means a lot of shopping and list making. Oh my! How will I ever survive? To help me survive the holidays I have a getting ready for the holidays plan that I will stick to. I will share my plan with you.

1. Budget: Above all else, you need to find out how much can you afford to spend on the holidays. This number needs to include food, traveling expense, gifts and any extras. This is the big, overall dollar amount that you can really afford to spend.

2. Break it down: Once you have your total holiday dollar budget figured out from the first tip, you need to break it down into specifics. This stage includes an amount designated specifically for food, travel and people who you buy for.

3. Gift ideas: On your budget sheet you need to write down gift ideas for each person that you buy for. You might ask them what would they like the next time that you talk to or email them. It helps to have gift ideas. This will save you shopping time and it keeps them from getting something that they really don't want or need.

4. Spare gifts: Be sure and plan for a few unexpected gifts to be needed. I like to buy an extra Bath and Body Works gift set, mixed nut set, box of chocolates, or even a nice kitchen hand towel set to have on hand. You never know when you may need a thoughtful yet spare moment gift.

5. Holiday cards: Plan a nice fall day to get together with your family and have a little fun and snap a few pictures. Not only will you be making memories but you will also hopefully get a nice picture for your holiday cards. You can even let Storkie help you make personal cards that will be cherished long after the holidays are gone. Storkie has unique Christmas cards as well as stylish holiday cards.

6. Ask for help: It is ok to ask another family member or your children to help you with the holiday preparations. I always ask my husband to help when I am short handed and my children normally beg to help me.

7. Menus: Plan your holiday menu NOW! You have plenty of time to think and shop and you aren't under any pressure. If I put off menu planning too long, then I am sure to forget something. You might also want to plan for a few extra snacks and frozen appetizers to have on hand for the times that unexpected holiday guest arrive.

8. Shop Sales!! This is a key tip to staying on budget. I always shop sale adds when it comes to both food and gifts. I try not to play full price for anything.

9. Make your wish list: Even though you are an adult, you still deserve a little holiday treat also. Treating yourself to something special during the holidays is A-OK! You deserve it!

10. Relax and Enjoy the festivities! Above all else, enjoy this wonderful season with your friends and family. Life is short. Try to live each moment to its fullest.

Remember to check out Storkie for your festive Christmas cards.

Disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the Storkie holiday blogging program. I received compensation for my participation. All opinions are 100% mine.

Introducing A New Book: Real Moms Love To Eat

2011-10-14T09:17:00.002-05:00

I am a member of SocialMoms and they have teamed up with Beth Aldrich to introduce her new book: Real Moms Love To Eat. I am a mom who definitely loves to eat so I chose to accept this fun blogging opportunity so that I could learn more about this program.

Beth is a SocialMom and certified health counselor who is introducing a Food Affairiate program for bloggers. The Food Affairiate program works along with her new book. Her new book Real Moms Love To Eat is broken down in three sections. These sections include a fun and easy to follow 10 part plan for moms to implement and to help them make gradual and life-long changes in their approach to food. There are 21 days of meal suggestions, tips, recipes and lifestyle changes in the book. These are all to help you continue your love affair with food but yet still look fabulous. Beth’s approach to healthy eating is simple and realistic for busy moms. You will learn alot about the food you eat and how it impacts your body and still have loads of fun experiencing new foods and enjoying your life.

Here is a word from Beth Aldrich:
Real Moms Love to Eat was created with you in mind. It will lead you on a food journey of excitement, fun and new surprises, without pigeon-holing you into one eating style or another. Instead, you are free to experiment, get crazy and become more open-minded about the food you will soon discover. It’s a love affair like no other–with huge rewards of looking fabulous. Real Moms Love to Eat will be your ONE source for tasty, fresh, whole food meals, creative recipes and food facts that will keep you looking fabulous and feeling energized and fulfilled.

I have not received a copy of Beth's book but it definitely intrigues me.

Disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Beth Aldrich - Real Moms Love to Eat blogging program, for a chance to get 3,000 My SocialMoms Rewards points. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Totino's Pizza Stuffers Coupon Offer

2011-10-13T18:51:00.002-05:00

I am a member of myblogspark and they have teamed up with Totino's and General Mills for this quick coupon campaign. I am happy to be able to share this coupon with you. My first 5 readers to click the widget will receive a coupon for a free box of Totino's Pizza Stuffers. The other readers who click the widget will be able to receive a $1 off coupon, while supplies last so click quick!

Disclosure: This information was provided to me by Totino's and General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

Sante Nuts: Celebrate Life Every Day

2011-10-11T13:58:00.005-05:00

I am a mom who is always looking for ways to make our meals and snacks healthier and yet interesting at the same time. This is why I am happy to have been chosen to review Sante Nuts. I have found that Sante nuts are a great way to add some flair to salads, granola mixes, cereals, yogurts and they are even great enjoyed alone.

Sante Nuts chooses only the very best nuts from handpicked growers. They roast them slowly by hand and in small batches using a secret method passed down through generations. I was sent 4 flavors of Sante Nuts for my review. First, I was able to enjoy the garlic almonds. These almonds have a Zesty garlic, cayenne and black pepper flavor that give these almonds their savory punch. They also have a touch of pure cane sugar makes them irresistible. I will say that these are the zestiest almonds that I have ever eaten. They are fresh and a little zingy. I chose to enjoy these garlic almonds as a snacky by themself, although they would be great with a chex mix.

The Sante Nuts candied pecans were a hit with my children. They said that they reminded them of the pecans that they pick at their grandparents house but they are sweeter and take a lot less work! These buttery pecan halves are kissed with pure cane sugar are deliciously addictive, my kids will definitely second that!

The candied walnuts were slightly sweet also as they are lightly coated with pure cane sugar. I added these Sante Nuts to a dinner salad and topped it with a touch of raspberry vinergrette for a great side to our dinner. The nuts are fresh and added a fun, delicious crunch to our meal.

Last but not least, we enjoyed the roasted salted pecans. They are delicious: pure and simple. The mammoth pecan halves are roasted and salted to perfection. I used these pecans in an after noon snack mix that I made for the kids. I mixed the Sante roasted salted pecans with cheerios and yogurt covered raisins. The kids enjoyed it and even asked for more.

Not only do Sante Nuts taste great and compliment meals, but their spice recipes are made with all natural quality ingredients. Sante Nuts only use the highest quality of nuts available that they roast by hand in small batches. Lastly, the company uses a secret technique that minimizes the amount of oil the nuts absorb during the roasting process. All of these steps produce a crunchy and fresh nut product.

I am happy to pass on a discount code for 25% off of your next Sante Nuts purchase. If you would like to take advantage of this offer, please visit SanteNuts.Com and enter coupon code 2011-Blog-038 during the check out. This coupon is valid through December the 16th, 2011.

Disclosure: I have received a product sample of the 4 flavors of Sante Nuts mentioned above so that I may complete an honest review of their product. No other compensation was exchanged.

Mixbook Holiday Cards Review

2011-10-11T10:48:00.012-05:00

I am a member of tomoson and they have teamed up with Mixbook for this fun review opportunity. I have received a set of 30 Mixbook Custom 5x7 Flat Holiday Cards for this review campaign.

I love sending out personlized greeting cards during the holidays. I find that sharing pictures of my family on these types of cards serve a double purpose. Not only do you get to send your best holiday wishes to loved ones, but you may send them updated family pictures as well. I know that these types of holiday cards are my favorite to give and receive. This is why I was so excited for the Mixbook Holiday Cards review.

I found that creating my holiday cards on Mixbook was extremely easy. I simply went to mixbook.com, found the holiday cards on the left side of the page and clicked. I then chose to create my cards from their one of their hundreds of fully customizable designs. Since I had the number of pictures that I wanted to use in my mind, I searched for a photo layout with that many picture spots on it. Once you choose how many cards that you would like to order and the type of paper that you want them printed on, you then click to personalize your holiday cards. You do need to create a log in so that your project information can be saved. Then you may customize your card. Before you start your project, they even have a well explained guided tour to help you with your card creating process.

I am very pleased with the Mixbook holiday photo cards that I have received. Not only were they easy to create but they arrived very quickly also. They were delivered in a cardboard box, not in a mailing envelope. This packaging shows me that Mixbook cares about their customers and that they take pride in their product. They want it delived to you in mint condition.

Here is a little bit more about the company: Mixbook is a leading photo products company that helps people create custom photo books, cards, and calendars. Whether you are starting from scratch, or using one of their thousands of professionally designed templates, every Mixbook product is 100% customizable. With Mixbook, you can truly Make It Yours™.

You may find Mixbook Holiday photo cards on facebook and on twitter.

Disclosure: I have received a set of 30 Mixbook holiday photo cards through tomoson so that I may complete an honest review of the Mixbook products.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Totino's Fun Friday Nights Giveaway

2011-10-11T09:12:00.007-05:00

I am a member of myblogspark and they have teamed up with Totino’s for this fun giveaway opportunity. For review purposes, I have received a generous prize pack that contains: 2 VIP coupons, 1 Free one-day redbox DVD promo code, 2 pizza slice plates, 1 popcorn bucket and 1 pizza cutter. One of my readers who enters this giveaway will also receive the same prize pack that I received. Yay!

Do you and your family enjoy an at home pizza night with a movie? I know that my family enjoys this and Totino's is helping to make this event more fun and affordable for us. As a mom, I can appreciate the convenience of Totino's Pizza Rolls and Totino's Party Pizzas. They are filling and my kids enjoy eating them. I especially love the Totino's Pizza Rolls because they are fun to eat and mess free. This is very important when you have 2 children and they want to enjoy a family pizza and a movie night in the living room.

Right now specially-marked packages of Totino’s Pizza Rolls and Party Pizzas have a special promotion with Redbox. You purchase 4 Totino’s Party Pizzas or 2 Totino’s 40 count Pizza Rolls and receive a free one-day redbox DVD promo code that can be redeemed at the following websites:
Rolls: totinosfridaynight.com/redbox_pizzarolls
Pizza: totinosfridaynight.com/redbox

You may find your closest redbox kiosk by checking online at redbox.com/locations. Redbox is on facebook and twitter. You may also find Totino's on facebook.

Giveaway Time! One lucky entrant will receive a Totino’s Fun Friday Nights prize pack which contains: 2 VIP coupons, 1 Free one-day redbox DVD promo code, 2 pizza slice plates, 1 popcorn bucket and 1 pizza cutter.

Mandatory Entry:
Follow my blog publicly with google friends connect. Please leave a comment below and include your email address in the comment so that I may contact you if you are the lucky winner.

Extra Entries:
1 extra entry: Please comment below with which movie your family would like to enjoy on your Fun Friday Night.
1 extra entry: Click the +1 button below this post and leave a comment saying you did this.
3 extra entries: Tweet this " #win a Totino's Fun Friday Nights Prize Pack #Giveaway at http://tryingnewproducts.blogspot.com/2011/10/totinos-fun-friday-nights-giveaway.html?spref=tw from #myblogspark " This may be done daily. Please leave a link to your tweet in your 3 comments below.
3 extra entries: Subscribe to my email. Current email subscriptions count too! Please leave your 3 comments below.
5 extra entries: Post this giveaway on your blog or in a mclinky and leave a link to your post in your 5 additional comments below.

Thank you for visiting my blog! This giveaway will end on October the 30th, 2011 at 11:59 pm central time. I will choose a winner shortly after that and notify them by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email notification. If they fail to claim the prize in that time frame then I will choose another winner.

Disclosure: The VIP coupons, prize pack, information, and giveaway have been provided by Totino’s through MyBlogSpark.

Hearts For Hearts Girls Giveaway Winner Announcement

2011-10-11T08:53:00.002-05:00

Our Hearts For Hearts Girls Giveaway ended on 10/09/11 and we had 208 entries. I have used randomizer to choose our winner and it is number 59. They have been emailed and have 48 hours to respond to this email or another winner will be chosen.

Thank you to everyone who took the time out to enter this great giveaway that was sponsored by Playmate toys through myblogspark. I still have a few giveaways open. Please stop by and enter them if you would like.

General Mills Pink Together Giveaway ends 10/16/11.
Renuzit Holiday Fresh Accents Giveaway ends 10/23/11.

Enjoy T.G.I. FRiDAY'S "Entrees For One" At Home

2011-10-08T03:02:00.001-05:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of T.G.I. FRiDAY'S for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am a member of SocialSpark and they have teamed up with T.G.I. FRiDAY'S "Entrees For One" for this fun blogging opportunity. As a family, we enjoy dining out at our local T.G.I. FRiDAY'S and now I'm even more excited about being able to prepare and enjoy their T.G.I. FRiDAY’S “Entrées for One” in my own home.

You can now bring the fun of T.G.I. FRiDAY'S home with their new "Entrees For One". These new entrees come in delicious flavors such as Grilled Chicken Mac and Cheese, Prime Rib Stroganoff, Sizzling Steak Fajitas, Sizzling Chicken Fajitas, Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo, Cajun-Style Chicken Alfredo, and even Creamy Chicken Pasta Carbonara. The new line of T.G.I. FRiDAY’S “Entrées for One” is inspired by the fun and bold flavors of the T.G.I. FRiDAY'S restaurants. The T.G.I. FRiDAY’S “Entrées for One” should definitely solve your lunch or dinner woes and shake up your freezer at the same time.

My family has had the pleasure of trying the new T.G.I. FRiDAY’S “Entrées for One”. It was fun deciding which of the 9 new flavors we would choose to try first. I let my husband choose which flavor to try first and he didn't disappoint me when he chose the Sizzling Chicken Fajitas entree for one. I know that he enjoys chicken fajitas and I wasn't surprised when he popped this entree into the microwave as soon as we got home from the store. We loved that it took less than 5 minutes to prepare this hearty meal. The portions were large enough to fill him up and to give me a taste too. The tortillas and cheesy rice make this meal complete. We are excited about trying the other 8 T.G.I. FRiDAY’S “Entrées for One” soon.

Right now you may participate in more T.G.I. FRiDAY'S fun. They are hosting a Fun Freezer contest on facebook. Contestants have decorated their home freezers and uploaded a picture of it on facebook. The contest is now in the voting phase and you can help someone win by choosing your favorite photo and voting for it. For more information click go to http://www.facebook.com/TGIFridaysFreezer.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me on the be half of T.G.I. FRiDAY'S through SocialSpark. The opinions are my own.

Halloween Smiley Cookies Review

2011-10-03T22:29:00.006-05:00

I am a member of tomoson and they have teamed up with Smiley Cookie for this deliciously fun review!

Smiley Cookie is offering fun Halloween Smiley Cookies this fall and I had the pleasure of trying these for myself and my family.

When I host a product review, I try to look at all aspects of the ordering and delivery process of the product as well as the actual product itself. I will say that I am very impressed with the presentation and delivery of our Smiley Cookies.
I love the gift box that my Halloween Cookies came in. Upon opening the gift box, I felt like I was not only getting a treat, but it was a very special treat. I had to show the kids as soon as I opened the box because I knew that they would be as excited about this review as I was. Inside the box was a very nicely packaged dozen of beautiful Halloween Smiley Cookies. All of my cookies were in perfect shape, none were broken and they were delivered a few days earlier than promised also.

Not only are these Halloween Cookies big, fresh and delicious but they are also beautifully presented. I would be proud to take these to our school for a Halloween Party Snack or to put them in a Halloween Gift Basket. I know that my kids would love to share them with others too.

You may find Smiley Cookies on facebook. Smiley Cookies Facebook members will receive a 20% off coupon good on their Halloween Cookies.

Disclosure: I have recevied one dozen Halloween Smiley Cookies so that I may complete an honest review of their product. No other compensation was exchanged. The opinions are my own.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Renuzit Holiday Fresh Accents Review and Giveaway CLOSED

2011-10-03T21:26:00.008-05:00

I am a member of Purex Insiders and they have teamed up with their sister brand Renuzit air fresheners for this fun review and giveaway opportunity. I chose to take them up on this blogging opportunity because I enjoy trying new products and sharing my finds with you.

Renuzit now has a stylish new air freshener product on the market, the Renuzit Holiday Fresh Accents. This new air freshener comes in a versatile satin nickel finished two-sided holiday design display container that will blend nicely with any decor. The Renuzit Holiday Fresh Accents are available in two holiday fragrances: Winter Berry and Festive Snow. I have been fortunate enough to receive one of each of these great products to try and I will say that I am amazed at the scents so far. The packages came with a scratch and sniff sticker on the front and that alone is enough scent to last a few days. Once I open the product, I am supposed to have 30 days of continuous fragrance and odor elimination. I love that there are no plugs, batteries or flames needed for this air freshner also. There is no need to squirt anything either. How great is that! I also like that the new Renuzit Holiday Fresh Accents is priced at around $2.00 each. I feel that this is a great price for this new product.

Giveaway time: One of my readers will get the chance to try the Renuzit Holiday Fresh Accents for themself.

Mandatory Entry:
Follow my blog publicly with google friends connect. Please leave a comment below and include your email address in the comment so that I may contact you if you are the lucky winner.

Extra Entries:
1 extra entry: Click the +1 button below this post and leave a comment saying you did this.
1 extra entry: Follow me on twitter. Comment with your user name below.
1 extra entry: Follow me on network blogs. Comment with your user name below.
3 extra entries: Tweet this " #win The New Renuzit Holiday Fresh Accents #Giveaway http://tryingnewproducts.blogspot.com/2011/10/renuzit-holiday-fresh-accents-review.html?spref=tw ends 10/23/11 " This may be done daily. Please leave a link to your tweet in your 3 comments below.
3 extra entries: Subscribe to my email. Current email subscriptions count too! Please leave your 3 comments below.
5 extra entries: Post this giveaway on your blog or in a mclinky and leave a link to your post in your 5 additional comments below.

Thank you for visiting my blog! This giveaway will end on October the 23rd, 2011 at 11:59 pm central time. I will choose a winner shortly after that and notify them by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email notification. If they fail to claim the prize in that time frame then I will choose another winner.

Disclosure: I have received a free trial product so that I may complete an honest product review for Renuzit through Purex Insiders. No other compensation has taken place. The opinions are my own.

Hanes Virtual Comfort Package Promotion

2011-10-03T20:35:00.004-05:00

I am a One2One Network member and they have teamed up with Hanes for this informative blogging opportunity. I have chosen to participate in this blogging campaign because I feel that this is an easy way for someone to participate in helping raise much needed funds for breast cancer awareness.

Hanes® is launching their comfort-sharing Facebook App for Breast Cancer Awareness. The new Hanes Virtual Comfort application will allow users to share comfort with those who need it the most. Facebook fans of Hanes can now personalize and send free virtual comfort packages to friends and family by an easy to use digital tool on the Hanes Facebook page. For each virtual comfort package sent, Hanes will donate $1 (up to $25,000) to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. This is to promote early cancer detection and provide mammograms for those in need.

The free virtual Comfort Package can be sent from the Pink tab on the Hanes page. The Comfort Package is fully customizable with photos, videos, recipes, T-shirt designs, music and messages. Hanes created the Comfort Packages to bring a smile and help spread comfort to fans’ social networks in a small, but impactful, way. As a longtime supporter of breast cancer awareness, Hanes has made cash and in-kind donations totaling $1 million since 2009 and is donating up to $125,000 to NBCF this year.

Disclosure: I participated in this campaign as a member of One2One Network and am eligible for a prize drawing. All opinions stated in the post are my own.

Yoplait Light Swap Giveaway Winner Announcement

2011-10-03T14:10:00.002-05:00

Thank you to everyone who took the time out to enter our Yoplait Light Swap Giveaway
that ended on 10/02/11. We had 89 thoughtful entries and I have used randomizer to choose our winner. Entry #14 is our lucky winner and they have been emailed. They have 48 hours to claim their prize or another winner will be chosen.

I still have 2 giveaways up. Please stop by and enter them if the prize interest you.
Hearts For Hearts Girls Giveaway ends 10/09/11
General Mills Pink Together Giveaway ends 10/16/11.

I am proud to be a member of myblogspark. They are the generous sponsors for all 3 of these giveaways.

Introducing: T.G.I. FRiDAY'S "Entrees For One"

2011-10-03T09:01:00.002-05:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of T.G.I. FRiDAY'S for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am a member of SocialSpark and they have teamed up with T.G.I. FRiDAY'S "Entrees For One" for this fun review and blogging opportunity. We enjoy dining out at our T.G.I. FRiDAY'S and now I am even more excited about their T.G.I. FRiDAY’S “Entrées for One”.

Did you know that you can bring the fun of T.G.I. FRiDAY'S home now with their new "Entrees For One"? The entrees come in the delicious flavors such as Grilled Chicken Mac and Cheese, Prime Rib Stroganoff, Sizzling Chicken Fajitas, Sizzling Steak Fajitas, Cajun-Style Chicken Alfredo, Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo, and even Creamy Chicken Pasta Carbonara. This new line of T.G.I. FRiDAY’S “Entrées for One” is inspired by the bold and fun flavors of the T.G.I. FRiDAY'S restaurants. They should definitely solve your lunch or dinner woes and shake up your freezer at the same time.

For review purposes, I was sent a coupon for 1 T.G.I. FRiDAY’S “Entrées for One”. I had my husband use the coupon because I wanted to see which of the 9 new flavors he would choose to try first. He did not disappoint me when he chose the Sizzling Chicken Fajitas entree for one. I know that he enjoys chicken fajitas and I wasn't surprised when he popped this entree into the microwave as soon as we got home from the store. He loved that it took less than 5 minutes to prepare this hearty meal. The portions were large enough to fill him up. The tortillas and cheesy rice make this meal complete. He is excited about trying the other 8 T.G.I. FRiDAY’S “Entrées for One” soon. Yay! This means less cooking for me.

Right now you may participate in more T.G.I. FRiDAY'S fun. They are hosting a Fun Freezer contest on facebook. To enter this contest you may decorate your home freezer and upload a picture of it on facebook. If you are lucky, you may even win one of the cool prizes offered. For more information click here or go to http://www.facebook.com/TGIFridaysFreezer.

Which of the 9 new T.G.I. FRiDAY’S “Entrées for One” will you enjoy first?

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me on the be half of T.G.I. FRiDAY'S through SocialSpark. I have received a coupon for a free product to review and other compensation was also exchanged. The opinions are my own.

StickerYou Review

2011-09-29T19:14:00.007-05:00

I am a member of tomoson and they have teamed up with StickerYou for this fun review opportunity. You may be asking, "Who is StickerYou?" and "How is StickerYou different?" StickerYou is a Toronto-based startup that developed the Sticker Maker. The Sticker Maker is a simple web-interface that allows people to order custom stickers. StickerYou is also a fun, flexible and easy-to-use online technology for people to create their own high-quality vinyl stickers.

Both of my children are in school and play sports. My son is playing football right now for his 5th and 6th grade team and my daughter is cheering for the 1st and 2nd grade football team. We spend a lot of time going to practice and we enjoy the Saturday football games. We all have our Collinsville Pirate T-shirts on at the games and now we have cute little stickers to show our spirit also.

I found a school logo online and I saved the picture to my computer so that I could have my StickerYou stickers made from it. To be honest, my copy and pasted logo was off center quiet a bit and I was worried about how my StickerYou project would turn out. Much to my surprise, they turned out wonderfully centered! I can tell that a real person viewed my project before they sent it to print. I am very thankful that StickerYou took the time to adjust my photo before sending me what I submitted. For this and for the fact that ordering my StickerYou project was so easy, I give StickerYou an A++ and I would definitely order from them again.

Whether you are using their art and brands, or uploading your own images, each sticker looks awesome! StickerYou offers the ultimate freedom for anyone looking to create stickers with their freeform die-cut sticker printing. StickerYou has also been partnering and licensing large companies to bring their brands to StickerYou.

You may find StickerYou on twitter and on facebook.

Disclosure: I have received 1 sheet of vinyl stickers from StickerYou through tomoson so that I may complete an honest review of their product. The opinions are my own. No other compensation was exchanged for this review.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

10 Tips For Decluttering Play Areas

2011-09-28T08:25:00.004-05:00

I am a member of SocialMoms and they have teamed up with Hot Wheels for this fun and informative blogging program. I am a momm who lives in toy land so I have decided to take them up on this great opportunity.

I am a mom of 2 school aged children and I understand that play is a very important part of childrens daily lives. Play time is a great time for children to be creative, unwind and even learn. When we are through playing with our toys it is then time to play the picking up game. Lately, since school has started back, my kids and I have been slacking in the clean up game and now it is time for us to declutter the play areas in our home. I have come up with 10 tips that I plan on following. Maybe some of you will find these tips useful too.

1. Break your toy area down into 4 parts. I like to declutter one corner of the room at a time. This way my job isn't overwhelming and I can see the results more clearly if I just focus on one area at a time. If I only have an hour a day, I would still be able to clean and organize one corner and then focus on another corner the next day. Over a 4 day span, I will have the room complete.

2. As we clean, we have 3 laundry baskets and a bag set aside. One basket is for items we are keeping, one basket is for resale items, the last basket is for items we donate and the bag is for trash. As we clean our corner we drop misplaced items into the propper basket or bag. This makes cleaning a little more fun and we stay on track. I like to focus on one area at a time and we can put up the basket items later on our list.

3. I like to keep a laundry basket in my children's room for their dirty clothes. This gives them a permanent place to leave their dirty clothes each day. They understand that the clothes don't go under the bed or in the floor, plus it makes laundry day a whole lot easier on me!

4. I love plastic shoe boxes! They stack well, hold a lot of little items and you can see through them. I use the plastic shoe boxes for holding my daughter's polly pockets, little ponies and even legos. As we declutter her room, we will sort the pieces and place them in their box and then place the full boxes back in her closet where they belong.

5. I like to use an over the door coat rack on the insides of each of our closets. This allows us to hang belts, jackets, robes, play costumes etc. on the inside of the door and it creates a lot of extra space for us. On the inside of my daughter's closet, I have all of her play costumes hanging. It makes it easy for her to find them and it looks so cute!

6. I have canisters in my children's room that are for art supplies such as colors, pens, markers and paints. I also have their coloring books and papers set on the same table as the canisters. It is easy to find these items when you know where they are at and it may even keep the items from being broken or misused aka drawing on the walls when bored.

7. Under the bed storage is "Awesome!" I have a few of the under the bed storage totes that I use for storing extra off season clothes and toys. I love that you can fit several of these totes under the bed and they are kept out of sight. Just be sure to label what is in the tote. You don't want to find it a year after your children have outgrown the contents.

8. Be creative: There are a lot of fun ways to organize your play area and to save space. I love the toys boxes that are also a sitting bench. My children have a play center that is wooden and it is hollow on the bottom so we use it to store books. The books are kept out of sight and yet they are still available when needed.

9. I like to have a timer handy in my play area. As the play time is ending, I will tell my children that we need to start the clean up game in 5 minutes. I will set the timer and after it goes off, I will help remind them to start cleaning up. As we clean we try to make it fun and a challenge. The game is to clean it up nicely and as quickly as possible. Can we beat the clock?

10. Did you notice that I said "As we clean"? I involve my children when we clean up the play area and their rooms. They created this mess and they need to appreciate how long it takes to clean it up again. I want my children to realize that if they do their part daily, a major overhaul wouldn't need to be done as often.

Have you heard that Hot Wheels® has been listening to moms and found that we couldn't stand the mess from our kids’ toys? As a mom, I can appreciate the Hot Wheels all-new Wall Tracks™ sets. These sets are made so that moms everywhere can clean up toy clutter and their children can still have fun. Kids can now take their Hot Wheels® races where they have never gone before: off the floor and onto their walls! Now they can even perform stunts, speed, turns, and tricks, powered by gravity and set up any way you can imagine it: off of the floor! Kids can mix, match, and combine with other Wall Tracks™ sets to create all-new Hot Wheels® track layouts. And the best part? No more clutter for us moms! Yay! And this is out just in time for Christmas.

Please feel free to leave me a comment about how you declutter your children's room and play areas.

Disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Hot Wheels® blogging program, for a gift card worth $40. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Storyland Yoga DVD Giveaway Winner Announcement

2011-09-26T08:19:00.004-05:00

Thank you to everyone who took the time out to enter my Storyland Yoga: Yoga for Kids and Families DVD Giveaway. This giveaway ended on 09/25/11 and we had 44 entries. I have used randomizer to choose our winning entry number and it is # 21. They have 48 hours to claim their prize or another winner will be chosen.

Please be sure and stop by my blog if these open giveaways interest you:
Yoplait Light Swap Giveaway ends 10/02/11 LOW ENTRY 14 comments
Hearts For Hearts Girls Giveaway ends 10/09/11
General Mills Pink Together Giveaway ends 10/16/11

10 Tips For Preparing Your Home For A New Baby

2011-09-25T18:20:00.008-05:00

I am a member of SocialMoms and they have teamed up with Seventh Generation for this fun and important blogging opportunity. I am a mom so I do understand the excitement and preparations that go along with becoming a new parent so I decided to take them up on this posting challenge. You may read more about that challenge here.

While it is easy to get caught up in the shopping for new baby clothes, nursery furniture and even choosing a child's name, we sometimes forget that the most important part of having a new baby in the home is keeping them safe. There are so many things to consider when it comes to baby safety and I would like to share my top 10 safety measures with you.

1. Before you purchase any big items such as a crib or car seat, be sure and check the products against the product recall list. There are many items on the recall list and you want to make sure that your items aren't listed there.

2. You may want to purchase a baby monitor and place it in your childs room at night. This will give you peace of mind knowing that if your baby wakes up in the middle of the night, you will hear them and can go to their side. This little precaution allowed me to sleep better knowing that my child would be able to get my attention even if I was in a deep sleep.

3. I like to use sleeping sacks to keep my babies warm. I use these instead of blankets in my baby's crib. This will keep the infant covered and allow them to not get tangled up in the blankets. Blankets can cause a hazard for wiggly babies.

4. I like to have a mobile above my child's bed. This will help keep the baby entertained and they can watch the mobile go around. I keep stuffed animals out of my babies bed because they can get caught up under a child and they won't be able to breathe.

5. I have child safety locks installed on my cabinet doors and drawers. You never know when your baby will start crawling and it is never to early to be prepared for this. A good safety lock will keep a child out of your cabinets and away from harmful products. These locks were easy for us to install and they were inexpensive also.

6. I use electrical plug covers in all of our outlets in our home. These little covers are very inexpensive and may save your childs life. Electricty is dangerous to little fingers who want to explore every little nook and cranny in their home.

7. I keep all of our medicines in a cabinet that is high off of the ground. I make sure that only adults are able to reach our medicines. I don't want for something that is supposed to keep us well, to make my child sick.

8. I have a list of important phone numbers listed on our fridge. These numbers include my husband's cell phone number, our doctor's office phone number, poison control numbers and our local police and fire department numbers. You never know when the unexpected emergency may come up and I want to be prepared just in case. I don't want to take the risk of drawing a blank when I need to keep my cool.

9. There are child identification kits that are available to the public. I have had one of these made for both of my children. I keep it in a fire proof box in our home. Again, you can never be over prepared when an emergency arises.

10. Safety gates are a good option when it comes to keeping a baby safe. This will help teach the child boundaries and to keep them safe and out of harms way at the same time.

Another way to keep your home safe for your new baby is through using safe and natural products. It is good to know that Seventh Generation is tuned in to the needs of new parents and their babies. Seventh Generation offers Free & Clear baby-care products that include diapers, wipes and baby liquid laundry detergent. Seventh Generation's Free & Clear diapers are free of chlorine, latex, fragrances and petroleum-based lotions. They come in a range of sizes from newborn to stage 6 diapers. Seventh Generation’s soft, cloth-like Free & Clear Baby Wipes are free of alcohol, synthetic dyes and fragrances and whitened without chemicals containing chlorine. Seventh Generation wants to help make your home and our planet a better place for you and your baby.

My motto is that it is better to be safe than sorry. Moms are notorious for being worriers. I like to think that we think and plan ahead and that we are prepared for anything.

Disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Seventh Generation blogging program, for a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Straight Talk Cell Phone Plans

2011-09-25T09:02:00.001-05:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Straight Talk for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am a member of SocialSpark and they have teamed up with Straight Talk for this informative blogging opportunity. We are still in the market for a new cell phone and minute plan so I have decided to take this opportunity and check Straight Talk out.

While researching the Straight Talk plans, I found out that their plans are not contract based and that there are no credit checks to obtain service. Straight Talk offers a month to month plan where there are no surprise bills either. They offer great nationwide coverage, and excellent connection and connectivity. The unlimited monthly service fee for Straight Talk is only $45 a month and this fee includes calls, texts, picture messaging and web. With Straight Talk you will also be free from activation, reactivation and termination fees. You even get a free 411 service at no extra charge.

Straight Talk only uses trusted phone manufactures such as L G, Motorola, Kyocera, Samsung and Nokia. If you would like, you may even get a reconditioned phone starting at only $10. These phones may have a camera, built in mp3 player, mobile web access, and blue tooth capability.

The video below may give you more insight on why real people use Straight Talk to Call a friend. Everything you need to help save you money on your cell phone usage should be in this plan. I know it has me Hook, line and sinker. Imagine how much money you could save with Straight Talk. What would you do with the extra money?

Android on Straight Talk

General Mills: Pink Together Campaign and Giveaway CLOSED

2011-09-23T17:10:00.006-05:00

I am a member of myblogspark and they have teamed up with General Mills for this important and informative blogging opportunity about the Pink Together Campaign. I am happy to be spreading the word about Breast Cancer Awareness with you. I believe that yearly well visits are an important part of our personal healhcare. The visits only take an hour and this visit may save you the rest of your life.

If you are like me, then you may know someone who has or has had breast cancer. You may be wondering how can you help make a difference for them?

Right now you may help in the fight of breast cancer by joining in the 2011 Pink Together™ campaign. You may visit PinkTogether.com to connect with a unique online group of people who have been touched by breast cancer. At PinkTogether.com you may share your personal story and messages of hope with others as well as read about others’ personal journeys. This site helps us to know that we are not alone in our personal struggle.

General Mills will donate $1(up to $25,000)to the Komen organization for each Message of Hope that is sent to someone who has shared their story on PinkTogether.com during the month of October. This donation is in addition to the $2 million donation that General Mills is making to the Komen organization. General Mills will also be turning the packaging of participating products pink in recognition of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October. If you choose to purchase any of the General Mills items, please remember to save your box tops for a participating school near you. Not only will you be helping aid in breast cancer awareness but your will also be helping a school in need at the same time.

Giveaway time: One of my readers who enters this giveaway will receive the same prize pack that I have received. The package will contain: A 16 oz. box of Total cereal, VIP coupons valid for one box of Cheerios and Multigrain Cheerios cereal and one cup of Yoplait yogurt, a Betty Crocker Living with Cancer Cookbook Pink Together Edition, a water bottle with a removable silicone awareness bracelet, a drawstring sport backpack, and rhinestone ear buds. Yay!

Mandatory Entry:
Follow my blog publicly with google friends connect. Please leave a comment below and include your email address in the comment so that I may contact you if you are the lucky winner.

Extra Entries:
1 extra entry: Please tell me what you find most inspiring about the Pink Together community in a comment below.
1 extra entry: Click the +1 button below this post and leave a comment saying you did this.
1 extra entry: Follow me on twitter. Comment with your user name below.
1 extra entry: Follow me on network blogs. Comment with your user name below.
3 extra entries: Tweet this " #win a General Mills Pink Together Prize Pack #Giveaway http://tryingnewproducts.blogspot.com/2011/09/general-mills-pink-together-campaign.html?spref=tw ends 10/16 #myblogspark " This may be done daily. Please leave a link to your tweet in your 3 comments below.
3 extra entries: Subscribe to my email. Current email subscriptions count too! Please leave your 3 comments below.
5 extra entries: Post this giveaway on your blog or in a mclinky and leave a link to your post in your 5 additional comments below.

Thank you for visiting my blog! This giveaway will end on October the 16th, 2011 at 11:59 pm central time. I will choose a winner shortly after that and notify them by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email notification. If they fail to claim the prize in that time frame then I will choose another winner.

Disclosure: The Pink Together prize pack, information and coupons have been provided free of charge by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

Family Time: Playing Outdoors

2011-09-21T20:48:00.003-05:00

I am a member of SocialMoms and they have teamed up with Clorox2 for this fun blogging opportunity. You may read more about that request here.

I am a mom of 2 school aged children and I am a true believer in keeping my kids healthy and active. I encourage them to eat fresh fruits and veggies daily by making them available to them both at home and at school in their lunch box. I also encourage outdoor play activities for my children. I am lucky because my kids don't see outdoor play as exercise, they see it as being fun. We enjoy playing basketball together and bike riding. My daughter has a swing set that she still enjoys and we have a trampoline that is fun too. I think that the trampoline is my favorite outdoor piece of equipment. Our whole family can take turns jumping and doing "tricks". We sometimes even set up the basketball goal by the trampoline and we have shoot outs with 2 people on the trampoline and 2 people on the ground gathering the missed balls. We take score and once 10 baskets have been made, we switch out positions. This is a fun way to get together, use our muscles and burn a few calories. The laughs that we get out of it is the added bonus.

Did you know that September 24, 2011, kids and families are encouraged to participate in the Worldwide Day of Play? This is a day set aside for us to turn off the TV and to play outside with your loved ones. It is said that physical activity can improve health, self-esteem and the well being of children. We can teach our kids a healthier lifestyle of limited TV time and more physical activities. Clorox 2® is a proud sponsor of Nickelodeon's 8th Annual Worldwide Day of Play. If you would like to get involved, you may take the Clorox2® Play 2Day pledge to play outside! By taking the Pledge to Play you will be entered for a chance to WIN a trip to Yosemite National Park and other great weekly prizes! Wow! Bonus!

I took the Clorox2 Play 2Day Pledge at http://clorox2play2day.com because I know that outdoor play is healthy, fun and easy. I also agree that staying physically active boosts energy, lowers anxiety and stress and builds friendships. Will you take the pledge?

Disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Clorox2® blogging program, for a gift card worth $40. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

SheSpeaks: Aetna Healthy Food Fight Promotion

2011-09-21T20:16:00.004-05:00

I am a member of SheSpeaks and they have teamed up with the Aetna Healthy Food Fight. Our job is to help spread the message of healthy living and eating in America. For more information on Aetna and the Healthy Food Fight please head to http://bit.ly/mVbfOe.

Through this campaign I have learned that Aetna is one of the nation's leading providers of health care, dental, pharmacy, group life, disability insurance and employee benefits. Aetnas belief is that they can help create a better health care system. This belief drives their daily decisions as one of the nation's leading health care benefits companies. They work hard to provide their members with information and resources to help them make informed decisions about their health.

Disclosure: I am a member of SheSpeaks and I have been asked to share this information on the Aetna Healthy Food Fight with my readers. I am not being compensated for this post in any way.

Yoplait Light Swap Giveaway CLOSED

2011-09-20T23:55:00.007-05:00

I am a member of myblogspark and they have teamed up with Yoplait for this fun review and giveaway opportunity. I have received a prize pack that contains: (1) VIP coupon for a free cup of Yoplait Light yogurt, an insulated tote bag, a water bottle, sunglass holder, hardcover planner and a ballpoint pen. One of my readers will receive the same prize pack that I have received. Yay!

I am always looking for ways to cut calories in my diet and I have found that I can slowly accomplish this goal by making a few swaps on my daily food choices. Yoplait Light has created the "Yoplait Light Swap" to remind people that by making simple substitutions you can cut unwanted calories and help yourself feel great about daily food choices. This swap may be as simple as swapping one item from your diet per day for a 100 or 110 calorie Yoplait Light. You can cut unwanted calories and help yourself feel great about daily diet choices.

Did you know that Yoplait Light yogurt offers 33 different flavor options? You may choose from fruit, pastry and dessert flavors that each contain around 100 calories or less. This will provide endless swapping options. You can visit http://bit.ly/yoplaitswapcoupon to download a printable coupon for $1.00 off the purchase of three (3) cups of Yoplait Light yogurt. This will help to get you started with the "Yoplait Light Swap" today! I am sorry but this coupon offer for Yoplait Light yogurt is not valid in some states, including: California, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota and Tennessee. QBZ7VGDKH7W9 You may find Yoplait on Facebook and on twitter.

Giveaway time: One of my readers who enters this giveaway will receive the same
Yoplait Light yogurt prize pack that I have received. This prize packs will contain: 1) VIP coupon for a free cup of Yoplait Light yogurt, an insulated tote bag, a water bottle, sunglass holder, hardcover planner and a ballpoint pen.

Mandatory Entry:
Follow my blog publicly with google friends connect. Please leave a comment below and include your email address in the comment so that I may contact you if you are the lucky winner.

Extra Entries:
1 extra entry: Please tell me which foods might you be swapping for a Yoplait Light yogurt?
1 extra entry: Click the +1 button below this post and leave a comment saying you did this.
1 extra entry: Follow me on twitter. Comment with your user name below.
1 extra entry: Follow me on network blogs. Comment with your user name below.
3 extra entries: Tweet this " #win a Yoplait Light prize pack #Giveaway http://tryingnewproducts.blogspot.com/2011/09/yoplait-light-swap-giveaway.html?spref=tw #myblogspark ends 10/02/11 " This may be done daily. Please leave a link to your tweet in your 3 comments below.
3 extra entries: Subscribe to my email. Current email subscriptions count too! Please leave your 3 comments below.
5 extra entries: Post this giveaway on your blog or in a mclinky and leave a link to your post in your 5 additional comments below.

Thank you for visiting my blog! This giveaway will end on October the 2nd, 2011 at 11:59 pm central time. I will choose a winner shortly after that and notify them by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email notification. If they fail to claim the prize in that time frame then I will choose another winner.

Disclosure: The Yoplait Light Swap prize pack, information and coupon have been provided by Yoplait through MyBlogSpark.

Hellmann's Live Chicken Challenge Project

2011-09-19T18:26:00.002-05:00

I am a One2One Network member and they have teamed up with Hellmann's for this quick Hellmann's Live Chicken Challenge project.

Hellmann's is launching their first-ever Chicken Challenge. This is a series of head-to-head chicken dish challenges that will help moms diversify their dinner routine. You can watch celebrity dad and actor Mark Consuelos, renowned chef Tim Love and lifestyle expert Sissy Biggers try to win over the crowd and championship for their favorite Hellmann's chicken recipe. This will be on live stream at Facebook.com/Hellmanns, tomorrow, Sept. 20th at 12:10pm EST.

Disclosure: I am a One2One Network member and by sharing this information I am entered to win one of six gift cards. Wish me luck!

Hearts For Hearts Girls Giveaway CLOSED

2011-09-19T10:16:00.006-05:00

I am a member of myblogspark and they have teamed up with Playmates Toys and Hearts For Hearts Girls for this giveaway opportunity. I have a 7 year old daughter who is absolutely in love with the Hearts For Hearts Girls line so of course I said yes to this wonderful blogging opportunity. For review purposes, I have received a prize package that contains: One Hearts For Hearts Girl doll, accompanied by a friendship bracelet, story booklet, donation for girls in need through partner World Vision and a special product code that my daughter can use to unlock a free membership to the Hearts For Hearts Girls website. I also received an additional outfit that is authentic to one of the Hearts for Hearts Girls’ culture in which my daughter can use to also dress her doll in. One of my readers who enters this giveaway will win the same prize pack that I have received. Yay!

Playmates Toys has a new line of Hearts For Hearts Girls dolls and fashion collection. This collection features six dolls from around the world that have an inspiring story to share. Each doll is authentically dressed and lifelike to represent a girl who is working to change their community in ways that are unique to their home country.

Not only are the Hearts For Hearts Girls dolls fun to play with but they are educational too. While a child will love their doll they will also be learning about cultures from another part of our world. Each doll comes with a special code that unlocks a free membership to the kid-safe Hearts for Hearts Girls Website. This website features additional information about each of the Hearts For Hearts Girls and the countries in which they live. The website also has educational activities and lively games that are both fun to play and rich in culture. You can find intriguing stories about real girls who are making a difference in their home country on the site.

While all girls are welcome to visit the site, the code unlocks access to additional features which includes a larger array of games and a “myHeart” page. This is a great way for a parent to read to their child and share the stories of the dolls homeland with their child. I love that the Hearts For Hearts Girls goal is "Changing the World One Heart at a Time!" I believe that we do live in a small world and that we can all learn from each other.

You may visit http://bit.ly/ShopH4HG to purchase a Hearts For Hearts Girls doll for a loved one today. Through a partnership with World Vision3, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each Hearts For Hearts Girls doll is donated to programs that support girls in that doll’s country.

Giveaway time: One of my readers who enters this giveaway will receive the same Hearts For Hearts Girls prize pack that I have received. The prize pack will contain 1 Hearts For Hearts Girls doll and an additional outfit that is authentic to one of the Hearts for Hearts Girls’ culture.

Mandatory Entry:
Follow my blog publicly with google friends connect. Please leave a comment below and include your email address in the comment so that I may contact you if you are the lucky winner.

Extra Entries:
1 extra entry: Click the +1 button below this post and leave a comment saying you did this.
1 extra entry: Follow me on twitter. Comment with your user name below.
1 extra entry: Follow me on network blogs. Comment with your user name below.
3 extra entries: Tweet this " #Win a Hearts For Hearts Girls doll and additional outfit #Giveaway http://tryingnewproducts.blogspot.com/2011/09/hearts-for-hearts-girls-giveaway.html?spref=tw #myblogspark " This may be done daily. Please leave a link to your tweet in your 3 comments below.
3 extra entries: Subscribe to my email. Current email subscriptions count too! Please leave your 3 comments below.
5 extra entries: Post this giveaway on your blog or in a mclinky and leave a link to your post in your 5 additional comments below.

Thank you for visiting my blog! This giveaway will end on October the 9th, 2011 at 11:59 pm central time. I will choose a winner shortly after that and notify them by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email notification. If they fail to claim the prize in that time frame then I will choose another winner.

Disclosure: The Hearts For Hearts Girls doll, and information have been provided by Playmates Toys through MyBlogSpark.

Yoplait And Sam's Club $40 gc Giveaway Winner Announcement

2011-09-19T09:44:00.004-05:00

Thank you to everyone who took the time out to enter my Yoplait And Sam's Club $40 gc Giveaway that ended 09/18/11. We had a record breaking 729 amazing comments on this giveaway!! I have used randomizer to choose our winning number and it is #294. Natalie A. been emailed and has 48 hours to claim her prize.

I would like to thank Sam’s Club, Yoplait and MyBlogSpark for allowing me to host this giveaway for them. The gift card was provided by Sam’s Club and Yoplait through MyBlogSpark.

I do have 1 giveaway up right now and it needs some comment love. Please feel free to stop by and enter it if you have any little ones who would enjoy a yoga for kids dvd. This giveaway has been up for 4 days and there are zero comments on it.
Storyland Yoga: Yoga for kids and families DVD Giveaway ends 09/25/11.

Do You Know A Nail Biter?

2011-09-18T15:45:00.001-05:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of nextstepinc for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am a member of SocialSpark and they have teamed up with Control-It for this informative blogging opportunity. My son is a nail biter so I have decided to share my story and this product with you. Please continue to read our story and feel free to comment with your own nail biting stories if you have any.

My sons nail biting started when he was young. He has always been a chewer of sorts and told me that he would bite his nails because he was hungry. Now, I know that this was just his excuse because I do feed him but I didn't always notice when his finger nails needed to be clipped. I think that his nail biting went unnoticed by me until I saw his cuticle chewing evidence. That is when my heart stopped for a minute and I knew that I had to come up with a stop nail biting plan. I have tried several methods to get him to quit nail biting and I have found one that finally has worked for us for now.

My son is 11 and he loves to save his money. This summer I started a Stop biting nails incentive for him. I would pay him $1 for every finger nail that he would let grow and let me trim. I will tell you that this plan has worked miracles for him. He has made $50 in finger nail clippings from me since June. He is doing so well with not biting his nails that I have told him that I have ran out of money and that he will have to pay me $1 for every nail that he bites. He really didn't like this idea but I am really out of money. Tonight will be the test., I will do a nail check to see how he's progressing. If there are any chewed nails or cuticles then I will turn to Control-It. It is definitely cheaper than my plan.

Control-It is a natural cream that uses a soothing-two pronged approach to ending the nail biting and thumb sucking cycle. Control-It uses a blend of natural ingredients that when combined produces a bitter taste while it delivers vitamins and nutrients to your nails and cuticles. These natural ingredients insure that the nails will heal quickly and without hang nails. I have not tried Control-It yet but I may in the future.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me for Control-It and posted through SocialSpark. The personal opinions are my own.

Express Jeans For Her

2011-09-15T16:01:00.001-05:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Express for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am a member of SocialSpark and they have teamed up with Express jeans for this fun blogging opportunity on women's jeans. Since fall is on the way and I am in the market for new jeans, I decided to take them up on this fun challenge. Plus I am always in the market for new stylish clothes so I thought that I would check out their website and share my findings with you.

I found that the women's jeans by Express range from boot cut flare jeans to the very popular jean leggings. I also discovered that Express has the trendy denims that I both need and want! They have fun colors such as white, red, gray and even assorted denims to choose from. I love the jean leggings by Express in both white and dark wash. They look so comfortable and stylish. I think that these leggings would be great for back to school wear for teens. I like that you can pair the leggings up with a different top for several different looks. The leggings can create a look that is both casual and inviting.

I also learned that you can enter to win the Express giveaway . 50 pairs of Express Jeans will be given away and you will have a chance to Rock the Sidewalk! Feel free to leave me a comment about which pair of Express jeans you would love to win! Remember, you have to be in it, to win it!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me for Express Jeans and Posted through SocialSpark. The opinions are my own.

Storyland Yoga: Yoga for Kids and Families Giveaway CLOSED

2011-09-15T09:43:00.006-05:00

I am a member of tomoson and they have teamed up with Playful Planet for this super fun Storyland Yoga: Yoga for Kids and Families review / giveaway. I am always looking for fun ways to keep my children healthy so I have decided to complete this project for them.

While participating in this review I found that children can learn about health and sustainability in a fun and involving way through Storyland Yoga. I have enjoyed this yoga for kids progam because it allowed me and my children to grasp hands on experiences together that will give us a lasting connection between us as individuals and our planet as a whole. Storyland Yoga is a fun-filled adventure that infuses children with an eco-conscious message through two unique stories, “Save the Whale” and “Condor Trek”. These stories engage a child’s imagination through storytelling while children learn yoga postures and become part of the story. I found that yoga is great exercise and it helps to calm children while giving them a greater focus and increased clarity. The age recommendation for Storyland Yoga is 3-8 however it is fun for parents and other family members also. We can all benefit from yoga, while enjoying ‘organic time’ with our loved ones.

To find out more about Playful Planet Storyland Yoga please visit this link. To learn more about Playful Planet planet please go here.

Giveaway Time! One lucky entrant will receive a Playful Planet Storyland Yoga dvd.Sponsored by Tomoson.com

Mandatory Entry:
Follow my blog publicly with google friends connect. Please leave a comment below and include your email address in the comment so that I may contact you if you are the lucky winner.

Extra Entries:
1 extra entry: Click the +1 button below this post and leave a comment saying you did this.
1 extra entry: Follow me on twitter. Comment with your user name below.
1 extra entry: Follow me on network blogs, link found in the right side bar.
3 extra entries: Tweet this " #win a Storyland Yoga: Yoga for Kids and Families DVD #Giveaway ends 9/25 http://tryingnewproducts.blogspot.com/2011/09/storyland-yoga-yoga-for-kids-and.html?spref=tw " This may be done daily. Please leave a link to your tweet in your 3 comments below.
3 extra entries: Subscribe to my email. Current email subscriptions count too! Please leave your 3 comments below.
10 extra entries: Post this giveaway on your blog or in a mclinky and leave a link to your post in your 10 additional comments below.

Thank you for visiting my blog! This giveaway will end on September the 25th, 2011 at 11:59 pm central time. I will choose a winner shortly after that and notify them by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email notification. If they fail to claim the prize in that time frame then I will choose another winner.

Disclosure: I have received 1 copy of Playful Planets Storyland Yoga so that I may provide an honest review of their product. No other compensation was exchanged.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

3 Winners Have Been Chosen

2011-09-05T11:02:00.006-05:00

We had 3 giveaways end last night and I am happy to be announcing the winners of them. I have used randomizer to pick our winners and they have been emailed. The winners will have 48 hours to claim their prize or I will redraw for that prize. Thank you to everyone who took the time to enter these great giveaways. Without readers, I wouldn't be able to get these products to share with you.

Totino’s "Learn a Ton when School is Fun" Giveaway ended on 09/04/11 with 297 entries. Randomizer chose #175 as our winner.

Next up is the Designerliners Giveaway which also ended on 09/04/11. We had 79 entries and randomizer chose #9 as our winner.

Last but definitely not least, we have our All Terrain "Phineas & Ferb" SPF 30 Natural KidSport Spray Sunscreen Giveaway that ended on 09/04/11 also. We had 30 entries and randomizer chose #23 as our winner.

I do have one super duper giveaway still open if you would like to enter it:
Yoplait And Sam's Club $40 gc Giveaway ends 09/18/11

Thank you again to everyone who takes the time out to enter these great giveaways. A huge Thank You also goes out to myblogspark and tomoson for gathering up the sponsors for these review and giveaway opportunities.

Upromise is celebrating it's 10th Anniversary

2011-09-01T09:01:00.002-05:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of UPromise for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am a member of SocialSpark and they have teamed up with Upromise to celebrate Upromises 10th Anniversary.

Upromise is celebrating its 10th anniversary by giving away $20,000 to users who shares a story about how a parent has supported a child's dream. Upromise will give $1,000 away to 10 winners and a $10,000 grand prize winner will be selected from the participants as well. Upromise invites you to join the movement, share your story and to give a spark to help fuel the flame of future dreams. Upromise users may participate in this sweepstakes by submitting their story and they can vote on on their favorite stories by liking them.

I believe that children are special and that each one of them has the potential to make a difference in our world as we know it. I have written my submission to the Upromisetodream website and I want to share it with you.

clallen

Collinsville, TX

Send my son to school so his dreams are reality.

My 11 year old son is a dreamer. He loves to think of new items to invent and to create. His mind is always thinking and it never rests. He often wonders how something works and what would happen if he took apart to rebuild it into something new. I would love to see his creativity and inquiries turn into something meaningful. In school, he loves science, social studies and math. I would love to be able to send him to college so that he can make a difference in our world and to use his mind to benefit all of us.

You may submit your entry to www.upromisetodream.com. The entry with the most votes by September 29^th wins a grand prize of $10,000. Please see the dream wall official rules for more details. If you happen to see our entry in this giveaway, could you please give us a vote? I really would love to see my sons dreams come true.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me for Upromise and posted through SocialSpark. My dream is real and the opinions are my own.

Bounce It Off Millions Promotion

2011-08-31T21:14:00.005-05:00

I am a One2One Network member and they have asked me to share the Bounce It Off Millions promotion with you.

Bounce is taking Facebook interaction to a whole new level with a new initiative called Bounce It Off Millions. Bounce is offering a chance for you to have millions of Facebook users help you decide on a tough choice of your own. Go here, click on "Bounce It Off Millions” and submit a choice or decision that you are trying to make in your life. Your question will be turned into a poll, and tens of thousands of Bounce fanatics can lend their opinion. This way you will have thousands helping you make a guided choice. How fun is that?

Bounce will choose 4 of the most interesting polls to be featured in a facebook ad, so your question or choice could go out to the entire Facebook world thus inviting 150 million+ Facebook users to help you make a choice. So what decision do you need help with?

While you are there, Bounce fans can also enter in a sweepstakes for the chance to win two Bounce Dryer Bars—one to keep, and one for a friend of your choice. 5,000 winners will be chosen. Click here to enter the giveaway.

Disclosure: I participated in this campaign as a member of One2One Network and am eligible for a prize drawing. All opinions stated in the post are my own.

My Ideas for Protecting a Family Nest

2011-08-31T14:38:00.003-05:00

I am a member of SocialMoms and they have teamed up with All State Life Insurance for this informative blogging opportunity. You may read more about that request here.

Whether you are starting a new family or an experienced parent, we all know that protecting our family is our number one priority. We never know when the unexpected may come and it is good to be protected "just in case". This is when we start thinking about life insurance. These questions may come up: Where do I start? How much do I need? How much is too much? These are all valid questions and Allstate Insurance wants me to help educate my blog readers on the role and importance of life insurance along with my ideas and suggestions on protecting a family nest.

Prior to becomming an at home mom, I worked for an Insurance Company processing medical claims for 13 years. During these 13 years I was able to participate in their 401K program. This allowed me to put aside a set amount of pre-tax money each paycheck. I found that I didn't miss the extra money because it was safely deposited into my 401K before I even saw it. I enjoyed being able to watch my monthly contribution grow in to a pretty good sized nest egg. I knew that my money was safe and sound and that it would be there when I needed it. Even though I am no longer working, my money is still in my 401K and it is continuing to grow because of investments. I have comfort in getting the quarterly statement from the company. I also know that the money is there if my family ever needs it. My husband also works now and he is contributing to his 401K too. Along with his 401K he also sets aside money for his company stock and life insurance. I feel that these little ways of saving now, will definitely help us in the future.

While reading information given to me for this blog post, I have learned that Life Insurance is easier and more affordable than most people think. It can be as low as $20 a month in some cases. Experts say that a good rule of thumb is to insure 5 to 10 times your income. Life insurance will help cover the cost of your mortgage, medical & funeral expenses, continuing childcare, living expense and college tuition. Most people, like me, feel overwhelmed when they think about this type of stuff. Your local Allstate agent can talk you through your situation and help you plan for the future today. Allstate and their agents have been helping customers protect their families for over 50 years.

About Allstate Life Insurance:
The Allstate Corporation is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer. Allstate is reinventing protection and retirement to help more than 17 million households insure what they have today and better prepare for tomorrow. Consumers access Allstate insurance products (auto, home, life and retirement) and services through Allstate agencies, independent agencies and Allstate Personal Financial Representatives in the U.S. and Canada, as well as via www.allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate®.

You may find more information on Allstate Life Insurance: http://www.allstate.com/
Allstate Life Insurance on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Allstate
Follow @allstate on Twitter

Disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Allstate blogging program, for a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

All Terrain "Phineas & Ferb" SPF 30 Natural KidSport Spray Sunscreen Giveaway CLOSED

2011-08-31T13:56:00.006-05:00

Sponsored by Tomoson.com

I am a member of Tomoson and they have teamed up with All Terrain "Phineas & Ferb" SPF 30 Natural KidSport Spray Sunscreen for this review and giveaway opportunity.

Both of my children are involved in sports and this means that we spend alot of time outdoors. While I know that a little sunshine is good for us, I also know that too many harmful rays will damage our skin. This is why we always apply sunscreen when we know that we will be outside for an extended amount of time.

My daughter doesn't enjoy the spray can type of sunscreen at all. She makes these icky little faces and says "mom! spray it on your hand and then wipe it on me" every time she sees the can come out. This is why I am glad that All Terrain's top-rated all natural SPF 30 sunscreen comes in a spray pump bottle. My daughter was curious at how the spray pump worked and she loved that Phineas and Ferb were on the sticker label. I love that the large 3 oz spray container has both UVA and UVB protection. It is also water and sweat resistant with a non-greasy formula. This made it easy to apply and I didn't feel sticky after using it. I am also able to rest assured knowing that the All Terrain "Phineas & Ferb" SPF 30 Natural KidSport Spray Sunscreen won't come off during swimming or sweating.

Giveaway Time: One of my readers will win a bottle of All Terrain "Phineas & Ferb" SPF 30 Natural KidSport Spray Sunscreen.

Mandatory Entry:
Follow my blog publicly with google friends connect. Please leave a comment below and include your email address in the comment so that I may contact you if you are the lucky winner.

Extra Entries:
1 extra entry: Click the +1 button below this post and leave a comment saying you did this.
1 extra entry: Follow me on twitter. Comment with your user name below.
3 extra entries: Tweet this " #win a bottle of All Terrain "Phineas & Ferb" SPF 30 Natural KidSport Spray http://tryingnewproducts.blogspot.com/2011/08/all-terrain-phineas-ferb-spf-30-natural.html?spref=tw #giveaway end 9/4 " This may be done daily. Please leave a link to your tweet in your 3 comments below.
3 extra entries: Subscribe to my email. Current email subscriptions count too! Please leave your 3 comments below.
5 extra entries: Post this giveaway on your blog or in a mclinky and leave a link to your post in your 5 additional comments below.

Thank you for visiting my blog! This giveaway will end on September the 4th, 2011 at 11:59 pm central time. I will choose a winner shortly after that and notify them by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email notification. If they fail to claim the prize in that time frame then I will choose another winner.

Disclosure: I have received a 3 oz bottle of All Terrain "Phineas & Ferb" SPF 30 Natural KidSport Spray Sunscreen through tomoson so that I may provide an honest product review. No other compensation was received. The opinions are my own.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Yoplait And Sam's Club $40 gc Giveaway

2011-08-31T12:15:00.006-05:00

I am a member of myblogspark and they have teamed up with Yoplait for this great giveaway opportunity. I will be receiving a $40 Sam's Club gift card so that I may purchase my favorite Yoplait yogurt at Sam’s Club. One of my readers will also win a $40 Sam's Club gift card so that they may stock up on their favorite Yoplait items also. Yay!!

Now that school has started, I have been shopping for healthy and convenient food items for breakfast at home and lunch boxes taken to school. I like that Yoplait is both of these things. The delicious Yoplait Light yogurt that I know and love is now paired with 100% natural granola and real fruit, perfect for a convenient breakfast or lunch time dessert.

My daughter loves Trix yogurt and always asks me if the package has the color changing spoon in it. Gotta love kids! I love the wholesome goodness of Trix yogurt, which has two colors in every cup and fruity “kids-only” flavors like Raspberry Rainbow and Strawberry Banana Bash. I also like that my kids enjoy Yoplait and Trix as much as I enjoy serving it to them.

Whether you start your day with a yogurt or enjoy it as an afternoon snack, Sam’s Club can help you stock up on your family’s favorite Yoplait® yogurts at great, everyday low prices.

You may find Yoplait on Facebook and twitter. Sam's Club may be found on facebook and on twitter also.

Giveaway time: One of my readers will win a $40 Sam's Club gift card so that they may stock up on their favorite Yoplait items at Sam's Club.

Mandatory Entry:
Follow my blog publicly with google friends connect. Please leave a comment below and include your email address in the comment so that I may contact you if you are the lucky winner.

Extra Entries:
1 extra entry: Please share which of the Yoplait yogurt products available at Sam’s Club you are most excited to try?
1 extra entry: Click the +1 button below this post and leave a comment saying you did this.
1 extra entry: Follow me on twitter. Comment with your user name below.
3 extra entries: Tweet this " Yoplait And Sam's Club $40 gc #Giveaway enter to #win http://tryingnewproducts.blogspot.com/2011/08/yoplait-and-sams-club-40-gc-giveaway.html?spref=tw #myblogspark " This may be done daily. Please leave a link to your tweet in your 3 comments below.
3 extra entries: Subscribe to my email. Current email subscriptions count too! Please leave your 3 comments below.
5 extra entries: Post this giveaway on your blog or in a mclinky and leave a link to your post in your 5 additional comments below.

Thank you for visiting my blog! This giveaway will end on September the 18th, 2011 at 11:59 pm central time. I will choose a winner shortly after that and notify them by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email notification. If they fail to claim the prize in that time frame then I will choose another winner.

Disclosure: The Sam’s Club gift card, information, and giveaway have been provided by Sam’s Club and Yoplait through MyBlogSpark.

Sam's Box Top For Education Giveaway Winner Announcement

2011-08-29T09:17:00.003-05:00

Thank you to everyone who took the time to enter my Sam's Box Top For Education Giveaway that ended on 08/28/11. We had 357 entries and randomizer.org choose # 21 as our lucky winner! They have been emailed and have 48 hours to respond with their mailing information or another winner will be chosen.

I do have 2 more giveaways up right now. Please be sure to stop by and enter them if the prize is of interest to you:
Totino’s "Learn a Ton when School is Fun" Giveaway ends 09/04/11
Designerliners Giveaway ends 09/04/11

Thank you again to my sponsor. The Sam’s Club gift card, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

Designerliners Review and Giveaway CLOSED

2011-08-22T19:14:00.007-05:00

Sponsored by Tomoson.com

I am a member of tomoson and they have teamed up with designerliners for this fun review and giveaway opportunity.

Designerliners are fun and super stylish trash bags that can beautify any room and wastebasket in your home. The biodegradable trash bags come in ten different color/pattern combinations. You may choose from Pink Polka Dot, Orange Polka Dot, Navy Blue Polka Dot, Red Gingham, Gold Gingham, Black Leopard, Blue Leopard, Red Toile, Blue Toile, and even Black Tattersol. Not only are designerliners decorative but they are also biodegradable, affordable and made in the U.S.A. You may purchase designerliners on their website or on eBay, Amazon, and Alice.com.

I was sent a package of 12 Pink Polka Dot designerliners for this review. The Pink Polka Dot bags are a generous 5-6 gallon size. As I opened the package, I noticed that the trash bags are packaged with the design on the inside of the bag. This made it very easy for me to figure out how to insert the trash bag into my wastebasket. I simply inserted the bag into my wastebasket and folded the edges of the bag over my wastebasket and I had a beautiful and instant lift to a boring white trash can. I can definitely appreciate the designerliners slogan "dress the mess".

Giveaway Time: Designerliners is offering a giveaway and 1 of my readers who enter this giveaway will win a trial pack of designerliners of their own.

Mandatory Entry:
Follow my blog publicly with google friends connect. Please leave a comment below and include your email address in the comment so that I may contact you if you are the lucky winner.

Extra Entries:
1 extra entry: Follow me on twitter and leave your twitter id below.
1 friend me on facebook and leave your facebook name below.
1 extra entry: Click the +1 button below this post and leave a comment saying you did this.
3 extra entries: Tweet this " #win a 12 pk of Designerliners #Giveaway ends 09 04 http://tryingnewproducts.blogspot.com/2011/08/designerliners-review-and-giveaway.html?spref=tw " This may be done daily. Please leave a link to your tweet in your 3 comments below.
3 extra entries: Subscribe to my email. Current email subscriptions count too! Please leave your 3 comments below.
5 extra entries: Post this giveaway on your blog or in a mclinky and leave a link to your post in your 5 additional comments below.

Thank you for visiting my blog! This giveaway will end on September the 4th, 2011 at 11:59 pm central time. I will choose a winner shortly after that and notify them by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email notification. If they fail to claim the prize in that time frame then I will choose another winner.

Disclosure: I have received a package of 12 designerliners through tomoson so that I may provide an honest review of the product.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Straight Talk, Affordable Cell Phone Service

2011-08-20T21:01:00.001-05:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Straight Talk for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am a member of SocialSpark and they have teamed up with Straight Talk for this fun and informative blogging opportunity. We are still in the market for a new cell phone and minute plan so I have decided to take this opportunity to check out Straight Talk and to see what they have to offer.

While checking out Straight Talk, I found that their plans are not contract based and that there are no credit checks to obtain service. Straight Talk offers a month to month plan where there are no surprise bills either. They offer great nationwide coverage, and excellent connection/connectivity. Unlimited monthly service is only $45 a month and this fee includes calls, texts, picture messaging and web. You even get a free 411 service at no extra charge. With Straight Talk you will be freed from activation, reactivation and termination fees. The "All You Need Plan" even meets the needs of heavy cell phone users with 1,000 minutes, 1,000 texts and 30 MB of web data. This should be everything you need for cell phone usage.

Straight Talk also only uses trusted phone manufactures such as: L G, Motorola, Kyocera, Nokia and Samsung. You may even get a reconditioned phone starting at only $10. These phones may have a camera, built in mp3 player, mobile web access, and blue tooth capability. These phones are great for young user and those who tend to misplace their phone often. I say that mom knows best and this should be everything you need to call a friend. I know Straight Talk has me Hook, line and sinker.

Imagine the amount of money you could save by switching to Straight Talk. What would you do with all of the money that you save?

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me for Straight Talk and posted through SocialSpark. The opinions are my own.

Totino’s "Learn a Ton when School is Fun" Giveaway CLOSED

2011-08-18T01:06:00.005-05:00

I am a member of myblogspark and they have teamed up with Totino’s for this fun giveaway opportunity. For review purposes, I have received a generous prize pack that contains: a Brain Quest Smart! Game, Micro Rubik’s® Cube Key Holder, a draw string backpack, and coupons for a free package of Totino’s Pizza Rolls Snacks, Totino’s Party Pizza and new Totino’s Pizza Stuffers. One of my readers who enters this giveaway will also receive the same prize pack that I received. Yay!

Through this blogging campaign, I have learned that fun is an essential part of learning and that there is a special connection between having fun in school and academic performance. This school year, Totino’s is giving away one million Bonus Box Tops, which is equivalent to $100,000. Four participating schools in the Box Tops for Education (BTFE) program will each win 250,000 Bonus Box Tops, which is equivalent to $25,000, from Totino’s to help fund a fun project at their school. Through the "Learn a Ton when School is Fun" sweepstakes, this money will help bring fun ideas to life both inside and outside of the classroom. You may enter the "Learn a Ton when School is Fun" sweepstakes for your chance to win 250,000 Bonus Box Tops. You may visit www.BTFE.com/Totinos to view the official sweepstakes rules.

Did you know that this back-to-school season, Totino’s Party Pizza and Pizza Rolls Snacks are featuring double Box Tops on select varieties? This will help you to earn even more money for your child’s school! Be sure and serve up a quick and delicious after-school snack with Totino’s Party Pizza and Pizza Rolls Snacks, while collecting double Box Tops from each.

Giveaway Time! One lucky entrant will receive a Totino’s "Learn a Ton when School is Fun" prize pack which contains: a Brain Quest Smart! Game, Micro Rubik’s® Cube Key Holder, a draw string backpack, and coupons for a free package of Totino’s Pizza Rolls Snacks, Totino’s Party Pizza and new Totino’s Pizza Stuffers.

Mandatory Entry:
Follow my blog publicly with google friends connect. Please leave a comment below and include your email address in the comment so that I may contact you if you are the lucky winner.

Extra Entries:
1 extra entry: Please comment with what type of fun project you would use the 250,000 Bonus Box Tops on to fund if you won the Totino’s "Learn a Ton when School is Fun" sweepstakes.
1 extra entry: Click the +1 button below this post and leave a comment saying you did this.
3 extra entries: Tweet this " #win a Totino’s "Learn a Ton when School is Fun" prize pack #Giveaway http://tryingnewproducts.blogspot.com/2011/08/totinos-learn-ton-when-school-is-fun.html?spref=tw ends 09 04 #myblogspark " This may be done daily. Please leave a link to your tweet in your 3 comments below.
3 extra entries: Subscribe to my email. Current email subscriptions count too! Please leave your 3 comments below.
5 extra entries: Post this giveaway on your blog or in a mclinky and leave a link to your post in your 5 additional comments below.

Thank you for visiting my blog! This giveaway will end on September the 4th, 2011 at 11:59 pm central time. I will choose a winner shortly after that and notify them by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email notification. If they fail to claim the prize in that time frame then I will choose another winner.

Disclosure: The information and prize pack has been provided by Totino’s through MyBlogSpark.

Introducing The No Ordinary Burger Contest

2011-08-11T20:10:00.003-05:00

I am a member of the One2One Network and they have teamed up with Johnsonville for this fun blogging opportunity. I have been asked to share the No Ordinary Burger Contest with my readers.

In the No Ordinary Burger Contest, you can build your best burger using Johnsonville Brat or Italian Sausage Patties, then enter your recipe to win a year’s worth of groceries from WalMart in the “No Ordinary Burger Contest!” So ignite your inspiration with pork and get grilling!

Get the juices flowing & submit your "No Ordinary Burger" recipe today! http://bit.ly/BurgerContest - Pork. Be Inspired.

Disclosure: I am a One2One Network member. By submitting this post, I am entered in a drawing for various gift cards.

Net 10 2 Unlimited Plan

2011-08-11T02:02:00.001-05:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Net10 for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am a member of SocialSpark and they have teamed up with Net 10 2 for this informative blogging opportunity about their new New 10 2 Plans. I have decided to accept this blogging challenge because we are in the market for a new cell phone plan and I always like to see what is available before we make our purchasing decision. I also would like to share my Net 10 2 findings with my readers too because someone else could find this information helpful.

I found that the Net 10 2 Unlimited Plan is a good deal. You can get nationwide coverage with excellent connection and unlimited talk, text, and data for only $50 a month. I finally see the Light and understand that you can get a good cell phone plan with out the dreaded service contract. With Net 10 2 Unlimited Plan, there are no surprise bills or credit checks involved. To make this even better, Net 10 only uses trusted phone manufactures such as L.G., Motorola, Kyocera, Samsung, and Nokia. You may choose a simple phone for simple needs, such as calling and texting, for under $15. They also offer phones with essential features, such as camera, video recorder, and web access. Those phones are available for under $60. You should be able to find a phone with features that you desire and with prices that are with in your budget plan.

Net 10 also offers an Easy Minutes Plan. The Easy Minutes Plus plan offers plans that start at $15 for 200 minutes. This would be a great plan for students or for anyone who needs a cell phone for emergency calls only. With the pay as you go plans, your minutes will carry over to the next month as long as your service remains active. Air time can be purchased online, at a near by store, or even from your own phone. Not only is this cost efficient but it is also convenient.

To find our more about Net 10 2, you may check them out on twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/Net10_Wireless or on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NET10Wireless The Net 10 website is: http://www.net10.com/ .

I also found a cute NET10 commercial from a real NET10 customer that I would like to share with you . Feel free to check it out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlYQ2Vuw5Lc&feature=related

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post, written by me for Net 10 2 and posted through SocialSpark. The opinions are my own.

Good News for Mommies With Squirmy Babies

2011-08-10T17:59:00.009-05:00

I am a member of SocialMoms and they have teamed up with Huggies Little Movers Slip-On Diapers for this fun and informative blogging opportunity. You may read more about that request from SocialMoms here.

I am a mom of two children so I definitely understand how hard it is for a new mom to learn diaper a baby, much less trying to change a squirmy baby. Most babies like to see what is going on around them. My daugther, also known as
My Little Miss GoGo, always like to look for Bozo our family cat while I was trying to change her diaper and clothes. If she happened to catch a glimpse of Bozo she would be on the move, before her diaper was completely on and this could cause a mess. I had to learn to be a quick change artist or she would escape from me and the diaper. I tried using a changing table and setting up a crib mobile over the changing area. This worked for a week or so but the mobile soon lost her attention. I also tried putting a mirror on the wall beside the changing table and this didn't work long either. No matter what I tried, it didn't seem to hold her attention like Bozo did. I just had to learn to be quick and to do the best job possible. Fortunate for me, My Little Miss GoGo potty trained early and we made it through the squirmy baby diapering stages.

I have learned that Huggies has come to the rescue for moms and dads of squirmy babies. Even though changing a squirmy baby’s diaper can be a workout, the new Huggies Little Movers Slip-On Diapers make it easier to handle even the wiggliest of little ones. It's as easy as to catch, slip it on, and release! How great is that! I think that this product will be great for home use and away from home use as well. I would have loved to have been able to slip a Huggies Little Movers Slip-On Diaper on my kids when they were younger. I can see this being a very useful product especially when the diaper changings take place on the go. Most restaurants and stores have a restroom stall with a changing table but these new diapers are especially great for those places who do not have a working diaper changing station. This will eliminate any need to change a child on the floor of a business ever again. You can simply help your child step in to the diaper and pull it up. Your job is done! Your child will stay dry and there will be less fuss or tears. This should make both mom and baby happy!

Disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Huggies blogging program, for a gift card worth $35. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Sam's Box Top For Education Giveaway CLOSED

2011-08-09T11:26:00.004-05:00

I am a member of myblogspark and they have teamed up with General Mills for this great giveaway opportunity. I will be receiving a $25 Sam's Club gift card for sharing this giveaway and information with you. One of my readers will also win a $25 Sam's Club gift card so that they may stock up on their favorite General Mills items also. Yay!!

I honestly can't believe that it's already back to school time. This summer has flown by so quickly. I have started my back to school needs list for my children. We have the school supplies, back packs and clothes taken care of. Now we are looking for the perfect lunch boxes and contents for them. This weekend we will be heading to Sam's Club. Sam’s Club has my favorite back to school items from computers to clothing, and at the best values.

I am already a Sam's Club shopper and I love that not only do they have the General Mills brands and products that I use daily but they also offer bonus Box Tops for Education on their General Mills items. Right now when you purchase participating Box Top items, you can collect even more Box Tops on some of your favorite General Mills brands such as Honey Nut Cheerios, Nature Valley Oats 'N Honey Crunchy Granola Bars, Totino’s Pizza Rolls, and more! You can easily earn more cash for your local school at Sam’s Club this August with the 6 Box Tops on a Pack promotion.

Giveaway Time! One winner will win a $25 gift card to Sam's Club. Please follow the rules below to enter.

Mandatory Entry:
Follow my blog publicly with google friends connect. Please leave a comment below and include your email address in the comment so that I may contact you if you are the lucky winner.

Extra Entries:
1 extra entry: Please share which General Mills’ products you are most excited to see featured in the “6 Tops on a Pack” offer at Sam’s Club.
1 extra entry: Click the +1 button below this post and leave a comment saying you did this.
3 extra entries: Tweet this " #win a $25 Sam's Club gift card #Giveaway http://t.co/75BCinD ends 8/28 #myblogspark " This may be done daily. Please leave a link to your tweet in your 3 comments below.
3 extra entries: Subscribe to my email. Current email subscriptions count too! Please leave your 3 comments below.
5 extra entries: Post this giveaway on your blog or in a mclinky and leave a link to your post in your 5 additional comments below.

Thank you for visiting my blog! This giveaway will end on August the 28th, 2011 at 11:59 pm central time. I will choose a winner shortly after that and notify them by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email notification. If they fail to claim the prize in that time frame then I will choose another winner.

Disclosure: The Sam’s Club gift card, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

Men's Express Jeans

2011-08-01T16:01:00.001-05:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Express for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am a member of SocialSpark and they have teamed up with Express jeans for this fun blogging opportunity. Since it's back to school time and I will be buying men's jeans for my son, I chose to take them up on this posting opportunity. I love learning about new brands and products and then I enjoy sharing what I find with my readers.

I found that Express jeans has jeans that almost every guy needs. They have styles that range from boot cut to straight cut. They also have Rocco - Slim fit jeans, and Kingston - Classic fit jeans. I really like the Kingston - Classic Fit jeans the best for my son. They are stylish and seem to have a relaxed fit to them. I think that my son would love the colors and texture of the jeans also. I will definitely be entering the Express giveaway to try and win him a pair of new jeans.

For a limited time you may enter to win a pair of jeans in the Express giveaway. 50 pairs of Express jeans will be given away. You could be one of the lucky ones to Rock the Sidewalk for free!

Which pair of Express jeans is your favorite?

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me for Men's Express Jeans and posted through SocialSpark. The opinions are my own.

Men's Express Jeans

2011-08-01T16:00:00.001-05:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Express for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

For a limited time you may enter to win a pair of jeans in the Express giveaway. 50 pairs of Express jeans will be given away. You could be one of the lucky ones to Rock the Sidewalk for free!

Which pair of Express jeans is your favorite?

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me for Men's Express Jeans and posted through SocialSpark. The opinions are my own.

Women's Express Jeans

2011-08-01T09:02:00.001-05:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Express for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am a member of SocialSpark and they have teamed up with Express jeans for this fun blogging opportunity on women's jeans. Being that summer is coming to an end and fall is near, I decided to take them up on this blogging opportunity. I am always in the market for new clothes so I thought that this would be a fun way to learn about a new product. I always enjoy sharing what I learn with you too!

Express has the trendy denims that I both need and want! I found that women's jeans by Express jeans range from boot cut flare jeans to the very popular jean leggings. They have fun colors such as white, red, gray and even assorted denims to choose from. I love the jean leggings by Express in both white and dark wash. They look so comfortable and stylish. I think that these leggings would be great for back to school wear for teens. I like that you can pair the leggings up with a different top for several different looks. The leggings can create a look that is casual and inviting.

I also learned that you can enter to win the Express giveaway. 50 pairs of Express jeans will be given away and you will have a chance to Rock the Sidewalk! Feel free to leave me a comment about which pair of Express jeans you would love to win!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me for Express Jeans and Posted through SocialSpark. The opinions are my own.

Introducing Straight Talk 2

2011-07-29T09:53:00.001-05:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Straight Talk for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am a member of SocialSpark and they have teamed up with Straight Talk 2 for this informative blogging opportunity. We are in the market for a new cell phone and minute plan so I have decided to jump on this opportunity and check Straight Talk 2 out.

While checking out Straight Talk 2 I found that their plans are not contract based and there are no credit checks to obtain service. Straight Talk 2 offers a month to month plan where there are no surprise bills either. They offer great nationwide coverage, and excellent connection/connectivity. Unlimited monthly service is only $45 a month and this fee includes calls, texts, picture messaging and web. You even get a free 411 service at no extra charge. With Straight Talk 2 you will be free from activation, reactivation and termination fees.

Straight Talk 2 only uses trusted phone manufactures such as L G, Motorola, Kyocera, Nokia and Samsung. You may even get a reconditioned phone starting at only $10. These phones may have a camera, built in mp3 player, mobile web access, and blue tooth capability.

This video may give you more insight on why real people use Straight Talk 2 to call a friend. This plan should be everything you need to help you save money on your cell phone usage. I know it has me hook, line and sinker.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post from Straight Talk 2 and written by me and posted through SocialSpark. The opinions are my own.

Introducing Straight Talk 2

2011-07-28T19:01:00.001-05:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Straight Talk for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post from Straight Talk 2 and written by me and posted through SocialSpark. The opinions are my own.

Honey Nut Cheerios Prize Pack Winner Announcement

2011-07-26T15:59:00.003-05:00

Thank you to everyone who has entered my Honey Nut Cheerios Prize Pack Giveaway that ended on 07/24/11. We had 252 entries and I have used randomizer.org to pull our winning entry number. Entry # 9 is our lucky winner. They have been emailed and have 48 hours to respond with their mailing information or another winner will be chosen.

Thank you again to General Mills for sponsoring this great giveaway through MyBlogSpark.

Zenni Optical

2011-07-15T03:00:00.001-05:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Zenni Optical for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am a member of socialspark and they have teamed up with Zenni Optical for this fun blogging opportunity.

Have you seen the discussion in Time magazine about their editor Bill Saporito? It is said that he paid $1000 for a pair of eyeglasses. Can you imagine ever paying that much for one pair of eyeglasses? I can't and neither could one of the magazines readers. Peter Minton of Winsted Conn. challenged Bill Saporito, the editor of Time magazine, by saying that he could buy a complete set of eyeglasses from Zenni Optical for $20. This price even includes delivery to their doorstep, shipping included.

I found this challenge interesting because I wear glasses and I am in need of a new pair myself so I have decided to check out Zenni Optical to see their prices for myself. What I found there amazed me too. I like that Zenni Optical offers a wide range of eyeglasses that are both stylish and affordable. I like that I can look great with out paying a fortune. You can order quality prescription eyeglasses with prices from $6.95 and USA shipping is only $4.95 for your entire order. This is a deal in my book. I will be saving well over $50 when I order my new glasses from Zenni Optical. You might check them out too if you are in need of a new pair of eyeglasses.

Making Life Easier And More Efficient While On The Go

2011-07-13T19:25:00.006-05:00

I am a member of SocialMoms and they have teamed up with Seattle’s Best Coffee for this fun blogging opportunity.

As most of you may know, I am an at home mom of 2 school aged children. We try to make our life fun and full at the same time. During the school year we are busy with school, homework and sports. Now that it is summer I do my best to keep the kids busy during the week so that no one is bored. Bored kids get in trouble at my house so we tend to stay busy. My son is "enjoying" summer work outs through the school this year. He works out from 8 am til 9:30 am Monday thru Thursday. Then on Monday afternoons we go to the pool. Tuesday afternoons we go to the library for their Summer Reading Program. That is from 1 pm until 3 pm. Thursdays we are back to the Library from 1 pm until 3:30 pm for another day of fun Summer Reading and a movie. Wednesdays are church nights and Fridays we either run errands or just chill out at home. You may say, gee woman, slow down! My response to that is, I can't. I like to stay busy and on the go. I have found that if you follow a few little steps that your life can be easier and more efficient while on the go. I would like to share my tips with you on that.

My 10 tips for making your life easier and more efficient while on the go are:

1. Have a cental location for your keys, drivers license, credit card etc. I find that if I return these items back to one cental spot, then they will be there the next time that I need them in a hurry. There is not much worse than needing to go somewhere NOW and you can't find your keys or drivers license.

2. Organizing helps you to be more efficient on the go. I like to hang our clean clothes up by matching outfits. This makes it easy to get me and the kids dressed when we are in a hurry. I don't have to think about what top to go with which bottoms. I have already done that step when I hung up the laundry.

3. Shoes, Shoes, Shoes. Shoes are so important when you are on the go. We know that everyone needs to wears shoes but it is so much easier to grab a matching pair if you keep them put up, in pairs, by entry way door. This step is easier said that done when you have kids, but if you start with a good routine and get them used to putting their shoes up and away in pairs then this little way of thinking will become a habit. It's so nice to be able to just slip your shoes on when you are running out the door. You don't have to stop and look for a matching pair. This saves a lot of time and my sanity.

4. Make a plan. First I like to make a mental plan of errands that I need to accomplish while I am out and about. I make sure to write these items down as I think of them so that I don't forget an errand along the way. This list will include items such as get gas, pick up a prescription, go to the dentist, etc.

5. Shopping list are a must. I like to make a shopping list and I keep it on the fridge. I will add to it as I think of items that we need. I make sure to take this list with me when we are in town. This list will be detailed and in addition to my make a plan list.

6. Plan a driving route. Gas is so expensive these days. I like to do the majority of my errands on one day of the week. I will take the list of stores that I need to visit and plan out the most efficient way to get there and back.

7. Feed your brain. I find that I can think better when I am not thinking about food and being hungry. I make sure that the kids and I have something for breakfast before we even leave the house. This may mean the kids are grabbing a Sunny D and a Go-Gurt out the fridge but they are fed and this will keep them and me in a better mood. I like to make sure that our fridge is stocked with easy to get drinks and snacks so that the kids can help themself if needed.

8. Make time for lunch. Food is very important to me. I am a diabetic and I need food for energy and to keep my blood sugar levels even. The kids and I make sure to stop for lunch while we are on the go. This will keep us all even tempered and motivated to keep going until we are finished with our errands.

9. Have fun while you are out. This may include letting the kids pick where we eat lunch or letting them choose their favorite cereal and snacks at the store. I find that if I let my kids help me while we are on the go, they tend to enjoy the day better.

10. I try not to schedule every single minute of our day. I try to leave openings for rest and for down times. This is important for all of us. We enjoy the day better if we know that rest and play will be our rewards for a long day on the go.

While I like to stay on the go, I also try to remember to slow down and enjoy the good things in life. I enjoy my morning cup of coffee and I really miss it when I don't have time to sit down and enjoy a few cups. This is why I am excited to learn about Seattle’s Best Coffee® and their introducing the Official Latte of Pretty Much Everything. The convenient grab-and-go cans sound like a perfect solution to my busy, on the go, mornings. With three tasty options, Seattle’s Best Coffee® Iced Lattes will definately be in my busy future!

If you would like to try Seattle’s Best Coffee® Iced Lattes click here to save $1.50 on a 4 pack.

Disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Seattle’s Best Coffee blogging program for a gift card worth $30. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Parents Magazine Only $4 for a Year Subscription

2011-07-12T22:47:00.002-05:00

Enter the Purex PROMO CODE PX0058 here to order a year subscription of Parents Magazine Only $4. Parents Magazine is currently published 12 times annually, making each magazine only .33 cents an issue.

Disclosure: This is an exclusive offer from Purex Insiders. I am sharing this promotion with my readers as part of an incentive contest.

Sugar Free Ring Pops 5 Winners Announced

2011-07-11T22:11:00.003-05:00

Thank you to everyone who took the time to enter my Sugar Free Ring Pops Giveaway. I used randomizer.org to pull our winning entry numbers. Entry # 4, 5, 6, 12, and 16 won. The 5 winners are being emailed. They have 48 hours to claim their prize.

Please stop by to enter my Honey Nut Cheerios Prize Pack Giveaway which ends on 07/24/11. This giveaway is being sponsored by General Mills through myblogspark. Thanks again.

Honey Nut Cheerios Giveaway CLOSED

2011-07-09T22:28:00.009-05:00

I am a member of myblogspark and they have teamed up with General Mills to bring you this fun giveaway. I have received a Honey Nut Cheerios prize pack that contained 1 box of Honey Nut Cheerios cereal, 2 cereal bowls, 1 Honey Nut Cheerios t-shirt and a bee antenna headband. One of my readers who enters this giveaway will receive the same prize pack too. Yay!

Have you heard that Honey Nut Cheerios cereal is America’s Favorite Cereal? To help celebrate their loyal fans, Honey Nut Cheerios cereal is giving us exactly what we wanted: more Honey Nut Cheerios.

As a special thank you for making Honey Nut Cheerios cereal America’s #1 choice, General Mills is hosting a "Billion 'O' Giveaway" and providing free samples of Honey Nut Cheerios cereal to fans beginning on July 4, 2011. The free samples are available while supplies last. Be sure to request your free sample of Honey Nut Cheerios before they run out. You may also find Cheerios on facebook.

Giveaway Time! One winner will win a Honey Nut Cheerios prize pack. Please follow the rules below to enter.

Mandatory Entry:
Follow my blog publicly with google friends connect. Please leave a comment below and include your email address in the comment so that I may contact you if you are the lucky winner.

Extra Entries:
1 extra entry: Please tell me if you will request your free sample of Honey Nut Cheerios or not.
3 extra entries: Tweet this " #win a Honey Nut Cheerios prize pack #giveaway at http://t.co/oMcgaRa ends 7/24 #myblogspark ". This may be done daily. Please leave a link to your tweet in your 3 comments below.
3 extra entries: Subscribe to my email. Current email subscriptions count too! Please leave your 3 comments below.
5 extra entries: Post this giveaway on your blog or in a mclinky and leave a link to your post in your 5 additional comments below.

Thank you for visiting my blog! This giveaway will end on July the 24th, 2011 at 11:59 pm central time. I will choose a winner shortly after that and notify them by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email notification. If they fail to claim the prize in that time frame then I will choose another winner.

Disclosure: Honey Nut Cheerios® cereal, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

Three Cups Book Review

2011-07-09T13:45:00.003-05:00

I am a member of tomoson and they have teamed up with Three Cups Book for this review opportunity. Three cups is Written by Mark St. Germain and beautifully Illustrated by April Willy.

As you may know, I am an at home mom of 2 school aged children. My children are 7 and 11 and teaching them about money and how to spend it has been a huge challenge for me. I have always been a saver and when I do spend, I try to do it wisely. This is something that I have learned on my own and I wasn't sure about how to teach my children to be the same way. This reason is why I signed up to review the book Three Cups.

Three Cups a children's book for children ages 4 to 12 years old. It teaches the readers about money in a very loving and simple way. The book uses a savings cup, a spending cup and a charity cup. This inspires children to save money for their future, spend money responsibly and challenges them to give back to their community. Three Cups is written simply so that it entertains as well as teaches at the same time. I love the illustrations that are on the pages in the book. The book is published so that 1 page is writing and the other page is a picture. The pictures are great for the younger children to look at as they hear the story being read. This will help hold their attention and visualize the story comming to life.

After reading Three Cups I found myself wanting to share this story with my children. I find this way of thinking logical and easy to use. If you would like to purchase Three Cups for yourself you may visit their website or find it on Amazon.

Disclosure: I have received a free copy of Three Cups book so that I may read it and deliver an honest review. The opinions are my own.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com created by WebBizIdeas.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.