Epilepsy Purple Day $25 Macy's GC Giveaway 3/26

There's just something about giving and that is special to my heart given how I have two young children with chronic conditions.  When I hear of corporations giving, it makes me want to spend my money there and Macy's is no exception.  Macy's support many, many charities and has campaigns through the year to support other causes.  One of the charities they support is the Epilepsy Foundation of Florida through their Shop for a Cause program.


My eight year old has epilepsy but she is one of the lucky ones in that her epilepsy might be on the way out of the door.  Her type of epilepsy typically goes away at puberty and her neurologist is optimistic about her prognosis given her seizure control and low dose of medication.  This is wonderful news to me and although some might cringe when I say she's "lucky" but I feel she could have had a much worse type of epilepsy and/or uncontrolled seizures.  Nonetheless, I just received great news about both my daughter's conditions and couldn't be happier.

In light of Purple Day approaching March 26, this giveaway highlights the plight of those with epilepsy along with their friends and family.  Epilepsy has no cure and in spite of it being very prevalent, requires much more awareness.  I hope you are able to take a moment and learn a little bit about epilepsy and help raise awareness to this condition.


The Giveaway:


One reader will win a $25 Macy's Gift Card.


To Enter:


Please use the Rafflecopter form below.


Giveaway ends March 26th at midnight (EST) - US only please
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Kroger Cart Busters, Daily Deals & $25 GC Giveaway 3/17

 

If you are a Kroger shopper, you know all about the Cart Buster Savings Events and if you are not, you should check them out.  Beginning the week of February 26th, 2012, you can shop the Kroger Co. Family of Stores biggest-ever promotion and find the hottest prices around on more than 35 brands, across more than 60 categories from General Mills, P & G, Pepsi, Nestle, Kraft and Kroger Banner Brands.  It's a great way to save and during the Cart Buster Savings Event, you’ll find great savings in almost every department at the Kroger Family of Stores, which includes: Kroger Ralph’s King Soopers City Market Dillon’s Smith’s Fry’s QFC Baker’s Owen’s Jay C Food Stores Hilander Gerbes Food4Less Pay Less Super Markets

With that many stores to choose from, there is sure to be one near you and if you are looking for even more ways to save time and money, visit CartBuster.com beginning 2/26/12 to find money-savings digital coupons, shopping lists and more. 

Also, starting 2/29/12 you can participate in the “Deal of the Day”!  If you don't know how that works, here you go:

• During seven days of the Cart Buster Savings Event, 2/29/12 - 3/6/12, there will be a super hot, exclusive offer good on one participating Cart Buster item. Each offer will be exclusive and available for one-day only – but the offer will be good for the duration of the entire event.
• You’ll see savings of up to and over 50% with the Deal of the Day offers – maybe even some freebies - and that’s on top of the already-low, low prices that Cart Buster has to offer!
• Look for seven days of “Deal of the Day offers” beginning 2/29/12. The Last Deal of the Day offer will be up on 3/6/12. But don’t fret - the Cart Buster event will continue even after the Deal of the Day ends. Check your local store for the exact end date for the Cart Buster Savings Event.

The Cart Buster Savings Event is a great way to put some extra money in your pocket while also getting ready for St. Patrick's Day and Easter.  

The Giveaway:

One reader will win a $25 Kroger Gift Card too!

To Enter:  

Please use the Rafflecopter form below.  Giveaway ends 3/17

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*Disclosure:  The Kroger Family of Stores gift card, information, and giveaway were all provided by the Kroger Family of Stores and General Mills/Nestle/Proctor & Gamble/Pepsi/Kraft through MyBlogSpark.

I've Been MIA

Modeling her new suit.

It's been a few days since I posted and mostly because it's a combination of doctor appointments, school and planning a Hello Kitty party as all three of my girls want that theme this year which makes it handy since I can reuse and repurpose.  One wants plain Hello Kitty but since she wears glasses, I might mix that in some how.  The other one wants Hello Kitty princess and the oldest will take Hello Kitty anyway I want so I'll probably just switch out the colors. 


When I plan a party, I open a Word document to start collecting my thoughts.  Pinterest is a new tool I'm loving too since I can organize rather easily all the ideas in one place that are internet based and since there is an area for description, I can also add my notes.  I'm loving Pinterest but am not taking full advantage of it yet.  I've been slowly making the invitations and decorations so I don't have to rush along with buying things like straws, cookie cutters and more because I need to start practicing.  My Minnie Mouse party has been a huge hit with my readers and I have shared so many of the templates with others because it's fun to help others.

Having a Close Family

Content by Mauricio Benson:

"Having direct tv has made my family closer, if you can believe it. You’d think it would make us farther apart because we were always watching TV but actually we’ve started watching some shows together as a family and that’s been really helpful in all of us making time for each other. I wish I knew of some additional shows to watch…right now we’re really into Glee and So You Think You Can Dance and other shows like that, you know, family friendly stuff that’s still interesting enough to occupy a teenager. I love that my kids like us enough to want to stay in and watch TV with us on a weekly basis but I’m trying to soak it up now because I know that it won’t be a few more years before they’re off at college and have no interest in sitting at home with their boring parents! I hope they never feel like that but kids always do you know, it’s just the natural order of things."

Perrigo Nutritional Store Brand Formula New Baby Gift Pack Giveaway 3/11

Buying baby formula is such a huge step in a baby's life because you want to give them the best yet you have to be able to afford the best.  I know as a young adult, I would sometimes equate more expensive to being a better product but as I aged and gained wisdom, I learned it's not always the case.  This holds particularly true with baby products as well.  "A recent study* shows that only 30% of moms are willing to buy store brand products for their babies, but did you know that all infant formulas made in the United States must provide complete nutrition for growing babies and meet FDA requirements for safety, nutrition, and quality?"  When you compare nutrition, store brand infant formulas, such as Perrigo Nutritionals, are nutritionally equivalent to similar national formula brands such as Enfamil or Similac, but cost half the price, which can save you about $600 a year. Perrigo Nutritionals "Brand" New Mom Study found out more interesting information among other new moms: Baby-related advertisements strike an emotional chord with moms – nearly one in four feel overwhelmed (23%) and one in five feel anxious (20%) or confused (20%) 53% of moms admit thoughts of their baby product budget plague them on a daily basis 37% of moms feel guilty if they cannot afford a specific product for their babies Moms are willing to purchase store brand over the counter medicine for their baby (42%) and store brand pharmaceuticals (44%), but only 21% of moms are willing to buy store brand infant formula. I definitely applaud us moms for wanting to do what is best for our children and those statistics definitely matched myself as I will purchase store brand over the counter meds but why have I been resistant to store brand formula?  It makes sense to start using store brand formula especially since they are under the same requirements from the FDA. What you may not know is Perrigo Nutritionals store brand infant formulas can be found at many retailers such as: Walmart as Parent’s Choice Target as Up & Up Kroger as Comforts Sam’s Club as Simply Right Click here to hear about the benefits of store brand formula from one of the country’s leading pediatricians, Dr. Jennifer Trachtenberg. *All results are taken from the Perrigo Nutritionals “Brand” New Mom Study

The Giveaway:

• Perrigo Nutritionals store brand infant formula - the formula looks just like the name brand formula and my reviewer took to it what no difference.  She had no problem switching over
• 8oz  baby bottle
• Fleece baby blanket
• Baby bib

Giveaway ends 3/11 (EST)

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Disclosure:  Prize pack, information, and giveaway have been provided by Perrigo Nutritionals through MyBlogSpark

Joan Lunden’s NEW Eco Friendly Cookware Line at QVC

Are you amazed with how great Joan Lunden looks?  I am!  I like to read little bits of information here and there to see if there is something she does or just has good genes or both.  I like Joan Lunden because she just seems like an average person and doesn't have all this drama around here.  I didn't know that not only is she an award winning journalist, New York Times best selling author and mother of seven Joan Lunden but she's also heading to QVC to launch pieces from her first eco friendly cookware line.  

Created in partnership with The Cookware Company, the former Good Morning America anchor is scheduled to introduce pieces from Twiztt by Joan Lunden collection on March 14^th at 9 PM (ET) during QVC’s In the Kitchen with David show.  Twiztt by Joan Lunden cookware is coated with Corona™, an innovative mineral ceramic non stick coating that is completely free of plastic synthetics and harmful PTFEs and PFOAs.  This really is music to my ears because I still use the old silicone treated pans for things like eggs but I would love to have something more eco-friendly without the plastic synthetics and harmful PTFEs and PFOAs.

It would only make sense given Lunden’s healthy lifestyle and lifelong commitment to wellness, her mission was to create healthier and greener options for American families to begin cooking again.  “As a busy mother, I always try to serve healthy and delicious meals for my family and friends.  But for years I have been concerned with the safety of cooking with traditional non stick cookware,” said Lunden.  “That’s why I was excited to learn about innovative Corona technology that offers a safe, new alternative for healthy cooking and the smart Twiztt design for the everyday, family kitchen.”

If you are wondering, pieces from the Twiztt by Joan Lunden line include:

Twizt by Joan Lunden 11 Inch Square Nonstick Grill Pan

QVC Item # K36477                                                                                                            

$40.00

Twizt by Joan Lunden Two Piece Nonstick Frypan Set

QVC Item # K36476                                                                                                            

$40.00

Includes an Eight Inch Open Fry Pan and 10-Inch Toss and Turn Pan

Twizt by Joan Lunden 10 Inch Curved Skillet with Bowl and Cutting Board

QVC Item # K36478                                                                                                        

 $60.00

Pieces from the Twiztt by Joan Lunden collection will be available through QVC starting March 14^th at QVC.com or 1-800-345-1515. 

*Disclosure:  I was not compensated for this post.

LeapPad Giveaway Sign Ups & Giveaway Coming 3/5 - 3/20

 

Sign ups are now open for the Leap into Spring LeapPad Giveaway hosted by Karma Media.   Sign up fee for two links is only $5. You can receive a free link for advertising on your blog or you can buy extra links at $2.50 each or $2.50 for a daily entry!  The event will start on Monday, 3/5 at 12:01 am and end on Tuesday, 3/20 at 12:01 am.

Click here to sign up!                 Prize – LeapFrog LeapPad!

Don’t miss out on this event! This giveaway is a great way to make new friends, increase your traffic, and have fun!

Sponsor fee MUST be paid PRIOR to the start of the giveaway via Paypal (as a gift or add $0.50 to cover Paypal fee). Payment must be paid in US Dollars. Note** You are not a confirmed participant until the PayPal fee is received to admin@karmamediateam.com.

Organizing and Storing Canned Food Easy

I saw this on Pinterest and had to share it.  I'm a pantry neat freak and I'm like Julia Roberts in that movie that is escaping my memory at the moment where everything had to be just right.  I guess it's an OCD but when my food is in the pantry, I want to see the fronts of the labels and have them organized so.  Something about being neat and organized gives me relief even if I don't practice it all the time.  So there is a blog that teaches you all sorts of easy ways to organize that I love.

WhyNotDoItYourself has so many great ideas and I wanted to share this one with you:

All you need are these Dial Beverage Can Dispenser and they are available at Amazon for $10.40.  I love the idea at how great it looks and it would be easy to make the next shopping list by a quick glance.

Share your storage and organization tips!

Shoppers: Check Out Become.com

Are you an online shopper like me?  I shop online for the convenience mostly just because I am also a bargain shopper so I can utilize the net to find the best deal.  It's amazing what all you can find online and the sky is the limit ranging from clayton wood furnace 1602m to yellow and blue rugs to stainless steel bull bar to fit gmc yukon slt on ebay.  The versatility online to fulfill all your shopping needs are amazing.  This is one of the reasons while checking out www.become.com, I instantly liked it.  It allows you to search and compare to ensure you get the best deal.


There is even a shopping blog to keep you up to date on the latest to include product reviews.  We all know how invaluable product reviews can be especially when trying to purchase that right product or an expensive one.  I like how you can search to shop or search to research as well.  Being able to look at product reviews, buying guides, discussion forums and product details all in one spot is really nice.  Once I'm done, I can then get the shop results to find the best price.

I tried a search for popcorn makers and when provided a list of sites that contained reviews. I then searched through the shop option and was able to drill down even further with the following options:

• Brand
• Price
• Features
• Material Type
• User Rating
• Store
• Category

It's really a great feature to purchase items online especially for those products that you might prefer to purchase in person.  I like all the details associated with the purchasing process and best of all, it's free.  There is even a free iPad application too. 

*Disclosure:  I did not actually purchase anything to write this post but I did use the features to research a couple of products I already had or were interested in purchasing.  Although this is a sponsored post, the opinions are of my own.

Giveaway for a Shirt of Your Child's Likeliness?

I help a mompreneur with her business and wanted to get your idea on a giveaway for your child that would be drawn from a picture.  The absolute likeliness might not be there but it's a fun way for your child to have a professional illustration made from them on a shirt.


Here is an example of my daughter:

Thoughts?

Clorox® Clean-Up® Recipes For Fun & Ultimate Mess Party Contest #RecipesForFun

If you are like me, you are always looking for fun things to do with your children.  I like to have activities because it helps them to develop and learn but also, it keeps them from being bored.  Clorox® features a new site called Recipes For Fun along with an Ultimate Mess Party Contest where someone is going to win $10,000!  What I like about the site is how it's indexed by Wacky Science, Arts & Crafts, Kiddie Cooking, Creative Cooking, Meet the Super Moms and Share Ideas.  

It's a mega site for so many fun and educational things to do that I don't know where to begin.  As a homeschooling mom, I particularly like offering variety to my children.

Courtesy of Pinterest

My girls have been craving some new arts and craft projects so it was a lot of fun perusing over 10 pages of various ideas.  My girls are into princesses and fairies so it only made sense to choose Fairies in a Jar.  I was surprised at how easy this project is as all you need:

• Glow Stick
• Jar with Lid
• Diamond Glitter

1. Cut a glow stick in half and shake the contents into a jar.
2. Add diamond glitter.
3. Seal the jar with the lid and shake.

As you can see by the picture, you can use any color of glitter but a pastel color works the best.  If you choose green, your little one will think of Tinkerbell.


I think one of the recipes we will try to tomorrow is our own cake pop recipe because it's fairly easy and there are a lot of steps the girls like to participate in.  


Fairy Cake Balls

• 1 Box of Cake Mix - chocolate or vanilla
• 1 Tub of Cream Cheese or Chocolate Frosting
• 1 Container of White or Chocolate Dipping Chocolate
• Sucker Sticks
• Sprinkles, Icing or Other Decorations
• Wax Paper

1. Prepare the cake mix per the box directions and allow to cool.
2. In a large mixing bowl, crumble the cooked cake.
3. Mix in 3/4 of the tub of frosting either with hands (kids will love and it will be very messy) or with a spoon.
4. Allow to cool in the refrigerator for about half an hour or where balls can be formed without leaving cake on the hands.
5. Using a waxed paper covered cookie sheet, start forming cake balls about the size of a bouncing ball.  
6. Place back in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.
7. Melt some of the chocolate and remove the cake pops from the refrigerator.
8. Take each sucker stick and dip about 1/2" into the melted chocolate and gently place on in each ball but do not stick it all the way through.
9. Once all sticks are placed into the pops, stick back in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
10. Melt the rest of the chocolate and carefully dip the cake balls into the melted chocolate.  You can either submerge or use a spoon to help coat them but be careful as they can break.
11. Slightly tap to remove the excess chocolate and then finish decorating with sprinkles or any other candy.  If you will put writing icing or drizzle another color, allow the chocolate to harden before adding the other icing.
12. Allow to harden and cool in the refrigerator.
13. Ribbons or other decorations like small pictures can be added to the ends.

There are so many different ideas that you could be kept busy for months having new fun whether it's science, cooking, crafts and more.  I love finding great ways to have some family fun, some educational time or just some one on one kiddie time.  Embracing activities encourages children to use their imagination and brain power more.  If they get messy or mess up the house, who cares?  It's always cleanable!  I don't worry too much about that as I want them to have fun most of all.

You also don't want to miss out on the Ultimate Mess Party!  Just by registering, you will receive one sweepstakes entry into the grand prize for a chance to win $10,000 toward an Ultimate Mess Party.   If you Share your Recipe For Fun, you will receive 10 extra grand prize entries!  Clorox will also thank you for sharing by giving you a $1.00 coupon on Clorox Clean-Up Cleaner for your first recipe! Each day, Clorox Clean-Up is instantly awarding FREE Clorox® Clean-Up® coupons and $100 gift cards from a variety of favorite retailers to random lucky users for just viewing recipes. 

For more information visit: cloroxrecipesforfun.com

*Disclosure:  I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Clorox Clean-Up Recipes for Fun blogging program, for 8,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. For more information on this program, click here and see the Terms link.

Receive a Complimentary $30 Benihana GC During Birthday Month

When Benihana first opened its doors in 1964, it revolutionized the family dining experience. Today, Benihana continues to delight couples, parents, children and loved ones with a one-of-a-kind restaurant experience. Here's a quick video clip that captures the history and mood of the original Benihana:

Experience the Original: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWbn2LgqffI

Benihana fans can sign up for a complimentary $30 Benihana gift certificate during their birthday month here: http://profile.benihana.com/registration/. 

Unfortunately, there isn't a Benihana near me and I can say that I've never ate there but heard they are good!

New Rewards Shopping Site: LoveSpoils

A study conducted by American Express found that couples are fighting more than ever regarding household finances – and it’s possible the threat of an argument is prompting some of these couples to sneak purchases, sock money away in a secret bank account, or keep a credit card account hidden from their spouse or significant other.  I'd never do that ... would you (wink wink)?

The thing is, women love to shop usually and men dread trying to find the perfect gift for us so what better way than with LoveSpoils!  When they shop, we get points and vice versa for discounts on products you want.

Studies have shown that:

•  61% of couples confirmed that discussions about the household budget are turning into arguments
• Couples who fight about money once a week are 30% more likely to divorce than those who only quarrel a few times per month
• The more consumer debt a newlywed couple accrues, the unhappier they become
• Nearly 90% of divorces are caused by financial differences
• The average rate of divorce in U.S. is 58%

LoveSpoils (www.LoveSpoils.com) provides a solution that encourages personal shopping for the sake of rewarding your significant other.  Both singles and couples can join LoveSpoils, either separately or in joint accounts, and accumulate reward points, called “LoveSpoils,” by purchasing items from a variety of online retailers.  These LoveSpoils can then be used to purchase and/or apply toward discounts to exclusive items and promotions on the LoveSpoils site – ideally intended for their significant other.  For example – if one partner goes online and purchases a set of golf clubs, their LoveSpoils reward points can be used by the other partner to obtain a discounted dress from Rent the Runway.

Just click on the site and you can request membership!

Master Lock National Random Acts of Kindness Week & Giveaway Coming Soon!

February 13th - 19th is National Random Acts of Kindness Week and throughout the week, Master Lock will share a bit of kindness by distributing free gym locks at six area workout centers to inspire gym-goers to stick to their New Year’s fitness resolutions.  If you live in Chicago, Los Angelos, San Francisco, New York, Dallas or Miami, be on the lookout!  Research shows that by February, 36 percent of people have abandoned their resolutions, and by April, that total increases to 54 percent. I have stuck to my resolution and in fact, I started mine back in June of 2010 and have lost 30 pounds.  I am now running daily and mostly watching what I eat.  Head out to the Master Lock FB page and tell what your random act of kindness was!

As an extra incentive, Master Lock is going to help you "lock up" your fitness resolution by giving away the 1534D Password Lock AND gift certificates on their Facebook page during the National Random Acts of Kindness week.

Need some extra help in doing some good deeds?  Master Lock has some suggestions:  

Write It Down…and Share It. Simply thinking through your resolutions and storing them mentally isn’t going to ensure you stay committed. Having a list of goals in your organizer, smart phone, or social media profile that you can easily access and share will reinforce your promise to yourself and spur encouragement from your followers and friends.

• Get the right gear. Whether your goals revolve around getting back in the gym or being more organized at home, having the right products to help you succeed is a must. For organization, the 7148D document storage box can help keep important documents safely filed away.  To securely organize your digital life, register for a free account atwww.masterlockvault.com to safely store your user names, passwords and other confidential data for easy access anytime, anywhere.  Getting good shoes, proper work-out wear, and a new gym lock such as the 1534D Password lock will help reinvigorate your enthusiasm to exercise.
• Do it for a Month. In order for a new behavior to become a habit, you must stick to it for at least 30 days. Setting this small goal will make achieving your overall resolution more realistic. Plus, you can be encouraged when you’ve reached the one-month mark and assess your progress.
• Keep a Journal. Commit to writing one to two sentences about your progress toward your goals each day. Keeping a written record of how you’re doing will keep your resolution top of mind and motivate you to continue to make changes. 
• One Step at a Time. Don’t set too many goals and then try tackling them all at once. Make one goal your priority and focus on changing your habits to achieve it. Once you’ve mastered it, set your sights on two additional goals, giving yourself realistic timelines to achieve them and go from there. 

Coming soon is a giveaway of your very own 1534D Password Lock (pictured above) along with a review!

Leapin' for Leap Pad Giveaway 2/29

Welcome to the Leapin' for Leap Pad Giveaway!

This giveaway event is organized by ShePromotes and sponsored by a group of fabulous ShePromotes bloggers! We've come together to offer you one of the hottest children's products of the year -- the Leap Frog Explorer Tablet! Even better, as part of the event, you will have the chance to enter to win 1 of 2 Leap Frog Explorer Tablet prize packs! Yes, we are giving away 2 to 2 lucky winners!

How to enter

Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter for your chance to win. The giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents, 18+ and will be open through 11:59pm EST on February, 29th. You have until the end of the day on Leap Day to enter for your chance to win! Please note that there are two separate Rafflecopter forms. Each prize package has its own form and its own entry requirements. You will earn bonus entries for entering on both Rafflecopter forms! Enter to win the other prize package here!

Good luck and get Leapin' for Leap Pad!