Sunday, September 25, 2011

Win A $500 Apple Gift Card!

I’m posting this to enter a contest offered by Cashier Live, a point of sale software company, at Indie Biz Chicks. Enter to win here!

Sunday, September 11, 2011

20 Best Ways To Save Money By NOT Being Normal

Interesting article on Christian Personal Finance about different ways to save money. Many of them I already knew and practiced but I dunno about number 19! LOL

Friday, September 9, 2011

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

GoMattresses.com Review

As part of my overall wellness initative for this year, I've been been shopping for a new mattress for bedroom. Studies have shown that getting quality, restful sleep is important for physical and mental well-being, and getting adequate sleep can impact your weight as well! Lack of restful sleep can affect your body in a variety of ways, so if your mattress is old or uncomfortable, you should think about replacing it.

While I was shopping for mattresses I came across GoMattresses.com. Not only do they have a wide array of mattresses to choose from in all the names you know and love (Enso, Lady Americana, Primo International, and Simmons) but they also offer free shipping on EVERYTHING, as well as no sales tax! This, combined with their already low prices means on average I can save a lot of money vs. shopping at my local store.

Their site is well laid out and organized by the type of mattress you like (Plush, Pillow Top, Firm, Euro Top, Memory Foam, or All Mattresses if you want to see everything). They even offer bed frames and futons!

The mattress I'm interested in is Beautyrest Exceptionale Whitecliff Extra Firm Mattress by Simmons Beautyrest® which right now is an AMAZING deal! The retail is $2,179, their regular price is $1,559 (a 38% savings) but right now it's on sale for $1,299 which is 40% off retail! Plus no sales tax means I save another 8%, and free delivery (most stores in my area charge a delivery fee).
*sigh* Isn't it gorgeous! I love that it's an extra-firm mattress which for me provides the most restful sleep (although if I wanted to, I could easily add a topper to soften it up). Plus, Simmons Beautyrest is one of the premiere brands in mattresses so I know I'm buying a quality product.

Product descriptions are very detailed - here is the one for my mattress:

The Beautyrest Exceptionale Whitecliff Extra Firm Mattress by Simmons is constructed from thicker wire gauge springs, and is best suited to those who prefer a very firm and supported mattress. Beautyrest Exceptionale collection mattresses feature two story coil on coil construction; a complete layer of plush Pocketed Coil springs that provide a comfortable sleeping surface, and a bottom layer of firm Pocketed Coil springs that provide the ultimate in support. The 1960 Density Pocketed Coil Unit provides the highest level of motion separation and conform-ability that is offered by Simmons. Ultra 360 Foam Encasement features 3 inches of high density foam edge support.

GoMattresses.com also offers foundations (boxsprings) if you need them, as well as bed frames and pillows so you can take care of all your bedding needs at once!

Shipping time is very reasonable (2-4 weeks, according to their site) and comparable to my local stores.

If you're in the market for a new bed I highly recommend this site. After all, if you're spending about one-third of your life in bed, shouldn't you be comfortable??

Friday, June 10, 2011

Pampers Little Miracle Mission


Pampers has partnered with several bloggers to promote their Little Miracle Mission campaign. They've even launched an app on their Facebook page.

From their website:

ABOUT LITTLE MIRACLE MISSIONS

Pampers is working hard to make this world a better place for every little miracle.

Little Miracle Missions is a program that encourages people to help one another in fun, unexpected ways. From time to time we'll suggest a way for you to support a little miracle. Gather some friends to join the cause and Pampers will complete their own larger mission reaching families across the country. Think of it as a chain of good started by you.

Every time you do some good you can enter The Little Miracles sweepstakes for a chance to win free diapers and wipes for a year*. *Limit one entry per person per day.


To that end, each blogger is offering 1 of their readers the chance to win a FABULOUS prize! Each lucky winner will receive a $300 AMEX Gift Card to help host a baby shower for someone special in their life. Please see each participating blog for their entry requirements and bonus opportunities - they're blog-specific and not campaign-specific.


Monday, May 23, 2011

Kelly Moore Bag and Sharper Image Wireless Indoor/Outdoor Speaker Pair & Dock from Mom Spotted

Mom Spotted has 2 great giveaways ending next week that I've entered.

The first giveaway is for the winner's choice of a gorgeous bag from Kelly Moore Bag. My favorite from their collection is the JuJu Bag in Walnut (pictured here) - it's timeless, classic, beautiful.

Although I'm thinking I might step out of my comfort zone and go for something else with some color - maybe the B-Hobo Bag in Coral, the Libby in a gorgeous Sapphire Blue or the Posey Bag in Orange Sherbert. Decisions, decisions.....


The second giveaway is for a Wireless Indoor / Outdoor Speaker Pair and Dock from The Shaper Image. I never really considered getting speakers for the outdoors, until I got a one for my front deck - and now I wonder how I ever lived without it! I thought it would only be great when entertaining, but I find myself enjoying it all the time - especially when outside working in the flower beds, or sitting on the deck with a cup of coffee.

Unfortunately it's built into a planter, so it's not very portable - it's too heavy for me to lift and move around. My back deck is the one I spend more time on now that my son is home for the summer (more seating, the grill is there, as well as my deck garden) so I'd love to have one for the back deck as well.

I love that the dock can be indoors (since the transmission range is 150 feet), so I can leave the dock (and my iPod!) indoors away from the elements, dust, pollen, etc. The speakers are weather resistant, so I won't worry if they get rained on. Plus, unlike my speaker in the front, this is designed to be portable, so I can bring it with me to the beach, on vacation, or to a friend's house. Crossing my fingers on this one :)

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Electrolux Nimble Vacuum and $75 Naturalizer GC Giveaways at The Fashionable Housewife

The Fashionable Housewife has 2 giveaways ending on May 29th that I've entered.


The second is for a $75 gift card to Naturalizer Shoes, so you can pick up a great new pair of shoes or sandals for the summer!

Even if you enter late in the game your chances are good, because there are tons of extra entries.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Country Crock - Spread the Love of Vegetables


Country Crock has partnered with several bloggers to promote their Spread the Love of Vegetables campaign. They've even launched an app on their Facebook page.

To that end, each blogger is offering 3 of their readers the chance to win a FABULOUS prize! Two winners will each receive a Veggie Party Kit of their own (estimated value $100 per kit) and one Grand Prize winner will receive a $200 AMEX Gift Card to help buy healthy groceries for their family.
Please see each participating blog for their entry requirements and bonus opportunities - they're blog-specific and not campaign-specific.

Being Alison - ending 5-25

Christian Clippers - ending 6-9

Head over to Eighty MPH Mom where you can win a $200 American Express gift card or 1 of 2 Country Crock Prize Packs! ending 5-25

Mom Start - ending 5-30

Mommies with Cents - ending 5-31

Mommy Enterprises - ending 5-27

My SLC Mommy - ending 5-29

Nicole's Nickels - ending 5-30

Our Ordinary Life - ending 5-26

She Scribes - ending 5-25

Simply Stacie - ending 5-31

Two of a Kind - ending 5-23

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Win an iPad 2 from The Centsible Life & CheckNGo

I’m posting this to enter a contest offered by CheckNGo at The Centsible Life! I want to win the iPad 2! Enter to win here: http://bit.ly/TCLiPad

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Win a Year Supply of Michael Angelo’s Meals for Mother’s Day!

Five bloggers offering their readers a chance to win a year's worth of Michael Angelo's meals, just in time for Mother's Day! The prize will be awarded as 52 free product coupons, so you can use them for your family, or share them with family, friends or your even your favorite charity!

The giveaway ends on the 15th and there are TONS of ways to earn extra entries, including blogging about it (worth 10 entries) and recording a video of your tip (worth 25 entries!).

I recorded my tip, you can see it here. Now that I'm really watching how/what I eat, I try to get rid of any excess fat I can, so I use this tpip quite often.

The participating bloggers are:

Dear Crissy




Thursday, May 5, 2011

Hayneedle Twitter Party

Hayneedle is throwing a Twitter Party on Thrusday, May 5th beginning at 8pm ET. All you have to do to participate is use #hayneedle in your tweets and participate in the conversation!

Follow the host, @hayneedle on Twitter

Prizes (copied directly from their post):
Cedar Cabana 5 x 5-ft. Sandbox with Side Screens
Storkcraft Tuscany Convertible Crib and Changer Combo - Espresso
Great American Woodies Red Cedar Classic Porch Swing
Weber Q 100 Gas Grill
Ravenscroft Beveled Orbital Magnum Decanter
Espresso Classic Jewelry Armoire
Cabos Collection Patio Dining Set - Seats 4
Coral Coast 9 ft. Push Button Tilt Patio Umbrella

Monday, March 28, 2011

SALONPAS review

I was sent a sample SALONPAS patch from a twitter party a few months ago. I recently had a reason to use it, and I was surprised at how well it worked! I have degenerative arthritis in my knees and there are times when the pain is debilitating. The SALONPAS patch helped relieve the pain - while it wasn't gone completely, it was significantly better and I was able to resume my normal activities. The patch stayed on well, yet was easy to remove. There was a faint medicinal odor but it wasn't overwhelming.

I had never heard of this product before the last Twitter party, but now I'm a believer. I've already made a note to pick some up when I go shopping this weekend.

SALONPAS is sponsoring another Twitter party tonight, and there's a link where you can sign up for a free sample to try it for yourself!

SALONPAS Twitter Party tonight 8-9:230pm ET #salonpas

SALONPAS Twitter Party this Monday 3/28 from 8-9:30pm EST with $2000 in Prizes! Hosted by Stacie @ The Divine Miss Mommy. The hashtag to follow for the party is #salonpas

According to Stacie's post, these are the prizes that will be awarded during the party. Please refer to her post to get all the details.

PARTY PRIZES
Continental US Winners Only

The Family Traveler Package – 3 Winners (approximate value $350)
  • $250 Amex Gift Card to help you buy gas, snacks, and souvenirs
  • Flip Video Camera
  • SALONPAS samples

The Relax and Unwind Package – 4 Winners (approximate value $115)
  • Beach Chair
  • Beach Bag
  • Beach Towel
  • SALONPAS samples

The Are We There Yet? Package – 5 Winners (approximate value $75)
  • Travel Games for the car
  • Travel Mugs for Mom and Dad
  • SALONPAS samples

Thursday, March 10, 2011

HP TouchSmart 310 giveaway at Dear Crissy

Dear Crissy is giving away an HP TouchSmart 310. I would love to win this for my mom - she still doesn't have a computer, I've tried to give her ones in the past but she's not very tech savvy (luckily for me, I didn't inherit that trait. HA!)
With it's design, the HP TouchSmart 310 would be perfect for her as a media center, and she'll be seduced into using it as a computer :) Touch-screen technology will mean it'll be easy for her to use and the design means she won't have to sacrifice a lot of space, or deal with a lot of cords. This will fit perfectly at the end of her breakfast bar, so she can use it to match movies or TV shows, watch videos, browse recipes (she'll finally have access to all the recipes she could ever want!), print coupons, etc.

The thing I think I'll enjoy the most though is the ability to Skype with her - so often when I call her she says she's fine, but I have a feeling she's not well. Being able to actually see her would
make it harder for her to lie to me :)

Here are the specs:
  • Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
  • AMD Athlon II X2 240e Dual-Core Processor (2.80GHz)
  • ATI Radeon HD 4270 integrated graphics
  • 640GB 7200RPM Serial ATA hard drive
  • 2GB DDR3 memory
  • Slim-tray DVD burner with LightScribe
  • Wireless-N LAN card
  • HP Wireless Keyboard and Wireless Optical Mouse
The giveaway ends on the 13th and there lots of entry opportunities available!

Sunday, March 6, 2011

So Delicious® Coconut Milk on BlogHer

BlogHer has partnered with So Delicious® Dairy Free to promote their Original Coconut Milk Beverage. Ten bloggers committed to using So Delicious® coconut milk 7 ways in 7 days and report their findings.

I've not tried coconut milk before, so I was interested in what they had to say. I've tried different milk alternatives (soy, almond) as part of my diet and I've not found anything I really like yet. I'm not a fan of coconut so I wouldn't have considered this before reading about it on BlogHer, but I'll definitely give coconut milk a try. I think I would use it in cereal, coffee, in instant pudding (sugar-free of course) and I might even get adventurous and try it out of the carton!

As part of the promotion, these 10 bloggers are giving away $100 on each of their blogs. Stop by, see what they have to say and share your own tips for your chance to win!
  1. A Lovely Thing
  2. Burgh Baby
  3. Geek Turned Athlete
  4. It's Twinsanity!
  5. Jenny on the Spot
  6. Kirida
  7. Lauren's Latest
  8. Novel Eats
  9. Raising Colorado
  10. Twinfinite Chaos

This sweepstakes runs from February 23, 2011 to March 20, 2011 and is only open to individuals who, at the time of entry deadline, are legal residents of the United States and are 18 years or older. Click here for official rules. Good luck!

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Copper Llama - Allsop Home & Garden Solar Garden Art and Himalayan Salt Lamp giveaways

People tease me for entering so many giveaways, but one of the things they don't understand is that I actually follow most of the blogs I enter giveaways on, and I love finding new blogs to read. I got lucky about a week or so ago, and saw a tweet for a contest that caught my eye, which introduced me to a new blog, Copper Llama. Their tagline is: Just a bit of this and a bit of that. Eco Friendly, Re-Usable, Recycled, Organic and Interesting Product Reviews and Giveaways.

I read a few of their old reviews and I like their writing style, and the types of products they review. I'm looking forward to reading more postings from Jamie :)

The tweet that caught my eye is for a Firefly™ Originals piece of garden art from Allsop Home & Garden. I love that it's not only beautiful, but has a solar cell and LED light so you can enjoy it at night as well :) The one I picked (if I'm lucky enough to win) is the Blue Poppy. I love the color :) There are lots of others to choose from, in several colors and styles. This giveaway ends on the 6th and there are lots of ways to gain entry (plus, unlimited tweets!)

Another giveaway on Copper Llama that I saw was for a Salt Lamp from the Himalayan Salt Shop. I've been wanting one of these for my bedroom forever, not only for their cleansing properties, but I think it would be an awesome night light (yes, I sleep with a night light) and my friends wouldn't tease me about having this in my bedroom :) This giveaway ends on the 14th and like the garden art, there are lots of entry options along with unlimited tweets!

Sunday, February 27, 2011

3 Pink Dandy Chatter giveaways ending tonight - BHCosmetics, EatSmart and Nutra Luxe MD

Pink Dandy Chatter is a blog I've discovered recently that I love. From their "About Me" page:

Pink Dandy is a spin off company of Raw Beauty that was created by Janae Chang in 2004. What really sets Pink Dandy apart from other bath and beauty products is that we maintain consistent quality in each and every product, ensure that our products are made with rich, natural ingredients and are knowledgeable about our customers wants and needs in skincare and candle products.

Pink Dandy not only enriches ones skin and soul, but, is also created in fun and playfully designed packaging. Pink Dandy’s promise is to always provide you with Vegan Friendly products that are Cruelty Free and contain No Phthalates. Enjoy and embrace the skin you’re born with and pamper it to the fullest with Pink Dandy’s gourmet bath and beauty products.

Their blog is a mix of reviews, recipes and giveaways that I really enjoy. They have 3 giveaways ending tonight that I've entered:

Third Edition 120 Color Eyeshadow Palette from BHCosmetics. Priced at under $35, this is an AMAZING value. so even if I don't win one I think I'll buy one to treat myself :)

Infusor Sonic Wrinkle Remover System from Nutra Luxe MD. As much as I hate to admit it, I AM aging and I've had puffiness around my eyes for longer than I care to admit, so this would be an amazing win :)

Digital Bathroom Scale from EatSmart. I'd love to win this, so I could track my weight loss progress at home, instead of waiting for my monthly weigh-ins at the nutritionist's office.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Red Envelope

I love Red Envelope at all times of the year, but they're really going all-out this year for Valentine's Day. They've teamed up with a ton of different bloggers to host giveaways all over the blogosphere! They've created a catalog of their suggested Valentine's Day gifts, if you're not sure what to get that special someone. Me personally, I've picked out a couple of things that I liked:

Here's a listing of the giveaways I've found so far - I've noted what the giveaway is for, but please refer to each specific blog for their entry requirements. Each blogger handles their giveaways differently :)

Thursday, February 24, 2011

I've finally made the commitment to lose weight

I've finally decided it's time to actively work at losing weight. To that end, I'm now seeing a nutrionist monthly who has given me diet and exercise goals - I met her for the first time today. I also have to keep a food journal (UGH!) detailing everything I eat, along with calorie counts, fat and sugar grams, and how I was feeling. It's a total PITA (did you know a Dot has 12 calories? Or that a slice of pepperoni has 10 calories?) but it has been enlightening.

The hardest part is that I LOVE to cook, so it's tough figuring out calorie counts when I make a pot of spaghetti and meat sauce for example (whole wheat pasta, and 3/4 ground turkey to 1/4 ground beef, with tons of veggies in the sauce, so don't start with me!).

I've thought about doing something easier like NutriSystem for a loooong time now, but I just don't know. I'm not a terribly picky eater but I do have several foods I hate (any type of pea or bean for example), so I wonder how it'll work for me. Since I can't pick up their food at the local store I've never tried it, so I wonder about the taste.

One Savvy Mom! is trying NutriSystem for the next 16 weeks and blogging about it, and in conjunction with that she's offering one lucky reader a full MONTH of NutriSystem food! I envy her that she only needs to lose 25-30 pounds. She'll be blogging about her progress weekly, and then selecting a winner on Friday February 25, 2011. Entries will be combined from all her weekly posts.

If I lost half my body weight, I'd still be technically overweight. It's sobering. I just have to keep in mind that it went on 1 pound at a time, so it has to come off that way, too. I'd love to drop 50 (or 100!!) pounds overnight but that won't happen.

Update 11/30 - I got weighed, and I've lost 3.84% of my body weight since I started on 10/25. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. The hardest thing for me is eating breakfast every day - I generally don't. I've been cheating a bit by drinking a Boost on the mornings where I'm rushed (which is most weekday mornings) which the nutritionist is OK with. Plus it boosts my fiber intake for the day (which I don't really have a problem with, but it doesn't hurt).

I actually think I lost more than that before Thanksgiving, but that weekend I indulged a little (ham, mashed potatoes, red velvet cake). No where near as much as I used to eat, but I definitely exceeded my 1600 calories/day for that 4-day weekend.

Update 2/1 - I got weighed again today, and I'm down almost 10% from when I started. I still really struggle with portion control and meal composition though - which is why I'm REALLY hoping I win One Savvy Mom's giveaway!

You can read her updates over the last 4 months and find out more about Nutrisystem and their food/plan by checking out the posts below:

Week 1 - she's down 1.5 pounds!
Week 5 - another 11 pounds gone (and this was over Thanksgiving!)
Week 8 - a New Year, another pound gone
Week 10 - another pound gone... but more importantly she's learning healthy eating habits!
Week 12 - yet another pound gone!
Week 13 - buttered popcorn? Sign me up!
Week 15 - another 3 pounds gone!

Update 2/27 - YAYAY I won, I won, I won! I'm so excited I can't even tell you. I can't wait to try this for myself :)

YAY! I got a new office chair :)

I've posted before about how much I needed a new office chair - well, I broke down last week and ordered one from Office Depot, and I LOVE it! This is the one I got:


I has a $30 gift card I'd won in an IWG (my son had one too that he gave to me), plus it was on sale and I had a coupon, so it made this chair VERY affordable. I figured that even though I'd only need a B&T chair for a few more months, it would still be comfortable after I lost weight so why not? Plus the price was comparable to "regular" office chairs, which was a pleasant surprise. As much time as I spend in this chair, I wanted to get something that would be comfortable, well-made and last... so if it's made to support 350#, it should hold me no problem :)

It took me awhile to put it together - holy moly, this sucker is HEAVY! - but it was pretty straightfoward. My only complaint? I ordered the black, but got the expresso brown (when I called they were out of black). The stitching is a contrasting tan color, which makes the chair feel cheap (to me). Other than that, I'm thrilled with my purchase!

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Recumbent Bike giveaway at Girl Gone Mom

I've been shopping for a recumbent bike for a few months now - not only would it help me with my weight loss, but my orthopedist recommends it for my knee for strength/flexibility/mobility. Imagine my delight when I saw that Girl Gone Mom is hosting a giveaway (sponsored by Hayneedle's FitnessEquipmentExpress.com store) for a Stamina 4825 Magnetic Recumbent Exercise Bike which would be PERFECT for what I need!

Monday, February 21, 2011

Edy’s Slow Churned Shakes & Smoothies

Edy’s Slow Churned Shakes & Smoothies are a new single-serve product (found in the freezer section) that you just add milk to, stir, and drink! I first learned about them because of some giveaways I saw posted. On my last trip to Walmart, I found the Vanilla shake, and the Tropical smoothie (mango, passion fruit and pineapple) varieties.

My son claimed the Tropical smoothie (and declared it delicious!) and drank it so fast I didn't get a chance to snap a photo. I did ask him to take a picture of me drinking the Vanilla, and this was the best of the bunch (I didn't have any straws so I just drank it out of the cup).

The Vanilla tasted great, and it was very easy to blend. I'm thinking next time I might add some of my sugar-free syrups (caramel, or raspberry, or lemon) to change up the flavor.

I like that these are relatively low in calories (~200 each after you add milk) and are great for having on hand for that time when you want a shake or smoothie. This is definitely something I can work into my diet and not feel guilty. I also love that they're self-contained... no blender needed!

There's currently 4 Shake flavors (Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry, Cookies n'Cream) and 4 Smoothie flavors (Strawberry Banana, Mixed Berry, Tropical and Sunrise Blend (peach, orange, banana)). I found them at Walmart for $1.50 each which is very reasonable. There's also a coupon I found for Buy 2, Get 1 Free which brings the price down to $1 each.

To get the word out about their product, Edys has teamed up with several bloggers to offer Walmart gift cards to purchase their product to try for yourself! You can enter to win on the following blogs (check each blog for their specific terms and entry requirements):

3 Kids and Us - ends 2/21
Consumer Queen - ends 2/21
MomDot - ends 2/21
Mommy Goggles - ends 2/21
Outnumbered Mama - ends 2/21
What's That Smell? - ends 2/21

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Prilosec-palooza! Prilosec OTC gift pack giveaways

Holy Moly, things were hopping on Twitter today! I was finally able to check in late in the day, and I saw dozens of tweets in my stream all about Prilosec OTC, $100 AMEX gift card giveaways and #POTCBOGO. Oh course my interest was piqued, so I did a little investigating... I didn't even know what Prilosec was, and I was wondering why they were hosting giveaways.

I found out that Prilosec OTC is an over-the-counter (OTC), once-a-day Heartburn medication that works by blocking the stomach pumps that produce acid.

From the sponsor's website: Prilosec OTC Blocks Heartburn
When you eat, millions of tiny pumps in your stomach lining create acid to break down food. Normally your lower esophageal sphincter (LES) works as a door, opening and closing to let food pass from your esophagus into your stomach.

When your LES relaxes, excess acids flow up, or reflux, into your esophagus. This creates the painful sensation of heartburn.

Prilosec OTC works by directly blocking many of the active stomach pumps that produce acid before they start. Prilosec OTC is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI). The way Prilosec OTC works to fight heartburn sets it in a whole separate class from other treatments such as histamine blockers or antacids.


Right now, they have a special offer: buy 2 Prilosec OTC in a single transaction, and get a $25 gift card back (mail-in rebate). In looking at their website, there's also an opportunity to get coupons or even a free sample!

To advertise their rebate promotion (as well as get buzz going about their product in general) they turned to bloggers, and they came out in force. At last count, there were over 40 different bloggers who are participating. Each is giving out a Prilosec prize pack which includes a $100 AMEX gift card! I was able to put together a list - refer to each blog for their giveaway specifics (duration, entry opportunities, etc.):
  1. 3 Garnets, 2 Sapphires
  2. A Mom's Balancing Act
  3. A Mom's Impression
  4. A Mom's Take
  5. ace & friends co
  6. Acting Balanced
  7. An Island Life
  8. And Twins Make 5
  9. At The Fence
  10. Babes and Kids Reviews
  11. Baby Loving Mama
  12. Being Alison
  13. Blessings Abound Mommy
  14. Chief Family Officer
  15. Cocktails with Mom
  16. Daddy Digest
  17. The Divine Miss Mommy
  18. Eighty MPH Mom - Head over to Eighty MPH Mom where you can win a $100 American Express Gift Card and Prilosec Prize Pack!
  19. Empowering Mommy
  20. Energizer Bunny's Mommy Reports
  21. Fun Saving Money
  22. Guide to Smart Shopping
  23. I Could Use A Deal
  24. Just Married with Coupons
  25. Kiddies Corner Deals
  26. Ladybug Soup
  27. Fabulous Won
  28. Laughing Lindsay
  29. Mom Start
  30. Momma Findings
  31. Mommy Katie
  32. Moody Mama Says
  33. My Silly Monkeys
  34. My Thoughts, Ideas and Ramblings
  35. The Not-So-Blog
  36. One Mom's World
  37. The Post-it Place
  38. Review Avenues
  39. Sage and Savvy
  40. Sharing Savings With You
  41. She Scribes
  42. Simplified $aving
  43. Songberries
  44. Southern Bella's Ways to Save
  45. Tatum's Family Reviews
  46. What's That Buzz

If I see any more participating blogs, I'll add them to the list :)

Monday, February 14, 2011

Happy Valentine's Day!

Another Valentine's Day *sigh* I never understood why people needed a day to express their love to someone else - shouldn't that be every day? And yes, I've always felt like this... I'm not just saying that because I'm single! Seriously though, never overlook an opportunity to tell someone how you feel about them, because you never know - you may not get another chance.

I don't know if it's a coincidence or not, but a lot of Valentine-appropriate giveaways are ending today. Jewelry, chocolates, cheesecake, electronics and more are all up for grabs. Here's a sampling of the ones I've entered.

Blessinga Abound Mommy is giving away a coupon for a free Delizza Desserts! If you've never tried these before you're missing out! I love that they're small, and frozen - so I can just take out a couple when I want to treat myself but I'm not tempted by the entire container. It makes my diet bearable :)

Mama Must Have It is giving away a $100 gift certificate to Hayneedle. She reviewed an awesome Proform Stride Select Folding Elliptical Trainer that may not seem very romantic, but if you and/or your loved one are working towards getting fit this year, it would be a lovely gift! Still not your thing? Hayneedle has over 200 specialty stores - trust me, you'll find at least 187 other items you'll want! Everything from Astronomy Binoculars to Writing Desks ,and hundreds of things in-between.

Optimistic Beauty is giving away a $100 gift certificate to CSN Stores. Everytime I go to that site, I find something else I love - like this blender, this gorgeous goose down duvet, this awesome gear art piece with clock for my living room, or this kitchen island with a pull-out table extension. *sigh* isn't it lovely? Forget diamonds, flowers, chocolate - I'll take furniture any day! It would be perfect for my kitchen.

My Four Monkeys is hosting a giveaway for a Crisco Get Inspired prize pack (worth over $120!) that includes (according to Angie):
  • a bottle each of Crisco 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Crisco Pure Olive Oil and Crisco Light Olive Oil
  • set of four Italian Recipe Pasta Bowls from Williams-Sonoma
  • Herbs of Tuscany window box kit from WindowBox.com
  • pair of herb scissors from Crate & Barrel
  • 12" bamboo spoon from Crate & Barrel
  • salt pig with scoop from Crate & Barrel
This would be perfect for a date night - pick up some salad makings, fresh pasta, a nice bottle of wine, maybe a little shrimp or chicken and cook up a Mediterranean feast! I can't think of a better way to spend Valentine's Day :)

Our Ordinary Life has 2 giveaways ending tonight- the first for a Flip UltraHD (Valentine's Day edition - winner's choice from over 60 different designs). Who knew there were soooo many ways to show your love? LOL

The second Our Ordinary Life giveaway ending tonight is for an Orb TV, which allows you to stream internet content (like Netflix, Hulu, Pandora, etc.) to your TVs. This would be great since most of the TVs in my house aren't internet ready, so instead of watching Hulu on my desktop in the office, I can watch it from the comfort of my bedroom!

The Bragging Mommy is giving away a goegeous Pearlotica Love Pendant with AAA Freshwater Round Pearl necklace. Since the pearl is my birthstone, I can look at this as an early birthday present :)

My Valentine's Day plans consist of some shrimp fried rice *YUM* and turtle cheesecake *DOUBLE YUM* and a movie... not sure which one though. Maybe Serendipity. Something light-hearted and fun.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Time for a new office chair :(

Well, the inevitable has happened - my office chair is broken! Time, and my big (__|__) have finally taken it's toll on my office chair so I've been shopping for a new office chair on the shoplet.com website. I spend a lot of time in my office chair between social networking, contests, email, and now with tax season rolling around that's even MORE hours (tax software helps but dear Lord taxes are complicated!!). I need to be comfortable.

I think I've got it narrowed down to this one: HON Boda Series High-Back Work Chair. It's well-made, appears comfortable will give me hours of comfort... and judging from the pile of forms I have for doing my taxes this year, I'll be spending hours sitting in it! LOL

Giveaways ending this weekend

It's been awhile since I've posted but I did want to share some great giveaways I've entered that are ending this weekend. I have lots of other stuff to share too... maybe I can find the motivation to get it all down tomorrow.


Monday, February 7, 2011

Platinum Collection Carpet cleaner giveaway from The Night Owl Mama

The Night Owl Mama is hosting a giveaway for a a Hoover Platinum Collection Carpet cleaner, sponsored by Hoover.



From the sponsor's website: The Hoover Platinum Collection™ Carpet Cleaner uses MaxExtract Technology™ to remove more dirt from carpet than other leading brands of carpet cleaners.* Includes Hoover's best-in-class six year limited warranty.

Removes More Dirt: The Hoover Platinum Collection™ Carpet Cleaner uses MaxExtract Technology™ to remove more dirt from carpet than other leading brands of carpet cleaners.*
Removes more dirt with less detergent than leading competitor based on FCT-0024p and FCT-0284.

MaxExtract Technology: MaxExtract Technology™ features the most advanced combination of multi-action agitation, carpet washing, dirt removal and direct heat drying - to provide the look of professionally groomed carpet that you can live on within hours of cleaning. Dual scrubbing, multi-directional brushes have been specifically engineered to surround carpet fibers, removing dirt at every angle. High velocity suction removes the dirty water from the carpet while applying forced heat to speed up dry time.

Integrated Spot Cleaning: High intensity LED spotlight illuminates problem areas. Two spot cleaning settings: Stream setting for smaller spots and stains and the Spray setting to attack heavy traffic areas.

Computerized Cleaning Modes: Choose between Carpet or Rug settings. Wash with AutoRinse: Patented technology that automatically rinses your carpet with fresh water, leaving less soap residue behind for a cleaner carpet longer. Illuminating wash and rinse lights give you instant feedback and confidence you are cleaning properly. Tank indicator lights alert you when a tank needs to be filled or emptied.

Convenient Cleaning Tools: Clean stairs and other hard to reach areas with the SpinScrub powered hand tool, upholstery tool, or crevice tool attached to a super stretch hose.


The Night Owl Mama writes a very comprehensive reivew of the product (including the attachments in a separate post), and even posted a video!

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Super Bowl XLV Recliner Giveaway at GoRecliners.com

The Pittsburg Steelers and Green Bay Packers are facing off this Sunday in Super Bowl XLV in Dallas, Texas. GoRecliners.com is giving one lucky reader the opportunity to win a black leather recliner by Mac Motion Chairs, by accurately predicting the final score of the game.

GoRecliners.com has an amazing selection of recliners at extremely affordable prices. Check out their selection of Leather Swivel Recliners, Leather Recliner and Ottomans and Leather Reclining Chairs.

For this giveaway, the winner will receive a $399 USD gift certificate to use towards the purchase of the Black 7292 Series Leather Swivel Recliner with Ottoman by Mac Motion Chairs.

I'm picking Green Bay to win, the final score will be 31-21.


Find out more details on the official Super Bowl XLV Recliner Giveaway page. Good luck!

Friday, February 4, 2011

Sweet Tomatoes Super Bowl Sunday Meal Deal

Souplantation has come out with a great deal for your Super Bowl party! For only $49.95, you can feed up to 12 people with this yummy spread:
  • gallon of their Deep Kettle House Chili with toppings
  • dozen freshly baked cornbread muffins
  • party-sized Caesar Salad
  • baker’s dozen of their house-made Chocolate Chip Cookies
To get the word out about this deal, Souplantation has teamed up with a few different bloggers who are hosting sponsored giveaways on their sites. Please refer to each for their specific entry requirements. Most of these giveaways end today, so you can get your food in time for Sunday!!

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Jimmy Dean D-lights "Better Breakfast, Better You" on BlogHer

BlogHer has partnered with Jimmy Dean D-lights for their “Better Breakfast, Better You” Program. Twenty-five bloggers are reflecting on their health choices over 2010 and trying to make better choices in 2011.

Jimmy Dean D-lights. A great tasting breakfast for under 300 calories. Click here to learn more and here to check out D-lights products!

For me personally, the bad health choices I've made in 2010 (and earlier) are too many to list - lack of exercise, skipping meals, eating way too much processed/fast food, not watching portion sizes, calories, fats or sugars, lack of sleep and just basically neglecting my own health. I started working with a nutritionist late October... mostly because I knew the holidays were coming up and I wanted to get a jump on getting myself under control! I actually lost weight over Thanksgiving and Christmas *woohoo* and my goal is to lose 100 pounds this year.

Although I've not been able to exercise as much as I should due to my physical limitations, just making the following changes to my diet has allowed me to lose over 20 pounds so far:

  1. No skipping meals.
  2. Reading food labels, checking portion sizes, fat grams and sugars. Nothing with any form of sugar in the first 5 ingredients (I read that somewhere, it's easy to remember).
  3. Eating breakfast within an hour of waking up. I try to have some cheese and a piece of toast and some fruit, but I don't always have the time - these Jimmy Dean D-lights would be perfect to have on hand!
  4. I switched to whole wheat pasta, and double-fiber bread (or multi-grain for a change of pace). I don't like brown rice or sweet potatoes, so I limit rice and potatoes to once a week (either/or not both).
  5. No more sodas. That was tough. Now it's strictly water, with the occasional glass of juice or tea, or a cup of coffee. Water only though after noon.
  6. I've added a fruit and/or veg to every meal. EVERY meal. No, french fries are NOT veggies!
  7. No eating after 7pm. This one is tough, and there are times I still am hungry at night. If I can't stand it, it's some cheese or fruit.
  8. Lunch is my biggest meal of the day.
  9. I generally don't consume carbs with dinner. If I do, I seem to get those late night munchies.

As part of the “Better Breakfast, Better You” Program, these 25 bloggers are giving away $100 on each of their blogs. Stop by, see what they have to say and share your own tips for your chance to win!

  1. A Lovely Thing
  2. Barking Mad
  3. Black Belt Mama
  4. Busy Mom
  5. Cheat Day Cafe
  6. Creating Motherhood
  7. Eclectic Recipes
  8. Faith, Fitness, Fun
  9. From My Tiny Kitchen
  10. Jamie Cooks It Up!
  11. Lamb Around
  12. Our Life in the Kitchen
  13. Quadville
  14. Raising Colorado
  15. Reproductive Jeans
  16. Retro-Food
  17. Roots and Wings Co
  18. Smashed Peas and Carrots
  19. Taste and Tell
  20. The Branches
  21. The Maynard Moment
  22. The Polka Dot Chair
  23. The Sassy Crumudgeon
  24. The Skinny Gourmet
  25. You, Me & The Kid

This sweepstakes runs from December 28, 2010 to January 30, 2011 and is only open to individuals who, at the time of entry deadline, are legal residents of the United States and are 18 years or older. Winners will be randomly selected from all eligible entries. Click here for official rules. Good luck!

2 MomSpotted giveaways ending tonight - Tyson Any'tizers and Morton Salt

Jennifer at MomSpotted has 2 great giveaways ending tonight that I've entered. The first is sponsored by Tyson Any’tizers. One lucky reader will win 5 free product coupons (each up to $8.99 in value). I warn you, visiting her post will make you hungry! My son loves their Buffalo Style Hot Wings as well as their Pork Mini Ribs and Stuffed Chicken Pepperoni Minis, so if I won this giveaway he'd be over the moon! These aren't just great for a party, they also make a good after-school snack, easy dinner entree, or easy dorm food for those late-night study sessions.


The second is for a Morton Salt Prize pack that contains a wide variety of their salt products, like grinders, seasoned salt and natural sea salt. While I have been watching my sodium content by eliminating most processed foods and hidden salt sources (like ketchups, pickles, Ramen, jarred spaghetti sauce, Raisin Bran, etc.) I still use a fair amount of salt in my cooking. The difference is, I know how much salt I'm putting in my food, and I'm not using it to mask flavor, but to enhance it. I also use salt for other things, like soaking my greens (salted water will kill the bugs), making an awesome foot scrub, and even a sore throat gargle. This would be another great giveaway to win :)

Sunday, January 23, 2011

It was just Christmas... where did the month go?

It's hard to believe that next week it'll be February - it seems like it was just Christmas! I go to see the nutritionist again next month - I'm curious to see how much weight I've lost. I think I've done OK, but this weekend was rough. I've been munching all weekend, and yesterday I hit some Ghiradelli chocolates, and hit them hard! Part of the problem is I didn't have much in the way of fiber for the last several days, so I think I'm responding to that.

With the end of another month approaching, lots of giveaways are ending this week. Here's a few of the ones I've entered:

Anyone who knows me knows I love my Keurig, and I hate not being able to drink coffee at work. Baby Loving Mama is hosting a giveaway sponsored by CoffeeCow.com for a Keurig B40 Elite. I love that this model allows you to brew 8 or 10 ounces so I can vary the strength if I decide to bring different coffees to work. The large 48 oz. reservior means I can brew several cups of coffee before having to refill this (which is great since the kitchen area is at the other end of the office). If I'm lucky enough to win this, it's going in my office, along with a case of Donut Shop K-Cups and maybe some Spicy Eggnog K-Cups! Note that CoffeeCow.com not only offers great prices on their products, they also offer a loyalty program called cow bucks and free shipping on orders over $65, which makes them highly competitive with other online coffee suppliers. This great giveaway ends on Tuesday.

Head over to Eighty MPH Mom where you can win Dremel Cordless Multi-Max Oscillating Kit {ARV $149.23 ARV}! I have so many items on my "honey-do" list.... but no honey, so I need to do them myself! This would be great to have when I tackle that list like relocating a closet door (for cutting drywall), replacing a broken tile in the bathroom, and installing outdoor speakers on my back deck. This giveaway ends on the 25th.

Baby Loving Mama is hosting a giveaway sponsored by Tyson Any’tizers. One lucky reader will win 5 free product coupons (up to $8.99 value each)! I warn you, visiting her post will make you hungry! She hosted a party around New Year's and served a variety of Any'tizers to her guests, and they were a big hit! My son loves their Buffalo Style Hot Wings as well as their Pork Mini Ribs and Stuffed Chicken Pepperoni Minis, so if I won this giveaway he'd be over the moon! These aren't just great for a party, they also make a good after-school snack, easy dinner entree, or easy dorm food! This giveaway ends on Monday.

Also ending on Monday is a giveaway from A Little of This and a Little of That for an EatSmart Precision Digital Bathroom Scale. I'd love to have my own scale so I can track my weight loss in-between doctor and nutritionist visits. I love the look of it, plus since it goes up to 400 pounds I know I'll get an accurate weight - most only go up to 300 and they sometimes don't give me accurate readings.

Dee at Two of a Kind, Working on a Full House has two giveaways ending today. The first is for a gift basket from Birds Eye that contains the following:
  • a non-branded Apron
  • copy of No Whine With Dinner: 150 healthy, kid-tested recipes from the Meal Makeover Moms
  • $100 American Express gift card
  • Birds Eye Vegetable Recipe Cards
I always chuckle when I read about other parent's struggles with getting their kids to eat their veggies - luckily, I never had that problem with my son. Even though I always add veggies wherever I could (in meatloaf, spaghetti sauce, steamed rice, etc.) I still served veggies with our meals. My son's only quirk is that while he loves raw carrots, he won't touch a cooked carrot to save his life! Well, not knowingly, anyway :) Speaking of cooked carrots, this weekend I mashed some up super-fine and added them to my red peppers, onions, and feta when I made my eggs, and MAN they were good! You couldn't even tell there carrots in there.

The second giveaway from Two of a Kind, Working at a Full House ending today is for a Morton Salt Prize pack that contains a wide variety of their salt products, like grinders, seasoned salt and natural sea salt. While I have been watching my sodium content by eliminating most processed foods and hidden salt sources (like ketchups, pickles, Ramen, jarred spaghetti sauce, Raisin Bran, etc.) I still use a fair amount of salt in my cooking. The difference is, I know how much salt I'm putting in my food, and I'm not using it to mask flavor, but to enhance it. I also use salt for other things, like soaking my greens (salted water will kill the bugs), making an awesome foot scrub, and even an awesome sore throat gargle. This would be another great giveaway to win :)

Our Kids Mom is hosting a giveaway for a Pulse Yoga 4 DVD Set & Instruction Book. Pulse Yoga differs from regular yoga in that it adds weights for added strength training. I've been thinking about trying yoga for awhile now, so winning this would allow me to try it out in the privacy of my own home :) I especially like the "Pulse" DVD - sometimes I only have 30 minutes so I like that they offer a quick, easy workout option. Of course, the Instruction Book will be invaluable to me so it's nice that it's included in the set.

Our Kids Mom is also hosting a giveaway for Wholly Guacamole. Five lucky winners will each receive 2 free product coupons. They offer not only guacamole (4 types , including organic), but queso (regular and blanco), and several types of salsa inlcuding a guac-salsa blend. I like the snack-pack salsas - they're easy to throw in with your lunch to take to work and they're only 50 calories a pack! I don't like guacamole but my son swears Wholly Guacamole makes a delicious product.

Our Kids Mom is really on a roll! Also ending on Tuesday is a Sargento cheese giveaway. One lucky reader will win 5 free product coupons! I love Sargento cheese - in fact, I have several different varieties in my fridge right now, including some Artisan blends (my fav is the Mexican which goes GREAT with the Wholly Guacamole!) and their Reduced Fat slices and shreds. Their Ricotta cheese has been a staple in my kitchen for years and my son loves their string cheese. Yes, we really do love Sargento cheese (which is a great source of calcium BTW).

OK, so you overindulge on guacamole and cheese... no worries, ShaToBu to the rescue! Our Kids Mom must have thought about this, because she's offering another giveaway ending Tuesday for the winner's choice of ShaToBu shapewear. Billed as The Workout You Wear - ShaToBu is the revolutionary shaper that helps women shape, tone and burn more calories during everyday activities.

From the sponsor's website: The benefits go beyond ordinary shapewear - ShaToBu instantly gives a sleeker silhouette, but women can also see and feel a difference in their bodies with regular use over time. By incorporating resistance bands right into the garment, muscles work a little harder and more calories are burned during daily activities.

Musing Maniac is hosting a giveaway for a copy of Tron Evolution for Xbox 360 that ends on Wednesday. This looks like a fun game - great visuals, and action-packed enough to hold my son's interest, but without all the blood and gore like COD that turn me off. It is rated T for Teens so it's not suitable for younger players.

Rockin' Mama is hosting a New Year, Healthier Home giveaway. One lucky reader will win four bags of SAFETOUCH R-13 insulation (ARV $256) which is free from formaldehyde and fiberglass fibers and does not support the growth of mold and a Therapure 201MB air purifier (ARV $129.95)! This would be an awesome prize package to win! I would use the insulation in the wall that's between the laundry room and the kitchen - it used to be an outdoor space that was changed to an indoor room, and they didn't do it very well. It's poorly insulated and cold air pours into the kitchen. The air purifier I would use in my bedroom :) This giveaway ends Wednesday evening.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Macy's Million Dollar Makeover with Clinton Kelly

Give Macy's your biggest fashion challenge and you could win the ultimate makeover from Macy’s & Clinton Kelly! Exclusively open to Facebook fans - visit http://on.fb.me/macysmilliondollarmakeover to apply through Jan 31, 2011 for your chance to be a finalist.

About Macy’s Million Dollar Makeover:

8 Deserving contestants. 8 Makeovers. Help us decide who will win the makeover of a lifetime.
Clinton won’t just be transforming your wardrobe; he will help to transform your work, your home, your entire life. “Macy’s Million Dollar Makeover” will consist of a nationwide call for entries through January 31st, from which eight contestants will be selected for a Clinton Kelly makeover. America will help us decide which of the eight will win the makeover of a lifetime, worth $1 Million!

“Macy’s Million Dollar Makeover is my typical makeover on steroids,” said Clinton Kelly, style expert for Macy’s and co-host of TLC’s What Not to Wear. “The winner will not only get some quality time with me to update their look, but they will get a truly life-changing experience. From fashion to finances to fitness, they will undergo a complete life transformation.”

To help get the word out, Macy's has teamed with several bloggers to sponsor giveaways of $50 Macy's gift cards. Score your own mini-makeover!

These are the bloggers that I've found that are participating - please see each one for their specific entry terms and duration.

Serious Housekeeping!

Since it's the 3rd week of January, I went through and deleted all the Holiday blog buttons I collected (and there were a bunch!). Hopefully this won't DQ me from any of the giveaways I entered :( I wish there was a way to expire these. I'll have to rethink how I do it next year.

Major Giveaways from Born 2 Impress


Born 2 Impress - Serta
Born 2 Impress - Human Touch Born 2 Impress - Serta Born 2 Impress - Oreck

Special Events from Born to Impress - Holiday Gift Guide