Saturday, December 19, 2009

Sony Reader Winner

Thank you to everyone who left a comment about a literary moment that moved you. I enjoyed reading all the comments. In fact, some of your comments moved me! And I've acquired a nice "must read" list from you as well. Thank you! But alas, I could only choose one comment to win the Sony Reader. So, without further ado, here is the winner of the Sony Reader...


Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:359


Shannon said...
I love to read, but now that I have kids most of my reading is to them. One of my favorite books that is written as a kids book but touches a parents heart is "Let Me Hold You Longer." By Karen Kingsbury. It talks about how as parents we make such a big deal about "First's" but how "last" events go unnoticed, the last bottle, last time you carry your child, the last time you have to give them kisses in the night, etc. It's a serious tear-jerker. I love it!

Congratulations! Please email me at mom2my6pack@aol.com with your shipping address so I can send you your Sony Reader! I hope you enjoy it!

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Kraft Winners

The winners of the Kraft basket o' goodies are.......

April M said...
I would be thrilled to see Kraft provide more gluten free recipes. Some of their products are naturally gluten free and it would be great to find some easy recipes for those of us who can't eat gluten (wheat, barley and rye).

Cropaddict said...
I love how they are so helpful on the facebook page answering questions. I also like the ease of getting to the recipes on the website.

Congratulations! Email me at mom2my6pack@aol.com with your shipping address so I can make sure these are sent out to you right away.

And thank you to everyone for your helpful feedback and suggestions!

Monday, December 14, 2009

Words Move Me

Words Move Me. That's the name of Sony's new literature community - WordsMoveMe.com. There, you can share with others your favorite pieces of literature and what impact they had on you; how they moved you. I was all set to share some of my favorite parts of classic books, but when I tried to recall specific works that moved me, my mind went blank. Gone were the discussions about books I'd read in high school, Farenheit 451, The Great Gatsby, Catcher in the Rye, Romeo and Juliet, To Kill a Mockingbird, and A Tale of Two Cities. I couldn't begin to tell you what The Grapes of Wrath or Of Mice and Men was about. (Hey, I have 6 kids and they really have drained my memory stores.)

I did, however come up with a few quotes that have stuck with me. Yes, they're mostly from humor books. What can I say? I like to laugh. I don't like to read anything too deep or anything that takes too much brain power. I like light, quick reads, romances, and humor these days. I mean, when you have to put the book down 4000 times (during the first paragraph alone) to fill sippy cups, pick kids up from kindergarten, break up fights over crayons, and clean up spilled apple juice, you don't want to have to go back through a tutorial on who's who and what's going just to pick up where you left off.

Oh, who am I kidding? I mostly just read classics like One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue and If You Give a Mouse a Cookie these days.



Ready for the really cool part? I have one Sony Reader Pocket Edition ($199.99 value) to give away to one lucky reader. I like actual books. I like the smell of books. I like the feel of them. I like to turn the pages one by one. I don't think anything will ever replace that, but I have to admit, this thing is pretty cool. It's small like a cell phone, but it holds up to 350 books! This would be awesome for travel, commuting, or just for around the house. Whenever I pick up my kids from school, I sit there in the parking lot, playing solitaire on my phone while I wait for them to come out. How great would it be to pull out this Sony Reader and dive into a good book?

To enter the contest, leave me a comment here with a literary moment that moved you and why. Did it make you think, smile, laugh, cry? Did it make you angry, happy, sad? Tell me about it and I'll choose a winner from your comments on Friday, December 18. And check out
WordsMoveMe.com to see what others have to say about words that have moved them. You might even get some good ideas for books to read!

Contest open to U.S. residents. No purchase necessary to enter or win. Odds of winning are not increased by a purchase.

* Sony has empowered me to participate in this campaign and I have been compensated with a Sony Reader Pocket Edition.

It's a Jungle in Here!

How to keep your kids' brains from turning to mush (and retain your sanity) during winter break...

1. Take trips to the library to get books for your children of all ages. Keep them interested and learning even when they're not in school. Quiet reading time is a great way to help kids settle down and get ready for bed in the evening.

2. Family movie night! Rent or check out from your local library, a new movie or an old classic to watch together as a family. Make some popcorn, sit back and enjoy!

3. Play a game together! There are a bazillion fun board games out there. Have a Monopoly, Clue, Taboo, or Pictureka night! If you don't like board games, try your hand at Rock Band for Wii, PlayStation or XBox. For younger kids, check out VTech's V Motion for video game fun!

4. Keep active! There's nothing worse than a bunch of kids stuck indoors because the weather outside is frightful. Load up the kids and take them to the bowling alley, the skating rink, indoor rock climbing, or an indoor play place.

Younger kids can keep active with VTech's new line of Jungle Gym toys. You may have seen them in stores while Christmas shopping. These are awesome and I wish they made them for older kids as well. Think about it - this time of year when the kids are cooped up inside because it's too cold and snowy to go out and play (unless you're fortunate enough to live in a land of sunshine), kids can make you bonkers. They need an outlet for their boundless energy or they'll explode. VTech's Jungle Gym toys are perfect for that! Your little ball of energy toddler can pedal away on the Ride and Learn Giraffe Bike and not only will he expend some energy, but he'll get healthy exercise too. And because this is not just a bike, but a learning toy, he'll have fun learning letters and counting animals while he does it.

VTech gave me a huge box of Jungle Gym toys to donate to my church's nursery. I brought them in 2 weeks ago and the kids in the nursery had a blast playing with them. I wanted to take pictures to show you, but of course, I forgot my camera. Ugh. Then, last week I set my camera out so I wouldn't forget it. I overslept and missed church altogether. Grrr. So, you'll just have to take my word for it that toddlers love these toys! Toddlers are, by definition, active, and these Jungle Gym toys combine physical activity, learning, and fun. You just can't beat that combination.
In addition to the Ride and Learn Giraffe Bike, there's an adorable Bouncing Colors Turtle, a Monkey Moves Smart Seat, and Twist and Learn Gorilla Pals that will keep your little ones, interested, engaged, learning, exercising, and having fun while doing it! You can check out the whole line of Jungle Gym toys HERE. And if you're on Facebook, you have to check out VTech's fan page HERE! There, you can find information about deals, giveaways, and sales on the latest VTech toys!
You can check in with the other VTech Voices (MommyMandy, the VTech Mom, Pilar Clark) to get their tips on how to survive the holidays too.
* I am being compensated for working with VTech on some promotions and did receive Jungle Gym toys to donate to my church, however, as always, I only give my honest opinions on products I review.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

A Tisket, A Tasket, A Kraft Goody Basket



Do you see all the goodies in this basket? Mmmm marshmallows! And marshmallows are fat-free, you know, so you can eat an entire bag a lot of them without feeling too guilty.

OK, for those of you who saw how I cook a turkey (SEE HERE), you know that I can use all the help I can get when it comes to holiday entertaining. Kraft to the rescue! They've relaunched their Facebook fan page, an interactive place to share recipes and tips with other folks. You can find exclusive Kraft recipes, holiday ideas, and even scheduled Facebook chats with the experts from the Kraft kitchens! You can find their Facebook page HERE.

Not a fan of Facebook? No problem. Kraft also has a YouTube channel! This is perfect for us visual learners who would rather see a video demonstration than just read a recipe. You can find their YouTube channel HERE.

Don't have time for that? Still no problem. You can just follow Kraft on Twitter for the latest recipes and ideas! You can find their Twitter page HERE.

Sooo, check them out and let me know what you're most interested in hearing about. Want more recipes? More how-to's on the YouTube channel? More coupons, easy dinner recipes, kid pleasing faves? What do you LIKE about the pages? What do you not like? Let me know in the comments section here. I'll choose 2 random winners from the comments on Wednesday, December 16 and they'll each receive a gift basket full of the following goodies...

* 4 delicious holiday recipes from the Kraft Foods Kitchens
* a Zak Designs garlic peeler
* an HA Mack olivewood mixing spoon
* NEW Velveeta Rotini and Cheese Whole Grain
* Planters cocktail peanuts
* Planters pecans
* Baker’s semi-sweet chocolate
* Stove Top,
* Honey Maid cinnamon crackers
* Jet Puffed marshmallows
* Oreos,
* Kraft salad dressing
* NEW Maxwell House Blend coffee
* NEW Ritz Brown Sugar Cinnamon crackers
* NEW Wheat Thins Flatbread crackers

Oh yeah! And don't forget to click HERE and send our your FREE holiday greeting ecards! For every greeting you send, Kraft will donate 10 meals to Feeding America!

*I did not receive any compensation or products for this post.

Friday, July 10, 2009

Band-Aid & Neo To Go Winners

Here are the random winners of the waterproof Band-Aids/NeoTo Go sets! Thank to you everyone who left a comment!




Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:

51
98
35
12
8



51Anonymous said... Would love to try the Neosporin spray! And one can never have too many Band-aids!! SPepper22

98Kymy K said...
Now that my twins are 2 & it's summer I have been meaning to get something like this for the car. Too bad every time I stop in the band-aid isle they start screaming at each other, me & any passersby because the cart stopped & I say screw it!


35The Bear and The Bug said...
Would so love to win these! My daughter calls Band-Aids "boo boos." I think we used half a box the other day on my son's invisible boo boos.


12Tina said...
I have 4 kids in the 4 and under age range. Read: bandaids are still magical healers in my house! Thanks for the opportunity!


8The Cohen's said...
Nice, what mom doesn't need this for their toddlers and older kids?! :)



Email me at mom2my6pack@aol.com with your shipping address. :)

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

I Am Stuck on Band-Aid...

I remember, back when I only had 2 or 3 kids, taking them to the doctor for their check-ups. As they sat there, their little legs dangling over the side of the table, I noticed their shins were covered in bruises and scrapes. "Great, the doctor is going to think I beat you guys," I remember muttering to myself. Instead, the doctor came in and reassured me they were normal. He went on to tell me it was the kids with no bruises on their legs that he worried about because they likely sat around watching tv all day instead of going outside to play and get scrapes.

So, I'm here to tell you that scrapes and scratches are part of childhood. When you have stupid adventurous kids like mine, bruises and scrapes abound! See exhibit A...




That's why I always have a supply of Band-Aids on hand. They come in handy when my older boys think up idiotic things to try and they're invaluable when the little kids come to me with invisible owies that need Band-Aids. Somehow, putting a Sponge Bob Band-Aid on a tiny microscopic scratch makes it all better! Not to mention, the time I use the Band-Aids on actual cuts and scrapes that need covered. And especially during the summer, when the kids are out getting dirty every day, their owies definitely need to be covered. Seriously, it amazes me how dirty my kids get in the summer. I think they're getting tan until they take a shower and their "tans" wash off.

Band-Aid has a new product that is waterproof (a MUST when you spend several days a week at the pool!) and has antibiotic ointment right on the pad. These help prevent infection and heal boo-boos faster than regular bandages.

Another product I have to keep on hand especially in the summer, is Neo To Go. It's a small spray container of Neosporin that's convenient to take along in your purse, diaper bag, or tote bag of necessities for the beach, pool, zoo, park, etc. My kids love it because it doesn't sting. I love it because, when we're out and the kids get hurt, there isn't always soap and water around, and this kills germs to help prevent infection.

Johnson & Johnson has 5 sets of waterproof Band-Aids plus antibiotic ointment AND Neo To Go to give away to 5 readers. Just leave me a comment here and I'll choose 5 random winners on Thursday, July 9. Contest open to U.S. residents only. You must check back here Friday to see if you won and you have 3 days to email me with your shipping address. Good luck!

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Baby Einstein Winner!

The winner of the Baby Einstein products is...

Number 86!

86The Mommy said...
Baby #4 (referred to as the Little One on my blog - and as the Last One by my DH) would certainly appreciate this!

Congratulations! Please email me at mom2my6pack@aol.com with your shipping address. Thank you to everyone for checking out these cool DVDs and toys from Baby Einstein!

Monday, June 22, 2009

Attention Fans of Lands' End

I've done several giveaways for Lands' End because I really love their products and enjoy passing them onto my readers. Now I'm letting you know that Lands' End is on Facebook! You can become a fan HERE.

Click the link now. I'll wait. Really, you need to become a fan right away because Lands' End will be counting down the days (June 30th to July 4th) to the 4th of July with special giveaways. All you have to do is become a Lands’ End Facebook Fan and then you can enter the contest via an entry form on Lands’ End’s wall. Each day Lands’ End will randomly select fans to win great summer items.

Day 1: Vertical Stripe Rugby Towel

Day 2: Stadium Blanket

Day 3: Soft Side Cooler

Day 4: American Flag

Day 5: Open Top Natural Tote with American Flag Embroidery

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Baby Einstein



As some of you might recall, I got to visit the Baby Einstein headquarters in CA this past winter. I learned about the Baby Einstein DVDs and toys and how the company was started by a stay-at-home mom in her basement. (I love that part!)

I'm sure most of you are familiar with the Baby Einstein videos and have probably enjoyed them with your little ones and/or put baby in front of one so you could take 20 minutes to shower and change the clothes you've been wearing for 2 and 1/2 days. But did you know that some Baby Einstein videos now include a "Grow with Your Baby" feature. The Grow with Me mode offers a second viewing option on the same DVD. It contains spoken words and additional content to entertain toddlers and prolong the life of the DVD.

It also features the new "Select a Segment" option which gives parents the choice of viewing shorter segments of the DVD. You know, when it's almost bedtime and the kids are begging for a video. You want them to be able to sit down, settle down, and enjoy their DVD, but you don't want them staying up to finish the whole thing. This is perfect! Just play a segment for them! They get to enjoy their video and you get to say, "All done! Time for bed!" without them saying, "Huh uh, it's not done. See? There's still more, Mommy!"

These new features are both included on Baby Einstein's World Music DVD. The World Music DVD introduces your little one to the beautiful sounds of music and different cultures from around the world. From the African djembe to a Celtic harp from Ireland, you and your baby will delight in the sounds and rhythms of Baby Einstein's World Music.

And I have a Baby Einstein care package to give away to one random winner! It includes the World Music DVD, a Sweet Dreams Mimi board book, a Playtex sippy cup, a Playtex divided dish (both featuring Baby Einstein designs), and a Baby Einstein Teeth and Tug Pal. Just leave me a comment here and I'll choose a random winner on Wednesday, June, 24. Good luck!

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Whimsy Rings

I have a love of jewelry. I especially like unique pieces like the vintage button ring my friend Lotta gave me at BlogHer last year. Check them out HERE. And, of course, the macaroni necklaces my kids have made me over the years. And I adore these rings from Whimsy Worldwide. These rings are so unique and fun! They showcase the totally popular, collectible Trollbeads, Pandora and Chamilia glass beads. You can change the beads to match your outfit or mood. If you have a Pandora (or similar) bracelet, you already have an array of beads that fit into this ring. You can have fun switching them whenever the mood strikes! If you don't, you'll soon fall in love with collecting these beads and showing them off on your Whimsy ring!





I do think these rings are on the pricey side ($125 - $399), but the fact that you can change the bead makes it versatile so it's like you're getting more than one piece of jewelry.

At first I was a little afraid to try and open the ring to switch beads because I didn't want to break it, but they're amazingly strong and durable. And they're made of 100% reclaimed sterling silver and 14 karat gold. Reclaimed meaning there's post industrial waste, just dormant metals and gems. This was a conscious decision by ring designer, R. Craig Whitten in an effort to help counter the effects of the top toxic polluter in the U.S., the mining industry.

You can shop online HERE or click HERE to find a retailer near you.

Friday, May 22, 2009

Suave Winners

Here are the winners of the Suave haircare products!

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:

78
1
48


78Jennie in Ohio said...
oh oh pick me pick me :)

1thoughts and ramblings said...
Am I first?? woot woot!pick me, pick me!

48Winona said...
Love love LOVE Suave hair care products - I used my Suave volumizing shampoo this morning!

Email me at mom2my6pack@aol.com with your shipping information. :) Thank you to everyone for commenting!

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

T-Mobile Mom to Mom Quiz

We actually used T-Mobile for our family plan for Joe, Austin, Savannah and me until I recently got my iPhone. Now I have a separate "work account" for my iPhone, but Joe, Savannah & Austin still use T-Mobile. I've never had a problem with T-Mobile's service and every time I've had to contact them for any reason, I've gotten a courteous, actual English-speaking person on the phone without having to navigate an automated voice system for an hour and a half. Sooo, when T-Mobile commissioned me to take this quiz and pass the results on to you, I happily agreed.

Then again, I love taking these kind of quizzes. I had fun with it! And I wasn't surprised at all about the results. The question/answer that cracked me up the most said something like this...
Your son tells you he's embarrassed to be seen with you picking him up from the theater, you....
(I chose the option that read), "Hang out the window, waving and calling to him and his friends while blasting The Jonas Brothers." Hee hee!

You can click the following link to take the quick 10 question quiz and find out your parenting style.

T-Mobile Mom to Mom Quiz: "

Take the fun, Mom to Mom quiz and discover your parenting style.

"

V-8 V-Fusion Winner

And the winner of the case of V-8 V-Fusion juice and the LL Bean tote bag is......(drumroll).......


Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:247
Timestamp: 2009-05-19 05:21:42 UTC

247Laurie said...
We absolutely love V-8 Fusion!!
May 18, 2009 9:05 AM

Congratulations! Email me at mom2my6pack@aol.com with your shipping address. Thank you to everyone for leaving a comment!

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Easy Summer Hair with Suave

I had the chance to meet celebrity hairstylist, Luke O'Connor back in October at the Suave Glamor Reel Moments. He cut and styled my hair (and the hair of my fellow blogger moms) and he gave us tips for creating easy, yet gorgeous styles. And because he used all Suave products (my personal favorite is the Sleek line), I was able to recreate my style without breaking my budget.

Here are some of Luke's tips for easy, beautiful hair for those special summer events like weddings, dinners out, and BBQ get-togethers...


Get Salon Gorgeous this Summer Sans the Salon Price Tag

While we may not all have Hollywood budgets, you can still look like you do! Suave® Professionals® offers salon-quality products that help you create your desired ‘dos at affordable prices.



(Luke O'Connor and me)

The Look: Stunning and Simple Side Bun

Take your regular bun from blah to WOW with a chic side bun, a popular red carpet look. It's easy to achieve this classy, modern take on the Hollywood tradition that will have your style turning heads wherever you go.

To re-create at home:
· For smooth and frizz-free locks, prep hair with Suave Professionals Sleek Shampoo and Conditioner.
· Next, give hair body and control by applying Suave Professionals Extra Hold Styling Foam to damp hair.
· Gather the top layer of hair and pin up at the crown. Blow-dry the rest of hair in sections using a medium round brush to lock in volume. Unpin hair at the crown and blow dry in 1 inch sections using the round brush.
· Blow dry bangs by rolling the hair around the brush away from the face and directed to the side for swooping bangs. Keep side-swept bangs locked in place with Suave Professionals Extra Hold Gel.
· Next, take a 1.5 inch curling iron to curl the large sections of hair.
· Finally, gather hair into a pony tail and loosely twist down to create a low chignon off to the side. Secure with pins and let loose pieces fall naturally for a look that's effortlessly chic.


The Look: Glamour Curls on Cue
Everyone loves the look of loose, gorgeous curls. Structured curls with a middle part gives the look a modern edge – and you can make it happen in the comfort of your own home.

To re-create at home:

· Stock your shower with Suave Humectant Shampoo and Conditioner so curls will have added shine and brightness.
· Next, apply Suave Professionals Extra Hold Styling Foam to damp hair to give body and control. Be sure to blow dry hair upside down to achieve maximum volume.
· Once hair is completely dry, flip back up and create a center part. Take 1 to 1.5 inch sections of hair and spiral wrap around a 1 to 1.25 inch curling iron to create neat curls.
· For superior style and control, lock in the look with Suave Professionals Freeze Hold Hairspray.

The Look: The Half-Up for 100% Style
A fun look that gives the best of both worlds, try wearing your hair half-up. This method is a sophisticated update to the traditional look, giving hair a gorgeous volume.

To re-create at home:
· Use Suave Damage Care Shampoo and Conditioner in the shower to condition, revitalize and protect hair from over-processing.
· Take the top section of hair and blow dry back with a medium round brush.
· Then, pull bangs forward with the round brush and point blow-dryer at hair from underneath, curling bangs up with the brush. Part hair on the side. Blow dry the rest of hair until dry and then curl with a one-inch curling iron (for looser curls, use a larger curling iron).
· Next, tease the crown of the hair with a comb, using a downward motion to create beautiful volume on top. Smooth teased crown with a comb and secure this section of hair in the back with bobby pins or sparkly barrette for a little extra glam. Use Suave Professionals Freeze Hold Hairspray to keep hair in place all night.

And for my readers, I have 3 sets of Suave products to give away to 3 readers. Each set includes a bottle of Suave shampoo, Suave conditioner, and a styling aid. Just leave me a comment here and I'll choose 3 random winners on Wednesday, May 20.

Lands' End Winner & Free Shipping

I'm sorry I forgot to post the recipient of the $100 Lands' End gift card on Friday when I randomly picked a winner. Without further ado...


Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:255

255Mom of Army Brats. said...
love the slenderizer swimsuits, when I finally have this baby I will need it!
May 13, 2009 10:16 AM

Congratulations! Email me at mom2my6pack@aol.com to claim your prize. :) Thank you to everyone who takes the time to read my blog and leave me comments!

Lands' End is launching "The Island", a virtual island getaway. Amidst the backdrop of a private island paradise, you can scroll through the multiple Lands’ End swimwear collections (including our Swimwear That Slims, high-performance Aquaterra Separates, Beach Living Separates and Resort collections) in a fun and highly-interactive format . Also, all your finds can be easily shared with friends and family through built-in share tools for Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Digg and email.

Also, since a real island is definitely better than a virtual island, Lands’ End has launched a sweepstakes offering a trip for four to Barbados. Visitors can enter daily for a chance to win HERE ending midnight (CST) on May 31, 2009. The prize package also includes a Lands’ End Swimwear package for four, round-trip airfare and transportation, and meals.

And finally, right now, everyone can get free shipping on their entire order through May 25 by visiting Lands' End and entering the following at checkout:

Promo code: ISLAND
Pin number: 5262

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

I Coulda Had a V-8!



When I was at the Campbell's headquarters a couple months ago, they served us a delicious breakfast. Along with the yummy food, they had a variety of drinks out for us to try. I looked at the V-8 V-Fusion and thought, "Ewww! There's just something so wrong about drinking vegetables!" Another blogger overheard me and insisted it didn't taste like veggies, so I gave it a try. I LOVED it! I mean, really LOVED it! I tried the pomegranate blueberry flavor and it was so good! It doesn't taste even a little bit like vegetables! I was so surprised. I mean, I don't like tomato soup. I don't like tomato juice (not even with vodka). Yuck! But this stuff is GOOD!

Later in the day, we were able to taste test all the flavors of V-Fusion and they were really de-lish! The coolest part is that each 8 ounce glass has a full serving of fruits and a full serving of vegetables! So, if you have kids like mine, this is great news! Brooklyn ate a tablespoon of peanut butter and a jelly bean she found in the couch, for lunch yesterday (don't ask). Needless to say, although her diet is high in sugar, ketchup, and chocolate, it's somewhat lacking in actual food and nutrients. But, she loves juice! So I know if she drinks a glass of V-Fusion, she'll get 2 servings from the fruit and vegetable group and that makes me feel good! Plus V-Fusion doesn't have artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, or added sugar. Now that's something any mom can feel good about!

Since my Campbell's trip, I've been buying V-Fusion regularly for my kids (and me). This is a product I feel really good about giving to my kids and I try to keep it on hand. Try it for yourselves with this $1 off coupon HERE!

For my readers, Campbell's is offering a case of the new V8 V-Fusion® 100% juice varieties and an embroidered V8 V-Fusion® L.L. Bean tote and boat bag, a retail value of: $75.00. Just leave me a comment here and I'll choose a random winner on Monday, May, 18. Good luck!

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Lands' End Swimsuits!

Well, ladies, it's that time of year again. Time to dig out the ole swimsuit and see if it still fits. And if it fits, you have to make sure the elastic is still intact. There's nothing worse than putting on a bathing suit only to have the elastic disintegrate into a poof of dust as you stretch it over your hips. Not that that's ever happened to me or anything. Oh yeah, and it's also a good idea to check for areas that have become transparent and/or pilled from sitting on cement pool steps while watching the little kids dog paddle back and forth under the hand rail. Of course, if you have a Lands' End swimsuit, you won't have to worry about disintegrating elastic or thin areas of fabric because their suits last and look gorgeous year after year!

Because I'm abnormally pear-shaped, I have a really hard time finding suits that fit me. One of the big reasons why I love, love, LOVE Lands' End suits is because they have such a wide selection of separates so I can get different sizes to fit my top and bottom. Lands' End swimsuits come in a huge selection of styles and sizes. They've got everything: Slender Suits designed to flatter a variety of body shapes and make you appear slimmer, Mix and Match Separates (perfect for pear shaped people!), one pieces, tankinis, swim shorts, swim skirts, mastectomy suits, cover-ups, bikinis, custom suits, and more! They even have swim tops with underwire that hold "the girls" up where they belong so those of us who have nursed half a dozen kids don't have to tuck our boobs into our shorts. They seriously have something for everyone.

Since Lands' End first sent me a swimsuit to review last year, I've been a happy, loyal Lands' End customer. Their clothes are high quality and last forever. You'll be able to wear your Lands' End swimsuit for many, many seasons! Need help finding the most flattering suit for your body type? Lands' End has a YouTube channel with videos addressing your concerns. Check it out here!



And for my most awesome readers, Lands' End is offering a $100 gift card to one lucky winner so you'll be able to hit the beach in style and with confidence. Just leave me a comment here and I'll choose a winner on Friday, May 15 at midnight CT. Good luck and in the meantime, check out the Lands' End catalog HERE and pick out your favorite swimsuit!

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Peek Winners

Here are the 2 random winners of the Peeks!

144Stephycce said...
Ohh I'd love that!!All my friends are big on texting and I can't afford to add it to my already cheap prepaid phone LOL.And checking email away from home would be great to help with the 50 emails from the school LOL.Stephy


71Dawn said...
I would LOVE to try out the Peek. My husband and I have been talking about upgrading our phones and getting internet/e-mail capabilities on them. I think having the Peek would be nice b/c I am not tied to any contract. Plus, I think getting a peek at a $50 price is cheaper then upgrading my current phone to something like a blackberry and paying for the additional internet charge.

Congratulations! Email me at mom2my6pack@aol.com with your shipping address by Tuesday. :)

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Peek-a-Boo

This past month, I've been able to check out and play with Peek. What's Peek, you ask? Well, let me tell you. It looks kinda like a phone. But it isn't. It's this nifty new device that lets you email and text. The cool thing about Peek is there is no contract to sign. You don't have to commit to a 2 year (or any length!) contract. With Peek, you get unlimited email and texting for only $20 a month! And the device itself sells for $50.

When I first considered trying out Peek, I couldn't figure out who it would appeal to. I mean, the people who can't go a few hours without checking their email or texting friends probably already carry a Blackberry or iPhone or some similarly equipped phone, right? So what other people would like to be able to email and text without the telephone option? Then I looked at my daughter who was texting me from 5 feet away. Bingo!

Plus, I think this is a great option for those who don't want to commit to a contract where they're locked in for any length of time. Peek is really user friendly; it's very simple to figure out, which would appeal to anyone who doesn't want to mess around with a complicated smart phone. It may even work well for those who do have a phone (prepaid perhaps) and don't want to upgrade to a smart phone, but would like the option of checking email. For $20 a month, you can have unlimited email and texting in addition to any phone plan you may already have.

So, how does it work? Well, when you're out and about, you can read and respond to email. When you get back home and log on, your mail will still be in your inbox. I happen to like this because I can go through my mail and double-check that I'm not missing anything. I talked to some friends who really didn't like that, however. They said they didn't want to return to their computer only to see a full box of mail. They'd like mail that's been opened with Peek, to disappear from their inbox. I will admit that I use AOL and I'm not certain it works this way with every browser, but it's something to think about.

I personally think that Peek is a little slow. It takes time for messages to show up after you click on them and it only goes out for mail every 5 minutes or so. I'm used to my Blackberry which is super-fast, so the slowness of Peek irritated me. Today, however, Peek is coming out with an upgraded version called Peek Pronto and as the name suggests, it's supposed to be a faster version of Peek with more options and capabilities.

Because I'm used to a different device, it was strange typing on the Peek, however it does have a full qwerty keyboard and the keys are raised and spaced nicely so I think most people would have no problems. It features a jog-dial on the right side which makes navigating through your email easy. The display is also nice. It's large, well-lit, and the text is easy to read. The unit itself reminded me of a very slim calculator. It's roughly the size of my Blackberry, but it's thinner. I wasn't overly impressed with the battery though. I had to charge it almost every day (more often than my phone).

Overall, I think Peek is a nifty gadget that works well, but it isn't for everyone. If you want to simply email and text, and you don't want any contracts, then check out Peek. It's an ideal solution for you. If you're going to be going on vacation and don't have a laptop (or don't want to drag one with you), Peek would be a great device to have in order to keep up with your mail while you're away. When you return from vacation, you can just stop using it and, more importantly, paying for it, if you want. If you want phone capabilities, Peek is probably not for you. If you want to be able to check your Facebook, surf the web, and blog, then Peek is not the device for you.
Want a chance to try out a Peek? I have 2 cherry red Peeks to give away to 2 readers! Leave me a comment here and tell me how you think Peek would fit into your life and I'll choose 2 random winners on Friday!

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Soap Winners

Here are the winners of the Goat's Milk Soap...

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
13
259
100
Timestamp: 2009-03-01 00:01:29 UTC

Those comments came from:

13-T- (I Have One of Those Lives) said...
Sounds awesome! I'd love to win a bar!

259bjtstl said...
This soap looks yummy! (but I promise not to eat it if I win)

100Mike, Adrienne and Lincoln said...
I would love to try this! It sounds wonderful!

Congratulations! Please email me at Mom2My6Pack@aol.com by Monday night with your choice of soap and shipping address.

Thank you to everyone who left a comment! :)

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Lather, Rinse, Repeat

PJ is a homeschooling mom of 8 who lives a simple life on several acres of land where they keep gardens and dairy goats. Each family member is involved in making goat's milk soap (Well, except the baby.) Everyone has a job to do from milking the herd of Alpine goats, to mixing ingredients, making the soap, cutting them into thick, chunky bars, and stacking them to cure. You can read about them HERE and HERE.

They sell thick (6 oz.!) bars of their soap in a ton of different fragrances like coconut (my favorite smell on earth!), black raspberry, clean cotton, Fiji Island (YUM!), lavender, oatmeal milk & honey, and many, many more! As PJ says, "when people come to visit us, I can't guarantee my house will be clean, but I know it will smell good!" I can imagine how yummy her house smells because my house smelled great just from one bar of soap!

They have a soap for everyone, including those who want an organic castile soap, unscented soaps, and even loofah soaps!

I'd never used any kind of goat's milk soap before and I was surprised at how much the bar lathered. I don't know why, but I didn't really think it would. It's also surprisingly moisturizing! My skin gets so dry in the winter, but I could tell a difference after using this soap for a week. It's really creamy. Check them out HERE!

PJ is giving away 1 bar of her homemade goat's milk soap (winner's choice) to 3 lucky winners (open to residents of U.S. and Canada). Leave me a comment here and I'll choose 3 winners on Friday, Feb. 27!

Also, between now and March 10, when you place an order, get a FREE bar of soap (your choice)! Just mention my blog in the special instructions section of the order form! How cool is that?

Thursday, February 19, 2009

I Coulda Had a V-8 V-Fusion!


When I was at the Campbell's headquarters a couple weeks ago, they served us a delicious breakfast. Along with the yummy food, they had a variety of drinks out for us to try. I looked at the V-8 V-Fusion and thought, "Ewww! There's just something so wrong about drinking vegetables!" Another blogger overheard me and insisted it didn't taste like veggies, so I gave it a try. I LOVED it! I mean, really LOVED it! I tried the pomegranate blueberry flavor and it was so good! It doesn't taste even a little bit like vegetables! I was so surprised. I mean, I don't like tomato soup. I don't like tomato juice (not even with vodka). Yuck! But this stuff is GOOD!

Later in the day, we were able to taste test all the flavors of V-Fusion and they were really de-lish! The coolest part is that each 8 ounce glass has a full serving of fruits and a full serving of vegetables! So, if you have kids like mine, this is great news! Brooklyn ate a handful of conversation hearts for lunch yesterday (don't ask). Needless to say, although her diet is high in sugar, ketchup, and chocolate, it's somewhat lacking in actual food and nutrients. But, she loves juice! So I know if she drinks a glass of V-Fusion, she'll get 2 servings from the fruit and vegetable group and that makes me feel good! Plus V-Fusion doesn't have artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, or added sugar. Now that's something any mom can feel good about!




After taste testing the different V-Fusion flavors, we got to make smoothies using V-Fusion, frozen fruit and yogurt. If you have kids who don't like to eat in the morning, this is a great quickie on-the-go breakfast (or after-school snack). You can also add a scoop of protein powder to it and voila! you're set until lunch! I personally think the V-Fusion would taste good with rum. But not for breakfast. Most days.

Did you know that V8 juice is 76 years old! Well, the stuff you buy isn't that old. It's made fresh every day. But it's been around for 76 years. Now you know. And if you go HERE, you can get a coupon for $1.00 off V8 Fusion!

Oh and speaking of coupons (and other money saving ideas) go to Campbellskitchen.com to get easy meal ideas for under $10! Who couldn't use this resource?

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

HP Winner

Thank you to everyone who left a comment about the HP Photosmart Wireless Printer! Here's the random winner.....

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:492

Halye said... I would use this to print pictures, wirelessly,of course!!

Congratulations! Enjoy your printer!!! :)

Monday, February 2, 2009

And it's WIRELESS!!!

I got one of THE. MOST. AWESOME. products ever to review last week. It's an HP Photosmart C6300 All-in-One printer! This thing has so many cool features, but the best one is it's WIRELESS! That means I never have to get up off the couch! How cool is that?

Seriously, the printer I'd been using just stopped working with my laptop one day. I have no idea why and I couldn't figure out how to fix it. Every time I needed something printed, I had to send it over to the desktop and wait 2 1/2 weeks for my desktop to turn on so I could print it. And then, when I clicked "print", it usually printed off a dozen strange pages before it got to my document. I tried to print a boarding pass a couple months ago and had to print 15 pages about Komodo Dragons first. I have no idea

Needless to say, I was thrilled to try this HP printer out! I have never been disappointed in an HP product and this was no exception.

Savannah pulled the printer out of the box and set it up by herself in no time. All I had to do was pop the included CD in my laptop and voila! I was good to go! And, did I mention it's WIRELESS?!

This printer holds both regular paper and photo paper AT THE SAME TIME! You don't have to change it out to go between printing photos and printing say, boarding passes, or copious amounts of information on Komodo Dragons. Not only that, but when you print a picture, it automatically prints on the photo paper which is very cool for people like me who would never remember to select "photo paper" every time she wanted to print a pic!

You don't have any pictures on your laptop because they were taking up too much space so you have them on a memory card, you say? No problem! You can insert your memory card directly into the printer and print our your pics! And these pictures look just like pictures that are printed professionally. They don't look like you printed them at home. I was amazed! And, it's WIRELESS!

Can you tell I totally love this printer yet? OK, another feature that I like is that it uses 5 individual inks. If your kids print out 50 pages of green Komodo Dragons, for example, you only have to replace an affordable green ink container, and not an entire expensive color cartridge.


And, and, and, check this out! Go to HP.COM/CREATE to find hundreds of free project templates for posters and business cards, calendars and greeting cards, stationary, scrapbooks, party decorations, and many, many more. You can print out party invitations, table decorations, banners, goody boxes, thank you notes and more in a coordinating design for easy party planning, for example.

And it's WIRELESS!

Honestly, I really, really love this printer and I have a feeling I've just begun to discover all it's capable of. You will be seriously impressed with this HP Wireless Photosmart C6380 printer!

AND I HAVE ONE TO GIVE AWAY HERE! To enter, leave me a comment below and tell me how you would use this printer - or you may leave a link to your post on your own blog in the comments below. The contest will begin at 12:00 a.m. (PST) on Wednesday, February 4th, and will end Tuesday, February 10th at 11:59 p.m (PST). Make sure that the e-mail address you leave is correct.
Rules:
No duplicate comments.
This giveaway is open to U.S. residents.
Winners will be selected via random draw, and will notified by e-mail.
You have 48 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
Want more chances to win? Go to the BlogHer site HERE! There are 8 chances to win total! Check it out!
****************************************
Edited to say: The contest doesn't start until 12:00 AM (PST) on Wednesday, February 4th. Comments left before that time will not count. Please stop by tonight at 12:00 AM Pacific (that's 3 in the morning for you east coasters) or later. The contest runs until February 10th. Thanks!
****************************************

Campbell's Soup Trip - part #2



OK, I see that the video I uploaded still hasn't processed. I can't even count how many times I tried to load this thing. Ugh. OK, let's try this again.....



I liked his tips on "skimming the scum" and blanching the noodles beforehand. I'd never thought to do that with the noodles!

Did you guys know that Campbell's also owns Pepperidge Farm (YUM!), Prego pasta sauce, Pace picante sauce, and Swanson's broth? I had no idea. As Stacy Debroff from Mom Central said, "If you are what you eat, I'm a good part Campbell's!"

We were privileged to be the voice of moms everywhere and the people from Campbell's took a lot of time to listen to us. They know what dinner time is like and they're committed to finding solutions.



They showed us these pictures that women had drawn when asked the question, "What's dinnertime like at your house?" LOL! How often does it happen that you look at the clock, realize it's already 4:00 and you have no clue what you're going to do for dinner? :::raising hand::: I go in spurts. For a while I'll be really good and pull something out of the freezer the night before and know what I'm going to make. Then, I'll go for a while doing the whole "it's 5:00 and everyone's hungry and asking me what's for dinner and I have no clue! McDonald's?"

Campbell's has tried to help moms around the world with the dinnertime dilemma. Think of how many Campbell's cookbooks are out there with quick and simple recipes. There are TONS of them full of recipes where you take half a dozen ingredients, mix it up, cook it and voila - a nice dinner is served.

But they haven't stopped there because we not only want quick and easy solutions, but we want our dinners to be healthy as well. Now Campbell's offers more than 85 reduced and lower sodium soups. They also have 124 soups with no MSG if that's an ingredient that bothers you. All of their Healthy Request soups and kids soups meet the government's criteria for "healthy" foods. The kids soups contain 110 calories or less, 3g of fat or less, 0g trans fat, 480mg sodium, are a good source of vitamin A, and have no MSG and no artificial preservatives or flavors.



We were able to do a blind taste test of some of these kids soups (chicken and stars & princess shapes). We tasted the original soup and the lower sodium variety. I got one right and one wrong. It was really hard to tell the difference. I don't know how they kept the flavor so good without artificial ingredients or MSG, but they did, and kids will love the taste while you love the lower sodium content.

In addition to the lower sodium content, they've added whole grain pasta to many soups and they've reformulated several Pepperidge Farm items as well. You can now get whole grain goldfish without artificial colors and flavors too, for example. I was impressed with the variety of healthier options offered.

I'll leave you with a simple slow-cooker recipe that's super-quick and easy to prepare and tastes yummy!

BEEF TACO CASSEROLE

prep time: 10 minutes
cook time: 7 to 8 hours


2 pounds ground beef (or ground turkey)
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's Condensed Creamy Tomato Ranchero Soup
1/2 cup water
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes with green chilies
8 corn tortillas (6-inch) cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese ( 4 ounces)
3 green onions, chopped
sour cream

COOK beef in 2 batches in large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring to separate meat. Pour off fat.

MIX beef, soup, water, tomatoes, and tortillas in 3 1/2 - 5 quart slow cooker.

COVER and cook on LOW 7 - 8 hours*. Stir in cheese. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with green onions and serve with sour cream.

* or on high for 4 to 5 hours

Serve with a crisp, green salad topped with Pace Picante sauce, and cornbread for a complete meal the whole family will love!

Stop back in later this week for information on V-Fusion!!!

Friday, January 30, 2009

Mmm Mmm Good

Campbell's Soup invited 11 bloggers...

MomCentral.com

Table4Five.net

ThisMamaCooks.com

MomAdvice.com

Busymom.net

Fromdatestodiapers.com

ThisFullHouse.com

Momtothescreamingmasses.typepad.com

Momof3girls.net

MomViews.net

and your truly

out to their world headquarters in Camden, NJ to talk with us about some of their products. Although bad weather on the east coast messed up a lot of our travel plans, we all made it out there ok. Eventually. Thankfully, my flight was just delayed a couple hours and I was able to pass the time at the airport bar texting my friend. OK, so I had a drink at an airport bar too. I even showed off my article in Good Housekeeping to one of the gentlemen there. In fact, I gave him my card and told him to pass it on to his wife. Yes, yes, I am shameless. Meanwhile, there was another guy at the bar who was drunk and telling everyone about his 3 ex-wives.

When it was time to board the plane, I was one of the last people on (because I hate getting on early and just standing there waiting for people to put their stinkin bags away and SIT DOWN!) So, I walk to my seat and who is sitting in the seat next to mine? That's right - the drunk guy with the 3 ex-wives. Thankfully he passed out 2 seconds after take-off. I shoved him against the window and had a decent trip.

I thought my driver was going to have a heart attack walking out to the car. I'm probably the most out of shape person you'll ever meet, but this guy was breathing so hard, I was like, "Can I just carry my suitcase? Please? Do you need to sit down or something?" Yikes!

So, I got to the Four Seasons hotel in Philadelphis (gorgeous hotel, btw!), got all checked in, and ordered me a cheesesteak 'cause when in Philly... It was as big as my head and I could only eat half of it, but it was de-lish!

I don't know why I feel the need to take pictures of every hotel room I stay in, but I do!


Huge bed to myself and you know what I did in my sleep? I piled pillows up against me as if they were Brooklyn. @@


Nice big bathroom with no toothpaste globs in the sink


My basket full of goodies from Campbell's. Yum!

Thursday morning we jumped on a bus and headed over the river to New Jersey and Campbell's. When we got there, a fire alarm was going off so he had to sit tight for a while. I personally thought it was refreshing and nice outside despite the fact the natives said it was freezing. (It was 35 degrees) I just laughed at them and said, "I can get a suntan in 35 degrees!"


10 of the 11 of us. Deb joined us a little later.


On the bus, ready to go!


I just thought this was a cool sculpture.


There were so many really cool looking buildings, but I didn't have any time to sightsee.


I have a ton to share with you about Campbell's, so I'm going to spread it out over a few days. For today, here's Chef Tom Helsel with a demonstration on how Campbell's makes their chicken soup. Yum! I wish you guy could smell this video. Mmmm, it smelled SO good in this kitchen! It's like watching Food Network and he's got some great tips for making yummy homemade chicken soup if you feel inspired to do more than open a can.

(I'm sorry if this video isn't working right now. I've been trying to get it to load since 9:00 last night. I fell asleep waiting for it to process. If it still isn't working, I'll mess around with it some more tomorrow.)

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Fireproof Winners

Here are the winners of the Fireproof DVD!

Here are your random numbers:
274
34
398
189
450
19
44
378
69
520
279
523
468
9
403
205
347
322
101
186
Timestamp: 2009-01-24 07:34:12 UTC

274My Semblance of Sanity said...
There is also a book - a workbook of sorts called the LOVE DARE - We were given the book by friends who saw the movie, but I don't want to start it until WE see the movie!It's making HUGE changes to many marriages, and in today's world...that's saying something!

(I swear this was entirely random!)

34Jen said...
I would love to win this DVD. Thanks! :)

398Rose said...
I would love to see this movie. We still haven't seen it. We just don't go to the theater very often, way too much $$$ involved. It's why we have a 60" tv, lol.

189Jodie Walter said...
i would love to see this

450Amanda E said...
I really want to watch this movie - I loved Facing the Giants! Crossing my fingers that the random number generator picks my number!

19JourneytoFamily said...
Oh I'd love to win one of your giveaway copies! I've been wanting to see this movie.

44Lisa said...
I would love to see this movie, as I am struggling with my marriage as well. I just hope and pray that I can remember to check back here for the winners list. Thanks again and I pray that your situation improves according to God's will.

378Cassandra said...
I would love to see this movie! It looks really good.

69Tina B. said...
I'm reading the book, The Love Dare, and it is AWESOME! Would love to see the movie that inspired the book!

520Janna said...
I'd love a copy - I heard such awesome things about this movie. I come from a firefighter family - Dad's retired and my brother is a captain. I'd love to pass it on to them after I've watched it!

279MistryUnique said...
Alright - I'm afraid that lusting over Kirk Cameron might distract me, but I'll take that chance...:D~ Misty

523Rachel said...
I've heard this movie is amazing! I'd love to have a copy:)

468Becky said...
We saw this movie in the theater. It's great and I love the humorous little tidbits with the next door neighbors! I would love to win a copy for our church library

9Amanda said...
I so want and NEED this movie!!!! You and Joe are in my thoughts!

403debbie said...
Your giveaways are awesome!

205Denise said...
I would love to win this movie. I cant see my husband watching it any other way. So please pick me!

347Chawksgirl4ever said...
would love to win one of these thsnks jnb in ca

322Firelizards said...
Wow! 20 copies? Maybe I can win one! :) Thanks!

101.:Bree:. said...
I hope and pray things get better for you!DH and I were going to see it in the theater, but never made it. A friend recommend we see it, and I want to, but buying it (or winning it) would be the best! :)I hope I win!*hugs*

186akhughes said...
I pray that God will heal your marriage and you will be able to stay together, not just to stay together, but because God has given you love for each other and knit your hearts together.

Congratulations! Please email me HERE with your shipping address by Monday night. If you didn't win, I hope you'll consider either buying a copy or renting one when it comes out on the 27th.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Oops!

Oh crud. I screwed up. Shocking, I know. I meant to write that I'd pick a winner for the Johnson's giveaway and the PTA gift card giveaway on Tuesday, January 20th. I accidentally wrote the 27th in my posts, however.

Since I already picked and posted the winners, I'm going to go with them. However, since I wrote that the winners needed to check back in on the 27th and would have 2 days to contact me, I'll wait until the 29th to hear from them.

I'm so sorry about the confusion. Boy, I wish my brain worked as well as it did before I had kids.

Winners!

Here is the winner of the Johnson's Baby gift basket!

Here are your random numbers:
56
Timestamp: 2009-01-21 08:01:07 UTC

Aleta said...
I thought I was done with 'No more Tears' and now I'm due with #4 in March!!! LOL! Would love to win this gift basket!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And here is the winner of the gift card for the PTA movie store!

Here are your random numbers:
54
Timestamp: 2009-01-21 08:04:04 UTC

DeT said...
I never knew all that--thanks for the education. I'd love to get the kiddo some more videos. He's just now getting addicted to television so anything to encourage the habit is appreciated.

Congratulations to both of you! Please email me HERE with your shipping address by Thursday night so I can get these sent out to you right away!
Thank you to everyone for reading and leaving comments! :)

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Clementines from Spain - part 2

OK, none of the Clementine winners came forward, so here are 5 new ones...

133AlehouseGirl said...
I literally, just today, blogged about my 2 1/2 year old's new found love of clementines. I think it's kismet. :) Hope we're one of the lucky readers.

54Ben and Melissa James said...
Yummy! I have one child that won't touch these but another that can't get enough!

198tchulick said...
My family loves clementines. I send in my kids lunch.

13Jenn said...
My hubby LOVES clementines- and that cheesecake looks so yummy!!Thanks for the great giveaway!!

213Sondie said...
We love clementines here too! Oddly enough we bought a 3 lb bag of california clementines last month, but they just aren't as sweet as the ones from Spain.

Let's try this again. Please email me HERE with your shipping address by Tuesday and I'll get these shipped out right away.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Fireproof

A while back, I mentioned on my blog that Joe and I were having marital issues. A few of you have asked how we're doing. Not great. I don't want to get into all the sordid details on my blog because my blog is to make people laugh; not cry. I have no problem sharing pictures of the pig sty boys' room. I can tell everyone what a bad mom I was and how guilty I felt when Lexi got hurt under the garage door. But I'm not comfortable sharing the personal details of my marriage. Thanks for understanding.

Anyway, the issues have been around for many, many, many years and they're not going to disappear overnight, if ever. Although, I have to thank those of you who suggested we see the movie FIREPROOF. Fireproof is from the makers of Facing the Giants (another good movie). The movie was awesome!

At first, I said, "Well, I liked the movie and I can absolutely see how it could make a difference in a couple's marriage, but that's not the case here." Well, it's been a few weeks since we saw it and I've since changed my mind. I think it actually did make a difference in Joe. Little by little, I've seen some changes in him. Will they last? Is he really changing things now? And is it too late anyway? Only time will tell, but there's definitely something good working in him.

If you have a good marriage, watch it with your spouse. If you have a marriage that could use some work (I think that's most couples) WATCH THIS! Even, if like me, you're headed to divorce court, take a chance and watch the movie together. If it doesn't change the way you think, then what have you lost? Nothing. But you might be surprised. They've received literally thousands of letters from men saying they wanted to date their wives again. In fact, you can read many of them HERE.

Here's a trailer...



And HERE'S a page with extra resources for you to check out (like the Love Dare book featured in the movie.)

Fireproof comes out on DVD January 27th and you can preorder it HERE. I highly recommend it. (Oh yeah, make sure you have a LOT of tissues handy when you watch this movie.)

And just for my readers, I have 20 Fireproof DVDs to give away! Leave me a comment here and I'll choose 20 random winners on Friday, January 23rd. Please remember to check back in on the 23rd because winners will have 2 days to give me their shipping information. If I don't hear from the winners, I'll choose new ones.

Happy Birthday No More Tears!

It's the 50th anniversary of Johnson's No More Tears trademark formula! That means that in some families, three generations of mothers have used Johnson's No More Tears products on their children. 50 years! That's a long time. This is what was going on 50 years ago...

In 1959, there were about 4,245,000 births in the U.S. Today, a baby is born every 7 seconds, resulting in about 4,138,349 births a year.

The national population in 1959 was about 178 million. That number has since climbed to a whopping 303 million in 2008.

The average age at which an American woman has her first child has reached to an all-time high of 25.2. This rate is expected to rise, seeing that women are waiting until their late 30s and 40s to have children. Women in 1959 were having babies much earlier, at the average age of just 21.6.

By the end of 1959, the number of children per woman was 3.7. The most recent data shows that today the number of children per woman has decreased to about 2.0.

With the Baby Boom generation underway, finding a name in the 1950s that no one had proved difficult. The most popular names in 1959 were Michael and Mary. The top baby names in 2007 were Sophia and Aiden.

With the price of unleaded regular gas averaging $4.11 a gallon in 2008, it's hard to believe that it was only 25 cents a gallon in 1959.

The average median income in 1959 was about 5,417. Today, the average is roughly $58,407.

In 1959, the average cost of a new home was about $12,400. Today, one can expect to purchase a new home for at least $267,300.

The postage stamp in 1959 cost only 4 cents. With the current price of a stamp at 41 cents, we are lucky to have free Internet access.



And this year, Johnson's is introducing two new No More Tears products: Johnson's Bubble Bath & Wash, and Johnson's Head-To-Toe Foaming Wash. Both contain an updated, even more mild No More Tears formula. I have a Johnson's gift set, including the two new products, plus a whole bunch of classics (Retail value $70!) to give away to one lucky reader! Just leave me a comment here an I'll pick a random winner on Tuesday, Jan. 27. Please check back in on the 27th to see if you've won. You'll have 2 days to email me your shipping information. If I don't hear from you, I'll choose another winner.

PTA Video Store

I have to admit, when I think of the PTA, the Harper Valley song starts playing in my head. After that, I think of "the perfect moms" who run the PTA, making you feel like a loser for wanting to help out in some small way. You know who I'm talking about - the thin, exquisitely dressed, perfectly coiffed and made-up moms who have the perfect 2 children who are on the honor roll and involved in 20 extracurricular activities; the mom who doesn't forget about events and stop at the grocery store on the way there to pick up a package of cookies; the mom who makes Martha Stewart recipes for class parties. I'm sure a lot of you know what I'm talking about here. Seriously, that was about the extent of my knowledge about the PTA.

Awhile back, I had to opportunity to speak with April and Kate from the National PTA. They set me straight. Did you know, not all school are involved in PTA? Some schools have PTOs, for example. This is not the same thing as the PTA. I had no idea. I thought it was all the same thing!

The PTA is a national organization. It's the largest volunteer parent organization in the U.S. They have more than 5 million members devoted to the success of children and the promotion of parent involvement in schools. The PTA prides itself on being a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for public education. Membership in the PTA is open to anyone.



And did you know there's a PTA video store? I had no clue! They sell only family friendly movies so you don't have to worry about adult content when you order from their site. While browsing titles this morning, I saw several for only $8.99! I know a lot of people rent movies, but when it comes to kids' videos, I like to own them. Why, you ask? Because kids like to watch the same movie over and over and over and over and over again until you can recite the entire thing in your sleep. And it's nice to have a babysitter some quality shows on hand to entertain your little ones now and then. Brooklyn threw a fit the other day because she wanted to watch Phineas and Ferb. It wasn't on TV right then and she's too young to get the concept of "YOU CAN'T WATCH IT IF IT ISN'T ON TV!!!" It's nice to have DVDs of some of their favorites shows on hand. Really nice. Trust me.

You can check out the video store here! And you can buy gift cards, which are great to have on hand when your kids are being constantly invited to birthday parties week after week. Kids can pick out their own movie and parents can know that they'll have a G or PG rating. And when you purchase a card, a percentage of the proceeds go toward the PTA.

I have a $20 gift card to the PTA movie store for one lucky reader! Just leave me a comment here and I'll select a random winner on Tuesday, Jan. 27th. Please check back in on the 27th to see if you've won because you'll have 2 days to contact me with your shipping address. If I don't hear from you, another winner will be selected. Good luck!

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Inkheart, Dunkin' Donuts & Clementines from Spain!

OK, I'm a little overwhelmed with deadlines and life and stuff right now. I feel like I'm just chasing my tail. So, I'm combining a few pieces of info in this one blog post so I can get back to finishing up my manuscript.



First, have you read the book Inkheart by Cornelia Funke? Two of my kids are reading it now and they're both totally into it. There's a movie coming out based on the Inkheart trilogy this Friday, January 23. Inkheart is a family-friendly fantasy adventure (rated PG) that sends a father and daughter on a quest through worlds both real and imagined. It looks cool! My kids can't wait to see it! I'd actually like to see it too since it stars Brendan Fraser and he's my boyfriend (shhh, he doesn't know it yet). You can see a preview HERE.

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Next on tonight's agenda is Dunkin' Donuts. (Oooo, actually I could really go for a cuppa coconut coffee right about now. Be right back...) I seriously did just run out for a cuppa coffee when I picked my son up from church. Mmmm. Anyway, back to what I was saying.

Dunkin' Donuts introduced DDSMART last summer. This is a line of better-for-you menu items. Options include the new Egg White Flatbread sandwiches, Latte Lite, a reduced fat blueberry muffin and others. On January 26 and 27, Dunkin' Donuts is virtually opening the doors to its kitchens for the first time. Dunkin's culinary experts will participate in a special Facebook event to answer any questions about DDSMART, listen to suggestions for other options that could be added to the DDSMART menu, and share thoughts on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle no matter how busy life gets. You can join in the conversation January 26 & 27th!

Also, from now until February 3, participating Dunkin' Donuts stores nationwide will offer an Egg White Flatbread Sandwich for only $1.99 when you buy a medium cup of coffee (get the coconut!) The Egg White Flatbreads are available in two varieties, Turkey Sausage and Veggie. Both have fewer than 300 calories, with nine grams of fat or less, and are served on wholesome toasted multigrain flatbread. Mmmm!

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I'll get to the winner's of the clementines in a minute, but first, if you're in the Boston area, Clementines from Spain invites you to a free cooking class with Ceci Carmichael, former Food Network host of “Calling All Cooks". The event is this Saturday, the 17th at the Museum of Science (Skyline Room) in Boston, MA. Register for the class HERE and enjoy FREE admission to the museum for you and your family!

And here are the winners of the crates of clementines from Spain!

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
101
145
276
172
119
Timestamp: 2009-01-14 02:17:12 UTC

101Amy said...
Clementines are the best! I always hide a few for myself otherwise I wouldn't get any as the kids and Hubby will eat them all.

145Dawn said...
Love 'em! Don't usually last long in my house. Don't get them nearly often enough due to price.

276Becki said...
We buy huge bags of cuties every shopping trip. I put these things on the counter and even if they are right next to the cookies, everyone always grabs clementines first. Yummy we love them and I want to try ones from Spain! I hope I win.

172katie said...
Yummy, the cheesecake recipe looks really good.

119Anonymous said...
Love, love clementines! the color, the smell, the taste! Janejanegreene

Congratulations! Email me HERE with your shipping address by Friday, the 16th and I'll have them mailed out right away. :)