Saturday, October 31, 2009

Keeping My Family Healthy During Cold & Flu Season

Yes, it is cold and flu season and H1N1 influenza (Swine flu) is going around. I know you have heard a lot lately about taking precautions and avoiding people who are sick. Here are ways my family tries to stay healthy during this time...

Contain and Get Rid of the Germs: Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer regularly and avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth which can spread any virus you may have picked up on your hands to your body. Cover your coughing and sneezing. Cough into your sleeve (the bend of your elbow) or a tissue/Boogie Wipe not your hands. Don't stifle a cough and don't sniff the mucous back into your lungs. Sneezing, blowing your nose, and coughing are a must when trying to expel germs from the body. Have good hygiene and brush your teeth/tongue/gums regularly.

Try to stay away from others who are sick and if you get sick try to stay home. Disinfect your house. We use chlorine bleach, ultra-violet light, isopropyl alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, tea tree oil, or vinegar to disinfect things in our home. Let some fresh air in and don't over heat your house. Overheating and not ventilating properly will only make the air in your home stagnant, stale and dry. Lack of humidity causes our nose and tonsils to dry out so they cannot trap germs efficiently. When this happens it becomes difficult to sneeze and cough. Turning down the thermostat and turning on a room humidifier keeps virus-laden mucus flowing out of your body. As gross as it is you need to get it out of your system.

Be Good to Yourself: Get plenty of rest. Remember the old saying: Early to bed, Early to rise, Makes a person healthy, wealthy and wise. There is a lot of truth to that saying. Eat healthy and don't skip breakfast. Avoid refined sugars, high fructose corn syrup and caffeine. Take vitamins and supplements (We take extra vitamin C when it is cold and flu season). Get plenty of fluids. Green tea, water, herbal teas and soups can help tremendously. Orange juice is also great because of the vitamin C. Avoid alcohol and tobacco products (I don't drink alcoholic beverages or smoke anyway). Your immune system needs a boost to help your body not become ill. Exercise and managing stress is also very important.

Here is one of my favorite soup recipes:

Cheesy Chicken Chowder
Servings 6

1 package bacon, diced, cooked, drained
6 medium red potatoes, washed, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
1 large carrot, grated
1 medium onion, minced
4 large chicken breasts, cooked, diced
2 cans cream of chicken soup, condensed
2 cans whole kernel corn, drained
1 stalk broccoli flowerets
2 cups cheese, shredded
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon thyme leaver
2 cups sour cream
1 1/2 cups milk

In a large sauce pan cook the bacon and remove when crisp. Save a couple of teaspoons of fat in the pan and add the potatoes , onions, celery, and carrots. Cook until the veggies are tender (about 20 minutes). When the veggies are tender add the broccoli, corn, chicken, spices, soup and milk. Stir until all is smooth and warm then add the sour cream and cheese and stir on low heat until cheese is melted.

Use Natural or Homeopathic Remedies/Medicines: Have you ever tried homeopathic medicines? Homeopathy is a therapeutic method used to help the body re-balance and heal itself using natural substances in micro-doses. My family uses homeopathic and natural remedies/medicine and vitamins and minerals to help us stay well or get over illness sooner. We have successfully used Emergen-C, Airborne, Cold Eeze, colloidal silver, Boogie Wipes, saline nose drops, extra vitamin C, zinc lozenges, and tea.

I haven't tried them yet, but I just learned about 3 new homeopathic medicine for kids that are made by Boiron, the world leader in homeopathy, through One2One Network: Children's Oscillococcinum®, Children's Coldcalm Pellets®, Children's Chestal®.

In case you want to try them out yourself HERE is a link to a $1 off coupon for Boiron's new children's products.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Crazy Love by Michael Bublé Review

ABOUT MICHAEL BUBLE:
Singer, songwriter, and multi-Grammy winner Michael Bublé has sold over 22 million albums worldwide. His previous album, 2007’s Grammy winning "Call Me Irresponsible" was a #1 album in over 15 countries. His 2005 CD "It's Time" holds the record as the longest running title to remain on the Billboard Traditional Jazz charts – a full two years. It sat in the Number One position for over 80 weeks! He has had two #1 singles, "Everything" and "Home" which was also a #1 hit for Blake Shelton on the Country charts.

ABOUT CRAZY LOVE:
Due to overwhelming demand by his fans, Crazy Love was released on Friday, October 9th instead of the original date of October 13th. So, for the last six months he has been in the recording studios in LA, Brooklyn, New York and his hometown of Vancouver to make this "ultimate record about the inevitable roller coaster ride of relationships."

Album Tracklisting:
1. Cry Me A River
2. All Of Me
3. Georgia On My Mind
4. Crazy Love
5. Haven't Met You Yet
6. All I Do Is Dream Of You
7. Hold On
8. Heartache Tonight
9. You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You
10. Baby (You've Got What It Takes) (With Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings)
11. At This Moment
12. Stardust (With Naturally 7)
13. Whatever It Takes (bonus track) (With Ron Sexsmith)

Check out this teaser video "Haven't Met You Yet"...


Then watch the Music Video...


Grab this widget and put it on your site...


Fan him on Facebook.

MY THOUGHTS:
Michael Bublé has some amazing talent! I can't believe I haven't really heard of him before. I guess I've been living in a bubble, LOL! Seriously, he has an incredible voice and I LOVE his music! I am going to have to spend some cash to get some more of his albums :) After I listened to his Crazy Love album I went on his You Tube site and watched and listened to him perform some of his other songs. All I can say is WOW! He is a great performer and singer! My Favorite songs on the album are: Haven't Met You Yet and Baby (You've Got What It Takes). It was very hard to pick my favorites though because they are all very good!

BUY IT:
Go to Amazon.com and get this CD for only $9.99!!

DISCLAIMER: Thanks to One2One Network, the women's word of mouth marketing network, for providing me with this opportunity and a CD in advance to review as part of a campaign to spread the word. All information about the products I received from the official press release, email from One2One Network, the Michael Bublé website, and the packaging on the product itself. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Child Passenger Safety LATCH Campaign‏

Here is some important child passenger safety information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Ad Council...

I would like you to know that there are wonderful resources available for free to help you make safe choices about car seats and to help you use your car seats properly for maximum safety.


- Twitter: An actual safety expert mans the @ChildSeatSafety account on Twitter, and they will continue to answer any questions that parents have about child passenger safety. This is such a unique resource from a government agency!

- Facebook: NHTSA has a Facebook page at http://facebook.com/childpassengersafety where parents can learn about everything from LATCH to locating inspection offices.

- Websites: The Ad Council and the NHTSA have created a site with all the resources parents need to keep their smallest passengers safe: http://childcarsafety.adcouncil.org
Find your local inspection station, watch instructional videos, and even take a fun quiz!

Child Passenger Safety: http://www.nhtsa.gov/cps

Inspection Station Locator: http://www.nhtsa.gov/cps/cpsfitting/index.cfm

Recall Information from NHTSA:
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/subscriptions/index.cfm

Child Seat Registration:
http://www-odi.nhtsa.gov/recalls/register/childseat

DISCLAIMER: Momfluence graciously gave me the information for this campaign. Amy Lupold Bair, founder of Momfluence, is acting on behalf of NHTSA's child passenger safety efforts and so am I by posting this information.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Little Music Lovers Review and Giveaway

ABOUT LITTLE MUSIC LOVERS:
Little Music Lovers is a four CD series for children that was released on September 22nd by Universal Music Classical just in time for the holiday season. The music collections provide a great opportunity for parents to introduce their babies and toddlers to music from famous composers such as Bach, Beethoven and Mozart along with well-known lullabies that can accompany little ones through all of their daily activities including play time, story time and of course, bed time.

MY THOUGHTS:
I received the Little Music Lovers sampler CD to listen to, share with my family, and review from Role Mommy for free. This sampler CD has 8 classical tracks on it (2 from each of the 4 CDs). I had heard a lot of these previously so most of the songs were not new to me. We enjoyed listening to the selections and in the end the lullabies were making me yawn, LOL! These CDs give another way to interact with your child. Classical music is wonderful to stimulate brain development. If you go to the Little Music Lovers website and click on the the star that says "Play Now" you will be taken to a page with activities and ideas on how to interact with your child while the music is playing. Make it fun and engaging. We did and it made the music even more enjoyable!

Click on the links below to go to Amazon.com and hear a preview of all the songs on each CD. You can also listen to some selections on the Little Music Lovers website.

Here is what I was able to listen to on the Music Sampler:
Mozart: Smart Music for Play Time
1. Piano Concerto No. 21 in C - Andante
2. Concerto for Flute, Harp, and Orchestra - Andantino
Bach: Smart Music for Activity Time
3. Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G - Allegro
4. Fugue in G minor "The Little"
Beethoven: Smart Music for Story Time
5. Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor - Adagio sostenuto
6. String Quartet No. 13 in B flat - Allegro assai
Lullabies: Smart Music for Bed Time
7. Brahms: Cradle Song
8. Canteloube: Brezairola - Chants d' Auvergne

BUY IT:
You can also buy these CDs online at iTunes.com or Amazon.com for only $6.98 today!

WIN IT:
Bonny at Beyond PR and Role Mommy has offered one of my readers a chance to win one of the four CDs.

Mandatory:
1. Go to the Little Music Lovers website and tell me which one of the 4 CDs you would love to win the most.

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog by email and let me know. (2 extra entries)

2. Become my fan on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

3. Blog about this giveaway on your blog and provide me with the link. Make sure you have the link to this post and Little Music Lovers in your blog entry or it won't count. (2 extra entries)

4. Grab My Button (see sidebar to the left) AND/OR Put My Blog URL in Your Blogroll - Leave Your Link. (1 extra entry)

5. Technorati my blog and let me know your link. (1 extra entry)

6. List this giveaway on any giveaway listing website or blog and tell me where you listed it. (2 extra)

7. Follow me on twitter and retweet this: @finamoon WIN: Little Music Lovers CD http://bit.ly/2cIiNH
(Daily Extras are Available)

8. Fave me on Momfaves. (2 extra entries)

9. Comment on one of my other of my posts and tell me which one. (2 extra entries per post)

Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. If you subscribed by email, blogged about this, listed it, commented on another post, or faved me on Momfaves leave 2 entries saying you did. This contest ends on Friday November 27, 2009 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is open to U.S. Only!!

DISCLAIMER: By participating in this opportunity, I received a sampler CD for free from Role Mommy. All information about the products I received from the official press release, email from Role Mommy, the Little Music Lovers website, and the packaging on the product itself. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Mom NEEDS Chocolate by Debora M. Coty FIRST Wild Card Tour Book Review

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!


Today's Wild Card author is:


and the book:


Mom NEEDS Chocolate: Hugs, Humor and Hope for Surviving Motherhood

Regal (April 1, 2009)

***I have not yet received the review copy yet from Rebeca Seitz of Glass Road Public Relations, LLC, but want to share this FIRST Wild Card Tour with you all. When I do receive the book and have read it I will post a review of it. Thanks!***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Debora M. Coty is the author or contributor to several books, including Mom NEEDS Chocolate: Hugs, Humor and Hope for Surviving Motherhood. A resident of Florida where she lives with her husband, Coty raised two children and enjoyed a dedicated career as an Occupational Therapist before beginning to chase her God-given dream of writing. She is known for communicating sound biblical concepts with a refreshing, light-hearted style. Her writings can be read in her monthly newspaper column, Grace Notes: God’s Grace for Everyday Living.

Visit the author's website.



Product Details:

List Price: $14.99
Hardcover: 224 pages
Publisher: Regal (April 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0830745920
ISBN-13: 978-0830745920

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:


My Cups Runneth Over

Pregnancy

A baby is an inestimable blessing and a bother.

Mark Twain

As for you, be fruitful and multiply; populate the earth abundantly and multiply in it.

Genesis 9:7, NASB

There are a few things I’ve learned while fulfilling the “be fruitful and multiply” mandate.

Pregnancy draws you closer to your spouse. During an emergency stop in our driveway while I tossed my cookies in the grass, my husband, Chuck, tried to comfort me. Soon we were throwing up side by side. It was the most romantic thing he’s ever done. Those two brown spots on our lawn were the envy of all my friends.

Childbirth classes are invaluable informational sources. At the country hospital we’d chosen, one young farmer raised his hand the week after we learned about Braxton Hicks false labor contractions. He earnestly addressed the nurse instructor, “Ma’am, my wife’s been miserable all week. Could you tell us again about them Briggs and Stratton things?” He was the same strapping fellow who confided the first week, “We ain’t ever had any babies, but we’ve birthed a lot of cows.”

The budding momma’s swelling belly and the ledge over her innie-turned-outie navel aren’t the only evolutions in the body’s profile. Average-sized breasts become huge globes that bump into everything. It’s like having volleyballs attached to your chest. These alien chest globes take on their own personalities. I called mine the Bobbing Twins, Freddie and Flopsie. I addressed them directly: “Freddie, stop bouncing around or I’m going to fall off this bike,” or “Flopsie, you’re gonna have to squeeze into this DDD cup—there is no E.”

Finally, you’re in your ninth month. Ah, but the surprises are not over. After hours of sweating, teeth grinding and PUSHing, you are rewarded with a tiny screaming miracle. The little bugger has a surprisingly strong sucking reflex, and when he latches on, it feels like a vice grip to this incredibly sensitive part of your anatomy. You’re awfully glad you did that desensitization with the washcloth beforehand. I once commented to Chuck after performing this unpleasant ritual that rubbing myself with terrycloth made me empathize with that old table he was sanding.

“Hmmm. Yes, dear,” he answered, only half listening. I later overheard him inform his sister on the phone, “Debbie uses sandpaper on her chest to get ready for the baby.” No wonder his family thinks I’m weird.

Shortly after giving birth, my friend Julia (also a nursing mother) and I decided to take a well-deserved tennis break. Leaving the babies with their daddies, we headed for the courts. The blissful quiet was shattered by a wailing infant in a passing stroller, triggering that mysterious internal milk breaker switch. Julia and I simultaneously clutched our chests like gunshot victims at the incoming flood.

“Stop it, Freddie! Not now, Flopsie!” I pleaded with the Twins as two dark, wet spots appeared in strategic locations on the front of my white tennis shirt. Julia and I mopped ourselves between points with a soggy sweatband, bringing strange new meaning to the term, “bosom buddies.”1

Son of Man, thank You for the blessing of family and the miracle of babies. Make me more like You because they may end up being like me.



Note

1. Adapted from “My Cups Runneth Over” by Debora M. Coty, first appearing in Today’s Christian Woman, November/December 2004 issue. Used by permission.


Yoplait Kids Yogurt Review and Giveaway

ABOUT YOPLAIT KIDS YOGURT:
Yoplait Kids yogurt has 25% less sugar than the leading kids´ yogurt. It also contains no artificial sweeteners or flavors. Its thick and creamy texture will hug your little one´s spoon, so less mess and without chunks it poses no choking hazards.

In addition, Yoplait Kids is a good source of vitamin D and, according to two new studies that provide the first national assessment of the crucial nutrient in young Americans, millions of U.S. children have disturbingly low vitamin D levels, possibly increasing their risk for a variety of health concerns, including bone problems. About 7.6 million children, adolescents, and young adults have vitamin D levels so low they could be considered deficient. It can be challenging for growing kids to get enough vitamin D because this nutrient is only found naturally in very few foods; however Yoplait Kids makes it a little easier to incorporate a delicious source of vitamin D and calcium in your child's diet.

MY THOUGHTS:
It is getting harder and harder to find a snack that is both good for kids and that tastes good. My kids love yogurt as much as most, but all the additives and sugar add up. I am glad to find that Yoplait Kids yogurts have 25% less sugar and is a great source of vitamin D and calcium. We got the Raspberry Rainbow/Strawberry Banana Bash Trix yogurt with our free coupon. It was quite tasty and my boys gobbled it up :) They loved the swirl of colors and flavors in the cups. We also enjoyed the prize pack we received free from MyBlogSpark. The cooler bag was very handy on our next car trip and the place mat was great because it is so easy to clean. The boys and Teela had fun with the color change spoons and the fuzzy tangle toy.


WIN IT:
Le-La from MyBlogSpark has generously offered 2 of these Yoplait Less Sugar, More Fun prize packs to give away to my readers! So in other words 2 readers will win!! The prize pack includes: coupon* for a Yoplait Kids yogurt, a travel cooler (to take your yogurt on-the-go), a fun spoon that changes colors in warm water, a reusable place mat with games to keep the kids happy while snacking, and a fuzzy tangle puzzle for some after-snack fun.

Mandatory:
1. Go to the Yoplait Kids website and tell me what other product you or your kids would be interested in trying AND share how you make snack time fun for your kids (do both or be disqualified).

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog by email and let me know. (2 extra entries)

2. Become my fan on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

3. Blog about this giveaway on your blog and provide me with the link. Make sure you have the link to this post and Yoplait Kids in your blog entry or it won't count. (2 extra entries)

4. Grab My Button (see sidebar to the left) AND/OR Put My Blog URL in Your Blogroll - Leave Your Link. (1 extra entry)

5. Technorati my blog and let me know your link. (1 extra entry)

6. List this giveaway on any giveaway listing website or blog and tell me where you listed it. (2 extra)

7. Follow me on twitter and retweet this: @finamoon WIN: Yoplait Less Sugar, More Fun prize pack 2 winners http://bit.ly/2OpRu3
(Daily Extras are Available)

8. Fave me on Momfaves. (2 extra entries)

9. Comment on one of my other of my posts and tell me which one. (2 extra entries per post)

10. Fan Yoplait on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. If you subscribed by email, blogged about this, listed it, commented on another post, or faved me on Momfaves leave 2 entries saying you did. This contest ends on Friday September 6, 2009 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is open to U.S. Only!! *This coupon offer for a free six pack of Yoplait Kids yogurt is not valid in some states, including Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota and Tennessee.

DISCLAIMER: By participating in this Spark, I received a coupon* for any of the Yoplait Kids yogurt products along with a Yoplait Less Sugar, More Fun prize pack for free. All information about the products I received from MyBlogSpark, the Yoplait Kids website, and the packaging on the product itself. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Wordless Wednesday The Great Pumpkin October 2008


If you are participating in Wordless Wednesdays, click on the Mister Linky image, enter your name and URL in the form, and press Enter.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

My Favorites of Fall

This autumn has been great so far and I would love to share with you some pictures of past falls that I have enjoyed and tell you some of my favorite things of the season. Autumn is one of my favorite seasons for many reasons. Here are some of them.

I love when the leaves on the trees change their many colors.




I love going to the many fairs, festivals, harvest parties, farmers' markets, orchards, and pumpkin patches. Having hay rides and going through corn/hay mazes.



I love the flavors of fall: mulled hot apple cider with cinnamon sticks, spiced chai, sparkling cider, toasted pumpkin seeds, pumpkin pie, apple pie, pecan pie, turkey, sausage stuffing, acorn squash, sweet potatoes, yams, mashed rutabaga/potatoes, Thanksgiving feast, etc.



I love the scents of fall: autumn scented candles, my neighbor's scentsy, apples, caramel apples, mulling spices, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves allspice, star anise, pumpkin pie spice, clove orange/fruit pomanders, cinnamon pine cones, chai mulch, grape vines loaded with grapes, wood stoves, etc.



I love fall fashions. Especially sweaters, shawls, scarves, dupatta (long scarf), and ponchos (esp. ones with fringe, metallic threads, eyelash yarn, etc.), capes, caplets (esp. hooded ones).


What do you love about autumn? What are your favorites? Do you have a favorite recipe? Please share with me! Thanks!

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Wordless Wednesday Autumn Leaves


If you are participating in Wordless Wednesdays, click on the Mister Linky image, enter your name and URL in the form, and press Enter.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Monkey Business Sports Compound Bow X2 Toy Review and Giveaway

Monkey Business SportsABOUT MONKEY BUSINESS SPORTS:
Monkey Business Sports builds every toy with the simple goal of: providing real fun out there in the real world, promoting healthy and active play, and staying on the cutting edge of innovation and toy safety so that they can bring quality toys with style and performance to your home. They have high performance foam toy shooters, hand-launched foam rockets, fun flyers, EZ lasso (as seen on the Late Show with David Latterman), tabletop sports, spider ball, etc.

Compound Bow X2 Toy BowABOUT THE FOAMSTRIKE COMPOUND BOW X2:
The Foamstrike Compound Bow X2 is great for target practice or distance challenge. The double powered bow comes with durable guide cord that latches into grooves of arrows and has X2 power aiming cords that launch the arrows over 100 feet! The wrist guard helps in the stability and accuracy. Comes with bow, 3 arrows, arrow ammo holder and sling. For left or right hand use.

Compound Bow X2 Toy Bow
MY THOUGHTS:
We received the camouflage Foamstrike Compound Bow X2 from MBS to test and review and I gave it to my boys who are 9 and 7 to try out. They absolutely had a blast! As you can see above my daughter, Teela, loved the box and the packing peanuts the bow and arrow came in the most :) When it came I was surprised, a cap with their logo on it had been thrown into the package as well. This toy bow and arrow set is great. Since it is camouflage it blends in to the surroundings and because the arrows are made of soft foam they don't hurt. Of course one has to still be careful about not hitting someone in the eye with it. Once my boys got the hang of the bow and arrows they could launch the arrow pretty far and accurately. Delbin, my oldest, aimed at Jaedan while he was running away and got him right on his hiney :) I would have thought a moving target would be more difficult, but the bow and arrow proved very accurate. The arrows when launched straight up into the air by my boys went a great distance and it was fun to watch them go so high and guess where they would land.

WIN IT:
Hailey at Monkey Business Sports has given me the opportunity to choose one lucky reader to win a FoamStrike SlingShot

Mandatory: (Please make sure that you do all three mandatory entries or you will be disqualified!)
1. Go to the Monkey Business Sports website write about one of their products in the comment section on this post. (1 entry)

2. Follow Monkey Business Sports on Twitter. (1 entry)

3. Become a fan of Monkey Business Sports on Facebook (1 entry)

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog by email and let me know. (2 extra entries)

2. Become my fan on facebook. (1 extra entry)

3. Blog about this giveaway on your blog and provide me with the link. Make sure you have the link to this post and Monkey Business Sports in your blog entry or it won't count. (2 extra entries)

4. Grab My Button (see sidebar to the left) AND/OR Put My Blog URL in Your Blogroll - Leave Your Link. (1 extra entry)

5. Technorati my blog and let me know your link. (1 extra entry)

6. List this giveaway on any giveaway listing website or blog and tell me where you listed it. (2 extra)

7. Add me on twitter and retweet this: @finamoon: @MBStoys WIN: Monkey Business Sports FoamStrike SlingShot http://bit.ly/2gf5Df
(Daily Extras are Available)

8. Buy something at Monkey Business Sports and let me know what it was. (3 extra)

Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. Contest open to 18 years or older. This contest ends on Friday November 6, 2009 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is open to U.S. Only!!

Friday, October 16, 2009

Getting Dinner Ready in a Flash Samsung Contest


TwitterMoms and Samsung is asking you what your 3 valid tips for getting dinner ready in a flash. Today is the last day to enter for your chance to win a Samsung Refrigerator (RFG297AARS).

With 4 children, a blog, and a husband I can get really busy sometimes. It is really easy for me to procrastinate and put dinner off until the very last minute. Sometimes prepackaged meals are the fastest dinner option at the time. Other times I find myself wanting to make a homemade meal for my family. To do this sometimes preparing a meal plan ahead of time needs to occur. I have to tell you that setting aside time to do a meal plan is one of the hardest things for me. Here are my 3 tips...

1. Pick a quick recipe 30 minutes or less including prep. time that you have all of the ingredients for. (Homemade soups, casseroles, or pastas are some of my favorites. One dish or one pot meals are the easiest.)

2. Use a crockpot. This is a lifesaver to getting dinner done fast. Just throw your ingredients in the night before or morning of and let it do the cooking. (Same goes for a rice cooker, bread maker, etc. These devices are supposed to make our lives easier.)

3. Use prepackaged, precut, preshredded, precooked ingredients in your cooking. (Stuff like pre-cut precooked frozen meats, preshredded cheese, precut veggies, boxed already seasoned grains...like couscous or rice, canned beans, etc. can really speed the cooking time.)

Sprout Wiggles Sweepstakes

Get your wiggle on and enter to win a trip for 4 to see The Wiggles Live on Saturday, November 7 in Greenville, SC.

The trip includes:

4 tickets to The Wiggles Show in Greenville, SC on November 7, 2009.
airfare and hotel accommodations for a three day / two night trip for winnder and three guests
a rental vehicle
breakfast for three days
$250 spending money
So are you ready to wiggle? Then enter now to win!

The contest runs from October 5, 2009 until October 19, 2009. Only one entry per person per day, please. One winner will be selected. Enter Here! See sweepstakes rules Here.

Sprouterrific Halloween Costume Contest

Celebrate Halloween with Sprout videos, crafts, recipes and enter the Sprouterrific Halloween Contest! Upload a photo on the Sprout website of your Sproutlet dressed in their latest homemade costume-it may be shown on TV! Watch The Sunny Side Up Show every weekday between 11:30am and noon ET in October for the costume “pick of the day” announcement- you could win a Sprouterrific gift basket filled with Sprout goodies! Happy Halloween and good luck!

At Home With Friends by Joshua Bell Review

ABOUT JOSHUA BELL:
Grammy Award-winning violinist Joshua Bell has been in the spotlight since he was 14 years old and has played since the age of 4. Now 30 original albums later, Joshua is captivating audiences worldwide like no other classical violinist of his time. He’s earned countless awards and honors for his work as a concert stage performer and recording artist, including “Classical Artist of the Year” and “Classical CD of the Year” by Billboard Magazine. He’s the first musician to have a classical music video played on VH1 and he’s appeared on Sesame Street.

ABOUT AT HOME WITH FRIENDS:
Aside from his music he is known for holding musical parties at his Manhattan home with musicians, actors, comics and authors who get together just for the sheer joy of sharing their art. In Joshua's new album At Home With Friends (released by Sony Classical on September 29) he fulfilled a life-long career dream of recording a CD of instrumental and vocal duets with an amazing guest list of musicians and friends. Included in the mix is Regina Spektor, Josh Groban, Sting, Kristin Chenoweth, Chris Botti, and more! Click here for a sneak peak.

Check out Joshua's Facebook page.

At Home With Friends has a unique feel to it in that it covers a wide range of styles: classical, pop, bluegrass, broadway, jazz, and even some ethnic World Music.

Check out the track list:

I Loves You Porgy featuring Chris Botti, trumpet
Come Again featuring Sting, vocals
Oblivion featuring Carel Kraayenhof, bandoneon
Cinema Paradiso featuring Josh Groban, vocals
Para Tí featuring Tiempo Libre, various
My Funny Valentine featuring Kristin Chenoweth, vocals
Maybe So featuring Edgar Meyer Sam Bush and Mike Marshall, strings
Grieg: Sonata No. 3 featuring Sergei Rachmaninoff (Zenph re-performance)
Eleanor Rigby featuring Frankie Moreno, piano & vocals
O, Cease Thy Maiden Fair featuring Nathan Gunn, baritone
Il Postino featuring Carel Kraayenhof, bandoneon
Left Hand Song featuring Regina Spektor, piano & vocals
Chovendo Na Roseira featuring Dave Grusin, piano
Look Away featuring Edgar Meyer, bass and Chris Thile, mandolin
Variant Moods: Duet for Sitar & Violin featuring Anoushka Shankar, sitar
I'll Take Manhattan featuring Marvin Hamlisch, piano
Left Hand featuring Regina Spektor, vocals

The Left Hand Song featuring Regina Spektor is a fan-favorite and has never been recorded until now! At Home With Friends is your only chance to own this song. You don’t want to miss this opportunity. Order At Home With Friends now!

MY THOUGHTS:
Many of you probably don't know this about me, but I started playing the violin in 5th grade. I loved it, but wasn't very good at reading music. I played the violin right up until college. I have always been petite and when I grew out of my three quarter size violin after 12th grade I sold it and haven't found the perfect full size violin yet. The full size violin is the largest size and so probably the last violin I will ever get. I hope to find the perfect one someday.

When I saw Joshua's 300-year-old Stradivarius beauty that he paid a little under 4 million dollars for and I had to stop myself from drooling. Then I heard the album At Home With Friends and the music coming from Joshua and his treasure was fantastic! Joshua truely found his perfect violin.

Joshua recently converted his Manhattan home to accommodate musical gatherings and he's taken that concept and incorporated it into the whole feel of this album. He's brought together some of his friends he has come to know over the years and they are some outstanding friendships! I am a little envious.

This album is diverse and wonderful! My favorite song on the album is a toss up between Cinema Paradiso with Josh Groban and Variant Moods: Duet for Sitar and Violin! I am already a huge fan of Josh Groban and I love world music! Joshua Bell is an outstanding violinist and his love for the music shows greatly. I am going to have to go and seek out more of his music for my collection now.

Thanks to One2One Network, the women's word of mouth marketing network, for providing me with this opportunity and a CD in advance to review as part of a campaign to spread the word.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Wordless Wednesday Jaedan in a Tunnel


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YouCanMakeThis "Not-so-Scary" Halloween Review and Giveaway

Have you got your kid(s) their Halloween costume(s) yet? Are you dressing up? Halloween is just around the corner! I have been so very busy I haven't really thought much about it. Although my daughter, Teela, is probably going to be a dalmatian puppy this year because we found a cute reversible coat that has a dalmatian on one side and a lamb on the other. We also have a box of costumes that we keep out all year for dress up. Last year my husband made his own costume out of a large stuffed Beast he found from Disney's Beauty and the Beast. It was one of the very best costumes I have seen that was made the very same day. My husband has come up with some very good ones over the years. The first Halloween we had together when we were married he made his very own Batman costume and I went as Poison Ivy. It's too bad I don't have any pictures of that Halloween to share with you. We looked awesome!

Making your own costume can be very fun! I received a PDF download to review of a Fancy Filled Tutu with Bonus 40 Tutu "Recipes" from You Can Make This. They have all kinds of neat DIY projects including a lot of fun Halloween projects to make on their website. Their step-by-step instructions are all easy to follow and detailed. I have gotten a lot of their other FREE patterns by download to try too. The Fancy Filled Tutu pattern I received had a lot of fun ideas as well as the step-by-step instructions on how to make each tutu. My favorite is the hydrangea tutu! If you didn't know the purple/blue hydrangea are one of my favorite flowers.

Here is a video of how to make the Fancy Filled Tutu...

Other things I would love to make from YouCanMakeThis: Under the Sea Quiet Book and some Sea Creature Appliques!

YouCanMakeThis also has two sister sites one focused on Quilting and one on Machine Embroidery. If you love those hobbies or want to learn more about them, you can visit YouCanQuiltThis.com or SWAKembroidery.com.

WIN IT:
Courtney at YouCanMakeThis has given me the opportunity to choose one lucky reader to win a $50 bundle of Halloween downloads. The bundle includes the following books:
Fancy Filled Tutu with Bonus 40 Tutu "Recipes"
Pumpkin Polly Patterns
Paper Piecing Project: Pumpkin Patch Pillow
Frayed Applique: Too Cute to Spook!
Little Miss Spider Applique Patterns
How to Applique the Easy Way
Hocus Pocus Patterns
Just a Little Something for a Happy Halloween Table Runner

Mandatory:
1. Go to the YouCanMakeThis website and tell me another DIY project you would like to make AND comment about this post or about what you will be doing this Halloween (Do both or be disqualified!).

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog by email and let me know. (2 extra entries)

2. Become my fan on facebook. (1 extra entry)

3. Blog about this giveaway on your blog and provide me with the link. Make sure you have the link to this post and YouCanMakeThis in your blog entry or it won't count. (2 extra entries)

4. Grab My Button (see sidebar to the left) AND/OR Put My Blog URL in Your Blogroll - Leave Your Link. (1 extra entry)

5. Technorati my blog and let me know your link. (1 extra entry)

6. List this giveaway on any giveaway listing website or blog and tell me where you listed it. (2 extra)

7. Add me on twitter and retweet this: @finamoon: @YouCanMakeThis WIN: YCMT $50 bundle of DIY Halloween downloads http://bit.ly/tmDlp
(Daily Extras are Available)

8. Add the YouCanMakeThis blog to your blogroll or link to your website and let me know your url and where it is located. (1 extra entry)

8. Fan YouCanMakeThis on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

9. Follow YouCanMakeThis on Twitter. (1 extra entry)

10. Buy something at YouCanMakeThis and let me know what it was. (3 extra)

Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. This contest ends on Friday October 23, 2009 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is open Worldwide!!

Monday, October 12, 2009

LTDchix Reusable Tote Bag Review and Giveaway

Are you still living the dream of motherhood? I am!! A while back I did a review for a company called LTDchix (LTD stands for Living the Dream). They now not only make very cute t-shirts, but also tote bags. I received a tan one with Yoga Mom on it from them to review. These tote bags are in full color, great for taking with you grocery shopping or anywhere where you need an extra hand holding things, and are very well constructed. I feel like I need 20 extra hands at times! They are re-usable and very eco-friendly and a good size for putting a lot of things in. My friends keep asking me where I got it...I feel very admired :)

BUY IT:
You can also feel admired! These totes are only $5!! What a deal! They have 4 styles to choose from: Yoga Mom Tote Bag in Lime, Yoga Mom Tote Bag in Tan, Shopping Mom Grocery Bag in Royal Blue, and Shopping Mom Grocery Bag in White. Also, if you purchase any 2 shirts, you may receive a FREE Eco-friendly LTDchix Shopping Bag!! What a bargain.

For a limited time you can also buy the Halloween Mom or Christmas Mom t-shirt. They have designed these in color! You can wear it at those neighborhood Halloween/Christmas parties or while your little ones are Trick-Or-Treating or caroling. Don’t wait or you'll miss out! When buying please use my LTDchix Referral Code when you shop at LTDchix.com: LTDchix15. Just type it into the comments section NOT the coupon code when you check out.


WIN IT:
Nina at LTDchix is generously giving away a reusable tote bag to one of my readers.

Mandatory:
1. Go to the LTDchix website and tell me which reusable bag you want.

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog by email and let me know. (2 extra entries)

2. Become my fan on facebook. (1 extra entry)

3. Blog about this giveaway on your blog and provide me with the link. Make sure you have the link to this post and LTDchix in your blog entry or it won't count. (2 extra entries)

4. Grab My Button (see sidebar to the left) AND/OR Put My Blog URL in Your Blogroll - Leave Your Link. (1 extra entry)

5. Technorati my blog and let me know your link. (1 extra entry)

6. List this giveaway on any giveaway listing website or blog and tell me where you listed it. (2 extra)

7. Add me on twitter and retweet this: @finamoon: @LTDchix1 WIN: LTDchix Reusable Tote Bag http://bit.ly/2gS4Hg
(Daily Extras are Available)

8. Add the LTDchix blog to your blogroll or link to your website and let me know your url and where it is located. (1 extra entry)

8. Become a fan of Living The Dream - LTDchix.com on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

9. Follow LTDchix on Twitter. (1 extra entry)

10. Buy something at LTDchix and use my Referral Code: LTDchix15. Just type it into the comments section NOT the coupon code when you check out. (3 extra)

Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. This contest ends on Friday October 23, 2009 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is open Worldwide!!

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Your Songs by Harry Connick Jr Review and Giveaway

ABOUT HARRY CONNICK, JR.:
Harry Connick, Jr. grew up in New Orleans, and it is here you will find the roots of his love for music and performing. He is a singer, actor, composer, pianist, philanthropist, husband, and father all wrapped up in one. At the age of 3 he learned keyboards and at the age of 5 he began performing. He has had several multi-platinum and gold albums, 25 million albums sold worldwide, Grammy, Tony and Emmy Awards; Oscar and Golden Globe nominations, and so much more. Although music is a big part of his career his family does come first. He has three daughters ranging in ages from 7-13 and a wife he has been married to since 1994.

ABOUT YOUR SONGS:
On his new album entitled Your Songs (released on September 22), Harry performs classic songs by some of the greatest musicians of all time, with a full jazz big band and string orchestra!

Check out the track list (Originally performed by):

All The Way (Frank Sinatra)
Just The Way You Are (Billy Joel)
Can’t Help Falling In Love With You (Elvis Presley)
And I Love Her (The Beatles)
(They Long To Be) Close To You (The Carpenters)
Besame Mucho
The Way You Look Tonight
First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (Roberta Flack)
Your Song (Elton John)
Some Enchanted Evening
And I Love You So (Don McLean)
Who Can I Turn To? (Tony Bennett)
Smile (Charlie Chaplin)
Mona Lisa (Nat King Cole)

Your Songs Deluxe Limited Edition CD/DVD package is only available HERE and features 14 standard album tracks PLUS 2 exclusive bonus tracks, "Who's Sorry Now" and "Answer Me My Love." It also includes rare behind-the-scenes footage of Harry on the road with his band and the music video for "(They Long To Be) Close To You." Preorder it now and get your MP3 download of "All The Way" instantly!

Click here for a sneak peak of the Making of the album.

Pre-order Your Songs today and get an instant MP3 download of the track, "All The Way," off the album which will be available everywhere September 22.

MY THOUGHTS:
I love all kinds of music and that is why I chose to review this CD from Harry Connick, Jr. I needed something new in my collection. This CD I am told is a lot less jazzy and more easy listening than his other CDs. Yes, maybe to some, these songs are reminiscent to elevator tunes, but one could also point out that is why these are timeless and everyone knows them...or should! Harry's jazzy crooning style is just what I needed. His smooth voice reminds me a little of a young Frank Sinatra. My mother's love of old classic musicals and music has given me a taste of the classics. All of the songs that Harry sings are ones that I recognize and can sing along to. If you haven't been introduced to Harry go take a listen HERE. You can also preview the music on Your Songs HERE.

Thanks to One2One Network, the women's word of mouth marketing network, for providing me with this opportunity and a CD in advance to review as part of a campaign to spread the word.

WIN IT:
Michelle at One2One Network is is giving one lucky reader a chance to win their very own Harry Connick, Jr. Your Songs CD.

Mandatory:
1. Go to the Harry Connick, Jr. website and tell me what other CD you would be interested in listening to.

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog by email and let me know. (2 extra entries)

2. Become my fan on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

3. Blog about this giveaway on your blog and provide me with the link. Make sure you have the link to this post and Harry Connick, Jr. in your blog entry or it won't count. (2 extra entries)

4. Grab My Button (see sidebar to the left) AND/OR Put My Blog URL in Your Blogroll - Leave Your Link. (1 extra entry)

5. Technorati my blog and let me know your link. (1 extra entry)

6. List this giveaway on any giveaway listing website or blog and tell me where you listed it. (2 extra)

7. Follow me on twitter and retweet this: @finamoon WIN: Harry Connick, Jr. Your Songs CD http://bit.ly/4tR1tR
(Daily Extras are Available)

8. Fave me on Momfaves. (2 extra entries)

9. Comment on one of my other of my posts and tell me which one. (2 extra entries per post)

10. Fan Harry Connick, Jr. on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. If you subscribed by email, blogged about this, listed it, commented on another post, or faved me on Momfaves leave 2 entries saying you did. This contest ends on Friday October 23, 2009 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is open to U.S. Only!!

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Boogie Wipes and Blabla Kids Giveaway Winners


The winner of the Two 30 Count Packs of Boogie Wipes is #9 amweeks! amweeks said that she could definitely have used these when her children were younger...like almost every day dropping them off at school! Now she knows that her niece could use them almost everyday!

The winner of the Blabla Kids doll is #73 Cindy! All her Tweeting really paid off!! Cindy said that she'd choose the DOLL Butterfly 'Chloe'.

Congrats again to all the winners! I will contact each winner by email. If you did not have your email posted please post it here so I can email you! Thanks to all those who participated and don't forget to enter in my contests/giveaways that are going on now! I will also be adding more posts and giveaways soon so stay tuned!

*All winners are chosen by my True Random Number Generator.

Friday, October 9, 2009

Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters Review and Giveaway

ABOUT THE PRODUCT: Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters are a blend of 100% natural ingredients that include roasted nuts, whole grain oats and a touch of honey all rolled into one bite sized snack. They come in four flavors: Nut Lovers, Roasted Almond, Roasted Cashew and Honey Roasted Peanut.


MY THOUGHTS:
I got to participate in a Spark with MyBlogSpark and got a Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters "Snack Pack" prize pack that included: all four (4) varieties of the Granola Nut Clusters along with a sling backpack, stainless steel water bottle, flashlight and binoculars! I love granola and nuts and so this was a great combination for me. My kids kept on asking for more of them. They are very yummy! My husband, who eats granola with dates and raisins regularly, said maybe they could make some varieties with dried fruit in them as well as these they already have. The clusters have the perfect lightly sweet, yet salty, combination paired with a crunchy texture. I also love that this unique cluster-shaped granola is packaged in a handy re-sealable pouch so it´s perfect for taking with you on a hike, camping, in your car or anywhere you need a snack!

Get a FREE sample Trail Mix Bar plus Granola Nut Clusters when you sign up for their Eat Better America newsletter.

WIN IT:
Laurie at MyBlogSpark is is giving one lucky reader a chance to win their very own "Snack Pack" prize pack.

Mandatory:
1. Go to the Nature Valley website and tell me what other product you would be interested in trying AND share some of your favorite elements of nature (do both or be disqualified).

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog by email and let me know. (2 extra entries)

2. Become my fan on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

3. Blog about this giveaway on your blog and provide me with the link. Make sure you have the link to this post and Nature Valley in your blog entry or it won't count. (2 extra entries)

4. Grab My Button (see sidebar to the left) AND/OR Put My Blog URL in Your Blogroll - Leave Your Link. (1 extra entry)

5. Technorati my blog and let me know your link. (1 extra entry)

6. List this giveaway on any giveaway listing website or blog and tell me where you listed it. (2 extra)

7. Follow me on twitter and retweet this: @finamoon: @nature_valley WIN: Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters "Snack Pack" http://bit.ly/4F64Ns
(Daily Extras are Available)

8. Fave me on Momfaves. (2 extra entries)

9. Comment on one of my other of my posts and tell me which one. (2 extra entries per post)

10. Follow Nature Valley on Twitter. (1 extra entry)

11. Fan Nature Valley on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. If you subscribed by email, blogged about this, listed it, commented on another post, or faved me on Momfaves leave 2 entries saying you did. This contest ends on Friday October 23, 2009 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is open to U.S. Only!!

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Wordless Wednesday Bubblicious

If you are participating in Wordless Wednesdays, click on the Mister Linky image, enter your name and URL in the form, and press Enter.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Diamond Edition Review

ABOUT SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS DIAMOND EDITION:
For the first time in 7 years, Disney is opening the vault and releasing "The One That Started It All". Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is being released in high-definition Blu-ray for the first time ever on October 6 for a limited time!

Re-live your childhood with this timeless classic tale first written by the Brothers Grimm. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is the first full-length animated film ever made (1937) and one of the most beloved and most watched films in history.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: Diamond Edition Combo Pack includes a Blu-ray disc and a DVD in one package! You can enjoy the incredible high definition experience of Blu-ray at home in your Blu-ray player or Playstation 3 and use the DVD at home, in the car DVD player, or on your computer. Upgrading to Blu-ray offers you technology on more scratch resistant and kid-proof discs and Blu-ray players play both Blu-ray discs and your favorite DVDs.

Not only will you get the classic tale of Snow White, the Diamond Edition comes with plenty of extras:

1-Disc DVD (All-New Digital Restoration With Enhanced Picture & Sound. Restored Original Theatrical Soundtrack.)
* Full-Length Film
* Audio Commentary By John Canemaker
* All-New Music Video - Performed by Sonny With A Chance's Tiffany Thornton
* Exclusive Sneak Peak At Walt Disney Pictures' The Princess And The Frog

2-Disc Blu-ray (First time ever in High Definition 7.1 sound)
* Full-Length Film
* Disneyview - Widescreen Viewing Experience
* All-New Music Video - Performed by Sonny With A Chance's Tiffany Thornton
* Disney Family Play – Games For Everyone To Enjoy
* Backstage Disney – Go Behind The Scenes Of This Legendary Tale
* Classic Bonus Features - Dopey’s Wild Mine Ride Game, Karaoke Sing-Along, and so much more

MY THOUGHTS:
This is by far the best edition pack Disney has put together for the Blu-ray player or Playstation 3 owner. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a classic tale that will never get old. The restoration of this film is beautiful! The quality is amazing! It is so much crisper and cleaner than the VHS we have. My children and I enjoyed watching it. I also enjoyed watching their faces, especially of my youngest, Teela, because she has never watched it before. She giggled at the Dwarfs giving Grumpy a bath and danced when the Dwarfs and Snow White were dancing. My son, Delbin's, favorite part was when Dopey swallowed the soap. My son, Jaedan's, favorite part was when the animals were rushing to get the Dwarfs to save Snow White and the Dwarfs were riding the deer. My favorite part is the wishing well scene...such wonderful animation for that time! Watching this brought back so many great memories of when I watched it as a child.

BUY IT:
Disney Blu-ray Combo Packs are the perfect way to start your Blu-ray collection! And, if you who already own Snow White on VHS or DVD, click here to grab a $10 off coupon for the new Diamond Edition Combo Pack! Offer is only good until October 20, but starting this fall Disney will introduce their Blu-ray Upgrade program so you will be able to upgrade other Disney titles in your library too! Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Diamond Edition magically awaits to be in your home. Pre-order it today!

Thanks to One2One Network, the women's word of mouth marketing network, for providing me with this opportunity and a copy in advance to review as part of a campaign to spread the word.