Sealy Mattress giveaway at MommyMandy

My hubby and I have been sleeping on a mattress that is 20+ years old. My Mother in Law says it is closer to 40! Hubby is a chef and is on his feet all the time, he has back aches a lot and our crappy mattress does not help! Today I found an awesome giveaway over at MommyMandy. She is hosting a giveaway for a Sealy Posturepedic Signature Series bed, courtesy of Sealy of course! The lucky winner will also be able to pick the model in firm, cushion firm, plush and ultra plush, in any size except Cal King! I'd love an ultra plush KING size mattress, so I entered the giveaway! I'd love to win! The giveaway ends on 1/20/10

Awesome Giveaways Going On...Enter to Win!

You've got to stop by RockinMama to enter to win an swesome 9 pc set of UltraGold Bakeware from Wilton! Giveaway ends 1/5/10!


Getting all my Ducks in a Row is giving away Frito Lay gift basket with a serving bowl. This would be so cool to win! Great goodies for the superbowl or anyday! Giveaway ends 1/3/10!


Givedaddys Giveaway Blog is giving away a $200 Target giftcard! This will be a wonderful opportunity to pick up some after Christmas Clearance sales! Giveaway ends 12/26/09!

The Not So Blog is giving away an AMEX $100 giftcard along with a robe and slipper set, courtesy of Halls Refresh. Just think of all the awesome things you can buy with that! Giveaway ends 1/4/10!

The not so blog is on a roll with yet another awesome giveaway. Enter to win a gift basket full of Kraft products and more, courtesy of Kraft Foods. Giveaway ends 1/5/10

General Mills Further Reduces Sugar in Cereal

I'm a cereal lover and my daughter is too. We love eating Apple Cinnamon Cheerios from General Mills and probably go through a box or more each week!! This week General Mills announced a commitment to further reduce sugar in cereals advertised to kids under 12 to single digit grams of sugar per serving. The company has already been reducing sugar in cereals while increasing key nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D, and providing whole grain.

Here are a few cereal benefits and facts for you...

1. Ready-to-eat cereal is the No. 1 source of whole grains in a child’s diet today.

2. Ready-to-eat cereal eaters consume less fat, less cholesterol and more fiber than non-cereal eaters.

3. More frequent cereal eaters tend to have healthier body weights and lower Body Mass Index measures.

4. Ready-to-eat cereals, including pre-sweetened cereals, account for only 5% of sugar in children’s diets.

5. Cereals also deliver important vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients, making cereal a top source of key nutrients in children’s diets.


This is not something General Mills made up. There have been studies about it!

The 1998 study showed that:

1. Children who eat breakfast tend to perform better at school compared to children who skip breakfast

2. Children who eat breakfast score higher on tests

3. Children who eat breakfast have fewer reported discipline problems, and make fewer trips to the office.

4. Children who eat breakfast are less likely to miss class or be tardy.

For more information about kids and cereals, please visit Cereal Health and Wellness.

Right now if you visit here you will find a $1 off coupon for one of four General Mills cereals. .

Discloser: The information was provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark. and by sharing this information I will be receiving 4 free cereal box coupons. The opinions expressed are my own and I choose to eat General Mills cereal because I like the taste, and that's the Fact!

$250 Visa GiftCard Giveaway at An Island Life

Everyone knows that the 2010 Winter Olympics will be held in Vancouver, BC! Hilton Worldwide is hosting a sweepstakes where one lucky person could win a trip of a lifetime to the Olympics!! To help promote the sweepstakes, Kailani over at An Island Life is giving away a $250 VISA giftcard to one lucky person! Enter before December 8, 2009 at midnight or your chance to win!

Christmas Giveaways at 5 Minutes for Mom

Make sure you stop by 5 Minutes for Mom and check out their Christmas giveaways and also check out their Under the Tree promotion that will aid needy families!!

"What are Your 5 Favorite Holiday Activities to do with Your Kids?"

When the question, "What are your 5 favorite holiday activities to do with your children?" was asked by Twittermoms, I knew I had to answer! Christmas is my favorite holiday because it is the one holiday for me that revolves around family, love and Jesus.

My 5 Favorite Holiday Activities to do with my daughter are:

1) Work on crafts! We make Christmas ornaments out of almost anything. Each year, we do something a little different and my daughter gives these to our family members as gifts!

2) Go look at the Christmas decorations! We will ride around one night each week (during December) and look at the decorations. We usually count the number of houses who have decorated and watch how the number increases each week!

3) Sing Christmas Karaoke! We have a blast listening to Christmas music, and when we get the chance to sing Karaoke, we can't resist!

4) Christmas Service at Retirement Home! My family holds a Christmas holiday service at a local retirement community and we sing, my father brings a message, then we have a party for the residents there. My hubby is a chef so he and (mini chef) daughter bake cookies and breads and make punch for the party. Our daughter loves to see the smiles on the faces of the elderly residents there!

5) Wrapping and rapping My daughter and I make a day of it and we wrap gifts and talk...it is so nice to be relaxed and just chat. When your mind is occupied on the wrapping, you tend to talk more freely for some reason!

These are some of our Holiday Activities....we have soooo many, I can't list them all!!

Twittermoms, along with Nickelodeon, is offering the first 30 to enter the contest (& meet requirements) a $25 Amex gift card and a Dora Christmas Carol DVD! Five LUCKY people, out of all qualifying entries, will be randomly selected to win a $100 Amex gift card and a Dora Christmas Carol DVD!

Holiday Hints and Tips

The holiday season can be a very stressful one for everyone. I always try to think of ways to make it less stressful. Here are a few of my holiday (or anyday) tips!



1) Do not try to put TOO much into one day. If you try to do too much, something WILL fall through the cracks and usually your mood suffers greatly!



2) Use your COUPONS!! Don't put them away at the holidays. I've had friends tell me that they are too busy during the holidays to use coupons. WRONG!! You need them more than ever during the holidays!



3) Don't be worried about getting everyone the absolute "Perfect" gift. Do the best you can and let it go. There is no such thing as the perfect gift or the perfect holiday!



4) Get some friends together and share the shopping. My friends and I have a blast helping each other shop. If you know a friend is looking for a toy and you're going to the toy store, offer to look for them. If you're in the same store and are in a hurry, split up the shopping lists.



5) If you have to take the kids with you, make a game out of it. Play I Spy or get them to help you look for certain things.



6) Shop sales. Look online or in the newspaper before you shop. It can save you time and money.



7) RELAX and ENJOY! It should still be fun. It is a HOLIDAY after all!



I hope you all have a blessed holiday! Merry Christmas!

A very special thanks to twittermoms and Staples!! Check out twittermoms and be one of the first 50 bloggers to share your money saving tips to get a $25 gift card to Staples and to have an additional chance to win one of the10- $100 Gift cards to Staples(randomly selected). Check out the Staples website for savings!!

Mom Start Giveaway--Food Network Cook or Be Cooked for the Wii

Mom Start is giving away a very cool Wii Game called Cook or Be Cooked by Food Network. It is perfect for everyone who watched food network and dreams about being in a cooking competition. It has lots of levels and gets harder as you go along! Sounds like fun! Now, stop over at MomStart and enter. Remember, you can't win if you don't enter!

Twitter Moms and Target Thanksgiving Traditions

Thanksgiving means so much more to me than a just a day to pig out and watch football, so when I found out about the contest sponsored by TwitterMoms and Target, I had to participate. All you have to do is to blog about 3 Thanksgiving traditions you are (or will) pass down to your children.

1. Thanksgiving morning we snuggle together and watch several parades on television while enjoying each other's company and discuss the floats and bands.

2. Since we eat lunch at my grandparents house, I take my daughter early so we can spend some time with her great grandparents, talking about the Thanksgivings of their youth. Then my daughter helps Grandma make the homemade biscuits...the old fashion way!

3. Since my husband is a chef at a retirement community, he works until 3pm, so our family of three has Thanksgiving dinner together around 7pm. Prior to dinner, each of us takes time to write down three things we are thankful for this year. As we have dinner, we take turns sharing our three things! It is interesting to see what we have in common, and what sticks out to each of us!

Shelly's Holiday Wish List

Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme

TodaysMama and Provo Craft are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.

1. What 5 items are on your holiday wish list this year?
1) All my bills to be paid! (or the lottery)
2) My house to be clean. Hey, a girl can dream)
3) My van to be clean. (dreaming again)
4) To be able to scrapbook everyday!
5) To win this sleighful of crafty gifts!

2. What is your favorite handmade gift you have received?
The ornament Ally made for me at school!

3. What handmade gift have you always wanted to tackle?
An entire scrapbook album.

4. What was the best Christmas gift you received as a child?
My doll, Susie! (she was bigger than I was)

5. What items are on your kid’s wish list this year?
1) A PSP or an Xbox 360
2) Smackdown vs Raw 2010
3) Her own digital camera

6. What is your favorite holiday food?
Grandma's punch

7. What will you be hand-crafting for the holidays?
Some cards and maybe some ornaments...and cookies!

8. What is your favorite holiday movie?
I love them all! Christmas Vacation and A Christmas Story top the list!

9. Favorite holiday song?
Lots...Silver Bells, Joy To the World, Ave Maria, This Christmas

10. Favorite holiday pastime?
Riding around with the family looking at lights and listening to Christmas music!

To enter to win all these cool prizes below simply answer the questions in this meme, make sure to post links back to TodaysMama.com and Provo Craft (use this link: http://bit.ly/4ikY3c ) and tag your friends!

Lenox & TwitterMoms Drinks of the SeasonMore Drinks of the Season Recipes

My favorite holiday drink is my grandmother's punch!
Recipe:
1 pkt of Strawberry Koolaid
2 cups of sugar
2 quarts of water
1 large can or bottle of UNSWEETENED Orange Juice
1 large can or bottle of Pineapple Juice
2 cans of ginger ale

mix all together and freeze overnight. You will get a better consistency if you stir the mixture every hour for the first 4 hours!

When ready to serve, place Punch on counter for about 20 minutes prior to serving. Place in punch bowl and chop punch up a bit. Add a little more ginger ale as desired!

I love to freeze some of the punch in ice cube trays and add it to a glass of sprite or ginger ale to enhance the flavor!

Sams Club GC Giveaway @ Not So Average Mama

Anyone who knows me already knows I love Christmas! I'm one of "those" people who shop year round. This year has been a very difficult one financially, so more than ever, my "shopping style" has benefitted us. I love to shop at Sams Club, and when I stopped by the Not So Average Mama blog, I HAD to enter her giveaway! It combined 2 of my favorite things...Christmas and Sams!!!! She is giving away a $25 Sams Club GC to one lucky person. The giveaway ends on 11/7. Considering my anniversary is 11/8, this would be AWESOME to win! Stop over at http://notsoaveragemama.com/2009/11/04/holidays-made-simple-with-sams-club/ and enter for YOUR chance to win! I made sure I did!

Stocking Swap With MommyMandy & Rockin' Mama

Join us for a fun Stocking Swap! http://rockinmama.net/2009/10/28/its-a-stocking-swap-come-join-the-fun/

Giveaways to enter

Win a $25 Macy's Gift Card at super coupon girl http://wontbesoonbeforelong.blogspot.com/2009/10/planning-frugal-wedding-giveaway-win-25.html Ends Oct 18th

My Sims Racing Giveaway at Robyns Online World

My daughter is a huge Sims fan. She also loves her Wii. Her Christmas list is only one item so far...My Sims Racing! I dropped by Robyns Online World to look around and found her giveaway for......My Sims Racing for the Wii! Of course I entered to win!! You get to build your own car and race it on all kinds of tracks, and the awesome thing is up to 4 players can play! This is perfect for the whole family to enjoy! It is rated E for Everyone, so even your smallest racers are safe! Stop on by http://robynsonlineworld.blogspot.com/2009/09/mysims-racing-giveaway.html and enter. Remember, you can't win if you don't enter! Until next time....

Secret Santa

Anyone who knows me can tell you that Christmas is my favorite holiday! I NEVER get too much of the music, sights, or scents. I've been known to be listening to Christmas during the heat of summer. Soooo....I could not resist the chance to join a Secret Santa sign up!! I love, love, love the fact that Gina from A Wrestling Addicted Mommy loves Christmas too! Come on over to her blog http://lyricandariasmom.blogspot.com/ and join us for the Secret Santa Swap! I'm sure it is going to be a blast! Merry Christmas Yall!

Giveaway Pool Friday at Blessings Abound (Le Creuset)

I dropped by Blessings Abound to check out her posts and to enter some giveaways and I found an AWESOME giveaway for a Le Creuset 12 inch deep Fry Pan with Glass lid! It is from their new Forged Hard-Anodized Cookware Line and has a retail value of $170! My hubby is a chef and he LOVES the Le Creuset company and their products! They have a wonderful quality and an unbelievable guarantee! There are bunches of ways to enter to win, and you have until October 2nd to do it! So...stop on by http://www.akblessingsabound.com/2009/09/04/giveaway-pool-friday-le-creuset-forged-hard-anodized-cookware-review-giveaway and enter!

New 3kidsand us giveaway...Looney Tunes Kids Eating Right – Teaching Healthy Choices

Stopped by http://3kidsandus.com and saw that she has a very cool Looney Tunes giveaway goin on! Partnered with Safeway to help you help your kids make healthier choices, she is giving away an awesome Looney Tunes gift basket which includes:
Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 1
Tweety T-shirt from Junk Food
Looney Tunes plush item
Looney Tunes stationary or home good
Eating Right Kids “green” shopping bag from Safeway
Eating Right Kids post card
Eating Right Kids Products (non perishable) in a branded lunch box
Canned Ravioli with Daffy or Microbowl with Tweety
Tri-color Wheat Rotini with Sylvester and Tweety
Apple juice with Taz
Chewy Bar with Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner

Don’t forget to check out the weekly blog topics for Nutritionist, Haylie Pomroy on Mom Logic. You can download some sample lunch menus, enter to win a Looney Tunes gift basket like the one featured here and find savings on Eating Right products available at Safeway stores.
The giveaway ends 9/15. Don't just sit there...go enter!

$500 Walmart Your Zone Room Makeover Giveaway at Organize with Sandy

I couldn't help myself when I stopped by http://www.organizewithsandy.com
They are giving away a Walmart $500 GC to parents of kids ages 8-17 to completely remake their bedroom. You need to stop by her blog to enter the giveaway. Please keep this in mind: "You must agree to spend the $500 to redo the bedroom if you win. I would like a before and after picture that I can post on my site."--per Sandy's blog!

You have lots of ways to enter, and if you have a child 8-17, you'd be crazy not to stop by and enter! Ally is keeping her fingers crossed that we win, because she HATES her room! Thanks for reading and best of luck!

Back to School...Growing up too fast!

Well, tomorrow my baby goes back to school. I know that lots of you have babies that are much younger than mine, but regardless...she's still my baby.
Tomorrow she starts middle school. When we went for orientation last week, we found out her bus schedule and she informed me that she would be riding the bus this year, both to and from school. I think that is cool, and it will save us money, BUT...she informed me that it also meant the FIRST day of school as well. This will be the first time I've ever missed having the opportunity to watch her go into school, into a new school year. I loved being able to have our last few minutes together, getting a goodbye kiss, and telling how proud I am of her. I know. I know. Get a grip already! I am trying! In the morning, I'll make her breakfast, tell her how proud I am of her, kiss her goodbye, and watch her walk up to the bus stop...and I'm sure I'll shed at least a few tears! My baby is growing up, but at least she is still mine!

Lands' End Twitter Party Aug. 20 8-10 pm EST

Join Lands' End for an awesome Back-to-School Twitter Party!

Lands' End hosts will be available to answer back-to-school shopping questions and the party will feature more than 20 product giveaways from co-hosts, 5minutesformom.com.

Date: Thursday, August 20th
Time: 8:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. EST
Location: #landsend

Save the date and log-on to Twitter for an evening of shopping tips, socializing and great giveaways!

Want to enter for a chance to win a back-to-school wardrobe ($250 Lands' End gift card)?
Here's how in three easy steps:

1. Create a Fantasy Backpack at Packland - Simply visit Lands' End's Packland at www.landsend.com/packland, create a fantasy backpack and post it to your blog before August 20, 2009.
2. Promote the Lands' End Back-to-School Twitter Party - Don't forget to promote the Back-to-School Party on your blog before August 20, 2009.
3. Send a Link - To be entered for a chance to win, you must send a link to your post to kira.gutknecht@landsend.com

Don't forget to get your entries in! One winner will be chosen randomly and contacted by Lands' End on August 21, 2009!

My daughter, Ally made a bag. Her creation is shown at top of post.

Eden Fantasys GC Giveaway @ annies home

Ever feel like your love life could use some spice? Well, why not check out Eden Fantasys. They have a large assortment of adult goodies and dress-up clothes! Drop by Annie's home http://shopannies.blogspot.com/2009/08/eden-fantasys-giveaway.html
and enter to win a $25 gift certificate to Eden Fantasys. You never know what kind of things you can find to treat yourself and your significant other! The giveaway ends Aug. 29, 2009. Remember, you can't win if you don't enter!

CLUE:Harry Potter Edition Giveaway at She Scribes

As a kid, I loved playing board games. Although my personal favorites were Scrabble, Monopoly, Trouble, Sorry, and Mystery Date, I loved to play my brother in Clue. He never paid attention to the clues, he just guessed something different everytime. On a rare occasion he would win, but most of the time, I won...I loved being a winner. Over at She Scribes, she is giving away a Harry Potter version of Clue. Go over to enter the giveaway and bring back family game night!
http://shescribes.blogspot.com/2009/07/harry-potter-clue-game-giveaway.html

Win a Silver Charm Bracelet at She Scribes

I have always had a "thing" about charm bracelets. As a child, I was fascinated by the ones I saw ladies wearing. My grandmother bought me one once, and a playmate took it home with her and I never got it back. I wanted one for years and I still do not have one, so when I came across the giveaway She Scribes was holding, I HAD to enter it! She is giving away a silver charm bracelet from charmfactory.com. You have the chance to win a bracelet with 8 charms that you pick yourself! I'm entering, and I also bookmarked Charm Factory...guess what is going on my Christmas list!!!

Wizards of Waverly Place CD Giveaway @ She Scribes

If you're like me and you have a Tween who loves the Wizards of Waverly Place, make sure you go over to http://shescribes.blogspot.com/2009/08/wizards-of-waverly-place-giveaway.html and enter their giveaway. The Wizards Of Waverly Place is a very family friendly TV show on the Disney Channel and I'm sure this CD will be a hit with your tweens and other kids too! I know that this Mama will enjoy it with my daughter!

Random Thoughts

With a new school year just 3 weeks away, I'm already starting to feel a little sad that our summer is over and that my daughter will be heading back to school. My baby starts middle school this year, and I know that she'll be fine academically, but I honestly worry about her safety there. I have heard horror stories about that middle school! I tried to get her in the charter school, but we ended up toward the end of the waiting list...ugh! I could home school her, and I will if safety becomes an issue, but I feel she needs to be around other kids. It's a vicious circle! Anyone else have similar feelings, or am I the only one?

Happy 11th Birthday Ally

My baby turned 11 today! I can hardly believe that it has been 11 years since God blessed me with the best gift a woman could receive. She has given me more love than I can ever thank her for, and there are not enough words to tell how much I love her! Happy Birthday angel! I love you Ally!

Home From the Hospital

I am so thankful to be at home from the hospital. I have been cooped up there since Friday and I was going crazy! It all started off with a small scratch on my lower lip and with my crappy immune system, my body went nuts and it became MRSA overnight. My lip swelled to an unbelievable sight and was very sore to the touch.
I had to receive IV antibiotics...vancomycin for several days. Now I'm at home with 2oral antibiotics, Cipro and Bactrim. My lip looks better and I'm no longer in pain! Thank the Lord!

Win Johnsonville Sausages at The Mommy-Files (10 winners)

http://www.themommy-files.com/2009/07/johnsonville-review-and-giveaway.html

Stop on by the Mommy-Files and enter their giveaway where 10 people will win coupons for free Johnsonville sausage products! Giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. PST on Monday, August 3rd, 2009

5 winners will receive coupons for a free package of Italian Sausage and a free package of Johnsonville Brats.
5 winners will receive coupons for one of each variety of the Johnsonville Breakfast Sausage Links.

The Closer Season 4 on DVD Giveaway at Sweeps4Bloggers

Win the Closer Season 4 on DVD from TNT at www.Sweeps4Bloggers.blogspot.com
Who can pass up Kyra Sedgewick as Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson?
Want a chance to win, go enter the giveaway! Thank you!

Win a Rubbermaid Easy Find Lids Food Storage Set at Mommy Mandy

Ever lose the lids to your food storage containers? Rubbermaid has found a cure for that problem. Check out their new Easy Find Lids Food Storage Set. One is being given away at Mommy Mandy!! Never worry about losing your lids again! Now, what are you waiting for, go enter! You cannot win if you don't enter!
www.mommymandy.com

Lollipops and Polka Dots Lenny Mud Giveaway

Win an adorable Lenny Mud Mug at www.lolidots.com/giveaways/lenny-mud-giveaway
They have some very cute items there, so check them out and enter to win. Remember, you have to enter a contest to win it!
Happy weekend!

Lollipops and Polka Dots Crayon Caddy Giveaway

Go sign up to win a Crayon Caddy from the Woobie Shop at http://www.lolidots.com/giveaways/the-woobie-shop
They have several styles to choose from and each comes with crayons! Go today!
You can't win if you don't enter!

Lollipops and Polka Dots has some awesome giveaways going on!

http://www.lolidots.com/giveaways/funky-monkey-snacks-giveaway

Check out their giveaways...Giving away a case of Funky Monkey Snacks...get 3 servings of fruit in just one ounce! YUM... I hope I win. How about you? Can't win if you don't enter. Giveaway ends August 28, 2009

Great blog and giveaways!

Awesome giveaway going on!

free ice cream

Mother's Day Giveaway ~ Flip Video Ultra in White

Go to http://scrappyd.blogspot.com/2009/05/mothers-day-giveaway-flip-video-ultra.html (Mommy of 2 Dancers blog) and enter for your chance to win a Flip Video Ultra!

Simple to use, pocket-sized camcorder with one-touch recording and digital zoom
Holds 30 minutes of full VGA-quality video on 1GB of built-in memory; no tapes or additional memory cards required
Convenient USB arm plugs directly into your computer for easy viewing and sharing
Built-in software lets you easily e-mail videos, upload to YouTube and AOL, and capture still photos from video
Watch videos instantly on TV with included cable
Contest ends on May 17th at 11:59pm

This crazy world!

My world has been so crazy recently. I've been so sick here recently and am finally getting back to normal.

I've won a few things recently. I won a Sister Schuberts basket of goodies, an XM radio receiver, $50 Walgreens card, 3-$25 cards from Taco Bell game, and a small video recorder.

I'm entering a lot more blog contests than usual, because I've been winning some of them!
Check out the new Mother's Day giveaways on 5 Minutes for Mom...