Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Kindle Fire Giveaway!



I HAVE TEAMED UP WITH COUPONING4YOU AND A BUNCH OF OTHER AMAZING PAGE OWNERS TO BRING YOU A 4 DAY FLASH GIVEAWAY FOR A KINDLE FIRE.


THIS GIVEAWAY WILL RUN FROM MAY 15TH 12:01 AM EASTERN TIME AND CLOSE MAY 19TH 11:59 EASTERN TIME. SO MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR ENTRIES IN THIS GIVEAWAY WILL BE GONE IN A FLASH!

SO IF YOU WOULD LOVE TO OWN A NEW KINDLE FIRE JUST ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER BELOW

THIS GIVEAWAY WILL BE OPENED WORLDWIDE 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Louis Vuitton Giveaway

Madame Deals Louis Vuitton Giveaway!

Photobucket

How wouldn't love to have their very own Louis Vuitton? Even as someone who's never been big on bags or brand names, I would LOVE to own one of these, and now you can WIN one!

**Powered by Madame Deals and Slop Swap**
Along with our hosts:
Present this Louis Vuitton Giveaway Event!
Giveaway will run May 12 12:01 am EST thru June 12 11:59 pm EST
You have a lot of chances to WIN! Complete the mandatory entry and unlock the bonus entries.
Bonus entries are Facebook likes.
Wait for the Rafflecopter to load and enter below:

Kindle Fire!

Everyone likes to be liked....and we LIKE you! 

To prove it we are going to give away a Kindle Fire to one lucky person...it could be you!
Kindle Fire: upright, angled view
Credit given to Amazon for photo
Give Oh Giveaway, Oh My Gosh Beck, Military Wives SavingsSimplified Saving and my blog have teamed up with some other great bloggers to present this giveaway to you! We like to keep things simple. So all you have to do to enter to win this AWESOME prize is answer one easy question on the rafflecopter form below: What is your name and the best email address to reach you at if you win the Kindle Fire? Easy, right?

It only takes one entry to enter to win but completing the extra entries will increase your odds! You literally have hundreds of chances to get your name in the drawing! The winning entry will be confirmed, so please make sure you do the task before hitting enter! 
We recently read comments on what the least favorite task to do in order to enter a giveaway was....the number 1 answer was "Liking 50 Facebook pages that I am not interested in for only 25 bonus entries!" You spoke and we listened! So for this giveaway each participating blogger is listed individually. Choose to like the ones that might interest you and submit those entries. Or better yet, like them all, get every possible entry in for the great prize; then if in a weeks time you feel your news feed is too clogged, just adjust the notifications. You can hide the posts from your news feed by clicking on the little gadget (star like button) and then adjust accordingly. It is easy to do and better than un-liking a page. Remember you can fill out as many or as few extra entries as you want on the Rafflecopter form!

This giveaway will run from 12:01 am on May 10th to 11:59 pm (eastern time) on May 24th. You can tweet and share this giveaway daily for extra entries...so come back daily to increase your chances! The winner will be notified by email and will have 24 hours to respond or a new winner will be drawn! This giveaway is open to the continental US only. 
Sorry-international people....shipping is a bugger!


Disclaimer: I received no monetary compensation for sharing this giveaway. I just like to share! 


If you don't see the rafflecopter form below please click the "Read more" link





Monday, May 07, 2012

Bright Starts Ultimate Baby Shower Giveaway!





Welcome to the Bright Starts Ultimate Baby Shower Giveaway!


Bright Starts and Mom to Bed by 8, the Iowa-Mom have teamed to offer an amazing Bright Starts Sunnyside Safari Collection giveaway to one lucky reader!
This includes the Sunnyside Safari™ Chair Top High Chair, Playard, Plug in Sway & Swing, Portable Swing and Saucer making this truly the Ultimate Baby Shower Gift.
Special thank you to the wonderful bloggers who made this possible including our co-hosts: To Sew with Love, The Lucky Ladybug and Mom Blog Society.
This is a great chance to win everything you need for your baby, or as a gift for a friend. Even if you are not someone who needs this, it's always great to donate! 

Big smiles and bright adventures go hand in hand in this exciting, fun-filled collection!
Take a walk on the sunny side-where baby gear goes together in delightful new ways. It's a win for infants and parents alike, with irresistable jungle characters adorning an array of fun coordinated products you'll use every day. Each piece of the collection does its job charmingly, with non-stop fun at an unbeatable value.
The Bright Starts Sunnyside Collection is available at Wal-Mart!


Sunnyside Safari™ Chair Top High Chair
A good high chair is a must for moms, and Bright Starts™ Sunnyside Safari™ Chair Top High Chair is as good as they come! It does what a full-sized model does and more, adjusting to four different heights (and nearly any table), reclining to three positions, and converting to a booster seat for smooth transition to the toddler years.
The reversible seat pad is made of stain-resistant fabric you can wipe clean or machine-wash. The removable Stay Level Tray™ remains flat even when the seat is reclining. All this, plus the friendly characters of the Sunnyside Safari™ Collection. Make mealtime and snack time more enjoyable for baby and you. Start the fun with Bright Starts!™

Product Features:
  • Convenient 2 piece reversible seat pad is made of stain resistant fabric that is wipeable and machine washable
  • 4 height positions to fit most table sizes
  • 3 position recline
  • Removable Stay Level Tray™ remains level even when seat is reclined
  • 3 locking positions to grow with baby
  • Built-in holders are convenient for drinks or snacks
  • Converts to booster for easy toddler transition
  • 5 point convertible safety harness

Sunnyside Safari™ Playard
A bright, sunny place for baby to rest, play, get a quick diaper change and spend a few moments with some friendly jungle pals! That's the Bright Starts™ Sunnyside Safari™ Playard. This playard includes a removable bassinet with our time-saving One Less Step™ feature for easy fold-and-go mobility.
There's a convenient changing table, a handy side storage pocket, easy-roll wheels, a travel bag, plus a colorful toy bar to delight baby. And like all Bright Starts™ products, this playard is an unbeatable value. Part of our coordinated Sunnyside Safari™ Collection. Start the fun with Bright Starts!™

Product Features:
  • Removable bassinet with One Less Step™ to quickly fold and go
  • Convenient changing table
  • Toy bar with 2 fun toys
  • Side storage pocket
  • Wheels for easy portability
  • Includes travel bag

Sunnyside Safari™ Plug in Sway & Swing™
Some swings go back and forth. Some go side to side. This one does both—and does it with music, toys, and delightful jungle style. With a seat designed for 180° rotation, allowing three swing directions, the Bright Starts™ Sunnyside Safari™ Plug in Sway & Swing™ uses our unique TrueSpeed™ technology to sense baby's weight and adjust for consistent speed—so it grows along with baby.
The swing also boasts a volume-adjustable 20 minutes of melodies and nature sounds, an overhead mobile—even an AC adaptor to save on battery expense. And it features the fun and engaging characters of the Sunnyside Safari™ Collection. Start the fun with Bright Starts!™

Product Features:
  • Seat rotates 180° for 3 swing directions
  • TrueSpeed™ technology maintains 6 speeds as baby grows
  • Mobiles with 2 playtime toys easily pivots out of the way
  • 20 minutes of melodies and nature sounds with volume control and auto shut-off
  • AC adaptor saves money on batteries
  • Swing time with 3 settings: 30, 45 and 60 minutes
  • Whisper Quiet™ operation
  • 5 point harness
  • Machine washable seat pad
  • Non-slip feet

Sunnyside Safari™ Portable Swing
Find baby's favorite speed with this innovative portable swing. The Bright Starts™ Sunnyside Safari™ Portable Swing is a win for parents and babies—from its machine-washable padded seat right down to its bright yellow, non-slip feet. With six distinct speeds to choose from, you'll find it easy to suit your little one's mood—and our patented TrueSpeed™ technology keeps those speeds consistent even as baby grows.
The Comfort Recline™ seat gives you a choice of two positions, and WhisperQuiet™ operation makes this swing silent in use. Wrap it all up in the super-fun animal decor and you've got a perfect travel companion. Part of Bright Starts™’ Sunnyside Safari™ Collection. Start the fun with Bright Starts!™

Features:
  • TrueSpeed™ Technology maintains 6 speeds as baby grows
  • Comfort Recline™ seat with 2 positions
  • Whisper Quiet™ operation
  • Easily folds for storage or travel
  • 5 point harness
  • Machine washable seat pad
  • Non-slip feet

Sunnyside Safari™ Saucer
This is where babies go for serious fun. A Walmart exclusive, the 7-activity Bright Starts™ Sunnyside Safari™ Saucer offers entertainment options galore—and a lighthearted jungle theme with fun characters you'll adore.
The seat rotates a full 360° for endless interaction with the activity stations. Twin overhead toy arms provide even more entertainment options. And the three different height positions make this one saucer your baby won't soon outgrow. Four link loops mean still more toys can be attached. Part of the Sunnyside Safari™ Collection, this saucer will quickly become a family favorite. Start the fun with Bright Starts!™

Product Features:
  • 3 adjustable height positions allows entertainer to grow with baby
  • Seat rotates 360° for nonstop interaction with 7 activity stations
  • 2 overhead toy bar arms with mirror, hanging toy and fabric crinkle leaves
  • Hanging elephant toy
  • Bendy giraffe teething stalk
  • Bead chaser with easy to grip textured beads
  • Lion popper with spiraling beads
  • Rotating ladybug barrels with fun textures and beads
  • Rocking toucan on leaf stalk
  • 4 link loops for attaching more toys
  • Lays flat for storage
  • Built-in toy tray is easy to clean
Giveaway starts on May 7 at 12:01AM and ends May 28 at 11:59PM. Open to the US residents only; must be 18 years of age or older to enter.
Enter to win the Bright Starts Ultimate Baby Shower Giveaway including the Sunnyside Safari Collection on the rafflecopter form below.


Saturday, May 05, 2012

Detox

Project Detox!

I have recently been thinking about my health and fitness, and mainly my weight. I know I'm not that heavy and many people would laugh if I called myself "fat"; but, ever since I had my daughter, two and a half years ago, I have been bigger then I would like, and can't seem to lose that extra baby weight. Before I found out I was pregnant, I was at 130lbs, being 5'4" and only 17 years old that was an ideal weight for me. I had only (technically) gained 4lbs while pregnant, I was so sick during pregnancy I'd gotten down to 110lbs and had just barely hit 134lbs by the time I had my daughter and was back down to 117 after birth. Once I had Keira my body was so happy to not be sick anymore, that it super stocked on fat. In six months I went from my post pregnancy weight of 117 to the largest I've ever been at 170lbs!

It took forever to lose any weight, but after an extremely stressful few months this past summer I lost 20lbs and have now been bouncing between 150 and 160lbs for almost a year. The winter months and all the holiday feasting did very little to help keep any weight off and with the lack of sun I had very little motivation. 
I've finally decided I need to do something about these last few pounds! I would love to get down to my pre-pregnancy weight of 130, but I will be happy at 140lbs if I can get there. 

As a vegetarian, I have been finding it very hard to find a diet that not only I can stick to, but has been proven to work, be healthy and keep the weight off. It seems as though so many diets these days are all about meat and veggies. Did you know some diets won't allow you to have fruit because of there natural sugars? WOW, who knew fruit would be considered unhealthy? I know I would hate to be on a diet that did not allow me my fruit, I love fruit.

Finally I decided to go with the detox approach, there are so many things out right now talking about the "toxins in your body" and how every once in a while we need to detox to get our bodies back on track. I liked the idea of a quick diet to just flush out all the junk that is put into my body on a daily basis. But, as most things, i need to know exactly what I'm getting into and how I'll do it, so to google I went!



I honestly had no idea there were so many ways to detox and so many diets to choose from. Some of the diets I found seemed down right ridiculous! I always thought the "lemonade drink" in the Glee episode about Mercedes losing weight for the cheerios was just a horrid fantasy of Sue Sylvester.... Come to find out its a real diet. The "Lemonade diet" (AKA Master Cleanse or Maple Syrup Diet) is an EXTREME detox diet, here's a idea of what it involves:

"Lemonade Diet: What You Can Eat

No solid foods are allowed, nor are any supplements. You consume only the Master Cleanse elixir to keep you hydrated.
The plan calls for you to drink 6 or more servings daily of the lemonade drink. The only other options are a "salt water flush" of 2 teaspoons salt mixed in a quart of water in the morning, and an herbal laxative tea at night, if needed.
A single serving of the Master Cleanse drink consists of:
  • 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice.
  • 2 tablespoons grade-B organic maple syrup.
  • 1/10 teaspoon cayenne pepper.
  • 10 ounces filtered water.
After following this fast for 4-14 days, dieters are urged to slowly ease back into solid food, starting with foods like vegetable soup, followed by fruits and vegetables." - From WebMD

Now I would never even attempt a detox as silly as this one, not only would it be extremely hard to stick to, but you are only losing weight because you are starving yourself of essential vitamins, nutrients and only allowing very little calories, all while basically "flushing" your system with laxative-like drinks. This detox would definiatly make you lose weight if you could stick to it, but after starving your body you're sure to pack on the pounds as soon as you start eating again!
After all my searching, I really wanted to try a "juicing" diet, where you have only fresh fruit and vegetable juices, but I lack the juicer to do so correctly. Second I wanted to do a "smoothie" diet, same as the juice idea, but with smoothies; however, I don't know if I can manage with only my Magic Bullet. Then I found the "Dr. Oz's 48-Hour Weekend Cleanse", not only was this a quick and simple detox, but Dr. Oz had not only a detox diet, but a recipe plan, and grocery lists all made up and ready for me to use! When I do something like a diet, I need everything all set and ready for me, so I know exactly what I'm doing, when and how!

Equipped with a grocery list , I plan to head to the store tomorrow and gather the essentials, and with the recipes I'll know exactly what to make and when! Now with the power of blogging, I have this plan in writing and will now HAVE to stick to it, right? I hope so, my goal is to be comfortable in a bathing suit again, I'm not worried so much about my weight, however I want to be able to wear an actual bathing suit this summer! Is anyone else dieting? or plan to? 




Friday, May 04, 2012

Iced Coffee from Vocalpoint!

International Delight Iced Coffee from Vocalpoint!


Who, especially mothers, doesn't like a nice cup of coffee at least once a day? I know I need my coffee at least a few times throughout the day to keep me going between college and a 2 year old!

Once summer hits, most of us coffee enthusiast switch over to iced coffee and how many of us moms make our coffees at home to save just a few dollars? Normally once it gets to warm for my usual hot coffee, I keep a pitcher of coffee in the refrigerator to make my own iced coffees throughout the day. But that takes time, effort, and I don't get that instant gratification I would from a hot pot of coffee; however, International Delight has heard our cries! If you haven't yet seen them in your local stores, you will soon notice the cartons of pre-made Iced Coffee in your dairy section (mine store keeps it next to the liquid creamers). 

If you have not tried this yet, you must! When I first saw them in stores I had to try them, as I LOVE the International Delight creamers. I wasn't surprised that they were delicious! The iced coffee comes in three flavors so far: Original, Vanilla, and Mocha. If you enjoy the pre-made coffee drinks you can get at a convenient store, you'll love this. Just pour it into your glass, maybe add a few ice cubes if you'd like and it's good to go! No prep, or waiting and it's so yummy!


If you haven't tried them yet, or you're like me and have had them and loved it, Vocalpoint is offering coupons (by mail) to their members! If you're member head over and get yours now. If you're not a member, don't worry joining is FREE and you will be able to get these great offers in the future!


Wednesday, May 02, 2012

Yoplait® Lactose Free yogurt

Yoplait® Lactose Free Yogurt


Are you or someone in your family lactose intolerant, but love yogurt? Well if you haven't heard yet, you'll be excited to know that, Yoplait, the brand you already know and love for their yogurt has come out with a Lactose Free line.

Lactose Free Yoplait comes in Strawberry, Peach, French Vanilla, and Cherry flavors, and I can tell you personally, they are all great! This has little to no taste difference from the original, if you don't believe me try it for yourself, FREE!

Click here for a .30 off coupon thanks to Yoplait and MyBlogSpark!


Tuesday, May 01, 2012

Peter Rabbit Organics

Peter Rabbit Organics 


    As a busy mom, it's not easy to find a healthy snack in a hurry, so I was very excited when I found Peter Rabbit Organics. If you've been shopping in the baby food isles of the grocery store within the last year, you might have seen the fancy new packaging for baby foods. You know, the "pouch". Peter Rabbit Organics are those "pouch" baby foods, but 100% natural and organic!


What drew me to Peter Rabbits Organics was their claim:
"You won’t have to read the label – the fruit you see on the front is what’s inside!"
After hearing this, the very first thing I did was look at the ingredients, and they were not lying. The ingredients in a Pear and Apple fruit snack? Organic Pear and Organic Apple, no more, no less and never any added sugar or artificial flavoring. Now that is the food that I want to feed my daughter!
                                                     

These are my favorite kind or reviews, even though the product isn't for me, my daughter is able to try them out and she loves helping mommy try new things! I was given three flavors for my daughter, Keira, to try for my review: "Mango, Banana, and Orange", "Pea, Spinach, and Apple", and "Pear and Apple". Like most people that have seen this flavor, when I saw "Pea, Spinach, and Apple", my first reaction was far from a "Yum"; however, unlike most parents, I decided that should be the first flavor for my daughter to try. Not because I want to torture my daughter with the grossest flavor first, but so she can try a new flavor I know she's never had before and see if she would eat it in the future. 


To my surprise, Keira really enjoyed the "Pea. Spinach, and Apple" after it had passed her test, as a curious mom, I had to try it too.. It was a very interesting flavor that I would have never though to combine for a child or myself, but not bad. The flavor was mostly apple, with subtle hints of pea and spinach. I'm not sure how Peter Rabbit Organics came up with this flavor combinations, but this is a great way to get veggies into your picky toddler's diet without them realizing it!


My most favorite thing about Peter Rabbit Organics being in a BPA free pouch that doesn't require refrigeration, these make the best to-go snacks! I love to bring these on car rides or to the park, when I know Keira will want a snack and won't be able to sit down or get too messy. 



I love Peter Rabbit Organics, these are the only baby food, purees that I have seen without anything but the fruit or veggie on the label. They come in some of the most unique flavors to not only get fruit and veggies in your child's diet, but to help broaden their pallet and introduce them to new foods in a fun way. I really like the pouch packaging and wish that all baby foods were like this when my daughter was strictly purees. 
Oh, and last but not least? That adorable bunny on each pouch is the best! My daughter loves the cute bunny.

BUY IT
Peter Rabbit Organics are sold in many locations including:
Hannaford, Starbucks, Publix, Whole Foods Market, and select natural foods stores
You can also buy them online:

For the full list of where to buy Peter Rabbit Organics click here

WIN IT
Peter Rabbit Organics have been kind enough to let one of my readers win a 12 pack of assorted flavors! Just enter the Rafflecopter Below!

Xbox Kinect FREE Event



Techy Tribe and Mom to Bed by 8 is proud to present the Techy Summer Xbox Kinect Bundle Event from July 8 to July 22. This is a free blogger event and accepting signups now.
Join the Techy Summer Xbox Kinect Bundle Giveaway event today, grow your readership and offer one fantastic cleaning tool giveaway!