Holiday Gift Giveaway Hop

~~The giveaway is now CLOSED. Congrats to the Winners!~~

Welcome to the Holiday Gift Giveaway Hop! The big day has finally come. Over the first 5 days of December, you will have the opportunity to discover new blogs and enter to win fab cash and gift card prizes to help you save on holiday gift shopping. Exciting, isn't it?

Thanks to my wonderful sponsors, I have put together an awesome giveaway with over $400 in prizes for 7 winners. Please take a moment to visit my sponsors and see what they have in store for you during this holiday season.

Open Worldwide
#1 Costumes Inc is giving away a $50 gift certificate.

Costumes Inc is currently running a 25% off sale on a variety of  kids costumes, which can make great dress up gifts for the holidays. Simply look for the gift box icon on the website or click on the link above to shop. Use coupon code holidaykids during checkout and your costume will be on the way.

#2 mooo.com.au is giving away a $50 gift certificate.

You can find all kinds of cute personalized gifts from this Australian store. It is celebrating holidays with 12 deals of Christmas. Make sure to follow Mooo on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with the daily deals.

#3 I'm giving away a $25 Amazon.com gift card just to thank you for supporting my site.

You may use it to buy a nice gift and get free shipping.

Open to US & Canada
#4 CSN Stores is giving away a $175 gift card.

You may have a holiday shopping spree at any of the 200+ stores in the network.

Open to US Only
#5 Sonic is giving away a $50 gift card.

SONIC has teamed with Guinness World Records to produce a collection of four different Guinness World Record books that are now available in Wacky Pack® kids' meals. Besides, the gift card, the winner will also receive a full set of the books, which will make great stocking stuffers! It's Sonic good.

#6 Cards Direct is giving away a $50 gift certificate

Cards Direct offers a large selection of personalized greeting cards for business or personal use. Over 2,000 card designs are available in categories that include Christmas cards, holiday cards, birthday cards, thank you cards, photo cards, baby shower invitations, birth announcements and many more!

#7  Jasmere is giving away a $25 gift code.

Jasmere.com is a unique social shopping site with daily deals up for grabs.

Now here's how to enter the giveaway.

Required Entry: Follow my blog publicly via Google Friends Connect and leave a comment telling me which prize(s) you'd like to win. It's ok to say that you'd like to win all. This will help me make sure that the winner get a prize she truly wants. (Please leave a valid email address in your comment or make sure one is visible in your blogger profile).

Extra Entries (optional): please make sure you do the required entry first! Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry, i.e. 1 comment=1 entry.

• Join the Parents Insight Network and put icefairy as the referrer (1 extra entry) 
• Subscribe to my feed via email and leave your email address (1 extra entry)
• Follow Me on Twitter AND tweet the following message

RT @luckytoddler #Holiday Gift #giveaway! Win $425 in gift cards! http://bit.ly/hgfghp Open to ALL! Ends 12/5 #hggh
Please leave the link to your tweet in your comment.

• "Like" me on Facebook and leave your name (1 extra entry)
• Enter the $25 Amazon GC giveaway via this link (1 extra entry)

Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm Eastern Time on 12/5/10

Winners will be chosen using random.org and will have 72 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.

Thanks for entering and good luck!

Visit the other blog giveaways and win, win win!

Holiday Gift Giveaway Hop Preview: CSN Stores

The Holiday Gift Giveaway Hop is just around the corner. Hundreds of blogs are participating and tons of prizes will be given away during the 5-day event. I bet you will be excited, overjoyed and even overwhelmed.

I'm very happy to announce that CSN Stores is one of my sponsors for the Holiday Gift Giveaway. You will have the chance to win a $175 shopping spree--perfect for the holiday season!

With over 200 stores in the network, you can expect everything you need from CSN Stores, such as stylish upholstered headboards, quality mattresses, elegant bedding sets, cookware, furniture, holiday decorations, and many more. You may want to start browsing the stores and plan on how to spend your gift card should you win my giveaway.

Please mark your calendar and remember to come back between 12/1-12/5/2010 to enter the giveaway. It's open to both US & Canadian residents!

Printing at The UPS Store #lovinlogistics

As a review blogger, I receive quite a few packages delivered via The UPS Store. Its delivery stuff is courteous and conscientious. My package was properly delivered even when the address was wrong. I was really surprised that they recognized my name and remembered my correct address. Very impressive service!

During this holiday season, you can count on The UPS Store to ship your gifts with care and accuracy. Plus, you can always track the status of your packages online.

Most of us know The UPS Store by its packaging and shipping services, but do you know that it also offer printing services? I didn't until very recently. And I tried out its printing service by having a color calender 2011 printed at a UPS Store near me. You're welcome to check out my Whrrl story embedded below.

Powered by Whrrl

From now through December 31st, 2010, the UPS Store is hosting a Send Your Heart for the Holidays design contest, where five winners will each receive a $1,000 American Express gift card! There's plenty of time to enter. Don't miss your chance to win big for the holidays.

Disclosure: I was compensated for my time by Collective Bias. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Make 'N' Take Party #PedialyteSingles

Change of Seasons, especially when a dramatic change in temperature is involved, usually preludes a new wave of cold and flu attacks. Young kids are among those that are most vulnerable to such contagious diseases. It is therefore highly important for parents to take active measures to strengthen their kids' immune system and get prepared for the cold and flu season.

Pedialyte, the #1 pediatrician recommended brand, is known for helping prevent dehydration from diarrhea and vomiting for children. It's great to keep on hand all year round. Pedialyte has recently launched a new product line called Pedialyte Singles, featuring kid-friendly packaging (Tetra packing with straws), kid-approved flavors (apple, cherry, and fruit), and a mom-friendly clear liquid (no more stains from spills). The new packaging not only gives Pedialyte a shelf life of up to 18 months, but also eliminates the need for preservatives. Pedialyte Singles contain no artificial colors and optimal levels of sugars and sodium.

Part of cold/flu preparedness includes getting meals ready fast when your kid is sick and demands more attention. I was very lucky to be one of the 20 moms selected to host a Make 'N' Take Party, during which I invited 3 of my mommy friends and their kids over to try out new Pedialyte Singles and to savor some "made ahead" meals together. The party was a hit among both kids and adults. The kids loved the fruit flavor and playing with their peers. Everyone enjoyed the food my husband and I prepared beforehand. And all the guests were happy to take home a 4-pack Pedialyte Singles along with some Boogie Wipes. You may read my whrrl story for more details and pictures.

Powered by Whrrl

The Pedialyte site has many helpful resources for parents, such as Essentials for a well-stocked medicine chest, Printable activities to keep kids entertained when sick, and Warning Signs & Symptoms of dehydration.

If you're planning to get your own Pedialyte Singles, please don't forget to print this coupon to receive $1.50 off your purchase. To find a store near you, click here.

Note: Pedialyte should be used under medical supervision. Please talk to your doctor before using the product.

Disclosure: I was compensated for my time by Collective Bias. All views and opinions expressed are my own.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wish everyone a happy and memorable Thanksgiving! May joy and fun, wish fulfillment and blessing, come to your home on this special day of the year! Have a good rest and get ready for crazy Black Friday sales. You can find all the best deals in one place at www.black-friday.net and Slickdeals.net.

Crest 3D White 2 Hour Express Whitestrips Presale Offer

Crest 3D White is launching a brand new product--Crest 3D White 2 Hour Express Whitestrips--which will hit store shelves in January 2011. Would you like to try this innovative new product before it's available to the masses? Here's your chance--

Between now and December 19th, 2010 you may pre-order the 2 Hour Express Whitestrips and receive 25% more product free, including a free Crest 3D White Multicare whitening rinse (an $18.25 retail value)!

Crest 3D White 2 Hour Express Whitestrips contain an innovative thicker ingredient layer which provides significantly more enamel safe whitening ingredient that whitens for 2 hours. The superior advancements in the Whitestrip structure make it the best fitting Whitestrip ever—optimized notches wrap and conform to teeth for improved wear and comfort.

With the new product, you may get a noticeably whiter smile in just 2 hours. It's perfect for a big date or event, when you want your teeth to look their best without having to worry about the time commitment required by your current whitening products. Plus, it will make a unique, memorable holiday gift for someone you care about!

I'm always excited to be among the first to try new products. Now you can too with this sweet presale offer. Don't miss it!

Disclosure: I will be receiving free products in exchange for my honest opinion. The product information has been provided by the PR agency representing Crest 3D. No monetary compensation was provided for writing this post.

Earn Your MAT Degree Online @USC

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of 2tor. All opinions are 100% mine.

Are you a current educator or aspiring teacher looking to earn a Master of Arts in Teaching degree? Did you know that the USC Rossier School of Education’s MAT@USC now offers you the opportunity to earn you MAT degree in the comfort of your home?  USC Rossier School of Education is an internationally renowned research institution with a 100-year history of educating teachers to be agents of change. It has been ranked #22 in the United States, and #9 among all private universities by US News and World Report. By joining MAT@USC, you will not only be able to enjoy the convenience and flexibility of studying online, but also have the opportunity to learn from distinguished USC faculty recognized for their contributions to modern education.

Earning your degree online has a lot of benefits. It's a huge time and money saver. You may take classes whenever and wherever you have access to a computer with Internet connection. There's no need to commute or relocate in order to advance your studies. You don't have to worry about extra child care expenses if you're a parent of young children.

Earning your degree online at an elite research university like USC has even more benefits. Awarded by AACTE for innovative use of technology in education, Rossier and the MAT@USC offers an innovative combination of highly interactive online learning with field-based experiences in your local area. The MAT@USC also provides a groundbreaking tuition reimbursement program, full USC student status and benefits, participation in commencement ceremonies and free lifetime Alumni Association memberships, as well as the opportunity to become part of the elite USC Trojan Family. You may choose to complete an accelerated program in as little as 12 months!

If this sounds like something that interests you, be sure to check out the program information in more detail.

New Wisk with Stain Spectrum™ Technology: Morning Routine Lab

Before I walk you through my final experiment as a Wisk Beta Blogger, I'd like to share with you the latest commercial for New Wisk with Stain Spectrum™ Technology.




Everyone has a morning routine. From my own experience, a mom's morning routine is primarily about taking care of her child, getting him fed, getting him ready for school, etc. Well, the new Wisk detergent encourages moms to carve out some well-deserved "me-time" in the morning by helping them tackle stains like the oil-based lip gloss stain. I don't usually wear makeup, but lip gloss is the must-have beauty item in my purse and I do enjoy brightening up my face with a dab of my favorite lip color.

Oil stain is one of the most common tough stains we encounter on a daily basis. I believe everyone who does the laundry would love some help with removing oil stains. Let's see how New Wisk with Stain Spectrum™ Technology did the trick in my morning routine lab. Unlike in previous experiments, I was fully confident that I would get the desired results now that I had witnessed the power of Wisk's new technology for the past few months.

Here's a snapshot of the new package I received from Wisk. It includes a chic toiletry bag, a compact mirror, a hand towel, a tube of lip gloss, and a new bottle of Wisk laundry detergent.

Step 1: Use the compact mirror to apply some lip gloss.

Step 2: Pucker up and blot the excess with the hand towel. I intentionally waited a while for the stain to dry because we all know fresh stains are easier to treat than old ones. I wanted to put Wisk to a tougher test.

Step 3: Pre-treat the stain with Wisk.

Step 4: Rub the stain for 15-30 seconds. You can see that the stain already started to fade at this stage.

Step 5: Rinse the stain under warm water until there are no more suds visible.

Last step: Now I have my nice clean towel back. Yay! Way to go, new Wisk! You are amazing!

Besides the Wisk Deep Clean I have been experimenting with, Wisk comes in five stain-fighting varieties: Coldwater Power, Colorsafe Bleach, High Efficiency, and Fresh Boost. I look forward to trying Wisk Coldwater Power as I use cold water for my laundry most often.

If you are looking for more detailed information about the New Wisk with Stain Spectrum™ Technology, please visit Wisk.com and follow Wisk on Facebook and Twitter.

Disclosure: This post is written as part of a blog campaign sponsored by One2One Network. I received free products and monetary compensation in exchange of my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Del Monte Teacher Monday Giveaway: $25 Gift Certificates (2 Winners)

~~The giveaway is now CLOSED~~

Del Monte Fresh Produce is currently hosting "Teacher Monday: Cash for Classrooms," an online contest where K-12 public school teachers in the US and Canada can win cash and fresh fruit for their classroom. Each week, 10 winners will be awarded $1,000 each ($750 in cash and $250 in fresh fruit gift certificates)!

If you are a teacher, please enter the contest by submitting a short essay and then invite your family, friends, students and parents to vote for you. Winners will be the top 10 teachers receiving the most votes each week.

Even if you're not a teacher, you may help your friend or your kid's teacher by encouraging her to enter the contest and voting for her entry. Voting is extremely easy and completely anonymous. Limit one vote per person per day. You may take a look at all the current entries here.

The contest ends on November 15, 2010. Don't miss your last chance to enter and win! Plus, you're encouraged to follow Del Monte on Facebook and Twitter for contest updates.

The Giveaway

To encourage you to participate in Teacher Monday,  Del Monte Fresh Produce has generously offered to give two of my lucky readers a $25 Del Monte Fresh Fruit Gift Certificate each!

Required Entry: Visit Teacher Monday website and leave a comment telling me how you plan to support the promotion. Are you going to enter yourself? Are you going to tell a teacher you know to enter? Or are you going to vote for a current contestant? (Please leave a valid email address in your comment or make sure one is visible in your blogger profile).

Extra Entries (optional): please make sure you do the required entry first! Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry, i.e. 1 comment=1 entry.

• Sign up for Juno Baby Newsletter and put icefairy as the referrer (1 extra entry)
• Join the Parents Insight Network and put icefairy as the referrer (1 extra entry) 
• Enter this iPad giveaway and put my name as the referrer (1 extra entry) 
• Rate this Win A Trip To Africa contest (1 extra entry)
• Rate this Win $1000 To Give Away contest (1 extra entry)
• Vote for me on PF & TMB daily (1 extra entry per day)
• Follow my blog
  
  publicly (1 extra entry)
• Subscribe to my feed via email and leave your email address (1 extra entry)
• Follow Me on Twitter AND tweet the following message (1 extra entry per day) Yes! You may tweet once daily to increase your chances:

RT @luckytoddler Yummy #giveaway! Win 1 of 2 $25 @DelMonteFresh Gift Certificates! http://bit.ly/dmftm #fbz #health
Please leave the link to your tweet in your comment.

• Join Crowtap via this link and leave your registered name (1 extra entry)
• "Like" me on Facebook and leave your name (1 extra entry)
• Follow me on Networked Blogs and leave your name (1 extra entry)
• Add me as your friend on Facebook and leave your name (1 extra entry)
• Grab my button and tell me where to find it (1 extra entry)
• Blog about this giveaway and link back to this post. Then leave the link in your comment (1 extra entry for mentioning this giveaway on your blog; 3 extra entries for a separate blog post).

Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm Central Time on 11/15/10

Open to US Residents Only

Winners will be chosen using random.org and will have 72 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.

Thanks for entering and good luck!

Disclosure: I did not receive any form of compensation for hosting this giveaway. Giveaway prizes are provided by Del Monte Fresh Produce.