Beautiful Mom Mother’s Day giveaway: Win a $250 SkinCareRx Gift Card!

In honor of Mother's Day 2011, SkinCareRx is giving away a $250 gift card in their Beautiful Mom Mother’s Day giveaway. The winner could give her mom the products she's been wishing for and get a little something for herself too! All you have to do to enter is posting a comment on this page (click on the "comment" tab) explaining why your mom deserves the $250 gift card.

The deadline for entries is May 5th, 2011. Enter now and good luck!

Disclosure: By writing this post, I'm entered in a blogger contest for a gift card. No monetary exchange took place.

Super Review Contest: Win a $500 gift card to Growing Tree Toys!

Throughout the month of April, Growing Tree Toys is hosting a Super Review Contest, in which one lucky reviewer will win a $500 gift card to Growing Tree Toys! To enter, simply write a qualified review of any product from Growing Tree Toys online store. The more reviews you submit, the more entries you will receive for the contest, based on the following scheme:

*Write up to 5 approved reviews - get 5 contest entries per review!
*Write 6-10 approved reviews - get 10 contest entries per review!
*Write 11+ approved reviews - get 25 contest entries per review!

In addition, each day one reviewer will automatically receive a $10 voucher towards any purchase on their website! Each daily winner will be selected from all current entries.

Meanwhile, you’ll receive the regular benefits of the Rewards program--25 points for a standard text-based review that is at least 50 words, 50 points for a photo review or 75 points for a video review. You'll also earn 25 points just for signing up! Plus, use code BE5D8 to receive 15% off your first order at GrowingTreeToys.com.

Get your reviews/entries in by April 30, 2011. Good luck!

Disclosure: By writing this post, I'm entered to win a prize drawing among bloggers. No monetary exchange took place.

Win an All-Expenses Paid Trip to Hawaii from Old London Foods!

As we are waving goodbye to April, Old London, the makers of delicious Melba products, wants to help us get ready for summer splash with healthy snacks and the chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime vacation for two to Hawaii!

Winner of the Aloha Old London Sweepstakes will receive a four-day, three-night, all-expenses paid trip to Oahu, Hawaii, which includes airfare, accommodations, romantic dinner for two, one Hawaiian Lomilomi Massage at Mandara Spa at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa, a private cooking lesson at the award-winning Chef Mavro restaurant, two Alii Luau packages at the Polynesian Cultural Center, and surfing lessons at world famous Waikiki Beach! WOW! I wish I could win this!

For your chance to win, please head over to Old London Facebook page and follow the instructions to enter. Deadline is June 30, 2011. Good luck!

Founded in 1932, Old London Foods has been known for their premium quality products made with all-natural ingredients and whole grains. The company has introduced 20 unique flavors in Melba Toasts, Melba Rounds and other snacks, which offer a great way to satisfy mid-day hunger when paired with light treats like salsa or cheese.

I received 3 different Old London products for review: Whole Grain Melba Toast, Roasted Garlic Melba Snacks, Spicy Cheddar Bagel Chips. I love that they are crunchy, tasty, and less salty than similar products that I tried before. My son's favorite is the Melba Toast while hubby is in love with the roasted garlic flavor. Old London snacks are versatile too. We tried eating them directly, with spread, and as an ingredient in salad. They are a yummy and filling treat regardless. You may find some creative recipe ideas here.

Old London snacks inspire us to incorporate healthy, simple foods into our daily routine. We've taken small steps to keep our family healthy, such as choosing wholesome, nutritious snacks, increasing all-natural and organic foods in our diet, taking more servings of fruits and vegetables, and limiting our daily intake of sugar and sodium. Looking to improve the overall health of your family? Get started with these healthy living tips from Old London!

Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Old London and received product samples and a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.

FRESCHETTA By the Slice Review & Giveaway

~~The giveaway is now CLOSED. Congrats to winner Lori!~~

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

FRESCHETTA, the leading frozen pizza producer, has recently introduced FRESCHETTA® By the Slice, which, as its name suggests, provides a single slice of pizza cut from the whole pizza. Made with the same premium ingredients as regular sized FRESCHETTA pizza, FRESCHETTA By the Slice can be ready to serve in under 3 minutes using microwave. The new product comes in four delicious flavors: BBQ Recipe Chicken, Vegetable Medley, Chicken, Spinach & Mushroom, and Six Cheese Medley.

FRESCHETTA offered me a coupon to try out one FRESCHETTA By the Slice pizza for free. I picked Vegetable Medley. The toppings include some of my favorite vegetables: mushroom, olives and red, green and yellow peppers. The slice pizza tastes as fresh and flavorful as the oven-baked whole pizza from FRESCHETTA, but it takes considerably less time to cook--in my case, two minutes and a half. The microwavable tray that comes with the slice pizza makes it so convenient to cook. No clean-up is ever necessary.

Besides its great taste and convenience, I also like FRESCHETTA By the Slice pizza because it offers easier portion control. While the whole pizza is enough to feed 2-3 people, the single slice is perfect for one. It makes a decent lunch or a filling snack in between meals.

From now through 5/31, you could try any variety of FRESCHETTA By the Slice free after rebate (form inside box). I plan to try Chicken, Spinach & Mushroom and BBQ Recipe Chicken with this sweet offer. Be sure to follow FRESCHETTA on Twitter and Facebook for more great offers and free giveaways.

The Giveaway

FRESCHETTA has generously offered to give one of my lucky readers a FRESCHETTA® By the Slice Prize Pack including one free product  coupon to try out the FRESCHETTA® By the Slice pizza and a six piece FRESCHETTA® storage set.

Required Entry: Follow my blog publicly via Google Friends Connect and leave a comment telling me which flavor you would like to try first. (Please leave a valid email address in your comment or in this form, 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.

• "Like" FRESCHETTA on Facebook and leave your FB name (1 extra entry)
• Follow FRESCHETTA on Twitter and leave your Twitter handle (1 extra entry)
• "Like" me on Facebook and leave your FB name (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 #Win #free @FreschettaPizza & 6-pc storage set! http://bit.ly/efQJeq #fbz #contest #giveaway #sweepstakes
Please leave the link to your tweet in your comment.

• 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 5/1/11

Open to US Residents Only

Winner 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!

Dinosaur Train Hatchers Review & Cake Decorating Set Giveaway (Ends 4/28)

~~The giveaway is now CLOSED. Congrats to winner Rachel!~~

This Easter was particularly fun for my son. In addition to the traditional egg hunt, he also had the opportunity to watch his favorite Dinosaur Train character Buddy hatch from a dinosaur egg and grow 4 times bigger with Hatchers! I've included a slide show below to show you how exciting the hatching process was.

Hatchers are produced by Uncle Milton and retails for $4.99 each. You may choose from popular Dinosaur Train characters like Buddy, Tiny, Shiny and Don or collect all of them. The hatching takes 24-48 hours to complete. It shows kids that it takes time for eggs to crack and for baby dinosaurs to grow. It's interesting that the figurine will shrink when taken out of water and will continue to grow once put back in water. I explained to my son that he needs to drink a lot of water in order to grow taller. He took my hypothesis seriously and started to drink more water :)

You could add more fun this Easter by decorating homemade treats with your favorite Dinosaur Train characters! Check out these cute Dinosaur Train Cake Decorating set and Dinosaur Train Cupcake Rings.

Plus, use the Dinosaur Train Eggspress application, for iPhone, iPod and iPad ($2.99), to challenge your child to find and match dinosaur eggs and then reunite dinosaur families while progressing through three different time periods.

Your child will discover real flora and fauna from the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous eras. Along the way, there will be learning moments as Buddy and the Conductor reveal mystery dinosaur hatchlings, fun dinosaur facts, and an adorable Dinosaur Baby Book. All aboard! Check out this review from Geek Dad.

Visit Dinosaur Train on PBS for more free games and activities for your little fan. Follow The Jim Henson Company on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with the latest happenings in the Pteranodons family.

The Giveaway

The Jim Henson Company has generously offered to give one of my lucky readers a Dinosaur Train Prize Pack including a set of Dinosaur Train Cake Decorating set and Dinosaur Train Cupcake Rings from DecoPac!

Required Entry: To make this giveaway fun and easy, simply fill out this form with your name and email and you will be all set! No comment is necessary. The giveaway will run for 72 hours only. Enter NOW!

Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm Central Time on 4/28/11

Open to US Residents Only

Winner 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!

Quick and Easy Family Meals from Kroger & ConAgra Foods #WeekNightMeals

The Kroger family of stores and ConAgra Foods have teamed up to bring us an exciting new website GiveEveryNightNewFlavor.com, where you can get inspirations for nutritious and tasty weekend night meals with ingredients easily accessible from your local grocery store.

My favorite feature of the website is its easy-to-use meal finder. You may specify the type of cuisine, cook time, and the number of people you need to serve. After clicking on the red button that says "FIND MY MEAL SOLUTION", you will be presented a list of recipes that meet your criteria. Plus, on each recipe page, you will be given the opportunity to add needed ingredients to your shopping list and to load relevant digital coupons onto your frequent shoppers card.

To encourage you to help spread the word about this awesome site,  GiveEveryNightNewFlavor.com is giving away a FREE Banquet Fruit Pie to everyone who shares the site on Twitter, Facebook or MySpace ( You'll need a valid shoppers card to load the free coupon).

This weekend, I was looking for some quick and easy family dinner ideas at Give Every Night New Flavor. After a simply search, I decided to try the following two recipes, each taking less than 30 minutes to cook. I had to substitute a few of the recommended products because I couldn't find them at my local Kroger store. I also made some portion adjustment to fit the preferences of my family.

Here are all the ingredients I bought from Kroger. They cost less than $20.

BBQ Chicken Salad for Two

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

* 8 Banquet® Original Chicken Breast Tenders (from 24-oz bag)
* 1/2 cup (1/2 of 14.5-oz can) drained Hunt's® Petite Diced Tomatoes
* 1 tablespoon Orange Sauce
* 1 tablespoon Korean BBQ sauce
* 2 tablespoons Kroger Fat-Free Creamy Ranch Dressing
* 4 1/2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
* 1/4 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
* 4 large white tortilla chips, coarsely broken

Directions

1. Prepare chicken tenders in microwave according to package directions; keep warm and set aside.
2. Stir together drained tomatoes, sauce and dressing in small bowl; set aside. Place lettuce in salad bowl. Spoon tomato mixture evenly over lettuce; sprinkle evenly with corn.
3. Top salad with reserved chicken tenders, cut in half. Sprinkle with broken tortilla chips. Serve immediately.

 The Banquet Chicken Breast Tenders are a huge hit in my family. Eight weren't quite enough for the 3 of us ^_^

Here's the salad. It tastes even better than it looks. Yum!


Spanish Rice for Two

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

* 1-1/2 teaspoons Pure Wesson® Canola Oil
* 1/2 cup frozen Kroger mixed vegetables (corn, green beans, carrots)
* 1/4 cup Ranch Style Beans (pinto beans)
* 1/2 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked
* 2/3 cup reduced-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
* 1/2 cup (1/2 of 10-oz can) undrained Ro*Tel® Diced Tomatoes with Lime Juice & Cilantro

Directions

1. Heat oil in small saucepan over medium heat. Add vegetables and rice; cook and stir 3 minutes.
2. Add broth and undrained tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

This modified version of Spanish Rice is both colorful and flavorful. My son found it a bit too spicy, but he insisted on eating more and drinking a lot of ice water afterwards to soothe his burning tongue. It was a really funny scene.

I started with the rice and prepared the salad while the rice was simmering in the pan. So it took me about 30 minutes to finish both dishes. All of us enjoyed the meal and emptied our plates. The fast and easy recipes helped us save a big chunk of time for a family movie night!

I highly recommend GiveEveryNightNewFlavor.com to every meal planner in the family. Don't forget to share the site with your friends and score a free pie!

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Host An Old Navy House Party! Hot Fashion Freebies Up For Grabs!

I have yet another hot offer from Crowdtap to share with you! I know how you love Old Navy from last week's giveaway. Here's your chance to become an Old Navy Style Ambassador.

From now through 4/28, Crowdtap is looking for females aged between 26-35 to host an Old Navy Spring Accessories Party!

Qualified hosts will each receive a party kit including the following free goodies:

-5 Old Navy tote bags
-2 spring scarves
-1 pair of spring shades
-1 spring fedora hat
-1 spring saddle bag
-1 Old Navy Spring Accessories Sampling party booklet
-1 dry erase

You're only expected to invite 3-5 friends for the party.

In addition, hosts will receive $2 for an approved report, $5 for an excellent report and $50 as the top award!

I just applied. Hope some of us will get picked for this awesome opportunity. Apply now and good luck!

Even if you're not the right fit this time, it's always a good idea to join Crowdtap and start getting paid for answering short polls, participating in online discussions, sampling new products, and hosting house parties! You'll have lots of fun!

Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway Hop: $25 Barnes & Noble Gift Card

Welcome to the Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway Hop!

Easter is almost here! In celebration, I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Once Upon a Twilight are co-hosting a 6-day giveaway blog hop! Each of the 200+ participating blogs is giving away book-related prizes including Amazon gift cards. Check out the linky at the end of this post and enter as many giveaways as you can! You are cordially invited to enter all my current giveaways, including a high-end hair styling iron and Shabby Apple dress! Happy blog hopping and good luck!

I'm giving away a $25 Barnes & Noble Gift Card, which can be used both online and in store!

Giveaway Rules

Required Entry: Follow my blog publicly via Google Friends Connect and leave a comment on this post. That's it! (Please leave a valid email address in your comment or or in this form, 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.

• Subscribe to my feed via email and leave your email address (1 extra entry)
• "Like" me on Facebook and leave your FB name (1 extra entry) 
• Follow Me on Twitter AND tweet the following message (1 extra entry per day)

RT @luckytoddler #Win a $25 Barnes & Noble Gift Card! http://bit.ly/hpesg #book #contest #giveaway #sweepstakes #giftcard
Please leave the link to your tweet in your comment.

• Join QuestionMoms and leave your user name (1 extra entry) New signups only.  You'll get $3 after completing your profile. Start earning cash for answering short surveys and testing new products.
• Join MyLikes and leave your user name (1 extra entry) New signups only. Start earning cash on Facebook and Twitter!

Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm Pacific Time on 4/25/11

Open to US Residents Only

Winner 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 received no compensation for hosting this giveaway. Prize is provided by me and will be mailed to the winner upon confirmation.

Yanni Truth of Touch Review

Earlier this year, the world renowned musician Yanni released his first instrumental album in over 8 years: Truth of Touch, featuring 15 original compositions that mark a return to the genre that Yanni helped create and advance.

I recently received a copy of this new album for review. I really enjoyed listening to the heavenly music in this album over and over again. The 15 tracks convey different themes and evoke various kinds of emotions. Some are cheerful, some are playful, some are peaceful and some are adventurous. Some sound exotic and mysterious. Most of them can be great background music for meditation, yoga, reading, driving, or just a break from work. I like the first 10 tracks better than the rest. My favorites include "Truth of Touch", "Seansons", "Flash of Color" and "Can't Wait" (featuring the voice of Leslie Mills).

Here is the list of all the tracks:
1. "Truth of Touch"
2. "Echo of a Dream"
3. "Seasons"
4. "Voyage"
5. "Flash of Color"
6. "Vertigo"
7. "Nine"
8. "Can't Wait"
9. "Guilty Pleasure"
10. "O Luce Che Brilla Nell'oscurità"
11. "I'm So"
12. "Long Way Home"
13. "Yanni & Arturo"
14. "Mist of a Kiss"
15. "Secret"

On March 22, Yanni launched a 40-date tour of the US. The tour will take him through theaters in major cities across the US including Radio City Music Hall in NYC and the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. Tickets are already sold out for some of the tour stops. Order yours while you can. Be sure to check out Truth of Touch if you can't make it to a live concert. Yanni will never disappoint his fans!

Disclosure: I received free product for review through One2One Network. No monetary exchange took place. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

"Truth Be Told" Premieres Saturday April 16th

P&G and Walmart continue their collaboration on Family Movie Night with their latest production Truth Be Told, which is set to premiere on Saturday, April 16th at 8/7c on FOX. The movie is part of an ongoing effort by P&G & Walmart to bring back uplifting, wholesome, content-appropriate films for families and to offer them completely free on network TV. Watching free movies on TV not only saves money but also provides an excellent way for family members to bond and spend quality time together.

Starring Candace Cameron Bure (Full House), Ronny Cox (Stargate SG-1) and David James Elliott (JAG and Scoundrels), Truth Be Told tells the comical story of Annie Morgan (Bure), Colorado's leading marriage counselor, who impresses media mogul Terrance Bishop (Cox) with her smart tip for creating romance and is thus offered a job to host a radio show on relationships. Fearing that being single would ruin her chance of getting her dream job, Annie conspires with Mark Crane (Elliott), an old college friend, recent widower, and father of two teenagers, to pose as a married couple when she joins her expectant boss for a weekend at his ranch in New Mexico. What happens during her weekend stay leaves Annie emotionally involved with Mark's family while battling with her own conscience. What will happen though if she tells the truth? Watch the trailer here.

Thanks to Mom Central, I had the opportunity to watch Truth Be Told with my family before it airs. It's an excellent family movie that is both humorous and heartwarming. Bure's acting is really impressive. She shows us how Annie struggles between her desire for the new job and her guilty conscience caused by going against her own advice for her clients "Honesty is the best policy". I love the way the romance between Annie and Mark develops as well as the feelings of Mark's kids toward Annie. I'm also touched by the simple but deep love between the Bishop couple as portrayed in the movie. My husband, on the other hand, is more attracted by the beautiful scenery of the ranch. He wishes that we could own a ranch like that some day.

The story makes us to think when it is OK to lie and how to draw the line between a white lie and a regular lie. It is our wish to be truthful at all times, but sometimes we may want to avoid telling truth that may hurt someone else's feelings. I deem a lie unacceptable if it's meant to take advantage of others and benefit the liar only, similar to what happens in the movie. But it's fine to tell someone she looks beautiful to make her happy even when you think otherwise. We definitely don't want to teach our children to lie, but from time to time we may have to conceal the truth in order to protect them.

While we ponder upon what constitutes an appropriate lie, don't forget to tune in the Truth Be Told premiere tomorrow night. Feel free to share you thoughts on the movie after you have a chance to watch it. You may also want to follow Family Movie Night on Facebook to keep up with the conversation and what's coming up next.

Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of P&G and received a movie kit to facilitate my review and a gift code to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Kidtoons The Strawberry Shortcake Movie: Sky's the Limit Prize Pack Giveaway {April Smiles Blog Party}

Welcome to the April Smiles Blog Party!

~~The giveaway is now CLOSED. Congrats to winner Erin!~~

In celebration of spring and her upcoming birthday, Sheri, aka Miracle Momas, has invited 16 other bloggers to give you the chance to win some fun prizes throughout the party. All party giveaways will run from 4/14 to 4/24. Take your time and enter as many giveaways as you like using the linky at the end of this post. Don't forget to wish Sheri a very "Happy Birthday" when you stop by her blog :)

While you're here, feel free to enter all my current giveaways, including several beauty and fashion goodies that will sure make someone smile!

I'm happy to announce a very exciting giveaway brought to you by Kidtoons, a company that strives to help parents connect with their children through entertaining activities by bringing kid-friendly animated movies to the big screen every weekend. Be sure to check if there is a participating theater near you so that you may bring your kids to the movie this weekend!

For the month of April, Kidtoons features The Strawberry Shortcake Movie: Sky's the Limit.

Here's the synopsis:

When a heavy storm plunks an even heavier boulder into a nearby stream, it stops the flow of water into Berry Bitty City! So, with help from long-winded Mr. Longface, the girls set out to find the legendary "geyser rock," which creates water from the ground! Their journey is rocky, and the story about the rock may not be very solid. But with teamwork, a careful plan and lots of girl power, the friends just might get their creativity - and water - flowing again!

The Giveaway

As part of this month's promotion, Kidtoons has generously offered to give one of my lucky readers a The Strawberry Shortcake Movie: Sky's the Limit Prize Pack!

Each prize pack includes the following:

• 1 Official Movie Poster
• 1 Strawberry Shortcake Doll
• 1 Strawberry Shortcake Playset

Required Entry: Follow my blog publicly via Google Friends Connect and leave a comment telling me who you would like to win this prize pack for. (Please leave a valid email address in your comment or in this form, 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.

• "Like" Kidtoons on Facebook and leave your FB name (1 extra entry)
• Follow Kidtoons on Twitter and leave your Twitter handle (1 extra entry)
• "Like" this Facebook post and leave your FB name here (1 extra entry)
• "Like" me on Facebook and leave your FB name (1 extra entry)
• "Like" this blog post using the button below my signature picture. (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 #Win adorable Strawberry Shortcake Doll & Playset @KidtoonFilms! http://bit.ly/strsk #toy #contest #giveaway #sweepstakes
Please leave the link to your tweet in your comment.

• Join QuestionMoms and leave your user name (3 extra entries) New signups only.  You'll get $3 after completing your profile. Start earning cash for answering short surveys and testing new products. 
• Join MyLikes and leave your user name (2 extra entries) New signups only. Start earning cash on Facebook and Twitter! Please link your MyLikes account to your Facebook account for your entry to account.
• Apply to join Social Spark and leave your user name (2 extra entries) New signups only. Both bloggers and business owners are welcome to join! It's a great platform to connect bloggers with businesses and help bloggers make money.
• Follow me on Networked Blogs and leave your name (1 extra entry)
• Grab my button or add me to blogroll 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 4/24/11

Open to US Residents Only

Winner 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. The sponsor will be solely responsible for shipping the prize directly to the winner.

Old Navy Dress Giveaway (72 Hours Only!)

~~The giveaway is now CLOSED. Congrats to winner Kerrie!~~

As a member of Crowdtap Old Navy Style Council, I'm very excited to have been chosen to participate in another free sampling event featuring Old Navy Spring Dresses. I received 4 free dress coupons-1 for myself and 3 to share with my friends. I think of all of my dear readers as my online friends, so I'd like to treat one of you to a free Old Navy dress! You may have a sneak peak of what styles Old Navy has in store for you via the link above (Availability varies by store location and may differ from what's on line.)

Here's what the coupon looks like. It's good for one FREE Women's dress valued $39.94 or less. It can only be redeemed in an Old Navy store and is valid through 4/22/11. Given the time sensitive nature of the coupon, the giveaway will be a short one, which means better chances to win for those who enter!!!

Here's the dress I picked for myself. Isn't it simple but adorable? Which Old Navy dress is your favorite?

Giveaway Rules

Required Entry: Follow my blog publicly via Google Friends Connect and leave a comment below saying anything you like. That's it! Feel free to express your love for Old Navy. (Please leave a valid email address in your comment or in this form*, or make sure one is visible in your blogger profile).

*This is a new feature I'm adding to all new giveaways. Submit your contact info via this secure form if you prefer to keep your email private.

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.

• "Like" this Facebook post and leave your FB name here (1 extra entry)
• "Like" me on Facebook and leave your FB name (1 extra entry)
• "Like" this blog post using the button below my signature picture. (1 extra entry) Thanks for helping me test this feature.
• 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 72-Hour #giveaway! #Win a #free @OldNavy dress of choice! http://bit.ly/onysd #fashion #contest #sweepstakes
Please leave the link to your tweet in your comment.

• Click this link AND submit your zip code. Just tell me that you did. (1 extra entry) Thank you!
• Join QuestionMoms and leave your user name (3 extra entries) New signups only.  You'll get $3 after completing your profile. Start earning cash for answering short surveys and testing new products. 
• Join MyLikes and leave your user name (2 extra entries) New signups only. Start earning cash on Facebook and Twitter! Please link your MyLikes account to your Facebook account for your entry to account.
• Join Nanoosa and leave the email you use (1 extra entry) New signups only. You will receive free $5 in your account and get cashback for online shopping.
• Join Crowdtap and leave your user name (1 extra entry) New signups only. You will receive free $1 and start earning cash for answering polls and testing new products.
• Join Groupon and leave the email you used (1 extra entry) New signups only.
• Join VirtaPay and leave you user name (1 extra entry) New signups only. You will receive free $25 in your account upon signup, which can be used toward any online purchase.
• Apply to join Social Spark and leave your user name (2 extra entries) New signups only. Both bloggers and business owners are welcome to join! It's a great platform to connect bloggers with businesses and help bloggers make money.
• Follow me on Networked Blogs and leave your name (1 extra entry)
• Grab my button or add me to blogroll 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; 5 extra entries for a separate blog post).

Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm Central Time on 4/16/11

Open to US Residents Only

Winner will be chosen using random.org and will have 24 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.

Thanks for entering and good luck!

Disclosure: I received free product coupons from Crowdtap, but was not required to write this post or host this giveaway. The coupon is guaranteed to be sent on 4/18 and reach the winner around 4/20.

Make Mom Smile with Tiny Prints Mother’s Day Cards

With Mother's Day just a few weeks away,  Tiny Prints has already got over 500 different Mother's Day cards in store for you! Whether you want funny pictures, witty remarks, vibrant colors, elegant styles, or simple, hearty greetings; whether you're looking for a card for your mom, mother-in-law, or mommy friend, they have the right kind of card for you. Sending a Tiny Prints card is sure to make a mom smile on her big day!

My mom has been a source of constant inspiration for me. She instilled in me a lot of important values and qualities that I find particularly beneficial for my life. I'm very grateful for all the parenting advice and support she has offered since I started to have my own child. My favorite piece of advice from her is to lead by example. She is the role model I've been looking up to since I was a little girl.

Parents are the first and perhaps most influential teachers of their children. Babies and kids love to imitate what the adults do, be it good or bad. It's therefore important for parents to set a good example for their kids in all aspects of life, from eating habits to social skills and to moral values. I've noticed that my son follows exactly the same steps as me when he washes his hands and brushes his teeth. He remembers to turn off the tap when he is brushing or applying hand soap. He also remembers to put empty bottles and cans into the recycle bin instead of the trash can.

Leading by example not only benefits my child, but also motivates me to improve myself and watch my behavior in his presence.

About Tiny Prints
Tiny Prints provides simple, modern and unique stationery from Father’s Day Cards to personalized greeting cards to thank you cards, business cards, and even custom wedding invitations or photo birth announcements. Offering exclusive designs from the nation’s top designers, easy card personalization, a powerful preview engine and top-notch customer service and paper quality, their designs have been lauded by numerous television networks, publications and celebrities. With Tiny Prints by your side commemorating every holiday and momentous occasion is a cinch! They offer perfect party invitations for every occasion and memorable personalized photo-gifts like notebooks, photo books and calendars to commemorate the event.


Disclosure: I received a Tiny Prints gift code from Global Influence for writing this post. No monetary exchange took place. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Karmin G3 Salon Pro Hair Styling Iron Giveaway

HairTools.ca is Canada's largest hair tools store. They would like to you to try out Karmin G3 Salon Pro Hair Styling Iron, the Best Flat Iron they have in store.

Here's the scoop:

The New Karmin G3 Salon Pro Hair Styling Iron is the only styling iron you will ever need, whether you choose to curl, flip, straighten or add volume and body. It's perfect for both professional use as well as at home with features such as flash quick heating, a tangle-free swivel cord and temperature settings for all hair types. Styling your hair is virtually effortless and results are smooth, silky, shiny hair.

Product Features:

• Ultra hard, mirror smooth Tourmaline Ceramic plate surfaces.
• Negative ions and infrared heat (removes static) for silky shiny hair.
• Ion field technology (seals in natural oils).
• Micro-porous technology (locks in moisture).
• Won't damage hair like other straighteners.
• Straight-curl-flip-style.
• Unparalleled infrared heat for deep, long lasting straightness.
• Micro chip temperature control with infrared heat for flash quick heating.
• 232°C (450°F) variable temperature control.
• Tangle-free 3 meter, 360° swivel cord.

Your New Karmin Salon Pro Includes:

• Karmin G3 Salon Pro Styling Iron with 1" Pure Tourmaline Ceramic Plates
• Free Heat Mat/Carrying Case Combo worth $25
• Instruction Manual
• 3 Year Manufacturer's Warranty

You can buy it for CA$129.95 (Regular CA$295.00) at HairTools.ca. Available in white, black and pink.

The Giveaway

HairTools.ca has generously offered to give one of my lucky readers a Karmin G3 Salon Pro Hair Styling Iron! It's a CA$130 value!

Required Entry: "Like" Karmin Hair Tools on Facebook and leave a comment telling me your FB name. First name and last initial would be sufficient. (Please leave a valid email address in your comment or in this form*, or make sure one is visible in your blogger profile).

*This is a new feature I'm adding to all new giveaways. Submit your contact info via this secure form if you prefer to keep your email private.

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.

• "Like" this Facebook post and leave your FB name here (1 extra entry)
• Follow my blog publicly via Google Friends Connect (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 #Win a Karmin G3 Pro Hair Styling Iron ($130)! Open to US & Canada! http://bit.ly/kg3pr #beauty #giveaway #contest #sweeps
Please leave the link to your tweet in your comment.

• Click this link AND submit your zip code. Just tell me that you did. (1 extra entry) Thank you!
• Join QuestionMoms and leave your user name (3 extra entries) New signups only.  You'll get $3 after completing your profile. Start earning cash for answering short surveys and testing new products. 
• Join MyLikes and leave your user name (3 extra entries) New signups only. Start earning cash on Facebook and Twitter! Please link your MyLikes account to your Facebook account for your entry to account.
• Join Nanoosa and leave the email you use (1 extra entry) New signups only. You will receive free $5 in your account and get cashback for online shopping.
• Join Crowdtap and leave your user name (1 extra entry) New signups only. You will receive free $1 and start earning cash for answering polls and testing new products.
• Join Groupon and leave the email you used (1 extra entry) New signups only.
• Join VirtaPay and leave you user name (1 extra entry) New signups only. You will receive free $25 in your account upon signup, which can be used toward any online purchase.
• Apply to join Social Spark and leave your user name (2 extra entries) New signups only. Both bloggers and business owners are welcome to join! It's a great platform to connect bloggers with businesses and help bloggers make money.
• "Like" me on Facebook and leave your FB name (1 extra entry)
• Follow me on Networked Blogs and leave your name (1 extra entry)
• Grab my button or add me to blogroll 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 4/21/11

Open to US & Canadian Residents

Winner 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 was not compensated in any way for hosting this giveaway. The sponsor will be solely responsible for shipping the prize directly to the winner.

Win FREE Electricity For A Month Every Week in April!

Save On Energy is a very cool website created to help consumers save on their electricity bill by comparing energy prices of different providers in your area. It's kind of funny that I drove by their office building a couple times without knowing anything about the company until very recently.

To help raise awareness of their free service, Save On Energy is hosting a fantastic month-long giveaway on Facebook. Each Monday in April, one randomly selected Facebook fan will win one month's worth of free electricity up to $250! Entering is super easy. Simply "like" Save On Energy on Facebook and enter your email address. You only need to enter once to be eligible for all subsequent weekly drawings. You are encouraged to join their mailing list, but it's not required for entry.

The next drawing is Monday, April 18. You'd better hurry and enter today! You'll be able to read the official rules once you become a fan. Clicking on the picture above will do. Good luck!

Filtrete Elite Allergen Reduction Filter & Tips for a Healthier Home

I once participated in an online focus group composed of moms of young children. We were asked to list the top 10 concerns we have with regard to taking care of our kids. Not very surprisingly, keeping children safe and healthy was among the top 3 concerns of all participants.

As their organs and respiratory, immune and neurological systems are still developing, young children tend to be more sensitive to harmful substances such as certain chemicals, particles and allergens. Most people with allergies develop them during childhood. It is highly important for parents to take proactive measures to create a safe and healthy home environment for their children.

Mom Central recently introduced me to the ABC's to help maintain a healthier home environment for children suggested by Dr. Alanna Levine, Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (FAAP). I'd like to share them with you:

A is for Avoid: Whenever possible, avoid irritants that often trigger allergies, such as products made of feathers or down. Use hypoallergenic pillows on your child's bed, and limit exposure to perfume, talcum powder, hair spray, air fresheners, fabric softeners or other strong odors or sprays. Strong fragrances and odors may aggravate allergy symptoms.

B is for Balance: Maintain a consistent balance in the home to help minimize allergens. Keep the windows shut and use central air conditioning during high pollen seasons to help protect children from pollen particles that trees, grasses and weeds release into the air. These particles can harbor in the eyes, nose, and airways, causing allergy symptoms to flair for those allergic to pollen. Also, give children washable, non-allergenic stuffed toys when possible, and be sure to wash the ones played with the most on a weekly basis, in hot water at least 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

C is for Change: Change items that are easy to neglect but are important for maintaining a healthier home, such as leaky faucets, pipes and other high moisture areas that are common places for mold growth. Don't neglect their air in the home either. Change your filter every three months, and use a high performance filter, such as a Filtrete Elite Allergen Reduction Filter from 3M.

Indoor air commonly contains visible particles like household dust and microscopic particles that can carry viruses, bacteria and odors. The Filtrete Elite Allergen Reduction Filter captures 94 percent of large airborne particles, such as household dust, pollen and mold spores, from the air passing through the filter. It also captures up to 40 times more microscopic particles, such as smoke, smog and particles that can carry bacteria and viruses, than ordinary fiberglass filters.

Filtrete's Clear Advantages program offers healthy home living tips, money saving offers, filter change reminders, FREE air quality guide and more via a seasonal e-newsletter. Be sure to join the program and follow Filtrete on Twitter and Facebook for more useful information.

Besides using an allergen reduction air filter, there are a few more things you can do to ensure that the air you and your child breathe is healthier.

• Make sure your indoor paints are lead free and have been independently certified for low chemical emissions, known as VOC (volatile organic compounds) emissions;
• Choose solid wood furniture over pressed wood furniture, which can release potentially harmful chemicals like formaldehyde into the air;
• Clean regularly with eco-friendly, fragrance-free products as much as possible. Try chemical alternatives like vinegar and baking soda and you will be surprised by what they can accomplish.
• Use a humidifier to provide natural relief for allergy. Keep humidification levels within the 30%-50% range for best results.
• Use an HEPA vacuum cleaner to minimize the amount of harmful particles and allergens being released back into the air.

Hope you'll find these tip helpful and start taking action to improve air quality in your home.

Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Filtrete and received a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.