Kidtoons Spookley the Square Pumpkin Prize Pack Giveaway

We love pumpkins for Halloween and Thanksgiving, but do you have a favorite pumpkin, which may have a unique name? Did you know that October is National Bullying Prevention Month? Spookley the Square Pumpkin is named the official Spokes-Pumpkin through a partnership with PACER Center, a national organization based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which works to expand opportunities and enhance the quality of life of all children and young adults, including those with any disability, and their families, based on the concept of parents helping parents. Julie Hertzog, director of PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center, believes that the culture of bullying won't end until people across the country take action and show children and teens that they care. She further explains that Spookley is chosen because it "touches the heart and the mind with his message of tolerance and acceptance."

In this spirit, Kidtoons features the movie Spookley the Square Pumpkin during October. Here's the synopsis:

In a world where "the only good pumpkins are round pumpkins," Spookley the Square Pumpkin is often teased by the other pumpkins because of his square shape. Soon, Spookley is befriended by Edgar, Allan and Poe, three hilarious spiders, who convince Spookley that, square or not, he has a right to be the "Pick of the Patch" on Halloween. A square pumpkin the "Pick of the Patch"? Not if mean round pumpkins Big Tom and Little Tom can help it. These two bullies tease and taunt Spookley because of his square roots. Although he is encouraged to continue to become the "Pick of the Patch" by kindly Jack Scarecrow and his bat sidekicks, Boris and Bella, Spookley isn't sure he has what it takes until a mighty storm threatens to destroy the entire patch. As the storm rolls the round pumpkins across the patch towards a raging river below, Spookley's square shape helps him save the day. Spookley realizes "it's fine to be round while the weather is fair, but there are times it's better to be a square!"

Kidtoons has some great news for movie-loving families! Kidtoons matinees are now available in 23 more theaters located in 10 states! Please use the theater locator at Kidtoonfilms.com to see if there is one near you.

The Giveaway

Kidtoons has generously offered to give one of my lucky readers a cool Spookley the Square Pumpkin Prize Pack! Here's what's inside the prize pack:
*1 Spookley whirly flashlight
*1 Spookley DVD
*1 Spookley Square Pumpkin plush
*1 Spookley hardcover book
*1 Spookley theatrical one-sheet/movie poster

Please use the Rafflecopter form below to submit your entries. A few things to note:

*You must enable JavaScript to see the widget and it may load a bit slower than the rest of the webpage. Thank you for your patience! Need help to enable JavaScript? Click here.

*Please make sure you fill in the "Extra info" field in the form as instructed. I moderate all entries and only valid ones will count in the drawing. If you submit an empty form by accident, you can note that in the comment and I'll correct the entry for you.

* Comments are for feedbacks, questions, etc. but NOT for entries unless otherwise indicated. Thank you for following the rules and making things easier for all of us!

Happy Halloween & The Spooky Scavenger Hunt Giveaway

Halloween is finally here! Are your kids having some spooky fun? I bet they will if they've watched the Halloween special episodes from Dinosaur Train and Sid the Science Kid on PBS Kids!

In the "Haunted Roundhouse" episode of Dinosaur Train, dad takes the kids on a special Night Train to Troodon Town, where the Troodons have decorated their Roundhouse into a “haunted house” for a spooky party. The kids end up meeting a strange new nocturnal creature – a mammal named Vlad Volaticotherium, who was hiding in the roundhouse trying to get some sleep. And in "Big Pond Pumpkin Patch", the Pteranodon family learns more about the customs of their neighbors, the Lambeosaurus family, when they are invited for the first time to accompany them to the Big Pond to celebrate “Gourd Day” – a kind of Mesozoic Halloween. The kids see their first pumpkins, and Larry Lambeosaurus even shows our family how to hollow them out and carve faces into them.

In "Spooky Science Special" of Sid the Science Kid, it’s Halloween time and Sid and his friends have dressed up in the spookiest and scariest costumes possible. Sid is a bat with big fangs. May is a spooky black cat. Gabriela is a furry, yucky spider. And Gerald is a super spooky skeleton that goes boo! Susie (dressed as a silly mad scientist) loves their costumes, and helps the kids discover that Halloween can be spooky and scientific! The kids investigate how bats are helpful creatures that catch mosquitoes, spiders are expert engineer web builders, cats are leaping aerial acrobats, and skeletons help hold up our body frames! At the Halloween party, the kids also investigate how to make icky, gooey green slime. Susie then ends the day with a special “Halloween Parade” song so the kids can march around and show off their spooky and scientific costumes!

What costume is your kid wearing this Halloween? Have you checked out the Dinosaur Train costumes featuring Buddy and Tiny? They are available for toddlers ages 3-4, and children between the ages of 4-6, with a retail price between $34.99–$39.99.

What's more? You could get your kid a little scary bedtime fun from Dinosaur Train by reading to her The Spooky Scavenger Hunt, in which Mr. Pteranodon takes Buddy and Tiny on a nighttime trip to the Big Pond for a spooky nature walk! Mr. Pteranodon and the conductor insist that they can't be scared, but when the conductor's mom jumps out at them, everyone gets a good scare! This simple storybook is perfect for children aged 4-8 and it's only $3.99.

My son loves anything about Dinosaur Train. He keeps asking me to go over the book with him again and again. He can now tells the story to his teacher and friends at school.

The Giveaway

As a sweet treat on Halloween, The Jim Henson Company has generously offered to give one of my lucky readers a copy of The Spooky Scavenger Hunt! It's a fun read not just for Halloween.

To enter the giveaway, simply fill out this secure form in its entirely by midnight CT on November 2, 2011. Open to US residents only. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received a free book for review. Show and product info was provided by the PR agency. No monetary exchange took place. Prize will be delivered to the winner directly from the Jim Henson Company.

FRESCHETTA Proud to Support Pink Prize Pack Giveaway (5 Hours Only!)

In hour of the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, FRESCHETTA is aiming to donate $50,000 to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center for breast cancer research. Every FRESCHETTA pizza fan can help make a difference by purchasing specially-marked FRESCHETTA products and entering codes inside the boxes at ProudToSupportPink.com. For each valid code entered, FRESCHETTA will donate $1 to support breast cancer research.

But that's not all, for entering a code, you will also be entered to win 1 of 50 Pink Apple iPod shuffles in the Proud to Support Pink weekly sweepstakes! The promotion ends on October 31, 2011 at at 11:59pm CT. Wanna enter without a purchase? Fine! FRESCHETTA has generously offered one FREE code for everyone: FRESCH11. Get a free entry into the drawing before it's too late!

The Giveaway

FRESCHETTA has generously offered to give one of my lucky readers a Proud to Support Pink Prize Pack! It includes 1 free product coupon valued up to $8.39 (expires on 12/31/12) and 2 pairs of pink earbuds--one for the winner and one for her friend!

The giveaway is going to be fast and easy. To enter, just fill out this secure form in its entirely by midnight CT on October 31, 2011. Open to US residents only. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received free prize pack to facilitate my posting. No monetary exchange took place. Prize will be delivered to the winner directly from FRESCHETTA.

Sam's Club Pink Promotion & $25 Sam's Club/Walmart Gift Card Giveaway!

If you shop at Sam's Club this October, you may have noticed specially marked pink packaging on some of your favorite General Mills products like cereals and snacks. You can help support breast cancer education and research by purchasing any of these participating products in recognition of the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

For 5 years, General Mills has partnered with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Foundation to bring breast cancer support to local communities, and this year they are making their annual donation of $2 million to the foundation to advance breast cancer research and support education and community outreach projects.

You can purchase specially-marked General Mills products like Cheerios and Fiber One 90 Calorie Brownies at your local Sam’s Club and help decide how half of that contribution will be donated by voting at PinkTogether.com from now until April 14, 2012.

General Mills’ donations will be divided between two important Komen programs: the Treatment and Assistance Program, which assists women in securing care they otherwise may not be able to afford, and Prevention Research, which helps unlock the keys to preventing breast cancer. Voting results will be announced on Mother’s Day 2012.

The Giveaway

To encourage participation in the pink promotion, Sam's Club and MyBlogSpark have generously offered to give one of my lucky readers a $25 Sam's Club Gift Card! The gift card can also be used at your local Walmart stores, Walmart.com & Samsclub.com.

Please use the Rafflecopter form below to submit your entries. A few things to note:

*You must enable JavaScript to see the widget and it may load a bit slower than the rest of the webpage. Thank you for your patience! Need help to enable JavaScript? Click here.

*Please make sure you fill in the "Extra info" field in the form as instructed. I moderate all entries and only valid ones will count in the drawing. If you submit an empty form by accident, you can note that in the comment and I'll correct the entry for you.

* Comments are for feedbacks, questions, etc. but NOT for entries unless otherwise indicated. Thank you for following the rules and making things easier for all of us!

iHateHisSnoring.com & Sleep Pretty in Pink Prize Pack Giveaway (3 Winners)

Do you frequently have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep throughout the night? Do you know that insufficient sleep or poor quality sleep could lead to increased accidents, problems concentrating, poor job performance, increased sickness and even weight gain? A recent study by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) revealed that women are more likely than men to experience sleep problems, which are often exacerbated by a snoring male bed partner.

In response to this common problem, Sleep Pretty in Pink recently launched an interactive site iHateHisSnoring.com, where you can find a hilarious video starring “Mrs. Pink,” who finds herself kept up at night by her husband’s loud snoring. The video allows viewers to control Mrs. Pink’s actions, with options ranging from playful to evil. I'm sure you'll find some of the options familiar...rehearsed many times in your head maybe :p

You may also want to join the community for women frustrated with snoring men by following iHateHisSnoring on Facebook and Twitter.

The Giveaway

To help women get back their beauty sleep, Sleep Pretty in Pink has generously offered to give three of my lucky readers a Sleep Pretty in Pink Prize Pack! Each winner will receive:

*Sleep Pretty in Pink Ear Plugs – 10 Pairs (with free case)
*Sleep Pretty in Pink Women's Sleep Mask & Travel Case

Please use the Rafflecopter form below to submit your entries. A few things to note:

*You must enable JavaScript to see the widget and it may load a bit slower than the rest of the webpage. Thank you for your patience! Need help to enable JavaScript? Click here.

*Please make sure you fill in the "Extra info" field in the form as instructed. I moderate all entries and only valid ones will count in the drawing. If you submit an empty form by accident, you can note that in the comment and I'll correct the entry for you.

* Comments are for feedbacks, questions, etc. but NOT for entries unless otherwise indicated. Thank you for following the rules and making things easier for all of us!

Spooktacular Giveaway Hop: National Geographic Halloween Prize Pack

Welcome to the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop!

Halloween is right around the corner! Are you excited? Kathy at I'm A Reader, Not A Writer and Rhianna at The Diary of a Bookworm are co-hosting this huge Spooktacular giveaway blog hop, which is sure to make this Halloween even more fun for everyone! Over 400 blogs have signed up for the hop, each giving away a book-related prize including Amazon gift cards. Please use the linky at the end of this post to visit the other blogs in the hop and see what treats you could win between now and October 31st!

I'm giving away an awesome National Geographic Halloween Prize Pack, which includes a copy of National Geographic Kids Halloween Book of Fun!, two spooktacular pens to complete the activities in the book and two essentials for Halloween--a bucket to take trick-or-treating and a flashlight to light the way!

National Geographic Kids Halloween Book of Fun! is packed with everything to get kids into the spirit of the holiday, including ghostly games, creepy crafts, frightfully funny jokes and a lot more! This spooky treat will keep kids entertained for hours with pages of Halloween-themed mazes, hidden picture games, funny fill-ins to create your own ghost stories and tons of cool trivia. There's a whole Do-It-Yourself section as well that gives you everything you need to create your own fun and unique costume, mix up some ghoulish make up, recipes and ideas for hosting the coolest Halloween party on the block and pumpkin carving tricks, tips and stencils.

Please use the Rafflecopter form below to submit your entries. A few things to note:

*You must enable JavaScript to see the widget and it may load a bit slower than the rest of the webpage. Thank you for your patience! Need help to enable JavaScript? Click here.

*Please make sure you fill in the "Extra info" field in the form as instructed. I moderate all entries and only valid ones will count in the drawing. If you submit an empty form by accident, you can note that in the comment and I'll correct the entry for you.

* Comments are for feedbacks, questions, etc. but NOT for entries unless otherwise indicated. Thank you for following the rules and making things easier for all of us!

Cranium Brain Breaks Game Review and Giveaway

~~The giveaway is CLOSED. Congrats to winner Stephanie!~~

Cranium Brain Breaks is a new addition to the Hasbro's Cranium line, featuring a collection of 200 different games that can each be played in 60 seconds! It's perfect for a fun break on a family game night, when you don't have time for a full game but need a change of pace.

Cranium Brain Breaks includes 100 game cards, 6 Cranium Cubes, 1 die, 1 hourglass timer, 1 box of Cranium clay and 1 notepad. Everything comes in one brain-shaped purple case. The games are designed for 2-6 players aged 8 or over. To play, simply draw a card from the deck and try to successfully complete the activity in the allotted 60 seconds. The team that completes most activities in a row wins.

The collection of games include such classic cranium categories like Creative Cat, Word Worm, Star Performer and Data Head. For example, a Creative Cat card might instruct a player to make a paper airplane and fly it through a ring made out of clay that another player constructs within 60 seconds. Our family had the opportunity to review this new product. All the games are fast paced and fun to play. I'm sure you will love them too!

Cranium Brain Breaks is available at mass merchandise retailers nationwide for a retail price of $14.99.

The Giveaway

Hasbro has generously offered to give one of my lucky readers a Cranium Brain Breaks! The giveaway is going to be fast and easy. To enter, just fill out this secure form in its entirely by midnight on October 21, 2011. Open to US residents only. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received a free product to facilitate my honest review. No monetary exchange took place. All views and opinions express are my own.

Del Monte Teacher Monday Contest & Giveaway: $30 Fresh Fruit GC & School Supplies (3 Winners)!

From now through November 7, 2011, Del Monte Fresh Produce is hosting its second annual online contest: Teacher Monday: Cash for Classrooms, which awards cash and fresh fruit to K-12 grade school teachers in US and Canada to encourage them to incorporate healthy eating and living messages into classroom activities. Ten Grand Prize winners per week, for a total of 60 winners, will each win $750 in cash and $250 in Fresh Fruit Gift Certificate. In addition, the winner and Del Monte will choose a qualifying school in Africa, Asia, or Central America to receive a $1,000 Grant.

To enter, simply submit a short essay on Fruits.com and ask your students and their parents to vote for your entry. Winners are selected based on the amount of public votes received during each weekly entry period. If you're not a qualified teacher yourself, please tell your child's teachers about the contest and encourage them to enter! Don't forget to use your voting power to help them win!

The Giveaway

To encourage you to either enter the contest or vote for current entries, Del Monte Fresh Produce has generously offered to give three of my lucky readers some nice prizes. One Grand Prize Winner will receive a backpack filled with school supplies! Two first prize winners will each receive $30 worth of Fresh Fruit Gift Certificate (in the form of 6 $5 GCs). The GCs are good for any Del Monte brand fresh fruits and vegetables including avocados, bananas, melons, fresh-cut fruit, fresh-cut vegetables, grapes, pineapple, and tomatoes. Valid through April 30th, 2012!

Please use the Rafflecopter form below to submit your entries. A few things to note:

*You must enable JavaScript to see the widget and it may load a bit slower than the rest of the webpage. Thank you for your patience! Need help to enable JavaScript? Click here.

*Please make sure you fill in the "Extra info" field in the form as instructed. I moderate all entries and only valid ones will count in the drawing. If you submit an empty form by accident, you can note that in the comment and I'll correct the entry for you.

* Comments are for feedbacks, questions, etc. but NOT for entries unless otherwise indicated. Thank you for following the rules and making things easier for all of us!

Just Kid Costumes Review

Halloween is a popular holiday among kids partly because of the fun and excitement to be dressed up in their favorite characters. JustKidCostumes.com is an online store dedicated to providing the best costumes for and only for kids. With over 3,000 children's costumes and accessories at affordable prices, JustKidCostumes.com is the perfect place for parents to shop together with their kids for Halloween without having to worry about running into costumes that may be inappropriate for youngsters.

I was recently given the opportunity to review an item of choice from Just Kid Costumes. My son and I had a great time browsing the large selection of boys costumes on the website and finally set our eyes on this Cars 2 themed costume, which includes a muscle-bound jumpsuit and a matching racing hat. My son is crazy about Cars and has dreamed him of becoming Lightning McQueen on the race track. He was very excited when his costume arrived in a resealable clear bag. He immediately asked to try it on. The costume fit him very well. He wouldn't want to take it off when he found himself look so handsome and "strong" in his new outfit. I had to hide the costume for now, or he couldn't wait until Halloween to show it off to his little friends. Every morning, he keeps asking me if he can wear it to school.

The ordering process JustKidCostumes.com is easy and straightforward. On each product page, you can find all things you need to know about the costume including the sizing chart. Curious about what your little pumpkin would look like in a given costume? You can utilize their handy Dress-Up Room app, which allows you to upload your child's photo and foresee her dressed up in that costume virtually. You can even share the picture with your friends on Facebook!

With Halloween just a couple weeks away, start shopping for your child's costume today at JustKidCostumes.com. From now through October 16th, use code BLOGGER10 to receive 10% off any order. Shipping is free for orders over $50.

Disclosure: I received free product via JustKidCostumes.com and MomSelect to facilitate my honest review. No monetary exchange took place. All views and opinions expressed are my own.

Olive Garden Never Ending Pasta Bowl Review & $25 Gift Card Giveaway

Olive Garden is our family's favorite Italian restaurant. We're always pleased with their tasty food, friendly environment and premium service.

Olive Garden keeps their customers coming back with special offers and innovative menu options. The "Never Ending Pasta Bowl" promotion is an excellent example. For only $8.95 per person, you can enjoy unlimited servings of pasta in 42 possible varieties, along with your choice of salad or soup (with unlimited refills of course) and unlimited supply of Olive Garden's signature breadsticks. You can top your pasta with meat of your choice (meatball, chicken or Italian sausage) for just $2.95 extra.

I recently invited my husband to try out the Never Ending Pasta Bowl for our lunch date. Like me, he loves to try new things, so he first chose Angel Hair with the new Pizzaiola Meat Sauce and roasted chicken. I had a small share of his order. We both agreed that it was delicious! Hubby was almost full after finishing what was in his plate, but he didn't want to give up the opportunity to try a different combination--Penne with Five Cheese Marinara and Italian Sausage. Our waiter kindly suggested serving his second order in a small bowl. We were so glad to know this option. Next time we went in for Never Ending Pasta Bowl, we asked for a small portion starting from the first combo. I strongly suggest you doing the same if you would like to try more varieties at once.

While hubby was savoring his new pasta creations, I ordered the Lunchtime Paninis with Grilled Steak & Portobello (Other options include Grilled Chicken Caprese & Grilled Chicken Florentine). This limited time offer is only available Monday through Friday from 11 am to 4 pm, with prices starting at $8.95. Each order comes with unlimited servings of your choice of soup and salad (Yes, both!) It had a mouth-watering look and smell, and tasted divine!

The food servings were more than what we could handle for lunch. We had to take half of my panini (Hubby reserved it for dinner) and half of hubby's second order of pasta home. Be prepared for lots of food on your table when you try out Never Ending Pasta Bowl at Olive Garden.

There are over 750 Olive Garden restaurants across the country. There's got to be one near you. The Never Ending Pasta Bowl offer lasts until October 9, 2011. Head over to Olive Garden right now if you don't want to miss this sweet deal!

The Giveaway

Olive Garden has generously offered to give one of my lucky readers a $25 Gift Card! The winner could enjoy a free and delicious meal with her prize.

Please use the Rafflecopter form below to submit your entries. A few things to note:

*You must enable JavaScript to see the widget and it may load a bit slower than the rest of the webpage. Thank you for your patience! Need help to enable JavaScript? Click here.

*Please make sure you fill in the "Extra info" field in the form as instructed. I moderate all entries and only valid ones will count in the drawing. If you submit an empty form by accident, you can note that in the comment and I'll correct the entry for you.

* Comments are for feedbacks, questions, etc. but NOT for entries unless otherwise indicated. Thank you for following the rules and making things easier for all of us!

Ten Tips for Preparing Your Home for Your Newborn #SeventhGeneration

Creating a safe and healthy environment is one of the most important steps to getting your home ready for the arrival of a new baby. As we strive to achieve a greener lifestyle, we start outfitting our nursery with more natural and eco-friendly products, including furniture, wall decor, bedding, diapers, cleaners, and more. I'd like to share my top ten tips for getting prepared for a newborn.

1. Safe painting.
It's fun to paint your nursery with a cute color, but you need to choose the paints carefully to minimize your baby's exposure to toxic chemicals, as she will spend the majority of her day indoors. Use low- or zero-VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds, which are harmful for both humans and the planet) paints, and paint the room at least one month before the baby is due. Expecting moms should stay away from the painting job and have it done by another family member or a professional. If you live in a house or apartment built prior to 1978, you also want to make sure that lead paint has been properly treated or removed.

2. Eco-friendly baby furniture
It's not really a good idea to stuff your baby nursery with lots of fancy, expensive furniture. The basics--crib, changing table, dresser--are all that you need to make your newborn and yourself comfortable. Choose real wood furniture with natural finish or non-toxic paints to keep your newborn away from toxic chemicals in cheap baby furniture made from synthetic materials. If you're on a tight budget, spend your money wisely on high quality baby safe furniture instead of splurging on items of no practical use.

3. Safe crib
Besides its material and paint, you also need to pay attention to the safety features of your new baby's crib. Look for the certification seal on the crib showing that it meets national safety standards. There have been quite a few instances of crib recalls and baby injuries and deaths due to design flaws in cribs. You may want to subscribe to the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) mailing list to stay on top of baby product recalls. You should also keep the crib clear of small objects that may cause suffocation or choking.

4. Safe bedding
Newborns will spend hours sleeping in bed. It's therefore important to choose bedding products that are both comfortable and non-toxic. Buy a mattress made from all natural material or a regular mattress well ahead of the baby's arrival to allow it to offgas. Firm mattresses are better for babies' growth and safety than soft ones. For mattress cover, sheets and blankets, give preference to those made from organic cotton or wool if your budget allows. Refrain from using crib bumpers as they can pose a safety hazard to your baby.

5. Green baby clothes
It's nice to dress up your newborn in organic baby clothes with adorable designs, but it's not always an affordable option for parents on a limited budget. Hand-me-downs from friends or older children in your family is in fact a great green option. Babies outgrow their their clothes very quickly. It would be a huge waste to buy a lot of new clothes in the same size. Used baby clothes are actually more gentle on a baby's sensitive skin. If you do prefer brand new clothes for your newborn, remember to rinse them off before putting them on.

6. Eco-friendly diapers
One thing that new babies will consume a lot is diapers. Choosing natural and biodegradable diapers are good for both your baby and our planet. Seventh Generation, the nation’s leading brand of eco-friendly products, has introduced their new Free & Clear diapers, which are free of chlorine, latex, fragrances and petroleum-based lotions and come in a range of sizes from newborn to stage 6. In addition, the new line includes soft, cloth-like Free & Clear Baby Wipes, which are free of alcohol, synthetic dyes and fragrances and whitened without chemicals containing chlorine. You may also consider cloth diapering if you don't mind the extra work of cleaning.


7. All-natural baby care
Babies' gentle skin needs extra care. Look for all-natural ingredients when purchasing baby care products like shampoo, body wash, moisturize and bottom balm. Avoid petroleum-based lotions and products that contain artificial colors and fragrances or other harmful chemicals.

8. Safe toys
There's hardly any nursery without toys. Plastic toys are found to be a major contributor to indoor air pollution. Avoid plastic baby toys that are not BPA-free and switch to natural cloth or wooden toys that are no less fun to play with. You can even make your own baby toys with organic fabrics and natural wood if you love crafts. There are plenty of neat toy-making ideas you may find over the Internet and in magazines.

9. Green cleaning
The arrival of a new baby involves new cleaning routines. When cleaning your baby's clothes, bedding, furniture, and toys, choose green cleaning products that are free of harsh chemicals to help keep your nursery safe and clean. Seventh Generation's new Free & Clear line includes baby liquid laundry detergent that are formulated with plant-derived cleaning agents and free of fragrances, dyes, and optical brighteners. The brand also offers a nice selection of eco-friendly household cleaning products to help you live in a greener home.

10. Green nursing/feeding
There are more and more eco-friendly nursing gear on the market to help breastfeeding moms go green. From nursing wear and nursing pads to nipple cream and stretch mark cream, you can choose green options made from organically grown material and all natural ingredients. When you need to feed your baby with a bottle, be sure to choose BPA-free bottles or glass bottles that are safe for babies.

If you're a new parent, I hope you'll find these tips helpful. Please feel free to chime in if you have great tips to add to the list. Visit SocialMoms and read more helpful advice from expecting moms who are welcoming their newborns with a safe and eco-friendly nursery.

Disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Seventh Generation blogging program, for a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Real Steel In Theaters October 7th & Prize Pack Giveaway

DreamWorks Pictures’ new release Real Steel opens in theatres everywhere this Friday, October 7th, 2011. Hope you and your family will be able to go enjoy a night out together at the movies this weekend!

Directed by Shawn Levy (Night at the Museum franchise and Date Night), Real Steel is an action drama about a former boxer (Hugh Jackman) who, against all odds, gets one last shot at a comeback when he teams up with his estranged son (Dakota Goyo) to build and train the perfect contender for the new high-tech sport of robot boxing. Rated PG-13.

Here's a more detailed synopsis:
A gritty, white-knuckle, action ride set in the near-future where the sport of boxing has gone high-tech, “Real Steel” stars Hugh Jackman as Charlie Kenton, a washed-up fighter who lost his chance at a title when 2000-pound, 8-foot-tall steel robots took over the ring. Now nothing but a small-time promoter, Charlie earns just enough money piecing together low-end bots from scrap metal to get from one underground boxing venue to the next. When Charlie hits rock bottom, he reluctantly teams up with his estranged son Max (Dakota Goyo) to build and train a championship contender. As the stakes in the brutal, no-holds-barred arena are raised, Charlie and Max, against all odds, get one last shot at a comeback.


If you like the movie, please show your support by following Real Steal on Facebook!

The Giveaway

DreamWorks Pictures has generously offered to give one of my lucky readers a Real Steal Prize Pack! Here's what's included in the prize pack:

*Real Steel t-shirt in adult sizes of S, M, L, XL
*Real Steel bottle opener
*Real Steel temporary tattoos
*Real Steel stickers


Please use the Rafflecopter form below to submit your entries. A few things to note:

*You must enable JavaScript to see the widget and it may load a bit slower than the rest of the webpage. Thank you for your patience! Need help to enable JavaScript? Click here.

*Please make sure you fill in the "Extra info" field in the form as instructed. I moderate all entries and only valid ones will count in the drawing. If you submit an empty form by accident, you can note that in the comment and I'll correct the entry for you.

* Comments are for feedbacks, questions, etc. but NOT for entries unless otherwise indicated. Thank you for following the rules and making things easier for all of us!

T.G.I. FRiDAY’S Entrées for One & Fun Freezer Contest

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of T.G.I. FRiDAY'S. All opinions are 100% mine.

T.G.I. FRiDAY’S is known not only for their restaurants with lively atmosphere and delicious food, but also for their brand of frozen meals that allow you to savor bold and fun flavors in the comfort of your home. The new line of T.G.I. FRiDAY’S “Entrées for One” features nine new entrées inspired by popular menu items from T.G.I. FRiDAY’S restaurants. From Sizzling Steak Fajitas to Creamy Chicken Pasta Carbonara, the new varieties are sure to shake things up in the frozen food category.

My husband is a huge meat lover. When I told him about the new frozen entrées from T.G.I. FRiDAY’S, he could hardly wait to try out the Sizzling Steak Fajitas and Sizzling Chicken Fajitas. We went to the grocery stores for a food hunt. Unfortunately neither Kroger or Walmart has yet to carry the new line. The Chicken Quesadillas looked great, so we decided to try this out instead.

  

The Chicken Quesadillas comes with two easy-to-use microvaweable heating sleeves and a yummy meal is ready in 3 minutes. Hubby had the first bite and told me that it was very flavorful and spicy. As my stomach doesn't allow me to take anything spicy, I let him finish all of the rest and he gladly did so. From the look on his face and the speed with which the quesadillas disappeared, I knew he really enjoyed his quick meal. We hope the new varieties will be available in our local stores soon.

Do you love to decorate your freezer and make it more fun to have frozen food? T.G.I. FRiDAY'S is having a  Fun Freezer contest on their Facebook page. By submitting a picture of your freezer, you could win a home theater makeover and a year's worth of Entrees for One! Entries are being judged and will be open to public voting on October 7, 2011. Be sure to check out all the fun creations and help choose the winners.

Lite Sprites Toys Review & Prize Pack Giveaway (ARV $72)

The number one signature possession of many fairies is their magic wand. How you ever wished you could have a fairy wand that performs magic in the real world? Now your dream may come true with the creation of Lite Sprites and Lite Wand by WowWee, an award-winning toy manufacturer globally recognized for creating imaginative and innovative products featuring a touch of technology!

Any fancy wand I've seen before is paled in comparison with the powerful Lite Wand, which allows you to collect colors from flat surfaces in the real world environment and magically share them with the Lite Sprites and their world. There are five spites in the Lite Sprites family, each gifted with a special power: Prisma, the leader; Astra, the keeper of the skies; Brooke, who takes care of the water; Meadow, who is responsible for the plants, flowers and trees; and Bleak, the rebel Sprite who uses her powers to disrupt color in Lite-Topia, the enchanted land where Lite Sprites collect, share and use color and light to express their emotions.

I received a very nice selection of Lite Sprites toys for review, including 2 Lite Wand and Prisma Sprite sets, 2 individual sprites (Brooke & Bleak), 2 deluxe playsets (Swing & Waterfall), 1 Tree of Life, 2 Lite Pet sets, and DVD of the Lite Sprites animated series. Both adults and children in our family are fascinated by what we can do with the Sprites and Lite Wand.

The Lite Wand is definitely the centerpiece of the whole package. We had a blast using the wand to collecting colors from objects in our home and casting color spells on Prisma, other sprites, and the playsets, which will in turn glow in a new color. We feel ourselves immersed in the magical world of Lite-Topia and possessing the power of color capture and transfer with a simple push of button. The wand also makes unique, mythical sounds to keep the little girls enchanted. The Lite Wand and Prisma Sprite set retails for $29.99 each. Each individual sprite is $19.99.

The Tree of Life playset looks gorgeous and extravagant. The multi-level forest hideaway comes with interactive sounds, light-up staircase, working elevator and spinning, sparkling treetop. The tree comes to life with changing colors transferred from Lite Wand and Lite Sprites. It has a suggested price of $39.99.

While the Tree of Life has enough space for up to 4 spites, the Swing and Waterfall playsets are designed for one spite at a time to relax and rewind. Each of them has a special way to interact with each of the Lite Sprites. It has a retail value of $19.99 each.

Lite Sprites enjoy the company of pets too. These collectible Lite Pets are super cute. Each playset comes with a Lite Pet that's not included in the Lite Pet sets you can buy separately. Lite Pets retail for only $6.99 for a set of four styles.


The complete Lite Sprites product line includes one Lite Wand, five Lite Sprites, four deluxe playsets, the Tree of Lite Playset, and 21 Lite Pets. They are available at Target, Walmart, Kmart, Sears, and Amazon.com. Be sure to collect them all for your little magic lovers!

The Giveaway

WowWee has generously offered to give one of my lucky readers a fabulous Lite Sprites Prize Pack valued around $72! Here's what the winner will find in her package:

*1 Lite Wand and Prisma Sprite set
*1 Bleak Sprite (the one who's more naughty and unpredictable than others)
*Lite Pets
*1 Deluxe Playset

Please use the Rafflecopter form below to submit your entries. A few things to note:

*You must enable JavaScript to see the widget and it may load a bit slower than the rest of the webpage. Thank you for your patience! Need help to enable JavaScript? Click here.

*Please make sure you fill in the "Extra info" field in the form as instructed. I moderate all entries and only valid ones will count in the drawing. If you submit an empty form by accident, you can note that in the comment and I'll correct the entry for you.

* Comments are for feedbacks, questions, etc. but NOT for entries unless otherwise indicated. Thank you for following the rules and making things easier for all of us!

The Company Store Celebrates 100th Anniversary with National Family Pajama Night

To celebrate their 100th anniversary, The Company Store, a home and lifestyle brand best known for their huge collection of elegantly designed, premium quality bedding products, has initiated the first ever National Family Pajama Night™! Slated for the evening of Saturday, November 19th, 2011, National Family Pajama Night is aimed at helping families create a fun-filled evening at home doing unique activities that create special memories for the children.

Starting October 3rd, families can visit The Company Store website to pledge participation, watch a video of kids sharing their wishes for the PJ night, read about fun “memory maker” ideas and post their own unique ideas for the big night. You may even find a tip from one of your favorite celebrity families. If you follow The Company Store on Facebook or Twitter, you will get the “Idea of the Day” to help you plan the night from from October 3rd through November 19th.

Better yet, your pledge to participate in the National Family Pajama Night will help support a great charitable cause! Once The Company Store reaches their goal of 20,000 pledges, they will make a donation of $20,000 worth of PJs from their new collection to Pajama Program, a not-for-profit organization that provides new pajamas and books to children in need in the United States. You may want to check out the brand’s seasonal collection of matching pajamas for the entire family (including man’s best friend) and wear some on the big night.

Have fun with your family and help children in need!

Disclosure: I received a gift card to facilitate my posting. No monetary exchange took place.

Send a Hanes Virtual Comfort Package to Support National Breast Cancer Foundation

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. There are various ways, big or small, in which we may help raise breast cancer awareness. As a longtime supporter of this significant cause, Hanes has launched the Virtual Comfort Package app on the Pink tab of the Hanes Facebook page. The new app provides Hanes fans an easy yet thoughtful way to spread love and comfort to those who need them most.

To send a free Virtual Comfort Package to your friends and family, simply click on the Pink tab on the Hanes Facebook page, and follow the on-screen prompts to customize your package with photos, videos, recipes, T-shirt designs, music and messages. You can send Virtual Comfort Package to as many people as you like. For each package sent, Hanes will donate $1 (up to $25,000) to the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF), which promotes early cancer detection and provide mammograms for those in need!

Besides the Virtual Comfort Package app, the Pink tab on the Hanes Facebook page includes a video of interviews featuring Hanes employees who have been affected by breast cancer and the Words of Comfort Wall where fans can leave thoughts of hope and encouragement to those touched by this terrible disease.

The Comfort Package is just one of the many ways Hanes contributes to breast cancer awareness. Since 2009, Hanes has made cash and in-kind donations totaling $1 million and is donating up to $125,000 to NBCF this year. Please show your support for Hanes ongoing efforts by sending a virtual comfort package, which will result in a donation to NBCF at no cost to you and brighten someone's day!

Disclosure: I participated in this campaign as a member of One2One Network and am eligible for a prize drawing. No monetary exchange took place. All opinions expressed are my own.