Plant a Seed with Kellogg's Frosted Flakes®

I'm one of those people...someone who watches the Superbowl for the commericals, not the game. I'll be honest with you...football doesn't (*gasp*) interest me a whole lot. But the commericals during Superbowl games are great fun...some of them anyway.

And sometime during this particular Superbowl (XLIII, February 1, 2009, kickoff at approximately 6:28 p.m. EST), there is one commerical in particular I'll be looking for. The Kellogg's Frosted Flakes Earn Their Stripes™ program has initiated a call-to-action for a national field renovation program - and they are kicking off this program on Super Bowl Sunday with a commercial entitled "Plant a Seed."

The ad will focus on the role we all play in building stronger communities and making a difference in kids' lives. Because the Earn Their Stripes™ program is about inspiring kids to be their very best, "Plant a Seed" shows that before anyone can "earn a single stripe," someone has to plant a seed and help give kids places to realize their promise and potential.

Now YOU can help too - you can help kids Earn Their Stripes™ and be their very best by rebuilding playing fields around the country. It only takes a minute, but the benefits last a lifetime. How? By...

PLANTING A SEED - nominate a field in your community to be rebuilt!
NURTURING IT. Show support for fields across the country.
HELP IT GROW. Create your own seed packs and spread the word.

The field renovation initiative will make-over approximately 50 fields across the United States to help provide better places for families to stay active!! Through this program, fields will once again become central and vibrant places of activity and community in cities and towns across the country. So be sure to head on over to Kellogg's to see how YOUR community field can be among those lucky 50!

BONUS - You can download your own DIY Field Restoration Kit too!

"Plant a seed...Help Rebuild America's Playing Fields...On the Right Field, It's Amazing What You Can Grow."

This review was sponsored by

Mom Central

The Incomparable Megan Crane

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED.
CONGRATULATIONS GINA!

Frenemies

List Price: $13.99
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: 5 Spot (June 20, 2007)

Just a few months shy of her 30th birthday, Gus Curtis finally feels like she has it all: a strong career, great friends, and a wonderful boyfriend.
But all of this comes crashing down when Gus discovers Nate, her "Mr. Right," hooking up behind her back with her so-called "friend" Helen. Soon it seems like the life Gus has worked to make so adult looks a lot like the one she already had as a teenager, and Gus is left with more questions than answers: Can she win Nate back before she turns 30 alone? (And if so, does she really want him?) Is Helen really as devious and manipulative as she seems, or, worse, is Gus more like her frenemy than she ever imagined? And is she ever going to grow up? With the clock ticking down to her birthday, Gus discovers that sometimes the best thing about best-laid plans is trashing them altogether.

Everyone Else's Girl

List Price: $12.95
Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: 5 Spot (October 21, 2005)

Meredith McKay has gone to a lot of trouble to create the picture-perfect life for herself—far away from her troublesome family, thank you. When her father's car accident forces her back to her hometown, however, she soon discovers that there's no running away from family issues—there's only delaying the inevitable. Can anyone sort out a lifetime of family drama in one hot summer? Throw in a hot guy from back in high school with an axe to grind, a best-friend turned enemy turned soon-to-be-sister-in-law, and, of course, the sometimes irritating/sometimes delightful members of her own family, and Meredith is on her way to figuring out that sometimes a little trip through the past is the best way to move forward.

Names My Sisters Call Me

List Price: $13.99
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: 5 Spot (April 11, 2008)

Courtney, Norah and Raine Cassel are about as different as three sisters can get. Norah, the oldest, is a typical Type A obsessive who believes there is a right way and a wrong way to do everything. She maintains a constantly-updated spreadsheet of slights and alliances, and six years later has not forgiven Raine, their middle sister, for ruining her wedding day. Raine is Norah’s opposite – wild child, performance artist, follow-your-bliss hippie chick who fled to California after the wedding fiasco. The only thing the two sisters have in common is their ability to drive Courtney, their youngest sister, crazy. When Courtney’s long time boyfriend proposes, she decides it’s finally time to call a family truce and bring the three sisters together. After all, they’re all grown ups now, right? But it turns out that family ghosts aren’t easily vanquished, and neither are first loves. Reconnecting the sisters also means re-examining every choice Courtney has made in the last six years, right down to the man she’s about to marry.


"Chick lit" is defined by Wikipedia as "a term used to denote genre fiction within women's fiction written for and marketed to young women, especially single, working women in their twenties and thirties." Under that definition, I definitely do NOT qualify for the target audience for Chick Lit as I am not single and I'm closer to 40 than 20 or 30! However, I'm not a big fan of slapping some label on a good book either - good literature can be enjoyed by a wide spectrum audience. So don't be put off by the Chick Lit label often put on Megan Crane's prose...you'd definitely be missing out on some good reads!

I was sent all three of the above books to read and began with Names My Sisters Call Me because the core issue of the book - sisterly discord - is something I can definitely relate to. I found myself riveted to each page, seeking answers for my own dysfunctional sister relationship. Alas, the solution was not to be found within the pages of this engaging novel but it was an excellent read. Same for Frenemies (who needs enemies with friends like that, right?!) - so well written I seriously wanted to reach in and bitch slap that Helen, she was so real to me! And in Everyone Else's Girl, I wanted to shake some sense into Meredith quite often...and it got me to thinking just how much like Meredith I really am...that's probably why she infuriated me so...ha! Anyway, I can highly recommend ANY of these books and can't wait to get my hands on Ms. Crane's first novel, "English as a Second Language." Read them for yourself and find out what I'm talking about!

5 out of 5 binkies.

Bonus: read excerpts from all three of these books, and Megan Crane's premier novel "English as a Second Language" here!

About the Author: Megan Crane is a New Jersey native who had great plans to star on Broadway, preferably in Evita, just like Patti LuPone. Sadly, her inability to wow audiences with her singing voice required a back up plan. Accordingly, she graduated from Vassar College and got her MA and PhD in literature from the University of York in England. She wrote her doctoral dissertation on AIDS literature, mostly so she could wallow in her obsession with the remarkable multi-media artist David Wojnarowicz and her idol, the bitter and hilarious David Feinberg. After many years in the rain and subject to the whim of seasons, she followed the sun to Los Angeles, where she lives with a dog, a cat, two crazy kittens, and an artist named Jeff. She is still plotting her Broadway debut.

*WIN IT- Christine at Mothering Heights is giving one lucky reader TWO Megan Crane books: "English as a Second Language" and "Names My Sisters Call Me!" To win, head over to Megan's website and come back here and leave a comment with the name of one of the anthologies Megan has written for. Be sure to leave your email address with your comment if you are not a blogger or your email is not easily found on your blog. This giveaway is open until 11:59 p.m., EST, Wednesday, February 04, 2009. Good Luck!

Bonus! Get up to 6 extra entries for a total of 7 entries (please leave a separate comment for each extra entry):

• Blog about this giveaway (don't forget to leave the link in your comment)
• Twitter, Stumble or Digg this giveaway
• Subscribe to my blog via RSS or Email (see top left sidebar)
• Add my blog to your blogroll or my button to your sidebar (leave your website address for verification)
• On Technorati - click on this link, then on Fan or Fav (or use the green link on the top left sidebar)
• Follow me on Blogger (see top left sidebar)

This review was sponsored by: Mothering Heights

Swing Vote

Swing Vote
Actors: Kevin Costner, Dennis Hopper, Kelsey Grammer, Nathan Lane, Stanley Tucci, George Lopez and Madeline Carroll
Directors: Joshua Michael Stern
Rating:
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Number of discs: 1
List Price: $29.99
Studio: TOUCHSTONE / DISNEY
DVD Release Date: January 13, 2009
Run Time: 120 minutes

Amazon.com Product Description: Kevin Costner stars in the hilarious timely comedy Swing Vote as Bud Johnson, an Average Joe, who is coasting through life with the help of Molly, his wise-beyond-her-years daughter. In a remarkable turn-of-events, the result of the presidential election comes down to his vote. Costner is joined by a brilliant all-star cast including Dennis Hopper, Kelsey Grammer, Nathan Lane, Stanley Tucci and George Lopez who will stop at nothing to win over the vote of the man who holds the fate of the free word.

Amazon.com Editorial Review: The ghost of Frank Capra is summoned up in Swing Vote, a populist comedy about the U.S. presidential election--because of an electoral deadlock--coming down to one man, one vote. Alarmingly (for the future of the world), that one man is Bud Johnson (Kevin Costner), a beer-swilling, newly-unemployed divorced dad in Texico, New Mexico. Bud's got a week to re-cast his flawed ballot, so the entire election process--including the two candidates, played by Kelsey Grammer and Dennis Hopper--descends on Texico for an orgy of campaign flapdoodle. Costner tries hard (probably too hard) to be the irresponsible good ol' boy, the kind of role he used to be able to handle with ease; by contrast, the composed Madeline Carroll, as his Little Miss Sunshiny daughter, comes off as a model of naturalism. Except for some pointed commercials, in which the candidates sell out their values to appeal to Bud's whimsical opinions on issues such as abortion and gay marriage, the movie's political bite is remarkably toothless. Both Stanley Tucci and Nathan Lane are in the groove as cutthroat campaign managers, and the movie is jolted out of its beery idle with a late one-scene performance by Mare Winningham. There's an interesting film trying to climb out of Swing Vote, but it needs Frank Capra to kick it into shape. --Robert Horton

I'll be honest with you. I didn't expect to like this movie as much as I did. Maybe it's because we just finished up with a bruising presidential election campaign. Maybe it's because I like Kevin Costner more than I realized. Nah...what really made this movie was newcomer Madeline Carroll as his daughter Molly. She showed poise and ability far beyond her years...and far beyond many adult actors I've seen. The story is engaging, funny and yet makes you think...how far DO politicians go to gain our vote? How far behind are they willing to leave their own core beliefs just to win? Both Dennis Hopper and Kelsey Grammer give solid performances as politicians on each side of the aisle who have to answer that very question. Kevin Costner does an admirable job of portraying the loser "Bud" as he gets caught up in his new found celebrity and perks. The question of the day is, will he finally grow up and do the right thing or keep right on wallowing in mediocrity? Watch the film and find out. The ending was exactly right for what the film is trying to portray...that the outcome is not as important as the growth of the individual.

BONUS: The DVD has many bonus features, including exclusive glimpses behind the scenes, filmmaker commentary and deleted scenes.

4 out of 5 binkies.

This review was sponsored by: Mothering Heights

Meeting Mr. Wrong...The Romantic Misadventures of a Southern Belle

Meeting Mr. Wrong: The Romantic Misadventures of a Southern Belle
by Stephanie Snowe

List Price: $9.95
Paperback: 160 pages
Publisher: Inkwater Pr; 1st edition (February 3, 2009)

Amazon.com Product Description: 'Don't email me if you want a supermodel. I'm twenty-two, divorced, and I have twins. I'm also overweight, unattractive, and have no education to speak of. I'm pretty much not going to bring anything to the table except the fact that I'm pretty nice and won't ask you to pay my bills. Here's my email address. Don't email if you're full of it.'

With this ad, Stephanie Snowe relaunches herself into the world of dating. In this real-life account, she discovers that the search for Mr. Right can include a lot of wrong turns. With light-hearted sass, Stephanie introduces us to each Tom, Dick, and Denny, and their neuroses, pets, mullets, lies, and puking.

A girl can get discouraged having to deal with dive-bombing birds, first-date proposals, and eavesdropping mothers. Is there a knight in shining armor out there with a higher IQ than his horse? Stephanie hopes so.

Internet dating. Dating after divorce. Dating as a single mom. Searching for intelligent life in the land of NASCAR. Can you think of anything more terrifying? Stephanie Snowe not only lived through ALL of that, she wrote the book on it. And I do mean "THE" book, because Meeting Mr. Wrong: The Romantic Misadventures of a Southern Belle, is not just any "true story dating book." It is the book that now sets the standard for all humor essays to follow. Ms. Snowe also sets the bar on how to endure the worst life has to throw at you - and how to do so with grace, wit and intelligence intact.

Don't believe me? Read an excerpt here - but be prepared to laugh your hiney off - you can't say I didn't warn you! Now listen, I know a little about the subject myself so I know of what I speak of here - I met my own husband through internet dating. And I met some real toads before I landed my prince. But I never, ever saw the humor in it until I read this book. But even if you never met anyone over the internet and met your husband or wife at the local beer joint or church social, you owe it to yourself to read this book. As funny as Ellen, Seinfeld and Tina Fey combined, Stephanie Snowe is the next, greatest humor novelist. Don't miss out on her very first book.

Now Ms. Snowe, where is book 2? You did a perfect set up for it at the end of book 1 and left me hanging!

About the Author: Stephanie Snowe is the author behind the blog, 'Jason. For the love of God'. In her spare time she does things like hold down a full-time job, parent her children, and pander endlessly to her dog Ginger. She also enjoys plotting elaborate revenge fantasies involving angry monkeys trapped in boxes, and preparing boxed dinners that she pretends are homemade.

**WIN IT!! I have an autographed copy of the book to give away to one EXTREMELY lucky winner. TO WIN, leave a comment telling me if you've ever tried internet dating, or leave your funniest dating disaster story. Or really just any comment at all but I'd love to hear your stories if you want to share!

Be sure to leave your email address with your comment if you are not a blogger or your email is not easily found on your blog. This giveaway is open until 11:59 p.m., EST, Tuesday, February 3, 2009 (the date of the book's release!!). Good Luck!

Bonus! Get up to 6 extra entries for a total of 7 entries (please leave a separate comment for each extra entry):

• Blog about this giveaway (don't forget to leave the link in your comment)
• Twitter, Stumble or Digg this giveaway
• Subscribe to my blog via RSS or Email (see top left sidebar)
• Add my blog to your blogroll or my button to your sidebar (leave your website address for verification)
• On Technorati - click on this link, then on Fan or Fav (or use the green link on the top left sidebar)
• Follow me on Blogger (see top left sidebar)

Park City Mountain Resort

I have gone skiing exactly once in my life. My dad took me and my little sister when I was still in high school. My little sister ran into me when she couldn't stop any other way and she cut me with her skis. And with that, I was done! I never wanted to ski again! Until now. When Mom Central told me about Park City Mountain Resort in Park City, Utah, I quickly got over my childhood fears and changed my mind!!

And who wouldn't? What an absolutely beautiful resort!! And no matter what type of skiers or snowboarders you have in your family, Park City Mountain Resort has something for all levels. From the tween who wants to spend all day in the terrain park, to the adults who want to ski Jupiter bowl, to the youngest getting on the lift for the very first time, Park City offers family fun and adventure. Prior to taking a trip, families can even print one of the Family Mountain Tours that make it easy for a group with varying ability levels to navigate the mountain together, taking the guess work out of where to go next.

And for kids who've never skied before, Park City has some great lesson options - from their Kids Signature 5 Program for kids ages six to 14, which guarantees no more than five kids in each class (how awesome it that- your kids will get more individual attention and learn faster in a safer environment!) - to their Signature 3 Program, for kids ages three-and-a-half to five. Of course they have a ton of adult ski lesson programs as well.

And when you are tired of skiing, Park City also offers great off-mountain activities. The Alpine coaster, one of only three in the U.S., is a gravity propelled ride, twisting and turning through the mountains on a mile-long track. At Gorgoza Park enjoy lift-served tubing on seven different lanes or mini snowmobile rides around a designated track for kids ages 5 to 12 years old. Best of all, the historic town of Park City has over 100 restaurants and bars located just 35 miles from the Salt Lake City International airport, making getting to Park City easy. The town also once served as the home of the winter Olympics and still has a fantastic bus system to make it easy to get from place to place.

BONUS! Visit the new "The Adventure" blog where you will find helpful insights from Moms who have visited Park City before on topics from packing, to eating, to planning the perfect family winter vacation. At the blog, you can enter the drawing for a Family Winter Vacation for four (two adults and two kids, 12 and under) to Park City, Utah, including 3-nights lodging, 4-days of lift tickets and ski/snowboard school for the kids. I've entered, now why don't you - and I'll see you in Park City soon I hope!

This review was sponsored by
Mom Central

Qlubb...Take Two

Back in September, I reviewed Qlubb.com for Mom Central. Now, for Team Mom, I'm glad to revisit the site. Because they've added some new things that I know you are going to love.

But first, a refresher on just what Qlubb is: "Qlubb is a web-based group utility that enables real-world groups to easily connect, share and get stuff done. Qlubb brings all aspects of group interaction to one simple and intuitive place. With event calendaring, sign-up sheets, photo sharing, member rosters, file sharing, task reminder service, and bulletin boards, Qlubb provides all the functions needed to easily and actively participate within a group. Recognizing that busy people don’t have time or patience to “figure out” another web application, Qlubb has made it a principle philosophy to keep everything SIMPLE (simple interface, simple Qlubb creation, simple task creation, simple account management, etc ). It only takes 2 clicks to create a Qlubb, an 1 click to join a Qlubb.

With Qlubb you can:

• Eliminate back and forth emails
• Avoid reminding (nagging?) everyone about events and responsibilities
• Easily delegate tasks to group members
• Create a secure website for your group
• Easily organize group events and activities online
• SPEND MORE TIME ENJOYING YOUR REAL-LIFE GROUPS

So what's new? A 30-day calendar functionality. How perfect - a month by month calendar view so you can visualize all your upcoming events (see a sample here)! Also new is "Act Now" - a panel that shows all of the things you should respond to, such as RSVP's not yet responded to, tasks that you can volunteer for as well as reminders for tasks you have already signed up for (see it in action in the bottom left corner of this sample page). And Qlubb is always working to add to their functionality. You can keep abreast of all changes on their blog.

So like I said before, what are you waiting for? Start "qlubbing" with Qlubb!

About Qlubb: Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Qlubb was founded by experienced and veteran entrepreneurs who busted their chops at blue-chip, white shoe firms and venture-backed startups including Oracle, DoubleClick, Booz Allen Hamilton, Bang Networks, and Goldman Sachs. Qlubb founders were inspired to build Qlubb after spending countless years “herding cats” in roles as board members of various non-profits, classroom parents, sports team coaches, and civic leaders.

I am proud to be a member of Team Mom, which sponsored this review.

Protect-A-Bed Allergen Awareness

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED.
CONGRATULATIONS SRC1964 (NON-BLOGGER)!

Remember when Dr. Philip Tierno, the author of The Secret Life of Germs (Pocket Books, 2001), appeared on Oprah to tell us how many bed-fellows we have in the form of dust-mites? Were you as creeped out as I was? According to one article I read, "it's not the dust mites themselves that threaten us. It's what they leave behind. Dust mite excrement can aggravate your allergies. "Each mite excretes approximately 20 pellets a day," says Garry Lassman, president of The Mattress Doctor, a mattress-cleaning service. Inhaling these minute droppings and their allergens can irritate the nose, throat and lungs and exacerbate existing respiratory conditions, like asthma. Dust mites are more prevalent in the bedroom because they thrive on conditions found almost exclusively within the average mattress, says Lassman. "The average double mattress contains over two million dust mites." Microscopic in size, dust mites feed on our dead skin cells. According to Dr. Tierno, the average human loses a million and a half skin cells per hour over the day. At night, as you snuggle into bed, those skin cells are sloughed off and end up in your sheets, pillowcases and mattress."

All together now....EEEWWWW!!!!

And to add insult to injury, my daughter and I are also ALLERGIC to dust mites. Recently, with these allergy diagnoses in hand, I started looking around for mattress and pillow protectors that will help keep the dust mites (and their excrement) away. So I was thrilled to be asked to review Protect-A-Bed’s line of allergy relief products.

From their website: "There are millions of allergy sufferers all over the world, all of whom would benefit greatly from Protect-A-Bed® allergy relief products. Our state-of-the-art mattress and pillow protectors provide an impermeable barrier between you and the dust mites and allergens within your bedding. Protect-A-Bed allergy relief products ensure that nothing comes between you and an allergy-free, rejuvenating sleep." Here are just three of their amazing products:

Premium Mattress Protectors

The Protect-A-Bed® Premium mattress protector is the popular flagship mid-market model, offering the line's standard features and benefits. In addition, the Protect-A-Bed® Premium mattress protector offers our unique Miracle Membrane™ with the Total Heat Transference Formula.

******

AllerZip Crib Protectors

Nothing should come between your child and a healthy, hygienic sleep. That's why Protect-A-Bed®'s AllerZip™ Crib Protector should come between your child and their mattress. As the ultimate form of protection from bed bugs, dust mites and allergens, our product is unsurpassed in the industry. With BugLock™ secure seal, your child is provided with a complete safeguard from bed bugs and allergens that can cause eczema, asthma and rhinitis.

******

Zippered Mattress Protector - Terry Cloth:

Protect-A-Bed® AllerZip™ mattress protector with BugLock™ secure seal comes with a terry cloth surface for superior comfort and a soft feel. The AllerZip™ mattress protector also features Protect-A-Bed® Miracle Membrane with the Total Heat Transference Formula, which is waterproof while remaining air vapor.

It is estimated that two million dust mites can thrive in an unprotected mattress. Combine that with other allergy triggers such as pet dander and pollen, and your mattress can become a haven for allergens. With Protect-A-Bed® allergy relief products such as our mattress protectors and pillow protectors, you will finally get the healthy, allergy-free sleep you deserve.

Protect-A-Bed's® full line of pillow and mattress protectors offer the ultimate allergy protection. The fitted-sheet style covers place an impenetrable barrier between you and allergens, while remaining breathable and comfortable. The ultra-thin, extra soft and super absorbent mattress and pillow protectors will not detract from the comfort of your bedding, and our products are easy-to-use and machine washable.

With mattress and pillow protectors in a full range of sizes, Protect-A-Bed's® allergy relief products are suitable for the whole family. For chronic allergy sufferers, our allergy relief products are a solution to a seemingly insurmountable problem. With our full line of allergy relief products to meet your budgets and needs, restorative, allergy-free sleep doesn't have to be a dream. With Protect-A-Bed®, it's a reality."

And let me tell you, I'm a believer. One night with a Protect-A-Bed® mattress and pillow cover, and I woke up without a stuffy nose for the first time since...well, ever! And the terrycloth covers are soft, just like regular sheets - you won't even know they are there - and they won't make you hot either so you stay cool and comfortable all night! And did I mention? They are waterproof - such a bonus for use on your children's beds!!

**WIN IT! Protect-A-Bed® is giving one lucky winner their choice of an AllerZip Mattress Protector (for individuals with extreme allergies) a Premium Mattress Protector or, if they prefer, a Crib Mattress Protector. Additionally they will also receive a Premium Pillow Protector. To win, head on over to Protect-A-Bed®, then come back here and tell me the name of one other Protect-A-Bed® product not mentioned above. Also in your comment, say which mattress protector you would like to receive and the size of your mattress (King, Cali King, Standard, Twin, Twin XL, etc). Please note that if you select the AllerZip Protector, Protect-A-Bed® will need to know how deep your mattress is (9” or 13”). Finally, which pillow size – King, Queen or Standard - would you want. Be sure to leave your email address with your comment if you are not a blogger or your email is not easily found on your blog. This giveaway is open until 11:59 p.m., EST, Wednesday, January 28, 2009. Good Luck!**

Bonus! Get up to 6 extra entries for a total of 7 entries (please leave a separate comment for each extra entry):

• Blog about this giveaway (don't forget to leave the link in your comment)
• Twitter, Stumble or Digg this giveaway
• Subscribe to my blog via RSS or Email (see top left sidebar)
• Add my blog to your blogroll or my button to your sidebar (leave your website address for verification)
• On Technorati - click on this link, then on Fan or Fav (or use the green link on the top left sidebar)
• Follow me on Blogger (see top left sidebar)

A Day to Rejoice

Inauguration day is finally here! For this "Obama Mama," the "End of an Error" could not come soon enough! Today Barack Obama will be sworn in as the 44th president of the United States of America and the hope and joy I feel is almost overwhelming. As Donna Brazile says in this excellent commentary, today, let us rejoice and be glad.

MedNotes by Drugs.com

Sometimes I feel like I need a medical degree to keep up with all the medical history and medication for me, my husband and my two kids. I know for sure I need a second job just for all the co-pays and deductibles! But I digress. Where can we turn to for reliable information about the medicines we and our loved ones are prescribed? I know I often turn to Drugs.com because is "the most popular, comprehensive and up-to-date source of drug information online." Drugs.com can provide me with free (I always appreciate anything free!), accurate and independent advice on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines & natural products.


But with so many medications to keep track of, I need more than information. I need an easy place to keep track of my family's medications besides that internal directory I keep in my head! And Drugs.com can now help me with that need as well. They recently released an award winning tool called MedNotes, which provides a free (there's that word again, FREE) online personalized medication management program that can be used to track the whole family's medication profiles. On each personal family member profile you create, you can enter the names of all the medications being taken and then register to receive drug safety or interaction alerts to ultimately help reduce dangerous side effects and avoid unwanted drug interactions. In addition, MedNotes will send you new drug and specific condition news released by the FDA or drug makers related to the medications your family members take.



Let's see, a FREE service that will:

1. Add your medications to instantly assemble relevant medical information in a simple, easy to read personalized format.


2. Allow you to gain immediate access to in-depth consumer information, drug comparisons, historical news, FDA alerts, drug interactions, plus food, allergy and medical condition interactions.


3. Notify you when new FDA alerts are issued and when any new drugs become available for any of your existing medical conditions.


4. Manage Multiple Profiles - keep separate medication lists for yourself, family members or patients. Specify age and sex separately for each profile to get only the most relevant information. Options are also available for pregnancy and lactation warnings. Physicians and researchers can also build profiles for each of their patients or keep a handy list of all medications prescribed.

Genius - Sign me up!

This review was sponsored by

Mom Central

Pepsi and Super Bowl XLIII

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.
CONGRATULATIONS MOTHER HOODWINK.

Today, two important football games are being played: the NFC and AFC Championship Games. As you know, the winners of these two games (Cardinals vs. Eagles and Steelers vs. Ravens) will advance to Super Bowl XLIII! How many of you are planning at-home viewing parties for the Super Bowl this year? How would you like a little help in hosting that party? Let Pepsi help with The Ultimate Super Bowl Party Pack (valued at $250)!

• 1 football

• 1 beverage pail

• 1 snack helmet (my favorite!)

• 2 key chains

• 2 hats

• 2 t-shirts

• 5 Pepsi 24 pack coupons

• 5 Frito Lay coupons

And be sure to visit Pepsi's new site Refresh Everything today! What is Refresh Everything? It's a site where YOU can upload a video entitled "Dear Mr. President." As you know, Barack Obama will begin his term of office as the forty-fourth U.S. president on January 20, 2009 and Pepsi is asking you: "What would you say to the man who is about to refresh America?" And that is what I'm asking you to win this Super Bowl Package. TO WIN, leave a comment telling me your answer to that question. Be sure to leave your email address with your comment if you are not a blogger or your email is not easily found on your blog. This giveaway is only open until 11:59 p.m., EST, Friday, January 23, 2009 (in order to have time to get the prize package to you before the big game). Good Luck!

Bonus! Get up to 6 extra entries for a total of 7 entries (please leave a separate comment for each extra entry):

• Blog about this giveaway (don't forget to leave the link in your comment)
• Twitter, Stumble or Digg this giveaway
• Subscribe to my blog via RSS or Email (see top left sidebar)
• Add my blog to your blogroll or my button to your sidebar (leave your website address for verification)
• On Technorati - click on this link, then on Fan or Fav (or use the green link on the top left sidebar)
• Follow me on Blogger (see top left sidebar)

Truvia

What is your sweetner of choice? Are you overwhelmed by all the choices out there? Do you use the "yellow stuff," "pink stuff," "blue stuff," "brown stuff" (raw sugar) or "white stuff" (regular sugar)? How about something entirely new instead?

Ever heard of the stevia leaf? Stevia is a shrub in the chrysanthemum family that is native to northeastern Paraguay. First discovered by the country's natives, the plant has been grown, harvested and used in South America to sweeten foods and beverages for more than 200 years. It provides a natural, zero calorie alternative to artificial sweeteners and now you can find it at your local grocery store nationwide in Truvia™ natural sweetener!

Truvia™ rebiana, the main ingredient in Truvia™ natural sweetner, comes from the best-tasting part of the stevia leaf and is a high-purity sweetener that is consistent in quality and taste. Cargill has spent the past five years developing the product to its specifications and working to produce the ingredient on a commercial scale and the FDA recently approved its safety.

One packet of Truvia™ natural sweetener provides the same sweetness as two teaspoons of sugar. It is a great alternative for people with diabetes and for people like me trying to watch their weight! I personally love Truvia™ - I've completely replaced my "yellow stuff" with Truvia™ for my morning coffee and afternoon iced tea - it looks and tastes exactly like sugar to me {I actually starting using Truvia™ exclusively long before this blog tour even started.} Give it a try - you'll love it too!


BONUS: Try out some Truvia™ recipes and read up on some healthy living tips on their website!

This review was sponsored by
Mom Central

Preserve Kitchenware

My life is anything but simple. I doubt yours is either. And while I'm always on the look out for products that will help simplify my life, I also want to use products that are as environmentally friendly as possible. Which is why I love Preserve products.

I was introduced to Preserve this past summer when I received and reviewed their toothbrush. But Preserve products include far more than just toothbrushes! They have a Personal Care line (Toothbrush, Preserve Jr., Triple Razor, Double Razor, Tongue Cleaner, Flavored Toothpicks) and a Tableware line (Plates, Cutlery and Tumblers). And now, Preserve has a Kitchen line of products. Products "designed by people who love to cook–and who know that delicious food depends on a healthy planet—Preserve Kitchen offers durable, fun, dishwasher-safe products for your kitchen. Preserve Kitchen products help preserve the earth, one home at a time."

The Kitchen products include:
Mixing Bowls
Colander
Small Colander
Plastic Cutting Board
Paperstone Cutting Board
Food Storage
Square Food Storage
Liquid Measuring Cup
Dry Measuring Cup

Why do I personally like Preserve products? Because...

· All their products are made from 100% recycled #5 plastic or 100% post-consumer recycled paper
· Preserve is powered by the recycling efforts of individuals and companies collecting #5 plastic – such as yogurt cups and other common household containers – via Preserve’s Gimme 5 program (http://www.recycline.com/gimme5/)
· All products are BPA-free, made in the USA, and dishwasher-safe (a huge time saver there)

I was sent the Preserve Mixing Bowl set to check out. The set includes three nested bowls (2 qt, 3 qt, and 4 qt) - nesting means less space needed for storage - and with my crowded shelves, I really appreciated that!

The bowls are wide for comfortable mixing with an easy grip handle that aids pouring - I love the handle for when my kids are "helping" - it made it much easier for little hands to hold onto the bowls while stirring.

Size: 2 quart, 3 quart, and 4 quart - perfect for every size you might need in the kitchen.

Colors: Apple Green, Berry Blue, and Ripe Tomato - who wouldn't love these bright colors?


My overall assessment is that Recycline has another winner with their Preserve Kitchenware. Where can you get your own? Preserve products are available at thousands of retail locations in the US, Canada and United Kingdom, including Target stores, Trader Joe’s, and Whole Foods Market. Use the Store Finder to find the ones nearest to you.

About Recycline: Recycline makes Preserve®– a line of stylish, high performance, eco-friendly products for your home. As a company, we strive to combine socially and environmentally responsible business practices with groundbreaking design to create products that people feel good about having in their homes. We believe that choosing eco-friendly products doesn’t mean having to sacrifice quality, price, or performance. We believe they should make you feel good.

Safety Tat..."The Tat That Brings Kids Back!"

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED.
CONGRATULATIONS DIANE, LEAH (non-blogger) and AIMEE

Over 2000 U.S. kids get lost every day. 90% of families will experience losing a child in a public place. 20% have lost a child more than once. 95% will forever remember the trauma of getting lost. 27% of families that visit an amusement park lose a child while they are there. That's nearly 1 in 3! Yet, only 9% of parents put some form of safe ID on their children.

Scared yet? I was. Add in the fact that my son is speech delayed, might be on the autistic spectrum and has life threatening food allergies and I'm scared to death I'll lose him one day and he'll have no way of getting back to me.

How about you? Is your child allergic? Asthmatic? On the autistic spectrum and is non-verbal? Simply still to young to communicate? Ever thought about what could happen in those instances when you might lose your child? Think: travel (airports, bus stations), amusement parks, family reunions, school field trips, shopping at the mall, even Wal-Mart or Target on a busy day. What's a parent to do?

Enter SafetyTats, simply the best product on the market today to help ease these very real fears. I carry them with me everywhere - so they are always handy to put on my kids. And they love them - they look just like those temporary tattoos that kids everywhere use for fun these days. And one note - my kids both have sensitive skin with a history of eczema and the original SafetyTats were no problem on that front either. The tats were on their arms all day while we were at Six Flags this summer and they never had a reaction.

Safety Tat has two types of tattoos:

1) Original SafetyTats SafetyTat customizes these tattoos for you. The safety tattoo is applied face down, then saturated with water to remove the backer paper. The Original SafetyTats are translucent once applied. Original SafetyTats last from 1-5 days - remove with a bit of baby oil. {A word of caution from our experience with them: Swimming in chlorinated water speeds the removal process so keep an eye on the tats if you are depending on them while at a water park. After swimming all day, they rubbed right off my kids' arms.}

One variety of Original SafetyTat that caught my eye: Special needs

And another one that we were sent for review - perfect for providing me with peace of mind:

Alert: Peanut Allergy $19.95 : When you can't be with your child to monitor the food he eats, this SafetyTat does the talking for you, with it's bright red and yellow attention-grabbing design. The perfect safety precaution for your child on the first day of school or camp, at a birthday party or picnic, just in case.

2) Our NEW Quick Stick Write-On! SafetyTats are different...and pretty amazing! They are blank/non-customized "skin appliques" or "skin stickers" that you customize yourself with the provided tattoo marking pen. They require no water to apply -- simply peel and stick -- "Quick Stick!" They are made of a micro thin, durable elastimer that is opaque when applied to skin and provides an ultra-safe barrier so no ink touches your child's skin or bleeds through the tattoo when you write on it. Quick Stick Write-Ons last up to 2 weeks! {One idea for the "quick stick" tats - if you don't have customized Allergy SafetyTats, you can mark "Please don't feed me" as a quick allergy alert on these types of tats}.

Quick Stick Write-On! SafetyTats are the proud Winner of the iParenting Media Greatest Products Award. Perfect for theme parks, school field trips, sporting events, scout trips and extracurricular events. These skin applique tattoos are shipped BLANK, so you can write your information on them with the included waterproof tattoo marking pen. 18 pack just $19.95 Includes 18 SafetyTats and one tattoo marking pen.

Bonus: right now, SafetyTat is having a contest! Enter the "Share Your Story" Contest before January 20th, 2009 and you could win a $200 gift certificate to TARGET(R) plus SafetyTat Quick Stick Write-On! Six Packs for your child's school class or daycare or play group (up to 30 6-packs of SafetyTats) plus a feature article in our "TatTalk" Newsletter!

Another BONUS: Use the code cpamomva09 for 15% off your purchase today! Code will expire on January 30, 2009.

or

**WIN IT! Safety Tat is giving away THREE 6pk Quick Stick Write On! sets (giving the choice of Boy, Girl, or Boy/Girl combo) for THREE of you lucky readers!! To win, head on over to SafetyTat, then come back here and tell me a safety tip you learned from their site (also in your comment, say if you'd chose Boy, Girl or the Boy/Girl combo if you won). Be sure to leave your email address if you do not have a blog or if it is not easily found on your blog. This giveaway is open until 11:59 p.m. EST, Tuesday, January 20, 2009. Good Luck!**

Bonus! Get up to 6 extra entries for a total of 7 entries (please leave a separate comment for each extra entry):

• Blog about this giveaway (don't forget to leave the link in your comment)
• Twitter, Stumble or Digg this giveaway
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