Things Moms Like

Skitter giveaway at Ohana Mama

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:12:00 +0000

I would love to win this Skitter Toy at The Ohana Mama! These are a LOT of fun and they're really "in" for the kids right now! You can win it here.

Clarisonic PLUS Skincare System with Spot Therapy Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 19 May 2009 10:58:00 +0000

I've been using the professional-caliber Clarisonic Skin Care System for a little over a year. I bought Clarisonic because I noticed that my local spa was using it for facials and I tend to get flaky, dry build-up and never feel like my skin is clean with just regular cleansing.

My first Clarisonic was the classic 2-speed Skin Care system. My daughter and I both use it and she uses the delicate brush head while I prefer the sensitive skin brush head, so we just switch them out so that we can both use it. All of the cleansers in the kit are gentle and I use them daily. I have really sensitive skin, so this is saying a lot. Here's my first Clarisonic:Like I said, I've had it for over a year and it's still going strong.

The rechargable Clarisonic Skin Care System was created by scientists, engineers and the primary inventor of the Sonicare^® toothbrush.

NOW. When I heard that the Clarisonic folks had created The Clarisonic PLUS with Spot Therapy Brush, I got excited because I've always thought it would be nice to be able to use it on my body as well as my face, but the brushes with the original system weren't really made for that. The new Clarisonic PLUS has THREE speeds and when you switch the facial head out with the Spot Therapy Brush, the Clarisonic PLUS automatically shifts to "spot" mode for areas like the decollete, elbows, hands, arms & knees. Clarisonic is currently used by estheticians, doctors, dermatologists and leading spas.

My FAVORITE part about the Clarisonic and Clarisonic PLUS is that they are completely waterproof and can be used in the tub or shower. That was probably the biggest selling point for me when I was thinking about purchasing my first Clarisonic because I prefer to wash my face in the shower in the morning. It just leaves me feeling totally refreshed!

In addition to the original cleansers that come in the kit, including Refreshing Gel Cleanser, Gentle Hydro Cleanser, and Nourishing Care Cleanser, the Clarisonic PLUS Kit also includes a 2 oz. trial size of the Refining Skin Polish, which leaves your skin feeling really soft and silky. The kit also includes

Cordless Clarisonic^® PLUS with 3 speeds
Universal charging cradle (100v - 240v AC; 50/60Hz)
Sensitive face brush head & Spot Therapy brush head

All the benefits of Clarisonic PLUS:

6 times more makeup removal
Leaves skin feeling and looking younger and smoother
Cleanses so well that products absorb better
Gentle enough for twice daily use
Helps reduce oily areas, dry skin patches and blemishes
Helps reduce the appearance of visible pores
Reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles

Plus Spot Therapy for the body:

Fewer dry patches
Gentle exfoliation for softer, smoother skin
Firmer skin with improved texture
Great prep before applying self tanner

Now that I have the NEW Clarisonic PLUS Skin Care System with Spot Therapy, I will be passing my original Clarisonic down to my daughter because I LOVE the body cleansing/spot cleansing feature and I am keeping it for myself!!!

Clarisonic PLUS is available exclusively at Sephora and Clarisonic and retails for $225. If you factor in how much you'd pay for a monthly facial, you'll actually save money and time in the long run.

Clarisonic and Things Moms Like is giving away a Clarisonic PLUS Skin Care System with Spot Therapy to one lucky Things Moms Like reader!!

Here's how you can win your Clarisonic PLUS:

Initial Entry: Post a comment on why you want the Clarisonic Plus and who in your house would use it! -you must do this before completing bonus entries

Bonus Entries (one entry each)

Become a FAN of Clarisonic on Facebook

Follow Clarisonic on Twitter
Tweet this Giveaway -you may Tweet this giveaway for a chance to win ONCE DAILY!
Follow Things Moms Like on Twitter
Follow my blog via RSS feed or Google Follow (right column)
Grab my button and place it on your blog or website

FIVE BONUS ENTRIES if you blog about this comment and post the url here.

You must create a new comment for each entry or your entries won't count.

Giveaway ends June 12th

Funky Green Machine $50 Gift Certificate Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 May 2009 23:27:00 +0000

UNCOMMON COOL
Funky Green Machine is a really fun shopping site created by Carl and Rhana Kennedy, which promotes "green" and eco-friendly products that are also "Uncommon Cool" as their slogan suggests. I was pleased to see that they carry Kleen Kanteen, which is a stainless steel, reusable bottle--a great, BPA-free alternative to plastic water bottles. The 18 ounce Kleen Kanteen retails for $16.45 on their website. WELL worth the savings on your wallet, your health and the environment. They fit right into the cup holders in my car, too, which is a plus!Now I don't know about you, but I LOVE bags and totes. I collect bags and totes!

Funky Green Machine's "Peeking Sal" Organic Cotton, Fair Trade Tote is adorable and I want one! It's unique and at 18"x13", this tote would hold a LOT of library books...or would look really cool while I'm riding this AWESOME Strida 5.0 Eco-Friendly, folding bicycle, which folds up for easy storage! It weighs only 22 lbs with a lightweight aluminum frame and is available in Silver, Black, Red, Yellow White and Neon Green.

Funky Green Machine also has a full offering of skin care products for kids, moms and dads. I have my eye on this really YUMMY looking Mojito Mama Sugar Scrub!

And really now...how COOL are these organic baby/kids' tees?

These are just a FEW of the things (everything on their site) that I've added to my wish list from Funky Green Machine.

Things Moms Like readers get free shipping on all orders over $25 through May 31st with the code welovethingsmomslike at the checkout.
Now...here's the best part! Funky Green Machine is giving a $50 E-Gift Certificate to one lucky Things Moms Like reader!

Here's what you do:

Initial Entry: Visit Funky Green Machine and comment here about what other items not shown in this feature you'd want to use your $50 E-Gift Certificate to buy.

Bonus Entries:

1 Entry for each of the following:

Follow Funky Green Machine on Twitter and TWEET this giveaway! You can Tweet once daily to increase your chances
Join the Funky Green Machine's Facebook Page
Subscribe to my blog via RSS or Google Reader
Follow me on Twitter
Grab my button and place it on your website or blog (right column)

TEN BONUS ENTRIES if you purchase something today from Funky Green Machine

You must create a separate blog post entry for each of the above that you do or your entries won't count.

Winner will be responsible for shipping, except orders over $100.

Giveaway Ends June 15th

Hip-T "Cover Your Assets" Review and Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 May 2009 02:39:00 +0000

It seems like you can't find jeans these days that aren't low-rise. My daughter is always telling me to pull up my pants or pull down my shirt because my underwear are showing above my jeans! LOL Poor kid. Hip-Ts are such a smart idea! These t-shirt "panels" look cute because that layered look is in style and they don't add bulk because they're only worn around your hips. My daughter and I tried them.

The Hip-T is very stretchy, which is good because some of us have a little muffin top that needs disguising. They're 92% cotton and 8% spandex, which gives them a soft texture and that stretch you want.

The Hearts of Hardy design is really cute and very trendy! It looked really cute under a plain tee.

These really did stay put and didn't slip up or down. They really do just look like you're wearing another layer. They come in a variety of colors and designs, so you can get several and have a different one to wear every day!

You can also WIN your very own Hip-T here at Things Moms Like!

Initial Entry: Visit Hip-T and come back and tell us which Hip-T you want!

Bonus Entries:

#1 Follow me on Twitter and Tweet this Giveaway. You can Tweet every day for an additional entry. Just come back here and post the link to your Tweet or your Twitter name

#2 Join my Facebook Group

#3 Add my button to your blog or website (right column)

#4 Subscribe to my blog via RSS or the Google Follow box in right column

Giveaway ends June 10th

Be sure to create a separate comment for each entry or they won't count!

Leisure Arts Kids Knitting Kit & DVD Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 17 May 2009 15:17:00 +0000

Leisure Arts publishes and offers fabulous instructional crafting books and even has some great beginnger crafting kits like "The Art of Knitting 4 Kids" Starter Kit (shown below), which includes a 99-minute DVD which shows several different ways for kids 5 and up to knit.
My son likes this DVD because it's animated with pleasant narration, and he is also learning from little boy named Ryan (who I am not sure I will ever knit on the level of) how to knit. I'm a serious beginner and I actually learned a better technique for casting on from Ryan, so even adults will benefit from watching this with their kids. It starts with fun little projects and even takes them on a visit to The Alpaca Ranch to see where the yarn comes from.

Leisure Arts' Leisure Boutique has 15% off all Kids' Craft Kits as their weekly special right now, too!

This kit retails at The Leisure Boutique for $24.95, but you can enter to win it here!

To win:

Initial Entry: Visit The Leisure Boutique and take a look around and come back here to let us know about another crafting kit or line your kids would want to try

2 Bonus Entries if you sign up for their email newsletter on their Home Page

1 Bonus Entry if you follow Leisure Arts on Twitter

1 Bonus Entry if you are following me on Twitter (make sure to post your Twitter name) and Tweet this giveaway. You may Tweet this giveaway DAILY for more chances to win! Just post here when you do.

1 Bonus Entry if you Follow my Blog using RSS Feed or the Google Following in right column.

1 Bonus Entry if you "Grab my Button" and put it on your website/blog

Please be sure to create a new post for EACH of your entries or they won't count and I want you to win!!!

Giveaway ends 11:59pm on June 5th

Watch for several more awesome Leisure Arts Giveaways coming up in the coming weeks!

Boogie Wipes Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 15 May 2009 14:14:00 +0000

My kids have had colds where they have had their noses wiped so much with dry tissue that they're just raw! You know that feeling because if you've had a bad cold, it's probably happened to you, too! It's the worst when you actually dread wiping or blowing your nose because it just plain hurts!!

Boogie Wipes have come up with the perfect solution for this! Boogie Wipes are made with saline to "unstick" the stubborn boogies, but they are also made with Chamomile, Vitamin E and Aloe to soothe their tender noses, moisturize and protect their skin.

Boogie Wipes sent me their three scents to try. The Magic Menthol will be just perfect for when the little ones have a cold because they have have a fresh menthol scent, which would definitely help open up stuffy noses. I like that the menthol isn't too strong, though. The Great Grape is a fun scent and my kids' favorite, but it's not obnoxious or too strong. And I ahve to admit that to see if they would dry out the skin or leave a strange residue, I actually used The Fresh Scent on my face. I just swept it over my skin like you would with one of those beauty cloths that are so popular right now. Usually scented products sting my skin and cause me to go all blotchy, but The Fresh Scent Boogie Wipes didn't! While I probably won't be using them in my daily beauty routine to cleanse my face, I would definitely keep them with me to clean any of our faces if needed. The scent that lingers is pleasant and not at all overpowering.

What's REALLY COOL is Boogie Wipes come in 30-wipe packs for $3.99/pk and you can buy "Boogies on the Run" individually-wrapped wipes for $2.99/10 pk to carry in your purse, backpack or lunchbox.

You can even get a Boogie Wipes DIAPER CAKE, which would be the perfect gift for a baby shower, newborn gift or for anyone with a baby! The Diaper Cake includes 3-30-count packs of Boogie Wipes, 20 Individually Wrapped Boogie Wipes, 50 Diapers & 1 Plush Toy.

Boogie Wipes has partnered with Things Moms Like to give away ALL THREE Boogie Wipes scents to one lucky Things Moms Like reader.

Initial Entry: To enter this giveaway, please visit the Boogie Wipes Store Locator and come back here to tell us the closest store to you that carries Boogie Wipes.

Bonus Entries:
After you complete your Initial Entry, you get one bonus entry for each of the following completed:

Follow Boogie Wipes on Twitter and Tweet this Giveaway. You may Tweet this Giveaway for one bonus entry EACH DAY!

Follow ThingsMomsLike on Twitter

Join the Things Moms Like Facebook Group

Grab my button and put it on your website/blog

THREE extra entries if you enter another of my giveaways!

Please be sure to create a comment post for EACH OF THE ABOVE that you've done or your extra entries won't count.

Giveaway ends June 5th @11:59pm

Just for mom!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 15 May 2009 12:08:00 +0000

Moms love baby gear, cleaning products and all of those practical things, but we don't often shop just for ourselves. Next week will be "Just for Mom" week.

If you have products that you'd like featured on "Just for Mom" week, please fill out the PR form in the right column and specify that your item is "Just for Mom".

And moms...watch out! It's gonna be allll about you!

Something this mom doesn't like

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 15 May 2009 03:14:00 +0000

There are very few companies that I absolutely boycott. There's only one I boycott for a rational reason, and not just because they got my orde wrong when I was having a bad day or they were out of the DVD I wanted to watch when I went in to rent it.

I was recently pitched by Nestle and they happen to be like the ONE company that I just absolutely try to avoid like "the plague". I'm not sure which plague "they" meant when that figure of speech was coined...maybe the black plague?

Oh it was the best...the bright spot in my day to hear my husband chuckle when I told him I was pitched by Nestle. He knows that I will pitch a bottle of Deer Park water or walk briskly by Kiehl's or The Body Shop, which I used to love so much because they are under that Nestle umbrella. It doesn't bring me joy, I can say that!

The fact that they blatantly violate the World Health Organization's (WHO) International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes. Is what doesn't sit well with me. WHO is a credible, reliable organization and their goal is to protect babies. And mothers, by the way. UNICEF is another reputable organization and they are right on board with the WHO's stance on the ethical marketing of artificial baby milks.

I don't understand if a company feels confident that they are offering a reliable, necessary product, why they feel the need to market so aggressively, and many times to mothers who don't even have the money to justify the effort it took to market to them in the first place.

Why do I boycott Nestle? Well, here's a snippet of information from Baby Milk Action:

Nestlé is targeted with the boycott because monitoring conducted by the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) finds it to be responsible for more violations of the World Health Assembly marketing requirements for baby foods than any other company (see the codewatch section for profiles of the different companies to target their malpractice).

As UNICEF has said:

"Marketing practices that undermine breastfeeding are potentially hazardous wherever they are pursued: in the developing world, WHO estimates that some 1.5 million children die each year because they are not adequately breastfed. These facts are not in dispute."

I do not Boycott Nestle as a judgement against artificial baby milks or the mothers who feed them to their babies. I Boycott Nestle because they market artificial baby milks in so-called "third world countries" where clean water and proper sanitation for bottles and accessories isn't always readily accessible. By the time mothers realize that they are OUT of the formula that was pushed on them and can't afford more or even know where to get more, they also find that their breasts have emptied of milk and they now have no nutritious or safe way to feed their babies. THAT is my biggest issue. It's not EVEN that they make baby formula, it's the sneaky tactics they use to get mothers to use it, particularly mothers who aren't making informed choices, but feel pressured by these "experts" to feed their babies the "right" thing.

If you want to get involved or just to find out more about the Nestle Boycott, please visit the One Million Campain website and IBFAN The International Baby Food Action Network.

AND...if you are a "Mommy Blogger" who wants to take a stand and remind Nestle that Mommy Blogs are one of the best sources of advertisement, information and influence and one Mommy's word of mouth is worth a hundred ad spots, take the Mommy Bloggers Say No To Nestle button in the right column and put it on your site, share it with your fellow Mommy Bloggers!

Babylegs/Bummas LIVE Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 12 May 2009 21:06:00 +0000

WINNER! The winner of our live giveaway is Beautiful! CONGRATULATIONS!!
Keep following!

This is my first live giveaway! I am going to be drawing from all comments between 6:00pm EST and 9:00pm EST! That's THREE HOURS of unlimited entries!

I'm giving away THIS pair of Baby Legs
the Original Leg and Arm Warmers for Babies and Adults -One Size fits most! ($12)

AND a 10-pack of Bummas 100% Cotton Cloth Wipes in the "Wild Ones" color assortment!
Bummas are made of woven velour terry cloth and are a generous 5"x7" when open. They're also machine-washable, which you know is a BIGGIE for me and I can tell you from personal experience that these are very, very absorbent. They retail for $16.99/pack and I can tell that they'll last a loooong time! Oh...and when I washed and dried them, they didn't shrink or pill, which makes me a very happy mama!!

Rules: You must first enter AT LEAST ONE of my other giveaways and comment here which one you entered. After that, you can comment as much as like as long as you post in complete sentences and post something relevant to this product, my website or Things Moms Like. Keep it clean!

I'll be drawing from the comments using Random.org

Tastes like pizza

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 12 May 2009 14:12:00 +0000

My son is 6 and has a lot of anxiety about strangers, doctors, dentists, etc. The dentist gave us Valium and said that he should take it an hour before his appointment and that he couldn't eat after midnight last night. His appointment was at the unholy hour of 7:30 am, about 30 minutes from our house. It's a hike, but this is the first dentist that doesn't act irritated that he's nervous, and believe me folks, we've been to several pediatric dentists! My 13-year-old daughter had to go with me because they say that a "responsible adult" should come with me to monitor him in the car afterwards and, well, she's the closest thing I have to that on a Tuesday morning with my husband scheduled in meetings at work all day. She brought a book.

So he took his medicine and went back to sleep. We got into the car and he woke up to watch a DVD, but was back to sleep about halfway there. When I got him out of the car at the dentist's office, he kept trying to get down...and believe me, he's heavy. I got him into the office and he insisted on standing on his own, but almost immediately begane to sway back and forth and had to take a step back to balance himself. I put him into a chair and tried to take off his jacket. He swatted at my hands and told me no. I asked him if he had to go to the bathroom...no. When they called us to go back, he would NOT let me help him. He wouldn't let me hold his hand, pick him up or even lightly touch his arm to guide him. I had to just lean down and put my arms around him without touching him so that he didn't knock his head on any corners or bump into the equipment in the room. He got into the chair and he looked cold and shivery, but he wouldn't let me put his blanket on.

They got him settled in the chair and I had a hard time leaving the room, although I could see it in their glances at each other that it was time for me to make my exit.

I went into the waiting room and waited. I read the most recent copy of Mom Writers Literary Magazine while my daughter shared with me what she was reading in Newsweek.

After what seemed like forever, the assistant came out with my child and he seemed much more alert than before he went in. He did have funny indentations in his skin around his nose and on his cheeks where he says that they put the "astronaut nose", which probably had him feeling really good through the whole thing. I tried to walk him out to the van and he began to run. I asked if he was tired and he said no...just slow. I feel slow when I run.

I drove my daughter back to school and my son wanted to get something to eat. OF COURSE since he hadn't eaten since before bedtime last night, I was willing to give him anything. In fact, they told me at the dentist's office that he should eat soon to help the Valium wear off more quickly. I knew his mouth was still a little bit numb, but I didn't think twice when he told me he wanted pizza from Sheetz.

He also got an icee to go with that pizza because that's the degree of mommy guilt I was feeling at that moment. Oh...did I mention the donut? I meant to.

We got home and he started to eat his pizza as I scurried around to write a check for the guy who mows our lawn who, of course, pulled up to the house at the same time as we did.

I finally sat down next to my child and he says "Mom, I keep biting my lip because I think it's pizza", and I look at him and realize that he has a mixture of pizza sauce and blood around his lip. Sigh. He had chewed up his lip. I should have made him wait until I could cut it into small pieces, but again, I was trying to do several things at once and forgot that he probably wasn't capable of biting into pizza and missing his giant-feeling lip.

So he's playing Lego Batman and I am wondering when the "numb" will wear off and he'll realize that his lip really, really hurts. I gave him some anticipatory ibuprofen and now we wait. Oh and there's a bag of ice on the floor because he can't hold the Wii remote and the bag of ice on his lip at the same time.

Little Jewel Sterling Silver Mommy Pendants Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 12 May 2009 01:39:00 +0000

The most precious things in my life are my children and when I am not with them, I am thinking of them. Because being a mother is one of the things I am most proud of, I really love "mommy jewelry" like these Girl and Boy Pendants (BELOW) from Little Jewel, purveyor of fine mother and child jewelry. They are sterling silver, which is my personal favorite, and you can get either the boy or the girl...or both. I like that they can be layered, so they look good alone or if you have more than one, they really look cool together!

These Sterling Silver Pendants are 11.5mm x 16mm and retail for $49.00 each.

ThingsMomsLike and Little Jewel are giving away TWO pendants (boy/girl or two of either).

Initial Entry: Visit the Little Jewel website and come back here to tell me what OTHER items you would love to have from their collections.

BONUS ENTRIES (only after initial entry has been completed)

1 Entry if you Follow Little Jewel on Twitter

1 Entry if you Follow ThingsMomsLike on Twitter and TWEET about this giveaway! You can Tweet this giveaway for an extra entry ONCE DAILY

3 Entries if you subscribe to Little Jewel's email list (bottom of left column on their website)

1 Entry if you add my button or have my button (right column) on your blog or website

1 Entry if you follow ThingsMomsLike on Google (right column "followers" box)

10 Extra entries if you purchase something from Little Jewel today!

Please be sure that you create a separate blog comment for each of the above entries or they won't count!

Giveaway ends May 30th.

Ah Goo Baby "The Plush Pad" Review & Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 11 May 2009 14:47:00 +0000

Ah Goo Baby sent me the most gorgeous diaper changing pad! The Plush Pad IS very plush, luxurious and really cute! I received the pattern shown in these photos, which is the "Spa" print. I like that it rolls up like a blanket for on-the-go, but has a memory foam cushion in it, which contours to your baby's curves and relieves pressure points. How COMFY is that?

The Plush Pad measures 2 feet by 2 feet when open and rolls to 3 inches by 10 inches when rolled so that it will fit in your diaper bag! The Plush Pad is machine washable which, in my world, is really important! If I can't throw it in the washer, I can't deal with it! All you do is remove the memory foam liner and throw it in the laundry! Ah Goo Baby uses boutique fabrics and the best quality materials to give babies everywhere the best!

This changing pad is both functional and very, very stylish!

Ah Goo Baby was founded in 2005 by Karen and George Telegadis, proud parents of Grace and Sophia. The Plush Pad has become wildly popular and has received buzz from their celebrity fans such as Jessica Alba, Naomi Watts, Elizabeth Hasselbeck, Patrick & Jillian Dempsey, Amanda Peet, Marcia Cross and Rebecca Romijn, just to name a FEW! The Plush Pad has been featured in InStyle Magazine, People Magazine, babytalk Magazine, Grand Magazine and Pregnancy and Newborn Magazine and featured on Daily Candy, Baby Wears Prada, and Things Moms Like!

The Plush Pad currently retails between $29.95 - $47.

You can win The Plush Pad in your choice of fabrics here at ThingsMomsLike!

To enter the Ah-Goo Baby Plush Pad Giveaway, simply visit Ah Goo Baby's website and click on "Gallery" to see all of their designs and come back here to tell me which one you like best BESIDES the featured "Spa" design.

Bonus Entries:

1 Entry if you Follow Ah Goo Baby Twitter

1 Entry if you Follow ThingsMomsLike on Twitter and TWEET about this giveaway! You can Tweet this giveaway for an extra entry ONCE DAILY

1 Entry if you add my button or have my button (right column) on your blog or website

1 Entry if you follow ThingsMomsLike on Google (right column "followers" box)

10 Extra entries if you purchase The Plush Pad for yourself or someone else today!

Giveaway ends at 11:59pm on June 1st

Relish! 1 Yr of Meal Planning Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 09 May 2009 16:50:00 +0000

FREE YOURSELF FROM THE DINNER TRAP!

As a wife and mother of two, I find it difficult to come up with something new and exciting to make for dinner every night. We get into a rut where I am making the same few things over and over and by the end of the week, I am simply opening up a can of something or microwaving something frozen because I didn't get everything I needed at the grocery store to make one full meal. I was really excited to find a website that will help me come up with creative meal ideas AND create a shopping list for me so I know that I'll have everything I need to make them. They even include nutritional values for all meals!

Relish! is a meal planning service that was created by Ann Bender and Karen Hutcherson, two busy Colorado Moms who found themselves in the "dinner trap". We ALLLLL know the dinner trap!

Relish! helps take angst out of what to make for dinner. All you do is log into your account, choose from 15 different meals, and their system creates a grocery list for you based on the meals that you've selected. That's IT! Eating in has never been so easy! Relish! also says that if you stick to your list, you will save money as five meals and sides cost under $95 per week. I am betting that you probably even have a lot of the items that you need in your pantry, but don't know what to do with those odds and ends, so you'll probably save even more than you think! I love that you can select how many people you want to serve (2, 4, 6 or 8) and Relish! plans your recipe and grocery list accordingly.
Not only is eating dinner at home more economical, but a CASA (National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse) study at Colombia University found that teens who eat regular family dinners are less likely to smoke, drink or use drugs and they are more likely to perform better in school. CASA’s 2006 report “The Importance of Family Dinners III” found that compared to kids who have fewer than three family dinners per week, children and teens who have frequent family dinners are:

• 70 percent lower risk for substance abuse
• One third less likely to try alcohol
• Half as likely to try cigarettes or marijuana

I have a teenage daughter and these findings don't surprise me much because most of our meaningful conversations happen over a meal. Get back to the family dinner table! Your kids will thank you!

With the hot, humid days of summer coming up, I know that I will get lazy about cooking and be tempted just to order out, but included in your subscription are "Freezer Menus", which let's you cook in bulk and freeze meals so that you ALWAYS have a homemade meal that you can heat up for dinner, even when you're too busy to cook. Relish! offers seasonal features, too, like the Mother's Day menus that they have up. Relish! will help you plan meals for dinner parties, potlucks, Holiday meals, themed parties such as Super Bowl, Tiki, 4th of July, Teen and a lot more!

Would your family eat Italian Pot Roast? Pizza Chicken? Slow-cooker Country-style Ribs? What about Chocolate Valencia Pie? MINE WOULD!

SEE A SAMPLE RELISH! MENU HERE
SEE A SAMPLE RELISH! SHOPPING LIST HERE

What's even better is that Relish! has included Healthy Lunches, Hors D'ouerves, Desserts and even "Dinner and a Movie", which is where they select a family movie and "campy" food to go with it. I'll give you an example of how FUN the "Dinner and a Movie" is. They have tons of movies listed, but I clicked on "Twilight" and the suggested menu was:

Drac Attack Pomegranate IZZE / Vampire Kiss Martini
Garden Burger
Forks Famous French Fries
Garlicky Spinach Salad
Berry “Bella” Cobbler

Not only did they create a fun menu, but they provided recipes and a shopping list to go along with it. I know that I am going to be the coolest mom on the block using this really cool feature that comes with my Relish! subscription!

GLUTEN-FREE? They even have a gluten-free menu service!!

If you are STILL trying to decide what to buy for a special mom in your life, you can gift her with a Relish! subscription now! It's not too late! I just bought one for my best friend!

A Relish! subscription is $58.80 for one year, but they're offering a FREE 12-month subscription to a lucky ThingsMomsLike reader!

To enter the Relish! 12-Month Subscription Giveaway, simply visit their SAMPLE RELISH! MENU HERE and come back and comment on which meal you think your family would like the most!

Bonus Entries:

1 Entry if you Follow Relish! on Twitter

1 Entry if you Follow ThingsMomsLike on Twitter and TWEET about this giveaway! You can Tweet this giveaway for an extra entry ONCE DAILY

1 Entry if you add my button or have my button (right column) on your blog or website

1 Entry if you follow ThingsMomsLike on Google (right column "followers" box)

10 Extra entries if you purchase a subscription for yourself or someone else. Just leave a comment listing which email address you purchased it with!

Giveaway ends 11:59pm May 31st.

Recent Giveaway Winners!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 09 May 2009 14:49:00 +0000

Sinupret For Kids Giveaway - Jenna McCarthy, Stefanie, Hartman, Z. Smith, Courtney
Bride Wars DVD/PaperShouts $25 Gift Certificate - Samantha Aluse
By The Book Kids - Jo Burzyki
I'd Tell You I Love You, But I'd Have to Kill You - Kathy Pease
Trader Joe's $20 Gift Card - Carol Ziuba
Morgan's Photo Art - Rachel Riska

Congratulations to these ladies!
I have emailed all of you to get your information!

Are you a Mom of the Revolution?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 08 May 2009 13:26:00 +0000

Honor a Mother who makes a difference!

Revolution Foods, a leading provider of healthy, organic foods for children, has partnered with green parenting publication Kiwi Magazine, the EcoMom Alliance and Myhealthyschool.com to create a contest that honors hometown activists – the Moms of the Revolution. Five moms who have taken actions to secure better nutrition for kids, advocate for change in their school’s lunch program, or who seek to redefine the lunchbox, will be selected to receive the Moms of the Revolution Award. Winners will be featured in Kiwi Magazine, receive a yearlong subscription to the publication and a one-year supply of organic lunchbox snacks from Revolution Foods. One of the five winners will also score $3,000 towards supporting their own healthy school lunch initiative.

The contest runs through May 30, 2009, and is the first of many upcoming initiatives helmed by Revolution Foods’ Moms of the Revolution campaign – a nationwide search that aims to honor (and inspire) hometown activists who are revolutionizing the way kids in their communities eat.

You can submit yourself or other amazing moms you know by filling out the submission form for FREE at http://www.kiwimagonline.com/momsoftherevolution

LOOK what I won from JenerationPR!!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 07 May 2009 14:02:00 +0000

I was online one evening recently and noticed that Jeneration PR was doing a live giveaway on Twitter and I just had to get in on it! I am a MAJOR "product" junkie and love hair products, makeup, skincare, fragrances...all of it! She said she was giving away $500 worth of beauty products and I got all giddy! I began to Tweet my entries with great excitement and as the contest closed, I thought that there was NO WAY I was going to win because I wanted to SO badly!

But I won! And here's my haul from Jeneration PR!

Still in the box
I seriously think this has to be more than $500 worth of stuff! How awesome is that! Made my day! Thanks Jen!!

What a sweet surprise!!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 07 May 2009 13:58:00 +0000

My dog was making me crazy and pacing and whining and I figured maybe she needed to go out, so I snapped on her leash and took her out to the yard. While we were on the side of the house, I noticed some little red balls in the grass. On closer inspection, I realized that they were little strawberries! Now, I've never intentionally been able to grow anything, and I know that now that I've seen them, they HAVE to all die because that's the way of my black thumb, but how cute are these?

KnitPicks Gorgeous Yarn & Needle Set Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 07 May 2009 00:55:00 +0000

As a mom who is new to knitting, I have been looking for websites that have really nice products AND video tutorials because I need a lot of step-by-step support. KnitPicks is a website that my avid knitting friends recommended to me because they have both AWESOME products, very reasonable pricing, detailed video tutorials and forums. Many have tried to show me how to knit, but after watching some of the tutorials on KnitPicks, I am actually finally getting the hang of it! The KnitPicks Community also includes project podcasts, online Knit-Alongs, and you can even connect with KnitPicks on Twitter and Facebook!

When I heard that they wanted to give away four balls of their Simply Cotton Worsted Yarn and the very cool Harmony Needle Set ($74.99 on their website right now), I was so excited because I know that a lot of my readers like to knit. This is another of those giveaways that make me wish I was just a ThingsMomsLike reader so that I could enter to win!

Here's the scoop on the Simply Cotton Worsted Yarn:

Our luxurious 100% organic cotton yarn is good for you and Mother Earth. The colors are naturally occurring shades, free from dyes or bleach. It’s super soft, easy to work with and sure to bring pleasure to anyone who wears it. Color may vary from skein to skein since it is naturally occurring and not dyed.

ORGANIC! TOO. COOL.

The Harmony needles are really beautiful, multi-colored birch wood and the set comes with a clear case so that you can show off your pretty needles! The set includes Harmony Wood Knitting Needles in US sizes 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 10.5 and 11 - Cables: 2 of each of 24" and 32" lengths, 10.5"x5.75"x2" zippered clear vinyl needle case, 5.75"x4.5"x0.5" clear vinyl case, 8 end caps and 2 cable keys.

You can win the four balls of Simply Cotton Worsted Yarn shown in the photo above (Marshmallow, Malted Milk, Ginger and Toffee) and the Harmony Needle Set, a total value of approximately $90 and a cool value that's priceless!

Initial Entry: Go to their patterns page and comment here on which project you'd like to start with your winnings AND join their Facebook Group.

1 Extra Entry: Add KnitPicks on Twitter (comment here with your Twitter ID)

1 Extra Entry: Tweet this giveaway and post a link to the Tweet here - you can Tweet each day for an entry a day.

1 Extra Entry: Add my button (on the right sidebar) to your website

2 Extra Entries: Blog about this contest with a link back to this Giveaway!

Please be sure that you create a separate blog comment for each of the above entries or they won't count!

Giveaway ends May 30th.

I'm also participating in the Give It Away Now Blog Carnival! Stop by MomMostTraveled.com and check it out!

Brain, Child Magazine Giveaway! The Magazine for Thinking Moms

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 06 May 2009 16:20:00 +0000

I am a huge Brain, Child Magazine fan. HUGE.

Over the years I have read some really terrible "parenting" magazines. Most of the content was advertisements for MORE baby gear that I wouldn't use and there seemed to be a canned formula and cycle to the articles that were printed. I have read more articles about how to take away the pacifier or how to plan an extravagant first birthday party over the years than I can count on all of my fingers and toes.

I discovered Brain, Child Magazine about four or five years ago when my youngest was a baby and I have been hooked ever since! Brain, Child really IS the magazine for thinking mothers. There is such a wide variety of content that I don't feel like I am ever reading the same thing twice and it's not full of ads for bright, plastic toys that say they'll make my child smarter.

Just in the most recent, Spring '09 issue, there are articles about what you should say to your children about your partying or just less responsible years before they came along, mothering when you don't live with your children, when mommy has a potty-mouth, and weighing the choice whether or not to have children. You will NOT read any of that in the mainstream "parenting" magazines.

I am also happy to say that there ARE advertisements in Brain, Child Magazine, but they are few and far-between. I counted nine advertisements aside from the two "Marketplace" pages in the back of the magazine and I am also happy to report that NONE of the advertisements made my eyes hurt.

My fellow blogging mommies will appreciate that on the outside back cover of the Spring 2009 issue, there is a list of blogs written by mothers.

Are you now officially in love with Brain, Child Magazine like I am? If you're not, go check out the highlights of the Spring 2009 Issue and catch up, will you?

Okay, now that you're with me, you want to win a one-year subscription to Brain, Child Magazine and I am going to tell you how!

Brain, Child Magazine is giving away TWO FREE one-year subscriptions ($19.99 value each) to lucky ThingsMomsLike readers!

Initial Entry: Sign up for their e-mail newsletter for updates and information about what's going on at Brain, Child Magazine - The Magazine For Thinking Mothers--come back here and post the email address that you used to subscribe. You can spell out your email address if you don't want it to be linked.

TWO extra entries if you join Brain, Child's Facebook Group

Extra Entry #3 "Follow my blog" in the right column

Extra Entry #4 Join my Facebook Group

Extra Entry #5 Grab My Button and put it on your website (right column)

Extra Entry #6 Add Things Moms Like on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. You can Tweet once every day for an extra entry each day.

You must submit a separate comment for each of your entries or they will not be counted.

Giveaway ends 5/24/09

$3800 HomePlace Structures Playset Giveaway at MomDot!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 06 May 2009 13:16:00 +0000

I want this so bad I can taste it! Several years ago, we got a wooden playset on Freecycle that didn't hold up for very long. It wasn't great quality and although the kids did have some fun on it, it was quite small and not very sturdy. We gave it to someone to recycle the wood. Since we got rid of it, our backyard has been bare. I am not impressed by the quality of the sets I see at the Big Box stores and in this economy, spending the $$ to buy a really, really nice one like the one that HomePlace Structures is giving away at MomDot is just not in the cards for us.

When I saw this contest, my eyes flew open and my fingers went a-flyin'. I am so excited at just the IDEA that I could possibly win this Giveaway!

Although I am paranoid that it will decrease my odds, I wanted to let my readers know about this contest and I hope that if it isn't ME that wins it, that it's one of my readers. And that you'll invite us over when you do!!!

Go enter the HomePlace Structures Playset Giveaway at MomDot now!!

My Plate-Mate - Two for Tuesday ANOTHER Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 06 May 2009 03:30:00 +0000

Have you ever watched your toddler try to eat "like a big kid", but they get frustrated because the food slides right off of their plate? If you're like me, you've taught your children not to scoop food onto the fork or spoon with their fingers. I wish that My Plate-Mate existed when I had toddlers! My kids actually could probably still use these today, especially when we have peas! My Plate-Mate is made in the USA and is BPA, lead, phthalate, PVC and polybicarbonate-free. My Plate-Mate has even been featured on NBC's Today Show!

My Plate-Mate is the perfect solution for the toddler who is always chasing food off the plate!

ThingsMomsLike is giving away a My Plate-Mate Set. You can choose from Blue and White or Pink and White.
Initial Entry:
To enter this giveaway, visit My Plate-Mate and come back here and comment on who can use My Plate-Mate.

For additional entries,

1. Add ThingsMomsLike on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway--post a link to your tweet here.

2. Add my button in the right column to your blog or website -post the link to your website here

3. Join my Facebook Group

THREE Extra Entries: If you Blog about this contest and post a link to the blog post here
You must make a separate comment for each of your entries Ends 11:59pm on May 22nd.

I'm also excited to be participating in MomDot's 31 Blogs in 31 Days Birthday Bash!! Go check it out!

The Baby Buggy Boutique Review & Giveaway Mother's Day - Day 6

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 05 May 2009 15:17:00 +0000

I really try not to talk in absolutes because you never know when you'll find that next best thing, but I can say that up to this point, on this day, the basket I received from The Baby Buggy Boutique is the most adorable basket that I've ever seen!
I opened the box and there was this gorgeous basket inside packed with organic clothing, a super-soft polar fleece blanket, and beautifully hand-crafted and hand-painted clothes hangers, a door sign that says "Nap Time" and picture frame...all coordinating in the "Giraffe Safari" theme. The Giraffe Safari basket has a retail value of $59.99. The Giraffe Safari line is brand new and isn't even on their website yet, so I got a lucky sneak peek!

The soft little onesie and cap are both 100% Certified Organic Cotton. This is comforting because I try to buy organic when I can and I know that today, many mothers are doing the same. You can get onesies in sizes newborn through 12 months, so this fabulous gift isn't limited to baby showers or brand new mommies!
I noticed on The Baby Buggy Boutique's website that they also make and send the ever-popular shower or new baby gift, the Diaper Cake, and you can even request your Baby Buggy Boutique Diaper Cake with Seventh Generation Natural Diapers! Now THAT is a Diaper Cake that even your "crunchy" friends will appreciate!

I know that you want to win one of these baskets and they are giving away the basket of your choice to one lucky ThingsMomsLike winner, so I'm going to tell you how to enter to win!

Initial Entry: Visit The Baby Buggy Boutique's website and tell us which of their baskets is your favorite and who you would give it to (or if you'd keep it for yourself!)

Extra Entry: Add ThingsMomsLike on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway--post a link to your tweet here.

Extra Entry: Add The Baby Buggy Boutique as a Twitter friend and post the url to your Tweet here.

Extra Entry: Add my button in the right column to your blog or website -post the link to your website here

Extra Entry: Join my Facebook Group

THREE Extra Entries: If you Blog about this contest and post a link to the blog post here

You must make a separate comment for each of your entries Ends 11:59pm on May 19th

I'm also excited to be participating in MomDot's 31 Blogs in 31 Days Birthday Bash!! Go check it out!

What's on your Mother's Day Wish List?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 04 May 2009 16:22:00 +0000

Invariably, when you ask a group of mothers what is on their Mother's Day wish list, you will get a different answer from each. For some, it's their favorite perfume because they'd never splurge to buy it for themselves. For others, it's yummy-smelling bath products and a few minutes to use them in a bubbly bathtub. And I am sure that we can ALL empathize with the mother who JUST wants some peace and quiet. Maybe for dad or grandma to take the kids to a movie and the park for the afternoon while she curls up with a book she's been meaning to read for like a year.

What is on YOUR Mother's Day wish list?

Vera Wang Lavender Stationery Mother's Day Giveaway Day 5

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 04 May 2009 14:06:00 +0000

Invitation Consultants, a company that specializes in Stationery, Wedding and Party Invitations and party favors is offering a beautiful set of Vera Wang Lavender Hand-Bordered Stationery ($24.00 value) to a lucky ThingsMomsLike reader! The notecards are a heavy-weight flat ecru and the envelopes are hand-lined. This set consists of a box of ten notecards and ten envelopes. These are perfect for invitations, thank you notes or saying hello to a friend. They would also make a wonderful gift!

Now you want to know how you can get your very own set of this gorgeous stationery and I'm about to tell you!

Initial Entry: Visit the Invitation Consultants website and tell us which of their designs would work best for an event that you have coming up (besides the featured product).

Extra Entry: Add ThingsMomsLike on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway--post a link to your tweet here.

Extra Entry: Add Alison at Invitation Consultants as a Twitter friend and Tweet your Twitter name here when it's done

Extra Entry: Add my button in the right column to your blog or website -post the link here

Extra Entry: Join my Facebook Group

THREE Extra Entries: If you Blog about this contest and post a link to your post here

You must make a separate comment for each of the above in order to get the extra entries.

Giveaway ends 11:59pm on May 19th

I'm also excited to be participating in MomDot's 31 Blogs in 31 Days Birthday Bash!! Go check it out!

I'm also participating in the Give It Away Now Blog Carnival! Stop by MomMostTraveled.com and check it out!

Book Review: Attached at the Heart -Barbara Nicholson & Lysa Parker

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 04 May 2009 13:40:00 +0000

I just finished reading Attached at the Heart by Barbara Nicholson and Lysa Parker, co-Founders of Attachment Parenting International, and I have to say that I LOVE LOVE LOVE this book! FINALLY we have some solid evidence and stories to back up what many of us have known for years about Attachment Parenting and staying close to our children. The best thing, perhaps, about this book is that there aren't any definitive "you must do this to be a good parent" messages in this book, as you find with so many other "parenting" books.

Even if you don't completely identify with or label yourself as "Attachment Parenting", this book offers tons of wonderful stories from parents and the message throughout the book is to trust yourself as a parent and remember that you know your babies and children better than anyone else and that YOU know instinctively what they need and when you follow your instincts, you become more connected to your children throughout their lives. This book is a must-read for anyone even thinking about having children. I actually found it quite relevent even to parenting my teenager, so this is not just a book for those practicing the "7 Baby B's", but for parents with children of all ages. You can get this in paperback AND Kindle (links below).

KINDLE VERSION